Monday, November 2, 2009

Combined Gay News Headlines (T5T-1)

MORNING GOODS â€" Last time we heard Maine native Derek Hawkes's name, it was because he was getting disinvited from Cosmopolitan's 51 Hottest Bachelors party after editors there learned he posed naked for SeanCody.com. But hey, he's done serious model work, too! CONTINUED » CONTINUED » Permalink | Post a comment | Add to del.icio.us Tagged: Derek Hawkes, Models, [...]
After last year's much lauded razzle-dazzle Oscar-hosting gig, noted bisexual actor Hugh Jackman has turned down an offer for a repeat performance. Sad! CONTINUED » Permalink | 18 comments | Add to del.icio.us Tagged: Academy Awards, Adam Shankman, Hugh Jackman, Neil Patrick Harris, Oscars
SOUNDBITES — "We know the N-word is unacceptable, that's not disputable — but faggot? I'm learning that there's a segment of our society that finds it offensive and that it should not be used. I didn't realize that, but I do know now." —Peter Schafer, sports agent to "faggot" tweeter and Kansas City Chiefs running [...]
Last week’s INTEGRATION Halloween party was truly spectacular. If momentum has anything to say about it, this week’s anniversary party should be pretty cool too.
I was down in LA over Labor day weekend and since we had the extra day, Gary and I were able to get around the city more than on our usual overnight visits.  One of the places we hadn’t been to for a while was The Grove, an upscale outdoor shopping mall located in West [...]
Check out the latest from Maine Family Policy Council... I especially like the title, don't you?

How lucky they are, to get these special emails or faxes, direct from the Almighty! Apparently when Maine is "smooted" by the Monty Python foot or whatever, it will be entirely MY FAULT.

Just so you all know who to blame...


God's Final Warning to Maine.

In the final days of the campaign for same sex marriage, both sides are speaking from the heart, with little restraint.  

If anyone doubts that the controversy over homosexual marriage is a spiritual battle, they should see what a prominent gay rights activist has to say about a recent press conference in the State House.

Jesus said we should pray for those who revile and despitefully use us, so we encourage all our readers to pray earnestly for this blogger.  

Yippee Skippee, my first honest-ta-goodness really-real Pam's House Blend ENDORSEMENT!

Wonder what the reaction will be at MFPC HQ, when they find out I went into a church today and came out unscathed by lightning...

Hey- someone hurry the hell up and get this blogger a big ole bowl of Cheetos! STAT!

I've got MUCH more blogging to do... ;)

===============================================

*Related:

And Now For Something "Completely Different": MFPC's Take s Take On PornoPete's "Rally"

UPDATED: Local News Coverage Of PornoPete's Press Debacle

YouTube Extravaganza! LaBarbera/CAmenker/Madore "Rally"

No On 1's Jesse Connolly Releases Statement, Re: LaBarbera/Camenker State House Press Event/ Stunt

MassResistance's Brian Camenker Joining PornoPete At Augusta Statehouse!

Peter LaBarbera To Hold Rally At Statehouse in Augusta- TODAY!

A few announcements for tomorrow:


No on 1: RALLY FOR EQUALITY

Monday, November 2, 2009

12:00pm - 1:00pm

Monument Square, Portland


Join us in our stand for marriage equality for EVERYONE! This is our last chance before election day to show our strength as a community! In order to win on Nov 3, we MUST get out the vote!

Be a part of making history! Please take an hour for lunch and join us. Invite everyone you know! Let's get 1000+ people in Monument Sq to protect equality for ALL Mainers!

Jesse Connolly & Darlene Huntress from the No on 1 campaign, along with several other guests will be speaking and adding their voices to yours in this important fight for marriage equality!

Please RSVP to rallyforequality@gmail.com

Wear something RED!!!

Rain Location: USM Sullivan Gym, Portland

I'm going to be at this one as well, but not as a speaker! ;)

According to Don Lemon, CNN is working on a "Gay in America" series as it has for blacks and Latinos (one can only hope that the network will not leave Ts out of the picture).

