A big part of being a journalist is writing negative and sometimes heartbreaking stories. So this week, we’re taking a break from the downbeat and celebrating something fabulous.
The Auburn Gay-Straight Alliance is putting on its fifth annual drag show Saturday, March 2, and we want to extend our support.
On the national scale, gay rights are extremely controversial. Gay marriage should be a rather simple issue. If they’re in love, they deserve to get married and enjoy the same benefits as straight couples, no big deal.
Unfortunately, the more narrow-minded among us don’t agree.
Whether they are citing religious reasons, political concerns or just plain old homophobia, those opposed to equal rights for the LGBT community see gay marriage as a threat to what they think is the core of our country: family. Of course, there is no credible data anywhere to suggest gay marriage will stamp out the American family — whatever that means — but it still is a popular belief among the opposition.
As far as the South is concerned, the national anti-gay sentiments seem to be concentrated. Perhaps it is the tendency for the South to always be behind the curve on civil rights, or maybe it’s the overwhelming religious presence, we can’t say for sure.
What we can say is being gay in America is tough. Sure, gay men and women have it a lot worse in other places in the world, but those places don’t tout freedom and equality as part of their national ethos.
Being gay in the South is even more of a challenge.
The South, especially Alabama, has a long history of intolerance and bigotry. It’s only been approximately 50 years since black people were subjected to dogs and firehoses in Birmingham. Although the state doesn’t have the overt opposition to the LGBT community it did to the black community, the intolerance is still there.
It’s because of that undercurrent of prejudice that we support and encourage our friends at Spectrum to say it loud and say it proud.
The first drag show in 2009 was to raise awareness for the absence of Gender Identity and Gender Expression in the University’s nondiscrimination policy. Last spring, the SGA passed a resolution to add the clause, and once it has moved though the administration, it will become official.
We want to let Spectrum and the larger LGBT student population know The Plainsman has their back. We believe that anyone can be part of the Auburn family, and we hope someday soon the rest of the country can learn that we’re all human, and freedom and equality doesn’t just apply to straight white Christian men.
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