Finally.

It passed the House--for the second or third time.
It passed the Senate--for the first time.
Now we're still waiting for Obama to act on the repeal of DADT.
I got four emails on Saturday with the news.
Unfortunately, as the Post said, repealing DADT was a solid, less controversial issue (as ENDA really should be--but I'm not seeing a whole lot of action going on there) . Marriage is going to take a lot more oomph to pass.
Harvey Milk once said, "Come out, come out, wherever you are." meaning come out of the closet, of course, in hopes that those who formerly were against gay rights, finding that they know someone who's GLBTQ, will change their minds and support their friends and family. This is insanely difficult, I know. But it could help.
On the right and below are some pictures of the Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy in San Francisco.

Homphobe: Fag.

Ever been in one of those situations where you know you want to say something, but by the time you know what, the moment has long passed? This time, I planned ahead. How to stand up for someone called a fag in your presence. Of course, this will only work if you're gay and ready to come out, but you can probably edit it a little yourself. So, my model script for you:
Homophobe: Fag.
Me: That's a despicable thing to call someone.
Homophobe: But it's true.
Me: He/she may or may not be gay. What does it matter? I'm gay, and that is highly offensive. You know what it means, 'faggot'? Bundle of sticks. So you're saying that a person, a living, breathing, thinking, feeling person is no more than a bundle of sticks. And you know why you say that? Because you're afraid. And you demean a person to the level of debris because a bundle of sticks is nothing to be afraid of. A bundle of sticks can't possibly make a rational decision. A bundle of sticks isn't worthy of human compassion. And a bundle of sticks certainly doesn't know love when it feels it.

FYI, whoever you're sticking up for might try to quiet you, saying "it's okay" or whatever. Remember: This isn't just about them. It's about saving everyone this homophobe may come into contact with from the insult that could be their last straw.

Yes, I'm in a heated fury. So be it.

This is why we have to fight

"'Loving! Lusting, you mean. Read your Bible... Read Leviticus, read Romans 1:26.' I don't know what I said then. Maybe I didn't say anything. I'm not sure I was able to think any more. I do remember, though, that I went home and read Leviticus and Romans, and cried again."
~ Garden, Nancy. Annie on My Mind. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1982. (Place of publication unknown)
It touches something deep inside me and makes me feel like crying to think of kids being read Leviticus and Romans and told that they are abominations. Why must What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality be so little known that my local library system doesn't have it?
This is why I have to do this. This is what to keep in mind. This is why apathy won't cut it. This is why we have to fight.
Because apathy won't cut it. "I don't care what you do in your own time." "Why can't gay people do what they want and leave us alone?"
Because we aren't a disease, to be hidden away and forgotten about. In recent memory, I heard a conversation in which a girl had never heard of gay girls. She seemed to think it only applied to men. I had never even heard of the concept of transgender until a few years ago. How can we expect our teens to feel good about themselves, when as far as they know, nobody else is like them? When a girl likes other girls and assumes it's just friendship love and that it will always be better than romantic love? What will happen when she's engaged, or even married, and realizes the truth? When a boy who is biologically a girl, or vice versa, assumes that something is wrong with them--or flat out assumes they are gay, when that isn't necessarily true? How can we expect teens to grow up well-adjusted when they are seriously confused? When there is no obvious support, or anyone they know they can turn to with questions? When everywhere same-sex couples are still denied marriage, not to mention marriage within their faith? That isn't going to work. We have to fight if we want any of that. No, apathy won't cut it. If you're not against us, please, join us.