Ameriqueer

Attack victims believe they were targeted for being gay | ksdk.com | St. Louis, MO : "KSDK-- St. Louis Police are investigating an attack early Saturday outside a nightclub on Chouteau Avenue. And while police say it's too soon to tell whether this will be categorized as a hate crime, the victims believe they were targeted because they're gay. Jacob Piwowarczyk says, 'I have a soft tissue bruise on my elbow. I have six stitches in my eye and I have a mild concussion.' These are the physical reminders, of a night Piwowarczyk won't soon forget. He and two friends were leaving the Complex Nightclub when it happened. Piwowarczyk says, 'They came up out of the car and they start calling us f*^%#.'" A few tips to all of my queer friends. Never walk alone at night. Always avoid poorly lit, dim areas. Try to go in big groups. Stay as sober as you can be so you can run away when you need to. Finally NEVER EVER let them scare you so much that you stop li...

Window, Unite Media Owes Over $15M to Creditors « The NLGJA Blog : "Reports are now beginning to trickle in regarding the financial collapse of Window Media. ProjectQAtlanta has gotten the first look at bankruptcy filings by Window Media and Unite Media (the media unit of Avalon Equity Partners, the owners of Window Media) and the initial list of creditors shows the companies owes over $1 million in payroll and other taxes and more than $400,000 to printers. The filings, in a federal bankruptcy court in Atlanta, show pages of unsecured and secured creditors, including employees, freelancers, vendors, and shareholders. Before any of those people get paid, the Avalon Equity and M&T Bank will be first to get paid under the Chapter 7 bankruptcy." I'm hoping the Voice can make a comeback, as the Blade (both Washington and South Florida) and 411 Magazine staffs have been relatively successful at keeping everything running without interruption, under new names.

John Buccigross: How one of hockey's toughest men accepted his son's courageous admission - ESPN : "'Middle school and early high school is the first time I remember thinking that I could be gay, but I definitely tried to ignore it and didn't want to seriously consider it. It's pretty easy to try and convince yourself that it's not true, but it won't work, ever.' -- Brendan Burke" In an effort to try to put his readers in Brendan Burke's shoes, John Buccigross writes most of this piece in second person, which is a little awkward to read, but this immensely supportive piece is sure to make some waves and maybe change some minds in this truly masculine arena of Pro Hockey. Brendan Burke, son of Maple Leaf's coach Brian Burke, attended Toronto Pride with his dad this year. What an amazing story.

Meet the U.S. Politicians Who Want to See Gay People Dead in Uganda | Gay Rights | Change.org : "Congressmen Bart Stupak and Joe Pitts have a lot more in common than just working together to strip reproductive rights out of U.S. health care reform. The two are also tied through an evangelical network known as “The Family,” which has dubious ties to at least two Ugandan leaders who are championing draconian legislation in the country that would institute the death penalty for homosexuality. Speaking yesterday on NPR’s Fresh Air, Jeff Sharlet – who wrote a best-selling book documenting the political influence of the family – noted that many U.S. politicians, straddling both sides of the political aisle, are involved with “The Family.” Sharlet spoke about how members of “The Family” have been quite active in Uganda, including Ugandan Parliamentarian David Bahati, who is a member of “The Family” and one of the legislators behind the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009." Dear Michigan...

Balancing Things Out « The NLGJA Blog : "The story keeps this tone, including an interesting disagreement over whether LGBTs account for 15 or 19 percent of the city’s population. What’s missing, however, is a single voice of a DC minister who supports same-sex marriage. The story even acknowledges they exist, but then fails to actually quote one of the 200 religious leaders who are members of Clergy United for Marriage. It’s not that there aren’t any African American ministers who support same-sex marriage, yet they don’t make it into the story." The National Lesbian and Gay Journalist Association analyze a Washington Post piece that doesn't quite get "balanced" correct. In fact, "balanced" journalism is quite often skewed to the right, giving the right more face time, more soundbites, and more of the benefit of the doubt. Especially when it comes to LGBT issues, the prevailing cultural attitude is one of oppression to LGBTs. The "balanced...

Gays Have The Power - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan : "If gays are really serious about marriage rights, they need to accelerate the process of coming out. It's not often that a minority group has this option - African-Americans don't. But gays, like Jews, can 'pass', and by passing, we don't even give many people the option of changing their minds and hearts by better understanding who we are, and why our relationships and families strengthen society rather than weakening it." Andrew Sullivan posted the new Gallup poll on American adult views on marriage equality--National average is that 40% support it and 57% do not, but if you ask someone if they personally know a gay person, 49% over 47% favor marriage equality if they do know a gay person, contrasted by 72% over 27% against if they do NOT know an openly gay person. The more that we come out, the more that we change those numbers. Its astonishing that just knowing an out gay person completely ...

