Transgender Day Celebration!

TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY



Join LGBT Minute in celebrating the first Transgender Day of Visibility!

Stand tall, stand proud and most of all, be yourself!

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

West Virginia Anti Gay Measure Dies

Measure To Advance Discrimination Into W. Va Constitution Fails

(Charleston, West Virginia) A push to advance an Amendment to the state's Constitution creating a marriage as only between 1 man and 1 woman has failed.

In Monday's vote, Republicans tried to push the bill directly to the floor but failed 67/30 along party lines.

Earlier in the month, a conservative bigot Family Policy Council began its smear campaign that accused 2 lawmakers (Webster and Fleischauer) of blocking a vote on the measure.

A law defining marriage as between 1 man and 1 woman has been on the books in West Virginia since 2000 but supporters of the Amendment fear the law could be challenged in court.

Send a message to Family Policy Council and tell them to do the right thing and protect all West Virginia families - Email Family Policy Council

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

Transgender Day Of Visibility

Pride In T

Transgender Day Of Visibility, an event scheduled to take place for the first time in history on March 31st, 2009 with various events to take place around the globe.

Rachel Crandall, who's brainchild of "Transgender Day Of Visibility," which focuses on the good and positive of the community is unlike "Transgender Day Of Remembrance" which focuses on those who were lost due to bigotry and hatred.

The Transgender Community was the "driving force" behind the gay movement during the infamous 1969 Stonewall Riots where for the first time the gay community fought back.

One big change from the usual says Crandall was that the Transgender Day Of Visibility was done solely on the grassroots level and without backing from any large organizations.

Contact your local LGBT Community Center to learn more or if there is no events planned, why not start one!

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

LGBT New England

Equality Northeast

With the 2 recent victories against writing discrimination into the the state Constitution and protections for LGBT, Delaware looks to become the next member state to join the list of growing New England states that believes in equality.

Following equality in Massachusetts, the recent marriage equality in Connecticut, The New Hampshire House voting for equality, VT on the brink of marriage equality (Governor Jim Douglas (R) says he will veto) - email the governor or call his office - (802) 828-3333 and ask him to do the right thing by not using his personal beliefs to hurt our families but rather do what is right and follow the law.

Maggie Gallagher (BIGOT), President of the National Organization Of Marriage (bigot anti equality marriage/anti family group) - email Maggie and thank her for her "support" for all families and to do what she and her organization can to "protect" marriage for all families. It is time to stop the nonsense and brainwashing of America Maggie!

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

Gay Bashing Experiment - What Would You Do?

Gay Bashing, Will You Come To Their Rescue?

ABC News: To test America's open mindedness, a staged verbal fight took place at a local sports bar in Linden, N.J., an actor named Vince August played a homophobic patron. Dusty St. Amand and Dominic Benevento, a gay couple in real life, played the targets of his slurs. Two additional actors, Traci Hovel and Brad Lee Wind, played a heterosexual couple at the opposite end of the bar.

In this day and age when many still don't recognize derogatory language towards homosexual couples as a hate crime, it was wondered if anyone would ever recognize the attacks, let alone confront the perpetrator.

"The gay couple should leave or else"

Towards the evening, a hetero woman starts off with the mouth about how "their actions" are making her uncomfortable as she walks out.

Hey, you hetero's who kiss and touch in public, that makes me uncomfortable and sick! Did you ever think or care about how we feel? Do we come out and say anything against you? Who gives you the right to hurt others?

Full story: Gay Bashing At A Sports Bar

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

Gainesville, Florida LGBT Laws To Remain Unchanged

3/25/09 - Gainesville voters reject repealing protections for the LGBT Community!

In a 58 to 42% count against changing the law, Gainesville sends a powerful message to the bigoted groups like "Citizens For (against) Good Public Policy."

Gainesville will remain a place that continues to welcome everyone know matter who or what your sexual orientation/gender identity may be.

The fight began last year when the city revised it's LGBT protections to include the use of public restrooms to those with gender identity disorder - those who are born one sex but identify as the other.

The message is clear, Gainesville will remain a place of equality...

Send a message to Citizens For (against) Good Public Policy and thank them for keeping the law protecting all of it's citizens unchanged:
Citizens For Good Public Policy

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

Hatred In Florida Town "Good Policy"

"Citizens For (against) Good Public Policy" push to strip protections for LGBT

(Gainesville, Florida) Voters headed to the polls Tuesday to vote whether to repeal protections for the city's LGBT Community.

The Group "Citizens For (against) Good Public Policy" had collected enough signatures to have the measure put on the ballot.

