Out and Outraged

Health care passed...

2010-03-21T23:24:00.000-04:00

...now can I please, please get married? :/

Telephone THAT.

2010-03-12T13:21:00.001-05:00

Do I detect some lesbian undertones here?

Crazy. Sexy. Cool.

OH HEY DC

2010-03-05T09:51:00.002-05:00

...well, at least when I become President there won't be issues surrounding my flagrant homosexuality in the nation's capitol. :)

I should probably move there, because apparently gays and lesbians that live in states with a ban on gay marriage are more likely to be depressed and turn to alcoholism or have anxiety and mood disorders. Hm.

Maybe that's why I like

so much.

Damn Ohio.

Get it girl.

2009-10-12T21:52:00.001-04:00

Lady Gaga is up in arms for the GLBT community. I don't know if she's our best face for equality, but she sure can make a point.

WHAT.

2009-06-04T09:56:00.002-04:00

Hey guys. It's been a while.

Happy NATIONAL GAY PRIDE MONTH!!

Also, we're up to six states now that New Hampshire has legalized gay marriage.

And nuts to Cali for upholding Prop 8. Boo. East Coast is where it's at lately.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction

2009-04-17T00:25:00.000-04:00

and this certainly holds true for today's Day of Silence. I've never heard so much bullshit in my entire life, I am sorry.

This seems to me to be advocating the bullying of GLBT students?!

That kind of hatred leads to tragedies such as the suicide of 11-year-old Carl Walker-Hoover, who would have been 12 today.

I'm getting my silence heard; I don't know about anyone else.

What will you do to end it?

Facebook

2009-04-15T02:16:00.001-04:00

is ruining my grades, apparently?? FML.

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1891111,00.html

LiLo

2009-04-15T00:10:00.002-04:00

Made a fake eHarmony profile video...

Lindsay Lohan's eHarmony Profile from Lindsay Lohan

She looks pretty good for someone who's poor and alone. And gee, her little heart seems all broken to pieces, doesn't it?

CENSORSHIP

2009-04-12T23:19:00.002-04:00

On a completely unrelated note to recent events in the GLBT community... well, someone from the admissions office at my school decided it was good for propriety to remove copies of our school paper from the distribution racks in the student center because of the front cover.

The Columbus Dispatch ran something about it...

...and this is the offending front page...

...and this is what we had to say about it this week...

Yay First Amendment...

Calm before the storm?

2009-04-10T12:14:00.008-04:00

So apparently there's a deadly storm coming...

The sky is dark and looming, and flashes of lightning fill the air.

The storm is going to destroy everything you hold dear. It's going to take away your rights and uproot your Constitution and rape and pillage your villages and corrupt your children.

The storm? Oh, it's the gay rights movement. Yep, this is according to an advertisement made by NOM, or the National Association of Marriage, an organization which describes itself as "a rainbow coalition of people of every creed and color are coming together in love."

Excuse us, that's our rainbow.

At least the spoof makes me feel a little better. ^_^

Easter egg hunt! Pick me! Pick me!

2009-04-08T23:35:00.002-04:00

So apparently...

President Obama reserved 100 tickets for gay and lesbian parents for the annual White House Easter Egg Hunt after Washington, DC voted to recognize gay marriages performed in other states.

So basically...

I can live there and be gay and be married...but I can't get married there? I mean, geez, if you're going to recognize the fact that it's legal, why not just let me get married right where I am instead of having to go somewhere else??

This is confusing my radio co-host and I right now as we look at news online instead of paying attention to our music.

Kthxbai!!

We've come so far...

2009-04-08T23:20:00.001-04:00

...but we've still got so far to go.

I think the graphic at the top of that article is absolutely beautiful. :) That'll be me one day. Check it!!

Going to the chapel and we're gonna get married...

2009-04-07T13:53:00.002-04:00

I don't know where I've been!

Vermont!

Iowa!

Washington, D.C.!

Look at me over here tearing up. :) This is absolutely amazing. Things are changing, and they're changing for the better. I'll admit, after Prop 8, I feared a bit that the negative backlash might hurt efforts to get gay marriage in various state constitutions, but things are turning around and I think they're going to keep turning in our favor.

I am so, so, so happy right now.

Come on, Ohio!!!!

Portia De Rossi's PSA

2009-03-22T23:08:00.003-04:00

fmylife.com

2009-03-19T18:59:00.001-04:00

...is brilliant.

Here's a good one from today...

"Today, I walked in on my elderly great-great aunt sitting on her recliner in the living room. There was porn on the TV. Thinking that this was an accidental channel change, I asked, "What in the world are you watching!?" She replied in her sweet frail voice, "Two lesbians getting it on!" FML"

Ten Reasons Gay Marriage Should Be Illegal

2009-02-26T22:33:00.000-05:00

I've seen this so many times, but it's always still funny. :)

01) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

02) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

03) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

04) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

05) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

06) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

07) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

08) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

09) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

Lance Black and Sean Penn at the Oscars

2009-02-24T16:39:00.003-05:00

Lance Black's acceptance speech for Best Original Screenplay was beautiful. I cried. I really think that this probably saved a few lives.

"You Commie, homo-loving sons of guns," was how Penn began his speech. And he ended it quite nicely, too.

White knots

2009-02-22T23:19:00.002-05:00

...are for marriage equality! I'm going to have to get me one of those. The slogan is "everyone should have the right to tie the knot."

Saw a few tonight on the red carpet and at the Grammys. :)

I'm glad that the writer of Milk won an award tonight!

Indulgences

2009-02-22T01:18:00.003-05:00

Marketing strategy or key to the Kingdom?

So if I volunteer at a soup kitchen enough...maybe I won't go to hell for being a lesbian? And drinking? And speeding? And gossiping? And masturbating? And reading banned books? And coveting my neighbor's car?

I think I'd need more penance then even Tetzel could hand out if my heaven is the same as theirs.

