Continuing to Beat the Drum for GLBT Rights

I think I added Family Pride to our blogroll. If not, I will as soon as I finish this post.

In case anyone wonders why I keep coming back to GLBT issues when there are so many other things to write about, here is a heartbreaking post from a woman in Florida who lost her beloved partner of 18 years.

As if suffering the unexpected and tragic loss of her partner while enjoying a vacation with their children wasn't horrible enough, she had to suffer the uncaring attitude of a Florida hospital.

I won't try to condense her story here. She tells it movingly and honestly. It should have never happened to her or anyone else. It's not an isolated instance and it's not just Florida. I've heard my share of horror stories from my local friends here in "liberal" California about their experiences. It's unbelievable to me how anyone calling themselves Christian can treat another human being that way.

I take so many rights for granted. The right to visit my husband or my kids in hospital and the right to make decisions on their behalf if they're unable to. The right to marry the person of my choice. The right to hold hands (yes we still do from time to time) while walking down a public street.

I've spoken to many PFLAG parents and friends who joined PFLAG not because they had problems with accepting and loving their own kids (as I accept and love mine) or friends but because they realized, as I do, that we wanted the rights we enjoy to be available to all.

Update: On reading the article once again, I discovered that Jan, who wrote the post about her partner Lisa, has her own blog and is in the process of starting a website to draw national attention to the problems faced by GLBT families. Click on Jan's name to access her blog.

In contrast, here's what happening with the American Family Association. I won't copy their latest email diatribe but their campaigns against Ford and the San Diego Padres continue unabated.

I've already written several posts about their opposition to the Matthew Shepard Act.

I went looking for a link to the AFA and the Padres and instead found a link to a blog by a man named Wockner. I'd never seen it before which isn't surprising considering the millions of blogs.

He tells the Padres story, complete with lovely photos, from the point of view of a gay man living in San Diego. I'd rather link to that than another rant from James Dobson and his lackies lackeys (I forgot my spelling rules but knew that didn't look right).

If you go over there, he also has some great photos of the Salton Sea and several posts on environmental damage. He's an interesting person, a great photographer, and someone I'll be visiting again.

My net went down as I was checking links. It's back but I don't know for how long. Hopefully, long enough for me to make sure the links work. If not, I'll come back and fix them. No need, I still have the net and the links work.

WA is taking a short break (and who could argue with that) but she'll be back shortly in full battle armor.