Dec 10: Day Without A Gay
Day Without A Gay, huh? The story in the Chicago Tribune says it best, The HR office has probably never encountered this before.
Day Without A Gay seeks to shift our strong feelings about injustice toward service! Let’s fight for equality by out-loving those who would deny us rights. Call in “gay” on December 10th (International Human Rights Day) and volunteer for your local LGBT and/or human rights organizations.
Back in the day when gay/lesbian comedians were still a bit of a novelty on television–this was before Logo–there was a woman that told a joke about homosexuality being called an illness. The obvious punchline being that you could call into work, “Hey, I won’t make it in today. Yeah, still gay, sorry.” I personally have called in hungover as a result of drinking too much in a gay bar with other queers, but I don’t think that’s quite the same thing.
I agree with the sentiment and the purpose, but I don’t think it’s a very good idea to just call in gay. For one thing, many places in D.C. would completely shut down! As someone with a strong work ethic, I don’t call out as part of a protest when my company doesn’t even have a stake in the protest. The co-workers that I actually enjoy talking with already know my feelings regarding Prop 8 and the subsequent protests. Besides, right now there’s just too much work on at the office to call in gay. I have no doubt that my office recognizes just how much this one queer would be missed if they shipped us all off to an island.
So… who did call in gay today?
well, since calling out as an empathetically-rational liberal is unquestionably trying way too hard, i didn’t call out. but you’re right: the whole point of any sit-out is to force a negative impact to spur a positive one. and if they already know how much they’d miss you, staying home might not be much progress.
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I guess I technically called in gay today, but that was because I took the time off due to the parental visit.
Personally, it wouldn’t have made sense for me to call in, I would be the only one who did call in my office.
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I came very close to not making it in, but not out of solidarity to the “cause.” Rather, I simply had way too much to drink last night. (Office holiday party — drinking policy be damned!) If it wasn’t because half my team was already scheduled out (“Use it or lose it” days, we call ’em.), I’d’ve stayed home to sleep myself to sobriety.
Besides, given my employer, the office would be virtually shut down if the bulk of my colleagues participated.
*looks around office wing*
*crickets chirp*
Then again…. 🙄
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I’m not calling in. I don’t have a regular M-F 9-5 job where it’s easy to pick things up the next day, so it makes things difficult. I have classes to deal with today and they’re only MW and it’s finals season. Plus, today is really crucial for my students.
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Like you, my workplace is way too liberal for me to punish them (and right now, they need every minute of my day). Still, I think it’s an interesting idea – kind of like “A Day Without Mexicans” in SoCal.
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looks lke Kyle took the day off to be of service to himself. hmmmmph.
Yesterday was a study day for me… We’re in finals season… So I had no work or school to call in to anyway. Not having called in gay, I similarly did not do any charity work. To be honest, the only thing that really appealed to me about the idea was that Urban Mo’s (the Bar Formerly Known as Hamburger Mary’s) was having a party all day for those people who did choose to call in gay. Now THAT’S a protest I could have gotten in to…
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