I’m reblogging a post in full by an esteemed fellow Canuck, George Waye, who has asked for help in spreading the word on this laudable cause.
Derek and Tessie Forgie
I’d like you to meet Derek Forgie. I’ve known Derek for almost twenty years- we were both involved in the arts community here in North Bay for many years before Derek moved down to Toronto in search of fame and fortune. Well, mostly fame.
Derek is the most motivated guy I know. When he wants to do something, he just does it. When he moved to Toronto he started HSSE, Heterosexuals for Same Sex Equality, a group whose mission statement is to advocate for LGBT issues from a heterosexual angle- and to get the message out that human rights are everyone’s rights.
HSSE has already organized a successful campaign called “Straight Not Narrow”- selling T-shirts and organizing community involvement including participation in the Pride Parade in Toronto. The T-shirt is awesome and sends a clear and catchy message while raising money for a great cause. I’m not here to sell you a T-shirt though, don’t worry.
The new HSSE project is centered around an ad campaign that shows real couples holding a sign that reads “Gay marriage doesn’t threaten our marriage”. Derek asked me if I could help by getting a picture of me and Misty holding a sign that carried the message- and I said I could do better than that.
I’m hoping that I can get as many of the married (or engaged) readers to get Derek a photo of them holding up this sign. I’m also trying to pull some strings at some of the other blogs I frequent. The sign could be hand written, or printed off using a computer- and it doesn’t have to be to same font as the one you see above. If you like, you could add the facebook address that is written on the sign as well. Each photo should be uploaded to facebook.com/TheHSSE but if you love humans but hate social networks, feel free to e-mail the picture to me and I will forward it to Derek. My e-mail is my first name and last name (waye) all one word , ampersat, consultant, period, com. The idea is to collect as many as possible before Valentines Day.
As part of the campaign, for the month of February, the wonderfully talented staff at “Who Do You Love? Photography” in Toronto are very generously offering FREE professional couples portraits like the one above. If you’d like to book your session (or if you have any questions) email: [email protected]
So to make this easy for all of you:
- Make a sign that says “Gay marriage doesn’t threaten our marriage” feel free to add “facebook.com/TheHSSE”
- Take a picture of you and your husband/wife (and kids?) holding the sign.
- Go to facebook.com/TheHSSE and upload the photo to their wall. Alternately, you can e-mail the picture to me (my first and last name,ampersat,consultant, period, com) If you put “George sent me” and I get twenty photos……
- I will raffle off the free “Straight Not Narrow” T-shirts to the people who participate-your name will be entered so long as your picture is posted by Noon on February 14th.
So get to it. Be a part of something meaningful.
Here’s the entry Jodi and I are submitting. Click to embiggen.
Note the Evil Little Thing sweater I’m wearing!
19 comments
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Eskeptrical Engineer
February 7, 2012 at 11:21 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I love it! My husband and I will definitely participate.
Blondin
February 7, 2012 at 4:07 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
What a great idea!
And what a small world – I had no idea you lived in the same town as me.
Jason Thibeault
February 7, 2012 at 4:13 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I don’t, actually, Blondin. At least, I’m assuming you’re talking to me. George lives in Toronto. I moved from Etobicoke about six years ago, after living there for almost two years and finding the pace of life to be… well, pretty close to unbearable.
Blondin
February 7, 2012 at 4:21 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Oops, so much for my reading comprehension skills…
I was referring to the reference to North Bay. I think everyone who’s been in North Bay for more than 10 years is aware of who Derek Forgie (aka Skwirl) is.
Anyway, good on him.
niftyatheist
February 7, 2012 at 7:10 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
This is an excellent idea! I hope I can persuade Mr Nifty to do it (he supports equal marriage rights, but he is camera shy LOL).
niftyatheist
February 7, 2012 at 10:16 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I love your Evil Little Thing sweatshirt!!
Jason Thibeault
February 7, 2012 at 10:19 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Oh, hey, that’s interesting. Did it notify you that I just edited it, or have you been refreshing?
Haven’t sent it to George yet, but about to do so now.
N&C
February 8, 2012 at 9:26 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Hi Blondin – I’m so excited to see someone from NorthBay here. We moved here about two years ago so we don’t know who Derek is, but the campaign sounds interesting. Its nice to know there are other skeptics and/or atheists (I’m assuming) locally.
George W.
February 8, 2012 at 10:21 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Blondin, N&C,
I live in North Bay. I was, for a time, the co-host of Planet Skwrl with Derek.
It’s kind of neat to know that there are local people reading the same blogs as me.
I hope you take the time to participate- my family will be sending in an entry as well.
It would be great to make some atheist/skeptic contacts in my home town. I hope you both will contact me.
scotlyn
February 8, 2012 at 11:31 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
A good campaign! And let us not forget that the conservative dogwhistle meaning of “traditional” marriage also threatens heterosexual marriages that are equal partnerships. “Traditional” marriage is, by definition, an unequal partnership, that requires the subjugation of women.
For me that is the major fact that defines where the battle lines are. Between those who defend the equality of all partners within marriages (gay or straight) and those who insist on marriage as a hierarchy with men acting as “heads” of their submissive wives.
Understood in this way, those believing in marriage as an equal partnership are most likely in the majority, and should really, really be getting involved in this marriage equality campaign. Because the marriages which threaten our society with so many evil consequences are those which promulgate inequality between men and women.
Rieux
February 8, 2012 at 11:57 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I’ve always found the “straight but not narrow” line clunky and trite. “Gay marriage doesn’t threaten our marriage,” especially in the context of cute photos of married couples, is much better.
And is it just me, or does the Jodi & Jason photograph present a problem in that it’s hard to read the slogan on the piece of paper they’re holding? The Forgies’ picture shows the text much more clearly; maybe they used heavier-stock paper.
Jason Thibeault
February 8, 2012 at 12:16 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Heavier/larger cardstock (mine was just paper), a bigger and clearer font, and holding toward the camera. But you can (kinda) see what we were going for, so unless the Forgies ask for a reshoot, I think it’s fine for showing solidarity.
peicurmudgeon
February 8, 2012 at 1:27 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
According to religious logic, all marriages in Canada were invalidated 7 years ago.
Blondin
February 8, 2012 at 4:59 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
N&C, George,
I left a message on George’s About page.
marismae
February 9, 2012 at 2:52 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Wow. I never thought I would see so many people from North Bay all in one spot! I grew up there and moved down to the U.S. about 14 years ago. I do remember Derek though, and I think this is awesome!
Way to go fellow Canucks!
marismae
February 9, 2012 at 2:55 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
For the record, I also have no idea why a picture of Bradley Cooper is posing as my icon. But I’m not complaining, cause it makes me giggle!
Jason Thibeault
February 9, 2012 at 3:07 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Weird. Somehow your email address is associated with this Gravatar account: http://en.gravatar.com/yaros2p
If that’s not you, then someone’s registered your addy as an alternate.
marismae
February 9, 2012 at 3:15 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Ohhhhh, that might be one of my old MUSH’ things. I may even be able to fix it now! Thanks for backtracking that for me :)
N&C
February 10, 2012 at 8:49 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Blondin and George
Thanks for responding. I too left a message on George’s page.
The 2012 Lousy Year In Review » Lousy Canuck
January 1, 2013 at 11:28 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
[...] Jodi and I participated in a photo campaign, holding a sign stating that gay marriage doesn’t threaten our marriage. I learned of the [...]