Coming Out Journal

Protect Children From Anti-Gay Therapy

So basically, some asshole parents make their kids go through “anti-gay” therapy after they come out and California has a bill that would ban them from doing this.

A state senate committee has already approved a bill that would forbid sexual orientation change therapy for children under 18, and adults would receive warnings of the hazards of such efforts.

Along with a warning that these therapies are not shown to be effective in changing a person’s sexual orientation, the bill cites risks of depression, anxiety and self-destructive behavior.

Recently, a group called “SaveCalifornia” started campaigning for Republicans in the GA to vote down the bill.

The SaveCalifornia campaign serves to indicate the lengths that religious right activists are willing to go to in order to fight pro-LGBT legislation that would actually safeguard child welfare.

Introduced by Senator Ted Lieu, SB1172 would limit California’s health professionals from engaging in so-called sexual orientation change efforts, sometimes known as conversion or reparative therapy, with minors.

The legislation, the first of its kind in the US, passed 23 votes to 13 in the state Senate last month. It is believed the General Assembly has enough votes to pass the legislation and that Gov. Jerry Brown will sign, but voicing your support will be vital in ensuring the bill becomes law.

I urge you all to sign this petition to declare your support of the ex-gay therapy ban. The aim is for at least 5,000 signatures, but currently they’ve just barely reached 700. You would be helping those people who have not been accepted by their family for who they can’t help being, and it takes only 20 seconds to sign. Spreading the world also helps too.

10 months ago · 28 notes · Reblogged from caniscreamyourname

Survey: Half of Americans Support Legal Gay Marriage

by Frank Newport | GALLUP Politics

PRINCETON, NJ — Fifty percent of Americans believe same-sex marriages should be recognized by law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages — down slightly from 53% last year, but marking only the second time in Gallup’s history of tracking this question that at least half of Americans have supported legal same-sex marriage. Forty-eight percent say such marriages should not be legal.

These results — based on Gallup’s annual Values and Beliefs poll, conducted May 3-6 — come at a time when Vice President Joe Biden’s remarks on “Meet the Press” Sunday have at least temporarily brought the issue of same-sex marriage back into the news spotlight. Biden said he was “absolutely comfortable” with the idea that same-sex couples and heterosexual couples are “entitled to the same exact rights, all the civil rights, all the civil liberties.” President Obama, however, has stopped short of saying that he favors legalizing same-sex marriage.

Last’s year’s Values and Beliefs survey marked the first time in Gallup’s history of tracking this issue thata majority favored legalization. Prior to last year, the highest level of support had been 46%, measured in 2007. In 1996, when Gallup first asked the question, 27% supported it, while 68% were opposed.

The issue of same-sex marriage sharply divides the American public along political and religious lines. Almost two-thirds of Democrats support legalizing it, compared with 57% of independents and 22% of Republicans.

Catholics are right at the overall average in their views on same-sex marriage. The Catholic Church officially opposes same-sex marriage and Biden himself is Catholic. Significantly less than half of Protestants approve, while those who identify with no religion overwhelmingly approve.

Implications

The trend on Americans’ attitudes on same-sex marriage has not followed an entirely consistent trajectory. While the percentage in favor increased to 46% in 2007, it slipped to 40% in the following two years. In somewhat similar fashion, last year’s increase to 53% support has edged back down slightly this year to 50% — not a statistically significant change, but not a continued increase, either.

This year’s results underscore just how divided the nation is on this issue. As a result, President Obama’s campaign strategy team obviously is continuing to grapple with how to handle it — with the vice president on the one hand essentially endorsing legalized gay marriage, while the administration on the other hand stops just short of the same pronouncement. Obama’s core constituency of Democrats strongly supports the issue, as do the majority of the important election group of independents. The president has said his view on the issue is “evolving,” so it is possible he will eventually go on record as supporting gay marriage, but for now, he officially remains opposed.