Gainesville has protected gays and lesbians in employment and housing for a decade, but a socially conservative group was "unhappy" when protections for gender identity were added to the human rights ordinance in 2007.

"Citizens For (against) Good Public Policy" in their hatred of the LGBT Community have used the gender identity "wedge" as their weapon of choice with misleading ads and tv commercials.

Stand with our LGBT brothers and sisters and contact the Citizens For Good Public Policy and let them know how much you appreciate their "thoughtfulness in protecting all citizens!"

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

West Point Grads Come Out

And Out They Come!

A new organization known as "Knights Out" (a West Point LGBT alumni group) has pledged in a statement to "serve as a critical support and advocacy group for the full acceptance of gay service members, particularly at West Point."

By the publicly outing, they are making a statement against the government's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy" and striving to take ownership of their contributions to the institution and military in general.

For more information about this organization, please visit the Knights Out website.

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

DC Reverses Bush' Criminalization Of Gays

Washington Backs U.N. Declaration Against Criminalization Of Gays

The United States announced on Wednesday that it will join 66 countries including all members of the European Unions backing a measure put forth by France in December.

State Dept Spokesman Robert Wood says the United States supports the U.N.'s statements on human rights of the LGBT Community.

The United States is an outspoken advocate of human rights and is critical of human rights abuses around the world says Wood.

It is time the US Government does the right thing in moving forward and showing the rest of the world that the decriminalization of our community is the right thing to do since former dictator Bush insisted nothing less than criminal.

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

Raping To "Cure Lesbianism"

South African men are "raping women to cure them of being lesbians"

By Daily Mail Reporter

Lesbians living in South Africa are being raped by men who believe it will 'cure' them of their sexual orientation, a report has revealed.

Women are reporting a rising tide of brutal homophobic attacks and murders and the widespread use of 'corrective' rape as a form of punishment.

The report, commissioned by international NGO ActionAid, called for South Africa's criminal justice system to recognize the rapes as hate crimes as police are reportedly failing to take action over the spiraling violence.

Horrific crimes against lesbians in South Africa are reportedly going unrecognized by the state and unpunished by the legal system

The extent of the brutality became clear when Eudy Simelane, former star of South Africa's national female football squad, became one of the victims last April.

Simelane, one of the first women to live openly as a lesbian and an equality rights campaigner, was gang-raped and beaten before being stabbed to death 25 times in the face, chest and legs.

Eudy Simelane died after being gang-raped, beaten and stabbed 25 times

Triangle, a gay rights organization, said it deals with up to 10 new cases of 'corrective rape' every week.

Support groups claim an increasingly macho political environment led to inaction over attacks.

A statement released by South Africa's national prosecuting authority said: 'While hate crimes – especially of a sexual nature – are rife, it is not something that the South African government has prioritized as a specific project.'

Human rights and equality campaigners are hoping the reaction to Simelane's death and the trial of the three men accused of her rape and murder will help put an end to the attacks.

Laura Turquet, ActionAid’s women’s rights coordinator, said: 'So-called "corrective" rape is yet another grotesque manifestation of violence against women, the most widespread human rights violation in the world today.

'These crimes continue unabated and with impunity, while governments simply turn a blind eye.

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

Obama's "Struggles"

President Obama, Stand Up And Demand Equality!

Two strongly worded court orders place President Obama in an awkward position on the issue of whether the government must provide health insurance benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees, The New York Times reports.

In separate instances of employee grievance resolution, judges of the federal appeals court in California said that the same-sex partners of their employees were entitled to health benefits. This position challenges the federal Office of Personnel Management, which has directed insurers not to provide the benefits, citing the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act that defines the word "spouse" as a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or wife.

Obama must decide whether to support the personnel office, and risk disappointing the liberal base that helped elect him, or support the judges, and court conservative anger at a time he needs them to help advance his daunting domestic agenda.

President Obama, as an American who believes in FREEDOM OF RELIGION, SEPARATION OF CHURCH/STATE, a disaster volunteer during 9/11, a community volunteer that helps everyone (never discriminating against others for being heterosexual even though they often discriminate against our LGBT community), a taxpayer and supporter of many of your causes including your election and someone who is queer, I ask you to DO THE RIGHT THING AND STAND UP AGAINST THE BULLIES OF THE RIGHT AND EXTREMIST OF THE PULPITS.

Sign an order barring discrimination (as well as abolishing DOMA) against our community as enough is enough and say government stands for and demands change for fairness and equality for ALL AMERICANS. It is not just the right thing to do, it is also the best thing to do!!

