FH Out Front Blog

@ddressing Virtual Homophobia

 

While traditional media continues to cover the many issues facing our community, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) recently announced a new program that extends the organization's LGBT advocacy efforts beyond traditional media into the realms of virtual communities, gaming and social networks.

While online networks have made it easier for LGBT youth and others to open the closet door with a few posts or tweets, these exponentially-growing communities can also harbor homophobic content from other users or dated policies that stifle an LGBT individual's expression. Personally, I have had to tackle my own set of homophobic postings, messages and DMs from random individuals or forgotten grade school acquaintances.

GLAAD's new program, to be headed by Director of Digital Media Justin Cole (who previously worked in the digital realm for Media Matters for America), will work to:

• Provide a safe arena for LGBT people to connect
• Develop policies with communities and networks that prevent anti-LGBT defamation while not prohibiting LGBT self-identification and expression
• Educate communities and users about the effects of homophobia.

The Publisher: More Q&A with Falls Church News-Press Owner-Editor Nicholas F. Benton

Today, we conclude our two-part Q&A with Falls Church News-Press owner-editor Nicholas F. Benton. In this conversation, Nick talks about the challenges of covering the LGBT community and addresses the future of independent community newspapers and the impact of the Internet on his work. Let us know your thoughts and check out the next weekly edition of the News-Press out tomorrow in the DC area and online at www.fcnp.com.

Ben Finzel: Your business focus is, first and foremost, on serving the needs of your readership, regardless of whether they are straight or gay. Do you feel a special responsibility to be more representative of our community given your own background?

Nick Benton: Yes, absolutely. To me, being gay obviously shapes my overall value structure which in turn permeates everything about the newspaper. This may have something to do with the fact that my own “coming out” was in the context of the civil rights, women’s and gay liberation and peace struggles of the late 1960s. In my editorials and in the focus that I bring to news coverage, I emphasize core values of equal rights, fair play and a more compassionate society. I consider my “constituency” to be the underrepresented in society, including the young, the elderly, the infirm, minorities based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and so forth. My news coverage emphasizes issues of affordable housing, schools, social services and the kinds of economic development that can help fund these. I often write directly on LGBT issues, as well, and when I introduced Wayne Besen’s column earlier this decade, I was pleased that my readers embraced it fully without complaint. I was frankly surprised by that.

Furthermore, I and my newspaper are active within the community. I serve on a number of boards promoting small business, the arts, education and LGBT issues. I sponsor an annual food drive, and a scholarship at the local high school for students who intend to enter careers focused on “enfranchising the disenfranchised.” I founded the “Diversity Affirmation Education Fund” in my name for the Falls Church School System, making a couple of large financial contributions that have gone to bringing the diversity-affirming “Challenge Days” to the local high school, and now also the middle school. As a board member of the local Chamber of Commerce, I convinced it to become the only such body in the entire state to go on record against the Marshall-Newman Amendment, the constitutional amendment that bans gay marriage in Virginia.

I also feel strongly that I have a special responsibility to my advertisers, many of whom are smaller businesses and including those who have been advertising with me from Day One in 1991 to the present. My responsibility takes the form of producing a good newspaper that people are eager to read every week. As a result, my advertisers are more successful, can hire more employees and so forth. This is my “pro-family” policy, to help families succeed by helping the businesses that employ them and can help pay for their children to buy new clothes and go to college. It should not go without saying that my newspaper circulates in one of the most demographically-attractive regions of the U.S. from an advertiser standpoint. We are the only newspaper in an area of 100,000 souls that have $4 billion in annual disposable income, one of the highest-income-per-capita regions of the nation. If only more national advertisers could appreciate what a great “bang for the buck” they’d get by being in my newspaper, we’d all benefit.

The Publisher: Q&A with Falls Church News-Press Owner-Editor Nicholas F. Benton

Over the past two and a half years, we’ve featured national, regional and local dignitaries in this Q&A series. Some of our interview subjects have become our friends over the course of our working together on the blog. Today, we’re featuring a man who is a longtime friend of mine. Nicholas F. Benton is the owner-editor of the Falls Church News-Press, an independent weekly newspaper in the Washington suburbs that he founded in 1991.

A native of California, Benton earned a graduate degree from the Pacific School of Religion in 1969, and was the co-founder of the Berkeley, Calif., Gay Liberation Front in 1970. His essay, “Berkeley and the Fight for an Effeminist, Socially-Transformative Gay Identity,” appears in the just-released anthology, “Smash the Church, Smash the State, The Early Days of Gay Liberation” by City Lights Books, published to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the founding of the modern gay liberation movement.  

The News-Press is a relative newcomer in the Washington media landscape, but thanks to Nick’s commitment (and his superior networking skills), it has fast become a must-read for many political and media leaders. The fact that this “mainstream” daily newspaper is helmed by an openly gay man is significant and still fairly unique in the publishing world.

In my daily worklife, I spend a great deal of time thinking about how best to work with all types of media. As the media landscape continues to grow and change, I’d suggest that regional independent newspapers such as the News-Press are just as important as other news sources in reaching specific audience segments. Let me know what you think once you've read my two-part Q&A with Nick.

Today, in part one, Nick talks about the paper, his background and his thoughts about being openly gay in the newspaper business. In part two tomorrow, Nick will address the challenges of covering our community, the future of regional newspapers and the impact of the Internet on his business.

Ben Finzel: Tell us about the Falls Church News-Press.

Summer Reading, Having a Blast

Beyond the vacations and gorgeous weather, summer usually means a chance to tackle a growing list of books and recommended reads I’ve been compiling throughout the long Chicago winter. Perhaps it’s an ingrained pursuit from childhood, but a summer reading list is (for me) the perfect companion to any vacation, beach run or lazy evening.

I recently read at Advocate.com how the Washington, D.C. public school district restored nine LGBT-focused books, which were previously omitted, to its annual list for students. These additions came after much heat from local librarians and the LGBT community for excluding growing favorites, such as And Tango Makes Three and The Geography Club. The district, however, argues that the initial list was just that – initial, and the revised list with LGBT titles was final.

Timing and intention aside, the inclusion of LGBT-themed works for young audiences is a largely debated communications issue. Conservative opponents argue that such works force an “agenda” on young, impressionable minds, while LGBT parents and others hold fast that it is important to expose children to diversity to build inclusive and respectful character traits.

I’m amazed that there are nine LGBT-themed books and glad they’re on the list. I am pretty sure we didn’t have those when I was in grade school in the early ‘90s. Furthermore, these books are primarily for young children, whose parents should be reading with them or at the least having discussions with children about the subject of their summer reading. These books should be seen as an opportunity – not a propaganda tool – to discuss LGBT individuals who make up the fabric of this country and every town in it.

In personal reflection, I remember reading An American Family in high school, largely in private. When my parents discovered my nighttime reading about an LGBT family in New England, the book was taken and there was no discussion. Years later, after many conversations, tears and experiences, both of them have a different perspective of LGBT individuals.

I wonder if we had shared a conversation about the book’s subject rather than a quick argument where my path would have taken me. It is simple storytelling of LGBT individuals’ lives that can make the change. Here’s to starting some of those conversations this summer for a brighter, more inclusive future.

Awareness For AIDS

Greater Than AIDS was launched last week, on National HIV Testing Day, by the Black AIDS Media Partnership to create a movement of HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness.  The campaign aims to mobilize the black community to talk about HIV/AIDS and protect against the spread of the disease.

Though blacks account for 13 percent of the total US population, this community makes up nearly 50% of new HIV cases. That means, approximately half a million Black Americans are living with HIV. Many of those affected lack access to health care and treatment, making this population even more vulnerable. According to the CDC, black men who have sex with men (BMSM) accounted for 63 percent of new infections among black men in 2006." A campaign that urges testing, prevention and conversation in the black community is essential for change.

Greater Than is a refreshing campaign, though visually dark. The Greater Than AIDS Web site provides advocates with an opportunity to engage others through social network tools, like Twitter and Facebook. The entire Web site is set up as an online community, giving visitors an opportunity to personalize their pages and start or join a conversation. This platform fulfills the campaign’s mission – opening the doors to discussion and change. Additionally, four videos show personal stories of HIV positive people – breaking the silence. Looking for a call to action, there’s plenty. The Web site provides national to local ways people can get involved in HIV advocacy. 

Looking for something to do this weekend? Join Greater than AIDS at the ESSENCE Music Festival in New Orleans. On-site, free HIV testing will be available to attendees, followed by an HIV/AIDS seminar featuring Phill Wilson, Executive Director of the Black AIDS Institute; Marvelyn Brown, activist and author; Dr. Hilda Hutcherson and others.

To be quite honest, I really like this campaign – its overall mission, strategy and tactics. Each platform the campaign utilizes gives a voice to the black community. One of the greatest hurdles in changing behavior goes beyond pure education. Campaigns and communications tactics that truly make an impact are those that give communities what is needed – a platform to discuss issues and motivate personal change.  I’m excited to see the campaign grow and gain momentum.

A Different View of Pride

This year I wanted a different perspective on Chicago’s 40th annual Pride parade and festivities. I traded in the endless mimosas at brunch, rainbow beads and the leisure of lawn chairs and laughter with friends along the parade route for – a pair of pom-pons?!

As a member of the Chicago Spirit Brigade’s dance team, I had an entry ticket to view Chicago’s lengthy  – and glittered – street celebration as a parade participant. While I ended the parade with a light sun burn, sore muscles, and no pictures of eye candy in the parade, the experience blew me away! Beyond the more than 250 parade entries, including Chicago’s own Nettelhorst Elementary School (the first-ever school entry) located in Boystown, the streets were packed from before the step-off line to beyond the finish line. The sheer number of people that showed up to stand proud in their sexuality or express support for friends and family was moving. Local news media noted the continuing surge in attendees and supporters of our community.

