Lesbians and Politics

[Soon]

LPAC – First of Its Kind Lesbian Political Action Committee – Launches Today


PAC to elect pro-lesbian, pro-women candidates to public office in 2012

July 11, 2012—Today a group of activists and donors launched LPAC, the first of its kind lesbian political action committee. The values-based committee sets out to positively influence policies that impact women by electing candidates who champion issues that impact lesbians and their families.

“This year we have seen politicians repeatedly support policies that harm women,” said actress and supporter Jane Lynch. “It is important to me to elect leaders who care about issues that impact women and their families. That’s why I support LPAC.”

After decades of being a small subset of players in women’s rights and LGBT rights political efforts, the women of LPAC are stepping up to get organized like never before, aiming to give lesbians a real and meaningful seat at the table. With significant resources, LPAC plans to make a true impact for lesbians in the 2012 election cycle and beyond.

“Frankly, we created LPAC because we were shocked by this past year,” said LPAC Chair and Treasurer Sarah Schmidt. “Lesbians could no longer stand by and witness continued attacks on reproductive freedoms, marriage equality, and be immersed in a political sphere where women are not given a meaningful voice in politics.”

LPAC plans to take advantage of the dramatic window of opportunity that exists to counter this onslaught of attacks by electing strong pro-women candidates to office. LPAC will support candidates who champion a range of issues that impact lesbians and their families, Democrat or Republican, male or female, gay or straight. These values include:

-Ending discriminatory treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals and their families;
-Protecting access to reproductive freedom and quality healthcare; and,
-Furthering social, racial, and economic justice for all Americans.

“Members of the LGBT community are inspirational leaders and role models in every aspect of American life—from education to entertainment, from sports to science,” said sports icon and social justice pioneer Billie Jean King. “The formation of LPAC provides lesbians and the entire LGBT community a new, stronger voice and a real and respected seat at the table when politicians make policy that impacts our lives.”

LPAC will give directly to federal candidates and will also engage in key city, state, federal, and ballot campaigns through independent expenditures. LPAC is working with both women’s and LGBT political organizations in order to be most strategic and effective with its resources.

“I support LPAC because courageous elected officials who support women’s rights, fairness, and equality for all of us deserve our unconditional support,” said Laura Ricketts, LPAC advisory board member and director and part owner of the Chicago Cubs.

Longtime LGBT movement leader, and LPAC advisory board member, who helped spearhead the effort, Urvashi Vaid, said: “I’m involved in starting LPAC because I want to create fresh politics, one in which the lives of ordinary working women and men, LGBT people and people of color matter, and because I believe lesbians must step up and lead in solving our country’s challenges.”

For a full list of advisory board members, see below.

LPAC is a political action committee dedicated to one goal: influencing elections by giving lesbians a meaningful seat at the political table. www.teamlpac.com

[Hollylane]

What an awesome thread topic! Thank you, I am subscribing.

[Kobi]

I think this is wonderful and long overdue.

Yet, a part of me has to wonder why a group concerned about women and lesbians has one value definition that is woman/lesbian specific and the other 2 are generalized.

[What is a pro-lesbian candidate?

LPAC will support candidates who champion a range of issues that impact lesbians and their families, a pro-lesbian candidate is someone who supports:

Ending discriminatory treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals and their families;

Sexual and reproductive freedom and women’s access to quality healthcare; and,

Furthering social, racial, and economic justice for all Americans. ]


It seems odd to me how stuff supposedly geared toward women seems to get routinely watered down to include all people, thereby taking the focus off women/lesbian. Is there some reason women just cant focus on what is good for women? Is there some reason we have to sandwich this between what is good for everyone else?

And, where the heck is any mention of feminism and sexism? Or, are those on par with Voldemort i.e. that-which-must-not-be-named?

This just seems, to me, to be part of the internalized and operationalized patriarchial programming where women must always be mindful of others, place others needs on equal par or better yet above our own, etc.

[aishah]

i had the opposite reaction kobi...in my experience, many initiatives that choose only to focus on women's issues pretty much erase the needs/experiences/presence of marginalized women. because they don't address the fact that we can't even get to the table to talk about sexism half the time because of colonialism, poverty, racism, etc. and that these other issues have deeply shaped what sexism looks like in our communities. so to me...any women's initiative that is going to be inclusive of us has to deal with that. it's not about watering it down...it's about making sure that initiatives to address sexism go beyond middle/upper class white women's communities and needs.

this is compounded by the fact that many women with disabilities, poor and rural women, and women of color who are descriptively lesbian or queer cannot or will not identify that way politically because it can threaten their access to community and resources, among other things. for many people it's a life or death issue and they won't have the freedom to identify this way politically because those other issues are not usually included or addressed at the political queer table.

since the political sphere is dominated by middle and upper class white folks...before i read that part of the initiative i had serious concerns about the possibility that this could be at all inclusive or address the needs of a more diverse group of women. i still have concerns but that at least gives me some hope that they are keeping this in mind as they move forward.

this is really awesome thanks for sharing about it howsoonisnow!

[Toughy]

Longtime LGBT movement leader, and LPAC advisory board member, who helped spearhead the effort, Urvashi Vaid, said: “I’m involved in starting LPAC because I want to create fresh politics, one in which the lives of ordinary working women and men, LGBT people and people of color matter, and because I believe lesbians must step up and lead in solving our country’s challenges.”

Urvashi being involved gives me hope.

[Soon]

Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll Denies Lesbian Relationship Claims

Florida's Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll is on the defensive after former staff member Carletha Cole claimed that she caught Carroll and her female travel aide in a "compromising position" in Carroll's capitol office.

"Black women that look like me don't engage in relationships like that," a giggling Carroll, who was attending the opening of a Mitt Romney campaign office in Orange Park, told Tampa 10. Watch the video above.

She told reporters that she's been married for 29 years, while her accuser, is "the one that's been single for a long time."

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In response to the bolded statement above: Twitter#ThisIsWhatALesbianLooksLike and in the comments section below.

Slideshow on HP of women who have sent pictures of their lesbian selves.