Lez Keep It Real

I haven’t touched upon the “pregnant man” story as of yet. I think I was still trying to digest what it all really meant or stood for. I’m not really fond of the way it’s paraded through the media, billed as some “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” phenomena, because it’s far more complex than that.

As you all know, I’m a big proponent of transgendered rights. I don’t know even know how I’d deal with being stuck in the wrong body, the therapy that would require, the time and understanding — everything surrounding the transgender concept. And I thought being gay was hard to come to terms with!!

Anyway, I left the “pregnant man” story alone because I just couldn’t formulate my thoughts about it without going off on a tangent or feeling as though I just didn’t get it.

I will say that I am happy Thomas Lagondino is going to have child. And that is a wonderful thing. But from what I understand about being transgendered, I can’t for the life of me figure out what man is his right mind would want to carry a child? Thomas has maintained that he is a man stuck in a female body. I get that. He did what he needed to do to line up his body with the appropriate gender by taking testosterone and having “top” surgery. If Thomas really felt like man finally, after all of that, then why would he agree to carry a child? Are there different levels of being transgendered? Can you feel as though you are a man and still have certain female inclinations?

My thinking is that most transgendered people want to be known as the gender they have transformed into and not the gender they once were. I know certain individuals who say that they’ve worked so hard to gain their manhood that calling them “she” or “her” or even by their former name is a slap in the face.

If Thomas worked so hard to gain that manhood, why would he volunteer to do something that essentially makes his manhood null and void?

Some argue that gender is state of mind. So it could be said that Thomas is mentally a man but physically still a women. But with all the therapy and struggle it takes to carve out a distinctive male identity, you would think that becoming pregnant would cause certain emotional, mental and, without a doubt, physical strain.

I would like to clarify that I don’t look down on Thomas in any way, shape or form. But I do look at him, scratch my head, and wonder — is this really all for the sake of having a child?

Many men long to be a parent but I can’t name a single one who has the inherent need to carry a child in his belly.

For another point of view, read this column in the Boston Globe. Keep in mind that I don’t share the same views as the writer, but I do respect his opinion. I respect everyone’s opinion. Even yours. So leave me a comment and let me know what you think about the “pregnant man.”

pregnant man, boston globe, transgendered, thomas Lagondino, ripley’s believe it or not

So said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in “The Running Man.”

You remember that movie, don’t you? It was loosely based on the novel Stephen King wrote. Schwarzenegger was a prisoner of war for a crime he didn’t commit and thus thrust into the limelight of a futuristic game show in which criminals were put into outrageous life or death situations against heroic gladiator types for the world to see. The entire premise of the movie is not out of the realm of possibility. That’s the scary part.

The ironic part is that Schwarzenegger’s character was completely against government and politics. And now he’s the Governor of California.

Interesting to say the least.

When you think about it though, navigating politics is a means of survival. Gay, lesbian and transgendered people are constantly trying to live their lives in the best way they can despite the disparity that exists between heterosexuals and homosexuals in the political landscape.

Gov. Schwarzenegger isn’t just acting anymore. He’s making political decisions that affect every GLBT individual in the state of California. And it looks as though he’s making a good one for once.

Governator To Fight Anti-Gay Amendment
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

(San Diego, California) California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says that if an initiative to ban gay marriage qualifies for the November ballot, he’s prepared to fight it.

California’s governor spoke Friday in San Diego at the convention of the Log Cabin Republicans, the nation’s largest gay Republican group.

He has previously vetoed bills that would have legalized gay marriage. Both times Schwarzenegger said that the courts or the people through a plebiscite should decide the issue.

The California Supreme Court took up same-sex marriage earlier this year. A decision by the court is expected by June 5th.

Conservative groups, supported by many California Republicans, are working to gather signatures to put a same-sex marriage constitutional ban on the November ballot.

Schwarzenegger said he was confident a ban would never pass in California and called the effort “a waste of time.”

Schwarzenegger’s remarks came during a public discussion with Log Cabin President Patrick Sammon about the future of the Republican Party.

Sammon asked the Governor whether he would oppose the effort to ban same-sex marriage.

