findmedaddy
Posts: 254
Joined: 5/18/2006 From: Maine Status: offline
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AquaticSub, Your project may be right here, in the message boards. I'll try to be brief (for a change): I met Gene Robinson, the Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire, a few years ago. He is a simply wonderful man, and as I listened to him speak about his experiences it occured to me that here was a sort of Jackie Robinson figure. Somehow, he was picked to be the first openly gay man, living with a male partner, to be made a bishop of the Episopal Church, and both he and the church knew full well how rock-tough he was going to have to be to withstand the horrible things that would happen because he was willing to be the first. I've followed his story closely, and all this has taken a toll on him, but it's still clear that the church picked the right person. He hasn't apologized for who he is, he's been a magnificent pastor, and he is going to go down in history as a decent man who would have gotten better treatment in a more enlightened time. Did I say I'd be brief? Sorry. All I meant to say was, the threads here in which those of us who might feel shame for this part of ourselves or who would risk our jobs and any future employment in the careers we love because of our private, consenting, adult relationships, could really have some fodder for your art. There are so few "acceptable" prejudices out there any more (meaning, people get away with expressing them, even in polite company -- NOT meaning they areally ARE acceptable). One that is "acceptable" is against fat people. Another is against anyone who deviates from some ficticious sexual norm. So...why is that us? And will we ever have a Jackie Robinson, a Gene Robinson? Do we need one? Maybe something there... fmd
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