02.28.05 (1:01 pm) posted by Genia
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Episode 2, Season 2:
I almost fell out of my chair laughing when viewers learned in episode 2 of The L Word's second season that Marina's father was really her hubby of 12 years. Dear lord. WHAT exactly is The L Word up to? That was just almost too predictable. Ya never know about these "lesbians" who are married to men.
Tina got a lawyer, thanks to Alice making the suggestion. It became apparent that Alice is a bit jaded because she was dumped by Bette after a very brief fling. Ouch! And of course, Alice is being pretty judgemental of Bette's behavior while she simultaneously chases another woman's fiancee. Alice seems to be pretty jealous of Bette and appears to relish in Bette's misery.
But Shane is on to Alice, and mentions that she knows something is going on between Alice and Dana. Alice, of course, freaks and asks Shane if anyone else knows. That's right, bitch! Now you can't point your finger at Bette 'cuz someone knows your dirty little secret. Wouldn't that be just the way these girls would behave?
Sandra Bernhard was a true treat on this episode! I loved the way she made Jenny slink away like the loser she is. Bravo!
02.27.05 (9:01 pm) posted by Genia
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Reports are stating comedian Chris Rock literally rocked this year's Oscars. I'm sure it was a huge surprise to many who expected him to fall on his face because they can't stand his profanity-laced stand-up comedy. Rock even received a standing ovation from the star-studded audience, before he ever got started.
Congrats to a fellow potty mouth who says it the way he wants -- when he wants -- and offers no apologies.
London, Feb 28 (IANS) Gay men use the same strategies for navigating as women, using landmarks to find their way around, a new study suggests.
But they also use strategies typically used by straight men, such as using compass directions and distances, reported New Scientist magazine quoting a University of East London study on 80 heterosexual and homosexual men and women.
In contrast, gay women read maps just like straight women.
Ok, I noticed bisexuals and transgendered people weren't mentioned. So, who wants to label this article with some kind of word that ends in "phobia" first. Ha!
Seriously though, I thought this was an interesting article, although a bit odd. Now someone is studying how gays and lesbians read maps?
I need to decide the best person to take with me on a camping trip -- a gay man, a straight man, or a lesbian? That sounds like the beginning of a really bad joke.
02.27.05 (3:58 pm) posted by Genia
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A recent press release offers a brief interview with pop diva and Broadway star, Vanessa Williams:
Q: What do you think it is about your music that appeals to gay people? A: I think that my gift as a performer and what probably works for me as a singer when I record is that I can use my acting ability to be a storyteller. I think that “Save the Best for Last” did well not only because it was a well-written song and was very sentimental, but people could hear me smile while I was singing, they could connect with the wistfulness and the longing, which as a singer all comes from being able to do my acting homework. It’s more than vocal acrobatics or how long I can hold the note. I try to make it as intimate as possible. When you tell a story, and you make people feel, that’s what works for me.
Q: How do you feel about gay marriage? A: I have no problem with it. I completely support it. I have many gay friends that are married. Close male friends of mine have been living together as a couple for over 20 years, and they have adopted a beautiful baby girl who is now 3-years-old. They are fantastic parents. Other gay couples I know are also looking to adopt and are trying to find the right combination. And then I have single gay friends who are adoptive parents.
Of course, the interviewer goes on to ask Ms. Williams how she would respond if one of her children came out as gay, and if she would ever play the role of a lesbian. Her answers aren't a surprise at all.
02.27.05 (2:07 pm) posted by Genia
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I'd almost forgotten I was on the mailing list for Family Evolutions, an e-commerce website that offers clothing and accessories for alternative families. In the email I received today, FE announced The L Word would soon feature products from the FE line.
Former lesbian couple Bette (played by Jennifer Beals) and Tina (played by Laurel Holloman) are having a baby -- only Bette doesn't know that yet. Items from FE's baby line will appear on The L Word starting with the February 27th episode. Hopefully, this will be the same episode where Bette learns she's going to be a Mommy.
I like the FE products, for the most part, but I am a bit disturbed by the "My Daddy's name is Donor" bib. I think that's a bit over the top since it involves a child. Now, I know at least one of my readers wouldn't consider my opinion very progressive (and I really don't give a damn). But, that bib is nothing more than a political statement using a child as the medium. To me, that's not cool people. That's like hanging a sign around a child's neck that says, "My Mommy doesn't know who my Daddy is" and sending that child off to school. It also reminds me of the 5 year old who sits on her Dad's shoulder, proudly waving the American flag to show her patriotism and she probably can't even spell America or patriotism.
On a good note: congratulations to FE on a job well done for alternative families everywhere.
02.26.05 (8:40 pm) posted by Genia
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They haven't responded.
