Family Research Council President and white supremacist Tony Perkins went off on make sexual assault in the military and putting the blame squarely at the feet of the repeal of DADT and allowing gay men to serve.

“President Obama is finally admitting that sexual assault is a serious  problem in the military, but what he hasn’t conceded is that his policy  on homosexuality helped create it. According to a new Pentagon survey,  most of the victims were not female (12,000 incidents), but male (14,000), highlighting a growing trend of same-sex assault in our ranks. How could this happen? Well, for starters, the Obama administration ordered military leaders to embrace homosexuality–completely dismissing the concerns that it could be a problem to have people attracted to the same sex, living in close quarters. Groups like FRC were right to be concerned about the overturning of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’”

Problem is that Tony has lifted his info from Wing-nuttier (if possible) Judith A. Reisman,  a close pal of Porno Pete LaBarbera who recently wrote an article (if you can call it that) in World Net Daily called: Military sodomite abuse: The untold story which uses statistics from a report that was published BEFORE the DADT repeal legislation passed Congress on December 18, 2010 and President Obama signed the bill on December 22, 2010.

Whoopsie. 

Recently I was having a discussion with a co-worker when I started realize by the vocabulary that she choose to use, that she wasn’t very comfortable. During the conversation, she kept using the word “friend” and even once she forced out “special friend”. Finally I had enough and asked her “so, who is this special friend you keep referring too?” She responded with “Darren” to which I replied, “ah, my FIANCE”. I’ll admit, I certainly didn’t help in making her feel anymore comfortable, but a line needs to be drawn. I have never referred to her husband as her “special friend”, so why should I accept mine being called that? For the rest of the day I couldn’t help but thinking how accepting was she really of the LGBT community?

I have had many people use the term “friend”, “special friend” and the “not as” bad “partner”. Those people always claim that they are accepting of gays and lesbians, but the words that they use say otherwise. How accepting is someone of gays and lesbians who can’t even refer to the one they love by the proper word? To make things clear, everyone in my work and personal life knows who I am and who I love. When other co-workers are discussing different stories about their families and husbands I usually join in with a story about myself and my fiancé. I also always use the term fiancé or sometimes boyfriend.

As recently as yesterday, myself and another co-worker were having a conversation about a special brand of coffee she is selling. Some organic stuff and she hands me a sample to try. Being addicted to coffee, I eagerly accepted the free coffee. She then starts to rummage through her box and hands me a second bag. “Awesome, more free coffee!” I thought, and then she said it. “Give this one to your friend and tell me what they think”. I was confused. At first I thought she was referring to my friend in the office who drinks coffee with me, then it dawned on me who she meant. She meant Darren. Like the other example mentioned above, I confronted her. I asked her to whom she was referring too. She answered “you know, your special friend”. Well this really offended me. Not only did she forget his name (even though I talk about him ALL the time), she called him my friend. This time I decided to take a more diplomatic approach. I told her that I would appreciate if she referred to him as to what he is, my boyfriend and my fiancé. She ignored me and turned around.

I was incredibly offended. How can an individual say they have no issues with gays and lesbians and not be able to use simple and more accurate pronoun like boyfriend?

The question is raised, how accepting of gays and lesbians are you? My answer is not very. You can’t pick and choose which parts you want to accept. Either you are completely accepting or you’re not. You can’t sit there, look at me in the eye and listen to some random story about Darren and I, or ask questions about my wedding and then call him my friend.

I and every other member of the LGBT community deserves more respect then that. How dare a person minimize my relationship to my face just because they have some illogical “fears”. I now make it a point to correct everyone who is rude and offensive and chooses to call Darren my “friend”. I no longer care how uncomfortable I make them feel, they obviously don’t care how rude they’re being.

I’ll end my rant with this. My relationship with Darren is no different then straight couple’s relationships. My love for him is no different then my co-worker’s love for her husband. Don’t sit there and minimize my relationship and make it something that it’s not just because you have a hang up and can’t get past your bigoted, stupid, archaic beliefs. Have some respect and if you feel “uncomfortable”, figure out why and move past it.

Two suspected terrorists were shot by armed police after attacking a pedestrian, believed to be a soldier, with a machete-style knife close to military barracks in whats being called an ’Islamist attack’

Local MP Nick Raynsford said he had been told the man attacked in the street was a soldier serving at the Royal Artillery Barracks near the attack. Mr Raynsford said the soldier had been returning to the barracks after a day out when he was attacked. The BBC reported sources had told them the men were shouting “Allahu Akbar” as they carried out the attack and had filmed carrying it out.

The Telegraph reports that one of the killers approached a passing city bus and asked passengers if they wanted to take his photo and then ranted into a camera.

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THIS WORLD?!

Without knowing, understanding and embracing our past. We can not move forward in the future….

Harvey Bernard Milk (May 22, 1930 – November 27, 1978) was an American politician who became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and served 11 months in office.

On November 27, 1978, Milk and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated by Dan White, another city supervisor who had recently resigned but wanted his job back.  White was unstable and highly homophobic.

