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A love story over five decades
Dec. 1st, 2011 12:20 amI just watched this and had to share.
Bill and John met on December 6th 1957. This is their story.
Bill and John met on December 6th 1957. This is their story.
Cute video
Nov. 26th, 2011 10:32 pmThis has been doing the rounds but it's still making me smile so I decided to post it here.
And the breasts go to...
Jul. 20th, 2011 10:08 pmSo you might remember earlier this month I posted about trans women Avery who was taking part in a local radio station contest to win breast augmentation surgery.
The results are in and she won with a landslide count of over 76% of the votes. You can see the results and a little interview with her below. I love this and I have no doubt that the online word of mouth really helped her to get one step further on her journey.
The results are in and she won with a landslide count of over 76% of the votes. You can see the results and a little interview with her below. I love this and I have no doubt that the online word of mouth really helped her to get one step further on her journey.
Help out a transwomen
Jul. 10th, 2011 02:11 pmI found this on my Tumblr feed today and I want to beg and plead with you all to go and vote for Avery. Whatever I think about the competition itself, the fact that we could literally turn the tables on this and give a transwomen the chance to get one step closer to her goal is just wonderful.
Below is Avery's video for the competition. Good luck girl!
Source
“My local radio station is having this contest, “The Breast Summer Ever” in which the company will fully fund the breast augmentation of the winning woman, on a voting system. I just wanted to bring to your attention that anyone can vote, and one of our own, a transwoman named Avery (#4) has made the top ten, causing a but of controversy in our very conservative city. I think that it would send a very strong message, not to mention make her dream come true if she was to win. But there is no way that she can do it without the help of the community. All you have to do is press a button and your vote is cast. As I’m sure you are all aware, transphobia rates decrease with the ability to pass, and just imagine what this would do to her self esteem. you can vote here”
Below is Avery's video for the competition. Good luck girl!
Source
Mostly for my own records but you can watch the full 35 min documentary over here for free! (The 2 min survey before you get to watch it totally worth it.)
Brilliant resource for parents, guardians or family of LGBT people.
Brilliant resource for parents, guardians or family of LGBT people.
(no subject)
Jun. 20th, 2011 09:46 pmWhen I hear people talk about how same sex marriage will undermine traditional marital values I wonder exactly what value they are referring to...
A comment on privilege
Jun. 19th, 2011 12:43 amI often see a lot of lj friends post about issues relating to white privilege or male privilege and I wanted to say something on heterosexual privilege.
I was having dinner last night with a group of girls - some friends, some acquaintances, some I'd never met before. One of the girls who got married about 4 years ago, and who was a single mother previously to that, was saying how her and her husband would have been better off financially if they hadn't of gotten married. As a single mother she would still get lone parents allowance and mortgage allowance but as a married couple they get nothing.
And I was sitting there thinking, wow, I can't believe you're bitching about the fact that you have the choice to get married. I'm sorry you feel being legally entitled to be considered in your partners life is such a burden. I'm sorry that you will never have to face the reality of being turned away from your partners bedside because you are legally strangers, or that your child will be taken away from your partner in the event of your death because they are not biologically related.
I was having dinner last night with a group of girls - some friends, some acquaintances, some I'd never met before. One of the girls who got married about 4 years ago, and who was a single mother previously to that, was saying how her and her husband would have been better off financially if they hadn't of gotten married. As a single mother she would still get lone parents allowance and mortgage allowance but as a married couple they get nothing.
And I was sitting there thinking, wow, I can't believe you're bitching about the fact that you have the choice to get married. I'm sorry you feel being legally entitled to be considered in your partners life is such a burden. I'm sorry that you will never have to face the reality of being turned away from your partners bedside because you are legally strangers, or that your child will be taken away from your partner in the event of your death because they are not biologically related.
And she finished off by saying something like, 'Oh but we wanted to be married, so we just did it'.
Yeah... I'm glad you could do that!
A comment on hate!
Jun. 14th, 2011 08:54 pmI have something to say on this Tracey Morgan situation, and honestly bar the fact that he's in a show with Tina Fey I don't know anything about this man, his career, his acting ability, his politics or his talent.