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

Fired For Being Gay

Fired In Virginia For Being Gay

Virgina - Michael Moore 30, was forced to resign from his job with the Museum Of Natural History because he is gay.

Virginia has no state law barring the firing of state employees for their sexual orientation therefore allowing no recourse to Moore.

In 2006, Governor Tim Kaine (D) issued an executive order barring such discrimination against state employees but that obviously failed here.

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

Your Gay But Not A Family!

Stand up but don't be counted!

U.S. Census spokesperson Cynthia Endo calls "gay lifestyle" a choice and say's we will not be counted as A FAMILY but rather as "unmarried partners."

According to Endo, it is all about the numbers and NOT about the "choices or lifestyles."

The federal Defense of Marriage Act or DOMA, signed in 1996 by President Bill Clinton, does not recognize gay unions sanctioned by states.

Sharon Raphael, a sociologist who lives with her partner Mina Meyer, told the Press-Telegram: "Certain numbers of us are not out, and when they hide us under these general descriptions, it just makes us more invisible."

"We should be treated the same. First of all, it's just not good science to leave us out for some dumb political reason."

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

Local business's to note BEFORE soliciting...

Before reaching into your wallet to hand over that hard earned dollar to the person behind the counter, consider how gladly they'll accept your gay dollar but who's owner or CEO despises you. Still want their product(s)/service(s)?

Domino's Pizza - Tom Monahan, the wealthy and homophobic founder of Domino's Pizza who funds an extremely anti LGBT organization "Thomas More Center for Law & Justice" as well as many Catholic Causes.


Independent Cinemas of Red Hook (which owns the following in the Mid Hudson Valley area of New York) - The Lyceum Cinemas, The Roosevelt Cinemas and The New Paltz Cinemas. The owner whom is homophobic has made it clear that he does not even wish to have our gay dollars since his theaters are "family theaters."

Have a place you would like to add, please, drop us a comment!

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

Prop H8's Possible "Balancing Act"

Prop. 8 Ruling May Lead To Civil Unions For All "married" Californians.

cw31

The California Supreme Court could decide that there are two kinds of same-sex couples: those who can't get married, and those who already did.

A ruling that upholds both voters' November decision to ban gay marriage and the 18,000 same-sex marriages conducted earlier in California could come off as a safe compromise. But it also promises to keep alive an issue that has split the state as few others have.

Such a decision would give same-sex marriage advocates an avenue to pursue a federal appeal, and an argument for compelling the state to, as Associate Justice Ming Chin put it, "get out of the marriage business."

Justices on the high court appear hesitant to overturn Proposition 8, while also reluctant to invalidate same-sex marriages performed before it passed, legal observers agreed Friday.

During Thursday's oral arguments on a trio of lawsuits seeking to overturn the ban, Chin and Chief Justice Ronald George seemed to anticipate the difficulty in reconciling the state constitution's promise of equality with its commitment to giving voters wide discretion to pass discriminative laws.

Chin, who was not part of the court majority that ruled last year to legalize same-sex marriage, twice asked whether the court should direct the state "to employ non-marriage terminology" and instead make only civil unions or domestic partnerships available to all.

Gay-rights lawyers and Pepperdine University law school dean Kenneth Starr, who was representing Proposition 8's sponsors, agreed that making marriage the province of religious institutions was one way, however unanticipated, around the problem.

"There is a long tradition of requiring different parts of the California Constitution to be harmonized," said David Cruz, a constitutional law professor at the University of Southern California who is not involved in the case. "It's not necessarily what the voters intended their only clear intent was to stop gay people from getting married."

Although the 14-word measure holds that "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California," the justices indicated their discomfort with dissolving the unions of gay and lesbian couples who married before the election.

Having some gay couples allowed to stay married while others are prohibited from saying "I do" would provide legally plausible, if politically debatable, grounds for an appeal under the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution, according to Cruz.

"If they say Proposition 8 is valid but it doesn't touch existing marriages, what that raises is the fact that there are now these two groups of couples who are treated differently under the law for no functional reason," he said.

California already affords same-sex couples who register as domestic partners all the rights and benefits of marriage. As a practical matter, that means wed and unwed same-sex couples should not have different experiences when it comes to issues such as hospital visitation rights, filing state income taxes or suing for child support.

In reality, though, service providers, employers and public agencies still have a hard time regarding domestic partners as the legal equivalent of married spouses, said Tobias Wolff, a University of Pennsylvania constitutional law professor. The confusion is especially great when such couples visit states without similar categories, Wolff said.

