Change

I've been absent since my date with half naked gay men in Atlanta, and, because I know you were left with a void that not even vodka could fill, I came back.

I'll pause while you rejoice and send in the clowns.

Last week I had the pleasure of forcing myself to leave the lustful arms of my wanton bed and go to an Outspoken! seminar being offered at my shiny new campus. I'm glad I chose abstinence for the day - Jennifer Baumgardner was amazing.

She discussed very intimate details concerning her life as a woman that happens to be bisexual, including discovering who she was and her first experience with a gay woman - an experience that earned an exuberant "gay people rally are better at this stuff." And by "this stuff," you're old enough to know that I mean orgasms.

Not a bad perk, eh [insert elbow nudge here].

In all seriousness, the highlight of my night was when she said, "A movement based on love is eventually going to defeat a movement based on hate."

I just thought I'd share that with you. I can't do an "it gets better" video, but I can share with you my thoughts on the subject.

I hate that we live in a country that likes to trot out its freedoms and unceasingly remind any American that speaks out against, well, anything how lucky they should be to even be here. I hate that I live within the confines of society that has created an environment where gay bashing/bullying is acceptable. Our leaders (politicians or otherwise) have created this situation by the mere fact that they continue to express how "wrong" it is to not like a member of the opposite sex.

Regardless of how you feel about the subject of being gay, you have to recognize that a community that is based on discrimination and hate is wrong. You have to recognize that when teens are killing themselves due, in part, to gay bullying that something has to change.

Teach your kids tolerance of people that don't look, act or think like them. Teach yourselves that the world isn't going to fit into your narrow worldview. Speak out against hate when you can and however you can. But don't just sit back and do nothing while the hateful create a world that goes against the basic tenets of love and acceptance.

We can all change the world if we first change ourselves.