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As
we enter the first year of George W. Bush’s
last presidential term, the memories of his recent inauguration
still fresh in our minds, many of us might be feeling a little
down. Not only is much of the country mired in snowstorms
as high as your chin, the gay rights movement was seriously
battered in the last election, in which 13 states passed anti-gay-marriage
amendments.
I
can’t help but look back with a pang of nostalgia on
the first Clinton inauguration in January 1993. Bill Clinton
was the first president I voted for, and I watched much of
the inauguration on TV. I was moved by an unexpected burst
of patriotic pride when I saw Bill and Hillary emerge from
their limo to walk the last few blocks to the official ceremony—I
was so glad that I helped elect him to office.
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But
that inauguration was notable for more than the election
of the most gay-friendly president to ever lead the U.S. During
the Triangle Ball, the first inaugural ball to ever be held in honor
of gays and lesbians, Melissa
Etheridge came out of the closet.
Etheridge
had released her third album, Never Enough, the previous
fall, but she was still in the closet—just barely. She came
to the Triangle Ball as the guest of a friend, and ended up milling
about on a balcony among celebrities including her pal k.d. lang,
who came out the year before.
When
Etheridge was asked to say a few words to the 2,500 gays and lesbians
gathered at the historic event, she hadn’t made any conscious
decision to come out. “I didn’t even think, Oh, I’m
going to come out here,” Etheridge told The Advocate.
“It was, ‘Gee, I’m really excited to be here,
and I’m really proud to have been a lesbian all my life.’
And a big cheer went up through the whole hall, and k.d. came out
and hugged me. I remember walking back, and my friend said, ‘I
think you came out!’”
The
Clinton inauguration was just about as gay-friendly as you could
get. Gays and lesbians had contributed over $3 million to the Clinton
campaign, and they were thanked with a boatload of parties and promises.
In addition to the Triangle Ball, sponsored by the Human Rights
Campaign, the National AIDS Memorial Quilt was carried in the official
inaugural parade, and the inaugural committee held “A Salute
to David Mixner,” Clinton’s senior advisor on gay issues
and a leading gay fundraiser.
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