As our friend Jeanne put it.
"well, this will be awkward when someone explains it to them."
from Gawker:
---
The "National Organization for Marriage," the group behind the briefly infuriating "gathering storm" ad, has decided to call their anti-gay campaign "2 Million for Marriage." Or, as they themselves shortened it: "2M4M."
---
And now the (Broken Link) view @ URL below. Celebrity Response - A Gaythering Storm (Gathering storm parody )by Liz Feldman
Or of course visit: www.giantgayrepellentumbrella.com
Nicole Lamarche - Miss California of 2003 (and winner of the Miss America swimsuit competition in 2004)has posted an official response to 2009 title holder, Carrie Prejean's like, totally, well said, response to the Same Sex Marriage question.
She says:
“As a pastor and a former Miss California, I am often asked to interpret what the Word of God has to say on a particular subject,” Rev. Lamarche says. “I am quite confident that God prefers that we human beings stick to speaking for ourselves. And yet there are occasions when God’s Word is used as a weapon, and I feel compelled to speak."
Better yet, her official response is posted on the Pacific School of Religion's Web Site
She says:
“As a pastor and a former Miss California, I am often asked to interpret what the Word of God has to say on a particular subject,” Rev. Lamarche says. “I am quite confident that God prefers that we human beings stick to speaking for ourselves. And yet there are occasions when God’s Word is used as a weapon, and I feel compelled to speak."
Better yet, her official response is posted on the Pacific School of Religion's Web Site
Why do gays want to be married anyway? Once your married thats it unless you want to spend a bunch of money getting out of it when its over. Gay people have it good in my opinion. Stick with your parade where you have a full day to shove it down everybodys throat. I would get diorced today if I could just walk around my neighborhood in a sexy dress for just one day.
i'm with you, midge!!!
and you might not be able to
walk around YOUR neighborhood
in a sexy dress...
but you most certainly could in MINE!!
or many of these other people's...
maybe you should venture out a bit!!
come for a visit!!!
and you might not be able to
walk around YOUR neighborhood
in a sexy dress...
but you most certainly could in MINE!!
or many of these other people's...
maybe you should venture out a bit!!
come for a visit!!!
Dear Midge,
Here's just one personal example from US. And guess what?
It has nothing to do with pretty dresses.
We've been together for 19 years in June and have every penny of our life savings pooled together. There is NOTHING legally protecting either one of us from the other completely ruining each other financially.
Now here comes the reality of the current economy. We're pretty sure Zazoo is getting laid off on Monday. (2 days from now.)
So we're now scrambling to make sure we're going to be able to pay our rent AND get him health insurance.
Now wouldn't it be GREAT if I actually had the same rights as all of my married co-workers with laid off spouses, and I could just pay about 30% more and get a family plan instead of us having to pay hundreds of dollars out of pocket for COBRA?
Wouldn't it be GREAT if we had the same rights and our younger siblings who are all married, and have faced the exact same situations in their households?
We had a long talk last night and are mentally prepared, but we know if it happens it is going to cost us hundreds and hundreds of dollars over and unknown number of months. The first thing we'll need to cut back will be nightlife/entertainment
----
Second Point:
"Walk around in a pretty dress?"
That's EXACTLY what is wrong with "Pride Month." All flash no content.
Imagine the people in NYC's first Pride Parade. They had been bashed by police for attending gay bars. They were locked up overnight for wearing women's clothing. And they marched down the street for us. It has NEVER been that hard for any of us to march in a parade since then.
That's what's been lost.
Satori
Here's just one personal example from US. And guess what?
It has nothing to do with pretty dresses.
We've been together for 19 years in June and have every penny of our life savings pooled together. There is NOTHING legally protecting either one of us from the other completely ruining each other financially.
Now here comes the reality of the current economy. We're pretty sure Zazoo is getting laid off on Monday. (2 days from now.)
So we're now scrambling to make sure we're going to be able to pay our rent AND get him health insurance.
Now wouldn't it be GREAT if I actually had the same rights as all of my married co-workers with laid off spouses, and I could just pay about 30% more and get a family plan instead of us having to pay hundreds of dollars out of pocket for COBRA?
