By Syantani Chatterjee, Reuters, Wed Jul 23, 1:17 AM ET

Single mother Mary White worked as a sales clerk until the bank foreclosed on the home she rented.

Tossed out on the street with her six boys, she lost her deposit and her job. Now she is revved up to vote in November. “My situation is going to make me want to vote even more,” she said.

“I want to say that this should not be happening to people in America, and I am very angry and upset about it.” [Read more →]

Tonight (Tuesday 22july) at 7:30pm at the corner of Capitol Ave and Broad St, (rain location is at the Charter Oak Cultural Center) there will be a candlelight vigil for Nashawn William, a 16 year old black youth who was attacked by a gang of whites in Plainfield, CT while waiting for a school bus in October 2007.

Police are trying to close the case, with no witnesses or arrests made. Nashawn and his family have since been forced to move to
Norwich after repeated threats and taunts against them following the attack.

At this crucial time, Nashawn and his family really need all our support

Justice for Nashawn! No Police cover-up in
Plainfield! 

Me and some folks from ARRGH! and Hartford Food Not Bombs are going out tonight in support. Hope to see more folks there!!! 

-Deric

Based upon feedback we are endeavoring to improve the look and feel of the QWB blog. And this is where all you queers and such come in (or out depending upon your frame of reference)! Please drop us an email at blog@queerswithoutborders.com with any suggestions for improving the interface, usability or whatever strikes your fancy to tell us. And remember, anyone can be a QWB blogger, no security check performed by Homoland Security or any of that crap; just drop an email at blog@queerswithoutborders.com indicating you would like to blog on the site.

A caption from an article about the musician describes “pop songs with Perry cast as a sunnier Avril.” The comparison of Avril Lavigne and Katy Perry is right on target–both are poseurs. Avril has–in pop culture–conned younger generations into believing that dark eyeliner and angst define punk, and Katy’s current song (with a ripped off title) “I Kissed a Girl” is promoting pseudo-lesbianism as the real thing.

The song lyrics in question:

This was never the way I planned
Not my intention
I got so brave, drink in hand
Lost my discretion
It’s not what, I’m used to
Just wanna try you on
I’m curious for you
Caught my attention

I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chap stick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don’t mind it

[Read more →]

This posting was found on Kelli Busey’s site planetransgender. Read all about this latest slap to our Trans Sisters and a slap to our true spirit. To Kelli and all of our people Queers Without Borders stands up and OUT and in our Queer Spirit march with you on July 26th. Link here for the full article that is from the Dallas Voice.  Link here for planetransgender. The posting is posted July 18, 2008 and contains an interesting video. Have a good laugh with it.

A big thank you to Kelli for this posting. Give our support to our sisters in Dallas. We march with you on July 26th, 2008.

An Old Jewish Anarchist Revoluntionary Anthem

It’s Dawn Already, Wake Up! Open Your Eyes!

www.akpress.org/2006/items/ana

This is a wonderful historical piece that I found today. Enjoy.

Actions challenge criminal injustice system

By Gloria RubacHouston, Published Jul 18, 2008 12:18 AM

The Harris County criminal justice system here has historically been racist and targeted the poor, with justice denied for untold generations. Within the last year, the struggle against this system has intensified to the point that ruling-class politicians have been challenged to examine its violent and racist practices.

July 10 rally demands indictment of racist vigilante Joe Horn;Photo: Jon Axford
Recently the federal Department of Justice did a five-day examination of the Harris County Jail, a massive complex of detention centers where more than 100 prisoners have been “found” dead.

A Houston Chronicle review of state and county records reveals that from January 2001 through December 2006, at least 101 inmates-an average of about 17 per year-have died while in the custody of the jail. In 2006 alone, after three consecutive years of failing to comply with state standards, the jail recorded 22 in-custody deaths.

At the times of their deaths, at least 72 of the inmates-more than 70 percent-were awaiting court hearings and had yet to be convicted of the crimes that led to their incarceration. [Read more →]

  If Queers Without Borders could fly off to San Francisco we would be there for the protest against HRC’s annual dinner. We will be there in spirit, in solidarity sending out our good vibs for justice and freedom for all. We will be in the street with the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, And Castro 4 All, SF Labor Council, Pride at Work at what these groups are calling the “Left OUT Party.” I found this information on Kelli Busey’s site  (see link for planetransgender on our side bar) and she had a link to an article from San Francisco’s Alternative Online News. The article by Tommi Avicolli-Mecca can be found here. There are many fine articles stating QWB’s position on HRC. To sum it up in a nut shell, Fuck HRC!!!

