December 2007 Archives

Smack dab in the middle of Lake Bygod County, California, Angela came out on the first day of her junior year. She’d attended a queer youth leadership workshop in San Francisco over the summer and arrived at school wearing a rainbow necklace, a rainbow pin, and a rainbow patch. Nobody got it.

During English class, students were asked to stand up and say something about themselves. Already irritated by the inefficiency of symbols, Angela said she was a lesbian. She’d spent the better part of her summer in internet chatrooms discussing Xena, Warrior Princess. She was sure.

Several years ago on Christmas Eve I received a very nice e-mail thanking me for setting up the Barry Winchell website.  It came from someone close to Barry who was surfing the web that first Christmas since he passed away and took comfort in the fact that so many people remembered and honored  Private First Class Barry WInchell.

Pat, if you're visiting the site this Christmas, please know, I still remember Barry, and am taking a moment on my Christmas Day to remember Barry Winchell, and Fred Martinez, and Matthew Shepard, and Tyra Hunter, and all victims of hatred and intolerance. 

Facing Christmas for the first time without a loved one is hard, but if you are in this situation, please know you are not alone.

Peace on Earth - Good WIll To All

David

Will Roscoe has been active in the the Gay movement since 1975, when he helped found Lambda, the first Gay/Lesbian organization in Montana. The following year, he served an intern at the National Gay Task Force, and in 1977, as coordinator of the Gay People's Alliance at the University of Oregon, he spearheaded the formation of the Oregon Gay Alliance, a statewide coalition of Gay/Lesbian groups. In 1978, he completed an internship at the Pacific Center for Human Growth in Berkeley, where he coordinated a successful campaign to win United Way funding, the first Lesbian/Gay social service agency in the country to do so. He also served as voter registration coordinator for the No on 6 campaign in San Francisco (the Briggs initiative), registering over 10,000 new voters.

By Russell Olivera Jr

Ari Gold has become one today's hottest openly gay recording artists in the world. His honest lyrics and truth is found in all his music, and his look on life makes him an outstanding artist and person, a true reflection of positive energy. He has remained true to himself since the beginning, and even as he has and will continue to skyrocket into an incredible career, he has managed to do it being "real".

In a world where celebrity is becoming more and more blurred and role models are harder to fine, we are happy to have Ari Gold in our community. I caught with Ari earlier this month as he released his latest album "Transport Systems", what follows is some of my interview with this Out & Proud Recording Artist.-Enjoy!

German Film Tells the Story of Iranian Immigrant

The original title of this film is 'Fremde Haut', which means 'in Orbit' - the term officially used by the UN to refer to asylum-seekers who find themselves orbiting around planet Earth because they can actually find legal domicile nowhere at all. This is a perfect description for the main character in this film, Fariba, brilliantly performed by Jasmin Tabatabai.

Throughout the film, Fariba is constantly in conflict: not quite at home in Germany or Iran, not not quite at peace as either straight or gay, not quite at ease as man or as woman.

I've been a fan of Marcellas Reynolds since I first saw him  on Season 4 of Big Brother.  I recently got a chance to touch base with Marcellas and find out more about what he's been up to and his new Style Network show.

You first appeared on the CBS show 'Big Brother' in Season 3. How has your life changed since being on the show?

Wow my life is sooo different than before. I think the biggest difference is how many people know me. Not a day goes by without someone saying "Hi Marcellas." And of course now I'm now on TV a lot. Big Brother really changed my life & the direction of my entertainment career.

By Jennifer Medvin: Many of us were probably surprised and very upset by the passing of Dana Fairbanks on the L Word. Yes, she was just a fictional character, but the impact allowed the threat of cancer to hit home. The writer's showed that youth, an athletic build and even fame will not stop you from being affected by cancer. No one knows that more than Melissa Etheridge who underwent two cancer surgeries in 2004.

