Activist Tip: Reversing Anti-Gay "Christian" Talking Points

Next time you hear anti-gay forces try to speak their "truth", let them know how hypocritical their philosophy of hate and misunderstanding really is.

Religion is a lifestyle choice, homosexuality is not.
The religious-right often says that homosexuality is a choice, when clearly the science and common sense is in that nobody would choose to feel ostracized, be a minority, or lead a life where they weren't given equal opportunities.

Judgment and hate are sinful, loving gay couples are not.
The people who use the Bible as a tool to preach anti-gay hate often point fingers accusing gay people of being sinners. What they fail to realize is that the Bible is not to be taken literally, homosexuality is no more a sin, than being left handed, it is natural and God given, it is people in the context of an ancient culture who misunderstood homosexuality that wrote these verses. For those who take a literal interpretation it is ironic that they rail against LGBT people while failing to remember the Bible says not to judge or to hate, but to love thy neighbor as thyself.

To walk in the way of Jesus is to reach out to LGBT people.
Jesus Christ made it his mission not to follow religious dogma and authority, he did not seek to reach out to the rich or those in power. He set out to befriend and assist the poor, the weak, the disabled, and disenfranchised. Jesus would clearly be reaching out to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

Religion seeks to recruit people into its lifestyle, LGBT people don't.
Right-wing elements within organized religion often claims that gays are trying to "recruit people into their lifestyle" but last I checked one cannot alter a straight persons orientation. We seek to educate, dialogue and gain equality not in an effort to turn people gay but turn peoples hearts and minds into seeing that we share the same hopes, and fears, and love that everyone else does. If anyone is on a mission to recruit people into their lifestyle it would be organized religion and their missionaries. These groups seek to convert people into their way of thinking, which they see as the only way. The beauty of this Earth is that there are many ways to find inner peace and spirituality, and that there is a diversity of thought and of culture and to find God or to have no Gods at all.

Activist Tip: Sharing is Caring, Oh, and Visibility!

Next time you are done reading a gay/lesbian newspaper/magazine, or some sort of activist flier or publication instead of tossing it in the trash, leave it on a table at the doctors office waiting room, or at your local library. It is great to recycle and someone else gets use out of it, but more importantly someone else will be reached with queer issues and may be personally affected by it. We change hearts and minds through our stories and through visibility of our movement.

Activist Tip: Inquire About Candidates Positions

Wherever you are in the world, and whatever political affiliation your representative has in your local area, ie: liberal, conservative, moderate, etc you can ask their opinion on LGBT issues. Tell them you are a staunch supporter of LGBT rights including (marriage, adoption, hate crimes, employment non-discrimination, the right to serve and others).

Phone or email your candidates for senate, congress, city council, and the courts and let them know where you as a constitute stands on these crucial issues. The more we speak up, the more we will be heard, and we can demonstrate that we are a segment of the population that can and does get out the vote!

Feel free to re-post the comments you receive from candidates whether positive, neutral, or negative.

Activist Tip: Reclaim Distorted Phrases

Anti-gay foes and conservatives have co-opted many words and distorted their true meaning. It is time to reclaim these terms, and bring truth not distortion to our language.

"Family Values" - We are proud to be a family values website, we are very concerned with the future of the family unit. We support the right of families whether they be queer headed households or heterosexual, we firmly stand behind these loving couples and their children.

"Activist Judges" - Judges who uphold the rights of minorities and seek to expand rights not eliminate them are staying true to the constitution. It those conservative judges who seek to amend the constitution to take away rights, and those who violate the law who are activist judges who seek to further their own radical religious agenda.

"Marriage Protection" - Advocates of equality are all about protecting marriage. We want to ensure that gay and lesbian couples have equal access to this cherished institution. While much of the country is marrying for money and looks, and divorcing at alarming rates, we want to strengthen the institution of marriage.

"Values Voters" - We are values voters, we go to the ballot box with our morals and values in mind when we decide on a candidate, and an issue. The difference is we open our minds, hearts, and vote based on equality, liberty and justice for all.

"San Francisco Values" - This term is used to insinuate how supposedly outlandish the radical hippies "homosexual & abortionist advocates" are. We do not have to be ashamed to espouse views, nor be degraded for believing in the constitution which declares a right to privacy, a right for all people to be treated equally.