Milk’s election was made possible by and was a key component of a shift in San Francisco politics. The assassinations and the ensuing events were the result of continuing ideological conflicts in the city.

In August 2009, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Milk the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contribution to the gay rights movement stating “he fought discrimination with visionary courage and conviction”. Milk’s nephew Stuart Milk accepted for his uncle.  Not long after that, Stuart co-founded the Harvey Milk Foundation with Anne Kronenberg with the support of Desmond Tutu, co-recipient of 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom and now a member of the Foundation’s Advisory Board.

In late 2009 then California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger designated May 22 as “Harvey Milk Day”, and inducted Milk in the California Hall of Fame.

The Harvey Milk Foundation began coordinating global recognition and celebration of Harvey Milk Day.

Harry Britt summarized Milk’s impact the evening Milk was shot in 1978: “No matter what the world has taught us about ourselves, we can be beautiful and we can get our thing together … Harvey was a prophet … he lived by a vision … Something very special is going to happen in this city and it will have Harvey Milk’s name on it.”

Watch the Oscar-winning documentary film about the life and career of San Francisco’s first openly gay man to be elected to office and the greatest gay rights leader in LGBT history, Harvey Milk

Directed by Rob Epstein. and Narrated by Harvey Fierstein

Watch it and learn something bitches!

“You gotta give them hope,”

Harvey Milk was an awkward man who refused to hide the fact that he was gay.

Born in New York, Harvey Milk moved to San Francisco when he was 40 years old and quickly became a community activist. He dubbed himself the “Mayor of Castro Street,” 

At that time homophobia ran rampant in the streets of San Francisco.  Bar raids and gay bashing by police in the gay community of the Castro was a common event but Harvey fought back for his community.

Harvey then entered politics and won a long-fought election to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977 on his third attempt.  But it was a short-lived victory.

In 1978,  Proposition 6 – also known as the Briggs Initiative –  a ballot measure which was backed by singer Anita Bryant  sought to expel gay and lesbian teachers from California schools.  Harvey Milk fought tooth and nail  and played a key role in defeating the measure.

That same year Dan White another supervisor, assassinated Milk along with Mayor George Moscone at San Francisco City Hall because he disagreed with the gay rights initiatives Milk championed.

Harvey Milk was only 48 at the time of his death.

“Harvey was a lightning rod for the gay-rights movement in that he encouraged lesbians and gays to work with the current political processes and he demanded acknowledgment and respect,” California State Senator Carole Migden, a lesbian and former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, told AFP.

“His election was a huge step forward. He showed that gays deserved a place in the political process, and that if they worked hard for it, they would have it,” she said.

Harvey Milk’s legacy is clearly not confined to the streets of San Francisco. Milk’s ascension shook up the establishment because he proved that the gay rights movement was a very real phenomenon, not just chasing rainbows as some do today and that is something we must always remember.  He delivered bodies to rallies and protests, voters on Election Day, and brought a passion to gay politics and the fight for gay rights, and he also brought  hope where there was little.

For this we must always be grateful and remember.

My one wish will always be that Harvey was here today to lead us today.  We certainly could use him.

Happy Birthday Harvey.  We Miss You

This past week President Obama delivered a commencement speech for the prestigious Morehouse graduates and made sure to have a very touching message of inclusion the echoed throughout the speech which included LGBT members, Here’s more:

President Barack Obama made sure that his speech during the spring 2013 commencement ceremony at Georgia’s Morehouse College was inclusive.

The Atlanta-based historically black private college is exclusively for men, but Obama spontaneously referenced gay and lesbian Americans, as The Advocate notes.

Pointing to a Morehouse student who struggled through college while supporting his family, the president advised students to be the best that they can be in their romantic relationships, no matter what their sexuality.

“Keep setting an example for what it means to be a man,” he said. “Be the best husband to your wife, or your boyfriend, or your partner. Be the best father you can be to your children. Because nothing is more important.”

“As Morehouse Men, many of you know what it’s like to be an outsider; know what it’s like to be marginalized; know what it’s like to feel the sting of discrimination. And that’s an experience that a lot of Americans share. Hispanic Americans know that feeling when somebody asks them where they come from or tell them to go back.

Gay and lesbian Americans feel it when a stranger passes judgment on their parenting skills or the love that they share. Muslim Americans feel it when they’re stared at with suspicion because of their faith. Any woman who knows the injustice of earning less pay for doing the same work — she knows what it’s like to be on the outside looking in.”

A little side bar I’ve noticed over the past few years we have seen our president evolve on his position on LGBT rights. What many refer to as flip-flopping and riding the fence, President Obama has was very meticulous yet vague at the same time when he referred to the rights of this community which led many of his LGBT supporters to become frustrated, even hurt at how we as a community were being left out of the change he made as his slogan throughout both his campaign. Nut about a year ago, President Obama for the first time seemed to be standing up for us at long last.

When he revealed through a televised interview that we, the LGBT population deserved the same rights as everyone many were elated at the prospect of having a sitting president openly supporting marriage equality and LGBT rights. What followed afterward was an increasing vigor from president. But he wasn’t doing much in the way of policy as he was saying to us the people and what some believed jr once again began to enact upon the same flippant behavior as we were seeing promises to stand firmly for ENDA (Employee Non Discrimination Act) fell by the waist side and he for a while stated that marriage equality was a state issue.

