Disgusted

Presidential race aside (it's not over 'til it's over, folks), I am disgusted with the results of Election Day.

This makes me want to cry. Okay, fine, it actually makes me cry.

I love this country. I love it for my freedom. I love it for the opportunity it offers to someone like me- a child born out of wedlock to two teenagers. My dad works for our public transportation system. He used to be a bus driver.

I went to college. And then to grad school. I speak my mind freely and often rudely. I am so thankful for the protections I am offered.

My partner's dad is a machinist in a factory. She has a PhD!

The United States has offered us wonderful opportunities (and low interest student loans).

The US is also increasingly right wing. The efforts to codify discrimination are disgusting and offensive. The ballot measures that passed yesterday are personal attacks. I've been thinking that they "feel like" personal attacks but I've realized that they actually ARE. My life, my home, my relationship, my family is under attack.

I pay for Michelle's medical benefits POST TAXES. We spent HUNDREDS of dollars to secure documents that render us responsible for each other medically and financially. Our financial planner is obsessed with making sure that every account and investment is set up in a way that protects us in the way that a marriage protects other couples. Every fucking doctor we go to gets a copy of the Power of Attorney documents so that we have proof everywhere that we are next of kin- just in case something happens. To my partner. Who has a chronic, debilitating illness.

Let's just say we wanted to go to Columbus, Ohio for a weekend to visit our friend Kelly. Michelle gets a high fever after taking her weekly dose of Methotrexate. It's a higher fever than she gets every other weekend and we need to take her to the hospital (think Lindsay Lohan). I don't have power of attorney documents with me because I don't take them when I travel. I can't claim to be her wife because I'm not. And they just made being her partner totally useless. Anything we have together means nothing. I am as close a relation to her as Kelly is. As close to her as the nurse is who has never laid eyes on her before that day. They can chose to not let me in the ICU because it's family only. This stuff really happens, folks.

You think there isn't intense bigotry out there? Look at the result of ELEVEN elections yesterday.

In 32 days, we'll celebrate our sixth anniversary. I can only hope that the month before our tenth anniversary, the day after election day will be a brighter one.

Comments

[Annie]

Yes, you're right. I think hope is the only thing left now. It's depressing and scary.

[amy]

Your post makes me sad. I know you are sad. Virtual hugs and hope and understanding...

[Anna]

IMO there is no reason on earth that my marriage to a man should mean that I have more rights than you do with Michelle, none at all. Marriage is no longer about procreation and ownership of a woman by a man, it's about commitment and creating a family unit, everyone deserves that.

Keep your chin up and keep fighting, if we all keep shouting they can't ignore us, going by the most recent figures I saw on my TV there are about 49% of the US population who agree with us, we just have to convince another 2% and we can start changing the world! :o)

Hugs

Anna

[dhd]

Thinking of you and Michelle. I don't understand why people want a gay marriage ban. I really don't. I'm sorry this kind of discrimination exists.

[Margene]

We will keep fighting and educating, keeping the faith that we can make a change. We will do it!!

[indigirl]

All I've been doing all day is swearing. This is freaking insane. Life shouldn't be like that, they shouldn't be able to DO that. I know it's a matter of time before change happens, but it's so hard to keep hope, isn't it? xoxoxoxoxo

[Megan]

I'm so scared, and saddened, and full of rage. And your post brings it home - puts a face on what I'm feeling and why I'm feeling it. This IS an attack on those of us who have partners and boyfriends and girlfriends who are the same gender as we are. I've redoubled my efforts today to for volunteering, because other than giving money, giving my time and energy are what's going to mean the most to me. ::hugs::

http://www.waygay.org/
http://www.ppsp.org/
http://www.nrc.org/

[Chrissie]

This breaks my heart. I live in Kentucky, one of the 11 states that passed amendments yesterday. I am completely baffled and disgusted that the measure passed by an overwhelming 74.55%.

People here claim that they vote based on their religion, but I guess I must have missed the Sunday school lesson on hate and discrimination.

[Sharlene]

And think of this... the thing that really scares me, actually sends cold shivers up my spine, is that in four, Cheney could choose to run for prez. And be supported by all the same Bush supporters that voted for the team this time. Living where I live, its so hard for me to fathom that there is such a swing to the right happening in this country. I'm saddened, and scared.

[heather]

i'm already thinking of candidates for the Democrat ticket in 2008. we need to move from the Anyone but Bush stance that clearly plagued our voters this time around (and by nature of the term limits, we will--but let's not succumb to an Anyone but Cheney, or an Anyone but Whoever). we need a candidate the reaches across party lines and invigorates voters. i'm already hearing people bitch about how they won't ever vote again--"I'm done with voting. It doesn't matter anyway...". i don't know who that candidate is, but i'm pretty sure it isn't Hillary. It might be Edwards. It might be someone else. we've survived dark times, we can get through this. we have to, because what's the alternative?

*hugs* to you and Ms. Hottey

[kerry]

I'm so sorry. You, your partner, and our country's gay population deserves better.

I'm ashamed of our country's participation in this kind of discrimination.