I find it quite curious indeed; however, Bill Berkowitz says it so much better than I could:
They were livid over SpongeBob Square Pants' participation in a video advocating tolerance, and fuming about Buster the Bunny's visit to a lesbian household. So where's the outrage from the Christian right over the Jeff Gannon Affair? Despite a chunk of time having passed since the Gannon Affair was first uncovered, Christian right organizations are still cloaked in silence. As of February 24, there wasn't any news about the Gannon Affair available on the Web sites of Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council, the American Family Association, or the Traditional Values Coalition. As best as I could determine, no special alerts about the Gannon Affair have been issued; and no campaigns have been launched to get to the bottom of the matter.
Berkowitz contacted Dr. James Dobson and Focus on the Family, The Family Research Council, The Traditional Values Coalition, The Free Congress Foundation, the editors of Town Hall, and American Family Association. None of those organizations have made one statement whatsoever about the supposed conservative anti-gay homosexual pimp who owned gay websites and was infamous for tossing out open-ended questions to GW during press conferences. Not one!
02.26.05 (4:43 pm) posted by Genia
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Sharon Stone must realize the power of playin' a dyke on TV, particularly since it's so faddish these days. The latest reports say Basic Instinct 2 will contain lesbian love. Ooooh. I can hardly wait to run out and see it. I'll be the first in line on opening night. Pfft.
Apparently Stone's character admitted she had 2 lesbian relationships in the first movie. I don't remember that, obviously, because I didn't give a crap. I'm not even sure why they were called "lesbian relationships" because Stone's character isn't a lesbian. But who am I to decide what to call things? Nobody asked me.
She's become a lesbian icon of sorts since she starred opposite Ellen DeGeneres in "If These Walls Could Talk." So, ladies, pay your $12 and go watch Stone play dyke. Send me a synopsis (very brief, please) after you've seen it, will ya?
I noticed in her interview she hinted that she might be interested in a "lesbian relationship" in real life: "When Bush asks if Stone, 46, would welcome life imitating art, Stone replies, "Why not? Middle age is an open-minded period." Can we say, "playing to your audience"? Stone isn't any more interested in a relationship with a woman than Angelina Jolie or Ani DiFranco.
02.26.05 (4:19 pm) posted by Genia
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And they call us loonies?
A FL lesbian teenager who is openly gay and dressed in a tux was banned from her high school yearbook.
The county school board and its superintendent backed the decision, which was debated at a School Board meeting attended by about 200 people.
What a waste of taxpayer money. The school board claims it's not an issue of sexual orientation, but rather an issue of dress code. The lesbian teen was not supposed to be dressed in men's attire. There is no written dress code for school pictures, so I'm not sure how this teenager violated a dress code that doesn't exist.
And this folks, is what the right thinks they can do since their boy is back in the White House. Who was that teenager hurting by wearing that tuxedo? Not a single soul.
02.26.05 (3:58 pm) posted by Genia
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It's kinda scarey to see this topic, particularly since SistersTalk reader Alena (I think) mentioned awhile back that she wondered if women would abort babies if genetic testing pre-birth indicated the child was gay. It was my opinion that pro-lifers would have no part of that, although many pro-lifers are also anti-gay folks. A child is a precious life, yes, even if it's a gay child. I imagine that would be the pro-lifer's stance. If it's not, it would be the biggest show of hypocrisy this world has ever seen.
So, obviously someone else is thinking the same thing I'm thinking: that women and couples would be so bothered to learn that their little Johnny may be a flaming homosexual that women may want to abort the child. State Rep. Brian Duprey has filed a bill that would forbid women from ending a pregnancy based on the projected sexual orientation of a fetus. Let's see how long it takes to see that bill passed, shall we?
For all the pro-choice advocates out there (I am one of them), do you still think a woman has the right to choose to abort a child -- even if the only reason she's doing it is because the child is gay? Will we still support a woman's right to choose if we learn she wants to abort just because the child is gay?
We support a woman's right to choose for so many reasons: economics, her health, or just to be supportive of her right to choose, even if we don't agree with abortion itself (that would be me). So, to say, "wait, I don't support your right to choose if the only reason you're doing it is because you learned the child is gay" is a bit hypocritical. At least it is to me.
I can see so many LGBT groups, particularly those that are women-focused and pro-choice, being really torn with this issue. And really, I can see many of them being extremely hypocritical about it also. I see these same pro-choice groups being up in arms that a woman would want to abort a gay child. But why? Are you supporting her right to choose or not? Does that support come with conditions? I see groups like the HRC (lord bless their little hearts) issuing a bold statement (in the form of yet another press release) vehemently opposing a woman's right to abort a gay child. Nevermind the millions of babies (sexual orientation unknown) that have already been aborted. Where was the opposition then?
It would be amazing to see a religious group standing on the side of the road with anti-abortion signs that say, "Life is Precious, Even Gay Life." Will we see that?
02.25.05 (10:08 pm) posted by Genia
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All I could do was laugh when I read this article because it was just so unbelievable. I felt like I was reading a really bad soap opera story line.
A brief synopsis:
The story involves two doctors in Chicago. A male doctor alleges a female doctor stole his sperm and impregnated herself. The female says the child was conceived in the usual fashion. The male says he and the woman engaged only in oral sex; therefore, the only way the child could be his is if the woman used his sperm to get herself pregnant without his knowledge. There's an issue of child support in the story somewhere and there's a husband in the story too. Hers, not his. Ha!
