The LGBT equality movement is all about visibility—the logic is that when people know someone gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, they have a personal connection to the movement, so it’s hard to be a hater.
“I’m From Driftwood” is based on that logic. The website, now a year-and-a-half-old, collects user-submitted stories written by LGBT people from all over the world in an effort to make a simple point: sexual minorities are in every country, in every city, and in every community.
Three months ago, Nathan Manske, the site’s gay founder, took it a step further. He and his team—videographer Marquise Lee and Manske’s straight brother, Nick—began a cross-country storytelling trek. They plan to hit all 50 states, producing video and audio from activists and advocates along the way.
When I spoke with Manske last week, he was in a valley in Vermont, the 33rd state on the 50-State Story Tour. The project’s even breaking down some of his stereotypes, Manske said:
It’s teaching me not to judge people based on where they live—whether it’s a red state or a blue state. In the deep red states, we found a lot of people who were there, fighting for our rights, and getting the word out there about the LGBT community. Some of the most inspiring stories have come from traditionally conservative areas, where people don’t leave their community because they’re gay; they stay there because that’s what’s making a difference.
He met with a guy from North Dakota who pretty much sacrificed his job by writing an editorial in the local paper about the failure of an LGBT-inclusive workplace nondiscrimination bill. But he’s also heard from people who came out in traditionally unsympathetic communities and are widely embraced, like a Pennsylvania football player who was fiercely supported by his teammates.
Manske’s also spoken with people from “Meccas of liberalism” who faced opposition. A gay youth group in Los Angeles quickly dispelled the notion that being gay in a big city is instantly easier than being gay in Podunk, USA.
Manske explained:
The purpose of the site is to help queer youth realize that no matter who they are, or where they are, or what they’re going through, they’re not alone. I feel that by sharing all of our stories, it could convey that message of hope and [that] you’re not alone.
The story tour is like a more involved, more effective “It Gets Better” project. Instead of just sympathizing and acknowledging that it’s hard out there for a non-hetero, “I’m From Driftwood” shows that there’s a positive future—and it’s possible for everyone.
I go to a Catholic university and do consider myself a Catholic. While I don’t see homosexuality as a sin, I have encountered a fair amount of people who do. In my experience, these “Christians” are taught to hate the sin, not the individual, but in the process of hating the sin, they often neglect to treat homosexuals with the same respect and caring they feel compelled to show their heterosexual brothers.
The point and purpose of this brief article is clear: The more LGBT people you know personally, the less likely you are to discriminate or abuse, fear or hate. Yes, “hate.” The English language is constantly evolving and adapting. Words often take on a meaning and context beyond their literal dictionary definition. When a minority decides to fight back against discrimination and oppression, it often appears those doing the oppressing want nothing more than to distract from the battle by engaging in petty semantic fights. To the previous commenter, I suggest you and your fellow Christians who are not haters… Read more »
Please stop lying and abusing the English language. People are just getting sick of the deceitful message given by gay groups. First, this comment has nothing to do with the gay lifestyle. It does have everything to do with the deceitful message sent by gay groups (see opening line in the above article) and the propaganda issuing forth from these groups. You (and others) continue to mislabel people and put words in others mouths and it is simply disgusting. I know many Christians. I can also say that I do not know a single Christian who is a “hater”. In… Read more »