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Monthly Archives: December 2016
Michigan Neighborhood Drowns Out Complaint Over Gay Pride Flag with ‘Wall of Flags’
Michigan Neighborhood Drowns Out Complaint Over Gay Pride Flag with ‘Wall of Flags’
A neighborhood in Michigan responded to an anonymous complaint about a gay pride flag in the best way possible.
When Ann Arbor resident Susan Pearlman found an unsigned letter complaining about her gay pride flag she was shocked.
The anonymous writer claimed to be “troubled by the rainbow flag because it overlooks so many of the things our country represents. The flag is missing the white stripes that represent purity and innocence.”
The author suggested that Pearlman should add an American flag next to her pride flag.
Photo via Mashable
Shaken by the experience, Pearlman shared the letter with her neighbors who responded by unfurling rainbow-emblazoned pride banners of their own to show their solidarity and support.
Pearlman wrote about receiving the letter and her neighbors’ response in a post to the secret pro-Hillary Facebook group Pantsuit Nation:
The day after the election I received a letter in my mailbox without a return address. It proceeded to explain that a “neighbor” had walked through my neighborhood and upon seeing my rainbow flag felt “uncomfortable”. The letter went on to “explain” that my rainbow flag was disrespectful to the American flag. It was signed “your neighbor”. Needless to say I was shocked. I live in a very blue city in an even bluer neighborhood (unfortunately in a newly red state). A college town with a diverse population and my neighborhood reflects the diversity. Shaking and crying I shared the letter immediately with a few neighbors. I also sent out a response to our neighborhood email list. Please know I didn’t think for a moment it was one of the people on my street. I believed it was someone close by who now felt emboldened to shame someone flying a flag in solidarity with LGBTQ sisters and brothers. I had started flying the flag the day after the PULSE Orlando massacre. How did my wonderful, loving neighbors respond? They built a wall of flags. Love will always trump hate.
According to Mashable there are now over 20 flags flying in the neighborhood.
[h/t Mashable]
The post Michigan Neighborhood Drowns Out Complaint Over Gay Pride Flag with ‘Wall of Flags’ appeared first on Towleroad.
Michigan Neighborhood Drowns Out Complaint Over Gay Pride Flag with ‘Wall of Flags’
Guest Post: The need for HIV & AIDS advocacy within larger social justice movements
Guest Post: The need for HIV & AIDS advocacy within larger social justice movements
GLAAD
World AIDS Day marks a time to remember, a time to reunite, and a time to not forget. 35 years after the onset of the epidemic, HIV & AIDS remain prevalent issues, with more than 36 million people living with them. 11.8 million of those people are between the ages 15 and 24, with this demographic accounting for more than half of new cases. And yet, for many of these young people, HIV & AIDS have either drifted from their radar or their voices have continued to be silenced.
As a millennial, I have yet to see a world without HIV & AIDS, but still it seems like an epidemic of the past — a horrific period of the ‘80s that my parents lived through. I live within an activist generation; my peers and I are active in feminist, LGBTQ and Black Lives Matter movements — we fight, preach, and protest against police brutality and mass incarceration, advocate for voting rights and human rights, but somehow many of us overlook HIV & AIDS, though they lay at the intersection of many other inequalities.
Because HIV & AIDS are not “new” problems—and are concentrated within poor, marginalized, and historically oppressed communities of color—we don’t hear much about it in the media. Even when it is discussed, as researcher Diego Mora at the McCain Institute shows, 42% of media coverage remains centered around research on a cure for HIV, while prevention and treatment are referenced only a combined 28% of the time. The stigma and discrimination that surrounds HIV & AIDS is found only in 8% of HIV & AIDS-related reporting. When discussing at risk populations, infection rates among children dominate the media conversation, even as this demographic makes up only a small fraction of the population affected by the disease. So the issue remains: around the world, with the decrease in prevalence among most populations, and because it no longer necessarily stands as a death sentence for most who contract HIV or AIDS, many people don’t recognize HIV & AIDS as immediate or lingering issues.
