All over California, in every county that voted to pass Prop 8, one or more of these genuinely astonishing public service announcements from GetToKnowUsFirst.org aired during yesterday's televised inauguration coverage. (That's why I, who live in San Francisco, didn't see them.) They introduced viewers to several same-sex couples and their families.
The first one features an African-American couple with four kids. One of them is in Spanish and profiles a Latino couple with two adopted daughters and a big, supportive extended family.
Tag line? "Marriage promotes families. Support marriage equality. GetToKnowUsFirst.org."
The PSAs were shown in 42 of California's 58 counties, on Good Morning America, The Today Show, Despierta America (Univision), Levantate (Telemundo), CNN, FoxNews and many local stations. Only one television station declined to air them -- in, of all places, Los Angeles, where KABC decided the first ad, featuring two African-American dads and their four children, was too controversial to air, get this, when families are watching.
Maybe the people at whom they're aimed will hate them. Maybe they'll make things worse. Maybe they're exactly the wrong thing to do. I don't know. What I do know is that they're entirely different than anything we've tried before, and at this point, that has to be good.
I think my favorite one is the first one, with the Latino couple a close second. It's in Spanish, but I followed it easily with nothing more than high school Spanish and living in California my whole life.
The one with two lesbians, no kids, and their dogs didn't work for me, even though really, it should have, because, well... dogs.
So tell me, hetero readers. I know you're all beautifully liberal and support my equality under the law, but you probably still have a bit more objectivity on this than I: do you think these are effective messages? Clearly they won't reach true haters; will they reach anyone?
I think they're wonderful. I think they will reach some people, probably not the true haters, but definitely some people.
I think they will help, sorry for using this word, "normalise" gay people to people who don't yet feel that way. They may not be true haters, but they may just not know any gay people, and these will help demystify them.
They'll be able to relate to them, especially if they're married or have families themselves.
And I think the more they see things like this, the more people will think about the unfairness and push for equality.
This hetero thinks they're a good idea and that there should be more of them and for a long time, not just yesterday.
Posted by: Leanne | 21 January 2009 at 05:02 PM
I think that homosexuality has been hidden for so long and unspoken about that it may just seem weird to people who maybe even haven't thought about it that much. But their opinions, with nothing to counter it, can be influenced by the religious wingnuts.
So, the ads, to me, demystify "them" and counter the more, uh, flamboyant and maybe ... Read Morethreatening image a lot of straights, particularly in California, have read about or seen on tv. "They even have those cute little pugs, just like us!"
Constant repetition wears down a shock reaction and moves the goalposts about what people get their knickers in a twist. I think these ads can do this by the very ordinariness of the lives they present.
I was at a conference once with a friend. Also there was a gay couple who we'd gotten to know. At the closing dinner dance Jill and I sat there while the guys debated whether or not they should get up and dance with everyone else. They decided "no". That was when the light came on for me. So unfair.
Posted by: Susan Fox | 21 January 2009 at 05:02 PM
Wow.
Even in Canada, I must say those would still be considered controversial. Even thinking about that upsets me, but it's true...
However, I think this is a giant step in the right direction. I think a big part of the fear that is truly behind the "hate" is that people fear what they don't know. And a lot of people simply don't know anyone from the GLBT community. I believe that exposure is the first step to overcoming fear, and if that's true than although the immediate backlash may be negative, in the long run only good can come from these.
And oddly enough, I agree with you... for some reason, the two women with the dogs didn't really strike a chord with me, even though it was pretty much a photo of our lifestyle (except my SO happens to be of the opposite sex). We're dog people, not baby people. I think maybe it's because I'm not a big fan of pugs... I'm guessing if it was a flatcoat and a golden, many of us would have been thrilled by it. ;O)
Posted by: Kim | 21 January 2009 at 06:55 PM
ROFL Kim... you're right. Maybe they need to do a series of PSAs countering prejudice against Pugs...
Posted by: Christie Keith | 21 January 2009 at 07:00 PM
I can't say if they'll change anyone's minds but I think that anything that spreads the knowledge that family is family is a good thing.
I think the dog one was weaker than the others but still a positive message.
Posted by: Amber Waves | 21 January 2009 at 07:07 PM
We liked the commericals. Thought they were a good 'gentle' introduction to gay couples. Sort of a primer version if you will.
The haters will cringe and change the channel no matter what. The unexposed, or underexposed, will watch and be drawn in by the similarities between their lives and those in the ads.
Not being a dog person at all, I was less taken in by the couple with dogs and no children but I did like their explanation of marriage the best - something like 'this is my heart' It rang true to me and between that and the line of 'we worry about the same things like if our kids are drinking too much juice.' I thought these were strong ads.
Posted by: Andrea and Clint Gilders | 21 January 2009 at 08:43 PM
Thanks for blogging about this. This campaign came together because of hundreds of Californians (mostly straight) who gave time, talent and money to make the PSAs FOR FREE. Every dollar we raised went to the media buy around the Inauguration, which was a smashing success--except for KABC-TV in Los Angeles.
Our next goal? The Superbowl! We have a week to raise another $25k to make it happen. If you like the ads and want them to be seen, give generously. We have no overhead (paperclips, postage, staff, gala events, etc.), so every dollar buys commercial slots:
http://www.GetToKnowUsFirst.org
Thanks again for your enthusiasm for this project!
Posted by: John Ireland | 21 January 2009 at 11:33 PM
I liked them all but the ones with the older kids are better because of the interaction between parents and kids. The one with the babies was cute but that little 3 year old was adorable playing on his dad's tummy.
Seeing these now made me a little bit sad. If these adds would have been on during election time I think a few people would have thought twice about their vote.
Posted by: Nish | 23 January 2009 at 04:20 PM