"A reporter asks if Weiner was drinking or using drugs—if he has a problem—because only a man who has a drinking problem or a drug problem could get caught up in something like this. Do reporters know what men are like? (And lots of women too?) This desire to pathologize behavior that isn't sick—that is, indeed, very common and human and completely and instantly understandable—is itself pathological. Weiner does not have a problem. He has a computer. The whole world has Weiner's problem: same old horniness, brand new box." - Dan Savage, live-blogging Weiner's press conference.Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Via JMG: Quote Of the Day - Dan Savage
"A reporter asks if Weiner was drinking or using drugs—if he has a problem—because only a man who has a drinking problem or a drug problem could get caught up in something like this. Do reporters know what men are like? (And lots of women too?) This desire to pathologize behavior that isn't sick—that is, indeed, very common and human and completely and instantly understandable—is itself pathological. Weiner does not have a problem. He has a computer. The whole world has Weiner's problem: same old horniness, brand new box." - Dan Savage, live-blogging Weiner's press conference.
Via JMG: AARP Launches Gay Website
The AARP has launched a new subsite devoted to the issues of retired and senior LGBT folks. Among the topics covered during the launch are vacation destinations for gay seniors and dating tips for those over 50.“We are proud to provide diverse, expert voices on topics that are important to all Americans 50+, including members of the LGBT community,” said Hugh Delehanty, SVP & Editor In Chief of AARP’s media properties. “AARP understands that while all Americans 50+ share the same goals of aging with dignity and peace of mind, each of the communities in our lives offers its own challenges, opportunities and contributions towards helping us get there. We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate national Pride month than to launch this portal, which we hope will help members of the LGBT community and their loved ones get access to important information and relevant insights from experts and each other.
Via JMG: SYRIA: Lesbian Blogger Amina Addalla Allegedly Kidnapped In Damascus
Details are sketchy, but here's what's being reported: As the anti-government uprising in Syria has unfolded, Syrian-American blogger Amina Abdallah has attracted readers and been noticed by The Washington Post, CNN, Time,and The Guardian for her musings on the protest movement and what it's like to be gay in Syria. But her blog--A Gay Girl in Damascus--broached a very different topic today: Someone introducing herself as Abdallah's cousin wrote that Abdallah was seized by three armed men while on her way to meet with protest organizers. The cousin adds that while the family suspects Abdallah was seized by Syrian security forces, all that's known right now is that she's missing.A Facebook page demanding Amina's release has been launched.
Kit é primeira tentativa incisiva de combate à homofobia nas escolas
assista também - http://redeglobo.globo.com/
Projeto Escola sem Homofobia desenvolve ações contra o preconceito
Toni Reis, presidente da ABGLT (Foto: Divulgação)
Desde 2005, o Ministério da Educação (MEC) desenvolve o Projeto Escola sem Homofobia para combater o preconceito sexual nas escolas do país, por meio de ações como formação de professores, seminários, palestras, pesquisas e estratégias de comunicação. É justamente parte destas ações que vem causando polêmica nos últimos tempos: o chamado kit anti-homofobia, material educativo com vídeos, boletins, cadernos e cartazes que seria distribuído em escolas de todo país.
“O material foi feito por especialistas, pessoas que entendem da área. Foram envolvidas 537 pessoas, que participaram de seminários, das capacitações, da elaboração do material, dos grupos focais. Foi um trabalho de três anos”, diz o presidente da Associação Brasileira de Lésbicas, Gays, Bissexuais, Travestis e Transexuais (ABGLT), Toni Reis.
O kit recebeu pareceres favoráveis tanto da Organização das Nações Unidas para a Educação, a Ciência e a Cultura (Unesco) quanto do Conselho Federal de Psicologia. Ambos classificaram como “adequados às faixas etárias e de desenvolvimento afetivo-cognitivo a que se destinam”.
De acordo com Reis, que realiza pesquisa de doutorado sobre a homofobia nas escolas, a principal consequência do preconceito é a evasão escolar, principalmente nos casos de transexuais e travestis, que costumam largar as salas de aula por conta do bullying. “A maior parte das pessoas trans não consegue concluir nem o ensino fundamental. Não resta nada a elas a não ser a prostituição.”
