From "Will & Grace" Viewer To Gay Rights Advocate

So, I haven't written on this blog in quite some time.

I wasn't actually going to write on here this time, except for the fact that facebook has decided that it hates me tonight, therefore making it impossible to write a note.

So, it was either my blog or tumblr.

I chose my blog.

So, dear readers, all 2 or 3 of you, I have decided to illustrate my journey from being a person who had no real knowledge of gay people to being a passionate gay rights advocate and ally to the LGBT community.

I'm kind of on a gay rights kick right now, partly because I just read Judy Shepard's book about her son, "The Meaning Of Matthew". And by "kick", I mean it's strongly on my mind. Gay rights are pretty much always on my mind, but right now, they're currently right at the forefront.

Okay, to begin......

I've never not been for gay rights. The simple fact that gay people are people is why they deserve to be awarded the same rights as straight people.
However, I wasn't always for gay marriage.

I was for them receiving the same rights as marriage, but just not the name marriage.

At 17, I was fully convinced that "civil union" was the same thing.

I mean, I loved the gays then...I just didn't know any. Not really anyway.

I was a huge fan of "Will & Grace" and desperately wanted a "Will" of my own.
When I say desperate, I mean to the point where I almost didn't want a boyfriend. At at 17, I REALLY wanted a boyfriend.

But, I lived in Parksville. Because of this fact, I never thought I would ever get a "Will".

However, as you will read, I did find my "Will". And my "Will" is MUCH better!

That's getting ahead, though.

Getting back on track...

In 2006, A&E aired a TV comedy movie called "Wedding Wars", starring John Stamos as the gay brother to Eric Dane. Stamos goes on strike to protest Dane's father-in-law's stance against gay marriage.

I watched this movie and was quite intrigued.

Afterwards, I no longer was of the mindset that civil unions were equal to gay marriage, but was still on the fence about the issue.

I spent the next few nights on the A&E forums for the movie, talking and learning.

In the end, I was 100% for gay marriage.

So, now I was completely for gay marriage, but I still didn't have a "Will", and was not as passionate about gay rights as I am now.

How did I manage to meet my "Will", you ask?
Well, that takes us to 2008 when I became a George Michael fan, of which I'll spare you the details, mainly because I'm too lazy to type them out.

In short, I joined the fan club.

I met a few people, but Johnny was one of the first, if not THE first, people to talk to me on the forums and make me feel welcome.

I talked to him on the forums, myspace, and eventually facebook, exchanged George Michael and Hanson concert calls, and got to know each other.

I didn't meet him until June 2009, but I already felt like he was a brother figure in my life.

Since I met him in June 2009, we've gotten much closer with each visit, through texts and e-mails.

He is my big brother and I love him greatly.

I definitely found my "Will", except, unlike Will & Grace, we have never fought and he's so much cooler then Will.

Through Johnny, I have met and become friends with a few more gay guys, and seen the struggles that gay couples & families have to deal with.

Struggles that straight couples never even have to think about.

It's because of Johnny that I started really thinking and becoming passionate about gay rights.

The LGBT community in Canada already has full and equal rights, but that is not the case in the US.

This is why I want to become a paralegal, move to the US, and fight my heart out.
I am also passionate about erasing hatred towards gays and lesbians and creating more tolerance in schools, workplaces, and the world.

Okay, well, that's my story.

I probably could continue on, but I'm starting to get lazy and just want this darn thing to be finished and posted to the world wide web.

I hope someone finds this interesting.

And if any of you want something to read, pick up a copy of "The Meaning Of Matthew". You'll be glad you did.

How I Met My Best Friends - Part One

I am going to start a series of blogs recalling the awesome events that led me to have the amazing friends that I am so blessed to have in my life.

The friends that I just cannot imagine my life without.

The first installment being dedicated to the amazing John Tulli!
Or Johnny as I call him, because that's how he introduced himself, and I'm the type of person that calls someone the name they initially give me.
Or simply, my big brother! ♥

Okay...so to begin this installment....

Back in January of 2008 I saw a preview of a little show called "Eli Stone".
I was perplexed as to why George Michael was on my television, so I turned in for episode one.
To make a long, overtold story short, I became hooked on the show & George Michael's music, particularly after hearing "Amazing".

It was this new fascination of George Michael that led me to sign up for his fanclub.
The 1st little while I made vague posts here and there, but I do remember Johnny being very welcoming & nice in all his responses to my innocent posts saying things I know others were angered by.
After a couple months I started talking to a group of people in a thread Johnny started.
Which led to another thread...I think we ended up with 3 or 4 different threads. haha.

