World AIDS Day

Today, countries all over the world are recognizing World AIDS Day. AIDS is a serious disease plaguing the world that is caused by HIV. HIV/AIDS doesn't discriminate and affects millions every year. We need every one's support to help find better treatments, and, hopefully one day, a cure.

It is important to remember that sexual contact isn't the only way to contract the AIDS causing disease. HIV is also spread through blood contact, hypodermic needles, from parent to child during birth, and from parent to child when breastfeeding. While the virus can only live for 5 minutes outside the body, it is still a deadly and infectious disease. AIDS is the third stage of the HIV disease and, as of now, there is no cure.

As of the end of 2010, an estimated 34 million people were living with HIV/AIDS in the world, and 1.8 million had died from AIDS. In the US alone, every 9 1/2 minutes a person is infected with HIV.

Do yourself a favor and get checked for HIV/AIDS today.

Washington State Reveals New Certificate Of Marriage

Washington State Department of Health released a sample form of what the new Washington Certificate of Marriage will look like. This is in anticipation of it being legal for same-sex couples to marry in Washington come December 6, 2012.

Originally the state was going to remove the "Bride" and "Groom" options from the certificate and replace them just with "Spouse". However, many comments made by the public suggested having options so couples could choose what terms they wanted to use. Now, the certificates will still have "Bride" and "Groom" but "Spouse" has been added as well. This way applicants can choose what they prefer, be it "Bride" and "Bride", "Groom" and "Groom", "Spouse" and "Spouse", "Bride" and "Spouse", or "Groom" and "Spouse". Furthermore, the certificate has added the term "Parent" to the terms "Mother" and "Father" of the applicants.

I like the look of the new certificate! It gives every couple the chance to choose what terms they prefer, and, likewise, gives same-sex parents to both be listed on their children's marriage certificates. Seeing the new certificate sample form makes me get even more excited for December 6th!

A Super Sweet Milestone!

I saw this on a couple different LGBT related Facebook pages today, and I just had to share it with you all!

Recently, ex-Navy Veteran Cory Huston dropped to one knee and proposed to his U.S. Marine boyfriend, Avarice Guerrero, after Guerrero returned from a mission in Afghanistan. Their proposal happened right on U.S. military base soil at Camp Pendleton. 

This proposal made history as this was the first marriage proposal and engagement to happen between two gay men, both military vets, on a U.S. military base! 

Congradulations to the both of them! How exciting! 

This story was posted on Have A Gay Day (http://www.facebook.com/MyGayDay) as well as LGBT News (http://www.facebook.com/NEWSLGBT)

Small Tribute To Harvey Milk

(sorry I'm a day late in posting this!)

Yesterday, November 27, was the 34th anniversary of the day Harvey Milk was assassinated. Milk's assassination was unlike other notable assassinations in the history of US politics because he wasn't shot once to the head from a distance, such as with Martin Luther King, Jr. and John F. Kennedy. He was murdered, along with San Francisco mayor, George Moscone, in 1978.

On November 27, 1978, a half hour before a press conference announcing the new member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, a man named Dan White entered the San Francisco City Hall through a basement window. White had resigned as Supervisor just days prior, on November 10, after claiming his salary was too small to support his family. However, he later tried to get re-appointed and was denied. This left him furious with San Francisco mayor George Moscone, who refused to re-appoint him to the Board of Supervisors, and Supervisor Harvey Milk, who lobbied heavily against his re-appointment.

After getting in through the basement window, to avoid going through the metal detectors, witnesses heard shouting between White and Moscone followed by gunshots. White shot Moscone in the shoulder and chest before shooting him twice more in the head after he fell to the ground. Afterwards he made his way to his former office while reloading his pistol. He intercepted Harvey Milk along the way and asked him to step into the office for a moment. Milk was found shot five times, which included also being shot twice in the head at close range just like Moscone. White turned himself into the police an hour later. Harvey Milk was only 48 when he died.

Now some of you are probably wondering who Harvey Milk was and why he is relevant to this blog. Harvey Milk was actually the FIRST openly gay person to be elected to a public office in both California and the United States itself. Milk's political career was actually fairly short. He didn't win a seat in the San Francisco Board of Supervisors until 1977. However, that didn't stop him from becoming a martyr in the gay community as well as an icon in San Francisco during his brief time in office.

During his mere 11 months in office, Milk managed to pass a binding gay rights ordinance for the city. His last work in the city and the gay community was campaigning against Proposition 6, or the Briggs Initiative, which would have made it mandatory to fire any gay or lesbian teachers in the state of California. He attended every Briggs event in the state during 1978. Attendances in the Gay Pride marches in San Francisco, as well as Los Angeles, swelled in the summer of 1978.  375,000 people attended San Francisco's Gay Freedom Day Parade where Milk gave a version of his most famous speech, the Hope Speech, which was reported to "ignite the crowd". On November 7, 1978, the Briggs Initiative lost by more then a million votes. 75% of San Francisco alone voted against it.

His final campaign manager, Anne Kronenberg, said about Milk, "What set Harvey apart from you or me was that he was a visionary. He imagined a righteous world inside his head and then he set about to create it for real, for all of us." This is what makes him a great man even to this day.