Discovery of a lump can generate fear in a woman. This may strike at the core of a women's self image through the thought of breast cancer, of losing her breast and maybe even losing her life. Women are eight times more likely to die of heart disease than breast cancer and lung cancer kills twice as many women every year than cancer of the breast. But the main reason breast cancer is a woman's worst nightmare is the fact that it kills more women age 35 to 55 than any other disease.

Last week, I traveled to Iowa to campaign for John Edwards in Des Moines, Ames and Iowa City.  The campaign set up a number of great local events where I had the opportunity to talk to Iowa’s voters about why I am supporting Edwards for President and to personally invite them to join our team.  Many of the events at which I would be speaking were geared towards Iowa’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities.  However, as I learned quickly, every Iowa voter I encountered—whether on the plane, at the gas station or at a diner—was eager to talk about the caucuses and to learn more about why I had taken time off from work as a volunteer to campaign for Edwards.

Services & Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders (SAGE) has announced that Karen Taylor has been hired as the organization's new Director of Advocacy & Training. Creation of this new senior position was funded by a major grant from the Arcus Foundation, as SAGE, in partnership with the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, launches a national advocacy initiative on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) aging issues.

"We are thrilled to have Karen join our staff," said Michael Adams, Executive Director of SAGE. "Her expertise and ability to get things done will make it possible for SAGE to provide a strong national voice for LGBT seniors, as well as more training and resources to benefit our growing senior population," concluded Adams.

Advocacy Groups, Jeanne White-Ginder Still Waiting to Meet with Gov. Huckabee, but after two letters by the Human Rights Campaign and The AIDS Institute, the Huckabee campaign has not responded

WASHINGTON – One week after requesting to meet with Republican presidential candidate Governor Mike Huckabee, Jeanne White-Ginder, the mother of Ryan White, the Human Rights Campaign or The AIDS Institute, still have not heard from Gov. Huckabee or his campaign. The meeting was called in response to Gov. Huckabee’s 1992 remarks, that he refused to repudiate, when he said people living with HIV and AIDS should have been “isolated” even after it was determined the virus was not spread through casual contact. The morning after HRC and The AIDS Institute sent a letter to the Huckabee campaign requesting a meeting, the Governor said, “I would be very willing to meet with them.”

I was not a subtle child. When I was eight, I dropped a huge queer clue on my parents and their closest friends during one of their cocktail parties. I swept into the living room, plopped a tape recorder on the coffee table, and cleared everyone from the Oriental rug. I needed an audience, I told them, while I rehearsed the choreography of the second grade's may day dance.

The music was Abba’s “Super Trouper.” My father gulped a martini as I raced through box steps and ball-heel changes for his high-ranking military buddies. In that moment, my father realized that the Read family’s long history at Virginia Military Institute had died with a thud. His son was a fairy.

If you haven't finished your holiday shopping yet, you're running out of time. If you're looking for some last-minute gift ideas, here are 11 great presents. Of course, the best part of these gifts is that the proceeds benefit worthy causes and organizations. We spend so much money during the holidays, why shouldn't some of it go to help others? Here are my favorites:

	Rosie's Peace Tee Benefits Children's Charities Rosie has made a high-quality shirt in sizes that fit real people. The 'Peace' tee has a wonderful, simple message and proceeds from Rosie's store go towards children's charities. Of course, the 'Love' tee shirts are just as nice. get it now
	Lance Armstrong Live Strong Skull Cap Benefits Lance Armstrong Foundation for Fighting Cancer However noble the cause, those bright yellow livestrong bracelets just aren't cool anymore. Fortunately Lance has some cool stocking stuffers. At just $14, this skull cap makes a perfect gift for a friend. get it now

Billy Bean played major league baseball from 1987 through 1995. He broke into the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers, and tied a major league record with 4 hits in his first major league game. He went on to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the San Diego Padres. Born in Santa Ana, California in 1964. He was a multi-sport star at Santa Ana High School, where he was chosen "athlete of the year" as a senior. He was selected Valedictorian of his graduating class, and went on to become an "All-America" outfielder twice before graduating from Loyola Marymount University in 1986 with a degree in Business Administration.

