Don’t Judge

July 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The world would be a better place if people were not so quick to judge. There has always been some group in society that has been looked down upon, whether it was the Jews, the blacks, or any other minority because people judged. In today’s society, one group that often gets oppressed is the non-heterosexuals. This includes lesbians, gays, transgendered individuals, and bisexuals.

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The reason societal oppression occurs is because people have a more difficult time accepting people who are different from themselves. This can be seen over and over again in history. People need to learn that just because someone is different, it doesn’t mean that they are inferior, and it especially does not mean that they do not deserve respect. The non-heterosexual community deserves the same treatment as others in society. Everyone has the freedom to believe what they want and live their life the way they choose.

The best way to reverse society’s thinking is to teach your children not to judge others. Let them play with anyone they want, regardless of their skin color or other differences. Friendships should be based on the commonalities that are more than skin deep. For instance, racism is still an issue in the world, but more and more children are learning to accept differences, and it has become less of a problem in schools. However, the world still has a long way to go before every race, gender, or difference is accepted in society and is no longer the subject of oppression.

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Homosexuals & Transsexuals ?Judge Society By How It Treats Those Who Are Different

June 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment
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Why is it important to treat homosexuals and transsexual individuals properly? After all, they are in a minority and do not have the ability to enforce their views and lifestyle on the majority. Well, survival of the fittest use of brute force is considered appropriate in a jungle. However, mankind, with its intelligence and sensitivities, believes itself to be somewhat superior the animals.

If the majority is always right, then Hitler’s attempt to wipe out the Jews may well be justified. Tyrants would have to be complied with because they may have the brute force on their side. It is only because mankind believes itself to be above such inane notions that treatment of homosexuals becomes very important.

An ancient saying explains how to assess and analyze an individual. Find out how he or she treats an inferior. If a person does not have the ability to accept that some persons may have different sexual preferences and priorities, it is a clear indication that he or she is not a civilized person at all. To be afraid of differences is to be afraid of what we are.

It is only because mankind has accepted the differences between individuals and yet survived that we have progressed so far. If each and every individual were to be brought up in the same manner and the same pattern, innovation, creativity and beauty from the world would have vanished.

Just take a look at the life around you-you will find that it is variety that makes it more beautiful. From logical to moral reasons, ill treatment of homosexuals is a blot on humanity.

 

 

 

 

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PrideFest in Milwaukee, WI

May 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment
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The city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is known well for its’ summers. The city is better known for the wide variety of festivals it hosts every summer. While etchnic festivals such as GermanFest and IrishFest taje place, one other festival is immensely popular–PrideFest.

PrideFest, was first held officially in 1994, but the festival first began as a  pride march in 1989. The first official Pridefest was held at Veteran’s Park and showcased three stages of entertainment and numerous food vendors over a two-days span. The festival grew in size and popularity, and by 1996 had outgrown its home in Veteran’s Park. PrideFest ’96 was moved to the spacious Henry W. Maier Festival park on the lakefront, where it has tkane place each year since.

The point of Milwaukee’s PrideFest is to celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community throughout the communities that make up the city.

This year, PrideFest wil be held June 10th, 11th, and 12th at the Maier Festival park on the lakefront. With twelve different stages boasting an array of entertainment, there’s sure to be something for everyone. Some of this year’s most popular entertainment acts include Mo’Nique, Pam Ann, Salt-N-Pepa, and LeAnn Rimes, among many others.

A weekend pass can be bought for $40 and one-day admission is priced at $16. Reserved seating tickets are $75 for Mo’Nique, $49 for Salt-N-Pepa, and $75 for LeAnn Rimes. VIP packages are also available for these acts at $500 a piece. Daily VIP packages can be purchased for $100.

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Supporting Gay Teens

May 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment
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In the last year, it has been hard toturn on the television without seeing something about the bulying of gay teens or even worse, the suicide of a gay teen.

Many people refuse to accept that this is a problem, but it is, and we need to offer support to gay teens whenever possible.

Nearly all of us have heard an anti-gay sur used, whether it was directed at a gay teen or a straight one. In either case, the words such as “homo” and “faggot” should be avoided completely, even if the have become all-too-familiar in the vernacular of teens in school today. In addition to having to endure these insulting words, gay teens also face many other challenegs that straight kids may not. Some gay teens don’t receive support from their families and are turned away. Others are constantly told that their lifestyle is a “choice.” This, in fact, is a belief that many people still hold, even though studies have shown  a “gay gene” does exist.