In 2002 he was called "the most famous and most significantly open LGBT official ever elected in the United States", and in 2009 was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The more I learn about Harvey Milk, the more my respect for him grows. Milk was a huge reason the fight for LGBT rights started to become a mainstream issue here in the US. While we might still have a ways to go as far as LGBT equality here in the US, we have to take a moment to see how far we've come in the last 30 years. We owe our thanks to Harvey Milk for kick starting our country's journey towards equality. He was an amazing man, both for US politics and the LGBT community, and a true hero in my book.

"On this anniversary of Stonewall, I ask my gay sisters and brothers to make the commitment to fight. For themselves, for their freedom, for their country ... We will not win our rights by staying quietly in our closets... We are coming out to fight the lies, the myths, the distortions. We are coming out to tell the truths about gays, for I am tired of the conspiracy of silence, so I'm going to talk about it. And I want you to talk about it. You must come out. Come out to your parents, your relatives" 

- Harvey Milk, "Hope Speech"

Transgender Day Of Remembrance

Today, November 20, 2012, is the 14th annual Transgender Day Of Remembrance. This day is recognized all over the world and is a day to remember those that took their own life or had their life taken from them due to anti-transgender discrimination and violence. So please at some point in your day, take the time to send those lost to us a thought, prayer, good feeling, or even just a smile to let them know they are not forgotten, never forgotten.

If you yourself are transgender, know there are those out there that love you exactly for who you are. I do and I don't even know you. If you know someone who is transgender, make sure you go see them, call them, text them, IM them, tweet them, whatever, just to let them know they are important to you and that you are thinking of them.

I saw this today, just a little while ago, while walking my dog. It filled me with great joy that today of all days something this beautiful would just randomly show up. There is even a faded second one to the right as well. I like to think this is some sort of message that those we are remembering today know we are thinking of them, and this is their thank you.

<3

Fun With Terms

The other day I posted this image on my own Facebook page after seeing it on the wonderful page Have A Gay Day. I asked if anyone knew what each flag represented. My sister didn't and asked me to name them. Once I had, she told me she didn't know what half those terms meant. That got me thinking. I didn't even know many of these until this last year, and I saw myself as an LGBT ally. So I started wondering how many other supporters out there didn't realize how many groups actually are represented in the LGBT community, and what the terms mean. There are many more flags in the LGBT community then these, but we'll just talk about these seven for now to keep it simpler.

(Left to Right)

1. Pansexual flag. Pansexual means you are attracted to everyone. Not just men and women but transgender men and transgender women as well as those who identify as having no gender.

2.  Transgender flag. Transgender means the gender you are is not the one you were born physically. FTM means female to male transgender (born female but identify as male) while MTF means male to female transgender (born male but identify as female).

3. Asexual flag. Asexual means you have no sexual attraction. This is often seen as the opposite of pansexual because instead of being sexually attracted to everyone you are sexually attracted to no one.

4. Homosexual flag. Homosexual means you are attracted to people the same sex as yourself.

5. Genderqueer flag. Genderqueer is a broad term that contains all the genders besides male or female. This could include people who identify as both male and female (bigender), neither (genderless), or who move between genders (genderfluid).

6. Bisexual flag. Bisexual means you are attracted to both men and women.

7. Intersex flag. Intersex is a person who has either the physical features of both genders or has a combination. Intersex plants and animals are often called hermaphrodites.

Now these terms are all really just umbrellas for more sub-terms. However, these are just the broad, basic terms and definitions just to start. I encourage you to look up the ones you aren't familiar with and learn something new!

These days we don't live in a black and white colored world. We live in a bright, vibrate world with all kinds of people. It's important to remember that it doesn't matter what someone looks like, but who they are inside. Let's show support for every part of the LGBT community, and help educate people on the groups of people that aren't as well known.

I hope this was educational and interesting to read! Also, if you are something other then one of these seven, I am so sorry I didn't mention you. I'm still learning new terms and info everyday. 

xoxoxo

This Is Our Time Now!

Times are changing my friends, and for the better. These past few days were some extremely exciting and uplifting days for the LGBT community here in the US!

As many of you are already aware, Tuesday was our presidential election day. The whole evening had me ridiculously edgy and nervous, but at the end of the day the LGBT community could breath one huge sigh of relief. President Barack Obama was officially RE-ELECTED!!!! Obama is the first and only president who has OPENLY supported gay rights and marriage equality. I can't wait to see what he accomplishes in the next 4 years.

But that was not the only exciting thing to occur on election day for the LGBT Community, oh no. Three, count them, THREE more states made same-sex marriage LEGAL. Maryland, Maine, and Washington now join Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York as well as Washington D.C. on the list of places where it is legal to get married to someone the same gender as yourself in the United States. Yup! That means Referendum 74 that I was going on about? It passed! This might not seem like a big list, only 9 states and the US Capital, but it is 3 more states then we had last week. Not to mention it shows that this country is finally moving the right direction. I, for one, am finally proud to be a Washington resident. =)

Finally, there is one more piece of exciting LGBT news from election day. Wisconsin's senate race ended with the win going to democrat Tammy Baldwin. Ms. Baldwin is now this nation's very FIRST openly gay U.S. senator.  This is a huge win to the LGBT community. It means there is a community voice actually in the senate for once.

