Competition Season, my all-encompassing term for when I enter my photographs and artworks into various fairs and shows, is coming up soon. I’ve already got some entries ready, and there’s some concepts that I’m waiting to do in the next month or so.
And yes, I’m entering my works in the same five shows as each year … maybe a sixth one if I feel like entering the Washington State Fair’s show.
Recently I received a solicitation from the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts for an upcoming art competition, with the grand prize being $1,000. There’s several categories I could enter, and I believe that some of my best work would definitely impress the Florida judges.
But I’m not entering the show.
First off, the prize money isn’t that great. One person will win the $1,000, while other subsequent prizes are considered “goods and services,” which sounds like gift certificates and implied value. There’s also the prize where the recipient will be “considered for a public art exhibition on a billboard and be part of a group exhibition at FMoPA,” which sounds like it’ll show up on some highway road sign.
There’s also a clause in there where the FMoPA kinda infringes on artists’ rights. “Winning submissions are granted permission for full use by FMoPA including the sale of the work, use of the work for promotional purposes, and/or use of the work for marketing.” So FMoPA has the right to sell my work and make money off it? Did they take the photos? Did they come up with the concepts?
Even with all that, I was still considering entering this show. Maybe send them one or two images if it didn’t cost me anything.
But then I realized.
This is being held in Florida. The place where there’s a “Don’t Say Gay” law on the books, thanks to their clownshow racist governor Ron DeSantis. You know, the guy who demonized the LGBTQIA community for his own political gain.
And considering this is the FLORIDA Museum of Photographic Arts … I’m sorry. I have to make a personal choice on this. I’m not contributing to a competition in a state where that “Don’t Say Gay” law exists. It’s a law that’s just as vulgar as the old Chinese Exclusion Act and the black “three-fifths compromise” law and Jim Crow and Plessy v. Ferguson and all the other racist, misogynistic horseshit out there.
Listen. I’m allowed to hold my own on these decisions. I’m not a fan of my work being sold without me getting a cut of the profits. My days of willingly giving away the copyrights to my images are LONG GONE.
So here’s the deal, FMoPA. I can’t in good conscience enter your competition. Sorry. Perhaps you’ll find someone else who’s willing to toss away their copyright for the right to get “exposure” and get paid in “goods and services.”
Oh, and one more thing.
GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY (deep breath) GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY
Chuck The Writer 
You really should make time to read that bill, Chuck.
When’s the last time you found yourself humming the “I LOVE NEW YORK!” commercial?
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Don’t you apologize: not even a Canadian would say they’re sorry not to enter a contest in a state run by demonstrably insane hate-filled morons.
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And yet a March 22 poll 52% of Democrats in Florida approve! Quick Chuck cry me another River!
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Testament to the fact that even a Democrat can be a stupid, misinformed bigot.
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Again, read the bill, Chuck. This is your second post about how upset you are that kindergarteners won’t be taught about gay sex. Actually they won’t be taught anything about any sex until they’re older. I don’t know why this upsets you but it seems strange.
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