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Big Queer Blog http://bigqueer.com/ en Serendipity 1.7.8 - http://www.s9y.org/ Sat, 17 May 2014 17:26:27 GMT http://bigqueer.com/favicon.ico RSS: Big Queer Blog - http://bigqueer.com/ Judge Rules DOMA Unconstitutional http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/337-Judge-Rules-DOMA-Unconstitutional.html News Politics http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/337-Judge-Rules-DOMA-Unconstitutional.html#comments http://bigqueer.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=337 2 http://bigqueer.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=337 nospam@example.com (Sascha) A federal judge in Massachusetts sided with gay and lesbian advocates by ruling that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) violates the constitutional rights of same-sex couples legally married in their state. It's the start of a long battle that will likely end up in the Supreme Court and eventually provide equality not only to US citizens but allow US citizens and permanant residents to sponsor their same-sex non-citizen partners. <br /> <blockquote>Source: <a href="http://immigrationequality.org" title="Immigration Equality Blog ">Immigration Equality</a></blockquote> Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:46:14 -0400 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/337-guid.html doma immigration equality judge ma Maine Voters Speak Out http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/336-Maine-Voters-Speak-Out.html http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/336-Maine-Voters-Speak-Out.html#comments http://bigqueer.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=336 2 http://bigqueer.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=336 nospam@example.com (Sal Paradise) And apparently they don't like us very much. Maine's gay marriage law, passed by the state legislature and signed by the Governor John Baldacci earlier this year, was repealed when voters took to the polls to vote yesterday. It pains me that the majority is continued to allow to vote on minority rights issues. And it pains me even more that I had to update our Big Queer Map. <br /> <br /> <img width='500' height='324' border='0' hspace='5' src='http://bigqueer.com/uploads/usa_map_3.jpg' alt='' /> Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:57:42 -0500 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/336-guid.html civil rights equal marriage equal rights gay marriage john baldacci maine Campus Pride's Top 25 for 2009 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/335-Campus-Prides-Top-25-for-2009.html Announcements http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/335-Campus-Prides-Top-25-for-2009.html#comments http://bigqueer.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=335 0 http://bigqueer.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=335 nospam@example.com (Sascha) <!-- s9ymdb:357 --><img class="serendipity_image_center" width="200" height="125" style="border: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;" src="http://bigqueer.com/uploads/campus_pride_list.jpg" alt="" /><br /> Big Queer congratulations to our very own <a href="http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/authors/12-Pauline-Park" title="entries by Pauline Park">Pauline Park</a> for making the Campus Pride's 2009 Hot 25 list.<br /> <br /> Pauline was noted for co-founding the New York Association of Gender Rights Advocacy (<a href="http://www.nyagra.com" title="the New York Association of Gender Rights Advocacy (NYAGRA)">NYAGRA</a>) as well as her work negotiating inclusion of "the first fully transgender-inclusive legislation" that was introduced in the New York legislature.<br /> <br /> You can learn more on <a href="http://www.paulinepark.com" title="pauline park">Pauline Park's website</a>.<br /> Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:03:13 -0400 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/335-guid.html campus pride nyagra pauline park New Big Queer Facebook Page http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/334-New-Big-Queer-Facebook-Page.html Announcements http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/334-New-Big-Queer-Facebook-Page.html#comments http://bigqueer.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=334 0 http://bigqueer.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=334 nospam@example.com (Sascha) <a class='serendipity_image_link' href='http://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Queer/173633418256?ref=search&sid=1232139935.1649110697..1'><!-- s9ymdb:356 --><img class="serendipity_image_center" width="200" height="71" style="border: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px;" src="http://bigqueer.com/uploads/fb_fan.jpg" alt="" /></a><br /> <br /> Come join us on our new <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Queer/173633418256?ref=search&sid=1232139935.1649110697..1" title="big queer fan page on facebook">Big Queer Facebook page</a>. <br /> <br /> Everybody's doing it! Don't be left out. Don't be left behind. Get ready, get set, join the fun! Be sure to add us and keep us updated on what you're up to. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:05:40 -0400 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/334-guid.html facebook fan Theatre is Alive in New York - Thunder Above, Deeps Below http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/333-Theatre-is-Alive-in-New-York-Thunder-Above,-Deeps-Below.html Arts & Culture http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/333-Theatre-is-Alive-in-New-York-Thunder-Above,-Deeps-Below.html#comments http://bigqueer.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=333 0 http://bigqueer.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=333 nospam@example.com (Sascha) <!-- s9ymdb:354 --><img class="serendipity_image_left" width="350" height="250" style="float: left; border: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;" src="http://bigqueer.com/uploads/ArtCulture/thunder_above_deeps_below.jpg" alt="" />While some may claim that the theatre is dead I want to tell you all that it's alive and well in New York. <br /> <br /> Last Friday I had the pleasure of kick-starting my weekend with the best theatre I've seen in a long time. In <em>Thunder Above, Deeps Below</em>, playwright A. Rey Pamatmat tells the story of three homeless kids living on the streets of Chicago. He combines themes of gender and sexuality with classic themes of human survival and belief in the supernatural that take you through a full range of human emotion. I was thrilled, disturbed and exhausted when I left the performance. Now that's good theatre.<br /> <br /> Since the A. Rey (aka <a href="http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/authors/5-Bigmouth" title="A. Rey Pamatmat">Big Mouth</a>) is a contributing editor to Big Queer (and a close friend) don't take my word for it alone. Daniel John Kelly's spot on review of the play over at <a href="http://www.nytheatre.com/nytheatre/showpage.php?t=thun8831" title="NY Theatre ">NY Theatre.com</a> states: <blockquote>"Inspired by the late romances of Shakespeare, playwright A. Rey Pamatmat has created a wondrous magical adventure with <em>Thunder Above, Deeps Below</em>. It's large, loud, and complex—at times deeply funny, at times deeply disturbing. The play does credit to its classical roots while telling a story with real human characters that are entirely contemporary. Throughout the play, I found myself leaning forward in my seat, a huge smile on my face, totally immersed in the fantastical and yet heart-wrenching reality of the world of <em>Thunder Above, Deeps Below</em>."</blockquote>I saw a staged reading of the play at the 2008 Eugene <a href="http://www.oneilltheatercenter.org/prog/plays/playprog.htm" title="Eugene O'Neill Theatre National Playwrights Conference">Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference</a> and was bowled over by it. Now in this world premier production, I am reminded how thrilling the theatre can be when you combine the talent of a brilliant writer with a super director and great cast. <br /> <br /> Do not wait to get tickets as it runs only to September 26, 2009. Click your mouses over to <a href="http://www.2g.org/upcoming/" title="Second Generation Theatre">Second Generation</a> reserve your tickets and get ready for some intense theatre. Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:41:27 -0400 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/333-guid.html chicago homeless new york play theatre http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/332-The-Mets-New-Season-Warhorses-to-Opera-Rarities.html Arts & Culture http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/332-The-Mets-New-Season-Warhorses-to-Opera-Rarities.html#comments http://bigqueer.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=332 0 http://bigqueer.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=332 nospam@example.com (Pauline Park) <em>This post from one of our most dedicated contributors marks a departure from our stated editorial focus so let us know what you think. If you want to to read more arts, entertainment, or travel posts of a general nature without a queer slant please let us know by posting a comment below.</em><br /> <br /> <div class="serendipity_imageComment_center"><div class="serendipity_imageComment_img"><!-- s9ymdb:349 --><img class="serendipity_image_center" width="500" height="75" src="http://bigqueer.com/uploads/ArtCulture/metopera2009new.jpg" alt="Production stills from left to right: Carmen, Tosca, Les Contes d’Hoffmann &amp; Hamlet" /></div><div class="serendipity_imageComment_txt">Production stills from left to right: Carmen, Tosca, Les Contes d’Hoffmann &amp; Hamlet</div></div><br /> <a href="http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/" title="The Metropolitan Opera" target="_blank">The Metropolitan Opera’s</a> 2009-10 season is anything if not eclectic, representing a judicious mix of old warhorses and operatic rarities. The new season will feature eight new productions – four of which are being billed as "company premieres" – and 18 revivals.