The Bilerico Project

You Gotta Give 'Em Hope Roundup

michael@bilerico.com (Michael Crawford) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 19:00:00 -0500

Its been a fantastic week at Bilerico with both contributors and guest bloggers offering provocative ideas on how to kick the LGBT movement into high gear.

Here's a taste:

Monday:
Why Prop 8's Passage Could Be A Good Thing - Scott Kaiser
3 Things That Made Me Cry Today - Bil Browning

Tuesday:
A Call for Repeal, And a Timeline That Makes Sense - Steve Ralls
"Sleeping" With the "Enemy" - Prince Gomolvilas
Did God Create Marriage? - Patricia Neal Warren

Wednesday:
One Man, One Clear Message - Waymon Hudson
Huckabee: Gays Haven't Suffered Enough for Civil Rights - Michael Crawford
Broad Outlines For Change Within the GLBT Movement - Guest Blogger Wayne Besen

Thursday:
Now It's Official - Nadine Smith
What Thomas Beatie Doesn't Understand - Nancy Polikoff
2008 Amendment Battles LiveBlog with Kate Kendell, Nadine Smith and Barbara McCullough-Jones - Bil Browning

Friday:
Domestic Partnership Benefits? They are After Those Too. -Waymon Hudson
How We Blew It: California's Prop 8 Defeat - Guest Blogger Terry Leftgoff
Disposable People - Tobi Hill-Meyer

Ugly Betty: Young Gay Love

waymon@bilerico.com (Waymon Hudson) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:30:00 -0500

Everyone knows by now that I am a television junkie. One of my favorite, and probably the gayest show on TV (sorry Project Runway), is Ugly Betty.

While it is based on the over the top telenovela style of shows, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, it has also been great about giving visibility to LGBT community. From transgender issues to marriage, the show hasn't really shied away from anything queer.

This is especially true with the character of Betty's teenage nephew, Justin. Justin is an effeminate, musical-loving, fashion designing, tap dancing, kid- something I'm not sure I've seen before on a network TV show. Heck, he's like a mini-me from my teenage years (but without my small-town angst). Over the past few weeks, they have been slowly developing a side story where Justin seems to be about to break another barrier- by getting a boyfriend.

Continue reading "Ugly Betty: Young Gay Love"...

Lieberman and the Loss Leaders (with a Chambliss/Martin twist)

marla@bilerico.com (Marla R. Stevens) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:00:00 -0500

The Senate has kissed Lieberman's sorry ass yet again and the party powers that be are now celebrating how nice and big their tent is.

Continue reading "Lieberman and the Loss Leaders (with a Chambliss/Martin twist)"...

Ten Years - 400 Dead... And Counting

monica@bilerico.com (Monica Roberts) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:30:00 -0500

Thursday was the tenth anniversary of the Transgender Day of Remembrance. It's the day transgender people around the world pause and remember our fallen brothers and sisters along with our allies and friends.

It was also a day of mixed emotions for me. One of the people we remembered at last night's ceremony at the LPTS was one of my friends.

Instead of lighting 30 candles on her birthday cake next month, we lit one candle for Nakhia 'Nikki' Williams at our TDOR ceremony held at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary's Caldwell Chapel. She unfortunately became one of the 30 transpeople killed this year due to the senseless anti-transgender violence directed at us

Continue reading "Ten Years - 400 Dead... And Counting"...

The Bush economy: the list of big name retailers going under grows

pam@bilerico.com (Pam Spaulding) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:00:00 -0500

Wow. The Bush economy is taking a lot of companies down the toilet as Dear Leader and the GOP try to wash their hands of the destruction left during his eight-year reign of terror as he packs his bags and flies to Crawford.

While discussing the general misery of the Bush economy, take note of the businesses listed below that won't get to belly up to the taxpayer buffet like Big Auto and Wall Street. Yet all of these closings translate into a whole lot of people out of work -- people who won't have money to buy a car built by Big Auto. These retailers simply aren't "too big to fail", but enough of these midsize businesses going under will have a big impact on the already craptacular economy. It looks like a lot of malls will be ghost towns soon.

