Did Mark Reed, the Dallas businessman and National Equality March executive committee member, accidentally reveal former co-organizer Robin McGehee is divorcing her wife?
McGehee jumped into the national spotlight last year, when she was booted off the PTA board of her then-5-year-old son’s Sebastian’s Catholic school for being a gay. From there, she quickly worked her way up the ranks of California’s elite activist squad, leading Fresno’s Meet In The Middle summit before joining Kip Williams as a co-director of Cleve Jones’ march. (Both McGehee and Williams have since left NEM and parent group Equality Across America.)
But for someone who made a name for herself as a leading activist from California — and by default involved her marriage to wife Kathy Adams in championing gay rights — her split is one of those Rosie-Kelli incidents: a private matter that will get caught up in the gay marriage fracas, because aren’t these folks supposed to be pillars of gay America?
We’d been hearing rumors of McGehee’s split from wife Kathy for some time now, but it was comments from Mark Reed (last seen in a swear-filled screaming match with Queer LiberAction) to the Dallas Voice, reflecting on the National Equality March, that made the news public. Reed writes: “Probably the most memorable moment for me was while boarding the airplane back to Dallas, I received a call from Stacey Simmons, a person whom I worked closely with on Facebook and Twitter promoting the march. She is Robin McGehee’s girlfriend and they had a message on their hotel room phone from a teenager from Toronto. The message was similar to one Harvey Milk received a day after being elected from a kid from Altoona, Pa. The caller wanted to thank Robin for all her efforts for organizing the march and how he now had hope for things to be different and society to change. After three suicide attempts, he’s no longer trying to take his life. Milk’s famous quote was, ‘You have to give them hope. Hope for a better world, hope for a better tomorrow, hope for a better place to come to if the pressures at home are too great. Hope that all will be all right.’ This march gave him hope!”
Do we really care whether McGehee and Kathy split? Or whether they’re headed for divorce? Not on its face; McGehee might be a public gay rights figure now, but her personal life isn’t of much interest. Unless, of course, it accidentally becomes a talking point for gay marriage opponents, who can point to McGehee’s relationship as evidence of gays’ instability. And they will.
(We reached out to McGehee to confirm things, and hope she’s doing well.)
UPDATE: McGehee tells us: “Yes, the price of discrimination and the activism to combat it has definitely taken a toll on my family.”
(Photo via)
Mike
You are really horrible people. Your picture selection that heads this article is below the belt.
It’s amazing we can get anything done as a community.
AlwaysGay
What is it with women that they divorce so much? 75% of heterosexual divorces are initiated by women. Married lesbians have a very high divorce rate. Meanwhile married gay men have a low divorce rate.
JoeB
The last two paragraphs are wonderfully full of sympathy. “we don’t care but we’re dragging your personal business out in the open anyway. kiss kiss”
Sigh… this is still an easier site to navigate and faster to load than Towleroad.
Sean Chapin
I am disappointed with this article for its divisive tabloid nature and for its inclusion of the selected picture of Robin, such an inclusion that I find to be inappropriate and borderline-defamatory. I would think that we would all come together and support each other in our movement for civil rights for all LGBT and straight Americans, and I would like to understand better how this article helps us on our path towards full equality across America while treating everyone with dignity and respect.
Attmay
“aren’t these folks supposed to be pillars of gay America?”
Most of America, even “gay America”, has never heard of these two. News like this will probably be greeted with “yeah okay whatever.”
Phyllis Wilson
I don’t think this is a big deal. Will our enemies use it against us? Sure, but they’re not going to get much mileage out of pointing to “gay divorce” as an excuse to ban gay marriage — after all, that would open up the uncomfortable subject of heterosexual divorce. If the opposite-marriage crowd really thought that the instability-argument had legs they’d be using it instead of the “gay marriage will be taught in schools”-argument.
So Queerty got their big “exclusive” — congratulations. Now can we talk about something that matters?
A nonny mouse
Bad form, Queerty. Really bad form. And totally self-indulgent.
