All posts tagged human rights

History in the making

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How amazing is this?!

On 3/6, HRC delivered The People’s Brief to the US Supreme Court.  Over 200,000 people added their names to The People’s Brief which asked the Supreme Court to provide marriage equality to same-sex couples in the United States.  The People’s Brief has more signatories than any amicus brief ever submitted to the Supreme Court.  BAM.  

Obergefell v. Hodges is the marriage equality case that will be heard by the Supreme Court on 4/28/15.  This case is a HISTORIC moment in history.  Specifically for gay rights movement.   I had the HONOR of hearing the named plaintiff, Jim Obergefell  speak recently.  Long story short, Jim and his partner were together for 20+ years.   Sadly, Jim’s partner John Arthur was diagnosed with ALS so they had to make some very tough decisions.  Jim and John bravely decided to seal the deal and get married.  They had to leave the state to do this as they couldn’t get married in their own home state of Ohio.   Through the generous help of friends and family, Jim and John flew to Maryland to get married.   Jim required a medical team in order to travel as he was bedridden due to the advancement of ALS.  They married in June of 2013 and John died several months later.

When hearing Jim speak, you can’t help but get emotional.   Here he is grieving as his life partner is diagnosed with a terminal illness.  There are many different rights that come with being married.  One of which is having your partner listed as your surviving spouse on your death certificate.  Something to think about…a heterosexual couple can get married with zero restrictions or conditions.  They are provided all the legal benefits of marriage and their relationship is acknowledged regardless of the duration of their relationship.  Imagine what it must feel like to not have your 20+ year relationship acknowledged by same government you have paid tax to your entire life.
Hopefully, we will soon look back at the fight for marriage equality and say “remember when”.   It feels pretty darn good to be able to say I am on the right side of history 🙂

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by MJB on March 16, 2015  •  Permalink
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Posted by MJB on March 16, 2015

https://thatssogay.co/2015/03/16/we-are-living-through-history/

Remember this day

President Obama and Representative John Lewis led thousands in a commemorative march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Credit Doug Mills/The New York Times

There are few points in one’s life where you can pause and say to yourself, “I am living through history”.  This is one of those moments.  50 years ago, many peaceful protestors were brutally assaulted and beaten because they simply had enough.  Enough hate and unjust discrimination.

Here is a quick history lesson for those that may need one.  Two years after Dr. Martin Luther King’s iconic and historic “I have a dream” speech in Washington, members of the black community linked arms to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge.  They did this knowing what awaiting them on the other side.  They literally were walking into the pits of hell.  I can’t imagine the amount of sheer courage required to do this.  This march is now known as Bloody Sunday due to the violent reaction of the police at the time.  This March was also the first of three aiming to reach Montgomery, Alabama, to demand an end to discrimination against black voters and all such victims of segregation.  The brutal and disgusting actions of the police troopers at the time disgusted many in Washington at the time which helped leaders pass Voting Rights Act five months later.

I have several reasons for highlighting this.  First and foremost, to honor all that walked across that bridge that day.  And acknowledge what happened.  Also, this was a CIVIL RIGHTS issue.  The black community STILL faces many different injustices in the United States.  While things have gotten exponentially better on the surface, there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done. That said, WHAT AN AMAZING SCENE to watch the President of the United States hold hands with people that 50 years ago marched across this very bridge only to be greeted by brutality and hate.  What a difference 50 years can make.  IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE!!! 



I am a gay man who does not have equal rights in 2015 in the United States and many other countries.  While my struggle is extremely different than the black community’s struggle, there is one thing in common.  We all should have the same human rights and the same civil rights.  There are many that disagree with that statement.  There are many (ignorant people) that get offended when you compare gay rights to black rights.  It’s not about comparing and contrasting.  It’s about highlighting the one commonality.  Civil rights.

I am so proud of my President today.  The picture above literally moved me to tears.  I hope we can all take a moment and reflect.  We all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.  We are all HUMAN.  Ok… I’ll stop now.  Byyyyyeeeeeeeeeee

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by MJB on March 8, 2015  •  Permalink
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Posted by MJB on March 8, 2015

https://thatssogay.co/2015/03/08/remember-this-day/

Attorney General Eric Holder is amazing

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Amazing man: Eric Holder

More federal rights coming for same-sex marriages! The new Department of Justice memo instructs federal government lawyers to give same-sex marriages “full and equal recognition, to the greatest extent possible under the law”.   Attorney General Eric Holder will be speaking at a HRC event Saturday and some of the quotes below are from his upcoming speech.

-Some of the effects of the memo include allowing a same-sex spouse to refuse to provide testimony in a civil or criminal case that might violate their marital privileges.  A right that straight-couples currently have.

