The World Is Changing - Part 1: The Gay Kiss To Sell Mayonnaise

Well, just as most of us have pretty much stopped watching commercials due to Tivo and other DVR powers to "bloop-bloop-bloop" past them, companies are using the "controversy" of advertising characters being gay to get people to pay some attention to their ads and products.

Like this "banned" commercial for Heinz Mayonnaise:




This is from one of the articles about the ad and it being pulled from the air:
(from June 24, 2008 - in London's "Times" Newspaper) :

A mayonnaise ad that shows two men kissing has been withdrawn from television after 200 viewers complained that it was offensive.

Heinz, which makes the New York Deli Mayo featured in the commercial, pulled the advertisement less than a week into its expected five week run, in response to the criticism.

Viewers told the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that the ad was inappropriate and unsuitable for children to see. The ASA has not yet decided whether to launch an investigation.

Heinz apologised for any offence caused.

"It is our policy to listen to consumers. We recognise that some consumers raised concerns over the content of the ad and this prompted our decision to withdraw it," said Nigel Dickie, director of corporate affairs for Heinz UK.

"The advertisement, part of a short-run campaign, was intended to be humorous and we apologise to anyone who felt offended."

It's silly, with the kids calling their other Dad "Mum", it's 30 seconds of "use our fancy Mayonnaise and your kids' lunches will be just like out of a New York Deli" - and inclusive, in that they're showing a two Dad family.

It's irreverent - with another interpretation of it - in that it's 30 seconds of "use our fancy Mayonnaise and your wife (your kids' mother) will magically turn into a New York Deli GUY."

And then they have the gay kiss that, OF COURSE, the idiot pundits for the right took as bait and then protested and got the ad "banned."

I wonder if it's possible that maybe MORE people saw this ad on youtube BECAUSE of the "controversy" than would have ever seen it on British TV because the tivo remote was hidden under a couch cushion or they were stuck in a full body cast and couldn't avoid the commericals...

Frankly, look how many Americans and other people all over the world are watching it now... And let's be real. 200 people complaining? That's not such a huge number - not when you consider that on just 12 youtube posts the commercial has been viewed over 620,000 times in the last week!

In fact, I wonder if the advertising strategy was EVER to be have this commercial seen on TV? Maybe they were expecting it to be banned, and hoped for the "controversy" as their original game plan?

Either way, it's a fun commercial, makes Heinz look like a "hip" brand, and does show, in its own way, and despite it being pulled, that the world IS changing.

"Straight home from work, sweetcheeks!"

Namaste,

Lee

38 Years Ago Today Was The First Gay Pride March!

Today marks the 38th anniversary of the first gay pride marches, which were originally called Christopher Street Liberation Day and meant to mark the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

The first march went from Washington Place in Greenwich Village up Sixth Avenue to Central Park where there was a "Gay-In".

Here's a quote from Dudley Clendinen and Adam Nagourney's book "Out for Good: The Struggle to Build a Gay Rights Movement in America," about the "Gay-In":

"Many of the men and women who marched that day would forever remember that moment on top of the bluff. Before them lay a field of uncut grass, a blizzard of banners, dancing, pot-smoking, singing and music, a huge American flag, 'gay pride' signs decorated with the Day-Glo hippie flower stickers, and men and women applauding each new arrival over the hill. And behind them—stretching out as far as they could see—was line after line after line of homosexuals and their supporters, at least fifteen blocks worth, by the count of the New York Times, which found the turnout notable enough to report it on the front page of the next day’s paper. No one had ever seen so many homosexuals in one place before. On top of the bluff, many of these men and women, who had grown up isolated and alone, stood in silence and cried."

God bless us, every one. (in the words of Tiny Tim)



The amazing image above is from the New York Public Library Digital Archives - click here to see more photos from the 1970 Christopher Street Liberation Day march and celebration!



Happy Gay Pride Month - Happy GLBTQ Pride! Heck, just be Happy - and full of PRIDE - to be YOU!

