Raid in Fort Worth Bar on the Anniversary of Stonewall

The following is a story from Feministing.com writer Courtney. It makes me shudder.

On the 40th anniversary of Stonewall, June 28, Fort Worth police raided The Rainbow Lounge and made numerous arrests. Here’s an excerpt of an eye witness account:

My name is Kayla Lane. I am a Ph.D. student at UC-Santa Cruz, staying with my sister, Kelly Lane, for the summer. We and a few of our friends went to the new Rainbow Lounge last night to dance and have some fun. I was in the VIP section when police officers started coming up there. The first arrest (that we saw) was right in front of me in that section.

They asked the guy if he had been drinking, and he said some, and they snidely replied, “Well, we’ll see how much!” and plastic handcuffed him as they read him his rights The guy was doing NOTHIG wrong. It was utterly repugnant.

Once I saw this happen, I decided to try and speak with one of the police officers themselves, to go straight to the source and get their side. My sister Kelly and I simply started asking what they were doing here, stating how suspicious it seemed on this date and in this specific club, etc. This was a “State Policeman,” whose name I forgot, who tried to explain their actions by referring to “anonymous tips” and “disgruntled ex-bartenders.” We pointed out the place was open a week, so the disgruntled ex-bartender source seemed a bit unlikely! He wouldn’t really answer my questions. although he did try to grab my hand and flirt with me (which was completely uninvited).

After this, we saw the policemen go into the men’s restroom, pull out at least two guys from handcuffs from there, and pull one onto the ground before forcefully removing him. What were they doing in there? Raucously disposing of their waste?! There was no reason for ANY of those arrests, at all. These people were NOT drunk, or even overly happy or silly.

I am incensed and horrified by the way everyone at this location was treated. I hope this will get as much publicity as it deserves, and that a myriad of challenges and complaints will be made to the FWPD and other media sources.

Read more about the incident, and the follow-up protests here.

posted by thegshmee
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NYC PRIDE!

Hey queeros! Happy Pride! Whoooooooohooooo!

Here are a few events going on around the city this weekend - If you have any to add to the list, please comment below! Have fun, be safe, be proud, and Be Yr Own Queero!!

Wednesday, June 24th

Spirit of Pride: A Service of Thanksgiving & Celebration with the Gay Men’s Chorus, various religious leaders and advocates of equality

Cathedral of St John the Divine

7:30pm ** FREE

An interfaith event in support of full rights and equality for all LGBT citizens

Soulgasm with The Wizard DJ Brian Coxx

@ Sin Sin || 85 2nd Avenue (cnr. of 5th St.)

10pm-4am ** FREE before 11pm, $5 after

myspace.com/soulgasmnyc

Comic Pride Fundraiser feat. Dykes on Mics, Jeff Lawrence, Jessica Kirson + many others

@ Laugh Lounge || 151 Essex Street (btw Stanton and Rivington)

9pm-11pm ** $20 in advance/$25 @ door

http://www.comicpride.org

Thursday, June 25th

Queer Eye for the Sex Toy

@ Babeland L.E.S. || 94 Rivington St.

7pm, mini-workshops at 8pm/9pm and goodies ;) ** FREE

40th Anniversary Reunion Gay Liberation Front (GLF)

LGBT Community Center || 208 West 13th St

6pm ** FREE

Featuring a panel of speakers from folks active in GLF

Switch N’ Play, feat. queer theater and dance, drag of all kinds

Coney Island ||cnr. Surf Ave & W 12th St

9pm ** $10

Burlesque at the Beach at Sideshows at the Seashore 

Friday, June 26th

TRANS DAY OF ACTION! Rally & March

Gather @ Union Sq W btw 14th and 15th St » Marching to Sheridan Square/Christopher Park (Across the Street from the Stonewall Inn)

3:00pm RALLY / 4:00pm MARCH ** FREE

http://www.gaycenter.org/events/tdoa2009

Dyke Rock Benefit Show feat. Carnal Knowledge Reuinion, Zombie Dogs, The Diamond Sea, Ina Ina!, Brilliant Colors

Silent Barn \ 915 Mycoff Ave, Williamsburg

8:00pm, $5-10

all-girl political hardcore bands!

