Politics: December 2008
Gays to be Named to Obama Administration
Filed by Michael Crawford | December 31, 2008 | 4:00 PM |Unnamed sources say that the Obama-Biden Transition Team is very likely to name several openly LGBT people to key positions within the administration in the next several weeks. The appointments would follow disappointment expressed by LGBT activists after the Transition...Read More
Beyond marriage? Let's move beyond progress
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 31, 2008 | 3:20 PM |American workers have had their retirements under assault for over three decades. They've been losing as companies moved from defined-benefit programs over to defined-compensation and plans that were basically a tool to move worthless or soon-to-be worthless stock onto workers....Read More
The Media, the Legislature and the Police Are Guilty Too
Filed by Bil Browning | December 30, 2008 | 5:00 PM |My post, "Transgender woman and her boyfriend murdered in Indianapolis," has created quite a bit of conversation - both here on the Project and in certain circles in Indiana. I've just finished an interview with an Indianapolis Star reporter about...Read More
Sarah Palin's now a Hockey Grandma!
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 30, 2008 | 3:00 PM |In the most anticipated conservabirth since the Cheney Baby, Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston was born (out of wedlock) to Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston. Everyone is healthy and safe, and that's a good thing. This instance would be an inconvenient...Read More
End of year honors: Angela Brightfeather
Filed by Matt Comer | December 30, 2008 | 11:30 AM |Every year, the staff at Q-Notes in Charlotte sits down and wade through a list of names as we come to a consensus on who should be our Person of the Year. Our task is a great one: Choose a...Read More
Tel Aviv Has Balls
Filed by Prince Gomolvilas | December 29, 2008 | 4:00 PM |The Israeli city of Tel Aviv has begun recruiting gay hunks jocks athletes to compete in World Outgames 2009, which will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, next summer and which will feature 38 different sporting events. (Of course, the only...Read More
Kirchick: gays, cool your jets on Warren
Filed by Pam Spaulding | December 29, 2008 | 11:00 AM |OK folks, what is your take on this piece by Jamie Kirchick, "The Gay Community Needs to Calm Down About Rick Warren"? A snippet: The problem for gay activists is that many Americans agree with Rick Warren when it comes...Read More
Where the Real Americans are
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 28, 2008 | 3:30 PM |In the 2000 census, Americans were asked to state their "ancestry." Here's a map of the most common answers in each county (most were pluralities, not majorities). The light blue throughout the north is German, the dark purple band in...Read More
Barney Frank Keynote
Filed by Bil Browning | December 28, 2008 | 2:00 PM |Rep. Barney Frank Keynote at GLII Luncheon from Jerame Davis on Vimeo. This is the keynote address Rep Barney Frank gave at the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute luncheon. Those of attending the LGBT bloggers conference also attended. I've held...Read More
Please Don't Divorce...
Filed by Michael Crawford | December 27, 2008 | 11:30 AM |The Courage Campaign has launched an amazing and heartbreaking new community photo project called Please Don't Divorce to put faces to the 18,000 married same-sex couples facing the possibility of being forcibly divorced in California. Kenneth Starr, the right-wing prosecutor...Read More
LEAKED: Bush's Xmas Wish List
Filed by Storm Bear | December 27, 2008 | 8:00 AM |click to enlarge I have this theory I think will hold up after Obama takes his oath next month. I think after Obama is in office and all the idiots are swept out of government (at least most of...Read More
Rick Warren is trampling on MLK Day and it's OK
Filed by Guest Blogger | December 26, 2008 | 4:00 PM |Editors' note: Guest blogger Matt Hennie is a freelance journalist in Atlanta. A product of the legacy media (those printed newspaper no one seems to be reading anymore), he jumped into the blogosphere in September with the launch of Project...Read More
Harvard Business Review and the Interest Convergence Dilemma
Filed by Dr. Jillian T. Weiss | December 26, 2008 | 2:30 PM |I recently wrote a laudatory post about Harvard Business Review's case study on gender transition in the workplace. A reader of this blog raised a strong objection, apologizing for "raining on my parade." Dr. Weiss, According to the 2008 2nd...Read More
Top 10 Victories for LGBT Equality in 2008
Filed by Juan and Ken Ahonen-Jover | December 26, 2008 | 11:00 AM |In 2008, there were some significants setbacks for equality when we lost the ballot initiatives in California, Florida, Arizona, and Arkansas. But there were some significant victories that will help to advance equality in 2009 and beyond. Read our...Read More
