“It’s a play on words, obviously. We’re not trying to piss anybody off. People constantly ask us, ‘Oh my goodness. How is it to live in Colorado Springs?’ There’s no attack there with New Life (Church) and Focus (on the Family), but we’re asked so many times what it’s like (in Colorado Springs) that it was just kind of a fun way to say, ‘Hi, we’re here, and we’re comfortable.’”
– Charles Irwin, executive director of the Colorado Springs Pride Center, who designed the t-shirts seen in this picture to wear during Denver PrideFest this past weekend to bring awareness about gays in Colorado Springs.
Isn’t that some kind of slander?
Who are the haters? Why is is considered cute when this group has their so called fun at the expense of others but if anyone dares disagree with their beliefs/values its called hate? Just wondering. I don’t go to New Life and have no connection whatsoever with Focus but this is in very poor taste.
SJ – usually the minority gets away with jabs at the marjority. Always been that way. Consider it a “check & balance”.
I LOVE IT!! The GLBT community has cleverly stated their position in a fun way.
Dogs dont moo, they bark.
Seems like every time we get this city closer to cooling the flames of divisiveness somebody comes along and throws gasoline on the campfire. If Focus or New Life comes out and does a “play on words” with Pridefest all hell will break loose.
Will the shirts be sold at Pridefest?
I like the text but the art work is not so good. We have a ton of great artists in this city, hold a t-shirt art contest and you might be really surprised at the outpouring of material.
*Clappy hands*
FABULOUS!
I never shop a business that uses negative advertising. By stepping on anothers back hardly seems a celebration of diversity. Maybe the Pride Center and Irwin should Focus an their own New Life in a positive manor.
“Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family gave $727,250 in cash and services to the anti-gay marriage Proposition 8 campaign in California, according to records released by the California secretary of state, including a $100,000 check in late October, just days before the evangelical media empire announced it planned to lay off nearly 20 percent of its employees.”
Hmmm, that was two years ago and specifically targeted on California. I can only wonder what has been spent in Focus’s home base of Colorado Springs.
The shirts certainly sparked conversations in Denver. Sadly what we heard the most was “we wont go to Colorado Springs because of Focus on the Family”. Just amazing how many people actually expressed real fear of Springs groups like Focus….
I wonder if anyone realizes that the GLBT people of Colorado Springs probably outnumber the local supporters of these types of equality squashing groups 2 to 1 to say nothing of what I believe is the vast majority of our local population supporting “equality”. No Less, No More, Just Equal!!!!
For me… I’m pretty proud of Colorado Springs and the Colorado Springs Pride Center. It’s a place where we actually do focus on OUR family!
Happy Pride Everyone
Ah, the fruits of the relentless and so-so clever branding efforts of the GLBT community; admirable…quite.
By The Way…. Mr. Gilmore, are you suggesting that we the GLBT community should just be silent and to live with the lack of equality?
I can not speak for each of the estimated 20 to 40,000 gay men and woman in the Colorado Springs area but I do think most don’t want to be silenced any longer.
Groups have tried to silence us for decades and don’t you agree it’s time to silence those that consistently fight against equality? I thought one of your campaign slogans was “Listening To You”
I’m thankful you took the time to comment. We are listening… and watching.
All New Life is doing is opening medical clinics for the poorest women in our city and providing relief help to disaster victims around the world. That seems like a dangerous threat to me. Wink
Very cool, so glad to see this group has a sense of humor…I can’t imagine what it must be like to be part of the GLBT in this town!
I have several gay members of my extended family and they are all intelligent, hard working, productive members of society. I wish I could say that about all the relatives – LOL!
I think that the shirts have a great point. However great points are often overlooked by those who see the words not the point behind them. For those of us in the lgbt community here in the Springs, we have a very diverse view of the two mentioned groups on the shirts, we run the gamete from supportive to UN-supportive. The greater point to be had, is that we are all part of this community and need to start respecting each other. We don’t have to agree, but respect is something we need to strive for. the shirt although meant for a specific audience, were seen by many more. I think that the great work done in our community for our community should be the “focus” and the “life we bring to this city in many forms should be the proof of that focus..
As a Red Sox fan, thinking of the t-shirts we wore at Fenway Park referring to the Yankees…..this seems like pretty tame stuff!
SJ, Andy, and others—I find it interesting that you see this fairly mild play on words as an “attack,” yet think nothing of the fact that Focus spends millions to deny us equal protections under the law.
The point of the shirt is actually a positive—most liberal-minded people outside of Colorado Springs assume, unfairly, that this city is a horrible place to live. The shirt is having fun with that and turning it upside down a bit. This is a wonderful city and a great place to live regardless of whether you are gay or straight, or what religion you follow.
It gets unspeakably tiresome to know that any time you stand up for yourself in the slightest way versus people who spend enormous resources to dehumanize and marginalize you, you will be vilified as a “hater.” But I suspect that some of you will never understand what I mean about that–to you, it seems that we are forcing our way of life on you. I see that many of you really feel that way, and I try to wrap my head around it as best as I can. To me, it is completely the other way around; if anti-gay people would mind their own business and let us mind our own lives, we would no longer need a Pride Center. They’re the ones interfering in OUR lives, not vice versa.
Some of the coolest, kindest people I know go to New Life. I’d never insult them or their church. (And I don’t think the Pride Center insulted them, either. Derek Jeter could tell you a thing or two about what a real insult looks like!)