March President's Column

Well here we are in 2012 and unfortunately we have missed having the newsletter out for a few months. This is because of several factors, issues that have been fixed and we are hoping won’t happen again. It makes me sad that we didn’t get these issues out especially since I had a special story for the winter holidays. But, that is ok I will save it for later this year.

Some things I would like to talk to you about in this month’s column is the need for volunteers for this organization. We have a core group of a few people who show up at just about every meeting, event and social activity and I am very grateful for them. I understand that many of us are attending college and holding down full time jobs as well as raising children. I do not want much, I do not ask for a lot. However, if you could find it in your schedule even one hour a week, or even a month to volunteer for something with The Alliance it would make such a huge difference in our efforts for this area.

We are working on so many things right now and sometimes having the same people working on everything can burn people out. We lose people this way, not their desires or their membership, but definitely their participation because they’re burnt out. This makes me very sad and I am not sure how to fix things. I encourage everyone who is considering donating time to this organization to look at your life very carefully. Look into your activities, your personal and professional life and make sure you have the energy to give before you sign up for too many things.

Right now we have over 170 “members” on the facebook page and 58 members on the meetup page, yet we have maybe about 15 people who are always there, or giving some time to the cause.

We are in a fight for our equality. We are fighting for the rights of same gender couples to get married. We are fighting to keep Amendment One out of the constitution. We are fighting for equal housing and employment, adoption and the right to hold our partners hands in public if we want without being hassled. We are fighting for the right to be protected regardless of our sexual orientation or our gender identity.

I met a woman on facebook today who wrote a very interesting piece. She gave me permission to publish it in the newsletter. When I read it, I was ashamed of myself. I am the President of The Alliance a GLB and T organization partnering with our straight allies for equality. Yet, how many things have I done for my transgender brothers and sisters? Nothing, even though I have plans to, I have yet to do them. Well this piece made me wake up. I hope my column wakes people up as well.

In order for us to stand and fight we must stand together. Not in small groups around town. Not in clichés in the gay men’s community. Not in femme or butch groups of the lesbian community. Not in “oh well they are BI-sexual” communities. Not in transgender communities. We are The Alliance. We must stand all together and fight for all of our rights. This is the land of the free and the brave!?

I am brave, now give me Freedom!