Continuing the Conversation on HIV/AIDS

As many of us have said countless times before, the conversation about HIV/AIDS needs to be restarted and refreshed. We all need to be thinking about ways to ensure we keep the dialogue going about prevention and protection, treatment and care. With infection rates climbing in many places (including D.C. where it has now been labeled an epidemic), we simply have no choice but to think about all of the ways in which we can leverage communications tools to share information and encourage efforts to fight HIV infections.

So it was great to read this morning about a new coalition of business leaders that has identified three target cities in the U.S. for a new campaign to “fight the spread of HIV and AIDS with better marketing, appearances by professional basketball players and financial donations to city health departments.”  The Washington Post carried the story on the front of its Metro section today and provided good detail about a story that gets far too little attention. 

According to the article, the three cities receiving the funding are Washington, D.C., New York City and Oakland, California. The companies involved are all members of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and include Pfizer, Nike, Nokia, the National Basketball Association and Facebook (among others). Very cool. I must say, however, that I hope this program does not become a one-shot deal. If the companies just write checks and issue press releases and then the campaign goes nowhere, then this announcement will amount to nothing more than bad PR. I really hope that the partners are committed to this campaign and will see it through, including remaining engaged in outreach and communication focused on making a positive impact.

The announcement could not have come at a better time. Saturday, June 27, 2009 is National HIV Testing Day – an annual observance that often seems to be overshadowed by other events and activities. 

What do you think? Is this kind of corporate engagement helpful? What else should we be doing to further the conversation about HIV/AIDS? Please share your thoughts below.

Re:Post - The Gaysian Equation

We developed the Re:Post idea to highlight some of our favorite posts from the past. Today, we're posting another one. When Laura Nguyen joined the blog, she joined in a big way. Her first post – from December 10, 2007 – generated some of the highest traffic we had on the blog that month and earned Laura a reputation for thoughtful, compelling commentary right from the start. It’s been eighteen months since the post first ran, so we thought it was time to share it with you again. Here’s the post:

Last week, AfterEllen.com developed PSAs to rhetorically respond to their self-imposed question: “If you turn on the television and never see a lesbian, do we really exist?” This sparked a question about the importance of recognition and visibility for other minority groups if they are to exist and seem relevant in what makes up the American fabric.

If lesbians have minimal presence in mainstream media, then where do LGBT people of color fit into the equation? Growing up, I was surrounded with icons, images, and people who didn’t reflect me. Nights in front of the television left me unsatisfied. Despite the lack of Asian leads on network shows, the characters that are portrayed are laced with stereotypes, not to mention a lack of true representation within our vastly diverse ethnic group. More than 50-microsegments fall under the Asian-American label, as statistics lump the different Asian ethnicities — Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Taiwanese, Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Japanese, and others — together. Lucy Liu can’t be a representative for all of us, despite the numerous times when I wish I could fill her Jimmy Choo's. The Lucy’s on television were all cast as the “China doll,” “lotus flower,” “seductress,” or “dragon lady.” Sadly, they never resonated with me.

For those of us who identify as LGBT Asians, we are left with the same resounding question – if you don’t see us, do we exist? If we live by the mantra, seeing is believing, then no … we don’t. Asian Americans have minimal visibility in the media, and even those outlets that have attempted to be a voice for LGBT Asians, have failed. In my research for this entry, I found the topic of LGBT Asian Americans is virtually untouched! The first magazine to address gay Asians, Noodle magazine, folded after two years and others’ attempts quickly followed suit. Today, there are virtually no magazines specifically targeting this subgroup.

The Politics of Commerce In Action

A little over two weeks ago (right before the start of Pride Month, actually), the Nevada Legislature overrode the Governor’s veto of a bill to create a domestic partnership registry, making Nevada the 17th state in the country to formally recognize the relationships of gay men and lesbians.

So, why is this relevant to our blog when we don’t normally address state legislative initiatives? Because of the way in which this measure became law. The Nevada legislature had originally passed the bill, but the governor vetoed it. His veto was overridden specifically because of pressure from the state’s tourism industry which successfully made the case that refusing to pass the legislation would harm the state’s reputation among LGBT people and likely drastically impact tourism, perhaps even leading to a gay boycott of the state.

Harrah’s Entertainment Senior Vice President Jan Jones (the former mayor of Las Vegas and former chairwoman of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority) made the point in a letter to state legislators (as quoted in the Las Vegas-Review Journal) urging them to support the bill:

Gay Advertising on the Small and Big Screens

With summer and Pride upon us, many people our having a little more time to enjoy the movies, catch up on DVR'd favorites, or just flip on their new digital TV signal. This past week, three advertisements with LGBT references or issues hit TV and local theatres, yet only one made brief headlines. A quick summary of each is below:

(via Queerty) Long-time inclusive advertiser, Orbitz, released the above advertisement with it's subtle reference to LGBT audiences (check out the HRC-esque logo on the one golfer's polo).

(via Joe.My.God) Similarly, fast-food Taco Del Mar chain's spot for their roasted fajita burrito gave a quiet shout out to LGBT surfers by the inclusion of a Gay & Lesbian Surfer Association sticker on the first surfer's board. Both of these symbols, largely recognized by only our community (I didn't even notice the GLSA sticker, but we don't catch many waves here in the Midwest). Both of these ads fall into what former FH client Commercial Closet called "gay vague" advertising.

The Musician: Q&A with Dave Koz

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be famous but not out? What are the career implications once you do come out? What goes through your mind through all of these changes? 

I’m so pleased to be able to share one man’s perspective on these – and other – questions with you. When he came out in The Advocate in 2004, Dave Koz instantly expanded his already large fan base and shattered a lot of myths about gay men and music. As Dave points out in our conversation below, many people assume that gay men only like club music. That’s not true (I, for one, have been a Dave Koz fan for more than a decade). And the idea that the only gay musicians are those that make club music has been forever banished with Dave’s bold action to say who he is fully, as a person and a musician.

I met Dave at the Out for Equality Ball here in Washington during the Presidential Inauguration in January. I walked up to him and introduced myself after his opening set at the Ball (I’ve seen lots of famous people, but never had the nerve to say anything before). What a nice guy Dave Koz is – he greeted my partner Mark and I graciously and even agreed to pose for a picture with us (that’s us in the photo to the left). Fortunately, he also agreed to conduct a Q&A with me for the blog. We’re running it today as a Pride Month special feature in advance of the kick-off of Dave’s Side by Side summer tour (with Brian Culbertson) on Friday, June 26 in Kettering, Ohio.

As I said to Dave in an e-mail after I read his answers to my questions, he is as well spoken with words as he is with music. I hope you enjoy reading Dave’s thoughts as much as I enjoyed the opportunity to talk with him. And if you’d like to know more about Dave, check out his Web site (or set up a Dave Koz channel on Pandora as I’ve done).

Ben Finzel: You came out publicly in an interview in The Advocate. What was that experience like for you? 

Is Progressive Living Up to Its Name?

In the latest Progressive Insurance ad, two men enter a Progressive Insurance store asking an agent for advice. Who knew that these two men would cause such a chatter?

To be honest, I saw the ad several times and questioned whether the men were gay, but never took a closer look.  Slate did. According to a Slate article, the men exhibit gay mannerisms, subtle body language toward one another, and one wears  a rainbow shirt. Additionally, the quirky Progressive associate, Flo, looks at both men when asked about their financial situation.

Because two men walk into a store together, are they gay? As a consumer, what components lead us to assume that these men are gay? Is it clothing, their body size, their voice or their mannerisms?
The ad was not intended to target gay audiences, but the ad itself does not have an overly masculine tone. So, it doesn’t alienate the LGBT population and it doesn’t upset anti-gay advocates. Does that mean Progressive’s ad is, in fact, progressive?

At the close of 2008, we predicted more gay-vague ads. Could Progressive’s ad campaign fall into this category? I think so. The ad has all the makings of a gay-vague ad, giving Progressive an opportunity to reach a broad audience, gay or straight. With this movement toward gay vague, companies maximize their marketing dollars, targeting both the influential gay population and the general market consumers.

So, the last question is – does Progressive allow gay couples to have joint car insurance?  I think I might give them a call now.

If you haven’t seen the ad, click here.

The Editor: Q&A with Washington Blade Editor Kevin Naff

As I mentioned in my Q&A with Tracy Baim last week, regular readers of this blog know of my strong support for LGBT media. As much as I believe so-called “mainstream media” (MSM) must cover our community more, I also recognize how vitally important it is that we have strong, vibrant LGBT media outlets to ensure that all of the facets of our community are covered on a regular basis (and not just during Pride month).

So, I was thrilled when Washington Blade editor Kevin Naff agreed to participate in our Pride Month Q&A series. Kevin is increasingly recognized as one of the driving forces in LGBT media and the paper he edits is growing in importance and relevance. Kevin has done a very good job of evolving the paper’s presence and offerings. He is also a really nice guy and a friend of this blog. 

As in many communities, this is Pride Week in Washington and every day is chock full of events and observances leading up to this weekend’s Pride parade and festival. That makes this a great week to talk with Kevin about pride, media coverage and the future of the Blade.

Ben Finzel: We link to Blade stories quite frequently in our posts and in our tweets. The Blade has become one of the news outlets that sets the pace for LGBT news nationally. How do you balance that responsibility with your interest in covering the Washington community?