Namaste,
Lee

ps- thanks to Stuart for the heads up on this anniversary!

Know Your Enemy. Conservative Religious Leaders call for a 40 Day FAST to take away California's Same Sex Marriage Rights

Okay, just when I think that the world is getting more on track, I'm reminded once again that the forces AGAINST equality are (how do I put this?) NUTS!

So in the LA Times yesterday, there was an article about how there was a 1000 person conference call two days ago (on Wednesday June 24) where

more than 1,000 ministers, most from evangelical congregations, discussed tactics for passing a fall ballot initiative that would amend California's Constitution to ban gay marriage.

The strategy session, which included input from lawyers and political consultants, was the opening of what conservative religious leaders hope will become a massive Christian outpouring of support for the proposed amendment.

The effort will include a 40-day fasting period leading up to election day, along with 100 days of prayer. On the weekend before the election, Garlow told the ministers, the goal would be to fill Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego and other amphitheaters with people praying for a ban on gay marriage.

So... they're going to PRAY for 100 days, to psych everyone up to go vote.

And, they're going to FAST (that's no food) for the last 40 days before the vote???

It's like they're going on hunger strike.

Okay, I actually have fasted (no food, just water) for 11 days in a row, and let me tell you, after 40 days, not one person would be ABLE to get to the polls. I guess they'll all have to vote absentee...

And the weekend before the election, they're going to bus in thousands of these emaciated hunger strikers (Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego holds 70, 561 people!)


to rally and pray for enough voters to hate gay people enough so they can pass their amendment to the California Constitution to ban two people of the same sex who love each other from being recognized as a family by the state.

Jesus.

I mean, really. I thought the whole point of the "What Would Jesus Do?" Evangelicalism was to think about making the world a better and more equal and loving place. Wasn't THAT what Jesus tried to do?

Well, at the risk of jumping on the bandwagon of those who think God is only on their side, Would anyone worth praying to want hate and prejudice to be their rallying cry?

Oh, there I go - forgetting all about how many people keep killing each other in the name of their Gods.

Maybe this is a step forward in its own way. I mean, wouldn't it be great if every time the extreme folks got upset they simply fasted and prayed themselves silly? Iraq would be a much safer place...

Then again, I wonder what obesity rates are among this group of "Christians?" Have you seen the documentary "Super Size Me?" Will they really all decline food for 40 days?

I hope so.

Fasting is painful and debilitating, and maybe once they've started, about an hour into it - once they've missed their dinners - they'll realize - "Hey, you know, there are more important things for me to get worked up about. What the heck do I care if two guys get married in someone else's church or mosque or synagogue or courthouse? It doesn't affect me or my marriage one bit. Hand me that Krispy Kreme, wouldja?"


Now I've been struggling to understand how anyone could think my marriage affects their marriage. I mean, really, if YOUR marriage is threatened by someone else's relationship, you've got some MAJOR problems between you and your spouse.

However, with this fasting thing, I think maybe I finally see a glimmer of logic to the other side's argument. Ready for it?

If my Gay marriage makes someone else so upset that they fast for 40 days to rally voters against it and they get sick and they can't work anymore, and they get fired (cause they're doing it to themselves), and then their wife kicks them out and asks for a divorce because the guy's a bum who's more concerned with making front page headlines for his anti-gay-marriage-hunger-strike than with taking care of his own family... maybe my marriage DID harm theirs.

hmmm.


However, don't lose heart or hope. The close-minded do not own God. Also from the article:

Opponents of the amendment were quick to downplay the significance of Wednesday's call to arms.
"There are certainly thousands of people of faith who are supportive of the freedom to marry," said Kerry Chaplin, the organizing director for California Faith for Equality, a coalition of more than 2,000 faith leaders and congregations supporting same-sex marriage.

Hey! There's a coalition of more than 2,000 clergy who support OUR rights. That's good to know. (And yup, our coalition outnumbers theirs...)

