Category Archives: Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer issues

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force to President Bush: 'If it's good for the Baltics and Russia, what about here at home?'

If we look back on American History we will find that all of the patriotic rhetoric of freedom, justice, equality for all, etc., were just that–rhetoric. In action, there was freedom and democracy for some, not for all. Yet president … Continue reading

Posted in Conservative zaniness, right-wingers, etc., Homophobic zaniness/more LGBTQ issues, Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer issues | 1 Comment

16 extra years in prison for being gay

From Salon: Kansas’ statutory rape law prohibits “criminal sodomy” (including oral sex) with teenagers younger than 16. If the object of Matthew’s affection had been female, however, Kansas would have afforded him the benefit of its romantically named “Romeo and … Continue reading

Posted in Homophobic zaniness/more LGBTQ issues, Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer issues, Same-Sex Marriage | 22 Comments

Claiming Stigmas and Taboos as your own

I know Amp’s already linked to a post on Bitch Magazine’s article on “I had an abortion” tees that are certainly creating an uproar. But what’s the reasoning behind creating such provocative and “shock-value” shirts?… There’s a new front in … Continue reading

Posted in Abortion & reproductive rights, Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer issues, Popular (and unpopular) culture, Race, racism and related issues | 65 Comments

Watching shows featuring Gay/Lesbian characters could lessen homophobic prejudices

The nineties, especially the late nineties early 2000s, experienced somewhat of a “Gay explosion” in television and culture. Shows like “Will & Grace”, “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” “Queer as Folk,” and “The L Word,” (and “SpongeBob Squarepants” if … Continue reading

Posted in Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer issues, Popular (and unpopular) culture | 9 Comments

Donor conception – should it be legal for straight couples only?

And yet more from that “Family Scholars” thread: Marty, attempting to explain why he feels compassion for straight, married, infertile couples who want children – but not same-sex couples or single women – writes: A married man and a married … Continue reading

Posted in Families structures, divorce, etc, Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer issues | 51 Comments

Facets of Gender Identity

Gender is getting more complex, and interesting, every year. Transsexuals used to be understood as “a man stuck in a woman’s body” or vice versa. Happily, that understanding of transsexuality and transgenderism is being replaced in practice by an understanding … Continue reading

Posted in Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer issues | 73 Comments

Oberlin Orgies

Oberlin, one of the colleges I’ve attended, was given a spanking in the far-right Frontpage Magazine. Frontpage’s problem? Oberlin is a left-wing school. Well, duh! In addition, the writer seems really bothered by Oberlin’s acceptance of queers and transsexuals: None … Continue reading

Posted in Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer issues | 14 Comments

"There's Something About Miriam"

The story of how the male contestants on Sky’s reality show “There’s Something About Miriam” are suing Sky Broadcasting has been getting press on air, on the blogs, and in print, so you may have read about it already, but … Continue reading

Posted in Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer issues, Transsexual and Transgender related issues | 66 Comments

Body Integrity Identity Disorder

I had never heard of Body Integrity Identity Disorder, or BIID, until I read about it Blueheron’s livejournal. So what is BIID? From an article in the Atlantic Monthly: “My left foot was not part of me,” says one amputee, … Continue reading

Posted in Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer issues, Mind-blowing Miscellania and other Neat Stuff, Transsexual and Transgender related issues | 58 Comments

Affirmative Action must-reads

Like most of us, I’ve probably read a hundred blog posts on Affirmative Action in the last couple of weeks. This one, by Jack Balkin (who also has written a terrific post consulting the I Ching for Iraq war advice), … Continue reading

Posted in Affirmative Action, Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer issues, Race, racism and related issues | Comments Off on Affirmative Action must-reads