Kevin Naff: This is something we grapple with on a weekly — and sometimes daily — basis. The Blade is unique in that we have two distinct audiences: a local print readership and a national (and international) online readership.

Our local readers are looking for City Council coverage, local A&E events, etc., while our online readers come to us because of the Blade’s reputation for covering national politics, the White House, Congress, Supreme Court and more. You’d be surprised at how many IP addresses we see from places like Iraq, Kuwait and other international hotspots where the U.S. military is active. There are thousands of closeted service members and many of them check the Blade site for news on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

We work hard to balance our responsibilities to those two audiences. It sometimes means we can’t cover something that’s happening overseas because an important local story needs our attention. I wish we had the resources to devote more coverage to international issues, because the plight of foreign LGBT people is woefully underreported.

The Advocate: Q&A with GLAAD President Neil Giuliano

At the end of this week, Neil Giuliano will step down from his position as president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). After nearly four years, Neil has a lot to look back on even as he looks forward to the next chapter of his career (which might include writing a book, among other things). Neil was one of the first people to participate in our Q&A series, back in December of 2006, and we thought it fitting that as he prepares to leave GLAAD we talk with him one more time.

In this, our second Pride Month Q&A, Neil talks about pride, media coverage of our community and his thoughts on his own accomplishments at GLAAD.

Ben Finzel: What does “pride” mean now? Is it still relevant given the progress we are making as a community in terms of media coverage and attention?

Neil Giuliano: Pride in 2009 means being engaged, standing united for the change we seek and ensuring our visibility is strong, proud and enhanced. Just because we are more visible than ever before, and stand on the threshold of equality, we all know we have not yet crossed that threshold, we are not yet treated equally by our government. So the amazing coverage and attention must not wane, but must be strengthened, our stories still need to be told so the cultural change we enjoy turns into full equality under the law.

Gays in Novelas - Breaking Through

I’m surrounded by gay and lesbian communications everywhere I look. Twitter, Facebook, Hispanic news portals, everywhere. I know a lot of this I’ve customized, or I am the “target” for, but the point is that as a consumer, there is a surround-sound effect set up for me to receive progressive messages. Our society is changing, and I am seeing these changes in new places I had not yet seen before, such as telenovelas.

 If, as a multicultural communications professional, you are still unsure of what these are, I may be concerned just a little. Telenovelas (television novels) are Hispanic soap operas that actually come to an end; a combination of sitcoms and daytime TV. Telenovelas have launched international icons such as Ricky Martin, Shakira, Thalia and many others and usually portray traditional Latino families, challenges, etc. But now, there is an edge, a change within novelas. We are not only seeing permanent gay characters in these storylines, but the way they are being portrayed, and talked about is progressing as well.

Just several years ago, the very popular RBD novela included a gay character with no real depth to him. He was obnoxious, loud and dramatic. From what I recall and yes, I could be wrong here, his character was not very developed aside from knowing that his father rejected him for being gay.

In the current novela “Las Tontas No Van al Cielo” we see a similar set-up with the token gay character. His ex-wife disapproves of the fact he is gay and keeps their son from him. There are many conversations about him being gay but the messages are more along the lines of support, proper representation (GLAAD’s work here is apparent) characters correct one another when they use the word “gay” with a negative connotation, there is more tolerance, more explanation “gay is not a virus,” and messages of that sort. Also, the main female character of the show is his full supporter – this will resonate with the millions of viewers who identify with the heroine.

There is no doubt that the messaging around gay characters is changing for the best on Mexican, Latin American and US Hispanic television-- it’s more educational. But, marketers should still be sensitive when reaching Hispanics because this culture remains very close to their traditions (religion, macho mind-frame) and is in its infancy in receiving positive messages about the gay and lesbian community. 

Childish Behavior?

In this age of iPods, social media and digital marketing, radio as a communications channel is typically not the first thing that comes to mind. Living in the city and taking public transportation, I’m addicted to my iPod and couldn’t tell you a single Windy City station or show host. Despite my personal urban, digital bubble, radio continues to reach countless captive (read: gridlocked) audiences across the country, usually offering humorous banter and melodic relaxation. 

At times, however, radio hosts can take a dialogue too far, finding serious LGBT issues a source for humor or blatantly harmful comments. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation yesterday released a call to action on the Rob, Arnie & Dawn in the Morning radio show (KRXQ 98.5 FM  in Sacramento, California and KDOT 104.5 FM in Reno, Nevada). I was shocked to read the comments made by hosts Rob Williams and Arnie States on May 28 against transgender or questioning children. The conversation stemmed from a recent story about a transgender child in Omaha, Nebraska and her parents’ decision to support her transition – and spiraled into more than a half hour of defamatory remarks towards children and transgender individuals.

Renaissance Woman: More Q&A with Windy City Media Group Publisher Tracy Baim

Welcome back to our conversation with Windy City Media Group publisher and executive editor Tracy Baim. In today’s conclusion to our two-part Q&A, Tracy shares her thoughts on the differences between LGBT media and so-called “mainstream” media and talks about the future of LGBT media. 

Given my strongly held views about the importance of LGBT media – and appreciation for the important role they play in reporting all of the news – I was particularly interested in Tracy’s comments. I think you will be too.

Tracy’s comments on marketing to our community should be highlighted in every public relations, marketing and communications class and used as the primer for how and what to do by anyone in our industry planning outreach to our community. I could not have said it better myself, and am thrilled to be able to share Tracy’s insight with you here. 

Ben Finzel:  You cover our community 365 days a year where your so-called “mainstream” counterparts generally only pay attention to us a few times a year (including during Pride). Have you noticed an increase in “mainstream” media following LGBT media on key stories? 

Tracy Baim: There are some stories that get universal coverage by all; marriage in Iowa is an example. The mainstream covered that as it happened, as it should. The LGBT media cover that kind of story in much deeper ways. That gives our readers a context for why things happen, and why they continue to happen. Someone reading just the mainstream may have been shocked to learn about that happening, but our readers would have had years of coverage related to marriage that set the stage for the recent successes (and setbacks). We will have many more follow-up stories on marriage, and explore it on a deeper level.

There are hundreds of stories the mainstream does not cover within the LGBT community. Maybe once every few years they cover LGBTs in sport, for example, but every week in Windy City Times you see LGBT athletes in our community, whether in gay leagues or in mainstream sports. Same with entertainment, the bars, culture, etc. The mainstream will do some coverage, and more frequently now does include gays in coverage of, for example, a home and design issue. But they just do not have the space or access to do the kind of depth a weekly gay newspaper, with a Web site updated daily, can do. This is no different than any "niche," for example African-American, Latino, Asian, women's etc.

Also, I would say as a whole the mainstream media has not done a good job of covering the diversity of the LGBT community: it's still mostly white gay men. Even most LGBT media are not very diverse, but we pride ourselves at Windy City Times in trying to cover all aspects of the community.

Renaissance Woman: Q&A with Windy City Media Group Publisher Tracy Baim

Hello and welcome to Pride Month on the Out Front Blog! Today, I’m pleased to present the first in our series of Pride-focused Q&As. Today’s conversation is with our friend Tracy Baim, publisher and executive editor of the Windy City Media Group (WCMG) in Chicago. 

WCMG is Chicago’s largest chain of gay and lesbian publications and reaches 50,000 readers with its weekly newspaper Windy City Times (founded in 1985), and numerous other media properties online, in print and over the air. This year marks Tracy’s 25th anniversary in LGBT media. She’s a true media and communications pioneer.

And if that’s not enough, Tracy also served in a leadership capacity for Gay Games VII in Chicago (when she was our client) and the founder of the Chicago Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Tracy is an accomplished business person, movie producer (more on that later) and out lesbian. 

Tracy had so much to share with us that we have cut our conversation into two parts. Today, part one of our conversation focuses on the Windy City Media Group and pride. Tomorrow, part two looks at broader media trends.

We’ve been pleased to call Tracy client, colleague and friend. I think that after reading her Q&A, you’ll just call her “brilliant.” And I think you’ll agree: she is a true Renaissance Woman.

Ben Finzel:  Tell us a bit about Windy City Times and your other media endeavors (including the upcoming film “Hannah Free” which you produced that opens this month).

Tracy Baim: I was a co-founder of Windy City Times newspaper in 1985, with three gay men. For 24 years, WCT has served the Chicago-area LGBT communities as a weekly newspaper. I left in 1987 and for 13 years ran a newspaper called Outlines in Chicago, but then purchased Windy City Times back from one of the co-founders in 2000. WCT has adapted and changed many times over the years. We have a significant Web presence, and enhance our community coverage through a bi-weekly club guide called Nightspots, which was founded almost 20 years ago, as well as online content through Windy City Queercast, QueerTVNetwork.com, Identity, Out! Guide, and articles and photos online that do not appear in our print publications.

Windy City Times is an award-winning newspaper which covers local, national and international news, features, entertainment, sports and more. We have dozens of reporters and photographers based around the country covering our community through first-hand accounts. We also have bloggers, videographers, radio co-hosts and a wide range of voices in all of our media.

In 2007, I launched ChicagoGayHistory.org as a labor of love, to start a video oral and written history project for Chicago. I interviewed more than 270 people on video, and the Web site started in early 2008. At the same time, WTTW public TV in Chicago was working on a documentary, Out and Proud in Chicago, and I consulted for them and provided hundreds of photos. As a result of that collaboration, a publisher approached me to do a book, and the result is Out and Proud in Chicago: An Overview of the City's Gay Movement, a glossy, 4-color book with more than 150 articles covering 200+ years of Chicago's LGBT history. I edited and co-wrote the book, which is the first comprehensive overview of Chicago's LGBT community.

