The Bilerico Project

Family Planning: A Good Return on the Investment

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0500

A new report from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) shows that development assistance for family planning services in developing nations is a pretty remarkable investment. According to the study, donor nations can see a 4-fold return on their investment if they support family planning services.

For 2007, donor countries should have contributed $3 billion of the $17.1 billion total estimated cost for contraceptive services. Yet the actual support provided by donors was only about $500 million - leaving a shortfall of $2.5 billion.

In a time of global financial difficulties, donor countries may want to avoid fulfilling such financial commitments. This would be a mistake. The cost of meeting the need for contraception is relatively modest, and an investment now will result in large future savings: Studies show that each dollar invested in contraceptive services will avoid between $1.70 and $4.00 in expenditures . . . but can total as much as $31.00 for each dollar spent on family planning.

Part of the problem is that the United States spent the last eight years neglecting to fund family planning services because of the Global Gag Order (aka "Mexico City Policy"), which prohibited US funds from being distributed to organizations that performed abortions, whether or not US funds were being used to perform them. This means that agencies which provided contraception options for women were woefully underfunded as a result. Thankfully the Obama administration has lifted this ban. But there is still a large financial shortfall that needs to be addressed.

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New International Guidelines Recommend Hormone Blockers For Transgender Youth

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:00:00 -0500

A new report from the Endocrine Society issued this week recommends hormone blockers for children and teens diagnosed with gender identity disorder. Hormone blockers would essentially delay puberty and give children and their parents time to decide the best course of action. According to ABC News:

The hope is that by delaying puberty, young teens will be given valuable thinking time in which they can decide if they are sure they want to begin gender reassignment using cross-sex hormones at the age of 16.

Ultimately, this strategy would also make it easier for them to live in their chosen gender. For example, potential male-to-female transsexuals will not have developed the deep voice, facial changes and body hair associated with adult masculinity. Gender-reassignment surgery should be avoided until the age of 18, the guidelines say.

In May I posted about an NPR story that covered this same issue. In the comments section there was quite a bit of debate about whether or not young people should be on hormones or hormone blockers. Some argued that kids are fickle and go through phases. But I say that this is precisely the reason why hormone blockers can be beneficial. If a teenager decides they're happy with their birth gender, they can always stop taking the hormone blockers and start experiencing puberty. All this does is buy the kid time to decide what's right for them.

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Better Know a Contributor: Eric Leven

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 20:00:00 -0500

Editor's Note: You've seen Steven Colbert's "Better Know a Lobbyist," but our version is so much gayer! Each weekend, we spotlight a different TBP contributor. In case you've missed any of our previous interviews, I've got links at the end of the post.

This week we're spotlighting one of our more outspoken contributors, Eric Leven. Eric is one of a new generation of gay men using new media to agitate, educate and organize. He is, in the words of Joe Jervis, creator of the massively popular blog Joe.My.God., "one of the brightest stars of young gay activism in NYC." By day Eric works as a story producer for reality and documentary programs. On nights and weekends he blogs, writes and films with the goal of empowering gay men and creating a greater sense of community unity. He is creator of the blog KnuckleCrack.

Follow me after the jump for Eric's comments about coming out, Hannakuh, and the joys of living in New York.

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Better Know a Contributor: Paige Schilt

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 19:00:00 -0500

This week we're talking with Paige Schilt. Paige is currently a Research Fellow for Soulforce, a national LGBT social justice organization dedicated to the principals of nonviolent resistance. She is also a dyke mama, a "low-femme" nerd, an activist, and a part-time professor of LGBT studies. Paige holds a Ph.D. in English and Cultural Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and has published scholarly articles on queer culture at the intersections of race and class, focusing on figures such as Richard Rodriguez, Isaac Julien, and Aileen Wuornos. She lives in Austin with her partner, Katy Koonce, and their son, who is named after a certain country music legend.

Follow me after the jump for Paige's views on religious oppression, nonviolent activism, holiday traditions, and Barack Obama.

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What Are Your Plans for Black Friday?

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:30:00 -0500

Thanksgiving is almost here! And that typically means the release of big box office hits, like "MILK," and shopping the day after Thanksgiving. Even though I generally love to shop and will accept any excuse to go, I avoid shopping like the plague on Black Friday because I just can't deal with the crowds. This year, however, the crowds might be lighter than in years past. According to Reuters:

Up to 128 million shoppers and would-be shoppers could be expected this holiday weekend, but the numbers represent a drop of more than 5 percent from a year ago, according to a survey released Tuesday.

Many people say that they are waiting to see what kind of deals they can get before they make plans to head out at 4:00 AM to hit up the big box stores. And since the list of stores going out of business this year includes more than just Best Buy and Circuit City, people are likely to find things severely discounted. But will it be enough to give the economy a much needed injection of cash?

