Boy Scouts of America Lesbian Leader Ousted

Ohio mom Jennifer Tyrrell was recently ousted as a Boy Scout leader for her son's troop simply because she is a lesbian. Jennifer, along with many others who support her cause, are taking a stand and telling the Boy Scouts of America to end its long history of discrimination against LGBT youth and parents.

Check out GLAAD's support site to read the whole story and see what you can do to help.

Cher Talks with Letterman About Chaz's Gender Reassignment Surgery

This past Thursday, Cher had sat down to talk with David Letterman about her new movie Burlesque. However, the conversation quickly turned to questions about Chaz and his recently completed gender reassignment surgery.

"The day that we talked about it, really talked about it seriously, I said, 'If you have to do this you just have to do it,'" she said. "I wasn't always able to be quite as calm through the process, but that day I was so calm, and just thought, 'This is what has to happen.'"

"She was a lesbian - she still is - but it's not the same now," Cher said. "She has a beautiful girlfriend. But it's not the same thing as being a homosexual, you feel as if you're in the wrong body."

Cher mixed her pronouns throughout the interview and recently admitted that she still sometimes slips up and calls Chaz a girl. "I still haven't got the pronouns right, but she says that's not so important."

Here is a clip of the Cher/Letterman interview:

Argentine Congress Considers Same-Sex Marriage

The Associated Press just reported that Argentina may ready to become Latin America's first nation to legalize gay marriage.

Gay and lesbian activists think so — and they have a growing number of supporters in Congress, which opened debate Thursday on whether to change dozens of laws that define marriage as a union between a "man and woman."

"We can't expect social equality if the state is legitimizing inequality," said Maria Rachid, president of Argentina's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Federation. "We now have the social and political context necessary to change the law."

It remains to be seen whether they have enough votes to overcome opposition from religious groups. The Roman Catholic Church remains a driving force in Argentina, where presidents were required to be both married and Catholic until a 1994 reform.

Some Catholic and evangelical Christian groups have accused the government of trying to subvert the natural order of life, promote perversions and destroy the family as an institution.

"This should not be understood as the denial of anyone's rights," said Archbishop Jose Maria Arancedo of Santa Fe, who took a gentler tone in a recent radio address. "It's possible both to be progressive and to defend the family, founded on the institution of marriage."

Argentina's capital established its gay-friendly reputation in 2002 by becoming the first Latin American city to legalize same-sex civil unions. Four other Argentine cities later did the same, and such unions also now are recognized in Mexico City and some Mexican and Brazilian states. Uruguay alone has legalized civil unions nationwide.

Canada is the only nation in the Americas where gay marriage is now legal; in the Spanish-speaking world, only Spain has taken this additional step.

The capital's civil unions law was initially celebrated as a huge victory for gay and lesbian rights, but such partnerships don't confer many rights exclusive to married couples, such as the right to adopt children in the name of both parents, to enable a partner to gain citizenship and to inherit wealth or be included in insurance policies.

"A civil union is a link that grants certain rights, but not those available to a married couple, which only a national law can grant," the bills' co-sponsor, Rep. Vilma Ibarra, told The Associated Press. "This is the first round in a long process, but it is already a success to have it out there."

Rep. Julian Martin Obiglio is among lawmakers who would rather expand the rights that apply to civil unions than alter the definition of marriage.

"I don't think the term should be the same for a union between a man and a woman and two people of the same sex," Obiglio told The AP.

Rachid said more than 20 lawmakers have signed on as supporters of same-sex marriage, and they believe they have enough votes in committee for a full vote in the lower house. It would then go to the Senate.

Rachid and her partner, Claudia Castro, were among the first same-sex couples in Buenos Aires to form a civil union — and the first to test Argentine law by applying for a marriage license in 2007. Their suit over the denial is pending at the Supreme Court.

"The opinion of religious leaders who dictate how other people should lead their lives should apply only to those who share their creed, and not to the rest of society," Rachid said during an interview with Castro in the Buenos Aires apartment they share with their dog, Lola.

"We don't need a law to define us as a couple — we've already been a couple for more than 10 years," Castro added. "We just want to have equal rights."

If the law passes, they plan to be first in line for a marriage license.

The Real L Word Now Casting!

