More great news from a Baltic nation, this time Latvia, which has elected its first gay president (and hopefully same-sex marriage legalization is quick to come) https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out...-openly-gay-president-baltic-nation-rcna87077 HELSINKI — Latvian lawmakers on Wednesday picked the country’s long-serving popular foreign minister, a strong backer of Ukraine, as its new head of state in a tight vote. The 100-seat Saeima legislature elected Edgars Rinkēvičs, the country’s top diplomat since 2011, as president to serve for a four-year term. He received 52 votes, one vote more than required to win. Incumbent Egils Levits, Latvia’s head of state since 2019, didn’t seek re-election. Rinkēvičs, who announced in 2014 that he is “proudly” homosexual, will be the first openly gay president in the Baltic nations
Since North Carolina’s version of Don’t Say Gay has passed, Moms for Fascism have said they are “watching” for educators who have stated publicly that their classrooms will still be a safe space for LGBTQ kids. Watching. For. Educators. Who. Are. Helping. Kids. Feel. Safe.
I read that story shortly after hearing that two men were stabbed outside of a London gay bar last week. There are no other words. Looks like the knee-jerk, extremist reactionary phase of social progress is well underway.
Anderson Cooper spoke with Ms. Carlton’s daughter last night, and she told how her mother opened a storefront next to her clothing store to give away food and essentials to local residents in need. This is such a heartbreaking loss. May she rest in peace.
For all that it is a very ****ed-up situation: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/23/pride-flag-shooting-california-reaction Towards the end there is this bit: "And despite rising anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes by an extremist minority, overall support for the LGBTQ+ community is higher than ever in the United States. According to Glaad, 91% of non-LGBTQ+ Americans agree that LGBTQ+ people should have the freedom to live their life and not be discriminated against, and 70% of non-LGBTQ+ Americans believe that businesses should publicly support the queer community." Which suggests the problem is what to do and how to protect people from an armed and violent minority.
Hmm if only there were any examples of people taking away guns from the populace to achieve better protection from lunatics..oh well, nothing to be done!
Pentagon working to make right and restore benefits to those dishonorable discharged under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'
I'd forgotten about this, or put it on the back burner. But I was hanging out with this one cis woman in Texas back in early 2015. She took me to this gay club where all the guys were showing off bare chests in spite of wearing cowboy hats. It was artsy. But if I had to go back on it, I would gave given those dancers some tips or something. The woman in question kept complaining about her husband having experiences with men in the past...and then she wanted to do that, which is interesting. I was distracted by her drama and I was too tolerant of her resentment. I don't know. She used to complain about not getting cast and plays, complained about her husband having bone issues, and then she literally wanted me to provide her and him with a third partner. So, as you can imagine, I preferred to hang out with much better people for the rest of 2015 and later in 2016. Lol. What a deal. Lol. Of course, having gone to the lesbian bar afterward, it was easier to get int the vibe of the drag shows at nearby S4. Fast forward to 2023, and the wonderful allies and I went to a drag show in Portland and got to dance outside. Even though the old school bear gay strip club that a couple of our wonderful, entertaining members here isn't my regular scene like something more femme, I'd still be willing to appreciate the talent and give tips. People gotta work, and I respect it. I respect talent and guts like that. We need more of it in society. Come to think of it, I can't think how many gay bars I went to with straight people in Texas. Oregon, on the other hand, has literally been more colorful. This is not to say that it is in a literal or even aesthetic sense of architecture. But far more so, rather, in terms of genuine people and camaraderie. It's a good safe haven from the rainbow scare of the South. But even up here, ya got Proud Boys, or Poor Fools, if you will, who will have a problem with that. They complain and they threaten, but thank goodness they ain't got a **** ton of numbers. So, I don't know. It's just ironic that they had more literally colorful bars with literally multi-colored lights in Tejas...but it was a bit too heteronormative. At least outside of North Dallas, Addison, etc. But ya got plainer scenes that have more vibrant people up here. I think a lot of this came from the fact that I appreciated how one of my private schools was more ethnically diverse and thus, to me, seemed representative of a true world, whereas the other private school I attended was a bit too white. Nothing wrong with being straight. Straight people can have their art and talents, as well, and I enjoyed the gay rights and trans rights marches in Fort Worth we had during 2014 and 2016. I feel like too much straightness is akin to "too much togetherness." That's a phrase I once heard in college. I can't quite put my finger on it. Not enough diversity or representation. My view is that a society, and a democracy in particular, is supposed to represent everyone. That way, we can have fun, get krunk on peace, and then vote. Just my two cents.
