Sad stuff in the headlines yesterday – the idea that preventing bullying is coddling select groups is ridiculous.  Every person – every child – is entitled to safety in public, at school, and at work.  No name calling.  Talk to Jesus about it or something.

Focus on the Family attacks anti-bullying efforts as part of the “gay agenda” [feministing]

For these groups to use “what’s good for the children” as a guise to promote their intolerance only puts kids further at risk of serious harm — and we’re not just talking about hurt feelings; children are dying because of it. So if saving children from killing themselves over hatred that Focus on the Family is trying to protect is a “gay agenda,” then yeah, that’s exactly what this country needs.

The Pro-Bullying Lobby [yes means yes]

Their answer is tactically obvious: they have to try to encourage more homophobia at younger ages. They have to prevent young people from coming out in their early teens, forming their own peer groups and being seen to be happy. They need to use the social structures of teen life to enforce conformity to a heterosexist hegemon. They need to shut up the antibullying activists, and get those bullies back to beating up the queeny boys, the dykey girls, the gender nonconformists; marginalizing them by brutal force in the great public school tradition while the administration looks the other way.

Anti-Bullying Measures Are A Gay Plot, Says Gay-Bullying Org [jezebel]

In an interview with The Denver Post, Candi Cushman of Focus On The Family said, “We feel more and more that activists are being deceptive in using anti-bullying rhetoric to introduce their viewpoints, while the viewpoint of Christian students and parents are increasingly belittled.”

“The American Psychological Association is gratified that the court agreed that there is no justification for denying marriage equality to same-sex couples. The  research shows that same-sex couples are similar to heterosexual couples in essential ways and that they are as likely as opposite-sex couples to raise mentally healthy, well-adjusted children. Thus, there is no scientific justification for denying marriage equality, when research indicates that marriage provides many important benefits.”

- American Psychological Association
President Carol D. Goodheart, EdD

I am proud to be going into a profession that acknowledges and supports the rights of all people, and uses its resources to make sure that those rights aren’t taken away.

I consider myself to be relatively knowledgeable about a lot of things.  In particular, among a lot of my peers I’m sometimes considered the “women’s issues” expert, and people come to me specifically for my opinion “as a feminist.”  But I don’t know everything.  I have friends I can turn to for questions about ethnic diversity, multicultrualism, GLBQ understanding, and so on.  However, I’ve only begun learning about each of these.  And that pesky little “T” is often left out of these discussions (for instance, the Allies training at my university held a separate session on trans issues rather than covering them in the initial training).  So I am doing my best to become educated about the experiences of trans individuals.  And I will admit that that meant that the first thing I did was wikipedia the word “cis” that I kept seeing around.

Cisgender is an adjective used in the context of gender issues and counselling to refer to a class of gender identities formed by a match between an individual’s gender identity and the behavior or role considered appropriate for one’s sex.^[1] Cisgender is a neologism that means “someone who is comfortable in the gender they were assigned at birth”, according to Calpernia Addams.^[2] “Cisgender” is used to contrast “transgender” on the gender spectrum.

This is how we learn.  It can be embarrassing, nerve-wracking, and above all humbling to admit when we don’t know and ask for more information.  It can feel almost shameful to stumble around looking for answers to questions we feel like we should just understand already.  But I encourage each of us to keep searching, keep learning, and keep asking (sensitively) so that we can become better friends, allies, and general human beings.  Here are some other great articles on trans issues that I’ve come across this week.

Who am I? [feministing]

I am tired-tired of my transgender identity being pushed aside by my LGBT people, by my brothers and sisters- the organizations, groups, and individuals pushing us-the T aside- in order to push their agenda further. Telling me, telling us that our time will come, that we will have a way, an option, a fight, an ally. I am the one who is tired and refuses to wait for that time, but one of many who makes their own time!I am one of many who will take our place in the struggle for equality. Not jogging behind, or stepped on, but standing next too our sisters and brothers fighting for equal rights- in addition to trans rights- not in lieu of them. I am the pissed off transgender womyn-with a y- who will forcefully take my place in the front line, not as a token, but as a warrior for peaceful means for equality.

You don’t get to out me [feministe]

When I out myself, or am outed, I never know what the reaction will be. Before hormones, and early transition, my transness was noticed quite frequently. Now, I have to be outed—by my documents most often, or by my friends, family and acquaintances. Which is where y’all come in. So here’s the deal: if you out us, you can do more damage than you can possibly imagine.

The Term Same Sex Marriage = Cissexist [amplify]

We have done something right by framing the issue as “marriage equality” or “civil marriage”. But the term “same sex marriage” simply creates a binary of cisgender male marries cisgender female, cisgender male marries cisgender male, or cisgender female marries cigender female.

When asked if he would like to see gay marriage approved in his home state of Michigan:

“I think if two people love each other, then what the hell? I think that everyone should have the chance to be equally miserable, if they want.”

- Eminem

Alright, maybe not the most positive endorsement of gay marriage, but a significantly different message than anyone that is familiar with Eminem’s music would expect.  Maybe Elton John’s theory really has something to it.  From advocate via feministing.

A lot of quotes this week, folks.  People seem to be saying some cool things, and I have taken it upon myself to highlight them for you.

