Day Without a Gay

December 10th was "Day without a gay" in America.

The idea was that all homosexuals were to call in to work gay. And if you were in the closet you could just call in sick. This movement was in support of gay marriage, and a direct reaction to the passing of Proposition 8 in California. The Associated Press reports that participation was 'spotty'.

I didn't participate as I live in a country that supports gay marriage. But if you are American, particularly if you live in California, I don't understand how you could not participate. After all the shit the government has put gay people through in that country I'd be marching down the streets with torches and pitch forks. But that's just me.

Coincidentally, on the same day the movie Milk was shut out of a best picture nomination at the Golden Globes. Sean Penn is the only person nominated from the movie, a recognition to the 'sacrifice' a straight actor has made in portraying a gay character, but not recognition to the movie itself.

Last night a friend of mine from the Archives was telling me about how he found a dead body outside his apartment on the weekend. A 42 year old gay man had jumped from the 15th floor, hitting his head on a railing and decapitating himself in the process. This led to discussion of the three other gay people in his life who had committed suicide.

Do heterosexuals commit suicide this often?

"It's been too hard living
but I'm afraid to die
Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will"
- Sam Cooke, "A Change Gonna Come"