O livro “Revelando tramas, descobrindo segredos: violência e convivência nas escolas”, fruto de pesquisa coordenada por Miriam Abramovay nas escolas do Distrito Federal em 2009 para a Rede de Informação Tecnológica Latino-Americana (Ritla), em parceria com a Secretaria de Educação do Distrito Federal (SEDF-GDF), traz números que ilustram o problema no ambiente escolar: quase 28% dos alunos afirmaram que não gostariam de ter colegas homossexuais em classe. Esse número sobe para mais de 44%, quando se isola apenas a opinião dos alunos do gênero masculino.
De acordo com Reis, o material desenvolvido pelo Escola sem Homofobia não deve ser visto apenas como um kit isoladamente. Ele é parte de uma série de estratégias para promover a garantia dos direitos humanos e o respeito às orientações sexuais e às identidades de gênero no âmbito escolar.
“A sociedade é feita para os heterossexuais, é uma sociedade heteronormativa. E é isso que o projeto e o material questionavam. Há uma orientação sexual dominante, a heterossexual; qualquer outra parece propaganda. E isso é um grande engano”, finaliza.
“O material foi feito por especialistas, pessoas que entendem da área. Foram envolvidas 537 pessoas, que participaram de seminários, das capacitações, da elaboração do material, dos grupos focais. Foi um trabalho de três anos”, diz o presidente da Associação Brasileira de Lésbicas, Gays, Bissexuais, Travestis e Transexuais (ABGLT), Toni Reis.
O kit recebeu pareceres favoráveis tanto da Organização das Nações Unidas para a Educação, a Ciência e a Cultura (Unesco) quanto do Conselho Federal de Psicologia. Ambos classificaram como “adequados às faixas etárias e de desenvolvimento afetivo-cognitivo a que se destinam”.
De acordo com Reis, que realiza pesquisa de doutorado sobre a homofobia nas escolas, a principal consequência do preconceito é a evasão escolar, principalmente nos casos de transexuais e travestis, que costumam largar as salas de aula por conta do bullying. “A maior parte das pessoas trans não consegue concluir nem o ensino fundamental. Não resta nada a elas a não ser a prostituição.”
O livro “Revelando tramas, descobrindo segredos: violência e convivência nas escolas”, fruto de pesquisa coordenada por Miriam Abramovay nas escolas do Distrito Federal em 2009 para a Rede de Informação Tecnológica Latino-Americana (Ritla), em parceria com a Secretaria de Educação do Distrito Federal (SEDF-GDF), traz números que ilustram o problema no ambiente escolar: quase 28% dos alunos afirmaram que não gostariam de ter colegas homossexuais em classe. Esse número sobe para mais de 44%, quando se isola apenas a opinião dos alunos do gênero masculino.
De acordo com Reis, o material desenvolvido pelo Escola sem Homofobia não deve ser visto apenas como um kit isoladamente. Ele é parte de uma série de estratégias para promover a garantia dos direitos humanos e o respeito às orientações sexuais e às identidades de gênero no âmbito escolar.
“A sociedade é feita para os heterossexuais, é uma sociedade heteronormativa. E é isso que o projeto e o material questionavam. Há uma orientação sexual dominante, a heterossexual; qualquer outra parece propaganda. E isso é um grande engano”, finaliza.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Via JMG: ORLANDO: Christianist Hate Group Flies Anti-Gay "Warning" Over Disney World
Gay Days is in full swing in Orlando and the Florida Family Association is letting everybody know about it. A Christian group is protesting the annual "Gay Day" by flying a banner plane over Disney World with a warning message for visitors. The six day celebration for gay pride is a 20 year celebration, held in Orlando, FL, with Saturday spent at the Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom. "It's just about people being proud of who they are here," said Gay day participant, Floyd Benefield. With the 160,000 people visiting central Florida to celebrate, Florida Family Association is boycotting and spending $7,000 to fly banners for two full days near Disney, warning unsuspected families of the festivities.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Via JMG: Dan Savage For Pride Magazine
This gorgeous image was taken by famed photographer Marius Bugge for my Pride Magazine 2011 cover story on Dan Savage. (Marius also shot our last two covers with Dan Choi and Rachel Maddow.) This year's issue of Pride will begin appearing in the usual locations this weekend and I'll post an excerpt from my interview shortly. By the way, I had to flee back inside the studio when Dan leapt up on that 18th floor railing for this shot, which embiggens nicely.Gay? Straight? Sexual Orientation Not A Choice, But Set At Birth
Sexual orientation is neurobiological and is set at birth, according to a report delivered by Jerome Goldstein, M.D., a board-certified medical neurologist and Director of the San Francisco Clinical Research Center. “Sexual orientation is not a matter of choice, it is primarily neurobiological at birth,” Goldstein told the 21st Meeting of the European Neurological Society (ENS), in Lisbon, Portugal, adding, “Clearly the basis of sexual orientation is in the brain and differences in brain structure and function and the province of neurology.”make the jump here to read the full article
