Uniqueness in the Queer Community Losing Out to Cookie-Cutter Uniformity

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Earlier today I received this e-mail response from a Hillary Clinton supporter who was in my contacts, listed as a media contact, in response to trying to promote one of my articles.

It's disheartening that members of my LGBTQ community would respond in such a way, especially with respect to an issue I firmly believe is of great importance to the queer community. We cannot—and should not—allow anyone, for any purpose, to distort our history.

This sort of response worries me a great deal. Certain members of our community are completely deaf to dissenting voices, afraid of damaging some fragile balance that must be maintained at all costs. The attitude that we all must fall in line, lock, step, and barrell, is more than troublesome. Our community used to celebrate our differences and value each other's uniqueness.

When did we shift from celebrating our diversity to enshrining who we, the queer community, are in such a cookie-cutter definition? Further, when did we, as a democratic society, become unable to deal with differing viewpoints, where anything other than the gospel of what one person dictates becomes an attack? When did we lose the ability to compare and contrast differences, facts, views, and ideas?

The conversation below is unedited, although I did remove the footers from the e-mails as they took up quite a bit of room, and I redacted the person's contact information. I'm including the original e-mail I sent out to my media contacts in the hopes of promoting the article I wrote, as well as the entire exchange that took place with this person.

I don't have an e-mail list, and I haven't sent out e-mails promoting Bernie. I do send out e-mails to folks when it's something I believe affects the queer community that folks should know about. Unfortunately, this actually is one of the more polite responses I received:

GmailPeter C. Equality Frank
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:Clinton Campaign Contorts LGBTQ History to Attack Sanders's Record
Peter C. Equality Frank 8 February 2016 at 08:39


In response to Chris Johnson's piece in The Washington Blade slamming Bernie Sanders for signing a proclamation in 1982 in support of "We Believe in Marriage Week," I've analyzed the arguments presented and posted the result to my blog, which can be viewed at http://petercfrank.blogspot.com/2016/02/clinton-campaign-contorts-lgbtq-history.html or http://petercfrank.blogspot.com/.

Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have. I can best be reached via social media or e-mail, or by phone/text at 914-417-9579.

Kindest regards,
-Peter

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Clinton Campaign Contorts LGBTQ History to Attack Sanders's Record


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GmailPeter C. Equality Frank
remove me immediately
5 messages
[redacted contact information]8 February 2016 at 09:41
To: "Peter C. Equality Frank" 






[redacted contact information]



Take me off your fucking Bernie Sanders list.

We are for Hillary.  How did you get my information?  Another data breach of the Democratic Party?

[redacted]


[redacted contact information]
Owner/Executive Editor
[redacted contact information]
Cell    [redacted contact information]
Office (Florida) [redacted contact information]
Fax     [redacted contact information]
Peter C. Equality Frank 8 February 2016 at 10:24
To: [redacted contact information]

This isn't a Bernie Sanders list. It's a contact list I have of media contacts for LGBTQ issues. We've had contact before.

Nice language, by the way. How professional of you.

Please let me know if you have any other questions. I'm sorry that you don't find news about LGBTQ issues relevant.

Have a nice day.

Cheers,
-Peter
[Quoted text hidden]
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[redacted contact information]8 February 2016 at 10:28
To: "Peter C. Equality Frank" 

I don’t appreciate the unsolicited Bernie trolling and information meant to garner support for his socialist campaign.

Professional?  Trolling really isn’t professional at all.  It’s just like a moron to blame the victim of unsolicited spamming.

You’ve been reported both to the DNC and I’ve publicized your letter in a variety of closed Hillary Clinton websites meant to share info.

Suggesting I don’t find news about LGBTQ issues relevant is preposterous.  What I DO find relevant is your continued harassment of this email AFTER I HAVE ASKED YOU TO UNSUBSCRIBE ME.

That’ll be a separate complaint.

No, YOU have a nice day and good luck with the socialist messaging.
[Quoted text hidden]
Peter C. Equality Frank 8 February 2016 at 10:44
[redacted contact information]

Dear [redacted contact information]

I'm very sorry you feel that I've trolled you--I haven't, really. You're a media organization. I sent my article about a campaign distorting LGBTQ history in order for the sole purpose of launching a political attack.I feel that anyone who distorts LGBTQ history for the purpose of attacking someone is of great concern and importance to the LGBTQ community. I thought that the LGBTQ community was a community, who stuck together when under attack. I consider the distortion of our history to be an attack. I'm sorry that you do not.

You're not on a list to be unsubscribed from. As I said, we've had previous contact and you've published articles I've written that were of importance to the LGBTQ in the past. You're merely in my contacts list, but I'll be happy to remove you from my contacts. In return, I respectfully request that you remove my e-mail address from any and all databases in your organization. I will no longer support nor promote your events or your articles or any of your online or offline properties.

Thank you for sharing my letter, with a link to my article, to whatever venues you deemed appropriate. I hope that LGBTQ community and our supporters will rally around this attack and misuse of a distorted version of our history.

I find it enlightening that you consider a polite response to your request to explain why you were sent an e-mail about a serious issue of concern to the LGBTQ community as harassment. It's even more interesting that the only response you have is to use ad hominem attacks.

I do hope you have a pleasant rest of your day, and enjoy the coming week.

Kindest regards,
-Peter
[Quoted text hidden]
[redacted contact information]8 February 2016 at 10:55
To: "Peter C. Equality Frank"

In fact, I am Media and i find it atrocious that you CONTINUE to email me AFTER I’ve asked you to cease and desist.

You are no hero to the LGBTQ community; you are a divider.  Not everyone appreciates your nasty attitude and your incessant responses after being asked to be removed from your Bernie Slanders political emails that were unsolicited, and quite frankly, very damaging to the LGBTQ community.  Any division in a fragile community is bad.  You are an example of this.

Unlike your unprofessionalism, we have opt out systems.  Should you be on any of our emails or publications, you can officially OPT OUT of any future contact.  We make it easy and drama free.

How dare you suggest we haven’t or don’t have the best intentions for enhancing progress within the LGBTQ community because I am against Bernie Sanders and Socialism in favor of Hillary Clinton.  I’d suggest you recognize the support she has recently garnered from the HRC…..the worlds largest LGBTQ support network.  

Let me make this very clear:  LOSE MY EMAIL ADDRESS AND DO NOT EVER CONTACT ME AGAIN.  Continued harassment will be reported to the authorities, and I will go even beyond my already mentioned reporting to expose you as to what you really are:  a troll.
[Quoted text hidden]
Tags"
A dedicated Bloomfield resident, Peter C. Frank serves as the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Bloomfield Community Dispatch. Drawing on his background in journalism, customer service, and the arts, along with legal studies, Peter is committed to bringing rigorous, fact-based accountability to local governance. He believes that an informed citizenry is the bedrock of democracy. As a TBI survivor and mental health advocate, Peter brings a unique perspective on the necessity of accessible, transparent information. He launched the Dispatch to provide Bloomfield with an independent, vigilant watchdog committed solely to the truth. As a disabled LGBTQ individual, he applies an inclusive lens to his reporting, striving to amplify voices that are often left out in the cold. Additionally, Peter is an independent writer, digital creator, and consultant who has been blogging since January 2006. A futurist and technologist, he explores the intersection of politics, disruptive technology, and social justice. He aims to speak #TruthToPower, challenging the status quo and charting a path toward solutions. #Journalism #Advocacy #PoliticalAnalysis #CTPolitics

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