Those hard lines we draw between "sexual orientation," "gender identity," and "gender expression"
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 24, 2008 | 4:30 PM |This man in England just won his appeal to have his anti-gay discrimination case heard. It was originally rejected because he was straight and married to a woman. Stephen English says he was forced to quit his job at an...Read More
On Barack Obama, Rick Warren, and Leading From Behind
Filed by Marla R. Stevens | December 24, 2008 | 12:00 PM |Catholic Worker Peter Maurin's essay, "Politics Is Politics", pre-saged Obama's failure in moral thinking on gay issues that led to the Warren and McClurkin gaffes.Read More
A Novel Take on Marriage and Rick Warren
Filed by Brynn Craffey | December 23, 2008 | 5:30 PM |Bob Ostertag, over at Huffington Post, has written an excellent article arguing that elevating same-sex marriage to the forefront of the LGBT movement is ill-advised both strategically and morally. Even more thought-provoking, he writes that rather than an enemy, Rick...Read More
Rick Warren's ridiculous damage control efforts
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 23, 2008 | 4:30 PM |Rick Warren's feeling the heat and he's trying to dodge it. The image to the right will live on in infamy. It's Rick Warren at the Out off the Closet thrift store in LA with his new gay friend. It...Read More
Words Matter: Hate and Bigotry
Filed by Waymon Hudson | December 23, 2008 | 3:00 PM |The intense discussion about the Rick Warren choice for the inauguration here and in the media has really been both enlightening and surprising. I've been overjoyed to see the concerns of our community get national attention (which is always a...Read More
Grandma Just Got Busted In A Drug Deal
Filed by Monica Roberts | December 23, 2008 | 2:30 PM |Merry Christmas, Projectors! As an early Christmas gift to you, I'm presenting another one of my infamous song rewrites. I posted this on TransGriot, but this one needed to be shared with y'all as well. This holiday-themed one was spawned...Read More
Why I don't donate to the Salvation Army bell ringer
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 23, 2008 | 12:00 PM |Stuff like this just makes me sick: Equality Texas mourns the death of Jennifer Gale, a 47-year-old transgender homeless woman who died yesterday. Jennifer's body was found Wednesday morning. She was lying in an outdoor walkway at the First English...Read More
Rick 'Bearing False Witness' Warren: What he really said on gays, pedophilia, incest
Filed by Matt Comer | December 23, 2008 | 11:00 AM |Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church, gave a message to his congregants recently. He addressed the controversy over the invite he received to lead the inaugural invocation. Addressing his repeated comparisons of gay relationships with incest and pedophilia, Warren said...Read More
Dear Diego
Filed by Monica Roberts | December 22, 2008 | 5:00 PM |Dear Diego, This may come as a surprise that you're seeing this open letter from me, one of the more vehement critics of HRC and your new boss, but congratulations on your new senior legislative policy adviser job starting January...Read More
Sen Richard Lugar named honorary co-chair of Obama inauguration
Filed by Bil Browning | December 22, 2008 | 4:00 PM |Indiana's Republican senior Senator, Richard Lugar, has been named an honorary co-chair of the Barack Obama inauguration ceremony. Obama and Lugar had a close working relationship in the Senate. In keeping with the President-elect's commitment to an inclusive and bipartisan...Read More
Sen Richard Lugar named honorary co-chair of Obama inauguration
Filed by Bil Browning | December 22, 2008 | 4:00 PM |Indiana's Republican senior Senator, Richard Lugar, has been named an honorary co-chair of the Barack Obama inauguration ceremony. Obama and Lugar had a close working relationship in the Senate. In keeping with the President-elect's commitment to an inclusive and bipartisan...Read More
This Can't Really Be the Economy
Filed by Terrance Heath | December 22, 2008 | 2:30 PM |I'm not an economist. I've never studied economics, beyond reading The Complete Idiot's Guide to Economics about a year ago. I've read about derivatives and had my mind blown by the concept of securitization and the idea that people not...Read More
This Can't Really Be the Economy
Filed by Terrance Heath | December 22, 2008 | 2:30 PM |I'm not an economist. I've never studied economics, beyond reading The Complete Idiot's Guide to Economics about a year ago. I've read about derivatives and had my mind blown by the concept of securitization and the idea that people not...Read More
Forget Rick Warren, Joseph Lowery is the voice our country needs to hear
Filed by Michael Crawford | December 22, 2008 | 11:00 AM |While the debate over Rick Warren delivering the invocation at Barack Obama's inauguration continues, not nearly enough attention has been paid to the selection of Rev. Joseph Lowery to deliver the benediction. Unlike Rev. Warren who has equated marriage with...Read More
