WHERE SUCCESSFUL ADVERTISING MEETS LGBT EQUALITY

American Family Association, Why Would Anyone Vote for Unequal Justice?

Members:

A line-up of "ex-gays" stares solemnly off of the page. The top of the page asks, "Why would anyone vote for unequal justice?" The headline reads; "Hate crime laws say we were more valuable as homosexuals than we are now as former homosexuals."

The rest of the ad poses an argument for voting against hate crime legislation and urges onlookers to call their local Senator and voice their opposition. This particular ad is from Orlando, Florida, but The Campaign For Blind Justice is a national effort to effect the same change nationwide.

This ad earns a "Negative" rating for a number of reasons. First, the fact that these repressed homosexuals call themselves "ex-gays" is misleading. The implication is that homosexuality is a choice; the choice is a matter of self-acceptance.

Secondly, this approach would likely make hate crimes more prevalent on account of less severe punishment for the offenders.

The cause this ad represents would be a significant regression for the gay community should it be realized.

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User Comments
Anonymous
The 'ex-gay' movement is not about choices, but rather reflects a political and religious movement to oppress gay folk. These people do not believe in equal rights for us all, instead they believe that all homosexuality is wrong. Research seems to indicate that one can change sexual orientation if the motivation is high enough, and the motivation here is that these people believe that their orientation is intrinsically bad, sinful and unnatural. I certainly would never try to stop any group from trying to do what makes them happy and fulfilled, but this ad is about suppressing gay rights and chooses to ignore the reality of violence against gays and those PERCEIVED to be gay (there have been incidents where heterosexuals have been the victims of anti-gay hate crimes, and these victims would be protected under these laws as well).

Wil
Why are these people described as "repressed homosexuals"? Could it be possible that some gay people can become straight? If straight people can go through a journey, and come to believe that they were always gay, why not vice versa? Why are you trying to silence their voices and represent their lives negatively? You are guilty of homophobia as much as anyone else.

Trimegisto
There is a way bigger chance they are repressed homosexuals than freely chosen heterosexuals. There is no freedom to be gay in this society and in telling anything else lies real homophobia.