The time is now!

Saturday, as I looked out at the 1400 people gathered on the steps of the Old Court House in St. Louis, I gave myself fully to the anger I had been feeling since the election. As I spoke and the crowd joined me in my outrage, I felt other emotions begin to arise. I felt joy and I felt fear. I felt joy that this might be the moment. This might really be the turning-point; LGBT folks might really take their power back. The sleeping tiger might have awoken. But, I also felt fear – fear that this opportunity would be lost. The LGBT Movement has been close to critical mass before. The 1969 Stonewall Riot, the 1978 vigil after the assassination of Harvey Milk, 1987 Supreme Court action, the 25th Anniversary Gay Pride celebrations in 1994. But, each time we got close to a real revolution in our thinking about LGBT rights, we pulled back and accepted defeat. We must not let that happen now.

Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008 is the 30th anniversary of the assassination of Harvey Milk. It is also Thanksgiving. We must take LGBT rights home. All LGBT folks and all of our allies must make a commitment to bringing the discussion of LGBT rights to the Thanksgiving table. This may not be easy or comfortable, but it is the best way to demonstrate that we are everywhere. LGBT folks are the children of every religion, every race, every class, every ethnicity, and every political persuasion. We must go back to our families and take the message of LGBT freedom with us.

Then, we must join with Cleve Jones and other long-time LGBT activists to demand that LGBT rights be a core element of “the change we need.” LGBT folks and our allies overwhelmingly supported Barak Obama because he promised to finally provide “liberty and justice for all.” We must hold him and the Democrats in Congress accountable for that promise. Cleve Jones as issued a call for 7 weeks of LGBT activism beginning Nov. 30 non-stop until the inauguration. Join that call. Visit http://sevenweekstoequality.com/ .

Finally, each of us must find ways to fulfill this commitment in our own communities: 1) Coming Out to everyone, everywhere; 2) Getting involved with the planning and/or attending local events; 3) Begin the discussions for non-discrimination policies and domestic partnership benefits in your workplace; 4) Call in “gay” on Dec. 10 - http://daywithoutagay.org/ ; 5) Create an LGBT rights event that works for you, and all of the rest of us will come and support it.

Whatever we do, we must take action now. We are at a turning-point for the LGBT Movement. We must each do what we can, where we can.