In 2008, I partnered with writer Claudia Allen and director Wendy Jo Carlton to work on a lesbian feature film, Hannah Free. The film, which stars Sharon Gless (Cagney and Lacey, Queer As Folk, Burn Notice) and some amazing Chicago-based actors, has its world premiere at the oldest LGBT film fest in the world, Frameline, on Pride Sunday, June 28, in San Francisco, at the Castro Theatre. I am executive producer of the film, which is a flashback, period piece about the more than six-decade-long relationship between two women. While newspapers and journalism are my love, I also realize that movies have a long-lasting impact on the way we see ourselves, and how society sees our lives. I wanted to show a new side to lesbian lives, especially among different generations.

Ben Finzel: How are you covering pride – both the month and accompanying announcements and the actual events – this year? What has changed in your coverage over the past few years?

Tracy Baim: We cover all aspects of the LGBT community, by both listing and promoting events ahead of time, and then covering them as they happen. Because we now have video, we will be adding that to our pride coverage for the first time. We also have Facebook pages and Twitter accounts, and we will use those to promote what we are doing on our Web site.

I think the LGBT press can still provide a unique role of gathering together information from a wide range of groups and making sure they get their information out in a comprehensive way to the wider LGBT community. The Internet makes it easy for groups to promote among their core followers, but a media company provides a "one-stop" location for seeing all that is happening.

In covering pride, the mainstream can only do so much. We can run a lot more in our print and online editions.

Ben Finzel: Are you seeing the same level of corporate involvement in Pride celebrations as you have in previous years? Beyond the economic impacts of this terrible economy, how does your pride-related advertising this June compare to last June?

Tracy Baim: The Pride Parade itself seems to have more and more corporate participation. However, those corporations, a lot of them, still just think having a float in a parade is "outreach." Many of them are still afraid to brand with print and Web advertising to the LGBT market. So, unfortunately, I have not seen much growth in the courage of brands to do a comprehensive campaign to target LGBTs. There are so many who still just tippy-toe into the community one Pride day a year. That is no way to market. They know this in every other market, but they do not use that same basic marketing 101 in working the LGBT market.

There are exceptions, but they are just that, exceptions.

Ben Finzel: Tracy, thank you for making the point we so often make about the importance of understanding how to “do a comprehensive campaign to target LGBTs.”  Tippy-toe doesn’t cut it, and your real-world advice in this regard is really important. 

Be sure to come back tomorrow for the conclusion of our two-part conversation with Tracy. In tomorrow’s post, Tracy talks about “mainstream” media and consolidation (or lack thereof) in the LGBT media community.

Re:Post - Gay as an Adjective

Our Re:Post series is designed to provide an opportunity to highlight our favorite, and sometimes overlooked, posts from the past. Leading up to the start of Pride Month next week, we thought it would be a good time to talk about language again. This topic - what to call us, how to address gay and lesbian communications issues and related considerations - is always a useful one to flag for marketers and others trying to reach our community. We thought that Ivette’s post on the use of the word “gay” as an adjective would be a good one to Re:Post to ensure her sound advice isn’t overlooked in this Pride season. Here’s Ivette’s post from July 18, 2008:

On my way into the office this morning, I was listening to a radio station’s morning show. It was a “best of” clips since the normal hosts are vacationing. One of the segments was about one of the radio hosts getting married, and how the rest of the team was trying to get him “primped up” a week prior to the wedding. As one of the DJ’s introduced the clip, the other said, “wait, wasn’t the official term, to ‘gay him up'?”

I changed the station to my other morning show and two of the cast members were talking about their friendship and how long they have known each other, etc., and a third member of the morning show said “you all just go be gay together!”

I didn’t know what to think about it at first. At least the term gay is being used on airwaves and is not forbidden. However at the same time, treating the word that way can lead to the same syndrome as the phrase “hot tranny mess” that Eddy has blogged about before. It can still be offensive, just like the “n-word” for African-Americans. Not too long ago, I also read an article on how popular the term “gay” is among teenagers which explained that teens don’t mean any harm by it. I get that. My siblings use it all the time, “That is SO gay, Oh my God!”

Pride, Now

June is traditionally recognized in the U.S. as “Pride Month” and it’s the time of year when many cities host their annual pride festivals and events. It’s also one of the most popular times of year for marketers to launch new LGBT-focused programs or make gay-themed announcements. For the past two years, we’ve been taking advantage of this “extra” attention on LGBT issues to focus on pride in our blog posts for the month of June. This year is no exception. 

Beginning on Monday, June 1, we’ll add several Pride-focused Q&As to our usual mix of opinion, news and commentary. In these conversations, we’ll take a look at what Pride means now, what companies are doing to engage with our community and what the media climate is like and may be in the future. We’ve lined up an all-star cast of Q&A subjects representing corporate America, LGBT advocacy organizations and LGBT print and online media. Be sure to check out the Out Front Blog all month long to read our conversations with:

• Niki Leondakis, chief operating officer, Kimpton Hotels
• Neil Giuliano, president, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
• Tracy Baim, publisher and managing editor, Windy City Media Group
• Kevin Naff, editor, The Washington Blade
• Michael Jensen, editor, afterelton.com

We hope these conversations will give you a perspective on what pride means now and what that means for the state of gay and lesbian communications. And we hope you’ll chime in with your thoughts and comments, too.

The Out Front Blog Team (Ben, Peter, Ivette, Laura, Bryan and Michael)

Snap Judgment: What Does the "American Idol" Outcome Mean?

As it does every season, “American Idol” has dominated headlines and online conversations. But, as bloggers at afterelton.com and elsewhere have pointed out, the conversation has been different this year because of the emergence of an “almost openly-gay” finalist. 

Now that finalist has finished second in his quest to become American Idol. Did his perceived sexual orientation have something to do with that finish? If so, what does that mean about the country and about the public’s mood?

As follow-up to yesterday’s Snap Judgment post on “American Idol,” I asked the Out Front Blog team to consider these ideas and then answer the following question:

“What does the outcome of this season’s American Idol mean for gay and lesbian communications?”

Our answers, in alphabetical order by first name, are reprinted below:

Snap Judgment: Does It Matter Who Wins "American Idol?"

Given all of the media attention and online chatter about "American Idol" and the “is he or isn’t he” questions about Adam Lambert’s sexual orientation, we thought we’d take the opportunity today (the day of the season finale) to consider what this national conversation means for gay and lesbian communications (if anything).

So, we’re going to try something new today (and tomorrow). Today, we asked the Out Front Blog team to answer the following question:

“Does it matter who wins American Idol?”

Here’s our take, listed in alphabetical order by first name: 

Scapegoating Marriage, the Business Version

I’ve talked a lot about the intersection of business and commerce with policy and politics (in fact, it was the subject of my first post). So, I perked up my ears when I heard that a national political leader was doing the same thing. Well, sort of…okay, not really. 

As you may have read in the past few days, Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele in a speech on Saturday said that legalization of gay marriage would hurt small businesses because it would be too expensive. His remarks were picked up by the Associated Press, covered on CNN and MSNBC and repeated by numerous LGBT Web sites and blogs including The Advocate, Towleroad, Americablog, Queerty and Pam’s House Blend.

There are a lot of things to be said about the impact of equal marriage, and most of them have been said over and over again. But the idea that a presumed cost trumps equality is a new one on me. It’s also, unfortunately for Mr. Steele, not backed up by the facts.

More than 500 corporations (big businesses) already offer same-sex partner benefits to their employees – it’s one of the principal measurement questions on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index survey, for example. These companies are not suffering – in fact, many trumpet this benefit as an advantage in their recruiting.

For small businesses, it’s actually the fact that equal marriage is not an option that creates a cost problem. As the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce puts it in an online story about the cost burdens of providing same-sex partner benefits for small businesses, “this burden, of course, stems from the fact that most same-sex couples don't have access to civil marriage, creating a parallel universe of complex paperwork for employers who offer domestic partner benefits in their effort to attract and retain workers.”

Where Are You Off To?

The weather’s improving, shorts and swimsuits are hitting the retail rack and many gay and lesbian travelers are packing their bags for a summer getaway. But just what cities and companies will be receiving the majority of LGBT tourism dollars? If history is any indication, it’s those places of business and leisure that directly communicate and connect with our community.

This week, Gay.com announced its 2009 Travel Awards, which included long-standing havens of inclusiveness:

• Favorite Airline:  Delta
• Favorite International Destination: London, England
• Favorite Romantic Getaway: Paris, France
• Favorite Domestic Destination: San Francisco, CA
• Favorite Resort Town: Provincetown, MA
• Favorite Hotel Chain:  W
• Favorite Guest House: Island House, Key West
• Favorite Casino: Mandalay Bay
• Favorite Car Rental Company: Enterprise

Levi’s Campaigns for Harvey Milk

Last week, Levi Strauss & Co. launched the “Give Them Hope Now” campaign to raise $500,000 to support the Harvey Milk High School. The high school, located in New York’s East Village, was founded as a safe space for LGBT and questioning young adults. The Harvey Milk High School is a public school operated by the Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI), the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit social service, education and advocacy organization dedicated to serving LGBT and questioning youth.

Levi’s launch of the “Give Them Hope Now” campaign includes a Web site housing a series of videos, a direct means for donations, social media integration opportunities and information about Levi’s corporate involvements. According to an AdAge article, the campaign utilizes digital outreach efforts with banner ads, e-mail outreach to bloggers, social media and community outreach through Facebook, Twitter, AOL, Glam, Hulu, MSN and Yahoo, pre-roll video and editorial coverage.  In addition to the campaign’s heavily digital components, Levi partnered with Regent Media, photographers and celebrities to generate additional awareness and host monthly fundraisers.

