Culture shift re:
homosexuality, bisexuality, etc.
Events during 2009-JAN illustrating
cultural shifts about sexual minorities

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 | 2009-JAN-08: USA: Campbell Soup Company portrays same-sex family:
Campbell's Soup placed an double-page ads in the 2008-DEC and 2009-JAN issues
of The Advocate -- the largest homosexual magazine in North America. It
apparently shows a family consisting of two female restaurateurs and their
young son. The American Family Association (AFA), a fundamentalist
Christian group who has regularly attacked equal rights for gays and lesbians,
condemned the ads stating that they "send a message that homosexual parents
constitute a family and are worthy of support," and that Campbell's Soup is
giving "their approval to the entire homosexual agenda." [The
so-called homosexual "agenda" is simply to attain equality for persons of all sexual
orientations and identities. The AFA goals are
to have the government and the rest of society recognize loving, committed
same-sex couples only as roommates, and reduce their children to the
status of illegitimacy.] Anthony Sanzio, a spokesperson for Campbell's said:
"Our position on this is pretty straightforward. Inclusion and diversity play
an important role in our business, and that fact is reflected in our marketing
plan. Our plans for the Swanson brand include additional placements in The
Advocate."
LifeSiteNews recommends that you contact the president of Campbell's Soups,
Douglas R. Conant via Email at:
douglas_r_conant@cambellsoup.com with your thoughts. 1
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 | 2009-JAN-14: CA: Civil rights award presented on behalf of the state of
California: Equality California presented an award honoring Harvey
Milk at the State Capitol to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fair
Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). The act prohibits discrimination on the
basis of sexual orientation and
gender identity. Equity California is a
LGBT civil rights organization. Milk was the first openly gay elected official
in California. The award was accepted by Stuart Milk, the late Harvey Milk's
nephew. Harvey Milk was assassinated in 1978. 2
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 | 2009-JAN-18: DC: Bishop Gene Robinson to lead prayers:
President-elect Obama selected the Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson -- the only openly gay
bishop from among the many gay bishops in the Anglican Communion -- to give
the opening prayer at the kickoff of Obama's inauguration. The event occurred
at the Lincoln Memorial. In an interview with the Concord Monitor, Robinson
said:
"It's important for any minority to see themselves represented in some way.
Whether it be a racial minority, an ethnic minority or, in our case, a sexual
minority. Just seeing someone like you up front matters."
There is some speculation that he was chosen in order to counterbalance the
selection of Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the inauguration itself.
Warren actively promoted Prop. 8 in California which at least temporarily
stalled same-sex marriage in that state. 3,4
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 | 2009-JAN-19: USA: LGBT band and celebrities featured in Obama's
inauguration: For the first time in history, a lesbian and gay band will
take part in a presidential inauguration. The National Lesbian and Gay
Bands Association will provide 177 musicians as part of the parade.
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 | 2009-JAN-22: USA: "Milk" receives 8 Oscar nominations: "Milk," the
biopic (biographical motion picture) about pioneering gay California
politician Harvey Milk, earned nominations for:
 | Best film. |
 | Best actor in a leading role: Sean Penn, who plays the role of Havey
Milk, the first openly gay politician in California. |
 | Best actor in a supporting role: Josh Brolin, who plays the role of Dan
White -- Milk's assassin. |
 | Best director: Gus Van Sant |
 | Best original screenplay: Dustin Lance Black |
 | Best original score: Danny Elfman |
 | Best costume |
 | Best film editing. |
Only two films received more nominations: The Curious Case of Benjamin
Button won 13, and Slumdog Millionaire won 10. 6
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 | 2009-JAN-24: HI: Most members of Hawaiian House support civil union
bill: Thirty two of the 51 members of the House have signed on to HB 544,
a bill to create civil unions for committed same-sex couples in Hawaii.
More info.
|
 | 2009-JAN-27: USA: GLAAD media awards announced: The
Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, (GLAAD) announced 185
nominees for the 20th annual GLAAD Media Awards. They recognize fair and
inclusive portrayals of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community
and issues affecting them. As in the previous two years, ABC leads the other
networks; they have six nominations including Brothers & Sisters, Desperate
Housewives and Ugly Betty. CBS received four nominations; NBC
earned two.
GLAAD president, Neil G. Giuliano commented: "The nominees this year prove
that the stories of LGBT Americans are interesting, compelling and will touch
not only LGBT audiences, but broader audiences as well. ... How our lives are
portrayed in the media doesn't make a bit of difference it makes all the
difference."
Nominees for feature film in wide release include Brideshead Revisited, Milk,
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, RocknRolla, and Vicky Christina Barcelona.
7
Other categories include:
 | Outstanding documentary: Chris & Don: A Love Story
(Zeitgeist Films), Freeheld (Cinemax), A Jihad for Love
(First Run Features), Saving Marriage (Regent Releasing), Sex
Change Hospital (WE tv). |
 | Outstanding reality program: America's Next Top
Model (The CW), I Want to Work for Diddy (VH1), Kathy
Griffin: My Life on the D-List (Bravo), Shirts & Skins (Logo),
TransAmerican Love Story (Logo). |
 | Outstanding daily drama: All My Children
(ABC), As the World Turns (CBS) |
 | Outstanding talk show episode (all syndicated): "Don't
Ruin My Gay Wedding" The Tyra Banks Show; "Ellen & Portia's Wedding
Day" The Ellen DeGeneres Show; "Gays in the Ghetto" The Tyra
Banks Show; "The Pregnant Man" The Oprah Winfrey Show;
"Transgender Triumphs" The Tyra Banks Show. |
 | Outstanding TV Journalism - Newsmagazine: "Becoming"
(multi-part series) Channel 3 News (WCAX-TV3 [Burlington, Vt.]);
Born in the Wrong Body: All in the Family (MSNBC); "Funding the
Marriage War" In the Life (PBS); "George Takei and Brad Altman"
(multi-part series) The Early Show (CBS); "The Whispers"
Outside the Lines (ESPN). |
 | Outstanding Newspaper article: "Gay Marriage Ruling
Ended Long Journey Of Soul" by Alaine Griffin (The Hartford Courant);
"Morehouse College Faces its Own Bias ? Against Gays" by Richard Fausset (Los
Angeles Times); "A New Wave of Gay Seminarians Prepares to Take the
Pulpit" by Bradley Campbell
(City Pages [Minneapolis, MN]); "Owning His Gay Identity ? at 15
Years Old" by Theresa Vargas (The Washington Post); "Special
Report: In Transition" by Karen Lovett and Ashley Smith (The Telegraph
[Nashua, NH]) |
 | Outstanding magazine article: "Becoming a Black Man" by
Daisy Hern?dez (ColorLines); "Death on Terminal Island" by Ben
Ehrenreich (Los Angeles); "Let God Love Gene Robinson" by Andrew
Corsello (GQ); "Our Mutual Joy" by Lisa Miller (Newsweek);
"Second Nature" by Maximillian Potter (5280). |
But perhaps the best indication of cultural shift in favor of the
acceptance of sexual minorities is see in GLBT themes within commercial
advertising:
 | Outstanding advertising - Electronic: "I Don't Judge"
IKEA, "Logo Unbuttoned" Levi's; "Market" Chemistry.com, "We All Walk In
Different Shoes ? Nina Poon" Kenneth Cole; "Rugby Drinking Party" Jawbone. |
 | Outstanding advertising - Print: "First Comes Love.
Then Comes Marriage." Macy's; "Home for the Holidays" Swanson; "Rings" Paris
Las Vegas; "We All Walk In Different Shoes ? Nina Poon & Robert Jason"
Kenneth Cole; "Will You Marry Me?" Absolut Vodka.
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Site navigation:

