I just got back from the National Equality March in DC, which was absolutely life-changing. I was within a few meters of Cleve Jones when he spoke on continuing the gay rights movement, and, though I do not identify myself as gay, I felt welcome as an ally and enjoyed myself thoroughly. The sheer energy of being in a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people, all who feel passionate about the same issue, is breathtaking.

Sure, we had our encounters with 'conservatives'. Heh. I don't want to turn this into a journal of fundamentalist-bashing, but I find it hard to believe that people who call themselves Americans can deny their own people the "God-given rights" they so sincerely deserve, and that they can deny them this without thinking twice.

Sherry Wolf also gave an inspiring speech about how even though American culture is so sexually repressed, we use sex to sell practically everything. I thought that we, as a culture, were better than this. Abstinence obviously doesn't work as a teaching method, and it's far safer to teach adolescents to protect themselves rather than suppress themselves. And it's disgusting the way that advertisers take advantage of growing insecurities in young girls and women to sell their products. Not saying that those ads don't target men, too! But I think that unrealistic and inappropriate advertising is another serious problem for modern day society.

And what about 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'? Acceptance is different from Equality. DOMA? I am an ally, and as long as gay people are considered second-class citizens, I will fight for equal rights!

"If you believe we're equal, it's time to act like it. A free and equal people do not settle for compromises."
--Cleve Jones