Why aren't gay people more politically active?

Answer 1

U.S citizens in general are apathetic, not just gays. Unless they have a personal agenda people tend to ignore the whole thing. It takes two groups of people to put a man in office: Those who vote for him and those who don't vote against him. In any given election 35-40% of votes cast will be Republican, and an equal number will be Democratic. That leaves 20-30% who actually decide the outcome, the crucial swing vote. If enough members of the LGBT community expressed their dissatisfaction in the voting booth instead on-line, politicians might start listening.

Answer 2

Good question. But for a minority group officially classified as mentally ill less than 40 years ago, we've become quite active in the span of those few decades.

Personally, I think that the strongest political manuever now is to get it across how much we are like middle America and and that our everyday living is typically not the drag party scene that the media focuses most all pride coverage on. (I'm focusing here on acceptance for legal equality here, okay, so don't get in a tizzy about recognizing when it's detrimental to scream we're unique.)

Btw, I also think that if we want a chance at getting a Dem in the Whitehouse, the pressure on this Congress to do something for us needs to be weighed judiciously. It's more important that the new Dem majority hold thru 2008 elections. A differnt president would probably not veto legislation for extending the Civil Rights protections to us. Further, with the right President, there's a good chance civil union will be put on his desk and if not, then quite possibly signed in by Executive Order during the second term. I realize that the word "marriage" is important to many, but it's also the term much of America takes issue. So, I'll take legal equivalent with any name over nothing any day. Besides, name change later would be far less controversial.

Setting the stage for all this, however, does start now. That's the end game as I see it in my sleepy haze of this moment.

Answer 3

I think per capita, LGBTs are more politically active than straights. Not many people can handle the rough and tumble for any length of time. I remember when the City of Orlando was debating modifying its civil rights provision to include the phrase sexual orientation. Oh, some very kind people who put themselves out there, including one whose job was to help mentally disabled people, were literally called everything but children of God by the fundies!

Also, we need to eat like anyone else. It's a real catch 22. In the places where LGBTs need protection most, we don't get it! As a friend said when I asked her to join me in a rally for that change in the provision, "Hell no, I have a performance review coming up!" And of course, the point of this amendment was that there was to be no punishment at a job in Orlando for being queer in public....

The bitterest irony to me, as a pink-collar worker (I've been a secretary for years), was that our opponents claimed gays didn't need protection because they make tons of money, and you could see that from the fact that it was white collar workers and self-employed people supporting this amendment. Well, of course it was! The boss couldn't fire *their* asses! I was able to talk from the perspective of a pink-collar worker in the local gay media, and do you know why? My boss was gay!

It passed, but many people were just burnt out for a while.

You have to stick your neck out sometimes. You have to pick your battles carefully. You have to expect some bruising. And then you have to take breaks.

Answer 4

I think it's because we're so disillusioned by the system. Personally, I'm very active politically, but I do have several friends who are completely turned off by the whole political process.
We've been socially "told" that we're second class citizens for so long that I think many in our community actually believe it and feel that there's no reason to become or stay involved.
Especially in recent years with so many backwards slides politically from "DOMA" to all these "anti-same sex marriage" state initiatives.

Answer 5

I'm both gay and politically active.
The ones I know that are not; well I believe they are afraid of getting hurt or being in the forefront with their beliefs.

Since I have moved to a small town from a metropolis, the gays here are often Republican. Go figure. I hope to move on in a year!

Answer 6

Well, you should be asking why gay Americans are not more politically active, because here in Australia, we are.

You Americans are not compelled to vote by law -- we Aussies are. There are no consequences for you people when you don't vote. Here you get fined $100 if you're registered and fail to vote.

Americans, not just gay ones, are apathetic when it comes to politics? Why? America is a republic that depends on no-one but itself. You guys can afford to take your freedoms for granted.

Answer 7

Who knows!!! I've asked this question before on here. I'm candian and I live in a gay neighbourhood..I was working in a polling station in the last federal election and I was appalled at how few gay people came into vote..it was one of the lowest turnouts ever....YET gay people are the first to complain when it doesn't go their way.....If you don't vote--you certainly have no right to complain. (thanks for the 'rant' space.LOL).

Answer 8

Have you checked out The Human Rights Campaign? www.hrc.org

Answer 9

From what the Gop went thru I thought they were in politics.

Answer 10

Hello, my friend. We all had some victories yesterday. I would have liked to have seen more but I am not complaining.