Trans My Jam (of That’s My Jam) feat. DJs Darelle, Nasty, and Tikka Masala

Sputnik Bar || 262 Taaffe Place

9:00pm-4:00am ** $5 cover

TMJ on facebook

Saturday, June 27th

DYKE MARCH! (women marchers only)

Bryant Park || W 42nd St and 6th Ave.

5:00pm SHARP ** FREE

http://dykemarchnyc.org/Home.html

Post-Dyke March Spectacular with DJ Chrissy P and drink specials

Ginger’s Bar || 363 5th Ave (Park Slope)

8:00pm || $10 (strongly suggested - benefits go to Dyke March ‘10)

Dyke March Race to Brooklyn with 4 DJs, drink specials, pole/lap and GoGo dancers

Kalli Lounge || 160 N 4th (Williamsburg)

9:00pm (2for1 drinks till 11) ** $15/10 with RSVP

choiceinbrooklyn@gmail.com

Rapture on the River (for chicks) with DJ Susan Levine

Pier 54 || 13th St @ the West Side Highway

6:00pm-11:00pm ** $25 advance/$35 at the door

http://www.hopinc.org/rapture.html

Sunday, June 28

Annual Gay Pride March!

5th Ave and 52nd St, ending @ Christopher and Greenwich St

12noon step-off, 2:00pm moment of silence ** FREE

http://www.hopinc.org/march.html

PRIDE STREETFEST, feat. vendors & performers

Hudson St. btw Abingdon Sq. & West 14th St.

11:00am-7:00pm ** FREE

http://www.hopinc.org/pridefest.html

Bluestockings Queer Pride Showcase

Bluestockings Bookstore || 172 Allen St.

7:00pm ** $5-10 suggested donation

Feat authors and spoken word artists: Kelli Dunham, Kestryl Cael, Felecia Luna Lemus, Taueret Manu, Sassafras Lowrey and Kay Barrett

Pride Stop-Light Flirt Party

Babeland SoHo || 43 Mercer St.

8:00pm ** FREE (w/some snacks and drinks)

You guessed it… wear green if you’re looking, yellow if you’re available, red if you’re taken. Cute.

Snapshots Proud As Fuck! Party

The Delancey || btwn Clinton & Attorney (@ Williamsburg Bridge)

6:00pm-4:00am (2for1 drinks 6-9) ** $15 / $10 with flyer

http://www.snapshotnyc.com/home.php

Aural Flow Productions: Pride Wknd/Stonewalls’ 40th Anniversary with DJ Susan Morabito

Love || 179 MacDougal @ 8th St

10:30 Doors

http://www.musicislove.net/june28_2009.html

www.susanmorabito.com

Monday, June 29

Bluestocks Presents: Jessica Max Stein “Queer Muppet Pride”

Bluestockings Bookstore || 172 Allen St.

7:00pm ** FREE

To celebrate the release of “Please Watch Out for Each Other: A Tribute to Gay Muppeteer Richard Hunt”

Tuesday, June 30

Women’s / Trans’ Poetry Jam & Open Mike

Bluestockings Bookstore || 172 Allen St.

7:00pm ** $5 suggested

The jam is hosted by Vittoria Repetto, the hardest working guinea butch dyke poet on the Lower East Side. Deliver (up to) 8 minutes of your poetry, prose, songs and spoken word.

Snapshot’s Pride Hangover Party

The Delancey || btwn Clinton & Attorney (@ Williamsburg Bridge)

9:00pm || FREE before 10, after that $5

http://www.snapshotnyc.com/home.php

Fannypack’s Pride Hangover Party with DJ Boxcuttah, DJ Carpetbagger, DJ VJJ

Local 269 || 269 Houston St.