Cynthia McKinney for president

Workers World newspaper in the past has supported the candidates of Workers World Party running for national office in the U.S. presidential elections and who have put forward a revolutionary socialist program. This time we are taking the unusual step of endorsing the candidacy of Cynthia McKinney because these are unique times and this is a unique candidate.

McKinney, a courageous Black woman and former U.S. Congresswoman from Georgia, has become one of the most militant leaders and voices for the U.S. left, progressive and Black movements.

Because of her militancy in the struggle against the war, the struggle to impeach Bush, as well as her struggle to expose the government’s role in the displacement of survivors of Hurricane Katrina, she was branded too Black and too radical to walk the halls of Congress. She was pushed out, not once but twice, by the leadership of the Democratic Party. Last year, McKinney severed her ties to that party.

On July 12, McKinney and her running mate, activist Rosa Clemente, won the Green Party’s nomination to run for president and vice-president, respectively. The Green Party’s nomination will put McKinney on the ballot in about 20 states, which is no small thing in the U.S. where the ruling class has made it very hard for any electoral formation independent of, and even slightly to the left of, the two major ruling-class parties to get ballot status. The Green Party is not the reason why we are supporting McKinney. [Read more →]

I found this discussion on Diana’s Little Corner In The Nutmeg State this AM. Diana calls her posting “Revisionist History Part III.” She puts it so well in her posting when she writes, “You ask why am I hung up on the Stonewall uprising and it is because so many people want to write us, the trans-community out of the history of the uprising. I feel that if I write about it enough than our rich history of political activism will not get lost.”  Check out the discussion and the video here. The video is taken from Stonewall the movie which does take some liberties with the actual story but the charters are based on real life people who were at the Stonewall Inn during the rebellion. Queen Allison Alante was the only person who was at the rebellion and is in the movie. The people at the discussion table were there the night of saying NO! While your over at Diana’s check out her “Revisionist History Part I and Part II.” (check out her beautiful photographs too)

A note: We need each and everyone of us to be watchdogs when it comes to our stories. Nothing is small or insignificant about this process when people are trying to write any of us out of history. Attempts to erase, deny, omit, suppress must be met with us in full force out against the oppressors no matter who or what they may be. One thing that bothers me is we as a people haven’t taught our children well. Many do not know our wonderful stories. We have not shared with them or with straights the great gifts that we bring to all of human kind. That is a sadness that must be corrected. 

“Nashawn Williams Addresses The Media” posted by Kevin over at the Undercurrent Blog is a video in 3 parts of the press conference held last Saturday at Charter Oak Cultural Center. Please click here. Nashawn William is a 16 year old black youth who was attacked by a gang of whites in Plainfield while waiting for a school bus in October 2007.  Police are trying to close the case, no witnesses or arrests.  Click here for a report from Frank O’Gorman on QWB’s blog.

QWB thanks Kevin of the Hartford Undercurrent for this video.

A Tasty Coffee Alternative 

You love Coffee but you can’t drink it? You have to stay away from caffeine or due to a medical condition can’t have that delicious cup of java? I found a very tasty pleasant alternative, a very pleasant surprise. Herbal Coffee Tea a blend by Mountain Rose Herbs is blended just for any of us, who miss our cup of coffee. Mountain Rose has this to say about their Herbal Coffee Tea–

“Enjoy this deep and invigorating coffee alternative made from 100% organic herbal ingredients! This shockingly good tea has a remarkable similarity to coffee thus making it the ideal alternative to coffee drinkers who are attempting to limit their intake of this highly  caffeinated beverage. Contains: Organic roasted Dandelion root, organic roasted Chicory root, roasted Carob, and organic Maca Powder.  Caffeine Free.”

[Read more →]

Harking back to the dark days of Reagan and Clinton’s AIDS denial and betrayals, legislation has been raised in the US Senate to lift this horrific and stigmatizing ban. Clinton signed the original US HIV Immigration Ban into law in 1993!  In addition to the United States, only Armenia, Brunei, China, Iraq, South Korea, Moldavia, Russia, and Saudi Arabia practice this particular form of discrimination. Click here for an ACTUP piece on this travel ban. Below is the AP article on this legislative effort.

We Keep giving Insurance Companies 

-MORE-

They keep giving us less.

Where is all the money going? 

Join healthcare advocates, policy makers, activists, and allies for a Roving Demonstration.

