Three Trans People Murdered in Albuquerque
Need to put Pressure on Political Leaders to Repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell Policy
Massachusetts Sues Feds over Definition of Marriage
We Hold These Truths
Hate Crime Probe Called for in Gay Sailor's Death
Don't Ask Don't Tell
June 28th - 40th Anniversary of Stonewall Riots
National Gay Dads Study
Trevor Project Needs Help
Support New LGBT bill in Arkansas
Great New Kid's Book - Oh the Things Mommies Do
Three Trans People Murdered in Albuquerque
This was sent to the LGBT network through e-mail:
My dear friend, Teri Benally, was brutally beaten to death this past weekend and taken off life support two days later. She's in heaven now and now I want this son of bitch who did this to be caught. Teri was a transsexual and no, she was not a prostitute. She lived and worked as a woman for many years. The local media seems to be ignoring these killings except for the journal. I'm writing you in hopes that the word will be spread in our community that there is a person out there in Albuquerque killing members of our LGBT community. Also for members of our community to write to local media, law enforcement, council men or women, and the mayor that someone out there is committing hate crimes against transgender people. This needs to dealt with. I'm only one person trying to get the word out. Thanks for your time.
Article in Albuquerque Journal
Need to put Pressure on Political Leaders to Repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell Policy
We would like to hear more from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on a timeline for getting rid of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." This past week, it was reported that the Speaker is not making repeal of this discriminatory law a priority -- despite overwhelming support for repeal and growing calls for action.
We cannot just sit quietly as repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is relegated to the backburner.
With that in mind, SLDN teamed up with the Courage Campaign last week
to call upon the Speaker to make "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" a priority.
Nearly 90,000 people have signed a letter urging Pelosi and the House
to act on the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1283) over the
next year.
As long as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" remains on the books, qualified
service members will continue to be fired simply because of their
sexual orientation. Patriotic Americans like Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach
and Lt. Dan Choi will continue to lose their jobs with each day that
Congress fails to act. Strong leadership from the Speaker can change
that.
Tell Speaker Pelosi to make repeal of this
discriminatory law a priority, and urge your Member of Congress to
become a co-sponsor of H.R. 1283. Click on the link below to sign a petition to repeal the policy. It only takes a few seconds and we need as many people as possible to sign it.
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
Massachusetts Sues Feds over Definition of MarriageArticle Link
We Hold These Truths
Our country’s declaration of independence states “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
There have been many discussions about what this means. I believe it means that our laws and way of functioning have to put all people on equal ground in terms of opportunities and that all ways of living are tolerated, except those that foster anarchy.
In the aftermath of the Fourth of July holiday, I consider our country in this light. In many ways our country is remarkable. Women can vote and own property. Blacks are no longer slaves and have the same rights as whites. In terms of crime, the laws, although maybe not the court system, apply similarly to people of all races.
But I believe we have a ways to go and I put forth some ideas for everyone to think about.
Capitalism has become an excuse for wealthy or middle-class people to do little or nothing to help others. Doing whatever it takes to make a lot of money and then helping on a food line every once in a while does not make you a courageous and honorable person. Think about oppressed or poor people and look in your soul for real ways you can help them. Realize that even if you do not intend to do this, most people naturally gravitate toward other people most like themselves. This means that you naturally tend to hire or be closer to people like yourselves. So this creates an inertia inhibiting minorities from progressing to the same places as white males. So continue to look at your actions knowing this. Figure out how you can help minorities out of poverty and violence. Don’t use capitalism as an excuse.
Religious conservatives do not want government to allow gay marriage under the position that “marriage” is a “sacred” relationship under the eyes of God; that allowing civil unions between gays is a violation of church and state. Yet those same people are more than willing to accept all the advantages that the law provides to married people such as retirement and medical benefits. There are thousands of laws that differ for a married person versus a single person and religious conservatives are enjoying them all. Either all people are treated by the government as “single” and all “marriage” advantages are eliminated or gays need to be allowed to marry.
Men need to be socialized differently. As little boys, they do not start out referring to women as a good piece of ass. They do not start out hating painting or flowers or knitting or dolls or being afraid to cry or valuing sex over intimacy or placing value on their ability to compete rather than their ability to care. They do not start out killing, raping, or hurting other people. They are taught early on that they do not want to be a “sissy” or anything perceived to be feminine. They are taught that it is better to be strong and beat others than to be kind and care for others. They are taught not to cry or be tender. They are put in a behavioral box early on and not allowed to be who they really are. Anytime this happens to a person we are all lessened.
Anytime you look at another group of people and separate yourself mentally – labeling “them” and “us” as though they are not part of you, they are not like you - you make it easier to treat them differently from you, to love them less than yourself. When you do this, you open a door in which something like Hitler’s or Ruwanda’s genocide can occur. Hitler fostered the belief that Jews and homosexuals and others were different from whites and could be treated differently. He also taught absolute obedience to the state. Then he used both of these conditionings get Germans to kill millions of people. So you must love other people, all other people, as much as you love yourself and you must strive to put yourself in their shoes. When you watch “Cops” on TV, you cannot write those people off as “criminals.” All the people you see there started out as little kids trying to figure out how to live in the world and this is where they got to. They did not start out as criminals. We have to stop this from the ground up. You cannot say it is ok because the government allows it to occur. You must look in your soul and say what can I do to fix it.