1 year ago · 56 notes · Source

Delaware Welcomes First Civil Unions

By Kasey Jones
Associated Press

More than 400 people, including a U.S. senator, witnessed the first same-sex civil union in Delaware on New Year’s Day.

Lawyers Lisa Goodman and Drewry Fennell were joined in the union by the Rev. Patricia Downing, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Wilmington, where the Sunday afternoon ceremony took place.

Goodman and Fennell have been partners for 14 years. Goodman is a lawyer who led the advocacy group Equality Delaware’s fight for the civil union law. Fennell heads the state Criminal Justice Council and formerly led the ACLU’s Delaware chapter.

U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., delivered the sermon and Lt. Gov. Matt Denns read scripture.

“We felt so lifted up by everyone who was there,” Goodman said by phone as she and Fennell were riding to their home after the ceremony and reception.

Delaware Gov. Jack Markell signed the law authorizing civil unions in May. Delaware is one of about a dozen states that allow either civil unions or marriages for same-sex couples.

Neighboring Maryland is preparing for a renewed fight over a same-sex marriage proposal, with Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley promising his full support for the measure in the coming legislative session.

In Delaware, observers of the Sunday ceremony said it went off without a hitch.

“Everything went perfect, I couldn’t be happier, everything was flawless,” said Ken Boulden Jr., the New Castle County Clerk of the Peace. Boulden opened his office on Sunday so that Goodman and Fennell and seven other couples could get their licenses on the first day they were available. Boulden was a guest at the Goodman-Fennell ceremony.

Calling the event a “lovefest,” Boulden said the good weather meant even heaven was smiling down upon the couple.

“It was a great way to begin the new year,” he said.

Downing said she has known Goodman and Fennell for about four years and that the couple crafted a service to reflect their relationship. “I’m full of pride and joy and extremely happy and excited that this could happen in Delaware,” Downing said.

The couple had a choir that performed hymns and Christmas carols, one in Spanish, because the church has a Spanish-speaking congregation.

Goodman said that when the congregation gave the couple a standing ovation after the union was pronounced, “I was afraid to turn around because I was afraid I might cry.”

1 year ago · 30 notes · Source

Bachmann pauses in Iowa tour to talk ‘myth’ of Kinsey Report
By Chris Welch

Clarion, Iowa (CNN) - Republican presidential contender Michele Bachmann continued her super-charged bus tour across Iowa Sunday, attending several more events to shake hands and sign autographs.

Her events have been largely of the meet-and-greet variety - get in and out as fast as she can. The campaign has instituted a “no questions” policy at a majority of her stops this weekend to keep things moving, and that generally applies to both the media and to Iowa voters.

But at her stop at a north central Iowa Pizza Ranch restaurant, she and her husband Marcus were met with a woman wearing a Bachmann sticker who was holding a sign that read: “Gay-friendly Iowan.”

“I was wondering if you would sign my sign?” the woman wearing the sticker, who identified herself as Kathy Schnell, asked.

“Gay-friendly Iowan?” Bachmann asked with a small laugh as she signed her name.

Schnell thanked her and followed it with a question that, in reality, was more of a comment.

“I wonder if you’re aware that 10% of the population is gay. And if you have 28 children, then 2.8 of those kids are very likely gay.”

The congresswoman, within definite earshot as she hovered over Schnell, at first seemed to avoid the question, trying to say “hello” to someone new.

Schnell turned to her friend and said, “She’s not listening to me.”

Bachmann must have heard that because she then turned back.

“Well, that’s according to the Kinsey Report,” the candidate replied.

Dr. Alfred Kinsey is best known for conducting interviews with thousands of individuals and publishing his findings in books on human sexual behavior during the 1940s and ’50s.

Bachmann’s husband, who runs a clinic in their district in Minnesota that has long been accused of conducting “reparative therapy” by trying to help gay individuals become straight, then chimed in.

“Your facts are wrong,” he said.

“That’s not valid?” Schnell asked back.

