**** NOTE: Click on the link that says THIS STORY IN THE LA WEEKLY to see the story that made me cry….it’s NOT the Arizona story, that’s just damn foolishness *****
I’m sitting here spittin’ mad about the crap bill in Arizona making it okay to deny service to “gays” based on “religious conviction.” WTF?
You know I keep politics off the table but this really pisses me off. I’m sure it will get vetoed BUT the fact that it has to get vetoed is crazy! Makes me want to never go back to Arizona and I like that state — great scenery, home to one of my favorite bands ever, friends live there …. STILL …..
To get myself out of this pissed off mood, I found something during a google search. And THIS story in the LA Weekly brought tears to my eyes.
You don’t have to be a crossdresser to get the love and acceptance. Can you imagine a world like that? I can and, yet, I can’t.
There is both … Arizona and the couple featured in the LA Weekly.
Bitter and sweet. Much like life, eh?
I’ll return to our regularly scheduled soft porn after this brief intermission.
Ms Olivia
Dear Olivia,
I have two conflicting histories. On the one hand I grew up in a conservative religious household that taught homosexuallity was a sin and on the other hand I was very active in community theatre productions as stage crew and light technician, and in community theatre I was exposed to many gay men and women who were the most beautiful people anyone could hope for.
The way I resolved the conflict was the concept of freewill. The faith I had at the time meant nothing to me if it was not my choice, and the only way I could choose to have that faith was is others were free to choose to have a different faith or choose to not have any faith at all. Religious freedom was and still is very important to me, and religious freedom only exists when it really is freewill, when people can choose to believe or reject.
As such, even though at the time I was still caught up in my religion, when the California bill to ban gay marriage came up I had to vote against it, because the belief that homosexuallity was wrong was rooted in faith and faith means nothing if it is f*rced upon people, so I had to vote against it because it was the only way I could preserve religious freedom, both for me and for those who choose a different religion or choose to not have one.
I respect the religious rights of others, but bills like this Arizona bill are not about religious freedom, they are about religious oppression.
Part of the reason behind the first amendment of the US constitution is to guarantee religious freedom. The Church of England was intertwined with English rule, and our forefathers didn’t want that to happen to here, religious freedom is critically important to a free society. Just as important as free speech and freedom of the press.
If someone wants to believe homosexuallity is a sin, that’s their right. I now thing it is a viewpoint born in bigotry but that’s their right. It is not however their right to deny services to someone because they happen to disagree, because they happen to have a different faith.
It disgusts me that there are people who want to use the law to force such views upon others and it is even more disgusting that there are enough of them to pass such laws.
But Olivia, have faith that it won’t always be that way. If someone like me who bought into the conservative rhetoric well into my 20s could open my eyes to accept them and embrace them and reject what I was taught about them, what I was taught and believed, then there is hope that others will come to the same conclusion.
I hope I would have come to the same point had I not been exposed to gays in community theatre, but I have no doubt that such exposure helped me. We fear what we do not know and we hate what we fear and it can be difficult to overcome that. Hopefully as more exposure to homosexuals, transvestites, transgender, etc. takes place – we can break the cycle.
If people know them and see there is no reason to fear them, then there is no reason to hate them either. There is hope, it is happening.
I LOVE your comment Alice….and especially your comment about the Arizona bill being about religious oppression not religious freedom. AND, you do have a unique window on this. I have also been part of conservative congregations. Ironically, I was going to a great church when I started in phone sex. I talked to the Pastor about doing this work and he was tolerant, loving and while he didn’t condone the work, he didn’t condemn ME. That action spoke volumes to me about his faith and allowed me to maintain my spirituality. Spirituality is very different from organized religion as you pointed out.
And, ACTIONS always speak louder than words.
Now….the Arizona bill will likely be vetoed simply because of the economic consequences if it passes.
THIS is a series of actions by small minded people and does not have the impact to make me cry…it’s just silliness as usual.
What made me cry was the understand, compassion and love in THIS article in the LA Weekly.
I think people aren’t clicking on the link because I wrote the blog post wrong and everyone got sidetracked on the Arizona bullshit.
HERE’S the link:
https://www.laweekly.com/informer/2014/02/13/brian-and-debbie-mccloskey-he-wears-a-dress-shes-fine-with-that
Could you imagine living in THIS world?
Ahhhhhhhhh, now this is a world I can live in, love in and my dear friends can be who they SAY they are.
I hope you read that and I’d love to hear your thoughts on this as well.
HUGS my dear!
Oh and you are SO RIGHT! There is hope, it IS happening and I am very hopeful!
This is very upsetting. I cried too. For me being an American is about being free to be who you are. Arizona seems to forget this.
Thank you for sharing this Ms. Olivia. (((hugs)))
Andi, did you read the link? The story that made me cry was crying in a GOOD WAY!
THANK YOU for your comment.
I’d love to see what you think about the LA Weekly story.
Arizona pisses me off…..but that won’t pass. The LA Weekly story is the one that is AMAZING.
Ms O … this pissed me off to no end also. If the Az Gov does sign it, it will be stuck down.
Swimmer…..the Arizona story made me mad, but it’s not the one that made me cry. I don’t cry over mean spirited assholes. Money talks. That won’t pass or there will be economic consequences….and people ALWAYS follow the money.
The sweet TENDERNESS of THIS story is what brought tears to my eyes.
Please read this and imagine a world where …..
https://www.laweekly.com/informer/2014/02/13/brian-and-debbie-mccloskey-he-wears-a-dress-shes-fine-with-that
I know this isn’t your *thing* but wow….could you even imagine if your “thing” was *okay*?
Oh, I agree that is a wonderful story! and people should be accepted for Who they are not for who somebody wants them to be!!!!!!!!
~smiles~ at swimmer …. I love that she sees her partner as a whole person….more than “the dress” …. that’s really wonderful!
Oh Olivia – I’m sorry for focusing on the wrong story.
Yes, the LA story is amazing and I love that they can find happiness together and acceptance.
Tracking his outfits via spreadsheets – a true geek after my own heart 😉
oh no no no Alice…..I think you’re absolutely right to focus on the Arizona story….I should have done two blog posts…one with Arizona and one on the LA Weekly.
I loved your comment and I AMAZED by your …. hmmmmmm …. what do I call it? Your HUMANITY.
Alice you are you delightfully HUMAN and honest and loving … and comments like those on this post really show the quality of your character!
Oh and can I tell you, I’d take you to a Cracker concert in your Eurotrash Girl lovely outfit at any time! I’d be damn proud to have you on my arm m’dear! Now, I might be naughty later ~grinz~ but that is MY humanity and more!
Hugs and much love to you!
Thank you so much for sharing our story! I am glad it made you cry happy tears 🙂
WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!! Thank you SO MUCH for leaving a comment! I’m always a little nervous about posting non fetish things on a phone sex blog so THANK YOU for being sweet about it. One thing that I absolutely love about having these conversations is that people are free to BE in ways that sometimes aren’t available in other parts of life. YOUR story made a lot of people go, “hmmmm, if she could find love, maybe I can too” and some of them HAVE! That means more to me any any phone call, any day! Happy holidays to you and yours m’dear! Stay pretty and real and I followed you on twitter! ~lipstick kisses~