Our names are Peter and Alex and we are a gay couple who is engaged to get married on August 25th, 2010. We plan open the door on our life every day and allow you to see what exactly we are doing as we count down to our wedding…But while we’re putting this site together, please go to the Crate and Barrel Wedding Contest site below and vote for us to win $100,000 dream wedding. We are also accepting any financial gifts through paypal to get us to our destination…Las Vegas! We are trying to raise $10,000, but any money raised over that amount will be donated to a local teen gay charity to bring awareness to teen suicide!
Please visit Crate and Barrel and vote for us HERE….
And you can donate money to our wedding by using our email address at raannt@gmail.com
While this may sound arrogant, it would be greatly appreciated and once our Big Gay Dream Wedding is complete, we will commit ourselves to helping find another couple accomplish their dream!!!
Lauren Ashley, Miss Beverly Hills 2010, shares her thoughts on the Bible and gay people with Fox News:
“The Bible says that marriage is between a man and a woman. In Leviticus it says, ‘If man lies with mankind as he would lie with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death and their blood shall be upon them.’ The Bible is pretty black and white. I feel like God himself created mankind and he loves everyone, and he has the best for everyone. If he says that having sex with someone of your same gender is going to bring death upon you, that’s a pretty stern warning, and he knows more than we do about life.”
Black and white, indeed. I find it curious how Miss Beverly Hills’s logic drifts about in the above comment. Notice how listening to the voice of God—presumably a good idea—is simply presumed, without evidence, to be the same thing as listening to the voice of the anonymous Bronze Age author of Leviticus. And also notice that the Leviticus command to execute sexual offenders becomes, after passing through the brain and out of the mouth of Miss Beverly Hills, a mere public service announcement from God: you run the risk of death if you engage in gay sex—and “that’s a pretty stern warning” from somebody who knows a lot more about life than, say, Miss Beverly Hills.
She came over with Indian food last night. She also sent a series of texts that were sweet and funny. I’d be lying to myself if I said that I was not going to miss her desperately when she is gone. It was our pattern. Meaning that we engaged in activities that are normal for us. We talked, laughed, touched and kissed, ate some dinner, drank some wine, and had wonderful physical intimacy.
“You’ll meet the love of your life. Will you come visit me if we are not sleeping together?” It is like she knows what I’ve told a couple of friends without my telling her. ”What are you going to do when she leaves?” a few have asked me. I told them that I will visit her once, or maybe three times, but when I meet a girl here who I want to sleep with, I will call her, and tell her that I want to concentrate on someone else. We will be friends. I’m confident about that. But, there is this old song by “Tricky” that says, “Always? What does that mean? Forever? What does that mean?”
The signs were always there, but I ignored them. It wasn’t what I wanted to see.
In October 1974, after Sara and I had moved in together in the cabin at AWR, I took a picture of her sitting on the steps. Her short blonde hair was curly and unkempt and she was wearing blue jeans and a faded mauve sweatshirt. She wasn’t looking at the camera, rather resting her chin on her hand looking off to the right, keeping an eye on her active toddler. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone looked so bored, but I ignored it.
In January, she and I went, along with her toddler Kyla, to visit Louise and Pat, two women we’d met at the retreat earlier. Theirs was an amazing love story. Both had been married with children, and Louise was teaching women’s studies night classes at a college in their hometown. Pat said she’d been restless and unhappy and thought the class might be just what she needed. She signed up, showed up, and stayed afterwards to ask Louise some questions. They ended up going for coffee and stayed out in the wee hours of the morning talking. They immediately knew they’d found their soul mates, and Pat quickly left her husband. Louise, afraid she’d lose her kids, didn’t leave her husband for a few months, but they ended up together.
On a visit to the retreat in November, Louise and Pat were in the main house talking when Sara and Kyla arrived. I hadn’t seen them for at least a month. The first thing I did was kneel down and scoop Kyla up in my arms. Later when I visited Louise and Pat in their cabin, they expressed surprise that I hadn’t grabbed Sara and kissed her. I explained that I wasn’t ever sure what her reaction would be and knew that Kyla was glad to see me, so hugged her.
Louise and Pat decided we needed to get away together, so we scheduled a weekend away that January. Romantics that they were, they took Kyla so Sara and I could be alone. Together. Of course, I was feeling quite romantic, having not seen her for a month. She pushed me away and asked if that was all I thought about. Honestly, I thought about it a lot.
What I didn’t think about was that while I had left my husband, she had not left hers. She’d gone back to care for her husband’s dying mother, giving her the opportunity to die in a home instead of a hospital. Sara and her mother-in-law had not had a good relationship in the best of times, and that was not the best of times. It was very stressful and, looking back, I didn’t put myself in her shoes, didn’t appreciate what her day-to-day life was like. I was her lover, but not her friend.
Eventually Louise and Pat left Pennsylvania for a small town in the far north of New York State, near the Canadian border. I think of them often and hope they are still in love and together.
Ironically, my divorce was finalized on February 14th. That was also the day Sara’s mother-in-law died. I called Sara the next day to see how she was doing and to see if she planned on returning to the retreat. She told me she was coming back around the first of March, but that she wanted to see other people. She didn’t want to be married and felt like that was what I wanted. I didn’t, I said, but I did.