Schwarzenegger replied: “First of all, I think that it [the marriage ban] will never happen in California. I think that California people are much further along on that issue. And, number two, I will always be there to fight against that. It will never happen.” READ MORE

I have to applaud his actions here and I agree with his statement that people are much further along on the gay marriage issue. But not just in California. This kind of statement is being made throughout all parts of the country. Many conscious-minded individuals are asking the same question — what’s the point? Get over it.

Like the infamous action hero he once was, The “Governator” is looking this issue dead in the eye and saying, “Gay Marriage Ban … you won’t be back.”

I have a funny feeling that there won’t be a sequel.

For more brilliant Schwarzenegger quotes, go here.

arnold schwarzenegger, stephen king, the running man, gay marriage ban, log cabin republicans

I’m so sick of this term, it isn’t even funny. After writing my post for yesterday, I was irked to no end. Especially when I saw a clip from The O’Reilly Factor about how gays are trying to impress their “gay lifestyle” upon mainstream culture.

@#$!!!!

It made me want to send an E-mail to Bill O’Reilly. And this is what I would have said:

Dear Mr. O’Reilly,

What is this “gay lifestyle” you constantly speak of? I am a 30-year-old lesbian who lives quite a boring life. The fact of the matter is that 90 percent of gay people are just like me. We don’t go clubbin’ every night, do drugs, have anonymous sex, force our sexuality on others, have sex in public bathrooms, walk around in leather chaps, spout gay rhetoric wherever we go, read and watch porn on a regular basis, drink ourselves silly, bash religion or religious organizations, or do many of the other outlandish things that are constantly shown on television and newscasts.

Why don’t you show any clips of normal, law-abiding respectful gay individuals on your show?

What bothers me the most is that this is the only exposure to gay people that some people have — what they see on television. And they attribute those images to every single gay person in the world. It just isn’t reality. Shows like “A Shot at Love With Tila Tequilla” or Newscasts showing Pride parade antics do not represent the entire gay population. It is the same for Christians who love and accept everyone but are given a bad rap because of those few radical Christians who make headlines in the media for the wrong reasons. Not every Christian is a radical. It is also the same thing to say that not every African American is a thug. It is an unfair assumption to label gays with the negative connotation that “gay lifestyle” imparts.

I have a great deal of respect for you and your opinion. My father loves you. My girlfriend, while she does not always agree with you, listens to your podcast on a regular basis.

This is our supposed “gay lifestyle:”

We own a house together. We spend vacations with our respective families. We work for highly respected companies. We go to the movies. We eat “family” dinners. We pay taxes. We listen to all sides of every issue, from both the conservative and liberal side. We believe in God. We donate to local and national charities. We love and respect our families. We believe in integrity. We vote.

Basically, I am just a regular person who leads a relatively calm and boring life. If that’s a “gay lifestyle,” then so be it.

Maybe one day we will be judged on who we are rather than what our sexual preference may be.

bill o’reilly, the o’reilly factor, gay lifestyle

Seriously.

Not everything is a slam at the Christian right for Pete’s sake. I have an idea — let’s ban anything and everything that seemingly has to do with promoting the “gay lifestyle.”

Because really, that’s what it’s all about. Our main goal in life is to shove our homosexual agenda in the face of all religious and conservative groups and individuals in hopes of brainwashing them and forcing them to commit destructive and unholy behaviors.

I don’t know about you but my main goal in life is to be happy and enjoy life. That has nothing at all to do with conservative or the Christian right.

And neither does this:

(Reedsburg, Wisconsin) 365gay.com ~ An elementary-school event in which kids were encouraged to dress as members of the opposite gender drew the ire of a Christian radio group, whose angry broadcast prompted outraged calls to the district office.

Students at Pineview Elementary in Reedsburg had been dressing in costume all last week as part of an annual school tradition called Wacky Week.

On Friday, students were encouraged to dress either as senior citizens or as members of the opposite sex.

A local resident informed the Voice of Christian Youth of America on Friday.

The Milwaukee-based radio network responded by interrupting its morning programming for a special broadcast that aired on nine radio stations throughout Wisconsin.

The broadcast criticized the dress-up day and accused the district of promoting alternative lifestyles.