You are responsible for your brother. We are all one. Edmund Burke says, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” So if you are not working to resolve one of these issues you are allowing evil to prevail. Much of the violence that is done in the world is done by people who experienced violence themselves. We much stop violence and hunger and poverty and provide equal opportunities for all – ALL. If you want to know that you are making a difference in the world, you should be actively doing something in these areas.
Another Fourth as passed and our country is more liberated than most in our world. We have made progress. But there is more to do. Get out there and find a way to help. You were put on this planet to live from your soul. Do the things you are afraid to do. Live from a place of love and courage. It is your challenge and your opportunity.
Hate Crime Probe Called for in Gay Sailor's Death
Hate crime probe called for in gay sailor's death
Don't Ask Don't Tell
We would like to hear more from Speaker of the
House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on a timeline for getting rid of "Don't Ask,
Don't Tell." This past week, it was reported that the Speaker is not
making repeal of this discriminatory law a priority -- despite
overwhelming support for repeal and growing calls for action.
We cannot just sit quietly as repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is relegated to the backburner.
With that in mind, SLDN teamed up with the Courage Campaign last week
to call upon the Speaker to make "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" a priority.
Nearly 90,000 people have signed a letter urging Pelosi and the House
to act on the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1283) over the
next year.
As long as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" remains on the books, qualified
service members will continue to be fired simply because of their
sexual orientation. Patriotic Americans like Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach
and Lt. Dan Choi will continue to lose their jobs with each day that
Congress fails to act. Strong leadership from the Speaker can change
that.
Tell Speaker Pelosi to make repeal of this
discriminatory law a priority, and urge your Member of Congress to
become a co-sponsor of H.R. 1283.
http://www.sldn.org/Pelosi
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
June 28th is the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. We believe most LGBT would say, "We've come a long way baby", but we've got a long way to go!
Bayard Rustin, a gay black man, is considered to be one of the primary organizers of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom where Martin Luther King made his “I have a Dream” speech.
In 1987, a year before his death, he said: "Twenty-five, thirty years ago, the barometer of human rights in the United States were black people. That is no longer true. The barometer for judging the character of people in regard to human rights is now those who consider themselves gay, homosexual, or lesbian."
The very fact that we are here today, means that something has changed. And that there is hope for tomorrow.
In high school, I remember reading Exodus, by Leon Uris about the persecution and genocide of both Jewish people and homosexuals. I’m not Jewish and, at the time, I didn’t know I was gay. But even so, I was profoundly impacted by both the horrors and injustices that one group of human beings can inflict on another. But I am also struck by this moment, by the glory of the indomitable human spirit.
That it will not be vanquished!
On some days, I feel fortunate to be a lesbian in a country and at a time, that as long as I stay in certain areas, I am relatively safe. And I am not arrested just for being a lesbian. Especially when I see the danger and persecution experienced by LGBT in other countries.
However, on other days I am angry. I am angry that I am a tax-paying, law-abiding citizen of our country and that I do not have the same rights as other people. It is simply unconstitutional to apply a definition of "marriage" to a group of people based on religion and to give different rights according to that definition.
I am also angry that so many fundamental Christians do NOT follow the example set forth by Jesus. If they did, they would not support attitudes that fomented the death of Matthew Shepard (See Violence Against LGBT in the USA on the Increase - Be Careful).
While I did not expect that Obama would make LGBT a priority in his first year in office because he had so many other critical issues to attend to; I did expect that if those issues are forced upon him, that he would do the right thing.
I supported him in his campaign with donations, by e-mails and at work where I was the only Democrat in my department. I am angrily waiting to see him do the right thing with regard to LGBT marriage, LGBT rights and the ridiculous Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.
Anyway, today is a day for remembering and the renewal of spirit, so that we will have the inspiration and energy for the work that still needs to be done.
So attend your nearest Pride celebrations (LGBTUSA has links to all the Pride celebrations in each state on the page for that state) and have a great time. Feel what the world would be like if everyone just treated LGBT like everyone else. We believe this is possible and it will happen.
So I encourage you to make connections today. Open your hearts to all people. Let go of judgments. And when you leave your festival, you might want to drive down to Pennsylvania. Take Interstate 99 and exit #48 to Tyrone. About 4 turns later, and I’m sure the locals there help you, you’ll be on Love Street.
That’s where I’m headed and I know that we, and I mean all of humanity, will get there!
LGBT History Chronology by Newsweek
LGBT Meeting with Obama
Obama holds gay pride reception, vows to overturn unjust laws
National Gay Dads Study
(This info will be removed August 1, 2009, per instructions of study leader)
Are you a gay/bisexual dad? Would you be willing to answer some confidential questions about your life and about your family? The purpose of this study is to examine the many ways families headed by gay fathers have been created, explore how families function, and learn about the relationship between partners.
