Babi Badalov has been campaigning to stay in the UK since his claim for asylum was rejected. He has been informed that he is now liable to be detained and has to sign in every week at the Border and Immigration Agency offices in Cardiff. His first signing was last Tuesday (24th June) and supporters from the campaign accompanied Babi to the BIA offices. Concern is high that he may be snatched at one of these signings so everyone was relieved to see him come out of the building, not least Babi himself.

News of the campagin has reached Azerbaijan where Babi was recently in a newspaper article that disputed Babi was an internationally renowned actor. No wonder as Babi has never claimed to be an actor and isn't suprised that people had never heard of this actor's name. He is however a contemporary artist that has had his work shown in many galleries throughout Europe and across the world.

This article made the fact he is homosexual known to his whole family. They have telephoned him, screamed at him, threatened him and disowned him. Babi has expressed concern for his family and the shame that this will have brought on them by having a family member that is gay, just proving how unacceptable homosexuality is in Azerbaijan. This article has raised Babi's profile even further in Azerbaijan, resulting in letters being written to the press in his defence. Not only will this make it even harder for Babi to return if he is deported but it will also mean he has no support and family to return to if he is sent back.

We are pleading to people to continue to support Babi by either signing the online petition, getting your friends to sign it and by writing to Jacqui Smith and expressing your outrage at Babi's claim being rejected. If you have already written, please write again.

More info and model letters at:
http://noborderswales.wordpress.com/campaign-to-stay/keep-babi-safe-in-cardiff/

Sign the on-line petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/badalov/petition.html

See Babi's web log:
http://babibadalov.wordpress.com/

Това са СДП в лицето на Главен инспектор Младен Маринов, инспекторите Ангел Златанов и Григоров, които си които свършиха професионално работата и бяха добре подготвени за реакция във всеки момент от мероприятието. Ако те не бяха реагирали адекватно, вероятно прайдът щеше да е доста кървав.

Освен 26те предварително заявени човека, общо 200 полицаи, снайперисти и 30 тежко въоръжени са охранявали и са разчиствали целия център от лумпени, при това, както видяхме, успешно и ефективно. И както вече казах, през цялото време бяха от помощ на участниците.

Също така, всеки който има професионални или любителски кадри, моля ако има доброто желание, да ги предостави на полицията, за да си състави тя по-добра картина за случилото се, както и да се подготви за следващи сблъсъци.

Информация, кадри, както и благодарности можете да изпратите на:

Столична дирекция на полицията

На вниманието на Комисар Николай Янев

Ул. “Антим I” 5, гр. София 1303

Originally uploaded by lighttripper

I think we are changing. We, as a society are changing and changing for the better.

This change was witnessed by a Gay Pride parade in Bangalore for the 1st time on 29-Jun-08. A walk, where all the men and women, who are otherwise ridiculed in our films for fun, who are only stared at and stayed away from, came out in the open with a simple yet powerful message, which said, “Here I am, just as human as you are and equally comfortable of who I am.”

This change was not welcome by many though and this was proven by the many comments that I got to see in various discussion forums. But the opinions of the speakers in these forums really don’t matter because if these people cannot accept alternate sexuality as a normal way of existence, then I don’t think we need these useless discussion forums anymore. These should rather be banned or fire-walled.

Come to think of it, women’s emancipation and empowerment also appeared as a threatening to many and it still is, therefore, empowering people who do not confirm to the normal gender roles, have a long way to go. Though the good part is, most of us now know that they don’t fear us anymore and that’s a good change.

Talking about these changes, another event that I must talk about here are the two monologues performed by Pritham K Chakravarthy.

Pritham Chakravarthy, who is a playwright, director, performer, film critic and activist from Chennai performed two of her famous monologues, “Nirvanam” and “Mirror”.

This event was held at The Centre for Education and Documentation, Domlur on a lazy Saturday afternoon of 5th of Jul 2008.

This event was organized by a Theatre group called Masra and was kept very low key, I really don’t know why?

Witnessed by an audience of not more than 30 people who were mostly in their 20s, I saw 3 elderly people also, who came very early to grab the best seats for the show. Another reason for me to believe that we are changing for good.

As a performer, Pritham is engrossing and believable. Her USP is her powerful body language and screaming eye contact that she makes with her audience.

I was overwhelmed with her acting so much that I was at a loss of words when the discussion with the audience began. She was so real.

In her first play, “Nirvanam”, she tells a story of a eunuch. A story of a boy who has the soul of a woman beneath all the flesh and bones and a human spirit above all. A spirit to find her own identity amidst all odds and abandonment. A story of courage, survival. This play is aptly named “Nirvanam” where a person who is ostracized by his own family attains Nirvana by getting rid of his “manhood” . The message which rips through your mind is, “A human is much more than we all perceive through the anatomy.”