“We believe it’s the wrong message to send to elementary students,” said Jim Schneider, the network’s program director. “Our station is one that promotes traditional family values.

“It concerns us when a school district strikes at the heart and core of the Biblical values. To promote this to elementary-school students is a great error.” READ MORE

Here’s a little tid-bit of advice for the Christian right … It’s not always about you!

The principal of the school put it best when she said, “our purpose was not to promote cross-dressing, homosexuality or alternative gender roles. Our purpose was to have a Wacky Week, mixing in a bit of silliness with our reading, writing and arithmetic.”

The only thing “wacky” about this situation is the Christian radio show that made such a stink about this in the first place. Kids play dress up all the time. It has nothing to do with cross-dressing. It’s fun to simply pretend to be someone or something else.

If you let a kid dress up in an animal costume, does that mean you are promoting bestiality? See how absolutely ludicrous that sounds?

Let kids be kids for crying out loud. Quit trying to make everything an issue or a crusade. It literally makes me sick.

wacky week, cross-dressing, pineview elementary, voice of christian youth of america

Or so the military thinks.

Seriously. Aren’t there more pressing issues for the military to address than this?

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According to Reuters, Ellen is the number one television host in the country.

LOS ANGELES, March 26 (Reuters) - American talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has topped rival Oprah Winfrey in a popularity poll of television hosts — while veteran Larry King was labeled the least sexy.

The poll by Web site AOL Television asked readers which daytime TV host made their day and Ellen, who opens “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” by dancing with her audience, trounced Oprah with 46 percent of the vote, while Oprah only won 19 percent.

When asked which daytime host made the ideal dinner guest, again it was Ellen, with 47 percent of respondents saying they would rather dine with her, compared to 14 percent for Oprah, long considered the queen of daytime TV with “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” READ MORE

The poll was calculated from over 1.35 million votes and comprised from a diverse audience from soccer moms to “hipsters” to people who could possibly care less. This whole thing makes me wonder … do people in the bread basket states, the ones with housewives who do watch Ellen on a regular basis, forget that she’s a lesbian? I know for a fact that Ellen doesn’t hide it, in fact she has talked about it on her show on numerous occasions. So, if people in this country still have such a problem with homosexuality then why on earth is she so damn popular?

Why is it okay for Ellen to be gay, but it’s not okay for female athletes or female basketball coaches?

Why is there such a stigma to being gay when it’s not someone prominent on the Hollywood scene? Is Ellen the exception to the rule? Does her humor overshadow the fact that she is gay and lives with her lover, Portia?

I don’t get it at all.

It reminds of a time when black athletes were considered “OK” in the book of white racists simply because they could play a sport. It’s hypocritical and just plain wrong. Discrimination shouldn’t have any exceptions, period. It just shouldn’t exist.

I don’t want to take anything away from Ellen’s honor here as she clearly deserves it. As always, I’m just throwing out another angle on the situation.

ellen degeneres, ellen most popular television host, women’s basketball coaches

It never really bothered me much when other kids said, “that’s so gay.” It never bothered me because I said it as well. It still doesn’t bother me when I hear it said today.

Maybe because when I was growing up there wasn’t such a stigma to the word “gay.” It was a fun word, light and airy, back then. Now, it’s derogatory and ranks rights up there with the likes of “bitch.”

How did this happen? Well, there’s the evolution of language of course. And BBC News has a few other theories of their own:

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OKLAHOMA CITY, — Oklahoma state Rep. Sally Kern will not receive legislative punishment for anti-gay comments she made earlier this year, House Speaker Chris Benge said.

Thousands of e-mails and phone calls began flooding the offices of Kern and other legislators after Kern told a group of fellow Republicans that gays are “the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam,” the Oklahoman reported Friday.

The reaction followed the posting of Kern’s comments on the YouTube Internet site.

Benge, a Republican, said she does not plan to punish Kern for the remarks, which were made in January.

Several organizations reportedly requested that Benge punish Kern or require her to apologize. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is examining a large number of alleged e-mail and phone death threats Kern has received.