My two favorite elements are the videos and the social media opportunities. The Web site offers heartfelt videos with real life stories of LGBT youth. The videos raise awareness and educate visitors of HMI’s commitment and importance in the lives of these youth. These videos highlight a diverse group of HMI alum and volunteers – male, female, youth, adult, Caucasian, African American and Hispanic. It’s important to see a variety of faces and life experiences – giving potential donors a story they can relate to. 

My second favorite element of the Web site is its social media and grassroots outreach component. Each video has a social media sharing opportunity, giving people a chance to post the videos and the campaign on their social networking site of choice.  These stories are personal ones, and the grassroots elements give people a chance to tell their stories while supporting the campaign and its goal.

It is evident that the LGBT community is a priority audience for Levi’s and this partnership with HMI not only aligns with the company’s brand position, but positions Levi as a leader in the LGBT market. I look forward to seeing the campaign’s progress and commend HMI and Levi for their efforts in making a difference in LGBT youth’s lives.

Our Advocates on the Airwaves and Ads

 

Yesterday I blogged about two recent marketing pieces that leveraged prison rape and negative references about femininity to “humorously” promote their brand. These and other poor choices of words and images in advertising are common, and FH Out Front is not the only one raising these LGBT communications issues.

Today the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced the launch of its new Advertising Media Program, which will work to ensure and promote truthful and inclusive depictions of the LGBT community in all forms of advertising. This program was formerly the Commercial Closet Association (CCA) and has now been merged into GLAAD and included as part of its broader agenda (note: CCA was an FH Out Front client). 

In the release, GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano said, “Words and images matter and can shatter stereotypes. Fair, accurate and inclusive media images prove that we are connected through common, human experiences. And these are images that we – and advertisers – have a responsibility to share.”

Cleaning Up Corporate Communications

Maybe it’s because I’ve recently been researching the hygiene industry for a client or because H1N1 coverage has me washing my hands with near paranoia fervency, but yesterday’s article, Fox Offends With Prison Break Soap Promo, by the Advocate piqued my germaphobic interest.  

Apparently Fox’s marketing team for the successful series about two brothers exposing a federal conspiracy while breaking in and out of jail repeated a 2008 promotional stunt by sending a bar of soap with press materials to media outlets. Fox’s communication pros were apparently hoping to “lather up excitement for the two-hour series finale airing Friday, May 15.”

First, Do No Harm

We’re not doctors, but we communications professionals often follow the adage commonly associated with medicine in our advice to clients: “first, do no harm.” The concept is that we should not plan or conduct communications efforts that cause harm to our clients’ reputation, image or products. If it sounds like common sense, it is.  But that doesn’t mean it’s always practiced in the real world.

I bring this up today because The Advocate ran a story online Sunday about Walmart’s CEO and the 2008 Arkansas amendment to ban adoption and foster parenting by LGBT couples. According to the article, Walmart’s new CEO, Mike Duke, signed a petition last year to put the amendment on the Arkansas ballot (it was placed on the ballot and passed by a large margin in November of 2008).

Communications and marketing, as with politics, is a game of addition. The objective of most communications and marketing efforts is to add more people, not drive them away. Increasingly, efforts that drive away LGBT customers are being seen by consumers as problematic, even for companies that might not seem all that interested in reaching our community. More and more companies are beginning to understand that it’s just not good business to openly discriminate. Not just because our community is offended, but because in ever-larger numbers consumers value companies that value all people equally. 

You could make the argument that Walmart’s CEO was simply expressing his opinion and say that he had every right to do so (and note that he wasn’t CEO when he signed the petition as he just took on that job in February of this year). But consumers also have the right to shop where they feel welcome, wanted and respected. And they are expressing that right more and more by supporting those companies that support them and their neighbors – even the LGBT ones.

Walmart’s CEO is entitled to his opinion. But the consumers he wants to continue adding to his customer base are also entitled to show their displeasure at his exclusionary beliefs by exercising their right to shop elsewhere.

We’ll see if this development has any measurable impact on Walmart’s sales. Despite past support for LGBT organizations and issues, Walmart has been inconsistent in its engagement with our community.  And previous missteps by the company on LGBT issues received scant attention – even in the LGBT blogosphere – and it may be that this is another one-day story. However, if I were advising Walmart (I’m not), I’d tell them to take these kinds of situations seriously.

Walmart has apparently spent a great deal of time and resources to reshape its reputation and build a positive record on sustainability and environmental concerns (no doubt to move beyond their negative “big box” image of the past). They had previously begun attempting to do that with the LGBT community as well, but this latest news adds to the pattern of inconsistency about where Walmart stands on LGBT issues. Continued confusion could cause harm to Walmart's efforts to build a corporate image of responsibility and responsiveness. That may not happen today, with this story, but a continual pattern of these actions will add up over time. It takes a long time to build a reputation, but a very short time to damage one.

Re:Post - Thank You for Being a Friend

As you may know, actress Bea Arthur died over the weekend. Much of the LGBT media and blogosphere coverage of Arthur's death referenced her fan base in the gay community. Arthur's star turn as Dorothy on The Golden Girls, her history-making role as Maude in the sitcom of the same name and her Broadway, film and other TV work endeared her to millions of fans. 

It's not always obvious why some people become gay icons or why some television programs resonate so strongly with different LGBT communities. Our very own Peter Klaus examined this issue more than a year ago right here on the Out Front Blog. In Bea Arthur's honor, we thought we'd run Peter's post again to give a useful perspective on that question. In this Re:Post, we present Peter's original post from January 4, 2008:

I’ve often wondered exactly why the classic TV sitcom The Golden Girls is a stereotypical favorite of LGBT community and what that communicates about this specific audience. I started thinking about this again when I stayed at a gay friend’s apartment (he’s in his late twenties) in NYC on New Year’s Eve and tripped over a stack of The Golden Girls DVDs the size of a loaf of bread (must have been every season).

Certainly, the razor wit of the dialogue, inclusion of LGBT-sensitive plot lines (according to Wikipedia, the show’s original pilot episode even featured a gay character named Coco who was the girls’ cook…who knew?), and the larger-than-life characters are key draws.

However, I think I have a more fundamental answer to the question after reading the results of a new study focusing on the behavior of older LGB adults.

Some of the study’s key findings are featured on 365Gay.com. It was conducted by Arnold H. Grossman and Eliza Dragowski of New York University, and Anthony D'Augelli of Pennsylvania State University and was published in the Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services.

The research finds that older LGB adults have a “history of caregiving” during times of illness and that social networks in this population often develop to fill unique support gaps, such as estrangement from biological families (based on homophobia or being closeted) or the inability to access health coverage through partner benefit plans.

Despite increased debate and discussion about gay adoption during the past several years, the fact remains that the majority of LGBT folks do not have children. Even though not all children may end up supporting their parents when they fall ill, I believe there is still a general societal assumption that children are obligated to support their parents when they reach an age when they can no longer care for themselves. 

Well, where does that leave most in the LGBT community? I know I’ve personally thought about this particular concern: “Who’s going to care for me if I become ill when I’m in my twilight years? Who is going to care for me and about me during that time?”

Equal Marriage Rights Dominates Online Media

Marriage equality headlines living room debates, office cooler conversations and court room deliberations, but not your daily newspaper. Based on a recent study from the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism, the topic of equal marriage rights has dominated the blogsphere following the Vermont and Washington D.C. Equal Marriage Rights votes. Despite a substantial amount of blog and social media links on the topic, traditional media has chosen to minimize coverage. The study claims 26 percent of links from April 6-10 focused on the topic of marriage equality compared to only 1 percent of traditional newspaper coverage.

What I find most interesting is the root of conversation about marriage equality. The online community chose to focus on two subjects during that designated time period — marriage equality and the death of a man on the G20 Summit. However, traditional media discussed more global issues, such as the economic crisis and the hostage situation with the Pirates of Somalia. Prior to the advent of online outlets, the public’s primary form of news and current events was traditional media. Today, people around the globe are instantly engaged in dialogue — not only debating issues but connecting on personal and emotional levels.

The question can be raised – is marriage equality not a top priority for traditional media? If so, can social media, generated through every day people, cultivate an environment for public action on political challenges? What do you think?

Which Cars Move You?

Our friend Joe LaMuraglia of gaywheels.com this week released his list of the “top 10 most-researched vehicles” on the site for the first quarter of 2009. In his press release, Joe says that the results of this quarterly snapshot “support the results of our recent LGBT Auto Owner’s survey.” Here’s the list:

1. Volkswagen Rabbit

2. Volkswagen Eos
3. Volvo C30
4. Saab 9-3
5. Audi A-3
6. Toyota Yaris
7. Mazda MX-5
8. Maserati Gran Turismo
9. Volkswagen Jetta
10. Mazda 3

And here’s what Joe had to say about how this list matches up against his survey: “Volkswagen and Audi are two brands that are overrepresented by Gay Men in the study and those brands represent 40% of the Top 10 list. Other brand positions further supported the recent survey results; the Saab 9-3 has consistently been on the most-researched list and that brand is the most over-indexed for both Gay Men and Lesbians.”

I looked back at the post I wrote on Joe’s second quarter 2007 report and the lists are pretty similar. I find it interesting that our community’s brand interests are apparently fairly consistent, even with dramatic changes since then in the auto industry and the economy. For me, the question is whether that consistency will continue. As the recession continues and auto makers of all kinds struggle with falling sales, will media coverage of the economic impact on automakers affect our interest and ultimate purchase of specific vehicles?