Wouldn't it be GREAT if we had the same rights and our younger siblings who are all married, and have faced the exact same situations in their households?
We had a long talk last night and are mentally prepared, but we know if it happens it is going to cost us hundreds and hundreds of dollars over and unknown number of months. The first thing we'll need to cut back will be nightlife/entertainment
----
Second Point:
"Walk around in a pretty dress?"
That's EXACTLY what is wrong with "Pride Month." All flash no content.
Imagine the people in NYC's first Pride Parade. They had been bashed by police for attending gay bars. They were locked up overnight for wearing women's clothing. And they marched down the street for us. It has NEVER been that hard for any of us to march in a parade since then.
That's what's been lost.
Satori
Here is a sad sad tale.
It's not exactly the same situation but it's close (and true).
Say that you were a brilliant dancer and performer and wore incredibly pretty pretty dresses all your life.
The biggest designers in the world designed costumes and dresses just for you for decades.
Over your long life you collected hundreds of pretty dresses.
Many of them priceless museum pieces.
When you died, museums all over the world coveted your pretty dresses and costumes and wanted to display them for the world to enjoy.
Especially The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
But being gay, you had absolutely control when your evil 80 year old sister from some God forsaken backwater state who you had not even spoken to in 50 years took over your possessions.
No matter how many people pleaded with your ugly sister to let museums have these priceless pretty dresses she was hell bent on destroying them.
She wanted no evidence that her brother EVER wore a dress.
She destroyed the pretty dresses.
Now say that you had a gay lover for fifty years (she didn't but let's say that she did).
This person would be totally powerless to stop your evil sister. Even though your lover of fifty years knows that you would love to have your pretty dresses enjoyed by the world in a museum he would be powerless to stop her.
I think that maybe you can relate to that totally true story Midge and see that it's really about legal rights.
Imagine Midge, this pretty dress is one of the many pretty dresses that was destroyed by an ugly sister who could never be as beautiful.
It's not exactly the same situation but it's close (and true).
Say that you were a brilliant dancer and performer and wore incredibly pretty pretty dresses all your life.
The biggest designers in the world designed costumes and dresses just for you for decades.
Over your long life you collected hundreds of pretty dresses.
Many of them priceless museum pieces.
When you died, museums all over the world coveted your pretty dresses and costumes and wanted to display them for the world to enjoy.
Especially The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
But being gay, you had absolutely control when your evil 80 year old sister from some God forsaken backwater state who you had not even spoken to in 50 years took over your possessions.
No matter how many people pleaded with your ugly sister to let museums have these priceless pretty dresses she was hell bent on destroying them.
She wanted no evidence that her brother EVER wore a dress.
She destroyed the pretty dresses.
Now say that you had a gay lover for fifty years (she didn't but let's say that she did).
This person would be totally powerless to stop your evil sister. Even though your lover of fifty years knows that you would love to have your pretty dresses enjoyed by the world in a museum he would be powerless to stop her.
I think that maybe you can relate to that totally true story Midge and see that it's really about legal rights.
Imagine Midge, this pretty dress is one of the many pretty dresses that was destroyed by an ugly sister who could never be as beautiful.
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Now that is what I call sad. Was that dress really destroyed? I'm not against gays getting married. I just didn't understand why when it seems they have it so good. Nevr thought of health insurance and property and stuff. I hope you and your boyfriend are going to be ok Satori. I can't tell from the picture. Are you both cross dressers?
I knew that would hit home.
Yes, that dress and a lot of other pretty dresses were destroyed.
Yes, that dress and a lot of other pretty dresses were destroyed.
Yeah, I like Daddy's story better too. That's history lost to all of us.
It reminds me of another true story I'll tell below, not to beat a dead horse (so to speak) but because Daddy's story reminded me of it, and the place in question meant so much to us.
Thanks Midge, we'll be fine regardless, we've always make it work. One of the reasons we moved to NYC is because if we DO get laid off here, we've got opportunity we did not have in Cincinnati. No one is hiring in our field (marketing) there now.
Re: cross dressing - We're mostly androgynous and/or theatrical or just random. We never have breasts, so that tells you something there.
