Call in Gay to Work Day Slated in Protest of Prop. 8

Those who voted against same-sex marriage rights and passed Prop. 8 in November could get a real sense of just how integral LGBT people are in life if “Day Without a Gay” goes off without a hitch on Wednesday.

Calling in gay to work day is the brain child of West Hollywood based comedian Sean Hetherington and his boyfriend Aaron Hartzler. “Day Without a Gay,” slated for Wednesday, Dec. 10, coincides with International Human Rights Day and takes its cues from similar work stoppages by Latino Immigrants, according to the Associated Press.

Hetherington and Hartzler devised the plan after they’d heard that gay-rights activists were calling for a daylong strike on spending money to protest Prop. 8’s passing.

The couple thought if LGBT people called out of work and rather volunteered at community organizations and non-profits, it would send a firm but less divisive message to the voters who sought to strip same-sex couples of marriage rights.

"We are all for a boycott if that is what brings about a sense of community for people," said Hetherington, 30, who will spend Wednesday volunteering at an inner-city school. "You can take away from the economy and give back in other ways."

While Hetherington and Hartzler have been receiving hundreds of emails per hour from people looking to call in gay and volunteer somewhere, still others think the plan is counterproductive, according to the AP.

"It's extra-challenging for people to think about taking off work as a form of protest, given that we are talking about people who may not be out (as gay) at work, and given the current economic situation and job market," said Jules Graves, 38, coordinator of the Colorado Queer Straight Alliance. "There is really not any assurance employers would appreciate it for what it is."

Join The Impact, the grassroots online group that successfully launched coordinated protests throughout the country last month is urging LGBT people to withdraw $80 from their bank accounts to demonstrate the community’s spending power, the AP reported.

Bob Witeck, chief executive officer of Witeck-Combs Communications, a public relations firm that specializes in the gay and lesbian market published a study this year that estimated gay and lesbian consumers spend $700 billion annually, suggests it would be difficult to measure the success of a work strike Wednesday since gay employees occupy such a wide array of jobs. He suggests the community take its dollars to gay-friendly businesses year-round.

"Our community leaders who are running book stores, newspapers, flower shops, coffee houses, bars and many, many other things are hurting right now, so paying attention to their needs during this hard time is an effective form of activism," Witeck said.

“Day Without a Gay” organizers have reassured high school students and college students ensconced in their exams that they won’t be disloyal to the gay marriage movement by remaining in class on Wednesday.