1/3/09

Jon Stuart asks Gov. Mike Huckabee "Why gay people?"


From Courage Campaign

"Usually, discussions of political issues wind down after elections, but Prop 8 is not about politics. It is about love, equality and civil rights.

We all need to talk to our family and friends about the importance of restoring marriage equality to California.

That is why I am asking you to watch the video and join me in thanking Jon Stewart for continuing this conversation."

Courage Campaign.org

Dallas Defense of Marriage Act Protest


For Immediate Release

Nationwide Defense of Marriage Act Protest
Queer Liberaction
Blake Wilkinson
405-535-5406
lgbtliberaction@gmail.com
January 10 at 11:30 am

Historical Plaza behind Records Building
Historical Plaza behind Records Building
509 Main St. in downtown Dallas

Just ten days before Barak Obama will be sworn in as the next president of the United States Queer people across the country will be protesting against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Let's send a message to the future president that the Queer community is resolutely opposed to this discriminatory piece of federal legislation. We will also demand that the purportedly most GLBT friendly president-elect in history use his new political weight to repeal DOMA along with taking other pro-Gay and pro-equality action.

The Defense of Marriage Act is an anti-Gay piece of federal legislation which does two things. First, it legally excludes GLBT families from marriage benefits by defining marriage on a federal level as between a man and a woman. All the federal benefits that accompany marriage, such as immigration rights and tax breaks, are denied to non-heterosexual couples. DOMA also states that a marriage between two people of the same sex does not need to be recognized outside of the state where that marriage took place. Because of this, same-sex marriages that take place in the two states with marriage equality, Massachusetts and Connecticut, are not required to be recognized by other states.

On paper Obama is for the repeal of DOMA. We can't make the mistake of sitting back and expecting Obama to act on our behalf by taking on pro-Queer initiatives while we sit idly by. Let's hold Obama to his word by keeping the fight for our civil rights unapologetic and in the streets. While the president-elect might be on record as being on our side on the DOMA issue, he still asserts his opposition to marriage equality by saying, "I do not support gay marriage. Marriage has religious and social connotations, and I consider marriage to be between a man and a woman". We can do better. From day 1 of his presidency we will be demanding that Obama stand up for full marriage equality.

Queer Liberaction is an organization dedicated to struggling for the civil rights of GLBT people. We use direct action activism to directly, visibly and publicly confront homophobia along with organizations, institutions, groups or individuals who support or promote discrimination toward the GLBT community

Austin "TRINIDAD" Screening to Benefit (TENT) Transgender Education Network of Texas



Trinidad Screenings and Locations

Screening Jan 4th 5pm, 7:30pm
Special guest cast member Sabrina Marcus Sabrina Marcus will be in attendance along with filmmaker PJ Raval to benefit (TENT) Transgender Education Network of Texas.


About Sabrina:
Sabrina founded the transgender-focused Southern Comfort Conference in Atlanta and is an active member in the International Foundation for Gender Education and the National Center for Transgender Equality. Sabrina worked for nineteen years as a Space Shuttle engineer, until 2003 when she was dismissed after announcing she had begun transitioning from male to female. Sabrina completed her GRS with Dr. Bowers in 2004. In 2005 she moved to Trinidad to open Morning Glow with Dr. Laura Ellis. Sabrina is an active member in Trinidad’s Holy Trinity Church: “Without my faith I’d never have had the strength to transition to a woman.

Alamo Draft House
Showing: Sunday, January 4 - 5:00 pm
Theater: (MAP) Alamo Downtown - 320 E 6th Street Austin Texas Purchase Advance Tickets: TRINIDAD with Special Guest!

1/1/09

Angie Zapata's Life and Death : changed how we are treated


When Angie Zapata was murdered the popular and common practice of mainstream media was to frantically capitalize unmercifully in hopes of obtaining optimum monetary gain by sensationalizing the horrific murders of the gender diverse. The following articles by other media outlets religiously parroted transphobic catch phrases in unabashed bids to grab a piece of the media pie.

This immoral and reprehensible practice perpetuated violence and contributed to a misconception that transgender people were unprotected and uncared for.

But the implications of allowing this practice to proceed unabated reaches even further into our social fabric. All of womankind suffers in a like manner and perhaps far worse as crimes against the cisgendered are often not even reported, much less front page news.

All that came to a halt as an out cry of protests from transgender advocates and allies screamed "Not with Angie."

We can all help, straight and GLBT, to make the lives of our mothers, sisters and daughters, brothers and lovers of value. We can allow this to be a bright new shining day where we can wake and say, today I will care for someone a little more.

By kelli Busey
January 01, 2009
planetransgender

12/31/08

Reconciling Ministries Network doing Gods Work



For myself 2008 was a year of unanticipated profound change with a avalanche of love, passion, caring, worship, happiness and sorrow all bundled together in Jesus's name and presented as the Reconciling Ministries Network!
I had been called to witness(i didn't even know what that meant) and I was confused and scared by this force appearing out of nowhere drawing me to the United Methodists 2008 conference in FT Worth.
This began the most incredible two weeks of my life. What an absolutely fantastic religion! Alive and vibrant, struggling to understand the rainbow of blessings within. The people of the RMN are a driving force inside of the United Methodist Church and are truly doing Gods work. If you are queer, questioning and/or transgender and feel isolated and alone? Dude pull up a chair because we are among our church. The RM puts the work in network and lives radical inclusion.