LABOR DEPT. ON GAY PEOPLE:
The US Department of Labor, while not necessarily as sexy or cool as things like the President declaring parts of DOMA unconstitutional, or federal courts standing up for our right to marry or adopt, has nonetheless done something kind of cool: announced its “renewed commitment to fair treatment and equal opportunity for all of its employees,” which means they are finally instituting a comprehensive policy ensuring “equal protections for all employees and applicants regardless of race; color; religion; national origin; sex, including pregnancy and gender identity; age; disability, whether physical or mental; genetic information; status as a parent; sexual orientation; or other non-merit factor.”
THIS IMAGE IS REALLY GAY
Does this fall under the category of “giving someone credit for finally getting around to something that was their responsibility all along?” Yes. But is this also a meaningful action – possibly even more meaningful than some of the actions towards marriage equality, since only some queers will marry but virtually all of us will work? Yeah, kinda. Don’t be misled – the fact that this is from the Department of Labor doesn’t mean that they’re mandating these protections for the entire US. They will apply only to Department of Labor employees. But given their name, you might surmise that they are something of a model for this kind of thing, and that since they do regulate labor for the entire country, the practices that they institute in their own workplace might be something they aspire to for the rest of the nation. And in that you would be right. And that’s kind of what the Labor Secretary said!
“I am expressing my personal commitment to ensure that the U.S. Department of Labor is a model workplace, free from unlawful discrimination and harassment, which fosters a work environment that fully utilizes the capabilities of every employee,” said Secretary Solis. “It is my goal that we achieve and maintain a high-quality, diverse workforce at all organizational levels throughout the department.”
The queer community faces a lot of challenges, and that’s going to be the case for a while. But a lot of those challenges will be much easier to face if we don’t have to worry about being fired for arbitrary reasons, and so this is pretty great news in that respect – first for Department of Labor employees, and hopefully later on, for everyone else too!
BADASS LADY:
Among the myriad apparently critical news stories/facts about our government that I manage to miss on a daily basis is the fact that we now have a new chairman of the Democratic National Convention. Also, she’s a lady. Also, she’s a total badass.
RACHEL MADDOW:
Right now she’s at a gun convention with Meghan McCain! I am not yet sure how I feel about this, but I hope this news is pleasing to our under-served Republican/gun-toting readers.
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JESSIE J:
She was in Toronto! She performed on New Music Live on the 25th and I didn’t notice until today. Sorry! Here’s a picture of her in a one-legged leotard. Welcome!
IN MY SHOES:
Hey, do you have positive feelings about gay people? Documentaries? The fact that Rachel Berry has two dads? If the answers were yes, I suspect you will be pleased to find that there is a film called In My Shoes: Stories Of Youth With LGBT Parents. Also, just for the record, you can stream the whole thing for free. WITHOUT EVEN LEAVING THIS PAGE.
PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER:
Okay, here are the facts: They are making a movie out of The Perks Of Being A Wallflower. Many people have complex feelings about this – some, for instance, may hypothetically begin hyperventilating whenever they even think about it because the entire concept of movies from beloved cornerstones of their adolescence is terrifying on a bone-deep level – but the screenplay is being written by Stephen Chbosky, and Emma Watson is in it, and maybe it won’t mean that the end times are coming. Anyways, Nina Dobrev from The Vampire Diaries is in it; maybe that means something to you?
LADY MARIACHI:
This is an interview with Lady Gaga that I’m not going to embed here, but where she apparently reveals that one song on Born This Way has a mariachi intro. Also, as a plus, the interview has Spanish subtitles!
OTTERKITTEN:
This is a video of an otter and a kitten who are best friends, via Emily Choo. Fair warning: enjoy it, because nothing in a Sunday Funday will probably ever be this good again.
All the great info early on in this post became suddenly irrelevant the second I saw an otter and kitten together. I had no idea otters could get any cuter.
yeah, I was mentally checking off what I was going to go back and read then I saw the kitten and the otter and that was it for me.
meghan mccain = awesome. we discussed this a lot last night at the as phoenix meetup last night actually. “WOAH. hang on a second. how can meghan mccain be cool with us gaymos?” “Um..because she’s not her father?”
anywho – i’m definitely looking forward to the rachel maddow show tomorrow (which will be my first time watching it actually #dontjudgemepeeps) when they air the NRA convention situation.
ps. my alarm on my phone is mariachi-esque.
I listened to a few minutes of a speech Meghan McCain gave one time, and I had to turn it off, due to her being such an inarticulate dolt. Perhaps I got the wrong impression. Why do you think she is awesome?
it’s all that diving you do, get that water out of your ears?
j/k I have seen her interviewed and while I don’t mind her, some public speaking courses wouldn’t hurt.
I would refute this, but her speech was such drivel that I cannot recall the specifics of it. Having said that, Meghan McCain is hot as hell, and has the best rack in politics, bar none.
I’m aware that sounds sexist as hell, but it’s also true as hell, so there you have it.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower being made into a movie = SO SO SO COOL. I’m excited.
Also the kitten and the otter made my heart melt. And I think the kitten’s name is Kevin? That’s possibly the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard.
Kevin and the girl otter, oh god, I think I’ll go have a cute meltdown in a corner somewhere.
For you anti-gun people out there, don’t worry: I’m going to say Rachel Maddow is solidly anti-gun. I, on the other hand, am about as pro-gun rights as it is humanly possible to be, so I just want to take this opportunity to blow a big juicy kiss to everyone here :D.
diver: i’m fine with you being pro-gun rights as long as you are also pro-otterkitten
love,
scattered who is gun-ambivalent
I totally am
I otter stop fangirling over that otterkittenstraddlecuteness… but it’s just TOO CUTE.
X2
i watched the “in my shoes” video & bawled my eyes out. all those kids seem so lovely, & the things they & their families want are so simple.
i watched otter & kitten, too, but i just cried more. they are so cute ;_;
Harry Potter + Degrassi + The Perks of Being a Wallflower = all my 9th grade dreams coming true.
True story it took me 30 seconds of that otter video to realize she was speaking English.
I’ve seen that girl Marina in a couple of documentaries now and I’m always impressed with how articulate she is. Keeping fighting the good fight, girl!
the short documentary of “in my shoes” was amazing! I can’t get over how brave all those children are. Their families too but for a child and young teenager to stand up to so many politicians and adults that alot of peer adults try or cant stand up to… its soo inspirational.All I can say is wow, and its incredibly inspiring and really definitely means alot to not only american families and children with lgbt families and members but people all over the world that view this site. this was great great great!!
also as a lesbian and growing up kind of in a conservative family i couldnt even imagine myself having a family in the future or any lgbt people having families…. and i cried probably most of that 30 minutes and it reminded me how normal i am and how simple love really is.
Note: I didnt mean to offend anyone by that. I really do believe all families should and do exist. I just had alot of internal homophobia and this just reminds i guess everyone we are all the same.
Otterly adorable <3
As someone who plans to be parent a child one day with my lady partner, videos like that both inspire me and fill me with anxiety.