So we can't help with "Fishy" looks, but if you need a "Phish-y" look, drop us a note.
----- A True Story of a Landmark Lost. ---------
There used to be an amazing store in our home town, Cincinnati, Ohio called "Trivet's."
It was co-owned, including the building, by a gay couple who had been together since the late 40's or early 50s.
In the late 1990's when the owner who had the title in his name passed away, his sister swooped in and tried to sell the building and all of it's contents, leaving his lover of 50 years with nothing.
What you have to understand, the contents of the building were LEGENDARY. This was not a second hand vintage shop. This was an original 60/70s "freak boutique" and imports shop with piles and piles of "new-old stock" bell-bottoms, bellman uniforms, buckskin jackets, Italian leather wooden platform shoes,60-70s political buttons and tees, imports from all the corners of the globe but focusing on middle and southern african carvings, beads, king crowns etc. (Some of them were obviously antiques.) Crystal balls, ivory carvings, canes with swords in them... you get the idea. It was large, about a half block long and 2 stories high.
Furthermore to a liberal in Cincinnati, Trivet's was a rite of passage. My parents took me there when I was 12 or 13, they had gone with friends in their teens... You always remembered your first time.
Cincinnatians were not the only people who knew about the shop. Minnie Pearl (Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon) and Pee Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) were claimed customers, and rumor had it that Lenny Kravitz made more than one trip with a super funky entourage in tow.
Back to the story... Luckily the manager of the store, a long time friend secured a lawyer for him.. And... about 4-5 years later, they were at least able to get the contents of the store into his possession. HOWEVER the building still went to the sister, and it was sold out from under him.
After the legal battle was over there were no less than 3 cities in southern Ohio and northern Kentucky that courted Trivet's to open again in their part of town. They all had backed up offers for potential space with long lasting tax abatements, because as they all put it, Trivet's was a Cincinnati Institution.
Trivet's did end up re-opening for a short time in an older suburb of Cincinnati, but never really recovered. It wasn't ever expressed when you visited, but there was an impression that the legal, moving and storage costs had pretty much ruined them.
The shop in the new location closed quietly a few years back. We suspect that the second owner finally passed, but never heard for sure.
Now when Trivet's comes up in certain circles, people perk up for a minute as they remember the magic of the place, but then they quickly remember the unfair reasons for its untimely demise.
It reminds me of another true story I'll tell below, not to beat a dead horse (so to speak) but because Daddy's story reminded me of it, and the place in question meant so much to us.
Thanks Midge, we'll be fine regardless, we've always make it work. One of the reasons we moved to NYC is because if we DO get laid off here, we've got opportunity we did not have in Cincinnati. No one is hiring in our field (marketing) there now.
Re: cross dressing - We're mostly androgynous and/or theatrical or just random. We never have breasts, so that tells you something there.
So we can't help with "Fishy" looks, but if you need a "Phish-y" look, drop us a note.
----- A True Story of a Landmark Lost. ---------
There used to be an amazing store in our home town, Cincinnati, Ohio called "Trivet's."
It was co-owned, including the building, by a gay couple who had been together since the late 40's or early 50s.
In the late 1990's when the owner who had the title in his name passed away, his sister swooped in and tried to sell the building and all of it's contents, leaving his lover of 50 years with nothing.
What you have to understand, the contents of the building were LEGENDARY. This was not a second hand vintage shop. This was an original 60/70s "freak boutique" and imports shop with piles and piles of "new-old stock" bell-bottoms, bellman uniforms, buckskin jackets, Italian leather wooden platform shoes,60-70s political buttons and tees, imports from all the corners of the globe but focusing on middle and southern african carvings, beads, king crowns etc. (Some of them were obviously antiques.) Crystal balls, ivory carvings, canes with swords in them... you get the idea. It was large, about a half block long and 2 stories high.
Furthermore to a liberal in Cincinnati, Trivet's was a rite of passage. My parents took me there when I was 12 or 13, they had gone with friends in their teens... You always remembered your first time.
Cincinnatians were not the only people who knew about the shop. Minnie Pearl (Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon) and Pee Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) were claimed customers, and rumor had it that Lenny Kravitz made more than one trip with a super funky entourage in tow.
