Thank Goodness for Hate Crime Legislation

Short rant: I'm SOOOO thankful that the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes bill was passed recently, just for this. This loser assault guy is now going to get to go to prison for hate crime charges because he and his buds attacked a couple because they assumed the two men to be gay. This story is for all those people who said hate crime legislation is just going to make it easier for upset gay people to get mad at religious folk for not letting them do what they want in the church; people REALLY DO get attacked, raped, and even murdered because of their sexual orientation and/or identity.

And NOW, we have the protection against it. Thank goodness the government did something right.

Vid Exposure

In light of the recent loss of gay marriage in Maine, many supporters of gay marriage are in an uproar over the entire debate. Some ask a very good question: if the Church is so against gay marriage as their doctrine calls for, what about divorce? An anti-gay religious leader from Washington, D.C. does NOT have any good answers.

How Disappointing

In case you weren't aware, a massive race was occurring last night in our nation's history. The second state in America was in the runnings for an election to determine the fate of homosexuals, only seen one other time in California. Question 1 in Maine was an election ballot to strip away the recent bill signed by the Governor of Maine that legalized gay marriage. This is the same initiative that took place in California, and it was just as frightening.


The results: LOSS - Question 1 was legalized and gay marriage is Illegal in Maine.


What a tragedy to have this happen 2 times in a row for the LGBT community! It only proves that the general public should not be allowed to make decisions on human rights. It was the same during the civil rights movement and before that when Americans owned slaves. If the general public had been able to vote, America would've never progressed into the wonderful place of opportunity it is today. But one demographic is still oppressed and will remain so until the government kicks it up a notch.

"The majority will NEVER vote for minority right."

There is a small possibility to explain what may have caused this (besides calling 53% of Maine residents a bunch of bigots, because that's terrible--I'm sure they had their reasons for voting the way they did). Of course, I could just be throwing stones, but the population is much more likely to vote Republican right now. With the current state of the economy, many people consider it our Democratic President's fault (I'm not getting into whether or not it is; too much to think about) for the shape of the country currently, so those people are much more likely to vote Republican on every ballot.

Could this have affected the Maine election? A similar situation certainly encouraged voters on Prop 8 in California, so it's very likely.

I know someday that gay marriage WILL be legalized, I just wish it were sooner rather than later.

Response to a Daily Beacon Letter

Alright, alright, here I am entering my opinion into an argument I really have no say in...again. The audacity of some people really upsets me though, and I need to express my feelings when upset.

This letter in the Daily Beacon today was a response to another letter sent in on October 20, that I actually responded to here. In the most recent addition to this trail of letters, Will decides that he is going to go on a rant about how Courtney shouldn't be demanding universal health care to help out unborn babies, because it would actually make abortion more available if the health care bill were passed. He also addresses other "beliefs" that he possesses. These are my responses.

It comes down to two very simple points for Mr. Will.

Firstly, there is NO debate on whether abortion is right or wrong. It is a matter of opinion. There is no law, to my knowledge, that says abortion is "right" and should be the way things are done. Yes, it is legal, but you can still believe that it's "wrong," just like people against gay marriage in states where it has been legalized do. Legislation doesn't force people to be individually and morally okay with abortion; people are allowed to hate something all they want. Hate does NOT justify illegality, however. Women deserve the right to choose to have an abortion if they so desire. If they want to: good for them. If they don't want an abortion: good for them. Pro-life people are more than welcome to picket and yell and hate abortion clinics all they like; that doesn't mean the clinics should be closed down.

Secondly, (and this is directed to Will individually) you really have ZERO say in the matter. Yes, you have your voting rights, but unless you get some girl knocked up, you should not care about abortion at all. You're never going to have one. You. Are. A. Male. You cannot possibly understand what it is like to be pregnant, to be carrying a future human being inside of you, or the amount of responsibility that comes with the entire situation. A pregnancy can ruin more than one person's life. It is up to the person who is pregnant (i.e., the woman) to decide the fate of the growing person inside of her. You may have your opinion, but realize that you can NEVER truly understand the situation enough to develop an accurate opinion. You'll only ever have your beliefs to go on, as will I.

As a male, I recognize and understand that I won't ever be pregnant or know what it's like to be pregnant. Therefore, it's not my place to tell other women that they cannot have a child. Personally, I see no reason to have an abortion. Have the baby and put it up for adoption if you cannot care for it. Simple as that in my eyes. However, my eyes aren't the ones that count; it's the soon-to-be mothers that need to decide to have an abortion or not. And they should have every chance to make that decision.

The entire rest of the debate is left up to opinion. Period.

Vid Exposure

This video is a funny take on anti-LGBT parents who try to suppress their children. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet, but I'm curious to know how you interpret it.

(This video is NOT SERIOUS! The Onion News Network is a made-up internet parody show.)

How To Find A Masculine Halloween Costume For Your Effeminate Son

Response to a Daily Beacon Letter

Clearly Halloween is happening sometime this week, as evidenced by the plethora of articles and editorials posted by the Daily Beacon today. Oh yeah, the holiday is this Saturday; I'd almost forgot with how busy my weeks are. 4 articles were written today: one about the origins of All Hallow's Eve; one about the terrible fads that have penetrated society; one for making costumes of dead celebrities; one about the need to dress less "slutty" this year.

These articles were hilarious in my opinion, each for its own unique merits. The history of Halloween article, whether knowingly or not, hinted that Christianity is an accommodating religion, changing or altering itself to satisfy the unrest within its captured converts of the past (I'm not here to debate about religion, this is only something I noticed). The terrible fads are terribly true, and I will admit I was planning to dress up as a Twilight Cullen until I saw the price tag of a Cullen family crest leather wrist strap ($20!!!--I made a Peter Pan costume for less than $5 instead). The dead celeb costume article excluded Michael Jackson because of his obvious popularity, and the article was meant to include only celebs that might not be as popular. My favorite was Flora Theden's editorial about dressing less slutty in college for Halloween. She went on a small rant about how girls should not use Halloween as a chance to dress slutty, like in Mean Girls, which I agree with. Get creative, people!

