Activist Silvia Martinez of the Trans Network of Nicaragua (REDTRANS) was denied permission to travel to the United States. Martinez has been issued visas in the past to other countries and MADRE, an international women’s rights group and mother-type group to REDTRANS, has previously been allowed to bring other activist speakers to the United States. MADRE also cited that Martinez met the eligibility requirements for a U.S. visa.
MADRE believes Martinez was denied a visa because she is transgender: “This discrimination constitutes a violation of internationally recognized human rights, which the US is obligated to uphold.”
The organization is urging people to write the U.S. embassy in Nicaragua through a convenient action alert, located here.
It has been five years for Ohio, one year for California and one week for Maine. Citizens in these areas have been stripped of their rights under the guise of defending marriage. It’s time to change that.
For Tuesday, Nov. 10, University of Cincinnati students have planned a flash mob and silent protest in response. A flash mob is a brief assembly of people, from seemingly out of no where, who freeze in a position that represents what that particular issue means to them.
This is not your ordinary protest. Beginning at 10 a.m., between Steger Student Life Center and Swift Hall (A map of UC’s campus can be found here.), students will meet to put tape on their mouths and pick up speaking cards explaining why they have chosen to stay silent. The silent protest lasts all day. Participants will also where white, writing “Are you listening?” across the front and how marriage inequality affects them as individuals on the back.
At 12:15 p.m., as classes are changing, students will reconvene for the flash mob. Whistles will blow promptly at 12:20 p.m., signaling the beginning of the protest. In the heart of campus, between Steger Student Life Center and Tangeman University Center. students will freeze in whatever pose represents how marriage inequality affects them. After five minutes, the whistle will be blown again and students will resume as if nothing happened.
This month’s Cincinnati Guerrilla Queer Bar event took place at Million’s, sibling bar to Mount Lookout Tavern. Not unlike queerings past, women were allowed to dance on the stage or poles but men were not, resulting in the use of force against a gay man.
Many men were asked to leave the stage and were pulled down by a bouncer. Some tried to resist, but it wasn’t until a pair refused to leave the stage that the situation began to escalate, as evidenced in the video below.
The man was escorted out of the bar, but was quickly allowed back in by the manager, giving the man and his companion complimentary shots. After this, no more men were escorted off the women-only dancing stage.
When questioned, a man who identified himself as one of the managers of the bar said, “It is just the policy of bars in this area [to not allow men on the stage].”
That translates to, “The stage is reserved for the objectification of women.”
Ohio has a lot to celebrate after this election. Not only will casinos finally be built in the Buckeye State, but 10 LGBT candidates were elected to office. Maybe the conservative tide in Ohio is turning.
Below is the welcomed list of new public officials:
Amanda Armstrong: Medina Educational Service Center Governing Board
Kevin Johnson: Portsmouth City Council Ward 1
Nickie Antonio: Lakewood City Council
Joe Lacey: Dayton City School Board
Mark Tumeo: Cleveland Heights City Council
Eric Resnick: Canton City School Board
Carol Fey: Bexley City School Board
Sandra Kurt: Akron City Council Ward 8
Jerry Larson: Akron Municipal Court
Jim Sands: Athens City Council
“The Ohio Democratic Party is proud to have recruited and groomed candidates across Ohio who reflect the great diversity of our party and our state,” Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern said in a statement.
Those elected were mostly from the more northern areas, with Akron receiving a double queering.
“Democrats helped elect candidates young and old, male and female, gay and straight, from all geographical areas and of diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds,” said Redfern. “Ohio Democrats fielded an unprecedented number of openly gay and lesbian candidates this year and achieved historic success by electing 10 of these candidates to office. We celebrate that success.”
A copy of the article can be found here. Visit Pam’s House Blend for the full report. Click here to send a response to the transphobic article in Seventeen Magazine.
Psst! Carrie, tuck in your nipple. Jesus is watching. Photo from TMZ.com.