The study consists of an online survey and will take approximately 25- 35 minutes of your time. To qualify for the study you have to identify as male, a father, and gay, bisexual or homosexual and have at least one child of any age; this child can be biological, adopted, foster, step, or other child. You do not need to be the child's legal parent to participate. This study has been approved by the University of Virginia IRB #2008-0407-00.
If you and/or your partner are interested in participating or want further information please contact Samantha L. Tornello (Principal Investigator) via email GayDadsStudy@gmail.com. She will send you a web link that you can use to access the study.
Trevor Project Needs Help
The Trevor
Project, is the only national 24/7 suicide and prevention help line for LGBTQ
When a kid
from
When we
answer the phone for a girl who is the only openly bi-sexual student in her
In
perceived isolation, many young people grow up today with no reason to think
that
To everyone
who calls, we offer comfort at a distance. It’s knowing that in their
Support New LGBT bill in Arkansas
Your help is needed in order to help get the word out about a bill in Congress that would change the lives of many people who’s families are being torn apart.
The Uniting American Families Act (UAFA -H.R. 1024/S. 424) was introduced as a Valentine’s Day gift this year to same-sex, binational couples by Rep. Jerrold Nadler and Sen. Patrick Leahy.
The UAFA would fulfill the pledge of family unification under current U.S. immigration policy by allowing gay and lesbian Americans to sponsor their life partners for immigration to the United States.
As you may be aware, the U.S. government discriminates against gay and lesbian binational couples by not allowing us to sponsor our foreign-born life partners for immigration. Because of this, we face the terrible choice of separating from the person we love
or leaving our country. As Americans, we should not have to choose between family and country.
The Washington Post and The San Francisco Chronicle have both recently endorsed passage of the UAFA, and the American Bar Association has also just recently adopted a resolution endorsing the UAFA.
This is an issue that The White House also supports:
Asked about Obama’s stance on UAFA [the Uniting American Families Act]
and the likelihood of its inclusion in comprehensive immigration
legislation, White House spokesman Shin Inouye said in a statement
that: “The president thinks Americans with partners from other
countries should not be faced with a painful choice between staying
with their partner or staying in their country. We will work closely
with Congress to craft comprehensive immigration reform legislation.”
This is not a problem that is fixed by civil unions or even same-sex
marriage arriving in Iowa, Vermont, Maine or any other state. Tens of
thousands of bi-national same-sex couples continue to be discriminated
against despite changing marriage laws. The Uniting American Families
Act would allow us to sponsor our foreign partners for immigration, a
right that straight married couples in the US enjoy, along with
same-sex couples in 19 other nations around the world. Until this
legislation passes, the US will continue, in the gleeful words of the
Family Research Council, to “export homosexuals from the United States”
as we are forced to choose between our loved ones and our country.
PLEASE contact your members of Congress about this
bill, and then reach out to the LGBT Community by mentioning this bill
on your website, and send this
e-mail
to your members, board, family and friends - anyone who is
supportive of LGBT rights in Arkansas - to help spread the word about
this very
important
issue. While I am not from Arkansas, in order for this bill to move
forward, it needs the support of as many members of Congress as
possible, including:
Senator Blanche Lincoln 800-352-9364
Senator Mark Pryor (501) 324-6336
Rep. Marion Berry (870) 972-4600
Rep. Vict Snyder 501-324-5941
Rep. John Boozman(479) 725-0400
Rep. Mike Ross (870) 881-0681
Reaching
out to these members of Congress by calling and writing to
them to ask for their support can help to ensure this bill will pass!
Even if they are Republicans, they need to hear from their constituents
about this.
I am one such person who would benefit greatly from the passage of the
UAFA. I am an American citizen and my partner is from Europe and we both live and
work here in the US, where we bought an apartment together a few
years ago. With the recent economic downturn, my partner’s employer has
notified him that his work visa will not be renewed when it expires in
a few months. If he cannot locate another employer willing to sponsor
his work visa (he has been trying for months, but not only is it
difficult to find a job at the moment, but especially so when you have
to convince the employer to hire an immigration attorney), we will be
forced to sell our place, leave our family and friends, and move to
Europe. This is something neither of us want to do as we have built a
life here together.
If this bill does not move forward on its own, it must be included in
Comprehensive Immigration Reform - to include the right of gay and
lesbian Americans to sponsor our partners and spouses for immigration.
Sadly, many members of the progressive and pro-LGBT Community are not
aware of this issue. Please help me contact Congress to
spread the
word!!
Update on this issue
We picked up 13 more co-sponsors in the House of Representatives,and 2 more in the Senate. There was a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about this bill and it got a lot of press (NY Times, CNN and others).
KEEP CALLING - IT IS WORKING
Great New Kid's Book - Oh the Things Mommies Do
There
is a great new kid's book available. It is for kids ages 1-5. It is a
great little positive book full of colorful pictures and rhymes. It
also shows families of different and mixed races which is great for
kids to see. You can purchase the book at:
LGBT Hot Issues
LGBT World Resources
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