Anti-Bullying Musical in Gettysburg

The Victim, a musical on bullying, becomes an agent of change in Gettysburg.

The Victim, a moving musical centered on school-based bullying, premiered last weekend in Gettysburg. Hundreds of members of the local community filled the Gettysburg Community Theater (GCT) with two completely sold out shows. The musical was conceived, written, and co-directed by Hanover High School student Zachary David Terrazas. The show featured an all youth cast who delivered commanding performances exploring social violence, relational aggression, and domestic abuse.

PSEC, Pennsylvania’s statewide LGBTQ youth organization, happened to have our summer convention at Gettysburg College the same weekend of the show and we were able to send student representatives from across Pennsylvania to the closing night run. Local leaders from the Gettysburg community were throughout the audience, including Gettysburg College President Janet Morgan Riggs. With a strong musical score, Terrazas gives us a deeply personal story that shows bullying through the lens of a victim in which no one, not bully nor victim, is a winner.

The Victim not only reminds us of the perils of bullying; it also reminds us of the resilience and talent of Pennsylvania high school students and the importance of listening to their voice. The production—which has been featured on national news—was brought to life with a spirited, heartfelt performance through the GCT. The theater’s Executive and Artistic Director, Chad-Alan Carr, was kind enough to treat PSEC leaders to meet the full cast backstage, and we were also able to talk to Zachary David Terrazas. The cast members thanked PSEC for working on safe schools advocacy. The performing arts and activism have long been intertwined. For example, in classical music, prominent gay composers whose music has inspired social change with political themes include Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein. We are proud to see this tradition continue right here in Pennsylvania with The Victim, a work with huge potential to shape the culture of the communities where it is presented.

The Victim in the News:
Hanover student writes musical about bullying July 27, 2012 (The Evening Sun)

York County teen writes, directs musical about bullying August 4, 2012 (York Daily Record)
Teen’s bullying musical to premiere in Gettysburg August 5, 2012 (AP)

This post was written by Ben Safran, Haverford College ’13.

Chick-fil-A and PA LGBTQ Youth Action














Chick-fil-A’s susceptibility to controversy continues to reach new boiling points.

Post-gaffe, the chicken-centric juggernaut’s CEO has refused to revoke his unpopular remarks made last month disapproving of same-sex marriage, instead opting to focus on pumping-up the company’s “family-oriented” business model, which also happens to be unabashedly religious judging by the meat of its $5 million worth of anti-gay donations. (And those are just the ones we know about.)

But sadly for the company – and fortunately for LGBT supporters everywhere – its business model is proving to be remarkably tragic, with its brand name rating sinking from a score of 65 to 46, based on survey results from the Top National Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) Sector.

This could be because some of the most divisive political figures (see: Sarah Palin and Rick Santorum) are endorsing Dan Cathy’s comments, or it could be because media-savvy youth are unwilling to let the viral story hit a wall.

Chick-fil-A memes, trending topics on Twitter, online petitions – these are just a few of the more subtle ways youth have taken action. But to say the social media movement is merely a “Kony 2.0” course of action might be underestimating the political astuteness and boycotting capabilities of youth.

Youth in Pennsylvania have been rallying against the chain restaurant since controversy first sparked from a restaurant location in Mechanicsburg, Penn. in 2011, resulting in statewide protests from university students more than eager to publicly voice their discontentment.

“When a business is actively working to deny rights to a marginalized group of people, it should be considered discriminatory – regardless of the ‘free speech’ argument,” said William Lukas, co-president of Drexel University’s FUSE.

Lukas, along with other students from the organization, organized a protest in May countering Drexel’s decision to allow Chick-fil-A to participate in a prominent university-sponsored leadership conference, despite what Lukas called otherwise “progressive” steps forward toward improving diversity at the school. The protest consisted of student leaders representing Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia University, PSEC and more, eventually resulting in Drexel organizing an open-forum LGBT event held prior to the leadership conference.

The protest, among others in the state, was considered a success in a digital era where social media has been undermined to the point of giving youth the bad rap of being lackadaisical in their activist aspirations.

“I certainly think that Chick-fil-A came out of a progressive LGBT blogosphere that now has become mainstream – the story has become a phenomenon,” Lukas said. “So, essentially, with the way we communicate in organizing and activism, [social media] has been huge in connecting people and raising awareness about issues people may not otherwise know about,” Lukas said.

