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LGBT hosts gay rights speaker
Marshall students and others of the
community gathered last night to listen to Elizabeth Birch, former executive
director of the Human Rights Campaign.
The Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Outreach Office, which sponsored the
event titled "The State of Gay Rights Today" opened up the program.
"This is the biggest thing we've ever done," Doug Evans, one director of the
LGBT, said.
The Human Rights Campaign is the largest LGBT advocacy group in the United
States. While Birch was executive director, the organization grew from 100,000
members to 500,000 members.
Birch began her speech by talking about the reason why she came to West Virginia
and the story of two male penguins from a New York zoo. The penguins are unusual
because they are apparently homosexual and she used this as a loose example for
homosexual relationship. Then she spoke about her own background.
"I was this little girl running through the forest," Birch said. "I started
realizing I was different and if I didn't leave my small town, it would crush my
spirit. I traveled the world and realized that for all its foibles that at least
we can survive here. There are places you can barely survive as a woman, let
alone as an out lesbian."
Birch criticized how with all the problems America faces, why gay marriage is
something that has to be stopped right now.
In a country where three out of five lesbians are mothers and one out of every
five gay men were fathers it was an important issue, Birch said.
"Gay people are not just born in nice, left liberal families," Birch said. "They
are born even in Evangelical Christian households."
Turning her attention towards the past November election, Birch commented on how
Gay rights were more jeopardy than ever.
"We are screwed," Birch said. "We are in a dangerous time, and we have two giant
waves coming together to form the perfect storm. We have spent 300 years trying
to expunge our worse carnal sins from the Constitution such as racism and
slavery. I believe people are fundamentally good at heart, until you put two
words together: gay marriage."
Many students agreed with her assessment of where Gay rights are in the United
States.
"I hope we are moving forward with Gay rights," Christina Wass, senior
elementary education major, said. "However, I feel in my gut that we are moving
backwards. There are many influential people who are against homosexuality and
many people will just continue to believe what they believe."
To end her speech, Birch then commented on how in order for equality Gays and
their opponents need to reach that middle ground which will promote
understanding.