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Sweet surrender...
What does a word like surrender conjure up for you?
Growing up and through much of my early adult life here is a picture I had of the word “surrender”:
[more]... What does a word like surrender conjure up for you? ... more -
LGBT seniors in aged care services face discrimination
A study of the experiences of LGBT seniors in aged care services has revealed that they regularly experience discrimination and invisibility.
The report, 'My People - a Project exploring the experiences of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Seniors in Aged Care Services', was conducted by La Trobe University.
Researcher Dr Catherine Barrett, from the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS), based at La Trobe University, explained that the report ‘reveals the hidden terror confronting gay baby-boomers and other older seniors who are not sexually mainstream – the prospect of confinement to the darkest closet of their lives: old age in Australia in the 21st century’
“A major problem is that aged care service providers don’t understand how discrimination can be manifested, and they don’t realise that if they see an older gay person being discriminated against they are expected to intervene,” Barrett told MCV.
“They don’t know that it’s unlawful to discriminate against GLIBT people.”
The study was initiated in response to anecdotal reports of discrimination against sexual minorities in aged care.
“Many recounted threats, harassment, ridicule and/or invasion of privacy; sometimes from staff or carers, sometimes from other residents. Most expressed some form of grief, loneliness or depression and a longing for intimacy, physical contact or sex.
“People don’t expect seniors to be sexual and they also don’t expect them to be sexually diverse,” she said.
The study also showed that, for many older gays and lesbians, even those long out of the closet, impending old age means going back in again, and the associated risk of being deprived of companionship and quality care when they need it most.
Over 50 percent of LGBT seniors aged over 65 will have home care at some stage, Barrett said, which resulted in some participants in the study revealing that “they have to hide who they are in their own home.”
The report’s results will be used as a blueprint for urgent reform in the aged care sector.
There is currently no specific federal policy for aged care services in relation to LGBT clients. A study of the experiences of LGBT seniors in aged care services has revealed that they regularly experience discrimination and invisi... more -
Katy Perry rockin’ tween girls!
Oh, if conservative news sources didn’t approve of this song before, they surely won’t like it now! Why? Because as I watched Katy Perry perform 'I Kissed a Girl' on the Today Show this morning and saw the audience enthusiastically singing along to each and every word (yes, I was too)--a great deal of that audience was teen and tween girls. Conservative types will have a field day with that!
I can see it now... [more] Oh, if conservative news sources didn’t approve of this song before, they surely won’t like it now! Why? Because as I watched Katy Per... more -
More about lesbians and ex-girlfriends
Thank you all for your comments to my query regarding the relationship many lesbians have with their ex-girlfriends. Maybe “Lizzy the Lezzy” can shed a little more light on this. A telling component to the success of remaining friends with exes... Thank you all for your comments to my query regarding the relationship many lesbians have with their ex-girlfriends. Maybe “Lizzy the ... more
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Rockin' with Melissa Etheridge!!
What a great concert in Eugene Oregon this weekend! See pics. and videos!
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Victory for Oregon Domestic Partnerships!
"In a unanimous decision issued this morning, a three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court ’s decision dismissing our opponent’s claims in the Lemons v. Bradbury case. Thanks to your courage and unwavering support, Oregon’s domestic partnership law is secure [...] more... "In a unanimous decision issued this morning, a three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the lower cou... more
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Three things you need to be a lesbian
I ’m not exactly sure why, but this scene with the South Park boys trying so hard to figure out how to become a lesbian always makes me laugh out loud! They make it sound pretty simple... I ’m not exactly sure why, but this scene with the South Park boys trying so hard to figure out how to become a lesbian always makes m... more
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Prove your connection...
Or the subtitle could be: 'Gay relationship recognition (whatever name it is given) is still separate and unequal from heterosexual relationship recognition.' Why so many disparities between domestic partnership recognition (or even gay marriage recognition) and heterosexual relationship recognition? (More...) Or the subtitle could be: 'Gay relationship recognition (whatever name it is given) is still separate and unequal from heterosexu... more
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Explain your lifestyle!
