May 23, 2007 - The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press today released survey findings that four out of every ten Americans knows an openly gay or lesbian friend or relative. Moreover, those who know an openly gay/lesbian person tend to have more favorable viewpoints regarding gay and lesbian civil rights and equal, open participation in society.
Here's the link: Four-in-Ten Americans Have Close Friends or Relatives Who Are Gay
This national story has an obvious local connection that I will rush to point out: The southern Indiana area is not exactly known for its openly gay/lesbian population; in fact, there are times when it is still difficult to find gay men and women who are open enough in their lives to serve as community organizers, spokespersons, or to accept other leadership roles. Personally, there are times when closetry looks to me like an epidemic in our neck of the Hoosier Hills, and this perception of things from time to time will move me to the edge of apathy or despair.
But the Pew poll shows empirical evidence that those who do live openly as gay men and lesbian women do influence the viewpoints of many in their lives. This effect was asserted early in the gay/lesbian movement --- and some in the movement have made it the primary focus of their activism, such as the late psychologist Rob Eichberg and publisher David Goodstein when they formed The Advocate Experience back in the late 1970's. (The Advocate Experience effort later re-named itself simply The Experience, and finally closed its doors officially in April 2001. However, it is still being offered privately to this day by its last workshop leader, seminars consultant Honey Ward.)
After a bit of Internet research, I was glad to hear that Honey is still offering The Experience Weekend. One is coming up within days in Dallas, Texas, and another workshop will be offered in August in Santa Fe, New Mexico where Honey is headquartered.
Maybe an Experience weekend offered right here in southern Indiana is exactly the medicine our local epidemic of closetry calls for? Wouldn't it be a delight to hold an Experience weekend in one of our local casino facilities, such as Cesaer's Indiana or French Lick?