FLYLEAF

2009-02-19T15:02:00.002-05:00

IS COMING TO THE COLUMBUS CREW STADIUM ON MAY 16.

I just died with happiness inside.

It's with the Rock on the Range tour, so there will be two days of wonderful music.

Lacuna Coil is coming with a different tour on May 5, along with Disturbed and a few other bands that I haven't really heard of but are apparently good.

Aaaaaaaaaand Britney Spears will be here on April 30. I'm planning on that one for sureee. :D

Miranda Lambert is also making an appearance on May 23.

I think I'll be broke this summer from concerts... xD

I can has hugz?

2009-02-17T00:43:00.002-05:00

...apparently not.

Now, I know that most schools, especially grade schools and high schools, ban PDA. But I thought that was just referring to, like, making out in the hallways.

But now kids are getting detention for hugging each other in the hallways? That's ridiculous. I mean, damn, what if something happened and you wanted to show your support for a friend? Or what if you were proud of your friend and wanted to congratulate them? Does that merit detention?

I'm all for hugs. Props to any kids who get detained for showing some love.

Lip piercing

2009-02-15T20:04:00.001-05:00

Yea or nay?

If I got one, it would be on the right side because my eyebrow piercing is on the left.

And should I go with a stud or a ring? Hm.

IfyouseekAmy

2009-02-14T16:28:00.006-05:00

The hits... they keep coming...

Is this some sort of innuendo or is does Brit-Brit just want to have a relationship with someone named Amy?

Amy Lee, perhaps?

That would be an interesting couple.

WAIT. I just found something from FOX News about hidden meanings. This is intense. Lol at the blonde woman!

...so if you sing "If you seek Amy" really quickly... it sounds like "f-u-c-k me." HAHA THAT'S AWESOME.

But damn, I thought she was coming out.

Here are the lyrics...

La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la

Oh baby baby, have you seen Amy tonight?
Is she in the bathroom? Is she smoking up outside?
Oh baby baby, does she take a piece of lime
For the drink that I'mma buy her
Do you know just what she likes?

Oh

Oh, oh, tell me have you seen her
'Cause I'm so, oh, I can't get her off of my brain
I just wanna go to the party she gonna go
Can somebody take me home?

Ha ha he he ha ha ho

Love me, hate me, say you what you want about me
But all of the boys and all of the girls are begging to if you seek Amy
Love me, hate me, but can't you see what I see?
All of the boys and all of the girls are begging to if you seek Amy

Love me, hate me

Amy told me that she's gonna meet me up
I don't where or when and now they're closing up the club
I've seen her once or twice before, she knows my face
But it's hard to see with all the people standing in my way

Oh, oh, tell me have you seen her
'Cause I'm so, oh, I can't get her off of my brain
I just wanna go to the party she gonna go
Can somebody take me home?

Ha ha he he ha ha ho

Love me, hate me, say you what you want about me
But all of the boys and all of the girls are begging to if you seek Amy
Love me, hate me, but can't you see what I see?
All of the boys and all of the girls are begging to if you seek Amy

Oh, say what you want about me
Oh, but can't you see what I see?
Love me, hate me
Oh, say what you want about me

So tell me if you see her
(she was wearing or what she was like)
'Cause I've been waiting here forever
(she was going out of line)

Oh baby baby, if you seek Amy tonight (Oh)
Oh baby baby, we'll do whatever you like
Oh baby baby baby, oh baby baby baby

La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la

Love me, hate me, say you what you want about me
But all of the boys and all of the girls are begging to if you seek Amy
Love me, hate me, but can't you see what I see?
All of the boys and all of the girls are begging to if you seek Amy
Love me, hate me, say you what you want about me (yeah)
Love me, hate me, but can't you see what I see?
All of the boys and all of the girls are begging to if you seek Amy

Love me, hate me
Oh, say what you want about me
Oh, but can't you see what I see?
Love me, hate me
Oh, say what you want about me

All of the boys and all of the girls are begging to if you seek Amy

Operation: GAY

2009-02-11T13:36:00.006-05:00

Sooooo a member of the Kansas National Guard was discharged from the military after nine years of service because she's a lesbian.

Someone wrote anonymous e-mails to her superiors last year, and she was put under investigation for "homosexual conduct." What, is this a crime now? Got to sneak around people to see if they're gay?

Wtfuck.

Apaprently, from 1994 to 2007, nearly 12,500 service members were dismissed from the military under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Because they were GLBT.

That's ridiculous. Makes no sense to me. But when was discrimination ever rational?

I'll invert YOUR pyramid...

2009-02-10T19:40:00.002-05:00

I've come to the conclusion that the GLBT community at my school doesn't get nearly enough press coverage. So I'm going to do something about it. I'm already on staff for the online newsletter, but now I'm writing for the paper as well. I'm going to try to represent the community as best I can, because we've got some pretty significant events coming up that are worthy of being reported on. And I think people need to know. After all... good journalism gives voice to the voiceless, and I don't think we've got enough of a voice here.

PS speakin' of journalism... well, we learned in class that there's a style of writing called the inverted pyramid...

...which looks a lot like a GLBT triangle...

...so if I get a triangle tattoo anywhere, it'll have a totally rad double meaning!! Yeah!

I'm glad I learn these important life facts at school.

Blink-182

2009-02-09T01:04:00.001-05:00

...is back!!!

This is very good news! :D

"To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die."

2009-02-06T16:04:00.002-05:00

I wish I were home.

One of my oldest friends' father passed away in the early hours of this morning after a long battle with cancer. I got the text at about 5:17 from but it didn't register in my brain until I woke up again at 7:45. Another one of my good friends called me around that time, as well.

I don't know when the funeral is, but I doubt it will be any time I can go... then again, it would probably be worth it to skip class and drive home. I want to make sure that she's okay, and I want to be able to say my goodbyes.

I remember him driving my friend over to my house in third grade for a Halloween party, and him refereeing my soccer games until he got ill. He loved soccer. I always saw him at either my games or at the Cinci Excite games. Last I saw him was at his daughter's graduation party in July. He looked better, and he seemed back to his normal self.

