Strollerderby : Proposition 8

Gay Boy Crowned Prom Queen

JeanneSager — Sat, 30 May 2009 15:08:00 GMT

He's a boy, and he's gay, but Sergio Garcia isn't ashamed to tell people he's a queen. Prom queen that is.

Describing himself as "flamboyant," openly gay Garcia was crowned the queen of his Los Angeles high school's prom this week after deciding he could better identify with being a queen than a king, and campaigning hard for the part.

After reading about the racially segregated proms still allowed in some parts of the south this week, I needed this story. Because Garcia's principal says this is a great example of how successful the school is at driving home the message of diversity. At a school that's offered LGBT programming since for the past twenty-five years, it's apparently working.

The vote wasn't unanimous, but speaking in front of his classmates to campaign for the part, Garcia told them, "I'm not your typical prom queen candidate. There's more to me than meets the eye." Kids who spoke to a local TV station said they were swayed by his words, and they cast their vote for him.

Now we can only hope the same kids start voting in California elections soon - and find a way to send proposition 8 back to pasture.

Image: Twirlit

Morning News - California Supreme Court Upholds Prop 8

Brett Singer — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:00:00 GMT

In a move that surprised many, the California State Supreme Court upheld Proposition on Tuesday. BUT they let existing marriages stand. Which seems odd to me. How can you have it both ways? I think it's beacuse the ruling doesn't mean the court believes that Prop. 8 is correct, at least as far as I can tell. "The 6-1 decision upholding Prop. 8 was issued by the same court that declared a year ago that a state law defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman violated the right to choose one's spouse and discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation," says the San Francisco Chronicle. So the voters voted for it, and while it may be wrong, that's the law of the land. If I've got that wrong, I'm sure someone will let me know. (Be kind. I'm a New Yorker and we're very fragile.)

Now, the story that I know everyone was waiting for. An Alaskan man won the 2009 World Beard and Moustache Championships. This happened on Saturday, but the news only just made it to CNN. That's because it is VERY VERY IMPORTANT news. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin had no comment.

In the tech sector, Palm continues to botch the launch of the Palm Pre. Wired reports on a leaked document that actually includes the phrase "We Can’t Afford to Sell the Pre to the Wrong Customers." Even if there's a logic behind that statement, it's terrible PR. Add that to the fact that it appears that there won't be many Pres to be had when the phone is available for sale on June 6th, and Palm may have done Blackberry a huge favor.

President Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court yesterday. She would be the first Hispanic woman to serve as a Supreme. Here's a sentence from Yahoo! News: "The White House tableau itself was history: A black president and his white vice president, Joe Biden, striding onto a stage in the ornate East Room with the nominee who grew up in a New York housing project where her parents had moved from Puerto Rico." Which is great, but I guess we should also know what her views on various issues are. Republicans will likely be fighting her appointment, but some say that Sotomayor isn't a great target for attack.

In entertainment news (and I use the words "entertainment" and "news" loosely here) a lot of TV critics served up some hate for the season premiere of "Jon & Kate Plus 8". Somewhat amusingly, said critics seem to have suddenly noticed that it's hypocritical to compain about paparazzi when you put your offspring on television for money. Guess what people? Putting her kids on TV wasn't any more wrong before all of the hoo-ha about her marriage to Jon became massive tabloid fodder. Also hatin' on Kate is her sister-in-law Julie, who urged "viewers not to watch" the premiere. And so it goes.

Finally, loudmouthed Brit Lily Allen says that Susan Boyle isn't all that. Allen tweeted: "I thought her timing was off on Britains Got Talent on Sunday - no control, and I don't think she has an amazing voice. She can sing, but it's not about talent with her, is it?" Zzzzzz... Oh! Sorry. Just nodded off there for a moment. I'm back. (You can see Susan Boyle's performance for yourself here, if you are so inclined. You can see Lily Allen on her MySpace page. If you really want to.)

Image: CNN

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Gay Parent Public Service Announcements Censored During Super Bowl

Shannon LC Cate — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:35:00 GMT

If you watched the Super Bowl on California's KABC-TV, you missed an ad from "Get to Know Us First," a California campaign to promote understanding of the needs of same-sex headed families. Several ads featuring 2-mom and 2-dad families were produced for the organization to help promote the undoing of Proposition 8, which, in November 2008, took away marriage rights previously won by same-sex couples.

