|
Visibility-such a simple concept that at its worst can unravel the fabric of a gay person's life. A new organization, Protect Love, is asking the LGBT community and our supporters to risk just that. "We are being demonized by politicians, radio talk show hosts, and religious leaders across America," says Jen Prill, one of the group's founders. "To me the most enduring way to fight back is by letting them know who we are-that we laugh, we cry, we work hard, we have moral values, we serve, and we love."
Protect Love is a small but growing number of New Mexicans who believe in the ideal that all Americans should live and work in a society of equal rights. "Our group melds together straights and gays, the religious and non religious, the politically active and the not so active," explains the TNH's own Jim Moore who is treasurer of the organization.
"We need to understand what is so frightening about homosexuality, particularly in places of worship, that leaders preach intolerance and disrespect," adds Kathy Galbraith, another founder. "So we are going to local churches, meeting with clergy and congregations in hopes of showing them that we are not the enemy. We are just everyday people doing our best to get along."
Because research indicates people who say they know a gay person are more likely to vote for gay rights than those who don't know a gay person, Protect Love's goal is to encourage the LGBT community and supporters to become visible and vocal, and eventually to connect with those who fear or reject diversity.
Please join their efforts. The first step is easy. Wear a lapel pin that shows how you feel. When people ask what your pin means, tell them you vote for equal rights for all Americans, including gay Americans. Go to www.protectlove.com for more information about the organization, its activities, and its pin party celebrations.
|
