By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman
You want to support equality-minded candidates and be ready to respond when the religious right attacks with anti-LGBT ballot measures. But it can be hard to squeeze in time to find out what's going on, let alone to act on the people and issues that are shaping our lives.
Never fear — pro-equality political organizations are here.
Whether they are making it easier for local organizations to reach out to members, directly supporting pro-equality candidates or countering extremist-sponsored ballot initiatives, these organizations are on the front lines of our political struggle to have our rights recognized.
And, not incidentally, many of them also make it easy for equality-minded citizens to join the fun.
National Organizations
Want to support pro-equality candidates throughout the country? The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund (LINK THIS TEXT TO www.victoryfund.org) has helped elect openly-gay, pro-gay candidates to Congress, state legislatures, school boards, and more since 1991. The organization offers "frontlines," a monthly e-newsletter, and makes it easy to donate to online.
Communication. Relationships, and movements, thrive with it and die without it. That's why the Gill Foundation's Democracy Project (LINK THIS TEXT TO www.gillfoundation.org/democracyproject) is so important. The Democracy Project helps organizations ranging from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to Michigan organizations from Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community Center to the Ruth Ellis Center maintain up-to-date databases of their members, donors, and potential allies.
You want a smaller government, less taxes, and a Republican Party that has finally gotten over their obsession with LGBTs and moved on to do something about the economy. You're not alone — the Log Cabin Republicans (LINK TEXT TO http://online.logcabin.org) exists entirely to speak common sense to the powers that be in the GOP. Sign up for their weekly newsletter, and find the nearest Michigan chapter online.
You're here. You're trans. And not enough people have gotten used to it. The National Center for Transgender Equality (LINK THIS TEXT TO www.nctequality.org) is here to help, with an entire Getting Involved Web page dedicated to helping you speak OUT. Topics include working locally, overcoming voting obstacles, and how to organize a community meeting.
The extremists are coming — with yet another anti-LGBT ballot measure. Whether it's the fight for marriage rights or a local civil rights ordinance, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (LINK TO: www.thetaskforce.org) is there to help local organizations fight the good fight. The organization's Web site has a resource library, and lots of opportunities to take action.
Local Organizations
Want to act locally? There are lots of options:
"We can't get married, but that doesn't mean we can't get engaged!" Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community Center's Civic Engagement Program (LINK TEXT TO www.goaffirmations.org/civic-engagement.asp) helps local community members do everything from meet candidates over coffee to compile stories about why it's wrong for Michigan's Secretary of State to require proof of gender-reassignment surgery before trans citizens can change the gender markers on their drivers' licenses.
Since 1979, according to their Web site, the Lansing Association for Human Rights (LINK TEXT TO www.lahronline.org) has been a voice for the Lansing area's queer community. The organization's political action committee rates candidates to help voters go to the polls prepared.
Tell current Michigan House Speaker Craig DeRoche, R-Novi, to stop holding up a bill that would protect Michigan's schoolchildren from bullies. Register to vote. Check out which candidates to vote for. Michigan Equality's (LINK TEXT TO: www.michiganequality.org) Web site helps to do all that, and more.
Contact your elected officials. Join an action e-mail list so you can stay up-to-date on all the news thats fit to fight. Check out which candidates you ought to support with your vote, or your money. The Triangle Foundation (LINK TO: www.tri.org) and Triangle Pride PAC (LINK TEXT TO www.tri.org/about/pac.html) are Detroit-area organizations with a statewide and national reach.
