Hey Heterosexuals, Come Out of the Closet!

 

Yes, that’s right! Because it is so difficult for heterosexual people to find support, advocacy, and information about their sexuality, Texas has decided that if colleges or universities fund LGBT awareness programs, they must also provide an equivalent program that promotes “traditional moral values”. This means that if your school has an Ally or other diversity training, they will have to provide an equivalent program to train people about what it means to be straight. I mean, there are certainly no relationship models for straight people anywhere in pop culture, media, politics, academia, religion, business, or any other facet of society, so it is obvious that we need dedicated, focused outreach to really help educate Americans about what it means to be straight.

“Republican Representative Wayne Christian’s budget amendment was approved with a lopsided 110 to 24 vote, The Dallas Morning News reported. The amendment would force state colleges and universities using state funds to promote diversity programs based on sexuality or gender to spend an equal amount of money to promote “family and traditional values.”” Read the rest of the article.

Down Low at West Point

This photo was taken in 1980, representing the first women to graduate from America's most prestigious and demanding military school

And here, 30 years later, another batch of students is making a difference at West Point. This time, as the New York Times reports, those cadets are gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Most are “on the down low”, but now, more and more are coming forward, and facing military “justice” for deciding that their oath of honor means more to them than keeping their true selves hidden from the bigots and fearmongers who prattle about combat readiness and moral hygiene.

As one such student, Katherine Miller put it, “I have lied to my classmates and compromised my integrity and my identity by adhering to existing military policy. I am unwilling to suppress an entire portion of my identity any longer.”

And these are the people we think we can afford to lose with so many enemies abroad?

Facebook ’em

Gotta love social networking. It’s given us such important powers and privileges that we could never imagine living without. Consider what life would be like without bathroom photos of underage women who forget to flush the toilet behind their half nude bodies, things to stick captions on and render immortal as their fed to “FFFFFFFF” guy and Pedo Bear, and every horrible person you hoped to get away from after high school now able to stalk you.

I’m cynical perhaps. But with all these astonishing blessings, Facebook just happened to find another group of people to give an “extra special” privilege to.

Being banned for having pics up of a FtM’s post-operative chest on your account.

This story is blowing up across various blogs, but as near as I can tell comes first from VUE out of Edmonton. They report on the account ban against Dominic Scaia, after he posted pics of his naked chest on his profile. Anyone who’s even glanced at social network will know this is par for the course. Except, being a transsexual man, apparently, he still has a woman’s breasts according to Facebook’s moderators. Nevermind the expensive, painful, surgery he endured to remove them, they’re still there, no matter what, in the eyes of the “ew, ew, ew” crowd.

That alone is a kick in the teeth, but I ask another question. What makes all breasts pornographic anyway? Why can’t it be like the difference between, say, potential and kinetic energy? You know, tits at rest are potentially porn, but tits covered in chocolate and having the nips pulled between someone’s teeth are at “pornographic escape velocity”.

Yellow Vest is the new Pink Triangle

The Advocate reports that Fernando Gallardo, a seasonal worker at a Walmart in Vegas, was forced to wear a yellow vest because he is gay, enduring humiliation and alienation from his co-workers. Pink triangles, anyone? Read the story here.

like a dart in the face

 

The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system is “updating” its non-discrimination policy to create a loophole that would allow GLBT people to be fired, or not even hired to begin with, based solely on their orientation or gender identity.

The “update” was proposed by Raymond Noah at Tuesday night’s closed board meeting. Here’s what it says:

“DART is committed to hiring, promoting and retaining the best qualified persons in all positions and, EXCEPT to the extent permitted by federal and/or Texas law, DART will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by law.”

I added the bold and all caps to the word except, ‘cuz here’s the thing: in Texas, it is permitted to discriminate against LGBT people! So, basically, what I’m hearing is “we won’t discriminate unless we’re allowed to, and we are allowed to, so we’re gonna go ahead and do it.”

Fuck you, DART! Fix this shit NOW!

Iceland recognizes gay marriage – unanimously

Iceland’s parliament voted 49-0 today to add “man and man” and “woman and woman” to their existing marriage laws.

The Marriage Scorecard to Date:

Netherlands (2001)
Belgium (2003)
Spain (2005)
Canada (2005)
South Africa (2006)
Israel* (2006, marriages from other countries)
Norway (2008, Civil Unions since 1993)
Sweden (2009, Registered Partnerships since 1995)
Portugal (2010)
Iceland (2010)

Hail to the Kings!

Happy news time!

Remember the whole flap over Constance McMillen? We covered it (along with pretty much any self-respecting, sex-positive bloggers) so no excuses if you haven’t.

FIERCE!

The Huffington Post reports, by way of the Register Star, how two gay friends, seniors at Hudson High School, were OVERWHELMINGLY voted in as prom King and Queen. Administration gave their blessing and, clearly, so did the student body en masse. Aside from brief, and likely amusing, confusion over which of them would wear the tiara instead of the crown, well, the image above makes it clear how that little tiff was solved quite amicably indeed.

Yay humanity! You get a gold star today!

Monday is International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO)

To mark this year’s International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), which is officially Monday, May 17, at least 6 US cities as well as other cities worldwide  will celebrate with the “Great Global Kiss-In” this weekend.  IDAHO wants you to participate and send them a video. Find out more here:

Texas Attorney General: Gays Must Stay Married

It’s nothing new that queers can’t get married in the great state of Texas. But if you have the guts to get married and then move here, you better be sure as hell you wanna stay that way. Round these parts not only do we protect the sacred institution of marriage, but the sacred institution of divorce too!

(AP Photo/Thao Nguyen) Angelique Naylor stands near the Texas state capital in Austin, Texas

(From the Associated Press) “After the joy of a wedding and the adoption of a baby came arguments that couldn’t be resolved, leading Angelique Naylor to file for divorce. That left her fighting both the woman she married in Massachusetts and the state of Texas… A judge in Austin granted the divorce, but Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is appealing the decision. He also is appealing a divorce granted to a gay couple in Dallas, saying protecting the “traditional definition of marriage” means doing the same for divorce.” Read more

Protecting the Sanctity of Divorce… that slogan’s gonna look so good on a poster

Lutheran Church ends anti-gay policies

One can only hope someday others will follow suit. I optimistically envision a large rainbow snowball rolling down a mountain…

(From HuffingtonPost) “After twenty-five years of deliberation, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Church Council has abolished its anti-gay policies, effective immediately. Following from discussions at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly last summer, the ELCA will now allow people in same-sex relationships to serve as rostered leaders. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) human beings are no longer considered abominations but blessed church members with full standing. Same-sex partners and families can now fully participate in the ELCA Pension Plan.” Read more