Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008

Meet Your Gay Neighbors

Gay couples and families show their strength

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If you think you don’t have any gay neighbors, think again. Same-sex couples are registered in 98 of 100 southeastern Wisconsin Zip codes. And if you think that gay families are different than heterosexual families, you’re in for a surprise.

The Cream City Foundation is launching a new “Gay Neighbor” public awareness campaign that will feature images of Milwaukee and Waukesha residents on billboards and at bus shelters. The campaign hopes to dispel myths about gay couples and families and build more awareness about the realities of “gay neighbors.”

“We have common ground,” said Tim Clark, president of the Cream City Foundation. “We have families. We are positive, loving, happy people.”

Jennifer, who is raising five children with her partner, said that she hopes the campaign will help to show that gay singles, couples and families live in every neighborhood. “The best counter to discrimination is for us to come out and be visible,” she said.

Thor, who is raising an adoptive daughter with his partner, said his experiences as a parent of a two-year-old are no different than any other dad’s. “I hope that people will begin to consider that gay families are as strong as their own,” Thor said. “Many times we are taking in children who are not biologically ours and given the task of raising them in a society that would otherwise have rejected them.”

In addition to the billboards, the Web site www.gayneighbor.org will allow members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to add their stories and photos.

The campaign is supported by the Joseph R. Pabst LGBT Infrastructure Fund, the Robert. H. Andrews Memorial Fund of the Tides Foundation and numerous other donors.

What’s your take? Write: editor@shepex.com or comment on this story online at www.expressmilwaukee.com.

08.15.2008 at 02:08

anonymous

When I first read this article I compared it to the awareness of sexual offenders.Being from the LGBT community myself,I know that I would not want my picture up on a billboard.I think that's just inviting hate crimes.People know that gays live next door to them,I don't think anything good is going to come of this.I compared it the notorious sexual offender list because that's how I think people are going to conceive it.They're going to think of it as "Oh no 120 gays live in my area.This makes me uncomfortable.".I hope some good will come out of this campaign,but I am not giving my hopes up.

I think this campaign is great! I am saddened that anonymous feels such fear. This campaign is to help remove the fear. Hiding guaranties discrimination, violence and shame. Demonstrating we are positive, powerful people who love our families, friends, and community can only help change stereotypes. Laurie Guilbault

This is very sad that you are comparing LGBT people (and yourself) to sex offenders. This campaign is very much needed to prevent hate - and apparently self hate as well. Please step out of the closet and hold your head up high...

No one was hurt and infact we only know of one negative comment given to anyone on the billboards. Government programs were changed to include LGBT books because of this campaign, it has many people talking about the possibility of giving LGBT couples the right to co-adopt. This campaign has been talked about in barber shops, schools and more. So much good has come from it. Share you thoughts about this campaign: Click Here to take survey

08.16.2008 at 04:08

I'm dying to know how many LGBT couples live in my neighborhood- it's great for property values. Once again, the almighty market trumps the concerns of the perennially offended class. LGBT- please, move into my neighborhood. I'll bring over a fruit basket and a map of the rentals on the block, so you'll know where the loud noises are coming from in the middle of the night. Welcome!

Too funny! But market-wise? Oh so true. But markets, numbers, research, statistics, blah blah blah aside: Let me know if you want help filling that fruit basket and I'm there. :D

08.25.2008 at 01:48

Dear Fruit Basket: You are great - register your own story on the gayneighbor.org website. The campaign has received letters from California, Georgia, Illinois and all over thanking them for making Wisconsin a more gay-friendly community. Hat's off to everyone for making it possible. My sincere congratulations and thanks to the families who came forward to create change. There are many teens with their gay parents. They have so much courage.

10.01.2008 at 01:42

any thing u wont ot or be thats dont stop and listen what nobody say just be u

Montrell ... what the hell are you trying to say!!?

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Meet Your Gay Neighbors

Gay couples and families show their strength

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Meet Your Gay Neighbors

Gay couples and families show their strength

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