But after the election and President Obama’s second consecutive win he seemed to become more able to speak freely about the rights of LGBT citizens of this country. And took more steps in fulfilling the promises he made us over five years ago when his campaign first began, real change. It warms my heart to see a sitting president speak of inclusion of such a magnitude when only a few years ago, many, including myself questioned if we would ever see a sitting president reach out to us, and include as as citizenship of this country.

I realize that to some (possibly many) I sound like an apologist but that’s not true. I feel our president has done more in recognizing us than any other setting president in history. He has made missteps and flat out mistakes as far as adequately addressing and implementing the change he told us so much about for the LGBT community. But I am grateful of the progress that he has made,  I only hope that his evolution continues and we see him fulfill the words of change he made us believe in.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is feeling the heat from the LGBT community and NY LGBT politics for his cold feet and lack of spine over the voting for a provision sought by same-sex couples and progressives to be included in the immigration reform bill.

 The Uniting American Families Act, would allow American citizens to apply for green cards on behalf of their foreign spouses.  Under current law, citizens can get a green card for a foreign spouse in a traditional marriage with relative ease, but cannot apply for a green card for a gay spouse or partner.

But among the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” currently considering comprehensive immigration reform California Sen. Dianne Feinstein and New York Sen. Chuck Schumer have indicated that they will not vote for two amendments proposed by committee by Chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy that would allow married LGBT Americans to sponsor their foreign-born same-sex spouse for citizenship and are  caving into the Republican threats of killing immigration reform entirely if LGBT families are included

On Monday Schumer called a meeting with prominent New York gay elected officials and activists about his fear that the inclusion of the UFWA act  would  because Republicans involved in the reform talks have said would be a deal killer for the entire immigration  reform bill.

“Sen. Schumer called the meeting because he is in trouble with a key constituency,” said Rachel Tiven of the group Immigration Equality.

One source who attended the meeting said some attendees told Schumer that once when people are left out of legislation, it becomes hard to catch up later, something that which the gay community has witnessed before in other iterations.  Others made it quite clear to Schumer they don’t believe the Republicans would walk away from immigration reform as a whole, comma even with a same-sex provision in it.

Many in the LGBT community are now in fear of being scape-goated AGAIN and have little faith in Schumer to do the right thing considering his record of  being late to support same-sex marriage and to repealing DOMA — remains a real concern.

President Obama also seems comfortable in throwing LGBT community under the bus signaling that he is unlikely to veto immigration reform simply because it excludes LGBT Americans.  Also it is being reported that Obama has contacted Leahy and suggested tha he table the LGBT reform provisions “for now” and try to include it when the Bill hits the Senate floor which would be almost impossible since it holds little chance of getting 60 votes.

And where is Human Rights Campaign in all of this you may ask?

Nowhere.

Sources tell me HRC has had little to no involvement with the push for LGBT immigration inclusion on Capital Hill  saying and I quote:  ”they are just hanging out waiting for the Supreme Court decision.” 

To some, sexuality is a very concrete thing where people only fit into two categories: gay or straight. But most of us in the LGBT community know better than that, or at least are more willing to see that sexual identity is not the same as our sexual orientation. And Star Trek Star Zoe Saldana was doing the exact same thing in her latest interview. The actress has been receiving some unnecessary heat for some comments she made about how it is not just the anatomy of a person that ignites sexual desire. Here’s more:

Zoe Saldana has an issue with labels — of any kind.

During a recent interview with BET, the actress discussed her role in the recently released “Star Trek: Into Darkness” film, being a black and Latina actress and the comments she made in Allure Magazine regarding her androgyny and the possibility of her raising children with a woman.

BET’s Smriti Mundhra informed Saldana that the comments made in Allure were being interpreted as her having come out as lesbian or bisexual.

Saldana responded by saying that she encourages every human being to try not to categorize or stereotype anything.

“It’s the saddest situation… It is almost impossible for us to get through one conversation with somebody at a cashier without having to go, ‘Oh is she Mexican? Oh is she gay? Or what kind of car does she drive? Or is she illegal or something?” she said.

“There are so much more things that are important besides stereotyping ourselves and limiting ourselves just by putting ourselves in little boxes.”

Is this about not liking labels or is there more behind this? I definitely say its the former as I abhor the labels we use to categorize. Some may call what Saldana said as backpedaling but I disagree. She sees sexual identity in much of the same way I do. So we should keep that in mind when we have discussions about sex. It’s not always black and white. It may be that way for you but respect that its shades of grey for many more people than you think.

ay

NOM, FRC, AFA, and the Liberty Counsel’s silence prove that they actively encourage this type of violence against us  it.

They are silent because they are happy.  Because of their hateful words, lies and propaganda called for it.

They relish our misery and rejoice behind closed doors at our pain.

They are evil.  Plain and simple.

“If Jesus were alive today, the last thing he’d be is a “Christian” ~ Mark Twain.