A Community of Lesbians!

In nyt.com, there is an interesting article on a community of lesbians in Alabama (!) by Sara Kershaw, "My Sister's Keeper." The community began in the 1970s, and was both  product of feminist and lesbian philosophies.  Even a male baby was a cause for a debate.  The community, in Alapine, Alabama, is quite unique, and it is the hope of these women that the community continues after their founders' die.

Click here for more.

Pace!

B

Sorrow: Ted Haggard Is Stuck! How Can We Help?

This morning, on CBS Morning News show and CNN's morning news show, there was Ted Haggard, either being interviewed live (CBS) or from the tape from the Larry King Show (CNN) that he did last night.

I heard Ted say two things:
1. He was told by one therapist that he was a heterosexual "with issues";
2. He was told by another therapist that he was a heterosexual with homosexual tendencies.

The man has had "feelings" or "homosexual tendencies since he was in high school (if not before). He has had sex with multiple male partners--with or without the substance.

Being a "homosexual" is not based upon acting upon such feelings. Feeling attraction to anyone physically, emotionally, relationally, spiritually, intellectually, and other intuitive impulse is what it means to be who we are, gay or straight. This is simply how God made us to be.

I agree with Andrew Sullivan: once Haggard is at rest with who he is, by God's own hand and design, then he will be able to live life fully. Until then, he will continue to live this contorted, lying life, because he is trying to be something he is clearly not.

Click here for more.

pace!

B

New Mexico: The Next Frontier for Domestic Partnership (But Don't Call It Marriage)

According to Towleroad.com and the New Mexico Independent newspaper, NM is pursuing legislating domestic partnership (click here for more). As is true with other States, and now with religious/faith communities, the issue that is the trigger button against domestic partnership or civil unions is when we call it a "marriage."

Here is what is intriguing about this wedge issue, e.g., marriage vs. domestic partnership. Those who talk about marriage and its timelessness are factually and historically wrong in their hopes and dreams that marriage is forever. The definition of "marriage" is context dependent. By that, I mean that marriage changes in each cultural context and time. The concept of what we call "marriage" has changed, is changing, and will forever change depending upon the people who call it "marriage." There is nothing objective and outside of cultural constructs that makes marriage the same thing throughout time.

If this culture--American middle class culture--wants to now include people who are LBTGQ as part of the body of people who want to marry, well, so be it. Voila! You may now kiss one another.

Pace!

B

Next Prime MInister of Iceland: A Woman Who Happens To Be a Lesbian!

This is great!  In celebrating the various elected officials in office, pre-Harvey Milk to today's politicians serving in a variety of elected positions, news is coming from Iceland that the next Prime Minister is likely to be a woman who happens to be a lesbian.  Johanna Sigurdardottir, the nation's 66 y.o. social affairs minister, is the pick of the Social Democratic Alliance Party to lead an interim government.

Yes!

Click here for more.

Such role models are a must for those who aspire to public service AND are LBTGQ people.

Pace!

B

Washington State: All BUT "I Do"

Here is what is interesting: most of the fermentation of our being wedded or in civil union is taking place in the cluster of States on the West coast and the northeast/New England area. Washington State (WA) is such a case, where there is a legislative motion of letting couples sign up for everything that all married couples get in the state in re: to taxes, benefits, etc., BUT the name of "marriage." This goes back to the debate that IF we don't go for the name "Marriage" society around us will let us, "unionize," for the lack of a better term. "Domestic partnership" is such an oxymoron: what union of any kind is always domestic. Some times we simply have to be human and we will simply not be domesticated, whether we are gay or straight couples and families.

Click here to the site.

So let's start from the outside and go inward to the Midwest.

Pace! B

In Israel, 20,000 gay families raising children

I found this tid-bit on towleroad.com, that was first posted on Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper: 20,000 gay families are raising children.

For a land that is about the size of New Jersey, give or take the West Bank and Gaza strip, and a land where the desert covers great swaths of land, this seems a rather sizable number of people.

And these are the ones who report that they are gay, lesbian, bi, or trans, and raising children. What is the number when we include those who are not self-identifying? Obviously, larger.

My hunch: same thing here in the States.

Click here for more.

Cool.

Pace!

Brett

Prayers for Bobby

Another movie was added to a growing list of resources that help young people who are LGBTQ understand that the questions that they may have about being gay are not to be considered in a vacuum.  "Prayers for Bobby" reminds us of what so many middle-class families in America have gone through, and continue to go through. This was produced by Lifetime, was shown on Sat. night, and will be out on DVD in no time flat. It follows the life and times of Bobby, a young boy whose parents--not knowing better--batter him not with welcoming love per se, but love that is done through condemning him for being who God created him to be: gay.  At times it was painful to watch, and I winced often with Scripture verses being taken out of context, read literally without an appreciation for the context in which those words were first uttered and/or written.  Such fundamentalism can be so destructive.

 While there was a little bit of "Hallmark" pictures predictable heart-tugging, tear-creating scenes, I see it as another important resource in helping people understand what has and is going on in America.

Pace!

B