OutWyrd Bound
A journey in the Bay Area
Filed under Religion …
Welcome to the New Year and the New Blog
I started blogging many years ago. Most of my blogs would start off well, but then fizzle over a couple of months. I kept starting new blogs, though, because I knew that I had a voice and a vision to share. Last year, this all changed and I find myself trying to outdo myself in the new year.
Last year, Mike Martinez contacted me about contributing to Queer Oakland. He wanted me to take the reins and run the blog like a pack of wild dogs. While I never got the full pack going, I did manage to get some puppies out there. Over the year I had good weeks and bad weeks with Queer Oakland, but in the end I found myself being a better communicator. For this, I would like to thank Mike even as the doors were closed on Queer Oakland.
I also spent much of last year working on Back to Me and Queer Landia. In hindsight, I wish I would have focused more attention on these two as ultimately, they are the tools for my vision in the coming year. Queer Landia gives me a place to share my moderate views on politics, queerdom and many other topics. I look forward to seeing where this blog will go this year. Back to Me gave me a place to share my random thoughts and appreciation for sexy men and humor. This year this will expand as my blog grows. Continue reading
Boy Scouts: Gay is not okay, but child molestors are A-Okay | Queer Landia
I know this blog of mine is usually reserved for fluffier topics, but this has my rankles raised so far the Empire State building is looking up at them.
This sickens me. Pure and simple. Beyond the hate, the rhetoric, the politics and the degrading of gay men, the Boy Scouts have just stepped so far out of bounds. There is nothing that repulses me more than a group of people that turn a blind eye to the abuse of children, especially sexual abuse.
The Catholic church has become a joke over the last few years because of the scandals with the priests. Unfortunately they are still around. I hope the Boy Scouts aren’t so lucky. I stopped being a fan of the Boy Scouts when they became Christianized to the point of kicking out perfectly good Scout leaders who happened to be gay. Apparently, the powers that be in the Boy Scouts think that men should sleep with women or little boys. Gods forbid that a grown man sleep with another grown man.
Okay, ranting aside, read the following article from Yahoo News. It seems the Boy Scouts are hiding over 5000 people suspected of child abuse. If the “kicking the gays out” issue wasn’t enough to keep your money in your wallet, I hope this is enough. And to think I just gave the United Way $20 in the last few weeks.
via Queer Landia.
Saying Goodbye to 365gay | Queer Landia
365gay news
This is a very sad day. The gay news site 365gay.com is coming to an end. I am not sure of the reasons for this, as Logo should be able to sustain the blog financially. I have been reading 365gay for years. I love the format of the site. I also love the voices and opinions.
When I heard about Queerty closing, I wasn’t really upset. I had never really read the site. With 365gay closing, I am deeply upset. I go to 365gay.com at least 3 times a day to catch up on news. I like the layout of the blog and the style. I enjoy it when the readers post their comments and the writers reply. I love the simplicity of the older layout (the new one is still nice, but not as simplistic).
I don’t know what I am going to do now to get my recaps of gay news events. I enjoyed being able to get an overview of the events going on in our community with links for further reading. I enjoyed the sometimes snarky way the writers would respond to readers and vice verse.
Can you suggest any sites that offer an easy to find overview of gay events with links to more information (outside of the QueerLandia family of sites)? If so, please leave me a comment so I can check out the site.
For now, I bow my head an offer a few moments of silence for the memory of a wonderful site.
By Jennifer Vanasco, editor in chief, 365gay.com
Hi 365gay readers,
Some of you have been reading since 365gay was started as a Canadian publication in the 1990s. Some of you have been reading since Logo took over, in 2006. Some of you are newer – last year, last month, last week.
I myself started with 365gay in April 2007 and it’s been quite a ride.
With the help of James Withers, who’s been freelancing for the site since September 2007 when he began writing for our election blog Visible Vote, and an incredibly dedicated, talented group of freelance writers, reporters, columnists and interns, 365gay has covered almost five years of amazing gay and national news.
Now, it’s coming to an end.
Openly Gay Mormon Takes LDS Leadership Role In SF | Queer Oakland
Click the picture for the original story!
I don’t know how I feel about this. I kind of feel like an abused wife who is getting a new dress from the abusive husband. Does the Church of Latter Day Saints really believe that taking away our rights can be rectified by putting a queer on the pulpit? Do they really think that having a celibate gay man preaching to the world is going to fix anything?
If the Mormons really wanted to patch things up with our community, they would spend millions of dollars and man hours to get Prop H8 overturned.
via Queer Oakland | A local gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender news and events blog!.
LGBT Omnibus Bill of 2011 | Queer Oakland
Click the picture to take the survey!
Under Federal laws, LGBT citizens do not enjoy full equality. I received the following email from Representative Jared Polis asking me for help in writing a new bill. Instead of having numerous bills with limited focus, Jared would like to create an all-inclusive bill.
This is your chance to give your Congress your opinion. What do you think is the number one priority for equality? What areas of the law are we treated unequally? There is even a place where you can share your own personal story.
I know that the fight for equality is extremely hard, time consuming and very expensive. We don’t get many opportunities to make a difference by spending 5 to 10 minutes on our computer. Please don’t let this opportunity pass by without giving your voice, even if this doesn’t directly effect you. If we don’t speak up, how will anyone hear us?
Rhode Island Approves Civil Unions | Queer Landia
With all of the excitement around New York passing marriage equality, Rhode Island’s passage of civil unions with extreme religious exemptions seems to have been lost in the news cycle.
While I do agree with the exemptions that New York passed, I think the Rhode Island exemptions go a little too far. The exemptions allow religious hospitals, cemeteries and schools to ignore the unions.
While I also agree that religious groups should be allowed the freedom to follow their religious beliefs, I believe that organizations that are critical for human needs and organizations that receive public tax money should not be allowed to discriminate under any circumstances. Continue reading
New York Senate approves same-sex marriage – This Just In – CNN.com Blogs
Now we have another reason to sing “New York, New York”
New York legislators cleared the last major hurdle to legalize same-sex marriage Friday when the state Senate followed the Assembly’s lead in approving legislation to do so.
Earlier in the day, the Assembly passed a version of the bill that included an amendment about religious institutions. The Friday night vote in the Senate means the legislation’s fate is now in the hands of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who proposed it.
via New York Senate approves same-sex marriage – This Just In – CNN.com Blogs.
