tagged w/ Gay and lesbian
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On Sunday (06-28-09) was the 36th Annual San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade.
The gay community gathered on a joyful march along Market Street in the spirit of its celebration theme: "In order to form a more perfect union…"
Mayor Gavin Newson e other local authorities participated on this event to show their support and commitment to preserve everyone's civil rights.
This event that usually attracts a joyful crowd this year seemed to have motivated everyone to come out. It felt like the rainbow was attracting everyone to show their support to marriage and family equality.
Prop. 8 gave the gay community a sense of union that is beyond the aspect of civil union. It made us realize that denying lawful recognition to longtime commitment among same gender couples affects the lives of their children as well.
The thought that children of same sex gender grew up by under the social stigma of their illegitimacy status, it's enough reason to recognize that Prop. 8 is extremely unfair!
Meanwhile, gays everywhere shall stand up and keep on shouting out loud: "homophobia got to go!"On Sunday (06-28-09) was the 36th Annual San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade.
The gay... more
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Three lesbian coming out stories. Emma, Lindsay and Linda share their thoughts and experiences over the years, of what it's like to come out and live as a lesbian in London.
Looking at first hand experience of women in London since the 1950’s up to now. Their struggles, their fears and dreams. And how it feels to live as a minority within a minority, that still today has to overcome homophobia on a daily basis.
How has London changed? Or has it really?
There are some very beautiful images of couples during an all-lesbian-cast 'stylized' photo shoots, that have been used to complement the interviews. But also as a way of making the film more poetic and real.
This is a re-edit of the 2007 production.
Directed by Nadia Attura and Ana Godinho de Matos.Three lesbian coming out stories. Emma, Lindsay and Linda share their thoughts and... more
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According to author Mark R. Probst, Amazon.com has begun pulling the sales rank numbers from several gay and lesbian books, claiming that the books are "adult" and should be excluded from some searches and lists.
Probst noticed the disappearing rankings after searching for a few high-profile gay romance novels; believing there was some sort of glitch in the system, he continued researching and discovered that "HUNDREDS of gay and lesbian books simultaneously lost their sales rankings," including his own book, The Filly. When Probst contacted Amazon regarding the situation, he was given this response by the company:
In consideration of our entire customer base, we exclude "adult" material from appearing in some searches and best seller lists. Since these lists are generated using sales ranks, adult materials must also be excluded from that feature.
Hence, if you have further questions, kindly write back to us.
Best regards,
Ashlyn D
Member Services
Amazon.com Advantage
This sounds like a big old bowl of BS, does it not? Especially when you consider the fact that Amazon has vibrators, clitoral stimulators and anal plugs available in their search system with sales ranks attached. One wonders why these items are allowed to remain in the system with sales ranks while books including gay and lesbian content, themes, and even, as a commenter points out, autobiographies of gay and lesbian authors such as Stephen Fry, are deemed too "adult" for such things.
The LiveJournal community MetaWriter is currently keeping tabs on the books that have had their sales ranks removed: Rubyfruit Jungle, Brokeback Mountain, and even Alex Sanchez's Rainbow Boys, a YA novel, have been deemed too "adult" for Amazon's customers to view their sales rankings. Twitter is currently buzzing with the controversy: #AmazonFail is the number one trending item on the site right now.
To be clear, the books that are having their sales rankings stripped fall into a wide range of categories; it appears that Amazon is removing the rankings from titles that touch on everything from romance novels to history titles to YA novels, and even such titles as The Advocate College Guide For LGBT Students. There doesn't seem to be much logic going on here; how anyone could classify a self-help guide for LGBT students going off to school or Homophobia: A History as too "adult" for sales rankings is a bit puzzling.
Update:
We've been keeping track of the titles that have been stripped of their rankings: Anna points out that Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer has retained its sales rank, but Anais Nin's Delta Of Venus has been stripped.
For More Updates, visit this site: http://markprobst.livejournal.com/15293.htmlAccording to author Mark R. Probst, Amazon.com has begun pulling the sales rank... more
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Teresa says that she was harassed by other players and later suspended from XBOX Live because she identified herself as a lesbian in her profile. When she appealed to Microsoft, she says they told her that other gamers found her sexual orientation "offensive."
Teresa says:
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I just recently saw a thing on your site about someones gamer tag being banned because it had the word gay in the tag.