A series that gives a fair picture of our lives -- including the divere diversity of the community --  it will be a timely and necessary subject to address as equality legislation is being pondered and enacted at the federal, state and local levels in the United States. It is a change that is occurring in an environment filled with disinformation, scare tactics and outright bigotry that needs the disinfection of sunlight.

One subject rarely broached is the issue of the black community and the subject of LGBT rights. CNN's Don Lemon takes a good crack at it here:

LEMON: Still ahead -- the big gay secret. Why so many gay black men lead double lives, killing themselves and black women.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRAY: I think homosexuality in the black community has been something that like I said we really don't talk about, that on the down-low thing didn't really come about. I didn't know that there were that many brothers on the down-low until the book came out myself. And I started educating myself on the topic, because many of us live in the 51st state of the United States, and that's the state of denial.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My expectation is that when you look back on these years you will see a time in which we put a stop to discrimination to gays and lesbians, whether in the office or on the battlefield.

(APPLAUSE)

You will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Except for marriage. President Obama promises equal rights to gay people, but this is one issue where the president may not enjoy unified support from African-Americans.

Angela Burt-Murray from "Essence" magazine. This whole idea, though, of the down-low. There was a book written about it. The stigma that's killing black men and women in record numbers, time for some soul searching here?

More below the fold, including an interview with GLAAD's Jarrett Barrios.
BURT-MURRAY: Absolutely. It's time for the African-American community to get real. And that homophobia does exist in our community. We've embraced it and the silence is killing us. African- American women, the leading cause of death is HIV. So women, 18 to 34 are being killed because we refuse to talk about this issue and accept gay and lesbian people in our community.

LEMON: Do you think it's a stigma men say, black men say, I can't come out because my black sisters won't accept me? I won't be --

BURT-MURRAY: Right. My church won't accept me.

LEMON: My church won't accept me.

BURT-MURRAY: Yes, my community won't accept me. And those are very real fears. But the community has to understand that we have to move beyond this because it is killing us.

LEMON: OK. We talk now about out in the open, about the down low, the black community's dirty little secret.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: I was researching something for a story I was doing as part of our Gay in America series, and there was one young man at work who said -- I said, well, do you know anyone who is on the down low who I can interview about what have you? And he said, no one, I couldn't tell you. He said, I am. And I said, why can't you -- why won't you just come o come out? He said, because my sisters won't love me. They won't accept me. My family won't love me. My family won't accept me. And I say, so you walk around working, pretend that you're straight? And he said, yeah, I have to do that in order to survive. What is that drama?

TYREE "DJ DRAMA" SIMMONS, APHILLIATES: It's a shame.

(LAUGHTER)

You know, it's tough. I mean, you know, my, being a person shouldn't be judged by, you know, who they fall in love with, you know, who they feel is special to them, you know what I mean?

FARRAH GRAY, AUTHOR/ENTREPRENEUR: I think homosexuality in the black community has been something that, like we said, we really don't talk about, that on the down low thing didn't really come about. I didn't know that there were that many brothers on the down low until the book came out myself. And I started educating myself on the topic because many of us live in the 51st state of the United States, and that's the state of denial.

LEMON: You see the president speaking to the largest gay rights organization in the country, really in the world, the HRC, saying that he is going to get rid of, abolish Don't Ask, Don't Tell. He's going to abolish the domestic partnership thing, defense of marriage act, I should say. He is going to -- he supports civil unions, didn't go far as to say he supported same-sex marriage.

As someone who is a church leader and also a community dealing with people who are on the down low, what does this do to you? As he said, this is a challenge. Do you agree with him?

BISHOP EDDIE L. LONG, SR. PASTOR, NEW BIRTH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH: We've had members of our congregation with a gay lifestyle, et cetera. And that's nothing that we can deny. A lot of times we never address it, we act like it wasn't there, et cetera. And when you get in the body of Christ and people of faith, I'm finding that different sides, the way you interpret scripture. I think the bottom line of the whole thing is, number one, respect, number two, love.

But if my conviction would be personally, if my conviction was, well, I don't believe in the gay lifestyle, and I believe it's not God's way. I should be respectful.