<br /> <br /> Among the "tried and true" are new productions of two of the most popular operas in the repertoire: Bizet’s <em>Carmen</em> and Puccini’s <em>Tosca</em>. From the French repertoire, the Met will be offering new productions of Jacques Offenbach’s <em>Les Contes d’Hoffmann</em> (<em>The Tales of Hoffmann</em>) and Ambroise Thomas’s <em>Hamlet</em>, the latter based (somewhat loosely) on the Shakespeare play of that name.<br /> <br /> But perhaps most interesting to veteran operagoers will be the four new productions of operas never before heard at the Met: Rossini’s <em>Armida</em>, Verdi’s <em>Attila</em>, Janá&#269;ek’s <em>From the House of the Dead</em>, and Shostakovich’s <em>The Nose</em> – all of which deserve the appellation "rarity." <div class="serendipity_imageComment_right"><div class="serendipity_imageComment_img"><!-- s9ymdb:350 --><img class="serendipity_image_right" width="272" height="164" src="http://bigqueer.com/uploads/ArtCulture/armida_fleming.jpg" alt="Renée Fleming in Armida" /></div><div class="serendipity_imageComment_txt">Renée Fleming in <em>Armida</em></div></div>One has the impression that <em>Armida</em> is being staged to showcase the Met's reigning diva of the day, Renée Fleming; certainly, even among ardent Rossinians, there will be few who have seen this opera anywhere since its premiere in Naples in 1817. As for the rationale for staging <em>Attila</em> – one of the most obscure and rarely staged of any of the early Verdi operas – there has been little demand as far as I am aware – whether here in New York or elsewhere – for operatic depictions of the ruthless leader of the nomadic Huns. One could certainly imagine that the entertainment value of hearing Attila the Hun singing in Italian in 4/4 time could wear thin over a long evening in the theater.<br /> <br /> But having commissioned Tan Dun to produce the bloated and pretentious bomb of an opera about the first emperor of China (imaginatively entitled <em>The First Emperor</em>) for the 2006-2007 season, the Met may wish to follow up by commissioning an opera about the life of Genghis Khan, Timur, or some other well-known bloodthirsty conqueror of yore.<br /> <br /> Perhaps even more adventurous in subject matter than <em>Attila</em> is Shostakovich’s opera about a man "who wakes up to discover that his nose has disappeared." But the most intriguing of all the new productions is that <em>From the House of the Dead</em>, which Janá&#269;ek set in a Siberian prison camp. First staged in the Czech city of Brno in 1930, <em>From the House of the Dead</em> was Janá&#269;ek’s last opera and considered by some to be his most extraordinary. Directed by Patrice Chéreau – best-known for his controversial 1976 Bayreuth production of Wagner’s Ring cycle – and co-produced with three European companies, this new production of Janá&#269;ek’s final work for the stage was voted Europe’s best opera staging for 2007.<br /> <br /> <div class="serendipity_imageComment_left"><div class="serendipity_imageComment_img"><!-- s9ymdb:351 --><img class="serendipity_image_left" width="200" height="267" src="http://bigqueer.com/uploads/ArtCulture/tosca_mattila.jpg" alt="Karita Mattila in Tosca (Photo by Brigitte Lacombe)" /></div><div class="serendipity_imageComment_txt">Karita Mattila in <em>Tosca</em> (Photo by Brigitte Lacombe)</div></div>The new Met season commences with an opening night gala on September 21 with Karita Mattila singing the title role in Puccini's <em>Tosca</em> for the first time at the Met. Tosca is not a role one immediately associates with the Finnish soprano, but she is an exceptionally versatile singer and one of the best dramatic sopranos in opera today. The other special event of the season is the New Year’s Eve gala performance of Bizet's <em>Carmen</em>, with Angela Gheorghiu – a Romanian soprano with a distinctly mixed track record – in the title role.<br /> <br /> The new season is being described by the Met as "the first to be entirely planned under Peter Gelb’s leadership," reflecting the still new-ish general manager's attempt to put his own innovative stamp on a company with something of a reputation for staging stodgy productions of old warhorses studded with temperamental big-name stars. Certainly, one can have no doubt that long-time music director James Levine still exerts great influence over the choice of singers as well as productions; but with this new season, the Met is becoming Peter Gelb's Met as much as it was at one time Sir Rudolph Bing's Met.<br /> <br /> Gelb's audacious efforts to increase the audience for opera through the screening of filmed stage productions in movie theaters around the country and around the world is a calculated gamble that whatever revenue may be lost to the house will be more than offset by bringing new subscribers and especially younger people into the fold of an aging and predominantly white and middle-class opera-going public. It may not be too much of an exaggeration to say that the future of opera as a living art form may hinge at least in part on the success or failure of such efforts to expand the base for opera in general as well as for the Metropolitan Opera in particular.