Posts Tagged ‘Feminism’
May 17, 2013
Really. There is a day (ok, several different days) that basically say it’s not ok to hate the non-heterosexual community. I’m going to spare everybody my rant on that simply because I’m tired of writing it, saying it, and above all thinking about it. Put it this way, every day, I’m reminded of how I’m “different”. I’m over this. Over it. People blog about the sexualization/objectification of Disney FEMALE characters, has anybody looked at the images they present to boys?
Katy Pyle’s re-interpretation of The Firebird, a Ballez is MORE than just a queer ballet. It is so much more than that. This show re-examines how we present people. Take a look at the picture below taken by Chrissy Pessango:
Chrissy Pessango Picture
What do you see? More correctly, what do you see? Look at the different body types, look at the gracefulness each of these dancers holds. Maybe one, ONE, presents the body type you would expect to see in a ballet. One. And here they are a dance corps, musicians who identify as non-heterosexual but teaching a much broader lesson: the presentation of the craft is the important part. Shaking up gender expectations is huge: doing so with health body images? Well that’s nothing short of spectacular.
The show opened last night as St. Mark’s church (an Episcopal Church in NYC). Yes, a mainline church supporting queer art.
The $10,000 Pyle is hoping to raise is to provide better pay for those who have contributed so much to this project. Please help fully fund her. The show is sold out. The importance of this re-envisioning is not just important for the queer community but for every person. None of us are that “perfect” image. Pyle’s work is groundbreaking. Pyle’s dancers are taking very real risks in their professional lives. The church that is supporting them will undoubtedly draw (more) criticism. That is the risk of being a ground breaker.
This is the link to the KickStarter campaign. Please give what you can. The project is so close to being fully funded.
And no, I was not paid to write this review (and I wish is I was in NY so I could go see the show!!!)
Tags:a Ballez, ballez, body image, Chrissy Pessango, dance, diversity, Feminism, hollins, katy pyle, Kickstarter, lgbt, people, queer, queer dance, self-image, social media, the firebird, transgender
Posted in LGBT, People, Politics, Popular Culture, Religion | Leave a Comment »
May 16, 2013
“This ballet is the one I wish I had seen” . . .words, of course, you would expect to hear from the artistic director. The reality is that in the context of The Firebird, a Ballez this is much more than a true statement. Katy Pyle has re-envisioned Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird in a new image. A queer image. The clip from Kickstarter IS the ballet I wish I could see if I was in NYC this weekend.
I am far from a lover of ballet, I am impressed with the skill it takes to dance on ones toes (I’m thrilled to get through one day with stubbing a toe) but I’ve never felt a connection (I vaguely remember The Nutcracker and by vague, I remember this idea of child running around and the prince/princess and always been freezing cold in the theater) to ballet.
I clicked on the Kickstarter campaign because the artistic director is the sister of a college classmates. I believe in projects in Kickstarter: we are all on this planet together and well, in this country we really don’t grasp “the arts” or funding for the arts. As I watched the clip and listened to Katy’s reasoning for funding the project, I went back and watched the clip again. Without sound.
I saw me: not just the gay me. But me. The person who doesn’t look like a dancer. I saw people of different ethnic origins. I saw not male/female roles but artists expressing their craft in a very gender scripted medium. Yes, there were dancers who looked like dancers but compare the clip above to this one I grabbed from you tube.
Pyle’s project is more than just a “queer ballet and orchestra”. The dancers look like everybody. They present healthy body images with varying frames. As I’ve replayed the clip in my head all day and thought about what I wanted to write about this amazing project. I realized that Pyle is correct, this is a ballet I wished I would have seen. Maybe somewhere in the back of my childhood brain I knew I was gay. Maybe somewhere in the back of my head I knew I never had the body type to BE a dancer (even if I had the coordination).
The LGBTQ community has spent much of the spring in celebration as states grant the right to marry. Now it’s time to show how it’s getting better in different areas of life. The myths and fables of childhood which provide many of the gender norms which continue to be presented as acceptable need to be broken: not just for the LGBTQ community but for everybody. Every time I think of this ballet, I am amazed at the creativity. I am in awe of the courage and I give thanks. Maybe there will be a child watching who when s/he grows up s/he will realize s/he is LGBTQ and that the ability to dance doesn’t cross a gender bounds, that the stories presented in the struggles, the fantasy, the mythology of dances can be presented not as straight or queer but as what they are: human struggles.
