Oklahoma City Gays Boycott Flip's Restaurant

Flip's Wine Bar and Trattoria has found itself in a new battle after its owner Gail Vines a member of the Oklahoma City School Board voted twice to fire an openly gay teacher. The teacher Mr. Joe Quigley believes he wasn't fired for being gay, but for being an advocate on behalf of gay rights and supporting students efforts to start a gay-straight alliance.

A court order has demanded an immediate reinstatement of Quigley because it believes bias was involved in his firing and the court determined he was qualified to remain a teacher. The school district has gone against the courts decision and it remains to be seen what the outcome will be.

Meanwhile gay activists are boycotting Flip's because they believe the owner has anti-gay bias.

Please respectfully let the owner know your thoughts and your decision to boycott her establishment:

Flip's Wine Bar and Trattoria
5801 N Western
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
405-843-1527

Dr. Phil's Show Continues to Pathologize Queer Identities

Dr. Phil has been on a crusade to pathologize gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people with shows about "gender confused children" "experimental bisexuality" and by giving a platform to so called experts on "ex-gay therapy" from Focus on the Family. His shows have been so controversial that he has even come under pressure and forced to cancel previous shows on bisexuality and trans children. What's concerning is that Dr. Phil has access to millions of Americans who follow his advice and subcribe to his point of view, rendering it particularly dangerous since his views on GLBT issues are wrong and immoral.

Here at Queers United we have been dedicated to monitoring Dr. Phil's programming and ensure that we hold him accountable for his actions. His upcoming shows continue to raise a red flag merely by their title and description alone and considering his past actions we do not expect any change.

One show called "Teen Experimenting With Bisexuality?" has this description:

"Did your teenager recently tell you he/she is bisexual? Maybe you caught them engaging in same sex activity? Are you torn with how to react?

Do you feel that what your teenager is doing is just a phase? Or maybe you feel like girls kissing girls is the new teenage fad? Do you feel strongly opinionated on the subject?"

This insinuates that bisexuality is not a psychologically sound or stable orientation. We would applaud a show on bisexuality, but not one that gives credence to the myths surrounding it.

Another show that is alarming is called "Struggling With Sexual Identity?"

Are you a woman struggling with sexual identity? Maybe it's causing problems with an addiction? Or maybe you feel you might be in denial about your sexuality?

Did you think you knew who you were but then something or someone opened your eyes to a new you?

It would be wrong to pre-judge or presume what the show will be about beforehand, but again there is serious concern given the track record of the show. Is Dr. Phil asserting that a GLBT identity may be related to addiction, or is he referring to sex addiction regardless of orientation? The shows title raises a red flag because proponents of "ex-gay therapy" often use the terms "struggling" and "sexual identity" to refer to GLBT people.

We urge other bloggers, and webmasters to join our Dr. Phil boycott and alert their readers to the homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic coverage that has been occurring for several months now.

Send your comments to Dr. Phil demanding he stop his anti-LGBT programming.

Sign our twitter petition demanding positive coverage now!

Dr. Phil show
5482 Wilshire Boulevard #1902
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Manchester Hotels Boycott Going Global

Manchester hotels has reportedly suffered a loss of atleast 7 million dollars thanks to an LGBT boycott after the owner Doug Manchester donated $125,000 to the anti-gay proposition 8 referendum in California which eliminated the states marriage rights for same-sex couples.

There have been calls for conferences scheduled there to be moved, with over a dozen of them such as the American Association for Justice heeding the call.

Boycott organizers are taking their message global creating posters in English, Spanish, and Japanese.

Please make sure to continue boycotting these properties and alert your friends and family.

Manchester Grand Hyatt, San Diego, CA

Grand del Mar Resort, San Diego, CA

Whitetail Club and Resort, McCall, Idaho

http://www.boycottmanchesterhotels.com/

Companies to Boycott Over Prop 8!

The Human Rights Campaign has created a comprehensive list of dozens of organizations that have contributed to proposition 8, please boycott the businesses on the list below.

Click here for the listing.

Ken Garff Automotive Group Boycott Called Off

2/28/09: A California gay-rights group announced Friday it is formally ending a boycott of one of Utah's most high-profile car dealerships.

Fred Karger, director of Californians Against Hate, said Friday the two-week boycott of Ken Garff Automotive Group was being called off immediately, following a series of meetings that included face-to-face discussions between company principals John and Robert Garff and Utah philanthropist Bruce Bastian, a leading gay-rights advocate. (Californians Against Hate)

---

2/11/09: Mrs. Katharine Garff, mother of Ken Garff Automotive Group Chairman of the Board and CEO Robert Heiner Garff, gave $100,000.00 to the California’s Yes on Proposition 8 campaign to take away the rights of gays and lesbians. In the past 9 years, Katharine Garff had only given $3,000 in political contributions, all to U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch. Now all of a sudden she becomes one of the largest contributors to Prop. 8 in the country.

