Joyce L. Arnold, Liberally Independent, Queer Talk, equality activist, writer.
UPDATED AT END
It’s the time of the year when the annual Human Rights Campaign “galas” kick-off, taking place in cities across the nation from now until November.
Fully acknowledging snark mode, we see HRC doing its Mitt Romney impression and providing more evidence for the Insider disconnect with the “99%.” While the language is a bit different, the criticism of HRC’s out-of-touchness is nothing new. This year’s Greater New York Gala, scheduled for this evening, honors Goldman Sachs with the “Corporate Equality Award.” In this Occupied time, that’s particularly, well, interesting. But it also raises the always present question: what to do when someone with big money is good on your issue, but bad in other ways? It’s certainly not a new conundrum, and it’s just as certain that different people will arrive at different answers.
From HRC:
The Greater New York HRC Steering Committee and Dinner Co-Chairs Eric Blomquist , Jo Doyle & John Rivers cordially invite you to:
‘Celebrate our victories and honor the work ahead for full LGBT Equality and Civil Rights’ at the 11th Annual Greater New York Human Rights Campaign Gala.
Joe Solmonese, soon to be stepping down HRC head, is “Featured Speaker.” The “Ally For Equality Award” will go to Anna Wintour, Vogue Editor-in-Chief, and the “Corporate Equality Award” to Goldman Sachs.
At NYTimeOut:
Last year was not a good one for many workers at Goldman Sachs, but the company’s LGBT contingent had cause to celebrate. The firm’s Ally Strategy program went beyond standard policies of workplace diversity and inclusiveness, and actively sought to educate and engage straight employees to create a more welcoming and open environment for LGBT ones.
Obviously that’s good for queer equality. But especially if you’re already skeptical, at best, about HRC’s Insider status, and even more, if you’re involved with the Occupy movement, honoring Goldman Sachs is akin to getting in bed with 1%.
Queer Occupy Wall Street, a caucus of NYC OWS, announced that it will protest at the Waldorf Astoria, site of the Gala, and in contrast to the VIP $650 a plate meal, host a “Guerrilla Potluck.”
1. The Queer Caucus condemns HRC’s decision to honor Goldman Sachs in a time of financial collapse caused by their unethical business practices and greed, and deplores the use of our cause and suffering for corporate public relations. …
2. The Queer Caucus calls upon HRC to embrace the grassroots demand for Full Federal Equality by 2014 – the 50th Anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. …
3. The Queer Caucus also demands that HRC open the process to transparency and grassroots inclusion. …
With this structure in place, queer occupiers know that only a handful of privileged voices are setting the national queer agenda and strategy, defining what ‘LGBT equality’ means and who our friends are.
For example, HRC’s key sponsors includes a long list of big businesses that contributed to recent economic and environmental distress, including Citi Bank, Bank of America, Chevron, BP, Shell, Morgan Stanley, MetLife, Deloitte, Lexus, Prudential, and Ernst & Young.
In a related press release:
Dubbed the ‘Guerrilla Potluck for Full Equality,’ activists from the Radical Faeries will also bring high-design to the sidewalk demonstration with the message of ‘HELP’. HELP end LGBT abuse. HELP end LGBT suicides. HELP end LGBT discrimination. HELP get Full Equality by 2014.
With an absolutely classic blowing you off political response, via the NYTimeOut piece:
Asked about the planned protest via e-mail, HRC spokesman Paul Guequierre wrote, ‘We are fortunate to live in a democracy where everyone’s opinion counts.’
Some, of course, count more than others.
So, what do you do when someone (corporations are people, remember, so it’s “someone”) with money and a willingness to support your cause is also someone who implements and enforces other policies that are quite harmful, including to people involved with your cause? It’s never been an easy answer, but it remains a very important question.
UPDATE: Check out Bil Browning’s post at Bilerico:
Talk about tone deaf… The HRC Manhattan gala dinner will honor Goldman Sachs. …
‘We are fortunate to live in a democracy that encourages many diverse points of view,’ Fred Sainz, HRC’s vice president of communication and marketing, tells The Advocate. ‘The irony is that our programs serve the 99% of the population this group says it represents.’
What a load of horse shit; that’s the worst spin I’ve seen out of HRC yet.
Bil includes a link to a petition to “withdraw the award from Goldman Sachs.” See it at Change.org.
( Occupy HRC Guerrilla Potluck via Occupy Pix
Occupy Queer OWS Logo via Occupy Pix )
The most obvious phrase that comes to mind would be ” tone deaf ” but there is something else going on hear that could be unpalatable to the greater LGBT community. I’m thinking of class division within the movement. How long before we have a parallel LGBT society that mirrors straight society in it’s recognition of class and economic differences. When you hang around with the rich and powerful in order to facilitate getting what you ultimately want , you eventually come to gravitate towards their way of thinking on other related issues. I don’t think human beings , a flawed species , are capable of resisting the pull of such a concentration of money and power and the rules of engagement it requires. I guess I’m saying that you eventually become what you seek. You can hear it in the way Fred Sainz speaks ; did he sound any different than any other well connected mouthpiece of the wealthy. Human beings are what they are , for better or worse , most of us will always be drawn to the good and comfortable life if it is readily available to us. So you end up with a ruling class in the LGBT community which prefers to associate with members of their own circle who they now feel comfortable with. There was a thinking behind the carefully chosen words of Sainz ; why don’t you ungrateful little wretches mind your own business and be thankful for what were doing for you.
Basically, to what you write: Amen.
Check out Bill Maher discussing OWS.
I don’t no whats going on with the HRC anymore !! To honor Goldman Sachs when we all know the story about them and what they have done. There would have to be many other companies to honor for gay rights than Goldman Sachs. I am sure many Gay Americans such as myself and others are not happy about this. But on very good news, Washington state is expected to pass same-sex marriage soon which I am thrilled about and hopefully more states follow. Go Washington !!
I love reading your Queer Talk articles Joyce, keep up the great work !!
You want answers? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
That about sums it up, yes.
Thanks, fairminded.
HRC seems to have moved even further into Insider land, though I do note that they’ve been at least a bit more visible on state levels, even with a bit of all that cash. I think what I find most troubling is the seeming inability, or maybe just unwillingness, to acknowledge the concerns so many of us have about the obvious disconnect. Years ago, I had someone from HRC tell me, “don’t worry, we know what we’re doing.” I askied, “but do you know what all of the grassroots people are doing, that’s just as important?”
And yes, celebration time seems to be coming in Washington state. Also, at least some efforts in Congress toward repeal of DOMA. We’re a long way from that happening, most likely, but at least something is happening. I don’t expect that to include Obama completing his evolution.