List of store closings and layoffs below the fold.

Continue reading "The Bush economy: the list of big name retailers going under grows"...

HRC Posts Video for Transgender Day of Remembrance

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0500

The HRC posted a video on its website this week to commemorate Transgender Day of Remembrance. It co-opts the images of Lawrence King and Robert Eads, and urges our community to demand hate crimes legislation.

iPhone users: Click to watch

Really? Demand hate crimes legislation? Fuck off HRC! Where were you during the ENDA debates? Oh yeah . . . you were busy chucking the transgender members of our community to the wayside.

And Lawrence King, to my knowledge, didn't identify as trans. He got killed because he didn't conform to traditional standards of masculinity. But that doesn't mean he was trans. You don't get to co-opt the images of murdered children to further the HRC's agenda.

Continue reading "HRC Posts Video for Transgender Day of Remembrance"...

Remembrance into Action: Honoring Trans Women of Color

guest@bilerico.com (Guest Blogger) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0500

Editors' Note: Guest blogger Amanda Morgan is a Vaid fellow with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute.

Transgender Day of Remembrance feels especially sad this year, with Duanna Johnson and Latiesha Green, two black trans women, murdered within a week of each other and another trans woman of color I met just a few weeks ago dead from as yet undisclosed causes. I am often made aware of the vulnerability of our bodies when we are transgender or gender non-conforming and of color, but on this day it feels especially pertinent.

I am lucky -- I have made it through my life thus far having survived attacks that were not fatal or permanently disabling and having only received intimidation or threats based on my gender identity/sexual orientation. But many are not so lucky, 16 trans people have been murdered thus far this year and out of those 16, 11 are identified as people of color; the other six have not been publicly identified as belonging to any racial group. Ariel Herrera of Amnesty International has noted,

The most vulnerable are transgendered individuals of color. They are the most stigmatized in the community and often targeted by police.

Continue reading "Remembrance into Action: Honoring Trans Women of Color"...

No More Mr. Nice Gay

michael@bilerico.com (Michael Crawford) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:00:00 -0500

"In the face of these and countless other slights, the reaction from gay rights activists is predictably muted because we don't go after Democrats. Now that Democrats are in charge, our advocates must get over their aversion to taking on their supposed allies. If they don't, they will be overshadowed by less easily cowed voices that have finally tired of patience and are demanding accountability and progress."

-- Washington Blade editor Kevin Naff in an editorial entitled "No More Mr. Nice Gay"

Will it Blend? Live

michael@bilerico.com (Michael Crawford) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:00:00 -0500

iPhone users: Click to watch

This is not gay specific, but considering that Tom Dickinson will be blending things live on YouTube from San Francisco that makes it a little gay.

The wonder that is Sarah Palin - on-screen turkey slaughter at her presser

pam@bilerico.com (Pam Spaulding) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:00:00 -0500

Paging Tina Fey, we need one more skit from you... it doesn't get any better/worse than this. The failed GOP Veep candidate gabs about the greatness of small business and happy turkeys while the fowl is offed behind her. And she knew what was going on.:

iPhone users: Click to watch

The governor was being interviewed by a local television news station while the work of the Triple-D Farm and Hatchery continued.

That's when Governor Palin found herself in a less than desirable spot for the interview.

Just minutes after pardoning one turkey, a farm worker began processing another turkey just a few feet behind her, plainly visible in the background of the video.

Governor Palin was told by the photographer what was going on behind her and allowed the interview to continue.

Queer Music Friday- Yo Majesty

eric@bilerico.com (Eric Leven) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:00:00 -0500

Let me introduce to you Yo Majesty, the all female, openly lesbian hardcore rap trio! Their rough, often raunchy-based lyrics and fierce beats will keep you raging on the dancefloor til dawn. They are hailed for both challenging the male chauvinist standard in hip-hop music and for creating a landmark due to lyrics through which women objectify other women rather than men doing so.