Back to the story... Luckily the manager of the store, a long time friend secured a lawyer for him.. And... about 4-5 years later, they were at least able to get the contents of the store into his possession. HOWEVER the building still went to the sister, and it was sold out from under him.
After the legal battle was over there were no less than 3 cities in southern Ohio and northern Kentucky that courted Trivet's to open again in their part of town. They all had backed up offers for potential space with long lasting tax abatements, because as they all put it, Trivet's was a Cincinnati Institution.
Trivet's did end up re-opening for a short time in an older suburb of Cincinnati, but never really recovered. It wasn't ever expressed when you visited, but there was an impression that the legal, moving and storage costs had pretty much ruined them.
The shop in the new location closed quietly a few years back. We suspect that the second owner finally passed, but never heard for sure.
Now when Trivet's comes up in certain circles, people perk up for a minute as they remember the magic of the place, but then they quickly remember the unfair reasons for its untimely demise.
It's so wrong.
quote:So we can't help with "Fishy" looks, but if you need a "Phish-y" look, drop us a note.
I love you, Z & S!
So sad that large portions of our gay history were just erased from the earth under similar circumstances. I remember in the early 1980s, at the height of the first wave of the AIDS Crisis, one would walk through the West Village and see piles of wonderful possessions-- clothes, costumes, books and artwork-- strewn in the garbage. Most likely by families and greedy landlords who came to clear out the apartments of recently dead gay men. We would try to salvage some of it, but really their was so much... too much to save. It was just as heartbreaking as the AIDS deaths themselves. And just as worthy of saving in a museum as a bunch of stairs from the North WTC Tower IMHO.
My dear friends and neighbors in the west village are currently living a nightmare that has changed how seriously i feel the gay marraige issue is to my life.
some of you may remember ____ when she was working at rapture cafe.
They have been living together as if married for 11 years. ____ is a german national and several weeks ago was taken into custody in March, 2009 in
Florida and is currently awaiting trial. She is detained in an immigration center
and has made the decision to stay and fight. This is a long process, which means
she could be detained for months.
Her partner of 11 years, is doing everything she can to make sure that
___ has a fair trial. She has hired an immigration lawyer in Florida who has a
great track record in these cases. The sad truth is, that if they were
able to marry in the U.S., ___ would not be locked up now and robbed of her
freedoms.
___ s detention has already taken a toll on those she loves dearly. ___ has
worked tirelessly on this case, calling lawyers, Congress members, Gay rights
activists, immigration rights organizations, and the media.
Friends and family fear they will never see ___ again
because of a law that refuses to acknowledge same sex couples.
this is an issue that can not be resolved ultimately state to state. nationalization of foreign born partners in same sex couples is a federal issue.
every day i walk by their house and i know that ___ is not there and is being detained and ultimately may be forbidden from returning to the usa for ten years. my heart breaks.
Update: the names of the couple in this story were deleted for privacy reasons. We've left the story up as a reminder of what the recent past was like. - Mods
That is terrible news.
She is such a great person.
What does it mean to be "detained in an immigration center"?
Jail?
for all intents and purposes ___ is in jail for violating U.S. customs laws. there are seperate facilities for men and women..and she cannot leave. ___ has extremely limited access to her and has only seen her once since feburary when ___ was picked up. if actually deported handcuffs and shackles are used.
the recent good news is that
the same attorney of the couple,
Shirley Tan and Jay Mercado who just won the private congress bill in
San Francisco (They were all over the news in the the last month or so)
is so into their case that she has offered to represent ___ as an
American citizen trying to keep ___ in USA. this will be a major fight and long and expensive
Some pretty good news from Maine!
However it could be overturned by a popular vote a-la Prop 8 in Cali.
--------------------
From CNN.com
Maine legalizes same-sex marriage
(CNN) -- Same-sex marriage became legal in Maine on Wednesday as Gov. John Baldacci signed a bill less than an hour after the state legislature approved it.
"I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage," said Baldacci, a Democrat.
But he raised the possibility that the residents of the state would overturn the law, saying, "Just as the Maine Constitution demands that all people are treated equally under the law, it also guarantees that the ultimate political power in the State belongs to the people."
