Today marks my official resignation from the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh Board of Directors. I have contemplated the resignation for a full year, and back in June officially announced my decision, and set the date of resignation as today. This date was selected to align with the last day of our ARSP volunteer’s placement with Delta. I have been on the board for a bit over three years and have appreciated my involvement with the[Read More…]
There is only one way to understand how some could refuse a woman the right to make choices about her own body, especially in a case of rape. That is to see the woman’s only value and role in life is to have a full uterus, no matter who the father of the fetus may be. The only thing of importance is that there is a fetus. This mindset isn’t that big of a stretch where, over history, a woman has been considered property much like a slave. Not really like a slave, but an actual slave since the woman was understood to be the property of the husband
Since I first studied our political system back in HS Civics, I’ve been such a fan of our two party system. If one party feels they have better solutions to the issues, they can put them forth and campaign on them. Too bad the GOP must not have learned the same civics lesson. They seem in general, and their presidential candidate in particular, hung up on being birthers, and using myth and innuendo to try[Read More…]
A third conclusion I would draw is that some pastors (not all) condone hate speech and violence against those with whom you disagree. Sometimes this is couched in or defended as simply preaching from the Bible, but Leisner’s comments can not be misconstrued as reading scripture. They are 100% cultural criticism.
I received the below press release today concerning Ted Martin. Ted has been Executive Director of Equality PA for a year or so now. To be honest, it seems like forever, because I just equate EQPA so much with the work he has done with his current board. It is wonderful to have such a good leader at the top of Pennsylvania’s state-wide LGBT organization. This election doesn’t really identify a fully new relationship, as[Read More…]
While this battle isn’t really about us, here we are right in the middle of it, and truly fighting for our lives and for our equality, and we better keep fighting hard, even if it isn’t about us. But I think this distinction is crucial, because it means that even if the abuses against us are done with the intention of harming us personally, we don’t have to take it personally. For example, it isn’t about me, Thomas Waters. It is about some group of folks trying to force their rigid ideas upon everyone else. If I don’t take it personally, I don’t need to defend myself, and who I am. I don’t have to prove that I have a right to be. I can focus all my energy into fighting for Equality, because everyone deserves to be treated equally.
Not everyone will agree that we lost, and truly, there is no one refereeing who designates the winner and loser, but it is extremely easy to make a case that says we lost the battle over chicken. Right wing nut, Matt Barber, goes much farther, suggesting that our loss set the gay rights movement way back 20 years. I don’t think that is true, but I do believe what should have been a real positive[Read More…]
they kiss just like we do! Brotherhood!
This morning I came across an interesting opinion post which attempts to explain why Lady Gag’s song, “Born This Way” is a poor anthem for the LGBTQ community. Actually Alex Gabriel never defines who the anthem is bad for- he never articulates the community he is talking to or for. of sexuality as inborn erase those of us, like me, whose orientation isn’t simple, and it’s ultimately authorizing to see queer people as different by[Read More…]
The Battle over the Bible or Homosexuality.
The linked post is a letter to the editor of a SpringfieldIL paper, and demonstrates how, like it or not, the issue of Equality will come down to a battle between the Bible and homosexuality. I really hate to phrase it that way; I think the work homosexuality doesn’t represent the real issue, but that is the way the anti-gay religious are framing it. We may as well accept it and get on with the[Read More…]