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Posts tagged LGBTQ

Target Under Fire for Anti-Gay Donations by Emily, at Feminist Looking Glass 8:03 am / 17 August 2010

It was only last December that the HRC released its “Buy For Equality” report on corporate equality practices, highlighting Target’s 100% rating on LGBTQ rights. But now the gay rights group has issued a clear repudiation of the retail giant, calling on them to seriously reevaluate their donation policies, or lose all support of “fair-minded individuals.”

The fallout occurred when the HRC uncovered Target’s donations to a vehemently anti-gay rights politician. Apparently the company gave $150,000 to a group that supports Tom Emmer, a Republican candidate for Minnesota governor. Tom Emmer, as is the case for many Republican politicians, does not support gay marriage; in fact, it’s an issue that’s even made it onto his campaign website. But what’s disturbing about Emmer is that he goes a step further. In a political climate where many candidates, even conservative, are attempting to walk the line and avoid being labeled as bigoted, Emmer shows no real concern in this area. In 2007, he authored a constitutional amendment to block same-sex marriage and civil unions. He also attempted to alter language in legislation to block same-sex partners from receiving any benefits in a variety of circumstances– including employment, parenting, and death.

Emmer also has had a controversial relationship with an extremist Christian group, You Can Run But You Cannot Hide (YCR) Ministry. This group isn’t just concerned with blocking political and societal equity for LGBT citizens— but has expressed support of violent measures against gay people. Advocating the recent Ugandan push to execute LGBT people, YCR leader remarked:

“[Any Muslim country that executes homosexuals] seems to be more moral than even the American Christians do…They know homosexuality is an abomination.”

Emmer has apparently donated money to the group, and has made public statements expressing his approval for the organization. Even when confronted with this particularly extreme language, Emmer commented:

“These are nice people. Are we going to agree on everything? No….but I really appreciate their passion and you know what, I respect their point of view… “

Target’s financial support for this GOP candidate has surprised many. I wrote last December on Target’s 100% approval rating from the HRC, which stood in stark contrast to competitor Wal-Mart’s 40%. In order to get this endorsement from the HRC, a group must score perfectly on inclusion of LGBTQ langauge for diversity policies, EEO policies, and also offer domestic partners benefits. Target additionally has supported gay rights within the community, including sponsoring Twin Cities Pride, and a Minnesota AIDS walk that conservative organizations shy away from.

Target’s CEO has issued an apology and explanation, confirming that it makes its donation decisions based on business interests, not social causes. But after weeks of negotiation with HRC, Target has chosen to take no corrective action, and not to offer an equivalent payment to a pro-gay organization.

That Target’s primary objective is to look out for business interests makes sense. But LGBTQ-rights advocates have a right to feel thrown under the bus by an organization they thought was socially progressive. I find Target’s lack of concern for this issue disconcerting. A symbolic $150,000 to an equality organization is a drop in the bucket for a company consistently reaching earnings higher than analyst projections, even in hard economic times. Unknowingly supporting a candidate who is anti-gay marriage is one thing– but supporting one who appears complacent with extremist, hate crime violence is indeed another.

Tagged with: gay rights, GLBT, homophobia, LGBTQ, politics, Same-Sex Marriage, target, Violence, workplace

Guest post: "Two moms are better than none" by RosieRed23, at Spare Candy 4:00 am / 22 July 2010

Today's guest post is from Kyle Simpson, who writes for a Medical Billing website where you can find more information about a career in the medical coding industry. Thanks Kyle! If you're interested in writing a guest post, or cross-posting, send an e-mail to rosiered23 (at) sparecandy (dot) com.

As the debate rages on over whether or not gay and lesbian couples should legally be allowed to wed, millions of these couples are managing to carve out a life for themselves in committed relationships and turning their eyes towards creating a family and a legacy that so many married couples take for granted. And once the legislation making gay marriage legal passes (and it will pass), one must wonder where the bigots will throw the next stone. My guess would be straight at gay and lesbian parents.

The truth is, one parent is better than none and two is better than one. There is a simple science behind this. First of all, a child with no parents will have a much harder time forming correctly. Children who end up in foster care at a young age, bounced around from home to home, may suffer physical and psychological abuse as well as neglect. While there are plenty of foster families that truly care for their charges and give them a good home, there are just as many unscrupulous individuals who see these children as a meal ticket and nothing more. The sad fact is, a temporary home is no home at all.

