The Daily Show: Queer and Loathing in D.C.- Tens of thousands of gay rights activists march on D.C., but Fox doesn’t find it worthy of coverage.
Personal Reflections from the National Equality March »
Only time will tell exactly what effect the National Equality March in DC will have. Will the crowds move from the streets of the Capitol back to their home states and districts? I hope so. Will it further the divide between the beltway gays and the grassroots or build much-needed bridges? I’m not holding my breath on that one.
One thing that I don’t have to “wait and see” about is the personal effect the March had on me. That’s what this blog is about- the personal, emotional response I had to this event. The impact was immediate, powerful, and, at times, overwhelming.
First- let me explain where I am coming from. I live in Florida, one of the most conservative, backwards states in the union. We have one of the most far-reaching anti-equality marriage amendments in the nation, no protections for LGBT people in employment or housing, and the only blanket ban on gays and lesbians adopting, among other odious anti-LGBT laws. Fighting for change in the state can too often seem like standing in a dark room alone and screaming at the wall. It’s exhausting, discouraging, and sometimes seemingly impossible work. Knowing that in a “state-by-state” strategy world we’ll be one of the last to make headway can be soul crushing. But we fight on- letting the small victories, like electing our own to local offices and passing protections where we can, keep our hope alive, alone as we feel at times.
That’s what the March did for me- I saw our community, in all its diverse glory, together and energized. It gave me hope and recharged my batteries to keep fighting against the odds. It reconnected me, and so many others like me, to each other.
Continue reading “Personal Reflections from the National Equality March” »
FL Fundraiser to Prevent LGBT Teen Suicide Gets a Surprising Supporter: Tim "I hate gay people" Hardaway? »
The Trevor Project, a national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, is hosting the Lifeline Event Series, which will take place on September 20, 2009 from 7:00pm-10:00pm, at Halo Lounge, 1625 Michigan Avenue in Miami Beach. The Trevor Project operates the only accredited, nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for LGBTQ youth.
I am honored to be on the host committee with my husband, Commissioner Anthony Niedwiecki of Oakland Park, as well as other South Florida supporters of the important work that the Trevor Project does. It’s sure to be an amazing event for a great cause. The organization does such important and vital work for LGBTQ youth who might not have anywhere else to turn and I encourage everyone to attend.
The event has also gotten another, quite surprising, supporter: The Tim Hardaway Foundation, founded by Former Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway, who in 2007 wrecked his post-basketball career by declaring on radio “I hate gay people.” Here’s the interview:
Much more after the jump…
Tampa, FL Gets First Woman, First Openly Lesbian Police Chief »
Mayor Pam Iorio appointed the city of Tampa’s first woman and first openly Lesbian Police Chief, Jane Castor.
She will be sworn in on Oct. 1, marking a huge milestone for the city and for the LGBT community. Castor is a mother of two and has served as the department’s liaison to Tampa’s LGBT community.
Castor thanked the people who came before her, making her appointment possible:
When I came on the department 25 years ago, the trails had already been blazed. I’ve never had any issues within this department or within this city.
9/11 Remembered: A Flight Attendant's Story »
Many of you may know that I am a former flight attendant. What you may not know is that I was in the air on September 11th, working a flight leaving New York City going to Florida. I worked for an airline that has live TV’s in every seat, so we were some of the few people in the air that actually watched the horrors of that day unfold live.
It all started normally enough. The crew of 6 (four flight attendants and two pilots) met for the early morning flight, expecting a short trip to Tampa and back. The plane was full of people, mostly bleary-eyed from having to make it to the airport on time. We did a quiet, low-key service, chatting with the few passengers who were awake, then went to our respective galleys to rummage up some breakfast for ourselves.
Then it happened.
Maine's Marriage Equality Repeal Makes Ballot: An Overview of the Fight »
As expected, equality opponents Stand for Marriage Maine managed to get enough signatures to place Question 1, a repeal of Maine’s newly passed Marriage Equality bill, on the November ballot.
