As Seen in Charleston 12/13/2008

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Happy Holidays!

On behalf of everyone at Rainbow Pride of West Virginia I would like to wish you and your friends and loved ones a happy holiday season and a joyous new year. With the season  of giving here I hope you will take some time to consider a donation to some local charities in the Mountain State that are doing good things for us.

1. Caritas House-391 Scott Avenue, Morgantown ,WV  26508

 Online at:http://www.caritashouse.net/

Caritas House provides services to those impacted by HIV and AIDS in Northern West Virginia. Vice Versa and many other people in Morgantown work to keep this organization going and providing help to those in need.

2. Tri State AIDS Task Force- 1028 6th Avenue, Huntington, WV 25701

Online at: http: http://www.tsatf.net/

TSATF provides services to those impacted by HIV and AIDS in the Huntington metro area. They do a lot on a shoestring budget.

3. Covenant House- 600 Shrewsbury Street, Charleston, WV 25301-1211

Online at: http://www.wvcovenanthouse.org/

Covenant House is the AIDS and HIV service organization in the Charleston Area. In addition to their outreach work to victims of HIV and AIDS they run a drop in center for the homeless, and work to decrease smoking in GLBT West Virginians.

4. The Living AIDS Memorial Garden- P.O. Box 11704 Charleston, WV 25339

Online at: http://www.livingaidsmemorialgarden.org/

This wonderful garden in Charleston is within the line of site to the State Capitol . It is  a fitting memorial to those who have given their life to AIDS. They are always in need of assistance. From donations to improve the garden, to volunteers to help weed the flower beds, and pick up trash your money or time would most assuredly be appreciated. You can even memorialize a friend with a brick on the garden path.

5. The West Virginia Foundation for Equality- 501 Elizabeth Street- Room 11 Charleston, WV 25311.

Online at Http://wvfe.org

The Foundation for Equality is the organization in West Virginia that will hopefully grow in 2009 it is currently gearing up for a tough fight for equal rights in the state legislature. They desperately need your help to fund the battle for equal rights.

6. Rainbow Pride of West Virginia- PO BOX 2624 Charleston, WV 25326

Online at Http://pridewv.org

Of course I do hope you would chose to give Pride a donation to help build our organizational budget. We have grown for the last three years, and in 2009 we have some exciting changes coming! We hope you chose to donate or become a dues paying member.

With the fight for equality looming I hope you make a donation to help fuel change in West Virginia. That change comes in many forms. Giving time or money to help your community is the best way to make that change happen.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Guest Writer – One Dream, One world, One Community

“One Dream, One world, One Community”
by Chris Kimes

• Chair of Membership and Fundraising, Rainbow Pride of WV
• Vice President, Kanawha Stonewall Democrats

Cross-posted at Kanawha Stonewall Democrats

“One Dream, One world, One community”
I recently read these words about a program for Martin Luther King’s Birthday and began to think of their implications for our community, the GLBT in West Virginia. Too many times we find ourselves making excuses for instances when we plainly should be trying to come to some resolve.

I do believe that most GLBT citizens of West Virginia want to live in a state that recognizes them as active citizens and treats them with the same respect and dignity it does of all its other citizens. This is not an unreachable dream; it just takes people from throughout the state becoming visible and making the commitment of working with one another to fulfill and ensure this occurs. While this posting shall not elaborate on politics; the principle idea, mobilizing the masses, is what is at the root. We need to mobilize people around the principle of unity, not in one of division and segregation.

This point is very important because as a recent newcomer to the Kanawha Region, I kept remembering how I felt when I lived in different sections of the state. I had the ideal that if you were from the northern part of the state, then your opinions were not seen as value to the community in the Kanawha/Huntington region. How far from the truth was I to hold these ill-fledge ideas. Within the coming months I have been welcomed with open arms into various groups and have seen first hand the desire that these organizations have for state wide involvement. People in these groups speak of their efforts to get others to join or become active and unfortunately have no avail.

