Photos of groups burning books or banning LGBT books from libraries is frightfully like incidents in Nazi Germany. The radical right was not satisfied with attacking school curriculum, now they want to close school and public libraries. The backlash against gays and lesbians promoted by the Republican Party has descended to a new low. They are not content with physically attacking transgender folks or supporting conversion therapy, they want to eradicate any public discourse about LGBTQ+ issues. The most extreme individuals are calling to kill queers, and some are responding to their calls.

After decades of expanding civil rights to the LGBTQ+ community, we are being attacked more openly and violently than we have been in a generation. The religious right continues talking about the “sin” of homosexuality. We’re seeing the growth of militarism and violence against all minorities. We’ve been thrown in with immigrants as people who should be hated, killed, or extradited. While Europe, South America, and even some countries in Africa are moderating their views about LGBTQ+ folks, the pendulum is swinging the other direction in the United States.

Part of the projected hatred is political expediency. We’re a convenient bogeyman in conservative communities. Part of the cultural attacks are comparable to racism and the fear of others who are not WASPs. The Republicans like to attack Democrats for fomenting culture wars, when they are the ones who started it. “Religious freedom” is being used to justify discrimination. You can call me anything you want, but you can’t take away my rights as a citizen.

Perhaps it was the June Pride marches, parades, and festivals that stirred up the hornet’s nest. We were invisible for a couple of years because of the pandemic. Now we’re more public. Movies and TV have more gay and lesbian characters. People who are non-conforming in gender or transgender are more visible. That generates fear in some people. We were less of a threat if we stayed in the closet hidden from view. We’ve been around since the beginning of time. We just were not acknowledged or labeled. I don’t know what percentage of the population we represent. For generations we simply lied about it.

I’ve never understood why sex is such a horny issue (if you’ll pardon the pun.) It’s a natural part of life, but when it is discussed publicly it generates controversy. Organized religion for generations has had a problem dealing with sex. Ancient religions were much more accepting of variations in expressions of sexuality. Young people now just say “no problem.”

Yes, I’m gay. It’s just one aspect of who I am. It does not define who I am as a person. I’m not an “issue” for debate, nor am I beyond the realm of acceptability. I’m just an ordinary guy. Why am I such a threat?

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