Shocked By Hate Generated by Our White House Proposal
The transgender man, Scout, who proposed to Liz Margolies at the White House, explains why the hateful reaction they got from some quarters is more dangerous than it might seem.
When I dropped down on one knee and asked my sweetie if shed marry me, I thought the risk was that shed say no; I didnt understand that doing it publicly would unleash a torrent of criticism, mockery, verbal abuse, and death threats.
Last Friday I did propose, and despite both my girlfriends and my own ambivalence about the institution of marriage, I acknowledged publicly that, yes, I did want to spend the rest of my life with her and wanted to do it in a publicly sanctioned form. My girlfriend, Liz, is a bit larger than life, the nicest woman in the world, a passionate LGBT cultural competency trainer but, as she says, the fiercest 120 pounds youll ever meet. With a woman like that, its go big or go home. So I chose the most fearless place I could think to pop the biggest question: the central hall of the White House, in front of 500 other amazing LGBT community advocates at the presidents annual LGBT Pride reception. It felt like she took forever to say yes, but she finally did, and it was amazing.
Until the hate started.
http://www.advocate.com/commentary/2012/06/22/couple-married-white-house-shocked-hate-response