DATE: Thursday July 24, 2008

Time: 3:00 PM

[Read more →]

Wearing signs that said, “NO ATTACK ON IRAN”, 200 +protesters poured into Grand Central Station at the heart of rush hour. The protesters FROZE in place for a few minutes and then erupted in shouts of

“NO ATTACK ON IRAN!!!!!!!”

If you work hard, you deserve a secure retirement. And no one would suggest that Hartford’s retired teachers, paraprofessionals, police and firefighters didn’t work hard. Of course they did.

But Mayor Eddie Perez wants to slash the health benefits that retirees bargained for while they were working. Retirees are seeing their insurance premiums double and even triple!

Hartford WFP Councilman Larry Deutsch has been the real champion on this issue. Monday evening, Councilman Deutsch will introduce a resolution to put a 90 day moratorium on any changes to retiree health benefits, to give retirees the time to figure out their options, and to limit increases in retiree insurance premiums to a reasonable amount.

But we need you to join us. It’s time to stand up for retirees.

Join us for a rally for retirees:
Monday at 5:30 PM at Hartford City Hall.
Click here to invite a friend to the rally. [Read more →]

According to the News & Observer, L.F. Easton III of Raleigh North Carolina refused to lower the American Flag for Jesse Helms and he resigned instead.

“L.F. Eason III gave up the only job he’d ever had rather than lower a flag to honor former U.S. Senator Jesse Helms. Eason, a 29-year veteran of the state Department of Agriculture, instructed his staff at a small Raleigh lab not to fly the U.S. or North Carolina flags at half-staff Monday, defying a directive sent to all state agencies by Gov. Mike Easley. When a superior ordered the lab to follow the directive, Eason decided to retire rather than pay tribute to Helms. After several hours’ delay, one of Eason’s employee hung the flags at half staff. He told his staff that he did not think it appropriate to honor Helms because of his “doctrine of negativity, hate, and prejudice,” and his opposition to civil rights bills and the federal Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.”

In John F. Kennedy’s book Profiles in Courage he writes abut people who had the courage to stand up for what they believe in, well Mr. Eason has the courage. He had the courage to stand up against popular opinion, to stand up against bigotry and prejudice and it made him a true hero in my book.

Thanks to Diana for sending us the above piece. [Read more →]

Nashawn Williams and his family gathered with allies this morning for a press conference on
the steps of the Charter Oak Cultural Center to express our collective outrage at the lack of
even one arrest in the brutal hate-crime assault on Nashawn last October.

Nashawn, 16, spoke briefly before being overcome by emotion as his mother watched sobbing
in the background. Cornell Lewis, founder of the Men of Color Initiative, with his hand on
Nashawn’s shoulder, comforted the young man as he spoke.

Cornell said, “Shame on America” for the racist assault perpetrated by K-Nation that inflicted
such physical and emotional injury on a young African-American man and his family.
[Read more →]

Posted by Rowland Keshena on A Radical in Bermuda.

The Greenward Shift of the American Revolutionary Left

(Are Cynthia McKinney and the Green Party a real alternative for American workers and youth?)

* 

As I posted last night, one my biggest gripes with sections of the American revolutionary left (including the US branch of the IMT) is that they are undergoing a reorientation away from the construction of a new revolutionary worker’s movement and towards the left-social democrats of the Green Party USA. Two of the more prominent revolutionary socialist groups to have backed the Green Party this year are the Workers International League (the American branch of the IMT) and Solidarity. So we must ask ourselves, is the Green Party USA the best alternative out there for workers and revolutionary change? Also what is going on with current attempts to unify the campaigns of several American revolutionary socialist groupings?So to the first question, does the Green Party represent the best interests of the workers and revolution in the United States? I would have to say no, especially when we throw in the idea of revolution. While I’ll admit that the Greens are far more progressive than the Democrats, (just see here and here), and they certainly are at the forefront of the battle to protect the environment (something all real socialists support), they are still broadly a left-social democrat institution. Now, I know right now you might be saying “but I really like the Green Party’s platform“, hell so do I, it has many great points to it, and as I said, it is certainly far more progressive and left than even the most extreme Democrats like Dennis Kucinich, but the intrinsic problem with the Greens is that they have not come to grips with the systemic nature of the capitalist problem, even as it pertains to the environmental question. At the moment they still are in the mode of trying to reform capitalism into a cleaner, nicer, less-heartless variety, but once they realize that capitalism is irreformable I fully believe that their platform will shift more to the left. The Green Party does not offer up the fundamental revolutionary change that is really needed to emancipate the working class. So why support a non-revolutionary organization when well established revolutionary parties and movements already exist?

