Sweetie your tales of recent woes are alarming and disheartening to say the least. Let's face it, a big reason why people like us choose to settle on this godforsaken island is to live free of the bigotry the rest of our imperialist nation brews. It's sad to think that the conservative McCarthyist movement spread by the Bush administration has actually begun to taint our concrete haven. While I do believe the tide has impercetibly begun to turn against the Bushies at the national level, it's important to remember that for every two steps forward we get, we are pushed a step back.
I have to take issue though with the criticism of younger gay generations taking things for granted. It seems to me that the veryGOAL of the gay rights movement was and is for future gay generations to take their equality for granted. To NOT feel stigmatized because of their sexuality, to own their individualism and to fully expect without question the same dignity of treatment that every straight person gets. The day that scenario is fully realized will be a beautiful fucking day in my book and a reason to celebrate. If today's gay youth are taking things for granted, it's because progress has been made and our kids have a little more breathing room than queers of generations past had, even more than my generation that came of age in the (relatively recent) 1980s.
That said, we are certainly a long way from such a state of affairs. Learning to protect oneself is always a smart undertaking. Remaining out and proud is the single most important contribution any queer can make, both to our history and our future. Still though, it makes one's head spin. When a drag queen with big titties can't get a cab in this town, maybe it's time to pack it in for Amsterdam after all!