Tag Archives: Lesbian

Lesbian Pulp Web Series ‘The Chanticleer’ Debuts

If you think lesbian representation is bad now then consider what it was like in the 1950s and 60s where being gay was still an act punishable by law in many places across the world.

As a result of the criminalisation, all things gay got a bad rep and were seen as ‘dirty’ or ‘seedy’, right up their with gangs, drugs and murder.What its reputation did pave the way for, however, is lesbian pulp fiction. ‘Pulp’ fiction was called that as the books were printed on cheap pulp wood paper and as they were purposefully sensational and weren’t respect at all in literary circles, it also meant that they were able to duck the censors.

Much of the content of lesbian fiction wasn’t very good (the books were designed to fulfil straight male fantasies) and usually featured predatory lesbians, voyeurism and even witchcraft. But still, lesbian pulp fiction is an important checkpoint on the way to good representation. And now, as a bit of a throwback to the era and all of the lesbian tropes it introduced, new web series The Chanticleer has just made its debut.

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Set in 1955, The Chanticleer features a woman named Edie Chaucer as she comes back to New York to take over her (deceased) father’s bar. As you’re probably hoping, things get real queer real fast when Edie hires a young lesbian named Val who quickly causes controversy due to her dress sense. Y’see, Val dresses in both men and women’s clothing, much to the despair of other gay characters who like to keep it strictly butch or femme only.

Typical gender roles aside though, The Chanticleer packs in both a dramatic and romantic punch. There are plenty of queer women here for you to ship and you’ll be rooting for Edie, Val and co. as they fend off their territory from the likes of corrupt cops who are doing everything in their power to shut Edie’s queer hotspot down. Not that Edie will give up the bar without a fight, mind you.

There will be six episodes of The Chanticleer in total, with two already posted on KitschMix.TV. The next episode will premiere on April 1st, 2015.

 

A Young Women is Axed to Death For Being Gay

A woman has been axed to death in Swaziland for being gay.

Kaylo Glover, a young lesbian from Nhlangano, Swaziland, was at a bar with her friends on March 15th.

She was killed by an enraged man who did not want to be in the presence of lesbians.

He left the bar, fetched an axe from his car, returned and killed Kaylo.

Kaylo was rushed to hospital by her friends, and her killer followed, chasing her friends with an axe.

As Kaylo’s friend ran, she heard the guys shout “let’s finish off these dogs”.

Neither the nurses nor the doctors could reach Kaylo in time, she bled to death. She was just 26.

She was born and raised in Nhlangano, Glover was proudly out to both friends and family, and was popular in her community. She was also in seven-month relationship.

On the night that Kaylo went out to the night club in her town, she felt safe. Harassment did happen in Nhlangano, but Kaylo often just shrugged it off.

Speaking to Iranti-org, Glover’s mom said:

“I always walk with Kaylo, the guys always say horrible things and I tell her to ignore them. They killed her because she was a lesbian. She has never harmed anyone, or fought with anyone.’

Kaylo1

This is the second murder of an LGBTI person in Nhlangano this year alone. A month ago, a gay man known as Themba was also killed.

Also: South African Judge Makes a Stand, as Man Gets 30 Years For Murdering Lesbian in Hate Crime

Sane Mshengu, the director of Rock of Hope, said:

“We don’t know what to make of these murders, it is so disturbing and scary. Swaziland comprises mainly of traditional family structures, with extended families marked by a set of strong traditions and norms. Speaking about being lesbian, gay, or transgender is very difficult and is often suppressed.”

It seems Kaylo’s death has broken the silence around hate crimes in Swaziland. It is bringing attention to the poor human-rights situation in this country, where the monarch is so incredibly rich and its citizens are poor and where LGBTI persons live hidden, framed as “the other”. Under Swaziland law, female homosexuality is legal while male homosexuality can be punishable with the death penalty.

However, as Kaylo’s family gather to try and make sense of this unnecessary act of hate that took her away, they believe that her identity as a lesbian must be remembered.

UK Home Office Claims Asylum Seeker Can’t Be A Lesbian Because She Is A Mother

Aderonke Apata is an LBGBT rights activist, who moved to the UK from Nigeria in 2004. However, her application for asylum on the grounds of her sexuality was rejected last year, despite providing proof of former girlfriends in both the UK and Nigeria.

Ms Apata claims she is at risk of being deported to Nigeria, which an increasingly conservative Nigeria, as of January 2014 it is illegal to be gay; the punishment is imprisonment, and on a less official scale, the fear of vigilante attacks is high.

However, Andrew Bird, the lawyer for the Home Secretary Theresa May, yesterday told a court that the UK would be happy to deport Ms. Apata because, well, she doesn’t seem gay to him. Saying that although Ms Apata had “indulged in same-sex activity” she was “not part of the social group known as lesbians” because she had children.

“You can’t be a heterosexual one day and a lesbian the next day. Just as you can’t change your race.”

Andrew Bird

Um, sorry… did this guy miss the memo that there are plenty of lesbians who don’t realise they’re gay until later on in life, especially those who live in countries where it just isn’t accepted to ‘come out’. And also bisexual women who can find people of either sex attractive?

Ms Apata’s barrister Abid Mahmood attacked the claims as “highly offensive… stereotypical views of the past.”

“Some members of the public may have those views but it doesn’t mean a government department should be putting these views forward in evidence. There is evidence of the genuineness of her case, that she will be picked out as a lesbian if she is returned.”

Abid Mahmood

Deputy High Court judge John Bowers QC has delayed a decision for three weeks, saying he would like time to go over all the arguments.

For what it’s worth, Ms. Apata is in a relationship with a woman called Happiness Agboro; they’re engaged and were holding hands at the court yesterday.

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Speaking outside the court alongside her female partner, Ms Apata told the Independent:

“The Home Office has treated me badly from day one. Staying in Britain means staying safe, staying with my partner and continuing my campaigning.”

Aderonke Apata

In the UK, the government is allowed to grant people asylum on the basis of their sexuality, if it is one that could mean they’re persecuted or punished in their home country. However, the Home Office has a bad record with dealing with these sorts of cases. Until the EU banned the tests, LGBT asylum seekers have had to undergo quizzes to ‘prove’ their sexuality, like knowing stuff about 19th Century writer Oscar Wilde or answering ‘sexually intrusive’ questions about their sexuality like ‘what do you get from a homosexual relationship you can’t get from a heterosexual relationship’ and ‘Did you put your penis into X’s backside?’

 

Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual UK Servicemen And Women Are Now Willingly Out Themselves On Their Military Records

Hundreds of gay, lesbian and bisexual servicemen and women have willingly outed themselves on their military records in the UK.

Around 250 servicemen and 181 servicewomen ­said they are homosexual on files, while 86 men and 18 women were bisexual.

However, 829 men and 102 women chose to keep their sexuality secret – many because of fear of bullying, says a military source.

