Big Queer Blog -Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender (LGBT)  Tuesday, August 26. 2008 Arkansas Makes a Mockery of Foster Care  The Arkansas Family Council's "Gold Standard"
The Associated Press reported today that Arkansas Secretary of State Charlie Daniels certified a proposal that would place a measure prohibiting unmarried couples from adopting or fostering children on the state's November ballot. "We need to publicly affirm the gold standard of rearing children whenever we can. The state standard should be as close to that gold standard of married mom and dad homes as possible," Arkansas Family Council President Jerry Cox said. The organization's campaign is a response to a 2006 Arkansas Supreme Court decision that ruled against a state law preventing gays and lesbians from becoming foster parents. Though the new measure doesn't specifically address same-sex couples, it's clearly aimed at gays and lesbians as Arkansas currently prohibits gay marriage and does not recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages.
The proposal is not only another blow to civil rights but to the 6,500 children currently in Arkansas's foster care system. The state's Department of Human Services is currently investigating the deaths of four separate children living in foster care in Arkansas, including at least two involving allegations of physical abuse (DHS's child abuse investigation division is understaffed and behind on addressing complaints). According to Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, 1,000 children have grown to become adults in the last five years in the state without ever being placed in a permanent home; children who outgrow the foster care system are statistically more likely to become homeless or engage in criminal activity.
It seems that the "gold standard" of child rearing should be to actually rear them, without the fear of abuse or neglect—something Cox and his group seem determined to undercut in the name of preserving their so-called sacred traditions.
Posted by Sal Paradise in News, Politics, Commentary & Opinion at 14:04 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0) Karma for this article: ++ | + | 0 | - | --Current karma: 0, 0 vote(s) 53 hitsDefined tags for this entry: adoption, arkansas family council, charlie daniels, equality, families Friday, August 22. 2008 Manhunt Endorses Big Daddy McCain 
Last week it was revealed that Manhunt co-founder and presumptive bear Jonathan Crutchley donated the legal maximum of $2,300 to Republican Senator John McCain's presidential campaign. According to an article in Towleroad, Manhunt's board has forced Crutchley to step down in the wake of the backlash and calls for a boycott by Manhunt members. Though Crutchley has "stepped down," he'll likely still benefit financially from the company he helped start, so next time you renew your membership to the gay networking sex site, think about where that money is going. Sadly, neither McCain nor Democratic rival Barack Obama supports gay marriage, but last week during a faith forum hosted by Saddleback Church pastor Rick Warren, McCain said he would support a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman if states are forced by federal judges to acknowledge other states' marriages. Obama supports civil unions. Separate but equal, but at least equal—for now.
Posted by Sal Paradise in News, Politics at 20:28 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) Karma for this article: ++ | + | 0 | - | --Current karma: -1, 2 vote(s) 159 hitsDefined tags for this entry: campaign donation, jonathan crutchley, manhunt, mccain Majority Of U.S. Voters Open To Electing A Queer!  Forget about a black president or a female president. A new nationwide poll from Zogby International reveals that 65% of likely voters would support an openly gay president if they agreed with him (or her) on key issues. A slightly higher percentage would support an openly gay vice president (we're curious about the 2% of that group who wouldn't support a gay commander in chief), while two-thirds would support an out-and-proud gay senator or presidential cabinet member. There are 415 flag-waving gay elected officials in the United States today, including five at the federal level. Most recently, congressional candidate Jared Polis won the Colorado Democratic primary; if he wins the general election this fall he will become the first non-incumbent, openly gay man ever elected to Congress. Most striking about Zogby's new poll: Participants 18-24 in age were most open to a gay presidential candidate, with the percentage decreasing with each subsequent age group—except those 25-34, for which the percentage curiously drops below 50%. Posted by Sal Paradise in News, Politics at 16:05 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) Karma for this article: ++ | + | 0 | - | --Current karma: 0, 0 vote(s) 57 hitsDefined tags for this entry: americans, gay, us president, zogby poll Saturday, August 9. 2008 Our Beef with Beefalo Bob's Catering  We have to question the taste level of anyone who picks a place called Beefalo Bob's (and whose mascot is a cow dressed up in a cowboy hat) to cater his or her wedding reception, but it turns out that the Baltimore, Maryland company might be even more judgmental than we are!
