Via JMG: Employment Protections Map

 

Lambda Legal notes:

All government employees are protected by the U.S. Constitution against irrational discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. In addition, some measure of protection already exists under Title VII based on gender, which has been held to include gender identity and expression. The U.s. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and several courts have interpreted Title VII to protect transgender employees, and the EEOC has interpreted Title VII to cover sexual orientation discrimination. The Supreme Court has held that the EEOC's interpretation of Title VII are entitled to "great deference."

Notice that New York shamefully continues to lack statewide gender identity protections, despite such a bill passing in the state Assembly six times. Maryland will join the 17 states with full LGBT employment protections when Gov. Martin O'Malley signs the transgender rights bill approved by the state legislature last week. There's only one way to turn the entire map green: ENDA.

Labels: employment, ENDA, Lambda Legal, LGBT rights

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via JMG: College Football Player Comes Out

 

Outsports reports that NCAA defensive end Mitch Eby came out to his Chapman University teammates earlier this month. Eby first told his two roommates, both also players, then opened up to his head coach, who agreed to allow Eby to address the full team. An excerpt from his speech:

"I came up here today to talk to you guys about something that I've been dealing with for quite a while. It's something personal that I've always thought I could just bury away, but I can't. We live life so worried about how other people view us that we forget about ourselves. I can no longer go on living in fear, repressing myself because of how society may view me. I can no longer lie to my friends, family and teammates. It's time I lived life for myself for a change. With that being said, I am ready to share with you all that I am gay. It has taken me years to accept myself for who I truly am, so it's irrational to expect everybody to unconditionally accept me right away. However, the one thing that I hope that I can count on from each of you, my teammates, is your respect. Your respect as a friend, your respect as a teammate, and your respect as a man."

According to the above-linked report, the team applauded Eby's revelation.  Athlete Ally founder Hudson Taylor reacts via press release:

"Mitch is demonstrating great courage and leadership by publicly coming out as gay while still actively playing college football. While the decision to take this step is a deeply personal one, it impacts countless other young closeted athletes who will wrestle with how to compete and live their lives authentically. Today represents another important step in making sports a welcoming environment for all."

Labels: coming out, football, gay athletes, sports

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via Daily Dharma

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The Nature of Anger | March 31, 2014

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Because we imagine anger is never a good thing, it is easy to think we should practice simply not being angry. But that approach is too general and abstract. It’s important for each of us to be precise, to be real, to be personal and honest, to find out exactly what my anger is. To do that we need to ask ourselves lots of questions about its actual nature. 

 

—Nancy Baker, "Precious Energy"

 

Via Tricycle

March 31, 2014 | New at Tricycle: We continue our ongoing mission to eliminate Buddha misquotes; a visit to S. N. Goenka in 1970s India; Roshi Pat Enkyo O'Hara gets intimate; we host an Enlightening Conversation; and we offer you a last chance to watch Souls of Zen, our Film Club selection this month.
MAGAZINE: WHAT THE BUDDHA NEVER SAID
There are lots of fake Buddha quotes floating around, but the granddaddy of them all is “There is no self.” Theravada Buddhist monk Thanissaro Bhikkhu goes all the way back to ancient India’s debate culture to explain the origins of this dubious quote.

Via JMG: Mozilla: We Support Marriage Equality

Internet giant Mozilla, the makers of the popular Firefox browser, have issued a statement which emphasizes their support for same-sex marriage. Controversy erupted last week when Mozilla appointed CEO Brendan Eich, who in 2008 donated to the backers of Proposition 8. An excerpt from the statement:

Mozilla’s mission is to make the Web more open so that humanity is stronger, more inclusive and more just. This is why Mozilla supports equality for all, including marriage equality for LGBT couples. No matter who you are or who you love, everyone deserves the same rights and to be treated equally. We realize that not everyone in our community or who uses our products will agree with this. But we have always maintained that as long as you are willing to respect others, and come together for our larger mission, you are welcome. Mozilla’s community is made up of people who have very diverse personal beliefs working on a common cause, which is a free and open internet. That is a very rare and special thing.

