My Speech: Pride Rally 2012

Jun17 by D Gregory Smith

From Yesterday’s Pride Rally:

Last week someone said to me “Why do you people need a parade? Why do you have to make such a fuss?”

Here’s why:

We have been afraid to be who God created us to be. Sometimes it was our churches that made us afraid.

We have been legislated against- made criminals in the eyes of the law that is supposed to protect us.

We have been killed and we have killed ourselves.

We have lost good men and women to HIV/AIDS.

We have been bullied and teased and yes, driven from our very homes and schools and communities- and state.

We have been hurt and maligned right here under this big sky.

Why do we need a parade?

To remind us that there are people whose bravery has driven away darkness. Whose voices refuse to give in to hopelessness or complacency or fear.

That together, we can be that voice.

A voice to proclaim the goodness of our lives and the lives of our brothers, sisters, parents, children and friends- we are here and like it or not- we are not going away.

We will not forget the lives that have lived with pain to bring us here- to this place of hope and triumph.

Today is a gorgeous day in Montana History, because the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two-Spirit, Transgender, Intersex and Queer people of Montana- and our allies- are here to proclaim that we will not let our voice die.

We will not be afraid.

We will stand up when we are told to lie down.

We will speak when anyone tries to shame us into silence.

We will remain when we are told to leave.

We will proclaim the truth.

Firmly and gently and clearly and proudly.

The truth that we are light.

And that light makes Montana more beautiful, not less. More.

I want to hear your voice.

Are We Good?

Are We Beautiful?

Are We Going Away?

We live in hope that one day all Americans agree.

Until then- we have a parade.

Because we.

Are not.

Going.

Away.

Montana Pride 2012: It’s Not Just A Party (dgsmith.org)
MT Pride 2012 Presents Kathy Baldock: The Argument For LGBT-Inclusive Christianity (dgsmith.org)
Baucus Endorses Marriage Equality (dgsmith.org)

Author Bobbie Zenker talks about “TransMontana” on KBZK

Jun15 by D Gregory Smith

Very proud. You can see it here.

It’s Here! Montana Pride 2012 Starts Today!

Jun15 by D Gregory Smith

And it’s gonna to be fantastic!

Click for schedule!

You can pick up tickets at the MSU SUB starting at 1pm today. Then check out the resource booths, hang out in the SUB with friends, take advantage of free HIV testing, grab some condoms donated by ONE® condoms, go downtown and support the businesses with rainbow flags, hit the Bears and Brews at the Bar IX and come back to the Ballrooms at 7pm for “The Made In Montana Drag Show” with DJ Missillaneous, Cloud City Jazz and then our headliner: Jessie and The Toy Boys.

There is also a fabulous after party and dance featuring Ebola Syndrome.

Underage and non-alcoholic activities in the Rec Center, hosted by PFLAG.

Security is provided- and Streamline buses will be running late to accommodate.

Like I said, epic- and this is only Friday!

Montana Pride 2012: It’s Not Just A Party (dgsmith.org)
Pride Foundation In Montana: Promoting Equality And Generosity- With A New Website (dgsmith.org)
Baucus Endorses Marriage Equality (dgsmith.org)

Tonight: “The Argument for LGBT-Inclusive Christianity”

Jun12 by D Gregory Smith

Get to the Bozeman Library tonight at 7pm…!

Kathy Baldock, a straight, Evangelical Christian and Executive Director of Canyonwalker Connections, will offer the public a chance to consider, discuss and debate the arguments for a Christianity that is welcoming and affirming of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered persons. All are welcome.
For More about Kathy and her experience, please visit http://canyonwalkerconnections.com/about-2/ .

This forum is presented By Montana Pride 2012

MT Pride 2012 Presents Kathy Baldock: The Argument For LGBT-Inclusive Christianity (dgsmith.org)
Montana Pride 2012: It’s Not Just A Party (dgsmith.org)
Kathy Baldock:”Trans-mockery in the House of God?” (queeringthechurch.com)

MT Pride 2012 Presents Kathy Baldock: The Argument For LGBT-Inclusive Christianity

Jun8 by D Gregory Smith

I’m really very excited. Here’s why:

My friend Kathy Baldock will be journeying to Montana from Reno this week to join us for MT Pride 2012. She will be here to speak to faith leaders, join her LGBT brothers and sisters for Montana Pride and will present at least twice. The first is at the Bozeman Public Library on Tuesday.

