ok so this is actually important

I was going to wait a little bit until the celebration died down to say this, so instead I will just write it here before the words leave me and then throw it up on FB in a day or two.

I'm as jubilant as anyone that same-sex marriage is now legal in all 50 states. It's been a long time coming, and I love love and celebrations of love, so bring it on!

But here is what we need to remember:

Just as electing a black president didn't mean that we were past racism in America, so too does this not end the fight. This victory is hugely significant - both as a symbol of equality and as a practical effect on the lives of millions who have waited and fought for this.

But the battle is far from over. LGBT Americans (and worldwide) are still bullied, harrassed, denied housing and jobs, assaulted, murdered, and commit suicide at alarming, unacceptable rates. In communities around the country, our LGBT friends struggle each day to live a normal, safe, and happy life due to the countless prejudices and injustices waged against them on a daily basis.

So let's embrace this victory, yes. Like I said, I do believe that it is symbolic of a turning tide in American sentiment about the LGBT community. But now that the marriage equality battle has finally been won, let's turn all of that energy toward other causes that will impact the daily lives of every LGBT American.  That battle is much more important - and for that, we have a long way to go.