Archive for the ‘Faaabulosity’ Category
Gravel vs. States' Rights
There were two things that Hillary Clinton said in last week's HRC/LOGO presidential forum that have nagged at me a bit. Whether they're show-stoppers for me is moot right now since I much prefer Mike Gravel or Chris Dodd as my candidate of choice. Thing number one was, when discussing the "debate" over marriage equality […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
HRC/LOGO LGBT Presidential Forum
I felt very 21st century tonight and watched the HRC/Logo Presidential Forum ("The Visible Vote '08") on Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-&-Transgender issues at my computer by streaming video. It was an historic first for presidential campaigning and for me, since it's the first time I'd watched a program over our new FiOS connection. I found it quite interesting, […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Meet 82 LGBT Lutheran Ministers
Here's an interesting sounding event taking place this evening at what appears to be a church-wide Lutheran conference called "Churchwide": What: [Cameras OK] LGBT Lutheran Pastors, from among the 82 ministers just introduced to the wider Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, speak out in favor of eliminating the policy that prohibits continued service in the […]
Camping in the Woods
We got back late Sunday evening from our weekend camping trip with our friends Tom & James. They have a very nice camper that they keep at The Woods Campground.* The Woods is an all-gay, clothing-optional campground; it's very easy to become immersed in that environment and returning to straight-majority, clothing-required civilization is a bit […]
In: All, Faaabulosity, Personal Notebook
I'm No Bigot, But….
A little while back my sister forwarded to me yet another of those lists of philosophical observations — typically reactionary attitudes told in the form of jokes with bad timing and worse punch-lines — this one attributed to Andy Rooney. (It's urban legend, of course.) Among it's pithy comments was this gem: I think that […]
Marriage Survives in MA
For those who have not heard the news — I heard only one brief mention today on the radio station that I listen to — marriage equality in Massachusetts has survived a constitutional convention. Recall: three years ago the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled, in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, that the institution […]
Gravel on DADT
I really like dark-horse political candidates; if they're to make any headway it's usually by riding on the backs of principals rather than polls. Senator Mike Gravel has caught my attention before; now he does it again by reacting to H. Clinton's namby-pandering stance on gay equality, in particular, her husband's disastrous "Don't Ask, Don't […]
Carter on DADT
Although I have little compunction about "speaking ill of the dead" when it comes to one of America's leading hate-mongers,* I refuse to waste any more pixels on the subject. Let's instead celebrate the living who correctly distinguish right from wrong and try to make the world a better place. Former President Jimmy Carter, whom […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Aruba Must Recognize Gay Marriage
Here's another little bit of cheery news. It didn't want to do it, but Aruba is now the first Caribbean island that will recognize same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriage is legal in Holland, and Aruba is still ruled by Dutch law, therefore: The [Dutch] Supreme Court ruled today that a same-sex marriage conducted in the Netherlands […]
Dodd on Equality
I lived in Connecticut, going to graduate school at Wesleyan University, when Chris Dodd first ran for Congress. I had a favorable impression of him then, perhaps because of the attitude that leads to the types of things he's saying now. CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Democratic presidential hopeful Chris Dodd told Concord High School students […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Considering "Morality"
I want to recommend a fascinating piece at Pam Spaulding's, called "Former American Family Association columnist Joe Murray speaks out against homophobia and hypocrisy" (Pam's House Blend, 27 March 2007). The first reason is that she reminded me of this tidbit from the mouth of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Pace: […]
Pace "Justifies" DADT
Sometimes the news — not to mention the people making the news — is just so breath-takingly stupid that comment seems unnecessary: Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Monday that he supports the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" ban on gays serving in the military because homosexual acts "are immoral," […]
Little Love Arrows
I am currently distracted by rehearsals every evening this week for our current musical production; we give our first public performance on Friday night, then four more shows that weekend and the next. This time: "Kiss Me, Kate", by Cole Porter. One amusing moment in the show is the dialog between the star, Fred Graham, […]
In: All, Faaabulosity, Reflections
Faaabulous Fridays
Late last night, after a longish rehearsal for "Kiss Me, Kate" (our production opens next Friday), we were talking with our young friend and Isaac's co-worker Sarah. Who knows exactly how the topic came up, but the bigger context was musicals and how, perhaps, people at "the office" would be better off if they just […]
Lammy Finalists for 2006
The finalists for this year's Lambda Literary Foundation awards ("Lammys") were announced last week on 1 March; winners will be announced on 31 May. My chances of winning about 7% of a Lammy (again!) have increased, nearly doubled in fact, because this year I have stories in two nominated anthologies: my story "Duck Tails and […]
Harry & Pepper
Here's a heartwarming story* about true love. Harry and Pepper, residents of San Francisco, have been a devoted couple for 2 years. Harry and Pepper both weigh eight and half pounds and stand about a foot and half tall. During feeding times the couple is the first to dine. Pepper has a preference for dining […]
In: All, Faaabulosity, The Art of Conversation
Ultra-Defense of Marriage
This is making a bit of a stir, as it should: a ballot initiative in Washington State (I-957: "The Defense of Marriage Initiative") that would require married couples — mixed-gender only, please! — to produce children to demonstrate that procreation is a realizable function of their union. The background goes like this. In reviewing a […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
No Special Rights for Catholic Church
I admit to a certain amount of schadenfreude at reading the lead of this article from the Guardian* The Catholic church is almost certain to lose its battle for special treatment over gay adoption rules…. How shocking for me, a gay man, to hear that the Catholic Church is being denied special rights when it […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Keeping Mixed Company
This is an excerpt from an interesting article about same-sex couples in Kansas — largely suburban Kansas City, Kansas, in fact, where I was born and raised. The article profiles several couples who were energized to come out by a referendum on the Kansas ballot to ban "gay marriage". Ms. Jambrosic is part of a […]
In: All, Faaabulosity, Reflections
South Africa Leads US on Marriage Equality
Not so long ago — within my living memory at least — it would have been the height of absurdity to suggest that South Africa, the home of apartheid, might take a more progressive position on human rights than the US. But, times change, and South Africa takes its progressive stance on human rights quite […]