It is to this later end that I send a heartfelt appeal to the GLBT community of West Virginia. Please do not fall within the trap that I had before about what seems to be the rationale for you or what seems to be comfortable. The organizations that have helped to lead the cause for GLBT rights, i.e. West Virginia Foundation for Equality and Rainbow Pride of West Virginia, need support and the assistance from people throughout the state. Too many times people get absorbed into drama of this or that and forget the true purpose of what we are trying to accomplish. Please overcome these shortfalls and help either of these organizations in their attempt to strive for acceptance in West Virginia. Together as a united front we can help to achieve the vision of one community.

I shall strive to continue to post ways that I feel that together we can help to achieve our dream of “One Community”

Light Up the Night for Equality

Without Hope, the Us’s Give Up – Harvey Milk

“On the Declaration of Independence, it is written,
“All Men Are Created Equal”. No matter how hard you try,
you can never erase those words” 

Milk. The latest film from Focus Films staring Sean Penn in a movie about the life and death of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay publicly elected official to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Originally the owner of Castro Camera, a camera shop in San Francisco’s predominantly gay district, the Castro, he first ran in 1973 unsuccessfully. His campaign met with opposition from the gay political establishment in San Francisco as he was labeled as ‘theater’ due to his loud, brash, outspoken style earning media attention and votes (although not enough to win). He campaigned in the next two election cycles and dubbed himself as the ‘Mayor of Castro Street’ led the gay political movement in fierce battles against anti-gay initiatives. Milk was elected city supervisor in 1977 after San Francisco reorganized its election procedures to choose representatives from neighborhoods rather than through city-wide ballots.

“If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door”

After serving 11 months with the Board of Supervisors and being responsible for passing a stringent gay rights ordinance in San Francisco, on November 27, 1978, Mayor George Moscone and Milk were assassinated by Dan White, another city supervisor who had recently resigned and wanted his job back. Both Milk’s election and the events following his assassination demonstrated the liberalization of the population and political conflicts between the city government and a conservative police force. (from Wikipedia)

In 2008, we have an uphill battle, especially in West Virginia. However, think about it. Harvey Milk was killed fighting for equality. Fighting for your right to love your partner, your right to be free from discrimination in the workplace and in housing, your right to live your life free from fear.

There are countless warriors that have come before us in the struggle for equal rights. People who have been beaten, kicked and murdered demanding the respect that we deserve. It’s up to us to lift up their names and carry the torch..to prove that they are not in vain, that their work lives on until we are all free. Gay Rights requires more of you than attending a Pride Parade or a Drag Show.  We need you on the ground. You owe it to the Harvey Milks, the Matthews Shepards, to every teenager in school who contemplates suicide because of their sexuality.

DO YOUR PART!

Soup Day Benefit @ Lee St Lounge

Support the Living AIDS Memorial Garden! Come to the Lee St Lounge annual Soap Day, Sunday, December 14 at 2:30 pm to 6:00 pm. A total of 21 lovingly handmade soups will be featured.

Proceeds will benefit the Living AIDS Memorial Garden.

 Lee Street Lounge
1111 Lee St E
Charleston, WV

Top Questions to Ask a Gay or Gay Friendly Business Owner

Is it enough for a business to be Gay owned or Gay friendly?

A heterosexual friend of mine in the tourism industry once referred to us as SINKS and DINKS. He meant to say Single Income No Kids and Double Income No Kids. He remarked that he loved gay travelers because they had more money to spend because those people tended to be single or in a relationship with no children. I don’t think he meant it to be disrespectful, but more as an observation.

We are equal consumers in the marketplace. They gay dollar is just as green as the straight dollar. However, with corporations, local businesses and club owners competing for our business, it is important to ask if they are gay friendly or gay supportive.

Meaning: Do you support the gay community? Or do you just advertise to it?

Here are some things I think you should consider before you get that next haircut, visit the mall, browse the car lot, and buy that next drink or meal:

1. If they have advertised in gay publications or openly solicit GLBT clientele.
2. Do they just advertise? Do they actually fund any GLBT friendly not for profit groups or charities?
3. Do they openly admit they support the acceptance of GLBT people in mainstream culture?
4. Were you treated better or worse because of your orientation? (Ideally, you should be treated the same.)
5. Are they active and supportive of the local gay culture?