I can't help but feel like this country is finally headed in a good direction, and I was a proud American this week.

Hugs! xoxo

Good News in the World of HIV Research!

Hows abouts an upbeat post today my lovelies? Well, have I got some news that should make many people at least smile or feel hopeful!

Recently, two women down in South Africa may have unlocked a secret that could lead the medical world to developing a vaccine against HIV! Studies by the Center for the AIDS Program of Research in South Africa have revealed that these two HIV positive women's bodies created antibodies that were able to neutralize and kill off 88% of the virus in their bodies. The scientists are hoping that by studying these antibodies, they will be able to create a virus that, when administered, can create similar antibodies to neutralize and kill the virus in other HIV patients.

The way HIV strands keep themselves protected is they create a barrier of sugar called glycan. Normal antibodies are useless to glycan, but the antibodies created by these women's bodies actually bonded WITH the glycan to prevent the HIV strands from infecting healthy cells.

The article is more lengthy and detailed so I encourage you all to go read it yourselves! Here is the link!

http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/hiv-vaccine-breakthrough231012

<3

HAPPY COMING OUT DAY!!!!

Tada! it's October 11th! That means it's Coming Out Day!! woohoo!!! What a great day to celebrate right? Today is a day to celebrate the fact that you are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, genderqueer, asexual, aromantic, pansexual, you name it! (sorry if I missed any!) It doesn't necessarily mean you need to come out today, although by all means please do if you WANT to, but it is a day to celebrate your diversity. Even just with yourself in your mind. ;)

Now, do you know where Coming Out Day came from? Why it is celebrated on October 11th? Well, it is actually the anniversary of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. This historic march took place on October 11, 1987. The first National Coming Out Day was celebrated the following year on October 11, 1988! The first year it was only recognized by 18 states. In 1990, there was more promotion from the media, subsequently, ending up with all 50 states participating, just as they still do today!

So in honor of it being October 11th, Happy 24th annual Coming Out Day!


X's and O's my lovelies!

Watching Presidential Debates.....

Well cue headache.......... at least that's how I feel right now. I'm watching the first Presidential Debate (I don't have cable and there isn't anything else on) and even though I muted it so I could just read along, I still want to punch Mitt Romney in his ugly, square, bigoted head.

They haven't even got to talking about anything LGBT related yet, just taxes and the economy and medicare, but Mitt Romney has been nothing but rude, pushy, and annoying. Frankly, President Obama has a lot more self restraint then I would if I were him!

Anyway, sorry for the annoying political rant, but this election is actually the first one I'm invested in. Maybe because it's the first I am able to actually vote on, or because of how much I care about the LGBT community. This election is definitely crucial to the LGBT community here in the US though. Make no mistake about that. Obama is the FIRST president to actually come out and admit he supports same-sex marriage while he was in office! If Mitt Romney is elected so many milestones will be erased from the last 4 years for this amazing community! WE CAN NOT LET THAT HAPPEN! Romney doesn't support same-sex marriage, he will try to put Don't Ask, Don't Tell back into place, he isn't an LGBT supporter in anyway and does not deserve to run this country!

DADT just passed it's 1 year mark of being repealed. I, for one, do not want to see this back in effect. Do you?  All other issues aside, Romney will be horrible for the LGBT community and does not see LGBT members as 1st class citizens. He will set us back further then before if elected. Join others like me and help keep Mitt "the twit" Romney out of the White House!

Thanks for letting me rant. I love you guys! and girls! and neutrals! You're all amazing! Now go let your sparkly selves shine ;) Come back soon!!

<3

Trevor Project Day!

HAPPY TREVOR PROJECT DAY! Today The Trevor Project hosted Trevor Project Day at their West Hollywood office in order to raise awareness for the project and all it does to prevent suicide in our LGBT youth. In honor of that, I decided it would be good to do a post about The Trevor Project for those that don't know about it.

Formed in 1998 by James Lecesne, Peggy Rajski and Randy Stone, The Trevor Project strives to help raise awareness of the seriousness of suicide amongst the LGBT youth and give help to those youths. These three amazing people formed the project after they created a film in 1994 called Trevor in which the main character, a 13 year old boy named Trevor, is bullied for being gay and having a crush on the school's popular boy. Trevor attempts to take his own life. After HBO aired this film, the creators realized there were probably a lot of youth that felt like Trevor did, and there was no lifeline for them to call for help. Therefore, they created one. Since it's start in 1998, The Trevor Project has fielded over 200,000 calls from LGBT youth and young adults needing help with their struggle with suicide. They currently have over 600 volunteers and over 200 lifeline counselors.

The statistics for LGBT youth and young adults are staggering. I hope there is at least one person out there that will read these and get a wake up call because it's time for one.

• Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death amongst youth and young adults ages 10 to 24 (12.2%) and is THE leading cause of death amongst those in that age group that are LGBT. 

•  Youth that are LGB (Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual) are 4 times more likely to commit suicide. Questioning youth are 3 times more likely. 

• 25% of LGBT youth that are in a NEGATIVE environment  have attempted suicide as opposed to 20% of LGBT youth that are in a POSITIVE environment.