Laura and Leah, friends of Big Queer who were set up on a blind date by Leah's sister after Laura answered a furniture ad in the local paper three years ago, hired Beefalo Bob's to cater their reception in September. The company allegedly told the couple that they were fine with serving a same-sex "commitment ceremony" but refused to cater the event if Laura and Leah pursued a legal marriage in California. Their reason? According to Laura, Beefalo Bob's doesn't want to participate in any "politically-charged" or "unlawful" practices. Funny, we thought the role of a caterer was to bring the food, serve it and keep their mouths shut, and the last thing Laura and Leah want to do is politicize such an important personal moment in their lives. The pair withdrew their contract and got their deposit back.
Continue reading "Our Beef with Beefalo Bob's Catering" Posted by Sal Paradise in Commentary & Opinion at 16:52 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0) Karma for this article: ++ | + | 0 | - | --Current karma: -1, 6 vote(s) 179 hitsDefined tags for this entry: baltimore, catering, discrimination, gay marriage, lesbian, maryland Friday, August 8. 2008 "This Is the Voice I Want to Use" Get your tranny-fierceness on at Dr. Jillian T. Weiss's new Diversity Seminar "Transgender Issues in the Workplace." Weiss says: "This one-day seminar is for human resources professionals, lawyers, and transgender individuals to address transgender issues in the workplace. This issue is at the leading edge of workplace diversity, with transgender discrimination prohibited in more than 20 states and over 100 cities." The event takes place on Friday, November 14, 2008, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in New York City. Weiss has a J.D. and a Ph.D. in Law, Policy & Society and is currently Associate Professor of Law and Society at Ramapo College of New Jersey. She also uses the word "best" at the end of her emails. For more information, head on over to Weiss's blog. Continue reading ""This Is the Voice I Want to Use"" Posted by Sal Paradise in News at 12:00 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0) Karma for this article: ++ | + | 0 | - | --Current karma: -3, 7 vote(s) 172 hitsDefined tags for this entry: new york, new york city, seattle, seminar, transgender Thursday, August 7. 2008 Obama Addresses Gay Families  Presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama has responded to an open letter (view the PDF) sent to both presidential candidates by the Family Equality Council regarding John McCain’s statement to The New York Times that he does not "believe in gay adoption." (Side note: Is that like not believing in Santa?) In his letter, Obama acknowledges the needs and desires of families of all stripes and, of course, outlines his plan to strengthen American families—by doubling spending on after-school programs for children, expanding the Medical Leave Act and encouraging flexible work schedules for parents—but he doesn't really address issues facing LGBT families specifically until the final paragraph. Obama pledges to stand up for all American families and we should demand that the next president, whoever he is, keep that promise.
Contact Obama here.
Contact John McCain here. Posted by Sal Paradise in Politics at 16:39 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) Karma for this article: ++ | + | 0 | - | --Current karma: -12, 39 vote(s) 214 hitsDefined tags for this entry: barack obama, john mccain, politics, presidential election, usa Friday, July 25. 2008 Comrades in New York  We Chinese queers have reappropriated the term comrades, or tong-zhi (同志), to describe ourselves for almost 20 years. Literally, tong-zhi means "having the same will." It's used to describe not only homos, but also bisexuals and transgenders. It's more like the term LGBT, or in fact, "queer", which really embraces everyone who have the same intention and goal to reach equality for the LGBTs.
Four Chinese queer films will be coming to New York later in September during the Chinese LGBT Film Festival, titled "Comrades," during which we can get a glimpse of the lives of queers through the lens of a bunch of Chinese filmmakers.
It's worth mentioning that the first tong-zhi film festival in mainland China in 2001 was shut down by the Chinese National Security Agency.
For more information, visit Asia Catalyst. Posted by Wajaja in Arts & Culture at 17:58 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0) Karma for this article: ++ | + | 0 | - | --Current karma: -7, 59 vote(s) 298 hitsDefined tags for this entry: Chinse, film, New York Tuesday, July 22. 2008 John McCain Should Talk to the Real Expert on My Family-Me Op-Ed
By Alan O'Brien-Myers
As someone who was adopted by two lesbian moms, I was certainly disappointed to find out that John McCain, a candidate for President of the United States, doesn't "believe in gay adoption."
