HUMOR - Hell Now A Thriving Epicenter Of Gay Culture

THE MALEBOLGE, NETHER REGIONS OF DARKNESS—Noting the incredible rate at which the community has grown, sources confirmed Thursday that Hell, the Endless Kingdom of Misery, is now a booming haven of gay culture...

“I’ve only been here for a few months, but I’ve already fallen in love with it,” said 49-year-old Daniel Edelson, adding that he has already befriended hundreds of fellow gay men and women in the accursed underworld, all of whom have welcomed him with open arms. “The streets of fire and brimstone are full of so many great cafés, restaurants, bakeries, independent bookstores, and of course plenty of gay bars and clubs. There’s just so much to do.”

“My favorite place is this wonderful little promenade along the River Styx, where couples always take walks together on the weekends,” continued Edelson. “I’d say this is easily the most LGBT-friendly place I’ve ever lived.”...

Hell has been widely celebrated by gay rights leaders for its far-reaching acceptance of alternative lifestyles, and residents told reporters it is incredibly common to see a rainbow flag hanging over various shop awnings, in car windows, or atop thrones of blood-soaked bones and rotting flesh. Additionally, the Inferno’s Gay Pride Parade, held every July in the Second Circle, is noted for its extravagance and high attendance rate...

“The gay community has really flourished here, and I have to say, they’ve been great for the place,” said Nephirem the Malevolent, a 10,000-year-old, 70-foot-tall minotaur who has resided in hell since rising from the ashes of a smokeless flame. “At the end of the day, they’re just like anyone else. Everyone has the right to express their love for whomever they want. They don’t bother me in the slightest, and if anything, we in the Dark Lord’s Army encourage any and all public displays of affection between same-sex couples.”

To read more - http://www.theonion.com/articles/hell-now-a-thriving-epicenter-of-gay-culture,33928/

HUMOR - X-Men and the GLBT...

POLITICS - The Gay Agenda! Noooooooo!

HUMOR - It's true! Bugs Bunny has!

POLITICS - Area Teen Quickly Running Out Of Chances To Be First OpenlyGay Anything

PEORIA, IL—Citing the increased visibility of gay athletes, politicians, and officials, area teen and homosexual Alex Zaragoza, 15, told reporters today that he is worried about running out of opportunities to become the first openly gay member of any professional field or social group. 

">http://www.theonion.com/articles/area-teen-quickly-running-out-of-chances-to-be-fir,33521/

POLITICS - Only if we could legally enforce this!

CULTURE/SOCIETY - The Gay Holocaust

In 1928 there was an estimated 1.2 million “out” homosexual men living in Germany.  As Adolf Hitler rose in power, gay organizations were banned and scholarly books regarding homosexuality were burned. Hitler's racial state ideology branded homosexuals not only as "parasites" and degenerates, but as enemies of the state. In 1935, the Nazi government significantly expanded the criminalization of homosexuality. 

Under the direction of SS head, police drew up "Pink Lists", and embarked on a vicious crackdown on homosexual men and women. Many were sent to mental hospitals, others were castrated by court order, and 100,000 of these men were sent to concentration camps.The pink triangle (now a symbol of Gay Pride) was placed on the prisoners to mark that they were homosexuals. An estimated 55,000 were executed.

http://www.stop-homophobia.com/thegayholocaust.htm

HUMOR - Michele Bachmann Figures Why Not, IntroducesHomosexual-Beheading Bill

Saying that she’ll be gone soon anyway so she might as well, Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann introduced H.R. 259: The Homosexual Decapitation Act, which would give the United States government legal authority to behead any gay U.S. citizen.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/michele-bachmann-figures-why-not-introduces-homose,32641/

HUMOR - The scary power of a late period!

ENTERTAINMENT - STAR TREK NEEDS A GAY CHARACTER AND HERE’S HOW TO DOIT: ONE TREKKIE’S PROPOSAL

by Dan Wohl | 12:28 pm, March 14th, 2013

I love Star Trek. I don’t think there’s any franchise more central to my geek life. There’s a lot of unreal universes out there that I enjoy learning about, but I’m sure there’s none that I would more like to actually live in than the optimistic idea of our future that is Star Trek.

