Show me two people talking about Kentucky, and I\u2019ll show you a conversation about either bourbon, bluegrass, or basketball.\u00a0 What you won\u2019t see, is a conversation about progressive politics.\u00a0 Kentucky has a reputation of electing democrats on the state and local level, while sending the likes of Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell to Washington.\u00a0 Even our typically more liberal sixth district ousted an (albeit conservative) Democrat for a Republican in 2012.\u00a0 The last bastion of hope for liberals in Kentucky seems to lie in John Yarmuth (D) and the Louisville-centric 3rd district.<\/p>\n
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That being said, Kentucky also has a long tradition of hospitality and tolerance, despite what its reputation may lead the nation to believe.<\/p>\n
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But Kentucky also has a problem: self-disqualification. Kentuckians that support fairness and equality regularly feel isolated and opt to sit on the sidelines instead of actively voicing their support for fairness.\u00a0 We choose to retreat behind the idea that Kentucky is hostile to fairness and progress. We fear that Kentucky is too conservative to be hospitable to a healthy LGBT rights movement.<\/p>\n
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In 2004, Kentucky joined several states in a coordinated nationwide push to prohibit same-sex civil unions or marriage. Its congressional delegation actively promotes anti-gay measures and stymies pro-gay efforts, including the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.<\/p>\n
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Locally, in 2013, the Kentucky Legislature overturned Gov. Steve Beshear\u2019s veto of HB279 – the law that uses religious belief to ground legal discrimination against LGBT individuals, women, African-American and other ethnic and racial minorities. Lexington\u2019s own Fairness Ordinance\u2019s effectiveness, and with it civil rights protections for all Central Kentuckians, now rests on a judge\u2019s whim.<\/p>\n
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Kentuckians see their leaders and resign themselves to inaction \u2013 and we fail to envision a Kentucky that can incorporate its LGBT communities fully into the Commonwealth.<\/p>\n
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But in truth, Central Kentucky supports fairness, and that truth is behind two new public outreach campaigns lead by LGBT rights group, Lexington Fairness.<\/p>\n
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PRIDE POSTERS<\/p>\n
So what gives, Kentucky?\u00a0 Are we a self-fulfilling prophecy?\u00a0 Have we convinced ourselves so thoroughly that the Commonwealth will never foster an environment that\u2019s friendly and accepting towards its LGBT population that we\u2019ve allowed it to become true?<\/p>\n
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A recent poll from The Schapiro Group, Inc executed on behalf of The Kentucky Fairness Coalition shows that, while Kentucky\u2019s reputation of a conservative inclination remains the same, the actual sentiment towards LGBT inclusiveness may be quite different.\u00a0 Kentucky showed overwhelming support for issues ranging from protections against workplace based discrimination towards LGBT workers, to spousal hospital visitation for LGBT couples, to even protections for LGBT students against bullies in the classroom.\u00a0 Confronted with the statement \u201cgay and lesbian couples deserve the same legal protections as other people,\u201d an astonishing 70% of those surveyed replied with either \u201cagree\u201d (51%) or \u201cstrongly agree\u201d (19%), while only 25% of respondents replied either \u201cdisagree\u201d (18%) or \u201cstrongly disagree\u201d (7%).<\/p>\n
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OUR SILENT MAJORITY<\/p>\n
Lexington Fairness is attempting to give voice to Kentucky\u2019s silent majority.\u00a0 The silent majority who clearly supports fairness for all Kentuckians, in all corners of our Commonwealth.\u00a0 The 93% of surveyed Kentuckians who think that no one should be subjected to verbal abuse based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.<\/p>\n
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Lexington Fairness developed its 2013 action campaign \u2013 \u201cFAIRNESS, personified.\u201d \u2013 to reveal the depth and breadth of fairness and equality in Central Kentucky. Photographing our neighbors, associates, businesses, and government leaders who support full legal and social acceptance of the LGBT community.<\/p>\n
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The project speaks to three points: Art, Activism, and Civic Pride. The art is the photograph. Lexington Fairness employs professional photographers to take the images, and then prepares them for public display. FAIRNESS, personified will have hundreds of photographs ready for display by the Fall 2013. Lexington Fairness will host a public viewing of the images and invite our friends and supporters to celebrate the strength of Fairness in Central Kentucky.<\/p>\n
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Lexington Fairness\u2019s campaign also will encourage day-to-day activism: it will encourage ourselves and our allies to speak up for fairness in the workplace, in school, in religious institutions, and in government. FAIRNESS, personified will show the full diversity of our supporters.<\/p>\n
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Finally, Lexington Fairness seeks to contribute to the discussion of how to create a Lexington in which we can be proud. By taking these photos with the backdrop of Lexington\u2019s distinguishable landmarks, we link the value of fairness to the identity of Lexington.<\/p>\n
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We share this information with our friends and fellow Kentuckians, in the hopes that it will bring even more supporters of LGBT rights into the spotlight.\u00a0 So that our Commonwealth may join the several other states in providing for the equality of all its citizens – to build a stronger community, for in Kentucky it is said that United We Stand, Divided We Fall.<\/p>\n
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Roy Harrison has been a resident of Lexington, Kentucky for five years, and has been involved with Lexington Fairness for nearly two years.\u00a0 He now serves as its board chairman.\u00a0 Dan Cooper is a six year resident of Lexington, and has been an activist in the LGBT rights movement for five years, in various capacities.\u00a0 He now serves as the board president for AIDS Volunteers, Inc (AVOL).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Show me two people talking about Kentucky, and I\u2019ll show you a conversation about either bourbon, bluegrass, or basketball.\u00a0 What you won\u2019t see, is a conversation about progressive politics.\u00a0 Kentucky has a reputation of electing democrats on the state and…<\/p>\n