Posts Tagged ‘Pride’

Out Front…On the Road

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Happy Friday everyone!

Sometimes we get the opportunity to take our little blog show out on the road. This weekend marks the start of an April blitz to talk about how to connect with the LGBT consumer. Here's a sampling of the great opportunities we have in store for Out Front:

  • Saturday, April 10: I'll be appearing (sounds like I am a stand-up comic) at Equality Ohio's C.A.U.S.E. Conference 2010, which is described as a summit for LGBT and allied leaders in the college community working for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality. I'm excited to interact with LGBT leaders from the youth community to talk about how to ensure that the LGBT voice is heard, and more important, recognized as a critical element of our broader Ohio community. And even more fun? It's at the University of Cincinnati..it's like returning to college, except I didn't go to this college! But, Cincy is known for its awesome chili, and know it can be known for its awesome LGBT activism. Even more, more fun? It's a four-hour drive this afternoon, which means that I can perfect my version of "Don't Rain on My Parade," a-la the "Glee" soundtrack, for those fellow drivers on 71-South.
  • Friday, April 30:   Super-excited to be invited to be on a PR/marketing panel at Community Marketing Inc.'s "Gay and Lesbian Marketing Conference" in New York. I'll be talking about our work bringing the Gay Games to Cleveland, but I also am jazzed to hear from my other panel members about their case studies in LGBT marketing. It's a day-long conference, with some awesome speakers. There is still time to register– so if you are in New York, please stop by!

Apparently, April showers bring LGBT marketing flowers. It's awesome that groups like Equality Ohio and CMI host these events for professionals to learn about best practices in LGBT marketing. I love the opportunity to network and learn from others, and I hope more companies recognize these valuable opportunities to gain insight from those in the LGBT-trenches.

Hope everyone has a good weekend. And, I apologize in advance if you hear me singing/screaming as I am driving to Cincy. It's hard to be the ingenue…

| April 9th, 2010 No Comments »
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More than April Fools’ Day

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I have never been a fan of April Fools' Day. I hated the pranks in school, and I never really understood the purpose of it. So today, when tasked with writing an entry, I decided to do a little Web surfing to find out what else is going on in the LGBT community today.

For the LGBT community in Dallas, April 1 marks the startof "Hate Crimes Awareness Month," a project between the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and the Fahari Arts Institute to "bring attention to individuals who are or have been harassed, attacked, or even killed because of their actual or perceived ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender expression.” Other partners on this effort include Lambda Legal, the South Dallas Cultural Center, Black Cinematheque Dallas, the DFW Senators (a social organization for black lesbians),  and University of North Texas’ gay student organization, GLAD.

At the University of Florida, today marks the start of "Pride Awareness Month." The University's Pride Student Union  is commemorating its 10th annual Pride Awareness Month by hosting 25 events that celebrate self-expression and acceptance, including an amateur drag show and a queer ball. Tonight, they are hosting RENT legend and "My So-Called Life" star Wilson Cruzto kick off the month. In total, the University and the group are spending more than $25K to celebrate the month.

I'm a huge fan of Awareness Months– they give the community something to rally around and raise awareness about an important issue. When done correctly, organizations can use the 30+ days to generate momentum for an issue, involve new audiences in a cause, and market an endeavor to the broader community and mainstream media. It's a hook to focus attention, and let's face it– sometimes we need the focus to make things happen.

Talk to you tomorrow!

(Photo of Wilson Cruz, courtesy of WireImage)

| April 1st, 2010 No Comments »
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It’s Affirmative: Martin’s Coming Out Holds Lesson for LGBT Communicators

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Yes. He's gay. On Monday, March 29, via his personal Web site and Twitter handle, Latin and pop music sensation Ricky Martin came out as a gay man, performer and father. Affirming suspicions, questions and rumors that have plagued the performer for years, Martin very simply and eloquently confirmed his sexuality.

That day, the gay blogosphere lit up as did social media sites, like Facebook and Twitter. While media was a little more tempered in their coverage of the singer's announcement, social media posts and statuses echoed sentiments like this: "Ricky Martin's gay? That's not news. We've all known for years."

