Gay Republicans differ on strategy, tactics to achieve LGBT equality

With Harvey Milk Day this Saturday, May 22, rallies, sit-ins, protests and even flash mobs are on tap as part of a direct action-oriented approach GetEQUAL and other groups have advocated. Not all gay activists, however, are thrilled by this approach.

The actions of Lt. Dan Choi and others who have chained themselves to the White House fence and sat inside lawmakers' offices in recent months have illuminated a growing schism between an already small sub-section of LGBTs: Gay Republicans.

Charles Moran, national spokesperson for the Log Cabin Republicans, told EDGE last month he saw common ground between the goals of his organization and GetEQUAL.

"These are committed activists who are really calling out the larger organizations for their lack of advocacy," said Moran. "These are times when their advocacy work and the things we're doing to increase pressure on the Obama administration can work in concert with each other."

Jimmy LaSalvia, executive director for GOProud, a new gay Republican organization affiliated with Right Pride, faulted Moran for his support of GetEQUAL's actions. GOProud grabbed national headlines earlier this year after its members attended the Conservative Political Action Committee's annual convention.

"This demonstrates why the Log Cabin Republicans have no credibility in Washington," said LaSalvia "Their [GetEQUAL's] tactics do absolutely nothing to advance the issue. The issue of Don't Ask, Don't Tell is being taken very seriously by Congress right now and it doesn't help matters to be disruptive at a time where we're trying to argue open service by gays in the military won't be disruptive."

Mark Ciavola, spokesperson for the Las Vegas-based Right Pride, which is GOProud's Nevada affiliate, agreed. He described Moran's comment as "a disservice to gay Republicans, the people they're attempting to represent" and "defeating of the group's original purpose." He further blasted Log Cabin on GayConservative.org.

"When you claim to represent Republicans, but then join forces and cozy up with activist groups that side with the Democratic Party and follow a liberal agenda, there is no excuse for your actions," Ciavola told EDGE.

Moran declined EDGE's request for further comment.

Kip Williams, co-founder of GetEQUAL, denied his organization aligns with either political party.

"We welcome the involvement from people across the political spectrum, Democrat, Republican, Independent, those who have given up or have never been involved," Williams said in a statement.

"[Our] goal is clear and simple: we are engaged in a moral and civil rights battle for full legal and social equality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. This is not about partisan politics or political posturing; it is about my family's access to the same rights as any other family, and the right to live free from discrimination for all LGBT people."

LaSalvia compares the effort to pass a repeal of the military's DADT policy to other political movements in maintaining the time for "disruptive" demonstrations has passed.

"The bottom line is that you have to win and secure votes, so when there are active discussions happening on an issue, staging sit-ins or chaining yourself to a fence doesn't help," said LaSalvia. "It's not productive and it proves you're a nut."

Tactical differences aside, Ciavola, LaSalvia and GetEQUAL organizers agree the Obama administration and the Human Rights Campaign and other "Gay, Inc.," organizations should do more to further legal progress for LGBT Americans.

Ciavola hoped left-leaning LGBT activists will remain supportive of his and other gay Republican activists to create change within their own party while speaking on similarities rather than differences between the gays and "middle America."

"[The gay community] is making a lot of noise and alienating a lot of people, but we need to reach across the aisle because the Republican Party is where the work needs to be done," added Ciavola. "Even if you don't support our issues, please support what we're doing to increase awareness of gay issues, increase tolerance and create a more inclusive Republican Party."