“No it isn’t,” Michele Bachmann said. Her husband added, “No, it’s not at all. It’s been a myth for many years.”

The presidential hopeful then moved to the next table. Schnell pulled off her Bachmann sticker.

Schnell later told CNN she is a Democrat who is not happy with the current Democratic administration and the Democrats in Washington.

Asked if she was surprised Bachmann signed her poster, Schnell said no.

“I think she wants to be a very nice person,” Schnell said. “She’s adorable. But I just don’t think she should be our president.”

Schnell wasn’t the only one in the room passionate about gay rights. A handful of college students were also on hand in the restaurant at the time, but did not try to raise a question. After the event, however, the group stood outside waving rainbow flags, a common symbol of gay rights support.

Quentin Hill, an 18-year-old student at the University of Iowa, said he wanted to ask her a question as she worked the room but was told ahead of time not to.

“They weren’t taking questions today. I asked one of her staffers and I was kind of shut down as soon as I started asking,” Hill said, adding that he wanted to ask her about the issue of gay teen suicides.

“I think if you want to be president of the United States, first of all you have to realize that you are representing all Americans including gay Americans and secondly you should be able to answer questions,” Hill said.

“If you want my vote, I want to know what you stand for. So I think it’s unfortunate that she comes and shakes hands and signs some signs and thinks she’s going to get votes out of that.”

1 year ago · 7 notes · Source

If there were a show called “America’s Got Shame”, then Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann would make it to finals.

Sorry if it was too politic, offensive, or inappropriate, but I had to write this.

1 year ago · 17 notes · Source

Marcus Bachmann Presidential Pledge: Do Away With Same-Sex Marriage
By Diane Anderson-Minshall [Advocate.com]

Marcus Bachmann, husband of presidential candidate Michele Bachmann, wants to make one thing clear: he’s got an agenda as potential First Husband (or is that First Gentleman? First Spouse?) and the LGBT world isn’t going to like it. His top priority? According to The New York Times, he’ll coordinate a nationwide campaign to do away with same-sex marriage and abortion rights.

“We are going to get this message across,” he said. “Marriage is between one man and one woman. We are going to promote families.”

Bachmann, who runs a controversial Christian counseling clinic that reportedly does so-called gay conversion therapy, said he’d also support his wife’s gun rights position. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that Bachmann reaffirmed his manhood and love of the Second Rights Amendment by firing off a few rounds from a .45 caliber Kimber pistol.

“This is fun,” he told reporters. “It smells good. It feels good.”

1 year ago · 10 notes · Source

Brokeback Perry

By Jim David
Comedian and writer

As a comedian, I can only watch Rick Perry and think, “I owe George W. Bush an apology.”

Of all the witless gaffes Rick Perry has made of late in his bid for the Republican nomination, the funniest may be his inadvertent choice of wardrobe. In his latest ad, Perry laments the state of a nation where “gays can serve openly in the military but kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school,” as if one had anything to do with the other, but never mind. In the ad he strolls among the trees, accompanied by a soundtrack seemingly stolen from a John Williams score, wearing the exact same light brown jacket with dark brown lapels worn by Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain.

I can only hope this was planned by a smart-alec gay dresser, knowing what kind of commercial Perry was about to film, exacting revenge in the same subtle way Jimmy Fallon’s house band introduced Michele Bachmann with “Lyin’ Ass Bitch.” Whatever, an amoeba should know that you don’t film an anti-gay ad wearing a costume worn by the star of the most successful gay-themed film in history. If Perry or his aides didn’t realize this fashion faux pas, they’re even stupider than they seem, which is epic.

But the clueless Perry has repeatedly shown that he parks more than a few feet from the curb. In a debate he couldn’t remember the names of three federal agencies he would eliminate, or why. He mistook the voting age as 21. He appeared drunk, rambling, downright silly — and quite effeminate — during a recent speech. He repeatedly questions the legitimacy of Barack Obama’s citizenship, a matter settled ages ago and of interest to only the most moronic Fox News dittoheads.

