I am reminded of something this morning I haven’t thought about in awhile.
Being an Irish Catholic born in the 60's to an already large family, certain things were a "given". You would always be out of milk, there was never enough food and along with a Crucifix in every room you had at least 3 framed portrait on your wall at all times.
One portrait would be of you and your siblings with at least one family member having a really bad haircut or someone with their eyes closed. When you have that many kids it is hard to get one good photo of all of them - especially if some are in the throws of a wicked puberty.
Next up would be a colorful drawing of the Pope Paul VI, who in my opinion had some of the best Pope outfits, ever, but that is another story. If you were Catholic you had his portrait framed somewhere in your house. No questions asked.
And finally you had a framed photo of Jack Kennedy somewhere in your home. Over the years the Pope portrait would have disappeared probably broken after some wrestling bout in the living room and Jack was removed as the 60’s exploded in its final years and heroes of hope were killed and draft numbers loomed.
When visiting relatives in Ireland back in the 80’s I remember seeing framed photos of Jack Kennedy just about everywhere. I am sure these days you will still find homes, B&B’s and pubs with a framed photo of Jack, but not as much as previous decades, I would guess. The world had changed. Heroes of our childhood never got had the chance to finish what they started.
I got married a few years back to a wonderful man I met at a Catholic singles thing. He is hilarious and not an actor so that was a huge plus. The only problem was, well he was a Republican. Well I loved him anyway.
When we got married and moved in together we started decorating our place over time. Little things here and there. One day I found a framed photo of Ronald Reagan on our bookcase in the living room. I asked my husband to remove it. He didn’t. I said that our living room should reflect us as a couple not just my husband’s views. My husband may have liked Ronnie, but I didn’t and I didn’t want him in our living room. Yet Ronnie stayed.
So in an effort to display a little reflection of my own self and views, I started to put up photos of some of my favorite known gay celebrities over Ronnie’s face. Liberace, the cast from Queer Eye, and who is better to bring a smile to your face than Richard Simmons all oiled up and ready to sweat? I truly love that guy.
It didn’t take too long before Ronnie was retired to my husband’s office. It wasn’t too long after that, that my husband started picking up and reading the political books I was devouring and it wasn’t too long after that did my husband and I have some of the best political discussions a husband and wife from two different backgrounds and political leanings could have. And it wasn’t long after that my Republican husband became a Democrat.
I think it is time to have a portrait of our new President on the wall and somehow I doubt, it won’t be just our home or a few bars in Ireland.