Below is their hit "Club Action" *Lyrics NOT safe for work*

iPhone users: Click to watch

Their official website
Their myspace page
Wiki Bio

eHarmony Will Now Accept Same Sex Couples

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:00:00 -0500

Yesterday is was announced that eHarmony will accept same sex couples on their online dating service. According to Poponthepop.com, "the new same-sex matching service from eHarmony, Compatible Partners, is set to debut by March 31."

Before anyone jumps on the eHarmony bandwagon, let's not forget that eHarmony founder Neil Clark Warren is a Mormon and a big time supporter of Focus on the Family. Focus on the Family, of course, was a major financial donor to the Yes on 8 campaign.

So let me get this straight . . . Gays and lesbians aren't good enough to get married, but eHarmony will take our money? Fuck off, assholes!

Disposable People

tobi@bilerico.com (Tobi Hill-Meyer) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:00:00 -0500

Last night I gave this speech at Day of Remembrance, addressing the way trans identity, race, gender, immigration, sex work, and police brutality have all become major factors in anti-trans killings.

Every year we take this time to review the losses our community has faced. And each year it feels like a slam in the gut. In an attempt to make sense out of it all, we try to put the pieces together. It seems so senseless, but part of why it is so prevalent is that to many people, trans people are the most sensible victims to choose. We are looking at the result of a society that treats certain people as disposable.

Don't fool yourself, it's not just trans people that we are talking about. We're talking about undocumented immigrants, the homeless, sex workers, people of color, women. And this year as with every year, the trans people on this list are many if not most or all of the above.

Continue reading "Disposable People"...

Mark Doty Wins 2008 National Book Award

eric@bilerico.com (Eric Leven) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:30:00 -0500

Congratulations to gay writer and poet Mark Doty who took home the
2008 National Book Award last night for his poetry book entitled Fire to Fire.

Doty is well known for his 2007 book Dog Years which is simultaneously both a heart breaking and heart warming story about the relationship between humans and dogs during a time of love, desperation and grief.

Continue reading "Mark Doty Wins 2008 National Book Award"...

Prince William's penis pictures

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:30:00 -0500

It's time for another of my tasteful picture posts. No, I'm not showing a naked Big Brother contestant (or two!) and this isn't Survivor: Gabon dick either. This even tops my Dick Cheney's penis post. No, I'm posting classy cock today - Prince William's penis.

Apparently the royal hunk had to tinkle while playing soccer so he decided to sneak off to a wooded fence line. Thanks to the wonders of mega-super-zoom lenses, the paparazzi were able to capture these photos sure to win a Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography.

Click after the link of you want to see a Royal taking a leak. Pictures NSFW. Remember, I told you what's back there and I'm not forcing you to click...

(Hat tip to Popcrunch.)

Continue reading "Prince William's penis pictures"...

Newt Gingrich and "Gay Fascists"

patricia@bilerico.com (Patricia Nell Warren) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:30:00 -0500

Good grief, Newt Gingrich is "teaching" history again. On the Bill O'Reilly show the other day, Gingrich came up with his biggest lie about history yet. He said, "I think there is a gay and secular fascism in this country that wants to impose its will on the rest of us...it is a very dangerous threat to anybody who believes in traditional religion."

Wow. And to think that the real fascists were neither gay nor secular. ln fact, the real fascists supported -- and were shamelessly supported by -- ultra-traditional Christian religion. I'm talking mainly about Spain's Franco, Germany's Hitler and Italy's Mussolini, who were the most powerful and destructive figures among European fascist rulers of the 20th century.

Continue reading "Newt Gingrich and "Gay Fascists""...

