Friday, February 29, 2008

What Have You Done Today to Make You Feel Proud?

Ellen Degeneres did something brilliant, brave, and heart-gripping today. She found a story about an 8th grade boy killed (that's right, KILLED) by another 8th grade boy, whom he had asked to be his Valentine. Ellen didn't let this story slip through the cracks, nor fade away. She talked about it on her daily afternoon talk show, sharing it with an audience that might not have heard about this tragedy otherwise. She said she wasn't a political person, but she made a plea for everyone to stop the hate and truthfully said that, even in this day and age, we are still not treating our fellow humans equally. "He was not a second class citizen, I am not a second class citizen," she said, doing something unusual for her and talking openly on her own show about her homosexuality. She refused to let this story pass by because it is terrible that one boy should be so horrified by being asked to be another boy's Valentine that he thinks the only thing to do is commit murder. My heart truly goes out to the families of both boys.

Even as horrible things happen, sometimes good things happen as well. Last night at my first P.R.I.D.E. meeting (I'm usually at Curtain Call), my mom came and spoke to the group about herself and how she deals with my bisexuality. By the end of the night, I think most of the kids who didn't have such supportive parents wanted her to adopt them. My mom came out as bisexual herself, something she only previously told my brother and myself. Yet another brave thing. She raised me to accept people, no matter what colour, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, age, or whatever else might be another stripe in the rainbow of human existence.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

So I'll Be Back For Good Someday...

I'm still stuck on where to start my life come fall (or summer as the case may be).

New York City? I've got my best friend there and we could get an apartment together, start pounding 42nd street to be in a show.

London? Doing Shakespeare at the Globe, have the chance to play Maureen on the West End since Rent is closing on Broadway.

Cardiff? A city about the same size as Tampa, with Torchwood and Doctor Who filmed in the City Centre, where I could watch my heroes from afar, maybe even have a role.

Perry? Go do the small town thing in Georgia, not too far from home, but a completely different state.

Tampa? Stay at home, get a B.A., fight like hell to get equal rights in such a red state.

Nashville? Go back to my childhood dream of trying to be a country singer, in Music City.