I was talking to someone today and somehow it came up that I knew a lot of transboys.  “They must be confused.” They said.  I furrowed my brows and shook my head, “No, they aren’t confused.  They just have the wrong body.”

I know that people understand male and female.  Everyone is aware of their gender from the moment they can understand anything.  But not everyone understands transgendered.  Transgendered is not confusion or anything like that – in fact it is quite the opposite.  It’s a deep knowing that the gender assigned to their body doesn’t match the gender in their mind.

Some people who are transgendered know from the very beginning that their body doesn’t match what’s inside.  Others, go on quite a journey to figure it out.  It’s probably really hard for most cis-gendered people to imagine what it is like to feel like an alien to your own body.  The closest metaphor I can use to explain the discomfort is it’s like the dream that you’re naked/in your underwear and everyone else is clothed and staring.  It makes you really self aware and very uncomfortable.  It’s like everyone else blends in and fit but you’re the missing a piece to the puzzle.

I feel for my transgendered brothers and sisters.  It’s not easy by any means standing up and saying, “Hey, this body isn’t right for me.”  Nor is it easy to go through the steps to set the body to match the mind.

I don’t know much about the transition process.  It’s a series of surgeries and injections.  It takes it’s toll.  Some transgendered people chose not to transition due to all the risks.  If they can’t “pass” they will be plagued in life being boxed into a box that doesn’t fit.

Every three days in developed countries a transgendered person is murdered.  Also, transgendered people are often left in the dust by gays and lesbians organizations who are trying to assimilate, most notably the HRC.

Not only are they abandoned by their supposed allies, things that people take for granted as being status-quo can be a threat to transgendered individuals safety.  For example, going to the bathroom.  No big deal for your average man or woman – but if you are a man in a woman’s body or a woman in a man’s body, it can be a very dangerous situation.

The point of all this is that transgender people are usually really awesome and don’t deserve such bad treatment by society, gays, and lesbians.  Being transgendered is no more someone’s fault than being left handed.  It’s just how they are made.

The health care reform debate is clearly getting a little heated. The kill the bill crowd and the swallow the pill and pass the bill crowd just aren’t coming to resolution on what the Democrats should do. Here is Matthew Ygelsias getting annoyed at personal attacks on his pro-bill position:

The cute meme of the day seems to be that the health care reform debate is breaking down along the same lines as the Iraq debate. Which is to say that since, for example, Matt Yglesias was wrong about Iraq he’s also wrong about health care and we should listen to Howard Dean.

He concludes

It’s true that views about the Iraq War line up with views about health care only if you exclude (a) all politicians, (b) all conservatives, and (c) the most prominent liberal pundit in the country. But that’s a mighty arbitrary way of looking at the universe.

Nonetheless, there are substantial similarities between the Iraq War and Health Care votes despite their unrelated subjects. Democrats are being to told to support the bill because it’s important to the party, rather then strictly on the merits of the bill. Both bills were presented as the only path forward, at times misleadingly. And strongest the corollary is that opposing the compromise bill is attacked as simplistic, while supporting the bill makes you a sell out.

The merits of the related arguments are substantially different in each case, but the debate is pretty similar. The case that voting down health care will hurt the Democratic party is much stronger then it was with the Iraq war. Democrats look terribly disorganized and ineffective and failing to pass a bill at this point would be harmful to their electorally chances. But that point runs both ways, passing the bill without a public option is also a serious problem for electoral success.

And there are alternative paths. They can start over and if they failed they would start over and they’d probably use budget reconciliation and need only 50 votes in the Senate. There are lots of problems with that path, but it’s a real option just like sanctions and containment were real options for Iraq.

Carrots and Sticks has come in contact with people on both sides of the push for this bill. They’re both smart and knowledge. Both sides need each other and at the same time need to challenge their respective legitimacy. The question is how do you keep the process constructive? It’s not easy, watch Al Franken on the Senate floor sometime, but that needs to be the goal.