References used:
The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above
essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.
- Thaddeus M. Baklinski, "Campbell's Soup Runs Ads Depicting Homosexual
'Family'," LifeSiteNews.com, 2009-JAN-08, at:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/
- "Equality California Presents Award on Behalf of State of California
Honoring Harvey Milk," Equity California, 2009-JAN-14, at:
http://www.eqca.org/
- Ruth Gledhill, "Gay bishop Gene Robinson to lead prayers at Barack Obama
inauguration," Times Online, 2009-JAN-12, at:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/
- Rachel Weiner, "Gene Robinson: Gay Bishop Giving Obama Inauguration
Prayer,"
The Huffington Post, 2009-JAN-12, at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
- Kevin Canessa Jr., "Obama Inauguration Will Feature LGBT Band, Many Celebs,"
Diversity Inc., 2009-JAN-17, at:
http://www.diversityinc.com/
- "Oscar nominations 2009: full list of nominees," The Telegraph (UK),
2009-JAN-22, at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
- "ABC leads nominees for GLAAD Media Awards," Associated Press,
2009-JAN-26, at:
http://www.google.com/
- "20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Nominees," GLAAD, 2009-JAN-27, at:
http://www.glaad.org/mediaawards/

Copyright © 2009 by Ontario
Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Initial posting: 2009-JAN-09
Latest update: 2000-JAN-28
Author: B.A. Robinson

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