The thought of going home for the holidays can be happy, but it can also be quite stressful.  In addition to the shopping, and decorating, and small talk at cocktail parties, many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) folks have another issue: family members who may still be unaware or unsupportive of who they are.

Thankfully PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) came up with these holiday tips a few years back.  I thought I'd repost them to prepare you for the holiday season.

A new survey has been created to achieve a more accurate picture of the state of the transgender American veteran population. Many of the issues facing transgender veterans are no different than those facing the rest of the transgender community. However negotiating healthcare thru the Veterans Administration and dealing with the Department of Defense poses its own unique set of challenges. This survey is also for those transgender people who are still serving in the military and those veterans who identify and are diagnosed as intersex.

This Sunday’s edition of the award-winning CBS newsmagazine 60 Minutes will include a story by correspondent Lesley Stahl about reports from Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) of a growing number of openly lesbian and gay troops in the United States armed forces. The segment will also feature an exclusive interview with SLDN client and openly gay Army Sergeant Darren Manzella, who has served a tour of duty in Iraq and is now serving inside Kuwait. Manzella tells Stahl that he has received overwhelming support from both his fellow soldiers and superiors since coming out last year. Stahl’s report also looks at SLDN’s work in assisting service personnel such as Manzella, and the organization’s campaign to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” In addition to Manzella, Sunday’s segment also features SLDN board member Cholene Espinoza, an Air Force Academy graduate and the "It is perhaps only once in a lifetime that we are given the opportunity to do something of paramount importance, and I am honored to be able to use my voice to speak out on behalf of the countless lesbian and gay Americans currently serving in our armed forces."

The 14th BECAUSE (Bisexual Empowerment Conference: A Uniting, Supportive Experience) is currently in its planning stages. This conference is to be held at the Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota on March 28-30, 2008. All workshops will be held on Saturday March 29th.

After thirteen consecutive years, from 1992 through 2004, and three years off, BECAUSE is coming back. The BECAUSE Conference is the premier weekend for bisexuals, queers, questioning, and all others who are neither one thing nor the other. BECAUSE attracts people from throughout the Midwest and beyond to attend various educational workshops, get active, and generally enjoy the community experience.

While I believe that the Democratic Party has a tremendous field of candidates, I ultimately decided to endorse John Edwards for President and signed on as a volunteer adviser to his presidential campaign in January of this year. I initially got into politics and advocacy because of my passion for helping underserved communities. Edwards' focus on poverty alleviation and his REAL plan on universal health care and leveling the playing field in public education is unmatched by other candidates and, in fact, has forced the other candidates to re-focus on these issues.

Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation Receives $1 Million Dollar Donation In Honor of "The L Word" Stars Erin Daniels and Leisha Hailey

An anonymous donor has given a $1 million dollar gift to the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation in honor of Erin Daniels and Leisha Hailey, two of the stars of the hit Showtime series, "The L Word," for the realism and truth they brought to a breast cancer storyline that ended with the death of Erin Daniels' character, Dana Fairbanks. This is the largest private donation ever made to the Foundation.

"The donor, who has chosen to remain anonymous, wanted to honor the actresses for their compelling portrayal of a couple dealing with the tragic consequence of breast cancer," says the Foundation's Executive Director Naz Sykes. "Ultimately, she decided the best way to do that was to give a generous donation that would help us advance the work we are doing to end breast cancer in our lifetime."

The John Edwards for President campaign today announced the endorsements of the New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition and its executive director, State Rep. Mo Baxley. The group cited Edwards’ commitment to equal rights and fighting discrimination in all forms.

“I am proud to announce both our group’s endorsement, as well as my personal endorsement, of John Edwards for president,” Baxley said. “We took a long look at all of the candidates, we met with many of them, and in our judgment, John Edwards’ sincere commitment to battling discrimination and ensuring equal rights for every American is unparalleled. He and his wonderful wife Elizabeth have spent their entire lives fighting for those without a voice and standing up for what is right. John Edwards will be the kind of president we can trust to stand up for everyday Americans.”