I ♥ the New Deal
Filed by Douglas Meagher | December 22, 2008 | 10:00 AM |At the outset, I admit that Franklin Roosevelt is my political hero and I've been enamored of The New Deal since I was first old enough to read about it. The public works projects are my particular fascination. In most...Read More
Too Big To Fail
Filed by Kate Clinton | December 22, 2008 | 10:00 AM |So much for no-drama Obama. This holiday season we got an early gift stuffed in our fishnet stocking. Clinton at least waited until after his inauguration to throw us under the Straight Talk Express bus with Don't Ask, Don't Tell....Read More
A new twist in the Prop 8 litigation
Filed by Nan Hunter | December 21, 2008 | 7:00 PM |CA Attorney General Jerry Brown surprised all sides in the Prop 8 litigation by filing a 90-page brief in the state supreme court that takes a unique position in the case, not agreeing completely with either side. In general, a...Read More
What Barack Obama Should Do About Rick Warren
Filed by Dana Rudolph | December 21, 2008 | 5:30 PM |At my alma mater, Wellesley College, on the first Sunday of the school year, students gather at the chapel for "Flower Sunday," one of the oldest traditions of the College. While Flower Sunday has Protestant roots, the service has evolved...Read More
It is important to say these things out loud
Filed by Nadine Smith | December 21, 2008 | 2:30 PM |President-elect Barack Obama believes "marriage is between a man and a woman". Barack Obama does not think gay couples' relationships are worthy of the same stature as his and Michelle's. He does not believe that gay couples deserve the precise...Read More
Up With Downward Mobility
Filed by Terrance Heath | December 21, 2008 | 1:00 PM |Every once in a while, an idea gels in my head and I dismiss it, thinking to myself "Nah. I gotta be missing something. It can't be that. And then I hear someone who probably knows a lot more than...Read More
Up With Downward Mobility
Filed by Terrance Heath | December 21, 2008 | 1:00 PM |Every once in a while, an idea gels in my head and I dismiss it, thinking to myself "Nah. I gotta be missing something. It can't be that. And then I hear someone who probably knows a lot more than...Read More
Up With Downward Mobility
Filed by Terrance Heath | December 21, 2008 | 1:00 PM |Every once in a while, an idea gels in my head and I dismiss it, thinking to myself "Nah. I gotta be missing something. It can't be that. And then I hear someone who probably knows a lot more than...Read More
A Poem For Barack Obama
Filed by Rebecca Juro | December 21, 2008 | 11:00 AM |I am not a poet. In fact, while I've been writing for years, this is my first attempt ever at this kind of thing, so I ask your indulgence. Bad poetry it may be, but it's how I feel. I...Read More
Not a Disagreement among Friends...
Filed by Kate Kendell | December 20, 2008 | 4:00 PM |Even as we endured the passage of Prop 8 and three other anti-gay measures on November 4, we took comfort in the near end of the most treacherous administration in recent history and the historic election of a man who...Read More
Rachel Maddow on Rick Warren
Filed by Waymon Hudson | December 20, 2008 | 1:00 PM |Rachel Maddow gets real about the Warren Fiasco on the Thursday edition of her show. .msnbcLinks {font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;} .msnbcLinks a {text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal...Read More
2008-The Year Of the Black Transperson
Filed by Monica Roberts | December 20, 2008 | 11:30 AM |Ever since Christine Jorgensen stepped off the plane in New York from Denmark in 1953, the media coverage concerning transgender people has been disproportionately focused on white transgender people. What little coverage we have garnered has been limited to African-American...Read More
CA Attorney General Supports Repeal of Prop 8!
Filed by Brynn Craffey | December 20, 2008 | 10:00 AM |Californian Attorney General (and former two-term governor) Jerry Brown, in a surprise turnabout, has filed a brief to the State Supreme Court in support of overturning Proposition 8! Prior to this move, Brown had publicly stated he would uphold Prop...Read More
CA Attorney General Supports Repeal of Prop 8!
Filed by Brynn Craffey | December 20, 2008 | 10:00 AM |Californian Attorney General (and former two-term governor) Jerry Brown, in a surprise turnabout, has filed a brief to the State Supreme Court in support of overturning Proposition 8! Prior to this move, Brown had publicly stated he would uphold Prop...Read More
Calm down: Rick Warren is not a big deal
Filed by Bil Browning | December 19, 2008 | 4:00 PM |You might be surprised at my thoughts on the current Rick Warren scandal. I've hesitated to blog about it for the past couple of days, but as this story has grown bigger and bigger, it's time I stepped out and...Read More
Should "Inclusion" Include Everyone?
