Blabbeando

Marriage equality advocates in New York State are "Marching On"

2009-12-18T12:42:00.002-05:00

The Empire State Pride Agenda has just posted this video on YouTube in the wake of the recent disappointing vote on marriage equality in the New York State Senate. In it, the Pride Agenda thanks the legislators who voted in favor of the bill and also gives the following warning to those who voted 'no':

We will not go away. We will only grow stronger. We will keep fighting. In the streets. In your districts. Until we win.

Schwarzenegger taps Latina lesbian for finance director post

2009-12-18T03:00:00.009-05:00

Considering the current status of the California state budget, I'm not sure whether I would even congratulate anyone who might want to become the state's finance director. And yet, earlier in the week, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that he had appointed 34 year old Ana Matosantos to the previously vacated position.

The Sacramento Bee and other major English language papers note that Matosantos, who was born in Puerto Rico, would become the youngest person and the first Latina to ever fill the post (her appointment is still pending approval from the California State Senate).

Interestingly, none of the major English-language newspapers make note that Matosantos is also an openly lesbian woman. That information actually came from the Spanish-language newspaper La Opinión who interviewed her for an article that ran on Tuesday. An translated excerpt:

Montesanos speaks openly and with no need to hide her personal life. She confesses that she is single, a lesbian and has a partner. "Once you have confessed to your parents, it doesn't matter what others might think." she says certain of herself [...] Additionally, I feel happy because my nomination reflects the diversity lived in the state, and California siempre pa' adelante [using a Puerto Rican colloquialism in Spanish].

[NOTE: That contradiction about being single and having a partner comes directly from the Spanish-language text].

After Senate approval of her appointment, Matosanos will have to present Schwarzenegger's state budget in January. In a statement, the Governor gave Matosanos full support by saying "In the coming year, our state will have to make incredibly challenging and tough budget decisions, and Ana has the knowledge and expertise necessary to guide my administration through that decision-making process."

With the pending appointment, Matosanos would become one of the highest ranking gay Latinos appointed to political office in the United States.

Scott Long on the Ugandan anti-homosexuality bill

2009-12-11T19:39:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I highlighted a couple of interviews that journalist Rex Wockner did during his stay in New York in October. I'd helped to transcribe those interviews from the original recordings and noted that there was a third interview that might or might not see the light of day - and that I'd make note of it if and when it was published.

Well, Rex just posted his interview with Scott Long tonight on his blog and it's truly worth a read. Scott is the Director of the LGBT Division at Human Rights Watch and, in it, he speaks candidly about his long-standing work on LGBT rights around the world.

Of particular interest, are his comments on a proposed and draconian anti-gay bill making its course through the Ugandan legislature which would make homosexuality a crime punished by death.

An advance quote:

When we first were leaked the text of it, a bunch of us were just looking at it in astonishment. (T)he preparation for it has been laid by years of fanatical homophobic agitation in Uganda that comes from the president and comes from the first lady and comes from ... the minister of ethics and integrity, James Nsaba Buturo, who are all obsessed by homosexuality. But the groundwork has also been laid, again, by these years of religious agitation, which has been promoted by U.S. evangelicals...

To read more about the involvement of U.S. evangelical leaders in this horrible bill as well as the rest of Rex's interview with Scott, please go here.

And, on a related note, for updates on the latest on the Uganda bill, please visit Box Turtle Bulletin. The latest, as of tonight: There are indications that worldwide pressure on the Ugandan government to scratch the bill might be working ("Op-Ed In Ugandan Gov’t Newspaper: 'Parliament Should Not Pass This Bill'”).

Peru: Gays can serve in armed forces, says Constitutional Court

2009-12-10T15:35:00.003-05:00

In a case that has been making it's way through the Peruvian courts since 2003, Perú's Constitutional Court has had final say on whether gays can serve in the country's police academy - as well as other armed forces institutions.

In a 3-2 ruling, the court declared that a "sexual option cannot be a prerequisite or precondition to determine capacity or professional ability" and ordered the institution to reintegrate a police cadet who had been kicked out on rumors he was gay.

The student, only identified by his initials, had always denied allegations that he is gay, but had argued that he should not have been kicked out based on mere rumors. The court ruled in his favor and went a step further saying that gays should not be denied service in the police or the military.

"To sustain [something like] this is not only anachronistic, but attempts against the principle of human dignity".

I had previously posted this annotated YouTube video in which the student was interviewed as well as one of the justices from the Constitutional Court who voted in the affirmative (Carlos Fernando Mesías Rámirez).

Source:

La Republica: "Homosexuality is not a barrier to go after a police or military career" (Dec. 10, 2009)

Previously on Blabbeando:

IGLHRC launches Peruvian police gay ban protest, calls for e-mail writing campaign (May 27, 2009)
A call for an "immediate repeal" of homophobic police regulation (May 21, 2009)
Interior Minister bans gays from police service possibly setting up a constitutional clash (May 14, 2009)
Police cadet fights dismissal based on gay rumors (May 7, 2009)

Top gay bloggers on blogging

2009-12-10T00:43:00.011-05:00

Others have posted excerpts from these posts already but I wanted to bring attention to a couple of interviews that my friend Rex Wockner did during a rare stay in New York in late October. While in the city, he took an opportunity to interview two of my favorite bloggers: Andy Towle who runs Towleroad and Joe Jervis who blogs at Joe.My.God.

Both Andy and Joe have been more than generous in picking up on the stuff I write about here on Blabbeando and I haven't always acknowledged it or thanked them for it. This gives me a chance to highlight their tremendous work and also say gracias. Additionally, when it comes to these interviews, I also had the pleasure of transcribing the original interviews from Rex's digital recorder while I was in Maine in early November to cover the heartbreaking marriage equality vote so, in some ways, I am incredibly familiar with their words. They bring up a number of interesting issues about their high profile as bloggers and what it takes to keep up with their daily input.

I'll just pick up on a couple of key points they raise and provide a link to their full interviews:

Joe Jervis a/k/a Joe.My.God (left) on being fed information (click here for full interview):

"I am very aware of being managed. And I'm aware when obviously lots of LGBT organizations and other groups want to get their message out and how they'll try to massage me into being sympathetic either to their point of view or to feeling obligated to parrot their press release or their event or their rally or whatever, and I try to keep them at arm's length, you know, both emotionally and not to overstep my position journalistically. There are a few groups that are rather notorious for trying to manage bloggers, to make sure that the message they want is the one that we put out. And that's not to say that there aren't a lot of good people doing good work and their message isn't the right message. It usually is. But I'm also very leery of becoming their sock-puppet, and you learn by error. A few years ago, you might be flattered that someone from some major progressive or LGBT group might want to get you on the phone and ask for your opinion, and then a little bit wiser and later you realize that they were sweet-talking you into basically regurgitating to your readers exactly what they want them to read and believe. And so with bitter experience you start treating those sort of conversations with a jaundiced eye".

Andy Towle who runs Toleroad (right) on keeping up with the latest (click here for full interview):

"I feel overwhelmed right now because I'm not reading and I'm doing this interview instead, but, you know, it's how I regularly feel if I'm out or whatever. It's like there is always a constant barrage of news and things happening, so the struggle to keep on top of it is a constant challenge and I think anybody who's in news these days understands the same thing -- that it's just, you know, like a 24-hour thing and to stay on top of it, you just have to constantly keep reading".

I also transcribed a third interview that might or might not eventually see the light of day. It does not involve a blogger but I will highlight it, as well, if and when it is published.

In the meantime, please click through the links given above and read the full interviews with Joe and Andy.

Related:

From "Coming Out at 48" to "Coming Out / Staying Out"...

2009-12-08T23:49:00.005-05:00

There are more than a few interesting bloggers out there and one that caught my eye early in my own blogging timeline was "Chris P." who blogged at Coming Out at 48.