Anger rising as ‘GMA’ books Chris Brown « Call Tyrone…. : "ABC has booked Rihanna-beater Chris Brown for an interview and a performance on “Good Morning America” — right after the network canceled guy-kisser Adam Lambert. Brown will do a taped tell-all with Robin Roberts, followed by a performance of songs from his new album. But TV insiders say the appearance, slated to air the week after next, has outraged feminists and gay activists who wonder why a convicted girlfriend abuser is more palatable to the network than an openly gay man who broke no laws with his raunchy performance on the “American Music Awards.”" You know, canceling Adam Lambert was one thing... bringing Chris Brown on afterward though? Bad move. Gays will be switching to the Today Show for sure now. As well they should. Every pair of eyes we give to Good Morning America tells them 'Its OK to shove us in the closet,' and tells America 'a violent woman-beater is more desirable than an openly ga...

Check out my latest post at Out & About Illinois: Massachusetts could be getting an openly gay Lieutenant Governor . It may defy all reason, but it seems that the Republican party may be the first political party to make an openly gay Governor—or at least Lieutenant Governor. Moderate Republican Charlie Barker, former President and CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, has tapped his campaign chairman, openly gay Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Richard Tisei to be his running-mate in the Republican primaries this winter. According to the Boston Globe, while the 47 year old Tisei’s sexuality has been an open secret in Boston since the early 1990s, he only came out officially on the 19 th of November, after it came to light he was front-runner among those jockeying to be Barker’s running-mate. Regardless of the revelation, Barker chose Tisei anyway, and if they win the Republican ticket together, they’ll be squaring off against Governor Deval Patrick and former Democrat, Treasu...

Check out my newest on the Bilerico Project: Public Health cuts could leave Chicago HIV+ in the lurch . Chicago was recently hit with the bad news it has some of the highest HIV infection rates of any city in the nation--especially high in the adult African American men who have sex with men population. The state has already made cuts to Chicago's bare-bones AIDS/HIV budget , forcing the HIV services organizations and Public Health to plan to soon make choices between providing housing to infected homeless, and providing much needed medication. The AIDS Foundation of Chicago is sounding the alarm that a $4.6 million cut in Public Health funding could mean the end of many of the support services that the city's HIV+ population have come to rely on... Continue reading Public Health cuts could leave Chicago HIV+ in the lurch .

Check out my newest Bilerico post: Illinois' Jacob Meister aims to be the first openly gay Senate candidate [Part II] . Last week I had a delightful conversation with Jacob Meister , the openly gay Chicago lawyer who has high hopes for winning the Democratic primary and seeking the seat previously held by President Barack Obama and Carol Moseley Braun before him. We opened by talking about Meister's long history working with small businesses, and his experiences on Capitol Hill as an intern in the 1980s. We continued to talk about his plan for education, his telecommuting tax credit plan and his 2020 Vision for America which includes building a strong stable of green jobs in manufacturing to move the United States to the forefront of the global green economy, and get all Americans back to gainful employment. Next we moved on to the very reason why I sought an interview with the candidate: why does Jacob Meister believe that he is going to be the first openly gay man elect...

Bruce Weiss Named Executive Director of Test Positive Aware Network (ChicagoPride.com) : "The Board of Directors of Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN) is pleased to announce that Bruce Weiss has been named Executive Director of the leading peer-led, Chicago-based AIDS service organization. 'Bruce is that rare combination of experienced leadership and unbridled enthusiasm,' stated TPAN Board President, Condon McGlothlen. 'Everyone at TPAN is excited about his arrival.' A recipient of the 2006 Capital Pride Hero Award honoring LGBT leaders, Weiss has provided leadership to the HIV/AIDS community in Washington, D.C., for more than a decade. He served for several years as the Executive Director of SMYAL (Sexual Minority Youth Action League), overseeing major growth in their programs, staffing and funding. He later became the Director of the Whitman-Walker Clinic of Northern Virginia, a community health clinic focused on HIV and LGBT health care. Most recently, he wa...

Check out my newest blog over at Lundon Calling: Show 52--Who could have predicted one year of Lundon Calling ! Wednesday Lance, Ace and Phil got together to celebrate one year of Lundon Calling with Episode 52 ! The talk show that’ll get you high gave you the low down on how it all came together, and where we’re going in year two! We also announced a short hiatus over the holidays. We will be back early in the new years. Ace did let our audience know that his computer problems are a major reason for our need for a hiatus, and we would really appreciate it if our listeners visited our PayPal account and help ole Ace get the show up and running again! (while we’re at it, ole Phil’s going to need a new machine soon… but we’ll cross that bridge later). What did we talk about in Episode 52 ? One of Ace’s favorite topics: the psychic world! Do you believe in the psychic world? Have you ever experienced clairvoyance? You ever moved something with telekinesis? Do y...

Straight Talk On Marriage: The Daily Show: Gaywatch : "Jon Stewart discusses stories involving the LGBT community including Will Phillips, the 10-year-old student who refuses to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance until gay and lesbian couples can marry. Stewart brings out professional wrestler Mick Foley, who vows to protect Phillips from bullies in school." The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c Gaywatch - Peter Vadala & William Phillips www.thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

In case you thought we may actually get a win in New Jersey : "The Gloucester County Democrat, speaking at the New Jersey State League of Municipalities conference in Atlantic City, said he thought gay marriage was an important social priority, but the economy takes precedent. The politically sensitive issue had created sparks between two of the state Senate’s heavyweights - Sweeney and Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), who was Gov. Jon Corzine’s running mate. As legislators try to finagle votes for one side or another, Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) said he would not bring the bill up for a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee -- even though enough people in the committee supported it to pass -- unless the Democrats could prove they had the votes to pass it outright. Sarlo, who said he did not necessarily support the bill, said he would not 'stand in the way of progress' if there were enough votes. On Wednesday, Sweeney had appeared to say same-sex marriage should be put as...

