Why We are Eloping

For one, Hubby and I have known each other for quite some time. Most of our communication and hanging out was done without informing the masses. Our friendship for the most part was private. Not because we felt we had to be secret, but because we never felt a need to blab it around town. Our time together was always special and outside populace was never a concern. Our mutual friends reacted both shocked and not-so-shocked at us announcing the news. They were shocked because no one realized how close we were and not-so-shocked because they could totally see us together.

I know I love him. I know he loves me. That is not in question. To us, we don't need an audience to prove our vows valid. Not to mention the gawkers that would show or the abundance of drama that could ensue from our drunken friends speaking to our relatives. "Remember when..." stories would rosy our cheeks super quick-like.

So I guess in a way, we are saving face and giving everyone the middle finger too. Not so much in a "Screw you guys, we don't need you!" kind of way but in a, "You guys are awesome but we would rather be alone for this." kind of way. So maybe the middle finger is just to our exes and those that were trying to keep us apart although we were friends with each other and we refused to stop txting and calling each other.

Don't take it personally. My grandmother (whom could lay an egg with excitement that I'm marrying a man) isn't invited to see the exchange of vows and legal signing of documents. That is saying something. Also, our mothers had the same excitement and glee, "I'm just happy you two found each other and will be married!" At this point they just want me to squeeze out a kid or two and us live under the same roof-- I don't think they really care about the rest. (It's all just a technicality to get married, really.)

Basically-- Us getting married is just a socially enforced thing that also enables us to do all those fancy things you're trying to keep gay people from. We want those fancy state/federally acknowledged things. Plus, I think he really digs the idea of me sporting his last name. Nothing to do with religion or if I wore white or not.... or what soandso said to soandso... and "zOmg, can you believe her hair?" Yeah... none of that. At least not on our dime. You can do that all you want from afar on Facebook. (Which, duh, will happen)

In two weeks we move under one roof.

C a n n o t       w a i t!

"Equal to what? To me? Riiiight."

First off, I want to make it clear that I live in the bible belt. There are some free thinkers here but we are greatly outnumbered by redneck ignorance.

"Are you going to remove your homo sticker from your car now?" My sister giggled as she asked me.

"No, why should I?" I question.

"Because, you're going to get married to a DUDE, you HETERO!" She insisted.

"Just because I'm marrying a male doesn't mean I don't agree that all love is equal. I'm not straight. I just ended up with a dude because he ended up being the PERSON for me. I advocate love. I'm FOR homos to be on equal footing." I said in between shoving pizza in my mouth trying to sound casual.

"Whatever, HETERO!" She joked back. I glance over and notice that my grandma is nervously laughing in the corner and my sister's kitchen has quite a few family members in it.

Good, I thought, they need to know I'm not one of them.

 I'm still me, I'm still carrying the same views: no matter what my "lifestyle" choices represent from afar.

I'm so annoyed.... [I keep trying to finish that statement but it just ends in childish finger pointing.] I don't consider myself straight. I just don't. I met a lady a few years ago that was married to her wife and very content but refused to settle with the title lesbian. "But you're married and monogamous to a woman! That's the same sex, you two are female! That makes you a lesbian!" Everyone at the house party would joke. She would scoff and shake her head, "No you idiots, that makes me faithful to the person I love, but I still find males attractive! Just because I'm married doesn't mean my sexual preferences have changed, it just means I happen to have found someone to love and that loves me back. They just happened to be the same sex as I am. That's all." I looked her right in the eyes as she spoke, secretly thinking she was a lesbian and should just accept it just like everyone else. 

But now that I am in her shoes I completely understand her sentiment. I watched a Brandon Teena story today and the people they interviewed made me cringe with disgust. How is it acceptable to question a transgendered individual how they can go around kissing someone of their same below the waist gender in an interview about being RAPED?! Don't even get me started on the war against women to begin with. The cop questioning him basically said, "Well, since you're lying to everyone about being a man when you actually have a vagina, you must have asked for this to happen." During his interview. I applaud Brandon for refusing to answer those questions referring to his gender identity and who he preferred to date. Brandon didn't have an identity crisis. He had an identity that everyone seemed to have a crisis with.

It infuriates me to no end that it is acceptable to question someone about their sexuality.... ESPECIALLY if they aren't inquiring because they'd like to be romantic with the person in question! The only time you should inquire someone's preference is if you wish to start a romantic or sexual encounter with said person. I cannot for the life of me come up with any other reason you would inquire or make comment in reference to the sex of another person's preference. Well, I guess if you're hoping to connect a friend or relative with a friend you might want to know but that's the only other instance I can come up with.

Basically: I don't see who I fuck has to do with how you make your eggs in the morning.

Why can't people just respect each other and live their own lives? I don't see why it has to be a common people issue.... simply because I don't see the issue. Civil Rights are meant for everyone. I believe with having a black president we have made a huge leap in the right direction for human equality.

Now if we could only get a female homo Latina in office, we might actually have some legit equality evolving!