What History is there?

Today I was sitting at work not doing much of anything because it was the slow part of the day.  Out of nowhere one of my co-workers comes up to me with one of the local papers covering a small blurb about CA legislation involving the attempt to ban teaching gay history in public schools.  She points to the small caption story and asks me pretty honestly, "What history?  What history is there to teach?"  I have to be honest, for a moment I thought she was joking with me and I kinda just looked at her.  "I mean, is there really that much history they can teach?" she asked.  Half as an answer and half as a stall to get my brain back in my head I reached into my bag and handed her 'Stonewall' by David Carter, which I'm reading currently.  She said, "oh yeah, I remember when this happened but didn't think it was that much history to teach."  I mentioned that in gay history this is basically the beginning of the modern LGBT movement.  You know what her reaction was?  "Oh, I didn't know there was any history, or movement, or anything!"  Really?  I mean really?  The whole thing lead to a broader discussion, but I had to stop and think to myself: how many more people don't know that there is a history or a movement?  How many of "us" don't even know or understand the history of our "gay family?"  To be completely transparent, I know that I don't know as much history as I should....hence the book.  At the same time, how many people out there don't even have a clue what's going on in the gay world like this lady.  I mean would I be remiss if I said that I didn't know there was a history for women's rights or for African American civil liberties?  Yet, there are obviously people who are completely ignorant of gay civil rights.  How does this happen?  Is it simply ignorance or is it apathy towards other cultures?  And if we were truly educating children and adults alike; how many more people could get behind the movement when they know the facts?  How many more people could take up the stand when they know how hard we've already been fighting and how many great things have come about because of gays?  How much homophobia could potentially be silenced when all the information is on the table?

Lemons and Surprises..

So obviously, this isn't going to be a blog posted every day religiously.  However, I do want to post regularly.  Though it's 3 am and I should really be having face time with my pillow, I just feel the need to throw some things out there.  After nights like tonight and really weekends like these last few I tend to get sentimental about life and the things that are going on around me.  Deal with it, lol!  Within approximately the two and half years that I have come out, I have come a long, long, long way.  Life has definitely handed me lemons many a time, and sometimes it's just bitter there is no making lemonade.  But, life has also handed me many surprises and amazing people.  I think back to living in Cumberland and trying to get over a relationship that I really wanted to hold onto, but it was oh so bad for me; and a relationship that had just ended in friendship but that needed to be terminated for the sake of us both.  Living in a smaller, rural, countrified city was never bad, but it was definitely tough sometimes.  It was certainly not the place for me, but I never thought that I'd get out either.  Now, this short time later I think back on just the last two days and I can't believe what I do on my time off.  Yesterday I was having drink and dinner with some of the most amazing guys I could ever wish to have come in contact with.  I couldn't have fathomed in years that there would be a group of bears, chubbies, and chasers that would love me, respect me, and understand me the way that they do.  That alone makes the move priceless.  Both, last night and tonight I found myself in bars and clubs where I knew for sure that there was someone else gay like me (and that's an understatement!).  Tonight, I was drug out of one of those crowds by a bar manager to schmooze with one of the most wonderful and over the top drag queens out there all while on stage in front of everyone and with Justin by my side.  And all because we just finished filming for MTV........Me??  From what most consider to be the-middle-of-nowhere-Maryland, to living just outside The Nation's Capitol celebrating my gay relationship in gay bars with real life queens and drag queens.  There are days when life is so surreal.  But I wouldn't change it for anything!  Thank you, however, from the bottom of my heart to our Bourgie Bear group, to people like Joey and Kristina from Apex and Perry from Omega, to Lauren and Daniel and Brian and Stephan for coming out to the bars with us.  Your hospitality, love, compassion, senses of humor, and general openness have allowed me to be here and experience so much more than I could have ever imagined.  It is because of who you are that I can be who I truly am inside every day.  So, no major life changing realization in this post, sorry.  But a truly heartfelt thank you to those special people that touch our lives.  We love you!!