I'm tying to figure out why this woman would deceive this man into getting her pregnant -- unless she's got a few screws loose. I know for a fact there are many, many men in Chicago -- many of whom are straight and would get her pregnant (knowingly or unknowingly) the old fashioned way. Her husband could have gotten her pregnant just as easily also.
02.24.05 (1:49 pm) posted by Genia
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I received an email from a woman who asked that I mention Terri Schiavo on SistersTalk. She said, "If there's anyone who talks about what they want to when they want to, it's you."
I have talked about Terri on SistersTalk before, but it was from a different perspective. I was not taking a side on the issue. I was, instead, speaking to the "sanctity of marriage" issue. Terri Schiavo and her husband Michael meet the right's definition of marriage: one woman, one man. Their marriage is sacred, according to the right. It should be honored. After all, that's what all the fuss is about, right? Protecting the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman. Michael should be allowed to provide for his one wife the way he sees fit and we, as a nation, should be honoring that one man one woman marriage and allowing him to do just that.
But, is the marriage really sacred? Michael is living with another woman and he has children with another woman. That's no sacred marriage just because one man is married to one woman. Michael has moved on with his life, yet he still has guardianship over Terri. Michael has moved on with his life, yet he still has the right to decide if Terri lives or dies. That is the problem with how we define marriage in this country. If anything, Michael's wife is really the woman he lives with and sleeps next to every night. His wife is really the woman he's been raising children with for years. His wife is not Terri Schiavo. Michael Schiavo has no right to decide if Terri lives or dies.
I would not want to live the way Terri lives. For me, it would be the worst way to live. It's unfortunate Terri did not leave written instructions. It's even worse that she's being bounced back and forth between the state, her parents, and her spouse like a tennis ball. I would hope that everyone would give the woman some peace.
MA to Hear Suit Challenging Out-of-State Marriage Ban
02.24.05 (12:38 pm) posted by Genia
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The state of Massachusetts has agreed to hear a suit that challenges the 1913 law that bars couples from marrying in MA if it would be illegal in their home state. I'm wondering if that law was originally designed to keep interracial couples from marrying in MA then returning to states like Alabama where interracial marriage was illegal for quite some time.
Same-sex couples are challenging the 1913 law for obvious reasons. MA is the first state, and the only state at this time, to allow same-sex couples to legally marry.
02.24.05 (12:20 pm) posted by Genia
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I apologize for neglecting SistersTalk. Lots of school work to catch up on.
Perhaps now that the government can make the correlation between stupid homophobic laws and the federal budget, we may see some changes around these here parts.
Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) has cost taxpayers $200 million since its inception. I bet there are some religious right folks goin' "and it was damn worth it, too!" It seems pretty obvious to those of us who have ever worked with employees (particulary recruiting, staffing, and developing long-term strategic staffing plans) that it costs an organization a lot of money to hire new people. Seems the military is just figuring that out. It only took them 12 years.
02.22.05 (7:56 am) posted by Genia
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L Word's episode 2 offered a view of how one lesbian mommy behaves when she learns her partner has had an affair.
Tina, pictured in the photo, is the as of now former partner to Jennifer Beals' character Bette. Bette had an affair with "the carpenter," as Bette's clique keeps calling her. To punish Bette for her infidelity, Tina won't tell Bette she's pregnant with the child they worked so hard to conceive. Originially, Tina kept her pregnancy a secret to protect Bette because of her previous miscarriage. It's obvious now she's doing it just to punish Bette.
We've seen this kind of bad form in lesbian mommy behavior in the news a lot lately:
It's nice to see the show's producers aren't making lesbian mommies out to be nurturing creatures who are without flaws. As a matter of fact, Tina's character reminds me of daytime soaps and how jaded pregnant women responded when they learned their men cheated on them. Remember your favorite character having her baby and the father not learning the child was his until the kid was in preschool -- or even college?
02.21.05 (7:09 pm) posted by Genia
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I get so many neo-cons passing through this blog telling me they're sick of listening to me talk about gay marriage and other gay issues that I'm starting to think there's a parrot perched in my hard drive. But I keep talking about it because I keep reading reports like these:
The hit feature Shrek 2 joins the ranks of animated films to be "outed" by some Christian fundamentalists in the U.S., who charge that cross-dressing and transgender themes have made their way into the beloved kids' movie and warn parents to beware.
Now, I'm wondering what rock these fools have been living under. Did they not watch cartoons as a child? If they did, they should be able to recall Bugs Bunny dressing in drag and luring Elmer Fudd into her seductive web of perversion just moments after Elmer tried to kill her. The two of them had an almost sadistic sexual tension between them. Hell, I remember the two of them making it to the alter more than once while Bugs was in drag. Can we say gay marriage on a children's cartoon? Even back then!
