Students - Know Your Rights!

This is for all American public school students who are Queer or allied. This is a small write up about your rights provided by the ACLU - Get Busy, Get Equal!

"If you experience any problems at school, first talk to your principal or another official. If nothing happens it's time to take action.

HARASSMENT:
If you are being harassed, or witness harassment, report it to the principal, a counselor, or another official immediately, and keep notes with dates and descriptions of all incidents and when you reported them. Being silent may seem easier but it will not end the abuse, and you have the right to be yourself and safe.

PRIVACY:
Teachers and school officials do NOT have the right to "out" you to anyone without your permission or use your sexual orientation to manipulate you in any way.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH:
Sometimes schools try to silence students who are open about their sexual orientation. If you go to a public school you have a constitutional right to be out of the closet and express your opinions.

GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCES:
Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA's) are non-curricular student clubs, just like Chess clubs or Key Clubs, that allow students with a common interest to get together and have discussions and activities. The law says public schools must allow GSA's if other student clubs exist.

*For info on starting or being part of a GSA go to GLSEN or call 212-727-0135

PROM:
Public schools cannot stop you from bringing a same-sex date to prom. Federal law protects this as freedom of expression, and you cannot be barred from prom because of your date's gender."

If you are encountering difficulty, the ACLU can provide free assistance... Do not hesitate to contact them with questions about your rights or to ask for legal assistance.

getequal@aclu.org
Phone: 212-549-2627

Activist Tip: Sharing is Caring, Oh, and Visibility!

Next time you are done reading a gay/lesbian newspaper/magazine, or some sort of activist flier or publication instead of tossing it in the trash, leave it on a table at the doctors office waiting room, or at your local library. It is great to recycle and someone else gets use out of it, but more importantly someone else will be reached with queer issues and may be personally affected by it. We change hearts and minds through our stories and through visibility of our movement.

Happy Mother's Day!

A shout out to all the mothers out there! Happy Mother's Day from Queers United. Challenging heterosexism 24/7.

Links to check out:
Family Equality Council

Proud Parenting

Mombian

Say it Loud - A sexual and Proud!

The Asexual movement has been picking up steam and along with education, media visibility, and awareness there is a growing group of people who are embracing their asexuality and wearing it proudly on their sleeves.

Asexual Pride is important in an effort to show that this minority exists and to create awareness about what this segment of our population faces. "Asexual Pride" is relatively new so whether you are Asexual or an ally you can be part of the process of demonstrating your Pride and commitment to diversity with a few of these simple steps...

Asexual Pride Merchandise:

Asexual Visibility Education Network Store


Asexual Pride Graphics:

Listing of A-sexy Icons & Banners


Asexuality Education FREE pamphlets to distribute:

Asexuality Pamphlets (Free - Color)

Asexuality Pamphlets (Free Grey-Scale)

If anyone knows any other resources or has ideas to demonstrate A-Pride please feel free to post in the comments section!

An Appeal to the Politically Skeptical

Many people who care deeply about political issues and social justice question the efficacy of activism and being politically involved. It is a legitimate question and concern. People ask why should they bother sending an email/letter, signing a petition, or going to a demonstration. Is it a waste of time and why would someone care that you disagree and hold an alternative point of view?

As someone who has been an activist for many years, I can assure you that I have seen activism to truly work wonders. Does it always work? No. You should not be discouraged when things don't go your way, and with regards to civil rights and equality it comes in strides and not in one shot. However, that being said think about how rewarding it is when you are part of the solution and you can directly affect millions of lives or stand for what is right.

This post is an appeal letter to those who are interested in social change but feel that their efforts are a waste of time. I urge you to be involved send those emails, make those calls, lobby your representatives. Sure you are just one voice, but together we are a collective of voices and we make a dent. If you don't speak up, who will?

Why activism does work...

Business:
Many times companies/organizations take positions on issues that we disagree with. The reason activism can be successful is from a business aspect. The bottom line is companies want profit $$$, if they see a group of activists demonstrating, calling for a boycott or creating negative publicity for them, it is in their best interest to either give in to the activist or try to assuage their concerns.

Government:
Technically speaking elected representatives are supposed to represent the people of their district and thus vote accordingly with the will of the population. There are some politicians who follow this rule of thumb but many others do not. Politicians need your votes, they need credibility and thus will want to do what a vocal lobbying group will tell them to do. If your voice is not heard on an issue, a politician will likely feel no reason to support or take on an issue of concern.

Public Opinion:
If you are a successful activist you are bringing attention to the issue you are concerned with. This will garner media attention, political advocacy, and the like to your issue, you might find more support from others who will join the bandwagon. Even if people do not directly support your efforts you are creating awareness on an issue of importance to you.

So to make a long story short GET INVOLVED! That being said I will leave you with my favorite quote regarding activism.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has". (Margaret Mead)

Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments on this topic.

Real World Brooklyn - Queer as Ever!