Check our Project Runway tonight. Here's a sneak preview.

I am a lesbian, I am a mother, and I was a welfare recipient for about eight years. Because I was on welfare, I was able to give birth to my daughter in a hospital. I was able to obtain an apartment. I was able to feed my daughter more than just breast milk. I was able to clothe my family, get childcare, and an education. I was able to lift myself out of poverty.

I did not plan on going on welfare. In my voyage to escape the home life I felt (at the time) was miserable and unfulfilling, I searched for the only way I knew how to escape. I found an older man who could marry me and take me away; and soon became pregnant. I later found out he was a substance abuser and I became entangled in an abusive relationship. I was 17.

Kaiser Daily: Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, on Sunday said that he will not "recant" statements made in 1992 in which he called for people living with HIV/AIDS to be isolated from the general population, the AP/International Herald Tribune reports. Huckabee -- who made the statements in an Associated Press survey while running for Senate that year -- wrote that in order for the federal government to effectively address the spread of HIV, "we need to take steps that would isolate the carries of this plague." He added in the survey, "It is the first time in the history of civilization in which the carriers of a genuine plague have not been isolated from the general population, and in which this deadly disease for which there is no cure is being treated as a civil rights issue instead of the true health crisis it represents" (AP/International Herald Tribune, 12/9).

For nine years, Esera Tuaolo excelled in the N.F.L. as a defensive lineman: he played for five different teams and went to Super Bowl XXXIII with the Atlanta Falcons. He played with some of football's greatest, including Brett Farve, John Randle and Jack Del Rio. He even sang the national anthem in uniform at a nationally televised Monday night game as a rookie and at the 1999 Pro-Bowl.

But as a gay man in the hyper-masculine culture of professional football, Tuaolo was forced to hide his sexuality. The secret crippled him, leading him to drink excessively and contemplate suicide. It also hindered his football achievements, as he felt that if he were too good a player, he would be exposed as a homosexual. He led a double life that deeply depressed him, but which he now looks back on with a new perspective. During this difficult time, he persevered by following his mother's example and maintaining his strong spiritual faith.  

 

By Tod Companion

It's a fact of life that sometimes you get down. For many people, this feeling passes with time. For others, it's a constant condition. When your behavior changes because of this feeling, it becomes clinical depression. For many years, there was little outside of therapy that science could do for those suffering from depression. In recent years, however, advances in pharmacology have led to many medications for depression. Unlike Alice in Wonderland, you can't just take a pill, or eat a cookie to affect a change in yourself.

Depression is not just feeling bad. That's a state of mind, but while it can be a symptom of depression, just feeling bad doesn't mean you are clinically depressed. Depression occurs when this sadness lasts for an extended period of time. It's also accompanied by abnormal behaviors - obsessive eating or starving one's self, inability to sleep or sleeping too much. Loss of interest in sex is often a sign of depression. Disinterest in friends, family, career and life in general are also hallmarks of depression. Depression can also be accompanied by obsessive/compulsive behaviors - counting, constant cleaning, excessive ordering and neatness.

From Kaiser Daily: NewYork City-based HIV/AIDS advocacy group Housing Works recently criticized former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, for his work on HIV/AIDS issues while in office, the Boston Globe reports. Giuliani "showed absolutely zero concern for people living with AIDS and HIV" during his eight years as mayor, Housing Works President Charles King said. He added, "We had to litigate against him from the beginning of his term to force his administration to follow New York law with regard to the provision of services and care to persons with AIDS and HIV."

Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Demonstrating that no other candidate is working harder to earn the votes of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Americans, the John Edwards for President Campaign is sending former National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Eric J. Stern to Iowa next week to do a series of events in Cedar Rapids, Ames, and Iowa City.  These events are designed to provide Iowa's LGBT voters with information about Senator Edwards' campaign and opportunities to get involved in the all-important Iowa Caucuses. 

