Friday, June 10, 2011
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.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.
Via JMG: HRC Endorses Obama 2012
The Human Rights Campaign has already endorsed Barack Obama's reelection bid.
Running in 2008, Barack Obama promised change from the George W. Bush administration and on so many issues, change is certainly what we got. From signature achievements like passage of the law to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to administrative changes throughout government, President Obama has done more to improve the lives of LGBT people than any President in history.Hit the link for HRC's exhaustive list of Obama's pro-gay accomplishments.
Via JMG: Bloomberg's Speech On Marriage
Via JMG: Top TN Democrat: Extremist Bills Make State Look Buck-Toothed And Barefoot
Via JMG: Gallup: How Many Gays Are There?
Gallup says: "U.S. adults, on average, estimate that 25% of Americans are gay or lesbian. More specifically, over half of Americans (52%) estimate that at least one in five Americans are gay or lesbian, including 35% who estimate that more than one in four are. Thirty percent put the figure at less than 15%."Via JMG: Ken Mehlman: Why Republicans Should Support Same-Sex Marriage
Yeah, that's nice now. But don't ever for one minute forget Mehlman's leadership role in the many anti-gay marriage referendums that swept the nation during his tenure as head of the Republican National Committee.
reposted from Joe
reposted from Joe
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Via JMG: Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton Symbolically Vetoes Anti-Gay Marriage Bill
Even though he has no power to stop Minnesota's anti-gay marriage amendment from going on the 2012 ballot, Gov. Mark Dayton has symbolically vetoed the bill. "I do not have the power to prevent this divisive and destructive constitutional amendment from appearing on the ballot, in November 2012, the Legislature sent it to me in the form of a bill," he wrote in a letter to legislative leaders. "Thus, symbolic as it my be, I am exercising my legal responsibility to either sign or veto it." He predicted the amendment will fail when it comes before Minnesotans. If that happens, Minnesota voters would be the first voters of dozens of states to reject a gay marriage ban. "The path of social progress, of human compassion and understanding, would be tragically reversed by this amendment. Minnesotans are better than this. I urge Minnesotans to reject this amendment," he wrote.Hit the above link for a copy of Dayton's letter announcing the veto.
PUSHING FOR AN AMBITIOUS ANTI-HOMOPHOBIA LAW IN BRAZIL
All Out has been working in support of an ambitious Anti-Homophobia law (PLC122) that would finally give ALL Brazilians equal protection under the law. Brazil has one of the highest rates of attacks and murders of LGBT people in the world. On May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, our 100,000+ All Out / Avaaz petition was delivered to the Brazilian parliament and our efforts received tons of local press. Later that evening All Out organized a massive outdoor photo projection in Brasília, made up of hundreds of powerful messages of solidarity from our membership around the world. Check out some incredible photos from that event hereVia JMG: Photo Of The Day - SF AIDS Ribbon
A giant AIDS ribbon has been installed on San Francisco's Twin Peaks in observance of the 30th anniversary of the epidemic. The ribbon, which can been seen for many miles, will remain on the hillside until it's replaced by the giant pink triangle which appears in that space every year on gay pride weekend.(Tipped by JMG reader James)
[Photo Credit: Thomas Levinson]
reposted from Joe
Via JMG: Language Advice For Christianists
From the Desiring God site of Pastor John Piper:
Except in a sentence like this one, I don’t think we should use the term “gay marriage” or “same-sex marriage.” I think in our everyday discourse, we should say “so-called gay marriage” or “so-called same sex marriage.” I would encourage politicians, pastors, and people to adopt this simple habit. The reason is that in God’s eyes, there simply is no such thing as so-called “gay marriage.” It does not exist. It cannot be made to exist by desires or decisions or language or laws. God ordained marriage with the words: “A man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Marriage is the union of a man and a woman in a lifelong covenant as husband and wife.Going by Piper's logic, Newt Gingrich is on his third "so-called marriage."
Via JMG: OREGON: Two Gay Portland Men Beaten For Holding Hands
Portland, Oregon police are investigating a possible hate crime after two gay men were beaten after being seen walking hand-in-hand. One of the victims reports: "I left [the ER] with 9 stitches in my lips, two black eyes, a dislodged jaw, some loose teeth, severe swelling where they hit me on my cheek, and scrapes and bruises on my head."Detectives say Brad Forkner and Christopher Rosevear were walking hand-in-hand Sunday evening in Waterfront Park and then headed over the Hawthorne Bridge. As the pair walked, police say, they noticed several men behind them who were talking, laughing and pointing, but they weren’t sure if it was directed at them. Police say the attack happened as Forkner and Rosevear walked from the bridge to the trail toward the East Bank Esplanade. The pair told officers the men pushed and punched Forkner before he managed to break away and call 911. Police say the attackers hit Rosevear in the head, face, back and ribs before running off. ”It’s too bad that people are still walking around a city like Portland feeling, well, actually unsafe,” says Paul Fukui, the operations manager of the Q-Center, which advocates for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community.According to the above-linked news story, several witnesses observed the attack but did nothing to help. The three assailants are described as white men in their 20s.
(Tipped by JMG reader Megan)
Via AmericaBlog.gay: Odd quote of the day
From the Advocate, regarding Tennessee's hate law that repealed gay and trans protections in Nashville:
Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese released the following statement: “Discrimination should have no place in the Volunteer State and the Chamber [of Commerce]’s opposition to this law sent a strong signal that corporations are on the leading edge of positive change. In contrast Governor Haslam has put discrimination ahead of the state’s values and even business interests by signing this horrible legislation.”Corporations were also on the leading edge of making this entire thing happen. Their local representatives were responsible for this law, lobbied for this law via the local chamber of commerce, and then when we asked them for help killing it, most of them were cool to the idea at best. As for the Chamber, it held its statement until 20 seconds - literally 20 seconds - before the governor signed the bill into law, making it utterly worthless. Hardly a coincidence or a "strong signal."
