| Houston Voice article
By BINNIE FISHER with the Houston Voice
Friday, September 09, 2005
Robynne Sapp (left) and Dotti Berry will head
out from Bellingham, Wash. Sept. 11 on a mission
they call, “Gay into Straight America.”
On Sunday, Sept. 11, two Bellingham, Wash. women and a standard poodle named Rylee Joy will crank up a donated purple Suburban and head out on a cross-country mission to change perceptions about same-sex marriage.
If all goes according to plan, Dotti Berry, Robynne Sapp and Rylee Joy should arrive in Houston around Thanksgiving.
They say they are qualified to talk about marriage because they are married. Or, they were married. The two women were legally married in Portland, Ore. on March 7, 2005 before that state took away marriage rights and voided all same-sex marriages.
Berry makes it clear that she and Sapp are not making a trip across the country to sing to the choir. They hope to engage in dialogue with those who haven’t yet made up their minds regarding the marriage issue.
Berry said what she and Sapp most want to find are instances of “authentic communication,” and those can happen anywhere.
“Authentic communication is not planned,” she said.
The two have no preconceived notions regarding their journey or their encounters with people along the way.
“One thing I’ve learned is not to be attached to a specific outcome,” Berry said. “When you’re not attached to a specific outcome, you create an open space for people to walk into.”
Leading up to the start of their journey, friends have staged fundraisers with well-known lesbian musicians to gather a stake for beginning the trip.
Along the way, the two women hope to work here and there to keep the coffers filled.
Some might wonder why two women would give up their lives in a beautiful and vibrant part of the country to go cross-country in a purple vehicle.
“We made a vow at our wedding to change the world through the expression of our love,” Berry said.
Since it was a vow, the two affirm that they are ready to do whatever they have to do to make it happen.
“We’re willing to refinance our home if we have to,” Berry said.
The seed for their mission began to germinate with their involvement with Soulforce, an organization that uses nonviolent resistance to help free oppressed sexual and gender minorities from religious and political oppression.
An article in the March 2005 edition of The Advocate sealed the deal. The article was written by Lutheran minister Lars Clausen, who had planned a journey that he called “Straight into Gay America.”
Berry said, “We were ecstatic about meeting with Lars face-to-face on Memorial Day 2005, reveling in our parallel journeys. We all agree that the bigger picture is about moving beyond political and religious polarization.”
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| Robynne Sapp (left) and Dotti Berry made a vow to each other that they would do all they could to change the world. |
The first leg of the journey will take them to Portland, Ore., where marriage was given to them and then taken away.
“We hope to dispel myths and fears that individuals have of GLBT persons and create a safe space for meaningful dialogue,” the women said. “We both feel strongly about treating other people with respect and listening carefully to them, regardless of differences of opinion.”
From Oregon, they’ll proceed into California. A number of events are planned in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. By the December holidays, the two women plan to be in Atlanta, Ga., where Berry’s mother lives.
Although the two are from different professional bents, their jobs are likely to compliment the mission. Berry is a life coach who is finishing a doctorate in human sexuality. Sapp is a photographer.
They aren’t likely to turn down any donations and gifts toward completing the mission, but the two stress that they really do plan to work their way across the country.
As a life coach, Berry is capable of doing business wherever she goes. Sapp will bring along a portable photography studio allowing her to shoot portraits.
Anyone who’s interested will have the opportunity to follow their progress by logging onto www.gayintostraightamerica.com and reading their blogs.
In addition to the events already planned, others are being formulated. Where there is no planned event, there is still opportunity for dialogue.
Wherever they go, their rainbow wristbands will likely jump-start conversation, which is all part of the plan.
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