Well, *someone* had to step up and do it...

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Gay Travel
          in Mexico!

Even though Mexico is largely Catholic and machismo it?s surprisingly welcoming to LGBT gay and lesbian vacationers. Homosexuality is legal in Mexico and large gay communities, which flourish in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco, have made sure that anti-discrimination laws are in place and respected. PLUS, you can

Mexico City seems to be trying to win some kind of award for being the most liberal city in Latin America. In fact, Mexico as a country has won an award: gay Destination of the Year by the PlanetOut Travel Awards, which recognize gay-friendly tourist destinations. Past winners have included Barcelona and Buenos Aires.

Lots of beautiful men that would would say even rivals the likes of Rio de Janeiro's Ipanema. There is a cruisey area called  "the rocks", where sunbathers fling off their Speedos and go au natural! Around sunset can be very cruisy. In the last year, Acapulco has seen  a new infusion of luxury accommodations, as well as a growing gay scene, Acapulco is once again showing up on the itinerary of gay globetrotters.

Puerto Vallarta is the number one gay tourist destination in all of Mexico. Sitting on one of the world's most beautiful natural bays, Puerto Vallarta is welcoming, friendly and enchanting. The Zona Romantica, located on the south end, is very quaint and very gay.  You will see rainbow flags and couples holding hands. There is a huge gay beach and it's popular and busy year round.

Puerto Vallarta is a lively small city of red tiled roofs and cobblestone streets, roosters, donkeys and iguanas, friendly locals, expatriates and fun loving tourists. Nestled between the brilliant Banderas Bay and the lush tropical forests of the Sierra Madre mountains on the west coast of Mexico west, Puerto Vallarta is known for its long sandy beaches, beautiful ocean and mountain views, handsome men, happening nightlife and its many fine restaurants. Whether sunbathing at the popular gay beach, sailing on one of the gay cruises, bike riding along the Cuale River, whale watching on sun drenched Banderas Bay or dancing the night away at one of your favorite local gay bars, there is something for you to adore and fall in love and Discover gay Puerto Vallarta!

GUADALAJARA is said to be perhaps Latin America's most underrated gay urban getaway.  Gay travel writer Andrew Collins  says its, "friendly, culturally rich, and affordable city of Guadalajara, the second-largest metropolis in Mexico, which somewhat to my surprise, has a remarkably vibrant gay scene.

I'd long heard about the elegant buildings and churches that make up the city's historic center, the stylish shops and cafes of the fashionable suburb of Tlaquepaque, and the easy proximity to the beloved town of Tequila, home to the Sauza, Jose Cuervo, and numerous other fine distilleries. Indeed, there's much to see and do in Guadalajara and the surrounding region.

But I hadn't known that the city has nearly two-dozen gay bars as well as gay-friendly colonial B&Bs and plenty of welcoming restaurants and cafes, the majority of them within easy walking distance of the central Plaza Tapatia."

Pediatricians Concerned About "Homosexual" Misinformation in School is the title of Gary Randall's latest

Randall must be looking covetously at Fulton, Mississippi's town-wide bullying of LGBT students like Constance McMillan, Juin Baize and others living in silent fear.  I say this because today Randall cites ACP's anti-gay "Facts About Youth" in an attempt to support the sick notion that LGBT students should be treated as "disordered" and "confused" rather than loved and supported.

The battle for our children continues, often under the guise of care and concern by some with a primary commitment to indoctrination and recruitment, others, simply misinformed.

Alvin McEwan has very clearly described how ACP's "Facts About Youth" is nothing more than the same old tired, much-debunked anti-LGBT bigotry dressed up to sound like impartial science.

Usually we say that imitation is a form of flattery, but in the case of the opinion-based ACP naming itself to sound like the science-based and American Academy of Pediatrics, there are clearly darker motives at play.  This deceptive misrepresentation of anti-LGBT bias as credible, authoritative science is just the kind of subterfuge Gary Randall has promoted time and time again.

Gary Randall is a retired Oregonian televangelist who is obsessed with Washington's LGBT population.  Since 2004, he's reached across state lines to sponsor two anti-gay statewide ballot measures in Washington (Referendum 65 and Referendum 71), stumped for anti-LGBT legislative and judicial candidates in two primaries, and plans to do so again this year (see March 9th post).

