A Shining Moment for LGBT Gay Rights

By Richard Ammon
GlobalGayz.com
July 25, 2011

I've never seen anything like it.

A gay deluge in the media: gay marriage in NY; mainstream gay-theme films; congressional approval of an openly gay federal gay judge; children of gays; Obama's administration's removal of support for DOMA; major newspaper editorials applauding gay marriage; an historic UN resolution, in June 2011, condemning discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation; imminent repeal of DADT in the military; the opening of the week-long North American OutGames (gay olympics) in Vancouver; the highly visible 'It Gets Better' anti-bullying national project; the newly digitized Gay and Lesbian Review; and just this week, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) granted consultative status to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA)...

There seems a current tsunami of social change, a cultural jump, a sudden leap into a new world (or part of it), a more humanistic world of civility, a world more aware, of progress against entrenched and angry prejudice against LGBT citizens.

Not to sugar-coat this unique phenomenon: there are still murders, violence and discrimination a-plenty around the world; a teenager in California is on trial for murdering a gay classmate; anti-gay protests in the USA against gay marriage; presidential candidates publicly airing their homophobic views; Focus on the Family anti-gay group distorting research at a congressional hearing (and getting caught); Michelle Bachman's connection to a gay-cure clinic; the Nigerian women’s soccer team claims homosexuality is eradicated among players...

But for now there is a shining moment when hope for a decent equitable society seems possible, appears happening, in America at least, as loving couples are given the freedom and right to marry and gay sexual orientation becomes a source of pride and a cause to celebrate our lives as good citizens, parents, professionals, military troops, judges and members of a country that makes humane things possible.

It is a moment a long time coming through terrible oppression, brutality and ignorance when gays were treated like animals. It is a long time coming from that to this recent (7-24-11) editorial comment in the New York Times:

"There are very few positions more repugnant than advocating intolerance."