The thing about New Year’s resolutions isn’t that they are hard to come up with, per se. Lose 10 pounds, go to the gym, quit smoking, etc. The tough thing about New Year’s resolutions is keeping them. Gym’s are at full capacity the beginning of January, and by early February or so, they are back at normal capacity. Cigarette sales in January are the lowest of any month of the year by a wide margin. But, by February, sales are brisk. Those 10 pounds? Well, chances are they will still be there when you’re making your list for 2011.

This year, we are offering up 10 New Year’s Resolutions for 2010 to help our GLBT community. We don’t expect them to be easy to keep, but we do think they are important, and we here at the Gay & Lesbian Times will be doing our best to keep them.

1. Advocate. Continue to put pressure on our elected officials to repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. As we continue to be engaged in the longest war in our nation’s history, it is vital that we have the top resources available to support that effort. Likewise, it is critical that the men and women who serve in the military be able to do so openly.

2. Participate. This year is a critical year for midterm Congressional elections. Historically, the party in power loses around a dozen to twenty seats in the House and a half dozen in the Senate. We must put our resources out there to ensure the losses are kept to a minimum so that we can keep the votes we need to fight for equality. Also, we have a gubernatorial election, and it is high time we make sure California has a Democrat in Sacramento . Join a campaign. It’s not too early to start.

3. Educate. Join the fight to get marriage equality on the ballot in a timely manner. Sign a petition, or better yet, get a petition and invite 20 people you know to sign it. Talk to your neighbors, family, and friends about the need for equal rights and responsibilities for same-sex couples. Remember, 80 percent of the “Yes” votes for Proposition 8 were in Southern California .

4. Get Tested. San Diego has the third highest rate of HIV/AIDS cases in the state of California. Getting tested regularly for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases is one of the most important ways we can stop the spread of disease. Syphilis and gonorrhea rates are soaring in San Diego , up nearly 10 times what they were a decade ago. Know your status and share your status, both with your partner(s) and your doctor. Open and honest communication is critical in this fight.

5. Donate. Clean out your closet and either have a garage sale and donate the money to a GLBT charity, or take those goods to a facility that supports our community, such as Auntie Helen’s. And while we know times are tough for us all financially, there are those out there who are having an even more difficult time. Money’s tight, but our community needs us to dig deep now more than ever as funding for critical programs is being cut or scaled back.

6. Collaborate. Bring together a neighborhood watch to help prevent hate crimes in our community. While we have a great working relationship with the San Diego City Police, as well as our Stonewall Citizens Patrol, the sad reality is that they can’t be everywhere all the time.

7. Take to the streets. Programs such as Mama’s Kitchen are in need of volunteer drivers to make sure that those who need meals get them. Pride will be launching a number of new programs this year, and they are hosting leadership training programs starting now in order to make sure both the parade and the festival are safe and fun for everyone.

8. Appreciate. Find someone or some organization that is doing something good for our community and acknowledge them through a note or even a letter to the editor. Support those businesses that give to our community. Local restaurants, bars, and other establishments have not only served the Hillcrest community, but have been pillars of the gay community, as well. Without their support, many important programs, from HIV prevention to lesbian health and wellness initiatives, wouldn’t exist.

9. Enjoy. Our community has so many opportunities to come together and have fun: the new combined San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, America’s Finest City Softball League, or game night at The Center are just a few. Get out and mingle, mix, and have some healthy fun.

10. Celebrate. Yourself, your community. Because, frankly, if we can do these things– and we know we can – then we deserve it!

Happy New Year from everyone at the Gay & Lesbian Times!