Tag: LGBT ally

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Founder of PFLAG, Jeanne Manford, passes away at the age of 92

The founder of PFLAG, Jeanne Manford, passes away at the age of 92:

Today the world has lost a pioneer: Jeanne Manford, the founder of PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and the Mother of the Straight Ally movement.

Jeanne was one of the fiercest fighters in the battle for acceptance and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. It is truly humbling to imagine in 1972 – just 40 years ago – a simple schoolteacher started this movement of family and ally support, without benefit of any of the technology that today makes a grassroots movement so easy to organize. No Internet. No cellphones. Just a deep love for her son and a sign reading “Parents of Gays: Unite in Support for Our Children.”

This simple and powerful message of love and acceptance from one person resonated so strongly it was heard by millions of people worldwide and led to the founding of PFLAG, an organization with more than 350 chapters across the U.S. and 200,000 members and supporters, and the creation of similar organizations across the globe.

Wrote Liz Owen on the occasion of Manford’s 91st birthday last year:

Being gay was a crime, over half of the U.S. population deemed homosexuality morally wrong, vicious attacks on gay people were commonplace, and the idea of equality for gays and lesbians was a radical notion. But this didn’t stop Bronx, New York schoolteacher Jeanne Manford from ensuring that her gay son, Morty, received the same treatment as her straight daughter, Suzanne.

Following a brutal attack on his life at a rally, Manford stood alongside her son in a protest through the streets of Manhattan, carrying a sign that read “Parents of Gays: Unite in Support for Our Children.” Begged by observers to speak to other parents, she started support groups teaching parents to accept and support their LGBT loved ones and become, like her, brave advocates for equality. As demand steadily increased, Manford founded PFLAG, a national organization with a mission of support, education, and advocacy.

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Shirtless Matt Jarvis on cover of Attitude Magazine shows support for gay footballers to come out

Click pic to enlarge

The Guardian reports an interview with Matt Jarvis – the third straight football player (after David Beckham and Freddie Ljungberg) to appear on the cover of UK’s Attitude magazine – who is also the latest to appeal for a gay footballer to come out:

In an interview, the winger said it was time that a gay footballer felt comfortable enough to come out. “It’s everyday life. It’s not something that’s going to be a shock,” he said. “I’m sure there are many footballers who are gay, but when they decide to actually come out and say it, it is a different story. It’s one that I’m sure they’ve thought about many times. But it’s a hard thing for them to do.” …

Jarvis told Attitude that he thought times had changed and an openly gay footballer would receive the support he needed. “There’d be support everywhere within the football community, whether it be players, fans or within the PFA [Professional Footballers’ Association]. There would definitely be groups of people who would be supportive and help them through it,” he said.

Jarvis is a winger for Premier League club West Ham United.

(source)

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President Obama: LGBT rights a major accomplishment of 1st term

“One of the things that I’m very proud of during my first four years is I think I’ve helped to solidify this incredibly rapid transformation in people’s attitudes around LGBT issues — how we think about gays and lesbians and transgender persons. A lot of that just has to do with the fact that if you talk to Malia, the idea of making an anti-gay remark at her school is just unimaginable. They just don’t get that.

“And so, there are those attitudinal shifts that make up this new coalition as well. For all the divisions that you read about in our politics — and many of them are real and powerful — the truth is, is that we have steadily become a more diverse and tolerant country that embraces people’s differences, and respects people who are not like us. And that’s a profoundly good thing. That’s one of the strengths of America. It was hard-fought. And there’s been the occasional backlash, and this is not to argue that somehow racism or sexism or homophobia are going to be eliminated or ever will be eliminated. It is to argue that our norms have changed in a way that prizes inclusion more than exclusion.”

– President Barack Obama in his Time “Person of the Year” interview

(h/t Buzzfeed)

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Nick Youngquest, retired Aussie Footballer, on cover of Dorian Magazine

From Buzzfeed: Nick Youngquest, a retired Aussie footballer, covers the winter issue of Dorian, an international fashion and lifestyle magazine.

The former player has become a vocal ally for LGBT issues and recognizes his growing status as a gay icon. In an interview with AfterElton, he explained what it was like being a sex symbol:

I have no problem with it at all, if they want to look at me that way that’s all good! I wish sometimes I got as much attention of the ladies as I do off the men to be honest, but it’s all good. The first time I realized it was after doing a calendar in Australia in ‘06 for breast cancer. It was a naked calendar and I think gay guys took a liking to it then.

See that calendar pic below…

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Chris Kluwe – Salon’s Sexiest Man of 2012

I can’t say enough good things about this guy.  He simply rocks.

