The Closeted Atheist & The Billboard

| Mon 13 Aug 2012 | 14 Comments | 2185 Views

Author Bridget Gaudette

I'm an ex-Jehovah's Witness with a focus on Black atheism, humanism, and sex-positive dialogue. | @BridgetGaudette

“Don’t believe in God? You are not alone.”

Last year those eight words, on a billboard on a random Orlando street, were the catalyst for my coming out as an Atheist. I’m living, breathing proof that atheist billboards work and get people out of their closets and into secular activism.

People are closeted because they fear what will happen to them personally and professionally if they are out and open about who they are or what they believe. They are forced to hide their true selves. I know from experience that this is both painful and exhausting. It also comes with a very special kind of loneliness. So when I saw this particular billboard, stating that I was not alone in my God disbelief.. well.. it was exactly what I needed. When I got home, I immediately went to the United Coalition of Reason website, got in touch with the local coordinator and went to a meetup where, for the first time in my life, I found myself surrounded by other Atheists! It was a truly liberating experience.

Today, American Atheists released a set of billboards pointing out the absurdity of Christian and Mormon beliefs about the nature of gods, salvation and human mortality:

If the intent is to ridicule religion, I like ‘em! Attempts were being made to have these up during the RNC in Tampa, but none of the billboard companies would allow them to be displayed. This, of course, wasn’t something I wanted to read. After all, I am proof positive that these campaigns can work. I asked the Director of Outreach for American Atheists if they had considered toning down the message in a way that would mollify the billboard companies. His response was, “we should not have to tone down the truth.”

On the American Atheists Facebook page, a status update said, “The target audience [for the new billboards] is our fellow atheists, especially closeted atheists.” Having been a closeted Atheist who just came out last year emboldened by a billboard, I feel I can rightly speak to this: billboards that are more.. conservative, more subtle, also work. Having a toned down billboard can be just as effective at reaching the target audience – maybe even more effective (but that’s an argument for a different day). I feel that American Atheists might have missed an opportunity. I hope they rework the billboard and make further attempts with the billboard companies by offering other versions.

What’s my point? Atheist billboards work. To the organizations that can afford to put them up: Keep Doing It. Toned down doesn’t mean less truthful, or less ballsy; it means you’re flexible, in tune with your audience, and just as savvy about the long-term goals of your project as you are with the short-term gains.

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Your generous contributions will go towards my travel expenses to secular conventions and help to keep me blogging. Thanks in advance!  -Bridget


UPDATE: American Atheists’ Latest Billboards Taken Down Following Threats

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  • http://www.hireLarryFireBobby.com Larry Carter Center

    I am so glad another Atheist escaped the closet. None the less you are suggesting a half heel back into the closet when Tampa billboard companies should be fought NOT AGREED WITH @VoteLarryDis114 my message is not to be toned down fearfully 843-926-1750 THEOCRACY is TREASON & any god allegation by government betrays sanity & truth http://www.hireLarryFireBobby.com

  • http://www.facebook.com/brian.david.engler Brian Engler

    I’m a pre-billboard atheist, but I agree that simpler is better. Short, punchy, but no less true messages can get across especially at highway speeds, and that’s what is important. Billboards that come across as cluttered and require time and a certain amount of concentration to deliver the message aren’t bad but, I think, are less effective regardless of who the intended audience is.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=639378446 Bridget Gaudette

      They *must* result in more donations and membership for the organizations that put them up.. but.. I can’t see how the latter would help closeted atheists. I’d guess it actually impedes them.

  • Paul Havlak

    I came to atheism by just learning new things, leaving always less room for magical explanations.

    The first, simpler billboard should be more effective because you can’t defeat superstition point by point unless people are willing to think and question religion, first. So, visibility and solidarity for that should be a higher priority than Powerpoint-like arguments.

    Besides, why should we join in the cycle of insults and hate? I can work with people who wear magic underwear or eat sacred crackers, just as much as I could with Twilight fans or fiscal conservatives, if we share other values. Save the detailed critique for venues with time for subtlety and two-way engagement.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=639378446 Bridget Gaudette

      I didn’t come to atheism via the billboard. I came to atheism after studying geology, biological anthropology, cosmology, etc. I came OUT because of this billboard and because I was inspired by another Black Atheist that was out.

      I agree with your other points Paul.

    • http://emilyhasbooks.com/ Emily Dietle

      The most positive billboards I’ve seen have been from FFRF with their ‘Out of the Closet Campaign’ http://ffrf.org/get-involved/bus-billboard-campaign/out-of-the-closet-campaign/

  • Chuck Dandy

    I think that if the goal of the billboards is to coax questioning believers to speak up, to seek intellectual engagement in atheism’s rich philosophical dialogue (like that found on the pages of this blog), and to publicly realize their true, free identity, then I think a more gracious (though no less public) approach is needed… ‘You cannot ridicule and persuade’. Is the goal of corralling atheists worth the cost of inflaming discourse?

    That said, thanks for the post.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=639378446 Bridget Gaudette

      I wish there was a way to see if this hurt or helped.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=639378446 Bridget Gaudette

    Let me restate, “Toned down doesn’t mean less truthful, or less ballsy; it means you’re flexible, in tune with your audience, and just as savvy about the long-term goals of your project as you are with the short-term gains.”

  • Jpor

    We need billboards that reach “ALL” closeted atheists. The billboard Tallahassee Atheists put up just simply asked the question “Are you an Atheist?” But sometimes you have to fight fire with fire and show the absurdity of religion. I personally love these new billboards. They show both the absurdity and foolishness of a belief system that “ONLY” relies on faith with no evidence. And faith without evidence is ignorance.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=639378446 Bridget Gaudette

      I like the billboards too, I just think that they are not the type that help closeted Atheists come out, they are the type that 1. ridicule religion and 2. gets lots of press (which is a good business decision and I respect that).

      The one you mention in Tally is perfect for drawing people out and into your loving arms :-) .

  • http://emilyhasbooks.com/ Emily Dietle

    If you’re interested in having an FFRF billboard in your city, check out this link: http://ffrf.org/get-involved/bus-billboard-campaign/put-up-a-billboard-in-your-area/

  • Liz

    Hi Bridget, I am a middle aged second generation black atheist. Until the internet, I thought I was the only atheist in the world, besides my parents and children. The best thing the internet did, was to connect me to other atheists to see I was not alone. I still see very few black atheists, but it would appear that our numbers ARE growing, and I do believe the billboards are paving the way.

  • http://www.facebook.com/conticreative Marco C

    Good going Bridget and I actually agree with you. Of course it would be better if the billboard companies did not censor our message, but fact is they do and being private companies they ahve a right to (or at least, it would take too long to prevail legally).
    So toing down the billboard, not the truth, is to me a better strategy than having a an ad for McDonald on that billboard. That’s for sure not going to make anyone come out of the closet.

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Category: Activism, Atheism & Religion