So, check out these great organizations organizing and leading efforts to keep same sex marriage legal in California and defeat this initiative.

Equality California

and

Equality for All

and

California Faith for Equality (which has some great links on their website to other organizations joining the fight for civil rights!)

I guess we can chalk this up to "It's good to know your enemy."

But let's not forget about our friends.


Oh, and if this Gay and God stuff touches your heart, here's a fabulous YA book you've got to read:

The God Box
by Alex Sanchez

...which is awesome. Click on the book image above to go to the summary of "The God Box" and check it out!

Namaste,

Lee

The Hookup Artist

By Tucker Shaw

Lucas is the Matchmaker at his high school, helping everyone else find love, all the while keeping his own heart under wraps after getting it hurt.

When his best friend Cate gets dumped, Lucas is stoked to match her up with this new guy in their school, Derek.

Lucas definitely noticed that Derek is cool, athletic, and HOT. So he'd be perfect for her, right?

Then Lucas starts to think that Derek is maybe interested in HIM, instead of Cate. And Derek might just be perfect for him...

But meanwhile Cate is starting to like Derek, too.

Yikes! What's going to happen when two friends crush on the same guy?


Add your review of "The Hookup Artist" in comments!

Good Moon Rising

By Nancy Garden

Jan loves the "Theater." After spending the summer before her senior year in High School ACTING in a professional stock company, she's crushed when she loses the lead in her school's play to some new girl, Kerry.

Even worse, Jan is forced to coach Kerry in the part.

But, instead of hating Kerry, Jan realizes she's falling in love with her. Kerry is falling for Jan, too.

But what are they going to do about the hate and prejudice of others?

"Good Moon Rising" won The 1996 Lambda Literary Award for best YA book with GLBTQ content!


While the original Farrar, Straus edition of this book is out of print, so many fans asked for it that Nancy took advantage of the Authors Guild "backinprint program" and copies are once again available.

Here's what the old cover looked like:




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The Will Of The Empress

By Tamora Pierce

Two years have passed since the Teenage Mages (masters of magic) Sandry, Tris, Daja and Briar have been together. They've grown up - and grown apart.

The Empress blackmails Sandry into going back to her ancestral lands, and Sandry's uncle convinces the others to accompany her. But once there, the Empress turns out to have plans for all four of them and they're trapped.

The old friends have to find a way to overcome the distance between them and pull together in magic and friendship once more if they're going to escape.

And in this book, one of the three young women has a lesbian love!



While "The Will Of The Empress" has been written so it can certainly stand alone, it's actually the 9th in the series of books following these characters.

The "Circle Of Magic" books start things off with the four young mages coming together and learning about their magic powers in

Sandry's Book, Circle of Magic #1,

Tris's Book, Circle of Magic #2,

Daja's Book, Circle of Magic #3, and

Briar's Book, Circle of Magic #4.

Then the same characters' adventures continue in "The Circle Opens" series, where each of them go off abroad as certified mages and take on a new student in:

Magic Steps, The Circle Opens, Book 1,

Street Magic, The Circle Opens, Book 2,

Cold Fire, The Circle Opens, Book 3, and

Shatterglass, The Circle Opens, Book 4.


Tamora Pierce has an "official fansite" that's here.

And Tamora's wikipedia entry has a good list of the books in each series, and a useful overview of which of her series are part of which fantasy worlds she's created.


Add your review of "The Will Of The Empress" in comments!

ps: Thanks to blog reader (and Tamora Pierce reader) Jacob for the heads-up on the Lesbian character and content in "The Will Of The Empress!"

He's My Husband!

And it's LEGAL!

We are now officially a LEGALLY married couple in California!!

Whooo-Hooo!

Mark, this one's for YOU!






In Celebration and Joy,

Lee


ps: This awesome song is GOSPEL HOUSE - Kim English - Unspeakable Joy -D'Ambrosio Mix And on itunes it's called the "Osio Radio Mix"

A Same Sex Wedding Quiz: Why is the Ring Finger the RING Finger? And what does that have to do with Reflexology?

