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Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Prom Canceled Due to Lesbian Couple: An Alabama high school prom has been canceled following a lesbian student's request to bring her girlfriend. Cynthia Stewart, a 17-year-old junior at Tharptown High School, asked her principal for permission to bring her girlfriend to the prom and was told no. The principal then forced Stewart to remove a sticker she was wearing that read “I am a lesbian” and told her she didn’t have that much freedom of speech at her school.

“Mommy, can you help me tie my shoes? Oh…and by the way, I’m gay”

How young is too young to come out of the closet?

Unlike a lot of the contributors to this blog, I wasn’t out when I arrived on campus as a freshman. Far from it. I thought about coming out immediately after setting foot in Durham, you know, following the ever-popular doctrine that college is a new life, a new start, where you can be a new you. But that’s not how it worked out for me. I was much too shy and too insecure around all of the new people I was meeting to actually be myself, and eventually by the beginning of my sophomore year, I had let so much time fly by that I thought it became too late to explore that side of me. I was already set in a group of fantastic friends, I was doing well in my classes, and I didn’t want to disturb this seemingly perfect existence.

However, it was after months of feeling stuck in a rut, of that constant internal nagging and, as pathetic as it might sound, seeing my friends go out and hook-up and/or begin to have romantic interests (because we all know these things are sometimes mutually exclusive) that I realized that if I wanted to be happy, I needed to come to grips with whatever was holding me back from admitting to myself and everyone I knew, that I was gay. And so finally with one month left in the school year, I told my first friend the truth about my sexuality at, ironically of all places, Sirens Lounge (a lesbian bar in Durham, for those of you who are unfamiliar). The floodgates began to open and eventually I had informed everyone who was important to me, including members of my family, that I was, in fact, a gay man (because, like the slogan for Pringles goes, once you pop, you can't stop).

I must admit, that after I did this, I felt emboldened, empowered, and unthinkably confident. I had done what I thought was the impossible and was so proud of myself for taking the leap which would allow me, after so many years of struggling, to finally begin living my life. In some instances, I wish it hadn’t taken so long, but I don’t regret that it did. By the time I was ready to come out, I was mature enough to have had a complete understanding of who I was, and the type of person I wanted to be, and I think for the most part, what I went through has made up a large part of that understanding. And in a way, I’m really happy and at peace with that. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and without a doubt, the internal hardships and questioning that I faced throughout my teen years were an important part of my development.
After acknowledging this, however, I began to wonder what my life would have been like if I had decided to come out earlier. Twenty years ago, the fact that I came out at nineteen would have been extremely bold, but now it seems, kids as young as 10 and 11 are taking hold of their sexuality and coming out in some cases before they even reach middle school. Benoit Denizet-Lewis’ recent article in the New York Times discusses exactly this phenomenon. With the rise of media attention given to gay issues as well as the increasing depiction of gays in popular culture (with my personal faves being Cam and Mitchell from “Modern Family”…sorry, but I felt the need to plug a truly remarkable, yet under-appreciated show), now more than ever, young adolescents are finding the courage to open up to their friends and families the feelings they harbor towards members of the same gender.

Much like the author of the article, my initial reaction was that these kids are just far too young to even begin entertaining these thoughts, and again much like Mr. Denizet-Lewis, I wasn’t sure exactly why I felt this way. I mean, on the one hand, this realization and announcement at such a young age means that these children are already thinking about themselves as sexual beings, which I find just…HORRIFYING. Furthermore, I can’t even imagine how the conversation between these kids and their parents goes. Is it at the playground? While they’re getting help on their pre-Algebra homework? Or does it go a little like the title of this post?

But most of all, I think my initial negative reaction came out of pure shock. If it took so long for me to come out, how are these 12, 13, and 14 year-old adolescents able to do it?!