The difference? Gays and lesbians have more political strength today. We communicate with each other more. We react to news faster. We have the power of the internet to help us pass information quickly and easily. It scares the hell out of them. If Bugs Bunny were running around in drag today, fooling Elmer into marrying him, the religious wrong would have a fit -- when they didn't give a fuck before because they assumed they would always have the upper hand.
02.21.05 (11:31 am) posted by Genia
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Homer Simpson jumps into the gay marriage debate. Marge's sister came out as gay and Homer Simpson became an ordained minister so he could marry same-sex couples. Not too big of a surprise on the Simpsons.
Roberta Knight of Concerned Women for America said television was becoming obsessed with homosexuality. I would agree. Thanks to GW and his push to criminalize same-sex marriage. When GW took to national television and made a call to Americans to protect the sanctity of heterosexual marriages, he began the process of dividing Americans. He began the process of dividing Americans in order to protect an entity even heterosexuals show little respect for: note the 50% divorce rate and the millions of bastard children in America.
So yes, television is obsessed with homosexuality, but mostly the television Ms. Knight doesn't like is obsessed with exposing the right's blatant hypocrisy. Perhaps that is what bothers Ms. Knight.
02.19.05 (5:45 pm) posted by Genia
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I just don't know what to say about some of those anti-gay people:
As of this weekend, Famous Players, Canada's largest movie chain, will no longer run any "issue-driven advertising" in its 79 theatres after pre-film ads it's been carrying in support of same-sex marriage prompted a boycott of its theatres by opposing groups.
"We were starting to get e-mails that were threatening to our staff," Nuria Bronfman, the Toronto-based vice-president of corporate affairs for Famous Players, said yesterday.
The man who placed the ad, another Famous Players executive, said yesterday he'd received death threats.
Also, "the phone calls were starting to get abusive," explained Ms. Bronfman, "so we thought it's not fair for our staff to have to go through that sort of thing."
Now, umm. . . who said the conservatives were good people who didn't do naughty things or say naughty things? WHO was that? Seems a death threat is a really naughty thing.
In Canada, we have the homophobes threatening to cause death. In the US, we have the Bush Administration threatening to cut off funds to a suicide prevention program for the LGBT community because the program uses the words "gay", "lesbian", bisexual" and "transgender." But the liberals are the loonies around here? Marriage is THAT important of an issue the anti-gay marriage folks are willing to threaten people with death? You have GOT to be kidding me. Some of these people need some serious psychological help.
02.18.05 (11:33 am) posted by Genia
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In keeping with my usual style of potty-mouth language ('cuz I could give a rat's ass about the conservatives who keep returning time and time again to read it just so they can bitch about it), could the Bush administration be bigger jackasses?
(Washington) The Bush administration has backed down on a call for an LGBT suicide conference to remove the words "gay," "lesbian," "bisexual" and "transgender" from its material.
Charles Curie, Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, now says that it is permissible for groups that receive money from the agency to use the terms "Gay", "Lesbian", "Bisexual" and "Transgender" in the titles of SAMHSA-sponsored public events.
On Wednesday 365Gay.com reported that SAMHSA, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, had issued a veiled threat to organizers of the conference to be held in Portland, Oregon on February 28, that the use of LGBT terms could result in its funding being pulled.
Now, this kind of behavior by our grown-up elected officials offends me. But wait, the left should be less offensive with our foul-mouth rants on our blogs, yes? The left should think about who we are offending when we use swear words to complain about this kind of fucked up behavior, yes? We should speak softly and carry a huge ass fuckin' stick, while the right does whatever the hell they want.
Fat chance. At least not from this corner of the left.
Here we have GW and the rest of the right (which is really dead wrong) threatening to remove funding from an organization that works to prevent suicide. Why? Because the words "Gay", "Lesbian", "Bisexual" and "Transgender" are used in the title. Not because the organization was swindling the money. Not because the organization was buying drugs with the money. I wonder how GW's 1 million gay Republican supporters feel about that. Maybe we should ask them.
Melissa Etheridge Represents Lesbians With Breast Cancer
02.18.05 (9:01 am) posted by Genia
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An article about Melissa Etheridge's recent appearance at the Grammys reads in part:
In the flash of a paparazzo's camera, Melissa and her partner, Tammy Lynn Michaels, accomplished what lesbian health activists have been trying to do for decades: get the mainstream media to say the words "lesbian" and "cancer" in the same sentence, and get lesbians to focus on an issue of tremendous importance to their health and well being.
Since the Grammy Awards, my e-mail box has been filled with messages from women for whom, as one wrote, "Melissa just opened a huge closet door" in their lives. The comments ranged from deeply poignant ("I just wish Linda could have been here to see it with me. She loved Melissa so much") to fiercely empowered ("I'm not wearing my wig to work today -- bald is beautiful!") Even more wonderful was the number of calls and e-mail messages asking for information about cancer, or asking for referrals to lesbian-friendly doctors or asking how they could help lesbians with cancer. All because Melissa Etheridge had the courage to say, "Yes, I am." Yes, she is a lesbian. And, yes, she is a lesbian with cancer.
