Tomorrow, December 10th is our official Gay Strike day.
What does that mean?
All LGBT folks and our allies who believe in equal rights should:
1) Call in sick to work or take a vacation day
Unless you work for a lgbt company
2) No spending!
Don't buy ANYTHING unless it's a gay owned business.
I'm sure there are restaurants in your area that are gay owned, so have dinner out!
3) Volunteer
Either volunteer at a local LGBT organization, or even better, get your gay friends together and volunteer for a STRAIGHT organization. Get out there and help your community, schools, seniors and let everyone know a gay for a day!
4) Come Out
I know it's hard for some of you, but maybe today is the day you make that big push and come out to SOMEONE...anyone. Your parents, your corner grocer, your mail man, your boss, your college friends.... just one person if you can.
5) Did I mention don't spend any Money?
Don't spend any money!!!! Unless it's a gay owned business!
What if you're straight? Then have dinner at a gay owned business. Clean out your closet and make a donation to an organization - like Out of the Closet or your local LGBT Center. Volunteer with your gay friends! Or make a donation to Lambda Legal who is going to be going in front of the Supreme Court of California at the beginning of the new year.
What's the point of all this?
Do you need a point? We are a viable community of American citizens, and organizations are trying to take our rights away. This is a show of solidarity. If just a few of you volunteer and talk to straight people, or if your coming-out opens just one person's eyes, it'll matter. Plus it's a great way for you to have respect for yourself by showing that you stand for equal rights and that you are part of this movement. It also continues the show of a unified lgbt people and their allies across the United States who are going to CONTINUE to fight for equal rights for all.
So don't pussy out. Take the day off!
From the press release from the Out And Equal Organization:
December 8, 2008, SAN FRANCISCO - Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, the only nonprofit organization whose sole mission is workplace equality for all people, has thrown its support behind the National Day Without Gay, which will take place on International Human Rights Day, Wednesday, December 10, 2008.
National Day Without Gay is a nation-wide protest in support of human rights and full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. On that day, the LGBT community and its allies will take a historic stance against hatred. Intended as a continuation of the grassroots surge against Proposition 8 across the U.S., National Day Without Gay calls on all people to join in this public action to protest the writing of discrimination into California's highest legal document, the State Constitution.
“We recommend that people use this day as an opportunity to promote awareness in the workplace,” said Selisse Berry, founding executive director of Out & Equal. “There are still no federal laws protecting people from being fired simply for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. And this is a good opportunity to help change people’s perceptions about the LGBT community.”
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