Advocacy, Activism, and LGBTQ

© Thomas C WatersMarch 2012

thomascwaters.com

http://www.slideshare.net/tcwaters/

Advocacy, Activism, and LGBTQ

• State of things for LGBTQ• Advocacy/Activism and You!

Advocacy, Activism, and LGBTQ

Blogger– thomascwaters.com– QLATB.com

• Advocacy Chair for the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh

• Member* of Pittsburgh Citizen’s Police Review Board

• Highland Park resident, partner Brad

The State of things…

• LGBT• What about the Q?• Pennsylvania– Employment, housing and public accommodations– Hate crimes– Safe schools– Same-sex marriage/Domestic Partnership– Other

http://equalitypa.org/maps.html

Employment, housing and public accommodations

• PA HB 300• 26 cities, towns or other entities offer these

protections• 16 +DC (LGBT), 21+DC (LGB)

• Over 85% of people surveyed believe that sexual orientation and gender identity are already protected in employment.

Hate crimes

• 30 +DC (LGB), 13+DC (LGBT)• 14 laws that do not cover LGB or T

• PA had a hate crimes law that was found unconstitutional by the courts but has failed to be passed ever since.

• Civil libertarians are generally opposed to hate crimes legislation as it creates a two-tier justice system which isn’t fair.

Safe schools

• 18+DC (LGB), 16+DC (LGBT)• Some school laws protect sexual orientation: 5

states• Some school regulations LGB 7 states (includes

PA)• No protections 6 states

• Multiple approaches and types of legislation work towards this end goal.

Same-sex marriage or CU or DP

• Marriage 8+DC• Comprehensive CU/DP 9+DC• Out-of-state recog. 3• Nothing 30 states (includes PA)

• There has been a PA SB for the last 2 sessions sponsored by Daylin Leach

Other issues

• Adoption/ Joint Adoption• Second Parent Adoption• Foster Care laws• Parents using donor insemination• Birth certificate laws• Medical decision making laws• Medical leave laws

Advocacy vs Activism

Photo by My Manatee

Advocacy vs Activism

• Advocacy: focuses on the the goal• Activism: focuses on where we are

Photo by smaginnis11565

Advocacy University

• Curriculum:– ADV101- mass digital efforts– ADV201- send an email– ADV301- make a phone call– ADV531-letter to the Editor– ADV532-hand written letter > legislator– ADV632- meet your legislator

How effective are these efforts?

Activism vs Advocacy

• Training dogs…• Changing fire alarm batteries

Advocacy University

• Curriculum:– ADV101- mass digital efforts– ADV201- send an email– ADV301- make a phone call– ADV531-letter to the Editor– ADV532-hand written letter > legislator– ADV632- meet your legislator

Successful Advocacy

• Part of an ongoing process• Relies on relationship building• Two-sided dialogue• Win/Win focus• My life is not an issue… it is my life.

Advocacy as empowerment

• LGBTQ Advocacy– Allows real persons to share their own voice and

their story.– Places a human face or faces upon controversial

issues.

Meeting with your elected official

• http://thomascwaters.com/contact-your-elected-officials/

• Commit to the meeting– Send a handwritten letter

• Schedule an appointment• Prepare• The meeting

– Bringing others– Introductions– Tell your story– Ask questions– Offer assistance

Meeting with your elected official

• Meeting follow up– Send a thank you note– Follow through– Report the meeting

• Ongoing work• The next meeting

You are an expert about…

• What should you know?

Case Study: PA Voter ID

• PA HB 934