Blogger's Bio

Kenneth Rafael Ellison

A non-binary college student with an uncomfortably masculine expression. they spend their days struggling to make eye contact with peers. They live a solitary life with of few pleasures. okay only one pleasure. sex.

Leah Mills

I am a bisexual, female student at CSUN. I go by she/her pronouns. I did the LGBTQ Issues section on the blog. I'm a Deaf Studies major with a concentration in Education.

A Brief History of the LGBTQ+ Community Part V

A Brief History of the LGBTQ+ Community Part V

Don't Stop

      I’m glad to have taken this journey with you all. But there’s more. The gay rights evolution is unprecedented in its importance. As half of the population has an extra X chromosome, the entirety of the human race and its history falls somewhere down the middle. It’s important to be queer. Did anyone ever tell you what that meant? It’s not an umbrella term. It’s a political term. It’s not just a means for individuals to defy labels. It is the deviant from the dominant ideologies. It means everything, and nothing, and that’s okay. It’s a queer world. Not everything has to make sense. And that is particularly queer. The dictionary definition is strange. A concept that can understood in any vernacular. The appropriation of an offensive word, is the thickest armor we have. Yes. I am queer. And I write to you on the behalf of my community. And I have evolved. Let’s take a look at where we left off. The gay rights evolution. The revolution.

     In 1993 “Don’t ask Don't tell” took effect. According to USC.Edu “The Hawaii state high court finds that the marriage law prohibits the couples from getting a license because of their sex; the justices say this may deny the couples their equal protection rights under the Hawaii Constitution. The case is sent back to circuit court to resolve the issue. In 1994 Steve Gunderson was outed and became the first openly gay Republican congressman.

In 1996 president Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act. This act meant that states do not have to recognize same-sex marriage. In 2000 Vermont became the first state to recognize unions and domestic partnerships between same-sex couples. In 2003 sodomy laws became unconstitutional in Texas. In 2004 Massachusetts became the first state to legalize gay marriage. In 2010 Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was revoked. In 2011 New York passed the Marriage Equality Act.

     The flip side of history is the present. In endless succession we and history are constantly destroying and recreating ourselves in the effort of finding that delicate balance between the self and the community, between legislation and rights, between hope and fear, between Rocky and Horror.

     I’d hate to bring in the French philosopher Lacan and his idea of the Imago into this, but hey, I’m not just here to provide a brief history of the LGBTQ+ Community, I’m here to give you a comprehensive Brief History of the LGBTQ+ Community. And the Imago is what I previously. A delicate balance between what you see in the mirror and what the pervading ideologies shape that reflection. And here’s a picture of Mulan because I’m immature.

       Goodbye Folks, I hope this was as educational for you as it was for me. Peace! 

A Brief History of the LGBTQ+ Community Part IV

A Brief History of the LGBTQ+ Community Part IV

 The Sexy Time

     Yes, ladies, gentlemen and everything in between. The moment you’ve been waiting for. The Sexual revolution! The sexual revolution as we know it today was the pivotal era between the 1960’s and 90’s. IT brought us such wonderful things like birth control and the Rocky Horror Picture Show. It also brought discrimination and AID’s but yay the sexual revolution. But before we go any further, as always we need historical context. Seeing as today is so different, but not really, the most powerful tool in any analyses of the historical paradigm shift is of course, contrast. Let’s look at the 50’s and the medicalization of sexuality. Per usual I can’t do the period any justice, but there is a visual record of the absurd understanding of homosexuality. Take a look.

Pretty fucked up right?

     And no one can forget, but inexplicably has this documentary where educated individuals such as yourself (and if you weren’t before reading parts I-III, you certainly are now) speak on the behalf of the gay community in a medical sense.

Wow

     I’ll give you a second to let that sink in... but hey with an argument like the soil wasn’t right, then I guess we could dive deeper into history, where we go back into women’s rights, where who was it…? That’s right Aristotle, the renowned philosopher and the only Bigot who can say they’re smarter than Donald Trump, spoke on the process of birth. Any birth resultant in a woman would be considered unsuccessful reproduction. He’d say the fault was in the árgilos , or the substances in the womb from which all life is created. The primordial clay if you will. Funny enough the parallel is unmistakable considering the English translation of árgilos is in fact clay. There are all sorts of arguments at this time, that no differently from the ableism that plagues modern society saw homosexuality as a flaw or malfunction. A flaw or malfunction that was needlessly blamed on the mother. Children were promoted to same sex schools to promote gender conformity. Logical enough solution right? When it was discovered that children would proceed to sexually experiment with one another, whose fault was it? Clearly the problem started at home then. But alas there’s no male role model, so where does the child pick up its social ques? You guessed it. Girl and boy alike learned how to be people from their mothers. Their mothers who were implicated by the patriarchy that forced, and to a degree today, forces them to stay in their homes and have almost exclusive say on how their children are to be raised. But homosexuality isn’t a behavior you say. It’s in the soil. So the country for a brief period, and to an extent still is left with the unresolved paradox of homosexuality. Furthermore, to correct this problem was to be resolved by integrated schools. Notice the word integration. There are four stages to the interaction between populations. Exclusion, segregation, integration and inclusion. Women today are merely integrated into society, as they are not seen as equals but rather as sexual objects. This ideology was perpetuated by the belief that male children would experiment with female children sexually, thus avoiding the whole homosexual “misunderstanding”. But the fallacy remains, and what modern America was left with, was rape culture. Thank you Patriarchy. Thank you Homophobia. Sorry about the little detour let’s try to keep this blog focused.