Want to be a part of a groundbreaking show produced by a TV Dream Team?

THE REAL L WORD: Los Angeles is now casting.

Are you and your friends proof the The L Word exists in real life?
The L Word was a runaway iconic hit, affecting millions of lives – imagine what the real life version will do!

From Showtime, Golden Globe winner Ilene Chaiken (The L Word) and Magical Elves (Peabody Award-winning Project Runway & Emmy-nominated Top Chef) comes a documentary series about the real lives of lesbians.

THE REAL L WORD: Los Angeles will follow a group of real-life, high-profile, left coast lesbians as they go about their daily lives, at work and play. The producing team plans to show viewers that the cast can be every bit as glamorous, fashionable, fabulous and even as cutthroat as their celebrated-but-fictional counterparts.

They are currently seeking ladies from all walks of life to be the pioneering voices in this series. However, you must be based in the Los Angeles area or moving there soon.
We want all types, from the power of Bette to the mojo of Shane.

Are you and your partner about to adopt? Do all the bouncers in WeHo know your name? Do you consider your friends family? Are you coming out of the closet and want to help others by sharing your journey? Are you or someone you know moving out to the more Sapphic-ly welcoming culture of L.A.? Are you a card-carrying 'power lesbian'?

Whatever your story, whatever your situation - they want to hear from you!

Please email casting@magicalelves.com; tell them about yourself, and be sure to include a recent photo.

National Coming Out Day is October 11, 2009

Whether you're lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or not, be proud of who you are and your support for LGBT equality this National Coming Out Day.

Watch HRC's Conversations From the Heart videos, donate your Facebook status and pledge to have conversations from the heart with your friends and family for equality. A simple conversation can change the lives of people you care about.

The International Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce reveals the most gay friendly corporations in the world: BT Group, IBM and The Dow Chemical Comp

The International Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (IGLCC) is pleased to unveil the results of the first edition of the International Business Equality Index. The Index is a measurement of the performance of multinational corporations in relation to Diversity and Inclusion issues specifically focusing on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) communities in the countries where they operate. The leading corporations are BT Group, followed by IBM and The Dow Chemical Company. The announcement was made at a press conference during the closing of the IGLCC Second Annual Congress in Copenhagen.

The corporations participating in this year’s Index are: AMR (the parent company of American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle), BT Group, Cisco Systems, The Dow Chemical Company, IBM, ING, Intel, KPMG, Kraft Food, Merck, Novartis, Philips, SAP, TNT and UBS. They represent 1.7 million employees in 227 countries and sales of USD 800 Billion a year.

"On behalf of BT, I am absolutely delighted with this recognition" said Ian Livingston, BT's CEO." As one of the largest communication companies in the world, we provide service to customers in more than 170 countries and employ well in excess of 100,000 people across the globe. Diversity must be, and is, at the heart of our business and having the policies and the practices in place to support the LGBT community is essential to our success."

Anne Heal, BT's Senior Champion for Sexual Orientation added, "BT has been providing same-sex partner benefits to employees since the early 1980s and will continue to look at ways in which we can ensure that our people can be 'who they are' at work without fear of discrimination or prejudice. The IGLCC award recognises the efforts of out HR community and our LGBT network, Kaleidoscope, in their determination to ensure that equality of opportunity is reality in our business. I am also delighted."

"The findings of the survey on which the Index is based are somewhat mixed, but definitively encouraging," said IGLCC Secretary General, Pascal Lépine. "The vast majority of respondent corporations have Diversity and Inclusion programs and most explicitly include LGBT issues. We see from this survey that most of these companies take sexual orientation and gender identity matters very seriously. However, full equality is still years or decades away."

While corporations scoring high on the index are powerful examples of how diversity and inclusion programs can be very successful, the 2009 Index findings also point to a darker side: nearly 50% of global corporations participating in the survey do not have any LGBT Diversity & Inclusion managers; openly gay men or lesbians are hard to find among the ranks of management (fewer than one out of ten include gay men or lesbians in more than one of every sixteen countries they have a presence in); and, without regard to the level of internal focus on LGBT inclusion, these multinational companies are not proudly trumpeting their diversity programmes to the general public or the local LGBT communities through advertising or PR. In fact, only a handful of companies support local LGBT communities either through financial or in-kind support.