I encourage you all to take back these terms from the activist linguists out there. It is about time that pro-equality folks, use words that truly represent what we are trying to accomplish, don't hesitate to use these words, and be clear on your intent when using them.

Activist Tip: Take Away Their Marriage Recognition

For those who voted to take away our marriage rights, we can symbolically take away the recognition of theirs as well. In some ways it seems a little juvenile, but so are their actions, and this will go a long way to make our point. If you know someone who is anti-gay, or voted for a proposition banning same-sex marriage, you can no longer regard their relationship as a marriage. Instead, give them a taste of what they are subjecting us to. Refer to their spouse as their "domestic partner" and their marriage as a "civil union" or just say you no longer recognize marriages since your right to them was taken away.

H/T to Chino Blanco for the graphic.

Activist Tip: Debunk "Heterosexual" Preference

Often we see anti-gay right-wing forces use quotations around words that describe our identities, and families. You will see them say a "homosexual" insinuating that this does not deserve recognition as a real orientation. They will also put quotations around "marriage" when they discuss gay couples, to debunk the notion of gay unions being worthy. Likewise, with regards to trans folk they say "man", "woman" totally disregarding and disrespecting the persons gender identity.

When dealing with anti-gay opponents lets reverse the tactic and put it on them to see how they feel. For example, "heterosexual" to describe the so called preference of these individuals. Also "heterosexual marriage" to describe the notion that somehow a "straight" couple should attain marriage rights.

Please do not regard this post as heterophobic, we have many allied readers and would never degrade their identities or marriages, this is simply a tactic that can be used against our anti-gay opponents so they can just for a second see what it is like to walk in our shoes.

Activist Tip: Love The Sinner, Hate The Sin!

We are taught to love the sinner and to hate the sin. We must exercise compassion and provide outreach to the heterosexual community some of whom engage in the sin known as homophobia: a fear and/or hatred of homosexuals or transphobia: a fear and/or hatred of transgender people.

Find out how you rank on the homophobia scale.

Want to get more involved to fight queerphobia?

Find out what programs your local LGBT community center offers.

Find a local Parents, Friends, and Families of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) chapter.

See if there is a safe-space training program, get certified, or start your own!

Learn more about and host a Stop the Hate workshop.

Check out the 52 things you can do to help stop transphobia!

Speak up when someone uses anti-queer terms or misrepresents the truth.

National No Name Calling Week is Jan 26-30, 2009.

Check out the Think B4 You Speak campaign.

Activist Tip: Tell Your Friends/Acquaintances to Vote NO!

Okay this will take a few minutes of your time and can make all the difference! Open your address book, your facebook, myspace, or any social networking website you have. Do a regional search and find those in states with anti-gay referendums and tell them from your heart why they should vote against those ballots. Studies show someone who knows someone LGBT or an ally is much more likely to side with equality.

So tell your friends in California to vote NO on proposition 8 which eliminates the right of same-sex couples to marry.

Tell your friends in Arizona to vote NO on proposition 102 which bans same-sex marriage, it already is illegal in Arizona!

Tell Floridians to vote NO on proposition 2 which eliminates same-sex marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships (even for heterosexual couples).

Tell those in Connecticut to vote NO on initiative 1 which brings into session a constitutional convention.

Ten Ways to Respond to Anti-Gay Remarks

Ten Ways to Respond
to Anti-Gay Remarks

#1
Remark:
The Bible says being gay is a sin.

Response:
The Bible says a lot of things.

#2
Remark:
Being gay is not natural. It goes against the design for humanity.

Response:
It may not be natural for YOU. Were you there when humanity was designed?

#3
Remark:
Gay people are sexual deviants, sex is for pro-creation.

Response:
Following this line of thinking would mean that married straight couples who can't or don't want to have children are sexual deviants also, and should have their marriage rights taken away too.


#4
Remark:
Marriage is supposed to be between a man and a woman.

Response:
It is between a man and a woman right now, but same sex couples are human beings too. If these couples are willing to take on the same responsibilities of marriage as a straight couple, they should have equal rights and protection under the law.

