Tag Archives: Heroes

Did You Know That May 16th. Is National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day? I Thought Not.

Did You Know That May 16th. Is National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day? I Thought Not.

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Who knew? LGBT Elders finally get their due.

May 16th is recognized as National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day. This day is dedicated to honoring and recognizing the contributions and sacrifices made by LGBT elders, who have played an important role in advancing the rights of the LGBT community throughout history.

This day was first celebrated in 2015, when SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders) launched the initiative to honor LGBT elders. SAGE is an organization that provides support and advocacy services for LGBT elders in the United States.

There are an estimated 3 million+ LGBT adults over the age of 55 throughout the U.S. Many are marginalized. All deserve our gratitude.

The purpose of National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day is to raise awareness about the issues faced by LGBT elders and to recognize their resilience, bravery, and contributions to society. It is also a day to reflect on the progress that has been made in advancing LGBT rights and to acknowledge the work that still needs to be done.

“It’s important to celebrate elders every day,” said Sam McClure, director of the Center for LGBTQ Health Equity, which continued the national day of recognition in Baltimore in 2016. “Respect for those with more experience is an essential element of civility. In intergenerational dialogues, we discover we have differing opinions based on our experiences and perspectives. I love seeing Elders and youth learning from each other.”

National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day is a day to celebrate and recognize the contributions of LGBT elders, honor their resilience and bravery, and acknowledge the work that still needs to be done to ensure equality and justice for all members of the LGBT community and especially those who helped fight tooth and nail for it.

LGBT History - May 3, 1989:  Christine Jorgenson, Pioneering Transsexual, Dies of Cancer at 62 - Learn About Her Life.

LGBT History – May 3, 1989:  Christine Jorgenson, Pioneering Transsexual, Dies of Cancer at 62 – Learn About Her Life.

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Christine Jorgensen was the worlds first transexual woman.

Christine Jorgensen was a pioneer in the transgender community, famous for being the first person in the United States to undergo gender reassignment surgery. Her life and legacy continue to inspire and educate people around the world.

Born George William Jorgensen Jr. in the Bronx, New York on May 30, 1926, Christine grew up in a middle-class family and was known for her artistic talents and love of music. She attended Christopher Columbus High School and later studied photography at the Manhattan campus of the Mohawk Valley Technical Institute.

After finishing her studies, Jorgensen was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in World War II. She was stationed in Europe and worked as a clerk typist, but she began to explore her gender identity during her time in the military.

In 1946, Jorgensen returned to the United States and began to transition. Jorgensen had intended to go to Sweden, where at the time the only doctors in the world performing this surgery were located. During a stopover in Copenhagen to visit relatives, however, she met Dr. Christian Hamburger, a Danish endocrinologist and specialist in rehabilitative hormonal therapy. Jorgensen stayed in Denmark, and under Dr. Hamburger’s direction, was allowed to again begin hormone replacement therapy. She then got special permission from the Danish Minister of Justice to undergo the series of operations for sex re-assignment.

After her surgery, Jorgensen returned to the United States and became an instant celebrity. She was featured in newspapers and magazines around the world, and her story helped to raise awareness about transgender issues.

Jorgensen used her celebrity to advocate for transgender rights and to educate the public about the challenges faced by transsexuals’ and transgender people. She gave lectures and appeared on television shows, including “The Ed Sullivan Show” and “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.”

Despite the attention and fame that came with her transition, Jorgensen faced discrimination and harassment. She was denied a marriage license in New York, and she was often the target of jokes and ridicule in the media.

Despite these challenges, Jorgensen continued to speak out about transgender issues and to advocate for acceptance and understanding. She wrote a book about her experiences, titled “Christine Jorgensen: A Personal Autobiography,” and continued to give lectures and interviews throughout her life.

Christine Jorgensen passed away on May 3, 1989, but her legacy continues to inspire and educate people around the world. She was a true pioneer in the transgender community and helped to pave the way for future generations of transgender people to live their lives with dignity and respect.


MN Viking’s Awesome Equality Advocate Chris Kluwe: “People finally said: Enough.”

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“I would like to thank every single person that helped defeat the same-sex marriage ban in Minnesota, as well as every person who contributed to passing marriage-equality legislation in Maryland and Maine and (likely) Washington. Together, we made a statement that America is tired of division. America is tired of discrimination, of exclusion, and of unthinking oppression—the belief that people have to live their lives according to someone else’s views rather than their own free will.

“Together, we made sure that the world our children will grow up in is one step closer to tolerance, love, and equality; a world where our children can make their own choices instead of being shackled to dusty hate from the past. Together, we showed this nation that a polity functions best when it includes all of its citizens, when it celebrates their differences as part of one glorious whole, when it synthesizes a wide assortment of cultures and beliefs under the guiding principles of freedom and happiness for everyone.

“Together, we can approach the work still at hand. We can face the continuous fight for equality that every society must wage each generation. We may not know the specifics until they’re upon us, but the underlying foundation is always the same—living your own life vs. someone else making your choices for you.