Tags:arts, ballet, ballez, dance, Feminism, gender, gender roles, katy pyle, lgbt, lgbtq, NYC, people, social justice, the firebird, transgender
Posted in LGBT, People, Popular Culture | 2 Comments »
May 9, 2013
I’ve seen variations of the following article discussing the idiocy of Abercrombie & Fitch in various versions all of over social media. This is the latest one to hit my Facebook feed.
Here is the deal: this isn’t like the CEO of Macy*s saying such a stupid remark. A&F has a long, long, long history of questionable business ideas. Deciding to boycott A&F now ranks up there with the idea of “Hey, I wonder if we can land a person on the moon?”. Abercrombie & Fitch has long been worthy of a boycott, banishment and a simple refusal by sane people to not purchase their clothing. Here are some of the highlights:
1) Employees are refered to as ‘models’. Yup, you read that right, models. I’m not going to go on an anti-model rant but in the context in of the 21st century model is just this side of “allowing for objectification” and “we won’t hire ugly people.”
2) In 2005, the company was subject to a federal consent decree due to a hiring and promotion practices. A consent decree essentially means that the federal government has found their violations of federal laws has been so egregious that a third-party is required to monitor such activity. I work in a heavily regulated federal industry, it’s extremely hard to wind up with a consent decree when matters of health, medicine and transportation are involved. It’s damn near impossible when clothes are concerned.
3) A&F has a history of discriminatory practices against Muslims and people with disabilities.
4) Countless ads that objectify and/or sexualize children, ads that are xenophobic, employment practices that are far out of line cultural norms.
Look, this is a company that has united feminist groups, Bob Jones University, liberal religious traditions and several unions. Yes, they did donate $10 million dollars an emergency department at a children’s hospital. But the larger question is this: this is a company that at every turn manages to purposefully offend every non-white, thin, attractive member of the population. Ten million dollars probably doesn’t even begin to cover the damages they have done.
The bigger question is this: Why the hell have people been shopping them for so long?
Tags:A&F, Abercrombie & Fitch, ADA, autism, boycott, consent decree, diversity, Feminism, lgbt, musings, people, personal responsiblity, Reflections, social justice, things that aren't common sense but should be, xenophobia
Posted in People, Politics, Popular Culture | Leave a Comment »
May 4, 2012
Most of the time, state ballot intaitives amuse me: should we repeal a liquor tax? What about letting people smoke pot in public? I tend to think of it is the great political revenge of letting voices be heard on some entertaining issues.
Not so next week in North Carolina. Next week voters in North Carolina are seeking to define relationships. Currently, the Tar Heel State is does not recognize gay marriage. Now, they are seeking to ban it. The legislature this year managed to place on the ballot the following:
“Constitutional amendment to provide that marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.”
If this amendment passes, North Carolina’s Constitution would read as follows:
“Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State. This section does not prohibit a private party from entering into contracts with another private party; nor does this section prohibit courts from adjudicating the rights of private parties pursuant to such contracts.”
Marriage, not civil unions, not domestic partnerships, is the only legal union. To some people, there might not be a distinction between only allowing heterosexually married couples to receive the government benefits of marriage. There is: this proposed amendment has the potential to impact domestic abuse charges, custody and support rights in non-married heterosexual couples.
There has long been the stereotype of the ‘narrow minded Southerner’. This amendment promotes that stereotype. In a telling quote, Majority Leader Rep. Paul Stam (R-NC 37) stated “They’re going to bring with them their same-sex marriages. They’re going to want to get divorced and have custody issues decided”, he said. “We’re not equipped to handle that.” Rep. Stam, let me personally assure you, the gay community is not interested in rushing to North Carolina to get divorced.
Maybe one day I’ll understand how individuals can think my decision on who to marry has any impact on his/her relationships (aside from the obvious affair). Passage of this amendment would be a giant step backwards. Not just for the LGBT community but for every citizen of North Carolina, and by extension everybody who knows and loves somebody in the Tar Heel State.
I find it bemusing that the political party which staunchly opposes perceived intrusions into our personal lives supports such a reaching decision. This is bigotry. This is fear mongering. This is hatred of the other.
My only hope and prayer is that the people of North Carolina see this for what it is worth and refute the amendment. We all deserve better.
