House indefinitely postpones action on Hawaii civil-unions bill

The state House voted today to indefinitely postpone action on a civil-unions bill this session.The voice vote defers any action on the bill unless two-thirds of lawmakers vote to bring the bill back for consideration.

Several gay activists in the House gallery chanted “roll call!” But the House quickly moved on to other items on the agenda. Some activists screamed “shame!” as they filed out of the gallery, and the House broke for recess.

The state Senate last Friday passed a civil-unions bill that would give same-sex and heterosexual couples the same rights, benefits and responsibilities as marriage under state law.

The state House had voted 33-17 last session for a civil-unions bill that only applied to same-sex couples.

Support for the bill in the House slipped out of concern with taking another vote during an election year.

Now,if we can only vote for the righteous men & women in the state this coming election..perhaps hawaii will make a turn for the better??Praise the Lord for victory in the island among the civil union!

[Via http://akamine2525.wordpress.com]

Adam Lambert: Update

So Adam Lambert on Oprah, eh?!

I love it!  GAYLE!

Adam Lambert, you deserve to be up on the charts.  Smile. Heart.  Yes, you do.  I not going to lie, not the biggest, most fanatic, American Idol fan.  But, my friends kept telling me about this Adam Lambert guy.  Well, if there is anyone that has been a part of that show and deserves a great career, it’s him.  Personally, it’s not his personality, which seems to grab a lot of people.  I could care less what he does or does not do in his personal life.  His vocal range is rather impeccable.  So, with the advent of his Oprah appearance and me running downstairs to catch his video on VH1, when I heard my roomies watching it in the AM…

Adam Lambert “Whataya Want From Me” (the music video)

ps-took the other post down…this one does a little more justice for me.

[Via http://equalitymusicblog.wordpress.com]

Desert Hearts : A Visit With An Old Favorite

Way before the L Word, before The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls In Love, even before Go Fish, there was Desert Hearts. First released in 1986 it has proven to be the most successful lesbian film release EVER. It also has the distinction of being the first lesbian film to ever feature a lesbian relationship without the pitfalls of death, suicides or 180’s into straightsville.

Desert Hearts stars Helen Shaver as Vivian, a soon-to-be divorcee, who travels to a ranch in Reno all the way from New York in order to get quickee divorce decree (all it takes is a six week residency). Once there she meets the step-daughter of the ranch owner, a charming and un-apologetic lesbian named Cay, played by Patricia Charbonneau, whose free spirit entices Vivian to melt some of her icy reserve and to ultimately follow her heart.

I  must have watched Desert Hearts at least a hundred times since I first found it in my hometown’s local video store. I was 13 and overwhelmed to find this mainstream movie that amazingly enough portrayed a touching and honest lesbian love story. Through the years and countless viewings , it’s easy to point out all the reasons why this is such a beloved film. The chemistry between the two characters is palpable and even more so through the love scenes which are credited as being the most erotic in all of lesbian film history. The script was well-written, though sometimes criticized for it’s simple directness, it was also praised for it’s nuanced exploration of not just the lesbian relationship but also of the relationships between friends and between mothers and daughters .  The setting was beautifully displayed, depicting late 1950’s Reno, Nevado. The soundtrack works well against the backdrop and is full of the  melancholy melody and twang of country western favorites from Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash and others. All in all, a really good film, period.

Donna Deitch, the producer and director of Desert Hearts has since released a Vintage 2 Disk Special Edition through Wolfe Videos that is filled with never before seen footage and interviews. She has also announced that she is working on a sequel that will introduce new characters and move the backdrop to New York. That was reported as late as 2008 but an internet search hasn’t yielded any updates on it.

Highly recommended if never seen, for anybody (not just lesbians) who enjoys a good love story.

Desert Hearts Trailer

[Via http://queerfresno.com]

Spread thin

So I have a full-time job, a husband, two kids, a boyfriend, and now…..a girlfriend.

We have been on two dates so far and date number three is friday night. We have been taking it slowly which has been perfect. I believe her to be completely enamoured with me. She has described me like dark chocolate that she wants to savour.

I have the full support of my husband and boyfried to persue this. They have all met her and we all get along amazingly well. The thing is, one of the reasons we get along so well is that she also has a husband and boyfriend. It is with such ease that we can talk about our lives since there is no need to explain things.

[Via http://ruminationsofanevolvingsoul.wordpress.com]

How San Diego mayor shifted on gay marriage

from SFGate.com:

SAN FRANCISCO — San Diego’s Republican mayor testified emotionally Tuesday about his transformation from a foe to a friend of same-sex marriage and spotlighted a central issue in the Proposition 8 case – whether the law can be based on prejudice against lesbians and gays if many supporters harbor no anti-gay bias.