• Nearly HALF of all transgender youth have already attempted suicide. 

These are just a few statistics to get you thinking. A huge reason for these high statistics is, unfortunately, due to peers. Even if LGBT youth have a supportive home life, bullying at school and in clubs can cause those youths to be at risk. This is why stopping bullying in schools is just as important as teaching acceptance and support to parents and guardians. 

The Trevor Project does really great work for today's youth and needs to be supported. I, myself, have used their chat feature to talk to representative about my own struggles, and they definitely are people that are caring and knowledgeable to help. They offer a forum for questions on their website called Ask Trevor as well as a daytime chat feature for those not needing emergency help, just support or general help, called Trevor Chat.They also have a very information filled website in general and a Facebook page.Then there is their lifeline for those needing immediate help. There is absolutely nothing to feel embarrassed or shameful about calling them. They are there to help - all day, every day 24/7 on any LGBT issue.

I know how it feels to think you have nothing left to give this world, to get to the end of your rope with depression or frustration or fear, and to feel like you just need out. I know what it's like to struggle with accepting a part of yourself and to be bullied for being different or "weird". I've been there, some days I'm still there. As hard as it can be, don't give up, believe there is hope, and find help, just someone you can talk to because there is someone out there, I promise.
 
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts and are an LGBT youth or young adult, PLEASE contact The Trevor Project because you are WORTH it. Contact Trevor at 866-488-7386.

Be Proud Of Our LGBT Kids

Yesterday, I read something posted online by a Facebook LGBT fan page that left me troubled and disturbed.They had posted just a picture of the conversation so, unfortunately, I couldn't post anything in response as the page took it down after they responded.

A person had left a comment on the page about gay people being disgusting, and they should do the world a favor and just commit suicide. Now that already really infuriated me! However, it gets worse. After a few series of back and forth comments between the bigot and the page, the page made a comment saying they hoped the man never had children to teach his hate to. The man actually said if any of his kids ever did actually come out as gay he would DROWN them. No, I'm not joking. He even put it in caps like that as well.

So I have to wonder, WHY IN THE HELL WOULD SOMEONE EVEN THREATEN THAT!!? How can anyone say that about their own CHILD? When you have children, you love them UNCONDITIONALLY. They are a part of you. It doesn't matter if they are your own flesh and blood, children by marriage, or adopted. They are still your kids! I seriously don't understand how people can see being gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, asexual or anything else different as being something so bad that it erases ANY love you have for your child. All it'll really end up meaning is that, one day, you'll get a daughter in law where you were expecting a son in law or vice versa. It could also mean that you started out with a daughter, but ended up with a son. I know that one is something harder for people to grasp, but either way they are still the same little kid you raised. Cher had a daughter named Chastity, but now she has a son named Chaz. Cher accepted her son when he came out as being transgender. That is what a parent is SUPPOSED to do. Accept their child no matter what.

If you're really shallow, here's a pro of having a gay child! Having a son that likes boys or a daughter that likes girls means when they hit those annoying teenage years, you never have to worry about things like teenage pregnancy! I know that's not an actual worry for all straight teens and their parents, but without a straight kid it'll never even be a passing thought! =) Yes, that may be a low point to point out, but I heard someone say it once very cheerily, and it made me smile. I hope it made someone else do that as well.

I want everyone who has kids or wants kids someday to think about this post. If your kid ever came out to you one day, how would you react? Would you decide to be a bigot or would you be the parent your child deserves? Support your kids no matter how they may be different from the majority. Every child is special and unique. Is being gay really that bad? I think it's a blessing. I'd be so proud to have a child that was gay or lesbian or bi or transgender or anything else that's considered "not normal" for that matter. I'd throw them a party for coming out and march down to sign up for PFLAG immediately. Your kids are YOURS, no matter what.

Hope this post will make you all think. <3

Love & Hugs 

More News From This Summer

Alright, I know I already made one post tonight, but I forgot to add some things I wanted to bring up that has to do with the LGBT community and pop culture!

First of all, earlier this year I touched on how I was surprised, for some reason, to find out people like Will Smith and Jay-Z are same-sex marriage and gay rights supporters. To that list, I can now add other amazing people like Betty White, Josh Hutcherson, Willie Nelson, the cast of a show called Teen Wolf, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Drew Barrymore, Charles Barkley, Sean Avery (New York Rangers), Anne Hathaway, Daniel Radcliffe, Steven Spielberg, Sean Penn, P!nk, Natalie Portman, George Clooney, Hudson Taylor (wrestler), Jennifer Aniston, and George Carlin as well as tons more I'm sure! These are just the people I have learned about in the last few months that are pro-LGBT. =D

On a minor note, apparently Paris Hilton finds gay men "disgusting" and thinks "they all have AIDS". WOW! and here I thought she couldn't get any more dumb or ignorant....