And orphanages are no better. Do you really believe that a state-run institution can raise a child better than a loving parent? A ward of the state is really nothing more than a number; a mouth to feed, a brain to standardize, and a body to dress and bed. These kids are shuffled through the system like cattle and left to fend for themselves, alone and often unskilled, as soon as they reach legal adulthood. How can that possibly be the best choice for unwanted children?

On the other hand, there are many gay and lesbian couples looking to adopt who face a world of challenges that the average married couple (or even some single parents) would not. Many organizations (and even entire states) do not allow gay and lesbian couples seeking children to adopt, and it is a huge mistake. Children thrive when they’re in a loving and stable home, and if there are people in the world who are both willing and able to provide such an environment, it seems antithetical to deny them simply based on their so-called “alternate” lifestyle. And choosing single parents over a homosexual couple is equally ridiculous. An adult who has a partner to lean on and consult is going to do a better job of parenting than a single person simply because of the added support (which is not to say that single parents can’t manage, but they certainly can’t be expected to provide the same attention and care as two people).

Let’s face it: the nuclear families of 1950s Americana are a thing of the past. Dad as the breadwinner and mom as the happy homemaker with 2.5 kids just doesn’t apply anymore. With broken homes and blended families outweighing the married-for-life mentality, there simply isn’t room for these narrow-minded notions of what a “normal” family should be. And beyond that, there are over a million lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender parents raising children in the United States today, facing all the same doubts, difficulties, and rewards as countless heterosexual parents, and probably faring equally well, despite the fact that they must do the same job while facing ridicule, hostility, and underhanded bigotry at every turn. If anything, it seems that they are even more devoted to their chosen path than those of us who take it as a given that we can marry and procreate with whomever we choose.

Tagged with: adoption, Family, LGBTQ, Parenting

Doctor Tries to Vaccinate Against Lesbianism & Interest in Male Careers by Emily, at Feminist Looking Glass 12:04 pm / 30 June 2010

A steroid known as dexamethasone has been making headlines in its connection with prenatal usage and health risks. Yet one team of doctors remains committed to the drug, and is currently conducting studies to prove the effects of its use on reduction of homosexuality and ‘masculine life choices’ in girls.

Yes, you read that right. Dr. Maria New and her team are offering pregnant women injections of the steroid in hopes of preventing female fetuses from growing up to be lesbians, disinterested in “childcare/housewife roles”– or just generally uppity. They’re focusing on fetuses that may have CAH– congenital adrenal hyperplasia– which results in excess male hormones in the womb, but does not affect internal sex organs.

Studies have apparently shown that women with CAH have higher rates of homosexuality and lower rates of a desire for motherhood. As Dr. New’s research partner writes:

“CAH women as a group have a lower interest… in getting married and performing the traditional child-care/housewife role. As children, they show an unusually low interest in engaging in maternal play with baby dolls, and their interest in caring for infants, the frequency of daydreams or fantasies of pregnancy and motherhood.”

And this, the doctors believe, is an illness that must be treated– an imbalance that must be rectified. CAH isn’t some life-threatening problem, nor does it have any noticeable health effects. But for Dr. New, disinterest in performing the housewife role may as well be a disease. Dexamethasone is a potentially dangerous treatment thats experimental use has been denounced by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society, the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology, the European Society of Endocrinology, the Society of Pediatric Urology, the Androgen Excess and PCOS Society, and the CARES Foundation. But that doesn’t concern these doctors. They have categorized interest in “men’s careers and games” as abnormal, a desire that has to be fixed.

“[We must try to] restore this baby to the normal female appearance which would be compatible…with her eventually becoming somebody’s wife, and having normal sexual development, and becoming a mother. And she has all the machinery for motherhood, and therefore nothing should stop that, if we can repair her psychologically to continue to grow and develop as a girl.”

I always figured my childhood disinclination for Barbie, my lack of ‘fantasies of pregnancy,’ my skepticism of the institution of marriage & my desire for a career were byproducts of second wave feminist progress, solid education, quality parenting and independent, critical thinking. But hey, maybe I just needed some experimental steroids to fix my faulty female brain.

It’s been 24 years since homosexuality was removed entirely from the DSM. Yet this scientific crusade wants to believe that never happened, that homosexuality is a disorder to be fixed in the womb. The good news is that many have criticized their work on grounds of being ethically and even physically harmful. Columnist Dan Savage picked up the story and castigated Dr. New’s research– highlighting the accomplishments of ‘untraditional’ women:

…The existence of adult women who are not interested in “becoming someone’s wife” and “making babies” constitutes a medical emergency that requires us to treat women who are currently pregnant with a dangerous experimental hormone. Otherwise their daughters might grow up to, um, be nominated to sit on the Supreme Court, serve as cabinet secretaries, take 18 Grand Slam singles titles, win Grammies, and take their girlfriends to prom.

