mickeym | Entries tagged with gay rights

Louisville is having it's Pride Parade on the 15th. I won't be going — it's too expensive to rent a wheelchair, and I can't walk/stand.

But our household will be well represented: Megan and her gf, and Matthew and Madisyn will be going, as well, though they're going separately. Megan and her girl are staying up there through until Sunday evening. I don't think M2, because they don't have the money.

I posted this on FB, and I'll post here, as well: if anyone needs someone to give them a Mom Hug (virtually, or in RL, though they'll have to come to me for that one), let me know. Likewise if they want someone to talk to. I struggled with my bisexual self for a LONG time — I knew as early as 6th or 7th grade that I liked to look at girls as much as boys, and wasn't that a revelation in gym class? — but I'm finally at peace with it.

So, yeah. If you know someone who maybe wants to talk, I can do that. Texting, phone call, FB messaging, email, whatever. Hell, video chat, if that's what they want.

As for everyone else: Happy Pride Month, may it be a joyful thing for all of us celebrating. <3

Colombian Bishop Worries That Gay Dad Could Develop Sexual Attraction To His Two Adopted Boys

When asked about Mr Burr’s suitability as a father the bishop said, “I do not know him and I am not accusing him of anything, but one thing is clear and that is that he has homosexual tendencies and he is going to receive a boy of 10-years-old and an adolescent of 13, and between them there won’t be a father-son relationship.” He continued, “He will receive two children at an age when they may be attractive to him, which could be a temptation“.

To balance the crazy a little, though, is this fantastic article about a supportive family with a transgender child: Jonas and Wyatt Maines were born identical twins, but from the start each had a distinct personality. The twin boys were identical in every way but one. Wyatt was a girl to the core, and now lives as one, with the help of a brave, loving family and a path-breaking doctor’s care. Check the first page for a picture of the now-14-year-old twins, Jonas and Nicole.

I subscribe to the Change.org newsletter/email alert mailing, and this dropped into my inbox today:

Tell Mecklenburg County Board: Censure Anti-Gay Politician Who Called LGBT People "Sexual Predators"

"Homosexuals are sexual predators," Mecklenburg County Commissioner Bill James (pictured above, all the way to the right) wrote in an email to his colleagues, which was submitted to qnotes, an LGBT publication in North Carolina. "Allowing homosexuals to serve in the U.S. military with the endorsement of the Mecklenburg County Commission ignores a host of serious problems related to maintaining U.S. military readiness and effectiveness not the least of which is the current Democrat plan to allow homosexuals (male and female) to share showers with those they are attracted to.”

It's only the latest outburst from James, who previously made fun of a colleague whose son died of complications from AIDS, who once said all LGBT shove gerbils and hamsters up their rectums, and who said that people of color "live in a moral sewer." Is this really a politician that the rest of Mecklenburg County wants representing them?

You can go here for the full article, more information, and the petition.

I'd almost forgotten it was today.

Hi, I'm Kim, and I'm bisexual. I've been married to a guy, and I had a long-term relationship with a woman. I've looked at and been attracted to both genders for as far back as I can remember. Some days I skew more toward het; some days I skew more toward lesbian.

I'm out to (most) of my friends, some past co-workers, and my son. I'm still cautious about who I come out to in my regular, everyday life, because I live in a very small town smack dab in the Bible Belt, and while I could deal with any repercussions toward me, I also have to consider my son and how his life might be affected. Someday I'll know the time is right to tell my family, and someday I won't have to be cautious about who I'm out to, it'll just be a fact. Not just yet, but some day.

Meanwhile, I support LGBT causes, and work hard within my little corner of the world to stop negative thoughts/comments about being queer. To banish some of the stereotypes. I have a zero tolerance plan in my home: there will be no homophobic comments, slurs, no saying 'that's so gay' when what's meant is 'that's so stupid'. I educate my son and his friends whenever possible.

*hugs* to everyone who's out, and to everyone who wants to be but isn't able to be yet, and to everyone who supports someone who is out, or wants to be out.

Judge strikes down California's ban on same-sex marriage

(CNN) -- A federal judge in California on Wednesday overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage, saying the voter-approved rule violates the constitutional rights of gays and lesbians.

I know it's just the first step, and it's likely to get very complicated and messy. But it's a step FORWARD.

Texas GOP Official Platform Calls for Imprisonment of Homosexuals and Supportive Heterosexuals

The points Jay brings up are directly from The 2010 Republican Party Platform. It's a fun read, for sure.

For my friends who reside in, are from, love the state of Texas...I apologize in advance, but:

What the FUCKING fuck is wrong with the majority of the state of Texas?

