Within the early 2000s, my household was transferring into an residence in Portland. I used to be within the elevator with my 4-year-old son, and a neighbor stated to me, “Your gay ass is just not welcome right here.”
Once we obtained to our residence, my younger son requested, “Does he hate all of us, or simply you?”
Over the previous 20 years, there was progress within the development of LGBTQ rights (and illustration) in Maine, which is why I used to be so disillusioned to examine an out-of-state advertising firm, employed by the Maine Republican Social gathering, utilizing concern and hatred of LGBTQ individuals in one in every of its early gubernatorial assault advertisements. I used to be much more disillusioned to see the present Democratic gubernatorial administration’s response to the advert.
One objective of public faculties is to show younger individuals find out how to reside in a pluralistic society – which incorporates LGBTQ individuals. If the “Freedom Days” lesson featured within the assault advert might have been higher, then make it higher.
Please don’t let Maine’s Republican Social gathering demonize LGBTQ individuals (and our allies) once more. That was the Maine I grew up in – and the Maine that led to the 1984 homicide of Charlie Howard.
And, please don’t let Maine Democrats get away with sacrificing LGBTQ Mainers for political expediency once more.
What I stated to my younger son all these years in the past was, “It’s my job to verify this place is protected for us. All of us.”
I’m nonetheless dedicated to that. Who’s with me?
Kelley McDaniel
Portland
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