9:00pm || $3, with drink specials

fannypack on facebook

posted by thegshmee
Comments (View) -|- Tags: NYC, Pride, Queer Events,

Barack Obummer: A slow start to ensuring equality.

When Obama took office, he was sitting down to quite a steaming heap. We put our faith in his signs of hope, jumping (sometimes wearily) on the bandwagon that seemed too good to be true. I’ve been following his first months with my hands clasped fearfully over my eyes. I can’t even imagine how I would untangle the delicate web that cradles our disintegrating world, much less how he should attempt the task. One thread that I have been keeping my eye on is the plight of LGBT folk. (go figure) I’m sad to say that I’ve had a bad taste in my mouth since O’s Inauguration early this year. Choosing Rick Warren, uber-antigay evangelist who has compared homosexuality to incest and pedophilia, to deliver the opening prayer at the Inauguration ceremony was a blow to the LGBT community after months of queer shmoozing on the campaign trail. Obama referred to his decision as setting the ‘agree to disagree’ tone that would continue throughout his administration. As a gesture of kindness, he asked openly gay bishop Gene Robinson to lead a prayer at the Beyonce concert. If you recall, that didn’t go very well either. This hardly determines the success of Obama’s commitment to LGBT, but if I’m going to complain, I might as well touch all of the bases.

At Easter-time, the administration welcomed over 100 gay families to the White House lawn to participate in the annual Easter Egg hunt. Taking a step in the right direction, Obama wanted to recognize that gay folks are indeed “an important part of the American family fabric.” The administration received more applause as Obama appointed over 30 proud homos into senior office positions, including John Barry as the director of the Office of Personnel Management. Barry spoke at Capital Pride last week, standing by the initial steps of the Obama administration and discussing progressive policies against Hate Crimes to come in the near future. He also mentioned Obama’s memorandum that was signed a few days later. It grants additional benefits to the gay partners of federal employees, namely the abilities to use sick leave to take care of ill partners and to include partners in long-term care insurance plans. Intended to be an accomplishment for the LGBT community in our (now official) month of Pride, Obama instead received much criticism and several LGBT organizations pulled funding from an upcoming event for the Dems. Its difficult to focus on the inch we have gained when the miles ahead are so daunting. Why not extend these meager rights to the rest of us peons? Why not repeal DOMA instead of using as an excuse for limiting spousal health benefits? Earlier this month, the government dismissed the case of Christopher Hammer and Arthur Smelt who were challenging DOMA. The lawyers from the Dept. of Justice said that DOMA was constitutional and would infringe on the benefits of taxpayers in the 30 states that prohibit same sex marriage. Blah. Jennifer Pizer, marriage project director for Lambda responded by reminding everyone that “The president made very explicit and emphatic campaign promises that he opposes DOMA and would provide leadership calling on Congress to repeal it. This brief is not consistent with that promise.”

I appreciate Obama’s ongoing openness and (seeming) embrace of the gays, but what about the things we really care about? Yes, its important to send messages of acceptance through your behavior, but do you know what also sends a clear message? Taking aggressive steps against ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ My grandfather presented the argument that it was a protective measure - some of those rough soldiers might react abusively if a fellow soldier was out and proud. I told him that the issue isn’t in coming out, the issue is in allowing hate crimes to go unpunished. The more we dance around these issues, the longer the intolerance will hold presence in our society. C’mon Obama! Get with it! Now what about the politically taboo T that follows the LGB? I’m disappointed in the lack of presence of the transgendered community in the White House. Apparently, just mentioning the word ‘transgender’ in a political document is a huge step - but I think that is lame. Were any trans families invited to the Easter Egg hunt or appointed to federal office? (That’s a real question. I checked, but found no answer.) Whats the point in grouping LGBT, when our trans siblings don’t get as much recognition? Our voices need to herald as one - equal rights and protection for ALL.