The "Plastics" from Mean Girls

I LOVE Halloween! When I was younger, getting pounds upon pounds of free candy from friends was awesome, and now, having a night where all of my friends try their hardest to look as crazy and creatively random as possible so that we can get together and PARTY for one night is Paradise. Like I said, I'm dressing up as Peter Pan, and NO, I'm not doing it for the chance to wear sexy tights, show off my legs, and fulfill the gay boy stigma of dressing as slutty as possible. Quite the opposite, I would rather cover up the, in my opinion, unsightly body that I have (DON'T even start yelling at me from your computer screen! Odds are, unless you're one of maybe 10 people, you have not seen me without the majority of my clothes on, so you don't know what I look like. Hrmph!). But I'm going to a Disney Halloween party, and Peter Pan seemed like one of the easier/cheaper/still cute costumes for me to make. Maybe I'll post a photo on here after I wear it...you know you'd like to see that.

My costume inspiration

So GO OUT on Halloween, have fun, and wear an yexciting/interesting/creative/original/homemade/non-slutty costume!!!

Maine Gov. Loves Gays

John Baldacci, the Governor of Maine, has issued a statement saying that he supports gay marriage in Maine. He used to support civil unions, but he claims that he now recognizes that they are not the same as civil marriages and it's important for everyone to have equal rights.

The people of Maine are expected to vote on a ballot initiative that would overturn the recent legalization of same-sex marriages in Maine. Hopefully the public likes us too!

Advocate article

Glambert's Album Cover

You like? Lord, I do. I can't wait to hear his music. It's already selling prereleases so fast on Amazon.com that Glambert's #9 on the rock hit list. Poor Kris Allen is like 90-something. So sad for him; I love Adam!!!!

Bea Arthur Donates $300,000 in death

Golden Girl Bea Arthur left $300,000 to the Ali Forney Centre, a homeless shelter for abandoned gay children in New York City. She was known for her generous donations to not only this LGBT-friendly shelther, but to many others as well. The shelter has helped countless GLBT youth during its years at work since 2003, and it plans to use Bea's money to build an addition to the centre, housing 12 more youth beds.

What a wonderful thing that Bea Arthur has done in death. It warms my heart to see such compassion.

Pink News Article

Video games= Relationship Counselor

This entertaining article from MSNBC.com tells the story of a married couple who, as comes with being married, found themselves arguing and fighting over various trials of life. How does this story end? They resolve their problems by joining together to kill flesh-eating zombies and mutants in a newly released video game!

Turn this ^^

Think about it: who doesn't like a good video game? Sure, the term "good" varies from person to person, but the only person you've got to worry about is your partner. If you know what kind of game he/she likes, you're golden. The next time an argument that neither side will win ensues, try to recover by destroying a dastardly enemy in both you and your significant other's favorite video games. Never let the anger simmer; if the problem is a matter of opinion, neither of you will win. It's best to swallow your pride and reconcile over your differences with something both of you can enjoy.

Into this!!! ^^

I know for sure if my boo and I were having a tiff, and he sweetly offered to change the subject with some Dance Dance Revolution for my Wii, my tune would instantaneously flip-flop. Nothing sounds more exciting to me than make-up video games: especially fun, active ones like DDR!

Comparing the Sides of Money

The fight to keep gay marriage is quickly being left up to the religious folks, as evidenced by their current battle in Maine.

According to current measurements, the anti-gay group, Stand for Marriage Maine, has received $2.6 million in funding. Of that, $1.622 million came from the National Organization for Marriage, a clearly Mormon-influenced organization. Also, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland donated $529,666. These 2 donations account for about 90% of S4MM's funds.

In comparison, No on 1, the organization for gay marriage in Maine, has received funding from several sources: $526,000 from Maine businessman Donald Sussman; $267,589 from the Human Rights Campaign; various celebrity donations as much $10,000. However, unlike Stand for Marriage Maine, the top 10 donors for No on 1 represent less than 40% of its total donations (S4MM was 90%, remember?).

Where would the gay haters be without religion??? They'd have about $127,218 to play with in the fight against gay marriage.

When are people going to learn that religion should be separate from human rights and the government? Both are personal things and should be kept personal.

Queerty

Gay Marriage is Expected to Happen in the NYC

Governor Paterson of New York said a recent gay rights rally that gay marriage is coming to New York "in the new few weeks." He plans to introduce and push for a bill at the next special session meeting of the legislature, which is scheduled to happen in two or three weeks.

Governor David Paterson of New York

Of course, the governor cannot force them to vote for it, but he is positive that they will if given the opportunity. We can only hope he knows what he's talking about. If passed, New York would be the 7th state to legalize gay marriage in America. Although it would be much more beneficial for a nationwide legalization through the federal system, we'll take we can get for now.

Advocate.com article

Hate Crimes are Now Illegal

Hate crimes against gay people were only wrong before, but thanks to the Senate, we're one step away from having anti-gay hate crimes recognizable in a court of law. This is a major step in the fight for gay civil rights, as this is the first federal law in support of us. The bill is named after Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, both men killed because of their sexual orientation.

The bill will provide hate crime protection to people attacked or killed because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. President Obama has said he will sign the bill and is expected to do so very soon (as in a week or two).

The passing of this Federal law means that the US Government recognizes that gay people are out there and that we deserve the same rights and protections as everyone else. Hopefully this bill will open the door in people's minds to the idea that marriage is a human right too and should be available to everyone who wants it.

Advocate.com article

Do It Right, NOT Right Now

In a recent book by Joseph Galliano, Dear Me: A Letter to My Sixteen-Year-Old Self, Elton John writes in his letter that he wishes he'd lost his virginity earlier in life:

"My advice to you is to never chase love. It will find you when you least expect it. Have fun, have lots of safe sex and enjoy your sexuality. Be proud of who you are."