Bullying of gay teens happens just as often, if not more often, as it does to straight teens. It happens at school, on the street, and even in the home sometimes. What isn’t surprising is that the bullying comes from other students and adults as well. Some schools have begun to support gay students by creating safe havens for them. LGBT centers have been established in some school, as have no-tolerance bullying policies. While not all schools have follows this lead, many are, and that is a big step in the right direction.

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Be comfortable on the inside and the outside

April 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Everyone deserves the right to be comfortable in their own skin. No matter what your ethnicity, background, social standing, sexual preference or religion, every person should wake up every day and be happy with who they are on the inside and be accepted by the outside world.

The outside is just as important in some ways as the inside. The way we dress is how we externally express our personal style and individual personalities. Coogi clothing is a great choice if you want to mix comfort and style with your own personal fashion statement. You want to feel confident and comfortable outside as this boosts anyone’s confidence; your own body language as well as urban smart casual streetwear suits everyone. You don’t have to go for a full hip hop vibe but a great pair of denim jeans or an on-trend pair of high tops can set off any outfit so you’re ready to face the world.

The key to good fashion sense is to not lose yourself completely. Always keep an element of your own personality and apply it to your wardrobe. A great tip is to purchase a capsule wardrobe of about six key pieces with a splash of style and color to breathe life back into to a flagging wardrobe and enable you to mix and match with your existing clothes and refresh your favorite items so you can continue to wear them and love them. Choosing the right capsule pieces also keeps your bank balance happy; a few well chosen items can recreate your wardrobe without breaking the bank!

 

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Filed Under: General, Relationships Tagged With: , , , ,

Getting to Know HRC

March 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), founded in 1980, is one of the largest civil rights organizations in the US that is working to achieve equality for LGBT individuals. There are currently more than 750,000 members and supporters located nationwide.

HRC was created to act as an advocate of behalf of LGBT individuals, mobilize grassroots efforts in communities, invest in the election of fair minded individuals to public office, and educate the public. Their vision is to ensure LGBT individuals have equal rights and are able to be open, honest, and safe about their orientation or sexual gender at work, home, and in their communities.

The mission of HRC is to achieve equality for LGBT individuals by engaging and inspiring Americans to end discrimination and to achieve the recognition of fundamental equality and fairness for everyone.  Their main focus is on diversity and creating a successful organization that unite LGBT individuals and supporters with individuals of all backgrounds and races to ensure equality.

HRC has begun to achieve success for their mission by creating a chief diversity officer position, initiating tactical alliances, supporting events, developing partnerships, and organizing diversity training. Its diversity department focuses on several initiatives:

  • ¡Ya Es Hora! – joined together with this coalition to host workshops aimed at providing resources to immigrants applying for citizenship and wanting to become active participants in the democracy of the US
  • Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program – developed to educate and organize campus administrators, faculty, and its students in hopes of creating a welcoming and safe environment for LGBT black youth
  • Partnership with California Faith for Equity – established to support, mobilize, and educate faith communities within California pertaining to LGBT equality

 

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Creating Safer Schools for LGBT Individuals

March 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Being a child and attending school is hard enough, but also being LGBT can create a frightening experience for many.

As parents, leaders, and supports we need to advocate for strong national policies to ensure bullying and harassment within schools are abolished, not tolerated, and have consequences for the actions.

The PFLAG organization has developed an initiative guide to help make schools safer for all students.

  • Learn the facts about what is going on in your schools. Many school officials have blinders on when it comes to LGBT students. They do not believe their schools are impacted and often do not have policies in place to take action when rights are violated.
  • Everyone wants to be respected, so learn the proper language and understand it. Become familiar with the definition of sexual orientation, gay, lesbian, transgender, etc. The use of appropriate and respectful language is a benchmark to setting the tone of mutual respect and understanding.
  • Adults in the school community need to be more involved and work towards stopping the discriminating behaviors occurring on school grounds
  • Schools need to develop strong inclusive anti-harassment policies which are enforceable and concrete along with training and educational programs offered to the entire school community.
  • Every member of the school community including parents, student, teachers, and administrators need to understand the commitment to protecting LGBT students, the expectations, and the policies. Hosting school wide activities and programs, while offering resources can convey the school’s message.
  • Schools need to come out as a public ally for LGBT students. This can be done by making sure the school library has LGBT age appropriate materials and resources, offering counselors and social workers trained in diversity issues, establishing task forces to enforce and aid in ending bullying and harassment, and displaying signs and other public symbols supporting diversity.

 

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Getting to Know PFLAG

March 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

PFLAG (known as Parent FLAG) was a grassroots organization started in 1972 by Jeanne Manford, a mother of a gay son, who decided to begin a support group after the New York Gay Pride parade.  Shortly after, similar groups began to spring up around the country and offered support and safe havens for parents with lesbian and gay children.