This first official audit came after the Ministry of Defence gave service personnel the option to reveal their sexual orientation in January.

An MoD spokesman said:

“The MoD proudly encourages diversity. Personnel are now encouraged to declare their orientation. Although this is not mandatory, collecting this data will give us a better understanding of the composition of our Armed Forces and help ­ensure policies fully support our personnel.”

Another military source applauded the news, but warned more must be done.

“The fact many troops feel ­confident enough to declare their ­sexuality on their personal documents is a major step forward in the right direction. But homophobic bullying still exists within the military and it is a problem, which isn’t going away. The armed forces need to ensure that they continue the good work because there is a lot more to be done. 

The Ministry of Defence should not be complacent because some troops feel confident enough to declare their sexuality.”

Stonewall, however estimates there could be at least 10,000 LGBT troops serving in the UK armed forces, but many fearing abuse and prejudice, which stops them from coming out.

Recently lesbian soldier, Lance Bombardier Kerry Fletcher, won £124,000 in 2009 for sexual harassment that led to her quitting the Royal Artillery. And one general recently ­revealed he is ­preparing to out himself in protest over homophobic ­comments made by a colleague.

“I never ­considered outing myself until ­another very senior officer said he believed that ­admission of­ ­homosexuality by a senior ­officer would be career suicide. I actually felt like saying, ‘Actually I’m gay and it has never prevented me from serving Queen and country’. “I was furious, but in the end I let the comment pass. Over the last few weeks, I started to ask myself whether the time had come for someone of my rank to speak out and say you can serve your country at the highest levels as a gay man or woman.”

 

Befriending Scheme For Older Lesbians Is Launched In The UK

The Labrys Trust is a registered charity run by older lesbians, and works to improve the wellbeing and quality of life of older lesbians living in the Calderdale and Bradford areas.

They have recently set-up a befriending scheme for isolated and lonely older lesbians living in Calderdale and Bradford in the UK.

“As older lesbians ourselves, we recognise that growing older may bring social isolation and this may be particularly felt by older lesbians in a heterosexual world. The Labrys Trust Befriending scheme enables lesbians and bisexual women to be open about their sexuality and talk to a befriender who is also lesbian. 

Any older lesbian, bisexual or any woman questioning their sexuality can be introduced to one of our befrienders who will then visit you for an hour or so each week, usually in your own home. This companionship could help to reduce feelings of isolation and enhance confidence and wellbeing.”

The Labrys Trust

The trust also provides support and services to address the needs of older lesbians.

“We have a confidential telephone line to answer questions and provide information, and host a social group that meets in Todmorden. 

We network with other lesbian organisations so that we can direct you to related services and we carry out research to enable us to influence change. You can find out more about the Trust and its work on our website, www.thelabrystrust.com.”

The Labrys Trust

If you would like to find out more please take a look at The Labrys Trust website.

Morgana Bailey Comes Out As A #Lesbian During Her Touching TEDtalk Speech

Morgana Bailey has been hiding her true self for 16 years. In a brave talk, she utters four words that might not seem like a big deal to some, but to her have been paralyzing.

“In London, 16 years ago, I realized something about myself that actually was somewhat unique, and that changed everything. Hiding is a progressive habit, and once you start hiding, it becomes harder and harder to step forward and speak out. In fact, even now, when I was talking to people about what this talk was about, I made up a cover story and I even hid the truth about my TED Talk. 

So it is fitting and scary that I have returned to this city 16 years later and I have chosen this stage to finally stop hiding. What have I been hiding for 16 years? I am a lesbian.”

Morgana Bailey

Why speak up? Because she’s realized that her silence has personal, professional and societal consequences. In front of an audience of her co-workers, she reflects on what it means to fear the judgement of others, and how it makes us judge ourselves.

“In February, the Kansas House of Representatives brought up a bill for vote that would have essentially allowed businesses to use religious freedom as a reason to deny gays services. 

A former co-worker and friend of mine has a father who serves in the Kansas House of Representatives. He voted in favor of the bill, in favour of a law that would allow businesses to not serve me. 

How does my friend feel about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning people? How does her father feel? 

I don’t know, because I was never honest with them about who I am. And that shakes me to the core. What if I had told her my story years ago? Could she have told her father my experience? Could I have ultimately helped change his vote? I will never know, and that made me realize I had done nothing to try to make a difference.”

Morgana Bailey

Morgana Bailey: The danger of hiding who you are

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Criticized For Letting Their Child ‘Explore’ Gender Identity

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have faced a lot of criticism after reports that they had decided to support their child’s decision to be called John. The media went into a frenzy over the story, and so did the anti-LGBT activist who attacked their parenting skills – going as far to say their “destructive ideas are ruining people’s lives”.

Since the story came to light, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt haven’t said too much more on the subject. In fact the couple never said that their child was having an identity crisis, but just wanted to be called John.

So what do we actually know. Well in a recent interview Brad Pitt said…

“She only wants to be called John. John or Peter, so it’s a ‘Peter Pan’ thing. So we’ve got to call her John. So you know, it’s just that kind of stuff that’s cute to parents, and it’s probably really obnoxious to other people.”

Brad Pitt

It seems labelling John Jolie-Pitt trans* at this point maybe unnecessary. Brad and Angelina have not made any kind of statements that would suggest that they treat John as their son, but only that they are allowing their child to be who she wants to be without pressure to be anyone else.

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“I don’t think it’s for the world to interpret anything. She likes to dress like a boy and wants her hair cut like a boy and she wanted to be called ‘John’ for a while. Some kids wear capes and want to be Superman and she wants to be like her brothers. It’s who she is. It’s been a surprise to us and it’s really interesting, but she’s so much more than that – she’s funny and sweet and pretty.”

Angelina Jolie

For this stand point we have to praise the family for their open-mindedness, and allowing their child the freedom of self.

So what is the big deal that their child wants to be called John? What we all need to remember though, is there something special about parents who accept their children for who they are without offering labels, judgment, or terms of any kind. And hopefully, as time goes on, we as a society will hear less about those oppressed by loved ones until they are pushed to the brink and more about those who are allowed to explore every aspect of themselves as they grow.

Stonewall Publishes Top 100 Gay-Friendly Employers of 2015

Stonewall has published its Top 100 Employers 2015, showcasing Britain’s best employers for lesbian, gay and bisexual staff.

The top 100 list is based on the results of Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2015, the eleventh published by the charity. The Index is based on a range of key indicators which include a confidential questionnaire of LGB staff, with over 9,700 participants.

This consistently revealed that employees from organisations ranked in Stonewall’s Top 100 exhibited higher levels of staff satisfaction and loyalty.

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust was named as 2015’s top gay-friendly employer; in second place is Tower Hamlets Homes and Lloyds Banking Group is third.

On the fifteenth anniversary of the repeal of the ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual people serving in the military all three of the armed forces appear on the list for the first time and MI5 takes seventh place.

