Update: Homophobic Attack In Missoula

The Missoulian, KPAX and Towleroad are all reporting on the Missoula beating of a young gay man on his 22nd birthday.

Wipeout Homophobia’s Facebook page posted photos earlier today- I can’t bear to put them up here- they’re upsetting and I don’t think I need to make the point that there are people out there who think it’s okay to beat up people they see as queer- as ‘fags’, as ‘dykes’ as ‘trannies’, as, well, whatever.

There are people everywhere who think it’s okay to do that- not just in Montana.

After the most successful Pride Celebration in Montana history, when more supporters than ever showed up for equality and to support their LGBTIQ brothers and sisters, it’s very hard to see the reality of hate and ignorance that we all have to face every day in the U.S.

It’s not just Montana. It’s not “just” anywhere. It’s everywhere.

And that’s why we can’t be silent. That’s why we need to keep standing up in the face of bullying and violence. It goes against the values of the Montana I know and love. And sadly, bullying and violence still seems to be promoted as a value in some Montana circles (yeah I’m talking about you, Tim Ravndal).

But I still believe more people have our best interest at heart than don’t. The ignoramuses just have the advantage of jumping out of dark alleys.

So, again- please- be careful out there.

Update: Police are now saying that this investigation has taken a turn- from the Missoulian:

Missoula police are examining a videotape that purports to show a young gay man injuring his face while doing a backflip.

The man reported to police that he’d been beaten up outside the Missoula Club early Sunday morning, allegedly because of his sexual orientation.

But the video shows him doing a backflip off a curb on North Higgins Avenue and smashing his face on the sidewalk as he lands.

“Until we finish the investigation, we won’t know the entire story, but it has certainly been a major development in the case,” said Missoula Police Chief Mark Muir.

I’m making no further comments until we know more.

But what I said above applies nonetheless.

Gay Man Beaten in Homophobic Attack in Missoula, Montana (towleroad.com)
Hate Crimes = Terrorism: Missoula Responds (Out Into The Wild)

Why Does Marriage Matter?

Aug6 by D Gregory Smith

Marriage in Washington has the direct effect of influencing marriage rights in all nearby states- including Idaho, Montana and Oregon.

Check out the latest tv ad from Washington United For Marriage and Pride Foundation:

Pride Foundation, the nonprofit LGBTQ community foundation serving the U.S. Northwest, has led an ongoing public education campaign on why marriage matters to all loving and committed couples. Today, Pride Foundation announced the second of two new statewide TV ads focused on the importance of the freedom to marry for all Washingtonians. The first of the ads debuted during the opening ceremony of the Olympics on July 27.

The ad released August 6 features United Church of Christ minister Reverend Gib Rossing and his wife, Beth Rossing, talking about their son Jonathan and their hopes for him to be able to marry his long-term partner Ryan. It emphasizes that all loving and committed couples, whether gay or straight, hope to marry for similar reasons: to make a lifetime promise to another person and to share the joys and challenges that life brings.

“Here in Washington, we treat all families with respect and fairness, because we believe in the Golden Rule of treating others as we want to be treated,” said Kris Hermanns, Executive Director of Pride Foundation. “This advertisement reflects our fundamental values, and will supplement the conversations we’ve had across the state about the important of marriage for all loving and committed couples. No one should be denied the freedom to marry the person that they love.”

This statewide ad follows another that debuted at the Olympics opening ceremony and features former Republican state Senator Cheryl Pflug.

For more information and to check out Senator Pflug’s video visit www.WhyMarriageMattersWashington.org.

To learn more about Pride Foundation visit www.pridefoundation.org.

Update (from the comments): Just wanted to let you know my dad (Gib Rossing) is actually a retired Lutheran pastor. He and Mom are part of a UCC church in Olympia, WA, but he’s not a minister of the UCC. Thanks for posting the video and sharing!

Pro-Marriage-Equality Ad Will Run Tonight During Olympics Opening Ceremony (slog.thestranger.com)
Turman Larison Gallery to Host Pride Foundation Benefit (dgsmith.org)

Last Call: Making Waves

Aug6 by D Gregory Smith

Pride Foundation aims to “make waves” with the first-ever Flathead Lake Equality Cruise on Sunday, Aug. 12, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The boat will depart KwaTaqNuk Best Western Resort at 4 p.m. sharp, so guests are encouraged to arrive by 3:45. Tickets are $45 for individuals and $80 per couple and can be purchased online at www.pridefoundation.eventbrite.com.

Seattle-based Pride Foundation has made a big splash in Montana since hiring on-the-ground staff in 2011, sextupling the number of active donors in less than two years. Pride Foundation has increased from $19,000 to nearly $50,000 the amount of grants and scholarships given out in the state over the past year.

According to Regional Development Organizer Caitlin Copple, who is also the first openly gay member of the Missoula City Council, Montana is part of a larger national trend toward greater acceptance of people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

“From the city ordinances protecting the community from non-discrimination to the increase in the number of high school Gay-Straight Alliances around the state to the changes in both the Republican and Democratic party platforms, Montana is rapidly becoming a more friendly place for gays and lesbians,” Copple said. “Most importantly, more of our heterosexual family, friends, and colleagues are also ‘coming out’ as supporters of full equality in our state.”

Indeed, co-hosts for the upcoming cruise include Rep. Ellie Hill (D-Missoula) and Dr. Tyler Smith of Missoula, Cathy and Ned Cooney of Bigfork, Mary Stranahan of Arlee, and Beth Frazee, Paul Vestal, and Bryony Schwan, all of Missoula.

