Can you feel the love tonight?
Elton John got married today and I couldn't be more thrilled for him. I am happy on so many levels...
1. Same-sex "civil unions" are now legal in the UK.
I knew there was something about those Brits I liked. Besides Mr. Blogger of course.
When we lived there, I learned first hand that they're just so much more relaxed about these things. I even saw Tony Blair being interviewed this morning and wishing Elton and David the best (!!!). Can you imagine our dear Leader of the Free World doing the same? Cough. Choke.
But I mean really, WHY WOULD YOU NOT WANT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN LOVE AND COMMITTED TO EACH OTHER TO GET MARRIED? No really. I don't get it.
2. I'm an Elton fan going way, WAY back.
The first album I ever bought on my own was Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. It's absolute genius and to this day I can pop in the CD (obviously since purchased in order to keep up with technology) and be utterly transfixed.
I was so young, but I was fascinated by all the illustrations and lyrics included inside (you kids who have never known anything but CDs have really missed out on the artistic possibilities only albums can produce) and I spent hours singing along to EVERYTHING. I even mock played all the piano riffs, long before I was actually good enough to really play it.
I remember a slumber party I went to in 3rd grade where the mom was horrified to find out the actual lyrics we were all singing. She quickly confiscated the album, but thank God MY Mom was more progressive than that.
Which brings me to...
3. I have long been a supporter of gay rights, thanks to Mom.
Yup. She's cool like that.
Her best friend/my "uncle" was a huge influence in my life from a very young age. After he moved to San Francisco, we spent many a weekend road-trip going to visit him.
We spent an entire summer painting the inside of his house "Royal Robe" (I will NEVER forget the name of that paint even though I couldn't have been more than 6 or 7 at the time...it was a god-awful garish purply-red color, which I of course ADORED).
We would string together beaded necklaces and eat tuna sandwiches (which I shared with Uncle G's dog Gazella) while listening to The Beatles.
We had grown up dinner parties filled with fascinating, warm and educated people...all of whom treated me with respect and welcomed my opinions, unlike most adults I knew, who would tend to "baby" someone of my age.
And come to find out, I was in the middle of the Haight-Ashbury district in the late 60's. (Who knew I was so cool?) I LOVED it.
What I never knew, until I was far more grown-up, was that just about everyone around me was gay. And because a lot of them didn't have kids, they doted on me and nurtured me with love and affection, because frankly, I was one of the few children around. I was introduced to music and art and literature from some true connoisseurs.
All I knew was that these were good and decent people. (To those who flip out about gay teachers or coaches, or other such nonsense INFLUENCING their children, I love to say I was raised by a whole lot of gay men and look at that...I turned out just fine...AMAZING.)
And when I was getting to be the age where I started looking at colleges, Uncle G was then a Dean at UCLA and took me on a tour. That was it. Decision made.
I've marched with some friends in a Christopher Street parade while in college. I helped some come out of the closet to their families. I had MASSIVE fights with my first husband who was a Naval Pilot and VERY anti-gays in the military.
And when all the hullabaloo started over same-sex civil unions, I just didn't get it. Again, exactly HOW does this hurt anyone? Aren't people who are devoted to each other a reason to celebrate? Why should I, by virtue of my being straight, get to have some kind of monopoly on the benefits of joining my life to another's?
I generally shy away from posting anything too terribly controversial, but not in this case. If I get hate mail, so be it. Much like my feelings over animal-rights, this is something I will NEVER be afraid to defend.
So to Elton John and David Furnish: May you experience the same kind of joy I had on my wedding day to Mr. Blogger. It knows no boundaries.
And to my Mom, Uncle G, and all of his friends: Thank you for helping to teach me what love meant in the first place.
posted by Brooke at 11:34 AM
13 Comments:
I am totally with you girl. It bothers me that gay marriage bothers so many other people. I feel like yelling, "GET A LIFE" at them. "Why does this concern you?" I once dated a guy who was so homophobic that I dumped him. I remeber he hissed "Lesbian" at me as I shut the door in his face. It still makes me laugh. He just didn't get it.
