Coming Out Day

October 11 is National Coming Out Day with the aim to raise awareness of the GLBT community among the general populace number one and number two an additional aim is to give a familiar face to the GLBT rights movement.

This year is also the twentieth anniversary of the 1987 Gay and Lesbian March on Washington when the AIDS Quilt was unfurled on the National Mall.

You can make your own You Tube coming out video to celebrate this special event. This link will take you to the HRC site with instructions to making your video: http://www.hrc.org/issues/7649.htm

I encourage community members to wear some identifying symbol to celebrate this day.

Island Dyke

National Coming Out Day 2007

Gaydar

Wikipedia describes gaydar as "the intuitive ability to determine whether another person is gay or not". They go on to describe gaydar as a sense or intuition. It can also rely on an individual's sense to mannerisms that are associated with being gay. (WIKI, 18th)

You can take the test to see how well your gaydar is. This was very difficult for me as with looking at pictures it is difficult to get a sense of who a person is. I really didn't do that well as I scored a 60%. Check it out and see how well you do.
http://www.okcupid.com/gaydar

Have fun.

Island Dyke

Reference:

WIKI 18th WWW GAYDAR Retrieved on September 18, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaydar

OK, Let Talk About Larry Craig

So, there I was this morning replying to a comment, a second reply, about why am I not posting something about Larry Craig. Later, as I was driving the island to work, I started asking myself why I was not interested in talking about Larry and his recent run-in with the law. Thinking about it some I came to the realization that it had pushed a button of mine. I am learning that when my buttons get pushed I either (a) get defensive or (b) turn the subject around back onto the other person. SHHH don't tell Lori, my S.O., that I am admitting to this! At any rate, I would like to apologize to blogger pictytaz and anonymous for turning my reply back. You make an excellent recommendation to talk about Larry Craig.

So, an hour later after thinking about writing this blog after my above realizations, I picked up the Saipan Tribune September 5, 2007 edition, and saw in bold print "A prayer for Larry Craig" written by former Governor of New Jersey, James E. McGreevey. If you have not read this article, please do. It is a short, heart felt, coming out story of Governor McGreevey. I applaud the Saipan Tribune for printing this article.

So back to that button of mine that was pushed, the one that I didn't come out until I was 27 y/o. I was raised in an ultra religious family environment and it was understood from day one that being "gay" was a sin, not natural, and not talked about period. I'm not a famous movie star or political figure that needs to hide in fear of hurting a career, at age 27 I finally found that honest person I could trust talking about who I am. I finally was set free and at that point it was one of the easiest things I've done, coming out of the closet. But I still think back about how come I didn't do it sooner? What prevented me? There were several times I ventured a bit, however, quickly retreated in fear.

So, let's talk about Larry Craig. Has he been an 'in the closet' gay man all this time? Well I found two web-sites written by Michael Rogers. The first site is named blogActive.com and has been touted by Yahoo News as "He's starting to make Capital Hill look like Brokeback Mountain". (Rogers, 2007) His second site named "Proud of Who we are" is his other site dedicated to holding government officials accountable for hiding their truth. (PROUDOFWHOWEARE, 5th) Check out those sites and let's talk.

Island Dyke

Reference:

Rogers, M (2007) Senator Larry Craig.....What's with the gay bashing? Retrieved on September 5, 2007, from

http://www.blogactive.com/2006/10/senator-larry-craig-whats-with-gay.html

PROUDOFWHOWEARE 5th WWW Retrieved on September 5, 2007, from

http://www.proudofwhoweare.org/

Not So Long Ago on a Close by Island.....

Two hundred nautical meters east of the Great Barrier Reef is the location of the Coral Sea Islands AND the Gay and Lesbian Kingdom. Yes you heard it right, there is an island, Cato Island, that has declared independence from Commonwealth of Australia and naming the island Gay Kingdom of the Coral Sea.

The Emperor is Dale Parker Anderson, the 19 x great grandson of King Edward II of England and Queen Isabella of France via their son King Edward III. On September 13, 2004 the Gay Kingdom declared its self an independent country. This came about as a self determination due to Australia's government deciding to amend the marriage act so as to prevent homosexual couple who were married overseas to have their marriages recognized. Under the "Unjust Enrichment" law, this states: "If something is unjustly taken, compensation must be made". (HISTORY, 3rd)

On June 14, 2004 the rainbow pride flag was formally raised and declared the territory as an independent gay and lesbian state. A historical plaque on the north east of the island reads:
"On the 14th day of June 2004, at this highest point in the Coral Sea, Emperor Dale Parker Anderson raised the gay rainbow flag and claimed the islands of the Coral Sea in his name as homeland for the gay and lesbian peoples of the world. God Save our King!" (HISTORY, 3rd)

Wow, what formal declarations, I love it!

Island Dyke

Reference:

HISTORY 3rd WWW Gay and Lesbian Kingdom Retrieved on September 3, 2007 from,
http://gayandlesbiankingdom.com/history.htm