As far as their assertion that they want to preserve the sanctity of marriage between a natural man and a natural woman (their wording, seriously)... what about the men (and women) who don't give a flying crap about preserving that sanctity? The people who cheat on their spouses, who run out on their families, who ignore that they have children with one person to go start a family with someone else? Or the people who get married in a fit of whatever (passion, horniness, etc) only to turn around a few days/weeks/months later to get it annulled, or start divorce proceedings?

There's a lot of language in that document -- the highlights are in Jay's blog -- that makes me wonder how long before Texas (or any other state for that matter, because I doubt seriously Texas is the only state to want to push for a platform like this, they're just the first) decides they want to secede over this. Because it seems (to me, and I fully admit I could be wrong) that what they're saying, what they're pushing for, is the pre-cursor to that.

Whether or not that's the case, the anti-homosexuality language is nauseating; the whole tone makes me ill. The idea that anyone could even consider imprisoning (or punishment of ANY kind) someone for being queer -- or assisting them in marriage/adoption -- is just wrong on so many levels it's beyond comprehension.

Dead Marine's father ordered to pay protesters' legal costs - The father of a Marine whose funeral was picketed by the Westboro Baptist Church says an order to pay the protesters' legal costs in a civil claim is nothing less than a "slap in the face."

Westboro Baptist Church, in case anyone needs a refresher, is Fred Phelps' church; the one that has a website "godhatesfags.com", and who picket military funerals, saying our men and women are being killed over there as punishment for allowing the sin of homosexuality.

The attorney for WBC is Phelps' daughter, and she had the balls to say that the money they receive from the ordered payment will go to fund further protests.

I very seldom use the word hate, but in this case? Oh, yes. I hate Fred Phelps and everyone who allies themselves with him.

As a counterpoint to the whole Catholic Church thing (ARRGH), how about this awesome kid:

10-Year-Old Won't Pledge Allegiance To A Country That Discriminates Against Gays

The first comment at the bottom reads: making "Will Phillips is f*ckin awesome" shirts right now.

I agree.

Catholic Church Threatens To Stop Feeding Homeless Over Gay Marriage

The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington said Wednesday that it will be unable to continue the social service programs it runs for the District if the city doesn't change a proposed same-sex marriage law, a threat that could affect tens of thousands of people the church helps with adoption, homelessness and health care.

I think I'm going to go find a nice unpopulated planet to live on. Anyone wanna come with?

By way of

wovenindelibly:

Today, President Obama signed into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Prevention Act, which expands the definition of federal hate crimes to include crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The times, they are a-changing. Thank goodness.

By way of

raynedanser:

Apparently, the AFA has a problem with Hallmark offering same sex wedding cards. (You know what? Here's a simple solution. DON'T BUY THEM. It's easy as that.)

Isn't it a joy to see a company like Hallmark showing some spine?

It seems the American Family Association (AFA) has up an online form to send Hallmark hate mail for making same sex marriage greeting cards. What a shame it would be if people used it to send Hallmark support mail instead...

Takes a second and is easy to do. Please forward it along...

http://www.afa.net/Petitions/Issuedetail.asp?id=329

Automated! Convenient! FUNNY.

Go and foil, before they get smart figure it out. (Ed. because that'll never happen.)

Just the thought of Hallmark getting lots of email originating from AFA supporting their stance on gay marriage is putting a big smile on my face. What they said, do it before they figure it out. Bwhahahaha!!

ETA: (thanks

eyesfullofhope!)
Hallmark is now blocking emails from the AFA, according to the AFA website. But I sent the chairman a separate email from MY email address.

The chairman's email is sgronb3@hallmark.com.

Pass this along, please!

Pass this along, please!

By way of

cereta:

One California bigot/elected official has solved the problem of not being able to pick and choose whom her office marries by just not marrying anyone. Her claims that this is about staff and budget are just a tad undercut by the fact that she's referring people to the Alliance Defense Fund, an anti-gay organization that has announced its intention to, "defend any clerk who exercises his or her right not to perform wedding ceremonies under California law."

Once again, the sheer spite of these people amazes me.

I find it appalling that people can hate/fear something so much that they'd go to these lengths to prevent a joyous thing so many of us take for granted. And I really want to ask them why do they hate/fear it? I just don't get it.

Current Mood: angry

By way of

cereta:

Michigan Ruling Bars Domestic Partner Benefits

And because Lucy's always better at wording things than I am, I'm just c/ping her comment from her post:

Go on, tell me again those amendments were just about "defining marriage," and not about making life as unwelcoming as possible to gays and lesbians. Tell me again this stuff isn't just flat-out fucking malicious. Tell me what kind of "morality" it takes to actively sue to deny someone health benefits for no reason other than because you apparently don't think they deserve them.

That said, good on the University of Michigan for doing everything to protect its employees, and for seeing the solution as expanding coverage, not limiting it.

And now I think I'll try to stop spamming LJ.