Pride UK at American Express wins the award for Network Group of the Year. Alison Lowe, Touchstone’s Chief Executive is named Senior Champion of the Year. Tamoor Ali, Senior Commercial Analyst at BP is Role Model of the Year.

Ally of the Year is awarded to EDF Energy’s Chief Nuclear Officer Mark Gorry.

Accenture, Barclays, BP, Citi, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Herbert Smith Freehills, HSBC, IBM, RBS and the Royal Air Force are named as Top Global Employers, based on their support for their lesbian, gay and bisexual staff worldwide.

Ruth Hunt, Stonewall Chief Executive said:

“Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and every employer featured in the 2015 Top 100 have performed remarkably. Not only was this the most competitive year to date, we’re delighted to see that in just fifteen years our armed forces are making real progress in supporting and developing their lesbian, gay and bisexual staff.”

Ruth Hunt

Full results of the Stonewall Top Employers 2015: The Workplace Equality Index are available now on Stonewall’s website – www.stonewall.org.uk/WEI2015

Cucumber, Banana, and Tofu – 3 Interconnected LGBT Shows Across 3 Different Channels

Watch the trailer for Russell T Davies (creator of ‘Queer as Folk’) new three-fold LGBT themed series ‘Cucumber’, ‘Banana’ and ‘Tofu’.

Both shows are set in Manchester and will focus on interweaving characters from different generations. The series looks to explore “the passions and pitfalls of 21st century gay life”, telling gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender stories, as well as love beyond labels.

The shows were co-produced by Channel 4 and will air in the UK next week. There are also plans to air the show in US in early 2015 on Logo TV.

Cucumber and Banana are two original drama series. Cucumber follows 46-year-old Henry and his long-term boyfriend Lance in the aftermath of “the worst date night in history” and will air on Channel 4.

While ‘Banana’ follows the lives of ‘Cucumber’s younger characters in more detail, will be shown on E4 right after Cucumber airs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afASM_sXbl4#t=13

Tofu, meanwhile, is an online documentary series about sex and sexuality. This show will will be available online at 4OD.

This is Davies’s first work with Channel 4 since ‘Queer as Folk’ ended in 2000. He also worked on Doctor Who, and creating its spinoff shows Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Cucumber, Banana and Tofu begin in January 2015, starring Vincent Franklin, Cyril Nri, James Murray, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Rufus Hound and Freddie Fox.

 

‘I Am Who I Am, You Should Get Over It’ – A Trans* Youth’s Path to Self-Acceptance.

‘I’m from Driftwood’ is a collection of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer video stories from all over the world.

“I Am Who I Am, You Should Get Over It”

Alex Williams

Alex Williams, from Philadelphia, is a trans* teen on a path to self-acceptance.

However, despite having a mother who is unaccepting, Alex finds his source of strength from his girlfriend and a support system at school.

A Trans Youth’s Story of Self-Acceptance

 

This is Alex’s story…

I’m Alex Williams. I’m from Philadelphia.

Growing up, I was raised very, very, like, Christian, just strict, like, down-your-throat kind of Christian religion. Before you can even walk or talk, the number one thing I think that was like, preached to you was like, “Okay, homosexuality is wrong. This is wrong, this is wrong.” So from an early age I knew that like, “Okay, this is wrong, this is wrong.” But growing up, I started to find my way, and just like, have my own kind of identity.

Ninth grade, I come out as bisexual, just to put my foot out there a little bit. And then tenth grade hits, and I just realized, like, I’m not bisexual. Obviously, I like girls, so then I started to begin accepting myself. I believe it was January, like, 2nd, after New Year’s, my mom goes through my Facebook and my iPod, and she sees that I made a new Facebook and I was open on that Facebook. And then she just started going crazy, and she started to just give me the whole Bible and I was crying and she was crying and it was very emotional. She called my girlfriend, and was like, “Oh, y’all can’t be together. You have to break up. It’s done.” And I called my grandma, and was crying for my grandma to come over. I thought my grandma could save me, but it got worse, because my grandma started to come with the Bible and everything, so it was just really bad.

I wasn’t allowed to go out with my friends. I wasn’t allowed to have a phone. I had to come straight home. I wasn’t allowed to do anything. It was just basically, I’m being punished for who I am.

And March comes along, and this is a bad day. I don’t know, it was just a bad day. I get home, and me and my mom get into it about the situation. And my mom sends me away to Belmont. I love going there, because I felt like it was a break from everything, and I didn’t have to worry about anything, and it so happens that it was on Spring Break or something, so I didn’t have to worry about school. So it was a perfect opportunity just to worry about me, and just to focus on me and what’s going on. And I have better coping skills. And there, I did group. I did individual therapy. My parents and family visited, and there I felt like I was brave enough to stand up to them. So one visit, they came, and something happened, and they brought up the conversation of my girlfriend, and then I just was like, “You know what? It is what it is. I have a girlfriend. You should get over it. I am who I am.” And it was just a big fight, and I ended up storming out, and just running out and going into my room and closing my door. And I was happy, because they couldn’t go back there. Basically, I felt like I was protected. And then I was in there for I think almost two weeks, and I got out.

I live with my grandmom currently, and my grandmom isn’t as bad as my mom, but my grandmom is trying to be more understanding, and she’s trying to be not as controlling as my mom. And that’s a good thing. I can live in that environment. I feel like with my mom, I can’t live in that environment. I mean, recently, there have been situations, because recently I’ve come out as trans*, but my family doesn’t know that, but my school does and my friends do. It’s more like a support system, and my mom still has this controlling thing that she has. She tries to control every aspect of my life, even though I don’t live with her or anything. So it was still like a daily struggle.

I actually saw her today, and we had a big falling out today, because she said that my girlfriend is not allowed to come to my graduation. She was like, “I don’t want to see that. I don’t want to see that lifestyle.” I said, “Well, you might as well say you don’t want to see me, because she’s going to be there, and whether you’re there, that’s fine. But she’s going to be there.” She’s been there since day one. We’ve been going out for two years, and she’s my support system. She’s like my backbone, and anytime I have an argument with my mom or my grandmom, I know that the first call I’m going to make is to her. And we talk a lot and she supports me, and she helps me. Like, if I’m having a bad day, she’ll help me cope or anything. She’s my coping skill.

When I was in Belmont, we were in group, and we were talking about what do you live for, and what do you want your future to be. And then, in that group, I just realized that because of who I am right now, that doesn’t mean I have to cut my life short. And I realized that I just need to keep going, and no matter what, that I’m on this Earth for a reason. I’m this way for a reason. And I just wanted to live. I finally just wanted to live.

Source: www.imfromdriftwood.com/alex_williams/

Apparently Lesbians Make More Money Than Gay Men and Straight People

According a recent study entitled ‘Sexual orientation and labor market outcomes‘, published by IZA World – lesbians are 8 percent richer than straight people, whereas gay men are 5 percent poorer than their straight counterpart in terms of career status.

