What is it like to be gay in Aggieland? Much of how that question is answered depends on your perspective. After interviewing several undergraduate and graduate students that either identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, I found that there where shared experiences but different opinions on being a member of the GLBT community at Texas A&M. I interviewed several people from across the spectrum of the GLBT community.
Texas A&M University is known as being one of the most conservative universities in the country, and it is also known as one of the least tolerant universities of alternative lifestyles. In the Princeton Review's most recent college rankings Texas A&M ranked as the campus with the most conservative students and the fifteen least accepting of alternative lifestyles. Although, over the last three decades Texas A&M has made strides in becoming a campus more accepting of alternative lifestyles. Some of the most important improvements have been made in the resources available to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) students.
I sat down with one of the most active members of the Texas A&M GLBT community and discussed his experiences. Lowell Kane has been the program coordinator of the GLBT Resource Center since it opened in September of 2007 and is one of the advisors for the student organization GLBT Aggies (GLBTA). One of the most knowledgeable people not just about the current GLBT community, but also the history of the GLBT community at Texas A&M, he provided me with a wealth of knowledge and perspective about being gay in Aggieland. Kane came to Texas A&M for graduate school in 2005, and described his experience as a member of the GLBT community in Aggieland as "a mixed bag."
Could House Resolution (HR) 1283 end the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy that has discriminated against gays by not allowing them to serve openly in the military? Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA) believes that it should and that it will. HR 1283, which is entitled the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2009, would replace "the current policy concerning homosexuality in the Armed Forces, referred to as `Don't Ask, Don't Tell', with a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of sexual orientation." If passed HR 1283 would repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (Section 654 of title 10, United States Code), however, it would not "require the furnishing of dependent benefits."
Congressman Murphy announced Wednesday that he is taking over the lead sponsorship of the bill, which was filed in March by Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher (D-CA). At the press conference, Murphy announced the launch of a nationwide tour "Voices of Honor," sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign and Servicemembers United
"My time in Iraq taught me that our military needs and deserves the best and the brightest who are willing to serve- and that means all Americans, regardless of their orientation. Discharging brave and talented service members from our armed forces is contrary to the values that our military fights for and that our nation holds dear."
After a showing of support from the community, through emails and phone calls, we have shown that the community determines "community standards." The Bryan-College Station Eagle has made the decision to publish the wedding announcement of Robles-Scroggs in the Sunday edition of the Eagle. The announcement will be on the "wedding announcements" page, and will probably be found on the right side and lower half of the page.
(Well, we're no Eagle, but until that paper decides to serve its whole community, TK congratulates the loving couple. Long may they cherish each other. - promoted by boadicea)
Robles-Scroggs
Paul Robles and John Scroggs of College Station, Texas, were married on Tuesday, August 26, 2008, in a small ceremony in the city courthouse located in San Francisco, California. The ceremony was officiated by Dr. James Rosenheim of Bryan, Texas, and witnessed by Ms. Ginny Lowe of Loveland, Colorado. Both Mr. Robles and Mr. Scroggs have lived in the Bryan/College Station area for nearly 20 years, both having attended and currently work for Texas A&M University. Mr. Robles is the son of Dolores Robles and the late Frank Robles of Victoria, Texas. Mr. Scroggs is the son of John W. Scroggs and Eulia Rae Scroggs of Corpus Christi, Texas.
The absolute truth is that the United States military is the only employer in the United States that is allowed to openly discriminate based on sexual orientation. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is a policy that needs to be changed, and the time for change is now.
I was raised by wonderfully tolerant parents who did a great job educating their childeren in that same tolerance (if I do say so myself). After years of working in the theater, and just being an observant member of the general public, I have quite a few friends in the GLBT community, and I'm a proud member of the Stonewall Democrats of Austin as an ally.
So, when I got an email from one of my friends in the community, I had to answer the call to help her out.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is polling the public about the recent CA Supreme Court ruling that allows marriage equality. If you have the time or inclination, please call the number and register your support.
I've done it. It's legit. It takes less than a minute if you're quick with the menu options.
To tell Gov. Schwarzenegger that you support of the Supreme Court's decision on LGBT marriage:
Call 1-916-445-2841; press 1 [for English], [note: or otherwise indicate your language preference]
5 [for HOT issues],
1 [for Supreme Court Marriage decision,
1 [for "yes" to support (or 2 for "no")]
After you've done this, send it on to all supporters you know.
