Sky Valley GLBTQ Alliance has first support meeting Saturday November 19th

How did the Monroe Monitor come to feature an article about an upcoming GLBTQ group that is starting this Saturday and wildly yet, previously post an retraction to a bias ad they accepted that was derogatory towards gays?  You would have to know Holly Teige, a true force of nature that is determined to make changes where she sees a need.  While she did not foresee her new role as an activist, I believe it suits her well as she is very passionate about her beliefs and helping others.

I met Holly a couple years ago at an event and instantly felt a kinship to her and her partner Nef!  I knew she was going to make any situation better that she was involved in and she certainly has.  Holly has found various ways to help others adding to her full family plate as she has 4 children and Nef has 2.  Activism isn't far from Holly's long term goal of working with under-served communities as an attorney and she is well on her way as a full time student currently on the Dean's list.  She will graduate in March of 2013 with a degree in Society, Ethics and Human Behavior.


Holly is starting her second group for GLBTQ and they are holding their first meeting this Saturday, November 19th.  The Monroe Monitor wrote an open article about the isolation that gays face in rural areas, the need for inclusiveness and how the area church's are opening their doors to assist.  I encourage you to read the article for yourself and to let any of your friends that live in the area to know about this meeting.  This is a great step in the right direction for our smaller community members to feel less isolation, meet like minded others and gain community.

The Sky Valley GLBTQ Alliance will be a monthly meeting with the day/time to be determined by the membership.  One estimate is that 3500 GLBTQ people live between Everett and the Pass.  Holly hopes that people that live in Everett, Granite Falls, Goldbar, Snohomish, Lake Stevens, Fulton, Startup, Index, Skykomish, and everywhere between the Highway 2 corridor will benefit from the meetings.  All are welcome and you will find future meetings on the Seattle Announcements Calendar!

This is not Holly's first effort at attempting to fill what she saw as a need that she had - and she figured others must have as well.  Holly started a Meetup group, Coming Out After 30 for folks that came out after 30 years of age.  The group celebrated their 1 year anniversary last month with almost a hundred members.  They meet on the last Saturday of every month on Capitol Hill.

The group provides more than the monthly meetings as they also help newly out members feel comfortable by attending social events together such as Inferno Hotflash Dances.  While Inferno Hotflash Dances are known for being more welcoming than most bar dances, they attend as a cohesive group so women will feel even more comfortable at their first (possible) bar experience in their new "out" identity.  The group though is open to all genders and orientations and currently has trans, bi, lesbian, gay, and asexuals ranging in age from 20's to 60's.

Although the members may identify differently from each other Holly "honors that coming out is ongoing" and believes there are the same social reactions to the different phases of the process.  Members often have the similar theme of "a lack of family support" which presents different challenges that talking to others in the same situation helps with.  You can reach Holly at holly.teige@gmail.com.


 

Saturday, November 19th
Sky Valley GLBTQ Alliance
11am to 1pm 
Monroe Public Library

1070 Village Way
Monroe, WA 98272
(360) 794-7851
Refreshments will be provided.  

Attend the monthly Coming Out After 30 Meet Up Group on the last Saturday of the month at:
DeLuxe Bar and Grill
625 Broadway Ave. East
Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 324-9697

A Firestorm of Controversy in Monroe, WA

Quite the controversy erupted when a ad paid for by the Monroe Valley Church Church of Christ called "Ask Your Preacher" in the style of a Dear Abby type column was printed by the local Monroe Monitor paper.  The ad and the church's stand in summary is that one is not born gay, that it is a choice to behave in a "sinful homosexual relationship", we are not born to be tempted beyond control and therefore we do not need to act on our homosexual impulses, and homosexuality is like all sins as we are acting on lust.
 
Holly Teige saw this ad and took immediate action.  She stated on her facebook page that "paid advertisements are *not* the same thing as free speech.  The paper had a choice and they made the wrong one."  Holly further requested people to "please send your support to editor@monroemonitor.com to express how inappropriate it is not only to run this ad, but to defend it under the the pretext of free speech.  Had the word 'homosexual' been replaced with 'blacks' or 'Jews' or 'Muslims' I'm fairly sure this ad simply would not have been run."

On October 10th, Editor Polly Keary printed an article Three Reasons why I ran that ad.  She understood that the community was "indignant" that she ran the ad.  Polly ran the ad as she felt that it did not meet the legal definition of hate speech, the belief in freedom of speech and that the paper is a mirror of the community.  Her article was interesting as she seems to be understanding and supportive, yet perhaps misguided.

Holly continued her campaign and posted the following on her facebook page:

It's working!!! The Monroe Monitor editor has posted a reply to the response against the discriminatory ad. Needless to say it is insufficient and continues to rely on the protection of "free speech".

>>>>>PAID ADVERTISEMENTS ARE NOT FREE SPEECH<<<<<

This "column" was paid for. The Monroe Monitor accepted money for it and after reviewing the content decided it was not hateful and printed it anyway (see editor's response via link below). It contained NO FACTUAL INFORMATION. It was ALL OPINION and based on theology and narrow-minded perceptions.

Would they have done that if it was aimed at African American's and the long-disproved theory they lack sufficient intelligence to hold jobs, vote, or drive? What if it was about Jews, Mexicans, Disabled, Whites, Arabs, or any other portion of our population?

Look, I have met Polly. She is nice, kind, and I'm sure put a lot of thought into this. That doesn't mean she (or they) made the right choice. We need to stand together to change the policies so the Monitor will commit to not printing any ads that contain derisive information about ANY portion of humanity. In the effort to continue to promote discussion and drive accountability I am including her reply to OUR ACTIVE RESPONSE below:

Stand up for safety, support, equality, and acceptance. Email editor@monroemonitor.com NOW!

The Monroe Monitor printed a "we would not have run the ad" retraction on October 17th following what they called a "firestorm of controversy".  They were slammed with letters to the editor that were angry with the paper's choice and they heard the outcry.  Sometimes even as adults we get a "do over".  My new nickname for Holly is Firestorm, and yes...you may quote me on that.

This is an amazing example of what can happen when one person has commitment and passion!  Holly was relentless!  Furthermore she created The Sky Valley GLBTQ Alliance monthly meeting that is having it's first meeting this Saturday November 19th.  Take a few minutes to read these articles as they are worth the time as I feel a little history was made.


10/10/2011 Monroe Monitor Why I ran that ad
10/17/2011 Monroe Monitor  About that ad
11/14/2011 Monroe Monitor Rainbow in the Valley: Gay community and allies forming alliance in Monroe
Thanks to the Monroe Monitor for all this information and for stating they would not run the ad (in hindsight)!  Bravo to Progress!