Related:
* Oregonian Gary Randall's History of Manipulating Washington State Voters
* Why is Gary Randall really Dangling the Referendum Carrot?
* Gary Randall embraces relativism: domestic partnerships are marriage, except when they're not
* Gary Randall makes puzzling claims about the Doe v. Reed lawsuit

For the first time since revelations that the RNC had spent some $1,946 at a risque L.A. nightclub, a member of the national body has called on Steele to step aside. In a letter to Steele dated today, NC GOP chair Tom Fetzer asks the chairman to step aside for what he says is the good of the party.

April 8, 2010

Chairman Michael Steele
Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE
Washington, D. C.  20003

Dear Michael,

I have prayed for you and hurt with you these last few weeks.  I thank you for the passion you have brought to the job of leading our party, which is one of the reasons I have been a strong supporter of you during my tenure as Chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party.  Some of the criticism directed at you has been deserved, some of it hasn't, but no one could criticize you for lack of effort or enthusiasm.  This is not about finding fault or assigning blame. That's beside the point.  The point is to deal with the reality of a situation that is becoming increasingly untenable.  Without going into a lot of detail about the situation we find ourselves in, I offer my personal opinion that the best way for you to deal with the reality of the situation is to tender your resignation as Chairman of the Republican National Committee.  I neither arrived at this conclusion lightly nor derive any pleasure from articulating it to you.  

I think it's important for you to understand this is not about you personally.  Or me.  It's bigger than both of us.  It's about providing the kind of leadership that our party and country needs right now.  More than ever, America needs the Republican Party to be a force for reform, transparency, and ethics in government.  If we are going to be an effective agent for reform in America, we must first reform our party.  Leadership requires nothing less, especially the kind of leadership that our country needs right now.  Recent events, regardless of who is to blame, have made it difficult if not impossible for you to lead the party in the direction that it needs to go.  Sometimes service requires personal sacrifice and leadership always requires putting the interest of the cause we serve ahead of our own.  

I believe that the best service you can render to your party at this critical juncture is to graciously step aside and allow the party to move on from this current quagmire.  It will best move forward under new leadership.  

I believe that we will have some measure of success this fall no matter what the RNC does or does not do.  But in order to maximize our opportunities this year, we need a strong, effective RNC that has the full faith and confidence of the conservative activists, volunteers and our donors. I can attest that many grassroots leaders I've talked to in the last few weeks are very aware of the recurring drama that is playing out at the RNC - allegations of fiscal irresponsibility, management and questionable activities - and they are disgruntled and concerned that the RNC, under your direction, is setting a poor example of the kind of leadership voters can expect if Republicans are elected.

Again, this is not a personal indictment of you; rather it is a candid observation of where we are and where we need to go.  As Republicans, we must pull together and restore our reputation as the party that stands for important things -- and isn't willing to compromise on those important things.  I respectfully disagree with statements attributed to you and others that this is only about winning elections.  It is not.  It is about demonstrating that we have the ability to govern well when we win.  We have a higher responsibility to our party and our fellow Americans than just winning elections.  Among other things, that means we must set an example, a noble example, about what government should be about and about how it should go about the business of representing the best interests of all Americans.  If, and only if, we do that well, the winning of elections will take care of itself and we will be confident and at peace in the outcome.  

I know that many share this view, but are fearful of repercussions if they speak out, and are worried about making matters worse with public in-fighting.  It is my view that failing to make this change is the more dangerous course.  

Please consider giving the Party you serve the ability to bind its wounds, restore our activists' confidence and enhance the future of our nation.

Respectfully yours,

Tom Fetzer
NCGOP Chairman

Fetzer joins others, like former Steele consultant Alex Castellanos, who have called for the chairman to step aside. But Fetzer's voice matters to others; he is a member of the 168-person national committee, meaning he will have a vote when Steele comes up for re-election next year (Fetzer was not chairman when Steele was elected last Jan.).

So far, RNC members have been hesitant to call on Steele to step aside. Only Dr. Ada Fisher, NC's national committeewoman, had urged Steele to resign, albeit months ago. Fisher has little following on the committee, and Fetzer, as a new member, may not have much. Still, while veteran RNC members have said there is no appetite within the committee to throw Steele out, consensus is that once a few members began to call for his resignation, the chorus could grow.

Two gay teens, Jordan Nixon and his boyfriend Chase have been allowed to attend prom at Starmount High School in Booneville, NC after Jordan's mom Leesa heard how Chase had been told by the principal that he couldn't bring a "friend" to the prom. After explaining that Jordan was not a friend but a "boyfriend" the school still wouldn't relent.

Jordan's mom Leesa Nixon went to the principal, threatened to take action and go to the media, and quickly the issue was resolved.

This is the story of a great parent standing up for her gay kid and a school faced with the threat of exposing its discriminatory behavior.