I had a similar incident, only my account was suspended because I had said in my profile that I was a lesbian. I was harassed by several players, 'chased' to different maps/games to get away from their harassment. They followed me into the games and told all the other players to turn me in because they didn't want to see that crap or their kids to see that crap.
As if xbox live is really appropriate for kids anyways! My account was suspended and xbox live did nothing to solve this, but instead said others found it offensive.
Today I received a message from another gamer calling me a fag. I am a lesbian, so they aren't too smart if they cant get their anti-gay slurs right.
Microsoft does nothing to stop this or prevent it, but instead sides with the homophobes. No one will help me get the word out about Microsoft's anti-gay policy. Not even the HRC who says Microsoft has a positive image with them. Not to me it doesn't!
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We've heard of gamers being suspended for identifying themselves as gay in their GamerTag, and even one case of a guy whose name was actually "Richard Gaywood" but his tag was suspended anyway because apparently the word "gay" is so offensive that it doesn't matter if its actually your name.
As far as we know, Microsoft is unwilling to reconsider this position.Teresa says that she was harassed by other players and later suspended from XBOX Live... more
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As a citizen of Massachusetts I can attest to this information. We have had marriage equality for years and this pie chart accurately reveals the TRUE consequences of allowing gay people to marry.As a citizen of Massachusetts I can attest to this information. We have had marriage... more
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A lesbian mother in Fresno said she was forced to resign from her position as president of the parent-teacher association at her son's Catholic school after she spoke out against banning gay marriage.A lesbian mother in Fresno said she was forced to resign from her position as... more
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Thousands of people gathered at San Francisco's City Hall to protest Prop 8 results. There were similar protest in other parts of San Francisco and other cities including LA. Prop 8 would remove the right to marry based on sexual orientation.
Note the headline of the the story says "Hundreds" but the first line of the story reads, "Thousands of people gathered on the steps of San Francisco's City Hall...".
Thousands of people gathered at San Francisco's City Hall to protest Prop 8 results.... more
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McCain says he hopes, "gay and lesbian Americans will give full consideration to supporting me.”McCain says he hopes, "gay and lesbian Americans will give full consideration to... more
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In this Election pod, VC2 Producer Nerina Penzhorn, examines the phenomenon of gay republican activists, who work for both progressive social policies at the same time they advocate conservative positions on both economic and security issues. She follows around two young, prominent members of the Log Cabin Republicans, a candidate for state senator and up-an-coming lobbyist to understand why it is easier for them to tell their "republican friends they're gay, than gay friends that they're republican."In this Election pod, VC2 Producer Nerina Penzhorn, examines the phenomenon of gay... more
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Crews Inn, a gay bar in Dallas, instituted a policy on July 15 prohibiting drag queens and transgender women from admittance on Tuesday nights.
“Drag queens act like they are divas and think they can do no wrong,” said bar co-owner David Moore to the Dallas Voice. “They have stolen money straight off the bar, hassled costumers for drinks, and locked themselves in the bathroom with a bunch of guys. And with Tuesday being our busiest night, there is just no way for me to keep the drag queens under control then. I don’t want drag queens in here that are going to misbehave.”
“It’s kind of like I’m a positive role model in the community,” said local drag performer Ivana Tramp to the Voice. “It wasn’t like I was there hammered or begging people to buy me a drink. I felt like it was very embarrassing and degrading.”
Tramp and other performers are consulting attorneys about the legality of the ban and plan to take legal action.
“I’m not sure if it is legal or not, but if they are acting stupid, I have that right under TABC [Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission],” Moore told the Voice. “As a bar owner, we have the right to refuse service to anyone.”
Moore also believes it is legally permissible to bar drag queens because a costumer’s appearance must match his or her picture ID.
Tramp plans to picket Crews Inn on Tuesday night, July 22. The group is expecting 50 to 100 performers and fans to show up.
(The Advocate)Crews Inn, a gay bar in Dallas, instituted a policy on July 15 prohibiting drag queens... more
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A former state employee claimed Tuesday in a federal lawsuit that top Georgia legislative officials fired her because she said she would come to work dressed as a female as she prepared for a sex-change procedure to transform from man to woman.
