Pink Brick
About the Pink Brick
The Pink Brick is a symbol of the first brick hurled at the Stonewall Riots in 1969. This faux award is an opportunity to highlight an individual or organization that has done significant harm to the LGBT community. It is also an opportunity to educate the community and the Pink Brick recipient about relevant issues.
2012 Pink Brick nominations are now closed. Please check back here on March 1st for online voting and public polling locations.
About the Pink Brick
The Pink Brick, a symbol of the first brick hurled at the Stonewall Rebellion in 1969, is an annual 'award' given each year to a person or institution whose actions are deemed to have caused significant harm to the LGBT community.
Pink Brick 2011
Dishonoree: Lou Engle
Lou Engle beat out anti-marriage equality advocate Maggie Gallagher and preaches-against-gays-only-to-be-caught-with-a-young-male-escort George Rekers for this year's Pink Brick. As in the past, the community voted in a public poll to select this year's Pink Brick recipient.
Evangelical leader Lou Engle praised the Ugandan government’s efforts to combat homosexuality through the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which would increase sentences for "homosexual acts" from 14 years imprisonment to life. The Bill also proposes the death penalty for cases of "aggravated homosexuality" and would criminalize the failure to alert the authorities about known "homosexual actvities."
2010 Annual Pink Brick Award is given to Senator Roy Ashburn
Anti-Gay California Senator Is Award's First Gay Recipient
Senator Ashburn has served in the California state legislature since 1996 and has an extensive voting history of vigorously opposing LGBT rights, including his overwhelming support of the state's Proposition 8 which denied equal rights to LGBT citizens. Early in March 2010, Senator Ashburn was arrested for drunk driving shortly after he left a Sacramento gay bar with another man in his state-issued car. Ashburn's arrest has sparked major controversy. Since his arrest he has admitted he is gay, and claims his voting record reflects his constituent's views. Ashburn says he plans to continue voting on behalf of what he sees as the majority viewpoint in his district, even if that means voting against LGBT civil rights.
SF Pride's Executive Director Amy Andre stated:
“This is the very first time in Pink Brick Award history that an 'out' gay person is the recipient. By selecting Senator Roy Ashburn, the LGBT community is sending a strong message to the world that LGBT people-especially those with the political power and privilege to further LGBT rights- have a responsibility to work toward liberation for all.”
SF Pride Board of Directors President Mikayla Connell concluded:
“For 40 years, San Francisco Pride has educated the world about the kind of freedom that can only occur when aligning personal honesty with political action in our lives. We hope this year's Pink Brick recipient, Senator Roy Ashburn, realizes that it's never too late for him-or anyone else-to choose liberation and justice over shame, fear and silence.”
Past Pink Brick (Dis-)Honorees
The following were the Pink Brick recipients for in years past:
| 2010 | California Senator Roy Ashburn | |
| 2009 |
Carrie Prejean Runner-up: Archbishop George Niederauer |
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| 2008 | Bill O'Reilly | |
| 2007 | George W. Bush | |
| 2006 | Arnold Schwarzenegger | |
| 2005 | Senator Diane Feinstein | |