The Garff family owns dozens of car dealerships in 4 states — Utah, California, Texas and Iowa. Please support this important Boycott and support equality for all.

http://www.boycottkengarffautomotive.com/

Utah Dealerships

• Ken Garff Chrysler Jeep Dodge
  4175 W 3500 S
  West Valley, UT 84120
• Ken Garff Ford
  597 East 1000 South
  American Fork, UT 84003
  Leave feedback on Yelp.com
• Ken Garff Honda Downtown
  64 E. 900 South
  Salt Lake City, UT 84111
• Ken Garff Honda Ogden
  900 W. Riverdale Road
  Ogden, UT 84405
• Ken Garff Honda of Orem
  115 E. University Parkway
  Orem, UT 84058
• Ken Garff Hyundai
  198 East 500 South
  Salt Lake City, UT 84111
  Leave feedback on Yelp.com
• Ken Garff Jaguar
  543 South State Street
  Salt Lake City, UT 84111
  Leave feedback on Yelp.com
• Ken Garff Mercedes
  575 South State Street
  Salt Lake City, UT 84111
  Leave feedback on Yelp.com
• Ken Garff Mitsubishi Downtown
  150 East 500 South
  Salt Lake City, UT 84111
• Ken Garff Nissan Riverdale
  615 W. Riverdale Road
  Riverdale, UT 84405
• Ken Garff Nissan Salt Lake
  777 S. West Temple
  Salt Lake City, UT 84101
  Leave feedback on Yelp.com
• Ken Garff Nissan of Orem
  285 W. University Parkway
  Orem, UT 84058
• Ken Garff Porsche Audi VW
  196 E. University Parkway
  Orem, UT 84058
  Leave feedback on Yelp.com
• Ken Garff Buick Pontiac GMC Mitsubishi
  900 W. Riverdale Rd.
  Ogden, UT 84405
  Leave feedback on Yelp.com
• Ken Garff Saab
  560 S 200 E
  Salt Lake City, UT 84111
  Leave feedback on Yelp.com
• Ken Garff Volvo
  525 South State Street
  Salt Lake City, UT 84111

California Dealerships

• Surf City Nissan
  17331 Beach Blvd.
  Huntington Beach, CA 92647
  800-615-9640
• Stadium Nissan
  1140 W. Katella Ave.
  Orange, CA 92867
  866-374-8080
• Puente Hills Subaru
  17801 E. Gale Avenue
  City of Industry, CA 91748
  626-626-4800
• Ken Garff Chevrolet Cadillac of the Desert
  78-611 US Highway 111
  LA QUINTA, CA 92253
  866-889-2520
• Acura of the Desert
  68-100 Perez Rd.
  Cathedral City, CA 92234
  800-549-0463
  Leave feedback on Yelp.com
• Toyota of the Desert
  68-105 Kyle Rd.
  Cathedral City, CA 92234
  866-650-7306
  Leave feedback on Yelp.com

Texas Dealerships

• Texan Pontiac GMC Buick
  18225 Eastex Freeway
  Humble, TX 77338
  281-973-5827
• Casa Pontiac GMC Buick
  1701 I-10 East
  Baytown, TX 77521
  800-481-4397
• Northwest Dodge
  19616 NW Freeway
  Houston, TX 77065
  800-496-0939
  Leave feedback on Yelp.com
• Clearlake Dodge
  15711 Gulf Freeway
  Webster, TX 77598
  800-619-0103

Iowa Dealerships

• Dewey Ford
  3055 S E Delaware Ave.
  Ankeny, Iowa 50021
  800-807-8240
• Dewey Dodge Jeep
  3175 S E Delaware Ave.
  Ankeny, Iowa 50021
  888-364-6908
• Stew Hansen Dodge City Jeep
  12103 Hickman
  Des Moines, Iowa 50323
  888-993-8282
  Leave feedback on Yelp.com
• Stew Hansen Chrysler Dodge Jeep
  2412 N. Jefferson
  Indianola, Iowa 50125
  888-687-4576

Help spread the word through Yelp.com that Mrs. Garff’s $100,000.00 contribution to Yes on 8 will cost them lost car sales. Follow the link to Yelp.com and enter Garff Automotive Group. Leave a comment on what you think about their enormous support for Prop 8. Comments can be posted for any of Garff Automotive owned dealer around the U.S.