Let me say, I do believe in freedom of speech but that does not entitle you to say whatever you want. Your words have impact. When you speak you have a responsibility to understand the implications of what you are saying.
Let me say, I do believe in freedom of speech but that does not entitle you to say whatever you want. Your words have impact. When you speak you have a responsibility to understand the implications of what you are saying.
In my country we have laws which prohibit incitement to hatred and what Tracy Morgan said was just that. The laws are in place to counteract the exact persecution and violence that Tracy Morgan described. Many may think, "They are only words. He is only a comedian", but words of hate that are said in a public space and labelled as comedy are not something to be taken lightly. Out there, listening to this, there are kids who are having those exact words said to them. Who fear what may happen to them if they were to ever come out. Out there there are kids who hear the laughter in response to what Tracy Morgan said and it breaks my heart that I can't protect them. Honest to god, breaks my heart.
Understand that it was language like this that lead to the suicides we have seen in the media in the last year and countless more that were not reported on. It Gets Better but we have a responsibility to make sure that the voices of love and support far outweigh those of hate.
What, so we can only be beautiful as women if we wear f*cking dresses? Scew you, poster!
* This is not an attack on the Now Foundation but more on the definitions of what are socially accepted gender classifications of beauty. I saw X-Men tonight, so I may be more pissed off than normal at how people are treated as outcasts in the world when we don't fit into acceptable boxes. >:-(
* This is not an attack on the Now Foundation but more on the definitions of what are socially accepted gender classifications of beauty. I saw X-Men tonight, so I may be more pissed off than normal at how people are treated as outcasts in the world when we don't fit into acceptable boxes. >:-(
After Ellen have a brilliant piece today called What if slash shippers ruled the world? with the top 10 femslash TV couples if slashers had our way.
All I can say is I want the Glee fic where Rachel and Quinn realise they are not fighting over Finn but to make sure the other is single so they can have smoochy smooch time.
And don't even get me started on Rizzoli and Isles.
All I can say is I want the Glee fic where Rachel and Quinn realise they are not fighting over Finn but to make sure the other is single so they can have smoochy smooch time.
And don't even get me started on Rizzoli and Isles.
I find this article, and idea, really interesting.
Canadian Parents Raise Gender-Neutral Baby by Not Revealing Its Sex
( click for random thoughts on this & some personal history )
ETA:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
elipie pointed me towards this brilliant essay. Well worth a read. X: A Fabulous Child's Story.
Canadian Parents Raise Gender-Neutral Baby by Not Revealing Its Sex
( click for random thoughts on this & some personal history )
ETA:
elipie pointed me towards this brilliant essay. Well worth a read. X: A Fabulous Child's Story.Leading from the rear ;)
May. 11th, 2011 07:48 pmI literally had tears running down my face reading this: “Power Bottoming,” The Most Disturbing New Trend in American Homosexuality over at Christwire. *
Warning for NSFW pic and anti-gay language, but one of my favourite lines was probably "Most often, the bottom can be identified by his bearded face, sarcastic flippancy and very tight slacks (to show off the buoyancy of his buttocks)."
Oh Danny!
*For those that don't know Christwire is a satirical website that publishes blog style articles that highlight perceived excesses of Christian conservatives. So, y'know, not to be taken seriously! ;)
Warning for NSFW pic and anti-gay language, but one of my favourite lines was probably "Most often, the bottom can be identified by his bearded face, sarcastic flippancy and very tight slacks (to show off the buoyancy of his buttocks)."
Oh Danny!
*For those that don't know Christwire is a satirical website that publishes blog style articles that highlight perceived excesses of Christian conservatives. So, y'know, not to be taken seriously! ;)
Being Queer and Being Safe.
May. 8th, 2011 12:32 amLearning to be ourselves is never easy, and for some of us it is impossible. Whether is because of the parents we have, the town we live in, or the attitudes of our community.
I read this poem this evening and I had to share it with you. For all the work campaigns like the It Gets Better Project do in raising awareness and giving a voice to the LGBT community - and no matter how important I personality think that visibility is - it is also a sad truth that for a lot of people just being who they are is a death sentence.
