IGF CultureWatch

Gay families exercised their right to partake of the White House Easter Egg Roll, wearing rainbow leis to identify themselves. Given that this is a government-sponsored event, and the government in question hasn't shown much concern about the needs of gay families, I think the egg rollers scored some points in a positive way.
--Stephen H. Miller

James Pinkerton asks:

What words does one use to describe the story of a Christian, lesbian, Air Force pilot-turned-journalist-turned-Katrina-relief-activist-a story with a distinctly faith-based, voluntaristic "thousand points of light" orientation?

The answer: Cholene Espinoza, of whom I first took note here when she caught the eye of Fox News.

But will the lesbigay political and media powers take note of a woman who emphasizes the importance of personal action and faith over fealty to big government in social problem-solving?

Our new site. Yes, we've launched (major kudos to IGF's volunteers!). Yes, there are some issues with older postings. We'll fix them. But I think it looks pretty cool. And you can now comment on the main articles as well-hey, you don't just have Steve Miller to kick around anymore!
-- Stephen H. Miller

Diversity Politcs 1-A Smaller Tent. Gay state workers and job candidates have lost anti-discrimination protection as a result of an order that Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher issued last week as part of the state's "Diversity Day." Fletcher replaced the 2003 employment policy of former Gov. Paul Patton with one that still bans employment discrimination because of "race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, veteran status and disability," but that deletes the earlier order's inclusion of sexual orientation (as well as gender identity). Several critics accused Fletcher, a Republican, of trying to exploit the issue to appeal to conservative voters. No kidding.

Fletcher's order came as he proclaimed in a speech to schoolchildren, "It is our diversity that gives us strength."

Diversity Politics 2-Who Is Pandering? The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force issued a report decrying efforts by "Republican leaders" to win black votes by appealing to "moral values," including opposition to gay marriage. That's a fair comment on the tactics of some (not all) socially conservative Republicans in the party's hierarchy.

But NGLTF then approvingly quotes the National Black Justice Coalition saying, "Poll taxes, literacy tests and lynching didn't stop us and I am confident we will prevail against this new tactic." Actually, it was southern Democrats/Dixiecrats that held high the banner of black exclusion, Jim Crow and segregation, but what matter facts when there is a bloody flag to be waved

Worse, NGLTF then claims that Republicans have voted against black interest by supporting Social Security reform (although private accounts would have been a better deal for blacks), and opposing affirmative action (race-based preferential treatment), raising the minimum wage (which makes it less likely underclass blacks will find entry-level jobs), federalizing education, and the budget-busting and all-round ill-conceived Medicaid expansion.

Wouldn't arguments showing that same-sex marriage is, in fact, "moral" have been more to the point?

Diversity Politics 3-Your Gay Dollars at Work. The irascible Jeff Gannon notes that the Human Rights Campaign both endorses and gives money to cop-bashing Ga. Rep Cynthia McKinney, now facing a tough primary fight against challenges who are both pro-gay and don't believe George Bush ordered that the planes be flown into the twin towers.

Blogger Queer Beacon takes issue with the use of "gay" as a putdown, now ubiquitous among the high school set and even defended by Details magazine. But doesn't abandoning "gay" for "queer" play into all this?

More. A Google search shows that bloggers Jane Genova and Johnny have also taken issue with Details (but the actual style piece by "Dominick Wimple" isn't online).

David Boaz makes the case for separation of marriage and state. "Let people get a civil union licence from the state, and then get married, if they want to, in a religious or other ceremony."

Light blogging for a few days, as we continue to transfer documents from the old to new site.

Over at Positive Liberty, Jonathan Rowe is perturbed by a new California bill requiring "schools to buy textbooks 'accurately' portraying 'the sexual diversity of our society." He thinks it smells of PC ghettoizing and fears adding gays to the list of minorities who get their own special little corners of discussion as the solution of least resistance.

As Rowe argues, yes, we should talk about who is gay in history. But no, clearly gays don't need any "special attention" given the disproportionate accomplishments that gays and bisexuals have made. Just teach history and honestly mention who is gay.

Several new pieces are now posted, covering important global themes, the ongoing polygamy debate, and Dale Carpenter's look at why Catholic charities should be allowed to discriminate. Carpenter remarks, provocatively (but insightfully):

While gay advocates may strongly disagree with church doctrine, there's no basis for saying that the Catholic Church's objections to gay adoptions have "nothing whatsoever to do with faith." Exempting Catholic Charities would serve the higher purpose: of respecting the deep religious convictions of a major faith tradition, without hurting children or appreciably affecting the adoption prospects of gay parents.

But hey, there's no fundraising fire in that accommodation.

By the way, our new site redesign is now in the final stages of being tweaked (with a good deal of volunteer labor). We hope to launch in just another month or so. Thanks again to all those who are, through their generous support, helping us to bring this about.

A site called "Queer Beacon" offers a replay of the latest TV spot for the Dodge Caliber, which QB thinks is homophobic. While it does play off stereotypes, I can't say that it struck me as offensive. Actually, I thought it was somewhat amusing, and I'm fairly thin-skinned. But to each his own.

Some people also take offense at the Nabisco snack fairy commericals.

I remember some years ago reading a complaint charging that a commercial for frozen dinners used the anti-gay voiceover tag line, "They're not for queers." Turns out the ad actually said, "They're not for quitters."

It's a small thing, but worth noting because it goes against a stereotype. On Wednesday night, Tony Snow on Fox News interviewed Cholene Espinoza, former Air Force pilot and military correspondent for Talk Radio News Service, about her efforts to help those in rural Mississippi devasted by Hurricane Katrina, the subject of her new book. Espinoza said, rightly, that individuals need to personally take action instead of expecting the government to do it all. She also noted she had gone to the hurricane-ravaged areas with "my partner, Ellen Ratner."

As it turns out, Ratner is a sometimes commentator for Fox News, which is no doubt why Espinoza's efforts and book got the producers' attention (journalists often get their friends and relations into stories).

What's worth noting? That nobody at Fox seems to care that these women are in a committed relationship. And that's what goes against the stereotype.

In my posting yesterday (below), I remarked on Fox News interviewing an out lesbian (and former U.S. Air Force pilot) on the need for individuals to take responsibility for helping Katrina victims instead of expecting big daddy government to make everything right.

Now, today, the Wall Street Journal's conservative OpinionJournal/Best of the Web approvingly cites Gay Patriot for his observations on "the Orwellian worldview of Bush-haters."

The issue here is not whether you agree with Ms. Espinoza or Mr. Patriot (a point some commenters missed). It's that conservative mainstream media and conservatives in general (excluding the hardcore social/religious right) are less bigoted than the gay left imagines.

There are openings here for gay conservatives to work with straight conservatives on issues of mutual concern, which could do a great deal to break down the misinformation and stereotypes that feed opposition to gay legal equality.