The “I am the Water, You are the Sea” Facebook page received an interesting post this week, containing a link accompanied by the following comment:
“Why do we need to know that they are “lovers” [referring to Alex and Ali]? Couldn’t we just be very happy for such good friends to be reunited?”
The link is to the Facebook page for what’s known as “W.I.S.H.” – the “World Invocation of Sexual Privacy.” The purpose of “W.I.S.H.” is the following:
“To promote the idea that the sexuality and sexual activity of any individual is at its most beneficial for everyone when it is a private matter, and to counteract psychological and social intrusion by outsiders on the sanctity of personal eroticism; ~ To safeguard genuine friendship by endeavoring to protect it from any and all damage that can be done to it by sexual activity.”
Although my initial inclination was just to delete the post (because I disagree with it), I figured why not explore it instead? A central component of the social action campaign for “I am the Water, You are the Sea” is about breaking down barriers. I think this means proactive, open engagement and discussion with those who disagree or oppose the change we seek to create.
Although the author of this comment isn’t advocating the criminalization of “gay”, I do have a problem with what sounds like “Put it back in the closet.” I have a problem with anything that sounds like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” It’s a slippery slope. I mean, disagreements about religion can cause an awful lot of damage, too. Along with politics, nationality, etc. So should we hide our religious identities, political affiliations, and anything else which could cause disagreement or conflict? ”Don’t ask, don’t tell” about other components of our lives?
Yeah, right.
I think what’s “most beneficial for everyone” is the ability to live – and love – freely in an open and fair society, without worrying if your government or your neighbor is going to oppress, persecute, imprison, punish, or kill you for it. Why hide what you are? Why push it down and out of sight?
Back to the Facebook poster’s question: ”Why do we need to know that they are “lovers”? Couldn’t we just be very happy for such good friends to be reunited?” Sure, we can be happy for good friends being reunited. But this isn’t about people who are just ‘good friends’, and it isn’t about “needing to know” that they’re lovers – it’s about simply being honest with the situation. Here are two lovers who have been separated for nearly 34 years, one of whom lives in a society whose government condones the execution of gays and lesbians! They’re two human beings who – through their love and FOR their love – are overcoming every obstacle which has been thrown in their path to be together once again. Why on earth would we ever want to push that back into the closet? Why would we ever want to promote the idea that we shouldn’t ask and shouldn’t tell?
My hope is that, through this film, the world will see these lovers – the world will see their great love – and embrace the belief that it doesn’t matter if you’re American, Iranian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Christian, gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender – we ALL are water and sea. Beautiful, religious, passionate, political, sexual creatures. Billions of individuals, one beautiful ball of Human Kind.