Writes Leesa Nixon:

"The discrimination that Chase was confronted with has been resolved. I called and spoke with his principal and informed her that not allowing Chase to bring his boyfriend to the prom was discrimination and a violation of his constitutionally protected rights. I threatened to call the ACLU, (which I did) and go to the media.

After our first conversation, I was contacted by Mrs. Parker, who informed me that she was waiting on the school attorney to call.

April 7th, Mrs. Parker left a message on my phone stating that she had spoken with the school attorney and that the school was going to allow Chase to bring my son Jordan to his Senior Prom “as his outside date” and that what they were going to have to do, was change the rule to allow students to bring a guest and not necessarily a “date”.

To be fair to Mrs. Parker, I got the distinct impression that she did not agree with this policy and was only trying to follow the rules that were in effect in her school district before she got there. She immediately went to work and corrected the issue at hand.

I applaud Starmount High School for their quick actions, I brought this issue to their attention and in one day they not only changed their initial decision, they changed their policy to ensure that this would never happen again. Although they change their policy to state “guest” instead of “date”, it is still a step in the right direction and they should be admired for their willingness to change. It is my hope that all schools would respond to these issues in such a fair and timely manner.

Head on over to Jack Mackenroth's blog to read the entire tale, as well as Chase's account of his meeting with the principal.

Enjoy your prom, guys!

“Mark my words, a radical is coming. Sotomayor. I’m sorry gang, but she’s a radical. He's gonna pick another radical. And it will cause all kinds of problems in Washington. It will split the parties. It will allow the Dems to say 'They just hate women, they just hate Hispanic, they just hate a Black. They just hate whatever. They just want to take away women's rights. They just hate gays.' That's what it will be. If he's smart he will find a gay, handicapped Black woman who's an immigrant, because that way he could just say, when...She could be the Devil! She could say 'I hate America. I want to destroy America.' And that way they'll only be able to say 'Why do you hate gay immigrant Black handicapped women? Why do you...hate that?”

Listen, AFTER THE JUMP...

Outdoors…

…and in.

The first in what’s sure to be a fitful spring break travelogue.  Who knows — this may be the first and last entry.  But right now I got WiFi and an eddy of time as my daughter makes a windsock in the hotel’s kid’s club!  While the beloved reconnointers the beach with the boy child and her dear friend & said friend’s family.

Basically, Holy Crap, is all I can say.  Yes, I hardly get out, and yes, this is our first time in a hotel with our kids.  And it was chosen by the beloved’s dear friend, whom we met here.  She (a) also has kids and (b) has been here before and has given it the stamp of approval.  Apparently, people do stuff like this.

My goal here, other than to relieve stress from the beloved who the works like a dog — and by “like a dog” I don’t mean the well-coiffed Pekingese kind, I mean the lead dog in the Iditarod kind — has been to be the nicest, friendliest, Spanish-speaking mannish lesbian gabacha the hotel staff have ever had the obligation to clean up after (so far, true to California labor stats, 100% of the houskeeping staff have been Spanish-speaking Latinas).  Sure, it’s hard to tell from a distance, sometimes even close up, if I’m a man or a woman. Whatever. Main point is, I’m kind and I look folks in the eye and talk like we’re all whole complete human beings.

This of course is my general life strategy with everyone I encounter, but it’s no secret that I crank up the charm based on the subtle arrangements of power (and therefore potential for solidarity) between me and others.  Meaning of course, if in any given moment the amalgam of the various social markers on me (race, class, sex, gender ID, orientation, what have you) confer to me a greater amount of social power than you, then quite naturally I’m even more friendly and engaging.  (I’m not saying whether this is always met with a warm reception, or is never taken as patronizing or condescending. I’m just saying that I seem to be compelled.) Oh, also, if you’re in any way evidently queer, and we’re away from Queer Central, then also this kicks in.  And also if you’re brown, and we’re in any way in a place where most white people like me are likely to have been reductive of you, or not seeing you, or any distasteful combination thereof.  Again, kicks in regardless.

You can see this is an elaborate scheme, perhaps hatched by my unconscious years ago, but by now I have noticed it at work and can do little to change it, to level the playing field and connect in a meaningful way. When I’m away from home, I notice it more, simply because with every mile further from home, I launch deeper into a heightened extended experience of my gender non-conformity.  What with my almost always heading to places where there are fewer, not more, gender non-conforming folk.  So on top of everything else at work about solidarity and connectedness, there’s also that.  With every warm connection to another person, a part of me thinks: one small step for mannish lesbian, one giant leap for mannish lesbiankind.  No, I’m not a megalomaniac. Just a goody-two shoes who has developed the same kind of survival tactics as scores and scores of my sistren and bretheren have done before me.