Other than that Mrs. Lincoln...
Via AmericaBlogGay: Obama admin. "strongly objects" to House GOP effort to thwart DADT repeal
The White House issued its "Statement of Administration Policy" (SAP) on H.R. 1540 – National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2012. You'll recall that some of the House homophobes added anti-gay language to that legislation. The House will be voting on the Defense bill this week. The White House has many problems with the House bill -- and does not approve of the anti-gay provisions. There's no veto threat, but there's an objection:
Attempts to Prevent, Delay, or Undermine the Repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell": On December 22, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, in order to strengthen our national security, enhance military readiness, and uphold the fundamental American principles of fairness and equality that warfighters defend around the world. As required by that statute, DoD is diligently working to prepare the necessary policies and regulations and conducting educational briefings to implement the repeal. Should it be determined, as required by the statute, that the implementation is consistent with the standards of military readiness and effectiveness, unit cohesion, and military recruiting and retention, then the President, the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will send forward the required certification. The Administration strongly objects to any legislative attempts (such as section 533) to directly or indirectly undermine, prevent, or delay the implementation of the repeal, as such efforts create uncertainty for servicemembers and their families.Last year, the inclusion of DADT repeal language didn't merit a "Statement of Administration Policy." We got a letter.
Military Regulations Regarding Marriage: The Administration strongly objects to sections 534 and 535, believes that section 3 of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is discriminatory, and supports DOMA’s repeal.
So, we've made progress -- and it's clear that being pro-gay is the winning political position. The GOPers want to have this fight. Let's have it.
Via JMG: Focus on the Family thinks the bigots have lost the marriage battle
Fascinating. From Salon:
Jim Daly, the president of the massive religious-right organization Focus on the Family, concedes that his group has basically lost the argument on gay marriage in an interview with a Christian magazine.
We're winning the younger generation on abortion, at least in theory. What about same-sex marriage? We're losing on that one, especially among the 20- and 30-somethings: 65 to 70 percent of them favor same-sex marriage. I don't know if that's going to change with a little more age—demographers would say probably not. We've probably lost that. I don't want to be extremist here, but I think we need to start calculating where we are in the culture.Well! Focus on the Family will still do everything in its power to force women to carry pregnancies to term against their wishes, but they have largely given up on forbidding loving couples from making legal commitments to one another for no reason other than an icky feeling supported by the bit of the book of Leviticus that also calls for people who insult their parents to be stoned to death. Progress!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Via JMG: Poll: Majority Of Christians Oppose DOMA
From a new poll conducted by the Human Rights Campaign: The poll shows that Christians of all ages support LGBT equality. In fact, 68 percent of Christians favor protecting LGBT people from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations compared. This number is in line with the 70 percent of overall respondents who favor such protections. 74 percent of Christians (compared to 76 percent overall) favor a law to prohibit bullying and harassment against minority groups in schools, including LGBT students or the children of LGBT parents. 70 percent of Christians believe that when religious leaders condemn LGBT people it does more harm than good. A majority of Christians - 52 percent - also oppose the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act, according to a previous HRC poll by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research poll. Finally, an astounding 86 percent of Christians believe their faith leads them to the conclusion that the law should treat all people equally, including LGBT people.Lots more graphs at the above link.
Via JMG; HomoQuotable - Evan Wolfson
"Focus on the Family finally got something right—the American people are rejecting their anti-gay toxic rhetoric and punitive politics, and are siding with loving and committed couples seeking the freedom to marry. With six national polls now confirming that a majority of Americans support the freedom to marry, it’s time for Focus on the Family and other anti-gay industry activists to move on and, ideally, redirect their resources toward tackling the real problems gay and non-gay Americans could be confronting together in these tough economic times." - Freedom To Marry head Evan Wolfson, responding to Focus president Jim Daly, who says the Christian right has lost the marriage battle.Via JMG: White House Issues Statement Denouncing Minnesota's Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment
Via the Washington Blade:
“The President has long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same sex couples or to take such rights away. While he believes this is an issue best addressed by the states, he also believes that committed gay couples should have the same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple in this country.""Best addressed by the states." Hmm.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
JMG Quote Of The Day - Jim Daly
"We're losing on [gay marriage], especially among the 20- and 30-somethings: 65 to 70 percent of them favor same-sex marriage. I don't know if that's going to change with a little more age, demographers would say probably not. We've probably lost that. I don't want to be extremist here, but I think we need to start calculating where we are in the culture." - Focus Of The Family president Jim Daly, speaking to World Magazine.Labels: Focus On The Family, hate groups, LGBT rights, marriage equality, Quote Of The Day, religion
Via JMG: A E I O U to you!
Your Vowels Are Totally Gay
According to a new study due out from Ohio State University, most people can correctly guess a man's sexual orientation by listening to recordings of the way he pronounces his vowels.
They asked seven gay and seven heterosexual males to record single-syllable words (including "mass," "food" and "sell") and then played the recordings for listeners. The study participants were then asked to identify the sexual orientation of the speakers when hearing only the first letter sound of those words, the first two letter sounds, or the entire words. The listeners were unable to determine the sexual orientation after hearing the sound of the first letter in the spoken word, for example, just the "m" sound in the word "mass." But, "when presented with the first two letter sounds [for example "ma"], listeners were 75 percent accurate," [researcher Erik] Tracy said. "We believe that listeners are using the acoustic information contained in vowels to make this sexual orientation decision," he explained.I'd like to know how the gay voices were chosen for the study.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
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