Open Forum: Is The Tide Turning Our Way?

The tide appears to be turning, the last few weeks has brought us more states legalizing and considering same-sex marriage. We now have four states (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and Iowa) with legal marriage equality. Many other states are considering marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships legislation.

Some states have added gender identity/expression to their hate crimes legislation, and many more states are considering these proposals which have passed in house and senate committees.

Celebrities like Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, and Heidi Montag among others have come out in support of gay rights, and while they hold no power, they do hold fame and media influence.

Republicans like Steve Schmidt, Christine Whitman, and Meghan McCain have been outspoken in support of marriage equality. Other republicans and conservatives are urging the party to focus on issues that matter, and not stand in the way of gay rights which they see as inevitable reality.

What do you make of the sudden slew of victories? Is this a result of the democratic majority? Is society really ready for LGBT people? Do economic troubles make it easier for queer legislation to pass? Whatever the reason, the tide appears to be turning, and this is good.

Blog Spotlight: Communications of a HomoTextual

Communications of a HomoTextual is a blog by a queer student in Virginia who voices his opinion on a host of LGBTQ issues. What sets this blog apart is that each entry is a unique email or letter he has sent to major forces and individuals opposed to gay rights.

Blog Spotlight: The Angry Fag

The Angry Fag is a blog with "news and views from a guy who likes guys." He covers a broad range of topics from gay rights, to religion and other issues of interest to the homo community.

Urge Senator Robert Bunda to Side With Equality on Hawaii Civil Unions Bill

Hawaii is close to having civil unions, the house has just passed the bill and now it is up to the senate. In order for the bill to come up for a vote it needs to advance through the committee.

On the six-member committee, 3 are supportive, 2 against and one who has been against but is now a swing vote.

Sen. Robert Bunda, D-22nd (North Shore, Wahiawa) said he needs to get a better understanding of the legislation and will consider it even though he has been opposed to same-sex unions in the past.

Please contact Mr. Bunda and politely urge him to support civil unions, remind him that his election is historic as being the first Filipino to attain the presidency of any state legislature and that he should stand up for diversity and equality.

senbunda@Capitol.hawaii.gov

22nd Senatorial District
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 202
415 South Beretania Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
phone 808-586-6090; fax 808-586-6091

Catholic Church Against Making Gay Death Penalty Illegal

The Catholic Church a body that has been staunchly opposed to the death penalty does not want to include international protections by the United Nations for gay people who face death penalty charges in countries where homosexuality is illegal. The Vatican is voicing opposition and plan to go against the French proposal that is introducing this piece of human rights resolution.

"This week the Vatican's permanent observer to the United Nations, said the Holy See would oppose a resolution that would protect gays from being killed, just because they are gay because it would "add new categories of those protected from discrimination" and could lead to reverse discrimination against traditional heterosexual marriage.

The French resolution, scheduled to be proposed this week, recommends protecting Gays and Lesbians from being jailed or killed because of their sexual orientation and is being introduced to the UN on behalf of the European Union.

But Archbishop Celestino Migliore said, if adopted, the resolution would create “new and implacable discriminations," and also said that states which do not recognize same-sex unions as 'matrimony' will be pilloried and made an objects of pressure.

However, the French resolution, which is supported by all 27 members of the European Union, says absolutely nothing about gay marriage; it is about ending jail and death penalty sentences gays yet face in more than 85 countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen where you can still be killed for being gay."(LGR)

This is so disgusting and hypocritical of the Church. They are against the death penalty but don't want to be on the record opposing it for gays and lesbians?

Permanent Observer Mission of the
Holy See to the United Nations

25 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016-0903

Tel: (212) 370-7885
Fax: (212) 370-9622

Wake Up This Morning (Video)

Hospital Visitation Rights Petition

Janice Langbehn and Lisa Pond were ready to depart on a family cruise with their children when tragedy struck. Lisa collapsed and was rushed to a Miami hospital. At the hospital, Janice was told she was in an antigay state and kept from seeing her partner of 20 years. Lisa lay dying alone with her family just feet away in the next room.

We're suing the hospital on Janice's behalf. We're also calling on the next President of the United States to create a health care plan that ensures fair treatment for LGBT people and people with HIV in hospitals and health care settings.

Help Lambda Legal get 10,000 signatures on the petition!

Sign the petition for all the Janice's and Lisa's in the world!

Web Spotlight: Gay Rights @ Change.org

Today's web spotlight and shout goes to the Gay Rights section of change.org. It is one of the best websites I have come across packed with LGBT videos, statistics, gay history, activism, news, and more. If you can think of it and it has to do with LGBT issues, it is there!

