In 2007, my senior year of high school, I was involved with a group that canvased against a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage in my state. Had the amendment NOT passed, gay people still wouldn't have been able to get married in the state. Nothing would have changed at all, so the amendment was just over kill. The amendment was basically a way for the homophobs to try and make sure that gay marriage would never be allowed for gay people in my state. A lot of people didn't understand what they would be voting for.
I canvased for this group one day, in high heeled boots, all day and a lot of people honestly thought that if they voted yes for the amendment it would either allow gays to marry or it would somehow be helpful to gay people. That day we canvased in pairs me and my trans brother paired up together and he and I had to explain to a lot of people that the amendment would NOT allow gay people to marry or help gay people in anyway, but would ban it completely in my state. For the most part once people understood that, they at the very least they would think about the issue. Canvasing was a bit intimidating. I was always nerves when went up to the door. Nerves what reaction they would have, worried that I would bothering them (I hate bothering people), but despite all that, I did it because I felt it had to be done. I got every reaction you can imagine.
At worst people would slam their doors in my face. When that happened I figured they were a lost cause anyway, so FUCK them I no longer cared! On the opposite side of that, I would get the people who would completely agree with me and while I went "WOOOT" on the inside, that wasn't really the point me canvasing. I wanted get the word out and educate people about the issue. Sometimes I would have good conversations with people, who were on the fence about the whole issue, and by the end of it, most of them seemed pretty convince. I liked these people the best because it allowed me to at least interact with people and it kept me hopeful that I may have just convinced another person to vote NO on the despicable amendment. Lastly, there was the in betweens, kinda good, but not as good as I would have hoped. I would have good conversations with these people, but by the end of it they weren't swayed either way. I tried to look on the bright side when I was done talking to these people at least I got them thinking about it from all sides, there was no promise either way about how they would vote. Sadly, the groups efforts didn't change the outcome and the amendment passed into law.
Despite the fact that the amendment passed I would still do all that work into trying to prevent it from being passed again. Thats part of what activism involves losing and set backs. Comes with being an activism realizing that we are going to lose a great many before we make any progress. I wish this wasn't so, but that is the sad fact about being an activist. I still work with them somewhat, although I do take issue with the fact they support the current ENDA which isn't trans inclusive at all, even though they don't do much in the way of activism since the amendment. Canvasing was an amazing experience and one that I would repeat again, if given the chance, and yes I would SO do it in high heeled boots again ^_^
Thats all for now.
Bye!
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