En Savoie, les homosexuels et les lesbiennes peuvent séjourner dans un hôtel 100% gai.
L'hôtel Principauté de Comborcière, en Savoie, accueille une clientèle gaie et lesbienne. L'établissement est le seul en France à proposer aux homosexuels et lesbiennes un endroit intime rien que pour eux.
L'hôtel de 13 chambres, en occupation simple, double ou triple, a été repris par Florence de Comborcière. Cette dernière a décidé de le transformer en établissement gai et lesbien afin que ses clients partagent leurs expériences sans gêne.
L'hôtel, qui est situé à 1850 mètres dans le domaine skiable des Sybelles, offre un prix de base à 115$ par jour pour une chambre.
Les amoureux de la montagne seront comblés, car le coin propose une vaste gamme d'activités sportives: raquette, traineau à chiens, parapente et motoneige.
Le télésiège Le Bellard, accessible aux piétons, offre d'ailleurs l'occasion de découvrir la station et les montagnes du haut de La Tête de Bellard.
http://fr.canoe.ca/voyages/nouvelles/archives/2012/02/20120228-114504.html
mercredi 29 février 2012
Film focuses on lesbian life
HA NOI — The first documentary film about lesbian communities in Viet Nam titled Duong Nao Di Toi Bien (Which Way to the Sea) has been screened at the second ASEAN Lifescape Festival in Thailand.
However, the 35-minute documentary, produced by the Centre for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender, Family, Women and Adolescents (CSAGA) hadn't been presented widely at home because sexual issues were not talked about openly in Vietnamese society, said Nguyen Van Anh, director of the centre.
The piece features the lives of four lesbian couples who represent lesbian communities in three regions in Viet Nam. It also explores how Vietnamese women cope after coming out of the closet.
It was directed by Pham Mai Phuong and Tran Thanh Hien from the Laboratory for Documentary Films and Video Arts in Ha Noi with the aim of creating a more just, correct and sympathetic view on lesbians and the LGBT (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender) community in general, as part of the common effort to protect women, children and vulnerable people in society, Anh said.
"It's part a project to protect lesbians and eradicate discrimination against them," Anh said.
"I have worked with women who are victims of family violence and people trafficking, they don't want to appear in front of the lens and reveal their lives to the public, and nor do lesbian women," she said.
After many conversations, Anh and the two directors convinced the women to take part in the documentary, but had to guarantee their privacy and rights.
The lesbians agreed to participated in the documentary but when it's finished, they don't want to present it widely but in small groups to communicate the situation.
"The 35-minute documentary is a result of many people's enthusiasm and effort," Anh said. "We have respected their private lives and protected their rights."
The documentary describes simply but sincerely the daily lives and the deepest emotions and feelings of lesbian protagonists. They include old photographs and memories that are difficult for outsiders to understand or discover in the first place.
It finishes with the small but simple dreams of lesbian couples that are sometimes difficult to fulfil, such as wearing a wedding dress, owning a house, or simply earning a stable income.
The film was sad, but was twinkling behind the sadness were brave hearts, brave people who dared to face destiny, face society, and find the true happiness that they deserve.
The film was also screened at several universities and NGOs, and many viewers said it had changed their perception of lesbians.
The CSAGA wants to screen it at another film festival abroad but the subjects don't agree, said Anh.
"If the film receives support or accolade, I think it's in recognition of the effort to change society's prejudice, and if the film receives any awards, it's in honour of the brave figures," she said.
Writer Van Gia, from the Ha Noi University of Culture's and Criticism, where the documentary was screened, also shared his sympathy and open attitude to the LGBT community with students.
He called on his students – future writers of the country – and society in general to have an open and unprejudice view on the community.
"Anh is right not to show the film on television or the press to protect the characters," he said.
"It's the first documentary featuring the true lives of lesbians in this country and I hope that one day it will be presented to the public. However, to reach that day, society needs to change its attitude to the issue." — VNS
mardi 28 février 2012
Lesbian couple: Restaurant ousted us for kissing
Downtown Phoenix’s District American Kitchen & Wine Bar was bombarded with comments from outraged social-media users Monday after reportedly having asked a lesbian couple dining there Sunday to leave after they hugged and kissed.
The couple was celebrating an anniversary at the restaurant, located inside the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel off Third and Van Buren streets, according to a Facebook posting by one of the women. That post spurred the subsequent outcry on the social-networking site, and angry comments were still being left on the District’s page late Monday.
Though Sheraton spokeswoman Katie Brashear would not confirm the details surrounding the incident, citing privacy concerns, she provided a statement that said the District “embrace(s) diversity” and proudly supports the gay community.
“We are taking this incident very seriously,” the statement said. “Our restaurant is open for all to enjoy and we regret that this incident took place.”
Brashear said the hotel’s general manager would be available for comment Tuesday.
State LGBT civil-rights organization Equality Arizona had attempted to act as a go-between for the women and Sheraton management during much of the day Monday, according to Equality Executive Director Nick Ray.
“(The Sheraton) does a lot with the LGBT community, but just because things on the macro level are great doesn’t mean everything on the micro level is,” Ray said.
“From my perspective, it’s not about us dictating what the solution should be. It’s about bringing the two parties together to help them have a better understanding of what happened and how it happened, so this type of incident doesn’t occur again.”
The women involved in the incident were not immediately available for comment.
http://tucsoncitizen.com/arizona-news/2012/02/27/lesbian-couple-restaurant-ousted-us-for-kissing/
http://tucsoncitizen.com/arizona-news/2012/02/27/lesbian-couple-restaurant-ousted-us-for-kissing/
dimanche 26 février 2012
Sebelius rallies lesbians, gays to vote for Obama
At a Charlotte gathering that often sounded like an Obama campaign rally, top Cabinet member Kathleen Sebelius told nearly 1,400 people at a gay-rights fundraiser Saturday night that it is "hugely important" to not only re-elect her boss in November but also to defeat the proposed North Carolina constitutional amend ment limiting marriage to a man and a woman.
Democrat Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said a host of Obama-initiated advances for the gay community - including repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in the military - could be "wiped out in a heartbeat" if the Republican presidential nominee wins this year.