I'm happy he got to see her graduate from high school, though.

And of course, I got to thinking of some of my close friends and family dying, and what I'd do, and how I couldn't even imagine life without so many people who mean so much to me... My parents, my little brothers, my grandma, my girlfriend, my friends... the list goes on and on.

I wish I were home.

The gay agenda...REVEALED!

2009-02-06T13:21:00.006-05:00

Sooooooooooo apparently we have an agenda...

Oklahoma state representative Sally Kern says that it stems from the fact that we want to be accepted by the general public.

I can't believe they caught us. Because you know that "acceptance" is a cleverly disguised word for "equality", and "equality," my fellow Americans, means "communism." And you know those socialist homosexuals are here to corrupt your children, manicure all of your men, and dress all of your women in plaid shirts and sensible shoes.

Phase one... initiate.

Our first phase is coming along nicely. Look at what we've done to Bill Kaulitz. And he already has his own wax statue!

Sex sex sex

2009-02-05T19:42:00.001-05:00

Soooooo the banned PETA ad can be found here.

Off to see some cross-dressing! OWU is putting on Twelfth Night.

Aaaaaaaaand we're seeing Spring Awakening this Sunday. :)

PS Going Valentine's Day shopping for my girl tomorrow... any ideas???

Laxatives

2009-02-05T15:15:00.002-05:00

A friend of mine revealed to me a dark and dangerous secret today.

They put laxatives in all the food at the dining halls here.

Apparently it's so that if the food is undercooked, your body will not contract salmonella or whatever and will instead just poop out the bacteria. And apparently schools everywhere do this.

I can't believe that I was not aware of this. This explains a world of things to me.

Pooping on campus is so awkward. I hate it, especially when there are 15 minutes left in class and your need to empty your bowels just hits. You know full well that you don't have time to make it back to the dorm before the shit hits the fan (ha, ha) so you are forced to go after class.

You always know who pooped when you're in the bathroom. The poopers are the people who don't look at anyone as they exit their stall and who take five minutes to wash their hands instead of just rinsing and running. And if you're the lucky soul to use the bathroom after someone who just pooped, WELL. That's shit luck.

I don't like how people are embarrassed to talk about poop. Everybody does it!

But hey. Shit happens.

Vegetarians do it better?

2009-01-30T08:12:00.002-05:00

Why am I not a vegetarian anymore? WHY???

I would be watching the Super Bowl if they hadn't have taken this ad off the air.

I guess my prowess in bed is going to start declining steadily...

Meat

2009-01-25T12:57:00.004-05:00

...my two and a half years of being a vegetarian were brought to a sad an abrupt end last night.

After having a little too much to drink with the soccer team at one of the frats last night, I went back to Megan's room so that she and her roommates could get changed and head back out. While we were there, one of the girls made herself a bowl of chicken soup.

It looked SO GOOD.

I wrestled with myself for a minute or two, but the part of me that gets unbearably hungry when I drink won over the side that knew I'd feel bad about it later. I asked Megan to make me a bowl of soup. She obliged after throwing me a confused look, but I assured her that I wouldn't regret it in the morning and I REALLY WANTED IT.

So I ate it. And it was good (albeit a little bland).

This morning at lunch, Abby, who has been a vegetarian for three years, got sausage at the same time I got Mu Shu pork. I guess we're just ready for something new? Or we just can't control ourselves any longer.

My girlfriend Leah, who sees no point in being a vegetarian, is thoroughly excited and says she's going to take me out to eat so that I can gorge myself on meat.

It's weird to think of myself as an omnivore again... I don't know. I really had no trouble adhering to my vegetarian diet while sober. Part of me is sorry I just quit because I hate giving up on anything, especially in a moment of weakness. But maybe it'll be good for me.

At least I'm still meat-free in other ways... ;) I'm a VAGitarian!!! XD

My list, continued...

2009-01-19T22:16:00.003-05:00

Continuing with my list of 100 things I wish to accomplish before I die/have accomplished already, I now present to you...

#16: Express undying affection for someone on the Jumbotron at a baseball game.

It always seems as if it comes during the fifth inning at Reds games, after the mascot race and the Kiss Cam but before the Chicken Dance. The gargantuan electronic screen will light up with what I suppose can only be described as shout-outs; people write messages to friends and loved ones and the Jumbotron manager people will put them on the screen for all to see. Birthdays, anniversaries, thank yous... But the ones that always touch my heart are the proposals. I can just picture the words "Carrie, I love you. Will you marry me? Love, Steve" coming up on the screen and Steve dropping down on one knee in front of everyone to open the Tiffany's box for Carrie and everyone is crying...

I don't know... it's just such a public display of affection, and it's so sweet. I'd love to do that for someone. I told my girlfriend to watch out if I take her to Reds games because she may leave with a ring on her finger. :D

I WILL LEARN THIS DANCE.

2009-01-17T09:44:00.002-05:00

I just need stilettos, an up-do, a one-armed leotard, and... a robotic arm?

Note that no matter how hard they're telling you that you should have put a ring on it if you liked it, NOTHING MOVES. No jiggling breasts, no rippling thunder thighs, NOTHING. Now if I tried that, we might have to pull out the Richter scale.

I want to be Beyonce.

Artist Site

100 things...

2009-01-16T23:48:00.000-05:00

So I have this list of 100 things I want to do before I die. I first made the list as a sophomore in high school, and I recently thought about it and decided to rework it; after all, many of the things on the original list have been accomplished already. So I've begun a new list of things, and I think I'm going to share some of them and describe them in detail.

#27: Be able to walk into a restaurant and have the waitress ask me if I want "the usual."

