When I attended an LGBT political training session in December, I expected to learn about financing, polling and voter identification. I did not expect to learn a new way to play Whac-A-Mole, but it was one of the more useful things I took home. For those not familiar with the arcade/midway game, Whac-A-Mole has the…
AB1266, The School Success and Opportunity Act, requires that any pupil “be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records.” The bill was signed into law Aug. 12, 2013 by…
One of our community’s most artistic treasures for many decades has been Gary Holt. His recent resignation as director of the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus has saddened many and resulted in numerous rumors. The popular Holt joined the Chorus as a singer in 1986, and just a year later he became its director and…
Midterms don’t have the cachet of presidential years, but 2014 looks to be an important election year, particularly for San Diego and the LGBT community. Mayor of San Diego. Both candidates have history on their side. Special elections typically bring out a more conservative electorate, which would help Councilmember Kevin Faulconer. Councilmember David Alvarez benefits…
I wish we in the LGBT community were better at speaking to Christian conservatives in language that they could relate and connect to. When the “tenants of Christian faith” card is played with regards to the lives of LGBT Americans, we in the community generally don’t respond to these charges in a way that religious…
Massive global interest in the passing and memorializing of Nelson Mandela last week illustrated again that people of color were humanity’s conscience during the 20th century. My question is will LGBT people be the conscience of the 21st century? If the systematic oppression, torture and denial of the basic human rights of a minority class…
Until 1976 I knew many homosexual men and women who were sent to state mental hospitals by a judge or the signature of one of their parents. Many received electric shock treatment and never came out of these hospitals the same person they were. It is in this environment, this hostile and hating society that…
Chris Kehoe’s election as our city’s first openly gay official was one of the most important moments in the history of our LGBT community. Since then LGBT San Diegans have been elected judges, district attorney, state assemblymembers and county supervisors, etc. To many of us, Kevin Beiser’s election to the school board was the second…
Politician of the Year: TIME magazine gives their “Person of the Year” Award to whoever dominates the headlines, good or bad. In that sense, one can make a strong argument for former Mayor Filner. However, his headlines were more about person than politics. Instead, the Politically Aware Politician of the Year is City Council President…
Last week was the 10th Annual Christmas Wreath Auction at the award winning restaurant/nightclub, Martinis above Fourth in Hillcrest. For ten years, the owners and outstanding staff have been putting on this holiday charity event which has resulted in more than $180,000 being raised for the Queen Eddie Conlon Youth Fund administrated by our GLBT…