Tags:Amendment One, anger, Civil Rights, diversity, equal marriage, family, Feminism, lgbt, Marriage, musings, North Carolina, people, personal responsiblity, Reflections, republicans, social justice, south, things that aren't common sense but should be, tolerance, vote
Posted in LGBT, Politics, Reflections, Religion | Leave a Comment »
March 27, 2012
Fourteen or so years ago, my brother and I cut across a parking lot by Thompson-Boiling Arena on the way to a Tennessee/Notre Dame football game. We wove among tailgaters talking about our mom’s cancer having come back, trying to make sorts of the crushing news and the next thing I knew my brother was sprawled (and I do mean sprawled) out on the ground having been taken out by a kid. I looked at the kid to make sure he was ok, smirked at my brother and in with in a second was paralyzed by fright. A voice said something like this “Tyler, I’ve told you a hundred times”. I REALLY made sure the kid, one Tyler Summitt, was ok. The last thing I needed in my life was my brother harming the prince of East Tennessee. Everybody knew Tyler, everybody knew Pat and now my brother was sprawled out on a parking lot having taken out a kid. Great.
The first thing Pat Summitt did was make sure my brother was ok. | stood there stunned. Pat made Tyler apologize, then she apologized and we parted ways. As we walked away, I looked at my brother and said you had better be grateful you didn’t harm Tyler Summitt.
Since I went to my first UT game in 1988 until last year, one thing was the same. Pat would prowl the sidelines, barking at her team, the officials, Smokey and just about everybody at TBA. This year has been nothing short of painful. Every game, every venue opposing fans would pay tribute. Reporters from major outlets have talked about how Pat Summitt single handedly changed the perception of women’s athletics (with a major assist from Title IX). As clearly as I can see the fantastic title game in Kansas City, I can see the painful losses – the national title game in Philly where they carried Geno around … and the back door cuts after back door cuts. The loss in the 2001 regional semi final where I was so mad, I went out at got something good that was orange. A cat (really) – it’s how Jackson came into my life. He was almost named Pat – but I had a nephew Patrick and well, Jackson is a boy.
Pat Summitt has done it all in her sport: the first Olympic Captain for women’s basketball, 1098 career victories, more than one court named after her, legions of fans, a 100% graduation rate: last night 3 graduate students started for Tennessee. I turned the game off at half time. I couldn’t watch it anymore. Tennessee was going to lose. I couldn’t see through my tears. This wasn’t the most talented team – Baylor deserved the win. I wanted a fairy tale ending. I wanted one more title.
The answer is that this is the legacy of Pat: more teams are more competitive than at any other time in women’s basketball. Stanford, Baylor, UConn, Tennessee, Kentucky, Duke, Maryland, Notre Dame, LSU, Georgia all have or are building in the case of Kentucky, deep basketball traditions. Women in sports are becoming more the norm: I work with a former DI hockey player. My niece is a fantastic ball player. A daughter of a friend is on a traveling volleyball team. There were other programs that embraced Title IX (Anson Dorrance at UNC leaps to mind with soccer) but basketball is a sport that most individuals will probably play (from H-O-R-S-E to competitive) at some point during their lives.
I watched the clips from Holly Warlick and Kim Mulkey today. Both were fraught with emotion and near tears. At some point, Pat will step down. Probably this off season. It hurts. Alzheimer’s is an ugly, brutal disease that does nothing but rob people.
As I’ve thought about how much this feels painful, I remember that crisp October afternoon. A chance encounter with an iconic figure. And oh, how she will be missed.
Tags:basketball, equality, Feminism, Lady Vols, March Madness, Pat Summitt, sports, Tennessee, Title IX, WCBB
Posted in People | Leave a Comment »
February 12, 2012
I love March Madness. For most of the month, I’m transported into a land where David’s beat Goliath, where crazy shots win the games and, where, at the end, many players will have played a game competitively for the last time and the tears you see are real tears of realizing that this was the last time you would get to do something you would love. This year, I have a hunch it will be the last time we see Pat Summit prowl the lines as the legendary coach of the Lady Volunteers. If there is a fairy tale ending, for Pat, UT would cut down the nets in Denver. The reality is that it won’t happen: and oh, I wish I was wrong. I was in the stands in Kansas City (I can still see that in-freaking-sane 3 point shot by Kellie Jolly). I was there in Knoxville, Boston, Philly, Palo Alto, New Orleans when they didn’t cut down the nets. I court side in Tampa and grabbed my ACL repaired knee when Vikki Baugh hurt hers.
