Beals and Obama

Jennifer Beals tours the Mazzoni Center's newest edition to their LGBT health facilities

The backstory here is that Jennifer Beals really started leveraging her LGBT star-power to get the word out about her candidate when she interviewed Sen. Obama's LGBT policy advisor, Tobias Wolff, in a video podcast on OurChart.com.

"One of the things that I noticed was that there was a real disconnect between the gay and lesbian community and the Obama campaign," she told me. "There was a lot of information about Hillary’s campaign. But I thought in order to service a true democracy, before you make a decision, you need to have as much information as possible. To that end, I asked Tobias if he would be willing to be part of a podcast where we would answer users questions. Because people didn’t know, people didn’t have the answers and they weren’t readily being given on the web. It was a little obtuse trying to find the answers so I thought, well, that’s the quickest way to give information. Because it’s really about getting the information, framing the issue for yourself and then deciding. "

Mazzoni Center's tribute to the condom -- classy enough for every gay man's home

While Beals attended four different queer-oriented events in Philly Thursday and clearly wanted people to know that she's backing Obama, she also drew a distinction between supporting her candidate and telling other people how to vote. "I would never presume to tell any community who to vote for," she said. "I can tell you who I’ll vote for. All I can really do is give the information and you can make up your mind for yourself, because God knows, I don’t think I’ve ever met a more self-determined community."

She called meeting the Illinois senator "truly revelatory" and said hearing him speak moved her to get involved politically for the first time in her life. "Really, I've always harbored a distrust of politicians and I've met several and they didn't really convince me and it wasn't until I met Barack Obama and I heard him speak that I thought there was a possibility for change -- that somebody could actually change the paradigm or even the psychology of politics," she said. "The pronoun that they use is ‘we’ – Yes, we can. It’s not ‘I’. And to make that a reality, it’s incumbent upon all of us to do our best to bring our best selves to the table on behalf of everyone else, not just ourselves.

Asked why she is specifically focusing on the LGBT community and our issues in the context of this election, Beals said, "I think it’s an extension of playing the character for so long. For me, I do feel myself in some ways rooted in this community and I do feel like an honorary lesbian, and with the amount of visibility that I have, I have a unique opportunity to advocate for change, or at least recognition."

Beals said her first glimpse of the discrimination many LGBT people experience came during an appearance several years ago on Deborah Norville's show. "I was doing press for the show and they were going to show a clip from The L Word that included a love scene of sorts between me and another character, and she had the audacity to say, 'If there are any children in the room, you might want to ask them to leave.' And my mind was blown open and I said to her, ‘If it had been a heterosexual love scene, would you have asked the same question?’ I asked her on air, because I thought, it’s important to ask -- it contextualizes the import of the show. My feelings were hurt and it just spoke to me of what the gay and lesbian community has to deal with on a day-to-day basis in terms of popular media. And that was when it started. And I think from playing this character for so many years and becoming more aware of different political issues, I would just start to read the headlines more and more. My mind was truly blown open when I found out that the LGBT community was not included in federal hate crimes law. I just couldn’t believe it, it was so infuriating to me. So whenever I have the opportunity, I try to stand up and say something and if I’m not given the opportunity, I sometimes will try to create the opportunity."

At the LGBT People of Color Forum, Photo Credit: Obama campaign

Beals was also genuinely enthusiastic about sorting out the minutia of LGBT policy during her interview with Tobias Wolff. "We talked for three and a half hours and I learned so much. And I learned so much from the users' questions. I'm really excited to be a part of the community and a part of the campaign even though it's in a very small way. I think it’s really just about getting information out and determining how you feel and realizing that it’s not only about you but it’s about the well-being of the group at large. So, here I am."

And LGBTs across Philly happily received her. Beals did not speak at the LGBT People of Color Forum, but her presence alone elicited a mini uproar from the crowd.

Comments

[singbeals]

I would absolutly proud if i have her in my country.
Proud for all of you there.

[Lucia_2008]

I have a question for Jennifer.
Are you just using your star power with the LGBT to flip LGBT's votes?