Hampton Caitlin, a Firefox developer who with his husband last week announced a boycott of Mozilla, has tweeted his pleasure with this development. 

 

UPDATE: Mozilla Foundation executive director Mark Surman today weighed in on the flap. His statement concludes:

I worry that Mozilla is in a tough spot right now. I worry that we do a bad job of explaining ourselves, that people are angry and don’t know who we are or where we stand. And, I worry that in the time it takes to work this through and explain ourselves the things I love about Mozilla will be deeply damaged. And I suspect others do too. If you are a Mozillian, I ask that you help the people around you understand who we are. And, if you have supported Mozilla in the past are frustrated or angry with us, I ask you for kindness and patience. What Mozilla is about is working through these things, even when they’re hard. Because the web need us to. It’s that important.

Labels: Brendan Eich, California, Firefox, internet, marriage equality, Mozilla, Proposition 8, technology

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via JMG: Westboro Baptist To Picket Liquor Store That Mocked Death Of Fred Phelps

 

 

 

 

Labels: hate groups, Oklahoma, religion, Westboro

Reposted from Joe Jervis 

Eckhart Tolle: How do I manage self-expectations?

Via Daily Dharma

Enlivening the Ordinary | March 30, 2014 Through art, a painter can make the ordinary come alive. As Zen students, we try to bring this kind of relevance into each moment of our lives, into this one moment that contains all moments. In this way, we allow the ordinary to enliven us. Sometimes this is successful, sometimes not, but the work itself goes on. Persistence is one of the major virtues in both the artist and the unenlightened. —Gary Thorp, "The Dust Beyond the Cushion"

Searching for Self | March 29, 2014 This mind that we identify as the self, which we could call ego-mind, controls everything we do. Yet it can't actually be found—which is somewhat spooky, as if a ghost were managing our home. The house seems to be empty, but all the housework has been done. The bed has been made, our shoes have been polished, the tea has been poured, and the breakfast has been cooked. —Dzigar Kongtrül Rinpoche, "Searching for Self"

Via The Everlasting GOP Stoppers / FB:

Via JMG: Voters Like Gays More Than Evangelicals

According to a poll of likely 2016 voters commissioned by the Human Rights Campaign, voters view gay people more favorably than they do evangelicals. Via the Huffington Post:

On Thursday the Human Rights Campaign and Americans for Marriage Equality released the results of a study, entitled "Victory In Sight", conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research and TargetPoint Consulting that investigated the nuances of voters' views on marriage equality. More than a simple matter of "Should gays and lesbians be allowed to marry?", the poll looked at shifts in opinions over time, reasons for such shifts, and differing opinions among ages, faiths, geographic areas and more.

The first question addressed acceptance, comparing voters' favorable or unfavorable feelings towards gays and lesbians and towards evangelical Christians. In a nearly 80% Christian-identified country, the results might surprise you. Fifty-three percent of voters said they felt favorably toward gays and lesbians, compared to 42% who felt favorably toward evangelicals. Eighteen percent said they felt unfavorably toward gays and lesbians, while 28% reported unfavorable feelings toward evangelicals.

Labels: 2016 elections, HRC, polls, religion

Via JMG: Wonder Woman Sends Love To Tomboy

Wonder Woman Sends Love To Tomboy

Last night LGBT ally Lynda Carter posted the above message on her Facebook page. Her fans are applauding and one responded, "Lynda Carter just became more of a hero to me for this post. This was me in the late 70's early 80's." (Via theRandy Report)

RELATED:  In 2011 Lynda Carter was the grand marshal of the NYC Pride parade, which took place less than 48 hours after Gov. Cuomo signed the marriage equality bill into law. She told the press that it was a privilege to have participated on such a historic day. Last year Carter was the grand marshal of Washington DC's pride parade.