He continued: "I made a lot of mistakes. Stay away from drugs, they're a waste of time. Stand up for every human being's rights. Be loving, kind and strong. Set an example. You're going to have one hell of a life!"

Yeesh! I think about 20 little RED FLAGS went up while I read that excerpt. Ummm, okay, Elton John: way to be poetic and all sweet-sounding and what-not, but what kind of message is this for teenagers, really? Really???

Please, please, PLEASE, young people out there reading this: do NOT go out and lose your V-card for the sake of finding yourself!!! Trust me, you may think it's alright or it's safe or blah-blah-blah, but 9 times out of 10 the situation is not appropriate. I'm not your mother, you don't have to listen to me, and you're an adult who can make you're own decisions, but you're also probably still pretty young in the eyes of the world. I'll be the first to admit that I still have a lot to experience for the first time in this world; unfortunately sex isn't on that list.

Personal moment: I did it for the first time several years before I was ever in love. Bad idea.

They say to never regret what you do, and I try not to. But if there were ever one thing I wish could do over, it was waiting until it actually meant something to me--was with someone I cared a lot about. If you're in love in a good, lasting relationship, then that's one thing. However, following good ol' Elton and doing it to discover yourself is a definite BAD IDEA. Think about it, if you're in that situation with someone, about to cross that bridge, pause and think about this: "Next week/month/year (Oh yes, you will remember your first time a year later, if not more), am I going to look back on this moment and like what happened here?"

Elton John does make some good points about avoiding drugs, standing up for human rights, and being loving and kind, but you can do all those things without losing your virginity. Yes, if you go ahead and do it, MAKE SURE it's SAFE SEX. Always, always, ALWAYS use a condom! PERIOD!

Seriously, though, wait until the time is right, not right now.

Source: Pink News Article



DISCLAIMER: I do NOT support waiting until marriage to have sex. If we ALL waited that long, we'd never get it done. I'm just saying wait until it's RIGHT for YOU and it's with someone you want to be with. BE SMART and have some RESPONSIBILITY for your actions.

Response to Daily Beacon Letter

This letter appeared in the Daily Beacon on Tuesday, October 20, 2009, and it's makes some good points.

The anti-abortion people that were on campus recently completely gross me out, and in all the wrong ways. It is totally unnecessary to stand on campus parading around your thoughts and feelings about something in such a drastic manner as they did. It's one thing for a college organization to set up a table to advertise for a cause it's in support of, it is quite another to jump onto the campus lawn with super tall posters advertising something so controversial (in such a disgusting manner, no less--dead baby pictures??? That doesn't make me want to be against abortion; it makes me want to gag and get as far away from those protesters as possible).

As a good standing member of the Lambda Student Union, I know for a fact we would NEVER come onto campus with giant billboards of photos of men making out nude with other men (or women doing the same with other women). It's far too offensive and would never accomplish what we really want, no matter what the goal is.

I really like how the author of the letter turns around the argument of being anti-abortion by saying it would take away the right to choose, which is very true. Women should have the right to choose what they do with their bodies and lives. If a woman wants to go through with a pregnancy for whatever reason, it's her prerogative. If another woman chooses abortion for whatever reason, that too is her decision alone. No one should make that decision for her.

The idea of people trying to control how other people live their lives is quite prevalent in today's society (i.e., people wanting to tell gay people that they can't be married). Why can't people just lay off and mind their own business?

I Love Zachary Quinto!

We all know and love this hottie actor from both Heroes and the newest Star Trek movie, and apparently he loves me (and the gays) too! According to the Advocate.com, Quinto is going to appear at and participate in a reading for the Laramie Project: 10 Years Later at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center's annual gala. He will appear with other stars as well.


He's recently participated in other gay events, including a one-night-only benefit stage reading of one act plays about gay marriage, and...all the gays hope that he's gay, so he's got a lot going for him. I hope to see more of this boy soon!

New Documentary

I can't tell if this is gonna be a show-stopper or anti-Mormon propaganda. I'm kind of hoping for the first choice.

Vampire Love Makes Sense Now

Yes, I'm a Twilight fanatic, and I never understood why. I always pegged it to the eternal love of the two main characters, Edward Cullen and Bella Swan, and all of the wonderfully hot sexual tension they experience throughout all 4 books, but now I know differently. I have been corrected by Esquire magazine.

In a recent article they published, they attribute Twilight's startling success to the fact that its most popular demographic, straight women, love Edward Cullen so much because they can never have him. In the story, Bella is first attracted to him not only because he's amazingly good looking and mysterious, but because he appears to be completely disgusted by her.

Where does that sound familiar? Gay boys!

All the little gay boys in high school who were either closeted or still questioning had all the girls chasing after them because the girls couldn't have them. It makes perfect sense now.

But wait, why do I love Edward then? I'm gay, so why should I feel these feelings like straight girls? O, I know. It's because I know Edward is straight, which means I can never have him. What good logic.

Advocate article

I'm Starting to Love Joy Behar

Joy Behar (the View) has her own show, and it's really starting to grow on me, mostly cuz of her pro-gay stance that she very clearly vocalizes. In this video, she discusses the effects of the National Equality March and other recent gay things. Definitely check it out!

Ad for Equality in Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo, Michigan is about to have a bill voted on that would grant many rights to same-sex couples, marriage not included. These rights would outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in several places, including the work place. Very positive!

Here's an advert for the pro-gay campaign. Very well done, if I do say so myself.

