After the past month leading up to the Ides of Trump we are all a bit overloaded with news about the ungreat orange one. So we just wanted to post something to bring the GAY back to Back2Stonewall.
So watch and smile below at Taryn Southern & Ross Everett of the YouTube talk show Party Fun Times as they celebrate PRIDE with the musical number “Everyone’s Just A Little Bit Gay”
On a personal note I’ve always found this to be especially true after a six-pack and a joint.
Now in he twenty-first century there are a plethora of flags and symbols to represent all aspects of the LGBT community. But in the beginning there was just one. The Lambda symbol.
The lambda symbol has a long and complex history within the “community”. The symbol is derived from the Greek alphabet, where it represents the letter “L”. It was first adopted by the Gay Activists Alliance (GAA) in the early 1970s as a symbol of resistance and solidarity. Additionally, the lambda symbol was chosen because it was not a well-known symbol, which made it more effective as a secret code among gay activists. The logo was designed by a graphic designer named Tom Doerr, who was a member of the organization.
The GAA was one of the most prominent gay rights organizations in the United States. The group was founded in December 1969, just six months after the Stonewall riots in New York City. The GAA was known for its aggressive tactics, including direct action protests and demonstrations, and its members were committed to fighting for the rights of LGBT+ people everywhere.
The Lambda was officially declared the international symbol for gay and lesbian rights in 1974.
Over time, the lambda symbol became more widely recognized as a symbol of the community. It was often used on buttons, t-shirts, and other merchandise, and was a common sight at gay pride events for decades. That is until some members of the community criticized it as being too closely associated with white, middle-class gay men (GASP THE HORROR), and not inclusive enough of other groups within the LGBTQ+ community.
Today it is rarely seen and many younger gay men have no idea of it’s meaning or deep history and is all but forgotten.
Despite this criticism, the lambda symbol remains an important and recognizable symbol of the gay community and it’s history. And this should be “reclaimed” by gay male activists again to show their power and pride.
The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to fly the controversial “The Progress Pride Flag ” instead of the original Pride flag designed by Gilbert Baker at the request of Harvey Milk.
The motion by Supervisors Janice Hahn and Lindsey Horvath directed the county’s Internal Services Department to raise “the Progress Pride Flag at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration and Los Angeles County facilities where the American and California flags are displayed during the month of June, while we celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month this year and every year moving forward.”
Daniel Quasar created the Progress Pride Flag in only 2018 as a reimagination of the original 1970s symbol. It includes black and brown stripes representing marginalized and diverse communities of color, community members lost to HIV/AIDS as well as those living with that disease. The new colors’ chevron shapes evoke “a need for forward movement,” according to the motion.
Split opinions by the community on the “Progressive Pride Flag” as made it a tough sell. Arguments against it range from “The original Pride Flag covered everyone.”to “The Progressive Pride flag is just so damn ugly.“
And it is.
Vito Russo (July 11, 1946 – November 7, 1990) was a gay activist, film historian, author, and the co-founder of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). VRusso was a true activist and a gay American hero. He fought through words and actions, in literature and in the streets and he kept fighting even up until the very end.
Russo participated in every significant milestone in the gay-liberation movement: the dark days of pre-Stonewall invisibility, the Stonewall rebellion and its aftermath, and the AIDS crisis of the 1980’s and the formation of ACT UP.
Vito Russo was born on July 11, 1946 and grew up in East Harlem. As a young boy, he would sneak into Manhattan to go to the movies. From an early age, Russo knew he was “different.” A cousin remembers him always talking about Rock Hudson rather than Ava Gardner.
After graduating from New York University, Russo joined the Gay Activists Alliance. Vito threw himself into gay activism with zest and became an architect of the media-grabbing “zaps” that made headlines for GAA and helped break the cultural silence about homosexuality. He quickly became one of GAA’s stars, becoming a fiery speaker. In the early 1970’s, he started research for “The Celluloid Closet”, which entailed watching hundreds of films that included gay content and stereotypes. What originated as a lecture with film clips became one of the most informative books about gay people and pop culture.
