Dirty Dishes	Dirty Dishes Archive

The Stranger, Seattle's alternative rag (visitable at www.thestranger.com), devoted an entire issue this summer to things homo. Included therein was an outstanding essay by Sarah Vowell, a self-proclaimed "straight, single, childless, peace-loving woman in her 30s."

Sarah chose to write about homo marriage: "As a patriot, I believe gay marriage should be legalized-- the pursuit of happiness and all that-- just as I believe that all states should give gays and lesbians a fair shake with regard to adopting children, and that gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly in the armed forces of the United States."

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So far, so routine. But Sarah goes on: "I will also point out that marriage, child-rearing, and military service are not so much dreams to me as outright nightmares. I feel the same way about marriage, parenthood, and joining the Marines as I do about modern dance or voting Republican-- people should be allowed to do those things, but why would they want to? I find it fascinating and heartbreaking that gays and lesbians must wage these ongoing legal battles to win the basic right to engage in activities (such as getting engaged) that I would cross international borders barefoot to avoid."

While Dawn lauds Ms. Vowell for a political acumen that outstrips that of those at the Human Rites Fund (and thereby risks damning with faint praise), it should be noted that the homo movement isn't compelled to fight for these dubious goals. Instead, we could focus on keeping sex laws from wrecking lives. Civil liberty is a nobler target than social respectability... but evidently not one that brings in the bucks that the whores (apologies to all sex workers) at our political institutions require to keep themselves swathed in designer sheets.