Speakouts and Rallies - Speakouts are effective in putting a human face on our issues. This can be a powerful tool to illustrate the impact of homophobia in our communities and to gather support for our lesbian rights agenda. Your speakers may include a lesbian or gay student who has struggled with the local school administration over starting a gay youth support group, someone who has been fired from her/his job or faced discrimination from law enforcement or emergency medical professionals. A speakout could be part of a rally to show support for lesbians and gay men. Rally speakers might include supporters in the religious community, in the mental health professions, and elected officials who support civil rights for all.
Pickets - Target a business or institution
where lesbians and gay men have experienced discrimination. Consider
the offices of public officials who have made homophobic comments or who
have used their positions to advance an anti-gay rights platform, perhaps
voting against legislation or supporting bills that are anti-gay.
Many newspapers won't publish announcements for same-sex commitment ceremonies
- target them with a picket or protest!
Take Back the Night - Hate crimes and
other forms of violence against lesbians and gay men is a great deterrent
to coming out. Many chapters are already planning actions around
violence against women during the month of October -- be sure to include
victims of hate crimes in your speaker's list, and do outreach to other
lesbian and gay groups.
Announce the Creation of a Task Force - If you chapter doesn't already have a Lesbian Rights Task Force, now would be a great time to start one. The newly revised NOW Lesbian Rights Resource Kit may be a valuable tool for this task force. There is an order form in this mailing. If your task force is just getting started, a very easy, yet powerful consciousness-raising activity to do at a chapter meeting is to have everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, write a letter coming out to her/his parent(s) or relatives as a lesbian. Ask each participant to explain how they came to their decision, why it is important to share it and what their feelings are about their family's reaction. The letters can be shared or kept private.
Mock Weddings - Many chapters reported great success with these in February, working to build support for same-sex marriage legislation. These are relatively easy to set up and get good press. It's important to focus on positive family issues for Coming Out Against Homophobia. Call for the fact sheet on Lesbian Family Issues.
Grassroots Advocacy - Many states have ballot initiatives or pending legislation that targets equal rights for lesbians and gay men. Organize a phone bank to call supporters about the bill, or visit elected officials to encourage their vote in favor of lesbian rights.
Out Your Community - A campaign to discover and expose discrimination in your area against lesbians and gay men can link easily to Women Friendly Workplace activities and provide a good angle for Coming Out Day press. Make up a "Report Card" for your area or community. Do the schools and businesses in your area include employment protections on the basis of sexual orientation, or can gay teachers or public workers be fired? Are there businesses in your community that provide domestic partner benefits for only heterosexual couples?
Fundraising - Selling buttons and bumper
stickers at actions is a great way to bring money into the chapter and
to broaden the base of supporters advertising for our issues. Please
see the enclosed list of products in the NOW
Store that might be especially useful in Coming Out Day actions, and call
202.467.6980 to order for your chapter.
When planning your action, don't forget to include components of membership
recruitment, fundraising, visibility for your chapter and building allies!
If you'd like tips on how to incorporate these chapter building and movement
building techniques into your action plan, call Cindy Jordan x760.