She suggested in her 14-minute speech at the Charlotte Convention Center that gays, lesbians and other Obama backers in this key swing state use the May 8 vote on the amendment as a sort of practice run for the effort needed in November to keep North Carolina's 15 electoral votes in President Barack Obama's column.
"I know there's an important election in early May in North Carolina," Sebelius told the North Carolina gala of the Human Rights Campaign, the country's largest gay and lesbian civil rights group. "And I think it's a great template for what needs to be done to organize people and turn out people for November. North Carolina is hugely important in this next (presidential) election."
Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx personally welcomed those at the gala - a sign that things have changed since 2005, when then-Mayor Pat McCrory, a Republican, refused to issue a welcoming letter for the gala in Charlotte that year.
During his remarks Saturday, Foxx also spoke out against the proposed constitutional amendment reaffirming North Carolina's ban - already in state law - of same-sex marriage.
Saying he'd heard from gay and lesbian city workers and police officers who could not take bereavement time or care for their partners, Foxx told the crowd that "when I go into the ballot box in May ... I'm going to be voting against Amendment 1."
He said he was concerned that passage of the amendment would scare away from Charlotte - site of the 2012 Democratic National Convention - those businesses that want to attract talented gay and lesbian employees.
"They ... don't want a 'Not Wanted' sign hung over their front (door)," Foxx said.
Representatives from three of the night's corporate sponsors - Wells Fargo, Time Warner Cable and Bank of America - boasted to the crowd that gays and lesbians feel welcome working for their companies. Top Wells Fargo official Laura Schulte even announced that her company had just lit up the city's new Duke Energy tower in the rainbow colors of the gay and lesbian community.
At the request of the Human Rights Campaign, the convention center reserved at least two bathrooms in the lobby outside the gala for "gender-neutral restrooms."
In her remarks, Sebelius cataloged the advances the Obama administration has made on issues important to homosexuals. Under the health care reform law administered by her department, for example, it will be illegal for insurers to discriminate against anyone because of sexual orientation or gender identity. People overseas who have HIV/AIDS are no longer barred from traveling to America, she said, and the Obama administration has waged a campaign against bullying in schools.
No longer, Sebelius said, should people be denied the right to pursue their dreams "because of who they love."
Also at the gala, CNN anchor Don Lemon was given the group's Visibility Award, which honors gays and lesbians who "are living open and honest lives."
Miss Representation - weekly action
The Oscars are the biggest night in Hollywood. Broadcast worldwide to millions of viewers, it's meant to be a celebration of the greatest cinema of the past year. Unfortunately, while we're excited to see who wins, we also know there will be a serious lack of female representation Sunday night. In 84 years, only 4 women have ever been nominated for Best Director and only 1 has won.
It's not for lack of talent though. Melissa Silverstein of Women in Hollywood has a list of women who made excellent films in 2011 but were inexplicably left out of the Academy Award conversation (watch her video here). It's no wonder though when you consider, as the Los Angeles Times reported last week, that 77% of the Academy voters are male.
Moreover, when women are interviewed or highlighted during Oscar coverage, they are often recognized first for their looks and dress, and second for their artistic accomplishments. This kind of scrutiny further diminishes the actual achievements of women in film and helps maintain Hollywood's glass ceiling.
This week's Get Healthy action is to be conscious of the media's emphasis on the physical appearance of female actors as compared to male actors, and to avoid the post-show gossip and looks obsession which will flood the Internet on Monday.
As part of our SexyorSexism? campaign we will be partnering with Women's Media Center (@womensmediacntr) to live-tweet the event using #femTV. We'll be tracking the following questions:
It's not for lack of talent though. Melissa Silverstein of Women in Hollywood has a list of women who made excellent films in 2011 but were inexplicably left out of the Academy Award conversation (watch her video here). It's no wonder though when you consider, as the Los Angeles Times reported last week, that 77% of the Academy voters are male.
Moreover, when women are interviewed or highlighted during Oscar coverage, they are often recognized first for their looks and dress, and second for their artistic accomplishments. This kind of scrutiny further diminishes the actual achievements of women in film and helps maintain Hollywood's glass ceiling.
This week's Get Healthy action is to be conscious of the media's emphasis on the physical appearance of female actors as compared to male actors, and to avoid the post-show gossip and looks obsession which will flood the Internet on Monday.
As part of our SexyorSexism? campaign we will be partnering with Women's Media Center (@womensmediacntr) to live-tweet the event using #femTV. We'll be tracking the following questions:
1. How are women being spoken to on the red carpet?
2. How are they being represented by the TV media?
3. Is the attention they are receiving based on their achievements and talent? Or is it based on their appearance?
Join the discussion on Twitter Sunday at 5pm PT or e-mail us your observations throughout the night! Together we can change the conversation around the Oscars and make a difference for future broadcasts of the event.
Warmest,
The MissRepresentation.org team
Aborder la diversité sexuelle à l'école
Une campagne publique d'affichage pour prévenir l'homophobie débutera le mardi 28 février 2012 à Genève . A cette occasion, l'UNIGE et le DIP ont choisi un invité prestigieux et pionnier: Kevin Jennings, ancien vice-ministre adjoint de l'administration Obama et fondateur du GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network), qui donnera une conférence sur la manière d'aborder la diversité sexuelle à l'école, le 28 février à Uni Dufour.
Le Département de l'Instruction publique, de la culture et du sport (DIP) du canton de Genève et le Département de la formation, de la jeunesse et de la culture (DFJC) du canton de Vaud, avaient organisé un concours en novembre 2010 réservé aux jeunes de 16 à 25 ans de toute la Suisse romande. Outre l'affichage de la création lauréate et la venue de Kevin Jennings, pionnier de cette cause dans l'administration américaine, la campagne comprend l'exposition itinérante Stop homophobie composée de 19 créations propices aux discussions constructives permettant de briser le mur du silence qui enferme encore souvent les victimes d'homophobie.
Par cette affiche, l’étudiant de la HEAD, 24 ans « a voulu casser l’image que les gens ont, et faire passer un message de tolérance. Et surtout remettre le vrai sentiment d’amour en avant, ce qui est trop souvent oublié et occulté.» Son slogan, sa mise en valeur sobre et puissante, exprime ce crédo avec efficacité: "ce ne sont que deux être humains qui s'aiment". L'engagement de l'école contre toutes les formes de discrimination passe notamment par cette valorisation du sentiment d'amour universel, au-delà des mises à l'écart, des moqueries et des sarcasmes dont sont encore souvent victimes les jeunes LGBT.