[Read more →]

A musical slide show of today’s Cuba and its contrast to Gitmo. Music by Los Lobos, Photo’s by Dan Heller, posted on you tube by gustaf3. Thanks to all for this tape.

[Read more →]

To read some more on the Metroline click on over to Diana’s Little Corner in the Nutmeg State. There you will find her “Revisionist History Part II.”

Be it GAA or some current LGBT entity, the dirty little secret of Racism in the “gay” community still rears its ugly head. Below is a clip from the KQED documentary Outrage ‘69, where activists from the ’60’s and ’70’s talk about the issue of racism and sexism in the gay community. As the saying goes “The Names Change but the Story Stays the Same.” Be it 1969 or 2008, this clip would not be that inaccurate. The folks at QWB would encourage us in the LGBT/Queer community to engage in a serious dialogue of the “gay community’s Dirty Little Secret.” And feel free to start here on the QWB blog.

A key inspiration to my process of organizing and activism has lately been driven by the amazing Ella Baker. Ella was a leading civil rights and human rights activist starting back in the 1930’s. In the world where many notable activists demand center stage for their voices and egos, Ella was a true leader who led from behind as well as working side by side in the struggle for human equality. As Ella stated, and Bernice Johnson Reagon lyrics proclaim in “Ella’s Song”:

“To me young people come first, they have the courage where we fail
And if I can shed some light as they carry us through the gale
The older I get the better I know that the secret of my going on
Is when the reins are in the hand of the young who dare to run against the storm
Not needing to clutch for power, not needing the light just to shine on me
I need to be just one in the number as we stand against tyranny
Struggling myself don’t mean a whole lot I come to realize
That teaching others to stand up and fight is the only way my struggle survive”

All of us, no matter how big or how small we or our work are, should take stock in Ella’s vision and practice of activism! Another key belief of Ella’s was that “you must let the oppressed themselves define their own freedom.” A mantra that we in the the Trans community must embrace if we are to realize the true freedoms we desire. Metroline can attempt to marginalize or erase the power of the Trans movement, though we the Trannies, the Queens, the Kings, the Queers have and continue to define our own freedom ~ and not let our history or our futures be defined by Metroline, HRC or any other entity that attempts to marginalize our identity and beauty!

To learn more about Ella, I encourage you at least to read Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Democratic Vision.

Below are both a video of Sweet Honey in the Rock singing Ella’s song (lyrics and music by Bernice Johnson Reagon) and the inspiring lyrics, of which many lines are based on things Ella said. Enjoy.

Ella’s Song
Composed by Bernice Johnson Reagon, copyright: Songtalk Publishing Co.

Refrain: [Read more →]

On Tuesdays, Charlie Vazquez writes Gotham After Dark, a peek into what goes on in Manhattan’s queer nightlife, with club and event reports and profiles of fascinating New Yorkers.The Radical Homosexual Agenda-I loved the name as soon as I heard it and loved them even more when they gave the corporate presence at the Pride parade a good, old-fashioned NYC “fuck you”. It seems lifetimes ago that queer activism took to the streets to create the sexual revolution that pushed to create radical female sexuality and transgendered visibility-as well as demanding homosexual “equality”. The short-lived Chicago-based Society for Human Rights and the 1950s LA-based Mattachine Society were springboards for more militant groups such as ACT-UP and Queer Nation, but what do radical queers have now? [Read more →]

Received from our comrades at RHA

The JustUs Legal Collective has put together a Know Your Right Summer Training Series for folks heading to the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul or Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer. Join us for one of our Know Your Rights trainings. Click to view Flyer

The trainings will be held on:

Monday, July 14 - 7pm at Bluestockings, 172 Allen Street [Read more →]

Where to begin when trying to knock tricksters off the pedestal that they sit up upon.  Many of our readers and those in our e-mail circles know about the recent flap with the Metroline. Joe DaBrow the editor wrote in the Metroline’s so called PRIDE issue these words. “Stonewall was not simply an activist protest where they went home afterward and partied. They were beaten and dragged away to jail by the police. It was a time when fag bashing was an accepted method of controlling homos and keeping them out of the neighborhood. There were no drag queens there at all. It was gay human beings simply standing up for being who they were.” 