“I’m not going to live my life in fear,” Kern said. “The bottom line is I know in my heart I know what I said and it’s being taken out of context.” (Oklahoma City News)

When I think of something being taken out of context, I think of a situation like this:

I say: “I don’t eat a lot of protein because I’m trying to slim down a bit for an upcoming role.”

Reporters say: Lyndsey said, “I don’t eat a lot” because she is trying to lose weight.

That’s something being taken out of context. This … well, this is just a regurgitation of words that were SAID BY THE INDIVIDUAL HERSELF.

How do I know? It was recorded word for word!

Taken out of context my butt. Thankfully we have Ellen to shed some light on the situation a little bit.

Basically, Miss Sally said what she said. There was nothing taken out of context. It was pretty obvious what she was saying when she said it. There was no editing of her comments, no quotes rearranged. She’s backtracking, as most politicians do. See Larry Craig.

Oh Sally, you’ve been caught spewing rhetoric that is unprofessional and inappropriate for an elected official. Grow up or resign. But don’t downplay what you said by saying it was “taken out of context.”

We were born gay. But we weren’t born yesterday.

ellen, sally kern, out of context, gays are terrorist

1) They don’t know the difference between separation of church and state … or gay people and terrorists for that matter.

2) Even the few you believe in or trust are shady mother crunchers.

AP NEW YORK — As Gov. Eliot Spitzer faced mounting calls to resign amid a prostitution scandal,
a law enforcement official said Tuesday that the governor first came under suspicion because of cash payments from several bank accounts to an account operated by a call-girl ring. Spitzer was the initial target of the investigation and was tracked using court-ordered wiretaps that appear to have recorded him arranging for a prostitute to meet him at a Washington hotel in mid-February, the official said.

I e-mailed my father the above video and said, “This is the kind of rhetoric that scares me, because it isn’t just anybody saying it — it’s a lawmaker.”

He responded with, “What do you expect from a politician?”

I responded with, “Exactly. See Spitzer.”

I won’t repeat what he said after that.

I feel so bad for his wife. She looked as though she had been punched in the stomach in every photo taken during Spitzer’s (put out the fire quickly) press conference. Even when he apologized, I didn’t feel as though he regretted his actions. He didn’t speak off the cuff, he memorized a few statements and regurgitated them on cue.

I honestly believe that if he hadn’t been caught, he’d still be big pimpin’.

Seriously though, I expect more from those we elect into lawmaking positions. I mean, come on. I know that everyone isn’t perfect. We all have vices and skeletons in our closets. But people in these types of positions are held to a higher standard. They have to be in order for them to be able to enact political policies that are fair and just, as well as morally sound. I really wonder if and when you get to a certain status in the political sphere, you are required to check your morals at the door. If that’s the case, then I don’t want to run for office anymore. I’d rather spend my time in the rolling hills of Scotland, writing and enjoying the view from afar.

Anybody want to come with me?

elliot spitzer, gays are terrorists, kerns speech about gays, spitzer prostitution

There are many reason why I chose to remain in the closet throughout my adolescence. Confusion, for one. Denial, for two. But the most prevalent reason, by far, was fear.

I was afraid.

I don’t recall ever being afraid for my life, though. I was more afraid of just being different. When you’re different, you stand out from the crowd. When you’re different, other kids notice. When you’re different, high school can seem like an eternity of taunts and ridicule. When you’re different, things like this can happen.

From Time.com ~ Lawrence King, an eighth grader who identified as gay and wore makeup and nail polish, was 15 when he was declared brain dead on Feb. 13.

The day before, he had been shot in the head in an Oxnard, Calif., classroom full of students. Police have charged a sweet-faced boy called Brandon McInerney, 14, with first-degree murder and with a hate crime. According to the Los Angeles Times and KTLA, McInerney and some other boys accosted King about his sexuality on Feb. 11. Students apparently often taunted King, who didn’t even have a safe home to return to after school: he was living in a shelter for abused and troubled children.

