Wednesday is ‘Day Without a Gay’ Day
[Guest post by DRJ]
Supporters of same-sex marriage want Americans to skip work tomorrow and call in gay:
“Some same-sex marriage supporters are urging people to “call in gay” Wednesday to show how much the country relies on gays and lesbians, but others question whether it’s wise to encourage skipping work given the nation’s economic distress.
Organizers of “Day Without a Gay” – scheduled to coincide with International Human Rights Day and modeled after similar work stoppages by Latino immigrants – also are encouraging people to perform volunteer work and refrain from spending money.”
Organizers excused those who might actually suffer or sacrifice as a result of their participation:
“Hetherington said he has been careful to design A Day Without a Gay – he came up with the name after the film “A Day Without a Mexican” and liked it because it rhymed – so no one feels excluded or threatened.
He has specifically urged high school students not to walk out of their classes and assured college students they won’t be disloyal to the cause if they go ahead and take their final exams. He also has listed opportunities – ranging from writing letters to members of Congress about federal gay rights legislation to spreading the word about Wednesday on social networking sites – for gay marriage backers who cannot miss work.”
The Chicago sit-in at Republic Windows and Doors is moving in favor of the employees now that Bank of America bowed to public pressure and agreed to provide additional funding. Presumably the organizers of “Day Without a Gay” hope their protest will result in similar public pressure that favors their cause.
We’ll see whether it works but it’s already popular with some, including 25 Philadelphia school teachers who want to use the day to volunteer at the ACLU and talk about ways to “introduce gay issues” to their students.
— DRJ
I was going to post about this but I guess I was asleep at the wheel.
I think it’s a terrible idea: it has the effect of punishing the employers of gay people for something that, by and large, other people did. It seems to me that would just have the effect of making potential allies into enemies.
aphrael (9e8ccd) — 12/9/2008 @ 7:47 pmDarn it. And I was planning to take my car in for an oil change tomorrow. I guess no mechanics will be no duty so I better forget it.
nk (094d4d) — 12/9/2008 @ 7:48 pmaphrael, seems like that describes a lot of recent tactics in the gay activist community.
SPQR (26be8b) — 12/9/2008 @ 7:50 pmaphrael,
The article has a quote from a Denver gay leader who agrees with you. I could see it having a positive impact in some places and not in others.
As for posting on this subject, please do. Patterico told me long ago not to worry about that and he was right. We all bring different perspectives and it never hurts to have different perspectives.
DRJ (b4db3a) — 12/9/2008 @ 7:51 pmIncidentally, the fact that I heard about this via the local newspaper rather than via a mailing list put together from people who donated to No-on-Prop-8 demonstrates the utter incompetence of the gay rights movement as a political force.
aphrael (9e8ccd) — 12/9/2008 @ 7:54 pmTwo words:
KEEP DIGGING.
Rykehaven (7ec80a) — 12/9/2008 @ 7:54 pmNo kidding.
I was going to quote a “friend’s” live journal about how hey polyamourus relationship is exactly what the bible supports, and how she’ll throw that in the face of the next person who is against gay marriage…
My reply (which appears to have gotten me removed from that particular post-filter) was “Someday, proponents of gay marriage will realize the biggest hurdle they have to overcome is themselves”.
*shrugs*
I should have known, really. Her BDS was always burried the “you seriously think that” meter. You know, the kind that calls Bush “Hitler”, ignoring the fact that if he actually were, and someone said the things she (and so many others) would say, they would have been disappeared long ago.
But yeah, this sounds like one of the dumbest ideas ever.
Scott Jacobs (90ff96) — 12/9/2008 @ 8:16 pmIt’s because you don’t have actual smart people in charge, just folks who want to see their name in print.
Scott Jacobs (90ff96) — 12/9/2008 @ 8:16 pmWhat, no mass tomorrow?
Festivus (86f13d) — 12/9/2008 @ 8:19 pmWhat, no mass tomorrow?
I thought it was “call in gay” not “call in pedophile”. What you saying, Festivus?
nk (094d4d) — 12/9/2008 @ 8:27 pmIf I were a manager, and had to lay some people off — not that anyone’s in that boat at present — I think I’d take into account who had recently decided to blow off a day of work just to show me how needed he was, and how important and just his cause was.
DWPittelli (7c499f) — 12/9/2008 @ 8:30 pmThe merchants in the Castro have pretty much said they’ll be open. It’s Christmas and they would be fools to close for the day. (Yes, he said Christmas and not holiday.)
I think it’s silly. It didn’t work for Mexicans and they were a bigger part of the population than gays!
Patricia (ee5c9d) — 12/9/2008 @ 8:31 pmEmployee: “Yeah, boss? I’m calling in gay because I support gay rights!”
Boss: “Good idea. Tell you what, how about you just not ever come in to work again. I’ll mail you your stuff. But way to go with the getting involved in a cause.”
Scott Jacobs (90ff96) — 12/9/2008 @ 8:41 pmI tried calling the boss to “call in gay”, but every time I dial my number it’s busy.
I don’t think he’d believe me anyway.
