Ben Cable (CitizenBen.net)
VIDEO (YouTube)
Hello, sisters and brothers! I am Ben Cable.
I stand before you today—not just as an older gay man who has seen too damn much—but as someone who refuses to see any more of the same. With me is my husband of 35 years, Marcial—a disabled Filipino American Army veteran, a brain cancer survivor, and a fighter. Together, we were the first couple to fight for marriage equality in the courts of California.
I have fought. I have resisted. And I have done so alongside fierce women and men my entire life—because an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.
Today, we do not stand as Democrats or Republicans. We stand as Americans.
Yet today, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are under attack. Veterans, the disabled, the LGBTQ+ community, people of color, immigrants, women, religious minorities, scientists—we are ALL in their crosshairs. And let me be absolutely clear: we will not be erased.
As a gay man, I have been called names, shoved aside, beaten down by those who thought they could break me. But they didn’t. And do you know why? Because strong women stood by my side—just like I stand by yours now.
Trump. Vance. Musk. Washington Republicans. They come for our rights. They come for our bodies. They come for our dignity. And they expect us to sit down and take it?
I have news for them: We are standing up. We are speaking out. We are fighting back. And we are not backing down.
We are here because women—**especially women of color, trans women, working-class women, young women—**are STILL fighting battles that should have been won generations ago.
Your fight is my fight.
When they try to silence you, they try to silence me.
When they strip away your freedom, they strip away mine.
And let’s be clear: A woman’s right to make decisions for her own body is not up for debate.
Not by me.
Not by Washington.
Not by men in robes.
Not by politicians in suits who wouldn’t last a day in her shoes.
Her body. Her choice. End of discussion.
So what do we do?
We UNITE.
The moment demands more. Bring your friends. Your family. Your neighbors. Show up. Speak out. Call your representatives. Demand action from your AG, your governor, your leaders.
We RESIST.
We link arms. We lift each other up. And we remind the world that we are unstoppable. Because we have endured hate, violence, loss—and yet, we are still here.
And as long as we stand together, we will never be defeated.
They don’t get to win. Not today. Not ever.
Happy International Women’s Day—now let’s raise some hell!