The crime, a chilling execution carried out in a typical suburban school — allegedly by a boy who probably hasn’t started shaving — has shocked Oxnard and captured the attention of gay and transgender activists around the country. On Friday, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force released a statement saying, in part, “Our hearts go out to Lawrence’s family — and to all young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender kids who are — right now, right this minute — being bullied and beaten in school while adults look the other way.” Another group, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) called for passage of the Matthew Shepard Act, which would dramatically increase the power of the federal government to prosecute hate crimes.

I did my best not to be different. Trying to be anything but the tomboy I was, was hard enough. Imagine me with long, flowing hair and low cut tops.

In a word: scary.

But, as I said, I did my best to fit in. Sure, I may have been uncomfortable in tight jeans and lipstick but it wasn’t unbearable by any means. I was still able to be myself personality wise and my tomboy side burst out whenever a sports-related activity was involved. I can honestly say that my high school years were enjoyable. I was popular. And, for the most part, I was happy.

Sadly, this admission makes me wonder … would my years of high school have been that enjoyable if I had come out?

Or would I have been teased, tormented and cast aside?

The answer is simply, I don’t know. I will never know. But when situations like these occur, I can’t help but think that by staying in the closet I made things a hell of a lot easier for myself.

I know it sounds like I am saying it’s better to blend in rather than stand out. I’m not saying that at all. The truth is that I’m not proud of the fact that I gave up a part of myself merely to blend in. What I am saying is that I can understand the appeal. Those kids who do take the leap of faith and love themselves fully enough to be who they are regardless of what others may think are to be commended. They did what I could not. They did what I was not ready to do.

It is a shame that these brave adolescents are targeted for such strength. Most of us wish we had an ounce of that kind of courage at that age. Most of us are sick to our stomaches over this.

Most of us just wish being different wasn’t such a big deal.

time magazine, lawrence king, Brandon McInerney, being different

If you ever desire to defame a woman’s character, just call her a “lesbian.” Upon making such slanderous allegations, you will see hands shoot directly to numerous mouths in disgust, abhorrent looks plastered all over everyone’s faces and the sudden disappearance of the person in question from the public eye.

How do I know this? Simple. It happened, quite recently, in my home town.

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As soon as I clicked on 365gay.com, I saw it. My jaw hit the floor. Then a slow and silent gurgle worked it’s way up my throat and erupted from my mouth into mocking laugher.

“Are you kidding me?” I heard myself say out loud.

Brace yourselves people. Reading this particular headline may give you whiplash from having to glance at it twice because it’s that unbelievable.

You’ve been warned.

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For so many of us (and by us I mean gay people), when we were growing up we thought it was better to hide our sexuality rather than live it. And as adults, we strive each day to undo the damage that was done. We go to therapy, deal with emotional problems, suffer from a lack of confidence – you name it, the issues are endless. Some are worse off than others. They stay stuck in the closet for most of their lives, too afraid of what the consequences might be rather than inspired by what the rewards truly are.

I truly believe that had there been a more comfortable, encouraging atmosphere for us to come out in our adolescence, we wouldn’t be dealing with some of the issues that plague us as adults.

How do I know? Well, over the years, the stats have been calculated. The numbers have been crunched. The results are in. And it’s been proven that it’s healthier for GLBT youth not to hide their sexuality. When they hide it, or hide from it rather, the results are numbing.

GLBT teen suicide is still an ongoing issue in this country, though it isn’t reported on as much as say, when a well-to-do white female goes missing in Aruba. It’s out there. And it needs to be addressed.

How can we help? Simple. Make it comfortable for a teenager to be who they are, gay or straight. Let it be okay. Let them be proud of who they are. Let them voice it in any way possible (with in reason). For instance, don’t make them cover up a T-shirt.

School Apologizes To Lesbian Student Over Censored T-Shirt
by The Associated Press

(Richmond, Virginia) A high school official made a mistake by telling a student to cover up a lesbian-themed T-shirt or face suspension the school’s principal now says.
The admission came Friday; a day after the ACLU demanded the school apologize to the teen.

Bethany Laccone, 17, said she was asked to cloak a logo of two interlocked female symbols while attending a hotel management class this month at I.C. Norcom High School in Portsmouth. She’s a senior at nearby Woodrow Wilson High School, where she has not faced a similar ultimatum.

