After Stonewall

Pride month (June) is almost upon us... Having just had my 4th gay birthday I can't help but reflect on what it means to be gay, to be me, to be happy and to appreciate how long it took for both me and our people to get here.

I am sitting here watching an amazing documentary called After Stonewall (you can get it on Netflix or Amazon.com - it is amazing, I have had tears in my ears the whole time. I'm still a young gay, so I need things like this to help me learn our history and chart our future. I don't know how to explain it but as powerful as Brokeback Mountain was - that was still fiction. This is real. It happened. In the face of violence, bigotry, death, AIDS and terror - our gay history charged ahead. This movie is a source of history from many of the pioneers and while some of it saddened me, it made me feel good about who I am and how I can continue the fight for acceptance and change.

I ask each and every one of you, whether gay or straight, man or woman, to please watch this film. Even if you were there - watch it. We need to hear these stories, they need to be told.

So I ask you, please, watch this film, for lil ole me? For my gay birthday present? Thank you.