Volume One, Issue Five Friday March 16, 2012

Volume One, Issue Five Friday March 16, 2012
Introduction from the Creator

Due to busy life, I didn't get to post on Thursday. 

I hope you enjoy this week's issue of HOOSIER LGBTQ!

Flaming National Headlines

In the nation's first ruling of it's kind, an immigration judge in Houston ended Costa Rica native David Gonzalez's deportation process because of his marital status to another man.  Gonzalez married American Mario Ramirez in California in 2008, and the couple has since moved to Texas.  --The Advocate, EquallyWed.com

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslan has said he wishes the state legislature would stop pushing the so-called "Don't Say Gay Bill", which would ban any discussion or teaching about homosexuality in school, even though the legislation is being pushed by his own political party.  --Human Rights Campaign

The OUT NYC hotel is a gay focused, straight-friendly urban resort which just opened this month.  It is the first hotel of its kind in New York City, and possibly the world.  --Reuters

On Tuesday, March 13 a gay couple in Dallas was hospitalized when 5 people beat them with baseball bats.  In Washington D.C. on March 11 and 12, one gay man was shot and another beaten.  A transgender woman was also attacked.  --BigGayNews.com

Community News

There doesn't seem to be much to report as far as Indiana news, but check out The Rainbow Highlighter column on the right for lots of upcoming events!

IMO: Your License Plate Could Send You to Hell!

There's been talk about banning many specialty license plates in Indiana, including (and especially?) the one for IYG, or Indiana Youth Group, which supports GLBT youth.  Right now this legislation seems to be stopped for now, and perhaps the legislators aren't just singling out gay-friendly plates and are honestly irritated by having too many organizations represented or something. But one of the things that annoys me most is that the sponsor of the legislation, Rep. Ed Soliday, withdrew the bill because he claimed that the whole issue had become "too politicized."

Dude, you work in politics.

I'm sick of people who use every excuse in the world to justify their actions instead of just saying what they really think and feel.  I discussed this last week, too.  If a politician thinks gay people are icky or hellbound, then they should just say so.  And if a lawmaker is worried about election results and therefore wants to stay away from making any controversial decisions, they should admit it, too, and then tell us why they are even in politics in the first place.

Banning license plates, organizations, education, and even marriage is not going to eradicate homosexuality.  We're here and we're queer, and all the ex-gay therapy and Bible bashing you can thump out has never, and will never, change that.  It's time for all bigots to expand their narrow world-views.

Thanks for reading!