University Students in Turkey "tear-gassed and beaten by police at their school’s Pride march" - sign Amnesty International's Letter of Protest to free them now!

January, 2021. It's crazy that peacefully gathering to support LGBTQ rights, to support LGBTQ people, can still result in this kind of state violence and threat. 

Melike Balkan and Özgür Gür (pictured in the photo above), along with 17 others, are facing up to three years in prison for organizing their campus pride back in May 2019. Here’s what Özgür told Amnesty International about why this matters to him:

“Pride has an extraordinary value. If you look at the history of Pride, we see it in Stonewall, Istanbul Pride, in all Prides. It is a struggle against violence, against hate crimes, all over the world. Pride is a moment where you can express the things you experience in your life; you can be yourself. That’s why they are so important.”

Amnesty International explains the power of their letter writing campaign:

Amnesty has chosen both Melike and Özgür as activists to spotlight in our annual Write for Rights campaign, an international letter-writing campaign where people like you send hundreds of thousands of letters to world leaders, with the goal of freeing prisoners of conscience and protecting human right defenders under attack.

Please consider joining me to raise your voice about this – and click here to send a letter to the Ambassador of Turkey demanding the charges against Melike, Özgür, and the others be dropped.

You can even send a message of solidarity to Melike, Özgür, and their fellow LGBTQ Pride organizers facing this trial and threat of prison.

Thanks, and stay safe.
The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee

Civil Rights Leader John Lewis Wrote This Essay Just a Few Days Before His Death. It was Published in the New York Times on the Day of His Funeral.

This essay by John Lewis is so brilliant, and inspiring.

The stand out line for me:

"When you see something that is not right, you must say something. You must do something. Democracy is not a state. It is an act..."

The context of that quote:

"Like so many young people today, I was searching for a way out, or some might say a way in, and then I heard the voice of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on an old radio. He was talking about the philosophy and discipline of nonviolence. He said we are all complicit when we tolerate injustice. He said it is not enough to say it will get better by and by. He said each of us has a moral obligation to stand up, speak up and speak out. When you see something that is not right, you must say something. You must do something. Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part to help build what we called the Beloved Community, a nation and world society at peace with itself.

Ordinary people with extraordinary vision can redeem the soul of America by getting in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble. Voting and participating in the democratic process are key. The vote is the most powerful nonviolent change agent you have in a democratic society. You must use it because it is not guaranteed. You can lose it."

And then the call to action:

"Though I may not be here with you, I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe."

Read the full piece – It's well-worth it. And then let's stand up, together.

The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee

Teens Rock Their Power on TikTok to Impact US Politics - Even If They're Not Old Enough To Vote

So the current occupant of the White House held a political rally for his reelection. In Tulsa (injury), originally scheduled for June 19, 2020, or Juneteenth (adding insult). They pushed it one day back, and were crowing about the biggest reservation requests... But the crowds didn't show.

So what happened to the giant crowds the President and his team predicted?

I like how Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez put it:

"Actually you just got ROCKED by teens on TikTok who flooded the Trump campaign w/ fake ticket reservations & tricked you into believing a million people wanted your white supremacist open mic enough to pack an arena during COVID
Shout out to Zoomers. Y'all make me so proud." —Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

You can read the full report on it in the New York Times here, under the headline "TikTok Teens and K-Pop Stans Say They Sank Trump Rally":

And from the New York Times newsletter, here's a screen shot of empty seats at that Trump rally.

It's a great reminder that voting isn't the only way to have your voice heard, no matter your age.

The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee

A Scary Time - a brilliant song performed by the artist, Lynzy Lab

This!




Amplifying as an ally to women everywhere...

Share it, raise our collective voices, and VOTE on November 6, 2018.

Thanks to Lynzy Lab for the brilliant message and catchy song!

Remembering Edie Windsor

Edie Windsor, photo from D.C. Pride June 2017

Edie Windsor changed the world, making our country better for LGBTQ people.

In 1963 Edie met Thea Spyer and the two woman became a couple. They did the domestic partnership thing in New York, and since they couldn't get legally married in the US, they married in Canada in 2007. Two years later, Thea died. They had been together for 47 years!