Seven Straight Nights is a series of events sponsored by Atticus Circle and Soulforce. It will consist of a coordinated campaign of overnight vigils led by straight allies of the GLBT community. It will sweep across capital cities (though, it looks like we in Texas have 2 events!) throughout the nation during the week of October 7 - 13, 2007, gaining momentum in the national media as more states participate in the event.
Civil Rights Movements each have their moments in History and the GLBT Rights Movement has many. Everyone has heard or can look up the information about the Stonewall Riots but I want to share my personal journey and the moments that stand out in my mind and heart.
Sponsored by the HRC and LOGO, the democratic contenders for president (do you think the GOP would show??) are having a debate or question/answer about LGBT issues.
The historic two-hour forum, moderated by Margaret Carlson, will be televised live on the Logo network and the Logo website on Thursday, Aug. 9, starting at 6 p.m. Pacific time and 9 p.m. Eastern.
MTV Logo and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation are about to make history.
On August 9, we'll be co-hosting the first ever televised presidential forum dedicated solely to questions about GLBT issues – and I'm thrilled to announce that I will join singer Melissa Etheridge and esteemed journalist Jonathan Capehart as panelists!
I'll be there representing you so I need your help.
I received this email and thought it needed to be shared.
Or be maimed, beaten, robbed for people to realize that Hate Crimes are real and something must be done? The sickening part is that the number of hate crimes reported by the FBI are way low as many victims are afraid to report the crimes, police departments file reports incorrectly , or states just fail to turn in the numbers to the FBI.
In a revealing and important CNN poll, for the first time ever a majority of Americans, 56%, do not believe that gays can change their sexual orientations even if they wanted to (and why the hell would y'all want to?). That's an amazing 20 point increase from 1998 when only 36% believed gays truly were, well, um, gay (as opposed to confused, experimenting or, oh I dunno, just rebeling).
20 POINTS in just 9 years - wow! That's an impressive increase. At a time when our President's bigotry promotes homophobia and unscientific ideas on homosexuality (and everything else), this number is another movement towards equality and acceptance.
And it's not simply a case of Americans giving up on trying to "save the queers" though I have no doubt that some did just that. The rest of the poll indicates there has been a signficant change in the public's opinions on homosexuality since the 70's when only 13% of Americans actually believes gays were born gay.
The simple fact that Americans are beginning to see that there is a hard-wired cause of homosexuality is progress. For one thing, if there is a biological basis for homosexuality and not bad parenting or an abusive childhood, then under religous doctrine God not Man created gays to be gay.
That will have IMHO a significant impact on the treatment and attitudes towards gays because someone who is seen as one of God's creations is viewed significantly better and humanely than someone who is thought of as the byproduct of Man's social failures.
This shift in attitudes moves us away from that dangerous idea - which at its most benevolent was misguided and paternalistic and which at its worst was hateful arrogance and bigotry - that gays were simply "acting out" and needed "tough love" or to be "fixed."
Gays were in fact just being themselves. And now that Americans are realizing that gays can't be changed, that there is no "fix," then they have to figure out something else to do with gays.
Oh my god. Are we going have to (gasp) learn how to live with gays!
Gay Pride has come a long way in the last 38+ years. One of the major starting points for the Gay Rights Movement was the Stonewall Riots in New York June 27th, 1969. This would be the first time Gays received national attention in the media. I was only 10 years old at the time and knew nothing about it and wouldn’t for several more years, but I knew I was different.
The Edwards campaign is having to deal with the Right Wing attacks and the lack of valid or decent coverage in the main stream media. Sen. Edwards is refusing to let smear campaign work and constantly speaks out when they attack so that they cannot get a foot hold or do the damage that the Swift Boaters did in 2004.
I am stunned beyond belief that Chris Matthews would give air time to Ann Coulter and help her spread her vileness across the national air waves. Ann Coutler's voice is not one that should be given airtime. Her message of hate and intolerance needs to be squashed.
America has never been perfect and most likely never will be. We have seen things happen in the last six that I never thought I would see happen in America. I have seen a President believe that lying to Americans was a noble thing. I have seen the Constitution abused and many Civil Liberties stripped away at the whim of a Political Party which seems to only care for the Rich, Religious or Bigoted. I have watched Legalized Discrimination written into many State Constitution and watched a President break his oath of Office by asking for the same discrimination to be written into the U. S. Constitution. I have watched the Religious Right and Ultra Conservatives try to change our America into a Theocracy and rule by their narrow interpretation of the Bible instead of by the Constitution and Laws of the land. They have taken everything our Founding Fathers worked hard to build and in six have almost completely destroyed it. This is not the America I want to live in or have my great-nice grow up to inherit.