"Is there a way we can make this work?" 'blak, balk, blak' goes the Catholic Church. D.C. officials push for compromise on Catholic Charities - washingtonpost.com : "Some D.C. Council members and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton are reaching out to the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington to see whether they can find a compromise so the Church will not end its social services contracts with the city if the council legalizes same-sex marriage. After a week of heated rhetoric, District officials said Thursday that they see a way for Catholic Charities to continue operating programs with city money while assuring that the organization's gay and heterosexual employees would be treated equally if they got married. 'The rights of [gay] partners cannot be any different from similar situated couples, but with that said, if other jurisdictions have found a way to accommodate Catholic Charities, that would be very much be desired,' said Norton (D). Norton, who said she...

There are a finite number of New York politicians that I like. That said, I don't dislike Kirsten Gillibrand. The Daily Politics - NY Daily News : "Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who has put LGBT issues on the top of her 'to-do' list as she works to shore up her liberal credentials, has placed personal phone calls to on-the-fence Democratic state senators in hopes of getting them to vote 'yes' on gay marriage. Gillibrand's office confirmed calls had been made, but refused to say who the recipients had been or if anyone had specifically asked the junior senator to weigh in. 'She made calls, yes; and they were private conversations,' Gillibrand spokesman Matt Canter said. 'She did it because it's an issue she cares deeply about.'" More reason to like Gillibrand.

Please read my latest blog post at Out & About Illinois: A crazy week for LGBT Media as a giant goes under . Phil Reese November 20, 2009--For over three decades the Washington Blade was the go-to weekly political news source for the American LGBT community that was unrivaled in prestige and access for much of that time. And today it doesn't exist anymore . In fact, the Washington Blade disappeared with some long-standing bastions of the LGBT journalism pantheon: the South Florida Blade , 411 Magazine , David Magazine , the Houston Voice , and the extremely respected Southern Voice . This Monday all of these institutions suddenly ceased to exist at once as the Small Business Administration decided to close down their parent company, Window Media. Window Media had been forced into receivership late last year, and we've known since at least February that they were in trouble. However, there was no warning for what happened on Monday. Folks showed up to work as they di...

Read my newest Bilerico Post: What will President Obama do about that pesky federal Prop 8 suit? While the federal Proposition 8 lawsuit continues its battle in federal court, leaders in the LGBT community are casting a suspicious eye on the White House, asking whether or not our 'fierce advocate' up there is going to come to our aide when thousands of same-sex couples in California most need him. The argument that the Department of Justice used to defend their defense of DOMA in federal court was that they have a duty to defend federal law. Well, this may or may not be true--certainly, there is a lot of credible evidence supporting that this would be correct protocol for any non-dictator President. However, Prop 8 is state law, not federal law--if the Department of Justice chose to file a brief in the case, they would be free to take whichever side they chose, and certainly take side against the law: as Bush's DOJ did on many occasions. President Obama will, in all ...

Window Media's Demise Can Be Blamed on Its Leaders, Not the Marketplace / Queerty : "Says Horn: 'Window Media has been is serious financial trouble for some time for reasons mostly unrelated to the general decline in newspaper advertising and the economic downtown. They leveraged their assets, including their newspapers, to fund acquisition, expansion and Web development by obtaining a huge Small Business Association loan which they were unable to service and resulted in their being put in involuntary receivership. I do not believe that the failure of Window Media means the failure of LGBT newspapers in the major population centers where they are located. Gay newspapers that have prudent management and business practices, such as the B.A.R., the Philadelphia Gay News, and the Dallas Voice, just to name three, continue to succeed.'" Read the rest, follow the link. Lots of good insight.

Bernice King Just Started at SCLC. And Already Oversaw Its Latest Round of Homophobia / Queerty : Queerty hits the nail on the head: "Well that was a let down. After taking the reigns of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Bernice King — whose father Martin founded the organization — had the chance to turn a new leaf on the organization's, and her own, homophobia. In the most clear signal yet, she's not going to. Since being named head of SCLC — the latest in a scandal-plagued series of power grabs — King has made no indication that she's going to suddenly come out for the gays. But we hoped and prayed. She didn't answer. What she did do, however, was oversee SCLC's public denouncement of Florida's Tallahassee City Commission granting benefits to the same-sex partners of city employees. In an open letter to the mayor, the group wrote: 'We the members of the SCLC are very displeased of the recent actions of the commission to revise a policy ...

