January 29, 2007

Equality is Great, But Safety Comes First

GLBT activists and their allies are focused on issues like same-sex marriage, acceptance of gays and lesbians in the church, and the prevention of discrimination. There are more basic issues we can lose sight of, however. One of them is the personal safety of a GLBT person who is out in a hostile environment, like, say, South Dakota.

Here is the story of one such person published in the Washington Blade. While the fight for equal rights is important, let's not lose sight of those who have to deal with concerns for their very survival on a daily basis.

1 comment:

  1. The whole psychological model of the Hierarchy of Needs comes into play here. I am very fortunate that there is a very low incidence of orientation-related harassment/assault where I live, but in areas where it is of higher concern, I imagine that it must be much harder to form personal relationships and be at peace with yourself & the world. My heart goes out to those who live in constant fear of intimidation or physical harm, it must be a tough row to hoe.

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