Historic day

Well, needless to say I was very pleased with last Friday's Supreme Court ruling that State same sex marriage bans are unconstitutional, effectively creating marriage equality in all 50 states.  Immediately following the announcement couples began streaming to local court houses requesting marriage licenses.  June 26, 2015 became a historical date:  the date love won.

I was at work when the announcement was made but my aunt (who is straight) called me to share the good news.  A couple of my straight colleagues in the office and 2 of my neighbors also shared their concurrence with the Court's decision, which was a nice surprise to me.  I decided to take those congratulatory conversations just a step forward by saying the following (paraphrased):

"I hope the general public really understands how important this is.  You know, its not just about the right to walk down the isle and have a fabulous wedding.  There are so many legal rights and benefits that come along with the right to be married... visiting a spouse in the hospital, making medical decisions for a spouse, inheritance of jointly owned property, receipt of pensions, the ability to be covered by a spouse's medical insurance.  These and many more are things that were not legally available to same sex couples in states where same sex marriage bans were in place.  This ruling eliminates different treatment based on the gender of your spouse and creates real marriage equality, something all Americans deserve."

Some understood this already and simply agreed, while others' eyes widened and they said "Oh wow, I never thought of it that way."

It was a happy day for nearly everyone except the conservatives and right-wingers.  They of course began predicting the end of civilization as we know it due to these new unions which have absolutely no real affect on them.  

The White House celebrated the decision by projecting lights in the rainbow colors across its facade.  Facebook responded by providing a rainbow filter under which users' profile picture could be displayed.

I also liked that the timing of this decision occurred in June, the unofficial GLBT Pride month, and just 2 days prior to the 46th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, the unofficial beginning of the gay rights movement.

On my facebook page I posted this photo and caption:

Married in all 50 states now.  Thanks SCOTUS!

Harvey Milk Day

Today is Harvey Milk Day!  In my opinion Harvey Milk was a brave and intelligent man who used logic and humor to further equality for the GLBT community.  Many of this words are just as true and inspirational now as they were when he uttered them nearly 40 years ago.

12 memorable Harvey Milk quotes:

1. "Gay brothers and sisters, you must come out!  Destroy the lies and distortions.  For your sake; for their sake."
2. "I have never considered myself a candidate.  I have always considered myself part of a movement."
3. "I would like to see every gay doctor come out, every gay lawyer, every gay architect come out.  Stand up and let the world know!  That would do more to end prejudice overnight than anyone could imagine."
4. "You have to give them hope."
5. "If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door in the country."
6. "Without hope, not only gays but the blacks, the seniors, the handicapped, the us'es - the us'es will give up... Because if a gay person makes it, the doors are open to everyone."
7. "Hope will never be silent."
8. "My name is Harvey Milk and I'm here to recruit you."
9. "Coming out is the most political thing you can do."
10. "Burst down those closet doors once and for all and stand up and start to fight."
11. "All young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential."
12. "All men are created equal.  No matter how hard they try they can never erase those words.  That is what America is about."

Source

Church

The 1st time I heard this song it was performed on "The Sing Off" as a judge's choice.  Its not as 'melodic' as lots of other songs in my opinion that have a 'catchy' hook or chorus, so it really didn't stick in my mind.

However, I recently saw the video for this song and I must say its message is powerful.

 
It reminds me of what has been going on in Russia.  The HBO documentary "Hunted: The War Against Gays in Russia" exposed the horrible way gays and lesbians are treated, both by private citizens and by the police and government. 

While the lyrics don't suggest the song is about a gay couple, the video is quite clear.

Watch the video and see if you're not moved.

GLBT love at the Grammys

I tend not to watch awards shows much anymore. 

I rarely see Broadway shows so I have no idea who/what the nominees are for the Tony awards. The Screen Actor's Guild, People's Choice, and Gold Globes awards often get boring with the rambling acceptance speeches.  Why do the winners feel the need to publicly thank dozens of people we don't know?  That's something they should do on their own time!

