NEWSRELIGION & LGBT RIGHTS

Last month, we learned of very disturbing news from Ghana. The diverse west-African nation of 24-million people had plunged head-on into the murky waters of extreme homophobia, quickly closing the gap with Uganda and Nigeria, where ever-escalating oppression of LGBT has become vogue.

Thankfully, nations like Rwanda and South Africa continue to advance equality and justice, but the momentum in other countries —such as Ghana— seems to be quickly treading in a dangerous direction.

What is so scary about this situation is not necessarily the cultural tensions by those who are confused by or afraid of homosexuality; rather, it is the increasing politicization of homophobia, and the culturally and politically influential leaders of the country wielding fear and hate as a weapon.

Not unlike other countries around the world, Ghana has on its books loosely-worded laws prohibiting homosexual sex, but it was not until this past decade —after a surge of evangelicalism and fundamentalism— that the scapegoating of LGBT Ghanaians really began to rise.

Compounding the issue is a justifiable strengthening of a post-colonial Pan-African identity, one that seeks to establish social and economic practices based upon the countless cultural and ethnic histories and values shared by Ghanaians and other African peoples. This shift from Western influence is not a bad thing; I speak more to the point that the very history and perception of Western colonial and economic oppression is used as an excuse to subjugate LGBT (or perceived) community members, while shedding cultural or constitutional values of human rights and dignities.

Pressure is mounting on Apple to remove their online store from the “Christian Values Network” (CVN.org), after several other companies remove their stores this week, including Macy's, Delta Airlines, BBC America, and Wells Fargo. CVN is used as a fundraising tool by several anti-gay, anti-women organizations like Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council.

More than 19,000 people have signed Western Washington University student Ben Crowther’s Change.org petition asking Apple to remove their online store.

Crowther is no stranger to anti-gay bullying. It started in high school when he and his boyfriend were only the second gay couple to come out to their classmates. “The harassment got so bad I had to go the principal,” Crowther told Change.org.

In college, Crowther's dorm room door was regularly vandalized with anti-gay slurs. “I no longer live in the dorms because the bullying was so bad,” he said.

“I applaud Macy's and other corporations for stepping up and removing their stores from CVN," said Crowther. "I don’t think Apple realizes how problematic it is that they are supporting organizations like Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council by keeping their iTunes store on CVN."

Ben is optimistic about the support his petition is receiving. “I’m really encouraged by how many people have signed my petition on Change.org. I hope this is just an oversight on Apple’s part, and that my petition will bring this issue to Apple’s attention.”

Macy's joined a growing list of companies backing away from the "Christian Values Network" (CVN) after learning anti-gay groups like Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council are using CVN.org to raise money.

When asked why Macy's removed their store from CVN.org, a Macy's spokesperson told Change.org, "Macy's serves a diverse society.  As such, we are deeply committed to a philosophy of inclusion in the way we operate our business and support our communities," they said. "We welcome all customers into our stores."

Western Washington University Student and Apple Customers Ben Crowther is asking Apple to remove iTunes from the list of stores on CVN because CVN allows  anti-gay and anti-women organizations like Focus on the Family, and the Family Research Council to raise money on their site. Ben's Change.org petition has more than 5,000 signatures.

A growing list of companies are rejecting anti-gay hate by leaving CVN. Delta, Wells Fargo, BBC America, and Microsoft have all removed their ads from CVN.

Pressure is increasing on Apple to remove their online store from the “Christian Values Network” (CVN), after several other corporations have removed their stores this week. More than 3,500 people have signed Western Washington University student Ben Crowther’s Change.org petition to Apple. CVN is used as a fundraising tool by several anti-gay, anti-women organizations like Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council.

Late Thursday, the Wells Fargo and Delta Airlines online stores were removed from CVN. Prior to removing their store, Wells Fargo was offering up to $300 to the religious charity of the shopper’s choice, money that could be donated to “Focus on the Family” or the Family Research Council. Delta offered $3.00 per ticket.

Jessica Beavers, a spokesperson for Wells Fargo told Change.org. “Occasionally team members may act on their own to place ads on various sites that do not meet Wells Fargo’s brand and marketing standards.”

“We requested the removal of this ad because it was not compliant with Wells Fargo’s brand and marketing standers,” Beavers said.

