Gay Press Is Good Press

Mayme Donohue
September 14, 2009

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Read More: Bob McDonnell, Featured, Richmond Times Dispatch, ROSMY

There is something to be said for the power of frequency. As much as I try, I can’t get that ridiculously annoying Free Credit Report dot Com song out of my head. You’re singing it now too aren’t you. Sorry… I also won’t be caught eating a Big Mac anytime soon, but I can tell you exactly what’s on one. Frequency, repetition, it’s how humans get information through our thick skulls, intentionally or not.

This is all to say that I am completely impressed and excited about all of the great press Gays have had in the Richmond press recently. The RTD has been consistently critical of the McDonnell thesis and have published several articles in the past few weeks detailing his laughably outrageous anti-gay, anti-woman, anti-humanity filled positions.

ROSMY was jut honored with one of two ‘Richmond History Maker’ awards given by the Valentine Richmond History Center, which also made the presses. (More on this to come soon.)

And just this past Thursday an opinion piece was featured by Bob Witeck, CEO/co-founder of Witeck-Combs Communications, which specializes in consulting with corporations and nonprofits on LGBT households, marketing, and public relations.

He wrote about the importance of extending same-sex partner benefits to the employees of state-run institutions of higher education. Take a minute to read his article, it’s clear and effective. Witeck himself attended UVA, and has an acute knowledge of the social and economic progress made when equality is expanded. He also has the tact to appeal to Virginians who may be against Gay Marriage, but who are absolutely in favor of workplace equality.

This has certainly been a pretty good press week for the Richmond Gays, not to mention relaunch of GayRVA.com as a webmagazine! The 2.WHOA! happy hour was delightful.

Let’s keep up this momentum and keep up the frequency of our voices in the conversation here in Richmond. We are Richmonders too and the two weeks of press that we just had should not be exceptional. With the Buju Banton concert coming up on the same weekend as Gay Pride Virginia we MUST keep our presence felt in the press. Frequency is undeniably effective, my head full of commercials is proof of that. When Richmond reads about our lives and our successes and our celebrations and our power more often, we will be stuck in their heads! And just maybe equality will show up for Richmond and Virginia like a priority not just a buzz word. So write letters to the editor when you have something to say. Write your representatives and council members when you want their attention. Be heard and be heard often because what you have to say and how often you say it makes a difference.