Brava!!! You told it exactly as it was (and is). I went all nostalgic and teary-eyed remembering the "good old days" in San Franciso and SoCal. Great people, great times and great daughter.
My husband and I were able to receive domestic partner benefits through his company before we were married. I always felt a little guilty because there are so many gay couples out there who aren't afforded the same benefits.
I'm a huge Elton John fan too. In fact I had YBR on album and recorded it onto a tape which I then wore out. You could hear the scratchy album sounds when it played.
I go to the Pride parade every year in my city and it always brings tears to my eyes to see so many people of different ages, races and sexual orientations loving, celebrating and accepting each other. It is truly incredible. Your last sentence pretty much sums it up, doesn't it?
You spent time with gay people and you are not gay....? How can this be? I never got that one myself.
As far as marriage goes, if gays want to suffer with the rest of us, more power to them. It does not and should not affect me in any way. I work for a company that offered partner benefits over 7 years ago, I cheered when the memo came out.
I came with the gay brother package. My Mom is Catholic and this gay 'revelation' (it was anything but, you could tell very early on where he was headed) is fine with her as long as, "he is not having sex."
Congrats Elton - here's to some good lovin' tonight.
>>As far as marriage goes, if gays want to suffer with the rest of us, more power to them.<< Ahaha. Damn straight Ditsy. Man, what am I, the quoting queen?
Say it again, sister. I live in MA and was so proud and happy when gay marriage was (sort of) legalized. I hope this trend continues and we are all afforded the same right to civil marriages.
This is a great day!
I am a Humanist, and the British Humanist Association has been carrying out 'gay marriages' for many years. One of my best friends is a Humanist Celebrant, who has officiated at many same-sex ceremonies. However, until this new law came in, those people, in spite of the public vows of commitment to each other they exchanged and the fact that some of them had lived together for many years, had joint bank accounts, mortgages, etc., could still not be regarded as next of kin, had no pension rights, if they lived in rented accommodation one could be thrown out of their home if the other died, and so many more legal iniquities! Today all that is past.
Today I really am proud of my country.
Love GYR album!! I also grew up studying each and every picture while listening to the music with headphones the size of watermelons on my ears!!
What a fun childhood and great memories. And, I am loving your mom by the way. She sounds so great!
Hear hear! Good post.
Oops that was me.
Amber
-myaimistrue.com
Congratulations Elton and David!
I so heart GYR!
Great post, Brooke! lucky you! I'm totally green with envy at your childhood. I'm still unlearning all the hate and bigotry taught by my 'Christian' parents (and both of their daughters have had two failed attempts at marriage...it's because the threat of gay marriage threatened the sanctity of our straight marriages - lol!). I totally heart your mom! Would she adopt me? Your Uncle G, too?
I'm with everyone else here who asks, "How does this affect you?" The next time my father starts ranting on the subject (as he often does, what with knowing I live in the gayborhood and that I'm still friends with my gay ex-husband (2nd husband) (my 1st was also military and very anti gay), I'll ask him that question and post his answer. Of course, it won't be a reasonable answer, but hopefully it will make everyone laugh ;-)
Great post! It's so nice to find reasonable, articulate like-minded people out there when so many crazies are shouting hate-filled speak from rooftops and La-z-boys. I too grew up in a very accepting and thoughtful environment and I thank my mother daily for giving me that.
btw, I have a friend who recently moved to Germany with his husband (married in Canada) and their adopted daughter and they are challenging the German government in what has become a landmark case on the gov'ts. right to tax same-sex married couples as individuals... you go, Mark!
I can't tell you how many guys I have dumped early on in the relationship for not being down with The Gay. I have to have my gay boyfriends (and girlfriends!) or else this world is a dull place.
Let's hope that we follow England's lead on this score and a few others.
Great post!
Post a Comment
<< Home