I can say I'm a Melissa Etheridge fan, but a new one. I'd say the SKIN album won me over. All her music before that just struck me as obsessive-love-get-thee-s ome-therapy music. I've enjoyed learning more about Melissa in the past few years and I can say I was touched by the news that she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Melissa is but one woman with breast cancer of millions, so let's not forget that. I'm sure she wouldn't want us to forget that.
What I'm disturbed about is the representation we're placing in Melissa's hands -- particularly with such a serious issue. The author of this piece stated that Melissa accomplished something that lesbian health activists haven't been able to accomplish for decades. My best friend is 47 years old. She's had the same family doctor since she was 18. He is not aware that she is a lesbian. Why is that?
The author of this piece also noted she received many emails and phone calls from women looking for lesbian-friendly doctors. Why are lesbians just feeling comfortable enough to seek out lesbian-friendly doctors? What did these lesbian health activists do all these decades? Attempt to win over mainstream media? Or attempt to get lesbians to seek out lesbian-friendly doctors? Well, it wasn't the latter, because the author specifically stated these activists have been attempting to win over mainstream media. My best friend has never even heard of any lesbian health organizations. The same is true of most of the lesbians she associates with. Somewhere along the way, the media got more attention from these lesbian health activists than the lesbians did.
In addition, lesbian activist movements tend to be very much academia-centered. Many lesbians who are not a part of the academic scene miss so much important information.
So, that is why Melissa Etheridge has been able to accomplish so much with the "flash of a paparazzo's camera." Her image spoke something loud and clear to lesbians who have needed something so badly for decades. Her image said, "you need to do something 'cuz these activists ain't doin' it for ya." It's been decades.
So, in hindsight, I don't see this as Melissa Etheridge representing lesbians with breast cancer. I see her as showing those women how to represent themselves.
Judge Rules Religious Group Can't Post Anti-Gay Flyers At Work
02.17.05 (9:33 am) posted by Genia
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A brief item in the American Thinker discusses a judge who ruled a group that posted an item promoting "the natural family" to the City of Oakland's bulletin board could not do so; however gay and lesbian groups could continue to post items to the same bulletin board. The American Thinker feels this embodies a form of viewpoint discimination.
In the article the American Thinker points to, it mentions that two city employees planned to form a religious club that promoted the formation of natural families. This club bothered a city employee and thus the flyer was removed. The reason is the flyer created a hostile workplace:
The flyer, posted on a workplace bulletin board in January 2003, urged readers to "preserve our workplace with integrity'' and called the group a forum for "people of faith'' to express their views "with respect for the natural family, marriage and family values.''
I noticed The American Thinker did not mention that the flyer violated anti-discrimination laws that protect gays and lesbians in the workplace. The flyer spoke directly to city employees and meant to involve the workplace in a religious battle between homosexuals and the church. That is unacceptable in a working environment. Creating workplace drama is ridiculous and only something a small person would do.
GW Names His Daddy's Former Partner-in-Crime as Intelligence Director
02.17.05 (8:47 am) posted by Genia
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This is one TV mini-series I can't wait to see. Amazing the things our government has been doing, and apparently repeating, for quite some time now.
The latest reports announce that GW has named his Daddy's former partner in crime, John Negroponte, the first National Intelligence Director.
Well, if GW wants someone he and his family can trust, Negroponte is the man for the job. The rest of us are up shit creek.
I am still trying to figure out how 51% of the country got to be so damn stupid. Oh yeah, it was that gay issue and those family values. Nevermind the fact that those bankrolled by the GW administration consist of gay pimps who own porn websites, Black conservative commentators who lie to the country, and political figures who cover up illegal weapons deals. Average citizens have to have values, but politicians don't. I see . . .
I saw an ad for a conservative gay website that said something like "ravishing the left and enjoying every minue of it." Honey, I wouldn't brag about that if I was you. You're pimpin' your shit like a $2 ho'. On your knees, bitch!
02.17.05 (3:39 am) posted by Genia
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Pat Mitchell, the PBS President who gave the OK for the "Postcards from Buster" episode that featured a lesbian couple on the way to Vermont, has announced she will resign when her contract ends in 2006. And ya know what? I don't blame her. She can do so much better someplace else.
At a time when PBS is facing significant fundraising challenges, as it was before Mitchell took over, it was a good idea to reach out to new demographics. It sure doesn't seem like the government will be dumping loads of cash in PBS's bank account since we're spending $81.9B on Iraq.
Lesbian mothers and gay fathers (whose kids watch educational television) exist. It's a shame there are so many people in the United States who want to pretend that isn't true.
02.17.05 (3:17 am) posted by Genia
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A heated debate transpired between Democrats and Republicans in Virginia regarding the suitability of gays and lesbians for adoption purposes. It was nice to see the issue wasn't a party issue, but instead an issue that got to the heart of each individual's feelings about homosexuals.
