Gay Men, Straight Men, Pride, and The Big Dipper

Check out this article from the New York Times about the most rarely represented relationship in pop culture - that between gay men and straight men. It's a great read, and, for me, strikes some pleasant chords with my own personal life.

From gay journalist Matthew Streib:

"Every time I hang out with my gay friends, we have to spend half an hour talking about how they have to get to the gym or how fat they feel. My straight friends just sit in a crowded bar and drink. It's like a mini-vacation from my life."

There is a superficiality in some of gay culture that I can't stand to be around, and I too find a respite in staying away from it, whether this means socializing with certain straights or gays who aren't so into the physical, or participating in solitary, sometimes lonely, activities. Sure, healthy is good and not every gay man is focused only on body and appearance, but there do seem to be an inordinate amount of them who are, as we are sometimes reminded by those clips from Pride parades that the media love to show with half-naked gym bunnies dancing on flatbeds. Good fun, but only partially representative of the big picture. If everyone, including gay people, saw Pride as representative of gay people, well, then gay people would be like the "Big Dipper," so to speak. As Joseph Goldstein puts it:

"'Big Dipper' is a concept. Humans looked, saw a certain pattern, and then created a concept in our collective mind to describe it. That concept is useful because it helps us to recognize the constellation. But, it also has another, less useful effect. By creating the concept 'Big Dipper,' we separate out those stars from all the rest, and then, if we become attached to that idea of separation, we lose the sense of the night sky's wholeness, its oneness."

Et voilà.

Gay Tel Aviv Guide

A new web site launched by three Israelis offers great information for gay people interested in traveling to Tel Aviv. The Gay Tel Aviv Guide went live a few weeks ago to coincide with Pride Month in Tel Aviv, one of the world's friendliest GLBT travel destinations.

From the Jerusalem Post:

"'We try to show what being gay in Israel is all about,' [co-founder Ron] Shoshani said, pointing out that Israel's treatment of gays is different than in nearby countries. For example, he said, being gay in the Israeli army is not problematic, but homosexuality in the Turkish army is an issue. 'There are countries that are more advanced than Israel, let's say Canada,' he said. 'Israel is somewhere above the average.'"

The site has lots of facts about gay culture in Israel, and offers accommodations and nightlife tips, photos, and videos, including this one showing clips from one of my favorite movies, Yossi & Jagger.



So sweet...

Check out the Gay Tel Aviv Guide here.

Google's Rainbow Bar for Pride

Did you know that in Google, when you use search terms like "gay", "lesbian", and "transgender", you get a rainbow dividing bar graphic instead of a plain blue one along the top of the search page?



This rainbow bar is Google's way of celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Pride month (June) in the United States.

I've done a ton of searches using LGBT related key words this month, but I hadn't even noticed the rainbow bar!

It just goes to show. Sometimes we can get so focused on finding something, that we fail to discover some of the other gems along the way.

Thank you, Google, for the nudge nudge wink wink to our community!

Read more at Pinknews.

Gay Persons of Color on Lesbian and Gay Foundation's Best 100 LGBT Blogs List

Gay Persons of Color has made it onto the The Lesbian and Gay Foundation's Best 100 LGBT Blogs!

I am honored. This kind of validation doesn't happen very often, and it's great to be included with 99 other sites that The Lesbian and Gay Foundation has found to be "the most informative, entertaining and inspiring blogs from around the world...Some of these blogs exist purely for your pleasure, to entertain and to let us know which clubs the blogger de jour has been falling out of...but in the main, the blogs in this list have a call to arms, they want to inform you about your LGBT rights, and they want you to use them."

Hurrah! There is nothing like the thrill of making a difference, of having an effect on the rest of the world. If you haven't tried it, please do. I think you might like it.

Onward and upward. Check out the full list of blogs here.

Bullies can be gay too!

I found this photo at the Copenhagen Daily Photo Blog. The little guy is wearing a pink tank top that in Danish reads "BØLLER KAN OGSÅ VÆRE BØSSER (BULLIES CAN BE GAY TOO)." The artwork is by Danish artist HuskMitNavn.