CA Judge Shoves It To the Anti-Gays

The courts are all rumbling in California as the pleas to repeal Prop 8 are growing in strength. The presiding judge in the lawsuit filed against Prop 8, Vaughn Walker, has asked the defense attorney of Protect Marriage, the organization who spearheaded Prop 8, Charles Cooper, some very interesting and hilarious questions, to all of which Cooper had no answer. He asked the question, "What is the harm to the procreation purpose [you're using as a defense for marriage] you outlined of allowing same-sex couples to get married?" He also mentioned a straight couple he recently wed in old age, saying that he did not expect them to procreate, so why should they be allowed to marry? Cooper was flabbergasted.

Thank God some people are finally catching on to the gigantic holes in the anti-gays arguments.

Pink new article

NEM: Lady Gaga Got Her Way

Yes, Lady Gaga was at the National Equality March like me. No, I didn't get to see her, and I'm so upset!

Because Knoxville is 8+ hours from Washington, D.C., my friends and I decided to leave the march at around 3:15 to get a head start on the drive home. Lady Gaga went on stage around 3:40. I missed her by 25 MINUTES!!! I was so sad when I found out.

I watched her speech on Youtube, and I've posted it here because it is just too good to miss. Even though she's just a pop star, she still has a voice. And boy, does she use it.

Ahnold is Finally Making Me Happy

No, his name's not a typo. I'm poking fun at how he pronounces his name.

Mr. Schwarzanegger finally made me happy the other day when he signed the bill making Harvey Milk Day a real holiday. It's not school-cancelling worthy, but it's still on the calendar now. So Yay!

We were all afraid he'd veto it for two reasons: A) He did so last year. B) He had over 700+ bills to sign that night and it was expected he'd do a mass veto just to be mean. But he didn't! He signed the bill!

Note: This bill also made it alright for married couples from other states to still be considered married while they're in California. That's a big positive too, and kind of a nod from the Terminator that he might just like the gays after all.

Advocate article

I LOVE Mariah Carey

Can I just say that this is one of the sweetest things I've ever seen? Not only did this boy introduce his man to said man's favorite pop singer (I'm assuming, considering the bargain he made by saying, "I'll marry you when you introduce me to Mariah Carey), but he proposed to him ON STAGE with a Ring Pop ring just like Nick Cannon did for Mrs. Carey!! How adorably sweet is that?

I want my bf to propose to me like that...with Lady Gaga.

My Friend is On National News!

My friend, AJ Wilmoth, made it onto the cover page of the Time Magazine website main page today! His picture was taken at the National Equality March on Sunday, and that image has showed up on websites including Advocate, 365, and TIME MAGAZINE! How exciting that this event is making such big news!

AJ is on the far right in the leather jacket ^^

Time magazine article

National Equality March for Me

I had the privilege this weekend to attend the National Equality March in Washington, D.C. This event, I expect, is one that will mark history forever; to be a part of it is to be a part of the history of gay rights. This march is my generation's Civil Rights movement, and I participated.

My friends and I from the Lambda Student Union made the long drive from Knoxville, TN to D.C. (eight hours) on Friday, had fun Saturday, and marched throughout the nation's capitol on Sunday. The event was marked by the appearance of several famous people and figureheads in our country, including but not limited to: Cleve Jones, Sherry Wolf, Lt. Dan Choy, Judy Shepard, Lady Gaga, and many more. These people were the ones I was most excited to see. The rally following the march, in which all of these people and more spoke in front of the capitol building, was several hours long. Unfortunately I did not get to stay the whole time for this because we had to leave D.C. so as to not get home much later after midnight. (We left at 3:30 p.m. and still didn't get back to Knoxville to 2 a.m.)

The whole Lambda gang at the march

The march was so inspirational. I have never in my life been a part of such a large movement of people. Surveys estimate over 200,000 people showed up for the march (though I think it was much less, but still VERY large)! I can't even believe the event was so successful. People showed up from all over the country, as far away as Texas and California! It was awe-inspiring to go from seeing the Monument Mall on Saturday with just some tourists walking around to seeing the Capitol lawn FLOODED with people.

I'm so honored to have experienced the march, walking and protesting with hundreds of thousands of fellow LGBT people, getting to know them, and listening to what our generation's leaders have to teach us.

Too Much to Talk About

Hey everyone! Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you. I've got so so so so SO much to say about this weekend, everything that happened, and how it's affecting America now. The problem is that I have no time right now. I should later tonight, so in a few hours I will begin the journey that is blogging about the National Equality March for you all.

See you then!

Obama Makes His Promises to the Gays

Ok, so I'm in DC tonight with my loving boyfriend, Danny, and we just watched Obama give his words to the HRC at their annual dinner right down the road (so sad we couldn't be there too). He made some big promises tonight; let's hope he can keep them.

One thing he barely addressed though was gay marriage. I mean, he talked about it and all and he said he's going to do some things for it, but there were some serious holes. I'm not going to waste your time with all the gory details cuz I'm sure I'll post the video on here later of what he actually, but I'll leave you with this. Here's a list of words he 100% did not use: equality, "gay marriage," "civil rights," love. How can he make such promises without using any of these words?

Sure, he promised that the hate crimes bill will pass and DADT will be ended; those are good things. But we need more. 100% equal rights!!!!!

I'm in DC!

Finally, after an 8-hour drive and nearly 2 hours of wandering around DC, my bf and I finally found our hotel. To go out on Friday night in DC?...um, yes! Or go to sleep and wake up at a reasonable and experience everything gay in DC?....BETTER YES! So Danny and I are off to bed now; I'll certainly keep you updated tomorrow on what starts happening with my weekend in Washington, DC.

On my way to DC now! 7 Hours est to go! #NEM

Test blog to see if i can blog by cell. I cant wait to get to DC and start experiencing everything the NEM has to offer! Let me know if youre gonna be there!

Leaving for the NEM in DC Today!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to let you know that in just a few hours, I'll be setting off with some close friends for Washington D.C.! I'm going to attend the National Equality March this weekend, and I'm so excited!

