October, 2009 |

Closet Talk: Author Susan Parker – Walking in the Deep End

Susan Parker joined me last night on Closet Talk to discuss her new book, Walking in the Deep End, a memoir. Parker is a passionate advocate for the needs of people suffering from depression and eating disorders and confronts these often taboo subjects head on in her memoir.

We discussed Parker’s growing up in an evangelical family, her bulimia, coping with the suicides of family members and dealing with depression, Susan’s early homophobia (which resulted in unkindness toward her friends who would come out to her), and how, after discovering she wasn’t a zero on the Kinsey scale of sexual orientation, her relationships with those people changed.

jaysays October 15, 2009 1

We The People and the HRC

Before you start reading below, I would like to caveat this. While I’m frustrated and angry with the “Human Rights Campaign” for disregarding “We the People,” I acknowledge that they do very important work. Indirect action matters as much as direct action, but frankly, I can’t afford to go to HRC events.

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Lt. Dan Choi, a CSPAN Camera Man and Duct Tape

Perhaps I’m stretching a bit, but there was a moment at the National Equality March that I will never forget. Perhaps I’ve made it more profound than it may have really been, but I feel the need to share it. When Lt. DanChoi, the U.S. soldier and Arabic linguist discharged under the military’s don’t ask, don’t tell policy, took to the stage to speak to the crowd, his mouth was symbolically duct taped closed. He stood there for a moment, saluting the marchers before tearing the duct tape from his mouth and beginning his speech. It was a moment of dramatic flare that spoke volumes.

jaysays October 12, 2009 0

Photos from the National Equality March

I wanted to share some of my photographs from the National Equality March this weekend. I hope you enjoy them. I met some fantastic people and had a wonderful dinner at The District Chophouse with Genia Stevens, Andrea, Lester Leavitt, Mickey, Jonathon, Jae, Elisa, and, of course, our very own, Jude.

We had a bit of time to just kick back and get to know each other in person on Saturday night, but Sunday came at us fast and there was a lot of work to be done.

jaysays October 12, 2009 2

LGBT Heroes Project: Dr. Stephen Erich, Ph.D: Gay & Lesbian Parents of Adopted Children

First of all, thank you Jude for giving me the opportunity to talk about a social issue that is very important to me. I have been doing research and speaking about adoptive families with gay and lesbian parents since 2002. As, no doubt many of you know, there has been an abundance of research on families with gay and lesbian parents whose children emerged from previous heterosexual relationships or who were planned through donor insemination. The 20+ years of research on these families is uniformly positive and has certainly influenced the emergence of research on adoptive families.

geekgirl October 7, 2009 0

LGBT Lessons for Straight People: Coming Out Day is For Everyone

October 11th is Coming Out Day. I can’t help but wonder what it is that prompts a gay person to come out. Especially in a place like a workplace, where your very livelihood is at stake. As a straight person, I can only imagine and I would never have the audacity to say this is something I know or feel. In last week’s Closet Talk interview with Jen Dugan, of the 1st Annual Nationwide You Are Loved Chalk Messages Project, Jen told her own coming out story and how surprised she was at the support. Many individuals told her that had they known, they would have supported her. She used the words “It goes unsaid.”

geekgirl October 7, 2009 1

LGBT HERO | Frank Voci: White Knot Marches for Equality

As part of our Heroes project for October’s LGBT History Month, we are delighted that Frank Voci accepted our invitation to write a blog about why he started White Knot for Equality. You might remember seeing actors from the movie Milk wearing white knots at the Academy Awards. If you are attending the National Equality March, we encourage you to wear a White Knot not only for yourself but also for others who could not attend. And make a few extra knots to hand out and make new friends. Why knot?

geekgirl October 3, 2009 4

I Love Maine and the Real Mainers.

Watch the current Yes on 1 ads in Maine and you’ll see some familiar faces. Yes, right there on your TV screen you’ll see Robb and Robin Wirthlin bemoaning the fact that their child’s teacher read the book King & King to the class. Why do they look familiar? It’s exactly the same footage used in the Yes on 8 campaign spots from California last year.

But this isn’t the first, or the second time the opposition has used essentially this same ad.

jaysays October 3, 2009 5

Senate Majority Leader Endorses National Equality March, Repeal of DADT and Passage of ENDA

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV) has been busy lately fighting for social justice, health care reform and the rights and promotion of a peaceful society. In a September 20, 2009 letter to Derek Washington, Director of Diversity Outreach for the National Equality March, Senator Reid states:

“I will continue to work tirelessly to pass the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act and the Employee Non-Discrimination Act, as well as to repeal the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. I will also continue to advocate for funding of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, research, and housing programs.”

jaysays October 3, 2009 4

Stupid Things People Say About Gays: Go Back to the State You Came from for your Divorce

Recently, District Judge Tena Callahan ruled that Texas’ courts do have jurisdiction to hear a suit for divorce filed by a same-sex couple married outside of the state. The problem arose because over 3/4’s of voters in Texas (the state that ranked 39th that same year in education), agreed with a ban on same-sex marriage. – but no one ever voted on same-sex divorce.

Of course, even the granting of a divorce has (perhaps oddly) infuriated those opposed to gay marriage. This outrage over the granting of a divorce directly contradicts those opposed to gay marriage.

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Month: October 2009