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November 25, 2008

No Milk for Cinemark, No Twilight for Gays

Cinemark theatre chain CEO Alan Stock shelled out $9,999 to pass Prop. 8 in California, but will his theater chain profit from ticket sales for the forthcoming release of Milk. Not if a group of people on the Web have anything to say about it.

NoMilkforCinemark.com is dedicated to convincing ticket buyers to see Milk at a competitor’s theater. The idea is that if the gay community agrees to buy tickets to see the movie somewhere else, Cinemark will lose revenue from what promises to be one of the most profitable pictures of the holiday season.

California’s Briggs initiative, which would have resulted in the firing of gay and lesbian teachers throughout the state in 1978, plays a prominent role in the film.

But LGBT moviegoers are faced with another tough decision this holiday season. Twilight, based on the best-selling novel by Stephanie Meyer, opened in theaters this weekend. And if Meyer is to be taken at her word, 10% of all monies she makes off the movie will go to the Mormon Church.

Meyer has made no public statement regarding her feelings on California's Prop. 8. (The Advocate)

Keywords:  Harvey Milk  Prop 8 
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Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

  • Name: Gene
    Date posted: 2008-12-11 10:31 AM
    Hometown: Mesa

    Comment:

    Interesting to read all of the mis informed information that is out there about Mormon's and tithing. I suggest you find one of the white shirt and tie missionaries riding around on their bikes with their badges. They will answer all your questions so you don't have to make comments on things you know nothing about. If you think that any of the tithing money went to fight prop 8 then you really need to find the guys on bikes.


  • Name: Jody
    Date posted: 2008-12-08 2:09 PM
    Hometown: Harlingen

    Comment:

    Gay or Not, I will not spend hard earned money on Haters! of any kind... If people are so scared and against same sex marriage, then don't marry someone of the same sex...


  • Name: Kyle
    Date posted: 2008-12-02 12:16 AM
    Hometown: Hueytown

    Comment:

    Really, I've read the ENTIRE Twilight series, own all the books, and have been to see the movie already and plan to go BACK to watch it again. If Meyer does that, then it's HER money to do it with. She's a brilliant author, I'm pretty sure she can make an educated decision.


  • Name: Cecil L Young
    Date posted: 2008-11-27 8:31 PM
    Hometown: Canton, Michigan

    Comment:

    Chad Miller My experience with the fannish SF & F community and authors is that they usually are much less homophobic and heterosexist than mundane straight community. (Not that there are no 'phobes or heterosexists in SF&F as you note Orson Scott Card, etc.) However if you enjoy SF&F look for queer friendly and out novel and authors via the internet. Melissa Scott & Lisa Barnett, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Tanya Huff & Fiona Patton, David Gerrold, Samuel R. Delany, Jewelle Gomez, Sally Miller Gearhart, Jim Grimsley, Joanna Russ and Gregory Maguire are a few of the openly lesbian/gay male / bisexual authors whose stories have significant lbgtqi content I could recommend. Also look for reference book Uranian Worlds published by G.K. Hall, and anthologies Bending the Landscape: Fantasy, Bending the Landscape: Science Fiction, and Bending the Landscape: Horror as well as Kindred Spirits and Worlds Apart.


  • Name: don
    Date posted: 2008-11-27 7:26 PM
    Hometown: CALI

    Comment:

    U GUYS ARE LAME!!!! JUST LIKE THE VOTE IN CALI... THE MAJORITY SPOKE AND TWILIGHT STILL SOLD OVER 70 MIL THE FIRST WEEKEND. 2 FOR THE MORMONS- 0 FOR THE GAYS! BTW I'M BEING RIDICULOUS ON PURPOSE CUZ THIS WHOLE TWILIGHT/ STEPHANIE MEYERS/ PROP 8 CRAP IS IGNORANT. AND 10% IS TITHING AND OFFERINGS... YOU WILL FIND THAT IN ANY CHRISTIAN CHURCH.


  • Name: Dustin
    Date posted: 2008-11-25 3:08 PM
    Hometown: Yuma

    Comment:

    I too saw Twilight this past weekend, before I discovered that part of that money would be going to the Mormon church. I was stricken by the strong anti-gay message. The "good" vampires resist their natural instinct so they can get along with the rest of society. Substitue "homosexuals" for "vampires" and I think you can see the author's stance on homosexuals.


  • Name: B
    Date posted: 2008-11-25 1:46 PM
    Hometown: Sacramento

    Comment:

    Just so everyone knows 'devout' Mormons give 10% of their gross income to the church as a tithing or gift to support church activities and other members who need assistance.


  • Name: Chad Miller
    Date posted: 2008-11-25 11:56 AM
    Hometown: NYC

    Comment:

    I personally won't be supporting Cinemark either, and it is extremely disheartening to read that so many fantasy/sci-fi writers are supporting non-equality when many of their books are looking forward to a more egalitarian/utopian future. I better pull out my Apocalypstick so I can kiss their new offerings goodbye.