Most recently, he identified the number of Supreme Court justices as eight (there are — duh — nine), referred to them as “not elected” (they are — duh — nominated and then confirmed by the Senate) and then pronounced the name of Justice Sonia Sotomayor as “Motomayor.” Where George W. Bush had difficulty with words and sentences but seemed to know basic policy, Perry doesn’t seem to know anything. Really, think about it — compared to Perry, Bush seems like Galileo.

But most offensive are his pathetic attempts to court the votes of the most radical fringe of the Christian right, accusing Obama of conducting a nonexistent “war on religion” because kids can’t have a moment of prayer in public schools, as if Obama had anything to do with it. Showing a staggering ignorance of law and history beyond most high school students, Perry seems like a marionette manipulated by a particularly clumsy World Net Daily puppeteer. You can’t believe the show if you can see the puppeteer’s hands.

In the ad Perry says, “I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a Christian,” as if being part of a well-funded religion that enjoys tax-exempt status and majority status in America is anything to be ashamed of. But Perry is playing right into the Christian-as-victim mentality that inflates the slightest disagreement with their most radical factions into an anti-Christian bigotry. The most rudimentary gay rights are seen as, in the words of convicted Watergate felon turned Evangelical preacher Charles Colson, as “intimidating” religious freedom: “We’ve fallen into the spiral of silence, in which case the people who might be a tiny minority but are controlling the conversation intimidate the rest of us.”

The poor, put-upon Christians. Gay rights and religious freedom are mutually exclusive, because churches and religious organizations are perfectly free to preach anything they want and always will be. But Perry does know that their resentment at the advances of gays might gain him a handful of voters, those voters who resent that anti-discrimination laws were designed to sort of prevent them from, er, discriminating. What he doesn’t seem to know, or care about, is that this kind of divisive rhetoric was played out, and rejected by the majority, long ago. That train has left the station.

Perry seems to exist in a hermitically sealed world that just can’t understand or deal with the fact that change has come and the country isn’t the backwoods Texas church social they grew up in, and that a large part of the population looks upon him and his kind as a bunch of uninformed hicks. But by merely opening his mouth Perry plays into this cliché, like a drag queen lipsynching Diana Ross and then complaining about stereotyping.

Not only that, but Perry seems unaware that some Christians might be uncomfortable with their religion being used as a political weapon. Fortunately, polls indicate that his brief moment in the spotlight has ended, and Perry will go back to doing whatever he does as governor of a state ranking near the bottom in education, and hang out with those good old boys who yearn for the U.S. to return to what made Amurrica great, when we didn’t have to hear about them damn queers.

Meanwhile, what about that fabulous jacket?

1 year ago · 14 notes · Source

HRC's Corporate Equality Index Is Transforming American Workplace

By Joe Solmonese, President, Human Rights Campaign (HRC)

With no federal non-discrimination law and limited state protections, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI) has helped transform the American workplace for the better over the past 10 years. Released today, the 2012 CEI chronicles the remarkable advances that have taken place on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality (LGBT) in the workplace since 2002.

In the first year of the CEI, only 13 businesses achieved a top score. This year, 190 corporations, across industries, geographies and size, will receive a 100-percent score on significantly more stringent criteria, including 10 of the top 20 Fortune-ranked companies. As companies compete to recruit and retain the best employees and influence consumer choices, CEI ratings have redefined the norm for how all companies treat LGBT workers and their families. The result is that the lives of millions of LGBT Americans have been made exponentially better, public acceptance of issues important to LGBT people has soared, and both public and private employers of all sizes have voluntarily adopted inclusive policies.

This year’s report includes the following findings:

While the inclusion of sexual orientation in non-discrimination policies has become a standard since 2002, the addition of gender identity is now part of the policies of 50 percent of Fortune 500 companies for the first time, a growth rate of 1,567 percent since 2002.