Of course, the other side of the emotional turmoil this article practically threw me into, was that of complete and utter happiness. I was so overjoyed for these kids, that they were able to recognize the fact that they have a voice of their own and that they can exercise it to make their parents and their peers aware of who they really are. Furthermore, the fact that these kids have found a safe haven in their communities with friends, families, or local community centers is also a wonderful signal that the heteronormativity so heavily enforced by society is finally starting to erode, another thought I couldn't possibly be more thrilled with. I can only hope that the actions of these children will eventually tear down the traditional assumption that everyone is straight until they state that they aren't. However, despite all of these positives, I think it is also vital to understand what is going on here in the realm of the point I brought up earlier in my own coming out saga.

Ultimately I do believe, as I think everyone should, that coming out is always a good thing. However, in the end, I also believe that it takes a deep level of understanding of who you are as a person as well as a sense of maturity in order to do so. It’s important to realize that no matter how progressive the area is that you live in, by coming out, you are labeling yourself, and I think it takes some form of self-identification to handle some of the pressures that LGBT people are still facing today. An understanding which I’m not sure a middle school student can have. Between bullying at school or the bullying in national politics, or the constant facing of stereotypes, or being judged because of who you love (I could go on, but this could get depressing), I'm just not convinced that middle-schoolers are adept in navigating the harsh realities of the world. But I don't know, maybe if more and more of these youngsters are coming out, eventually they'll have a large enough voice so that these issues no longer matter or even exist.

Then again, that could just be wishful thinking :)

But I don't know, you tell me…what are your thoughts on the subject? Is there such a thing as too young to come out of the closet? And what implications do you think this might have on the future of gay leadership? It seems that today, many of the most successful and prominent LGBT activists came from backgrounds where they had to keep their identity a secret, and in dealing with this struggle, became advocates for the LGBT cause and the fight for equality. But now that our future generations are seemingly skipping this important moment of inward reflection, are they as equipped to face the struggles and fight for equality with the same vitality and dedication? I certainly hope so...

Coming Out Story #1

[Ed. Note: Every Wednesday, we collect a coming out story and post it here, anonymously. They can be long or short, devastating or hilarious or boring or somewhere in between. The stories can be gathered in person or digitally - even using our "submit anonymously" link on the sidebar! If you'd like to send one in, email us at bluedevilsunited@gmail.com. If you don't feel like writing, we can meet in person, too, (ignore this PSA) and I'll transcribe your story here. Just let us know.]

I was 13 or so, I think, when I first realized I was to be gay. Let's call it the first revelation. I wasn't sure what it meant at the time, but I knew it bothered me greatly. I cried and prayed and tried to figure out what being gay meant, particularly as a Catholic. I was sure I had screwed something up to end up this way. I was certain, too, that it was reversible--that I could simply figure out what I had done wrong and somehow undo it.

I spent the next six years attempting to reprogram my sexuality. In retrospect, I'm really just glad I didn't have access or knowledge sufficient to truly screw myself up too badly. I'm not easily discouraged, though, and I kept trying until just after my freshman year here at Duke. After an emotional discussion with my ex-girlfriend, I came out to her.

The second revelation was harder-earned than the first. I think all those years of active denial were necessary to get there, as well as my 12 sleepless hours of thought, prayer, and reflection.

You always hear about how people talk to God. And I'm a reasonably faithful person, or at least I try to be. I had just never personally believed that God actually communicated with people (did they hear some sort of boomy voice in their heads? What was this all about?). I've tried to rationalize away what happened, but the quote I was given, or that I heard, or whatever happened, just didn't seem to be anywhere else. Its wording (and its meaning, at the time) was clear. "I have made you exactly as you are, and I have made you completely beautiful."

Love is one of the hardest things for me to accept--whether from God, from others, or even from myself. It's just uncomfortable to know that someone could love those parts of you that you've spent your whole life trying to change. I don't want people to love the dark, ugly, uncomfortable, and sinful within me. I want them to want me to change it. Some days, anyhow.

