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
the
most
qualified
person
for
the
position,”
said
Furmansky.
“Lea
brings
a
unique
background
as
a
straight,
African-American
female
and
mother.
It
will
help
broaden
the
diversity
of
representation
of
the
LGBT
civil
rights
movement.”
Stansbury,
however,
said
he
believes
hiring
heterosexuals
for
key
positions
in
gay
organizations
should
be
done
according
to
the
mission
statement
and
the
clientele.
“If
their
mission
is
to
reach
out
to
the
LGBT
community
and
you’re
looking
for
someone
to
be
an
outreach
worker,
it’s
a
different
set
of
issues
than
if
you’re
hiring
an
accountant,”
he
said.
He
said
that
outreach
staff
working
on
concerns
specific
...