The LGBT community rallied in support of Obama, contributing time, effort, and a lot of coin to his campaign. I’ve heard people defend his shortcomings with reminders of all that he has on his plate. But, unless I’m mistaken, the President has a slew of assistants to which he can delegate any number of burdens. It’s not like we are asking Obama to redistribute the Guantanamo prisoners or make space in the ever-expanding budget to bail out another bankrupt company. What negotiating is required to establish equal rights? It must be a very simple process; doesn’t anyone in the White House know how to click ‘copy’ and ‘paste’? We have to keep hounding our state representatives, congress members and even the O man himself. Amidst the Pride shot specials and dance parties, lets keep the fire going and really honor the queeros of the past by standing up for equality now.

posted by thegshmee
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whats going on?

Sorry that we haven’t been updating daily like we used to. It doesn’t mean we’re not working on things. In fact, it means that we’ve been working even harder on things that we have totally been neglecting the site.

We just had our 2nd FUNraiser event for our Be Yr Own Hero/Queero Fest scheduled for September 5th-6th in Wilmington, NC. It was an all day bike event called BIKE HYPE, and there might be plans in the future for another one. If you want to be involved with Be Yr Own Hero/Queero Fest please fill out the submission form at: http://beyrownhero.com/hero/?p=73

Deadline is July 15th.

We have lots of things planned and will be moving into the Be Yr Own Hero/Queero Headquarters July 1st. So we’ll try to keep everything updated as they unravel and will definitely step things up once we get settled in.

In the mean time, check out some upcoming events from the NINJATRONICS LAB if you’re into music.

posted by scantron
Comments (View) -|- Tags: be yr own hero, be yr own queero, ninjatronics lab, bike hype,

Hang out with the Cowboy from the Village People on a Cruise Ship!

Yes, I am totally serious! And this is happening right here in Wilmington (well… Carolina Beach to be exact). There are some awesome events happening this summer and this is just one of them. Out Impact has put together this event and we’ve teamed up with them once again as the community sponsor. It’s a 3 hour scenic cruise along the Cape Fear River along with dinner (vegans & vegetarians need to request special meals BEFORE the event!!) and a performance by Randy Jones (more famously known as the Cowboy of the Village People).

Check out the event on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=63538189338&ref=ts

posted by scantron
Comments (View) -|- Tags: wilmington, events,

posted by mellowtones
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a Queer Collective in Durham, NC

A queer collective is forming and we want you!  We are ready for community building and direct action in Durham and across the Triangle!  We would <3 for you to join us at our first meeting on Tuesday, May 19, 2009!

We aim to strengthen the ties between existing networks in the Triangle’s LGBTQI community as well as fostering all-ages open spaces.  We aim to engage in reclaiming our community spaces, and to queer them with delight! 


A handful have gathered to discuss forming the organization, and some of y’all have met us through our ad hoc action to greet busloads of evangelicals on March 3, 2009, as they defended marriage at the State Capitol. 

Now we’re in for the long haul, and we aim to build our community through such events as:

  • Monthly Queer Movie Nights (outdoors is a must this time of year!)! *
  • Queer Alt-Pride in Conjunction with NC Pride 2009!
  • A Burlesque Troupe!
  • Queer Camp (camping, hiking, skillshares, alternative futures)!
  • Youth outreach!
  • Hot, sweet direct action!
  • Collaborating with collectives across the state!
  • And any project YOU can dream up!

We want you to bring your ideas for the organization to the table as we revive the group on Tuesday, May 19, 2009, from 7:00-9:00 p.m.!  We will meet at the public square on Corcoran Street between West Main and Parrish Streets (directly across the street from the SunTrust Building).


We will spend our time devising the name for our organization that night and then discuss and solidify our work plans for the upcoming months and weeks!

Join us - we’re here to recruit you!

<3!

We are a queer collective working to create a space for queer organizing that is not racist, classist, gender-preferential, ableist, body fascist, etc. We’ve formed in 2009 with interest in direct action, protest, radically challenging traditional gay/queer politics, and presenting a bold visual front to anti-LGBTQI movements.