The twenty-first season of MTV's, Real World: Brooklyn, premieres on Wednesday, January 7. It promises to be gayer than a particularly gay picnic basket; packed with enough gay, bisexual, transgendered and questioning participants to ensure this season will be the most rainbow-friendly one so far. No longer onboard for shock value, novelty or conflict-baiting, the lavender-leaning members of this eight-person cast will (if the press materials aren’t lying) do their part to keep it real and make life in their Red Hook warehouse digs particularly fabulous. (Wicked Gay Blog)

Why am I posting about MTV on an activist blog? I feel Viacom has been integral to the LGBT community, having LOGO a 24/7 gay channel, and showing many LGBT themed programs on their other networks is vital in putting out our stories and lives to millions of viewers.

Meet Norman

Born Different is an ad campaign from the Gill Foundation out of Colorado. The Gill Foundation gives millions of dollars a year to great causes/charities around the US.

Norman is a dog that doesn't bark - he "moos". Watch it to understand and visit http://www.BornDifferent.org for more information and share this educational website with friends!

Open Forum: Is Any Publicity Good Publicity?

Anytime someone who identifies or appears to be part of the Queer community is in the public spotlight it reflects on us all. It shouldn't be the case because we are such a diverse community, comprised of various political, religious, and personal preferences. The fact is though the majority will judge any minority they don't know much about by the little information they do receive.

The question and conversation I pose this week is whether any publicity is good publicity? There is a long time internal debate within the Queer community of those that feel we should strive to show the world our families, our professions, and our religions to show that we are self respecting hard working people just like everyone else.

Many LGBTQ people are embarrassed by such things as the pride parades where people dress up in Halloween like costumes, go naked, or act perverse. At the same token many of the people who are parading around in such attire or making sexual or fun and outrageous statements feel that some Queers are trying to sugarcoat the community and are an affront to the efforts to advance civil liberties and sexual liberation.

Do you think any publicity is good publicity, and will ultimately desensitize straight people to our varied ways? Is the media perhaps only focusing on the outrageous and does this hurt the image of the entire community? Share your thoughts.

Spread the Word: Asexual Educational Pamphlets

Here are some FREE pamphlets about Asexuality that can be printed out and distributed for public knowledge. Please check them out to educate yourself, and leave a trail of these at school, your local library, LGBT or any community center, and house of worship.

Spreading the word about Asexuality not only helps people learn about a sexual orientation many are unaware of but you may even potentially reach someone who felt isolated or in the closet with their own Asexuality.

Asexuality Pamphlets (Free - Color)

Asexuality Pamphlets (Free Grey-Scale)

Dancing With the Gays?

The media rumors are flying that Lance Bass the openly gay singer from the pop music band N'Sync will be on the ABC hit show "Dancing with the Stars." To add to the twist, the show is considering pairing him up with a professional male dancer. This would be the first time a same-sex couple would be seen on the show dancing and would be broadcast to millions of homes across the globe.

Click Here for ABC's E-Contact Form - Tell Them You Want Gay Duo on Dancing with the Stars!

*Photo courtsey of pizzpancakes on Creative Commons.

Shameless Self Promotion Sunday

Please feel free to share any links to Queer or Queer related topics of interest. You can post a blog entry you made, a website you found interesting. Anything goes as long as it is Queer in nature.

Open Forum: Does the Media Ignore Us?

Right wing thinktanks and commentators so often talk about the "homosexual agenda" and the liberal media's love of all things gay. You would think there was some queer conspiracy with regards to the media with the way they talk.

Upon closer examination it appears the media is anything but gay friendly. Where was the coverage of the marriages in California? Sure, there was some but the story in my opinion was barely covered. I often hear reporters reference homosexuality by talking about the "gay lifestyle" or seem very uncomfortable or almost mocking and joking about gay lives. Is this the media that supposedly loves and is infatuated with gay people?

Does the media have a bias when it comes to reporting on Queer issues? Are we loved or ignored or treated just like everyone else?

Thoughts?

GLAAD Urges Action to Condemn FX Networks Over Anti-Gay Activist

"The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today urged community members to contact FX Networks to express their concerns about a defamatory claim by an anti-gay activist that will appear, unchallenged, in the June 24 episode of 30 Days.

During the June 24 episode, entitled "Same Sex Parenting," Kati, a woman who opposes gay and lesbian parents and their families, lives for 30 days with gay parents Dennis and Thomas and their four adopted sons. The episode includes the personal stories of kids raised by lesbian and gay parents.

Regrettably, the episode also features a defamatory statement by Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council, an anti-gay activist organization, who claims: "Homosexuality is associated with higher rates of sexual promiscuity, sexually transmitted diseases, mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence, and child sexual abuse, and those are all reasons for us to be concerned about placing children into that kind of setting." While there is no credible scientific research that backs Sprigg’s claim - and much that disputes it - the episode presents his assertion as if it were fact and offers no credible social science experts or child health authorities to challenge Sprigg’s assertion. Indeed, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, the Child Welfare League of America, and many other child health and social services authorities who support parenting by qualified lesbian and gay parents dispute Sprigg’s claim."

