for Lawrence King, 1992-2007

Teens bully deans, bash

desks like Queens christen ships,

graduation gowns break out

in a gospel song, to heal neglected

punched lips; boys grow hair to the waist,

chide geeks and greeks like Hector before

his last battle, or counselors' legal pads

wearing pink jeans at football tryouts;

girls render teachers incompetent,

sieving tomatoes through a chinois,

like cafeteria trays grind

glass to eat as dessert, after a calling

of names. The moon gets larger every year,

like astronauts taking sabbaticals

to pass out bread in Guatemalan missions,

or go back to writing letters to inmates

that say: "I've been baptized

with blood from Laramie,"

but it's too late.

----------------

About The Author:

Sergio Ortiz grew up in Chicago, studied English literature at Inter-American University in San German, Puerto Rico, and philosophy at World University.  He was an ESL teacher most of his life but also worked with the elderly blind population as a Daily Living Skills Instructor for the El Paso Lighthouse for the Blind, and the Texas Lions Camp.  He studied culinary art at The Restaurant School in Philadelphia and became a chef.  

His work has been published in Origami Condom, Poets Ink Review, POUI The Cave, Flutter, Silenced Press, Cause & Effect, The Cherry Blossom Review, Kritya, Ink Sweat & Tears, Ascent Aspirations, Cause & Effect,  and The Battered Suitcase.

I may catch a lot of flack for this, but the family of Lawrence King, the young boy who was murdered by a classmate for being gay, is suing the school district for not enforcing King to abide by the dress code. Had he been forced out of his boots and makeup, his life could have been saved the family claims.

The family of a gay teenager who was fatally shot in class blames the school district for allowing their son to wear makeup and feminine clothing to school — factors the family claims led to the death.

The parents and brother of 15-year-old Larry King of Oxnard filed a personal injury claim against the Hueneme school district seeking unspecified damages for not enforcing the dress code.

It is not the schools fault. It is not the parents' fault. And it certainly was not King's fault. The only person to blame is the young man who pulled the trigger. I hope this law suit is throw out. And fast!

Shame on you Dawn and Gregory.

So I did some digging and, after not being able to locate the review either, I decided to post it here for her. Gender identity seems to be the hot topic right now; from transgender workplace discrimination issues to Barbara Walters specials on how families cope with their trans-minded children at alarmingly young ages, to men who were once women having babies, it's tough to know for sure what notion will be left standing once the music stops. It's one thing to be born in the wrong body. But how does identity become such an issue if the individual feels right at home with his or her biological gender?

THIS ADDED 07/03 3:19PM EST: After seeing a considerable amount of traffic from and to trans sites, I thought it might be helpful to say that this review/discussion is not specifically geared toward trans issues, but gender issues, which I feel encompass a great deal of topics within the LGBT community. It's important that educators convey the correct message here, regarding gender expression.

For gay men, saying "to be masculine is wrong" and "embrace your feminine side" are not enough. The idea is to love and respect who you are, whether you are gay or straight. It's important to lose the fear of embracing diversity (no matter how different someone appears to be). The tragedy of Lawrence King is a clear illustration of how ignorance can easily lead to death. But the last thing we need is for self-respecting gay men who positively identify as masculine to experience reverse discrimination for the sake of wanting to right a wrong. If you are masculine, be masculine. If you are feminine, be feminine. If you are a mixture of both, be both. Do what feels right. Let (gay or straight) society get over it.

So in the meantime TRS, here's my review of Angelo Pezzote's Straight Acting:

There’s no question that what Angelo Pezzote says is rooted in a genuine desire to help homosexuals everywhere find love and acceptance, all the while dodging the depression and insecurity that stem from inevitable dystopian social pressures. But by the second chapter of Straight Acting, a seasoned reader might go so far as to say that certain passages seem trite, even condescending.

For instance, the metaphors: he states that “as gay men, we can use our fortitude resourcefulness and determination as a super glue that sticks us together, rather than treating each other badly, which is a bomb that blows us apart,” and asks us on the book’s back cover if we’re “fed up with the fact that men have a shorter shelf life than sushi.” He speaks of the “sly Gay Shame Monster” that creeps up, and in one ridiculous passage tries to make us feel better by citing a long term relationship between two male flamingos in England. Granted, in casual conversation one might often indulge by giving examples of how homosexual behavior exists in the animal kingdom, but examples like this don’t belong in a book that claims to be one step ahead of the “I wonder if it’s ok to be gay?” argument.

