Today I took to the streets, I protested, Another wish come true: My story of Obama and Homosexual Pride '08

For me, this election has been bittersweet. I remember asking my sweet universe to help me have peace - to give me an answer to who the next person would be in our white house. I remember waking up the morning of the Sunday of Long Beach pride earlier this year, calm. I had dreamt that I was sitting across from Obama in the oval office and there was a blurry figure next to him... But I remember Obama. I accepted my answer.

From getting that answer, my vote was for him; though, from the get go, I was routing for Clinton, and even though I'd gotten an answer, I still didn't jump on the wagon until I did more research for myself and knew why I actually believed in him.

Since my dream, I've been calm as I've seen the dream manifest, unfold rather, into reality. I woke up from my dream with faith that my guides would never give me false answers, but I also arose with an intent to discover the true reasons why I would take my answer seriously because I ultimately could still choose not to trust my dream, too. But, I trusted, I casted my vote - early. History has been made. My guides didn't lie. And Long Beach pride was super fun.

I was talking with a friend tonight and I was joking saying, "The worst part about Obama becoming president is that now I have to shape up and start doing something with my life." Though, we both know that I was raised to always be productive and make the most out of my talents and mind, we laughed, and then immediately got a little more serious. She said there had been some kid from the ghetto talking to a reporter on a news show that she'd heard earlier who was seriously saying that now he had motivation to "be someone." My joking was a reality to many. She mentioned that he said, "my grandma used to say, 'it'll be a cold day in hell when a black man is elected president', and now I have to pull my pants up" (referring to sagging pants). We then realized how cold and blustery it was on election night everywhere. And that, truly, we'd all already been living in hell, and the cold, chilling winds of change felt around america on election night were there to show us that anything, miracles even, can happen. I wonder if any pigs were seen flying last night in the winds. I can believe it if you were to tell me there were sightings of the such...

Obama aside.

Tonight I protested. I took to the streets of West Hollywood, CA in order to protest the high percentage of Yes on 8 votes that really made my election week (and subsequently, my 25th birthday week) bittersweet. It was great. Hell...wasn't even as cold as it was last night. No winds or anything. Lots of pigs though. They were protecting us as we went from rallying to marching the streets, sometimes stopping at major intersections to sit down. To be. To put a face to the straight and queer folk who voted No on 8, because well, discrimination is just so old school.

But while I'm on the subject of discrimination, I might as well talk about the only vivid memory I have of the marching. A moment that has been etched in my mind as a turning point in my life. It has forever changed me.

We were marching the streets and a bus, although going slowly, started engaging some of the protesters who weren't letting it come through us. The driver slowly kept turning into the protesters, and eventually an innocent elderly woman with a small dog tried to walk across the street. She wasn't even a part of the rallying. She even had the white hand, though still, motioning her to walk across safely... At any rate, the bus driver saw her. He repeatedly kept looking at the protesters and then to the lady trying to cross the street; but even in his vigilance, he kept trying to drive the bus. He kept creeping and getting closer. Closer... Eventually, one of the other young female protesters and I looked at each other, and she went for the lady to get her out of the way, while I just went for the dog and swooped his shaking body into my arms. The bus driver, out of hate, was just going to run us over, and if not, then he definitely would have run over the dog, who was on a leash scared, barking, as the commotion escalated and his owner tried hard to cross the street, though she, too, was scared and very frightened. It was definitely a close call.

Even going to pick up this dog, I knew he could have gotten even more scared and bit me, but I didn't care. He could have peed on me. But I didn't care. I don't even think I was thinking after I decided to act. All I remember is: seeing an increasingly bad situation, deciding to act, swooping the dog, hearing a lot of growing commotion, seeing the bus come closer, getting out of the way, the lady letting go of the leash while I was trying to make sure she didn't get pulled with the leash in her hand while still all of us tried to dodge the creepy creeping large vehicle... the dog stopping shaking, then standing with a little dog in my arms, who'd stopped shaking at some point and was relaxed, and the woman coming up to me, giving me a teary hug with the still, calm, silent dog between our thankful, compassionate embrace.

I think from the time the bus started to turn the corner until she gave me the hug was no more than 5 minutes, but it seemed like forever. After my friend and I finished our rallying (though as I write, protesting has been going on hours after we left), we ran into the girl who helped the lady near the bus. We acted on a situation within a situation, and I'm glad.

I felt like I was doing something tonight. There's a cause I can fight for, because even though I am not married, I have a lot of queer friends who have gotten married this year, and I'd like to think that they are worth me putting in my time to help the fight, even if it means losing my voice. Even if it means outing myself to the whole world. Even if it means almost getting hit by a bus to help a little lady and her dog who although innocent bystanders, were still affected by hate directed not even toward her intentionally. No one benefits from hate, not even the innocent.

Funny thing is that I've been saying that if Obama wasn't elected, I'd probably riot or something. Really, it would be to finally get myself a Wii. I really want to play this cool yoga game it has. In all seriousness, though, I got my wish. Though I still don't have a Wii and I wouldn't call our peaceful protesting "rioting" per se, I will say that I got my wish. Obama won. Hooray! But, I'm glad that I'm getting to do what I so desired. March. Protest... And it's even cooler that it's with the homosexuals. The homos weren't out to disco or party tonight. I'm glad. We all showed up to march for a cause, because in having de ja vu tonight, usually when I am marching on that route, it's to go to a Pride and get drunk or to Weho Halloween... To get drunk. And by all accounts, the straight folk usually aren't out there with us marching in the parade, especially not in droves. Tonight, they were.

It's about time we put our faces to the hate that is out there. And yes, I guess I can credit Obama for giving me motivation to be an achiever, though I'd like to feel I do a lot already. But, it's not enough. Not while Chickens have more rights than I do as a gay person in California.

Nova Jade*
11-5-08