Labels: bigotry, education, gender identity, Lynda Carter,religion, straight allies, Sunnie Kahle, Virginia

Warrior Mind | March 28, 2014 Fear diminishes me, makes me no bigger than that part of me which fears. Fearful, I am too small to contain thought, too small to hold real compassion. Protecting myself, I will hurt others. —Sallie Tisdale, "Warrior Mind"

Via JMG: Mozilla Staffers Launch Twitter Campaign Demanding Resignation Of New CEO

Mozilla Staffers Launch Twitter Campaign Demanding Resignation Of New CEO

Technology news site ArsTechnica reports that numerous Mozilla staffers are today tweeting demands for the resignation of CEO Brendan Eich.

This morning, a number of Mozilla employees took to Twitter with a united, nearly simultaneous message to new Mozilla Foundation CEO Brendan Eich: "Step down." Brendan Eich's Prop 8 donations come to light, and internal response is mixed. The internal response began this morning with two tweets from Mozilla Open Badges project lead Chris McAvoy. "I love @mozilla but I'm disappointed this week." He then made a more pronounced declaration: "I'm an employee of @mozilla and I'm asking @brendaneich to step down as CEO." Within minutes, many other Mozilla employees followed suit, using similar language or copying each other's statements outright. Those included Mozilla Festival curator Chloe Vareldi, partnerships lead John Bevan, designer Jessica Klein, and engagement team member Sydney Moyer. McAvoy added that he feels fortunate to work at a company like Mozilla, "where I can say that without fear of retribution."

(Tipped by JMG readers Joel and Marc)

Labels: Brendan Eich, California, Firefox, internet, marriage equality, Mozilla, Proposition 8, Silicon Valley, technology

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Tricycle Enlightening Conversations

Enlightening Conversations

A New Series
Exploring the Intersection of Buddhism & Psychoanalysis

May 9-10, 2014
Friday 6pm - 9pm & Saturday 9 am - 6 pm
New York Blood Center
310 East 67th St, New York

In this groundbreaking series, there will be no prepared papers from any speakers. Instead, there will be structured conversation that is open and impromptu. You are welcome to join the conversation between the audience and the speakers whether or not you have knowledge or experience of Buddhism or psychoanalysis. If you have an interest in what these two contemplative disciplines do, please consider joining us.

“Opportunities and Obstacles in Human Awakening” is the debut conference of the Enlightening Conversations series, in which psychoanalysts and Buddhist teachers will speak openly and honestly about the nitty-gritty of liberation.

Hosted by Enlightening Conversations founder and director, Polly Young-Eisendrath.

Featuring: Polly Young-Eisendrath | Henry Shukman | Pat Enkyo O'Hara Roshi | Jeffrey Rubin | Shoji Muramoto | Pilar Jennings | Robert Caper | James Shaheen | Grace Schireson | Robert Chodo Campbell | Nancy Cater | Deon Van Zyl | Melvin Miller | Deborah Luepnitz | Morgan Stebbins

7.5 CECs are available for those who attend the program in its entirety. The Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts (IRSJA) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education. The IRSJA maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Visit Tricycle for more information or

All tickets must be purchased online. No tickets will be sold at the door.

With thanks to our conference co-sponsors:

Via Daily Dharma

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Integrating Realization | March 27, 2014

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Spiritual realization is relatively easy compared with the much greater difficulty of actualizing it, integrating it fully into the fabric of one’s daily life. Realization is the movement from personality to being, the direct recognition of one’s ultimate nature, leading toward liberation from the conditioned self, while actualization refers to how we integrate that realization in all the situations of our life. 

 

—John Welwood, "The Psychology of Awakening"

 

Via JMG: Married Gay Tech Developers Announce Boycott Of Mozilla Over New CEO

On Monday, Mozilla appointed a new CEO who in 2008 donated $1000 to the Prop 8 campaign. Yesterday a boycott was announced by a married gay couple that runs a development company that produces products for Mozilla's Firefox browser.