-Chris

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has revealed the costly travel expenses of Chief Commissar Jennifer Lynch, as she went abroad to consult dignitaries from such beacons of human rights as Cuba.

In travels to Geneva, Dublin, Copenhagen, Malaysia, and Vienna, Jennifer Lynch racked up a taxpayers bill for $45,056 dating back to 2007. Using Freedom of information requests, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation learned that Ms.Lynch spent $8,323 on accommodations, meals and a business flight to Geneva, Switzerland in 2007. The reason for this trip was to meet with human rights officials from Algeria and Morocco, as well as the Asia Pacific Forum. This is a group with such notable members as Palestine, Jordan, Afghanistan, and other countries from which citizens can claim political refugee status in Canada on the grounds of human rights abuses there.

The following year she made another trip to Geneva, this time to consult with the likes of countries like Bangladesh, Cameroon, Cuba, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Saudi Arabia. The last country, by the way, is about to execute two men for the crime of “sorcery”. One of the men, Ali Hussain Sibat, a 46-year-old father of five, was apprehended while making his pilgrimage to Mecca. His death sentence was awarded because in Lebanon he hosts a television show where he makes predictions about the future and offers advice.

In fact, few countries on Earth have quite the liberties and human rights as Canada. Which leads one to, quite correctly, wonder why Jennifer Lynch would seek consultation with third world despots and tyrants. Perhaps her organization is looking for ways to crack down on dissidents? Expect Ms.Lynch to meet with Iranian aides shortly, if that’s the case.

Derek Fildebrandt of the Canadian Taxpayer’s Federation continues:

Lynch had a busy year of meeting with other human rights defenders in 2008 however; also traveling to Kuala Lampur, Malaysia with a business class airfare of $8,893, plus all other expenses. This confab was hosted by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, which is a part of a government that – according to the US State Department – restricts freedoms of the press, speech and religion, including “barring Muslims born into Islam from to converting to another religion,” allowing religious courts to enforce apostasy cases under Shariah law. This country’s human rights example was on display just this summer when a woman was convicted by an Islamic Shariah court in Malaysia for drinking a beer, sentencing her to “six beatings by cane”.

The CTF website goes on to say that the Human Rights Commission was reticent providing access to information on expenses, and has obfuscated the real, higher costs of Ms.Lynch’s travels outside Canada. We await with bated breath to hear what sort of valuable insights Jennifer Lynch gained on her international travel junkets from such leading human rights authorities as Cameroon and Kyrgyzstan.

It has been a good day, hasn’t it? Today, the D.C. council passed the same-sex marriage bill, with only two votes against. One of those who voted “no” is none other than Mr. Morality himself, Marion “Bitch Set Me Up” Barry.

Unfortunately, with this news the Catholic Archdiocese of D.C. had threatened to cut city-supported social services in protest of the bill passed the City Council vote. So, basically the Catholic Church tried to use the disadvantaged as a bargaining chip to keep gay marriage from happening. However, the vote passed. So, HRC has put together a letter, which you can sign if you’d like to ask the Archdiocese of D.C. to not use the homeless as pawns. Seriously sickening when religion comes into play in an effort to keep equal rights for all from happening in this country.  Well, at least to me it is. However, I suppose that as long as there are alter boys for the priests to play with, there’s no need for the acknowledgment that the gay and lesbian population (who admit to being gay and lesbian and who did not have to become priests or nuns just to be around the same sex) is no more sinful than anyone else. Yes, I’m going to Hell already. Speaking of, Oral Roberts passed away at the age of 91 today.

Since the semester ended, I have finally been able to read Edward Kennedy’s book, True Compass: A Memoir. I make no bones about the fact that I have been critical of how he handled Chappaquiddick, as well as his opposition to a wind farm that was proposed near Nantucket Sound. However, I did admire him for standing up for the little guy on Capitol Hill. Anyway, if you haven’t read the book, I strongly suggest picking up a copy.  I have a little over a hundred pages to go, and I’ve had to force myself to put the book down in order to get a decent amount of sleep.  Besides, touching his book won’t make your I.Q. drop… unlike someone else whose only writing is her quick loopy signature on the front page during the autograph signings. I still can’t believe people wait in line for her.  I’d rather wait in line for an enema.  Just saying.