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Via JMG: AFA Launches Anti-Gay Phone Campaign To Local Home Depot Store Managers
Via press release: Home Depot is having its annual shareholder meeting this week. Many shareholders are upset with Home Depot's sponsorship of numerous gay pride events and support for homosexual marriage. Shareholders will be addressing the board of directors personally this week and plan to make sure the board of directors know they need to end the boycott! But...they need YOUR support. Your local store manager is the closest personal contact you can have with the company. They are the "eyes and ears" of the company and can make sure your concerns get to the right people. Today, call your local Home Depot store and ask to speak to the manager. You can find the number to your local store here (click "Store Finder" at top of page) or in your local phone book. Politely let him know you are boycotting his store until the company agrees to remain neutral in the culture wars and stops supporting homosexuality.Do call your local Home Depot and personally thank the manager for their support of their LGBT customers.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Via JMG: HomoQuotable - Peter Tatchell
"We witnessed a high level of fraternisation and collusion between neo-Nazis and the Moscow police. I saw neo-Nazis leave and re-enter police buses parked on Tverskaya Street by City Hall. Our suspicion is that many of the neo-Nazis were actually plainclothes police officers, who did to us what their uniformed colleagues dared not do in front of the world’s media. Either that, or the police were actively facilitating the right-wing extremists with transport to the protest. "During the Second World War, Mucovites stood against the Nazis. Now the Mayor of Moscow is colluding with neo-Nazis. He gave the neo-Nazi groups permission to stage a protest calling for violence against gay people, while denying Moscow Gay Pride a permit to rally for gay equality." - Famed British activist Peter Tatchell, reporting from yesterday's demonstration in Moscow.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
JMG Tweet Of The Day - Miley Cyrus
Pop singer Miley Cyrus has been telling her one million Twitter followers to boycott Urban Outfitters because its CEO is a raving teabagger who contributed to Frothy Mix. Go Miley!Via AmericaBloggay: Fmr. Lt. Dan Choi Beaten in Moscow
Fmr. Lt. Dan Choi just texted me. On Saturday, May 28 he was thrown to the ground and kicked by neo-Nazis and the Russian police for the simple "crime" of marching peacefully in Moscow's LGBT pride parade. There's video of the entire thing, and it's horrific.
And the US government has said nothing.
Please sign Dan's open letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asking her to condemn the anti-LGBT violence in Moscow, and to reaffirm the human rights of lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender people in Russia and around the world.
The Russian government has banned "Pride" for years, in direct violation of a decision by the European Court of Human Rights. And today they used violence against Russian and international human rights activists for peaceably exercising their rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association.
Dan needs our help. Our Russian brothers and sisters need our help. And so far the US government is offering no help at all. (A State Department official actually claimed he couldn't do anything because the entire US government is on vacation until Tuesday!)
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is a longtime ally of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. She was there when we needed her to speak out against LBGT human rights abuses in Uganda. And we need her to speak out again today.
Dan Choi has agreed to personally deliver this open letter with all of your signatures to the State Department upon his return to Washington. We can make a difference here, with your help. Sign Dan's open letter to Secretary Clinton urging her to speak out against the violence in Moscow.
Thanks so much,
John Aravosis and Joe Sudbay @ AMERICAblog
Via AmericaBlogGay: Israeli PM Netanyahu mentioned gays in his address to Congress
So today the Middle East stands at a fateful crossroads. And like all of you, I pray that the peoples of the region choose the path less traveled, the path of liberty.
No one knows what this path consists of better than you. Nobody. This path of liberty is not paved by elections alone. It’s paved when governments permit protests in town squares, when limits are placed on the powers of rulers, when judges are beholden to laws and not men, and when human rights cannot be crushed by tribal loyalties or mob rule.
Israel has always embraced this path in a Middle East that has long rejected it. In a region where women are stoned, gays are hanged, Christians are persecuted, Israel stands out. It is different.
Before anyone poo-poos this, he's the conservative leader of a government that panders to religious extremists. Yet he has no problem mentioning gays in an address to another government that is somewhat equivocal on, and even downright hostile to, gay rights. It's not nothing.
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