News

[MusicalZebra]

Whether it be good or bad news I think with the fact that we all live in different areas and thus receive different views we should share so we know whats going on with LGBT rights.

[Sussy]

Rather good website, thought this media circus surrounding this movie might start a convo:

Portrayal of LGBT people in the media:
Bruno:
http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/will_sacha_baron_cohens_bruno_be_homophobic_or_fun ny

Why is it that LGBT people can -only- be portrayed as "flaming" or "dykes" or "insert stereotype here" and not real people?! I'm not sure that this movie works for bringing the topic of stereotypes up and then pointing the finger WITH and not AT. I think the major reason it rubs me wrong is not that it exists, its simply that this is pretty much all that is portrayed and approved of by the mainstream media. Gays, bisexuals, lesbians, crossdressers, transgender, etc are okay to laugh at but not to be taken seriously. Comedy can be used to highlight issues and bring public awareness, but only if it is done in such a way as to do so--from what I've seen in this movie, it hits me like Zoolander...just not working. If no one sees anything 'wrong' with the portrayal--if in fact, the lampshading is not recognized--it merely supports a stereotype, even if that was not the original intent.

/end rant

[DAzebras]

@Sussy Here's some new Bruno news. Not about LGBT, but proves the ridiculousness too.

http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.eonline.com/no-laughing-matter-bruno-resued-emotional-damages-20090711

[Sussy]

Oh man...MEDIA CIRCUS! At this rate it is steering firmly into the absurd.

Since I live in CA, I keep my eye on things. Nearly every day there's more absurdity!

More Prop 8 related stuff (update as of 8-9-09):
http://news.yahoo.com/s/advocate/20090709/ts_advocate/lgbt_groups_unwelcome_in_prop_8_suit_1

[Larxenne]

Since I don't like to read (just kidding...), Newsweek has a good little collection of videos under the heading "The future of gay marriage" about the gay rights movement in general (mostly the de jure issues such as marriage and don't ask don't tell).

Even though this site is dealing more with the de facto issues of the acceptance of LGBT people in our culture, the videos are interesting and good for those of us who occasionally lack the patience to read long articles...

http://www.newsweek.com/id/40211#?l=2269776001&t=1915453404

[Terry Shayar]

Hi. Just thought this was an interesting article for us to read.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13151.html#

[Elle]

http://www.out.com/detail.asp?page=2&id=25589

I thought this was...interesting, to say the least.

[Sussy]

LGBT issues for immigration and current marriage laws:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090718/ap_on_re_us/us_immigration_same_sex_couples

[Elanor Sarralyn]

The Matthew Shepard Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Shepard_Act) passed Congress! :eek:

[Sussy]

The Matthew Shepard Act passed Congress!

8 years >.< It took 8 years to pass it. At least its in there now, though, and includes transgender people. There's been alot of crimes in SF against transgender people. Its awful. Interetingly enough SF has SF ID cards that do not list gender. I moved recently up the peninsula so I didn't know that it passed. Scary enough, when I went to investigate the first page up was a white supremist page *shudder* THEN USA Today.

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20071121/a_id21.art.htm

[Sussy]

Transgender teacher in NJ retiring in frustration

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090722/ap_on_re_us/us_transgender_teacher
(Small quote of total article below)

The former William McBeth had undergone sex reassignment surgery and was now Lily McBeth. The schools' 2006 decisions to keep her on as a substitute were hailed around the nation as a model of tolerance and acceptance of transgender Americans.

But the storybook ending never happened: She got only a handful of assignments since then and is resigning in frustration.

[Sussy]

SoCal Gay Student's Death Sparks Call For Programs


The slaying of the 15-year-old boy has alarmed gay rights activists and led to demands that middle schools do more to educate youngsters about discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

http://cbs5.com/education/gay.student.death.2.687190.html

I swear, I just flip through the internet news and this is what pops out at me. *goes to look for good news and progress*

[Elle]

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13400.html

This is good news! Its not near where I live, but its nice. ^_^

[Sussy]

Good news Elle :D

Here's an author I'd never heard of, but seems to have broken some major ground with his writing. Shame he died so young.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090724/ap_en_ot/us_obit_harris

[Sussy]

News Roundup:

Immigration benefits:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090718/ap_on_re_us/us_immigration_same_sex_couples

Basic Rights and the Marriage Issue:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_gays_equality;_ylt=AolEiEBD2xj3QSkg4R2zJQtH2ocA ;_ylu=X3oDMTJqZmIxMDU1BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNzMxL3Vz X2dheXNfZXF1YWxpdHkEY3BvcwM3BHBvcwM3BHNlYwN5bl90b3 Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDZ2F5YWN0aXZpc3Rz

Milk and the Freedom Medal:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/advocate/20090730/ts_advocate/milk_to_receive_pres_medal_of_freedom_

[Sussy]

Women stretched to snapping point

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/lifematters/women-stretched-to-snapping-point-20090703-d7s8.html

//moved from DMZ's SM thread, and organized into the two new catagories we have going!

[MusicalZebra]

Bit of background for this article. A couple of years ago the legistate for ACT voted that Civial Union should be approved. Problem? ACT is a territory thus the howard government overode them and said no. Marriage was even defined as only between a man and a woman. Very sad. But finally some progress has happened and this is what these articles cover. Sorry if they are hard to read seeing as I had to scan them and the first isn't exactly that well written.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/BaTyShAzY/EPSON003.jpg

[spookyfbi]

Too bad Rudd caved to religious pressures and didn't lift the ban on same-sex marriage.