KABC-TV claimed it had decided not to air any "advocacy" ads during its Super Bowl programming. But the ad agency that produced the Get to Know Us First campaign claims several advocacy ads were in fact aired throughout the show.

The ads show real people in real families and send the subtle message that some of the fear-mongering from those who oppose same-sex marriage, adoption and family life is simply not accurate.

For one of the Get to Know Us spots, see below.

What do you think? Super Bowl appropriate or not?

Protect Children: Prohibit Divorce

JeanneSager — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:54:00 GMT

Since Californians who voted for Prop 8 late last year to strike down the rights of gays to marry said they were doing it for the children, there's a new movement afoot to keep kids safe:

Prohibit divorces. All of them. Keep heterosexual couples from breaking the bonds of holy matrimony.

After all - the sanctity of marriage and the children were at the heart of Prop 8, right?

A petition over at the Petition Site already has seven thousand some signatures, folks who signed their names to a letter proposing that divorce be stricken from the books to "keep the interests of children and families intact."

The marriage of a man and a woman has been at the heart of society since the beginning of time and it promotes the ideal opportunity for children to be raised by a mother and a father in a family held together by the legal, communal, and spiritual bonds of marriage. As a society we should put the best interests of children first, and those interests lie in traditional marriage. Permitting divorce destroys marriage as we know it and causes a profound harm to society. We should be restoring marriage, not undermining it.

Starting to sound familiar? Take out the word "divorce" and slip in "gay marriage."

Yup, they stole the whole thing from the Prop 8 folks over at ProtectMarriage.com; you know, the folks who warned Californians that "schools will now be required to teach students that gay marriage is the same as traditional marriage, starting with kindergarteners." (sic)

I'd love to say they won't be able to weasel out of their own words, but as the masters of twisting things to send people running scared of "the gay," I'm betting the evangelicals will have a field day with this one too. Only this time, the joke truly is on them.

Image: ThePetitionSite

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Morning News: Larry Flynt and Other Dogs

Shannon LC Cate — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Pornography mogul, Larry Flynt, is suing his own nephews--Jimmy and Dustin Flynt--for using the name "Flynt" in their own porn production business. Uncle Larry is put out by what he says is a tarnishing of his good name's reputation for quality. His nephews, he fears will sully the family legacy with their cheap imitations. The nephews point out that their name is Flynt. What other name should they be using?

Yesterday, Barack Obama warned that the United States would likely have many "years to come" of trillion-dollar deficits as he and his people work to get the economy back up and running. His plans include banning earmarks (hey, we thought that was John McCain's issue!), establishing a special panel to monitor the use of government "bail out" money and a website to allow the public to do the same. I wonder if that website will have a suggestion forum? Because there are a few ideas out there worth considering.

Remember the short-lived, Californian gay marriages of 2008? A new study has found that the gays can't be blaming the Blacks any more for taking them away. It seems that the Black vote's effect on Proposition 8 (the ballot measure overturning gay mariage rights) was wildly exagerated in early reporting on the issue and the real story is considerably more complex. We could have told you that. Oh yeah, we did.

And for some turn-that-frown-upside-down news, the very few survivors saved in a puppy mill raid last month have found new homes after an auction in Los Angeles. Whatever the new puppy-parents paid for their pets, we're thinking it was less than $100K which is only one of many terrific reasons to go with adoption, rather than pet cloning.

Breaking News: CA Supreme Court Will Hear Prop. 8 Challenges

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:40:00 GMT

In case your post-election elation is starting to wear off, here's some good news in the fight for constitutional protections. The California Supreme Court agreed today to hear the case against Proposition 8 brought by the ACLU, the City of San Francisco, and gay rights organizations. This is the same court that unwittingly brought about the Prop. 8 firestorm after they ruled that banning gay marriage violates both the fundamental right to marry and the equal protection clause of the California Constitution.

The lawsuits against Prop. 8 hinge on two main arguments, namely (according to the San Francisco Chronicle) that "the measure exceeds the legal scope of a ballot initiative by allowing a majority to restrict a minority group's rights, and that it violates the constitutional separation of powers by limiting judicial authority."

The court's decision to review challenges to Prop. 8 is great news, but the fight is far from over. The court also ruled that same-sex marriages will remain illegal until it has considered the constitutionality of Prop. 8. And if it does find the measure to be constitutionally sound, the court will have to decide whether to apply Prop. 8 retroactively, nullifying the 18,000 marriages that took place between the court's legalization of same-sex marriage and the passage of Prop. 8. We'll keep you posted.

