Today is National Coming Out Day. In the wake of several well-publicized suicides of our LGBT youth, the continued fight for marriage equality, and the nearly total shut-down of the repeal of DADT by the GOP, I’m listing these lovely links to some organizations that can help make a difference for those who are LGBT and our straight allies. First is the Human Rights Campaign, which “…envisions an America where LGBT people are ensured of their basic equal rights, and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.” Next are The Trevor Project and It Gets Better which assure LGBT youth that life gets a shit-ton better after high school and encourages everybody to hang in there.
Rarely does any great amount of time go by without me thinking about Matthew Shepard. His death had a powerful impact on me. It really brought home that there are people out there who are so threatened by homosexuality that they will kill out of hatred and fear. In his honor, his family set up The Matthew Shepard Foundation, dedicated to erasing hate.
Visit some of these sites, donate if you can. Celebrate how far we’ve come, and be keenly aware of how very far we have yet to go.
Sue is a student of history and a walking card catalog. If she doesn't know something, odds are she can tell you where to find the information. She writes in her spare time.
