GSA GSA

This would be a General Service Announcement for Gay Straight Alliances:

Dear GSA friends and members,

If you're straight, please read this carefully.... if you're LGBT, please read carefully and pass along to all of your straight friends, family members and supporters.

In October, Soulforce and Atticus Circle are organizing a national action called Seven Straight Nights for Equal Rights (http://www.sevenstraightnights.org/mission.php). It is a chance for straight allies to take a leading role in demanding equality for ALL Americans. Ohio is an important state to make a strong national statement and we need participants and planners to truly look like Ohio - and represent all of Ohio. The organizations approached Equality Ohio to organize the effort in the Buckeye state. But now they need your help. CALLING: STRAIGHT ALLIES to help plan the Seven Straight Nights national action night in Ohio on Friday, Oct. 12, 2007.
This is a national project of Soulforce and Atticus Circle.
Equality Ohio is forming a planning group for our state's action, and anyone interested in helping (at any level of involvement) should contact Andrea Wood at andrea@equalityohio.org or 614.224.0400.A lead family will coordinate the planning and Equality Ohio will be supportive all along the way. Here is a message from the 7SN (Seven Straight Nights) Ohio Lead Family: =======MESSAGE FROM OHIO'S LEAD FAMILY======== Our family is proud to serve the state of Ohio as its Lead Family for the Seven Straight Nights event. We became straight allies in 2003 as a response to the anti-gay political climate in our state. In 2004, we founded the ally advocacy organization SpeakOUT so that others might join us in standing up against an extremist minority who want to push their narrow-minded "values" onto the rest of the state. DOMA, a state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage (Issue 1) and attacks on the GLBT community in regards to adoption and foster parenting rights have been key issues in Ohio just in the past few years. We have worked side-by-side with Equality Ohio to fight unfair legislation, and we are pleased to partner with them once again to raise awareness of what straight allies can do to help create an equal Ohio -- where all citizens can feel at home.
Even as we celebrate Governor Ted Strickland's recent Executive Order to protect state workers against discrimination based on sexual orientation and identity -- the first pro-gay legislation in 16 years -- the Citizens for Community Values has already begun to lobby for a law to ban adoption rights for gays. It is clear that our opposition will not acknowledge that Ohio wants a change, and they will continue their attacks. That is why there has never been a more crucial time for fair-minded straight individuals to make a commitment to their GLBT family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and fellow Ohioans. Allies must come out in large numbers and speak about the issues and support the organizations and leaders of our state who are working to bring equality to Ohio.

We invite you to join us on Friday, Oct. 12, as we speak out against bigotry and educate the public about the impact these attacks have on our community as a whole. We hope you will stand by our side and celebrate a new era of equality for all Ohioans. Together -- gay and straight -- we can change the hearts and minds of our state…one person, one family, one community at a time.
Cheri, Brian, Meaghan & Brandon Meyers
SpeakOUT, Columbus, OH
==============To get more information about 7SN contact Andrea Wood at andrea@equalityohio.org or 614.224.0400.