Volunteers Needed All Around!

I have been requested to post needs for Cincinnati Pride volunteers by a variety of organizations, and I have, until now, categorically turned them down. But I changed my mind because I could. So :-P *PHBBBBBBBBT*.

I have volunteered with a variety of organizations during Pride since I started going in 2002, mostly STOP AIDS (I think for obvious reasons). However, the weekend's success is reliant upon literally hundreds of people staffing booths and marching and running around with walkie-talkies who do not get paid for their hard work. It's an insane logistical nightmare that has, in the past, been headed up almost exclusively by one or two people (hell yea, Kathy Laufman!).. and it's mostly thankless. If you are going to Pride and you want to help out, even for a couple hours, here are the seven places that have sent requests (that I know about) for volunteers:

• Councilmember Greg Harris -- One of the most supportive councilmembers in Cincinnati has requested people to march with them in the parade. One of his volunteers says this in an email: "Since Greg stepped into Cincinnati politics he has been an outspoken supporter of fairness, and equal rights for our community. This election we will be losing a supporting voice on Council, thus, it is critical that Vice Mayor Crowley’s voice be continued by Councilmember Greg Harris. Both Vice Mayor Crowley and Councilmember Harris have a history of standing with our community when it is not politically popular—it is imperative that we keep that history alive." Interested people should email spencer at keepgregharris dot com. 
• Equality Cincinnati -- EC seems to be looking primarily for help with their booth staffing, from their Facebook event invite (linked above): "It is that time of year again, Pride is upon us and we need your help at the Pride Festival. Equality Cincinnati will once again be having a both at the festival and we are looking for people to help man the booth during the event... If you can give two hours or more of your time on either day, we would love to have you. It is a great chance to socialize, network and spread the word of what Equality Cincinnati has and wants to do in the Greater Cincinnati Area." If you want to help out, email Dan, dpdrentec at aol dot com.
• Equality Ohio -- EO is actually looking for volunteers for every Ohio Pride, including people to staff booths, march in parades, collect EHEA signatures, sell memberships, etc. All volunteers will receive an Equality Ohio t-shirt.
• HRC-Cincinnnati -- Looking for people to staff the booth, march in the parade, and canvass the crowd to support the Human Rights Campaign. Interested people should contact their local email address, hrccincinnati at gmail dot com.
• IMPACTCincinnati -- The activist network is not, to my knowledge, marching in the parade, however, they do have a booth two days in a row that desperately needs to be manned (or womanned, or trans'd... gr... needs to be covered). I'll be there Saturday afternoon with Juliet, as will Cody! Come say "hi" even if you can't help out! Email IMPACTCincinnati, impactcincinnati at gmail dot com.
• Ohio Democratic Party LGBT Caucus -- Sent out via Facebook (linked), looking to fill shifts at booths, sell memberships, and get petition signatures.
• Squealing with Pride 2009 -- Pride Planning is pretty much over, as far as I understand, though they have huge needs in set up, take down, and just general operations. Trust me, this is the hardest job you'll do, but it can actually be a lot of fun (and you look cool, with a walkie talkie if you're one of the lucky few to snag one). Email the Pride Committee, pride at cincyglbt dot com.

See, now you can't say that you didn't know how to get involved. Lots of opportunities next weekend -- I expect to see you out! 

Equality Cincinnati Press Release on Hate Crime

Came through the Cincinnati gay news wire (ie, Mother Chanak) this morning:

Cincinnati, Ohio- April 2, 2009: Equality Cincinnati's mission is to work for full equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in Greater Cincinnati and to prevent discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity. That's why we feel it is imperative to release a statement that on a hate crime that occurred on March 22, 2009. Late that night, a gay male was attacked outside of Bronze [sic], a popular Cincinnati gay bar. The details of the attack are that less than a minute of stepping outside of the gay bar, the victim was approached by three men. The men attempted to rob him but found no money. One of the attackers then said the victim, "You're a pretty fag" and took out a knife and sliced the victim's cheek approximately 2 inches in length and nearly through the entire cheek. The victim began profusely bleeding and ran into the bar and 911 was called. The victim was then taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital and his injuries were treated. Police reports were filed with District 5 police; however, the incident has not been identified as a hate crime. Equality Cincinnati met with the victim and listened to his experience. Equality Cincinnati will be working with the police to discuss what further avenues need to be taken so that this violent incident is classified as a hate crime--an action which is important to the victim and our community in appropriately naming and reporting the violence. Also in response to this incident, Equality Cincinnati is lining up volunteers who will be launching bar and club outreach throughout the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community to ensure that LGBTQ patrons are reminded of safety precautions and numbers to call for help and support. In the meantime, we ask that you be aware of your surroundings and use the "buddy-system" when entering and leaving our gay community's bars, clubs, and restaurants. If you experience a hate crime or any harassment, please report it to the police and Equality Cincinnati www.equalitycincinnati.org.

