When my husband and I meet our friends on the weekend and I happen to partake in enough libations to get a bit tipsy, I tend to find myself grappling with one of three levels of intoxication.
Thankfully it doesn’t happen too often, but the first is “Disney drunk” when it does. It leads to a whole new world of one-man productions featuring every animated classic under the sea. The second is “drive-thru drunk,” in which I spend ridiculous amounts of money on food that goes straight to my hips.
The final level is “Democrat drunk,” in which I turn my eye to the political sphere in an effort to detail why it’s necessary to defeat the current president in 2020. Sometimes it’s a combination thereof—and as my husband would probably attest, they’re all as annoying as they sound.
“Democrat drunk” tends to culminate in our Lyft ride home with our innocent and unsuspecting drivers, all of whom have graciously been receptive. As far as I know, my passenger rating also hasn’t dropped, most likely because my husband is there to remind them that I mean well.
My discussions stem from the fact that I’m passionate about politics, and while I recognize no political party is perfect, I believe in my party’s platform. It advocates for cooperation rather than conflict, unity instead of division, empowerment in lieu of resentment and stresses that it’s better to construct bridges than it is to build walls.
“Every American, no matter their race, sex, ethnicity or national origin, language, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability, is equal, and Democrats are fighting for them,” the party’s platform reads. I believe that.
I also believe every Democrat running for president does as well, which is why I find the level of infighting amongst the party ahead of 2020 to be so problematic. As several of my Lyft drivers can confirm, I take no issue with a healthy debate—after all, a primary is supposed to inspire them. I only take issue with voters who publicly tear down candidates who aren’t their first choice.
We have many great choices, too, with candidates like former Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Sec. Julian Castro, Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, all of whom are participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s historical LGBTQ-focused town hall on Oct. 10. It’s a wonderful and historically diverse field.
While I don’t agree with every would-be nominee’s policy position or every vote they’ve cast over the entirety of their political career, they all share one characteristic I value in a leader more than any other. They’re not Donald Trump.
The LGBTQ community’s fight for civil rights is at a crossroads. On Oct. 8, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in three cases involving LGBTQ discrimination in the workplace—weighing if anti-LGBTQ discrimination is a form of sex discrimination, protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Just last month, the Trump administration submitted a 34-page brief to the Supreme Court arguing we shouldn’t be protected. We need leaders who support us, and Donald Trump—who appointed two of the justices sitting on the court—does not.
While the current administration is deeply rooted in discrimination, of the LGBTQ community and of so many other marginalized communities of which we are a part, the Democratic candidates for president are not. As we look ahead to 2020 and to one of the most critical legal battles the LGBTQ community has ever faced, it’s important to remember that.
We look to the future in other ways as we introduce you to Tomorrow’s Leaders Today in this issue. We showcase 10 LGBTQ youth under 30 who are making a difference in their communities throughout Tampa Bay and Central Florida.
Tampa Bay news also turns to 2020, as Equality Florida announces that lawmakers from St. Petersburg and Tampa are leading the fight to pass the Florida Competitive Workforce Act next year. We check in with Empath Partners in Care as well, which raised $17,000 with Balance Tampa Bay and will soon benefit from the Great Gay 5K. In Central Florida news, the North American Bathhouse Association heads to Orlando and Mayor Buddy Dyer’s re-election efforts receive Equality Florida’s support.
In Arts and Entertainment, the Harvey Milk Festival dazzles audiences with the ninth annual Fabulous Independent Film Festival on Sarasota screens. We also tune into Central Florida news anchor Jorge Estevez’s new LGBTQ podcast.
Watermark strives to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. I hope you enjoy this latest issue.