However it could be overturned by a popular vote a-la Prop 8 in Cali.
--------------------
From CNN.com
Maine legalizes same-sex marriage
(CNN) -- Same-sex marriage became legal in Maine on Wednesday as Gov. John Baldacci signed a bill less than an hour after the state legislature approved it.
"I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage," said Baldacci, a Democrat.
But he raised the possibility that the residents of the state would overturn the law, saying, "Just as the Maine Constitution demands that all people are treated equally under the law, it also guarantees that the ultimate political power in the State belongs to the people."
Question: Why is divorce so expensive?
Answer: Because it's worth it.
Answer: Because it's worth it.
For you sociologists out there, IMHO marriage has existed for all time as a mechanism for the protection of women and children. Obviously following that is procreation and the survival of the species.
Now, you gay advocates, who have the societal relief of the civil union already available to you, tell me what it is you really want?
Now, you gay advocates, who have the societal relief of the civil union already available to you, tell me what it is you really want?
Maybe... equality?
Darla, I guess the same can be said of straight people,, why do they want marriage?
But Darla, I don’t quite understand your opinion of marriage. If I believe what you are saying is that marriage was mechanism for protecting women and children and for procreation and survival of the species.
So does that mean that straight couples who never want to have children should not have the right to be married?
If a straight couple uses a surrogate partner in order to have children themselves should they also not have the right to marriage?
Cause gay couples can have children, gay couples can procreate and continue the survival of the species, just the same as some straight couples do by using a surrogate partner.
I don’t understand the logic to your statement Darla. You don't give a reason why gays are different to straights in your post.
As Hatches says, it’s to be equal.
Edit, even with spell check, I make mistakes
But Darla, I don’t quite understand your opinion of marriage. If I believe what you are saying is that marriage was mechanism for protecting women and children and for procreation and survival of the species.
So does that mean that straight couples who never want to have children should not have the right to be married?
If a straight couple uses a surrogate partner in order to have children themselves should they also not have the right to marriage?
Cause gay couples can have children, gay couples can procreate and continue the survival of the species, just the same as some straight couples do by using a surrogate partner.
I don’t understand the logic to your statement Darla. You don't give a reason why gays are different to straights in your post.
As Hatches says, it’s to be equal.
Edit, even with spell check, I make mistakes
Darla,
What I want is to see you smiling and happy in a wedding dress.
XXXOOO
Satori
What I want is to see you smiling and happy in a wedding dress.
XXXOOO
Satori
quote:Darla,
What I want is to see you smiling and happy in a wedding dress.
and a ball gag
One step closer in New York State.
The Bill passed in the NY State Assembly 89-52. It now goes to the State Senate for a vote.
The Bill passed in the NY State Assembly 89-52. It now goes to the State Senate for a vote.
A disappointing 6-1 vote upholding Prop 8 today in California.
At least the 18,000 already married are grandfathered in, for now.
At least the 18,000 already married are grandfathered in, for now.
If you are outraged and in NYC today, join the protest-
We will gather at 6:00 PM on Tuesday at Sheridan Square in Greenwich Village (Christopher Street and Seventh Avenue South) to protest the decision and continue our call for the New York State Senate to pass marriage equality before the end of this legislative session in less than 4 weeks!
After gathering in Sheridan Square we will march to Union Square for a huge rally.
Come and stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in California.
MARRIAGE EQUALITY NOW IN NEW YORK!
PLEASE BRING SIGNS and INVITE ALL YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILIES, and ALLIES!
We will gather at 6:00 PM on Tuesday at Sheridan Square in Greenwich Village (Christopher Street and Seventh Avenue South) to protest the decision and continue our call for the New York State Senate to pass marriage equality before the end of this legislative session in less than 4 weeks!
After gathering in Sheridan Square we will march to Union Square for a huge rally.
Come and stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in California.
MARRIAGE EQUALITY NOW IN NEW YORK!
PLEASE BRING SIGNS and INVITE ALL YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILIES, and ALLIES!
going right after work...