It is also important to remember that hate crime laws in Cincinnati only cover misdemeanor crimes, and many areas across the country have no hate crime laws against the LGBT community. On Thursday, April 23, 2009 HR 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, (known as the Matthew Shepard Act) cleared its first hurdle in Washington , D. C, winning approval from the House Judiciary Committee by a 15-12 vote. It will be going to the House Floor for a vote that could happen as soon as next week. Please contact your local Congressperson and ask them to support this bill. Contact information for your Congressperson can be found at https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Two bits from Equality Cincinnati in a week -- pretty good work.

I'm all for the creation of the Pink Pistols in town -- queers with guns. Hell to the yea. (Or, perhaps, a better suggestion: Queer Self Defense Classes -- even awesomer, and probably more legal.) Also: I'm all for hate crimes legislation. As I've said before (somewhere, I'm not quite sure), one of the purposes of illegalization is to indicate that something is so morally reprehensible as to be against the law. However, it's important to remember that you are not protected because the law is in place. Be careful out there.


Sad, though, that we have to seek protection in our own enclaves.

Harvey Milk Day in California?

Thanks to QueersUnited, one of my favoritest activist blogs.

State Sen. Mark Leno (D) in California's State Senate has proposed SB 572, the official designation of May 22 as Harvey Milk Day in that state. Last year, AB2567 (warning: anti-gay website) passed both houses and was sent to Gov. Schwarzenegger, who vetoed it saying that Milk's "contributions should continue to be recognized at the local level by those who were most impacted by his contributions."

In short: he's a local hero, not a state one.

I think, considering the success of MILK and the growing national understanding that Harvey Milk had on the movement -- "you gotta give them hope" -- that it is impossible for the Guvahnator to deny his influence (even Sean Penn is now championing the cause, btw) to the nation as a whole, let alone the state of California.

Equality California has set up a convenient online form for you to email the Governor your support. The reason we repost it here? Because Harvey Milk was the first person in the world I identified as a gay hero -- he was the first person I ever knew about that had done something great as a gay man. As a young kid in South Carolina, it was enough to remember him. I think all of us, all of us queers, knew about Milk long before the movie came out, and we all have our affinities for him, or stories about how we found out about him...

...which is why it's so wonderful that all of us get the chance to return the favor and thank Mr. Milk.

In related news, make sure you check out the growing movement, nationally, led by Equality Cincinnati's Dan Drent, to have a Harvey Milk postage stamp created.

"You Gotta Give Em Postage"

I reported on this a few weeks ago, but it has really taken off in the news!

Cincinnati native Daniel Drent, an Equality Cincinnati board member, started a group on Facebook to encourage the US Postal Service to issue a stamp in honor of Harvey Milk. You know, when I start stuff on Facebook, you're never quite sure where it's gonna go...

... I gotta give Dan credit on this one, it really took off. Check out stories on Towleroad (where the above pic comes from), and two pieces (story 1, story 2) from the SF Examiner. He had emailed me, said he was "excited that people are talking about it." 

Well done, Dan! So, join the Facebook group and email Dan (dpdrentec@aol.com) if you can help organize in your area!

Equality Cincinnati on Chris Finney/Smitherman

From Equality Cincinnati...

"We at Equality Cincinnati were disappointed at the recent news regarding the retention by the local NAACP chapter of Chris Finney as legal counsel. We hope this does not signal a change in what we can expect from the NAACP in the future. While the local NAACP chapter did not support the repeal of Cincinnati's notorious anti-gay law known as Article 12 in 2004, Mr. Smitherman and many individual leaders and members of the local NAACP did. Furthermore, the national NAACP has long made clear its support for LGBT rights. Additionally, Equality Cincinnati and others in the LGBT community supported Mr. Smitherman in his re-election campaign in 2005.