But beyond the nursery rhymes and tired anecdotes lives a somewhat major inconsistency.

On the one hand, Pezzote makes the point that "sex, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation are separate," reminding us that "having same-sex fantasies doesn't mean you're gay," I tend to agree, as do many experts in the field (enter the Kinsey Scale). yet on the other hand he suggests that men who put out sex ads for other men are gay, "even if it's just a little," simply because they might lust for other men. What makes this difficult to comprehend, especially for the lay reader approaching the subject from a fresh vantage point, is the fact that labels are being interchanged like outfits before a dinner party; trying them on for size, so to speak, is something you do before you write the book. In other words, it's not advisable for an author to interject hypothetical (and personal, perhaps) notions of sexuality when it's that author's job to present the facts. What if my fantasy is to put out a man-for-man sex ad but not actually have the sex? Does that make me gay? Or just "curious"? What if I lust for a woman I see dancing in a burlesque show? Does that make me straight? And so on...

On a positive note, Pezzote’s point that the overbearing and contrived masculinity of some gay men that comes from self-loathing or insecurity can be self-destructive and hurtful towards others is well taken. However, what Straight Acting lacks is a clear thesis; we’re left guessing who exactly the target audience is. Take the fact that not all masculine gay men act the way they do out of fear or a need to overcompensate. To hypothesize so would be to contradict the book’s major claims, indeed the cornerstones of Pezzote’s research and practice.

It seems as if most of Straight Acting, and perhaps the bulk of Pezzote’s columns, are geared toward the self-loathing homosexual; the effeminate-at-heart who destructively seeks to be masculine and the effeminate gay man who feels inferior or ugly because of his flamboyant tendencies. Yet, he preaches to a wide audience and in doing so, threatens to flip the prejudice on those gays who in fact positively identify as masculine. After all, being masculine is not any more wrong or misplaced for a gay male than is being effeminate, regardless of the current patriarchal societal trend, a viewpoint blurred as he suggests to “lower our shields of masculinity.”

On the flip side, in what is perhaps the most cohesive section of the book, Pezzote returns to his roots (or at least what appears to be his strongest suit), as an advice columnist by providing several lists designed to help us find true love, engage in safe sex, spot a player, and retain one’s love once he’s found him. In addition, he includes many real life responses to questions he’s been asked that pertain to the subject at hand.

When it all boils down, Angelo Pezzote may not read like Shakespeare, but he does have the credentials necessary to communicate with his target audience. What puts this selection in self-help limbo is the fact that it reads like one long disoriented column piece, and in doing so, loses us before we’re interested in getting to the meat of the matter.

Questions? Get in touch!

To help with the cause you can go to http://www.dayofsilence.org . if you have any questions at all you can either ask me in a comment, click on the "Get Information" link on the site or, if you wanna be even more snappy than that, you can go to http://dayofsilence.org/content/getinformation.html just so you don't have to click anything!

I'd love to see ALL of my readers make a difference in the world of gays, lesbians, straights, anyone. I'm completely pro- gay (while not truly being gay) and so proud to be that open. 

Remember; love is love, no matter the form it comes in(:

Love always,

Sam Renatolli / Jen(: 

This blog may offend some people, but what kind of person would I be if I never offended anyone - a dull one. As stated in earlier blogs, I have written past blogs on different web sites, so this one if from about a month-and-a-half ago.

Good Afternoon Representative Kern. My name is Preston Mitchum and this response is in regard to the disrespectful and discriminatory comments concerning the LGBT community.

I am offended by your rude remarks about the homosexual community and believe you should apologize immediately. As a State representative, you are supposed to be of integrity, intelligence, motivation, and perseverance. I cannot believe that you uttered hatred words about GLBT's. I am sure there are other issues that State representatives and members of Congress can worry about, besides sexual orientation. For instance, the wiretapping bill, the Iraq War, issues with Guantanamo Bay, etc. You made really harsh comments and I for one am deeply offended.

Comments such as: "Studies show that no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted more than, you know, a few decades. So it's the death knell of this country." Additionally, "I honestly think it's the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam, which I think is a big threat." 

