By StevieB
How did I spend this amazing day? Well, it started as my phone blew up with the texts and phone calls. Friends wanting to share the amazing news of DOMA being ruled unconstitutional along with California’s Proposition 8 being tossed out on its head.
It made me feel like this--------------------------->
Reading the tweets, texts, and Facebook updates was the best part, my favorite was Moby, from The Moby Files blog, speaking of his boss letting him go early due to his excitement. It’s like Christmas, the 4th of July, and everyone’s birthday all rolled into one great day.
For me, today finally persuaded me to give in and acquiesce to a long held desire of the other half. It’s true. I gave in and finally hung his cow horns and caved-in converting one of the bathrooms into cowboy themed. Yee-Haw.
This post originally appeared on Steven Bennet's website Nice to See StevieB. Republished with permission.
Showing posts with label SCOTUS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SCOTUS. Show all posts
Thursday, July 4, 2013
MileHighGayGuys Discuss DOMA and Marriage Equality: StevieB
Labels: gay Denver, MileHighGayGuy, LGBT Denver
DOMA,
humor,
relationships,
SCOTUS,
StevieB
Monday, July 1, 2013
MileHighGayGuys Discuss DOMA and Marriage Equality: Sharon MaGoodies
"Not being one to want to immediately rush to the altar, I actually got a
little teary eyed when they announced that DOMA had been declared
unconstitutional.
I feel it's a step in the right direction and the perfect time to change careers and become a wedding planner."
I feel it's a step in the right direction and the perfect time to change careers and become a wedding planner."
Labels: gay Denver, MileHighGayGuy, LGBT Denver
DOMA,
SCOTUS,
Sharon MaGoodies
RuPaul's Drag Race Cast & Crew for Marriage Equality
You had to know that RuPaul and the cast and crew of Drag Race couldn't let an historic occasion like the DOMA decision go by without having something to say about it. Everybody say LOVE!
Friday, June 28, 2013
MileHighGayGuys Discuss DOMA and Marriage Equality: David Smith
"One of the more exciting things in our progress and march for equality has happened this week with the Supreme Court ruling DOMA unconstitutional and striking down the appeal for Prop 8. Of course with the excitement of marriage being more equal; people want to get married! The problem many people are facing is that they don’t have someone they can get married to.
One of the key things I have learned in my quest in exercise and fitness is how internal beauty is reflected on the outside. You will often hear the same old story, “I don’t judge people based on looks,” or “Beauty is on the inside.” While it is true that beauty is on the inside, that doesn’t mean that you necessarily have it. I have seen way too many people in the community who constantly seek a companion, like they can’t live without one. A relationship ends, and two days later, another one begins. A week later they are in love and a week after that the relationship ends. However, when I look at what these people do together and apart, it equates to nothing more than cuddling and going out to bars. To me, that’s just not enough, it’s boring and it lacks substance.
Quite the opposite can occur when one might be so fixated on looks and aesthetics that they spend all their time at the gym and eat a practically anorexic diet to have the perfect body, yet when you talk to them they have absolutely nothing to say. Again, no substance and the conversation ends up nowhere.
We are all human and we all judge. Despite what people might say, EVERYBODY will judge people based on their looks--some of it is positive, some of it is negative--and there’s nothing wrong with that. As they say, first impressions are most important, how you appear and how you initially speak. It helps us decide who we might be most compatible with and attracted to. If you don’t take care of yourself in a healthy way you will have a hard time attracting someone. How can you attract someone? By taking control of your physical and mental health, doing things you enjoy, training hard for your goals and having fun! People who exercise and enjoy what they’re doing tend to have higher self-esteem, confidence, and are overall happier people. This is easily seen in the way they walk, talk and carry on throughout their day. Attitudes are contagious! Those who are happy and confident tend to be surrounded by happy and confident people whereas those who are sad, depressed and expect pity parties tend to be surrounded similar people.