Photo: Los Angeles Times

Prop. 8 Protests Spawn Hope and Great Photos

Mom Kicked out of PTA for Prop. 8 Stance

Mom Kicked Out of the PTA for Position on Prop 8

JeanneSager — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:25:00 GMT

The Roman Catholic school where Robin McGehee's been president of the PTA was OK with her being a lesbian. But supporting her own rights? Apparently that was taking things just too far. McGehee's been kicked off the PTA after attending a vigil thrown by the No on Prop 8 campaign.

McGehee and wife Kathy Adams' son, Sebastian, attends St. Helen's Catholic School in Fresno,Calif. Trying to be an involved mom, McGehee joined the PTA and was elected president. It's exactly what the school promotes on its Website, stating parents are expected to be involved in their children's education. But the day after the vigil, she says a priest from the Diocese of Fresno told her she was being relieved of her post in the parent-teacher association.

Raised as a Roman Catholic, what surprises me about this story isn't that McGehee was kicked out. I'm surprised she was on the board at all considering the church's stance on homosexuality. By its own admission, the school is built on the "traditional values" of Catholocism. The school philosophy lays out a code for kids to follow, including attendance at Mass and adherence to the church's teachings.

Those teachings are exactly why I'm a casual Catholic these days. I can't adhere to those teachings that specifically deny my gay friends the rights to love, honor and obey each other. I can't raise my daughter to look down her nose at her uncles who hold hands and kiss the way Mommy and Daddy do.

So why are McGehee and Adams subjecting their child to a place that teaches against their family?

Image: St Helens School

Same-Sex Marriage: "A Tiny, Symbolic, Semantic Grain of Happiness"

Prop. 8 Protests Spawn Hope and Great Photos

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Prop. 8 Protests Spawn Hope and Great Photos

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:22:00 GMT

Yesterday, thousands gathered in 300 cities across the United States to protest the passage of Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in California. The protests were a poignant and powerful reminder that no civil right is easily won.

Equality for gay families will be an uphill battle--all of the 30 states that have voted on gay marriage have banned it--but the impressive organization and high turnout of yesterday's peaceful protests demonstrate that the gay rights movement has the momentum to fight for as long as it takes.

Jezebel has posted a slideshow of photos of the protests submitted by readers across the country. I'm unable to post individual selections from the slideshow (aptly titled "Love Not Hate"), but, as you can tell from this one highlight on the right, it's worth browsing the whole thing, especially if you're feeling discouraged about the election's decidedly anti-gay rights outcome.

One of the photos shows a young woman carrying a sign that says, "Jesus Says Relax." I'd like to add to that my favorite Jon Stewart quote. Speaking of gay marriage a few years back, he said, "I really don't see what the big deal is--unless, of course, they're going to make it mandatory."

Photo: Jezebel

Same-Sex Marriage: "A Tiny, Symbolic, Semantic Grain of Happiness"

Shannon LC Cate — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:24:00 GMT

For those of you who missed it, here's Keith Olberman of MSNBC on the passage of Proposition 8, overturning the right to same-sex marriage in California:

Olberman makes some excellent points, but the one quibble I have with him is the notion that marriage is merely a semantic point when other legal options--like civil unions--exist. If it isn't called "marriage" an enormous loophole is created, allowing legislatures to come in and rewrite rights and privileges for "married" people only. We have to have one word for one set of rights and responsibilities.

Strollerderby Playdate: Feminist Mormon Housewives

Shannon LC Cate — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:30:00 GMT

I have a confession. I really like Mormons. I can't help it, most of them are just really nice people. And if you know the history of the LDS in the United States, you know they have been--historically--some of the most oppressed people in the country. They were fired on by federal troops and basically chased West to territory no one else wanted. They were polygamists (I know, I know, the LDS Church has a strong official stance against polygamy now) and were hated and condemned for their non-mainstream sexuality and "lifestyle choices." This makes me feel they are queer kin, in an odd way.

I am not now and have never been a Mormon myself, but I have had several LDS friends over the years. I always have a big disconnect when confronted by the face-to-face super niceness of Mormon individuals in spite of the institutional nastiness of the official church's positions on thing I care very much about. Imagine my delight at finding the Feminist Mormon Housewives, a group blog by, well, a bunch of feminist Mormon housewives. Lately, they've been on about the election, of course. Most of them were big Obama supporters and they had some dissident things to say about the big LDS push to pass Proposition 8 in California. (As does, Mormons for Marriage, an unrelated, but also terrific site.)

