Gay Stuff

Focus on the REAL problem

Tuesday, August 12th, 2003 | Gay Stuff | 2 Comments

And they’re worried about US adopting?

Arrests In Child Cancer Scam

Maybe people fighting gay marriage and adoption should focus on the existing parents that are doing crap like THIS… Jeesh…

Marriage

Sunday, August 10th, 2003 | Gay Stuff | 5 Comments

Just found this and it made me chuckle so I had to point it out:

Save My Marriage

So can someone please explain to me exactly how my marriage in california within my particular denomination diminishes in ANY WAY the sanctity of the vows that someone I’ve never met may have made to their particular spouse in some other state that I’ve never been to at a time i wasn’t even aware of?

Seems to me if their marriage is that week there is something going on there for sure – but not sure it has anything to do with me..

I refuse to marry until the penguins can! 😉

Its Done

Tuesday, August 5th, 2003 | Gay Stuff | 5 Comments

I just got a call from the conference. The US House of Bishops has voted to confirm Rev. Robertson as Bishop of New Hampshire…

OUTSTANDING!

There is the expected rancor and statements from the opposition requesting to call in the Archbishop of Canteburry to intervene but he has no jurisdiction over the churches in the United States so this is pretty much a done deal.

With each tiny step we get that much closer! 🙂 This feels more like a big step to me though.

Vote on Gay Bishop

Monday, August 4th, 2003 | Gay Stuff | 1 Comment

This is irritating at best:

Episcopalian Vote on Gay Bishop Postponed

I was getting regular messages yesterday from a friend of mine who is an Episcopal priest about the state of the vote regarding the ordination of a Gay Bishop in the church. It was very exciting to hear that the vote not only passed (which wasn’t clear going in to the vote) but passed by a 2-1 margin.

That all makes it that much more discouraging to hear this news today and makes me question the integrity of the allegations. If the person making the allegations was truly trying to raise a concern about Rev. Robinson’s appropriateness as Bishop wouldn’t it have made sense to provide this information at a time when everyone involved in making the decision would have access (i.e. before the initial vote)? In addition, based on what I’ve read (and I’ll admit there may be more that hasn’t been published) the allegations seem like a flimsy attempt to demean Rev. Robinson’s integrity without substance to back it up.

Don’t get me wrong – I believe that in the church the clergy above all need to ensure that the church is a safe place for everyone in the congregation to be and there is no place for interactions of any sexual nature when dealing with parishioners. I’ve been appalled at what I’ve seen in the Catholic church and I definitely don’t want that in any other church. I just hope these allegations, however ill timed, are based on facts and a concern for individuals rather than a contempt for the sexual orientation of a good man and a respected member of the church.

It all just strikes me as slimy and underhanded.

The Catholic Church

Friday, August 1st, 2003 | Gay Stuff | 2 Comments

After reading a number of articles and posts (including this one over at Daddy, Papa & Me) regarding the latest statement from the catholic church I had to go and dig up the original text for myself.

CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING PROPOSALS
TO GIVE LEGAL RECOGNITION
TO UNIONS
BETWEEN HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS

Overall there wasn’t that much that I didn’t expect. The catholic church has a long standing history of discrimination and condemnation of homosexuality which has resulted in violence and discrimination against the gay community. However there was one section of the text that I found particularly despicable:

“… Allowing children to be adopted by persons living in such unions would actually mean doing violence to these children, in the sense that their condition of dependency would be used to place them in an environment that is not conducive to their full human development. …”

Stating that children raised in gay households are being subject to violence due to the “the absence of sexual complementarity” (i.e. heterosexual married parents) is beyond appalling. I have had experience with many children raised by gay and lesbian parents and these children are being raised in some of the most loving and supportive environments imaginable. Furthermore, study after study has PROVEN that these children have grown to be well adjusted stable productive adults.

In contrast I have also seen many children who have been raised in extremely violent and abusive households where, while they had both a mother and a father raising them, they grew up witness to abuse between the parents as well as abuse to themselves personally.

As a very specific example, a friend of mine and his partner adopted a wonderful little boy from an at risk children’s adoption agency. This little boy was taken from his mother because his mother’s boyfriend was dunking the child in scalding water as punishment and now has permanent scars on both legs. Now he lives with two people who feed him, care for him, love him and protect him. In which environment do you think he is better off?

You be the judge. Personally, I think gays and lesbians have the potential to be just as effective and loving parents as their heterosexual counterparts and, in many situations, better because they have to fight that much harder to become parents in the first place.

For the catholic church to accuse them of violence is not only ignorant and irresponsible – it is ultimately hurtful to many families throughout the world – gay and straight alike.

Lunchtime Radio

Friday, August 1st, 2003 | Gay Stuff | 1 Comment

If ya want something to listen to as you eat your lunch KQED will have an interesting show on “Day to Day” at lunch:

Fri, August 1, 2003 — 12:00pm

Gays on TV, gay marriage, gay bishops — these are stories that have all been in the news this week. We compare and contrast the Gay rights movement with the struggle for Civil rights by black Americans.

You can get more information here

or just go to the top level page if you want to listen to it online.. there is a ‘Listen Live’ link..

There was also an interesting show on Forum this morning at 10 – I don’t know if they’ll archive it to listen to but you can find information on here

Happy Friday!