"It's very easy to imagine there will be a lack of understanding, that there will be skepticism, that people will be challenged and need to start producing time- and date-stamped copies of their marriage licenses. It's going to create a lot of serious burdens on the couples," he said.

While publicly reluctant to read too much into the court's reception, gay-rights leaders already are preparing for a return to the ballot box to have Proposition 8 repealed. The state's largest gay-rights groups have started raising money, airing television advertisements and recruiting volunteers with an eye toward qualifying a ballot measure in 2012, if not next year.

"They key here is changing social attitudes," said Rick Jacobs, co-founder of the Los Angeles-based Courage Campaign. "It would be nice if the Supreme Court comes out with a favorable decision, but we have to go do the work ourselves. That is the real lesson of this."

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

LGBT Videos of Interest

Some Interesting Video Moments

Michelangelo Signorile versus Maggie Gallagher - M.S. v Bigot

Michelangelo Signorile versus Tony Perkins - "My CNN Debate Last Night"

The bigot Rick Warren says we are liars, use hate speech and Christ-ophobic - Bigot's Video

The O'Reilly Factor on Prop H8 - Another Gas Bag

Keith Olberman - Special Comment on Gay Marriage

The View - Arguing Over Gay Marriage with pollution spewing Hasselbeck

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

Unalienable Rights...

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain Unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

The pursuit of Happiness...

Happiness, a word that means different things to so many. Exactly, what does it mean and is it protected under the Constitution...

I want to share my life with the one I love. Is this protected? Yes. Life - "person (me)," Liberty - "my freedom of control to make the choice to have that relationship," the pursuit of Happiness - "we make each other happy."

I'm going to play my music explosively loud this evening so as to disturb all of the residents on my block! Is this protected? No. Life - "person(s)," Liberty - "their freedom to peace and little disturbance," the pursuit of Happiness - "it would take away their happiness."

Bored with the way I look, what about something new like purple hair, pink polka dot face, bright yellow clothes and clown shoes. Is this protected? Yes. Life - "me," Liberty - "my choice to color my hair, my face, to wear loud color clothes and funny shoes." The pursuit of Happiness - "I would feel wonderful."

To wed the one I love. Is this protected? Yes*. Life - "me," Liberty - "my choice to share my world, life with." The pursuit of Happiness - "it would make my life a more fulfilling and joyous one (isn't this why many hetero's marry?).

Important Rule!
*1st Amendment - Secularity of Government and Freedom of Religious Exercise.

Due to the bully right wing zealots, rights and civil liberties have and continue to be denied and voted away as well as agencies being funded by everyone (including us queer folk) and some of those very queer folk tax supported agencies denying services to some. Does this confuse you? Does this anger you? What about the 1st Amendment?

Marriage being a CIVIL LIBERTY, WHERE DOES RELIGION FIND IT'S CONTROL OF IT? Can you be "recognized" as married by just a religious ceremony? NO! Before you can "enjoy" the rights/responsibilities of marriage, you must be *LEGALLY (civil) married for the states to recognize it (scroll back up to Important Rule!)

Will you stand up and demand to be heard????

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

CNN Interview - Signorile and Gallagher

Hypocrite...
If you recently watched the CNN interview with Michelangelo Signorile - (LGBT talk show host) and Maggie Gallagher - (bigot anti equality group), you would have seen something that is all to usual for the bigoted right. Hypocrisy...

When the issue of people getting fired for supporting Prop 8 in California came up, Maggie Gallagher made clear her voice of opposition to anyone knowing the names of those who gave money/support for a hateful initiative (aren't we in the gay community "out and proud?"). It is the California Voter Laws that those who give to voter initiatives that take away peoples rights are to be made public. What do they have to hide?

People getting fired for supporting hate? What about the countless people who are and have been fired all these years for being just who they are? Does she stop and think about all the pain she and her bigoted friends/supporters have and continue to cause?

What goes around comes around??

What about our rights? She does not have to go before people and courts to fight for her right to legally love...

Send Maggie and email

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

New Fight On The Federal Level - DOMA

Onward and upward!

Recently, some married couples in Boston have asked for a legal challenge to DOMA saying that they are legally married in their states but at the same time are denied the same federal rights and protections as their legally married hetero counterparts.

Coming forward in support of DOMA, the bigoted anti "families groups" are looking to the Federal Courts to find a way to make sure the "rights" of the people are protected by preserving and defending DOMA.

This is yet another wake up call TO EVERYONE IN THE LGBT COMMUNITY. STAND UP, BE PROUD AND DON'T GIVE UP IN THE FIGHT FOR WHAT WE WANT AND BELIEVE IN, EQUALITY!

