The Empowering Spirits Foundation (ESF), a national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, today called for ESF members and others in the LGBT community to move forward and cease condemnation of Carrie Prejean, former Miss California USA.
“Demeaning Carrie Prejean or others by using terms such as bigot will not advance our cause of civil rights and social justice. The LGBT community must use this period of heightened attention on LGBT issues by engaging others in positive ways,” said A. Latham Staples, Empowering Spirits Foundation executive director. “We must not marginalize someone just because they believe differently, as this is the very respect in differing opinion we are asking for from them.”
Though ESF strongly disagrees with Prejean’s viewpoint regarding same-sex marriage, we believe the hatred expressed by some in the LGBT community for Prejean is unjust. She was asked a question and took the risk to answer it based off of her convictions, knowing that her answer would be scrutinized. While ESF disagrees with her opinion, she had every right to answer the question based on how she felt.
ESF hopes that both sides can engage in respectful dialogue and come to see similarities rather than differences; and we wish Prejean success in her future endeavors.
About the Empowering Spirits Foundation
ESF is a national grassroots based civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. ESF members engage in service-oriented activities in communities typically opposed to equal rights. Additionally, the ESF sponsors legislation, lobbies legislators, develops community awareness, collaborates with coalitions, and empowers individuals and organizations to engage in the political process for equality.
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I’m glad to hear LGBT groups state this. A. Latham Staples is exactly right. I can’t stand Carrie Prejean, but also have to realize that she has every right to speak her own mind.
We won’t get the respect we are seeking until we give the other side respect.
I’ve grown tired of some LGBT organizations that continue their attacks on Mormons and minority groups. It’s refreshing to see groups like ESF take this positive approach.