Ashley Furniture Shop Slapped With Lawsuit From Ex-Worker Allegedly Fired For Being A Lesbian



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...ref=gay-voices

Spring 1993, Vol. 25, No. 1

Women Soldiers of the Civil War
by DeAnne Blanton


The existence of soldier-women was no secret during or after the Civil War. The reading public, at least, was well aware that these women rejected Victorian social constraints confining them to the domestic sphere. Their motives were open to speculation, perhaps, but not their actions, as numerous newspaper stories and obituaries of women soldiers testified.

http://www.archives.gov/publications...vil-war-1.html



Women Soldiers of the Civil War, Part 2
by DeAnne Blanton

After the war, Cashier worked as a laborer, eventually drew a pension, and finally went to live in the Quincy, Illinois, Soldiers' Home. In 1913 a surgeon at the home discovered that Albert D. J. Cashier was a woman. A public disclosure of the finding touched off a storm of sensational newspaper stories, for Cashier had lived her entire adult life as a man. None of Cashier's former comrades-in-arms ever suspected that he was a she. Apparently, neither did the commandant at the Soldiers' Home. She died October 11, 1914 in an insane asylum.

http://www.archives.gov/publications...vil-war-2.html


Women Soldiers of the Civil War, Part 3
by DeAnne Blanton


Despite the fact that the U.S. Army did not acknowledge or advertise their existence, it is surprising that the women soldiers of the Civil War are not better known today. After all, their existence was known at the time and through the rest of the nineteenth century. Even though some modern writers have considered Seelye and Cashier, the majority of historians who have written about the common soldiers of the war have either ignored women in the ranks or trivialized their experience. While references, usually in passing, are sometimes found, the assumption by many respected Civil War historians is that soldier-women were eccentric and their presence isolated. Textbooks hardly ever mention these women.


http://www.archives.gov/publications...vil-war-3.html

Connie Mack: You Can Legislate Morality When It Comes To Gays, But Not Guns



http://www.queerty.com/connie-mack-y...zs7Sv8HktbW.99

I admit, one of the reasons I like that combat roles are being opened to women now is that it will not be something that can be neatly brushed under the rug and forgotten: it will be right in our culture's face. I look forward to the irreparable damage this will do to our culture's myths about women, like "a woman is peaceful and not violent" and "women, like children, are weak, passive victims and must be protected by men."

Death of founding member of HBIGDA/WPATH, Dr. Leah Schaefer
 

I just received this email from the World Professional Associattion of Transgender Health.




Dear WPATH members:

It is with great sadness that I share the news of the death of Dr. Leah Schaefer, a giant in our field and former WPATH (then HBIGDA) President from 1991 to 1995. I am including an obituary written by former Board member and Committee Chair Dr. Kit Rachlin.

Survivors include her beloved niece, Board member and Committee Chair Dr. Randi Ettner.

Leah was a remarkable woman and revered by many in our membership.

In the words of President-Elect Jamison Green, " We are all impacted by the loss of her intellect, warmth, humor, and kindness, as well as her fierce support of our collective work and the dignity of transsexual and transgender people".

Dr. Leah Cahan Schaefer obituary by Dr. Kit Rachlin:

Dr. Leah Cahan Schaefer died last night after a long illness. Leah was a pioneer in the field of gender and sexuality. She was a founding member of the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association (today, WPATH) and was an author of the first five versions of the Standards of Care. She was a two-time President of HBIGDA and a President of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. Her doctoral dissertation, and book, Women and Sex was groundbreaking in its frank portrayal of female sexual experience. As a gender specialist in private practice in New York City she shared her compassion and wisdom with thousands of individuals. She was the custodian of Harry Benjamin's files and her private and professional papers are at the Kinsey Institute Library. She will be deeply missed by her friends, family, and colleagues. Funeral Services will be held at 9:30 in the morning on Monday, January28th at the Plaza Memorial Chapel between 90th and 91st Streets in Manhattan. Plaza Jewish Community Chapel. | 630 Amsterdam Avenue at 91st Street New York, NY10024 212.769.4400, Shiva will held on Monday evening between 5:00-9:00 at 285 River Side Drive apartment 15A at the corner of 101st Street.