Filed by Waymon Hudson | December 19, 2008 | 2:30 PM |It is pretty obvious to anyone how I feel about Rick Warren being chosen to deliver the blessing on inauguration day. Warren is a unabashed bigot draped in religious clothing who hates the entire LGBT community. And let's be clear,...Read More
Man does not live by doughnuts alone
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 19, 2008 | 1:30 PM |365Gay is reporting that Geoff Kors, who led the No on Prop 8 campaign, has decided to boycott the inauguration because of Rick Warren's invocation. I suspect he won't be the last. What's getting me about this is the straight...Read More
Meeting of Indiana Presidential Electors
Filed by Jerame Davis | December 19, 2008 | 12:30 PM |I recently had the honor and privilege to attend the Indiana Meeting of Presidential Electors. This is the meeting of Indiana's 11 Presidential Electors, essentially Indiana's contribution to the Electoral College. Indiana voted for a Democrat for the first time...Read More
Meeting of Indiana Presidential Electors
Filed by Jerame Davis | December 19, 2008 | 12:30 PM |I recently had the honor and privilege to attend the Indiana Meeting of Presidential Electors. This is the meeting of Indiana's 11 Presidential Electors, essentially Indiana's contribution to the Electoral College. Indiana voted for a Democrat for the first time...Read More
That Weird Hug from Rick Warren
Filed by Guest Blogger | December 19, 2008 | 10:00 AM |Editors' Note: Guest blogger Jeff Lutes is the Executive Director of Soulforce, a national civil rights and social justice organization dedicated to freedom for LGBT people through nonviolent direct action. According to the first three books of the New Testament,...Read More
That Weird Hug from Rick Warren
Filed by Guest Blogger | December 19, 2008 | 10:00 AM |Editors' Note: Guest blogger Jeff Lutes is the Executive Director of Soulforce, a national civil rights and social justice organization dedicated to freedom for LGBT people through nonviolent direct action. According to the first three books of the New Testament,...Read More
Another assault on women's choice
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 18, 2008 | 6:30 PM |Women's reproductive choice suffered a legal blow this week, with the Bush administration issuing a new rule that allows medical staff who have moral objections to women's autonomy to refuse treatment: The controversial rule empowers federal health officials to cut...Read More
The More Things "Change", the More They Stay the Same...
Filed by Waymon Hudson | December 18, 2008 | 5:30 PM |With the crushing defeats at the ballot box for our community this past November, the one bright spot, the glimmer of hope, that I held on to was Obama's election. While I may not always have agreed with all his...Read More
Responding to Obama: We can disagree without being disagreeable, but Rick Warren cannot
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 18, 2008 | 3:00 PM |The Obama team has come out with its official talking points on the Warren invocation, and there's nothing there that's all too surprising. They want the celebrity power at their ceremony but they don't want to take responsibility for picking...Read More
About that Obama transition team meeting with the LGBTs
Filed by Nancy Polikoff | December 18, 2008 | 2:30 PM |Until this post on the National Youth Advocacy Coalition (NYAC) blog, I hadn't seen a list of all those in attendance at last Wednesday's (Dec 10) LGBT meeting with the Obama transition team. Thanks to Greg Varnum for also posting...Read More
DC community outraged at mayor's silence after gay man murdered
Filed by Michael Crawford | December 18, 2008 | 1:30 PM |The DC LGBT community is outraged over the latest murdered of a gay person and the absolute silence coming from the DC's mayor Adrian Fenty over the increasing level of violence affecting LGBT people. Durval V. Martins A 35-year-old gay...Read More
Obama's Vision - He Doesn't See Us
Filed by Karen Ocamb | December 18, 2008 | 12:00 PM |There's a saying in the 12 Step programs about being sick and tired of being sick and tired. It's at this point - generally your own personal version of rock bottom - that you surrender and admit something has been...Read More
Crackdowns on Sex Work Make Things Worse
Filed by Tobi Hill-Meyer | December 17, 2008 | 7:30 PM |Note: In honor of International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, I thought I'd share something I wrote for my local weekly paper. Unfortunately, our local police department decided to honor this day with a crackdown on internet based...Read More
Crackdowns on Sex Work Make Things Worse
Filed by Tobi Hill-Meyer | December 17, 2008 | 7:30 PM |Note: In honor of International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, I thought I'd share something I wrote for my local weekly paper. Unfortunately, our local police department decided to honor this day with a crackdown on internet based...Read More
Obama picks arch-homophobe Rick Warren to deliver inauguration invocation
