I Will Attend NYC Pride

Dan Savage is wrong for his transphobia and racism, 100% wrong, the LGBT Community cannot allow such a visible and public figure to make such disturbingly bigoted statements. Leaders in the LGBT Community should publicly question his remarks.

But not going to NYC Pride because of Dan Savage? No, I will attend the event. It is one of the largest and most visible LGBT events in the world, and only gets bigger each year. It is still a most effective way to spread a general message to the non-LGBT society of uncompromising tolerance. All things considered, I still believe the amount of good that comes out of NYC Pride far outweighs any shortcoming (so far). This should not be the criterion for everything, but for a major event such rationale is valid.

What about the other Grand Marshal? No, not Terry Miller, I mean Rev. Pat Bumgardner (pictured). She is the Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church. She has dedicated her life to combating racism and transphobia and in many ways her actions speak much louder than Dan Savage's words. She is being honored for her work, and is just as much a Grand Marshal as Dan Savage. Totally boycotting the NYC Pride on account of Dan Savage's past comments would be to allow his divisive remarks to overshadow this woman's good works.

So is a boycott even appropriate? Would it be an overreaction to cut off contact with Pride due to remarks that Dan Savage alone made? He is being honored as Grand Marshall over his actions regarding the "It Get's Better" project. This message is clear because he is honored together with his partner, who was a co-creator of the project. This action serves as an acknowledgment of their work creating a grass-roots campaign that has indisputably touched many peoples' lives and helped push government action. Its not so much about Dan Savage alone as it is about the "It Gets Better" project.

His selection is not a validation of everything Dan Savage has said in his career. Do Dan Savage's comments invalidate the "It Get's Better" project for which he is being honored? Do they invalidate the messages from hundreds of contributors to the project, from the President to ordinary high schoolers? Do they invalidate the emotions that the campaign evoked in countless LGBT folks who reflected on their own experiences with bullying and desire to do good--from all around the world? The "It Gets Better Project" will likely go down in LGBT history as a touching and overwhelming response to utterly tragic events. The creators of this memorable phenomenon should be honored for such a creation.

Whether directly or indirectly, to boycott NYC Pride is to also boycott the reason they are honoring Dan Savage and Terry Miller together.

The truth of the matter is that boycotts are effective only when properly planned and executed. If not, then they are simply ceremonial in significance. If one wanted to pursue the maximum amount of change in the little time before Pride, then the best way would be to reach out to the committee in charge of Pride and actually explain one's cause for offense. This is more rational, and does not create an "us vs. them" mentality-something the LGBT Community must avoid. If a small, but vocal minority of people show dissatisfaction, then perhaps that may be more effective.

There are more constructive ways. Perhaps a campaign to pressure those in charge of organizing the event to give Dan Savage an opportunity to publicly recant his remarks at the event? Or maybe a push for more promotion dedicated to promoting racial and gender identity expression within the LGBT Community at the event?

Boycotts are options of last resort, when dialogue has been exhausted. Has a dialogue even been properly tried? One cannot treat all organizations whose decisions one disagrees with equally. Boycott Target, not NYC Pride. If you wish everyone in the LGBT Community to be on the same side, you have to treat those who you have wronged you within the Community with a greater willingness to engage in dialogue. Treating them like enemies will only create enemies.