LGBT 30-Day Challenge: Day 29

Almost done!

Okay, today’s challenge: Shout something! It can be happy and about pride or about why you hate homophobia!

I LOVE BEING IN/AROUND THE GAY COMMUNITY!

I LOVE IT WHEN I’M OUT, BEING AN ACTIVIST!

I LOVE ALL MY LGBTQIAP2-S BROTHERS AND SISTERS (AND GENDERLESS SIBLINGS)

XO ~J

LGBT 30-Day Challenge: Day 28

Write a letter to someone. It can be a coming out letter or a letter regarding how you hate their homophobia or whatnot. You don’t have to send it.

Before I get going, I want to say that writing is often part of the healing process, especially for me, so I have a lot to say.

1. Letter to bullied children.

Dear students who have been bullied for any reason, in particular for being LGBTQIA2-SO, (or supporting the cause), etc.:

I am here for you.  You are not the only one who has been bullied for being different, and you are not on this path alone.  I know you’ve probably seen people get harassed for their sexual orientation/gender identity, and that probably makes you want to stay in the closet.

If you chose to stay in the closet, I understand.  And if you chose to come out, I understand that too.  Mainly, I want to impress upon you that you are not alone.  I support you, and I am here to hear.  You are worth the world to many people, myself included.  You are just as much human as anyone else, and you deserve equal treatment and you deserve people who will love you and care for you.

So please, don’t go anywhere.  We need you.
Love,
~J

2. Letter to someone who bullied me:

Dear M:

I’m not very good at math, but I can put 2 and 2 together.  Here’s the backstory: you bullied me mercilessly when we were in elementary and middle school.  That is most definitely one of the reasons I switched schools- and I can’t say I regret that, because that was the best change that ever happened to me.  However, I was talking to some friends years after I’d switched schools, and they told me you were gay.  My best guess is that you bullied me because of your own insecurities.

They say you need to forgive and forget, and ultimately, I know you know that you did wrong by me.  And I want you to know that what you did to me still makes me angry, because bullying is not acceptable.  Being insecure about yourself is normal, reaching out to people is the better and higher path.  But how could you know that at such a young age?

I continue to fight for your rights, knowing that you have long ago lost track of me, and I of you.  I can’t say wish you luck or all the best, but I do want to say I’ve come to accept the things about me that you used to make me hate, and that I’ve lived with no regrets.  I hope you learn from your mistakes and I hope you know I went my separate way peacefully.  You come back into my mind every now and again, but I can look at the experience and, though it makes me angry, it makes me remember that I am stronger.  Continue on your separate path, and I’ll continue on mine.

Yours from long ago,
~J

3. Letter to my family

To my dearest and most beloved family:

I would be nothing, nobody without you.  I want to say thank you to you all for supporting me, and for those of you who didn’t always support me, for listening to what I have to say and acknowledging that my feelings and opinions are just as valid. You have held me up, no questions asked, and let me be myself.

Love always,
~J

I think this would be a good thing for everyone to think about and do.  Whether or not you want to share is up to you.
XO ~J

For the Convenience of the Government

As you know, I’m a lover of all things LGBT, so I’m always trying my best to read whatever is out there that is LGBT-related.  A few weeks ago, a book called “For the Convenience of the Government” hit the bookstores and all I can say is wow.

Back in December, and even back further, when people began to push for the end of DADT, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, I’ll be the first to admit I got caught up the excitement and quickly started calling for the repeal of the policy.  But when I started reading more about the origins of the policy, I took a step back.

It is true that DADT was a discriminatory policy, but I won’t forget finding out that DADT was put in place to stop people from being kicked out of the military for being gay because the military could ask.  Simple as that.  I was surprised and quite disgusted to read this- but the DADT excitement continued and so I compromised.  I was glad that DADT had been put in place because it was intended to protect our soldiers.  And society continued to change, and now we’re getting to the place where soldiers can serve openly.

For the Convenience of the Government was an incredible reminder of how important DADT really was.  It told one soldier’s journey of coming from a small town, working hard and getting into the Navy to pursue his dreams.  He was in the military before DADT was put in place and, like his fellow Navy friends, was asked if he was gay.  Those who lied were not simply left alone.  Reading about some of the investigations into people’s personal lives is absolutely shocking.  (I’m sorry, but did the military really have nothing better to do?)

In other words, I understood why DADT was put in place before, but reading this put DADT in a whole new light.  Don’t get me wrong- it doesn’t make DADT a good thing.  But it shows how far we’ve come since the days before DADT, when people were openly and frequently under investigation for the possibility of being gay.  The author discusses many a brilliant linguist and soldier being dismissed, overnight, just like that, because the military would not have gay soldiers.

It is a long read, and generally a bit of a downer of a book, but it reminded me of how much I live in the future.  I live in a place where there is no longer so much furor over being gay.  Of course we have miles to go, but we have come a very, very long way.  I would also add that the book is not a hard read- it is not dense.  It is straightforward (no pun intended!) and puts everything out there.  And Mr. Zimmerman (the author) is not in any way smashing the military to bits.  He clearly enjoyed serving and sees the good things the military can offer.  But he also had the perspective of someone who could have lost everything over his sexual orientation, and for that this book was well worth reading.

