By Chris Tebbutt
For this week’s column in a month-long series recognizing Laguna Beach LGBTQ+ Heritage & Culture Month, and as a member of this community, I believe it’s super important for us to foster an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity by representation. Representation matters, and that’s especially true for small towns like Laguna Beach. When LGBTQ+ people feel connected to and welcomed by their community, they are more likely to thrive in all aspects of their lives.
Fact: A strong sense of belonging is vital to our social, physical, and emotional well-being. With this in mind, it is essential to provide LGBTQ+ individuals a platform to be seen, honored and recognized.
Did you know?
Did you know in 2023, so far, there have been over 500 bills introduced in state legislatures against the rights of LGBTQ+ people? I worry most about the people who do not feel safe to be who they are. Did you know that LGBTQ+ youth are more than four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers? In a safe and affirming community, LGBTQ+ residents and visitors must have opportunities to be visible to our allies (see last week’s column on how to become an ally) and ensure their rights, safety and well-being are upheld.
Increased visibility through representation can also help to address the prevailing stigma and stereotypes affecting the LGBTQ+ community. Recognition and expression in everyday life are key to a strong sense of belonging to safely be who we are.
Did you know?
Did you know that LGBTQ+ American citizens in 28 states can still legally be denied housing, credit, education, public services, federally funded programs, and jury service simply because of who they love or how they identify? The comprehensive federal LGBTQ+ non-discrimination law titled The Equality Act has passed in the House, but not yet in the Senate. The federal Equality Act would provide consistent and explicit non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people across key areas of life. Just sayin.
Meanwhile, back in our little beach town, did you know that the very first statewide legal precedent to protect LGBTQ+ citizens’ right to serve on a jury was the ruling by longtime Laguna Beach resident and California 4th District Court of Appeal Judge William (“Beds”) Bedsworth? He also wears a Stanley Cup ring, no big deal.
Did you know?
Did you know that the first openly gay mayor in America was Robert (Bob) Gentry, former trailblazing Laguna Beach City Councilmember and resounding voice for those affected during the HIV/AIDS crisis? As mayor, Gentry also pushed through legislation such as the Same-Sex Domestic Partner registry, which allowed same-sex couples to register with the city in order to receive recognition and rights as couples before there were statewide protections.
A longtime advocate for our LGBTQ+ community, Gentry has been a wonderful example of how to be a successful mayor and a good gay role model at the same time.
Did you know?
Did you know that the very first openly gay presidential candidate in a major political party actually wasn’t Pete Buttigieg, but rather longtime Laguna Beach resident Fred Karger? His candidacy for the Republican nomination for the 2012 US presidential election made him the first openly gay presidential candidate in a major political party in American history.
Something else you may not know about Karger. He is the LGBTQ+ activist who led the petition drive to save the Boom Boom Room, the historic landmark gay bar located in Laguna Beach. The bar at the Coast Inn was constructed in 1927 and, by the 1940s, had become a haven for gay and lesbian guests, making it one of the oldest gay bars in the Western United States. Artists from Laguna Beach, actors from Hollywood, such as Rock Hudson, as well as marines from the nearby bases all came to this safe haven to be who they are in a county that was otherwise staunchly conservative. This year, in celebration of Laguna Beach LGBTQ+ Heritage & Culture month, Karger’s documentary entitled “Save The Boom” was screened to a standing-room-only crowd last week at the Laguna Art Museum.
Chris Tebbutt is a Laguna Beach resident, business owner, husband, father and co-founder of Laguna Beach LGBTQ+ Heritage & Culture Alliance.
