Tag: Queer

The Fight for Full LGBTQ Rights and Acceptance Continues

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Current Events, Social Issues

   2023 has arrived and despite the fact that we are well into the 21st century, it is all too tragically apparent that we LGBTQs still have a long way to go for full acceptance, especially when you consider everything that has been going on of late. Think about it. Conservatives around the country are pushing anti-LGBTQ policies and laws despite the fact these hurt a great number of the population. We’ve seen far too many assaults and murders of people just because they were queer. A large number of LGBTQ minors live in homes that are not queer affirming, and things can get so bad that some run away while there are others who get kicked out even when they have nowhere else to go. Many LGBTQ people (like transgender, genderfluid, nonbinary, genderqueer, bisexual+) find dating extremely difficult to near impossible because of lack of acceptance. For many, it’s so bad that they are facing the hard reality that they will probably never find someone special.
   So what can we do about it? I know it can feel insurmountable at times. But there are things we can do to try to improve LGBTQ lives and acceptance.
   One is to speak up and make our voices heard. I realize that many LGBTQ people are not comfortable being out, and that’s okay. A person should only come out if they want to and choose to. But for those who are out and are comfortable and safe speaking up, making our voices heard can make a difference. There are a variety of ways to do this. One example is using social media to speak up and to share important information. And please remember that it’s important to be as accurate as possible when doing this because spreading bad information is counterproductive as well as just plain wrong. Day to day interactions with non-LGBTQ friends and acquaintances also help so that they realize that we LGBTQs are decent human beings who deserve respect and human rights as well.
   Something else we can do is encourage greater and more accurate LGBTQ representation in movies, TV shows, books, video games and so on. Supporting examples that succeed in accomplishing this is one way. Another is to contact the creators themselves (such as authors, directors, etc) via social media, websites, and so on to tell them what we want. When doing this, it’s important to say thank you to those who provide good LGBTQ representation as well as challenging those who do not.
   Another thing we can do is to support businesses which are pro-LGBTQ, try to avoid those which are not, and speak up about what we are doing. And when a business is especially anti-LGBTQ, we can encourage as many people as possible to avoid that business and even boycott it.
   And vote! Get out and vote for elected officials who support and will promote LGBTQ rights. Remember that every vote counts, and that absolutely includes yours!
   In terms of LGBTQ rights and acceptance, we have come a quite a ways, especially when you consider what it was like 20 or 30 years ago. But we still have a long way to go, and if we make an effort, we can continue forward in our quest for full rights and acceptance. And that will make the world a better place for everyone.

I Like DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow. Yes, I Do!

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Interesting Tidbits, Uncategorized

7-17-22
   I really like the TV show DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.
   Yes, you heard me right.
   You’re probably wondering why. Is it a deep, thought-provoking show? No. Absolutely not. Is it addressing contemporary problems plaguing society today? Nope. So why do I enjoy it you might wonder. Well, let me tell you. It’s a fun, entertaining show that allows you to escape your troubles for a little while and also has surprisingly good queer representation. Yep, it does.
   I don’t want to give away plot lines because this show lasted for 7 seasons. The general premise is that a misfit group of gifted individuals with a variety of abilities and powers was organized by a time traveler who had stolen a time ship called the Waverider. Together, they try to fix aberrations in time with the help of Gideon, the Waverider’s powerful AI computer. The show is an entertaining mixture of action and comedy. It can be campy in places and doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s not trying to be deep. And frankly, this combination makes it quite fun, entertaining, and endearing. Another aspect which makes it really enjoyable is how they often screw up lol. They make mistakes. These are not perfect superheroes. Sometimes they are total screw-ups, yet somehow or another, they find a way to get the job done.
   Another thing that makes it a really good show is its strong, positive queer representation. There are multiple important regular characters in the show who are queer, and refreshingly, their being LGBTQ is not a big deal and is totally accepted by the rest of the crew. For example, Sara Lance and Constantine are openly bisexual+, and in the last couple of seasons, Sara Lance has been in a monogamous romantic relationship with another important female character in the show. As a matter of fact, in addition to their relationship being completely normal to the rest of the crew, it’s also been included into some of the show’s plot lines.
   So, is DC’s Legends of Tomorrow going to win Golden Globe Awards? No.
   But is it a fun, entertaining show that will allow you to escape your worries for a little while and also includes strong queer representation? Absolutely yes!
   You can catch DC’s Legends of Tomorrow on Amazon Prime and Netflix.

People Need To Educate Themselves And Open Their Minds

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Bi+/LGBTQ Issues, Social Issues

12-14-21
   Think about the fact that transgender women are four times more likely to be murdered than cisgender women. I mean really think about that. It’s heartbreaking, disgraceful, and a real sign that intolerance and prejudice are still far too common in today’s society.
   It begs the question: why?
   Why are so many people so intolerant towards others just because they are different from themselves.
   People often are uncomfortable with, fear, and sometimes even hate things that are different and that they don’t understand. While some strive to overcome this by opening their minds and educating themselves, others don’t and sometimes sink further into prejudice and hate.
   The current state of affairs needs to change. People should open their minds and educate themselves. They also need to stop automatically believing stereotypes that are frequently untrue. So I’m going to use this piece to try to educate people on some terms and ideas that many in today’s society don’t have a good grasp on. And I’m going to be clear about the fact that I am queer myself having a fluid sexuality (bisexual+) and a fluid gender (genderfluid).
   A transgender person is an individual who identifies as a different gender than the physical body the person was born with. For example: a transgender woman was born physically male but identifies as a woman. Transitioning is the process of trying to get her physical body to match how she identifies. A non-binary person is someone who doesn’t identify as either male or female. They don’t relate with the traditional male/female binary. A genderfluid individual is someone whose gender identity is fluid (a mixture of male, female, and in between); how much they feel one way as compared to others can fluctuate. Thus, the fluid aspect of the term. Genderqueer refers to individuals who don’t subscribe (either fully or in part) to the traditional gender binary. Bisexuality refers to the potential to be attracted to more than one gender (male, female, non-binary, etc) while pansexuality is attraction to someone regardless of that person’s gender (like gender doesn’t matter in a way).  Bisexual+ (bi+) is an umbrella term used to describe anyone who can be attracted to more than one gender (or regardless of gender), whatever term(s) they prefer (bisexual, pansexual, fluid, etc). Queer is essentially a catch-all word referring to anyone who is LGBTQ+. Clearly, there is overlap and interconnection with some of these terms, and many people will use more than one to describe themselves.
   People who are bi+, transgender, genderfluid, non-binary, genderqueer, and so on are living, breathing human beings who deserve open-mindedness, tolerance, decency, and respect. We are not disturbed or diseased. We are not a bunch of confused, cheating sex maniacs. We want to live happy, productive lives just like everyone else. We want to have friendship and love too. As to romance, most of us are monogamous individuals while others choose polyamorous or open relationship lifestyles.
   So please, take some time to educate yourselves and open your minds. Be respectful of others and don’t automatically be intolerant against someone just because they are different from you.

People Need To Open Their Minds About Transgender, Genderfluid, Genderqueer, Non-binary Individuals

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Bi+/LGBTQ Issues, Social Issues

   I’m going to be up front about the fact that I am queer with a fluid sexuality (bisexual+) and a fluid gender (genderfluid). As such, I unfortunately have first-hand experience about how so many cisgendered people often have a serious lack of understanding with regards to genderfluid, genderqueer, non-binary, and transgender (GfNT) individuals. This in turn leads to intolerance and prejudice.
   Maybe I should start with explaining who we are. A transgender person is an individual who identifies as a different gender than the physical body the person was born with. For example: a transgender woman was born physically male but identifies as a woman. Transitioning is the process of trying to get her physical body to match how she identifies. A non-binary person is someone who doesn’t identify as either male or female. They don’t relate with the traditional male/female binary. A genderfluid individual is someone whose gender identity is fluid. A mixture of male, female, and in between. How much they feel one way as compared to the others can fluctuate one minute to the next. Thus, the fluid aspect of the term. Genderqueer refers to individuals who don’t subscribe (either fully or in part) to the traditional gender binary. Clearly, there is overlap and interconnection with some of these terms, and many GfNT people will use more than one to describe themselves.
   Often, people fear, ridicule, and make fun of things that they don’t understand or are uncomfortable with. This is especially common among cisgendered individuals with regards to GfNT people. But when a person makes fun of and ridicules a community that is hurting and suffering, it worsens the pain and intolerance that community is already being forced to endure.  It reinforces and exacerbates the lack of understanding and prejudice that is so pervasive in this society.
   Consider this: many GfNT people are afraid to use public restrooms because of the risk of verbal and even physical abuse. Using public restrooms is something cisgendered people take for granted. Dating is another area that GfNT individuals such as myself often find brutally difficult because most cisgendered people won’t even consider dating us, even if they were interested before realizing our gender identity. The result of all this is that too many GfNT people feel very isolated and alone. Studies have shown that the transgender community suffers higher rates of depression and suicide than the cisgendered community. This is obviously connected to intolerance, prejudice, lack of understanding, isolation, and loneliness.
   For things to get better, people need to educate themselves and open their minds. Put themselves in other people’s shoes so to speak. Imagine being afraid of the simple act of using a public restroom. Think about how hard it would be going through life feeling isolated and alone because you are trying to be true to who you are. If more members of the cisgender community would do this, perhaps there would be fewer ridiculing and making hurtful jokes about the GfNT community.

The Actress Behind Elvira, Mistress Of The Dark Is Bisexual+

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Bi+/LGBTQ Issues, Social Issues

9-26-21
   Elvira, Mistress of the Dark is bisexual+!
   Well, Cassandra Peterson, the actress behind the character, is.
   Peterson is an actress, writer, and singer who stepped into the role of Elvira in the early 1980s. The character was created by a Los Angeles television station to act as hostess for late night horror movies, and this is the role Peterson has become famous for. As the years went by, the character Elvira became a cult icon showing up on television as well as in movies, comic books, novels, Halloween costumes, calendars, and more.
   Cassandra Peterson married musician Mark Pierson in 1981, they had one child together. She first met Teresa Wierson while working out at a gym. At first, she thought Wierson was a man and was a bit surprised when she realized that Wierson was a woman. Part of the shock of this discovery probably relates to the fact that Peterson was attracted to her, and apparently this was the first time she had found herself attracted to a woman like this. The two became good friends, and when Peterson’s marriage fell apart, the two took their relationship to the next level and became a romantic couple. They were in love and have been together ever since, 19 years.
   Now, you may be wondering why this is a big deal. The reason is because there are still too many people (both straight and gay) whose attitudes towards the bi+ community reveal serious lack of understanding which often goes along with intolerance and prejudice. As a result, most bi+ (bisexual, pansexual, fluid, etc) individuals are still in the closet, and of those who are out, a great number find dating extremely difficult to near impossible due to the fact that so many people choose to believe unfair, negative stereotypes that are untrue most of the time. The truth is that bi+ can be just as faithful and monogamous as anyone else and are not a bunch of confused, lying cheaters.
   This is why it’s such a big deal when a celebrity such as Cassandra Peterson comes out as bisexual+. It helps to humanize the bi+ community so that people who are straight and gay can relate a little bit more and perhaps open their minds with regards to people who are bi+. As more bi+ come out and speak of their experiences, hopefully with time there will be greater acceptance by others in society. And this would make the world a better place for everyone.
   So thank you Cassandra Peterson for having the courage to admit your fluid sexuality, and I hope you and Teresa Wierson have many more happy years together.
  

People Need To Educate Themselves About Bisexual+ Sexuality

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Bi+/LGBTQ Issues, Social Issues

  Let’s be clear here: I think most of the population still has a lot to learn about Bisexual+ sexuality. Evidence of this includes the fact that too many Bi+ individuals feel they have to live in the closet due to the lack of understanding, intolerance, and prejudice encountered from too many members of the Straight and Gay/Lesbian Communities.
   This has got to change. It’s way past time for everyone to open their minds and educate themselves about Bi+ sexuality!
   So let’s get started.
   What is Bi+ sexuality you may be wondering. Well, Bisexual+, or Bi+, is an umbrella term for anyone who can be attracted to more than one gender whatever terms or labels they prefer, for there isn’t one label everyone uses. Bisexual, Pansexual, Fluid, Omnisexual, Heteroflexible, Homoflexible, and Queer (a catch all for all LGBTQ people) are just some examples. There are different terms and different ways people look at the potential of being attracted to more than one gender.
   Now, like any community, there is a wide range of Bi+ folks from all walks of life with a plethora of feelings, ideas, and outlooks. Bi+ can be rich, poor, young, old, male, female, nonbinary, genderfluid, genderqueer, you name it. Most are looking for, or are in, monogamous relationships while there are others in ethically open or polyamorous relationships.
   Everyone needs to recognize that the vast majority of Bi+ people are decent human beings hoping to find someone special. Searching for love, romance, companionship, chemistry, and connection. Sound familiar?
   And sure, like all communities, there are a few jerks. But they are the exceptions, not the rule.
   One of the big problems facing Bi+ today is how so much of the Straight and Gay/Lesbian communities believe or go along with unfair, preconceived stereotypes that are not true the majority of the time. Bi+ are not a bunch of confused, lying cheaters, yet way too much of society goes along with such ridiculous notions. This is why so much of the Bi+ Community suffers in the closet, afraid of what will happen if their secret is discovered. And Bi+ individuals who are out frequently face intolerance and prejudice from members of the Straight and Gay/Lesbian Communities. As a result, Bi+ often finding dating brutally difficult since so many people categorically refuse to go out on even one date once they realize an individual is Bi+.
   Newsflash folks: if you like someone, you’re interested in them in many ways, there is great chemistry, you both want a monogamous relationship (for example), and so on, but you automatically refuse to go out with them (without giving them a chance) once you realize they can be attracted to more than one gender, that is a form of prejudice!
   This needs to change.
   People need to educate themselves and open their minds.
   They should not be intolerant, jumping to unfair conclusions, just because someone is Bi+.
   They need to remember that Bi+ are people too and deserve a chance.
   Remember: Love Is Love!

https://bi.org/en

https://biresource.org/

http://stillbisexual.com/