Despite these negatives, Mr. Lépine is optimistic. "To have such confidence shown towards our community makes me believe that there are still many good chapters to be written in the history of the international LGBT business community. It is especially important in these difficult economic and political times to salute all the participating corporations for their courage and example", he said in today’s presentation. "But," he continued, "we must be realistic and say that, even if today we see promise, there is much more work to be done. Far too often we see and hear of gay and lesbian professionals throughout the world that do not have access to basic employee rights and benefits just because of their sexual orientation", added Mr. Lépine.

The Index is the product of an international committee that includes gays, lesbians and transgender professionals living and working in eight different countries from Europe and North America. The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) and its European Region (ILGA-Europe) have played an instrumental role in the development of the program. "It is obvious that with the impact of globalization the LGBT community has its eyes on what corporations are doing at the international level, not just in one single country", said David Pollard, Chairman of the Index Committee.

"BT Group’s outstanding commitment, policies and investment in LGBT diversity merits them the title of the most LGBT friendly corporation in the world. We challenge all multinationals to follow the example and leadership shown by those who saw a chance to be ahead of the curve. The IGLCC is proud of this historic moment and extends the invitation to all international corporations to participate in next year’s Index", concluded Mr. Lépine.

To download a copy of the Index report, go to: www.iglcc.org/index2009

About the IGLCC

The International Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (IGLCC) was founded in 2006 in Hamburg, Germany and is based in Montréal, Canada. IGLCC is the world’s leading international LGBT business network, operating in 15 countries through 17 chambers of commerce and business organizations. IGLCC represents the interests of over 55 million Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) employees, business owners and consumers worldwide.

HRC Exposes National Organization of Marriage's Fake Ad for Fake Problems

Right-wing group does not have truth on its side, so it hires actors to spew lies; Audition reel uncovered online.

Below is the press release from the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) along with a link to the video of the television ad and the auditions.

4/8/2009

WASHINGTON –The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, released a statement and a factual rebuttal today on a television spot produced by the National Organization for Marriage and set to run on CNN, the Fox News Channel, and MSNBC in the coming days. In the ad, actors make disproven claims about marriage for lesbian and gay couples.

“What’s next for the National Organization for Marriage? Will they hire legendary infomercial pitchman Ron Popeil to hawk their phony agenda?” said Human Rights Campaign Spokesman Brad Luna. “This ad is full of outrageous falsehoods—and they don’t even come out of the mouths of real people.”

According to sources, the phony ad is set to run eight times per day in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and California. The ad can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AzLrn5JVIo

The National Organization for Marriage hired actors to peddle their lies about marriage for lesbian and gay couples. The audition reels can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRjVDZxho54 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwqNFBt33o4

The National Organization for Marriage and Maggie Gallagher is featured on the interactive wall of EndtheLies.org, a new HRC action-based website launched to confront the lies and distortions repeatedly used to defeat LGBT equality measures. National Organization for Marriage was added to the wall after the group created an anti- marriage equality radio ad that played in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

“Again and again, opponents of equality have claimed one shallow victory after another by telling lies about who we are as individuals, as loving couples and as families. These lies must be called out for what they are every time the right-wing seeks to derail our progress by spreading distortions and inciting fear mongering,” continued Luna.

EndtheLies.org’s interactive wall features videos, audio, pictures, and quotes, calling out those who maliciously use lies and misinformation to interfere with the LGBT community’s path to equality. By clicking on the panels of the wall, users can access more information about those highlighted, watch videos, add comments on multimedia discussion boards, and learn how to take action to counteract their misdeeds.

Along with the National Organization for Marriage, the wall currently features the American Family Association (AFA), the elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Oklahoma State Representative Sally Kern, and Utah State Senator Chris Buttars, Proposition 8 lawyer Ken Starr, right-wing media personality Rush Limbaugh, and GOP Chairman Michael Steele. Users can also nominate their own candidates for inclusion on the wall.

