LGBT

California Middle School Student Murdered in School Because of Sexual Orientation: Remembering Lawrence King, 2/14/2008

My name is Lowell Greenberg. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to make a brief statement. As a 51 year old gay professional, I ask you to end my status as a second class citizen in the state of Oregon. I urge the legislature to accord people like me- my brothers and sisters- the rights we are entitled to. By so doing we will all be freer and our lives ennobled. Today is also the day the Civil War ended. That war was fought partly over the issue of slavery. Please let one more vestige of oppression fall.

-Statement to the Oregon House and Senate as they began hearings on Senate Bill 2 (SB 2) & House Bill 2007 (HB 2007). SB 2 bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and HB 2007 legally recognizes same-sex relationships. 4/9/2007. On May 9, 2007, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed both bills into law.

Be Yourself, Out! Proud!, Be Real

I am gay, out & proud, so the issue of LGBT rights obviously has a special poignancy and significance in my life. While my homosexuality is only one aspect of my character, acceptance of it is fundamental to my happiness and well being. Society's lack of acceptance is therefore a tragic reminder of the importance of being who I am and the struggle that can entail.

Even though we seek to live our lives with joy- we cannot but be made to feel powerless- in part for who we are, for not accepting what society says we should be. Every time there is a denial of rights, a slight, an injustice it cannot but effect us and remind us of who we are and what that means in this world. It is this experience that binds us as a community and we all share it. - Lowell Greenberg

Portland Pride, 2005

"I am on fire. Everything fills me with life. I flow and shine- a lake filled with the sun's dancing light. I care, I dance, I cry- I am exploding. I am not alone—I am Gay- I am happy. Sunrises and sunsets- new beginnings and endings…Life.

I am in pain and in joy. How much I want, have and need love- A life without love is not worth living.

I am brilliant and beautiful- Gay and alive…I am me and I will not let anyone take that from me. For to do so is to take life…my life.

Shout out! Be free; Never hide! So much love- open your heart- here it comes. A dog, a cat, a fly- a tree a flower a friend. This is who I am- deal with it!- Lowell Greenberg

Le Mer

Not all pain is bad and sometimes the closer you come to life, the closer you are to death. Imagine being a frozen sea. Life trapped inside- changing, but frozen- not really alive. Then a change- a gradual melting-a flood- now teeming with life. The sun shimmers on an ocean that dances to the sky.

But oh- how I fear the return of the cold- the freezing of the sea- I would rather die then live that again- yet it was so much a part of me. God, please don’t let me die.

Now I cry, now I cry, but still I am free inside- at least for now. The sun shimmers on an ocean that dances to the sky.

"To be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting." — ee cummings

"...In his honor, I dedicate this story to all the freaks, misfits and rebels who have advanced our society by pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable, and to those who daily challenge the status quo by their mere existence and still find wholeness, strength and compassion in a world wrought with so much division."- Wade McCollum, Actor and performer in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, dedicating his work to the late Dennis Bigelow, who directed the first production of Hedwig in Portland in 2002.

“When I dare to be powerful—to use my strength in the service of my
vision-then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”
So I say to you today: Be strong, be proud, be courageous."
- Keith Boykin,quoting from Audre Lorde

"I believe it is quite impossible for people to struggle creatively if they do not truly believe in themselves. I believe that dignity is first." - Bayard Rustin, from the article, "Bayard Rustin Meets Malcolm X," reprinted from January-February, 1993 issue of Freedom Review, a publication of Freedom House.

"Pride is:
The quality of being proud. I.1. A high or overwhelming opinion of one’s own qualities, attainments, or estate. 2. The exhibition of this quality in one’s attitude, bearing, conduct, etc. 3. A consciousness of what is befitting or due to oneself or one’s position 4. A feeling of elation or high satisfaction derived from some action or possession. II.1. Magnificence, splendor; pomp, display. +6. Sexual desire, ‘heat’. (1604). So, get out your pink triangles, your black triangles, your rainbow flags, your freedom rings. Better still, melt down these usual signifiers of same sex identity and make something new." - Allan Klusacek, from the Interpride Web Site

Pride

This weeks’ Just Out editorial had an article about how some in the LGBT community have a jaded or negative view towards Pride. I have a message for them and anyone who has a preconception of what Pride should or shouldn’t be:

You may find yourself comfortably ensconced in middle class values- but do not forget- the struggle is not over. Most in society do not accept who you are.

If you are a teenager whose parents believe gays should be put to death- you are not free.
If you are thinking of committing suicide because you can’t admit to yourself who you are- you are not free.
If you are afraid of losing your job if you come out in the workplace- you are not free.
If you or a family member are a victim to a hate crime- you are not free.
If you or your partner have fewer benefits and rights than the straight population- you are not free.

Pride is a way of saying to society that we have freed ourselves and we will free our brothers and sisters.
Pride says I am proud to be who I am- something few in society can say.
Pride is about empowering and power.

