(Or, "The Pride Within All Of Us")
This post is a work in progress.
You see, creative writing takes a lot of time and energy—and I am currently editing blog posts, so I will write this post as soon as I can.
Thus, I will be completing this blog post as soon as I am able to do so!
And while you're waiting for me to complete this blog post, I hope that you will read my current "Online Activism," with regard to LGBTQIA+ topics, from my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog (please see the hyperlink below for the post):
So, please consider reading my current "Online Activism," with regard to LGBTQIA+ topics, which can be found below "My Writing Notes."
-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., A Creative Writer)
"I maybe say too much about how life really is!"
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[1] If you are interested, here is a Parade.com article titled, "What Does LGBTQ+ Mean? Every Letter Is Important to the Community." An introduction to the article can be found below:
"What Does LGBTQ+ Mean? Every Letter Is Important to the Community" from Parade Media Group
LGBTQ+'s meaning is significant, with each letter having its own history.
Alani Vargas | June 1, 2023
While Pride Month is a great time to celebrate the queer community, it’s also a great time to learn about LGBTQ+ history. And in doing so, it’s probably a good idea to get familiar with what LGBTQ+ means in the first place.
As with everything throughout history, there is a rich progression when it comes to terms used for the LGBTQ+ community. Right now, it’s pretty inclusive, but that wasn’t always the case. Just like the greater society at large has to learn and accept all gay people, the queer community has also had to grow to include every facet of our queer population. With that said, here’s the history of the acronym LGBTQ+ and what LGBTQ+ stands for. ...
Please see the hyperlink below for the article:
[2] If you are interested, here is a GayCenter.org webpage titled, "WHAT IS LGBTQIA+?" An introduction to the webpage can be found below:
"WHAT IS LGBTQIA+?" from Lesbian & Gay Community Services Center, Inc.
LGBTQIA+ is an abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and more. These terms are used to describe a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. See below for a more detailed definition of each term, from GLAAD’s LGBTQ Media Reference Guide. ...
Please see the hyperlink below for the webpage:
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My Writing Notes:
The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement:
This post is a work in progress. You see, creative writing takes a lot of time and energy—and I am currently editing blog posts, so I will write this post as soon as I can. Thus, I will be completing this blog post as soon as I am able to do so!
And while you're waiting for me to complete this blog post, I hope that you will read my current "Online Activism," with regard to LGBTQIA+ topics, from my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog (please see the hyperlink below for the post):
So, please consider reading my current "Online Activism," with regard to LGBTQIA+ topics, which can be found below "My Writing Notes."
And this poem was only published on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog.
This poem was written in Portland, Oregon.
-Paulee
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My Current "Online Activism" With Regard To LGBTQIA+ Topics From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Can Be Found On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog (Please See The Hyperlink Below For The Post):
September 12th, 2022 Update: I received an email from ACLU People Power today, September 12th, 2022, with the subject line, "Action Alert: Pass the Respect for Marriage Act!", which stated the following:
Paul,
Any day now, the Senate could vote on the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill that would safeguard protections that marriage equality has brought to hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples and their families across the country from an increasingly radical Supreme Court.
In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, it is more important than ever that we enshrine our court-protected civil liberties into law.
The Respect for Marriage Act passed the House in July with a large, bipartisan vote of 267-157, making it the most pro-LGBTQ vote in Congressional history. Now, the Respect for Marriage Act is in the hands of our senators — and they need to hear from us, Paul.
It’s time for the Senate to get the job done and pass this bill to safeguard the protections of marriage equality, ensuring that all Americans are treated fairly and equally under federal law. Will you send a message to your senators now and urge them to vote YES on the Respect for Marriage Act?
Send a message »***
The Respect for Marriage Act would safeguard some of the protections of marriage equality even if the Supreme Court overturns crucial cases like Obergefell v. Hodges. Specifically, this critical bill would:
[✓] Guarantee federal recognition of the lawful marriages of same-sex couples
[✓] Completely repeal the discriminatory “Defense of Marriage Act,” which banned federal recognition of same-sex marriage
[✓] Ensure that lawful out-of-state marriages are respected even as couples cross state lines
This bill has strong bipartisan support and undeniable momentum — but we need your help to get it across the finish line.
Send a message to your senators today urging them to pass the Respect for Marriage Act to safeguard the protections of marriage equality.
Thanks for using your voice!
— ACLU People Power
***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]
And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, which can be found below:
Any day now, the Senate could vote on the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill that would safeguard protections that marriage equality has brought to hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples and their families across the country from an increasingly radical Supreme Court.
It’s time for the Senate to get the job done and pass this bill to safeguard the protections of marriage equality, ensuring that all Americans are treated fairly and equally under federal law.
Send a message to your senators now and urge them to vote YES on the Respect for Marriage Act.
