Baby Steps

Im not much of an activist, espicially when it comes to voicing my opinions about my sexuality. I ran across this article on the CNN homepage this morning during my daily news scan and couldnt help but to give CNN a bit of an applause. Instead of trying to talk around, explain away, demoralize, or play down Gerry Studds relationship with his partner, they refer to him as his "husband". Something you rarely see or hear in the media. The media's willingness to stop sensationalizing gay lifestyles by focusing on the actions of its fringe elements will help lead to better understanding and overall acceptance of gay people all over the world. Of course the gay community has alot of work to do as well. People are prompted to discriminate when you hand them reasons to.

BOSTON, Massachusetts (AP) -- Former U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds, the first openly gay person elected to Congress, died early Saturday at Boston Medical Center, several days after he collapsed while walking his dog, his husband said.

Studds fell unconscious October 3 because of what doctors later determined was a blood clot in his lung, Dean Hara said.

Studds regained consciousness, remained in the hospital, and seemed to be improving. He was scheduled to be transferred to a rehabilitation center, but his condition deteriorated Friday and he died at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Hara said.

Hara, who married Studds shortly after gay marriage was legalized in Massachusetts in 2004, said Studds was a pioneer who gave courage to gay people everywhere by winning re-election after publicly acknowledging his homosexuality.

"He gave people of his generation, or my generation, of future generations, the courage to do whatever they wanted to do," he said.