Lin

Lin Fraser EdD
WPATH President __________________
-Dapper

Wynne makes history as first openly gay premier in Canada


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle7894440/

This is cool!
 

I know, right? Maybe now they will have a Tolerance badge.

USA Immigration Reform
 

Yesterday the Senate and President made public their proposed immigration reform. They are two separate proposals. I want to alert our community to the fact that the Senate Proposal does not include visas and permanent residency (Green Card) for Same Sex Couples. President Obama's

It is my hope, each of us will contact our US Senators and ask why this is the case and recommend it be included in the Senate recommendations for Immigration reform.

__________________________________________________ ___________

Similarities and differences between Obama, Senate proposals

January 30, 2013 by swyatt11


SAME-SEX COUPLES
Senate:

— Does not include a provision allowing sponsorship of a same-sex partner.

Obama:

— Allows U.S. citizens and permanent residents to sponsor a visa for a same-sex partner.



http://21border.com/2013/01/30/simil...als/#more-3051

Malawa speaks
 

One of the carry over policies from Bush Jr. This side of Obama is very very troubling.........


Bipartisan Group of Senators Seeks Legal Justifications for the Deliberate Killing of Americans

http://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/pre...-of-americans-


Wyden Statement on DOJ Memo on the Killing of Americans During Counterterrorism Operations:

http://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/pre...ism-operations

This is happening completely because Congress has fucked the post office for years............the Republicans want to privatize a perfectly good cost efficent government run program..........asshats

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/n...,3214004.story

Here is an excellent article about how the Post Office got to this point:

https://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/05/26-1

Meanwhile , in So Calif, we have this former LAPD cop on the loose, who has killed a cop and apparently plans to do a whole lot of killing. He has an "agenda". 3 people dead so far. He contacted Anderson Cooper of CNN , Huge manhunt under way and he apparently is in a remote area lying in wait. shakin head.....so much killing enough enough

Christopher Dorner Manifesto Ex LAPD Officer
 

I was reading more on this current news story and was surprised to read this ex LAPD officer had specifically referred to lesbian officers in supervisory positions in his manifesto. (See below. He also included other groups.)

Apparently Dorner sees lesbian officers in supervisory positions as misandry and not feminism. In my thinking if he sees feminism as misandry he is feeling threatened. Is it really a fine line or ?

__________________________________________________ _______

From: Christopher Jordan Dorner /7648

To: America

Subj: Last resort

Regarding CF# 07-004281


Those Caucasian officers who join South Bureau divisions (77th,SW,SE, an Harbor) with the sole intent to victimize minorities who are uneducated, and unaware of criminal law, civil law, and civil rights. You prefer the South bureau because a use of force/deadly force is likely and the individual you use UOF on will likely not report it. You are a high value target.

Those Black officers in supervisory ranks and pay grades who stay in south bureau (even though you live in the valley or OC) for the sole intent of getting retribution toward subordinate caucasians officers for the pain and hostile work environment their elders inflicted on you as probationers (P-1′s) and novice P-2’s. You are a high value target. You perpetuated the cycle of racism in the department as well. You breed a new generation of bigoted caucasian officer when you belittle them and treat them unfairly.

Those Hispanic officers who victimize their own ethnicity because they are new immigrants to this country and are unaware of their civil rights. You call them wetbacks to their face and demean them in front of fellow officers of different ethnicities so that you will receive some sort of acceptance from your colleagues. I’m not impressed. Most likely, your parents or grandparents were immigrants at one time, but you have forgotten that. You are a high value target.

Those lesbian officers in supervising positions who go to work, day in day out, with the sole intent of attempting to prove your misandrist authority (not feminism) to degrade male officers. You are a high value target.