And then, of course, there is often the dreadful scripted dialog for the presenters to deliver, which most of the time includes insincere self-deprication and 'jokes' that fall flatter than a pancake.

So I really wasn't planning on watching the Grammy awards this year.  Spouse was flipping the channel and nothing interesting came on, so when he paused at the Grammy show we began to watch it.  It was actually much better than I remember from past years.

I was somewhat surprised but very happy to see a 3 distinct occasions where GLBT rights and love were shown or spoken of in a very favorable light.

I'll start with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.  They 1st got my attention a year ago with their debut song "Thrift Shop".  But last night they performed their 2nd hit song "Same Love" which ended with Queen Latifah marrying 33 couples (same-sex and opposite-sex), saying "by the power invested in my by the state of California, I now pronounce you a married couple!".

Many observers (including country singer Keith Urban) were brought to tears.  I've never seen anything quite like it! 

Next came a performance by Kacey Musgrove whose name I'd never heard of, but that's not surprising since I don't listen to country music.  Kacy performed her song "Follow Your Arrow" which contains the lyrics "Make lots of noise, kiss lots of boys, or kiss lots of girls if that's somethin' you're into.  If the straight and narrow is a little too straight..."

Its a catchy tune with a terrific message.  And how can you not love a woman who wears a Mexican Christmas tree skirt?

And finally in Paul Williams' acceptance speech for Daft Punk he said they wanted him to say that "As elegant and classy as the Grammy has ever been, is the moment when we saw those wonder marriages, and that "Same Love" is fantastic and the height of fairness and love, and the power of love for all people, at any time, in any combination." 

What made me stay up late on a school night until the Grammy awards was over?  I wanted to make sure I didn't miss any other support messages during the show.  And then as I climbed in bed it occured to me that I had just witnessed history:  the 1st time a marriage (or 33 marriages to be exact) were conducted during an awards show.  And some of those couples were gay and lesbian.

The times they are a-changin'.

Remembering Stonewall

Today is the 44th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, considered by many to be the single most important event leading to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for gay and lesbian rights in the United States.

That chain of events should be remembered by GLBT people, for I believe the recent overturning of DOMA and Prop 8 wouldn't have happened, or wouldn't have happened for many more years without the Stonewall riots.

Today we remember and honor those who got things started.

Landmark day in GLBT history

I wished it would happen.  I hoped it would happen.  I considered how I'd react if it didn't happen, and what the next steps might be.  Fortunately that won't be necessary.

DOMA was overturned!

Prop 8 (for Californians) was overturned!

Today was a landmark day in GLBT history; no less important than June 28, 1969 when the Stonewall riots began.  Today's rulings are a real game-changer for many people.  Is it the answer to all GLBT people's problems?  No, but its certainly a huge step in the right direction.

I couldn't let this day go by without celebrating so I rallied the troups (Steven & Thad, Joe P, the Bobs) and we drinks and dinner at a gay-owned restaurant.

Congratulations!!

Another step

On Wed the Delaware legislature took another positive step toward equality for all Delawareans by passing SB 97, adding protections for gender identity to Delaware’s nondiscrimination and hate crimes laws. Governor Jack Markell swiftly signed the legislation into law. With this historic move, Delaware joins 16 other states in providing basic fairness for our transgender citizens.

IDAHO

No, not the state, but rather the effort.  IDAHO stands for Internation Day Against HOmophobia, and includes Transphobia.

Spouse's brother-in-law sent me the following article.  It was pasted into an email so I don't know the source, but thought I'd share it anyway.  I was a bit surprised I'd not seen anything about this on the blogs I read, but then again, my blog reading has been very light recently.  Enjoy!


On May 17, human rights activists and concerned individuals from around the world will once again mark the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. However, as awareness of and support for the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people expands globally, advocacy groups and individuals have faced pushback in the form of increased violence and stigmatization in many areas—often with dire consequences. Last Friday in the Russian city of Volgograd, 23-year-old Vladislav Tornovoi was tortured and killed, with initial reports indicating that he was attacked after coming out as gay to several companions.