En complément à cette campagne, le site Internet www.mosaic-info.ch permet d'aborder les thèmes de la diversité et propose des ressources pour accompagner les élèves. Ce site permet aussi aux jeunes de trouver des informations ciblées et les adresses de lieux de parole et d'écoute via la nouvelle plateforme d'information www.mosaic-jeunes.ch.
La diffusion de cette affiche ainsi que la tournée de l'exposition itinérante annonce le début d'une dynamique qui s'inscrit dans le cadre, plus large, de la fructueuse collaboration Genève-Vaud visant à promouvoir des actions de prévention et d'information à destination des milieux éducatifs. Les deux cantons ont engagé en automne 2010, une attachée aux questions d'homophobie et de diversité chargée de mettre en œuvre un programme de sensibilisation en milieu scolaire. Cette dynamique de prévention de l'homophobie en milieu scolaire avait été initiée par La Fédération genevoise des associations LGBT (lesbiennes, gay, bi, trans) avec notamment les premières Assises contre l’homophobie qui se sont tenues en septembre 2009.
http://www.los.ch/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=192%3Aconference-uni-geneve&catid=6%3Atop-aktuell&Itemid=1&lang=de
Le Département de l'Instruction publique, de la culture et du sport (DIP) du canton de Genève et le Département de la formation, de la jeunesse et de la culture (DFJC) du canton de Vaud, avaient organisé un concours en novembre 2010 réservé aux jeunes de 16 à 25 ans de toute la Suisse romande. Outre l'affichage de la création lauréate et la venue de Kevin Jennings, pionnier de cette cause dans l'administration américaine, la campagne comprend l'exposition itinérante Stop homophobie composée de 19 créations propices aux discussions constructives permettant de briser le mur du silence qui enferme encore souvent les victimes d'homophobie.
Par cette affiche, l’étudiant de la HEAD, 24 ans « a voulu casser l’image que les gens ont, et faire passer un message de tolérance. Et surtout remettre le vrai sentiment d’amour en avant, ce qui est trop souvent oublié et occulté.» Son slogan, sa mise en valeur sobre et puissante, exprime ce crédo avec efficacité: "ce ne sont que deux être humains qui s'aiment". L'engagement de l'école contre toutes les formes de discrimination passe notamment par cette valorisation du sentiment d'amour universel, au-delà des mises à l'écart, des moqueries et des sarcasmes dont sont encore souvent victimes les jeunes LGBT.
En complément à cette campagne, le site Internet www.mosaic-info.ch permet d'aborder les thèmes de la diversité et propose des ressources pour accompagner les élèves. Ce site permet aussi aux jeunes de trouver des informations ciblées et les adresses de lieux de parole et d'écoute via la nouvelle plateforme d'information www.mosaic-jeunes.ch.
La diffusion de cette affiche ainsi que la tournée de l'exposition itinérante annonce le début d'une dynamique qui s'inscrit dans le cadre, plus large, de la fructueuse collaboration Genève-Vaud visant à promouvoir des actions de prévention et d'information à destination des milieux éducatifs. Les deux cantons ont engagé en automne 2010, une attachée aux questions d'homophobie et de diversité chargée de mettre en œuvre un programme de sensibilisation en milieu scolaire. Cette dynamique de prévention de l'homophobie en milieu scolaire avait été initiée par La Fédération genevoise des associations LGBT (lesbiennes, gay, bi, trans) avec notamment les premières Assises contre l’homophobie qui se sont tenues en septembre 2009.
http://www.los.ch/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=192%3Aconference-uni-geneve&catid=6%3Atop-aktuell&Itemid=1&lang=de
vendredi 24 février 2012
Lesbian Dallas Judge Won't Marry Straight Couples
DALLAS, TEXAS—
A lesbian judge in Dallas says she won’t marry straight couples, because the same laws don’t apply to her. She says equality reigns in her court. Her remarks were caught on camera and they’re generating a lot of reaction.“I have to the power, of course, to perform marriage ceremonies -- I don`t,” said Dallas County District Judge Tonya Parker.
Parker is a civil judge in Dallas County's 116th District Court. She says she wants to teach everyone a lesson in marriage equality. “I`m actually extraordinarily proud of Judge Parker,” said GetEQUAL Texas Dallas area Coordinator Daniel Cates. “Maybe she should be in a state where that works better for her,” said Dallas Tea Party member Katrina Pierson. It's comments posted to YouTube they're reacting too. They were made by Judge Parker Tuesday night during a meeting for Stonewall Democrats of Dallas.
“I`m sorry I don`t perform marriage ceremonies, because clearly the state does not have marriage equality and until it does I`m not going to partially apply the law to one group and not apply it to another group of people,” said Parker. “It doesn`t seem right for me to perform ceremonies for people that can`t be performed for me,” she said. Cates and Get EQUAL have been leading a charge to get Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings to sign a marriage equality pledge. He welcomes Parker's stand.“As a judge, it is her job to uphold the constitution and just yesterday in San Francisco, a federal judge ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act and laws that discriminate against one group of people in marriage are in fact unconstitutional,” he said.
But some conservative groups see things differently. “You essentially have a judge who feels that she is discriminated against based upon her sexual orientation and therefore is abusing her power as a judge to discriminate against those she represents,” said Pierson.Texas law authorizes judges to perform marriages, it doesn't require it. Pierson says to not do them based on your ideology is wrong.
“You have to wonder what other decisions are being made based upon your ideology,” she said
http://www.the33tv.com/news/kdaf-lesbian-dallas-judge-wont-marry-straight-couples-20120223,0,450684.story
Lesbian federal worker wins health benefits case
The government cannot deny health benefits to the wife of a lesbian court employee by relying on the 1996 law that bars government recognition of same-sex unions, a federal judge has ruled.
In Wednesday’s ruling, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White said the government’s refusal to furnish health insurance to Karen Golinski’s wife is unjustified because the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutionally discriminates against same-sex married couples.