Secondly, who else was outraged at Chick-Fil-A these past few months?! I know I was and still am! For those of you not sure what happened or that are out of the loop, allow me to explain. Chick-Fil-A's, a popular fast-food chain, COO released several statements earlier this summer (in June and July) about how they support "traditional marriage"and  that those who support same-sex marriage and "have the audacity to define what marriage is about" were "inviting God's judgment on our nation". In response, the Jim Henderson Company (The Muppets) refused to continue doing business with the corporation! The company had the license to the toys Chick-Fil-A were using in their kid's meals. They then revoked that agreement and said they would donate the payment of said toys to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). The Mayor of Boston and Alderman of Chicago both expressed hopes to ban the chain from their cities. Things really came to a head when it was discovered that the restaurant chain had been donating funds to organizations against same-sex marriage! While many people decided to attend Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day on August 1, 2012, protesters of the chain retaliated in kind. They organized boycotts and created "Kiss Day" for same-sex couples to show up at Chick-Fil-A's all over the nation and, as the name suggests, kiss. :) Since then, as of September 2012, the Civil Rights Agenda released a statement saying Chick-Fil-A has  "ceased donating to organizations that promote discrimination, specifically against LGBT civil rights." However, Mike Huckabee (ew) and Chick-Fil-A CEO Dan Cathy have both released statements to reject the Civil Rights Agenda's remark. So in conclusion, DON'T SUPPORT CHICK-FIL-A! :)

Finally, I would like point out something curious I've been noticing. TV shows, especially in the last few years, have really started to promote having LGBT characters in their shows. As far as new shows this fall goes, the new CBS show "Partners" looks really funny and enjoyable. It's about best friends/business partners and their lives with one being straight and the other being gay. Matthew Perry's new show on NBC called "Go On" has him in a support group for life change and there is a lady in the group who lost her spouse. The spouse's name is revealed to be Patricia. The fact that this woman's dead spouse was also a woman and that they apparently had kids is treated like any other person who lost a spouse. The show doesn't try to capitalize on the fact that she happens to be a lesbian. I found it really surprising and refreshing! This is how TV and movies should be from now on! Just treating LGBT characters the exact same as straight ones without anyone going "You're gay?!" etc. Last, a new show I really like and that is really worth checking out is called "The New Normal" and is also on NBC. This show is about a couple, both men, and their journey of creating a family. They decide to use a surrogate, who is a really nice, quirky woman with a 9 year old daughter. The show is both funny and really endearing. I am SO excited to see LGBT characters becoming a norm in prime time US television. Frankly, in my opinion, it's about DAMN TIME!

Back From Hiatus!!

I'm finally back! I am SO sorry for not posting anything all summer! Work got busy, and I lost myself for a while there as well. Despite the fact that I haven't put up a post since June, I want everyone who happens to see this blog to know that I never forgot and I never stopped caring. Being an Ally is something that I am SO proud is a part of me and is something that will never go away. Actually, as time goes on and I meet more LGBT members, find more pages devoted to the wondrous LGBT community, and learn more about LGBT issues, the more proud I am of being an Ally. It makes me feel like I have a bit of purpose and definitely a sense of fitting in. So once again I'm so sorry to have been MIA for so long. I promise to do my best to update on a more regular basis. =) Now onto the informative section..........

A lot has been happening in the last few months in the LGBT world. Here in my own state of Washington, we are gearing up to vote on Referendum 74. Enough signatures were gathered earlier this year and on June 12, 2012 state officials announced that enough signatures were gathered to place the referendum on the ballot come November 6. To those of you that aren't in Washington, or even in the US, let me break down what R-74 would do. Referendum 74 would either approve or reject, depending on the vote, the February 2012 bill that would make same-sex marriage in Washington state LEGAL. Yes legal! That would make Washington state only the 7th state in the nation to allow same-sex marriages. While this would be still a big win, the number makes it pretty sad. As of right now only 6, SIX, states say same-sex marriage is legal (New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Iowa, New Hampshire, and Vermont). So November is shaping up to be a very nervous month for myself, and many others, as this Referendum will be put to vote here in Washington AND the Presidential election votes are in that month as well. (I'm already an Obama fan, but it is extremely crucial to the LGBT community that Mitt "the twit" Romney doesn't get elected.) As of right now the two organisations for and against R-74 are Washington United for Marriage (for) and Preserve Marriage Washington (against). I am happy to announce, however, that as of July 3, 2012 Preserve Marriage Washington had raised $132,000 for rejection votes while Washington United for Marriage had raised $1.9 million in approval votes! August showed a 13 to 1 fundraising advantage in favor of marriage equality as well. Finally, the most recent R-74 survey (Sept. 9 - 12) had 12% undecided, 37% against, and 51% in favor of. So I'm not getting overly confident that we'll win this vote come November, but I do have hope for this state!

Phew! OK sorry for all the political ramblings. Now I mentioned before visiting  pages devoted to the LGBT community. There is one that is both informative and really joyful/happy that I want to recognize and recommend to those of you that use Facebook. It's called Have A Gay Day (http://www.facebook.com/MyGayDay?ref=ts) and it's a site that brightens my day everyday! I've mentioned it briefly before and would just like to mention it again. The people there are super nice and answer any questions people have as well as post bright, happy pictures that will really make anyone's day a little brighter and every once in a while they have things called Rainbow Takeovers! So please, if you use FB, check it out and let them know how much you like them!

Now I know there is more news then that, but I don't want to overload you with so much in just one post! I do have something to share with you all, but I'm still trying to figure out how to share it......... if that made any sense at all! haha! Post soon! Promise!

