THANKS 2011

ShowMeNoHate has had a wonderful 2011!  We started 2011 with a victory at Laclede Gas, an utility company that has been around since Abraham Lincoln, that ironically had the same employee discrimination policies since Abraham Lincoln.

ShowMeNoHate provided help to locals who felt targeted due to their same-sex relationships.  With our pressure of going to the media, we saw the end of policy were unmarried roommates could not rent single bedroom units through a Central West End apartment management agency.  Staging peaceful counter-protests, we brought media attention to several Fred Phelps protests.

We killed a horrible University City ordinance.  A law that would target African-American teenagers standing or walking along the streets in the historic University City Loop.  At the exact same time, we applauded University City for passing a domestic partnership registry paving the way for cities Olivette and Clayton.

We shamed a local radio personality and Channel 5 KSDK (local St. Louis NBC affiliate) after they aired a homophobic rant on a "I'm Just Sayin'" segment.

ShowMeNoHate organized the second annual Harvey Milk March.  Supporters walked from the LGBT Center's brand new home in The Grove to St. Louis City Hall.  We continued to lead the Marriage Equality dialogue at churches, synagogues, community centers, libraries, high schools, colleges and universities.

These are OFFICIAL photos of NOH8.  Adam Bouska will be in St. Louis in 2012 for the first time to take official NOH8 photos.  Only when Bouska takes your NOH8 picture are you supporting the NOH8 Campaign.

We thanked, shared, shouted, retweeted, sung the praises of photographer Adam Bouska and the official NOH8 Campaign.  We assisted our displaced Missouri brothers and sisters after the tornado disaster devastated Joplin, Missouri.  And we chartered 4 more Show Me Marriage Equality Buses to Iowa City where over 100 Missouri same-sex couples obtained legal marriage licenses.

In true ShowMeNoHate spirit, we not only called attention to the biggest bigots, we continue to hold our very own St. Louis LGBT community accountable.  NO HATE means NO HATE, and too often the most common direction of hate comes from within our very own lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.  With the support of others, we arose above the hate and did some education to help heal our fractured community.

Our proudest 2011 moments didn't come from us; rather, our proudest moments came from seeing our city's queer and straight community take to the streets - on their own - in a very ShowMeNoHate-way.  Success is best seen when we are imitated.  St. Louis is starting to experience some of the best activism supporting Equality for everyone!  Whether it looks like a protest, boycott, editorial, civil disobedience, news column, television story or a shift in awareness - ShowMeNoHate has again been a successfully catalyst at stirring the pink pot.

Here's to a happy and healthy 2012!

Ed Reggi
Founder of ShowMeNoHate

P.S. ShowMeNoHate is a coalition of people and organizations - we are not a non-profit organization so we only ask for support when we need it.  At this time we do not need it.
But LGBTQ Youth need your help!  Please support Growing American Youth before the year is over (and in 2012).  Use this link to make an online quick and harmless donation.