Golinski, a staff lawyer for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, has been trying to secure spousal benefits for her wife, Amy Cunninghis, since shortly after the couple got married during the brief window in 2008 when same-sex marriages were legal in California. Her boss, Chief Judge Alex Kozinski, approved her request, but the Office of Personnel Management ordered Golinski’s insurer not to process her application.
http://articles.boston.com/2012-02-23/news/31092225_1_marriage-act-doma-lesbian-couples
In Wednesday’s ruling, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White said the government’s refusal to furnish health insurance to Karen Golinski’s wife is unjustified because the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutionally discriminates against same-sex married couples.
Golinski, a staff lawyer for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, has been trying to secure spousal benefits for her wife, Amy Cunninghis, since shortly after the couple got married during the brief window in 2008 when same-sex marriages were legal in California. Her boss, Chief Judge Alex Kozinski, approved her request, but the Office of Personnel Management ordered Golinski’s insurer not to process her application.
http://articles.boston.com/2012-02-23/news/31092225_1_marriage-act-doma-lesbian-couples
mercredi 22 février 2012
mardi 21 février 2012
It Gets Better Project
Since the It Gets Better Project started in 2010, we have been fortunate to align efforts with companies that recognize the importance of reaching LGBT youth and raising awareness about anti-LGBT bullying.
Tonight at 11PM ET/PT, MTV and LOGO will be airing a one-hour special called It Gets Better, focusing on the stories of three extraordinary young people:
- a young gay man struggling to tell his family and friends about who he really is
- a lesbian looking for parental acceptance
- a transgender man preparing to get married
Tonight, we’ll watch as these three amazing individuals conquer their fears and look towards the future. We know that the stories in the special will resonate with LGBT youth and show that, no matter how hard things may seem, they do get better.
Get together with people you know, and interact with me, MTV, Logo and the It Gets Better Project during the special via Twitter (use the hashtag #ItGetsBetter). Most importantly, tell people to watch. You never know who needs to see these three inspiring stories.
Dan Savage
It Gets Better Project
It Gets Better Project
lundi 20 février 2012
Décès de Geneviève Pastre, poétesse et militante lesbienne
A la fois éditrice, poétesse, écrivaine, militante et figure incontournable de la cause LGBT, Geneviève Pastre est décédée dans la nuit de jeudi à vendredi.
Elle fut une figure incontournable du monde gay et lesbien. Geneviève Pastre est décédée dans la nuit de jeudi à vendredi à l'âge de 87 ans. Née le 20 novembre 1924 à Mayence (Allemagne), mariée et mère de deux filles, Geneviève Pastre a milité de multiples façons.
Dès le début des années 70, elle publie de nombreux recueils de poèmes et de textes expérimentaux et aborde dans ses textes la thématique du lesbianisme (De l'amour lesbien, 1980,Athènes et le péril saphique, 1987). Elle fonde sa propre maison d'édition en 1989.
Parti politique gay et lesbien
Geneviève Pastre devient la troisième présidente de l'association de la radio Fréquence Gaie, en 1982, et se bat pour défendre la mémoire des déportés homosexuels. Elle décide ensuite de se présenter aux élections présidentielles de 2002 avec son parti politique gay et lesbien, les Mauves, sans réussir à obtenir les 500 signatures nécessaires.
Parti politique gay et lesbien
Geneviève Pastre devient la troisième présidente de l'association de la radio Fréquence Gaie, en 1982, et se bat pour défendre la mémoire des déportés homosexuels. Elle décide ensuite de se présenter aux élections présidentielles de 2002 avec son parti politique gay et lesbien, les Mauves, sans réussir à obtenir les 500 signatures nécessaires.
Samedi, le ministre de la Culture Frédéric Mitterrand a rendu hommage à celle qui s'est distinguée «à la fois comme écrivaine, poétesse, éditrice et comme une militante engagée pour la cause gaie et lesbienne». «Pour la littérature et la cause gaies et lesbiennes, elle aura joué un rôle majeur d'affirmation, de désenclavement et de reconnaissance, en France et ailleurs». Le ministre a souligné qu'elle a défendu cette cause «avec un très fort engagement à la tête de la radio Fréquence Gaie, par son activité de recherche et de mise en scène, par ses participations multiples à des colloques ou à des émissions de télévision, par la création de son mouvement politique Les Mauves».
«Une femme intrépide»
«Elle m'a accompagné dans la publication de mon premier ouvrage sur les questions LGBT», a indiqué de son côté Louis-Georges Tin, président du comité Idaho (Journée mondiale contre l'homophobie et la transphobie). «J'ai gardé de cette époque le souvenir d'une femme intrépide, engagée, à jamais enthousiaste. C'est l'image que je garderai d'elle.»
«Une femme intrépide»
«Elle m'a accompagné dans la publication de mon premier ouvrage sur les questions LGBT», a indiqué de son côté Louis-Georges Tin, président du comité Idaho (Journée mondiale contre l'homophobie et la transphobie). «J'ai gardé de cette époque le souvenir d'une femme intrépide, engagée, à jamais enthousiaste. C'est l'image que je garderai d'elle.»
La Fédération LGBT a salué «une femme d'engagement, militante de la cause lesbienne dès 1976, qui tout au long de sa vie a su mettre sa détermination et son savoir-faire au service de ses convictions».
Geneviève Pastre sera incinérée lors d'une cérémonie mercredi 22 février à 10h30 à Saintes (Charente). Ses cendres, conformément à ses vœux, seront dispersées en mer.
dimanche 19 février 2012
First lesbian approved to be ordained as a minister in Durham
DURHAM — Katie Ricks closed her eyes, covered her face with her hands and began to cry. But when she removed her hands, all anyone in the sanctuary could see was a smile.
During a hearing Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church in Durham, Ricks became the nation’s first openly lesbian minister to be approved for ordination since the church decided in 2011 to allow openly gay individuals to serve in the ministry.
Presbyterian churches in Wisconsin have already approved the ordination of gay men, but Ricks said she is the first openly lesbian minister to be ordained. She will officially become a minister in April.
For 10 years, Ricks has served at the Church of Reconciliation in Chapel Hill as an associate in ministry, a title the church created for her to serve under while avoiding the issue of ordination.
“Essentially, it’s the same position as an associate pastor, but it doesn’t use the term,” she said. “Nor am I allowed to do the things that only ordained ministers are allowed to do, like baptism, communion. I can’t marry somebody, and I can’t moderate session,” she said.
