And BTW someone came out as trans…
Nice coverage from a trade paper about yachting industry conference, where a well-known figure in the field came out as a trans woman (it’s not clear, but seemingly it was in the context of her being on a panel that was discussing other things).
Even nicer was the supportive nature of the person who introduced her. And nicest of all was that the announcement was buried in the tail end of the story—in other words the reporter thought it was only incidentally interesting.
Soap fans protest bias against gay affection
“As the World Turns” tried to be daring by adding a gay couple, but got cold feet about actually showing them kissed. Which has upset fans.
It all started last Christmas, when Luke and Noah, the young gay couple on “As The World Turns,” were about to kiss. Though fans had seen them kiss before, this time the camera panned up to the mistletoe.Over the next few months, while heterosexual couples were kissing, Nuke (as fans call the couple) was restricted to holding hands, playing with one another’s neck scarves and sharing meaningful looks.
Ensuing complaints of discrimination to CBS and the show’s producer and sponsor, Procter & Gamble, had no effect. And the last straw apparently arrived on Valentine’s Day, when every other couple but Nuke shared a kiss. They hugged instead.
Online fans began a nationwide media blitz on Feb. 20 to bring attention to the show, which has been twice nominated for an award from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).
Austin Peck (Brad) and Terri Colombino (Katie)—whose steamy, straight sex scenes are by far the most racy on the show—don’t mince words when asked about the Nuke cool-down. “ATWT got scared off because there were two men,” Peck tells Out. Colombino says there’s one simple reason her character’s sex life won’t suffer the same fate: “I have a vagina.”
CA Supreme Court takes up same-sex marriage
Coverage of the oral arguments, with this quote of the day (from one of the attorneys):
Justices also asked whether the concept of equality evolves, and, if so, why this is the time to allow same sex marriage. The concept of equality does evolve, Stewart said, “but just because society doesn’t see something as unequal until a given time, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t always unequal or unjust. It just means we were blind to it.”
Too much death, too much death…
Happened last month, but folks outside Charleston, SC just found out about it.
“[Adolphus] Simmons, 18, who dressed as a woman and was doing freelance work as a hairstylist, was shot multiple times about 8 p.m. Monday when he took out his trash, witnesses said.” Three teens have been charged. Police have said there is no indication that it was a hate crime—but also have not given any indication of what the motive was.
Profile of the victim. On the positive side, Simmons’ friends and neighbors accepted him (his mother used male pronouns) and “looked past the clothes and hair he wore and saw only a loving human being.”
Between Lawrence King in California and Simmie “Chris/Beyonce” Williams in Florida, Ashley Sweeney in Detroit and Talib “Nesha” Stewart in New York all being killed, and a 10-year-old kid with gender issues committing suicide, it’s been a tough month for trans/gender varient folks.
Too much death, too much death…
At least two of the cases involved hate crimes—both King and Williams faced anti-gay slurs from the alleged killers—and Stewart’s killer invoked the reprehensible “gay panic” defense (echoed by the ever-so-sensitive Daily News’ headline: “Fooled john stabbed Bronx tranny”) but yet the foes of trans-inclusive rights protections within the gay and lesbians communities argue that gender variance has no connection—none, nada, no way—to sexual orientation and therefore can be dropped in order to gain protections for sexual orientation. Funny how those who hate us don’t bother to draw those distinctions. Yes, I’m bitter…
OMG… what a difference a week makes. Before I picked up the CPAP machine for my sleep apnea a week ago, the doc said using it could be life-changing and she wasn’t kidding. (I’m fortunate that I was able to adjust to wearing the mask easily, so I’ve been able to wear it all night.) For the first time in year, I’m not feeling zombied all day. In the past I had chalked it up to severe allergies, getting older, having recurrent colds, etc. But now it’s like… OMG, this is what it must feel like to be “normal.”
In addition to the latest round of primaries, California’s Supreme Court hears argument over same-sex marriage today. It’s a bit hard to predict which way they’re likely to rule.
BTW, the foes of same-sex marriage are raising the procreation argument—so I guess by the logic hetero couples who can’t have kids shouldn’t be allowed to marry either…
Personally, I’d like to see the state merely grant civil unions for everyone and leave marriage to the churches.
