MCC of Greater Saint Louis tore it up with "Hallelujah Anyhow"
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Dramatic Shift in Hoosier Thinking Toward Gays and Lesbians
Polling data released today confirms that a majority of Hoosiers are opposed to an amendment that would constitutionally ban same-sex marriage.
Commissioned by Indiana Equality Action, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research surveyed 400 registered Indiana voters from across the state between March 10th and March 13th, 2011. A stunning 47% of respondents said they were opposed to the constitutional amendment banning same-gender marriage while 43% were in favor of such a measure.
Even more surprising was the mixture of Hoosiers that oppose the marriage amendment; this diversity includes an unexpected number of Republicans (35% oppose), conservatives (30% oppose) and seniors (41% oppose). Most younger voters (67%) also oppose the amendment.
Current state law already prohibits same-gender marriage (Indiana Code section 31-11-1-1: “only a female may marry a male. Only a male may marry a female”).
The poll also indicates that voters clearly have other priorities for action by the Governor and state legislature. In asking about one or two of the most pressing legislative concerns the respondents listed “the economy and jobs” (51%), “education” (35%), “the state budget and deficit” (20%), “health care” (20%), “crime and drugs” (10%), and finally “taxes” (9%) before “gay marriage” (7%). “Gay marriage” was followed only by “transportation” (6%), “roads” (3%), and “all the issues” (3%).
The amendment has already passed the Indiana House of Representatives and is waiting for a vote in the Indiana Senate Judiciary Committee. If passed the amendment would come back before the General Assembly in two years. If then passed, unaltered, in it would go before the voters in 2014.
The poll also revealed changing views in Hoosiers’ thinking about other issues affecting lesbian, gay, and transgender persons. When asked about laws supporting protecting lesbian, gay, and transgender people from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations an overwhelming 66% supported such laws while only 28% were in opposition.
In regard to bullying and harassment in Indiana schools, when asked if they would support a change in the state school code to prohibit harassment and bullying against gay, lesbian, and transgender students, 73% of the respondents favored changing the state code to protect such children. Only 21% would allow the continued harassment and bullying of such students.
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner is one of the world's premiere research and strategic consulting firms. Based in Washington DC, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research provides polling data for a wide range of organizations, academic institutions, foundations, and professional associations including General Motors, United Airlines, Verizon Wireless, and the National Basketball Association.
Indiana Equality Action (IE Action), a 501(c) (4) organization, is coalition of LGBT, Allied and Progressive organizations from around the Hoosier state focused on amending Indiana’s Civil Rights law to protect against discrimination based on either sexual orientation or gender identity and keeping Indiana's Marriage Discrimination Amendment at bay. For more information regarding Indiana Equality Action please visit the organization’s website at www.indianaequalityaction.org.
Friday, March 4, 2011
We Can Move On
On a more encouraging note... I received this email today from a gay high school student in Pennsylvania who stood up to his bully. With his permission, he is allowing me to share it with you. I found it to be very inspiring, I hope you do too.
You're one of my heroes.
I constantly get called a faggot at school; this is nothing new. When I was in elementary school, everyone called me a girl, so faggot is essentially the grown up way to make me feel even more worthless. However, the other day at school something inside me changed.
As I walked into the cafeteria, the first table dropped the fag bomb on me. I waked by gracefully and gave them the finger. They laughed and continued to tell me they liked my purse. (I carry a messenger bag.)
I went to my table on the other end of the cafeteria and set my stuff down. I had left something in the auditorium from when I had given a speech, and I wanted to make sure I got it, so I made my way back to where I came from.
I had to pass the table again, but I wasn't going to let names slide this time. When I walked past them and they gave me nasty looks and shot their words that felt like darts at me, I pointed at the ring leader and firmly said, "Enough."
The boy I pointed at proceeded to say, "I didn't say anything to you you fucking faggot."
That's when I said to myself, enough is enough. I stood in the front of the cafeteria and shouted for everyones attention. The room became quiet. "I have an announcement," I stated firmly, "I'm gay, so now that that's been established, we can move on. Thank you."
As I turned, to walk out of the cafeteria my pupils erupted in cheers and applause. When I came back in, I was greeted like a celebrity. People shook my hand and gave me hugs. People I didn't even know.
I just wanted to tell you because you're one of the people who inspires me to keep going.
Have a great day.
Adam
You're one of my heroes.
I constantly get called a faggot at school; this is nothing new. When I was in elementary school, everyone called me a girl, so faggot is essentially the grown up way to make me feel even more worthless. However, the other day at school something inside me changed.
As I walked into the cafeteria, the first table dropped the fag bomb on me. I waked by gracefully and gave them the finger. They laughed and continued to tell me they liked my purse. (I carry a messenger bag.)
I went to my table on the other end of the cafeteria and set my stuff down. I had left something in the auditorium from when I had given a speech, and I wanted to make sure I got it, so I made my way back to where I came from.
I had to pass the table again, but I wasn't going to let names slide this time. When I walked past them and they gave me nasty looks and shot their words that felt like darts at me, I pointed at the ring leader and firmly said, "Enough."
The boy I pointed at proceeded to say, "I didn't say anything to you you fucking faggot."
That's when I said to myself, enough is enough. I stood in the front of the cafeteria and shouted for everyones attention. The room became quiet. "I have an announcement," I stated firmly, "I'm gay, so now that that's been established, we can move on. Thank you."
As I turned, to walk out of the cafeteria my pupils erupted in cheers and applause. When I came back in, I was greeted like a celebrity. People shook my hand and gave me hugs. People I didn't even know.
I just wanted to tell you because you're one of the people who inspires me to keep going.
Have a great day.
Adam
Oppression is Funny!
An anonymous group at Harding University (HU) is making national headlines after launching this website yesterday... http://huqueerpress.com/. The website contains a self-published e-magazine where gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students are speaking up about their experiences and stories. After reading some of the moving stories you would think Christians would be concerned about the difficulties facing their neighbors, right? Wrong.
Instead they have chosen to take the "higher road." How so? Humor.
Straight students at HU thought it would be great to "downplay" systems of oppression and the hatred and bigotry which ooze out of fundamental Christianity. They have begun to write their own "stories" here... http://hustraightpress.tumblr.com/
If you think it's funny, send them email and let them know.
In my opinion, sick things like this, it's just another reason why I left my fundamental upbringing.
Be love,
Azariah Southworth
Instead they have chosen to take the "higher road." How so? Humor.
Straight students at HU thought it would be great to "downplay" systems of oppression and the hatred and bigotry which ooze out of fundamental Christianity. They have begun to write their own "stories" here... http://hustraightpress.tumblr.com/
If you think it's funny, send them email and let them know.
In my opinion, sick things like this, it's just another reason why I left my fundamental upbringing.
Be love,
Azariah Southworth
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Life of a Religious Faggot
A group of LGBT students attending Harding University in Arkansas have launched "The State of the Gay" as an online magazine HERE to share their stories and experience while attending this conservative Christian university. Here is an article which moved me...
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