the list of now

In the post I wrote yesterday, I discussed recent comments Gordon had made regarding the Tiverton High School GSA and also mentioned how other officials and the school’s superintendent had publicly voiced their disapproval of his remarks and support for the group.  The growing chorus of responses to his comments is a very good thing and several people had called out how inappropriate and misguided his attitude was.

I wanted to point out one response in particular that was excellent. Today, in a Letter to the Editor on the Patch website ,where Gordon’s initial inflammatory comment appeared, an alumni of Tiverton High, Sarah Jey Whitehead went a step further.  In her letter she completely spells out why his statements and disapproval aren’t just out of line, but actual homophobic harassment and bullying in that they single out students who identify as LBTQ and their supporters in an attempt to silence their visible identities in school.   She explains to him the difference between sex and sexuality, and the identity politics that go along with that.  My favorite part is where she very clearly and eloquently breaks down the heteronormative culture of the average high school:

High school itself could essentially be conceived of as one big Straight Club that everyone is, by default, expected to join. From what I have heard, the Tiverton GSA is responding constructively and respectfully to that dynamic, by initiating a dialogue that acknowledges sexualities that are often overlooked or condemned.

We are talking about protecting and supporting young people’s senses of self here- and in equating this agenda with delinquency, lewdness, and cruelty, I hope you understand that you are bullying too.

And, on that note, an Anti-Bullying Alliance sounds like a great idea for another new organization- but changing the current title of the GSA would not only deny their right to name the social issue immediately at hand for them, but it in effect would imply that there is something wrong with discussing that issue. Seeing that the Straight Club that is High School culture can persist as it has without debate around the issue of sexuality, it would appear that sexuality is not the issue here, but gay people, and those who choose to ally with them.

Word, Sarah Jey Whitehead.  Perfectly put.

It is important that this appeared on the local Patch website, not only as a direct rebuttal to Gordon’s latest hi-jinks, but as a primer for the entire town and community.  Although I was happy to see how many comments support the GSA, the town also has several vocal comment-trolls that don’t see any problem privileging their opinions and religious beliefs about gay people over the safety of students and their right to not be bullied or told to lie and stay silent.  And her letter is the first that doesn’t just say “Shame on you” to Gordon, but distinctly spells out the reasons why his attitude is fucked up and calls him out for the true plain homophobia at the root of his supposed concern to taxpayer dollars.  Please go read the entire letter because it’s excellent.

And Ms. Whitehead if you read this, thank you for bringing the verbal smackdown to a debate that really needed your voice. Well done.

Very happy to see the news that Congressman Jim Langevin has officially changed his position on Marriage Equality. Having supported Civil Unions in the past, he now recognizes that so-called “separate but equal” laws just don’t cut it. He is calling on Rhode Island’s General Assembly to pass the legislation that has recently been introduced. (I wrote about it here)

An excerpt from his op-ed piece:

… That difference struck me as fundamentally unjust, and I began to challenge the wisdom of creating separate categories of rights for certain groups of citizens. I began to see that civil unions fell short of the equality I believed that same-sex couples deserved.

As the debate about same-sex marriage continues in Rhode Island and in Washington, I have taken time to reflect carefully on my own position. Based on my own experiences and my firm belief that all Americans should be treated equally under the law, I am now convinced that affording full marriage equality rights to same-sex couples is the only fair and responsible approach for both Rhode Island and the nation. If our nation expects to provide equal protection to all, then our civic institutions must reflect that noble goal.

-  Jim Langevin, The Providence Journal, March 5, 2011

While this is great to read and I am excited and hopeful about the possibility of our little state making some progress in this arena, I am hoping that Congressman Langevin will take his new position seriously on a federal level as well and recognize how important it is that equal rights in marriage become recognized for all American citizens.  State level would be wonderful, but still not equal.  I look forward to seeing what Mr. Langevin says and does in Washington on this issue in the future.