National Coming Out Day

NCOD was founded in 1988 by Robert Eichberg, a psychologist from New Mexico and founder of the personal growth workshop, The Experience, and Jean O'Leary, an openly-gay political leader from Los Angeles and then head of the National Gay Rights Advocates. The date of October 11 was chosen because it was the anniversary of the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.

Now that you have the quick two second history lesson, let us begin class. I honor every gay right, civil awareness day that G-d can create. It gives the misinformed a chance to educate themselves on things they don't know anything about. And sometimes, it works. But what is disheartening is that, majority of the gay community doesn't even know about gay history. Or think it is beneath them to know such history.

Get off Adam4Adam. Get off BGCLive. Get off ManHunt. Get off all the hookup sites that you claim are 'social networking sites'. That's what Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are for. Anyone who says hookup sites are anything but, are lying to themselves and others. Being gay means more than just going to the club every Friday and Saturday. Being gay means more than going to Black Gay Pride events to show off your body you have been working on everyday prior in hopes of giving laid.

Being gay means more.

People, gay and straight alike, have fought and died for the rights of homosexuals to become equal to their heterosexual counterparts. We have fought hard to repeal DADT. We have risked our lives to strip DOMA of its horrific standpoints. People have fought hard to bring HIV Awareness to kids today. And living a lie, living on the 'down low', living with a view of only being in a relationship just to have a steady sex fest, trivializes the death, memory and history of the LGBT community. No one says you have to back Gay Marriage but there is a distinct difference from saying 'I don't want to get married to someone of the same sex' and saying 'I think gay marriage is wrong.' If you don't want to elevate your relationship to domestic partnership/marriage, then don't. But don't think that everyone should share in your ignorant views.

So on this day, put aside your differences and just love yourself for who G-d made you to be. A big, ole homosexual. But just know that it is only up to YOU to add 'happy' to that description. Ken yehi ratzon: May it be G-d's will.

Yatsa ha'aron: Coming Out the Closet

It is 2011, we live in the 21st century, the world is aging, and everyday gas, food and rent prices are going up. We live in a world where crime is always a story on the news and natural disasters happen all the time. Our society is constantly struggling between the liberal and the conservative views. But if all of these things are changing before our eyes, why is our own gay community still stagnant? The people who have never resided in the closet are still persecuted for their lifestyle, they are still bullied as young kids and are treated with discrimination in all the states for being homosexual. Since gay marriage has become a topic of constitutional discussion in the 1970s, only four states, Washington DC and the Coquille Indian Tribe in Oregon have grated same sex marriages legal in their constitution since the beginning of 2004. Only 11 states have legalized 'civil unions' or 'domestic partnerships' and two don't have a law restricting or permitting gay marriage. It seems that with all of this sluggish and slow changing times, why would people feel the need to come out of the closet? They feel safer to stay, for a lack of better terms, closeted in their own world for numerous reasons. Maybe their job would fire them. Maybe their family would disown them. Maybe they would be judged by their religious peers. Maybe all of the above and more.

But still each day, someone finds the courage to accept the inevitable and open the door to the lightless closet they have been staying in. They become a hero in the eyes of the community because we all know of the coming negativity that will soon (if it hasn't already) ascend. But with each one of us standing by these heroes, they become less alone. They have support and love from people who find their story inspiring. And this makes the negativity that arises, minute. We see the power of people like Sean Hayes, Ricky Martin, Cynthia Nixon and Wanda Sykes. We behold the beauty of people like Ellen, Rosie, Elton John, Ian McKellen, and Lance Bass. And we gaze at the bravery of Don Lemon and the Phoenix Suns president Rick Welts, who aren't apart of the Hollywood style of entertainment. These men are a huge boost to moral because they weren't outted by being caught in the park with a male hooker or hitting on an undercover cop in a male restroom. These men have positive views on life and have been driven to stand up for what is right in life. Rick Welts choose to reveal his personal life after events where Kobe Bryant called a referee a "faggot," and where Tim Hardaway proclaimed, "I hate gay people." Don Lemon has become a wonderful icon for high profile African Americans who are also out and proud gay men, which sadly is less than the number of fingers I have on my hand.

This journey is never easy or without evil. It will be hard but it will be worth it. You may lose friends and family but you will gain so many more people to replace the vacancy. Whatever you believe your G-d to be, just know they will not let you fail or fall. Coming out the closet is a huge step and we will be here to help you all through the pain and confusion that may arise. There is beauty and power in accepting your life as it is. We are all b’tzelem Elohim- created in the image of G-d. All human life, whether straight or gay, is holy and worthy of profound respect and understanding. We are all born the way we are. So let us all start accepting who we are and start betzalmo: thanking G-d for creating us in the Divine image. Kol Adonai ba'ko'ach, kol Adonai be'hadar: Hear G-d's voice in power; hear G-d's voice in beauty.

Thank you Don and Rick for your bravery, inspiration and power. May many more people follow your footsteps and may they have positive influences and support when they come out. Yisa Adonai panav eilecha v'yaseim l'cha shalom: May you all feel G-d's presence within you always, and may you find peace. Ken yehi ratzon; may it be G-d's will.

Donnie McClurkin Gay Rant

How surprising was it that none other than the infamous Miss Donnie McClurkin gave a sermon on how being gay was the same as being a vampire? And how surprising was it that this said sermon was held at a Church of God in Christ convention? Not surprising? I didn't really think so. Since the COGIC business is ran by closeted and self hating queens, not to add homophobic heteros. It appalls me on how easily these words just flow from his mouth, just how much a black person who lives on Wisteria Lane can talk bad about a black person living in Florida Evan's apartment appalls me.