The performance is so gripping that at first I thought may be this is the story of Pritham herself.
It was not easy for Pritham to interview eunuchs and get such insight on their lives.

Mirror, was the 2nd performance where Pritham enacts a story of a successful actress from the black and white era of Tamil cinema, who was once successful and independent. It’s a story about her insecurities, tragedies, heartbreaks and secrets. A similar tale where independent women taking their own sexual decisions with a liberated mind cannot be “good” wives. They can be good lovers and even better mothers to fatherless children but cannot be a wife.

Both “Nirvanam” and “Mirror” were in striking contrasts with each other. “Nirvanam” being a story of a man wanting to be a woman. Where the protagonist is taken care of by the Aravani community; a community which lives in the peripherals of society stricken by ignorance, lack of health care, education, any kind of human rights and poverty. “Mirror”, on the other hand, is a story of a successful and beautiful woman who is proud to be a screen goddess. She is admired by many yet she cant live a normal life. Both the protagonists are powerful and their independence is scary to people who are just about ordinary. The sad part is most of the world is filled with ordinary people and that is perhaps the reason why it is difficult for any extra-ordinary person to be a part of a normal lifestyle.

NOTE:- “Nirvanam” is a ceremony of the Aravani community where a man becomes a woman by getting rid of his manhood. The entire healing process takes 40 days and its on the 40th day that the womanhood is celebrated.

Both the stories are based on facts gathered from various interviews.

Photo Courtesy:- Vinayak Das

Move over girls...The Drag Queen Posse is here.  With a podcast, lots of videos and more opinions than you can shake a leaf at - The Drag Queen Posse is on Planet Q TV with 14 videos uploaded just for you from events happening in and around the Ft. Lauderdale area.  We are glad they have join our community and uploaded their videos.  Make sure you check out their website and check back here often - hopefully we will get more great videos in the future.  Thanks Drag Queen Posse - we're glad you are here....

Thomas (Video Content Producer - Click Click Expose Gay Entertainment Media)

...

July, 18 2008 at Film Screening of "Pansy Division: Life In A Gay Rock Band," Philadelphia
Arts Bank Theater, Broad & South Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cost : $10

Film Screening of "Pansy Division: Life In A Gay Rock Band." 7:15 PM at the Arts Bank Theater Broad & South Streets. Tickets are $10 from www.phillyfunguide.com.

...

Concert after the film

July, 18 2008 at Philadelphia, PA, The Trocadero
1003 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cost : $5 - $10

We are playing this show after our film is screened at the Philly Gay Film Festival. Admission is $10, but only $5 with a ticket stub from the film--what a bargain! Must be 21 to get into the show.

by Wayne Besen at 365gay.com

For a brief moment, it looked as if the GLBT community might escape gratuitous gay baiting in the 2008 presidential campaign. Unlike the past few election cycles where the strategy was to secure the base at all costs, McCain and Obama were vigorously vying for moderate and Independent swing voters. The pro-gay Obama was competing in all 50 states - thus tailoring his general election message to the skeptical rather than the converted. McCain, for his part, appeared on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show and pointedly refused to exploit marriage as a wedge issue in California.

The dream scenario playing out was almost too good to be true. If Obama won with a firmly Democratic Congress in place, it would likely lead to the advancement of GLBT issues on Capitol Hill. If McCain emerged as the victor without pandering to the Religious Right, he would be free to pursue a moderate agenda and not be beholden to extremists. It is doubtful that this would lead to any advancement on GLBT equality, but it would set the GOP on a more moderate course and curtail their anti-gay obsession.

The beauty of this situation was that for the first time in memory, GLBT people were not forced to put all of their eggs in one basket and play feast or famine politics. I'm certainly not saying the records of the two men are equivalent. Obama is an all you can eat buffet, compared to McCain, a stingy one-course dish with a soggy side of greens. Still, this would have been a superior situation to a Republican nominee getting elected on the backs of gay and lesbian people.

Unfortunately, McCain made a strategic decision last week that he could not win without securing the party's right wing base. My guess is that the campaign's internal polling suggested that Obama - aided by his bloated bank account - was winning too many Independents, so McCain had no choice but to make peace with social conservatives.

Leaders from the Religious Right were reinforcing this reality by making it clear that if McCain did not grovel, they wouldn't help get out the vote.

"We told him that if he didn't come out and share his pro-family stances on these issues, then he can kiss Ohio goodbye," said influential anti-gay Ohio activist Phil Burress, according to the Los Angeles Times.

