We were so busy celebrating Passover and getting pumped for A-Camp that we completely overlooked Texts From Hillary Clinton! Here’s some other things we miss this week.
+ Trayvon Martin: 28 LGBT rights groups co-released an open letter in solidarity with Martin’s friends and family, calling for answers and justice.
+ Vaginal Bleaching: A new Indian product called Clean and Dry Intimate actually whitens your vulva so no one will ever have to have a naturally colored body part ever again. The currently running TV ad features a couple whose morning was almost ruined by the woman’s failure to bleach her vag. This makes me want to cross my legs forever.
+ TransPasses: The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) announced that Philadelphia’s monthly transit passes would no longer include gender stickers by 2013. The ironically named TransPasses had been causing discrimination and violence towards trans* riders since the stickers were adopted in the 1980s to reduce pass sharing. Unfortunately, removing the stickers requires public hearings, but SEPTA expects the gender stickers to be removed during 2013.
+ Beyonce: In breaking Beyonce news, the pop star has written a hand written open letter to Michelle Obama thanking the First Lady for all that she does and calling her “the ULTIMATE example of a truly strong African American woman.”
+ Hilary Rosen: In response to democratic strategist Hilary Rosen comment that Ann Romney had “never worked a day in her life,” the Catholic League attacked Rosen for also being a lesbian and… adopting? The Catholic League Tweeted, “Lesbian Dem Hilary Rosen tells Ann Romney she never worked a day in her life. Unlike Rosen, who had to adopt kids, Ann raised 5 of her own.” Even the Republic National Committee spokesman was quick to point out that the Catholic League should be encouraging adoption. The Catholic League also wants you to know that “NYT says bikini wax for men is the new rave.”
+ Russia: Sergey Kondrashov was arrested in St. Petersburg on Sunday for holding a sign that said “A dear family friend is lesbian. My wife and I love and respect her… and her family is just as equal as ours.” Kondrashov, who is straight, was picketing outside of Oktobersky Concert Hall as part of a larger movement of “single person pickets.” Kondrashov is circulating a petition letter to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin detailing his arrest. Kondrashov faces fines and up to 15 days in prison.
+ Sinking Ships: To make the 100 year anniversary of the tragic sinking of the Titanic, the right wing organization Truth in Action Ministries released a short anti-gay video claiming “the homosexual agenda is the moral iceberg that we need to steer clear of.” Awesome. You’re never going to make it through the full length video, so Right Wing Watch put together some clips so you can get the gist in a minute:
+ Science: Boston University has released a study saying supportive parents improve long-term health for LGBT individuals. The study surveyed 5,658 adults ages 18-64 in Massachusetts and found that not only did two-thirds of LGBT adults receive parental support when coming out, “incidence of mental health and substance abuse problems was significantly lower than those who did not receive support.” Additionally, the study found that “coming out… was generally associated with better health for lesbian and bisexual women, but that this was not similarly true for gay and bisexual men.” The authors suggested this may be related to the way men and women processes the stress associated with being closeted.
+ Dallas: A letter written by Rev. Willie J.Howard advocating for Keryl Douglas over openly gay candidate Lane Lewis for Harris County Democratic Party chair remains of questionable origin. Howard warned, “If the gays take over we are poised to lose everything we have worked for during President Obama’s historic win.” Douglas denies any connection with the letter or Howard, who has not identified himself nor can his church be found on Google. Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, warned that this is could be an attempt to divide Democrats by pitting African-Americans against the gay community in Houston.
+ Eastergate: Despite inviting LGBT families to participate in this year’s White House Easter Egg Roll, President Obama won’t be issuing an executive order banning workplace discrimination against LGBT workers for federal contractors. 
White House press secretary Jay Carney said the president would instead focus on passing the broader Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
+ KStew: April 9th was Kristen Stewart’s birthday and apparently tons of women are now identifying as Krisbians— women who identify as straight except for they would totally do it with KStew.
+ LA: The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center has protested the Manhattan Beach police’s plan to release the mugshots and names of 18 men arrested in an undercover sex sting at a public restroom. Manhattan Beach Police Chief Eve Irvine claimed the release was simply consistent with procedure and “never our intention to humiliate anyone, whether they are heterosexual or homosexual.” Darrel Cummings, the center’s chief of staff pointed out that “historically, charges such as those leveled against them have involved police entrapment… Publishing their photos serves no purpose other than to humiliate and destroy their lives.” The case will go to the district attorney’s office.