Let’s get to Le temps sexy. The sexual revolution has a lot to show for in modern society. Here’s the facts. The Sexual Revolution was a social movement that occurred from the 1960s to the 1980s. It ultimately challenged traditional codes of sexuality throughout the Western World. Premarital sex was often considered an act of civil disobedience for girls and women before the sexual revolution. Double standards previously hindered many women from exploring their sexual desires. The development of contraceptive pill reduced the risk of pregnancy and fostered a rejection of typical gender norms, thus eliminating sex sans procreation. And hey that’s great because remember when sex outside of procreation was considered perversion? There’s nothing like a good ol’ double standard to shed light on the logical fallacies that plague public opinion. Men and men, Women and women, all having a good time, because none of that will result in any life ruining consequences. Except…

Aids

But before you get to that listen to Sweet Transvestite

Catchy right? Oh my, the 70’s, disco, all of it was a wonderful time for the gay community. And it came at a price. A price the community paid heavily, as an indifferent government failed to protect them. The price was AID’s. here’s another video for. The tragedy is too great for the written word

It’s not cheerful stuff, but the evils necessary to provoke outrage result in change. Act up was created in the March of 1987 by Larry Claimer a gay rights activist. His work would go on to inspire musicals like RENT, and his brain child the Normal Heart is by far one of the greatest works centered around the LGBTQ+ community.

Here’s a battle cry, that could only be sung by, you guessed it. The stars of RENT. I give to you La Vi Boheme.

I hope that did something for. But to fan the flame under your seat, there’s more to tell. Activism is necessary to defend the rights of the disenfranchised. One such incident was the Stonewall Riots. A series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the gay (LGBT) community against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. They are widely considered to constitute the single most important event leading to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBT rights in the United States. But it didn’t happen overnight. Lives were ruined individuals legitimately feared for their lives. It could have been the end of everything. But it wasn’t. It was because of activism that we are where we are today. And activism is only effective when every member of the community is held accountable. And what was achieved? At the time, one of the most notable achievements of the community came in 1978 when Harvey Milk became the first openly gay politician to hold public office on the board of supervisors in San Francisco. there's the lesser known Elaine Noble who was elected to the Massachusetts senate in 1974 as the first openly Lesbian politician elected to office. And today there are more than 50 openly gay candidates holding office in some capacity today.

  I'm gonna give you another documentary detailing the journey from stonewall to the federal legalization of Gay Marriage. Don’t just enjoy. I implore you to keep Acting Up, And to keep the promise of hope in the face of demoralizing adversity. Don’t dream it. Be it.

A Brief History of the LGBTQ+ Community Part III

A Brief History of the LGBTQ+ Community 

A New Alphabet

L is for...

Lesbian!

G is for...

Gay!

B is for...

Bi!

T is for...

Transgender!

Q is for...

Queer!

Yeah I'll admit this is pretty basic, but hey if you've made it this far without knowing what the letter's meant, well then you're in desperate need of this blog. It's necessary for each letter to mean something. so there should be some historical context provided for each letter. I mean this is the history section.

OH AND THE PLUS...

Is for everything else

A Brief History of the LGBTQ+ Community Part II

A Brief History of the LGBTQ+ Community Part IV

 The Sexy Time

     Yes, ladies, gentlemen and everything in between. The moment you’ve been waiting for. The Sexual revolution! The sexual revolution as we know it today was the pivotal era between the 1960’s and 90’s. IT brought us such wonderful things like birth control and the Rocky Horror Picture Show. It also brought discrimination and AID’s but yay the sexual revolution. But before we go any further, as always we need historical context. Seeing as today is so different, but not really, the most powerful tool in any analyses of the historical paradigm shift is of course, contrast. Let’s look at the 50’s and the medicalization of sexuality. Per usual I can’t do the period any justice, but there is a visual record of the absurd understanding of homosexuality. Take a look.

Pretty fucked up right?

     And no one can forget, but inexplicably has this documentary where educated individuals such as yourself (and if you weren’t before reading parts I-III, you certainly are now) speak on the behalf of the gay community in a medical sense.

Wow

     I’ll give you a second to let that sink in... but hey with an argument like the soil wasn’t right, then I guess we could dive deeper into history, where we go back into women’s rights, where who was it…? That’s right Aristotle, the renowned philosopher and the only Bigot who can say they’re smarter than Donald Trump, spoke on the process of birth. Any birth resultant in a woman would be considered unsuccessful reproduction. He’d say the fault was in the árgilos , or the substances in the womb from which all life is created. The primordial clay if you will. Funny enough the parallel is unmistakable considering the English translation of árgilos is in fact clay. There are all sorts of arguments at this time, that no differently from the ableism that plagues modern society saw homosexuality as a flaw or malfunction. A flaw or malfunction that was needlessly blamed on the mother. Children were promoted to same sex schools to promote gender conformity. Logical enough solution right? When it was discovered that children would proceed to sexually experiment with one another, whose fault was it? Clearly the problem started at home then. But alas there’s no male role model, so where does the child pick up its social ques? You guessed it. Girl and boy alike learned how to be people from their mothers. Their mothers who were implicated by the patriarchy that forced, and to a degree today, forces them to stay in their homes and have almost exclusive say on how their children are to be raised. But homosexuality isn’t a behavior you say. It’s in the soil. So the country for a brief period, and to an extent still is left with the unresolved paradox of homosexuality. Furthermore, to correct this problem was to be resolved by integrated schools. Notice the word integration. There are four stages to the interaction between populations. Exclusion, segregation, integration and inclusion. Women today are merely integrated into society, as they are not seen as equals but rather as sexual objects. This ideology was perpetuated by the belief that male children would experiment with female children sexually, thus avoiding the whole homosexual “misunderstanding”. But the fallacy remains, and what modern America was left with, was rape culture. Thank you Patriarchy. Thank you Homophobia. Sorry about the little detour let’s try to keep this blog focused.

