Equality Mississippi
Encyclopedia
Equality Mississippi was a statewide LGBT civil rights organization founded March 2000 in Mississippi
. The organization closed in December 2008.
native and referred to as a friend by EM founder and executive director Jody Renaldo. Tolbert was a gay man visiting the now defunct gay nightclub Joey's On The Beach in Biloxi, Mississippi
on New Year's Eve
1999. He was abducted from the bar's parking lot. His body was later found in the woods in Alabama
, having been beaten and strangled. His killers, Brent David Kabat and Jeremy Shawn Bentley, were arrested two weeks later after being stopped at a roadblock in California
. They were still driving Tolbert's Nissan Xterra
. It's not clear if the crime was in any way related to the victim's sexuality.
The organization's original name was Mississippi Gay Lobby as it was the first chapter of the National Gay Lobby (NGL). NGL's approach to activism was that of being an Internet
-only gay rights organization using its membership to send activism e-mails, letters to the editor and forum postings. After a year of being a chapter of NGL, the state chapter became independent, still keeping their name, because it felt the need to be active beyond Internet activism
, felt the $25 membership dues should not be sent for nation-wide activities and disagreed with a recent protest action discouraging users from using AOL
.
, VH1
and Lifetime.
Also, in 2002, Equality Mississippi partnered with the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi to publish the Mississippi Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Series, a three booklet series covering how Mississippi law affected the lives of gay and lesbian Mississippians.
. In the case, the Court struck down a Texas state law banning private consensual sex between adults of the same sex in a decision gay rights groups hailed as historic. The ruling invalidated anti-sodomy
laws in 12 other states, including Mississippi.
by the Hurricane Katrina
, EM began providing emergency relief to gay and lesbian Mississippians who were uncomfortable in seeking help from religious organizations providing aid. Incidents of discrimination and harassment of LGBT hurricane evacuees were present and reported. The Union for Reform Judaism
recommended and later provided $10,000 to EM to support their relief efforts.
(AFA), whose world headquarters is also based in Mississippi
, for what it perceived as a boycott against the Girl Scouts of America
(GSA) (purportedly because the GSA does not ban lesbian scouts or lesbian scout leaders). Equality Mississippi felt the AFA's actions of promoting American Heritage Girls
as the "Christian alternative" to the GSA was because of the gay community's boycott against the Boy Scouts of America
for its ban of gay scouts and gay scout leaders.
stating that as of December 3, 2008, the Board of Directors decided, due to financial hardships, the organization was to be closed.
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. The organization closed in December 2008.
History
Equality Mississippi (EM) was founded in response to the murder of Jamie Ray Tolbert, a Laurel, MississippiLaurel, Mississippi
Laurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...
native and referred to as a friend by EM founder and executive director Jody Renaldo. Tolbert was a gay man visiting the now defunct gay nightclub Joey's On The Beach in Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
1999. He was abducted from the bar's parking lot. His body was later found in the woods in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, having been beaten and strangled. His killers, Brent David Kabat and Jeremy Shawn Bentley, were arrested two weeks later after being stopped at a roadblock in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. They were still driving Tolbert's Nissan Xterra
Nissan Xterra
The Nissan Xterra is a compact SUV built on the Nissan F-Alpha platform. The Frontier-based vehicle is named after the XTERRA off-road triathlon race series that Nissan sponsored through the end of 2006.-Introduction:...
. It's not clear if the crime was in any way related to the victim's sexuality.
The organization's original name was Mississippi Gay Lobby as it was the first chapter of the National Gay Lobby (NGL). NGL's approach to activism was that of being an Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
-only gay rights organization using its membership to send activism e-mails, letters to the editor and forum postings. After a year of being a chapter of NGL, the state chapter became independent, still keeping their name, because it felt the need to be active beyond Internet activism
Internet activism
Internet activism is the use of electronic communication technologies such as e-mail, the World Wide Web, and podcasts for various forms of activism to enable faster communications by citizen movements and the delivery of local information to a large audience...
, felt the $25 membership dues should not be sent for nation-wide activities and disagreed with a recent protest action discouraging users from using AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
.
Notable events
In 2001 the group ran a television advertisement campaign designed to bring attention to LGBT issues in Mississippi. The advertisements were aired on local cable channels MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
and Lifetime.
Also, in 2002, Equality Mississippi partnered with the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi to publish the Mississippi Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Series, a three booklet series covering how Mississippi law affected the lives of gay and lesbian Mississippians.
Amicus brief to the United States Supreme Court
In 2003, Equality Mississippi submitted an amicus brief to the United States Supreme Court in Lawrence v. TexasLawrence v. Texas
Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 , is a landmark United States Supreme Court case. In the 6-3 ruling, the Court struck down the sodomy law in Texas and, by proxy, invalidated sodomy laws in the thirteen other states where they remained in existence, thereby making same-sex sexual activity legal in...
. In the case, the Court struck down a Texas state law banning private consensual sex between adults of the same sex in a decision gay rights groups hailed as historic. The ruling invalidated anti-sodomy
Sodomy
Sodomy is an anal or other copulation-like act, especially between male persons or between a man and animal, and one who practices sodomy is a "sodomite"...
laws in 12 other states, including Mississippi.
Hurricane Katrina efforts
Following the destruction brought to the Mississippi Gulf CoastMississippi Gulf Coast
The Mississippi Gulf Coast refers to the three Mississippi counties which lie on the Gulf of Mexico: Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties.The region was severely damaged by Hurricane Camille in 1969 and again by Hurricane Katrina in 2005....
by the Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, EM began providing emergency relief to gay and lesbian Mississippians who were uncomfortable in seeking help from religious organizations providing aid. Incidents of discrimination and harassment of LGBT hurricane evacuees were present and reported. The Union for Reform Judaism
Union for Reform Judaism
The Union for Reform Judaism , formerly known as the Union of American Hebrew Congregations , is an organization which supports Reform Jewish congregations in North America. The current President is Rabbi Eric H...
recommended and later provided $10,000 to EM to support their relief efforts.
Criticism of the American Family Association
In August 2001, Equality Mississippi issued a press release critical of the American Family AssociationAmerican Family Association
The American Family Association is a 501 non-profit organization that promotes conservative Christian values, such as opposition to same-sex marriage, pornography, and abortion, as well as other public policy goals such as deregulation of the oil industry and lobbying against the Employee Free...
(AFA), whose world headquarters is also based in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, for what it perceived as a boycott against the Girl Scouts of America
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
(GSA) (purportedly because the GSA does not ban lesbian scouts or lesbian scout leaders). Equality Mississippi felt the AFA's actions of promoting American Heritage Girls
American Heritage Girls
The American Heritage Girls is a Christian Scouting organization founded in 1995 by Patti Garibay and other parents from West Chester, Ohio, who were unhappy that the Girl Scouts accepted lesbians as troop leaders, allowed girls to substitute another word more applicable to their belief for "God"...
as the "Christian alternative" to the GSA was because of the gay community's boycott against the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
for its ban of gay scouts and gay scout leaders.
Closing
Equality Mississippi posted a bulletin on MySpaceMySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
stating that as of December 3, 2008, the Board of Directors decided, due to financial hardships, the organization was to be closed.
See also
- LGBT rights in the United States
- LGBT social movementsLGBT social movementsLesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender social movements share inter-related goals of social acceptance of sexual and gender minorities. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their allies have a long history of campaigning for what is generally called LGBT rights, also called gay...
- List of LGBT rights organizations
- Marriage Equality USA