This event is going to make history. Hundreds of thousands of people are coming out from all across the country to show their support for Equality for ALL people, and I'm going to be one of them. Of course, I'm going to blog on as much as humanly possible for me, so make sure to keep checking my blog regularly for photos and videos of the events of the weekend!

Terrible Truth

Here's a first-hand example of the rights denied homosexuals by not allowing gay marriage. See what terrible things it does to people?

If We Were Gay

I wish every straight guy saw the world like this. It'd be so much more fun.

Simple Language=Good Idea

The newly introduce bill calls for "Respect for Marriage." This bill, if passed, would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, originally passed in '96 by former President Clinton, who has recently had a change of heart. Mr. Bill now supports gay marriage and claims that all people deserve equal rights. "Thirteen years later, the fabric of our country has changed, and so should this policy."

I'm certainly very hopeful.

Advocate.com article

Smoking is Gay

A hilarious Onion news report posted on Advocate.com illustrates the hilarity of smoking by poking fun at the saying "That's so gay." A little on the offensive to us gays, but still hilarious. Definitely watch.

New Anti-Smoking Ads Warn Teens 'It's Gay To Smoke'

The Cost of Being Gay

2 New York Times journalists recently used current tax data on all of the marriage benefits that homosexual couples are currently not allowed because they cannot be wed, and they found some startling figures.

Gay couples, who have to live their lives without marriage benefits, could cost as much as $467,562 in taxes and other various legal fees, with $41,196 being the minimum. See what we get to pay because people think we're morally wrong?

Advocate article

Stand for Marriage Maine to be Investigated

Yes! NOM is finally getting caught for all of their screw-ups.

It's about time too. We all know that the Mormon church has been funding NOM and their political actions, but the organization never released any financial data about it. Turns out that's illegal...shocker there. Now the blowholes are about the have their blowholes investigated for fraud; what a wonderful turnout this will be.

If convicted, the campaign will end. If the Mormons are found out but escape trouble, the public hates the campaign because the Mormons are kinda sorta a little bit crazy, in my opinion. Win-win situation.
Pink article

New Billboard in North Carolina Stirs Media Attention

Check out this video about a new pro-gay marriage billboard in North Carolina. It's an interesting concept, especially since the billboard doesn't actually mention the word "marriage" at all.

Glambert's Coming Out Soon

I mean, he's already out, of course (he freakin' came out to the world on Rolling Stone--you can't do much better than that). His first album is going to be released soon, and it's already selling out in pre-sale. By the way, the pre-sale wasn't even announced; it traveled that fast by word of mouth.

Hell yeah.

Kiss-In in France

The title is pretty self-explanatory, but a kiss-in was staged in a mall in France this past week to combat homophobia. From the video, it looks like a great success.

It's Elementary

I don't know very much about this documentary, but it looks like a really good one.

People always get all up in arms whenever it comes to discussing sexuality with children. The general theme is that kids are too young (especially children 10 and under) and don't need to be hearing such things at such an early age. I think this sentence needs to be specified, because I agree with it on a certain level.

Yes, I agree that children should not be exposed to all of the various aspects of sexual activity until they are an appropriate age. However, certain content IS appropriate. Children understand the concept of a mother and a father (a man and woman living together) at a very early age. They can also be taught to understand that a man and a man or a woman and a woman living together is the same thing. People accuse this idea as embedding the concept of sex within the minds of children, but it wouldn't do that at all. Children don't think about a mother and a father having sex; they don't understand it. It can be just as simply explained that Tommy has 2 dads, Suzie has 2 moms, and Billy has a mom and a dad. If you explain it like that, it puts everything on the same playing field: sex-free. The children don't have to find out what the parents, of any of those examples, are doing behind closed doors.

It's NOT that hard, and this video is a good example of the efforts being made in a positive direction.

March on D.C. is National Coming Out Day

In case you hadn't heard, Lambda is driving up to Washington D.C. on October 9 for the National Equality March!

Yup, a bunch of us are packing into some cars and braving the trip up to D.C. to march alongside our fellow Americans. I'm basically excited!

Anywho, I read this article about the March, and how its actually falling on the National Coming Out Day. Won't it be exciting to have so many people 'coming out' to support equality and march together? The focus of the article was, however, on those people not marching on Oct. 11. Instead, it talked about all of the millions more LGBT people who would not be able to attend, but 'coming out' and supporting in their own individual way. People will literally come out of the closet on this day, and people who are already "out" will come out to even more people who didn't already know. It's important to remember that everyone can make a difference, even if you can't make the drive to D.C.

The more the world gets to know us, the more they can see that we're a part of them-a part that deserves all the same rights too.

One of the Most WONDERFUL Videos Ever!

Never in my life have I seen such an emotionally-charged video (in a positive way) as this one. I would've probably died from crying so much had I been there to witness this wonderful woman's speech.

You HAVE to watch this; there's no getting around it.

Lambda Supported a Day in Hand

This past Friday night, I threw a party at my apartment, calling the members of Lambda to come out and support A Day in Hand with a photoshoot. The party was not an official Lambda event, but I took it seriously enough. I got a ton of photos taken that night, many of them with LGBT people holding hands. I was super excited!The next day, Shhh! Saturday according the A Day in Hand website (in which the world is called to observe A Day in Hand by taking photos of LGBT people holding hands with significant others, friends, and family in public), I submitted a bunch of photos from the party, along with Lambda's short story for the event. I promptly received an email saying that the photos would happily be submitted and wondering if I'd be interested in starting a chapter in Knoxville. I'm considering it.

No on 1 Ad in Maine

No on 1, the organization currently fighting Question 1, the November ballot measure to repeal the recent legalization of gay marriage in Maine, released an advert opposing Yes on 1's ad. The Yes ad used the same family that was used in Prop. 8's campaign ad, claiming that gay marriage's significance would be taught in schools, and that would be traumatizing to students.

I wish I could meet the head of Yes on 1. I'd punch him/her in the face. Solve that problem right there. Ignorance is intolerable to me. Intolerable.

