tagged w/ Dan Savage
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Columnist and activist Dan Savage, who founded the "It Gets Better" movement following the rash of gay suicides last year, has openly challenged Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain to prove the candidate's recent claim that being gay "is a choice" by choosing to be gay!
http://veracitystew.com/2011/10/24/dan-savage-to-herman-cain-suck-my/Columnist and activist Dan Savage, who founded the "It Gets Better" movement... more
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Rick Santorum made an enemy of Dan Savage. That was eight years ago, and Santorum still can't shake the consequences. Read on!
http://www.slate.com/id/2298206/Rick Santorum made an enemy of Dan Savage. That was eight years ago, and Santorum... more
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Dan Savage's "It Gets Better Project" has made a very positive difference for our youths.Dan Savage's "It Gets Better Project" has made a very positive... more
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MTV has given the green light to Savage U, a late night show featuring advice columnist and "It Gets Better" Dan Savage talking sex, love and relationships with college students.
The network ordered the show to pilot in January. It's one of four shows MTV ordered to series by MTV last week.
"I don’t think there are any networks talking to teenagers about how to navigate sex and modern relationships," MTV head of production Chris Linn told Entertainment Weekly. There’s been a real leap forward in information online and the way teens communicate and Dan is somebody who brings real credibility.”MTV has given the green light to Savage U, a late night show featuring advice... more
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The US President Barack Obama has released a video in which he tells gay teenagers “I don't know what it's like to be picked on for being gay. But I do know what it's like to grow up feeling that sometimes you don't belong."
The video is part of a campaign called It Gets Better Project, which was launched last month by writer and activist Dan Savage after a spate of gay American teenagers committed suicide.
Drawing upon his own experiences President Obama goes on to say: "It's tough […] When you're teased or bullied it can seem like somehow you brought it on yourself for being different [… ] But I want to say to you that you are not alone and you didn’t do anything wrong. […] With time you're going to see that your differences are a source of pride, a source of strength."
President Obama isn’t the only high-profile US politician to lend his support to the campaign; on Tuesday Secretary of State Hillary Clinton posted her own two-minute video online.
Obama’s video was posted on the White House website and linked to the It Gets Better Project. Its founder Dan Savage founded the project after reading about 15-year-olds Justin Aaberg, of Minnesota, and Billy Lucas, of Indiana, who killed themselves. His initial reaction, which he wrote about in his blog, was to wish he had been able to talk to the boys to help them realise that they were not alone but getting access to schools to address children about sexuality and bullying proved too difficult. Instead Savage set up a website where people could share their experiences and on 21 September Savage and his partner Terry posted the the first It Gets Better Project video, an eight-minute segment in which the two revisit the bullying they were subjected to at school.
By the end of that week, 200 videos had been posted from around the world and their YouTube channel now have more than 1.7m views. The videos feature diverse figures from politicians and pop stars to celebrities, via bloggers, comedians, and everyday people.
One of the most viewed is a 12-minute speech by Joel Burns, a council member in Fort Worth, Texas, who tells a council meeting about the recent suicides, his own experiences as a young homosexual and the lack of support and intervention in schools.
"One day, when I was in the ninth grade I was cornered by some older kids who roughed me up," Burns said. "They said that I was a faggot, and that I should die and go to hell where I belonged."
The president's video was welcomed by campaigners on the issue. Charles Robbins, executive director of the Trevor Project, a 24-hour helpline for gay youths at risk, said: "I'm pleased that the president has spoken directly to youths, letting them know that they are not alone, that they didn't do anything wrong and don't deserve to be bullied. These are powerful words coming from the leader of the free world."
The release of the two videos comes at a sensitive time for the Obama administration as it challenges a California judge's decision to put a halt to the US military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gay servicemen and women. A government appeal of that decision was granted by a court this week, and the policy effectively remains in place.
The US President Barack Obama has released a video in which he tells gay... more
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In the wake of recent teen suicides, many people are posting video testimonials telling young gays that, later in life, "It Gets Better." Joel Burns is an openly gay city councilman in Fort Worth, Texas. At a council meeting on Tuesday, he spoke about his painful experience as a gay teen. Host Melissa Block talks with Burns about that and his decision to speak out.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130596623In the wake of recent teen suicides, many people are posting video testimonials... more
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Writer Dan Savage is reaching out to LGBT teenagers to let them know life may be difficult now, but "it gets better."
The "It Gets Better" Project is inspired by the suicide of 15-year-old Indiana teenager Billy Lucas, who hung himself last week in his family's barn after enduring bullying from his classmates. After writing a post on The Slog about Lucas's death last week, one commenter wrote they wish they could have spoken to him to tell him that things get better.
Savage, in his Sept. 21 Savage Love podcast, said he felt the same way, and decided to remedy the problem. The project is a YouTube channel, where LGBT adults can upload videos targeted at gay teens to let then know their future can still be bright.