The journey here was beautiful, in the way that my home state always is in the springtime.  The hills, here, just inland from the Santa Lucia Range along the central coast, have that brilliant, only-after-the-winter-rains green.

But after one or two counties of gorgeous, south-bound travel, we were deep in the heart of we voted against your ass country.  (This I know both from that funny feeling I get in my trick knee, plus this handy-dandy map.) So what to you do? You turn on Patsy Cline.

As with all sub-cultures, ours has done as much appropriating as it has original creation.  So Patsy might mean one thing to one cohort, but to lesbians  of a certain age, it means one thing: Desert Hearts.  The first lllllesbian llllllove story we saw on the big screen.  Watched it with my first sweetie in a San Francisco movie theater jam-packed with our people, and daggone there could have been a five alarm fire in the building and not a one of us would have moved a peg. “Ladies? Ladies? We have to evacuate the building!” “Are you kidding? Do you see what’s happening up there on that screen? Do you think we’ve ever seen that before on a movie screen? Now git out the way, you’re blocking my view.”

I go out walkin’
After midnight
Out in the moonlight
Just like we used to do
I’m always walkin’
After midnight
searching for you.

That might be an odd question to ask. After all, televangelist Joyce Meyer isn’t known for getting involved with culture wars type stuff. My observations of what Meyer’s all about seems to jive pretty well with this Wikipedia entry:

Meyer frequently talks about overcoming obstacles and finding strength to deal with difficult circumstances. She shares her views on how to deal with everyday life situations, often drawing on her own experiences. Meyer speaks candidly and with a sense of humor, sharing with her audience her own shortcomings and taking playful jabs at stereotypical church behavior.

Building directory for Crown House in Kampala, home to Joyce Meyer Ministries' Uganda office in Suite 11. (Click to enlarge)

She’s also been criticized for her lavish lifestyle, but that’s not uncommon with contemporary televangelists, nor is it the point of this post which is this: Does she support Uganda’s draconian Anti-Homosexuality Bill?

There’s a good reason why I’m asking that question. According to Meyer’s web site, her Enjoying Everyday Life program broadcasts all over the world. BTB readers in Uganda report that Meyer enjoys tremendous popularity in that country, where her program is not only available over satellite television via South Africa, but is also broadcast over the air via Lighthouse Television (JPG: 460KB). LTV appears to be an affiliate of Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) headquartered in Costa Mesa, California. Joyce Meyer’s program airs on LTV three times every weekday, at 8:00 a.m., 4:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. (She also enjoys a fourth time slot on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 4:30 a.m., and her program airs again on Sundays at 2:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.)

But Meyer’s presence in Uganda isn’t just from afar and over the airways. Her ministry also maintains a physical presence in Kampala, right there on the main road through the business district. A helpful BTB reader in Uganda sent these photos of her ministry, located at in Suite 11 of Crown House, located at Plot 4A on Kampala Road.

Joyce Meyer Ministries in Kampala, Uganda. (Click to enlarge)

In February, we asked another American evangelist who maintains a physical presence in Kampala, Andrew Wommack, whether he supported Uganda’s proposal to legislate gay people out of existence and criminalize their families, friends and acquaintances. The answer we got was a resounding and enthusiastic “yes!” — complete with a full-throated apologia from Wommack’s man in Uganda who repeated the same distortions about the bill that we’ve heard before and have disproved repeatedly.

When we wrote to Wommack’s ministry asking for their opinion on the bill, we also attempted to contact Joyce Meyer’s ministry as well but we received no response. We followed that up with further inquires this week, but again we’ve received nothing but silence.

As I said, Meyer is very popular in Uganda — popular enough to maintain a physical presence there. And she seems like a genuinely nice lady. Her latest book, Eat the Cookie, Buy the Shoes, is all about lightening up and not being too obsessed with some of the sillier rules in life. Saddleback Pastor Rick Warren likes to come across as a genuinely nice guy and he condemned Uganda’s proposed anti-gay bill by calling it “unjust, extreme and un-Christian toward homosexuals.” Exodus International, whose board member Don Schmierer participated in that “nuclear bomb” of a conference that sparked this legislation, eventually came around and denounced the bill. It’s what good people of conscience do, especially when they have a measure of popularity and influence in Uganda, and who have sought to reach ordinary people in that country — as Warren and Exodus have done, and Meyer does as well.

