going boldly

I learned my earliest progressive ideals as a second grader watching the self-consciously diverse crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise battle hostile aliens that would later be inevitably assimilated into the Federation's high-tech melting pot. It was an optimistic, if naïve, future. It was also, apparently, even more diverse than we could have known at the time.

I never know exactly what to say when someone comes out. “Congratulations”? “You have my support”? Over the years, many friends have gone through that strange ritual, and they all needed support and deserved congratulations for doing something that remains difficult in this culture.

But, ideally, there would be no support necessary and no congratulations because none of this would matter. The Federation, which could easily accept asexual life forms and species with far more than two genders into its big tent, wouldn’t have cared if Takei’s character, Sulu, were gay. The über-masculine James T. Kirk wouldn’t have ever considered fag-bashing in the manner of 20^th-century jocks¹. He would have been calculating his odds: Let’s see, Sulu’s a raging queen, and Spock only has sex once every seven years, that leaves all the sexy alien females for meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

How long must we sing this song? How long must people “come out”? How long must gay people sit their families down, hearts pounding, and say what everyone has long known in their heart? How long must people join support groups and read self-help books to try to understand? How long must mothers say Just don’t tell your father? How long must siblings keep secrets? How long must we face this contrived “issue”? Until the 23^rd century?

We can vote on "issues." We can disagree on "issues." Warren Chisum can write an amendment to the Texas Constitution that deals with the “issue” of gay marriage and still be an essentially decent person who just happens to disagree with the Panhandle Truth Squad.

But it’s not an issue. It’s people. People who are who they are, and Chisum and all the Texans who support Proposition 2 support laws that deny family rights to some people. If you’re straight and planning to vote for Proposition 2, take a picture of your closest gay friend² into the voting booth with you. Personalize the issue. Can you vote to make your friend an untouchable? Can you vote to make Sulu a pariah?

SPACEDARK

¹ I know what century it is. It’s just that we’re only five years into it, and I’m hoping that narrow-minded bigotry doesn’t characterize the whole century.

² If you don’t think you know any gay people, I’m not worried about your vote. You won’t be able to make it to the polls with that blindfold on.