Even if the Mormons have been historically oppressed in the United States, they sure as heck are not the underdogs anymore. In fact, they are a huge, monied, powerful organization with a strong top-down organizational style which yes indeed, contributed mightily to Proposition 8's passing. It's good to know that there are women in this church who are not only thinking, but speaking for themselves in eloquent and intelligent ways rather than toeing a party--or religious--line.

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Adoption Ban Passes; Fails to Eliminate Queers and their Spawn from the Earth

Separation of Church and State=Same-Sex Marriage

Hey White Queers: Don't Get All Sarah Palin, Now

Shannon LC Cate — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:30:00 GMT

Talk around the media is that the passing of anti-gay ballot measures last Tuesday in California, Arizona, Florida and Arkansas can be blamed on/attributed to high minority turnout due to Barack Obama heading the ballot.

Wait just a minute.

Proposition 8 passed by the skin of its teeth last week, while a similar measure passed with more than a 60% margin in the last election--you know, the one without the record-breaking minority turnout. Even if 70% of Black voters voted for Proposition 8, that's a slim number, given the fact that minorities are a minority--in California, Blacks make up 6% of the population. But after Bush's re-election brought about a bushel of "ban gay marriage" results in several states, no one blamed the white people.

But the media loves to play this race-baiting game as much as Sarah Palin,--if in more measured tones. They are looking for a gimicky way to talk about Obama's election in terms of race and "oh the irony! civil rights denied by Black people at the apex of their own triumph over oppression!" is a catchy and clever-sounding headline, as long as you don't think about it too deeply.

But we can't be neatly divided into The Blacks versus The Gays, however much easier that makes it on a harried copywriter with an election analysis deadline. One big reason? Psst, come closer, closer...there are black gays!

And their churches don't all hate them anymore than white churches all hate white gays. In fact, as with predominately white Christian denominations, predominately Black ones have a range of opinions on the question of sexuality and a good number of theologians, ethicists and biblical scholars who fully support glbt people and their full inclusion in society and the Church. A cursory mental survey of my own friends brought none to mind who are A) Black, Latino, Asian or another racial minority and B) opposed to same-sex marriage. And yes, that's more than one person, yo.

Here's another dirty little fact. A minority of white voters voted for Barack Obama. Don't believe me because every white person you know is an Obamanic? Look at CNN's exit polls. Read it and weep: 43% of whites voted for Obama. And if you remove the 18-29 demographic, it's about 41%. Does this mean white voters are racist? Of course not. It means that we need to start looking for a new way to think about race and its meaning in the United States. We need to stop stereotyping and knee-jerking and get to know each other.

In the first few months of an Obama presidency, we are going to see nuts creep out of the woodwork in record numbers. There is a good chance that some will use this presidency to harden, and even recruit for, their racist agenda. Those of us whose visions of change and hope and expanded notions of citizenship won the day last week need to pull together. If you are feeling let down by the anti-gay ballot measures and looking for someone to blame, blame racism. A lack of interest in the concerns of queers of color has long been a problem in large queer organizations in the United States. A complimentary lack of knowledge about the struggles of all racial minorities, gay or straight, has handicapped those organizations. Let this defeat be a lesson to those who want to expand the freedom of this country to work together, learn about each other and start breaking down walls built of everything from fear to mere convenience. If Barack Obama can shatter a glass ceiling like the presidency, it's the least we can do to help him bring the rest of the building down.

Arkansas Adoption Ban Passes, Fails to Eliminate Queers and their Spawn from the Earth

Shannon LC Cate — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:01:00 GMT

The saddest thing about the anti-gay ballot initiatives that passed Tuesday in California (banning same-sex marriage), Florida (banning even same-sex civil partnerships) and Arkansas (banning foster care and adoption by unmarried couples ie: same-sex couples) is the effect they have on the children of same-sex parents.

I don't think my partner and I would feel much need for legal marriage if we didn't have children. If we didn't have children, I'd be working full-time for my own benefits and wouldn't need hers. I'd have my own retirement security, probably be able to make the house payments if anything happened to her.

But we have two children and being able to both be their legal parents is critical to their well-being. As adoption attorney, Jennifer Fairfax points out in this article from US News and World Report,

"Adoption gives the child two legal parents, two people who have to support the child, two people that the child can inherit from. If the parent dies, the child can get security from either."

