NOH8 Campaign Photo Shoot

Last October the boyfriend and I posed for Adam Bouska and the NOH8 team when they came to Old Dominion University for a photo shoot.  We just received our photo.  What do you readers think?

Election Day Turn Out in Virginia - Will Turnout Sink Romney?

I voted this morning and traffic at my precinct in Hampton was high but not extraordinary since we typically have a fairly high turnout.  My daughter on the other hand - who lives in my house in Norfolk near Old Dominion University - experienced a huge turn out of college students and African-American voters.  Indeed, she and her husband were in line well over two (2) hours waiting to vote.  Having voted in that same Norfolk precinct myself in 2008, it would seem that the turn out is much larger than four years ago.  Blue Virginia reports that anecdotal reports suggest that what my daughter experienced was not a typical:

UPDATE 10:53 am: Long lines in deep-blue Arlington, I just got back from voting after about a 40 minute wait, couple hundred people ahead of me in line.

UPDATE 12:53 pm: Anecdotal, but a good sign if true: " just voted in Northern Virginia area [in Prince William County] & the same place/area that Ive voted at for years and can report that turnout is up in general and far more Latinos than Ive ever seen voting" 

UPDATE 12:55 pm: Also, just saw this by @ThePlumLineGS. "Dems report long voting lines in Richmond, Newport News, East Henrico, and Arlington--all Dem strongholds in Virginia"

UPDATE 3:03 pm: Mo Elleithee writes, "Seeing VERY high turnout across Virginia. On par with or maybe even HIGHER than 2008 levels. Long lines in many places. Please be patient and stay in line!"

Update in Charlottesville (0.00 / 0)

Turnout of about 38% by 1 PM, which the Registrar says will likely equate to 70%.  Turnout in 2008 was 70%.  The good news is that the base number of registered voters is 5,000 higher this year, so that should mean 3,500 more voters.  If everything else remains constant, that should mean that the Democrats' margin should be about 1,700 more than in 2008.  Oh, and more than 3,000 voted early.

Let's hope that the young voters, blacks and Hispanics turn out in force and send a very strong message to Romney, Ryan, Allen, et. al, and put Obama back in the White House.  Nothing would be sweeter than seeing the bigots and white supremacists of the GOP get their just deserves.

Dustin Lance Black - An LGBT Call to Activism in Virginia

As I noted in a brief post last night, the boyfriend and I attended Dustin Lance Black's speech for the Old Dominion University Presidential Lecture Series and then a VIP reception following the speech.  To say that Black's speech was moving would be a huge understatement.  In many ways he sought to call on Virginia's LGBT community to mobilize and demand nothing less than full equality and non-discrimination protects.  Do not settle for crumbs he said.  What made the speech even more powerful was his tie to Virginia: his family continues to live in Manassas, Virginia.  Moreover, he had a late brother who was gay and never found peace and self-acceptance/happiness because of Virginia's exceedingly anti-gay legal climate.  As I've noted many times before, currently in Virginia, same sex relationships receive zero recognition (even if couples have legally married in LGBT friendly states), LGBT employees can be fired at will even by state agencies and departments, and we lack other basic non-discrimination protections in housing, adoption rights and other matters.  

The other message that Black was the need to come out and live their lives openly.  Nothing dispels the lies and stereotypes disseminated by our enemies more thoroughly than having family, friends and neighbors see that LGBT individuals and come to the realization that we are just like everyone else.

I've often noted that as other nations advance in granting same sex marriage rights and protections to LGBT citizens, the promise of freedom of religion and equal protection under the law - the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, if you will - supposedly afforded to all Americans becomes more and more of a farce.  Black zeroed in on this reality and challenged all in the audience demand that the the promises and grand words of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights be brought to fulfillment.   While he did not urge a war against religion, he clearly made the case that it is time to end the GOP and Christianist view of America which I often summarize with an image that reads "This is America . . .  founded by white Christians seeking religious liberty . . . where people know their place. Keep it white and Christian."  

I hope to get a transcript or recording of Black's wonderful speech and will share more with readers once I do so.

