"Call In Gay" Same-Sex Marriage Allies Say

Planned Work Stoppages Part Of Protest Against Recent Rulings Against Gays And Lesbians

(AP)  Some same-sex marriage supporters are urging people to "call in gay" Wednesday to show how much the country relies on gays and lesbians, but others question whether it's wise to encourage skipping work given the nation's economic distress.

Organizers of "Day Without a Gay" - scheduled to coincide with International Human Rights Day and modeled after similar work stoppages by Latino immigrants - also are encouraging people to perform volunteer work and refrain from spending money.

Sean Hetherington, a West Hollywood comedian and personal trainer, dreamed up the idea with his boyfriend, Aaron Hartzler, after reading online that a few angry gay-rights activists were calling for a daylong strike to protest California voters' passage last month of Proposition 8, which reversed this year's state Supreme Court decision allowing gay marriage.

The couple thought it would be more effective and less divisive if people were asked to perform community service instead of staying home with their wallets shut. Dozens of nonprofit agencies, from the National Women's Law Center in Washington to a Methodist church in Fresno collecting food for the homeless, have posted opportunities for volunteers on the couple's Web site.

"We are all for a boycott if that is what brings about a sense of community for people," said Hetherington, 30, who plans to spend Wednesday volunteering at an inner-city school. "You can take away from the economy and give back in other ways."

Hetherington said he's been getting 100 e-mails an hour from people looking for volunteer opportunities, and that his "Day Without a Gay" Web site has gotten 100,000 hits since mid-November.

Despite Hartzler and Hetherington's attempt to fashion a positive approach, some organizers of the street demonstrations that drew massive crowds in many cities last month have been reluctant to embrace the concept, saying that it could be at best impractical and at worst counterproductive to "call in gay."

"It's extra-challenging for people to think about taking off work as a form of protest, given that we are talking about people who may not be out (as gay) at work, and given the current economic situation and job market," said Jules Graves, 38, coordinator of the Colorado Queer Straight Alliance. "There is really not any assurance employers would appreciate it for what it is."

Graves' group nonetheless is arranging for interested participants to volunteer at the local African Community Center in Denver. The agency said it could find projects to keep 20 people busy, but so far only 10 have pledged to show up, said Graves.

Join The Impact, the online community that launched protests last month over the passage of gay marriage bans in California, Florida and Arizona, has urged people to withdraw $80 from their bank accounts Wednesday to demonstrate gays' spending power, and to devote the time they might otherwise spend watching TV or surfing the Internet to volunteer work.

Witeck-Combs Communications, a public relations firm in Washington that specializes in the gay and lesbian market, published a study this year that estimated that gay and lesbian consumers spend $700 billion annually.

Bob Witeck, the firm's chief executive officer, said it would be difficult to measure the success of Wednesday's strike since gay employees occupy so many fields. And rather than suspending all consumer spending for the day, gay rights supporters would have a bigger impact if they devoted their dollars to gay-friendly businesses year-round, Witeck said.

"Our community leaders who are running book stores, newspapers, flower shops, coffee houses, bars and many, many other things are hurting right now, so paying attention to their needs during this hard time is an effective form of activism," he said.

Hetherington said he has been careful to design Day Without a Gay - he came up with the name after the film "A Day Without a Mexican" and liked it because it rhymed - so no one feels excluded or threatened.

He has specifically urged high school students not to walk out of their classes and assured college students they won't be disloyal to the cause if they go ahead and take their final exams. He also has listed opportunities - ranging from writing letters to members of Congress about federal gay rights legislation to spreading the word about Wednesday on social networking sites - for gay marriage backers who cannot miss work.

Scott Craig, a 5th-grade teacher at Independence Charter School in Philadelphia, had no problem requesting and being granted the day off. So many of the school's 60 teachers were eager to show support for gay rights they had to make sure enough stayed behind to staff classrooms.

About 25 teachers plan to take Wednesday off and to have their work covered by substitutes while they discuss ways to introduce gay issues to their students and volunteer at the local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, Craig said. A letter telling parents why so many teachers would be out went home Monday.

"We want to get the conversation going in the community that gay is not bad," Craig said. "For kids to hear that in a positive light can be life-changing."

[yellow651]

Whatever happened to the realization that none of us are indispensable? Although I enjoy my job and do it well, I''m not so foolish as to think I can''t be replaced if I act irresponsibly. I think that what may be proved here is that *** who would use their sexual preference as an excuse to harm their employers in these tough times are, in fact, dispensable.

