The gay community professes itself to be very inclusive of others. I mean, why wouldn't it be? When you have a group of people who are for the most part seen as "different" by the majority of Americans, and who have had to fight for equality in their relationships, they tend to be more open to others who are seen to exist in the margins of the mainstream. But there is one instance where the gay community is not very inclusive, and can be outright militant against those who don't fit in to their view of acceptable opinions. That instance would be a LGBT person, who is not a democrat.
I'm a republican. Not a conservative mind you, but a republican none the less. I voted for Trump, and to this day defend that decision. I'm also a Lesbian, a married lesbian who enjoys fully the right to marry. Yes, I realize that liberal democrats brought that particular right to me far sooner than it would have occurred without a Democratic president who made it a point to get it for me.
What I'm not, is a single issue voter anymore. I don't vote based on gay issues only. When I was younger, I did. But now, after working as a Nurse for 27 years, and watching my tax dollars be taken out of my paychecks and handed away to others, I vote for responsibility. Personal responsibility. I am tired of seeing how other people are allowed to live off my paycheck without being made to make any effort at all to better themselves or become independent of social programs. I want strong borders, and I expect my country to protect my children and grandchildren first. Certainly, allow immigration into this country, but do so in a manner that at least ATTEMPTS to prevent criminal and terrorist entry.
For me the reality is this. I have the legal right to marry. That fight was won, and I supported it financially and through my vote for years. I will not turn a blind eye to every other problem that we have in our country in gratitude for that accomplishment. The right to vote our conscience, every time, without being made to feel obliged to remain loyal to a particular party should not be the cost for politician's and judges doing their job. Achieving one goal, should not mean you have to give up on any others. It's okay to be vote democrat one year and republican the next, if your choices take you there.
I think it's sad that we don't have a stronger third party alternative in this country. I would love to be able to vote for a party candidate who wants to reduce my taxes, reduce government size and control, reduce abuse of our welfare system and demand personal responsibility of people, AND realize that LGBT people are just human beings like everyone else and who we love is of no concern whatsoever to our government. But, that party doesn't exist. What we have is a two party system, one which allows those at the farthest ends of the spectrum to control our lives and our government. Most of us live in the middle somewhere, trying to make ends meet and provide for our families.
Those of us in the middle are marginalized by the extremes. Including those of us who are gay. We are marginalized and admonished by our own community for being too centered. It's a bit of an irony. This whole "you are either with us, or against us" attitude in the gay community, as well as in Washington is what's wrong with our country. Who the hell is "us"?
Those of us in the middle are very tired of those on the extremes getting in the way of any progress that could be made in our laws. Conservatives and Liberals alike, seem more interested in degrading each other and obstructing any possible outcome that could be seen as a "win" for the other party. It's terrible that they both would rather see absolutely nothing get done, than compromise for those of us who have to live in the middle.
So if your a LGBT person too, and you live in the middle somewhere, I feel your pain. It can be hard to stand up and face your friends wrath and accusations for not falling in line with liberal ideals, but standing up is what we do. It's what we've always done. Only now instead of it being against those who would deny us our rights, it's against those who would shame us into extremism as well.
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