Fighting the H8 in Austin yesterday

[emmagrant01]

It was awesome! There were 3000 people there at City Hall, and it was such an amazing feeling to be in that crowd. And it wasn't just gay folk, either -- lots of straight families were there, many of whom said they wanted their children to see the fight for civil rights in action. Cars were driving by and honking like crazy, with people hanging out the windows and shouting their support. There wasn't a single protester that I saw.

I left feeling very positive about the future. I really, truly believe it's only a matter of time before we have marriage equality. It may not come as soon as we want, but it's coming. We just have to keep fighting.

These pictures don't really show the size of the crowd, but maybe you'll get a flavor of it. I had intended to meet up with several people there, including phaballa and moony, but the crowd was so huge that I never saw them. I ran into some people from work, randomly, so that was fun.











And here is one of me and BG.



Something really cool happened to me on the way home. BG fell asleep in the car and I decided to go through a Chick-Fila drivethrough to get a sandwich. When I was in line, I saw the woman in the huge SUV in front of me looking at me in her rear view mirror. I still had my HRC hat on, and she had an HRC sticker on the back of her car, so I thought maybe she was just looking at my hat. When I got up to the window to pay, the cashier told me that woman had paid for my food! I was stunned! The only thing I could think of was that it was the HRC hat. Isn't that amazing? :-D

Comments

[fiona-fawkes.livejournal.com]

I am so feeling the love from going to the protest yesterday. It's bittersweet, just because it forces me to think about the people outside of my comfortable bubble. But the love yesterday was there and that means so much to me.

[fiona-fawkes.livejournal.com]

Oh, and your pictures aren't showing up. :(

[tm-nicholas.livejournal.com]

She thought you were cute. ;)

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Hee! Maybe. ;-)

[phaballa.livejournal.com]

I didn't get to go :( I'm still sick and I didn't want to risk infecting anyone else, especially you and BG. But I'm glad you had a good time anyway! I wish I could've been there.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Aw, you poor thing! I'm sorry you had to miss it. :-(

[furiosity.livejournal.com]

It's really great to hear first-hand accounts of these! And yay for solidarity-inspired free food. :D

(but I can't see the pictures either)

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

It was awesome!

I went ahead and made the pics public. I'm not sure what went wrong there...

[pitchblackrose.livejournal.com]

Awww! Look at the preemie who grew up to a great big baby! :D The two of you look adorable, and I love your description of the general atmosphere in the city :)

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

He weighs 20 pounds now. 0_0 Crazy!

[lauramcewan.livejournal.com]

Post this at ontd_political? Someone is asking for Austin stuff on the rally post this morning.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Done. :-)

[dark0feenix.livejournal.com]

Great pictures! BG looks really cute.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :-)

[kagyakusha.livejournal.com]

:D I think that all those kids there (including yours) are going to grow up happy and friendly and in a better world because their parents are teaching them to be good people.
It's good to see so many people who care

[maple-mahogany.livejournal.com]

I love BG in the sling! Precious!

Thanks for sharing the story and pics. I wish I could have participated.

[maureenlycaon.livejournal.com]

Wow. Just wow. And in Austin.

That is inexpressibly cool.

Here in north Long Beach and Lakewood, every time I pass a "Yes on 8" banner, I have to grit my teeth and squelch the urge to get a can of gasoline, come back and burn it down. And there are a LOT of those goddamn banners. I hope you're right, and we can send this bigotry the way of the miscegenation laws in most states.

[joesther.livejournal.com]

Oh BG is sooo cute all smushed like that. Dig his socks! LOL And you look so good. (random OT question: do you like that "wrap" carrier? I'm thinking of buying one for my sister and I have heard conflicting opinions)

And what a nice thing for that lady to do. :) Spread the love.

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Awww. BG and his rainbow socks are adorable!

Nice to hear about all the support. And how cool was the free food?

[waterbird.livejournal.com]

What a great crowd. Here in London we had about 40 people turn out on very short notice -- a really positive, lovely group of people.

Love BG's rainbow socks! Adorable.

[tildathebuilder.livejournal.com]

Mmm Sliiinngs!...sorry got a bit distracted there.

Aww, you and BG look adorable. It's so great to see families at things like thing and know that their parents are setting such a good example.

[http://users.livejournal.com/__streetspirit/]

The one in Orlando didnt have as much people but it was pretty much exactly the same. Not a protester in sight. Thank god. I am so glad I decided to go. Such a wonderful experience.

[hearts-n-roses.livejournal.com]

I love reading about the protests. It gives me hope for the future. BG is HUGE! And completely adorable...love those leggings...hehe.

[chickwriter.livejournal.com]

So much yay! Austin is one of the niftiest cities in the world (I lived there once upon a time) and if I ever return to Texas, it will be there.

Thanks for posting the pics - seeing all those people out there makes me so happy.

[canellaphile.livejournal.com]

What FANTASTIC pics and what an amazing story!! I want to keysmash all over that story - wow. Your little one is adorable there. Thanks for heading out to make those TX numbers just...huge. :) We went to our local CA town rally and I think we got 1,000 people. Pretty damn good for this town.

[ashe-frost.livejournal.com]

I wanted to do this so bad in my state but I didn't know about it until two days before and there was no way to get off work (retail job). I'm glad the turn out was so great, and I find it weirdly touching that the woman in front of you paid for your food because of a shared ideal. That's so amazingly sweet.

Also BG looks adorable and it's awesome to see that kids didn't get left out of the fight. It affects their lives, too.

[deadcat-vagrant.livejournal.com]

That is so awesome that you got to be there, to see that kind of crowd, and that awesome response.

Our only close event was Portland. Too far! :( But Maine is making awesome strides, regardless.

[ella-bane.livejournal.com]

It sounds like it was an awesome day! How neat to be a part of it all. Thanks for posting a pic of you and BG. Adorable!

[chickadilly.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing this with us - and that is a great story about the lady buying your food!

And - awwww BG (with his socks!) is so cute! :)

[drgaellon]

You may not be aware that the majority stockholders in Chick-Fil-A are the founder's family. S. Truett Cathy is a Bible-thumping Southern Baptist who vocally and gleefully supports anti-gay groups such as Focus on the Family. C-F-A is one of the largest corporate sponsors of politically active religious groups in the US, and they are universally on the other side of these issues from you and I.

[askani.livejournal.com]

That's fantastic that so many people showed up. You both look great and baby BG looks especially cute with his socks. :)

:D

[xanateria.livejournal.com]

First, kidlet is sooooo cute. And the lil sockies. Squeeeeeee.

Second, that is an amazing story at the end. I have hope for humanity when I hear stuff like that.