Profile - Casey Willits

Casey Willits

Casey Willits is an active member of the GLBT community who has spent 23 of his 25 years here in Arkansas. He has lived in Fayetteville most of his life, “never too far from the university it seems,” Casey said.

We asked what career he is in.

“EEK, I am in the ‘I graduate in May and I don't know what I want to do because there are a lot of option' career,” Casey said. “My degree is in geography, but I assume I will find work in non-profits, government, or the university. This was the first semester of school I didn't work since way back to first year of college in 2000. So right now, un-employed is my status.”

Talk about some of the work you have done for the GLBT community.

“I was part of starting the first official high school Gay-Straight Alliance in Arkansas during my senior year at Fayetteville High. High schools have come along way since 2000 but still have a long ways left. During my days at UofA-Fayetteville, I was active (over-active probably) with the PRIDE group, holding every office once I think. My favorite memory was organizing the Day of Silence silent march in 2003. It was just eerie marching down Dickson Street with 75 SILENT queer people.

“I lived and worked in Kentucky for a year with their statewide LGBT rights organization, Kentucky Fairness Alliance. Part of the year I was a community organizer in the rural western half of the state and the other part of the year I was their interim development director. It was great work experience and I learned a lot about what is happening around the states with their LGBT rights organizations.”

What are your thoughts on coming out, advice to others, etc.?

“Unsolicited advice is pretty useless: the wise don't need it and fools won't heed it. Nonetheless, I do have a few thoughts on coming out. While it is smart to not come out until you can financially provide a roof over your head and emotionally can handle possible family rejection, staying in the closet (at all!) for reasons related to wanting to still get your inheritance or trust fund or make partner at your company is really not acceptable. I believe that coming out is one of the strongest political actions a queer person can make and if you hold back helping your fellow queers because you want a high financial status, all you have done is sold yourself out to the highest bidder. To let cold, hard dollars trump who you are and how you could help a whole class of people further their human rights is a sad thing.”

What do you see in the near future and long-range for gay rights/equality?

“It's hard to separate the two because what we do in the near future will affect the long-range. While some think that Nancy Pelosi or a good Supreme Court decision is what it is going to take for equality to be reached in all 50 states, I think that thinking is pessimistic and comes from a mentality of scarcity.

“Instead we should think with a mentality of abundance, that there are many opportunities to move forward, most of them in the states, toward LGBT equality. I see states passing more anti-discrimination laws, adding sexual orientation and gender identity/expression to hate crimes laws, providing safe schools protections, and slowly adding recognitions for LGBT families/relationships.

“We will engage our straight allies more and more in the fight and will begin to leave our enemies behind. We will shape the debate and begin to be offensive, not just defensive. I also see the need for LGBT and allied people to personally connect and commit to the struggle by giving significant portions of their time, talent, and treasure($$) to the cause. For too long we have been fighting the struggle with shoe-string budgets and volunteer leadership that burns out too quickly. We are a movement that is adopting mainstream political strategies and will reap huge rewards from it.”

Profiles in Pride questions:

Date and place of birth? March 16, 1982, Holton, Kansas

What is your favorite food? brownies

What food will you not eat? Veal

What is the best job you've ever had? Interim Development Director at the Kentucky Fairness Alliance

What is your dream job? Training volunteer organizers and grassroots fundraisers full-time

If you didn't have to work, what would you do with all of your time? Read and get my master's degree

Who do you admire most (living or dead)? St. Francis of Assisi

Who would you lunch with if you could have anyone (living or dead)? Tim Gill

Who has had the greatest influence on your life? My mother

What one thing would you not have done if you could go back in time? Lost two scholarships!

What one thing would you have done if you could go back in time? Double majored in Geography AND Political Science