The sub-head below the blog title read "At 48, a married man tells his wife he is gay. Life stops in its tracks and then begins again. He still goes to sleep in the evening and he still rises in the morning, but everything has changed" and his blog entries were a fascinating series of semi-daily observations by a man whose whole world had suddenly shifted as he made his first tentative steps out as a gay man, not without some trepidation.

I wasn't the only one reading. Coming Out at 48 was featured in a New York Times article in August of 2006 ("When the Beard is Too Painful to Remove"). Here is an excerpt from the article:

The loss [of a long term spouse] comes on top of the adolescent awkwardness of not knowing the social norms of a new world, described on the blog Coming Out at 48. Its author, who identifies himself only as Chris, writes of changing his clothes many times before heading to his first gay bar, finding it empty and not realizing he had arrived too early. He writes of not understanding the sexual terminology in gay personal ads and looking for an “always gay’’ man to teach him what he needed to know.

In an e-mail exchange, Chris compared the experience to “living abroad,’’ where the “thrill of a new place’’ competes with “the deep loneliness’’ of unfamiliarity. It is not, he said “the existential loneliness of not knowing who you are and where you belong, but the loneliness of ‘What am I going to do this weekend?’ ‘How am I supposed to behave?’ or ‘When will the phone start to ring?’ ’’

Eventually, "Chris" found surer footing in this new world an met someone with whom he clicked. Coming Out at 48 remained online (it's still in my blog roll) but most blog entries disappeared. "Chris" decided to focus on his new life instead. Until now.

Meet Paul. For a while now, I have been keeping in touch with "Chris", whose real name is Paul, and he recently reached out to say that he had launched a brand new blog. He felt the itch to write again and to share his most recent experiences. His new blog, "Coming Out / Staying Out" has been added to my blog roll. It's still in its infancy but I am sure it will be worth your time. Feel free to ad it to your RSS feeds.

Related:

On Writing (Coming Out / Staying Out)

Olga Tañon comes out against homophobia

2009-12-08T16:21:00.002-05:00

Spend a night at any of the gay bars in Jackson Heights, Queens, and you will probably hear one of her songs. For more than a decade, Olga Tañon has been the queen of Merengue and her songs, full of women who leave philandering lovers, women who strike back at lying men, and women who make it on their own despite the struggles, struck a nerve among some of the gay Latino immigrants that made Queens their home. Gay men probably identified with the telenovela-type of set ups in the lyrics and the idea of a strong woman overcoming bad relationships in her life. Or the idea that anyone could overcome hardship. Oh, and it helped that the songs were incredibly catchy and were ready-made for the dance floor. You haven't seen two gay men truly dance merengue unless you have seen them dancing to "Mentiroso" (below) or "Que se Valla".

Not that she only sings merengue and salsa, she has also explored Tex-Mex music in an album and recorded a rather mawkish and cringe-inducing Spanish-language version of the hymn of the United States last year called "Nuestro Himno" in support of undocumented immigrants (she was joined by with other recording stars including Wyclef Jean, Don Omar, Gloria Trevi, Ivy Queen and Pitbull).

Anyway, here is the thing: Recently I wrote about the murder of Jorge Steven López Mercado in Puerto Rico and the rallies that the brutal killing inspired in the United States and Puerto Rico. I also noted that two of Puerto Rico's most beloved stars, Calle 13 lead singer René Pérez and former Miss Universe Denise Quiñones, not only showed up at the San Juan rally but also publicly condemned the murder in a video captured by my friend Pedro Julio Serrano. René, as a symbol of his solidarity for the gay community, later went on to use his Twitter account to repeat the words he said on video: "I am 'homo' because I am 'Homo-sapiens', I'm 'sexual' because I am a sexual human being. Hence I am 'homo-sexual.'"

I personally thought it was a watershed moment when it comes to the Latino community and LGBT issues. Usually, when Latino super-stars come out in support of our rights it's either because it's late in their career and they want to market themselves to the gays that love them (see Gloria Trevi and Lucía Méndez) or because they are about to be outed (see Christian Chavez). But René and Denise's statement seemed incredibly heartfelt and uncensored in ways that a star's public relations handlers might not necessarily allow (in Denise's case, she is the exception to the rule and has been there for us before). But the remarks came just before the thanksgiving break and didn't necessarily get much traction.

Now comes Olga Tañon. In an article posted on Monday on Primera Hora, she unequivocally steps up against homophobia as yet one more Puerto Rican music superstar stands with us.

In the article, the singer repudiates the indifference shown by the island's political and religious leaders have shown towards the crime. She says it makes her feel ashamed and incredibly bothered by those who use excuses not to do a thing about the crime:

[it's] much rougher because many times it can't be seen; the injustice committed daily against gays, bisexuals, lesbians and transgenders in Puerto Rico, Latin America and almost the entire world, in denying them the same rights as the rest of the community and singling them out as if they were different.

She applauds René and Denise and says:

As artists, it is our responsibility to carry the correct message, a message of unity, of tolerance, of acceptance, of respect towards a way of being [...] To use the name of God to separate someone and treat them differently is a very ugly thing. I have fans who have told me that they do not want to go on living because of rejection from their homophobic parents and that is something we have to act upon; that is something that should make all of us hurt and should make us react [...] They have the right to be who they feel to be and not as the community wants them to be [...] Even though, at the end, common sense is enough for you to repudiate rejection... Look, to be gay is nothing wrong. Sexual orientation, in itself, is nothing wrong; it cannot be used as a reason to punish or to reject. Everyone's conduct is another 20 pesos and has nothing to do with orientation. Why don't people understand that?

Just like René, Olga means what she says. In a weekly radio show in which she answers questions from fans, she will devote the whole hour TOMORROW NIGHT to the issue. She is promoting the hour on her official website. Tune in to Olga Tañon or to IsMiO on Wed., Dec. at 8PM EST to hear Olga discuss homophobia, LGBT rights, and justice for Jorge Steven López Mercado.

New York Senate sinks marriage equality bill

2009-12-02T21:35:00.004-05:00

Today, after months of public and private pressure on the New York State Senate to bring a marriage equality bill to the floor for a vote, it finally happened. The Assembly had already passed their version of the bill and Governor David Paterson had vowed to sign the bill if it reached his desk. But passage in the Senate was never a done deal and today the bill was voted down by a margin of 38 to 24.

The loss wasn't necessarily a surprise, although it was certainly disappointing, particularly coming on the heels of the heartbreaking loss in Maine. But the margin, with 8 Democrats voting against the bill and NO Republicans voting in favor was certainly a big shock. Personally, I believed that a few Republican votes might make up for the Democratic deficit that had been evident for months. That did not happen.

Tonight at Times Square, an impromptu call for a protest rally drew approximately 200 to 300 people despite the threat of rain. My photos here. Selected ones below...

Rainbow flag designer Gilbert Baker came up with this banner. Black script on yellow. "N.Y. Crime Scene".

Angered by the results, the crowd was energetic and seemed ready for action. But there was also an air of uncertainty as what the next step should be. Most of the anger seemed directed at the 8 Democrats who voted against the bill with the crowd chanting "Vote them out! Vote them out!"

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer came out to the rally and spoke to reporters in condemnation of today's vote.

Blogger Joe Jervis (Joe.My.God) was there to cover the rally and to express his displeasure, singling out Queens Senator Hiram Monserrate.

Not proud to be a New Yorker tonight...

Update: Video of the rally from In The Life Media:

Calle 13's René Pérez and Miss Universe Denise Quiñones stand up for Jorge Steven López Mercado

2009-11-26T07:00:00.010-05:00

An quick update on the brutal murder of 19 year old Jorge Steven López Mercado in Puerto Rico:

After the multiple vigils and rallies in the United States over the weekend demanding that the murder of the young gay man be investigated as a hate crime, and a meeting Tuesday with the Puerto Rican branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, authorities in the island have announced that, for the first time ever in Puerto Rico, a little known 2002 statute will be used to go ahead and investigate the murder as a hate crime.