<br /> <br /> For more information about the 2009-2010 season, go to:<br /> <a href="http://www.metoperafamily.org" title="Met Opera Family" target="_blank">http://www.metoperafamily.org</a> Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:28:47 -0400 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/332-guid.html Going West http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/331-Going-West.html Entertainment http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/331-Going-West.html#comments http://bigqueer.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=331 1 http://bigqueer.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=331 nospam@example.com (Wajaja) <!-- s9ymdb:347 --><img class="serendipity_image_right" width="220" height="228" style="float: right; border: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;" src="http://bigqueer.com/uploads/220px-Neil_Tennant_crop.jpg" alt="Neil Tennant" />In 1994, Neil Tennant of the <a href="http://www.petshopboys.co.uk/" title="Pet Shop Boys">Pet Shop Boys</a> came out publicly in an interview for the UK gay magazine, <a href="http://www.attitude.co.uk" title="Attitude" target="<u>blank"><em>Attitude</em></a>. It was then when they had just released the album <em>Very</em> which includes a remake of Village People's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_West</u>(song)" title="Go West" target="_blank"><em>Go West</em></a>.<br /> <br /> I just turned 18.<br /> <br /> I was just in the process of coming out to myself that I was gay, in Hong Kong (which explains the British magazine). And I started reading <a href="http://www.attitude.co.uk" title="Attitude" target="_blank"><em>Attitude</em></a> regularly.<br /> <br /> Although I honestly don't remember anything from that interview, knowing someone who publicly admitted his sexuality was a big deal for me. I can't tell you exactly how I reacted or how I felt at the time, but one thing that I knew for sure: I wasn't alone. There is someone out there whom I know for sure that he shares the same sexuality as mine.<br /> <br /> 15 years later, the PSB is coming "west" from the UK for their US tour this month. I can hardly wait to sing and dance to <em>Go West</em> again with Neil in New York in a couple of days. Well, I surely hope that it's on the run-down.<br /> <br /> To all of you closeted celebrities out there, please do everyone a favor and come out. You will make a difference. Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:05:58 -0400 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/331-guid.html coming out hong kong new york pet shop boys HRC: Homosexual Men Tortured and Killed in Iraq http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/330-HRC-Homosexual-Men-Tortured-and-Killed-in-Iraq.html http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/330-HRC-Homosexual-Men-Tortured-and-Killed-in-Iraq.html#comments http://bigqueer.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=330 2 http://bigqueer.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=330 nospam@example.com (Sal Paradise) Yesterday the Human Rights Campaign issued a 67-page report titled "<a href="http://www.hrw.org/node/85050">'They Want Us Exterminated': Murder, Torture, Sexual Orientation and Gender in Iraq</a>" that claims that Iraqi militias are "carrying out a spreading campaign of torture and murder against men suspected of homosexual conduct, or of not being 'manly' enough, and Iraq authorities have done nothing to stop the killing." A spokesperson for the militia warned of a "third sex" and the "feminization" of Iraqi men. The terrorism takes the form of kidnappings off the street and even from homes of suspected homosexuals. The victims are tortured until they reveal the names of other Iraqi gay men and are then murdered. Gay sex is not a crime under Iraqi law, but it appears that "Islamic law" is what many militia leaders consider the governing law of the country. Killing homosexuals is considered an "honor killing," much like a father murdering a "socially disgraced" daughter, which means that the penalties under Iraqi law for such crimes is reportedly mitigated under a provision enacted during Saddam Hussein's reign. Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:36:07 -0400 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/330-guid.html hate crime homophobia honor killing human rights campaign iraq middle east saddam hussein We made the list - Best 100 LGBT Blogs http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/329-We-made-the-list-Best-100-LGBT-Blogs.html Announcements http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/329-We-made-the-list-Best-100-LGBT-Blogs.html#comments http://bigqueer.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=329 2 http://bigqueer.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=329 nospam@example.com (Sascha) <!