Lead researcher, Nick Drydakis, revealed that sexual orientation has a direct effect on one’s job satisfaction, communication with colleagues, and earning capacity as well.

The study had multiple insights, one of which indicated that it was imperative for the employees to accept their sexual orientation early on. In other words, gay men and lesbians who accepted their sexuality were more likely to experience high job satisfaction than those who hid in their own shells.

Apart from job satisfaction, even the longevity of the career satisfaction could be directly connected with the number of years the gays and lesbians have been open and honest about their sexual orientation.

It was also revealed that employers needed to be clear about their acceptance of gays and lesbians to achieve higher work morale in the office. In simpler terms, employers who were open about their opinions and acceptance of gays and lesbians managed to cultivate employees with exceptionally good work attitude.

However, this still doesn’t explain why lesbians were the ones who made better money than straight or gay men.

Drydakis explained that lesbians seem to have the tendency to realise that they are not going to marry and so expenses from traditional household is spared. Moreover, lesbians are very much capable of living independently and hence quite easily choose a career path based on their own, with no intervention from the opposite sex and his life goals.

Despite the positive outlook, the study also unearthed some disturbing facts about gays and lesbians at the workplace. The study indicated that only 20 percent of the countries surveyed seemed to openly adopt openness to sexual preference. In terms of sheer numbers, 2.7 billion people across the globe still suffer from discrimination. They are still considered to be criminals who are committing a crime by being a homosexual.

Drydakis suggested that the fight for being treated equally for lesbians and gays is certainly a long-drawn one. Only with sustained campaigns supported by governments as well as the companies will the gays and lesbians be able to work in an emotionally and financially healthy workplace.

Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie Announce Support as their 8 Year Old Self-identifies as Male

Congratulations to Jolie Pitt family, as they announce their support for their child’s decision to self-identify as male, and use the name John.

Last week there was plenty of attention given to John Jolie Pitt, when the family appeared on the red carpet for Jolie’s film ‘Unbroken’, wearing a tuxedo and with cropped hair.

John-Jolie-Pitt-02

The family has always shown full support for John’s right to explore their self-identification.

“She wants to be a boy.. So we had to cut her hair. She likes to wear boys’ everything. She thinks she’s one of the brothers.”

Angelina Jolie

The family have been praised for their handling of the situation, and have been held up as a good example of how to handle a child’s exploration of their gender identity.

Watch the Moment When Barbara Walters Asks Chelsea Handler if She’s Into Women

At the weekend Chelsea Handler appeared on Barbara Walters‘ Most Fascinating People of 2014. The interview was what some would say ‘awkward’.

During their interview Walters‘ asked some very personal questions – asking about Chelsea’s ‘promiscuity’, and then asking her to come out as into women.

Chelsea-Handler-&-Barbara-Walters

“I’m not a lesbian,” Chelsea said, but Barbara pushed further.  “I wish I was. I would help you. I would try to make this interview more exciting.”

Barbara delves into Chelsea’s life towards the end of the chat.


More ABC News Videos | ABC World News

Latest Batwoman Comic Features Controversial Female-on-Female Rape Scene

As noted across both Marvel and DC (the two heavy hitters in the comic book market), there’s a real lack of female representation. Not only do the women of their rosters fail to get as much of the spotlight as the men, they are small in numbers too.

Batwoman is one of few exceptions. A total badass and an out and proud lesbian, Batwoman (or Kate Kane as she’s known out of costume) was once kicked out of the United States army for being gay under DADT (Don’t Ask Don’t Tell) but has continued to seek justice for the people of Gotham by taking to the streets in mask, cape and all.

Batwoman has even had love interests too though after DC refused to let Kate and her girlfriend Maggie get married, W. Haden Blackman and J.H. Williams III left the creative team. We are now feeling the full effects of their departure as the latest Batwoman comic features a controversial rape scene.

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Not that any rape scene wouldn’t be controversial but this one is especially striking due to the nature in which it happens (and in the way in which the comic plays it off). In the comic, vampire supervillain Nocturna breaks into Kate’s house, uses her vampire powers to trick Kate into thinking that Noctura is Maggie and then proceeds to have sex with her.

The operative word there is ‘trick’ – Kate doesn’t consent to what happens (and even complains that she feels a little light-headed from drinking wine) and is being manipulated into taking part. That’s not a loving act between two right-minded people, it’s rape and there’s no getting around that.

Worse still, the comic presents this as something sensual rather than gross and disgusting. The reader is made to feel as though the rape is sexy and seductive and all of the other adjectives that should never be associated with terrible sexual acts.

And, on top of this, Nocturna and Kate actually start a relationship following this issue of the comic. This too is manipulative and abusive (Nocturna uses more vampire trickery to get Kate to agree with what she wants) and yet the creative team behind Batwoman is condoning it.

Prior to W. Haden Blackman and J.H. Williams III’s departure, many fans were worried that Batwoman would go downhill and evidently they were right to be concerned. It’s unclear if the comic can get off of this slippery path either. DC has a long and awful history with using rape as a plot device so if you’re expecting Batwoman and DC to make amends, I strongly advise comic fans not to hold their breath.

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Comedian Sabrina Jalees: “I Came Out and My Muslim Dad Stood By Me”

This video by with Comedian Sabrina Jalees and her father Sayed is a great example for struggling parents of LGBT children, no matter their background.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdMl5k2S1K0

“Before I realized I was gay, I was kind of homophobic. I mean, that’s disgusting! Two women—together? Ugh. Really, I guess, I was just afraid that that was me.”

Sabrina Jalees

Jalees grew up in a multi-ethnic home (her mother is from Switzerland, and her father is from Pakistan) in Toronto.

Comparing her ‘Coming Out’ to cliff diving, Jalees knew that tell her family about her sexuality would be hard, but she felt very strongly that she needed to tell her parents.

“I came out to my parents, because I wanted to keep my relationship with them.”

Sabrina Jalees

Right after she told her father, she remembers him, after a long stretch of shocked silence, saying, “Well… We didn’t raise you guys to be liars”, and from that moment on, Sabrina knew things were going to be reasonably all right.

While she was growing up, Sabrina’s family played host to her various aunts, uncles and cousins, moving to Canada and the US from Pakistan, and Sabrina became very close with her extended family.

Even though she knew it was difficult, she believed very strongly that to be true to both herself and her relationship with her family, she needed to tell them about her life and her recent marriage.

In an email to her aunts, uncles and cousins, she wrote:

I got married this past summer to an amazing woman named Shauna. Although some of you do know, I’ve found it hard to be open with all of you about this part of myself. I really avoided “coming out” for a long time because I love all of you and didn’t want anyone to see me in a different light or judge me. I do not want to keep hiding this from you because I feel that if I continue “not mentioning” this part of my life I’ll completely drift away from you guys.