“Those are the only four things that I can’t do,” she said.
Saturday’s vote was taken by secret ballot — an unusual decision for the Committee on Ministry, who oversaw the proceeding.
One committee member explained that a secret ballot voting system was used due to the sensitive nature of the issue, and because some people might feel their positions in the church would be compromised if forced to vote publicly.
“It’s important for me to vote my conscience but not be seen publicly as taking a stand because that might interfere with my ability to function, said Jim Henninger, a member of the committee.
Ricks consented to the secret ballot.
Lee Kinney, a pastor from Washington, N.C., said that while he appreciated Ricks’ bravery, he still has concerns regarding her relationship with another woman, with whom she has one child.
“As we look through scripture, into the history of its interpretation, almost universally, across the board, the understanding of same-sex relationships has not been viewed by something as acceptable by God,” he said.
“And the encouragement has always been to turn away from that.”
Ricks’ response to Kinney’s concern left some in tears.
“I know that I did not choose to be gay,” she said.
“The reason why coming out made so much sense was because I could finally claim and grasp onto the beloved child of God that God created when he knit me together in my mother’s womb.”
Ricks’ supporters watched the proceedings from the rafters, where Anne Lutes, a member of the Church of Reconciliation and a close friend of Ricks, described the atmosphere up in the balcony as tense and nervous.
But the atmosphere changed when the motion to ordain Ricks was approved.
“I’m almost speechless,” Lutes said following the committee’s decision. “It’s a new day for the church.”
Desiré Volkwijn, a retired Durham educator who cried when she heard the result, said the day should be seen as a triumph for unity, not uniformity.
“I believe in a God that creates wonderfully different people,” she said. “And different does not mean deficient.”
Julio Ramirez, a Durham resident, declined to share his voting decision and whether he believed the Presbytery had moved in the right direction by approving Ricks.
“Let me put it this way,” he said. “We should continue to let the Holy Spirit help us.”
http://www.dailytarheel.com/index.php/article/2012/02/first_lesbian_minister_ordained_in_durham
During a hearing Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church in Durham, Ricks became the nation’s first openly lesbian minister to be approved for ordination since the church decided in 2011 to allow openly gay individuals to serve in the ministry.
Presbyterian churches in Wisconsin have already approved the ordination of gay men, but Ricks said she is the first openly lesbian minister to be ordained. She will officially become a minister in April.
For 10 years, Ricks has served at the Church of Reconciliation in Chapel Hill as an associate in ministry, a title the church created for her to serve under while avoiding the issue of ordination.
“Essentially, it’s the same position as an associate pastor, but it doesn’t use the term,” she said. “Nor am I allowed to do the things that only ordained ministers are allowed to do, like baptism, communion. I can’t marry somebody, and I can’t moderate session,” she said.
“Those are the only four things that I can’t do,” she said.
Saturday’s vote was taken by secret ballot — an unusual decision for the Committee on Ministry, who oversaw the proceeding.
One committee member explained that a secret ballot voting system was used due to the sensitive nature of the issue, and because some people might feel their positions in the church would be compromised if forced to vote publicly.
“It’s important for me to vote my conscience but not be seen publicly as taking a stand because that might interfere with my ability to function, said Jim Henninger, a member of the committee.
Ricks consented to the secret ballot.
Lee Kinney, a pastor from Washington, N.C., said that while he appreciated Ricks’ bravery, he still has concerns regarding her relationship with another woman, with whom she has one child.
“As we look through scripture, into the history of its interpretation, almost universally, across the board, the understanding of same-sex relationships has not been viewed by something as acceptable by God,” he said.
“And the encouragement has always been to turn away from that.”
Ricks’ response to Kinney’s concern left some in tears.
“I know that I did not choose to be gay,” she said.
“The reason why coming out made so much sense was because I could finally claim and grasp onto the beloved child of God that God created when he knit me together in my mother’s womb.”
Ricks’ supporters watched the proceedings from the rafters, where Anne Lutes, a member of the Church of Reconciliation and a close friend of Ricks, described the atmosphere up in the balcony as tense and nervous.
But the atmosphere changed when the motion to ordain Ricks was approved.
“I’m almost speechless,” Lutes said following the committee’s decision. “It’s a new day for the church.”
Desiré Volkwijn, a retired Durham educator who cried when she heard the result, said the day should be seen as a triumph for unity, not uniformity.
“I believe in a God that creates wonderfully different people,” she said. “And different does not mean deficient.”
Julio Ramirez, a Durham resident, declined to share his voting decision and whether he believed the Presbytery had moved in the right direction by approving Ricks.
“Let me put it this way,” he said. “We should continue to let the Holy Spirit help us.”
http://www.dailytarheel.com/index.php/article/2012/02/first_lesbian_minister_ordained_in_durham
Miss representation - About the film
Like drawing back a curtain to let bright light stream in, Miss Representation (90 min; TV-14 DL) uncovers a glaring reality we live with every day but fail to see. Written and directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the film exposes how mainstream media contribute to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America. The film challenges the media’s limited and often disparaging portrayals of women and girls, which make it difficult for women to achieve leadership positions and for the average woman to feel powerful herself.
In a society where media is the most persuasive force shaping cultural norms, the collective message that our young women and men overwhelmingly receive is that a woman’s value and power lie in her youth, beauty, and sexuality, and not in her capacity as a leader. While women have made great strides in leadership over the past few decades, the United States is still 90th in the world for women in national legislatures, women hold only 3% of clout positions in mainstream media, and 65% of women and girls have disordered eating behaviors.
Stories from teenage girls and provocative interviews with politicians, journalists, entertainers, activists and academics, like Condoleezza Rice, Nancy Pelosi, Katie Couric, Rachel Maddow, Margaret Cho, Rosario Dawson and Gloria Steinem build momentum as Miss Representation accumulates startling facts and statistics that will leave the audience shaken and armed with a new perspective.
http://www.missrepresentation.org/the-film/
In a society where media is the most persuasive force shaping cultural norms, the collective message that our young women and men overwhelmingly receive is that a woman’s value and power lie in her youth, beauty, and sexuality, and not in her capacity as a leader. While women have made great strides in leadership over the past few decades, the United States is still 90th in the world for women in national legislatures, women hold only 3% of clout positions in mainstream media, and 65% of women and girls have disordered eating behaviors.
Stories from teenage girls and provocative interviews with politicians, journalists, entertainers, activists and academics, like Condoleezza Rice, Nancy Pelosi, Katie Couric, Rachel Maddow, Margaret Cho, Rosario Dawson and Gloria Steinem build momentum as Miss Representation accumulates startling facts and statistics that will leave the audience shaken and armed with a new perspective.
http://www.missrepresentation.org/the-film/
Kelly Cassidy And Paula Basta, Two Democratic Lesbian Activists, Square Off In Tense Illinois Statehouse Race
When long-time Chicago lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activist Kelly
Cassidy was appointed last spring to the Illinois Statehouse of Representatives,
a saga between rivals began.
Cassidy won the seat following a well-attended public meeting last April, where the 48th Ward Democratic committeewoman, Carol Ronen, chose her to fill a vacancy left by Harry Osterman -- who departed to join Chicago's city council. Despite Cassidy having the support of residents attending the meeting, her opponents quickly claimed that her success had more to do with clout within Chicago's "deep-pocketed political machine" than the will of the North Side district's voters. One of those who had vied for the spot was Paula Basta, also an out lesbian and a long-time LGBT activist.
Basta announced that same April day that she would attempt to unseat Cassidy the first opportunity she could. The contest will culminate in the Illinois Democratic primary on March 20.
Their contest may mark one of the first times two openly LGBT candidates have faced off for a state office -- a rare scenario likely to become more common as increasing numbers of gay and lesbian people run for public office. In 2010, a lesbian Democrat and a gay Republican competed for State Assembly in California.
Denis Dison, a spokesman for the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, a national group that works to elect LGBT elected officials, said two openly LGBT candidates running head-to-head is rare. In San Diego's mayor race, two of the major candidates currently running -- both Republicans -- are gay or lesbian.
In this case, both candidates are lesbian Democrats, with similar positions, passionately invested in the district and both are campaigning very hard -- Cassidy to be elected, rather than appointed, and Basta for redemption following last year's defeat. In the months that followed Basta's announcement, the race has become increasingly tense. Basta's campaign last month claimed that Cassidy allegedly was behind a phone survey whose questions included a charge that Basta was under federal investigation for conducing political work while on the clock at her day job a city position as the regional director of the Levy Senior Center, the Windy City Times reported.
Basta denies those allegations and said Cassidy's camp was just attempting to cook up a scandal.
"My only question is, Who would have been doing a poll like that? Who else would have been doing something like that?" Basta told The Huffington Post.
But Cassidy denies any prior knowledge of the alleged poll question and told HuffPost that "this time of year, people are polling on everything and include other races and issues in their polls."
"If I jumped up and down screaming every time someone asked some nasty question about me, I'd be doing nothing else," Cassidy said. "I have, instead, stayed very focused on being the best representative I can be and running the most positive race that I can."
Despite the recent phone survey dustup, the race has -- mostly -- avoided much in the way of juicy, "Chicago-style" politics. This is most likely the result of the fact that, on paper, it would be difficult to discern all that much of a difference between the two progressive Democrats' positions on key legislative issues facing the state.
Both women are in favor of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's recent call for a statewide handgun registry -- a proposal that Governor Pat Quinn admitted will face "an uphill climb" toward passage. Cassidy told HuffPost she is co-sponsoring the registry legislation and has introduced companion legislation upgrading the penalty for giving or selling a weapon to a known street gang member with a weapon to a Class 1 felony.
"In my neighborhood, they're hunting young men with handguns. When one of those weapons is lost or stolen or used in a crime, having the information is invaluable to law enforcement," Cassidy said.
For her part, Basta said, "We see what happens with gun violence in our community," adding, "and if we can somehow curb that and prevent even one more person from being killed or hurt, that's what we need to do."
On Emanuel's Chicago speed cameras bill, signed into law by Gov. Quinn last week, both described the measure as one that would help protect public safety -- even as Cassidy admitted she was "initially very skeptical" of the bill. To Basta, the bill "makes sense."
And on LGBT issues, both are enthusiastic supporters. Basta was inducted in 2009 to the Chicago Gay & Lesbian Hall of Fame in recognition of her LGBT advocacy. Cassidy is now one of just three openly gay or lesbian state lawmakers -- the trio of which earlier this month introduced a bill that would bring marriage equality to Illinois.
Cassidy took her support of that bill a step further, introducing two other pieces of pro-LGBT legislation last week -- one that would add gender identity as a protected status under the state's hate crime law and another that would create the state's own Family and Medical Leave Act and would cover couples registered for civil unions (who are currently denied such benefits).
Presented with two candidates with comparable records on gay issues, a PAC representing Equality Illinois, the state's primary LGBT advocacy group, made the curious move to not endorse Basta, who served on its board for several years.
Instead, rather than endorsing both candidates as they had in two other state legislative races, the organization threw its support exclusively behind Cassidy.
All things being equal in a political race, Randy Hannig, Equality Illinois director of public policy explained, the organization tends to endorse the incumbent when this can serve as a means of thanking that person for aligning with the group's legislative agenda.
"I wish there was a way to have them both represent us in the House of Representatives but that is not the way the cookie crumbles," Hannig said, after adding that her group's endorsement was "nothing personal" against Basta.
When asked whether the non-endorsement from her former colleagues was disappointing, Basta said, "That process is their process."
On Tuesday, Basta not so subtly lashed out anew against her opponent with the unveiling of a 10-point ethics pledge which, among other proposals, calls for voters to be allowed to choose who fills a vacancy, such as Osterman's last year, "rather than letting party bosses make their own appointment."
Basta also hopes to institute "a sensible limit on the number of years" someone can hold any public office -- a point perhaps intended to call out veteran House Speaker Mike Madigan, whose statehouse tenure dates to 1970 and who, along with other influential Chicago political figures such as Mayor Emanuel, Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle and Senate President John Cullerton, has also supported Cassidy in the race.
Candidate Basta described their support as an alliance with a system that is "broken," and said that electing her would bring "true independence to Springfield." "Speaker Madigan and Mayor Emanuel threw a birthday party for her in November," she said about Cassidy. "What else can you say?" Basta continued.
