thomascwaters.com

There were three big national election items to watch in terms of GLBTQ issues: Same-sex marriage in Maine, Civil Unions in Washington, and Anti-discrimination protections in Kalamazoo, and the results of two of these are complete. for most, the big news is the loss in Maine of marriage equality. But for me, the really big news, is the victory in Kalamazoo.

Kalamazoo

The battle in Kalamazoo is where Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity will be added to the city’s existing nondiscrimination protections. Of the three races, I was most worried about this one. The ads out there by opponents to the ordinance were hateful, and attempted to  reframe the issue, as one of the “right to privacy.”

This is a big win, in the sense that a loss here would have been catastrophically damaging to any future attempts to add sexual orientation or gender identity and expression to any other protections across the country. Here in Pennsylvania, we are trying t pass PA HB 300 to do just that at a state level. Of theses three big election issues, Kalamazoo was the only one to have anything to offer to bisexual and the trans communities, and at least I, think that is important.

Kalamazoo voters approve anti-discrimination law | freep.com | Detroit Free Press.

Maine

Most of the press within the lesbian and gay communities will be over the loss in Maine where it looks like 53% of the voters were opposed to same-sex marriage. This issue will have devastating impact across the country as well for same-sex families, and same-sex couples who wish for the legal protections and benefits of marriage. However, unlike last November’s defeat in California with the passing of Prop 8, this loss wasn’t so unexpected. The race has been neck and neck with even pollsters unsure how it would turn out. I think the size of the win (53%) may be a bit of a surprise though. I was anticipating a loss, but expected it to be much closer- 51-52% for Yes on 1.

I hesitate to write too much until more of the facts are in because I don’t want to commit to eternity saying anything that will turn out to not be true with more thorough reporting. But this will be a critical battle to disect to better understand how our side lost. There are three factors that suggest that it is our own side’s fault for this loss, and each will need to be thoroughly considered:

1. The opposition used the same game plan as they used to win in California. Since we knew the game plan, where did we fall short in combatting it?
2. If this win was so critically essential to the whole lesbian and gay communities across the country, why didn’t “we” pump every nickel and dime we had, and get every person we could on the ground there to ensure a victory? Why did some activists push for a National March on Washington that had no actual practical impact of day to day life of LGBTQ Americans when that time, talent and money could have gone to good use in Maine?
3. What is wrong with the polling that this loss wasn’t better known beforehand? What do we need to learn about polling on GLBTQ issues so that we have better data to work with?

Last point I want to make about Maine, is that some (have no idea how many) within the trans communities are bashing the gay and lesbian communities for “throwing them under a bus” in Maine. I expect to write more about this, but the whole of the GLBTQ[add whatever letters you want] communities will have to have serious dialogue about how the seeking of rights for some impact all, or exclude some or…. This issue “whose rights are we fighting for” is central to understanding how we move forward everywhere.

http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/maine-voters-say-we-dont-to-gay-marriage/legislation/2009/11/04/5082

Washington (the state)

(I add that, because a Marriage Equality battle is brewing in Washington DC, however after the loss in Maine, I wonder how that will change.) From what I can tell, Referendum 71 in Washington is still too close to call, but it is looking promising for the GLBTQ community. Unlike Maine, Washington was looking to keep Civil Union Rights for same-sex couples, that their legislature approved with what has been called the “everything but marriage” law. I have received flack from a number of bloggers and activists, but seems to me that Civil Unions/ Domestic Partnerships would strategically be a great way for us to move forward in our battle for full equality, because polls show that more Americans can support Civil Unions than can support same-sex marriage. Clearly when push comes to shove, it seems Civil Unions may hold up better to a public vote.

Without a doubt, Civil Unions do not provide enough rights and priviledges, but is it strategically the right way to move forward? Through it same-sex families receive more rights and protections than they have with nothing at all, and it moves people closer to being able to accept full same-sex marriage.

http://www.examiner.com/x-7460-Spokane-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m11d3-Referendum-71-Results-Coming-In

I’l write much more as more reporting of these three elections turns up.