New Rules

Strike Out, Not In...

Fight Back.

Be Yourself,

at all costs.

It isn't about muscle or might;

we all have the strength of Spirit

and Resolve

necessary to survive

and thrive.

Stop listening to the voices

of dissent,

start discovering the champion

within.

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

ENOUGH!

These past few weeks have been littered with story after story of
still more teens killing themselves in response to bullying at school
and online, as well as general depression about their sexuality.

Well, god-damned ENOUGH and GET THE FUCK OVER IT ALREADY.

Sorry, but the empathy has left the building.
I will honor no dead because the attention seems to be convincing
some that attention after-the-fact is worth killing yourself over.
With all the resources and all the available people, there's no
justification.

Yes, life is hard. Better well jolly cotton up to that shit and let's all
bloody well fucking move on to the main feature, shall we?

Instead of creating a world where we abolish the taunters and teasers--
which is, by the way, never going to happen--why don't we all get industrious
and do some real damned good? Like making our youth stronger.

We can't change what others will do, and I don't mean to say give up on
holding them responsible. But no one can be passive in life and survive,
and a lot of these kids are ill-equipped for reality because 'being gay'
to them is all about the aesthetic, the idea, the quaint "while in your room
talking to your sympathetic friends and watching 'Will & Grace' re-runs"
un-reality of being gay in a fantasy world.

But this world is not that. It's another beast all together.

People are rude, and cruel, and hurtful.
But they can only win if you care about what they say....
if you show that they have sway over you...
if you aren't able to fight back.
They only win when you stop trying and give up.

It isn't about size or strength or being butch or becoming a bully
yourself. Plenty of drag queens and trans folks and petite women
know all about being Fierce not because it is innate, but because it
is necessary in order to survive! You have to be able to adapt.

Survival is key, and you have to evolve to survive.

It's time to train ourselves in how to be better fighters, promoters
of self, and egotists. It's time for confidence-building and speaking
up and training and not taking shit.

So you're afraid? Good, acknowledge it and move on.
Everybody's scared of life. Anyone that tells you otherwise is a
lying sack of shit. You only get courageous by facing fear, not giving
in to it.

And yes, life does get better, but only with WORK. You have to do
your part, not give in and give up. You can't wait for a hero, honey
chiles. You have to BECOME your own god-damned hero.
And that's the facts, Jack.

Stop hurting yourselves.
Stop allowing the enemy to win.
Stop thinking of yourselves as weak or less than.
Stop striking in when you should be striking out.

You are all fierce and fabulous and beautiful, my gay and lesbian
and conflicted and bi and trans and queer and unlabeled and straight
outcasts, and I love you dearly. At any age. In any place. Of any race.
Of any size.

For the love of creation and the unique and gorgeous life that
you are...stop hurting yourself...and do whatever it takes to
find your voice, fight back, and live life loud and proud.

Be strong.
Be courageous.
It is within you.

Minnesota school district lawsuit by SPLC

July 21, 2011

Dear Friend,

Today, we've filed a federal lawsuit to protect gay, lesbian and transgender students in a Minnesota school district where at least four LGBT students have died by suicide in the past two years.

The Anoka-Hennepin school district near Minneapolis is "ground zero" in our fight to stop the rampant bullying of LGBT students. Physical and verbal abuse has been allowed to flourish under the district's so-called "neutrality" policy.

The misguided policy stigmatizes LGBT students — casting them as pariahs who are not welcome in the school community, a message that encourages their abusers.

This bullying has devastating consequences, as the heartbreaking suicides in Anoka-Hennepin and elsewhere illustrate.

You can learn more about the situation in the Anoka-Hennepin school district in a special CNN investigative piece scheduled to air at 8 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 24.

Our work would not be possible without the support of people like you. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of children who are suffering from bigotry and injustice.

Sincerely,

J. Richard Cohen

President, Southern Poverty Law Center


http://www.splcenter.org/?source=redirect&url=southernpovertylawcenter



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

Most Excellent Outreach!

Okay, well, this week's episode of GLEE was just beyond spectacular;
one of the best t.v. shows EVAH! (And yes, parts were very unrealistic
and stretched thin; Get over It!)

You can watch the episode from this week, "Never Been Kissed", here on
www.hulu.com;

http://www.hulu.com/watch/188956/glee-never-been-kissed

This was the bomb! It had everything!

-It was the oh-so-topical 'gay bullying' episode. (I could FEEL myself
drifting through time as the jock pushed Kurt into the lockers. More
importantly, I could feel the impact of no one saying or doing anything
hitting even harder.)
  By the by; this episode is not a stand-alone 'hot topic' story; it's been
building and this character has been going through changes and discomfort
leading up to this.

