Social Action Thread Guidelines

Direct Message from Obama

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Dear -------------,

Today, I was asked a direct question and gave a direct answer:

I believe that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry.

I hope you'll take a moment to watch the conversation, consider it, and weigh in yourself on behalf of marriage equality:

my.barackobama.com/Marriage

I've always believed that gay and lesbian Americans should be treated fairly and equally. I was reluctant to use the term marriage because of the very powerful traditions it evokes. And I thought civil union laws that conferred legal rights upon gay and lesbian couples were a solution.

But over the course of several years I've talked to friends and family about this. I've thought about members of my staff in long-term, committed, same-sex relationships who are raising kids together. Through our efforts to end the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, I've gotten to know some of the gay and lesbian troops who are serving our country with honor and distinction.

What I've come to realize is that for loving, same-sex couples, the denial of marriage equality means that, in their eyes and the eyes of their children, they are still considered less than full citizens.

Even at my own dinner table, when I look at Sasha and Malia, who have friends whose parents are same-sex couples, I know it wouldn't dawn on them that their friends' parents should be treated differently.

So I decided it was time to affirm my personal belief that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry.

I respect the beliefs of others, and the right of religious institutions to act in accordance with their own doctrines. But I believe that in the eyes of the law, all Americans should be treated equally. And where states enact same-sex marriage, no federal act should invalidate them.

If you agree, you can stand up with me here.

www.barackobama.com/splash/stand-with-the-president?

Thank you,

Barack

And, Artist Supporter's husband's response to Melissa Maerz's homophobia laced review of Trespassing at EW.
artistsupporter.tumblr.com/post/22763371046/my-husbands-letter-to-ew

May 9, 2012

Jess Cagle

Managing Editor

Entertainment Weekly

Dear Mr. Cagle,

As a long time subscriber to Entertainment Weekly, I was disturbed when I read the review of Mr. Adam Lambert’s upcoming album, Trespassing, released today with a byline by Melissa Maerz. In addition to factual errors which demonstrated Ms. Maerz’s lack of research into her subject, she unfortunately chose language which was a distasteful attempt at humor at best and full of homophobic slurs at worst. I would like to lodge a formal complaint and am writing to you to set the record straight.

Beginning with comments regarding Mr. Lambert’s appearance “the only American Idol alum who considers purple eyeliner a daytime look”, she continued by implying that the eyeliner suggested his sexual orientation and because of it, it was high time he made his “big gay dance club album”. To imply that Mr. Lambert should stick to the stereotype of creating dance club music because he is gay implies that gay artists should be pigeon-holed into the stereotypes society imposes upon them. She further insults gay and straight people alike by implying that Mr. Lambert was “flirting with the straight crowd, indulging in classic-rock guitars and gender-neutral pronouns on his debut, For Your Entertainment.” To suggest that classic-rock is the purvue of the straight is ignorance that should be embarrassing to you as an editor. Not only is this narrow minded attitude insulting, it is also inaccurate. If Ms. Maerz had bothered to do even the most basic research, she would be aware that one of Mr. Lambert’s most popular tracks off of his first post-Idol album was “Fever”. This very radio-friendly and catchy sure hit was not seriously considered for single release precisely because Mr. Lambert insisted on using the phrase “there HE goes, my baby” in the opening lines of the song, instead of using the safer, gender neutral “there YOU go”. She further demonstrates her ignorance of her subject by stating that Mr. Lambert came out in 2009. Anyone that does even a modicum of research on Mr. Lambert’s career knows that he has been out with his sexual orientation since high school. Clearly, accuracy is not a characteristic prized by Ms. Maerz in her music reviews.

Other factual errors in the piece include stating that “Outlaws of Love” is an anthem defending gay marriage. While it certainly can be interpreted that way, it is clearly an anthem describing the heartache of forbidden love in any form. To narrow its focus only to gay marriage is again an interpretation upon which Mr. Lambert has never insisted. In order to know this however, Ms. Maerz would have had to listen to one of the many 2-3 minute interviews where Mr. Lambert discusses his inspiration for the track. Clearly, this is too much of an investment of research time for Ms. Maerz. She continues by assuming that “Chokehold” refers to a BDSM relationship, presumably because that feeds the stereotypical and homophobic view that these type of relationships are a characteristic of the GLBT community. Again, a few minutes of research into the many interviews where Mr. Lambert has described his inspiration for his music would reveal that this song portrays the agony of being in unhealthy co-dependent relationships and the “chokehold” they can have on one’s emotional life. It would seem that Ms. Maerz is attempting to repeatedly interpret the album in the most stereotypical and devisive way. While very typical of homophobic behavior, in my opinion it should not be tolerated in journalism if the organization prides itself on integrity and accuracy.

The close of the piece is the straw that broke the camel’s back. “Too bad the ballad-heavy second half is so laughably over-the-top. By the end, our hero is wailing about fallen Towers of Babel and ripping away his flesh and bone to a ‘red river of screams.’ Cheer up, Glammy. It’s nothing a little makeup remover can’t fix,” Ms. Maerz spews. While she is certainly entitled to her opinion regarding Mr. Lambert’s music, to in any way belittle or minimize the real pain, suffering, and struggles of the GLBT community is intolerable. I have no argument with Ms. Maerz’s opinions of Mr. Lambert’s music. I take great objection to her using homophobic, unenlightened, and poorly researched generalizations and pass it off as journalism.

I am a 54 year old physician with three children, two of whom happen to be members of the GLBT community. As their father and a staunch advocate of human rights, dignity, and respect, I cannot continue to subscribe to a publication that allows such an insulting and poorly written piece to be published without any repercussion by the editorial board. Please let me know how you will proceed in this circumstance. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
Mark Richey MD

Love this guy!

Fight Against Gay 'Conversion Therapy' Gathers Momentum
from The Huffington Post | Full News Feed by The Huffington Post
www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/13/fight-against-gay-convers_n_1513043.html
News Editors
The fight against a controversial form of therapy aimed at making gay people straight is gaining some momentum.

Last week, The Southern Poverty Law Center and a Portland, Oregon law firm sent a complaint to two professional psychiatric associations in the state asking them to investigate the use of "conversion therapy" by a Portland psychiatrist. In the complaint they argued that the psychiatrist had tried to change his patient's sexual orientation, against the patient's wishes. The patient, a gay college student, had originally sought treatment for depression and to improve his romantic relationships with men.

The complaint was sent on the same day that California's legislators announced that a bill banning conversion therapy for teenagers was heading towards the state senate. The California bill would ban children under 18 from undergoing the therapy, and require adults to sign a release prior to treatment that states that the counseling is possibly dangerous and ineffective.

UK People:

The Govt's consultation on whether to lift the ban on gay marriage/extend civil partnership to civil marriages is in the news because of the Church's objection to it.

You can participate in the consultation by completing this Home Office survey:

www.homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk/v.asp?i=48356xhlqw

It only takes 5 minutes to fill in. One person's opinion might not amount to a hill of beans in comparison to the noise the Church of England is making, but if lots of us fill it in, it can't hurt.

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