Blogging for LGBT Families Day on June 1st

June 1st marks the fifth annual 'Blogging for LGBT Families Day'. Over the past five years, hundreds of bloggers from around the world have participated, including lesbian moms, gay dads, bisexual parents, transgender parents, adult children of LGBT parents, LGBT individuals without children, and straight allies. Some bloggers told stories about their paths to parenthood, or tales about their children; some wrote about LGBT relatives or friends; others discussed current political events; and several spoke of why their faith obliges them to support LGBT rights.

Click here to participate and check out postings from prior years.

Blog Spotlight: Utah Cog

Utah Cog is a wonderful blog written by one of our delightful readers Scot. He is a father, husband, and gay Utahn who discusses his families life, their joys, and their struggles as being an LGBT family in one of America's most conservative states. It is wonderfully written and will serve as an inspiration for anyone who has a family or wishes to one day have one.

Tell the NYTimes What YOU Think About Their Editorial!

Calls to action aren’t always meant to stop bad things from happening. Sometimes we act to show our thanks or support. The New York Times has greatly increased its meaningful coverage of LGBT issues, especially family issues, over the last few years.

Just a few days ago the NYTimes penned this eloquent editorial on Arkansas’s Act 1, the ballot measure that banned all unmarried, cohabitating couples (including all gay and lesbian couples) from fostering or adopting children in the state.

Join the Family Equality Council in praising the NY times for their positive coverage and editorials of LGBT issues.

To submit a letter to the New York Times, follow these guidelines from their letter submission page:

Letters for publication should be no longer than 150 words, must refer to an article that has appeared within the last seven days, and must include the writer’s address and phone numbers. No attachments, please.

Send a letter to the editor by e-mailing letters@nytimes.com or faxing (212)556-3622.

You may also mail your letter to:

Letters to the Editor
The New York Times
620 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10018

Activist Tip: Reclaim Distorted Phrases

Anti-gay foes and conservatives have co-opted many words and distorted their true meaning. It is time to reclaim these terms, and bring truth not distortion to our language.

"Family Values" - We are proud to be a family values website, we are very concerned with the future of the family unit. We support the right of families whether they be queer headed households or heterosexual, we firmly stand behind these loving couples and their children.

"Activist Judges" - Judges who uphold the rights of minorities and seek to expand rights not eliminate them are staying true to the constitution. It those conservative judges who seek to amend the constitution to take away rights, and those who violate the law who are activist judges who seek to further their own radical religious agenda.

"Marriage Protection" - Advocates of equality are all about protecting marriage. We want to ensure that gay and lesbian couples have equal access to this cherished institution. While much of the country is marrying for money and looks, and divorcing at alarming rates, we want to strengthen the institution of marriage.

"Values Voters" - We are values voters, we go to the ballot box with our morals and values in mind when we decide on a candidate, and an issue. The difference is we open our minds, hearts, and vote based on equality, liberty and justice for all.

"San Francisco Values" - This term is used to insinuate how supposedly outlandish the radical hippies "homosexual & abortionist advocates" are. We do not have to be ashamed to espouse views, nor be degraded for believing in the constitution which declares a right to privacy, a right for all people to be treated equally.

I encourage you all to take back these terms from the activist linguists out there. It is about time that pro-equality folks, use words that truly represent what we are trying to accomplish, don't hesitate to use these words, and be clear on your intent when using them.

"My Family" - Video Compilation of LGBTQ Families

Write to Marry Day 10/29/08

It's a gay holiday in the blogosphere, yay. Happy Write to Marry Day!

In all seriousness this is an important opportunity for myself and fellow bloggers to post about why we support marriage equality, and what we have done to fight the marriage amendments across this country.

I support marriage equality because I believe in family values, (a word that has been hijacked by the un-religious right). I believe that whether a couple is gay or straight, trans or cisgender, that people should be able to commit to one another and support each other emotionally as well as financially. Marriage equality provides over 1,400 rights and benefits and varies from state to state. Marriage rights allow couples to have access to state and federal rights and benefits. Currently the federal rights are blocked by the "Defense of Marriage Act" but by granting marriage rights to same-sex couples we are helping to create a system of change and to topple the former anti-gay piece of legislation.

I think it is absurd to contemplate that in a country where according to the Bill of Rights:

"No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

Radicals who claim to be strict constructionists not only not want to follow the law of the land, they also want to change state constitutions to fit their ideology of hate. Regardless about how one feels about marriage, it is wrong to eliminate fundamental rights, like the right to visit a spouse in the hospital, or for a couple to file joint tax returns. It is wrong when one parent can't co-adopt a child and if something happens to one partner (the legal guardian) the kids are tossed into foster care when they already have a loving mother or father.

Proposition 8 in California, proposition 2 in Florida, and proposition 102 in Arizona all seek to ban the right of same-sex couples to marry, and some of these amendments even go so far as to eliminate any legal protections that could be provided through civil unions or domestic partnerships.

If we truly want to follow the law we must grant the "life and liberty" part to all Americans. It is our life and our liberty to choose who we want to marry and our right to support our families. And according to the fourteenth amendment no state shall make any laws which take away our fundamental rights.

Marriage equality transcends the gay rights movement, this is a human rights issue.

Regardless of your orientation or gender identity I urge you to join me in encouraging the blog world to vote NO on the marriage amendments.

It is critical that we stand on the right side of history at this time when we are in the epicenter of another civil rights movement.

Please join me in donating to fight proposition 8, volunteering on the ground, and phonebanking (regardless of your state).

Since I am personally not in California I cannot join in the rally's and demonstrations, which is a shame! I have though spent hours calling on behalf of the No on 8 campaign. I urge you to make phone calls as well. If not for the cause, do it for the laughs.

Here are some of the responses I got:
"yeah, uh, I know gay people, I mean I love Ellen."

"I don't want dem gays doing that stuff near my children."

"Only Bob, and Luke have this number, you are the third person I have chatted with ever."

Interesting people out there! Most fair minded Californians would not eliminate fundamental rights, so we must urge them to vote no on prop 8.

Please tell all your friends and family to VOTE NO on the marriage amendments, email them, post a message on myspace, and get the word out!

NO on Prop 8 - California

NO on Prop 2 - Florida

NO on Prop 102 - Arizona