Discrimination and violence against LGBTI people is a worldwide phenomenon. The Trans Murder Monitoring Project’s 2012 global figures show that 265 transgender people were victims of violent killings in the previous 12 months, an increase of almost 20 percent from the preceding year. The intensity and brutality of the violence inflicted on gay men in Iraq is arguably the worst in the world, and the Kuwaiti authorities recently trumpeted the arrest of 215 gay men and lesbians, following a similar operation last year that affected 149 people identified by police as gay or transgender. But these problems are not limited to authoritarian states in Eurasia and the Middle East. Democratic Brazil, home to very public annual gay pride parades, has the highest rate of LGBTI murders in the world. And in the United States, federal government statistics show that the share of hate crimes targeting LGBTI people ranks second only to those motivated by race.

In many countries these sorts of crimes regularly go unpunished or unrecorded, and are rarely classified as hate crimes. Some governments, like Russia’s, not only callously disregard such abuses, but actively encourage prejudice, stigmatization, and adverse stereotyping of LGBTI people.

The old “deviance” arguments still cited by many states to justify the criminalization and persecution of LGBTI individuals or their behavior have been thoroughly discredited in light of scientific information about the nature of sexual orientation and gender identity. Many in the international community have responded accordingly, invoking universal principles of human rights to check ongoing discrimination and violence against LGBTI people around the world. In June 2011, the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution sponsored by South Africa, along with 38 other countries, that condemned human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Nevertheless, criminalization and attempts at criminalization have continued, and new homophobic and transphobic tactics have emerged. Some government leaders join intolerant nonstate actors—including certain religious figures—in advancing absurd claims that their young people are being “recruited” into homosexual or transgender “lifestyles.” In Russia, at least 10 regional legislatures have already imposed fines for promoting homosexuality among minors, and a federal bill that would ban “homosexual propaganda” has easily passed its first reading in the lower house of parliament. Uganda’s notorious Bahati Bill, which has teetered on the verge of passage in Uganda’s parliament since 2009, has now been reframed to outlaw the “promotion” of homosexuality and the “inducement of children.” Such efforts should be seen for what they are—brazen attempts to stigmatize and fuel fear and hatred against LGBTI people, often for political reasons.

LGBTI individuals do not seek special rights or privileges. They are simply entitled to the same freedoms and protections that everyone should enjoy under international human rights norms and laws. The most prevalent demands are the rights to free association, free expression, privacy, and authenticity (in other words, the right to be oneself).

A robust concept of human rights extends beyond legal systems to encompass the social practices by which these rights are realized on a daily basis. There is an important distinction between possession of a right, the legal enforceability of that right, and the respect a right receives in practice. Many governments have accepted their obligation to uphold human rights for LGBTI people in law and policy, only to struggle with implementation due to a lack of political will or capacity, or in the face of ongoing societal discrimination. Far worse are the states that have not only denied LGBTI people their basic human rights, but also legitimized and encouraged societal hostility through their laws, policies, and actions.

Freedom House works closely with human rights defenders in a range of political environments around the world to raise awareness, improve recognition of and respect for the human rights of LGBTI people, and address any lack of political will when it comes to enforcement. On May 17 we stand in solidarity with all human rights defenders, including those who identify as LGBTI, as we commit ourselves to the pursuit of a world in which human diversity is honored and valued, and human rights are enjoyed equally by everyone.
gainst Homophobia and Transphobia. However, as awareness of and support for the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people expands globally, advocacy groups and individuals have faced pushback in the form of increased violence and stigmatization in many areas—often with dire consequences. Last Friday in the Russian city of Volgograd, 23-year-old Vladislav Tornovoi was tortured and killed, with initial reports indicating that he was attacked after coming out as gay to several companions.

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of items too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post. Let's get started!