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Simple Ways to Reduce Your Electric Bill

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:30:00 -0500

Have you ever wondered how much energy you use on a day to day basis? I have. And lucky for me, my power company offers a little monitor that I can plug into the wall to monitor exactly how much energy I'm using every day. Since it's green week, I thought I would share a few simple ways that I've been able to reduce my electric bill.

1. Unplug electronics that aren't in use. This is especially true for cell phone chargers, which are consuming electricity, even when your phone isn't being charged. I unplug the coffee maker and toaster every morning, and I shut down and unplug my laptop every night. Even when your computer is in sleep mode, it's still consuming about 85% of the electricity it would if it was being used. By unplugging my appliances, I've seen my power bill drop from $3 a day to under $1 a day.

2. Replace your old light bulbs with CFL bulbs. According to MSN Money, CFL's use up to 75% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. Although these bulbs are more expensive than old school light bulbs, you can get them in bulk at Costco to save money. And since you won't be replacing them as often, you end up saving money in the long run.

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Better Know a Contributor: Father Tony

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:00:00 -0500

This week we're talking with one of my favorite TBP contributors (and one of the newest ed team members), Father Tony. Father Tony writes one of our weekly advice columns, in addition to writing for his own site Farm Boyz/Perge Modo. Father Tony is a Roman Catholic priest who has been on an extended vacation from that vocation for many years. To prepare for the priesthood, he went to live in a seminary where he was the youngest of six hundred students ranging in age from fourteen to twenty-five. After two weeks in the seminary, he realized that he and everyone else therein was gay and that it was not to be discussed.

Father Tony and his partner, Chris, have been together for twenty-five years, and occasionally consider getting married. They divide their time between homes in Fort Lauderdale and Manhattan where Father Tony is a writing coach and web editor.

Follow me after to jump for Father Tony's thoughts about Jesus, spirituality, and traveling in South America.

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Student Looking for LGBT Military Significant Others to Speak Out

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 16:30:00 -0500

Yesterday I was listening to Josh Groban's Christmas album as I did my housework. (I know . . . it's not even Thanksgiving . . .) When it came around to "I'll Be Home For Christmas," the sound clips of military partners reading letters to their soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan made me stop and think.

Five years have passed since the start of the War in Iraq. During this period, the media has reported stories about soldiers who are sent to Iraq, only to come home with serious physical and psychosocial ailments. There have also been many reports about soldiers who have died. Lost in these media reports are the stories of the soldiers' significant others, and how they have dealt with suffering or deceased loved ones. And when it comes to LGBT partners, that silence is even louder.

One peace activist is trying to change that. Reyna Velarde is a graduate student a California State University Long Beach. She is collecting stories of military significant others to give a voice to the spouses and partners of soldiers sent to Iraq by highlighting their narratives in a staged performance.

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HRC Posts Video for Transgender Day of Remembrance

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0500

The HRC posted a video on its website this week to commemorate Transgender Day of Remembrance. It co-opts the images of Lawrence King and Robert Eads, and urges our community to demand hate crimes legislation.

iPhone users: Click to watch

Really? Demand hate crimes legislation? Fuck off HRC! Where were you during the ENDA debates? Oh yeah . . . you were busy chucking the transgender members of our community to the wayside.

And Lawrence King, to my knowledge, didn't identify as trans. He got killed because he didn't conform to traditional standards of masculinity. But that doesn't mean he was trans. You don't get to co-opt the images of murdered children to further the HRC's agenda.

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eHarmony Will Now Accept Same Sex Couples

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:00:00 -0500

Yesterday is was announced that eHarmony will accept same sex couples on their online dating service. According to Poponthepop.com, "the new same-sex matching service from eHarmony, Compatible Partners, is set to debut by March 31."

Before anyone jumps on the eHarmony bandwagon, let's not forget that eHarmony founder Neil Clark Warren is a Mormon and a big time supporter of Focus on the Family. Focus on the Family, of course, was a major financial donor to the Yes on 8 campaign.

So let me get this straight . . . Gays and lesbians aren't good enough to get married, but eHarmony will take our money? Fuck off, assholes!

Gay Mormons Say "Please Stop The Hate"

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0500

The past two weeks have been very difficult for me. I've been emotionally hurt by two communities that mean a lot to me - the Mormon Church, and the LGBTQ community. I never thought I would have to out myself as a gay Mormon. And I never thought that I would ever feel ashamed of the LGBTQ community. But so much anger and hate speech has been directed towards Mormons from the queer community that I can't stay quiet any more.