With his divisive new strategy in place, McCain met with prominent social conservatives in Ohio and all but licked their boots. At the meeting, he announced his support for an initiative in California to ban same-sex marriage. In his speech he said that Californians ought to "recognize marriage as a unique institution between a man and a woman, just as we did in my home state of Arizona. I do not believe judges should be making these decisions." (Despite McCain's anti-gay campaigning, the Arizona amendment failed)

McCain's efforts seemed to work and suggest there is time to rally the right to his side.

"It was obvious there were a lot of changed hearts in the room," said Burress. "We realized that he's with us on the majority of the issues we care about."

McCain also said that he hoped to meet with James Dobson, the virulently anti-gay leader of Focus on the Family. Dobson has said he would not vote for McCain and claimed that neither candidate gives "a hoot about the family."

To convert a skeptical Dobson, McCain would have to make extraordinary promises and essentially sell his soul. Such a move would signal that McCain has dropped all pretenses of appealing to mainstream Americans and that his campaign has decided to follow the Karl Rove playbook of using red meat to create red states. This incipient strategy is depressing and ends hope of a classy campaign that could have united Americans.

Obama, for his part, is going after religious voters who are dissatisfied with McCain. He met last month with Rev. Franklin Graham, the son of Billy Graham, and endorsed a sweeping faith based initiative.

In my view, the faith-based initiative is a nightmare in practice, if not principle. These programs are useless, a waste of taxpayer money and are nothing more than pork barrel prayer and thinly disguised preacher payoffs. The Obama campaign should lose voters over this stunt, but it won't, as McCain's flirtation with the fringe no longer leaves him as a viable option.

This past week will be remembered for McCain abandoning his efforts to win GLBT votes, but it will also mark the moment the GLBT community lost much of its leverage over the Obama campaign. The only way Obama could now lose significant GLBT support is by selecting an anti-gay Vice Presidential candidate, such as Sam Nunn.

A presidential race with the religious right on the sidelines was fun while it lasted, but too good to be true. Now, comes the ugly phase of the campaign, where the GOP lies about our lives and our families become fodder to rile up conservatives in an effort to save John McCain's sluggish campaign.

...

The Army, Air Force and Navy marched in full dress uniform at the front of the London Pride parade today for the first time in history.

The Royal Navy has previously paraded in uniform at Pride, but until now the Army and Air Force's gays have only been allowed to wear t-shirts. They were cheered as they made their historic march through the capital's streets.

The parade was lead by London's new mayor, Boris Johnson who was taking part in the gay festival for the first time. He took a moment to tell Pink Paper that he was enjoying himself and describe the event as "fantastic".

The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, had earlier met with a delegation from gay lobby group Stonewall and sent his well-wishes to Pride via Pink Paper.

Later Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats addressed the Pride rally in Trafalgar Square. He told Pink Paper he had been to Prides before as his brother is gay, but it's the first time he's attended to represent his party.

Speaking after the rally, he told us equality for gay men and women is within reach.

He said: "If you look at the speed in which we've made progress over recent years equality is achievable."

Full article at Pink Paper

However, the story runs the gamut similar to a lot of gay films out there.  The gay man trying to find the love of his life "the right one",  while tagging along by his side are his straight "fag hag " girlfriend and gay "slut" best friend.

There are the usual comedic mishaps, the sad moments, then the final fruition when that hot guy at the local coffee shop notices you and the "right one" moment happens.   Yep, seen that before....many times.

To be fair the writing is better than most and there are some really funny moments, but the film as a whole is okay. if you have nothing else to do, rent it.

Tłumaczenie dla nieobeznanych z mową Goethego: To pułapka. Widziałeś kiedyś zepsutą Corollę?



Zainteresowani znajdą na YouTubie także wersję spotu zdubbingowaną na angielski oraz zaadaptowaną kulturowo (vide liczba wypowiedzianych słów) wersję hiszpańskojęzyczną:

Z modnego ostatnio punktu widzenia gender, jest w tych spotach wszystko: i zmiana - czy może raczej dekonstrukcja - płci, i zagranie ze stereotypami, wedle których mężczyźni zawsze zatrzymają się przy wypiętej na drodze kobiecie, ba, nawet delikatne zakwestionowanie heteroseksualności bohaterów. No i oczywiście zaskoczenie, a nawet kilka zaskoczeń, dzięki którym łatwo zapamiętujemy opowiedzianą nam historyjkę. A zaraz potem - i to już raczej na nieszczęście dla producenta - uznajemy, że jej przesłanie jest w takim stopniu prawdziwe, w jakim samo zdarzenie jest prawdopodobne.

