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Same-sex marriage is legal in only seven countries; the Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, Spain, Norway, Sweden, and of course Canada. It is recognized in only six US States; Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, Maine (pending November 2009) and New Hampshire (effective January 2010).
LGBT teens are 2-3 times more likely to commit suicide than heterosexual teens.
In countries like Iraq, LGBT individuals are still treated as sub-human. Reports from April 2009 give accounts of gay Iraqi men who had their anuses glued shut, and were then fed laxatives, forcing their colons to explode, killing them. They also were beaten, tortured with electric prods, raped and murdered.
If you are openly gay, you cannot serve in the US military thanks to Don't Ask Don't Tell. The only other major military forces with the same policy are Russia, China and Greece.
A large part of the world still considers homosexuality illegal, or immoral.
Religious wingnuts such as the Westboro Baptists claim that God hates gay people, homosexuality is unnatural and a sin, and that AIDS was sent by God to kill homosexuals. They go so far as to protest funerals of soldiers, believing their deaths are punishments from God. They even protested Matthew Shepard's funeral, with signs saying "Matthew Shepard burns in hell", and tried to protest Heath Ledger's funeral because he played gay in "Brokeback Mountain".
33.2 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. The disease affects men, women, gays, straights, bisexuals, transgendered individuals, transexuals, adults, children.
97% of students in public high schools (US statistic) report hearing regular homophobic comments. This includes "that's so gay".
Men who have sexual contact with other men are not allowed to donate blood in Canada and the US, despite advances in HIV testing.
At my high school prom I did not see one same sex couple.
No male professional athlete in a team sport has ever come out as gay or bisexual.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did not give "Brokeback Mountain" the Oscar for Best Picture despite being the most honored film in cinematic history.
The popular belief is that 10% of the world's population is LGBT. That means 10% of the world is directly affected by homophobia. This statistic does not include straight allies.
It is for these reasons and more that I fight as a LGBT activist. I believe all people are created equal, and entitled to the same rights, freedoms and protections.
This is why I fight.
Are you with me?
This is why I fight as a straight ally.
I made this Facebook note and got a really positive response so I thought I would put it here:
THIS IS WHY I FIGHT October 12th 1998 Matthew Shepard died in hospital. 5 days early he had been attacked by two men, who robbed him, beat him, and tied him to a fence post, leaving him to die. He was found 18 hours later in a coma, with so much blood on his face the only clear spots were where his tears had run. Matthew's killers were not charged with a hate crime because no such law existed in th US. 11 years later it still does not exist.Same-sex marriage is legal in only seven countries; the Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, Spain, Norway, Sweden, and of course Canada. It is recognized in only six US States; Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, Maine (pending November 2009) and New Hampshire (effective January 2010).
LGBT teens are 2-3 times more likely to commit suicide than heterosexual teens.
In countries like Iraq, LGBT individuals are still treated as sub-human. Reports from April 2009 give accounts of gay Iraqi men who had their anuses glued shut, and were then fed laxatives, forcing their colons to explode, killing them. They also were beaten, tortured with electric prods, raped and murdered.
If you are openly gay, you cannot serve in the US military thanks to Don't Ask Don't Tell. The only other major military forces with the same policy are Russia, China and Greece.
A large part of the world still considers homosexuality illegal, or immoral.
Religious wingnuts such as the Westboro Baptists claim that God hates gay people, homosexuality is unnatural and a sin, and that AIDS was sent by God to kill homosexuals. They go so far as to protest funerals of soldiers, believing their deaths are punishments from God. They even protested Matthew Shepard's funeral, with signs saying "Matthew Shepard burns in hell", and tried to protest Heath Ledger's funeral because he played gay in "Brokeback Mountain".
33.2 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. The disease affects men, women, gays, straights, bisexuals, transgendered individuals, transexuals, adults, children.
97% of students in public high schools (US statistic) report hearing regular homophobic comments. This includes "that's so gay".
Men who have sexual contact with other men are not allowed to donate blood in Canada and the US, despite advances in HIV testing.
At my high school prom I did not see one same sex couple.
No male professional athlete in a team sport has ever come out as gay or bisexual.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did not give "Brokeback Mountain" the Oscar for Best Picture despite being the most honored film in cinematic history.
The popular belief is that 10% of the world's population is LGBT. That means 10% of the world is directly affected by homophobia. This statistic does not include straight allies.
It is for these reasons and more that I fight as a LGBT activist. I believe all people are created equal, and entitled to the same rights, freedoms and protections.
This is why I fight.
Are you with me?
Mon, 10/12/2009 - 22:40 —
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