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Virginia’s Fight for Non-Discrimination

Things you, as my reader, know: I’m a comedian, a lover of Mexican food, Diet Coke, and of all things positive.

What you may not know, is that I am also an extremely big political dork. I love politics. In a previous life (not too long ago), I worked for former Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine. But, as much as I LOVE politics and healthy debate, when it comes to the social media world, I try my best to keep my opinions to myself. It’s not that I’m afraid of speaking my mind; it’s that I don’t want my opinions or beliefs to overshadow the other awesome things about me. Right?

But, because this is an issue I am extremely passionate about, I feel it necessary to share my feelings.

BACKSTORY (I spent my undergraduate years at Christopher Newport University (CNU) in Newport News, Virginia).

Silent But Equal Protest - February 2007 at CNU

In the fall of 2003, I ran for Freshman class president at CNU. Then I ran for student government senator. I didn’t know many people on campus, but I knew I wanted to get involved and make a difference. A big issue we dealt with that year was the topic of adding the phrase “sexual orientation” to the university’s non-discrimination policy. A non-discrimination policy is the formal, legal policy that any business, employer, organization, company, university, etc. has that says that the organization will not discriminate in employment, hiring, firing, acceptance, admission, etc. based upon sex, race, religion, veteran status, marital status, disability, and sometimes gender identity or sexual orientation.

Being a rather conservative campus, this idea of adding two words to a policy was extremely controversial. The final decision HAD to come from the university’s Board of Visitors, a body of people appointed by the governor. Well, in the spring of 2004 the proposal was tabled. Over the next three years the student government association (SGA) tried to get the proposal back on the table with no luck.

In the spring of 2006, I ran for student body president and I won. When I took office, I made it a promise to myself and to the students that this policy would NOT go unchanged under my watch. I didn’t care what I had to do, but the fact that there were some of my peers, students, faculty, and staff being discriminated against because of how they identified themselves or whom they chose to love was unacceptable.

I knew I was going up against a fight. A big fight. So I did my homework. I spent hundreds and hundreds of hours in the library doing research. I looked up the non-discrimination policies of over 500 colleges and universities in the WORLD that included sexual orientation. I researched fortune 500 companies that chose to not discriminate. I looked at the legal issues – there were none. When all was said and done, my formal proposal was over 42 pages long. And I printed and bound 15 copies – one for each board member. I wrote my speech, put on my suit, and rallied the campus. Over 700 students showed up to the board of visitors meeting that November in support. Four students showed up against. It was extremely emotional. Although the vote didn’t happen that day, the proposal got taken off the table and would be voted on in February. Between November and February I lobbied each BOV member and worked to make sure that it would pass.

In the meantime, my car was egged, my office was vandalized, and blog post after letter to the editor was written in haste of me. It was a really difficult time. Then, the day before the vote, I get a letter in the mail from (then) Attorney General of Virginia Bob McDonnell outlining why the addition of sexual orientation to the university’s non-discrimination policy was illegal. I WAS FLOORED.

I immediately called out every hasty generalization and every fallacy McDonnell stated and even called the Governor’s office to get a letter of support. TAKE THAT MCDONNELL.

To make an already long story shorter, February 23rd, 2007 came. Over 1,500 students showed up in silent protest with signs. I spoke to the Board of Visitors. Shot down every lame point McDonnell stated. Gave my final word. And the board voted.

More CNU Students at Silent Protest in 2007

It was unanimous in support of non-discrimination for all on campus. I don’t think I’ve ever cried so hard in my life. That was/is by far my proudest moment.

PRESENT DAY

That Attorney General is now the Governor of Virginia. Ken Cuccinelli is now the Attorney General. And this is what happened: On March 5th, 2010, Ken Cuccinelli wrote a letter to ALL the public colleges and universities in Virginia stating:

“It is my advice that the law and policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia prohibit a college or university from including ‘sexual orientation’ ‘gender expression,’ or like classificaiton as a protected class within its non-discrimination policy, absent specific authorization from the General Assembly.”

YEAH RIGHT. Yeah, calling him on it. BULLPOO.

It’s 2010. Does the General Assembly have to give specific authorization for RACE to be a protected class? How about SEX? Many arguments against the inclusion of “Sexual Orientation” state that it is a lifestyle choice and that lifestyle choices shouldn’t be protected in policies such as these.

Regardless on whether or not you think one’s sexual orientation is a choice, let’s think for a moment. RELIGION is a protected class. And that, to me, is a lifestyle choice. I am a Christian. I choose that. Others may choose to identify themselves a Catholic. That, is a choice.

Marital status is a choice. My friends, who happen to be married, CHOSE to get married. It’s not 1493 in ancient Egypt and their marriage wasn’t arranged. It was a choice.

I could go on.

But my overall frustration lies in the message this type of letter is sending. It’s a divider. It’s making an issue (that shouldn’t even BE an issue) one of controversy, religion, and political affiliation. It’s not about being a republican, democrat, Christian, Muslim, straight or gay. In the end, this is about human beings, human beings who should never feel as though they are second class citizens. We are no better than our friends, enemies, sisters, brothers, neighbors, or strangers. It is 2010 and we should ALL feel equal. We should ALL be able to walk across town or across campus and know that we are protected by that which governs us.

So, to you, AG Kucinelli and Governor McDonnell, I say put aside your “religious beliefs” and “partisan politics” and wake the hell up. Know that the students in your Virginia universities are bright, intelligent, beautiful, and are incredibly brilliant. And just because you don’t agree with who some of them may choose to love does NOT give you the right to make them feel insignificant.

Even though I don’t live in Virginia anymore, I hope that this type of behavior stops now. If I learned anything from my mother, it’s that you stand up for what you know is right, even if it may not be the most popular decision on the block.

/Rant.

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Want more information? Here is some of the archived press coverage of when I was in school and how my university fought to change the policy.

Write a letter to or call AG Kuccinelli:

Office of the Attorney General
900 East Main Street
Richmond, VA 23219

(804) 786-2071

Write a letter to or call Governor McDonnell:

P.O. Box 1475
Richmond, Virginia 23218

(804) 786-2211

Dratch & Fey – My Heroes

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Most of you know by now that in addition to being extremely passionate about writing and social media, I am a comedian. I have always loved comedy. I can remember as a kid staying awake way past my bedtime, just so I could watch Saturday Night Live. I would watch old clips of Gilda Radner and Jane Curtin and think to myself, “Wow, I want to do that.”

I'll admit it. I'm a ham.

Comedy has influenced my entire life.

One of my earliest memories that I have is: I was two years old, sitting at my kitchen table eating dry cheerios and I stopped to look around. My mom said to me, “Honey what’s wrong?” I said, “Mom, where are the cameras?” This was a completely honest and heartfelt question. I honestly believed that my life was like an episode of The Truman Show (Even though that movie hadn’t even been made yet, that’s what I thought my life was. I thought I was on T.V. and on stage all the time).

I began acting in elementary school, and always played the comic relief. I started writing sketches and bits and putting on little plays for my parents or my friends. When I was in drama in middle and high school, I would always write a sort of “sketch revue” and try to have one of my sketches featured at an assembly or something like that. I performed all the time.

Then it came time to choose a college. I had been offered golf scholarships to a couple of large division-1 schools. [CONFESSION: Yes, I have played golf my entire life. Yes, I was the only girl on the golf team for a long time. No, I am not a loser. No, I am not better than Michelle Wie.] Well, I knew that golf wasn’t my true passion… comedy was (is). I went to visit Christopher Newport University and I heard they had a sketch comedy troupe. I went to see a show and fell in love. I was not going to go to another school. I WAS going to go to CNU and join CNU TONiGHT and be a writer and performer and be awesome. And I did.

Then in college, I took my first class in improvisation at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater in New York City, NY. I got bit by the improv bug. The feeling of ultimate positivity, being totally in the moment, and completely without a script was the most freeing thing I have ever done – and I have never looked back. I even moved to North Carolina to take classes at the DSI Comedy Theater. Improv is addictive.

I share this with you because of all these experiences (and the ones I have yet to experience) have helped to shape who I am and shape my perspective. Maybe it will help you understand me more. Maybe it’s just a good story. Maybe this is a waste of your time. Who knows?

But as I have come to love comedy and love writing and LOVE improvisation, I have come to totally and utterly admire these two women: Tina Fey and Rachel Dratch. They are incredible writers, incredible performers, and incredible women. They have truly influenced the entire industry to prove that YES, women ARE funny.

[I also totally love and admire Amy Poehler, but she isn't in this video. But it's okay. SIDE NOTE: I met Amy Poehler the summer after I graduated from college when I was taking comedy classes in NYC (PICTURE PROOF HERE). I think I was able to say a total of ten words to her. I totally froze. I suck.]

I haven’t seen this video in a long time! This is an awesome clip from an ABC news interview with Tina and Rachel from A LONG time ago. In the interview, they talk about their hilarious two-woman sketch show “Dratch & Fey.” Thanks @callmeKP for the link. They also talk about the stigma that comes with being a woman in comedy and how they have worked to combat that stigma. If you can’t see the video, click here. We can learn a lot from these women, no matter what field of “expertise” we are in.

QUESTION: Do you think that the battle that many women have had to face in comedy is similar to a battle women have had to face in business? Do you think the “male-dominated comedy business” and “male-dominated business-business” are changing? What progress have we made? Women in the United States STILL only make 78 cents to every man’s dollar for the same position and same work. I want to hear your thoughts.

Word.

Why your college degree matters

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I promised this post was coming, so here it is. I can NOT talk about social media for a day.

I have been hearing some sad and somewhat disturbing buzz lately. In today’s technological society and with all this encouraged entrepreneurship, YES, many adults are throwing out the argument, “Today’s youth doesn’t need to go to college. A college degree doesn’t mean much anymore. It’s as common as a high school diploma. So just start your business, make millions, and forget about school.” Okay, that last part is an exaggeration, but definitely is not far from the truth of what many are arguing.

Right after I got my diploma. I was excited.

And many young entreprenuers themselves are starting to doubt whether or not they should go to college. The 16-year-old tech genius Daniel Brusilovsky wrote in a recent post that he was debating whether or not to apply for college. Brusilovsky was trying to decide whether or not college is the best four years of your life, or simply four years of wasted time. Especially considering how smart this kid is, it honestly bothered me that he would even THINK about not going to college. (Thankfully, he has closed the debate and he IS, in fact, going to go to college. PHEW!) Why would it bother me so much that a kid, one whom I have never met, is talking about not going to school? A lot of kids choose to forego college and pursue their dreams. Professional athletes (minus football players) are guilty of this all the time – especially in basketball and even young golfers.

So what do I really think? Now, I’m speaking from a place of being currently unemployed (except for doing freelance work and consulting when I can and my part-time retail job – which both combined don’t exactly pay my bills). I’ll be honest to say that it has been frustrating lately applying for jobs and either having “too much” education or “not enough” education. I feel like I don’t fall into the desired category. I’m in a category with the majority of Americans – I have a high school diploma and a college degree, nothing more, nothing less – therefore according to corporate America, I’m average.

Now, not to toot my own horn, but I don’t consider myself to be average. I worked really hard. I got really good grades in college. And instead of going to a party on Friday night, I stayed up late working in the Student Government (SGA) office trying to make a difference on campus (at Christopher Newport) and throughout the state of Virginia. I volunteered more than 10 hours a week and I even created an endowed scholarship in honor of my mother when I graduated. Immediately after graduation, I had the honor of being selected as a Governor’s Fellow and worked beside the Governor of Virginia for two months experiencing state government first-hand. After serving as a Fellow, I went on to teach high school English for two years. It may have been the most challenging experience of my life, but I learned some of the most valuable information I will ever need to know. Now I’m unemployed and I can’t find a job. But I am no where near complaining. Honestly. I wouldn’t change any of my experiences.

Okay, ultimately, what is my point?

Life is unpredictable. Your situation can change at any moment. And although things may be more difficult now, I know they won’t be like this forever. But if I ever decide to pursue further education, advance in my career, or even run for political office, I am going to be proud to know that I have my degree from Christopher Newport University (Go Captains!) to back me up.

The four (sometimes five, six, or sadly, even seven) years you spend in college are vital. Look, I’m not trying to sound like a Vitamin-C song, but truly, college is not just about the classes, or the number of hours spent in the library. I learned more information (that I’m going to retain) outside of the classroom than I ever did taking notes on John Milton’s Paradise Lost. The connections that I forged, the meetings I attended, the clubs I was a part of, and even the mistakes I made, all helped to shape who I am now. And that DOES set me apart from the masses.

So even if you’re 17 and you have a brilliant idea that is going to make you billions, go to college and hash it out there. Don’t gamble with your future, in that if you ever do fall on your face in your 30′s, you’ll still have that degree to prove you’re worthy.

I swear, if I hear one more man, woman, or teenager say college isn’t worth it, I’m going to have some serious words. (I’m not a fighter, so I’ll probably just give them a stern talking to. But at least they’ll be intimidated).

All for now.

still being [Molly]

fashion. faith. fawesome.

Tag Archives: christopher newport university

Virginia’s Fight for Non-Discrimination