DC Council is minutes away from passing a measure to recognize Gay Marriages in the District.

And let me tell you why.

My gchat moments ago with the staffer to a prominent DC Councilmemeber:

****: DC is about to pass gay marriage
in a couple minutes
me: I know
WORLD’S BOUT TO END
****: I’ve been taking phone calls all day
from conservative advocates
not taking down ANY of their information
just playing solitaire
me: LMAO
****: it was so funny
me: hahahahahahahha
I’m quoting this
****: I’m like yeah I’ll deliver your message Steve
IT’S NOT STEVE IT’S SAM.

filthy heathens.

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Chris Bowers of Open Left on Joe Lieberman’s Coup d’nobody seems interested in standing up to him of the Senate Health Care refom bill:

Lieberman flip-flipped because he can. No matter what Lieberman does, the majority of the Democratic Senate caucus won’t do anything about it. Here is a quick review:

* When Lieberman left the party, and ran as an Independent against the Democratic nominee in Connecticut, most Democratic Senators gave him a standing ovation.

* When Lieberman endorsed John McCain, and campaigned with him throughout 2008, the Democratic Senate caucus overwhelmingly voted to allow him to keep his chairmanship.

* When Lieberman blows up a hard-fought deal on health care legislation, the Senate Democratic leadership immediately declares that circumventing Lieberman through reconciliation is still not on the table

Bowers adds that if budget reconciliation is not on the table after Lieberman yet again betrays them, then it never will be.

The budget reconciliation is actually a lot bigger then Lieberman, which is why they haven’t been willing to pull the trigger on using it. Even Conservative Dems have expressed public frustration with Lieberman, but that doesn’t mean they want to be bypassed themselves.

At the end of the day, I don’t see any possible scenario where any honest member of the Democratic Party looks backs at 2009 and is glad they refused to go with budget reconciliation on health care.

-Chris

Breaking down the Senate’s proposal:

• Expands Medicare to include people 55 and over.
• Worth considering that a big expansion of Medicare is better than a weak public option.
• Insurance companies declared the Senate deal a victory for the industry.
• Anything that isn’t single payer is a victory for the insurance companies.
• Senate bill includes a public option trigger.
• Expansion of Medicare may be more efficient since it doesn’t create a new bureaucracy.
• Conyers’ original single payer bill was an expansion of Medicare.
• Covers fewer people than the House Bill.
• House Bill is more affordable.
• Expanded Medicare goes into effect a few months after the bill is signed.
• Rockefeller’s amendment requires 90% of money taken to go toward health care.  (Right now insurance companies keep 27% of the money).

It’s extremely disconcerting that people ages 54 and down are left out. All of the health care horror stories I’ve written about have been people under the age 54.

It won’t help 45-year-old Chuck here who is holding a raffle to raise money for a lung transplant:

Yes, there really is a website called http://www.newlungsforchuck.com

TV Guide reporter Veronica De La Cruz will speak tonight at 6 o’clock on how the current health care system failed her brother Eric.   Eric De La Cruz died while waiting for a heart transplant that was denied and delayed because he could not get insurance due to a pre-existing condition.  Despite five years of desperate attempts by his courageous mother and sister and a remarkable social media campaign that attracted thousands of supporters from all over the world and nearly a million dollars to pay his uncovered medical expenses, Eric passed away on July 4th, 2009.

Forty-four thousand Americans die each year due to lack of health insurance.

Tonight, Veronica tells her brother’s story at a vigil in Times Square New York.  The event comes at a critical time in the fight for Health Care Reform.

The permit doesn’t allow open flames, but flashlights and led lights are encouraged.