Black listed a string of reasons why he thinks gays and lesbians are unfit to adopt children, including a supposed high rate of suicide, drug use, child abuse and depression.
"It is my belief that homosexuality presents a degree of risk. We want an adoptive child in the place where they have the best chance to flourish," Black said.
Sen. Janet Howell, D-Fairfax, pounced.
Are you saying depressed people shouldn't be allowed to adopt? she asked.
"Yes," Black responded.
Do you know how many straight people are clinically depressed?
"I would imagine lots," he responded.
Sen. Thomas K. Norment Jr., R-James City, said he has handled thousands of adoption cases as a lawyer and has never seen a child placed with an adult who wasn't recommended as able to provide a secure, loving environment, regardless of sexual orientation. As a result, he said, the bill wasn't needed.
The anti-gay adoption bill was killed and the Conservative religious right was angry. They were most angry the Senators did not record their votes individually.
02.17.05 (2:43 am) posted by Genia
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Why does it seem she gets more beautiful as she ages?
MSNBC reports Jennifer Beals will return with The L Word this season, but her relationship with her onscreen long-term partner Tina will have a few problems. No big surprise there. It's a dramatic TV series about lesbians.
Beals had a few things to say about gay marriage:
“I’m always shocked that gay marriage is such a big deal,” says Beals over coffee in a Lower East Side patisserie she loves visiting when she’s in town. “You have to realize how precious human life is, when there are tsunamis and mudslides, when there are armies and terrorists — at any moment, you could be gone, and potentially in the most brutal fashion.
“And then you have to realize that love is truly one of the most extraordinary things you can experience in your life. To begrudge someone else their love of another person because of gender seems to me absolutely absurd.
“It’s based in fear, fear of the other, fear of what is not like you,” she says.
Anyway, I'm still looking forward to watching The L Word this season although I hate my local cable company.
02.17.05 (2:18 am) posted by Genia
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Yahoo! News reports that George Michael's new 100-minute docummentary discusses that infamous arrest in 1998 that forced him out the proverbial closet.
I'm not sure what the big deal is about this particular discussion of George Michael's public bathroom activities. Michael has already discussed this issue with Oprah Winfrey on public television.
Ya know, George Michael really is one handsome man. Geezus.
02.16.05 (8:28 pm) posted by Genia
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As I read this article, I wondered, "who the fuck wrote this article?" It wasn't until I got to the bottom and saw "those liberals" that I started questioning the source. In addition, this writer's work is published on Alan Keyes' website quite often. So, umm. . . yeah.
Isaiah Z. Sterrett, a Conservative commentator, suggests Chris Rock is a homophobe because he says things like "fuck those faggots" when he mocks GW. As if Isaiah gives a rat's ass about what Chris Rock says about faggots. I guess that makes me a homophobe too because I call GW's gay Republican supporters "GW whores." Being a Republican isn't necssarily a bad thing (I hear ya'll snickerin'. It's not.). But supporting that Republican after he did everything in his power to fuck the homos in the ass to win an election . . . oh wait. Nevermind. I see, said the blind man.
Gay.com had nothing else to write about, so they jumped on a comment Chris Rock made to Entertainment Weekly. He said, "Come on, it's a fashion show," he told the magazine. "What straight black man sits there and watches the Oscars? Show me one." The readers there jumped on that bit and are now saying Chris Rock said only gay men watch the Oscars. That's not what he said. He said straight Black men don't watch the Oscars. And, he has a point.
Why did the Oscars hire Chris Rock? To increase its viewership among Black men and Black viewers in general because statistics show the buying power among Black Americans has increased tremendously in the past 5 years. I'm guessing we'll see several commercials with darker faces during this year's Oscar run. Note the P. Diddy Superbowl commercial this year. With the big fuss everyone is making about Chris Rock's comments, I wonder what the Black viewership will be. Obviously, gays won't turn away just because Chris Rock is hosting it. Gays don't stop supporting GW, I hardly see them shunning the Oscars. And yes, I did suggeststate that homosexuals watch the Oscars. Guess that makes me a homophobe too.
02.15.05 (1:55 pm) posted by Genia
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While doing my usual afternoon newsfeed reading, I happened upon a letter to the editor from a reader named Ethel Hamm. Ethel was angry the editors had used a story about a local lesbian woman who had lost her partner as its feature story. Ethel wrote, in part:
Dear Editor:
I was appalled when I picked up the Sunday morning Advocate on Feb. 6 and read the front-page headlines. The Advocate had chosen a story about lesbians as its feature story. With so many things going on in the world today that affect so many more people than a story on lesbians, how can the Advocate justify this coverage? Why is anyone surprised that our moral values have taken such a downward spiral? It seems that we are willing to accept the "anything goes" idea today.
So, I took a look through the website's archives to learn of the "more important things in the world" that Ethel spoke of. Obviously there were many things published in this publication that did not bother Ethel, that Ethel felt was much more important than the lesbians. I am guessing this is the case because Ethel did not write and complain about those items.
