I am a long-time Seattle resident and Dan Savage reader. I have been grabbing the Stranger, one of Seattle's two big alt-weeklies, for more than 10 years just to read his column "Savage Love," in which he sanely dispenses advice on mind-bending topics like copraphagia, diaper fetishes and more. I've read his advice on rimming (antibacterial soap, and go for it), three-ways, and how to know if you have gone One Kink Too Far. There is nothing Savage won't touch, and that outspoken and brilliant gay man is one of my damn heroes.
I never thought I'd see the day that a United States President got involved extremely publicly with one of his projects, but today, with tears in my eyes, I'm delighted to report that it happened.
A while back I became aware of another awesome project of that Savage, he who gave us the incredible new definition of "Santorum" (see the Urban Dictionary. I'm not gnarly enough to define it for you here). Savage was launching a project called "It Gets Better," in which he, who should know, and others, posted messages of hope to young gay and lesbian people.
I was so touched by that. I was a bullied kid and was terrified of the fact that sometimes I thought girls were hot. Dan Savage sometimes seems like the Statue of Liberty, holding up a guiding light in the dark wasteland of intolerance in which many kids are marooned to grow, places like Eastern Washington, where I am from.
As people around this part of the world wore purple last week to remember the young people who ended their lives in recent days in desperation over bullying related to the way they love, Barack Obama went a step further.
He could have worn a purple tie. He could have given a Rose Garden address. He could have sent out an e-mail or appeared at a funeral.
What he did was make this incredibly awesome video. On Dan Savage's site.
Holy shit. Not only have I never seen nor ever will see a Republican president appear on a gay-positive website to encourage minors who are despairing over socially sadistic reactions to their emerging identities, I could never have imagined this.
The potential for blow-back seems considerable. Dan Savage is pretty outrageous sometimes (see Santorum, here, if you have a strong stomach and are rather worldly.) To get involved with his project is undeniably risky for any politician, (which is why Hillary, who made one first, is also very awesome).
But he did.
That's my president.
Dan Savage thanked him for the gesture, but also pointed out that Obama is in a position to make it better, and should do so, by repealing DADT and DOMA, among other things.
I truly believe this president intends to do those things. And I'm am so proud that he did this.
Thanks, Pres.