We’ll keep tracking Joe’s results and report back in the future. In the meantime, what do you think? Are you thinking about buying a car? If so, what are you considering? What factors will affect that consideration? Let us know in the comments below.

Iowa Gets It!

Why does Iowa get it? I just ran across a new ad from OneIowa.org. The ad is to be applauded for many reasons.  I encourage you to see for yourself (click here). The primary reason I love this is that it does not focus on the recent legalization of gay marriage in Iowa but instead on the rights of all Iowans to enjoy the benefits of marriage. They have shifted the message to be more relevant for all Iowans, not just gay ones.

Communication channel of choice? I congratulate OneIowa.org for rolling out this new ad on Youtube, the perfect medium to offer broad distribution and allow for many different audiences to see it: gay, straight, young, old, black, white. Brilliant! I will note it has been picked up and featured on many other websites now, so it is enjoying the freedom of being viral online.

And finally their website, while cut down to the essential key information, is well done. My favorite section is "Our Stories." I read every one of them, and enjoyed them for their honesty and diversity - gay, straight, single, bi-racial.

So, what do you think of how OneIowa.org communicated this message? And do you agree with their approach? Please share your thoughts. I'd love to hear what you think.

Re:Post - Earth Gay

Note: Today we're launching a new feature to highlight some of our favorite posts from the past. We're calling it Re:Post. Yes, it's a form of recycling, so we thought launching the feature today might be an appropriate way to celebrate Earth Day this year. Our first Re:Post is from one year ago: it's my post on Earth Day 2008 about the intersection of gay and lesbian communications with environmental issues. Although the world has changed considerably in the past year, it's interesting to consider what is still relevant from the post as well as what has changed. Here's the post:

Today is the 38th observance of Earth Day. As I’ve blogged before, environmental issues have not always been front and center for the gay and lesbian community. With so many more pressing, more personal matters before us, we haven’t often been seen (or considered ourselves) as ardent environmentalists.

That doesn’t mean we weren’t there, just that we didn’t often take center stage. Now, as consumer engagement in all things “green” has taken off in the past year, engagement and recognition of gay and lesbian audiences with environmental issues has also increased. I’ve talked in the past about the Greening of Gay Travel and other “green gay” topics. But with this Earth Day, I think the two communities – environmentalists and gay and lesbian people – have now intersected.

The Advocate’s current issue is their first ever “Green Issue” and features “tips for green living,” profiles of “eco heroes” whose professional careers are devoted to “green” issues and a cover story on singer Rufus Wainwright and his efforts to engage his fans on environmental issues. But that’s just one example, retailers such as Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams include “green” messages in their ads aimed at our community. Carbon offsetters focus on our community as a target audience for their “green” products (and Jen Christensen writes about that in the latest Advocate too).

Overlooked in the Miss USA Flap

By now, you’ve likely heard or read about the latest example of the way the conversation about equal marriage rights has become part of the national dialogue. This weekend, blogger Perez Hilton asked Miss California USA (one of the top five contestants in the Miss USA pageant) her views on gay marriage. Miss California’s answer – that she believes “marriage should be between a man and a woman” – sparked a media firestorm that likely gave the Miss USA Pageant more media attention than it ever would have earned otherwise (I wasn’t even aware the pageant was taking place prior to this incident). 

Hilton’s response to Miss California's answer and his follow-up to that response sparked equally intense coverage and disappointment, outrage and commentary from every corner – including in the gay community.

But almost overlooked in this story is the reaction of the Miss California USA organization. As the Christian Science Monitor put it in their story on Monday, “The directors of the Miss California pageant condemned her answer on Monday morning.” Here’s the detail from the story:

Glamorous and GLAAD

This past Saturday, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) honored another set of celebrities and influencers in seven of this year's 41 media categories at the 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles at the Nokia Theatre presented by IBM and ABSOLUT® Vodka.

Hosted by performer Miss Coco Peru with performances by Cheyenne Jackson and Jennifer Holliday, the night was filled with recognizable individuals who are daily using their roles or careers in the media to bring greater awareness and understanding about the LGBT community to the public as a whole. Those recipients at the LA awards include:

• Kathy Griffin, who received the Vanguard Award for continuing advocacy of same-sex marriage and the LGBT community around the world.

• The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Bishop in the history of the Episcopal Church, who has and continues to make a difference for the LGBT community, specifically among religious audiences, who received the Stephen F. Kolzak Award from Dustin Lance Black, Cleve Jones, and GLAAD President Neil Giuliano.

Nothing Grey About It

This weekend, my obsession will be unveiled on HBO.

Yes, I am talking about the much-anticipated premiere of the HBO Film “Grey Gardens,” starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange. “Grey Gardens” focuses on the Beale family, namely Big Edie (Lange) and Little Edie (Barrymore), who were the relatives of Jackie O famously chronicled in a 1975 Maysles brothers documentary that showed the world how these two women spiraled from fortune and fame into a rundown home in the Hamptons full of cats, garbage and wasted dreams.

I have been following the Beale women throughout their Hollywood journey. I stumbled onto the documentary after learning that one of my favorite musical theater actresses, Christine Ebersole, was going to headline a Broadway musical version of “Grey Gardens” in 2006 (saw it, LOVED it).  The documentary is truly a revelation—the first “reality TV” of its kind. For almost two hours, I was transfixed as both Edies told me their emotional stories, the journey they took to destroy each other, and the unbelievable bond they share while the world crashes down around them.

The original documentary, to be fair, is like watching a train wreck. You can’t look away, but at the same time, you feel for these women. What role did society play in their downfall? Did they do it to themselves? How could they live in such squalor? The Maysles were careful not to insert themselves into the documentary, instead letting the narrative unfold through conversations between the two women and powerful monologues from each Edie.

If You Don't Get It, You Don't Get It

I suppose it’s easy for some commentators in our community to get caught up in the excitement about the recent advances in marriage in Iowa and Vermont. These were momentous and wonderful decisions to be sure. And they follow a steady drumbeat of positive change at state and local levels. But they also follow a seemingly never-ending chain of negative news that highlights the need for long-term communications and outreach on any number of LGBT issues. Witness Bryan’s post yesterday about the 11-year old boy who killed himself to escape anti-gay taunting. Or Laura's post last spring about anti-gay violence. Or any number of newspaper stories about harassment, threats and even murder of LGBT people across the country.

We may have “won” a few battles, but there’s still a war going on in many places. And we still need communicators and community advocates fighting to ensure that this "war" ends peacefully and soon. Unfortunately, we're not yet at the day when all LGBT people can live, work and be who they are safely and without fear. And as we discuss frequently here, we need to keep the dialogue going if we ever want to get to that point.

So why then would The Washington Post run an op-ed on Sunday railing against the “bloated” LGBT organizations filled with staff who are apparently unable to “move out of a mindset that sees the plight of gay people as one of perpetual struggle.”  Wow. The piece, written by an assistant editor for a well-known national magazine, goes on to assert that all of the changes in the cultural landscape mean that one day “civil rights groups will no longer be necessary.” That’s a valid point, and I hope it is true one day, but making that point now (and in the smug way he did) ignores the reality of the world we live in today and minimizes the importance of the many voices talking with many people to bring that goal to fruition. There are many positive things to say about the current LGBT landscape, but ignoring the negative aspects is akin to wearing blinders while crossing the street.

It's really important to remember that we're not all well-off, white, gay men living in cosmopolitan urban centers. Our community is incredibly diverse. Some of us are less than well-off (particularly in this economy). Others are people of color. Others are lesbian or bisexual or transgender. Others live in suburban or rural areas. Yes, we are everywhere, but it's not always "acceptable" for all of us to live openly everywhere. It may seem that the conversation can stop in some areas because so much good has been accomplished, but it's important to remember that in many places the conversation has only just begun.

We could - and should - argue about the need for LGBT organizations to change their strategies and adjust to the new realities of communication and outreach. We’ve talked about that quite a bit on this blog in the past several months. But the solution to a communcations problem is not to stop communicating, it's to start communicating differently. I agree that many of our communications strategies need to change. I agree that there is room for improvement - and a need for new voices. But I don’t agree that gay and lesbian communications is now - or soon will be - unnecessary because society is so “accepting” of LGBT people. 

For every marriage victory, we should remember that LGBT people are denied more than 1,000 federal rights granted to legally married people by the federal government. For every company that scores a 100 on the HRC Corporate Equality Index, we should acknowledge that the largest employer in the United States openly discriminates against LGBT people. For every positive LGBT storyline in popular entertainment, we should recognize that news outlets, advertisements and popular entertainment regularly impugn, attack and/or make fun of LGBT people simply for being who they are. For every proud out gay man or woman, we must not forget that there are children who feel the tug of shame and decide to kill themselves because they’re so scared to be called “gay.” 

For all of the great work that has been done, there is much more great work still to be done. And we need to, in the words of a spiritual, “lift every voice and sing” to bring that work into the light of day. We need all of our allies, our advocates and our supporters to keep the conversation going. If you think otherwise, you’re just not seeing the real world. 

This op-ed reminds me of one of the previous promotional campaigns for The Washington Post: “if you don’t get, you don’t get it.” 

Indeed.

Lessons from the Playground

For many of us, whether gay or straight, the schoolyard of yesterday is a place of both fond and frightening memories. We played tag, swung, tossed a ball, and had our first taste of bullying and verbal derision. No matter the age, taunts were rampant and came from the smallest of mouths and developing minds. And while each bullying remark carries its own sting, anti-LGBT harassment can truly traumatize with devastating consequences.