I've seen it in old movies and occasionally in real life; someone walks into a restaurant and sits down, and the waitress says, "Mornin', Bob! The usual?" And Bob will respond, "Thank you, Jo, the usual sounds just fine." For some strange reason, I want to be able to be a Bob once in my life. I mean, waitresses must see hundreds, maybe even thousands of customers in their career... for them to know not only your name and face, but what you always order off the menu, is quite a remarkable accomplishment. If I ever get to that status with someone at one of my favorite restaurants...well, that would just make my day. It would mean that I stood out somehow, you know?

That also coincides with #26: Get a sandwich named after me.

Because how cool would it be to hear someone say, "Hi, I'll take the RJ with extra cheese, please" at a restaurant???

I'm a little drunk.

No money=More hate groups??

2009-01-12T21:17:00.000-05:00

According to this article, people are linking the economic crisis to the rise of hate crimes... Hm. They're also linking some of it to the fact that Obama is being inaugurated next week.

And apparently the number of hate crimes against GLBTQ peoples is on the rise.

Wow...

PS Obama is being inaugurated on the anniversary of Heath Ledger's death. :(

But you were everything to me, I was begging you please don't go...

2009-01-09T16:06:00.004-05:00

I can't help but be completely and totally enamored with Taylor Swift's "Love Story." Despite the fact that it's talking about a heterosexual couple, my girlfriend and I have adopted it as our new anthem. I'm currently playing my fingers raw trying to learn it on the guitar.

I love the Romeo and Juliet metaphor; how she compares her relationship to theirs because her parents don't really approve of her beau. There's something kind of thrilling about having to sneak off in the dead of night to see a forbidden love. That's too cute.

And, really, who doesn't wish they could stand on a balcony and have someone wooing them from below? *swoons*

D'awwwwwwwwwwh. ♥

...and then you remember how Rome and Julie ended up... damn.

But the beginning was cute!

Welcome, welcome, fa who ramoose...

2008-12-24T09:56:00.002-05:00

....or however it goes. :P I hope everyone's having a wonderful holiday so far. I know I am. It's great to be home with my family, and to spend time with my friends from home. I can't count how many cookies we've made so far this season... I'm going to need new pants soon. Oy.

So I'm working on a series of public service announcements? I'll probably start work on them once I'm back at school. I'll keep everyone posted.

Oh, and as for my New Years' plans... WELL. I have to get my tonsils taken out, and the only time they could fit me in was 7:30 in the morning on the 31st. So instead of going out for New Years', I'll be flat on my back in bed for a week, eating ice cream and watching every single episode of Scrubs that I can get my hands on.

Resolution: Keep my sanity.

On the road again...

2008-12-18T15:02:00.003-05:00

FINALLY finished with exams!!!!

I'll be heading home in about an hour. Don't know how often I'll be on for the next few weeks, so I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year. Eat lots of cookies and get wicked drunk for me, please. :) <3

Priorities

2008-12-17T09:34:00.002-05:00

So I'm sitting here filling out my "Ohio Wesleyan Women's Soccer Life Goals" sheet before my meeting with Coach Bob this morning. It's incredibly cliche, I know, but it's really making me think. We're supposed to set short-range and long-range goals for ourselves in like six different categories, and then say how we plan to accomplish those goals. The categories are, like, family; spiritual and moral; fitness; academics and career, etc.

I just realized how much I want to do in the near future and further on down the road that I could totally get started on if I just took the time to do it. Like staying in touch with old friends and writing them letters, or calling my grandma, or working out more often. I suppose that I don't have my priorities straight... I spend so much time socializing with my friends here, and Facebook/MySpace creeping, and kind of just hanging out. I mean, I guess I'm just not motivated to do everything I want to do... meh.

Random assessment of my life... complete!!

PS I had like two and a half hours of sleep because I went to bed at 300 and got up at 530 to take Abby to the airport. And then I had coffee at Waffle House. :3

Out[ed] and [slightly] outraged

2008-12-15T21:57:00.003-05:00

So there's this website, www.collegeacb.com, where students can go and post topics about life at their respective universities. All posters are anonymous; there's no way of knowing who's who unless they explicitly state their name. Even then, who's to attest that they're who they say they are?

WELL. There was a topic started by someone that is entitled "GAY PEOPLE ON CAMPUS?" Basically, the whole purpose of the topic is to out anyone and everyone that you know is gay, suspect may be gay, or just want to start a rumor about. All of this is completely anonymous. Many of my friends have been outed, and some pretty nasty stuff is being thrown around. So that aggravated me a bit. And then someone took the initiative to out not only me, but my roommate, who is bisexual [they spelled my name wrong, but that's another tale for another day].

Now, I'm out and I'm open about my sexuality. I'm damn proud to be who I am, for that matter. People know I'm a lesbian, and I'm sure people let other people know I'm a lesbian. But something just irks me about someone anonymously outing me on some gossip forum. Not only that, but people think that my roommate and I are dating [which we're NOT; I'm extremely dedicated to my girlfriend from home and... no] and are asking about that... just because we live together and we are practically inseparable.

One insecurity I've always had about being gay is that I always feel like people think that, just because I'm a lesbian, I either a) develop crushes on whoever I hang out with the most, or b) get together with any other bisexual girl or lesbian I come across. I feel like that's a common stereotype of gays and lesbians... that we've got insatiable sex drives and we just get with anything that moves. Like, sometimes I'm afraid to initiate physical contact, even a hug, with some of my friends. And sometimes it's awkward to try and joke around with them, as well, because I always think they're reading into things wrong...

I'm not really comfortable with people thinking that my roommate and I are dating... I mean, we do spend a lot of time together, she's one of my best friends and also happens to be my roommate, and we're both gay. People have legit asked me if the two of us are dating to my face... Idk, it's just bothering me. Meh.

Happy birthday, Amy Lee!

2008-12-13T15:33:00.004-05:00

Today is Amy Lee [Hartzler now that she's married, but she'll always be Amy Lee to me]'s 27th birthday.

...even though she cruelly ripped my heart out and stomped on it with golf cleats the day she got married...

...even though she kind of ruined Evanescence by firing everyone...

