Kentucky Fairness Alliance E-News, Fall 2008

From the Director's Desk

The ball's in our court

Christina Gilgor, Executive Director

Knowing the sometimes harsh emotional, social, familial, and economic realities of coming out, I have cringed to hear it said that gay people who aren't fully “out” are somehow partially responsible for the discrimination used against them. While I appreciate this position from a theoretical perspective, I also appreciate the very personal, heart-wrenching quandaries being out presents. The coming out process is intensely personal and should be on each individual’s own terms.

That said, the past three years, being immersed in all things civil rights related, I am more convinced than ever that gay Kentuckians will have full civil rights not when we persuade straight people we are worthy, rather when we ourselves are convinced we are worthy of the dignity and civil rights afforded every other Kentucky citizen AND are willing to act on that belief.

One of the most crucial issues facing GLBT Kentuckians is that most of our neighbors aren’t aware of the injustices we face. A 1999 statewide poll showed nearly three-quarters (73%) of Kentuckians think it is wrong to fire someone from a job because they are gay, yet ten years later employment protections for GLBT Kentuckians do not exist. Worse, less than ten percent of our legislature supports the adoption of such protections. What accounts for this disconnect?

We can look around for someone to blame, or we can step up to the plate and demand our civil rights be maintained and appropriately protected. It’s really that simple.

Poll after poll shows a strong positive correlation between knowing a gay person and being supportive of public policy that maintains full civil rights for gay people.

Too many of our neighbors, friends and family still mistakenly believe that the intolerance and injustices we face are things of the past. It is vital that we tell our stories, illustrate the injustices we face, and remind people of the common ground we share.

Only when gay Kentuckians refuse to concede that common ground will it become apparent to anyone with an ounce of compassion that of course public policy should protect everyone's civil rights. Suddenly the right-wing rants will sound different to our friends and neighbors - they will be about you instead of nameless, faceless "others" - and they will ring hollow. Finally our fellow citizens will understand our struggle as it relates to human dignity.

Don't give up yours - for any reason. It is the foundation upon which our public policy victories will stand.