Hello, Inver Hills Community.

Here is the newest edition of gsa@inverhills. We apologize for the long hiatus between editions.





STUDENT EDITORIAL

As a gay man who has struggled lifelong to create a strong sense of self identity that can’t be destroyed and beaten down by the world’s generally unaccepting view of gays and lesbians, it’s disheartening to know that some people really do not like me and who I am.

But I said a long time ago, I don’t give a shit whether they like me or not. The strength is that the U.S. Constitution protects and provides rights for all Americans. It takes time, and it will take several court decisions and even some legislation for this equality to take effect. Society only starting recognizing gays and lesbians within the last 20 years. Before that, we were considered totally evil, hiding in closets! So it will take a long time for laws and rights to follow.

Think of how black people were freed from slavery in 1865. They were then treated as second class citizens for nearly 100 years until the courts and Congress fully recognized them as first class citizens, through court action in 1950s and Congressional laws (the “title act”) of the 1960s protecting the right to vote and non-discrimination. It took nearly 100 years! Now we can imagine how older black people feel and act so righteous when it comes to black history. It’s because it was a long, hard road that did not come easy.

I consider the situation the same for gays and lesbians. It’s possible that full equality may not happen within my lifetime. But I am smug knowing that as long as this country exists, with the beautiful U.S. constitution protecting it, that instrument will ultimately provide true equality. It’ll just take folks a few decades to come around to that. So that is my smug and righteous feeling, knowing that it’ll come around. And in the meantime, I don’t give a shit what they may say or do. I’ll stand up where and when I have to. But that won’t stop me from enjoying my life with who I want to.


Some facts to consider:


According to a U.S. General Accounting Office report, same-sex couples are denied more than 1,000 federal benefits and protections of marriage and, in all states but Vermont, they are denied most of the state rights and responsibilities that come with marriage. Clich here for more on marriage.

Employees in same-sex relationships are not given the right to take care of a seriously ill partner or parent of a partner under current provisions in the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. More.

Same-sex couples are denied Social Security benefits when a life partner dies. Under federal tax laws, same-sex couples are taxed on employer-provided insurance benefits for domestic partners whereas married spouses receive those benefits tax-free. Read more.

Go to www.hrc.org/millionformarriage/index.shtml to sign the million for marriage petition.


In 35 states, it is legal to fire someone based on his / her sexual orientation.
In 45 states, it is legal to do so based on gender identity.

Under the U.S. military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t pursue, don’t harass” policy, gay, lesbian and bisexual service members are prohibited from serving openly. Current military regulations also medically disqualify transsexual men and women from service. The Human Rights Campaign is working with allied organizations to educate members of Congress and the public about the contributions of GLBT service men and women.

I leave you with this quote:

"Imagine if we picked up the paper and read that the state approved discrimination against Jews, or had sanctioned bigotry against Irish people, or had authorized prejudice against women. Clearly there would be nothing but universal disbelief and outrage." ~Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening, who championed his state’s non-discrimination bill protecting people on the basis of sexual orientation.


JOURNAL


--Journal of Lesbian Studies

Read the mission statement for this journal:

An essential asset in the study of gender issues! When lesbian issues and interests overlap with queer issues, the unique needs, concerns, and interests of lesbians can get lost in the shuffle. The Journal of Lesbian Studies helps sort through the confusion, fostering new lesbian scholarship without cutting ties to grassroots activism. The journal gives the lesbian experience an international and multicultural voice, presenting book reviews, poetry, letters to the editor, debates, and commentaries. An enlightening balance of scholarly and practical information, the Journal of Lesbian Studies presents an interdisciplinary body of work in a completely lesbian context. The journal is a vital forum for research and theory, addressing the history, politics, science, race, literature, and life cycle issues of women who love women. In recent issues, The Journal of Lesbian Studies has explored:

lesbian sexual practices, identities, and politics
motherhood and family life
beauty mandates, body image, and eating disorders
surviving childhood sexual abuse
Latina lesbian writers

The Journal of Lesbian Studies examines the cultural, historical, and interpersonal impact of the lesbian experience on society, keeping all readers—professional, academic, or general—informed and up to date on current findings, resources, and community concerns. Independent scholars, professors, students, and lay people will find this interdisciplinary journal essential on the topic of lesbian studies!

See a sample issue, Trauma, Stress, and ResilienceAmong Sexual Minority Women: Rising Like the Phoenix in PDF format (159 pages).

Journal of Lesbian Studies




BLOGS

--Queerfilter

Queerfilter is a user-submitted directory of weblogs and journals written by Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered people.

Queerfilter



Events

--GLBT PRIDE, Twin Cities, June 17-26, 2005

The mission of GLBT Pride/Twin Cities is to commemorate and celebrate GLBT's diverse heritage, inspire the achievement of equality and challenge discrimination.

GLBT Pride

--Laramie Project

Friday, April 8–17, 2005 - Rarig Center, U of MN - $8 students, $10 U employees, $12 general
public.

Day-to-day life in Laramie, WY changed abruptly when news broke that a young—and
gay—college student was beaten and left to die on a rural fence post. Witness the earopening
reactions of Laramie residents as the cast reconstructs parts of over 200 interviews led by playwright Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project in the wake of
this tragedy.

Call the Box Office at 612/624-2345 or order
tickets online. $6 discount tickets are also available for groups of
15 or more! Contact Group Sales at 612/625.8878 for further details. PARTICIPATE IN POST-PRODUCTION DISCUSSION! After every production, theatre personnel are available in the lobby area to facilitate informal postgroup discussion of the issues raised by the play. Join others who attended the production to discuss what you thought.

Light refreshments are available.

This event is cosponsored by the GLBT Programs Office, U of MN.

This announcement provided courtesy of The Q of M University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, "ALL QUEER - ALL THE TIME!" Electronic Newsletter of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Programs Office. Issue : Wednesday, March 30, 2005. (This is a 13-page PDF file.)

Student editor for this edition of gsa@inverhills: Alyssa Eder.


Image Credits
--"Logo," taskforcelogo.gif81 x 87 pixels - 3k www.equalitynd.org/
--"We share a secret, we two," Leif Thageson, www.gayart-leifthageson.se/ konsstympning_eng.htm
--"Out and Proud Logo," http://www.edchange.org/images/store/out_proud.jpg