But Cassidy, who was a long-time assistant in the Cook County State's Attorney's office and also once ran Cullerton's district office, described such clout-heavy names as "the people who have seen me work for the last 20 years and seen me get things done and deliver results."
"I am the original nobody nobody sent," Cassidy added. "I don't shrink away from a fight and the fight I am engaged in is to make sure this district gets the best representation in Springfield it can."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/16/kelly-cassidy-paula-basta_n_1280197.html
Cassidy won the seat following a well-attended public meeting last April, where the 48th Ward Democratic committeewoman, Carol Ronen, chose her to fill a vacancy left by Harry Osterman -- who departed to join Chicago's city council. Despite Cassidy having the support of residents attending the meeting, her opponents quickly claimed that her success had more to do with clout within Chicago's "deep-pocketed political machine" than the will of the North Side district's voters. One of those who had vied for the spot was Paula Basta, also an out lesbian and a long-time LGBT activist.
Basta announced that same April day that she would attempt to unseat Cassidy the first opportunity she could. The contest will culminate in the Illinois Democratic primary on March 20.
Their contest may mark one of the first times two openly LGBT candidates have faced off for a state office -- a rare scenario likely to become more common as increasing numbers of gay and lesbian people run for public office. In 2010, a lesbian Democrat and a gay Republican competed for State Assembly in California.
Denis Dison, a spokesman for the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, a national group that works to elect LGBT elected officials, said two openly LGBT candidates running head-to-head is rare. In San Diego's mayor race, two of the major candidates currently running -- both Republicans -- are gay or lesbian.
In this case, both candidates are lesbian Democrats, with similar positions, passionately invested in the district and both are campaigning very hard -- Cassidy to be elected, rather than appointed, and Basta for redemption following last year's defeat. In the months that followed Basta's announcement, the race has become increasingly tense. Basta's campaign last month claimed that Cassidy allegedly was behind a phone survey whose questions included a charge that Basta was under federal investigation for conducing political work while on the clock at her day job a city position as the regional director of the Levy Senior Center, the Windy City Times reported.
Basta denies those allegations and said Cassidy's camp was just attempting to cook up a scandal.
"My only question is, Who would have been doing a poll like that? Who else would have been doing something like that?" Basta told The Huffington Post.
But Cassidy denies any prior knowledge of the alleged poll question and told HuffPost that "this time of year, people are polling on everything and include other races and issues in their polls."
"If I jumped up and down screaming every time someone asked some nasty question about me, I'd be doing nothing else," Cassidy said. "I have, instead, stayed very focused on being the best representative I can be and running the most positive race that I can."
Despite the recent phone survey dustup, the race has -- mostly -- avoided much in the way of juicy, "Chicago-style" politics. This is most likely the result of the fact that, on paper, it would be difficult to discern all that much of a difference between the two progressive Democrats' positions on key legislative issues facing the state.
Both women are in favor of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's recent call for a statewide handgun registry -- a proposal that Governor Pat Quinn admitted will face "an uphill climb" toward passage. Cassidy told HuffPost she is co-sponsoring the registry legislation and has introduced companion legislation upgrading the penalty for giving or selling a weapon to a known street gang member with a weapon to a Class 1 felony.
"In my neighborhood, they're hunting young men with handguns. When one of those weapons is lost or stolen or used in a crime, having the information is invaluable to law enforcement," Cassidy said.
For her part, Basta said, "We see what happens with gun violence in our community," adding, "and if we can somehow curb that and prevent even one more person from being killed or hurt, that's what we need to do."
On Emanuel's Chicago speed cameras bill, signed into law by Gov. Quinn last week, both described the measure as one that would help protect public safety -- even as Cassidy admitted she was "initially very skeptical" of the bill. To Basta, the bill "makes sense."
And on LGBT issues, both are enthusiastic supporters. Basta was inducted in 2009 to the Chicago Gay & Lesbian Hall of Fame in recognition of her LGBT advocacy. Cassidy is now one of just three openly gay or lesbian state lawmakers -- the trio of which earlier this month introduced a bill that would bring marriage equality to Illinois.
Cassidy took her support of that bill a step further, introducing two other pieces of pro-LGBT legislation last week -- one that would add gender identity as a protected status under the state's hate crime law and another that would create the state's own Family and Medical Leave Act and would cover couples registered for civil unions (who are currently denied such benefits).
Presented with two candidates with comparable records on gay issues, a PAC representing Equality Illinois, the state's primary LGBT advocacy group, made the curious move to not endorse Basta, who served on its board for several years.
Instead, rather than endorsing both candidates as they had in two other state legislative races, the organization threw its support exclusively behind Cassidy.
All things being equal in a political race, Randy Hannig, Equality Illinois director of public policy explained, the organization tends to endorse the incumbent when this can serve as a means of thanking that person for aligning with the group's legislative agenda.
"I wish there was a way to have them both represent us in the House of Representatives but that is not the way the cookie crumbles," Hannig said, after adding that her group's endorsement was "nothing personal" against Basta.
When asked whether the non-endorsement from her former colleagues was disappointing, Basta said, "That process is their process."
On Tuesday, Basta not so subtly lashed out anew against her opponent with the unveiling of a 10-point ethics pledge which, among other proposals, calls for voters to be allowed to choose who fills a vacancy, such as Osterman's last year, "rather than letting party bosses make their own appointment."
Basta also hopes to institute "a sensible limit on the number of years" someone can hold any public office -- a point perhaps intended to call out veteran House Speaker Mike Madigan, whose statehouse tenure dates to 1970 and who, along with other influential Chicago political figures such as Mayor Emanuel, Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle and Senate President John Cullerton, has also supported Cassidy in the race.
Candidate Basta described their support as an alliance with a system that is "broken," and said that electing her would bring "true independence to Springfield." "Speaker Madigan and Mayor Emanuel threw a birthday party for her in November," she said about Cassidy. "What else can you say?" Basta continued.
But Cassidy, who was a long-time assistant in the Cook County State's Attorney's office and also once ran Cullerton's district office, described such clout-heavy names as "the people who have seen me work for the last 20 years and seen me get things done and deliver results."
