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Post from email — Thomas Waters thomaswaters@mac.com about.me/tcwaters thomascwaters.com is a 2012 Beacons of Equality Award Winner!
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Tom Daley and the Future of Coming Out
A big topic in LGBTQ News this past week has been the announcement and subsequent effects of Tom Daley’s Youtube video where he tells everyone he is involved with a guy in a romantic relationship. Many folks have already written plenty about this covering the botched reporting by both the LGBTQ press as well as the mainstream press; the intergenerational aspect of Daley’s relationship with Dustin Lance Black who is 20 years older than Daley;[Read More…]
Polygamy, Same-Sex Marriage, and the fear of slippery slopes.
This judge’s ruling doesn’t allow polygamy and there is no truth to the myth that marriage equality will lead to polygamy. A tradition of polygamy is more connected to a past-era notion of a patriarchal domination where a woman becomes the property of a husband and he can have as many properties as he chooses.
Heterosexual Normativity and Privilege: Another attack on Macklemore.
Commentary regarding a post by Pascoe and Bridges regarding Macklemore, The Warwick Rowing Team, masculinity and the demonstration of sexuality as a way to confront homophobia. I both agree with some of their points, and offer critique of other ideas they offer. Macklemore, Bronies, Warwick Rowers, and Chris Kluwe among others, in my opinion are negotiating new boundaries defining masculinity and sexual expression, and with any negotiation, there is an element of experimentation and exploration involved.
Commentary for World AIDS Day: Why are HIV infection rates increasing?
Here are six topics for dialogue regarding Gay sex, HIV, and AIDS which I feel are the reasons we see no lasting success at curbing HIV infection rates. Efforts made address the wrong problem, and so rates rise instead of fall, and we will make no real progress until we grapple with the real cultural and systemic causes of HIV infection rates.
Is Dan Savage nuts or does have a point?
Organized Religion and some within the Catholic Church are the most vocal opponents to real equality for gay, lesbian, bi, trans, and queer folks. Yet they should have no credibility at all. So Dan puts it out there- he is done being lectured… as we all should be. Savage doesn’t attack Faith or believe, rather he identifies and shines a light on the hypocrisy of humans.
Should LGBTQ Pittsburghers care about who will be City Council President?
Blogger’s note: The opinions expressed here are my own and do not represent any group, organization, or board with which I may be affiliated. Sue Kerr wrote a must read blog post about Pittsburgh City Council and the efforts of Ricky Burgess to become the next City Council President. Bram at The Pittsburgh Comet has written about it too. I’d encourage you to read their posts. Sue offers her opinion, and highlights a number of very[Read More…]
A gay man sees the film “Blood Brothers.”
On Saturday, I had the chance to see the film Blood Brothers being screened as a part of the Three Rivers Film Festival. The theater was packed and after the film, the director did a Q/A session. The documentary chronicles the the life of Rocky, an American who seeking a purpose in life, ends up caring for Children with AIDS in a rural hostel. My partner had heard an interview with the director and based[Read More…]
Help get ENDA passed by the US House!
Received a link for a petition to get ENDA introduced n the US House. Petitions alone don’t generate what is needed to pass legislation, but they can cause enough of a stir to get the bill introduced. We need your help, now! http://petitions.moveon.org/keystoneprogress/sign/get-enda-passed-in-the-1?source=c.em.cp&r_by=8542981
Moving on with the new Pittsburgh
Just a short note this morning to say that all looks well following the elections here in Pittsburgh. But now the real work begins. I have full faith in Bill Peduto and the City Council lineup is also in good shape. But even good people can get sidelined if they can’t break the process problems and people dynamics that have been such a problem. Now the hard work begins, and there is plenty of it[Read More…]