Still Separate after All This Time

Sometimes I feel like I’m lucky To grow up the way I did, Sheltered and safe. But in a way it made it worse, To finally go out and confront life Without the sheltering safeness of family. Sometimes I feel like I’m lucky That my friends aren’t homophobic That they don’t mind when I talk about other boys But there’s a hidden culture, Where we’re still marginalized, still second-class. Oh, they say, I’m voting because of economic policy, I think it’s More important Than civil rights. Sorry, I Just don’t see it as an issue. And I think, So you’re voting against gay marriage because You don’t care And you still think it’s okay. What is wrong here. But I smile and nod. And then there are the people Who actually hate people who don’t fit the “standards” of sexual behavior As if there really were a standard. And they say that that is what the bible says And I say no, no, you are using a book To justify your own misgivings But since when do they ever listen. So in response to everyone who ever says Stop, you have it easy enough, Stop, your life is fine AIDS was caused by gay men anyway As long as military benefits are unequal for gay spouses As long as we are bullied and demeaned and abused As long as we are second-class citizens Because of the fucking integration of church and state And did you know the reason AIDS happened was Because the government didn’t care enough about gay men to stop it? As long as it is the way it is They will say “stop” And I will say: No.