There were no responses. Sabrina quickly realized that none of her extended family members were planning to write back to her. Many de-friended her on Facebook. Eventually, she heard from one of them that the official family line was, “our support for Sabrina ends here.”

“I thought there would be more of a conversation around it. I never expected them to just shut off and throw me out.”

Sabrina Jalees

Her parents embraced her life, and made sure the rest of the family knew it.

 

LGF Launch a Guide for Lesbian & Bi-Women Who Have Been Affected by Sexual Violence.

The Lesbian and Gay Foundation’s new guide for lesbian and bisexual women who have been affected by sexual violence, is the first of its kind to be launched in the UK, as it focuses solely on lesbian and bisexual women.

The guide was launched to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and aims to provide survivors of rape or sexual violence with information, support and help. To download the guide, click here.

Funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Greater Manchester, the guide will be the first of a series of three information booklets. There will also be a version of the guide aimed at gay and bisexual men, and one for trans people will be released in December.

 

Awww, DC Comics’ Batwoman Proposes to Her Girlfriend

Kate Kane, also known as Batwoman, proposed to her girlfriend, Maggie Sawyer, in the latest instalment of the comic strip, amidst controversy surrounding the publisher’s decision to hire a writer with anti-gay views to write for another title.

Batwoman was reintroduced as a lesbian by DC Comics in 2006, which was a move to try to reflect modern society more accurate than previous comics.

After emerging victorious from a recent crusade, Kane reveals her identity to Sawyer. “Marry me, Mags,” she says, planting a kiss on Sawyer before the police captain can react.

Batwoman-Proposes-01

Recently, the comics artist, J. H. Williams expressed just why this character’s story means so much to him and comic book readers alike.

“Batwoman is an important character, and a socially important one that has meaning that extends well beyond the printed pages of the world she lives in, reaching out into ours possibly affecting those who encounter her story”

J. H. Williams

Batwoman’s proposal, the first lesbian engagement to be included in a mainstream comic, comes on the heels of DC Comics being heavily criticised (with some fans calling for a boycott of the company, and of the comic), due to their decision to hire anti-gay writer, Orson Scott Card (author of Enders Game). Card is scheduled to write the first two instalments of its new digital-first comic, Adventures of Superman.

DC Comics had responded to the criticism, defending “freedom of expression”, stating that Mr Card would not be a regular writer for the comic, just two episodes. An AllOut petition calling for DC to dump Scott Card had received almost 16,000 signatures.

This latest development with Batwoman’s character has seen some critics accuse DC of not making a bigger deal of the proposal, because of the controversy surrounding Card, others commended the publisher, praising it for what was seen as an attempt to normalise the same-sex proposal. Others have questioned whether Orson Scott Card will complete the work for DC, given his opposition to equal marriage.

Last year, after it was revealed that a major character of DC Comics would come out as gay, lesbian or bisexual, one of the company’s oldest characters, Green Lantern, was reintroduced as a gay man.

Marvel‘s Northstar, the first openly gay hero, tied the knot with his boyfriend Kyle Jinadu in an issue of ‘Astonishing X-Men’, last year, and recently the creators of Judge Dredd suggested that he could be gay.

Batwoman-ProposesBatwoman-Proposes-03

 

A Touching, Inspiring and Funny TedxTalk by Lesbian Comedian Sabrina Jalees

Throughout history, comedians have used humor to shed light on subjects that are typically considered to be uncomfortable or taboo.

In this recently posted TEDxTalk, comedian Sabrina Jalees approaches the topics of racism and sexuality, as she tells a coming-of-age story.

After working up the courage to tell her Muslim family that she was a lesbian, Sabrina learned that being true to herself and taking pride in her individuality would not only enhance her material, as a comedian, but that ultimately it would lead to a happier life.

Jalees is a Canadian comedian, actor, keynote speaker, writer and host of ‘My Sexy Podcast”. Now based in Brooklyn, she started her comedy career early at the age of just sixteen, when she took the stage and performed on open mic night at the Yuk Yuk Comedy Club in Toronto.

This talk is positive, insightful, and funny. Hell, the opening lining is…

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“Legally I do have to tell you, by the end of this talk, you’ll all be lesbians.”

Sabrina Jalees

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L is for Lesbian – Watch Mini’s Coming Out Story

The National Institute for Challenging Homophobia Education (NICHE) has launched a fantastic campaign in Australia. ‘YourStory’ is an animated vignette telling stories from LGBTI people from regional, rural and remote Australia.

For these animation, Gay equality educator and advocate Daniel Witthaus collected the stories of LGBTI people around Australia. The stories collected were then brought to life by illustrator/cartoonist, Kenton Penley Miller, and award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Duffy (The Doctor’s Wife). Voice artist, Emma Gibbs and production assistant Christian Bürkle round out the small yet committed team who have brought these stories to life.

‘L’ is the first letter in LGBTI, and the first installment tells the story of ‘Mini’, a lesbian from rural Australia. See it below.The first video tells the story of ‘Mini’, a lesbian from rural Australia.

Their hope is that these stories will inspire more LGBTI people to share their stories online in either a visual, cartoon and/or animated way.

Rural Australia is filled with LGBTI individuals who stay, live and grow in their communities instead of heading to the “big smoke”.

The way that NICHE sees it, the more stories that the lives of LGBTI people outside of metropolitan centres the better, and we couldn’t agree more.

This week we will share the other videos – Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex which complete the LGBTI set.

 

Lesbian Indie Film ‘Heartland’ Has a Big Budget and Big Potential

Ah, ‘having an affair with your brother’s fiancée’, also known as the hidden step on the road to accepting the death of a loved one. At least, that’s what Lauren does in Heartland when she’s hit by the tragic and sudden loss of her girlfriend and decides to move back home to Oklahoma to make the pain feel a little less painful.

Her brother Justin and his aforementioned fiancée Carrie (who is described as “uptight” by the filmmakers) head to the Southern state to help launch a local winery, whilst Lauren, an artist extraordinaire, opts to help them put together the marketing.

The ‘sordid’ affair part of the film happens when Lauren “regains her sense of adventure” and Carrie realises that hey, maybe the heterosexual marriage tradition just isn’t for her. The filmmakers also explain that it becomes a “sexual affair that can’t remain secret for long” which doesn’t bode well for Heartland’s f/f pairing but it certainly sounds like a good watch.

http://vimeo.com/107310248

As it stands, the film is complete. High profile actors like Jeffrey Tambor (of Arrested Development and Transparent fame) and out actress Sarah Paulson (from American Horror Story) have all been vocal in their support but more than words, Heartland needs money for post-production.

The team behind it is using indiegogo to raise funds, with a goal set at $150,000. That seems a little lofty but they explain that they need the funds to market Heartland and get the movie out there. Unfortunately their budget is too small for traditional investors to chip in but it’s too big for the filmmakers (they’re a team of six at the moment) to cover themselves.

