Thursday, May 25. 2006
A friend of mine just sent me a link for the 5th annual Maturbate-A-Thon being held May 27 2006. It's all part of The Center for Sex and Culture's Masturbation Month.
Last year's event raised over $5,000 for the Center for Sex and Culture and there were winners and trophies for longest masturbation (7.5 hours), most orgasims, and most funds raised.
Participants come (pun intended) from around the world and organizers are quick to tout that you can particpate from anywhere! No running, jogging, walking, phoning, necesary unless of course that's the way you like tomaturbate.
Friday, May 19. 2006
The Windy City Times is now accepting submissions for the third annual Windy City Times Pride Literary Supplement Edited by Owen Keehnen and Kathie Bergquist.
This year’s theme is Personal Best: Pushing Boundaries
Submit up to three of your best pieces of poetry or prose to: WCTPride@gmail.com
Features (up to 500 words) will be paid $25. Short form poetry: $15
The fine print: 500 word maximum for poetry or prose submissions. Electronic submissions only. Send all submissions as MS Word attachment. Double-spaced 12 pt. standard font required.
Deadline: Monday, June 4th, 2006!
Thursday, May 18. 2006
Thanks to Brandy from University of Memphis for this tip about a a GLBT marraige study.
Researchers from PRISMresearch.org at the University of Kentucky and University of Memphis are looking for participants for a new online gay marriage survey about experiences related to the debate over the recognition of civil marriage rights for same-sex couples.
This is a study of the attitudes and experiences of gay, lesbian, bisexual, same-gender loving, and same-sex partnered persons regarding the debate over recognition of civil marriage for same-sex couples. The purpose of this study is to document attitudes and experiences at several points in time in all states. Our hope is that the findings from this research project will contribute to an understanding of the experiences of GLB and same-sex partnered individuals in the United States during these times. The survey is open to those that identify as GLB, same-gender loving, or same-sex partnered, are 18 or older and a U.S. citizen or living in the U.S.
The deadline to complete the survey in order to enter a drawing for gift certificates is June 15, 2006.
Lear more at the PRISM Research survey website.
Saturday, April 29. 2006
A tolerance march in Poland erupted into violence as anti-gay protesters conntected to the government threw stones, brcks and eggs at gay marchers. The protesters, members of the All Poland Youth, held what they called a Tradition march according to the BBC. Marchers in the gay and lesbian Equality Days march attempted to change their route but were confronted by the youth marchers and attacked them causing dozens of injuries and some hospitalizations.
Poland is not known for their tolerance of gays which became painfully clear when they elected Lech Kaczynski, the outspoken anti-gay former Mayor of Warsaw, as their president last year. As mayor of Kaczynski twice banned a gay equality parade but allowed an anti-gay "normality parade and is infamous for calling homosexuality un-natural.
Shortly after being elected the European Commission warned that Poland could lose their voting rights in the EU in part because of Kaczynski's strong oppostion to gay gay rights protected by the EU's minority protection rules.
Sources: BBC , Radio Poland, & 365 Gay
Tuesday, April 18. 2006
A friend from Amsterdam who used to run an online gaming magazine sent me this tip about a queer video game called Queerland by Molleindustria. Queerland is described as a place where "inhabitants don't have fixed sexual orientations and roles".
The start-up screen tells players that "Queerland inhabitants fornicate following highly changeable desires" and to "forget what you learned at school about the two genders and enjoy a trip in this odd world!" Odd World? Sounds like plain old vanilla bisex to me. Come to think of it one could argue that gender queerness is no more odd than those gamers spending hours in front of a screen. Oh wait, I spend hours in front of the screen too, hmmm.
Continue reading "Queer Power in Queerland"
Friday, April 7. 2006
Gay furniture maven Mitchell Gold is working on a national educational campaign to end religious bigotry against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people in the US through the upstart not-for-profit Faith in America.
The organization's mission is for "the emancipation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from bigotry disguised as religious truth" and is headed by the Rev. Jimmy Creech. Gold is the largest contributor to a campaign expected to cost between $10-16 million. The aim is to affect change in just one year. Gold told The Advocate, "This is not 'Let's spend a couple of hundred thousand dollars and let's see what happens. Our attitude is that this is a one-year project. I want to change this country in one year."
