Step up, speak up

My mind has been on social change of late...like, actual action toward social change. And a lot of people have been feeling the need for social change. Everyone has their own idea about what it means to work for making this a better world. For many it's posting stories, signing petitions, or going to marches. All good things, but I would hope that people will be there to help someone in need when they aren't safe behind  computer screen or when they aren't standing beside a crowd of people. Let me share a story to illustrate my point:

About 10 years ago I was leaving a Stevie Nicks concert holding hands with my girlfriend at the time. As we're walking along, I hear this drunk dude behind us, getting louder and louder with, angrily ranting about the "disgusting dykes." Not wanting to escalate anything, I tried to ignore drunk man as he got closer, with his two drunk girl friends tittering at his side. As this was going on I could hear people in the crowd around us muttering about what was going on, but I couldn't tell if the were going to be on my side or his if things did escalate. Mr. drunk man eventually managed to get beside me, at which point he started shoving me...after the second shoved back and sent his ass flying.

Fortunately, I scared the shit out of him and came chasing after me groveling about how he "didn't mean it", and fortunately no one in the crowd decided to pick up where he initially left off. I've had several years of martial arts experience, so 1 against 1, especially when the other was drunk was okay odds. But, that didn't mean that I wasn't terrified, because I was. I was alone in that crowd, and in that moment it was me against that entire crowd because no one let me know that they weren't against me. My guess is most of the people around us didn't support Mr. drunk man, and were probably horrified by his behavior. But guess what? Not a SINGLE person stepped up, and spoke up. My gf and I were lucky; we weren't hurt that day, we weren't mobbed by homophobes. But how many people HAVE been hurt when the people around them didn't speak up.

So, for the 3 people who will read this, I implore you to speak up whenever you hear someone talking shit to or about a marginalized group, cuz hey, in their mind your silence equals support/agreement. Speak even if your voice shakes. Who knows, you might save a life.