Activists Want Fenty Uninvited from Pride After Ex-Gay Certificate

A number of Washington D.C. gay activists led by Lane Hudson are demanding that Mayor Adrian Fenty should not invited to this year's Pride celebration .... unless he formally apologizes for the accidental "Certificate of Appreciation" awarded for the "good work" of  the "ex-gay" group Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays.

Via the Facebook's "Un-Invite Mayor Fenty from Capital Pride Unless he Meets These 3 Demands":

Six months after the Certificate was discovered, a spokesperson from the Mayor's office blamed a "low level staff error" for the Certificate. However, the Mayor has been silent on the issue and refuses to apologize and retract this Certificate. This is a serious matter and must be addressed in a serious way by the Mayor. His refusal to take responsibility is a complete abdication of leadership. We as a community must stand up to anyone that gives credence to harmful organizations like PFOX. Please join others who are demanding that Mayor Adrian Fenty be un-invited from participation in Capital Pride until all three of the following conditions are met:

1) Formally retract this Certificate of Appreciation
2) Personally take responsibility for your office's actions instead of blaming a "staff level error"
3) Issue a statement condemning PFOX.

The mayor apologized last week. The certificate was awarded in November. It came to the attention of the gay media and blogoswphere after PFOX blasted their award in a recent press release. 

Not invite the mayor to gay Pride after he's marched in every parade and just signed the District's marriage bill?

Some Background:
Fenty Apologizes After Award to Ex-Gay Group

Comments

[Dallas Cowboy]

I really hate to say it but some of the queens need to STFU. It was a mistake, these things happen sometimes.

Wow, so signing a marriage bill is NOT enough?

smh

[Luis]

Eating our own much?

[Ben]

Many people don't have any idea that a lot of us regard reparative therapy as insulting. And they never will if we don't tell them.

Most of my opinions of the mayor were formed from video I saw during the DC snow storms this past Winter. It could have been photo-ops but he seems like decent human being to me. It was several hours of raw video and I never once saw the man ask anyone their sexual orientation to determine who got help.

[Isis]

@ Dallas Cowboy

I so agree with you there. Some in Gay Commuinty are so angry with the way society has treated them, that they have built this wall around themselves and its blinding them from reality. They aren't able to tell the difference between an ally or an enemy.

I truly believe that this was an oversight on the part of Mayor Fenty. It was a simple mistake and he took steps to rectify it.

Bring the walls down, but keep your guard UP! Think about it!

[Da 'RealistOne]

*sigh*...

A man makes a mistake and the community turns on him as if he's never done anything for us before.

Sometimes, we can get in our own way (and hinder our own progress).

[Cedric]

I see no reason for him to apologies if he had already. This man has done alot like others have pointed out for ALL of US. To just penned him for a mistake is not human. He is human right?

[Procrastination_Xtravaganza]

Thanks for this Rod, lemme get on FB and tell Lane to direct his anger somewhere else Fenty doesn't deserve it.

Being that the Mayor's office has theoretically retracted the certificate by means of stating that it was a mistake, why doesn't Lane Hudson pressure PFOX to stop using it to promote themselves, rather than demanding that Fenty walk through PFOX's doors and rip the thing off the wall and jump on it himself. Like get a grip, pick your battles and stop alienating allies.

[FREELEO]

I agree with Dallas..Some of these queens have run amuck.

[CC]

Bottom line- he (Fenty) has done more for the LGBT causes than Obama! Give him a break- he may look like perfection, but he is not. Cut some slack and fight the good fight somewhere else!!

[Procrastination_Xtravaganza]

Glad to see many of people commenting here agree that the call for ostracization is unwarranted. I hope that in addition to posting on here that you all use your FB accounts and let Lane Hudson's group know!

[wondermann]

This is silly. Lane should be ashamed

[harlemboy]

I have met Lane, and he just wants attention. He became semi-famous for exposing Mark Foley's instant-messaging shenanigans with teenage boys. But now he's just desperate to remain relevant. Pathetic, really.

[TheRevKev]

DC Sissies are a mess, especially these arrogant Dupont Circle Queens!

And as a DC native, I know what of which I speak! ENOUGH!!!

How, is it me or can you get married in DC because the Mayor's signed it into law even when the church and outsiders tried to come against him!

DC GAYS: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[Stuffed Animal]

Oh chile ... those DC queens are trying to "come for" the mayor but he's 'not having' it!!!

((TWO SNAPS!))

This is gonna be a hot mess!

"Fasten your seat belts it's going to be a bumpy ride!"

[Marco Channing]

i think the correct quote is: "it's going to be a bumpy night"

a hot gay mess indeed, sugah!

[Chris Cruz]

There are some very good comments here, esp Procrastination and Rev Kev. This is overkill and we are eating our own allies. Fenty is a good man and a strong gay ally, he has been there for us and pushed and signed the marriage bill. Get real!

[Stephen]

Once again, we're attacking our allies and letting our enemies off the hook. As a staff person in an elected leaders office, I can tell you that we honor hundreds of similar requests each week, with neither the time or resources to research each request. These misguided fools should stop their "ready, shoot, aim" approach to activism. They're doing more damage than good, and as a community, we need to hold them accountable for that.

[Diva1961]

Leave Fenty alone!!! We can't get married in NYC nor Philly, but you can in Iowa and DC. Priorities people, priorities!!

[S. Flemming]

Wow ... the man made a mistake. They are taking this too far. Sheesh.

[Ryan]

Fenty made a mistake and Lane Hudson is an arrogant, self serving, attention seeking PRICK who is NOT relevant and has NEVER brought anything to the table in regard to anything LGBT reform related, etc.

I'm sorry but I can't diss Fenty...he's an alum of my undergraduate alma mater and he's doing A LOT for DC when most won't..

Lane Hudson are you READING THIS: what have YOU done to improve the quality of life for DC? WHAT? oh yeah...NOTHING.

So, Ms Hudson, STAY tough typing away in your crappy ole Dupont Circle apartment, fighting to be SEEN as relevant and leave Fenty ALONE.