I was feeling very compassionate when I wrote this article. I was filled with the spirit of the holidays, the spirit of giving, of caring, of love for my fellow man. I still have that spirit, it's just been bruised and beaten this year by acts of cruelty and insanity. This year, above all, the homosexual community, and all communities, need a wish for acceptance and love.

A Wish for A Gay Holiday Season
A Gay Opinion 12/06/00
by R. A. Melos


It's that time of year, once again. I know I'm not much for the whole mistletoe and holly trip. In fact, at times, I feel downright Grinch-like. I especially feel this way when I see the injustices of our world, the atrocities which are committed daily in the name of defense of marriage, or preservation of family values, or the Republican party, or any of the other causes and organizations which deny anyone, anywhere, the right to express their true inner selves.

At this time of year I am bombarded with requests from every charity, and special interest group in existence, for donations. All of these are, I'm sure, worthy causes in their own right. However, I, like so many other people in the world, have been disillusioned by the harsh realities of the cruelties human beings are capable of inflicting upon one another.

I'm tired of all the empty promises from all the special interest groups, the politicians, the preachers, and all the people who have tried to sell me on their causes, and all those who lied to me for their own hidden agendas.

Bearing my personal exhaustion in mind, instead of giving money to several charities this year, I'm going to give all the closeted homosexuals, those living lies out of fear of persecution, and those living lies out of a desire to fit in, and those hiding their true nature out of ignorance, a holiday wish.

I wish all people, throughout the world, could know inner peace, if only for a moment.

I wish all those who are in denial of their sexuality, for a moment, to look in the mirror and accept themselves as the gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered person they are, and love themselves.

I wish all those people the feeling of complete freedom when outside oppressions, and self-denials are removed.

I wish all those closeted people could, for a brief moment, love themselves for who they truly are, without fear of recrimination, or need for the approval of strangers.

I wish, even if they can only do it in the privacy of their own homes, or the privacy of one room, each closeted victim of society and sexual identity oppression could feel happy with themselves, and accepting of their sexuality long enough to know the joy and potential they have within themselves to change the world for the better by extending that moment of self-love and self-acceptance of their long denied sexuality into a lifetime of pride and confidence.

I wish, for one brief moment, all people on Earth could know the value and importance of personal honesty.

I wish the closeted gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered community could feel the freedom they need to know exists, for them to feel the safety they need to feel in order to raise the courage to come out to themselves and the world.

I wish they could all believe in themselves as open and out people, as much as I believe in their abilities to free themselves from the self-inflicted bondage keeping them from reaching their true potential as open and honest people.

If I could give to all who live in fear of societal judgment this feeling of happiness I have within myself since accepting myself for the wonderful gay man I am, I would.

If I could remove their self-oppression and denial, I would.

Alas, all I can do is wish these people, the ones hiding from straight society by denial of their inner urges and natural desires, the ones lying to themselves and so many others out of fear of societal repercussions or out of fear of facing their own inner selves, the strength and love and knowledge of my belief in them to over come their self-denial and oppression.

For the holiday season, and for their lifetimes, I send them all my love and support to help them break free of the bonds, personal or outside influenced, which hold them back from being the people they know they are deep inside.

I wish you all freedom, peace and love.

Back

Outwrite Home Page