This Sunday Funday, gay rights are human rights and the sun has finally made amends with the Eastern coast! Plus, gay marriage is still the hottest bandwagon in town and even Harvard likes gay people. And lastly, pretty girls still exist.
So go outside, smoke a cigarette with your girlfriend, and settle in for a short but sweet morning with good news from around the world. And with puppies AND cats! Everybody wins.
“Gay Rights Are Human Rights” in Kenya
Chief Justice Willy Mutunga in Kenya is really sick of people fighting about gay rights, and told lobbying groups Friday that gay rights are human rights:
“The other frontier of marginalisation is the gay right movement. Gay rights are human rights. Here I am simply confining my statement in the context of human rights and social justice paradigm and avoiding the controversies that exist in our constitutions and various legislation. We have succeeded in demanding our rights of movement and association although we cannot take them for granted. We should see less of the workshopping in hotels, less of flip charts and tooth picks as we move to the country sides and make sure our people own and protect the human rights and social justice messages.”
Mutunga called for a need to bring together the opposing views on the marginalisation of the gay rights movement to a final and conclusive debate.
He made the announcement in Uganda, a country known for some extremely harsh legislative disses toward gay unions in the past and some violent crimes targeting the gay community.
Organizations, Celebs Working On Gay Marriage
Everyone loves a good wedding and a great open bar. And this week, the movement for legal same-sex marriage around the globe enlisted some new support:
+ Tasmanian and world-champion axeman David Foster has a lesbian daughter, and he loves her very much. And so he has started speaking out about gay marriage, as unlikely a match for the movement as he may be:
“Sally is my daughter,” Foster said, “and I love her and I’m proud of her. Sometimes you’ve got to stand up and be heard.” The way he sees it, “she is a nurse, she has a beautiful partner and a child, and if they wish to get married, I can’t see why they can’t.”
He is scheduled to speak at the Australian state’s capital about same-sex marriage during an upcoming public forum.
+ In Maryland, the NAACP Chapter in Baltimore recently joined the umbrella group “Marylanders for Marriage Equality.”
Harvard and Gays Getting Along
Harvard has hired its first Director of BGLTQ life.
This Fat Cat Is In The Wrong Paintings
This fat tabby cat has managed to make his way into some astute classics.
Ellen and Portia Make A Good Business Team, Too
NBC is considering a new sitcom about a pair of sisters, one of whom is going to be played by Porta de Rossi.
And Ellen? Well, she’ll remain a part of the entire process as an executive producer. So turns out they can do more than be the cutest couple ever – they can also be the cutest, most collaborative couple ever.
Emma Watson Is Magically Attractive
Emma Watson was in Elle France. You can read the translated article, but pictures are worth a thousand words I think. So.
Jesus Loves You, GLEE Star Told Me So
Kristin Chenoweth, or April Rhodes from “Glee,” is a “self-identifying Christian” who also likes gay people. And she isn’t shying away from talking about it. The Advocate interviewed the theater and television star and asked her about her faith in relation to gay rights and the anti-gay movement, and it seems pretty cut and dry – Kristin Chenoweth thinks gay rights are common Christian sense:
“I don’t judge you for your opinions, so please don’t judge me for mine,” the actress said in response to critics.
“I read my Bible and I pray and all of that – I really do,” Chenoweth told The Advocate. “But at the same time, I don’t think being gay is a sin. Period.”
Kate Winslet Teaches Comprehensive Sex Ed.
Kate Winslet has a 7-year-old son named Joe who calls her darling. And he already told her that he may bring a boy home one day:
“[Joe] turns to me the other day and says, ‘One day I will have a girlfriend or a boyfriend, darling. Which would you prefer?’ And I said, ‘My love, that would be entirely up to you, and it doesn’t make any difference to me.’ But that he knows! It’s a real privilege.”
Winslet values diversity and prides herself on exposing her children to it, through travel and education. She talks to them openly, even now, about sex, relationships, and sexuality. She’s a perfect role model parent (ahem, Tracy Morgan can you hear me) and hey, her son sounds pretty fabulous.
This Puppy
There’s nothing like a sweet baby puppy in a soft blanket.
I absolutely love your writing, it’s all mixed with happiness and puppies and happiness and cute girls, I’m on the edge of my seat!
why did you include the puppy at the end? my mind is melting with the adorkableness!!! sefijcveigvmsovvedvsv………
Wait till you see Marika’s housemates dachshund Beegee on cam in ASS-chat. Then cute has gained a whole new benchmark.
Go Kate Winslet! Her son sounds adorable annnnd smart. And of course she’s smart for sharing so much with him about the reality of true love. =)Totally made my day!
Okay besides the fact that this was an awesome post with all sorts of happy things that made my heart palpitate (in a good way.. *ehem* Emma Watson), I did notice a little mistake.