Love you all!!! xoxoxo

Voting on basic human rights

Well, yesterday I found out some less then stellar news. Washington state will now vote on whether or not marriage equality will be legal in their state. As I am from, and live, in Washington, finding out about this made me horrendously angry. I remember hearing several months back of the Governor signing the bill to make gay marriage legal in Washington and for a moment, I felt proud of be a Washingtonian. Now, however, I just shake my head at my state's stupidity.

The reason why this is now going to a vote is people against marriage equality apparently turned in 247,331 signatures on petitions against the law. They only needed 120,577....... Needless to say their petitions worked and now we get to vote come November. A recent poll, however, has show that 54% of Washington voters believe LGBT members should have the right to marry. This makes me feel a bit better, but I'm still dreading November. Washington is 1 of 4 states that will vote on this issue come November. The other 3 states being Maine, Maryland, and Minnesota.

To this news I ask, why are we voting for a basic human right? If the right to marry someone is left to a vote by the public for people that are lesbian or gay or bi then why aren't straight marriages? Keeping two men or two women from marrying isn't any different then not allowing a black man and a white woman to marry. Come November, I hope to hell the polls show that most people are bigoted assholes. Instead, I hope they show the bigots of this state that times have changed and the time for marriage equality is NOW.

A return at last!

I am so very sorry for disappearing like that for so long. I started to get a bit discouraged and then life got a bit hectic. However, tonight I was once again reminded of how much I truly love the LGBT community and how accepting they are. On Facebook I am a fan of a page called Have A Gay Day. It is a really great page that is just all about spreading rainbow cheer and support to all (you should check it out! seriously! go go! well finish reading, but then go! =D ). Anyway, tonight they told their readers to ask them any questions or give them any comments they had. I simply saying how much I truly love their page and that it brightens my day. I also told them that I, myself, am not an LGBT community member because I'm straight, but I am a HUGE supporter and an ally. They responded to me with this:

Have A Gay Day:Amanda... I totally appreciate you... We are all under the same rainbow when it soars across the sky. I like to think the same thing for our lives. We are in different places but we are still effected in our own ways. ♥ You so much for being here. Now the question... As an ally...Send me a message sometime and tell me what would make you feel more at home here. I want everyone to feel welcome!

 

Just having this directed at me online made me feel so wanted and appreciated. I want everyone to feel this way, and I want to pass on my own message to everyone in the LGBT Community -

 

I APPRECIATE and LOVE you all! You all are my heroes and you deserve every bit of happiness in the world. Please know that if you are EVER put down or bullied or hated against, you ARE loved and cared about. Even by people you don't actually know.

 

All my love and support

 

<3 

Support in unlikely places

In the last several days, following President Obama's announcement of his support of Gay Marriage, other well known, successful straight men have come out to announce their support of what Obama did as well as Gay Marriage. The people I'm talking about are rap artist Jay-Z and actor/singer Will Smith. I will be the first to admit that I had a moment of thinking in stereotypes and was a bit shocked that these two were for Equal Marriage. They both gave similar statements claiming what Obama said during his ABC interview was brave.

So this got me thinking, what is it about rap, hip-hop, "gangster" types that make us automatically believe they are homophobic? This recent bit of news about these two popular and successful men from the "cool" crowd of today's world made me realize how evolved our country and our society is becoming. It may be a slow process, but it IS happening.

Time to breathe

So throughout the evening, I've been debating on what to post about. Should it be about Rhode Island recognizing same-sex marriages that were performed out of state as legit marriages entitling the spouses to the same rights as hetero married couples? Or about Oklahoma Republican Congressman James Lankford's view that homosexuality is a choice and something a person should be fired from their job for? Perhaps about Time Magazine's upcoming cover featuring President Obama with a rainbow halo over this head and the caption reading "The First Gay President"? In the end, I decided to mention all, but truly focus on none. Simply because seeing all these topics in the last 14 hours has made me realize something else. It is VERY easy to feel overwhelmed by the about all the news that hits you daily, or hourly, about a cause you are passionate about, and how easily that news can really effect your mood.

Sure it'd be easy for me to fake it and simply write about how Rhode Island is doing the right thing, and I support it 100%, or about how the Congressman is being a frickin' ignorant a-hole, or even about how, while it is a good concept, Time Magazine's cover is a bit over the top, much like their breast feeding cover (Google if you haven't seen it...). In the end, I decided instead to give a tiny bit of advice. I know all too well how easy it is to allow things to overwhelm you. It is easy to feel flustered, stretched too thin, and anxious, especially when you are very passionate about the topic of the articles and such. Sometimes, after reading several disheartening or frustrating articles, like the one about the Oklahoma Congressman, I get an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness. But then I realized something. We all have down times or lose battles in life. What's important is that we never lose HOPE. Hope is what guides through dark and troubled times. It can calm us when we are lost in fury and make us smile after drowning in tears of sadness.

The war for LGBT Equality is long from over, and there WILL be hard times ahead, but as long as we keep the hope of one day having everyone, no matter their orientation, seen as equal by our nation then we are still have all we need to keep winning battles, one by one.

A confession and an apology....