-- s9ymdb:346 --><img class="serendipity_image_left" width="125" height="185" style="float: left; border: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;" src="http://bigqueer.com/uploads/lgf_logo.gif" alt="" />They like us, they really like us! What's more it wasn't a "top" 100 list or a "most popular" list but the "BEST 100" list. W00t! Thanks to the folks at The Lesbian and Gay Foundation for noticing not only noticing us but including us in their Best 100 LGBT Blogs list. The list is impressive and we're honored to be a part of the list. <br /> <br /> We'll keep brining you news, opinions and commentary about our big diverse queer wold from the perspectives of our small diverse group of <a href="http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/pages/contributors.html">Big Queer Writers</a>. And if you've got something to say and know how to say it <a href="http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/pages/contactform.html" title="contactd big queer">drop us a line.</a> We're always interested in hearing from good writers. Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:37:15 -0400 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/329-guid.html Transgender-sensitive health care providers in NYC http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/328-Transgender-sensitive-health-care-providers-in-NYC.html Health News http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/328-Transgender-sensitive-health-care-providers-in-NYC.html#comments http://bigqueer.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=328 3 http://bigqueer.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=328 nospam@example.com (Pauline Park) <em><strong>Update (8/20/2009):</strong> You can now <a href="http://www.transgenderlegal.org/media/uploads/doc_178.pdf" title="Download Transgender Health Care Provider Directory" target="_blank">download "Transgender Health Care Provider Directory"</a> in PDF (8MB).</em><br /> <br /> <!-- s9ymdb:345 --><img class="serendipity_image_right" width="210" height="319" style="float: right; border: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;" src="http://bigqueer.com/uploads/nyagra_health_cover.jpg" alt="NYAGRA's Transgender Health Care Provider Directory (New York City Metropolitan Area)" />On July 21, the <a href="http://www.nyagra.com" title="NYAGRA" target="_blank">New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy (NYAGRA)</a> will distribute copies of the first public directory of transgender-sensitive providers in the New York City metropolitan area ever published. The Gender Identity Project (GIP) of the <a href="http://www.gaycenter.org/" title="Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual &amp; Transgender Community Center" target="_blank">Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual &amp; Transgender Community Center</a> (208 W. 13th St. in Manhattan) will host a special event from 7-9 p.m. at which hundreds of copies of the provider directory will be distributed to members of the transgender community. The directory – which includes of physicians, mental health professionals, acupuncturists, and AIDS agencies as well as other health care providers – is a project of the Transgender Health Initiative of New York (THINY), a community organizing project whose goal is to ensure that transgendered and gender non-conforming people can access health care in a safe, respectful and non-discriminatory manner. THINY was established by the Transgender Legal Defense &amp; Education Fund (TLDEF), NYAGRA, and the Center GIP in 2004 and has been coordinated by TLDEF staff since then. Transgendered and gender-variant people face pervasive discrimination and insensitivity when trying to access on health care in New York City and its metropolitan area. Up until now, community members could access transgender-sensitive physicians and other health care providers through referrals from the GIP and other social service providers, but there has never been a published directory of such health care providers available to the general public. The 26-page NYAGRA directory was compiled by Kelly White under the direction of <a href="http://www.paulinepark.com" title="Pauline Park" target="_blank">Pauline Park</a>, chair of the NYAGRA board of directors. White is a Cornell University student who joined NYAGRA in June 2009 as part of a paid summer internship through the <a href="http://www.aap.cornell.edu/crp/programs/cusp" title="Cornell Urban Scholars Program (CUSP)" target="_blank">Cornell Urban Scholars Program (CUSP)</a>. Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:16:09 -0400 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/328-guid.html health care new york new york city nyagra pauline park transgender The Brian Lehrer Show, the Stonewall riots & transgender rights http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/327-The-Brian-Lehrer-Show,-the-Stonewall-riots-transgender-rights.html Arts & Culture Commentary & Opinion Politics http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/327-The-Brian-Lehrer-Show,-the-Stonewall-riots-transgender-rights.html#comments http://bigqueer.