YOUNG GAYS TAKE REINS FROM ELDERS ON PROP. 8

[davidinalameda]

http://www.laweekly.com/2008-11-27/news/young-gays-take-reins-from-elders-on-prop-8/

A few days after Proposition 8 passed in California, life for Joe Townley had already changed considerably. The 30-year-old gay man had donated money to “No. on 8” before Election Day, but now he found himself leading marches through L.A.’s streets, co-founding a small grass-roots group called endH8now and thinking up new protest strategies with other young people. A British immigrant and former captain of the British army, and founder of his own Internet business, Townley saw himself as a unique asset for the post–Prop. 8 generation.
“I’ve seen a lot, I’ve done a lot, and I know a lot about human nature,” Townley says. “I know how to get things done.”

Two weeks after November 4, with the anger in the streets quieting down, Townley senses the possibility of a newly empowered gay-rights movement, with a potential leading role for young folks.

“ keep talking about including the younger grass-roots movement,” says Townley, “but I don’t see that happening. I don’t see a passing of the baton.”

Young people like Townley are moving forward by organizing their own protests, forming different types of networking groups and seeking the advice of longtime gay activists who also want the gay-rights movement to do things differently.

[foxfeet]

1. Welcome aboard, young'uns! Glad to have you active on the issues.

The baton will be yours eventually, no matter whether it's passed or not. Just make sure you can twirl it when you've got it.

[mitchtv]

2. That would be nice

It's about time. Besides, they don't let you take your meds to jail, and it is past time for civil disobedience

[bluedawg12]

3. Excellent! New energy, new ideas, new techniques, a vested interest in the long view

I can't wait to see what emerges.

I am hopeful.

[terrya]

4. I agree. That's as it should be.

I'm very hopeful about the new leadership of the GLBT movement.

[yardwork]

5. I think that there's another gay demographic that could be emerging.

As I've mentioned a couple of times, I am a late bloomer. I didn't realize I was a lesbian until I was 45, at which time I left my 20-year hetero marriage, got a full-time permanent job, moved into my own place, and came out as a lesbian all within less than a year. When the revelation hit me I figured I must be the only person in the world repressed enough not to have realized I was queer until I was middle-aged, but I quickly learned that there a lot of other women just like me.

Unlike queer people who knew they were gay by the time they were in their teens or younger, people like me didn't suffer directly from homophobia all these years. While I was also very outspoken about gay rights, being perfectly happy to get into arguments with anyone who discriminated against gay people, it didn't affect me personally all those years. I didn't grow up having to deal with homophobia. I never had to hide who I was because I literally didn't know, and when I realized, I was old enough and secure enough in my life to immediately make the decision to live openly as a lesbian. I'm out everywhere - to my family, friends, neighbors, and at work.

Because I'm not used to homophobia, I have very little tolerance for it. I was married for decades and now suddenly I'm not allowed to get married? Fuck that! People are now telling me I'm an abomination, where before I was the "perfect" suburban soccer mom? Pfft. I know how screwed up some of their lives are - I was their neighbor for years. They think they're morally superior to me? Make me laugh.

Other than donating to Lambda Legal and just going about my life being out and openly queer, I didn't think much about gay rights until this past election day. Now I'm mad. I have a feeling that there are tens of thousands more like me out there. How to mobilize us? What to call us?

[David Zephyr]

6. This graying gay has never felt prouder of our younger generation.

I am so impressed by the activism level, the knowledge and awareness, the networking and, most of all, the great passion and heart, I see in our young GLBT sisters and brothers.

It's like the 1960's and 1970's again. Gay and straight, this young generation is the best to have come along in a very, very long time.

I love them. And I am so proud of them. They blow me away.