Dear Pennsylvania: This is an opportunity for you to get your shit together. DO.NOT.BLOW.IT.

HisGirlFriday13

This article appeared in our local newspaper today:

http://www.yorkdispatch.com/breaking/ci_25713518/former-yorker-embroiled-same-sex-custody-battle

This is an opportunity for my state to get its collective shit together and join the 21st century in acknowledging same-sex parental rights, and possibly even same-sex marriage.

Our (Democrat) attorney-general, Kathleen Kane, has said publicly and repeatedly that she will not defend the state's ban on same-sex marriage.

The same-sex marriage issue is huge in our state right now after our idiot-in-chief (aka, Republican Gov. Tom Corbett) compared gay marriage to incest in an appearance on a local TV show:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/04/tom-corbett-gay-marriage-incest_n_4043202.html

He is blasting Kane for not defending the state's law. Kane is blasting him for potentially covering up the Jerry Sandusky sex scandal when HE was AG.

Meanwhile, we have a primary election in two weeks, and he's running unopposed in the primary, but the Democratic field is huge, and if the leading contender, Tom Wolf, wins the primary, Corbett will face an uphill battle and very likely a scorching defeat come November.

And all of this means my state might finally get its collective shit together. And that makes me happy.

SapphireCounselor

This is awesome! I was so happy when California got over Prop 8 and got itself on the right side of history.

mysticl

I know a lot of people who want Corbett gone.  I'm from the Penn State area and while I never met Jerry people very close to me knew him well (or thought they did).  So the scandal is incredibly personal to many of my friends and family.  

VulgarGirl

I'm always happy when a state gets it shit together. 

JCbride2015

One of my best friends is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, and works at Penn State.  To say the Sandusky scandal was traumatizing for her is an understatement.  Anyone who helped cover that up deserves a special place in hell.

Oh and this friend is gay, too, and endures all sorts of homophobic comments at work and around town.  She doesn't "look gay" to those bigots so they just say whatever they want around her.  They think if you look feminine you must be straight (and obviously, cool with homophobia).

PA really needs to get with the century.  Rooting for you guys to kick out the asshole-in-chief!

HisGirlFriday13

jcbride2015 said:

One of my best friends is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, and works at Penn State.  To say the Sandusky scandal was traumatizing for her is an understatement.  Anyone who helped cover that up deserves a special place in hell.

Oh and this friend is gay, too, and endures all sorts of homophobic comments at work and around town.  She doesn't "look gay" to those bigots so they just say whatever they want around her.  They think if you look feminine you must be straight (and obviously, cool with homophobia).

PA really needs to get with the century.  Rooting for you guys to kick out the asshole-in-chief!

You and me both! Because I work in politics, I generally have to keep my opinions to myself, but I can air them here as much as I want since none of y'all know me IRL.

A very, very good friend of mine has been asked to work on the Corbett campaign. I straight-up told her, 'I love you, but to paraphrase Winston Churchill, If the Devil filed nominating petitions for the governorship, I would circulate campaign material for him, that's how much I hate Corbett.'

I'll be interested to see when and what comes out of Kane's special investigation into Corbett's handling of the Sandusky matter.

VulgarGirl

jcbride2015 said:

Oh and this friend is gay, too, and endures all sorts of homophobic comments at work and around town.  She doesn't "look gay" to those bigots so they just say whatever they want around her.  They think if you look feminine you must be straight (and obviously, cool with homophobia).

FI gets that "doesn't look gay" thing all the time. She says it helps her quickly weed out homophobes. Of course now almost everyone she works with knows she's a big ole lesbian because she's got a picture of me and her in her office. But some people are still shocked to learn she's one of us. Well ya know, long hair and doesn't wear a rainbow flag all the time. So clearly straight. 

chibiyui

I fucking hate Corbett. Looking forward to seeing him get ousted.

JCbride2015

MagicInk said:

jcbride2015 said:

Oh and this friend is gay, too, and endures all sorts of homophobic comments at work and around town.  She doesn't "look gay" to those bigots so they just say whatever they want around her.  They think if you look feminine you must be straight (and obviously, cool with homophobia).

FI gets that "doesn't look gay" thing all the time. She says it helps her quickly weed out homophobes. Of course now almost everyone she works with knows she's a big ole lesbian because she's got a picture of me and her in her office. But some people are still shocked to learn she's one of us. Well ya know, long hair and doesn't wear a rainbow flag all the time. So clearly straight. 

Yeah, I have tried to tell my friend this is the silver lining too.  Unfortunately these are her coworkers so she can't just stay away from them.  It's a whole terrible situation for her now because nobody at work knows she's gay, and they make these terrible comments, so now she is afraid for them to ever find out because she knows exactly what they'll think of her.  

This is one of many reasons she is planning a move to Austin next year.  I'm sad she will be so far away but I'm shocked she's even managed to stay put in that town for so long.  The girl has more inner strength than I do-- I might have smacked a bitch by now if it were me.

pinkshorts27

MagicInk said:

jcbride2015 said:

Oh and this friend is gay, too, and endures all sorts of homophobic comments at work and around town.  She doesn't "look gay" to those bigots so they just say whatever they want around her.  They think if you look feminine you must be straight (and obviously, cool with homophobia).

FI gets that "doesn't look gay" thing all the time. She says it helps her quickly weed out homophobes. Of course now almost everyone she works with knows she's a big ole lesbian because she's got a picture of me and her in her office. But some people are still shocked to learn she's one of us. Well ya know, long hair and doesn't wear a rainbow flag all the time. So clearly straight. 

I get the "Oh. I thought you were gay" because I don't wear make-up (it looks funny on me and I am allergic to most eye make-up) and while at school I tend to dress for the gym (shorts and tshirt) because usually I bike to school and hit the gym after school. Apparently playing softball and soccer was just gravy in why this girl thought I was gay. I actually had to sit her down and explain that not all gay people don't wear make-up and that playing softball doesn't mean I like girls. I didn't want her to go around offending people. 

ei34

Good luck in the upcoming election! I was so relieved when my state (NY) got itself together a mere few years ago.

VulgarGirl

pinkshorts27 you're for sure gay. Yeah...your FI is probably gonna be super disappointed.

I was a cheerleader in high school for a spell (until drama happened) and people are always surprised that I was a cheerleader. I mean I have short hair and I'm a lesbian how could I be a cheerleader?!

Cookie Pusher

Even Chris Christie let the gay marriage thing drop. PA needs to catch up - can't let Jersey be more progressive, can they???

HisGirlFriday13

Cookie Pusher said:

Even Chris Christie let the gay marriage thing drop. PA needs to catch up - can't let Jersey be more progressive, can they???

The MORMONS in UTAH are more progressive than PA is in terms of alcohol laws.

If there's a way for my state to live up to its Pennsyltucky reputation, we'll find a way, believe me.

pinkshorts27

MagicInk said:

pinkshorts27 you're for sure gay. Yeah...your FI is probably gonna be super disappointed.

I was a cheerleader in high school for a spell (until drama happened) and people are always surprised that I was a cheerleader. I mean I have short hair and I'm a lesbian how could I be a cheerleader?!

Poor FI, I hope he can handle it. Let his watch begin, right? Any GoTers love that line too? haha.