During the AIDS epidemic Vito watched the world he loved crumble beneath his feet. Vito received his AIDS diagnosis in 1985 and that same year outraged by the media’s inadequate and inaccurate coverage of the epidemic which was well into its first decade with thousands already dead, Russo co-founded GLAAD, an organization that at which was to monitored LGBT news and representation in the media. An organization which has sadly now forgotten its co-founders original mission.
Continue reading Vito Remembered: Gay Activist and Hero Vito Russo – “Why We Fight”
In 2018 Daniel Quasar’ created “Progress” Pride design for all those groups that felt neglected and left out of the original PRIDE flag design created by Gilbert Baker at Harvey Milk’s request even though the original flag covered everyone.
In it’s latest incarnation the Progressive flag has now added a Red Umbrella for Sex Workers and the intersex flag.
Quasar’s Progress Pride Flag originally had adds five arrow-shaped lines to the six-coloured Rainbow Flag, But the flag also includes black and brown stripes to represent marginalized LGBT communities of color, along with the colors pink, light blue and white, which are used on the Transgender Pride Flag. The Portland-based designer felt that the six-striped LGBT flag should be visually separated from the newer stripes due to their difference in meaning, as well as to “shift focus and emphasis to what is important in our current community climate.
But you know what’s really missing from this meshuggenah flag? ANY representation of gays and lesbians.
So may I present to you the Gay and Lesbian included Progressive Pride Flag.
Now children stop fucking with the original and ONLY 6 stripe Pride Flag that covers everyone. The only thing these endless fake Pride flag additions achieve is making a mockery of LGBT individuals and our community. The original rainbow represented everyone, but somehow that wasn’t enough, & now the entire premise is a joke. One that is easily weaponized by those seeking to diminish what few rights we have.
Dec 10 1984 – Over 1,500 people join the “Pits and Perverts” gig, organized by Lesbians & Gays Support the Miners in Camden, (As seen in the movie PRIDE) to raise money to support the Miners’ Strike. Some £5000 is raised towards striking pit communities at the outset of what would become the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners campaign and in turn made allies out the most least likely.
Continue reading LGBTQ Movie History – December 10, 1984: LONDON: LGBT’s Raise Funds for Striking Coal Miners
Fred Sargent is an original. He is one of NYC’s original gay activist. He alongside with boyfriend Craig Rodwell and others started NYC PRIDE (Christopher Street Liberation Day Protest) A member of GLF, GAA and almost any other homophile organization Sargent participated in the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City (verified unlike some others) And to this day he continues to fight. Just now a bit differently.
Sargeant, 74, was attacked after holding a sign with a red line through the phrases “Woman Face” and “Black Face” and “Gay Not Queer” at the 39th Burlington Pride Parade in Vermont.
Yes. Vermont.
Sargeant is against the recent “gender” ideology movement’ which he says is “homophobic and exclusive.” and some say are out of control. Especially the UK version of the Human Rights Campaign called “Stonewall”
Out of control perhaps by assaulting a 74 year old man at PRIDE?
Describing the incident on his Facebook account, Sargeant said, “Mugged at Burlington Pride. So, I went to Pride to protest their misogyny, homophobia, exclusionary policies and divisiveness. I was met by screaming, multiple assaults, ageist comments, shoving, slaps to the back of my head, pouring coffee on me and repeated attempts to steal my signs Being unsuccessful in their attempts to disrupt my protest and drive me away, the mob pushed me to the ground as the parade ended, further injuring me.”