When asked if this was a reaction to Wells Fargo’s brand being used to raise money for the anti-gay “Focus on the Family” and the Southern Poverty Law Center identified “known hate group”, the Family Research Council, Jessica Beavers reiterated, “We have really strong and tight marketing standards. We have compliance standards in place and any time we see those violated we ask the site to remove our brand.”

Beavers continued, “Wells Fargo has very clear policies in place to support our LGBT team members and the LGBT community. In 2011, Wells Fargo was ranked number 2 in Diversity Inc’s list of top 10 companies for LGBT employees.”

She also mentioned Wells Fargo’s 100% HRC Corporate Equality Index score. Which she said Wells Fargo was, “very proud of.”

Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes, has issued an exclusive statement to Change.org in response to an embarrassing controversy linking the popular urban apparel company to anti-gay, anti-choice group “Focus on the Family.”

After Christianity Today reported that Mycoskie was apparently developing a relationship with Focus on the Family, the news infuriated people who were hoping to do good with their TOMS purchase, through the company’s shoe giving program in developing countries. Across Facebook and Twitter on Friday, gay, lesbian, and allied customers expressed outrage that TOMS would associate itself with an anti-gay, anti-choice group. Ms. Magazine started a petition on Change.org that quickly received more than 400 signatures in just a few hours asking TOMS to drop their relationship with Focus on the Family.

Today, Mycoskie issued the following statement to Change.org, expressing “regret” for Mycoskie’s speaking appearance at a Focus on the Family event on June 30, claiming that the religious group had misrepresented its relationship with TOMS as a “giving partner” in its shoe program:

Had I known the full extent of Focus on the Family's beliefs, I would not have accepted the invitation to speak at their event. It was an oversight on my part and the company's part and one we regret. In the last 18 months we have presented at over 70 different engagements and we do our best to make sure we choose our engagements wisely, on this one we chose poorly.

Furthermore, contrary to what has been reported, Focus on the Family is not a TOMS giving partner.

So there is no misunderstanding created by this mistake, let me clearly state that both TOMS, and I as the founder, are passionate believers in equal human and civil rights for all. That belief is a core value of the company and of which we are most proud.

Late last month, 150 people filled a gymnasium at Our Lady of Lourdes Public School in Toronto. They were there to discuss the new equity and inclusion policy of the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB). The event did little to show that the Catholic community is in support of gay-inclusive schools.

“There is nothing wrong with telling our kids [being gay] is a dangerous lifestyle,” said one unnamed parent, according to gay news outlet Xtra.ca.

“Once you allow a GSA, then [schools] will have to allow everything else," said another parent, Lola Fortino. "The Catholic faith is being undermined. Our children will be so confused."

Many parents demanded that sexual orientation be removed from the equity document, citing false beliefs that their children will be confused. There was also a marked consensus that the "gay lifestyle" would be "normalized" by this policy. Forget that the proposed policy is intended to focus on efforts to keep schools safe and students free from bullying.

Ontario Catholic schools are now allowed to host anti-bullying clubs. The catch? Those clubs still can't use the word "gay" in their titles. Nor can they sound "too gay." Apparently, anything with Rainbows is out of the question.

According to Xtra.ca, students at St. Joseph's Catholic Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario, were told that "Rainbow Alliance" was an unsuitable name for their club as it is "too LGBT-sounding." Clearly, educators have never seen a Lucky Charms commercial! But, I digress.

According to the president of the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA), Nancy Kirby, gay-straight alliances are still banned in Catholic schools across the province. She claims that this is because GSAs signal to students that the club's focus is on activism. The OCSTA is forming a committee to decide what to call these umbrella "don't say gay or you will die" groups.

Last week, I blogged about the so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill, a piece of Tennessee legislation that would prohibit the discussion of sexual minorities in schools before ninth grade.

Well, I have good news and bad news. The good? The bill won't have enough time to pass the House this legislative session. The bad? The same cannot be said for the Senate.

According to Representative Bill Dunn, the sponsor of the bill in the House, the House Education Committee -- the committee responsible for vetting the bill -- has closed for the year. Unfortunately, the bill has already passed its first hurdle in the Senate, clearing a Senate committee hearing last week. There is a floor vote scheduled for Thursday.

“That's all right with me,” Stacey Campfield, author of the Senate bill, said about Dunn's statement. “He always said, 'You pass it first, then I'll pass it.' So, I'll pass it this year and he can pass it next year.”

Campfield did a radio interview recently, stating that being gay is a choice. This comes after his declaration to CNN that his bill is "neutral." Yeah, okay.