In a recent Metroline article dated late June, Mr. DaBrow then tries to say that he meant he was talking about the first night of the Stonewall Rebellion. The first night of the fight back June 27, 1969. He even puts this qualifying statement in all capital letters. VERY FIRST NIGHT. Mr. DaBrow then backs up his statement by saying that he talked with the President and founding member of the Stonewall Vets who remains nameless. (Mr. Williamson Henderson was the president up until July 1st.) Mr DaBrow claims his source told him that there were no drag queens in Stonewall the first night. (Mr. DaBrow claims this but didn’t find in necessary to put it in quotes in the article.)  Mr.DaBrow claims a lot of other things in his ramble as he attempts to smear the reputation of my good friend and comrade Jerimarie and to set himself and the bar rag Metroline as the oracle of all things LGBT. The Metroline’s recurring argument about whether drag queens and trans people were a part of the Stonewall rebellion or not really reflects a long standing phenomenon in “gay” history which is the discomfort of many gay men and lesbians with transgender, transvestites, drag queens, etc. So, this almost annual argument is a small reflection of the continuing desire for all trans people to be fully respected and recognized by many of us and the continuing desire by the homo-normative and somewhat straight laced gay men and lesbians to minimize or outright deny any presence of contributions by drag queens or other trans people to the early “gay” rights movement. And today claims are made by the Metroline that they respect and include Transpeople now, yet it has an unconvincing “ring” to it still.  [Read more →]

Link to the Summer 2008 edition of LockedOut, a resource list for queer prisoners.

NEW YORK (AP) — A priest who runs a shelter specializing in outreach to homeless transgender youths was beaten with construction equipment and paint cans by a group of teenagers in a possible hate crime, authorities said Tuesday.Two 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old were awaiting arraignment Tuesday on charges of assault and criminal possession of a weapon, Queens prosecutors said. A 15-year-old was being charged as a juvenile in the Monday attack outside the Carmen’s Place shelter, prosecutors said. [Read more →]

not that i was ever a boyscout though i did find this article (linked from the New Haven Independent blog) an interesting read.  I wonder how they would react to a heterosexual Tranny (either youth or adult) in their presence?  Perhaps the US Blood Banks will take heed.

By Henry Fernandez | July 8, 2008
A few weeks ago, my three-year-old son fell and cut his head open, spewing blood like only a head laceration can. I applied direct pressure, calmed him down, checked for symptoms of shock, and secured the wound while maintaining the pressure by wrapping his head. Then we rushed him to the hospital where a couple of stitches and tears later, he was just fine. I learned how to handle that situation three decades ago from the Boy Scouts. [Read more →]

Forgot to mention in my previous post about the Providence IWW action that it would be wonderful to get a big carpool (dare I say, caravan?) to the protest next month. I will also send a note out to other relevant listservs, but I hope we can rally some righteous queers against the fucking pigs in N. Provi. If ever you needed a reason for why they get called that, just take a glimpse of Alex’s leg. Fuck the pigs. The only people they protect are the rich.

Babi Badalov has been campaigning to stay in the UK since his claim for asylum was rejected. He has been informed that he is now liable to be detained and has to sign in every week at the Border and Immigration Agency offices in Cardiff. His first signing was last Tuesday (24th June) and supporters from the campaign accompanied Babi to the BIA offices. Concern is high that he may be snatched at one of these signings so everyone was relieved to see him come out of the building, not least Babi himself.

News of the campagin has reached Azerbaijan where Babi was recently in a newspaper article that disputed Babi was an internationally renowned actor. No wonder as Babi has never claimed to be an actor and isn’t suprised that people had never heard of this actor’s name. He is however a contemporary artist that has had his work shown in many galleries throughout Europe and across the world.

This article made the fact he is homosexual known to his whole family. They have telephoned him, screamed at him, threatened him and disowned him. Babi has expressed concern for his family and the shame that this will have brought on them by having a family member that is gay, just proving how unacceptable homosexuality is in Azerbaijan. This article has raised Babi’s profile even further in Azerbaijan, resulting in letters being written to the press in his defence. Not only will this make it even harder for Babi to return if he is deported but it will also mean he has no support and family to return to if he is sent back.

We are pleading to people to continue to support Babi by either signing the online petition, getting your friends to sign it and by writing to Jacqui Smith (model letter here) and expressing your outrage at Babi’s claim being rejected. If you have already written, please write again.