The project, which started in February, centers around a media campaign starting with print ads that will appear in local and national markets but will later extend to other media like radio, TV and film according to the organization's website.
Continue reading "Gay Sofa King Donates Millions to End Religious Bigotry"
Friday, March 17. 2006
In solidarity with blogger Justin Watt’s problem with Exodus International, we here at Big Queer have posted his very funny ex-gay parody ad (above). Wait what issue you ask? Well if you haven't yet heard, the ex-gay group Exodus International has served Mr. Watt, and at least one other blogger, with a cease and desist order for creating a parody of a billboard ad Exodus sponsored in Orlando, Florida.
The original ad asks unhappy queers to visit the Exodus website which states that the ad is, "aimed at offering hope and help to those conflicted and discontented in homosexuality."
Watt's parody billboard asks unhappy heterosexuals to visit gay website www.gay.com, with which Watt has no affiliation. It should come as no surprise that Exodus, an organization that arguably tries to force people into denying their sexual identity, would also seek to force Watt into giving up his right to free speech.
Fortunately Watt is not giving up his free speech rights so easily. This whole issue reminds me of the case Matel brought against the Dutch Danish (thanks Danish Guy) singers of the Barbie song a few years ago. Fortunately the judge in that case ruled against Matel and in favor of parody.
The whole thing is pretty ironic, in my humble opinion, since Exodus International is really just a giant parody in and of itself anyway. Have you seen the ridiculous and misleading information they release in an attempt to manipulate people into believing that homosexuality is wrong or unhealthy or something that can be changed (in contrast to legitimate research and knowledge).
Now, I wonder what would happen if hundreds or thousands of bloggers and website publishers decided to support the right to parody and free speech and posted an image of the parody billboard ad on their own sites?
Wednesday, March 15. 2006
The American Family Association (AFA), a fundamentalist Christian hate group, is leading a boycott of Ford Motor Company by 18 Christian organizations. The AFA canceled a threatened boycott of the auto giant in December claiming that Ford had agreed it would no longer advertise in gay media.
After word of the alleged secret agreement got out, gay community leaders met with Ford representatives and the automaker found itself at the center of what some are calling a culture war. Ford eventually re-affirmed it's commitment to the gay community and once again began advertising in gay media outlets for all of its brands.
Now it seems the AFA is once again up in arms over Ford's focus on inclusion, diversity, and marketing to the gay community (this is business after all) and asking people to pledge to boycott Ford and contact their local dealers. This time Ford has quickly with a spokesperson stating, "Ford is proud of its tradition of treating all with respect and we remain focused on that we do best, building and selling innovative cars and trucks worldwide."
How can such a hateful group call themselves "American Family"? I'm so glad I'm not part of that family!
Sources: Reuters and The Washington Post
Tuesday, March 7. 2006
QUEER TACTICS SHORT FILM FEST
A night celebrating short films at the National Queer Arts Festival, San Francisco, 2006
This open call for entries seeks works that examines Queer Tactics through documentary, narrative, comedy, animation, experimentation and/or music video. Work must be less than 20 minutes. Please include sub-titles for non-English language films. All work screened in the festival should be completed by May, 2006, works in progress accepted for submission copy. Submission Deadline March 15, 2006.
This year's theme for the National Queer Arts Festival is "Hope and Healing in Times of War" we encourage you to submit work or create work that blends this theme with the notion of Queer Tactics for the festival.
-Running Time less than 20 minutes.
-25 word synopsis
-Current Contact information.
-Websites and press kits
-$10 submission fee/ or proof income less than 20k
Questions? and for submission form
Monday, February 6. 2006
Marriage Equality Now is holding their second annual rally and march to support equal marriage rights for queers in Seattle, Washington March 11, 2006.
Organizers are calling the rally a "call to action" and are encouraging people around the country to get involved stating, "the more numbers we get, the bigger the impact, and it can create momentum, not only in Washington State, but nationally."
For more information, visit Marriage Equality Now.
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