If you believe homosexuality poses more of a threat than terrorism, you should reconsider your position. God forbid (yes I said God) that someone is gay or lesbian. I would hate if they touched you because I hear that this "disease" is contagious. Furthermore, I am bothered that you are an educator. Excuse me for assuming, but I hope you are not telling children that homosexuality is an abomination. This will force children to hate the GLBT community and whether you believe it or not, they  are not born to hate. They grow up in a society that teaches them that homosexuality is wrong and believe it so much, they murder other children who are comfortable enough to “come out.” Case in point - Lawerence King -a 15-year-old Junior High School students that was shot in the head for being openly gay.

To make it worse, you also compare being gay to "toe cancer." How can a woman with such stature, be so unkind to a group of individuals who were born into a lifestyle? Why would one person choose to be gay and ridiculed by people in high positions like you? No one questions why you are a straight woman, and therefore, you have neither the right nor authority to question another's sexual orientation.  

Our nation is supposed to be progressive and dedicated to improving the lives around us. Progressives believe that narrow self-interest should not be what defines America. Something that the Center for American Progress mentions on their website is that a progressive is NOT: naïve, short-sighted, narrow minded, selfish, arrogant, and xenophobic. I can only hope that today's youth listen to your comments and get as offended as I am and writes numerous emails. There are no facts behind your words. It is simply frustration for an opinion that will never be changed.  

Honestly, I appreciate the work you are doing as a State representative, but this in no way overweighs your criticism of the homosexual community. I am personally disappointed that we have representatives speaking for constituents, especially if they are as discourteous as your words.

I just have one question for you: If homosexuality is “spreading” like the plague, please explain to me why you are a heterosexual?  You have not been injected by the homosexual bug, so how can you say that this is negatively affecting our community. I hope you really reconsider everything you said and apologize to the gay community for your uncouth comments. Remember, they are listening.  

I resten av verden er 17. mai International Day Against Homophobia. I Norge er det en festdag for unger, is, korpsmusikk og nasjonale klisjeer. Også kjent som nasjonaldagen. Jeg har meget ambivalente følelser for nasjonen og dens dag. At vi tilfeldigvis bor i et land med oljeforekomster langs kysten, i en verdensdel som systematisk har utnytta resten av verden og har en regjering som nekter å dele annet enn smuler av vår rikdom med resten av verden, er etter mitt syn ingenting å være stolt av. Den ene gangen jeg har holdt 17.mai-appell var det internasjonal solidaritet som var temaet.

Det er selvsagt mange nordmenn som har gjort gode ting. Og mindre gode ting. Jeg klarer ikke å se det som en del av en nasjon, men som del av menneskeheten under gitte forhold. Å være nordmann er ingen stor del av min identitet, selv om jeg har innsett at jeg sikkert ville vært annerledes hvis jeg hadde vokst opp i et annet land og en annen kulturkrets, og at livet mitt kunne vært meget annerledes. Imidlertid har jeg fått en større forståelse for at andre har en sterkere nasjonal identitet.

Jeg skrev om forholdet mellom homofil stolthet og nasjonal stolthet her på bloggen for ei stund sia.

Hver 17. mai fylles avisene med debatter om hvorvidt andre enn norske flagg skal tillates i toget. Siden dagen ikke betyr særlig mye for meg, er det lett for meg å si at alle burde få gjør som de vil. I år var debatten som vanlig prega av iherdige motstandere (kommer de til Norge, så må de bli norske), konservative (samiske flagg er ok, siden samene har vært her så lenge) og liberaler som meg selv (folk bør få bære hvilke flagg de vil). Det er enighet om at 17. mai skal være så apolitisk som mulig. Alternativet kunne lett bli at ytterliggående nasjonalister tok over dagen, og det ville være synd. Samtidig er jeg rett og slett for politisk anlagt til å føle meg vel med en sånn "late som vi er enige en gang i året"-holdning.

Og så er altså dagen utropt til internasjonal dag mot homofobi. Hva er homofobi? Egentlig er uttrykket ganske misvisende. Det er jo ingen fobi i klinisk psykologisk forstand, i alle fall hører det til sjeldenhetene. De homofobe sitter ikke innesperra i sine egne hjem, isolert fra venner og familie fordi de er redde for å møte homofile mennesker.

Da jeg hadde fobi mot veps var det en del sommerdager jeg ble sittende inne av frykt for veps. Jeg var ikke redd for å bli stukket, men vepsens summing utløste enorme mengder adrenalin og fluktimpulsen ble det sterkeste. Jeg var ikke langt unna å tro at vepsene var ute etter meg, at de var onde og ble styrt av bevisste ønsker om å ødelegge livet mitt. Jeg innså selvsagt at det ikke var rasjonelt.