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IF IT RAINS: let’s meet at Forest Hills Park on University Drive (http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&q=forest+hills+park+durham&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&cid=4142749933774368519&li=lmd&ll=35.981739,-78.911898&spn=0.009567,0.015707&z=16&iwloc=A) - given that the weather forecast says no chance of rain on Tuesday, let’s say that’s unlikely to happen!
posted by scantron
Comments (View) -|- Tags: durham, north carolina, collectives,

Go for it, Russian Queeros! (And let’s hope no one gets hurt.)
posted by babeuseless
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Watch these videos and vote for your favorite at Queer Control Records.
posted by babeuseless
Comments (View) -|- Tags: music, Queer Control Records,

Yankee Queers Making Strides!

The NY State Assembly passed a gay marriage bill yesterday in a 89-52 vote. The legislation is now in the hands of the state senate - contact NY senators! - and if passed, NY will become the 6th state to support same-sex marriage. Five Republicans were in support of the bill, including Janet Duprey, who voted against it in 2007. Duprey said she was persuaded by a lesbian couple that lives on her block, adding, “They deserve no less than to have the same rights and ability to share their love.”

Empire State Pride Agenda and opposing conservative organizations are gearing up their advertising campaigns, encouraging NY citizens to let their voices be heard. Here in the city, we have the perfect opportunity to do so!

On Sunday, May 17 from 5-7pm….

Join: Audra McDonald, Cheyenne Jackson, Cynthia Nixon, David Hyde Pierce, Kristin Davis, Senator Tom Duane, Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell, The Cast of “Hair” and many more for….

A rally in support of Governor Paterson’s Marriage Equality Bill and to let the New York State Senate hear our voices loud and clear that we want equality NOW!

                                             

The best place for people to enter is at 45, 46, and 47th Street on the West Side. The rally will take place at the corner of 45th and Avenue of the Americas.

Let us know if you’ll be able to rally by leaving a comment or emailing OneLoveBYOQ@gmail.com

posted by thegshmee
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In The Web of Gender and Matrimony

On Mother’s Day, I wore a necklace symbolizing womanhood that a friend brought back from Australia. I joked to my aunt that I thought it was appropriate, since it was Mother’s Day: A Day For Women! She responded, “What about ‘the pregnant man’?” I was schooled. (And glad for it) We spent the next couple of minutes wondering if Thomas Beatie celebrated Mother’s Day or Father’s Day - if he even celebrated his parenthood on these Hallmark holidays. I was thrilled at the possibility of a man being honored on Mother’s Day - thrilled at the fact that a man is a mother; that a man experienced a natural process of giving birth after carrying a child in his womb for nine months. I envision drops of shaving cream landing on his bare and pregnant belly as he lathered up for a morning shave.

We have discussed gender identity a few times on this site. Explored it in our own lives, turning the rules end on end. It never ceases to be fascinating, beautiful and irrelevant. NY Times online published an Op Ed piece a couple of weeks ago called “Is My Marriage Gay,” written by transgendered female Jennifer Finney Boylan. Before her legal gender status changed in 2002, she and her wife, Deirdre, married as man and wife. Though same-sex marriage has only recently been legalized in Maine (their home state), no one came to break up their union after Jennifer’s transition. She points out that if they had ever gotten a divorce, she would have been able to remarry a man in Maine, but in states like Ohio, where sex changes go unrecognized, Jennifer would be only able to marry a woman. As a woman. Same-sex marriage… right?

Jennifer also shares the story of J’noel Gardiner:

Ms. Gardiner, a postoperative transsexual woman, married her husband, Marshall Gardiner, in 1998. When he died in 1999, she was denied her half of his $2.5 million estate by the Kansas Supreme Court on the ground that her marriage was invalid. Thus in Kansas, any transgendered person who is anatomically female is now allowed to marry only another woman.