“Together, we can promote free will over oppression. We can treat others the way we want to be treated, with dignity and respect. We can work together to find common ground, despite our differences, and build a stable, nurturing society. There is work yet to be done, but we passed an important milestone today. Ten, 15, 20 years from now, when our children ask us, ‘What did you do when it came time to fight for someone else?,’ we can tell them about Minnesota and Maryland and Maine, states where people finally said: Enough.

“Enough with the hate. Enough with the bigotry. Enough with the discrimination. We are all Americans, and we are all in this together. Without each other, we have nothing.” – Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, writing for Slate.com

Chris Kluwe is fucking magnificent.

WOOF; Hipster Edition: Zachary Quinto Wants You To Vote!

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Okay so yeah I have a bit of a thing for hipsters. Who am I kidding I CANNOT GET ENOUGH OF THEM OKAY?! I don’t know where it comes from exactly. Maybe it’s the ill-fitting glasses or the quirky and homely attire that they wear to convey style but I cannot look away.  American Horror Story, Star Trek and Heroes star Zachary Quinto is the epitome of this. And it makes him incredibly sexy. Even those beautiful bushy eyebrows have so much personality that there’s probably websites built just to admire them (I won’t say who makes websites like them but I sure do spend a lot of time there.)

He’s fit and healthy. So what if he’s not at the gym 5 days a week? Those honey brown eyes are all you need to look at. They’re intense, alluring, with just a dash or intrigue and mystery to occupy (see what I did there) your daydreaming all day long.

And best of all, he’s proactive about the community. Quinto has been on the campaign trail for weeks now helping to see that President Obama is re-elected for a second term and always in hipster fashion. He uses social media like twitter to make sure we get out and vote with tweets like these:

“if you are a: woman. student. worker. fighter. artist. teacher. immigrant. parent. gay. or gay parent. the choice is clear.@BarackObama“

“young people of this country. OUR future is in your hands! GET. OUT. THE. VOTE…”

See, Quinto uses his status to promote awareness and that is why I will always swoon for this hipster.

 

 

That and he was Perfect hair…

GO VOTE!

Minnesota Vikings Chris Kluwe Tapes Video Message For Marriage Equality – Video

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Same sex marriage and LGBT Equality supporter Chris Kluwe of the Minnesota Vikings taped this awesome message for Minnesotans United for All Family.

Kluwe is a truly amazing and adorkable LGBT ally.

We really need to make and present this awesome man an Honorary Gay Card.

WOOF! – Minnesota Viking and GLBT Straight Ally Chris Kluwe Poses Shirtless For Our Enjoyment

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Minnesota Vikings NFL player and gay rights advocate Chris Kluwe goes shirtless for our enjoyment in his Out magazine cover story in the November 2012 issue, due on newsstands October 23rd.

Said Chris on his standing up for LGBT Equality:

“It’s all about the Golden Rule. Treat other people as you want to be treated. It’s that simple. It’s something that needs to be spoken about, and it’s something I can do while fulfilling my job as a football player.”

Handsome, articulate, intellegent, sensitive, and a gamer!

DAMN!  Why are all the good ones straight!

MN Vikings Chris Kluwe Defends Mother Of Gay Son After Archbishop Tells Her To Reject Him Or Go To Hell

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John Becker of  Truth Wins Out has reported an upsetting story of Minnesota Archbishop John Nienstadt who responded to a parishioner’s letter by telling her that she should reject her gay son or she too will go to hell

 I write to inform you that the teaching of the Catholic Church on homosexuality,a s described in paragraphs 2357 and 2358 and 2359 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is rooted in Scripture and based on the Natural Moral Law. It, therefore, shares in God’s revelation to us. Catholics are bound in conscience to believe this teaching. Those who do not cannot consider themselves to be Catholic and ought not to participate in the sacramental life of the Church. Indeed, some might find this is a hard saying by many of Jesus’ teachings were likewise received as such. I urge you to reconsider the position that you expressed in your letter. Your eternal salvation may well depend upon a conversation of heart on this topic.

Well this is something that LGBT advocate and amazing straight ally Chris Kluwe of the Minnesota Vikings would just not stand by for.

“Tell me, Archbishop, Pope, what purpose does the Church serve attempting to influence the affairs of a secular state? The federal benefits under law currently denied gay couples certainly fall under the realm of Caesar, don’t they? No one is forcing the Catholic Church to marry gay couples if that is not the Church’s wish. You can keep the sanctity of Catholic marriage solely between heterosexual couples if you feel that is what’s required (again though, I caution you on the dangers of presumed infallibility). All we are asking is for you to extend the open hand of tolerance instead of the closed fist of fear and hate.

“As American citizens, we respect the right for everyone to practice whichever religion they so choose, including the right to not practice one at all. Haven’t we learned enough from the Crusades, the Inquisitions, the Talibans of the world? What does it benefit the Church to attempt to influence secular policy in this country, especially when that influence is to deny basic human rights to others? Will you now assume Caesar’s throne, grasping the transitory ephemera of worldly power and control, while forsaking the eternal kingdom of Heaven?” – Vikings punter Chris Kluwe

In a short time Chris Kluwe has become an incredibly intelligent, passionate and articulate spokesman for LGBT community.