That homosexual iceberg video made me die a little bit inside. :(
I have so many feelings about everything I’ve read here..And yet, the one thing I feel compelled to say is “Ladies..Please, please, please..Don’t bleach your lady parts.” And now I live in fear of finding one of those “Sanitized For Your Protection” strips the next time I venture down there.
Agreed. The only things that should be bleached are tile surfaces or white pieces of clothing. Or Megan Rapinoe’s hair, that is acceptable as well.
I wish I could say that video was so stupid I just laughed but now I am sitting here mad as hell at that, and so many other things on this post. I’m trying to find some balance with the fact that if it weren’t for this post I would not know there was some random guy in Russia supporting a lesbian. Except, he was arrested. I wish I knew his address, I swear I would write him a thank you letter and put a AS sticker in it.
“Unlike Rosen, who had to adopt kids…” OMG NO. NO. That is so fucked up.
Not even just for gay women. Like, the idea that if you are physically unable to birth your child OR if you choose not to, you are defective, it’s a “last resort,” it’s less real, meaningful, whatever. AHHHHH.
Srsly.
I am effectively now batshitcrazy over that.
So true. That tweet made me rage. But as a former Catholic, it actually doesn’t surprise me at all. Catholicism as an institution is pretty fucked.
I started to realize I was fully gay when I realized just HOW much I wanted to bang KStew.
I totally hope Michelle responds by posting a video of the Obama family doing the All The Single Ladies dance.
I would pay money to see that.
REAL. MONEY.
Real money.
Enemies of the new state police system?!?!??!?! WTF?!?!?!??!?! So. much. rage. Those right wing watch cavemen need to crawl back under their rock. Normally I just laugh at the “homosexual agenda” bs, but the end of that iceberg video goes way too far. I truly don’t understand why we’re hated SO much. Seriously! The level of people’s stupidity and bigotry continues to amaze (and in this case, enrage) me. >:O
And goodness knows, I have absolutely no desire to have kids of my own but the Catholic League’s response to Hilary was asinine enough to upset me. It was completely uncalled for! Like Kelsey said, their comments made it sound like struggles and hard work of parents who chose to adopt aren’t legit simply because they didn’t give birth to their child(ren). What a bunch of bull. -_-
I’m pretty sure the video said “enemies of the new state BELIEF system.” But yeah. It’s still gross. And not one fact or image of anything real is included. Just CGI-d icebergs and old preacher men.
Phew, thanks for the correction! That makes a big difference, lol. Though I’m still upset about the idea of the military getting involved. Is it REALLY that necessary? >_<
I’m loving Beyonce’s letter. Michelle Obama is freaking awesome. She’s the speaker for my graduation next month. I am insanely psyched.
That bleaching commercial was just weird.
Texts from Hillary is OVER! Already! Oh no!
Not all Krisbians are “straight-identifying” though… cause I totally say that in reference to myself all the time…
Didn’t make it past the 40 second mark of the iceberg video, I could feel my brain turn to mush and drip out my ear.
And look! There’s something else that’s wrong with you! Isn’t it nice to have someone point that out? Maybe they’ll offer a bygof deal in combination with an asshole bleacher!
Fuck you very very much.
Sooo that iceberg video makes no sense. We have to steer clear of the moral iceberg that is homogayness, but also we have hit an iceberg already and are taking on water…what.
Also that bullshit about the ‘homosexual agenda’ taking away parent’s rights to raise their chillun the right way- lol. Is that why the kids today are so out of control and defiant? I thought it was the media/video games.
I’m pretty sure it is the dancing. At least that is what John Lithgow warned us about all those many years ago. If only we had listened.
On one hand, I do think Hilary Rosen was out of line with her comments about Ann Romney. I see where she was coming from, but minus a couple thousand points for good thinking.
On the other hand, the vitriol being lobbed against her now is even MORE out of line.
I will not bleach my vag. I will not bleach my vag. I WILL NOT BLEACH MY VAG. It’s beautiful the way it is.
Do you know, I actually liked that right wing video. This was because it likened the right wing homophobes to the Titanic. What happens to the Titanic? It sinks, every time, no matter how many times you watch the movie, and EVERYBODY DIES. I take this as an omen that the right wing homophobes, like the Titanic, are doomed :) Now we just gotta deal with global warming to stop our awesome homosexual iceberg from melting. :)
1) Every fucking time I hear the SHM vs WK debate I roll my eyes to the back of my fucking head. It’s like I know they are not talking about my mother, my aunt, immigrants etc. who did not even have a choice to stay home or work. She had to work so clearly this issue of economic privilege but let’s be serious…we are really talking about white women and white motherhood.
2) Homosexual Iceberg: I need to make that into a drink.
