Taking Baby Steps Towards LGBT Equality

Damned if you do and damned if you don’t.  That’s one though I’m sure has crossed President Obama’s mind more than once since he took a seat in the White House, especially when it comes to LGBT rights and equality.

Critics from the LGBT community refuse to see the President as an ally as they continue to bash him because the progress they want hasn’t happened and they refuse to acknowledge the progress that has been made including, but not limited to the appointment of over 100 LGBT persons to various federal positions, the passing of hate-crimes legislation, and the extension of benefits to some LGBT federal employees.

Then of course, we have the other side of the fence who claims Obama is Satan because he’s promoting a ‘gay agenda’ simply because he even acknowledges the LGBT community exist, and may I add, does so on a regular basis even in the midst of the very serious issues of two wars and the economic turmoil that he inherited.

So, it just goes to show that you can’t make everyone happy, and I personally am not bothered to see that he’s not really trying.

I think, what’s been termed as an “incremental” approach to LBGT rights is actually a pretty good strategy.  I mean, after all, when you blast through a mountain to make way for a road, you create landslides and do a great deal of damage to the surrounding habitat, whereas if you chip away at the stone, you may not make swift progress, but the progress is still resolute in nature and you don’t have to wait for the dust to settle before you see if you’re actually on the right path.

According to a post on Yahoo.com:

President Barack Obama is chipping away at his long list of promises to gay voters but has yet to win the enthusiastic backing of the reliably Democratic voting bloc. The Obama White House has accomplished more than any other on gay rights, yet has drawn sharp criticism from an unexpected constituency: the same gay activists who backed the president’s election campaign.

And according to James Withers at 365gay.com in regards to family sick leave for LGBT federal workers:

These are easy gets. Very few folk are going get upset because gay folk want to care for a sick partner or child. Sure Texas Republicans and the Family Research council will yelp and moan, but they are only happy when gays are in jail. Or, in the case of FRC, dead.

I think this is a very important point. Change is inevitable but it’s also the most resisted element in life. I think a cautious and deliberate approach is a smart approach especially when it come to my rights. Am I happy I’m a second class citizen? Hell no. But I also don’t want a repeat of California! Here, you have rights, we gave them to you overnight! Now, people have resisted and your rights are once again gone so you’re going to have to fight twice as hard to get them back again…if you ever do! Think it can’t happen? Have you seen this post in the NY Daily Newstoday about how the GOP in Texas is trying to outlaw homosexuality? Again, chipping away may not make it easy to recognize the progress until you do step back an look at what you’ve accomplished by chipping away.

So, regardless of whether or not you’re pleased with the rate of progress, you can’t argue (unless you’re a member of the religious right or completely self-absorbed) that progress has been made…More progress in less time than any other period.

So while we look at the big picture, for those of us who can stand back on look at the big picture, remember to take a look back at where we’ve been, and where we are now. Are you still unhappy? I wonder if those who are attending the first ever Gay Pride event being held at the White House today are as well?

Baby steps. We have to crawl, then stumble and fall as we learn to walk before we can run!