LGBTQ news and entertainment
It’s been feeling more like the movie “Groundhogs Day” than the actual day this past month.
Egypt continues to be in turmoil, health care reform is still being debated, Mitt Romney is still running for President (for, what, four years now?) and Sarah Palin is still smug and snarky…
The good news is: Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow this morning – since the biggest snow storm ever is happening again and again. Here’s to an early Spring, kids.
Prepared to be knocked out by Zach Wahls, a 19 year old University of Iowa student.
Zach spoke at the public forum debating the House Joint Resolution 6, which would strip away marriage equality in Iowa. Zach clearly makes his two moms proud. America should be proud to see someone speak so clearly, confidently and securely about who he is, who his family is and what a family really is.
I’m really proud to post this. Remember the name Zach Wahls. We all should.
Now sit back, watch and listen for 3 minutes. THIS is what the future of America can look like. Congratulations to Zach’s moms. Good job.
“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.
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.
Matt Zarley – “Here I Am”
This makes me feel good. Straight forward pop music done well.
So I’m making some biscuits this morning for breakfast and I pull out some cheddar cheese and turkey breast for my aptly titled “turkey breast & cheddar biscuits.”
Side note: I don’t really like anything associated with breakfast – except biscuits. Eggs, pancakes, waffles, etc… Not my thing. So when it comes to breakfast, yes, I’m a maverick. I was a maverick before John McCain and the half-term Governor Palin thought about the word. I break the rules. I’m an adult now. It’s my choice.
Aaaaaanyway…
I’m pulling out the turkey and cheddar and I suddenly realize that the plastic storage containers the Hillshire Farms cold cuts come in aren’t nearly as nice as the Albertsons cold cut containers.
Go figure…
That’s all.
OK, so I’ll admit this gave me a lump in my throat. Just to hear the message of tolerance and respect from General James F. Amos, Commandant of the Marine Corps, and Sgt. Maj. Carlton W. Kent, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps is pretty inspiring. This is a military we can all be proud of.
Congresswoman Michele Bachmann caught flak from the Veterans of Foreign Wars over her proposed benefit cuts in an attempt to reduce the US debt load. In a statement released Friday, Richard Eubank, head of the VFW said “No way, no how, will we let this proposal get any traction in Congress.” In addition to cutting veteran’s benefits, Bachmann proposed a host of other spending cuts such as abolishing the Department of Education, reducing farm subsidies and eliminating other federal grants and programs. Bachmann has recently come under fire for a “revisionist” view of U. S. history in a speech given in Iowa in front of Iowans for Tax Relief on Jan. 21. In that speech she claimed that the founding father’s of the U.S. worked “tirelessly” to eradicate slavery. This, of course, doesn’t jive with history that shows our country didn’t outlaw slavery until the end of the Civil War and by passing the 13th Amendment.
This Valentine’s Day, recording artist Matt Zarley is releasing his new cover version of the 80s iconic recording “We Belong” – all proceeds to benefit The Trevor Project.
The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LGBTQ youth by providing life-saving and life-affirming resources including nationwide, 24/7 crisis intervention lifeline, digital community and advocacy/educational programs that create a safe, supportive and positive environment for everyone. For more information about The Trevor Project, click here.
Take a listen to this preview, then go download it on Valentine’s Day. The track is slated to be available everywhere you can download songs – iTunes, Amazon, etc…
Matt is the real deal, and so is The Trevor Project.