Here's a random sample of news headlines I found:
Danville mulls need for new police station
People: Brandi Carpenter, 23-year-old at nerve center of Boyle bus system
DHS forensics team wins regional title
Net Xpress: 'Funny money' from meal kits can teach kids about finances
Bill would stop winery from selling beer
Illness closes Lincoln schools
Danville couple spend retirement building Habitat homes
Wickliffe resigns as chairman of Mercer park board
Perryville named Preserve America community
Junction City considers taking Railroad Days back
Corner Inn gets dancing permit
Lincoln will limit multiple driveways on major roads
Drug dog visits Garrard school board meeting
Pet of the Week
All those stories look so much more important than the lesbians. Yep.
This isn't about what story is more important. The newspaper was attempting to provide a diverse mixture of news and information because the editors realize the local community consists of diverse people. Ethel there could care less about that. Why should Ethel care about diversity when we have GW and his GOP soldiers attempting to make everybody a little Republican mini-me?
02.15.05 (12:49 pm) posted by Genia
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Ok, so ya know what that means, right? It means I won't be shuttin' the hell up anytime soon.
A recent report states petition drives in 19 states have been launched to ban gay marriages -- FL is one of them. After 11 states successfully passed gay bans in the 2004 election, conservatives and religious fanatics in 19 other states decided they would attempt to do the same thing in their states.
So, it seems the people who keep pushing the issue here is not the homosexuals, but instead those who don't want to see homosexuals have the right to marry.
Personally, I think gay couples should be taking this issue to the Supreme Court. It's the same court that slapped Texas and its ancient sodomy laws right in the face. Obviously the House of Representatives isn't certain the government can win the issue at the Supreme Court level or they wouldn't be attempting to keep gay couples from challenging the issue with their fucked up unconstitutional Marriage Protection Act -- an act that states (simply put) a citizen cannot challenge state gay marriage bans at the Supreme Court level. That's like passing a law that says no one can ever challenge Roe vs. Wade. I wonder how the Christians would feel if an Abortion Protection Act was passed and they didn't have the right to challenge abortions.
"I think we're in a very different situation," Kerry told reporters. "I'm going to vote for this ... I think this money is important to our being successful and to the completion of the process."
Uh. . . yeah. Another $81.9 billion. Ain't this just grand? GW is the man with the plan.
02.15.05 (7:39 am) posted by Genia
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They're the first ones to tell us to stop whining and get over it when we doth protest too much. But, let us chat more than they want us to about one of their own people's indiscretions and they bitch about us only doing it because it's a conservative who was caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar. Well, yes! Of course that's why we're doing it, ya jackasses. It's the same reason you people hammer away at the liberals -- because they're liberals. It's the same reason you people hammer away at progressives -- because we're progressives. So, fuck the whiney ass conservatives. Let's chat more about Jeff Gannon.
Seems Jeff Gannon, the conservative anti-gay White House staff writer, doesn't just own gay websites, he poses on those websites also. Americablog has some amazing photos to view.
Now, when the liberal and progressive bloggers couldn't stop chatting it up about Armstrong Williams, we heard the same whiney ass crap from the conservatives: "they're just doing this because it's a conservative." Oh yeah, and the conservatives bash Hillary Clinton because she's a . . . woman? A white woman? No! They do it because she's an extremely liberal Democrat.
I shall check the usual conservative spots in a few days to see how they handle this issue, particularly the self-righteous Barber -- especially since her disdain for homosexuals is so apparent. Her Sophomore year English rhetoric on the Armstong Williams issue was touching to say the least, but if you took that course, you could see clean through it. It shall be quite entertaining to see the anti-homosexual conservatives defending the supposed anti-gay conservative pimp who plastered nude pictures of himself on his gay websites. Quite entertaining indeed.
I don't think the GOP soldiers have a script to answer to this one, except "you liberals are so fuckin' brainwashed" or "you liberals are so stupid." or "Genia, you don't care at all about this issue, you just want to point out that conservatives are hypocritical." Pick one. All of them are overused.
[b]Update: February 15, 2005 2:22pm[/b]
The Conservative Voice offers no apologies for Gannon. In fact, he exposes Gannon's problems with the IRS.
Ya know, I wonder how the rest of the gay Republicans are dealing with this news. Are the male ones lookin' up Gannon's number? He is kinda cute.
[b]Update February 15, 2005 2:35 pm[/b]
Jeff is cute alright. He'll need those great looks where he might be headed. Who leaked Valerie Plame's name to Jeff Gannon?
02.14.05 (5:20 pm) posted by Genia
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The things people send me. In my email this evening is a video from Dean Friedman. Click the image to view the video:
.
It may take a minute for the song to completely download, so be patient. Grab some snacks from the kitchen while you wait.
Oh, I forgot to mention. Take a look at the Prevention First Act ad to your left. If you agree with the initiative, please help NARAL by simply signing the petition.
Parental Obligations: Is College Tuition One of Them?
