I want to address first, the fallacy that Johnny Weir and Blake Skjellerup have any business thinking their idea means much just because they are Olympic athletes. If Blake would choose to remain in the closet out of financial considerations, why would he think that having one’s life placed in danger is not a reason to put a halt to the Olympics being held in Russia? They would do better to pressure the IOC to move the Games to a safer place.
America’s Pastime, the great game of baseball has taken a lead among team sports by setting into motion a plan to assure that everyone from players, to staff to fans of baseball at every level from the monitors to the majors are treated with respect, tolerance and acceptance regardless of sexual orientation. I love baseball,and this just makes me even happier to think that a sport I so enjoy watching is one where everyone from[Read More…]
But ongoing bashing, especially when based on falsehoods and misinformation is the type of crap you expect to find on Fox News rather than from LGBTQ advocates and enlightened activists. Bashing, simply for bashing sake helps no one and doesn’t further progress. Progress towards full fairness and equality should always be the goal. One reason, in my opinion, the move for full LGBTQ Equality gets slowed is because some would rather get caught up in bickering, bashing and the spread of misinformation rather than staying focused on the real goal of full equality.
It isn’t that people are racist per se, although some are, but rather, a degree of racism is systemic and infused into our culture. It is a level of bias that some may identify as white privilege, but I think it is more than that. It is more than economic inequality. It is more than social stratification. It is more than lack of Educational opportunity. Yet, it isn’t- it is just the sum of all this and possibly more.
But PA isn’t CA, and that wasn’t the reason the anti-gay folks lost in CA anyway. The suit filed against PA lists a number of state and county officers, so there should be no problem with standing nor finding someone to defend the PA DOMA law.
Our work is to elect individuals who will work for everyone in Pennsylvania without bias for favoring one minority position. Our work is to make our voices heard to our currently elected officials. They need to hear from us- personal letters, phone calls, and meetings. Our work is to be engaged, because it will take all of us to create a better Pennsylvania.
Progressives in Pennsylvania seek a stronger presence in government but seem to fail to go after the real enemies of progressive causes here. Let’s be clear about what Religious Extremism looks like. If you mention Sharia Law, it is easy to find most people get nervous, and many conservatives have gone so far as to try and outlaw Sharia Law here in the US, but in reality, what Metcalfe is suggesting is the Christian equivalent to Sharia Law.
While Last Wednesday’s decisions by the US Supreme Court were a historical victory for the fairness and the rights of gay, lesbian, bi, trans, and queer Americans. The reality is that it doesn’t have a huge direct impact on as many people as some anticipated. The decision to refuse to decide the Prop 8 case affects only Californians and won’t impact PA couples at all. The DOMA case had actually less potential to impact PA[Read More…]
State Reps. Brian Sims, D-Phila., and Steve McCarter, D-Montgomery/Phila., will introduce a bill in the state House of Representatives to provide civil marriage equality in Pennsylvania. Like an equivalent bill (S.B. 719) introduced by state Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery/Delaware, would provide protections for religious organizations and entities that do not wish to sanction, perform or in any way recognize same-sex civil marriages.
Yes, we won big yesterday. Both of these decisions are huge and have major ramifications, but if we aren’t clear about what really happened, we add to the muddy understanding by the general public and that benefits no one.