REALITY JUST TAKES SOME GETTING USED TO: Still, gays need to get over 'being gay'. We need to just be ourselves, and we don't need a label for that.

¨Playing darts at a local bar in South Florida, I overheard a common lamentation from a self-hating homosexual, and I hate self-hating homosexuals.¨

¨Do you think I would ever choose this lifestyle - exposing myself to ridicule, exclusion and hurt all these years? I would much rather be a happily married heterosexual with children," he said, moments before consuming his fifth glass of Heineken in less than an hour. HERE

·  Thanks to Squalls & Sunsets: Have the Strength of a Penguin
·  Thanks to The Bilerico Project, sidebar
·  Thanks to  Norm Kent

IT REALLY IS GETTING BETTER: "New HRC poll shows Christians support LGBT equality."

HRC commissioned a poll on LGBT issues, which it has been heralding under the subtitle: "New HRC poll shows Christians support LGBT equality."

¨True, the poll does show that. There are issues with it, of course, and one can't expect a brand-conscious corporation like HRC to point out the flaws in its own polling, but there's a lot to like.

It's the only national poll I know of (please let me know if there's another in the comments) on LGBT antidiscrimination legislation that I know of, and it shows broad support for it. 70% of Americans favor antidiscrimination legislation for LGBT people in housing, public accommodations, and employment. The last poll that asked specifically about transgender antidiscrimination legislation showed 61% support, and that was in 2002. Gallup polled LGB employment protections in 2008 and found 89% support.

The poll also found 76% of Americans support LGBT-specific anti-bullying legislation, which you wouldn't know if you're just watching the mainstream coverage of the issue that presents the issue as radical queer activists challenging concerned parents. please read it all, HERE

· Thanks to The Bilerico Project, sidebar
· Thanks to Alex Blaze
· Thanks to The Human Rights Campaign

¨A lifetime of employment discrimination means that LGBT older people as a group are poorer and less financially secure than the broader elder populations.¨

¨Nearly every day, I am reminded of the many ways in which LGBT older people are more vulnerable than their heterosexual counterparts.

They have faced historical prejudice that has disrupted their lives and hurt their opportunities to earn a living and save for retirement. A lifetime of employment discrimination means that LGBT older people as a group are poorer and less financially secure than the broader elder populations. It also means that LGBT elders are highly dependent on programs such as Social Security.

Social Security is the single most important financial safety net program for older people and makes the difference between poverty and a living wage retirement for a significant portion of older Americans. It was implemented in 1935 to help those who were either unable to work or find a job by helping to pay for basic costs of living. One of the specific populations targeted for support under the new Act were older people, as they were less likely to find employment as they aged, partly based on workplace discrimination that continues to this day.

But despite its intention to aid the country's most vulnerable, the Social Security Act's parameters have let many LGBT elders slip through the cracks. Despite paying into Social Security just like everybody else, LGBT older people are denied three of its key benefits: the spousal benefit, the survivor benefit and the death benefit...¨
HERE
National Resource Center on LGBT Aging

The National Resource Center on LGBT Aging is the country's first and only technical assistance resource center aimed at improving the quality of services and supports offered to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults. Established in 2010 through a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging provides training, technical assistance and educational resources to aging providers, LGBT organizations and LGBT older adults. The center is led by Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) in partnership with 10 leading organizations from around the country. So that knowledge gets better with age. HERE

I am reminded of the ongoing shameful loss to society because of LGBTI discrimination at most levels of society. 

Imagine the clergy at many provinces of The Anglican Communion who are damned, demonized and cast out and risk total ruin/person injury if discovered to be LGBT-- don´t forget there is only one Gay man and one Lesbian who have reached the level of Bishop at the Anglican Communion (Thanks to TEC) and heterosexual women are in the same, discriminated against, boat too...not only is the World around us failing to have the great benefit of our talented and skilled brothers and sisters in most areas of life BUT there is also a great loss of taxable income (especially since most are single status because of further discrimination) that could have/should have been reaped and added to the ¨community¨ treasury!  The truth is that as long as LGBT people aren´t  recognized as full fledged citizens (and full fledged human beings) we all need PAY the price (in many ways).  Even the blockheaded oppressors of people like me and some of you fail to keep the big mouthed big boys temporarily happy because thieves, cowards, bullies and GREEDSTERS  can´t be happy-- not happy at all, not really, just scared and emotionally and spiritually sick as they lust for more and more of what they think they must have to stay secure in a life that hold few guarantees (for anyone)...addicts feeding off the sad lot of less fortunate, in some ways, fellow human beings.  Leonardo Ricardo

Please don´t be an accomplice to the fascilitating of self-righteous bigots and thieves who insist on living in a world of their own self-righteousness/deceptiveness and fear and hatedriven spiritual pretend.

·  Thanks to Bilerico Project, sidebar
·  Thanks to Michael Adams
·  Thanks to The LGBT Aging Center, sidebar