Og her synes forbindelsen til de homofobe tydelig. I debatten om felles ekteskapslov er det stadig noen som hevder at ekteskap mellom mennesker av samme kjønn vil ødelegge det heterofile ekteskapet. Jeg har ennå ikke forstått hvordan det skulle skje, for argumentene er ikke særlig overbevisende, hvis de finnes. Motstanderne mot homofil kjærlighet kaller seg gjerne kristne (noe jeg vil betegne som blasfemi) og mener at homofile er djevelens utsendte. De anser altså at homofile er onde ute etter å ødelegge deres pene, heterofile ekteskap, men er ikke i stand til å legge fram rasjonelle argumenter. Ut fra dette er det nærliggende å kalle det en fobi mot homofile.

En annen gruppe homofobe, som gjerne inkluderer de nevnte fanatikerne, men er mye mer utbredt, er mennene som ser homofili som en trussel mot egen mannlighet. En gang mens jeg forsøkte å være kvinne, var det en som fortalte meg følgende: "Jeg har ingenting imot homofile, men hvis en homse la an på meg ville jeg slått ham ned." Eller skutt ham, slik det skjedde med 15 år gamle Lawrence King i år, tenker jeg. (Ironien er at selvsamme fyr var strålende fornøyd med å ha et seksuelt forhold med meg. Jeg har ikke spurt ham hva han føler om at jeg er mann...) Det var også det jeg gjorde (og fortsatt gjør) med veps; dreper dem. Kanskje er det ikke så merkelig å kalle det en fobi likevel?

Det er jo så enkelt som at man bli ansett som attraktiv av mennesker man ikke selv finner attraktive. Det skjer jo til stadighet hvis du er kvinne, men de færreste blir mannshatende voldsutøvere av den grunn. Det bør være så enkelt som å si "nei takk, ikke interessert". Å tro at homofile menn tenner på alle menn er en ekstrem overdrivelse. Å tro at homofile menn har en forkjærlighet for nettopp deg tyder på en voldsom oppvurdering av din egen tiltrekningskraft.

De politisk homofobe tilbyr en ideologisk overbygning for hverdagshomofobene, og er med på å legitimere hatkriminalitet. Man kan vanskelig påstå at andre mennesker er onde uten å samtidig godta at de blir drept; man er jo mot ondskap og mener den bør utryddes.

Mens jeg har satt min stolthet i å ikke overføre vepsefobien til min datter, gjør homofobene det stikk motsatte. Det er ikke lenge siden de politisk homofobe gikk i tog gjennom Oslos gater, medbringende sine barn. Jeg mener dette er en glassklar sak for barnevernet. Her har du mennesker som helt åpenbart er psykisk syke og potensielt til fare for sine omgivelser, og som aktivt ønsker å overføre sykdommen i sine barn. Sånt opprører meg som forelder.

Så jeg ville mye heller fått i tog mot homofobi enn for nasjonal stolthet på 17.mai. I stedet koste jeg meg med god mat og givende diskusjoner sammen med venner av meg. Det anbefales!

Tør jeg spå at debatten neste år ikke vil dreie seg om etniske minoriteters evt. ønske om å bære andre lands flagg, men om homofile kvinner og menns evt. ønske om å bære regnbueflagget?

Este 25 de Abril, T.R. Knight dio una charla a los alumnos del instituto californiano Miguel Contreras Learning Complex’s School of Social Justice (vaya nombrecito) como representante allí del Day of Silence --día en el que se protesta contra la homofobia y demás en los Estados Unidos; este año el evento estuvo dedicado a Lawrence King (ya os hablé de él aquí), el niño asesinado hace unos meses por un compañero de clase. El video lo tenéis arriba.

El actor de Anatomía de Grey dio algunas ideas relacionadas con Lawrence King antes de lanzarse a realizar alguna reflexión personal sobre sentirse "mal" y discutir sobre Simmie Williams Jr, otro adolescente gay que murió este año. Williams fue disparado por llevar puesto un vestido, meintras que King perdió su vida por pedirle una cita al tipo equivocado, su asesino.

Knight usó esto para señalar con el dedo a los intimidados heteros diciendo: "Los heteros se sienten tan amenazados por nosotros... ¡Miradme, no os voy a hacer daño!" Enfurruñado, acabó su exposición. También dijo que “si un tio quiere llevar un vestido, ¿qué pasa? No pasa nada. ¡Dejadle llevar un maldito vestido!”