The most important thing you have to do is be safe!
The most important thing you have to do is be safe!
( Advice To A Young Queer On National Coming Out Day )
Oh mama...
Aug. 6th, 2010 12:08 am Not that I need another reason to love The Golden Girls, but here it is anyway...
NOH8 wins. Equality wins. We all win.
Aug. 5th, 2010 11:59 pmNearly two years ago I posted about California's Proposition 8...
Today, I am glad to be able to say that a little bit of my faith in the word has been restored.
Today, I am glad to be able to say that a little bit of my faith in the word has been restored.
Movies: Patrik Age 1.5 (2008)
Jul. 6th, 2010 09:38 pm(a.k.a. You know you're getting old when you need glasses to read the subtitles.)
Patrik Age 1.5 is a Swedish movie about Goran and Sven, a gay couple who are waiting for the arrival of their adopted son Patrik aged 1,5. When their son actually shows up it turns out there was a typo and instead of the toddler they are expecting, they get a 15 year old homophobic delinquent with a history of violent behaviour. Cue the hilarity...
...or not as the case actually is. There are funny moments in the movie and the neighbourhood they live in has a certain cookie cutter feel to it, but Goran and Sven themselves are presented in a realistic and low-key way. In fact as the film progresses it's interesting to see how much the white picket fences and perfectly manicured lawns of their neighbours hides the real story of their "ordinary" families.
While there are no real surprises to the movie the two main characters, Goran and his "son" Patrik, are beautifully acted and show complex personalities and their difficulty in dealing with themselves, their relationships and the world around them.
This movie may not be groundbreaking but it does show us that if we look past the stereotypes and labels placed on those around us we might just find something we like... and perhaps even someone to love.
( Click to see trailer )
Patrik Age 1.5 is a Swedish movie about Goran and Sven, a gay couple who are waiting for the arrival of their adopted son Patrik aged 1,5. When their son actually shows up it turns out there was a typo and instead of the toddler they are expecting, they get a 15 year old homophobic delinquent with a history of violent behaviour. Cue the hilarity...
...or not as the case actually is. There are funny moments in the movie and the neighbourhood they live in has a certain cookie cutter feel to it, but Goran and Sven themselves are presented in a realistic and low-key way. In fact as the film progresses it's interesting to see how much the white picket fences and perfectly manicured lawns of their neighbours hides the real story of their "ordinary" families.
While there are no real surprises to the movie the two main characters, Goran and his "son" Patrik, are beautifully acted and show complex personalities and their difficulty in dealing with themselves, their relationships and the world around them.
This movie may not be groundbreaking but it does show us that if we look past the stereotypes and labels placed on those around us we might just find something we like... and perhaps even someone to love.
( Click to see trailer )
Movies: Common Ground (2000)
Jul. 5th, 2010 12:47 amFinally getting back to movie viewing (and reviewing) and first up is Common Ground, an triptych of stories from the small town of Homer, Connecticut which deals with gay & lesbian stories over different periods of the town's past and present.
Starting in the 50s with the return from the Navy of Dorothy Nelson, played by Brittany Murphy, after her blue discharge (used by many COs to get rid of homosexuals ), continuing to the 70s and the story of a closeted French teacher Mr Roberts and his student Toby as both struggle with the difficulties of coming out. Finally moving to 2000 & the "wedding" day of Amos & Andy, where along with dealing with the anti-gay protesters & his stubborn father, Amos is getting cold feet about the wedding and his conformity to a heteronormative life.
Watching the movie I was struck by Brittany Murphy. While she may not have been completely believable as a former navy officer, her ability to portray a character who was taking her first steps towards realizing and accepting her sexuality was realistic and intriguing. And while the last story of the wedding was hopeful it was perhaps a little to saccharine for my taste. But most poignant was the 70s tale of Mr Roberts and Toby, a student who, in his teachers own words, is top of all his classes, on the varsity swimming team, is going to Harvard and yet is bullied and attacked by his team mates for his perceived gayness. It instantly reminded me of Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover & Jaheem Herrera, the 11 year old boys who committed suicide last April after enduring daily repeated bulling from school mates about their perceived gayness.
