awakenings

From Joe My God

Go to Join The Impact for information about the protests near you. Protest times are staggered by time zone, making this the very first time in the history of our nation that LGBT people will be standing up for ourselves in every major city in every state at the SAME TIME.

Prop 102 would amend the Arizona Constitution to say "only a union between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state". This issue is on the ballot for November 4th, even though Arizona residents voted on, and rejected, this issue just two short years ago.

This time around, the “Yes On 102” campaign has a huge budget to spread their message. Their billboards, signs, and radio/television ads are everywhere right now. It’s easy to let that make us feel invisible, marginalized, hopeless….but now, more than ever; we cannot afford to let that happen.

Consider this a call to action! We want to counter those images and messages of divisiveness, exclusion and prejudice with images of inclusion, equality and acceptance.

If you live in Arizona take a picture of you in front of your “No on 102’ lawn sign, print a sign for your car window and take a picture of that, or stand in front of one of the “Yes” signs holding your own handmade sign that shows your support of equality and your desire to defeat this proposition. Kiss, hug, hold hands, flash a big peace sign…whatever you’re inspired to do.*

If you live elsewhere in the country, but want to show your support, make a sign of your own celebrating acceptance, equality, love.  Involve your children, neighbors – heck, get your pets in the mix too – just make sure to write “No On 102” somewhere on the sign!

Margaret Mead said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

To that we add, never underestimate the power of a simple photograph. Our pictures, taken from the heart, often speak louder than our voices ever could. Collectively we believe these images will carry our message of equality forward and outward – spreading a wave of positive energy that will help us defeat this proposition once and for all.

*Just keep it legal folks – nothing obscene or vulgar, and definitely nothing against the law – no graffiti or defacement, keep it positive!

Please blog about us, link to us, send our information to your friends and family.  Consider making a sign or taking a pic and uploading it to our flickr group or email it to noon102@gmail.com.  Add us as your friend on Myspace (and make us your top friend until the election) or join our group on facebook. Check out our ‘Get Involved’ page for more ways to help, and make a donation to help us fight against this proposition.  Every little bit helps.

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Can we adopt this commercial in Arizona to counter the “Yes on 102′ folks? Brilliant.

….and lets all focus on something far more important….

This image, brought to you by the fine folks at grrlplanet made me forget all about my angst and tortuous self-examination. That’d be Pink, MY Pink, and another hot, tattooed, spiky haired rock-n-roll chica. Holding hands. Standing close. I don’t know about you but – questionable butterfly hair adornment aside – my first thought is definitely not ‘ah how sweet, look at the two straight friends hanging out’.

Yes, I am aware that I have a strong need to continue to believe that Pink will one day be mine, and thus will eagerly soak in any and all evidence that will support my theory/delusion/intuition/fantasy. Perhaps there is a slight chance that I’m taking a simple photo of some good friends out at lunch and jumping to wild conclusions simply because it suits me.

But I don’t think so…how about you?

No words needed, these videos speak for themselves.

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Like so many others, I was so deeply disappointed last week to learn that the Matthew Shepard Act had been dropped from the final version of the Defense Authorization Bill. 

I clearly remember learning about the brutal hate crime that resulted in Matthew’s death.  I was a year out of college, planning my wedding, and was feeling as if I had the world at my feet.  I was still deeply in denial about my own sexuality, but can recall following the news reports with a sense of horror and grief.  Reading the details of what this kind-eyed boy, just a year younger than me, had gone through…it was, and is, beyond my ability to comprehend.

If it had passed, “The Matthew Shepard Act would have expand the 1969 United States federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.”*   Seems pretty straightforward right?

It has been nine years since Matthew’s death.  Nine years, and despite the efforts of Matthew’s family and other committed activists, we still do not have federal protection for crimes perpetrated against individuals or groups based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.  Why?

There are many reasons, some of which I can even wrap my brain around politically, that the Act was dropped from the defense bill.  But even if we can accept the reasons, it does not minimize the fact that this represents a loss (or at the very least a failure to achieve necessary and long deserved progress) for the entire LGBTQ community.

The news that this act was dropped from the bill, especially coming so close on the heels of the dropping of transgender protection from ENDA, is hard to accept.  So many people fought so hard for both of those pieces of legislation.  So many people needed the protection they would have and should have provided.  So many people are left vulnerable and legally and politically defenseless by the failure of our political system to move themselves beyond a process so entrenched in personal prejudice and theocratic ideology.

Locally, there have been some small, but not insignificant, steps forward lately.  It is hard to wholeheartedly celebrate these victories when they are followed closely in the news by the story of the third anti-gay attack this year in the city of Scottsdale, but celebrate we must.  We have to celebrate, to push forward, to sing the victories from our rooftops and to fight loudly and determinedly against the setbacks.

When we talk about activism, about working to create real and necessary change, it is easy to get fired up and energized by the cause.  It is also all too easy to get beaten down and to feel as if all the efforts are pointless and that real progress will always continue to elude us.   By their very nature, activism and burnout go hand in hand, but when a fight is worth fighting there will always be people to dust off the disappointment, pick up the pieces and keep moving forward. 

I cannot imagine how Matthew’s parents must have felt upon hearing the news that the legislation they had worked so long and hard for – the act that bore their son’s name – had been dropped from the bill.  But still, they refuse to give up.

“Make no mistake; this is a small triumph of process over principle.  We are dedicated to redoubling our efforts next year to achieve our vision of a hate-free America that truly includes everyone.  This has never simply been about Matthew Shepard and our family, this legislation is a gift delayed but never forgotten for all America’s families.” ~ Judy and Dennis Shepard.

Their efforts exemplify the belief that the only way to counter hatred, prejudice and ignorance is with passion and determination and by holding onto the belief that it is possible to create change. With their work, Judy and Denis Shepard are saying that the legacy of hatred must never be resignation, or disillusionment or cynicism.

Indeed, if there is to be hope of creating real change, the legacy of hatred must always be love.

* HR 1592, the House bill