But the US government didn't consider their marriage real, and Edie was taxed on everything she inherited from Thea as if they were strangers. If Thea had been a man, Edie would have paid no taxes on that inheritance.

Edie stood up to this injustice, and in 2010, at age 81, took our government to court to demand her relationship with another woman be treated equally with anyone else's married relationship.

In 2013 the United States Supreme Court ruled in Windsor’s favor, "overturning Section 3 of DOMA and setting a precedent that laid the groundwork for national marriage equality."

It's interesting to consider how Edie's white and wealthy position in our culture, and the issue of being unfairly taxed, resonated with many who considered themselves conservatives – bringing new allies to the side of marriage equality.

A year ago, in September 2016, Edie Windsor, having found love again, remarried - marrying Judith Kasen. Legally marrying the new woman she loved. An historic change she helped make possible!

Here's President (Wow do I miss him) Barack Obama's statement on Edie (From his Facebook page):

America’s long journey towards equality has been guided by countless small acts of persistence, and fueled by the stubborn willingness of quiet heroes to speak out for what’s right.
Few were as small in stature as Edie Windsor – and few made as big a difference to America.
I had the privilege to speak with Edie a few days ago, and to tell her one more time what a difference she made to this country we love. She was engaged to her partner, Thea, for forty years. After a wedding in Canada, they were married for less than two. But federal law didn’t recognize a marriage like theirs as valid – which meant that they were denied certain federal rights and benefits that other married couples enjoyed. And when Thea passed away, Edie spoke up – not for special treatment, but for equal treatment – so that other legally married same-sex couples could enjoy the same federal rights and benefits as anyone else.
In my second inaugural address, I said that if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. And because people like Edie stood up, my administration stopped defending the so-called Defense of Marriage Act in the courts. The day that the Supreme Court issued its 2013 ruling in United States v. Windsor was a great day for Edie, and a great day for America – a victory for human decency, equality, freedom, and justice. And I called Edie that day to congratulate her.
Two years later, to the day, we took another step forward on our journey as the Supreme Court recognized a Constitutional guarantee of marriage equality. It was a victory for families, and for the principle that all of us should be treated equally, regardless of who we are or who we love.
I thought about Edie that day. I thought about all the millions of quiet heroes across the decades whose countless small acts of courage slowly made an entire country realize that love is love – and who, in the process, made us all more free. They deserve our gratitude. And so does Edie.
Michelle and I offer our condolences to her wife, Judith, and to all who loved and looked up to Edie Windsor.

You can find out more about Edie Windsor and her life here.

Bayard Rustin's words inspire me

With everything going on in the US right now, including the bomb threats at Jewish community centers, the anti-immigrant raids, and now this week's attack on Transgender student rights, these words from the out Gay African American Civil Rights leader are a call to action:

"If we want to do away with the injustice to gays it will not be done because we get rid of the injustice to gays. It will be done because we are forwarding the effort for the elimination of injustice to all." -Bayard Rustin, in a 1986 interview.

Bayard  Rustin in 1965

Help PFLAG Out With This Quick Survey For Trans Allies, Family, and Trans and Gender Non-Conforming People

PFLAG (Parents, Friends and Family of Lesbians and Gays) is asking for help with their "Straight For Equality" Project, as they put together

"a new resource to invite, educate, and engage allies of people who are transgender and gender nonconforming"

Go here to check out the project, and add your voice!


Namaste,
Lee

Speak Out For Russia - Or, To Russia With Love

Consider signing this petition:

To President Putin, Russian politicians and all world leaders:

We stand with citizens across Russia who are calling on their government to stop the crackdown against lesbian, gay, bi and trans people that is fuelling anti-gay violence.

We urge leaders around the world and within Russia to work to eliminate all anti-gay laws and protect all citizens from violence and discrimination in Russia.

Not sure what this is about? Check out my two previous posts on Russia's Attack on LGBTQ rights and the Olympics, Part One: What's Going On? and Part Two: What Can We Do?