Vikings punter and creatively articulate LGBT ally Chris Kluwe has been named by Salon as the sexiest man of the year.

Chris Kluwe knows how to write an angry letter.

After Maryland delegate Emmett C. Burns Jr. attempted to silence an NFL player’s same-sex marriage activism, the Minnesota Vikings punter responded with a profanity-laced missive in which he referred to the politician as a ”narcissistic fromunda stain.”

He also sarcastically reassured Burns that legalized same-sex marriage won’t “magically turn you into a lustful cockmonster.” The letter wasn’t just hilariously inappropriate: It deftly took the pol to task for homophobia, hypocrisy and disrespect of free speech. Kluwe even name-checked COBRA and Social Security benefits.

But let’s be honest: He had us at “lustful cockmonster.”

Rockstar status. Period.

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Timothy Kurek on The View

Timothy Kurek grew up a devout anti-gay Evangelical, and, after a friend confessed to him that her family had disowned her for being gay, felt such guilt that he decided to live as a gay man for a year to seek empathy.

He’s written a book about his experience, The Cross in the Closet.

Timothy appeared on The View to talk about his experiences during the year, and what he learned.

“I went from being a very narrow-minded, hyperconservative Christian to an ally of the gay community,” says Kurek.

Kurek told his family and friends in Nashville that he was gay, even though he’s straight, in order to better understand the experience of the LGBT community in the face of religious propaganda.

He says he cried after being called a faggot: “I had to be held back from attacking the person that did it. I never felt so violated and minimized in my entire life, because of that one word.” The book’s ultimate goal, says its author, is to drive home the point to conservative Christians that, “there’s a much better way. It’s God’s job to judge, it’s the spirit’s job to convict, and it’s my job to love.”

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Chris Kluwe responds to Archbishop Nienstadt’s advice to reject gay children

“Tell me, Archbishop, Pope, what purpose does the Church serve attempting to influence the affairs of a secular state? The federal benefits under law currently denied gay couples certainly fall under the realm of Caesar, don’t they? No one is forcing the Catholic Church to marry gay couples if that is not the Church’s wish. You can keep the sanctity of Catholic marriage solely between heterosexual couples if you feel that is what’s required (again though, I caution you on the dangers of presumed infallibility). All we are asking is for you to extend the open hand of tolerance instead of the closed fist of fear and hate.

“As American citizens, we respect the right for everyone to practice whichever religion they so choose, including the right to not practice one at all. Haven’t we learned enough from the Crusades, the Inquisitions, the Talibans of the world? What does it benefit the Church to attempt to influence secular policy in this country, especially when that influence is to deny basic human rights to others? Will you now assume Caesar’s throne, grasping the transitory ephemera of worldly power and control, while forsaking the eternal kingdom of Heaven?” – Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, responding Minnesota Archbishop John Nienstadt’s advice to reject gay children.

Saint Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop John Nienstedt – who spearheaded a mass mailing in 2010 of 400,000 anti-gay DVDs, and created a special “marriage prayer” which he asked the state’s Catholics to recite during Mass in an effort to create support for the anti-gay amendment on Minnesota’s ballot in November –  told the mother of a gay son that she should reject him or risk burning in hell, according to a recently-surfaced letter.


 Read Chris Kluwe’s full response.

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Chris Kluwe on the cover of OUT Magazine

One of my favorite LGBT allys, Chris Kluwe, is currently featured on the cover of OUT Magazine.  (He’s also officially my favorite NFL punter).

In the interview, Kluwe explains some of his tips for making his blog posts work:

“Your insults can’t be the standard f*ck, sh*t, bitch — it has to be something that sticks in people’s minds,” says Chris Kluwe, the Minnesota Vikings punter, explaining how to craft a devastating letter to someone whose views you hold reprehensible. “Generally the way you do that is to take a swear word—usually a part of someone’s anatomy — and attach it to something else that it normally wouldn’t go with. When you come up with a good one, you’ll know you have it because you’ll just start giggling to yourself.”

Make sure you read the terrific article about this Minnesota Viking’s literal stand for equal rights for gays and lesbians.  

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Ben Cohen launches StandUp Magazine

This guy is so good looking (I can’t breathe he’s so good looking),  and has the heart of a lion. 

Ben Cohen, rugby superstar, anti-bullying advocate and LGBT ally today announced the launch of StandUp Magazine.  

From the StandUp Magazine website:
StandUp Magazine features the best in sports culture: the role models who make a difference in their games and in their communities, too.

Focused on the positive stories around professional, collegiate and community sports, StandUp Magazine reaches mainstream sports fans, professional athletes, cultural influencers, and LGBT athletes and community leaders.

Make sure you stop by the website and subscribe.