Let’s get to Le temps sexy. The sexual revolution has a lot to show for in modern society. Here’s the facts. The Sexual Revolution was a social movement that occurred from the 1960s to the 1980s. It ultimately challenged traditional codes of sexuality throughout the Western World. Premarital sex was often considered an act of civil disobedience for girls and women before the sexual revolution. Double standards previously hindered many women from exploring their sexual desires. The development of contraceptive pill reduced the risk of pregnancy and fostered a rejection of typical gender norms, thus eliminating sex sans procreation. And hey that’s great because remember when sex outside of procreation was considered perversion? There’s nothing like a good ol’ double standard to shed light on the logical fallacies that plague public opinion. Men and men, Women and women, all having a good time, because none of that will result in any life ruining consequences. Except…

AIDs

And let's keep in mind that before that, no less than a few decades, there was a tragedy that struck all groups. The holocaust.

This is the pink triangle that was assigned to concentration camp prisoners who were deemed homosexual. Nothing in the history of gender performance has taken lives on such a scale. the ideology that murder. It wasn't just the Third Reich. It was everyone. The murder machine was given a carefully packaged and hand wrapped excuse to murder. I can't say much more. Weakness and femininity are not synonymous. And yet neither could exist without the other. the ideology that kills sends its regards.

But before you get to AIDs listen to Sweet Transvestite

Catchy right? Oh my, the 70’s, disco, all of it was a wonderful time for the gay community. And it came at a price. A price the community paid heavily, as an indifferent government failed to protect them. The price was AID’s. here’s another video for. The tragedy is too great for the written word

It’s not cheerful stuff, but the evils necessary to provoke outrage result in change. Act up was created in the March of 1987 by Larry Claimer a gay rights activist. His work would go on to inspire musicals like RENT, and his brain child the Normal Heart is by far one of the greatest works centered around the LGBTQ+ community.

Here’s a battle cry, that could only be sung by, you guessed it. The stars of RENT. I give to you La Vi Boheme.

I hope that did something for. But to fan the flame under your seat, there’s more to tell. Activism is necessary to defend the rights of the disenfranchised. One such incident was the Stonewall Riots. A series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the gay (LGBT) community against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. They are widely considered to constitute the single most important event leading to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBT rights in the United States. But it didn’t happen overnight. Lives were ruined individuals legitimately feared for their lives. It could have been the end of everything. But it wasn’t. It was because of activism that we are where we are today. And activism is only effective when every member of the community is held accountable. And what was achieved? At the time, one of the most notable achievements of the community came in 1978 when Harvey Milk became the first openly gay politician to hold public office on the board of supervisors in San Francisco. there's the lesser known Elaine Noble who was elected to the Massachusetts senate in 1974 as the first openly Lesbian politician elected to office. And today there are more than 50 openly gay candidates holding office in some capacity today.

  I'm gonna give you another documentary detailing the journey from stonewall to the federal legalization of Gay Marriage. Don’t just enjoy. I implore you to keep Acting Up, And to keep the promise of hope in the face of demoralizing adversity. Don’t dream it. Be it.

A Brief History of the LGBTQ+ Community Part I

                     A Brief History of the LGBTQ+ Community Part I

                             The canon of non-binary ideologies

Said

Foucault

Butler

Our narrative begins with an idea. An idea that has superseded the fundamental freedoms of all individuals and the equality of all peoples. It is an ideology older than recorded history. It is the ideology of the other. This ideology was identified by Palestinian professor of literature, Edward w. Said at the university of Colombia in his 1978 publication Orientalism. Said’s critique of western cultural representation posited that there exists a power dynamic that actively subverts populations at the time deemed The Orient, a term used to describe cultures outside of the western canon. The first and most substantial population to experience such subversion was women. Now I understand this is a crash course in the plight; and yes I do mean the plight of the LGBTQ+ community, as this is a community that has existed for the entirety of human history, and for a substantial fraction of that history has been subjugated to intolerance, injustice, exclusion, and in the modern context an implicit segregation. However, all communities that fall outside of the dominant racial, religious, and sexual ideologies are but the latest victims of a binary. Before gay rights, before civil rights; there must be women’s rights.