Satori
Satori
I'm right there with you, family. Sent this out today on e-mail. Not much going on in this little town where I am today, but from what I can tell...I'm actually really glad to see so many of us waking up, and getting the fires lit!
This is what I can do today from this little town in Colorado. From me, a 39-year-old kid who often feels like he is up against the world. Take a moment, read Mayor Newsom's words, and sign it, regardless of where you are.
http://www.gavinnewsom.com/actions/petition
Thank you.
Mr. Joe
This is what I can do today from this little town in Colorado. From me, a 39-year-old kid who often feels like he is up against the world. Take a moment, read Mayor Newsom's words, and sign it, regardless of where you are.
http://www.gavinnewsom.com/actions/petition
Thank you.
Mr. Joe
The crowd gathers at Sheridan Square.
The crowd starts to march:
Thanks, Zazoo and Satori. I just viewed your flickr page. Keep up the good work!
Where are Chi Chi and Casanova?
I heard that Casanova jumped into the fountain at Union Square to a roar of applause.
He did that yesterday in the fountain on The Pier to the same reaction.
I guess it's his new thing.
He's such a ham bone, just like his Daddy.
I heard that Casanova jumped into the fountain at Union Square to a roar of applause.
He did that yesterday in the fountain on The Pier to the same reaction.
I guess it's his new thing.
He's such a ham bone, just like his Daddy.
You looked GREAT tonight NYC!
A very deep and cathartic experience, 'specially marching with Jonny Tingle and Linda James - lots of the chilluns were out!
A very deep and cathartic experience, 'specially marching with Jonny Tingle and Linda James - lots of the chilluns were out!
Thanks Mr. Joe.
Chi Chi, you are right, it was really cathartic.
For me personally it also felt like a pilgrimage and a welcome to the city at the same time.
Unfortunately Zaz couldn't make it right after work & I didn't run into anyone I knew, so I marched "alone" but not with "strangers."
Daddy, I wish I would have caught Chi Chi & Casanova! Do warn Casanova that we saw that act done impromptu in a nightclub fountain, and everyone thinks it's cute for the first couple minutes, then you're just wet.
XXXOOO
S
Chi Chi, you are right, it was really cathartic.
For me personally it also felt like a pilgrimage and a welcome to the city at the same time.
Unfortunately Zaz couldn't make it right after work & I didn't run into anyone I knew, so I marched "alone" but not with "strangers."
Daddy, I wish I would have caught Chi Chi & Casanova! Do warn Casanova that we saw that act done impromptu in a nightclub fountain, and everyone thinks it's cute for the first couple minutes, then you're just wet.
XXXOOO
S
Thanks to all that marched, I'm proud of y'all.
Final (?) slap in the face from the Obama Administration.
First upholding "Don't Ask Don't Tell." Now an insulting brief regarding "Defense of Marriage Act" likening same sex marriage to incest and pedophilia.
With a "Fierce Advocate" like this, who needs right-wing bigots?
Howard Dean spoke out on the Rachel Maddow Show
“The language in this brief is really offensive and it really is a terrible mistake,” said Dean. “I doubt very much the president knew this was coming. I don’t think for a minute this represents the president’s position. But he is now going to have to dig himself out of this, because people are really upset about this, not just in the gay and lesbian community, but in the community of people who are interested in equal rights,” he said.
“I think they’re going to have to do something about this,” Dean continued. “What most likely I would predict is that they’re gong to have to move up their switching positions on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’”
The Video is here
First upholding "Don't Ask Don't Tell." Now an insulting brief regarding "Defense of Marriage Act" likening same sex marriage to incest and pedophilia.
With a "Fierce Advocate" like this, who needs right-wing bigots?
Howard Dean spoke out on the Rachel Maddow Show
“The language in this brief is really offensive and it really is a terrible mistake,” said Dean. “I doubt very much the president knew this was coming. I don’t think for a minute this represents the president’s position. But he is now going to have to dig himself out of this, because people are really upset about this, not just in the gay and lesbian community, but in the community of people who are interested in equal rights,” he said.
“I think they’re going to have to do something about this,” Dean continued. “What most likely I would predict is that they’re gong to have to move up their switching positions on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’”
The Video is here