The Bilerico Project

A Bilerico Mixer in San Francisco!

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0500

Jerame and I will be flying to San Francisco early next week to cover the Victory Fund's 2009 International Gay & Lesbian Leadership Conference. While we're there talking to our upcoming roster of LGBT politicians, we thought we'd take the opportunity to meet some of our area readers and contributors! We're going to have another Bilerico get-together!

Kimpton Hotels has generously donated the space for our soiree. Alcohol will be served, but since it's an open area you don't have to be 21+ to attend.

Bilerico's San Fran Mixer

Sir Francis Drake Hotel
The Starlight Room
450 Powell Street - San Francisco, CA
Friday, December 4, 2009
5:30pm - 7:30pm

Hundreds of Projectors have come to Bilerico get-togethers when we've been out on the road in Detroit, Denver, and Washington DC. Neither Jerame nor I have been to San Fran, so come help us celebrate our first trip to Gay Mecca!

There's only room for 250 people at the Starlight Room (unlike DC's Halo Lounge where we had room for 400), so be sure to RSVP today if you want to attend.

Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado's mother speaks

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:30:00 -0500

"When my son told me he was gay, I told him, 'Now, I love you more'. I want to tell the world that hatred is not born with human beings, it is a seed that is planted by adults and is fostered creating a climate of intolerance and violence. We must change our ways and understand that anyone... could have been my son. And I want everybody to know that Jorge Steven was a very much loved son."

-- Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado's mother in a statement released to Blabbeando on her son's violent murder

Protesting in Puerto Rico

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0500

I'm not sure readers know this, but Bilerico Project contributor Pedro Julio Serrano is in Puerto Rico working with the LGBT community to make sure the murder of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado's is prosecuted as a hate crime. This news clip features PJ making one of the most fiery speeches I've seen from an LGBT organizer lately. Keep up the good work, Pedro!

Animated uncircumcised penis post: Thanks Belgium!

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0500

Every blog needs an animated uncircumcised penis post, right? Well, thank goodness the Belgian TV show Neveneffecten provided us with this animated dancing masturbating uncircumcised penis. At least it's not a kids' show. [NSFW] (Hat tip to Bamboo Nation.)

Weekly Reader: Hugs, Honduras, & Grandma's Dress

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0500

While this week brought news that ENDA has been delayed for a few weeks, we didn't let that stop us from bringing you a ton of popular posts about almost every aspect of our community. Here are the best from this week.

Sunday
The sexual politics of a hug Filed by: Cassandra Keenan
The DC Catholic Church's red herring Filed by: Nancy Polikoff

Monday
LGBT Resistance to the Coup in Honduras Filed by: Jessica Hoffmann
Toward a better understanding of age in the gay community Filed by: Alex Blaze

Tuesday
Don't Ask, Don't Tell: "Jess, Bend, Oregon, 2009" Filed by: Jeff Sheng
Needed: A Better Definition of Bigotry Filed by: Patricia Nell Warren

Wednesday
Jorge and Will: Tragedy and Hope Filed by: Kate Kendell
Simon LeVay and the Biology of Sexual Orientation Filed by: Betty Greene Salwak

Thursday
In My Grandmother's Dress Filed by: Father Tony
What will President Obama do about that pesky federal Prop 8 suit? Filed by: Phil Reese

Friday
Irene Vilar's Impossible Motherhood: Testimony of an Abortion Addict Filed by: Paige Schilt
Historic Declaration of Christian Conscience? Filed by: Donna Pandori

Sarah Palin-style: Tom Tancredo goes rogue

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0500

Sarah Palin madness is sweeping through the teabagger jet set and the latest victim appears to be Colorado Representative Tom Tancredo. As Palin's new "autobiography" (put in scare quotes because she didn't really write it herself and memoirs are usually non-fiction) tops the bestseller charts, Tancredo has decided to imitate the former Alaska Governor's successful leadership style.

He's threatening to run for Colorado Governor not because he wants the job, but because he has to push the conservative "agenda." Oh, those anointed ones; they're so self-sacrificing until they quit. Tancredo, of course, is already willing to throw in the towel on his pseudo-gubernatorial bid if someone will throw him a bone.

