Remember When 'Gay' Meant Happy ?

Ahhh....Easter. Did you know that April 9Th marks the White House's annual Easter Egg Roll? This glorious little tradition is essentially an activity that harkens back to the days of yore, (oh, days of yore -- how I miss you) where families come to Washington DC - celebrating a holiday that promotes familial unity in and of itself. This gathering provided an opportunity to show their love of Easter as well as their undying allegiance to their country (thus killing two proverbial birds with one stone).

However -- some may (or may not) remember last Easter, when gay families that had shown up to the event were shut out of the opening ceremonies and photo ops with First Lady Laura Bush... Happy Easter indeed. Where was the sense of family? Of good will? On Easter of all days? What benevolent, neighborly Easter spirit?

Fast forward to this year -- when families in the GLBT community pre-emptively advertise their presence. This year the families are showing up in droves, with a message about familial identities in the Queer Community, and the importance surrounding the legalisation of same sex marriages. Adverts for this outing state some pretty astounding figures:

* Marriage provides over 1,138 federal (and hundreds more state-level) protections, rights, and responsibilities, along with intangible benefits, to committed couples and their families.
* Same-sex couples are raising children in at least 96% of all US counties.
* Nearly one quarter of all same-sex couples are raising children.
* More than 25 years of research have documented that there is no relationship between parents' sexual orientation and any measure of a child's emotional, psychosocial, and behavioral adjustment, demonstrating no risk to children raised by gay and lesbian parents.

The message here? Come on we are talking about families, people who love each other and simply want that love to be recognized. Is it hurting your ideals? Can America be the land of the free when the first lady refuses a photo op with a large percentage of her husband's constituents? Can we have a Happy Easter when this administration seems hell bent (yes, hell in relation to THEM.... not us) on creating second class citizens?

If we are becoming so obsessed with tradition -- and the common good of man -- why can't we assign new meanings to these time honored traditions of marriage ? Of fairness? Of good will?

I for one, don't remember when 'gay' meant happy -- but for so many reasons (insert sappy music) I wish you all, from the bottom of my disenfranchised heart : a very Gay Easter... one that rivals every Easter that has come before - or will come again.

Just to save face after this sentimental, Easter-laden tirade ~~ A reprieve from my Easter Soap Box: