LGBT Rights: The Power of a Single Conversation | Freethink Crossing the Divide

After Californians voted against gay marriage in 2008, Dave Fleischer, head of the Leadership LAB at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, knew he had to do something different to reach people. Dave and his team embarked on an ambitious task to talk to as many people who who disagreed with them as they could. They used a technique called “deep canvassing” where activists connect with people using personal stories to a make deeper connection with the issue. And the result of the over 15,000 conversations showed that talking to someone face to face could have a deep and lasting impact on people’s opinions on gay and transgender rights.

[valentia]

One cannot stress enough the difference between changing someone’s mind, and bringing new perspectives to both parties when doing this exercise.

[micahroberts]

This is fantastic and exhausting and important work. I'm a bisexual trans man and someone who lost half of his family to an unwillingness to find common ground, despite attempting a similar approach (I'm a therapist by trade) over a span of several years. I think the piece that both I and they missed was seeking common ground through story telling. I was looking to be understood and gave them patience and grace; they were trying to convince me I needed to change my "lifestyle choices" through fear and shame and they tried to give me compromise. Neither side was really listening to the story telling. I've learned something today; thank you!

[NaNs]

I love this channel so much. Another awesome video!! :D

[toria]

Beautiful video! Finding the middle ground builds trust, reduces prejudice and creates communites.

[caesarmatty]

Unfortunately the Left in America (and elsewhere) seems to have forgotten this lesson. Chanting, protests and riots are the norm. Simple, respectful conversations seem like distant memories. These guys didn't demonize their opponents, the screech "Nazi." They went out and changed minds. This doesn't seem possible in today's climate.

[julianchee]

but to be honest, this only works with people who have an open mind to begin with. Try applying the same tactic to a flat farther, or a literal creationist. The moment they see you and what you are, they instantly block out, stick their fingers in their ears and go bla bla bla by default, no matter the facts at your disposal you have or how persuasive you are because to some people, personal feelings shape policies instead of truths and facts. The man in the video, is one very rare to be able to accept people of different backgrounds.

[ShadowSource]

We are human. simple. So the people who are against you have just as much in common with them.

[Carnivorousplantyum]

If you look at Kohlberg's moral development chart most people have this low moral decision making of just going along with the people around you to fit in. The same reason homosexuality gained acceptance is how the Nazi's gained acceptance or how slavery became outlawed. Most people are just trying to fit in and choose their morality to do that.

[huckfin]

It's a simple negotiation tactic. That's all it is.

[sandrahall]

thought provoking video but please, lose that awful loud irritating music - I had to mute it and read the subtitles

[joanofarc]

Please stop saying it wasn’t a choice because it is a choice which is why we call it a “sexual preference”. You’re not physically allergic to the opposite sex you just don’t fancy them. The fact that men an women could marry in their youth have children in their marriage just to declare in their 40’s or 50’s that they’re gay and have always been gay is testament to that. I have nothing against these preferences but don’t pretend as if it’s some biological reality when it’s not.

[einfachnurich]

(So not sure how people will think about this opnion but still) This is my opnion to the matter:

Firstly I am from Germany and my family is pretty conservativ so I may be biased but we all think that you do you but we also think that you shouldn´t make your oriantation as an excuse or that you should confront people they don´t support your belives (aslong as they aren´t against them) because that normally just results in the person haveing bad feelings about you/your group. I think people should make their own opinion and you shouldn´t force them to think about something the way you think about it (atleast as long as they don´t cause no physical harm to anyone). Also you need to remember the loudest voices are normally the dumbest so if you want to suceed with your goal you should silence the people who work against it ( normally they are in the same group as you eg: TikTok)


(sry for bad english)