In July, Sutton Porter of Point Loma — producer of the “Rick Amato Show” that can be heard on 1170 KCBQ radio — stood in front of the City Council during its open citizen forum and, for three minutes, urged city officials to proclaim August as “Heterosexual Pride Month” as a counterbalance to the council having declared July as “LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Pride Month” in the City of San Diego. “By declaring July as LGBT month, you have alienated the millions of heterosexuals in San Diego,” Porter said. “So to make it fair, the City Council should declare August as ‘Heterosexual Pride Month.’” That’s what happened at City Hall that day. Now, my question is: how might a “Heterosexual Pride Month” benefit San Diego and how might it bring equality to all different sexual orientations in our great city? We are going to have to make some assumptions of what we can expect to see heterosexuals, like myself, doing during the month of August in celebration of our heterosexuality. I am sure we will have some type of parade, (sponsored by Chick-fil-A?), but maybe not, because many heterosexuals are conservative about their sexuality and aren’t interested in parading it around. Perhaps we would celebrate that the government is acknowledging our lifestyle and protecting it, but then again, what right does the government have to mandate anything — especially when it comes to our choices and freedoms? Most importantly, we would finally be acknowledged as equals to our gay counterparts in society, with recognition of our own “pride month.” And isn’t that the real issue? Heterosexuals just want to be recognized as equals to their homosexual friends and neighbors. But wait, when did same-sex marriage become legal throughout America? After some research on the Internet, I discovered that same-sex marriage is not legal throughout the United States. Oh, so we really were never equal to begin with? Why do we need a ‘Heterosexual Pride Month” again? Here is the reason: Ms. Porter says, “Let’s make it fair! America is a melting pot.” I have pondered Ms. Porter’s words for weeks since I heard her speak to the City Council in regard to “Heterosexual Pride Month.” Let’s not jump to make any negative judgments of Ms. Porter, because she is on the right track with the statement, “Let’s make it fair!” How has LGBT Pride Month made it unfair to heterosexuals in San Diego? Ms. Porter’s argument is, “… The city should never support one group over another, because it fundamentally erodes the notion of one society.” Good argument. On the other hand, if a city starts to recognize one group’s fight for equality and then another group’s fight for equality, maybe, just maybe, we can find equality together. After some thought, I came to the conclusion that perhaps Ms. Porter could be a true trailblazer for equality and is not actually a whining homophobic, as some might choose to see her. By shaking up City Hall and requesting a “Heterosexual Pride Month,” she could be laying the groundwork for fairness and true equality in the future. To prove my theory on this, I believe that the homosexual community of San Diego needs to rally and petition in favor of “Heterosexual Pride Month” with Ms. Porter and her “fairness” fighters. By doing this, heterosexuals who support Ms. Porter’s notion for a “Heterosexual Pride Month” would be able to reach across the aisle of fairness and, with God’s blessing of treating your neighbor as you would like to be treated, support same-sex marriage. Remember, if we’re going to be fair, we must be fair to all. So what is all the hubbub about marriage anyway? In the eyes of fairness and civil liberties, same-sex marriage and heterosexual marriage is not about God or America or even Rome. Marriage is about the benefits; benefits like taxes (joint filing), employment benefits (insurance coverage), government benefits (Social Security), medical benefits (visiting your spouse during illness), estate-planning benefit and, of course, death benefits. If we are going to be fair as a society, we need to keep the rules consistent. Having a “Heterosexual Pride Month” is important because it will give heterosexuals an entire month to completely understand the benefits we receive by being part of a “protected” couple. That will give us the framework to bridge the fairness gap and extend those benefits to our homosexual countrymen and women because, as Ms. Porter said, “The city should never support one group over another because it fundamentally erodes the notion of one society.” So I say, yeah for equality and please support a “Heterosexual Pride Month,” because without it, equality for all couples may never be achieved and that’s just not fair.?— Walter Ruskin is a writer and occasional guest columnist for the San Diego Community Newspaper Group. He can be reached at [email protected].