No Difference Between Gay and Straight Couples? What?

A new study published in Adoption Quarterly says that there is "no significant difference" between children raised by gay couples and straight couples. Both parents and children were asked a variety of questions, from family structures, child history pre-adoption, family interactions, to the child's current emotional state.


The study found that the most emotionally harmful factors to an adopted child are age and pre-adoption sexual abuse. Surprise, suprise on that second one.

Sometimes I can't believe that people really believe have two mommies or two daddies is worse than having none. People are so fucking stupid (forgive the expletive; it's necessary in my opinion).

Pink news Article

Vigil in NC to Support Hate Crime

Last week, a student at the Guilford Community College in Greensboro, NC received 2 letters on two separate days, threatening his life because of his sexual orientation. The bigot has not yet been identified, and the harassed student's identity is being kept private by the media.

In response, the entire student body held a candlelight vigil showing their support for the attacked student and distaste for the hate crime. They plan to initiate a movement to speak to their congressional representatives and legislature about getting hate crime defined with "sexual orientation" throughout the state. Let's hope something comes of this; it'd be very good.

Advocate article

Coming Out in Middle School

Coming out in middle school would seem like a really horrible thing, but there are some kids out there who are having a good time with it.

This article, courtesy of the New York Times, is really really really long, but its SUPER GREAT! You have to take 10 minutes out of your day to read it. I love that these kids are growing up in a society where they can openly be themselves.

Prop 8 Repeal Has Been Filed

This week, the repeal for Prop 8 was officially filed in the state of California. It is scheduled to appear on the 2010 ballot. It will have the following language:

"Marriage is between only two persons and shall not be restricted on the basis of race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, or religion."

It also states this concerning religious freedom:

"Section 1. To protect religious freedom, no court shall interpret this measure to require any priest, minister, pastor, rabbi, or other person authorized to perform marriages by any religious denomination, church, or other non-profit religious institution to perform any marriage in violation of his or her religious beliefs. The refusal to perform a marriage under this provision shall not be the basis for lawsuit or liability, and shall not affect the tax-exempt status of any religious denomination, church, or other religious institution."

This looks like a great amendment, especially the part mentioning religion. I feel like a lot more people will be receptive to it because of Section 1.

Advocate article

Celebrate Bisexuality Today!

Today is Bisexuality day, so give a shout out to all your friends who more than happily go both ways!

Bisexual Pride Flag

A Day in Hand is This Saturday

A Day in Hand, an online rally to call LGBT people to hold hands with one another, is holding it's first Shhh! Day this Saturday, Sep. 26.

The basic idea is to silently protest the inability for LGBT people to be able to show PDA in public by photographing themselves holding hands with people. They are not talking about PDA as in making out in public, but simply being able to hold hands with worry of stigma.

In celebration of this day, Lambda is holding a Photoshoot party at my apartment where everyone is going to gather for a good time and take photos. We're going to take as many photos as possible of people who participate holding hands, and then we're going to submit them to the website. It's going to such a good cause.

If you'd like to participate wherever you are, go to this link.

If you'd like to participate with Lambda this Friday (we're holding the party the day before to get the photos ready), email me at mitcharp@gmail.com

FABULOUS post -5 super hot dance videos

You know you're FABULOUS when...you make a dance music video lip-singing to a popular song. That's what these 5 groups did, and I absolutely love ALL of them. They're each definitely taking a look at; they all have something special about them.

I LOVE Beyonce, and this video is by far the best remake i've seen of her famous song, Single Ladies. Loves it!

Another beautiful beyonce song, with some excellent dance moves thrown in. Very cool to watch.

"He Wolf." You know what this is gonna be.

This one is just flat out gay (as in hilarious!)

Spice Girls- the boy version! Very adorable

Out at Work? Most aren't

Survey says that 51% of homosexuals are not out at work, and I don't blame them. It's one thing to be out and proud in public; it's quite another to wave that great big rainbow flag in the office where your boss passes out paychecks.

I personally have never been "out" at work. I've worked with people who knew I was gay, and they were always okay with it, but having friends know isn't the same thing. I'd be very afraid of someone who didn't approve of my life, especially a superior, and treating me differently because of it, whether that involves ignoring me, punishing me, or working me more or less because of it.

In fact, I've even lied about my orientation. Not so much ever to the point where I've specifically stated that I'm straight, but more so to agree with coworkers' statements. Most of them will talk about girls they want to get with or think are hot, and I'll very nonchalantly agree with them, quickly trying to change the subject. About 47% of LGBT people are supposedly guilty of this, according to that same survey.

It's going to be difficult getting people to feel comfortable coming out at work. Having an anti-discrimination clause for sexual orientation/gender identity/anything LGBT is one thing; getting people to be okay with it is quite another. I hope one day I'm comfortable being out at work.

Advocate article

Somebody's a Dumb@$$

The Iowa Family Policy Council was asked about their reasoning behind denying gay couples the right to marry based on the idea that two same-sex individuals cannot procreate. Here's what they had to say.

SERIOUSLY???!!!! Do people actually hear themselves when they talk?

We're "Married," Even If Not Technically

Numbers released by the US Census in recent years show that gay couples are claiming to be married, even if they're legally not. I'm not going to bore you with all the statistics, but since 2005, more and more couples have been using the word "marriage" to describe their relationship.

It's around 30% of all same-sex relationships right now that boast such a title, but the numbers show a growing pattern. It all started in 2005, when around 300,000+ couples out of 700,000+ known same-sex couples used the word "marriage," and in that year only 11,000 marriage licenses were issued. In years to follow, marriage become legal in multiple states, so actual gay marriages boomed. Still, many more couples claim to be married that, legally, are not.