Gracias a Infocop por la información.
Más Información: Day of Silence

Vigils were held all over the nation and world on Friday, April 25, 2008 in memory of Lawrence King together with the Day of Silence. A day to remember the voices that have been lost due to violence and harassment directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

"15-year-old Lawrence King was murdered at school on February 12, 2008. Friends say the reason was his sexual orientation and gender expression. Make sure Lawrence is not forgotten."
~ www.rememberinglawrence.org

Please watch Adrian's video of the experience at the NYC Vigil for Lawrence King.

Also, Click Out our friends at TheOccasionalFag Podcast to hear their episode of TOF 53 New York City Day of Silence Vigil.

Today is the National Day of Silence--a day to bring attention to the need to end bullying, mental torture and discrimination, especially GLBT kids who generally have little notable support.  This year's Day of Silence is being held in honor of Lawrence King, a kid who dared to express himself in this world that is still growing and learning, and often does not see the importance and beauty in diversity.

I find it very interesting that The Day of Silence falls on the Friday before Dia de Los Ninos which celebrates kids, learning and diversity.

Did your library or community group observe The Day of Silence? Mine didn't. For every child who has ever been taunted, hurt or disillusioned by bullying; for every adult who has the memory of discrimination; for every teen who is afraid to come out or simply express themselves--I envision a world ofacceptance and inclusion. I also know that, generally,  your Public Library is a safe and accepting place. Let this always be (more) so.

In the memory of Lawrence King, let's start where we are to make this world a more embracing place.

The National Day of Silence is the day in which students take a vow of silence to bring attention to bullying and harassment that LGBT students, teachers and other staff face in schools across the US.

It is coordinated nationally by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN).

An estimated 500,000 students from nearly 5,000 junior and high schools in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico have participated in the National Day of Silence in past years and more than 6,000 schools registered this year.

...

Speaking on the House floor, today, openly gay Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin gave this statement to Congress:

"This year's event will be held in memory of Lawrence King, a California 8th-grader who was shot and killed Feb. 12 by a classmate because of his sexual orientation and gender expression.

"Larry's death is an unnecessary reminder of what we already know: lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students continue to face pervasive harassment and victimization in schools.

"As students use their silence to demand schools are safe for all students, it is my hope that we in Congress will use our voices to ensure that it be so."

...

Also introduced in the House of Representatives today was an Amendment supporting the goals and ideals behind the National Day of Silence. (Government Amendment)

Today children all over our country will observe this cause and we adults should follow suit. After all, the young boy who killed Larry probably didn't create his prejudice on his own. It is critical that our entire nation works towards eradicating prejudice and discrimination of all kinds.

Here is the PSA that was created by the Day of Silence organizers and singer Lance Bass:

And here is a wonderful piece that Ellen Degeneres did about the Lawrence King:

For more information, visit the National Day of Silence website.

Day of Silence Video

Day of Silence

Day of Silence Organization

From Snopes...

Whether you're silent or not, I hope it's a peaceful day. 

Today is the National Day of Silence sponsored by the GLSEN.

I ain't got shit to say.  I hope you don't, either.

Hubby, who's studying the sociology of human sexuality in college, hadn't heard of this day and neither had I.  We couldn't be more proud of our boy for standing up for his beliefs.

So the Day of Silence is tomorrow, and not only am I happy to fight for a cause I believe in, but shutting up for a while will be a nice respite. This year it's in memory of Lawrence King. I'm so sick of people just being so awful, cruel, and fake just because they can.

So I'll be wearing a purple shirt and anything rainbow I can find.

People talk so much about how the Greeks were such a brilliant people, but they were so much more open when it came to sexuality. People didn't really care who you slept with as long as it wasn't adultery (and no one got pregnant). There are vases depicting various homosexual acts, both gay and lesbian. The terms "lesbianism" and "sapphism" actually came from the Greek poet Sappho, who lived on the island of Lesbos and wrote poems about her attraction to other women. Oh, and here's something they left out of the Iliad in your English class: Achilles was getting it on with Patroclus. Alexander the Great had a nice thing going with his friend Hephastion, too. The only reason you don't hear about it is 1) it's not exactly school-appropriate and 2) the Christians made it punishable by death in 390 AD. That's right, people. DEATH.

