Has LGBT come of age?

A young man at a high school awards ceremony this week used his speech to say he was LGBT and that his classmates could accept that ... or not.

He got a standing ovation. 

It is nothing short of amazing and mind-blowing and, well, inspiring.   It gives a middle-aged woman hope.

Has LGBT come of age?

Consider that the president mentioned "Stonewall" in his inaugural speech, as in Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, NYC, where riots in 1969 kicked off the current LGBT civil rights movement.

Consider that same-sex marriage is legal in nine states (Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and Washington. D.C. and two Native American tribes also have legalized same-sex marriage. California's law is confusing but does recognize on a conditional bases.  Source: Wiki)  And Rhode Island is poised to become the 10th state. 

Consider that the Defense of Marriage Act, passed in Congress in 1996, has now made its way to the Supreme Court, which could strike it down.

Consider that the military doesn't ask and doesn't tell.

Consider that a likely appointment to the presidential cabinet has been criticized for comments against LGBT - by Republicans!

There are many things in life that I never thought I'd live to see.  This is one of them.  Boy am I glad I was wrong.

Oh, and the teen's name is Jacob Rudolph and below is a link to his speech.

  http://www.advocate.com/youth/2013/01/23/watch-high-school-senior-comes-out-standing-ovation