Via SacBee: New bill requires gay history in textbooks to fight bullying

Openly gay state Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, introduced a bill today that would require public school materials to include the historical contributions of gay people as a way to fight bullying. 

Leno's Senate Bill 48 is similar to a proposal that was approved by the Legislature in 2006 but vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"Most textbooks don't include any historical information about the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) movement, which has great significance to both California and U.S. history," Leno said in a press release. Leno was recently named to prominent leadership as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee

Leno added: "Our collective silence on this issue perpetuates negative stereotypes of LGBT people and leads to increased bullying of young people."

The bill's aim is to work information about historical figures and events into materials that are up for regular review and revision by state public school authorities.

Leno said the inclusion of information about gays would mirror the steps the state has required to include information about women and ethnic minorities in school materials.

The gay rights organization Equality California is a sponsor of the Leno proposal.


"Given the number of young people who tragically took their own lives after being bullied for being LGBT - or perceived as being LGBT - it is imperative that we do more to ensure that all children feel fully welcomed, and this legislation is an important step toward that goal," said Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California.
 

Categories: Bills (2011-2012 session)

Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2010/12/sen-leno-hopes-gay-history-bil.html#ixzz183fDqKmT

Via JMG: PFLAG Co-Founder Dies At Age 90

Adele Starr, the co-founder and first president of PFLAG, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 90.

In 1976, Starr founded the Los Angeles chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, a gay rights and acceptance organization known then as Parent FLAG, now as PFLAG. In 1979, she spoke on the steps of the U.S. Capitol at a march for gay rights — a seminal event often credited with uniting a then-nascent movement. Two years later, she became PFLAG's first national president; she served in that capacity until 1986 and remained a forceful advocate for civil rights and, in later years, for the legalization of same-sex marriage. Starr served at the helm of PFLAG during the onset of the AIDS crisis, said her longtime friend and collaborator Terry DeCrescenzo, founder of another advocacy group formed to reach out to gay and lesbian youth. "In that time, a lot of us lost hope," said DeCrescenzo, 66, of Studio City. "Not Adele. And PFLAG became enormously important because it was rock solid.... She was a good woman. She'll be missed.

Adele Starr: "We cannot understand those arrogant people who have decided that a heterosexual lifestyle must be imposed on everyone and that they have a monopoly on morality. The American way is respect for diversity with the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Labels: heroes, obituary, PFLAG, straight allies

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: 12 Gays of Christmas Relient Remix

Via JMG: Quote Of The Year - I'm Not A Witch

Yale librarian Fred Shapiro's annual list of the year's most memorable quotes is out and Christine O'Donnell lands on the top ten twice, including at #1.

1. (TIE) "I'm not a witch." Christine O'Donnell, television advertisement, Oct. 4.
1. (TIE) "I'd like my life back." Tony Hayward, comment to reporters, May 30.
3. "If you touch my junk, I'm gonna have you arrested." airline passenger John Tyner, remark to Transportation Security Administration worker at San Diego airport, Nov. 13, 2010
4. "Don't retreat. Instead — reload!" Sarah Palin, Tweet, March 23.
5. "Chi! Chi! Chi! Le! Le! Le! Los mineros de Chile!" Chant at Chilean mine rescue, Oct. 13.
6. "I hope that's not where we're going, but you know, if this Congress keeps going the way it is, people are really looking toward those Second Amendment remedies. They're saying: My goodness, what can we do to turn this country around?" Sharron Angle, radio interview in January.
7. "We have to pass the (health care) bill so you can find out what is in it." Nancy Pelosi, speech to National Association of Counties, March 9.
8. "I'm going to take my talents to South Beach." LeBron James, television broadcast, July 8.
9. "You're telling me that the separation of church and state is found in the First Amendment?" Christine O'Donnell, Delaware senatorial debate, Oct. 19.
10. "They should never have put me with that woman. ... She was just a sort of bigoted woman who said she used to be Labour." Gordon Brown, comments about a voter he met while campaigning for British general election, Apr. 28.

Labels: 2010, politics, Sarah Palin, Sharron Angle

reposted from Joe

MontyPython Stoning

via jmg: Naples News Columnist Pamela Grothaus: "I'm Going For JMG Bigot Of The Year"

Last week we crowned Naples News columnist Pamela Grothaus our Bigot Of The Day for her shrill article complaining that "homosexuals inform me of their homosexuality within minutes of our introduction." Today Grothaus fires back in a new column that she's hoping to be named the JMG "Bigot Of The Year."

As a result of my last blog post against open homosexuality in the military, I was crowned “Bigot of the Day” on JoeMyGod—some twisted, homosexual Weblog I’d never heard of and hope to soon forget. (If you click on the above link, be warned: it’s X-rated.) Last I checked, JoeMyGod readers had left 132 comments spewing filth and hate speech at yours truly. And I’m the bigot?! How queer. [snip]

Incidentally, I am also intolerant of illegal immigrants, terrorist Muslims, militant blacks a la Reverend Wright, baby-killing abortionists, and socialists. I’m not too crazy about unions, feminists, or most politicians, either. Each of these groups — in addition to the homosexuals stated above — is in some way a threat to our nation and/or our morals. Perhaps they all have Web sites on which they’d like to plaster my photo as their particular Bigot of the Day. Bring it on! Maybe I’ll earn Bigot of the Year designation.

