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thinkprogress.org

Boy Scouts of America Poised To End Ban On Gay Adults As Troop Leaders

The ban could end as soon as July 27.

The Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) executive committee voted unanimously on Friday to lift the organization’s long-standing ban on gay and bisexual adults. 

If ratified by the full national executive board at its July 27 meeting, the prohibition will be immediately lifted and each individual troop or unit will be free to determine its own policy regarding the eligibility of openly gay or bisexual adult leaders.

The resolution, announced Monday, will allow prevent discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in council employment decisions and allow those adults previously kicked out based on their sexual orientation to reapply.
Two years ago, roughly 1,400 voting members of the BSA’s national council voted 61-38 percent to end the ban on gay youth participating in the program, but reaffirmed their policy of mandatory discrimination against LGBT adult leaders and volunteers.

H/T to ThinkProgress

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DC Comics made history last week, releasing Midnighter, their 1st comic headlined by a gay male superhero. 

(Note: The comic is rather violent, so we recommend caution.)

That said, it is very exciting to see diverse representations of LGBTQ characters throughout media, especially in pioneering roles. 

Steve Orlando, the writer, received some criticism for the character not being the best representation of a gay man. However, he says:

I think we’ve moved past the idea that gay people have to be portrayed in only one way. By pulling away from that, we can have characters who can do other things and people can realize they’re not a spokesperson for the entire community.  

Just like with Caitlyn Jenner, no one individual can represent a whole group of individuals. However, we can use these stories to start conversations about the diversity within our communities, and raise up the voices of those whose stories aren’t being told. 

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While we celebrate her visibility, it’s also vital that we contextualize and frame her journey so we can better serve a multilayered, intersectional community that doesn’t have the level of access that has enabled Jenner to be seen and heard as her truest self — something every single person should have access to.

Janet Mock, discussing Caitlyn Jenner’s Vanity Fair cover, her privilege, and using this historic moment to uplift the voices of all trans individuals.

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#MyVanityFairCover is a trend started by Tumblr user Crystal, who wanted to give more trans individuals access to the platform Caitlyn Jenner has, as well as share the message that #TransIsBeautiful, no matter what that means to you.

Crystal wrote:  

“I’ve felt frustrated and useless and overwhelmed by opinions on transgender women and how we’re “supposed” to look if we want to be taken seriously.

But not all of us adhere to those standards. Not all of us want to. Not all of us can. Some of us do, but only out of fear. Some of us do but we aren’t sure why. And whether we fit those standards or not, we’re beautiful, and we all deserve to feel beautiful, and be acknowledged by the world. Admiration and praise for trans women shouldn’t only come if we fit a narrow definition of beauty.”

The templates for the cover are here and here. We love this movement and all of the visibility and representation it offers. 

Great idea, Crystal!

(h/t to Mic)

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I think what I would tell a young person that is struggling with difference or with their identity is to not listen to anyone but yourself – to be unapologetic in your own voice, in your own experiences of what’s authentic and real to you, to surround yourself with people who validate and affirm your identity and your truth and to, as much as possible, silence those negative voices that try to negate who you know yourself to be.

Janet Mock, 2014 GLSEN Respect Awards Honoree, trans Activist, and all around wonderful person, talking about feeling different as a young person, as part of the “It Got Better” series. 

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I’ve been dressing in an androgynous casual way for about two years now. I’ve come to terms with my gender identity and sexuality, but I still haven’t fully come out as transgender. Prom is coming up. I’m not going to wear a dress. People laugh at the idea of me in a dress regardless of whether or not they know I am transgender. I’ve been dating a girl who wants to go to prom and I want to go with her, but I’m not going in a dress. However, I don’t own a suit that fits me because I’m 5'3" and weigh 95 pounds. I refuse to go back to cheap men’s clothing that doesn’t fit me, but anything that would fit me would be too expensive for me to buy on my own and I couldn’t ask my mom for money. I approached my school activities director with my dilemma and he said, ‘don’t worry you’re going to prom and I’m going to find you a suit.’

Harper, a student from Chicago, IL, who wrote a piece for The New York Times’ series, Transgender Today. Harper’s school and supportive teachers are making a huge difference in allowing Harper to attend prom in a suit, as himself. Prom is for everyone. 

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These dreamy ads by Allstate have begun popping up in newspapers and on bus shelters. 

The ads display same-sex couples holding hands with the quotes “everything worth holding onto is worth protecting” and “the butterflies you feel should come from love, not fear,” highlighting Allstate’s insurance focus, while also recognizing that love is love, no matter what your precious cargo is.

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We are digging this Rocky Horror inspired limited edition tee from Susan Sarandon!

It was designed to help finance Deep Run; a coming of age documentary about Cole, an evangelical trans teen male. The director, Hillevi Loven, met Cole at a ‘North Carolina Jesus rock concert’ while researching Christian youth culture. 

Loven wrote:

“Cole represented a different kind of Christian, one of the millennial generation who is remaking his religion and challenging Christianity’s conservative social morays. In the microcosm of his life story, and his search for both love and an accepting church, there is the small seed of another kind of American Christianity; perhaps even another kind of nation.”

100% of the proceeds of the t-shirt benefit post-production costs! 

We can’t wait to check out the film once it’s complete. It’s always great to see representation of diverse LGBTQ+ youth! 

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Happy Harvey Milk Day! Happy Birthday, Harvey! 

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Today is Harvey Milk Day. Happy Birthday, Harvey Milk!