It doesn’t matter where you in the stadium, when the Lady Vols play, you can hear Pat’s voice. I’ve heard that distinticve Middle Tennessee twang all over the country as I’ve caught games when I could. This year I saw the Lady Vols play at Madison Square Garden.
Maggie Dixon Classic
All season, long time assistant Holly Warlick has been running the huddles. In an exceptionally perceptive, well written article, Dan Flesser examines the role that Warlick has tried to balance this year. At the University of Tennessee, there is a saying “Vol For Life”: it comes out of the saying on the locker rooms that states “Today, I will give my all for Tennessee.” Warlick was the first athlete – male or female – to have her jersey retired. She was one of the first basketball All-Americans at UT, while attending on a track scholarship because basketball did not have enough. Working without a contract, she is trying to balance something most of us cannot fathom. Summitt isn’t just her boss, but a life long mentor and friend. Warlick’s words were telling: she doesn’t know if Pat will be back next year.
These are the ways I want to remember Pat (bad fashion and all):
Leading Rocky Top at UT Men's Game
8th National Title
That is 3 in row!
Not always a fashion plate: always coaching
(Even the serious fashion faux pas outfits!)
Coaching in the huddle
There will be some hard decisions to be made in Knoxville at the end of the season. Sadly, I think it is time for Pat to step aside at the end of the season. She’s given her all for Tennessee. She is a VFL. And my fairy tale ending is this ending in number nine. I know that won’t happen (Stanford!). My only hope is that this can happen with grace and dignity for all parties involved. This doesn’t have a happy ending. One of the greatest coaches, one of the greatest women pioneers in athletics doesn’t get to ride off into the sunset. May her legacy be the generations of women who embody Title IX and having the courage to publicly battle Alzheimer’s.
Tags:Alzheimer's, basketball, Feminism, Lady Vols, Lady Volunteers, March Madness, Pat Summitt, people, SEC, Title IX, UConn, VFL, womens basketball
Posted in People, Popular Culture, Sports, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
February 7, 2012
This should really be titled Part II(b). I decided to google the individual for whom I made the database.
Big mistake.
I sorta had a tea party.
No silly. Not the Alice type. The Sarah Palin type.
Whoops. The only good part? The database was never updated. If you subscribe to the service, you too can think that Anthony Weiner is a member of the US House of Representatives from NY.
Tags:activism, database, Feminism, Humor, musings, personal responsiblity, politics, Random, Sarah Palin, social justice, tea party
Posted in People, Politics, Popular Culture | Leave a Comment »
January 21, 2012
First, for the important news of the week. It snowed in Boston. Twice. Yeah!! Now for the truly mundane. Had a minor shopping trip last week with a friend of mine (ok, not really minor in the fact I was actually IN A MALL but work with me). I realize I’m not the fashionista I once was when I worked for the company from hell. But given what was FOR SALE I maintain that wearing Dansko’s, khakis and sweater, shirt or t-shirt depending on the occasion is the most sane way of dressing.
The first thing that scared me?
Um, at least it's orange?
This odd item was at Lord and Taylor. We were pretty sure it wasn’t a single leg warmer for an elephant. It appears to be a tube dress for an adult. Ok, growing up when this was fashionable-the-first-time, I shudder that we are returning to the economics of the Ford/Carter/early Regan eras based on what we are being shown as acceptable in the fashion world. Let’s face it: dress well, feel good. Putting that on, even if I was a size negative 2, I wouldn’t feel good. I’d feel lost, misguided, wondering if my friends were secretly plotting to get me on the auditions of American Idol so they could mock me. As I wondered how such a garment could impact the primary season, my friend pointed out the obvious, most people are too fat to wear that. Uh, yeah. Sad thing is, most people don’t have her common sense. I’m still not convinced it wasn’t a dog blanket for a German Shepherd or something. Ok, I really hope it was a small dog apparel item gone wrong that somehow wound up with a designer label.
The fashion crisis only became worse when we went into DSW. Ok. SERIOUSLY? These are the “styles”. Note, if you have a kid, urge him/her to become an orthopedic surgeon specializing in ankles. In about 20 years, there is going to a be a BOOM in the need for ankle replacements.