Special thanks to event sponsors KwaTaqNuk Resort, Fidelity Title of Lake County, Mamalode Magazine, MissoulaEvents.net, Salish Kootenai College, S&K Technologies, Ronan Telephone Company, Blackfoot Telecommunications, and Gateway to Vitality. If you would like to sponsor or co-host, please contact Caitlin@pridefoundation.org.

Founded in 1985, Pride Foundation is dedicated to inspiring a culture of generosity to connect and strengthen organizations, leaders, and students who are creating LGBTQ equality across the Northwest states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. To learn more, visit www.pridefoundation.org or email Caitlin@pridefoundation.org.

Turman Larison Gallery to Host Pride Foundation Benefit (dgsmith.org)
You’re Invited (dgsmith.org)
Free Money! Pride Foundation Deadline July 31 (dgsmith.org)

Discrimination In Helena: The Left-Handed And The Bald

Aug5 by D Gregory Smith

You may remember Helena City Commissioner Dan Ellison’s flap over his “abstention” in the non-discrimination measure currently considered in Helena. In the Independent Record he ranted and squirmed publicly, comparing LGBTQ persons to the “bald and left-handed” in seeking protection from discrimination- while he unabashedly sought publicity at their expense.

First of all, WTF? This is the argument of an idiot, completely unaware of the difficulties LGBTQ persons face in this state- partly because of the ignorance of persons creating policy such as, say, Dan Ellison.

Second of all, the satire is deservedly starting. Helena Vigilante’s Shane Castle:

Fabulous! You can Email Mr Ellison here. Maybe enlighten him a little.

Another Reason To Vote For Jon Tester

Aug2 by D Gregory Smith

HIV Home Test A “Double Edged Sword”

Aug2 by D Gregory Smith

Kudos to Great Falls Tribune Reporter Michael Beall for writing about the newly approved Rapid HIV Home Test- and asking Montanans in the field what they think about it.

Greg Smith, the executive director of AIDS Outreach in Bozeman, said he and others have mixed feelings about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s decision to approve the first over-the-counter HIV test kits.

English: Logo of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2006) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“I think it’s great that people will have access to testing,” said Smith, who was diagnosed with HIV in 2007. “But my concern is that they wouldn’t have the support that we offer in community-based testing situations.”

The OraQuick test is similar to the OraSure tests health clinics use and detects the presence of HIV in saliva. It returns results within 20 to 40 minutes.

The test is as simple as swabbing the upper and lower gums and inserting the test stick into a solution.

But Smith said the home test is a double-edged sword.

“On one hand, information is great, but on the other we need to provide that information so that it’s received well,” he said. “We want that support there.”

Trisha Gardner, City County Health Department community health education specialist, said reviews of the test are overwhelmingly positive, but she’s concerned because those who take the tests at home and test positive won’t have someone there to help them know what to do next. At the same time, she knows how important testing is to stopping the spread of the disease.

“You can’t do anything to control the spread of it if you don’t know you have it,” Gardner said. “People will be more likely to (get tested) because they don’t have to go in anywhere. They don’t have to be seen.”

Full story here.

Wrap It Up: FDA Approves First Ever At-Home HIV Test (bossip.com)
HIV self-test raises questions (toledoblade.com)
San Francisco Thwarts HIV With Wide Testing, Universal Treatment (npr.org)

Surging US Catholic Support For Marriage Equality

Aug1 by D Gregory Smith

By Terence Weldon, Queering The Church

Marriage Equality USA logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

New research by the Pew Forum on religion and public life has confirmed once again that the tide of opinion is moving inexorably in favour of gay marriage. In 2oo4, supporters were outnumbered by opponents, by almost two to one (30% to 61%), but supporters now outnumber opponents, by 48% to 44%. The age split confirms that support will continue to grow: the only groups still opposed are those over 50, and the youngest is in favour by 63% to 32%. All this is familiar.

What is new in this poll, is its focus on the impact of President Obama’s declared support last May for the principle of marriage equality. Overall, Pew reports that there has been very little change in support since before the announcement – but that it has strengthened support in his Democratic base, and hardened opposition among his Republican opponents. This shift among Democratic voters (especially liberal Democrats) could have a beneficial impact on the gay marriage ballots this November in the Democratic and Democratic leaning states of Maine, Maryland, Washington and Minnesota, and has been widely reported on in the major news media (see for instance,Huffington Post, SF Gate at the San Francisco Chronicle, or Seattle Post PI).

The strength of the Pew Forum research organization, as its name implies, is in its focus on religion and religious attitudes, and the extensive historical database of strictly comparable results, which is what I want to focus on here.

Catholics strongly support gay marriage.

First, note that Catholic overwhelmingly support gay marriage, by 58% to 33% – a margin of 25%, and identical for both White and Hispanic Catholic groups. This degree of support is greater than that shown by any other Christian grouping (Jews and other faiths are not identified), it is substantially higher than that for the population as a whole).

This degree of support by Catholics, exceeding that for other groups, has now been well – established in numerous polls. It has also been previously noted that the growth in Catholic support has exceeded that in other groups. Just how dramatic that growth has been, can be seen by comparing the latest results with those from August / September 2010. Then, Catholic support for gay marriage was at 46% – a plurality over opposition of just 4%. That plurality has now grown from 4% to 25%, in less than two years.

Read the rest here.