Those Asian officers who stand by and observe everything I previously mentioned other officers participate in on a daily basis but you say nothing, stand for nothing and protect nothing. Why? Because of your usual saying, ” I……don’t like conflict”. You are a high value target as well



http://ktla.com/2013/02/07/read-chri...#axzz2KT7GqnW2

Dammit and for a while there I thought this whole escapade was really kind of fascinating in a morbid, "Will this progress until he gets the military chasing him down like some kind of bizarre real-life Grand Theft Auto analogue?" way. And now this shit.

That said, solely on a hunch, I get a vague and probably unreliable impression that he doesn't see himself as opposing feminism per se, but that he had a bad interaction with a female superior and got the (probably erroneous) idea that she hates him for being male. While I don't know what actually happened, of course, this guy is unstable and probably has a persecution complex. I'd wager there's a good chance he read something into such an interaction that wasn't there, or he pissed her off and in his head he just sort of conjured "misandry" as a reason for her disliking him, or she was feeling short-tempered about that whole "male privilege" thing that day, or she simply called him out on or disciplined him for some bullshit of his (possibly male-privilege-related) and he took it as a personal attack. None of which justifies his pissy attitude, but I'm one of those people who looks for context in all the wrong places, so.

You may be correct. I read the entire manifesto and have been following this story. At first I thought the woman who was on patrol with him and allegedly kicked the cuffed suspect in the face might be a lesbian, but upon further reading it looks like she was heterosexual and going through a break up/divorce with a male partner.

I personally believe some of Dorner's recollections did take place. However, it is not a pass for murder. It just really struck me as odd and sadly familiar how a lesbian with some perceived power or real power, her actions are seen as misandry and most likely suspect to be a "man hater."

Pope Benedict to resign at the end of the month, Vatican says
 

This was a total surprise. A pope has not resigned since 1415.

Disclaimer- I am not Catholic, though my family raised me with that religion. I left it in college. But I still have some mixed feelings about this, and wonder what the future is regarding a lot of issues.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/11/world/...ion/index.html

Rome (CNN) -- Pope Benedict XVI will resign on February 28, his spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told CNN Monday.

The 85-year-old pope is resigning "because of advanced age," Benedict told the cardinals of the Catholic Church on Monday.

"Strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me," the pope told the cardinals, according to the Vatican.

Yeh this has me a bit piffed right now. I too am not a practicing Catholic but was raised in the Roman Catholic faith. Hardcore. My mom has pictures hanging on the wall where my grandfather is seated with popes. My grandfather was a tour guide in the Holy Lands for many many years and so I was raised with all these known understandings of what is expected in the church and of a pope.

That his reasoning is "because of advanced age" doesn't cut it with me and I can bet a million bucks my mom will have much to say about this. She had her doubts about this pope from day one. A pope reigns till death. Age is not a reason to resign....

I really don't want to be judgemental about this decision of his. If he has any doubts of his ability to reign then he really doesn't need to be sitting in the Vatican. I have to let this go....

The oldest reigning pope was Pope Leo XIII - age 93yo.

Something just seems weird that it would also happen during Lent.

The Pope resigns and good riddance to a former Nazi and a known, proven pedophile protector.

This resignation comes as a new HBO documentary is released about the extent of pedophilia in the Catholic Church and the extent of the cover-up by this Pope and previous ones. "Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God" begins its enraging journey by introducing the crimes of the Rev. Lawrence Murphy, who molested hundreds of boys under his care at St. John's School for the Deaf in Milwaukee.

If in the 60s, 70s, the Church had not excommunicated all of the priests and nuns who followed Liberation Theology teachings, there might be a chance this institution (and all Christianity) could vault itself into the 21st century.

Outgoing DOD boss Panetta extends some benefits to same-sex spouses, partners of gay troops

By Bill Briggs, NBC News contributor

Departing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta extended Monday a list of benefits — all previously denied by the Pentagon — to the same-sex spouses of service members as well as to the unmarried partners of gay troops.

The perks, automatically available to heterosexual military spouses, will include hospital child care services, hospital visits, and the issuing of military ID cards, which will give same-sex spouses and partners access to on-base commissaries, movie theaters and gyms. The policy changes will go into effect once training on the new rules is completed, Panetta said.

