Well, that’s all folks! KGW has called the race for Kotek, the Oregonian has followed suit. For some reason MSNBC has yet to call the race, but for people who live here, its over. Our flirtation with the Betsy Johnsons and Christine Drazans of the world stayed just that, flirtations. When push came to shove, Oregon Democrats came home, limited Johnson to less than ten percent of the total vote share, and said HELL NO to Drazan’s brand of election denying, birth forcing, MAGA ideology. Well done Oregon, well done. We saw through Phil Knights dirty fucking cash and elected the person who best represents Oregon values.
When I was growing up in the 90s, I experienced a shit ton of homophobia. My mom is out and has been married to my step mom for years upon years. My family, myself, experienced so much hatred for their choice to marry people whom they loved that it left an indelible mark of trauma on each one of us. My siblings, myself — all somehow, someway screwed up from this period of time. I havent talked to my sibs in a while, we drifted apart and became estranged due to time and circumstance, but I know I can speak for them in this. We have all discussed it with one another before. Everyone of us experienced a small slice of personal hell because my family decided to love one another.
Tina Kotek being in the Governor’s mansion is huge for me. Huge. That kind of representation will save countless children, many of whom were like me and my siblings, from the outright homophobia we experienced. Im not saying hatred for gays and lesbians in Oregon will disappear because we elected an out Governor, but I do think that all those kids of gay and lesbian parents now have someone they can point to and say “if I try hard enough, I can achieve that, I can be that”. Thats a powerful fucking message, one I could have really used in my youth.
So, sorry for the short diary. I am very happy, tears in eyes happy about this turn of events.