02.14.05 (8:52 am) posted by Genia
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We've been talking about Maya Keyes in another thread. Her father disowned her and refuses to pay her college tuition. As a college educated woman who has found ways to pay my own college tuition and fees, both undergraduate and graduate degrees (see those ads to your left? they pay for books.), I don't necessarily feel it's a parent's obligation to pay for a child's college education.
While I don't agree with Alan Keyes refusing to talk to his daughter because she's a lesbian, I'm not singing any sad songs because he won't pay her college tuition. A solution to Maya's college woes? She can take some time off and work for awhile -- saving money for school, then going back. She may even have to go into debt to fund her college education. What? Is that shock I hear? Many parents go into debt financing their kids' education. Why can't the child wait a few years, enter college as a non-traditional age student, and finance some of his or her tuition? Who benefits from the college degree anyway? Certainly not the parents, unless bragging rights are a benefit.
I can agree with a parent helping a child fund her or his college education. That's what I plan to do with my two children because I really want to start the tradition of college in my family. I am a first generation college student. If I pay for my children to attend college, I will expect them to pay me back.
02.13.05 (9:35 pm) posted by Genia
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Last year, Ferris High School in Spokane, Washington had a gay and lesbian students dance in which the age restriction was 14 - 22. This year, the school was to have the same dance, but 24 hours before the dance the event was canceled.
District Superintendent Brian Benzel said the dance was canceled after the district learned guests who were 22 would be allowed to the event. He said the district only learned of this on Thursday. The event was scheduled for Friday.
Benzel claims the dance was canceled because security was not arranged for people who were 22 years old. Gay and lesbian students believe the dance was canceled because the district caved to pressures from conservatives in the area.
02.13.05 (7:43 pm) posted by Genia
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This has been the subject of discussion on blogs since at least the end of January. The first I heard of it was on TCF's blog when a visitor mentioned in one of Bert's comment threads that Maya had been kicked out of her father's home and was looking for a place to live in Chicago. I see the story has made its way to mainstream media.
Washington Post writer Marc Fisher has picked up the story. It appears much of his story was lifted directly from Maya's blog.
In either case, Alan Keyes, a prominent, Black, conservative politician has booted Maya out of the house (as Maya has stated) because she's a lesbian. It's quite interesting this get-the-hell-out was timed for after the election.
I can honestly say my family could care less who or what I am. But then again, my family doesn't care what the world thinks of them. My family isn't all about putting on a show for the world and pretending to be better than everybody else while we hide our dirty little secrets from the world. My former in-laws were very much about pretending they were better than everybody else while they hid the fact that my mother in-law's father had sex with his own daughter. As long as they hid that fact, they could point the finger at me and judge my faults all day long. Those people still hide the fact that they have more gay people in their family than I have in mine. Yep, I know all about conservative families like those.
Thanks to Tari Akpodiete for the Washington Post article link and the Metafilter discussion link on the issue.
02.13.05 (3:56 pm) posted by Genia
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Some of you may already know this if you read some of the "in" political blogs. Well, the "in" liberal blogs, 'cuz I'm sure the GOP bloggers didn't touch it with a 10 foot pole.
Allegedly because of pressure from the Bush Administration, the Al-Jazeera network has been sold. Conservative Fox News was more than happy to purchase Al-Jazeera, claiming it will provide more fair-and-balanced reporting.
Immediately after 9/11, Condi Rice defended the United States on Al-Jazeera television. Even back then, the Bush Administration was exercising some control over the Al-Jazeera network. Please read the article for more details.
02.13.05 (8:27 am) posted by Genia
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The results of Iraq's election are in. Iraq's majority Shiite Muslims won nearly half the votes in the election on January 30. Shiite Muslims have been Iraq's most oppressed group. Now, they have significant power in Iraq.
The Shiite-dominated ticket received more than 4 million votes, or about 48 percent of the total cast, Iraqi election officials said. A Kurdish alliance was second with 2.175 million votes, or 26 percent, and Allawi's [(the US hand-picked interim Prime Minister)] list was third with about 1.168 million, or 13.8 percent.
Does anyone, besides myself, think it's more than a coincidence that the candidate with the most ties to the United States came in third place? What a way to thank us, eh?
The parties have 3 days to make any complaints before the election results are considered official.
liberal bloggers
Episode 2, Season 2:
A recent 
I'd almost forgotten I was on the mailing list for 
Sharon Stone must realize the power of playin' a dyke on TV, particularly since it's so faddish these days. The latest 
L Word's episode 2 offered a view of how one lesbian mommy behaves when she learns her partner has had an affair. 
Homer Simpson jumps into the 
An article about Melissa Etheridge's recent appearance at the Grammys 
This is one TV mini-series I can't wait to see. Amazing the things our government has been doing, and apparently repeating, for quite some time now. 
Pat Mitchell, the PBS President who gave the OK for the "Postcards from Buster" episode that featured a lesbian couple on the way to Vermont, has 
Why does it seem she gets more beautiful as she ages? 
Yahoo! News 
As I read 
This has been the subject of discussion on blogs since at least the end of January. The first I heard of it was on