-It introduced a smoking hot new character (Kurt's potential boyfriend,
who, if nothing else, is a great source of hope and inspiration for Kurt on this
current dark and lonely path--and what's hotter than that?!)
  Now, one point that didn't ring true for me (but which was storyline dictated,
so, no big; an all boys school was the Source of my heartache in the 1980s...
it was hardly heaven from where homophobia did retreat! Of course, this is
20+ years later and I didn't catch whether or not there was a religious affiliation
with the school; I'll assume not.

-The nerd sees a need and fills it, not caving in to the peer pressure of the
(reportedly) cool guy; Artie gets a backbone and some face time!

-A very sad/scary/striking revelation plays out with Kurt's locker room
confrontation.

-'The Beast' gets some more story play, and shows off Dot's acting chops.
I really LOVE her character! The scene with Shuster's 'solution' was a bit
much, but touching nonetheless.

-And of course. great music!

The great part of the story was how wonderfully we were shown how
EVERYONE was feeling the effects of being an outsider in one way or another.
It's so easy to forget that we have more in common than we do differences...
and what a difference that makes.

The impetus of the episode was doing what isn't expected....mixing things up and
looking through a new lens...and it was quite a ride. A+++

(We do need to get some 'Mercedes' and 'Santana' stories rolling, but otherwise,
everyone is getting a nice slice every week--in my book at least!)

Secretary of State Clinton Speaks to LGBT Youth

This is one of the most phenomenal things I have
ever witnessed. Never has a public figure of such
stature taken such a strong stand of support for
the hurting youth dealing with sexual orientation.

For those ignorant to it, this is a horribly risky
career move, and the frankness of Clinton's words
(as well as her long dedication to assisting gay youth,
such as with the Harvey Milk School) is powerful.

Thank you, Secretary Clinton, for your message.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXBpW8GCDtY

PFLAG Dad Sends Open Letter to Youth

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)  

"You deserve to be happy, you deserve to be alive, and you deserve to be loved."

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- John R. Cepek, national president of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) issued the following open letter to youth in light of the mounting reports of bullying, harassment, and suicide among youth:


Dear ___________,

I know it may seem strange that you're getting a letter from someone you've never met. To be honest with you, I feel a little odd writing this letter to people I've never met. But this is a difficult time, and I want to make sure that someone delivers an important message to you.

My wife and I have two sons. We think that they are the best kids in the whole world. They're very different, with very diverse personalities, talents, and interests. One of the other things that makes them different is that one is straight and one is gay.

But the important thing is this: we love them equally.

That's why it is so painful to us to read the reports of the kids out there who have killed themselves because somehow they felt that their lives were not equal or worth living, either because they were mercilessly bullied and teased for being different, or tortured because they were gay.

That's why I'm writing to you today. There have been a lot of people out there sending some important messages your way. They've been telling you that there are people who can help, and that it is going to get better, and your job is to be strong and stick it out. You should listen to them, because they're right.
But as a dad, I want to send you one more message. Here it is: there are people who love you and accept you for who you are right now. Whether you're gay or straight, it doesn't matter.

I hope that your parents are among these people. I hope that in the same way I'm proud of both my sons, someone is proud of you just because you're there and because you're alive. You deserve that, no matter who you are or how different you feel.

But if for some reason you don't feel like you've got that support, I want you to know that there are parents and families who love you. Maybe they're people you already know. Or maybe they are people like me who you haven't met yet, and the other parents who belong to a group that I'm a member of called PFLAG – Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.

So if you're reading this and feel like no one loves you for you who are today and who you're becoming, I want you to do something for me. I want you to go online to www.pflag.org and find a PFLAG chapter near you. Contact them and tell them your story. Ask them for help. Tell them what you're experiencing, and tell them what you need. These are families who understand what is happening and who want to support you.

I can't imagine a world in which either of my kids felt like life wasn't worth living because people rejected them, and I have a hard time imagining what some of you might be going through right now. But please know that you're not alone. There are people to talk to, and families and friends nearby who will support you and your own family, too. All you need to do is ask.

I hope that one day we will meet and I'll know that you made it. You deserve to be happy, you deserve to be alive, and you deserve to be loved. Lots of people agree with me on that. Trust me.

Sincerely,

John R. Cepek
President, PFLAG National
www.pflag.org

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is the nation's foremost family-based organization committed to the civil rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Founded in 1973 by mothers and fathers, PFLAG has 200,000 members and supporters in more than 250 chapters throughout the United States. To learn more, please visit www.pflag.org