You won't change me.

I like roses, most of my friends know that. It's cheesy, romantic and blah blah blah. Today, the last rose pedal fell, the glistening, crimson flake, fell. Today I testified against SJ 5 in the state Senate Committee hearing. Once again I was terrified, my hands were trembling, my heart racing, and I thought I had no voice. I stated my peace, I plotted my point, and prayed there was mercy left in humanity. There wasn't, 3ayes and 2nays passed an amendment, to the WY Constitution saying marriage between one man and one woman. Limiting the ability to fully recognize same sex unions. The argument was that union will be recognized as long as it's not "the substantial equivalent" or traditional marriage.

So let's give some rights, not all rights, just enough to make them "relieve hardships" as stated by a senator at the meeting. What is substantially? What rights do I have? What one's don't I have? Now I don't know. There's a chance these bills won't make it out of the legislature. There's a chance others will look at what their doing and make amends. There's also a chance none of this will happen. There are bad people in the world, I haven't been naive enough in years to believe otherwise. I've been burned by people my whole life.

I've been disheartened by Wyoming. This was my home, my comfort zone, it was familiar and beautiful. Now it's a front runner for Theocracy. It's allowing the dominant religion of the state/nation to influence government. "The government of the United States is not in any sense founded upon the Christian religion" -John Adams.

This statement is no longer true. The basis of these bills is to "protect marriage" "protect the next generation" but the only thing being attacked is gay marriage, is my generation, my fundamental right. If any one of these bills pass I go from being a citizen to a non-existent, substandard being. Not even a citizen. Wyoming became the Warden of my enslaved, second class institution.

Voices in a crowd get lost, ideas unspoken never go heard, and safety in numbers didn't protect this time.

I stand when standing isn't easy, I speak when it hurts, and I believe when others try and belittle my thoughts. I'm here, I'm real, and I'm a human being. That won't change.