Hampton Catlin, creator of Wikipedia Mobile and CSS extension language Sass, said he would no longer develop apps for Firefox after Eich's appointment. Catlin and his husband run a development firm called Rarebit which makes a game called Color Puzzle and was set to bring a dictionary app to Firefox Marketplace. In a blog post, Catlin wrote: "As a married gay couple who are co-founders of this venture, we have chosen to boycott all Mozilla projects. We will not develop apps or test styles on Firefox any more. This is in protest of the appointment of Brendan Eich to the position of CEO of the Mozilla Foundation, where he had previously served as CTO. We will continue our boycott until Brendan Eich is completely removed from any day to day activities at Mozilla, which we believe is extremely unlikely after all he’s survived and the continued support he has received from Mozilla.”

It wasn't until the Supreme Court overturned Prop 8 that the couple married. Catlin was also able to sponsor a visa for his British husband with the overturn of DOMA. The couple married at San Francisco City Hall on the very day of the Prop 8 ruling, landing their story on the front page of the New York Times. Read Catlin's blog post about the boycott and his open letter to Mozilla.

Labels: boycotts, California, Firefox, internet, marriage equality, Prop 8, San Francisco, technology

posted by Joe Jervis

Via JMG: Andrew Sullivan On "Homosexual"

"I like the term 'homo'! I use it all the time – about myself and others, although I also often use 'fag' as well. The gay thought-police would be aghast, but the intent is what matters. Mine is mostly benign. Mostly. But mainly, one great legacy of the gay community has been our love of freedom, especially of speech. For centuries and decades, the right to free speech was our only truly secure constitutional right. We were always about enlarging what was sayable, rather than restricting it. Banning 'homosexual' also reeks of insecurity. We are not so tender we cannot handle a clinical, neutral term, or even a slur or the re-appropriation of a slur. 'Queer' was one such reclamation, although that’s much more pointed than 'homosexual' and certainly doesn’t reflect how I feel about my orientation. There’s nothing queer about being horny and falling in love or lust or getting married. They’re among the most common activities known to humankind. But I sure don’t mind others using it – and more and more heteros want to call themselves 'queer' too. But my main objection to getting rid of 'homosexual' is that we would lose a not-too-easily replaced non-euphemism." - Andrew Sullivan, writing in response to the New York Times article about the "vanishing" usage of "homosexual" by the media thanks to prodding by groups such as GLAAD.

Sullivan and I agree about "homosexual" but not quite for the same reasons (many of you here strongly disagreed with mine). He goes on to express blistering contempt for "LGBT."

God I hate that “word”. It describes no single person; it cannot be spoken easily; it reeks of bullshit. No one started using that word of their own accord as a way to describe herself. It was created by leftists who believe that all oppressed groups are primarilly defined by their oppression and that the very different lives and identities of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender are somehow all one. I know it’s an effort at inclusion. I appreciate the good intent. And if it had any wit or originality, instead of sounding like a town in Croatia, I could live with it. But it doesn’t.

I like LGBT - most of all for its writing utility as an umbrella term. But while I grok why it's done, I do sometimes feel that the ever-growing number of letters sometimes tacked onto the end of LGBT are worthy of the eye-rolling it receives from inside our community and mockery it gets from our enemies. Which takes me back to my appreciation for the catch-all "queer," which to me simply means anybody who isn't heterosexual.

Labels: Andrew Sullivan, gay writers, homosexual, language

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via Daily Dharma

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Everyday Bodhisattva | March 26, 2014

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The bodhisattva aspiration is an everyday matter—everyday both in the sense of needing to be renewed as each day passes, and in the sense of applying to simple tasks, to ordinary actions motivated by a longing to reduce the difficulty and increase the happiness of those with whom we share our lives. 

 

—Manjusura, "An Everyday Aspiration"