Back in my home-building days, I was fired from a job after being outed to my boss by a well meaning colleague. At a time, and in a place where there was no recourse, no protections. Kind of like it is in vast parts of the country today. People lose jobs, jobs they need, jobs they are good at, because of who they are, who they love, that has absolutely nothing to do with their ability to do their job. I know, I have been there and experienced that.
I have only once participated in a "March on Washington." It was a couple of years after I moved to the DC area, and it was a march for marriage equality. I didn't really believe that I would live long enough to be able to marry the one I love. (I often say, I can't predict that, I am wrong too often.) Marriage makes us the default health care decision maker for each others, creates inheritance rights, rights to Social Security as a spouse or surviving spouse, pension rights, rights to family plan health insurance, entitles us to file joint tax returns and take advantage of the marriage bonus in tax laws. It makes a real difference. I had to write a legal memo to someone explaining why it made a difference 14 years ago. My marriage, has not taken away from anyone else's.
There are reasons to fight for protections. There are reasons to fight to keep the protections we have achieved.
And for reasons you state and many more ,are why we must stay on our Democratic leaders to push the equality Act. Otherwise we're going to start seeing our rights going out the window and stripped. Much like abortion is now. Going too Prides and Marches is once again very important.
ReplyDeleteCall, visit, VOTE
DeleteWho would have thought not so long ago that these protections and benefits would ever be at risk.
ReplyDeleteScary times
DeleteGoing from California to South Dakota for family visits, i used to worry every time: What if one of us ends up int the hospital here? Hard to believe it’s still something to worry about in parts of the country despite the incredible strides we’ve made and the legal rights we supposedly have. We can never stop making our voices heard.
ReplyDeleteAnd that Florida would be on the the travel warnings lists
DeleteI once had a friend who, when I talked about marriage equality [she was against it as a faux Catholic] and listed all the reasons you just mentioned, she asked why I didn't just "adopt" Carlos.
ReplyDeleteYes, she did.
Notice I said I ONCE had a friend ...
Some people... sheesh!
Delete❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
ReplyDeleteLove you!
DeleteCurrent events demonstrate very well why we must always be vigilant about our hard-earned rights.
ReplyDeleteScary times,
DeleteIt's amazing to me that in just a few years, things have seemingly moved back in time. It also seems as if our country is becoming two different countries, with Florida and Texas leading the way for one part of the country.
ReplyDeleteFlorida has really gone off the deep end
DeleteThere was a time when I was proud of our country as it moved in positive social directions. I really can't believe this sudden march in the opposite direction.
ReplyDeleteI just voted
DeleteThank you for sharing your story.
ReplyDeleteAnd you for sharing your story. If we work together we can lift everyone up.
DeleteI guess there will soon be proposals to make it again OK to fire gays
ReplyDeleteI hope not
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