Op-ed: Privilege and Advocacy

Learning about the true depth of one’s own privilege.

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Gregg Potter

www.advocate.com/commentary/2014/12/08/op-ed-privilege-and-advocacy

Court Orders Florida to Start Letting Gay Couples Marry in One Month
Marriage could be coming to Florida sooner than we expected. Plus, after last week’s big win, the Mississippi lawsuit is now on the fast track to an appeal. And Kansas just lost their latest attempt to hold back the start of marriage.

A little over three months ago, a federal judge in Florida ruled that the state’s marriage ban is unconstitutional, but stayed his decision until January 5th so the state had time to appeal. Well, January 5 is coming up, and the state’s asked for an extension. This week the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals said no, the stay will expire, and marriage is going to start on the fifth.

This is a big deal for a couple of reasons. First, it indicates that the 11th Circuit probably expects that marriage is going to happen one way or another, so they might as well let it start a little early. Second, it shows that the 11th Circuit doesn’t see any harm to letting gay and lesbian couples get married. The state can still ask the U.S. Supreme Court for an extension, but their chances of getting one are not great.

Now, this ruling is limited to the stay, but the 11th Circuit will rule on the actual merits of the case early next year. So this is a promising sign that they’ll rule in favor of equality. The 11th Circuit is also likely to hear cases currently pending in Alabama and Georgia. This week’s Florida decision is also an early indication that we could get a favorable ruling in those states.

Also last week, a judge in Mississippi put that state’s case on the fast track. Similar cases in Louisiana and Texas are currently scheduled for oral argument on January 9th, and since Mississippi is in the same circuit it’s likely that it’ll join them. The Fifth Circuit also imposed a stay that will prevent marriages from starting in Mississippi until the appeal is complete.

Marriage is still in a sort of gray area in Kansas. Some counties are granting licenses and others aren’t, following a District Court ruling the overturned the state’s ban. The state has twice appealed that decision to the 10th Circuit, and last week the court rejected the state’s request for a second time. From here, the state can petition the Supreme Court, but their chances of being heard there are pretty slim. So marriage is likely to come to Kansas very soon.

Those are the headlines this week. Subscribe here on YouTube for more on all these stories. For the American Foundation for Equal Rights, I’m Matt Baume. Thanks for watching and we’ll see you next week.

www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-baume/court-orders-florida-to-s_b_6286126.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

Robbie Rogers's L.A. Galaxy Wins Soccer Championship

The win makes the Rogers ‘the first publicly out male athlete to win a big-time team pro sports title in the United States,’ Outsports notes.

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Trudy Ring

www.advocate.com/sports/2014/12/07/robbie-rogerss-la-galaxy-wins-soccer-championship

'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season Seven Cast Revealed (PHOTOS)
Hello, hello, hello!

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” is back for its seventh season with one of its most diverse line-ups of queens to date. Fourteen lucky ladies will once again go head-to-head for the coveted title of “America’s Drag Superstar” and a cash prize of $100,000.

Logo announced this year’s cast Sunday at the 2014 NewNowNext Awards, after airing a show celebrating 15 fan-favorite queens from the past six seasons.

“This year we have some of the youngest and oldest contestants in ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ herstory,” RuPaul said in an email statement sent to The Huffington Post. “Study each queen closely. Do not underestimate anyone. The girls that make it to the top this season will shock you.”

So who made the cut? Check out the list below and be sure to tune into the premiere of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season seven, slated for January 2015.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/07/rupauls-drag-race-season-seven-cast_n_6276782.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

Massive Changes at New Republic Spark Critiques of Gay Owner

Facebook cofounder Chris Hughes, who bought the venerable magazine two years ago, is the target of much criticism after changes in leadership led to a staff exodus.

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Dawn Ennis

www.advocate.com/politics/media/2014/12/07/massive-changes-new-republic-spark-critiques-gay-owner

Why Racial Profiling at Airports Is Surrender to Terrorism
You’d think racial profiling was a thing of the past, but recently the Obama administration re-affirmed the right to profile by race and religion at airports, border crossings and immigration checkpoints. It’s not just disappointing — it’s part of a long-standing surrender to fear.

After all, if terrorism is the use of fear and violence to influence and change societies, then all of the rules after 9/11 that allowed and encouraged racial profiling are a validation of Al Qaeda’s evil tactics. The continued policy of racial profiling isn’t just disrespectful to Arab Americans, African Americans, Latinos and Muslims, it’s also a slap in the face to veterans who fought for our freedoms and those who have died in the War On Terrorism. We should never change ourselves or our belief in human equality out of fear. We should never let Al Qaeda or any other group turn Americans against each other. By treating Arabs and Muslims different we are also giving aid and comfort to extremist viewpoints that America is at war with Islam, rather than just with the radical groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS.

One of the lessons I learned growing up as a young gay man in the Midwest is that you don’t give in to bullies. You don’t change yourself or go back into the closet or hide who you are. The people who do violence and who are disrespectful are wrong, not the victims. Our laws since 9/11 have been changed so fundamentally, and the Patriot Act continues to be such a fortress of paranoia, that it begs the question whether America is still committed to carrying the torch of freedom and democracy.

Many of the groups the United States targets for extra scrutiny are also our biggest allies in the War on Terrorism. The United States has had so much success getting help from Muslim and Arab Americans that the CIA is one of the biggest sponsors of Dearborn’s Arab International Festival. Not to mention, Muslim Americans have been at the forefront of the intellectual battle within Islam that has bolstered moderates in the Middle East. Just recently, community leaders held a rally condemning ISIS that was woefully under-reported by mainstream media.

On a personal level, I’ve learned how respectful, kind and generous Muslim people are. While I grew up facing beatings and disrespect from some Christian religious communities, not once in my life have I heard a Muslim utter a disrespectful word to me. Respect for others is part and parcel with the American Islamic community.

As a political activist, I’ve found a similar level of open-mindedness. This year I worked at the local Arab American community center, ACCESS, and was treated like a valued member of the team. Everyone knew I was gay and that I wrote for the Huffington Post’s “Gay Voices” blog on the side. It didn’t matter to them. While my college schedule made it difficult to keep up with the work, I still look back fondly at the time I spent at ACCESS.

Just recently, at the Arab American Civil Rights League dinner the president of the Dearborn Democratic club and his wife pulled me aside just to tell me how they wanted me to know that they valued what I did in the community and that I was supported no matter who I loved. They’re both Arab American and Muslims. In a small community of activists, writers and politicos, these things matter. But I have to ask – who would I be if I didn’t support them, too? Who would I be if I didn’t turn around and support other minorities in my community?

The fact is, we need to get over the Post-9/11 fear of Arabs and Muslims. It’s not just about doing the right thing – although it certainly is about doing the right thing. Racial profiling is a surrender to terrorism, but we can choose to fight back. The only way to win in the War on Terrorism is to never give in — to fight for justice and equality, side-by-side, with our fellow Americans.

www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-stone/why-racial-profiling-at-a_b_6281010.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices