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ENDA Update

Finally, someone new to take on ENDA!

A Colorado congressman who’s set to become the most senior openly gay member of the U.S. House is pledging to take the lead on perhaps the most high-profile piece of pro-LGBT legislation: the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
 
Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) said during a Washington Blade interview on Tuesday that he intends to become the chief sponsor of ENDA following the retirement of gay Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who’s championed the bill since 2007.
 
“I plan on introducing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the next session,” Polis said. “Across our country, gays and lesbians face discrimination in the workplace and lose their jobs and their livelihood. It’s wrong and it’s got to end. People shouldn’t be fired in this country just because of who they date in their private life.”

Continue reading “ENDA Update”

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The Bullet We Dodged

Romney explains why Obama won by saying he gave gifts to various minority constituencies:

“With regards to the young people, for instance, a forgiveness of college loan interest, was a big gift,” he said. “Free contraceptives were very big with young college-aged women. And then, finally, Obamacare also made a difference for them, because as you know, anybody now 26 years of age and younger was now going to be part of their parents’ plan, and that was a big gift to young people. They turned out in large numbers, a larger share in this election even than in 2008.”

The president’s health care plan, he added, was also a useful tool in mobilizing African-American and Hispanic voters. Though Mr. Romney won the white vote with 59 percent, according to exit polls, minorities coalesced around the president in overwhelming numbers — 93 percent of blacks and 71 percent of Hispanics voted to re-elect Mr. Obama.

“You can imagine for somebody making $25,000 or $30,000 or $35,000 a year, being told you’re now going to get free health care, particularly if you don’t have it, getting free health care worth, what, $10,000 per family, in perpetuity, I mean, this is huge,” he said. “Likewise with Hispanic voters, free health care was a big plus. But in addition with regards to Hispanic voters, the amnesty for children of illegals, the so-called Dream Act kids, was a huge plus for that voting group.”

Bold is mine.

This guy is so deep in deep pockets he doesn’t seem to know the difference between doing stuff for the citizens of the country you lead and “giving gifts”. I am flabbergasted. Doesn’t it sound like he *just* realized that $10k in health insurance is huge to a family making $25-35k? It does to me.

Wow did we dodge a bullet. Wow. He’s talking about constituencies as if they’re lobbyists. Unbelievable.

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HONY Fundraiser

There’s a photographer in New York who wanders around the city photographing people; he calls his work “Humans of New York” and they are very, very cool photos.

Cat on Head Man is a recent favorite.

HONY is doing a 10-day fundraiser for the victims of Hurricane Sandy, the proceeds of which will go to a charity called Tunnel to Towers that is located in Staten Island – started by the family of a firefighter who died on 9/11. They have been doing really great work in the past few weeks.

So, give if you can.

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LGBTQ Korean-American Stories

This seems like a cool project, so I told an old friend I’d post it here:

I am reaching out to you again to seek support for Dari Project’s goal of publishing a bilingual book of stories of the Korean American Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender/Questioning (LGBTQ) community.

Theresa and I have made a commitment to help Dari Project (?? ??) to raising $1,000 by the November 30th deadline.  $10, $20, $50, $100 or any other amount you can donate will go towards the publication of this much needed resource in our community.

Just click on the link to donate:  http://www.crowdrise.com/dariproject/fundraiser/hjlee

While you are visiting the site to make a donation or just to check out, please spend the time to read the heart-aching stories of the Dari Project Coordinators:

Halmunee (???; grandma): Check the remarkable story Elena Chang and her grandmother’s love and acceptance of Elena in this Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKlVKnN-RLU&feature=plcp

Mark: Mark writes about why we need visibility/resources for LGBTQ individuals in Korean American community.

Remember that the deadline is NOVEMBER 30, so make your tax-deductible (receipt via email instantly) donation TODAY!

BTW, when you make the donation online via CrowdRise link (http://www.crowdrise.com/dariproject/fundraiser/hjlee), you have the option to adjust the Optional Processing Fee (which is set to default $10) to any amount you want or none.

Please forward this to anyone who may be interested in supporting this project.  Thank you!

