Jun 23, 2006  |  By: ELIZABETH A. PERRY  | COMMENTS     

Are gay rights groups better managed by gay and lesbian leaders?

The answer, according to several prominent activist groups, is a resounding no, as three locally based organizations recently announced that heterosexuals would take key leadership roles.

Equality Maryland, Virginia’s Commonwealth Coalition and the Human Rights Campaign all reached beyond the gay and lesbian ranks to fill pivotal positions.

Equality Maryland hired veteran activist Lea Gilmore as political and campaign director. She began her new job on June 14.

“It’s not like I have a T-shirt I wear that says, ‘Hi, I’m Lea — I’m a heterosexual,’” said Gilmore, who formerly served as deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland. “I’m proud of the work I do. When I was with the ACLU of Maryland we dealt with [equality] issues. Now, I get the opportunity to focus on a real civil rights battle, and I am proud to be on the front lines.” 

Gilmore has a background as a human rights advocate and maintains a seat on the ACLU board of directors. She was director of outreach programs for the National Abortion Federation and was program director for the Association of Baltimore-area Grantmakers, where she directed the African American Philanthropy Initiative.

She was appointed to the Maryland Advisory Committee on Civil Rights by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and has written and lectured on women’s rights, human rights, and African-American history and music throughout the United States, Europe and Africa.

She said the emphasis on gay issues was a factor in her acceptance of the position with Equality Maryland because the issues facing gays are vital, she said. Gilmore said it is important not to dismiss support of gay rights as an idealistic notion.

“Anytime a community is segregated legally and not afforded the same rights, it’s crucial,” she said.

Gay rights “are civil and human rights issues,” she said. “It should be a reality that all Americans are afforded the same rights and protections, period. We are all fellow human folks. When we are in trouble, we should all be there propping each other up.”

Claire Guthrie Gastanaga joined the Commonwealth Coalition as campaign manager earlier this year, bringing with her a lengthy resume that includes 20 years working with the Virginia legislature and a stint as a contract lobbyist for Equality Virginia. The Commonwealth Coalition is a broad-based coalition of individuals, businesses and business groups, community organizations and religious groups from around Virginia, working to defeat the state’s constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage, which goes to voters in November.

“My parents taught me by words and example that we have a responsibility to give back,” Gastanaga said. “We have an obligation to serve and a duty to stand beside and stand up for anyone who is being treated unfairly or denied justice.”

At the HRC, Samantha Smoot said she accepted the position of political director in January because she cares about progressive issues.

She said knew she would be accepted regardless of her sexual orientation at her workplace, but questioned how the broader community would receive her.

Smoot said she has been “outed” as heterosexual at a few events and has been welcomed with open arms.

“This is a political movement that has always and should always be led primarily by LGBT people,” she said. “There is a very important, but supporting role to be played by straight people. My role is a supporting one. Movements for equality should be led by the people striving for equality.”

When asked if gay-oriented organizations should hire heterosexuals to broaden their appeal, Smoot said that the issue is not about who is hired, but how to work toward inclusiveness.

“I think that the movement will be stronger when we find more ways to involve heterosexual people,” she said. “Different orgs will make different decisions about their area of emphasis. I don’t think hiring straight people is as important as thinking through how our language, programs and grassroots organizing make a place for straight people at the table.”

Qualifications trump orientation

“The key questions should be abilities and commitment, said Rick Rosendall, vice president of political affairs for the Gay & Lesbian Activists Alliance, a small group of long-term D.C. activists who do not have full-time staff. “If we don’t want to be discriminated against, it’s important we do not discriminate ourselves.”

Executive directors Dan Furmansky of Equality Maryland, and Larry Stansbury of Brother Help Thyself agreed that gay organizations should hire the most qualified candidates for leadership positions, regardless of sexual orientation.

“We made a conscious decision to hire ...