A 63-year old lesbian who attended HRC’s boycotted dinner in San Francisco this weekend found herself manhandled and booted for trying to distribute protest literature. Said Catherine Cusic, “At this point 2-3 large men accosted me. I don’t remember their exact words but I quietly said that I had bought a ticket and had the right to be there. I began to place printed material on a table when I was grabbed roughly by at least 2 men (who I think were behind me). One of them put my right arm in an armlock behind my back and up and bent my right wrist with tremendous force.”. [Towleroad]
“Accosted”
Help make sure LGBTQ+ stories are being told...
We can't rely on mainstream media to tell our stories. That's why we don't lock Queerty articles behind a paywall. Will you support our mission with a contribution today?
Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated
WarholsFactory
Seriously what the hell is going on with HRC. I just barely read about this whole debacle w their protested dinner. This is pathetic, especially when the woman bought a ticket.
This is what happens when these gay groups get so high and mighty and think they’re better than the rest of us “regular” gays. Or us with no money to spend on lavish dinners.
They need to mind their P’s and Q’s and treat people with respect. They could have just asked her to leave nicely.
Thomas Johnson
Lets be very clear that this woman got up in the middle of the program and walked toward the stage while Joe Solmonese was speaking. The flyers she was trying to distribute were derogatory AND, she began yelling as soon as she was asked to leave. Security acted appropriately as personal threats had been made against Joe. Additionally, ticket or no ticket, the protestors were outside.
michael
Even though she may not have ad the “right” to disturb Solomanese’s diatribe, and threats are never acceptable behaviour, This shows that the HRC has big problems with those it claims to serve. It does carry an image of being pompous and elitist, at least in a wannabe sorta way. I just wonder if the LGBT community really wants this organization to be its voice in its fight for equality. Maybe another organization needs to come about that the community as a whole can relate to and believe in. For various reasons there are lots of folks who do not like this organization.
Ben
When one purchases a ticket to attend an event with the intent to disrupt that event, then one is acting in bad faith and has breached their implied contract with the promoter of the event.
Being asked to leave is a reasonable response and the “guest” should not be surprised or shocked and should walk away with dignity intact.
fri
she was not just asked to leave, she was assaulted with “tremendous force”. completely unacceptable, especially at an event that’s supposedly about “human rights”. hrc needs to apologize and demand that those security guards are fired or else they won’t use that venue again. i cant believe there’s people here justifying physical violence against women because she was trying to exercise her free speech. you ought to be ashamed of yourselves.
Jaroslaw
Fri – I’m guessing you weren’t at the dinner, so I don’t know how you are certain force was used – but you don’t get free speech at a private event. If you don’t like what is going on, you start your own dinner, your own blog, don’t give money, protest outside.
Tara
Well, I certainly am not a fan of HRC, FRI, you re calling for the guards to be fired? Why, they were doing their jobs. They were told to remove someone, someone who I am guessing did not submit quietly. They did not make a choice to “attack” a gay person for fun, their job is to do as they are told. Watch your reactions and judgments.
flux
Just thought I’d add in this info. Progress usually does not come in one fell swoop. Had transgender people been included in the bill, it wouldn’t have passed. As much as this sucks, it’s the reality of the current political climate, which the HRC must work within unless they choose to become obsolete. Setting aside the issue of force for a moment, this is an essential part of the story.
[from san jose mercury news:]
The Human Rights Campaign was part of a broad coalition of civil rights groups that promoted a job bias measure introduced by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., that originally would have included protections for transgender people. After Frank concluded the bill would fail unless the transgender safeguards were removed, many groups opposed the amended legislation while HRC continued to back it.
The bill passed the House and its supporters are working toward a vote in the Senate.
Self hating, Gay hating
A lot of the people “protesting” at the HRC dinner could barely hide what is essentially their own homophobia toward Gay men. Very similar crowd to “Gay Shame” and other ultra lefty so-called gay groups whose misery only likes to share in equally miserable company. Don’t dare be successful, get married, etc. or they will go after you. The certainly don’t want progress. They want a lack of progress so they have something to whine about. Its like the ultra man hating feminist here who got caught as the author of hate speech that she claimed was perpetrated upon her.
