It's another fabulous October to celebrate LGBTQ history; coming out of those dark, homophobic, and heterosexist closets; and anti-bullying!
But let us never forget that our history is still not taught in schools, so we must search for it ourselves, sometimes alone and terrified. But it is the searching that makes us stronger, better, and wiser.
I am ending our big gay celebration with these two poems, whic were published in Gay City: Volume 2, edited by Vincent Kovar and published by the Gay City Health Project in 2009. Once again, I am in an anthology with great writers and artists. I am proud -- gay proud!
---
"Back"
forward
they need to face forward
they need to face the facts
we gays are not going back in the closets
the same way that
blacks are not going to the back of the buses
the same way that
women are not going back in the kitchens
forward
they need to face forward
they need to face the facts
otherwise they can go
back
back
to where they belong
Back!
---
"Gay 101"
Dear Suicide Attempt,
You
wrote
me
to ask
for
role models.
Here is a short list.
(this will keep you busy for awhile)
Consider
it a Gay 101:
(the names are in alphabetical order,
not in order of importance,
for they are all important)
Kate Bornstein
Barbara Gittings
Frank Kameny
Larry Kramer
Audre Lorde
Harvey Milk
Vito Russo
Bayard Rustin
Alan Turing
Virginia Woolf
Sincerely,
Your Gay Role Model
P.S.: you can always Google: "gay"
---
Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, or visit stopbullying.gov. You can also visit The Trevor Project or call them at 1-866-488-7386.
FYI: Visit OutHistory.org.