Homophobia screws with my day (and I screw with it back!)

So the weather was nice yesterday and I decided to take my boxer Peanut over to the quarry to walk and exercise and play with other dogs.  It's a beautiful place to take your dogs to here in Bristol.  It's an old quarry that's no longer used and the vegetation has been allowed to come back.  It's rocky but relatively flat which is awesome for those of us that hate hills.  Here's a pic I snapped back in the spring of 2009 - this shows maybe a 1/4 of the overall quarry:

I really like going there because dogs are allowed to be off leash and it's good for Peanut to be able to interact with and play with other dogs.

So back to yesterday.  Peanut and I were on our second big loop of the quarry when we met up with two twenty-something guys and their year old chow-mix pup named Bart (lol appropriately named after Bart the Bear).  As is typical at this park, we exchanged dog names but not people names.  Funny how that is- but it works for all of us.  Anywho, it turns out that they had just adopted Bart from the the pound, he was their housewarming
present to each other.  Peanut and Bart were having fun playing together so I chatted with the two men for a bit.  They apparently got married last year and moved to Bristol after buying their first home together a few months ago.  They were really nice men and friendly, the exact type of people I want in my neighborhood and in my community.

Eventually Peanut and Bart decided they were done playing and our two little groups continued on in our opposite directions.  A while later we crossed paths again, one of the two guys was trying to get a picture of the other with Bart.  I offered to take a picture of the three of them and it turned into a very silly moment as Bart decided that they both needed copious amounts of doggie kisses as they crouched next to him.  We were all laughing so hard.  I finally managed to get a good shot of the three of them and the two men were laughing as they both stood up.  They shared a quick peck on the lips as they walked back over to me to get their camera.  It was a perfect, lighthearted moment.

Well it was until this other couple passed by.  The man and woman were probably closer to my age, mid to late thirties, and based on wedding rings and the level of familiarity they displayed with each other I'm assuming they were married.  I'll also go out on a limb and say they were most likely Catholic given that the man was wearing a t-shirt from the local Catholic high school.  Well this fine, upstanding couple (I promised myself I wouldn't be sarcastic as I wrote this, I don't think that's a promise I can keep- sorry, self) were apparently bothered by the two men's little public display of affection.  As they walked past us, the woman muttered, "Fucking fags," and the man, "Perverts."

Both of Bart's owners tensed and their ready smiles instantly slipped from their faces.  Neither of them said anything, just accepted the abuse.  It's not my place to question their decision not to fight back, everyone has to pick their own battles.  But my heart broke for them a little, that they would find such hatred and ugliness in such a pretty corner of their new community.

Their decision to remain quiet was not mine, however.  And there was a bright red flare of instant anger that I uncharacteristically released as the offensive couple walked away and I called out, "Hey look, real live bigots."  The woman actually stopped and turned back around to glare at me.  Ever notice how bigots hate being called bigots?  I was half expecting a further confrontation as I stood there with my most annoyed expression on my face and the raised eyebrow of defiance, but she turned back around and they left.

As I turned back to the two men, I was rolling my eyes and shaking my head.  One of the two said, "You didn't have to do that."  To which I replied without hesitation, "Yes, I did."  And I really did. 

I have this sign hanging here in what I call my "lair" - I think I want to print this out on some little cards I can hand obnoxious people:

I believe firmly that everyone has a right to their own thoughts and opinions, no matter how much I may disagree with them.  What I don't believe is that that right supersedes the the rights of others to be free from abuse and discrimination.

So homophobia screwed with my day yesterday, but I like to think I screwed with it back.  I did make some new friends though, and I'm really looking forward to meeting up with Bart and his owners again soon.

Peace and love,
~Cyn
  

Tunes blogged to:

• Galileo (Amy Grant)
• Weathered (Creed)
• The Ballad of Froggy McNasty (Voodoo Glow Skulls)
• Crystal Ball (P!nk)
• Comin' Home A Stranger (Eve to Adam)