Background Ad Rebuttal
“The Real Truth Behind the Fake Ad”

The general argument of the ad is that the push for marriage equality isn’t just about rights for same-sex couples, it’s about imposing contrary values on people of faith. The examples they cite in the ad are:

(1) A California doctor who must choose between her faith and her job

(2) A member of New Jersey church group which is punished by the state because they can’t support same-sex marriage

(3) A Massachusetts parent who stands by helpless while the state teaches her son that gay marriage is okay

The facts indicate that (1) refers to the Benitez decision in California, determining that a doctor cannot violate California anti-discrimination law by refusing to treat a lesbian based on religious belief, (2) refers to the Ocean Grove, New Jersey Methodist pavilion that was open to the general public for events but refused access for civil union ceremonies (and was fined by the state for doing so) and (3) refers to the Parker decision in Massachusetts, where parents unsuccessfully sought to end public school discussions of family diversity, including of same-sex couples.

All three examples involve religious people who enter the public sphere, but don’t want to abide by the general non-discriminatory rules everyone else does. Both (1) and (2) are really about state laws against sexual orientation discrimination, rather than specifically about marriage. And (3) is about two pairs of religious parents trying to impose their beliefs on all children in public schools.

The real facts of each case are:

• The California doctor entered a profession that promises to “first, do no harm” and the law requires her to treat a patient in need – gay or straight, Christian or Muslim – regardless of her religious beliefs. The law does not, and cannot, dictate her faith – it can only insist that she follow her oath as a medical professional.
  
• The New Jersey church group runs, and profits from, a beachside pavilion that it rents out to the general public for all manner of occasions –concerts, debates and even Civil War reenactments— but balks at permitting couples to hold civil union ceremonies there. The law does not challenge the church organization’s beliefs about homosexuality – it merely requires that a pavilion that had been open to all for years comply with laws protecting everyone from discrimination, including gays and lesbians.

The Massachusetts parent disagrees with an aspect of her son’s public education, a discussion of the many different kinds of families he will likely encounter in life, including gay and lesbian couples. The law does not stop her from disagreeing, from teaching him consistently with her differing beliefs at home, or even educating her child in a setting that is more in line with her faith traditions. But it does not allow any one parent to dictate the curriculum for all students based on her family’s religious traditions.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.












WASHINGTON –The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, released a statement and a factual rebuttal today on a television spot produced by the National Organization for Marriage and set to run on CNN, the Fox News Channel, and MSNBC in the coming days. In the ad, actors make disproven claims about marriage for lesbian and gay couples.

“What’s next for the National Organization for Marriage? Will they hire legendary infomercial pitchman Ron Popeil to hawk their phony agenda?” said Human Rights Campaign Spokesman Brad Luna. “This ad is full of outrageous falsehoods—and they don’t even come out of the mouths of real people.”

According to sources, the phony ad is set to run eight times per day in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and California. The ad can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AzLrn5JVIo

The National Organization for Marriage hired actors to peddle their lies about marriage for lesbian and gay couples. The audition reels can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRjVDZxho54 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwqNFBt33o4

The National Organization for Marriage and Maggie Gallagher is featured on the interactive wall of EndtheLies.org, a new HRC action-based website launched to confront the lies and distortions repeatedly used to defeat LGBT equality measures. National Organization for Marriage was added to the wall after the group created an anti- marriage equality radio ad that played in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

“Again and again, opponents of equality have claimed one shallow victory after another by telling lies about who we are as individuals, as loving couples and as families. These lies must be called out for what they are every time the right-wing seeks to derail our progress by spreading distortions and inciting fear mongering,” continued Luna.

EndtheLies.org’s interactive wall features videos, audio, pictures, and quotes, calling out those who maliciously use lies and misinformation to interfere with the LGBT community’s path to equality. By clicking on the panels of the wall, users can access more information about those highlighted, watch videos, add comments on multimedia discussion boards, and learn how to take action to counteract their misdeeds.

Along with the National Organization for Marriage, the wall currently features the American Family Association (AFA), the elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Oklahoma State Representative Sally Kern, and Utah State Senator Chris Buttars, Proposition 8 lawyer Ken Starr, right-wing media personality Rush Limbaugh, and GOP Chairman Michael Steele. Users can also nominate their own candidates for inclusion on the wall.



