Equality

E is for equality. I have one of these on my back bumper:

At my brother's grad party, a relative asked what I was driving and when I pointed to my car, she responded:

"No, not that one there. Not the one with the GAY sticker?"

"Yes, with the gay sticker." - me

"Oh dear!" - relative

"Wait, wait you have a rainbow sticker on your car?"- another relative

"No. It's an equal sign sticker. It's for equality." - me

"It may as well be a rainbow sticker. But I guess this just looks cooler, huh?" - relative

Sweet mother was it hard to hold my tongue. Yes, the equal sign appeals to me because it's subtle and aesthetically pleasing. I would probably not put this bumper sticker on my car:

Sadly, not a real bumper sticker

But I believe everything that it says is true, and that there are a lot of other laws and ordinances still standing that should be overturned simply because they go against the assertion that all men are created equal, and thereby deserve equal rights under the law.

Moreover, I sport that bumper sticker in the hopes that people who oppose homosexuality will begin to realize that their neighbors and beloved relatives are members of the LGBT community not by choice but by birth.

Harvey Milk said of coming out, "The first step is always hostility, and after that you can sit down and talk about it." I hope that can translate to simple discussions surrounding the issue- and I think it can.

Here's hoping that at our next family gathering, I can muster up the strength to continue the dialogue I started. I might need a glass of wine for courage.