Considering the high value social conservatives place on stay-at-home parents, one would think that helping families support a stay-at-home parent by making sure that either parent can provide health benefits and other legal protections to the family's children would be a priority, leading to support for same-sex adoption and/or marriage.

My partner and I are lucky. We were able to adopt in one of a handful of jurisdictions that have strong court precedents for granting same-sex co-adoptions, though this jurisdiction does not have a law protecting these adoptions specifically. As such, either of us can give our children what straight parents take for granted. Our children can rely on the fact that if anything happens to one of us, their lives will not be further disrupted by legal questions about the status of their surviving parent.

Marriage would grant these rights automatically, as married couples always have the right to petition to adopt together and a married woman who gives birth can automatically name her legal spouse the child's other parent--regardless of whether or not the second parent is biologically related to the child. Marriage would also save us between $50,000 and $100,000 in taxes and other "fees" associated with cobbling together legal protections for our family over the years of raising our children. College fund, anyone?

When people oppose same-sex adoption, what they oppose is an idea that falls short of their ideal of two married, opposite-sex parents. But the plain truth of fact is that millions of children do not live in these kinds of families already. Banning their actual family structures from legal recognition and protection does not help those children magically attain the two-opposite-sex-parents ideal, even if you want to believe (against the word of authorities like the American Academy of Pediatrics) that ideal really is best.

What opponents of same-sex marriage and/or adoption do not understand is that these arguments are not theoretical. Banning various people from various institutional protections will not make those people go away. In fact, the "gayby" boom continues boomingly on unchecked. Every young queer high school or college student I talk to these days simply assumes that she or he will someday be a parent. It is not just a double-standard for adults gay rights opposition upholds, but a double-standard for increasing numbers of children (at least 90% of whom, for the record, will grow up to be heterosexual). When you deny me the right to marry or the right to adopt with my partner, you deny my children the same security yours take for granted. You may not like it, but my children are here now and they aren't going anywhere. Don't they deserve the same protection as their playmates?

Image note: Which child deserves the protection of two legal, married parents?

Separation of Church and State=Same Sex Marriage

Shannon LC Cate — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Finally! Someone from a religious perspective is talking sense about gay marriage. (And it's in the newspaper.) Joseph Conn, spokesperson for Americans United for the Separation on Church and State told the San Jose Mercury news:

"At its heart, the marriage issue is a church-state issue...In effect, you have several of the large faith groups trying to impose their viewpoint on marriage on the whole state. That's really what's going on with this referendum."

Precisely. Civil marriage is a legal status granted by the state. It has nothing to do with religious marriage which is granted or not by religious traditions in a wide variety of ways. Hence many same-sex couples have received blessings on their unions from their religious communities but lack any civil rights based on legal marriage. Hence, same-sex couples in states that marry them have those civil rights and may or may not have received any kind of blessing from a religious entity.

I have long-believed that the confusion people have about the difference between what a religious entity does in marrying and what the state does in marrying is the crux of the disagreement about "gay marriage." Churches will never have to marry same-sex couples if doing so offends their beliefs. Think about it. No church has to marry anybody now if doing so offends their beliefs. Most Roman Catholic churches won't marry non-Catholics unless they convert and/or the non-Catholic member of a couple promises to allow any children to be raised Catholic. Orthodox Jewish rabbis often have similar policies. Various churches I have attended had requirements to marry that included church-based premarital counseling, church membership of a year or longer and even a history of contributing money to the church.

In spite of these rules, the Roman Catholic Church is not lobbying to outlaw marriage for non-Catholics. But that's the level of absurdity to which religious opposition to same-sex marriage falls.

In this country, we have something called freedom of religion. That means we are free to practice or not practice any religion we choose. It also means we are free from the government making laws based on the beliefs of any particular religion and enforcing them upon everyone.

And this married, Christian, lesbian mom says thank God for that.

Related Posts by this Writer:

Proposition 8 Propaganda

First Graders Surprise Lesbian Teacher at Wedding

McCain Talks to the Gays: Part One, Marriage

McCain Talks to the Gays: Part Two, Adoption

Image: http://mwood919.blogspot.com/

How Low Will They Go?

