GAY or LGBTQI+ Whatever ~ We Will Prevail

GAY or LGBTQI+ Whatever

Liverpool

We Will Prevail

I

I RECEIVED a very encouraging letter the other day.

It breathes life and vibrancy into the LGBT and GLBTQ and proclaims to the world that we are now in different times and that Love and Equality will prevail. It relates to the story of Shane Bitney Crone and his fiancée Tom Bridegroom. It is a short film entitled Bridegroom by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason.

There will come a time when people will shake their heads in disbelief at present injustices, just as we shake our heads in disbelief at injustices of a century, two, three, four and more centuries ago.

II

Shane Bitney Crone writes a letter and copes with the narrow-minded who still persist, through telephone calls and articles or shouting in the streets - shouting into the wind - to condemn.

This gives us the courage and determination to carry on, when often we would rather speed things along.

But here is youth and vigour, the indomitable spirit of young people, the world over, who are our future whatever their orientation, background, race, creed or colour. 

III

Here is the love that dare not speak its name now boldly and eloquently pronouncing its stance through the eyes, ears, thoughts and pen of the character Shane, daring to express that which Oscar Wilde also expressed by way of explanation before The Old Bailey in London, the trial having begun on April 3, 1895.

I am reminded of that phrase I read in my history books about the 1940s - 'we will prevail.'

Yes, we will indeed prevail because of real people like Tom Bridegroom and Shane Bitney Crone the world over.

A Still from the film at Outfest Los Angeles : Bridegroom

IV

And to those who wish to argue that we who fall within the mnemonic are out of step with the intentions of Someone Higher - I say this:

Put aside your books
Get up off your prayer mats
Examine this matter from your heart.
Ask Him this.
Go on.
I dare you!

'Am I right?
Or do I detect in Your eyes
that something is remiss;
that I just might be
out of step with You?'

You may well be surprised at what you hear.

The Charles McNulty Article of the Los Angeles Times July 19, 2013

In reviewing this dispatch written and published on May 7, 2013, further research located this excellent article by James McNulty of the Los Angeles Times and which was published two months later on July 19, 2013.

29 June 2022
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LIVERPOOL

© 2023 Kenneth Thomas Webb

First written May 7, 2013
Amended July 19, 2013
Last published August 8, 2020