Gajim (e39b35) — 12/9/2008 @ 8:55 pmMy only regret is that there aren’t enough of them to affect traffic in LA like the no-Mexicans Day had. That was a great protest and I know lots of people hoping for a repeat. Maybe one every day.
Mike K (2cf494) — 12/9/2008 @ 9:03 pmI guess it’s no use driving up to Robertson Blvd to see the interior decorators tomorrow.
Mike K (2cf494) — 12/9/2008 @ 9:04 pmComment by Mike K — 12/9/2008 @ 9:04 pm
No problem Mike K,
Another Drew (dd7bc2) — 12/9/2008 @ 9:13 pmjust plan on having lunch at that Mexican restaurant they’re all demonstrating at.
You’ll find him over there.
If a lot of people participate, how are women going to check their outfits?
/sarc/
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 12/9/2008 @ 9:17 pm“Call In Gay” day Wednesday.
DaveP. (24a66f) — 12/9/2008 @ 9:23 pm“Call In Unemployed” day Friday.
good idea. Let’s show people that you are a force to be reckoned with by being totally irresponsible and skipping work.
chris (fdf211) — 12/9/2008 @ 9:38 pmThat is a horrible idea. This is exactly what people who voted for Prop 8 do not want. Why is it so hard for teachers to understand that parents really want to have some say about how this topic is introduced to their children?
“Call in Gay” day seems problematic because it seems those in positions comfortable enough to do it probably aren’t surrounded by homophobes that simply haven’t thought the issue through.
Also, it is always risky to try to prove how important you are by not showing up at work. What if it turns out you aren’t all that important?
MayBee (4a9480) — 12/9/2008 @ 9:38 pmMayBee, I was just reading Philadelphia’s API scores – the vast majority of grade levels rank below 50% in standarized testing (reading/math). But hey, maybe learning how to introduce their students to gay issues will somehow help those students master basic academics, no? After all this is what public education is all about.
Dana (79a78b) — 12/9/2008 @ 9:54 pmAlso, it is always risky to try to prove how important you are by not showing up at work. What if it turns out you aren’t all that important?
Flashback: “On the Day Without A Mexican, the roads were usable, people could walk on the sidewalks, everything was cleaner. LA is a much pleasanter place to live without illegals.”
aunursa (e9b1f7) — 12/9/2008 @ 9:55 pmComment by aunursa — 12/9/2008 @ 9:55 pm
Now, if we could only find some way to keep TonyV out of town permanently.
Another Drew (dd7bc2) — 12/9/2008 @ 9:58 pmBut hey, maybe learning how to introduce their students to gay issues will somehow help those students master basic academics, no? After all this is what public education is all about.
Brilliant point.
MayBee (4a9480) — 12/9/2008 @ 10:00 pmCall in gay today, join the unemployment line tomorrow. I understand the end of the unemployment line for Gay City SF is in L.A.
Scrapiron (ce69ff) — 12/9/2008 @ 10:06 pmBecause I’m a public school teacher, that last paragraph stuck out to me.
Well, if they can “introduce gay issues” to their students, then surely I can get my students to question the popular assumptions of the gay agenda (which few bother to ever pause and think about).
The organizers of this day miss the whole point of the opposition to Same sex marriage.
Equating sexual orientation with race is a bit of a stretch.
Rich Bordner (895b36) — 12/9/2008 @ 10:14 pm“Call in Gay” day seems problematic because it seems those in positions comfortable enough to do it probably aren’t surrounded by homophobes that simply haven’t thought the issue through.
Yes.
I think it’s clearly true that the best way for gay people to gain support for laws which are important to us (antidiscrimination ordinances, domestic partnerships, adoption rights, marriage) is for gay people to stand up; to talk to our coworkers and show them who we are, where we’re coming from, and why the things we want are important to us.
But it’s important to do this in a way which is not self-evidently obnoxious. Not going to work for a day in protest against my employer rescinding health benefits for same-sex partners wouldn’t be obnoxious per se; not going to work for a day in protest against some random other cause would be … and the only people who can really get away with it are (a) people who are truly mission critical or (b) people who already have support from their coworkers on such issues anyhow.
And in the case of (b), it’s particularly obnoxious: why take out your ire at someone who doesn’t support you on people who do?
aphrael (9e8ccd) — 12/9/2008 @ 10:22 pm[…] Tomorrow (Wednesday) is “Day without a gay” day. […]
The Pugnacious Irishman (076585) — 12/9/2008 @ 10:23 pmAnd if you’re bisexual, you can take half the day off.
Official Internet Data Office (a59c69) — 12/9/2008 @ 10:30 pmis for gay people to stand up; to talk to our coworkers and show them who we are, where we’re coming from, and why the things we want are important to us.
I completely agree.
MayBee (4a9480) — 12/9/2008 @ 10:40 pmIf I were a gay-marriage activist, I’d organize a “Tell At Least One Person Why You Want to Get Married Without Using the Word ‘Right'” day.
“And if you’re bisexual, you can take half the day off.”
OIDO – And if you’re polygamous, see you next week!
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 12/9/2008 @ 10:44 pmWho is going to man the restroom at Minneapolis’ Airport?
