MetaFilter posts tagged with GLBT and gay

US Military Cuts And A Step Towards Equality

zarq — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:00:55 -0800

Yesterday, US President Obama signed a $680bn military policy bill, which cuts military spending, including $2bn in funding for new F-22 fighter jets. However, the bill also contained the first major piece of federal gay rights legislation, and fulfilled an Obama campaign promise: acts of violence against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people have now been added to the list of federal hate crimes.

"We dragged your sorry ass through the Underground Railroad."

Blazecock Pileon — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:47:55 -0800

Are the ties that bind gay men to straight women beginning to fray?

A Day in Hand

acb — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:52:40 -0800

The latest tool to challenge homophobia: same-sex hand-holding. This past weekend, a same-sex hand-holding relay was held in London, to coincide with Olympic-related events. It's not just for gay and lesbian couples; sympathetic heterosexuals are encouraged to join in and take a stand, or rather a stroll, for tolerance.

40 Years Ago...

ericb — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 14:05:39 -0800

In the heart of Greenwich Village, New York City at 1:20 a.m. on Saturday, June 28, 1969 eight New York City police raided a gay bar, the Stonewall Inn (later deemed a National Historic Landmark). "As the police raided the bar, a crowd of four hundred patrons gathered on the street outside and watched the officers arrest the bartender, the doorman, and a few drag queens [see: police arrest reports]. The crowd, which eventually grew to an estimated 2,000 strong, was fed up."* Thus began three days of rioting and the advent of the modern gay rights movement. In honor of the Stonewall Riots, many gay pride celebrations around the world are held during the month of June, including this week(end)'s NYC Pride, celebrating 40 years of Stonewall's impact on seeking to bring civil rights to all, including the LGBT community. Happy Pride!

Charlie Rose: The Legacy of the Stonewall Riots of 1969 [video | 57:21]. Remembering Stonewall [radio documentary | 38:50] Jim Fouratt talks with Stephen Colbert the significance of the Stonewall riots for the gay rights movement and his frustration with Barack Obama [video | 06:00]. And ...rawrrr... Love Ball Marks 'Stonewall 40' with Skin and Hippies in Times Square.

Can I Marry Gay?

ocherdraco — Wed, 20 May 2009 04:50:31 -0800

What with all the changes lately, sometimes I'm not sure where my right to marry whomever I want to has been ensured. Can I Marry Gay? is a handy reference with state by state information, and keeps me up to date. Worried about recent state Supreme Court decisions forcing you to join teh gay? Must I Marry Gay? is for you. [via mefi projects]

"Oh, lord love you, Stephen. How I admire your arrogance and rage and misery. How pure and righteous they are and how passionately storm-drenched was your adolescence."

Artw — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:19:48 -0800

Long before becoming a national treasure and celebrity Twitter addict the 16 year old Stephen Fry sent a letter to his future self, to which he has now responded, in a letter first published in the 25th birthday edition of Gay Times.

AmazonFAIL

TochterAusElysium — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 13:57:08 -0800

Within the last few hours, a trend on Twitter has emerged in response to Amazon's removing the sales ranking of books they consider to have "adult content," which also keeps those books from appearing in search results. However, while seeming to unilaterally de-list any books with gay themes and characters, many books with adult heterosexual content were left untouched. Unfortunately, books included in the de-ranking include classic works such as Brokeback Mountain, The Well of Loneliness, Tipping the Velvet, and others whose "adult" content is negligible. In response, some people have started a coordinated Googlebomb to bring a new definition of "Amazon Rank" to the top of Google's search results. As of this writing, #amazonfail is the top trend on Twitter (possibly because some big names have taken up the re-tweet cause). A Google News search for this story returns no results, indicating that it might behoove corporate PR folks to keep a closer eye on Twitter...and that someone might be having a rough Monday morning tomorrow at Amazon headquarters.

Should we worry?