Nothing more, nothing less.

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

Vermont - "rebuild economy, budget and decent jobs for all sexes"

Vermont Inches Toward Marriage Equality Vote

Click the byline to view more stories by this author.

The Vermont Legislature is one step closer to a vote on marriage equality for same-sex couples as the California Supreme Court finished hearing legal arguments that could strike down marriage equality and enshrine discrimination/bigotry into California's State Constitution...

The Governor, Jim Douglas of course a Republican (the party of no in equality except in gun rights) has been opposed to the bill since it's introduction.

Governor Douglas has mentioned that the issue of same sex marriage is such an un-important issue but rather the state should focus on issues like the economy, the budget and jobs for all Vermonters regardless of sexual orientation. For the many Vermont LGBT couples that insist on the same rights, protections and responsibilities as their straight counterparts, marraige equality is VERY IMPORTANT Republican Governor Douglas!

I say, if equality in marriage is not an important issue (since he is straight) that should be fought over, then do the right thing, just sign it into law and move on to the "important issues!!!"

Enough said...

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

The Decision Of Prop 8, Don't Sit And Wait!

With the final arguments heard in California's Supreme Court regarding Prop 8 and all of the tireless work from various witnesses, lawyers, lawmakers supporters and such, we ponder what is going on behind the closed doors of California's "Law Of The Land" and if the "right" decision will be or has already been reached...

Many tough questions seemed to be directed at the opponents of Prop 8 in that we had more work in proving why it would be unconstitutional if allowed to stand when it actually seems like a "no brainer." How something as hateful as Prop 8 is ok for the people to decide since they kept arguing that "people make the laws." If that were the case, everyone should be quite worried because anyone could create a law/ballot against anything and anyone for whatever makes them happy and screwing how they make others feel, act or do. Isn't that another reason there were the "checks and balances" put into Government? Oppressing of a disadvantaged minorty by the majority for the sake of stripping equality is not justice, especially when a part of the US Constitution is overlooked to pass the hateful act. With the so called separation of church/state (since marriage is a civil issue in that you have to be "legally" married with a license even though you went thru a religious ceremony), where is the legal arguments there since the bigots and religious right are saying that it is wrong. Interestingly one of the judges said that the State Constitution was changed by the majority to repeal the death penalty. Wow, people on death row have more protections then law abiding, tax paying and same sex loving citizens do...

During this game of "take a deep breath and wait," we should not sit back and wait. We cant. We must continue moving forward and fighting on. We cannot allow those that want us to disappear into the bowels of the dark closets to continue stripping and denying us of fairness and equality. If we say we are the same as everyone else with the same dreams/ambitions/goals in life and to live as WE ARE, stand back up, shout out and get out there! If you never have considered getting involved, NOW IS THE TIME DO IT!

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

State Lawmakers Wage Fight Against Stimulus

In a time of uncertainty with many factories closing, jobs going by the wayside, healthcare costs prohibiting many from seeking medical care, little food on the table and the loss of one's home, some state lawmakers are waging a "war" against the federal government's stimulus plan to help the states.

These resolutions albeit symbolic are asserting state sovereignty in their right to ignore federal policies deemed as unconstitutional. Of others considered "unconstitutional" are the No Child Left Behind Act and any type of ban on assault rifles.. What is wrong with these lawmakers??????????????

Amazing how they will fight against what is right such as equality in same sex marriage, legal protections for our community, financial assistance thru the economic stimulus (even though it is far from perfect) which would benefit states in various ways if they demand it be spent wisely but will fight tooth and nail to protect the right to have assault weapons! It is a difficult time in America that has been caused by the Republicans and one of America's worst presidents (even though the Republicans are chanting "take back America!").

It is time for the nonsense to end and for America to rise up from the ashes of a failed 8 years to become great again. A new dawn has broken and along with that, a new hope.

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

Vacationing? Traveling? Something To Consider...

Are you or have you been considering a trip or vacation?

Have you put much consideration into "what if?" What if I get into an accident? What if I get into trouble with the law? What if I need help? What if...

Before zipping up that suitcase filled with your best beachwear, towels, sundries, and... don't forget to pack a copy of those legal documents/wishes!

Those few words can be far reaching under the "right circumstances" while visiting places that have anti LGBT laws on the books. Laws such as discrimination against same sex marriage, no domestic partnerships/limited partnership "benefits" or anti hate crimes laws/recognitions.

Consider having legal documents drawn up protecting your wishes and rights and carry them with you.

Equality will come but only if we continue to fight!

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!