Powered by Max Banner Ads 16 Reasons We Should Be Protesting by Leslie Robinson My view of the Occupy Wall Street protest is that it’s an unfocused jumble, but at least somebody’s doing something…at last. What began with a few dozen demonstrators on Wall Street has grown into a national conniption over corporate greed and government collusion. It’s easy for those in power... 

FLYING THE COLORS by Leslie Robinson At the start of June, citizens of Richmond, Va. noticed an addition to the flagpole outside the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, a private financial institution located downtown. Underneath the American flag waved a rainbow flag. The two banners, Old Glory and Newish Pride-y, flapped in the breeze. Then gums flapped too, and within seconds, Richmond had its very... 

Karger Has A Shot by Leslie Robinson If you haven’t heard of Fred Karger, you have an awful lot of company. Karger is a retired political consultant from California. He’s also a gay activist, and he’s running for the presidency. As a Republican. Clearly this is a fellow who fancies adventure. Does he stand more than a Popsicle’s chance in hell? Yes, actually. Karger, the first... 

SCAMPERING THROUGH THE NEWS by Leslie Robinson You might want to do a few stretches before reading this. We’re about to race through the GLBT news, and I don’t want to be blamed if you strain something. I don’t have insurance. Ready, set, etc. Terry Jones, Florida pastor and would-be Koran burner, will be the primary speaker on the Stand Up America tour, which will condemn the... 

GENERAL GAYETY Transgender Steps Forward by Leslie Robinson Recently our community marked the 12th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, a somber day devoted to memorializing those murdered for their gender identity. Also recently, however, we’ve seen transgender breakthroughs that are, in a word, fabulousgreatwonderful. College basketball season is underway, and many a media outlet has covered... 

LOOK HOMEWARD, LESBIAN by Leslie Robinson It was a North Carolina author, Thomas Wolfe, who wrote You Can’t Go Home Again. My partner Anne decided to ignore him and go home to North Carolina anyway. I decided to go along to help her clean out the family home in Rutherfordton. Over four grueling days we lifted and sorted an incredible number of boxes. By the end of all that heavy lifting, I’d... 

DADT’S HECTIC SEPTEMBER by Leslie Robinson Boy, there’s been a lot of action around Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) lately. Let’s all follow the bouncing ball. On September 9, a federal judge in California declared DADT unconstitutional. Judge Virginia Phillips of Federal District Court struck down the military’s ban on openly gay soldiers after the plaintiffs challenged... 

You’re Outta Here! by Leslie Robinson Even if you don’t like baseball, you’ve probably seen video of a manager vociferously arguing a call with an umpire. The manager might throw his cap. He might throw a base. He might throw out his back throwing a base. Brent Bowers, skipper of a minor league team, performed an unusual physical maneuver and delivered a scalding tirade during a confrontation... 

VICTORY FOR ARGENTINA by Leslie Robinson Argentina suffered a distinct blow when its promising soccer team was bounced from the World Cup. What did the country do to pick up its spirits? It passed gay marriage. Argentina is the first nation in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriage. Gays and lesbians in Argentina will have all the legal rights and responsibilities that marriage affords straight... 

fighting for the right to party by Leslie Robinson The month of March has come to mean one thing to me: prom struggles. Last year at exactly the same time I wrote about a lesbian in Indiana who sued her school district for the right to wear a tuxedo to her prom. She was represented by the ACLU and Men’s Wearhouse. Now a case in Mississippi is making national, even international news. We’re at...