FunkyHelix — Sat, 17 May 2008 10:40:24 -0800

Mercedes Allen looks at who's in charge of deciding the fate of Gender Identity Disorder in the DSM-IV. The APA (American Psychological Association) has announced it's intention to revise the DSMV (Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). The expert they've named to chair revisions on sexuality and gender is Kenneth Zucker. Zucker is the major remaining proponent of Reparative Therapy for LGBT folks. Zucker has named Ray Blanchard to work with the group that will re-write the section on Gender Identity Disorder. Blanchard is connected with 'ex-gay' organizations, and believes that all transpeople are really sex offenders.

Tales of the City

loquacious — Sun, 04 May 2008 01:20:49 -0800

In 1974 - or 1976, depending who you ask - Armistead Maupin began writing "an extended love letter to a magical San Francisco” in the form of a serialized, fictional drama published originally in the Pacific Sun, the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Francisco Examiner, originally called "The Serial" which then became collectively known as Tales of The City. It is a suprisingly beautiful, deep, emotional, cosmopolitan and lasting tale about life in San Francisco in the turbulent, heady days of the 1970s and 1980s. Widely credited with and cherished for helping spread a little of the openess, tolerance and acceptance that San Francisco is now famous for. It then became a series of books - Tales of the City, More Tales of the City, Further Tales of the City, Babycakes, Significant Others, Sure of You - and lastly, the spin-off tale of Michael Tolliver Lives. Almost exactly twenty years after first publishing, it then became an excellent miniseries from the United Kingdom's Channel 4, which aired in the United States on PBS, but not without protest or limitations. San Francisco... this post is for you. All of you. More than the Mission burritos, more than the diverse weather, more than the beautiful, breathtaking views and the odd experience of falling deeply in love with a place - and only slightly less than the many real people I've met - this has touched me the most. Thank you. (Get your YouTube samples here.)

People with a History

Kattullus — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 12:20:31 -0800

People with a History is "an online guide to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans history." Ranging from the first stirrings of civilization to the modern day, People with a History gathers together original sources and academic articles dealing with queerness throughout history. To give you a feel for the wealth of material on the site, here are a few pages that caught my interest: The Vikings and Homosexuality, Coptic Spell: Spell for a Man to Obtain a Male Lover, an acount of a gay marriage ceremony described by Michel de Montaigne, But Among Our Own Selves (an 18th Century gay ballad), a chapter from The Life of St. Theodore of Sykeon, a 7th Century Byzantine monk and bishop, which mentions adelphopoiesis, or the rite of brothermaking, Wu Tsao, 19th Century Chinese lesbian poet, and finally Polari: The Lost Language of Gay Men.

Are Gay Neighborhoods Worth Saving?

desjardins — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:09:13 -0800

The NY Times looks at the decline of gay meccas. The GLBT Historical Society of San Francisco has held several discussions about the Castro district. A shift in values, gentrification, and violence are named as factors in the "de-gaying" of the Castro. The area's famed Halloween party has been canceled and revelers told to stay out. What will happen to this gay destination?

What makes "T" part of "GLBT"?

AccidentalHedonist — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 12:04:52 -0800

Up for consideration is the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which has been written to provide a comprehensive Federal prohibition of employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Last week, Barney Frank released a Statement saying that it is a mistake to continue seeking inclusion of "gender identity" as part of the Act. Or to put it in other words, there'd be protections for only the "GLB" part of the larger "GLBT community". Frank's decision was quickly lauded by John Aravosis, who then proceeded to question the inclusion of the Transgendered from the GLBT communty. Some gay and lesbians activists agreed with him. Others not so much. Meanwhile, Susan Stryker reminds everyone of some basic history lessons regarding trans activism (.pdf link). Many are left to wonder - what makes gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered a single community? Isn't homophobia a form of gender oppression?

workplace protection--not as hotbutton as Marriage Equality or Don't Ask Don't Tell, but far more essential

amberglow — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 18:17:01 -0800

ENDA House hearings start tomorrow --a record 94% of Fortune 500 companies now provide Sexual Orientation Discrimination Protection, and 89% of Americans polled believe Homosexuals should have equal rights in terms of job opportunities. Repeatedly introduced and then killed since 1994, the 2007 version--H.R. 2015--Employment Non-Discrimination Act (text of bill)--includes transgender protection for the very first time. The TVC is just one of many organizations fighting it. (there is a religious exemption, but groups like the TVC would be covered by it)

I'm looking at YOU, Anderson Cooper

John Kenneth Fisher — Thu, 31 May 2007 21:09:49 -0800

As Wolfdaddy put it last time we did this: "Yeah, like we didn't know that already." - So as the Glass Closet gets a tad smaller, might we be rapidly approaching that long hoped-for "tipping point" where those inside the glass no longer feel the need to play word games and dance around who they are, instead of standing up to be counted?

