Gay White House Guests Flip The Bird; White House Responds
One week ago Friday, at the White House's LGBT Pride Month reception, President Obama delivered a stirring speech, a trans man proposed to his girlfriend, and many pictures were snapped. Two of them have now made news.
Both pics were taken in front of the Ronald Reagan presidential portrait. In one, photographer Zoe Strauss mugs furiously; in the other, Matty Hart, of Solutions for Progress, Inc. (which helps eligible families obtain public assistance), smiles mischievously. In both, the pictures' subjects flip off their dead president.
From The Philly Post:
Hart posted his photo on Facebook with the caption, “F*** Reagan.” Strauss simply posted hers without commentary. After all, the murderous facial expression and double-barreled bird-flipping seem to speak for themselves. Comments ranged from “you forgot to add with a chainsaw” on Hart’s “F*** Reagan” note, to my personal favorite, “star wars … up yours,” on Strauss’s.
Strauss ... declined to comment for this story (“I’m keeping out of the press!” she texted me), but made crystal clear her position on Reagan by posting on Facebook a long list of things that happened under his watch, including the Supreme Court’sBowers v. Hardwick decision, upholding the constitutionality of Georgia’s anti-sodomy law, the Iran-Contra affair and the invasion of Grenada.
Additionally, Strauss posted Reagan’s memorable statement on LGBT rights from the 1980 campaign trail: “My criticism is that [the gay movement] isn’t just asking for civil rights; it’s asking for recognition and acceptance of an alternative lifestyle which I do not believe society can condone, nor can I.”
The Log Cabin Republicans have since responded:
In a statement Friday, Christian Berle, deputy executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, criticized Hart and Strauss for insulting Reagan, whom Berle said gave aid to the pro-gay GOP group's founders as California governor in the 1970s.
"It is unfortunate that the image conservative America is seeing today of LGBT people is of gay leftists misbehaving at the White House, rather than the millions of patriotic, decent LGBT citizens, many of whom, like Log Cabin Republicans, hold President Ronald Reagan in high esteem," Berle said. "These photographs have hurt our community and make advocating for inclusion and equality more difficult. The participants should be ashamed."
... and so has the White House:
"While the White House does not control the conduct of guests at receptions, we certainly expect that all attendees conduct themselves in a respectful manner. Most all do," Shin Inouye, a White House spokesman, said. "These individuals clearly did not. Behavior like this doesn’t belong anywhere, least of all in the White House."
Why do people have such a lack of decorum. You were invited to the White House by the President. Strange sense of immaturity. I was at the event--two women were actually standing on furniture to take photos. Reagan's AIDS policies and his legacy is pretty dismal. But remember his work against the Briggs Initiative in California. And to those who say "he hated gays"...please, he had more gay friends and staffers. Let's find more civility and love and forgiveness in our community--that transcends lines in a powerful way.
Posted by: John Gile | Jun 23, 2012 12:34:44 PM
I pretty much detest Ronald Reagan and the damage he has done in the past not just to equality for gays but economic equality for the masses to this day. However, doing something as crass and flippant as this not only dishonors the former president but it also dishonors the sitting president, his family and the institution of the presidency.
Posted by: NY2.0 | Jun 23, 2012 12:35:11 PM
Worst article EVER. Where are the offending pics?
Posted by: AJ | Jun 23, 2012 12:39:27 PM
Let's just say that there are many people in the LGBT community who are glad this happened (that a few brave souls gave Reagan the finger in the White House) and are especially happy that many in the LGBT community are embarrassed by this. You need to be embarrassed and should be ashamed of yourselves.
Posted by: Larry | Jun 23, 2012 12:52:46 PM
I don't see this as newsworthy, another "so what?" moment in history. Yup, bad taste, but so were the Salahi's. :-)
And to the idiotic Log Cabiners:
Count me as one gay man who absolutely does NOT hold Reagan in high esteem. He was a puppet for the far right, an actor in a suit and was most likely not fully mentally capable to be president during his last 2 years in office.
