Gazette: Even a Child Knows

There’s a great post at Gazette.net from a Catholic married mother of two which is nothing less than a breath of fresh air.

In her letter to the editor she writes:

The state is not a religious institution and should treat all citizens equally.

I have two young daughters, and I think it’s my Christian duty to teach them that not every child is like them: white, Catholic and with a mom and dad. They know that some kids are Jewish, Hispanic or have two moms. But it’s only with children of gay couples that I must explain that while they love each other and their kids just like we do, they can’t marry.

By not allowing gays to marry, we are creating an environment of discrimination that even my 10-year-old believes is unfair. Why can’t adults see that, too?

Please click here to read the entire post. If nothing else, you’ll feel good knowing the LGBT community has this type of support!

One in 33,000

Kathleen Jaffe, a 23-year-old theatre major, has found a way to combine her love for theater and film with her passion of spreading the message of equal rights for the LBGT community.

Jaffe has worked with several organizations with the mission of promoting equality, the most recent being Outfest which is a yearly film festival that showcases lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender films and art.

“I think the main reason I wanted to volunteer was because I wanted to see movies specifically for the gay communit…for my community, and just be in that atmosphere.”

More at: Daily Sundial!

LGBT Rights & Equality: Bringing it Home

With most of the attention being placed on Prop 8 right now (perhaps rightfully so) it’s still important for those of us, whether your a member of the LGBT community or an ally, to not lose sight of other issues surrounding gay America.

That’s why I really wanted to point out a post I found on Rapid City Journal about employment discrimination in South Dakota.

Yes, even in the far reaches of America, in states such as South Dakota, the issues that surround the LGBT community (outside of marriage equality) are coming into light.

According to the post:

“At least one-third of the GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning) community that trickles in and out of our doors here at the Black Hills Center for Equality reports incidents of harassment, some old and some fairly fresh,” Kandt said. “Yes, there is on-the-job harassment and discrimination because of gender identity here in good, old Rapid City.”

Legislation that would broaden anti-discrimination provisions in state employment law to include sexual orientation and gender identity may be introduced in the 2010 legislature, said Sen. Nancy Turbak Berry, D-Watertown.

I believe this to be the direct benefit of all efforts guided at providing equality, whether it comes through hate crimes legislation, housing and employment discrimination or marriage. I would venture safely to say that a decade ago, gay rights were not something that were talked about outside of the LGBT community in South Dakota. But yet today, because of efforts from various equality groups, activist and bloggers, that has changed.

So while many are quick to criticize some “activist” or “activist groups” for not doing enough, the key and most important element from all involved has been consistency.

Over the past decade the movement has grown, but again, the major factor in progress, no matter how slow you may think it’s been, has been the consistent drive for equality by LGBT advocates.  I need to point out however, the progress we’ve seen has not only been the result of the advocates who work on a large scale, national or state level, but those who have dedicated their time to make a differences in the smaller and more rural areas of our nation.

As Lyndon Evans, a good friend and fellow blogger once said; “If you ain’t happy with food, get in the kitchen and cook.” That is exactly what I urge all of you to do. Maybe you feel not enough has been done by those who hold a higher power, but what have you done on a lower or local level to help?  Perhaps I’m preaching to the choir, but now more than ever we need to be vocal. We need to rise up and let our voices be heard, and you don’t have to address the President to make a difference.  The greatest differences now will be made right in your own neighborhood.

I once attended a seminar where Virginia Johnson, former premier ballerina and editor-in-chief of Pointe Magazine was addressing college students about the arts. Her advice…”Don’t come to New York.” As she so eloquently pointed out, there are already enough artists in the meccas such as New York, Chicago, LA, and other larger cities. She advised each and every one to take what they learned, and give it back to their local communities so the arts would grow across the nation, not just in places where the arts already had a solid foundation.

This is how I view the LGBT Equality Movement. We don’t need to talk to the President or congress near as much as we need to talk to our next door neighbors. We need to talk to the cashier at the local drug store. We need to talk to those who aren’t aware they know anyone who is LGBT. This has to be a ground up movement and the ripple of such will grow to become connected to those larger and more pronounced.  As a result, one day, we will all meet in the middle, and when that day comes, the LGBT community will have gained equality, not only in the cities with great populations, but in the remote areas as well, and we will all be able to enjoy the fruits of our efforts.

Will Obama Make Gay Rights a New Year’s Resolution?

With 2010 just a few days old, many within the gay community are looking towards the administration to deliver on its campaign promises in the upcoming year, after tabling many of the issues for other legislative priorities. However, based on the President Obama’s performance so far in his presidency is the gay community expecting more than President Obama is willing to wager?

As far as the gay community is concerned, 2009 could not have ended any quicker. The year has been dominated with legislative defeats across the country and almost unanimous disappointment in President Obama’s track record—or lack thereof—on gay rights. And while some—including myself—have argued that the president has received an unfair amount of the blame, with the legislative body largely being ignored, for a candidate that billed himself as a “fierce advocate” for gay rights, President Obama has some work to do to live up to the standard he set for himself during the campaign.

More at: The New Gay!

Charleston, S.C. Passes Pro-Gay Rights Law

The South Carolina city of Charleston became the second in the state to approve GLBT anti-discrimination protections.

Columbus had approved such measures previously. Charleston both widened the scope of its existing anti-discrimination law regarding housing, and added a new ordinance to prevent discrimination in public accommodation that covered the civil rights spectrum, from age and race to gender identity and sexual orientation, reported local news station WCBD, an NBC affiliate, on Nov. 24.

The news station reported that the ordinances were brought to the city’s mayor. Joseph P. Riley, last summer by a group of local GLBT equality and human rights organizations, including the South Carolina chapters of the Stonewall Democrats and the Log Cabin Republicans, the American Civil Liberties Union, and South Carolina Equality. The article noted that those organizations had also promoted similar protections in Columbus.

“It’s a step forward in the right direction in making sure that we are not discriminating against anyone,” said Council Member Gary White.

More at: Edge Boston!

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