On A Roll

hermitosis — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 12:37:08 -0800

Speaking of the White House Egg Roll... The GLBT organization Family Pride plans to once again fill the annual event with hundreds of gay and lesbian families. What many welcome as a rare opportunity to be included as legitimate American families in a historic national tradition is seen by opponents as the crude politicizing of a children's event.

Fabulously Friendly

ikahime — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 15:03:47 -0800

Gay? Looking for a place to Live? The Advocate has just published their first-ever list of "Best Places to Live for Gays and Lesbians.” Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; Ferndale, MI; Ithaca, NY; Lexington, KY; Missoula, MT; Portland, OR; San Diego, CA; Santa Fe, NM; and Tuscon, AZ. Pack your bags!

Does that make him the murderer, or do the homemade curtains reduce him to the level of the child molester?

Blazecock Pileon — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 02:33:18 -0800

The Way We Are: David Sedaris makes coffee with tea while ruminating on identity

It's 1993 again, but recruiting's harder

pax digita — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 04:39:45 -0800

Second thoughts on gays in the military by former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Shalikashvili. (NYT link; do the Bugmenot thing if you need a username and password.) M/I

“We choose not to work for homosexuals.”

amberglow — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 09:18:17 -0800

“Treating you with respect and honesty are the cornerstones of our reputation.” --unless you're gay, that is, for a Houston landscaper. Step 1: Turn down 2 gay customers. Step 2: Watch furor ensue. Step 3: Profit (to the tune of $40,000 in new business)

civil unions? marriage?

amberglow — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 12:26:33 -0800

NJ says yes to same-sex marriage! (altho it might not be called that in the end) -- link to pdf of ruling here.

"Don't ask, don't care"?

taursir — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 23:25:32 -0800

Openly Gay Soulforce Activists in Minnesota, U.S., attempt to enlist in the Minnesota National Guard because they wish to serve, but are rejected or have their applications put on hold. Here are some local news reports (beware possible sound-enabled ads). Should the U.S. policy change?

The female and male gaze and gay erotic art

Blazecock Pileon — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 23:41:18 -0800

Yaoi is a form of Japanese erotica "written by women for women readers", focusing on aspects of male-to-male relationships which otherwise tend "to make real gay men snicker." Still, gay men can and do create a wide range of erotic art within and across the yaoi genre.

Imagine a troubled gay teenager contemplating suicide...and getting James Dobson on the other end.

amberglow — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 21:24:20 -0800

1-800-SUICIDE loses govt. funding: Despite the fact that almost 2 million callers have reached help and hope over the last 8 years, and a government funded evaluation stating the benefits of 1-800-SUICIDE, the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA), a division of Health & Human Services, has decided to create their own government run system where they would have direct access to confidential data on individuals in crisis. (SAMHSA has already scrubbed their websites of any and all LGBT information, and gay youth are 2-3 times more likely to commit suicide.) Save 1-800-SUICIDE website here.

Senatorial Drama

taursir — Wed, 13 Apr 2005 17:08:11 -0800

Another republican, Sen. Paul Koering, comes out of the closet after voting yes for an amendment setting out to legally define marriage in Minnesota. Meanwhile other Minnesotan senators, like Michelle Bachmann (R), are finding one way or another to land themselves in scandal, one of which was getting caught hiding in the bushes behind a rally contesting the anti-marriage amendmant. And yes, here are the pictures to prove it. (Anonymous login available for articles)

A different mission to serve

XQUZYPHYR — Sun, 03 Apr 2005 10:11:02 -0800

A Different Mission to Serve. The Washington Post (reg. required) is running a short series of mini-video documentaries of Sgt. Brett Parson, the head of the DC Police Department's Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit.