The "keep your head up" thread

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shaldna

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I wish I could bottle my 7 year old daughter and share her around. She has the most wonderfully refreshing and incredibly down to earth attitude towards LGBT issues (most issues in fact) and has asked several times what other people's problem is. I've been treated several times to her rants and speeches about 'when two people love each other does it matter?'

She's awesome, and a little bit of hope in what's sometimes a shitty world. A reminder that, in spite of occasional evidence to the contrary, we've done a pretty good job raising her.

The other night I was talking with a friend about the Walking Dead and fanfiction, when E piped up with 'Rick and Daryl would make a cute couple if only Rick would stop talking about his feelings all the time'

Friend: 'But they're both boys.'

E: 'So?'

Friend: (nodding) I think so too.

(I'm not sure whether letting a 7 year old watch something like the walking dead makes me the best, or the worst mother on the planet, but when she says something like that, I'm pretty proud of her)

As I mentioned in this thread : http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=289157

earlier today, when I clicked on the anti gay marriage ad she voiced 'what a load of shite' - which warranted a small chat about appropriate language.

Aside from my daughter, I once had an eldery female relative (in her early 80's) in the same room when a friend (a lesbian who works in a fetish club as a female acting as male drag queen - there's probably a correct term for that, but I'm sorry, I don't know) sent me some photos of her and her girlfriend in lingerie. Elderly relative, looking over my shoulder, didn't ask why I was looking at pics of other girls in their pants, or why they were kissing each other, instead she said, 'I like her pants, do you think they came from Marksys?'

I loved that line so much I ended up using it in a book a wrote the following year.

I know the most awesome people.
 

shaldna

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Question: is everyone here other than JSF part of the LGBT community, or are there some who are straight but not narrow?

I've no idea what I am. Never really thought too much about it to be honest. I guess if pushed on it i'd say straight, but honestly, the right person comes along and I'm not all that worried if they have a penis or not, you know?
 

Filigree

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I'm very much a friend to the community. I'm physically female, demisexual, and functionally straight because of a long term relationship with a cismale who is also extremely tolerant. So I cheer when I see kids and younger folks piping up with 'what difference does it make?' Because love is love.

Oh, and Twilight just got totally redeemed for me. :D
 

Kitty27

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I am a friend and supporter of the LGBT community. My kids are the same way. There is no homophobic phuckery round these parts.

I support marriage,love and happiness for everyone!
 

J.S.F.

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As an ex-Torontonian, I applaud Ms. Wynne's win. I don't know if it was a victory for gay rights or that the voters couldn't stand the PC candidate.

Whatever. I'll applaud her even more if she can somehow solve the debt that Ontario has run up...something like 280 billion?
 

BenPanced

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Does anybody remember The Tracey Ullman Show when the Fox Network first appeared? This is where The Simpsons came from. Anyway, she played an adorable 14-year-old girl named Francesca who lived with her gay father and his lover (she introduces them in one sketch as "this is my father and this is my William"). This was pretty incredibly earthshaking back in 1986 or so, and I found one of the sketches:

Francesca's First Job
 

Rhoda Nightingale

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(she introduces them in one sketch as "this is my father and this is my William")
Awww, that's adorable!

Definitely ground-breaking, especially for it's day. That's Tracey Ullman for ya.

So I just barely remembered this is Pride Month, but I have a couple links to share:

Gav Reads (with the help of many folks on Twitter, including myself) put this reading list together on GoodReads. It started smallish I think, but then Neil Gaiman RT'd it, and the contributions multiplied by a *lot*.

That made me smile.

Also, I dunno if it's okay to post this here (in case it's too self-promote-y or something), but I put a list of Top 5 Queer Musical Artists on my blog.
 

J.S.F.

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Damn, mah books ain't on that there list!

Ahm gonna have to work on it...

It's a good list, though, with some fine authors listed.
 
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LJD

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Rainbow graces Toronto sky to end World Pride
My bf and I saw this rainbow as we were coming back into the city last night, though it wasn't as impressive where we were as it is in these pictures, and debated whether this would make the news because of Pride :)
 

J.S.F.

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Yes, Ben, you're the only one.

'Grats...or something.