Texas' gay marriage ban may have banned all marriages - Politics AP - MiamiHerald.com : "Texans: Are you really married? Maybe not. Barbara Ann Radnofsky, a Houston lawyer and Democratic candidate for attorney general, says that a 22-word clause in a 2005 constitutional amendment designed to ban gay marriages erroneously endangers the legal status of all marriages in the state. The amendment, approved by the Legislature and overwhelmingly ratified by voters, declares that 'marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman.' But the troublemaking phrase, as Radnofsky sees it, is Subsection B, which declares: 'This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage.' Architects of the amendment included the clause to ban same-sex civil unions and domestic partnerships. But Radnofsky, who was a member of the powerhouse Vinson & Elkins law firm in Houston for...

Maine. September, 1917 - Good As You:: Gay and Lesbian Activism With a Sense of Humor : "Maine. September, 1917 The Pine Tree state legislature had enacted a bill granting women the right to vote, throwing their strong support behind the measure. But first, the matter had to be ratified at the polls, putting a minority's right was put to the whims of a majority vote. Sound familiar? Yeah, you know the script. The anti-side warned their troops to come out against the 'unwise policy' before it was 'everlastingly too late':"

Please check out my latest Bilerico.com post, ILLINOIS' JACOB MEISTER AIMS TO BE THE FIRST OPENLY GAY SENATE CANDIDATE Jacob Meister and his campaign manager, Lowell Jaffe, were standing outside of a CVS Pharmacy on DuPont Circle, in Washington DC the morning of the National Equality March. Jaffe stuck his hand out as I passed and they started a campaign pitch, and I smiled and rolled my eyes. Candidates are always stopping folks outside of Wal-Mart or inside of Bob Evans, and I think at a certain point most politically active people have been desensitized to these awkward attempts to schmooze. Hearing that Jacob was openly gay and was running for a state-wide seat in Illinois got my attention, however, and we exchanged information before I ran off to get my press pass and line up. I didn't think much of the encounter, and let it roll to the back of my mind until I started getting emails from the campaign. Last week, Jacob Meister opened up a local campaign office here in ...

If We Out D.C.'s Gay Catholic Priests, Will the Church Stop Railing Against Marriage? / Queerty : "As the Catholic thought police tried — and, miserably, failed — to prove same-sex marriage in the nation's capital would somehow make their religious teachings a hate crime, one smart alec has gone and created a website that's one part WhoSigned.org, and 10 parts Blog Active. That is: A public registry of any Catholic priest belonging to the Archdiocese of Washington who is a big homo. Or, involved in a seedy hetero affair when he should be celibate. ChurchOuting.org and its creator Phil Attey (an HRC veteran) is calling for crowd sourced knowledge of any D.C.-area Catholic clergy who might be violating their promises to Jesus. 'This site is dedicated to every Catholic family who has lost a loved one to suicide or disassociation, needlessly caused by the spiritual pain inflicted by the church hierarchy's relentless attacks on LGBT people,' the website writes. ...

Will the Matthew Shepard Act Play a Part In Jorge Mercado's Murder? / Queerty : "Juan Antonio Martínez Matos, the 26-year-old alleged murderer of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado (pictured, right), believed he was cruising for female prostitutes in Caguas, Puerto Rico. And when he found out Mercado was a man? That's when he killed — and burned, and dismembered, and decapitated — him. 'After being rejected by a few women, [Matos] saw Jorge dressed as a woman and asked him to go with him to the house,' reads a translated police report. 'Apparently at the house, the suspect found out that Lopez was a man, after Lopez made sexual advances, and as a result of the rage, Matos did what he did.' Ah, the wonderful 'gay panic' defense." I AM SO SICK OF THE GAY PANIC DEFENSE, AREN'T YOU? LET'S GET THIS YOUNG BOY JUSTICE! FIGHT THIS PANIC DEFENSE! LET'S CALL THE COPS AND SAY THEY NEED TO PUSH HATE CRIMES CHARGES!

TODAY IS NATIONAL ACTION ON ENDA DAY! If you haven't yet, you need to call your Rep about ENDA and tell them you support it. Get your Rep by calling the Capitol switchboard. 1-866-220-0044, and tell them your zip code to get your Rep. IF YOU LIVE IN CHAMPAIGN, I NEED TO SEE 56 OF YOU COMMENT ON THIS AND TELL ME YOU CALLED TIM JOHNSON! His number is (202) 225-2371. Follow these directions from HRC: Call Rep. Johnson (202) 225-2371 before 5 p.m. ET. Most likely, one of the interns for Rep. Johnson will answer and ask where you're calling from and why. You're calling to express your support for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3017) and urge the representative to work hard to pass it. Most calls end right there. But if you like, you can add: In 29 states, it's legal to fire someone because they're lesbian, gay, or bisexual; in 38 states, it's legal to fire someone for being transgender. The American people believe in fairness and understand t...

Don't forget that our Victories are incredibly precarious and precious still! We have to continue DEFENDING in places we've already won. Isn't that effed up? Iowa conservatives still focused on gay marriage -- chicagotribune.com : "DES MOINES, Iowa - Conservative leaders have promised to make gay marriage a central issue in next year's legislative elections and governor's race, and they're considering a push to oust the Iowa Supreme Court justices whose ruling legalized same-sex unions. Iowa Christian Alliance President Steve Scheffler said his group will focus first on lobbying lawmakers during the legislative session that starts in January to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage. Legislators who don't support that effort could find themselves facing opponents recruited and financed by the alliance, Scheffler said. 'We're going to encourage people, especially in key legislative races that are going to be competitive,' Scheffle...

