Saturday, March 22, 2014

Marriage equality in Michigan!

Grissom Middle School, Sterling Heights

Midland High School, Midland

I grew up in Michigan.

I grew up gay in Michigan. Some time in the Detroit suburb of Sterling Heights and a couple of years in Midland, further north.

All of my family is still in Michigan. Mike and I visit at least every other year.

I seldom talk positively about Michigan. That's my flaw. I just think it's dreary and don't have fond memories.  I remember the intense self-hatred. I remember the secret. I could never be honest with anyone. I could only survive day by day with my shame. Many days I didn't want to survive.
 
Fortunately for me I have recent awesome memories of time with old friends and vegan adventures. I have also realized in my adulthood that bigotry and hate are everywhere, not just in my home state. I actually get excited these days when Mike and I talk about a visit to Michigan. 

So this morning when I say photos of gay couples in line to get marriage licenses and of couples getting married, I bawled.

I bawled for quite a while.

The world is changing. Freedom is coming to many who previously had only dreamed about it. I honestly never thought the day would come when I could be legally married. Or would be legally married. I honestly never thought that marriage equality would ever come to the state that for me was synonymous with shame, brutal bigotry, and hate.

And here we are.

Whew.

Let's celebrate. And then let's continue to work towards full marriage equality throughout our country. Let's continue to speak out against bigotry and hate at every level.

Thanks for reading.

3 comments:

  1. Long time reader of your blog. Love it. I, too, am a native Michigander, left right after finishing at MSU in 1963. It was the most hateful place...still is in the southwestern part of the state. Like you, I never thought marriage was a possibility. And it is. Watching what is happening in this country is so exciting. Who ever woulda thunk it?

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  2. Amazing how it's CHANGING :) More people are out, more people are vegan, more are happy and free to BE :)

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  3. I just wrote a post about this myself, as I'm (a vegan) in Michigan who was so excited to hear that on Friday but so disheartened to hear it was put back in place not 24 hours later. I realize it's still a step and I hope it will be overturned once again, but still...sigh.

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