Yesterday, we posted video of the latest “glitter attack,” as a “horde of gay barbarians” went to Marcus Bachmann’s wingnut clinic and, you know, threw glitter everywhere. This tactic, which is actually just sort of cute, is used to push back against anti-gay wingnuts. No one who is not homophobic, to date, has been glittered.
Oh, but Chris Barron of GOProud does not like this glittering behavior! Not one bit!
Chris Barron, leader of the gay tea party-leaning group GOProud, is not amused by the string of glitter attacks LGBT activists have been carrying out over the past few months.
[...]
“No rational person can look at that behavior and think that this is actually good for average gay people,” Barron told the DailyCaller’s Matt Lewis. “All it does is reinforce the worst, most negative, nasty stereotypes about gay people.”
[...]
Barron has publicly praised Herman Cain’s campaign, and has pushed back on claims that the tea party is bigoted. He told Lewis the glitter attacks — which have been carried out on Newt Gingrich and Michele Bachmann — are a tactic used to cast the tea party as homophobic.
I was not aware that the “worst, most negative, nasty stereotypes about gay people” involved glitter. I guess, for gay wingnuts who value their white male privilege above all else, anything that challenges their chance at passing within conservative circles is taboo.
Noted. Also, Newt Gingrich and Michele Bachmann are homophobes. Their records show this clearly.
“All it does is reinforce the worst, most negative, nasty stereotypes about gay people.” Yes, thanks for pointing this out. It is now so much clearer to me how we are discriminated against and abused because of our humor and insistence on standing up for ourselves in the face of oppression.
Chris Barron worships at the Temple of Michele Bachmann and he says tossing glitter is a negative, nasty stereotypes about gay people. What about what the Bachmann’s say about us. What about Chris licking the Bachmann’s fingers. What is it with this man? Does he think the Bachmann’s are the grown-up table. How many gay kids have to be bullied and beaten? How many gay adults have to be attacked? End the bigotry Chris and start with the Bachmann’s. Groucho said laughter is the best way to deal with oppressors.
I have no liking for GOProud or the Log Cabin types, but whether the weapon of choice is a pie or glitter, it still falls under the category of simple assault. If we are going to protest against gaybashings (and we should), is it really wise to go down this path? It may make for good street theatre, but it otherwise adds nothing constructive to the dialogue.
I’m not sure how glitter constitutes assault but ok. You, Michael, and Chris Barron don’t seem to have much of a sense of humor. Frankly, Mr. Barron ought to be next in line for the glitter bombers.
Oh Micheal, really?
I’m not sure it’s really effective but if Barron tries to paint this as an assault he’ll just wind up looking more foolish than he already does. I don’t think this action actually reinforced any “negative stereotypes”, it’s just too silly. But it would be nice if the barbarians went in with vacuum cleaners and dirt devils to clean up the glitter so those misguided people at the clinic don’t have to.
Well…I had a chuckle over it too, but imagined if gay kids (or adults) were thrown substances at by homophobes. It’s not hitting or pushing, but surely we would consider it a form of bullying or mean-spirited act, no matter how much they would say “just a joke”.
Harry, it’s glitter not manure.
Glitter bombing is immature and ineffective. I get the draw that such “direct action” tactics have, but what do they really accomplish? A few decades ago I think they were appropriate, but the gay rights movement has gone mainstream and needs to act accordingly. We’re really not the underdogs anymore, so why do we act like we are?
In the end I feel like these stunts just reinforce the idea that gay activists don’t really want to have a dialogue and instead want to shut up anyone who disagrees with us. Why not stand outside the clinic handing out pamphlets about the dangers of ex-gay therapy to potential clients instead? That’s something that is actually constructive and might do some good.
I understand some of your points, John, but at the the same time wonder what sort of “dialogue” you really think would be effective.
I work with mostly heterosexual young people and the ones who know about this all think it was really funny and drew attention to the issue in a non-whiny way. I think some fun theater sometimes draws people in rather than turns them off.
Only two people give a damn about what ChrissyFit Barron thinks:
1. Chris “Robber” Barron.
2. … Um. Well … Maybe his mom? I’ll have to get back to ya’.
Addendum to Daniel-”it’s glitter, not manure”—it’s glitter not fists and kicking boots. We dress up as ducks and quack when we protest at ‘ex-gay’ events; I don’t think this is any different. Using clownish tactics on these people is a good metaphor for what they believe and what we think of them. Having a ‘serious dialog’ with the bachmannites would be total waste of time. Besides making a point with non-violence, as was stated above, the younger generations find it ‘cool and funny’. They are the ones to reach. The older haters will never change anyway. Let the glitter rain.
ps..instead of just being dressed as barbarians, one of them should have been in drag with a big marcus bachmann face mask on. At least we have humor on our side–conservatives never will–they can’t!
No rational person can look at that behavior and think that this is actually good for average gay people,” Barron told the DailyCaller’s Matt Lewis. “All it does is reinforce the worst, most negative, nasty stereotypes about gay people.”
And reinforcing that stereotype is his job. Living Picasso.
May all homophobes who oppose the Constitution (which guarantees freedom of expression) drop dead!