While advocates for gay and lesbian service members and their families hailed Panetta’s policy switch as “substantive” and “encouraging,” the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) still blocks the DOD from enacting more than 85 other benefits now provided to heterosexual military spouses and their children — most notably medical and dental care, housing allowances, and death benefits.


Also, as NBC News reported Feb. 4, that same federal law mandates that when a gay service member is killed in combat, military officials must first notify that troop’s blood family, not their spouse, as is normally the course of action.

Panetta said DOMA is “now being reviewed by the United States Supreme Court" — and he offered his first clear signal that the Pentagon wants that law overturned.

“There are certain benefits that can only be provided to spouses as defined by that law,” Panetta said. “While it will not change during my tenure as secretary of defense, I foresee a time when the law will allow the department to grant full benefits to service members and their dependents, irrespective of sexual orientation. Until then, the department will continue to comply with current law while doing all we can to take care of all soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and their families."

Same-sex advocates have been pushing the DOD to extend full benefits to the spouses and partners of all U.S. service members since the repeal 17 months of ago of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy which prohibited gay troops from revealing their sexual orientation.

“At the time of repeal, I committed to reviewing benefits that had not previously been available to same-sex partners based on existing law and policy,” Panetta said. “It is a matter of fundamental equity that we provide similar benefits to all of those men and women in uniform who serve their country ...

“Taking care of our service members and honoring the sacrifices of all military families are two core values of this nation. Extending these benefits is an appropriate next step under current law to ensure that all service members receive equal support for what they do to protect this nation."

Advocates for gay and lesbian service members and their families praised Panetta’s policy shift although they said that the move is not groundbreaking due to the DOMA legal blockade.

“Secretary Panetta’s decision today answers the call President (Barack) Obama issued in his inaugural address to complete our nation's journey toward equality, acknowledging the equal service and equal sacrifice of our gay and lesbian service members and their families,” said Allyson Robinson, an Army veteran and executive director of OutServe-SLDN, an association of actively serving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender U.S. military personnel with more than 50 chapters and 6,000 members.

“We thank him for getting us a few steps closer to full equality — steps that will substantively improve the quality of life of gay and lesbian military families,” Robinson said.

The American Military Partner Association (AMPA), a support network for LGBT military families, released the following statement today in response to Panetta's announcement:

“We’ve waited far too long for this, and it’s fantastic news that our dedicated military families will now have access to some of the benefits and support services they need and deserve,” said Stephen Peters, the group's president. “However, (DOMA) continues to undermine our military families who sacrifice so much for our nation. This summer, we hope that the Supreme Court will make it clear that our families are just as important and deserve the same protections, benefits, and support that federal recognition brings.”

To offer the new benefits to partners, DOD will ask gay and lesbian service members to sign a “Declaration of Domestic Partnership” in which they will attest that they are in a committed relationship, and intend to remain so indefinitely, and that neither is legally married, according to OutServe-SLDN.

The changes will take “several months to complete, Pentagon officials said. The extra time is needed so that military leaders can offer a chance for the public to comment on the new rules and also to allow an opportunity for each of the branches to update its IT system, develop new processes for issuing ID cards, and train their personnel on the refreshed benefits package.

Panetta did stop short on offering a full slate of benefits that gay advocates have been requesting for two years: on-base housing and burial at Arlington National Cemetery and other items that don’t fall under DOMA, according to OutServe-SLDN. (The organization’s lawyers drafted an explanation outlining the policy shift for gay service members and their families.)

DOD officials have explained to OutServe-SLDN that “policy for burial at Arlington National Cemetery is under review. At issue is how to verify eligible same-sex relationships for the surviving spouse in order to ensure equitable policy implementation."

The Liberation Theology movement was the last moment of social relevance for the Catholic Church. When he was still Cardinal Ratzinger, this pope in his role as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, (also known as the Holy Roman Inquisition. Yes, really.), was fully responsible for the above-mentioned excommunications. Not surprising for someone who was a member of the Nazi Party. I wonder if he's feeling.... guilty?

He is running from the HBO documentary as well. How in the hell are the going to find a Cardinal that is not tainted by pedophilia and ignoring the social justice teachings of their Jesus the Christ?

