PghLesbian: What Does the Election Mean for PA LGBTQ Community?

(Crossposted from Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents)

I love that Trish jumped right into my favorite topic – Daryl Metcalfe’s reign of holy terror in Pennsylvania.

I had been planning a one week reflection on the election, but was derailed by tendinitisand well … OMG, its been a week? Like my sister blogger, I think there is a lot of interesting “space” between the federal elections ass-kicking and the state of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, so to speak.

Kyrsten Sinema became the first openly bisexual person elected to the US Congress (Arizona.)

The bright spots?

• Marriage equality *won* in all four referendums (Maryland, Minnesota, Washington and Maine)
• Tammy Baldwin is the first openly LGBTQ person to be elected to the United States Senate – she represents Wisconsin
• Pennsylvania elected our first openly gay man to serve in the PA General Assembly – Brian Sims
• Arizona elected the nation’s first openly bisexual person to serve in Congress, Krysten Sinema
• West Virginia elected their first openly gay man to serve in their General Assembly
• The Victory Fund endorsed 180 candidates; 122 won.

What does it mean?

Well, I hope it means the base remains mobilized and works on the ground on issues in Pennsylvania – from the school boards to the General Assembly. I agree we need more candidates – more progressive candidates. Not “pro-life” LGBTQ persons who seem to have missed the connection between right to privacy and their own lives … a rant for another day.

But I go one step to the left of Trish and say that the *party* needs to do a better job of connecting with the LGBTQ constituency and voters. In my opinion, the candidates did that successfully – but not so much the party. We keep getting these endorsed candidates who simply have little to no concern for our community and they end up doing dumbass things like supporting “marriage protection” amendments instead of creating jobs and addressing funding for public transportation.

I also want to stop hearing about the Pittsburgh/Philadelphia with “Alabama in the middle” meme … its crap. Yes, we are a blue end of the state but we still spit out socially conservative Democrats (like Mark Critz) who don’t really reflect the unique type of progressivism grounded in the Pittsburgh region. I know many Catholics who believe in birth control, marriage equality and access to abortion. They also believe in their Church. Like Joe Biden and John Kerry believe, not Paul Ryan believe.

While I’d agree the challenge is to run candidates, I also think we have to do a better story of telling our stories – all of our stories. Not just our two white lesbians with a minivan in the suburbs stories. And we need to tell those stories to our committeefolks and very local elected officials. We need more school board candidates seeking the endorsement of the Gertrude Stein Club and Stonewall Democrats.

But mostly we need to educate our own community – drive home the reality of our situation and encourage them to take action. This election has demonstrated to us that mobilization and hope can bring about amazing things. I have confidence things can turn in Pennsylvania, but I’m concerned that more members of the LGBTQ community will retreat into denial and lose touch with our sisters and brothers who are most vulnerable – because of their orientation, identity, economic status and more.

The ongoing battle around Voter ID and the disproportionate impact on our trans sisters and brothers should be evidence that its not going to be easy.

There’s hope, but it requires that we remain hopeful together.

NOTE: I was smiling at how Trish beat me to the political post; that’s exactly why I jumped at the chance to bring her on board!

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'Twas the night before the election...

'Twas the night before.....

Ah election eve. I still feel a little thrill tonight, although I didn't expect it. I'm over the commercials (we see a lot in the 'Burgh because PA is still considered a swing state), the attacks, the ridiculous Facebook posts and Twitter updates. In short-I'm over people warping their personalities for two candidates who, when it comes down to it, are just that. Two candidates. While the passion for politics and change in America is amazing, the vitriol with which it is proclaimed is not. It's disgusting. And frankly, I'll be happy when the election is over and we can move on-regardless of who wins. And that's the thing. Winning (not said in a a Charlie Sheen voice please note). If your candidate wins, are you a winner? I don't know. I do know this. There are far more losers than winners in elections. And those losers tend to be us, the American citizen. I don't mean that in the sense that we are losers as in something is inherently wrong with us and we have an L on our foreheads. We are losers because those we elect, for the most part, cannot put party and pride aside to do the job we elected them to do. So, bills that should be passed die in the House or Senate. Or, legislators bargain and wheel and deal and bills are passed that do far less than their actual intent. It's frustrating. These legislators (and President of course) are paid well, have decent perks-hey, at least they have health insurance-and get to be part of living history. Even if they're not re-elected, I wouldn't say they've lost so much as they just didn't win.

It's a weird situation-our political climate. For presidential elections, approximately nine states matter. I think it's time all states matter. We all matter. Or, at least, we should. People defend their views so heatedly they won't even listen to another opinion. It's as if we all need to feel one extreme or the other. What happened to just being people? When you get down to it, I think for the most part people are just people. We go to work, raise families, study in school, spend time with those we love and try to enjoy the moment. This political climate has divided us. Ironically, it has taken a storm to unite us. Tell me that's not the greatest metaphor and art imitating life-America is at it's most bitter and divided in a long time-and then we are brought to our knees and reminded again that nothing is certain, life is fragile, and red and blue are just colors, not ways to identify one's state or issues. People and lawmakers reached across party lines to help those in need and are still doing so. So, I have to wonder, will things change that much in the next four years? If we have divided government, probably not. But, maybe we can learn from this experience and work together. We're all we have when you get down to it. So, I still feel a slight thrill tonight as a national presidential election is exciting. But, I know that tomorrow and the next day life will probably continue normally regardless of who wins. Sure, there will be changes here and there over the next four years. As an optimist, I remain hopeful the best is yet to come and that in four years from now things will be better for more and not just a few. I just know that when I vote tomorrow, I will be doing something that people years before fought for so that someone like me, a female, would have a voice in shaping my country. I feel not only is it a legal right but it is a privilege. And one I'm proud to exercise.

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november blogging challenge

Hi there!

I'm a little shy about posting directly to this blog so bear with me. My blog is Buttercupia, and I post mostly about crafts, knitting and spinning in particular, though I have forays into recipes, feminism, fat politics, and kitties from time to time.


During november while many of my friends and acquaintances are doing NaMoWriMo, I've decided to challenge myself to post a blog post a day on Buttercupia, to revitalize it and to give my writing a much needed spark.


So to that end, I'd like to invite you all to visit scenic Buttercupia, where I'll be attempting to post every single day during November! Check out the archives too, for recipes, knitting patterns, and lots of fun photos and self-conscious blathering.

The kitten compels you! Come visit!!