As many of you know by now, a new law has been proposed in Uganda that would sentence any repeat offender of “homosexual acts,” or any HIV-positive person who engaged in a homosexual act to death by hanging.   As if this weren’t bad enough, the proposed law would sentence any person who has knowledge of homosexual acts to 3 years in prison.  This is the greatest offense on LGBT rights in the world to date.  It would codify DEATH as a punishment for any person who actively lives a gay lifestyle and can not be tolerated.  It sets a terrible precedent for all countries in the world.

American LGBT groups have been astonishingly silent about their views on the new law.  HRC, The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and other prominent groups have yet to even issue a press release on the law, let alone publicly announce any kind of strategy to work to keep the law from being passed.  Gays and lesbians in Uganda are facing the removal of their most basic right, the right to live, and the American groups that supposedly champion gay and lesbian rights have not done anything? That is appalling.  How can these groups call for equality in the United States while members of our community in Africa face a law that calls for their execution?  If a law like this was proposed in the United States, groups like HRC and The Task Force would quickly mobilize and work tirelessly to ensure that it did not pass.  What makes the members of our community in Uganda any less worthy? Why do they not deserve something as simple as even a message of support from the groups? Volunteers? Anything? The lack of action on the part of the groups is disgusting and I hope that as the importance of the issue continues to grow, I certainly hope United States LGBT organizations step up to the plate to help Ugandans.

However, LGBT organizations are not alone in their silence. The United States Administration has yet to do anything substantative to attempt to prohibit passage of the law.  Other countries around the world have taken such steps:  Sweden has threatened to cut aid to Uganda over the law and the UK has vowed to lobby against its passage.  What is the US doing? Absolutely. Nothing. Surprised? Me neither.  Given his less than stellar record on delivering promises to the LGBT community (DOMA? DADT? Anyone?) I am not surprised that Obama has remained tight-lipped on the issue.  However, frequent White House visitor Rick Warren and US conservative group The Family have been linked to the proposed law, which implicates Obama, the administration, and the US government as a whole on an entirely different level.  Not only should the US be publicly denouncing the proposed law, but we should be threatening to cut aid should the law pass.

The United States, both the governmental and non-governmental sectors, need to work together with the international community to keep this law from passing in Uganda, and the complete lack of action thus far on the part of both sectors is a disgrace to the United States’ commitment to human rights.

– Ali Rozell

What the USA is NOT doing to eliminate Violence against Women in Afghanistan.

Not to be blasé about it, but there was never any doubt we were going to be in Afghanistan and Pakistan and maybe even Somalia for quite a while. All three of the remaining presidential contenders supported last year the possibility of increased action.

In front of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday, SOS Hillary Rodham Clinton (HRC) laid the groundwork for the civilian, NGO and diplomatic core that will follow the military to Afghanistan and Pakistan this year. I saw grousing on the Internet about lack of Alliance support. In fact, the SOS was, after her meeting, to fly to Belgium to attempt just that. I saw grumbling about why we were in the war, and whether Obama had let the Obats down. I read about people like Moore and Hayden tearing off the blinders and refusing to drink the Kool-aid. I continue to be stunned that some of us were so much smarter then they. Then, I heard one soul, over at KDIC, decry this statement, where remarkably, SOS HRC said:

“We are on track to triple the number of civilian positions in Afghanistan to 974 by early next year”.

This is a pitiful number. Truly, the speaker at KDIC is right to be upset that an additional 600 or fewer civilians will be called upon to help the Afghani effort next year. However, the remarkable part of the sentence is that the figure will TRIPLE what is already there.

Our nation has additional responsibilities beyond that of guns and planes. So far in eight years, we have done very little economically and diplomatically to facilitate the emergence of a vital and stable Afghanistan. Beyond that, in light of the 16 days International Campaign Toward the Elimination of Violence against Women, we have failed on another front-Congress.

Let’s not forget the “Afghan Women Empowerment Act of 2007” introduced by Representative Maloney and it’s twin by Senator Boxer, sent to rigor mortis at the respective foreign committees. Oh sure, the Feminist Majority and others have pushed. However, most of the members of Congress haven’t done their part to provide the tiniest measure of help to women in Afghanistan. The bill was reintroduced in April of this year to the house as HR 2214 – Afghan Women Empowerment Act of 2009, and in January as S.229 under the same name. Again it was referred to the relative foreign relations committees. Again it sits.