Old Dominion University to Offer Designated Gay Student Housing

While Virginia in general remains a region plagued by gay-hating Neanderthals - especially amongst the Republican Party of Virginia - some of the state universities offer pockets of tolerance and acceptance both because it is the right thing to do and also because it helps with their recruiting efforts. Serving on the advisory board for the ODU Cultural Studies initiative, I have seen the strides being made at Old Dominion University. Now, ODU will offer designated housing on campus for gay and gay supportive students beginning in the fall. While the majority of students I have encountered are gay accepting, this new effort will help insure LGBT students have a supportive atmosphere. Here are highlights from the Virginian Pilot (it goes without saying that there are some nasty anti-gay comments on the article from local knuckle draggers who invariably want special rights for Christians - did I mention how much I hate Virginia in general?):

This fall, for the first time, Old Dominion University will offer dedicated on-campus housing for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students and their supporters.

ODU will be the third Virginia university to offer such housing, joining George Mason University and the University of Richmond. Elsewhere in the Southeast, only Duke University, in Durham, N.C., offers it.

The dedicated housing, called Lavender House, is intended to be a place where gay and lesbian students can feel safer and more accepted, ODU said in an announcement Thursday.

Charles Lowman, ODU's assistant director for housing and residence life, said Lavender House will build on efforts to match gay and lesbian students with roommates who will be comfortable with them. "Having a dedicated residence space will make that matching easier, because Lavender House will be self-selecting," he said.

The dedicated living quarters will meet a need identified by gay and lesbian students in a survey last spring, ODU said. Other groups have appealed to the Office of Housing and Residence Life for dedicated housing spaces, and Army ROTC will have a reserved space this fall as well, the university said.

The Lavender House announcement comes at a time when gay rights and other social issues have assumed a high profile in the Virginia General Assembly. The news drew a range of reactions in Richmond. Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, the only openly gay member of the Assembly, was glad to hear it.

Del. Bob Marshall, R-Prince William County, one of the Assembly's most outspoken social conservatives, called the move a wrongheaded distraction from the university's academic mission.

So far, 18 students have signed up to live in Lavender House this fall. Students who are interested in applying for a room, or would like more information about Lavender House and the Safe Space Committee, can email safespace@odu.edu.

For those who may not recall, Del. Marshall has publicly stated that he'd be happy to drive all LGBT citizens from Virginia. The man is a monster and for those who say he's charming in person, similar statements were made about Hitler. Actions speak louder than pleasant conversation.

Trevor Project

As longer term readers know, I am a member of the advisory board for the Old Dominion University Gay Cultural Studies Endowment which has as it goal establishing a self-sustaining endowment for a permanent full time post-doctorate position at the University focused on LGBT studies and cultural contributions. This endowed position will focus on the contributions, concerns, and challenges associated with LGBT culture, promote academic research and provides graduate and undergraduate educational course opportunities. In addition, the holder of the position would engage the local Hampton Roads LGBT community and larger business community through ongoing dialogue and community involvement.

In furtherance of our fundraising goal, last night the ODU Gay Cultural Studies Committee hosted an invitation only salon with ODU alumni David McFarland (1984) as the featured speaker. McFarland - pictured in the center of the photo above that includes myself, two other board members of HRBOR and the Executive Director of Equality Virginia - is Interim Executive Director and CEO of The Trevor Project (the leading national organization for awareness and prevention of suicide among LGBT youth). David did a masterful job in tying the efforts of the Trevor Project to prevent gay suicides with the educational and cultural enhancement efforts of the ODU Gay Cultural Studies Endowment.

It is so very important that LGBT youth - both teens and college students - realize that they do have a future and than LGBT individuals in the USA and elsewhere have made amazing contributions to society and civilization. If one listens to the hate merchants of the far right and the Christian Taliban, one would believe that LGBT people contribute little or nothing to society. The truth, of course, provides a very different and positive story. Fortunately, local benefactors seem to be listening and word has it that last nights effort landed a five figure donation.

Anyone who would like to donate to this worthy - and tax deductible cause - can do so here. Be sure to click on enter "Gay Cultural Studies Endowment" as your desired beneficiary.