"I am the original nobody nobody sent," Cassidy added. "I don't shrink away from a fight and the fight I am engaged in is to make sure this district gets the best representation in Springfield it can."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/16/kelly-cassidy-paula-basta_n_1280197.html
samedi 18 février 2012
Chine evolution : Les jeunes ne désapprouvent pas l'homosexualité
Très peu de jeunes Chinois réprouvent les homosexuels, selon l'un des sites de rencontre plus populaires du pays.
Selon un sondage mené sur Jiayuan.com, 83% des Chinois nés entre 1980 et 1989 ne désapprouvent pas l'homosexualité; à peu près le même pourcentage a été observée chez les personnes nées dans les années 1990.
Plus de 85.000 personnes ont été interrogés lors du sondage.
http://reloaded.e-llico.com/depeche.htm?articleID=28038
Selon un sondage mené sur Jiayuan.com, 83% des Chinois nés entre 1980 et 1989 ne désapprouvent pas l'homosexualité; à peu près le même pourcentage a été observée chez les personnes nées dans les années 1990.
Plus de 85.000 personnes ont été interrogés lors du sondage.
http://reloaded.e-llico.com/depeche.htm?articleID=28038
vendredi 17 février 2012
LGBT : Les homosexuels questionnent les candidats
Les trois plus grands collectifs regroupant les homosexuels ont lancé ce lundi à Paris leur campagne d'interpellation des candidats à la présidentielle. Sur un site web, ils posent des questions dont ils publieront les réponses afin "d'aider la population à faire son choix".
C'est la première fois que les trois collectifs, qui représentent 90 % des gays inscrits dans des associations, se retrouvent dans un projet commun. Le site lancé par l'Inter-Lesbien, Gay, Bi et Trans (Inter-LGBT implantée à Paris qui est l'interlocuteur du gouvernement pour les sujets liés à l'homosexualité), la Fédération LGBT (implantée en régions) et la Coordination InterPride (qui organise les marches des fiertés) s'intitulera www.egalitelgbt2012.
« Nous avons établi un bilan terne, décevant du quinquennat de Nicolas Sarkozy avec beaucoup de promesses non-tenues, notamment sur l'union civile pour les personnes du même sexe et le statut du beau-parent. Nous poserons des questions aux candidats, sauf à Marine Le Pen, sur leurs projets pour lutter contre les discriminations » a expliqué le porte-parole de l'Inter-LGBT Nicolas Gougain.
jeudi 16 février 2012
OutServe 2012: Gay Troops Going To Disney World Army Resort
Gay and lesbian military members will hold their second ever conference next
fall at a Florida vacation resort operated by the U.S. Army.
In the latest sign that openly gay service members have continued to move into the military mainstream since the December 2010 repeal of the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, the second annual OutServe International Leadership Conference will be held at Shades of Green at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla. It is one of five Armed Forces Recreation Center resorts operated by the Army's Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command.
The resorts, which include properties on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii and in the Bavarian Alps, are open to members of all military branches and their families. Rates are often lower than comparable hotels nearby. An Army fact sheet lists standard room rates at Shades of Green at $95 to $131 a night.
The 2012 conference, scheduled for Oct. 25 to 28, expects to draw double the number of attendees than last year's inaugural meeting at the privately owned New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. More than 200 people, including a large number from foreign armed forces that allow gays to serve openly, attended that event featuring panel discussions and a keynote address by Douglas Wilson, assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs and the highest-ranking openly gay official in Pentagon history.
The change of venue from decadent "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" to Disney World -- the site of informal Gay Days for two decades -- is significant because it marks the first time such a high-profile event will be held on military property.
"A year ago we lived in a world where we lived in fear of being fired," said Air Force Lt. Josh Seefried, OutServe's co-director. "We now live in a military that respects who we are and realizes our contributions to the best fighting force in the world. The fact we are hosting this conference on Army property shows how this was truly a non-issue in the military."
Perhaps, but conservatives who protested Gay Days when they drew mainly civilians or closeted service members may not be pleased by the locale. Opponents of lifting DADT fought and lost a battle to bar military chaplains from performing same-sex marriages on military installations.
Seefried said the conference will include a heavy emphasis on family issues and the fight to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act that denies some benefits to gay married service members. In addition, there will be session on developing training guides for commanders in dealing with issues related to equal opportunity for gay and lesbian troops.
Planners also will host a job fair, a reflection of the persistent joblessness that has awaited many returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/16/outserve-gay-troops-disney-world_n_1279896.html?ref=mostpopular
In the latest sign that openly gay service members have continued to move into the military mainstream since the December 2010 repeal of the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, the second annual OutServe International Leadership Conference will be held at Shades of Green at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla. It is one of five Armed Forces Recreation Center resorts operated by the Army's Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command.
The resorts, which include properties on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii and in the Bavarian Alps, are open to members of all military branches and their families. Rates are often lower than comparable hotels nearby. An Army fact sheet lists standard room rates at Shades of Green at $95 to $131 a night.
The 2012 conference, scheduled for Oct. 25 to 28, expects to draw double the number of attendees than last year's inaugural meeting at the privately owned New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. More than 200 people, including a large number from foreign armed forces that allow gays to serve openly, attended that event featuring panel discussions and a keynote address by Douglas Wilson, assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs and the highest-ranking openly gay official in Pentagon history.
The change of venue from decadent "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" to Disney World -- the site of informal Gay Days for two decades -- is significant because it marks the first time such a high-profile event will be held on military property.
"A year ago we lived in a world where we lived in fear of being fired," said Air Force Lt. Josh Seefried, OutServe's co-director. "We now live in a military that respects who we are and realizes our contributions to the best fighting force in the world. The fact we are hosting this conference on Army property shows how this was truly a non-issue in the military."
Perhaps, but conservatives who protested Gay Days when they drew mainly civilians or closeted service members may not be pleased by the locale. Opponents of lifting DADT fought and lost a battle to bar military chaplains from performing same-sex marriages on military installations.
Seefried said the conference will include a heavy emphasis on family issues and the fight to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act that denies some benefits to gay married service members. In addition, there will be session on developing training guides for commanders in dealing with issues related to equal opportunity for gay and lesbian troops.
Planners also will host a job fair, a reflection of the persistent joblessness that has awaited many returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/16/outserve-gay-troops-disney-world_n_1279896.html?ref=mostpopular
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