Speak out
This month marks the one-year anniversary of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. DAD was first signed into law by President Clinton in 1993. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network estimated that over the period of 18 years, 14,500 military personnel were discharged because of their sexual orientation. The SLDN also reported the Pentagon spent more than $363 million dollars implementing DADT.
We arrived to the movie with about 45 minutes to spare so we could get good seats, but there were plenty with the same idea, and we walked, hands full of popcorn and snacks, into a packed theater. After scoping out Theater 9, we realized the only row with six open seats available was third from the front.
When I moved to Colorado two years ago, I sought opportunities that I couldn’t find in the South. Being raised in Georgia, I found it difficult to find an identity. After I graduated from college in 2009, I was unable to secure gainful employment. I moved to Colorado, thinking a change in environment would do me good.
Remember, I am so old that I can remember when we snuck into the three gay bars in Denver. Back then we would never have thought of a PrideFest attended by 300,000; much less likely than going to the moon.
We’re participating in the Soulforce Equality Ride – a two-month social justice bus tour dedicated to nonviolently confronting the political and spiritual oppression of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people.
Pride is a time to reconnect with these friends and remember that – although we all identify in a variety of ways and have gone on to accomplish a multitude of different things – we have deep shared roots, and that’s worth revisiting each year.
OutServe stated that because LGBT servicemembers serving openly is still a contentious issue, marching in uniform at Pride could be seen as an act of protest. “Let’s wait a year, demonstrate our professionalism as we march in civilian clothes, and next year, having proven ourselves, we can work with the Department and gain formal approval to proudly march together as a uniformed contingent for Pride.”
We are better people for having taken up this fight for our rights. Colorado is a better place because of these changes. And that is why we continue to support the work of our LGBT community organizations.
