GLAAD rocks and so do you

An Open Letter to GLAAD and you

Today, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation took a remarkable step. They moved their annual fundraising event scheduled for June 11th from a boycotted hotel to Fort Mason. On behalf of all the LGBT elected officials, organizations, and community leaders who signed onto the letter I would like to thank GLAAD for their extraordinary leadership. GLAAD recognized how important it was that UNITE HERE Local 2 was the first union in the country to secure domestic partner benefits. GLAAD understands and honors the linkages and common ground between LGBT Civil rights and the Labor movement. GLAAD also understood how important our local struggles are. We are also facing a huge battle in California during the next year over Marriage Equality for same sex couples and we really need unity in order to have effective coalitions in the struggles ahead.


The upcoming 16th Annual Media Awards that GLAAD was holding were to be held at the Westin St. Francis. The Westin St. Francis is one of 14 hotels currently engaged in a protracted labor dispute with its employees. In the fall, the Westin and 13 other Multi-Employer Group hotels denied their employees access to their jobs, locking them out of their workplaces, trying to starve them into accepting a bad contract

Let me just say how honored I am to be part of a community that has leadership like GLAAD displayed today. And how proud I am to be part of a community that so quickly responded to the letter and signed on and took an active role in educating GLAAD.

Thank you. I strongly urge our community to show support for strong leadership from GLAAD by attending their dinner or by becoming a member of GLAAD. Click here to become a member or make a donation. Also let me know if you want to attend the dinner. When I spoke to Assemblymember Mark Leno and Supervisor Dufty, both indicated that they wanted to help GLAAD by buying tickets and getting others to do so. Email me if you want to go to the dinner. I also believe that Supervisor Dufty is also introducing a resolution at the Board of Supervisors thanking GLAAD.

And thank you to the organizations, elected officials, and community leaders that signed on to the open letter. Many, many, many people went the extra mile on this issue by calling board members and calling the New York and Los Angeles offices.

Organizations and community leaders who signed on to the Open Letter to GLAAD include:
Equality California
Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club
Pride at Work
Transgender Law Center

State Senator Carole Migden
Assemblymember Mark Leno
Assemblymember Leland Yee
Tom Ammiano, SF Board of Supervisors
Bevan Dufty, SF Board of Supervisors
Gerardo Sandoval, SF Board of Supervisors
Harry Britt, Former Supervisor
Theresa Sparks, Police Commissioner
Cecilia Chung, San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration Committee
Robert Haaland, Democratic County Central Committee*
Michael Goldstein, Democratic County Central Committee*
Saskia Traill, Vice-President, Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club
Carol Stuart, Co-Author, Equal Benefits Ordinance
Debra Walker, Former President, Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club
Laura Spanjian, Co-Chair, Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club*
Rafael Mandelman, President, Noe Valley Democratic Club*
Dylan Vade, Transgender Attorney
Peter Wong, former V.P. Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club
Esperanza Macias, former V.P. Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club
Jerry Threet, former President, Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club
John Newsome, And Castro for All
August Longo, President, FDR Democratic Club*
Howard Wallace, Pride at Work, National Co-Founder
Joey Cain, President, San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration Committee
Joe Julian, San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee
Bill Barnes, San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee
Dennis Antonore, former Planning Commissioner
Matt Brown, former Department of Building Inspection Commissioner
Jane Morrison, Chair of SF Democratic Party, 2002-2004
Connie O' Connor, San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee
Susan Hall, San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee
David Chiu, Chair, 13th Assembly District Committee
Lisa Williams, Co-Chair of LGADDA
Jim Rivaldo, one of the founders of the Harvey Milk Democratic Club
Larry Brinkin
Bruce Mirken, LGBT writer
Tab Buckner
Calvin Gipson
John R. Selig, Activist, Writer and Photographer
Steve Walters, former host/producer of LGBT radio program, Lambda Weekly, Dallas, TX