The ’60s-produced original series included a woman of color bridge officer who was cited as an inspiration byMae Jemison (who became the first black woman in space) and Whoopi Goldberg (who ended up a Star Trek star herself). The more recent series’ increased speculative-science focus led Stephen Hawking, on a visit to the Next Generation set, to say “I’m working on that” when passing the warp core prop.

There’s so much to feel positive about in Star Trek, and over the decades it’s generally done a fine job of showing us how we could, and should, be. But there’s one particular area of social justice that the franchise has failed to live up to its standards on, and it remains a blight on the series in my estimation. I’m talking about the fact that there has never, despite years of promises and false starts, been an openly gay or lesbian character in the canon Star Trek universe.

But I have a proposal to change that. J.J. Abrams, if you’re listening, I think you should make Sulu gay.

http://www.themarysue.com/sulu-gay-trekkies/

HUMOR - Minnesota is now FINALLY as gay as Iowa!

What do you think of this T-shirt?

What do you think of this new T-shirt from Raygun in Des Moines?

The shirt is being offered as Minnesota prepares to join Iowa as the only states in the Midwest to allow same-sex marriage.  The shirt reads "5/14/2013 Minnesota is now finally as gay as Iowa."

Minnesota's governor is set to sign a bill legalizing same-sex marriage Tuesday.  Couples could hold weddings starting Aug. 1.

Gov. Mark Dayton has repeatedly said he would sign the bill. He's scheduled to do so during a ceremony at 5 p.m. Tuesday on the front steps of Minnesota's Capitol in St. Paul.

The state Legislature gave its final stamp of approval Monday when the Senate passed the bill by a 37-30 vote. The House passed it last week.

Minnesota becomes the 12th U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage, and the first in the Midwest to do it by legislative vote.

Tell us what you think of the shirt and Minnesota legalizing same-sex marriage -- use the comment box below or post on theKCCI Facebook page.

http://m.kcci.com/news/what-do-you-think-of-this-tshirt/-/16916438/20144308/-/157oe9z/-/index.html

SPIRITUALITY/RELIGION - WHEN SAME-SEX MARRIAGE WAS A CHRISTIAN RITE

While the pairing of saints, particularly in the early Christian church, was not unusual, the association of these two men was regarded as particularly intimate. Severus, the Patriarch of Antioch (512 - 518 CE) explained that, "we should not separate in speech they [Sergius and Bacchus] who were joined in life". This is not a case of simple "adelphopoiia." In the definitive 10th century account of their lives, St. Sergius is openly celebrated as the "sweet companion and lover" of St. Bacchus. Sergius and Bacchus's close relationship has led many modern scholars to believe they were lovers. But the most compelling evidence for this view is that the oldest text of their martyrology, written in New Testament Greek describes them as "erastai,” or "lovers". In other words, they were a male homosexual couple. Their orientation and relationship was not only acknowledged, but it was fully accepted and celebrated by the early Christian church, which was far more tolerant than it is today.

Contrary to myth, Christianity's concept of marriage has not been set in stone since the days of Christ, but has constantly evolved as a concept and ritual.

http://www.christianity-revealed.com/cr/files/whensamesexmarriagewasachristianrite.html

HUMOR - Funniest Gay Marriage Signs and Memes

Clever Signs, Quotes and Cartoons Supporting Marriage Equality and Gay Rights

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/bl-gay-marriage.htm

CULTURE/SOCIETY - How gay marriage won

No matter what the court decides, marriage equality is going to happen! The question is just how long will it take! And how long we will make the people wait! - OMGeek

http://swampland.time.com/2013/03/28/how-gay-marriage-won/

POLITICS - There is no "too much, too soon"!

From Etoile Frank on Facebook -
https://www.facebook.com/etoile.frank/posts/579496355408780

With the Supreme Court currently hearing arguments on two major marriage equality cases, we all keep hearing the media and their talking heads going on about the worry that the the court could do "too much, too soon" to advance gay rights. There's apparently fear that giving too broad and sweeping of a judgement in favor of gay rights will cause a culture war that will put the furor over Roe v Wade to shame. I have news: that war has been going on for those of us with skin in the game for a very, very long time.