Luis Medina, former GSA president from Bloomsburg University, co-organized a student protest against the presence of Chick-fil-A on Bloomsburg’s campus in the winter of 2011, which eventually garnered attention from a local ABC news station and made waves in their Student Government and the surrounding area.

“Chick-fil-A became a big debate on-campus because of a Facebook group we created; freshmen in particular made an effort to become involved,” Medina said. “The message we really hit home was, ‘Would you eat here if [Chick-fil-A] supported the KKK?’”

These relatively small protests in the past – including a youth-led peanut-butter and jelly sandwich protest held at the University of Pittsburgh in winter 2011 and an unthinkable Pride Week sponsorship from Penn State’s Hub Dining Chick-fil-A —have become amplified two-fold by increased awareness on the Internet since Chick-fil-A’s original round of controversy. Now, nearly two years later, youth are more prepared than ever to turn-out in large numbers in support of equal rights. Eight of the 59 Chick-fil-A locations in Pennsylvania are on university campuses.

Though conservatives across the country reportedly filed into their local Chick-fil-A’s to support the company’s “traditional” values, social media-savvy youth are already being alerted about another counter-protest being organized online by GLAAD : “National Same-Sex Kiss Day.”

“I hope [National Same-Sex Kiss Day] serves as a wake-up call to the rational-minded people out there, who aren’t yet strong LGBTQ allies,” said Ed Coffin, campaign director for Peace Advocacy Network. “In Pennsylvania, it’s legal to fire someone for their job, or evict them from their home for being gay — what’s going on is appalling and LGBTQ folks can’t do this alone.”

Onlookers eagerly await the turn-out of today’s protest, which stands out as one heavily-highlighted example of youth-led and supported bouts of activism, potentially setting the stage for even grander endeavors in the future.

This post was written by Brandon Baker, a student at Temple University. He can be reached at bbaker@pennsec.org.

One Million Moms calls for boycott of NBC sitcom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even moms can be bullies, as it turns out.

Activist group and ever-present pain in the rear One Million Moms has publicly expressed its disappointment in major networks’ choice of gay-friendly programming, this time standing against NBC’s brand-new comedy sitcom.

“The New Normal,” which features two monogamous gay men trying to push past the hurdles of dealing with a surrogate, has set the group ablaze with loaded, choice words about “morals” and “marriage.”

“NBC is using public airwaves to continue to subject families to the decay of morals and values, and the sanctity of marriage in attempting to redefine marriage,” the organization said in a statement. “NBC’s ‘The New Normal’ is attempting to desensitize America and our children. It is the opposite of how families are designed and created.”

One Million Moms has taken strong stances in the past against JCPenney’s pseudo-controversial ad campaign featuring Ellen DeGeneres as well as NBC’s previous prime-time newbie “The Playboy Club,” which although the group cites their efforts as the reason for advertisers pulling on the show, we think it might be more likely that the show just wasn’t very good. (See: “Work It.”)

From this perspective, a television show featuring stable and responsible parents-to-be fostering a healthy relationship with a surrogate doesn’t sound like such a bad thing. But then again, what do we know about morals?

This post was written by Brandon Baker, a junior journalism student at Temple University in Philadelphia.

Truvada approved by FDA for HIV prevention

It’s no cure, but we’ll take it.

Truvada, a prescription antiretroviral drug approved in 2004 to suppress the progress of HIV in infected men and women, was approved on Monday by the Food and Drug Administration for use in those not infected by the disease. LGBTQ test study individuals were found to be 42% less likely to contract the disease when used in conjunction with other safe-sex practices, making it a significant — but not conclusive — victory in the on-going battle against HIV.

“Practicing safer sex and good health practices must be part of the treatment,” said Dr. Debra Birnkrandt, director of the Division of Antiviral Products, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the FDA. “We will be putting a box warning to let those using Truvada know that it is part of the therapy with combination of safer sex practices, and that doing this, will reduce the risk of the development of AIDS/HIV.”

The use of Truvada has additionally been shown to reduce the risk of becoming infected by 75% in heterosexual partners, making the drug stand out as particularly monumental as 50,000 new cases of HIV are reported each year.

Time will tell how effective the drug will be as a preventative tool, particularly as health insurance companies remain hesitant to cover pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) preventative drugs akin to the newly-approved Truvada.

More on the story.

Anderson Cooper officially steps out of the closet

Anderson Cooper, the prestigious, long-time CNN talk show host who has faced gay speculation for years, has finally admitted to the general public that he is in fact gay.

“I’m gay, always have been, always will be,” Cooper said. “I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, [or] proud.”