Hi, I'm here for my PT appointment. . .
For the evenings!
The great shopping debacle led me to realize this is wrong with this country. We are settling for bad fashion people! How can we possibly accept the current slate of GOP candidates? How can we take them seriously? I mean, look at their hair!
Psst, next time dye the sideburns
Hey, Mitt, can I borrow some of that gel stuff?
Stacey and Clinton are around somewhere. . .
Proving that one popular night-time pundit is right: a vote for Herman Cain, is a vote for well, the best dressed GOPer (and hence, not on the ballot).
Of course you can trust me! I won Thumbs up 7up!
Tags:ankle surgery, DSW, election, fashion, fashionista, Feminism, GOP, Lord and Taylor, Mitt, Mitt Romney, Newt, Newt Gingrich, people watching, politics, Primary, primary elections, Random, republican, Rick, Rick Santorum, shoes, shopping, social media, style, things that aren't common sense but should be, what not to wear, winter
Posted in People, Politics, Popular Culture | 1 Comment »
December 13, 2011
Two stories seemed to populate my twitter feed yesterday: The Houston Police arresting the OWS protestors under tents, outside of the view of others. And Lowe’s decision to pull its advertising dollars from All-American Muslim on TLC (in fairness, supposedly BOA, Wal-Mart, McDonald’s and GM also pulled their ads but those companies said they didn’t have any additional ads scheduled). Facebook seemed to be teeming with Tebow.
Ack. I’d rather swallow cyanide. The arrests out of public eye disturb me. I’m not saying the Houston police did anything wrong. It is the perception of arresting individuals outside of the public view when the individual is being arrested at a public assembly. I really don’t have enough vested in the entire OWS movement (aside to think it’s hopelessly organized without goals for first order change) to even think it’s going to make a difference (ok, let’s shut down ports for day labors to protest imports?). What does disturb me is the keeping the press away from arrests, breaking up camps and events in general: it happened in Boston (in our pretty liberal city with a Mayor For Life). I’m also bemused in that ironic way that defines me that the only time various cities can seem to act together is in arresting citizens who really aren’t breaking any major laws. Heaven forbid cities work together for something like, oh, job creation, sustainable development or crazy things like that. Let’s face it, the OWS protestors/campers really didn’t do a lot of damage compared to winning say, the World Series and a good Nor’Easter or such event would have sent many scurrying.
Oh Lowe’s. Once again, a company caves to the views of a few. First, the group that managed to get Lowe’s to stop ads managed to raise the profile of a so-so cable show (brought to you by the network of the pro-creating crazies in Arkansas (what are they at? 20 now?), the objectification of children as beauty pageant contestants and the whacko kate/jon/children drama). The sad reality is that Lowe’s is (compared to Home Depot) a low activist company: very few dollars donated in the past election cycles. Seriously? You are going to go after Lowe’s for advertising against the trumped-up right-wing ‘values’. Um, while you are at it . . . how about going after Delta and Expeida for supporting the LGBT community? Or Goya for daring to sell food that is traditional found in Latin American cuisine? And Lowe’s? Seriously? You are running from a fringe group. I’d say boycott Lowe’s but most would run to Home Depot … and well, Home Depot has a worse record since buying local is “more expensive”. Rolls eyes.
Which brings me to number 3. Tim Tebow. Ok, look, he is probably a nice kid. He is a Florida Gator so…that’s a strike. I don’t believe in a view of any faith that starts off with “Let me first give thanks. . . ” (I’m pretty sure there is a part in The Bible about praying in private….which makes that weird pose he does annoying). My thought (and in all fairness, I’m suspect of any born again anything) on Tebow is this: he’s what 23? Who isn’t dumb at 23? I’m bemused at best by his comments on marital relationships when he is admittedly an unmarried virgin who has already published his autobiography! Look, I get that he is a PK missionary kid: he is a good quarterback. He hasn’t done something to fall from grace like Lance, Tiger or Maguire. I hope he doesn’t: not because OF his faith but because I hope he is a decent person. I don’t believe he has a “divine talent”, it cracks me up the amount of time people have spent talking about Tebow (ok, this week Boston plays Denver so…). Maybe Tebow became “hot” because of Penn State and people wanting to believe in football again (for those of us who follow the SEC, we’ve seen this annoying pose for y-e-a-r-s). Maybe Tebow became hot because of the insane 4th quarter comebacks (note to Tim: don’t try it against New England or in the playoffs). Who knows. But there are a lot of devout football players: the difference, most of them are not white quarterbacks. Maybe why that is Tebowmania drives me nuts (that and his gator heritage).