Myriam Mercado and Jorge López, parents of Jorge Steven, participated in a vigil that took place yesterday in San Juan, along with Jorge Steven's brother, Jorge Gabriel. Ms. Mercado, who has moved the world by releasing a statement professing her love for her gay son and putting out a videotaped message of thanks to all who have expressed their support throughout the world, tearfully addressed the crowd last night once again to express thanks. "You have given us hope at our most difficult moment as a family," she said. 9 year-old Jorge Gabriel led the crowd in chanting "Long-live Steven".

Political leaders were conspicuous in their absence. Two weeks after the horrible crime and the worldwide outrage it has elicited and there is still no word whatsoever from Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuño, a conservative darling who is being mentioned as a potential 2012 Republican U.S. presidential candidate.

Amazingly, two well-known and extremely well-loved Puerto Rican showbiz darlings did make an appearance. René Pérez, lead singer for the most successful reggaeton band in the world, Calle 13, and Denise Quiñones, Miss Universe 2001, marched in last night's vigil in support of Jorge Steven's family. After the vigil, they stopped to give my friend Pedro Julio Serrano the following declarations on video:

René: OK, we just left the vigil for Jorge Steven, eh, so, and against hate crimes. Let's hope that the government begins to work and speaks about... ah, speaks about this, which is an evil - which takes place world-wide - but, here, what happened was atrocious. The crime was vicious... vicious... viciously awful, and strong and unjust, and it's also unjust that it hasn't even been spoken about. Speaking of stupid things, they honor Paris Hilton in the Senate, and they cannot speak about this?
Denise: It's so important that all of us give an example, of ourselves, all of society, the politicians, our leaders, they should begin to give an example to break this... this cycle of hate, of inequality, of homophobia, which is... of intolerance... which is completely destroying our unity as Puerto Ricans, as, as human beings, and our dignity. So, I am here as well, with René and with everyone, in solidarity with Steven's family also, next to Steven, and we send him kisses... eh... and I believe... he must be happy to see all the unity this has created and all the conciousness this has created and... this is his symbol [laughs] a very big kiss to all his family and to Jorge Steven..
René: I am "Homo" because I'm "Homo-sapiens", I am "sexual", hence I am 'Homo-sexual" as well.

A week ago or so, on Tweeter, I sent a message out to René hoping he'd give me a statement repudiating the murder. He quickly responded and said "it's among the worst crimes that Puerto Rico has lived through".

That was a surprise since in May, when I was sent a statement on René's commitment to the fight against AIDS in the Latino community, I tried to press his handlers for something that directly addressed HIV transmission risks in the gay community and I was told that such a statement might be going too far.

So tonight, knowing how influential René is among Latino youth, I was frankly shocked and moved by his comments. More than that, at the end of the video, René seems to ad-lib a play on words basically saying everyone is equal, hence everyone is gay. He's not admitting he is gay, but he is calling on everyone to join the protest. He could have left it at that; at a video that might have been seen by a few people. But, later, using his Tweeter account (@Calle13Oficial), he polished the statement a little more: "I am 'homo' because I am 'Homo-sapiens', I'm 'sexual' because I am a sexual human being. Hence I am 'homo-sexual.'"

Simply, wow! Here is the top-selling reaggaton artist in the world publicly saying that the struggle of the LGBT community is the struggle of us all. Just powerful, powerful stuff. As Denise says in the video, Jorge Steven "must be happy to see all the unity this has created and all the consciousness this has created."

Sweetly, with a tinge of sadness for a life lost, the former couple, now close friends, stop for a moment and give the same signal that Jorge Steven used to give to everyone he loved as a way to remember him.

Related:

Una vigila de amor que vence al odio (Pedro Julio Serrano)
Thousands in Puerto Rico Hold Vigil for Slain Gay Teen, Calle 13's René Pérez Speaks Out (Rod 2.0)

Myriam Mercado, mother of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado, says love conquers hate

2009-11-22T23:59:00.006-05:00

Earlier today, I attended a vigil in memory of Jorge Steven López Mercado that took place at Pier 45 in the West Village of Manhattan. I will probably post some images tomorrow. But, tonight, I wanted to share this video that my friend Pedro Julio Serrano sent me, in which Myriam Mercado, Jorge Steven's mom, expresses gratitude to the hundreds that showed up today at the different vigils throughout the United States in memory of her son. It was shot earlier today and I have taken the liberty of translating her words...

Hi. My name is Myriam. I am Steven's mom. My family and I are incredibly grateful for all the love, the unconditional support that you have given me. That's what gives me the strength, in part, it gives me the force for me to bring a message: Love conquers hate. And this we have to shout to the world. Because... Steven was a human being. He was my son. He was a brother. I ask you and beg you, everyone in the world, that we should love everyone else no matter what's there. Behind of what is there, there is a human being, just like my son, who did not deserve this. In the name of my family and my own, I offer my hand, I don't have how to pay back every... the demonstrations and the love that I have received. So we are all going to bring a message: Love conquers hate. And together, we have the strength.

Previously on Blabbeando:

In Puerto Rico, a mother's love for her murdered son... (Nov. 22, 2009)

In Puerto Rico, a mother's love for her murdered son...

2009-11-21T23:23:00.017-05:00

More than a few people might be wondering why I haven't written about the brutal murder of Jorge Steven López Mercado in Puerto Rico last week.

The young man's body was found decapitated, dismembered and burned in what appears to be a homophobic hate crime, and the news has drawn unparalleled worldwide attention leading to a number of vigils taking place tomorrow in the United States.

I will write more about this in the future but I wanted to point out, even at this late hour, a guide to the different vigils taking place tomorrow: http://mercado-vigil.tumblr.com .

I also want to highlight the tremendous work that my friend Pedro Julio Serrano has been doing to bring awareness about the crime and to demand justice from Puerto Rican authorities.

Today PJ met Myriam Mercado, Jorge's mom, as well as some of his friends in Puerto Rico. PJ just posted the above pic on Facebook and it nearly broke my heart. In It, PJ and Jorge's mom recreate one of Jorge's signature poses (left).

Tonight she released the following statement:

When my son told me he was gay, I told him, 'Now, I love you more'. I want to tell the world that hatred is not born with human beings, it is a seed that is planted by adults and is fostered creating a climate of intolerance and violence. We must change our ways and understand that anyone... could have been my son. And I want everybody to know that Jorge Steven was a very much loved son.

So join a vigil if you are near any of the cities where they are taking place and join Miriam Mercado in urging justice for the horrific murder of her 19 year old son. I will certainly be joining protesters tomorrow on the Chelsea Piers here in New York.

For full details check out Boy in Bushwick who has been covering the case all week long.

And, for now, I will leave you with the following YouTube videos. They show Pedro Julio at a rally that took place on Thursday in Puerto Rico, and videos posted on YouTube honoring the life of Jorge Steven.

Some additional info at CNN.

Bad economy claims one of the best gay news magazines in the world

2009-11-20T04:55:00.006-05:00

Shock waves are still being felt in the United States over the sudden demise of several leading LGBT newspapers under the Window Media imprint after the media conglomerate announced it was shutting them down after declaring bankruptcy.

Among the papers affected by the bankruptcy proceedings were the Southern Voice, the South Florida Blade and the venerable Washington Blade.

Some of the papers might actually be revived under different ownership and name. Staff members of the Washington Blade, for example, have already announced the launch of a new publication to be called "DC Agenda" (set to launch today).

Just as shocking as the Window Media closures, at least to those of us who follow international LGBT media, was this week's announcement that the owners of Zero magazine in Spain might also be shutting down the print version of their publication after declaring themselves under financial duress.

Rumors that the magazine was in trouble surfaced earlier this year when Zero Press SL, publishers of the magazine, failed to produce a single issue after July for what had been a monthly publication. On their website, all content was gone except for an offer for two photography books they had published before at a discount.

Their Facebook page was full of inquiries about the status of the magazine with no response from the editors.

