Went to a program over lunch sponsored by the company’s diversity networks. It included a showing of the 1994 Best Live Action Short film Trevor with an introduction by Ellen DeGeneres. Below is the intro and the trailer for the short is here. Please watch them, and if you get an opportunity to see the full short, do watch it. And stop by the Trevor Project’s home page.
Marriage equality took a big step forward recently, as our nation’s capital became the latest jurisdiction to legalize same-sex marriage. Mayor Adrian Fenty signed the legislation in an emotional ceremony, one in which he discussed the discrimination his own parents — an interracial couple — had faced in the 1960’s. It was great news for supporters of marriage equality — and supporters of equality, period.
Isbetta will love this…
I can’t decide if this is weird or cool – perhaps both?
Warning – may be NSFW
Asim‘s post on harassment in the SCA got me thinking…
When I was still a protege I had a few conversations with people who asked me if I thought being gay would be an obstacle to being elevated to the peerage. The first time I was asked, I stopped dead in my tracks as it never even occured to me.
I suppose I have been lucky… to the best of my knowledge, I have never been discriminated against because I am gay. Friendly teasing from friends, yes. But outright discrimination? Not that I am aware of. (I am talking about direct and personally focused and not the generic ‘no gay marriage’ type of discrimination.)
The question about homosexuality and peerage got me surprisingly paranoid for a short period of time – I found myself asking others what they thought of the issue when I had never even contemplated it. I did not get one negative response. I did get a few ‘well, you are so straight acting…’ type of responses. And I also got one that really surporised me and made me think – “No, and in fact you will help other gays who are not as straight acting by making it more acceptable.’
Dont get me wrong, I know there were openly gay peers elevated long before me, even here in Atlantia. But this was one of the few, if not the only, times in my life where I saw my homosexuality as a potential road block to a goal. To the best of my knowledge it was not… there might have been a few people who the fact may have colored their watch list commentary or polling responses, but I view that as their issue and not my own.
No real point to this, just some musings based upon the aforementioned post.
Lt. Dan Choi, from Orange County, California, is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and an Iraq War veteran. Last March he went on Rachel Maddow’s show and spoke three truthful words: “I am gay.”
As a result Lt. Choi received a letter from the Army on April 23 discharging him for violating the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. He told Rachel Maddow the letter was “a slap in the face” to himself and the soldiers he as commanded and served with over the past decade.
Lt. Choi is fighting to stay in the military and ensure that no other soldier is ever again discharged as a result of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The Courage Campaign and CREDO Mobile are joining his effort to secure equality in our armed forces.
President Obama did not create this policy. But he now has the opportunity to keep his promise and allow gay and lesbian soldiers to serve openly in the military. It’s the right thing to do — for justice and for national security.
Please sign the petition.
Just stumbled upon these in Picassa. Glad Rick is still out there and doing, seemingly, well.
Me in a Lifestyles BBS Ad from 95
Me in another Lifestyles BBS Ad from 95
Me & Keith in the upper right hand corner
Science has taken another step towards resolving the nature vs nurture debate.
A summary of the details is available on The Register
For those of you who have access, the full article is available at Endocrinology which is one of the journals of The Endocrine Society.
This is not just some popcorn science magazine, either. From their ‘Instructions to Authors’:
Endocrinology policy requires each manuscript be reviewed by two to three individuals who are highly competent and recognized in the particular field of the submitted manuscript.
Under ‘About the Journal’ it says:
Endocrinology, the Society’s oldest journal, has defined the science of endocrinology for most of the twentieth century. One of the most authoritative biomedical research journals in the world, it publishes 6,000 pages annually of the highest quality original work ranging from subcellular mechanisms to whole animal physiology. Topics include bone and mineral; growth factors; reproductive/steroids; neuroendocrinology/signal transduction; thyroid; and physiology. The low manuscript acceptance rate of 30% reflects the degree to which it is committed to the highest scientific standard. In 2002, Endocrinology ranked 15th out of 88 journals in the ISI category of Endocrinology and Metabolism, with an Impact Factor of 5.095 (overall ranking: 249rd out of 5876).
So, aside from the fascinating data the researchers have provided, and the moral and ethical questions they pose (i.e. can you genetically engineer someone’s sexuality?), the most fascinating thing that I found out from this article?
The 8% of rams are gay.
Makes me wonder about UNC-CH’s mascot…
And where do you find two to three experts on gay sheep?