The former manager of the Chicago Eagle is having a little trouble bringing the Eagle back. While he waits for the ability to get the Eagle's liquor license back, he's opened a cafe in the meantime, and if you're a fan of the Eagle, you'd better hit Winston's up in the meantime to help him bring the Eagle back! Winston’s Cafe - Time Out Chicago : "Knee-deep in debt, Stephens soldiered on. “I was at a loss,” he says. “I had to open something.” Enter Winston’s Cafe. Named for Stephens’s English setter, the café opens the week of Monday 16 as a coffeehouse with soup and sandwiches, free Wi-Fi and an unusual niche: It aims to be open 24 hours. “Friends of mine say, ‘But the carpets roll up in this area at ten o’clock,’ ” Stephens says. “And I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s because nobody’s open past that.’ ” While the floor-to-ceiling windows and exposed beams and brick seem ideally suited to the new endeavor, Stephens threw his new barstools into storage and invested in c...

The Final Hours of the Washington Blade - The Sexist - Washington City Paper : "Robbie Barnett, one of the guys in the purple shirts, is back from unloading another dolly full of Blade leftovers. Barnett worked as the Blade’s distribution coordinator until this morning, when he walked into the office in the middle of the closure announcement. Barnett says the news came directly from COO Steve Myers and CFO Mike Kitchens. Myers is the one in the eye-patch, Barnett says: “I think he might be ill or something.” Myers and Kitchens did most of the talking, Barnett says. “None of us really said anything.” The atmosphere, he says, was just “grim.”" This is an awesome piece on the dismantling of America's most respected LGBT paper. Where do you think the Blade will go from here?

Check out my latest blog at Lundon-Calling.net ! Ever wonder what it would be like to be a child star? Ever wonder what happens to child stars when they grow up? This week on Episode 51 we spoke with John Provost, Timmy from the classic television series Lassie . John reveals to us what it was like to be on one of the most popular shows of all time, what his life was life before, during and after, and talks to us a little about life. Please check out Episode 51 ! And help us figure out exactly which well Timmy fell in!

My latest Bilerico Post-- BREAKING: WASHINGTON BLADE, SOUTHERN VOICE CLOSED IN WINDOW MEDIA DEMISE Disturbing news this morning. Window Media--the Publisher of the Washington Blade , the South Florida Blade , the Houston Voice , the Southern Voice , David Atlanta and 411 Magazine --has officially closed its top publications: The Southern Voice , David Atlanta and the Washington Blade . At publishing time I had not received any confirmation on Houston Voice or The South Florida Blade 's closure (both their websites were down once again, most likely due to high traffic), though an update on Fresh Loaf from former Southern Voice Editor Lauren Douglass-Brown confirms that all Window Media publications are affected. The Blade website has been up and down all morning, presumably because of increased traffic from this story, but their Twitter feed officially confirmed the bad news... VERY IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE READING BREAKING: WASHINGTON BLADE, SOUTHERN VOICE CLOSED IN WIN...

From Chris Geidner at LawDork: Southern Voice Shuttered, Others in Question : "This is big, bad news. It is important to note, though, that sales and ownership changes in the past decade have made it so that not all Blade publications are under the same ownership. Window Media lists as its 'family of publications' – Washington Blade, Southern Voice, Houston Voice, South Florida Blade, David Atlanta and The 411 Magazine.]" This is bad bad bad bad news! Anyone with a few dollar bills steppin' in to stop this monstrosity?!? Yes, yes, I know being a blogger I 'assisted with this downward spiral.' I doubt anyone came to Ameriqueer, though, to read my content, that would have hit the Blade's website instead. And I'm really really upset about this. The Blade had outstanding content. This was THE LGBT weekly of the Nation. We can't possibly have the same presence we once had without it. I mourn all LGBT media if the Blade is really gone. So anyo...

Check out my latest BILERICO.COM POST-- THE HISTORY MAKER'S HISTORIAN: JON KNOLL ON JIM MADIGAN (THIS IS NOT THE FULL POST, YOU HAVE TO CLICK THROUGH TO FINISH AS IT IS OWNED BY THE BILERICO PROJECT!) Illinois has had its share of making history lately, but we have the opportunity to make history once again with an unprecedented number of openly gay candidates going into this Spring's primaries. Cook County (Chicago) is leading the pack with dozens of openly gay candidates for various offices on all levels. One of those offices is the 7th State Senate district currently being held by Democrat Heather Steans who is being challenged in the Primaries by openly gay former Executive Director of Equality Illinois, Jim Madigan . The district includes Andersonville, which is the up-and-coming new 'gayborhood' for the city of Chicago, no doubt part of the reason that Steans introduced a Marriage Equality bill and transgender friendly legislation in the Illinois state Senat...