...even though I'll probably never meet her in my life...

...I am still so godforsakenly obsessed with her. Today, in her honor, I am wearing all black [including my The Open Door t-shirt] and listening to every single bit of Ev music that I have in my iTunes library. I might even watch their live concert later!!

Last year I made cupcakes and took them to the yearbook staff. I regret that my baking skills fell short this year, but I figure that getting my left eyebrow pierced on Tuesday a la the Fallen cover is pretty good homage. I think she looks better with it, though. :3

And now, as a special treat, I present EVERY SINGLE EVANESCENCE MUSIC VIDEO EVER MADE. Enjoy!

"Bring Me to Life"

"Going Under" ...still freaks me out.

"My Immortal"

"Everybody's Fool" [probs my fave of all of their videos]

"Broken" with Seether. Shaun Morgan's a less than desirable character, but I love the song.

"Freak on a Leash" with Korn.

"Call Me When You're Sober"

"Lithium"

"Sweet Sacrifice"

"Good Enough"

Yeehaw!

2008-12-09T16:11:00.002-05:00

FINALLY. There's a track pack for Rock Band that includes... get ready... COUNTRY SONGS!! :D I don't have the game, but I might have to get it... or convince someone who has it to buy the country songs and then let me borrow it.

The tracks are...

“Mud on the Tires” by Brad Paisley
“Hillbilly Deluxe” by Brooks & Dunn
“Free & Easy (Down the Road I Go)” by Dierks Bentley
“Sin Wagon” by Dixie Chicks
...and one of my all-time favorites...
“Gunpowder & Lead” by Miranda Lambert!!!

...the studio version sounds cooler, but the only video Miranda officially made is live, and DAMN she's a firecracker. If her boy's not treating her right, I'll give her some lovin'.

Twilight

2008-12-07T21:56:00.002-05:00

I saw Twilight with a group of people from school... Now I guess I should cave in to societal pressure and go read the books to figure out what happens next and see if the movie did the books justice.

It was okay; the plot was a bit predictable and felt rushed at the end. The dialogue just made me want to slam my head against something hard. You could tell that the "screenplay" was just dialogue copied and pasted from the actual book. This opinion was solidified in my mind by the fact that the girls behind me knew almost every word. It was also pretty cheesy.

Edward seemed to be channeling Anakin from Attack of the Clones. Every word he said sounded like it was walking through molasses; slow and kind of awkward, as if it was mentally taxing for him. Plus, he never actually looked like he was in love with Bella. He just looked like he wanted to eat her. Oh wait... he did want to eat her. And not in a good way. Hm.

No one was exceptionally pretty, which was a big downer.

Still, there were some funny bits, and the acting was generally palatable. I especially liked seeing the actor who played Frank in Stick It. The special effects were neat [but Edward glittering when the sun hit him was mehhh] and the setting, at times, breathtaking. Not a bad score [didn't hear anything by Paramore, unless I was deaf at the time].

I'd say... seven out of ten?

PROP 8: THE MUSICAL!!

2008-12-03T18:08:00.004-05:00

Apparently, gay marriage will save the economy! This gem stars Margaret Cho, John C. Reilly, Jack Black, and others. :) This is from Will Ferrell's website at www.funnyordie.com

Thanks, Arlan!

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Dear Britney Spears...

2008-12-02T12:51:00.007-05:00

Happy birthday, first of all!! I'm frankly surprised that you're still with us. Guess you're just lucky. I think that everything you went through just made you stronger... and you keep making amazing music. Someday I will understand how you get your inspiration...

I feel as if, as someone who grew up listening to your music and someone who's been a fan through it all, it's my prerogative to thank you. Yes, I have most of your albums. Yes, I still listen to them. Yes, I was transfixed while watching you in the waitress uniform and the cherry-red wig during your "Womanizer" video. It gets me everytime. You drive me crazy. I guess I'm a slave for you.

Also, thank you for continually giving me reasons to want to break the ice and go dance on tables with people when I hear your songs. Yes, me, a lesbian with huge hips.

Your new album, Circus (your sixth, if I'm not mistaken?) comes out today. With all of the toxic music that keeps coming out, I'm starting to lose faith in pop culture. So thank you, from the bottom of my broken heart.

I'm going to buy your new album. You've hit me, baby, one more time. Gimme more!

And for those of you who are laughing at the number of Britney song references I've embedded in this entry... you want a piece of me?

Oops... I did it again.

World AIDS Day

2008-12-01T14:43:00.002-05:00

The 20th World AIDS Day is today. The theme is "Lead-Empower-Deliver." I would assume that it's to recognize all of those who have made progress in the fight against it.

Wear red. Get tested. Spread the word.

Supreme Court in Cali to hear challenge to Prop 8

2008-11-19T21:56:00.002-05:00

The California Supreme Court is going to hear a legal challenge of Proposition 8 put forth by The National Center for Lesbian Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Lambda Legal, according to an article from The Advocate.

The court will be asked these questions concerning the validity of Prop 8 [cited from the article]...

"Is Proposition 8 invalid because it constitutes a revision of, rather than an amendment to, the California constitution?"

"Does Proposition 8 violate the separation of powers doctrine under the California constitution?"

"If Proposition 8 is not unconstitutional, what is its effect, if any, on the marriages of same-sex couples performed before the adoption of Proposition 8?"

I think that the sheer fact that the court is even considering this [and that the issue has been set to an expedited briefing schedule] shows a lot of promise. The hearing is set for next March.

I go to college and this is what I miss?

2008-11-18T18:19:00.002-05:00

Meanwhile, back in my native land of Cincinnati, Margaret Cho stopped by the rally and spoke/sang to the several hundred people gathered downtown.

Thank you, Mr. Kutcher

2008-11-18T01:08:00.002-05:00

I have never heard anyone advocate gay marriage from the religious viewpoint more eloquently than Jon Meacham, seen on Friday's episode of Real Time With Bill Maher.

