Petition: A Campaign for Native GLBT Funding Justice

Two recent national philanthropy reports have released information indicating that Gay Funders contributed $37 million in one year to GLBT organizations across the United States. Native American Two Spirit People, the poorest of all the GLBT communities, received only 4 small grants of about $2,500. The average grant to gay organizations nationally is $16,000 a year. Gay funders have a mission to serve all equally, but it's time for a summit with the Two Spirit People here in our ancestral domains to help the funders achieve their mission. Two Spirit People have significant spiritual and ceremonial roles in our Native cultures, and Gay Philanthropy has a significant role to play in realizing a vision of funding-justice and social justice with our people."

Click Here to Sign the Petition!

Web Spotlight: The Mautner Project

The Mautner Project improves the health of lesbians, bisexual, and transgender women who partner with women, and their families, through advocacy, education, research, and direct service. We envision a healthcare system that is guided by social justice and responsive to the needs of all people.

Keep Your Friends Close, and Your Enemies Closer...

On this Halloween night nothing is scarier and spookier than evil anti-queer organizations working tirelessly to take away our rights and tear our families apart.

As activists it is important that we are united in our efforts, know who we can count on and what we can feasibly achieve. Likewise it is also good to have a basic understanding of who your opponents are and what they are looking to achieve. So I am posting today about some of the LGBT communities biggest adversaries and those who constantly seek to make life difficult for Queer people. For obvious reasons I will not be linking to the sites of these homo-bigoted and transphobic organizations.

Americans for Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) - Run by Peter LaBarbera this organization seeks to spread lies and deception about LGBTQ people and use scare tactics in discussing the "radical homosexual or transsexual agenda". This organization seeks to paint Queer people as depraved, ill, radical individuals who are seeking to topple society by any means necessary.

American Family Association (AFA) - One of the largest organizations promoting "family values" and right-wing Christian ideology. They are opposed to same-sex marriage, civil unions, domestic partnerships and hate crime legislation for LGBT people. They have millions of members, church affiliates, media outlets, and a huge budget and political power to lobby congress.

Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) - They are a right-wing advocacy and legal group. They are opposed to all topics of homosexuality including marriage, adoption, education, safe-sex ed, military service, etc. They seek to be involved in litigation, and offer what they call the "Day of Truth" to counter the "Day of Silence" and educate about the dangers of homosexuality and its sinfulness.

Focus on the Family (FOF) - A non-profit Evangelical group focused on conservative issues. It is also countering the so called "gay agenda" by fighting against marriage, adoption, hate crimes, and seeking to "cure" homosexuals through their "Love Won Out" program.

Family Research Council (FRC) - A "family values" right-wing christian thinktank founded by James Dobson and now led by Tony Perkins. They oppose any form of recognition of same-sex relationships. They attempt to misinform the public that there is a connection between pedophilia and homosexuality. They sponsor a "Values Voters" summit with major political power and clout.

Exodus International - This is an organization that seeks to "cure" people of homosexuality. They encourage people to "leave the homosexual lifestyle" and claim that "freedom is possible through the power of Jesus Christ". They offer resources for "reparative therapy" which is bogus therapy not endorsed by the American Psychological Association or American Medical Association and claim they have converted thousands of people yet cannot substantiate any of these claims. The "ex-gay" movement is a sham and harmful. Exodus is the largest of these groups.

National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) - An organization whose mission is to advocate for conversion therapy in changing the sexual orientation of LGB people. Narth seeks to change the 1973 decision by the American Psychological Association to no longer consider homosexuality a mental illness. NARTH seeks to provide education, resources, and advocacy for their bogus "ex-gay" agenda. The organization claims to be secular but is often partnered up with religious thinkers and faith-based organizations.

Concerned Women of America (CWA) - A right-wing "women's organization" dedicated to promoting "biblical values". In addition to other conservative issues they are fiercely opposed to gay rights and have fought against bills like the "Equal Rights Amendment" and "Employment Non-Discrimination Act". They also seek to make it difficult for LGBT groups to implement anti-bullying initiatives.

There are so many more organizations but I named a couple of the big players, it is important to know who is working against us. It is important to keep an eye on what they are doing so we can counter their radical unfamily value like agenda.

Protest Irvine PR Company That Runs "Yes on 8"

The Irvine PR company that runs the “Yes on 8” media campaign to promote the anti-marriage amendment in California is holding an Open House for their new locale on:

Thursday, August 14th, 2008
5:30 p.m - 8:30 p.m.

2020 Main Street
Irvine, CA 92614

All those opposed to Prop 8 are invited to attend and/or rally at 2020 Main on August 14th. (More info here on protest).

