Garrison Keillor’s homophobic rant
admin on Mar 15th 2007
Below is an excerpt written by Garrison Keillor, author and host of the hit radio show A Prairie Home Companion, in a piece titled The Land of the Free and Home of the Berries:
I favor marriage between people whose body parts are not similar. I’m sorry, but same-sex marriage seems timid, an attempt to save on wardrobe and accessories. Marrying somebody from your team. Still, it’s probably good for them to have to fight for the right to marry. My parents eloped against strong opposition from both families and they were in love for the rest of their lives and held hands and were tender on into their eighties. Of course they always had fresh strawberries.”
It is particularly upsetting to see high-profile individuals using and abusing their power to spread homophobic messages. The love I feel for my same-sex partner is no more motivated by savings on clothes and accessories than the love shared by opposite-sex couples is motivated by social security survivor benefits. Love is about commitment, care, honesty and the desire to share your life experience.
As Keillor mentions, the struggle for marriage equality will make us stronger people. But character development does not justify the obstacles we face or the rights that we are denied. When my partner was rushed to the hospital and I was denied admittance because our relationship wasn’t recognized, character development was not a consolation prize. Knowing that I’m a more perseverant person doesn’t make me feel any better that I cannot adopt in the state of Florida simply because I’m gay.
Comments like Keillor’s remind us of the importance of visibility. We must be visible, we must tell our stories and we must stand together as a community united. We must insist that our families and relationships are valued just as much as any other.
