Indeed. Things changed incredibly for the better in the late 20th century and the early 21st. I think that's part of the reason that regression now is so painful to so many of us. With transgender and gay teachers saying they no longer feel like they can be "out" in Florida classrooms without losing their jobs or facing criminal sanction, people obviously question whether we're going back to the bad old days.

I don't think we necessarily are uniformly, but on a state by state basis, that's certainly possible.

Right now Republicans in other states are slavering to duplicate Florida's oppressive new laws.

Some of them undoubtedly will.

LGBTQ teachers in those states will join Florida teachers seeking to either move or work in other fields.

When you spent your life knowing you don't have to be in a closet, getting pushed into a closet is particularly painful.

Of course, this doesn't mean that we can't be happy. I guess happiness is usually found in productive pursuit.

Most of the dedicated LGBTQ activists I've known throughout my life have been quite happy people. For example, Larry Kramer had a reputation for being grumpy and mean spirited. From my own personal observation, he was certainly provocative and could be bitter, but he had a tight circle of friends with whom he was always laughing and joking.

He struck me as a happy person, despite the fact that he had lots of unhappy things to talk about.

I suspect that if he had not founded GMHC and Act Up, he wouldn't have been the happy person I frequently observed him to be.

I guess he was probably happy most of the time because he knew he was fighting (often effectively!) to make a difference.

I think his example is worth emulating.

I don't suppose being happy should be anyone's primary goal in life, but as a side effect of doing good, it's certainly a good thing, maybe even an inevitable thing.