Tara
Flux, I call shenanigans. You cannot say “it would not have passed” because it was never actually tried.
Watch the rhetoric, the truth is no one knows what would have happened. So we, the transgender people, were lied to. Ever since then HRC and Barney Frank have spent a lot of time and energy trying to change the facts to spin the issue.
The fact is that money was taken with promises of support, then that support was dropped.
Dan
HRC was technically right (the nation isn’t ready for trannies; this is a practical matter) but handled it very poorly from a PR standpoint.
That is all.
CHURCHILL-Y
Although I find HRC more irrelevant with each passing year and couldn’t disagree more with the manner in which they carry that organization I do believe that they acted properly towards an individual who was disturbing the event. Doesn’t matter how lame and ridiculous it was she was in it and if indeed no abuse was committed by security then I see nothing inappropriate in how it was handled. She could’ve protested outside or in a peaceful manner inside and when asked to leave do so or waited to be escorted by security. In most cases protesters always forget the principle of non-violence and end up making a ruckus in order to later make accusations of violence. One must always remember there is a fine line between a peaceful and effective protest and being a criminal public nuisance.
huck
Last time i checked getting up to distribute fliers that were actually educational and pretty benign do not constitute disruption; it’s actually a form of democratic behavior (oh my god AND at a private event!! since when does one forgo free speech because one paid to get in? who are you and where do you come from?). something the stepford gays have lost track of in all their wealth (very different than success) as they sat still and passively at their “gala” event….
What has happened to my peoples??! I mean, please, change your name HRC.
Jaroslaw
Huck – what do you mean, you don’t give up your free speech at a private event? So if you go to see a play, I can stand up and sing at the top of my lungs during the performance? Presumably people paid for the dinner to go along with what was on the agenda. If Joe Solomonese was speaking (or anyone else for that matter) this woman had no right to pass out flyers! She may have done so as people were leaving, and then no one would have any complaints.
fri
everyone justifying the violence against this poor woman just fuck off, seriously, you’re messed up.
catherine Cusic
Catherine cusic here-#1-I was not disrupting in fact (although this has been reported incorrectly by even those who support me) I had not yet distributed a single flyer when I was grabbed and placed in a brutal arm lock/wrist lock.
Hello-even if I had been yelling, throwing paper in the air, no one is allowed by law or custom (amongst decent people) to physically brutalize you.
You are correct, one does not have free speech at a private event;neither do the organizers and/or their employees have the right to hurt someone physically who is perceived to be acting inappropriately. They have the right to ask them to leave and if the person does not comply to call the Police-(the only people authorized to use force in a non threatening situation).
If you have missed the photos (CSI fans tune in) there is ample documented forensic evidence that I was treated in a violent and
uncalled for manner.
And excuse me what is the matter with the person talking about the guards just doing their jobs? If that is their job what is happening with HRC/ HRC to security-“take down anyone who you think is acting inappropriately.” Google Nuremberg!
Dear Ben-google Bay Area Reporter and see the photo and then talk about “walking away.”
BTW- my flyers were adorable and humerus-had a high end cruise ship (get it) and the words, “HRC-No Room In The Boat?” I quoted Abe Lincoln and Harvey Milk. If the content was derogatory (as a queer community we move forward together or
stay behind and struggle together) that is because the HRC position is shameful.
Speaking of Harvey Milk- reading some of these posts, I can see a few of you defending Dan White (well-he was under stress, he wasn’t ready to accept gays, Harvey Milk was too aggressive-blah blah blah).
BTW I HAVE SEEEN THESE SAME BLOGGERS ON ALL SITES WITH THEIR ORCHESTRATED COMMENTS (Thomas Johnson being prominent in his manure spreading).
Thank you to supporters and to the pathetic apologists for HRC let me say this-HRC is a pygmy that stands on the shoulders of giants. We organized an AIDS movement on nickels and dimes.
What do you get for your money?? Black Ties and brown shirts..