In a letter sent Thursday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia asked Norcom administrators to remove any mention of the incident from Laccone’s records and agree not to similarly censor other students.

ACLU leaders want administrators to clarify that students can express political views. The school’s dress code prohibits “bawdy, salacious or sexually suggestive messages.”

The ACLU gave the school until Jan. 11 to respond or possibly face further action.

“What’s happening to Bethany Laccone is a clear-cut case of unconstitutional censorship,” said Kent Willis, executive director of the Virginia chapter.

On Friday, Norcom Principal Lynn Briley said the school would comply.

“Yes, we did make a mistake,” Briley told The Virginian-Pilot newspaper of Norfolk. READ MORE

Now, the ACLU can often go overboard. In fact, they practically tip the boat on many of their supposed “causes.” But I have to agree with them on this one. If a straight student wore a shirt of a boy and a girl holding hands, would they be asked to “cover up?” I doubt it. Many people argue that you don’t see straight kids professing their sexuality or wearing T-shirts of straight symbols. Here’s my answer: they don’t have to. We live in a society where straight is the “norm.” Straight is given. Straight is everywhere.

The other day, I can’t remember exactly when it was; I was channel surfing and came across Bill O’Reilly (Let me get to my point before you roll your eyes because I promise when I’m finished you’ll have to pick your eyes up off the floor for rolling them too far). He was showing a yearbook photo of two girls hugging one another. They were chosen by their peers as “cutest couple” for the senior class yearbook awards. Why this aggravated Bill to the point of having to talk about it on the “no spin” zone, I’ll never know. (Aren’t there far more serious issues to discuss … like the war, the national deficit, the 2008 presidential election, lesbian gangs, for instance?)

His basic premises was this: the two girls should keep their sexuality to themselves. It doesn’t need to be displayed in a school yearbook for all to see.

Um. What?!

Okay. First, the two girls were chosen as “cutest couple” by their peers, Bill. Which means, the students don’t care about their sexuality. So why should you? If a straight couple had been chosen as “cutest couple” we wouldn’t even be having this conversation then, would we? It would have been appropriate for a boy and girl to be pictured together. Or would you have told them to keep their sexuality to themselves.? I highly doubt it.

I applaud the students of that high school, who took it upon themselves to say, “sexuality doesn’t matter to us, it’s a non-issue.”
It needs to be a non-issue. It needs to be talked about less on the Bill O’Reilly show.

I wonder if Bill has even looked at any of the statistics involving GLBT teen suicide. He claims to “care” about the welfare of children, doesn’t he? Maybe if he knew that hiding one’s sexuality was more damaging to kids than a high school yearbook photo, he might change his tune. But until then, he’ll keep singing the same old song.

As for the rest of us, we already know better. We know that covering up our sexuality causes more damage than good. We know because we have lived it. And that’s all the reason we need.

bill o’reilly, aclu, bethany laccone, glbt teen suicide

I play in a weekly basketball league with a group of talented and intelligent women. Last night, as we were warming up before our game, the conversation shifted to Jodie Foster and her supposed “coming out.”

For those of you who read the Come Out & Play last Friday, you already know that I don’t believe Ms. Foster was making any kind of “coming out” statement at all.

During the discussion last night, I voiced my opinion that I didn’t believe that Jodie Foster, or any celebrity for that matter, had an “obligation” to the GLBT community to come out.

“But we need people like her on our side!” one of my teammates exclaimed.

“Our side?” What does that mean? Are we using celebrities as political pawns?

Respectfully, I disagreed. Celebrities or people who live their lives in the spotlight shouldn’t feel pressured to come out or reveal their sexuality just so we can say they’re on our side. They have the right to privacy, don’t they? Even more so than we do I would think because their right to privacy is so impeded upon on a daily basis. Most celebrities can’t even go to the store without the paparazzi attacking them. Imagine living like that?

“But we need her to be a role model for gay teens,” another teammate professed.

Role model? Since when do celebrities have to be role models? Is there some written rule that says that when you become famous and you happen to be gay, you are required to become an advocate for GLBT causes or become an inspired GLBT activist?

