Topic: Gay

Obama proclaims June 2009 is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month

June 1, 2009 |

The Stonewall Inn

Forty years ago, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City resisted police harassment that had become all too common for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Out of this resistance, the LGBT rights movement in America was born. During LGBT Pride Month, we commemorate the events of June 1969 and commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans.

LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country’s response to the HIV pandemic.

Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration. These individuals embody the best qualities we seek in public servants, and across my Administration — in both the White House and the Federal agencies — openly LGBT employees are doing their jobs with distinction and professionalism. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: News | 3 Comments

Anti-gay adoption bill ignores existing applicant shortage

By David W. Shelton | February 21, 2009 |

Despite the budget shortfall and other major problems that the Tennessee state legislature must face, anti-gay and other “morality” bills have found their way into consideration by lawmakers. Despite a shortage of couples and singles willing to adopt, a new bill, HB 0605/*SB 0078, the companion bills from Senator Paul Stanley’s (R-Cordova) and Rep. John Deberry (R-Memphis), would deny adoption of a minor to anyone who’s in a sexual relationship other than being legally married.

This isn’t the first time they’ve attempted such legislation, either. Senator Stanley and Rep. John Deberry were the same people who filed a more strictly anti-gay adoption bill last year, which failed. They also had a similar bill which would prevent unmarried opposite-sex couples from adopting. It foundered as well. This new bill is a combination of both of the previous bills.

Apparently, not only do bad ideas come from the same legislators, but the same bad ideas come from the same legislators. If it doesn’t pass the first time, then try, try, again. One doesn’t have to stretch the imagination too far to observe the visceral and sensitive nature of same-sex relationships and homosexuality in general. Just what do they hope to accomplish? «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: News, Opinion, Politics, Spirituality | 2 Comments

A Journey to the North: Part 1

By James Butler | February 15, 2009 |

MBLGTACC, an acronym of inane size and somewhat obscure meaning. In full terms, it stands for Mid-western Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, Transgendered and Allied Collegiate Conference. Whew, almost a full line, but I did mention inane size.

Some time ago the APSU Gay-Straight Alliance decided to attend this conference, which has affectionately become known as the alphabet soup people conference, or somewhat more quickly as the big gay conference.

So, at 2 a.m.  in the morning on Saturday, I find myself reflecting on the first day of the conference, or really the first evening. I remember my first distinct impression after our six hour or so drive to lovely but somewhat frigid Bloomington, Indiana was “Sacre merde. This place is (expletive) huge.”

MBLGTACC logo

«Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Education, Events, News, Opinion | No Comments

Anti-gay adoption bill filed, again

By David W. Shelton | February 4, 2009 |

Here we go again – another attempt to ban adoptions — a ban that would only hurt our children.

Republicans have been in power in the Tennessee State Legislature for mere weeks, and already they’ve set their crosshairs on the gay and lesbian community once again. Two years ago, Tennessee was the battleground for “marriage protection amendment” to the state’s constitution which prevents gay and lesbian couples from marrying.

That amendment passed in 2006 by more than 80 per cent of the vote. This time, it’s adoption rights.

A new bill, SB 0078, filed by State Senator Paul Stanley (R-Memphis) would dictate: “a minor may not be adopted if the individual seeking to adopt is cohabiting outside of a marriage that is valid under the constitution and laws of this state.”

Similar legislation failed in 2006, but unlike that bill, the new bill isn’t an exclusively anti-gay legislation. To be fair, Stanley decided he should stick it to unmarried straight couples as well. According to the official summary: «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: News, Opinion | 4 Comments

“For the Bible Tells Me So” delivers

By Blayne Clements | February 27, 2008 |

My wife has a book that I have intended to read for years, but never found the time, “What the Bible REALLY says about Homosexuality.” Then I saw this movie available on Netflix, “For the Bible Tells me So” , and thought at this point in my life, I’m much more likely to get a quick movie in than to read a book.

The movie introduces you to several families that have two things in common 1) strong religious ties, and 2) a family member that is a homosexual. Director Daniel Karslake’s selection of families with different backgrounds is sure to connect with a variety of viewers. Theres a Midwest lawyer and stay at home mother that are Lutheran; a African American couple from North Carolina who are ministers in a AME church; there a Episcopalian elderly white couple from blue collar rural Kentucky (no spoiler here but their child was the first openly Gay bishop in the Anglican church, Gene Robinson); a single middle class mother, and a long time politician Dick Gephardt and his family.

«Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure, Spirituality | 3 Comments

Campfield: Quixotic attempt to mandate curricular limitations shows anti-gay bias

By Todd Hughes | February 7, 2008 |

Stacey Campfield (R, Knoxville), a self-described Christian and one of the more colorful members of the Tennessee House of Representatives, recently introduced what many have viewed as an extremely confusing bill regarding that which he most eloquently describes in his blog as “what should not be taught in our schools.” This bill, HB2997, requests the amendment of the Tennessee State Code to prohibit “any instruction or materials discussing sexual orientation other than heterosexuality” in elementary and middle schools.