Entitled “The Argument For LGBT-Inclusive Christianity”, Kathy will share her story (which is really remarkable) and her conviction that there is nothing that prevents Christianity from openly embracing and affirming LGBT persons. Here’s the blurb:

Kathy Baldock, a straight, Evangelical Christian and Executive Director of Canyonwalker Connections, will offer the public a chance to consider, discuss and debate the arguments for a Christianity that is welcoming and affirming of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered persons.

For More about Kathy and her experience, please visit http://canyonwalkerconnections.com/about-2/ .
This forum is presented By Montana Pride 2012.

Kathy will also present a workshop at Montana Pride 2012. Talking to Churches and Faith Leaders- How Do We Start? Evangelical Christian and LGBT ally Kathy Baldock will offer some guidance and understanding about creating a conversation with Christian faith leaders. She will share her experiences in changing hearts and minds about LGBT persons in churches and faith communities. She will also address the topic of creating “open and affirming” churches.

She will be hanging out with us all week and will be marching in the parade and participating in the Pride Interfaith Service, Sunday June 17th , 10 am at the Holiday Inn.

Kathy is also available to the faith communities of the area during the week she is here. If you’d like to speak to her, please contact me at dgsma@hotmail.com.

To my mind, equality will be won when we do two things:

Win over the churches, and
Engage the families of LGBT people in our struggle- especially the moms.

With Kathy’s help, we’re going to do our best to win over some churches in the next week- and maybe a few mothers….

Montana Pride 2012: Details! (dgsmith.org)
Montana Pride 2012: It’s Not Just A Party (dgsmith.org)
“Day of Dialogue” From Focus On The Family is Sacred Discrimination (dgsmith.org)
‘Family’ leader vows to never stop hating LGBT people (rawstory.com)
Kathy Baldock:”Trans-mockery in the House of God?” (queeringthechurch.com)
Queen Latifah Made It Official “Coming Out” At Gay Pride 2012 (operationadvocateimpact.org)

Inlaws & Outlaws To Be Shown At MT Pride 2012

Jun7 by D Gregory Smith

Did you miss Inlaws and Outlaws last month? Well, you have another shot!

Montana Pride presents an encore screening of Inlaws & Outlaws as part of this year’s Pride celebration.

The film is Saturday, June 16th at 6 pm at the Procrastinator Theatre in the Strand Union Building on the Montana State University campus inBozeman. The MSU SUB is the headquarters for Montana Pride this year- and there will be lots of activities available for all ages.

This community screening is FREE and open to all- and DVD sales benefit Montana Pride.

See you there!

Inlaws And Outlaws Heads To Montana! (dgsmith.org)
True Story (dgsmith.org)
Montana Pride 2012: It’s Not Just A Party (dgsmith.org)
Montana Pride Announces: Jessie And The Toy Boys (dgsmith.org)
Montana Pride 2012: Details! (dgsmith.org)
Pride Foundation In Montana: Promoting Equality And Generosity- With A New Website (dgsmith.org)

Montana Pride 2012: It’s Not Just A Party

Jun5 by D Gregory Smith

It’s a time for determined activism and empowerment.

This year, we’ve invited every elected official and candidate from across Montana to meet their LGBT and allied constituents at Montana Pride.

We’ve made Out Legislators Diane Sands, Christine Kaufmann, Bryce Bennett and Montana Human Rights Network organizer/lobbyist Jamee Greer our Grand Marshals. And they will be sharing their stories with Montana Public Radio’s Brian Kahn in the Bozeman Public Library after speaking at the Equality Rally on the Library Front Lawn. A Rally which will feature Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex speakers and performers.

Montana Women Vote will be registering voters during the weekend.

And we have an amazing array of workshops at the MSU SUB on Saturday starting at 3pm

PFLAG Presents: Inclusive Language: Helping families and friends avoid hoof-in-mouth disease. How to talk about/to our LGBT loved ones and A chapter can be the first ray of sunshine in small communities and be an umbrella to connect efforts in others. Presented by Kathy Reim, PFLAG Pacific Northwest Regional Director and Cesar Hernandez, PFLAG Western Field & Policy Manager

Vagina Facebook: How to friend, things to like, status updates, and blocking creepers for your lady parts. If our vaginas had a grasp on social marketing they would pick better playmates, know all the best products, keep honest medical tabs, and hide from those unwanted pests like herpes. This workshop will use the principles of Facebook to outline 20 new lessons on vulva wellness and user sexuality. Log-on and learn. Open session for women with doctor of human sexuality and clinical sexologist, Lindsey Doe

It’s Not Your Story Until You Tell It. Author Bobbie Zenker will present a workshop on coming out and telling your story & why it is important. She will share her experiences in writing her memoir, TransMontana, followed by a brief reading. Q&A to follow.

