Yesterday, I attended the West Hollywood Drag March - A Demonstration Against Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation. I was struck by the number of people, especially young people, that came together to protest how wrong things are going for gay and trans comminutes across the country. But, of course, being in a gay mecca and America’s first sanctuary city, we are protected from the likes of Ron DeSantis (Florida) and Dan Patrick (Texas), who are spearheading “Don’t Say Gay” initiatives.
Sidebar: Girl, several drag queens wore white go-go boots at this drag festoon, so ‘Ronda’ would have fit right in.
But don’t kid yourself; we see plenty of homophobia and racists driving through town, bringing their hateful rhetoric and the rare attacks on individuals despite the blueness of Los Angeles.
Sadly, two more mass shootings have happened in Louisville, Kentucky, since I started writing this post this morning. So the sign being held up by the drag queen become a more fitting and brilliant message for this moment. How dare these red states even try to degrade trans kids, gays, and drag queens, not to mention people of color or women’s right to bodily autonomy? All these toxic NRA puppets have opinions on everyone’s lifestyles except for murderers, it seems. Make this make sense, and when with enough be enough? A change must come. We did it in the 60s against the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement. In the 70s, there was the Women’s Movement and Gay Rights activists. And in the 80s, the Silence = Death Act Up Movement imbued change.
Yes, March for Our Lives started a fabulous movement, but we all know it’s not enough. Once again, the time is now. If we can’t finally galvanize—we the—people to rally, protest, and march for the lives of countless yet-to-be-murdered children and adults in the coming eighteen months leading into the next presidential election, then shame on all of us. There is nothing more to say about this since it so often seems pointless on days like today. I am reminded of that quote by Prince Escalus in William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, the final scene.
See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate,
That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love.
And I for winking at your discords too
Have lost a brace of kinsmen: all are punish'd.
Peace…
Abe - Won’t Be Silent