TYRONE MCGOWAN, MOREHOUSE COLLEGE SENIOR: Don, I believe that if there's any place that our brothers and sisters who choose a different lifestyle should be accepted, it should be the church. They should be able to find love, embracing affirmation in the church from the pulpit.

PERRY: We could argue all night whether it's chosen or not. That's inconsequential. What we can in fact deal with is what is. If one person believes it's a choice, if another person believes it's part of who they are, in the end we're talking about a person who has identified him or herself as a homosexual. And as such, we need to treat that person with a certain level of respect.

CNN also spoke with Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)'s President Jarrett Barrios, on the topic of the Obama admin and the LGBT community.

I'm not surprised that Faux News doesn't give us the time of day regarding our issues (unless it's in a negative light), but is MSNBC giving as much time/less time? Just asking, since I haven't seen much reporting during news segments.

We are 11 days away from the November Election. The Portland, Maine office is humming with volunteer activity. Every day, volunteers drop off food provisions for all the other volunteers. The first day we had homemade chili, yesterday egg salad sandwiches, and this morning someone brought in some carrots from their own yard. Mainers are chipping in any way they can. My time has bem their own yard. Mainers are chipping in any way they can. My time has been spent in the office working in the communications department while Travis Prinslow and Meleanie Altaras have been adopted into the Data and Campus Outreach departments. We work 9 to 9, when we're lucky and have been working on a variety of projects. From confirming volunteers, to getting people to vote early and in person volunteer recruitment. The amount of work that goes into a campaign is astounding. You walk into any office and you hear typing, people on the phone, stapling, paper shuffling and people being directed. It's a small preview of what Oregon will be dealing with soon enough. However, Oregon's fight will be much larger-- Maine's population is a third the size of Oregon's. I'm grateful that Basic Rights Oregon is starting early and getting all our ducks in a row before we enter our own fight. Maine's latest YouTube celebrity goes by the name of Phillip Spooner. Mr. Spooner is 85 years old, a WWII vet, and a lifelong republicanâ€"he is also in favor of marriage equality. Click here to watch his testimony in April during the Marriage hearings. His video has officially gone viral, with close to 500,000 views. Mainers are excited to have someone like Mr. Spooner speaking up for equality, so much so that he has unofficially become the face of the campaign. Click here to watch a segment of Mr. Spooner being interviewed about his views on Marriage Equality. The opposition is using children to scare voters into voting against equality. They are running ads claiming that "gay sex education" will be taught in schools. Fortunately, the Maine campaign has been very diligent about countering their ads and has caused a stir by featuring a French catholic woman who supports her son's right to get married. Yolande Dumont is also a Maine celebrity and has inspired Catholics and other religious denominations to come out and support the No on 1 campaign. Of course the Catholic DIoces is bankrolling the opposition's campaign along with National Organization marriage and Shubert Flint of prop 8 fame. When Yolande first came on the airwaves the Catholic Diocese was up in arms and started to spend resources countering Yolande's message. This is exciting because the opposition is now on the defensive. Not only do they have to counter multiple legislators, and educators on the whole "Teaching gay in Schools" issue, now they have to make sure that other fair minded Catholics reject Yolande's message. If the No on 1 Campaign wins on Election Day it will be a model on how to defeat the oppositions' vitriol and lies. Although, Maine is literally the farthest place from Oregon in the country, their efforts will have a huge impact on our work. They need all the help they can get. If you have not donated to the NO on 1 campaign you can do so by clicking here. If you cannot afford a donation but have some extra time on your hands you can phone bank from Oregon with their Call for Equality Program sign up here. I'm going to get back to work now but feel free to shoot me an email if you have any questions about getting involved in the Maine campaign. In solidarity, Alejandro Juarez Communications Coordinator Basic Rights Oregon (503) 222-6151 x 105 alejandro@basicrights.org
“You Have Always Been Welcome Here” here Presented by PFLAG Pendleton in cooperation with Communities of Welcoming Congregations & The Drama Queens    -   “You Have Always Been Welcome Here” portrays the lives of four transgender people as they explore their relationships to family, gender, Christianity and spirituality.   Rev. Tara Wilkins, executive director of Community of Welcoming [...]

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