Mr. Finney has a been a leader of groups opposing equality for LGBT person and continues to actively work to undermine any progress we have made. We would remind Mr. Smitherman that the LGBT community knows no color lines. So the issues of importance to the African American community are also of importance to the LGBT community.

As the leader of an LGBT organization, I take my duty to the entire LGBT community quite seriously. And I take seriously the dual nature of many of their identities. Many of our members are women and LGBT, or persons of color, and LGBT, or persons of various faiths, and LGBT. Equality Cincinnati must be mindful of these dual or multiple group identities in order to best represent our community.

We would also hope that when the NAACP represents African Americans, they are speaking for and representing LGBT African Americans. When Mr. Smitherman said that he cannot be concerned with the interests of "any other constituency group", was he suggesting that the NAACP does not consider itself to represent its LGBT members? Or their interests. Clearly, the national NAACP is highly supportive of LGBT civil rights issues and we hope the local chapter will continue to supportive as well.“

Update: A little press has come from it, check the KYPost.com article.

Harvey Milk Stamp?

I know, I know, it seems I'm culling Facebook this morning for material, but this is worthwhile because it's an actual movement that's growing that's started by Equality Cincinnati's own Daniel Drent. That is, asking the Citizen Stamp Advisory Committee of the US Postal Service to honor Harvey Milk with his own stamp.

What do you think the stamp should look like?

Chris Finney -- Part Three

Update: This blog was linked on Towleroad.com -- Thanks, Andy! -- and I wanted to welcome all the Towleroad readers over here to QueerCincinnati.com! To follow up with this story, there are lots of links in the follow posting, and you can check out my two other responses (Part 1, and Part 2). To sum up, for your benefit: Chris Smitherman, Cincinnati politician and President of the local NAACP and a historical supporter of LGBT rights here in the 'Nati, brought Chris Finney, arch-conservative firebrand and historical anti-gay activist, as the Chair of Legal Redress for the local organization. This details the further fallout of that decision...

I don't think we've ever gotten to a "Part Three" on any topic here at QueerCincinnati.com. Interesting. Those pictures are awful of both of them, btw.

I've been given the heads up by my "hacker" -- the mysterious person sending me links via my own account -- about two CityBeat bits that have come out about the Smitherman-Finney relationship. First, CityBeat (in its most recent issue) gives us a great lay out of Finney's history of anti-gay work here in town, including the first indication from Smitherman on his position: 

“Chris Finney has done a fabulous job for the NAACP over the last two years,” Smitherman says, referring to successful ballot issues that blocked a sales tax increase to build a new jail and repealed City Council’s decision to install red-light cameras at intersections. “He has earned our confidence in him with our legal work. I cannot be concerned with the interests of any other constituency group. I must look out for the interests of our membership.”

Hm. OK. Meanwhile, a blog post at CityBeat goes a little further into Smitherman's position:

Finney has belonged to the NAACP’s local chapter for about three years, Smitherman added. With his recent appointment as “chair of legal redress,” Finney becomes one of two white members on the chapter’s executive committee.

“You have to practice what you preach,” Smitherman said.

Also, Smitherman isn’t overly concerned if Finney’s appointment upsets Cincinnati’s gay community.

“As if I would care what they think about that. They don’t have a relationship with the Cincinnati NAACP,” Smitherman said. “(Finney’s) been working and communicating with us. The question is, where are these other communities?”

In fact, Smitherman dismisses much of the criticism about the appointment as instigated by the Hamilton County Democratic Party. Noting that the local party has opposed the NAACP chapter’s last three efforts — blocking a sales tax hike to build a new jail, overturning City Council’s approval of red-light cameras and trying to revive Proportional Representation — he said thoughtful residents should be more angered at the party.

“There’s no issue that we’ve put on (the ballot) that the Democratic Party has supported,” Smitherman said. “People call Chris Finney radical, but it’s the positions of the local Democratic Party that are radical.”

OK. Strange. George Ellis, President of Equality Cincinnati, in the former article, states that he would like to speak specifically to Smitherman about this appointment before any position is made. Ellis and I disagree on a lot, and I'll be interested to know the outcome of that meeting -- seriously, I would.

Smitherman has made, in the past, some excellent points about racism within the gay community. And I'm not going to say its unfair for him to go a step farther and ask where were these groups when the NAACP needed them? I think that's kind of the point of a progressive movment, isn't it? To build a movement, and to work together. So I'm not going to say Smitherman is completely off-balance by saying any of that. I think they are valid and interesting points to bring to the table when discussing LGBT-African American relations, especially in a city like Cincinnati. 