-Same-sex couples can for bankruptcy together

– Same-sex spouses can visit their federal inmate spouses

-Same-sex couples will be recognized equally in programs like: the Radiation Exposure Compensation Program, the September 11’th Victim Compensation Fund and the Public Safety Officer’s Benefits Program.

-The Public Safety Benefits program means that gay law enforcement officers and firefighters will have the same rights as their straight counterparts.

Holder also said, “This program is one way that we, as a country, stand by the families of those who put themselves in harm’s way to keep our communities safe, and we must never do that selectively,”.  “When any law enforcement officer falls in the line of duty or is gravely injured, the federal government should stand by that hero’s spouse – no matter whether that spouse is straight or gay.”. 

Good for you Mr. Attorney General.  I would love for him to run for President some day.  This man is everything a politician should be and an amazing role model for all. 

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by MJB on February 10, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by MJB on February 10, 2014

https://thatssogay.co/2014/02/10/attorney-general-eric-holder-is-amazing/

We may have our first openly gay NFL player!

 

Good for you honey!! Yes!!

 

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Michael Sam

Michael Sam was named a first-team All-American after the 2013 season.  He was the Missouri defensive lineman.  He is also eligible for the 2014 NFL Draft and guess what else?!?!  He just came out of the closet! So this means that he could potentially be the first openly gay player in the NFL.  He is what he had to say to ESPN (and honey, let me tell you.  There are plenty of gays on ESPN already…), “I am an openly, proud gay man,”  “I understand how big this is…It’s a big deal. No one has done this before. And it’s kind of a nervous process, but I know what I want to be … I want to be a football player in the NFL.”

The NFL released the following statement: “We admire Michael Sam’s honesty & courage,”  “Michael is a football player. Any player with ability and determination can succeed in NFL.”

This is a huge step forward for the NFL.  It’s only a matter of time before the NFL is a big old rainbow 🙂

 

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by MJB on February 10, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by MJB on February 10, 2014

https://thatssogay.co/2014/02/10/we-may-have-our-first-openly-gay-nfl-player/

Puta (AKA Putin) says gays better leave kids alone!

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So I reported earlier this week that Russian President Puta said that gays will be “safe” in Russia during the Olympics.  Well he recently added to that with a small caveat.  They will be safe as long as “they leave the children alone”.  He reminded the press that his anti-gay laws clearly banns gay “propaganda” among minors, gay folks can’t talk to people under 18 about gay rights.  

His PR folks are working hard.  He also said that “We have no ban on the non-traditional forms of sexual intercourse among people,”.  “We have the ban on the propaganda of homosexuality and pedophilia. I want to stress this: propaganda among minors. These are two absolutely different things: a ban on certain relations or the propaganda of such relations.”.  The irony here is that Putin is totally ok with spreading this anti-gay propaganda.  The anti-gay propaganda is what should be illegal.  As for pedophilia, I am pretty sure this is not a gay-only issue.  

Well Puta Putin, you may just want to save what little respect you have left and admit you’re a bigot and wrong.  Just sayin.

Kisses!

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by MJB on January 18, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by MJB on January 18, 2014

https://thatssogay.co/2014/01/18/puta-aka-putin-says-gays-better-leave-kids-alone/

This will make you pause and think

 

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Kaique Batista dos Santos (Facebook picture)

Warning this is pretty upsetting.  I hate reading stories like this but I think it is very important to raise awareness of things like this.  A 16-year old boy was tortured to death in Brazil by a gang of skinheads after attending a gay-themed party near the stadium that will host the World Cup ceremony this summer…  Kaique Batista dos Santos, 16, has ALL OF his teeth PULLED out with iron rods and then was kicked/beaten to death…This is making me tear up and just feel sick.  There is something very human that happens to us when we read things like this.  It touches us somewhere deep…at least those of us with a heart.

Here is what is sister said, “These thugs enjoy beating and torturing with their bare hands and they are please to take the lives of homosexuals.”.

A vigil will take place in memory of the fallen teenager in Sao Paulo on Friday and the official statement from the Department of Public Safety is that this report is “confidential”.  BS.  Do something about it.

Such a tragic loss.  16.  An innocent life taken because of the horrible propaganda that is spread about the gays.  This has got to stop.  And something that people need to get is that every time gay marriage is denied or every time you hear a preacher at Church say that being gay is sin, it quietly supports this type of behavior.  This is a fact.  That is why I say any sort of anti-gay propaganda is supporting hate-crimes.  Please think about this and pass the message on.

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by MJB on January 17, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by MJB on January 17, 2014

https://thatssogay.co/2014/01/17/this-will-make-you-pause-and-think/

Transgender Day of Remembrance

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Today is the national Transgender Day of Remembrance which occurs each year on November 20’th.  We honor all our trans brother and sisters who have been killed due to transphobia.  There is a tremendous amount of hatred and fear out there regarding people that are transgendered.  