Rush Limbaugh was recently married (for the fourth time after three divorces – this is the sacred tradition of marriage between a man and a woman that he believes he is protecting from the gays, remember?) and he invited the very out and proud Sir Elton John to perform at the wedding.  Perplexing, no?  Apparently the gays make for great entertainment, even if they don’t deserve equal rights.  Classy.  Here’s what Elton had to say about it:

“Life is about building bridges, not walls. [It was a chance] to go where people wouldn’t expect me to go. And maybe if I can make a great impression, people might change their perspectives on life.”

- Sir Elton John

Now that actually is classy.  From Daily Express via Jezebel.

Lady Gaga expresses her hopes for the end of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, bans on gay blood donors, and restrictions and discrimination faced by teens in the American education system.  (She’s not super well-spoken, but she has some inspiring points – it’d be great to hear more of this type of thing from public figures in pop culture who, whether they like it or not and whether they admit it or not, are role models for many youth and adolescents.)

“There are so many archaic things floating around in the the government right now that are so misinformed and so wrong and it’s very confusing.  It’s very confusing for young people, especially, you know, 14 year-olds in high school that are getting sent home because they have t-shirts that say ‘gay’ on it, as if gay is a curse word or somehow inappropriate.  I just think that, in terms of education – sexual education, political education, and social education in schools – I think that it’s important to be specific about civil rights and a person’s worth.  No person’s worth any less than another human being based on their sexual orientation.”

You can check out more moments of Lady Gaga’s Larry King interview over at Jezebel.

President Obama has declared the month of June Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.

“As Americans, it is our birthright that all people are created equal and deserve the same rights, privileges, and opportunities.  Since our earliest days of independence, our Nation has striven to fulfill that promise.  An important chapter in our great, unfinished story is the movement for fairness and equality on behalf of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.  This month, as we recognize the immeasurable contributions of LGBT Americans, we renew our commitment to the struggle for equal rights for LGBT Americans and to ending prejudice and injustice wherever it exists.”

The announcement from the White House lists a number of the administration’s accomplishments in terms of LGBT visibility and equality, including:

• Signing into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which strengthens Federal protections against crimes based on gender identity or sexual orientation.
• Renewing the Ryan White CARE Act, which provides life saving medical services and support to Americans living with HIV/AIDS, and finally eliminated the HIV entry ban.
• Signing a Presidential Memorandum directing hospitals receiving Medicare and Medicaid funds to give LGBT patients the ability to choose someone other than an immediate family member to visit them and make medical decisions.
• The creation of a National Resource Center for LGBT Elders by the Department of Health and Human Services.

But there’s clearly still work to do.  Progress is being made on Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and there is occasional lip service paid to marriage equality and the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.  Some of this feels a little like Obama tooting his own horn.  Sometimes it feels like he’s throwing bones to a significant group that worked hard for his election and believed that he would follow through on some big promises.  But, this also draws attention to the improvements that have been made, especially in comparison to the previous administration and the discrimination it supported over its 8-year run.

You can read the whole announcement from the White House.  I invite you to celebrate the gains you’ve seen and discuss the next steps you’d like to see in the comments.

Cindy McCain isn’t the only political wife with different opinions from her husband.  Not that we should be surprised, of course, wives have separate minds from their husbands.  What I guess surprises me is how these women manage to keep quiet about their beliefs for the sakes of their husbands careers.  I get it, relationships require sacrifices.  But when you sit alongside a man with a significant amount of privilege, holding a great deal of privilege yourself, it seems like a good time to stick your neck out for what you believe in.  Especially when your menfolk are running around snatching rights out of the hands of citizens.

On gay marriage:

I think there are a lot of people who have trouble coming to terms with that because they see marriage as traditionally between a man and a woman. But I also know that, you know, when couples are committed to each other and love each other, that they ought to have I think the same sort of rights that everyone has.

She goes on to say that she believes this is a “generational thing” and that “its coming.”

On abortion rights:

She [Katie Couric] asked me if I was for the overturn of Roe versus Wade. And sort of everything went through my mind. This was the very morning my husband was about to be inaugurated. And I thought, do I really want to start my husband’s presidency, you know, suggesting that a Supreme Court rule being overturned. And I said no.  And I think it’s important that it remain legal, because I think it’s important for people, for medical reasons and other reasons.

After this interview it actually sounds like Laura Bush’s book might be worth reading, rather than another regurgitation of the Bush administration’s “world view.”  Anyone read it yet?

Shoutouts to feministing.

“Historically, country music would rather an artist be a drunk – they even encourage and endorse that one. You get good money from Jim Beam to put that emblem on the side of your bus. I was on the Crown Royal tour, and I have to say it was one of my favorite tours. They would rather you were a drug addict than be gay. They will forgive you if you beat your wife, lose your kids to state, get six divorces, make a sex tape, get labeled as a tramp – any and all of it is better than being gay.”

- Chely Wright

From LA Times via Jezebel.

The past month or so has seen a number of celebs – specifically musicians – coming out publicly and engaging in (or at least instigating) dialogues about what is often a controversial and risky decision.  Some of these have been not so surprising, but some have been more unpredicted.  It will be interesting to see the longer-term effects of Ricky Martin, Jennifer Knapp, and Chely Wright’s coming out on their corresponding communities, each of which have attitudes ranging from mixed to hostile when it comes to coming out (Latino machismo, Christian fire-and-brimstone, and country homophobia).  What do you predict the outcomes (pun not intended but left  anyway) will be?