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=327 2 http://bigqueer.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=327 nospam@example.com (Pauline Park) <!-- s9ymdb:343 --><img class="serendipity_image_right" width="200" height="216" style="float: right; border: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;" src="http://bigqueer.com/uploads/wnyc_lehrer.jpg" alt="WNYC - Brian Lehrer" />I listen to the <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/" title="The Brian Lehrer Show" target="_blank">Brian Lehrer Show</a> almost every morning on <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/" title="WNYC" target="_blank">WNYC</a> (the New York City affiliate of National Public Radio) and I'm a huge fan of Brian's, so I was excited to get a call from one of his producers inviting me to the Greene Space on June 23 to participate in a <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2009/06/23" title="From Stonewall to Gay Marriage" target="_blank">panel discussion</a> with a live audience on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots and the future of the LGBT movement (<a href="http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2009/06/23" title="From Stonewall to Gay Marriage" target="_blank"><em>From Stonewall to Gay Marriage</em></a>, 6/23/09).<br /> <br /> <!-- s9ymdb:344 --><img class="serendipity_image_left" width="180" height="214" style="float: left; border: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;" src="http://bigqueer.com/uploads/Contributors/Pauline_EqualityJusticeDay2009.jpg" alt="Pauline Park on Equality and Justice Day 2009.jpg" />Because there were so many people on the panel, I only managed to get in three sentences during the whole segment. But Brian had me back on the show for a solo appearance on June 26 to talk about transgender rights (<a href="http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2009/06/26" title="Follow-Up Friday: Transgender Rights and Cell Phones and Planes" target="_blank"><em>Follow-Up Friday: Transgender Rights and Cell Phones and Planes</em></a>, 6/26/09). In the course of the 20-minute interview, I took the opportunity to talk about the need for enactment of the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) as well as the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) -- both of which are pending in the exceptionally dysfunctional New York State Senate. In addition to pending state legislation, Brian and I discussed local issues, including the failure of the openly lesbian New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn to support a progressive and LGBT-inclusive legislative agenda in the City Council.<br /> <object width="350" height="36"><param name="movie" value="http://www.wnyc.org/flashplayer/mp3player.swf?config=http://www.wnyc.org/flashplayer/config_share.xml&file=http://www.wnyc.org/stream/xspf/135253"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.wnyc.org/flashplayer/mp3player.swf?config=http://www.wnyc.org/flashplayer/config_share.xml&file=http://www.wnyc.org/stream/xspf/135253" id="WNYC_Mp3_Player_135253" name="WNYC_Mp3_Player_135253" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" wmode="transparent" height="36" width="350"></embed></object><br /> <br /> <a href="http://council.nyc.gov/d3/html/members/home.shtml" title="Christine Quinn" target="_blank">Chris Quinn</a> represents the 3rd Council district, which includes Greenwich Village and Chelsea. Quinn is facing a strong challenge by another 'out' lesbian, community activist <a href="http://yettakurland.com/splash/index.html" title="Yetta Kurland" target="_blank">Yetta Kurland</a>. More about that race later. Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:18:51 -0400 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/327-guid.html brain lehrer new york new york city public radio transgender transgender rights wnyc HIV ban will be lifted quite soon (for real) http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/326-HIV-ban-will-be-lifted-quite-soon-for-real.html News Politics http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/326-HIV-ban-will-be-lifted-quite-soon-for-real.html#comments http://bigqueer.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=326 1 http://bigqueer.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=326 nospam@example.com (Wajaja) <!-- s9ymdb:342 --><a href="http://immigrationequality.org/template.php?pageid=5" title="HIV Ban: The End Is in Sight" target="_blank"><img class="serendipity_image_right" width="248" height="216" style="float: right; border: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;" src="http://bigqueer.com/uploads/Politics/hivbanhome.jpg" alt="HIV Ban: The End Is in Sight" /></a>Almost one year ago, <a href="http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/278-US-HIV-travel-ban-to-be-gone....html" title="US HIV travel ban to be gone...">the US Senate voted against the HIV ban</a>. On July 20, 2008, President Bush "signed the re-authorization of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which included a provision eliminating the HIV ban from the Immigration and Nationality Act." (<a href="http://immigrationequality.org/blog/?p=607" title="Immigration Equality: The End of the HIV Ban... Still Waiting" target="_blank">Immigration Equality, 1/14/2009</a>). <br /> <br /> Today, the Department of Human and Health Services (HHS) finally published its proposed regulations to lift the HIV travel and immigration ban in the Federal Register for a 45-day period of public comment.