I need to come clean about an incident that occurred in the last few days. You might be asking yourself why I'd think you'd care, but it's been rattling around inside my head for the last 24 hours. The other day I posted a really sad video on this blog called "It Could Happen To You". Well while I was watching the video before posting it, I got into a comment argument with a major religious bigot. They kept responding which would cause me to respond as well, so this went on until last night. It was I realized how much all that anger and hate was consuming me. I'm a 20 year old adult. I should know by now that anger and hate solves nothing. I just got so angry over how this person, as well as several others, were being so cruel with their comments about how being gay is perverse and disgusting as well as religious comments about it being a sin and God hating gays and on and on. I was already pretty peeved about what happened in North Carolina earlier this week and with all this other hate and anger being added in as well, I was at my boiling point.

So I'd like to profusely apologize to the LGBT Community. I allowed my anger to get the better of me in the last 72 hours. I know there are a lot of people out there who are major bigots and homophobes. I also know you can't please everyone or suede everyone's views of gays. By getting as mad as I did, I lowered myself to the bigots' level. I need to work more on being calm and taking a breath before responding to ignorance. So I'm very sorry LGBT community, and I shall work harder to do better, in a better manner, in the future. <3

Summing it up grandly

My sister sent me this today in an email, and I decided to share it with all of you. I think this simile sums it up perfectly. My biggest qualm about haters of equal marriage is the fact that they always point out how it's against their religion or it violates the sanctity of marriage. Would someone PLEASE explain to me how this is? How does what someone else does with the one they love effect ANYONE else? Frankly, if John marrying Steve or Lisa marrying Karen affects YOUR marriage then you have A LOT bigger problems of your own to sort out. STOP THINKING THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND YOU BIGOTS! 'cause it doesn't! EVERYONE deserves to be happy and marry the one they love, not just people of a certain orientation or religon.

REPOST! President Obama Supports Gay Marriage

Since the previous video I had posted of this had a Youtube copyright issue, I'm reposting it! Once again, Obama announces he supports gay marriage!

Please Watch. Everyone needs to see this.

I first saw this video about 4 days ago through one of the LGBT sites I frequent. I never cry at online videos and this one made me BAWL. We live in a very sad time. Not only does this video make my heartbreak, but it makes me so angry as well! These people didn't deserve to have Tom as a son! I know hatred is not the answer, but, if I'm being honest here, sometimes I wish people like this, the bigots of the world, would just disappear or get thrown in jail or worse. These two were so in love and then, just like that, an accident happened and one was gone forever. It could happen to any couple. But for couples that are LGBT members, things like this are so much worse. They don't have the same rights to each other as straight couples have. Not to mention, bigots make situations like this even worse. Because of Tom's parent's idiotic, bigoted views, they kept the most important person in their son's life from saying his goodbye. How would you feel if the person you loved more then your own life was suddenly gone, and you weren't allowed final goodbyes or to come to the funeral and were basically erased from the person's life as far as their family was concerned? This family doesn't deserve to be citizens. Please share Shane's story so we can help prevent anyone else from feeling this kind of heartbreak. Thank you.

"Coming Out" in my own way

It occured to me today, that before I get much further in this blog, I should to explain something. Tell a bit of my story if you will. As I said before, I am 100% straight. However, I had my own version of "coming out" that I had to do in recent years. It was the singer Cindi Lauper that once admitted to having to come out as straight to her friends as all of the people she surrounded herself with were not. My family wasn't homophobic per say. The word gay was just never mentioned growing up. I'm ashamed to say I didn't even know men and women had relationships with people of the same gender until I was around 11 or 12 years old. However, it wasn't until I was 13 or 14 that I started to form my own thoughts and ideas about homosexuality.

At first the mere thought of two guys or girls even just romantically hugging or holding hands, made me blush a bit like a little school girl. However, the more the subject seemed to dwell in my mind, the more I realized how pro-LGBT I was. Unfortunately, I hardly spoke any of my thoughts of the subject until I was 18 and starting community college. Over the last two years or more, my opinions and beliefs in gay rights have only gotten stronger as has my courage to admit my beliefs aloud and stand by them. My mom has been passed away for about 7 years now, so really it was only my dad's reaction I was truly worried about. My sisters, I knew, would have their own opinons but support mine nonetheless. My dad, however, I have always been terrified of disappointing. I started out small, casually mentioning a gay film I had watched and loved or a gay pairing or character I was currently borderline obessessed with. Eventually that lead forward to slipping in my view points on current hot news topics dealing with the LGBT community during a regular phone conversation. To my surprise, my dad never even batted an eye or seemed shocked. I know he may still be a bit uncomfortable around members of the LGBT community, but he is an open minded and supportive person, who has grown more and more excepting of all kinds of people the longer he lives. I even sent him the link to this blog after debating about whether to wait a few days or not. He read through it and texted back that he thought it was well written and that he loved me. So as proud of  creating this blog, and finally having the courage to put my voice out there, as I already was, having my dad's support, on top of my siblings' and some friends', just makes it that much more sweeter of an endeavor.