[X Fan]

I wonder how Jennifer Beals feels about Barack Obama's association with openly homophobic, ex-gay gospel singer Donnie McClurkin, who was invited to perform at an Obama fundraiser last year and proceeded to mock gays and make anti-gay remarks onstage (after being handed the microphone by Obama) and speaks of being delivered from his homosexuality by God? Or Obama's association with the Rev. Meeks, who has held anti-gay fundraisers and is going to be an Obama delegate at the Democratic Convention in August? Is the LGBT community just supposed to ignore these things, because someone who portrays a popular lesbian character on TV graces them with her presence (for the first time during the show's five seasons) with a photo-op at a gay bar? I don't recall back in 1984 hearing about Jennifer Beals showing up in Pittsburgh wearing a Mondale-Ferraro button at bars frequented by blue-collar steel-plant workers just because she played a welder in a movie. That would have been about as insulting to the blue-collar workers back then as her showing up at a series of lesbian bars wearing an Obama pin is to me now. If she wants to attend Obama rallies in support of her candidate, or do so-called podcasts on OurChart with his LGBT supporters, fine. Just don't pander to the lesbian community by showing up for photo-ops in our bars.

[Joe Brown]

How would she feel knowing about Rev. Meeks of Chicago who regularly wants to cleanse the country of homosexuals. Why would Obama go to this church, too. Salem Baptist Church - not a pattern of acceptance. Why does Obama only selct certain gay publications to speak with? Why did Sidetrack, the gay bar in chicago accept money from Obama to support him?

[Linda]

I don't think Jennifer is trying to sway anyones vote though her efforts. I think she is trying to inform the LGBT community about the issues, and to share Obama's stance on those issues. If in the end it changes a few peoples mind on who to vote for then so be it. I must say that I am truly impressed that JB is putting in the extra time and effort to increase not only the LGBT awareness in the political arena, but she is bringing our fight more to the forefront using her star power. I for one am thankful that she cares enough about our community to do it. Thanks Jennifer for all of your efforts. You are one class act!

[X fan]

"I don't think Jennifer is trying to sway anyone's vote though her efforts." -- Linda

On the contrary, I think it's pretty obvious that she's trying to use her popularity as an iconic lesbian TV character to swing the LBGT vote to her candidate (Obama) when she shows up for photo-ops at a series of gay/lesbian bars in Philadelphia just a few days before the crucial Philadelphia primary. I would be more impressed if she hadn't chosen to support the candidate who has ties to a homophobic preacher and a gospel singer who actively and openly criticize homosexuals, especially in the guise of doing us all a favor by introducing us to that candidate. Up until now, I have appreciated her seemingly sincere efforts on behalf of the LBGT community, but I'm disappointed in this latest development. Hopefully, LGBT voters won't be swayed by their admiration for her or the popular lesbian character she protrays.

[X Fan]

"I don't think Jennifer is trying to sway anyone's vote though her efforts." -- Linda

On the contrary, I think it's pretty obvious that she's trying to use her popularity as an iconic lesbian TV character to swing the LBGT vote to her candidate (Obama) when she shows up for photo-ops at a series of gay/lesbian bars in Philadelphia just a few days before the crucial Pennsylvania primary. I would be more impressed if she hadn't chosen to support the candidate who has ties to a homophobic preacher and a gospel singer who actively and openly criticize homosexuals, especially in the guise of doing us all a favor by introducing us to that candidate. Up until now, I have appreciated her seemingly sincere efforts on behalf of the LBGT community, but I'm disappointed in this latest development. Hopefully, LGBT voters won't be swayed by their admiration for her or the popular lesbian character she portrays.

[Carmen]

I don't believe that JB is trying to sway votes but is simply trying to inform. I love JB and I am aware of her choice for Obama but my choice is still with Hillary. I think that to believe that just because JB shows up in a gay bar, talks about Obama and takes a couple of picture, that gay people are going to rush out and vote for Obama. I also don't believe that is what she is expecting or in any way trying to do. As I see it, here is a straight woman who is doing in our community what no one else including most LBGT is doing. Where and who are the leaders of our community informing us about these candidates, and laws that affect us, and bringing our community to the fore front as she has. While we sit in front of our computer most likely in the comfort of our home writing out our opinions and being critical on this site, this woman takes of her time and goes out and makes things happen.

[Shelly]

I'm not going to weigh in on the political cynicism here, and I'm sure this thread has long been looked over, but I did want to clarify one point: This is far from Jennifer's first "appearance" in the LBGT community. She has been supporting our causes for years, and if you don't know that, then you are, perhaps, not well enough informed. Let's try to get all of our facts clarified, here, without biases or prejudice; I'm pretty sure that's the point.

[felicia ballard]

i hate to say back in 1986 ms.beal was the icon,,,,, then as she is today.if u want to know. me and my husband were married at this time. For me 22years later we are still married . and at this time he is my hair styles.. he cuts my hair,and he and his boyfriend is my best and only friend!!And for me i have been in and out of a relationship with the same person since i came out of the closest at the age of 21 and now i,m going on 40. hopefully the l-word would stay on for many more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ms.beal u r the one and only.