Check out my newest Bilerico Post about the gay DNC boycott: JOHN ARAVOSIS' "DON'T ASK/DON'T GIVE" HAS THE WRONG FOCUS Let me preface this by reminding everyone that my first Bilerico post ever was a critique of the President's LGBT record. That was this past Spring. We are now getting on into Winter, and I still believe the President has not acted correctly on an Executive Order lifting the military gay ban, or ending the misguided practice of not accepting gay blood donors. But John Aravosis is going to throw the game by singling out the President in his point-by-point Democratic donation "pause" manifesto. This is a mistake with gigantic implications... KEEP READING JOHN ARAVOSIS' "DON'T ASK/DON'T GIVE" HAS THE WRONG FOCUS ON BILERICO.COM.

Please read my latest post at Out & About Illinois: JACOB MEISTER FTW ? Phil Reese November 13, 2009--It will admittedly be an uphill climb for openly gay Illinois US Senate Candidate, and Chicago lawyer Jacob Meister , who spent the week touring the state opening campaign offices in every nook and cranny of Illinois to kick off his campaign. However, being the first openly gay Senate candidate in US history should not make anyone think for even a moment he cannot do it. Meister himself notes that this was the same Senate seat of history-makers Carol Moseley Braun and President Barak Obama. I interviewed Jacob Meister on Thursday for the LGBT website Bilerico.com , and wanted to share first with you my personal reactions upon spending the day talking with the underdog that is bound and determined to make US History: Jacob Meister is the real deal. This is my own personal take, of course, and this is in no way an official endorsement. But I do encourage others to meet Jacob in ...

DEOMI - Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute : Help change the conversation on DADT by telling the military you believe that Military Readiness will be enhanced if the military gay ban is lifted: "What outcome would you expect if the 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' policy was changed to allow openly gay members in the military?" Just check out the quick poll in the middle of the page.

Rod 2.0:Beta: WATCH: "Hey #P2!" When Will Progressives Fight for LGBT Rights? : "Phil Reese at Ameriqueer is an amazing young Twitter-based progressive and gay activist. Phil just produced this powerful new video that calls all progressive political allies the—Twitter hashtag is #P2—and asks, 'When do #LGBT issues get their turn?' Phil writes: 'Anti-war actions, anti-racism efforts, environmental efforts, and anti-domestic violence efforts. I've been there, simply, because I've been called on to do so. The leaders in these movements have made it very clear that if you're really a progressive, you must show action on these issues. ... When do LGBT issues get their turn?' Oh and congratulations are in order. Phil Reese is writing a new monthly column on Illinois LGBT politics for Out & About. Bravo. Watch the video AFTER THE JUMP."

Explore & Live | Circuit Spirituality : "I always tell people if you want to feel God, or the presence of God, you have to go to the most packed Circuit event, or a packed gay bar. Grab your partner and head out until you’ve worked your way to the very center of the dance floor, underneath that big ball. Erase from your mind the decadence around you and feel the vibration in the music coming at you from every direction. Straight people may go to church for their spirituality, but Circuit events are my form of church and the DJs are my priests." I thought I was the only one! I've been very spiritually moved on the dance floor many times--crazy as that sounds. Just feeling the vibe and the overwhelming feelings of good will and happiness surrounding you are quite counter to the experience in the rest of the world around you. Why do you think I'm first one up on the box every time? I'm always in the center of the dance floor with my eyes closed or looking up ...

Catholics United for Marriage Equality : "We are Catholics who live or work in the District of Columbia. We are a diverse group of lay women and men, religious, and clergy. We represent parishes, religious institutions, and independent Catholic organizations in every ward in the District. We now join our voices to speak a faithful word for freedom and equality. Our religious traditions and scriptures teach us that wherever love is present, God is also present. One of God's greatest gifts to us is our human capacity to love one another. The ability of two people to enter into relationships and form families of love and care is one expression of this gift. We therefore affirm the right of loving same-gender couples to enter into such relationships on an equal basis with loving heterosexual couples in civil marriage." Not all Catholics are bad. Just the Bishops. The great majority of Catholics are Progressive and believe in helping others. Unlike the Bishops. Catholic Bi...

Bilerico.com posted my newest piece-- ENDA: NOT A DONE DEAL YET According to Dr. Jillian Weiss' Congressional ENDA spreadsheet , we seem to have enough "supporters" in the House to pass an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act once and for all. That does not mean ENDA will pass. Dr. Weiss' spreadsheet shows 214 Representatives are confirmed 'suppprters' on ENDA, and 35 unconfirmed Democrats . We would only need four of those unconfirmed Democrats to vote for ENDA to get it passed. However, 'support' is not a "Yes" vote. Only a "Yes" vote is a "Yes" vote. There are always procedural maneuvers Republicans can use to stave off equality, and we must keep our eyes on the conservative Democrats who get nervous around equality issues, but it does seem we have enough "support" for the bill to pass it if it comes up for a vote. Until the House votes on this bill and passes it, however, their support is mean...

1.jpg (JPEG Image, 580x599 pixels) : "http://208.116.9.205/10/content/20262/1.jpg" Sent to me by my heterosexual assistant--who is turning out to be a great straight ally. Normally I don't post stuff like this, but this really got me going. Thanks Matt!