“He made the announcement in Uganda, a city known for some extremely harsh legislative disses toward gay unions…”
Was “city” a typo for the country of Uganda or is there a Uganda, Kenya I as never aware of? Just pointing it out. J’adore Sunday Funday!
oh my god. corrected, tysm! it was a typo for ‘i’m writing this and falling asleep at the same time’
Same thing down on Tasmania, I think!
*well, Tasmania’s not a country, but it’s an island / state, not a city!
Ooh, this is a good sunday funday! Thanks, Carmen. The fat cat in the classic paintings is hilarious! Also, I like Kate Winslet’s approach to parenting.
Omfggg, Emma Watson in suspenders. My day is officially made. Thanks sunday funday!
I wish I could pull off Emma Watson’s hair. But alas, my face isn’t the right shape.
I don’t understand how she looks both attractive and unhealthily pale in that picture though. Damn you, photoshop.
Off topic: I came out to the last of my friends at school last night! Now I’m out to the whole campus (but no one else, unfortunately). Weeeee!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
Emma Watson is just so beautiful, drool… Loving everything in this post. I’m almost getting my own lil cute puppy, can’t wait!
‘One day I will have a girlfriend or a boyfriend, darling. Which would you prefer?’
Omgwhaaa that is the cutest thing I’ve ever heard. Also, Joe speaks like my mom and her bffls pretending to be old British dames.
This Sunday Funday is my favorite. Especially Kate Winslet and her adorbs son. That makes me so happy, you have know idea. And Emma Watson in suspenders is definitely a day maker.
AWWWWWWWWW kate winslet!!!
now i feel happy that people tell me almost every day i look like her
<3
you needed a reason other than looking like Kate Winslet to be happy about looking like kate Winslet?
sometimes it gets annoying when approximately 5 times a week customers at work say “HAS ANYONE EVER TOLD YOU….”
its okay though i guess ;)
Omigod, Kate’s parenting is the best!
can Kate Winslet adopt some kids, Angelina-style? The world needs more children being parented like that.
The puppy! Kate Winslet! :)
This entire post made me happy.
There was a mention of Kate Winslet without a picture. How could you let that happen.
that fucking puppy. thanks a lot autostraddle, for making me miss my little pup back home. :/
Emma Watson. Enough said.
this made my night so much more worth it. Moms, who love their kids no matter what, and tell them so. #givesmehope
i might get some backlash for this but here it goes….
i think people need to lay off of tracy morgan. why? because HE’S A COMEDIAN. comedy, at least stand up, tends to cross (offensive) boundaries that we wouldn’t normally, not because it’s really what you think/ would do, but to bring crazy shit that really goes on in the world and bring in to a larger audience.
a joke is more than the words used to say them. it’s more of a why……i don’t feel like i can fully express it but here’s a video that i think will help. watch the whole thing, it’s good and informative
http://youtu.be/6xedLQwwzPE
(just to let you know, the title works in the same light)
p.s. the show is the green room with paul provenza and highly highly recommend it to everyone and anyone
YOU MIGHT GET BACKLASH!?!? BACKLASH!?!?
Why does announcing you might get backlash relevant? Does it make it easier for you to type it? Does it (hopefully?) silence those who you think might challenge your opinions not say anything? I think it is the former, because people even on the internet (who use such cautionary language) are cowards/pathetic/need to get over people will always have (intense) counter-opinions.
ANYWAY SINCE THAT IS OUT OF THE WAY. I promise I’m a nice lady.
If you are scared that your “sacred” opinions will cause backlash, you are better off shutting the fuck up.
ANYWAY….
I actually agree with you. Tracy Morgan is a comedian and a lot of the subjects of comedians like him will offend. It offends because people (some gays/LGBT & allies) who usually are offended don’t have as much agency(BECAUSE SOCIALLY WE ARE “SECOND CLASS CITIZENS”) as Tracy (fucking) Morgan in this case of his “anti-gay” comedy routine. When gay people or just people who are not in the heterosexual paradigm have equal agency to heterosexuals (they) we can laugh and move on with (our)their lives.
Comedy is funny (funny haha and funny “what the fuck?”). When gay people make similar jokes it’s a sense of appropriation on the “status quo” shtick, it makes all the b.s. gay people/non-heterosexual people feel less sting. Heterosexual/straight person does it, it hurts, it offends and some people will be pissed.
I was not pissed because I like to think I have enough agency to not give a fuck. However this is a GREAT privileged to feel this way about comedy.
In conclusion enough LBGT and allies were pissed enough at Tracy Morgan because the *bigger* context of (U.S.) American society to say a collective fuck you to Tracy Morgan and his joke, so he apologized.
That’s all (for now).
Huh? You yell at LV’s cautionary disclaimer, and then…agree with her… I think you agree with her? I’m confused.
I also disagree, but that’s not really the point.
I’m not *yelling* just passionately agreeing while being slightly annoyed with the “cautionary disclaimer.”
