If You Dream of a World. . .

"If you dream of a world in which you can put your partner's picture on your desk, then put his picture on your desk and you will live in such a world.

And if you dream of a world in which you can walk down the street holding your partner's hand, then hold her hand and you will live in such a world.

If you dream of a world in which there are more openly gay elected officials, then run for office and you will live in such a world.

And if you dream of a world in which you can take your partner to the office party, even if your office is the U.S. House of Representatives, then take her to the party.

I do, and now I live in such a world.

Remember, there are two things that keep us oppressed: THEM and US. We are half of the equation.

There will not be a magic day when we wake up and it's now OK to express ourselves publicly. We must make that day ourselves, by speaking out publicly --first in small numbers, then in greater numbers, until it's simply the way things are and no one thinks twice.

Never doubt that we will create this world, because, my friends, we are fortunate to live in a democracy, and in a democracy, WE decide what's possible."

[U.S. Representative (and out lesbian) Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, speaking from the stage of the Millennium March on Washington.]