See some of Babi’s work here

www.noborderswales.org.uk

To all of our friends outside of the Connecticut area in the U.S., and around the world who read the QWB blog a little explaining is in order about what is going on here and what has gotten QWB steaming. The Metroline is a GL magazine that is the oldest GL magazine in New England. Over the years folks in the GLBT community have had trouble with them over one thing or another. One time it was over the abundance of half naked young men on the cover and the bar rag quality of their reporting, and another time over their disrespect for the trans community. Once again around and around we go and we find that the Metroline is now once again displaying half naked young men on the cover and disrespecting the Trans community. The former editor explained to me that the advertisers (mostly bars) who pay the bills wanted to see only half naked young men, no women and no politics.  Another very political person who is much respected within all circles of the movement told me that the Metroline informed them that the group could no longer have any free space to publish updates on their important work since the Metroline was going back to being a skin variety magazine. Recently the Metroline’s editor, Mr. Joe DaBrow in a letter from the editor had this to say. [Read more →]

On August 11 2007, while marching in solidarity with our union
sisters and brothers of the Industrial Workers of the world (IWW) 460/640
campaign in NYC, the Providence, RI IWW branch was attacked by the out of
control North Providence Police force. During the attack Providence IWW
member Alexandra Svoboda was brutally maimed by officers of the NPPD and
arrested. Jason Friedmutter, also of the Providence IWW branch was
arrested as well. Alex has faced a long road to recovery that she is still
on. Alex and Jason both face dubious criminal charges that the City of
North Providence has drummed up in order to thwart Alex from receiving
justice and to protect their violent, inexperienced police force.
Included in this article is a brief, but all encompassing account of
August 11, ‘07, Alex’s injuries and recovery, Alex and Jason’s legal
status at the time of this writing.
[Read more →]

A great radio interview with Rev Marilyn Bowens, Paster of MCC/New Haven hosted by SoulSistas of Sappho at blogtalkradio

Have you ever struggled with how to balance your religious beliefs, experiences and sexuality? If so, be sure to join us as we tackle this topic with our featured guest, Reverend Marilyn Bowens (rainbowrev), Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) New Haven. Download link .

Nashawn Williams was brutally attacked by racist whites in Plainfield while waiting for a school bus in Oct 2007.  Minister Cornell Lewis will bring the family to Hartford for a Press Conference on Saturday July 12th at 11 AM.  This is the first time Nashawn Williams will publicly speak about the attack and having a group of whites taunt the family while inside their home.  Police are trying to close the case; no witnesses or arrests.

Place: Charter Oak Cultural Center

Address: 21 Charter Oak Avenue, Hartford

Time: 11 AM

Many thanks to Diana for providing QWB her copies of the videos she took at Trans Pride 2008!

Jerimarie Liesegang

Miss Majors pt1 [Read more →]

In this video clip from a panel that Sylvia Rivera was on in Italy, we hear her speak in her own words to the attempts by some in the gay community who insist upon a history of the Stonewall Rebellions that totally excludes any mention of Trans folks! As Sylvia notes in this clip “She has been fighting these attitudes since June 27 1969… and that she will continue to struggle against the gay community until we all are receive our place in society as human beings and not as a different person!” Sylvia understood our struggles, understood our community and understood what we needed to do to upend a system of trans oppression! It is sad that here in the US we have not, and still don’t give Sylvia the depth of recognition, gratitude and respect that she so richly deserves. As she noted in the opening of her talk on this panel: It is sad she has to come to Italy to receive the recognition she seldom ever received in the states. Sylvia Rivera Presente.

And for a “Peoples History of Stonewall” and not the revisionist and horridly inaccurate Metroline view of Queer History, I include a great piece from David Isay heard over the Pacifica Network: “Remembering Stonewall.” Enjoy hearing about the real story of Stonewall, in THEIR own words

Download link

Hartbeat Ensemble, Hartford’s Theater for Change will once again give free performances this July in the parks of Hartford. The plays this year are about people and health care. There will be family activities and live music starting at 4:00 and the performances begin at 5:00. Hartbeat suggests that one brings a picnic lunch or buy food from local vendors. In case of rain the performances will take place at Hartford Children’s Theater, 360 Farmington Ave in Hartford.  [Read more →]

This AM I saw this as an incoming link to QWB and thank who-ever linked. The piece was from the ENDAblog. The original posting is over at Pam’s House Blend.

Not much shocks me now-a-days but I am shocked over this. What do these gays and lesbians think that Trans people do in the bathroom? UGH!!!! I am ashamed some days to be a gay man and to consider myself a part of the movement. Too bad someone didn’t push over one of the loos with an official of Pride in it. Makes for a good dressing.