Boasting a 100% pro-gay voting record from the Human Rights Campaign in the
last four Congresses, U.S. Sen. John Kerry was the keynote speaker at Saturday's
Human Rights Campaign Chicago benefit gala.
Kerry is running for president, and he spoke of his dreams for a more inclusive
America, where gays and lesbians are never denied equal rights.
But the emotional high point of the night was a passionate speech by actor Jennifer
Beals, best known for her role in Flashdance, but also the star of Showtime's
upcoming lesbian series The L Word.
Beals spoke of her life as a biracial child in Chicago, never quite fitting in any where.
When she finally found other children who looked like her: 'My heart relaxed and
expanded ... . I finally felt there was a place in the world for me.'
Beals teared up as she remembered the difficulties of not fitting in.
As an actor, Beals said she unconsciously searches out roles with these themes.
She said she cherishes the thought of a young girl or woman seeing herself
represented for the first time in the upcoming Showtime series The L Word. 'Her
heart will become relaxed and expanded ... she will grow proud and emboldened ... .
And she will wonder why a government that is supposed to serve everyone fails to
serve so many.'
'We are all one tribe, humanity in all its richness and diversity,' Beals said. 'Living a
history we never wrote, confident we will place history in our own victorious hands.'
Sen. Kerry, who is running in a field of Democrats who run the gamut from pro-gay
to very pro-gay, said the struggle for GLBT civil rights is 'the latest chapter in a long
struggle to make America truly for all our people. ... The fullness of freedom is not
just your cause, it is our cause as Americans.'
Kerry pointed to the fight of Peggy Neff, whose partner died in the Sept. 11 Pentagon
attack, to receive equal access to survivor benefits.
'No one should have had to have been persuaded to give Peggy Neff her basic
human rights,' Kerry said.
Kerry mentioned several mainstream issues that impact GLBTs and all citizens,
including education, healthcare, the environment, the Supreme Court, foreign policy,
and, most importantly, the economy.
Also at the gala, awards were presented to Sears Roebuck & Co. ( represented by
Steve Mulligan ) and Gerber/Hart Library ( represented by Dave Howser ) .
It was announced that Chicago philanthropist Michael Leppen, in addition to giving
$100,000 to the HRC building campaign, also issued a $50,000 matching grant
pledge to the more than 900 people at Saturday's gala.
Also addressing the crowd was Lisa Bennett of HRC's FamilyNet Project, which
deals with a range of 'kitchen table' issues important to GLBTs.
Event co-chairs were Amy Bloom and Keith Zabel.
Among the politicians at the event were four of the Democratic Senate candidates:
State Comptroller Dan Hynes, Blair Hull, Joyce Washington and Gary Chico. State
Sen. Barack Obama was among the many legislators who were stuck in Springfield
for the end of the 2003 regular session.