There are 17 days to go and a third of that figure has been raised so Heartland stands a good chance of reaching its goal. The indiegogo page also explains that the funding is tax deductible, which basically means that if you pay taxes you’ll get it back when you file them.

Click here to find out more about the film.

Lena Dunham Won’t Get Married Until Her Lesbian Sister Can Do the Same

For many Americans in same-sex relationships, marriage equality is an incredibly important issue. Like so many other Americans in opposite sex relationships, they just want to get married, exchange rings and stuff themselves full of decadently layered cake to celebrate their matrimony.

Amongst the same-sex marriage supporters’ camp is Lena Dunham, who, despite having offended plenty of people on the topics of race and class, she actually has a solid viewpoint on the topic of marriage equality.

Speaking in a radio interview with Howard Stern, the creator of the TV show Girls explained that,

“We’re not against marriage, but I want to wait until it’s something — my sister’s gay and it just doesn’t feel good to me to do something she can’t do. She can do it in some places but not all places”

Dunham has been hit with several rumours that her and boyfriend Jack Antonoff (of the band fun.) are engaged after she was spotted wearing a diamond ring on her hand last year, but apparently, this is not the case. She explains that until all 50 states in the United States of America have marriage equality, it’s just not in her future.

The position is perhaps a good one – at least one that raises awareness (‘how would you feel if the law said you couldn’t get married to the person you love?’) – but many would argue that actively campaigning for marriage equality would be a more effective strategy.

Furthermore, actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt once stated that they wouldn’t get married until marriage equality was a reality everywhere either. Some years later in 2014 and the two have changed their mind, having gotten married over the summer. So whether Lena Dunham sticks to her statement or not is yet to be seen, but with the recent Supreme Court rulings 30 states in the USA now have marriage equality so she may not have to wait too long to keep her promise.

[tweet_dis]Watch Lena Dunham in Rock the Vote’s ‘Turn Out for What’ Video – its Fantastic #TURNOUTFORWHAT[/tweet_dis]

US High School Names Openly Gay Student Homecoming Queen

Last week, April Swartz-Larson learned she was nominated to be the first lesbian student in McKinney High School’s history to be Homecoming Queen. Then on Friday, April’s classmates proudly named her homecoming queen.

April said she was surprised when she heard students talking about nominating her, as the school had never had any another openly gay student be nominated for the homecoming court before.

“My heart was racing. That moment still doesn’t seem real to me… Before it started, I was totally not expecting it. But by the end I wasn’t really surprised because I heard a lot of people told me they voted for me.

I’m really excited. I try to play it off as having a cool demeanor, but I’ve let that go. I really want to win.”

April Swartz-Larson

April’s friend, McKinney High School senior Emilee Swim, started campaigning with a Twitter message encouraging people to vote for April. Soon, the social media response was enough to get people to make posters and hand out flyers.

“I wasn’t necessarily surprised because everyone loves her. She has the biggest heart. She’s really accepted by everyone.”

Emilee Swim

The road to the homecoming court started with nominations, and April was among the top five write-in vote getters. Last week, the students voted for the king and queen winners, who were announced during halftime homecoming game against Denison.

While the other nominees for queen wore bright-colored dresses, April wore a dark suit with purple shirt and turquoise bow tie. When the announcer named her the winner, she jumped in the air and threw up the punk rock “sign of the horns” with both hands. Someone put a tiara on her head and a sash around her shoulders.

April’s father, Darrin Larson, said that he was happily surprised when his daughter told him the news. He escorted her onto the field Friday night.

“Her whole kind of being doesn’t say, ‘homecoming queen’. She’s not one of the popular kids, but kids seem to really like her.”

Darrin Larson

He said that April lost some friends when she first came out. Before freshman year started, she cut her long blonde hair short and dyed it black.

April said some friends she had before stopped hanging out with her, and didn’t know what to make of her announcement. Now, however, those friends will say ‘Hi’ to her, and are more accepting of who she is, she said.

“It was pretty hard when I first came out. Everyone’s kind of grown up a little bit, and they’ve seen I’m the same person.”

April Swartz-Larson

Last year, C.C. Winn High School in Eagle Pass voted for two homecoming queens representing the school’s chapter of the Gay-Straight Alliance, rather than selecting a king and queen.

In 2010, a transgender girl was forbidden by the principal at North Dallas High School from running for homecoming queen.

In 2009, the University of North Texas student body voted not to allow same-sex couples to run for homecoming court.

Although she hasn’t been directly targeted for bullying, April said she was surprised to win the homecoming vote as a student in a conservative community.

“It’s kind of cliché, but beyond me I think it’s awesome we live in McKinney, Texas, and that I’d be nominated for queen. It’s incredible.

I’m just proud of everyone I go to school with. I’m just proud to be a part of that.”

April Swartz-Larson

 

Winner of the Rose of Tralee ‘Beauty Pageant’ has Public Come Out

The Rose of Tralee started life as a revival of the Carnival Queen – a cunning plan to attract tourists to the town of Tralee, in County Kerry. Since its start, the event has blossomed big time and in 2014, the festival had 50 per cent of the Irish television audience, draw in 200,000 visitors and attract international attention.

The Rose of Tralee is now seen as one of Ireland’s largest and longest running festivals. The criteria for winning the festival is, astonishingly, still based on the lyrics of a romantic ballad, ‘The Rose of Tralee’, written by a wealthy 19th century merchant who was in love with a ‘lovely and fair’ maid.

To become a Rose, an entrant must take part in a Rose Selection in her local area, if selected takes part in the Regional Festival, and if selected from there takes part in the International Festival. There are now nearly 70 Rose events, held in the months leading up to the International Festival, to find the Roses that will represent Irish territories around the world.

To its critics, the Rose of Tralee is nothing more than a show of pretty girls in dresses. While the festival also judges entrants on their personality and skills, critics say it promotes archaic ideas of ‘debutante-like’ womanhood: entrants must be unmarried (although the competition only opened its doors to unmarried mothers in 2008).

However the new Rose of Tralee would have to disagree.

Maria Walsh, 27, was recently crowned Ireland’s Rose of Tralee. A few days later, she came out as gay.

“I would ask those critics who have previously said the festival is old-fashioned if they had visited Tralee over the course of a festival weekend? This was my first time in Tralee and all I experienced was a modern, fun and craic-filled time. I know the 31 other Roses who shared this moment with me were and are very far from old-fashioned. These women are classy, intelligent and identify with the many young women in this country and across the diaspora.”

Maria Walsh

While she confirmed that organisers did not know about her sexuality until a newspaper request for an interview on the subject occurred.

On her decision to come out Walsh said.

