2 Steps back

The CA State Supreme Court ruled today to uphold the ban on Gay Marriage as approved by 52% of voters last November.

They said that a simple majority has the right to decide the civil rights of other human beings.

Frankly, what the Supreme Court did was cowardly. A year ago they gave us the right to marry and now they're afraid of pissing off 52% of the state. It's complete bullshit.

This is a huge disappointment. I cannot believe the idiocy of this decision.

For once, I'm actually out of words. I cannot express my anger, disappointment and hurt.

Marriage Equality Speech

as brought to you by a 3rd grader:





This kid is awesome and has amazing parents.

A new video...F*ck You!

I got this from the Queers United Blog.

"F*ck You" to Haters of Our LGBT Brothers and Sisters"

A new funny video "f#ck you" by Lily Allen has been altered to more accurately reflect what many in the queer community feel towards our opposition. Sometimes, we just need to laugh and express our frustration through art, so here ya go!

Virtual March

Join Equality Matters for Inauguration Week, January 17 to 24, for the first "Online March for Equality." The simple act of posting this website to your Facebook profile AND changing your profile picture will help spread the word and send a message of equality at a critical time in our Nation's political history.

If we're ever going to achieve equality, it's going to happen because we educate all Americans about the important rights we're fighting for: tax fairness, hospital visitation, medical decision-making, exemption from estate taxes, spousal immigration, and government benefits -- just to name a few.

Click here to select a badge for your profile or site.

Check out the 1,138 reasons why we must demand marriage equality.

Postcard Project

President-elect Barack Obama has made a lot of promises to the LGBTQ community. We have to make sure he follows through. What better way to do it than to send him a friendly little reminder? Here's what you do...

BUY A POSTCARD - It would be great if it had the name of your city or state on it, but feel free to get creative. Make your own, use one that you have around the house, or grab a free one at your local restaurant. Heck, why not get a bunch of different ones? The more, the better.

ADDRESS IT - A handwritten card is always best, but feel free to print out labels if you're going to send multiple cards. Here's the address...

President-elect Barack Obama
Presidential Transition Office
Kluczynski Federal Building
230 S. Dearborn St., 38th Floor
Chicago, IL 60604

WRITE A MESSAGE - A unified message would be ideal. Let's keep it focused. I recommend something like this...

Dear President-elect Obama,

Please ask Congress to repeal D.O.M.A.! All Americans should have the right to marry. Thank you in advance for advocating for the civil rights of your LGBT citizens.

SIGN YOUR NAME - There is nothing more powerful than that.

BUY POSTAGE AND DROP YOUR POSTCARD(S) IN THE MAIL - Wasn't that easy? Repeat frequently.

The image I posted of a gay ally postcard is an idea, but any postcard will do, it is the message and wording that is key.

Go to Civil Rights Front for more info on Project Postcard.




source: Queers United

Repeal Prop 8

I just signed a pledge to repeal Prop 8 and I thought you might be interested in joining me and over 100,000 Courage Campaign members across California.

We have to come together right now to say that we refuse to accept a California where discrimination is enshrined in our state constitution.

Please sign the "Repeal Prop 8" pledge now and forward this to your friends as soon as possible:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/RepealProp8

Thanks!

Another repost from Queers United

Keith Olbermann's eloquent plea to the American Public regarding Proposition 8.

Hospital Visitation Rights Petition

This is a repost from queersunited.blogspot.com.


Janice Langbehn and Lisa Pond were ready to depart on a family cruise with their children when tragedy struck. Lisa collapsed and was rushed to a Miami hospital. At the hospital, Janice was told she was in an antigay state and kept from seeing her partner of 20 years. Lisa lay dying alone with her family just feet away in the next room.

We're suing the hospital on Janice's behalf. We're also calling on the next President of the United States to create a health care plan that ensures fair treatment for LGBT people and people with HIV in hospitals and health care settings.

Help Lambda Legal get 10,000 signatures on the petition!

Sign the petition for all the Janice's and Lisa's in the world!

At a loss...

I want to make a post about the passing of Prop 8, but I have no words.

I tried being positive this morning, thinking of how far we have come over the last 8 years in trying to gain equality in California. However, I can't deny the fact that there are so many ignorant and bigoted people not just in this state, but in the world.