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 17, 2008 | 5:30 PM |This is unbelievable. Just when you thought the era of insane right-wing pastors having the president on speed-dial was over, Obama goes and shows that it's not: Aretha Franklin and Dr. Rick Warren, an evangelical minister of the Saddleback Church,...Read More
Diego Sanchez Named As Senior Advisor To Barney Frank
Filed by Rebecca Juro | December 17, 2008 | 4:30 PM |Today Transadvocate.com is reporting that FTM transgender activist and business leader Diego Sanchez has been named to replace Joe Racalto as Congressman Barney Frank's senior policy advisor. As you would expect, this news is receiving mixed reaction from many in...Read More
December Harvard Business Review Features "When Steve Becomes Stephanie"
Filed by Dr. Jillian T. Weiss | December 17, 2008 | 2:00 PM |As I discussed a while back, the Harvard Business Review, one of the world's foremost business publications and read by business elites in every country in the world, is weighing in on transgender workplace issues this month. Every month, HBR...Read More
Irish Equality Authority Budget Cut by 43%
Filed by Brynn Craffey | December 17, 2008 | 11:00 AM |I was shocked to read today that the Irish government has cut the budget of the Equality Authority -- a civil service organization tasked with enforcing non-discrimination legislation in Ireland -- by 43%! The Equality Authority's CEO, Niall Crowley, resigned...Read More
The Security of Civil Rights
Filed by Douglas Meagher | December 17, 2008 | 9:00 AM |My friend Jerame Davis once described himself as a member of the Schoolhouse Rock generation, which naturally made me think of the classic "I'm Just a Bill" cartoon explaining how a law is enacted. While his explanation is accurate and...Read More
The Security of Civil Rights
Filed by Douglas Meagher | December 17, 2008 | 9:00 AM |My friend Jerame Davis once described himself as a member of the Schoolhouse Rock generation, which naturally made me think of the classic "I'm Just a Bill" cartoon explaining how a law is enacted. While his explanation is accurate and...Read More
Bush doesn't understand the shoe-thrower
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 16, 2008 | 5:30 PM |This shoe-throwing incident is a perfect symbol of Bush's entire presidency. In an interview with ABC's Martha Raddatz afterwards, he showed about as much awareness as he's shown over the last 8 years: Raddatz: It's also considered a huge insult...Read More
The Shoe Thrown Around The World
Filed by Storm Bear | December 16, 2008 | 4:22 PM |click to enlarge I am kinda outraged at Chris Matthews today. Last night on Hardball, he lamented how Americans didn't like it when their leaders were treated badly abroad and how he didn't like Bush's treatment in Baghdad yesterday....Read More
Light up the night for equality
Filed by Michael Crawford | December 16, 2008 | 3:30 PM |The explosion of grassroots energy after the passage of Prop 8 is continuing to find an outlet in actions organized by Join the Impact. The next action is Light Up the Night for Equality set for Saturday, December 20th. iPhone...Read More
Muntadhar al-Zaidi's response to years of torture, death, and mockery
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 15, 2008 | 6:30 PM |I put it up as today's YGST post, but this deserves some left-column attention on this site. If you haven't seen it yet, this is video of an Iraqi journalist, Muntadhar al-Zaidi, throwing his shoes at Bush. That's the biggest...Read More
Muntadhar al-Zaidi's response to years of torture, death, and mockery
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 15, 2008 | 6:30 PM |I put it up as today's YGST post, but this deserves some left-column attention on this site. If you haven't seen it yet, this is video of an Iraqi journalist, Muntadhar al-Zaidi, throwing his shoes at Bush. That's the biggest...Read More
I Am Because We Are
Filed by Bil Browning | December 15, 2008 | 11:00 AM |Have you heard about I Am Because We Are, a powerful new work of photojournalism documenting the AIDS pandemic in southern Africa? This new collection by award-winning photographer Kristen Ashburn, a companion piece to Madonna's documentary film by the same...Read More
Hatred We Can't Ignore
Filed by Terrance Heath | December 14, 2008 | 5:00 PM |If nothing else, this election revealed how far we have come and how far we have yet to go. Yes, there’s the irony of celebrating the historic election of Barack Obama while simultaneously mourning the passage of Proposition 8 and...Read More
Rejected Obama campaign logo designs
Filed by Bil Browning | December 14, 2008 | 1:00 PM |I found a fascinating article at Logo Design Love about the rejected Obama campaign logo designs for his presidential run. It amazed me to realize that the logo was designed in Fall 2006, well before Obama announced his candidacy in...Read More
It's Pay-to-Gay Time
Filed by Kate Clinton | December 14, 2008 | 11:30 AM |Apparently Chicago was getting a little too big for its britches about their favorite son and it got a big old biotch slap. First Oprah announced that she literally had gotten too big for her britches. She admitted - and...Read More
The defense of the defense of marriage - and post Prop 8 right-wing rhetoric