Rod 2.0:Beta: WATCH: "Hey #P2!" When Will Progressives Fight for LGBT Rights? : "Phil Reese at Ameriqueer is an amazing young Twitter-based progressive and gay activist. Phil just produced this powerful new video that calls all progressive political allies the—Twitter hashtag is #P2—and asks, 'When do LGBT issues get their turn?' Phil writes: 'Anti-war actions, anti-racism efforts, environmental efforts, and anti-domestic violence efforts. I've been there, simply, because I've been called on to do so. The leaders in these movements have made it very clear that if you're really a progressive, you must show action on these issues. ... When do LGBT issues get their turn?' Oh and congratulations are in order. Phil Reese is writing a new monthly column on Illinois LGBT politics for Out & About. Bravo." One of my FAVORITE bloggers in the world, Rod McCullom posted my -HEY #p2 video to his blog--Please go read his blog, and subscribe to it, ...

Arkansas 10-Year-Old Won’t Pledge Allegiance Until Gays Gain Equality :: EDGE San Francisco : "A 10-year-old Arkansas boy name Will Phillips has decided that he cannot in good conscience pledge allegiance to the flag as long as the country for which it stands refuses legal equality to its GLBT citizens. That stand has brought young Mr. Phillips anti-gay taunts in the lunch room, but admiration from around the country, reports a Nov. 5 Arkansas Times article. The West Fork School District fifth grader clashed with a substitute teacher for his refusal to stand for the pledge, prompting a call to Will’s mother, Laura Phillips. When the principal acknowledged that Will has the right to refuse to say the pledge, Ms. Phillips asked that her son receive an apology--a request that the principal declined to honor." What an outstanding human being! And I applaud his parents for teaching him to stand up for EQUALITY no matter what others think of you. He's going to be a great man ...

A Proud Cadre « HRC Back Story : "“Why would you ever join an institution that openly discriminates against you?” This is a question I am often asked when on the road, to which my response usually begins, “Well, I was unaware I had the honor of being included in that discriminated class at the time…” I had no clue I was gay when I joined, and so that wasn’t a deciding factor at any time during my lengthy visits to the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS), nor was it when I finally had the honor to raise my right hand and promise to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. But that’s all irrelevant, as I think I still would have joined had I already come to terms with being gay. And I still would look back on my time in the military with no regrets. The military is such a unique institution. We – those serving and who have served – often complain of the slow bureaucracy that somehow integrates itself into everyday life in t...

I've joined the ranks of the print media elite! Sort of. Next month I will begin a monthly column on Illinois LGBT politics for Out & About Illinois, downstate's premier LGBT glossy magazine! For now, I'm blogging politics and news on the Outandaboutillinois.com main page! Check out my first contribution to O&A: PLEASED TO MEET YOU--AND TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING ON ! Phil Reese on Politics and News for November 10, 2009. Hey, all! My name is Phil Reese, a former teacher, a current blogger and graduate student, and news junkie. I will be keeping you up to speed with the most current LGBT news right here on the Out & About Illinois blog. I would love to hear more about what you are looking for from me as well in the comments. Let me know what sort of stories you'd like me to go after as I get the news you want. I mine as well jump right into the news, since there is big buzz coming out of Washington DC today. The Committee on Public Safety and the J...

House Passes Health Reform Bill with Key LGBT Provisions « HRC Back Story : "Late this evening, the House passed the Affordable Health Care for America Act, H.R. 3962, by a vote of 220 to 215. While this is a historic step toward improving health care for all Americans, it is also a tremendous advance for the health needs of LGBT people. HRC lobbied the three committees involved in drafting the bill to include provisions that would help LGBT people in particular obtain the improved access to health care that the Act is designed to provide. Some of these measures have been part of HRC’s legislative agenda as free-standing bills for many years. The key provisions in the bill that the House passed are:" HRC lists five pieces of the law that will provide expansion of protections for LGBT patients: 1. Health disparities 2. Unequal taxation of Domestic Partnership benefits 3. Equal treatment for HIV under Medicaid 4. Comprehensive sex education 5. Non-discrimination

Gay_Marriage_Pleading 10-17-09[1].pdf (application/pdf Object) "Ecclesiastical Complaint for a declaratory judgment that the Universal Life Church has the right to consecrate the marriage of all committed couples of human beings, regardless of gender; and further to enjoin and require all governments, including the United States, to recognize those marriages as sacred and entitled to the same rights as those marriages between humans of different genders."

I think what infuriates me the most... - Good As You:: Gay and Lesbian Activism With a Sense of Humor : "...is that our opposition will never realize, admit, or take responsibility for the gut-wrenching sense of de-humanity that they inflict upon us. Had Maine's 'yes on 1' side lost last night, each and every one of the folks invested in that campaign would still go about their days, perhaps a little bummed, but otherwise unaltered. They would have lost nothing, as each and every point that they claimed was at stake was nothing more than fear-mongery rhetoric (something I truly believe that most if not all of the higher-ups know to be true). They wouldn't truly be threatened in any tangible, citable way, and they wouldn't be forced to have any kind of difficult conversation with their young ones about how and why their family was just assaulted as part of the democratic process." Nobody says it better than Jeremy Hooper!