[easeup-2009]

This is bad news if you own a restaurant, a hair salon or manage a GAP.

[earache4]

This is bad news if you own a restaurant, a hair salon or manage a GAP.
Posted by easeup at 12:33 PM

You left out interior decorators and dance choreographers.

[cheetah-man7]

Sort of a stupid move considering the lack of job security out there these days. Calling in "G.A.Y." might just find you calling into the unemployment office. Why don''t these folks think more with their heads...?

[jjp735i]

What a stupid idea. How many can reall afford to call off just to anounce they are gay? What a waste of a sick day or vacation day.

[sly_64]

And on Thursday the rest of us can call in straight.

[hypnotoad72]

They''''ll just burn their vasoline, rear-end mounting 100 different partners at their bath houses. wait.. what''''s different this day from any other?

Posted by corey2444 at 12:38 PM : Dec 09, 2008
----

A stereotype, but I must agree. Even GBLT-themed sites encourage said stereotypes rather than fighting them.

[tngreen]

A local civil rights leader once told me that the only way to effect change is to hit people in their wallets. He said that you can stage demonstrations and marches all day long, but until it starts costing somebody some money, you will be ignored. I think that "A Day without a Gay" is an excellent way to cause a financial impact and illustrate for Americans how much we depend on our gay citizens'' contributions to our economic health. We cannot continue to profit from ***'' labor, energy, and creativity but continue to deny them the rights of full citizenship.

I will be supporting this effort tomorrow on behalf of my gay friends.

[hbevis]

What ever happened to the fact that people should just
live the way they wish and not try and push it down the throat of others. This gay business has gotten completely out of hand. If you like being gay then do it just don''t try and make be like it..

[easeup-2009]

I''M CRANKING SHOW TUNES IN ANGER!!!!!!!!!!

[rixmix98]

call in gay.. and see what that gets you in my office..


FIRED!!!!!

Posted by you_fools at 12:57 PM : Dec 09, 2008



Said the fool pretending to have an office.

[paulzfun]

Gay people are not respected or appreciated in this state. At least not by 52% of Californians. I don''t see any reason why these people would miss us, our work or our money for one day. Our rights have been reduced by a ''majority'' vote. Let''s vote on some other people''s rights. I would be happy to vote that all religious organizations pay the property and income taxes all other Californians pay. With our state in dire financial trouble, I am sure 52% of Californians would not mind seeing the Catholics and Mormons kick in their share. If they have $20,000,000. to meddle in our state politics, they have money to pay taxes.

[questionnews]

So pizzing off employers & the fellow employees that have to either do their work or have to stay late to make up for them bailing on the job is a way to get people to support gay issues????

Maybe they should have put in this kind of energy before an election. At least that might have an impact. Now it just seems like misdirected vengeance on the community.

[earache4]

I''M CRANKING SHOW TUNES IN ANGER!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by easeup at 12:58 PM

I''M MISMATCHING ACCESORIES IN PROTEST!!!!!!

[paulzfun]

What ever happened to the fact that people should just
live the way they wish and not try and push it down the throat of others. I have nothing against Christians, but why must they try to ram their views down our throats? The California constitution guarantees equal rights regardless of gender, race, religion, and sexual preference. Let the constitution remain separate from your church.

[assemblyofso]

So now they want to sell their lifestyle to kids that are captive in the classroom. Isn''t something wrong when you feel you have to force your beliefs on others? KEEP THE KIDS OUT OF IT

[paulzfun]

earache4, sweetheart, you mismatch accessories protest or not.

[easeup-2009]

I''''M MISMATCHING ACCESORIES IN PROTEST!!!!!!

Posted by earache4 at 01:05 PM : Dec 09, 2008


I''M REDECORATING MY LIVING ROOM IN ANGER!!!!

[earache4]

I''M REDECORATING MY LIVING ROOM IN ANGER!!!!
Posted by easeup at 01:08 PM

NOTHING IS FABULOUS UNTIL GAYES HAVE THEIR DAY!!!

[paulzfun]

People, every gay person came from a straight home, taught by teachers who were not gay. (Publicly anyway.) Where do you think gay people come from exactly? Let me clue you in, they are not manufactured in gay bars. Having the civil rights guaranteed by the California Constitution will not make your kids gay, if you did not do that already.

