at least rosie's trying.

Dear gay community-at-large,

Way to set your people way back. I mean, waaaay back. On a daily basis.

Think about racial, ethnic, social and/or cultural groups that have faced adversity- blacks, Jews, women, Muslims, Irish, to name a few. When one thinks about any of these groups, he can immediately call to mind countless leaders, visionaries, poets, writers, singers, artists, politicians, inventors, activists and other general movers and shakers who've done something to impact the world and to dispel any stigma about their group. I didn't even think too hard about it, and for the above list- without even Google searching- I came up with Desmond Tutu, Elie Wiesel, Susan B. Anthony, Benazir Bhutto, and C.S. Lewis, respectively.

When I thought ahead to a gay icon, who not only does something beautiful but also works towards changing the social situation for homosexuals, I was unable to think of any. Sure, I came up with a few people when I pored over the topic, but none of which who've greatly affected the stereotypes surrounding homosexuality in a public and mainstream way like the above people have.

There's Chrissy Ebhardt, daughter of formal potential presidential candidate. Not only has she done actual work to further the LGBT community, her sexuality wasn't a shocking post-humous revelation to the public which ended up novelizing her situation. (Don't even get me started on my 19th century authors...sift through this if you want... )

There are public figures in the media who've made gay people seem less scary and more real, like Ellen DeGeneres. There's even a cultural phenomenon geared at making the general public more comfortable with homosexuality (see Bravo, Queer Eye and the likes...)

Why is there a lack of positive homosexual role models for young gay people?

Perhaps because homosexuality is viewed more as a socially unacceptable issue, being as a great deal of argument is in favor of the notion that it is a choice. I'll buy that. And maybe the movement- the need- hasn't been established until just now (seeing as the move for equal treatment in marriage, media and everyday life has been on the bound in my generations' young lifetime). Either way, I'm hoping that someone real rises from the fab-u-lous, floppy haired, Long Island guzzling, techno loving, tight dressing/flannel loving, chin pierced, fauxhawk sporting, softball hurling gays that are all around me.

As I sift through Facebook invites for 'Friday Foreplay' and 'Ascension' among others, all attached to a picture of a perfectly muscled, speedo clad model airbrushed to perfection, I can't help but feel more solid in my inability to identify with a subculture like that.

I am not gay. I am not straight. I tend to love whoever will love me back.

I hope that the next herd of kids will have someone who will say that to them, saving them a step in having to figure it out the hard way on their own.