What's not to believe in? Many gays and lesbians adopt children and create wonderful, loving families. My moms adopted me out of foster care when I was eleven years old. I'm seventeen now. I love my family. My moms provide for me in all the ways that other parents provide for their children. We have our problems just like everybody else, but in the end we take care of each other. We believe in each other.
View larger version. Cartoon by Mikhaela B. Reid.
What we don't believe in is John McCain and any other politician who is out of touch with the reality of American families. Not all families are married moms and dads with their biological children. Many children are raised by single parents, unmarried parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and more. What makes these families real is the love and care they have for each other, their commitment to seeing each other through good times and bad. Continue reading "John McCain Should Talk to the Real Expert on My Family-Me" Posted by Guest Contributors in Commentary & Opinion at 22:09 Karma for this article: ++ | + | 0 | - | --Current karma: 3, 57 vote(s) 172 hitsDefined tags for this entry: adoption, equality, family, john mccain Thursday, July 17. 2008 US HIV travel ban to be gone... On Wednesday, the US Senate has voted against the HIV Travel Ban, which has been barring HIV+ foreigners from entering the country since 1987. The bill will now go to the joint committee and GW for final approval. It's most likely going to pass, as GW has already shown approval for it. If it's signed, HIV+ individuals will be allowed to visit the US without a special waiver, although they will still be banned from obtaining permanent residency.
Andrew Sullivan, an HIV+ non-resident alien residing in the US, states that, "it's one of the happiest days" of his whole life. "For two and a half decades, I have longed to be a citizen of the country I love and have made my home. I now can. There is no greater feeling," he says. Posted by Wajaja in News, Politics at 17:41 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0) Karma for this article: ++ | + | 0 | - | --Current karma: -6, 71 vote(s) 577 hitsDefined tags for this entry: andrew sullivan, bush, hiv ban, travel, us Gay Blog Talk Radio What do you get when you mix parents that are PFLAG members, their lesbian daughter that used to be in the US Air Force, and another daughter that is a born-again Christian? No this is not a tasteless joke a la Blance Knott; it's the subject of tonight's episode of a new show by blog talk radio host Kevin Lewis.
I haven't checked out any of the other queer programs there but it seem there are new optiosn every day for user-generated queer programs, including one I wrote about a while back ago called qpodder.
Posted by Sascha at 17:36 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) Karma for this article: ++ | + | 0 | - | --Current karma: 6, 62 vote(s) 326 hitsDefined tags for this entry: blog talk radio, kevin lewis, life coach (Page 1 of 25, totaling 247 entries) » next page Supporters
Poll 65% of likely voters say they would vote for a gay candidate that they agreed with on the issues. How hoest do you think people were in answering the poll? If push came to shove do you think these same people really would vote for a gay candidate? No- these people are liars they just don't want to look like bigots Yes- US Americans are kind accepting people -such as- they really do believe all are created equal Polls suckArchives Archives August 2008July 2008June 2008Recent...Older... Authors Alex BarretoAliceBelle DameBigmouthFastladGuest ContributorsJoseph GrossPauline ParkSal ParadiseSaschaWajajaAll authors Comments Laura Bellows about Arkansas Makes a Mockery of Foster CareTue, 26.08.2008 16:00Please go to our website,www.arkansasfamiliesfirst.org,to fight this initiative.Mel Keegan about Our Beef with Beefalo Bob's CateringTue, 12.08.2008 21:31If I'm ever in Baltimore, Inow know where NOT to eat.Benjamin Beebe about Gay Porn Blogs & The Michael Phelps Bulge Photo- Sexy or Just Spam?Sat, 09.08.2008 02:59thats soooo frakinhot.......but here is thefunny thing look at the kidstaring at it hes all like"damn thats big i [...]jul about "This Is the Voice I Want to Use"Fri, 08.08.2008 14:12I'm glad that finally peopleare starting to talk about theimportance of gender issues,the non-binary world we live[...]Lesbilicious about Comrades in New YorkFri, 08.08.2008 12:32"having the same will." -that's so awesome! reallyinclusive. Links We Like Rey Pamatmat Playwright
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