Rift Among LGBT Community
The recent Supreme Court decision granting marriage rights to same-sex couples has caused an unexpected divide among the once tightly-knit members of the LGBT community. The discord mostly stems from a feeling of many of the BTs that the movement has largely been focused on the LGs, culminating in Obergefell.
Some question whether the LGBT moniker should be rearranged to reflect a new focus of the community, with others going so far as to suggest removal of the “LG” altogether. Stanford University transgender advocate, Dante Newpole, agrees: “The plight of the transgendered and bisexuals have long been overshadowed by the LGs. They’ve finally gotten marriage equality. Now it’s our turn.”
Students at a Georgetown LGBT brunch shared their thoughts on the shakeup as well. Sally Key was empathetic but unbending, “I really feel for the BTs, I do. I’ve been there myself. But I don’t think it fair to remove the “L”. After all, we are still targets of the war on women, in addition to discrimination wherever we say it exists. I might be open to removal of the “G” and some rearrangement of the letters… possibly BLT.” Fellow bisexual student, Samuel Dual, nodded in agreement and replied “Mmmmmm.”
Others we interviewed expressed similar concerns. Many attest to questioning for some time why the LGs even got two letters in the first place. They feel it is a form of gender discrimination within their own identity and would have preferred they be assigned a letter like “S” for “same-sex”.
Tempers have reached a boiling point on the opposite side of the debate as well. Rodney White, a long time gay activist from Seattle was adamant, “I’m not okay at all with it. We get one major achievement and all this drama starts? Get rid of me? I don’t think so. I will not be forced out now. We haven’t even started martyring the Christians yet.”
Cooler heads are trying to rectify the rift with more inclusive suggestions, including adding more letters to the popular acronym. Among the letters being proposed for inclusion are “P”, “V”, and the schwa (Ə). Leaders within the LGBT community tell us that these initial proposals are based on aesthetics only and they are still working to identify the oppressed groups that will be brought into the community to match the new letters. For example, potential candidates for “P” and “V” are Polygamists and Vegan Polyamorists, respectively.
It’s too early to tell what changes, if any, will actually be accepted. One thing is certain, however. The unforeseen consequences of Obergefell are only just beginning.