Why We Fight

Earlier, I had posted about the outrageous Christian Anti-Defamation Commission and their audacity to claim that they're victims of bashing because of their faith.

My friend Rob responded eloquently with a video that was also in the post.

A few days after posting the "bashing" video response, Rob received a Facebook email from a girl. Finding it motivating to keep the fight for equal rights going, Rob shared it on his blog Waking Up Now.

The message:

"I don’t even know if you are going to read this, but I thought it was worth a try.

"I watched your video on Christians and how they use bashing and how gay people truly know what it means, and I have to say I cried. This isn’t a sob story or anything…But I go to a Christian Private School in [location removed], and if you know of that area it’s a very conservative area.

"I’m 15 and I’m gay but at my school you are not allowed to be or you can be expelled because “that is not what God intended”. I accidentally came out to most of my class while we were in the midst of a heated discussion of why gay marriage was wrong, me being the only one who thought it was good. My words exactly were “Well I’m sure my girlfriend would agree with me.”

"I figured that somehow my parents would find out about it so I began to talk to my mom about what she thought about being gay, and that stuff. She told me she didn’t agree with it, and if I was gay she would not come to my wedding, and she would take me to a therapist. I responded by telling her that I wouldn’t need a therapist, but did not tell her because I was honestly afraid she would hate me or something.

"At school, I am constantly being called a faggot, faggot lover, etc, and at first i just ignored it because I thought of it as stupid immature highschool [sic] talk and I still had a few good friends who stuck around. I guess I found out who my real friends were. I have also received detentions for calling a guy who was calling me a faggot…during class…an asshole. When having conversations with teachers they tell me how homosexuality is something I may be suffering from or choosing, but I need help, and I need to ask for forgiveness or else I won’t be able to achieve heaven. I don’t understand how a Christian, who says that you should love everybody and care for them, is honestly going to decide who gets to go to heaven. Unless any of them talk to god on a regular basis I don’t think they can tell me that.

"Also, since when are they legally allowed to kick someone out of school based on their sexual orientation?

"I am just so sick of people’s ignorance and unwillingness to open their eyes and see that people have feelings and something like the gender somebody likes has nothing to do with who they are. We are all people, we all have feelings, and we all love.

"It’s rediculous [sic] how stupid it’s all becoming. I’m sorry for this long message, but it felt good to type out. I really want to start advocating gay rights, and talk to people who go through what I am now, the parents that don’t understand, losing a lot of friends because of it…but in the end I feel happier, because I’m not hiding myself anymore.

"Okay, I’m done…I swear."

Keep up the fight.

FedEX Refuses to Recognize Legal Same-Sex Marriages

Citing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), FedEX has refused to recognize legal same-sex relationships, including marriages, and will not offer their married gay employees the benefits offered to their straight, married co-workers.

One Massachusetts gay employee asked the shipping company for insurance coverage for their spouse, and in response, FedEX sent this letter:

Fedex

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To make matter worse, Fortune Magazine just listed FedEX as one of its "100 Best Companies to Work For 2009." and cites that the company does in fact offer domestic partnership benefits to same-sex couples. The HRC is taking the matter to task.

Contact FedEX and voice your disapproval.

Contact the editor of Fortune at letters@fortune.com and ask them to print a retraction.

American Family Assocation Boycotting, But Says We Can't

The American Family Association, whose name let's you know it's a US organization, is still obsessing over what they call the homosexual agenda and are now targeting their homophobia at the UK and Pespi's ad that's playing only there.

UK Pepsi Ad:



The AFA is now organizing a boycott against Pepsi (and many other gay friendly companies - more on that below). This is the same organization closely tied to Protect Marriage.com, who led the Yes on 8 Campaign and gave them over half a million dollars to fight gay marriage in California.

What's extremely hypocritical is that the Protect Marriage people recently sued the state of California because of its campaign donor full disclosure law which makes it mandatory that donors' information for any campaign be made public. The reason why they sued? Because they said they were being harassed for their "support of traditional marriage," and by harassed they mainly meant that their businesses were being "boycotted." (Thankfully the state disregarded their complaint and said the LGBT had a right to boycott and was protected under free speech.) To put it simply, the AFA thinks it's swell for them to boycott, but that it's completely wrong for us to do so, going as far as suing a state to stop us. Didn't Jesus say something about hypocrisy? Mark 7:6 - “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.’”

The LGBT community must, at all costs, protect our allies from such hypocrisy. PepsiCo has been a staunch ally for LGBT people, donating $500,000 to the Human Rights Campaign and another $500,000 to Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). After the AFA threatened to boycott them if they didn't stop supporting the LGBT, PepsiCo flatly told them, in other nicer words, to shut up.

To thank PepsiCo for its support, contact them at (914) 253-2000 or email. And be sure to keep buying their products.

Another company on the AFA's target list is Campbell's Soup. And why? Because the company issued a print ad for one of its soups portraying two mothers and their son. Even though they felt pressure of a boycott from the AFA, Campbell's refused to stop running the ad.

More...

To show your support of Campbell's Soup, contact them through their website.