Unlike Palin though, Tancredo doesn't want money, he wants power. A lot of it too.

Continue reading "Sarah Palin-style: Tom Tancredo goes rogue"...

Good news or bad ideas? KY, MI, OH, TX re-examine marriage amendments

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:30:00 -0500

The marriage equality drumbeat has rumbled on with news that several states will be attempting to re-examine their state constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage and/or civil unions. Surprisingly, this hasn't received as much attention as I assumed it would in the LGBT blogosphere.

Ohio state representative Tyrone K. Yates (D-Cincinnati), Kentucky state representative Mary Lou Marzian (D-Jefferson), and Michigan House Speaker Pro Tem Pam Byrnes (D-Washtenaw County) have all introduced legislation to repeal their state's respective marriage amendments.

Texas Attorney General candidate Barbara Radnofsky, however, has discovered that the state's amendment also inadvertently "eliminates marriage in Texas," including common-law marriages. A Texas judge ruled the state's amendment was unconstitutional last month.

None of the four states are known for their LGBT-friendly laws which raises an interesting conundrum. Will the four states re-examination of their marriage equality amendments actually help the LGBT community or will it hurt us instead?

Continue reading "Good news or bad ideas? KY, MI, OH, TX re-examine marriage amendments"...

AFA not happy with Gap "Christmas" commercial

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:30:00 -0500

After leading a failing boycott of Gap clothing (and their subsidiaries like Old Navy) for not saying the word "Christmas" in their advertising, the American Family Association got their wish. Sort of.

Since the ad doesn't just proclaim the Christian holiday, but also includes Hanukkah, Kwanza and the Winter Solstice, the AFA is freaking out.

Text from the AFA action alert after the jump.

Continue reading "AFA not happy with Gap "Christmas" commercial"...

Colbert & San Fran's Rep Jackie Speier

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:30:00 -0500

Representative Jackie Speier of California's 12th District sat down with Steven Colbert for his "Better Know a District" segment. The two talk about marriage equality and whether or not sexual orientation is genetic. She's a really good sport about it. It's one of Colbert's best back and forth with a Congress member yet.

The Colbert Report Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Better Know a District - California's 12th - Jackie Speier
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor U.S. Speedskating

New contributors!

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:30:00 -0500

As we prepare for our grand re-launch (current estimate for the Big Day is January 1st), we're working hard to increase our stable of contributors. We want to continue to bring you some of the web's smartest commentary and so far our picks haven't disappointed. These three new contributors will definitely carry on that tradition.

Joe Mirabella is the LGBT community blogger for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and worked as a social networking consultant for the approve R-71 campaign in Washington state. He was a member of the National Equality March coordinating committee and is the Washington State Community Organizer for Join the Impact.
Recently on Bilerico: Roundtable on Kalamazoo, Washington, and Maine's ballot initiatives

Michelle Marzulo is a PhD Candidate in Anthropology concentrating in Race, Gender, and Social Justice at American University in Washington, DC. She holds a Master's degree in Human Sexuality Studies from San Francisco State University. Michelle has been a Bilerico-DC contributor since February, but we're giving her the bump up to the main site.
Recent posts: The Recession and LGBT Communities & National Equality March - Pride of a Different Sort

Gregory Hinton is an acclaimed author, filmmaker, and lecturer. His novels include Cathedral City, The Way Things Ought to Be and Santa Monica Canyon. His films include It's My Party and Circuit.
Recent guest post: Shame and blood on a prayer shawl

Please join me in welcoming the newest members of the Bilerico Project family!

Gay beach flash mob from Australia

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0500

Over 100 dancers surprised Bondi Beach with a flash mob on Saturday. Joyce Maynge - one of Australia's most famous drag queens - leads the group (which looks suspiciously more like a good drag show than a flash mob).

What really happened to the Washington Blade and Southern Voice?

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:30:00 -0500

Word has started to leak out surrounding the closure of Windows Media's LGBT publishing empire - including the Washington Blade and Atlanta's Southern Voice. While blame originally fell on the Small Business Administration for unexpectedly pulling the plug on LGBT newspapers around the country, today's revelations throw the blame back on Windows Media itself.