Cooper has led a notoriously private life as a public figure, failing to disclose political, religious, or sexual preferences in the past in an effort to keep an objective image as a leading figure in mainstream journalism. Recent tragedies, however, in combination with a public perception that Cooper had been “ashamed,” led the reporter to finally open up about his sexual preference.

“There continue to be far too many incidences of bullying of young people, as well as discrimination and violence against people of all ages, based on their sexual orientation, and I believe there is value in making clear where I stand,” he said.

Regardless of the reason, we couldn’t be happier that Silver Fox has finally joined the growing ranks of openly-gay celebrities.

Congress launches new Anti-Bullying Caucus

Congressional leaders launched the historic Anti-Bullying Caucus Thursday afternoon, a landmark achievement as efforts heat up to pass national anti-bullying legislation.

The caucus, led by Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), hosts a largely bi-partisan membership of 41 congressional representatives, some of whom spoke at a press conference Thursday.

“We need to let [bullies] know that bullying – in any way, shape, or form, is wrong,” Rep. Robert Dold (R-Ill.) said. “Let’s reverse this disturbing trend in our schools.”

Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) recalled a personal story of a 21-year-old military family member who suffered from hazing, committing suicide shortly after being subjected to three hours of being taunted to do push-ups while wearing body armor.

“To stop military hazing we must first stop bullying itself – what happens on the battleground often begins on the playground,” she said. “Bullying is not just a harmless rite of passage for kids; this is a problem we can actually fix.”

Entering the room late in flip-flops, Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) remarked on the profound affect the personal stories of many have had on her as a parent and legislator.

“As a mom, it just tears at your soul…” Sanchez said, teary-eyed. “These aren’t just statistics; they’re children.”

The caucus members were joined by activist organizations from across the country Thursday, with strong presences from the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN), The Trevor Project, the Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition and even ever-crucial third parties like Facebook. The caucus’ press conference and panel discussions were followed by a screening of Lee Hirsch’s “Bully,” a striking documentary on the realities of bullying in the United States’ school system. The parents of one of the film’s documented suicide victims spoke briefly but with notable conviction at the conference.

“Now is the time; we have this opportunity, and if we don’t take it, how many more parents are going to lose their children?” Tina Long said. “We’re tired of excuses.”

Philadelphia and Pittsburgh prepare vigils for gunned-down Texas lesbians

The Philadelphia and Pittsburgh communities are readying their LGBT armies for two vigils intended to honor the memory of a lesbian couple shot in Texas last week.

The pair had reportedly been seen together in a South Texas park when they suffered bullet wounds to the head, proving to be a fatal wound for Mollie Olgan, and leaving her partner, Mary Chapa, in critical condition. Police have been unable to determine any suspects since the shooting.

The two candlelight vigils will honor their memory and aim to spread a grander message of tolerance, compassion and love. Check below for specific times for the events.

Pittsburgh: Sunday, July 1 from 7 – 8 p.m., located at Northside Park (Brighton Road and Ridge Avenue – next to CCAC)

Philadelphia: Friday, June 29 from 7:30 – 9 p.m., located at LOVE Park, 1599 John F. Kennedy Blvd.

An additional event will be held in Washington D.C. on Friday at DuPont Circle, starting promptly at 6 p.m. A full list of vigils to be held can be found online with Get Equal Texas here.

ENDA hearing aims to push forward legislation

This past Tuesday, the Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions met in a hearing on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a piece of currently proposed labor non-discrimination legislation. ENDA, if passed, would add factors of actual or perceived gender identity or sexual orientations to federal protections against workplace discrimination, which currently includes race, color, religion, sex and national origin, as detailed in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The five witnesses who testified before the Senate in the hearing included Kylar Broadus, an attorney and founder of Trans People of Color Coalition in Missouri, who made history as the first-ever trans person to testify before the US Senate. Broadus focused his testimony on the numerous instances of transphobia in his professional career which have caused severe consequences, including long periods of unemployment and post-traumatic stress. Also testifying was a social scientist and sexual orientation policy specialist at UCLA’s Williams Institute, a high-ranking executive of General Mills, and two lawyers specializing in First Amendment issues and labor policy.

“It is long past time to eliminate bigotry in the workplace, and to ensure equal opportunity for all Americans,” Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said in his opening statement.