With his daughter and her newlywed wife in the gallery, Jerry Sanders’ voice quavered as he described his turnabout in 2007 that led him to sign a City Council resolution supporting San Francisco’s lawsuit that sought marital rights for gays and lesbians. As a declared supporter of civil unions and an opponent of same-sex marriage, he had planned to veto the measure.

“I think the decisions I made were grounded in prejudice,” Sanders testified in federal court in San Francisco at the start of the second week of trial on the constitutionality of Prop. 8, the November 2008 ballot measure that limited marriage to opposite-sex couples. “I was discriminating even against my own daughter.”

Sanders said he witnessed similar discrimination in the 1970s, early in his 26-year career as a police officer, when he saw a gay sergeant driven off the force.

He said he felt “overwhelming love” as well as parental fears for his daughter Lisa, now 26, when she told him in 2003 that she was lesbian.

What tipped the scales in 2007, he said, was a meeting with gays and lesbians the day before his intended veto of the marriage resolution. They reminded him that they, too, had families with children, and “I was shocked at the depth of (their) hurt,” he said.

In cross-examination, Brian Raum of the Alliance Defense Fund, a lawyer for Prop. 8’s sponsors, grilled Sanders about his assertion that he bore no ill will toward gays and lesbians during the years he opposed their right to marry.

Isn’t it true, Raum asked, that many people “voted for Proposition 8 because they believed civil unions were a fair and reasonable alternative to marriage,” the view Sanders formerly espoused? Weren’t there “sincere religious beliefs on both sides?” Does a voter, Raum asked, have to be a bigot to favor the traditional concept of marriage?

Sanders replied that some of Prop. 8’s supporters fit Raum’s description, but the cause they backed was ultimately based on prejudice.

“I don’t think that makes them a bigot,” he said, “but I believe they were saying an entire class of people doesn’t deserve the same treatment in their relationships.”

The plaintiffs, two same-sex couples and the city of San Francisco, claim Prop. 8 discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation and gender. They hope to persuade Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker that the initiative, promoted as a restoration of the historic definition of marriage, was actually an appeal to anti-gay prejudice and thus unconstitutional.

[Via http://nealbinnyc.wordpress.com]

The Freedom to be Yourself or freedom to be naked

I found this entry in Wikipedia the other day and I am still confused. The article was about Vincent Bethell who founded The Freedom to be Yourself campaign (TFTBY) in 1999 to fight against the irrational prejudice towards the unclothed human body. He was also imprisoned for “Public Nuisance” and stood trial naked in a UK court in 2001.

I support most of the “to be yourself” rights but I am not sure if I would be thrilled to meet a naked guy on the street in the middle of the night.  Of course, prejudice against people should never be taken slightly but there are a few things that we as Society have accepted as a norm.  I know, this is a slippery slope and it can open doors to many discussions on many different topics.

Prejudice against human body – um…I don’t know what to think of that as if somebody likes to be naked and other people around them don’t have objections, then it is okay, but I personally would not feel comfortable with a naked person in front of me either that happens on the street or in the office.  No offence, but the moment I see a naked guy walking towards me (not on the beach), I feel threatened and definitely really uncomfortable.  And..To be honest, it has nothing to do with prejudice towards unclothed human body…it has everything to do with intentions this person might have.  Would that be any different if a woman would do her errands naked and happen to pass me? I would definitely feel less threatened but still quiet uncomfortable.

So..here we are…I am confused about my own stand on this issue

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Freedom_to_be_Yourself

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1314226/Buff-justice-as-naked-artist-is-cleared-by-jury.html

[Via http://mywaytotruth.wordpress.com]

Sacred Space - Tuesday 7.30pm - Holy Communion

Dear Friends,

Our fortnightly Sacred Space service takes place on Tuesday at 7.30pm in church.

There is a common theme to each of the four types of Sacred Space Service: time for quiet reflection, gentle music, prayers led gently, a time to pause, meditate and enjoy God’s presence, all providing a form of worship different to what we offer on Sunday afternoons.

We change the format of the service sometimes resting in the presence of Jesus, sometimes sacramental anointing, sometimes a reflection and, like this week, a celebration of Holy Communion.  We meet the Lord Jesus in this simple celebration of Holy Communion which is quieter and more gentle than our Sunday celebrations.

We have a short time for refreshments afterwards too.  I hope to see you on Tuesday as we enjoy His Presence together.

With much love,

Andy

Andy Braunston

Pastor

Metropolitan Community Church of Manchester

www.mccmanchester.co.uk

[Via http://mccmanchester.wordpress.com]