That being said, check out the Equality For All website.

Note: If you don't want to enter your email address on the opening page just skip it like I did.

Cheers,

Tom

LONDON, June 17, 2008 (Reuters) — Gay men and straight women share some characteristics in the area of the brain responsible for emotion, mood and anxiety, researchers said on Monday in a study highlighting the potential biological underpinning of sexuality.

LONDON, June 17, 2008 (Reuters) — Gay men and straight women share some characteristics in the area of the brain responsible for emotion, mood and anxiety, researchers said on Monday in a study highlighting the potential biological underpinning of sexuality.

Sex, dating, and relationships in the transgender/gender variant community. Edited by *Morty Diamond

Looking for first person stories, interviews and poetry from trans and gender variant writers about the experience of dating, sex, relationships, and finding love.

Topic examples: hilarious or heartbreaking dating stories, how we negotiate sex, transitioning within a relationship, being trans and starting families, passing/not passing and how this affects our choices for dating, marriage - legal or otherwise, online dating, sex and dating before and after surgery and/or hormones.

I strive to make this anthology as diverse as possible within age, race, sexuality, and gender identity. I encourage all writers who identify as transgender, transsexual, genderqueer, third gender, non-gender, or gender variant in some way to submit work.

If submitting a short story your work should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words. Sexually explicit work is ok. Please include a short biography with your work.

If your story is accepted you will receive a cash stipend and two free copies of the book. Please submit your writing via email to: genderedhearts@gmail.com. LAST DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: July 15, 2008.

*Morty Diamond is the editor of the book "From the Inside Out, FTM and Beyond" and the producer and director of the films "Trans Entities" and "Trannyfags."

06 July 2008 - By Kurt Bayer, Scotland on Sunday

A gay asylum seeker has been refused permission to stay in Scotland and told he is likely to be safe in his homophobic homeland provided he behaves "discreetly".
Scotland on Sunday revealed earlier this year that Syrian Jojo Jako Yakob was battling to stay here after suffering horrific abuse because of his sexuality and political activities.

It has now emerged that an immigration tribunal has turned down his request to stay in the UK, despite accepting that Yakob is gay and that Syria criminalises and represses homo– sexuality.

In a judgment that has appalled gay rights campaigners, the tribunal suggests Yakob is unlikely to come to any harm so long as he keeps his sexuality under wraps.

Lawyers for the 20-year-old are planning a last-ditch court bid to stop him being deported. Campaigners said they were in no doubt Yakob's life would once again be placed in serious danger.

Yakob, a Christian member of the repressed Kurdish minority in the Arab state, fled to the UK two years ago after being arrested, shot and beaten. He left his home country after surviving a harrowing ordeal at the hands of Syrian police and prison guards. He had been arrested for distributing anti-government leaflets.

When prison guards discovered he was homosexual he suffered horrific beatings and was assaulted so badly that he fell into a coma.

Despite his attempts to start a new life in Scotland, the Home Office ordered his deportation in March and, last week, his appeal against the decision was denied.

...

Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said the refusal was "irrational, ill-informed and insensitive".

He added: "This young man's life will be in danger if he is deported. It's outrageous that our Government is showing such a callous disregard for human rights.

"The Government is fast losing its gay-friendly credentials by its heartless, cruel and vindictive mistreatment of gay asylum seekers."

Full article

See also: UK: Jojo Jako Yakob, Syrian Teenager Claims Gay Asylum After a Long Cycle of Torture and Humiliation

Започвам с крайната идиотщина депутат от българския парламент да призовава към насилие открито и в ефир - Красимир Каракачанов пред телевизия Европа.

От официалните медии - във вестник Дневник тук и фотогалерия от парада. Днес.бг с инфо преди и след парада и по повод предаването в Дойче веле. Обзор във Фокус нюз на случилото се и на реакциите в чуждите медии. В Медиапул, International Herald Tribune, Софияехо и Индимедия. На последните искам да обърна специално внимание, тъй като българските анархисти подкрепиха парада и дори някои се включиха в него с транспарант с надпис "Солидарни срещу расизма и хомохобията".

За Капитал вече писахме тук, но разочарованието е голямо. Крайно неприятно е да осъзнаеш, че в държавата няма нито една сериозна медия. По-скоро сериозна само дотам, докъдето не пари.

Понеже не чета други вестници (познайте защо), идея си нямам какво става из Труд, 24 часа, Стандарт и така нататък, но чух, че имало коментари от сорта на "20 участници", "набит изрусен циганин-травестит" и така нататък. Но комент. И таблоидите трябва да имат някаква класа.

