Protect Our Marriage, Protect Our Children

Not too long after the passing of Prop H8 here in California, I wrote some of my feelings regarding the proposition and its proponents. I am choosing to post it at this time because of the repeal of the Maine marriage law.
Anyway, this is what I wrote, and this is what I believe.

Protect Our Marriage, Protect Our Children

I am not political. I am not an activist. I don’t wear my sexuality on my sleeve. I honestly did not think that if Prop H8 passed it would really affect me one way or the other, but it has.

Nothing has changed. I still live my life with my partner, spouse, of 10 years. We still have two wonderful, beautiful, perfect children. I still go to work, I still make lunches, I still give baths, I still play on the floor with my kids, I still go grocery shopping, empty the dishwasher etc. Actually nothing has changed outwardly but for the first time I have been slapped in the face with the realization that there are people out there who think of me as a second class citizen.

I have become suspicious. I look at people who know me and think “did you vote yes on that hateful proposition?” I wonder if the people I encounter at work or other places smile in my face and then vote yes on a prop that deems me, my love and my family “less than”.

I am suspicious of people who go to their respective churches and believe in a god of hate instead of a God of love. I am angry that churches are using His name to instill unwarranted fear and rejection of other people and of love.
I am deeply saddened by the fact that there are so many people out there who choose to hate over love, who are so afraid they choose bigotry over acceptance, who blindly follow their church or community leaders instead of using their hearts and their brains. Mostly I am saddened that we are raising our kids in a society that I believed was more enlightened and better than this.

I was not political. I was not an activist. I did not wear my sexuality on my sleeve. That was before the yes on H8 people backed me into a corner. I am now like a mother bear protecting her cubs. They stole, lied and cheated and took rights away not only from me but they took the rights of our two children to have married parents. Now I am going to roar.

I believe the yes on H8 people have woken a sleeping giant. Those of us who were once quiet, who lived life quietly so as not to upset others, are now ready to join those brave people who have always spoken out. We will be louder and more visible than before–because yes–we want to protect our marriages and protect our children.