Official word finally came yesterday, via Spanish newspaper El País, when they quoted Zero Press SL Director Miguel Ángel López as saying that publishing the magazine was no longer economically viable ("Crisis threatens Zero magazine").

"The 'no' from the banks, the crisis in publicity and the general situation has made it impossible for us to sustain a monthly with 16 full staff members," he said.

López says that Zero will survive but in a different incarnation. Indications are that the magazine might go into a bi-monthly publication schedule and eventually be replaced by an online version of the magazine.

A year ago I was all giddy about the prospect of Zero launching a Latin American wing ("Zero magazine's global ambitions"). According to El Pais, their abandoned Latin American venture, HispaGay, was a flop.

López, who admits Zero had been launched twelve years ago following the prototype set by US magazine "Out", had criticized the US counterpart in an interview with Argentina's Pagina/12 last year. Out, he said then, "never reached a situation in which it was anywhere near to achieving something in political terms; they allowed themselves to be carried away by commercial interests, beyond activism".

And that is exactly what made Zero so great. Sure, they had the puff pieces and fashion spreads, but they also ran in-depth articles on transgender rights, immigration issues, and gay life in Spain and elswehere. Among their most controversial articles was a cover piece on the coming out of the Catholic Reverend José Mantero, about whom I wrote early in the life of this blog, back in 2005.

The magazine, which as of late had turned a bit more fashion-oriented, nevertheless outshone The Advocate and Out in many ways. It covered issues such as gay life in Cuba in a more in-depth way that The Advocate ever did, and also celebrated LGBT sexuality and eroticism in ways that no US LGBT news publication would ever do. For a special issue on body image in the gay community, the full staff posed naked for a series of articles on the topic.

It ran into controversy more than a few times, drawing particular scorn from gays in Spain for putting politicians from the conservative Partido Popular political party on the cover. It also was known for it's photo spreads and centerfolds including that of Kylie Minogue's choreographer and lollipop boy Marco Da Silva (right). That's also porn star François Sagat on their latest - and final? - cover (above).

In any case, the beefcake is certainly important but not necessarily the point I am trying to make with this post.

Just as it is a shame to see the Washington Blade and other LGBT newspapers under Window Media fold, it's shocking that Zero might be gone as well.

If they survive, whether as a print media or on the internet, I'll keep tabs on it and will post updates in the future.

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez on marriage equality and anti-gay persecution

2009-11-18T20:50:00.012-05:00

As rare as it is to have Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez on the record on LGBT rights, I wanted to share this little nugget from an interview given on the spot during his visit to Europe last month. In it, an Italian gossip show host lobbies a series of questions on controversial issues and elicits as clear an answer from Chavez on his views on marriage equality and anti-gay discrimination. From my translation:

REPORTER: Can you tell me your position on gay marriage? [EDIT] ...in a world in which gay marriage is possible.
HUGO CHAVEZ: I believe that... look, each country has its customs, no? At least, in Venezuela, it is not well-regarded, no? But there are societies, there are societies, there are ideas which continue to mature [EDIT] ...what I am indeed against is any persecution against anyone based on sexual orientations...
REPORTER: What do you think... [CLIP]
HUGO CHAVEZ: ...we are all equal, the particularities of the individual, of a human being, have to be respected.
REPORTER: ..brings us, justly, to gay marriage... [CLIP]
HUGO CHAVEZ: In Venezuela, it is not well-regarded...
REPORTER: What do you think...
HUGO CHAVEZ: Now, if... Me? The same as Venezuelans, as the majority of Venezuelans, those of us who don't see it as being good.
REPORTER: No...
HUGO CHAVEZ: No, but it's a state of opinion, it's a state of opinion. Which doesn't mean we are in opposition, that I am in opposition of what you might think.

Translation caveat number one: Italian is not my first language, so I might have erred in translating some of the reporter's questions. Translation caveat number two: As you would expect for an Italian paparazzi show, the video has several edits which means that Chavez' response has been severely truncated. Translation caveat number three: "No es bien visto" can be translated as "it's not well-regarded" but doesn't have the full impact of "it's not considered to be a good thing" which is probably what Chavez means.

All in all, Chavez admits a couple of things: 1) He thinks that being gay is a 'sexual orientation' instead of being an identity; 2) Interestingly, he thinks that marriage equality is a symbol of a 'mature' society and yet he sides with the Venezuelan population that believes marriage equality is wrong, and; 3) He says that he is against persecution against anyone based on sexual orientation.

Last week, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission sent out an urgent alert on the arbitrary detention of LGBT leaders in Caracas. So far, no word from the Venezuelan government or Chavez. I guess it's one thing to say that he is against discrimination against the LGBT community when interviewed in a foreign country but quite another when it comes to governing his own country.

Update (or, some additional thoughts as of 11/21/09): Over at Towleroad as well as below, some readers have taken some issue with what I wrote on this post. I wanted to address a couple of those issues.

On the usage of "sexual orientation" vs. "sexual identity": Looking back at what I wrote I shouldn't have made it an issue. It's a pet peeve of mine to have my identity called an 'orientation' as if somewhere along the road I decided to take a left or right turn. But many expressed confusion about why I was even taking Chavez to task for the usage of the phrase when it's commonly used everywhere and particularly in Latin America when referring to gays and lesbians. It was a point I made in haste and I take it back.

On taking Chavez to task for violence and detentions against the LGBT community in Caracas instead of the local authorities and the city's mayor: Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma might be among those who oppose Chavez and the IGLHRC 'action alert' might be directed at local Caracas officials, but ultimately Chavez is the country's president and it would make a world of difference if he stepped in and publicly declared the detentions a violation of people's human rights. What's particularly galling to me is that there he is in Venice boasting that he is against persecution based on sexual orientation and yet, when he goes back home, he continues his long-term silence on LGBT issues.

On taking Chavez to task for his position on marriage equality when even US President Barack Obama does not support marriage rights for same-sex couples: I doubt that marriage equality advocates in Venezuela give a second thought to Obama or his position on the issue when advocating for the right of same-sex couples to marry in their country. The video was actually sent to me by an LGBT rights organization called Venezuela Diversa and, in a statement that accompanied the video, they deplored Chavez's stand on the issue. Interestingly, they argue that, on LGBT issues, Venezuela is being left behind other countries in Latin America (no mention of Obama) and argued that left-wing movements throughout the world had embraced the issue and now support it (an arguable point).

Argentina is about to see the first marriage between a same-sex couple in all of Latin America in a couple of weeks and courts and legislatures have paved the way for a series of advances in countries like Uruguay, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Chile and others. They are advances that have been obtained through the hard work of local organizations and activists with little economic or strategic input from organizations in the United States.

Obama should be taken to task for not being the "fierce advocate" he promised to be on LGBT rights but his reticence does not mean that every other heads of nation should get a free pass on LGBT issues, including marriage equality.

On these being 'fringe' issues in a region that is facing larger problems: Arguments that the Latin American region is largely homophobic and not amenable to be progressive on LGBT issues, or that these are fringe issues raised by a small minority in countries facing greater social problems, are defeatist and ignorant of the tremendous advances that have been made in the last few years when it comes to same-sex partnership rights in Latin America.

Related:

Towleroad: Hugo Chavez on LGBT persecution and marriage equality (Nov. 19, 2009) - Read comments below post for commentary.
The Huffington Post / IPS News: Venezuela: Gays Attacked, Harassed By Police (Nov. 4, 2009)

Previously:

President Chavez is too macho to be gay (Sept. 16, 2007)

Coda: Maine

2009-11-13T14:52:00.004-05:00

During my stay in Maine a couple of weeks back, as I followed the "No on 1" campaign in it's attempt to beat back an effort to strip away marriage rights from same-sex couples, I ran into two young guys producing an online documentary on the last days of the campaign.

Chase Whiteside and Erick Stoll of New Left Media (above) just sent me a message alerting me that they had just posted the resulting documentary on YouTube in two parts. In it, they capture the mood of the campaign, campaign supporters, staff and volunteer during those last hours - and a sense that "No on 1" might win. It also captures the heartbreak when election night results begin to show that a win is not at hand.