First came word that another owner had been found for the Washington Blade and negotiations were in progress when the paper abruptly shut down yesterday.

Nicholas F. Benton, owner of the Falls Church News-Press, a Washington, D.C.-area weekly, confirmed today that his corporation, Benton Communications, Inc., had won a bid from parties that included the SBA in September to obtain the assets of the Washington Blade from its bankrupt parent company for purposes of a seamless perpetuation of the nation's oldest gay community newspaper. The Blade was closed without Benton's advanced knowledge on Monday.

Benton said he regrets that the negotiations to complete the transfer of ownership failed to be completed, and that as a result he is unable to carry forward the Blade, its legacy, its employees, and its service to its community regionally and nationally.

"Everything was in place, although moving slowly, to make the seamless transition we hoped for. But I remain unaware of what happened, and as a result of Monday's events, the Blade is gone after 40 years of publication, its employees are out of work, and the nation's and region's LGBT community has been stripped of an invaluable institution." Benton said.

Sirius OutQ News though, found out who the real culprit is. According to the SBA, the owners decided to refuse the buyout offers and shutter the doors.

Perspective: Career Blogging, LGBT Priorities, & a Courage Award

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0500

Last week, Jerame and I traveled to NYC where I was honored to receive the NYC Anti-Violence Project's Courage Award alongside fellow LGBT bloggers, Joe Jervis (Joe.My.God.), Pam Spaulding (Pam's House Blend), and Andy Towle (Towleroad). The honor is two-fold: the AVP is a very esteemed part of the foundation of our community and the group of blogging peers is impressive. (As an extra bonus, it was also the first award I've won that had my name spelled correctly on it!)

If you'd asked me in late 2004 what I saw in my future, I would never have guessed all the opportunities the new Bilerico blog would afford me. I'm constantly amazed that I've been able to shape my notorious e-mails to a local list-serve about politics and LGBT issues into a career in blogging, activism and writing.

The AVP Courage Award though, means something special. Being honored fresh off the passage of the federal hate crimes law, it really resonated in this Hoosier. Until the law went into effect, I had none of the protections a hate crimes statute can offer. Blogging about "anti-violence" hasn't just been altruistic, that hate crimes law added some security to my family's life. It was also one of the reasons why I picked up the keyboard to begin pounding out political opinion op-eds.

Continue reading "Perspective: Career Blogging, LGBT Priorities, & a Courage Award"...

Out 100: Cathy Renna & Pam Spaulding

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:30:00 -0500

Congratulations to contributors Cathy Renna and Pam Spaulding for making the Out 100 list of LGBT movers and shakers.

Pam is featured with music blogger Arjan Timmermans while Cathy shares the page with Advocate reporter Kerry Eleveld and WashingtonPost.com editor Liz Spayd.

Both women highly deserve the honor. Please join me in congratulating them.

Is smoking gay?

bil@bilerico.com (Bil Browning) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:30:00 -0500

Doug Masson is one of Indiana's best bloggers. He focuses on local politics and news mostly; he's a daily stop on the intertubes for both Jerame and I. He did a post Saturday about Indiana's high rate of smokers and he used an interesting comparison. What do you think of it?

...Indiana is passed only by West Virginia in percentage of adult smokers. At 26.1%, we have more smokers than Kentucky. In this day and age, what in the world would possess you to start or continue smoking? Of course, the fact is, while starting smoking is a free choice, once the habit is established, the decision to stop smoking is not a simple matter of choice. Your body is addicted, and your mind is no longer the free agent we contemplate in simplistic economic scenarios...

It occurs to me that some of the arguments made by social conservatives against normalizing homosexuality in our society actually make some sense when applied to smoking. Smoking is a choice, not how you are born. Smoking is harmful behavior. There is a Tobacco Industry agenda to convert young people to make a lifestyle choice. Smoking in mainstream culture may make my kids think it's o.k., and cause them to choose a harmful lifestyle. So, while I don't necessarily support criminalizing smoking, I might be open to the idea of getting the behavior into the closet.

It reminds me of that "Smoking Is So Gay" public service announcement by the Onion.