"A few months ago, in the heat of the tragic teen suicides that came about from intolerance of homosexuality, I saw a man on television who was apologizing for wishing death on gays from his facebook page. This member of an Arkansas school board was contrite for the violence in his words, but maintained that his values pertaining to homosexuality would remain, as he felt homosexuality was condemned in the bible. This concept, while foreign to me, is interesting, as it used to justify so much judgement and separation in our society. When my daughter came home from school one day saying that a classmate had two mommies, my response was, 'Two mommies? How lucky is she?!' What does it actually say in the bible that will cause some people to be upset by my line of thinking? Happy pride." - Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow, writing on her personal blog.Friday, June 10, 2011
via jmg: Friendly Voices - Gwyneth Paltrow
"A few months ago, in the heat of the tragic teen suicides that came about from intolerance of homosexuality, I saw a man on television who was apologizing for wishing death on gays from his facebook page. This member of an Arkansas school board was contrite for the violence in his words, but maintained that his values pertaining to homosexuality would remain, as he felt homosexuality was condemned in the bible. This concept, while foreign to me, is interesting, as it used to justify so much judgement and separation in our society. When my daughter came home from school one day saying that a classmate had two mommies, my response was, 'Two mommies? How lucky is she?!' What does it actually say in the bible that will cause some people to be upset by my line of thinking? Happy pride." - Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow, writing on her personal blog.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Via JMG: Cristina and Monica explain how DOMA rips married, binational couples apart
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Cristina and Monica explain how DOMA rips married, binational couples apart
There's more info. on the issue of binational married couples at Stop The Deportations.
Related posts on AMERICAblog Gay:
Via JMG: Target shareholders pummel CEO with questions about anti-gay donation
Probably not what the Target CEO expected at his shareholder meeting:
Several shareholders and shoppers were disappointed after Target donated money to the group. Musician Lady Gaga, who supports gay rights, walked away from plans to sell a special album at Target in early 2011.We would love to know Target isn't going to give any more anti-gay donations, especially with the anti-gay marriage amendment on the ballot in 2012.
Bill de Blasio, New York City public advocate and trustee of the New York City employees retirement system, which holds about $50 million in Target shares, said on Tuesday that he is "deeply concerned" when he sees those pension investments used unwisely.
A number of shareholders at Wednesday's meeting echoed his comments, repeatedly asking Steinhafel about the donation. Target has changed its review process for donations since the MN Forward donation, but some shareholders would like to see a more explicit apology and broader change from the company.
"Last year was a great learning experience for us," Steinhafel said as he repeatedly suggested moving onto a different topic.
"Does anybody have a question relating to our business that is unrelated to political giving? I would love to hear any question related to something else," Steinhafel said (emphasis added).
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Via JMG: Increased Health Risks For LGBT Youth
According to a just-released study, LGBT youth tend to take greater risks with their health than do their heterosexual counterparts.
High school students who identify as being gay, lesbian, or bisexual are more likely than heterosexual students to smoke, drink alcohol, use drugs, and take part in violent and suicidal behaviors, a CDC survey shows. CDC researchers analyzed survey results from about 156,000 high school students. "This report should be a wake-up call for families, schools, and communities that we need to do a much better job of supporting these young people," Howard Wechsler, EdD, MPH, of the CDC, says in a news release. "Any effort to promote adolescent health and safety must take into account the additional stressors these youth experience because of their sexual orientation, such as stigma, discrimination and victimization."Anti-gay groups will, of course, leap upon this latest study without noting their own complicity in the "stigma, discrimination and victimization" noted above.
Via JMG: Christianists Vs. Old Navy
"Old Navy is promoting a lifestyle that is in complete rebellion against God. Rather than just focusing on giving good products to their customers, they want to use their products now to advocate for a very controversial topic, much less a very immoral and very deadly topic. Unfortunately we have to do the hard work of communicating our outrage, our frustration -- and then following that up with some kind of practical expression such as taking your business elsewhere." - Gary Cass of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, who are upset over the gay pride t-shirts Old Navy is selling in a handful of their stores.Via Lotus Opening: An Open Letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein from a Homo West Virginian
An Open Letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein from a Homo West Virginian
May 22, 2009
Dear Senator Feinstein,
Madison Reed
May 22, 2009
Dear Senator Feinstein,
Your words resonated deeply within me yesterday, as you addressed the Senate and told them that "American justice has to be applied to everyone, or we become hypocrites in the eyes of the world." Even a few tears came to my eyes.
