"And, I'm Gay"

This post is coming from the Black Dog Cafe in Lowertown, St. Paul while I'm between floor sessions.

A woman from Bemidji with Elvis hair and a red pullover sweater approached me this morning in front of the Senate asking if there was "something going on with this (marriage equality) in this room (the Senate chamber) today." I said, "No," and explained that this was the Senate chamber and that some related legislation might be taking place but I don't know. I didn't tell her this but, I really don't keep careful track of the three or four bills that are in play this session because regardless of their fate I will keep doing what I'm doing. I'd sure like to see those bills pass, but my mission is different. I'm the only one pushing equal marriage rights and I try to stay on message. She also wanted to know how to get to the gallery but didn't seem to want to trudge up the stairs to the fourth floor.

As we talked, I found out that she's at the Capitol with the ACLU to lobby for, among other things, those domestic partner benefits bills, then she declared, "And, I'm gay." She admired my "Marriage Equality" sticker so I gave her one and pointed out the blog address. She was amused at the connection of Shower Curtain Chronicles to the shower curtain banners. Before she left, she thanked me for protesting and I returned the gratitude for her work. What a break to get somebody so nice for the first encounter of the day. I pointed her toward the elevator.

Senator, Linda Higgins had popped into the conversation on her way through, wondering if holding the shower curtain was good for my muscles. "Actually, I think it is, even though it's pretty light" I told her. Then she tested it herself, and she was off. Later, DFL Senator, Patricia Torres Ray(left) stopped on her way up the stairs saying that she hoped the media would cover my protest because I'd been so persistent. She congratulated me and I thanked her, then she was off into the chamber.