This is pretty close to an ad hominem attack. Can’t you save those for our real enemies?
A nonny mouse
And it’s lovely that there’s no name on the by-line. Stay classy and courageous!
DJ
Mark Reed (EqualityAcrossAmerica) claims: “Probably the most memorable moment for me was while boarding the airplane back to Dallas, I received a call from Stacey Simmons, a person whom I worked closely with on Facebook and Twitter promoting the march. She is Robin McGehee’s girlfriend and they had a message on their hotel room phone from a teenager from Toronto. The message was similar to one Harvey Milk received a day after being elected from a kid from Altoona, Pa. The caller wanted to thank Robin for all her efforts for organizing the march and how he now had hope for things to be different and society to change. After three suicide attempts, he’s no longer trying to take his life. “
THAT, never happened. Reed admitted that after a few drinks last month. He called it good story.
People who lie – either about a suicidal young teen OR attendance at the March – should not be allowed to lead any effort. Not an LGBT effort or anything else.
Gary Belis
I worked with Robin on the March briefly. She doesn’t deserve this content-free, tabloid nonsense. It is this kind of web-based “journalism” that keeps good people from getting involved in any kind of politics. Shame on you.
Steve DC
@ Gary Belis:
This wasn’t directed at Robin. Those of us that know here, love her. It was directed at Mark Reed – the Dallas idiot that was part of the NEM and is now promoting EqualityAcrossAmerica (apparently defunct).
It was our second warning. This is the guy in the now-famous video of Dallas Activists(?) fighting.
Reed posted several times about Dallas being the “center of LGBT Rights.” Then, he made himself the center of attention.
Train wrecks are fair game.
Quinn
Am I missing something? I see nothing wrong with this picture… and don’t find the article content offensive (sad, sure). Has it been edited??
Dallas Is Cool
Robin,
Please accept our apologies for the behavior of LGBT-Leader-Wannabee MARK REED. He’s a chump. He doesn’t speak for us. Most times, we’re not sure he even speaks for himself.
We’re sorry. he’s just not very cool.
Brian
I second that Robin. Mark isn’t very bright. He wants to be an activist and thinks he bought it with a donation to NEM.
But he’s not very honest. he has no idea what he’s doing. He just thinks he’s important.
If you need LEDs, call Mark Reed. If you need some substance – don’t call, well unless you’re a teenage boy. ; )
Stephanie
We have known this for ages, take a look at her facebook page, it says “it’s complicated”. I think it went from “married” to “it’s complicated” to “single” and then back to “it’s complicated”. This article was correct to be put up, when you put yourself out there to be someone to look up to, and are in the public, everything becomes public, just like politicans.
Mike
Great job with the reporting. Who else would have noticed that little “slip up” in the quote. Surpised no one has demanded they take it down yet. FREE SPEECH ROCKS!
Brian
Mark Reed should be ashamed.
Dan
Reed has nothing to be ashamed of–if he’s telling the truth. We’ve wondered how well Kathy was handling Robin’s activism. Both of us are acquainted with both of them, and Kathy has always seemed to be a more private person. The differing personalities and the $40,000 in credit card charges for Meet in the Middle could really strain any relationship.
JasonKnows
Mark Reed IS a weasel. Beware.
Mike
Take that family values! Cheat on your wife with a new woman, dragg the kids into it all and stand up in front a crowd and be a role model for the rest of us, bravo!
The female Dustin Lance Black
Emanuel Campos
It’s funny how they say that Robin’s personal life is of no nterest to them, yet they dedicate an entire article to her… FULL OF SHIT! We love u Robin, work it out girl we know u can.
Dan
Emanuel–unfortunately when Robin elected to go activist, her private life became public property. This situation will be used to discredit our community–“look! Those people are so unbalanced”–by the opposition. I hope they can work it out, but with a girlfriend in the picture, that is highly unlikely.
Dustin DFW
We all agree Robin is cool. Mark Reed is the idiot in this story. He messed up NEM and EqualityAcrossAmerica, too. People who try to buy the title “Activist” are probably insincere.