I linked the house and senate text versions to their numbers above. However, to give you an idea of the bill, the CRS Index terms, which are used to identify key themes in a bill, is the following:

International affairs

Afghanistan

Asia

Foreign aid and international relief

Human rights

International organizations and cooperation

Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination

Women’s rights

Here is a list of the Senate cosponsors:

Sen Begich, Mark [AK] – 6/1/2009

Sen Burris, Roland [IL] – 9/14/2009

Sen Cantwell, Maria [WA] – 10/26/2009

Sen Cardin, Benjamin L. [MD] – 8/6/2009

Sen Collins, Susan M. [ME] – 7/15/2009

Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] – 7/28/2009

Sen Franken, Al [MN] – 11/4/2009

Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] – 4/29/2009

Sen Johnson, Tim [SD] – 7/13/2009

Sen Kaufman, Edward E. [DE] – 6/23/2009

Sen Landrieu, Mary L. [LA] – 5/4/2009

Sen Lautenberg, Frank R. [NJ] – 7/31/2009

Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. [MD] – 4/27/2009

Sen Shaheen, Jeanne [NH] – 10/14/2009

Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME] – 7/28/2009

Sen Stabenow, Debbie [MI] – 12/1/2009

Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon [RI] – 7/28/2009

Here is a list of the House cosponsors:

Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1] – 9/15/2009

Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] – 4/30/2009

Rep Brown, Corrine [FL-3] – 7/24/2009

Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] – 9/16/2009

Rep Doggett, Lloyd [TX-25] – 9/15/2009

Rep Ellison, Keith [MN-5] – 9/8/2009

Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17] – 9/8/2009

Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] – 9/8/2009

Rep Hodes, Paul W. [NH-2] – 9/8/2009

Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] – 7/29/2009

Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice [TX-30] – 7/28/2009

Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] – 10/14/2009

Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] – 10/20/2009

Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] – 7/28/2009

Rep Schiff, Adam B. [CA-29] – 9/8/2009

Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1] – 6/3/2009

Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13] – 7/28/2009

Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5] – 10/22/2009

Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30] – 9/22/2009

Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] – 5/12/2009

Rep Wu, David [OR-1] – 9/8/2009

The allocation of money provided in this bill is a tiny sum compared to the vast amounts we have allocated for the war. The House bill asks for 150 million for each year between 2010 and 2112. The Senate bill asks for a paltry 45 million for the same period. (I know the word paltry is hard to swallow for some of us, but try to keep in mind what we have spent elsewhere this year.)

One cannot have a war without allocating funds to it. Concomitantly, one cannot have a war without provision for the effects upon civilians. Above and beyond that however, is the general question of what we as a country are willing to toward the progress of women as equal partners in the world. Whether or not we leave Afghanistan today, the OTHER war is waging. So, when a bill like this, designed to facilitate civilian impact of the guns and planes, can’t get out of committee, you have to look to other reasons why. Some of the following people are also on the above lists. Many of the following people have inserted viewpoints regarding the Afghan War on their Congressional web pages. Contact them and find out why the bill isn’t part of their statement. Or hey, contact them anyway and tell them YOUR viewpoint. Or not. Maybe, like Greenwald, you have some inane idea that helping women is the equivalent of nation building. It isn’t. It’s nation changing. And we all have to do it.

Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

John Kerry, Chair

Christopher J. Dodd

Russell D. Feingold

Barbara Boxer

Robert Menendez

Benjamin L. Cardin

Robert P. Casey Jr.