Emphasizing and encouraging a speedy passage of ENDA through the Senate, Harkin, along with the original sponsor of ENDA, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), emphasized through their statements and questions the major points of the bill: that despite dissenters’ arguments, the bill would not cause “a flood of lawsuits,”would extend equal protections as already exist for other groups, would increase businesses’ profitability and would include exemptions for religious groups.

The exemptions for religious groups proved to be the most contentious issue brought to light in the hearing. Craig Parshal, a witness and First Amendment lawyer with the National Religious Broadcasters Association, repeatedly stated his organization’s position that ENDA would present a serious breach of the first amendment of the Constitution. Citing parts of the bill’s sixth section, Parshal contended that the exemption procedures, modeled on those laid out in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, were excessively ambiguous.

In rebuttal, Samuel Bagenstos, a professor of law at the University of Michigan, made clear to the Senate committee that the language of the bill was clear, and that the procedures it called for had already demonstrated effectiveness in practice. In fact, ENDA’s exemptions for religious groups are so broad, Dr. Bagenstos testified, that the bill’s exemption language has been severely criticized by groups such as the Human Rights Campaign and the American Civil Liberties Union. Sen Harkin, following Dr. Bagenstos, also reminded the committee of similar First Amendment issues brought by religious groups in debates over racial and women’s equality, which have been thoroughly accepted as constitutional.

ENDA has had a troubled history. Currently, while sixteen states and 186 cities and counties (including the District of Columbia) have passed workplace equality policies for sexual orientation and gender identity, the policies have consistently lacked support as federal legislation. ENDA, in its current form, has been introduced in every Congress since 2007, and similar legislation providing protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation has been introduced consistently for almost four decades without passage. Additionally, between 2000 and 2008, the Bush administration issued a pre-emptive veto threat applying to all LGBT equality legislation. This year, along with Sen. Merkley’s Senate ENDA bill S 811, Rep Barney Frank (D-Mass) has re-introduced ENDA to the House of Representatives as HR 1397.

This post was written by Robin Banerji, a student at Haverford College and a member of the PSEC Coordinating Committee.

University of Pittsburgh denies claims of discrimination

The University of Pittsburgh last week filed a motion defending itself against a complaint in April by the Rainbow Alliance claiming that officials had discriminated against transgender students by enacting a new restroom policy.

The complaint made by the Rainbow Alliance to the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations alleges that the university had unfairly decided on new guidelines for its dormitories, locker rooms and, in particular, its bathrooms, which would require transgender students to provide a birth certificate to determine their appropriate facilities.

University spokesmen maintain there has not been any discrimination reported against one particular individual, making the complaint a moot point. Other officials refused to comment due to ensuing litigation.

The Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition responded with this statement in April:

“The university is ignoring their equal access statement by actively discriminating against and creating a hostile environment for transgender students. We call on the University to redact this medieval policy – to force transgender students to provide a birth certificate to use the bathroom. We must work on improving the campus for transgender students by adding trans-inclusive policies and providing gender-neutral bathrooms and housing.”

Rainbow Alliance has expressed an intention to dispute the defense, and will follow suit with litigation as necessary.

This post was written by Brandon Baker, director of communications for the Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition and student at Temple University. Brandon can be contacted at bbaker@pennsec.org.

 

 

Miss Pennsylvania transphobic?

If every supermodel pageant contestant shouts for “world peace,” that sure isn’t evident based on the example set by the reigning Miss Pennsylvania.

Sheena Monnin, the 27-year-old representative of Pennsylvania in the Miss USA Pageant, has publicly attacked the Miss Universe Organization following her recent resignation as Miss Pennsylvania. Monnin called the pageant and its organizers “fraudulent” and criticized the organization’s morality for supporting transgender contestants.

Reads an email sent by Monnin to the organization Monday morning:

“Randy, I am officially and irrevocably resigning the title of Miss Pennsylvania USA 2012. I refuse to be part of a pageant system that has so far and so completely removed itself from its foundational principles as to allow and support natural born males to compete in it… This goes against every moral fiber of my being.”

Monnin has since changed her original claims cited in the email of the organization being immoral by instead zooming-in on new allegations that the pageant was rigged and had already chosen five finalists before the competition had even begun.

While we don’t doubt there are some sketchy behind-the-scenes practices in pageants, it seems fair to say the contest’s organizers were probably better judges of character than Ms. Monnin, considering their list so wisely laid absent of the Pennsylvania sore loser beauty queen.

More on the story.

This post was written by Brandon Baker, PSEC director of communications and student at Temple University. Brandon can be reached at bbaker@pennsec.org.