Heroes are under a lot of pressure.
The people we idolize, aspire to be like and place on a pedestal are constantly under a microscope. In the age of reality television, we are just as mesmerized by a person’s failures and shortcomings as we are by their numerous accomplishments.
Don’t believe me? Just ask Tiger Woods or Jon and Kate Goslin.
As we age, our idea of what constitutes a hero matures with us. When I was a kid I was a huge fan of Superman. I had the outfit, the cape and tried (unsuccessfully) to get my short blond hair to do that cool curl across my forehead. Superman was my icon and truly my hero. While I’m still a fan of the character—and admittedly holding onto the crush I’ve always had on that dark-haired hottie—my definition of what truly makes a hero has changed.
It’s easy to rattle off the names of people I idolize or see as heroes to the LGBT community. Harvey Milk is an obvious choice. The San Francisco politician helped move the LGBT movement forward in the 1970s. I also consider SoulFource founder Mel White a hero, as well as Metropolitan Community Church founder Troy Perry, and I had the opportunity to tell him so during an interview a few years back.
Heroes are those who accomplish the things the rest of us never got around to doing. They are also the ones who make our lives better through their actions.
Locally, Nadine Smith of Equality Florida is constantly working for LGBT equality in our state and Phyllis Hunt of Tampa MCC and John Middleton of Joy MCC in Orlando have always mesmerized me with their eloquent words combining faith with the LGBT community.
Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan and Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner are serving their respective communities proudly and not hiding their sexuality. Steve Kornell campaigned vigorously and never shied away from the “gay question” during his recent historic quest for a seat on the St. Petersburg City Council.
To me, that act of not hiding ones true self while in politics is heroic.
While planning our first-ever “Heroes” issue of Watermark, the staff and I batted around several ideas of how to present the subject to readers. We could profile these out-front and proud politicians, activists, pastors and board members who are household names in our community. We could go for that big celebrity interview with Chaz (formerly Chastity) Bono or speak with Neil Patrick Harris about coming out during the height of his career.
Or, we could take a totally different approach.
In this issue we talk with just a few people who truly make a difference in the LGBT community and beyond, but who may not be faces we recognize on the street. They aren’t usually the ones at the microphone or filming guest spots on local television stations. But without the people in the pages of this issue, some of the organizations on which we rely may not be as strong as they are today.
Sometimes, the people we admire most are those we never expected to even enter into our social consciousness. Will Phillips is such a person.
I had the privilege of speaking with the 10-year-old Arkansas boy for a feature in this issue. The fifth grader gained national attention when he refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance because he didn’t believe gays and lesbians were treated fairly. While I admired the guts this kid showed both in the classroom and on television, it wasn’t until I spoke with him that I truly understood what an amazing young man he is.
Phillips wants to be a constitutional lawyer and assured me that he will make same-sex marriage legal in the United States. This from a 10-year-old!
When I was that age my biggest concern was learning how to ride my new 10-speed bike along the dirt trails near my house. I doubt I even knew the definition of unconstitutionality and social activism at that age. But then again, I am not Will Phillips.
Sometimes the pressures of heroism are disastrous. But most of the time, the pressure is positive and motivates people to be extraordinary. The unsung heroes profiled in these pages are those kinds of people.
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