“I’m sure there’s some negative critique out there. But critique is not bad, it just makes you a better person…

… Sexuality has not got anything to do with achieving this role and being an ambassador [for Irish women]. People are saying the Rose of Tralee is now modern but it has always been modern, and if a story like that helped a few people see that, then it’s been great. I hope it would have been as positive 10 years ago as it is now, but Ireland is great for accepting any Tom, Dick or Harry, so I think even back then it would have been fine.”

Maria Walsh

While keen to stress she does not want to simply be seen as the first openly gay Rose of Tralee, Maria said she is happy to use the interest in her private life to encourage young people who may face the same situation as herself to have confidence to be who they really are.

Maria, who had a number of boyfriends while growing up, before a two-year relationship with a female colleague on a GAA team in Philadelphia, said the reaction from Rose of Tralee officials and other contestants to her news shows how open Ireland is to the topic.

“It’s great a lot of the feedback was ‘sure what does it matter’, because that’s the times we’re living in, whether we knew it or not. All of us [festival officials] sat around and said it is a great story; it was such a positive story. I texted the girls beforehand and said I have a little bit of gossip for you that’s going to hit the headlines and they were like, gee that’s great. Sexual orientation has become such a thing of the past,” she said. “If [my experience] could even help one person come out and deal with it in a positive way and have positive reinforcement around that, then my year as a Rose of Tralee has already been completed.”

Maria Walsh

Yet although Walsh may have won the Rose, the country that crowned her would still deny her the right to marry another woman; same-sex marriage remains illegal in Ireland. Despite this, some hope that Walsh’s win could influence the outcome of the referendum on same-sex marriage to be held next Spring.

Walsh refuses to comment on the referendum – as the festival’s ambassador she must remain apolitical. But there’s certainly a determination to use her newfound fame in a positive way.

“It’s fantastic if I can educate people who don’t understand what gay is like, or if I can be an example to anyone voting. Anyone can be gay.”

Maria Walsh

The Walsh has said she has received positive feedback since going public on being gay. The question of her sexuality never came up during the Rose festival and was not relevant in any case. She told The Irish Times that her achievement in winning the Rose of Tralee confounded critics of the festival who described it as old-fashioned.

The Step-By-Step Guide to Smokey Eye Makeup from A Lesbian

Makeup can be a little a taboo for lesbians. Is it just for femmes? Can you wear makeup if your a little butch? The answer is make-up can be for everyone.

And one look which certainly makes a statement for both butch and femmes is the Smokey Eye.

However, achieving a sophisticated rather than clownish look isn’t always easy. Here is our ultimate how-to guide to the perfect smokey eyes.

Step 1: First, start with a primer as a base. A good primer applied to your entire eyelid will help enhance the color of your eye shawdow and keep it in place.

Step 2: Now select your shadow you want to use. You will need three colors: a shimmer that will work as a highlighter, a matte color that’s a shade darker than your skin tone and a contour color which could be matte or shimmer. Choose shades that suit your natural eye color. For example, a deep shade of purple looks great with green eyes.

Step 3: After choosing your colors, apply your highlight color right below your eyebrows and at the inner corners of your eyelid.

Step 4: Now apply the matte color. Start along your lash line and apply the eye shadow towards the crease of your eyelid, blending it with highlight.

Step 5: After applying the matte color, it’s time for the contour color. Once again start from your lash line up to the crease of your eyelid and blend it well with matte color to avoid any harsh line.

Step 6: Finally, apply eyeliner to the top and bottom of your lash line, followed by a few coats of mascara to give volume to your eyelashes.

Here you go! Your smokey eyes are perfected. To complete your look, apply a soft lip color and you are ready to go.

Or – Watch this ‘Drunk Smokey Eye Makeup Tutorial’

Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People Grow Older Fearing Discrimination and Isolation

New research published by Stonewall and The Co-operative Funeralcare reveals that lesbian, gay and bisexual people grow older fearing discrimination and isolation.

A YouGov poll showed that 48% of lesbian, gay and bisexual people fear discrimination when dealing with bereavement while 55% of those over the age of 45 have no financial provision for their funeral.

Shockingly, one in ten say they have experienced discrimination at a funeral or when arranging one.

Those in the London and the North were most concerned about receiving poor treatment because of their sexual orientation. More Londoners than any other area believe they will face barriers when planning a funeral or in arranging end of life care.

According to the study, family members and religious leaders were the most likely to discriminate against gay, lesbian and bisexual people.

In response to these fears, a guide for lesbian, gay and bisexual people on planning for later life has been developed by Stonewall and The Co-operative Funeralcare. It offers helpful advice on the law, making financial provision, such as a will or purchasing a funeral plan, and offers tips on planning and arranging a funeral.

‘Many older lesbian, gay and bisexual people grew up in a time when they were discriminated against and persecuted simply because of who they are. It’s therefore hardly surprising that so many feel reluctant to access services to help them plan for later life.

At Stonewall we know that we stand on the shoulders of a generation whose tireless work helped to change Britain and the world for the better. We now have a responsibility to make sure that they receive the help and support they deserve for themselves and their families. That is why we’re working with community groups and faith organisations to help make this a reality.’

Ruth Hunt, Acting Chief Executive of Stonewall

George Tinning, Managing Director of The Co-operative Funeralcare, said:

‘Despite changes to the law to provide equal rights for people regardless of their sexual orientation and a perceived greater acceptance in society, it is clear from our research that barriers remain even in death. The death of a loved one can be deeply distressing but at a time when people should expect sympathy and understanding, many gay people have faced poor treatment as a result of discrimination and this is simply unacceptable. As well as producing a guide to offer helpful advice to customers, we are also providing guidance to our staff to ensure that we always offer the same care, guidance and support to all our clients.’

George Tinning, Managing Director of The Co-operative Funeralcare

NewFest 2014 – New York’s LGBT Annual Film Festival

NewFest 2014 (the sister event to LA’s Outfest) is New York’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender annual Film Festival that showcases the best of LGBT cinema from both renowned filmmakers as well as exciting discoveries.

With a lineup of 16 narrative and five documentary features, this year’s group of films continues to carry out the festival’s mission of supporting diverse film communities and voices from around the world.

“This marks the fourth year of having NewFest at Film Society and we couldn’t be more happy to continue our collaboration with Outfest. LGBT films and filmmakers are a vital part of cinema worldwide, and we are thrilled to offer this showcase on our screens each year.”

Lesli Klainberg, Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Executive Director

Kicking off the 2014 festival is the New York City Premiere of Karim Aïnouz’s Futuro Beach, a visually stunning, emotionally resonant tale about three Brazilian men struggling across oceans of love, loss, and heartache. Closing out the festival is the New York premiere of Bruce LaBruce’s highly anticipated Gerontophila, a profound comedy about a handsome teen who refuses to feel shame about his unquenchable appetite for older men.