[jsklinemn]

I have no problem with the ***, lezzies, and all that. Until they start shoving it down my throat like with this ***. Now if you decide to participate in a day off work to protest, may you loose your employment to someone who is willing to come in and *work* for a living. You people have to get your priorities straight, because obviously the rest of it isn''t.

[stoplying3]

I don''t wish to cram my anything down or up anyone elses anything. I don''t agree with homosexuality....not one bit, just as I don''t agree with drug trafficking, drug addiction, or alcoholism. I would not want my child to think that any of it is ok.

Just as gay people want their rights; Christians want theirs. They don''t want to be told that what they''re doing is wrong, and we don''t want to be told that we can''t share our views with others.

Leave us alone and stop trying to ''force'' us to conform to something we don''t believe...does that statement sound familiar? It should...that''s your almight battlecry. What makes you think that we don''t feel the same way?

[paulzfun]

Well, we''ve been meaning to talk to you about those chaps sweetheart, bless your heart!

[rixmix98]

I don''''t wish to cram my anything down or up anyone elses anything. I don''''t agree with homosexuality....not one bit, just as I don''''t agree with drug trafficking, drug addiction, or alcoholism. I would not want my child to think that any of it is ok.

Just as gay people want their rights; Christians want theirs. They don''''t want to be told that what they''''re doing is wrong, and we don''''t want to be told that we can''''t share our views with others.

Leave us alone and stop trying to ''''force'''' us to conform to something we don''''t believe...does that statement sound familiar? It should...that''''s your almight battlecry. What makes you think that we don''''t feel the same way?

Posted by stoplying3 at 01:22 PM : Dec 09, 2008



Do us all a favor. Quit assuming all Christians think like you do.

[paulzfun]

stoplying3 gay people are a normal fact of life. It is your Christian hatred that is learned.

[dangyankee69]

So if the Homosexuals take the day off in protest. And their employer fires them for refusing to come to work. Can they sue that they were just demonstrating? Can they claim that their boss fired them for being a Homosexual? What if their "Gay-Pride" has already been a problem in the workplace? Seems to me like it''s just a ploy to take some time off of work without worrying about being held responsible.

[noaanhc]

There is one thing that never ceases to amaze me about *** and lesbians,why do they feel the need to openly brodcast their sexually all the time,You never see us straight people openly say we are proud to be straight and wave our straight pride flag.

To all *** and lesbians who read my post I do not at all really care what you do in the privacy of your own home,but why in hell do you need to ALWAYS ALWAYS have to flaunt your sexually in person and shove it in our faces everyday,with your gay pride parades and the other public bullcrap you seem to do on a constant basis.If you want to be treated equal,the do us all a favor and get the hell off the street and start acting like the rest of civilized society.

[earache4]

Well, we''''ve been meaning to talk to you about those chaps sweetheart, bless your heart!
Posted by Paulzfun at 01:22 PM

HEY! They were a gift from my aunt (she just happened to be the same size)....

[endtimes72]

don''t really know what a move like this will prove. i guess i should call in because of my race and see would that work. i wonder who is going to be the next ethnic group to pull this ***.

[matrixrx2003]

Well 2 years ago all the Latino''s, Illegal Mexicans took a day off and protested for Citizenship & that way pretty GAYE so whats the difference !

[matrixrx2003]

DaVicar1

Stop playing around DaVicar1 your calling in sick tomorrow and everybody knows it twinkle toes !

[stoplying3]

to Paulzfun:

It is unfortunate that many of my brothers and sisters in Christ are misrepresenting our faith with hateful speech and behavior. I''ll ante up and humbly apologize to you if you''ve ever been hurt or treated unfairly by one of us.

Now as far as what''s natural...people were created to procreate using one male and one female. In nature, thought some animals (and maybe even lower forms of life) display homosexual tendencies....if they continue with that behavior they either become extinct or adapt into hermaphrodites if you will.
Now think about it....if you and all your gay friends (only the males) got together and went to live on an island by yourselves....eventually none of you would be left...the same goes for lesbians. That is the natural course for behavior like that.

Now, drop a couple on an island and watch the population explode! That also, my friend is normal.

[matrixrx2003]

Well 2 years ago all the Latino''''s, Illegal Mexicans took a day off and protested for Citizenship & that way pretty GAYE so whats the difference ?

[stoplying3]

......my fingers just couldn''t type it all fast enough.....the last line was supposed to read:

Drop a few couples on the island and watch the population explode!

