gayinnj:

On a continent where homosexual behavior is widely considered immoral, lesbians are sometimes ostracized and subjected to beatings. In countries like South Africa and Zimbabwe, some women are raped in a so-called corrective treatment for homosexual behavior.

In one high-profile case in South Africa, a top female soccer player and lesbian activist, Eudy Simelane, 31, was murdered in 2008. Although one of her attackers testified that robbery was the motive in the stabbing death, Simelane’s death became the focus of a campaign to draw attention to violence against gays and lesbians.

Last year, Nigeria, which is making its sixth appearance in the World Cup, accused Equatorial Guinea, another Cup participant, of using at least one and perhaps two male players on its team because of their supposed masculine appearance. Soccer officials from Equatorial Guinea called the charge unfounded, saying it stemmed from an “inferiority complex” among rival African teams…

29 June 11 gayinnj Permalink

LINGLE: For those people who want to makes this into a civil rights issue, and of course those in favor of the bill, they see it as a civil rights issue. And I understand them drawing that conclusion. But people on the other side would point out, well, we don’t allow other people to marry even — it’s not a civil right for them. First cousins couldn’t marry, or a brother and a sister and that sort of thing. So there are restrictions, not to put it in the exact same category. But the bottom line is, it really can’t be a civil right if we are restricting it in other cases, and it’s been found to be legal in those other cases, that the restrictions.

More details and audio of her comments from a radio call in show here.

I really would rather Gov. Linge had stayed quite, because this is just beyond insulting.  She has trudged up some serious right-wing talking points here on par with those espoused by Gov. Huckabee and Sarah Palin.  I don’t think she ever had the intent to seriously consider civil unions in Hawaii… if she had, she would not be casually denying her own citizens’ civil rights and comparing their loving and committed relationships to incest. 

what bullshit!

Source: thinkprogress.org

12 July 1 Permalink

onlylivinglesbian:

What should I do if hear something homophobic?

If you hear someone say a homophobic slur or myth about homosexuals, you should point out to them that it offends you or others around you. Think B4 You Speak has a lot of helpful tips on how to stop homophobia around you. Remember to stay calm and assertive. The person may not realize what they have said was homophobic. Do not yell or curse at them; This will only make the problem worse.

Emphasis mine. I disagree with this, strongly. It would be nice if I always had the energy and the wherewithal to explain to some homophobe why they’re a homophobe. But the truth is I don’t. And I shouldn’t be expected to. I am so sick of this idea that oppressed people should do this hand-holding outreach bullshit to try and nicely inform people how fucked up their ideas are. This is the same message that gets repeated over and over again to people of color, Native Americans, LGBT people, and any other marginalized group you can think of, that if we, as the oppressed, simply object politely to our oppression and the the ignorance being thrown our way, the oppressors will come around. We’re supposed to see every slur, every stupid question, every ignorant remark as a teachable moment where we can convert these people to our side!

More broadly this becomes: ask nicely, boys and girls, if you want to be treated like a human being.

And it’s ridiculous. It’s so fucking ridiculous. Just because I’m gay does not mean I want to spend my life acting as some gay emissary to introduce you to our culture and teach you how not to be a homophobe. Much like Native Americans should not kindly educate people on why it’s wrong to appropriate and disrespect their culture. And women should not have to politely sit here and wait for men to give us equal pay and the rights to our own bodies. Denying a person their right to their own feelings or anger and upset at someone else’s offensive actions (in other words, telling them to be polite and informative) is another way of invalidating their struggle.

I was in college when Jim McGreevey was the governor of New Jersey and I overhead a younger student in my department make some crack about his sex scandal—to the effect of ‘this is what happens when you elect a gay guy as your governor.’ And you can bet I handed him his moronic ass all chewed up and spit back out. When I told a professor about this, whom I had always considered an ally, she looked disappointed and she said, “I think you missed out on a teachable moment.” That pissed me off even more than the original remark. It’s not my job to educate other people on how to be decent human beings. I’m a person trying to live my life the same as everyone else. And I am so tired of explaining why this shit is wrong.

If that makes me militant, well I’ll be militant. If it makes some ignorant schmuck think, “wow, those dykes are angry,” then so be it. I am angry. Because morons keep saying homophobic crap to me. Because I live in a state where the majority got to take away my briefly awarded right to marry. Because I go to work every day with a coworker who donated money to the campaign that took that right from me. Because I live in a country where I still can’t serve in the military if I want to and I can’t put my partner on my health insurance without getting slammed by the IRS. Because I can’t roll my 403b over to her if I die. Because when I turn on my TV I see episodes of Family Guy and The Cleveland show making their characters actually vomit at the idea of gay male sex or sex with a trans woman. Because I have to worry that if I’m on vacation and my partner gets in an accident, I’m not gonna be able to come to the hospital with her or make her medical decisions. Because I drove across the country with my mom and when we got to Wyoming she actually told me to make sure no one there knew about me because she knows Matthew Shepard’s story and she’s afraid for me. I’m going to keep being angry until I don’t have to worry about these things anymore. And thus I will get off my soapbox and end my rant.

hells yes!!!  I could not agree with your rant more.

Source: fuckyeahlgbt

6 July 36 onlylivinglesbianinoc Permalink