Vandy Beth Glenn said Tuesday she was illegally fired from her job as a legislative editor for the Georgia general assembly after she told her boss she was going to live as a woman full-time. She said legislative counsel Sewell Brumby fired her because the gender transition would make her colleagues feel uncomfortable and would be seen as ''immoral'' by Georgia legislators. The lawsuit also claims house speaker Glenn Richardson, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, and senate president pro-tem Eric Johnson were in on the act.
She was hired in 2005 as a legislative editor, charged with proofreading the hundreds of measures and proposals filed each year for grammar and spelling errors. That same year she was diagnosed with gender identity disorder, a condition defined by strong feelings of discomfort with a person's sex at birth and identification with the opposite gender.
For about a year, she continued to come to work as a man by day and dressed as a woman at home at night. But in October 2006 Glenn told her supervisor she planned to undergo a gender transition to become a female. Physicians had advised her to start dressing as a female throughout the transition to help her adapt.
She decided on Halloween to dress as a woman for the first time at work, but it didn't go over very well. She said in the lawsuit she was sent home immediately when she showed up at the capitol wearing a skirt, tights, and black boots. Two other employees, both dressed in costumes, were not sent home, according to the filing.
Glenn, though, still seemed determined to undergo the change. In June 2007 she told her office she was continuing with the gender change, and gave her supervisors pamphlets on how to handle the transition and a photo album with several pictures of Glenn dressed as a woman.
Her supervisors confronted her a few months later. Brumby called her into a meeting in October 2007 and asked whether she was undergoing the transition, according to the filings. When she confirmed, she said Brumby told her it would be viewed as immoral and said it couldn't ''happen appropriately'' in the workplace. She was fired and given 10 minutes to clean out her desk.
The lawsuit, filed by gay and transgender civil rights group Lambda Legal, claims that the firing violated the Constitution's equal protection clause. It seeks legal fees and asks that Glenn's job be reinstated. Glenn said she is now undergoing the sex change, but would not say if she's had surgery.
''Public employees cannot be terminated merely because her employers don't approve of who she is,'' said Cole Thaler, Glenn's attorney.
(Excerpts / Advocate)A former state employee claimed Tuesday in a federal lawsuit that top Georgia... more
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Some editions of the Bible from the 1980s published by Zondervan Publishing and Thomas Nelson Publishing assert that homosexuality is a sin, causing one gay man to sue the publishing houses for emotional damage.
The allegations against the publishers, brought by Bradley LaShawn Fowler of Canton, Mich., could result in $70 million in damages if Fowler wins his case. Fowler is representing himself in federal court against both publishers after a U.S. district judge refused to appoint him an attorney in his case against Thomas Nelson. The judge explained, “The court has some very genuine concerns about the nature and efficacy of these claims.”
According to the Chicago Tribune, the suit against Zondervan claims 1982 and 1987 editions of the publisher’s Bible explicitly declare homosexuality to be wrong in 1 Corinthians 6:9: "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders."
Fowler claims that the word "homosexual" was edited out of the 1989 and 1994 editions but that consumers were not informed, and that because his family pastor uses the older versions, he's been shunned by his family as a result.
Fowler levels similar claims against Thomas Nelson regarding its earlier versions of the New King James Bible, saying he has suffered extreme emotional and sometimes physical discomfort as a result of the antigay passages in the Bible. He wrote that it was the intention of the publishers to cause “me or anyone who is a homosexual to endure verbal abuse, discrimination, episodes of hate, and physical violence...including murder.” Some editions of the Bible from the 1980s published by Zondervan Publishing and Thomas... more
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The radical gay rights group OutRage! has backed the Conservative Mayor of London's decision to scrap a short-lived Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Advisory Panel, reports Pink News.
The panel (formed by Ken Livingstone) only held one meeting before the hand-over to prize buffoon Boris Johnson took place in May, and OutRage! have welcomed its abolition:
"It was elitist, unelected, unaccountable and anti-democratic," says Brett Lock.
But will Conservative Boris - who has a history of making homophobic comments - replace the body with some other kind of group to represent the rights and points of views of LGBT Londoners? Or will LGBT issues be swept under the carpet completely? What would you tell buffoon Boris about LGBT life if you had the chance?
The radical gay rights group OutRage! has backed the Conservative Mayor of London's... more
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More than a dozen examples given in this article of highly ineffective ways that Christians and Ex-gay proponents attempt to "convert" convince, coerce, cajole or otherwise change gay Christians. (Excellent comic created by slapupsidethehead.com)More than a dozen examples given in this article of highly ineffective ways that... more
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Schools should do more to tackle homophobic bullying and discrimination against gay pupils, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg says.
