Helen Boyd Kramer's journal on gender and stuff
The news is just in that the incomparable Studs Terkel has died at the age of 96. I knew the news was coming, sooner rather than later, but I was hoping he’d make it to see the first black president of the US.
I’m not going to say more just now. He was one of my favorite people ever, and I’m sad to see him go.
added: the NYT obit is up.
The Nation’s John Nichols has his tribute up on Alternet.
A very happy Halloween to one & all!
(Just make sure you don’t end the evening like this gal, and please don’t drink & drive.)
& Really, I will get back to gender & trans stuff. There’s a lot of stuff bubbling, but right now I’m still just worried about Obama winning. Thank you for your patience.
Reason #5: Vote for Obama because he was one of the earliest co-sponsors of the Matthew Shepard Act, which provides hate crimes protections for all LGBT people nationally.
& Here’s his closing argument, a speech Obama gave in Canton, Ohio, a few days ago. If you have been listening, it’s a good re-cap of his ideas and platforms, and if you haven’t, then this is it, in a nutshell.
Another opinionated Helen blogging about Barack Obama, except she’s 82, the proper age for someone named Helen.
(via Feministing)
Reason #6 to vote for Obama: he welcomes transgender lobbyists to his office, is fluent in our issues, cares about them, & wants to learn about all the different identities and hurdles faced by all of the different types of transgender people.
(Hey, that’s more than you can say about some members of the trans community!)
& Here’s some Obama cake & cupcakes, and even more clever, Barack O’Lanterns (or Jack O’Bamas?), just in time for Halloween!
Reason #7: Because in locations like Montgomery County, Maryland, and in Gainesville, Florida, attempts are afoot to repeal trans inclusive legislation that has already been passed. (The Maryland attempt already failed, thankfully.) But they’re doing so with signs that say “Sign our petition to keep men out of the ladies’ room!” Said Florida legislation wants cities to conform to the state’s civil rights code, which is often far less progressive – and far less trans inclusive – than the cities’. (And there’s something similar going on in Colorado.)
A report, not from AlterNet, not from Mother Jones, but from CNN, about voter suppression and voter roll purging that’s important to read, especially since “identity document mismatch” could get trans people’s registrations thrown out.
Vote for Obama because: despite LGBT people objecting to both Presidential & VP candidates with the old complaint, “but neither of them are for gay marriage” please keep in mind that in fact, Senators Obama & Biden are both against all of the state and federal amendments that would rewrite constitutions to limit marriage to one man & one woman. Senator Biden, specifically, appeared on Ellen to talk about his dislike of Proposition 8 in California & all other propositions like it.
& For anyone who still hasn’t seen this, the guys from the original Bud “Wassup” ad, 8 years later, are ready for change.
While you’re at it, Californians, Vote No on Prop 4, too.
She was a paid organizer! She was a paid organizer!! & Ted Stevens is guilty!
(Do you hear that sound? It’s Palin, getting ready for 2012.)
Oh, this is too lovely.
My 3rd relationships column – this one is about monogamy – is up at www.ourchart.com.