Here is part 1...

And part 2...

Blink and you might miss a shot of me at the blogger's table on election night... My photos here...

While in Maine...

2009-11-05T14:05:00.002-05:00

So, while still in Maine, we decided that it might be a good idea to do an outing and check out some sights. First we went to Two Lights State Park, via Southern Portland. Can't say we ever spotted the lighthouses that were advertised. But it was pretty pretty.

There were rocky beaches...

Crashing waves, hm, wait! I gotta post that on Facebook!...

Dammit! No cell phone service!

Wait, is it Saco as in 'TACO'? Or Saco as in José CanSECO...

When in Maine... at Point Park.

A sandy beach...

Onward soldiers to Kennebunkport, a/k/a Bush-landia. A little bit past Fall foliage peak in these parts of the country.

Not sure what it was about Kennebunkport but I realized I didn't take any photos of the town, unless you count this picture of Rex staring at the sea, at a stop a few miles away from downtown.

And back to Portland, mission accomplished, for grub at Becky's. Or, wait, was that the following night? Oh, well. It makes a good closing pic.

Heartbreak in Maine: No on 1 campaign concedes

2009-11-04T02:42:00.014-05:00

While 'No on 1/Protect Marriage Equality' campaign director Jesse Connolly did not concede defeat at the end-of-the-night address to supporters of the campaign at the Portland Holiday Inn, the faces of the campaign staff behind him told a different story. There was sadness and tears and a sense of the team trying to hold each other together. They seemed to know that the 'Yes on 1' lead was insurmountable and, while it wasn't spelled out at the time, the message reverberated through the shocked crowd.

Well, now it's official. I just received the official 'No on 1' concession --

STATEMENT OF JESSE CONNOLLY, CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR NO ON 1

Tonight, hundreds of thousands of Maine voters stood for equality, but in the end, it wasn't enough.

I am proud of the thousands of Mainers who knocked on doors, made phone calls and talked to their family, friends and neighbors about the basic premise of treating all Maine families equally.

And I'm proud of this campaign because the stories we told and the images we shared were of real Mainers -- parents who stood up for their children, and couples who simply wanted to marry the person they love.

We're in this for the long haul. For next week, and next month, and next year-- until all Maine families are treated equally. Because in the end, this has always been about love and family and that will always be something worth fighting for.

Some of us at the bloggers' table had advance warning of things turning for the worse. But for a majority of those gathered it must have come out of nowhere. For most of the night, they had been looking at incoming reports and cheering what seemed to be an early lead for the 'No on 1' side. Alas, that was not to be. Below, scenes captured soon after the 'No on 1' team had left the stage for the final time.

Wockner: Maine voters 'veto' gay marriage law that was passed by Legislature and signed by governor (Nov. 4, 2009)

Previously on Blabbeando:

Sorta live-blogging from the Holiday Inn in Portland - Election night in Maine (Nov. 4, 2009)
The back of Nat Silver's head - Day ZERO in Maine (Nov. 3, 2009)
Red is the color of equality in Maine -- 1 day to go! (Nov. 2, 2009)
Pod people take over Maine -- 2 days to go (Nov. 1, 2009)
Hallow's Eve in Maine -- 3 days to go! (Oct. 31, 2009)

Sorta live-blogging from the Holiday Inn in Portland - Election night in Maine

2009-11-04T01:00:00.009-05:00

[November 5, 2009] With 99% of precincts reporting, the Bangor Daily News says that 'No on 1' lost with 47.19% of the vote while the 'Yes on 1' side won with 52.81% of the vote.

[1:13 am] The Associated Press: "Gay Marriage-foes claim victory in Maine"

[1:00 am] For the night: As of 12:53am, with 86% of precincts reporting, The Bangor Daily News says that the the anti-gay 'Yes on 1' has 52.74% to 47.26% from 'No on 1'. There are 4 precincts in Portland that haven't reported which should go for our side but it is unlikely that they will cover the 25K vote difference. So, unless a miracle happens, it looks as if the anti-gay forces won tonight.

[11:30 pm] Seen at the ballroom...

[11:08 pm] Tonight, Mainers were also voting on Question 5 which, if approved would make it easier for individuals with certain medical conditions to have access to marijuana. The New York Times is reporting that the marijuana referendum will pass.

[10:00 pm] Maine Governor John Baldacci was also in high spirits tonight as he addressed the crowd.

[9:38 PM] 'No on 1 / Protect Marriage Equality' campaign director Jesse Connolly just went live on Rachel Maddow. By now the room is full and everyone is in high spirits. People had to be told to quiet down a couple of times for the Maddow live-feed.

[9:16 PM] Mary Bonauto, Civil Rights Project Director at Gay and Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) just gave a rousing speech. As one of the main legal advocates behind the strategy to secure marriage rights in Northeastern states, she said that to win tonight would be that much sweeter. As someone born in Maine, she said, it would be amazing to be able to marry her partner of 22 years in her home state.

[8:41] Second song of the night? Eddie Grant's "Electric Avenue". Those of us on the bloggers' team were asked weeks ago for input on which songs the band should sing tonight. The Awesomes are a well-known 80's music cover band here in Portland. The song I submitted? The Thompson Twins' "Lies".

[8:15 pm] Room is filling up. The band's first song of the night: The Pointer Sister's "Automatic". USTREAM already carrying the live-feed of tonight's shin-digs here.

[8:10 pm] Sitting at the bloggers' table at a ballroom at the Holiday Inn in Portland, Maine, waiting for the procedings to begin. Polls close in a couple of minutes and The Bangor Daily News has already began to post some results. The ballroom is still empty, save a tableful of bloggers, a band doing a live-check, and TV news crews. Campaign manager Jesse Connolly was in the room a few minutes ago. He'll be going live on The Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC tonight. The photo is of the window at campaign headquarters the night I met the staff. The place must be pretty empty tonight. But that's where the heart of the campaign still rests.

Jeremy Hooper is is also live-blogging at Good As You and so is Rex at Wockner. Louise is here also from Pam's House Blend.

The back of Nate Silver's head -- Day 0 in Maine

2009-11-03T17:36:00.010-05:00

OhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyGod. The day has arrived and I have to say I feel a bit queasy. It might be my first time in Maine and I may not call the state my home but it certainly feels personal. As it should.

For those pondering whether voters will vote 'No on 1' to protect marriage equality or vote 'Yes on 1' to strip those rights away, there has been some fodder in the last 48 hours that has given hope to those on both side of the issue.

There was that alarming poll released yesterday by Public Policy Polling showing "No on 1" not only losing 51-47 percent but trending down from a previous poll taken two weeks earlier which showed a 48-48 tie. But that came with the caveat that the margin of error still covered the spread and that the actual result might go either way.

And then there was polling analyst wünderkind Nate Silver (right) walking to the plate after the PPP poll had been released their and confidently re-stating his belief that the 'Yes on 1' side is a 5-to-2 underdog *.

Then, there was Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap telling reporters yesterday that he expected turnout to be extremely low - in the 35 percent range - and then, hours later - telling Politico that his predictions might have been wrong and that turnout might actually be over 50% and might even break state turnout records (conventional wisdom says that a higher turnout number means a better chance for the anti-gay referendum to fail).

When it comes down to it, though, little has changed in the last few days: We have polls that show an extremely tight race with few undecideds. The pessimist that I am, I am assuming that those who still say they are undecided will probably end up voting 'Yes on 1', and that means a single thing.

PPP poll or no poll, Nate Silver or no Nate Silver, the answer is turnout, turnout, turnout.

I am a bit hesitant to go by Dunlap's high turnout 'guestimate', particularly because it varied so widely overnight. There have been unofficial reports that turnout in Bangor, Maine - the third largest city in the state - have been high. Some Twitterers have posted information about low turnout in other parts of the state.

