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Man Sues Over "I'm Gay" License Plate


Keith Kimmelx390 (Screen grab) | Advocate.com

An Oklahoma student is suing his state’s tax commission over its rejection of his request to put the words “I’m Gay” on his license plate.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Keith Kimmel argues that the denial violates his First Amendment rights, and that it represents a double standard because license plates with messages such as STR8FAN and STR8SXI have been approved in the past.

Last fall the tax commission turned down his request for the “I’m Gay” license plate, arguing that it violated an internal rule against tags that “may be offensive to the general public.”

The Oklahoma City Community College student filed a lawsuit in response to the denial last week, asking for his application to be granted. His attorney calls the state agency’s decision “viewpoint discrimination.”

In the interview below with The Oklahoman, Kimmel discusses the “double standard,” including plates referencing heterosexuality and sex toys that “slipped through," according to the state agency.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Cuscar
    Date posted: 2/18/2010 12:30:22 AM
    Hometown: Brooklyn

    Comment:

    its better for him he would have probably gotten shot

  • Name: Bobby
    Date posted: 2/17/2010 10:11:30 AM
    Hometown: Miami

    Comment:

    Oh come on, fat isn't an insult unless you are one of those sizist bigots that wants everyone to be the same size. Besides, I've seen gays attacking Perez Hilton for being fat, so let's not play the game that we are a community of friendly people that love one another. Besides, I am watching RuPaul's Drag Race, I saw how vicious those drag queens were with Mystique, the fat black drag queen. So don't blame me for being politically incorrect and telling the truth.

  • Name: melvin
    Date posted: 2/17/2010 1:52:41 AM
    Hometown: South Dakota

    Comment:

    Boy, some of us 'queers' can certainly be vicious. "Get a life, dumb hat, he's fat, etc." Who is sick? Don't you dumbells realize that it is folks such as this man who started our movement? Do you realize that we all have a part to play to make the whole? So what if you think it is dumb. So what? If it works for him, that is a step forward. It is people like he who did the 'crazy & dumb' things that paved the way for the advancements we enjoy today. The point is that if st8's can put things on their plates, why can't we? It is not pornographic. Oklahoma is a backward state for social rights, we all know this. Why should they think that gay people are objectionable.l Throw it back in their faces. He is lighting that one candle rather then cursing the darkness. That is a good thing.

  • Name: Tod
    Date posted: 2/17/2010 1:49:24 AM
    Hometown: West Hollywood

    Comment:

    Hey, if he wants to put "I'm gay" on his license plate he should be able to. Maybe if he spelled it differntly, it would slip through too. Why is the interviewer writing notes? I love his last question after listening to everything, "Why is this so important to you?" Was he listening?

  • Name: Deke
    Date posted: 2/17/2010 1:15:06 AM
    Hometown: Hino JP

    Comment:

    "Half a dozen of one and two dozen of the other" Wha????? OK, whatever. Anyway, I think the guy's brave and all, but if this is TV news in Oklahoma, they must be getting desperate for news.

  • Name: thom
    Date posted: 2/16/2010 10:31:04 PM
    Hometown: thackenfeld

    Comment:

    Wow, Bobby didn't think you could get more raw and callous than you did on the Jamaican article but shit, here you are raggin' on this poor SOB whose getting his 5 minutes of fame and all you can say is your fat. I'd rather have him than you any day! Any DAY!

  • Name: Bobby
    Date posted: 2/16/2010 9:34:22 PM
    Hometown: Miami

    Comment:

    I'm surprised nobody has complained about how fat he is yet. It's ironic he wants to join a community that for the most part only worships one body type. Either way, his lawsuit is ridiculous, yes, some straight people have silly straight plates. So what? Do we always have to do what the breeders do? I don't know what type of men that guy likes, but he'd be better off using his energies to pursue those men rather than wasting precious time on license plates.

  • Name: George Hampton
    Date posted: 2/16/2010 8:42:51 PM
    Hometown: Pompano Beach, FL

    Comment:

    One guy remarked, "He looks like a pervert." Another person told this guy to get a life and use a bumper sticker instead. First, the "pervert" comment is rude and offensive. Advocate.com should have a way to report abusive comments. Secondly, I applaud anyone who chooses to come out in whatever way is appropriate to themselves. Coming out, whether to come out, and how to come out, is a very personal decision which can ONLY be made by the person coming out. Everyone else should shut up about it, unless it is to congratulate and applaud the person coming out. A few years ago in Austin, Texas, I put a bumper sticker on my car which read, "Gay." in big bold letters. I knew I would face harassment from gay bashers. What I did not realize was that so many LGBT people in my life would also bash me for coming out in the manner I saw fit. They are fine with reaping the rewards from people coming out, but then they put us down for doing so. Be supportive. Or shut up.

  • Name: prescott
    Date posted: 2/16/2010 6:04:54 PM
    Hometown: san fran

    Comment:

    He looks like a pervert.

  • Name: Bobby
    Date posted: 2/16/2010 5:55:07 PM
    Hometown: Miami

    Comment:

    Some people really need to get a life. Want to say "I'm gay?" Buy a bumpersticker!

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