Talking to Churches and Faith Leaders- How Do We Start? Evangelical Christian and LGBT ally Kathy Baldock will offer some guidance and understanding about creating a conversation with Christian faith leaders. She will share her experiences in changing hearts and minds about LGBT persons in churches and faith communities. She will also address the topic of creating “open and affirming” churches.

Yeah, it’s a party, but it’s also a time to be empowered.

Because together, we’re powerful.

And it’s gonna be hard to ignore us in Montana after next weekend….

Why You Should Attend A Rural Pride Event This Year (dgsmith.org)
Montana Pride 2012: Details! (dgsmith.org)
Montana Pride Announces: Jessie And The Toy Boys (dgsmith.org)
Still Time To Be A Proud Producer- And I’m Putting My Money Where My Mouth Is (dgsmith.org)

ADAP Watch, May 31, 2012

Jun4 by D Gregory Smith

From The National Association Of People With AIDS:

It’s just over two years now since we first reported the ADAP funding crisis. We thought it would be over quickly. Sad to say, we were wrong. The number of ADAP-qualifying lower-income Americans on waiting lists for the HIV drugs that would keep them healthy peaked last year at more than nine thousand before coming down to this May 31’s 2,357.

More than 90% of those now wait-listed are in five Southern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and North Carolina. All five have legitimate state budget shortfalls. All five, however, also have increasingly serious rural HIV epidemics, and extending immediate ADAP drug assistance to everyone who qualifies would be a useful step towards slowing the spread of the virus. The additional cost to the states would be trivial in the context of their whole state budgets – eliminating state ADAP contributions altogether would not materially improve their fiscal situations, and doubling them would not make them materially worse.

Here are the latest numbers from our friends at NASTAD:

ADAP Watch (dgsmith.org)
Montana ADAP Waiting List: Tuesday: 0, Wednesday: 1 (dgsmith.org)
Sanders plan to lower HIV drug cost (politico.com)

Political Candidates Respond To “Big Gay Invitation”

Jun2 by D Gregory Smith

You may have read about the Openly Gay Elected Officials and Candidates Breakfast being hosted by the Pride Foundation and Women Vote during Montana Pride.

If you haven’t, it’s here.

We’ve gotten some amazing responses so far. I wanted to highlight a few:

AG candidate Jim Shockley let us know through his assistant that he can’t attend due to the Montana Republican Convention that same weekend.

Legislative candidate from the Flathead Reservation Tom Camel declined because Bozeman is “too far,” but says he “supports Pride in the ways I can.”

“Dear Caitlin, I would love to come to your breakfast mixer but I work on Saturdays. I absolutely support equality for ALL and wish I could be there to support you and meet potential collaborators. If you have any questions of me, please ask. Keep me up on other events and I’ll try and make it. Sincerely, Jessie Nichols for House Distict 14 (Alberton)”

“My wife and I would like to join you for the breakfast mixer. I’m running for Senate District 36 (Beaverhead and Madison counties). We’re also the proud parents of a gay daughter. My campaign website is at www.turnerforsenatedistrict36.com. – Richard Turner, Dillon”

“I received your invitation to the festivities in Bozeman, unfortunately my husband and I will be in Germany visiting our son who is stationed there with the Air Force. I’m sorry to miss meeting all the legislators and many supporters. Will you be having any events in Billings? Thank you again for the invitation and I hope the events of that week go well. Best, Debbie Willis Candidate, HD 50 (Billings).

“You can count me in as a supporter of the Gay Community and Women everywhere! – Norma Duffy, Democratic Candidate of HD72 – Beaverhead County”

“Thank you for your invitation to the June 16th event. Due to the distances I will be unable to attend. Please know that I am a huge supporter of all rights for women. They by the way seem to be more treated then ever.”
Sincerely, Peggy Steffes Candidate for HD 89 representative” (Bitterroot Valley)

I received your invitation to this breakfast and I would like to attend. I left a message on your cell phone. I need to know what exit gets off highway 90. I’ve got a map. Maybe you’ll be able to point me in the right direction for the parade too. (I don’t know my way around Bozeman as well as I should). So this is my RSVP and I look forward to meeting you all. Marla Clark for House District 83 (Helena)

Awesome support for LGBT’s in Montana! Still time to make it if you’d like- donations accepted but never required!

Please RSVP by Thursday, June 14 by texting or calling Pride Foundation’s Regional Development Organizer in Montana, Caitlin Copple at 546.7017 or by emailing caitlin@pridefoundation.org.