Johnny & 3 others were going to the Dallas George Michael show that summer, and I was having George withdrawals since my show has come and gone. So I had asked him if he could call me from the show during one song.
I realized that giving out my phone number to a complete stranger was risky, and a coworker of mine gave me shit for it, but I already trusted Johnny.
From talking to him on the forums & through myspace, I just got a feeling from him that he was a good, decent person.
Well, he phoned me...1st during "Father Figure", and my hand was literally shaking as I listened on my phone.
Then I got a 2nd call from that show during "Faith"....and 2 concert calls from each of his shows after that.

We started talking more on myspace & facebook as he was on the forums less & less.
Back when he was still using facebook chat. lol.
He got excited with me about me going to my 1st Hanson show and that I said I'd call him from it.
He sent me a DVD all about the AIDS quilt & told me all about a friend he lost to AIDS when we talked on World AIDS Day that year.
And I sent him Hanson's Take The Walk Book for his birthday at the beginning of the year.

Originally, there was going to be a George Michael fan club retreat in March and Johnny was going to go...but, well, stupid people happened and Johnny backed out.
I still went.
And had to sit through all those people, who were formerly his friends, ragging on him...just to "warn" me for my visit. saying they "hope my visit would be different".
People. Sheesh.
In any case, when they'd say that stuff, I'd just go quiet and think about how nice Johnny had been to me, and them as well, and how excited I was to finally meet him in June.

June came & I met Lori & Cali at LAX and we all flew to fort Lauderdale together to spend a week, and George Michael's birthday, with Johnny and Lee.
There were some issues...but only with Cali.
The whole trip was amazing and I didn't want to leave!
I had wanted to get "Amazing" tattooed on my ankle while I was down there...so I did.
And my Hanson tatt was fixed up...while it was being worked on, Johnny was getting tattooed at the exact same time. He got the Chinese symbol for "loyalty" tattooed on his wrist.
I had the opportunity to go back and visit him & Lee in October of that year as well...for Johnny's 1st Hanson show.
Visiting them on my own was a great experience.
Johnny & I talked A LOT on the ride up to Orlando for the concert...about religion, life, music, you name it.
And we got lost.
Found ourselves at animal kingdom...not anywhere near our hotel. haha.
Waffle House & Seven Dwarfs Lane.....we needed to be near an Olive Garden...where's this Olive Garden?????
Stupid mapquest directions!!!!!! lol.
Everything about that trip was amazing!
Seeing Stryper & Manic Drive the next night...and I got to meet the insanely hilarious Jim, too!
Seeing, and being disappointed by, "This Is It".
Staring at cute guys we saw on the beach. haha.
Fun times!

God, this is turning into a novel!
And I haven't even reached 2010 yet!!!!

Okay, I need to get more concise...so I'll skip Seattle & Bon Jovi with the S Crew.
And I won't go into detail about my trip this past August to visit them....except McSmoothies, "Besides, I'm hotter!", drinking at noon, and Cheesy Gourdida crunches....that pretty much sums up the week.
Actually, the best moment of the week was on Sunday morning when Me, Johnny, Lee, and Cammie were all chilling on the couch watching Family Guy & American Dad episodes.
You know what I was thinking at that moment?
"This is perfect! Right now...this! I love this family, so much."
You know when I really knew that Johnny was going to be one of my best friends forever?
Back around Christmas 2008 when we were talking on facebook.
He asked "You know you're part of my family, right?"
I said, "I think so", as friends being family had been mentioned on the forums before.
And he responded, "Good. And don't you forget it!"

I have a weird memory sometimes.

But every nice thing he's ever said to me, leaves me speechless.
I don't know what I did to deserve an amazing friend like him, but I am so blessed to have him in my life.
I'm blessed that he & Lee consider me a part of their family.
I thank God everyday for my wonderful American family.


There's only one little problem.....

....they live to damn far away!!!!

I love my big brother so much and would do absolutely anything for him!
Anything for that family!

I know that there are plenty of people that never get to meet someone even half as special as Johnny, so that makes me feel special.
Okay, well, that's pretty much it...I'm stopping here before I get too mushy & emotional. haha.
Already getting teary.

Hope you liked this blog entry!

Stay tuned for part 2...which will be up at some random point in the future. haha.

30 Days Of Hanson - Day 2

Favourite Song.

Oh, God.

I can't choose just one!!!!

My top 5 are (in no particular order): If Only, Give A Little, I Am, And I Waited, & Musical Ride.

And I can proudly say that I've heard all 5 songs live! hee hee.

