NAACP speaks out against the racial strategy of the anti-marriage equality National Organization for Marriage (NOM); Romney donated to NOM; and other recent LGBTQ news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska (supplemented by additional info gathered by Bent Alaska).

1) Racial strategy by gay marriage foes draws criticism
Reuters, March 28, 2012

A confidential memo saying the best way to fight same-sex marriage is to drive “a wedge between gays and blacks” and manipulate Latinos drew criticism on Wednesday in the weeks ahead of a vote to ban gay marriage in North Carolina.

NOM’s racial strategy has been widely covered by the national mainstream and LGBTQ press. The story, complete with copies of NOM’s internal memos, was broken by the Human Rights Campaign on March 26.

2) NAACP Denounces National Organization for Marriage Memo
Advocate, March 29, 2012

The NAACP denounced the “cynical agenda” on display in an internal strategy document that reveals how the National Organization for Marriage sought to divide gay, African-American and Latino communities over the issue of same-sex marriage.

See also the March 28 press release on the NAACP website:

NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous made the following statement on National Organization for Marriage (NOM) strategy memos that showed the group sought to divide people of color and LGBT rights groups:

“This memo only reveals the limits of a cynical agenda,” stated Jealous. “The truth is that no group, no matter how well-funded, can drive an artificial wedge between our communities. People of color understand what it is like to be the target of discrimination. No public relations strategy will make us forget that.”

In January, President Jealous keynoted NGLTF’s National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change. Watch his speech:

3) Mitt Romney Is a NOM Donor, Document Shows
Advocate, March 30, 2012

Mitt Romney has not only signed a pledge from the National Organization for marriage to fight for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, he’s also given money to the antigay group’s efforts, according to a document circulated by the Human Rights Campaign.

4) Out Producer Nina Jacobson Brings ‘The Hunger Games’ to Screens Nationwide
SheWired, March 23, 2012

The Hunger Games, one of the most anticipated movie releases of the spring is upon us, and Nina Jacobson is the producer in charge of the industry’s next $1 billion mega-franchise.

5) Equally Wed Magazine Launches New LGBTQ-Oriented Wedding Planning Tools
Atlanta, Georgia, PRWeb, March 27, 2012

Today, EquallyWed.com, the nation’s premier LGBTQ online wedding magazine, is excited to announce the launch of the industry’s first comprehensive suite of online tools to make wedding planning for engaged gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer couples easy, inclusive and stress-free—all at no charge.

6) Transgender Parent: Child’s Journey When Mom Becomes Dad
Good Morning America , March 27, 2012

When Sabine Bartlett was 13 her mother, who had been divorced from her father for a decade, transitioned from female to male.

Even though Sabine had grown up in a Unitarian Church with lots of gender and sexual diversity, Sabine knew little about being transgender….

“At first I felt a sense of loss, until a year later, when I saw that my mom was a much happier person,” said Sabine. “Now, I am cool with this.”

7) Adrienne Rich Dead at 82
Santa Cruz, Calif., Advocate, March 28, 2012

Esteemed lesbian feminist poet Adrienne Rich has died at age 82.

Rich died Tuesday at her home in Santa Cruz, Calif., her son Pablo Conrad told the Los Angeles Times. The cause was complications of rheumatoid arthritis; she had suffered from the disease for many years.

Bent Alaska shared Adrienne Rich’s New York Times obituary on our Facebook wall on March 29. Rich read at University of Alaska Anchorage in 2002. It was a privilege to hear her. Rest in peace.

8) North Carolina voters approve anti-marriage equality amendment, until they learn what it does
North Carolina, Daily Kos, March 30, 2012

[A] new survey from Public Policy Polling shows there’s a catch to Amendment One’s majority backing. When voters actually learn how far the proposal reaches, they no longer support it. Not only would Amendment One ban marriage and civil unions between partners of the same sex, it would also end legal recognition of domestic partnerships between unmarried couples of the opposite sex. There are 233,000 North Carolinians in that category, according to the 2010 census.

9) Mike Huckabee: All Kids—and Their Parents—Should See ‘Bully’
The Daily Beast, March 30, 2012

The MPAA tried to slap an R rating on the new documentary Bully. But that does a disservice to the film, which has a powerful message that should be heard by all kids, writes Mike Huckabee.

Photo credits: (1) NAACP President Benjamin Jealous at National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change, 26 January 2012. Clip from video by National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF). (2)  Nina Jacobson at 2006 Out & Equal Workplace Summit, 14 Sep 2006. Photo by Jere Keys. Used in accordance with Creative Commons license.