Okay, I didn't know this until this week (but I've been wearing my wedding ring, pre-legal wedding, for six years 17 days now...)

Besides tradition, it turns out there is a reason why we wear our wedding rings on the fourth finger of the left hand.


****
ready for it?


****


It turns out that back in the 16th century, physicians claimed that a vein on this finger ran directly to the heart. It was called the Vena Amoris, which is Latin for

VEIN OF LOVE

(you can link here to the wikipedia site on it).


Wild, huh?

Now, how does this relate to reflexology?

I'm not sure if this image is authentically ancient (I found it here), but it's certainly in the Egyptian style and shows some hand and foot reflexology going on...



I wonder if the whole reflexology movement had been more prominent in Egypt when Alexander the Great conquered it, that instead of our western culture adapting the Egyptian custom of a ring to symbolize love, if the bottom of the left foot, right at the ball of the foot, would have had to be wrapped in gold thread or something.

See the small oval area in bright red below? That's the spot on the foot that practitioners of reflexology believe is linked to the heart.


But I guess that might have been awkward, huh?


After all,

The symbolism of the rings given in engagement and marriage is not only union in love but also publicly avowed commitment.

And having a band of gold wrapped around your left foot might be silly and in the way... then again, maybe THAT's where the decorative band on those goofy sweatsocks everyone wore in the 70s came from? Although that would have missed the reflexology spot, as well the fashion boat, huh?



Okay, I admit it - that was simply an excuse to show you a pic of Cheyenne Jackson from the Broadway show Xanadu, who I think looks, err... IS great, even if the Tony awards didn't show their love for him...

So, gay or straight, if you've got a wedding ring on your vein of love, wear it with pride!

I know my oh-so-soon-to-be-LEGAL husband and I do!


Namaste,

Lee

ps: The quote on ring symbolism is from a neat little book "1,001 symbols: An illustrated guide to imagery and its meaning" by Jack Tresidder.

Mosh Pit

By Kristyn Dunnion

Simone is a Teenage Lesbian Punk, whose friend Cherry quits high school and hooks up with a drug dealer.

This plunges Simone into a world of punks, drugs, and sex workers as she struggles with her loyalty to Cherry and her attraction to the sexy and streetwise Carol.


Add your review of this book in "comments!"

The World Of Normal Boys

By K. M. Soehnlein

It's the 1970s. Robin is a freshman in High School in the New Jersey suburbs, and as much as he wants to fit in with the "World of Normal Boys" - he doesn't.

He's attracted to other boys.

And as Robin tries to deal with his parents, cope with injury of his younger brother, and figure out being gay, he realizes that he's going to need to find a place in the world where he DOES fit in...


"The World Of Normal Boys" won the Lamdba Literary Foundation's award for best Gay Men's Fiction in 2000.

Add your review of this book in "comments!"

Same Sex Marriage: What the World Needs Now!

And in the place and on the day where the personal becomes public and maybe even political, I'll share with everyone that the song my love and I started off our wedding ceremony with more than six years ago now was this one. In a ceremony that was family and friends and religion and truly of our hearts, we gave out lyric sheets and had everyone sing along:






And the message of that song, and of our wedding, is still true today, the day when our being a family together was finally able to be acknowledged with our applying for and receiving a legal marriage license in our home state (though not yet our home country...)

What the world needs now is love, sweet love.

Like the sweet love I have with

My best friend,

My partner,

and now,

My legal betrothed and oh-so-soon to be legal husband!


I love you, Mark.


Lee

Countdown to Gay Marriage in California - Our Love Gets Some Respect, back in 100 B.C., and Tomorrow, too!

The Roman poet Juvenal wrote this, almost 2000 years ago:

"Tomorrow with dawn I must attend
In yonder vale." "What for?" "Why ask? A
friend
Takes him a husband there and bids a few
Be present." Wait awhile and we shall view
Such contracts formed without shame or fear
And entered on the records of the year.