     There are histories to the gay rights movement, each letter in the acronym of a different color and time. But to understand a movement, forged by adversity and quickened and refined by a knowledge of the aforementioned histories, one must understand the ideologies that exert a near equal and opposing force to the march of progress. To elaborate, the history of the LGBTQ+ community is consolidate in a single political movement. It was Camus who said that the only way to deal with an unfree world is to be so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of defiance. To be born this way is a political statement. This isn’t a political blog, but the gay community is a political community. There’s a video called how we got gay and its link will be provided at the bottom of the fifth post concerning the brief history of the LGBTQ+ community. To continue the discussion on the politics that govern and regulate the intricacies of human nature, one need looks no further than Foucault’s History of Sexuality. In his essay concerning the power dynamic between sex and the governing ideologies that repress it, he had this to say, “To say that sex is not repressed, or rather that the relationship between sex and power is not characterized by repression, is to risk falling into a sterile paradox. It not only runs counter to a well-accepted argument, it goes against the whole economy and all the discursive "interests" that underlie this argument”. Now as Foucault was more than likely aware of the history of precolonial homosexuality in the America’s, he wasn’t referring to it directly. He was referring to post-industrial culture in Europe and the States. However implicit, the argument remains relevant. Before any parallels can be drawn there’s a need for historical context. Namely the history of gender and sexuality in north America. The following points are explicit examples of the well accepted argument that Foucault speaks of in his essay. Upon contact with Spanish colonials from the mid 1500’s to the mid 1800’s, Natives were found to be complicit in the otherization of women.  It must be noted that while the thread of homosexual is the common denominator of all civilizations, by a more inclusive definition of the term, without the implications of European imperialism, there exists another tragically familiar common thread. To indict a population with the independent invention of similar ideologies, which were brought to fruition upon exposure to a systematized sexual exploitation of women, with a heightened efficacy as the magnitude of cultural impact is directly related to the increase of economization, is to expose the falsity of the aforementioned sterile paradox. Repression is as inevitable as disease, and the accountability of all populations is vital to rectifying the steady course of our evolution. The inherited European power dynamics concerning masculinity and femininity, facilitated the socio-political and economic commoditization of women. Before European influence, females, a term used to avoid the implications of gender performance, as posited by Judith Butler, an American philosopher and gender theorist who as influenced political philosophy, fields of ethics, feminism and queer theory; sates, “ Because there is neither an 'essence' that gender expresses or externalizes nor an objective ideal to which gender aspires; because gender is not a fact, the various acts of gender creates the idea of gender, and without those acts, there would be no gender at all. Gender is, thus, a construction that regularly conceals its genesis. The tacit collective agreement to perform, produce, and sustain discrete and polar genders as cultural fictions is obscured by the credibility of its own production”, in which case corporeal females, who had who were prone to exhibiting the same gender fluidity as men in Native American society maintained relative equality, with men, by virtue of living in a society without the European caste, that put binary gender roles in opposition; therefore females could exhibit the same sexual fluidity as males, one would imagine. Yet today, there’s very little recognition of lesbianism in native American communities. Where there’s no acknowledgement, there is repression. 

     However subtle, homosexual behavior among women is not only fetishized, but is also subjected to the lack recognition that would render it invalid. Therein lies another paradox as irresolvable as the paradox of gender performance. Contrast is the primary mechanism with which Foucault’s comment on sexual repression is judged. Let it be known that there is a clear connection between gender and sexuality which will be elaborated upon in the next post. So let the representation of gender be an equal representation of sexuality. There is a rich history of gender nonconformity. In the Arikara tribe there’s a mythos about a wolf-like creature that causes mischief, often to teach someone a lesson. They were usually portrayed as male. They would dress as women or identify as women, and marry men. In one story, a trickster transformed a beautiful woman, married a man, became pregnant, and was only discovered as a trickster when they gave birth to wolf pups. How does this compare to the post-colonial reality of native tribes such as the Arikara? The Spanish conquest of the American Southwest was sexual, cultural and religious as well as geographical. Such sexual conquest was imposed under the guise marriage in the vein of the catholic canon. Similar influences were present in the American Northeast where the total diffusion of power from men to women was facilitated by fur trading with the French. The subsequent trade of women was sexual and cultural dominance disguised as a means of integration. This is but a fraction of the histories that define the community, and there’s more to come.

In The News

The LGBTQ Community and Violence

Violence has always been in issue in our society, but lately there has been a spike of crimes against the LGBTQ community. The most recent hate crime has been the shooting at a gay night club in Orlando. This was covered heavily in the news for a bit for two main reasons, it affected the gay community and but was also a terrorist attack. CNN summarized it by writing “Mateen carried an assault rifle and a pistol into the packed Pulse club about 2 a.m. Sunday and started shooting, killing 49 people and wounding at least 53, officials said.”  This event truly affected the LGBTQ community for many reasons.  First one comes to realize that although we are in a diverse society, there are people that will go to extremes to break a group. Another thought is that Mateen probably believed his actions were justified.  This shooting was an attempt to break the LGBTQ community. The article did state that Mateen was upset when he saw two men kissing. With that in mind one can assume that Mateen had some Homophobia tendencies.  However there was also a man who came out saying he was Mateen’s gay lover. If that is a fact then the LGBTQ community should be aware that not even members of their own community commit hate crimes against people who share a common interest. Overall sounds like Mateen outlast against his community caused a lot of grief, and no one knows the real reason behind it, but one should know that is just the beginning and one needs to treats this as a warning and a lesson.