The first video, posted Tuesday morning, features Savage and his husband talking about growing up as gay teenagers.Writer Dan Savage is reaching out to LGBT teenagers to let them know life may be... more
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Unlike straight parents, gay parents cannot go out one night, get drunk and adopt. Unlike straight parents, gay parents have children because they are wanted and planned for.Unlike straight parents, gay parents cannot go out one night, get drunk and adopt.... more
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Dan Savage discusses the definition of marriage, and the erroneous claim that same-sex couples seek to re-define this institution.
Marriage was originally a sale of property. In the west, Marriage was re-defined BY THE HETEROSEXUAL COMMUNITY, and evolved into an equal legal partnership - slash - life partnership many years ago.
Yet, when the concept of same-sex marriage is introduced, detractors attempt to define marriage in it's original archaic terms, in the subconscious hope of deflecting from their own (often religiously-inspired) homophobia. They claim to be making reason-based arguments against same sex marriage, but when their reasoning is invalidated, it becomes clear that their arguments are emotion-based -- stemming from prejudice and nothing more...Dan Savage discusses the definition of marriage, and the erroneous claim that same-sex... more
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This video clip features Dan at University of Maryland, speaking on the tough subject of coming out to a very Christian family. It gives you a little perspective when you hear the story he tells of the abuse that a boyfriend of his suffered at the hands of his father -- an evangelical Baptist minister.This video clip features Dan at University of Maryland, speaking on the tough subject... more
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HBO is considering a show based on "Savage Love," the sex advice column syndicated in alternative weeklies.
In his blog in his home alt-weekly, The Stranger in Seattle, Wash., columnist Dan Savage said he has been working on "a non-airing presentation pilot for HBO" that would be called "Savage Love."
Quoting from a draft press release for the show, Savage said the possible show "will focus on current events and cultural trends with sex as the filter."
Added Savage: "I'm hoping to bring a new kind of conversation to TV about sex -- an honest conversation, one that's informed without being (too) wonky, funny without being (too) cruel, sexy without being (too) cheesy. Basically, my sex-advice column -- but on the teevee!"
The first taping is scheduled for this Thursday, he said.HBO is considering a show based on "Savage Love," the sex advice column... more
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Eleven gay bars in Seattle were sent letters Tuesday threatening ricin attacks — in what some are describing as a hate crime. The anonymous letters say, "I have in my possession approximately 67 grams of ricin with which I will indiscriminately target at least five of your clients. ... I expect them to die painfully while in hospital." A 12th letter was sent to the alternative weekly The Stranger, according to its Web site. That letter says the paper should be "prepared to announce the deaths of approximately 55 individuals."
The letter lists the bars as: The Elite, Neighbours, The Wildrose Bar, The Cuff, Purr, The Seattle Eagle, R Place, Re-bar, C.C.Attle's, Madison Pub and The Crescent. The letter implies the attacks will take place one Saturday this month. In a statement, the Seattle Police Department said it takes the threat seriously. It has seized the letters and is processing them and is coordinating efforts with the FBI and other federal agencies.
Stranger editorial director Dan Savage said he didn't take the threat too seriously: "I get a death threat a day with Savage Love," he said, referring to a sex column he writes. Savage said the letters didn't contain any religious references, making him wonder whether the author was an embittered gay person. He said that if the threat were designed to ruin business for gay bars, it may backfire. Staffers from The Stranger made a point of visiting gay bars Tuesday night to show their support, he said, and others may be inspired to do the same.Eleven gay bars in Seattle were sent letters Tuesday threatening ricin attacks —... more
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devo64
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added this
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3 years ago
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Eleven gay bars in Seattle were sent letters Tuesday threatening ricin attacks — in what some are describing as a hate crime. The anonymous letters say, "I have in my possession approximately 67 grams of ricin with which I will indiscriminately target at least five of your clients. ... I expect them to die painfully while in hospital." A 12th letter was sent to the alternative weekly The Stranger, according to its Web site. That letter says the paper should be "prepared to announce the deaths of approximately 55 individuals."
The letter lists the bars as: The Elite, Neighbours, The Wildrose Bar, The Cuff, Purr, The Seattle Eagle, R Place, Re-bar, C.C.Attle's, Madison Pub and The Crescent. The letter implies the attacks will take place one Saturday this month.
In a statement, the Seattle Police Department said it takes the threat seriously. It has seized the letters and is processing them and is coordinating efforts with the FBI and other federal agencies. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says ricin is a poison found naturally in castor beans that can be deadly if purified and then ingested or inhaled.
Stranger editorial director Dan Savage said he didn't take the threat too seriously: "I get a death threat a day with Savage Love," he said, referring to a sex column he writes. Savage said the letters didn't contain any religious references, making him wonder whether the author was an embittered gay person. He said that if the threat were designed to ruin business for gay bars, it may backfire. Staffers from The Stranger made a point of visiting gay bars Tuesday night to show their support, he said, and others may be inspired to do the same.Eleven gay bars in Seattle were sent letters Tuesday threatening ricin attacks —... more
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devo64
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added this
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3 years ago
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