Saints & Sinners

The Civic Center Plaza here in San Francisco was bristling with energy when we waited on the steps of the Supreme Court on Tuesday to hear what the Justices had to say about Proposition 8.  They ultimately let it and it's anti-equal marriage change to our constitution stand although in a wierd turn the Court validated the 18,000 marriages that had taken place...mine included.  Now we have three classes of citizens---heterosexuals who can get married as many times as they want, gay people who can't get married and gay people who are married.

The demonstrators against equal marriage demonized us in that wholesale way that always seems a little silly.  One can hardly believe that the right wing folks who show up for these rallies actually represent anybody.  "Adam and Eve versus Adam and Steve" is a little nursery rhymish to embody a philosphy.  But there they were and it was democracy run amok.  Since no one else (except people of color) ever had to get permission to get married I was feeling a bit of deja vu. 

I'd just returned from Saints & Sinners the annual LGBT Writers Festival in New Orleans so I was bolstered for the attack of the godfearers.  S & S was as elegant and quirky and charming as every year. Elana Dykewomon and Michael Lowenthal were this year's winners of the Jim Duggins Mid-Career Writers Awards.  I sat on the playwrighting panel---the Festival's first, and fitting since S & S is affiliated with the Tennessee Williams Playwright Festival.

The LGBT writers who come from around the country work in all types of genres and are at all levels but the most exciting element is the sense of community that is everywhere.  Unlike academic writing conference I didn't have to make sure to have my back to the wall so no one stabbed me!  And I guess this is what the anti equal marriage people are afraid of...we know how to make community.  And that powerful connection we make can't be disappeared even by those willing to trample the constitution. 

Civic Center Plaza bristled with energy....ummmm...I feel a story coming on.