But I have been involved in several elections and I have seen it all before. Remember Bush-Gore? Prop. 8 in California? We all thought the win was ours (well those of us who wanted Gore to win and Prop. 8 to fail). And it turned out not the way we wanted.

The big difference with Prop. 8 is that it definitely served as a warning. I haven't seen signals that anyone is resting on their laurels and expecting a 'No on 1' win. The 'No on 1 / Protect Marriage Equality' campaign has a lot to be proud of and deserve to win. They have run a tight ship, engaged more than 8,000 field volunteers, worked day and night to make winning the vote a reality.

And yet, my stomach is still in knots. I don't want to raise my hopes up. I would rather not assume anything. I would rather celebrate if and only it's time to celebrate.

Tonight, I'll be sorta live-blogging and Tweeting from the Holiday Inn in Portland. You are welcome to catch my tweets at twitter.com/Blabbeando. The official 'No on 1' campaign Tweeter address is at twitter.com/NoOn1Maine.

For a vote this tight, it could be a very long night. Results might actually not be in tonight.

And what if it's a 'No on 1' loss? Rex Wockner put it best when he wrote this on his blog two days ago:

If we lose in Maine on Tuesday, the Legislature will just pass the law again and the governor will sign it again. We're not talking about a constitutional amendment here, as was the case with Prop 8 in California. In reality, gays are going to be able to get married in all 50 states, perhaps even very soon if the Olson/Boies Prop 8 case succeeds at the U.S. Supreme Court. And if it doesn't, next up -- very, very soon -- are New Jersey and New York, which will be added to Iowa, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and, starting in January, New Hampshire. Where all this is headed could not be clearer. But until then, there will be days like this Tuesday when bigots might force a backward step in the inevitable, unstoppable march to equal treatment under the law for GLBT Americans. The next generation will remember "Yes on 1" voters the way we remember people who believed black folks should drink from separate water fountains. I absolutely guarantee you that.

Rex will also be sorta live-blogging at the Wockner blog. He won't be Tweeting but he will be also filing live and taped reports for POTUS on XM radio and OutQ on Sirius radio. So tune in!

Less than four hours until polls close. Cross your fingers.

* Photo credit: The back of Nate Silver's head, taken by yours truly earlier this year on the way to the Pittsburgh International Airport from Netroots Nation. We both got on the same airport shuttle. Let's hope that what's inside that head is right about tonight's chances.

Red is the color of equality in Maine -- 1 day to go!

2009-11-02T16:39:00.008-05:00

Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it to today's big "No on 1" campaign 'Get Out the Vote' rally for marriage equality here in Portland. I'm pretty sure other bloggers were able to make it, though, so let's take a look at the internetz and see what we can find.

Jeremy Hooper of Good As You finally made it to Portland and already posted two videos featuring speakers at today's rally (click on "Twas the night before..." to watch them). A bird pooped on him while taping. Yes, you read that right: Jeremy got pooped on - and didn't seem to appreciate it. In my neck of the woods, that's considered good luck. Perhaps a good omen?

John Aravosis and Joe Sudbay of AmericaBlog are also here. Joe has actually been here for a few days and has been posting great stuff over at the AmericaBlog offshoot AmericaBlogGay. He's got some photos from today's rally and a video as well (go to "Scenes from today's GOTV Rally in Portland" to watch them).

Louise from Maine who blogs for Pam's House Blend and has a personal blog at Louise's Snack Bar was also there! You guessed it! She took pictures and video (click on "'No On 1' Final Rally today in Portland..." to watch). I swiped the code for her video ans posted it above. I hope she doesn't mind! If you see people wearing red shirts or sweaters ut's because people were asked to wear red.

GayinMaine.com has some great pics as well (click on "NO in 1 Rally - Portland")

Thank you guys! Made me feel as if I had been there!

Finally - That last minute urgent call for donations from the "No on 1 / Protect Marriage Equality" campaign? The original ask was for $25K. The haul as of right this moment? 1,340 donors have given $74,550 dollars to the "No on 1" campaign. Here is campaign manager Jesse Connolly giving thanks earlier today (via Adam Bink of Open Left):

Will the added economic muscle ad up to a win tomorrow? I certainly hope so but we are all on pins and needles here.

Pod People take over Maine -- 2 days to go!

2009-11-01T23:59:00.025-05:00

UPDATE #2 (11/2/09 at 12:30am) - ALARMING NEW POLL OUT

A new poll is out and the news is not good. Public Policy Polling, which had the 'Yes' and 'No' tied at 48-48 just two weeks ago, has the 'Yes on 1' side leading the 'No on 1' side 51-47.

From the Public Policy Polling press release:

The measure's fate could be determined by the age composition of the electorate on Tuesday. Senior citizens support it by a 59-40 margin while voters under 30 oppose it 51-48. Last year exit polls showed more voters under 30 turning out for the Presidential election than ones over 65 but we expect seniors to turn out at a much higher rate than younger voters this year, as is often the case in off year elections. If the electorate ends up being younger than we anticipate the fight could be even closer.

Pollsters surveyed 1,333 likely voters between yesterday and today and, while the difference is within the margin of error, it does show a trending move towards the 'Yes' side in recent polling. For the complete press release and access to full poll go to Public Policy Polling.

UPDATE #1 (11/1/09 at 11:59pm) - DONATE!

The anti-gay "Yes on 1" campaign sent a message out to supporters today asking for a last minute donation drive to raise $25,000 for a brand new television ad. It would be their last minute push to poison the airwaves and turn the key 'undecided' vote to their side. More than likely, it will feature Don Mendell, a public school counselor who appeared in one of their earlier campaign ads. The amazing Jeremy Hooper, who blogs at Good As You, has a post today on Mr. Mendell, a breakdown on the facts and myths behind the last minute push by "Yes on 1", and a copy of the "Yes on 1" solicitation letter (read "Don, we now are gays in peril, and we're the ones worried about getting decked in the halls").

Our ask? DONATE TO 'NO ON 1': Blabbeando's message tonight is simple. Please help deflect a last minute poison pill from the 'Yes' folks. Please CLICK HERE and donate to the "No on 1" campaign RIGHT NOW! It will help 'No on 1' raise their ad buy power in local media and help them to counter any last minute surprise move by the anti-gay camp.

Original post from earlier tonight:

Today we headed to the "No on 1 / Protect Marriage Equality" campaign's Get Out the Vote headquarters in downtown Portland. It was the last full weekend of door-to-door canvassing before Tuesday's vote and we got there in time for the volunteer debriefing on their experiences in the field.

Teams were separated into "pods" depending on the neighborhood being covered. As they returned to the office, each of the volunteers handed in their canvassing clipboards and sat down for a well-deserved meal. Once again, I was struck by the number of younger people involved, gay and straight alike, as well as the range in ages represented in the room.

When asked if today was their first experience ever volunteering for a voting canvassing effort, approximately half of the volunteers raised their hand. A few volunteers then stood up to share their experiences on the field, as expected, and spoke of meeting people on both sides of the issue. A young woman spoke of having her preconceptions challenged when she knocked on the door of a young married couple in a wealthy suburb who she expected to be an ally, and instead finding out that they would be voting 'Yes' on 'Question 1'; while an older man in a white collar suburb with a truck parked outside enthusiastically told her that he would vote in favor of marriage equality. There were a lot of unanswered knocks and more than a couple of volunteers saying that they met some voters who were fed-up with the constant ads, knocks on the door and telephone calls and couldn't wait for Tuesday to be over - whether or not they were voting 'No on 1'.

As in the last couple of days, I took a few pictures. Accordingly, my "No on 1" campaign photo album has been updated with new pics. You can see the full album here.

Two days to go, folks! Tuesday night comes and that's it! If you can help by calling voters from your own state, please click here now. If you can make a donation, please click here now as well.

As usual, Rex (above) has his latest take as well. For his latest thoughts, click here.

Hallows' Eve in Maine -- 3 days to go!

2009-10-31T23:59:00.015-04:00

And three days to go...

