What’s in a name?

Last February, I opined on the impact of the San Diego Democratic Club’s decision to become the San Diego Democrats for Equality, particularly as it related to endorsements. A year later, that impact may be manifesting itself in a different way.

In 2012, the question was whether the newly named Democrats for Equality should endorse one candidate over another with a comparable record on equality issues. I said “no.” I stand by that answer, but I’d be a fool to argue with the success of their decision in that election. In a race as close as Congressman Scott Peters’ (fingers tingling just typing that) defeat of former Congressman Brian Bilbray (fingers positively jumping off keys), it’s hard to argue early primary endorsements didn’t have an impact. Peters, in turn, highlighted his support for the LGBT community and women’s issues throughout his campaign.

The 2013 question, posed by last Thursday’s City Council District 4 candidates’ forum, was more about what equality means. The diversity of the candidates participating in the discussion was notable in itself: Dwayne Crenshaw, a gay male, Myrtle Cole, a straight female and Anthony Villafranca, a straight male, all from communities of color.

Crenshaw and his supporters effectively used the question and answer period to underscore his work in the LGBT community as one of its members. Looking past some testy exchanges and argumentative questions on both sides, it was clear that the other candidates couldn’t match Crenshaw’s contribution to specific LGBT issues.

What was also clear is that while Cole could not as easily list specific contributions to LGBT issues, she wasn’t exactly twiddling her thumbs – she just had different foci. One was getting LGBT officials elected, including then Councilmember and now Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins. Another was making life better for members of the labor community, including the United Domestic Workers, many of whom are women. (As a resident of District 3, I won’t even try to judge the rounds over who lived and/or worked where for how long.)

In the end, the Democrats for Equality decided it meant rating both Dwayne Crenshaw and Myrtle Cole as “acceptable,” a decision I found as heartening as it was disappointing.

Disappointing because I wanted Dwayne Crenshaw to be endorsed by the Democrats for Equality. I support him for his work at San Diego Pride, as one of the people involved in bringing a Pride Flag and Harvey Milk Street to San Diego and because I think he would make an excellent councilmember. I still do, though it was a pleasure to meet Myrtle Cole at the forum, and I was impressed with her answers and commitment.

Heartening because it shows we are all coming together on the capital “E”-quality. When President Obama said “through Seneca Falls and Selma and Stonewall,” he affirmed the place of the LGBT movement in the struggle for civil rights. That place comes with a charge to ensure we move forward together. While the LGBT community has made impressive gains, women’s reproductive rights have been under assault in many states. So have labor and immigrant communities, whom President Obama should have included in his litany. To continue the consonance, he might have included Shirtwaist, a New York garment factory where 146 largely immigrant workers died in a 1911 fire because managers locked the doors to prevent breaks. (Activism in the tragedies wake led to improved safety standards.) Does Cole’s focus on the future of Shirtwaist mean less for “E”-quality than Crenshaw’s work to maintain the momentum of Stonewall?

We should be careful about putting our thumbs too heavily on the scale when weighing commitment to the causes encapsulated in Selma, Seneca Falls, Stonewall and Shirtwaist. Particularly among candidates who scored the same 100 percent on questionnaires, and can evidence a commitment to equality as a whole. Historical significance can also be seen through a variety of rear view mirrors. As Atkins pointed out at the forum, electing a woman of color to City Council may mean as much to history and diversity as electing another LGBT person of color.

There is still something to be said for organizations that focus on electing LGBT candidates, like the LGBT Victory Fund, because a seat at the table is important. But I also know straight allies who were working for LGBT rights before I came out. Are they really any less a part of our community? What about the children of LGBT couples? What LGBT organization would seriously refuse to endorse Zach Wahls, the eloquent activist son of an Iowa lesbian couple? At some point, allies deserve the same inclusion in the LGBT community that we seek in the nation at large.

Like the Victory Fund, electing qualified LGBT candidates is part of the mission of the Democrats for Equality. By that metric, I’m hard pressed to argue much with those who feel the club should have endorsed Crenshaw. The metric of the future, however, will be ensuring that the long arc of history continues to bend toward justice for all. By that yardstick, the only error was rating Crenshaw and Cole as “acceptable”. Their records suggest they’re both far better than that. But forgive them … they may just be a little ahead of their time.