So if you are a cynic- then I say that you are blind- blind to your slavery. We are not free until we are all free.

I fervently wish that society did not actively seek for ways to discriminate against, ostracize and hurt minorities. Yet for no minority is this more tragically the case than that of LGBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender people). Yet is there any reason why LGBT people should not be totally accepted by society? My answer is a resounding NO! In a healthy society we should look for reasons to include not exclude our fellow human beings. For when we close ourselves to others, a little of our own humanity dies as well. - Lowell Greenberg

"When we close our hearts to someone else we may think that we are insulating ourselves, or those we love, from danger. The very act of closing our hearts, though, often does more damage than the risk we are trying to avoid." Alan and Cheryl Greene

From a religious perspective, I do not believe God loves one less because he or she is gay or engaged in a gay relationship. Unfortunately, some in the Catholic Church see homosexual behavior as "intrinsically disordered" or contrary to natural law. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

"2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. They do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition."

The views of some in the Catholic Church also echo those of Catholic League president William Donohue:

“...At the close of a typically vulgar gay pride parade in Rome, the pope simply quoted from the Catholic Catechism what has been a long standing teaching of the Church regarding homosexuality. The pope did not attack gays as ‘disordered,’ rather he said the homosexual ‘inclination’ is disordered, a position that is consistent with the teaching that homosexual acts are ‘contrary to the natural law.’ The pope then said that homosexuals ‘must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity.’

“One more thing: if Graham [Washington D.C. Councilman Jim Graham] is really concerned about injury to gays, he ought to admonish them to practice sexual restraint. It saves lives better than any condom ever will...”

The last comment seems cynical- not reflective of any real love or understanding. Why is the gay community singled out for the admonition on sexual restraint? Obviously, the one sure way to avoid HIV infection through sex is not to have sex (homosexual or heterosexual). No serious leader in the gay community doubts the importance of safer sex- a continuum of choices that is more likely to appeal to many homosexuals than abstinence. Further, sexual restraint by itself is not enough- any high risk behavior is dangerous. Will offending the homosexual community build credibility with the same? Does referring to the Gay Pride parade in Rome as typically vulgar help build bridges? Volleying of insults back and forth between the Church and the gay community only seeks to undo the good works of both.

The Catholic group, Dignity USA, "envisions and works for a time when Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Catholics are affirmed and experience dignity through the integration of their spirituality with their sexuality, and as beloved persons of God participate fully in all aspects of life within the Church and Society."

Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons serves the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Mormons and their supportive family and friends through social and educational activities. Family Fellowship is a volunteer service organization, a diverse collection of Mormon families engaged in the cause of strengthening families with homosexual members. They "share witness that gay and lesbian Mormons can be great blessings in the lives of their families, and that families can be great blessings in the lives of their gay and lesbian members." X'd: Confessions of a Mormon Boy, is a compassionate and deeply honest one man play acted and written by Steven Fales. It that shares his road from denial to full self-acceptance as a spiritual, caring, loving and responsible father and gay man.

Bishop John Shelby Spong, the 8th bishop of Newark Diocese of the Episcopal Church has been a leader in espousing the belief that, "...homosexuality and heterosexuality are morally neutral, that both can be lived out with beauty, honor, holiness, and integrity and that both are capable of being lived out destructively." Also read Bishop Spong's, "A Message to the Anglican Communion on the Subject of Homosexuality."

On 8/5/03, Rev. V. Gene Robinson was confirmed as the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church. Two days later, the Episcopal Church gave official recognition to same sex unions.

The United Church of Christ allows homosexuals to be ordained ministers. It, along with the Unitarian Universalist Church and the Jewish reform congregations support same-sex marriages. Affirm United / S'Affirmer Ensemble [AU/SAE] is an organization of persons working through education and social integration for the welcoming of diverse peoples, especially the inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons in the life and work of the church. AU / SAE is composed of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities and so it is open to all people within the United Church of Canada who support these goals. The Metropolitan Community Church is a worldwide fellowship of Christian churches with a special outreach to the world's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. Members of the Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists (AWAB) are churches, organizations, and individuals who have joined together to advocate for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons within Baptist communities of faith.

See the PFLAG publication, "Faith in Our Families." See also: Mel White's JusticeNet, " "I'm gay. I'm proud. And God loves me without reservation." & Soulforce.

The American Psychological Association long ago abandoned the idea that homosexuality is a mental illness. The following is from a statement published January 26, 1990, by Bryant Welch, J.D., Ph.D., Executive Director for Professional Practice, American Psychological Association. See also the APA Policy Statements on Lesbian and Gay Issues and APA Amicus Brief relating to the nature of sexual orientation.

"The research on homosexuality is very clear. Homosexuality is neither mental illness nor moral depravity. It is simply the way a minority of our population expresses human love and sexuality. Study after study documents the mental health of gay men and lesbians. Studies of judgment, stability, reliability, and social and vocational adaptiveness all show that gay men and lesbians function every bit as well as heterosexuals.

Nor is homosexuality a matter of individual choice. Research suggests that the homosexual orientation is in place very early in the life cycle, possibly even before birth. It is found in about ten percent of the population, a figure which is surprisingly constant across cultures, irrespective of the different moral values and standards of a particular culture. Contrary to what some imply, the incidence of homosexuality in a population does not appear to change with new moral codes or social mores. Research findings suggest that efforts to "repair" homosexuals are nothing more than social prejudice garbed in psychological accoutrements.

All targets of discrimination, be they blacks, women, handicapped, or religious sects, have a uniquely horrible dimension to their suffering. This is true for gay men and lesbians as well. Psychologically, sexuality and sexual orientation represent life forces which form the most sensitive bedrock of our being. They not only shape our attitudes and our passions, but they are so fundamental to our personality structure that they, in large part, determine our sense of personal cohesiveness and our level of comfort in the world. They are the driving force with which we love, work, and create.

For patients [in psychotherapy], the societal assumption that homosexuality [is] sick and/or immoral creates an emotional, sensual, and spiritual prison where self-expression, love, and the deepest forms of human connectedness [are] stultified though anguishing guilt and self-loathing. For those of us in psychology who have had this kind of experience working with gay men and lesbians, the impact has been quite profound. For over two decades now, the American Psychological Association has advocated the elimination of discrimination against gay men and lesbians.

Finally, if one thinks about the vast real problems confronting our society and attacking our family structure--problems such as family violence, divorce, drug and alcohol abuse, child abuse, homelessness, and isolation, it becomes clear that individuals who are obsessed with how a minority of our citizens express love and sexuality have, indeed, established a most peculiar set of priorities, both for themselves and for others.

Healthy and secure heterosexuals do not feel threatened by homosexuality. Healthy heterosexuals don't need to oppress homosexuals. Healthy heterosexuals don't need to "repair" homosexuals.

The real issue confronting our society today is not why people seek love and understanding as they do, but why some seem so unable to love and understand."

Dr. Alfred Kinsey, a leading researcher on sex, proposed a 7 point scale. Quoting from: Kinsey, et al. (1948). Sexual Behavior in the Human Male:

"Males do not represent two discrete populations, heterosexual and homosexual. The world is not to be divided into sheep and goats. It is a fundamental of taxonomy that nature rarely deals with discrete categories... The living world is a continuum in each and every one of its aspects, (p 639).

While emphasizing the continuity of the gradations between exclusively heterosexual and exclusively homosexual histories, it has seemed desirable to develop some sort of classification which could be based on the relative amounts of heterosexual and homosexual experience or response in each history... An individual may be assigned a position on this scale, for each period in his life.... A seven-point scale comes nearer to showing the many gradations that actually exist, (pp. 639, 656)."

"37 percent of the total male population has at least some overt homosexual experience to the point of orgasm" (p. 650); and "10 percent of the males are more or less exclusively homosexual ... for at least three years between the ages of 16 and 55" (p. 651)."

Those who label AIDS as a Gay man's disease, conveniently forget that the victims of AIDS also include children, women, and heterosexual men. Those who would not show full compassion to all AIDS victims, regardless of how they contracted the disease are guilty of an unimaginable sin. Their personal emptiness and coldness of heart in this life would almost seem punishment enough. See: On Tolerance, Love and Things That Go Bump on the Net, by the late Kathy Williams, for more thoughts and feelings on this topic.

Why do I feel compelled to write this essay? In part, because I fear that somewhere there is a teenager who is depressed, angry and agonizing over his gay, bisexual or transgender feelings. A teenager who is contemplating suicide. The statistics show that gay teenagers represent one-third of all teenage suicides even though gays represent less than one tenth of the population. In a nationally representative study of adolescent health, gay youth reported significantly greater degrees of both depression and substance abuse, both significant risk factors for teenage suicides. I want that teenager to realize that being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender and/or having gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender feelings is natural, normal and healthy. LGBT people can lead as happy and fulfilling lives as their straight counterparts. I don't want him or her to lose their life because there are elements within the society that are abusive, cold, unforgiving or ignorant. Most importantly, I want that teenager to know that there are numerous people and groups that they can trust and that offer support and acceptance. Gabi Clayton writes very movingly about her late son in her Portrait of a Son's Suicide: Bill's Story. Also read the story of Greg Congdon, "Good Sport Tackles Tough Season." See also the PFLAG publication, "Be Yourself," that addresses various questions and answers for gay, lesbian and bisexual youth. The Day of Silence Project is a national youth movement protesting discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. The Hetrick-Martin Institute believes all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential. HMI creates this environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth between the ages of 12 and 21 and their families. Families Against Hate provides support, guidance and assistance to families and individuals dealing with incidents based on bias; and to the people, organizations and agencies who serve and support them.

Though the lives of LGBT people can be difficult, in some ways their lives are blessed. They know what it means to be mocked and persecuted by some elements in society- sometimes even by their very own families. This rejection can breed resentment. But it can also enlarge one's compassion and understanding for all who are oppressed. Every LGBT man or woman at every stage in his or her life must weigh the social and psychological consequences of "coming out of the closet" or not "coming out." Coming out can be a process that takes place over many, many years. Sometimes the most difficult part is coming out to oneself and the self acceptance this implies. Often the choices made can be both courageous and difficult- fraught with peril as well as relief, acceptance and great joy. Read the a letter a "supportive grandfather and retired police officer wrote to his 18 year old grandson when he knew the youth was ready to come out to him: "Grandfather's Day," The Advocate, 6/14/02." The web site "Family Acceptance," details the the experiences of a family coping with the fact that their son is gay. It is a story told with love and pain- poignant, detailed and uplifting.

Gays, Lesbians, Bisexual and Transgender people are entitled to the same legal protections afforded other minority groups in society. This includes giving same-sexed partners the same legal rights and responsibilities afforded married heterosexual couples (See: Gay-Civil-Unions.com and Same-Sex Marriage). Why is it so hard for people to realize that we all comprise some minority? We all need our rights defended against the majority. Perhaps we are disabled, sick, short, tall, left handed, whatever.... we all are entitled to basic human rights, love and acceptance.

As for love, do not think it felt less because one is LGBT. Nor underestimate the shame, confusion and guilt that LGBT men and women sometimes feel- even about their own love. As William Shakespeare wrote:

Let me confess that we two must be twain,
Although our undivided loves are one:
So shall those blots that do with me remain
Without thy help by me be borne alone.
In our two loves there is but one respect,
Though in our lives a separable spite,
Which though it alter not love's sole effect,
Yet doth it steal sweet hours from love's delight.
I may not evermore acknowledge thee,
Lest my bewailed guilt should do thee shame,
Nor thou with public kindness honour me,
Unless thou take that honour from thy name:
But do not so; I love thee in such sort
As, thou being mine, mine is thy good report
Sonnet XXXVI, William Shakespeare

It is thought by some that Shakespeare (perhaps Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford), was addressing the Sonnets to the Earl of Southampton.
In the play, "Hamlet," the "tedious old fool" Polonius, told the young Hamlet, "This above all, - to thine own self be true; And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man."
Some account these words as wise, but what if Shakespeare was implying that you cannot be true to yourself and be true to society- given its false outer conventions and deep prejudices. Shakespeare revealed himself through his plays' chief characters- yet his own life was secretive. If he had not kept his secrets, would his plays have survived through time? Would he have lived long enough to complete them? Perhaps- but this makes his life no less tragic. However, if today, we do not try to remove the veil of secrecy from our own lives- the burden of others now and later will be that much heavier.
Let us thank Shakespeare for leaving markers in time -gifts not unlike the great pyramids and the temples of old- left to future generations to uncover their true meaning.

And there was the great gay American poet, Walt Whitman, who wrote:

Once I pass'd through a populous city imprinting my brain for future use with its shows, architecture, customs, tradition,

Yet now of all that city I remember only a man I casualy met there who detained me for love of me,

Day by day and night by night we were together — all else has long been forgotten by me, I remember I saw only that man who passionately clung to me, Again we wander, we love, we separate again, Again he holds me by the hand, I must not go, I see him close beside me with silent lips sad and tremulous. -Once I Pass'd Through A Populous City

I will therefore let flame from me the burning fires that were threatening to consume me,
I will lift what has too long kept down those smouldering fires,
I will give them complete abandonment,
I will write the evangel-poem of comrades and of love. - Starting from Paumanok

"Because I have known only men; and you know that...the fairy makes me laugh, amuses me with his womanish itch to wash, iron and sew, to paint himself, to wear skirts, to speak with effeminate faces and gestures. But I don't like it. Normality is neither your way of knowing only women, or mine. What's normal is love without limits. Because love is more and better than the morality of a dogma, Catholic morality; there is no one [that] can make me resign myself to the sole stance of having children. In my way there is no misrepresentation. Both are as they are. Without switching. There is no assigning of roles. There is no substitution or imitation. There is only abandon and joyous mutual possession. But it would take a real revolution. A new morality, a morality of complete freedom. That is what Walt Whitman was asking for."- Greg Dawes, in his essay,"On the Textualization of Sexuality and History in Hispanism," quoting a passage by Federico Garcia Lorca from Richard L. Predmore book, Lorca's New York: Social Injustice, Dark Love, Lost Faith (Durham: Duke University Press, 1980): 82-83.

