Activism

Activism isn't just about marching down a street with a banner or poster. Activism, like any other significant progressive change, begins in the home. Activism isn't just a protest, a rally or a speech. Activism is a daily framework of thinking and behaving in interpersonal relationships.

If you are gay or lesbian, do you passively listen to heterosexuals discuss your basic human rights to have relationships of your choosing? If you are a woman, do you passively listen to others pontificate on women's rights, your rights, to manage their own reproductive health? If you are a human being, do you passively listen to others spout violent, hateful or pro-war speech about other human beings?

Passivity is the enemy. Non-violence is not passive in a violent world. Assertion of progressive thought among reactionaries is difficult and risky business, but it is the business of activism. The non-violent activist is the standard of human courage in the face of ignorance and bullying. Look to Syria. Look to Tunisia. Look to Egypt. Look to Occupy Wall Street.

Within the LGBT movement, the simple process of asserting gay/lesbian/alternative sexuality in everyday life has been the key to changing social attitudes. This is still done at the risk of being ostracized, fired or abused. It is easier in some cases to passively hide. It is easier to pretend to subscribe to prejudice and oppression. But, the exposure of a single person's dissent within the fabric of a social system or workplace shakes the foundations of bigotry within that environment.

As a practical humanist, I see my practice as activism. By leading an ethical and mindful life as an openly gay, openly flawed and openly secular person, I am practicing activism for social progress every day. This is the activism of the home, the workplace and the marketplace. While parades and protests are wonderfully inspiring wake-up calls for a larger audience, everyday activism is the daily grist for the mill of progressive social change.