Politics, pop culture and entertainment news of interest to the LGBTQ community
OK, everyone needs some handsome in their life. Next to my husband Michael, I have Bruno. Bruno is my constant companion and object of great affection. He is perfect and I can’t stand days without him. He’s always by my side at home. When I’m at my desk, he’s at my desk. When I get up to go get coffee – he gets up to go get coffee.
I figured everyone should have a peek at his headshot… enjoy.
“Phil Siegel, who was co-communications director at the National Equality March on Washington, was inspired watching the young marchers interacting with some of our pioneers. Upon his return to San Francisco, he organized a group of young people and created the Gay History Video Project. In the videos, the young activist interviewed the pioneers and in the process saved a valuable part of our LGBT history. This is a very exciting project.”
I hope everyone watches and learns how the gay community came to be and evolved to what it is today. Enjoy.
Two lesbian high school students who fought for the right to walk together as part of a royalty court made their entrances Monday to the cheers of hundreds of classmates.
Sarah Lindstrom and Desiree Shelton wore matching black suits with pink ties and held hands as they entered the Snow Days Pep Fest at Champlin Park High School in Minneapolis’ northwest suburbs.
“It felt amazing,” said Shelton, adding that she was too nervous to notice dozens rise to give her a standing ovation as she walked in with Lindstrom. “I think we were too focused on getting to the stage.”
Champlin Park is part of the Anoka-Hennepin school district, Minnesota’s largest, which has been in the spotlight in the past year for its handling of issues involving gay and lesbian students.
The Iowa State House was packed by hundreds of people who showed up to express their opinions on House Joint Resolution 6 which proposes an amendment to the Iowa State Constitution to overturn marriage equality in the state.
The proposed amendment would specify marriage between one man and one woman as the only legal union that is valid or recognized in the state. Civil unions and domestic partnerships would be banned.
In 2009, a unanimous decision by the Iowa Supreme Court declared Iowa’s laws limiting marriage rights to opposite-sex couples unconstitutional.
Now, almost two years later, legislators are attempting to put marriage equality rights on the ballot. The Resolution passed out of the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 13-8.
While it is expected to pass in the House vote, the state Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal has vowed to block any vote on an amendment that would ban same-sex marriage.
To make it to the ballot box, the issue must pass in two consecutive legislatures.
Click here for more from The Iowa Independent.
UPDATE: The Iowa House today, by a vote of 62-37, passed House Joint Resolution 6 that would deny any form of legal recognition for gay couples. The amendment seeks to prohibit not only the freedom to marry for gay couples, but also civil unions or domestic partnerships. More info here at One Iowa.
Voting ended yesterday in the Pepsi Refresh Project and from the standings, it looks like LGBT projects will be receiving $325,000 in various communities.
GLSEN (The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) will receive $250,000 for their proposed project to send Safe Space Kits to 10,000 school across the country to help make schools safer for LGBT students.
GLAD (Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders) will receive $25,000 to help empower LGBT youth so they know their legal rights and resources. The project will work with youth to ensure a safe learning environment in school.
PROMO Fund – grassroots community organization dedicated to improving, encouraging and enabling the healthy development of LGBT youth, adults, and families in the St. Louis area, as well as other parts of the state of Missouri. To receive $25,000 to assist individuals in developing a plan for a healthy lifestyle.
Equality Pennsylvania – only organization in the Commonwealth advocating exclusively for the rights of LGBT Pennsylvanians. To receive $25,000 to provide leadership training to LGBT & allied youth in PA.
Let’s hear it for Pepsi and the Pepsi Refresh Project! And for all of you who voted for these great ideas!
Barbara Bush, daughter of President George W. Bush, has taped a video urging the passage of marriage equality in NY State.
From the NY Times article: “Ms. Bush is the latest child of a prominent Republican leader to embrace same-sex marriage, long considered anathema to the conservative movement. Gay rights advocates have been quick to seize on the generational split as evidence that the acceptance of same-sex marriage is blind to party affiliation and family values.”
Marriage equality advocates point to other children of prominent Republican politicians who have also embraced the idea and fairness of same-sex marriage. Among those are Meghan McCain, daughter of Sen. John McCain, and Mary Cheney, daughter of former Vice-President Dick Cheney.
In a memo released Friday, the Pentagon outlined plans for the steps being taken to repeal DADT, and it seems to be moving in a fairly decent pace.
Reports say high level Pentagon officials are meeting every two weeks to gauge progress and potential problems. “The conditions on the ground would dictate how fast we go,” Stanley said at the Pentagon briefing. “To even imply that we have a target to do it by this date would be a misnomer. In essence we are going to move responsibly, quickly but deliberately as we go through the process.” Training will be extensive and the changes will take place at the same time in all branches of the military, according to Defense Sec. Gates.
However, full equality will be hampered by conflicting laws still on the books. Due to the Defense of Marriage Act, the military is forbidden to extend many of the same benefits other married couples have available to same sex couples, such as housing allowances, medical care, travel and other privileges.
This is just one more good reason to abolish DOMA as it creates inequality for many of our men and women in the armed forces. If you can put your life on the line for your country, you should have the same rights and privileges as all soldiers. If marriage, as many argue, is a “state’s rights” issue, then the Federal government shouldn’t have laws on the books like DOMA that have a Federal reach.
The Pentagon has said it’s possible all military privileges could be extended to same sex couples in the future. We’ll have to keep an eye out for news on that.
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn will sign the recently passed Civil Unions bill today at a signing ceremony at the Chicago Cultural Center at 4pm.
With Quinn’s signature Illinois becomes the twelfth U.S. state or district to grant legal recognition to same-sex relationships through either civil unions or marriage.
“It is great for Illinois and the advancement of true equality,” state Rep. Deborah Mell (D-Chicago) told ChicagoPride.com. Mell made an emotional plea to her colleagues as the civil union bill was coming up for a vote.
“I am thrilled the the governor is signing this important bill into law,” said Equality Illinois co-founder and long time gay rights advocate Rick Garcia. “This bill brings us one step closer to full Equality in Illinois.”
The new law becomes effective June 1, 2011.
Matt Zarley – “Here I Am”
This makes me feel good. Straight forward pop music done well.