spirit day

Today is Spirit Day!  Millions of Americans are wearing purple today as a sign of support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth and to speak out against bullying.

Spirit Day was started in 2010 by teenager Brittany McMillan as a response to the young people who had taken their own lives.  Observed annually on October 20, individuals, schools, organizations, corporations, media professionals and celebrities wear purple, which symbolizes spirit on the rainbow flag.  Getting involved is easy — participants are asked to simply “go purple” on October 20 to help create a world in which LGBT teens are celebrated and accepted for who they are.  So even if you don’t own a single item of purple clothing, you can “go purple” on Twitter, Facebook or any other form of social media as a way to show your support.

civil – not equal

In the news coverage of New York’s legal recognition of same-sex marriage, I noticed in listing other states that have passed similar laws that most news reporters failed to mention Illinois.  And then the difference between “civil unions” and “marriage” really sunk in.  New York passed same-sex marriage; Illinois passed same-sex civil unions.  It is not the same.  Even if there were no substantive differences in the way the law treated marriages and civil unions, the fact that a civil union remains a separate status only for same-sex couples represents real and powerful inequality.

As the Chicago Tribune reported yesterday in coverage of Chicago’s Pride Parade: “Asked if they were pleased with civil unions, they answered simultaneously, “Yeah, but it’s not marriage.”  Don’t get me wrong.  I celebrated when same-sex couples gathered in Chicago’s Millennium Park to enter into civil union.  And I totally understand that the use of civil union language is a strategic political compromise – but the effect is more than simple semantics. 

When confronting opposition from the religious community, shouldn’t we talk about the difference between “holy matrimony” and “civil marriage” rather than always yielding to fears over use of the word marriage?  Thinking about this issue led me to rediscover (Lieutenant Governor of California) Gavin Newsom’s interview on the topic:

My friend Tracy Baim, Executive editor of Windy City Media Group, shared her thoughts on the topic in this Huffington Post article: “If you truly believe we as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered citizens are equal in all ways, there should be nothing in the way of your support for full equality. If you ask us to compromise, to settle for unequal civil unions; you are saying, in no uncertain terms, that we are not the same.”  What do you think?

the power of social media

If you still have any doubts about the power of social media, take a moment to look at what Dan Savage has accomplished in a few short weeks with a YouTube account and a belief that GLBT youth need to hear the message that “It Gets Better.”

Last month’s suicide of Billy Lucas in Greensburg, Indiana prompted advice columnist and author Dan Savage to record a video with his partner to deliver a message of hope to young people, and invited others to do the same.  Hundreds of videos have been added to the campaign’s page by people from all walks of life, including President Obama.

In a few short weeks, Dan’s video has been viewed over 950,000 times and the entire “It Gets Better” channel has been viewed 1,730,234 times as of this morning.  The amazing exposure of the campaign is bound to save lives and shift the conversation about bullying and discrimination based on sexual orientation in America.  There are many lessons to be learned from this campaign – about society and social media.  What does it say to you?