Showing posts with label 2016 Election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2016 Election. Show all posts

Monday, February 13, 2017

We Can All Write Our Reps -- Here's How

I haven't been blogging, but I have been writing. Mostly letters to my representatives, in the following categories:

With the exception of a few city councilwomen, these are all straight men. Most of them are white. The exercise in learning who they were and that they represented me -- while I hadn't really bothered to learn much about them -- was eye-opening in itself. 

They are all Democrats with the exception of Pat Toomey, so he gets more letters from me. Interesting fact: U.S. Senators have multiple offices in various districts of the state (PA has seven; I imagine smaller states may have fewer). That means for each Toomey letter I write, there are eight copies: one to each district office, and one to the office in Washington, D.C. Even if he doesn't read one of them, his staffers will. 


As I share about my letter-writing on social media, several people have asked me for a copy of the letters. I debated sharing these letters on this blog. Was the content "queer" enough? Did it have anything to do with happiness? 

Jenny adeptly pointed out on a very cold walk the other evening that if it's coming from me, it's queer enough. And while happiness may not be in our politics right now, this is how I'm keeping my sanity. So here goes. 

For a how-to guide for your own activism, read the Indivisible Guide. Then feel free to steal any of my language or letters to send to your own representatives. 

Monday, January 16, 2017

Dear Ellen, I'm Ready

Why have I been resistant to, or skeptical of, the awesomeness of Ellen? Internalized homophobia, or mistrust of how she can still be so incredibly cute at the age of 58?

But seriously, Ellen is so joyful, even when she's talking about oppression and patriarchy.



I was reminded of Ellen a few weeks after the election, when President Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He had the nicest things to say about her bravery.

Seeing the video above, and reflecting on the kind words of the best President of my lifetime, made me comb the archives for what she had to say after the election. Donnie will be sworn in on Friday, and I needed a little hope. She didn't disappoint.

 

Dear Ellen,

My happiness -- my particular (hopefully) marketable brand of gay happiness, that is -- will be different than yours. 

I'm a little too melancholic to maintain your indefatigable optimism. I have that academic's bias that in order to say something new, we must be very logical and serious about it all. 

But I'm ready for a little silliness, too. Thanks for the reminder. 

Yours very truly, 
A Lesbionic Sister