With no snarkiness, and absolutely no backstabbing or bitchiness, I'll say that I'm curious to know the outcome of a potential Equality Cincinnati-NAACP meeting over this very issue.

Meanwhile, friend Texas Liberal, a former Cincinnati resident, makes a fascinating connection: "Writing about this issue and seeing that Chris Finney is still causing trouble after I’ve been away from Cincinnati for 11 years reminds me of the Jean Sartre play No Exit. The same people year after year after year afflicting each other by dredging up bad memories and the inability to leave the room even though they may in fact have the option to go elsewhere."

And the Cincinnati Black Blog is up in an uproar over the -- ahem -- uproar: "The Beacon Boys are, quite predictably, mad about the appointment. They object to Finney because of his history of opposing special rights for white male homosexuals who want affirmative action and preferential treatment because of who they sleep with, even though there is no history of homosexuals, as a group, being denied jobs and contracts based on their sexual orientation." To which I have one response: why does anyone read the Cincinnati Black Blog? Why do I? I think it's just to get angry in the morning.

Finally, our friend Wolfie at Back2Stonewall.com is making waves trying to get in touch with the National NAACP over the appointment. He received this response: "As you know the NAACP’s national position does not condone any discrimination or denial of civil and human rights and that includes towards the LGBT community." He's waiting on further response.

As for me... well... 

...this is my first foray into politics, so I'm sitting back and listening, wondering, and reading. Except to say: maybe black folk aren't wrong. Maybe it's time we stood up for them at some point, too, instead of expecting them to stand up for us.

I'm just sayin'.

Other links: original Beacon story, Cincinnati blog response. 

Oh, and I just got another heads up from my hacker that Christopher Smitherman hosts a show every Saturday from 5:00pm-6:30pm on 1230am/WDBZ. It's a call-in program, apparently. I don't know. Again, I'm just sayin'

Update: I don't know if you are following the comments, but the story is starting to take off just a bit. Check out the run on Box Turtle Bulletin, 365Gay.com, and Lavender Newswire.

ELECTION 2008: ENDORSEMENT: From Equality Cincinnati

Equality Cincinnati has released its endorsements a few days ago (thanks to Rainbow Cincinnati).

President/Vice President - Barack Obama/Joe Biden
U.S. Representative, 3rd District of Ohio - Jane Mitakides
U.S. Representative, 2nd District of Ohio - Victoria Wulsin
Ohio State Representative, 28th District - Connie Pillich
Ohio State Representative, 31st District - Denise Driehaus
Ohio State Representative, 33rd District - Tyrone Yates
Hamilton County Commissioner - Todd Portune & Chris Dole
Ohio Supreme Court - Peter Sikora
Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas - Jody Luebbers & Norma J.H. Davis

Interesting, neither the Bill Seitz/Dan McCarthy nor the Chabot Driehaus race is on there. Strange. 

I wish I could, you know, confirm the information with their website... but it hasn't been updated since 2007.

Such is the state of GLBT Politics in Cincinnati..

PS And despite the woman empowing article Campbell Brown wrote on CNN.com about embracing your inner diva to Sarah Palin, don't let her recent desire to be a diva -- which I fully support -- distract you from the fact that she's still a rancid bitch.

PPS Make sure you follow the latest early voting statistics. My interest and curiosity, of course, will be the 33% of votes already cast in places like Georgia and Florida...

CINCY GAY SCENE: HRC Boy Blogs About Us

The HRC boy staying with me posted a blog about his time here in Cincinnati on the HRCBackStory Blog:

I arrived in Cincinnati on Wednesday, July 2 and began signing people up to attend Camp Equality™. I have spoken with many engaged and passionate individuals in the city and am happy to report that, as of the Fourth, close to twenty people have signed on to participate in the training program. I met with Cincinnati HRC Steering Committee members Aaron Weiner, Janya Johnson and volunteers Ron Hirth, Steve Similie. I also got together with Dan Drent, vice-president of Equality Cincinnati. Everyone within these organizations is excited about the benefits of Camp Equality™ in equipping Cincinnatians with the skills to push for change and bring about equality.

How Sweet :-).

UPDATE: Actually, I'm told, he did not write it at all but was ghost written by Cincy's own Jason B., referenced more regularly here as Anita Sativa. I thought the writing style sounded familiar.