I have also never had respect for Ashton Kutcher up until this point.

"They pissed off the wrong group of people."

2008-11-16T17:56:00.002-05:00

In her speech yesterday in Las Vegas, Wanda Sykes announced to a crowd of more than 1,000 that she was gay, married, and proud.

Apparently, the speech was a surprise to those in the crowd. She wasn't scheduled to say anything... but I'm sure we're all glad she did. :)

Talkin' 'bout a revolution

2008-11-15T15:28:00.003-05:00

Just got home from the protest in Columbus... wow. I was awestruck by the number of people there, all waving flags and signs and making lots of noise. A group of about twenty came from my university, all bearing our own posters.

There was a moment when a woman got up on stage and began singing, and invited all of us to sing along. Hearing a crowd of hundreds of people all joined in singing... it took my breath away. What an amazing experience.

I hope to have pictures up soon!

Do you hear the people sing?

2008-11-14T14:53:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow, at 1:30 EST, cities all across the United States will be standing up to protest the passing of Proposition 8. Find your city here!

I organised a group of my fellow students here at OWU to go down to the city hall in Columbus tomorrow afternoon and join in the protest. I sent out a campus-wide e-mail on Wednesday morning, and the level of support we received has been absolutely amazing. There are at least sixty people who say they're coming [a problem due to our lack of transportation...], and many more who say they want to.

What's even more amazing is that apparently people in other countries are participating! I don't know of any countries specifically, but I've heard tell of this going international.

On the eve of this inspirational event, I find myself quoting Les Miserables...

Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me?
Beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?
Then join in the fight that will give you the right to be free.

Writing love on our arms

2008-11-13T18:11:00.009-05:00

Today was the second annual To Write Love on her Arms awareness day. I had "love" written on my wrists all day. I was kind of disappointed that I only saw one other girl who had written it on her arm, but many of the girls in the sorority I'm rushing this spring knew about the event and decided to write it on their arms when they saw my wrists. :) My girlfriend said that several people at her school participated.

I think it's a great way to raise awareness. Depression and teen suicide are still, for some reason, kind of taboo topics in the United States... As someone who's been through it, and who knows many, many people who have gone through the same struggles, I'm in full support of the organisation's ministry. I know many bands and celebrities who support it, as well.

This is a great video from the website with some facts about depression, suicide, and TWLOHA itself.

This picture's from the Facebook event page.

"Gay marriage is a question of love."

2008-11-11T11:52:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Arlan for posting this in a bulletin.

Absolutely heartfelt and touching. I found tears springing to my eyes as I watched this. I don't know who Keith Olbermann is, but he has my gratitude for this video.

...in other news...

There's a nationwide protest of Prop 8 happening this Saturday at a city or town hall near YOU. Click to find out where it's all happening and what you can do for our cause.

On that note... does anyone want to drive me to Columbus? :)

"Gay people are born every day. You can't legislate that away."

2008-11-10T00:42:00.002-05:00

I'm truly inspired by the people in California who are still fighting Proposition 8. Over 20,000 people gathered in LA yesterday to protest it. It's heartening to know that we're not backing down! This is our fight, and I have faith that our community will stand its ground. Unfortunately, there have been some problems with the law... fifteen arrests were made in Hollywood. Other than that, the LA Times reports that it's been mostly peaceful.

Thank you to everyone who is part of this, who is supporting our cause... I wish I could be marching alongside of you.

In other news...

Melissa Etheridge just isn't going to pay taxes. :)

Being the change

2008-11-09T01:34:00.000-05:00

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Mahatma Gandhi

...unfortunately, the attitudes I've been seeing in the past few days have been the exact antithesis of this maxim. This country is a sweltering, festering cesspool of negativity that I'm frankly tired of smelling right under my nose. Whether it's people hell-bent on moving to Canada, or folks all bent out of shape about race issues, or naysayers convinced that Obama's going to get shot, or those who have no confidence in our economy, or people just generally throwing their hands in the air and announcing that this world's going to hell in a handbasket... it seems as though quite a few of my fellow Americans are supremely pessimistic about the direction that we're going in.

I'm just floored by this. I'm a firm believer that nothing ever gets accomplished by people sitting around and bitching. And yet here we are, blanching as soon as adversity rears its ugly head. If this world's really going to hell, it's only because people don't care enough to do anything about it.

"If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."--Malcolm X

I shudder to think at the state we'd be in if people just gave up when they're up against the wall. Did Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton stand down when they were jailed for advocating women's suffrage? Did Rosa Parks give up her seat on that bus? Did Martin Luther King, Jr. and other leaders of the Civil Rights Movement allow dissenters in Birmingham and Selma to discourage them? Did the advocates of Title IX abandon it under fire? More recently, have those fighting for their rights in California allowed discrimination and lies to silence them? No. These people stood up for themselves, for others, for things they believed in. They fought. And they didn't let up. Nor did they allow people who were just giving up to pull them down.

Maybe it's easier not to care. Maybe it hurts less. Who knows. But I'm not going to allow myself to be swept up in this maelstrom of despair and apathy. This is the future of our world, our country, ourselves that we're facing. Everyone's got something to fight for. The deciding factor is whether we'll take up arms or sit and complain.

STOP BITCHING. START A REVOLUTION.

Prop 8

2008-11-05T15:08:00.000-05:00

...it passed. Or at least they project it will.

I just don't see how someone can consciously advocate discrimination. I'm upset and frustrated, because after how far we've come, and how hard we're fighting, we get set back again. I don't see how people could have voted it through...

Also, according to the Los Angeles Times, most of the people in support of the ban were African-American. I find that interesting... after all, discrimination is discrimination. And many were religious, which, unfortunately, comes as no surprise.

Maybe one day we will live in a land where true equality won't just be wishful thinking.

On a happier note, same-sex couples will be able to marry in Connecticut starting the 12th!

Just do it!