What I'm trying to get at here in this little rambly anecdote, is that no, I haven't ever had to come out to my family or friends as gay, lesian, bisexual, or transgender. I haven't  felt that terror and fear of what could happen, nor the loneliness, uncertainty, and confusion that can hover around you while you are in the closet. HOWEVER, in a tiny way, I'd like to think that I felt the smallest molecule of those feelings when I was hiding my feelings of gay ally pride inside of myself away from the world. Just telling my family and friends that "hey I support gay rights 245.8% and always have" was pretty darn nerve wracking and worrisome. I also know what it's like to be different in general, to be seen as weird, strange, or even different. I have my own personality traits that make people look at me different. Sometimes like when a dog cocks its head sideways when it hears a strang noise. Overall, I may not know what it's like to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, but.... I do know what it's like to be a bit different then most.

So while I may not know what's its like to truly come out, I am here to support those that have,and want OR are struggling, to come out. I may not always be able to give some kind of advice, but what I lack in experience I promise I'll make up for in support, encouragement, and love.

<3

Breaking: Obama Supports Gay Marriage - May 9, 2012

I had to share this. Sorry that it image gets messed up the middle, Youtube had it like that too. I haven never felt as strongly about a President as I do about this man at this moment. He has really done more for the LGBT community then any other US President. You heard it yourself, the Obama Administration has LGBT members! that's right bigots! there are LGBT members helping run this country! Despite NC horrible decision yesterday, this gives me hope for the future.

Why do people flip out over gender dysphoria?

Alright, so this morning I logged onto my Facebook like most people in today's world and, there, on the page for People Magazine (please don't judge me! its sometimes interesting) was an article about a member of a Florida punk band called Against Me! who came out as transgender. The band's singer, Tom Gabel, has apparently struggled with gender dysphoria for a very long time and has finally decided to undergo treatment to become a woman. Tom is 31 years old, married, and has a 2 year old daughter with his wife. She is apparently very supportive of his decision and will remain married to him. Eventually, the singer will continue his life as Laura Jane Grace, which I believe is a very beautiful name.

So here is my question, why are random people that have never met this person, and some not even HEARD of him or the band,  up in arms over this? Is society still so shallow minded that they think that something like gender dysphoria  is a CHOICE? Do you really think anyone would want to face the challenges transgender people have to face in their lifetime WILLINGLY? This person's wife, his WIFE, the woman he pledged to spend his life with and the woman he shares a CHILD with, is being supportive and there for him. This situation can't be easy on either one of them, and yet she's being understanding and staying by his side. So if she can do that and be that amazing, why can't people who have never met or heard of Tom Gabel at the VERY least stop being jerks and talking trash about him and his family online?

Also everyone seems so worried about their daughter.  Well, let me tell you something, you gender DOES NOT determine if you are a good parent or not. People that are gay, lesbian, bisexual, AND transgender can be just as amazing, if not more so, parents as straight parents can be. Your gender or sexual orientation does not matter when raising your kid. What matters is that you love them unconditionally and are there for them.

I, for one, support Tom Gabel's decision to live his life happily instead of being someone he's not. I salute you Tom! You're courageous and strong and deserve to be happy! <3

First Post

So I suppose I should start off with saying hi! You can call me Wally. I decided to start this blog after keeping the majority of my thoughts on Gay Rights to myself and wishing I could do something. That's how this blog was born. I'm not sure if anyone is, or will ever be, reading this post or any others, but I do hope someone one day will.

During my high school years was when I realized how I truly felt about Gay Rights. It wasn't a subject that came up much growing up simply because it didn't relate to our family like it did to others. However, in high school, I started realizing how I felt about the subject. Thinking people should be able to love and marry who they want to regardless of gender wasn't an idea that should be thought about and fought over in my young adolescent mind, nor was it hard for me to understand that being gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender isn't something you CHOOSE to be, its predetermined before birth when your DNA is being formed. Why is that so hard for some people to get? It has nothing to do with choice or religion!

Sadly, I, myself, am straight, no question about it. My DNA makeup was uncool like that. Because, although the world today can be full of bigotry and hate, there is a reason it is called gay PRIDE, am I right? I know I am very proud to be friends with the few LGBT members that I'm friends with. I admire them and think they are the most wonderful, awesome people. Not saying my straight friends aren't!

So besides my obvious love and respect for LGBT in general, what caused me to finally start a blog was what happened in North Carolina this evening on May 8, 2012. The NC Government voted to BAN gay marriage in the state with their Amendment One. This state already was 1 of 30 states of ban gay marriage, but this amendment makes it so their civil unions and other types of domestic partnerships will no longer be recognized as legal to the state. What kind of crap is this?! This country will allow a man and a woman to get married and divorced in a span of a few hours AND let a man marry a woman then cheat on her, sometimes multiple times, or beat the crap out of her and possibly kill her, but it won't allow two people that JUST HAPPEN to be the same gender, who are in a committed, adult relationship get married?! They can open a business together, own a home together, and live together for 20+ years or more then buy side-by-side burial plots and spend eternity next to each other, just, you know, not actually be ACKNOWLEDGED as a legitimate couple by the GOVERNMENT! You know, the people we trust to look after our country and keep us safe. You know 60 years ago, it was also believed the people from two different religions or races couldn't be married. Before that it was two people from different social classes. Isn't it time America be truly equal to ALL?

People fall in love with people, not genders.