While browsing the internet the other day, I came across a blog entry posted by my friend Keletso Makofane, a South African activist currently studying at Columbia University, who I met during my semester abroad in Cape Town. His post brought attention to the creation of a South African LGBT flag, a new visibility tool for the queer community in South Africa. This flag borrows from the well-known rainbow flag design and adds the triangle shapes from the South African flag. Keletso writes:

This flag represents to me, a single story of gayness. Gayness is white, affluent, young, male, attractive, fun, liberated (or in the process), talented, worldly, classy. Gayness is "dazzling" with "skills, talent, inspiration, business". As pointed out by the website of Cape Town Pride [the organization that plans for the annual Cape Town pride parade], "It is an international fact that the LGBTI market is both affluent and influential... On the whole, South African LGBTI individuals are high-yield, trend-setting, brand-conscious, loyal and have ample disposable income." This is not possible with our high poverty and unemployment rates. Obviously CTPride is not talking about all of us (Makofane, 2011).

Happy Easter!

I thought about what it might mean for me to share this article on my Facebook news feed: a white gay male striving to dismantle oppression reposting a video of violent transphobic hate that could and did fuel racism at the same time.

The resources that have shaped my understandings of oppression and privilege thus far were in the context an academic institution, which mostly approaches these issues through a "one-identity-at-a-time" lens, only hinting at the intersectional reality of our lived experience. Would I have the same apprehension embedded in me if the I did not read the trans woman being beaten as white? No. If I read them all as white? That would be way easier.

Camden Breeding, President of GLBT Aggies at Texas A&M University sent us an online petition against the bill, which could cut funding for the University's first queer organization in half.

Jesus Reyes, who graduated from Texas A&M in 2010, admits to The American Independent that campus climate necessitates the center:

"There is, I wouldn't necessarily say homophobia, but a certain apprehension about gays at A&M... Honestly, I think there are many students there who have never met a gay person. They snicker at you if you walk into GLBT Resource meetings. Even in sociology class, they make bigoted, ignorant comments.

"Equality" rhetoric can backfire.

Do we need more evidence that they want us dead?

Sneak peak of True Blood Season 4, building on the show's social justice metaphor.

Video from a kiss-in protest April 15 that Alex posted about yesterday in London after two gay men were asked to leave the John Snow pub in gay district, Soho, for kissing.

Bisexual from Class Project on Vimeo.

San Francisco's Big Gay 10K, benefitting the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

-- Carl Siciliano, founder and executive director of the Ali Forney Project, New York City's largest shelter for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) homeless youth. April 12th marks what would have been the 36th birthday of its namesake, Ali Forney.

Today, Tuesday, April 12th, the Ali Forney Center - New York City's largest shelter for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) homeless youth - marks what would have been the 36th birthday of its namesake, Ali Forney.

I was 11 when Terry died. He had had a heart attack in his bedroom; he was 76. I was in my parent's house in Los Angeles. It was summer and I was sitting in the living room with the AC going. My brother was really upset and I knew I had to call him, but I had no idea what to say. His voice was gentle on the other end, but distant. I felt self-conscious. I said, "I'm really sorry." but I didn't know what it meant. There was a pause and he said, "Thanks bro."

I was getting high on my back deck with some friends. It was late March and I was thinking about home. We were cold under a blanket that was so soft it felt artificial. I was looking out towards downtown Madison, which smelled crisp in the night air. I moved here to go to school four years ago; the seasons still cripple me.

I miss LA, sometimes more than others, and when I'm fucking freezing on a back deck is one of those times. It was the middle of the week, and I felt like I should go to sleep but I didn't really want to. We were talking about David Lynch and I thought it was really funny, I was laughing a lot. Something, I think Mulholland Drive, got me thinking about LA- actually it was this guy I'm kind of seeing, Henry, and it wasn't really LA. Henry made me think of Aiden.

A news story covering parental backlash against an elementary school field trip to the Castro, in an effort to teach students about the variety of communities in San Francisco.

Spike Jones & City Slickers, ca. 1945. It is interesting to see how the "cross-dressing for laughs" gag still shows up today.

Meet The Kelly Family, with their classic late 1980s hit "Ain't Gonna Pee Pee My Bed Tonight."