These questions are only the tip of the iceberg.  I really encourage you to find out if the establishments and businesses you give hard earned money to actually reinvest it in the community.

Miss Gay WV United States Pageant 2009-2010

During my interview with Michael Egnor of B & E Productions we discussed the newly formed pageant of Miss WV United States. The Miss United States pageant was first started by Tim Clark of Roanoke, VA with encouragement of his friends in 2004. Michael said that Miss Gay United States is proud to announce the coronation of its newly crowned Queen, Ashley Adams. United States Pageantry is owned and operated by Ties Inc, based out of Roanoke Virginia. United States Pageantry consists of three divisions: Mr United States, Miss United States and Mr United States MI (Male Impersonators). All three national contests are held at “The Park” in Roanoke VA. Mr United States is held in the month of October followed by Miss United States in November and ending with Mr United States MI in December. Miss Gay United States is a true female impersonation pageant, aimed exclusively for those “ALL BOY” female impersonators/entertainers. No augmentation or enhancements are allowed below the neck, thus making this one of the premier systems for those boys who look so lovely as girls. The categories for Miss Gay West Virginia United States are Leather Presentation (Non-Judged), Male Interview, Evening Gown, Talent and Runway Fashion. Detailed descriptions of these categories will appear in our blog. Going into its sixth year of existence, Miss United States is rich in prestige and experience with its former and current titleholders. Former Miss Gay United States include Coti Collins, Neely O’Hara, Jessica Jade and Melissa Lane. Our current titleholder is Ashley Adams.

But the following categories are the actual categories of the Miss Gay United States Pageant.

MALE INTERVIEW (150 points/judge)

 The interview must be in male attire.  This is the time for the judges to meet the contestant on a personal level and learn of his goals and objectives. It is divided into three sub-categories:

·Overall Appearance (50 points/judge)

·Personality (50 points/judge)

·Communication and Answer Content (50 points/judge).

 RUNWAY FASHION (100 points/judge)

 This category is a “clothing and modeling” category.  The outfit can be of any style suitable for the contestant and must be comprised of the colors red, white or blue or any combination of the three (red & white, white only, etc).  Any color may be used as an accent color but accent colors cannot exceed 10% of the total outfit.   We are looking for an edgy and creative fashion that could be seen on the runways of the top fashion shows.  Think “Project Runway” or “America’s Next Top Model” when creating your Runway Fashion.   No commentaries are required from the contestant.  This is solely a runway modeling category divided into two sub-categories:.

·Presentation – how well you model on the stage (50 points/judge)

·Creativity/Overall Impression (50 points/judge).

 EVENING GOWN (150 points/judge)

 ANY TYPE of full-length evening gown is acceptable.   Judges score on three sub-categories:

·Styling and Fit – focus is on gown design and condition and whether it compliments the Contestant (50 points/judge)

·Presentation – focus is on the Contestant’s modeling technique, poise, smile, personality, stage presence, etc (50 points/judge)

·Overall Appearance – focus is on accessories, make-up, hair style, etc.  This sub-category will represent the most elegant portion of the contest (50 points/judge).

 TALENT (300 points/judge)

 Remember your time limits of 7 minutes for the talent presentation and 3 minutes for set-up/take down of props.  No fire, no water, no glitter and no harmful items that may result in injury to other contestants or the audience may be used.  If you have a questionable prop – ASK!  This category is divided into four sub-categories:

·Costuming and Set Design  (50 points/judge)

·Choreography and Stage Presence (dancers included) – (75 points/judge)

·Quality (Lip Sync, Live Vocal, Dancing Ability, etc) – (100 points/judge).