TAKE ACTION:
FX Networks:
Nick Grad
Executive Vice President of Original Programming
(310) 369-0949
ngrad@fxnetworks.com

Chuck Saftler
Executive Vice President of Programming
(310) 369-0949
csaftler@fxnetworks.com

Scott Seomin
Vice President of Public Relations
(310) 369-0938
scott.seomin@fxnetwork.com

For more on the press release and action alert, head on over to GLAAD.

Gay Sheep Experiments Aimed to "Fix" Homosexuality

I am bumping this thread back up since these cruel and homophobic experiments continue to occur in the name of science.

According to PETA:

"Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), a school that has received criticism in the past for torturing monkeys in its labs, has officially been outed. Information has been brought to light about ridiculous “gay sheep” experiments that are being conducted at the school. OHSU experimenter Charles Roselli is spending millions of taxpayer dollars to kill homosexual rams and cut open their brains in an attempt to find the hormone behind homosexual tendencies so that these tendencies can be changed. Roselli is also working with experimenter Frederick Stormshak of Oregon State University (OSU), who has surgically inserted an estrogen implant in the bodies of these rams in an effort “to restore tissue levels of estrogen comparable to those of heterosexual rams and affect sexual behavior accordingly.”

In addition to being cruel to animals, these experiments also carry the insidious implication that homosexuality in humans needs to be "cured." In his application for public funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the experimenter states that “this research also has broader implications for understanding the development and control of sexual motivation and mate selection across mammalian species, including humans.”

Please use the form below to write to OSU President Edward Ray and OHSU President-Elect Joseph Robertson Jr. asking that they immediately stop these needless “gay sheep” experiments and use taxpayers’ money for legitimate research instead."

http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/GaySheepExperiments

*Thanks to Rachel Young off of Creative Commons for the adorable graphic.

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

Shameless Self Promotion Sunday

Please feel free to share any links to Queer or Queer related topics of interest. You can post a blog entry you made, a website you found interesting. Anything goes as long as it is Queer in nature.

Open Forum: "Straight Acting"

We have all done it, know someone who does it, or have varying understandings of what the term means. "Straight Acting" is when a Queer person is not exhibiting any mannerisms that appear to fit an LGBTQ stereotype. For example a gay man who tries to fit in by avoiding seeming effeminate, or a lesbian who tries to avoid seeming overtly masculine.

"Straight Acting" is a controversial and deeply divisive topic, especially among gay/bisexual men where femininity is seen as weakness. Society divides us into gender roles and any variation from it is seen as taboo. This goes back to our earlier discussion on Gay Assimilationists versus Queer Liberationists. Some may see trying to fit in as a good thing, while others may see this as a false attempt to deny ones true identity. Others may feel it is essential for safety and security purposes to cover up their identity.

In his newly released book "Straight Acting" by Angelo Pezzote he says:

"In the struggle to come out, we can experience two conflicting drives - the important need to belong, and the equally important need to be our true selves. We may get caught up in the catch-22 of conforming to belong, while being our authentic selves. We may be out, but we may also elect to conform, at times diminishing the signals that we're gay - to play it more mainstream".

People use the term "Straight Acting" in an effort to differentiate themselves from the broader gay community and culture, they identify themselves as same-sex attracted but otherwise just regular ordinary citizens.

Others are deeply offended by this terminology because it conveys that a so called gay stereotype exists and that perhaps flamboyancy, gender-variation, or gay culture are somehow inherently wrong.
Mr. Pezzote discusses how he believes that this term is representative of Gay Shame.

"In such an inhospitable climate, many gays themselves ingest that being gay is not a good thing. If I feed a plant poisoned water, it can't help but absorb some of the poison. We, too, take in toxic ideas about being gay from our polluted cultural environment. The way we see ourselves is part a reflection of how we think others see us".

Further, not all heterosexuals are the same which begs to question what "Straight Acting" really is.

What do you think about "Straight Acting" is this good or bad for the community, are you indifferent? Or, perhaps are you a "Straight" actor yourself?

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?

LOGO's "New Now Next Awards" Honoring the Best of LGBT Pop Culture

I got an email from LOGO the LGBT cable TV channel asking me to put this up, I love LOGO so I am happy to give them a shout for their upcoming program...

"LOGO's proud to be hosting the first-ever NewNowNext Awards on Saturday, June 7, 2008 at 9:00 PM ET/PT. The event will be hosted by Candis Cayne (of ABC's Dirty Sexy Money) and will feature a number of special guests and performers including Janet Jackson, who will accept the Always Next, Forever Now award. Unlike other awards shows, LOGO will be highlighting the best of LGBT pop culture across all mediums, including the web, film, television and music. Don't get LOGO? Watch the show online right here, with commentary from our own John Polly, as well as other special guests and shenanigans."