By Michael Ray Huerta
“We must destroy the myths once and for all, shatter them. We must continue to speak out, and most importantly, every gay person must come out. As difficult as it is you must tell your immediate family, you must tell your relatives, you must tell your friends, if indeed they are your friends, you must tell your neighbors, you must tell the people you work with, you must tell the people in the stores you shop in, and once they realize that we are indeed their children, that we are indeed everywhere, every myth, every lie, every innuendo will be destroyed once and for all.” –Harvey Milk on June 25, 1978
Harvey Milk believed in a simple principle: the more of us they know, the more accepted we’ll become. Today, this is especially true in New Mexico.
A short time ago, our elected officials voted against providing same sex couples with equal domestic partner rights and benefits. Having come so close, this was a setback for the LGBT movement, but, more importantly, it was an honest reflection of where we stand in the eyes of our fellow New Mexicans.
I do not believe that the senators who voted against Senate Bill 12 are bigots. Nor do I believe that those same members have an intentional desire to block the inevitable progress that will be made on what is the great civil rights issue of the 21st Century. Instead, I, like Harvey, believe that they are simply blinded by the ignorance of their surroundings.
Before coming out, I too believed in an “idea” of what it meant to be gay, an “idea” that had been formed by my church, family and community. And then I met Sarah, a young woman who loves God, serves her community and helps others as much as she can.
One myth washed away.
Like many of my fellow New Mexicans, I had an “idea” of how gays behaved. And then I met Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, the first American wounded in the war in Iraq. Another myth washed away. And like many of our legislators, I had an “idea” of how gay relationships functioned. And then I met Ron and Tim, a couple who had been together for nearly 40 years. A final myth washed away.
On Feb. 26 of this year, New Mexicans suffered a humiliating defeat on the road to equality. A battle was lost. But let us realize that now, more than ever before, if we want equality, we must come out.
Yes, the battle of SB 12 was lost, but in the war of “ideas,” we are one step closer to victory every time a son says, “Mom, I’m gay.” Yes, we were defeated by members of both parties, but victory is one step closer every time a senior citizen proclaims, “Yes, I’m a lesbian.” And though our defeat means we may not see equality in the next year, we can rest assured that with every coming out, we are one step closer to winning the war of “ideas.” And that, my friends, is one fight we will win.
My name is Michael Ray Huerta, and I’m gay.
Huerta is a lifelong New Mexican from Las Cruces. In 2008, he served as an elected delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention and worked as the press secretary and speech writer for U.S. Rep. Harry Teague. In 2007, after “coming out,” he worked with The Human Rights Campaign and then Hillary Clinton for President. Prior to that time, he worked for several Republican organizations, including serving as the western field director for Rep. Steve Pearce.