If only the Human Rights Campaign and American politicians would be so forceful and eloquent in answering the Church and standing up for LGBT Equality.

We all owe Chris Kluwe a HUGE THANK YOU!

Read Chris Kluwe’s full response .

Smart & Incredibly Sexy Zachary Quinto Interview

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The incredibly endearing socially conscious Zachary Quinto gave an interview for OUT magazine that discusses his life, his career, politics, and what he envisions for the future. The Heroes and Star Trek actor first expresses why he came out last year in such a nonchalant manner:

“I needed it to happen. Otherwise, I couldn’t move forward authentically. Ultimately, I think the only thing that really drives me in life, continually, is a pursuit of authenticity of experience — of myself.”

“One of the defining conversations that I had with myself was that absolutely no good can come from me staying quiet about [my sexuality],” he says. “Literally, no good can come from it. But if I take the step to make the acknowledgment and be honest, so much good could potentially come from it.”

Over the past few months, Quinto has been a strong suporter of President Obama and even using twitter to campaign for the upcoming elections in November. Quinto to say the least is dismayed by the public discrimation towards the president as well as the religious right’s view on LGBT rights:

“It boggles my mind that there are so many extreme, Christian organizations that are adopting a stance against homosexuality with such vitriol and hatred and targeted aggression that goes against the tenets of the Christian faith, The hatred that people are leading with in this discussion is really, for me, the biggest symptom of how sick we are. It’s the thing that makes me look at our culture and think, We are so far afield of any sort of connectivity or truth in relationship to one another. I don’t want this to be too soapboxy,”

Quinto also discusses his past in love, saying how it may have been because of his father’s death may have influenced how he dated in the past. And even though Quinto is very private about his personal life, he admitted his relationship with actor Jonathan Groff. Maybe the strong relationship is what has him talking about expanding his family in the future? Maybe:

“I found myself in a pattern of being attracted to people who were somehow unavailable, and what I realized was that I was protecting myself because I equated the idea of connection and love with trauma and death, I had to do a lot of work on the couch to really get to a place where I was able to show up to a relationship with someone who was actually capable of being in one — and that took a lot of trial and error. And I’m still working on all that stuff — that will never stop. But I definitely want kids… I want to share.”

I love this interview so much! Highly recommend fellow Star Trek fans check out the rest of his interview and what he says about his friendship with Leonard Nimoy!!!

"One Angry Queer" Blogger Ian Finkenbinder And The Other Unsung Heroes Of DADT

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One of the best things (and I’ll be honest, sometimes noit so best) about Netroots Nation and the LGBT Bloggers Initiative Pre Con was meeting and learning about other LGBT bloggers, advocates, and activist.  I had the honor of having lunch next to the EXTREMELY hot and humpy Jarrod Chlapowski of Servicemens United and I watched in car crash amazement as Dan Choi theatrically ripped up an autograph and threw it as a kid who was with the Obama campaign (who i think might have been mildly special needs) when the kid said he didn’t agree with gay marriage even though he was Bi. (Very long story and by the way Dan.  A major part of public speaking us trying NOT TO show that you have been coached in it because when it does it comes off more theatrical than sincere)

Now where DADT is concerned everyone knows Choi and many people know Jarrod  but who knows Ian Finkenbinder or the other heroes of the DADT Repeal Movement?

I’ve tweet chatted with Ian who writes the “One Angry Queer“ website for months before we met at Netroots Nation 11 and I always knew that Ian was a major HIV advocate and angry at the trials, tribulations, and obstacles that HIV+ men and women in the LGBT community have to deal with it.  What I didn’t know was that Ian is also one of the unsung hero’s of the fight for the DADT repeal.

Ian was an Army Arabic linguist who graduated from the Defense Language Institute in 2002 and was discharged from the military in 2005 after announcing to his superiors that he’s gay. Ian served eight months in Iraq and was about to return for a second tour when he let his sexuality be known and was discharged.

I looked at myself and said, ‘Are you willing to go to war with an institution that won’t recognize that you have the right to live as you want to? It just got to be tiresome to deal with that — to constantly have such a significant part of your life under scrutiny.” – Ian Finkenbinder – MSNBC 2005

Ian has been at the forefront of the movement of the DADT Repeal since its inception.  He’s been featured on PBS’s Imdependent Lens – Unfriendly Fire, has held vigil at the graveside of vigil at the grave site of Sgt. Leonard Matlovich along with other DADT heros who have been overlooked including Miriam Ben-Shalom, Evelyn Thomas, Robert Smith, James Pietrangelo, and Mara Boyd. And was also arrested for handcuffing himself to the White House Fence, along with this group which forced the hand of the Obama administration to push Congress to get the DADT repeal through before the Republicans took over the House.

It’s a shame that Ian and other men and women actively involved don’t get the credit that they deserve.

Ian Finkenbinder, along with Miriam Ben-Shalom, Evelyn Thomas, Robert Smith, James Pietrangelo, Mara Boyd and others are the unsung heroes of DADT and should be recognized as such.

It’stime to give credit where credit is due because we all know it’s not all about Dan Choi you know, right?