Protest Banner to Fly Over Beach in Fire Island Pines

Fire Island Pines, NY (June 5, 2015) -- A plane trailing a banner reading "Boycott Hi/Lo Tea! Fight For Full LGBT Rights!" will fly above the beach at Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines on Sunday, June 7, between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

The action will underscore the LGBT community's outrage over the April 20 meeting between Republican presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and gay businessmen Ian Reisner and Mati Weiderpass, who subsequently donated money to the Cruz campaign. The two gay men also held an April 14 fundraiser at their Manhattan penthouse for Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), another anti-LGBT politician.

Reisner and Weiderpass own most of the businesses in the Pines -- including the Blue Whale, Sip-N-Twirl, and the Pavilion, where the "High Tea" and "Low Tea" cocktail hours are held -- as well as the gay-oriented Out Hotel in Midtown Manhattan.

"Two gay business owners are making money off of the LGBT community at a world-famous gay vacation spot and then giving that money to outspoken anti-LGBT politicians," said Ken Kidd, a member of Queer Nation, the gay rights group that orchestrated the flyover. "Our community is out to win comprehensive federal legislation that will make LGBT Americans fully equal under the law. We will not be taken backward by funding anti-LGBT politicians."

As a result, in part, of Queer Nation's ongoing campaign for comprehensive civil rights legislation, a bill that would give all the rights and protections currently extended to all Americans to LGBT people will be introduced in the current Congress.

"Even if we win marriage equality in all 50 states at the US Supreme Court this month, a majority of LGBT Americans will still face discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and other areas," continued Kidd. "Our community will continue to speak out against anyone -- including gay men -- who fund any opposition to comprehensive civil rights for LGBT Americans. Doing without a cocktail at Tea is a small sacrifice to make."

Members of Queer Nation will be on the beach and available for comment. Queer Nation is a direct action group dedicated to ending discrimination, violence, and repression against the LGBT community.