What would Professor X think?
Last week was a blitz of emotions all over America as Barack Obama became the first minority president of America. Well, technically he's still the president-elect until January when he's officially instated. All over the country, cries of elation and hope were exclaimed as the majority of America declared that they were ready for change.
However, closer to home for Californians and the LGBTQ community, another election decision took gay rights a huge step back with the passing of Proposition 8, a proposition that added an amendment to the state constitution to define marriage as being between a man and a woman only. Emotions have been running high as protests and other reactions to this decision have broken out. Now that I've had a couple of days to distance myself from the way I feel, I can't help but wonder, if this had taken place in comic books and Proposition 8 had been about defining marriage as being between two homo sapiens only, in other words, two normal humans, how would the X-Men and their mentor, Professor Xavier react. 
I think it's pretty widely known that the X-Men, besides being a literary commentary on civil rights in general, are representations of gays and gay rights. Just like us, mutants have been hated and feared for no other reason than that they were born different. Throughout the history of the X-Men, regular humans have responded with fear and often hatred once they discovered that someone they knew was a mutant. And, just like Homosexuals, mutants have had their rights to exist and be free tested over and over again.
It was this need for mutant rights, as well as desiring that humans and mutants could one day co-exist in peace, that led Charles Xavier in forming his X-Men, a team of mutants who would stand up for mutant and promote Mutant rights. Xavier knew sacrifice, and he knew hardship. He saw people he loved and felt responsible for killed because of the fight for mutant rights.
I can't help but think that if Xavier was real and it was gays that he defended instead of mutants, he would be disgusted with the passing of Proposition 8. Yet, just as much as it might hurt him to know that people still hadn't grown enough to realize that gays are not the enemy, I believe that Xavier would not want us to respond with violence or acts of revenge. I believe he would advocate patience and perseverance and peaceful ways to continue the fight for equal rights. I think he would urge us all to not give up the fight, but remember that the best way to win this fight is with as little bloodshed and loss of life as possible.
I think Professor Xavier would weep with us. I think he would feel our pain. I even think he would share some of the thoughts that I and some of my friends have had, that it's time to make others feel how it feels. That it's time to lash out at those who have no idea what it does to us when they say "I'm taking away your right to marry the person you love because I don't agree with it." However, I think that he would urge us to find more positive and constructive ways to show how we feel. I think he would tell us to keep fighting because one day we will see the day that people everywhere will be treated with fairness and equality. One day people will accept that even though they don't understand or agree with a person's choice of life partners, it's not up to them to decide whether a group of people should be allowed to marry or not. I have to believe that Professor Xavier would urge us to keep our eyes on the goal and believe that one day soon we'll all live with freedom, the freedom to marry whoever we choose, whoever has won our hearts.
Oh, and I know that the image attached to this article has nothing to do with the X-Men, but it's a picture drawn by the very talented Brian Andersen, creator of So Super Duper, and explains just how I feel about the passing of Proposition 8.
RogueFan
Posted to editorial on 11 November 2008
· Comments (3)
Wow! Thank you Kenne for such an amazing write-up, tying in our gay rights with those of the X-Men and Mutants. Well written and heart-felt I thank you for posting this and sharing and expressing how so many of us feel. Super job!
Kissies!
Brian
WWPXD, indeed! What WOULD professor xavier do? In reality, I'd imagine he'd do exactly what we're doing now, peacefully protesting and making it known that such things as this are not acceptable in this day and age as well as seeking means on the side thanks to beast (legally)to overturn the passing of that hate.
If not, sending a crack squad of mutants to show em' who's boss.
An intriguing quandary indeed, although it depends on which era of Prof. X you're talking about as to whether he'd peacefully protest or just change the minds of the people in power to get his way. That being said, none of us (that I'm aware of) have access to telepathy or mental reconditioning powers, so I'd say all we can do is persevere. We shall overcome, my friends, as long as we have the heart and will to keep fighting for what is good and just as long as it takes.
P.S., if anyone reading this DOES have any sort of mental manipulation power, your help is greatly appreciated!