Flyer & View of building:

Sponsor the 2008 Equality Riders

"The Equality Ride is a traveling forum that gives young adults the chance to deconstruct injustice and the rhetoric that sustains it. The idea is this. We get on a bus and journey to various institutions of higher learning. Through informal conversation and educational programming we explore concepts of diversity, weighing the effects of both inclusive and exclusive ideologies. More practically, we share and gain insights about how our beliefs influence policy and culture, thereby impacting society. Our goal is to carefully and collectively examine the intersection wherein faith meets gender and human sexuality. Such discourse plays an essential role in creating a safe learning and living environment for everyone.

The 2008 Equality Ride begins in October. Get to know more about each member of the Equality Ride and read about how you can sponsor him or her by clicking a name below.

In order to make participation in the Equality Ride possible for all young activists, Soulforce Q covers 100% of the training, transportation, accomodation, food, materials, and Equality Ride apparel for the two-month journey. Your generous donation provides for hotel rooms, meals, books and many other Rider needs. The 2008 Equality Ride would not happen without your financial support. Thank you for fueling our work to move society and faith forward by sponsoring our 2008 Equality Riders!"

Learn About and Sponsor an Equality Rider

Support Soulforce by Making a Purchase from Their Store

Volunteer to Defeat Florida's Amendment #2

"Fairness for All Families and the VoteNoOn2.com campaign need you to volunteer at the polls on Primary Day - August 26th - and help defeat Amendment #2, the so-called "marriage protection" amendment.

Primary Day offers one of the best opportunities we'll have to educate voters. With widespread participation by you, your friends and family, we will take full advantage of this chance to talk to voters face-to-face about the harmful consequences of Amendment #2, the deceptively named "marriage protection" amendment.

Of course this amendment doesn't protect anyone's marriage. However, it does take away protections and benefits like healthcare from all unmarried couples - gay and straight.

Register today for a morning (7:00-10:00 am), afternoon (11:00 am-2:00 pm), evening (4:00-7:00 pm) shift, or all three! We'll provide you with training and the materials to have a successful Primary Day experience."

Click Here for Events and Phonebanks Throughout the State

Open Forum: Are You a Queer Superhero?

Queer activism can take on many forms. Whether it be marching in a PRIDE rally, to calling your legislators to take action on specific legislation. Making a difference for the community, can and does manifest itself in many different ways. For some it means protesting and being out loud and proud. For others it's more subtle in the form of coming out to someone with more conservative views on sexual/gender identity. While some people can be be allies and make a difference simply by speaking out against misinformation and hateful rhetoric. Every little bit of activism makes a difference, the bucket to equality can only be filled if we all work together, each drop we make no matter how insignificant we think it is, helps as far as the broader goal of reaching freedom and acceptance.

What are some of the things YOU do to help promote Queer equality? Nothing is insignificant so please share, even if its as simple as just coming to this site and shooting an email or signing a petition, or just being a friend to someone in need who is coming out.

New Asexual Advocacy Groups Starting Up!

Four new AVEN (Asexual Visibility Education Networks) are starting up in New York City, San Francisco, Vancouver, and London.

An AVEN chapter would be a localized organization that focuses its efforts on visibility and education in the area it's in. Having an actual physical presence in different locations could really be of some benefit to the asexual community. And of course, starting an AVEN chapter doesn't have to be all about work - organizing meet ups to meet other asexual people and having fun with it are all really important too.

For those who are interested please e-mail Anne Macon and/or David Jay for more information:

Anne Macon - aemacon@gmail.com
David Jay - davidgljay@gmail.com

Simple Ways to Be a Queer Activist

I want to give a shout out to this new blog Simply Queer and their great post on Queer Activism.

"1. Donate to Queer-Friendly Charities
One of the most silent, but highly important, ways to support the community is through financial support of queer initiatives. As always, make sure that the charity your are supporting is legit; ask to review their financial statements before committing dollars of your own.

2. Support Local Businesses Run by Queer Owners
There are a number of businesses worldwide which support a queer lifestyle, and they are easy to find thanks to internet resources. You can easily find a number of queer-friendly businesses to support by checking out the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, which runs a list of LGBT owned and friendly businesses in North America.

3. Write Letters to Businesses and Members of Government
The social freedoms which queer people have, limited as they may be, are almost all thanks to the generations of people who made an active political stance for LGBT lifestyles. While picketing and marches are important activities which have made real differences, the simple act of writing a letter or e-mail to those in political authority can make a substantial political impact. If an event occurs in your community which ruffles your queer-aware feathers, grab a pen and paper and speak your mind.

4. Know Who You Are Voting For
Do your research and vote! Support politicians who are committed to make a positive difference for the LGBT and other marginalized communities. Even for those of us who are especially shy about showing our rainbow stripes in public, the private act of voting makes a big public impact!

5. Affirm Others, Especially Strangers, Who Are Openly Queer
A couple summers ago, my girl and I were strolling hand-in-hand in Notting Hill, London, and a older gentleman in called out: "Girls holding hands. Never let go! Never let go!" Such seemingly small gestures of warmth from a complete stranger goes a long way in making people feel comfortable expressing their lifestyle in public. Next time you see a queer couple, don't be shy about showing them your pearly whites in affirmation!