Two thirds of young gay people reported homophobic bullying at school and one-third said that an adult in the school community was to blame. Half of gay and lesbian students feel unable to be themselves at school and seven out of ten who have experienced homophobic bullying say it impacts directly on their school work. Worryingly, a survey has shown that half of lesbian, gay and bisexual adults who were bullied at school contemplated self-harm or suicide and four in ten had attempted it at least once.
Recognising these figures, Clegg states that schools' performance in recognising and tackling homophobia should be one of the factors assessed in official inspections. "I want better monitoring of homophobic incidents in schools. The government should be made to face up to the true extent of homophobia in schools.
According to Clegg, teachers should receive specialised training to spot and combat homophobia. "If we can ensure that the teaching environment meets homophobic bullying with teachers are confident to give proper recognition and support to gay people, we can reshape our schools into more accepting, open and supportive environments", he said.
Schools should do more to tackle homophobic bullying and discrimination against gay... more
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Some in Oregon have watched the unfolding CA. gay marriage victory with a sense of detachment, maybe even skepticism. But, with the new victory for gay marriage in California comes an undercurrent, or maybe aftershocks. Some are starting to wonder what this could mean for OR. "for all those imagining Measure 36 has silenced discussion in Oregon...Some in Oregon have watched the unfolding CA. gay marriage victory with a sense of... more
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Female First (everyone's favourite top quality purveyor of insightful news for women) reports that Lindsay Lohan is adopting the 'passive wife' role in her rumoured lesbian relationship with DJ Samantha Ronson.
Good to see gender stereotypes are alive and well! And great to see the alleged lesbian relationship of two Hollywood stars reduced to 'playing house'! Happy (or maybe even, um, gay) days!
Are you a top or a bottom? Do you wear the skirt or the trousers? Or are you simply a human being who's active sometimes, passive at others, and generally far too good for any of this sterotyping nonsense anyway?
Female First (everyone's favourite top quality purveyor of insightful news for women)... more
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Last week BRO reported that the OR Supreme Court issued their decision regarding 2 of the 3 IP ballot titles: 'In the decisions, the Court agreed with some of the issues raised in the briefs on IPs 144 & 145 and returned both titles...' Next week, U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments in Lemons v. Bradbury. This may be the last...Last week BRO reported that the OR Supreme Court issued their decision regarding 2 of... more
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Who would have thought same-sex weddings could be this conservative? According to the Advocate, the majority of same-sex couples decide to have more or less traditional wedding ceremonies.
Given that there are no long-established homosexual wedding rituals, this might come as a surprise to those who expected gay and lesbian couples to be somewhat more innovative and daring. However, Los-Angeles-based wedding planner Wendy Rhodes, argues that her homosexual customers' wishes are quite traditional and conventional, including common features such as wedding invitations, festive music, formal attire, white wedding cake, champagne and flowers. According to Rhodes, same-sex couples "want everything they can possibly have in their wedding. People all dream of the same things when they think of a wedding.''
If this points to the fact that wedding trends have a universal quality and transgress borders of sexual orientation, a certain degree of flexibility and openness is inevitable when it comes to planning same-sex weddings. Who pays? Who walks down the aisle? Who gets the first dance? These are just some of the questions gay and lesbian couples have to deal with when planning their big day! According to Kathryn Hamm, president of GayWeddings.com, it is just a matter of time before these questions are answered and homosexual weddings become institutionalised: "The more mainstream same-sex weddings become, the more routine they'll become when it's not this interesting, sensational new thing''.
Hamm also raises the interesting point of the effect same-sex marriage will have on the way heterosexual couples deal with wedding traditions: ''The thing I'm curious about is what happens to all wedding ceremonies once there's marriage equality. How will same-sex marriages change the landscape for heterosexual couples?''
What do you think?
Who would have thought same-sex weddings could be this conservative? According to the... more
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I have heard mentioned the concept of a 'homosexual agenda,' but scoffed at it thinking it was a joke. Among people I know of who are gay, I don't ever hear about or see any evidence of a 'homosexual agenda.' So, my question: is there really a 'homosexual agenda'? I read some things on a site that were very disturbing to me. Things like...I have heard mentioned the concept of a 'homosexual agenda,' but scoffed at it... more
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