As I’ve said before, my parents lived a great love story, and everyone in the family wanted something like that for themselves, me included. I kept trying to make people fit that ideal for me, romanticizing them, fussing over them until I suffocated each one. Almost every woman I got involved with eventually had enough and left me. Of course the fact that I pushed until they left meant I was able to view myself as the hero of my own story.
Sara moved back to the retreat and into our cabin. I believed she would come to her senses and realize how wonderful I was. Yeah, that didn’t happen. One Friday night she stayed at a party in the barn until almost 2am. I had gone to bed early so I could watch Kyla who was sleeping in her baby bed in the cabin. Sara had planned on going to the doctor with me Saturday morning, but she was in no condition to go. I woke her up before I left so that she could take care of the baby.
My best friend at the retreat was Malia’s girlfriend Diane. Straight women often think lesbians are attracted to every woman. My goodness, how exhausting that would be! I was never attracted to Diane. She was my buddy. We shot pool together, drank together.
I was devastated when I learned that Sara and Diane were attracted to each other and wanted to sleep together. Their “date” was set for a Sunday night, after our weekend guests had left. Sunday afternoon, Diana and I took several guests over to the ice races at a nearby lake. Every Sunday locals raced VWs around a track in the middle of a frozen lake, and this particular day one of our friends was racing. We were having a great time, when one of the women visiting the retreat talked about what a good relationship Diane and I had. It was good, she said, to see two women involved with each other who were so comfortable together.
We told her we weren’t a couple, and she asked who we were involved with. I told her I’d been involved with Sara, but Diane and she were getting together that night. The visitors were astonished that we could remain friends with that hanging over our heads. I still loved Sara as a girlfriend, but I loved Diane as a buddy, I told them. Then they asked Diane how she could do that to me. I let her handle that question. I don’t recall her answer, just that she was embarrassed.
After the races, Diane and I went to Northwoods where I was entered in a pool tournament. I was up against some pretty tough looking women, but ended up winning the tournament on an impossible shot. Diane was right there with me, cheering me on as best friends do.
Pool aficionados will appreciate this. We were playing eight ball, and I was down to my last shot. I had to at least hit the eight ball or I’d lose. The other woman managed to place the cue ball so it had one of her balls between it and the eight ball. She and her friends were already celebrating when I pulled off a shot I could never repeat and don’t understand to this day. I managed to pop the cue over her ball so it hit the eight ball which dribbled into the corner pocket. Needless to say, I retired from tournament pool immediately, realizing it was a once in a lifetime shot. I wasn’t that good.
Elizabeth had gone to Colorado to visit her family, so I said I would stay in her room so Diane and Sara could have their date in my cabin. Diane lived with Malia and didn’t have a separate room of her own. That was one of the worst nights of my life. I couldn’t go to sleep, but kept getting up to look at the cabin. They left the porch light on all night. I kept thinking “what are they doing that they don’t see that the porch light is on?” but I didn’t really want to know. The next day Diane couldn’t look me in the eye. I changed the sheets and turned off the porch light.
Sara and I made love one time after that. For me it was definitely angry sex. She moved into her own room which was larger and had a separate room for Kyla. I didn’t unclench my stomach for the next three months.
I am glad that I can look back on those times thirty plus years ago and not feel that anguish still. I believe I got it mostly right – Sara and Diane are still my friends. I was not the hero or the victim and neither of them was a villain. We were all trying to find ourselves, to learn to hear our own voices in our head. I am a better person for knowing them and loving them. They are part of the mosaic that makes up my life’s story.
The first thing i would like to say on this matter is would never have any problems with anyones sexuality,when you have spent most of your life, like me being female but trapped in the wrong body then you learn never to be prejudiced about anyone for any reasons but WHY are so many people scared of admitting their own sexuality?
I am completely bi-sexual, i love other women,their soft skin,the touch and feel of their breasts,their soft gentle lips caressing mine,their smell,the feel of freshly washed hair against my face,the wonderful aroma and touch of their vagina, cuddling up together my pussy pressing against a soft ,fleshy bottom,watching a movie,shopping,talking,laughing and crying together i could never manage without another woman in my life but i could also not manage without a man, the feel of strong arms wrapped around my body,firm chest pressed into mine,strong muscular legs,firm lips, tasting and feeling each others tongues and best of all their wonderful cocks filling my wet,willing pussy,sliding into and filling my bottom and the way it tastes in my mouth, my tongue licking the head and their soft balls in my mouth then the fantastic taste of their cum when they shoot into my mouth is something i could not do without.
Before i had my gender reassignment surgery i used to use a lot of on-line dating sites and places such as Adultfriendfinder,indeed that is where i met my boyfriend many years ago, i went on there mainly looking for other female partners, but pre-op i got loads of contacts from supposedly straight guys who could not understand that I was female and not a gay man looking for a gay relationship, I had no problems with performing oral on a guy or even him having anal sex with me but i had no intention of using my cock for anything other than peeing out of,it was a part of me i hated and was alien to me. If i questioned some of the guys sexuality and dared to mention they were bi-sexual they would hit the roof but WHY? surely if a man has sex with another man who has got a cock then he must be bi-sexual,it does not matter if the other guy is fantastic looking or has amazing breasts,if they are tv or a pre-op trans-female if you like the feel of another cock in your mouth or up your arse then you must be bi-sexual so why not admit it after all any love or sex with an adult willing partner is a wonderful thing but we should all be honest about our true feelings.
