Bil Browning of the Bilerico Project has been following a story out of his home state of Indiana that I wanted to bring to the attention of TWO readers.
In February, Indiana issued the nation’s first specialty license plate specifically dedicated to raising awareness of LGBT youth issues. The Indiana Youth Group, an organization that “provides safe places and confidential environments where self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth are empowered through programs, support services, social and leadership opportunities and community service” and ”advocates on their behalf in schools, in the community and through family support services,” had applied twice before for the plate, but its applications were denied each time. But this time was different, and so starting in February 2012, for an additional $40 surcharge on top of customary registration fees, Hoosiers could purchase a license plate featuring the IYG’s rainbow logo, with proceeds from plate sales going to support the organization’s work.
However, homophobic Republicans in the Indiana legislature wasted no time trying to deep-six the plates. They tried to pass a bill that would forbid specialty plates from being issued to organizations that “advocate for violation of federal or state law, violation of generally accepted ethical standards or societal behavioral standards.”
When that failed, they tried getting rid of the IYG plate another way: they went after the group’s contract with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, seeking to void it on a technicality. Twenty Republican senators sent a letter of complaint about the IYG plates to the BMV: apparently, the youth group gave out low-numbered plates as thank-you gifts to major donors. While this did technically violate the state contract, the BMV’s communications director freely admitted that giving specialty plates with low numbers to big donors was a common practice to which the state traditionally turned a blind eye. (Lest anyone be tempted to give the Indiana Republicans the benefit of the doubt, Senate President Pro Tempore David Long called attacking the IYG contract another “solution” to what he clearly regarded as the problem of an LGBT-related license plate.)
Unlike their last attempt, this tactic worked and the Indiana Youth Group’s specialty license plates were revoked for violating ”state law and Indiana Administrative Code.” Until that point, the IYG plate was the highest-selling specialty plate among the 10 awarded by the state of Indiana this year, selling more than twice as many plates as the next-best seller. The crackdown also resulted in two other organizations– the Greenways Foundation and the Indiana 4-H Foundation — losing their plates. But, whatever. Collateral damage in Indiana’s zealous campaign against LGBT youth, I guess.
Some, including Indiana blogger and attorney Doug Masson, speculate that the recent actions by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles have opened the state up to a possible equal protection lawsuit. Here’s hoping that the financial resources and dedicated legal team required for such a lawsuit can be assembled in the name of Indiana LGBTs being bullied by their state.
Note: If you’re not already aware of the Bilerico Project, I’d like to encourage you to add that site to the list of LGBT websites you check each day. Bil and his contributors (in the interest of full disclosure, I am an occasional contributor myself) have created a dynamic forum for news, information, conversations, and a diversity of perspectives unlike any other place on the Internet. Bil is also a dear personal friend and a legendary activist who’s been raising hell in the name of equality since I was in the first grade. Check him — and Bilerico — out!
Meh, typical.
Indiana was already on my list of states to never visit. Google “Hepzibah House” to find out why.
Just read an article on that home. That’s awful. The state needs to close it and jail the whole damn staff including those at the top.
Thank you John and Bil for letting people know what is going on here in Indiana. When IYG was first applying for the license plate, Mary asked me to write a letter to the BMV in support. I been followng the story ever since, and am appalled at how things have turned out.
Even though 20 senators signed the letter, Eric Miller from Advance America and Micah Clark from The American Family Association of Indiana have done much to spread misinformation and lies regarding IYG. Micah Clark was quoted in the Indianapolis Star as saying, “The Indiana Youth Group promotes dangerous lifestyles that run counter to state law,” he said. “I think you have to draw the line when you are talking about kids under the age of consent. I’m happy the plate is not being sold anymore. The plate funds were going to go for setting up homosexual youth groups in schools. . . It runs against state sexual education (policies), marriage and morality.”
And Eric Miller sent out a flyer to various churches, claiming that “IYG targets children as young as 12 years of age.”
Both Clark and Miller have been seen on the floor of the Indiana House and Senate, sitting with the legislators, every time there was a hearing for the proposed “marriage amendment” in Indiana. They are both overly preoccupied with the “gay lifestyle” and ensuring that marriage equality does not happen in Indiana. So it’s not surprising that they would both also push to get the IYG license plate banned.
My hope is that someone will investigate their activities and bring to light why they are so overly concerned with making sure that the LGBT citizens of Indiana do not have equal rights. And it’s bad enough to discriminate against LGBT adults, but now it seems they’re targeting LGBT kids too. Shame on the 20 senators and double-shame on Eric Miller and Micah Clark.
Thank you, Annette, for fighting the good fight in a place where it’s so terribly difficult but you’re so sorely needed. As a son of the Midwest myself, you have my heartfelt admiration and gratitude!