Credit: Diego Mora, McCain Institute
Despite progress in prevention and treatment and declining infection rates among some demographics, HIV & AIDS are not things of the past. This seemingly endless era of misinformation, lack of awareness, and ongoing stigma creates the kind of conditions that continuously lead to new infections. Shaming and insufficient access to information, contraception, treatment and support contribute to a perfect storm–an ongoing health crisis that targets the most marginalized among us.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), transgender women who are Black bear the brunt of living with HIV & AIDS and often lack access to adequate resources to cope and thrive. They maintain infection rates higher than trans women of other races. In fact, Black Americans—transgender and cisgender— are most likely to be impacted by HIV than any other racial or ethnic group in the country. HIV & AIDS advocacy is therefore an inherent component for yielding racial justice and trans equality. And yet, communities most affected are neither represented in the media nor given adequate room to share their stories. The additional burden of HIV & AIDS on the trans community perpetuates exclusion and stereotyping, promotes violence against trans individuals, and normalizes the anti-trans exclusion and systemic discrimination. Historically disenfranchised voices must be heard. Positive representations of HIV-positive transwomen of color, like those featured in the Greater Than AIDS campaign, #TransEmpowered, are essential pieces of media that potray these women’s identities as intersectional and valued.
HIV & AIDS cannot be categorized as an insular issue, as a burden placed solely on the backs of those most impacted by HIV & AIDS. Our society cannot promote advancements in research or destigmatization when less than 50% of those infected have access to the most basic forms of antiretroviral therapy. Around the world, trans people are repeatedly incarcerated for being trans, for being HIV-positive, and for partaking in sex work, even when trans women of color are most frequently denied employment, housing, and education opportunities.
HIV & AIDS statuses and their intersection with other identities, cannot remain ignored. In fighting the prison industrial complex, we must expose the mistreatment of jailed LGBTQ individuals, many of whom are often denied their medication. In fighting for immigrant rights, we must realize that HIV-positive undocumented immigrants are unable to attain the benefits of public services (which they often contribute funds toward) and are denied, health care, access to the knowledge and treatment that any human being should be able to attain. In protesting for Black Lives Matter, we must amplify the voices of the Black gay, bisexual, and trans communities most heavily affected by the disease. Indeed, “gay and bisexual men account for more than half of estimated new HIV diagnoses among African Americans,” according to the CDC.
In advocating for full LGBTQ acceptance, we must prioritize creating space for those most marginalized members of the community, including Black and trans people living with positive statuses, and meeting their needs. We must push for colleges and public schools to properly inform students about preventing and living with HIV and AIDS. We must make sure that doctors stay properly informed about treatment and prevention (including PReP) and that such resources are made accessible to those in the greatest need. We must advocate against the criminalization and harmful stigmatization of positive individuals. Victim blaming and status shaming must end.
Photo credit: Kali Villarosa
In the face of the 2016 presidential election, tensions are high, stigma is rampant, and the U.S. remains polarized on a myriad of issues that impact disenfranchised peoples’ daily lives and basic needs. People are seeking to legitimize discrimination against people of color, the LGBTQ community, immigrants, Muslim people, and women in striking and dangerous ways. But within these identities, there is an overlap of people struggling to survive under the common denominator of oppression. It is important for both activists and people who have never thought of themselves as such to become informed about issues surrounding HIV & AIDS. It is important to understand how the continued spread of the disease intersects with other social systems. It is important to advocate for those most threatened—those whose voices are most often ignored– and to equip the media to adequately cover the people most impacted by rates of infection. In doing so, numerous forms of injustice will be weakened. As a millennial, as a social justice advocate, it is my job to team up with leaders within the HIV & AIDS movement. It is my job to amplify the voices of silenced populations.
We must prioritize fighting HIV & AIDS as part of our larger social justice agenda. As millennials, we are angry, we are empowered, we are vocal, and we have the agency to combine our efforts and be the generation to end the HIV & AIDS epidemic.
-Kali Villarosa, GLAAD Campus Ambassador, Skidmore College
GLAAD Campus Ambassadors are a volunteer network of LGBTQ and ally college and university students who will work with GLAAD and within their local communities to build an LGBTQ movement to accelerate acceptance and end hate and discrimination.
If you would like to learn more about the GLAAD Campus Ambassador Program, please contact Clare Kenny— GLAAD Youth Engagement Strategist.