So why the silence? Where does she stand? Is she with Rick Warren, who came out firmly against criminalization of homosexuality? Or is she with Andrew Wommack, whose response was to say, in effect, that yes, his ministry really does support killing gay people?

As it happens, there may well be a chance for some of you to ask Joyce Meyer directly. Next week she will be on a whirlwind book tour, hitting five cities in three days. So here’s your chance. If you happen to live near any of these locations, you can go and ask her yourself. Does she support killing gay people? And more importantly, will she add her voice to those of Rick Warren and Exodus against the bill.

Meyer will appear at:

• April 13: Plano, TX: Legacy Books, 7300 Dallas Parkway, 12:00 noon.
• April 13: Tucson, AZ: Barnes & Noble, 5130 E. Broadway, 6:00 p.m.
• April 14: El Cajon, CA: Walmart, 13487 Camino Canada, 12:00 noon.
• April 14: Ontario (Rancho Cucamonga), CA: Borders Books & Music, 12370 South Mainstreet, 6:00 p.m.
• April 15: Concord, CA: Sam’s Club, 1225 Concord Ave., 12:00 noon.

That’s what this web site appears to show. And as a openly gay Republican, no less. Fred Karger, founder of Californians Against Hate, is a former campaign manager for numerous Republican candidates since 1977 until his retirement in 2004. Since then, he has been very active in LGBT causes in California, particularly during the campaign to defeat Prop 8 in 2008. I don’t know how far he’ll get in the Republican primaries, but seeing him debate Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee might be worth a donation or two.

CONTINUED »

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From those gay non-profits scoring money from Chase Bank to all those gay couples looking for a $100,000 dream wedding courtesy Crate & Barrel, you'd think we all want corporate America to give us hand outs. (Kidding!) But because big brands have to engender positive affection for their brands, 'cause we're all obsessed with going green and do-gooding now, you'll find more and more wading into charitable giving projects that combine social networking elements. And that's just what PepsiCo is doing with its Refresh Everything, where a lesbian photographer is gunning for a $250,000 prize.

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Tagged: alix smith, Charity, Pepsi, photographers, Photography, refresh everything

Twelve editions of GQ will run Calvin Klein Underwear’s new and first-ever Augmented Reality (AR) advertising beginning with the April issues, it was announced by the magazine. Calvin Klein Underwear will be one of the first fashion companies to run AR advertising. It is planned that the ads will appear exclusively in the April issue of the US GQ, on sale March 23, 2010, as well as April issues in China, Korea, Australia, Mexico, Taiwan, and India, and in May issues of GQ editions in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the UK.

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ANJA SEANCE PRIVEE / HEDI SLIMANE / FASHION DIARY

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Hot:

Name: Cassie
Age: 25
Location: NC

Question: My girlfriend and I have been a “thing” for just over a year and a half. about 2 months ago, we decided to be exclusive and moved in together. Things are amazing. Everything is great except one thing….she rarely achieves orgasm. She says it’ll be “right there” and then “just goes away”. Everything she does to me is absolutely incredible, but this issue makes me insecure and nervous when it comes to touching or pleasing her. She says that its not me and she loves when I touch her and everything I do and I have nothing to be nervous about. But that’s as far as the conversation ever goes and I’m not sure what to do.

Read the TLL Advice Panelists answers after the jump…

Lori Hahn

Cassie,

It’s not you.  The female orgasm is an incredibly complex thing – it’s that subtle mind-body connection that have to be totally in tune with some women.  Can she reach orgasm when masturbating?  Did she have any trouble before you moved in together?  You aren’t responsible for her achieving orgasm and if you are feeling you are, it’s putting way too much pressure on both of you.  Don’t just hear her words, but listen to her.  Let her relax without having to worry about your ego in the equation and then, as she gets more comfortable, have her show you what pleases her and let her do it herself.  Also, don’t rule out the use of toys – seriously, it’s never an indictment on your skill and can enhance things if you’re both open to it.

Good luck!
Lori
Hahn at Home

Shanna Katz

Out of the office

Shanna
www.shannakatz.com

Dharma Kelleher

Dear Cassie,

I’m not a sex therapist, but as a woman, it has been my experience that orgasms are funny things. Sometimes they happen. Sometimes they don’t. And there are so many factors that can get in the way. Being tired. Worrying about something at work. Unreasonable expectations. Emotional baggage. Orgasms are wonderful, but relationships aren’t dependent on them.