Resources & News

LGBT Rights Resources

Other Links/Resources

News

Bill Allows Faith Based Groups To Discriminate Against Gay Workers
"(Washington) Legislation to allow faith-based groups which receive federal money to circumvent local and state human rights laws protecting LGBT workers has passed the House of Representatives."- Paul Johnson, 365gay.com, 3/3/05

CBS contacted Media Matters, but left questions on advocacy ads unanswered, 12/3/2004
Comment: CBS in a reprehensible move decided to not air a United Church of Christ ad that says all are welcome in the church- including sexual minorities...See also: Faith-Based Communicators React to CBS, NBC Nixing of Church Ad & United Church of Christ files petition with FCC over networks' refusal of church advertisement

In response to Media Matters for America's December 1 item about CBS's decision not to air a United Church of Christ ad, a CBS spokesperson contacted Media Matters to make the case that the network's policy on advocacy advertisements is consistently applied. The spokesperson, however, was unable or unwilling to explain why the network ran advocacy ads that support Bush administration positions while rejecting those deemed contrary to administration policies.

20/20 Response: Statement from Judy and Dennis Shepard Concerning 20/20 Report aired on 11/6/2004 on the Murder of Matthew Shepard
"On November 26, 2004, 20/20 will air a piece that promised 'new information and facts' about Matt's beating and subsequent death. Dennis and I reviewed an advance copy of the show and were dismayed and saddened by the tabloid nature of the show, its lack of serious reporting of facts in evidence, and the amateurish nature of asking leading questions to the people who were interviewed..."

"...Despite their promotional efforts to the contrary, 20/20 has not presented a 'new' theory. Much of this information was included in a Vanity Fair story in March 1999. What is new is the unfortunate downslide of a reputable news magazine show when its highly respected host retires. 20/20 has sacrificed years of professional journalistic ethics and values for a stab at revisionist history ... and ratings."

Kerry Campaign Accuses GOP Of Homophobic Dirty Tricks, 11/1/2004

Schools In Two States Targeted For Ill Treatment Of Gays, 10/29/2004
(Washington) The ACLU is battling school districts in two states alleging they are systematically targeting LGBT students for abuse.

In Missouri, the ACLU has come to the defense of a high school junior who was sent home twice from school for wearing t-shirts bearing gay pride messages. The principal cited concerns that other students may be offended by the shirts worn by Brad Mathewson.

3rd Presidential Debate
Commentary: In the 3rd 2004 Presidential Debate that took place on October 13, 2004 at Arizona State University, Senator John Kerry made the following statement when asked "Do you believe homosexuality is a choice?

"We‘re all God‘s children. And I think if you were to talk to Dick Cheney‘s daughter, who is a lesbian, she would tell you that she‘s being who she was, she‘s being who she was born as.

I think if you talk to anybody, it‘s not choice. I‘ve met people who struggled with this for years, people who were in a marriage because they were living a sort of convention, and they struggled with it."

Sexual minorities should be afforded all civil, economic and political rights afforded any other societal group. Kerry's statement regarding choice agrees with the American Psychological Association's view that sexual orientation is not a choice. Mary Cheney's view on choice is best ascertained by asking her, though I suspect she would agree with Kerry, the APA and many others. Mary herself has been out of the closet for a over a decade.

Sierra Leone: Lesbian Rights Activist Brutally Murdered, 10/5/2004
"The government of Sierra Leone should bring to justice those responsible for the brutal murder of FannyAnn Eddy, founder of the Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association and a lesbian rights activist known across Africa, Human Rights Watch said today.

FannyAnn Eddy was a person of extraordinary bravery and integrity, who literally put her life on the line for human rights.

Eddy, 30, was found dead on the morning of September 29. While she was working alone in the Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association’s offices the previous night, her assailant or assailants apparently broke in to the premises. She was raped repeatedly, stabbed and her neck was broken."

LGBT leaders decry 3 Republican convention speakers, 8/30/2004

'Moderate' Face of Republican National Convention Can't Hide the Truth: Bush Administration 'the most anti-gay in history of gay rights movement,' says National Gay and Lesbian Task Force- 8/27/2004

Ruling in Mass. Sets Up 1st Gay Marriages in U.S.
"The highest court in Massachusetts declared yesterday that the state legislature may not offer "civil union" instead of marriage for same-sex couples, a ruling that paves the way for the first state-recognized same-sex marriages in U.S. history." - Charles Lane, Washington Post, 2/5/04

Massachusetts high court OKs gay marriage
"The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled Tuesday that civil marriage licenses in the state must be made available to same-sex couples in 180 days." - Ann Rostow, Gay.com/Planet Out Network, 11/18/03

11/2/2003: The Episcopal Church became the first major Christian denomination to make an openly gay man a bishop, consecrating V. Gene Robinson on Sunday as bishop of New Hampshire. The act almost certainly means disgruntled conservatives will break from the church.

6/26/03, Lawrence v. Texas: U.S. Supreme Court upholds that the state cannot demean the existence or control the destiny of homosexuals by making their private sexual conduct a crime.
There is, according to the Court, a promise of the Constitution that there is a realm of personal liberty which the government may not enter. According the Justice Kennedy, "Had those who drew and ratified the Due Process Clauses of the 5th Amendment or the Fourteenth Amendment known the components of liberty in its manifold possibilities, they might have been more specific. They did not presume to have this insight. They knew times can bind us to certain truth and later generations can see the laws once thought necessary and proper in fact serve only to oppress. As the Constitution endures, persons in every generation can invoke its principles in their own search for greater freedom."