Filed by Nan Hunter | December 13, 2008 | 5:30 PM |With the Democrats having control of the White House and Congress, there won't be any federal marriage amendment moving anywhere in the next two years, and probably no time soon, if ever again. As icing on the cake, its chief...Read More
One in Seven -- A Scary New Year's Prediction
Filed by Patricia Nell Warren | December 13, 2008 | 4:00 PM |Merry Christmas from our government, everybody. The other day, in an interview with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, Harvard economics expert Elizabeth Warren dropped a little holiday bomb. Warren is chairman of the Congressional panel set up to oversee TARP, the spending...Read More
Gays: Not the Last Oppressed Minority
Filed by Tobi Hill-Meyer | December 13, 2008 | 1:00 PM |A couple of people here at Bilerico have already commented on the phrase, "Gay is the New Black," which adorns the most recent cover of The Advocate. Yet the subtitle on that cover, "The Last Great Civil Rights Struggle," is...Read More
Leadership on AIDS must come from the White House
Filed by H. Alexander Robinson | December 12, 2008 | 4:00 PM |With all the excitement, hope and opportunities presented by the upcoming installation of President-elect Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States, every progressive constituency group is hawking their first 100 days list. That includes our nation's efforts...Read More
DC Activists Discuss Marriage Strategy
Filed by Michael Crawford | December 12, 2008 | 3:00 PM |More than 200 people braved the cold and rainy DC weather to participate in a community forum to discuss a plan for winning marriage equality in the District. The forum was organized by DC for Marriage, a project of the...Read More
GM = Get Money
Filed by Storm Bear | December 12, 2008 | 12:45 PM |click to enlarge I find it odd that the "Big Three" can't believe they are in trouble. They decry they can't make money or grow with the way our trade policies are and because of competition. Please. I own...Read More
My letter to President-Elect Obama
Filed by Pam Spaulding | December 11, 2008 | 7:30 PM |Before the election, The Advocate asked me to write a letter to the Dem and GOP nominees for president. The magazine planned to feature missives from various well-known voices in the LGBT community; it was an interesting idea, since we...Read More
Basic fundamentalist theology fail
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 11, 2008 | 4:30 PM |Still-president Bush is letting it all hang out these last few months. MCFADDEN: Is it literally true, the Bible? BUSH: You know. Probably not ... No, I'm not a literalist, but I think you can learn a lot from it,...Read More
I Address the Obama-Biden Transition Team
Filed by Chuck Wolfe | December 11, 2008 | 10:00 AM |Editor's note: The Obama-Biden Transition Team invited dozens of LGBT movement leaders to their offices to discuss the role the incoming administration can play in securing equality for all Americans. Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian...Read More
No on "Gay Is Black"
Filed by Patricia Nell Warren | December 10, 2008 | 9:00 PM |"Gay is the new black." It's slick as a slogan, but dangerous as a dogma. I understand what its purveyors are trying to do with it. But it's dangerous ground to stand on, and already is blowing up in their...Read More
Agnes Scott College: Lesbians until graduation?
Filed by Guest Blogger | December 10, 2008 | 7:00 PM |Editors' Note: Guest blogger Louisa Hill is a senior at Agnes Scott College where she studies theatre, French, and women's studies. Agnes Scott College, the supposed World for Women, has become the cesspool for Hollywood's C-list sequels. In my four...Read More
Obama names out lesbian to key post; gay band to march in Inaugural Parade
Filed by Michael Crawford | December 10, 2008 | 2:30 PM |President-Elect Barack Obama is set to make two more steps that show his commitment to including LGBT Americans in his vision for our country. Obama is expected to announce that he has chosen Nancy Sutley as his pick to head...Read More
Iowa marriage argument - good try
Filed by Nan Hunter | December 10, 2008 | 1:00 PM |Lambda Legal did their usually excellent job of lawyering with the challenge to the Iowa marriage law that was argued this morning before the Iowa Supreme Court. (Kudos to lead counsel Camilla Taylor!) But the court did not seem particularly...Read More
Marriage Community Forum in DC
Filed by Michael Crawford | December 10, 2008 | 10:00 AM |After the passage of Prop 8 in California, more than 5,000 DC LGBT residents and allies marched to demand an end to marriage discrimination. But, how do we win marriage equality in the District? Prop 8 Passed, Now What: A...Read More
The Best of the Honorable Barney Frank
Filed by Father Tony | December 09, 2008 | 6:00 PM |On Saturday, Dec 6, 2008, Barney Frank spoke at a Victory Fund luncheon at The Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC. The Bilerico team in attendance at the National LGBT Blogger and Citizen Journalist Initiative was also in the room. Barney...Read More
Is Gay the New Black?