For more information, click here: http://www.fortheconvenienceofthegovernment.com/

Comments on what you’ve been reading? ^.^
XO ~J

LGBT 30-Day Challenge: Day 27

Your favorite LGBT Blog/Tumblr/Site

This one: http://bit.ly/mTil9b

I also really enjoy this: http://lgbtlaughs.tumblr.com/, it makes me laugh a lot!

AND YOU GUYS? COMMENTS!!!!
XO ~J

 

 

LGBT 30-Day Challenge: Day 26

Your favorite gay joke (we all need to laugh at ourselves)

Here’s an embarrassing confesssion: I didn’t know any.  To be honest, I didn’t even think they existed until this question came up.  I here anti-LGBT *jokes* all the time, but never anything really funny.  Soooo I had to do a little research.

There are two- they’re a little explicit, but I just about died laughing when I read them.

1. What did one lesbian vampire say to the other?
See you next month.

2.  A gay man, finally deciding he could no longer hide his sexuality from his parents, went over to their house, and found his mother in the kitchen cooking dinner. He sat down at the kitchen table, let out a big sigh, and said, “Mom, I have something to tell you: I’m gay.”

His mother made no reply or gave any response, and the guy was about to repeat it to make sure she’d heard him, when she turned away from the pot she was stirring and said calmly, “You’re gay — doesn’t that mean you put other men’s penises in your mouth?”The guy said nervously, “Uh, yeah, Mom, that’s right.” His mother went back to stirring the pot, then suddenly whirled around, whacked him over the head with her spoon and said, “Don’t you EVER complain about my cooking again!!!!!”

Post your favorites! XO ~J

LGBT 30-Day Challenge: Day 25

The LGBT slur you hate most or if you’ve taken back a slur and used it as a definition, i.e. queer or fag

I’m pretty much not a fan of any slurs.  I’ve written before about f*g because everything I’ve read suggests that the history of the world is full of violence and hateful intentions.

Out of them all, I still have to say f*g because of the history of the word and because as far as I know, that is the most derogatory term.

Short post. Sorry. I’ll be finishing up next week when I’m back, so the CHALLENGE is on hiatus for now.

Comment away anyways!
XO ~J

LGBT 30-Day Challenge: Day 24

Down to the wire!

The stupidest argument/comment you’ve heard about gay people or an LGBT issue.

Well.  I had something all planned for this one today.  I was going to talk about Arnold Schwarzenegger and how he defended Prop8 in the name of sanctity of marriage and whatnot, when all along it turns out he had an affair or two and a love child!

But then I read this: http://bit.ly/mQ88Xi

Lady Gaga invoked at marriage equality NY debate.  The guy said he doesn’t want marriage equality because he doesn’t like Lady Gaga (that’s the boiled down version, you should proooobably read the article, or at least skim it, first).  That’s probably the stupidest argument I’ve ever heard, and here’s why:

I know that Lady Gaga has become a symbol for the LGBT community because she is an advocate- something that I admire and appreciate.  She’s given a voice to not only the LGBT community, but those of us who are allies.  I feel empowered when I hear some of what she says.

So I do understand why someone would mistakenly think of her as an accurate representation of the entire LGBTQIAP community.

Wait, no I don’t.

Yes.  I get that celebrities are our idols and yadda yadda, so a little teeeeeennyyyy piece of me does understand that.  And yes, this guy was being humorous and all…but it’s just dumb.  Allowing marriage equality doesn’t mean we’ll all suddenly turn into Lady Gaga.  And by the way, we have free will.  So marriage equality will have little to do with the little monsters takeover.  In fact, I seriously doubt that legalizing lesbian/gay marriage will have anything to do with Lady Gaga’s popularity…

Again.  I know it was meant to be humorous, but it came across as sort of immature to me.

Thoughts?  What are the dumb arguments you’ve heard?  I’ve heard a lot up in my time…apparently it will lead to anarchy, too, if you ask Tyree…

XO ~J

 

 

LGBT 30-Day Challenge: Day 23

An LGBT image that makes you cry or makes you angry

This is a picture of a lesbian woman in Africa who was subjected to ‘corrective rape,’ in which men rape a lesbian woman to ‘correct’ her or make her realize she is straight.  If you ask me, that would only make men less desirable.  It’s very backwards.

XO ~J

LGBT 30-Day Challenge: Day 22

An LGBT image that makes you smile: Harvey Milk at a SF pride parade:

LGBT 30-Day Challenge: Day 21

Political LGBT issue that is closest to you or affects you most.

Well, I’m going to go with bullying on this one.  And I say that because I, personally will never have to face issues of marriage equality, because I just don’t see myself marrying someone of the same sex.

Anyway, as someone who has witnessed bullying of LGBT friends and acquaintances, and frankly as someone who has been the victim of anti-LGBT bullying, I want to see more federal action to prevent bullying.  After the high-profile teen suicides back in September/October, there was movement both in schools and the government to try and end bullying, but the steam is running out.  Furthermore, bullying can be very difficult to handle because kids do not want to come forward and administrations often don’t want to deal with the problem.

This is the most important issue to me because feeling safe and comfortable is a more fundamental right than marriage.  Nobody should feel ostracized in school- and there have been instances of both pupils and administrations bullying kids (from the administration, it comes more in the form of, well, you brought this on yourself).

Of course, there are gazillions of legal issues; from nondiscrimination to marriage equality, there are still a lot of fights to fight.  But because of the still-high suicide rates, I say we need to speak up and help the younger members of the community through the hardest years.

XO ~J