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Culture shift re: homosexuality, bisexuality, etc.

Events during 2009-JAN illustrating
cultural shifts about sexual minorities

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See additional events during January concerning
homosexuals, bisexuals, transsexuals, etc.

bullet 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: [email protected] with your thoughts. 1
 

bullet 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
 
bullet 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
 

bullet 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. 5
 
bullet 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:
bullet Best film.
bullet Best actor in a leading role: Sean Penn, who plays the role of Havey Milk, the first openly gay politician in California.
bullet Best actor in a supporting role: Josh Brolin, who plays the role of Dan White -- Milk's assassin.
bullet Best director: Gus Van Sant
bullet Best original screenplay: Dustin Lance Black
bullet Best original score: Danny Elfman
bullet Best costume
bullet Best film editing.

Only two films received more nominations: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button won 13, and Slumdog Millionaire won 10. 6
 

bullet 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.
 
bullet 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:
bullet 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).
bullet 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).
bullet Outstanding daily drama: All My Children (ABC), As the World Turns (CBS)
bullet 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.
bullet 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).
bullet 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])
bullet 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:
bullet 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.
bullet 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. 8

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References used:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today. 

  1. Thaddeus M. Baklinski, "Campbell's Soup Runs Ads Depicting Homosexual 'Family'," LifeSiteNews.com, 2009-JAN-08, at: http://www.lifesitenews.com/
  2. "Equality California Presents Award on Behalf of State of California Honoring Harvey Milk," Equity California, 2009-JAN-14, at: http://www.eqca.org/
  3. Ruth Gledhill, "Gay bishop Gene Robinson to lead prayers at Barack Obama inauguration," Times Online, 2009-JAN-12, at: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/
  4. Rachel Weiner, "Gene Robinson: Gay Bishop Giving Obama Inauguration Prayer,"
    The Huffington Post, 2009-JAN-12, at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
  5. Kevin Canessa Jr., "Obama Inauguration Will Feature LGBT Band, Many Celebs," Diversity Inc., 2009-JAN-17, at: http://www.diversityinc.com/
  6. "Oscar nominations 2009: full list of nominees," The Telegraph (UK), 2009-JAN-22, at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
  7. "ABC leads nominees for GLAAD Media Awards," Associated Press, 2009-JAN-26, at: http://www.google.com/
  8. "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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