Last week, bullying and harassment that included anti-gay slurs led to the suicide of another young child, the fourth in this year alone according to Queerty and GLSEN. Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, an 11-year-old Massachusetts student, hung himself days before his 12th birthday after unrelenting bullying at school, despite his mother’s constant plea for the school to address the issue. Carl joins three other known cases, all in Illinois.

Britney, One More Time

Last week, I entered the arena floor beside 16,500 people, all waiting in anticipation for one pop princess. Through the crowd of pink feather boas and home-made t-shirts stating “Britney changed my life,” and the infamous, “It’s Britney B*tch,” I kept asking myself, aside from Britney’s gay male fan-base,  could Jeanne and I be the only lesbians here? Surely, I must be wrong. Oh and was I, I was very wrong.

Roughly 85 percent of the attendees that evening were women – straight, bisexual and lesbian alike. All arrived with one interest in mind – to be entertained. So, what is it about this genre of music that appeals to the gay and lesbian community? What does it take to connect with us and how does an artist, an icon or a brand target an audience without alienating him/herself from other audiences? 

As Samantha Jones once said in Sex and the City, “First come the gays, then come the girls.” Though this is a slight condescending exaggeration, it does have some truth. The influence and buying power of the LGBT community has been highlighted for years now. We’ve discussed it in our blogs and stress it in our client work each day.  With an average annual household income of $80,000 (according to Community Marketing) a year and continued spending despite the economic downturn, it’s no wonder the LGBT buying power remains top of mind .

As we’ve learned from GayWheels.com’s recent survey, it takes more than being perceived as gay-friendly to win our vote. Ben’s statement about the diversity of the community is true here too. Not every gay man is a Britney fan, and not every lesbian likes Melissa Etheridge, so it’s time to set the stereotypes aside.

For artists and companies, reaching out to the gay audience means establishing a strong voice in a loud market. Once you’ve found your beat, be sure to engage and interact with us in an authentic way that truly leverages messages of inclusion. With the continued evolution of social media, it’s also important to remember to reach audiences where they already are. As gays and lesbians spend roughly 10-12 hours per week online, it’s a perfect opportunity to join the conversation and share your commitment to the community.

Though only Britney and a handful of other artists have experienced the ecstatic screams of fans, companies traditionally have to work a little harder. However, the reward of establishing a strong gay and lesbian consumer fan-base means not only record sales, but devout loyalty. As one concert go-er said, “This was never a comeback. For true fans, Britney never left.” Talk about brand loyalty.

Photo Credit

Top 10 LGBT Communications Trends

I was recently reviewing some top 10 trends in communications and decided the LGBT community needed our own. Our community, while not singled out in anything I have read, is made up of avid consumers of communications in a variety of forms. So I decided I'd develop my own list of top 10 LGBT communication trends. Let me know what you think.

1. What's the next twitter? Social media has consumed our communications lives, and the LGBT market is no different. So ask yourself about these new tools; del.icio.us, digg, reddit, stumbleupon. Any sound familiar to you? Check out reddit's active LGBT community here.

2. Let's be real. Authentic communications- the de rigueur for successful social media communications nowadays - is certainly something the LGBT community knows all about. Honest, real and sometimes cutting communications is what is demanded by social media today. It will only get more demanding as we tweet our lives away like Ellen.

3. Employees matter. I think the importance of employee communications will only grow as businesses tighten up their communications to keep the employees they have happy.

4. LGBT friendly jobs? Yes, now we can even search out gay friendly employers. That's thanks to a quick Google search and resources like the HRC and others we can quickly go online to search out new jobs that might just be gay friendly.

5. How green are you? Sustainability is important to all of us. I see the LGBT community embracing the greening of America in new ways, being the trendsetters that we are. What's new and green for you?

6. Diversity rises. Thanks to millennial and the growth of moderate parties on both sides of the aisle, we are beginning to see the rise in support of LGBT issues. Most recently the approval of gay marriage in both Vermont and Iowa within days of each other.

7. Global is local. As our communications become easier and friendlier they also become more global. I see it everyday in blog responders from all of the world.

8. Techno-gays. Just like our communications, technology gets easier, cheaper, faster every day. so more and more of us are becoming techno-savvy consumers of all forms of media with our techno-cool devices.

9. It's all about me. User-created content continues to explode. Now businesses have joined the legions of consumers, including the LGBT community, who share more about themselves than we ever wanted to know.

10. Simplify. As communications explodes in some ways it has gotten simpler. Look at the iPhone, do I need to say any more?

 

Out's Power 50 List is Out...What About the Nominees?

Out has published their annual “Power 50” list again this year and true to form, the list is stirring up controversy again. Barney Frank is #1, which I suppose isn’t too surprising given the lead role he has had in much of the national conversations about the financial meltdown. There are other expected nominations – Ellen Degeneres, Rosie O’Donnell, Neil Patrick Harris. It's an interesting list and I enjoyed reading it. You could certainly contest the relative placement of this or that person or the omission of this well-known figure or famous actor. But what has generated the most interest so far is the inclusion of well-known figures who aren’t actually…out. 

I have to admit that I didn’t initially think of it this way, but Jeremy Hooper at Good As You and others have made the very valid point that a list purporting to identify the leading “out” influencers ought to list people who are actually out. Set aside (for a moment) the notion that they are allegedly gay and should be out, etc. and focus on the idea that if you’re not actually out you should not be listed as one of the most powerful “out” people. That makes perfect sense to me. 

We could argue (and have) about the merits of coming out and the importance of well-known news and entertainment figures being honest about their sexuality, but that’s not the point here. If you’re not out, you’re not a powerful out person. Out should use this list to actually honor those who are powerful because they are out, not in spite of the fact that they are not.

Recovering from Homophobia

This past Friday's decision by the Iowa Supreme Court to give the state's LGBT couples greater equality and happiness was another step in the global fight against homophobia that stifles, burdens and harms the lives of thousands. An irrational fear of or contempt for our community, homophobia has had some significant play recently in mainstream and LGBT media, besides the arguments of opposition in marriage legislation or judicial hearings.

Last Monday, the European Union released a report on the damage persistent widespread homophobia has had on European gays and lesbians. EDGE publications also released a story on the devastating effects homophobia can have on our hetero colleagues, as two Brooklyn straight men were recently harassed and battered after they were assumed gay as they walked home during a cold evening huddled close for warmth.

Be GLAAD For Them

Tyra. Suze. Phil. Clay Aiken.

What do these folks have in common, you ask/type? On Sunday, GLAAD, the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, presented the New York version of the 20th annual GLAAD Media Awards to recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives.

Both Ivette and Ben have written about these awards in the past. Let’s take a closer look at some of this year’s award winners (Clay didn’t win an award—he presented one, and I always like using his name in any conversation--yes, I was a Clay-mate):

Tyra Banks: Tyra won The Excellence in Media Award for increasing the visibility and understanding of the LGBT community in the media. Her self-titled talk show and the camp classic America’s Next Top Model routinely address issues facing the gay and transgendered community. And let’s face it: the girl looks fierce while doing it.

Suze Orman: Suze, host of CNBC's The Suze Orman Show, took home The Vito Russo Award, which is presented to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for the LGBT community. Granted, I am not very familiar with Suze beyond her appearances on Oprah, some of the blog postings on here by my colleagues, and the regular parody of her on Saturday Night Live, but I loved her acceptance speech at the ceremony:

MObile

As communicators, we're constantly looking for the most relevant ways to connect with audiences. Our firm has recently executed several programs that have involved mobile marketing componants.

Just today, the CEO of CTIA announced that over 1 trillion text messages were sent in the U.S. alone last year.
 
It reminded me that I've never officially looked into who in the LGBT space is utilizing mobile tools to communicate more effectively.
 
Using Google, I found some initial answers. Beyond those I note below, I'm sure there are others actively using mobile to reach the LGTB audience (particularly in other countries, where mobile marketing is more sophisticated in some cases). If you are, please write in and let me know...I'd love to hear more about what your doing.
 
So, back in 2007, HRC launched its Mobile Action Network.
According to the press release from 2007:
 
"By texting the word “HRC” to 30644 from any cell phone, HRC supporters will immediately begin receiving important news and issue alerts. You can also sign-up at: http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/actioncenter/txtsignup.html. 

 

 “From hate crimes to marriage equality, HRC continues to rely on our supporters to help pass meaningful LGBT legislation in Congress and throughout the 50 states,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese.  “The HRC Mobile Action Network ensures that we will never miss an opportunity to mobilize supporters willing to spring into action and fight for what’s right – all on a moment’s notice.”

The benefits of joining HRC’s Mobile Action Network include:

 

Breaking News:  From legislative developments to important HRC milestones, when breaking news happens, members of the Mobile Action Network are the first to know.

 

Action Alerts:  HRC supporters can spring into action at a moment’s notice.  With the click of a button, supporters can dial in to radio talk shows, speak with newspaper editors, and even call their elected representatives with last-minute legislative appeals."

 

And just this week, a social media company in the UK unveiled a new mobile Web site for Gay Network, its interactive chat and dating TV service on Sky Channel 877.

 

According to their press release:

 

"Gay Network Mobile enables UK singles to create profiles, upload pictures and exchange messages from the web browser on their mobile phone. Gay Network TV viewers will be able to use their existing nicknames on the mobile service which will also provide 'click to call' access to Gay Network Voice, one of the UK's largest phone-based chat services. All user-generated content, including free profile picture uploads via MMS, will be moderated 24/7 for copyrighted and unwanted material."

