Grass-roots political activity can be fun. Often after a long day of
lobbying or rallying, participants gather to celebrate over dinner,
dancing — and sleepovers?
Such is the nature of one event in Equality Begins at Home,
a weeklong, nationwide series of
events designed to promote and organize political activism for
homosexual interests. Over 300 separate activities, in 50 states, as
well as Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, are scheduled from March
21-27. EBAH is sponsored by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
and the Federation of Statewide Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual and Transgender Political Groups.
The 3 stated goals of EBAH are:
- to strengthen organizing efforts of all state homosexual political
organizations; - draw national attention to legislation concerning gays at the state
level; - unite across state lines through nationally coordinated actions and
strategies.
“We want to build strength and share skills in our (state)
organizations,” said Rebecca Isaacs, political director of the National
Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
Specifically, homosexual lobbyists want to get the attention of state
legislators, in order to gain support for hate crimes and
non-discrimination laws. Laws permitting same-sex marriages and
adoption, as well as the repeal of sodomy laws, are also on the agenda.
Efforts to influence state legislators are the centerpiece of the
week’s events. “Lobby Days” are scheduled in at least 24 state capitals.
Participants will be educated in special lobbying workshops, and then
speak with their representatives about homosexual issues.
“We have appointments with members of each committee who are handling
legislation concerning gay rights issues,” said Nerissa Ediza of
Basic Rights Oregon.
“This is about creating a national campaign around local events,”
said Isaacs. “It’s much easier to make an impact at the state level,
with the capacity to make change.”
“State policy makers and legislators need to know that there’s a
support base (for gay issues),” she added. Rallies or marches are
planned in at least 31 states. Speakers will include Candace Gingrich,
National Organization for Women President
Patricia Ireland, Rep. Barney Frank, D-MA,
and Maryland Governor Parris
Glendening. New Jersey Gov. Christine
Todd Whitman will also
send a representative to speak in Trenton.
Much of the activity will be focused on youth involvement. Several
meetings are scheduled, including a “Queer Youth Networking Conference”
in Salem,
Ore., and a
“Youth Speak Out” in Louisville, KY.
The Louisville event is being
planned entirely by youth, with minimal adult support.
Several cultural and social events are also planned. In Denver a
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Youth Kickoff Rally and Lobby
Training is planned for Sunday. It is described as a “youth rally at the
state capitol, followed by a march to the local youth drop-in center,
where youth will train their peers in lobby skills.” It is followed by
“a pot luck dinner and youth dance at the LGBTQ drop-in center, then all
youth from out of town will be housed overnight at the drop-in center,
sleep-over style.”
Also scheduled are a bisexual dinner in Chicago, a square dance in
Oregon, an all ages dance at a children’s museum in New Mexico, a
“Secret Love
Prom” at the
College of Charleston, SC , and
the Miss South Carolina Gay Pride 99 Pageant.
The social aspect of EBAH is seen as a way to make individuals
identify with a group.
“The coalition piece of this is important — to be viewed as a
whole,” said Isaacs.
Isaacs suspects there will be some counter-demonstrations, but isn’t
overly concerned. She even thinks it’s possible to persuade some
anti-gay proponents at the local level.
“People are free to express their opinions,” she said. “I think some
of them at the grass roots can be reached.”
There seems to be no organized plan to directly counteract EBAH
activities, although some conservatives did express opinions on the
effort.
“This whole issue just diverts attention from the behavior of the
homosexual community,” said Allen Wildmon, public relations director of
the American Family Association. “The issue is
not discrimination — it is getting minority status for bedroom
behavior,” he added.
Some are even impressed by the effort — to a point. “It’s an example
of how good they are at organizing politically,” said Robert Regier of
the Family Reseach Council.
The effort to organize on the state and local level, where Christians
have had great success, was not lost on Regier. “It does seem they are
trying to go the grass roots route, but it hasn’t worked for them so
far,” he said. “They weren’t able to pass same-sex marriage in Alaska
and Hawaii, for example.”
Yet that hasn’t been a deterrent to state homosexual political
organizations. Equality Begins at Home appears to be the launch of a
long-term strategy to win influence over state legislatures.
“I prefer to call it capacity building,” said Isaacs.
“Leave people with something, so they’re stronger than before.”