Check them out at http://gayrights.change.org/

Homosexual Sex Given Green Light in Turkish Court

A Turkish court has tried a man accused of selling gay and group sex videos. While homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey it is still considered taboo and LGBT people face many legal restrictions. The court could have charged him with selling "unnatural sex" videos but instead charged him with a lower level crime of selling the videos in an illegal location.

"In its verdict, the Istanbul court said: Most European countries have given gay relationships the equivalence of marriage, and in Holland gay marriages were made legal a few years back. In a world of modern societies, it is not possible to say intercourse among members of the same sex is unnatural.

The verdict also read: Since the action happens in private places and does not include children it is not criminal. The term unnatural sexual behavior' should be seen from a narrow perspective; otherwise there is the risk of judging every sexual relationship outside of certain limitations unnatural. It is without doubt that the images are eccentric. Although this kind of sexual activity is not common in societies, it is a fact that in every society collective sexual relationships exist." (Turkish Daily News)

This is a significant gay rights development in Turkey, a country that typically shuns homosexuality while struggling to be accepted into the European Union and advance as a modern nation.

The Don't Ask Don't Tell of the Meat Industry

My fellow queers - stay proud, stand up, and go veg!

ACTION ALERT: South Carolina School District Voting on GSA Issue Tonight!

"A request from a student at Irmo High to form a Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) club at the school has presented a difficult and complicated decision for the School Board. While this club is student-initiated and not school or district sponsored, if the school has permitted the formation of other non-curricular clubs, federal law requires that the school provide equal access to a Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) Club. The law is very clear that if non-curricular clubs are allowed at a school, which they currently are at Irmo High, it would be discriminatory not to allow the formation of a Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) club." More info on the story here.

Please contact the board and have your voice heard on the issue. Students should have the right to form a club and be free to have a safe space to discuss issues of concern to LGBT students and allies.

Contact Members of the Board!

Barack Obama's Declaration of PRIDE

“I am proud to join with our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered brothers and sisters in celebrating the accomplishments, the lives, and the families of all LGBT people during this Pride season. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core this issue is about who we are as Americans.

It’s time to live up to our founding promise of equality by treating all our citizens with dignity and respect. Let’s enact federal civil rights legislation to outlaw hate crimes and protect workers against discrimination based upon sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. Let’s repeal 'don't ask, don't tell' and demonstrate that the most effective and professional military in the world is open to all Americans who are ready and willing to serve our country. Let’s treat the relationships and the families of LGBT Americans with full equality under the law.

We are ready to accomplish these goals because of the courage and persistence of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people who are working every day to achieve equal rights -- the gay couple who demands equal treatment in our family laws as they raise their children, the lesbian soldier who wants nothing more than to serve her country openly and honestly, the transgendered workers who ask for the simple dignity of being judged by the quality of their work. Generations of LGBT Americans, at once ordinary and extraordinary, have made possible this moment in our history. With leadership and hard work we can fulfill the promise of equality for all.

The Obama for America campaign is proud to be actively participating in over 60 local and state wide Pride events over the summer. To find the events nearest you please visit Basic Rights Oregon; join us around the country as we show our Pride and support for Barack Obama!"

H/T to God is a Dyke for the story.

Oregon "Bites for Rights" on June 19

"Restaurants around the state will donate 15% of their day’s gross proceeds to Basic Rights Oregon in a fundraiser known as “Bites for Rights.” This 9th annual event encourages Oregonians to “put their money where their mouth is” and support fair-minded businesses by dining out at participating restaurants, coffee shops, delicatessens, bars, and night clubs on Thursday, June, 19th.We are encouraging folks to make a date out of supporting Basic Rights and dine out all day long! Check back soon for sample itineraries.Basic Rights Oregon’s “Bites for Rights” goal is to build partnerships with participating restaurants - located in Portland Metro, Bend, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Ashland, and Astoria – and to garner support for fair minded businesses while raising critical funds to support a fair and equal Oregon."

Check out Basic Rights Oregon for participating restaurants.

Word of the Gay: "Lambda"

Originally a Greek letter chosen to represent a campaign for gay liberation that has gone onto become an international symbol of gay/lesbian rights. The lambda represents energy in physics and is also symbolic of the power and energy of the gay rights movement. Others suggest the symbol is reflectant of the fact that Queer people operate on a different "wavelength". It is now seen as a symbol of unity and pride, and frequently used in Queer Theory and academic circles.