But if you are going to boycott Lowe’s please don’t go to Home Depot. . . .
Tags:advertising, boycott, Broncos, consumer education, Dearbrn, diversity, Feminism, Home Depot, Houston, local business, Lowe's, musings, Muslim, OWS, people, personal responsiblity, Reflections, religion, social justice, Tebow, things that aren't common sense but should be, tolerance
Posted in Islam, LGBT, People, Politics, Popular Culture, Religion | Leave a Comment »
December 7, 2011
A friend of mine posted The Presidential Memorandum — International Initiatives to Advance the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Persons that the White House released quietly yesterday. In reading it, I could literally feel my eyes narrow and my anger build. President Obama provided the following opening statements:
“That is why I declared before heads of state gathered at the United Nations, “no country should deny people their rights because of who they love, which is why we must stand up for the rights of gays and lesbians everywhere.” Under my Administration, agencies engaged abroad have already begun taking action to promote the fundamental human rights of LGBT persons everywhere. Our deep commitment to advancing the human rights of all people is strengthened when we as the United States bring our tools to bear to vigorously advance this goal.”
I had to read it several times: yes, the President of the United States stated “no country should deny people their rights because of who they love”. President Obama is obviously heterosexual married: if he wasn’t he couldn’t even make that statement as a leader whose own federal government denies same-sex benefits to some Federal employees, denies Federal benefits of the US tax code to legally married gayl couples (since marriage is deemed a ‘state right’) and has done little to prevent the rampant state-legislation of DOMA.
Oh, wait, President Obama, ends his memo with this chilling note to the LGBT community:
“This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.”
The ultra cynical side of me sees this (and I know since it’s a policy memo it’s a legal necessity) as a check mark: look at all the good things I’ve done for LGBT people, I can’t do anything else ::shrug:: I’ve got the Congress from hell.
I’ve never been a fan of any American president proclaiming to the world how other nations should act. But this is a slap in my face that banks on the fact that the Republicans can’t nominate an equally tolerable candidate (I’m not an Obama fan) and there isn’t a real third-party option. This is another example of Obama’s ‘safe position’ on anything. Here are some facts about LGBT rights/protections in the United States:
1) There are no antidiscrimination laws for LGBT individuals. While crimes can be charged as a ‘hate crime’ under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of the 111th Congress, it is only an ancillary charge. I can be turned down for a job for being gay: the application may say “xxx company doesn not discriminate against xyz” but there is not a federal law that protects me in seeking employment from not being hired simply because I am gay.
2) One state allows conjugal visits for same-sex couples if one is in prison. One. There is a LGBT caveat that the relationship had to exist prior to incarceration (heterosexual couples don’t have this same limitation).
According to the White House’s website, “President Obama also continues to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. He supports full civil unions and federal rights for LGBT couples and opposes a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.” But in the words of Elmer Fudd ”Be vewy vewy quiet, I’m hunting wabbits” (or Obama’s case, elephants).
Look, I get that Obama has done more for LGBT rights than any US president: the LGBT community to a great extent does a good job of forgetting Bill Clinton signed DOMA into law: the same DOMA that is now causing a myriad of legal protection issues. I get that the economy should be the number one issue for President Obama. What I don’t get, can’t get and probably never will is that the same man who has the gall to tell the world how to treat LGBT citizens in other sovereign nations will not make a public policy speech demanding those rights for his own citizens, extending same-sex benefits for *all* Federal employees and stating the basic premise of leadership: I cannot and will not ask another (in this case a nation) to do something that I, myself, am unwilling to do.
My vote isn’t tied to my sexual orientation: please don’t assume that it is Mr. Obama. You are simply lucky that there isn’t a viable candidate from the other party.
Tags:Civil Rights, DOMA, Feminism, history, lgbt, Marriage, musings, Obama, people, personal responsiblity, Reflections, social justice, things that aren't common sense but should be, tolerance
Posted in LGBT, People, Politics | Leave a Comment »
