According to a story in the Dallas Morning News today, a “study, based on the most recent U.S. Census data, found that San Antonio has the highest percentage of gay couples raising children in the nation. Houston is fourth and the Fort Worth-Arlington area is fifth.”
The study goes on to suggest that this increase is part of the “gayby boom” experienced over the last twenty-five years.
Today is Coming Out Day.
As Glinda the good witch said,
“come out, come out, whereever you are”
If you are a straight person trying to understand a GLBT person, try reading “Straight Guide to GLBT Americans” from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
On Sunday (10/1/2006), I participated with a group of friends and Frisco Prider’s in the AIDS Arms Life Walk 2006. Our group raised over $2,500 for this event – a fantastic effort! Here is a group shot before the walk began.
From left: Nicole, Jonas, Nick, Chris, me, Daniel, & Ian (Dawson is in front)
I found this interesting article in a “The Australian” opinion piece the other day. It discusses the efforts of a Liberal Party (read, conservative party) MP, Mr. Warren Entsch to introduce a private member’s bill that will provide legal equality to same-sex couples.
What grabbed my attention in this article was the introduction,
AMAZINGLY enough, a politically conservative, rabidly heterosexual former crocodile trapper has managed to get a grip on something most other straight Australians cannot: gay and lesbian relationships aren’t just about the bonking. (emphasis added)
Pretty cool, huh? As an FYI, bonking is sex.
The article goes on to say that Entsch recently stated on a national radio interview that the he has to “focus the gay rights debate on inequity rather than sexuality.” He has sent a letter to all Coalition MP’s (the Coalition comprises of the Liberal Party and the National Party, another conservative political party), which included a summary of the areas of federal legislation that his bill would amend to correct the inequity he is speaking out against.
Sadly, the christian fundies are at it over Entsch’s support of providing a fair and equitable Australia. According to opinion piece, “Entsch has received a number of letters and emails mentioning the Bible and faeces.” Ah, good to see christian values are alive and well down under.
Following the rejection of the FMA in the U.S. Senate last month, the U.S. House followed in their decision to reject writing discrimination into the Constitution by a vote of 236-187 (see story).
Have the recent discussions about illegal immigration triggered a reaction from CCGLA’s board of directors that now has this community organization discriminating against immigrants?
Recently the CCGLA board amended its’ bylaws to prevent anyone who is not a registered voter to be eligible to be a director or officer of the organization. To become a registered voter, a person must be a United States citizen. People who can’t become citizens include temporary workers (H1-B visa holders), international students, green card/permanent residents, and undocumented immigrants.
This action reinforces the widely held (and destructive) view that immigrants are second class citizens. While immigrants may not have the same protections under the law as citizens, they deserve the same levels of dignity and respect. How can an organization that advocates equality, dignity and respect, offer none of these to a group of residents in Collin County? Isn’t this new bylaw in conflict with the values for which CCGLA stands?
One of the original purposes of CCGLA was to bring together a community that reflected the diversity of people and their backgrounds that lived and worked within Collin County. I believe the founding CCGLA board reflected this diversity. I also now believe that the current board does not.
It is a concern to me that CCGLA now appears to support what many of us on the founding board were fighting against: discrimination. Discrimination is not just a GLBT issue. Everyone can be discriminated against for any reason. It happens every day, but should it happen within an organization that’s purpose is to fight against it? As one of the founding board members, I am disgusted that the CCGLA board has written such a discriminatory rule into their governing documents. I am equally surprised that the only founding board member remaining on the board supported this change.
With the annual meeting only days away, let’s hope the membership of CCGLA hold this board accountable for their actions, and refocuses the organization on its core values of advocating equality, dignity and respect in our community.
I just got notice that I was selected for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally (GLBTA) Scholarship in Honor of Mary Finley at the University of North Texas. Today, just got all that much better!
The court challenge to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy (Cook v. Rumsfeld) was dismissed today by the U.S. District Court forthe District of Massachusetts.
According to the Service Members Legal Defense Network website,
The U.S. District Court forthe District of Massachusetts has granted the government’s motion to dismiss in Cook v. Rumsfeld, a constitutional challenge to the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual service members.
Visit the SLDN website for more information.
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