Read my latest Bilerico Project post: The time to demand unequivocal Progressive support I think everyone's already put their two cents in on 'Maine'--including myself and Maggie Gallagher. Certainly we're not all on the same page on marriage, but what happened in Maine was a demoralizing defeat for a lot of people. The same-sex couples in Maine in desperate need of legal protections for their relationships, and the young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender teens who had to endure severe and dehumanizing scrutiny in the media are the folks I feel worst for. I feel sort of bad for our whole Progressive movement too. Our movement is easily distracted. We are a broad and curious umbrella of causes. We are united by a common proclivity toward supporting society's greater good, equality and justice and building on rights, access and protections for people rather than limiting them. The form that this progress ought come in, however, seems to often be very different de...

I submitted this piece under a different title, but that is neither here nor there at this point. READ MY DAILY ILLINI PIECE: MAINERS NEED TO GET A GRIP ! On Tuesday, voters in Maine approved a bill establishing second class citizenship for millions of American citizens by a slim margin. Despite the tireless work of organizers, fundraisers and the amazing turn-out by the supporters of equality, in the end, discrimination won over fairness. We see across the country voters choosing to create two types of citizenship: the folks we’re comfortable with get first tier, and those we aren’t comfortable with get second tier. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans are often feared for religious reasons, but somehow this is justification for legal discrimination? And believe you me, it is discrimination. According to the New York Times just last month, a same-sex couple pays anywhere from $50,000-$400,000 more than the national average over their lifetime for health insurance alone, l...

Crossposted at Lundon-Calling.net Check out this week’s Lundon Calling with Ace Lundon and featuring Phil Reese and… oh yeah Lance ditched us this week–but it was still a fun! We answered fun questions like what’s in Breckenridge CO? Did you get your flu shot? Do you use honey, vinegar and cinnamon? Ace updated us on his friend Jeramie Rain-Dreyfuss and Ace’s trip to Las Vegas. Is the death penalty akin to putting down a rabid dog? I gave Ace an election roundup and we talked about marriage. Ace told us about the importance of getting to know people. We talked about death, sharing of yourself and living in truth and honesty. Ever listen to Sting? Ace used to work at his favorite West Hollywood hangout, and brought him his bagels! That was after his time as Editor at the old Advocate competitor, the Coast-to-Coast times. Speaking of the Advocate, we discussed the Advocate folding… into an insert in Out magazine. Want to know what to do to make changes in you...

Danny Westneat | Right here, right now, history is incubating | Seattle Times Newspaper : "Gays can't win at the ballot box. That has always been the harsh reality. Put the subject of equality for gays and lesbians to a vote of the people — practically any people, in states from deep red to dark blue — and the people have always said: 'No. Not here. Not yet.' Until — it appears — now. Right here. There's a week's worth of ballot-counting remaining in an election everyone is saying is too-close-to-call. But it appears Washington state will be the first in America to approve a gay-equality measure not by court fiat or legislative action, but by the direct will of the people. It's never happened before. If the slim lead holds for the gay-partnership law Referendum 71, it would be a landmark. Huge. Not because the law that was on the ballot Tuesday is the last word in this debate. But because the vote signals, finally, a tipping point of sorts — a bellwether of...

Distracto » A Totally Gay Math Problem : "In the wake of Maine rejecting same-sex marriage, here’s a math problem for you: Given a 53% to 47% split, and the fact that, statistically speaking, the older you are, the more likely you are to be bigoted*, how long will it take before same-sex marriage remains legal (or, at least, is popularly supported**) in Maine?"

DavidMixner.com - Live From Hell's Kitchen--Our Young Speak: CALLING ALL PROGRESSIVE ALLIES : "This is an amazing video and plea for freedom from one of the young members of the LGBT community..." Its nice to be called young! Sometimes I don't feel like it anymore! I'm working with young college activists all the time, and I feel like Old Man River in comparison! Anyway, it was quite an honor to be featured on David Mixner's blog this morning! I hope Ace sees this! Anyway, please--like David Mixner did--help spread the video by posting it to your facebook, your blog, and tweeting it with the phrase "-HEY #p2!" We're trying to get the greater Progressive community's attention. We LGBT folk have been helping the Progressive community progress for years, but we still need more help on our issues. We're not going to Get anywhere without as many allies as we can bring to the table! Help spread the video, and make sure you send people t...

-HEY #p2! (Progressives). We can't do this alone. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans have been fighting for over half a Century to have basic Civil Rights. We have so much to do, and we are such a small group. Without an army of Progressive allies, we can't win. Our rights as American citizens are constantly being compromised, despite life-time service to our nation as good, contributing citizens. We can't wait any longer. We need our Progressive allies to step up and go to bat for us TODAY. We must demand Progressives have got to make LGBT rights a top priority in 2010, or we will keep being put on the back-burner. There will ALWAYS be something more important than LGBT equality affecting America--issues like Health Care Reform and the Economy effect LGBT people too! However, when we are discriminated against under the law every single day, we can't give our all to fixing these problems. We are long overdue to be counted as equal citize...