In your advocacy for equal justice, for even non-American detainees alleged by the Bush administration to be terrorists, you were highlighting a part of America's historic purpose, not only expressed countless times by our people from the beginning of our nationhood, but written into our laws: equal protection, fairness and justice for every human being.
What saddened me when I heard your fair words, is my knowledge that America is a hypocritical nation. Why not just say that? You know it's the truth! Rarely has our country ever voluntarily embraced the noble human and spiritual values that it has proclaimed to the world and insisted that others follow.
No, it's only through the intensely painful struggles and great sacrifice by countless of America's mostly forgotten heroes; from Native Americans; from the Peoples of various European ethnicities; from the handicapped; from transgendered Americans; from Black Americans, Latin Americans, homosexuals, bisexuals; and the list goes on an on, that America has been nearly always FORCED to walk its talk. Dangerous protests, expensive and lengthy litigation, and the loss of property and lives, are the price that we have paid for equality.
Last month, when you intervened and temporarily stopped Shirley Tan's vicious and unjust deportation from the United States, a horrible situation that existed solely because she is a lesbian who has a wife and two children - and that's offensive to the American government - we were definitely grateful to you. Not only because so many people were praying that Shirley's family would stay together, but because we represent untold numbers of LGBT Americans, their friends and family members just like Shirley Tan and Jay Mercado, who are just barely managing to survive the effects of discrimination. We thought that saving Shirley would send a strong message to our government that it must deal with discrimination against the LGBT community, immediately. The LGBT community is living in a state of emergency. Our lives and families are in danger. The effects of ugly, lethal state-sponsored discrimination against us, fueled by a seditious religious cult that masquerades itself as the Cause of Jesus Christ, who have "foreign" agents hostile to the interests of the United States working as elected officials from the federal level down to the local level, with America in their death lock, must be brought to an end quickly.
I'm a good American Citizen. I live in West Virginia. My life partner lives in the Republic of Belarus. I've never benefited from equal protection or full equality from either the state of West Virginia or from the federal government, only because I'm gay.
Christianity, the faith that I first embraced, has betrayed me; the community of followers of Baha'u'llah, the Baha'i Faith, has betrayed me; my elected representatives in Congress for West Virginia have all received my letters over the years, but have done nothing to help me; President Obama relocates and gives green cards to tens of thousands of foreign refugees and will not even mention the plight of gay Americans and their foreign partners, and I'm forced by the federal government to live a lonely life away from the man I love year after passing year, enduring disabling financial hardships and life shortening emotional and physical stress from being separated from my beloved life partner in Belarus. Since I'm not part of the heterosexual class acceptable to the dangerous Yahweh religious cult that masquerades itself as the religion of Jesus Christ that has the American government by its throat, I'm not permitted to sponsor my partner for permanent residency. In fact, even admitting that he's my partner can be used as evidence against me to deny him a visitor's visa to see me! We're homos! We insult so-called "Christianity." This is the reason the government of the United States is not helping us!
Every day I have to hear insults, slurs, slander and threats against my gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters. Nearly every day one of us is killed by an angry bigot somewhere in the world. Hundreds of gay and lesbian American soldiers like Lt. Daniel Choi, II Lt. Sandy Tsao, and Lt. Colonel Victor Fehrenbach, who have honorably served in America's military have been discharged because they are gay. They have true honor, but the people who fired them are liars and have no honor. The people who know about the problem and do nothing to stop it are even worse. All of this is a deep insult to me.
Discrimination waged against LGBT Americans is fathomless, and we are sick and tired of it. Fairness does not exist in America for our class.
So I'd like to ask you Senator Feinstein, to tell me what you really meant when you told the Senate yesterday that, "American justice has to be applied to everyone, because if it isn't, we then become hypocrites in the eyes of the world."?
Do you believe that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans are a part of that "everyone" class?
When are you, your colleagues in Congress, and President Obama, - our elected representatives - going to apply those same high standards of justice so that we can benefit from them too - the ones that you said should even apply to non-American terrorists?
There are no more excuses for any further denial of our rights. We deserve full equality. I hope bloggers and journalists read my letter and help me circulate it, so that you and other members of the government might see it, and answer my questions through action.
Sincerely,
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.
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