Hi cuties! I wish I had an ice cream sandwich. HAPPY SUNDAY FUNDAY!
States Shaping Up
+ The Missouri state National Guard has admitted defeat and will finally offer benefits to same-sex spouses, which they were legally obligated to way back when.
+ City employees in Houston can now expect similar spousal benefits for their same-sex boos.
Houston Mayor Annise Parker on Wednesday announced that the city would extend benefits to the spouses of gay city employees.
“Based on the right to equal protection under the law, it is unconstitutional for the city to continue to deny benefits to the same-sex spouses of our employees who are legally married,” Parker said in a written statement.”This change is not only the legal thing to do, it is the right, just and fair thing to do.”
Rashida Jones Loves Stuffing
Laverne Cox is a Vibe Vixen
I mean, duh. Laverne Cox, fabulous actress and trans* advocate, is the new cover girl for Vibe Vixen Magazine. In her interview, she talks about bullying, doing right by her community, and “bares all.”
Last summer, Netflix and Jenji Kohan introduced us to a gang of diverse and truly unforgettable women. On the surface they’re a group of incarcerated misfits, but after one episode, it’s clear that they’re stories aren’t simply intertwined, they’re tangled together like a stubborn knot. Enter Laverne Cox, otherwise known as the show’s cosmetic MacGuyver, Sophia Burset. Arrested and imprisoned after stealing money for her gender reassignment surgery, her mix of sass and class are the heart and soul of this already beloved series.
You’ve seen her on a host of other shows (Law and Order, HBO’s Bored to Death) including the hugely popular I Want to Work for Diddy, but it wasn’t until last summer’s OITNB summer premiere that fans really bonded with the Laverne they thought they knew. She’s got talent oozing from her pores, but the crux of her work lies in a tireless effort to advocate for the transgender community.
Born and raised in the dirty south, Laverne’s upbringing was far from pleasant as she and her twin brother fell victim to bullying on a daily basis. It wasn’t until she began the challenging transition process that the advocate came into her own and out to the world. No longer a victim of transphobia, Laverne’s confidence and vulnerability flawlessly translates to the small screen and everyday life.
Face beat, hair laid, and press-on nails in hand, it’s clear that this won’t be a typical celebrity sit-down.
WATCH: Illinois Becomes the Sweet Sixteenth
Pat Quinn’s doing right by the gays.
OMFG.
Also this in my home state of Missouri:
www. kansascity. com/2013/11/14/4621795/missouri-to-accept-joint-tax-returns.html
Wow, yet another character added to my OITNB favourites in all likelihood. I was all Team Sue and Team Nicky the first time round but if what Laverne Cox says plots out – there will be no way not to fangirl for Sophia. Moar lesbian romance ftw, hope the whole thing lives up to her intentions.
I love Laverne on many levels, (as an activist, woman and actress) and I’m happy to see her on the cover of any magazine, she deserves that honor. But I really don’t like the term “gender bender” applied to her. She’s not a non-binary person, she’s a woman, not a ‘gender bender.’ Those who identify that way, good. But to categorize every trans woman as a gender bender is just wrong.
“No longer a victim of transphobia, Laverne’s confidence and vulnerability flawlessly translates to the small screen and everyday life.”
Huh. I wonder what magical aura she possesses to be free of transphobia…
I don’t read that to mean that she no longer faces transphobia, but that her advocacy and general awesomeness makes it so that she is no longer a victim.
she’s no longer completely incapacitated and destroyed. that was my reading. Boo for the subtitle reminder we live in arseholistan…even though bender of futurama fame wins.