Gay Conservatives

While they are undoubtedly misguided, there is undeniable value of out gay and lesbian conservative organizations within the larger gay movement.

Openly gay conservatives support the Republicans' agenda and stand against the Democratic platform both financially and through volunteering. The two largest of these organizations are GOProud and Log Cabin Republicans, and these groups' raison d'etre is fundamentally subordinating civil equality to signature conservative stances such as limited government, individual liberty and national defense.

Recently, at a gay conservative fundraiser for GOProud, the audience posed tough questions for Ann Coulter over gay rights. The organization was, well, Proud to have her as their special guest and even deemed her "the Judy Garland of the Right" (not 100% sure who should be insulted by that title).

Does the existence of these organizations hurt or actually help the LGBTQ Movement?

They clearly provide a much different political outlet for some in the Gay Community, and that can be a very good change. The more the public sees how diverse gays and lesbians really are, the more they will see their sexuality as just another facet of their lives, rather than the defining facet. The staunch Republican working with the gay conservative on a common ground issue such as advancing the idea of limited government would presumably realize that gays are not necessarily political enemies.

Also, through cooperation on a campaign, they may even learn to see homosexuality for what it truly is: a healthy expression of the human experience. Therefore, organizations like GOProud are uniquely positioned to reach out to a significant part of the American population that other gay groups cannot.

On the other hand, the diversification of political expressions for gays and lesbian that these groups represent can be a weakness. The damage to the Gay Community caused by infighting over the status of gay conservative groups is self-evident. A political and social movement fighting amongst themselves severely weakens their effectiveness. The presence of gay conservative groups, as well as their vocal detractors within the Gay Community, compromises the overall goal of equality.

The divergent activities of gay conservatives and the mainstream gay-rights movement also undermines the bigger picture. How much longer will the battle for equal rights take when GOProud donated and volunteered for John McCain while more mainstream gay political action groups did the same for Barack Obama? True, both candidates were against gay marraige but politcal groups of the Gay Community would have more of an impact on politicians if they all worked together on one candidate. Since gays and lesbians are s minority group, it is only logical that they pool their resources together in order to have the maximize impact in politics.

To many within the Gay Community, civil rights trump all other issues. It is not that gays are single-issue voters but rather the suffering they have to endure as a direct result of inequality comes before any other political concern. Civil rights becomes the trump card when voting, and this is why many are enraged by gay conservatives. In some cases, they are considered worse than ordinary conservatives because they are perceived as betrayers of their own kind.

Yet groups like GOProud and Log Cabin Republicans are not the Judases of the Gay Community. They have decided, like countless other political groups throughout history, that the integrity of the State comes before civil rights. To them, this integrity means limiting government and maintaining an overwhelmingly strong defense. Their position is not unique and their political positions fall within reason. Indeed in terms of history, the position of mainstream gays are the true anomalies. Conservative gays are not suffering from internalized homophobia, they are simply expressing their beliefs. While they can, and frankly must, vehemently disagree, the mainstream gay political groups must also treat gay conservatives as equals.

Under pain of disunity, this basic divide must some how be bridged by all within the Gay Community. A reasonable, realistic perspective is absolutely urgent. Mainstream gays must accept the existence and legitimacy of gay conservatives and work within this reality. Many conservative gays have ample time and money that can be used to advance equality, and all of them have valid viewpoints so long as they do not directly advocate inequality. However, the conservative gay groups must stop supporting candidates that are overtly anti-equality such as John McCain.

In order for real change to occur, the Gay Community as a whole must stop advocating for one party over the other and advocate for individual candidates that support gay rights. If mainstream gay political groups expect to work with gay conservatives, then they must compromise. As a result, more candidates could become more conducive towards equality. If enough do, then the party platforms will follow. Gay conservative groups are certainly legitimate, if misguided. In this modern age, there still should be enough room for the whole Gay Community to work together, and if there isn't then they need to learn to change. I hope our society will come to a time when both parties are for full civil rights and the Gay Community has the luxury of dividing itself over economic and national defense matters.

Snuffed.

Seth Walsh was 13. He was incessantly taunted by his peers for being perceived as gay. He went to his backyard. He hung himself from a tree. Yet the rope didn't snap his neck. Instead, the noose strangled him. But slowly. His lips turned blue. His body produced one last adrenaline rush. So he involuntarily struggled against the noose. His legs twisted wildly. He gasped. Often in these cases fear and reflex causes them to vomit. Eventually he went limp. His body was tortuously deprived of oxygen. He slipped into a coma. Nine days later, he died. During the police interrogation, his tormentors broke down in tears. They said they wished they had stopped.

Walsh's family does not wish to place blame, but rather focus on promoting tolerance and understanding. As a grieving family, they have every right to react in the way that best gives them some solace. However, there is much blame to be cast, and frankly those responsible more than deserve to be exposed.

Here are the people who are responsible for Walsh's death and thousands of other LGBT youth:

1) The monster who promotes and maintains a culture of homophobia. This person wishes that gays would deny who they are and not assert their civil rights. He or she fights them in the public arena with the ultimate goal of re-closeting. He or she calls them faggots. Sometimes he or she is more clever and uses phrases such as 'disordered,' 'sinful,' 'unnatural' and 'perverted.' He or she is religious, but dirties the concept of god through such intolerance.

2) The bigoted peer who uses the word 'gay' as an insult and teases the gay or perceived to be gay kid. It is true that this person is a child and does not fully understand the potential consequences of she or her actions. However, it is the careless taunting and bullying without regard to the consequences that is the problem with this person. Thoughtlessly throwing around words or actions have real consequences.

3) This bigot can be the straight parent who just doesn't care enough, or the straight friend who refuses to take that critical jump to acceptance. While not exactly as bad as bigot of #2 or the monster of #1, this person is clearly uncomfortable with gays and lesbians and shows it. Sometimes the things left unsaid can be most hurtful to an LGBT teenager.

4) The people who side with neither tolerance nor intolerance. They do not actively join the taunting, but they allow the bullying to continue unchallenged. These individuals are only slightly less contemptible than the previous type.

5) The Gay individual who does not try to make life easier for his or her kind. This person does not vote and does not call elected officials. He or she does not attend civil rights events. This person in fact does not contribute to the struggle for justice in any way either physically or financially. He or she does want the cycle of homophobia to be broken across the country, yet does nothing to contribute. This person should know better.

There is plenty of blame to go around. When a LGBT youth kills him or herself due to homophobia is a domestic travesty of the highest magnitude.

The Trevor Project is the best outreach organization for this topic, but unfortunately, it is still not enough. If there was greater cooperation between individuals in Tehachapi, California, to stamp out bullying and provide genuine mentors, perhaps Seth Walsh would be alive today.