When You Know Somebody

Harvey Milk is quoted as saying,

Gay brothers and sisters,...You must come out*. Come out... to your parents... I know that it is hard and will hurt them but think about how they will hurt you in the voting booth! Come out to your relatives... come out to your friends... if indeed they are your friends. Come out to your neighbors... to your fellow workers... to the people who work where you eat and shop... come out only to the people you know, and who know you. Not to anyone else. But once and for all, break down the myths, destroy the lies and distortions. For your sake. For their sake. For the sake of the youngsters who are becoming scared by the votes from Dade to Eugene.

It does make a difference when you know somebody who is LGBT. I am out to all my neighbors (they would have to be blind not to know I’m trans), I am out at the grocery store, I am out at the shoe store, I am out everywhere.

It makes a difference,

Reba McEntire On Gay Rights, Same-Sex Marriage And The Evolution Of The Country Music Community
The Huffington Post
By Curtis M. Wong
Posted: 04/21/2015

Country superstar Reba McEntire has pledged full support for same-sex marriage, noting that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights are "very important" to her for many reasons.

To promote her new album, "Love Somebody," McEntire, 60, spoke to PrideSource's Chris Azzopardi and recalled attending her first same-sex wedding earlier this year.

The singer's newlywed pals Michael and Steven had been together for 20 years before tying the knot, and she said, "I thought that it was not fair, and I didn't understand why they couldn't get married. It wasn't because they just wanted to get married. If one of them had gotten injured and gone to the hospital, the other one couldn't make decisions for them. It's very upsetting. It's not only for convenience or for romantic reasons -- it's for practicality."

Do you think she would have been as pro LGBT if her friends were not out to her?

"I have gay friends who have partners, and I see where they would want to get married," she told Out magazine in 2009. "I understand why. So, I can't judge that."

When I do training I know that there would be some who don’t “get it”, nor want to “get it” but that is alright became all it takes is one person who “gets it.” Monday I was part of a team that did training for homeless shelter administrators and afterward I received this email from the training organizer,

Just wanted to share a bit of feedback. A provider shared that they thought that the training was awesome, hit on all the right notes, and led them to change one of their program policies.
Great work team.

One person “got it” and maybe it will make life a little easier on a trans person and maybe Reba's album will touch one person.

*I would add but first make sure it is safe to come out.