<br /> <br /> It has certainly taken a long time and a lot of lobbying effort to reach this monumental point: when the HHS finally published its proposed regulations, before issuing the final regulations -- the day when all HIV-infected individuals will not be discriminated against from entering the country. Please <a href="http://www.immigrationequality.org/template3.php?pageid=1142" title="Sign Immigration Equality's Public Comment on Ending the Ban" target="_blank">respond to the HHS with your supportive comments</a>. <br /> <br /> We continue to thank and applaud <a href="http://immigrationequality.org" title="Immigration Equality" target="_blank">Immigration Equality</a> for their dedicated commitment to end this discrimination against all HIV-infected individuals. Kudos!!! Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:00:43 -0400 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/326-guid.html bush hiv ban immigration immigration equality travel us Benefit of the Doubt http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/325-Benefit-of-the-Doubt.html News Politics http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/325-Benefit-of-the-Doubt.html#comments http://bigqueer.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=325 0 http://bigqueer.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=325 nospam@example.com (Sal Paradise) President Obama will sign a memorandum today to extend benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. This according to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/us/politics/17gays.html?_r=1&hp" ><i>The New York Times</i></a>, which is also reporting that Obama will stop short of pledging full health insurance coverage. The reason? Broad coverage "could require legislation." Under mounting pressure from gay rights leaders and the community at large, this is a small gesture of goodwill, but according to Richard Socarides, a former Clinton administration adviser, "more important now is what he says tomorrow about the future for gay people during his presidency." Several states have legalized same-sex marriage in recent months, but the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" debate seems bogged down by the reluctance of both the U.S. Military and the president to take action. And a Department of Justice legal brief defending Clinton's shameful Defense of Marriage Act was a slap in the face to voters who elected Obama under the assumption that he would keep his promise to repeal both DOMA and Don't Ask, Don't Tell. It's clear to me that Obama is playing a careful game of politics, and we certainly shouldn't begrudge his attempt to maintain his mainstream popularity, but the gay community deserves more than crumbs. Justice delayed is justice denied. Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:05:30 -0400 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/325-guid.html Barack Obama DOMA Don't Ask Don't Tell gay rights health insurance benefits same-sex marriage Hope? Change? http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/324-Hope-Change.html Commentary & Opinion Politics http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/324-Hope-Change.html#comments http://bigqueer.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=324 0 http://bigqueer.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=324 nospam@example.com (Fastlad) <img width='250' height='376' border='0' hspace='5' align='left' src='http://bigqueer.com/uploads/obamahope.jpg' alt='' />There’s a raft of life-changing civil rights just waiting to be won by the Gay, Lesbian, Transsexual, Bisexual movement in America and we need the President we helped elect to step up. <br /> <br /> Now.<br /> <br /> The tipping point, the Year One watershed that startled almost as many gay people as straight ones by its passing, was the Prop 8 amendment in California last November. Recriminations about how or why this happened have their place, but here’s the result: overnight 18,000 previously legal same sex marriages entered a new an unprecedented legal limbo, and all future same sex marriages were indefinitely postponed. <br /> <br /> That this was happening on the same night Obama was elected made it feel like living in two separate Americas simultaneously, like watching the last scene of two Shakespearean dramas, with startlingly different outcomes, superimposed, one over the other. It sucked. <br /> <br /> If you’re gay, lesbian, transgender or bisexual in America, Prop 8 reminded the nation, you can win your rights, then have your rights stripped, to dwell in a new and alternate legal reality of your neighbors devising, depending on who shows up to vote.