Recently i had a client who was a super looking guy in his early thirties,very fit muscular body,wealthy,well spoken,impeccably dressed,very confident and a gorgeous cock as well. He could have had any female but he chose to go with me and i must admit i was very flattered. After the initial niceties we got undressed and he asked if he could wear a pair of my panties and hold ups because he liked the feel of them against his skin now when he put them on he did not look silly or any less of a man because here was a man who was totally honest and supremely confident in his own sexuality and he is one of the best lovers i have ever had, a great many guys could learn a lot from his attitude and style, he was completely masculine but not afraid to show he had a feminine side to him. Why oh why aren’t there more people like that in life?
So are you straight,gay or bi-sexual? whatever you are be honest with yourself and let every person be free to live the lives they want without judgment
The transgender seem to be confused about rights. They don’t know what they really are, they just know they don’t have them. Like everything else when it comes to transgender they are long on words and short on specifics. You can’t really pin down TG philosophers to any particular position; nothing said is ever definitive. It’s all vague, rhetorical, and ever changing depending on the questions being dodged. That’s the nature of discourse when the truth is being obscured. Some transgender supporters recently even started to make noises of reconciliation with classic transsexuals and others who have issues with them. It should go without saying that they have not changed and their words should be ignored.
The fact remains that no matter how it is repackaged, transgender is intentionally harmful to transsexual. The concepts are wholly incompatible, and no amount of false promises or sweet talk will change that. Transgender simply cannot exist on its own without attaching itself to something real, i.e. the transsexual birth condition. It is necessary that transsexual is erased in this process in order for transgender to carry on. Anyone who supports the transgender version of reality needs to own this and admit to it. Moreover, there was never a time when the transgender intended to do right by us, so it begs belief that they all of a sudden have seen the light and will soon admit that we have separate “conditions”.
There is no middle ground here. Transgender “compromise” means that the other side gives up entirely and is destroyed. The concept of political correctness has been turned inside out to accomplish this by silencing people who are critical of transgender ways and means. This is a common pattern in politics these days.
It’s the fundamental dishonesty of the transgender “paradigm” that is so irksome. Everyone knows it’s utter nonsense, but we are all supposed to pretend that there is such a thing as people who are born with biological variance in their learned adult gender roles; a kind of intersex condtion that only affects clothing. We are supposed to pretend there is nothing sexual about what the transgender do. And while we are doing all this pretending, we are supposed to keep quiet and not be bothered by all the harm the transgender sexual fantasy does to real people out here. Harm to our reputations, our jobs, our legal status, and especially our families. We are supposed to bear this burden for them and accept all these things as our own, in silence.
It’s time to start speaking the truth about this. The original purpose of political correctness was to remind those with privilege that they have been blessed, and that they should remember that others aren’t as fortunate in a given social order. It was supposed to be about awareness and helping people understand each other. It has since lost its original meaning and now is employed to silence dissent.
The reason the transgender have been so heavy handed in their silencing of transsexual women is that they don’t want their secrets told. Classic transsexual people know exactly who the transgender are, probably better than anyone else. And if we choose to we can spill the beans to those in authority who can make things happen at the various levels of government. It was always a nuclear option that no one wanted to exercise, but the political situation is deteriorating rapidly.
The pace of transgender repudiation is picking up, and things are going to get worse. Out of sheer survival instinct it may be that some people have to make the case for difference clearly and sharply to those in the government who are about to come down on the trangender like a ton of bricks over the next few years. The transgender can hardly complain about this, as it has been their position since the start that they were willing to see transsexuals and their rights destroyed, spent on transgender wants.
Transgender is a choice, a political fiction at best. The true goal of transgender activists is to create a protected category with co-equal status to race and ethnicity under the law. Then, any member of the “majority” who finds themselves with a hankering for alternative sexuality can live it 24-7 with impunity. Much as political correctness has been twisted to its opposite end, laws aimed at protecting equality will be twisted to serve the needs of people who would not otherwise have access to such things. And in the process it will cheapen the law and have a decidedly negative impact on the rights of true minorities.
Far more than transsexual existence is at stake here- the transgender political “movement” is one of the many symptoms of our crumbling society and in its own little way it can contribute to the assault on the institutions that define our social fabric. These institutions cannot survive if their founding principles are debased by this kind of trickery. And there a thousand of these little cronyist schemes coming down the pike as people struggle to get their pound of flesh before the inevitable collapse of the current political environment.
There is no comparison between “transgender” and race, and no basis in rational law for creating protections out of whole cloth for people’s chosen sexual behavior, or their dysfunctional coping mechanisms. Any such parallel drawn by transgender activists to the civil rights struggle of African Americans and others is horribly insulting and completely wrong. It’s disgusting that this is going on. And I resent my condition being held up as an excuse for what they are doing.