Maybe because I was one of those cases where others knew before me, or maybe because I tend to be more empathetic, but these posts from friends and social media strangers got me riled up. I begin to think about two aspects: affirmation and confirmation. I specifically was interested in both of these elements role in communications around a person's coming out and in general communications to gays and lesbians every day.

Obviously, the act of confirming one's sexuality("coming out") is a deeply personal journey — different for each LGBT individual. It takes courage and can carry with it emotions and consequences that many of our straight counterparts won't have to or can't understand. It's something that, no matter peers', family's or society's suspicions, still requires a confirmation, an affirmative statement on behalf of the individual coming out. And whether at 13 or 30, that decision should be respected.

Affirmation, however, is the bigger component and lesson for LGBT communicators. All people like to be affirmed for who they are and what they stand for. By their parents, their colleagues, their bosses, their religious leaders — it is a natural human desire to be recognized for all that you are and are striving towards. This is especially true for out LGBT people though. The struggle with coming to terms with one's own self is only magnified when it is not affirmed by our community or downplayed after our confirmation.

In LGBT communications, whether marketing a product/service or simply sharing your thoughts over a cup of coffee, remember the importance of affirmation. Appreciate the journey of that person's self-discovery and continually recognize them for the out individual they are. The benefits to them and you are priceless.

One final thought on Martin: take a look at GLAAD's statement on the Martin's coming out. While each individual coming out story has value and importance, some have an impact to large communities and cultures. I applaud GLAAD for recognizing that, affirming Martin's decision and elevating his example to a large community without many out role models.

Congrats, Ricky. Continue living Out Front and best wishes to you and your children. 

| April 1st, 2010 1 Comment »
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Sinnkrise of a European – Transnational LGBT Communications

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This is only my second blog entry and already I encounter a “Sinnkrise,” something that is best described as “crisis of meaning” or “crisis of identity.” As you know my goal here was to add more of a European perspective to the blog, showing similarities and differences between the U.S. and European LGBT communications. Now I find myself trapped in the definition of “European.” Can a German actually be speaking on behalf of Europe or would it even be arrogant to pretend just that? After all, most Europeans love to think in stereotypes about their neighbors; Germans are free of humor but efficient, French are dingy but have great food, and Italians are lazy but are great lovers… the list is endless.

While thinking about this dilemma it came to my mind that despite this general pattern maybe there is something like a Pan-European LGBT community. This would be a community which is more or less free from living along the lines of stereotypes. It would face similar challenges in the various countries and share a common set of values.

I know it’s only March and it seems a little early to talk about Pride already. But in this context, there is hardly anything better to symbolize the unity of the European LGBT community. Orgullo, the Spanish Pride in Madrid, is something I enjoy every year and the same holds true for Pride in London.  At the same time, I haven’t been to Pride in any other German city other than Frankfurt so far. Not even to Cologne and that one is huge. I feel equally connected to the people no matter which country, be it the U.K., Spain or Germany.

This feeling of mutual acceptance was institutionalized in 1992, when the EuroPride was established in London. It was thought of as a platform for the LGBT community to exchange and discuss ideas and visions. Moreover, it was a great instrument to give those members of the LGBT community a voice in whose countries they didn’t enjoy their lives as they pleased to. Thus, the EuroPride was even more a platform to communicate universal beliefs and human rights than the national prides could ever be.

This year will actually be a special year for the EuroPride. The voice of equal and human rights will not come from a place with a long LGBT tradition. This year the voice will move to a place where the LGBT community still suffers from repression by society and politics – Warsaw, Poland.  It’s a brave move to hold EuroPride in a city where in previous years, the then mayor and now president of Poland, Lech Kaczynski, tried to outlaw Pride and ordered police to break up the march. It was only with the help of foreign visitors and international media that the Polish Equality Foundation, which runs Warsaw Pride, was able to succeed in putting on a Pride event each year despite the pressure.

