We’ve written a lot of letters, most of which have been to our elected officials and representatives. While those letters have made a difference, we have to ask ourselves, “How do we reach the people?”

Our friend from the Nationwide Chalk Message Project, Jen Dugan, came up with a fantastic idea a couple of months ago to do just that.

Lady Gaga asked President Obama at the National Equality March “ARE YOU LISTENING?”

I ask you. “ARE YOU SPEAKING?”

Today the Examiner reported that Reps. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Jared Polis (D-CO)

“…said the House is set to pass bills to provide health coverage for the same-sex partners of gay federal workers and to protect all gay and transgender employees from job discrimination. They said they expect a domestic partner benefits bill to come up for a vote by the end of the year and the employment bill to reach the floor early in 2010.

Baldwin and Polis said they are also confident that the House will include a provision in the military spending bill to repeal the Clinton-era “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, which prohibits LGBT people from serving in the U.S. military.”

In 29 states, it’s still legal to fire someone because they’re gay; in 38 states it is legal to fire someone for being transgender. ENDA will make it illegal to fire a person based on their sexual orientation or genetic identity (as usual, some restrictions apply). Here is a Summary of legislation and cosponsors.

I was first introduced to Dr. Michael T. Schmitt’s work by way of jaysays.com’s resident scientist, Jude. After seeing his video presentation, I knew I had to have him on the show. Dr. Schmitt, along with Dr. Justin Lehmiller and Dr. Allison Walsh, published the article, “The Role of Heterosexual Identity Threat in Differential Support for Same-Sex ‘Civil Unions’ veruses ‘Marriages’ in the journal Group Processes and Intergroup Relations.

Ami and Ruby were married in a ceremony that was not recognized by their state; however, once marriage was allowed in California, and knowing that Proposition 8 was looming, the couple headed south and tied the knot. Now, they are trekking around the country through many states that don’t recognize their marriage with the goal of visiting all states that do (including the District of Columbia).

Susan Parker joined me last night on Closet Talk to discuss her new book, Walking in the Deep End, a memoir. Parker is a passionate advocate for the needs of people suffering from depression and eating disorders and confronts these often taboo subjects head on in her memoir.

We discussed Parker’s growing up in an evangelical family, her bulimia, coping with the suicides of family members and dealing with depression, Susan’s early homophobia (which resulted in unkindness toward her friends who would come out to her), and how, after discovering she wasn’t a zero on the Kinsey scale of sexual orientation, her relationships with those people changed.

The National Equality March is fast approaching. Organizers launched the National Equality March Song Contest weeks ago and four finalists have been chosen and I must say the finalists are as diverse as our community. In them you’ll here the influence of show tunes, blues, jazz and new age.

Here’s your chance to vote for your favorite. Voting will end at 5:00 p.m. PST on October 1, 2009. You may vote via YouTube or Facebook simply by rating the song on YouTube or giving it a thumbs up/thumbs down on Facebook.

Congratulations to all finalists. Great songs! [songs after the jump]

In a scene reminiscent of this summers bar raid in Ft. Worth, Texas, on September 10, 2009, police raided the Eagle in Atlanta after an anonymous complaint from a neighboring residential building claimed the bar was promoting public sex and drug use. Police entered the bar and made patrons lay on the floor, some for over an hour, while they illegally searched their pockets and refused to state why they were detaining the bar goers. Since the raid, many rumors have found their way into the conservative and liberal blogosphere.

Witnesses Nicholas and Johnnie joined me on Closet Talk to discuss the raid, the reaction and what was said. Johnnie confirmed perhaps one of the most terrible comments overheard by police which I had hoped was a sick rumor: “… this is more fun than raiding niggers on crack.”

Starting at noon on October 5th and ending one week later on October 12th, students at colleges and high schools across the country will write messages of love and equality on sidewalks using chalk. The timing is meant to coincide with Coming Out Day, which is October 11th.The students at Drew University started a tradition of writing messages of equality and love to LGBT individuals. Jen Dugan has taken on spreading this tradition to other schools, creating the 1st Annual Nationwide You-Are-Loved Chalk Message Project.

Perhaps the most annoying thing about helping protect marriage equality has been the state by state battles. The LGBT community at large has human resources available, but many of us can’t just get on a plane and fly to Washington, Maine or California to help our brothers and sisters.

Protect Maine Equality has come up with a wonderful way for all LGBT people in the U.S. – and I suppose even abroad, to help fight against those that oppose full civil equality – virtual phone bank!