Welcome to the Hop Against Homophobia/Prizes Galore

Welcome to the Hop Against Homophobia. For this hop I am giving away a print book from my GBLT bookcase-Under The Skin by Ariel Tachna and Nikki Bennett plus a promo goodie bag full of good stuff to one lucky person.


To enter, all you need to do is comment on this blog post for the next three days and you are in the running for it. Contest ends May 20th at midnight. I will announce the winner on May 21st here on my blog and you need to leave an email address in your comment so I have a way to contact you in case you win.


Check out the rest of the blog hop participants at http://hopagainsthomophobia.blogspot.com/


I am not gay or bisexual but I hurt, just the same, for my friends who are, who experience the discrimination, the heartbreak that they are denied rights/desires, we straight heterosexual couples/people enjoy every day. Right now the country is in flux, as the religious right tries to force their brand of morality among the masses and uses the bible to push it. For myself, and this is my opinion only so don't go burning crosses on my lawn or anything please, that every person has the right to  love who they want, be it man, woman, monkey or alien. Do I care what goes on in a gay/lesbian/transgender couples bedroom? Oh hell no because I sure don't want anyone poking their nose in mine.

The time has come for people to stop using their religion to push their own moral agenda because frankly, as we know more and more people who are raising children in a gblt household, they are by far some of the most amazing people out there. As I have gotten older and have become friends with many authors who are gay-bisexual-transgender-lesbian, it has gotten to me that I do not want my kids to be living in a world where one group of people are persecuted just for falling in love and wanting that marriage that we heterosexual people take for granted. 


Recently a friend got married in NYC to his long term partner and I was thrilled to hear about it, see the pictures of the wedding and to share in their joy. This is what a loving relationship is-two people who find their soul-mate, the one who gets them completely and the joy of that love spread around. It isn't bigotry, hate or ugliness. People who are afraid that gays being allowed to marry need to understand...us straight people have done a number on marriage already and you know what, it didn't die or blow up from the shock...it quietly enfolded itself around two people who love one another so much they took that walk down the aisle. That is what a loving relationship is all about-two people finding the joy and love of one another. That is what it should be about. 


My son who is 10 asked me recently if I would be mad if he didn't like girls. Thinking to myself that it could be that phase of "girls are icky" or it could be he is gay, as I told him, 'whatever you are is more than fine by me.' Love has no colors, boundaries. This is what I hope m y kids see, learn and retain as they grow up. This is the world I want to leave them. The hate has to stop, the religious right has to stop using religion to bash their agendas through and we, as a nation, has to start to understand that gblt people are like you and me, no more, no less. They love, work, raise a family, pay taxes, teach our children, and are productive members of society. This is what I want people to see.....they are our brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, neighbors, bakers, grocery cashiers and more. They are just like us and for that, I give my support to a group of people who have opened their arms, let me walk beside them and give them support as they face a world in flux, as they fight for their right to exist, to have the rights afforded to straight couples and to enjoy life like we take for granted. This is what I want for my children. Stop the hate. It will only backfire on you as karma comes around.


Thank you for listening to my ramble here. I do appreciate your time, attention and comments.