Your body is a reflection of your mind and soul. When you take care of yourself it shows in your posture, your facial expressions, the way you interact with people, and in the attitude you have throughout your day. In addition to how it can make the body look, consistent exercise can also increase strength and stamina, raise energy levels, elevate your mood, increase confidence, give you a better attitude, and most important, help foster a positive self-image. Those are all potential side effects of pursuing a healthy lifestyle and people tend to be surrounded by people like themselves, in this case, happy, healthy, good-looking people. Oftentimes those who look down and judge are merely exhibiting a reflection of themselves, not of the person they’re talking about. I personally don’t want to be around people who are negative like that. Negativity is irrelevant, in the end what does it matter? I mean, who cares? Someone who lives life where the sun doesn’t shine has no effect on my life, regardless of what their opinion of me is I will keep doing what I love.
In the end it’s all about personal responsibility. If you think “Oh, it’s because of him," chances are it’s really because of you yourself. Be willing to step back and look at yourself from a critical perspective and realize that everybody, including yourself, makes mistakes. You don't want to end up like Taylor Swift, writing bitter songs about your hundreds of exes. None of us are perfect. I don’t want to be perfect. Perfect is what the gym bunny with the super ripped abs is trying to be. In the end all the negativity is irrelevant. You are who you are and that’s all that matters, let your true self shine and do the things you want to do. Go out and have fun, work hard and let yourself enjoy all that the world has to offer. When you do that, all the “extra” stuff will just happen naturally and you’ll find yourself in the company of great people."
Labels: gay Denver, MileHighGayGuy, LGBT Denver
David Smith,
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relationships,
SCOTUS
MileHighGayGuys Discuss DOMA and Marriage Equality: John Hill
"Less than three days after a majority of Supreme Court
justices found a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act indefensible, I
find myself in Canada. Talk about perspective. Marriage equality is old
hat up here, whether you are in a metropolis like Vancouver or a small
town like Strathmore where I will be for the next three days.
Humans are an adaptive bunch: they may bitch and moan and
complain about their current circumstances, but they make it through.
That's how we got from swinging between trees to sitting in traffic. No
matter how some people complain about marriage equality, they will come
around. We as the LGBT community need to live our lives publicly and
proudly so those who want us unequal cannot continue to point to the
shadows and worry about what we might do with equality. Only then will
they realize that we are not the threat they think we are.
My partner of four years and I know that we will eventually
be married, but it remains to be seen where that will occur. As the
number of states that allow same-sex marriage increase, Colorado risks
becoming a dinosaur to the world. Now is the time for us to push for a
new Amendment to our Constitution that is inclusive instead of exclusive
when it comes to marriage. Momentum is on our side, and we should now
utilize that energy to create a climate where progressive-minded people
will look to Colorado as a desirable place to be instead of one to be
avoided. That is our challenge, but it is one that is achievable. We owe
future generations this effort so they will never be ostracized for who
they love and want to spend their lives with."
Labels: gay Denver, MileHighGayGuy, LGBT Denver
DOMA,
John Hill,
relationships,
SCOTUS
MileHighGayGuys Discuss DOMA and Marriage Equality: Philip Doyle
"As a lad I was told how
marriage worked. It was a romantic, Disneyesque, and daunting concept …
Somewhere, out there, in
this big beautiful world, there is one person, just one, who is my perfect
match.
Well, holy smack!” I thought, “My mate is probably somewhere in Mexico
or Indonesia or who knows where!?” Plus at that early age I knew I was gay, and since marriage was not legal for gays in the USA my husband most likely was hiding in some closet hundreds of miles away. Jose,
Gustavo, or whatever his name is, will never come “salir del armario” and he will never travel
to the States to wine and dine my Irish ass. Dayum!
Now things have changed. With
the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor for equal rights, my quest for “the one” may
be a little bit easier. And since I’m just a mouse-click away, I don’t have to
trek the seven continents to hunt him down. Maybe he’s on Facebook, or maybe he
reads MileHighGayGuy? Hmm…
What I do know is change is
coming. It’s blowing in the wind and it is pissing off the fundamentalist right. Just
like a bratty child being sent to time out, the Palins, Bachmens, Perrys, and guys
named Jeb, will NOT go quietly. I expect their vitriolic, (and kind
of embarrassing) rants will get even worse.
