This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things...

...like marriage for same sex couples, or equal rights for the LGBT community.  When, as a collective, we take one major step forward (marriage legalization in New York), some idiots have to put us two steps back in the eyes of our detractors.  I'm speaking of the "anarchists" that laid waste to the Capitol Hill area of Seattle late Saturday night after their local Pride festivities.

According to Seattle station KOMO, several hundred people swarmed the neighborhood shortly after midnight.

"The mob marched down 12th Avenue and Broadway, yelling and chanting. Some carried rainbow flags, while others carried red-and-black flags and wore masks.

Eventually some people started smashing store windows, damaging property, spray-painting slogans and bashing in the windshield of a patrol car.

During the melee, a bank ATM also was damaged. Windows were smashed and spray-painted at an American Apparel store and at a luxury car dealership.

"It was just a walk down the street - it was a dance party down the street - and some idiot started throwing things," said one young woman who was there.

Some people in the group, described as anarchists, apparently chose to use Gay Pride Weekend to send to message of protest - upset at how much gay pride is now part of the commercial mainstream."

Vandalized storefront of American Apparel store.

The (anarchists/gay pride attendees/vandals) supposedly felt that the gay community, especially around Pride season, was being exploited by corporate America.  That is why they targeted American Apparel in particular.

American Apparel has a line of Legalize Gay brand t-shirts and underwear.  Some of their designs say "Repeal Prop 8".  Some are in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign.  American Apparel does not disclose how much profit they make per item, or how much of the proceeds from the line, if any, go toward LGBT friendly charities.  This is what their website does say:

"American Apparel believes that sexuality should be celebrated, not condemned. When California voters passed Prop 8 in 2008, we let our community know we would support whatever stand they wanted to take. American Apparel believes in freedom, expression and equality, things that are inherently condemned in the prohibition of gay marriage. After printing a few hundred Legalize Gay t-shirts for a rally near our factory in downtown Los Angeles, the company received thousands of requests from people all over the world who asked for us to expand it. 

With many of our employees and customers identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered, we are a company that is vocal about our support for the protection of gay rights. Scores of our employees were on the frontlines of protests in cities across America, handing out hundreds of Legalize Gay t-shirts to supporters, and putting them in our store windows in protest of violence against gays and discriminatory court decisions. We also had a lot of fun at PRIDE rallies and celebrations. We've since given away over 50,000 of these shirts, run protest advertisements nationwide and even partnered with HRC for their enormous march on Washington. "

Hell, their products are even made in California, so they're supporting the local economy.

I remember, just two or three years ago, when you wanted to find a queer friendly shirt, you had to make it yourself.  In 2009, our only resource for a simple rainbow t-shirt for Pride was CafePress.  Two short years later, Old Navy has not one, but two different "Pride 2011" shirts to chose from in their stores.  That's right...Old Fuckin' Navy.

When it comes to LGBT related purchases, I believe you should try to shop from within your local community first.  Believe me, you'll always find a wider selection and more knowledgeable staff when going through your local gay or lesbian owned bookstore or clothing store.  Sometimes, there isn't one in your area.  Thank god for companies like AA.

We're a demographic now.  Isn't that what we have been fighting for all along:  inclusion?  It's the nature of the Free Enterprise system to create and sell products based upon demand.  Even in 2011, there are few Fortune 500 companies in the United States that have the...let's face it, balls to openly market themselves to the queer community.  If they turn a profit by selling a $12.00 shirt to a gay kid, so that he can proudly wear it at school, that is fine by me.

But for people to attack them because they're one of the few companies out there that are "out of the closet"?  How dare they?  Hypocrites.