There are people I admire for the work that they do, the music they make, the books they write, or the way that they project themselves. However, there are few people I would single out as personal heroes. Dan Savage is one such person.
Human sexuality has always fascinated me. As a kid, I would secretly listen to Dr. Ruth on Sunday nights after I was supposed to be sleeping. Other people's kinks have always interested me because I like to see what makes them tick. I've never been judgemental of people for kinks or sexual orientation even though I grew up in the Deep South where it seems that everyone takes a peculiar interest in what goes on behind closed doors for the sole purpose of criticizing those things and was raised Catholic. I'm just a little straight woman with a curious mind that has always questioned bigoted attitudes and quite frankly, hates that they exist.
I discovered Dan Savage during my freshman year in college through New Times, a free local paper and instantly fell in love with his sexual advice column, which reaches out to everyone and deals with the mundane to the wild without judgement and a splash of humour. I've read his column pretty consistently ever since, and just recently discovered his podcast, which I have been stuck on for the past week and will be until I go through all four years worth of them. I have yet to hear him steer anyone wrong. He has made me entertain the idea of running my own advice column and discouraged me at the same time - I know I could do what he does, but he's already the master.
He's more than that, however. Recently, he began a YouTube campaign called "It Gets Better". This was a response to the recent spate of young people who have taken their own lives due to bullying over their sexual orientation, perceived and otherwise. Everyone from Barak Obama to well known transvestites have contributed a clip to this campaign, assuring those kids out there in backwards little towns across America (and the world) that life will get better and they can have a healthy, open life as gay, trans, and bisexual adults.
That Dan Savage has moved beyond coining terms such as santorum and pegging (look 'em up), moved beyond giving the type of advice I wish I'd been given by my own parents about sex when I was a young girl, and is making a difference. Not only is he reaching out to the bullied, he is reaching out to those that would bully and hopefully making them think about the damage they are doing.
For this, the hero spotlight shines on Dan Savage today. For me, it will always shine on him. I have no interest in ever having children, but if I did, he would be my supplement in teaching those children about sexuality. This is not a wonderfully written blog entry because there isn't enough I could say about this guy and I am currently on strong painkillers, but there it is.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment