Lgbt activist Michelangelo Signorile on 'victory blindness' and why the fight for lgbt equality isn't over

Michelangelo Signorile

"Victory blindness is something we all succumb to at times. It's a term I use to describe the phenomenon in which we focus on the wins, so starved for validation, that we allow them to blind us to the continued bigotry we face. We become enthralled, intoxicated -- spellbound by even a little bit. The effect is that it obscures our reality -- literally our vision -- and it makes us lose our gumption, not wanting to rock the boat, fearful that we'll lose what we've gained and not get what little bit we think we need, when in fact we need a lot and we should be strong and confident knowing our allies will stay with us. In that chapter I use a vivid example, in a section titled "A Story of Victory Blindness," in which too many activists, claiming that we'd gotten a lot and had a banner couple of years, asked us to accept a situation that validated bigotry and urged us to be "magnanimous," fearful that the right would portray us as going too far -- but in fact this only allowed the backlash to grow because we seemed disjointed and that made us seem weak. We were and are still hated and despised by many -- despite having so many allies now -- and we have no rights in most states nor federal protections. So this is victory blindness, and it can have the terrible effect of actually allowing the backlash to grow because it telegraphs that we will back down." - LGBT activist Michelangelo Signorile on why the lgbt community must not rest on our laurels if the Supreme Court rules in our favor on marriage equality later this year.

 Signorile is promoting his excellently versed new book, , It's Not Over: Getting Beyond Tolerance, Defeating Homophobia, and Winning True Equality, which is officially out today.

'The Four WORST anti-gay marriage arguments ever' & other Tuesday midday news briefs

The Four Worst Anti-Gay Marriage Arguments Ever - If it were ever discovered that this huge push against marriage equality was secretly a push FOR marriage equality, I wouldn't be surprised. These arguments are so bad, Scalia is going to come after these folks with a switch. And he is AGAINST marriage equality.  

Bobby Jindal Says He Supports Louisiana's Aggressively Anti-Gay 'Religious Liberty' Bill - Of course he does . . . 

Florida Lawmaker Reversed Adoption Bill Vote Because ‘I Simply Can’t Affirm Homosexuality’ - Oh for pete's sake, you aren't "affirming" anything but good homes for kids! Well at least we can prove that this monstrosity vote in Florida is strictly because of anti-gay animus and not concern for children needing to be adopted. Small, very small consolation. 

 North Dakota Governor Issues Memo Barring Gay Discrimination - Right after we lose a vote for it, the governor hands it over. Nice.  

Hey, Christian Business Owners: The Government Isn’t ‘Forcing’ You To Do Anything - Not forcing you to do anything BUT make money.

The Polite Right’s Bryan Fischer Problem - I hate this piece because I wish I could write like this. Probably one of the best columns I have read when it comes to these "religious freedom" laws and the mindsets behind them.

Pat Robertson will accept marriage equality, if . . .(yes it has something to do with anal sex)

Whenever Pat Robertson says something outrageous such as he did in the clip below, I like to remind folks that he was somewhat of a serious presidential candidate in the 1988 election. When they accuse me of lying, I say "it was for the Republican Party."

Then they say, "Ooooooooh."

'Florida bill would allow adoption agencies to discriminate against gays' & other Monday midday news briefs

Florida Bill Would Allow Adoption Agencies to Discriminate Against Gay Parents - Unbelievable. Another "religious freedom" piece of nonsense, but this time, children are being used as the pawns.

LGBT-Affirming Church Barred From 'Celebrate Jesus Easter Parade' In Gay-Friendly Eureka Springs, Arkansas: VIDEO - Speaking of "religious freedom" . . .

The Conservative Christian Movement That Tried To Make Religious Liberty About Homophobia - They try to make EVERYTHING about homophobia. THEIR homophobia.

 That Anti-Gay Indiana Pizzeria That Received $840,000? This 'Pizza' Supports The LGBT Community. - Or how we can turn something negative into something positive and beneficial for our kids.

FINALLY . . . some really good news:

After over a little over two years and with two webpages, my booklet, How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right War on Gay America has the following stats:

Over 1.1 million views,

Downloaded, copies emailed personally by me, hard copies given out - 2,441

Thank you all for the support and please continue to support me as I attempt to get this booklet out to as many folks as possible. With the anti-gay right initiating false narratives about "religious liberty," it is important that the lgbt community and our allies educate the public on what's really going on.

You can download this free booklet here or here .

Bobby Jindal's hypocritical spin on 'religious liberty' vs. anti-gay discrimination

I will give it to Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. He is slightly slicker than Indiana Gov. Mike Pence when it comes to sidestepping and being long-winded.

But all of the slick talk in the world doesn't cover up the hypocrisy which he spews. Jindal supports businesses being able to discriminate against lgbts under the guise of "religious liberty," but he does NOT support giving lgbts any legal protection from any discrimination at all.

And this is the same man who wants to be our president. God help us, indeed:

'Fox News officially an enemy of the lgbt community' & other Friday midday news briefs

What the anti-gay industry wants America to see us as.

The Fox News Campaign To Defend Indiana's Anti-Gay "Religious Freedom" Law - A prediction I made a long time ago is now official. Fox News is now the place where anti-gay organizations and leaders can go to repeat their homophobic propaganda without challenge. This is a problem because now we have entire network working against our equality. 

Fellow liberals: Don’t harass the bigots, please - See the picture above. That and this post is dedicated to the misguided folks who netted a homophobic pizza parlor much unnecessary attention and over $500,000. Please know the difference between the pawns and the manipulators. And above all, DO NOT allow the manipulators to use the pawns in order to make you look like something you are not. Now that you know the anti-gay industry's game, PLEASE stop playing it.

 Indiana Governor Signs Measure Limiting Damage of RFRA, but LGBT Hoosiers Remain at Risk - Victories never mean an end to a war. It merely means an advantage which you must capitalize on to WIN the war.

  At Least Ten Religious Groups Have Come Out Against Anti-LGBT ‘Religious Liberty’ Laws - This brief is dedicated to Mike Huckabee who falsely claimed that gays want to eliminate the church. His statement accentuates the problem. SOME Christians feel that their version of their religion is the only one in this country which matters. That's why they attempt to grab all of the attention.

 Indiana Law Went Too Far For Most Americans To Support - The basic reason why Indiana suffered the backlash to its "religious freedom" law.  

LaBarbera: God Will Punish America For 'The Things Homosexuals Do In Private'- Dear American, I am sorry for dooming you with my Diana Ross, Nina Simone, and Sylvester James impressions. 

Photo courtesy of JoeMyGod

Lgbts win round one on 'religious freedom' bills but don't celebrate just yet

All anti-gay lies come down to this.

According to Mediaite:

Lawmakers in both Indiana and Arkansas today passed fixes to their respective religious freedom bills. Indiana, of course, is the state where this entire controversy burst forth from, after celebrities and CEOs expressed their issues with the law over potential discrimination of gays and lesbians by business owners.

Today the Indiana legislature passed clarifying language that includes this new passage. Meanwhile, in Arkansas, they had passed their own religious freedom bill, but Governor Asa Hutchinson sent it back and said he wants to see changes to it that align more with federal law on the matter. The Arkansas legislature passed the qualifying language this afternoon, and as of this posting, Hutchinson has signed the bill into law.

The article goes on to say that Pence will do the same with his bill, no doubt sending conservatives and the anti-gay right in an apoplectic mood. (Editor's note - Pence just signed the bill.)

However, don't even think of celebrating or high-fiving each other. This is only the first shot in what will probably be a long war punctuated by talking points, anecdotes, think-tank jargon, and the constant, constant repetition of lies.

If the Supreme Court rules for marriage equality later this year, expect things to go into overdrive. And I would sincerely hope that my lgbt brothers and sisters and our allies are going to be as engaged then as we were this week.

Because you just know the other side will be.

Even as I write this, I can imagine the Family Research Council, the National Organization for Marriage, the Heritage Foundation, and their friends at Fox News such as Todd Starnes and others (Bryan Fischer, Erik Erikson, etc)  planning their next salvo. Or practicing the new horror story they will tell gullible folks about the so-called war on Christianity.

It's not like this hasn't been done before.