I have a right to voice my dissent for this wrongdoing, and so does everyone else. No amount of phony political correctness is enough to take away our right to free speech on this matter. It is my reputation at stake and I have no choice about that. We classic transsexual people have not been given choice of non-involvement, due to the accident of our birth being exploited by opportunists who think its their right to create a brave new world of their own design over the wishes of everyone else.
This protest against the blatant power-mongering going on is the very essence of politics and political speech. It is thus protected speech here in the United States, and we all have a right to speak. There is no political correctness clause that can trump our right to free and unfettered speech in this matter. Simply put, any demands for silence by transgender supporters are flat out wrong and should be met with harsh criticism. And that goes for anyone who is tired of tg nonsense, whether you are classic transsexual, a gay man or lesbian woman fed up with the whole thing, a family member, or anyone else negatively impacted by this toxic “philosophy”. Speak up! It is your right. There will soon come a time and place when your voice will count for far more than all the years of transgender skullduggery combined.
The truth has a ring. Make sure the right people hear it.
Rick Santorum, the guy who once famously compared homosexuality to bestiality and thus prompted Dan Savage to coin the term santorum to describe something else entirely, gave a speech today at CPAC that touched on the subject of DADT. The typical conservative line on DADT has been that the policy shouldn’t change because according to military brass it works just fine. Except now of course Admiral Mike Mullen came out against so now apparently the opinions of the higher ups don’t matter because they’ve been brainwashed:
Addressing how the military leadership, led by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen, could now favor a repeal of the law, Santorum raised the specter of brainwashing.
“Political correctness is reigning in the military right now,” he said. “”Some people say: [Do] whatever the generals say [on DADT]. I’m not too sure that we haven’t so indoctrinated the officer corps in this country that they can actually see straight to make the right decision.”
Oh and did I mention that Mr. Santorum has been visiting early primary states recently? I’m almost secretly hoping he does run – watching him and Sarah Palin have a battle of wits would be epic!
This next Saturday Feb. 27th 2010 at 10:00 pm at Starline is EVOLUTION, the only 18 and over gay dance night on a Saturday night in the Merced/Fresno/Visalia area. So come out and have a great night courtesy of Queer Fresno!
Hum….facebook photos from this weekend are beginning to surface…one in particular (from my missing hours Saturday night…) which is calling into question my assumption that Jo DC and I staggered back from the burn and I crashed out in the back of my truck. Picture: me, looking very blissed out, eyes closed, huge smile….random othergirl (FB claims straight…)- eyes closed, her arms around me, kissing my cheeck, body full pressed against mine. Is it evil that I want BRG to see this and be jealous?
Also, another girl in our circle wants to go hiking with me. And she wants to get her haircut like mine. And I think I’m straight girl bait. Which, if this BRG thing explodes painfully (last night, dropped pie off at door of her apartment, pulled a u-turn, bought packaging tape, returned to hers, wrapped up box extra tight….drove home realizing how amazing she is and how long I have waited to meet someone like her) and all signs still say YES, I’m feeling a bit of a swagger coming on realizing I can rebound by helping the curious cute girls in my circle be a little less straight. (It helps that I’ve lost 12 pounds since January. Confidence is boosted! I’m right close to having a four-pack. Six-pack here I come!)
SCORE ONE FOR TEAM SHALLOW. This too is a form of honesty.
I hope no one stole her pie, or banged the box up. Is this love? Higher being help me shitfuckdamnfuckfuckfuck.
lil shorty’s xristian name is karri, even though ‘karri’ is not a xristian name
today is lil shorty’s b-day
now begins a year of the tiger
little shorty was born in a tiger year
ALL tigers belong to ME, because Y am a GYrL from Detroit
lil shorty will be sicks this year (24=2+4=6)
Y was born in a Snake year
Every day is Love Day
Snake takes a tiger easily
me and WE have been looking at k
me saidE
what’s “worC”? thanks.
Cayann Queen Sal of Lesbesquet said
worC is what One does that is worth doing.
me said
have you banned the letter k?
Cayann Queen Sal of Lesbesquet said
ok, Sharp eYe, You caught ME.
The enerGY around that letter is ikkie. You can tell because it is a picture of a marching nazzi in profile. And you probably heard of that notorious u.s.a. klub for men that they call “the kkk” for short.
On the other hand, C is MYNE, so You know that’s ALL Good.
me said
i’m reclaiming K for the forces of good. if you turn it on it’s side it makes a nice vagina. there.
Cayann Queen Sal of Lesbesquet said
Good plan. WE have a lot of reversals to do before everythang gets back to the way it was and shall again BE.
ALL washed clean:Age of Aquarius.
SaL k
etemoloGY:
K
“one thousand dollars,” 1970s, from kilo-. As an indication of “strikeout” in baseball scorekeeping, first recorded c.1880, said to be from last letter of struck, since first letter was already being used as abbreviation for sacrifice. The invention of the scorecard symbols is attributed to newspaperman Henry Chadwick. K as a measure of capacity (esp. in computer memory) or number (esp. of salary), meaning “one thousand” is an abbrev. of kilo (q.v.).
1000 is the same as 1+0+0+0= 1 and lil shorty likes to be #1.