Sex isn’t a sport. You don’t score points for orgasms. Sex is playtime. It’s a physically pleasureable expression of affection and love. Have fun with it. Try different things. Different places (don’t get yourself arrested). Different times of day. Different techniques. Different toys. Not with the sole purpose of bringing your girlfriend to orgasm, but for the purpose of giving her pleasure. Focus on the love. Have fun. Lose yourself in the passion. Trust the process.

Peace out,
Dharma Kelleher
http://www.dharmakelleher.com/

Tina-cious

Out of the office

Tina-cious

Kelly Leszczynski

Cassie,

If she says it’s not you please trust her. If you don’t that could cause insecurity issues and make things worse instead of better. There could be several reasons your girl friend can’t reach orgasm, and I’m sure it’s frustrating to know she’s right there, but can’t climax for whatever reason.

My best advise would be to try new things and constantly talk to one another during intercourse. As her what she likes. Tell her to show you and progress to a possible orgasm together.

As we all know, the mind plays a huge role in sex with women. Both of you need to use yours to figure out the road to the promise land!

Kelly
Brain Clouds

Do you have advice you would like to give? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section of this post.

Do you have a question you would like to pose to The Lesbian Lifestyle Advice Panelists? Find out more about the panelists and submit your question here.

* Please note that this advice should by no means be used as an actual diagnosis or therapy session. All of the panelists will be giving you their views from their own life experiences. If you have any further inquires please send them here.

Similar Posts:

• TLL Q & A Advice Panel Installment #59
• TLL Q & A Advice Panel Installment #53
• TLL Q&A Advice Panel Installment #17
• TLL Q & A Advice Panel Installment #57

When you think of Gay Travel,
Turkey does not usually come to mind first.
 
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Turkey may face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Homosexuality is not illegal in the Republic of Turkey. However, owing to conservative values embedded in Muslim-majority Turkish society, homosexuality remains a taboo topic in public discourse.

In the 1990s, the LGBT movement fought against government bans on LGBT conferences. This prompted the creation of

Knocking at Europe's door yet on the threshold of Asia, Turkey is truly a land of contrasts. Here you can scale the icy heights of remote Mount Ararat in search of Noah's Ark, cross the historic Euphrates and Tigris rivers, follow in the footsteps of St Paul or simply relax on the golden Mediterranean sands of Patara beach. Vibrant Istanbul, straddling the blue waters of the Bosphorus separating Europe from Asia, beckons with its skyline pierced by countless minarets, chaotic bazaars and a history redolent with harem intrigue and despotic Sultans.

• Letter shows Pope Paul VI knew of child abuse decades ago | Raw Story
  (tags: catholic-church pedophilia abuse childabuse)
• Pope-appointed bishop accused of ritually beating orphaned children | Raw Story
  (tags: catholic-church abuse childabuse pedophilia)
• Pope Benedict XVI should resign – chicagotribune.com
  (tags: catholic-church pedophilia childabuse abuse)
• Vatican Hides Pedophiles
  (tags: pedophilia crime politics religion catholic church)
• The Washington Diplomat
  (tags: cathlolic-church abuse childabuse pedophilia)
• No Longer a Lone Voice Crying (washingtonpost.com)
  (tags: cathlolic-church abuse childabuse pedophilia)

Mombian: She Got Me Pregnant 04-01-2010
Uploaded by drudolph. – Discover LGBT videos.
(If the embedded video above doesn’t work for you, try it at Dailymotion.)

Brought to you in partnership with After Ellen.

Where will all of this new healthcare money come from?
There is talk of new taxes for those who make over $250,000 a year who could end up paying 2.5% instead of 1% in Medicaid taxes. There is also talk of taxes for those who drink soft drinks and a 10% tanning salon tax.

I do my tanning now and then but I think its a brilliant idea to tax tanning and high fructose corn syrup and things such as diet coke chemicals. All of the chemicals but at the same time think its a bad idea to be able to make judgments on what to tax. TAXING SHOULD BE FAIR AND ACROSS THE BOARD. The sales tax should be increased for any goods we buy that way it would hit all these families who have kids who are mooching off the system. You can sit around and have all these kids but not pay more in taxes and get more deductions?? These kids are the reason my property taxes are so high thanks to the school district I live in. Without kids it is just unfair and unwarranted to have to pay these taxes. That would be like me paying taxes for someone else to enjoy drinking or smoking. You always hear about Children benefiting from most any legislation passing.

Most of us will not benefit from this until 4 years from now unless you are on your parents health ins until age 26.

Also, we need to Tax churches!! Churches are supposed to be separated but they damn well do their indirect grubbiness into politics!

All you see in the media is younger people coming out. You hardly ever see the stories of older couples coming out or single gay or lesbians who have had to hide for job security, religion, or other reasons.

While coming out is nearly always a scary proposition, coming out well after adolescence or college can be especially challenging. Younger people may worry about coming out to family and friends, but as you age, your social ties change. You may have to come out to a spouse, children, and co-workers. Your worries, concerns and questions around coming out may be entirely different than those of a younger person.

Be smart about coming out. Make sure that those closest to you hear from you, and not from the local gossip channel. While you do not need to send your cousin Betty an announcement card, your parents, siblings and closest friends should be told directly. Much of the time, co-workers and your boss can wait. Depending upon your age and social network, you may find that it is more or less accepted. Consider telling a dear, trusted friend early on in the process to have a support system available. You may find that there are those in your life you simply choose not to tell, and this is also valid, especially if they are not apt to hear otherwise.

One of the most difficult situations for gay and lesbian individuals coming out as adults is telling a spouse. Regardless of the stability of your marriage, coming out will pose significant challenges to your marriage and nuclear family. If you have already made decisions about your marriage, you should be open and honest about these with your spouse. You may be unsure about what you want. Consider seeing a therapist experienced in helping couples deal with these transitions. Some people opt to stay in their marriages, acknowledging their sexuality. Others hope for a peaceful dissolution of their marriage.

Telling children also poses a number of challenges. Younger children are typically quite accepting. You may wish to consider becoming active in a local gay and lesbian parenting group to allow your children to see families like yours. Address concerns as they arise and be aware of any possible social issues that may come up for your children. Older children and adult children may feel angry, betrayed or confused. They might also simply have already known or thought they knew. You may find family counseling helpful to smooth over these relationships if need be during this time.

There are some great resources about coming out as an adult, ranging from thirty something to a senior. A recent documentary, Out Late, offers a number of coming out stories from older Americans. More information is available at bulletin.aarp.org/yourworld/reinventing. More tips on coming out in adulthood can be found at sexualityandu.ca/adults/. If you have children, or are the adult child of a gay or lesbian parent, colage.org may be of assistance.

National Coming Out Day is October 11.

• JustJared has the info on three upcoming covers of Details which feature the hunks of True Blood, including Alexander Skarsgard. I think Details should just stick to covers and forget about the crappy content inside.

• A former High Court Justice in Australia would swap ten judges for one out Ricky Martin. Um ... I hear one of our Supreme Court Justices may be retiring soon.

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Meet that special woman at the 100% ALL GIRL lesbian dating site - Meet Her Here. SIGN UP FOR FREE!

I am happy and excited to report that my husband, Anthony, has been offered and accepted a high level administrative and faculty law professor position at the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois. His position will put him in charge of one of the best legal skills program in the nation, as it was recently ranked number 4 by US News and World Report. Anthony is very fortunate to have received what is considered one of the best jobs in his field so early in his career.

For Anthony, for me, and our professional growth, we had no choice but to accept this great opportunity. This provides Anthony with the necessary security and growth that he didn't have with his current job at Nova Southeastern University and it provides me with many exciting opportunities for my work as an LGBT rights activist, blogger, political consultant, and all around trouble-maker.

Other than the cold winters, this is a perfect fit for us!

Continue reading "So Hard to Say Goodbye: From Florida to Chicago"...

It's been almost two years since that disturbing video of one cop holding down while another cop beat a black trans woman, sending her to the hospital, was released. Both cops were fired and Duanna Johnson was later found dead in an unrelated murder.

As you may recall, the officer who beat Johnson filed an assault charge against her even after he used the handcuffs as brass knuckles, had his buddy hold her down, and pepper sprayed her:

McRae filed an assault charge against Johnson. In his report, McRae said Johnson swung at him and threatened to shoot the officer in the head. He said he was punched repeatedly in the head and neck by Johnson, whose first name is listed as Dwayne in the report.

Well, former officer Swain testified both that the "beat down" was one-sided (as the video showed) and that he had initially lied about it to protect his cop buddy. This is exactly why police shouldn't be policed only through internal investigations, a lesson other people who are the victims of police violence learned too late.

Continue reading "Officer who held Duanna Johnson down testifies"...

Last night, the newest member joined TV's out and proud club when adorable future-gay Justin on Ugly Betty confirmed what we all knew from the start — he is just gay-gay. The moment, played out at a family wedding, was simple and understated. It joins the pantheon among the sweeter coming outs on record. (Video under the cut.)

