Brad Ogilvie

Recent Activity

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  Brad commented on the article | almost 3 years ago

  A Sound Conservative Argument for Same-Sex Marriage

  Thanks for the original posting, Michael.  I know that attitudes have changed dramatically with regards to gay rights.  Gay marriage is one of the big things, but so many other things have changed among people from all walks of life.  While there are those on the right who oppose gay marriage (and more), their numbers are decreasing.  I think the "gay establishment" needs the opponents for funding purposes, and often go cherry-picking to find them.  This is not to say we should just sit back, but we have to really be open to celebrating the changes that are happening.  At the same time, I do agree with Johnny Simpson's comments about how we in the gay community here in the US might want to get more actively involved in some of the global issues (not just in Iran, for example, but also Iraq, or here at home stepping up efforts to stop the spread of HIV).  I believe rights and responsibilities go hand-in-hand, and the ability to demonstrate care for the greater good, not just ourselves, I think can help the cause.

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  Brad commented on the article | almost 3 years ago

  Is Homophobia More Prevalent than Racism?

  I think we (those of us who are passionate about rights for all people) can get caught up in a cycle of spinning our wheels when we ask the wrong question.  In this case, I run away from the question of comparing homophobia to racism.  It's just a sociological attempt to put round pegs in square holes.  As a white gay male, I know that my whiteness has afforded me privileges.  But, as a gay man with HIV, I can say that my HIV has put me in a second-class status among gay men - the segregation of that is more egregious than my sexual orientation (Just try to get a date and be honest about your status). 
  
  So, for me, the real question is what do we do to move forward?  I think we need to look internally at our movements as well as externally to the larger cultures. Many of the gay-rights institutions actually thrive on the victimization - it helps their funding.  Look at HRC headlines, and you see bad news, but read beyond the headlines and you see a very different story (for example, a recent headline about Conservatives gearing up to target gays, but in the story, many Republicans saying it just won't work anymore).  In our short-attention, sensationalist society, people rarely read beyond the headline.  So, the "divide and conquer" mentality is very much a part of the gay movement as well.  It is also one of the reasons the gay establishment is not always welcoming of gay Christians, gay moderates, gay replublicans.  
  
  So, I prefer to put all of this in a time continuum.  The fact is that things are changing for the better. Yes, there are still major challenges (ie. gay adoption in Florida, gays in the military).  Many of these are mostly political.  The question for me is: what do we need to do to continue the progress?  Who do we need to be establishing relationships with to continue the evolution?  I have found that, where I draw the line in the sand, it is the person just on the other side of that line (as opposed to the person at the far extreme) that is my greatest ally.  So I am passionate about talking with people who are for gay rights but not gay marriage.  We have so much common ground, that I believe we can work form there to make a difference.  Of course my ultimate hope is that gay marriage will be a reality in the country.  My experience has been that when we find the common ground, people do change.  I have many friends in the evangelical community who have drastically changed their opinions of gay people because we have become friends.  They are not yet for gay marriage, but they are much more open to talking about it, and doubt their own traditional beliefs about gays.  It's a huge difference.  
  
  At the same time, I think the gay community has some growing up to do as part of the evolution.  As I mentioned, being HIV in the gay community is harsh.  And I think the gay community has really dropped the ball on AIDS.  It's time to step up again, with compassion for all people.  This really makes a difference.  I have found that when I go to evangelical churches and say I am a gay man and I want to help their HIV/AIDS work and not be demanding for my rights and respect, attitudes change for the better and my rights are advanced anyway.  

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  Brad commented on the article | about 3 years ago

  Charity's Existential Dilemma: Are We Really Making a Difference?

  One of the inherent dilemmas for much of the non-profit world (esp. when they are condition-driven, such as disease-related, homelessness, hunger, etc) is that underlying their mission should be the goal of going out of business because they have been successful.  Rarely at board meetings is the question asked "what do we need to do so we can go out of business?"  I have learned from my years of working in HIV/AIDS that one of the reasons we have not throttled the spread of HIV is that too many institutions are dependent on HIV for economic survival as well as cultural purpose and acceptance.  HIV is not the only condition like this.  Many are, and what they do often is try to address the symptom but not the cause. Pat Buchanan, of all people, said it best when he said "a cause becomes a movement; a movement becomes an institution, and an institution becomes a racket" (he was referring to the current state of the GOP when I most recently heard this). 

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  Brad commented on the article | about 3 years ago

  LGBT Organizations Respond to President Barack Obama's Inauguration

  I truly think Obama is going to allow for the advancement of gay rights specifically because he does not make them a political issue.  The fact is that for the further cultural entrenchment of gay rights, we need to deepen our roots in the broad community.  Political fights tend to stunt that development as they oversimplify and dehumanize the issues for political gain.  My sense is Obama is not that kind of player.

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  Brad commented on the article | about 3 years ago

  New Film Shows Importance of Marriage Equality and Same-Gender Partner Benefits

  Thanks for the question. I think to say something is urgent places it as a high priority (as if to avert some kind of tragedy).  In a sort of 7-Habits kind of way, when something is important and urgent, it has to take top priority.  The pragmatic fact is that there are many potential supporters of gay marriage, but it does not rise to the top of the priority list, so when we say something is urgent, the unspoken is "for me/us", and can serve as a disconnect, especially among people who have come a long way in just the past 5 years in regards to homosexuality.  Marriage is a hard one for them.  I do believe that when we stay in close communication, share our lives and stories, they can come along quickly, but we also have to be wary of a reactivity.  Remember Clinton's demand that the military allow gays resulted in 16 years of "don't ask/don't tell". 
  
  Thanks, by the way, for facilitating this space.  If I get up to Boston sometime, I'd love to meet and say hi.  I do alot of healing/reconciliation work around glbt issues.
  
  Brad
  

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  Brad commented on the article | about 3 years ago

  New Film Shows Importance of Marriage Equality and Same-Gender Partner Benefits

  I am absolutely convinced as to the necessity of full rights.  Without a doubt, the unjustness of it is appalling, as I found out during my 16 year marriage. 
  
  But, as someone who has worked diligently and often under the radar within more conservative Christian communities around HIV/AIDS, and increasingly been advocating for glbt inclusion and rights, I am not sure that pressing a sense of urgency helps promote the cause.  Yes, important.  Yes, necessary.  But urgent sometimes turns prospective allies away - the very allies we need to make it happen. 
  
  This is not at all to say we should be patient, and nicely just wait for our day to come.  For me, it's quite the opposite.  It means we consistently push for change, but not with the sense of panic that "urgency" can create. 
  

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  Brad commented on the article | about 3 years ago

  Charity's Existential Dilemma: Are We Really Making a Difference?

  Good stuff.  Much of my work has been focused on HIV-prevention, so I am always interested in how to address the challenges of measuring prevention in the short-term.  My experience with the demographically-driven numbers game and prevention has been that it is often futile.