Help Invalidate Prop 8 Through "Designers for Equality"

One of our readers ChadMichael and his partner Mito contacted me over the great news that the media is picking up on their Christmas decorations which call for people to visit InvalidateProp8, a site by the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center which has already raised more than $70,000 in the fight to overturn prop 8.

These guys aren't done yet, they are just beginning their fight! They have launched a new website called Designers for Equality (D.E) In response to prop 8 passing they are asking their fellow designers within the wedding industry (i.e. wedding planners, wedding designers, bridal dress makers, florists, caterers, photographers, hair and make-up savants, wedding venues, everyone involved with making weddings come true); including all who support us, to come together in solidarity and Boycott all weddings. This also includes the cancellation of wedding magazine subscriptions.

D.E understands the economy is poor right now, and that it is very hard to turn down any opportunity to make money. That is why when you commit to boycott all weddings until prop 8 is overturned, the people in the network will collaborate to help one another out.

For more info check out http://iamsquaredesigns.com/ and email: designersforequality@gmail.com

"Day Without a Gay" - Dec 10th

December 10th will be "Day Without a Gay." On this day you are encouraged to call in "gay" to work, school, and whatever obligations you have. It is a national day of protest to show our friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers that they can deny us our rights, but we can deny them our labor and hit back where it hurts, the economy.

Organizers of this action are asking people to not only sit out of work, school, etc but to get involved with your local GLBT organization, or to protest against marriage inequality.

Get involved with an activity in any state, (the website is new and listings are just getting added, so keep checking back).

Boycott A-1 Self Storage!

Californians Against Hate has launched a new website urging for a call to boycott A-1 Self Storage. Previously we blogged in July about Mr. Terry Caster a California businessman who owns A-1 Self Storage contributing nearly 300,000 dollars to support eliminating marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples in California via proposition 8.

His reason for donating:

"Without solid marriage, you are going to have a sick society,"

In October, Mr. Caster more than doubled his previous donation, bringing his total donation to proposition 8 to 693,000 dollars, making his family the 2nd largest contributor to the proposition.

Let the company know that you will be boycotting them over the Caster families donation to proposition 8.

Corporate Office Number: 800-219-4854 ext. 106

A-1 Customer Service Number: 800-210-8979

The Boycott A-1 Self Storage website has a listing of all the locations to avoid.

No MILK For Cinemark!

The CEO of Cinemark, Alan Stock, donated $9999 to the Yes on 8 Campaign, but will now profit from showing MILK in his theaters.

As of sunday evening, they have exceeded 1,000 facebook members who have joined the cause!

But it’s just a start—we need to keep going to make the biggest impact we can. Our new goal is 10,000 members—This is aggressive but we think it’s possible. Let’s keep it going!

Boycotts work. A boycott of a Sacramento theatre company resulted not only in the resignation of a Yes on 8 contributor,
but a public apology and donation to Human Rights
Campaign! We can do this again.

You can find an alternative theater using the links on the left, and join our facebook group below to spread the word!

Check out the No MILK for Cinemark campaign, for fliers, facebook group, gay-friendly theaters, and ones to avoid who donated to prop 8.

Homophobic Rapper Trick Trick Doesn't Want Queers Buying His Album

Eminem bud and frequent collaborator Trick Trick let loose a torrent of homophobic invectives to All Hip Hop today, telling the magazine that he doesn't want gay people to buy his album:

“I’ma [sic] go on the record right now with this. Homosexuals are probably not gonna like this album, I don’t want your fagot money any goddamn way. I don’t like it [homosexuality]. Carry that shit somewhere else.”

It gets better.

"Trick Trick explained that his anger comes from what he feels is mainstream society’s growing promotion of homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle.

“It’s just that every time that you turn on the TV, that sissy shit is on,” Trick told AllHipHop.com. “And they act like its fucking okay. The world is changing for the worst when shit like that happens. And I address that issue. I address it hard as hell.”

On the self-titled album track called "Trick Trick," the Detroit rapper hurls vitriolic bars against gay activists Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O’Donnell, referring to them as “dyke bitches” and promising to send a “scud missile right through their fucking cruise ship.”

The album features appearances by a whole host of hip-hop stars including Eminem, Ice Cube, Kid Rock, Proof, Esham, Dr. Dre , Guilty Simpson, and Royce Da 5’9.

We have no problem boycotting his album, he is even encouraging it! Just be sure to tell your straight friends (Trick Trick's target market) to boycott as well!

You can contact Trick Trick or leave him a blog post via his myspace page.

Crossposted via Queerty.