The idea, to me, has its ups and downs. It shows that gay couples don't care what everyone else thinks; they're going to get married anyways and love it. But it also shows that gay couples don't care what everyone else thinks, which isn't necessarily good. We want everyone to want us to get married, and if we give off the impression that we'll settle for just calling ourselves "married," then conservative bigots are going to sneer at us, saying, "Well, those gays can just pretend to be married. That's good enough for them."

I'm not saying every same-sex couple who calls themselves "married" when they're legally not is settling for just using the term, but it certainly could give off that impression. We need to keep fighting for our rights, not just pretending that we're "married."

365 article

Charlize Theron Again Exclaims Her Pro-Gay Marriage Stance

I've always liked Charlize Theron. I won't say that I love her because I don't think about her nearly as much as say Beyonce or Rachel McAdams, but I have always seen Charlize in movies and thought, "Now there is a good actress."

Again, Ms. Theron makes me smile when she appeared on the View recently. When asked about her relationship with her bf and whether they will tie the knot after 8 years of dating, Charlize replied without missing a beat that she will not get married because the whole institution "feels very one-sided," and she is waiting until marriage rights are all equal. She went on to mention that she has many gay and lesbian friends who would love to get married, and she wouldn't be able to sleep at night if she got married when they couldn't.

Yay for Charlize and her continued publicity for gay rights!

Check out the interview below.

"That's So Gay!" Is It Okay for a Gay to Say?

I had to throw all those rhymes in there, sorry.

Anywho, I read this article about some gay comedian I've never heard of who left the realm of the PC (surprise, surprise--he is a comedian, after all) and made a bunch of gay jokes about the lottery and other various topics. The writer of the article, among other things, addressed the concept of gay people possibly making too much fun of the gay community. I don't think this is true, especially for comedians.

I am ALL for globalization of PC, but let's get real--if we can't make fun of who we are, what fun are we? I don't get mad or offended when I hear some black guy--forgive me--African-American call another African-American a "nigga," implying the use of a very derogatory word, even in casual converation. I don't like the word, but I don't mind hearing it coming from a person of the ethnicity it is historically associated with. It would be completely different if I heard any other ethnicity shouting out that word at anyone, African-American or not, even in a positive connotation. It's not right for them to use it.

The same goes for the words "gay (as in stupid or silly or whatever)" or "faggot." I particularly don't like the word "faggot" and personally only to use it in a derogatory manner (only to describe myself when I'm angry with something I've done), but if I hear a LGBT person using the word for another LGBT person, especially in casual conversation, it's not such a bad thing to me.

This may sound childish, but "stupid" or "idiot" are technically just as offensive as "nigga" or "fag." They are all just words; it all depends on how you use them. Each person is entitled to his/her own opinion and use of those words. If you don't like hearing it, hang out with different people and move on with your life.

I think comedians especially should be allowed to use these kinds of words. It makes making fun of people funnier because of the stigma that comes with the words. Same rules apply: only African-Americans can say "nigga;" only gays can say "fag."

Moral: Wanda Sykes is set to make fun of whomever she so desires.


Pink News Article

You Know You're Fabulous When...

You can create a comedy act of Larry King Live, because that's what Kathy Griffin did.

In promotion of her new book, A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin, Kathy jumped onto Larry's show and made at least 20 minutes worth of jokes with the LK himself, talking about various subjects from plastic surgery, Oprah, to even Jesus and Michael Jackson.

Only Kathy Griffin could pull it off, and that's why I love her (she loves the gays too). I can't wait to read her book; it's gonna be great.

Larry King Youtube clips Towleroad.com

Good News for Gays Against DOMA

Democratic rep. Jerrold Nadler is set to introduce a bill to repeal the DOMA, and he's doing it next week! The proposed bill, which already has 50 cosponsors but has not been introduced to other house members yet, would repeal the entire Defense of Marriage Act, including section 2, which lets states disregard same sex marriage, and section 3, which does the same for the country as a whole.

I really hope this bill gets somewhere. The kind of impact this would have on our lives is practically unimaginable. What a HUGE leap forward it would be!

Ellen on Idol

In case you haven't already heard, it was announced yesterday that the lovely and talented Ellen Degeneres will be replacing Paula Abdul on American in the coming season. What wonderful news! I love Ellen so much; they couldn't have picked a better person for the job.


Critics of the decision look to Ellen's lack of musical experience, saying that the role should be filled by a musician or someone with strong musical background. They think that Ellen was brought on as a comedic role, and I don't disagree with them.

Of course she was brought on as a comedic role; Ellen is comedic person. She makes everything funny and laughable and enjoyable for audience members. While she may not have musical experience under her belt, she can view each contestant from one of the most important perspectives of all; an audience member. She's been watching Idol since it first aired in '02 from the tube in her room, so she's developed just as good of an opinion on she'd want to buy on iTunes as any other person could.

Good choice in my opinion. Go Ellen...and now, go Idol!

Gay Budapest Pride March a "Media" Success

More than 2,000 people showed up to participate in the Gay Pride Parade in Budapest this weekend. HOORAY!!! What an awesome success for the city to have such a successful event.

The event, marked in years passed with violence and gay-bashing, was 100% violence free this year, thanks to the security detail. There were reports of some guards being attacked for their protection of the march, but nothing serious happened and several people were arrested for their bigoted attacks. The march went off without a hitch.

The only downside to the security detail was that, while there were no haters and rock-throwers at the event, there were also no supporters either. All guards kept anyone not participating in the march at least one block away from the event, including the people who love the gays. It would've been nice to see some support from the community, especially since I'm sure there was a lot.

The event instead became mostly a media frenzy. Many reporters came out and interviewed, took pictures, and made video reports, which is certainly a good thing. Obviously it worked because here I am, a local in Knoxville, TN, talking with you about what happened.

Maybe next year, less potential violent people will enable more spectators to support their local LGBT friends in the parade.

Advocate article

Gross AIDS PSA Doesn't Do Much Good

A German HIV prevention organization recently created this ad to help encourage people to practice safer sex to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.

