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Background Story:
Over the past few weeks, Mayor Naugle of Fort Lauderdale, Florida has made several comments about gays that can only be described as being based on ignorance or hate. Specifically, he has claimed in a Sun-Sentinel interview that the $250,000 public toilets being proposed in Fort Lauderdale are designed to prevent gay sex even though the police department has said that there have been no problems with sex occurring in public bathrooms. Sgt. Frank Sousa of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department is quoted in the article as saying that "[t]here's no evidence, no reports or arrests made for any men having sex in any restrooms." Regardless of this fact, Mayor Naugle has made the following comments:
- "We're trying to provide a family environment where people can take their children who need to use the bathroom without having to worry about a couple of men in there engaged in a sex act."
- public restrooms are pickup places for "homosexuals. ... They're engaging in sex, anonymous sex, illegal sex."
- "that's what they said. I don't use the word 'gay.' I use the word 'homosexual.' Most of them aren't gay. They're unhappy."
For more information see:
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Message from Fight OUT Loud:
Our community cannot stand for this type of hate-filled rhetoric towards us. We must speak up with one loud voice to tell Mayor Naugle what we think of his ignorant words. I encourage everyone to email the mayor and the city commissioners to demand action.
The Mayor's comments are meant to demonize gays and lesbians, and can often lead to great harm. When a public figure openly makes anti-gay comments, it allows others to show their anti-gay bigotry in more violent ways. Just recently, a 25-year old Polk County man was brutally murdered for being gay. He was stabbed 20 times, and his killers drove around bragging to friends that they killed a gay man. In fact, the Attorney General's Office has said that there has been a 33% increase of violent hate crimes targeting the LGBT community in Florida. It is not hard to imagine how Mayor Naugle's comments could encourage this type of violence.
In addition, demonizing gays and lesbians hurts LGBT youth. Statistics show that LGBT teens attempt suicide at a much greater rate than their heterosexual counterparts. When our youth hear a public figure like the mayor state that gays are not happy, it just reaffirms the struggles and hardships that so many LGBT teens face.
THE COMMENTS MUST STOP.
THE MAYOR MUST APOLOGIZE.
THE COMMISSIONERS NEED TO DENOUNCE HIS COMMENTS.
_______________________________________________________
Contact Information:
Send emails to:
Mayor Jim Naugle:
Fort Lauderdale City Commission:
Commissioner Christine Teel - District 1:
Commissioner Charlotte E. Rodstrom - District 2:
Vice Mayor / Commissioner Carlton B. Moore - District 3:
Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson - District 4:
______________________________________________________________________________________
Sample email (cut and paste if you'd like):
Letter to Mayor Naugle:
I have recently heard your disparaging comments about gays and lesbians regarding your plan for new public toilets. Your hate-filled comments have both shocked and disgusted me. You have spoken out of ignorance and bigotry. Your words will only lead to further hate and discrimination towards the LGBT community, and worse, increased violence and hate crimes.
I demand that you publicly apologize for these bigoted words.
Such hate will not be tolerated.
Sincerely,
_______________________________________________________
Letter to Commissioners:
I have recently heard Mayor Naugle's comments about gays and lesbians in regards to his plan for new toilets. His hate-filled comments have both shocked and disgusted me. Words like:
- "We're trying to provide a family environment where people can take their children who need to use the bathroom without having to worry about a couple of men in there engaged in a sex act."
- public restrooms are pickup places for "homosexuals. ... They're engaging in sex, anonymous sex, illegal sex."
- "that's what they said. I don't use the word 'gay.' I use the word 'homosexual.' Most of them aren't gay. They're unhappy."
These words only seek to vilify and demonize the LGBT community. His ignorant, hate-filled speech will only further inflame the already growing trend of increased violence and hate-crimes against gays and lesbians in Florida.
I would urge you to publicly denounce the Mayor's comments so the LGBT community, and the country in general, will know that this incident was taken seriously and will not be tolerated in your city. I would also appreciate if you made a comment denouncing his statements at Tuesday's commission meeting.
Thank you for your prompt action in this very disturbing matter.
Sincerely-
______________________________________________________________________________________
Please forward this message to everyone you know so they to can help in this situation.
Thank you and keep fighting!
-Waymon Hudson
President of Fight OUT Loud
waymon@fightoutloud.org
Fight OUT Loud is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping GLBT individuals fight discrimination and hate.
Message from Fight OUT Loud:
Our community cannot stand for this type of hate-filled rhetoric towards us. We must speak up with one loud voice to tell Mayor Naugle what we think of his ignorant words. I encourage everyone to email the mayor and the city commissioners to demand action.
The Mayor's comments are meant to demonize gays and lesbians, and can often lead to great harm. When a public figure openly makes anti-gay comments, it allows others to show their anti-gay bigotry in more violent ways. Just recently, a 25-year old Polk County man was brutally murdered for being gay. He was stabbed 20 times, and his killers drove around bragging to friends that they killed a gay man. In fact, the Attorney General's Office has said that there has been a 33% increase of violent hate crimes targeting the LGBT community in Florida. It is not hard to imagine how Mayor Naugle's comments could encourage this type of violence.
In addition, demonizing gays and lesbians hurts LGBT youth. Statistics show that LGBT teens attempt suicide at a much greater rate than their heterosexual counterparts. When our youth hear a public figure like the mayor state that gays are not happy, it just reaffirms the struggles and hardships that so many LGBT teens face.
THE COMMENTS MUST STOP.
THE MAYOR MUST APOLOGIZE.
THE COMMISSIONERS NEED TO DENOUNCE HIS COMMENTS.
_______________________________________________________
Contact Information:
Send emails to:
Mayor Jim Naugle:
Fort Lauderdale City Commission:
Commissioner Christine Teel - District 1:
Commissioner Charlotte E. Rodstrom - District 2:
Vice Mayor / Commissioner Carlton B. Moore - District 3:
Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson - District 4:
______________________________________________________________________________________
Sample email (cut and paste if you'd like):
Letter to Mayor Naugle:
I have recently heard your disparaging comments about gays and lesbians regarding your plan for new public toilets. Your hate-filled comments have both shocked and disgusted me. You have spoken out of ignorance and bigotry. Your words will only lead to further hate and discrimination towards the LGBT community, and worse, increased violence and hate crimes.
I demand that you publicly apologize for these bigoted words.
Such hate will not be tolerated.
Sincerely,
_______________________________________________________
Letter to Commissioners:
I have recently heard Mayor Naugle's comments about gays and lesbians in regards to his plan for new toilets. His hate-filled comments have both shocked and disgusted me. Words like:
- "We're trying to provide a family environment where people can take their children who need to use the bathroom without having to worry about a couple of men in there engaged in a sex act."
- public restrooms are pickup places for "homosexuals. ... They're engaging in sex, anonymous sex, illegal sex."
- "that's what they said. I don't use the word 'gay.' I use the word 'homosexual.' Most of them aren't gay. They're unhappy."
These words only seek to vilify and demonize the LGBT community. His ignorant, hate-filled speech will only further inflame the already growing trend of increased violence and hate-crimes against gays and lesbians in Florida.
I would urge you to publicly denounce the Mayor's comments so the LGBT community, and the country in general, will know that this incident was taken seriously and will not be tolerated in your city. I would also appreciate if you made a comment denouncing his statements at Tuesday's commission meeting.
Thank you for your prompt action in this very disturbing matter.
Sincerely-
______________________________________________________________________________________
Please forward this message to everyone you know so they to can help in this situation.
Thank you and keep fighting!
-Waymon Hudson
President of Fight OUT Loud
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