A Matter of Time

Amidst all the convoluted details and disappointments, the optimist in me says “when” is better than “if”

Presidential Memorandum Demands Hospital Visitation for Gays & Lesbians

Can queers visit their partner’s bedside at a federally funded hospital? Yes we can.

“There are few moments in our lives that call for greater compassion and companionship than when a loved one is admitted to the hospital. In these hours of need and moments of pain and anxiety, all of us would hope to have a hand to hold, a shoulder on which to lean — a loved one to be there for us, as we would be there for them.”

“Yet every day, all across America, patients are denied the kindnesses and caring of a loved one at their sides… uniquely affected are gay and lesbian Americans who are often barred from the bedsides of the partners with whom they may have spent decades of their lives — unable to be there for the person they love, and unable to act as a legal surrogate if their partner is incapacitated.”

Read the memorandum here

What Health Care Reform Means for Abortion Coverage

In previous posts, we discussed the abortion restrictions that kept sneaking their way in and out of the health care debate. This legislative clusterfuck was driven by conservative democrats like Rep. Bart Stupak, who were willing to hinge their support of the final bill, which does soooo many different things to address our fucked up system… based on this one. wedge. issue.

Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan

In order to gain the support of conservadems and assure last night’s 219-212 passage of health care reform, President Obama agreed to sign an executive order that maintains the existing law of the land: the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funds from being spent on abortion services. So if you recieve federal subsidies from the reform bill to buy health insurance and want to purchase elective abortion coverage, you must do it seperately and pay for it out of pocket. The final reform bill similarly affirms the Hyde Amendment.

So, why does this matter? Because the Hyde Amendment is not set in stone. It must be renewed every year. This is key, because earlier anti-abortion provisions added to the bill and early drafts of the executive order would have strengthened the Hyde Amendment restrictions by eliminating the need for renewal. As things stand now, the bill and the order affirm current restrictions without shielding them from change down the road. Read more

So the status quo has been maintained, and both sides of the wedge are pissed. Pro-choicers, including the National Organization for Women, see this as a betrayal from the President, who is on public record opposing the Hyde Amendment. And Pro-lifers? They didn’t get the stronger restrictions they wanted, so Stupak’s a “Baby Killer“… go figure.

Actually, don’t figure. It will make your head hurt. Go finger instead.

Will Phillips Gets It

You might remember Will from our previous coverage of his refusal to stand for or say the pledge of allegiance because there isn’t “liberty and justice for all” when it comes to LGBT rights. Instead, he’s standing up for progress, in support of GetEqual.org

Change You Can Believe In

Just don’t get it in your eye…

Did you fill out the Sexual Freedom Survey?

If not, YOU BETTER, or SiP will hunt you down and take away your sexy license.

Take the survey now!!!!

Let’s start the New Year off in a proactive way, by adding your voice to the Sexual Freedom Report!

This questionnaire will be the foundation for the first report on the State of Sexual Freedom in America today.  If you already responded to the questionnaire, and many of you have, thank you!  If not, we would really value your opinions!

As I shared with you in the first email, the Woodhull Freedom Foundation plans to publish regular reports on the sexual freedom movement, designed to help identify the social changes taking place, or that must take place for progress to be made, on the diverse issues on which we work. We are particularly interested in recognizing opportunities for already-established sexual freedom issue groups to work together.

We would like to know what you think are the most pressing sexual freedom issues this country is facing and so we are asking for a bit of your time and a lot of your knowledge and expertise.

We will treat your responses as confidential, unless you specifically give us permission to share your comments.  To protect the confidentiality of our participants, we will download the responses each day and they will be taken completely offline.  With that assurance, we are also asking that you provide your contact information on the survey.

I do hope that you’ll take some time right now to respond to the questionnaire.  What you think really does matter to us and to this project.

Please click here or at the link below to begin the survey.

Thanks for your time and your participation!

Ricci Levy, Executive Director

PS:  Please make sure to give us an email address in the questionnaire so that we can email you a copy of the completed report immediately prior to its public release.

Obama appoints a transwoman! Gobama!

“Amanda Simpson–formerly a test pilot, and formerly a man–started her new job today as senior technical advisor with the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, which plays a key role in national security and cybersecurity. Unfortunately, most of the talk so far has been about Simpson’s sex change, not her career change.” Read more

Now repeal DADT, muthafucka!

Oooooh Bama

For only $34.95 you too can feel the Presidential power! Gives new meaning to the phrase ” In bed with the President”!

“Aggravated Homosexuality”

Uganda’s parliment is currently considering a bill that would make homosexual relations punishable by a minimum of life imprisonment. Such acts are already illegal in Uganda, but this bill expands upon that homophobic foundation with vigor. A few tidbits:

“Anyone in a position of authority who is aware of a gay or lesbian individual has 24 hours to inform police or face jail time.”

“Those who engage in ‘aggravated homosexuality’ — defined as repeated homosexual relations or sexual contact with others who are HIV/AIDS infected — will face the death penalty.” Full Story

And hey, remember Rick Warren? That evangelical pastor Obama picked to speak at the inaguration in the name of bipartisanship and togetherness? Who falsely claimed that he never endorsed Prop 8? Who loves to talk about all his gay friends?… yeah, that guy.

Rick Warren is also a major player in distributing AIDS funding to Uganda. When asked about the bill that would impose a death sentence on many of the people his work is supposed to help, Rick Warren just can’t bring himself to “comment or interfere”… I wonder what all his gay friends would say about that. Read more

HT: Sullivan

Obama likes ’em young…(and Sarkozy approves)