What’s the meaning of this? Im Crying for Karri- a video by fluteloops who says:
haha I was filming during the national anthem at the game and I just began crying. I don’t know why!
She is a romantic muse. We have a standing date on Sunday nights, spend an occasional Saturday retreat, and gather with friends a few times a year. The tinkling of ivories and a hubbub of voices, then a good shoulder rub and some screeching get this cat swinging.
I’d ask you not to tell my wife, but the truth is, she takes pictures.
The focus of our affections is Coro Allegro, Boston’s chorus for members and friends of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. Coro Allegro earned its excellent reputation with two decades of superb performances of significant classical choral works by a diverse range of composers. It’s also known for the warm welcome it extends to lovers of music, whether on the stage or in the audience.
Almost twenty years ago, I responded to a newspaper ad seeking choral singers, and birthed my devotion to the group. A few times since, I haven’t been able to sing a concert, or for one reason or another had to consider quitting Coro. But few things have remained as constant in my life, and every Sunday, except during summer recess, I trek into town to get my musical fix.
Quality music is the lure, but the community is the hook. I’m not the only Coro chorister who has been with the group for years. Time together has allowed us to develop and refine; our director, David Hodgkins, can play us like an instrument.
On Sunday, February 28, Coro Allegro will perform its Winter concert with a lush, dramatic set of works by Distler, Brahms, Poulenc and Tavener. The Brahms pieces — Fest und Gedenksprüche, Op. 109 — are so rarely performed this would likely be your first time hearing them live. The headline piece, Hugo Distler’s Totentanz, will feature renowned former BSO flutist Fenwick Smith and WGBH’s own Richard Knisely (as the narrator).
Join me in my adoration of Coro Allegro at its Winter concert. There’s plenty of love to go around.
Hugo Distler, Totentanz, plus works by Brahms, Poulenc & Tavener
Sunday, February 28, 2010, 3pm, Church of the Covenant, Newbury and Berkeley Sts., Boston, MA
To all the other mothers that won’t let me in their “group”.You can SUCK IT! I’m not sorry if my very being threatens you. I won’t get fatter, dress frumpier, wear camouflage, or listen to country to make you more comfortable with my skinny jeans, short hair, half sleeve tattoo, and Lady Ga Ga blaring from my car when I drop of my kids. SUCK joining the P.T.A., SUCK baking for the bake sale, and SUCK your dirty looks when I tell your children to be quiet, sit down, or quit running.
SUCK your non-invites to your lame Scentsy, Pamperd Chef, or Mark Kay parties. All you do is rip on the Mothers who couldn’t make it. SUCK not getting invited to go shopping. I can’t spend like you do and I can’t make myself look bad in clothes. SUCK the invites I do get because I might bring a level of entertainment that your lame event wouldn’t have had without me.
Any rumors you start about me can SUCK IT! No I don’t have fake boobs, No I’m not really a lesbian, and nor am I an atheist. I’m am naturally endowed, find ALL human beings beautiful, and think GOD, RELIGION, JESUS, or any other related subject is beyond any human definition.
That all being said….I feel better. To my current friends that may read this…your not included in ANY of this rant. I love you and I know you love me…for me. Thank you for that. To you “Wildo” mothers and any other mother’s who may know me. Give a woman a fucking break and be nice to me. I’ll give you another chance if you do the same. If not…then you know what you can do! SUUUUUCCCCCKKKK IIIIITTTT!
The results are in. February is Vegan Month will now be dedicated to LESBIAN SEX. LESBIAN SEX. LESBIAN SEX. Thank you to Brianna and Nina! You were the only two people to vote. I will not be changing the title — I really enjoy it when a title is completely unrelated to content.
So. Let’s talk about lesbian sex. Here’s a list of good things about lesbian sex:
1) Females orgasm
2) Double the number of BOOBIES
3) Sex toys and fingers never get flaccid (but wrists do get tired )
4) Not necessarily as messy
5) No babies
6) The fun need never end
7) Double the number of PUSSIES
8 ) …. I’m giving up for now.
9) No penises
If that wasn’t fun enough, we’ll keep going.
Let’s do an analysis of this photo:
Two Lesbians
According to Freud, the members of all lesbian relationships assume the roles of either mother/baby or man/woman. In this painting, I see a strange combination of both options. The smoking woman seems to be playing both man and mother, while the other woman seems to be playing both baby and woman. Needless to say, there is something troubling about the image, possibly stemming from the fact that this strange conflation makes it seem almost like a father/child scene. WIERD. Still, I interpret the smirk to mean, “I am aware of the conundrums of my current sexual role.”
I have more to write about the queer in Proust (voyeurism and lesbian foreplay), but I’ll save that for a later date. Tune in again for more hot sweaty action.
As an alumnus, former staff member, donor, and lover of Anderson University, I felt an imperative to convey to you my thoughts regarding AU’s involvement in issues of civil rights.
As a student I can recall numerous instances in which you spoke about your participation in the Civil Rights march as an AU student. I commend you for such brave action. I hold a great deal of respect for you and for all who struggled in solidarity with our black sisters and brothers during that era of our nation’s history. I respect your willingness to stand for what you knew in your heart was the right thing to do, regardless of the consequences. I believe that standing against injustice is a moral imperative that we all bear, as Christians and as human beings.