The drive to put the “People’s Veto” on the ballot surpassed the needed 55,087 signatures. The question will appear as:
‘Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?’
Having already anticipated the outcome, Vote No on 1/Protect Maine Equality has already begun campaigning with great ads already running for several weeks across Maine. Be sure to donate to the Vote No on 1 campaign now!
You can make a donation through Bilerico’s ActBlue Page, which goes to the campaign to fight Question 1!
The ads, and more info on some (surprise!) ethical complaints against Stand for Marriage Maine and NOM, after the jump…
Continue reading “Maine’s Marriage Equality Repeal Makes Ballot: An Overview of the Fight” »
Money Well Spent? NOM-Backed Candidate Defeated in Iowa »
Republican Stephen Burgmeier was defeated by Democrat Curt Hanson in a special election to fill Representative John Whitaker’s seat in Iowa. Why was so much attention focused on this small race? And why is it likely to be one of the most expensive House races in Iowa history?
Because it was the first election held since the Iowa Supreme Court legalized gay marriage and the right-wing groups poured into the state to support Burgmeier, who ran a campaign based on his opposition to marriage equality. Forming a campaign called “Reclaim Iowa”, three groups that oppose gay marriage supported Burgmeier: Everyday America, the Iowa Family Policy Center, and (wait for it…) the National Organization for Marriage.
How much did they pour into this race?
NOM swooped in to Iowa and plopped down $86,080, betting that marriage equality could be used as an electoral wedge issue in the state. Of course, in typical NOM fashion, they failed to disclose the names of their donors, which is legally required, and a formal complaint was filed against NOM in Iowa.
Watch as I shed a tear for NOM…
Continue reading “Money Well Spent? NOM-Backed Candidate Defeated in Iowa” »
I Couldn't Say It Better: Florida Says Yes to Beating Kids, No to Gays Adopting »
This is one of the best juxtapositions of backwards Florida laws I have seen.
Glenna Milberg’s blog, Milberg’s Musings, recently had a great entry called “Who’s Your Daddy”, which looked at two different court cases happening at the same time in South Florida. One was a child abuse case against a man named Loscar Rodriguez, a father who “disciplined” his kid so much that they couldn’t sit down because of the welts and bruises. The other was the case of Frank Gil, the gay man who is fighting to adopt two boys he fostered, which might just overturn Florida’s ridiculous ban on gays adopting.
The outcomes of the two cases? The abuse case was dismissed in 12 minutes. The adoption case will take months, with more appeals sure to come. Milbank’s conclusion is dead on:
Florida law bans gay people from adopting children. But it protects the right to beat a child with an object until he/she is black and blue.
Continue reading “I Couldn’t Say It Better: Florida Says Yes to Beating Kids, No to Gays Adopting” »
Growing Support for the National Equality March: 140 New LGBT Activists and Allies Sign On »
The momentum for the National Equality March, organized by Equality Across America seems to be reaching a fevered pitch. The March, scheduled for October 10th and 11th in Washington DC, has given blogger Andy Towle of Towleroad a list of over 140 new LGBT leaders and allies who are endorsing the event, whose goal is “equal protection in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states.”
The list includes activists, politicians, entertainers, religious figures, and others who are putting their name and support behind the national march. It’s a diverse group of people, from leaders like Judy Sheperd and Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin to actors like Charlize Theron and Harvey Fierstein and everyone in between. It also includes a number of Bilerico folks and other bloggers, like Nadine Smith, Pam Spaulding, Kate Clinton, Bil Browning, Lane Hudson, Eric Marcus, and many others.
This comes on the heels of state groups, like those in Florida, announcing they will be arranging for buses from major cities to bring people to the march.
It seems that the march is indeed picking up steam.
The full list from Towleroad after the jump…
Know the Enemy: Christian Family Coalition thinks Gays are "High Risk" »
Not surprisingly, the case fought by the ACLU moving through the appeals court that would strike down Florida’s onerous ban on gays and lesbians adopting has brought out the very worst, and very false, so-called “Christian” groups in force. These groups that raise money through fomenting hate and fear towards the LGBT community continue to lash out as they see themselves called out more and more as the bigoted hate groups they truly are.