Don’t know where else to put this but was reading a Star Wars novel The empire strikes back from a certain point of view.there were a total of about 2 lesbian couples in this book and this snowflake can’t let it go. What the **** is this agenda they are so afraid of? Acceptance? Your kid isn’t going to become gay they are or they aren’t. You don’t become gay and even if you did reading a fictional book isn’t going to make you either. God why are these people so ****ing dumb? I am always for more inclusivity because it helps people be seen more in fiction and it pisses off weirdos like this goober. The funniest thing is this review is still a 4/5
The problem is that prejudices are vices that are difficult to give up. They would rather live in ignorance than deal with the world that has always existed. This is reinforced by conservative people and religion. They truly believe that it is a choice to be homosexual and not that it's part of their DNA. People who outed themselves and then regretted it until they went to conversion therapy, serve as "proof" of this. Here the issue is Disney choosing to be progressive, which is seen as going woke and going broke. They see it as forced since Lucas didn't have any LGBTQ+ characters in his films, thus it didn't exist.
30% of Adults of GenZ identify as LGBTQ. https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out...entify-lgbtq-national-survey-finds-rcna135510
So we are still doing this: https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out...rst-convictions-lgbt-extremism-ban-rcna136753 “Two Russian courts have meted out the first convictions in connection with what the government calls the “international LGBT social movement” and which was designated as extremist last year. On Thursday, a court in the southern region of Volgograd found a man guilty of “displaying the symbols of an extremist organization” after he posted a photograph of an LGBTQ flag online, according to the court’s press service.”
Greece has voted to legalize same-sex marriage, the first Orthodox country to do so. 176 of 300 voted in favor (76 against, the others not present). https://www.yahoo.com/news/greek-parliament-vote-legalizing-same-050601055.html
It’s so weird to me that Serbia has had a gay prime minister or is it president and yet gay marriage isn’t legal. Hell civil unions aren’t legal. also another banger take from the Russian Orthodox Church. welcome Greece to the morally correct position. https://orthodoxtimes.com/moscow-pa...e-sex-marriages-is-a-tragic-event-for-greece/
Homophobia and biphobia, or any prejudice for that matter are just "obsessive enmities," and no good comes from them. Russia is getting more queer phobic by the hour, I hear. And I'm always glad to hear about good things in Greece.
Plus it’s the first orthodox country to legalize it. Which is a good thing. Now I think every major branch of Christianity has at least one country to legalize it. I know most countries are secular, but you know what I mean the majority in Greece are Orthodox. Majority in America are Protestant, majority in France are catholic. Etc.
The parliament of Thailand votes almost unanimously to legalize same-sex marriage https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/tha...es-bill-to-legalise-same-sex-marriage-5320703 Thai advocates for LGBTQ rights hailed a major step forward Wednesday as the parliament passed a same-sex marriage bill in a landslide, paving the way for the nation to become the first in Southeast Asia to recognise marriage equality. While Thailand enjoys a welcoming reputation for the international LGBTQ community, Thai activists have struggled for decades against conservative attitudes and values. The bill sailed through on 399 to 10 votes in the lower house, although it must still be approved by the Senate and endorsed by the king before becoming the law of the land.
If it had that big of a margin I doubt it will flounder in the upper chamber. Good news. I think this will make them the third country in Asia to legalize same sex marriage if passed