Speaking of Aussie politics, I know who I'll be voting for come next election!
http://www.sexparty.org.au/
:D

[DAzebras]

Californian site Courage Campaign is currently collecting donations to put Prop 8 back on the ballot in 2010:

https://secure.couragecampaign.org/page/contribute/2010

[DAzebras]

Has anyone else heard of this [Voyager Visability Project]? Their letter to the Powers That Be even uses the same quote that we did.

Letter: http://www.fanhistory.com/wiki/An_Open_Letter_To_The_Producers_of_Voyager
Roddenberry's gandsnon's endorses: http://www.fanhistory.com/wiki/Gay_Roddenbery_Grandson_Endorses_Voyager_Visibilit y_Petition!

Btw, have we thought about contacting Roddenberry's family?

Anyway, here's the main page of info on the VVP I found: http://www.fanhistory.com/wiki/Voyager_Visibility_Project

Awefully similar, eh?

[Mandiranda]

https://twitter.com/lgbtlife
They post a lot of LGBT news stories.

[Sussy]

Good news!

Evangelical Lutherans accept 'committed' gay clergy
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hHXJ_lMZ5lP3V2v1L4icjf9eBwig

Reba McEntire Keeps on Loving Gay Fans, Too
http://www.theboot.com/2009/08/19/reba-mcentire-keeps-on-loving-gay-fans-too/?icid=main|htmlws-main|dl2|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theboot.com%2F2009 %2F08%2F19%2Freba-mcentire-keeps-on-loving-gay-fans-too%2F

[Sussy]

A federal judge has ordered sponsors of California's Proposition 8 to release campaign strategy documents that opponents believe could show that backers of the same-sex marriage ban were motivated by prejudice against gays...If the courts find that the ballot measure was motivated by discrimination, they could strike it down without having to decide whether gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/03/BANH1A0DM8.DTL#ixzz0T177BlVB

[rexchanna]

"Same-sex marriage bill in DC appears unstoppable."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091006/ap_on_re_us/us_gay_marriage

THAT'S RIGHT. Our nation's capital district may very likely soon have same-sex marriage legalized. Nice!

[Sussy]

Obama's pledge to the HRC:
"I will end 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' That's my commitment to you," he said to cheers from some 3,000 activists. "We should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve this country. We should be celebrating their willingness to show such courage and selflessness on behalf of their fellow citizens, especially when we're fighting two wars."

For more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091011/ts_alt_afp/uspoliticssocietygaysrights_20091011181725

Critique of Obama's Speech to HRC:
Saturday night President Obama charmingly delivered a rather bleak message to the gay community on the eve of its latest march on Washington. In a speech to the world's largest gay political group, the Human Rights Campaign, Obama essentially said two things: I'm with you. But I can't do much for you.

For more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20091011/us_time/08599192968700

Another Critique:
Updated: President Obama will sign a memorandum Wednesday extending benefits to unwed domestic partners who are federal employees, including gays and lesbians. The decision, leaked to several news organizations Tuesday night, comes as gay rights activists were becoming increasingly frustrated with this White House. The memorandum follows similar State Department action on domestic partners last month.

For more:http://realclearpolitics.blogs.time.com/2009/06/16/obama-takes-first-major-action-on-gay-rights/?xid=feed-yahoo-full-nation-related

WASHINGTON – Thousands of gay and lesbian activists marched Sunday from the White House to the Capitol, demanding that President Barack Obama keep his promises to allow gays to serve openly in the military and allow same-sex marriages.

For more:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091011/ap_on_re_us/us_gay_rights_march

The news in the Senate:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A leading U.S. Senate Democrat said on Sunday he expects President Barack Obama to keep a renewed vow to end discrimination against gays in the military, but that Obama should do so with the support of the Pentagon.

For more:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091011/ts_nm/us_military_gays_1

[Sussy]

It's about time, really....in fact, way past time.

Physical attacks on people based on their sexual orientation will join the list of federal hate crimes in a major expansion of the civil rights-era law Congress approved Thursday and sent to President Barack Obama.

A priority of the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., that had been on the congressional agenda for a decade, the measure expands current law to include crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. The measure is named for Matthew Shepard, the gay Wyoming college student murdered 11 years ago.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/10/22/national/w141532D25.DTL#ixzz0UmaozAVC

[talesofsomething]

I read this and cheered; it really is about time. If our prez doesn't pass this, he loses all of my respect. Every ounce of it.

[Sussy]

Maine is lagging behind the times and pulling a California...

Maine overturns same sex marriage:

PORTLAND, Maine (Reuters) – Voters in Maine on Tuesday overturned a law allowing same-sex couples to wed, dealing a fresh setback to the U.S. gay marriage movement in a race that attracted national attention
The law was approved by Maine's Legislature in May but was not implemented after opponents gathered enough signatures to put the issue to a "people's veto."

With 87 percent of precincts reporting, votes to reject the law were running at 52.75 percent to 47.25 percent, according to unofficial tallies from the Bangor Daily News.

For full story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091104/ts_nm/us_gaymarriage_maine_4

advocacy response:

Gay rights advocates look past Maine's repeal of marriage law
WASHINGTON — Same-sex marriage supporters, dispirited by another loss at the polls, vowed Wednesday to press ahead to get new state laws passed allowing gay couples to marry.

Next up: New York, New Jersey and the nation's capital.

For full story:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-11-04-gay-marriage-maine_N.htm?csp=34