Overall the movie may not have had the impact on me a other films, If These Wall Could Talk 2 which was also released in 2000 springing instantly to mind due to the similar story telling device, it is definitely an interesting look at the developing attitudes towards LGBT community within small town America.
Starting in the 50s with the return from the Navy of Dorothy Nelson, played by Brittany Murphy, after her blue discharge (used by many COs to get rid of homosexuals ), continuing to the 70s and the story of a closeted French teacher Mr Roberts and his student Toby as both struggle with the difficulties of coming out. Finally moving to 2000 & the "wedding" day of Amos & Andy, where along with dealing with the anti-gay protesters & his stubborn father, Amos is getting cold feet about the wedding and his conformity to a heteronormative life.
Watching the movie I was struck by Brittany Murphy. While she may not have been completely believable as a former navy officer, her ability to portray a character who was taking her first steps towards realizing and accepting her sexuality was realistic and intriguing. And while the last story of the wedding was hopeful it was perhaps a little to saccharine for my taste. But most poignant was the 70s tale of Mr Roberts and Toby, a student who, in his teachers own words, is top of all his classes, on the varsity swimming team, is going to Harvard and yet is bullied and attacked by his team mates for his perceived gayness. It instantly reminded me of Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover & Jaheem Herrera, the 11 year old boys who committed suicide last April after enduring daily repeated bulling from school mates about their perceived gayness.
Overall the movie may not have had the impact on me a other films, If These Wall Could Talk 2 which was also released in 2000 springing instantly to mind due to the similar story telling device, it is definitely an interesting look at the developing attitudes towards LGBT community within small town America.
Beautiful & NSFW video
Apr. 18th, 2010 09:14 pmI just saw this and I had to share with you.
This is Ricky Martin - newly out Ricky Martin - in a video unlike anything I have ever seen him do before. Is it meant as a exploration of how he currently feels in the media, naked and vulnerable? Is it a comment on the male body and how we look at people? Is it something completely different altogether and just meant as a publicity piece for a new album he is doing? I don't speak Spanish so maybe someone who does could let me know what the words say.
Either way it is an absolutely beautiful piece of art.
ETA: More info here.
This is Ricky Martin - newly out Ricky Martin - in a video unlike anything I have ever seen him do before. Is it meant as a exploration of how he currently feels in the media, naked and vulnerable? Is it a comment on the male body and how we look at people? Is it something completely different altogether and just meant as a publicity piece for a new album he is doing? I don't speak Spanish so maybe someone who does could let me know what the words say.
Either way it is an absolutely beautiful piece of art.
ETA: More info here.
This may have made me slightly weepy...
Oct. 13th, 2009 07:12 pmI'm not going to go on about this. I was not a fan of Stephen Gately or Boyzone but, jesus, he was only 33. And there is a lot of bullshit going on in the media about how he died and I even read an article today saying 'he might have been gay but he didn't flaunt it, didn't push it in our faces, so it was okay'!!!
What? so if he had dressed in flamboyant clothes and constantly talked about fashion and men (the journalist's words) his death wouldn't be that much of a tragedy?!? Jesus, I fucking hate the tabloids sometimes. He had a husband who loves him and is devastated, family and friends who are in shock and they really don't need to hear that kind of crap. Give him some respect!
I always thought of No Matter What as Stephen's song. He mightn't have been the best singer but he loved what he did. I think this performance proves that. And my god what a cute smile he had.
What? so if he had dressed in flamboyant clothes and constantly talked about fashion and men (the journalist's words) his death wouldn't be that much of a tragedy?!? Jesus, I fucking hate the tabloids sometimes. He had a husband who loves him and is devastated, family and friends who are in shock and they really don't need to hear that kind of crap. Give him some respect!
I always thought of No Matter What as Stephen's song. He mightn't have been the best singer but he loved what he did. I think this performance proves that. And my god what a cute smile he had.
