Show Online Support for World AIDS Day
By now, we’ve all come to realize that HIV/AIDS does not discrimnate based on race, sex, religion, or sexual orientation . Being so easily preventable, awareness and education are the two major battles we must fight against this disease. Social Networking utilities such as Facebook, Twitter and Myspace allow anyone to show support for World AIDS Day very easily, reaching and encouraging other friends to do the same…and it goes on and on and on. We’re going to cover how to quickly show your support for World AIDS Day the three aforementioned Social Networking SItes.
- Join the numerous HIV/AIDS support networks such as:
- Update your Status Message to include a link here or to World AIDS Campaign
- Change your facebook profile picture to the HIV Awareness Red Ribbon
Link
- Tweet about World AIDS Day by including #WAD08 in your posts. This allows trackers to follow all WAD supporters on Twitter.
- Example:JakartaToday: Today is World AIDS Day. HIV has reportedly infected about 33 million people globally, two million of whom are children under 15. #WAD08
- Change your Twitter UserIcon to one showing support for the cause:
Myspace
- Update your Status Message to include a link here or to World AIDS Campaign
- Change your facebook profile picture to the HIV Awareness Red Ribbon
Link
Welcome to The Rainbow Report
Welcome to The Rainbow Report!
This is a new project for Rainbow Pride and we are excited for the opportunity to inform, educate and entertain the GLBT community of West Virginia and its allies. We are starting out slow and we are hoping to grow with more reporters. Right now our site is in real time. This means as we post articles they are viewable to you the reader!
Three reporters and the Chairman of Rainbow Pride of West Virginia make up the editorial board of The Rainbow Report. They are:
Charlie Rouse, Chairman of Rainbow Pride. He will be chiming in every week with his opinion and political news and events relevant to the West Virginia GLBT Community.
Dave web designer and blogger will be writing about online action for the GLBT community and on events of interest to the local community. David also works to design our parent site http://pridewv.org.
Caroline Starr, local lady about town, activist, mom, and sister in pride will be covering our Charleston Beat section and Lez B Friends. The Charleston Beat will focus on local events and be the society page for GLBT Charleston. Lez B Friends will focus on issues and information to the Lesbian Community of West Virginia.
Jeremy Elswick, A.K.A. Milla Rich, will be covering the state drag circuit. Our resident friend and diva will provide a colorful review of female impersonation in West Virginia.
Do you have a talent for writing? Would you like to submit a weekly, monthly or quarterly article to The Rainbow Report?
We are currently looking for people to write about the following regions and/ or topics:
Morgantown Beat
Wheeling Beat
Parkersburg Beat
Beckley, Bluefield and Southern WV
Central West Virginia (Fairmont, Clarksburg)
Eastern Panhandle (Charlestown, Martinsburg, Harpers Ferry)
If you would like to write for us or have an idea for a recurring article send us a email at rainbowpridewva@yahoo.com.
Why We Do What We Do
Seth Distefano defended equal rights of GLBT individuals in employment and public accommodation In a recent op ed piece in the Charleston Gazette. Below is a response posted to the Gazette website about that opinion article.
“No sane society can reasonably declare homosexual unions as the equivalent of a traditional marriage. While a heterosexual marriage provides the cohesion and procreation that any successful society requires, a homosexual union provides neither: There is absolutely nothing cohesive about a “Gay Rights Parade”; procreation by homosexuals is biologically impossible. And yet, despite engaging in behavior that clearly defies natural design, we are expected to accept such conduct as somehow being normal. But is there such a thing as a normal aberration? No.
To speak of “the rights of homosexuals” is like speaking of the rights of a thief, or the rights of a murderer, or the rights of a terrorist. After all, just because one engages in aberrant behavior that undermines societal structure and integrity, he or she should still be afforded the same preferential treatment and rights given to other minority groups, right? What utter nonsense!”
Posted By: smarbap (9:14pm 11-18-2008) Charleston Gazette
That’s right! This person thinks that you are unnatural and an aberration. He thinks you are on par with Criminals even though laws in the US banning homosexual sex have been declared unconstitutional or overturned by the states.
The real problem is that this person probably is a neighbor, a relative, a co worker or someone you may meet on the street. He or she hides behind the anonymity of the internet to share his opinion. They do this because they do not feel like they could say this in the open. Maybe it is because they know deep down in their heart is that it is wrong to hate. That’s probably a big maybe, but we in the GLBT community have a great deal of work to do. We have to get a person like this to understand that our rights have nothing to do with religion but with legal recognition due any member of our society.
Pride tries to get the message out. Pride is designed to call attention to our cause. Our events seek to not only unite a fragmented GLBT community in West Virginia, but to provide awareness of our plight to people who may not know someone who is GLBT. Unfortunately just having pride and showing up at parades, festivals, and fundraisers is not enough.
We need you sometime before early January to contact your elected officials at the state level. We need you to tell them that you want to be included as a equal member in the growth and progress of West Virginia. Pro GLBT legislation can only improve West Virginia’s image on the national and international stage. It will challenge the stereotype that we are uneducated, uncaring bigots.
If any of you need help finding out whom your elected officials are please call your county clerk and provide them your address. They will be able to tell you all the information you need.
Keep pushing, keep helping, and keep being out and proud.