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Actually I’m bound for New Orleans, Louisiana to report on and envelop myself in the Southern Republican Leadership Council.  I’m hoping it is like CPAC but with more Southern food.

I’ll be reporting from inside at Bloggers’ Lounge later tonight.  Four great speakers lead off the program tonight:  Mary Matalin, Liz Cheney, JC Watts & Newt Gingrich.  Hmmm, Watts/Cheney… 2012 anyone?

So watch this space later today for reports of N’awlins.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

About the “Uncle Tom” slur hurled at African-American Tea Party protesters, James Taranto writes:

No white American today suffers the indignity of being labeled a “traitor” to his race; the supposedly liberal assumption is that blacks, and only blacks, are expected to think a certain way because of the color of their skin.

Sound familiar?  To gay conservatives, it should.  Seems, at one point or another, we’ve all encountered the supposedly liberal assumption that gay people are expected to think a certain way because of our sexual orientation.

(H/t:  Instapundit.)

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Just About Write is a resource site for lesbian authors and readers.  JAW’s staff includes Nann Dunne, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher,and Lori Lake, Associate Editor and Manager of Lesbian Fiction Herstory Page.  Both Nann and Lori are well known in the world of lesbian literature and publishing.

Just About Write includes many different sections for new and established authors of lesbian literature.  For example, you’ll find an articles sections covering many different topics of interest, such as eBook writing, copy writing, book marketing and more.  Many of these articles are written by lesbian greats such as Fay Jacobs.

JAW also does book reviews.  Current reviews include - Blessed Twice by Lynn Galli, Compulsion by Terri Breneman, Falling Star by Gill McKnight and more.

In addition to book reviews and articles, you’ll find poetry.  Along with poetry you’ll also find a section for new releases, announcements, current calls for submissions and a resource link.

Just About Write is a lesbian friendly site and a proud member of the Golden Crown Literary Society.  GCLS hosts an annual conference for authors of lesbian works and their fans to come together.

~

Meet that special lesbian woman at Meet Her Here - A 100% All Girl Lesbian Dating Site! Sign Up for Free!

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Lesbian photographer Alix Smith is among 1143 artists being considered for a whopping $250,000 grant from Pepsi. For the last two years, Smith has been working on an award winning photography project/social action campaign that addresses inequality in civil rights – specifically, in the rights afforded to gay and lesbian individuals. Through gesture, color scheme, background and lighting, the photographs that comprise States of Union are loosely based on classical paintings. The goal of the project, which was exhibited at The Morgan Lehman Gallery in New York, and in Los Angeles at Manifest Equality, is to show LGBT youth – and indeed all Americans – that LGBT families, couples, and loves are no different than heterosexual ones and deserve the same love, support, and admiration.

Pepsi’s “refresh everything” campaign seeks to reward “people, businesses, and non-profits with ideas that will have a positive impact” and will change their community. Smith believes that encouraging positive identify formation in gay and lesbian youth by exposing them to images of familial love that they can relate to is critical to changing all American communities for the better. States of Union has been compared to the AIDS Quilt in its power to have a profound emotional affect on those that see it.

Voting for the winner of this grant began on April 1 and Smith’s project has already moved from 215th place to 76th, but in order to win she must move to 1st place. Supporters may vote daily for this project online at http://www.refresheverything.com/statesofunion

States of Union’s Photographer and Project Director, Alix Smith has been in solo exhibitions throughout the United States and Europe, most notably recent exhibition at Morgan Lehman Gallery in New York. Smith is best known for her ability to create iconic images that defy cliche. Her images have a theatrical and painter-like quality reminiscent of great masters such as Vermeer, Manet and Sargent. Her work has been shown in exhibitions, art fairs and biennials in New York, Naples, Milan and Prague. She has been reviewed in a variety of publications some of which include The New York Times, Art Review, Artnet, and TimeOut New York. She was selected by Art Review Magazine as one of the best emerging photographers internationally. Smith shows with the Morgan Lehman Gallery in New York City, and has received fiscal sponsorship from The New York Foundation for the Arts, for her project “States of Union.” She was awarded a 2009 Stonewall Honor for States of Union by the Stonewall Foundation. She lives and works in New York.

IN THE LIFE is doing a segment on Alix Smith and States of Union. It is the second story in the “Dismantling Hate” episode. You can see it online at: http://www.inthelifetv.org/html/watchitl.shtml

To learn more about States of Union go to: www.statesofunion.com

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Le Baron is rumored to be heading to New York. Sources say Yellow Karaoke lounge in chinatown will be the new Parisian post! Due to open for Spring/Summer 2011 season.

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