Purple: Color of Hopes and Bruises

Today I wore purple, like so many throughout the country, to show my support for those in the Queer Community. I was discouraged by how many people I saw that weren't. I understand not everybody knew about it, and some people simply don't own purple, and still others just didn't want to conform. But I still was hoping I would see more purple out there today.

Then tonight I just went to watch one of my favorite commercials, the Wanda Sykes "That's So Gay" commercial, and I wanted to read the comments to see if anything substantial had been said in the last day. This was a mistake. Here is the video link, go read the comments yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWS0GVOQPs0

I read the first seven pages and saw only a few supportive comments. The argument that people shouldn't be offended because words change meaning all the time is ridiculous. It does not matter where the word came from, its original meaning. What matter is when people say "That's So Gay", they are meaning the word "Gay" to mean less-than, unintelligent, ridiculous, and stupid. This phrase originates from people using the term to purposefully put down gays. I don't understand how that was lost, and how people have come to accept it as a perfectly fine way of something is stupid. I honestly cannot comprehend how people think it is ok and not offensive, and I'm actually pretty angry right now. I've vowed to speak up but I'm only one person. I know one person can make all the difference, but right now it doesn't feel that way.

I can't help but go to sleep tonight, from a day that was meant to be inspiring, a little discouraged.