Archive for the ‘Resources’ Category

Top 10 reasons why gay and lesbian couples should NOT be allowed to marry:

These arguments seem silly, but each initial statement has been used to oppose marriage equality.

1. Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.
2. Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.
3. Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven’t adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.
4. Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn’t changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can’t marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.
5. Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britney Spears’ 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.
6. Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn’t be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren’t full yet, and the world needs more children.
7. Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.
8. Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That’s why we have only one religion in America.
9. Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That’s why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.
10. Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

You don’t need to be an activist, have a gay friend, vote a certain way, or even describe yourself as a straight advocate to work toward the fair treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer/questioning people. All you need is the willingness to “come out” as a straight person who is no longer willing to remain silent about homophobia.

Here are 10 simple ways to contribute to the equal treatment of the LGBT community:

1. Become informed about the realities, challenges and issues affecting LGBTQ people’s lives through websites, books, documentaries, and educational materials.
2. Be open about having gay friends, family or acquaintances that you value, respect, and are grateful to have in your life. When you talk about them, don’t omit the fact that they are LGBT.
3. Speak up when you hear derogatory slurs or jokes and don’t use them yourself. 
4. Ask if you are unsure how a LGBT friend, family member or acquaintance would like their significant other to be referred to or introduced, rather than avoiding acknowledgment of the relationship.
5. Help your kids learn about and appreciate all different kinds of families. Be mindful of the day-to-day messages that they are receiving about gay and transgender people.
6. Quit or don’t join organizations that overtly discriminate. Let them know why you are leaving or not joining in the first place.
7. Support gay, lesbian, bisexual, and/or transgender-owned and friendly businesses.

8. Encourage and support company policies and programs that promote a positive work environment for gay employees at your workplace.
9. Write letters to the editor of your newspaper to comment as a straight ally on why you support respectful and equal treatment for LGBT people.
10. Call, write, e-mail, or visit public policy makers and let them know that as a straight person who votes, you support laws that extend equal rights and protections to all people.

Next time you hear anti-gay forces try to speak their “truth”, let them know how hypocritical their philosophy of hate and misunderstanding really is.

Religion is a lifestyle choice, homosexuality is not.

The religious-right often says that homosexuality is a choice, when clearly the science and common sense is in that nobody would choose to feel ostracized, be a minority, or lead a life where they weren’t given equal opportunities.

Judgment and hate are sinful, loving gay couples are not.

The people who use the Bible as a tool to preach anti-gay hate often point fingers accusing gay people of being sinners. What they fail to realize is that the Bible is not to be taken literally. Homosexuality is no more a sin than being left handed It is natural and God given. It is people in the context of an ancient culture who misunderstood homosexuality who wrote these verses. For those who take a literal interpretation, it is ironic that they rail against LGBT people while failing to remember the Bible says not to judge or to hate, but to love thy neighbor as thyself.

To walk in the way of Jesus is to reach out to LGBT people.

Jesus Christ made it his mission not to follow religious dogma and authority. He did not seek to reach out to the rich or those in power. He set out to befriend and assist the poor, the weak, the disabled, and disenfranchised. Jesus would clearly be reaching out to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

Religion seeks to recruit people into its lifestyle–LGBT people don’t.

Right-wing elements within organized religion often claim that gays are trying to “recruit people into their lifestyle,” but last I checked one cannot alter a straight person’s orientation. We seek to educate, dialogue and gain equality not in an effort to turn people gay but turn people’s hearts and minds into seeing that we share the same hopes, and fears, and love that everyone else does. If anyone is on a mission to recruit people into their lifestyle it would be organized religion and their missionaries. These groups seek to convert people into their way of thinking, which they see as the only way. The beauty of this Earth is that there are many ways to find inner peace and spirituality, and that there is a diversity of thought and of culture and to find God or to have no Gods at all.

Thank you to Queers United Blog

NOTE: The Defense Of Marriage Act of 1996 (DOMA), an anti-gay federal law, denies federal recognition to any same-sex union in the short term, including all federal benefits. However, with equal marriage for same-sex couples, this federal law can be challenged as unconstitutional. With civil unions, no challenge is possible.

SOURCE: GLAD.ORG