reminisce

i grew up in a place where gay was a bad word but no one actually knew what it meant. in third grade i couldn't say my last name in pig latin because it ended with gay.
i grew up in a place where i got into a heated debate with my friend, in fourth grade, over why obama was obviously so much better than mccain.
i grew up in a place where i was the sole kid in my class whose parents weren't voting for bush in '04.
there are a lot of places like this, probably less now. but they're still there, and they will be there for a while now.
i grew up in a place where i have lots of memories of going along with it, with giggling when someone accidentally said gay.
but i also remember skipping around right before i left this place, screaming "gay means happy too."
and maybe that was betraying who i am now by saying that at least one of the meanings of the word is good, like the other one wasn't.
but i asked around, probably. what does all this sheesh mean. things that the kids where i grew up were always afraid to do. when you're seven, you don't ask your parents what gay means. especially not in republican-ville.
i grew up in a place where gay marriage is illegal, where many things are illegal that shouldn't be.
i loved that place and i loved those people who were openminded and willing to hear what i had to say, like the people i've found here.
and i know, there are a lot of places where a lot of things are frowned upon.
and what i'm saying here isn't that these places are bad, that they suck, that i hate them, because, in some cases, i love them half to death.
what i'm saying is we should change some of the policies and laws of those places.
i... i guess what i'm saying is that i'm trying to make this place better? by telling stories about it? and trying to open up its mind? i don't really know what's even going on here.
but i'm sayin', people who are reading this from that place. you know who you are! if you believe in something, rally! for stuff! for the gay marriage! for violence against women action! rally however you so choose.
if you so choose.
also?
gay is not a bad word.