Namaste,
Lee

The Forty To None Project - Cyndi Lauper's Campaign To End Gay and Transgender Youth Homelessness

Ending Gay and Transgender Youth Homelessness is wonderful project.  As Cyndi writes:

In our first five years, Forty to None will work to drive down the number of gay and transgender youth on the streets through a campaign that includes: education and awareness to raise the visibility of these young people and the direct service providers who work with them; advocacy at the state and federal levels; strengthening the network of services, advocates, community leaders and others working on the issue; training service providers to be more inclusive and understanding of the issues specifically affecting these kids; and empowering homeless gay and transgender youth themselves with valuable resources and information.

...There’s no shortage of organizations focused on ending homelessness or addressing the needs of homeless youth—but everything we’ve learned over the past year has made it clear that runaway and homeless gay and transgender youth are being left behind. These kids, even more than others, have not received the attention, resources and support that they so desperately need. There’s a void that needs to be filled. There are kids who are struggling and need real help, and my mission is to get them that help.  As I’ve said before—I can’t imagine any parent throwing a kid away. But when it happens, we need to make sure no kid is allowed to fall into a void. That’s why we started the Forty to None Project. Because I give a damn, and society should, too.

Check it out and get involved!

Prayers For Bobby - A Mother's Coming to Terms with the Suicide of Her Gay Son

Prayers For Bobby by Leroy Aarons

Bobby Griffith was an all-American boy ...and he was gay. Faced with an irresolvable conflict-for both his family and his religion taught him that being gay was "wrong"-Bobby chose to take his own life.

Prayers for Bobby, nominated for a 1996 Lambda Literary Award, is the story of the emotional journey that led Bobby to this tragic conclusion. But it is also the story of Bobby's mother, a fearful churchgoer who first prayed that her son would be "healed," then anguished over his suicide, and ultimately transformed herself into a national crusader for gay and lesbian youth.

As told through Bobby's poignant journal entries and his mother's reminiscences, Prayers for Bobby is at once a moving personal story, a true profile in courage, and a call to arms to parents everywhere.

My thanks to Jeff for suggesting this title.  Add your review of "Prayers For Bobby" in comments! 


And if you're in crisis, you can call 866-488-7386 and speak with someone at the Trevor Project Lifeline.

Hate the Gays? Imagine the World without us. (Or, what to say the next time you encounter someone homophobic.)

I really liked this Huffington Post article by Kergan Edwards-Stout, "Hate The Gays?  Imagine the World Without Us."


I particularly liked Kergan's big-picture question to those who marinate in homophobic hostility... 

"What do you hope these beliefs will achieve?"

Do they really support harassment?  Bullying?  Conversion Therapy (which has been proven not to work)?   Are they hoping we all go back into the closet?  They're creating a climate where GLBTQ teen suicides continue... is that their goal?

And then Kergan asks, imagine the world without the contributions of queer artists, musicians, playwrights, actors, filmmakers.  A world without the Mona Lisa's smile.  Or Swan Lake.  Or Glee.

"What do you hope your anti-gay beliefs achieve?"

That's my question the next time I'm talking to someone homophobic. 

Thanks, Kergan!

Namaste,
Lee

The Girl Scouts' cookie sales are being boycotted because the Girl Scouts include transgender girls - Let's rise up as a community and BUY OUT THEIR COOKIES!

It's sad.

The Girl Scouts have got it so right.

“If a child identifies as a girl and the child's family presents her as a girl, Girl Scouts of Colorado welcomes her as a Girl Scout."

But there are voices of intolerance who want to say transgender people don't belong in the Girl Scouts.  That they shouldn't be accepted.  That they aren't one of us.

Well transgender children are people, too - and they deserve to be treated with respect.  And the Girl Scouts, rather than being praised for being on the right side of history, are being targeted.  With a call to boycott Girl Scout Cookies.

So here's our mission, for everyone straight or GLBTQ, for everyone who believes in equality and working to create a better world:  Let's buy Girl Scout Cookies.  Lots of them.  Buy the whole table-full.  And tell the Girl Scouts you're doing it to applaud the Girl Scouts organization's stand for equality and embrace of transgender girls.

Let's make 2012 the year that the Girl Scouts sell more cookies than EVER before.

