UNIQUELY UNITED

Obergefell felt like the first Pride I ever went to

As an activist, though I feel like LGBT organizing almost disappeared after the decision. Before, we were using all kinds of tactics just to advance gay marriage. One good thing, though, is that trans issues are actually being discussed now.

But there is something to be said about us becoming more of an acronym since Obergefell, which doesn't do a good job of showing diversity. Yeah, there's more coverage of LGBTQ issues, and it's more sympathetic, but if "assimilating" because of this means buying into the sexism, racism, and what have you, of society at large, it's not something we want to do.

Gays and lesbians became much more exotified in the 90s with Ellen, Will & Grace, etc. Now you see a lot of "Gay people are just like everyone else!" which is great, too. Gay relationships are looked at much more like any other relationships. But there's also strong heteronormativity in that, so we kind of run the risk of getting more normalized and being co-opted and losing a lot of what makes you unique and more prone to resistance.