North Korea conducts third nuclear weapons test
 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_2666319.html

This is not smart on the part of Pyongyang. When China has gotten tired of them (and they have) you know they've gone too far. I say that simply because China has been a loyal ally of North Korea and are, pretty much, the only friend the North has left.

Cheers
Aj

love the sinner but hate the sin and try to have a segregated Prom


A group of students and parents at Sullivan High School in Sullivan, Ind., have banded together to push for a “traditional” prom that would prohibit their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered classmates from attending.

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/02/11/...#ixzz2KhnKcV3e

WATCH: Montana TV Station Warns of ‘Zombie Apocalypse’

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/02/12/...#ixzz2KhnyTI7z

Awesome! But I would have been scared if I heard that while watching TV... LMAO

Pastor in same-sex parent dispute remains jailed
By WILSON RING, Associated Press
Thursday, January 31, 2013

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A pastor was taken back to jail Thursday for continuing to refuse to tell a grand jury what he knows about a woman who fled the country to escape a custody dispute with her former lesbian partner.


Miller told the judge that the week he has spent in jail has strengthened his resolve that his beliefs require him to follow God's law when they conflict with civil law. He said he is willing to pay the price, even if it means more time in jail.

"If I were to bring testimony against a fellow member of Christ's kingdom, for honoring Christ's kingdom's laws, I would be disloyal to his kingdom and to Christ," Miller said.



http://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/art...#ixzz2KiXa0ClM

Glass shards prompt recall of Lean Cuisine ravioli
 

Alaska environmental regulators say Nestle Prepared Foods Co. has issued a recall of Lean Cuisine mushroom ravioli after consumer reports that glass shards were found in the product.

Officials say affected packages of Culinary Collection Mushroom Mezzaluna Ravioli with the UPC number 13800-58358 and production codes of 2311587812 and 2312587812. Both codes have a "best before" date of December 2013.

It was distributed in November.

Officials say there have been no reports of injuries or illnesses.

Consumers who may have the recalled Lean Cuisine dish should not eat it, but instead contact Nestle Consumer Services at (866) 586-9424 or leancuisine@casupport.com.

Nestle will provide a replacement coupon to reporting consumers and also may make arrangements to retrieve the product for further examination.

Read more: http://www.wcvb.com/news/money/Glass...#ixzz2KiodruVd

Chris Dorner is apparently surrounded in Big Bear. He had 2 female hostages, one escaped and alerted police. Chris shot 2 more officers when he was approached. I'm scared to see how this ends.

Let Them Eat Cake
 

Lesbian Couple Denied Wedding Cake Accept Celebrity Baker’s Offer


A lesbian couple who were denied a wedding cake by an Oregon bakery have accepted a sweet offer from ”Ace of Cakes” star Duff Goldman.

The celebrity baker offered the brides-to-be a free wedding cake after they were shunned by an Oregon baker who said he does not serve same-sex marriages.


http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business...-bakers-offer/

I love Duff Goldman so much.
Just when I thought he couldn't get any more awesome.

Butch/femme photo project
 

I am stunned beyond belief. This is true. The Catholic Church is in deep shit.


Pope Benedict resigned to avoid arrest, seizure of church wealth by Easter
Posted on February 13, 2013 by itccs

Diplomatic Note was issued to Vatican just prior to his resignation

New Pope and Catholic clergy face indictment and arrest as "Easter Reclamation" plan continues

A Global Media Release and Statement from The International Tribunal into Crimes of Church and State

http://itccs.org/2013/02/13/pope-ben...lth-by-easter/

Hubris: The Selling of the Iraq War It airs Monday Feb 18 at 9pm ET/ 6pm Pacific.

Join Rachel Maddow for the step-by-step true story of how the American people were sold on the Iraq war.


http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3036750/ns...ries/#50810559

And don't get me started on those asshat treasonous Senate Republicans filibustering Chuck Hagel as Defense Secretary.........the FIRST time in history this has ever happened. No up or down vote period.

*insert many words not used in polite company*