Apparently there are similar situations all around the country, and Jennifer points out that in these jurisdictions, lesbian couples, for example, can marry if “one member of the couple ha[s] a Y chromosome, which is the case with both transgendered male-to-females and people born with conditions like androgen insensitivity syndrome.” So I guess same-sex marriage is somewhat legal in places, but if a transgendered person wants to honor their love with another via “opposite marriage” (thank you Carrie Prejean), they are just out of luck (in certain states).

The fact that gender is a legal issue baffles my mind. Why the hell does Johnny Law insist upon defining the undefinable? Is our society really that narrow-minded? Jennifer suggests, and I agree, that the legal scholars should devote their energy to a more worthy cause and embrace the “elusiveness of gender” instead of trying to categorize it as the usual black or white.

Read the full article here.

posted by thegshmee
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Where are all the queer tumblrs?
come out, come out whereve you are!
posted by scantron
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"you want good music? you gotta support it"

Last month I posted the trailer to Say My Name, a documentary about women in hip hop. Invincible is one of the rappers featured in the film. She’s based out of Detroit and she is more than just a rapper, she’s an activist. Her raps have a political slant and she’s not afraid to speak out against racism and oppression.

When she’s not rapping, she’s working at The Hub, Detroit’s bicycle shop which also has a program called Back Alley Bikes which provides free bicycle education to anyone or doing community organizing with Detroit Summer, a collective which tackles problems in the community through creative and critical thinking. Invincible also emceed last year’s Allied Media Conference, one of the largest DIY media conferences in the country.

The video below is for the song “Ropes” off the album Shapeshifters. Invincible’s goal with this song is to open up the dialogue of suicide and mental illness because those two topics are things people never want to talk about. But as she says in the video, how can we fix the problems if we don’t talk about them? Check out this article in Metro Times about Invincible - her music and the community activism that she is so passionate about.

posted by scantron
Comments (View) -|- Tags: music, invincible, detroit, activism, video,

A little taste of MondoHomo

If you’re going to MondoHomo this year you should definitely check out Dave End. This acoustic DIY troubadour writes “Queer Cupcake Loving Honesty Pop” and focuses on the details that rhyme.

Listening to Dave End’s music is like giving your younger self a hug. It makes you feel like you’re okay, not despite your struggles but because of them. Tackling subject matters like bullying, homophobia, body image and heartbreak, Dave End could easily fall into the slippery traps of self-pity and earnestness, but he manages to keep his songs aloft with humor, bounce, and jamboree-style glee.

Here’s the video to his song “And By Queen.” Enjoy!

posted by babeuseless
Comments (View) -|- Tags: MondoHomo 2009, festivals, dave end, music,

“Don’t ask, don’t tell” was introduced as a compromise measure in 1993 between the military and former President Bill Clinton. Clinton had promised, during campaigns, to allow all citizens regardless of sexual orientation to serve openly in the military. This was a major departure from the then complete ban on those who are not heterosexual. Since its inception, the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy has resulted in dishonorable discharges of more than 13,000 personnel across all military services. This includes over 800 with skills deemed “mission critical,” such as pilots, combat engineers, and linguists.

Not only are we losing vital assets when homosexual and bisexual military are discharged…we are furthering ourselves into debt. According to the Government Accountability Office, the cost of discharging and replacing service members fired because of their sexual orientation has totaled over $190.5 million. This amounts to roughly $20,000 per discharged service member. And these figures are from 2005! I imagine that they don’t keep this information as up to date as they should…considering what an outdated embarrassment “Don’t ask, don’t tell” is.
,
President Obama has promised to repeal the policy, but that would require Congressional approval, and it remains unclear exactly how he’ll change the rules about gays in the military. I hope he is the “change” we wish to see. ……………………………P.S- Rachel Maddow is crazy-hot.
posted by mellowtones
Comments (View) -|- Tags: Rachel Maddow, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Military, Obama, Clinton,

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