Filed by Michael Crawford | December 09, 2008 | 2:00 PM |For whatever reason, some LGBT people are consumed with comparing the LGBT equal rights movement and the Black civil rights movement. Some have gone so far as to ask "Is gay the new Black?" This Newsweek.com video explores that question...Read More
W's Massive Delusions
Filed by Terrance Heath | December 08, 2008 | 7:00 PM |In a previous post we explored the spectacle of George W. Bush bungling through an attempt at an expression of remorse — this time over the state of the economy — as only he can. It’s what you’d expect from...Read More
Equal Roots Coalition: Organizing in the aftermath of Prop 8
Filed by Guest Blogger | December 08, 2008 | 1:30 PM |Editors' Note: Guest blogger Matthew Palazzolo is the co-founder of Equal Roots Coalition, a new group formed in response to the passage of Prop 8 in California. A new LGBT activist, Palazzolo is also a video artist and an actor....Read More
Harvey Milk: In the Footsteps of Gandhi and King
Filed by Michael Crawford | December 07, 2008 | 3:30 PM |This is a great video from Causecast that situates the life of Harvey Milk in the context of other movements for civil rights and social justice. It is inspiring to see the life of a gay man not compare to...Read More
Enough is Enough
Filed by Guest Blogger | December 07, 2008 | 10:00 AM |Editor's Note: Thomas McGinnis is a 24 year old originally from Philadelphia, PA that currently lives in Fort Lauderdale, FL. He's a graduate of the University of Georgia and currently work in the Advertising industry. We are not a political...Read More
A Turning Legal Tide Calls "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Into Question
Filed by Steve Ralls | December 06, 2008 | 4:30 PM |The federal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law that prohibits lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans from serving openly in the armed forces has suffered another setback. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals refused, on Thursday, won't reconsider a recent court decision...Read More
Gay Dollars, Labor, and Boycotts
Filed by Yasmin Nair | December 06, 2008 | 3:30 PM |I just wrote a piece for Chicago's Windy City Times on the interlinked issues of Gay Dollars, the links between labor organizers and LGBT politics, and economic boycotts. All of these are, of course, tied to the recent upheavals around...Read More
Gay Dollars, Labor, and Boycotts
Filed by Yasmin Nair | December 06, 2008 | 3:30 PM |I just wrote a piece for Chicago's Windy City Times on the interlinked issues of Gay Dollars, the links between labor organizers and LGBT politics, and economic boycotts. All of these are, of course, tied to the recent upheavals around...Read More
How are we going to learn our lessons from the Prop 8 campaign?
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 06, 2008 | 1:00 PM |I'm sitting a panel discussion here on Proposition 8. It includes: Marty Rouse of HRCTobias Packer of Equality FloridaJosh Cohen of Bloggers Against 8George Simpson of Equality CaliforniaMegan Kinninger of Freedom to MarryJoe Sudby of AmericaBlog (moderator) There's a lot...Read More
Business Gets Behind Mary Beth Maxwell
Filed by Jeremy Bishop | December 06, 2008 | 12:00 PM |Its not only the labor and LGBT communities getting behind MB Maxwell's candidacy for Secretary of Labor, business is stepping up as well. From insurance company, American Income Life: Over the last few years, I have had the privilege of...Read More
A Shotgun Wedding in Connecticut?
Filed by Father Tony | December 05, 2008 | 3:30 PM |As some may know, in 2007, I elected to take advantage of the earliest possible retirement offered by the State of Connecticut to its managers. Recently, I received a letter from Nancy Wyman, Comptroller of the State of Connecticut. (Nancy...Read More
Impact Florida- Why We Demonstrate
Filed by Guest Blogger | December 05, 2008 | 12:00 PM |Editor's Note: Lorna Bracewell is the director of Impact Florida, an organization devoted to attaining marriage equality for all of Florida's citizens. She is also a singer/songwriter and has released six albums of original music on her own label, Braced...Read More
NY Senate not to pursue same-sex marriage bill
Filed by Alex Blaze | December 05, 2008 | 10:00 AM |The NY general assembly has already passed same-sex marriage and governor Patterson has indicated that he would sign the bill, but it died in the Senate last year due to Republican opposition. The focus was on turning two of those...Read More
On December 5, I'm a make/shift reader...
Filed by Yasmin Nair | December 04, 2008 | 3:30 PM |Hi everyone, On Friday, December 5, make/shift magazine will be making a Chicago appearance. On hand will be co-editors and co-publishers Jessica Hoffman (also a Bilerico contributor) and Daria Yudacufski, to discuss this amazing independent production (get a subscription, give...Read More
The age of the U.S. Supreme Court - who will retire?
Filed by Pam Spaulding | December 04, 2008 | 11:00 AM |John @ Americablog posted the current SCOTUS bench, noting only two were nominated by a Dem: John Paul Stevens, 88 (Ford) Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 75 (Clinton) Antonin Scalia, 72 (Reagan) Anthony Kennedy, 72 (Reagan) Stephen Breyer, 70 (Clinton) David Souter,...Read More
The Case of the Returning Jacket
Filed by Bil Browning | December 04, 2008 | 10:00 AM |My God, Sarah Palin is the gift that keeps on giving. Remember that $150k worth of clothing that she didn't keep and donated to charity after the election? Remember how some of it "came up missing"? Ladies and Gentlemen, we've...Read More
CSPAN ain't scratching the itch.
Filed by Storm Bear | December 03, 2008 | 10:45 PM |click to enlarge I hope you guys can relate to this. Now when I turn on the TV, there is a great lack of political news. Mumbai, puppy selection and Britney's comeback seem to be taking up broadcast time....Read More
The Hardest Word
Filed by Terrance Heath | December 03, 2008 | 3:30 PM |It's sad. So sad. It's a sad, sad situation. And it's getting more and more absurd... Oh, it seems to me, that 'sorry' seems to be the hardest word. Elton John, "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word" Absurd....Read More
FL: David Duke comes to aid of ex-Klan leader's son in dustup over County GOP seat
Filed by Pam Spaulding | December 03, 2008 | 11:00 AM |Here's a nice blast from the past -- I guess former KKK grand wizard and Louisiana pol David Duke hasn't gotten the message that his seal of approval isn't exactly a plus. He's jumping into the fray over the election...Read More
Indiana's marriage amendment to make a comeback?
Filed by Bil Browning | December 03, 2008 | 10:00 AM |Could Indiana's constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions make a comeback after all? While I wrote yesterday that the marriage amendment's chances were slim according to the Indianapolis Star, WIBC radio has a different story to report....Read More
Lesbian on Obama's Short List for Labor Secretary
Filed by Michael Crawford | December 02, 2008 | 8:31 PM |Lesbian labor activist Mary Beth Maxwell is under serious consideration to be named Secretary of Labor by President-Elect Barack Obama. For the rainbow cabinet of the nation's first African American president, Mary Beth Maxwell is the perfect labor secretary you've...Read More
California legislature to step into Prop 8 battle?
Filed by Bil Browning | December 02, 2008 | 6:00 PM |The California legislature appears to be whipping out the "Checks and Balances" card... Senator Mark Leno and Assemblyman Tom Ammiano introduced resolutions today in their respective houses. The legislation deems Prop 8 a revision to the state Constitution that should...Read More
Vatican Cheers on Anti-LGBT Discrimination
Filed by Waymon Hudson | December 02, 2008 | 5:00 PM |Someone better head to confessional. The Times Online is reporting that the Vatican has come out strongly against a United Nations declaration formally condemning anti-LGBT discrimination, saying that the declaration would lead to the decriminalization of same-sex unions. The nonbinding...Read More
The Iowa Marriage Case- Coming up... and you can follow it
Filed by Nancy Polikoff | December 02, 2008 | 2:30 PM |There's only one marriage equality case left. I'm not counting the case before the California Supreme Court on the proper method to amend that state's constitution. I'm talking about a state constitutional challenge to a ban on same-sex marriage, litigated...Read More
We're still living with AIDS
Filed by Guest Blogger | December 02, 2008 | 1:00 PM |Editor's Note: Kenyon Farrow is an organizer, communications strategist and writer working on issues at the intersection of HIV/AIDS, prisons and homophobia. A current Policy Institute fellow with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Farrow is working on a...Read More
Gay Rights Group to Protest FL Governor Crist's Nuptials
Filed by Waymon Hudson | December 02, 2008 | 12:00 PM |After much speculation from bloggers and media outlets, it does appear that what many viewed as a conveniently timed wedding between Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Carole Rome is still on. The wedding announcement came out when Crist was on...Read More
No marriage amendment for Indiana
Filed by Bil Browning | December 02, 2008 | 11:00 AM |Good news on the marriage front! The Indianapolis Star brings us news that Indiana won't be debating a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions. After last year's defeat in committee, Republican backers have decided it's just not...Read More
LGBT Group to Protest Governor Crist's Wedding
Filed by Waymon Hudson | December 02, 2008 | 10:00 AM |Going to the Chapel... of Protest? A group in Florida called Impact-Florida has announced it will protest outside Governor "Live and Let Live" Charlie Crist's wedding to Carole Rome this month. The group will first gather outside the First United...Read More
President-Elect Obama Commemorates World AIDS Day
Filed by Michael Crawford | December 01, 2008 | 8:30 PM |President-elect Obama released a video message and statement today to mark the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. While acknowledging that we have made progress, he also points out that we still have a long way to go to defeat...Read More
Your Tax Dollars at Work
Filed by Waymon Hudson | December 01, 2008 | 5:30 PM |It's very clear that the economy is in the toilet. The national crisis is trickling down (is that what they meant by "trickle-down economics"??) to the states- with education, healthcare, first responders and hundreds of other programs being slashed to...Read More
10 World AIDS Day 2008 videos from around the globe
Filed by Bil Browning | December 01, 2008 | 3:00 PM |Today is World AIDS Day 2008. As I was looking around yesterday for today's You Gotta See This video, I noticed how many great videos had been produced from all around the globe. I picked American Idol finalist Nadia Turner's...Read More
Twilight Star Michael Welch: Prop 8 is Absolute Disaster
Filed by Michael Crawford | December 01, 2008 | 12:30 PM |Even vampires get that Prop 8 is just plain wrong. Michael Welch, one of the stars of red-hot vampire-human love story Twilight, called the passage of Prop 8 an " absolute disaster" in an exclusive video on the Campaign Silo....Read More
The New Politics of Yes: Yes We Can... Overturn Prop 8
Filed by Guest Blogger | December 01, 2008 | 11:00 AM |Editors' Note: Guest blogger Torie Osborn has been a social activist for 40 years; She is former Executive Director of the LA Gay and Lesbian Center, NGLTF, and the LIberty HIll Foundation. She is currently Senior Advisor to Los Angeles...Read More
