Via NPR: Why Is It OK To Say "That's So Gay?"

Via JMG: PORTUGAL: Pope Warns Against "Insidious Threat" Of Gay Marriage

Today Emperor Palpatine urged the Portuguese people to oppose the marriage equality bill recently approved by the nation's legislature, calling it an "insidious" threat to society.

The pope, wrapping up his trip to this country where more than 90 percent of the population is officially Catholic, made his appeal in the shrine city of Fatima on a day that started with a Mass attended by up to half a million people. In his afternoon address to Catholic charity and social workers, the 83-year-old German pope said he "deeply appreciated" initiatives aimed at defending what he said were "essential and primary values of life." Among these values, he said, was "the family, founded on indissoluble marriage between a man and a woman," which is Vatican-speak for its opposition to gay marriage. The audience applauded when the pope said abortion -- which has been legal in Portugal since 2007 -- and threats to heterosexual marriage were "among some of the most insidious and dangerous challenges facing the common good today."

Portugal's president is being pressured by the Vatican to veto the marriage equality bill, although it's widely expected that his veto will be overridden by the parliament.

reposted from JMG

Via JMG: Stars Reenact Prop 8 Trial Testimony

The Courage Campaign has launched Equality On Trial, in which stars reenact the testimony given by the plaintiffs in California's Prop 8 trial. Below are reenactments from Marisa Tomei, Cheyenne Jackson, Michael Urie, Patricia Clarkson, Alan Cumming, and Ellen Greene. The Courage Campaign invites you to download trial scripts and upload your own reenactments to the Equality On Trial site.

reposted from JMG

Via SacBee:

Assembly urges repeal of military's 'don't ask, don't tell'

The Assembly approved a resolution today 51-17 urging President Barack Obama and Congress to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward gays and lesbians in the Armed Forces.

Read more.

Via JMG: HomoQuotable - LZ Granderson

"The gay and lesbian community has plenty of Uncle Toms trying to blow us up from inside, but what we don't have is our own word or phrase to identify them. Some call them 'closet cases,' but there is a difference between someone who is unwilling to live openly and honestly, and someone who takes that a step further and hurts those who do.

"People in the closet warrant a level of sympathy because we all know how difficult it can be to embrace one's truth. And I do not believe in outing people who are simply living in hiding. But I do believe in revealing the identities of these gay Uncle Toms. People like Rekers, a Baptist minister who was paid to testify against gay adoption and travel the globe preaching that therapy can 'cure' gay people, do not deserve the same sympathy given to those who are afraid of losing their jobs. Not when they consciously morph from being victims of homophobia to attack dogs eating their young." - LZ Granderson, writing for CNN.

Granderson doesn't want us using "warm and fuzzy" names like Uncle Roy (Cohn) to describe people like George Rekers and is looking for a new expression. Suggestions?reposted from JMG

Via JMG and Why I Buy Pepsi and Continue to Boycott Coke

PhoboQuotable - Greg Quinlan

"Ms. Nooyi, you lead PepsiCo’s Diversity and Inclusion Governance Council. I don’t want to hear any more words from you about diversity and inclusion -- I want you to actually practice it. As for Peggy Moore, who represents PepsiCo on the PFLAG Board Workplace Diversity Committee, she should be fired because she doesn’t know the first thing about diversity if she can’t respect people like me. And PepsiCo should resign immediately from PFLAG’s so-called Diversity Committee. Why would PepsiCo sit on a committee that defines diversity to only include those people whose religious ideology they agree with?

"Ms. Nooyi and PepsiCo Board of Directors, do you make these decisions because of replicated scientific studies supporting specific biological etiology for homosexuality? I can answer that for you. You can’t because there is zero evidence. ZERO that anyone is born homosexual. Once again, I urge the PepsiCo Board of Directors, yes; each and every one of you, to do your jobs and hold PepsiCo to the ideals and standards it claims to follow. I shouldn’t have to come here year after year asking PepsiCo to stop funding hate against people like me. " PFOX president Greg Quinlan, screaming to PepsiCo's board of directors at their annual shareholders meeting.

"Ex-gay" loser Quinlan has his delicate, finely-laced pink panties in a twist because PepsiCo has contributed to PFLAG and the Human Rights Campaign.

reposted from JMG

Via JMG: Roy Zimmerman: George Rekers Is Completely Heterosexual

Musical satirist Roy Zimmerman updates his classic.

a classic repost from JMG

VIA JMG: Military Bloggers Call For DADT Repeal

Ben Smith reports at Politico that a coalition of military bloggers have called for the repeal of DADT.

The community of "mil-bloggers" -- often hawkish, critical of White House and military leadership, devoted to both the First and Second Amendments -- isn't easy to define politically, but has proven an increasingly powerful voice from the ranks. The statement, which says that there have always been gay soldiers and that "very little will actually change" with the repeal of "Don't Ask," carries the signatures of the authors of some of the most prominent: Blackfive, Q&O, Outside the Wire, and the US Naval Institute Blog, among others.

Here's an except of their statement.

We consider the US military the greatest institution for good that has ever existed. No other organization has freed more people from oppression, done more humanitarian work or rescued more from natural disasters. We want that to continue. Today, it appears inevitable to us that the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy and law restricting those displaying open homosexual behavior from serving will be changed. And yet, very little will actually change. Homosexuals have always served in the US Military, and there have been no real problems caused by that.

The service chiefs are currently studying the impact and consequences of changing the DADT policy, and how to implement it without compromising the morale, order and discipline necessary for the military to function. The study is due to be completed on Dec. 1st. We ask Congress to withhold action until this is finished, but no longer. We urge Congress to listen to the service chiefs and act in accordance with the recommendations of that study.

reposted from JMG

VIA JMG: IRAQ: Soldiers Show Support For Gays In The Military With Sexy Dance Video

Via Towleroad, soldiers in Iraq show support for gays in the military with a silly and sexy routine set to Ke$ha. From the clip description: "Created by Codey Wilson and his elite step team of volunteers. Don't give us a hard time for this, please? We're just a few good men trying to enjoy ourselves and get this deployment over with. No one is gay... that we know of. Not that there is anything wrong with that!"

Andy Towle opines: "Popped collars, go-go dancing atop heavy equipment, nudity, lip-dubbing in the showers. These are all things to be extremely concerned about if gays are allowed to serve openly in the military! Though it appears the straight guys have beat them to it."

Thanks JMG!

Via JMG: Laura Bush Comes Out For Gay Marriage

You may recall that in her memoir released early this month, Laura Bush wrote that she had asked Dubya not to make gay marriage an issue in his campaign, considering how many gay friends they had. Last night on Larry King, Laura expanded on that, saying she supported gay marriage and that it would eventually be legalized as the issue is a "generational thing."
reposted from JMG