A friend takes him a husband there and bids a few Be present. Wow.

That resonates through the centuries to right now, doesn't it?

Same Sex marriage licenses are available TOMORROW, Tuesday June 17th, 2008, here in the state of California, on the west coast of the United States of America!

It only took us one thousand nine hundred-some years to catch up with the Ancient Romans, who knew this TRUTH of humanity:

Sometimes love, once found and cherished, needs to be vowed, witnessed, celebrated and respected.


It will be nice to have my love get a little (or maybe better said, a more equal share) of respect.

(Go ahead and cue Aretha Franklin singing "Respect" here in your mind, would ya?)

Or better yet, click on this to jumpstart the party:



Hope you can join me (and all the rest of the same-sex loving couples who plan to get married in California) in Singing and Dancing to the Countdown!

Because after all, more human rights for one, means more human rights for all!


Namaste,

Lee

So Super Duper

By Brian Anderson

Psyche doesn't really fit in with his super-powerful super-hero teammates.

Captain Idol, Halo, Sass, Briar, and Tink all have amazing super-powers, yet all Psyche can do is kind of tell (empathically) when something evil is rampaging the city. But, he likes the perks of being famous without having to break a sweat, so it works for him.

One super hero day, Psyche's forced to help fight a monster and he totally wimps out. Halo wants to kick him off the team, but Pysche's agent (who can't pronounce his name) has a plan to save him - by having Psyche come out so they can publicize the team's "diversity."

Psyche has no idea what his agent is talking about. Come out?

It turns out everyone (but him and his best gal pal) knows he is so - totally - gay.


Psyche's adventures continue in (so far) four issues of this gay comic. Besides figuring out his own identity and powers, there's the tension with his superhero teammates (especially Halo, who hates him), the nail biting death of one of the team, and a possible love-interest for Pysche in the guy half of a wonder twin bro and sis team, the hunky Comet...


Add your review of these comics in "comments!"

House of the Muses: The Latter Days of Sappho of Lesbos, vol #2 - The Quality of Hatred

By Pam Harrison

Pam's lesbian historical romance saga, "House of the Muses: The Latter Days of Sappho of Lesbos" continues with Vol. 2 - The Quality of Hatred.

Dika has been viciously attacked. But despite the threats against her life and those she cares for, Dika finds herself drawn headlong into a deadly conspiracy that threatens everything she holds dear.


Check out this page view of the 3-D action:



Add your review of this graphic novel in "comments!"

Gravel Queen

By Tea Benduhn

How do you juggle new love and old friends?

Aurin and her two pals Kenney (a girl) and Fred spend the summer before their Senior year of High School hanging out in their small town's park and taking ballroom dancing lessons.

When a new girl, Neila, moves to their town, Aurin discovers an attraction that she hadn't really explored before.

As Aurin awakens to this new lesbian relationship, Kenney feels threatened, and Aurin has to figure out how to balance her future and her past.


Add your review of this book in "comments!"

Totally Joe

By James Howe

A Sequel to "The Misfits," this book is about Joe. He's 12 and knows he's Gay, and through the "alphabiography" he's been assigned to write, he tells us about his life in essays A to Z.

Joe has a crush on another boy in his school, but he has to find a way past rumors of a kiss, homophobia, and a bully to come out - as a happy with himself gay kid.


Add your review of this book in "comments!"

The Misfits

By James Howe

7th grade sucks when you don't fit in, and everyone calls you names.

"Fatso!"

"Know-It-All!"

"Fairy!"

"Geek!"

Well Bobbie (who's overweight), Addie (who's smart and outspoken), Joe (who's effeminate and gay) and Skeezie (who everyone thinks is a 'hooligan') are four misfits who decide they're going to do something about it.

They form a third political party for the student council elections, and their platform is about ending name-calling once and for all...


