expandedcircle:

: EQUALITY UNDER ATTACK: A CALL TO ACTION

molliehalloran:

hostagecalm:

Today, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a longtime supporter of Hostage Calm and marriage equality was fired from his job at the Nashville music venue, Rocketown, for wearing his “I Support Same-Sex Marriage” shirt to work. A friend from Nashville contacted me about the situation and told me of Wes…

i’ve had some thoughts about hostage calm’s promotion of same-sex marriage for awhile now. And now with this shirt thing happening it feels like an appropriate time to bring these things up. the fact that this pro-same-sex marriage message is coming from a band of (sorry if i’m assuming things that aren’t accurate) straight cismen (who are obviously trying hard to do something they think is helpful and the effort is appreciated) is kind of…off to me for a couple reasons. The first thing is, I see promoting same-sex marriage as kind of like saying well, if you can get as close to being straight (ie heteronormative) as possible but with a partner of the same sex, then cool, all the rights for you. but if you fall outside these still-narrow lines (such as being transgender), well, you’re just outta luck. Also, marriage equality is so popular because it’s the main issue for mostly-white, mostly-middle/upper class lesbian ciswomen and gay cismen so it’s become the most media-friendly queer issue. but the queer people who face the really shitty issues like higher rates of sexual abuse, homelessness, unemployment, suicide, imprisonment, etc are queers who are also people of color, especially youth, and especially transwomen. so I think it’s important to look at what a pro-same-sex marriage stance really is promoting (whiteness, cissexism, and straightness through heteronormativity). I understand why people are saying that it’s important for hostage calm to reach people who aren’t super aware of these issues, but if it’s done by leaving out people who are consistently left out and saved for later once people are “more understanding,” what’s the fucking point?

hostage calm is (unknowingly?) advocating for a cause that isn’t theirs. this is different than being an ally, which is what they are probably trying to do. instead of having shirts for same-sex marriage, it would be more helpful to be like “hey our friends at black and pink are set up at our merch table and have some great stuff, here is someone from the organization talking about Queer rights real quick.” or any other queer rights organization being involved in any other cool way. 

we need to set the bar higher.

check out:

http://www.blackandpink.org  they’re really awesome!!

http://www.againstequality.org/

seems like a band that wanted to show their support for oppressed folks and take a stand against the current system. I don’t understand why social justice bloggers can’t like, deal with unoppressed people allying themselves with their cause.