Background Ad Rebuttal
“The Real Truth Behind the Fake Ad”

The general argument of the ad is that the push for marriage equality isn’t just about rights for same-sex couples, it’s about imposing contrary values on people of faith. The examples they cite in the ad are:


(1) A California doctor who must choose between her faith and her job
(2) A member of New Jersey church group which is punished by the state because they can’t support same-sex marriage
(3) A Massachusetts parent who stands by helpless while the state teaches her son that gay marriage is okay

The facts indicate that (1) refers to the Benitez decision in California, determining that a doctor cannot violate California anti-discrimination law by refusing to treat a lesbian based on religious belief, (2) refers to the Ocean Grove, New Jersey Methodist pavilion that was open to the general public for events but refused access for civil union ceremonies (and was fined by the state for doing so) and (3) refers to the Parker decision in Massachusetts, where parents unsuccessfully sought to end public school discussions of family diversity, including of same-sex couples.

All three examples involve religious people who enter the public sphere, but don’t want to abide by the general non-discriminatory rules everyone else does. Both (1) and (2) are really about state laws against sexual orientation discrimination, rather than specifically about marriage. And (3) is about two pairs of religious parents trying to impose their beliefs on all children in public schools.

The real facts of each case are:



· The California doctor entered a profession that promises to “first, do no harm” and the law requires her to treat a patient in need – gay or straight, Christian or Muslim – regardless of her religious beliefs. The law does not, and cannot, dictate her faith – it can only insist that she follow her oath as a medical professional.



· The New Jersey church group runs, and profits from, a beachside pavilion that it rents out to the general public for all manner of occasions –concerts, debates and even Civil War reenactments— but balks at permitting couples to hold civil union ceremonies there. The law does not challenge the church organization’s beliefs about homosexuality – it merely requires that a pavilion that had been open to all for years comply with laws protecting everyone from discrimination, including gays and lesbians.



· The Massachusetts parent disagrees with an aspect of her son’s public education, a discussion of the many different kinds of families he will likely encounter in life, including gay and lesbian couples. The law does not stop her from disagreeing, from teaching him consistently with her differing beliefs at home, or even educating her child in a setting that is more in line with her faith traditions. But it does not allow any one parent to dictate the curriculum for all students based on her family’s religious traditions.


The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

Dallas woman stars as lesbian face of Avon in Super Bowl ad

Article from The Dallas Voice
by Tammye Nash, Senior Editor

Avon and lesbian: Not two words you’d usually expect to hear in the same sentence.

But that’s only if you don’t know Daryn DeZengotita.

DeZengotita, of Dallas, is one of five Avon sales representatives chosen about two years ago to serve as the “faces of Avon” around the world in an advertising and marketing campaign. Now that commercial is going to get one of the largest television audiences of the year when it airs Sunday, Feb. 1, during the Super Bowl.

“It was about two years ago that I was selected to audition for — and got a part in — some national TV commercials for Avon,” DeZengotita said this week. “There are a million Avon representatives in the United States. Fifty of those were chosen to audition, and 10 were selected to be in the commercials.”

That’s a pretty exclusive club. But DeZengotita got to take it one step further.
Of the 10 women chosen for the commercials, five were selected to appear in Avon’s global marketing campaign aimed at recruiting new sales reps. DeZengotita was one of the five.

Then last fall, she and one other woman were asked to return to the studio to shoot some extra scenes for a new launch of the commercial and the recruiting effort.

“It was right before Thanksgiving that they called and said they were recutting the commercial to specifically target the issues with the economy right now,” she explained. “They wanted to tell people that if you’re worried about [the downturn] in the economy and are looking for a way to make extra money, now is the perfect time to become an Avon representative,” DeZengotita said.

The recruitment campaign turned out to be “wildly successful,” she said, prompting the cosmetics company to purchase advertising time during the Super Bowl this weekend. It will be the second commercial spot after Jennifer Hudson — “who is also a spokeswoman for Avon” — sings the National Anthem.

“It’s been rumored that it will also run during the halftime show. But I have been told that isn’t true,” DeZengotita noted.

DeZengotita said she is starting her eighth year as an Avon sales representative, and that she started working with the company as a way to maintain income while at the same time spending more time at home with her partner, Celia Barshop, and their two adopted sons, who are now ages 7 and 8.

