DigiActive.org

Campaign: Protests against Proposition 8

credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mvjantzen/

Description:
The approval of Proposition 8 outlaws same-sex marriages in the state of California, which only recently passed a law to allow same-sex marriages to be recognized. LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer) activists all around the country have been speaking out against this blatant form of hate and discrimination with protests, rallies and boycotts.

Digital Activism Tools:
Facebook

How These Tools are being used:
A group called Join the Impact has been organizing national Days of Actions all over the Country. Prior to the first call to action rally held cities all over America, Facebook groups and events popped up days leading up to the big event on November 15th. Almost immediately after the event on the 15th, I received another Facebook invite to the “Day without a Gay” event also organized by Join the Impact. The event which will take place on December 10th, is a direct action where over 100,000 LGBTQ people and allies will go on strike by calling out of work and not making any financial purchases. The Facebook event explains that “LGBT workers, business owners, consumers and taxpayers contribute over $700 billion to the American economy and we deserve the same rights as all other Americans.”  

Boycotts have been increasingly popular in California since Californians Against Hate started a Dishonor Roll list of people, businesses, organizations and churches that donated large sums of money to Pro-Proposition 8 Campaigns. The Dishonor Roll includes, and boycotts and protests have been staged against, Cinemark Cinemas, A-1 Self Storage, Hoehn Motors, El Coyote and many, many Mormon Churches. 

Outcome:
The LGBTQ movement has been re-energized and they are not going to sit back anymore. The numbers on these Facebook groups show that there is a huge movement going on and lots of support behind it. Join the Impact plans to keep this momentum going by providing actions and ideas for ways to create change.