There was a little bit of sunshine this morning here in Portland but by evening the drizzle and rain had returned. Last night was a late one so I didn't get up until fairly late. Today we didn't make it into the "No on 1 / Protect Marriage Equality" campaign offices until the late afternoon.

There was blood on the doors.

OK, it wasn't really blood and it looked a bit too gell-y and gooey, but it was Hallows' Eve and staffers had decorated the office here and there.

A few people even wore something Halloweenish, if not full costumes. One volunteer, for example, was wearing a cap in the shape of a red lobster head. They do love those red lobsters here in Maine. The best costume of the night, hands down, definitely went to Jenna Lowenstein of the National Stonewall Democrats who was dressed as... drum roll please ... a blogger! (check her out above). You see, she is wearing an exact copy of the t-shirt I had on yesterday except that yesterday wasn't Halloween so it was simply a shirt and today was Halloween so it served as a costume. You see, the t-shirt has this Twitter RT and hashtag thing going on which, eh, OK, this is taking a bit long to explain. Just take it from me. It was the best disguise of the night. Plus! She had horns.

When it came down to it, though, today's Halloween motifs served as mere background to the hard work being done to get people to the polls on Tuesday. Bowls full of candy, lollipops and M&M's set up for the staff and volunteers were left mostly untouched. And people of all ages - gay, bisexual, lesbian, straight and transgender - were sitting around placing calls to make sure people turned out at the polls on Tuesday to protect marriage equality in Maine.

The campaign says that it has registered more than 8,000 volunteers. Of those, there are about 100 to 125 incredible individuals who decided to take a "vacation" and travel from other states to volunteer their time. One of them was Pam Perkins of Hendersonville, North Carolina, sitting next to Rex. From today's edition of The Bangor Daily News ("Maine marriage law has nation engaged"):

Perkins said she first heard about the “volunteer vacation” program after she and her long-time partner were legally married on the top of Mount Mansfield in Vermont in September. The couple was honeymooning in Maine and decided to get involved.

“I fell in love with Maine and wanted to come back and help all Mainers” seeking marriage equality, Perkins said.

Perkins, a professional gardener now enjoying her “off season,” returned to Maine earlier this month with the help of donated frequent flier miles and lodging provided by a “No on 1” supporter. She has spent most of the month working full time helping coordinate the volunteer efforts out of the campaign’s Portland headquarters.

Yup! It's crunch-time at office headquarters and elsewhere but there are certainly some great people on this team. And, if Pam Perkins can volunteer a whole vacation, so can you, even now - and you don't even have to travel! How? Click here and find out.

Of course, it's crunch time for the other side as well. Above are two door hangers produced by the opposing sides to be distributed this weekend. Yes, the battle is so heated that the smallest detail counts. As long as those details work for our side and translate into a victory on Tuesday, I'll be more than happy.

Of course, Rex Wockner has his own version of what we saw at headquarters. For his take, click here.

Update:

Pod people take over Maine -- 2 days to go (Nov. 1, 2009)

Something big is about to happen in Maine -- 4 days to go!

2009-10-30T11:49:00.017-04:00

The leaf-strewn winds of October have brought me to Portland, Maine. I've been here less than 48 hours and I've already had my first Maine lobster and checked out both of the local gay bars, Blackstones and Styxx. Yes! Styxx! Like the 80's band. I almost have gotten the hang of the city's layout and, though it's been mostly grey and rainy since I arrived, the temperatures have been rather mild for this time of year. With some luck, I'll get time to visit some of the local federal parklands as well.

What brings me, here, mostly, is my friendship with Rex Wockner, a San Diego-based journalist who I've known, like, forever. He has been here for a few days covering a referendum on Tuesday's ballot that would strike down a law allowing same-sex couples to marry in Maine. Recent polls have been too tight to predict whether anti-gay forces will prevail and Question 1 will pass or if Maine will respect equality for all by voting "No on 1". Rex, who has been sharing up to the minute commentary on his blog, said it best on the update he posted yesterday:

Maine doesn't have a lot of people (the same number live in the San Diego city limits) but this battle is hugely important as the first voter referendum on gay marriage since Prop 8. If the gays win here, they knock the wind out of the opposition's sails, they go on to win same-sex marriage in New York and New Jersey later this year, California votes again and Prop 8 dies, and that's the end of same-sex-marriage culture war. If, on the other hand, the opposition wins here in Maine, they prove that they can continue to take away gay people's marriage rights by blasting the airwaves with hateful ads claiming that gay marriage melts kindergartners' brains -- and they prove, for the first time, that they can take away gay people's marriage rights even when the Legislature passed the gay marriage bill and the governor signed it into law. There were no "activist judges" involved here in Maine. So, what happens here Tuesday: It matters, no matter where you live in the U.S. (Scroll down to learn how you still can volunteer to save the gay world, even without leaving the comfort of your La-Z-Boy, from anywhere in the U.S. Or just click here.)

So, yes, the second reason that brings me to Maine is to experience what hopefully will be victory on Tuesday when the ballot results come in -- for all Mainers in particular and for all the other reasons indicated by Rex above.

Having said that, tonight was my first visit to the "No on 1 / Protect Maine Equality" headquarters. I loved it! And not necessarily because they offered brownies (sorry, folks, I don't like brownies -- the thought is what counts, though). We must have gotten there around 9:30pm, or so, and the place was a-buzzin'. There were staffers and volunteers aplenty and the place was still rockin' when we left around 11:00pm.

As closely as I've been following the campaign from New York, it also felt surreal to walk in and see the gang. Ooh! There's Campaign Manager Jesse Connolly! Ah! Karin Roland of the Communications Team! Hey! There's Jenna Lowenstein from National Stonewall Democrats! We also ran into Joe Sudbay of AMERICAblog. He is based in DC, but grew up in Portland, Maine, and has been putting his heart and soul into it as well (that's Joe on the left and Rex on the right in the pic above). "4 days to go!"

My favorite thing tonight, though, was walking into the Communication Team's office and have Julia Rosen, who I had actually met at this year's Netroots Nation in Pittsburgh, show us a brand new ad that the campaign had just launched tonight. Probably the best ad I have seen from the campaign...

Truth be told, though, the vote is now up to whoever mobilizes the most voters on Tuesday. And, in that respect, everyone can help out. Even if you're not in Maine. You can sign-up for a call-only shift from anywhere in the United States here.

A great bunch of folks, I say. And I'm here to stay... at least until Tuesday, when I will probably be blogging from campaign central and hopefully sharing the joy. More pretty pictures here (photo album to be updated as the days go by).

Updates:

Pod people take over Maine -- 2 days to go (Nov. 1, 2009)
Hallow's Eve in Maine -- 3 days to go! (Oct. 31, 2009)

3-2-1 Countown to Equality

2009-10-30T11:10:00.000-04:00

Washington State:

Who we are: Approve Referendum 71 is the campaign to preserve domestic partnerships in Washington State. By voting to approve, voters retain the domestic partnership laws that were passed during this year's legislative session, including using sick leave to care for a partner, adoption rights, insurance rights, and more.

What we need: We need phone bankers to get our supporters out to vote. Washington is an all mail-in ballot state, and we need to ensure our supporters put their ballots in the mail. Also, youth turnout is a critical component of our campaign, and youth turnout historically drops in off-year elections. So we need a lot of help to turn them out.

How you do it: Sign up here to make remote calls for Approve 71. We'll then contact you for a training, and you can make GOTV calls.

Maine:

Who we are: The No On 1/Protect Maine Equality campaign is working to protect Maine's recently-passed law legalizing marriage equality for same-sex couples. Our opponents have put the issue on the ballot for Nov 3, 2009. Because of Maine's early voting election laws, people are already voting at the polls, so we need help immediately to turn out our side at the polls.

What we need: We need you to devote a few hours to Call for Equality. Call for Equality is a virtual phonebank set up so that you can call Maine voters wherever you are. Much of Maine is rural, where canvassing isn't effective, so we need to reach these voters- along with other supporters- by phone. All you need is a phone and internet connection. No experience required! We'll provide the training, and all you need is a a few hours to help get a win in Maine.