For more information on the shooting Click on the link below for news article:

http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/12/us/orlando-nightclub-shooting/

 Another article regarding violence and the LGBTQ community is about a gay couple who were attacked. This recent article explains how a well-dressed man and some other individuals confronted them and exchanged words, then proceeded to beat them. The Huffington Post stated “According to Queerty, two men and six women allegedly assaulted the men, ages 27 and 28, after asking the pair first if they were ‘fucking boyfriends’ and then if they were ‘dirty fags.’ One victim suffered a bone fracture in his face that will require surgery, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.”  This is another clear cut example of a hate crime. The two men who were viciously attacked wanted to remain anonymous. The attackers started off by discriminating this couple and proceeded to take action. However, the action that was taken caused serious damage and at the end does not change the whole situation. Hate crimes need to come to a complete stop.  Hate crimes are committed by homophobic people who express their thoughts though violence. This affects the LGBTQ community because the couple was on their way to dinner they were attacked. The couple was innocently walking at the wrong place at the wrong time. However even something as normal as walking to get food can put a target on ones back because of who they love.  Also this shows that people need to start protecting themselves, in one way or another. It is one thing from instigating a fight, and protecting one’s self. A non-lethal defense mechanism would be best. Some examples are pepper spray, a taser, and maybe even take some self-defense classes. The LGBTQ community needs to make a stand and let these attackers know that they will no longer be a victim.

For more information on the attack Click on the link below for news article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/16/gay-hate-crime-philadelpha_n_5831156.html

The LGBTQ community is minority group and out of all the minorities, they are the ones who have the most hate crimes. It is outrageous to see as more people come out because it is more accepting now to come out, but yet there are people who were to hurt the community. According to the New York Times “Nearly a fifth of the 5,462 so-called single-bias hate crimes reported to the F.B.I. in 2014 were because of the target’s sexual orientation, or, in some cases, their perceived orientation. Ironically, part of the reason for violence against L.G.B.T. people might have to do with a more accepting attitude toward gays and lesbians in recent decades, say people who study hate crimes.” Time is supposed to be moving forward, however education is still at a standstill when it comes to the acceptance of the LGBTQ community. People still define marriage as a bond between a man and woman.  Others still think that there is some negative connotation when it comes to the LGBTQ community. Finally people still think that a man loving a man is morally wrong. People who believe this pass on these ideas to any person who is easily convinced and/ or narrow-minded, naming it impossible for society to evolve into a society where it is ok to discriminate. This is telling society that it is ok to act violently against someone who is different from one self. These articles are there to inform the community of what is going on in their society. However these news articles should serve as a public service announcement to the LGBTQ community, letting them know that it is still not truly safe to be an openly gay person. One should always be aware of their surroundings, however unfortunately for the LGBTQ community; they have to be more aware because of all the violence against them.  One important thing the community needs to do as a whole is educate. Education will out way ignorance. People are committing these hate crimes because they are naive and don’t know much about the LGBTQ community. All they know is myths, what they hear from other naive people, and what the religion institutions have told them. Those are bad sources when it comes to the LGBTQ community, because they don’t know much and they are passing bad information. It is like a bad butterfly effect and the consequences are normal innocent people getting hurt. So the main thing is that we need to educate people.

For more information on the hate crime statistics Click on the link below for news article:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/06/16/us/hate-crimes-against-LGBTQ.html

LGBTQ and Religion

In regards to religion and the LGBTQ community, it has been an uphill battle since day one.  Something about Adam and Eve solidifies the idea that all relationships should be between a man and woman.  With that in mind church and the LGBTQ community do not have a good relationship unless the church is more modern. However we all have all encountered that group of very conservative church members calming the LGBTQ community is all going to hell.  Although there ideology is that God can only judge and that they should be good people that whole idea is thrown out the window when they encounter someone from the LGBTQ community. For example, man was kicked out of his church, why? Because, he was gay. The Huffington Post writes “Dylan Settles posted a letter he reportedly received from Woods Chapel General Baptist Church on Oct. 11 informing him that they had voted to ‘remove [his] name immediately from the church membership role.’ Their reasoning? The fact that Settles had  ‘made it known publicly, of [his] choice, to embrace the homosexual lifestyle.’ Settles then shared the letter on Facebook.”  How can one “serve the lord” but yet shun people who are different. In reality, really conservative church members are the ones who really cause the big problems. Anyone that is slightly different the church is already condoning the person/ group.  Most of these people follow a book that was written and interpreted many years ago. It is not a bad thing to do so, or to commit to fate, but where does it specifically say in the bible that homosexuality is bad? Where is the proof for this backlash against the LGBTQ community? If the whole idea of theism is based on love them how can the members hate? These are all questions that require answers because the LGBTQ community should have a right to practice religion regardless.