Let's show the Girl Scouts that embracing differences is not only the right thing to do, but it's good for business, and good for all their member scouts.  And we'll show the world, too.

I'll be giving Girl Scout Cookies as gifts for the rest of the year, and I hope you will, too.

Because this time, standing up for equality... is delicious.

***AN UPDATE: Feb 22, 2012***

The Girl Scouts are attacked again, this time by Bob Morris, a Republican lawmaker in Indiana, for including the transgender child AND for allegedly being a "tactical arm" of Planned Parenthood and thus promoting homosexuality and abortion.

The Republican speaker of the House Brian Bosma responded by handing out thin mints to his fellow lawmakers to show his support for the Girl Scouts, saying "I purchased 278 cases of Girl Scout cookies in the last four hours." 

***

***ANOTHER UPDATE: Feb 23, 2012***

A Church in Virginia has kicked out the Girl Scout troops that were meeting in their church and school buildings, saying the group is allied with planned parenthood.  "St. Timothy Catholic Church said that scouts won’t be allowed to meet or wear their uniforms on church property."

The response from the Girl Scouts was upbeat, but make no mistake: they're under attack.

""This location change presents us with an opportunity to serve not only the girls from St. Timothy’s, but to invite more girls from the area to join Girl Scouts. After all, this is our 100th anniversary year and a great time to be part of Girl Scouting."

And it's a great time to buy Girl Scout cookies in support!


There's also a new on-line petition you can sign, showing you support the Girl Scouts!

***

Namaste,
Lee


ps - a standing ovation to my husband, who had this brilliant idea!  Love you!

pps - want to help the Girl Scout Troop in Colorado who welcomed the transgender child?  Trans Youth Family Allies has set up a donation page here. 

A Powerful 30 second 'Don't Say Gay' (in a bad way) PSA... Made by an 8th grader and his little brother!

I love this thirty-second video:



Awesome! (the crack of the wet celery with the slaps is a hoot.) But the best thing about this is the message. And it's going viral.

So how about it?

How about your GSA - or you and your friends - putting together your own PSA and sharing it with the world?

Inspiring, huh?

Namaste,
Lee

ps - thanks to my gem of a husband for sharing this with me!

A New Approach To Win Gay Marriage

This is so beautiful.

And powerful.


Watch it.





Now check out the op ed over at advocate.com about why this two minute video is being seen as something that's changing hearts and minds, and going viral, internationally. Seems there's this thought that we gay people want to get married so we can cash in on all the great rights and bonuses of marriage. Like it's a "special right" we greedy gay people want to get our hands on. And the more we talk about equal rights, the more some people think we want to get in on this great thing straight people have going on... for those rights.

But as this two minute video from Australia's Get Up! shows, we want to get married for the same reasons straight people want to get married.

Because we're in love.

Love is love.

And to my husband - I love you. Thanks for sharing this with me - dang it, you made me cry. Happy tears. And, you made me think. Another reason I love you.

And for all my readers, this is food for thought, isn't it?

In fact, it's a great opportunity to be a Keyboard Activist. Let's share this video far and wide!

Namaste,
Lee

Help The Students at Sequoyah High School In Tennessee Get A GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance Club) And Feel Safer!

Chris wore this t-shirt to support his sister and to try and get a GSA club at their high school.

Here's what happened.

When several students at Sequoyah High School in Madisonville, Tennessee tried to start a Gay-Straight Alliance club after years of bullying, their principal said no. When the students circulated a petition and gathered 150 student signatures supporting the club, the principal banned petitions. When this brought local media scrutiny and the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the administration blocked the club based on its failure to secure an advisor. Although the students found teachers who seemed supportive and willing to serve as advisers, all eventually withdrew without explanation.

Now, according to the ACLU, Principal Moser has allegedly assaulted one student, Chris Sigler, for wearing a handmade shirt that read “GSA: We’ve got your back” – grabbing his arm and chest-bumping him while asking “Who’s the big man now?”

Despite the complaint filed by Chris and his mother, the Sheriff’s Department has failed to interview his sister, who witnessed the alleged assault, or his mother, who witnessed additional behavior from the principal.