30 days Of Hanson - Day One

Day 01: Your favourite brother

The one, the only......ZAC HANSON!!!!!!
I was gonna use his full name, but felt that was a little creepy. No idea why, though. haha.
I have had a crush on this man since I was 11 years old and probably love him more now then back then.
It's never been a creepy, stalkerish kind of crush, though.
I don't even recall ever wanting or thinking I'd marry him one day. haha.
At 11, I just wanted him to be my best friend, nothing more. I mean, I was 11...what else would I want? lol.
At 14, I did kind of dream of having him be my boyfriend, but only sometimes.
Then I found out he was going out with Kate, and then married her, and I was super happy for him.
I still crush on him, drool over pictures of him, and get butterflies in my stomach when I meet him (met him all 5 times I've been to a Hanson show), but I respect him, and his family.
And I HATE it when fans bash his wife & son and make inappropriate passes and gestures at him.
I mean, come on...he's married...he's not going to just drop his family and run off with you!

This post turned into a longer blog then I had intended. haha.

To sum up why he's my favourite:
He's hilariously insane, has a gift for being able to create amazingly awesome songs at the top of his head, has the ability to rock out on the drums while simultanously singing lead, and has a voice that just makes me melt into a puddle of goo.
And he's incredibly sweet. Even when I'm a complete dork. haha.

I took this picture in Spokane, WA. :D

Hate & Ignorance: The Bain Of My Existance

I've heard about the recent suicides, within the last few weeks, of teenagers who were bullied because of their sexual orientation and I've read ignorant comments on some facebook statuses.

It's these recent events that have caused me to want to write a little blurb.

What I hate most in the world is hate.
Hate and ignorance are the two things that get under my skin the most.
I may say I hate certain types of music or clothing, but that type of hate is really more of a dislike.
What I really HATE is small minded, ignorant people who hate others based on minor differences.

I hate that it's 2010 and kids are killing themselves because other kids belittle and bully them just for who they are.
Schools constantly preach tolerance and say that they're bully free zones and yet they do nothing to help the victims.
Nobody should be made to feel insignificant and worthless just because they're being themselves.

I hate that there are people out in this world that claim to be "Christians" and yet all they preach is hate and how God doesn't accept anyone different from the "norm".
I use the term "Christian" loosely, because, in all honestly, these people are NOT Christian.
They like to think they are and can spout off Bible verses like many people can spout off song lyrics, but when you get right down to what Christianity is all about and what God really preaches, these people are no more Christians than I am a dog.
And last time I checked, I was not of the canine variety!
When these Christians use the Bible to try and say gay people are sinners and are doomed to spend an eternity in Hell, no matter how kind & beautiful they may be, they give all Christians a bad name.

Firstly, the Bible says A LOT of things.
And it makes sense it would...it's a book that was written over 2000 years ago by multiple people.
Yes, it's the word of God, but you cannot tell me that the authors didn't include their own personal beliefs and opinions within God's word.
Like, Leviticus 18:22, probably the most quoted Bible verse when it comes to anti-gay sentiments: " You shall not lie with a male as those who lie with a female; it is an abomination."
Now, this is what Leviticus wrote and what many Bible thumpers pay attention to.
However, those people are also quick to say that the Bible's views on selling daughters into slavery are outdated and unacceptable.
So, apparently, you can just pick and choose which Bible verses you live your life by?
Well, if that's the case, I prefer to pick and choose the Bible verses that pertain to 2 ACCEPTED gay relationships:

• "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." (Ruth 1:16-17) (about Ruth & Naomi).
• "...the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul" (1 Samuel 18:1) (David would be referring to King David)

So, there are gay relationships written about in the Bible.
Accepted gay relationships.
And since this is the case, how can anyone even begin to think that "God hates homosexuals"?
In my opinion, God hates no one.
Why would he?
Did he not create each of us in his own image?
If what I learned in Sunday School is true, and I'm 100% confident that it is, God loves every single one of his children.
And if he did not approve of homosexuality than he wouldn't create gay people.
That's another bone of contention....gay people being born gay versus "choosing" their lifestyle.
Well, if people can just choose to be gay or straight, than why wouldn't people choose the easier choice and just be straight?
Why would they WANT to be bullied, kicked out of their homes, disowned by their families, spit on, abused, or even killed?
If people can simply choose what sexual orientation they are than why do kids kill themselves to escape the torment they receive from other kids just because of who they are? why don't they just become straight and be happy?
Why?
Because sexual orientation is NOT that simple!
No one chooses who they fell in love with.
Back in high school I had a huge crush on a guy that was already in a relationship.
Did it benefit me to fall in love with someone that was already taken and therefore out of my grasp?
No.
Could I just turn off those feelings like a light switch?
No.
I wish I could have, but I couldn't.
Well, gay people don't choose to be gay the same way I didn't choose to like an unavailable guy.
I've argued this fact many times with ignorant, "Christians" and it just boggles my mind that they can't seem to grasp this idea.
No matter how hard I try and make them see I always get the "It's a choice and it's the wrong choice" response.
No matter WHAT I say to try and change their point of view I always seem to fail.
And in my failure, I get angry and more passionate in my views.
I know that what I believe is right.

