Violating The Kentucky Constitution, Discriminating With The Bible And The Power Of The "F" Word

A Story by LibMom

Where I speak to the rudest woman in the world, and find two new heroes.

I saw this article on The Advocate's webpage today:

Kentucky: Disabled Gay Couple Ejected From Pool

By Michelle Garcia

THE PAVILION HAZARD KENTUCKY X390 (FAIR) | ADVOCATE.COM

The Hazard Pavilion

A gay couple in Hazard, Ky., was ejected from a public recreation facility, sparking outrage from local LGBT organizations and allies.

The two men, who are reported to be developmentally and intellectually disabled, went to the pool at the Pavilion in Hazard, a city-owned facility. They were turned away by a maintenance technician, who told them, "We own this place and can tell you to leave if we want to."

Shirlyn Perkins, executive director of Mending Hearts Inc., said the two men are clients of her organization, which provides support for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. She said in a statement Monday that the Pavilion staff member used the Bible to urge the couple to leave the facility.

"My staff asked the Pavilion staff why they were being asked to leave, and they were informed that 'gay people' weren't allowed to swim there," she said. "My staff told this man that what he was trying to do was discrimination. The man stated that what he was doing was in the Bible and he could do it. My staff continued to argue with this man but was ultimately forced to leave. My clients, who already feel ridiculed and different, left the city-owned facility crying and embarrassed for trying to participate in 'normal' activities that everyday 'normal' people do."

Several organizations in Kentucky are planning to stage a protest at Hazard City Hall and at the Pavilion. The Kentucky Equality Federation's Will Taylor said, "The only way to stop the upcoming protest is an official apology for the way these people have been treated and immediate corrective action."

I cried. First and foremost, who in the world did this maintenance technician (Mr. Haines) (sic) think he was that he could say such things to ANYONE, much less two developmentally challenged men? I wanted to know, so I Googled The Pavilion, Hazard, Kentucky, and got a name: Charlotte Sizemore. Ms. Sizemore is, as of this afternoon, the director of record for The Pavilion. I called her office, and spoke to her. I identified myself as a writer and blogger, and I had a few questions regarding an article I had seen on The Advocate's website. I had the article up in front of me, and began asking her specific questions about the incident. Ms Sizemore informed me that, even though she had "been off" that day, and had not spoken with the maintenance technician, the entire story was "a lie". That peaked my interest, as I never believe anyone who tells me something is false when they have no proof, so I began digging. I asked Ms. Sizemore why the men were ejected from the pool, and she said "they were doin' stuff", and said that if "straight people were doin' that stuff, we'd make them leave, too". I had heard whispers at this point that all one man did was sit on the other's knee and put his arm around him, but I didn't want to go there yet, so I said that I had read somewhere they were just swimming. She laughed and said no, they weren't just swimming. I pushed, and it was at this point that the conversation took a surreal turn. Charlotte Sizemore said to me "You don't f*****g know, f**k you" and hung up on me.

When I got done shaking, I went on Facebook, posted the comments, Ms. Sizemore's contact information, and began posting a synopsis and link to the Advocate article on various media pages. I contacted Mending Hearts and shared with them my experience with Ms. Sizemore, and they were shocked but not suprised. I contacted the city manager of Hazard, and left a message. I was angry, and frustrated, and then I thought "Okay, but how would you feel if that level of hate had been directed at you and you were developmentally challenged? You see the world as a child does, and suddenly this angry person lashes out at you?" I realized that this entire incident, and my experience with Charlotte Sizemore, had to be about these two men, the maintenance technician, and the town of Hazard, Kentucky.

About two hours ago, Jordan Palmer, the director of the Kentucky Equality Federation, called me. He extended an apology for Ms. Sizemore's behavior not only from himself, but from the city manager, and we proceeded to have what may be one of the best converstations I have ever had. Mr. Palmer began by telling me that there were registered nurses at The Pavilion that day, and that in Kentucky, if an RN lies in a public statement or to the press, they can lose their license. The program that helps these these two men, along with many others like them, Mending Hearts, receives funding for Medicare from Frankfurt, which they could lose if they lied to the press. Mr. Palmer and Mending Hearts have requested video of the incident; as of this article, they have been met with silence. Mr. Palmer told me about Julia Spiegel, and her statement to the press, which I found on facepunch.com:

Said Kentucky Equality Federation Children of LGBTI Parents Outreach Director Julia Oiler Spiegel: "The two gay males with developmental and intellectual disabilities were discriminated against by the staff of The Pavilion based on their sexual orientation...As a gay parent of a child with a developmental challenge, I am outraged by this complete act of ignorance directed at these young men and their staff. As a public community service, the The Pavilion has a responsibility to provide equal treatment to all members of their facility and to properly educate their staff accordingly. A Biblical comment is totally inappropriate. All citizens of the Commonwealth of Kentucky should be treated with equality and respect, based not only on their intellectual abilities but their sexual orientation as well. This was a humiliating experience for both of these young men and will not be tolerated. I demand a public apology, not only these young men, but to the clients and staff of Mending Hearts, Inc. as well as the LGBTI community of Perry County."

Mr. Palmer has spent the past 48 hours literally besieged with phone calls and emails from media outlets all over this country. Hell, Anderson Cooper called the mayor, and the mayor suggested Cooper speak with Jordan Palmer. It was incredibly nice and quite frankly, humbling, to have Mr. Palmer take time out of his day to call me, extend a formal apology for Charlotte Sizemore's behavior and to spend so much time speaking with me. While we were speaking, he put me on hold to take a call from Paul R. Collins, full time defense attorney and part time city attorney for Hazard. Mr. Collins made it very clear to Jordan Palmer that he was not really interested in this Pavilion incident, then proceeded to tell Mr. Palmer that he would need a permit for a protest planned to call attention to hate and bigotry shown by a city employee to two very vulnerable men. The Kentucky Constitution, according to Mr. Palmer, does not require a permit for peaceful assembly. The Kentucky Equality Federation is supported by eleven gay friendly representatives in the state house and the Health and Welfare Committee. Mr. Palmer's family own numerous businesses within Hazard, and he has made it very clear that neither he or his organization are going anywhere.

I want to end with this: Yes, I was sworn at. But I can take it. These two men who did nothing more than have physical contact, were verbally attacked and humiliated by a Bible thumping bigot, who illegally used religion to discriminate on city owned property. Charlotte Sizemore, by lying through her teeth to me, then attacking me, proved that the story I read in The Advocate was true. Why would registered nurses and state directors of Mending Hearts and the Kentucky Equality Federation risk everything to lie? Sizemore has everything to gain from lying, but Jordan Palmer, Julia Speigel, Shirlyn Perkins have nothing to gain at all, but everything to lose. I have the greatest respect for Jordan Palmer and his group and for Mending Hearts. They are standing up to people like Charlotte Sizemore and Paul R. Collins, and they are speaking out on behalf of two innocent men, who see the world the way my son did when he was little, and who deserve love and empathy and kindness and light. They are the heroes in all of this, and we should never forget that.