Fear and loathing in Los Angeles

When I was in second grade, my peers often presented some decisive questions:

Michael Jackson or Boy George?
Madonna or Cyndi Lauper?
Gremlins or Ghostbusters?

There were no wrong answers in these mostly-meaningless polls; however you could not answer "both" or "neither" or qualify your claim. You had to choose one and align yourself with that camp for the rest of your life, or at least as long as our seven year old brains could remember.

That was also the year a more pointed question was posed: "Are you gay?"

It wasn't directed at me, per se. It was another poll posed by one of the more boisterous boys, who probably heard the word from an older brother and took great pleasure in testing its effect. The question was almost as arbitrary as the others, but this time, I knew there was a wrong answer.

At seven years old, though, I wasn't quite sure what it was. I didn't know what "gay" meant, however I immediately sensed the definition to be bad. I answered "no" with baited breath and a bit of disdain, and was rewarded with instant acceptance. A friend of mine was not so lucky. She answered yes, just as a guess, and spent that lunchtime getting teased and taunted.

So, now there is a large group of people who voted Yes on Prop 8 out of a supposed fear that kids would be taught about gay marriage in the classroom. Forget, for a second, the facts: that gay marriage - or any marriage - is not now and is not ever going to be on any curriculum. That was simply a scare tactic employed - very successfully - by Prop 8's supporters. But kids are already learning what "gay" is at school - not from the teachers, but from their friends, who may not understand everything they say, but can easily comprehend the power behind their words.

Imagine, if you will, that gay marriage was legal. "Gay" wouldn't be taught, but it also wouldn't be a taunt. Kids could grow up understanding it as something normal and accepted, just like any heterosexual relationship. And that, apparently, is the problem. Prop 8 supporters don't believe that gay relationships are normal or should be accepted. But instead of admitting their fears, they're blanketing their bigotry under the more comfortable guise of, "Well, we're just protecting the children!"

The fact is, as far as we have come, there are still a number of ignorant, fearful people. Even, so it seems, in California. I know that deep down, many of these supporters truly believe that they're fighting for what's right, and, in the end, protecting their children. I just wish they'd realize that children are ultimately better protected when armed with the truth.

No on 8 rally at the Mormon temple, in my neighborhood.