Mourning LGBT Youth

Raymond Chase (seen above), was a nineteen year old sophomore that attended Johnson and Wales college in Rhode Island. 

On September 29, 2010, Raymond committed suicide by hanging himself in his dorm room. He was openly gay and while the cause of his suicide is not yet known, he is the fifth gay youth to commit suicide in the past four weeks.

September 9, 2010, Billy Lucas (seen-r), a high school student from Greensburg, Indiana, was taunted for being gay and as a result, Lucas hung himself in a barn at home where he kept his most beloved pet -- his horse. 

A memorial page for Lucas was created on Face book as a way of giving people the chance to say goodbye, but the tragic death of this young man wasn't enough as people still left homophobic and hateful comments on the wall.

To all gay youth out there with suicidal tendencies, if you're reading this right now please STOP! 

Know that you are loved and wanted and by hurting yourselves, you give the bad people all the power. Don't give them any more power than they need, because we don't need to make them stronger. 

Shame on school officials and staff members, that allowed this to happen underneath their noses. 

For those staff members with homophobic hearts, it may seem like water under the bridge and one less gay person to worry about, but what happens in the dark always comes to the light. Don't for a minute think that no one is watching your hateful actions because someone is watching you.

To those in need call: 866-488-7386. This number is the nation's leading organization for creating awareness about LGBT youth crisis and suicide prevention. They provide online support and maintain a 24 hour help line.

In remembrance of other LGBT youth who committed suicide these past weeks: Tyler Clementi of Rutgers University, teenagers Asher Brown and Seth Walsh. 

RIP

2010 LA

Woman Sues Church Over Gay Marriage Ceremonies

 
2010 LA

Adam Lambert's New CD Is HOT!

Former American Idol star Adam Lambert, has introduced his first album. 

Many people have been anticipating Lambert's album -- curious to know what it would look like. 

I had a feeling he would shock us and shock us he did! Personally, I became a fan of Lambert's as soon as he opened his mouth and extracted out what I felt was the most beautiful, powerful, and compelling voice I've heard in a long time. His image is awesome but to hear his voice mixed with his rocker dress style is a killer combination.

When Adam Lambert graced the stage of American Idol, his sexual orientation became more of a concern then his artistry, which many people felt was totally irrelevant. 

Lambert's sexual orientation became the focal point and rumors began to fly, with speculations about if he "could sell records." People commented it'd be embarrassing to walk in a store and openly purchase his album. Some even resorted to purchasing the music online out of fear.

Lambert's talent has nothing to do with his sexual orientation and once people purchase the album they'll see that what they end up with, is really great music by a really great artist.  

Have you ever picked up a CD and didn't purchase it, because you thought the artist might be gay? Of course not! No one stops to think about a person's sexual preference when you buy their product, you're only concerned about the value of the product.

If you're an Adam Lambert fan -- be a true fan. Adam is the first of many who stood up for himself as a gay man and stated, "this is me love me or hate me."

When he took that stand he took it for all gay people, and made a point that you must be who you are and love yourself. If you don't love yourself first then who will?

Great work Adam and I look forward to hearing your music for many years to come!

2009 LA

Gay In The Work Place

You've been through it before. You go for a job interview, you're hired for the position, and after being on your job for a while you make a few friends and then the personal questions begin.  

"So where do you live? Do you have any kids? I see you're wearing a ring are you married?"

When you admit to being in a relationship, you begin paying attention to how you mention your partner -- using neutral words at all times. 

Instead of saying my girl, wife, boyfriend, husband, he, or she, you might say my fiance or my spouse, this way your co-worker can't tell the sex of your partner. 

If a co-worker calls your home and your partner answers the phone, you might further camouflage your status by saying, "Oh that was my (friend, sister, or brother) that answered." It can really get ridiculous!

The gay and lesbian world of secrecy is common, due to fear that nice treatment from co-workers might end if found out. 

Even if you've known a co-worker for a few months and feel comfortable enough explaining your personal background, it's still a risk you're taking when you completely open up. 

If you've made a connection with a co-worker over a period of time and if you deem them worthy of your secrets -- which is a privilege, should they turn their back on you then they weren't genuine from the start. So you shouldn't feel bad at all, it's them that should feel bad for being prejudice.

I feel people respect you more when you're honest and I say all this to say, there is never a good time or bad time to be honest. All you can do is be real with yourself and others, and hope for the best in all situations. 

Everything happens for a reason, so should you be fired from a job for being honest about your relationship, then it probably wasn't safe for you to be in that environment anyway. 

And should you lose a friend for being honest, then they weren't a friend to begin with. It's their loss and your load was made lighter, when they made their exit from your life.

So keep your head up knowing you're a good person with a good heart, and someday, somewhere, somebody, will recognize it!

2009 LA

Anti-Gay States Should Be Boycotted?

Just a thought in light of Prop 8; it's interesting how states refuse same-sex couples equal marriage rights but have no problem with the LGBT community spending hard earned cash within the state -- while in turn helping the economy thrive. 

Contributions from the LGBT communities to America and the world are very well known, and yet LGBT people are treated like outcasts or aliens from another planet.

My resolution to combat this issue? 

LGBT individuals should move their place of residence to a state that honors marriage equality. In a sense by moving it'd be like boycotting the discriminatory states, while taking large amounts of state revenue in the process. And when state officials get their acts together only then should one reconsider moving back.

The message is clear; LGBT individuals are needed so stop acting like they aren't.

What are your thoughts on boycotting discriminatory states?

2009 LA

Maine Makes Fifth State To Legalize Gay Marriage

Governor John Baldacci of Maine, signed into law a bill legalizing gay marriage. 

The move declares Maine as the fifth state to allow gay marriage. Other states that have already followed suit are Iowa, Vermont, Massachusetts and D.C. 

The state of California use to be apart of marriage equality, until a few naysayers decided to engage Prop 8 and reverse the law; currently activists are hard at work to change the discriminatory bill.

After California passed its gay marriage law, previously I had written an article commenting that the law was only passed for state officials and businesses to increase revenue -- therefore, digging the state out of a debt hole. I was adamant that LGBT couples should keep weddings small, just in case the law was overturned.

California lawmakers understood that gay marriage would generate a lot of money, and I urged people to not spend a dime just yet. However, California gained that revenue and in the end gay marriage was still revoked -- breaking the hearts of many loving couples

Up next for the Marriage Equality Challenge? New Jersey and New York!

Let the fight begin!

2009 LA

Miss California's Same-Sex Marriage Answer Cost Her The Crown?

Miss North Carolina Kristen Dalton was crowned Miss USA 2009 on Sunday, but on Monday it was Miss California Carrie Prejean's (seen above-l) answer to a question about same-sex marriage from celebrity blogger and pageant judge Perez Hilton, that ended up being the nights biggest story.

During the show Perez asked Carrie, "Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?"

Carrie answered, "Well I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. Um, we live in a land that you can choose same sex marriage or opposite marriage and, you know what, in my country and in, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman," Carrie said to a mix of boos and applause. "No offense to anybody out there. But that's how I was raised and that's how I think that it should be between a man and a woman."

According to Perez Hilton, Carrie's answer to the hot button question cost her the crown. 

Miss California is very much entitled to her own opinion
however, I was taken aback that she felt all people shouldn't be given the same equal rights. Marriage is marriage, period.

It's a commitment established by two people that pledge to build their lives together, connecting, growing, and living as one family unit. All people are deserving of equal marriage rights no matter the race, creed, color or gender. 

People coming together to vote for President Obama, is the same way folks should come together for the common purpose of equal marriage rights.

And who's to say Miss California would have won the crown if she did answer differently? Obviously, Miss North Carolina Kristen Dalton was the better candidate because she took home the prize.

2009 LA

Two Eleven Year Old Boys Commit Suicide From Anti-Gay Harassment

In the past weeks, two eleven year old boys have committed suicide after being taunted repeatedly in school. 

Both boys suffered from the same taunts of bullying and harassment's of anti-gay epithets and attacks. Obviously, the youth were in desperate need for the pain to go away -- which resulted in their deaths.

The victims names are Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover (seen above) of Massachusetts, and Jaheem Herrera (seen below-r) of Georgia. 

Jaheem's mother stated that she repeatedly complained to the Dekalb school system about her son being harassed, but nothing was ever done to rectify the situation.

Our current culture of accepted homophobia, and the prevalence of bullying hurts LGBT youth and heterosexual kids as well. 

Because students are affected by a climate of anti-gay rhetoric, as a result, these anti-gay taunts were a driving force behind Jaheem and Carls' tragic suicides. 

When children go to school aren't they supposed to be protected? School houses are considered to be second homes to our children, and now we can't feel safe in knowing that our children aren't in good hands?

According to the 2007 National School Climate Survey, 73.6 percent of the students surveyed heard derogatory remarks like “faggot” or “dyke” frequently at school. 

We know that in schools the word “gay” with derogatory intent, can be applied to any student who maybe viewed as different no matter what their actual sexual orientation might be. 

Even in our own government right-wing groups and religious institutions, continually use anti-gay sentiment and rhetoric. Many describe scary imagery and falsify religious arguments to fuel misinformation and fear, many also outright claim that LGBT people are a threat to society.

But how many deaths must we witness before we enact laws to protect our children? 

Eleven states including the District of Columbia have student protections based on sexual orientation, and only seven of those states including the District of Columbia, protect based on gender identity and expression. 

We need to expand these protections to every state and defend the states that have already put in place these protections. 

We must fight back against the misuse of religion as a tool of hatred and intolerance. We must work to create a culture which embraces differences in gender and sexual orientation, just as we work endlessly to end racism, sexism and any other negative -- ism there is. 

We need a powerful movement that will protect our children from all negativity and danger. We must do it fast and we must do it NOW!

2009 LA