Cocktails With John Waters and Weekend Reflections

My frequency in posting has been down this week largely because I've had something going on every evening: Hampton Roads Pride board meeting on Monday; dinner with a client of the boyfriend on Tuesday; HRBOR board meeting on Wednesday; ODU Gay Cultural Studies private reception after John Waters' presentation at Old Dominion University on Thursday. Last night was finally a free night and the boyfriend and I simply chilled, watched the this week's Glee episode and afterwards fell asleep on the sofa. Tonight we are attending a black tie fundraiser for the An Achievable Dream Foundation, a charity founded by one the boyfriend's clients that describes it's vision as follows:

AAD is a nonprofit, year-round, extended day public school borne out of its founder’s belief that all children can learn and succeed regardless of their socioeconomic backgrounds; and that education can break the cycle of poverty. We strive to close the achievement gap that currently exists in American education and to ensure our students become productive citizens contributing positively to society.

An Achievable Dream offers healthcare for our students' families through the Achievable Dream/Riverside Health Improvement Center located at the school. In addition, An Achievable Dream offers adult education classes and seminars for parents and families to help them achieve their dreams, as well.

It's a vision that I whole heatedly support because education is the great equalizer. At AAD's school, locate in one of the worse parts of neighboring Newport News, miracles do happen. Donations to the effort can be made here. In an Inside Business article earlier in the year, AAD's founder described his motivation for starting teh foundation as follows:

That desire, he said, comes from his Jewish faith and his father. "The Jewish faith teaches us that if I save one life, then I have saved the world," he said. The teaching has convinced Segaloff that everyone has an opportunity to make such a difference.

The courage to create such a bold program came from his late father, Charles, who felt strongly about judging people on their character rather than their color or religious beliefs.

"My father was building a new store in downtown Newport News. Back then it was the law that there had to be segregated sets of restrooms - one for blacks and one for whites. Even though it was jeopardizing his business, he refused. This held up his building permit. The building commissioner said it was the law. So finally they reached a compromise. My father put a set of restrooms on the first floor and on the second floor. However, he never labeled them black or white.

"It all comes down to, if you know something is right, would you have the courage to do it?" he said.

Just imagine if all of the money utilized by NOM and other "pro-family" organizations used to demonize gays, immigrants and those they deem "other" was used for programs such as AAD. Frankly, it's no small irony that Segaloff is Jewish. Nowadays, it seems that conservative Christians ignore the Gospel message while others are the ones to put the principles into action.

Back to John Waters. His lecture entitled "Filthy" was hysterically funny and he did not hold back on his gay rights positions. Most in the packed audience seemed to love his wit and wild sense of humor. At the small private reception afterwards in a fellow ODU Gay Cultural Studies board member, it was a unique experience talking to Waters about everything from politics to travel, and a number of other topics. Better yet, the reception raised several thousand dollars for the endowment that we are building.

Want to Have Cocktails with John Waters?

As I have noted before in past posts, one of my activism activities is serving on the Gay Cultural Studies Board for Old Dominion University ("ODU") in Norfolk, Virginia. The Board's goal is to raise an endowment to fund a permanent post doctoral position in LGBT studies. The individual holding the position will not only teach courses within the LGBT studies subject area but will also work on an interdisciplinary manner with other departments at ODU and serve as a liaison to the larger community. As part of the Advisory Board's fund raising effort, we will be hosting a cocktail reception with John Waters following his presentation at ODU on November 10, 2011. Here are details (NOTE: the number of tickets to the cocktail reception is limited, so act promptly if your are interested in attending):

The Gay Cultural Studies Advisory Board of

Old Dominion University

invites you for

Cocktails with John Waters

Renowned film maker, actor, and writer

at the home of

Fred Bayersdorfer and John Wills

1202 Graydon Avenue, Norfolk

Thursday, November 10, 2011

9:30 pm Following Mr. Waters’ appearance at the ODU Presents Series

Minimum donation: $150.00

RSVP by October 30 to Cathy Craft (757) 683-4468 or ccraft@odu.edu

Limited to 40 guests

More Information on ODU Presents and John Water's appearance at ODU can be found here.