Donnie became famous (and more confused) when he went public to say that he was delivered from his homosexuality. Now, I won't talk about that, but I will say, being a person of the Christian faith, I will say that he is a liar. Jesus doesn't just take you from something and let's you swim in temptation, as Donnie has CLEARLY voiced he

goes through. When you are freed of a pain that is hitting you, whatever it may be to you, Jesus completely removes it...as much as you want it removed.

Conclusion; Donnie is still a homosexual that hates his life, mad at other gays who are doing well (that are out), and needs to feel better about himself by getting a group of people who feel the same way around him to keep love from entering. Sit the hell down and shut the hell up!

Facebook's a Nazi

So I logged onto Facebook for the umpteenth time since starting a page on it in 2005, when Facebook was only accepting people who were college students, and I get redirected to a page saying my account has been disabled. Reasons? Well, *snickers* they said that my profile picture (a jewish gay pride flag held by a member of my synagogue) was misrepresenting the Jewish Community and it violated their terms.

Huh?

I'm sorry, so MY picture that I took from MY synagogue (that not only ordains female rabbis but also opening gay rabbis) is MISrepresenting the jewish community? So, are all the "I hate Jesus" Facebook groups going to be taken down since they disturb Christians? Nope. History has proven that Nazi's only care about one thing...ridding the world of the infestation of gays and jews. It's very disturbing that they found that as a legitimate reason to disable my page, but not one profile was disabled when people had Obama as their profile pic for months (I LOVE OBAMA BTW). That was clear violation that "you are not to upload false information without persmission." None of these people were Obama and none of these people claimed to be him. Or the people who have Grey Goose as their profile picture. "You will not develop or operate a third party application containing, or advertise or otherwise market alcohol-related or other mature content without appropriate age-based restrictions."


So again, how was my JEWISH GAY PRIDE picture a violation? If Facebook can't explain this, which I know they won't, it will be time to go with the big dogs. United States Legislation department, cuz baby, I want my notes from 2005 back.

Terrell Carter: Covered By "Shade"

So, I was told that what I am blogging about is super old news, but hey, I just heard about it and need to comment on it. I was told that Terrell Carter is indeed gay and the only way the world would've found out about it is through his ex who decided to go and post on the web pictures of them together in positions that couples would be in. (No sex pics so get your mind out the gutter.) Now, lets get down to the nitty gritty.

First, if I see Alex Cortez anywhere on the street I will personally push him down the stairs myself. Even though I am an out and proud gay man, I hate dirty, yes dirty, queens who feel the need to engage revenge on their ex boyfriends closeted status by outing them. I mean, are you jealous that he found someone ALOT more attractive than you? Alot more emotionally stable than you? Society and the down low society already hates the gay (out) community enough and by showing how immature and idiotic you can be really fuels people who SUPPORT prop 8. Especially if said exboyfriend is a celebrity. Why do you think gay stars stay within their work?

Secondly, I will always be a fan of Terrell not because he is one of me, but because he had real talent and real ambitions unlike the ball gays and the street queens who's goal get no farther than the next "major" ball or next Black Gay Pride. I am just sorry that his "Out"ing wasnt as he wanted it and that more things will come his way in the future. Bigger and better.

When all else fails, he will at least have one fan here in California.

Bert and Ernie Story

An elderly couple, Ernie and Bert, moved to Texas . Bert always wanted a pair of authentic cowboy boots, so, he bought them and wore them home. Walking proudly, he sauntered into the kitchen and said to his partner,

'Notice anything different about me?'

Ernie looked him over, 'Nope'.

Frustrated, Bert stormed off into the bathroom, undressed and walked back into th e kitchen completely naked except for the boots. Again he asked Ernie, a little louder this time,

'Notice anything different NOW?'

Ernie looked up and exclaimed,

'Bert, what's different? It's hanging down today, it was hanging down yesterday, it'll be hanging down again tomorrow!'

Furious, Bert yelled, 'AND DO YOU KNOW WHY IT'S HANGING DOWN, ERNIE?'

'Nope', he replied.

'IT'S HANGING DOWN, BECAUSE IT'S LOOKING AT MY NEW BOOTS!!!!'

Without changing his expression, Ernie replied, 'Shoulda bought a hat, Bert. Shoulda bought a hat.'

Gays All Around

Now wouldn't the late Jerry Falwell just turn in his grave if he heard about this? The courts have found that now, discharging a gay from the military is damn near unconstitutional. If any branch of the military discharges you for "being a homosexual or engaging in homosexual activity" then they must prove that you are bad for morale. Which most likely they wont, unless you cursed the country and its flag and just so happened that you are a gay, then they can.

"Gay service members who are discharged can sue in federal court, and if the military doesn't prove it had a good reason for the dismissal, the cases will go forward."

But now its clear, the "Don't ask, Don't tell" stupid policy is numbered in days. We are slowly and surely earning the stance to be considered an equal human beings, just like the heteros. We are slowly but surely getting our marriage rights, Texas struck down its ban on sodomy law, gays in the military, the list goes on. Hopefully, the next president will see that this movement is inevitable and that he (or she) needs to get on the bandwagon, or get left behind.

I suppose I can dig in my closest and underneath all my junk, can start to pull out the old red, white and blue. I won't hang it yet, not till there is truly justice for all.