Even if this sort of research is met with widespread criticism, it still has scary implications for classifying homosexuality as a disorder, as something to be avoided. Or for women who break out of the feminine mold, who seek to devote their energy not to birthing babies but to challenging gender norms by rising to the top of traditional male industries. Perhaps the salient, lamentable irony in this whole story is that Dr. Maria New herself is a female trailblazer– studying medicine at Cornell and UPenn in the 1950s, when there were only three other women at the time. As noted in her oral history transcript, she was driven, smart, and successful– but also came to believe that her main calling was to be a mother. So perhaps ‘male careers’ are acceptable for a woman– provided you have enough female interests to qualify you as the right kind of woman.

Regardless of Dr. New’s team’s genuine interest in treating a hormone ‘imbalance,’ their advocated angle & word choice is unacceptable. They’d rather inject pregnant women with steroids that have a host of unexplored, detrimental side effects than let babies grow into adults who might be gay, might be childless, and might just be successful.

Tagged with: Feminism, GLBT, Health, LGBTQ, Pregnancy, Stereotyping

Judith Butler Protests Homonationalism by Lyndsey, at Feminists For Choice 6:00 am / 29 June 2010

Feminist theory icon, Judith Butler caused a scene a Berlin Pride in Germany last week by refusing to accept their “Courage” award and calling the organizers out for being associated with Homonationalist movements/sympathizers. You can watch the speech here (she’s speaking in German, so you’ve got to read the subtitles). When a friend posted this link on facebook I had to read it for two reasons, the same reasons I share it with you…

1. I very rarely hear of Judith Butler (author of “Gender Trouble” and other fantastic, difficult to read tomes on gender, sexuality, etc…she also writes science fiction) doing something so clearly activist. Generally when I’ve hear of her outside the confines of Berkley, she’s giving talks or hosting academic panels.

2. Homonationalism? This was the first time I’ve ever encountered this word and theory. From watching the video and doing a little bit of internet research I have this very basic understanding of homonationalism. Butler, and SUSPECT (the organization that sponsors the blog) make clear that homonationalism is basically what it sounds like…GLTBQ organizations and individuals who perpetuate any ideas of white superiority specifically within the gay community. Nationalism with rainbows…it seems that Butler is emphasizing the way that LGBTQ persons and communities of color are purposefully excluded and marginalized.

While the idea of white gay communities perpetuating racism and exclusion isn’t a new one (this has long been a critique of LGBTQ and feminist movements), I have not heard this label applied. Simplified, the primary point that Butler comes back to is this; queer fights against oppression cannot be separated from the battles against racism, anti-immigrant sentiments, or other forms of oppression. I’m always excited when I encounter new ways of exploring the places our lives intersect. I am looking forward to reading this, and learning more…and more than anything, I’d love to hear your thoughts

Tagged with: Feminist Theory, Homonationalism, Judith Butler, LGBTQ, LGBTQ rights, Oppression, Pride, Racism, Sexism

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Posts tagged LGBTQ

Suggested Sunday reading (8/29/10) by RosieRed23, at Spare Candy 9:41 am / 29 August 2010

Target Under Fire for Anti-Gay Donations by Emily, at Feminist Looking Glass 8:03 am / 17 August 2010

Suggested Sunday reading (8/8/10) by RosieRed23, at Spare Candy 11:40 am / 08 August 2010

Suggested Sunday reading (7/25/10) by RosieRed23, at Spare Candy 9:04 am / 25 July 2010

Guest post: "Two moms are better than none" by RosieRed23, at Spare Candy 4:00 am / 22 July 2010

Suggested Sunday reading (7/18/10) by RosieRed23, at Spare Candy 9:19 am / 18 July 2010

Suggested Sunday reading (7/4/10) by RosieRed23, at Spare Candy 9:42 am / 04 July 2010

Doctor Tries to Vaccinate Against Lesbianism & Interest in Male Careers by Emily, at Feminist Looking Glass 12:04 pm / 30 June 2010

Judith Butler Protests Homonationalism by Lyndsey, at Feminists For Choice 6:00 am / 29 June 2010

Suggested Sunday reading (6/27/10) by RosieRed23, at Spare Candy 10:01 am / 27 June 2010

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