It's only been two years or so since then, though I can scarcely believe it myself. Lots of things have changed. Lots of things haven't. I've accepted some of those words given to me. I readily identify as gay. I'm reasonably comfortable talking about it to family, friends, people whose names I still can't remember, and even strangers. Love, though? I still can't accept that.

I've stopped counting the revelations. It's kind of an overly dramatic way to think about knowledge, anyhow, I think. I have to admit, though, I'm not entirely comfortable with everything. I think sometimes I still want to find better arguments against homosexuality within the Church because, somehow, then, if it were okay for the Church to hate me, it would be fine for me to hate myself.

I guess I'm saying that oppression doesn't just come from society. It can come from so many places--from news media, family, religion, or the worst place: from within. Personally, I have enough trouble not despising certain things about myself that I just don't have time to hear hateful or discriminatory things elsewhere. So I don't. Maybe that's why I feel like I've never been discriminated against--if I hate myself first, maybe others won't. Maybe I just won't notice it when and/or if they do.

That sounds pretty bleak, though. Life is good. I'm generally happy and I don't get self-hating all too often. I have amazing friends and a supportive family and community, even if the family isn't entirely comfortable talking about it. Coming out is, as they say, a continuous process, and not everyone is comfortable with it. Oh well, I guess. Why should I have to justify or argue about the way I am with people? I'm gay. I didn't have a choice in the matter. That's that, and this is me.

Frank: DADT repeal to be rolled into 2011 defense bill: ..."Frank said in an interview with the Blade that repealing the 1993 law barring gays from serving openly in the military would happen as part of the fiscal year 2011 defense authorization bill..."

Fort Worth City Council Meeting Sees Protests, Expansion of Anti-Discrimination Ordinance to Cover Transgender People: The Fort Worth City Council later voted 6-3 to expand its anti-discrimination ordinance to cover transgender people. It already covers people on the basis of their sexual orientation.

NY Senate has promised debate on gay marriage in 2009: Flanked by four members of the State Senate Democratic majority and the leader of New York's LGBT lobby, Governor David A. Paterson announced an agreement by which the Senate leadership has, for the first time, agreed to debate and vote on a marriage equality bill before the end of 2009.

What the Gay Boycott of the DNC Can Do: Thoughts by HuffPost blogger Emma Ruby-Sachs on the boycott of the DNC:

"There is a gay boycott of the Democratic Party afoot, and it has the potential to turn into something that leads to real change in American politics. I'm not selling hope here, but I can't help but feel it when I see the momentum gathering behind AMERICAblog's "Don't Ask, Don't Give" campaign..."

Salt Lake OKs gay rights laws with Mormon backing: The Mormon church for the first time has announced its support of gay rights legislation, an endorsement that helped gain unanimous approval for Salt Lake city laws banning discrimination against gays in housing and employment.

"The church supports these ordinances because they are fair and reasonable and do not do violence to the institution of marriage," Michael Otterson, the director of public affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said.

Passage made Salt Lake City the first Utah community to prohibit bias based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Under the two new ordinances, it is illegal to fire someone from their job or evict someone from their residence because they are lesbian, bisexual, gay or transgender.

NY Senate fails to put gay marriage to vote: After weeks of uncertainty and pleas for action by Gov. David Paterson, New York's Senate failed to vote on a bill legalizing same-sex marriage during a special session Tuesday.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

RI governor vetoes bill to allow domestic partners to plan each other’s funeral: Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri vetoed a bill on Tuesday that would have added domestic partners to the list of people authorized under state law to make funeral arrangements for each other.

Gay Couple Thrown Out of New York Taxi Cab for Hugging: A gay New York couple was kicked out of a taxi cab earlier this week for hugging, the New York Post reports.

"Paul Bruno and his partner hailed the yellow cab Monday night at 13th Street and First Avenue and sat close, Bruno told The Post. But the driver, identified by Bruno and city records as Medhat Mohamed, was apparently appalled by their shows of affection -- and pulled the cab over two blocks into the trip. 'You guys have to get out of the taxi! Hugging is not allowed in here!' the driver said, ..."