For more information in regards to the man who was kicked out of church Click on the link below for news article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/arkansas-church-kicks-out-young-gay-man-for-choosing-a-sinful-lifestyle_us_561d567ae4b0c5a1ce60c810

Another example is the Pope. Pope Francis has been the more accepting of the LGBTQ community. Pope Francis has been cordial with the LGBTQ community, s for example The Advocate states “In 2013, asked by a journalist about the presence of gay priests in the church, he said, ‘If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?’” he has also done more with the LGBTQ community than other popes, he has met with a transgender, he has announced that the church should apologize about their behavior against then and more.  However, the acceptance of the LGBTQ community did not last long because he put a ban on gay men who want to be priest.  As stated in the advocate “Pope Francis… has approved a new Vatican document reaffirming that ‘persons with homosexual tendencies’ are barred from Roman Catholic seminaries and the priesthood. The document, called “The Gift of the Priestly Vocation,” was released today, Catholic magazine America reports. It was written by the Vatican’s Congregation for Clergy, and Pope Francis signed off on it.” the LGBTQ community is now an “other” at this point. Pope Francis made it seem as if they are accepted, and made it seem as if he truly cared about them, but completely rejects them if they try entering his community.  this is a huge step back for the LGBTQ community because as soon as the relationship between the LGBTQ and the church stared the foundation to build a relationship, this document destroyed it. Now they are back to square one. it is not fair to discriminate someone for loving who they love.  It is also unfair to lead on the LBGTQ community, just to break their hope at the end.  Pope Francis acts as if he is ok with the LGBTQ community, but if he truly was ok with them, why would he sign the document.  Because deep down the church knows that there will never be a relationship between them.

For more information on pope Francis’s new ruling Click on the link below for news article:

http://www.advocate.com/religion/2016/12/07/pope-reiterates-catholic-churchs-ban-gay-priests

On the brighter side, people of the LGBTQ communities and their allies have made several religious organizations, for the people who don’t discriminate and love one another for who they truly are then they can click on the web site below and can become members of organization. They have FEW religions listed, so it is just of matter finding your religion.

http://www.hrc.org/resources/faith-positions

church is not the only thing that harbors negative stigma for the LGBTQ community it is also Christian schools.  According to Fox News, some Christian colleges are put on a shame list because they apply for exemptions on Title IX, which basically states that no institute of education can discriminate based on sex.  What about trans genders? This brings up a big issue for the trans genders community who want to attend these schools. But realistically, their applications will probably be denied before anything.  There is a process to be put on the shame list, and according to fox news “Shane Windmeyer, spokesperson for Campus Pride, told The Christian Post via email that for a college to get on the "shame list" and specifically the "absolute worst" category an institution must have "received and/or applied for a Title IX exemption to discriminate against LGBTQ youth" and/or "demonstrated past history and track record of anti-LGBTQ actions, programs and practices."  This is a new low, even for the whole religion system.  They are denying education to transsexuals because they are different from them. they don’t realize they are denying people. They are denying humans, because when it comes down to it, we are all just humans. However the college does not see it as that, they see it as protecting their religion.  they see it as right. When it comes down to it is not right, and overall just shows how ignorant people truly are.

For more information on Christian schools Click on the link below for news article:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/09/04/LGBTQ-shame-list-christian-colleges-released.html

LBTQ and Politics

At the moment politics is big, considering the new president elect Donald trump. However  lawmakers and LGBTQ leaders want gun reform.it feels like the issue on reform has been in the spotlight since the sandy hook incident. Now since the Orlando shooting at the gay nightclub the LGBTQ community is making their voice even louder. According to ABC7 News “State and local leaders and Equality California, the nation's largest LGBTQ civil rights organization, waged a war against gun violence on the steps of City Hall.” There are many arguments that say people kill people and guns don’t kill people.  If that’s the case then why give the people an easier way of killing people. The whole topic on gun safety reform has been an issue, from the shooting in the movie theater to now and nothing has been done. Another argument is that it is in the second amendment, and that we have the right to bear arms. There is reason why a man that live in the middle of a city to own a machine gun. The point of the reform is not to take away gun completely; it is so it can make it harder to impossible for people who are unfit to own a gun. If one is completely sane and responsible to own a gun then why make it a big deal. Also the reform is to regulate what kind of weapons are in the hands of people.  Lawmankers want to rule out heavy artillery, because it has done nothing but cause violence in places like schools, movie theaters, night clubs and many more.

For more information on the push for gun control on the link below for news article:

http://abc7.com/news/lawmakers-LGBTQ-leaders-demand-gun-safety-reforms/1390536/

 One of the main things that in the news right now, is how is the Trump presidency going to change the lives of the LGBTQ community. many fear that trump will somehow revoke same sex marriage because he is determined to do a lot of things that go against democracy.  Now the LGBTQ community is rushing their marriages before trump is in office because one never knows.  Marriage may have not the same value to everyone, but it is cherished more for those who had to fight a long battle to get married. For those couples who wanted to take their time planning their beautiful event now have to rush. It takes the pleasure out of planning, all because trump is the new president.  Fortunately people have come together to make it easier for those who now have limited time.  Since times are now harder for some couples, people have come together in order to make times less stressful, according to The Advocate, “To help these couples, Mitzie Whelan, a ‘straight Midwesterner’ launched LoveTrumpsHate.com. The website offers a list of florists, bakers, officiants, photographers, musicians, artists, and more who are offering services for free or at a reduced rate.”  It’s good to see the community stand up for each other and help others in need, but on the other hand it is depressing to see that there are still many people out there will discriminate against the LGBTQ community.  if one is rushing to get married and wants to who is willing to help out in a rush basis they can always go on lovetrumpshate.com to see what services will be provided. However since same sex marriage is legal now, doesn’t mean it will always be. trump can always find a way to revoke it again or make other laws that can make it impossible for one to be married. For a man who has been married 3 times and has no respect for marriage or monogamy, she should not have a say for those who do. but he is the new president one needs to know that things can change for the worse.

