I'm currently uploading a series of photos I took at Occupy Wall Street yesterday and today. The protests are in interesting thing to behold. There's a variety of different types of people there: hippies and hipsters, sure, but also war veterans, union workers, elderly people, and folks from all other walks of life. It's crowded but not terribly dirty. I saw several people cleaning up at the time. There's a volunteer medic tent and library, and they were serving up food for $2 a plate, I think. I also saw people getting free haircuts and suits in order to join a protest march to Times Square today. Whatever you think of the "occupation," it's a fascinating thing to behold and I feel fortunate to be able to witness it first hand, whether I agree with every point being made or not.
I was proud recently to participate in Razorfish New York's own "It Gets Better" video, part of the series initated by Dan Savage's effort.
I had some notes I referred to and understandably, with so many involved, a lot had to be edited out for the video to be edited tightly. I'm posting them here in case they help anyone to see that you can change your mind on this issue. My notes then, somewhat updated for clarity's sake:
- I grew up within a belief system that wasn't very tolerant to gay people or gay rights - In my early 20s, I attended a very conservative college where these beliefs were reinforced, daily - I was talking with a friend one day when I made a very nasty remark about gay people - It was so inappropriate, I don't even want to repeat it today - He replied, you mean people like my brother? - That really took me back because I was confronted with the reality of his brother's existence instead of whatever stereotype of a gay person I had in my head - That began a process of thinking for me and as the years went by and after a lot of reading, I became a supporter of gay rights - If you're watching this and you disagree with me about gay rights, please do challenge yourself to read up on the subject - and especially challenge yourself to read the thoughts and opinions of people who disagree with you - If you're watching this and you're a young gay person, please know that people can and do change their opinions on this issue. I did - Also, I know many gay people who grew up in environments that were unkind to gay people and they're doing fine now. I work with many such talented and intelligent people every day - Things really do get better
I also wrote a post several years ago, which tells the story I allude to above more explicitly. I ain't proud of it.
If I could make one suggestion to Dan Savage to add his project, it'd be this: How about a channel for straight people, explaining why they concluded they were wrong about their beliefs and how they came to be gay rights supporters.
