Christian, And Right

I have this T-shirt I bought in Provincetown a few years ago that says "Too many right-wing Christians, too few lions."

The sentiment satisfies an irrational revenge fantasy, but I never actually wore the thing until this past Sunday. That was the day of the "Pride Is Back" march in Tampa, which was held to protest the Hillsborough County Commission's recent decision to abstain from supporting gay pride in any way, shape or form.

I never figured that one of the first gay-rights supporters I talked to would be a born-again Christian.

Dave Howard, a retired optical plant manager, was there with his son Mark, who's gay. "Before I became a Christian, I had more of a bias against [homosexuality]," said Dave. His fellow parishioners at Foursquare Church in Tampa don't share his views about gays deserving equal rights, but "if people have a problem with it, that's their problem."

The bloodthirsty tenor of my tee was also out of tune with the organizers of Sunday's parade. Their speeches were impassioned, but the overall message was summed up by Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith: "We can't meet hatred with hatred." The desire to answer anti-gay vitriol with positive energy informed the "arts action" that was to be the grand finale of the afternoon. Pioneering sound artist Pauline Oliveros, who was in town to perform in St. Pete's EMIT Concert Series, adapted a version of her piece "Ringing for Healing" specifically for Hillsborough County. Small bells strung together by wire were passed out as marchers gathered beside John F. Germany Library. They were urged to ring a regular "heartbeat" rhythm while walking, and then, once they reached the County Center, to ring in intervals to express such qualities as "sunrise, babies, warmth, wisdom, interconnectedness."

In the end, the ceremony didn't quite come together - the crowd, thousands strong, was too revved up (and too hot) for peaceful loving chiming. The mood was positive, all right, but fierce: Several of the people I talked to said this was the first time they'd attended any kind of protest, and what drew them here wasn't love but anger.

Love, defiance and sheer volume greeted the lone anti-gay protester in Joe Chillura Courthouse Square (named, ironically enough, after the county commissioner who led Hillsborough County's successful effort to remove sexual orientation from its anti-discrimination ordinance in 1995). An agitated Church Lady in a white beaded suit intoned the tired axiom about God making Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve, but a rising impromptu chorus of "Jesus doesn't hate" drowned her out.

Right-thinking Christians - as opposed to right-wing Christians - win again.

Coming and going: A few days before the rally, I received an e-mail from a New Yorker, Beatrice Robbins, who'd read my initial column about the Ronda Storms flap. Beatrice is about to move to Tampa for a new job, and she's trying to convince two gay male friends of hers (she's straight) to come down, too. Now, after hearing about the commission's decision, she's wondering whether they'd be happy here.I told her that the city of Tampa, as opposed to the county in which it sits, is surprisingly hospitable to gays and lesbians. But not everyone agrees. I met two longtime residents at the rally who have decided enough is enough. Jeff Lesser, a voice and piano teacher, has lived here 10 years. His partner, Jack Nixon, who until recently worked with JP Morgan Chase, has lived here for 20. They find the commission's decision to be, respectively, "frustrating" and "hateful." And in six months they're moving to Philadelphia.

"It's too conservative here," says Nixon. "Actually, it's gotten uncomfortable."

So what should Brenda say to her two friends? I asked that question of Vonn New, Central Florida director for Equality Florida.

"I would say that they need to be prepared for a different level of behavior in the government than they're used to," answered New, "but at the same time they have an opportunity to join a community that's engaging in a historic struggle."

Equality Florida is working on several statewide initiatives: among them, lifting the statutory ban on gay and lesbian adoption; passing a school safety bill; campaigning against a proposed anti-gay marriage amendment; and combating workplace discrimination. "In most parts of Florida," says New, "it is legal to be fired from your job for being gay." (St. Petersburg and Tampa are exceptions to that rule, because sexual orientation is a protected category in their human rights ordinances.)

So, Brenda, the "different level of behavior" will take some getting used to. But if you and your friends are up for a fight, come on down. Tampa's is shaping up to be a good one.

david.warner@weeklyplanet.com