The number of Fortune 500 companies offering domestic partnership benefits has increased by 76 percent since 2002.

The greatest strides have come in area of transgender-inclusive health care coverage. As a result of new criteria instituted by HRC this year that is a requisite to a perfect score, the number of companies offering comprehensive health care coverage to their transgender workers has increased to 207 from 85 last year and 49 in 2009.

The CEI rates companies on 40 specific policies and practices, 32 of which are new or more demanding this year. To achieve a perfect score and the coveted distinction of “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality,” companies must have fully inclusive equal employment opportunity policies, provide equal employment benefits, demonstrate organizational LGBT competency, evidence their commitment to equality publicly and exercise responsible citizenship.

Three years ago, HRC embarked on an ambitious project to raise the bar on its rating criteria so that a 100-percent score would reflect the “best-in-class” practices of LGBT inclusion in the workplace. This year’s CEI tells a powerful story of American businesses working to meet that higher bar.

Beginning in 2006, the CEI credited participants if they offered at least one benefit related to gender transition. As a result, 487 companies, or 79 percent of participants, received credit for this category. In 2009, HRC informed companies that it would begin rating them in 2012 on equal health coverage for transgender individuals without exclusion for medically necessary care, to include sexual reassignment surgery. The fact that companies would be rated on this new criterion dramatically increased performance from 85 companies offering all of the benefits last year to 207 this year, a 144-percent increase.

A total of 850 businesses have been rated in the 2012 CEI, including the entire Fortune 500. Two-hundred seventy-seven Fortune 500 companies voluntarily submitted surveys; the remaining 214 were rated based upon publicly available data. In addition, 65 Fortune 1000 companies, 134 law firms and 160 other companies voluntarily participated in the 2012 CEI. Voluntary participation in the CEI doubled since its inception. In 2002, 319 companies participated; this year 636 companies have participated.

In spite of the fact that 77 percent of the American public favors the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, there are no federal laws barring workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Americans can also still be fired in 29 states on the basis of their sexual orientation and in 34 states on the basis of their gender identity. According to a November 2011 HRC/Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research poll, a staggering 87 percent of the American public believes that it is already illegal under federal law to fire someone for being gay and 78 percent believe that it is illegal under state law.

In the absence of these basic protections for LGBT people, it’s clear that corporate America is leading the charge for equality in the workplace. American business understands that LGBT-inclusive workplace policies are the right thing to do as well as good business practices.

To see the list of Best Places to Work 2012 List from CEI Report, click here.
To get the report, HRC’s Corporate Equality Index 2012, click here.

1 year ago · 8 notes · Source

1 year ago · 10 notes · Source

A Night of Victories for LGBT Candidates

A Night of Victories for LGBT Candidates
By Andrew Harmon

As voters in Ohio repealed a law limiting public worker collective bargaining rights and Mississippians rejected a “personhood” amendment, a field of openly LGBT candidates fared largely well Tuesday evening with victories across the country.

Among them:

-Democrat Adam Ebbin became Virginia’s first openly gay state senator, defeating Republican opponent Timothy McGhee

-Houston mayor Annise Parker trounced several opponents and earned 51% of the vote to avoid a run-off, while Mike Laster became the city’s first openly gay man elected to the city council

-Chris Seelbach won his bid for a seat on the Cincinnati City Council

-The city of Holyoke, Mass. elected 22-year-old Alex Morse over an incumbent 45 years his senior

-LaWana Mayfield became the first openly gay elected official in Charlotte, N.C., home of the upcoming 2012 Democratic National Convention

In San Francisco’s mayoral race, incumbent Ed Lee currently maintains a substantial lead over a field of 16 opponents, including openly gay candidate Bevan Dufty.

Also in the Virginia senate races, gay Republican Patrick Forrest, whose campaign became the target of a whisper campaign about his sexual orientation, lost to Democratic incumbent State Sen. Janet Howell.

1 year ago · 23 notes · Source