I just feel it’s a silencing mechanism that I am all too familiar with from my gender study class and internet public forums. I just want people to get over the fact people will have different opinions and will challenge your opinions. If you can’t handle that…you are better off shutting the fuck up.
Like I have this guy who says crazy disclaimers before he something sexist, example: “before I am quartered and hanged (har har)..*says opinion layered with problematic bullshit* and no one says anything, it’s so weird. I’ve noticed that in real life discussions on touchy issues and on the internet it’s like a disclaimer helps you say your opinions and/or allow you to say things that more or less go against the popular politics of that space.
It’s funny in an annoying way to me personally.
Now I am interested on what you disagree with, oh sassafras.
wow….just wow…….okay well to inform you, i started with “i might get some backlash” not because i wanted to exclude or to devalue other’s opinions on the matter, but just as a small cautionary that my opinion might not resonate with the majority of the community. i was actually hoping it would start a dialogue about how things portrayed in the media seem to get out of hand. I really really dislike personal attacks and hope we can keep them out of (present and future) discussions from now on, they don’t lead us anywhere. actually it took a lot away from the discussion, i wish you would have watched the video because it explains why someone who isn’t part of that community would say that and shows how even those who belong to that community can get repercussions about their comments. there’s more layers to a joke than people think and sometimes it’s hard to see it.
and papes, YES YES THAT’S THE POINT, WHY DO YOU DISAGREE?!?!?!?
Fair enough, it’s just something I am annoyed with and if your opinion goes against the popular opinion, it will offend or have people challenge your opinion. The shit is intense (not really but it sure comes off that way) and I would also like to throw a disclaimer:
When you think I might be yelling chances are that I am not, trust me, I[m a nice person :D*
*this is not sarcasm
I did watch the video and I still think comedians are not above criticism context or not. Granted it would be nice for those who complain criticize get the context of the joke but comedians will piss someone off. In Tracy Morgan’s case it was a lot of gay people who were not amuuuuuused.
yeah i agree with you there and i mean part of me is like, well it’s tracy morgan, that’s his style (he’s not really a fav of mine), but it also brings into question of what’s okay to say when you go into the mainstream and are affiliated with a big network like nbc. i think that’s kind of why most comedians are okay with being on the outside, because you don’t have to censor your act to fit your new audience.
i do get where you’re coming from, but i tend not to assume things online have the same connotation as things in the real world do (i’ve learned the hard way), it’s too hard to tell, you know. it’s kind of what the bill burr was saying in the video “oh said this, so let’s look it up on the chart, it really means you think this” sort of thing
By the way, not that it really matters now, but I think Lily’s approach is an honest one: “Guys, I’m aware I’m not agreeing with the popular view so I’m going to state my opinion anyways but please note that I’m not ignorant or naive to assume that my comment will be blindly accepted or not challenged.”
thanks papes you use words well lol i lack clarity sometimes
YOU PEEPS PUT A SMILE ON MY FACE…LITERALLY!
The reply is all weird and I hope my replay placement makes sense, anyway, Paperflowers, I can see where you are coming from. I feel like I straddle a line in self-deluded privilege to not give a fuck and apathy that can harm people’s emotions or feel a lack of solidarity when it comes to entertainment that is deemed to be offensive. I make sure in these discussions I try not to dismiss and only challenge opinions in a respectful way.
With Tracy Morgan, I just hope we can have these discussions and improve the agency of those who were offended by his jokes. I think that’s why people get offended. It’s one thing for a gay man to make that joke different for a straight man. Comedy is political layered with nuance and (not) being aware of the overall culture in which jokes are made. I joke with my sister that the only group of people in (US) America that people can make fun and they really can’t be pissed because they have so much agency are straight white men. Everyone else will feel a sting and react in a variety of ways.
Thanks for the discussion and thanks lilyv for the video is was really interesting.
glad to put a smile on a stranger’s face!
I disagree with the argument that because Tracy Morgan is a comedian, he should be allowed to be excused for (what I consider) incredible hate-speech. Although I do understand that comedy is a form in which we can explore touchy-areas, there’s a difference between raising it as something to be challenged and being a bigot.
i really do see where you’re coming from (also this is why i love this show, it kind of lets you into their personality and their views on politics, ethics, etc. it gets deep and cracks a lot good ones too) someone with that much visibility should know what’s not acceptable to say sort of thing and should know what the consequences would be. i do think that it was taken out of proportion because it was in a comedy club, and it’s not like it was taped or anything so we don’t know what it was like in there……i donno there’s just plenty of comics who say stuff about their kids so…..it’s not really shocking to me anyway….i don’t really like his comedy so it gets hard for me to defend him at some point, but i do still believe it was blown up.
also also also
i thoughtfully respect your opinion
Emma Watson. Suspenders. This.
And Kate Winslet’s kid sounds so adorable. *smiles*
There needs to be more K-Chenos in the world, alas.
As soon as I saw the suspenders, I died. Happily.