"The Bush administration is working with the nation's largest charity, the Salvation Army, to make it easier for government-funded religious groups to practice hiring discrimination against gay people, according to an internal Salvation Army document," Dana Milbank, Washington Post, July 10, 2001.

Links/Resource

LGBT Rights Resources

100 Best Lesbian and Gay Novels

365gay.com

Adoption Family Center
Online community for the non-traditional
LGBT adoptive and pre-adoptive Families.

The Advocate

Alex Sanchez
Here's where you'll find info about:
gay teen books, gay teens coming out
in high school, gay youth resources,
books about gay teens, books for gay
teens, gay young adult books, gay young
adult novels, gay coming of age books,
gay teen novels.

Al Fatiha Foundation
An international organization dedicated
to Muslims who are lesbian gay bisexual
transgendered those questioning their
sexual orientation and/or gender identity
as well as their families friends
partners and allies.

Americablog.org
"A great nation deserves the truth,"
John Aravosis, a gay journalist &
political consultant in Washington, DC
who cares about gay politics & likes
getting involved & making a difference.

The Association for Gay, Lesbian,
& Bisexual Issues in Counseling

Avert.org
The site emphasizes HIV/AIDS prevention, and there is a large and very popular section for young people, but there is also help provided for HIV positive people, with new pages on HIV treatment, and extra pages of stories from people living with HIV and AIDS.

The Blackstripe
Exists to provide information for & about same-gender-loving lesbian gay bisexual & transgendered people of African descent.

Body Electric School
School of the healing arts committed to helping people experience their potential as healers of self and others through touch, conscious breath, and honoring the wisdom of the body.

bodymindsoul
Web site of John R. Ballew, Licensed Professional Counselor & Certified Massage Therapist. Site is geared to issues concerning gay youth and gay relationships.

Bonus Round Gay Youth Page

Canadian Lesbian & Gay Archives
"Who are we? The answer, in brief, is a
group of volunteers working in Toronto to
preserve lesbian and gay history in
Canada and beyond. We've been at it
since 1973. And we're organized to continue
this work - and preserve that history
- long into the future."

Children of Lesbians & Gays Everywhere
Supporting young people with gay,
lesbian, bisexual, & transgender parents.

Children with AIDS

Collin Higgins Foundation
Assists organizations that have a significant
impact in areas such as AIDS education
& advocacy, & the empowerment of gay
men, lesbians, bisexual & transgendered peoples.
In addition to its grant making activities,
the Foundation annually bestows the Courage
Awards for bravery in the face of discrimination,
intolerance & bigotry based on sexual
orientation.

Couples National Network
Umbrella organization for groups that
hold a variety of social events (and
occasional educational activities) that
provide member couples with the opportunity
to meet and interact with other gay &
lesbian couples in an atmosphere that
is supportive of our relationships.

Don Clark , Ph.D.
"Being gay is an ability to love..Don Clark
is a psychologist and author of the classic,
"Loving Someone Gay."

The Edward Carpenter Community
A group of gay men committed to caring, trusting, personal growth, sharing, creativity and other principles and intentions aimed at nurturing 'community'.

Family Acceptance
"This website is written by parents for parents.
We are not ministers or therapists with
professional credentials to give you advice.
We are small-town American neighbors. We do
not have a political or cultural agenda. We are
sharing our story in the hopes of providing for you what we could not get for ourselves: Support, comfort and understanding on a difficult issue- having a child who is gay."

Families Like Ours
Provides adoptive and pre-adoptive families with a centralized resource for information and support.

Federation of Gay Games

First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego

Gabi Clayton's LGBTQ & Other Resources

Gay Advocacy
Web site of John Aravosis. A gay journalist &
political consultant in Washington, DC who
cares about gay politics and likes getting
involved & making a difference.

Gay.com

The Gay Financial Network
About empowering the LGBT community
financially. Dedicated to delivering the
complete range of financial service products
to the Gay & Lesbian market.

GayHeros.com

Gay History & Literature
Essays by Rictor Norton

Gay and Lesbian National Hotline

Gay and Lesbian Organizations & Publications

Gay Lover's Guide

Gay Spirit Visions
"We are men who love men. We pursue
nurturing, healing heart connection with
other like-minded men. We celebrate
our varied spiritual paths."

Gay Today
Online culture, politics, health,
entertainment, reviews, people, & world
events.

Gay Vote

GayWorld

GLBT Literature- Gay &
Lesbian Reading Group
Devoted to Literature about Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual, & Trans (GLBT) life – past,
present, and future; it is also the home
of the Gay & Lesbian Reading Group.

The Guide
Gay travel, entertainment, politics & sex.

Hetrick-Martin Institute
Believes all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential. HMI creates this environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth between the ages of 12 and 21 and their families.

How Gay was Lincoln?
Article by Andrew Sullivan discussing C.A. Tripp's
book, "The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln."