So EuroPride 2010 has the potential to achieve three things:

  • Be a signal to East Europe that LGBT rights are human rights. Create a deeper understanding and ease communication between the local LGBT communities and society.
  • Create further awareness in Western European countries for the challenges LGBT communities still encounter in East Europe.
  • Most importantly, it will help to form a truly European voice that is heard and understood across the continent.

Coming back to my Sinnkrise and the question if there is something like a European LGBT community, I’m still a little concerned whether or not I’ll be able to live up to my own goals. On the one hand there are still so many differences in how LGBT communities are accepted across Europe. Think of Spain, U.K. and the Netherlands with equal marriage and then think of Poland and Russia on the other hand where it’s dangerous to hold hands in public. Given those very different backgrounds, a very different communications approach is essential and needed.

On the other hand, I was reminded of one of my favorite blog entries on Out Front by Ben Finzel, Say What? – Eight Words and Phrases to Avoid in LGBT Communications. It speaks of the universal taboos when communicating with the LGBT community. These eight phrases and words are true for West and East Europe and build the common grounds for a unified European LGBT communication, no matter where you are. The message is the same. It is just the way to get across that is different.

What do you think? Is there something like a European or even global approach to LGBT communications? Or is it more useful to go country by country, society by society?

| March 24th, 2010 1 Comment »
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What the Forbes?!?

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Happy Friday from yet another blizzard in Northeast Ohio. Seriously, everytime I wake up now, we have another foot of snow. How I wish I was a kid again so that I could spend the day with mac & cheese and "Days of Our Lives."

Ok– so you know that I write you every week from Cleveland. And that I am proud to call Cleveland home. Imagine my suprise to find out that Forbes.com has named Cleveland "America's Most Miserable City." We earned this reputation from apparently ranking high for taxes (both sales and income), commute times, violent crime and how our pro sports teams have fared over the past two years. According to Forbes, "Cleveland nabbed the top spot as a result of poor ratings across the board. It was the only city that fell in the bottom half of the rankings in all nine categories. Many residents are heading for greener pastures. There has been a net migration out of the Cleveland metro area of 71,000 people over the past five years. Population for the city itself has been on a steady decline and is now less than half of it what it was 50 years ago. Cleveland ranked near the bottom when looking at corruption. Northern Ohio has seen 309 public officials convicted of crimes over the past 10 years according to the Justice Department. A current FBI investigation of public officials in Cuyahoga County (where Cleveland is located) has ensnared more than two dozen government employees and businessmen on charges including bribery, fraud and tax evasion."

I'd like to now use a phrase coined in my family by my uncle Jimmy– "back that up, Wal-Mart driver." I can look at the LGBT community to see how Cleveland is far from miserable. In fact, the LGBT community is doing a great deal to market Cleveland and attract the global community here to our home. Just a few examples:

  • Gay Games 2014– we beat out DC and Boston to host the next Gay Games. And to win this, we had a site selection committee come to Cleveland to scope out the scene. Now, if we were so miserable, would we have won? Even more, would one of the site selection committee members decide to buy a home here in Cleveland if it was such a miserable town?
  • Speaking of the Gay Games, the Cleveland Synergy Foundation is organizing an annual LGBT/S sporting festival leading up to 2014. We already have interest from all parts of the country to come to Cleveland to participate in this event. Miserable, I scoff at your name.
  •  Want movies? We have an LGBT Film Series as part of the Cleveland International Film Festival, one of the largest film festivals in the country.
  • We've got a great Pride Festival, where thousands from around the country come out to celebrate LGBT Northeast Ohio.  

To echo how "not miserable" Cleveland is, the local convention and visitors bureau has set up a web site, WhatTheForbes.com, to let us locals push back on Forbes and tell the world why we're the rock and roll capital of the world. It's a great social media tool to make sure our voice is heard. I'd like the bureau to go one step further and really capitalize on all of the positive LGBT developments here in the state and market the region to attract the LGBT dollar. If NYC can do it, so can we.

Was your city on the Forbes list? Have you been to Cleveland and do you agree? Be careful what you say…I'm a pretty miserable person and it might damage me even further… :)

| February 26th, 2010 1 Comment »
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