[earache4]

Sorry, I gotta go. Cher tickets are selling in a week and I gotta go get in line....

[thcarson-2009]

Good Idea!! In these tough economic times advocating missing work, people who miss work are usually the first ones laid off, way to go gay morons.

[matrixrx2003]

It''s raining men
Hallejulah
It''s raining men
Amen

I''m gonna go out
I''m gonna let myself get
Absolutley soaking wet

It''s rainin men
Hallejulah
It''s raining men

[matrixrx2003]

It''s raining men
Hallejulah
It''s raining men
Amen

I''m gonna go out
I''m gonna let myself get
Absolutley soaking wet

It''s rainin men
Hallejulah
It''s raining men


I just could not resist posting it Twice !

[cheetah-man7]

This is actually pretty funny, when I think about it!

See, the old saying always had been, "Call in Sick". And now, these *********** want their fellow phudgepackers to "Call In Gay", thus equating gay with sick...something I have trying to tell you guys for months!!!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by DaVicar1

------

Something tells me you would LOVE to get packed good! Wouldn''t you? Feel good?

[easeup-2009]

It''''s raining men
Hallejulah
It''''s raining men
Amen

I''''m gonna go out
I''''m gonna let myself get
Absolutley soaking wet

It''''s rainin men
Hallejulah
It''''s raining men


I just could not resist posting it Twice !

Posted by MatrixRX2003 at 01:59 PM : Dec 09, 2008

Oh you scamp!

[matrixrx2003]

cheetah-Man7


DaVicar1 is pretty much of a Closet Pillow Biter and is going to spend tomorrow at the Gaye Bar with his buddies playing Darts and Pool.

[mountainzen]

If they call in gay, are they straight when they come back?

[ozonmojo]

Is there any guarantee those who skip work in response are really gay?

[johna1969]

How about call in fired! Bad advise to give in tough economic times. Gay or straight don''t abuse your privilege of being employed. Take your anger to the streets and protest if you want but go to work and don''t punish fellow employees and your company for political reasons!

[matrixrx2003]

Matrix, however do you manage to post such clever things with that darned Judy Garland album turned up so high???

Posted by DaVicar1

Tick and HISS GURL how did you know ?
We have the same taste in MUSIC !
Madonna, Debbie Gibson, Village People, Bee Gees,

DaVicar1 Lets go out some time and watch an old Steve REEVES MOVIE !

[miriambk]

Please do call in sick; there are many hard-working deserving family men/women who would, in this economy LOVE to have a job! You can all get fired for your tantrums and refusing to work and the rest of us can benefit. Sounds GREAT to me!!

[endurorob]

The illegal immigrants tried the same thing a year or 2 ago to show how important they were and the only people that were affected or even noticed were the small buisinesses that catored to the criminal immigrants.

[endurorob]

So, are you saying as long as we didn`t plan on shopping at Bed-Bath-N-Beyond, or need a Mocha-Latte-Grande-Crappuchino, us straight guys won`t even know the difference?



Posted by DaVicar1


Well, that, and the fact that they only make up maybe 4% of the population and a large number of them are in the entertainment business anyway so who is going to notice if they are gone.

[endurorob]

Bah ha ha.. That reminds me of when I was in the Marines.. and someone said they were gay so they could get out.. so the first Sgt. pulled out his thing and said prove it.. They didn''''t get out.. or not that day.. Bah ha ha ha

Posted by you_fools

every service has that same urban myth. Try to at least be original.

[tngreen]

What in the world is wrong with you people? Is America really that dumb, or is it just CBS News Online readers? Is there anybody out there who ever heard of an economic boycott? Anybody who remembers the Civil Rights Movement in which black Americans stopped contributing their hard-earned cash to an economy that was partly built on their labor? Lunch counter sit-ins? Public demonstrations? It''s how oppressed minorities demand the same rights that the rest of us enjoy in a nation that likes to bully people. Prop 8 is unconstitutional and will be overturned, but in the meantime, some Americans cannot get married. Civics 101: Basic civil rights cannot be denied to a minority group just because the majority wants to--civil rights are not subject to the "majority rules" philosopy.

Furthermore, nobody is trying to get anybody to "accept" their lifestyle, they are just trying to have a lifestyle themselves, without being murdered, beaten, denied jobs, housing, and the right to a family. You don''t have to LIKE them, but you do have to treat them equally under the law. This is basic Civics.

Jeez, people, I feel dumber for having read the previous posts.