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Day Without A Gay? Umm...no

I'm officially a bad gay. Today is Day Without A Gay, where the 'mos of America were supposed to call in sick to work, not spend their pink dollars and generally show the heteronazis that we could bring this country to its knees. Anyone who reads Modern Confessional with any regularity knows I'm a big supporter of the gays, as well as being a big gay myowndamnself. I've marched in parades, protested, signed petitions, written about it, spoke about it and lost a few friends over my beliefs and political affiliations. However, I could not support Day Without A Gay.

With the economy in the toilet and many -- gay and straight -- on the verge of being unemployed, I think asking the GLBTQ community to call in sick to work is counterproductive. The goal behind Day Without A Gay is for gay and lesbians to do community service or volunteer with an organization to fight against Proposition 8. I think the goal is fantastic; calling in sick to do it -- not so much. That's why we have weekends, personal days and vacation. Volunteering for community service should not be a once a year event motivated by ballot measures. Consider volunteering at your local HRC office, at a hospice, Meals on Wheels or with any organization working to overturn legislation that discriminates against human and civil rights. If you have a blog or website, write about your concerns and share them with the world. Email or call your legislators and give them your opinion and demand that they take action.

So, I'm writing this on my lunch break from work where we are in production for another issue of the magazine. Bad gay.

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Rupert said…
well, lol, i just walked by the Ansley Mall Starbucks and it was packed w "bad guys"
3:48 PM
Anonymous said…
TOTALLY counterproductive. Remember when they tried this a couple of years ago with the Hispanic community? Didn't work then, isn't going to work with this. There are plenty of ways to protest, but this is the most stupid way I've ever heard. And yeah I'm super gay.

GAV
3:50 PM
Charles said…
Collin, I also was not afforded the luxury of calling in gay today. The organization I run is on the edge and I have committee meetings, board meetings, donor meetings, and staff meetings.

I wanted to support this because I feel like our biggest challenge as a community is that we are an invisible minority. This would have made us visible through our absence.

But today I have to make sure my heterosexual employees will have jobs tomorrow, and next month, and next year.
5:31 PM
Pris said…
This seems to be the kind of thing where everyone has to make his or her own decision about what works. We have a big deal about CFIDS awareness day, the invisible illness, and nobody ever notices. The majority of us aren't at work to be missed, so what do we do?? Have a mass sleep-in in front of the White House with signs saying what we USED to do instead??
8:35 AM
jessica handler said…
There was a piece on NPR the day before "Day W/out a Gay" (maybe it "Marketplace" - forget what show) saying pretty much what you said; that the good idea wasn't feasible because of the economy.

Wish I could have called in "straight but not narrow."
9:46 AM
Anonymous said…
I'm sympathetic to the cause but the idea of calling in gay is so gay. All the conservative blowhards and Fox were having a field day with it yesterday. It doesn't further the issue but mocks it. I think we need more protests and marches. Those get attention and scare straight people.
10:02 AM
Maggie May said…
yarsh, agreed- not a bad gay.
11:54 AM
Anonymous said…
The idea is clever, how it plays on the movie about Hispanics, etc.., but it isn't practical now, as you say. I know they want to raise awareness of how gays are faced with discrimination, but your idea sounds better, to keep a continuous flow of support. So, you're doing a lunch hour shout out, that's a good compromise.

What about honorary gay for a day? I could do that.
2:43 PM
Anonymous said…
I, too, and some friends I know were also terrible gays. But I've sort of always been a bad gay. I think it's what makes me a really good gay.

Anyway, to The Gay!
5:30 PM
Reading the Signs said…
From what I have read on this blog, you seem like a pretty good one to me, Collin.
6:22 PM
January said…
Coincidently, I had taken the day off and had planned to support the cause, but I really wanted to go shopping and go to Starbucks.

*sigh*
1:59 PM
Anonymous said…
Gotta wonder how many sick people are going to work anyway, or saying over and over, "No, I'm just REALLY sick, that's all!"
3:13 PM
Unknown said…
adding insult to irony, Day without a Gay was the day my company chose to implement a very large layoff, and to implement it in a very clumsy way. i was off in california, playing my part in the Day without a Job that it became for so many of my coworkers. as guilty as i felt about not calling in gay, observing the protest would've earned me a place on the layoff list. i am so glad this week is over.
10:20 AM
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