Oklahoma Gays Struggle to Remain Optimistic

Oklahoma Gays Struggle to Remain Optimistic

TULSA, Okla. - Far from the coastal strongholds of the same-sex marriage movement, gays in the red states of the Bible Belt are struggling to maintain confidence and optimism in the aftermath of an election that many viewed as a stinging personal rebuff.

In Oklahoma, the 76 percent support for a constitutional ban on gay marriage has prompted some gays to leave the state or consider leaving. The staff of Tulsa's community center for gays and lesbians say calls to the center's help line, some of them suicidal, have tripled since the election.

In many cases, however, the dismay is accompanied by renewed determination.

"Some people talk about leaving, but there's a larger group more invested in fighting than they were before," said Mark Bonney, a gay activist who heads Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights. "They're saying it's time to come out to their families, to draw a line in the sand."

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Oklahoma Gays Struggle to Remain Optimistic

I have gay friends here in AR. So far, they have been left alone, and one couple has recently adopted a child, so all is not lost. It's more a general fear of what might happen that seems to be depressing folks I know, both in the glbt community and the Muslim community. To some extent it is fueled by the hatred spewed on the Internet. So far, I've had more hate thrown at me online than I have had done face to face. Something about looking a person in the eye that makes the courage of the bashers leave rather quickly. Realize, however, that I am very careful about where I go and what I do. I hope my gay friends here do the same.