Things that might be decidedly odd…

Donation

When I was younger, I never really got involved in any sort of cause. I did volunteer work in college, but most of it had to do with local music (KALX, WXYC, 924 Gilman Street), which wasn’t exactly the most noble cause. Even now, I find myself wanting to get back into volunteer work, especially something more meaningful but it’s just hard to find the time with work and social obligations.

However, now that I’m working in a career-oriented job, I find that I have the resources to give financial support to more than ever before. I comfort myself somewhat by noting that even organizations with a good amount of human capitol still need money to be effective.

A while ago, I came across Soulforce and their activism through some sort of news article. Basically, they work against religious oppression of GLBT people through activism and demonstration. Mostly, they bring attention to entities that do this sort of oppression. Currently, they’re doing two different bus rides around the country, stopping primarily at small religious colleges. Just today I was reading an article about how their bus was defaced in Iowa, which is really unfortunate. It reminded me that I wanted to donate to them and now seemed like a good time. Since they’re a 501(c)(3), my company apparently will even match the donation.

In particular, I chose to use my donation to sponsor a guy named Matt Hill Comer who runs the blog on which the article I linked above was posted. I think it’s great that some riders are blogging about their experiences on the trip. Moreover, his story resonates with me. Having lived in North Carolina, I’ve known many people raised in religious families who faced a lot of hardship coming out. It’s all too easy to forget while living in a gay-friendly place like Capitol Hill in Seattle and working for a gay-friendly employer like Microsoft how things are so different in so many other places.

As many political battles are being waged in court houses and state houses across the country over issues like anti-discrimination laws and marriage equality, the harder but core underlying issue is really a cultural one. I can only hope that this sort of work helps draw attention to that and lends some support to a cultural change already underway.