Tomorrow, the federal case filed by the American Foundation for Equal Rights seeking to overturn California’s Proposition 8 begins winding its way through the courts, likely ending up before the U.S. Supreme Court. (Read more here about the risks and reasoning behind the case known as Perry v. Schwarzenegger.) With the upcoming debate in mind, Gay Rights Media presents the tour de force mock trial ‘Homosexuality: The Verdict Is In. Not A Sickness! Not A Sin!’ produced by SoulForce.org with Mel White (@MelWhite).
“Before a judge and a jury, anti-gay charges are presented by more than a dozen public figures who have attacked God’s gay children in television specials and on nationally distributed video tapes. The most recent biblical, medical, psychiatric, psychological, and scientific evidence is presented to combat the myths and lies often used against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons by anti-gay religious leaders and institutions. Come and hear the evidence and decide for yourself!” via SoulForce.org (@SoulForceOrg).
Gay Rights Media presents this SoulForce advocacy video solely as a public service and has no affiliation with Mel White or SoulForce. Donate to SoulForce.
These seven select short videos from the LGBT Civil Rights Movement, chosen for their particular insight into various facets of the LGBT experience, are now being featured in the Gay Rights Media Facebook application under the Get Inspired tab.
“Remarkable achievements toward LGBT equality tend to be obscured by day-to-day struggles, and overall progress often goes unnoticed nationally. ..the past 10 years have been a period of dramatic gains… [the report shows] significant advances, including sharp increases in the number of LGBT Americans protected by nondiscrimination and family recognition legislation at the state level,” notes the 2 page PDF report ‘A Decade of Progress on LGBT Rights‘.
“9 out of 10 LGBT students report being harassed at school in the last year. Over one-third of LGBT students have been physically assaulted at school because of their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.” ~Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network
Carl Walker-Hoover endured constant bullying at school.
A sign reads “Bigotry is a Lifestyle Choice” at a New York City protest and rally (December 3rd, 2009) against the New York state senators who voted against marriage equality.
Bigotry is a Lifestyle Choice (Photo: David Badash)
In May, 2009, the Maine Legislature extended marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples. As expected, opponents of equality, led by the National Organization for Marriage and the Catholic Church, petitioned to have those rights put to a vote by referendum. This film chronicles the final days of the on-the-ground campaign to protect marriage equality in Maine.
This NEW LEFT MEDIA film was produced and edited by Chase Whiteside (interviews) and Erick Stoll (camera).
Photos I took while volunteering for the Maine No on 1 campaign from Oct 1 – Nov 3, 2009. Until those last horrible few hours on Election Day when a majority of voting Mainers (53%) voted away the hard won marriage equality of lgbt folk, the mood was optimistic, hopeful and building toward a celebration. Nothing I had imagined was able to prepare me for the shock and dejection that came after the last of these photos was taken; my camera had quit working an hour or so before I became aware of the polls turning in favor of Yes on 1.
When the full weight of what had happened pushed against me, I scrambled to get out of the Holiday Inn, where a celebration had been expected. But I couldn’t find my ride. As I searched through the confused crowds I noticed a young lady beginning to sob and being comforted by a friend or a might-have-been wife. My phone was dying and all my calls went to voice mail. Finally I borrowed a friend’s phone, found my ride and left the funereal disaster scene for the car where I sat alone listening to quiet music.
After so much effort – years of effort for some – had come abruptly to a dead end, my only thought was, “Now what?”
The insidious power of fear, smears and ignorance has snatched marriage equality, once again, from lgbt folk. This time in Maine. 47% of voting Mainers supported marriage equality; not enough to be done with this madness now. But still, 47% is enough to know for certain that marriage equality in Maine and the greater LGBT Civil Rights Movement is only temporarily set back.
Read GLAD Executive Director Lee Swislow’s statement on the overturning of Maine’s marriage equality law: Question 1 Passes in Maine.
Read No on 1 Protect Maine Equalilty campaign manager Jesse Connolly’s statement on the overturning of Maine’s marriage equality law: Dear Supporters…
Campaign Manager Jessie Connolly, GLAD’s Mary Benauto, legislator Ben Dudley and No on 1 staff/volunteers in the boiler room of No on 1 headquarters. Yes on 1 claimed to support domestic partnership rights for lgbt people; this presser rebutted that claim.
No on 1: Those Last Horrible Hours
Photos I took while volunteering for the Maine No on 1 campaign from Oct 1 – Nov 3, 2009. Until those last horrible few hours on Election Day when a majority of voting Mainers (53%) voted away the hard won marriage equality of lgbt folk, the mood was optimistic, hopeful and building toward a celebration. Nothing I had imagined was able to prepare me for the shock and dejection that came after the last of these photos was taken; my camera had quit working an hour or so before I became aware of the polls turning in favor of Yes on 1.
When the full weight of what had happened pushed against me, I scrambled to get out of the Holiday Inn, where a celebration had been expected. But I couldn’t find my ride. As I searched through the confused crowds I noticed a young lady beginning to sob and being comforted by a friend or a might-have-been wife. My phone was dying and all my calls went to voice mail. Finally I borrowed a friend’s phone, found my ride and left the funereal disaster scene for the car where I sat alone listening to quiet music.
After so much effort – years of effort for some – had come abruptly to a dead end, my only thought was, “Now what?”