outrageous.

So, I usually limit my Tumblr posts to short quotes from newspaper columnists or photos I like, but last night, after seeing Outrage, I felt the need to vent in some way.

I know there are so people, many whom I follow on Tumblr, who are gay and consider themselves active in securing equal rights for gays. Whether it’s through writing, protests or voting records—we feel that in some way what we do is significant and makes a difference. It does.

But last night, between seeing Outrage and watching Rachel Maddow’s show (which featured a video shown in certain states equating a vote for a democrat with a bomb about to explode) I realized that I am preaching to the choir. When I write for After Ellen or post to Girfriend Is A Homo, I know my audience—and it’s not the people who voted for Prop 8 in November or those who voted for Dubya twice in a row.

As someone who works in the mainstream media as well, Outrage really got me going. Why is it ok to speculate on someone’s heterosexual extramarital affair if you have the sources to back up your information, but it’s not ok to “out” someone who is also married—working against the group he or she secretly belongs to?

In the film, Barney Frank said something along the lines of “People hate gays because their leaders tell them too.” I can’t remember the exact quote, but that was the gist of it. When he said that, I got so angry. It’s so fucking true.

The film also revisits Harvey Milk’s plea for everyone to come out, saying that if everyone did—there is no way the hate and discrimination of gays could continue. We are everywhere.

Seeing the film made me realize that being out to my immediate family, friends and coworkers was not enough. Most lifelong Chicagoans, the people in my life wouldn’t dream of voting republican or hating someone because they are gay.

My family in Arkansas, however, whom I rarely see and have no idea who I am living with at the moment, are a different story. Will my coming out to them make a difference in their vote? Maybe not, but it’s worth a shot.

I’m buying them all Outrage for Christmas this year, and think you should check it out as well.