Michael A. Knipp: It?s getting easier to be who we were created to be

I?m applauding because being gay is becoming as passé as interracial relationships and chuggers on Cross Street. And it?s about time.

As of late, the gay community has received a big boost from mainstream celebrities kicking open the closet door to quell speculation about their sexuality. Former *NSYNCer Lance Bass came out earlier this year, “Grey?s Anatomy” star T.R. Knight embraced his homosexuality last month, and Neil Patrick Harris, aka Doogie Howser of the eponymous show, decided to tell the truth about a week ago.

What this means is a brighter day in social acceptance is peeking over the horizon of hate, and it couldn?t come at a more opportune time.

Reflecting on the events of this past year, the gay community has won and lost several battles in the War for Equality. On one hand, we?ve been granted the privilege to civilly unite in New Jersey. On the other, we have pedophiliac political “leaders” ? who support many of the anti-gay measures that land on their desks ? allegedly entering into affairs with minors who, once caught, come out as gay.

Despite our continued evolution, it seems that for every step the gay community makes toward egalitarianism, some adverse incident snatches us two steps back.

While the former is a stride in the right direction for equal rights ? as is some state Republicans? failed attempt to support a constitutional amendment to protect Maryland?s current law which states marriage in Maryland is only valid between one man and one woman ? the latter serves as a foundation for extremists to equate homosexuality to pedophilia, a completely unwarranted accusation fueled by the indiscretions of immoral elected officials, who, ironically, are often of the same political affiliation.

So damaging are the effects of such scandals on closeted gay teens and adults that many are forced to live their lives contrary to what they know and feel is right. These innocent bystanders to others? recklessness are relegated to dark places that, after spending so much time there, begin to affect the soul.

Diversity-opposing Americans ?like Maryland?s own Del. Don H. Dwyer Jr., who, in March, gained the attention of some church groups for trying to remove state Judge M. Brooke Murdock from office for ruling that the state?s existing marriage law violated the state constitution?s Equal Rights Amendment ? are bullying gays into states of denial that are neither healthy nor founded on the principles of peace and justice for all. Fortunately, Dwyer was not reelected.

America maintains a large share of Nobel prizes, especially in the fields of physiology and medicine; our melting-pot population consists of 31 ethnic groups with at least 1 million members each; and our globalization impacts the economies and cultures the world over. Still, many Americans can?t recognize that people are different, and prefer to deny strangers rights and judge them about a fact of life about which they know squat.

But, as more high-profile and upstanding celebrities come out of the closet, it?s becoming harder for some Americans to spew their unprovoked bigotry. We can only hope that honorable stars like Lance, T.R. and Neil Patrick keep coming out and help lift a significant burden off the backs of gays across the nation, giving them the confidence and courage to live fully, without the trepidation of being, unarguably, who “God” made them. Simple statistics suggest that the more of us ? human beings who deserve a bit of decency ? there are, the less of them ? wanton loathers ? there will be.

From the perspective of that pedestal so many have elevated themselves, that fact alone must be intimidating.

Maybe then they?ll realize how they?ve made us feel for so long.

Michael A. Knipp is a 25-year-old Baltimore-based freelancer and the founder of Line/Byline Communications. He can be reached at [email protected].