Add your review of this book in "comments!"

Girl Walking Backwards

By Bett Williams

Skye is 15, and going to a new High School in Santa Barbara, California.

She signs up for the volleyball team because the girls on the team are hot, but can't quite bring herself to approach any of them.

Then she meets goth Jessica, whose takes Skye into her life of raves, drugs and sex.

But there's another girl, Lorri, from volleyball, who Skye is interested in, too...

While trying to figure things out, Skye makes some friends she didn't expect, and has to deal with her New Age-obsessed and unhappy-to-have-a-lesbian-daughter Mom.


Check out this interview with the author (and chapter excerpts) here!

Add your review of this book in "comments!"

I've Known Since I Was Eight

By Sophie Glasser

Sarah's in High School.

She's closeted, but with her bisexual friend's encouragement and her grandmother's love, she works up the courage to approach a girl she really likes.

It blooms into her first lesbian relationship, and suddenly Sarah's faced with coming out to her whole world...


"I've Known Since I Was Eight" was a work of passion that Sophie published herself.

Add your review of this book in "comments!"

Majority Rules: Gay Marriage, Super-Delegates, and the TRUE meaning of Democracy

So it turns out that a proposition to amend the California Constitution to take away the right to marry for Gays and Lesbians will be on the November 2008 ballot. My rights will come down to a simple majority vote.

This after the California Supreme Court, only two weeks ago, finally struck down the state laws that denied legal marriage to Gay and Lesbian couples (by a 4-3 vote.) We're waiting for June 17 for the ruling to take effect which will let me and my TRUE LOVE of 11 years go get a marriage license, but have been worried about the possibility of the Court issuing a "stay" which would prevent any same sex marriages until after the "will of the people" vote in November.

But a half hour ago, this news item was released:

Calif. Supreme Court Refuses To Delay Gay Marriage Ruling
by The Associated Press

Posted: June 4, 2008 - 12:45 pm ET

(San Francisco, California) California's highest court has refused to stay until after the November election its decision legalizing same-sex marriage in the state.

Conservative religious and legal groups had asked the California Supreme Court to stop its order from becoming effective until voters have the chance to weigh in on the issue.

An initiative that would amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage has qualified for the ballot. Its passage would overrule the court's decision.

The Supreme Court says its ruling will be final at 5 p.m. on June 16.

That's so exciting! I'm going to get legally married!

But, what will happen in November if the "will of the people" decide that I shouldn't have the right to be married, after all?





Barack Obama is leading in popular votes for the Democratic Presidential Nomination (in fact AP just reported yesterday that he's won the nomination, according to their discussions with super delegates...)

But Hilary Clinton has spent much of her time lately hoping the Super Delegates would "appoint" her as the nominee instead, leading to charges of her intending to defy "the will of the people."

Which brings to mind the outrage we all felt when Bush won the presidency due to the electoral college even though Gore had won the popular vote.

It seems, for the moment at least, that the Super-delegates have gone with the majority of voters and selected Barack Obama. But it's not final yet. And it's fascinating that they COULD have chosen differently... (Might they still change their minds?)


It all leads to our needing to take a look at what Democracy truly is. What does OUR Democracy stand for?



Is Democracy purely mob rule, majority rule, winner-take-all, will of the people?

Or is a True Democracy more guided? Does it take care of the minority, even when it's not what the majority would vote to do?

This is exactly why we have a Constitutional Democracy, with legislative, judicial and executive branches of power. The idea being that sometimes, you have to protect minorities from the "tyranny of the majority." (That phrase was used by Alexis de Tocqueville in his "Democracy in America," a hugely successful two part book from 1835 and 1840 that looked at what made our USA brand of democracy work so well.)

Let's apply this idea of Democracy's duty to guard against the tyranny of the majority to a closely related social issue:

Interracial Marriage

It was 1948 when the California Supreme Court finally struck down the laws against interracial marriage. (The U.S. Supreme Court didn't do it until 1967.) But a majority of voters did not approve of interracial marriage until 1991.