So there's a nice history lesson for ya.

I remember my school experience was based entirely on being bullied. No, it wasn't for being gay - I only vaguely started to come out to myself in my very late teens - it was just for being me. I was different to the other kids in school - I came from a wildly different background, understood the world in a different way, was of a completely different social class (which I didn't even understand). I got bullied by most people most of the time, had to negotiate a solution with one to avoid serious victimisation, and beat up another one to end his violence. It was even tried when I was a senior in that school, and when I brought it to the attention of a senior teacher he condoned it to my face. There was no way I could have brought the problem to my parents' attention - the scale was too big, so how could they solve it?

These are not the experiences young people should be generating their future worldviews on, that in order to survive you have to disconnect yourself emotionally from the world around you. There are schools which have zero-tolerance against bullying and anti-discrimination policies which are enforced, but so many people's coping mechanisms are still being maladjusted and so many lives damaged or ended by bullying.

In the Name of Faith and Love: For The Bible Tells Me So

An NPR Audio Discussion of For The Bible Tells Me So:

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"The Bible is the word of God through the word of human beings, speaking in the idiom of their time, and the richness of the Bible comes from the fact that we don't take it as literally so that it was dictated by God," Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

Can the love between two people ever truly be an abomination? Is the schism that separates gay and lesbian persons from Christianity destined to be always too wide to cross? How can the Bible be used to justify hatred? These are the questions that are at the heart of For The Bible Tells Me So, an exploration of the religious right's use of the Bible to justify shutting gay and lesbian people out of the faiths into which they've been born and in which they've grown up. One of the central figures in For The Bible Tells Me So is Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, the first-ever openly gay man to be elected a Bishop of the Episcopalian Church. Robinson's consecration in 2003 (at which he had to wear a bullet-proof vest due to death threats against him) was a historical occasion, but also one that caused a rift within the Episcopal church. On a more personal level, the consecration was the quintessential moment of the path on which Robinson had first embarked some 20 years earlier when, with the support of his then-wife, Isabella, he came out of the closet after years of attempting to live as a straight man and seeking counseling to rid himself of his "gay feelings."

The film explores, with various historians and religious figures, including Robinson and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the use of the Bible in the religous right's attempts to portray gay and lesbian people as being abominations against God and nature. The film seeks to both put a face on the issue of religion and gay life, and to give people dealing with family and friends who rely upon the same old Bible verses about gays a Biblical perspective of their own from which to respond. But at its heart this is a film not about historical Biblical theory, but about the real lives of families with gay and lesbian sons and daughters, and how they have reconciled their faith with their love for their children.

It also narrates the story of Chrissy Gephardt, who finally came out as a lesbian to her family just as her father, former House minority leader Richard Gephardt, was about to embark on his campaign for the Presidency. Chrissy talks about enduring a sexless marriage to a man before falling in love with a lesbian friend, admitting the truth about herself, coming out and eventually joining her father on the campaign trail, with his support and encouragement.

The film also introduces the Poteats, an African-American family in which both parents are preachers still struggling to accept that their daughter, Tonia, is a lesbian. David Poteat, Tonia's father, says in the film that when his children (a son and a daughter) were growing up, "I said God, please don't let my son grow up to be a faggot and my daughter a slut." He chuckles ironically and adds, "And he did not. He did not do that. He reversed it." The Poteat family story resonates with the unmistakable sounds of truth, love, and pain. These are parents who have struggled to accept their daughter as a lesbian, but still love her immensely and have never cut off their relationship with her. But the Poteats aren't all the way there yet. Tonia speaks longingly of a day when her parents would willingly and gladly come to her wedding with her partner. But at least they are working on it, and they haven't rejected their daughter.

The film avoids demonizing the religious right, instead simply holding up the families who are at the heart of the story and saying: Here they are. These are the gay people you so fear, and they are your sons and daughters, your brothers and sisters, the neighbors you've known for years. It speaks to the central point of the religious right's objection to homosexuality without attacking those who hold those beliefs.

For The Bible Tells Me So made its world premiere in competition at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. The film was also honored with Audience Awards at the 2007 Seattle and Provincetown International Film Festivals and The Kathleen Bryan Edwards Award for Human Rights at the 2007 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. This provocative, entertaining film concisely reconciles homosexuality and a literal interpretation of Biblical scripture. It offers healing, clarity and understanding to anyone who desperately feels caught in the crosshairs of scripture and sexual identity.