Marriage Equality and the Generational Gap: A clear look at the divide between the generations over marriage equality, in graphic form (in the form of a graph/chart, not, you know graphic. ;p)

God Endorses Marriage Equality: From the beginning, the radical-right evangelicals behind Washington state's Referendum 71, have had the shared delusion that God takes sides, and favors them. ...

American Medical Association Calls For Repeal of DADT: WASHINGTON, DC - Servicemembers United, the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans and their allies, announced today that the American Medical Association (AMA) has passed a resolution calling for full repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law.

With overwhelming support from its membership and virtually no opposition, even from the uniformed services representatives in attendance, the call for full repeal became official AMA policy today upon passage of the resolution.

Movie Review: The Bubble

[Ed. Note: Every other Tuesday, Ari will be reviewing gay-themed movies. No, not those kind (ask him in person for those reviews). I swear by his judgment in films, and you should too :) ]

A film's ability to separate politics from the universal struggles of its characters can be considered its finest achievement. In Eytan Fox’s second gay-themed film “The Bubble” (Ha-Buah in Hebrew), the director hopes we as an audience do exactly that; put ourselves out there and perhaps gain new perspective by leaving our politics at the door. “The Bubble” is certainly as politically charged as it gets, tackling such issues as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, gay love, and naïve activism. Although in the foreground of the story, Tel Aviv plays a vital role in establishing the ever-growing liberal mindset the city has instilled in its people. The title refers to the fact that this city has become isolated, in recent years, from the turmoils and civil struggles between Jews and Palestinians that occur just outside of its borders.

When Noam (Ohad Knoller), who works as a reserve officer in the Israeli Defense Force, leaves his ID at a Jerusalem checkpoint, Ashraf (Yousef Sweid) arrives at his apartment to return the card and the two strike a bond instantly that of course, spills over to what you would expect. As the two continue to meet on and off (Ashraf oscillates between Israel and the West Bank) Noam’s roommates Lulu (Daniella Wercer) and Yelli (Alon Friedman) set up a drug infused protest to object the current occupation in Palestine and to promote peace in the region.

The movie juxtaposes the norms both outside and inside Tel Aviv to show the inner workings of the two characters. While Noam lives the easy life within “the bubble”, Ashraf deals with the everyday pains of being closeted from his parents and older sister. Here, we continue to see how nearly indiscriminate geographical boundaries lend to a much more complex war on values. The beauty lies in the film’s ability to tackle issues in a way that doesn’t seem to undermine one side or the other, and yet provides an active voice against homophobia that doesn’t seem forced or overdone.

On a more political note, however, “The Bubble” tends to fall under this childish notion that peace can be achieved through an organized rave on the beach. Although the prospect of a protest full of ecstasy-riddled twenty year olds has much to be desired in terms of efficacy, the director wants the audience to believe in the purity of the cause. The reality of the conflict is displayed in both serious and comedic interludes throughout the film, and yet maintains the level of earnest you would hope to expect, both in the depiction of the relationship between Noam and Ashraf, and the conflict that continues to keep men like them apart. B+

Pastors Will Test Matthew Shepard Act By "Inciting Hate Crimes": Religious conservatives still outraged over the passing of hate crimes legislation have decided to test the limits of the new law with a publicity stunt involving incendiary hate speech directed at gays and lesbians. In order to "prove" that their God-given right to harass LGBT folk is being threatened, a group of pastors plan to travel to the nation's capital and ratchet up the rhetoric in hopes of getting themselves arrested.

Every Gay Should Know #1: Maine's Question 1 Ad Campaign

[Ed. Note: Every Tuesday, we highlight an event, figure or tidbit of gay culture. Topics will range from the Stonewall Riots to Bea Arthur. Harvey Milk to the etymology of “fag.” Personally, just about all of these fall under “Everybody Should Know” for us. Bea included.]