Yup, you read that right. 1991 was the first year a majority of Americans approved of interracial marriage.

Check out this mind-blowing chart of the slow progress of tolerance and acceptance of couples of different ethnic backgrounds falling in love. It (and the photo collage of same sex couples above) are from this great site, marriageequality.org.


Imagine if the right for interracial couples to marry had waited until 1991, when the majority of Americans "approved!" Think of all the families YOU know, who, not allowed to be legally married, would have been truly second class citizens...

And now, just when it seems that here in California our Gay brothers and sisters are finally going to be treated like first class citizens, and granted their right (our right) to marry, we're being told - wait! A majority needs to approve this.

(Did I mention that TWICE the California legislature passed same-sex marriage laws that would have let Gay and Lesbian couples marry (without forcing any religion or clergy to officiate) and our Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed it? Twice!!)

Argh! Double Argh!!

But even when my rights seem to come down to the "will of the people," there is some hope...

A Field Poll, which surveys California voters, on Wednesday May 28, 2008, reported that for the first time, a MAJORITY of California voters are in support of allowing same-sex marriage in California. It was approved by a 51% to 42% margin statewide. We caught up much quicker than interracial marriage did...

It's interesting that when you break it down by age, 68% of 18-29 year olds support same-sex marriage (only 25% of them disapprove), and it's only once you look at voters 65 years and older that there is no longer a majority in favor of same-sex marriage (they oppose it 55% to 36% who approve.)

Which brings up the issue of suffrage (the civil right to vote.) What if Teenagers were allowed to vote? What if every 13-17 year old was allowed to weigh in on this issue? Would that help balance out all those prejudiced 65 and up voters?


If California voters do amend the state constitution to deny a minority rights in November, it would be the exact opposite of the intent of our constitutional democracy.

The "constitutional" part is to defend the minority against the tyranny of the majority. Or, to paraphrase Alexis de Toqueville's warning, to avoid:

The judgement of the wise subordinated to the prejudices of the ignorant.

So, let's hope the TRUE meaning of Democracy shines through in November. It shone through today with the California Supreme Court's decision NOT to delay same sex marriages until November. It will shine through on June 17 when my love and I go pick up our marriage license. And heck, why not have it shine through EVERY day?




We have a great country here. Let's not forget the things that make it great. That made it (in the not so recent past) a beacon of hope and liberty. A place that once again can be an engine for positive change, for green energy and enterprise, for freedom, for peace, and for liberty and justice for all.

That's the TRUE meaning of our Democracy.

And now I need to go plan a wedding... My own!

Namaste,

Lee

Wide Awake

By David Levithan

In a Future America, a Gay Jewish man is elected President of the United States.

But, the Governor of Kansas contests the election outcome, calling some votes "invalid," so he can change the results in his state. That would mean his party's candidate would win not just Kansas, but the White House as well!

Well, Duncan (17) and his boyfriend Jimmy decide they won't stand for it, and they join the countless others descending on Kansas for the demonstrations and protests.

It's a journey that changes them, their love, and America... forever.


Add your review of this book in "comments!"

Call Me By Your Name

By Andre Aciman

Elio is 17, and spending this summer like all the others in his life, at his family's home on the Italian Riveria.

Like every other summer, his family hosts a university student for six weeks to help Elio's father with his research.

But the student this summer is Oliver, a 24 year old American whom Elio befriends.

Every swim, game of tennis, and run along the Italian Rivera the two share is fraught with the tension of their mutual attraction.

When their relationship explodes into full passion and complete intimacy, they are both changed forever.


This book won the 2008 Lambda Literary Award for best Men's Fiction book published in 2007! And even though the publisher isn't pushing it as a Young Adult novel, I am including it here on this blogsite because "Call Me By Your Name" is the story of a Teen's first love.

Add your review of this book in "comments!"