Today is a most glorious day, for it has been revealed that the conservative values preaching former Miss California Carrie Prejean has dropped her lawsuit against the Miss California USA organization because an graphic sex tape of her has allegedly surfaced. Hallelujah.
“They showed her the X-Rated version of Home Alone, starring Carrie herself.
“When the video started playing, Carrie’s first reaction was ‘that’s disgusting’ and Carrie denied it was her.
“Then, the camera angle changed and panned up to her face. She was caught red-handed, so to speak.
“Carrie was rendered speechless and immediately began talking with her lawyer. We’re told it took about 15 seconds for Carrie to drop her $1 million demand.”
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
It was bound to happen: Every idiot who wants to be famous knows a sex tape can help take a pseudo-celebrity’s D-list status up a couple of notches.
Groups like the National Organization for Marriage defended Prejean when scandalous photos surfaced. I wonder if Maggie Gallagher, president of NOM, and other conservative leaders will come to her rescue now. Family values indeed.
Americans headed to the polls in droves yesterday to weigh in on a myriad of issues and candidates, including many dealing with the LGBT community.
The good news: In Kalamazoo, MI, 65 percent of voters supported an LGBT non-discrimination ordinance; currently, domestic partner benefits are leading in Washington with 51 percent of the vote, but only 50 percent of precincts have reported; Akron, Ohio, elected it’s first openly lesbian candidate, Sandra Kurt, to city council.
The bad news: No on 1, the stance that would preserve gay marriage in Maine, has conceded as 53 percent of voters voted yes to reject marriage equality.
Of course today is reminiscent of this same time last year. In a country that had just elected it’s first black president, oppression was institutionalized for another class of people. This has happened yet again.
And while radical actions are great, when it comes down to it, we must still answer to the laws of our nation, and when those laws create privilege for some we must work to change them. We need to work both within the system and through radical action to make real change.
Marriage equality is a tired subject and maybe shouldn’t be the LGBT or queer movement’s top priority, but the inequality is still indoctrinated in American law at many levels and that must change.
Moreover, what has happened in California, Maine and other states that have embedded oppression and hate into it’s most sacred document – it’s constitution – are just symptoms of how America feels as a whole. Constitutions are a contract between the government and the people; apparently a majority of both are okay with having a gay marriage ban in this contract. This is about changing the way people view queers as second class citizens, not just about the institutionalized inequality.
So if you get the opportunity to support equality where you live take it. Even if you’re tired of hearing about gay marriage or you are too radical to support such an issue, because when it comes down to it, it’s about equality. Even if you don’t want to take advantage of marriage equality, someone else does. And wouldn’t you want their support if something you valued was being taken way?
And keep in mind the famous – and albeit trite – quote from Martin Luther King Jr.: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Kamron Vaughn of Le Bitchz emceed the first half of the Northern Kentucky University drag show.
The theme for the semiannual show was "Make room for your skeletons, come out of the closet."
Nick "Do I Look Hot Right Now" Cole of Le Bitchz performed several Michael Jackson songs.
Le Bitchz brought new life into the Spice Girls' "If You Wanna Be My Lover."
A pink corset and thigh-highs didn't stop Kamron Vaughn from getting down.
Sity Hall hosted the second half of the show and entertained onlookers when she dropped her dress halfway through her number, revealing a sexy one-piece.
Le Bitchz closed NKU's drag show with a rendition of "Thriller," complete with zombies.
Gay Letter provides the New York City community with a weekly listing of events including performances, drag shows, art exhibits and more. The witty commentary and indie events alone make the weekly worthwhile. Visit GayLetter.com to subscribe to the the newsletter.
While Saturday Night Live has been flailing as of late (Can’t we just rewind the tape a few years to the much more hilarious times?), the show has been producing some queer content, especially when it comes to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
This past Saturday, Oct. 17, the show parodied 300 and DADT in a brilliant sketch that highlighted the flaws of the policy and the failure of the Obama administration to remove the ridiculous policy.