#5
Remark:
Being gay is a choice and you shouldn't choose to be gay.

Response:
Does it make sense that I would choose to live as a second class citizen, with no rights, begging for my dignity? I am who I am. Asking a gay person to choose to be straight is like asking a Zebra to lose it's stripes and be a Pony.

#6
Remark:
Being gay is unacceptable behavior, you should have more chastity.

Response:
You don't own me. I don't tell you how to live your life, and I don't think it would be fair to stomp on your rights just because I don't agree with how you live.


#7
Remark:
If gay marriage is legal people will want to marry their pets, and schools will teach children that gay marriage is OK.

Response:
Straight people have been getting married (and divorced!) for thousands of years, yet still they aren't marrying their pets. Plus, teachers are already teaching children of gay parents that straight marriage is OK.

#8
Remark:
Marriage has always been between a man and woman. We shouldn't change that just because a small group of people complain.

Response:
Society has evolved to include all groups, no matter how under-represented they might be. It wasn't that long ago when blacks couldn't marry whites, and we couldn't marry out of our own class. Times have changed and so should the marriage laws.


#9
Remark:
Supporting gay marriage will cause more people to be gay.

Response:
Gay marriage will allow more people to be who they are without the fear of being persecuted.


#10
Remark:
God hates gays.

Response:
God made me, YOU hate gays. That's your hang up.

Crossposted via our friends over at Lez Get Real.

Activist Tip: Write an Editorial In Favor of LGBT Rights

Submit an editorial to your local newspaper or magazine, perhaps you go to a high school or college and can write a piece for the weekly paper? Stand up for LGBT issues and let others know why you support them. You can write about anything, a gay show, a transgender friend, your coming out story, LGBT political or social issues, it's your editorial and it is your call. Not every piece will get accepted and editors do get many requests but don't let that dissuade you, keep trying to get your opinion heard. Someone will read it, and it will make a difference!

Activist Tip: Update Your Picture With a No On Prop 8 Sign

Got a facebook?, myspace? or some other social networking site? Why not update your default picture with a picture of your beautiful face holding a "No on Prop 8" sign! Whether you are in the heat of the storm in California or somewhere else in the world, show support for preserving real family values, vote NO on proposition 8 and keep same-sex marriage legal in California!




http://www.stop8.org/

Activist Tip: Come Out as a Straight Ally

Today's activist tip is directed towards our straight friends and family. Coming out as an ally on behalf the LGBT community can sometimes be daring and challenging pending on the environment you are in. Straight allies are key towards our collective battle for equality. When you speak out as a straight person in favor of LGBT civil rights, it goes to show that the fight for equality is not just about black or white, gay or straight, or man or woman, but purely about human dignity and human rights.

Straight people outnumber gay people and the more voices being heard the more succesful our respective campaigns. Also, someone who may be on the fence with regards to marriage equality, adoption, transgender concerns, and/or other aspects of LGBT life will be able to relate to and be more likely to be convinced by a fellow straight person who sides with equality.

So, to our straight brethren show your rainbow wristband, spark conversations about equality, sign those petitions, and speak up when you hear homo/transphobia. Be out, proud, and loud for those of us who don't have a voice or whose voice is shunned by our adversaries.

Check out PFLAG's Guide to Being a Straight Ally

"Guerilla Gay Bar"

"Guerrilla Gay Bar" is when dozens of gays and lesbians on a given night converge on a bar/club that caters predominantly to straight people. This is a form of activism and a way to blend into the population.

Activist Tip: Get Queer Books in Your Library!

Inspired by a right-wing blog I read that was advocating for their readers to request "ex-gay" books for their local libraries I decided to post a reverse entry.

Your local library is about serving the community, they want to carry books and videos that their residents want.

They have a suggestion box or email form, why not go ahead and list some good queer political books, coming out resource guides, and queer history books to be added to the shelves?

In addition to requesting new books, make sure to take out the existing books on queer culture so that the libraries do not discontinue these books.

Many libraries have been forced to place LGBTQ books on high shelves due to community outcry, making it harder or virtually impossible for people to have access to them. Speak to the head librarian and demand that the books are visible and available for those who want them.