I won’t make this blog too long, because I want to make sure I am able to hold everyone’s attention span because this one will be sort of like a Public Service Announcement.
Last week the LGBTQ community lost one of its own, a true spirited soul who grabbed life by the balls and, with a smile, dazzling bowtie/sneaker combo and no complaints, lived life. Her name is Pat, and when she passed away, everyone who knew her felt it strongly. This was a woman who knew about our history, LIVED the history and the struggles, and always made everyone – including the younger generations – know that just because being gay is tough right now, it does, indeed get better.
She was a testament that true love can conquer all. After years of being separated by some forces beyond control, she was reunited with the love of her life. I’m not going to go into details – that’s her and her partners’ story to share. If you knew the story, you’d feel just how I feel … that true love can conquer all, and there is hope for me that I will find true love also.
Okay, that is just a smidgen of Pat’s life. And what she accomplished during her life in the LGBTQ community is something that inspired me to follow suit and do things to continue the struggle and try to make things better for gay people coming up behind me. Not only Pat, but a slew of other LGBTQ community members served as a role model for myself and others my age to do whatever we needed to do to make things a bit lighter for our younger members.
So, in 2010 I spearheaded a four-part series in my newspaper, the Asbury Park Press, to promote all of the good work, struggles and inspirational moves by the members in Asbury Park’s LGBTQ community to advance and enhance life in our city. I was surprised that my effort was the first one to do an entire series on our community, in our community’s paper. I also started one of the city’s first blogs devoted to the LGBTQ community. And in 2013, I founded Asbury Park’s Pink Prom, a fabulous event to celebrate our lives and give all proceeds raised to a deserving LGBTQ organization. Now, in its fourth year, I am proud of all that it has accomplished.
I’ve done exactly what I wanted to do, to pick up the torch and give back to our community. I learned so much from those people who’ve come before me, and I have passed it on. And so many others in my age group have also done so much to do the same.
Now, I am not coming down on our younger generation in the LGBTQ community. Especially since there are groups out there like the PRIDE Network and Project R.E.A.L. (just to name a couple of them – there are more) who are continuing the struggle and making sure life for the LGBTQ community continues to prosper. But I have to say, I’ve been worried. If it were not for organizations that I’ve named, along with a few others, I’d be downright petrified.
But, where are all of the other younger generations making strides to help young members of the community, and what are the young people doing to make sure that life continues to prosper for young gay members?
Young people – have you asked yourselves: “What am I doing to not only party and have a good time, but what am I doing to continue to battle the struggles, what am I giving back to make things great for my fellow younger gay communities, and what should I be doing to pick up that torch that is going to be left blazing by my fellow gay brothers and sisters as they pass on?”
Young people, take it from me, just because gay marriage is legal, and some other outrages have been rectified for gays, it by no means lets us off the hook. We still have so many struggles that we MUST overcome … have any been following what has been going in North Carolina?
Well guess what … North Carolina might be just the beginning of the backslide. Who know what else will cross our paths to put our LGBTQ community behind the eight-ball? We could be in for a whole different type of struggle, and I know that partying and having fun with life is a great way to live – I’d be a liar if I reprimanded anyone for doing that. That, my friends, is something I love to do, and I won’t stop doing it until I am six-feet under, believe me. But I, myself, have also been doing things to help our community.
Young people, here’s a challenge. Take a long look in the mirror, and ask yourselves: “Am I doing anything right now to help my fellow gays, so that the struggle for us will be a little lighter?”
If you can wholeheartedly answer “Yes,” then I am so very proud of you!
But if you wholeheartedly answer “No, but it’s okay because there are others out there doing things; they will make sure everything is okay for us,” then I cannot say that I am that proud of you. Point being – it takes a village. And if you are content with letting others do all of the work, then what benefits are you truly reaping?
This blog post is not a way of coming down on the younger generation, although it might seem that way. Nor is it a way of tooting my own horn. My reason for posting this is not only to give props to younger members in the LGBTQ community for helping to overcome our struggles, but also to challenge those not yet making a difference to make a difference.
It’s time to make a difference, people. Actually, it’s way past time.
