Classy, class, and economic justice.

My mom was very concerned about what she determined to be "classy" behavior. Raising my voice, being rough, and wearing a black bra with a white shirt all fell under the heading of "not classy" and, therefore, to be avoided. When I dove into a new social interpretation of cultural norms (read: started dating girls) I ditched the bras for awhile. But when I did wear them, I couldn't make myself wear the wrong color with the wrong shirt. I heard my mom whispering when I got dressed and it was too distracting. But really, it's more about money than anything else. Wearing the "right" color of bra, at its core, is about having enough money to color coordinate your wardrobe.

Economic justice is a complicated and important concept for those of us working towards social justice. For the most part, people care less about what's fair and right when they are hungry and cold. A majority of homeless youth and a significant number of homeless adults are gay or trans identified. But I am guessing they are more concerned with how to get warm than they are with passing a national ENDA. And yet, it is impossible to separate the two experiences. We often lose classic support structures when we come out (friends, family, religion, jobs) putting those of who are not independently wealthy or secure in career type jobs in a precarious position or reliant on government services in times of need.

Luckily our community is full of people who see the intersections. The Carriage House , Stand up for Kids , and Attention Homes are just three organizations that work with the homeless but truly see how important the whole package is, for the people they serve, and for the community.