On May 5, 2009, the Maine House of Representatives passed “An Act To End Discrimination in Civil Marriage and Affirm Religious Freedom” – a bill that would allow same-sex marriage in the state. The proposal had already been approved by the state Senate, and needed only to be signed by Governor John Baldacci in order to become law.

Baldacci signed the bill the next day, and the law was set to go into effect September 14, 2009.

Barring some sort of crazy intervention, of course.

Paperwork to launch a people's veto campaign was put in by Reverend Bob Emrich on May 7. Leading the opposition to gay rights would be the comically ironic "Stand For Marriage Maine," a Catholic Church-sponsored organization. The group hired the same public relations company that was successful in overturning gay-rights with Proposition 8 in California last November. With over the 55,087 signatures needed (almost double that, actually), Stand For Marriage succeeded in putting the issue to ballot on November 3, 2009 (the original Sept. 14 date was subsequently pushed back).

Ultimately, same-sex marriage was narrowly repealed in the state with a 52.8/47.2% split.

* * * * * * * * * *
No doubt the most angering facet of the Maine debate and subsequent election was the outcome. Proponents of gay rights were left overwhelmingly disappointed and surprised (figure 1) at the results.

figure 1: wtf?

However, perhaps just as mind-blowing were the tactics being used by Stand For Marriage Maine. Their ads would have been embarrassingly inaccurate and misleading if they weren't somehow effective. Most of their campaign revolved around the perception that somehow gay marriage (and voting "No" to Question 1: "Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?") would lead to "homosexual marriage being pushed on Maine students." Because that is how sequitur arguments work.

Haha. I'd like to point out that the scare tactics being used here involve the words "Kissing and Hugging" next to "Gay Sex." It turns out that I've been having gay sex with several family members for years.

I would also like to invite everyone to post in the comments section what they think the scripted stage direction to Jen was at (0:22) in the second video.

But eek! That's what what was happening in Massachusetts after gay marriage was allowed four years ago? That sounds scary. I just hope that that NPR soundbite wasn't taken out of context.

(1:58) Tovia Smith: But many teachers say they're less afraid now since the high court decision legalizing gay marriage. Deb Allen teaches eighth-grade sex ed. in Brookline. She keeps a picture of her lesbian partner and their kids on her desk and gay equality signs wall. Allen says she's already been teaching a gay-friendly curriculum for nearly a decade, but she says she does begin this year feeling a bit more emboldened.

Deb Alen: In my mind, I know that, 'OK, this is legal now.' If somebody wants to challenge me, I'll say, 'Give me a break. It's legal now.'

Whoops, she was a sex education teacher. Right, forgot to mention that. We would not want to risk the passage of a gay-rights bill emboldening our sex education teachers to teach about sex. Or answer questions about sex. Guhroossssss!!!11 Asked by the state's Education Commissioner to evaluate the legitimacy of this fear, Maine Attorney General Janet Mills had this to say:

"I have scoured Maine laws relating to the education of its children for any references to marriage in the public school curricula," Mills wrote in her opinion. "I have found none."

This should end things, right? That sounds pretty definitive and convincing from an Attorney General. Obviously, the logical thing for Stand For Marriage to do is to apologize for the confusion when they completely made something up. As full-grown mature adults in positions of power, and not a group of petulant fourth graders, they believe in respectable discourse on the issues at hand.

Just kidding:

Ugh. This couple. The Worthlins? More like the Worstlins, am I right? It turns out that they conveniently moved into this Lexington district, fully knowing that there was already a pending lawsuit against the school for their anti-bias curriculum. They filed papers to join this suit a week after moving there.

Paul Ash, Lexington School District superintendent, told the [Bay Area Reporter] that the district had made several attempts to appease the Wirthlins and accommodate their religious convictions, but that he "came to the conclusion that they had no intent on settling. At the attempt to mediate prior to the case it was abundantly clear that the Wirthlins and Parkers had no intention of coming to a compromise, that they wanted a public fight. I only saw political campaigns and religious vigils. I never saw any evidence, not even a hint, that there was any intention on the part of these families to work out an agreement."