“It’s the typical Avon story,” she said. “I had my own business in the IT industry.

But then my partner and I adopted our children, and I realized I needed something much more flexible. In my old business, if my customer’s e-mail went down and I wasn’t immediately available because I had a sick kid at home, they were not very happy about it. Now, if I can’t deliver a customer’s lipstick right away because I need to be at home with a sick child, my customers understand that. They are OK with that.”

For some Avon reps, selling cosmetics is a part-time job; for some it’s less of a job, really, and more of a hobby.

But DeZengotita, it’s a full-time business that she takes very seriously. She even operates her own retail Avon store — “which is unusual in our business” — and she “runs herd on about 100 other Avon ladies.”

And with her part in the advertising and recruitment campaign, DeZengotita is a very prominent “face” for the company. So, has her sexual orientation been any kind of stumbling block to her advancement within the Avon ranks? Absolutely not, she said.

“When I went in for the initial auditions, they had us all in this big holding room, waiting our turn. When people would finish and come back out, everyone would ask, ‘What kind of questions are they asking you? What do they want to know?’ And they would say, ‘Oh, they asked me a lot of questions about my family, things like what my husband does and how he is involved in my Avon business.’

“I heard that, and I immediately thought, ‘Uh-oh.’ So when it was my turn to go in, first thing I said was, ‘I am gay, and I am not careful with my pronouns.’ They busted out laughing. They asked me all kinds of questions about my family and my partner and our children,” DeZengotita said. “It [her sexual orientation] has been the biggest non-issue, and they have shown absolutely no hesitation whatsoever in promoting me as the face of Avon around the world.”

DeZengotita said she hasn’t made much of a big deal over being such a visible part of Avon’s global marketing campaign so far. But with the ad set to air during the Super Bowl on Sunday, she decided to speak up.

“I think it is kind of a big deal,” she said. “It shows that we [as LGBT people] really are everywhere. We are even the face of Avon.”

Darn DeZengotita operats Avon the Store at Preston Trail Village, located at Campbell Road and Preston Trail. Her Web site is www.avonbeauty.biz.

Rachel Maddow Honored by Out Mag

My favorite lesbian Pundit, Rachel Maddow, is being honored by Out Magazine as one of the top 100 men and women who made 2008 a year to remember.

Out magazine writes:
It's been almost as big a year for Rachel Maddow as it's been for the political world she covers in her nightly MSNBC show. The 35-year-old Rhodes scholar, a TV novice but veteran radio commentator (with Air America since its 2004 founding), seems to be having the time of her life. "I think of this as a chance to talk about the news on TV for an hour each day," she told the Los Angeles Times. "How awesome is that?"

Pretty awesome indeed, according to the audience response: Hers was the most successful launch of a new show on MSNBC, doubling that channel's viewership in her time slot from 800,000 to 1.7 million viewers. "I'm a big lesbian who looks like a man," she told one interviewer. "I am not, like, Anchor Babe, and I'm never gonna be."

Go Rachel!!!

Rachel Maddow on the Jay Leno Show

Okay, so I have to admit, I have this little crush on Rachel Maddow...and it's not just the sexy, nerd glasses that turn me on, but it's the fact that she is not only brilliant, she is "out," has a strong opinion and is not afraid to share it.

Rachel was on Jay Leno the other night talking politics, Palin and policy...and definitely looking like the hot lesbian she is. Check it out!

2008 Butch-Femme.com Bay Area Bash

Columbus Day Weekend

October 9th to October 12th
Oakland, California

What: Bay Area Bash! Oakland, CA

When: October 9th - October 12th, 2008

Costs: Early Registration is $95.00 per person until August 30th. After that you can purchase Regular Registration tickets for $135.00. (Does not cover alcohol.) There will be NO REFUNDS after August 30th. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Where: The official host hotel where most events will be held is the Marriott City Center in fabulous and historic downtown of Oakland. Room rates are $135.00 per night.

Hotel Reservations: Marriott City Center, 1001 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94607: 510-451-4000

Hotel Code: BFBash (if you are calling by phone)

Make your reservations online by clicking here. Please note that the url already contains the online group code, just plug in your dates and it will automatically find the Butch-Femme.com rate.