Among the many other highlights from the 2014 feature lineup are Stephan Haupt’s The Circle (winner of the Teddy Award at the 2014 Berlinale); Hong Khaou’s Lilting (a Sundance 2014 selection starring Ben Whishaw); Patrik-Ian Polk’s Blackbird (starring Mo’Nique and Isaiah Washington); Carter Smith’s Jamie Marks is Dead (a Sundance 2014 selection starring Cameron Monaghan, Judy Greer, and Liv Tyler); Sophie Hyde’s 52 Tuesdays (Sundance 2014, Berlinale 2014); and the world premiere of Kate Kunath’s We Came to Sweat: The Legend of Starlite (a timely documentary about Brooklyn’s oldest gay bar).

“In the year following spectacular LGBT civil rights advances across the country, the dynamic and fresh slate of 2014 NewFest films decisively demonstrates that artists and storytellers lead the charge in creating social change,”

Kristin Pepe (KP), Outfest’s Director of Programming

Newfest

Where Else is it Possible to Meet Lesbian other than a Bar?

Believe it or not, but there are a number of places for women to meet other women – you just need to have a little imagination, and to put yourself out there.

Even though the first locations that usually comes to mind when you think about meeting women is a bar or online dating site, there are many more options you could try

Here are a few places to consider to try when seeking new lesbians.

Become a volunteer

In general, volunteering is a great way to meet new, like minded people, no matter your sexual orientation. Also, selflessness is new sexy, and women usually prefer a woman who is compassionate, selfless and kind, over someone who is more selfish. By volunteering, you will also have a lot of fun and actually do some good in the world. Volunteering will put you in direct contact with people who support the causes you do. And don’t forget that June marks LGBT Pride month. Most cities have entire websites dedicated to Pride events and volunteers are always needed.

Political Activism

If you’ve never been politically active, there’s no better time to break out your posters, buttons, and leaflets than right now. With marriage equality advancing across the country and world, it’s easier than ever to attend a rally or march in support of LGBT rights. Gather your supportive friends and design posters with witty phrases that’ll start conversations and introduce yourself to the people around you.

Sports Events

As cliché as it may sound, you will always encounter at least a couple of women who like women on sports teams. Just go to an athletic event and you’ll have plenty of chances to meet lesbians, as there are a lot of women who love sports.

LGBT Groups

Most towns have at least one LGBTQ club, but if you’re finding it hard to discover this place you could trying discovering groups through meetup.com, which has a number of lesbian-related groups to join. Poetry readings at your local café, theater performances, indie concerts, and farmer’s markets are all prime places to meet lesbians.

Local LGBT Bookstore

On place to you’ll definitely meet other lesbians is at your local gay-friendly store. So strike up a conversation. Don’t be afraid to approach someone you like, especially if you meet them there pretty often, just be yourself and go for it. This way, you’ll have nothing to regret later and you might even meet the love of you life.

Do you have any places to meet lesbian and bisexual women to add to the list? Let us know in the comments…

Help FabledAsp Celebrate 40 yrs of Disabled Lesbian Activism and Show Your Support

For the past 40 years, San Francisco Bay Area lesbians with disabilities have been at the forefront of political, artistic, and cultural change. However, their stories and accomplishments are at risk of being lost. This was until Fabled Asp was formed.

Fabled Asp stands for Fabulous/Activist Bay area Lesbians with Disabilities: A Storytelling Project – They are a multi-cultural, multi-media organisation; that combine storytelling and filmmaking to document the revolution in queer disability arts, aesthetics, politics and culture.

Their mission is to empower disabled lesbians of diverse racial, cultural and age backgrounds to express stories, challenges, accomplishments and lessons of the movement.

In 2010, a groundbreaking and historic exhibition ‘Celebrating Fabulous/Activist Bay Area Lesbians with Disabilities: A 40 Year Retrospective’ was hosted in San Francisco Public Library. The show chronicled the accomplishments of disabled lesbian activists whose innovations had been largely obscured or misappropriated.

FabledAsp have now created an interactive virtual exhibition of the 2010 collection, to ensure the work is preserved and a wider audience can learn about disabled queer history.

Narrated by Fabled Asp member, Judith Masur, the virtual exhibition is a 40-year archive of historic and artistic moments, which cover a wide range of different disciplines; including art, music, and dance. Importantly, the exhibition displays an expansive timeline detailing the last 40 years of disabled lesbian accomplishments in America, including the ways the women participated in the national fight to implement federal legislation on disability rights and access.

How in 1977, these women were among those who protested for enforcement of Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act. How they sent representatives to Washington D.C. to testify at a time when people traveling in wheelchairs had to be loaded on planes via cargo equipment; and in the 1980s, when they created a groundbreaking special needs model for San Francisco’s Gay Pride Parade, including sign language interpreters, access lanes, and audience spaces designed for people with special needs.

“We stepped and rolled out of the shadows to demand and design changes in attitudes, laws and physical access.”

Fabled Asp

By throwing a bright spotlight on these women and events, they are giving the world and LGBT community a much needed lesson in how the past creates the present, and an invaluable guide to the intersections of disability, gender, race and sexuality.

“We gave the world and each other a new and expanded appreciation for the physical power and grace of our bodies, the verbal wit, intelligence, and emotional range of our political analysis.”

Wry Crips

You can explore the Fabled Asp website here.

Legacy- Disabled Lesbian History: The Fabled Asp Project

How Do You Commit a Hate Crime Against Yourself?

Ten years ago there was a curious case in San Francisco of a lesbian who was caught perpetrating gay hate crimes… against herself. The woman in question, who must use the alias “Jennifer”, was 17 when she smashed eggs all over own jeep, wrote death threats to herself in graffiti and urinated over her own gym locker.

The graffiti included such frightening threats as “DIE FAGGOT DIE”, “YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE” and “WE KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE. WHEN WE’RE DONE WITH YOU YOU WILL BURN IN HELL.”

Her mother, “Mrs T”, immediately contacted the police and Jennifer’s high school administration, both of whom suspected that the abuse was the work of a homophobic man. Mrs T started sitting out all night in her car to keep an eye on the house in the hope of spotting the guilty party.

Jennifer’s high school made every effort to catch the perpetrators, establishing regular Gay-Straight Alliance meetings and offering a $1000 reward for any relevant information about the crimes. One night the police seemed to have cracked the case: they apprehended a group of young people dressed in camouflage who were trespassing on the school grounds. However, the kids were Jennifer’s fellow students who had turned vigilante in order to track down her abusers.

Mrs T was the first to suspect foul play when she questioned Jennifer and found that her story didn’t quite add up. Jennifer couldn’t explain how a stranger could have known which locker was hers. ‘I was starting to think, There’s something wrong here,’ Mrs T told buzzfeed.com recently. When the truth was revealed, Jennifer was convicted of vandalism and became estranged from her mother.

Since then Jennifer has been rehabilitated; she met all the requirements of her probation and went to university to study to become a schoolteacher. Mother and daughter are now reconciled.

Source | Buzzfeed