Welcome to AfterElton.com!

Enter your AfterElton.com username.
Enter the password that accompanies your username.
News, Reviews & Commentary on Gay and Bisexual Men in Entertainment and the Media

Pop! Quiz: Are you calling in gay?

As you may have heard, there has been a nationwide protest organized for today called A Day Without a Gay, which asks gays, lesbians and their allies to "call in gay" and spend the day dodging bill collectors and doing charity work in their communities.

In theory, an interesting idea. In practice, not exactly the most practical for a lot of folks. For example, what about people who aren't out at work? Could be awkward, if not downright employment-endangering (not all people have job security or are protected on the basis of their sexuality).

And what about people that work for gay companies, gay-owned businesses or gay causes? Like, what if I were to call in gay ... would they have a straight temp take over AfterElton Blog for the day? That could get ugly unless you want to trade in your gay entertainment news for fantasy football and pictures of Brooke Burke.

So I ask ya: Did you call in gay today? Let us know, after the jump!

Bill S's picture

Actually, I can't...

...because I already have today off. So if I called in to say I won't be coming in, it won't exactly be cause for concern.

Brock Savage's picture

Easy

It was easy to not go to work today since they laid me off yesterday. At least that whole job thing won't be cutting into my sitting around time any more.

 

www.thebittersuite.blogspot.com

Average (1 vote):
see individual ratings
Michael's picture

No, We Just Got Bennies

Starting January my company has started to extend health benefits to same sex couples.  They didn't have to, so this was good for employees on their part.  For me to call in because I'm gay and want more equality would effectively be a slap in the face to my employer after they went out on a limb for us.  So, no I will not call in gay today.  (Plus I am writing this from the office...doh!)
Average (1 vote):
see individual ratings
Dave's picture

I wasn't able to call out due to my position at work...

...but I did wear a rainbow ribbon and a button that read "Just Pretend I'm Not Here" that got a lot of questions.
Average (2 votes):
see individual ratings
David N's picture

Visibility is the answer

I think you came up with a better plan. I had suggested to our GLBT divirsity group at work that maybe we should all wear pink triangles at work today. Working for an airline it's really hard for some of the employees to call in for this. But imagine the impact if you were checking in at a ticket counter and the agent had a button on saying "Just pretind I'm not here." Then you get to the gate, and you see other employees with the same button. Finally you get on your plane and there's maybe a flight attendant wearing one.

I think that would make much more of an impact that just not going to work.

Average (1 vote):
see individual ratings
Anthony's picture

OK...

That is an awesome idea. Can I spread it around?

 

"In spite of language, in spite of intelligence and intuition and sympathy, one can never really communicate anything to anybody"-Aldous Huxley

Dave's picture

Yes, of course!

Please do!

I got a lot of very supportive comments at work today. I think it reached a lot more people than if I hadn't been there (not to mention not having pissed off my peers for making them pick up my slack).

Average (1 vote):
see individual ratings
Liz T's picture

i don't....

i dont have a job, but i am in school....i would've skipped class, yet it's my final class before the winter break, so i HAD to come. don't feel like failing.

btw, does anyone know where i can order the "some people are gay, get over it" t-shirt? i am desperate to have it and uh....rock it out. ;-)

RFC's picture

Pretend I'm Not Here

I love that 'pretend I'm not here' idea, too. I work at a major university in Boston [work and the state being supportive] - my manager is a lesbian and several of the other staff and post-doc researchers in the department (and entire school) are GLBT, so what would be the point. It would make much more impact to wear those types buttons, so the few who are unaware might actually notice and ask what it means.

Average (1 vote):
see individual ratings
Jeremymlad's picture

I'm also a fan of this idea.

I'm also a fan of this idea.  Seems like it might start more discussion than simply disappearing - especially when I'm not particularly noticable in my job anyway.  A button or sign like that might even get my incommunicative family to ask me what's up.
Average (1 vote):
see individual ratings
TheFabulousThomasJ's picture

*sigh!*

. . .not only is it my day off. . .

. . .but I work for a gay-friendly company. . .

. . .and I'm sick with the flu!

 

. . .if it were raining soup, I'd be stuck outside with a fork!

 

Cameo's picture

I'm a student

So currently I don't have a job other than just going to school. But I'm not buying anything today,and I've encouraged my friendds to patcipate, after trying to exsplain that no, this doesn't mean you have to cut class since that doesn't effect the economy (it's also finals so skipping class would be bad).
dr_hf's picture

Some People Are Gay tees

They are from Stonewall, the UK gay rights organisation: http://www.stonewall.org.uk/support_us/2287.asp

I went to work today because I'm a uni prof and couldn't skip class, and because I'm in the UK and we have pretty good rights here. But I wore my Some People Are Gay t-shirt!

Average (1 vote):
see individual ratings