The Marriott City Center is located in fabulous and historic downtown Oakland. Located right across the street from the BART system, the Marriott City Center is 4 miles from Berkley, 8 miles from San Francisco and 34 miles from Napa Valley. For more hotel information click here.

For a map of downtown Oakland click here.

E V E N T S O V E R V I E W

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9TH, 2008

Meet n' Greet
5pm-8pm
AJ Toppers
Marriott City Center

The Meet n' Greet is a reunion for old friends and a chance to put new faces with familar names. This year it will be held in the beautiful AJ Toppers Skybar at the Marriott City Center. There will be drinks (cash bar) and munchies. You can check in with registration, get your Bash packet, and get to know everyone.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10TH, 2008

**Friday Excursions**

San Francisco is a hop, skip and a jump from the hotel. The ButchFemmeSocials group has generously offered to host the excursions this year into the city. The BART is literally right outside the hotel and Bay Area locals will be escorting groups to the different locations listed here.

All excursions will leave the hotel at 11am, returning around 3pm.

The Castro
World famous as the gay Mecca, the Castro draws gays and lesbians from all over the world, as well as visitors who just plain want something to tell the folks back home. Even with its rainbow-flag-waving, in-your-face style, the Castro is a friendly neighborhood that welcomes visitors of all stripes. Straight locals hang out here, too, mostly to shop the trendy boutiques and catch films at the truly noteworthy Castro Theatre. Streets lined with brightly painted Victorians make the Castro a good place to view the architecture for which San Francisco is famous.

The Mission
This historically Hispanic area is a vibrant enclave of shops, bars, taquerias, chic restaurants and the like. Keep your eye open for the numerous murals in the neighborhood. Mission and 24th streets radiate a south-of-the-border attitude, and Valencia Street leans more to the young and hip: It's peppered with bars, cafes, bookstores and vintage-clothing shops. Start your tour of the area at Mission Dolores (16th and Dolores streets) and stroll down Valencia to 24th Street.

Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square Covering about half a dozen blocks along the waterfront, constitute much of the stereotypical San Francisco image and together are perhaps the most popular things to do in San Francisco. Tourists walking here are entertained by street performers and tempted by souvenir shops and restaurants. While these places are popular, and many people feel they haven't visited San Francisco unless they've seen them, keep in mind that this tourist haven bears little resemblance to the rest of the city of San Francisco.

Things to Do In Oakland*

Jack London Square is Oakland's historical waterfront location. The square enchants visitors and is the essential element of everything Oakland is...a vibrant community destination buzzing with events, shopping, dining, entertainment, and recreation.

Lake Merritt is a focal point, it stands as the jewel of Oakland, even crowned with lights. A unique fresh and salt-water lake, the largest such lake located within an urban area consisting of 3.4 miles around the circumference of the lake, covering 155 acres of land.

*These are not excursions, just some local sightseeing to do on your own.

Not interested in any of these excursions? Click here to explore other things to see in the Bay Area!

The Eat 'n' Beat Leather Social*
hosted by ropeburner
The Citadel
12pm-5pm

Wanna come out an' play??? Here's your chance! The Bay Area locals are hosting a play party that will double as this year's Leather Social. The Eat 'n' Beat is at the SF Citadel. The SF Citadel is a dual level 5,400 square foot facility, well equipped for a variety of uses, featuring:

• Social area, with plush sofas and loveseats
• Fully functioning kitchen
• Two restrooms
• Multipurpose space for meeting, workshops & other small gatherings
• Separate dining area

*There is a separate charge for this event to cover the costs of the play space and lunch. You may purchase your ticket to this event on the registration page.

**Friday Pre-Slut Night Dinners**

Couples Dinner
5pm-7pm
La Chevel
1007 Clay Street (right behind the hotel within walking distance)

Singles Mingle
5pm-7pm
TBA

POC Dinner
5pm-7pm
TBA

**Friday Night Slut Night**

Butch-Femme.com's
Famous Slut Night &
"Studs and Divas Risque Cabaret"
8pm-???
Historic Sweets Ballroom
Featured DJ: OlgaT
Guest DJ: La Niche aka LatinaButch
1933 Broadway
Oakland, CA

An excuse to seduce, Slut Night is an evening you won't forget! This year's Slut Night will come alive at the hottest club reserved for our B-F.com peeps only. OlgaT, the premier DJ in the Bay Area, will be spinning her tracks for all of us to shake our groove thang.