Shannon LC Cate — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:02:00 GMT

It was bad enough when they used their own kids to promote intolerance, but this one comes right from the department of dirty tricks:

Remember the happy-happy-joy-joy photos of the first grade teacher's wedding at San Francisco city hall? Now those pictures--including the students who came to wish her well--have been used in a new ad promoting Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative to criminalize same-sex marriage.

Parents are outraged that their children's images are being used this way. All parents were informed of the wedding trip in advance and given the opportunity to decline. Two children's parents did decline and their children remained at the school for regular instruction. But Proposition 8 supporters are claiming public schools will "teach" same-sex marriage against parents' wills if same-sex marriage remains legal in California.

Ironically then, the children present for the wedding had parents who support same-sex marriage and those parents don't want their children used to promote something they don't believe in. Said one mom:

"You can't use children's images in political statements like this. No one asked us to use our children. No one talked to us about this. And I feel like my children are being manipulated."

So the people who claim children will be taught something against the wills of parents are using children against the wills of parents.

That's a terrific message for all our children: when you don't get your way, toss your so-called values to the wind.

Related Posts by this Writer:

Proposition 8 Propaganda

First Graders Surprise Lesbian Teacher at Wedding

Goin' to Connecticut, Gonna Get Married

McCain Talks to the Gays: Part One, Marriage

McCain Talks to the Gays: Part Two, Adoption

image: sfgate.com

Opposing Same-Sex Fostercare and Adoption: It's Not Just for John McCain Anymore

Shannon LC Cate — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:37:00 GMT

John McCain told the New York Times that children were better off in orphanages than in the homes of loving same-sex parents. It seems some folks in Arkansas agree.

An Arkansas ballot initiative being pushed by conservative groups would leave more children waiting for families longer by banning adoption and foster parenting by unmarried couples. By "unmarried" everyone on both sides of the ballot initiative means "same-sex." Having already banned gay marriage (pointless, since gays could never marry in Arkansas anyway) down-ballot in the last presidential election, the radical right-wing agenda now takes aim at children in need of families. According to NPR, foster families are on the decline in the state, and banning same-sex couples from joining their ranks (or remaining in them, as the case may be) will only hurt children in need of loving care from trustworthy adults.

California's Proposition 8 is getting lots of press these final days before the election, but if you're in Arkansas, educate yourself about the Arkansas Adoption Ban before heading to the polls.

Proposition 8 Propaganda

Shannon LC Cate — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:25:00 GMT

Ambivalent thanks to Mombian for bring this one to our attention. Some back-alley, fly-by-night television advertisers have made a cringe, gag, shudder-worthy Yes on Proposition 8 spot. As a refresher for those of you who don't live in California, Proposition 8 is the ballot initiative to de-legalize recently legalized same-sex marriage. And they say we indoctrinate our children in unnatural acts. Just how natural is this?

Related Posts by this Writer:

First Graders Surprise Lesbian Teacher at San Francisco Wedding

Goin' to Connecticut, Gonna Get Married

McCain Talks to the Gays: Part One, Marriage

McCain Talks to the Gays: Part Two, Adoption

Sarah Palin is not a Lesbian

LGBT Magnet Schools Help or Hurt?

image: zazzle.com

Dad Goes Mad on Bigotry for the Children

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:44:00 GMT

There's a proposal on the California ballot that would rewrite the state Constitution to ban gay marriage, because after solving a $20 billion debt and discovering it is still another $4 billion in the red, the state apparently doesn't have more important shit to deal with. But anyway, that's where we are right now in California. In the land of the Hollywood elite and us crazy liberals with our "San Francisco values," we might yet rewrite a document that begins with the right of "pursuing and obtaining safety and happiness" to restrict that very happiness for a select few.

Why?

For the children, of course.

That's actually on the anti-gay marriage campaign -- save marriage and protect the children. I've seen a few of the anti-gay marriage commercials now, and the one that really irks me is about a girl who comes home from school to tell her mom about what she learned: "That a prince can marry a prince, and I can marry a princess!" The mom's eyes go wide, and a homely, balding guy comes on the screen to intone: "Think it can't happen? Think again!"

Well, think it doesn't happen already? Think again.

What the hell kind of lesson are we teaching our children by not teaching them about a large and valued segment of society? It's almost as if the line of thinking is that by denying someone basic rights, like marriage, they're going to go away altogether and oh sweet jesus the easter pig, thank god we don't have to talk about gay people anymore!

Please.

