The Straight Ally

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

National Marriage Equality Day is TODAY!!!

A lot has been floating around with Chick-Fil-A and all of those out there who don't (yet) support full equality. Happily, today is a day where we underscore those who do support and do whatever we can to appreciate them! The following is from isupportmarriageequality.com:

It's National Marriage Equality Day and our photo contest is underway! Take a creative photo showing how you're supporting marriage equality today and post it in our Contests section under our cover photo on our Facebook page http://facebook.com/equallywedmagazine.

Read the brief list of rules before you start snapping. (Such as this photo must be taken today, you must be patronizing a LGBT-friendly business or donating to a marriage-equality nonprofit TODAY and your photo must creatively show you doing these things ... today!)

Your peers will be voting all week. Grand prize is $100 Amazon.com gift card and top 10 finalists will win $10 Starbucks gift cards. We can't wait to see what you come up with! Happy Marriage Equality Day!

We are so happy that you are here with us to fight for marriage equality. Our original goal was to support Starbucks for being so supportive of our community and our rights. We specifically chose a brick-and-mortar chain to have visible support around the country on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012, in direct response to Mike Huckabee’s Chick-fil-A Day.

In an effort to heighten awareness for all companies and nonprofits contributing to the fight for marriage equality, we’ve decided to rename August 7 as National Marriage Equality Day. EquallyWed.com asks that you spend your money wisely on this day, and every day. It’s important to be an informed consumer. RSVP on Facebook here and join the conversation.

This expansion of focus is the result of the direct encouragement of Starbucks Corporate Headquarters who wanted other equality-minded companies and organizations to share in the appreciation.

On Aug. 7, please share your photos with us on Twitter and Facebook of how you’re supporting the right of everyone to have their marriages legally recognized.

National nonprofit organizations fighting for LGBT equality that could use your support:

Courage Campaign

Human Rights Campaign (HRC)

Freedom to Marry

Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)

GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation)

Lambda Legal

Marriage Equality USA

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (The Task Force)

National Youth Advocacy Coalition (NYAC)

NOH8 Campaign

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)

White Knot

A partial list of national and international brands that support LGBT rights (feel free to add more in the comments):

Abercrombie & Fitch

Absolut Vodka

Amazon.com

Apple

Ben & Jerry's

Best Buy

Delta

Disney

Ford

General Mills

Google

J.C. Penney

JP Morgan

Kenneth Cole

Kimberly-Clark (maker of Kleenex, Huggies, Kotex, Scott, Depends, Wypall)

Kimpton Hotels

Levi-Strauss

Macy’s

Marshalls

Microsoft

Nike

Sears

Southwest Airlines

Starbucks

Target

Tiffany & Co.

T.J. Maxx

For more information, please visit our Facebook event page. We also encourage you to read the HRC's Buyers Guide to learn more about the equality score of your favorite companies.

We've created a new Facebook page devoted to exclusively to the annual National Marriage Equality Day every August 7 so you can follow along throughout the year with updates exclusively about marriage equality (because our fabulous Equally Wed Facebook page is devoted to LGBTQ weddings, honeymoons and marriage equality).

Please join and thank you for continuing to support my blog!

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Petition to Virginia Attorney General: Please Sign!

Change.org|The Proven Petition Site

Virginia Attorney General: Take Back Your Statement on Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation

In March of 2010, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli issued a statement to all the state's public colleges and universities to rescind policies that ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, arguing in a letter sent to each school that their boards of visitors had no legal authority to adopt such statements.

This statement is wrong and has only been made because of clear homophobic views of the Attorney General. With bullying at the heart of many conversations today, allowing discrimination based on sexual orientation at Virginia's state colleges and universities will lead to the increase of bullying on campus and lead to more violent acts throughout the state.

Don't take back the progress that many state colleges and universities have made in protecting LGBT students. While many state schools and universities have ignored this, the attorney general made a clear statement in that letter and continues to stand by it. Other school districts in Virginia, beyond colleges and universities, cannot as easily protect their students without the support of the state legislature.

Urge Ken Cuccinelli to take back his statement so we can continue working to protect LGBT students throughout the state! Sign this petition so Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli can take his statement back! He is running for governor now and we want LGBT students protected around the state!

Virginia Attorney General: Take Back Your Statement on Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation

Sunday, April 29, 2012

SOCO 2012 and Allies

So this weekend, I had the pleasure of attending GLSEN's 2012 Students of Color Organizing Summit (SOCO). It was the first time (despite the many GLSEN events I have been to) I had been to SOCO. It was eye-opening for many reasons for me. Of course, as is the case with all GLSEN events, I learned so much and feel inspired and rejuvenated. However, this particular event connected me with an even more personal way than I could have ever imagined.

Months ago, when GLSEN Northern Virginia was invited to attend the Summit, I was thrilled that we were invited and figured I would be going as an ally once again. What I learned is that, for the first time at a GLSEN event, I wasn't just an ally. Thanks to the amazing student leaders as well as all of the adults allies, both identifying as people of color and Caucasian, I was finally able to identify something I never quite realized. I am a person of color. 20 years into my life, I have finally realized this. I now know why I never felt right in groups that were generally classified as Caucasian, or why I felt so offended when jokes were made about Latinos or people of Hispanic origin. I am a person of color. I keep saying it because it feels so good inside and feels so good to have it affirmed.

Sometimes, as allies, we have our own opportunities to come out. Yesterday, I came out as a person of color. I am Puerto Rican and I am proud of it. I can honestly say that now that I feel more like myself, I can be an even better ally.

To all the straight allies out there, sometimes stepping back and realizing groups that you fit into is so important. I encourage you to explore your own identities and find your own allies out there. I am so lucky to have found mine and I couldn't be more grateful.

Thank you to everyone who helped me find myself at the Students of Color Organizing Summit and thank you to all those out there who are allies to anyone in your life. You inspire me and keep me going every week.

SOCO 2012

I'm at GLSEN's Students of Color Organizing Summit right now and I just wanted to say how amazing all of the student leaders here are! If I haven't met you yet, I can't wait to meet you :) To all my straight allies out there, keep advocating! To all the LGBT people put there, all the support and love in the world :)

Monday, October 17, 2011

It's Ally Week!

So it is Ally Week 2011! Groups across the country and even across the world are hosting events to celebrate Allies and gain new ones. Are you going to an event? Let us know on here. I can proudly say that I will be attending GLSEN Northern Virginia's first EVER Ally Week event, the Students Allied for Safer Schools Conference. If you are a high school student in the Northern Virginia, please join us!

Students Allied for Safer Schools Conference

Celebrate being an Ally, and if you need help, you know I'm here for you ;)