2008-11-04T17:03:00.000-05:00

My first order of business today is to humbly implore everyone to get out there and make a difference. GO VOTE. Apathy is one thing I can't stand, and I feel as if many people are just coming up with excuses not to vote. They're too tired, or they don't have enough time, or they're pessimistic about the future, or they don't like either of the candidates. Whatever it is, too many of us aren't voting.

This has been a long fight for both sides. It all comes down to tonight. Whether it's for Obama, or McCain, or Nader, or whoever... just do it. Please. Our country is only as strong as the people in it, and if we lose faith in our power and our influence, we lose faith in our country.

I'm proud of my right to vote. Because you know what? Women in the United States couldn't even vote until the 19th Amendment in 1920. There are so many people who have fought, and still are fighting, to keep this beautiful nation free.

And there are so many people who have no voice in their country's future, so many people who are silenced if they try and speak out against their government. If for nothing else, vote for them. Vote for the people who can't make a difference. We're lucky-- we can.

Vote NO on discrimination!!

2008-11-03T17:20:00.000-05:00

This election is especially significant for the GLBT community Those of you in California face Proposition 8. Those of you in Florida face Amendment 2. I read an article in the New York Times this morning that same-sex couples are rushing to get married today, in fear that this simple right will be taken away from them. We have come so far, only to have people getting ready to rip the rug out from underneath us. VOTE NO on Prop 8 and Amendment 2. VOTE NO on discrimination. This is crucial!

The candidates on LGBT issues

2008-11-02T19:06:00.000-05:00

If you haven't submitted your early vote yet... DO IT TO IT!

Here's the quick and dirty on McCain and Obama's stances on LGBT issues. This is from cnn.com.

Obama
Against same-sex marriage, but for civil unions with full legal rights.
Would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.
Voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment.
Says the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy should be repealed.
Says the Employment Non-Discrimination Act should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
McCain
Against same-sex marriage.
Voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 1996.
Voted for the Defense of Marriage Act.
Voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment.
Says the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy should not be repealed.

Out of the closet, out of the congregation?

2008-11-02T16:37:00.000-05:00

Faith. Religion. God. Jesus Christ. To many GLBT persons I have met, and to many who I have not met, these words are nothing more than symbols of why they're treated differently, or why they don't have the same rights as everyone else. The number of my friends in the GLBT community who are atheist and agnostic, and the number who are disgusted by the very though of religion, is striking. So many people are turned away from God simply because of conventional arguments against homosexuality.

Even more striking is the number of people who use religion as an argument against homosexuality, and the fervor with which they attack us "in the name of God". I went to Catholic school for twelve years, and I was Catholic until I converted at sixteen. I've seen it firsthand. And I think that many people just take this at face value, and don't look past the hot air that fundamentalists are blowing in our faces.

I'm not saying that it doesn't hurt, not saying that these voices don't affect us. Because I know damn well that they do. I'm saying that we need to look beyond what people tell us religion is about, and we need to search for our own experience.

God is not only found in the Bible. God is not only found in the words of a sermon on Sunday morning. And God is certainly not found in words of discrimination and hate coming from someone who thinks they know what God thinks.

The beauty that I see in religion lies not in its structure, but in its freedom. And I know that freedom of religion may sound like a paradox, especially when you take conventional beliefs into consideration. But I believe that everyone is free to find their own faith, to find God their own way.

Last spring, I attended a memorial service for two high school soccer players who died in a tragic car crash several years ago. Hundreds of people were there, and we all stood in a circle around the soccer field where the two girls had spent so much time. As one girl's father stood and read a poem that his daughter has written, he suddenly pointed up to the sky and told us all to look to the north. Everyone turned to see a beautiful rainbow circling the afternoon sun. It was an amazing sight, one that sent chills down my spine. To me, that was God.

The beauty of everyday life represents God to me.Whether in a rainbow, or in a sunset, or in another person... I think that all of us can find an expression of God that far transcends what we hear on Sunday morning or what people tell us to believe. Sit under the stars in silence. Walk your dog through the park. Visit a nursing home and talk to the residents. Serve at a soup kitchen. Maybe you will find God. Or maybe someone else will find God in you.

We shall be free?

2008-10-27T22:39:00.000-04:00

"When the last thing we notice is the color of skin, and the first thing that we look for is the beauty within... we shall be free." [[Garth Brooks]]

Feds disrupt skinhead plot to assassinate Obama

By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – Two white supremacists allegedly plotted to go on a national killing spree, shooting and decapitating black people and ultimately targeting Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, federal authorities said Monday.

In all, the two men whom officials describe as neo-Nazi skinheads planned to kill 88 people — 14 by beheading, according to documents unsealed in U.S. District Court in Jackson, Tenn. The numbers 88 and 14 are symbolic in the white supremacist community.

The spree, which initially targeted an unidentified predominantly African-American school, was to end with the two men driving toward Obama, "shooting at him from the windows," the court documents show.

"Both individuals stated they would dress in all white tuxedos and wear top hats during the assassination attempt," the court complaint states. "Both individuals further stated they knew they would and were willing to die during this attempt."

An Obama spokeswoman traveling with the senator in Pennsylvania had no immediate comment.

Sheriffs' deputies in Crockett County, Tenn., arrested the two suspects — Daniel Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tenn., and Paul Schlesselman 18, of Helena-West Helena, Ark. — Oct. 22 on unspecified charges. "Once we arrested the defendants and suspected they had violated federal law, we immediately contacted federal authorities," said Crockett County Sheriff Troy Klyce.

The two were charged by federal authorities Monday with possessing an unregistered firearm, conspiring to steal firearms from a federally licensed gun dealer, and threatening a candidate for president.

Cowart and Schlesselman are being held without bond. Agents seized a rifle, a sawed-off shotgun and three pistols from the men when they were arrested. Authorities alleged the two men were preparing to break into a gun shop to steal more.

Jasper Taylor, city attorney in Bells, said Cowart was arrested on Wednesday. He was held for a few days in Bells, then moved over the weekend to another facility.