Извести блогъри, голяма част от които участници в прайда отделиха време, за да коментират събитие, което официлните медии или едвам-едвам докоснаха, или пък използваха по много неприятен начин. Из блоговете при Петя Кирилова-Грейди, Кайл Грейди, Иван Бедров тук и тук, Симион Патеев, Ангел Грънчаров, Комитата, Нели Огнянова, Боян Юруков, Лонганлон, Милена Фучеджиева, Еленко Еленков, Надя Младенова, My life without me, Avangardisco, Явор, Damncity, Андрей Коцев, Fictions we live by тук, тук, тук, тук, тук, тук и тук и в блога на Сашо.

Коментари на Люба Манолова, известен разследващ журналист и Георги Лозанов.

Можете да прочетете разказите на участници - Krijs, Миро, Стефан Иванов и Светла Енчева - последните двама явяващи се по една случайност стрейт, поет и университетски преподавател.

От гей блогосферата - равносметката на Сталик, който както винаги чудесно резюмира и анализира събитията.

Иначе за електронните медии - ами за повечето, както обикновено, направо нямам думи. От радиата ще спомена с добро RFI и предаването Аларма на БНР, с водещ Ася Чанева.

Масово пък в телевизионните предавания канеха неподходящи хора, незапознати с материята, представители на различни църкви или пък лица, които търсят единствено евтина популярност. В BSDXS можете да видите запис от предаването На 4 очи с водещ Цветанка Ризова и гост Евгени Минчев (който се е изтипосал и при С. Трифонов). Специално споменавам това предаване, защото е наистина срамно и неприятно, а Станимир Панайотов и Добромир Добрев изпратиха писма до водещата, в което изразяват становището си по повод "предаването". Аз няма пак да започвам да пиша за българската така наречена журналистика, която е крайно непрофесионална и платена, само искам да намеря отговор на въпроса защо се кани лице, което не се самоопределя като хомосексуално? Не смятам, че Евгени Минчев и Денди имат място в студиото, когато трябва да се коментират въпроси, отнасящи се до човешки права, право, дискриминация и така нататък. И за съжаление те не са единствените, който нито подкрепят, нито приемат парада, но пък извличат лични дивиденти от това.

В youtube bbourgas и marystewart са събрали сериозен видео ресурс от различни електронни медии, включващ новини и предавания.

Засега толкова, в постове от дните преди парада има още източници, заключения няма да правя, защото те се виждат от самосебе си.

Гледайте довечера Аксиния по ТВ7.

GayMafiaWatch feels duty-bound to inform the truth-hungry British Public of yet another questionable partnership and possible scam concerning the self-titled "leading gay rights group" Stonewall and a major multinational company.

You've got it hand it to Stonewall, they must have headhunted some of the best PR talent in Westminster to dream this one up. Our sources tell us that it's been a busy week for Stonewall, the shady, corporate-run "gay-rights lobby group" who have spent all week issuing obscure press releases urging 3.6 million gay and lesbian people to boycott the entire Heinz product range because the famous baked bean manufacturer withdrew a television advert for mayonnaise featuring a gay couple even though Heinz still actually produced, filmed and paid thousands to be aired several times over before they took it off.

Beanz Meanz Money

At the weekend, Stonewall's appearance in this years London Gay Pride March (which also endured many embarrasing jeers and heckles from transgender rights activists opposed to Stonewall's lack of inclusion) appears to have been supported by, if not financially sponsored by Heinz's biggest global competitor - Premier Foods.

"Canned vegetables represent the largest sector of the UK canned foods market, with retail sales of £528m equating to a 26.5% share of the market in 2007." "Branston's arrival in the baked beans sector in November 2005 had a significant impact and spurred activity from Heinz, which traditionally dominates the sector. Premier Foods launched Branston baked beans claiming that, in comparison with Heinz, they contain 20% more tomatoes and were rated more highly in blind taste tests." - ( Source: Financial Content - Market Data: Canned Foods )

Bouncing around the streets of London with their head-queen - Sir Ian McKellen with his Stonewall "staff" holding red and white signs scrawled with anti-Heinz slogans were a small group of their supporters dressed up ridiculously as tins of red and white Campbell's Soup - owned by Premier Foods who just happen to be Stonewall Enemy of the week - Heinz's fiercest rival.