Stern has been one of the most active Edwards for President LGBT supporters. In addition to his work with Stonewall, Stern formerly served as the Director of LGBT Outreach for the Democratic National Committee and a Regional Field Director for the Kerry-Edwards Campaign in Davenport, Iowa. 

Edwards has laid out one of the most progressive and specific set of proposals on the issues that matter most to the LGBT community. The details of his policy proposals can be found on his website:http://www.johnedwards.com/issues/lgbt.

(schedule after the jump)

 

Check out the holiday Top Chef special airing tonight (12/6) on Bravo. Many of our favorite cast members of seasons past have returned for a Christmas challenge.

AIDSVote.org: The Web site -- launched by Housing Works, Gay Men's Health Crisis and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago -- is a nonpartisan voter and candidate education project. The site includes the results of a poll conducted among 16 presidential candidates about HIV/AIDS issues. It also includes GMHC's report about candidates' views on HIV/AIDS topics, as well as a chart that compares the candidates' HIV/AIDS-related voting record and positions. The site will track the candidates' positions up until the November 2008 election. Visit the site at www.aidsvote.org.

Here's a sneak peak at the Project Runway Episode which will be airing this Wednesday, 12/5 on Bravo.  I can't get enough of this show, how about you?  (if the link doesn't appear below, click here)

Many trans people may be anxious about utilizing air travel this holiday season because of heightened airport security. NCTE hopes to lessen this anxiety with its recently released Air Travel Tips for Transgender People, a great resource for holiday travelers.

Topics addressed in this guide include identification issues, dealing with airline and security personnel, luggage and clothing, and security expectations.

NCTE was motivated to provide travel guidelines following the implementation of a new Transportation Security Administration (TSA) policy in 2004 directing agents at security checkpoints to pat-down passengers wearing bulky clothing items.

Marking the 14th anniversary of the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy, the Human Rights campaign has asked the leading Democratic candidates for President to respond to the question, “If you are elected President, what concrete steps would you take to overturn ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell?’

Barack Obama responds on HRC Backstory

Fourteen years ago, the Democratic Party faced a test of leadership, and our party failed that test. We had an opportunity to be leaders on the World stage in eliminating discrimination against gay and lesbian service members, to recognize the patriotism and heroism of the hundreds of thousands of gay and lesbian citizens who have served our country. Instead, we bowed to fear and prejudice.

More Light Presbyterians

Intersex... is a medical condition of birth where the individual is born with mixed or indeterminate biological sex. It has traditionally been called hermaphroditism or pseudohermaphroditism and may occur in approximately two in every 100 births.

It is likely that you have never heard a minister preach on Matthew 19:11a-12:

Jesus said unto them...For there are some Eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb; and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. [emphasis added.]

Marking the 14th anniversary of the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy, the Human Rights campaign has asked the leading Democratic candidates for President to respond to the question, “If you are elected President, what concrete steps would you take to overturn ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell?’

John Edwards responds on HRC Backstory

“It is long past time to end the military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy and to allow openly gay men and women to serve in the military.  It is critical to our national security that we have the best people in our military. Gay men and women have continually served our country with honor and bravery, and we should honor their commitment and never turn away anyone who is willing to serve their country because of their sexual orientation."

As the debate over marriage for gays and lesbians grows, many within the intersex community are watching it with a mix of anticipation and dread. While many within the intersex community identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, many others identify as heterosexual and may believe the issue doesn't affect them. While we all hope that is the case, it may very possibly affect the entire intersex community with unintended consequences if we are not cautious and proactive in this debate. One of the big unknowns in this debate is how one man-one woman for the sake of marriage will be defined in any legislation that will be introduced seeking to bar marriage for gays and lesbians. At this point, this little, yet significant detail has not yet been discussed.

Marking the 14th anniversary of the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy, the Human Rights campaign has asked the leading Democratic candidates for President to respond to the question, “If you are elected President, what concrete steps would you take to overturn ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell?’

Here's is Hillary Clinton's response from HRC Backstory.