ODU Gay Cultural Studies Invites You to a House Party

The boyfriend and I are hosting a house party in support of the Old Dominion University Gay Cultural Studies endowment effort this Friday at 5:30 PM. Our goal is to fund an endowment that will provide for a permanent post-doctorate position at Old Dominion University ("ODU"). Information on the goals of the effort can be found here. The speaker at the event at our home will be Dr. George D. Greenia, Professor of Hispanic Studies at William and Mary. Dr. Greenia (pictured below) is most famous locally for his pioneering efforts in bringing LGBT programming and organizations to his culturally conservative campus during the Reagan era of the 1980s.

We hope that peninsula readers will try to attend. Here are details:

When: Friday, June 10, 2011 at 5:30 Pm to 7:30 PM

Where: Michael Hamar & Barry Menser's House

To RSVP: Click Here

Out in The Park Is Tomorrow

Tomorrow from Noon to 6:00 PM, Out in the Park will take place in Norfolk's Town Point Park. This year's event will dwarf past pride events in the area and has a $70,000 budget. Those who have never attended an Out in the Park event should make a point to check out this year's event. Those who were less than overwhelmed by prior years' events need to understand that the 2011 event is a quantum leap from past efforts. Over 77 vendors will be present as well as a much more upscale slate of entertainment. I'll have a booth for the law firm, as will HRBOR and the Old Dominion University LGBT Cultural Arts endowment committee I'm working with. NOTE: The first LGBT boat parade will take place at 1:00 PM. Here's a schedule of events:
*
12:00 to 12:20 Narissa Bond
12:20 to 12:50 Julie Clark Band
12:50 to 1:00 Welcome by HR Pride President/National Anthem by HR Men's Chorus
1:00 to 1:30 Boat Parade
1:30 to 1:45 HR Men's Chorus
1:45 to 2:15 Sydney Devereaux, Myke Riley & Diana Ross
2:15 to 3:00 Suzanne Westenhoefer
3:00 to 3:30 DC Cowboys
3:30 to 3:50 Awards/ACCESS/TACT
3:50 to 4:00 Naomi Black
4:00 to 4:10 Jennifer Warner
4:10 to 5:00 DJ Lady Miss Kier
5:00 to 5:45 Wicked Jezebel
5:45 to 6:30 Rah Element
*

For more information, see: http://hamptonroadspride.shuttlepod.org/Default.aspx?pageId=962332

ODU Gay Cultural Studies Endowment Campaign

As I have mentioned previously, I am on the advisory committee for the Old Dominion University Gay Cultural Studies Endowment Campaign which is raising funds for an endowed post doctoral position in Gay Cultural Studies. The position will be administratively housed in the Humanities Institute, but rotated across departments in the College of Arts & Letters according to the scholar’s area of expertise.
*
The position would be filled annually, with the possibility of renewal for a second year, and would be subject to a competitive national application process. The selected candidate would be responsible for teaching a 1/1-course load (one class in the Fall semester and one in the Spring semester). One of the courses would be a recurring graduate seminar in sexuality/gender studies while the other course would be an undergraduate offering in the scholar’s area of expertise.
*
I hope local readers will endeavor to attend a fundraiser tomorrow afternoon at Waterside in Norfolk. The details are assetout on the flyer above.

Hampton Roads Pride 2007

This is Pride weekend and , while not much of a deal compared to the huge events found elsewhere, the fact that there is even an event at all makes a statement. HRBOR will have a booth at the event tomorrow and yours truly will be working the HRBOR booth a good portion of the day. I am sure that the event may be infiltrated by some fundies who want to "pray us straight" as happened on the comedy cruise last night, but fortunately without any disturbance. In some ways it is ironic that the event is in Chesapeake (which is immediately to the south of Norfolk) since it is probably the least progressive socially of the five cities in Southside Hampton Roads.

While some recent articles and columns had discussed whether there continues to be a need for Pride events in cities like New York and so forth, in this somewhat of a backwater area, I believe that it is necessary. If only to show that there are plenty of LGBT citizens in the area. This year Old Dominion University has cosponsored an LGBT film festival so that the Pride related activities cover more venues. Combined with HRBOR, Pride's goal is to demonstrate that we exist and that we are here to stay - much I am sure to the horror of one of our neighbor, Pat Robertson.