A Veepstakes To Remember

Unprecedented. Unprecedented was chosen as dictionary.com’s “People’s Choice Word Of The Year” in 2020. Over the last eight years, we’ve heard that word used a lot.

A President was impeached — twice — and convicted of 34 felonies (and counting). Violent rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempted coup. Nazis marched in Charlottesville, killing a counter protester. A once-in-a-century pandemic shut the world down, triggering a massive global recession. An assassination attempt was made against a major candidate. A sitting President withdrew from a re-election bid at the last moment. A regressive Supreme Court has overturned precedents at every turn. Pulse. Black Lives Matter. March for Our Lives. Brexit.

Unprecedented has become cliche.

But here we are living history again.

On Tuesday, Kamala Harris revealed her vice presidential running mate for the 2024 Presidential Election, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz — just 16 days after President Joe Biden announced that he would suspend his campaign for re-election and instead endorse his Vice President for the November election.
Up until a few days ago, I — like most Americans — had no idea who Walz was.

Tim Walz was born in 1964. Walz received his bachelor’s in education in 1989, and soon after began teaching high school social studies. In 1996, Walz moved from his native Nebraska to his wife’s home town in Minnesota.

Walz is a 60-year-old, white-haired, straight, Christian, midwestern male. He grew up in Nebraska. His high school class had 25 students. He was a command sergeant major in the U.S. Army. He’s a gun owner who hunts. He was a football coach. Despite none of these facts having anything to do with LGBTQ+ equality, for a gay millennial such as myself they quickly provoke a sense of caution — they don’t exactly fit the profile of a typical ally.

But that’s not really true, is it? I know LGBTQ+ Navy Seals, football referees, gun owners, clergy members, and even Trump voters.

I’ve witnessed and experienced plenty of anti-LGBTQ+ behavior in professional settings, in urban areas, and by people who seem progressive. On the flipside, I’ve watched unlikely allies stand up to defend LGBTQ+ strangers while others stood by.

In 1999, a gay student walked up to Tim Walz in school. He wanted to start a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) in the school, in an attempt to reduce bullying, which had become an increasing problem. They needed a teacher to sponsor the group, and felt that Walz — the straight, military, married, football coach — could help them change things.

Walz quickly agreed.

Keep in mind, this was 1999. Less than one year after Matthew Shepard was murdered. Less than one year after the first “Will & Grace” episode. During a time when being LGBTQ+ would get you dishonorably discharged from the military (and Walz was still an active soldier in the National Guard).

I first heard of a Gay-Straight Alliance in 2001, when some (straight) students at my high school started one, despite there only ever being one out gay person in the school. I wasn’t one of them. I was still too afraid.

Walz has been a consistent and vocal ally of the LGBTQ+ community his entire career. During his ten years in Congress, he co-sponsored legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, voted for the Matthew Shepart/James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevenion Act, voted to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and introduced legislation protecting LGBTQ+ service members from discrimination in benefits.

As Governor, he signed an executive order banning “conversion therapy.” As waves of anti-Trans legislation flooded state legislatures across the country, he signaled he’d veto anything that reached his desk, and tweeted “To all trans youth in Minnesota: You are loved and valued.” He outlawed the LGBTQ+ “panic defense,” signed laws blocking book bans, banning conversion therapy, and protecting Trans healthcare.

Learning about Tim Walz over recent days has been an unexpected joy. It’s also been a nice reminder that people often will surprise you, if you give them a chance.

I hope the rest of the country is as pleased with Walz as I am.

Election Day 2024 is in 88 days, and early voting starts in 42 days. Be sure to check on your voter registration status at fallschurchva.gov/vote (or usa.gov/voter-registration), and make a plan to vote, because nothing is guaranteed.