Imperial Sovereign Rose Court
The Imperial Sovereign Rose Court is
dedicated to having fun while raising
money for charities within the gay, lesbian,
bisexual & transgender community.

Iranian Gay and Lesbian Healthcare
Providers Association
Vision is to provide opportunities for
gay & lesbian Iranian healthcare providers
to network, establish a sense of unity, &
challenge homophobia within the Iranian
community.

Just Out

Icaro.US
Male, nude erotic gay art.

Institute for Gay and Lesbian
Strategic Studies
Unbiased, independent research that
counters right wing think tanks and other
groups that disseminate misinformation,
distortions, & blatant lies about lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

International Gay and Lesbian Review
Provides abstracts & reviews that relate to
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgendered
Studies. Selected unpublished Ph.D.
dissertations & MA theses may also be included.

Lesbian & Gay Parenting

GLBTQ
An encyclopedia of gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgender & queer culture.

Living Gay in Russia | Go Girl!

Loves Makes a Family
To work for social change to create a supportive environment within our communities and to provide a public voice for all families, especially those subjected to social, economic, and legal discrimination due to sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

The Marcus Memorial Campaign

MarkBingham.org
"It is now believed that the terrorists on Flight 93 intended to crash the airplane into the United States Capitol where I work, the great house of democracy where I was that day," the senator said. "It is very possible that I would have been in the building, with a great many other people."

"I may very well owe my life to Mark and the others who summoned the enormous courage and love necessary to deny those depraved, hateful men their terrible triumph. Such a debt you incur for life." U.S. Senator John McCain, R-Arizona

Oasis Magazine
Online content written specifically for queer
and questioning youth.

ONE Institute & Archives
Houses large research library on Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual, & Transgendered heritage
& concerns.

The Online Diary of Steve Schalchin
oscariana

Out in America

Outinprint.com

OutProud
The National Coalition for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Youth. Contains a wide range of resources available for youth and educators.

Out.com

Overcoming Heterosexism & Homophobia:
International Perspectives

People with a History: An Online
Guide to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
& Trans History

The P.E.R.S.O.N Project

Philadelphia Gay News

PlanetOut

Project Inform
Mission is to inform people living with HIV, their caregivers and their healthcare and service providers about the treatment and monitoring of HIV disease; Advocate to facilitate research towards a cure and for appropriate regulatory policies, legislation and funding for HIV research, treatment and care; and Inspire people to make informed choices, take effective action in the fight against HIV and choose hope over despair.

ProudParenting
Online portal for gay, lesbian, bisexual &
transgender parents & their families
worldwide.

The Publishing Triangle
The purpose of the Publishing Triangle is to
further the publication of books & other
materials written by lesbian & gay authors or
with lesbian & gay themes.

Queer Arts Resource
"We realize that artistic identity is
molded by myriad factors, an amalgam
of gender, racial, ethnic and sexual, to
name a few. But we also know that
honest artistic expression by the queer
community plays a role in combating
homophobia and advancing the principles
of intellectual integrity."

Queer Resource Directory

Queer Theory
Online resources integrated with the best visual and textual resources in Queer Culture, Queer Theory, Queer Studies, Gender Studies and related fields.

Queer Watch/ZNet

Rainbow Network

Rainbow World Fund
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender &
supportive heterosexual humanitarian
service agency. Rainbow World Fund’s
mission is to promote LGBT philanthropy
in the area of world humanitarian relief.
RWF provides a united voice, a large visible
presence, and a structure to deliver LGBT
charitable assistance to the larger world
community.

Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center
SMYRC is a safe space free from drugs,
alcohol & violence where Lesbian, Gay,
Trans, Bi and Questioning youth in the Portland,
Oregon area, age 23 & younger, can
socialize, read, use computers, find support
and create art. Diverse resources provide
them with tools to find jobs, friends, food,
counseling, mentoring & safety.

Soulforce
Network of friends learning non-violence
from Gandhi and King. Seeking justice
for God's Lesbian Gay, Bisexual &
Transgendered children.

Stop AIDS Project
Established in 1985, the STOP AIDS
project works to prevent HIV transmission
among all gay & bisexual men in San
Francisco through multicultural,
community-based organizing.

Survivor Project
Non-profit organization dedicated to
addressing the needs of intersex and trans
survivors of domestic and sexual
violence through caring action, education &
expanding access to resources &
to opportunities for action.

Tom of Finland Foundation
Retrospect of the works of the legendary gay
artist, Tom of Finland,, nude erotic gay art.

TransGender Guide
Goal is to provide the Transgender
community with quality resources.
Committed to publishing the most
comprehensive site of services &
information, accurately representing
the Transgendered community, in a
positive manner.

White Crane: A Journal of Gay Men's
Spirituality
Explores gay spirituality to uncover the
variety of the manifestations of spiritual quest
among contemporary gay men & to reclaim
their place in the development of human
consciousness, committed to the intuition that
gay consciousness plays a special and important
role in the evolution of life on planet Earth.

