Saw this on the blog, Talk About Equality, link below.
Now, in 2011, there’s a new crown-hopeful who is making waves. Miss New York, our very own Claire Buffie has chosen as her platform, LGBT Equality. This is the first time in 90 years that a contestant is standing up for the equal rights of a community that has helped make the Miss America Pageant what it is today.
We frequently talk about the need for advocacy outside the LGBT Community. And here we have a marvelous representation being given a nationwide television platform on Saturday, January 15th. As we know, the Miss America contest is going to be seen in televisions all across the country and I for one am very proud that New York is being represented by someone who can speak so eloquently about who we are.
So often, the focus of activism is on “making the folks in power give us our rights.” That is a good option, or one we must keep working on, but there are two other avenues that are equally if not more important. We need to speak up and speak out for what is important for us as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender persons. And we need straight allies, especially those with large audiences to do the same.
One reason why Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) was repealed, was because the vast majority of America was behind the repeal. To get behind all LGBT Rights, it will take us talking about these issues, and letting people know we are here, and why these things matter to us. We need many voices including our straight allies if this message is to be adequately heard.