SteveG (a87dae) — 12/9/2008 @ 11:07 pmRead Camile Paglia about gay marriage in Salon this month. She’s brilliant, IMO.
Patricia (ee5c9d) — 12/9/2008 @ 11:11 pm______________________________________
Might just as well call it “Day Without a Leftist” day, because the sociopolitical philosophy of quite a few of these pro-gay-marriage activists — and almost all of the “GLBT” crowd in general — is quite liberal, if not ultra-liberal.
And since it’s in the nature of a high percentage of males — hetero or homo — to be non-monogamous, if more people throughout our society — particularly the large percentage of women who gravitate towards an I-love-the-Democrat-Party way of thinking — grow increasingly soft-hearted about the gay agenda (which really fits into a dumbed-down, do-your-own-thang, anything-goes mindset), they better be prepared for larger numbers of everyone taking faithfulness and monogamy less seriously.
After all, if a person’s inner-voice, which happens to be gay (or bi) is to be catered to and sympathized with — and no longer is seen as shocking or peculiar — then everyone’s inner voice (“I gotta cheat on my wife—I can’t help it! It’s in my nature! It’s my male hormones!” “I want more than one wife! I can’t help it!!”) also will be seen as deserving consideration and sympathy.
______________________________________
Mark (411533) — 12/9/2008 @ 11:35 pmHow about “A Day Without a Taxpayer”? or “A Day without Men”? or “A Day Without Christians”?
Kevin Murphy (0b2493) — 12/9/2008 @ 11:36 pmI think “A Month without Straight White Men” could be quite educational.
Evil Pundit (843b74) — 12/10/2008 @ 12:40 am“Call in gay” Wednesday .
Perfect Sense (9d1b08) — 12/10/2008 @ 1:56 amWhat if their boss is Muslim?
This strikes me as a poor idea for a few reasons:
The rational Dana (which doesn't imply that the adjectiveless Dana is irrational!) (3e4784) — 12/10/2008 @ 3:27 amGoing John Galt
Horatio (55069c) — 12/10/2008 @ 4:25 amIn other news….
Broadway hit by downturn
Paul Atreides (0f949e) — 12/10/2008 @ 5:15 amhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/3691742/Broadway-hit-by-downturn.html
Boy a straight, single male or female who’s got the flu and a 102-degree temperature today really has a hard choice to make about going into work, don’t they?
John (692c5c) — 12/10/2008 @ 7:09 amI wonder if “a day without gays” will go down in history with the day the Hispanics stayed home .. i.e. the freeways got better.
Neo (cba5df) — 12/10/2008 @ 7:16 amI wonder if some people who are sick will make an effort to struggle into work today so nobody will … misunderstand.
L.N. Smithee (9c1fce) — 12/10/2008 @ 7:18 amBut hey, maybe learning how to introduce their students to gay issues will somehow help those students master basic academics, no?
Dana, don’t you realize how popular the book “Heather has two Mommies” is at public school libraries these days?
Dmac (e30284) — 12/10/2008 @ 7:41 amSo I needed to take a sick day today, then realized what the heck is going on…
Can’t wait for all my friends to start wondering about me.
the bhead (a31060) — 12/10/2008 @ 7:53 amA lot of homosexuals are still in the closet
This is an independent problem.
I don’t support forcing people out of the closet; it’s brutal treatment, for one thing, and it denies people the choice to control their lives.
But being in the closet is a nasty and unpleasant existence which is good for nobody. And, with reference to what I said above about how the best thing activists can do is talk to people, these battles are easier to win when not fought from within the closet.
I understand that it’s a hard thing to do for many people, and I certainly oppose forcing people to do it; but I wish that everyone would come out of the closet. I think their lives would be happier, and I think the social and political positions of gay people would be stronger, if they did.
aphrael (e0cdc9) — 12/10/2008 @ 1:02 pmA lot of tolerance is based on the idea that you don’t throw stuff up in people’s faces; this won’t help with that.
There’s something to that, although I think the obnoxiousness of flaking on your duties for a day is more of a problem.
I would think a day where everyone who is gay wears an armband, or some other low-key visual symbol, would have the same positive effect without most of the negative effects.
aphrael (e0cdc9) — 12/10/2008 @ 1:07 pmComment by Patricia — 12/9/2008 @ 11:11 pm
I love Paglia too, Patricia. (just read her neat slice-n-dice of Dick Cavett’s sneering NYT op-ed rant against Palin-speak.) Brilliant.
Dana, don’t you realize how popular the book “Heather has two Mommies” is at public school libraries these days?
Yeah, that’ll really up those test scores, Dmac. Funny though, the book hasn’t hit the bookshelves in my So. Cal. school district – yet.
Dana (79a78b) — 12/10/2008 @ 5:40 pm==============================
N Waff (64f20f) — 12/11/2008 @ 10:22 am=
= make it a year/decade with a gay
=
===============================
With all the self-centeredness of LGBTs and shoving their lifestyle down our throats until we vomit, let’s try making it a year or a decade without the gay indoctrination
Fixed that for you. 🙂
Scott Jacobs (89480a) — 12/11/2008 @ 10:52 am