There's this underlying sentiment regarding gays and lesbians by some folks who think they're supporters of our community...it's one of "live and let live." We often hear and read things like, "It's none of my business what they do in their bedrooms." (as if being gay is defined solely by what happens between the sheets) Or we hear, "It's not my business who you want to marry." Or "As long as it doesn't affect me, I don't care."
I have news for you.
It IS your business and yes, you should care. It is your business because your silence is akin to acceptance of the unequal status of those in the LGBTQ community in our country. You should care because if you don't, equal rights will never be a thing of reality for gays and lesbians. Inequality DOES affect you, when your gay or lesbian neighbor or loved one is treated as a second-class citizen in his or her own country.
It is your business.
When an individual makes statements like those mentioned above, whether he or she supports equal rights for all Americans or not, they have rendered themselves silent and accepting of inequality.
It is your business.
No battle for equal rights is accomplished by the footwork of those asking for equality alone. There are most certainly areas in our country where minorities would still be considered 3/5 of a person had we not chosen as a society that inequality in regards to race was no longer acceptable or valid.
It IS your business.
It is not enough to simply say, "I support equal rights" if your involvement in the fight for equality ends there. Without your vote in support of equality, or your voice in opposition to anti-gay legislation, or your statements in response to anti-gay hate speech or bullying, nothing will change.
It IS your business.
It's no longer enough to say, "I support you" if you are unwilling to speak up, act up and show up.
It IS your business.
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