Holes in their facade of "unwitting victims" did not take long to appear. They were already members of MassResistance, which has been called an "anti-gay hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center. They're also related to the key political strategist for the Mormon Church in their efforts to destroy gay marriage, Dick (so perfect) Wirthlin. So yeah, I guess it is so weird that they would find themselves in this progressive school district (I do not guess it is so weird that they would find themselves in this progressive school district). The Wirthlins should team up with Richard and Mayumi Heene and go to Hoax School together.

To reiterate what I said before, though: as laughable and misleading as these ads are, they were ultimately successful. I hope that if you didn't before, you know now the sort of arguments and people that pro-rights activists are dealing with. Perhaps we should stoop to their level of outrageous, barely tangential statements: our angle will be that gay marriage can save the economy. Oh wait.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Westboro Baptist Church Protests Outside Obama Girls' School: Westboro Baptist Church, a hate group that travels around the country holding anti-gay rallies, protested outside the school attended by President Obama's children on Monday morning.

Melody Barnes, Obama Adviser, Offers "Sympathy" For Gay Marriage: Following a speech at Boston College's School of Law, President Obama's senior domestic policy aide implicitly acknowledged that she differed with Obama on the issue of gay marriage, multiple sources say.

Outing Muslims: Conservative(s) have long wanted to kick gays out of the military. Now, after last week’s tragedy, they’re coming after Muslims too. In, “No More Muslims in the U.S. Military,” Bryan Fischer wrongly states, “It became evidently almost immediately that the mass murderer in yesterday’s killing spree at Fort Hood was a Muslim who was motivated by jihadist impulses.”

Don't Ask, Don't Give: The gAyTM Is Officially Shut Down: Online bloggers petition for a financial boycott of the DNC and cite 39 instances in which the Obama administration has dropped the ball on LGBT rights and advocacy.

John Stewart: "Can't Get Queer, From Here"

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New Home!

If you attempted to view the site at around 8:30 p.m Monday evening, you may have received a 404 File Not Found error. This is because the blog was migrating to our new domain, bluedevilsunited.com! (If you're here, no need to reload. Welcome!)

The blog can still be reached at its original address (bluedevilsunited.blogspot.com) as well as at www.bluedevilsunited.com.

Thanks for your patience--we're all set now! :)

Fate of Same-Sex Marriage Bill in Albany Unclear: After a major setback in Maine last week, gay rights advocates and their opponents are shifting their focus to New York, where Gov. David A. Paterson has called legislators to Albany on Tuesday and asked them to pass a bill legalizing same-sex marriage.

Election Round-ups: What We've Lost and What We've Gained

As most of you are aware, last week many states across the U.S. held elections to vote on various propositions and mayoral positions. Included in this election cycle were a few pieces of legislation that have specific impact on LGBT Americans and their families, such as Referendum 71, making domestic partnerships completely equivalent to civil marriages in the state of Washington, the election of openly gay canditate Mark Kleinschmidt as mayor of Chapel Hill, NC, and the passage of Ordinacne 1856 in Kalamazoo, MI (where I grew up!), adding gay and transgender people to the city's pre-existing nondiscrimination ordinance.

But the most widely publicized and watched election last Tuesday was the Proposition 1 vote in Maine. With the opportunity to become the first state to legalize same-sex marriage through legislation as opposed to through the courts, Maine voters approved Prop 1 by a margin of 6%, striking down the law legalizing same-sex marriage in their state. Like California this time last year, Maine fell prey to the twisted lies and pandering of the opponents of marriage equality.