Momentum for the organization built up in the early 1980’s and it gained recognition and support from celebrities such as “Dear Abby” and First Lady Barbara Bush.  It changed its formal name to Parents, Families, and Friends of Gays and Lesbians and by the late 1990’s added bisexual and transgender individuals to its mission.

PFLAG is a nationally known non-profit organization with more than 200,000 supporters and members throughout the United States.  They are formally known as a national advocacy, support, and education organization for LGBT individuals and their families, friends, and supporters.

The vision of PFLAG is through respect, equality, and dignity for all to celebrate diversity and embrace society as a whole. Their mission is to promote the health and well-being of LGBT persons and their families and friends by supporting, advocating, and educating.

PFLAG goals include:

  • Building the organization to capacity and making resources available creating an impact on the nation
  • Creating a world where people are raised and educated with the freedom from fear of discrimination, violence, and bullying regardless of their orientation or gender identity
  • Making the organization’s vision and message accessible to all ethnic and cultural communities in hopes of ending isolation of LGBT family members
  • Working towards full inclusion of LGBT individuals within their chosen faith
  • Creating a society where LGBT individuals can safely and openly pursue careers of their choice and feel encouraged and valued in the workplace

Through its efforts, PFLAG has developed nationally coordinated programs including Safe Schools for All, the Diversity Network, Bringing the Message Home, and Welcoming Faith Communities.

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Challenges for LGBT Home Buyers

March 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment

With current laws, the concept of owning a house as a LGBT couple is quite different from home ownership by a heterosexual couple whom are legally married.

Unlike a heterosexual marriage and divorce which is recognized by the federal government, this is not the same case for gays and lesbians. A LGBT couple may marry in a state where their marriage is legal, but what happens when they move elsewhere? How is property divided in a divorce if the new state doesn’t recognize the marriage and thus will not grant a divorce?

There are a few ways to avoid real estate problems related to an LGBT marriage or partnership. Experts agree that LGBT buyers should do the following:

  • Hire a LGBT Realtor

A broker or agent that is LGBT or even gay-friendly has a great deal of professional experience with LGBT clients. They understand the unique challenges of buying property and obtain a mortgage, have solutions to potential problems, and connections to consultants and qualified experts accustomed to the facilitation of real estate transactions for LGBT partners.

  • Put communication in writing

Contracting real estate or cosigning a loan is legally binding for both parties and a serious financial step. It is important to avoid any misunderstandings by asking questions, refraining from signing a contract without understanding, and knowledge of the legal commitments the agreement represents. In the event of dissolution of the marriage or partnership, everything in writing ensures that communications between co-owners are clear and unnecessary disputes avoided.

  • Hire a legal expert

Hire legal representation such as a real estate attorney that has complete knowledge and experience in dealing with LGBT partnerships and their mortgage and real estate transactions. Special documentation can be drawn up by the lawyer stipulating how the property is shared and what will happen in the event of death of one of the partners or divorce.

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Challenges Facing Elderly LGBT

March 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment

All elderly persons want a place they can call home to grow old in, with grace and proper care. For LGBT elderly individuals finding housing that is LGBT targeted or LCBT friendly is hard to find. Their wish and objective is to find a community that is accepting, avoids the feeling of isolation, and has culturally competent care.

To date, there are small number of LGBT housing communities for the aged in existence with twenty more in various planning and development stages. Additionally, elderly care housing facilities for the general population has begun to establish LGBT friendly practices and policies. There are several initiatives under way throughout the states to support culturally experienced care to LGBT elders at existing senior housing.

Housing options and care for LGBT elders:

  • Homecare

Most elderly Americans want to age in the place they have resided in and called home for most of their lives, but it ultimately requires a varying degree of community or home based services. Many LGBT older adults have fears of admitting homecare workers in their homes due to discrimination, exposure, and disapproval of lifestyle.

To address these concerns, chore assistance networks and local visitor programs have been established by some LGBT organizations. Additionally, a number of for-profit providers in homecare service have penetrated the market which is explicitly LGBT friendly.

  • Assisted living

There are very few retirement communities which target LGBT individuals offering assisted living care units causing LGBT elders to move into facilities designated for the general population. This has resulted in the push for cultural competence training to be mandated so that the needs of LGBT clients and residents are provided for accordingly.

  • NORC

Retirement communities formed by natural occurrences happen when individuals get older in their own home or as the result of elderly individuals moving near one another. They naturally form a community that fulfills the psychological, social, and practical needs required to age with independence, dignity, and grace.

  • LGBT targeted housing for the elderly

Full-scaled retirement communities tailored specifically for the needs of LGBT elderly including units ready for purchase or rental with full amenities are slowly being developed and are under construction.

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