SCME: We Report, You Decide

Equality California's Seth Kilbourne was on FOX News discussing the merits of the anti-discrimination law in schools

Watch the clip and witness the amazingly baised introduction, loaded questions, and scare tactics:


What Seth wanted to say was that this bill wouldn't create a new law, but expand the school code so that every aspect of school provides protection for students regardless of race, ethnicty, gender, and sexual orientation.

The interviewer was so obsessed with some theoretical "eliminating mom and dad" conspiracy dreamed up by the Far Right that she is blind to the actual

Also, what would be so bad about...gasp...coed cheerleading?

We All Deserve the Right to Give Life

ASUC Senator, Jeff Manassero had a very enlightening editorial in today's Daily Cal. On the heels of a very successful Right to Give Life Sponsor Blood Drive (the first of its kind on the Berkeley campus), Jeff's editorial addressed the discriminatory lifetime ban of men who have sex with men.

In an example of the personal as political, Jeff describes his own experience with the outdated, harmful, and discriminatory donor deferral process that does not take into account actual risky behaviors, but solely the sex of one's partner.

At the age of 18, I was denied the right to give life because of an outdated policy that dictated the level of risk associated with my sexual behavior. I was upset and left feeling isolated and rejected. It was the first time I had experienced the systematic and structural discrimination associated with being a gay man—and it was surely not the last.

Vote Yes?

VoteYesMarriage.org has submitted a proposal with California's Attorney General for a ballot initiative that would amend California's constitution to define marriage as strictly between a man and a woman.

Download the proposal to read how you as a voter have a "compelling responsibility to protect the essence of marriage by ensuring that the civil institution of marriage between one man and one woman is not demolished or diminished."

A ballot initiative similar to this was submitted and failed to garner enough signatures to even reach the votes a few summers ago. That ballot initiative inspired the founding of Cal Student Coalition for Marriage Equality

I find it interesting that a group called Vote Yes Marriage is actually against allowing more couples to get married and is attempting to limit the definition of marriage. "Yes" is usually an affirmative isn't it? Yes!

How Well Do You Know The Community?

Gay.com has a number of quizzes on everything queer including questions on famous queers and important historical events affecting the queer community.

Pro-Youth, Pro-Education, Pro-Gay!

On the heels of Day of Silence, I was alerted that there has been a victory in the state legislature.

From an email from EQCA's Legislative Director, Alice Kessler:

Youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) face an uphill battle every day - simply by going to school. This week in Sacramento, however, lawmakers stood by students by approving two measures sponsored by Equality California that will help rid our schools of harassment and bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the Student Civil Rights Act to ensure that youth are protected in all school activities. SB 777 (Kuehl) brings the state's education code up to date with California's evolving nondiscrimination standards so that all publicly-funded school activities and programs are clear and consistent in the protections they afford youth.

The Assembly Committee on Education approved the Safe Place to Learn Act to keep youth safe in the classroom and the hallways of ALL California schools. AB 394 (Levine) would provide clarification and guidance to school districts and the state on how to properly enforce existing school safety laws that ban discrimination of any kind.

Both EQCA-sponsored bills will help California put an end to the harassment of youth. School should be a safe place for all students, where they don't have to fear for their safety or face the ridicule and violence that are obstacles to their academic achievement and success.

Day of Silence

Day of Silence, an annual event in which queer and ally students take a day-long vow of silence, is being observed today by a bunch of great groups on campus (and at other colleges and high schools around the country). The voluntary silence today is meant to mirror the silence that many in the queer community are forced into because of discrimination, homophobia, or bullying.

The event, is getting some heat on Facebook for encouraging further silence in a group that is already continually forced into silence, but the it is getting so much positive press that all of the awareness created by the event and all of the people that are showing their support outweigh any lack of dialogue on this one day.

In an email, John J. Judge, Queer Resources Center Facilitator, illustrates how important this event is and that even unexpected groups are participating today. "On Day of Silence, several Christian students will be handing out cards with written notes, notes of apology, or acceptance, and recognition." This is an amazing gesture by these groups on campus to show that events like these do educate other students about the continuing discrimination against the queer community and they do encourage others to reach out and become allies.

After the day-long silence, SCME and Queer Alliance are hosting Break the Silence to celebrate the end of a successful day of silence with ice cream, pizza, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and lots of talking. Even the Clog is excited!

Gaymers Come Out of the Closet on MTV

At the gym today, I saw an MTV News segment on Gaymers on the muted TVs and immediately searched the world wide web to bring this very important, very thought-provoking, and very relevant piece of investigative journalism.

Okay, its fluff piece on gay people who like video games, but anytime regular gay people are featured on TV is a victory in the culture war.

Insight from...The Onion?

Fake news outlet, The Onion, has a short piece on a man who has sex with a man to get out donating blood, which I found especially hilarious as I have been working on a Sponsor Blood Drive to raise awareness about the FDA's harmful, outdated, and discriminatory deferral of men who have sex with men.

Area Man Has Sex With Man To Get Out Of Office Blood Drive

April 4, 2007 | Issue 43•14

ABBEVILLE, GA—In an effort to devise a plausible reason to excuse himself from an office-wide blood donation drive this Friday, systems specialist Brett Karns, 32, reporterdly engaged in unprotected sex with another man last weekend.

"When the nurse asks me if I've participated in any high-risk sexual activity recently, I don't want to have to lie," said Karns, who describes himself as squeamish about needles. "Maybe she wouldn't question my story, but better safe than sorry, right?"

Karns told reporters he intends to have sex with another man next week to get out of his office's canned food drive.

To learn more about the FDA's lifetime ban of men who have sex with men, see the Facebook event and look out for our editorial in the Daily Cal.

Breaking News in your Inbox

Highlights from an from email Equality California that I read so you don't have to:

ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE OVERWHELMINGLY PASSES BILL SUPPORTING MARRIAGE FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES

• AB 43, legislation giving same-sex couples the choice to marry in California, passed the committee with a 6-3 vote

• Known as the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, the bill was authored by Assemblymember Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, and sponsored by Equality California.
  

• A nearly identical bill, AB 849, passed in 2005, making the CA legislature the first legislative body in the nation to approve a measure allowing same-sex couples to marry. The bill was vetoed by the governor.
  

• Protects religious freedom by reaffirming that no religious institution would be required to solemnize marriages contrary to its fundamental beliefs.
  

• Fixes problems of domestic partnerships, which remain a separate institution from marriage and shuts out same-sex couples from the universal recognition and consideration married couples enjoy.

Best News Ever!

Previously banned from participating in Disney's "Fairytale Wedding" packages, same-sex couples will now have the option to ride around in a Cinderella carriage and count Mickey as one of their guests like any other normal, loving couple.

While same-sex couples were allowed to plan their own weddings and use Disney facilities, the Fairytale packages required valid marriage licenses. No more says Disney Parks and Resorts spokesman Donn Walker. "[The updated policy] is consistent with our policy of creating a welcoming, respectful and inclusive environment for all of our guests."

This all raises the question if gay people weren't the ones buying this campy, over-the-top wedding package before, who was?!?!