From the people acting in the interests of the "Lesbian and Gay" community once again, is this tie-up with Premier Foods merely a coincidence? No chance, Stonewall have managed to invent a whole new, but repulsively separate system of partnership registration instead of pushing for what the large majority of other gay rights groups wanted - legal same sex marriage. Stonewall's sponsors and board members are dominated by FTSE 100, or huge trans-global corporate multinationals and those who have connections to them. It is clearly a breach of conflict of interests by launching a campaign against one company and then appearing in public to then support the brands and products of it's rival. Once again Stonewall's been sleeping around for some spells to cast.

Let's have a toast to Stonewall for this superbly played out publicity stunt. It looks like Sir Ian is up for another "Best Supporting Actor" nomination. Although who can say who's "rings" he's been "the lord of" to pull this one off.

We've lifted the lid and now the truth is "out of the can".

We've "Beanz Had"!

Арестувани са към петдесет човека, а на десетина е оказана медицинска помощ.

Тук можете да видите видео на ВВС. Браво на хората, които въпреки непрестанните заплахи, палежите на гей места и неадекватните действия на шефа на полицията на Будапеща все пак излязоха, за да покажат, че страхът и насилието не са нещо, което деветнадесет години след първите стъпки за демократизация на Унгария ще ги накара да се крият.

---

‘Pregnant man' gives birth to girl -- reports

First posted 04:21:36 (Mla time) July 04, 2008
Agence France-Presse
LOS ANGELES -- A US man who was born a woman before undergoing gender realignment surgery has given birth to a baby girl, US media reported Thursday.

Thomas Beatie, who is legally male but decided to keep his female sex organs during chest reconstruction surgery and testosterone therapy, attracted worldwide attention in April after revealing his pregnancy.

The 34-year-old gave birth to a baby girl at a hospital in Bend, Oregon, ABC News reported, without providing further details.

Beatie, who sports a beard, was dubbed the 'pregnant man' after appearing on Oprah Winfrey's television talkshow to discuss his pregnancy.

"I feel it's not a male or female desire to have a child. It's a human need. I'm a person and I have the right to have a biological child," Beatie told the chat show queen.

Beatie's unusual situation first became public when he wrote an article in the leading US gay magazine The Advocate in March, entitled "Labor of Love."

"To our neighbors, my wife, Nancy, and I don't appear in the least unusual," he wrote, explaining that his wife was unable to have a child after undergoing a hysterectomy. So he chose to become pregnant by artificial insemination, he said.

"Our situation sparks legal, political, and social unknowns," Beatie wrote, adding the couple had experienced opposition from health care professionals, friends and family.

One doctor refused to treat the couple, after consulting an ethics board.

"How does it feel to be a pregnant man? Incredible. Despite the fact that my belly is growing with a new life inside me, I am stable and confident being the man that I am," Beatie wrote.

--> from inquirer.net

Beatie was correct, gender isn't important if one wants to have a child of his/her own. Being a transsexual or being part of the LGBT per se should not be a hindrance for the right to procreate. There are different ways of obtaining a child. Let's not think only of procreating through consummation between a man and a woman. This is liberating in the sense that it deviates from the Victorian view of consummation as a prerequisite for procreation.

If you would be interested, you may want to watch "What Makes a Family", an indie film about a Lesbian family. Popular stars in the film are Brook Shields and Whoopie Goldberg. This movie is a great way for you to understand that being a family doesn't only involve blood relations. What is important is how children are being brought up. Bigotry of people around us only aggravates the situation. It's not correlating that if a child is born with gay/ lesbian parents they will definitely be 'bad' kids. Actually most studies show that children brought up by 'gay' parents are far better kids than those brought up by 'straight' parents.

Вече всички знаете как протече прайдът „Аз и моето семейство”, но тепърва започват равносметките и научените уроци. Заради всеки следващ прайд, фестивал, шествие, информационна кампания и друго, уроците, които всички ние научихме от организацията и провеждането му ще бъдат полезни не само на БГО „Джемини”, но и на всяка друга организация, група или просто хора, които искат да организират някаква дейност за ЛГБТ каузата.

Този прайд струваше на всички нас много емоции, страхове, притеснения и надежда, но и лични средства. Пишем това писмо, защото всички ние, на които този прайд струваше три седмици безсъние, физическо изтощение, лични средства и много, много притеснения, сме възмутени от спекулациите за това колко е струвало това събитие и как са били осигурени средствата.

Прайдът се подготви от група от десетина души, повечето доброволци, неангажирани с която и да е организация, но съпричастни с каузата. Разходите около прайда възлизат на 1 810.34 лв.

Нито един от посочените разходи не са покрити от организацията, тъй като БГО „Джемини” разполага само с програмни средства за изпълнение на две текущи програми.

