BIn a time when LGBT families are debated and attacked in the media, courts and Congress, from school houses to state houses across the country, five young people who are children of LGBT parents give you a chance to walk in their shoes - to hear their own views on marriage, making change, and what it means to be a family. This film was produced by the COLAGE Youth Leadership and Action Program and directed by Jen Gilomen. http://www.colage.org/
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The great life of Nelson Mandela demands that, after our tears, we stand up, dry our eyes and work for justice throughout the world. We grieve for and salute one of the greatest leaders in history. Because of Nelson Mandela, South Africa became the first country in the world to include constitutional protection for same-gender-loving persons.
As the head of Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC), a denomination with many gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer members in 40 countries, including South Africa, I honor the liberator, Mandela. I want to lift up the voices of my colleagues who grieve the world's loss and celebrate the life of Nelson Mandela. Sharon Cox Ludwig, MCC staff in South Africa, says: President Mandela, a man of principle, believed in freedom for all people. Soon after taking office, he met with lesbian and gay groups at the Union Buildings. This was a significant moment, showing Madiba's commitment to equality for all people. President Mandela spoke of freedom often and did so from a place of deep knowing of the pain caused by exclusion, oppression and discrimination. He rests peacefully now. It is for ourselves and our beloved country that we mourn. Said the Rev. Darlene Garner, director of the MCC Office of Emerging Ministries, who once served our MCC movement in South Africa: Today, we stand in solidarity with all South Africans, united in hope by a life well-lived. Around the world, when we hear the powerful South African National Anthem, "Nkosi Skelel' iAfrica" ("God Bless Africa"), we all stand proud, knowing that freedom is possible. Nelson Mandela rose up after decades of imprisonment to free his people from the scourge of apartheid. The father and first president of a liberated South Africa chose life instead of bitterness. He was a towering statesman for Africa and the world as he modeled reconciliation, compassion and justice. Said the Rev. Pat Bumgardner, Executive Director of MCC's Global Justice Institute: Nelson Mandela was a political and spiritual hero to many people the world over. Mandela said, "To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." I pray today that his spirit, like that of so many of the great saints who have gone before us, will continue to inspire us to do whatever it takes to live life in a way that enhances the freedom of all people. In my own experience as a faith leader, I know the world grieves as one in a way we seldom experience. We grieve and feel our universal sadness across cultures, religions, nations, peoples and difference. It is one of the gifts of Nelson Mandela's legacy of compassion. So, in that compassion, I urge all of us to pray for his family, and for his brothers and sisters in the struggle for freedom, who mourn him; for South Africans, that they may be as united in his death as they were at that great moment nearly 20 years ago when he was first elected president; and that the world may treasure his memory and honor his legacy by following in his footsteps of justice, peace, and reconciliation. I cannot forget being in South Africa toward the end of apartheid, at a World Council of Churches meeting, where I met Bishop Desmond Tutu and so many young LGBT Christians and activists. Many were heroes of the movement to end the terrible atrocities of apartheid. I learned from one of those heroes that when Nelson Mandela was a young attorney and activist, he had a driver who was a gay man, who helped him understand the need to include all people in the new South Africa. I give thanks for a leader who, in the midst of his own enormous challenges, was willing to have his heart and mind changed by a friend. The life testimonies of South Africans who sacrificed so much help inspire the members of MCC to keep on working for freedom. We are all eternally indebted to the example of Nelson Mandela. Q: I know a lot of gay guys like to hook up and only want one-night-stands. Since I’m not into that, it seems unlikely I’ll ever find a boyfriend. I even asked a gay friend of mine how he met his boyfriend. His response: “We hooked up.” I’m pretty old-fashioned when it comes to dating, and I don’t want to sacrifice my values, but now I’m wondering: Is hooking up the only way I’ll ever find a boyfriend?