Having studied the lives of Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Dorothy Day, Oscar Romero and other great non-violent resistors, one commonality that they all share is a willingness to stand for what they believe is right regardless of any consequences. Oftentimes these consequences are serious, as the tragic ends of King and Gandhi clearly illustrate. Yet, their resolve and commitment to justice have inspired billions around the world for decades after their deaths.
I believe that we face another opportunity to stand in solidarity with millions who have been denied basic civil rights. Our nation has a well-documented history of denying rights to lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders and queers.
Thirty years from now, what will AU’s record show on this issue? Will it show that our students, faculty and staff took bold steps to advocate for LGBTQ rights? Or will it indicate a reluctance similar to that of the white moderates whom King so sharply criticized?
I understand that posturing an open and accepting attitude towards queer sexuality would have sweeping and fundamental implications to the culture of our school. It would mean reevaluating how our Admissions department reaches out to students. It would mean readjusting our messages to the concerned parents of prospective students. It would have implications on who we cultivate as donors. It would affect our accreditation with the CCCU. Most significantly, it would seriously alter our relationship with the Church of God. These are serious consequences, and such decisions should not be made lightly.
Nevertheless, the right thing to do should not be avoided because of consequences. If I have learned anything through studying the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., it is that we must stand on the side of justice regardless of the cost, and we must have faith that God will see us through. As dire as these consequences may temporarily be, do they outweigh the risk of being remembered like the white moderates whom King considered almost more of a stumbling block than the KKK?
Those who struggled and suffered during the Civil Rights movement are celebrated and revered. Decades from now, I want my alma mater to be remembered in this way. I do not want it to be said of AU that we preferred “a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice.” If AU is to continue to be remembered for it’s bold participation in fighting for justice and civil rights, we must stand with our LGBTQ sisters and brothers.
Do not take the cowardly route of sidestepping the issue by citing concerns of money, recruitment, accreditation and church relations.
Someday when my children ask me what kind of place Anderson University is, I want to be able to tell them about more than a beautiful campus with friendly people. I want to recall stories of brave and bold actions taken across decades. I want to tell them that AU has a long, proud history of standing for civil rights. I want to tell them that AU is more than an academic institution; it is a place that stands for justice.
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, what better time would there be to talk about sex? More specifically, my personal favorite and preference, lesbian sex! I like to think that lesbians have it all when it comes to getting creative in the bedroom. We aren’t limited to certain appendages that cannot come off, or worse, cannot get off. We can use every inch of our body to satisfy our partner. And if that won’t do the trick we can usually reach into our “goodie” drawer and pull out whatever will fulfill that need.
As lesbians, we are not limited to positions. We can move in whatever direction we want to. If we want doggy, we’ll do doggy. If we want cowgirl lap dance, we’ll do cowgirl lap dance! Fortunately for us, our neighborhood sex shop offers a plethora of devices specifically made to help us achieve orgasm in whichever position we prefer. When it comes to positions, every gal has her personal preference. The positions we choose to get in really depend on the act itself. If we’re talking oral, the sky is the limit! Anywhere from 69 to from behind, take your pick! Toys are pretty much in the same area as far as possibilities. But the cherry on top of this “position sundae” is the ability to use our bodies to make our partner moan. The vagina is a vast and endless source of possibility in itself. You can use just about anything to make it quiver with excitement.
On to the “goodies”! Our toys do not require specific climate control, mental diversions, or even lockjaw in order to work successfully. Be it latex, glass, or CyberSkin, our fun handheld gadgets are ready to go at a moment’s notice. Instead of being with a male partner where you cannot change the size, consistency, or shape, we can pick and choose. We can even base our preference off of color if we were so inclined. “No honey, I don’t think I’m in the mood for the flesh tone. Tonight I want fuchsia!” With all the gizmos that are made for us, it’s a wonder we ever venture into the daylight and live a “normal” life.
Of course it goes without saying that safe sex is the best sex. That being said, there are contraceptives that lesbians can use in order to keep their fun spots clean, healthy, and functioning normal. Getting tested prior to beginning any new sexual relationship is by far the smartest move you can make. After the air is cleared with that (and as long as you remain faithful), all systems are GO! The beauty and added bonus is there will never be a pregnancy scare. Which I suppose could also present a woe. Especially when you are in a committed relationship where the possibility of having children comes up. In which case you make a trip to your local sperm bank or that trusting gay boyfriend!
Go forth lezzies! Have sex and plenty of it! Stay healthy, safe, and informed. No holds barred. Do your research as well. If you’re curious about trying something new, discuss it with your partner and do it!
One of the Twitter trends I follow regularly is #marriageequality. I popped over there last weekend to see what was new and found this link to an article at Stltoday.com. Quoting from the article, “When [Missouri] Highway Patrol Cpl. Dennis Engelhard was killed in a Christmas Day traffic accident near Eureka, the agency described him as single with no children.” The article continues, “Engelhard, hit by a car that lost control in the snow, was gay. He left behind a partner of nearly 15 years who was not mentioned in his obituary or official information released by the Highway Patrol, although members of the agency knew about his sexual orientation.”