December 1, 2016
Tags:
www.glaad.org/blog/guest-post-need-hiv-aids-advocacy-within-larger-social-justice-movements
Breitbart Losing Advertisers, But Google Sticks With It
Breitbart Losing Advertisers, But Google Sticks With It
Breitbart is getting advertisers delivered to it by ad networks such as Google’s DoubleClick.
www.advocate.com/business/2016/12/01/breitbart-losing-advertisers-google-sticks-it
Here’s Why Anderson Cooper Rejected Andy Cohen In Two Minutes :(
Here’s Why Anderson Cooper Rejected Andy Cohen In Two Minutes 🙁
Andy [Cohen] and I were first set up on a blind date, which never happened because we had a phone call and after two minutes I said, ‘I’m not dating this guy.’
He broke my cardinal rule. He mentioned my mom within the first four sentences of meeting me. If somebody does that, it’s a deal-breaker. And we’re never going on a date.”—Anderson Cooper, explaining on Wednesday night’s Watch What Happens Live exactly what happens when someone immediately brings up his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt.
Prince Harry and Rihanna Take HIV Test to Fight Stigma on World AIDS Day – WATCH
Prince Harry and Rihanna Take HIV Test to Fight Stigma on World AIDS Day – WATCH
Prince Harry convinced pop singer Rihanna to take an HIV test with him in front of cameras on World AIDS Day to prove to people how easy it is to get tested and to fight stigma against the disease.
The pair, who appeared on stage together on Wednesday night at Barbados’s 50th anniversary of independence celebrations, had the finger prick procedure during a visit to a HIV drop-in centre targeting Bajan men in the capital Bridgetown.
The Prince had persuaded Rihanna to take the test with him when he chatted to the singer backstage at the concert.
The pair spoke with an HIV counsellor while in Barbados and things got a bit awkward as the conversation turned to sex.
While discussing myths about sex, social worker Fabian Sargeant, said, “One of the myths is that royalty don’t have sex,” before adding, “Another myth is that royalty does not engage in oral sex.”
Those comments elicited laughter from the assembled crowd.
Kensington Palace shared video of Prince Harry and Rihanna receiving their HIV tests, which came back negative, on Twitter. The Royal Family also shared it on Facebook, writing,
December 1st is World Aids Day; during his visit to Barbados Prince Harry has seen how the country has eradicated mother to baby HIV transmission, something to be proud of. However, there is still too much stigma on HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean- it’s time to end it.
Barbados has committed to offer treatment to all people with HIV – if you get tested, you will get treatment, and you’ll live a long, happy life. If we all get tested, we can shatter the stigma on HIV for everyone.
🎥 Watch Prince Harry and @Rihanna test for HIV, to show how easy the process is #WorldsAIDSDay #RoyalVisitBarbados #ProTESTHIV pic.twitter.com/RfSvDX8vQ9
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 1, 2016
Earlier this year, Prince Harry made history when he live-streamed his receiving an HIV test.
Harry’s fight against HIV/AIDS is a continuation of the work done by his late mother, Princess Diana, to end stigma surrounding the epidemic. Harry’s recording his HIV tests reminds many of the image of Princess Diana visiting and making physical contact with AIDS patients at a time when many believed the virus could be transmitted via human touch.
The post Prince Harry and Rihanna Take HIV Test to Fight Stigma on World AIDS Day – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.
Prince Harry and Rihanna Take HIV Test to Fight Stigma on World AIDS Day – WATCH
Gewalt gegen Homosexuelle: Zahl der homophoben Straftaten ist 2016 deutlich gestiegen
Gewalt gegen Homosexuelle: Zahl der homophoben Straftaten ist 2016 deutlich gestiegen
Die Anzahl der Straftaten gegen Trans- und Homosexuelle ist in diesem Jahr gestiegenIn den ersten neun Monaten dieses Jahres wurden 205 Straftaten im …
Weiterlesen: Nachrichten, Politik, Homosexualität, Germany News
www.huffingtonpost.de/2016/12/01/zahl-der-homophoben-straftaten-gestiegen_n_13353812.html
Annie Lennox: 'AIDS Isn't Over and We Still Have A Long Way to Go' (Video)
Annie Lennox: 'AIDS Isn't Over and We Still Have A Long Way to Go' (Video)
www.advocate.com/hiv-aids/2016/12/01/annie-lennox-aids-isnt-over-and-we-still-have-long-way-go-video
Loving Husband Wants World To Know His Wife Is NOT The Crazy Lady From That Michaels Video
Loving Husband Wants World To Know His Wife Is NOT The Crazy Lady From That Michaels Video
The husband of a woman wrongly identified as the Trump-supporting racist homophobe from the Michaels and the Peet’s videos that went viral earlier this week wants everyone to know that his wife is innocent. So if you could kindly stop sending her mean tweets, it would be much appreciated.
