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Written by Genia Stevens
Nov 4, 2010
It’s a sad day for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community when a member of our community exploits an ally just to make a buck.
Several weeks ago, Zach Patterson, a Junior at Beloit Memorial High School in Beloit went to the advisors of the school’s Gay Straight Alliance and showed them his “Marriage is so gay” T-shirt. He asked his advisors if they thought it would be OK for him to wear it in school. Because Beloit Memorial High School has been working hard to eradicate the use of “is so gay” as a derogatory phrase, Zach was informed that it might not be a good idea to wear the T-shirt at school. But several weeks later he wore it anyway.
Last week, Justin Weaver, a reporter at the Beloit Daily News, wrote an article that stated Beloit Memorial High School administrators asked Zach to remove his “Marriage is so gay” T-shirt because it supported gay marriage. That’s a lie.
Zach was not asked to remove his T-shirt because it supported gay marriage. Zach was asked to remove his T-shirt because it made use of a phrase that the school’s staff has worked hard to eradicate. Zach was also asked to remove his T-shirt because it could be misinterpreted in so many ways. Some staff members saw it as a jab at traditional marriage. Some thought it was anti-gay, and some thought it was pro-gay. Since staff members interpreted the T-shirt in different ways, it was assumed that students would do the same. Therefore, Zach was asked to remove his T-shirt – just to be on the safe side.
After Zach’s story made the Beloit Daily News, it started to go viral on the Internet – with a lot of help from the folks over at the “Marriage is so gay” camp. The creators of this T-shirt have been running Facebook advertisements that exploit the story. The ads falsely state that Zach was asked to remove his T-shirt because it supports gay marriage. The ads ask people to support Zach and his activist efforts by, of course, buying a “Marriage is so gay” T-shirt. Thousands of LGBT activists and our allies have taken the bait and purchased a T-shirt without knowing they’re pawns in this ridiculous money-hungry game.
I am an open lesbian in Beloit. I have two children who attend Beloit Memorial High School. I know several teachers at the high school and I’m on good terms with a couple of top administrators at the high school. I am aware that Beloit Memorial has a GSA club. I also know that the school recognizes National Day of Silence and that there are posters up at the school that provide acceptable alternatives to the derogatory phrase “is so gay.” Armed with this kind of information, I can honestly state that Beloit Memorial High School is not anti-gay, nor does the school have any interest in promoting an anti-gay agenda.
What Justin Weaver and the “Marriage is so gay” camp have done to the staff at Beloit Memorial High School is unacceptable. Weaver has promoted the idea that Beloit Memorial High School is anti-gay just to shock and anger people – because shock and anger are powerful emotions that can help sell newspapers. The “Marriage is so gay” camp – members of our very own LGBT community – has jumped on the bandwagon because shock and anger has helped them sell more T-shirts. Bulldozing a valuable LGBT ally just to make a buck is pathetic and inexcusable.
The administrators and teachers at Beloit Memorial High School have worked hard to create a safe space for local LGBT youth. When a member of the LGBT community puts a knife in a valuable ally’s back, every member of the LGBT community should question the motive.
Genia Stevens is the host and producer of SistersTalk Radio, an internationally syndicated online radio show for the LGBT community. You can listen to the radio show at http://sistertalkradio.net.
