Lesbian.com : Connecting lesbians worldwide | DNC 2012

Houston’s lesbian mayor sounds off on Obama’s LGBT evolution

candy — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 09:51:26 +0000

Houston mayor Annise Parker

BY MICHELANGELO SIGNORLIE
Huffington Post Gay Voices

At the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte last Thursday, openly lesbian Houston Mayor Annise Parker discussed President Obama’s unexpected evolution on marriage equality, noting that she “got some flack” for stating in an interview earlier in the year that the President “needed to evolve,” a process which she said has now moved civil rights groups to support full LGBT equality.

Parker also weighed in on the role of the gay GOP group Log Cabin Republicans, a topic about which Congressman Barney Frank stirred controversy a day earlier at the convention when he said the group’s role model is “Uncle Tom,” invoking an angry counterattack from the group, which in return prompted a strong response by the gay Democratic group, National Stonewall Democrats, defending Frank. Parker at first quipped, “Who?” when asked about the group before more seriously noting that it is important to “stay engaged” in both parties but not at the expense of “self-respect and dignity,’ which she called, “frankly, self-hating.”

CommuniKate: DNC recap

Sidney — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 15:00:23 +0000

BY KATE CLINTON
KateClinton.com

If Sarah Palin asks again, I’m doing pretty good with “that hopey changey thing”. I watched the Democratic Convention on CSPAN with USOpen breaks, except on opening night of football and that night there was some partisan bickering for clicker dominance.

The Dems threw a good convention. After the White Party the GOP threw in Tampa, it was a relief to see a rainbow of diversity on stage and in the house in Charlotte. The first night I was proud of MA guv Deval Patrick challenging the Dems to grow a backbone. San Antonio Mayor Castro shone, and was simultaneously outshone by his four-year old daughter checking her hair in the jumbo-trons. Michele Obama dazzled in brocade and performance. It was a pleasure to see how she has grown into her role.

On the second night the women shone — Planned Parenthood and NARAL were well-represented — and then former prez Bill Clinton, the S’plainer-in-Chief took his sweet Bubba-Elvis time rebutting the GOP Tampons and rocked the house. I’m getting closer to forgiving him for DADT, DOMA and NAFTA. I’m not there yet. Hillary watched on Skype from East Timor.

Gabby Gifford opened the last night and vp Joe Biden and Prez Barack Obama again framed the choice we have on election day. All the balloons had been used in Tampa so there was just lots of confetti but I could still see that Timothy Cardinal Dolan giving the amen sendoff. Really? Why not Rick Warren again?

Mitt Romney says the party is over and today is the hangover.

He is such a prissy little buzzkill. Has he ever even had a hangover? Maybe he was over-served soft vanilla ice cream, but otherwise, no.

It’s sixty days to the election. Sixty days of Candy Crowley and Gwen Ifill patiently checking in with undecided voters. Ugh. I hate them more than beets. I’m not proud of it. Who are they? Rejects from Big Brother? Attention starved middle children? If I were Candy or Gwen, I’d put the squeeze on them, “Oh come on. Don’t be coy. I’ll say a name, you nod.”

Reminds me of David Sedaris’ hilarious analysis of undecideds. It would be as if you were on a plane and the flight attendant described your meal options as chicken or dog excrement. The undecided voter would ask, “Is the chicken boneless?”

I am a decided voter. I believe in change and hope and know, from my experience in the LGBT movement that it takes time. We were well-represented in the Dem convention and in the platform. They forgot god, but they got us in! Coolio. In Tampa the GOP LGBTs thought it was progress that they didn’t get yelled at from the podium.

Count me in with Forward. As Clint Eastwood said in the GM ad, not to the empty chair, “It’s half-time in America. We’re about to start the second half.”

And it’s no time to switch quarterbacks. If you are somehow undecided, while you’re making up your mind, for hope and change, send money to Tammy Baldwin running for Senate in Wisconsin. Or to Elizabeth Warren in MA.

Kate Clinton is a faith-based, tax-paying, America-loving political humorist and family entertainer. See more from the legendary Kate Clinton at KateClinton.com.

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Zach Wahls speaks at DNC

Sidney — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 12:00:30 +0000

Zach Wahls and his two moms pose for the NoH8 Campaign.
Photo credit: Adam Bouska

BY RYAN GRIM
Huffington Post Gay Voices

Zach Wahls, who rose to Internet stardom with a moving plea before the Iowa legislature on behalf of gay marriage, spoke Thursday at the Democratic National Convention. Wahls had addressed the Iowa legislature last year as it debated marriage equality and told the story of being brought up by two mothers. Video of his testimony went viral. After the first wave of viewership died down, Upworthy gave it another boost, and the video has since been viewed more than 20 million times.

“Governor Romney says he’s against same-sex marriage because every child deserves a mother and a father,” Wahls said Thursday night, according to his prepared remarks. “I think every child deserves a family as loving and committed as mine.”

Michelle Obama urges LGBT campaign action at DNC

Sidney — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:00:57 +0000

Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

BY CHRIS JOHNSON
WashingtonBlade.com

First lady Michelle Obama encouraged LGBT supporters on Wednesday to do all they can — even packing up to travel to battleground states — to get friends to go to the polls on Election Day to help her husband in the increasingly tight race for the White House.

Introducing Michelle Obama was Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin, who praised Michelle Obama for ”her clear and much-needed message to policymakers and youth alike that bullying is not something that we have to accept in this country.”

Jeremy Hooper, editor of the gay blog “Good as You,” was among those in attendance at the luncheon and told the Washington Blade afterward he was struck by four words Michelle Obama said after talking about her husband’s LGBT accomplishments and commitment to equality: “And he always will.”