I am incredibly sad. Sad for myself. Sad for my friends. Sad for my community. Sad for humanity.

It's truly a bitter-sweet time for me. I am so happy and hopeful for this country because Barack Obama is our president elect. I know that he has the right ideas to begin getting this country back on track. To getting America back to a place where we were admired by other countries. Back to where we were the standard of democracy and freedom. Back to where it wasn't emberassing to be an American when you left the country.

But now I'm emberassed to be a Californian.

There are already lawsuits in place to appeal the decision and people are ready to go to the Supreme Court to fight this ridiculous amendment.

I am not a second class citizen.

This battle might have been lost, but the war is far from over.




Hmm...I guess I did have words.

The Sanctity of Marriage

Yes...let's "protect the sanctity of marriage" so only heterosexuals can get married...because they have such a good track record...



Zsa Zsa Gabor - 9 Husbands
Liz Taylor - 8 Husbands
Lana Turner - 8 Husbands
Mickey Rooney - 8 Wives
Robert Evans - 7 Wives
Jerry Lee Lewis - 6 Wives
Billy Bob Thornton - 5 Wives
Joan Collins - 5 Husbands
Geena Davis - 5 Husbands
William Shatner - 4 Wives
Liza Minnelli - 4 Husbands


Britney Spears - first marriage annulled after just 55 hours
Jennifer Lopez - her first marriage was just 8 months long
Nicky Hilton - also just 8 months for her first
Shannon Doherty - 5 months for one marriage, and 9 months for another
LisaMarie Pressley - married to Nicolas Cage for 3 months and 15 days
Carmen Electra - married to Dennis Rodman for 9 days before filing for divorce.


And these are just the celebrities. There are regular people out there who've been married not even a month before splitting up, and people who've married dozens of times because they haven't found the right person yet.

If you ask me, these marriages are more destructive towards the "sanctity" of marriage than homosexual couples. I mean, the divorce rate is 43%, isn't it? That doesn't seem to be saying a whole lot for marriage.

Honestly, if straight people can ruin their lives by getting married, let gay people do it, too! Why keep all that fun for yourself??

7 days left, people!!

Vow to vote NO on Proposition 8. Don't eliminate my right to marry.

I know I said I'd stop, but...

with only 2 weeks left until voting, I can't stay silent while so many struggle with deciding what to do.

Its not who you love, its how...

November voting

I just sent this to my parents and my aunt. I wonder what kind of reaction I'll get.....oh, and I appologize in advance if anyone is offended by this, but it's how I feel and that's what my blog is for - to share my feelings....btw, this is just a California proposition.

I know I've never really discussed politics with you guys before, but with Absentee Ballots going out soon, I need to ask a favor.

Vote NO on Prop 8.

If there's a ban on gay marriage, there's a pretty good chance neither I nor any of my friends could ever be legally married in this state. Not only is the ban unconstitutional, it's unethical, immoral, and, quite frankly, unfair. If you all can get married, then so should every other consenting adult.

I'm not usually into politics at all, but this is something that really hits close to home with me, so I hope that you choose your vote wisely and see that the ban would never make me equal with any of you.

The want for the ban is because the religious right-wing believes that gay people are an abomination against God. They also believe that marriage is for a man and woman so they can procreate and make more hateful bible thumpers. If this second reason is true, then they shouldn't allow people to get married who have no intention of having children. But I think we all know that marriage isn't just about babies - it's about showing the world that we love someone and are commited to them completely, and for the rest of our lives. I don't believe that God belongs in our constitution or in our government. This is how we can start truly separating church from state.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

~Stacey

P.S. Vote for Obama, too!



*edit* I just want to be clear that I'm not against religion or think that all Catholics/Christians are wing-nuts that hate gay people. I am not religious, though I grew up Catholic. I don't have problem with people believing in God. Not at all. It's just not for me. Therefore, I don't want God to be the basis for things I can or cannot do. I strongly believe that there should be a true separation of Church and State and don't believe there is enough separation. Christianity is not the only religion practiced in this country, so I don't believe that it belongs in law books or anything legally telling me how to live my life.