Posted by: johnny | Jun 23, 2012 12:52:58 PM
I remember turning around and almost blocking her shot when she was taking this pic. I was very surprised to see her sticking her middle finger up at the portrait it took me a minute to get what she was up to. It so surprised me because this event was so much fun everyone was smiling and laughing. What she did was so negative and innapropriate it was a big contrast to the rest of the night. She should have behaved more respectfully and I am sure she will not be getting another invite.
Posted by: Dalan Wells | Jun 23, 2012 1:06:10 PM
It was childish, embarrassing, and brainless. I voted against Reagan in '80 and '84, but wouldn't even think of a stunt like that, especially if I was a public figure like these people are.
Posted by: Not Amused | Jun 23, 2012 1:07:34 PM
I have a lot of trouble with the phrase "behavior like this doesn’t belong anywhere". That's really a pretty frightening comment.
The WH needs to learn drive and frame the discussion instead of constantly reacting to everything.
Also, all of the available data shows that the Reagan administration really started most, if not all, of the policies that began the internal rot of the United States that has led us to where we are now.
Finally, we have a lot of very real, very serious issues, and other countries look at how upset we get about petty things like this and just shake their heads.
Posted by: Eric | Jun 23, 2012 1:17:08 PM
Although Reagan was a senile idiot the White House is a Democratic sanctuary where childish self-attentive behavior behavior is beyond unacceptable. Their behavior had nothing to do with being TRANSGENDER or TRANSEXUAL!
The idiot (Rick) that made that connection between activist effeminacy and Transgender people should get out of his tiny little world and see the real one. You're lucky to have the 'T' in L.G.B.T. on your side. None of the rest of you know what REAL discrimination is like! We can't hide 99.9% of the time. We live it!
Posted by: Amazed | Jun 23, 2012 1:35:58 PM
As far as the opinions of the Log Cabin Republicans: No one cares, not one bit. The L.C.R. never helped anyone of importance and no one cares what Reagan did for some unknown self-conflicted, self-loathing idiot. Siding with the G.O.P. is just WRONG! Like a Jew siding with the Nazi's there's NO EXCUSE. Get Help!
Posted by: Amazed | Jun 23, 2012 1:41:45 PM
@rayrayj
The problem with that, is that these were guests invited to the White House, as part of LGBT pride month recognition. This wasn't a protest, or a march, so their actions not only disrespected Reagan, but also the president who invited them and all the activists who have worked for decades to achieve the day when groups like this are invited to White House.
Posted by: Chris | Jun 23, 2012 1:45:00 PM
"Behavior like this doesn’t belong anywhere, least of all in the White House"
Yeah... they're just jealous they can't do it themselves without getting fired.
This is a proud moment for all LGBT people, and as a silent and peaceful expression of free speech it is also a proud moment for all Americans.
Posted by: Randy | Jun 23, 2012 1:49:16 PM
It's the White House, the people's house and that should be respected. I think it was bad form to flip the bird to this monster's portrait while guests of the current President. It reflects poorly on him.
More appropriate would be to just piss on Reagan's grave. Yes, I think that would send a much more appropriate message, since he pissed on America's gays and poor for the 8 years he occupied the office and tried to convince people they were being "trickled down on", not pissed on by him and the GOP. Personally, if given the chance, I would much rather piss on his grave, after eating a big meal of asparagus.
Posted by: Bob R | Jun 23, 2012 1:58:04 PM
I'd take the opportunity to flip off a portrait of Reagan any time I get it. Except at the White House. Of course, the right wing would make a mountain out of this mole hill no matter where the picture was taken. Showing disrespect to one of the worst presidents for the LGBT community is perfectly fine and within the limits of free speech (and I would say deserved), but context is everything.