Jim Webb

Jeanne Shaheen

Edward E. Kaufman

Kirsten E. Gillibrand

Richard G Lugar, Ranking Member

Bob Corker

Johnny Isakson

James E. Risch

Jim DeMint

John Barrasso

Roger F. Wicker

James M. Inhofe

House Committee on Foreign Affairs

Howard L. Berman, CHAIRMAN, D-CA, 28th District

Gary L. Ackerman, VICE CHAIR, D-NY, 5th District

Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, D-American Samoa

Donald M. Payne, D-NJ, 10th District

Brad Sherman, D-CA, 27th District

Eliot L. Engel, D-NY, 17th District

Bill Delahunt, D-MA, 10th District

Gregory W. Meeks, D-NY, 6th District

Diane E. Watson, D-CA, 33rd District

Russ Carnahan, D-MO, 3rd District

Albio Sires, D-NJ, 13th District

Gerald E. Connolly, D-VA, 11th District

Michael E. McMahon, D-NY, 13th District

John S. Tanner, D-TN, 8th District

Gene Green, D-TX, 29th District

Lynn Woolsey, D-CA, 6th District

Sheila Jackson Lee, D-TX, 18th District

Barbara Lee, D-CA, 9th District

Shelley Berkley, D-NV, 1st District

Joseph Crowley, D-NY, 7th District

Mike Ross, D-AR, 4th District

Brad Miller, D-NC, 13th District

David Scott, D-GA, 13th District

Jim Costa, D-CA, 20th District

Keith Ellison, D-MN, 5th District

Gabrielle Giffords, D-AZ, 8th District

Ron Klein, D-FL, 22nd District

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, RANKING MEMBER, R-FL, 18th District

Christopher H. Smith, R-NJ, 4th District

Dan Burton, R-IN, 5th District

Elton Gallegly, R-CA, 24th District

Dana Rohrabacher, R-CA, 46th District

Donald A. Manzullo, R-IL, 16th District

Edward R. Royce, R-CA, 40th District

Ron Paul, R-TX, 14th District

Jeff Flake, R-AZ, 6th District

Mike Pence, R-IN, 6th District

Joe Wilson, R-SC, 2nd District

John Boozman, R-AR, 3rd District

J. Gresham Barrett, R-SC, 3rd District

Connie Mack, R-FL, 14th District

Jeff Fortenberry, R-NE, 1st District

Michael T. McCaul, R-TX, 10th District

Ted Poe, R-TX, 2nd District

Bob Inglis, R-SC, 4th District

Gus Bilirakis, R-FL, 9th District

An interesting Dipnote arrived today. HRC spoke yesterday to the US and International troops in Afghanistan. In the clearly elucidated message, she included the community and family based beliefs that are a foundation of her political tenets. Recognition of the effort, that community and family play when a member goes to war, is too often ignored.

The other interesting comments centered around apparent statements that newly re-elected President Karzai has made; that he hopes that within three years Afghan security forces will lead in certain areas, and within five years, throughout the country. This is not, of course, an announced US timeline. However, it might suggest a framework within which the US and International forces are considering their operations.

Imagine that.

This past September, the well loved ice cream company Ben and Jerry decided to support the same-sex marriage cause by renaming their famous ice cream flavor Chubby Hubby; its new name is, appropriately, Hubby Hubby. This kind of thing seems to be happening more and more in corporate America. The Human Rights Campaign has decided to publicly applaud corporations that have been donating to their cause on their website. By doing so, the HRC is encouraging people buy from these LGBT-friendly corporations, which will hopefully have an effect on other corporations’ practices.

Harry Knox, Director of Religion and Faith - HRC

I had an opportunity to hear Harry Knox speak 2 years ago at the Celebration of Faith and Diversity seminars held in Tampa, Florida. Mr. Knox is the Director of Religion and Faith Program at the Human Rights Campaign and a terrific orator. He blends together religion, faith, diversity and humanity to show how the basic rights for all gay and lesbian people should be honored and demanded and brings a religious perspective that is often overlooked. It is great listening to him speak which is why I was glad I found this article he wrote on the recent vote by Maine citizens to deny the LGBT community marriage rights and marriage equality. This article is reprinted from Human Rights Campaign BackStory series on its website: www.hrcbackstory.org/2009/11/a-religious-reflection-on-maine. To learn more about HRC and what they do for the LGBT community, visit their website at: www.hrc.org.