Апелираме към всички, съпричастни към идеите на Похода за равенство „Аз и моето семейство”, които желаят, да помогнат да покрием разходите около Прайда и задълженията към Столичната дирекция на полицията, осигурила охраната на шествието на 28 юни! Можете да направите това по банков път или в брой в офиса на организацията (тел. 02/ 987 68 72, бул. "Васил Левски" 3, София)

Банковата сметка на организацията е:

Име на банка: Обединена Българска Банка, Клон „Фритьоф Нансен”
BIC: UBBSBGSF
Титуляр: БГО "Джемини"
Сметка в лева: BG75UBBS78201016228229

Надяваме се, че всеки участник в Прайда осъзна необходимостта от полицейско присъствие. Имайте предвид, че най-голямата сума е за наетата допълнителна охрана (26 полицаи, които заявихме преди самото събитие да ни съпровождат през цялото време), но за прайда бяха ангажирани 200 униформени, за които не плащаме, тъй като сме граждани на България. Благодарение на своевременните и адекватни мерки, които органите на реда взеха, няма пострадали. Опазването на обществения ред и сигурността на участниците обаче има своята цена.

Благодарим Ви предварително за разбирането и всяка подкрепа!

Аксиния Генчева, Петър Георгиев, колеги и приятели на БГО „Джемини”

Е, ние лично смятаме да помогем, първо, защото взехме участие в парада, и второ, дори да не бяхме участвали, това е събитие, което ни засяга като част от ЛГБТ общността в България.

Но, като данъкоплатец на тази държава искам да знам защо два пъти трябва да плащаме за едно и също??? И това няма нищо общо с гей, куиър и джендър проблематиката!!! Дори членът на Европейския Парламент Сирпа Пиетикаинен попита “Но въпросът е защо охраната трябва да се плаща от организаторите? Да се чувстваш сигурен и защитен е задължение на полицията и и службите по сигурността.” Въпроси...

This time they are trying to do the same to McDonald's. It is no secret that I am not a fan of fast food. I am however a life long advocate of equal rights for everyone. So what do I intend to do about this? The same thing I am going to ask you to do. Spend money at McDonald's. I don't care how much or how little. Something off the dollar menu or a soft drink, apple pie, ice cream, or even just a coffee or tea.

Eat for equality, support McDonald's.

World Net Daily is also supporting the AFA by asking millions to boycott Micky Dee's. Let's show them it ain't gonna work this time.

Guess where I've been?

Authors Note: Feel free to link to this entry, copy it, repost it or create one of your own and trackback.

• how to spot a player
• how to tame a player
• how to be a player

The one act dramedy musical play that chronicles the coming out story of Mormon returned missionary, ex-temple married, father, former male escort, former drug user, and excommunicated LDS Church member Steven Fales will now grace the stage in London. 

Critically acclaimed, the play was awarded the  Overall Excellence Award at the 2004 New York International Fringe Festival. It received the 2008 Oscar Wilde Award Nomination for Outstanding New Writing in the Theatre at the Dublin International Gay Theatre Festival and a New York Outer Critics Circle Award Nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance.

Fales is quoted on  http://www.affirmation.org/:

Fales says ‘I wrote the play so that my children would some day be able to understand their gay father” and he adds “I kept thinking that if I were to die, there wasn’t anyone I could fully trust to tell my kids who their ‘wicked’ gay dad really was and how much I loved them.”
(Fales’ former mother-in-law is celebrated Mormon poet Carol Lynn Pearson whose autobiography Good-bye, I Love You (Random House 1986), poignantly recounts her relationship with her gay ex-husband who died of AIDS in her home. Steven Fales married their oldest daughter, Emily and together they have two children whom they raise in Salt Lake City, Utah.)

He also wrote a book with the same title that was a recent finalist for a Lambda Literary Award.

I saw his play here in San Francisco last year and found it to be a very enjoyable, touching experience. Fales is able to deliver his coming out story with a very human truthfulness with all his foibles laid bare but with a sincerity at its core.  His love for his children comes through, as he struggles as a man who comes to terms with his sexual identity in the middle of a marriage,  in a conservative religious environment. It is a convulsive, messy coming out process for him.  Thank goodness, he survived it to write and perform this play.

Confessions of a Mormon Boy is a MUST SEE for anyone who is interested about how someone overcomes the impossible....and who lives to sing and laugh about it.