"It was kept under lid until today," Taylor said.

Until his arrest, Cowart lived with his grandparents in a southern, rural part of the county, Taylor said, adding that Cowart apparently never graduated from high school. He moved away, possibly to Arkansas or Texas, then returned over the summer, Taylor said.

Attorney Joe Byrd, who has been hired to represent Cowart, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday. Messages left on two phone numbers listed under Cowart's name were not immediately returned.

No telephone number for Schlesselman in Helena-West Helena could be found immediately.

The court documents say the two men met about a month ago on the Internet and found common ground in their shared "white power" and "skinhead" philosophy.

The numbers 14 and 88 are symbols in skinhead culture, referring to a 14-word phrase attributed to an imprisoned white supremacist: "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children" and to the eighth letter of the alphabet, H. Two "8"s or "H"s stand for "Heil Hitler."

Court records say Cowart and Schlesselman also bought nylon rope and ski masks to use in a robbery or home invasion to fund their spree, during which they allegedly planned to go from state to state and kill people. Agents said the skinheads did not identify the African-American school they were targeting by name.

Jim Cavanaugh, special agent in charge of the Nashville field office for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, said authorities took the threats very seriously.

"They said that would be their last, final act — that they would attempt to kill Sen. Obama," Cavanaugh said. "They didn't believe they would be able to do it, but that they would get killed trying."

He added: "They seemed determined to do it. Even if they were just to try it, it would be a trail of tears around the South."

An ATF affidavit filed in the case says Cowart and Schlesselman told investigators the day they were arrested they had shot at a glass window at Beech Grove Church of Christ, a congregation of about 60 black members in Brownsville, Tenn.

Nelson Bond, the church secretary and treasurer, said no one was at the church when the shot was fired. Members found the bullet had shattered the glass in the church's front door when they arrived for evening Bible study.

"We have been on this site for about 120 years, and we have never had a problem like this before," said Bond, 53 and a church member for 45 years.

The investigation is continuing, and more charges are possible, Cavanaugh said. He said there's no evidence — so far — that others were willing to assist Cowart and Schlesselman with the plot.

At this point, there does not appear to be any formal assassination plan, Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren said.

"Whether or not they had the capability or the wherewithal to carry out an attack remains to be seen," he said.

Zahren said the statements about the assassination came out in interviews after the men were arrested last week.

The Secret Service became involved in the investigation once it was clear that an Obama assassination attempt was part of this violent far-reaching plot.

"We don't discount anything," Zahren said, adding that it's one thing for the defendants to make statements, but it's not the same as having an organized assassination plan.

Helena-West Helena, on the Mississippi River in east Arkansas' Delta, is in one of the nation's poorest regions, trailing even parts of Appalachia in its standard of living. Police Chief Fred Fielder said he had never heard of Schlesselman.

However, the reported threat of attacking a school filled with black students worried Fielder. Helena-West Helena, with a population of 12,200, is 66 percent black. "Predominantly black school, take your pick," he said.

___

Associated Press writers Erik Schelzig in Nashville, Tenn., Jon Gambrell in Little Rock, Ark., and Eileen Sullivan in Washington contributed to this report.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

...really?

I am just appalled by this. Absolutely, completely appalled. I feel sick.

It's disturbing that, even today, people still feel as if the color of someone's skin determines their worth in this world. It's bad enough that this mindset permeates conventional viewpoints and feeds conventional presuppositions.

But to act on it? That transcends prejudice--which, albeit a sin in and of itself, is unfortunately inevitable today-- and enters the realm of something that is unforgivable. I can't see justification for it. There is no justification for this!

To attack a predominantly African-American high school, to murder 122 people simply because of their skin color... I can't even fathom it. 14 by beheading, no less... a crude, unsophisticated method that, even after the fact, is indicative of the victim's so-called inferiority.

And then to target a man who has instilled hope into the hearts of so many... knowing full well that they could die in the attempt! The two men convicted said that they knew they would probably die, and may or may not succeed. What were they trying to prove? What kind of society do we live in, that such evil still exists and is still fostered? So many have been affected by racism and intolerance already. Why does this continue?!

Lesbians in sport

2008-10-19T20:12:00.000-04:00

I'm in the process of writing an ethics paper on gender equity in sport, and I'm finding some disturbing stories about discrimination against lesbians in college athletics...

Of course, all women are sort of bound and gagged by this Victorian notion of femininity that seems to permeate our society even today. But those of us who might not fit conventional standards of what women are "supposed to be like", it's a struggle.

I'm reading an article called "The Sports Closet" by Liz Galst. In it, Galst explains how major sports schools fear what will happen to their programs if word gets out that one of their coaches is gay. "A favorite way to attack a rival school is to say its coach is a lesbian," she says. Some athletes have lost scholarships because of their sexual identity. Others try to deny the lesbian label by being hyper-heterosexually active, or even by marrying a man, just to prove that they're "not lesbian". Even those who simply study physical education are automatically pegged as lesbians.

Well, it's no wonder that there are so many lesbians who are afraid to come out in the sporting world.

I'm proud to say that I'm not in the sports closet. Everyone on the team knows my orientation, and I'm damn proud to say that most, if not all, of them accept me for it. I know for a fact that my coach does. It hurts me to think that women cannot come out of the closet in many of these schools... and that coaches are forced to deny their sexuality just to keep a job.

Hello, world!

2008-10-08T23:08:00.000-04:00

...and happy GLBT History Month, by the way!

We had an event for National Coming Out Day today at my university. It was pretty impressive. We all made support signs last night, and today we held them up in the atrium of our student center as a huge banner with a door drawn on was brought down from the ceiling. Then, one by one, people stepped through the banner and came out... whether as gay, lesbian, bi, straight, queer, or asexual bi-lesbian (as one girl identified herself as). It was exhilarating in a way I wasn't expecting. So many people were there supporting us!

The actual day is on the 11th. So get out there!!