Thomas – Click Click Expose (Gay Entertainment Media)

*****************************

“This morning I am wondering who and what I am. Once again, when American voters have had an opportunity to affirm my humanity and the loving commitment I have made to my husband, a majority of those voters have made a conscious decision to deny my humanity and treat me as if my citizenship and my marriage mean nothing; all the while patting themselves on the back for their piety. The slap they intended is received. I am made to wonder – Am I human? Am I an American? Am I a Christian? Am I married?

It is clear that most voters in Maine, like majorities in other states before them, intend for me to feel less than human. People we respect as sisters and brothers in the human family, we treat as equals. Those majorities have reserved to themselves a legal right they feel specially entitled to – in spite of the fact that my husband and I face all the health, financial, familial and social challenges they do, and need the same supports they enjoy.

Here’s what I know.

I know that I was never more beautifully and powerfully human in my life than the day I committed myself to lifelong partnership with my caring, strong, handsome, wise, funny husband. We made ourselves vulnerable to care for each other forever, come what may. There is no more hopeful, faithful, joyful, generative act in all the world. It was a decision only humans could enter into both intellectually and spiritually. It was a total giving of ourselves to each other, and as such, it mirrored in part the gift Christ made for us on the Cross.

Voters in Maine have said with clarity that my husband and I are to be denied equal treatment under the law, despite the Constitutional promises made to us. The voters are unequivocal – we are something, but we are not, in their opinions, American citizens, despite the facts that we are native born or have diligently served our country over the last five decades.

What I know is that Mike and I seek everyday to contribute more to our country and God’s world than we take from it. We have given our lives and careers in the service of others through Christ, and we have invested most of our time and much of our money into helping America live into its promises and potential.

Most Maine voters want us to understand once and for all that the Bible, which has been used to subjugate women, people of color, and the poor of every gender and race is now to be used as a weapon against us. They have gleaned all they intend to learn from their faith and as far as they are concerned, my family can go to hell.

I know that we are disciples of Jesus of Nazareth, God’s incarnate word of truth, love, and justice who lived, died, and through his death and resurrection redeemed and continues to reconcile us, America and all the earth to God’s original vision of peace and caring community.

It is clear to me now that a majority of Americans have chosen to deny my human rights, deny my citizenship, and deny my Christianity, by denying my freedom to marry. So where does that leave me? Who and what am I on November 4, 2009?

I know – I know – that I am married to my husband, Mike. He defends me against all who would do me harm and is faithful to me in spite of all temptations. We have cared for each other through more sickness than health; we’ve known more financial setbacks than gains; we have nursed each others’ family members, wept over the graves of lost loved ones, helped and received help from family and friends, and assisted in raising the children of some heterosexual folks who weren’t able to raise their own. I wake in the morning and nod at night with prayers of thanksgiving for the wonderful man with whom I am building a family by God’s grace.

Today I am tempted to feel like an exile in my native land – to question who and what I am. But this I know: in the end it matters not one whit what others say or believe about me and mine. What matters, today and forever, is what we believe about ourselves. We are fully human. We are Americans. We are Christians. And we are most assuredly married.

When I remember that, the powers of hell cannot prevail against me or my marriage. I am empowered to continue to do the difficult work that will ultimately bring justice in the form of marriage equality to our land. I, and my husband with me, offer our heterosexual neighbors a vision of what the world will look like when we get the human rights we deserve – a world where everyone will live in peace and mutual respect with our neighbors.”

– Harry Knox, Director of Religion & Faith, Human Rights Campaign

Danielle photographs Unwind event with the HRC, Lesbian & Gay Lawyers Association & the Young Professionals Council (YPC) of the L.A Gay & Lesbian Center!  The event also celebrates the passage of the Hate Crimes bill in D.C.

All attendees mixed and mingled with the women and men of these amazing organizations, learned how to get involved while making meaningful connections and having FUN!  What a great evening!