I attended the national protest against Prop 8 on Saturday, along with my partner and some of my chosen family. That's us in the photo. I was really nervous about going, because I knew there would probably be a lot of people with anti-Mormon signs. That's why I decided to out myself at the march and here on TBP as a gay Mormon. Since I was inspired by Keith Olbermann last week, I just want to say that I'm Pro-Love.

If anyone understands the anger about the Mormon Church's involvement in the passage of Prop 8, Prop 102, and Amendment 2, it would be gay Mormons. I include myself in this group, even though I haven't been an active church member for 10 years. Gay Mormons are uniquely hurt in this situation because they're getting negative messages no matter where they turn. Your church community is supposed to be a source of solace and emotional support. And yet many of us have family members and close friends who funded and voted for these laws. The logical solution for gay Mormons would be to seek refuge in the gay community. But the gay community has abandoned us, too, by making fun of a religion that is very important to us. I didn't leave the church because I stopped believing. I left because the church didn't have a place for me as a lesbian. You can say that a church has no business funding an election. But do you really need to poke fun at the church's core beliefs by mocking their religious ceremonies or the church's historical practice of polygamy?

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Better Know a Contributor: Scott Kaiser

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:00:00 -0500

Today we're talking with one of the members of our ed team, Scott Kaiser. Scott is a gay man living in sin in Phoenix, Arizona, with his partner of over twelve years whom he still cannot legally marry. He grew up in the Midwest which he credits for giving him a down-to-earth perspective on life and a love of casseroles. Although not a professional writer, Scott was of the early ones on the blog scene operating two successful sites, including the now defunct Scott-O-Rama.

Follow me after to jump to read more about Scott's memories of the 90's, his love for Speed Racer, and his opinion about the passage of Prop 102 in Arizona.

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3500 Turn Out For Equality in Phoenix

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 11:00:00 -0500

There were approximately 3500 people at the marriage equality rally in Phoenix yesterday. And anyone who's done their share of protesting in Arizona can attest that it's amazing to get 100 people to show up for anything, let alone 1000. But 3500 is unheard of!

We saw families with strollers, gays and their dogs, bears, drag queens . . . and of course a lot of lovely lezzies! I even ran into TBP contributor Bobby Parker.

The crowd marched from Phoenix City Hall to the State Capitol building chanting, "Hey hey, ho ho, homophobia has got to go," with the occasional "el pueblo, unida, james sera vencido" thrown in for good measure. It was really exhilarating to see so many people in Phoenix turn out for LGBTQ equality.

I've got some great pictures after the jump.

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Better Know a Contributor: Storm Bear

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 20:00:00 -0500

This week we're talking with webcomic strip artist Storm Bear, author of Town Called Dobson. Stormy, as our regulars affectionately call him, is just as shocked as you that the strip is so popular. After starting as a small art project, TCD has grown to be one of the most read independent editorial webcomics today.

Storm Bear is living proof everyone makes mistakes that can only be attributed to youth. His first big stumble into adulthood occurred during his first trip to the voting booth - when he voted for Ronald Reagan. Thankfully, he was an alert young man. He quickly ascertained that Reagan's notion of "trickle down" economics was just a polite way of saying "look out below!"

Since then, Storm has been questioning authority and disturbing the political peace on a regular basis. He got beat up at a Klan rally just for questioning the Grand Dragon's use of high thread-count satin in his robes. Oh, and there was the time he was in a public restroom with Jesse Helms - as the Senator took an explosive dump, Jesse was singing "What a friend I have in Jesus." He even has a UFO cult on his ass.

I really enjoyed talking with Storm about our shared love for zombie flicks and how he got his start in the cartoon business. Follow me after the jump for his insights on zombies, as well as holiday traditions.

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The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly . . . Post Election Roundup

serena@bilerico.com (Serena Freewomyn) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 20:30:00 -0500

Will someone please cue the cheesy Clint Eastwood music?

In all the lead up to Tuesday's election and the fall out (and celebrations) afterward, you might have missed some TBP coverage. So here ya go . . .

Monday
Julie Bindel and the Trans vs. Feminism Tug-of War - Mercedes Allen
A Call For Full Equality - Guest Post from President-Elect Barack Obama

Tuesday
Bush - Too Much Fiber - Storm Bear

Wednesday
ENDA, Marriage Equality, and Moving the Ball Forward - Dr. Jillian T. Weiss
Why I'm a Debbie Downer in This Surge of Obamamania - Jason Tseng
Now Comes The Hard Part - Patricia Nell Warren

Thursday
Why Do I Have to Take It Personally - Paige Schilt
A New Morning in America - Monica Roberts

Friday
You Can't Take This Away From Me - Joe Solmonese
They Are Marching in the Streets - Sara Whitman

Enjoy your weekend!