Yesterday Jadyne and I went to see the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus annual Christmas Show. 75 of the chorus's more than 275 members put on stirring, beautiful renditions of both traditional and non-traditional Christmas music, including a totally silent verse of "Silent Night", using only sign language. Seeing them is now officially a tradition for us.
"This October, the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus will head to many states throughout the Southern US to create awareness of local anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, partner with local non-profits and LGBTQ+ organizations to build infrastructure and raise money, and promote unity through mission-driven activism and song.
The Chorus will visit North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama during the nine-day "Lavender Pen Tour.*"
Rather than be frustrated and feel disheartened by recent political turmoil, we are taking this opportunity to marshal our mosaic of powerful, positive voices to empower our fellow LGBTQ+ Americans, especially our LGBTQ+ youth. And equally in a hopeful attempt to offer an outstretched hand and have honest dialogue with fellow Americans." (Text from their web site)
*The murdered San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk handed mayor George Moscone a lavender pen to sign anti discrimination legislation.
Why am I writing this in my blog? Jadyne and I had already proposed a "Red State Tour", intending to visit those same states to visit both civil war and civil rights sites—Vicksburg, Selma's Edmund Pettus bridge, the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. We discarded the whole idea after the election, thinking that we had so little in common with the political and social discourse in those states. But after seeing that the Gay Men's Chorus, who are among the presumed targets of legislation in those states, wants to "offer an outstretched hand and have honest dialogue with fellow Americans," we were once again inspired. We need to do the same.
Whether they need a photographer or not, the thought of watching and photographing them perform in those states, especially in front of the state house in Mississippi, seems like the perfect retirement activity for yours truly. Stay tuned. I'm about to offer my services.