·Entertainment Value as determined by the Individual Judge (usually, but not always seen in the audience response) – (75 points/judge)

 *ON STAGE QUESTION & ANSWER (25 points/judge) – At Nationals Only – Final Night

A list of questions to be asked on final night will be provided to the Contestant prior to final night so that the Contestant is aware of what he may be asked.  The Contestant, on final night, will randomly select one envelope containing his question from a group of envelopes held by the Emcee.  This is a judged and scored category for the top Contestants on final night of Nationals.  Overall score for this category is based upon: 

·Communication and Answer Content

·Stage Presence 

Contestant Rules & Regulations

 Contestant Rules and Regulations for all Preliminaries

and Miss Gay United States (FFI)

1. Must be at least the age of 18.

2. No hormones, breast implants, or silicone below the neck is allowed.

3. Talent time is limited to 7 minutes: prop set up or take down time is limited to 3 minutes. No fire, water, glitter, or harmful items may be used that could result in injury to other contestants or the audience.

4. Pageant fees are due before participation will be allowed in the contest.

5. See Category Information, Schedule of Events, and Fee links for the specific contest you are interested in.

Michael would like to welcome all contestants that would like to be part of the pageant and can be contacted at www.myspace.com/MissWVUS or e-mail MissWVUS@Yahoo.com

The Best Gifts For Any Lesbian On Your List…

With the holidays now only a few weeks away here is my list of great gift ideas any lesbian would be happy to recieve… These are the 20 best gifts and range from Butch to Lipstick and range in price from about $15 dollars on up. Enjoy…..

Melissa Etheridge: A New Thought For Christmas

© Pricegrabber.com

Melissa Etheridge is our hero. And her new Christmas album is just the ticket for her fans. With standards like Blue Christmas and a handful of Melissa originals, this is the perfect addition to your holiday music collection.

Rock Star Leather Cuff

© Rigged Outfitters

Allposters.com

GooGooGayGay.Com

Ellen Shop

© Pricegrabber

© Pricegrabber.com

Pricegrabber.com

Always remember, Diamonds and/or Sterling Silver with rainbow inlay are a girl’s best friend. Dear Wife, are you reading this? Oh, and honey, I wouldn’t kick you out of bed for Platinum, either. (Range in Price)

Dottie’s Magic Pockets

dottiesmagicpockets.com

Harlyn Aizley is my idol and go-to-girl for anything remotely related to lesbian parenting. Her book, Buying Dad, and anthology, Confessions of the Other Mother, were vital guides in helping my partner and me navigate the process of starting a family and having a baby. ($14.95)

The Butch Cookbook, ed. Lee Lynch, Sue Hardesty and Nel Ward

© Pricegrabber.com

© Pricegrabber.com

© Pricegrabber

© Photo by Erica Beckman

© Renee Jacobs

© Pricegrabber

© Pricegrabber

Lesbian Couple Fighting to Keep Adopted Child

The Daily Mail reports

The state Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case of a same-sex couple in Fayette County fighting a judge’s order that the baby girl they’ve been raising since birth should be removed from their home and placed in one with a married man and woman.

Kathyrn Kutil and Cheryl Hess argue that Fayette Circuit Judge Paul Blake exceeded his authority and violated their constitutional rights by ordering that the 11-month-old be immediately transitioned into a “traditional” home.

They say the judge has effectively excluded them as potential adoptive parents of the child simply because of their sexual orientation.

 and

“I think I’ve indicated time and time again, this court’s opinion is that the best interest of a child is to be raised by a traditional family, mother and father,” Blake said. “Now, that’s this court’s opinion as to what a typical West Virginian would feel and what the typical attitude is of the West Virginia Supreme Court, a traditional family.”

Follow that? 

Judge Blake believes that ‘tradition’ is more important that a child being placed with a loving couple with a long history of being foster parents, who happen to be of the same sex. 

The child was placed with a potential ‘traditional’ foster family who four days later notified DHHR that they were not interested in adopting the child.  The child was returned to Kutil and Hess after a motion for an emergency stay of Judge Blake’s order, so the girl was returned to them.

In their petition, the couple argues that at least one of them should be considered as a possible adoptive parent.

“It is absolutely nonsensical for DHHR or the circuit court to remove the infant from the only home she has ever known simply because the court believes traditional families are the best environment for a child and as DHHR now appears to be attempting to avoid scrutiny by advocating for the removal of the child,” the petition says.