Have you ever been bullied by a gay person? I certainly have come across gay men who seem to want to cause harm, verbally, physically, or through more subtle methods like manipulation. You know, those gay guys who are filled with negativity about the world and always seem to have a catty comment to make about other gay people. You know, those guys who need to make you small so that they feel tall. Sometimes these men aren't even aware of the fact that they are being bullies. Sad, but true. There are bullies in our community, so don't give the bully a chance. As much as you can, avoid him, stand tall, be brave, and feel good about you, because the bullying really isn't about you. It's about the bully.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declines to defend constitutionality of Proposition 8

More itsy, bitsy, teeny, weeny steps towards equality in the United States.

In reply to the lawsuit, "Perry v. Schwarzenegger," which charges that Proposition 8 violates American federal due process and equal protection guarantees, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declined to defend the constitutionality of the proposition, telling a San Francisco judge that the legality of the anti-gay marriage measure is for the courts to decide.

The refusal of Governor Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown to show support for the ballot initiative means that no statewide official will be defending the measure in U.S. federal court leaving that role to the Christian conservative groups who had sponsored Proposition 8 and defended it successfully in California's high court.

The legal team of Ted Olson, a conservative, and David Boies, a liberal, represent two same-sex couples who were denied marriage licenses as a result of Proposition 8 and filed the challenge in a U.S. federal district court.

Read more.

Obama finally does something for gay people

American President Barack Obama will sign a memorandum today to extend benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. Well, it's at least a move towards equal rights in the United States.

From the New York Times:

"It is the most significant statement [President Obama] has made on gay issues, and it comes as he faces intense criticism from several gay rights leaders over what they suggest has been a failure to live up to campaign promises in the first months of his presidency...While he will announce a list of benefits, officials said, they are not expected to include broad health insurance coverage, which could require legislation to achieve."

A partner benefit plan without health insurance?

Itsy, bitsy, teeny, weeny steps.

Read more.

Racial Purity, The Philippines, Dorian Merina

In cities and nations that are becoming increasingly multicultural, and, as a matter of course, multiracial, will purity of race be one of those things that we'll look back on and think, "How could that have ever happened with so many different people on this planet?"

I hope so.

Writer Dorian Merina has put together a well-written and well-researched article on multiracial-ness and Filipinos that is definitely worth checking out. The Philippines has a long history of diversity with descendents from all parts of the globe represented. From a 1900 report commissioned by American President William McKinley:

"The race is not found pure in any of the islands. But is everywhere more or less modified through intermarriage with Chinese, Indonesians, Ne-gritos, Arabs, and, to a limited extent, Spa-niards and other Europeans."

Sounds like modern day international cities, no? President McKinley's search for purity, however, was used to further justify the idea that the Philippines could not govern itself because of it's lack of ethnic cohesiveness. Ahh history...

In any case, Mr. Merina's article is a thought provoking work that addresses the specifics of what it means to be a "Filipino" in contemporary society, and, at the same time, makes us all think about who we are in a growing global context.

Click here for the full article.

PS - The article also includes input from yours truly. :-)

Swedish Humanist Association - Gud finns nog inte (God probably doesn’t exist)

Gud finns nog inte (God probably doesn’t exist). Well, at least that's what the Swedish Humanist Association (Humanisterna) is promoting on billboards in several Stockholm subway stations. Accompanying the proclamation are appropriated images of three flags featuring the Star of David from Judaism, the Crescent from Islam, and the Cross from Christianity all in the same shades of blue and yellow found on the Swedish flag.

The ads are part of a campaign to further debate about the impact of religion on public life and to recruit new members to the Association, whose brand of atheism believes that democratic values are often limited by fundamentalist trends and religious dogma.

Quoted in The Local, Humanist Association chair Christer Sturmark said:

"It's not that we want to stop the religious community, but we want to level the playing field. Religious groups get huge sums from the state every year. We’re dependent on our members."

Good on them, I say. Gay rights groups would do well to ally politically with like-minded organizations such as this one that promote secular policy making.

Learn more.

I'm Tired of Discrimination - Human Rights First

Millions of people across the world face discrimination that results in the denial of their basic economic, social, political, and cultural rights. Hate crimes—in which people are targeted because of their real or perceived race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, disability, or other similar attributes—are among the most pernicious forms of discrimination.



