LGBT, Winning the Argument

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

Our parents may well want the best things in life for us, but when it comes to sexual identity, relatively few have a clue. It is down to us to show them where their perspective on the whole gay ethic is sadly flawed.

Society may well see itself as our mentor, and its schools the tools of this mentorship, but there are times when the student needs to educate the teacher and the teacher needs to shut up long enough to listen...

LGBT, WINNING THE ARGUMENT

"You can’t live your life being gay,"

- my parents said to me;

they meant well, could but struggle

with my sexuality;

"What will people think, say, even do?"

- my parents said to me,

it might ruin my career prospects,

couldn’t I see?

"Besides, what will the neighbours say

- or the rest of the family?

Shake off this gay stuff and get real,

stick with normality."

Ah, but this ‘gay stuff’ is a part of me,

- who I am and proud to be;

I stood my ground, pleaded the case

for an honest equality

Not everyone took my part, I must say

- but folks who matter to me

(and to whom I matter too) agree

we're born free to live our lives
as best we can, heartbeat of any society.

- to ourselves and others be true,

and if 'gay stuff' a part of who we are,

it deserves love’s blessing too

Copyright R. N. Taber 2010, 2019

[Note; An earlier version of this poem appears under the title 'Gay Stuff' in On the Battlefields of Love by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2010]