3)Bleaching one’s vagina, I can’t even. Rage rage rage.
4) I am so happy that I get to live in a world where Michelle Obama exists.
PS: My parents were lucky enough to work hard (being VERY educated from their homeland Nigeria) to be able to move up class-wise like it was no one’s business but my mother knows where the fuck she came from and does not begrudge working class women. She works but for volunteer reasons for a drug-rehabilitation for mothers and mothers with drug-dependent children.
As far as Truth in Action Ministries is concerned, I think the damage has already been done. Their metaphoric, morally-righteous Titanic ship sank last night at 2:20 am.
They are going to be so upset!
Dear autogirls and ladies,
I know it’s hard not to get really mad at all this stuff. You should be mad, I guess. It is maddening.
Here’s some things to bare in mind though, because it’s hard not to lose sight of these things. I’ve had some stuff to think about that’s made me think this way, and I kinda think I like it.
It’s like, the One Life theory.
Those maddening assholes who say that adoption is not as good as having their your own kids? Obviously you’re mad to hear that. I’m mad to hear that. But what those guys are saying, is that taking a little tyke who doesn’t have a family, and who might’ve spent their whole life drifting from foster home to foster home without a family if it weren’t for you, and giving him or her a family, is not as good as bringing your own into the world. BITCH PLEASE. We all know that’s wrong. That kid gets one life. You get one life. Bring them together, and BOOM. Happy family.
Those douche bags who say that being gay is a moral iceberg, and we’re all flooding morality and stuff? They’re saying that, even thought you get one life and you get put on this earth, and given the chance to feel all the horrible good and bad powerful stuff that we ge tto feel every day, that we should fight the chance to totally connect with a human being who we could love, and who we want to touch and spoon and kiss and allll the other stuff we get to feel, that we should fight it. BITCH PLEASE. We know that’s not true. Hopefully, most people will understand that before they’ve wasted their life feeling conflicted and angry.
Those maniacs who try to exploit a womans body insecurities to make money? I’ve got a freakin vagina, and it’s freakin awesome, it’s got like a bajillion sensitive points so I can have freakin AWESOME sexual tingly feelings, so I couldn’t give a shit what colour it is. Just like, if I get to make another lady feel really awesome tingly feelings, I couldn’t give a shit what colour hers is. No one cares.
Sorry for cheesy unloading…it just makes me sad how much stuff there is to be angry about. Right now, I’m little bit scared, as my life just took a scary turn, and I feel really angry about it…but I got this one life and this one body and all these galaxies of feelings inside it and it’s awesome. Life’s awesome.
I’m drunk.
This was nice to read, really really nice.
If this is you “drunk”..You must be doubly amazing sober! And yes..Life is Awesome!
This is so much more eloquent than my drunk post.
You really need to imagine this spoken by a drunk girl at the bar who has you cornered by the toilets and some interesting life / love / vagina ideas to share. It’s not so eloquent when you picture yourself nodding and backing yourself into the gents.
And see..Just the opposite would be the case, as I would be nodding, and backing that drunk girl up against a wall..The rest we can all imagine.
Noyce. That’s certainly a better way of going about sharing your vagina ideas with other drunk people!
I’ve been known to share my vagina ideas with all kinds of people
The right-wing homophobes should feel threatened by me. I’m kind of a big deal. ;)
Ok..But now I want to know you!
Okay. So summary of video. The creepy homosexuals have killed 3000 people and also they’re an iceberg oh wait they didn’t BUT THEY WILL IF YOU DON’T WATCH OUT dun dun dun.
Homosexual agenda:
1. Buy weekly food shopping
2. Finish the essay I have to hand in on Thursday
3. Go to yoga
I’m just not sure I have time for world domination and corruption of the world’s children on top of all of that…
Wait..You have a list? That is SUCH a good idea! I need to actually HAVE an agenda! Hear that “world domination”…I’m coming for you!
I only got the food shopping done in the end. I’m never going to take over the world if I can’t even get my ass to yoga on time!
One of Youtube’s recommended videos after the vagina bleach one was something called “A woman has white discharge during the day,is she allowed to pray?” I’m ashamed to admit that I watched it, but more ashamed that I still don’t understand if the video was for or against vaginal discharge.
Clearly a thought provoking video. Let’s take a survey: Ladies..Vaginal discharge..For or Against?
Beyonce didn’t spell out “you” in one of her sentences. But is it okay to correct her?
I did not expect Beyonce’s handwriting to look like that at all. I don’t know why I assumed it would look polished and pretty and perfect… like her… airbrushed photos in magazines? I dunno.
This was my extremely relevant contribution to all this.