For more information on the vendors Click on the link below for news article:

http://www.advocate.com/business/2016/12/10/vendors-offer-free-services-same-sex-couples-rushing-wed

though out the whole election the LGBTQ community made comments on the news basically saying they were scared what a trump presidency will do. however not all on the LGBTQ community was against trump. There is some member of the LGBTQ community that actually voted for trump. Some would say that is shocking, but then again, even Latinos voted for trump. The Huffington Post claims the reason why members of the LGBTQ community voted for trump is because of a theory called homonationalism.  Huffington Post defines homonationalism as “Homonationalism, coined by Rutgers University professor Jasbir K. Puar in 2007 is, to put it simply, the intersection of gay identity and nationalist ideology.  As gay people have become “normalized” in American consciousness through recent historical milestones like the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 2010 and the legalization of same-sex marriage in June 2015, these victories have created space for the homonationalist American who abandons intersectional activism and advocates racist, xenophobic, capitalistic self-interest.”   Basically homonationalism is being super prideful of their country which makes it “acceptable” to be xenophobic, but yet apart of the LGBTQ community. the LGBTQ community is to vote for whoever they like, that is their right under this democratic society, but one would think that a member of the LGBTQ community would not vote for someone so conservative since they are the natural enemies of the LGBTQ community.  the LGBTQ community should feel betrayed because of these votes with in their members.  No one knows exactly what trump has in mind, but the most know that it is not for the common good for the community as a whole.  Look at the vice president he elected Pence, he believed in conversion therapy, and even funded it. that man is second in charge yet some LGBTQ members voted for him.  It’s safe to say most of the LGBTQ community does not like the new president s for him, what he stands for and who he is electing to make major choices in our countries. Since he is going to be the new president it will a better idea to make our voices heard when there is something that is going to hurt the LGBTQ community, or other issues they stand for. That is the only thing one can do now is to have a voice and make it heard.

For more information on homonationalism Click on the link below for news article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gay-people-supporting-trump-homonationalism_us_57f3e545e4b01b16aaff4bff

LGBTQ and Health

When it comes to the LGBTQ community and health there has been a long battel when it comes to AIDS and HIV. It was once an epidemic in the gay community and killed a whole bunch of gay men.  In today’s day in age, society has fond treatment medication and a way to live with it. we are still somewhat far away from a cure but so much research is going into to cure it and there is less death of HIV and aids then when it originally was found.  HIV and AIDS have more and more things developing and recently medical researchers have created a new website that helps the care of HIV especially for black men.  Black men have a higher chance in getting HIV than white men do, according to  NBC News, “While only 1 in 11 white MSM will contract the HIV virus, the rates for black gay and bi men are 1 in 2.” Doctors are trying to find out why is there such a drastic difference when it comes to HIV in white and black men.  but in the article it says that many black men who have HIV cannot find good doctors and are bias. Also the article says that another reason why HIV is so high is because many doctors do not know of the daily medication that one can take to prevent the transmission HIV.  How can a doctor lack the knowledge of a groundbreaking medication? This medication can help men woman and youth of all sexualities, but especially black men. this is why the website his health is now available this website was designed for black men in the LGBTQ community. The website has a lot of information; NBC news says “His Health, a new training platform that engages medical caregivers in accredited courses that help them learn about the needs of the black MSM population. On the His Health website, medical professionals can take courses in PrEP, transgender men's health care, holistic health assessments, and cultural competency and engagement.”  Both doctors and men can access this websites for better information about black men’s health in the LGBTQQ community.  the website offers way more they the basics it also has many organizations listed who help the LGBTQ community, they offer counseling , and they encourage doctors to use the medication that was explained earlier.  The article has a lot more information about the websites, it also talks about the basics, about black men, and expert opinion of Dr. Hodge, a black doctor who expertise in in HIV.  But overall medicine has come a long way, and now HIV can be prevented, hopefully in the next decade it can be cured.

Click on the link below for news article:

http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/new-initiative-aims-improve-hiv-care-black-gay-men-n690711

When it comes to health care and the LGBTQ community they are in a big disadvantage, for many reasons that are uncertain, but National Institutes of Health (NIH for short) is working to see what they can do to improve the health for members of the LGBTQ community.  Some of the disparities the community faces are noted in the article, for example, NBC News says “Baker noted HIV, especially amongst gay and bi men or trans women, as a clear cut example of this disparity, as these are the only groups where rates of infection have been increasing. Mental health illnesses such as depression and anxiety as well as substance abuse are also symptoms of this disparity, which Baker connected to the idea of "allostatic load," a term which describes the effect of living under constant stress.”  First, the article says that LGBTQ members are facing these disparities. Second the article also states that discrimination has something to do with it. The thing is, when one goes into the doctor’s office, the intake sheet one fills out does not ask for sexual orientation, the doctor must be asking. And if the doctor is asking it should be in the sake to minimize these disparities not because they want to discriminate against them.  Is it not a rule where a doctor cannot discriminate against any one? A doctor should benefit the society as a whole and not pick and choose who he wants to help. The article speaks of gaps in minority community that have an effect on health and causes these disparities, but there should not be any gaps what so ever. There is now healthcare that cannot deny one based on preexisting conditions, and cannot deny one based on anything else. For people to be buying the insurance and still be face with obstacles because of their sexual orientation is insane. People regardless of what they love or look like should have the best care that is the only way our society will evolve. The LGBTQ community needs to be aware of these disparities.  The allies of the LGBTQ community should be aware as well. There needs to be a demand in better health care for the LGBTQ community because no one should be denied healthcare.  However with in the LGBTQ community, those of color are more at risk. As if it was not bad enough that LGBTQ were being discriminated against, but now there is race involve. For America being known as a melting pot there is still a lot of negative stigma against the minorities.  People need to know that, for being so advanced in technology and knowledge there are still smart people like doctors who are going to discriminate. Even if they vowed to take care of the people for the rest of their working lives there are some doctors that will be discriminatory, because of ignorance. Overall there needs to be a change in the healthcare system. There needs to be a change on how health care is provided and there needs to be less stigma against the minority groups, because when it comes down to it we are all just humans at the e