Sinead's Hand
Aug. 31st, 2009 05:57 pmLet me just say, Ireland is small. We've got 4 million people approx as our population but when we put our minds to something we can still do wonderful things.
Here's some proof:
I just love how straight forward the message is, no pun intended. Wonderful piece.
::sigh::
ETA: To read Pauley's views on LGBT rights click the following: Is "NCIS"'s Pauley Perrette the coolest straight person ever?
Listen to your elders
May. 26th, 2009 11:09 pmIn the wake of the California Supreme Court ruling on Prop 8 I think we're all feeling anger and disbelief but I can't believe in all of this that anyone is truly surprised. That lack of surprise does not mean the decision isn't still depressing but what I needed to do was find hope. Something to make me keep believe and keep fighting.
That hopes comes from the words of Phyllis Lyon.
Phyllis and her late wife Del Martin were the first couple to marry in June of last year after a "courtship" of over fifty years.
The whole article is wonderful to read. It tells the story of how they met. How they became a couple and eventually how they got involved in civil rights. But they thing that got me was this woman, who has seen so much, has lived a full and wonderful live, who married the woman she shared that life with and lost her not long after could still say:
I'm optimistic about the future. Look at all the states that have now done this. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. They may not all last. But it's going to be all right. It may not be while I'm alive, but eventually it will work out that if two people want to get married, they can get married and it won't matter to whom. We went through this before with people of color. It will be OK.
I hope I won't be saying the same thing when I'm 84. In fact I know by then that the world will be a different place. One thing we can always be sure about is that we will continue to evolve as a people and as a global community. Change is going to come we just have to believe it will be OK.
ARRRGGGHHH!
Right now all I want to do is give the California Supreme Court wedgies because obviously that's the only kind of mentality they can undestand.
I gotta say Iowa (and state rep. Ed Fallon) got it right when they agreed.
Right now all I want to do is give the California Supreme Court wedgies because obviously that's the only kind of mentality they can undestand.
I gotta say Iowa (and state rep. Ed Fallon) got it right when they agreed.
"I believe strongly that what we are dealing with here is the defining civil rights issue of this decade. ... What are you trying to protect heterosexual marriages from? There isn't a limited amount of love in Iowa. It isn't a non-renewable resource. If Amy and Barbara or Mike and Steve love each other, it doesn't mean that John and Mary can't. Marriage licenses aren't distributed on a first-come, first-served basis here in Iowa. Heterosexual couples don't have to rush out and claim marriage licenses now, before they are all snatched up by gay and lesbian couples. Heterosexual unions are and will continue to be predominant, regardless of what gay and lesbian couples do. To suggest that homosexual couples in any way, shape or form threaten to undermine the stability of heterosexual unions is patently absurd. And I know, you'll say: 'What about the gay agenda?' Well, just as there turned out to be no Bolsheviks in the bathroom back in the 1950s, there is no gay agenda in the 1990s. There is, however, a strong, well-funded anti-gay agenda, and we have an example of its efforts here before us today."
--From a speech delivered on the floor of the Iowa House by state Rep. Ed Fallon in opposition to legislation prohibiting recognition of gay marriages performed in other states.
Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach
May. 20th, 2009 08:55 pmHey, remember when the Obama administration said they were going to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell? And not in an 'Oh we'll have a look at it' kind of way but in a single worded "Yes!" This was not a campaign promise, Obama was already elected. It filled me with hope and buoyed my already huge belief in the big O. Now, it's four months later and shit like this is still happening.
It makes me sick and angry and just want to rage. Please, can we just end this now! In what way is allowing gay people to serve openly in the American forces really going to be bad for morale? Personally, if I was in a war, I'd want my whole army to be gay because if there's one thing we know how to do it's fight to the bitter end for what is right and just.
The Hot 10
May. 11th, 2009 06:27 pmAfterEllen.com published their Hot 100 for 2009 today. It reminded me of a sexy women meme I did in June of last year and got me wondering how my list might have change in the last year. So...
ladyoflisquill's 2009 Top 10 Sexy Women (in no particular order):
( Read more... )
ETA: Had to add Ellen interviewing Portia for her show. So cute!
( cut for vids )
