Views & Voices

I’ve been really understanding of Maggie Gallagher since meeting her. I may vehemently disagree with her on every point, but I did think the rhetoric could become more civil. Less name calling, more substance. But honestly, her latest just ticks me off to no end. “A society that is serious about marriage would gently stand up to gay people and say ‘not this, not now.’ Changes in law are hard to undo, once they are institutionalized. I did not decide to debate gay marriage, gay-marriage advocates did. I responded to the challenge.” [ Read more → ]

Hey, remember a few months ago, when the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) got caught in court documents blatantly trying to create resentment between the LGBT community and other minority groups? Remember how nestled in those court documents, among all their underhanded race-baiting tactics, was the revelation that they were also seeking out “non-cognitive elites” to be celebrity spokespeople for their anti-LGBT cause? Well they finally got one... [ Read more → ]

With all due respect because I am not attempting to disrespect anyone of the Catholic faith, if we compared the two entities, just who has less credibility when it the harming of children: An entity pushing a bad study while it’s not covering up the activities of priests exploiting children as sex objects, - or - same-sex couples, many who open their homes to children who need love and support? [ Read more → ]

My experience with the civil rights movement of the 1960s (yes, I am that old), makes me realize that the civil rights legislation that ultimately became the law of the land for racial, ethnic, and religious minorities could not have passed without the support of the white majority. More so, it required a real change in attitude on the part of a number of religious traditions and their support to make it a reality... [ Read more → ]

I was one of the lucky ones. When I came out to my mom at the age of 22 (in a moving car no less), her first reaction to my stammered, “I’m gay mom,” was to reach out, hold my hand and say, “honey, the only thing that matters to me, is that you are happy.” Everything that happened since, and everything that I now am, can be traced to that moment... [ Read more → ]

Anderson Cooper’s decision to come out sets a great example for LGBT youth and brings hope to those who still suffer with internalized homophobia, bullying, or ostracism. And high-profile, successful LGBTs like Anderson Cooper undermine one of the most malicious lies made by the anti-gay movement: that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans people are broken, unhappy, and empty simply because of who they are and who they love. [ Read more → ]

Chief Justice John Roberts’s surprise vote in the Affordable Care Act case is a signal that no one can definitively count out his vote — or that of any other justice — as the legal battle for marriage equality goes forward. The Court has not decided a major case involving government discrimination against LGBT people since Roberts took over as Chief Justice. The Roberts Court cases that have touched on LGBT issues offer few clues to how the Chief Justice might approach such a case... [ Read more → ]

In those thousand years the evolution of government, self-government of the people, by the people and for the people, may well have become something far different than originally envisioned in 1776, or in the intervening period up to our time. Whatever transpires in this millennium, July 4th will always remain a day of historical change for the human race that began with a declaration of Independence from tyranny... [ Read more → ]

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for an oppressed minority to declare for themselves the full rights and responsibilities that the laws of reason, nature, and natures God entitles them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to demand as such... [ Read more → ]

Violet Andrews Park is the type of serene refuge that people visit to get over the death of a loved one, not the type of place where people are brutally murdered. Surely, a violent encounter was the last thing on the minds of Olgin and Chapa when they went to the park on June 22 to waste time before a movie. What happened next is still a mystery. But we do know that the couple was led into a mud-soaked, grassy trail where both girls were shot in the head with a high caliber pistol. [ Read more → ]

Just over a year ago, my partner, Tom Bridegroom, accidentally fell off a roof while taking photographs of our best friend. He died a few hours later. He was just 29 years old. ... Because we weren't able to marry and because, young and feeling invincible, we hadn't had papers drawn up that would've protected us if one of us died, I lost all claim to Tom after he fell ... For those out there who do not think they know someone who's been deeply hurt by laws that prevent people from marrying the ones they love, well, now you do. My name is Shane Bitney Crone... [ Read more → ]

Hey Linda: You’ve been spouting off at the mouth a lot of utter nonsense about how dangerous it is to allow gays in the military. ... Linda, some of the most powerful, victorious, and abundantly brave – breathtakingly heroic actually – armies in history had in their rank and file – and leadership – gay men. ... And now with your ignorance and hate you demean their memory and you scorn those who want to wear a uniform of honor in order to serve this country and risk their very all to do so. How dare you. [ Read more → ]

Ten years ago, I was 50 years old. My life had been spent in hiding and had been filled with so many lies and so much hurt and anger, I never imagined there was a way out. More specifically, I never dreamed there was a way for me to come out. But – there I was – this 50 year-old Lesbian, sitting on a corner waiting to see my first-ever Pride Parade. I was a stranger in a strange land – and yet I felt more at home on that street corner than I had ever felt in my home-town. [ Read more → ]

In the fight for equality, high school has become the new Stonewall. Perhaps the easiest question to answer is, “Why?” Why has the First Amendment debate moved from college campuses and into high schools? It’s a simple lesson in math. When you multiply an increase in out teens by the visibility of gay heroes then divide by more rules, you get First Amendment questions that make you wonder if you’re smarter than a 12th grader... [ Read more → ]

This whole boycotting Oreo cookies isn’t really about the cookie – You know that, right? This is all about hate and ignorance and for the most part it’s all tied up with the “God Hates Gays” bow ... Don’t blame Nabisco or my beloved Oreo for your hate-filled ignorance. [ Read more → ]

I’m going to Texas on Friday to mourn the loss of a beautiful young girl at a vigil in the park where she and her girlfriend were shot. But I’m also hoping this tragedy wakes people up to the nightmares on the horizon that are sure to come if our foes don’t halt their rancid and reactionary rhetoric. [ Read more → ]

There are so many groups throughout the world of people who just happily, or nearly so, manage to survive day to day. They might be religious, have no belief except in any crises of their existence, or no desire to believe beyond their own personal intimacy with the deity of their choice. Then there are those who want their religious choice to be everyone’s. Even more threatening and annoying are those who think they must be the deliverer of salvation to the rest of humanity... [ Read more → ]

At one time, Americans forbid miscegenation and criminalized interracial marriage. For some, it was said to be contrary to God’s laws; it was even likened to bestiality, called repugnant, depraved and declared anathema. We got over it, we grew up. We did what was right. It is one of the many great absurdities of our time that some American religious leaders presume to possess the right to dictate the parameters of marriage... [ Read more → ]

If there is one thing that irks me, it is having the Roman Catholic Church preach to me about sexual morality. It is a religious sect led by a virulently homophobic Pope that goes out of its way to trash my family. Yet, my family hasn’t spent a cent defending itself against nonexistent charges of child rape, while the Vatican has spent $2.5 billion on legal fees, prevention programs, and settlements relating to the sexual abuse of minors. [ Read more → ]

In the past month, we have seen milestone after milestone in the march toward LGBT equality. But there is a key element of this progress that we should shine a light on. What for many seemed like a red light at the intersection of race, class, sexual orientation and gender identity has turned yellow — even green — as we see diverse groups strongly and publicly supporting each other across issues and working for civil rights — human rights — for all people. [ Read more → ]