Editor:
Have you ever heard the one about the guy in the tutu? A guy in a tutu walks up to a bar and asks for “it”. But before the bartender can ask what “it” is, the man is beaten by other patrons of the bar. When the police arrive and ask what happened, the other patrons say, “Well, sir, he was asking for it.”
I wish this anecdote was not reflective of the reality of our state, but in April 2017 the “Greybull Standard” reported that Sen. Enzi was asked what he was doing to protect the rights of his LGBT+ constituents. His reply? That in Wyoming, you can be anything you want “as long as you don’t push it in someone’s face,” but that a guy who goes to a bar wearing a tutu is “asking for it.” Our elected officials making offhanded comments such as these suggest that life for Wyoming’s LGBT+ community has not improved much since the days of Matthew Shepard.
On the 18th of September, the Branding Iron published a piece titled “Locals grapple with Laramie’s LGBTQ history.” In this piece, the author seemed to insinuate that conditions for Wyoming’s LGBT+ population had vastly improved over 20 years. Unfortunately, to say this is to ignore Wyoming’s LGBT+ issues.
While there have been some improvements made nationwide, when it comes to Wyoming (and in particular our politicians) resistance to progress comes at every step. Sen. Enzi was hardly held accountable for his actions at Greybull High. Wyoming cities continue to fight against anti-discrimination ordinances (including my hometown of Casper), which may lead to people who identify as LGBT+ losing their jobs, opportunities at healthcare and housing, or being refused service. And unfortunately, many people around the state still hold negative opinions towards the LGBT+ community.
We must recognize the problems Wyoming’s LBGT+ population face exist in Wyoming’s society. We cannot just pretend like there is a vast difference in the attitudes that were present 20 years ago. Ignoring the pain and discrimination our LGBT+ population faces on a day-to-day basis will only leave them in the dark.
So, what was the “it” the man in the tutu was asking for? To be accepted, treated with respect, and not discriminated against. Will Wyoming stand with the man in the tutu and hear his requests, or continue to turn a blind eye to his pleas for equality?.
Sincerely,
Hunter Bullard
UW Freshman