At this moment, the wolves,
or in this case the Fox’s, are prepping for a fight. We will hear their bigoted
reinterpretations of the bible. We will avoid Rush Limbaugh’s bilious voice, decrying
the fall of society, his fear-inducing pursed lips spewing icky acidic saliva,
peppering the foam ball of his microphone with infectious hate.
But here is what the gay
community has going for it: Ourselves.
We have Colorado State
Senator Pat Steadman, who champions equality for the LGBT community, women’s
rights, sex education, and HIV prevention.
Activists have given us a
voice when we were dying. Peter Staley, Larry Kramer, and countless others have
shown us how to ACT UP.
Harvey Milk was killed for
believing in us, and his nephew Stuart Milk continues to give us a voice.
In our ranks we have Dan
Choi, a West Point graduate, American infantry officer, and gay rights
activist, who put a face on the fight against Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
Let’s not forget 84-year old
Edie Windsor, the victorious plantiff in the Supreme
Court case against the Defense of Marriage Act.
There are communities of
bears, drag queens, daddies, twinks and twunks, cubs and pups. In every
neighborhood there are pitchers, catchers, and power bottoms (who know how to
take it). We have an army of butch lesbians and girly girls. There are members
of the transgender community who have demonstrated heroic fortitude that far
exceeds their non-trans counterparts. We even have some invisible people, numerous
unseen men and women who are on the down-low, or choose to remain in the
closet.
And finally, we have our
secret weapon- Thousands upon thousands of little monsters who are growing not
so little, and are eager to show their teeth.
So
to my LGBT brothers and sisters, I love all of ya'll but lets not
forget our history. Buckle up, dig in, and brace yourself. Our fight for
equal rights has just begun."
Labels: gay Denver, MileHighGayGuy, LGBT Denver
DOMA,
Marriage Equality,
Philip Doyle,
SCOTUS
MileHighGayGuys Discuss DOMA and Marriage Equality: Dan Hanley
"A divided US Supreme Court made public two decisions yesterday that will change our lives. Me and Mike's lives. And the lives of tens of thousands of other gay couples who are either already married or wish to be married.
Here in Colorado, there is a state constitutional amendment that defines government endorsed marriage as between a man and a woman. Recently civil unions became legal which offers Mike and I some state benefits.
We were married back in 2005. We did what many folks do: met, dated, fell in love, asked our pastor to marry us, he said yes, and then we joined 160 friends and family and got married.
We called our marriage ceremony "a loving act of civil disobedience" mainly because that amazing ceremony was not legal in any way.
We have held off getting a civil union. With the news from yesterday we are talking about getting legally married in California, probably not in July when we go for our summer vacation but maybe later in the year. We are still trying to figure out if getting married there will mean that we can still be federally recognized in Colorado.
So we would be legally married in the eyes of the feds and would still have to get a civil union for any Colorado recognition.
Meanwhile our lives continue. We’ll have dinner tonight, pool time tomorrow, helping a friend do some moving on Sunday. The normality of our non-legal marriage fits write alongside those who are legally married.
Our lives and our marriage go on. We are incredibly and lovingly grateful for all of our friends and family who have stood beside us and our cause. Sometimes we are blown away by the support.
In the days to come, there will be a lot of hate speech against the Supreme Court decision and against gay people in general. The vile hatred of religious extremists has already begun in full force. Please join us in continuing to speak out for marriage equality and against hate."
Here in Colorado, there is a state constitutional amendment that defines government endorsed marriage as between a man and a woman. Recently civil unions became legal which offers Mike and I some state benefits.
We were married back in 2005. We did what many folks do: met, dated, fell in love, asked our pastor to marry us, he said yes, and then we joined 160 friends and family and got married.
We called our marriage ceremony "a loving act of civil disobedience" mainly because that amazing ceremony was not legal in any way.