This $10 (USD) bracelet, made from recycled tires with a rectangular recycled metal bead with "I'm Tired of" embossed on both sides and "Discrimination" on top, supports the cause of the Fighting Discrimination Team of Human Rights First, which since 2002 has combated discrimination by seeking to reverse the tide of racist, anti-immigrant, anti religious, and homophobic violence and other hate crimes. Half of each sale is donated to causes with which the team is aligned.

Human Rights First protects people at risk: victims of discrimination, persecution, bias attacks, and genocide. Founded in 1978, the leading nonprofit nonpartisan advocacy group accepts no government funds. To purchase a bracelet and learn more, go to the Human Rights First Website.

The bracelet is a subtle way to raise awareness and make a difference, especially for those of us who aren't necessarily into full-on activism and public protest.

Lucky to live in Canada

Forty years ago in 1969, homosexuality was decriminalized in Canada through a bill introduced by Pierre Trudeau who famously told reporters that "there's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation." In 2002, Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act was implemented and same-sex marriage was officially recognized for the purpose of immigration to Canada. In 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage, and, in 2007, Canada recognized legal marriages of gay and lesbian couples performed in jurisdictions outside the country for purposes of immigration in exactly the same way as the legal marriages of heterosexual couples are recognized.

Most countries in the world, including the United States, provide absolutely no recognition for international same-sex relationships forcing thousands of these couples to make difficult decisions to prevent separation. J.W. Lown, for example, the former mayor of San Angelo, Texas, left a home, a ranch, and a promising political career in America and moved to Mexico to be with the man of his life, a Mexican citizen. Lown, whose mother was Mexican, fortunately holds dual citizenship allowing him to live legally in Mexico. You can read more about his story here.

Yes, gay people still face numerous barriers and battles here in Canada, but I feel lucky that I can marry a man, Canadian or otherwise, with whom I can share a life and have a family.

Thank you Canada, and happy 40 years of decriminalized homosexuality!

Hair...and justice forever!

Politics strayed onto the 2009 Tony Awards Sunday when Oskar Eustis, artistic director of the Public Theater, accepted the award for best musical revival for Hair and proclaimed, "Peace now, freedom now, equality now [as he gestured to his ring finger], justice forever."

Here is the number the company of Hair performed at the Tony Awards.



Whew!

It's hard not to love the sixties' idealism of people who struggle to find their place in a world marred by war, violence, and corrupt politics, yet who still manage to see the promise of luminous hope.

Hurrah for Hair!

Barebacking or having unprotected sex?

If a straight man and a straight woman get together and have sex without a condom, we call it unprotected sex, but when two gay men get together and have sex without a condom, we call it barebacking, a term that has nasty connotations of recklessness and irresponsibility. Lots of questions arise from this apparent imbalance in labeling. Is using the term barebacking a symptom of continual societal demonization of gay people? Furthermore, does it actually scare gay men into practicing safer sex? Or, does using the loaded term barebacking, in fact, lead to an increase in HIV infection within the population of men who have sex with men?

These are just some of the issues covered in Barebacking and AIDS 2009, a great article from Edge. All in all, the piece brings to mind just how much we as gay men have to deal with two very different yet equally complex four letter pandemics - AIDS and FEAR.

As one of my favourite thinkers, Joseph Goldstein, writes:

"It would be difficult to overestimate the potential power of fear to control our lives. This mind state has extraordinary range, from mild worry to chronic anxiety to abject terror. It can contract our mind and body and cripple our will. And not only is fear a great power in itself, it also too often provides hidden motive energy to other states that cause us pain. Behind every act of greed lies fear of deprivation. Behind hatred and aggression lies fear of harm. Behind so much delusion lies fear of knowing and feeling painful conditions."

Learn more.

The Art of Being Straight, Jesse Rosen

Here is a movie you might want to check out, one of the few that examines bisexuality in contemporary society. Written, directed, and featuring Jesse Rosen in the lead role as Jon, an advertising agency assistant walking on a struggle street of sexual identification, the film looks to address the post-college twenty-something personal confusion to which some of us were, are, or will be privy.

