What do you say?

I've had two heart-breaking conversations in the past couple of days.  They're the worst, especially with two people you really care about.  These conversations were, in their own ways, critiques on the society we live in today.

Both of my conversations were with girl friends of mine who happen to be lesbian.  They don't know each other, and yet their stories are so similar that one would think that two people experiencing such things would somehow find each other.  Instead, they share me, a simple link that doesn't really do either of them any good, except having me to help them out as best I can.  In my opinion, I always come up short.

Both of my girl friends are lesbians.  Both have girlfriends.  And both are experiencing their first same-sex relationships.  It should be liberating.  It should be exciting.  Above all, it should feel right.  But because of the way society has reacted towards homosexuality, they feel everything but.

The first one I talked to was asking me how to hold her girlfriend's hand in public and ignore the stares.  She was scared her girlfriend wouldn't understand why she might be a little uncomfortable doing such a simple action right away.  It was so unfair.  I remember the first time I held a boy's hand in public; it was scary but exhilarating.  We were at a movie, which was kinda cheating, because it was in the dark.  But, all the same, it happened and it felt great.  To imagine such a simple act scaring my friend nearly to tears isn't right.

My second conversation fell upon the topic of marriage.  My second friend has been in talks with her girlfriend about it, and it's looking likely.  But because they live in Wisconsin, where it isn't LEGAL, they can't.  They can't enter into the bond of love because a state government says no.  How can this be? It breaks my heart every time I think about it.  To constantly live with the overwhelming sense that what you're doing isn't allowed is exhausting.  To see your friends go through it breaks your heart.

The culture wars can continue.  Morals can be challenged, the Bible can be referenced, and anger and fear can dominate the conversation.  But what will you say when a GLBT youth comes up to you and asks why they can't be who they are, can't do what feels right?

What do you say?