Wildflower Resource Network
Seeks to support the dignity & spirit
of gay lesbian bisexual & transgendered
persons around the country.

Whosoever: An Online News Journal For Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgendered Christians

The World History of Male Love

Young Gay America
Dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ
youth. Aims to educate & inform LGBTQ
youth about their importance in society
by placing their individual stories in an
international forum; to foster and encourage
the exchange of ideas by queer youth on
issues pertinent to queer youth (to allow
their voices to be heard); & to promote
positive self-image & sense of belonging.

Youth Guardian Resources

Youth Resource
Provides support services on the
Internet to gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgendered, questioning, &
straight supportive youth.

LGBT Rights
Let My People Go- the Global Fight for LGBT Rights.

Gay-Rights Activists Hopeful About Agenda's New Prospects: Groups say they're close to getting a hate crimes measure passed in the new Congress

"...With the realignment of the House and Senate next month, gay and lesbian groups say they are tantalizingly close to having enough votes to ensure passage of at least the hate crimes bill, and perhaps the discrimination measure, which once failed in the Senate by one vote.

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who is gay, said the hate crimes bill had a "very good chance of going to George Bush's desk … in the first half of the year."

He said the discrimination measure might be further off, noting that Democrats may not want to push for too much too soon.

"...The hate crimes bill would provide federal resources to local law enforcement officials; it has the backing of 175 organizations, including the National Sheriffs' Assn., the International Assn. of Chiefs of Police and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The legislation — prompted by the 1998 killing of Matthew Shepard, a gay man who was beaten and left for dead outside Laramie, Wyo. — has passed the Republican Senate three times and the GOP House once but has never reached the president's desk.

Some gay-rights activists now are demanding that the bill include transgender individuals, which could complicate passage."" -12/3/2006

A Blinding Flash of the Obvious
"Following the successful 2004 campaign to encourage Cincinnati voters to overturn an anti-gay city charter provision approved a decade earlier, People For the American Way Foundation Director of Interfaith Outreach Rev. Steven Baines had a vision of educating people about the lessons learned in Cincinnati. He wanted to develop a means for fairness advocates across the country to replicate the success of Cincinnati. On February 15, PFAWF celebrated his vision with the premiere of “A Blinding Flash of the Obvious: A Film About Fairness and How It Was Won” at the National Education Association.
The 30-minute film, produced by PFAWF, includes interviews with local officials and activists as well as national civil rights leaders. The film is being distributed to activists nationwide as a part of a toolkit outlining how the Cincinnati campaign might serve as a model for other progressive victories."

ACLU: Lesbian & Gay Rights

ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power)
"ACT UP is a diverse, non-partisan group
of individuals united in anger and committed
to direct action to end the AIDS crisis. We
advise and inform. We demonstrate.
WE ARE NOT SILENT.

Basic Rights Oregon
Mission is to end discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Oregon.

Campaign to End Homophobia

Day of Silence Project
"Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence, a national youth movement protesting the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by harassment, prejudice, and discrimination."

Derek Henkle
Information and resources on the national effort to make schools safe for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender students.

The Equity Foundation
Works to inspire philanthropy and support nonprofit organizations throughout Oregon that further its mission to build communities that embrace the dignity and worth of all people. Originated by Oregon’s lesbian and gay community, Equity works to promote social justice, education and the welfare of the people of Oregon.

Fairness Lobby
Dedicated to protecting the rights of LGBT people in Washington State through lobbying in the state legislature and political contacts in the state and local governments.

Gabi Clayton's LGBTQ & Other Resources

Gay & Lesbian Medical Association
Works to maximize the quality of health
services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender people through public
advocacy and increase the visibility of
the specific health concerns of LGBT patients.

Gay and Lesbian Organizations & Publications

Gay-Straight Alliance Network
Gay-Straight Alliance Network is a youth-led organization that connects school-based Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) to each other and community resources. Through peer support, leadership development, and training, GSA Network supports young people in starting, strengthening, and sustaining GSAs and builds the capacity of GSAs to:
-Create safe environments in schools for students to support each other and learn about homophobia and other oppressions,
-Educate the school community about homophobia, gender identity, and sexual orientation issues, and
-Fight discrimination, harassment, and violence in schools.

Gender.org
Focused on the needs issues & concerns
of gender variant people in human society.

The Gill Foundation
Mission is to secure equal opportunity
for all people, regardless of sexual
orientation or gender identity.

GLAD
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) is a New England legal rights organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status and gender identity and expression. Providing litigation, advocacy, and educational work in all areas of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights and the rights of people living with HIV, GLAD has a full-time legal staff and a network of cooperating attorneys across New England.

GLAAD, Gay & Lesbian Alliance
Against Defamation

GLSEN
Strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

Heart Strong
Provides truthful information and support to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and allied persons who have attended, are attending, employed by, or associated with religious education institutions through support, education and advocacy.

Human Rights Campaign | Corp