[wpvideo 4wb6NtmZ w=435]

For The Bible Tells Me So

There were many responses to the classroom killing of Larry King in Oxnard, California, and the ongoing violence against gay people that it so tragically represented, which included the now well-known statement that was made by Ellen DeGeneres on her television program. Be A Voice Against Violence is a Public Service Announcement video calling for all of us to take a stand against violence. The video includes appearances by Ashanti, Andre 3000, TR Knight, and Janet Jackson and was also created in response to the Larry King murder:

[wpvideo aGNPNmDt w=435]

Be A Voice Against Violence

Remember The National Day of Silence on April 25, 2008. This year, The National Day of Silence is dedicated to the memory of Lawrence King:

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The Day of Silence: Dedicated to the Memory of Lawrence King

Technorati: For The Bible Tells Me So, religious faith, love, The Bible, The Bible and Gays, God, art, celebrities, Bishop Gene Robinson, Richard Gephardt, Lance Bass, Larry King, Larry King murder, The National Day of Silence, Larry King killed, Be A Voice Against Violence, Lawrence King, photographs, movie, film, films, documentary, video, documentary video, culture, cultural issues, cultural, gay, gay issues, gay life, gay pride, lesbians, GLBT, hate, hatred, hate crimes, politics, political, social, social issues, social life, society, news, world news, world, violence, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chrissie Gephardt, education, multimedia, entertainment, religion, religious issues, African-American

Please Remember Me and Bookmark This:

The recent Washington Post article is one of the most powerful pieces of journalism I've ever read. It nearly brought me to tears in my office this week. What's more is that mainstream media is facing a potential firestorm over its negligence in breaking this story. Indeed, the first ten pages of a simple "Lawrence King" Google Images search yields only one picture of King (used by gaywired.com) and perhaps a few scattered stories on the subject, including Current.com's account of the event. From the Washington Post article:

"Says Joshua Porter Zeller, a 17-year-old junior at Trinity Catholic High School in St. Louis: 'If it wasn't for the Internet, I wouldn't have known about what happened to Larry. I have a religion class. In freshman year, the class was about church history. This year the first semester was on the New Testament, and right now the second semester is on morality. I asked my teacher if we're going to talk about Larry's shooting. He said no.'"

The National Day of Silence on April 25 will be observed by hundreds of thousands of school children across the country to protest the murder of Lawrence King. Meanwhile, Christian groups are protesting the National Day of Silence. What exactly is the Christian agenda? Why are Christians so concerned with "right" and "wrong" -- to the point of telling others how to live their lives -- to the point of perpetrating violence? What exactly is at stake? I was born and raised a Christian and I still don't have a clue.

Why do so many Christians harbor such hatred, such fear? Would Christ sanction what Christianity has become? Is this latest war for "family values" just a guise for the next Inquisition?

Lawrence was teased at school because he wore lipstick and eye liner and high heel boots. Not something I would do, I must admit. It's not in my nature. But does it threaten me that some men exhibit feminine traits? No. Am I controlled by society's definition of what a "man" should be? Hardly.

Am I stricken with sadness when I hear that an 8th grader's been shot in the back of the head by his classmate because he is "different"? Yes. Am I angered to the point of violence when I dwell on this? Yes. Do I know how to vent this anger? No. Am I wise enough to know that violence isn't the answer? Yes. So, in the end, will I be more like Martin Luther King Jr. or more like Malcolm X? Not sure.

My friend Joe Solmonese, President of the Human Rights Campaign, said this:

"This incident is another heartbreaking reminder of how often young people must endure intimidation or violence in school because of their sexual orientation or the way they express their gender identity."

Judy Shepard, Executive Director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, said this:

"...This terrible incident underscores the fact that we cannot let hate go unchecked in our schools and communities. Our young people need our direction and guidance to prevent this type of crime from happening. I urge all parents and teachers to educate their children and students about acceptance, understanding and compassion."

As responsible, civic-minded neighbors, teachers, parents, friends, we must ask ourselves who is responsible for this madness. Think long and hard. Because we have a lot of work to do.

Click the picture to read the announcement from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN): California Middle School Student Murdered in School Because of Sexual Orientation.

• Add your vigil here: http://www.rememberinglawrence.org/
• MYSPACE: www.myspace.com/rememberinglawrence
• FACEBOOK: Remembering Lawrence King