Call in Gay Day
By Kuono • Dec 10th, 2008 • Category: Blog
Today is “Call in Gay” Day… actually International Human Rights Day, though many protesters against the recent passing of Proposition 8 in California. It’s gaining some major attention: ie google results.
Thirty-year-old stand-up comic and personal trainer Sean Hetherington and his 33-year-old actor-writer boyfriend, Aaron Hartzler, organized the Day Without a Gay after seeing the massive presence at protests and rallies following Election Day. With a tip of the hat to groups like Join the Impact — whose 26-year-old mastermind managed to organize protests in all 50 states on the strength of a social-networking campaign — Hetherington positions Day Without a Gay as an opportunity to show the world how we love through volunteer efforts — because “a day without a gay would be a day without love.” [ Advocate]
You can see DayWithoutAGay.com for more info. Personally, I think this idea would be hard for gay businesses to pull off, particularly in this economy. Heck, it’s hard for gay folks who have jobs to go a day without pay. (No, not all gays are rich old white guys.) If everyone who was queer at GV were to take the day off we’d definitely have to shut our doors for the day. And all our marketing and web efforts would be put off till next week — right before the Holiday Christmas shopping deadlines makes this a very, very dangerous idea.
For me, I choose to work today, and continue to spread queer and sex positive messages. Here’s one I came across recently, on a blog post I read called Icing on the Cake: The Truth about Marriage on Racialicious.com. Enjoy.
I no longer recognize marriage. It’s a new thing I’m trying.
Turns out it’s fun.
Yesterday I called a woman’s spouse her boyfriend.
She says, correcting me, “He’s my husband,”
“Oh,” I say, “I no longer recognize marriage.”The impact is obvious. I tried it on a man who has been in a relationship for years,“How’s your longtime companion, Jill?”
“She’s my wife!”
“Yeah, well, my beliefs don’t recognize marriage.”Fun. And instant, eyebrow-raising recognition. Suddenly the majority gets to feel what the minority feels. In a moment they feel what it’s like to have their relationship downgraded, and to have a much taken-for-granted right called into question because of another’s beliefs.Just replace the words husband, wife, spouse, or fiancé with boyfriend, girlfriend, special friend, or longtime companion. There is a reason we needed stronger words for more serious relationships. We know it; now they can see it.
[originally posted on ReligiousDispatches.org]
