Hypoxia, or altitude sickness, reduces the amount of oxygen in the brain causing a variety of symptoms including mental confusion. Many in the LGBT community suffer from advocacy hypoxia, a condition that I define as one who has reached a certain level within the advocacy community that causes altitude sickness, creating mental confusion. Let me…
At first I thought it was a joke when I heard that District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis had endorsed the re-election campaign of County Clerk Ernest Dronenburg, whose one-man effort to halt marriage equality in San Diego made ugly headlines last year. True, Dumanis has a tendency to endorse the candidates the Republican Party wants her…
A public response to recent news of the imminent demise of Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps, by SeattleGayScene.com’s Creative Director Les Sterling. SEATTLE, Wash. — When I was a kid, I believed in the boogey man (not bogey man, as many will insist that he’s called – mine had a sinus condition.) I believed…
It is an interesting experience to be the subject of these slightly bizarre personal attacks by Nicole Murray Ramirez. Is it just me or did that last one seem particularly … frenzied? My essays addressed issues of policy and leadership. I hoped for some articulate rationale for a mayoral endorsement that works against LGBT community…
Chris Kluwe, the highly respected former punter for the Minnesota Vikings and outspoken supporter of LGBT rights, has penned a scathing editorial for Britain’s The Guardian. In the widely read piece, Kluwe goes to great lengths to underscore how the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has threatened to dethrone any athlete who speaks out against Russia’s anti-gay…
Since 2010, when New Jersey was chosen to host Super Bowl XLVIII, business leaders have been building the infrastructure for a successful event. Rooms have been booked. Travel plans have been made. Pipelines have been built to guarantee enough product. For T-shirts, that’s great. For liquor, it’s at least legal. For victims of human trafficking,…
If recent polling is to be believed, the last six weeks have seen two seismic shifts in the San Diego electorate. According to SurveyUSA/U-T SanDiego/KGTV polls, the city lurched 15 points to the right between 12/6/13 and 1/10/14, giving Kevin Faulconer a 16 point lead. Public Policy Polling (PPIC) data released this week says the…
The Chargers’ season may be over, but don’t expect them to leave the headlines. With Councilmembers David Alvarez and Kevin Faulconer meeting in six mayoral debates this month, you should at least find some Chargers news in the political pages. Here are my questions, and answers, for the candidates. Debate moderators, steal as you will….
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…
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…