Click on the link below for news article:

http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/nih-recognizes-LGBTQQ-community-health-disparity-population-n661161

LGBTQ and Families

What is a family? Most will think of a nuclear family and list a mother father and brother and sister. But families come in many different varieties it can be a single mother with one daughter to fathers and three children. The point is a family is a support system that will be there for you no matter what. They will care for you, love you unconditionally and will be there in the hardest times.  The parents will want their best for their children, and although, they are not perfect, they try to be. A father will take the clothes off their back and not eat as long so there child or children can have what they need. A mother will do whatever it is for their child. Safe to say both father and mother will risk their lives for the sake of their kin.  However the Unites states have a problem realizing that two men or two women or a Trans woman can be a parent. A parent is a parent.  The definition of a parent does not state that there has to be a biological relationship between the child and the parents, because there is such thing as step parents. However New York just expanded their definition of a parent, and according to the advocated the definition is “The New York State Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, ruled Tuesday that “a caretaker who is not related to, or the adoptive guardian of, a child could still be permitted to ask for custody and visitation rights,” The New York Times reports.” This gives rights to the gay community to who were in a relationship, and there were children involved. If two women were in a relationship, and one of them got pregnant though whatever way and the other was the second parental. If they were together for 10 years but the relationship did not work then with this new ruling the second parental figure can have visitation rights against the other mothers ruling. This is a new ruling helps the LGBTQ communities and others who have a difficult situation in regards to children and the way the states see family. Now in New York a family is a family, and even the more complex ones can see their child if a relationship does not work, even if they are not biologically related.

Click on the link below for news article:

http://www.advocate.com/families/2016/9/01/new-york-state-expands-definition-parent

Also family related news is maternity leave.  Ivanka Trump was in an interview about her father’s new maternity leave act. Donald trump has said some awful things about women, but this act is providing six weeks paid leave and supposedly affordable child care. This sounds good for the women who are having a baby. But fathers have a right to leave under FMLA have a right to have twelve week of unpaid paternity leave. Trump wants to pay woman 6 weeks maternity leave which sounds like a plus, but then again the plan is not finalized and things can change. However that still leaves fathers both homosexual and a part of the LGBTQQ community and mothers who plan to be the second parental figures. That is the big question, because family is supposed to be family. When Ivanka trump was asked how it would affect gay fathers who want time off to raise their children her response was “"This is a giant leap from where we are today, which is sadly, nothing,” she said. “Both sides of the aisle have been unable to agree on this issue, so I think this takes huge advancement and obviously, for same-sex couples as well, there's tremendous benefit here to enabling the mother to recover after childbirth. It's critical for the health of the mother. It's critical for bonding with the child, and that was a top focus of this plan.” She basically avoided the question, and when they tried clarifying the answer she rebutted that those were not her words.  Ivanka trump was using circular reasoning instead of giving her position because she knows she will have backlash. She knows that there will be support, but a lot of tension, and she does not want to be depicted as a villain. But denying the rights of having  parental leave to any parent no matter the relationship to the child is morally wrong .to deny a parent to miss the fundamental days of their new child’s life is a punishment for no reason.  Every new parent is enthusiastic for a new child, nut this plan is makes it seem as if a baby is the responsibility of a mother, not gay fathers, and not ant other parental figure. The LGBTQ community needs to know their rights and needs to know that they deserve rights to have parental leave, no matter if they are the second father or the second mother.

Click on the link below for news article:

http://www.advocate.com/families/2016/9/15/gay-dads-wont-be-covered-trumps-maternity-leave-plan

Another recent current even that has been in the spotlight is the ruling in Arkansas that say same sex parents cannot put both of their names on a birth certificate. Some might argue that they are not the biological parents, but why does that truly matter? In reality it is a double standard, as the advocate states “Cheryl Maples, the attorney for three same-sex couples in the case, said that sets a different standard than the one applied to straight couples. “There’s no requirement that DNA be given or that there be a biological relationship to a child to get on a birth certificate for a father, for the non-birth parent,” she told the AP. “All you have to do is legitimize the child and you’re entitled, if you’re heterosexual. This is wrong.” How is it right to assume a man if the father with no proof. If in fact he is not the true father his name is still on the certificate. There is no problem there, why is there a problem when the LGBTQ community tries to do it. At least this case they are being honest, they know that one or both are not the biological parent. In the heterosexual example someone is lying. Overall there should be equality. There is still an uphill battel but one must not give up till equality is for all.

Click on the link below for news article:

http://www.advocate.com/families/2016/12/08/arkansas-court-strikes-blow-against-same-sex-parents