LOS ANGELES—Acceptance of same-sex marriage in most ethnic communities is still a long way out there, hence a celebration of its victory in mainstream American culture remains a blur.  This, in essence, defines the overlying perspective in a media briefing and brainstorming event sponsored by the New America Media (NAM) here last Thursday, Aug 28.

Even so, editorial reporters and account executives of California’s ethnic newspapers and media organizations present at the meeting recognize the need to consolidate its ranks for a more vigorous public education campaign on same-sex marriage even as they themselves face the same challenges that their subjects confront.

“It’s really your insights into your community perspectives and concerns and how editorially we could expand the conversation that we need,” says Sandy Close, executive director of the San Francisco-based NAM, who moderated the discussion.  “Not being able to fully project yourself in media remains a great barrier to democracy.”  New America Media is the country’s first and largest national collaboration and advocate of 2000 ethnic news organizations.

The NAM briefing came in the midst of a widespread public education campaign on ethnic media and interactive website launched by the non-profit Let California Ring, a statewide network of volunteers and community leaders that address the public’s concerns and encourages thoughtful dialogue about marriage and same-sex couples.

“Let California Ring is based on the idea that people should be able to have different beliefs and still be treated fairly,” says the organization’s website.  “And while it is now legal in California for same-sex couples to marry, we still have much work to do to reach the point where it is broadly accepted.”

Member organizations of Let California Ring include ACLU Foundation of Northern California and Southern California, LA Asian American Civil Rights and Equality Asian Pacific American Legal Center Of Southern California, Lesbian and Gay Community Center (San Jose), Chinese For Affirmative Action, California Faith For Equality California, NAACP, California National Organization for Women (CA NOW), Freedom to Marry Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, Rainbow Alliance Vote For Equality-Los Angeles, Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and many others.

Most of those present at the briefing share the utmost need to “engage audiences about the key themes of the campaign” and recognized NAM-initiated discussions “have deepened understanding of the issues involved and identified important earned media initiatives people have taken individually and collectively.”  However, the most formidable barrier to break remains seated in ethnic communities’ enclaves where these media practitioners emanate from or gather most of their materials.

“When I go to Church, I still hear the accepted belief that humanity came from Adam and Eve,” says an African-American journalist.  “When we cover or write stories about gay people, we are immediately suspected by our family members as gays ourselves,” adds a Filipino media person.  “We can only celebrate these victory if we already accepted it,” insinuates a Latino radio reporter.

 In this regard, Let California Ring’s “Join the Conversation” rallying theme serves the purpose better.  Past brainstorming sessions—around parental involvement in schools, or interpreters in health care, or recruiting court interpreters—such as those sponsored by NAM have achieved significant strides in recent years.

“There have been a significant shift in public conversation regarding what people see about the issue (of same sex marriage),” says Robert A. Perez, senior vice president of Fenton Communications, one of the briefing’s speakers.  “But we’re still seeing a journey here…”
“By speaking with each other in the community, a connection is forged about issues,” says Vaishalee Raja, associate director of Media Field Strategy, of Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (Glaad).  “We get stories out there, we educate around issues.”

The issue of same-sex marriage shot to national attention in late spring after the Supreme Court voted 4-3 in favor of it.  The decision is an offshoot of San Francisco’s unsuccessful effort in 2004 to allow gay marriage in the city, four years after Californians overwhelmingly banned gay marriage through a ballot measure.

According to a poll by the LA Times and KTLA, Californians reject gay marriage by a very slim margin, and support a proposed constitutional amendment, or Proposition 8, to ban same-sex unions.  However, the survey also hinted that the state is likely to accept nontraditional marriages in the very near future.

California churches have revealed a campaign plan late last month against same-sex marriage.  Organizers hope to rally 1 million Catholics, Mormons, Jews, Muslims, evangelical Christians, Sikhs and Hindus to post lawn signs supporting Proposition 8 early this month.

Such zeal is matched by activists who oppose Proposition 8.  To demonstrate that there is significant clergy support for same-sex marriage, the group California Faith for Equality has produced a video of priests, reverends and rabbis talking about why they support gay marriage.  [www.letcaliforniaring.org / www.newamericamedia.com]