And the students at Sequoyah High don't have a GSA. Yet.

Want to help?

You can sign a joint petition by the Tennessee Equality Project and Gay-Straight Alliance Network’s Make It Better Project that demands

that the Sheriff’s Department fully investigate this incident, and further, that Monroe County Schools approve the GSA, state that teachers who agree to advise the GSA will not face repercussions (as demanded by the TN ACLU), and address the hostile environment that LGBTQ students face at Sequoyah.

You can also send a letter to Director of Schools Mike Lowry from the ACLU website - and customize it with your own words. (My own take on that: be courteous but firm.)

You can find out more here at the ACLU site and sign the petition here at change.org.

This is a great reminder of how we have to stand up for others... and let's help the GLBTQ and Allied students at Sequoyah High School get a GSA and feel safer!

Namaste,
Lee

Do It Yourself Inspiration: Let's Make A Scholarship for GLBTQ & Allied Teens

So check out what Lauren from Shooting Stars magazine is cooking up - an auction to raise funds for a new scholarship for 15-19 year olds, about Living Beyond Tolerance.

It's a great idea, and I for one can't wait to see what's up for auction (and hey, if you wanna donate stuff for the auction, or just donate $ for the scholarship, more info is here.)

After all, it's a great thing to get each us of to answer the question:

What am I doing towards making sure everyone is more than tolerated, but accepted?

And the teen with the best essay answering that question will get a scholarship to help pay for their education. Sounds sweet! But how sweet will depend on how many people join in the auctions and the donations.

And for all you teens out there - start writing those essays!

Namaste,
Lee

Newt Gingrich Glitter Bombed... Does This Help or Hinder Our Movement Towards Equality? (A GSA Monday Discussion)

So last week, Republican Presidential Candidate (and no friend to the Gay Community) Newt Gingrich was appearing at an anti-gay "family values" event - The Minnesota Family Council, an anti-gay group pushing the gay marriage ban in Minnesota - when he was glitter-bombed:






Well, first of all, in answer to the security guard's question, "Have you ever seen us attend one of your events?" YES, you do come to our events (like our Gay pride celebrations) and spread anti-gay hate.

Now in your GSAs, and here, let's discuss the Pros and Cons of this kind of activism. Here are my lists, and feel free to add your own points!

Pros:

It's newsworthy and gets people talking about Newt Gingrich's anti-gay agenda

It's non-violent (glitter doesn't really hurt anyone)

It's confrontational - and the anti-gay movement needs to be confronted.

Cons:

It's confrontational - and that might turn some people off.

Is showering the table with glitter going to change any minds at that event or just further polarize those people against Gay equality?

Now if you've ever done an art project with glitter, you know it's pretty hard to get rid of afterwards - it sticks to your skin, your clothes. A speck of silver shows up on your cheek two days later...

Newt was brushing some off his shoulder, and I imagine that some of that glitter stayed on him for the rest of that event. And personally, I kinda like the idea that the it would be hard for him to get rid of the sparkly reminder that his anti-gay politics are not universally appreciated.

I'm also very happy/relieved that the protest was video recorded, and it seems like the gay activists were able to leave safely.

What do you think?

Namaste,
Lee

Palisades Charter High School's Anti-Hate Rally: A Report From The Field

So one of the amazing things about speaking at middle schools and high schools is how it connects me with teens and gives me a window into their struggles and triumphs.

After visiting Palisades Charter High School in Los Angeles last October, I was contacted by a junior at the school, Dakota, who told me that she and her classmates were planning an Anti-Hate Rally to build on the momentum of my visit. I asked her to let me know how it went, and just this week she submitted this report from the field:

Students at the Anti-Hate Rally
flank the red poster paper where they wrote down
the hateful things people had said to them

Ever since I can remember, there have been gay and lesbian people in my life. They are normal, they are family, and they are greatly loved. Most of them live in New York and I don't get to see them nearly as often as I would like. They are some of the greatest people I know. They have always been kind, caring, and supportive towards me. That is why my E.A.S.T. class seemed like the perfect outlet for me to show my support for them.

