Growing up on a farm near Stewartville, Clara Dux felt rich. "We grew our own food, we had fresh milk in the cooler," she said. Her family and church community were loving, and the local community looked out for its own.
What the 24-year-old Winona resident and active LGBT ally didn't have growing up was exposure to openly gay and lesbian people. "Although I was raised in a conservative family that belongs to a Missouri Synod Church, I didn't hate LGBT people. I just hadn't had much exposure," she said.
Then she was admitted to the University of Minnesota in Morris, which welcomes all its members. "It was a transformation for me," Dux said, "being around beautiful people, loving the people they wanted to love, while being accepted for who they are."
"My values changed dramatically," she noted, from when she was growing up, although her deep appreciation of community did not. Dux loved the small town college and its connection with the surrounding counties (Bluestem learned during the interview that we share many friends in The Bump, although a friend in Winona County suggested the contact).
At Morris, Dux joined many of her generation in supporting marriage equality. "By and large, my generation not only has no problem with the freedom to marry, we think it's the right thing," Dux said. "My friends from college are getting jobs, marrying--and if they're not in committed relationships, they're looking for someone, they want to have kids."
The upbeat young woman didn't sort out straight and LGBT friends in that statement. She went on to mention one friend, a young gay man who loves children, as the emblem for why she and her generation has a whole support marriage equality.
"Travis loves children; he wants to have his own someday," she said. "But without their parents' ability to marry even though they're in a loving relationship, those children are vulnerable if something happens to one parent or there's a split."
"The children of same-sex couples deserve the protections marriage offers children," she asserted. "I think we can create a better world, where all my friends can get married--where my children will be able to marry who they want."
Should the legislature approve the Dibble-Clark bills, as is likely, Dux thinks that Minnesota will cement its reputation as a great place to live and work. "Minnesota is a wonderful place," she said, "but people my age want to live in places that are open and supportive communities for everyone."
Dux thinks her state representative, Gene Pelowski (DFL-Winona) should vote yes on HF1054, the Clark marriage equality bill, because by doing so, he can secure his hard-earned reputation as a champion for students.
"He's been at this a long time," she said. "He's on the side of students and education. Students don't have a problem with this--pass it. Engage with us on this issue and strength your connection with young people."
"Get on this train, Gene," she said, laughing.
Photo: Claire Dux wants Gene Pelowski to vote yes today. Submitted photo.
This original story is underwritten by a sponsorship by Minnesotans United for All Families.
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