"What does it take, To wake up a generation?"

As I was driving into the office I was listening to TICK, TICK, BOOM! and the lyrics took on a new meaning after the National Equality March yesterday.

"What does it take

To wake up a generation?

How can you make someone

Take off and fly?

If we don't wake up

And shake up the nation

We'll eat the dust of the world

Wondering why…

…Why do we follow leaders who never lead?

Why does it take catastrophe to start a revolution?

If we're so free, tell me why?...

…Actions speak louder than words"

When I was growing up in Nixa, Missouri, I never knew what to do. I knew I was gay but was afraid of rejection from my family and, worse, afraid of getting beat up at school. I was teased enough throughout high school and I had not told a soul how I felt. There was a classmate of mine who actually came out in school and was spit on and had to live on his own. The counselors at our school did nothing to help him, and I knew I was not strong enough for all of that. Then my sophomore year a gay college student was beaten and killed for being gay in Laramie, WY.

Yesterday at the March I met up with a bus that my good friend mine, Ed Reggi, brought in from Missouri, and on that bus were three Webster University Students. One was from St. Joseph, the place where I was born. I asked him when he came out and he said in high school, and I am hopeful that it seems to be getting easier.

People asked why I was marching, and my answer was equal rights. My brother was married over a year ago, and I want to be able to get married too, but for me it is not just that right that matters but just the fact that because we don’t have the rights as everyone else does make us less equal, and that translates to hate. It's hard to stand up to people in Nixa and say, "I am just as equal as you" when in fact the law says I am not and that makes them think it is okay to spit on us.

Homosexuals are just as equal as heterosexuals. Why should I have to live a lie so that some people don’t feel threatened? We don’t want to get married in a church that doesn’t want to marry us, but we should have the right to get married in a church that will. I would just want those kids in Nixa and places just like it to know that there is nothing wrong with them. You are born that way, and that is okay. You are loved, and people are standing up for you right now.

Yesterday at the March I think there were two very important points that were made. First, to President Obama, we need you to act now. We need you to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Secondly, we all need to do our part. Meet with Congress and let them know we are the people and we have the votes and money and if you are not with us we will not be with you. We will elect people that will support us and will get things done. Obama needs Congress to help us, so we have to help him.

I know I have ranted and raved and this blog is suppose to be about theatre and producing, but from time to time it becomes personal with the me talking about the death of a loved one or friend or about me having the same rights as others. I have about 200 people who read this blog, and I have to share and hope that I can motivate you to have conversations and take action so kids never have to grow up afraid and think something is wrong with them.