It’s about time for some good news, amirite. Well, look no further! It’s Sunday Funday, and I’ve got enough amazing LGBT updates for all of y’all.
Samira Wiley Dresses Up for Bello
Samira totally woke up like this. (Click through to see the whole spread! Get a glass of water first.)
Philly Pride Gets Romantic
Congratulations to Elicia Gonzales and Megan Hannah, two Philly Pride goers who are now super adorably engaged.
Post by Didier García.
Meet The Trans Woman Nevada Republicans Voted For
Lauren Scott won her first election in Nevada this week and could become the first trans member of any state legislature because of it. Thanks, Nevada Republicans!
Ontario’s Newly Elected First Woman Premier Is Pretty Gay
WATCH: Laverne Cox Talks Media
Laverne Cox, Kim Stolz, and some other people recently came together to talk OITNB and CeCe McDonald.
Animals And Their Babies
The best children are all animals.
“(…) that’s not a trans issue, it’s a human issue.” G-d, this woman is so articulate it makes me just wanna be like her.
While it’s great Republicans were open minded enough to elect a trans candidate, I’m not exactly jumping up and down that a Republican was elected. Then again, I don’t completely understand why a trans person would run as a Republican?? Isn’t that a little self-deprecating? I guess it’s in the same vein as Log Cabin Republicans, a vein I’m not exactly pleased with. Meh.
I’m so confused as to why everyone is posting about Wynne being gay like this is news. This is her second time winning the provincial election, right…?
Okay, just correcting myself: this is the first time she’s won the provincial election, but she’s already been premier for over a year so it still seems odd that people are still surprised that an openly gay woman is leading the country’s most populous province.
people making a big deal about it now say that she’s the first ‘elected’ out woman premier. also related: those people do not understand how the Westminster system works.
OMG! Samira Wiley!!! I want to be her official photographer! *sigh*
Oh, and Carmen, bless you!!!
Trans — schmans. Who cares? Ms. Scott is a Republican and, even though she claims to be a moderate, anyone connected to that party at this point in time is in bed with the enemy and negatively impacting a wide range of important issues. Personally, I hope she loses… big time.
I hear you. Having lived in Nevada for a bit (and having lots of friends from Nevada) I know it has to be a little more complicated, though.
She switched parties fairly recently. There is some wild $hit going down in Nevada re: neo-conservative militia groups who are anti-establishment, anti-government insurrectionists who believe that county sheriffs should be the only Man In Charge. These people are mobilized, they vote, and their funds are no small amount (think big time, millionaire ranchers). This is Nevada outside of Las Vegas and Reno. And even Las Vegas and Reno are deeply conservative for being large(r) cities.
“I could not, in all good conscience, run for office as a Democrat.” —her website, which basically makes it clear she cares more about taxation/business than human rights.
What a great candidate for a 50% PoC (well, including white Latin@s) state omg. We definitely need another (white) person in office speaking up for the white people, who steal indigenous land for funsies and hate on immigrants. (Because that’s how Republicans vote, yo.) Definitely.
I don’t see how that’s “a little more complicated than that.”
Ay dios mio.
It’s complicated because in Carson City Nevada a trans* woman would be hard pressed to win as a democrat. Democrats probably wouldn’t want to take the chance on a trans* candidate because they already struggle to gain footing.
I don’t think it’s good (in fact I think it is really really bad) that party politics are shaped the way they are in 2014. I think it completely hinders progression, change, growth..and, you know, basic human rights.
In order to make change, this older and more traditional (politically) person likely believes in change from within the system. The system is, like you said, rasict/violent/oppressive and on and on. Their presence in politics, then, may not change those things oppressing the most folks in NV.
I still think it is newsworthy of a queer website to recognize diversity in our (like we agree..messed up and oppressive) political elections. We should be talking about this.
The first trans member of the European Parliament was Nikki Sinclaire, a trans woman who was an important member of UKIP – she was party secretary at one point, among other things, she really helped build up the party. She eventually left UKIP, allegedly because of their and their allies’ homophobic and transphobic views, but founded a different xenophobic party whose sole purpose is getting the UK out of the EU. Before UKIP she was a Conservative. She’s called Margaret Thatcher her personal hero.
Being a trans woman definitely doesn’t mean you’re immune to hating other disadvantaged groups…
I mostly agree – I hope she loses too, but the fact that she’s been given this opportunity by her party seems like a positive step forward. I felt similarly about Christine Quinn – I didn’t support many of her policy positions or vote for her in the primary, but I was still happy that a queer woman was a serious contender for mayor of NYC. I’d like to see more diversity all all political parties.
She can be trans and republican the same way one can be a conservative lesbian. It makes me sad that a large group of the LGBT community has to be so prejudiced towards certain political groups lgbt members belong to.
Ria, who says she can’t? Just because Log Cabin LGBT people exist doesn’t mean they need to be celebrated or respected. My concerns about this society go way beyond the immediate needs of the LGBTQ alliance or something like marriage equality or “Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell.” At this point in time, in this society, the ‘moderate Republican” is a fantasy of how right wing this country has veered. Meghan McCain, et al. might be better than overt haters, but what they still do support negatively impacts every aspect of this society except the oligarchs who own it. And throwing around a word like “prejudiced” (which has a racial history and connotations in the US) is a hugely inappropriate usage in this context.
People who do not agree with you DO need to be respected. A society where everyone is treated with basic respect is what many of us are working towards.
Naturally you are entitled to your opinion on her politics. Personally, I support neither the dems nor the repubs, but I treat their adherents respectfully regardless.
I don’t respect racist, misogynistic, colonistic xenophobes, which the Republican party has proven itself to be time and again. And if you align yourself with that or defend that, you should really examine how privileged you’d have to be to afford to.
Sorry not sorry.
That’s true, but there is a difference between basic respect for a person’s humanity and respect for their political positions. I wouldn’t use abusive language (e.g. slurs, threats of violence) towards someone whom I disagree with politically because as a person with feelings they deserve that much. However, there is nothing wrong with expressing a strong opinion that someone’s political beliefs are wrong or hoping that they lose an election – if I respect the politics of a person whose political positions are harmful to women, people of color, the poor, the LGBT community, etc., then I am simultaneously disrespecting those groups.
I agree with Woya. You can love and show respect for anyone, (and, you’d probably be a Democrat if you are capable of showing such humanity anyway), but I have NO respect for politics that screws over any constituents who diversify from their preferred White Straight Middle Class Cis Gendered demographic bias. Just saying. I’m not sorry, either.