Here is the trailer.



From the New York Times:

"Smart without being smart-alecky, Mr. Rosen’s writing avoids the aggressive cleverness and gummy politics of many similarly themed movies, focusing instead on realistic dialogue and low-key interaction."

I think it's not to be missed! The Art of Being Straight opens today in New York and Los Angeles.

Scotland passes hate crime legislation

More great news.

Following the lead of the parliaments of England and Wales, the Scottish Parliament Wednesday passed legislation that will ban hate crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

From Pinknews:

"Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill welcomed the vote saying: 'No one in Scotland should have a crime committed against them simply on the basis of disability or sexual orientation. With hate crime, that is exactly what happens.

'This Bill will improve the way the courts deal with these crimes. If it's shown that the motivation for an offence was hostility and ill-will based on sexual orientation, transgender identity or disability, that will now be taken into account and the sentence be able to reflect that.

'This Bill sends a clear message that prejudice, hatred and crime aimed at specific groups is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. That's why I am pleased that the Bill has now been passed by Parliament."

The high road!

Read more.

New Hampshire legalizes same-sex marriage!

New Hampshire Governor John Lynch Wednesday signed the same-sex marriage bill, making the state the sixth in America to let gay couples wed. The law will take effect on 1 January 2010.

Finally.

Hurrah! Hurrah!

Quoted in the New York Times, Governor Lynch said:

"Today, we are standing up for the liberties of same-sex couples by making clear that they will receive the same rights, responsibilities — and respect — under New Hampshire law."

Wonderful, wonderful news.

Thank you and congratulations New Hampshire from your neighbour to the north.

New Hampshire House passes same-sex legislation

The New Hampshire House of Representatives, after a long and passionate debate, has passed the revised gay marriage legislation!

Hurrah!

The bill now goes to the desk of Governor John Lynch, who is expected to sign it into law.

New Hampshire Senate passes revised gay marriage legislation

As expected, the New Hampshire Senate has passed the revised gay marriage legislation and has now sent it to the House. If it passes in the House, Governor John Lynch is expected to sign it into law later today.

Waiting continues.

New Hampshire legislature to vote on same-sex marriage

Today the New Hampshire Legislature is to take a second vote on expanded religious protections needed to win Governor John Lynch's signature on the bill to allow gay marriage in the American state.

A similar measure failed by two votes in May, prompting lawmakers to seek a compromise. The new bill specifies that all religious organizations, associations, or societies have control over their doctrines, policies, teachings, and beliefs on marriage. It also clarifies that church-related organizations that serve charitable or educational purposes are exempt from having to provide insurance and other benefits to same-sex spouses of employees. Opponents to the legislation note that business owners with moral objections to gay marriage would not have these exemptions.

Hoping for the best.

Seattle for LGBT travelers

What city has the second-highest percentage of LGBT residents of any American city?

Seattle!

What is the largest LGBT chamber in the United States?

The Greater Seattle Business Association!

Nestled between the waters of the Puget sound and Lake Washington, beautiful and cosmopolitan Seattle just may be that peaceful vacation destination you are looking for.

Check out 'Mo Magazine, the city's first ever LGBT travel guide for more information.

I endorse Seattle, because the wise Seattle Convention and Visitor's Bureau targets lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender travelers with the understanding that our dollars are just as significant a contribution to an economy as those that are spent by straight travelers.

Radical Shiite cleric in Iraq calls for end to violence against gays and lesbians

A spokesman for Moqtada Sadr, a radical Shiite cleric in Iraq, said last week that a series of meetings are being held with clerics, tribal leaders, and police to tackle the "phenomenon" of homosexuality in Iraq with a view to ending the violence against gays and lesbians.

That sounds nice.

From Pinknews:

"The western invasion of Iraq in 2003 ended the tyrannical Baathist dictatorship. But it also destroyed a secular state, created chaos and lawlessness and allowed the flourishing of religious fundamentalism. The result has been an Islamist-inspired homophobic terror campaign against LGBT Iraqis."

The cleric and others with power believe that the only way to eradicate the "depravity" of homosexuality is through preaching and guidance.

HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!

Read more.