A Queer Pilgrim

A blog is a word that combines "web" like a website, and "log" like a ship's log or journal covering the news of the day. It displays information in reverse order chronologically, not from the beginning of a story per se, but from the latest news of the day, which appears at the top rather than at the end of the story. It is a platform where a writer or writers share their views on an individual subject. I've thought long and hard how to encapsulate all the news of this day or week on this website-based log, or blog, and usually want to report on the most immediate crisis/crises, or the best news of the day.  The news of today that is good news for those of us in same-sex marriage or interracial marriages is the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, that passed in the US Senate today! It goes back to the House, which will have to adjust their bill of the same name, because of the changes in the US Senate. Once it passes the House, it will then go to the  ...

There are days and times that serve as an important inflection point in human history/story, that may, in hindsight, herald a new beginning, or a change in the surrounding culture. An inflection point is an event that points to a significant change in a society, like an election; an assassination; a milestone passed and crossed; an insurrection; a war; an anniversary; a birthday; a peace treaty or armistice... all of these can lead to an inflection point that triggers a change in the surrounding culture for the better or for the worse. Or consider it a turning point, either for the good, or for the bad. My question is this: are we living in an inflection point in our times in regards to LGBTQIA2S+ people? To me, it feels like there are so many things going on that will have an impact upon the society in which we live, surrounding LGBTQIA2S+ people, that it is simply overwhelming when I start to think of it. The first event is the anniversary of Transgender Day of Remembra...

I am sitting in the city of Tigard, in the state of Oregon, in which I am celebrating the fact that Oregonians voted for Tina Kotek, and out-lesbian candidate for Governor. She wasn't the only out-lesbian Governor voted into office in last week's election: Maura Healey of Massachusetts. They join Governor Jared Polis of Colorado as out-LGBTQIA2S+ Governors. This country has never had so many out LGBTQIA2S+ Governors in its history. Furthermore, on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, PBS Newshour reported that over 430 LGBTQIA2S+ candidates had been to various elected offices in the US during the recent Nov. 8, 2022 election. There are federal Representatives/members of Congress, along with state elected representatives and senators who were elected into office. But the good news continue: Nevada is set to pass a bill (Question One) in the recent election that protects LGBTQIA2S+ people in the state constitution, an Equal Rights Amendment, that protects people based on race as well as women,...

Having a wedding in the 21st century is different than it was in the 20th century. One of the most unique differences had to do with a wedding website. When I was first married in 1978, there was no such thing as the web, let alone a website or webpage for our wedding. All invitations and RSVPs were sent by paper. Perhaps a phone call came in to get an RSVP. And because same sex marriage was not a "thing" until 2015, there was no worries about being turned down for anyone printing such invitations in the 20th century.  Zoom forward to the 21st century. There are a host of wedding websites, which we can put together by ourselves. There is Zola.com; theknot.com; withjoy.com; zazzle.com; and wix.com, to name a few. For our wedding, we used theknot.com. We designed it together, which was fun. While we sent out paper invitations and "save the date" cards to people in the mail, even the design of the cards came from the website. We used our website to keep track of the RS...