However, despite its similarities to Proposition 8, this loss did not feel the same as the one in California. On election night last year, I remember the feeling of elation as I stood and watched Obama's acceptance speech with a full heart and a heady spirit. And then I remember getting back to my room, receiving a phone call from my friend back home in San Diego letting me know that it was starting to look bad for marriage equality in California, telling me that H8 was pulling ahead. I stayed up that entire evening, obsessively refreshing the poll results. I went to class the next day, drained, burnt out, exhausted, all dregs of my euphoria and excitement from the night before long since crushed by the emotional rollercoaster of election night. Before I could even get angry I felt deflated, betrayed, and incredulous.

This time was different. Proposition 8 taught us to be cautious, to not assume that people will do the right thing if prompted by their leaders (in the courts or otherwise) to do so. Gone is the beguiling concept of a "new era" that clouded our perceptions of the race last year, allowed our loss to blindside us.

Our experience in California taught us that we could lose in Maine; it instructed us in how that loss might feel. More than that though, the passage of Proposition 8 demonstrated that these losses, these set backs, they will not define the success of this movement. They will not choke it, or bury it, or deal the final blow. These losses of equality ultimately will serve only to add fuel to our fire. They remind us that while progress can be won, it will not be handed to us. It must be fought for, and it must be taken. "Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals," (Martin Luther King, Jr). Such was the case in California, and once again in Maine. Far from being reasons to lose hope in our government, in our neighbors, or in ourselves, they should become our motivation, armed with the knowledge that through continued education of our peers and an openness about our lives and our humanity, we will be able repeal these hateful measures. And soon.

Liftoff!

Welcome!

This blog is sponsored by Duke University’s Blue Devils United, the student group for LGBTQ (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Queer/Questioning) undergraduate students and allies. As writers, we hope the entries here effectively capture LGBTQ life at Duke and in America. We seek to inform and empower our Community – a demographic we understand extends beyond the campus walls. A specific goal the staff has is to effectively convey the diversity within the LGBTQ Community, something that is often underrepresented and underestimated.

This is not a new concept, though, in that BDU launched a similar blog last December (which has since been moved here). While this blog shares many aspects and values with its predecessor, we are a completely new staff that has strived to improve last year’s prototype. After several weeks of planning, there is no doubt our model has improved.

Aside from a graphic redesign of the site, changes in the posting dynamics will ensure a more uniform density of entries Monday through Friday. In addition to daily personal columns written by our staff, the blog will constantly be updated with national and local LGBTQ news and links. Every day of the week has also been assigned a feature:

Monday: Anonymous Posts.

We will collect all entries sent in (using the link on our sidebar) over every week and post them all on Monday. Everything sent in is completely anonymous. We won’t censor anything either, so long as entries contain no personal attacks.

Tuesday: Every Gay Should Know…

This column highlights events, figures and tidbits of gay culture. Topics will range from the Stonewall Riots to Bea Arthur. Harvey Milk to the etymology of “fag.” Personally, just about all of these fall under “Everybody Should Know” for me. Bea included.

Wednesday: Coming Out Stories.

While I will collect most of these face to face, stories sent in anonymously can be posted too!

Thursday: Profiles.

Summer Puente will be interviewing LGBTQ individuals and allies as we seek to personalize and put faces to our diverse and eclectic community.

Friday: Every Duke Gay Should Know…

It is important that students (currently enrolled or otherwise) are aware of LGTBQ issues and topics that are specific to Duke life. This means both highlighting the good and recognizing the bad; too often, one perception dominates the other.

We seek to capture Duke accurately while neither coddling nor depressing. With this in mind, we’ve decided to abandon the pseudonyms of last year and put real names and faces to our words. To do otherwise, we feel, would falsely connote a sense of fear among the staff. We are not afraid, and we feel safe here.

The success of the blog will be largely controlled by you, our readers. So visit often, comment often and submit entries whenever you want. The invitation of non-anonymous authorship is extended to all Duke students – just email us at BlueDevilsUnited@gmail.com

Enjoy :)

Chris Perry

Editor

Staff:

John Kunemund
Aliza Lopes-Baker

Matt Lyons
Patrick Lund Peixoto