Submitting letters to newspaper/mag editors

[JournalistOregonBob]

Hello,

 

 

I am wondering just how visible we are in the several time zones existing in our country.

 

I cite my question in national terms since Oregon, my home for the past eight years, is remote, with a metro population of about two million in a state of under four million. Apparently, it is a divided place, with Conservatives sometimes splitting the vote. But their view is usually loud and clear.

 

Could you respond with some description of the LGBT community's visibility in your area?

 

To describe what exists here: one biweekly (www.justout.com) and in our main daily, The Oregonian,has one lesbian columnist, Anna Griffin.

 

Personally, I (a former battle group newspaper editor and monthly columnist at Dignity Los Angeles) have had about forty letters published in our main daily, The Oregonian, over the past eight years. I am out; so it seems that I must cope with the vandalism of my Toyota, and with hate mail in the Oregonian.

 

Maybe there is nothing quite like starting the day reading the published hate mail of some unknown, local homophobe.

 

However, if my published view indicates that we will have nothing less than equality, then so be it: let the hate flow. Surely, at this late date, I can take it. So, in this introductory blog, I ask about your political activism, hoping to hear that you are fearless. Interested?

 

Bob

robertgeary9@aol.com

[Lugh]

except that you are in the lounge and blogs are listed under blogs... the tab is up there filed under B.L.O.G. -- third over from the left.

 

Personally I live in a metro area that could eat your entire state for lunch and burp your city and not notice. However I also live in the bible belt where there is a church every 20 paces and someone praying for my poor depraved soul every street corner.

 

Here, people are out. Kids are out. There are children in middle school who are not afraid to be themselves and they are not punished for it. The first day my son attended 8th grade a boy asked him if he had a boyfriend. You can be a jock and be gay, or bi, or whatever... and you can take your same gender significant other to the senior prom (so long as you have the proper permissions just like everyone else).

 

As for the rest of the area, I honestly don't pay much attention. I know I should and I know I don't. We don't have a castro district. There are places queers hang out, but many of them are the same places straight people hang out. When you are shopping you can see a string of stores here and there with rainbows in the windows. It's not that anyone is hiding here, but that we've gone mainstream. The hate still occurs. My house gets egged at least once a year although I'm not sure if it's someone who is pissed at me being gay or my son for not being gay. The clearest indication was the time when a little girl glued kotex to the front door and wrote "quit being a douche" in red across the front of my house BEFORE egging it. Yeah I think that one was for the boy.

 

Anyway... Discussions in Discussions and Blogs in Blogs... and Welcome to GA!

[VickyS]

Welcome to GA Bob

And thumbs up for being courageous

[Rilbur]

No, I'm not that publicly out.

 

Mostly because of family concerns. Not only am I still financially reliant on my family, but coming out could literally kill my grandmother. Her health has been on the edge for years, and giving her something extra to stress about could very well topple her over the edge. She's better than she used to be in a lot of ways, but still not what I'd call 'well'. It's nothing short of a miracle that she's still alive; and I'm actually starting to have hope she'll be alive this spring when I graduate from college, something I didn't dare dream of last year. It's not sure, but...

 

That said, and slightly less OT, three cheers to those of you who are all the way out. One day I plan to join your ranks, and let the chips fall where they will. One day