Democratic Gay Group Resurfaces In Hillsborough
TAMPA - They want to be recognized as taxpayers with rights to adopt children. They want candidates who will endorse their civil union.
In the Florida elections this fall, gay and lesbian activists plan to wield their political clout - estimated by some at 1 million of the 10.5 million registered voters in the state.
Toward that end, a dormant political group - the Hillsborough County Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Allies Democratic Caucus - has reorganized.
In a meeting during the weekend at John F. Germany Library, members of the group told politicians and party leaders to think of them as taxpayers first.
"They made that clear," said Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman. "In a political process, there is strength in numbers. It should be critical to any party to get this type of involvement."
Even the people on the other side politically, the Tampa Bay Log Cabin Republicans, support the Democrats' re-emergence.
"They are energized, and let's hope it continues," said Jim Pease, a Tampa businessman and president of the Republican group, which advocates for the civil rights of gay and lesbian Americans. "It's a positive step for everybody. [I] hope they can get running and stay focused."
The GLBT Democratic Caucus started in the early 1990s at the statewide level, said Stephen Gaskill, spokesman for the Florida GLBT. The Hillsborough County group, with more than two dozen members and supporters, is organized and ready to demonstrate its influence, Gaskill said.
"This is a very professional, businesslike group," he said. "This is not a social caucus. We are a very loyal constituency and will support and work with candidates that want our help."
The group re-emerged, in part, because of a Hillsborough County Commission vote last year to refrain from acknowledging gay pride events. It takes a particular issue or development such as this to mobilize gay voters, said sociology Professor Ken Sherrill, of Hunter College in New York.
"Some politicians operate under the assumption they don't vote anyway," Sherrill said. "They make all kinds of stereotypical assumptions about groups they don't know."
Sherrill began tracking the gay and lesbian voting bloc in 1972. On a national level, gays and lesbians only united politically after the government's sluggish response to the spread of HIV-AIDS in the 1980s, he said.
"Here's the critical difference: Most minorities have a way of coping with discrimination, and it's passed on generation to generation," Sherrill said. "Gay kids are not born into gay families. They organize after a catalystic event."
One major issue for many gay activists was pushed into the background with the failure of a campaign for a November statewide vote to place a ban on same-sex marriage in the state constitution. Organizers did not gather enough petition signatures. Such a union already is illegal in Florida.
Activists now have turned their attention to other family life and safety issues, including same-sex adoption and antibullying measures in schools.
"We want to make sure we are heard by the candidates," said Al Giraud, vice president of the GLBT Democrats, speaking at a recent meeting of the group. "If we are not, we have to let them know that they are accountable."
In the Republican Party, Log Cabin members - 23 of them in the Tampa Bay area - are working to bring gay and lesbian issues into the mainstream. The group is chartered by the Republican Party.
"We are not about hard, extreme positions," said Pease, of the local Log Cabin Republicans. "We want to work together, be more moderate. I want to see results. It doesn't matter who we work with."
State lawmakers are figuring out that gay constituents are, like other people, affected by policies and laws, said Brian Winfield, 41, spokesman for the gay advocacy group Equality Florida. "There has been a whole new level of interaction," Winfield said. "I have not seen the gay and lesbian community activated at this level in the entire time I have been here. This is extremely encouraging."
A dozen candidates, their representatives and Democratic Party officials spoke to the GLBT caucus Saturday, including gubernatorial candidate Jim Davis.
"There are issues galvanizing groups," said Danae Jones, spokeswoman for Davis. "You are seeing that across the state. People who don't like where the state is heading are getting out and getting active. That's exactly what people should be doing."
ISSUES
• Roll back antigay adoption ban. Under Florida law, gays and lesbians are prohibited from adopting.
• Promote safe schools. Build on antibullying measures that would further train teachers how to intervene effectively during altercations.
• Work to ensure that the constitutional amendment seeking a ban on same-sex marriage does not happen.
