We live in an interesting time, one that much resembles the Chinese curse traditionally wished upon an enemy. We have states that are supporting same-sex marriage, and states that want to specifically forbid it, even at the cost of essentially negating all marriage. We have a federal Defense of Marriage Act, which "ensures that whatever definition of 'spouse; may be used in Federal law, the word refers only to a person of the opposite sex." DOMA specifically excludes same-sex couples from federal social security and tax benefits, which means same-sex couples pay for benefits that they do not receive. We are at war on two fronts, but Don't Ask Don't Tell results in trained, willing to serve soldiers being dismissed, even those, like linguists that aren't replaceable.

We have a vociferously homophobic religious right and right-wing politicians that condemn all gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered folk (often along with their allies and families), but that still hires same-sex sex-workers for their own erotic needs, in a stunning display of self-loathing and hypocrisy.

I note that allowing homosexual and bisexual people who want to serve, without the idiocies of DADT, will help all of us as a nation. We are losing military service people who want to serve, who are trained as medical personnel, linguists, pilots, intelligence experts, mechanics, and a number of other desperately needed skilled experts, because of DADT. And we are forcing them to lie. I note that repealing DOMA would allow same-sex couples to contribute to IRAs and other savings plans, to file taxes jointly and pay the "marriage penalty" of slightly higher taxes, and to collect the social security benefits that contribute towards, but aren't allowed to use. It would, in short help reduce the national debt by increasing the tax base, as well as encouraging saving.

Despite all of that, there's a lot that looks promising in terms of the future. I don't know what to believe regarding President Obama and DADT, but I do know that the (Republican) Secretary of Defense, Bob Gates, supports repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell, as does Colin Powell. That's cheering. In February, attendees at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) booed homophobic writer and political activist Ryan Sorba off stage asserting homosexuality was "unnatural). As of right now, in The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, Norway, Sweden and South Africa, marriage is not defined in terms of a man and a woman, and same-sex marriages have all the rights that heterosexual married couples have. In the U.S., for now at any rate, same-sex couples marry in New Hampshire, Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont and Connecticut, as well as in the District of Columbia, and receive state level benefits. DOMA still makes same-sex marriage ineligible for Federal recognition, but the Justice Department admits that the law is discriminatory. We're living in a cusp, a time of change; it is my hope that if QLTBAG folk work together, we can institute change for good, for all of us.