King Leonidas declares that the time just isn’t right to rescind the Spartan army’s DADT policy, to which a soldier replies, “It’s never the right time, Leonidas.” Throughout the sketch it becomes painfully obvious that all of the soldiers are gay – albeit a stereotypical portrayal of gay men – and in the end Leonidas reveals that he has partaken in a homosexual act or two. And every single argument Leonidas uses for DADT – the economy, a war, public opinion – is easily dismantled by his troops.
Of course, DADT is abolished and all is still well for Sparta. Hint, hint, Obama.
12:30-1:30pm
Tuesday, October 27
615 Old Chemistry Hall at the University of Cincinnati
Since 2006, David Aruquipa Perez has been National Director of Cultural Patrimony in the Ministry of Educationand Culture of the government of President Evo Morales. He has a master’s degree in gender studies. Since 2001, David (A.K.A. Danna Galan) has facilitated the internationally renowned gender bender troupe, La Familia Galan. Perez will comment on diverse initiatives to advance intersectional critiques of racial, gender, sexual and political-economic inequality in Bolivia and beyond.
This event is sponsored by the University of Cincinnati Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.
Craigslist, the virtual bulletin board that creates hours of entertainment for readers, has posted this little gem in its Best of Cincinnati Craigslist category: Lesbianism in Cincinnati.
This list has the 31 criteria for being a lesbian in Cincinnati. Granted, most of them can be generalized to other cities, but the accuracy of it is what really makes it funny.
The highlights:
“3. If you are reading this, I probably know you. You are either my ex, my ex’s ex, a friend’s ex, an ex’s friend or someone I met off of here and eventually quit talking to (or who quit talking to me after they started dating my ex, or my friend, or my friend’s ex, or my ex’s ex …)”
“11. You claim to not like butch girls, but you only date butch girls.”
“18. Everyone knows that Cincinnati lesbians have it out for the bi girls. You’ve probably also assumed that the mystery author of this post is a shallow, narcissistic, bi girl. Nope. I’m just a lesbian with a sense of humor.”
“21. If you are butch, you claim not to be butch. You probably say something to the extent of ‘I don’t like subscribing to any labels. I’m just me.’ I’m sorry honey, but you’re butch. Get over it. You get all of the hot girls anyway.”
“28. There are only two genres of music: hip hop or Ani.”
“31. There is a very real chance that your name is Amy, Amber, April, Jessica, Sara(h) or Nikki.”
But the mystery still remains: What Cincy lezzie wrote it?
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network is celebrating Ally Week Oct. 19 – 23. The week is devoted to raising awareness about LGBT issues and bullying in schools, increasing the number of allies and commemorating people who are already allies of the LGBT community.
For resources on Ally Week and other GLSEN days of action, visit AllyWeek.org.
Interactive map that explains gay marriage in every state. Photo from Latimes.com.
The Los Angeles Times has created a comprehensive map outlining what sort of gay marriage protections and bans are in place in every state, as well as the dates of bans and history of gay marriage law in the state. Simply hover you mouse over a state and the information pops up.
It is quite an impressive and useful tool for people who want to know each state’s status. There is even a timeline of gay marriage battles across the U.S. To view the map, click here.
Kissing girls and liking it way before Katy Perry ever sang about it.
Listen to me on Alternating Currents, the second-longest-running LGBT radio program in the U.S., on 88.3 FM every fourth Saturday from 3-5 p.m. Live stream from anywhere: Click here.
Ohio has a lot to celebrate after this election. Not only will casinos finally be built in the Buckeye State, but 10 LGBT candidates were elected to office. Maybe the conservative tide in Ohio is turning.
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The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network is celebrating Ally Week Oct. 19 – 23. The week is devoted to raising awareness about LGBT issues and bullying in schools, increasing the number of allies and commemorating people who are already allies of the LGBT community.