Campfield (at right), during his short tenure in the House, has gained a reputation for introducing controversial, if not peculiar, legislation that many view as antagonistic and bizarre. His past history of failed attempts to limit academic freedom are also well known. In 2005, he introduced HB0432, which was an attempt to limit instructional content by specifically denying classroom teachers the opportunity to express their own personal beliefs with regards to the material that they present. At the same time, Campfield made it clear that he felt as though students should have the right to “speak without fear of hurting their grades.” Many view this as an attempt to legitimatize the rights of free speech for students, but to limit them for classroom instructors.

Last year, Campfield has introduced legislation calling for the removal of the sales tax on food, replacing the lost revenue to the state with additional taxes on pornography. As a Christian, he justifies the potential for financial gain through the taxation of an industry that many of his fellow Christians would call immoral, by defining it as a “luxury item.” Many viewed this legislation as an attempt to give good reason for the sale of pornographic materials and the peddling of human flesh through a motive to fill the State’s coffers. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics | 2 Comments

Anti-gay adoption bill filed in Tennessee

By David W. Shelton | January 31, 2008 |

2/4/2009 — Editor’s note: This is not the bill filed January 29, 2009. For details about that bill, please click here. This article was written in response to a similar bill filed in January of 2008.

Discriminatory legislation should be rejected

Yesterday, Rep. John Deberry (D-Memphis) and Senator Paul Stanley (R-Memphis) filed companion bills that would prohibit “any individual who is cohabitating in a sexual relationship outside of a marriage that is valid under the constitution and laws of this state from adopting a minor.”

The companion bills are SB3910 and HB3713. It is more than a little disturbing to realize that people believe–even in today’s world– that gay and lesbian people can not be (or already are) great parents. I think it goes deeper than that. Gay and lesbian people have consistently been the great whipping boys (and girls) of conservative neocons who appeal to a deep hatred for the gay community to help boost their own popularity. Sadly, this kind of contempt goes far beyond mere religious views.

Clarksville’s own representative, Rep. Joe Pitts, stands in stark contrast to Deberry and Stanley. Pitts has sponsored or co-sponsored several bills that directly affect a real threat to our children– child sexual offenders– which I applaud. These predators should be identified, deterred, and imprisoned at all cost. These vile predators are the real threats to our children, not loving, committed gay and lesbian people who want to provide safe homes for children. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion | 5 Comments

Matthew Shepard bill is a casualty of war

By Christine Anne Piesyk | December 6, 2007 |

How many perfectly good pieces of legislation have faded to oblivion by virtue of being “attached” to an unpopular bill doomed for failure.

Such is the case with the hate crimes bill, familiar to many as the Matthew Shepard bill, a meticulously drafted act that would have categorized crimes based on gender identity or sexual orientation as hate crimes. Matthew Shepard was a young, gay university student in Wyoming who was beaten into a coma and subsequently died.

The Matthew Shepard Bill was a bill whose time had not only come but was terribly overdue, but being incorporated into a package of military spending (i.e. Iraq War funding) resulted in a kill on the battlefield of equal rights and civil liberties. Matthew Shepard and gays across America have become casualties of war. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics | No Comments

FBI hate crimes report: disturbing trends against Hispanics and gays

By David W. Shelton | December 3, 2007 |

The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently released the 2006 Hate Crimes statistics, which lists detailed information about last year’s hate crime incidents all across the country. Two major sections of this report are particularly interesting. The first was (as those who know me might suspect) are the statistics of hate crimes motivated by the victims’ sexual orientation. The second is the stats that relate to incidents against Hispanics/Latino-Americans.

The report, which can be found here, is one of the most comprehensive reports ever filed and gives a broad picture of just who is being attacked and why. In Clarksville, authorities reported a total of ten hate crimes. Three of those crimes were due to a person’s race, four were attacks based on religion, two were motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation, and one was bias against the person’s ethnicity. The FBI report indicates that the single most targeted ethnic group is Hispanics/Latino-Americans.

The national statistics are fare more interesting. According to the report, there were 770 attacks across the US against Hispanics/Latino-Americans last year. Antisemitism still rears its ugly head, since 1,027 incidents against Jews occurred. In contrast, there were 1,485 attacks based on the victim’s sexual orientation. These hate crimes are everything from graffiti to robberies to assaults to hanging nooses. The report indicates “crimes against property” and “crimes against person,” and lists some broad categories of each. The crimes against persons would include assault, robbery, murder, etc. Crimes against property would be vandalism, graffiti, and other related incidents. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: News | 3 Comments

The God Box: A story of redemption, love

By David W. Shelton | October 28, 2007 |

In Alex Sanchez’ newest novel for young readers, The God Box introduces a teenage boy to the greatest struggle of his life: his sexuality. The Lambda Award-winning author of Getting It tackles a subject ripped from headlines in this exciting and thought-provoking exploration of what it means to be both Christian and gay in a small, Southern town.

I’m not sure if I can adequately relate just how refreshing it was to read a book that so accurately portrays the struggle that young gay Christians endure. I’ve seen so many stories about young gay teens and adults that are all about the sex, drugs, and clubbing that is so often associated with the gay community.

To me, “refreshing,” is neither accurate nor appropriate to describe my feelings as I read through its pages. A far better word is “living.” This is a story about life, faith, and love in a way that is as crisp as it is timely. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Spirituality | No Comments

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