Admirer in the News

Why does anyone care who this Congressman is having sex with?

I am forever at a loss as to why on earth I should care what anyone does sexually. It’s one thing if it’s illegal, but otherwise, really? Grownups worrying about what other consenting adults do with their bodies? Is that any of my business or anyone else’s? If it effects his job in some way – as in he’s too busy dealing with his sex life to do this work – then, maybe. But there’s no evidence of that.

That said, King voted *against* the repeal of DADT so he can suck eggs. I really don’t like hypocrites with power. However: liking trans women as dates/spouses is not kinky, perverted, or weird. It just is. Anyway, I think it’s lovely that he admires and prefers to date trans women.

Next?

Solidarnosc*!

Wow. As someone who grew up pro union and Polish, this is really lovely news:

In a remarkable expression of international solidarity among working men and women, the president of  Solidarnosc (“Solidarity”) – the Polish trade union whose determination and courage led to the fall of the Iron Curtain – has written an open letter in support of the public employees of Wisconsin.

Piotr Duda, president of Solidarnosc, said the 700,000 members of the Polish union wished “to express our solidarity and support for your struggle against the recent assault on trade unions and trade union rights unleashed by Governor Scott Walker.”

The letter is printed as a full-page advertisement (pdf) in today’s issue of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

How great is that? That, plus the news that the police are now sleeping in the capital building with the protesters: gorgeous.

* Yes, I know I’ve left off the correct accents. WordPress seems to be translating them. This is the closest I could get to the Polish spelling.

No Defense for DOMA

Here’s some good news that seems to be under reported:

The Obama administration said Wednesday that it will no longer defend the federal law that bans the recognition of same-sex marriage because it considers the legislation unconstitutional, a sudden and rare reversal.

Gay rights groups hailed the administration’s move, saying it will bolster their argument that laws that apply a different standard to people based on sexual orientation are unconstitutional. At least three challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act are working their way through the federal courts.

What Democracy Looks Like

I can’t express how intense and amazing it has been to be here in the middle of all this, to see 500 people in front of the local hotel protesting the Republicans who were there for their president’s day dinner, to hear that the local high school students rallied in the local Houdini Square, and tomorrow, to know that 1000 people are gathering near Lawrence’s Mudd library to keep up the visibility of this… I can’t even call it a protest: maybe a testament, instead.

It’s a privilege to be in the midwest and to watch an American revolution happen, quietly and peacefully but passionately.

Thai Tomboy

A new clothing store catering to tomboys and FTM spectrum people has opened in Bankgkok.

“At first people probably thought it was crazy,” said Supamas “Jean” Sirimoungkalavanit, owner of Tom Chic shop. “It was quite understandable to get such responses because tomswear was something new to them.”

“People often misperceive [sic] that we want to be like men,” she says. “We have a different taste, lifestyle and identity, and so tomboy clothing is different from what men wear.’’

Indeed what we categorize in the states more often as lesbian chic than tomswear does have a unique aesthetic it has quickly spread to tween boy idols and throughout the fashion world. And though Sirimoungkalavanit tries to make it clear that her shoppers do not necessarily want to be like men there is certainly an aspect to her line that many trans-identified people can relate to.

How cool is that?

Two Tune Tuesday: To Madison’s Protesters

How could I not? Billy Bragg, modern labor troubador, at your service. (He’s damned good live, if you get the chance.)

For those labor geeks out there, there’s a recording of the original Florence Reece song “Which Side Are You On?” on YouTube. You can listen to Billy Bragg’s studio version of that song, too, which is one of my all-time favorites.

(thanks to my friend Cleo of the band Alright Alright for reminding me of the 2nd track!)