  • Name: B B
    Date posted: 2008-11-25 8:11 AM
    Hometown: Unknown

    Comment:

    This is sad Prop 8 shoundt have existed if you ask me just let us gays be who we are and not for what we do We are all human as hard as that is to beilve to people


  • Name: Teri Gruenwald
    Date posted: 2008-11-25 4:04 AM
    Hometown: Oakland, CA

    Comment:

    Ezra Pound, the brilliant poet, supported fascism. Later in life, he did express great regret for his earlier beliefs. Let's hope that the current authors who support Prop 8 and other anti-gay initiatives will one day regret their choices. I recently read a ridiculous essay by the writer of Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card, a Mormon and a supporter of Prop. 8. I support boycotting Cinemark, Century and Cine Arts theaters. It's unfortunate that the producers of the film couldn't have pulled some weight on this one. I'm grateful that I have choices as to where to see it. I am sorry for those who don't, and they will have to make their decision. I think we should start a movement of marking our money. It should say something like gayor lesbian dollar, or hand out a little card when we pay for something that says "you are accepting money from a gay person. How did you vote on prop 8?"


  • Name: Tim Hulsey
    Date posted: 2008-11-25 12:29 AM
    Hometown: Charlottesville, VA

    Comment:

    I contribute money to an anti-gay institution every time I pay sales tax.


  • Name: Ryan
    Date posted: 2008-11-24 5:42 PM
    Hometown: Sacramento

    Comment:

    Before deciding to boycott the film because of how Ms Meyer voted on Prop 8, please remember that she did in fact write the novel in the first place. I would suggest that everyone take that into consideration before making and doing something that will impact the viewing of a film and novel that is of great public service about one of our early gay rights heroes. Besides everyone should be able to vote their conscience EVEN US.


  • Name: Sadie
    Date posted: 2008-11-24 4:53 PM
    Hometown: Buffalo

    Comment:

    I can't find anything online that says Meyer donates 10% of her money to the Mormon church. Does anyone know where the writer got this information?


  • Name: ALW
    Date posted: 2008-11-24 1:53 PM
    Hometown: Somewhere Outthere

    Comment:

    I'm all about the ban on Cinemark, but we don't have other alternatives where I live and thus now I won't get to see it. How sad.


  • Name: Terry
    Date posted: 2008-11-24 12:37 PM
    Hometown: Alameda

    Comment:

    I can understand the feelings people have here. I was a very big fan of Tracy Hickman, a fantasy writer of the Dragonlance series, until I found out he voted for Prop 8. It hurts me that one of my favorite authors feels this ways about us but sometimes you have to take a stand to make a difference. Needless to say, I don't read or buy any more of his books.


  • Name: Nathan
    Date posted: 2008-11-24 12:18 PM
    Hometown: Syracuse

    Comment:

    Most Mormons donate 10% of their income to the church its not all that uncommon. Also the church itself didn't donate any money against prop 8 it was the members of the church. I have no problem at all with her doing what she believes in and donating money to the church.


  • Name: Tom Kidd
    Date posted: 2008-11-24 10:57 AM
    Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

    Comment:

    We're hoping that Milk will play at our gay-friendly theatre here; thing is, the conservative chain has first shot at it. As for Twilight, fugeddaboutit!


  • Name: Brandon
    Date posted: 2008-11-24 10:40 AM
    Hometown: Salt Lake

    Comment:

    Well, looks like I won't be supporting cinemark anymore. As for twilight, didn't plan to see it anyway.


  • Name: Daryl
    Date posted: 2008-11-24 6:16 AM
    Hometown: Indy

    Comment:

    Well damn, I just saw Twilight this weekend... What can I say, I'm a romantic at heart. Oh well, I guess I'll just hope that the money I spent gets routed to feeding the homeless this holiday season. James: That's not a hopeful sign, I was considering moving to Tampa in a year or so.


  • Name: Anonymous
    Date posted: 2008-11-23 9:44 PM
    Hometown: California

    Comment:

    james: Are you completely dense? The Mormon church donated billions of dollars to pass prop 8. Do you think we want to support Stephenie Meyer when they used that money for Prop 8? I for one will never read another word of Stephenie Meyer again if she support prop 8.


  • Name: Ridge
    Date posted: 2008-11-23 5:10 PM
    Hometown: Seattle

    Comment:

    Alas, I don't foresee the gay community having any affect - positive or negative - on how "Twilight" performs. The primary audience is teen girls, and of the comparatively miniscule gay male population who has any interest in the movie...well, let's be honest. We've never been big on sacrificing our addiction to pop culture in favor of the greater good of our community. Especially not our younger members.


  • Name: james
    Date posted: 2008-11-23 12:47 PM
    Hometown: tampa

    Comment:

    why would it be a hard decesion for people not to see that movie twilight if the lady is donating profits to the mormans. its that attitude of non sacrifice that is ridiculious. why would that be hard sounds like a no brainer to me. then again if gays are as apethetic as they are here in florida i see the point. more people here are worried about the latest club, dj spin or gym or sporty car than civil rights.


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