According to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, transexuals are the most harassed group out of all the LGBT community.  It is truly sad how scared people are of things they don’t understand.  Unlike gay or lesbians, transgendered individuals are born the wrong gender.  Their minds actually develop similar to the opposite gender.  That is something that is really hard for “mainstream” society to understand.  

We know things can and will get better and are looking forward to it.

 

 

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by MJB on November 20, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by MJB on November 20, 2013

https://thatssogay.co/2013/11/20/transgender-day-of-remembrance/

Think about it

Think about it

Discrimination is discrimination. Period end of story. Stop hiding behind religion.

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by MJB on November 17, 2013  •  Image  •  Permalink
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Posted by MJB on November 17, 2013

https://thatssogay.co/2013/11/17/think-about-it-2/

Yay! Senate passes ENDA. Great step but not enough.

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ENDA stands for The Employment Nondiscrimination Act.

So this is a nice step forward.  The Senate passed ENDA 64 to 32.  So the Democratic led Senate passed this.  Great right?! Well… it is but it’s not quite good enough to become a law.  Why you ask? Because the Republican led House of Representatives will most likely strike this down.  It is MIND BOGGLING to think that anyone (forget about an educated American) would think it is ok to fire someone because of their sexual orientation.  I mean seriously.  I can’t with these people.

So here is what some people are saying:

“The workplace is simply no place for discrimination,” Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine <– good for her!
“Today is an historic day,” said Harkin. “In 1964, we passed the Civil Rights Act–none of us were here then of course. And then in 1990, we passed the Americans with Disabilities Act–some of us were here at that time. And now we sort of finished the trilogy.”, Democratic Senator Tom Harkin

Here is an interesting little fact for you.  Heather Cronk, co-director of the organization GetEQUAL said “it’s hugely helpful as far as public education goes, since 90% of Americans think this is already law.”.  Ok.  So I don’t think civilians should vote on civil rights…isn’t that what the government is for?? But that’s another post I guess.  If 90% of Americans think this is the law and it isn’t then why don’t those 90% of the Americans say something!?!? I really can’t.

Here are what the opponents have to say. (It took every ounce of restraint I have to not type idiots instead of opponents there)

Opponents say ENDA will have “a chilling effect on free speech as well as religious liberty” by requiring secular businesses who have a moral objection to LGBT people to not discriminate against them. (CNN.com)

The Traditional Values Coalition says passage of ENDA would “hurt kids.”

“Young students in some states are already being confused by transgender teachers,” a fact sheet by the Traditional Values Coalition read. “If ENDA passes, students and children in daycare centers all across the nation will be subjected to individuals experimenting with their gender identities.” (CNN.com)

So this is what it comes down to.  Opponents of equality truly believe that the GLBT community is less than their heterosexual counterparts.  Newsflash, people don’t “experiment” with their gender.  If I were to go and have a freaking surgery and ask for a vagina, trust me…it would be a lot more than experimenting you idiot.  Ok, I am going to reel it in.  The opponents think that by exposing children to a member of the GLBT community it will somehow confuse them.  Ok.  Another newsflash.  Kids don’t give a $hit if someone is straight, gay, bi, trans or purple for that matter.  It is the adults that instill the bigotry and confusion.

So what can you do? Glad you asked.

Contact the House of Representatives.  Tell them to pull it together!

http://www.house.gov/  <– go there to find your representative.
AND/OR call and mail them like a crazy.  Good crazy that is…think rainbows, butterflies and puppies! 

U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 224-3121
TTY: (202)-225-1904

Lastly, please this very important survey.  I am using the results in my upcoming book and I think the results may surprise you.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/thatssogaysurvey

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by MJB on November 7, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by MJB on November 7, 2013

https://thatssogay.co/2013/11/07/yay-senate-passes-enda-great-step-but-not-enough/

Congratulations Illinois!

Progress! We have our 15’th state in the US that has marriage!!

Baby steps! Read more here.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/05/illinois-gay-marriage_n_4220793.html

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by MJB on November 5, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in GLBT news, Uncategorized
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Posted by MJB on November 5, 2013

https://thatssogay.co/2013/11/05/congratulations-illinois/

First post!

Woohoo!

This is officially my first post! I have to say…it feels AMAZING.  This is going to be an amazing journey and I would be honored to have you join me.  This is about helping people.  Helping people come out of the closet, helping parents support their kids, helping people see things differently.

Let’s make it happen! Click on the + Follow button on the bottom of your screen to keep in touch.
Kisses!

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by MJB on November 4, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by MJB on November 4, 2013

https://thatssogay.co/2013/11/04/20/