Our son has been partnered for nearly a decade in a state that does not sanction marriage equality. If something happened to either him or his partner, neither would be entitled to any death benefits. In fact, civil marriage carries a total of 1138 federal benefits and responsibilities that are not available to same-sex couples, even if they live in a state that recognizes their marriage. You can find a summary of these rights at Marriage Equality USA.
Why do the two halves of Adriana write what we write? Of course, we write because we love erotic fiction, and we love reading and writing loving relationships and hot sex across a range of gender combinations and polyamorous groupings. But also, as lifelong activists, we write to lift up the right of all persons to freedom of sexual expression – in short, to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
We hope you’ll enjoy some of the fruits of our labor. Together with fellow authors from Sapphic Planet, we’re part of an anthology of lesbian love stories being published this month by LoveYouDivine Alterotica. Entitled To Love and To Cherish, the fourteen stories will be released over the first two weeks of February, first as a series of three e-books, and in print as a single volume on Valentine’s Day. All profits from this collection will go to benefit Marriage Equality USA.
Our story, “Embracing the Fire,” is in volume three, Lives and Wives, releasing as an e-book on Friday Fbruary 12. Here’s a blurb and an excerpt to whet your appetite – come join me at Midnight Seductions Yahoo Group Saturday February 13 for a chance to win an autographed print copy of the entire collection!
And be sure to check out Lara Zielinsky’s radio show “Readings in Lesbian & Bisexual Women’s Fiction” for a 2 hour launch special for the complete anthology, in print, on February 14, 2010. Both halves of Adriana will be there, and I’ll be reading an excerpt from “Embracing the Fire!”
BLURB
The deep chill of a Vermont winter will require lots of firewood, so canoe and wilderness guide Brandy Latham welcomes the help of her best friend, Stephanie Watkins. Together they saw, split and stack as they’ve done for many years – but what will happen when new fires ignite between them?
EXCERPT
Bending over in the shower, Brandy welcomed the shards of water slicing across her lower back and buttocks. Although she guided fishing parties on area lakes, even the work required to set up and break up camp and paddle canoes against the wind didn’t compare to the strenuous exercise of sawing, splitting, and stacking wood.
She turned and soaped her breasts. If she was aching, how must Stephanie be feeling? Stephanie seldom guided anymore. Since she’d had to support her loser of a husband she’d taken on the job of assistant manager at the grocery store-a job with stress, but not as physically demanding as guiding or sawing wood.
Brandy shuttered her eyes and let the steaming water have its way. Would Stephanie welcome a massage? It had been on the tip of her tongue to invite her to share a shower, but that would’ve been too much, too quick.
Not that she hadn’t waited for years to follow up on that one night of bliss they’d shared after their high school graduation. Well, at least it had been bliss for her. It might not have been quite that for Stephanie. She had hooked up with Jerry as soon as he’d gotten back from his Guard weekend. Then they’d gotten serious.
Cringing, Brandy still hated remembering having to stand beside Stephanie at the wedding. That had been pure hell, but Stephanie never noticed. She thought she was entering heaven. The bastard even tried to hit on Brandy a couple times. After the first time she said something to Stephanie, but she was beyond listening. From that point on Brandy bided her time trying to be supportive but doing nothing to sour the friendship she and Stephanie had shared from the time either one of them could remember.
Stepping out of the shower and grabbing a towel, Brandy worked on her hair and tried to keep her pulse steady. She would never do anything to sever their relationship, but she had to know if there wasn’t more possible for them. She knew her own heart, but she wasn’t certain Stephanie had a clue.
She thought she’d caught Stephanie eying her differently a few times over the last couple months. Her divorce had been final for three months now. As far as she knew, Stephanie wasn’t dating. And she’d certainly know if she was. She doubted there was a secret between them-except for her desire to love Stephanie wholly and completely.
To all those English literature majors, educators, and PhDs; purveyors of the Canadian Press Style Guide (or the Globe & Mail’s guide) as well as other countries’ equivalents and all those self-appointed grammarians and tight-cheeked editors, moment is simply a noun.
For those who go beyond literature and venture to work with the consensus groups to define the meaning of words, moment means any and all of the following:
A brief, indefinite interval of time.
A specific point in time, especially the present time: He is not here at the moment.
A particular period of importance, influence, or significance in a series of events or developments: a great moment in her life history.
Outstanding significance or value; importance: a discovery of great moment.
A brief period of time that is characterized by a quality, such as excellence, suitability, or distinction: a lackluster performance that nevertheless had its moments.
Philosophy.
An essential or constituent element, as of a complex idea.
A phase or an aspect of a logically developing process.
Now in the event that ANY of the aforementioned English educators, grammarians, or editors are lesbians and perhaps reading this, moment moves away from grammar and physics into something else entirely different and visceral:
the realization that you like girls and in liking, I mean a lot.
there is a girl, (or if you came out later, woman) in front of you, and you want to kiss her. On the lips.
you kiss a girl (or woman) on the lips and a passion rises from inside your navel.
you figure out what to do with that passion and her navel.
you know that all of you is more with a woman, and you have those moments of a quality that are indescribably expansive, transformative, calm, and loving even as you wash the dishes together and disagree about which movie to watch.
you lesbian as part of how you describe the concept and process of you and yourself.