By CHRIS ECHEGARAY cechegaray@tampatrib.com
Published: Feb 8, 2006
Tampa Tribune
In the Florida elections this fall, gay and lesbian activists plan to wield their political clout - estimated by some at 1 million of the 10.5 million registered voters in the state.
Toward that end, a dormant political group - the Hillsborough County Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Allies Democratic Caucus - has reorganized.
In a meeting during the weekend at John F. Germany Library, members of the group told politicians and party leaders to think of them as taxpayers first.
"They made that clear," said Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman. "In a political process, there is strength in numbers. It should be critical to any party to get this type of involvement."
Even the people on the other side politically, the Tampa Bay Log Cabin Republicans, support the Democrats' re-emergence.
"They are energized, and let's hope it continues," said Jim Pease, a Tampa businessman and president of the Republican group, which advocates for the civil rights of gay and lesbian Americans. "It's a positive step for everybody. [I] hope they can get running and stay focused."
The GLBT Democratic Caucus started in the early 1990s at the statewide level, said Stephen Gaskill, spokesman for the Florida GLBT. The Hillsborough County group, with more than two dozen members and supporters, is organized and ready to demonstrate its influence, Gaskill said.
"This is a very professional, businesslike group," he said. "This is not a social caucus. We are a very loyal constituency and will support and work with candidates that want our help."
The group re-emerged, in part, because of a Hillsborough County Commission vote last year to refrain from acknowledging gay pride events. It takes a particular issue or development such as this to mobilize gay voters, said sociology Professor Ken Sherrill, of Hunter College in New York.
"Some politicians operate under the assumption they don't vote anyway," Sherrill said. "They make all kinds of stereotypical assumptions about groups they don't know."
Sherrill began tracking the gay and lesbian voting bloc in 1972. On a national level, gays and lesbians only united politically after the government's sluggish response to the spread of HIV-AIDS in the 1980s, he said.
"Here's the critical difference: Most minorities have a way of coping with discrimination, and it's passed on generation to generation," Sherrill said. "Gay kids are not born into gay families. They organize after a catalystic event."
One major issue for many gay activists was pushed into the background with the failure of a campaign for a November statewide vote to place a ban on same-sex marriage in the state constitution. Organizers did not gather enough petition signatures. Such a union already is illegal in Florida.
Activists now have turned their attention to other family life and safety issues, including same-sex adoption and antibullying measures in schools.
"We want to make sure we are heard by the candidates," said Al Giraud, vice president of the GLBT Democrats, speaking at a recent meeting of the group. "If we are not, we have to let them know that they are accountable."
In the Republican Party, Log Cabin members - 23 of them in the Tampa Bay area - are working to bring gay and lesbian issues into the mainstream. The group is chartered by the Republican Party.
"We are not about hard, extreme positions," said Pease, of the local Log Cabin Republicans. "We want to work together, be more moderate. I want to see results. It doesn't matter who we work with."
State lawmakers are figuring out that gay constituents are, like other people, affected by policies and laws, said Brian Winfield, 41, spokesman for the gay advocacy group Equality Florida. "There has been a whole new level of interaction," Winfield said. "I have not seen the gay and lesbian community activated at this level in the entire time I have been here. This is extremely encouraging."
A dozen candidates, their representatives and Democratic Party officials spoke to the GLBT caucus Saturday, including gubernatorial candidate Jim Davis.
"There are issues galvanizing groups," said Danae Jones, spokeswoman for Davis. "You are seeing that across the state. People who don't like where the state is heading are getting out and getting active. That's exactly what people should be doing."
ISSUES
• Roll back antigay adoption ban. Under Florida law, gays and lesbians are prohibited from adopting.
• Promote safe schools. Build on antibullying measures that would further train teachers how to intervene effectively during altercations.
• Work to ensure that the constitutional amendment seeking a ban on same-sex marriage does not happen.
By CHRIS ECHEGARAY cechegaray@tampatrib.com
Published: Feb 8, 2006
Tampa Tribune
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