We’ll be bringing you these views, with a healthy dose of snark, here on Bilerico Florida so you can truly “Know the Enemy.”
And like the saying “knowing is half the battle.”
Today’s radical fundie group spotlight goes to the Christian Family Coalition, the Florida group masquerading as a “pro-family” organization who’s real goal is to tear apart any family that doesn’t fit into their narrow definition of family (or that doesn’t give them money). Their tagline?
Winning the Culture War One Battle at a Time
Let’s go down the rabbit-hole and look at this group and what they think about the henious adoption ban…
Vermont Marriages to Begin at Midnight »
The first same-sex marriages for Vermont are set to begin tomorrow (just after midnight tonight), Tuesday September 1st. Congratulations Vermonters!!
There isn’t expected to be a large rush of marriages in the first days, like there were when Vermont became the first state to offer civil unions in 2000. The 5 month waiting period between the law passing and licenses being offered, as well as fact that Tuesday is a weekday and past the big Vermont “summer wedding season.”
There are some fun celebrations being planned for Vermont. According to 365.com:
The 30-member Vermont Gay Tourism Association, meanwhile, plans a “Small State, Big Heart” marriage equality wedding reception and dance party Tuesday night at The Essex resort in Essex, offering hors d’oeuvres, wedding cake and DJ dancing for $34 per person.
Meanwhile, Vermont-based Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream is marking the occasion in typically sweet fashion. They’re renaming their “Chubby Hubby” flavor “Hubby Hubby” for the month.
Kentucky Judge says Homeland Security isn't Dependent on God »
In a story that is sure to get Dick Cheney out of his undisclosed location, a Judge in Kentucky struck down a 2006 state law that required the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security to stress:
dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the commonwealth.
That’s right. State Law required the state’s Homeland Security office to give God the credit for keeping Kentucky safe from terrorist attacks. For three years, the office has been required to credit “Almighty God” in their official reports and post a plaque with similar language at the state’s Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort.
Because Al Qaeda is falling all over themselves to attack the Kentucky Derby unless the Almighty Christian God steps in?
Wow.
Continue reading “Kentucky Judge says Homeland Security isn’t Dependent on God” »
Awesome Website of the Week: 'God Hates Shrimp' »
Sometimes you just have to smile at the snarky, fun skewering of the anti-LGBT right.
Activists Joe Decker and Ryland Sanders have created my new favorite parody site called “God Hates Shrimp”, a smart poke at people like Fred Phelps, NOM, and other fundie hate groups who use the Bible to beat the community over the head. It’s an old argument given new flair by these creative folks.
The front page reads:
Shrimp, crab, lobster, clams, mussels, all these are an abomination before the Lord, just as gays are an abomination. Why stop at protesting gay marriage? Bring all of God’s law unto the heathens and the sodomites. We call upon all Christians to join the crusade against Long John Silver’s and Red Lobster. Yea, even Popeye’s shall be cleansed. The name of Bubba shall be anathema. We must stop the unbelievers from destroying the sanctity of our restaurants.
Continue reading “Awesome Website of the Week: ‘God Hates Shrimp’” »
Prop 8 Court Challenge: Judge says San Fran In, LGBT Orgs Out »
Judge Vaughn Walker has denied the request of several LGBT legal groups, including the ACLU, Lambda Legal and NCLR, 
to join Perry v. Schwarzenegger, the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8. He also approved the City of San Francisco’s request to join the case. Ted Olson and David Boies will now be joined by San Francisco City Attorney David Herrera as the lawyers in the challenge to Proposition 8.
The judge approved the City of San Francisco’s request due to “a government interest that wasn’t represented by any of the current parties.” He said the LGBT organizations, however, “would needlessly delay the case’s resolution.”
The trial has been set for January 11, 2010.
Statement from the LGBT orgs after the jump…
Continue reading “Prop 8 Court Challenge: Judge says San Fran In, LGBT Orgs Out” »