We have held off getting a civil union. With the news from yesterday we are talking about getting legally married in California, probably not in July when we go for our summer vacation but maybe later in the year. We are still trying to figure out if getting married there will mean that we can still be federally recognized in Colorado.
So we would be legally married in the eyes of the feds and would still have to get a civil union for any Colorado recognition.
Meanwhile our lives continue. We’ll have dinner tonight, pool time tomorrow, helping a friend do some moving on Sunday. The normality of our non-legal marriage fits write alongside those who are legally married.
Our lives and our marriage go on. We are incredibly and lovingly grateful for all of our friends and family who have stood beside us and our cause. Sometimes we are blown away by the support.
In the days to come, there will be a lot of hate speech against the Supreme Court decision and against gay people in general. The vile hatred of religious extremists has already begun in full force. Please join us in continuing to speak out for marriage equality and against hate."
Labels: gay Denver, MileHighGayGuy, LGBT Denver
Dan Hanley,
DOMA,
SCOTUS
MileHighGayGuys Discuss DOMA and Marriage Equality: Todd Craig
"On the night after the big Supreme Court rulings against
DOMA and refusing to hear Prop 8, while gays across our country celebrated, my
husband stewed angrily.
'For most of us, nothing changed,' he said, livid at the
celebrations going on around him on Facebook and otherwise.
There was no consoling him out of his mood.
And after some reflection on my part, it occurred to me he’s
right.
While gays and lesbians in same sex marriages celebrated wildly,
the rest of us were left to watch and wait and wish. Our turn will come someday.
Well, someday sucks.
No one, repeat no one, likes to watch someone else enjoy
something you want but can’t have.
Here in Colorado, it has never been more apparent that civil
unions aren’t civil; with no federal recognition, they’re separate and unequal
and decidedly lesser. The time for
marriage equality is now.
What the Supreme Court ruled muddied the waters for those of
us who live in states like ours. On the
surface nothing changed, and beneath the surface lay a murky mess of unanswered
questions and a bounty of legal loopholes and codified contradictions between
the state and federal levels of government.
The Denver Post reported that Colorado’s constitutional
amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman could be
challenged with a ballot initiative, provided we gather a little over 85,000
signatures statewide.
Let’s get cracking.
This is the time when our political lobby has to step up,
not back off. (One Colorado, I’m
looking in your direction.) We need to
have a ballot measure drafted. We need
to start collecting signatures now. The
polling shows us that we have the support. Our governor backs us. Our
legislature backs us. We have the
momentum.
We need to strike while the iron is hot.
And while that’s going on, we need someone to file a lawsuit
against the current amendment. The
Supremes did us a solid by laying the groundwork for how to attack codified
discrimination. It doesn’t stand the
test of fairness, so it deserves a vigorous challenge. Legal precedent has now been established.
As
individuals, we need to follow Minnesota’s lead. We need to talk with
our friends, our
families, and our neighbors about what marriage equality means. We need
to talk about fairness and compassion. We need to talk with everyone
and campaign
for everyone’s support. If it can work
in the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes, it can work in Colorful Colorado,
too.
Martin Luther King Jr. once said that injustice anywhere is
a threat to justice everywhere.
When we were kids, we brought cupcakes to school on our
birthday. We made sure to note how many
kids were in our class so that everyone could have one. Why? Because it was fair, and when you celebrate, you want to celebrate with
everyone.
The Supreme Court rulings were nice, I suppose. And we’re a little bit closer to free, I
suppose. But it’s no fun watching other
kids eating cupcakes when you don’t get one.
So rather than wait for someone to hand us a cupcake, let’s
grab some ingredients and get started.
We’ve got some work to do, Colorado.
The time is now. The
support is there. The momentum is
ours. The goal is worthy.
