I observed the Rainbow Center Speakers' Bureau for the first time today. I'd been a speaker on it since I was a freshman at UConn and then became the coordinator when I was a junior, but today is the first time I found myself on the other side of the classroom and I gotta admit, it was a surreal experience.
But those days are gone and it's time to move on and reassess my role in the queer community. In college, being gay was literally part of my job. I would do workshops and visit classes and I knew what I should do to get involved. But now what? What does activism in the real world look like? Well, here are a few actions steps I did figure out:
1) Be a good person. I always considered this the greatest form of activism, more than any rally or protest. I think it is so helpful when straight folks can see gay people and recognize them as human beings before sexual beings. So I may be an intelligent gay accountant, but that's not how I want people to see it. I would rather them say that I'm a smart accountant that happens to be gay. They should be able to look favorably on my character before judging me based on my orientation. I also want to serve as a good role model for gay youth.
2) Affect your own communities: This really starts with friends and families by speaking up when derogatory or ignorant comments are made. I know, I know, easier said than done. But try your best and keep it light if you need to. Say something like, "That joke is whack" (except use something you cool cats are actually saying these days). Friends and family are just my starting point though, I want to do more. So I'll be visiting my high school within the next couple weeks to see if I can help out their GSA (updates to come).
3) Be informed, be active and vote: A week from today, you all know what to do. Make sure the candidates you vote for support equal rights. I won't tell you who to vote for because that's a political choice. But whoever you are, remember to vote because if the population doesn't participate, the government doesn't work.
This list will probably evolve over time, but I'm new to this whole non-university thing.
"In college, being gay was literally part of my job."
ReplyDeletejust reading that,
isnt it wonderful!?
Yep! Until you grow up I guess haha. Being professional queers is left for the chosen few. Maybe if a career in accounting doesn't work out...
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