Via Gaynrd.com: This isn’t the first time that lesbians and gays have faced vitriol from trans activists at Pride. Lesbians have been intimidated, shouted at, surrounded and unceremoniously thrown out of Pride events in London and Cardiff. In Paris, smoke flares were thrown at lesbians who insisted that the definition of lesbian doesn’t include people with male bodies. Sargeant is also a target because he is able to call out trans activists for their attempts to rewrite gay history. It is now fashionable to erase boring old gays and foreground trans activists instead. For instance, it is now claimed that the pivotal role at the Stonewall riots was played not by gay people, but by ‘trans’ activist Marsha P Johnson. This is despite Johnson being on the record admitting that he was actually a drag queen and not trans, and that other than being a part of the hundreds and hundreds of rioters that night he played no significant part in the events. But it is worthy in itself that Johnson was there and in the thick of it with 100’s of others
But. Marsha Johnson (or Syliva Rivera) did not start or lead the Stonewall Riots. AND THAT IS A FACT,
Differing opinions and ideologies should not be met with violence within our community. Go fight a Republican. Someone who REALY hurts you. But the fact that they attacked a 74 year old man gay man, be he a longtime gay activist or not is vile and disgusting. It also proves many of the negative things said about the trans movement right now.
Hours before it was due to take place on Sunday, organizers announced the cancellation of Montreal’s Pride parade.
Via the CBC: Organizers of the Montréal Pride festival have cancelled today’s parade. They cited a lack of security staff for the parade route, adding that the decision was made in collaboration with Montreal police. Events taking place at the Esplanade du Parc olympique from 2 p.m., including the closing show with Pabllo Vittar, will go on as as planned. Tens of thousands of people were expected to attend today’s parade.
Presse Canadienne, Montreal Pride executive director Simon Gamache said the organization was short 80 people on Sunday morning, most of whom had been assigned to close streets and that it was the result of multiple factors, including COVID-19 cases during the week, multiple possible cases of heat stroke and fatigue among volunteers who had contributed in previous days.
“Montreal Pride isn’t immune from human resources issues.” Gamache added..
Representatives for Orange County teachers sounded alarm bells Monday after word spread from principals that Orange County Public Schools would impose strict restrictions on classroom behavior after Florida’s new Parental Rights in Education law, a.k.a the “Don’t Say Gay” law, took effect. According to representatives of the county’s teacher association, teachers and staff members will be disallowed from wearing rainbow articles of clothing, including lanyards distributed by the district last year. Elementary-level teachers reported being discouraged from putting pictures of their same-sex spouse on their desk or talking about them to students. “Safe Space” stickers aimed at LGBTQ students may have to be removed from doors, teachers will have to report to parents if a student “comes out” to them and they must use pronouns assigned at birth, regardless of what the parents allow, the CTA reported.
In April, Jeremy Baldwin has been teaching at Booker High School in Sarasota for the last five and a half years was forced to remove his rainbow “COEXIST” flag in his classroom, because it was “political” in nature.
This is heinous. And what’s even worse is that there is still no national or statewide law that prohibits discrimination against LGBT people in Florida. This means that, according to state law, it is legal to fire someone, evict them from housing, or deny them service at a restaurant just because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender..
Still waiting on that 45 year old Equality Act to pass Congress. -smh-
Welcome to the 1960’s.
A gunman opened fire in Oslo’s night-life district early Saturday, killing two people and leaving 10 seriously wounded in what police are investigating as a possible terrorist attack during the Norwegian capital’s annual Pride festival.
The shootings happened around 1 a.m. local time, sending panicked revelers fleeing into the streets or trying to hide from the gunman. Investigators said the suspect, identified as a 42-year-old Norwegian citizen originally from Iran, was arrested after opening fire at three locations in downtown Oslo.
Olav Roenneberg, a journalist from Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, said he witnessed the shooting. “”I saw a man arrive at the site with a bag. He picked up a weapon and started shooting,” Roenneberg told NRK. “First I thought it was an air gun. Then the glass of the bar next door was shattered and I understood I had to run for cover.”
Organizers of Oslo Pride canceled a parade that was set for Saturday as the highlight of a weeklong festival. One of the shootings happened outside the London Pub, a bar popular with the city’s LGBTQ community, just hours before the parade was set to begin.
WARNING: The video below may cause some distress. Please view at your own caution,