at Half-Staff Honoring IDAHO
(UN Plaza's American and UN flags at half-staff. Credit: MPetrelis, Gays Without Borders.)
(Heidi Beeler of the SF L/G Freedom Band plays "Taps" as Old Glory descends down the flag pole. Credit: Dan F. Nicoletta.)
(The UN flag flies at half-staff. Credit: Dan F. Nicoletta.)
Gays Without Borders earlier today attracted a crowd of 25-30 San Francisco civic leaders and activists from the LGBT community to United Nations Plaza, to stage our fifth annual action for International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.
The following people spoke about global gay issues and called for additional American advocacy regarding LGBT at home and abroad:
- Brendan Behan, Executive Director of SF Pride
- David Campos, Member of the Board of Supervisors
- Clinton Fein, Political artist and activist
- Veronika Cauley Fimbres, African-American trans advocate
- Michael Petrelis, Person living with AIDS
- Melanie Nathan, Lesbian blogger and activist
- Christina Olague, Member of the Board of Supervisors
- Mark Snyder, Spokesperson for Transgender Law Center
- Amy Whelan, Attorney for National Center for Lesbian Rights
- Gary Virginia, Executive Committee Member of Gays Without Borders
We also had Heidi Beeler of the SF Lesbian and Gay Freedom Band play "Taps" on her trumpet, and community documentarian Ken Hodnett tape the whole thing and create an incredibly moving video showing our solidarity activism.
Our action consisted of thirty-minutes of moving speeches and showing visibility, before our friends Miguel and John from the Department of Public Works lowered the flags.
The flags are flying at half-staff for 24-hours in remembrance of all the LGBT people murdered or bashed since IDAHO 2011.
My deepest gratitude to everyone who showed up today or helped make IDAHO 2012 in San Francisco a reality and our best IDAHO action yet.
And on behalf of all the folks who came out to UN Plaza this afternoon, I extend a hearty salute to the brave LGBT around the world who staged their own IDAHO events. We look forward to reading reports, seeing vids and photos about all the fabulous actions that took place today beyond America's border.
Until IDAHO 2013, solidarity and peace to all! Here's our video:
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