My friend and frequent humor contributor Jared is back with more laughs. I received this with the subject line: The Pope's mug shot after being arrested on 1,347,692 counts of child molestation".
This past Mon was the season finale of RuPaul's Drag Race and, although I enjoyed watching the season, I was not happy with the winner Raja. Although Raja's looks showed a lot of diversity, I thought Raja simply looked too much like a skinny man in a wig and dress. I would have liked Manila Luzon to win. She was pretty, versatile, and funny.

Another 'beauty' from Jared:
Isn't THAT classy??

I received an invitation from the owners of a local bar/nightclub to a planning meeting this evening. I was honored to be asked, and rather surprised at what I learned at the meeting. I can't say much at this point, but I will say that I will be learning the lyrics to 9 songs over the next month! More details later.

Another doosey from Jared:

My friend Rick shared this with me. To many people the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is a somewhat abstract concept. They know it bans the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages, but beyond that, its effects have not been widely reported or understood. How does it impact every day life? How does it really injure same-sex couples who can now get married in certain states? Ron and Tom's story shows this in very real terms.

Yet another gem from Jared:

As expected, the Governor of DE Jack Markell will sign the Civil Union bill at a ceremony and reception next Wed evening, May 11. Hurray!!! I would love to be there, but its in Wilmington about 90 minutes away. But its free and open to the public. Civil unions go into effect in DE in Jan 2012.

Just in case anyone forgot why marriage equality really matters

I am in an all-day training session today, but wanted to make sure you were aware of this.

This is SO WRONG!!

Sonoma County CA separates elderly gay couple and sells all of their worldly possessions

iled by: Kate Kendell
April 17, 2010 4:00 PM

Clay and his partner of 20 years, Harold, lived in California. Clay and Harold made diligent efforts to protect their legal rights, and had their legal paperwork in place--wills, powers of attorney, and medical directives, all naming each other. Harold was 88 years old and in frail medical condition, but still living at home with Clay, 77, who was in good health.

One evening, Harold fell down the front steps of their home and was taken to the hospital. Based on their medical directives alone, Clay should have been consulted in Harold's care from the first moment. Tragically, county and health care workers instead refused to allow Clay to see Harold in the hospital. The county then ultimately went one step further by isolating the couple from each other, placing the men in separate nursing homes.

Ignoring Clay's significant role in Harold's life, the county continued to treat Harold like he had no family and went to court seeking the power to make financial decisions on his behalf. Outrageously, the county represented to the judge that Clay was merely Harold's "roommate." The court denied their efforts, but did grant the county limited access to one of Harold's bank accounts to pay for his care.

What happened next is even more chilling.

Without authority, without determining the value of Clay and Harold's possessions accumulated over the course of their 20 years together or making any effort to determine which items belonged to whom, the county took everything Harold and Clay owned and auctioned off all of their belongings. Adding further insult to grave injury, the county removed Clay from his home and confined him to a nursing home against his will. The county workers then terminated Clay and Harold's lease and surrendered the home they had shared for many years to the landlord.

Three months after he was hospitalized, Harold died in the nursing home. Because of the county's actions, Clay missed the final months he should have had with his partner of 20 years. Compounding this tragedy, Clay has literally nothing left of the home he had shared with Harold or the life he was living up until the day that Harold fell, because he has been unable to recover any of his property. The only memento Clay has is a photo album that Harold painstakingly put together for Clay during the last three months of his life.

With the help of a dedicated and persistent court-appointed attorney, Anne Dennis of Santa Rosa, Clay was finally released from the nursing home. Ms. Dennis, along with Stephen O'Neill and Margaret Flynn of Tarkington, O'Neill, Barrack & Chong, now represent Clay in a lawsuit against the county, the auction company, and the nursing home, with technical assistance from NCLR. A trial date has been set for July 16, 2010 in the Superior Court for the County of Sonoma.

Crush du Jour: Tommy Haas

Logical

I like to think of myself as calm, reasonable, and logical. I am not prone to emotional outbursts or hysterical knee-jerk reactions. But today I was close to the point of cheering when I read about 10-year old Will Phillips on Bob's blog.

