| I was so glad to find your web site! My wife
and I are a straight couple who love Rehoboth Beach and visit there several times a year.
Rehoboth offers a laid-back atmosphere to enjoy shopping, the beach, and great food. But
what I find very disheartening is many (hetero) people’s reaction when I mention that
my wife and I prefer Rehoboth to any other beach resort. They say something along the
lines of, "Oh, the queer beach," or "are you a little
‘funny’?" No, I don’t think it is
funny at all! So what if my gay brothers and sisters have adopted Rehoboth as their beach
of choice? I’m glad that they have found a place to enjoy the camaraderie of being
around people of the same sexual orientation—a privilege that so many heterosexuals
take for granted everyday! CAMP’s existence is one step in the right direction
towards the utopia of all people enjoying Rehoboth together—without regard to
one’s race, age, sex, or orientation. I know it’s a long way off, and there is a
lot to do, but keep in mind there are two "straight-but-not-narrow" people who
enjoy EVERYONE’S company when we are in town!
Brian and Stacy Sallerson
I live in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and I have been a gay
man all of my life. I came out to family and friends about five years ago at the age of
24. What I am writing about is something that I have been faced with here recently, that
has given me a "Reality Check!" I have not faced any type of discrimination in
the past five years as an outed gay man up and until now. I have enjoyed the new false
freedom of the Gay 90s. I was recently dating a gentleman who was divorced from his wife
for about 3 years. They had children from their marriage, two daughters. His ex-wife found
out about his being gay and threatened his visitation rights to see his daughters. This
outraged me. I began to do some research into Delaware Family Court Law. I also contacted
lawyer friends, as well as state representatives. The outcome was very shocking. His
ex-wife does have the right to have his visitation rights taken away because of his
homosexuality.
Being gay is a moral issue not favorably looked upon in the
Delaware Family Courts. I am very concerned about the outcome of my research and also the
legal advice that my friend had received. He was instructed to live his life discreetly
until his daughters reach the age of 18. My friend is an outstanding father, meets all of
his financial obligations to his children, and is actively involved in their educational
and emotional development. He is not like some of his straight counterparts who do not do
so—hence the name "Deadbeat Dads!"
What is wrong with this picture? He is gay and if he gets
caught by his ex-wife his visitation rights are revoked. I could not describe to you the
pressure my friend is facing right now. After discussing this case, we both chose to
terminate our relationship. We fear his losing the right to see his daughters, because we
were enjoying a normal, healthy relationship. I strongly encourage lawmakers and gay
rights activists to review these types of cases and work to change the laws. Homosexuality
should not be a factor in determining if someone should lose the right to see his or her
children.
I have taken on a new attitude and approach toward Delaware
gay politics myself. I plan on becoming more involved to see laws changed or created to
give gay persons protections given any other citizen. Don’t get comfortable with the
way things are now. We will all face some type of discrimination in our lives related to
housing, insurance, work, social clubs, or even our own families. We need to get involved
for change in Delaware and the nation. In the upcoming Delaware Gay Pride, instead of lots
of drag shows, we need more speeches on political awareness. We need a strong gay civil
rights leader we can rally behind and support.
Richard W. McGinnis
I am aware of the anti-hate crime efforts of CAMP Rehoboth
and the Rehoboth Beach Police Department, but I am sure there are folks in smaller towns
who could use this information.
If your city does not have its own Anti-Violence Project
and you need help with an anti-gay hate crime or similar situation, contact LAMBDA’s
GLBT Hate Crimes Hotline, toll-free, at 800-616-HATE. TTY users please call 800-735-2989
and ask to be connected to 915-562-GAYS. You may also confidentially report incidents
online and get help and information at http://lambda.org.
LAMBDA provides support, information, and assistance to
victims of anti- LGBT hate crimes and same-gender domestic violence. Lambda is a longitime
steering committee member of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs.
Rose Akerman
Right-wing political and religious types are proving
shameless and tireless in their ongoing agenda of scapegoating gay people. To hear them
tell it, Tinky Winky is an invention designed to entice children to become gay;
heterosexual marriage is somehow being threatened by gay activists; and gay people want to
enter the military just to take advantage of shower-room opportunities. And so on. It
seems clear that gays have replaced communists as the Right Wing’s enemy du jour.
But consider the greatest criminals of our century: Hitler,
Stalin, Pol Pot and Milosevic. These persons who wrought the greatest crimes against
humanity in our time and have characterized this as an extremely violent century were all
heterosexual males. Now if we were to descend to the stereotyping tactics of our
homophobic opponents, we would suggest that rather than gays, it is straight men who are
the real threat in our world and should be reined in.
It would be nice to see America ignore the anti-gay
hatemongering so in vogue among right-wing extremists and instead try the experiment of
not demonizing other Americans. In so doing, we just might find that we are all more alike
than otherwise.
Douglas and Corey Marshall-Steele
|
Back to Top of Page 