 

With mobile phones a ubiquitous part of our daily lives, it will be interesting to see which LGBT-relevant organization or brand will adopt a significant mobile strategy to communicate in 2009.

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The LGB Money Myth?

James Withers, over at the 365 Gay Blog, posted an interesting commentary today about the recently published study entitled, "Poverty in the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Community." The study, published by The Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, sheds light on the presumption that members of the LGB community are, generally speaking, better off economically than their heterosexual counterparts and have more disposable income.

 The introduction to the study states:

"This report undertakes the first analysis of the poor and low-income lesbian, gay, and bisexual population. We find clear evidence that poverty is at least as common in the LGB population as among heterosexual people and their families."

The executive summary of the report continues:

 

"After adjusting for a range of family characteristics that help explain poverty, gay and lesbian couple families are significantly more likely to be poor than are heterosexual married couple families."

 

I must admit... up until reading this study (I'm not a researcher and can't comment on the validity of the study and the methods employed in conducting it), I have been prone to believe that members of the LGB community must be better off during these times of economic crisis than their heterosexual counterparts. Since the majority of LGB folks don't have kids, I've simply assumed that they must be able to dedicate more of their financial resources to themselves versus spreading them across a family that includes children.

 

Indeed, a piece of research from 1987 states:

 

"Many homosexuals may be more financially able to take early retirement than heterosexuals. Gays often have more disposable income than non-gays."

 

What to believe given the new Williams Institute study?

 

Regardless of the truth, I think this is one of those beliefs that is constantly reinforced through word-of-mouth.

 

As professional communicators, we often create and plan word-of-mouth programs for our clients. This new study is making me think about how many times I may have repeated the statement above... and the power of word-of-mouth in establishing awareness and assumptions.

 

What do you think about the new study and its findings?

 

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Love Who You Love

Despite attending most of high school and college in Texas, my knowledge of country music is limited to Dolly Parton, The Dixie Chicks, Garth Brooks and Wynonna. I know the names of many of the big country acts, but couldn’t name any of their songs or recognize their band members. That is changing today thanks to our friend Jeremy Hooper at goodasyou.org. In a post today, Jeremy recounts an interview Rascal Flatts singer Gary LeVox gave to Country Music Television recently about the band’s new single “Love Who You Love.”

Here’s an excerpt from Jeremy’s post – from the interview on the CMT blog:

We actually have some gay people that work with us, and we have a lot of friends that are gay, too, and I know that this song [“Love Who You Love”] has inspired them,” said [Rascal Flatts] singer Gary LeVox during an interview at CMT earlier this month. “I know that coming out was tough on their parents and on them and the whole entire family. For a long time, some of them didn’t get to hear ‘I love you’ from their dads or be accepted in that way. … It’s helped a lot of our friends.”

“That’s what’s cool about our music,” says guitarist Joe Don Rooney. “You can interpret (it like) that. If you get that — it’s perfect. If you are someone who’s gay or someone who’s straight, you still feel something from the song, and that’s what we want.”

Chasing Borders

Even during this day in age with a changing media landscape, the power of media should not be taken for granted. Media coverage still has the power to shape how we perceive issues and, for diversity issues, media coverage is still very important.

By now it should come as no surprise that our gay and lesbian community is extremely diverse. Diversity often time includes foreign-born individuals seeking permanent residence status in a country of their choice.

I’ve witnessed several friends and family members undergo the process and let me tell you, it is not a walk in the park. I believe it took my mother at least 10 years to obtain her citizenship—and she had been married to a U.S. citizen for almost 30 years.

As if immigration laws were not complicated enough, let’s add another layer and apply it to our LGBT community. The standard procedure is if a U.S. citizen marries a non-U.S. citizen, marriage benefits and the pursuit of permanent residency are available so long as they can prove they are legally married. Key terms being “legally married.”

As we all know, gay marriage is not legal in most of the U.S., making this a near-impossible achievement. I want to refrain from going into a rant about what I think the process should be and why – instead, I’d like to take a step back and appreciate the advancement of this issue.

In this past week, a colleague from our Chicago office sent me an article in a Spanish language publication, La Raza. It summarized a panel discussion that took place at a human rights conference in Chicago earlier this month. The article was not just about immigration, which is a regular topic in Spanish language media, but about how it affects the Hispanic LGBT community. I saw this as a win for multiple reasons – 1) gays being recognized in a Spanish newspaper- hooray!; and 2) bringing to light the fact that immigration issues also affect our LGBT community..

Then, later on in the week, I opened my copy of Curve magazine only to find an article with a tagline of “immigration laws are the next battleground in the fight for equal rights.”

Media holds the power to bring issues like this one front and center. As most of us in the communications field know, if the media is talking about it, if it’s in the news, in magazines, then it is in people’s faces and people are going to talk and ultimately, act. And, clearly, that is what we are seeing here with this complex topic.
click here for photo source

GLAAD Spanish Language Media Awards

As the GLAAD Media Awards gear up for the end of the month in New York (with other cities to follow), I wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate all the nominees for their great work, specifically, everyone nominated in the Spanish categories. This year, there are 60 nominations in 15 Spanish language programming for the awards – let’s take a closer look.

In regards to big broadcast networks, Univision takes the lead with 14 nominations, followed by NBC’s Telemundo with 4 and the list trickles down to HBO Latino with one nomination. People en Español and La Opinión, the country’s largest Los Angeles-based Spanish language daily, both received two nominations.

In the “outstanding newspaper article” category, I am proud to highlight Texas’s own Don Juan Corzo for his Mother’s Day-themed article focused on lesbian families for the Houston weekly, SEMANA News. In this category, Don Juan and the newspaper are running alongside some of the most recognized U.S. Spanish language media names such as Hoy (Los Angeles), El Nuevo Herald (Miami) and The Associated Press.

Specific television shows being recognized include “Ugly Betty”, “Ventaneando America” (celebrity gossip show) and Noticiero Telemundo (Telemundo News).

Lucia Méndez, whom we’ve blogged about was also nominated for her work on raising awareness on LGBT issues-related teen suicides. 

Although these great networks, programs and individuals have been nominated for great work, what is even more comforting is the great work that continues to develop. For example, GLAAD has been counseling Telemundo New York’s "Las Comadres con Gloria B" to feature the first-ever transgender daily TV personality in Spanish language media history. A huge undertaking, and not just to Spanish TV, but general market as well.

As communicators, we seek these leaders and partnerships and make them relevant to our client’s businesses. We take part in telling the stories through different platforms, such as a blog, and sometimes help shape the outcome of some of these nominees and the community at large.

Goodbye L Word

Last Sunday, viewers across the nation awaited the much anticipated series finale of Showtime’s iconic The L Word. For six seasons, The L Word made her-story as the first women-centered, lesbian-dominated drama. The series not only took on the sometimes complicated relationships between women, it addressed: the first hearing impaired lesbian; bisexuality; drag kings; cross dressers; the military’s don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy; biracial identity and relationships; gay parenting; transsexuals; transsexual pregnancy; self-mutilation; sexual abuse; breast cancer; sexual exploration and sexual discovery … all in six years. The L Word gave lesbianism a voice, a variety of faces and complex stories.

As a devout fan, I can’t help but wonder - does the end of the series mean the end of visibility for the lesbian community? In six years, the series was able to extend beyond the show, reaching audiences through LGBT media, traditional national and local media, online media and corporate partnerships unlike any other show has before. The show, its creator and actors all became public figures for the LGBT movement – helping to bring to light our issues and our lives. For outlets that have extensively covered The L Word, such as Curve, what will the end of The L Word mean? Online outlets, including SheWired.com and AfterEllen.com, have dedicated whole sections of their blogs, forums and Web sites to the series. Will The L Word have a lasting effect or will these outlets face difficulty with highly relevant and engaging news?

The end of The L Word leaves open the possibility and opportunity to engage a now untapped audience. The millions of lesbians who participated in the show’s season premiere and finale parties are left waiting for the next big “L” thing. The L Word creator, Ilene Chaiken, is awaiting news on whether the show’s spinoff, The Farm, receives the green light. If this show can succeed and expand on its predecessor’s impact remains the question. For a show with a distinct niche audience, The L Word was able to broadly engage a variety of audiences, within and outside the LGBT community. It was able to educate audiences — allowing us to move forward and create change.

To watch a tribute to series go to Sho.com or visit IN THE LIFE for their “Women Through the Lens” special of a behind-the-scenes look at the series when it first emerged.

Parents, Family and Friends Unite!

I am so glad to see PFLAG membership growing nationwide. What can we attribute this to? It seems California's Proposition 8 alongside other states anti gay initiatives are all part of the spark. And films like "Milk" are reminding the public of how long the LGBT struggle has been underway. And a new film, "Prayers for Bobby" is about a mother’s journey from rejecting her gay son to becoming an advocate for LGBT rights.

PFLAG reports a rash of inquiries into starting new chapters locally. They currently are in 500 communities. PFLAG's national executive director, Jody M. Huckaby reports "If there is a silver lining to the set-back our families experienced on Election Day, it is that our allies in communities across the country have started to mobilize at the local level and work for change." What are some of the issues PFLAG is organizing to fight? Gays seeking adoption of children, constitutional amendments banning same sex marriages..... Many parents and families see their well adjusted, successful adult children in healthy partnerships with same sex partners and are asking why can't they have what we have?

While the fight remains the same one many of us are familiar with, adding in the power of PFLAG and it's growing membership gives me reassurance that our LGBT voices will be heard in some new ways.