How you do it: Click here to sign up for a training and your shift. There are lots of times available for your convenience.

Kalamazoo, MI:

Who We Are: The Yes on Ordinance 1856 / One Kalamazoo campaign is working in Michigan to support the City Commission of Kalamazoo's twice approved ordinance for housing, employment, and public accommodation protections for gay and transgender residents. Opponents forced a public referendum on the ordinance so dedicated local volunteers, led by former Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Jon Hoadley, are working to ensure voters say YES to fairness and equality and keep Ordinance 1856.

Why The Urgency: In the final weeks, the opposition has gone all out with aggressive disinformation and misleading red herrings to try to defeat the ordinance. This includes signs that say "No to Discrimination" (even though voting No actually supports continued discrimination of GLBT residents), transphobic door hangers and fliers, and now radio ads that falsely suggest that criminal behavior will become legal when this simply isn't true. The Yes on Ordinance 1856 supporters are better organized but many voters who want to vote for gay and transgender people are getting confused by the opposition.

How To Help:

1) Help the One Kalamazoo campaign raise a final $10,000 specifically dedicated to fight back against the lies on the local TV and radio airwaves and fully fund the campaign's final field and GOTV efforts.

Give here: http://www.actblue.com/page/3-2-1-countdown

2) If you live nearby and can physically volunteer in Kalamazoo sign up here. If you know anyone that lives in Kalamazoo, use the One Kalamazoo campaign's online canvass tool to remind those voters that they need to vote on November 3rd and vote YES on Ordinance 1856 to support equality for gay and transgender people.

Contact voters: http://www.onekalamazoo.com/tellfriends2

Steven Michael Mackin, remembered

2009-10-28T18:14:00.005-04:00

My friend, Steven M. Mackin passed away from Ewing's Sarcoma three years ago to the day. He was always taking photos of himself and, in some ways, he fully knew that they might be for posterity. One of the last request he made of me was that, if he died, I would use his photos so that he would never be forgotten. He also left me this silent video as well as this not so silent one as well.

He had beaten cancer once before, but he was also the first to realize that it was back. He kept complaining of stomach pains and asking me if I thought the cancer was back. I had no idea but tried to assure him that it might be something else. Until the end, I think he held strong for the sake of his family and his friends. Even of he probably knew much more than we all did.

Unwavering in his advocacy for others trying to beat Ewing's Sarcoma, and unflinchingly honest with his own battles and fears, Steven left his thoughts and feelings posted publicly for everyone to see on his LiveJournal blog Things I've Found In My Butt (it's sooooo worth a read, starting from the first post). He ultimately lost his battle on October 28th of 2006.

Steven's blog was featured on an Associated Press article in March of 2007 ("Blogging at Life's End"), and he was also the inspiration for "Stomp Out Cancer".

In the meantime, I have tried to maintain contact with his mom, Sheila, and was so glad to see her name pop up on Facebook a few weeks ago! My thoughts and love go to her tonight. Through Steven, I also met the amazing Kawika (here and here), now a friend for life.

And, today, I am more than glad to write this post in Steven's memory. Nothing would be more appropriate, though, than to post this memorial video that was posted a few days after Steven died (below). I had nothing to do with it and was shocked to see my image pop up early in the video, but it remains the rawest and most amazing of the YouTube tribute videos dedicated to Steven available online. The music, courtesy of Alter Bridge, is just right and, in my mind, will forever be linked to Steven. We love you Seven! Rest in peace.

Mexico: Anonymous videos show homophobic hazing of alleged robbers by vigilantes

2009-10-28T03:42:00.002-04:00

Considering the reports of extreme drug-trade fueled violence coming from Mexico these days, the three videos that surfaced anonymously on YouTube on October 16th might not qualify as being the worst (I have translated and posted one of them, above). They don't show bloodshed; they show faces being slapped but not the beatings that allegedly took place; and, thankfully, every one of the five young men who is shown being humiliated in the video, was later set free. That doesn't mean that the videos are any less shocking or disturbing to watch.

Reports say that the videos were uploaded by someone using the moniker "Ratitas de Tepic" ["Little rats from Tepic"]. In the additional info area, the person wrote "estos ratitas, por querer robar mi casa, eso fue lo que les pasó" ["these little rats, for wanting to rob my house, this is what happened to them"].

From yesterday's Los Angeles Times ("Mexico divided over video of alleged robbers being abused"):

The video[s] of the beating and sexual abuse of five young alleged thieves at the hands of vigilantes has provoked widespread outrage here. But in some quarters, there have been disquieting voices of approval.

The video landed on YouTube. It shows the cowering teenage boys being slapped in the face and forced to French kiss one another. Each is forced to say that they are about to be raped as punishment for robbing houses.

In the state of Nayarit, where the incident took place, many people suspect that the abusers might be police officers - Authorities deny that.

Nayarit Gov. Ney Gonzalez Sanchez was furious when he learned of the video and the abuse. Speaking over the weekend, he gave state prosecutors until Monday to produce results in the case -- "definitive, serious results, without scapegoats," he said. "No one has the right to take justice into their own hands."

Not surprisingly, state prosecutors beat the deadline:

Nayarit state prosecutor Hector Bejar Fonseca met the governor's deadline and on Monday announced the arrest of four suspects in the assaults. The men are not police officers, he said, and were arrested after being overheard in a bar bragging that they made the video. Bejar Fonseca said the suspects were drug dealers and that they had five accomplices who remained at large. It was unclear what the motive was for the alleged abuse.

One of the held captives, interviewed by Mexico's El Universal, insisted that it was the Prosecutor's Office that handed him and the other young men to the abusers:

One of the youth told El Universal that he and the others were handed over to their abusers from inside the state prosecutor's headquarters. The youth, whom the paper did not name, said they were repeatedly beaten, threatened and intimidated. He said the owner of the house that the youths allegedly tried to rob joined in, which matches what the person who posted the videos on YouTube said.

From comments made by one of the victims as reported in the El Universal article that the Los Angeles times mentions:

"They took three of us to the weapons area of the Procurator's Office... As we arrived, a man said: Take off the handcuffs, and they took them off. They took us down of the pick-up truck and told us to climb on another, the Wolf unit; it had a double cabin. And we no longer were able to see anything. They would not allow us to raise our head."

El Universal says that, on-camera, they were threatened with being forced to have sexual relations with each other and with having their hands cut-off. Off-camera, the victims reported being hit on their legs with a stick, having been beaten up and kicked. The video also shows evidence that their hair was clipped. They were kept overnight from October 14th to the 15th, and let go in the early morning after forcing them to take their clothes off and told to run.

A lawyer, acting on behalf of some of the victims, said that more than 10 people participated in the beating, including at least two women. The videos, which were captured with a cell phone, were illuminated by a light beam from a motorcycle.

El Universal says that none of the young men - high school students all - has returned to school and that they are still traumatized by the beating. Some of their families have refused to come forward, afraid that there will be retribution if they speak to investigators of the press.

Nayarit en Linea, which first broke the story, has been following up on the latest developments, including the Nayarit Governor's ultimatum and the arrest of four construction workers after an allegedly "anonymous" tip.

A typical comment below that latest post: "Oh, please! The Procurator's own grandmother does not believe him. It's such a coincidence that when they grabbed the "guilty" they were just grabbing anyone who was going by. Who does he want to kid if everything that goes on in the State is invented by the government and, this case, I don't think is the exception. If only because it became national news, according to them, they have been working [on this]. The Procurator, as if nothing had happened, as always showing indifference before these facts."

Related:

YouTube Video Shows Mexican Boys Tortured By Narcos Or Cops For Breaking Into Home (Guanabee, Oct. 23, 2009)

Previously on Blabbeando:

Peru: News cameras capture inhuman beating, undressing and humiliation of transgender street worker (Jan. 30, 2009)