Unfortunately, there are companies buckling under the AFA's scrutiny and scorn. One in particular is McDonalds. After joining the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, they received scorn for "supporting the gay agenda" and, naturally, the AFA boycotted. As a result, McDonald's Vice President Richard Ellis resigned from the NGLCC, appeasing the right-wing organization and ending the boycott.

This decision is in direction contradiction to the company's core values. Here's an excerpt:

McDonald's Values

We are committed to our people
We provide opportunity, nurture talent, develop leaders and reward achievement. We believe that a team of well-trained individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences, working together in an environment that fosters respect and drives high levels of engagement, is essential to our continued success.

We give back to our communities
We take seriously the responsibilities that come with being a leader. We help our customers build better communities, support Ronald McDonald House Charities, and leverage our size, scope and resources to help make the world a better place.

We strive continually to improve
We are a learning organization that aims to anticipate and respond to changing customer, employee and system needs through constant evolution and innovation.

McDonald's Employment Experience
Support for fundamental human rights for all people is part of our global Standards of Business Conduct. We comply with all employment laws in every market where we operate, and we will not employ underage children or forced laborers. We respect the right of employees to associate or not to associate with any group, as permitted by, and in accordance with, applicable laws and regulations.

Respect - Create a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone feels valued and respected.

Contact McDonalds and show your disapproval of their joining in on the hypocrisy. And until they change, don't buy any of their products. FYI: McDonald's no longer owns Chipotle Mexican Grill, having sold its shares in 2006.

UPDATE: NPR Report: Groups Seek To Shield Gay-Marriage Ban Donations

UPDATE: A federal judge denied the plaintiff's request to keep the donors' names of the anti-gay initiative, Prop 8, confidential. The state also noted that most of the activity the plaintiffs called harassment was actually protected free speech, such as threats of boycotts. See full report.



NPR has done a report on the Protect Marriage, Yes on 8 campaign and allies' push to change the California law that demands donor information be fully and publicly disclosed. Citing harassment as their main reason, they're asking a federal judge in Sacramento to rule.

Go here to read and hear the report.

Here is the court filing:

Prop 8

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Shame on the LDS Church!

Thanks to the amazing Queers United, I was made aware of the Shame on the LDS Church! website.

Instead of repeating what Queers United has already summed up, I'll simply direct you to their post listing the many actions that Shame on the LDS Church! is supporting.

Be sure to visit Shame on the LDS Church! as well for more direct action!

The Effects of Camp Courage

The effects of Camp Courage are still being felt four days after the event. Many of the attendees are still talking about how great it was, and many others wishing that they had been able to attend. (By the way, there will be more. Fresno is confirmed for February 28/March 1st Stay tuned!)

According to the organization, 221 participants showed up to the inaugural event. It's exciting to hear them say that they're building "a grassroots army." You can see more footage, pictures, media coverage and more of Cleve Jones here.

I have heard a lot of criticism pointed at the grassroots organizations since the passing of Proposition 8 for being divisive, unable to cooperate with established leaders (or even amongst themselves, for that matter), and being completely unruly and unwilling to work with others, especially said leaders, and build much needed coalitions.

Having attended the Equality Summit, I could easily see where these criticisms came from. The Summit was full of tension, filled with irate people angry with the leadership of the failed No on 8 campaign. The grassroots doesn't trust the leaders of the No on 8 campaign, leaders who have been around probably a bit too long (being out of touch with those they represent is not an unusual circumstance leaders find themselves in when they've worn out their welcome), and that couldn't have been more evident at the event. (Though I do commend Geoff Kors for attending Camp Courage the following day.)

I myself have been irate but not with just the leaders. I have also been impatient with the grassroots for not getting it together by now, for not doing more direct action and doing the hard work of forging more powerful coalitions, which demands putting aside egos, something many of us have a hard time doing - to a fault.

However, the day following the Summit, at Camp Courage, it was remarkable, even amazing, how different the feel and tone was from so many of the same people that attended the Summit. It was palpable. The positivity electric. Many of times I have grown so discouraged with ourselves I wanted to quit, but everyone changed my perspective that day. It showed we can work together. It showed we can put aside our egos. It showed that we are able to get things done and act. But more importantly, it showed we have exactly what we need to win all of our rights.

It was exactly the remedy we needed.

I just hope we keep taking our medicine.

UPDATE & ACTION: Prayers for Bobby on Lifetime

UPDATE: Lifetime now has the whole movie, "Prayers for Bobby," on their website that you can watch for free.

ACTION: Equality Network, who hosted the screening in West Hollywood last night, is asking to show your support for "Prayers for Bobby" by calling Lifetime and asking them to keep airing "Prayers for Bobby" and get it released on DVD. Lifetime: (310) 556-7500
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"Prayers for Bobby," an original movie from Lifetime, starring Academy Award nominee Sigourney Weaver, will be airing tonight, Tuesday the 27th, 9pm ET/PT.

The network describes the picture as an "emotional true story about a 1970s religious suburban housewife and mother who struggles to accept her young son Bobby being gay. What happens to Bobby is tragic and causes Mary to question her faith; ultimately this mom changes her views in ways that she never could have imagined."

If you are unable to catch the movie tonight, you can view it on YouTube.

Equality Network is holding a viewing party of the movie tonight:



For more information, go to the Facebook Event Page.