It's this passion that has caused me to start looking into what I'd need to do in order to become a paralegal and work for a human rights law firm in the USA and fight for gay rights and making same-sex marriage legal in that country.
I want to do whatever I can to help make people see that gay people are just that: people.
And as people they deserve the same respect that every single straight person gets, whether they deserve it or not.
Many countries look to America as the example as to how they should run their country.
And although many countries have legalized same-sex marriage (and I'm proud to call one of those my home) if the US can legalize it I have faith that even more countries will follow suit.

People are killing themselves because they're made to feel like less than human just because of the way they were born.
We need to accept each other's differences and learn to love one another.

When I have children, I want them to grow up in a world where they are free to be who they are without fear of being ridiculed for it.

The Beatles put it best when they said "All You Need Is Love".

Maybe There Was A Greater Purpose To Watching "Eli Stone"

I say this because, in essence, if I had never watched episode one of that magnificent (and yet failed) show, I definitely would not be staring down the road of Law today.

Yes, the immediate affect of the show had me converted into a George Michael fan, but it was because of this that I met people that have definitely changed my life.

And by changing my life, they also changed the direction my life is headed.

Prior to the show, I was going to be a teacher.

One way or another, I was going to teach 2nd to 4th grade.

I had it all planned out.

Well, actually, even after I stopped watching the show that was still my plan.

Then, this past December friends of mine, I met because of George Michael and his fan club, had issues with their daughter's mother and the law in the state of Florida.

Everything about this situation pissed me off to no end.

I wanted to help in any way I could, but living in Canada, there wasn't much I could do.

It all worked out in their favour and I was incredibly happy for them.

But I still wanted to do something.

Not just for them, but for others as well.

What's kind of pushed me over the edge in my decision is the latest out of California and Prop 8 being called "unconstitutional" and thrown out.

Hearing all the negativity and hatred people hold towards gay people really gets my blood boiling.

The arguments people have against gay marriage tend to make absolutely no sense whatsoever and yet they end up being the words the United States of America listens to.

I want to make the world a better, more equal place.

I want to help people.

I can work with children through Girl Guides, but I think I want to go into law.

I realize that it's a darn sight more expensive then Education, and I already have a $16,000 student loan payment, but I want to do it.

No...that's not right.

I feel I need to do it.

I've been looking at some law schools online, both here in BC and in the US.

I'm still not sure if I want to spend 3 to 4 years in school to become a full blown lawyer, graduating at either 28 or 29, or if I want to go to school for about 2 years and become a legal secretary.

I may apply to schools in both areas and see what happens.

All I know for certain is that I think God had a greater reason for me to watch "Eli Stone".

He was a lawyer that, through his visions, helped people and tried to improve society.

And now, here I am, ready to do just that, minus the visions, of course.

No FAU For Me!

That is right...you're eyes are not playing tricks on you...

I will NOT be attending Florida Atlantic University next year.

Why?

Well, seeing as my Florida family is planning a move to the Virginia area, it wouldn't make much sense for me to move to Boca Raton, now would it?

Oh well...the international forms and inability to get in touch with a certain international adviser was getting highly frustrating.

Plus, it's a heck of a lot cheaper to stay in BC for school.

The only thing is...I'm not 100% sure I actually want to be a teacher.

I mean, I still do, still want to work with kids, but I'm just not sure I want to be a teacher.

Like, I'm only 75% sure.

I'd like to find some career in music that I could do.

And I still have that nagging feeling of becoming a human rights lawyer, or at least a paralegal in a human rights law office.

Ever since December, with all the drama that surrounded my Florida family, I just wanted to do something to help. I wanted to fight for them, for their rights as people.

Naturally, if I choose this route I'd get my education here and then apply for a visa and job to work in the US.

But, I'm still not sure.

I mean, to become a full fledged lawyer...that's like...what...at least 4 more years of school, right?

Not sure if I could handle that.

Plus...me? A lawyer? There's, like, public speaking involved! :S

But a paralegal...shorter program and I could still feel like I'd be helping fight the good fight.

I guess I still have a few months to make a decision.

I think I may talk to Johnny about my thoughts. I really value and trust his opinions and advice.

Oh, yeah...I guess I'll no longer be able to call them my Florida Family anymore. haha.

And since "Virginia Family" just doesn't have the same ring to it, I think they'll now become my "American Family". :)