Look, if you're going to make this campaign about protecting children, let's at the very least protect them from ignorance. Are we afraid of talking in school about what goes on down the block? In the end, this isn't a proposition about what we teach in school -- it's a proposition that restricts rights for some people while granting them to others. But if you insist on making it about education, fat homely man, imagine what school books will look like in 30 years when your grandchildren flip to the chapter on gay rights and ask which side of history you were on?

But I digress from what I really wanted to do with this post, which was to share a great essay from my friend Danny Evans, author of Dad Gone Mad and former SD cohort. He really nailed the opposition to the "for the children" aspect of this hideous anti-gay crusade.

"An editorial I read the other day said Prop. 8 must be passed for the sake of the children – a precious, impressionable lot who will suffer immeasurably by having parents of the same gender. I scoffed at that. Where is the outrage about the children who suffer as a result of divorce, infidelity, abuse, and other “crimes” perpetrated by heterosexual couples? Are we to believe that even those kids are better off than those who would be raised by two loving parents who happen to have the same plumbing? Seriously, California. Give me a fucking break."

Indeed.

Please, go check it out. And if you live in California, please -- vote Ellen.

[Photo: slapupsidethehead.com]

First Graders Surprise Lesbian Teacher at San Francisco Wedding

Shannon LC Cate — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:30:00 GMT

When a class offirst-graders surprised their devoted teacher by showering her with rose petals after her city hall wedding, that anti-gay marriage crew in California turned it into political fodder. Proposition 8 is a ballot initiative in California that would ban such weddings in the future. But though the group called this field trip "indoctrination" it was optional and two children were kept at school when their parents did not consent.

Interim school director, Liz Jaroslow called the wedding a "teachable moment" and said the issue was important enough to her to put her job on the line.

For a sweet video of the occasion, hop over to the SFGate.

Related Posts by this Writer:

Goin' to Connecticut, Gonna Get Married

McCain Talks to the Gays: Part One, Marriage

McCain Talks to the Gays: Part Two, Adoption

Sarah Palin is not a Lesbian

LGBT Magnet Schools Help or Hurt?

Image: sfgate.com

Strollerderby : Proposition 8

Gay Boy Crowned Prom Queen

Disney Princesses Get Nasty

Black Prom, White Prom for Georgia Kids

Sixth Grader's Project on Harvey Milk Banned by School

Morning News - California Supreme Court Upholds Prop 8

Morning News - Mike Tyson's Daughter Injured

Morning News - Palm Pre Launch Date Announced

13 Year Old Alfie Definitely Not A Dad

Playdate: Does Your Sitter 'Love' Your Kids?

Top Cause of Death for Pregnant Women is Murder

UPDATE: Dad Who Forced Son To Get Tattoo is Arrested

Rich or Rehab: Whatever Happened to the Gummi Bear Girl?

10 Year Old Author Alec Greven Is Back

12 Year Old Knocks Em Dead On Britain's Got Talent

Gay Parent Public Service Announcements Censored During Super Bowl

Protect Children: Prohibit Divorce

Entire School Board Recalled By Angry Students

FDA Asked to Approve Gardasil for Boys

Vatican to Women: The Pill Pollutes Environment, His Testes

They Say: Shunning Gay Kids Bad for Their Health

Having a Kid Alone? Don't Tell Me Why I Have it Better

Morning News: Larry Flynt and Other Dogs

Breaking News: CA Supreme Court Will Hear Prop. 8 Challenges

Mom Kicked Out of the PTA for Position on Prop 8

Journalist Suing for Sperm-Donor Dad's Identity

Same-Sex Marriage: "A Tiny, Symbolic, Semantic Grain of Happiness"

Prop. 8 Protests Spawn Hope and Great Photos

Adoptive Parents Say: Boys Are Too Much Trouble

Prop. 8 Protests Spawn Hope and Great Photos

Same-Sex Marriage: "A Tiny, Symbolic, Semantic Grain of Happiness"

Strollerderby Playdate: Feminist Mormon Housewives

Hey White Queers: Don't Get All Sarah Palin, Now

Arkansas Adoption Ban Passes, Fails to Eliminate Queers and their Spawn from the Earth

Separation of Church and State=Same Sex Marriage

How Low Will They Go?

Opposing Same-Sex Fostercare and Adoption: It's Not Just for John McCain Anymore

Proposition 8 Propaganda

Dad Goes Mad on Bigotry for the Children

First Graders Surprise Lesbian Teacher at San Francisco Wedding