Do you have any other suggestions for simple activism?"

Broadcast YOUR Message of Marriage Equality

Hat tip to Lavender Liberal for this wonderful idea in order to defeat the anti-marriage initiative in California.

The Marriage Equality Youtube group is looking for LGBT folks & allies to upload short videos onto the net to speak out about why marriage equality is so important to you. Whether you are coupled, single, married, or just believe in equal rights please put out the message and broadcast it to thousands of people on the net. The founder of the group will collect snippets from the various videos to make one long compelling film about why Same-Sex Marriage must be secured for Californians and all citizens of the world.

So get those video cameras out and make your case for Same-Sex Marriage! Together our videos can reach tens of thousands of people and get people to vote against the anti-SSM amendment. We can change hearts and minds through our stories.

http://www.youtube.com/group/marriageequality

Equality Maine Needs Our Help!

Action Alert from Equality Maine:

"On Tuesday, June 10th, primary voters will be asked to sign a petition supporting a referendum that would strip basic protections from LGBT Mainers and their families.

Voters have every right to sign that petition. But we want them to know what they're really signing: a measure that would

* Erase all the non-discrimination protections we've fought so hard to win
* End funding for school civil rights teams, which have played a vital role in combating harassment of all kinds
* Prohibit unmarried couples from jointly adopting, a move that would threaten the best interest of children

We also want to offer a better choice for fair-minded Mainers to sign: a statement of support for equality for all people in this state.

Help EqualityMaine build a presence at hundreds of polling places around Maine. Volunteer with us on June 10th.

Because if enough voters sign that petition, we'll face another anti-equality referendum battle in November 2009.

Every hour you can give on primary day will make a difference. Email our field organizer, Matt Moonen, at mmoonen@equalitymaine.org by May 30 to sign up. He'll get back to you with more information about volunteer training and scheduling."

Open Forum: "Outing" as an Activist Tactic?

"Outing" is when someone discloses someone's sexual orientation, when that person has chosen to keep their sexuality a secret. There are those in favor of outing who believe it is morally acceptable to disclose this information if the person (usually in a position of power such as a religious or political figure) speak out against and are damaging to the LGBT community. There are others who believe that anyone who is closeted is ultimately damaging the Queer community, by not being open about who they are, and so they seek to make the public aware of their truth. Those against "outing" feel it is an invasion of privacy and that people are entitled to live their lives in the closet if they so choose.

As with all controversial topics there are a wide range of opinions. What do you think? Is Outing ever OK? Is it helpful or hurtful to the Queer Lib movement?

Keep up the Pressure on Jamaican Government

Prime Minister Bruce Golding of Jamaica has announced he would not allow gay people to be part of his cabinet. This is part of a continuing campaign by the Jamaican government to ostracize and endanger the lives of LGBT citizens. The hate crimes in Jamaica are staggering with several gay people murdered and beaten annually. There is rampant homophobia in the culture, throughout musical lyrics, and hate spewing from religious as well as political authorities.

Please contact government officials and tell them you will be boycotting Jamaican tourism and goods, and demand that they enact laws safeguarding their LGBT citizens.

The following link enables you to send an email to the Prime Minister, his cabinet, the Ministry of Tourism, and other important officials.

Click Here to Contact Government Officials!

Action Alert to Support Family Values!

"GLBT Americans pay federal taxes like everyone else, yet they don't qualify for the basic federal protections that married couples and their children can count on. It's blatantly unequal.

GLBT people work hard to provide for their families. Tell Congress that the assets, health, jobs and rights of GLBT people deserve equal protection under the law.

* The Domestic Partnership Benefits Obligations Act (H.R. 4838, S. 2521)
* Tax Equity for Health Plan Beneficiaries (H.R. 1820, S. 1556)
* Family and Medical Leave Act (H.R. 2792)

These three bills bring together a pro-family, pro-equality legislative agenda that seeks to secure equal treatment under federal law for GLBT individuals, same-sex couples, and their children."

Fill out this fast & simple form to contact your elected officials, click here

Organization Spotlight: Children of Lesbians & Gays Everywhere (COLAGE)

Here is a great resource for LGBTQAI parents, Children of LGBT parents (QueerSpawn) & Allies.

"COLAGE is a national movement of children, youth, and adults with one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer (LGBTQ) parents. We build community and work toward social justice through youth empowerment, leadership development, education, and advocacy."

COLAGE is a great resource to connect with other Queer run families through local chapters throughout the country (There are 52 COLAGE chapters in the United States of America, 2 chapters in Canada, and one European chapter). They also offer pen-pal programs, and have many great articles, advocacy resources, workshops and information.

Check them out and support their efforts at http:/www.colage.org