Tinderbox Times blog - Day 5

While my partner makes dinner I scroll through Facebook with CCN Live in the background. My feed is full of honking horns, dancing emojis and memes about good overcoming evil.

I didn’t realise how much tension I was holding in my body until I got the news. I’d been teaching all day and needed a walk before a 5pm Zoom call with my family in the States. We had just walked through the gates of Highgate woods when my partner’s phone pinged.

“I hope this is it.” They said.

And it was. It was it. The news we’ve all been waiting for.

I had a dream two nights ago that Biden and Harris won by 300+ electoral votes. And that’s exactly what it looks like has happened.

I didn’t realise where it was stored, the tension. Immediately my shoulders dropped and I breathed out. Stale air held deep in my lungs for I don’t know how long. I felt my feet beneath me, sinking further into the rich, dark earth. Finally trusting again.

I looked ahead of us, the fading light illuminating golden ancient beech and oak leaves. I looked up and before I knew it I was cheering and thanking a God I don’t believe in.

Harris and I go way back. In 2003 she was elected district attorney of San Francisco. In 2004 she conspired with then Mayor Gavin Newsome to extend marriage rights to gays and lesbians, brazenly breaking state law.

I got married as part of that direct action. A highly strategic and coordinated plan that eventually led to the overturning of the federal Defence of Marriage Act.

But not before various setbacks, one of which was the state Supreme Court ruling to stop all the marriages and voiding all those previously conducted, including mine.

I got a letter from her when that happened. In it she promised she would fight until the end for my right to marry the person I chose. And she stuck to that promise.

Folks, it’s all about Black women right now. And truth is, it has been for a long time. All the way back to Harriet Tubman and further. Tonight I am bowing my head in deep gratitude and humility to all the Black women activists and leaders and teachers and healers and prophets.

I know this isn’t the end of the polarisation, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny and sexism. All the things that hurt so bad. But it’s a pretty good start.

Love was in the running and won. And tonight that’s all I’m focusing on. I’m celebrating with the majority of the rest of the world.

I feel you. Let’s breath out together.

The further fight can wait until tomorrow. Or maybe even next week.