Posted by: JT | Jun 23, 2012 2:04:43 PM
Kissing under the portrait and proposing in the hallway are considerably classier. They really convey the same message.
I am somewhat tempted by Bob R's counter-proposal, though!
Posted by: KevinVT | Jun 23, 2012 2:07:03 PM
Who in the hell is this Zoe person?
Posted by: BobN | Jun 23, 2012 2:08:45 PM
It wasn't wrong. It was just bratty and unimaginative. Imagine what the Act-Up folks would have done with that opporunity... now THOSE were some inspired protests. This? Meh. Not so much.
Whatever.
Posted by: The Milkman | Jun 23, 2012 3:11:16 PM
What they did was what I would have done. Anyone who thinks it was wrong and should not have been done is an idiot. It was a statement of self expression, and it harmed no one. Trying to act like a scolding adult to a bunch of rambunctious children only makes you and the white house sound like assholes. Who the hell do they think they are? They're murdering people and they're scolding people for being pissed with a monster?
Posted by: Robert | Jun 23, 2012 4:30:14 PM
@Chris:
Although I see your point, I would argue that this was not merely a celebratory event but instead it was a political event, even if it was not a march. The while house was using LGBT folks and their supporters to make a political statement. Some of the activists at said political event took advantage of the opportunity to make a different political statement.
Posted by: rayrayj | Jun 23, 2012 4:52:59 PM
Whatever one thinks of their behavior (I personally see it as Milkman does--bratty and unimaginative), it's barely newsworthy. A few people acting out cause they could. Reagan's crimes against gay people were major stuff, and this was a minor response to them, and rather late in the historical game.
Of course, the LCR's (and a few commentators here) will be drama queens about it (they're trying to outdo GOProud with their theatrics to legitimize their sad existences), for their own foolish political gains, and the hysterics are more juvenile than the White House shenanigans themselves. This means zero--just more media debris, here today, gone tomorrow.
Posted by: Ernie | Jun 23, 2012 5:16:53 PM
Typical Pride trash type people
Posted by: Ricki | Jun 23, 2012 5:56:17 PM
as jon stewart would say: "you're not helping"
who behaves this way?
congratulations, childhish leftist activists for disrespecting a dignified lgbt event at the highest office in the land. this will be the dominant takeaway in the media for this event. happy? you are utterly stupid
the right will make much hay of this, further promoting the message that the left and glbts are immature vulgar brats. making mature and reasonable people's job on the left that much harder.
@larry (kramer, i bet): you have it completely backwards, you need to be embarrassed and should be ashamed of yourself for promoting this juvenile idiocy. will you ever grow up, kramer?
@robert. "rambunctious children", your words. and you think it's ok to behave this way as adults at the white house? and we're the assholes? wow, just wow.
@rick. this has squat to do with trans people or effeminacy, get a grip, and everything to do with a counter-productive streak of immature attention whore tactics that occasionally arise on the left
finally, reagan certainly deserves appropriate scorn in appropriate and productive settings, unlike here
Posted by: gomez | Jun 23, 2012 6:36:38 PM
They should have dragged the miserable bastard's portrait out on the front lawn, pissed on it, doused it with gasoline, and set it afire. He went to his grave with the blood of my loved ones, friends, and colleagues on his hands.
Respect?
NEVER!!!
Posted by: Bud Burgoon-Clark | Jun 23, 2012 8:33:13 PM
Self loathing gays use stories like this to really jump on the ENTIRE gay community and proudly show off their homophobia. Much like the Conservative press will jump on a story like this to get out their homophobia
Posted by: NYNiceDude | Jun 23, 2012 8:52:25 PM
@ NYNICEDUDE
Totally agree. Internalized homophobia needs to come out somehow...and stories like this enable those who have bigotry toward the gay community to feel like they can freely express it, with blanket statements and "get away with it" Glad it's transparent for some of you as well
Posted by: USC Trojan Fan | Jun 23, 2012 8:53:40 PM