Stonewall Columbus Responds to Allied Community and Launches Speak Out!Columbus, OH— The daily media frenzy over gay marriage rights continues to grow in intensity and it isn’t just the GLBT community that is taking notice. Stonewall Columbus has seen a noticeable increase in calls and contact with members from the straight community who want to get involved. “People who might never have walked through our door before are doing so now,” stated Kellye Pinkleton, Stonewall Director of Programming, “and they are upset about what is happening locally and nationally in the ‘gay marriage’ debate and they want to do something about it.”

To respond to the needs of this group of individuals, Stonewall has created a new volunteer staff position to coordinate a program to work with allies. Straight advocate, Cheri Meyers, has been appointed to serve as the center’s new Ally Community Coordinator. She has been a Stonewall volunteer since July 2003 and is a member of the Stonewall Programming Committee as well. Meyers, who has been married for eight years and is the mother of two children, resides in Hilliard, OH.

Meyers is the founder of the newly launched Stonewall affiliated advocacy group, Speak OUT. The ally group’s mission is to provide education and support to the straight community about the urgent need to become visible supporters of the GLBT community. Speak OUT stresses the importance of its members to become vocal in their own communities about the concerns facing the GLBT community today. “For too long the straight community has nodded their heads in silent support, but I feel everyone realizes that can no longer be an option,” said Meyers. “The President of our country has drawn a line in the sand and we cannot afford to stay silent. This is not just a gay issue; it is a human rights issue.”

Speak OUT will use four key strategies to meet its goals: volunteer work, monetary donations to GLBT friendly organizations and candidates, voter registration and education about homophobia and heterosexism. The organization took part in last month’s political summit hosted by Stonewall CAN and plans to continue to lend their support to the ongoing equality efforts in Columbus. “I feel like the need has never been greater for our GLBT community members to know that they are supported by the straight community,” said Meyers.

Speak OUT will begin meeting monthly at the Stonewall Community Center, beginning April 17th at 11AM. Stonewall is located at 1160 N. High Street. Interested individuals can also contact the group via email at SpeakOUT_cols@yahoo.com or by contacting Stonewall at 614-299-7764.