A comment made to my post yesterday made me think about this whole phenomenon that gay people experience-having to (or being asked to) explain their 'lifestyle' to whomever asks. Why should we have to explain? What is there to explain? What is it that family and pseudo-friends really want to know? ... A comment made to my post yesterday made me think about this whole phenomenon that gay people experience-having to (or being asked to)... more
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Choose your (unacceptable) "poison"
I wonder, why is it that people believe that their most effective punishment, or conversion tool, or perhaps reparative therapy technique toward a gay person is to limit or cease relationship with that person? Has this approach ever made someone just decide that their 'choice' of their 'lifestyle' is just not worth losing whoever is withholding relationship with them? (More...) I wonder, why is it that people believe that their most effective punishment, or conversion tool, or perhaps reparative therapy techni... more
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‘Unwanted’ twins: Lesbian couple loses case against fertility clinic
A lesbian couple from Australia has lost a controversial and high-profile lawsuit against an obstetrician they blamed for twins born by in-vitro fertilization as opposed to the single baby they requested.
The couple, whose twin daughters are now 4 years old, accused obstetrician Sydney Armellin of medical negligence and sued for $382,000 for failing to ensure that a single embryo was implanted. The money was meant to cover the cost of raising one of the children, including private school fees.
The women stated that the case had nothing to do with their feelings towards their daughters. "This has never been a case about whether our children are loved," the statement said. "They are cherished. A lesbian couple from Australia has lost a controversial and high-profile lawsuit against an obstetrician they blamed for twins born b... more -
Californians cleared to vote on same-sex marriage ban
The California Supreme Court has cleared the way for Californians to vote in November on whether to ban same-sex marriages in the state.
A gay couple is married in California in June. Voters could void same-sex marriages in the state in November. The court on Wednesday denied a petition to remove the initiative from the state's general election ballots. The unanimous decision was handed down without elaboration.
Hundreds of marriage licenses have been issued to same-sex couples since mid-June, a month after the court overturned the state's laws against such unions. However, on June 2, opponents of same-sex marriage filed for a ballot initiative that would ban such marriages in the state's constitution. Such a ban would overturn the court's May ruling. The California Supreme Court has cleared the way for Californians to vote in November on whether to ban same-sex marriages in the stat... more -
Awaiting the fate of Oregon Dom. Partnerhsips
Last week, on July 8th a panel of 3 judges from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments from both sides of Lemons v. Bradbury. There are folks on both sidelines of Lemons v. Bradbury who feel very strongly about the whole issue.For the opposition we’ve got [...] From the other side of the issue, here is an article from [...] Wherever you read news on this story, all agree that it may be weeks before we hear the final decision... Last week, on July 8th a panel of 3 judges from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments from both sides of Lemons v. Bradbury... more
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What lesbians are searching for...
Sort of a tongue in cheek title maybe... over the last week or so, search terms related to Molly on the L Word and the real life character's name Clementine Ford have been the most frequently used to bring folks to my blog (I am talking more than just a few times here!) So, for this week anyway, this is what lesbians are searching for! Sort of a tongue in cheek title maybe... over the last week or so, search terms related to Molly on the L Word and the real life chara... more
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Top ineffective ways to "convert" gay Christians
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 Christians and Ex-gay proponents attempt to "con... more
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Could CA. gay marriage bring aftershocks for Measure 36?
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 detachment, maybe even skepticism. But, with the ne... more
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Oregon Equality News
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 the 3 IP ballot titles: 'In the decisions, ... more
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Lesbian denied access to dying partner sues hospital
On Wednesday, 26th June 2008, Janice Langbehn sued the Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami for denying her the right to have access to her dying partner, Lisa Pond. The two women, who had been together for 18 years and had three children together, were about to embark on a family cruise when Pond collapsed and was rushed to hospital. Except for a 5-minute visit, Langbehn was not able to spend time with her partner as she lay dying, because the hospital did not recognise the two women as a family. In addition, after her partner's death, Langbehn was not allowed to access the death certificate, which in turn made it impossible for her to claim life insurance and Social Security benefits for their children. Langbehn is represented by Lambda Legal, the largest organisation fighting for civil rights of lesbian and gay citizens in the US. On Wednesday, 26th June 2008, Janice Langbehn sued the Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami for denying her the right to have access to ... more
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Gay and Christian: contradiction?
This generated church sign was inspired by a post from yesterday...
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Number of Domestic Partnerships in Oregon
I have been wondering how many domestic partnerships have been registered here in Oregon since the Oregon Family Fairness Act went into effect. I had not seen any numbers in any BRO updates lately, but I did see a little snippet tucked into an article in the Oregonian recently... I have been wondering how many domestic partnerships have been registered here in Oregon since the Oregon Family Fairness Act went int... more
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Lesbian Life
