Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Imagine a President or Candidate Saying This

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But I would like you to start paying attention to how often being gay is a punchline of a monologue or how often gay jokes are in a movie. And that kind of message, laughing at someone ’cause they’re gay is just the beginning. It starts with laughing at someone, then it’s verbal abuse, then it’s physical abuse, and then it’s this kid Brandon killing a kid like Larry. We must change our country and we can do it, we can do it with our behaviour, we can do it with our messages that we send our children, we can do it with our votes.

This is an election year and there’s a lot of talk about change. I think one thing we should change is hate. Check on who you’re voting for and does that person really, truly believe that we are all equal, under the law and if you’re not sure, change your vote, we deserve better…

(Ellen is very choked up and emotional)

My heart goes out to everybody (her voice breaks) involved in this horrible, horrible incident, the whole… all the families and of course, even, you know, Brandon’s life has changed ’cause he did this. So, we’re gonna put more information on this, on our web site and we’re gonna have a wonderful, fabulous, funny show after this… we’ll be back.

An important point that Ellen didn’t address is that sexual orientation and gender non-conformity are not necessarily linked.  part of the Lawrence King equation was that he was gay, the other that he was gender non-conforming.  we should all remember that anyone, regardless of sexual orientation is vulnerable to gender-based violence since gender is in the eye of the beholder.  please attend tuesday’s hearing on the transgender rights bill or express your full support to your legislator.  because the bill isn’t just for transgender people.  protecting people from gender-based discrimination protects us all.

Hat tip PamsHouseBlend and QueerTwoCents.

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Comments

  1. for this very powerful and insightful message.  I will contact my legislators about the transgender bill.  I’ve just moved into a new community, but I can certainly introduce myself and let them know how much this means to me.  (I can also contact my old legislators, whom I know very, very well, and ask for their support)  

    <

    p>No more Matthew Shepherd’s.  No more Larry King’s.    

    • yes, absolutely the sponsors of H1722 have the guts to stand up for equality, and i love and honor them for it.  however, i am talking about taking the conversation outside the legislative chamber or LGBT org awards dinners.  when it comes to national-level politicians, what i see doesn’t impress me.  to put it mildly.

    • But then, I think Rep. Brownsberger and Rep. Kaufman are two of the best legislators in the State House when it comes to sheer hard work, guts, and human/civil rights, as well as other issues I care deeply about.

  4. I was impressed with Tammy Baldwin’s steadfast support of inclusive ENDA and other LGBT-positive legislation last year.  She doesn’t have the media pulpit Ellen DeGeneres does, but she does use the floor of the House of Representatives when the time is right.  She also happens to be the only out lesbian ever elected to Congress.

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    p>Tammy Baldwin is up for re-election this fall.  I will be sending her campaign a financial contribution.

    • …until I moved to town just a couple months ago. She’s about as progressive as anyone in Congress, and is one of the nicest, most genuine people I’ve ever met.

  5. Now you might think that this would be a bigger news story than it has been ….

  6. and I know no one is probably reading this thread any more. But I have to say, as a straight white male who believes in gay rights, but wouldn’t put it near the top of my agenda, when she said that kid was killed because he asked another kid to be his valentine, it broke my heart. I think of how insecure and confused most 15 year olds are when it comes to love and relationships, then think about a gay kid that age trying to figure things out.  

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