Equality Ride 2008: It's About Safety

pschilt@bilerico.com (Paige Schilt) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0500

Last year, I was lucky enough to spend a day at Baylor University with the Soulforce Equality Ride, a national bus tour that visits Christian colleges to talk about safety and fairness for gay and transgender students, and I met a student whose story I will never forget. I'll call him Tommy. He was a 19-year-old sophomore from an evangelical Christian family and a small Texas town. He had chosen to study at Baylor because it was the most progressive and cosmopolitan option available to him.

When Tommy enrolled at Baylor, he did what many gay and lesbian college students do without incident or fanfare: he came out to himself and a few close friends. But at Baylor--and at more than 200 other schools and colleges across the country--Tommy's courage and honesty made him vulnerable to disciplinary action from the school and violence from his fellow students.

Just recently, Tommy told me, someone had written threatening anti-gay epithets on his dorm room door. As a faculty member with a background in student affairs, I was aghast. "Did you report the incident to your R.A.?" I asked. Tommy looked at me fearfully, as if perhaps he'd shared the information with someone too dim to be trusted.

Continue reading "Equality Ride 2008: It's About Safety"...

How We Blew It: California's Prop 8 Defeat

guest@bilerico.com (Guest Blogger) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0500

Editors' Note: Guest blogger Terry Leftgoff formerly served as the highest ranking openly gay officer of the California Democratic Party and oversaw numerous campaign efforts including local unified Democratic campaigns for Bill Clinton, Dianne Feinstein, and Barbara Boxer, among others. He is currently an Environmental, Government & Public Relations consultant living in West Hollywood. Terry is single and hopes to be able to marry someday.

A Bungled Campaign, A Call for Change, The 'Ick' Factor, and Historical Inevitability

Last night I attended a meeting in Beverly Hills to hear some of the leaders of the losing No on Prop 8 campaign discuss why they thought we lost. I found myself strongly disagreeing with their assessment. I also found myself in excellent company among the many villagers gathering outside the village gates.

So what happened? On a day of a monumental tidal shift when voters bust down the front door of the White House for an African American and Californians voted to prevent the closing of another door to abortion rights, in a stunning reversal Californians voted to slam the door on the civil rights of gay couples and strip us of our right to marry.

The single biggest reason for the Proposition 8 loss was an ineffective and inept campaign strategy by the leadership of the No on 8 campaign, Despite raising record shattering amounts of money and volunteers who worked their hearts out, the overarching state campaign strategy was a huge flop.

Continue reading "How We Blew It: California's Prop 8 Defeat"...

Chemistry smacks eHarmony around

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:30:00 -0500

"It's a shame that [eHarmony.com founder] Dr. Neil Clark Warren's sudden acceptance came at the forced hand of the legal system. Since its inception, Chemistry.com has lived by the mantra of 'Come as You Are,' an open-minded philosophy that permeates the brand and encourages anyone and everyone to find that indescribable feeling of falling in love."

-- Thomas Enraght-Moony, CEO of Match.com, in a statement e-mailed to Bilerico Project about the New Jersey Civil Rights ruling against eHarmony for discriminating against gays and lesbians

I "Promise" 5 Winners for This Contest

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:15:00 -0500

This week we're giving away 5 copies of Il Divo's new CD, The Promise courtesy of Columbia Records. To win, just follow Bilerico Project on Twitter! We'll pick 5 lucky winners from our Twitter followers at noon on Friday, so add us now! Twitter is free, of course; we'd never ask you to pay anything to win a prize from Bilerico.

Columbia Records presents

The Promise

The new album from

Il Divo

Featuring "The Power of Love," "Hallelujah," "The Winner Takes It All," and "Amazing Grace"

Album available in stores and online now

Some of you have asked how we get so much stuff to giveaway to Projectors. The answer is simple. Publicists regularly write asking for us to review or help publicize the product they're pitching. We accept promotional items and pass them on to readers. If you're a publicist who'd like to offer a prize package, just contact us.