We'll have the dance floor and the stage all to ourselves. If you are interested in performing please contact B-F.com's very own Poochie (aka Kentucky Fried Woman aka the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader from our last Slut Night, Dallas) who will be coordinating our lineup this year. Our own celebrated Emcee Bubblinsugare will host the "Studs and Divas Risque Cabaret" with Femme and Drag King performers from our global B-F.com community.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11TH, 2008

B-F.com Grand Ball
8pm-12am
Marriott City Center
C. Simmons Ballroom and Foyer

It's like the prom you never had, a special night when we honor who we are and how we love. Expect a relaxing, upscale evening with DJ OlgaT. A cash bar and a nice assortment of hors d'oeuvres, dessert, and coffee will be available.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12TH, 2008

Farewell Brunch
11am-1pm
AJ Toppers
Marriott City Center

After a weekend of going non-stop, drag yourself out of bed, put on your biggest Jackie O sunglasses or backwards baseball cap and join us for the Butch-Femme.com Farewell Brunch.

*Farewell Brunch tickets must be purchased prior to arrival via the Registration page.

Gender Trash Karaoke
7pm-10pm
White Horse
6551 Telegraph Ave
Oakland, CA

For those diehard Butches and Femmes who never want the weekend to end... one more last hurrah before we go our separate ways. If karaoke is anything like previous years, this might be the most outrageous event of the weekend!

Click Here to Register

New Year's Resolutions Anyone???

Everyone seems to have their own ideas and traditions for a New Year's resolution. My own tradition has been quite varied over the years. There have been times that I write down my goals and do my best to follow them (at least for the first few months). And on other years, I have thought about making some changes for the new year, but never really solidifying anything on paper.

So for 2008, since there are many things I would like to work on, I think I will try and focus on just a few:

• Staying present


• Listening compassionately, both to my own needs, as well as those of others


• Keeping my relationship healthy, passionate and sexually interesting. (I know my GF is blushing right about now).

I also asked a few friends what their New Year's resolutions were for 2008 and this is what they came up with:

1. I dislike the notion of "resolutions" on just one day of the year; trying to better oneself throughout a year should be the goal. that, and people are too unrealistic with their goals because they're biting off more than they can chew on that one day.
   
   The other, more pompous opinion? that you're good enough as you are, so you don't have a need for resolutions!!
   -Casey



2. I don't really do resolutions but I know I want to try to be more relaxed this new 2008...whenever I start to stress...I'm just going to tell myself relax + I'm doing the restorative yoga and messages more frequent = excellent!
   -Ange


3. My FIRST new year's resolution should be to finish Vol. 8 of Jane's World
   -Paige


4. To be more accepting/tolerant/patient
   to have more fun (take things less seriously)
   to not get stressed out at myself or anyone on our wedding-ceremony day/weekend
   to be more mindful
   -Bee


5. Well, as far as resolutions, (even though I hate to have them/make them), it was necessary for me this year. I will be "getting in shape" this year and make taking care of my physical health a priority for me. Actually when folks at work asked me what my resolution(s) were, I said, "more SEX, drugs, and rock 'n roll".
   -Jess


6. NYE's resolution?????? humm? I tend to not do the whole "proclaiming" of resolutions, but... with that said, I do have a few things I would like to work on. And, those being.....
   
   1) To put make an earnest effort in pursuing a couple of avenues I am interested in.
   
   2) To learn how to quiet the mind & listen within....(spiritually)
   -Sam


7. My resolution is to move back to Guerneville (to get away from the shadow of the ex) and get reconnected with friends.
   -CT


8. Well my resolution is to finish losing weight and look good for the friends and family who haven't seen me in a long while. Another one is finding a great woman who will not only love me for me, but be supportive and understanding with any decision I make.
   -Chas


9. I'm gonna be a bitch to everybody.... just like I was last year, and the year before, and the year before...LOL.
   -Leila

Whatever your New Years Resolution is for 2008, be good to yourself and remember the past is gone, the future is unknown and all you have is RIGHT NOW, so enjoy it!