At my high school we have an E.A.S.T. class, which stands for "Environmental And Space Technology." In this class we create projects that can some how benefit our school, the environment, or certain groups of people. Past examples have been, creating a rain garden, getting an AIDS walk together, and putting energy efficient light bulbs in our school.

When I first heard that we had to create our own project, I was lost. I didn't know what to do until I heard another girl in my class talk about California Faith For Equality. Their mission statement is, "To educate, support and mobilize California’s faith communities to promote equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and to safeguard religious freedom." That is taken from their website. I immediately wanted to help. This was my chance to give back to the community that had given me so much.

Since CFFE is quite busy, it was a little hard getting in touch with them. So, my new found friend and I decided to take matters into our own hands. After the news broke about many teens taking their own lives because they were bullied, we knew we had the opportunity to do something great. We decided to create an "Anti-Hate" rally.

The goal of the rally was to make my high school a place where anyone could feel accepted and to stop bullying of any kind. It took about four months to organize the whole thing. We had to go through many steps to get the project approved. The GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) and Leadership class were the two most helpful groups. Leadership helped with the organizing and the GSA showed heaping spoonfuls of support.

During the actual rally, a large red piece of poster paper was laid out in the middle of our school. We told people to come over and write down any hateful things that anyone had ever said to them, on the paper. At the end, we were going to stomp on the paper and rip it up with our feet to symbolize a new beginning. When I walked out into the middle of my school, the entire GSA was there and they were all wearing purple to show their support. It was so wonderful and fulfilling to see how enthusiastic they were. The GSA members were the ones who wrote most of what was on the poster.

I was a little disappointed to see that even though we had made announcements and put up posters, most people just walked by and didn't bother to ask what we were doing or participate. Some people actually walked by and laughed at what people had written. Luckily there wasn't too much of that, but it was surprising to see people do that.

Even though hardly any outside people participated, the people who did wrote amazing things. People wrote raw and vulnerable things and it was so hard to believe that those things had been said to their faces. When we were done, people ripped the paper up with their hands and said it felt so good to get rid of it all.

Even though the project didn't turn out the way we had hoped, the people who did participate made a huge impact on my life. I hope that this story can inspire other people to create rallies at their school or anywhere else in their community, because we need to support people. We can't let ignorance take over and leave us all with nothing. We all need to fight for equality!

-Dakota, 11th grader at Palisades Charter High School

The hateful words are destroyed.

I'll share with you all what I told Dakota, and it's something I tell GSA clubs all the time - the impact goes far beyond those who come and participate. Kind of like Israel for Jews... you don't have to live in Israel to feel the impact of there being a "safe space for Jews where it's not unusual to be Jewish" in this world. Similarly, I'm sure the Palisades Charter High School Anti-Hate Rally had an impact far beyond those who participated directly. Every student who walked by noticed the group around that giant red poster paper and the ritual of destroying the hateful words, and I'm sure it shifted the atmosphere to be more embracing of equality for all.

Great job, Dakota! Kudos to you and the Pali High GSA for making your school, and our world, a better place!

Namaste,
Lee

Graeme, a Gay 14 Year Old, Speaks Up To Defend A Teacher Who Stood Up To Anti-Gay Bullying

Get this.

So back on Spirit Day at Howell High School in Michigan, teacher Jay McDowell (who was wearing a purple shirt) asked a student to leave his classroom after the student made hateful comments about Gay people.

The TEACHER was suspended.

Here's a video of a students speaking out at the school board meeting in the teacher's support:



(If this embedded video doesn't work, try going here to watch it: http://bit.ly/h9IfAf)

And here's more about the teacher's suspension (note: the queerty site has adult ads on it. You can see the article here.)

Thank you, Jay, for not letting anti-gay hate speech go unchallenged in your classroom.

And Thank you, Graeme, for STANDING UP for what's right.

You both inspire me.

Namaste,
Lee

P.S. Thanks as well to Arianne for giving me the heads-up on this story, so I could share it with all of you!

Activists ACT to End Don't Ask Don't Tell At The White House Fence

Watch this GetEQUAL Action:



Their words are ringing in my ears.

"I am. Somebody.

I deserve. Full Equality."

Yes!