The last few days have been pretty nice. Sunday I pulled a "Carrie Bradshaw" and went on a "date" with my city. My date was wonderful. First we went to mass for the first time in a while, then just meandored around downtown for a little while. I have learned to deal with "his" flaws and inadequacies: the crazy people and homeless wandering around on a Sunday afternoon. But I also love when "he" surprises me with something grand and unexpected: there was an art fair that I wandered through after buying some frames for my Photo Thesis (the one Ive literally had thumb-tacked to my wall for the last year). We had our laughs, and my "date" even had a way of making me feel good about myself: there is nothing that makes me feel skinnier than going pant shopping -- apparently most men are either fatter or shorter than I. I wear a 34x34, which is apparently unusual... Sizes for my pant length are usually MUCH bigger in the waist, and sizes for my pant waist are usually fairly shorter in length. Which either makes me a freak, or smile about my body (which doesnt happen much). It was a wonderful afternoon to be alone with my "date" and just chill. Just what I needed.
Monday I went to Eau Claire, WI to knock on doors asking people to vote against the marriage amendment there. As I have mentioned before, as a Marquette graduate, this thing hits pretty close to home for me. It was an interesting social excursion, and I definitely met a demographic of people I dont normally come into contact with. I suppose its a good idea to remind myself every once in a while that these people exist, and are still out there. While our group as a whole (which knocked on some 240 doors) had much more positive feedback than negative, that did not happen to be the case with me. I dealt with more than my share (literally) of people who were overtly scared or resentful of "the gays" and had about 8 houses tell me that "No matter what the amendment does to straight people (as it has negative repercutions for non-married straights), what's important to me is that gays can't get married." I also had one woman refer to me as a "monkey." Here's how that went:
Woman with huge breasts and children running everywhere (WHB): "If you choose to be gay, there's no reason that I need to respect such a disgusting choice."
Me: "So if you think being gay is a choice, may I ask you when you chose to be straight?"
WHB: *gasp* "What do you mean...? How dare you? If God designed people to be gay, then they could have kids."
Me: "Do you think that there is any chance that God could have a bigger plan than you realize?"
WHB: "Excuse me?"
Me: "Perhaps gays are God's solution to the overpopulation problem in our world."
WHB: "Ive never heard anything like that... Gays are just unnatural. God wouldn't create anything like that."
Me: "Are you aware that there are thousands of documented cases of homosexuality occuring in nature?"
WHB: "What are you, some kinda monkey?" *slams door and proceeds to scream about the encounter so loud to whoever else was in her house that I thought her big ol' boyfriend was gonna come out and attack me...*
I mean, how DARE I come to her house and question her beliefs? Especially when it is ONLY about an amendment that would permanently divest me of rights in Wisconsin. How DARE I!?! (on the plus side, this woman wasnt even a registered voter... she just happened to have moved into the previous residence of someone who was).
In another encounter I was speaking to a woman who was very much in favor of the amendment and I mentioned that this same amendment had been used in Ohio to strip unmarried women of domestic-abuse protections (as shielding them from abusive boyfriends would be recognizing a relationship "same or similar to marriage"). This woman said clearly, "If they're not married, that's their fault. Who are these people who think its okay to live together without getting married and then whine to us about it. If you love someone enough to live with them, you should get married."
I pointed out to her that it actually sounded like she very much supported gay marriage rights. She didnt like that much. (I also pointed out that forcing people to get married so that they could be protected by the government might actually DEGRADE the institution of marriage... She didnt seem to like that argument either).
The whole encounter made me understand just a little bit more how much work has yet to be done, and why people make comments like this (comparing homosexuality with murder and cannabalism).
It was nice to get out and DO something about this issue. It was healthy to get a taste of the "real world" away from the utopian big city life and academia. Anyway, back to that utopia, I have to get to work on this homicide. (note the irony)
Musical Fodder for my Writing:"Jesusland" Ben Folds,
Songs for Silverman
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