It seems Will is a rather bright boy. Rather than mindlessly following the tradition of rotely standing and repeating the pledge of allegiance, Will actually thought about those words and decided he could not say them in good conscience.

Unfortunately his substitute teacher thought he was trying to be a bad ass by refusing to stand and repeat the pledge. After she badgered him about it for several days, Will had enough and had to tell her "With all due respect, you can jump off a bridge". This landed him in the principal's office.

Why, you may be wondering, was Will opposed to repeating the pledge of allegiance? Because the final phrase of it reads "...with liberty and justice for all". It seems Will and his family have gay and lesbian friends for whom liberty and justice only go so far. So to heighten awareness of his gay and lesbian friends' 2nd class status, he decided not to stand and repeat the pledge. For the full story, click here. To watch a video of Will and his dad interviewed on CNN, click here.

Imagine that: a bright, 10-year old boy who recognized the disconnect between the promises "for all" contained in the pledge of allegiance and the way GLBT people are actually treated in the US.

Wouldn't it be nice if our elected officials had the logic of this 10-year old boy?

Crush du Jour: Chace Utley

Separate is NOT equal

Reports indicate that today President Obama, whose GLBT supporters have grown frustrated with his slow movement on their priorities, is extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. Read the full story here.

So, basically the federal government is saying 'We will now recognize that GLBT employees have spouses/partners, and we will extend some benefits to them'.

"How nice!!" you might be thinking. But is it?

On the surface this sounds like a 'victory for the GLBT community'. But in reality it is little more than a benefits increase for federal employees, who already have better benefits than most, and a 'consolation prize' for the GLBT community by the Obama for not keeping his campaign promise to repeal DADT and DOMA.

Let's break this down a little bit.

By extending some benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees the administration has created yet another class within the benefits hierarchy.

Separate is NOT equal.
At the top of the food chain are married hetero federal employees. They get all benefits for themselves and their spouses. They get everything.

Following closely behind, but still not equal, are partnered GLBT federal employees. They'll be able to get some, but not all, benefits for their spouses.

Last and apparently least are partnered GLBT folks NOT employed by the government. Their spouses aren't even recognized by most of their employers. Those whose companies can still afford to provide employees with benefits do so, but employees are lucky to get even 1/2 the benefits of government employees, and still can not get them for their spouses.

And don't misunderstand the administration's granting of some benefits to mean all benefits. GLBT federal employees will still not be equal to their hetero counterparts. GLBT federal employees' pensions may not be transferable to their unmarried partners, while their hetero counterparts' pensions automatically transfer to their spouses. Surviving GLBT partners may still have to pay inheritance taxes on the property they co-own with their deceased partner, while hetero surviving spouses pay nothing because they're married.

Separate is NOT equal.
Its frustrating to think that all of this inequality could be eliminated if Obama's efforts were put toward marriage equality for all citizens, instead of added benefits for a portion of citizens.

And think about all the time and money that will be spent defining the benefits. Marriage automatically imparts over a thousand legal rights and responsibilities. They're already defined. Granting marriage equality would automatically make hetero and GLBT citizens equal under the law.

Civil unions create a separate and not equal class, and would allow the potential for only some (not all) benefits to be obtained.

Granting expanded benefits creates yet another separate and not equal class within the GLBT community itself, and suffers the same potential for only some benefits to be obtained.

The granting of benefits to same-sex partners of GLBT federal employees follows suspiciously close on the heels of Obama's recent support of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), itself a contrary act from his campaign promise. I wonder if he felt he needed a 'consolation prize' to appease the gays.

America did not grant Blacks 'separate' rights, nor did we call them anything other than 'married' when Blacks were granted the right to do so. So why should GLBT Americans settle for 'separate' rights and be called something other than 'married'?

Separate is NOT equal. Never has been; never will be.

Crush du Jour: Kellan Lutz