Labels: gay Denver, MileHighGayGuy, LGBT Denver
DOMA,
SCOTUS,
Todd Craig
MileHighGayGuys Discuss DOMA and Marriage Equality: Londell Jackson
"After all of the hubbub and fanfare leading up to the SCOTUS judgement about DOMA
as well as their decision regarding Proposition 8, I must admit that
this all somewhat feels anticlimactic. Don't get me wrong, I am happy
to hear our highest court identify the ways in which a 1990's
legislative action has hurt countless U.S. citizens for bigoted and
unnecessary reasons, and the same goes for Prop 8.
But,
what bothers me most is that their actions, while significant to the
LGBT movement for equality in the United States, were so narrow in focus
and will now lead to dozens of additional lawsuits and struggles to
overturn the many DOMAs or DOMA-like bills and
amendments which exist in various states across the nation. I know the
case which brought this decision to the Supreme Court was particular
focused on Section 3 of the national DOMA, but couldn't they have been a little more broad in their actions?
I
realize my thoughts can be interpreted as ingratitude, and I can assure
you that is not the case. I'm just a little bewildered about why more
didn't happen. But I suppose this insatiable attitude is a product of
my need for immediate gratification: I WANT MARRIAGE FOR ALL AND NOW!"
Labels: gay Denver, MileHighGayGuy, LGBT Denver
DOMA,
Londell Jackson,
SCOTUS
MileHighGayGuys Discuss DOMA and Marriage Equality: Simon O'Mahony
"Supreme Court strikes down DOMA
because “... it humiliates tens of thousands of children now being raised
by same-sex couples. The law in question makes it even more difficult
for children to understand the integrity and closeness of their own
family and its concord with other families in their community and their
lives.”
June 26 was a day that my heart was filled with joy and pride. That joy and
pride was not just for me, but for everyone in this country, my gay
brothers and sisters, my straight allies, for every child in this
country, and for every child born yesterday who will never live in a
world with DOMA. I bow my head to those heroes
who paved the way for us and had the courage to stand up for what they
knew was right. I am even more inspired to stand up for what is right
and encourage everyone to do the same.
I remembered Harvey Milk yesterday. “The
only thing they have to look forward to is hope. And you have to give
them hope. Hope for a better world, hope for a better tomorrow,
hope for a better place to come to if the pressures at home are too
great. Hope that all will be all right. Without hope, not only gays, but
the blacks, the seniors, the handicapped, the us'es, the us'es will
give up”
I remembered Matthew Shepard yesterday. "There
had been a news story about same-sex marriage and he was debating it
with me. He asked me if I thought gay couples would ever be allowed to
get married and he wasn't at all optimistic it would happen. He was in a
mindset of, 'People are never going to accept us or understand us.'" I
wish he'd been here to see it," she added. "This case warms my heart, to
think that his dream is still coming true." Judy Shepard
I think that President Obama summed it up perfectly "I
don’t believe in discrimination of any sort. So my basic view is that
regardless of race, regardless of religion, regardless of gender,
regardless of sexual orientation, when it comes to how the law treats
you, how the state treats you -- the benefits, the rights and the
responsibilities under the law -- people should be treated equally."
As
so many people have said, it is not a gay issue, it’s a Human Rights
issue. We still have a lot of work to do, but for now, lets take a
moment to celebrate."
Labels: gay Denver, MileHighGayGuy, LGBT Denver
DOMA,
MHGG Blogger,
SCOTUS,
Simon O'Mahony
MileHighGayGuys Discuss DOMA and Marriage Equality: Matt Kailey
"As we celebrate the SCOTUS ruling on DOMA
– and celebration is definitely in order – I think that it's important
to remember that trans people can still be fired in the majority of
states just for being trans, that gay and lesbian people can be fired in
the majority of states just for being gay or lesbian, that same-sex
couples cannot be legally married in all but a handful of states, and
that SCOTUS also took a giant leap back in time
with its ruling on the Voting Rights Act. We are so far from
across-the-board equality in this country that you can't even see it
from here."
Labels: gay Denver, MileHighGayGuy, LGBT Denver
DOMA,
Matt Kailey,
MHGG Blogger,
SCOTUS
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