Related: Racist, Homophobic Crafter Lady Has Been Identified And Twitter’s Having A Field Day
Brian Boyle, a young attorney from Chicago, tweeted this earlier:
— Brian (@brianhboyle) December 1, 2016
And yesterday, he tweeted this:
Being mistakenly doxxed today was bad, but someone liked the picture of Kenny G I retweeted last week so I’m glad it wasn’t all for nothing.
— Brian (@brianhboyle) November 30, 2016
Evidently, the internet has been going after him and his poor wife, Jenna Boyle, whose twitter handle is @jennamheitchue, after she was wrongly identified as Jennifer Boyle, the crazy lady from those videos.
It was an honest mistake. Aside from having almost the exact same name, they bear a slight resemblance to one another, and they both live in Chicago. Here’s a side by side image of the two:
Related: Related: Trump Voter Cries Discrimination During Tirade At Michaels Over $1 Bag
Luckily, it seems like the Boyles are keeping a pretty good sense of humor about things.
Others have also stepped in to try and help clear up the issue:
@dmmls @jennamheitchue @brianhboyle @gamedayND Jenna Heitchue is not the one who made the rant she is however the one married to Brian Boyle
— JFG (@JFGUNC23) November 29, 2016
@IrisLorraine09 @jennamheitchue you are tweeting the wrong girl, the jennifer boyle u r looking for is not married
— Truth (@proudchicagoan) November 29, 2016
@dmmls @jennamheitchue Wrong Jennifer Boyle, this poor girl needs to change her name…
— OhFerFucksSake69 (@OhFerFucksSake) November 30, 2016
@JFGUNC23 @dmmls @jennamheitchue They aren’t the same person, that is just also a thin white woman with a similar name.
— Rachel. (@thebigcomedown) November 29, 2016
For the First Time, Georgia Elects Openly Gay Man to State General Assembly
For the First Time, Georgia Elects Openly Gay Man to State General Assembly
Far from the conniptions over Donald Trump’s election success and Pat McCrory’s less-than-gracious defeat in North Carolina, Georgia has quietly elected the state’s first openly gay male legislator.
Sam Park, the son of Korean immigrants and the only Asian-American representative in Georgia’s upcoming House of Representatives, unseated a three-term incumbent Republican, winning 51 percent of the vote.
Park will represent more than 85 thousand residents in Gwinnett County, the second-most populated county in Georgia.
The final results from the Georgia Secretary of State. My sheepish smile is counteracted by that look of hope on Bee’s face…
— Sam Park (@SamforGeorgia) November 9, 2016
Running a campaign focused on healthcare, equality, and economic policy, he told NBC:
“I’m a gay, Christian, Korean man sitting in the intersection of faith, sexual orientation and ethnicity. I feel that being myself, I have the opportunity to build bridges between communities that haven’t seen eye to eye – or may have necessarily been aware of one another.”
RELATED: Georgia Education Official Fired Over Racist and Homophobic Facebook Posts – VIDEO
His social media manager Bonnie Youn said “the Democratic Party of Georgia didn’t think his area was winnable…But he did. It’s finally time,” she added, “that we have representation that matches our county. As the first Asian-American progressive to be elected in our county, he’s a trailblazer.”
This is why America is already great >> Meet @SamforGeorgia first openly gay man elected to GA Assembly t.co/EmfZW0qQmB via @nbcnews
— Nily Rozic 李羅莎 (@nily) December 1, 2016
His campaign manager Bee Nguyen (right), said Park’s victory was personal for her, as well as the rest of his supporters.
“If he didn’t win the race we wouldn’t have a single Asian American in the house of representatives in Georgia. To be a young progressive Asian-American candidate was something really different, and the symbolism resonated with me.”
While in office, Park plans to uphold the rights of immigrants, Muslims, and the LGBTQ community. However, with the Republican Party holding a strong majority in both chambers and with Republican Nathan Deal as Governor, he says he has his work cut out for him in terms of trying to push a legislative agenda.
(Images via Facebook)
The post For the First Time, Georgia Elects Openly Gay Man to State General Assembly appeared first on Towleroad.
For the First Time, Georgia Elects Openly Gay Man to State General Assembly