Those moments are not about time because time stands still or is perhaps suspended around you to create that space for the moment of BEFORE now and AFTER now. THAT moment. Those moments.
Those moments linked; not as grammar or physics but as existence as a person, as a woman, as a lesbian to accept and nurture or fight and disavow.
Accepting each moment is a threshold. Choosing to step across the threshold is a moment in the origami of you; those moments are the fingers of the hands that fold the lines in the paper that defines and shapes you — the person, the woman, the lesbian you are and will become.
I was finally, for the first time in my out-to-myself-and-a-few-other-friends life (whew!), beginning to get up the courage to come out to my mother. I feel like when I come out to my mom, then I can truly consider myself OUT. And I want that so bad. My best friend, who frequently chats with mom, said she thought now was a good time to tell my mom too.
But today, near the end of our phone conversation, my best friend threw in, “Oh, and uh, maybe now’s not as good of a time to tell your mom you’re gay as I thought.” “What do you mean? What did she say?” I said nervously. She continued, “Well, I was just chatting with her on Google, and she was saying how she prays every day for you to find a nice Christian man.”
*Smacks forehead*
Ok, so I know it’s not really bad. It’s not like she said, “I just don’t think I could ever have a gay child.” But I thought we were making progress!! I know it’s normal to try to hang on to some hope that I’ll live out her dreams for me, but I really thought she was past the wishing a good guy on me stage. I don’t know how many times she said that in high school. “All I want is for you to be happy. Find a good man like your daddy and papa and be happy.” Even though I didn’t consider myself gay at the time, I would say, “Well, mom, it’s not like I have to find a man to be happy.” At the time, I honestly thought I’d be single my whole life and “married to Jesus.” Why? Because I loved Jesus so much? I thought so. Really, I thought God had given me “the gift of singleness”, whatever the hell that is, so that I could be a missionary. Now uh… I see that I just wasn’t into the boys… at all… ever… not even the celebrity ones. (Really, do you know how embarrassed I felt when my friends would ask me who my favorite actor was, and I could never think of one, but my obsession with Winona Ryder was very evident. I would think, “Man, they’re gonna think I’m gay or something.” I wonder why??)
Maybe “the gift of singleness” is Christian for “GAY!” “Hmm… I have no desire to date a boy. I’ve never found anyone attractive or had the desire to be romantic with one. I must have the gift of singleness!!!” Or asexuality, but, I’ve never met an asexual, so I have no idea what their experience is like. Even when I honestly thought God had bestowed upon me “the gift of singleness”, I would feel an occasional hot in my pants for some ladies. Just being honest! But I sure tried to shove those feelings far, far away.
Well, now that we’re back from that small rabbit hole, I guess I just wanted to say that… *sigh* I really want to come out to my mom, but I don’t want to crush her dreams for me (or her opinion of me). I know my situation could be much, MUCH worse, but… I gotta stop being a wimp. My fiance deserves that.
Next Sunday, much of the nation will gather to watch Super Bowl XLIV – but this year, viewers are in for a surprise.
CBS has approved an ad designed to fuel the culture war over abortion, sponsored by the far-right group Focus on the Family. Stranger still, after years of refusing to run “advocacy ads” by progressive groups, CBS suddenly reversed its policy in order to allow this ad to air.
Ads about the deficit or promoting LGBT tolerance were “so controversial” they would have ruined the Super Bowl – but anti-abortion ads are just fine? Changing its policy to allow “advocacy ads” is a spineless move designed to give CBS political cover and save $2.5 million in ad revenue.
The Super Bowl isn’t the time or the place for a debate about abortion. Take action below and tell executives at CBS not to air Focus on the Family’s divisive and deceptive ad.
Man Crunch gay dating site ad
CBS also banned a GoDaddy.com ad that features an effeminate football player turned lingerie designer.
Hey Guys…and Girls…Don’t forget tonight is CANDYLAND at Landsharks in Broadripple from 9-3. And starting next week…FLESH Mondays each and every week at Landsharks hosted by Sky Block and the boys of raannt. Come see the go go boys and dance all night to thumping house music!!! The ONLY gay night…although we welcome all of course…on the Northside!!!
)
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, what better time would there be to talk about sex? More specifically, my personal favorite and preference, lesbian sex! I like to think that lesbians have it all when it comes to getting creative in the bedroom. We aren’t limited to certain appendages that cannot come off, or worse, cannot get off. We can use every inch of our body to satisfy our partner. And if that won’t do the trick we can usually reach into our “goodie” drawer and pull out whatever will fulfill that need.
And be sure to check out Lara Zielinsky’s radio show “Readings in Lesbian & Bisexual Women’s Fiction” for a 2 hour launch special for the complete anthology, in print, on February 14, 2010. Both halves of Adriana will be there, and I’ll be reading an excerpt from “Embracing the Fire!”
Next Sunday, much of the nation will gather to watch Super Bowl XLIV – but this year, viewers are in for a surprise.