I, and people like me, have been second class citizens in this country since it's creation. We're members of a minority group that has historically been persecuted, prosecuted, murdered, mutilated, and tortured since civilization began.

There was a time, not so long ago, when the punishment for being gay in this very country was death. Then we got a reprive, homosexuality moved from mortal sin to mental illness in the early part of last century. And up until around 1973, gay men and women were treated for said disease with castration, lobotomies, pudic nerve surgery, and electroshock therapy.

It took until 1983 for the first state in the union to decriminalize homosexuality. And until 2003 for all states to finally make it so gay men and women couldn't be arrested in their own homes for the crime of sharing a bed and their lives. And that only happened because of a Supreme Court decision.

In 1993, brave gay men and women fighting for the freedom of their fellow countrymen were finally acknowledged...by being told they could serve, if they never let it be known that they were part of a lesser class of people. It took until 2011 for them to finally be able to die for their country without hiding their sexual orientation.

And so we get to the point of marriage equality. The question of whether or not gay men and women everywhere deserve the right to equal protection under the law. To things like hospital visitation rights, not being subject to thousands of dollars in estate taxes on property they share with their partner should they die (which their straight, married counterparts never have to worry about), to having their employer provide their family with health insurance, and about a thousand other rights and responsibilities that come with marriage.

And to add insult to injury, we gay folks work hard and pay our share of taxes for representation in the government that has, until relatively recently, used us as pawns in a political game. Our right to marry used a scare tactic to drum up arch conservative throwback voters. We serve our country in a time of war, and still get trotted out as the circus freak show to bring out the worst and most divisive in the general population come election time.

And people whose own lives will not be changed by the decision over marriage have the audacity to ask if it's too soon.

That question is beyond insulting, it's ignorant. Ignorant of the struggle gay men and women have had through history. Ignorant of the inexcusable treatment we've received for thousands of years. Yes, we've come a long way in this country, but that's no excuse to rest on our laurels and say that second class citizenship is "good enough" because some people may not be ready to let go of their prejudice and preconceived notions. The real question isn't if it is too soon... It's what took us so long to get to this point? Gay people being treated like people is long overdue.

ENTERTAINMENT - Redshirts for marriage equality!

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/exploringourmatrix/2013/03/redshirts-for-marriage-equality.html

CULTURE/SOCIETY: We Found Our Son in the Subway

The story of how Danny and I were married last July in a Manhattan courtroom, with our son, Kevin, beside us, began 12 years earlier, in a dark, damp subway station.

Danny called me that day, frantic. “I found a baby!” he shouted. “I called 911, but I don’t think they believed me. No one’s coming. I don’t want to leave the baby alone. Get down here and flag down a police car or something.” By nature Danny is a remarkably calm person, so when I felt his heart pounding through the phone line, I knew I had to run.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/we-found-our-son-in-the-subway/

CULTURE/SOCIETY: The 50 Most Romantic Things That Ever Happened

This is what love looks like.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/summeranne/the-50-most-romantic-things-that-ever-really-happened

ENTERTAINMENT: Man Of Tomorrow: Superman, Orson Scott Card And Me

If Card were writing any other character — Ant-Man, Matter-Eater Lad, Batroc the Leaper — even a high profile character like Iron Man, whom he did write for a while — you wouldn't see this reaction.

Because Superman is different.

Superman is not just a superhero. He's the superhero. He created the very concept of the superhero, and everything that's touched on that concept for the past 75 years — we are talking vast swaths of popular culture — exists because of him. Regardless of how you feel about Superman and superheroes, you can't deny the cultural impact the character has made, and continues to make.

http://www.npr.org/2013/02/17/172229592/man-of-tomorrow-superman-orson-scott-card-and-me

POLITICS: Gay Pride In New York City: 1970-1979

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/gay-pride-in-new-york-city-1970-1979