<br /> <br /> That’s 18,000 souls, cast adrift from a polity that refuses to acknowledge them, or throw them a lifeline, or lament their plight. <br /> <br /> The most disturbing silence of all is emanating from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue this Pride Month, where our self-described fierce advocate for gay, lesbian, transsexual and bisexual rights, President Barack Obama, hasn’t said a damn word about the raft of signature GLTB issues before him in his first 100 days. <br /> <br /> There they sit, those heady promises of Hope and Change made to the Gay Lesbian Transsexual and Bisexual community, now looking forlorn and languishing after 100 days of complete neglect, like some unpopular kid with cooties on prom night. <br /> <br /> Not only is this exasperating, it isn’t smart. Barack Obama possesses a near miraculous eloquence, he knows the power of words to harm and heal; and like all good politicians, he knows the moment to act has arrived. So why doesn’t he?<br /> <br /> There are much more formidable tasks before him than repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. There are far thornier issues to tackle than the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. How hard can it be really to strongly and emphatically encourage Congress to grant immigration equality to GLTB couples under the Uniting American Families Act? Couldn’t he have lamented the two-tired America that Prop 8 has conjured?<br /> <br /> Some – not everyone - say that Obama’s just another middle-way career politician in the Clinton mold, with all the cynicism that implies. They scratch their heads at our naïveté. The best we can hope for, they say, is a benign head of state, who although he won’t help, also won’t hinder the glacial progress on gay issues.<br /> <br /> But I don’t agree. Neither, I think, does Obama himself. Here’s a role redefining, once in a generation leader, and a man with a profound and deep commitment to equality – and I believe he sees himself that way, too. For proof just look at how he carries himself on the world stage. That’s not just swagger, it’s a mission statement. <br /> <br /> I have to believe he’s getting anachronistic and piss poor advice from his handlers. I have to believe that he’s ignoring his own strong political instincts for the sake of larger projects like – yanno – rescuing the American economy and ensuring affordable health care for all. Clearly, these are big, momentous challenges. No one’s denying that. But neither is it impossible for a President, in the midst of such challenges, to repeal discrimination where he sees it. One can walk and chew gum, after all.<br /> <br /> What’s new, what’s interesting, is that lately the punches from political and religious gay bashing organizations like National Organization for Marriage and Focus on the Family really haven’t been landing like they used to. In fact, with their over the top theatricality and rosary bead rattling they’ve actually been striking at the very rationale those organizations exist to promote. This is SIGNIFICANT. It means that we’re in a new and unprecedented moment of transformation. <br /> <br /> It’s time to act.<br /> <br /> If Barack Obama continues to refuse to stand up for the GLTB community and loses our patience and support, by the end of this year he will have forfeited one of the most ardent and activist parts of his base. <br /> <br /> Perhaps he thinks he can build a coalition without the GLTB’s, but I wouldn’t rate his chances. <br /> <br /> Nor would I underrate our own. Mon, 08 Jun 2009 06:27:00 -0400 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/324-guid.html immigration equality obama prop 8 uafa uniting american families act Big Queer Map: 6 Down, 44 to Go http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/323-Big-Queer-Map-6-Down,-44-to-Go.html News Politics http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/323-Big-Queer-Map-6-Down,-44-to-Go.html#comments http://bigqueer.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=323 0 http://bigqueer.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=323 nospam@example.com (Sal Paradise) Yesterday, New Hampshire became the sixth state in the union to allow same-sex marriage. The new legislation, passed by the state House and Senate and signed by the governor, will take effect on January 1st, 2010. In celebration of each new victory and as a reminder of how far we still have to go, Big Queer has decided to start tallying the states that legalize gay marriage with our Big Queer Map.<br /> <br /> States that allow gay marriage: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.<br /> <br /> <img width='500' height='324' border='0' hspace='5' src='http://bigqueer.com/uploads/usa_map_2.jpg' alt='' /> Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:45:43 -0400 http://bigqueer.com/index.php?/archives/323-guid.html civil rights gay marriage marriage equality new hampshire