Bears Dream, Bears Vote
Once again taking a page from the bears, we wanted to embrace all the different types of gay wildlife out there and dream of world where love is what unites us, differences and all.
See you at polls this November 6th (with a shirt on, of course...).
Voting On Our Mind
Tomorrow, September 25th is National Voter Registration Day in the United States. If you live in the States, you may have noticed the PSAs on the right side of your screen announcing “Register to Vote” deadlines. They’re pretty straightforward – we just wanted to make sure you have the links, knew the deadlines and could easily access the registration forms if you need them.
- Find out if you’re registered.This website provides great state-by-state breakdown of how to check if you’re registered at your current address.
- Register to vote. If you’ve never voted or you moved since you last voted, you should register to vote. We partnered with Rockthevote.com to make it easier for you to do so.
- Get an absentee ballot. Longdistancevoter.org lets you access absentee ballots in your state.
They still require you to print and mail the form after you fill it out. Seal the form in an envelope and mail it in today!
We'll also show information about the gay marriage referendums coming up in four states (Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington). Learn more and stay tuned!
Imprisoned for HIV
Did you know that in some states you can go to jail for not disclosing your HIV status? There are laws, in 32 states no less, that have been built on stigma and fear and allow for people, like Nick Rhoades, to be sent to jail. Rhoades was sent to prison for not disclosing his HIV+ status to a one-time partner, even though he used a condom and his viral load was, at the time, undetectable. Said partner was never infected and yet Rhoades' life was turned completely upside down. CNN has the full story which I urge you to read.
I recently worked with the Sero Project, a nonprofit whose focus is to end inappropriate criminal prosecutions of people with HIV for non-disclosure of their HIV status, potential or perceived HIV exposure or HIV transmission, among other things. Their site is a resource center that is not only combatting stigma and fear based laws, but protecting those that it need it most. They've got a useful map on their homepage so you can find out what your states statues are and show you how to take action to help get them removed.
I fear that this is something that not many people are/were aware of. I know I wasn't. But I'm glad it's starting to get the attention it deserves.
How many of you knew about these laws?
The Psychology Behind Opposers of Same Sex Marriage
Written by guest writer, Audrina Benson.
In the aftermath of the May 8th election in North Carolina, voters were reminded once again of one of the most pressing issues in social policy today - same sex marriage. Though the amendment was passed, effectively only ending recognition of civil unions and other domestic partnerships since gay marriage was already banned in the state, Obama became the first American president to support gay marriage. If Obama’s views can, as he says, “evolve,” why can’t so many Americans?
Studies have shown that people who are outspokenly against gay marriage are affected more viscerally by images they perceive as off-putting. This could imply that homophobia and opponents of same sex marriage are prone to a knee jerk reaction; rather than further investigating the unfamiliar, they react off first impressions.
Probably the most influential element of psychology at play with those who vote against gay marriage is “motivated reasoning.” Because of indoctrination into intolerance, as well as the aforementioned visceral reaction, they look for emotional reasons to validate their opinions. In the end, the facts don’t matter - gay and lesbian parents are as fitting of parents as heterosexual parents; the legalization of same sex marriage in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont has not unraveled the fibers of traditional marriage. What matters is a passionate defense to the...
This week has been a real roller coaster for our community. First the Vice President comes out in support for gay marriage. YAY! Then a motivated and hateful group of voters passed Amendment 1, banning gay marriage in North Carolina. BOOOOO! And shortly after, we get word that the Colorado GOP killed the civil unions bill that seemed like it was on it's way to passing. HISS! But then something surprising happened. We gays were rightfully outraged and vocal, but there was an outpouring of straight supporters who were equally enraged by North Carolina and Colorado's actions. And then, everything changed. The President of the United States of America, the one who's views on gay marriage were said to be "evolving," did the right thing. He came out in support of gay marriage. BOOM.
Cynics will say that it's a political calculation. That we shouldn't be pawns in a political game. That words are great but actions are better. And while that's true, can we take a minute to just revel in the fact that the highest ranking...
Will & Grace Saves the Day?
While the President's thoughts on gay marriage are still "evolving," we just got one huge endorsement from Vice President Biden. Over the weekend, Joe Biden expressed his support for same sex marriage, the highest-ranking White House official to do so, on NBC's Meet the Press. And while he cited real life gay couples and families as an influencing factor, he used Will & Grace as a touchpoint claiming the show “probably did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody’s ever done so far.”
How incredible that a show which premiered in 1998 and ended in 2006 is still making an impact on our lives today. Surprisingly, the show can still be counted on for laughs upon repeated viewing and if anything, it's the shows portrayal of gay men that may seem a little dated. I'd like to think there's bit more diversity in how we're represented in the media today, and we have shows like Will & Grace to thank for that. Whether you saw yourself in the characters or not, they helped open up people's minds which allowed many of us to feel more comfortable being out and proud.
A Truly Rockin' Sex Scandal
Why can't all political scandals be this hot? The video for daddybear Matt Zarley's new single "Trust Me" features an all too familiar story. Lucky for us, the sexy hunk at the center of this video's story is one worth watching.