Information on the London Performance Run

CONFESSIONS OF A MORMON BOY
Written and performed by Steven Fales
28 July to 30 August
Wednesday to Saturday at 9.30pm Sunday & Monday at 7.30pm (90 minutes)
Post-show discussions on Mondays 4, 11, 18 and 25 August.
Tickets £15 concessions £12 Ticket Sales 0870 033 2733
New End Theatre, 27 New End, Hampstead London NW3 1JD
www.newendtheatre.co.uk
5 minutes from Hampstead tube     fully air-conditioned

http://www.mormonboy.com/

***********************************************************************

September 29, 2003, may not be a memorable day for most, but for me it was not only the realization of a dream, but the beginning of a much wanted challenge. It was the day I was hired as Community Relations Coordinator at OutReach. I had long desired a position that mattered, A job that was not simply a paycheck, but one which would allow me to make a real difference in the lives of LGBT people.

Thus, it is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have resigned my position as Development Director effective July 1, 2008. The reason for my departure? I've been diagnosed with end-stage liver and end-stage kidney disease with additional complications. I was just recently added to the UW-Madison Transplant list for a double transplant. I'm hoping that as soon as I get the necessary replacement parts, I will be back doing my best to educate about and advocate for LGBT people and our issues.

I want to thank Steve Starkey and the OutReach Board for this very special gift, not only did they give me the chance to leave on my own terms, but also the opportunity to address you in this manner. While those who know me are well aware that I could pontificate on a wide range of topics, I feel compelled to focus on a few key issues in hopes that our community can grow from my observations.

If I could share some things I've learned, the first would be to leave our personal agendas at the door. We seem so caught up in who did what to whom and who should gets credit for what, that we waste a great deal of energy. Imagine how powerful we could be if we found a way to unite . . .found a way to put our personal differences aside.

It is also vital that we never forget from whence we came. It seems so easy for us to forget those who came before us. The preceding generations have been battling for LGBT rights for many years and we are where we are today because of the sacrifices that they made. On the other hand, those of us who have been battle tested cannot become so jaded that we forget the necessity of the enthusiasm and fresh perspectives that youth will bring to our future.

In addition, for those who feel we are being judged constantly by others, we seem to spend an inordinate amount of time judging each other. Just as we as a group abhor being labeled, we find it irresistible to label and stereotype others within the LGBT communities. Whether we consider ourselves lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, it is time that we stopped perpetuating the divisive tactics of our detractors. How can we expect others to treat us with respect and dignity if we can't extend that simple courtesy to ourselves?!

I entered the public realm spurred by a promise Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin made when she was running for the State Assembly. She promised to give a voice to those who had none and to advocate for those who could not do so for themselves. I believed that this was worthwhile goal and that I could assist by committing myself to do the same on a local level. I sincerely hope that I have been successful in doing so..

Lastly, there are so many people deserving of thanks, but not enough room to list them all. I do want to single out my partner of 18 years for her unwavering love and support. Cris has made me a better employee, advocate, spokesperson, but above all, she has made me a better person and for that I am eternally grateful.

I've read this so many times that I think I have it memorized.  I'm still not sure if it is perfect, but with deadlines and all, this as close as I will get.

imalablover

London – 6 July 2008

Gay human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell marched in the London's Gay Pride Parade on Saturday 5 July carrying a poster placard ridiculing the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. It featured a doctored photo of Amhadinejad wearing blue eye shadow, red lipstick, a gold earring and pink nail varnish.

See photos of the placard here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/outrage/sets/72157605994039273/
These photos are free to use, without charge.

The placard was emblazoned with the words: "President of Iran. Murderer. Homophobe." Next to the President's tiny wagging finger was a mocking speech bubble with the words: "My penis is this big."

"Sometimes the best way to deflate tyrants is by mocking them," said Mr Tatchell.

"Ahmadinejad leads a regime that arrests, jails, flogs, tortures and sometimes executes gay people. It also terrorises trade unionists, students, women activists, journalists, bloggers, sunni Muslims and ethnic minorities like the Ahwazi Arabs, Baluchs and Kurds.

"I don't support a military attack on Iran, but I do urge greater international solidarity with democratic, liberal and progressive Iranians who are struggling to overthrow the clerical dictatorship from within," he said.

Speaking from the Gay Pride main stage in Trafalgar Square, Mr Tatchell condemned "President Amadinejad's violent homophobia" and "the Labour government's policy of deporting lesbian and gay asylum claimants back to Iran."

He condemned the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith MP, who last month refused requests for a moratorium on the return of gay asylum seekers to Iran. She claimed "the evidence does not show a real risk of discovery of, or adverse action against, gay and lesbian people who are discreet about their sexual orientation."

"This is complete nonsense and deeply insulting," said Mr Tatchell.
"It is like saying that Jews in Nazi Germany were safe if they hid their Jewishness."

Peter Tatchell

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