Vote for Pro-LGBT Miss America Contestant!

Ms. Claire Buffie a contestant for Miss America is the first ever pageant queen to campaign on an LGBT rights platform. Having won the nomination for Miss New York the beauty queen/photographer and activist now vies for the top crown.

Ms. Buffie has been active in educating students about respect and acceptance for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. A straight ally herself, Buffie has a lesbian sister whom she wants to see have equal rights in her lifetime.



Visit the Miss America site to vote for Buffie, or text MANY to 24470.

Be sure to tune in on January 15th to see if she is selected to the top 15!

Tell the NYTimes What YOU Think About Their Editorial!

Calls to action aren’t always meant to stop bad things from happening. Sometimes we act to show our thanks or support. The New York Times has greatly increased its meaningful coverage of LGBT issues, especially family issues, over the last few years.

Just a few days ago the NYTimes penned this eloquent editorial on Arkansas’s Act 1, the ballot measure that banned all unmarried, cohabitating couples (including all gay and lesbian couples) from fostering or adopting children in the state.

Join the Family Equality Council in praising the NY times for their positive coverage and editorials of LGBT issues.

To submit a letter to the New York Times, follow these guidelines from their letter submission page:

Letters for publication should be no longer than 150 words, must refer to an article that has appeared within the last seven days, and must include the writer’s address and phone numbers. No attachments, please.

Send a letter to the editor by e-mailing letters@nytimes.com or faxing (212)556-3622.

You may also mail your letter to:

Letters to the Editor
The New York Times
620 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10018

Open Forum: Constitutional Amendment Allowing SSM?

We are always fighting off propositions to have constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage. In many locales voters have voted to define marriage as between one man and one woman within their state constitutions.

What about a fight to amend the state constitutions to allow for marriage equality? If it loses, we lose nothing. If it wins it would be unprecedented and make world history. It would be the first time voters decided to grant marriage rights to all couples.

Do you think this could work anywhere, if so, where? Why aren't there efforts by pro-equality forces engaging in these tactics? Is there a state or country where voters are most likely to vote to approve same-sex marriage and on what basis?

An Apple A Day Keeps Anti-Gay Bigots Away!

It's fitting that Apple's logo was once a rainbow colored apple. The computer giant has declared it supports for the No on 8 campaign today. They are giving a generous gift of $100,000.

"Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8." (Apple)

Be sure to support LGBTQ friendly companies and to thank them for supporting our community's efforts to defeat proposition 8.

Thank Apple through their Customer Service Support feature.

Apple
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014
408.996.1010

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.

Thank You California Teachers Association!

"California's largest teacher's union has given another $1 million to defeat a Nov. 4 ballot initiative that would ban same-sex marriage in the state. The contribution recorded Tuesday makes the California Teachers Association the largest institutional donor to the No on 8 campaign. CTA also gave $250,000 in August to Equality for All, a coalition of gay advocacy and civil rights groups opposing Proposition 8.

Union spokeswoman Sandra Jackson says CTA's 800-member policy body voted overwhelmingly to oppose the gay marriage ban. Jackson says the issue concerns educators because "teachers teach the importance of equal rights for all." She says CTA leaders made the second contribution this week because the No campaign seems to be struggling" (Mercury News).

Please take the time to call, mail, or e-mail them a thank you letter for ardently supporting the fight against proposition 8.

CTA State Headquarters
P.O. Box 921, Burlingame, CA 94011-0921
1705 Murchison Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010
Phone: 650/697-1400 Fax: 650/552-5002
e-mail: webmaster@cta.org