Not every gay celebrity is built to be an activist. And you don’t have to be visibly taking a stand in order to contribute to the GLBT community. There are many ways to do so, whether its by giving to charitable GLBT causes or speaking at GLBT functions and events. Either way works for me.

Furthermore, why does Jodie Foster have to admit to being gay in order for teens to look up to her? Isn’t she already a stand-up individual, someone who has portrayed a sense of stability in an otherwise unstable career? Isn’t she a decent and respectable human being? Someone who exudes professionalism and humility in such a plastic and egotistical Hollywood community? That alone, to me, speaks volumes about her character. That to me is someone to look up to – gay, straight or otherwise.

I understand the need in our community for certain people in the spotlight to speak out on our behalf, because I felt the same way when other celebrities came out. But the thing I’ve since realized is that we have to give them the option. We can’t make it mandatory for them to become activists. As I said before, not everyone was meant to be the face of GLBT causes. Some people prefer to contribute from behind the scenes. And that doesn’t lessen their contribution by any means.

Besides, there are plenty of GLBT oriented groups and organizations out there to help our GLBT youth navigate successfully through their gay adolescence.

I was pleasantly pleased to read this article this morning in the New York Times:

For Gay Teenagers, Hope in Numbers

Michael Moreno, a 15-year-old 10th grader from Brewster, could not believe what he was seeing as he walked into the big hall at the Westchester County Center, and he grew quiet. There, for as far as the eye could see, were hundreds of boys and girls who belonged to gay-straight clubs at area middle schools and high schools.

“This is a great moment for him,” said his stepfather, Hector Ramos. “He’s always felt so isolated.”

Michael had so been looking forward to the daylong PrideWorks conference that he’d jumped out of bed that morning at 5:30. He was so happy and nervous, he kept forgetting basic pieces of information. “Dad, what’s my cellphone number?” he asked at one point.

The boy has felt different forever, long before he had a name for it, at least since age 5, he said. He told his mom when he was in the eighth grade, and she wasn’t surprised. “She figured how I was,” said Michael.

“He’d hang out with the girls, not the boys,” said Anna Trejo, his mother, a court worker.

“He had female tendencies and a sensitive part,” said Mr. Ramos, a flooring contractor.

For these differences, Michael suffered. He was treated for depression. Knowing no one like himself, he spent long hours on the computer. Several months ago he told his parents he’d met a nice boy from Australia online and wanted to bring him here for a visit. “He wanted us to pay for it,” said Mr. Ramos. “He was upset when we wouldn’t.”

How does a parent make friends for a child? “I had this weight on my shoulders,” said Ms. Trejo. “I didn’t know where to go and what to do. As his mother, I can help him only so much.” Which is why the family had put a good deal of hope in the conference here. As Michael said: “I was feeling kind of lonely and stuff. I wanted to meet people.”

This was the ninth year of the PrideWorks gathering, which is put on by the Hudson Valley chapter of the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network. The conference is sponsored by numerous community groups, including a local Merrill Lynch office, the Westchester-Putnam School Boards Association, the Westchester-East Putnam Region PTA and a state senator, Suzi Oppenheimer, a Democrat from Mamaroneck. READ MORE

It seems that many GLBT teens out there are doing just fine. And when you think about it, role models start with mom and dad. Parents are the people GLBT teens look for guidance first and foremost. They are the people who can give the love and support that GLBT teens need and deserve. Not Jodie Foster.

Get mom and dad on “our side.” The battle of acceptance doesn’t begin in the spotlight or even in Washington D.C.

It begins at home.

jodie foster, the new york times, gay role models, gay celebrities, prideworks

To all my sporty lesbians out there, I know you feel my pain. I’m home today with a sprained ankle that has ballooned twice its size and is the result of a hustle play during a recreational league soccer game I played last night. It hurts like a biotch. But at least we won the game.

I am writing to you all from the comfort of my couch. It’s cozy. There’s snow on the ground, a warm cup of Joe at my side and world of GLBT news at my disposal. So, let’s get to it.

Fair play.

I’m a believer. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, right? Or something like that … what I am trying to say is that I found a piece of news this morning that I felt the need to write about simply because I’ve written about it from the other side … the Republican side that is.

Let me explain.
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