:D
 

Latina Bunny

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This is a very encouraging thread and I love this writing forum community. :)
It cheers me up very much.

Jorshington, I'm most likely an L or B of the lgbtaq spectrum, but I'm not in any relationship, nor would I "out" myself. I'm not part of any activism group/club/etc, and would have almost no support if I ever "came out". My family and family friend (and community) is very conservative. I will never forget what my said one day, driving back home: "Please don't tell me you're a lesbian. I would rather you be taking drugs than being a lesbian." :(

This is why I want to read more lesbian fiction.
 
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Jerboa

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... a female acting as male drag queen - there's probably a correct term for that, but I'm sorry, I don't know...

Drag king, as far as I'm aware. I looked into it a while ago but there's no real local groups to me.

Regarding the thread topic, did anybody see C4's winter Olympics advert? There was all the Russian anti-gay stuff going on, and C4 did this little beauty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6RID82Ru-k
 

SWest

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:D


In HIV news: Truvada has FDA approval in the U.S. for inclusion in cocktail treatments AND now for prophylaxis in high-risk individuals.

http://www.truvada.com/

OK, gang. *serious face* Sister is here to tell you that condoms, common sense and consideration are NOT OPTIONAL! Truvada can produce serious side effects and it does NOT replace safer sex practices.

But if you need additional protection, talk with your doctor.
 

KTC

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As someone being faced with some difficult situations lately, it was refreshing to read through this. Our kids were raised to be accepting of all people, no matter their race, creed, sex, colour, orientation. My daughter is currently raising her two sons in a gender neutral fashion. Her eldest, who is two, picked out a Snow White doll the other day...his favourite movie...now his favourite toy. My daughter didn't even get to the cash register before some bastard ostracized her for letting her boy get a doll. What the fuck, world! Fuck off.

I'm pleased to say that my daughter took my recent coming out in stride. It was a bigger deal for me than it was for her. Not everybody was as accepting as her...and to be honest, the process is not yet complete. As I write this, not everybody in my life has been informed. I'm sure they all know, though. It's funny...I still have the mindset of someone living in the tumultuous early eighties, where being gay wasn't as easy as it is now. God, that sounded horrible writing that...but truth. Ack.

It was great to read/view/experience some of the things in this thread. (-:
 

KTC

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The Google Chrome - It Gets Better ad always makes me smile (Plus, the music is super pretty)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAKtEI7PBho

I LOVE this ad. I wish it was around 30 years ago. (-: I know a lot of my beatings in high school were dress related--I was an extremely out there punk rocker (rainbow mohawk, kilts, combat boots, everything pierced, etc)--but quite a few of them were based on the belief most of my school and community had that I was gay. When you're in it, you do not for the life of you believe that it will get better. Not ever. It's funny that the tunnel can be so narrow. Thank god for time.
 

Pamplemousse

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So this is really not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things, but there's a kind of beauty pageant in Ireland called the Rose of Tralee Festival, and this year's winner came out as gay the day after she won. But what made me really happy was the response; it was in the papers, on the radio, on the internet, but I've yet to see a negative comment.
Ireland was so crazy conservative just a few generations ago and I think I sometimes underestimate people's progessiveness. It's just nice to see how far people can come in such a short space of time :)
 

Melanii

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Jorshington said:
Question: is everyone here other than JSF part of the LGBT community, or are there some who are straight but not narrow? As for myself, I'm still living at home and my parents are extremely conservative and coming out now wouldn't go well. So. .we'll see about that.

I've never thought of myself part of the LGBT community, despite believing that I could love or be attracted to anyone as long as I can enjoy what's inside. As of, right now, I'm with a guy I've been dating with for five years, and I have big love feelings for my female best friend who lives hours away.

My "preferences" are half-open, half-hidden. Like my boyfriend's parents don't know, and I don't care if they do or not despite them being all bash-y towards LGBT stuff. My immediate family knows (unless it slipped their mind, but they wouldn't mind anyway). XD Friends from home and down here know, and people online.

Why am I even mentioning who knows? Da bleep? :O

Actually I'm kind of not experienced in anything, but the attraction to general people are still there. >>

ANYWAY. If I see a positive message or think of something, I'll post it here!
 

BenPanced

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