I do NOT like this video for several reasons. First, it's just plain gross and scary. Sex with Hitler? Yuck! Second, as many HIV/AIDS prevention charities are also pointing, it stigmatizes the idea of people who have HIV and AIDS into seeming like they're evil or something. Yes, AIDS is a killer, but the people who have the virus aren't out there trying to infect others. 3 out of 4 people often don't know they have the virus to begin with. This ad would also make those people less eager to get tested and find out if they have it for fear of the social stigma created by the same advert.

All around, this ad just ain't a good idea. German fail.

PinkNews article

Whoopi Speak to Budapest

Budapest recently held a gay pride parade. In years passed, the event has been marked by violence, but this year there was a guard troop stationed in the city specifically for protecting the parade.

In lieu of the parade and its shaky past, Whoopi Goldberg released this moving video to the people of Budapest to reassure them and congratulate them on what they're accomplishing. She also delivers a very powerful message that would benefit many people hearing it.

Gay Marriage is a 'Defense of Marriage Act'

Rachel Maddow is god with boobs. For sure.

In this most recent video posting I found of her, she lists off some marriage/divorce statistics from Massachusetts, the first state to legalize gay marriages. According to the stats, the divorce rates have gone from 2.8 divorces per thousand marriages before gay marriages were legalized to 2.0 dpm's. This rate is currently the lowest divorce rate in the country.

How exciting is that?!?!?! Gay people can get married for love and stay together. Who'd a thunk it?

Inspirational Story about the National Equality March

I found this letter written by a mother about how her son has been treated his whole life for being gay. It was a heartbreaking story that commanded very serious emotions. I almost cried while reading it.

At the end of the letter, she said she will be in DC Oct. 10-11 for the National Equality March. That's very exciting to me because I am planning on going there for it as well. Wouldn't it be cool if I met her?


I seriously recommend reading the letter. So good.

For more information about the National Equality March, go here.

Harvey Milk Day

The California legislature passed the vote to create a Harvey Milk day on the famous gay rights advocate's birthday, May 22. The only thing standing in the way is the governor, Ahnold Shvarzaneggar. He better wise up and make his audience/voters happy.

This day would be such a revolutionary recognition of everything that not only Harvey Milk, but all gay rights activists, have been fighting for. The battle certainly isn't over, but this would be a nationwide recognition of it.

Namibia to Host First Ever Gay Pride Parade

I am always beyond excited to hear about a town/city/region hosting its first gay pride parade, but this time it's a country! In Africa, the country of Namibia is going to host its first gay pride parade in the city of Keetmanshoop.

They're not expecting a horrible display of violence, but sodomony is still illegal in this country. We'll just have to see what happens. I'm hoping to only find articles about how successful to parade is.

Advocate article

The Gays LOVE Lady Gaga

Yes, we do. You may think you don't, but you're wrong. Gays love her.

And here's the proof. At recent concert in New York, Lady Gaga was performing and dazzling the audience in that special way she does. She was so dazzling, in fact, that two gay boys were turned on enough by her to start having sex, according to PinkNews.com. Whilst Madonna (yes, the Madonna) was in the audience, two gay men just whipped it out and started going at it!


No word on if they got into trouble or not (I'm sure somebody was upset by it), but Lady Gaga was super happy to hear about it. Her sister texted her during the concert to let her know, and she was beyond ecstatic. She loves the gays and thanks them for all her support, claiming that she wouldn't be where she is today without them. They got her going.

All I know is I love her enough to keep her performing strong. "P-p-p-pokerface!"

My Gay Spanish Presentation

So I gave my presentation about a Gay Pride Parade a couple hours ago (I took so long to get on here cuz I had some other things to do first). It was definitely a very terrifying experience for me, and it's interesting to think about why.

I'm definitely not one to be scared of what other people think of me or how they'll react to me and how I live my life, but for some reason it really worried me today in this class. I'm pretty sure it was for the following reasons: I had no idea how these people felt about gay people; I have to spend the rest of the semester with them, pissing them off isn't a good idea; would the teacher be ok with it?; would I get shot after class? That last was one kinda a joke.

Here's how the class went: teacher welcomes everyone; I present; the class continues. Ugh. I got to start the class off with my presentation, setting the tone for the rest of the class. And to make it even more terrifying, the teacher opened up my presenting by saying (in Spanish, of course), "Class, the first presentation that is being presented today is one that is very controversial. Everyone has their own opinions about it, but I want you all to respect Mitch's opinion and try to be open to it." Fuck. He thinks they're gonna go crazy too. When he asked me if I was ready to go, I could barely say "Si." It squeaked out of my mouth.

I started off the presentation by sheepishly trying to throw some charm at the class. I told them all (in Spanish, don't forget) that i was very nervous, and to excuse me from stuttering. It got some smiles of approval from the girls (it should be noted that most of the class was girls, who tend to be more open-minded--most of the time--so that's a positive), so I was off to a good start.

Looking back, I can't remember what all I said to the class. I know I told them everything that was on my note cards and it was all in Spanish and made sense when I said it, but that's it. It rushed by in a blur. At first I was afraid I was moving to fast, but I remembered that when I had practiced earlier, it seemed like I was going too fast then also, but I was actually wasn't. So i kept up the fast talking (at least it was fast to me) and finished my presentation in good time.

My presentation was about a news article for the paper, El Sol de Zacatecas, back in July of this year. It was a simple article about a gay pride parade held in the town of Jerez, and I elaborated on what happened, what it meant to the community, and what gay pride parades mean in general to the world. At least my thought process was well-written.

Drag queens (reinas) from the parade in Jerez

The response from the class after seemed positive enough. People actually answered the questions I asked of the class, which is a major plus. I would get smiles and nods of agreement when I would say things, so at least part of the class was on my side. And the after discussion led by the teacher about my article was very well-responded to and it was all positive. Success!

I hope no one holds being gay against me after this.