There seems to be a general consensus among younger gay men that “hooking up” is a pre-requisite to finding a partner. Let’s get one thing straight: Sex is not the downpayment to a meaningful relationship. Yes, it can certainly enhance a meaningful relationship, but it shouldn’t be used as bait, nor should it be the foundation that holds it together. There’s a desperate need for love and acceptance in the gay world, and if some guy online or at the bar says you’re cute, it’s easy to think, “OMG, my prince has finally come!” Oh, he’ll come alright (hardy har), but he probably won’t stay. Honestly, I think all this misguided sex is where the slutty stereotype comes from. A bunch of confused kids thinking they have to sleep around first before finding a boyfriend. Then they become jaded, bitter assholes and start seducing other confused kids, thus starting the vicious cycle all over again. Before you accuse me of slut-shaming, let me just say there’s nothing wrong with having a sexual appetite, as long as YOU’RE in control of it and aware of the risks involved. Being horny is not the problem here. The problem is leading kids to believe that love is an aftereffect of sex. ‘Cause it’s not. Sex means different things to different people. For some it’s the ultimate act of trust. For others, it’s just something to do after the bar closes. Sometimes those wires get crossed and ultimately, someone’s feelings get hurt. But hey, life’s full of mistakes and disappointments – we just gotta learn from them. Sorry, getting off topic here. My point is this: There’s no reason to compromise your values for the sake of finding a boyfriend. Sticking to your “old-fashioned” style of dating is great for filtering out the guys who just want to get in your pants — just make sure your values don’t act as a force field between you and life. Use your best judgment. If you’re not ready to sleep with someone, don’t do it. Guys who understand this are usually the ones you’ll want to sleep with anyway. The people who make you feel bad for not wanting to sleep around aren’t worth your time (and definitely not your body). If you’re not having sex because you’re afraid of getting hurt, then you might be missing out on something very special. As the old saying goes: You’ll know when you’re ready, and don’t let anyone ever make you feel bad for who you are. 'We Are Empowered' Campaign Proves That Everyone Struggles With Bullying.. But Anyone Can Overcome It, Too (PHOTOS) The Huffington Post | By Megan Griffo Posted: 11/20/2013 5:37 pm EST
2464811105 Get Good News Newsletters: Subscribe Follow: Good News, Anti-Bullying, Anti-Bullying Campaign, Mackenzie Koffenberger, Mackenzie Koffenberger We Are Empowered, We Are Empowered, We Are Empowered Anti Bullying, Good News Mackenzie Koffenberger wants the world to know that bullying comes in all forms. Her new online campaign, "We Are Empowered," shows that "nerds and skinny kids" aren't the only ones targeted by bullies. The result is a powerful series of images, growing everyday, that touch on issues like race, sexual orientation, and body image. "The idea is to share your story with people who don't know you," Koffenberger, a 21-year-old senior at the University of Pittsburgh, told The Huffington Post in an interview. "But they know how you feel." Most importantly, her project illustrates that overcoming bullying is more than possible. Visit We Are Empowered's website to submit your own photo and help combat bullying. Also on HuffPost:
How to Survive Being Gay in a Small Town 22nd Jun, 12 Sam Luigi I go to school in a town that has no stop lights. Everything is centered around farming and camo and all the shit that goes along with living in the country. Everyone here hates gays. I’m so ready to come out, but I’m also terrified. I just feel stuck in a room with no doors. Like I’m going to be stuck here forever and have to live the life of a guy that I’m really not. I’m tired of acting like the straight guy who is “just focusing on life and school, and doesn’t want to be in a relationship”. That’s not me, I really do want to be in a relationship. I want to find someone to kiss and cuddle and do everything else with. – Hunter, 16 I have you beat by one stop light, Hunter. Actually, I take that back – it’s not even a stop light…just a flashing yellow light the mayor covers in tacky garland every year for Christmas. My graduating class was 30 kids. I come from the meth capital of the world (seriously). And when a Dollar General came to town, there was a collective crapping of pants. Growing up in a small town is tough when you’re gay…or if you have any ambition whatsoever. There’s a reason small towns have so many drug users and alcoholics – there’s nothing to do, plain and simple. That’s why small-town folk get so excited about hating queers. It’s like giving a kid some menial task so they’ll feel important. If anything, they should be thankful homosexuality exists since it evokes such passion in their otherwise passionless lives. I’ve learned to not hold a grudge against them. Most homophobes hate themselves more than we could ever hate them. But I guess that’s easy for me to say since I got the hell out of Farmville and found love in the big city. When you’re in the midst of all the camo and corn crops, it feels like a prison. Here are some important things to remember until you get out of that hell-hole you’re in right now:
My family is really religious and my mom is super super religious. She thinks that people who are gay, choose to be gay and she also thinks that you can change and not be gay. Chances are she would force you into counseling or reparative therapy, and you’re too vulnerable to put up with that right now. Just be with yourself for the time being and know that you can always count on me or my subscribers to listen. It’s never “stupid and pointless to email someone from YouTube” when something is bothering you. You’ll break free from those small-town shackles soon enough, and when you do, you’re going to find people out there waiting with open hearts and minds. Related posts:Being Gay in the Middle East: A LetterHELP! I'm in Love with My Straight Friend.Would You Take a Straight Pill?Comments4 comments Powered by Facebook Comments 12 comments Posted in Coming Out, Depression, Emotional Health and tagged as being gay in a small town, Coming out, coming out of the closet, depression, gay rednecks, homosexuality, Men who have sex with men, Queer « Previous Next » 12 comments on “How to Survive Being Gay in a Small Town”
Cynthiana is moving into the future, Let us stand together for tolerance and fairness With marriage equality ever gaining ground in 16 states its time for Cynthiana to open its eyes and see the word around them! You can not live in society and keep ignoring those you do not "believe" to be worthy of civil rights and freedoms, the state of Kentucky and the Constitution of the US provide us these laws, and protection under such laws.
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