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Where Dreams Come From

simon garb where dreams come from

This was drawn by a young artist I know named Simon Garb. He’s 11, and ridiculously funny and cool.

(Please do not share without making sure he is credited.)

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Congratulations, Senator(-elect) Baldwin!

& Wow did we need to keep Glass-Steagall. & We need it back.

But it was also a striking affirmation of Ms. Baldwin, 50, a soft-spoken but unflinching seven-term congresswoman who won over voters in her native state without moderating the starkly progressive views — including lonely votes against the invasion of Iraq and the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act, a law that curbed commercial banks — that routinely rank her among the most liberal lawmakers in the country.

She has played down the historic nature of her win, befitting a race where Ms. Baldwin’s sexual orientation played little role. At her victory speech here on Tuesday, Ms. Baldwin did not get around to talking about it until halfway through, saying she was “well aware” that her victory was a milestone for gay rights.

After the enormous applause — the loudest of the night — died down, she added: “But I didn’t run to make history. I ran to make a difference.”

^ From the NYT article about her and her win.

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Help for Oceanside

Oceanside, NY, is my hometown.

The personal reports I have been hearing from friends going home to help parents clean up after the storm, from my brother and other friends and their relatives who are still in town, are heart-breaking. One of my friends went home to throw out almost every family photo album — because they were stored in the basement. Even once people re-build and cleanup, so many things will have been lost forever.

Do help if you can. From the makers of the video: “Hurricane Sandy destroyed our beautiful town, but not our amazing spirit! If you would like to help you can contact Oceanside Community Service http://www.schoolhousegreen.org/OSIDECOMMUNITYSERVICE.html or send checks made out to Oceanside Community Service and send them to 145A Merle Ave. Oceanside, NY 11572.”

If you do, tell them the Kramers sent you.

Here’s some more raw footage of the day after Sandy.

And a huge thank you to Oceanside, CA, our sister city, who mobilized to raise funds.

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Beatie Divorce

Sadly, the Beaties filed for divorce in March. That is sad news for them and their children, but the ramifications of this divorce and the legal precedent it could set might be sad for a lot more people. Here’s the problem:

Unexpectedly, on June 26, 2012, Judge Douglas Gerlach, the Maricopa County Superior Court judge overseeing the matter, vacated the final trial date and put the divorce on hold. The judge backpedaled from what seemed to be the course for a normal divorce case to issuing a Nunc Pro Tunc Order challenging the jurisdiction and validity of the Beaties’ marriage and Thomas’ male identity. Due to the fact that Thomas chose to use his reproductive organs and give birth to his children, the judge potentially sees their marriage as a same-sex union.

That a judge might seek to annul a marriage between a trans and cis person is not new news. That has happened before – too many times. The difference here is the issue of how Beatie’s legal maleness is being challenged precisely because he gave birth to his own children. And while essentialists the world over locate female-ness in the ability to give birth, there are too many reproductive technologies available (and more coming!) which will further distance birth from being female.

Of course same sex marriage legalization everywhere would resolve an awful lot of this pretty much overnight. But until then, trans people have to face the idea that a government can legally declare their sex invalid based on their roles as spouses and parents.

Because many of us are very, very worried – and feminists should be especially – if we start setting legal precedent by pairing childbirth and femaleness.

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LGBT Voting: 90% for Obama

CMI Election Poll:

• 90% of Gays and Lesbians Vote for Barack Obama

• LGBTs are second only to the African American community in support for President Obama

The Community Marketing & Insights (CMI) pre-election poll showed that 90% of gay men and lesbians voted for Barack Obama.

The election poll of 6,625 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) United States citizens was administered November 2-4, 2012 and responses were received from all 50 states. LGBTs represent an estimated 5% of United States voters and an overwhelming majority supported the coalition that produced Barack Obama’s victory.

90% support for Obama was seen in all Battleground States. The LGBT percentage was just below the level that Obama received from the African American community.

Demonstrating the importance of the election, 95% of LGBTs indicated that they would vote in the election and 41% indicated that the had already voted before election day.

Final data indicated that 90% supported Barack Obama, 6% for Mitt Romney and 4% a third party candidate.

41% of gays and lesbians gave money to the Obama campaign.