The inconsequential Ms. Grothaus wouldn't even make this year's Top 100, not by a long shot. But at least the word "bigot" is now the #1 Google result associated with her name. That's kinda fun.

Labels: assholism, bigotry, douchenozzles, Florida, JMG

reposted from Joe

Via Belrico: Weekly Reader: Oprah, the Male Form, & a White Lie

Filed by: Bil Browning

December 11, 2010 6:00 PM

The Senate's inability to pass legislation repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell was this weeks' hot queer news, but we brought you plenty of other posts on a variety of topics. Which posts were must-reads? Every week I pick two posts from every day that you shouldn't miss. Here are this week's picks:

Sunday

Three Trans-Focused Web Tools You Should Know About Filed by: Toshio Meronek
Idolization of the Male Form: 1890 Photo Filed by: Gloria Brame Ph.D.

Monday

Glee: Stepford Gays Filed by: Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer
Chris Colfer: The Face of Hope Filed by: Betty Greene Salwak

Tuesday

Obama admits: I was born in Morocco Filed by: Alex Blaze
Salvation Army donations down dramatically this year Filed by: Bil Browning

Wednesday

Oprah loves Gayle, but not like that Filed by: Alex Blaze
Thumbs up for 'Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys' Filed by: Rev Irene Monroe

Thursday

Nothing for the 99ers (And Not Much for Anyone Else) Filed by: Terrance Heath
The White Lie Filed by: Father Tony

Friday

Screw playing the game, let's take it all to the courts Filed by: Phil Reese
DADT Repeal is Dead, Long Live DADT Repeal Filed by: Jarrod Chlapowski

Don't forget:

• Subscribe to the Bilerico Project Report to get all of the previous day's posts sent to you every night at midnight Eastern time.
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Via Belirico: Why Tom Brokaw Is Wrong on Covering Antigay Viewpoints

Filed by: Michael Hamar

December 12, 2010 11:30 AM

I bookmarked an article in the Advocate earlier this week wherein former NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw basically said it was fine to continue to air the views of hate groups like American Family Association and Family Research Council.

As is typical of the mainstream news media, Brokaw blathered about free speech, etc., as an excuse for not monitoring what lies and untruths are being given a semblance of veracity by virtue of being aired on national news shows and other network programing. We know full well - as does Brokaw - that neo-Nazi groups, white supremacy groups and the Klu Klux Klan are not afforded similar opportunities to spew poison on network news, so why the exception for Christianist anti-gay hate groups?

Oh, I forgot - religion, especially Christianity gets special rights not afforded to the rest of the public.

Continue reading "Why Tom Brokaw Is Wrong on Covering Antigay Viewpoints " »

Via Human Rights Campaign

Dear Daniel,  Yesterday, the United States Senate failed to bring up for consideration the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," by a vote of 57-40. They failed to uphold our country's principles by allowing a bigoted law to stay on the books. They failed to protect us by allowing senseless discharges of skilled service members to continue in a time of war.  They failed our troops. Not only the thousands of lesbian, gay, and bisexual men and women serving in silence, in fear of discharge; they failed their fellow troops who rely upon them for their safety and effectiveness.  Our troops have never failed us, and we cannot fail them. We can still end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Yesterday, a bipartisan group of senators, led by Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced a stand-alone bill to repeal the law. Repeal of DADT still enjoys broad public support, as well as support from military leaders, but make no mistake, getting this stand-alone bill over the finish line will be a heavy lift. Senate and House leadership along with the White House need to prioritize this new bill and get it passed by both chambers before the end of the year. Last night, I appeared on CNN with John King to discuss what had happened, and how we move forward. Yesterday we also made clear that ultimately the responsibility to end the discharges rests on President Obama, the commander-in-chief of our armed forces. If the Congress doesn't act, he has several tools we’ve encouraged him to use – including stopping the legal defense of the statute and ending the discharges through a stop-loss order. With this new legislative option on the table, it's even more critical that the President help get a durable solution on his desk. As we move forward, we will continue to engage our elected officials in every way that we can. In addition to our national efforts, next week we will be targeting key swing senators and engaging our membership in their constituency on the actions that they can take to keep up the pressure. The fight for open service has had many twists and turns, but until "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is left in the dustbin of history we will never give up the fight. Joe Solmonese President, Human Rights Campaign

Via Mad Professah Lectures

Gallup Poll Shows Overwhelming Support For DADT Repeal

http://buckmire.blogspot.com/2010/12/gallup-poll-shows-overwhelming-support.html