The Respect for Marriage Act would safeguard some of the protections of marriage equality even if the Supreme Court overturns crucial cases like Obergefell v. Hodges. Specifically, the Respect for Marriage Act would:
[✓] Guarantee federal recognition of the lawful marriages of same-sex couples
[✓] Completely repeal the discriminatory “Defense of Marriage Act,” which banned federal recognition of same-sex marriage
[✓] Ensure that lawful out-of-state marriages are respected even as couples cross state lines
This bill passed the House in July with a large, bipartisan vote of 267-157, making it the most pro-LGBTQ vote in Congressional history. Now, the Respect for Marriage Act is in the hands of our senators — and they need to hear from us.
Send a message to your senators today urging them to pass the Respect for Marriage Act to safeguard the protections of marriage equality.
So, I sent letters to my Senators, which can be seen below:
Dear Senator [Name],
As your constituent, I’m urging you to vote YES on the Respect for Marriage Act to safeguard the protections that marriage has brought to hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples and their families across the country.
When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, I became alarmed by the likelihood that other rights could soon come under attack— like marriage equality.
In July, your colleagues in the House of Representatives passed this crucial bill with a bipartisan vote of 267-157, making it the most pro-LGBTQ vote in Congressional history. Now, the Senate must do the same.
The Respect for Marriage Act would guarantee federal recognition of the lawful marriages of same-sex couples, fully repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, and protect a couple’s lawful marriage regardless of state lines. This bill is critical to ensuring that all Americans are treated fairly and equally under the law.
I urge you to vote YES on the Respect for Marriage Act without delay.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Paul Whiting
And, after I sent letters to my Senators in Congress, as mentioned above, I also made a donation to the ACLU in order to show my support for passing the Respect for Marriage Act and to do my part to help "protect and respect" same-sex marriages in the United States of America.
–Paul Whiting (written September 12th, 2022, revised September 13th, 2022, revised November 18th, 2022, revised December 18th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022, revised January 1st, 2023, revised March 3rd, 2023, revised April 11th, 2023, revised June 3rd, 2023 and revised June 5th, 2023)
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March 20th, 2023 Update—Continued (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog): I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, March 20th, 2023, with the subject line, "The first bill attacking trans kids is in Congress.", which stated the following:
Paul –
A bill that would ban trans girls from school sports nationwide could get a vote in the House very soon. It is the very first bill out of Congress attacking transgender youth at the federal level, and we must take action.
To be clear, this bill would make it illegal for any school that receives federal funding to allow trans girls to play on girls' teams. It's discriminatory, it's unconstitutional, and it does nothing to address actual barriers in women's sports, like lack of funding, unequal pay, or harassment and abuse.
And while some representatives are trying to push this harmful bill through – there are many other Members of Congress who are fighting back. They need to hear from you in this crucial window of time: Tell your Representative to vote "NO" on all bills that attack transgender people.
SEND YOUR MESSAGE***
Paul, when kids have the freedom to play, they build stronger bonds with their friends, schools, and communities. And we also know too well this attack is not just about sports – this is one of many attacks on the freedom of transgender people right now.
Some in Congress also want to take away the right of young people and their families to get the healthcare they need and to force schools to out LGBTQ students. Meanwhile, in the state legislatures across the country, public officials are targeting our trans communities through a sweeping number of harmful and unconstitutional bills.
The civil liberties these politicians are coming after are in no small way lifesaving for so many trans young people. And we at the ACLU will not allow peoples' rights and safety to be put at risk for anyone's political agenda like this – especially when it comes to the rights and safety of kids.
That's why every action in this fight – every moment we speak out and let our leaders know we, the people, will not accept attempts to erase trans people from public life – makes a difference. So please, contact your member of Congress now, Paul – and know the ACLU will continue to fight back at every level.
Thank you for being with us at this critical moment.
For the freedom to be ourselves,
[Name redacted]
Pronouns: He, him, his
[Title redacted], ACLU
***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]
And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, which can be found below:
Tell Congress: Protect Our Kids’ Freedom
The fight for trans rights is now federal. Congress has introduced the very first bill attacking transgender youth. Some Representatives are trying to ban trans kids from sports – and more bills pushing trans people out of public life are on the way.
Members of Congress are fighting back – and they need to hear from you. Tell your Representative to vote “NO” on all bills that attack transgender Americans.
Some members of Congress are trying to ban youth from school sports just because they’re transgender. But it’s not just about sports - this is the first of many attacks on the freedom of transgender people to be who they are. Politicians are pushing another bill taking away the right of young people and their families to get the healthcare they need. We must tell Congress that our government should not interfere with the care we receive, the curriculum our schools teach, or the freedom to be ourselves.
When kids have the freedom to play, they build stronger bonds with their friends, their schools, and their communities. Title IX requires schools to adopt inclusive policies to provide these opportunities for all students regardless of gender – including transgender students.
Send a message to your member of Congress now and call on them to protect trans rights by opposing H.R. 734.
SEND A LETTER
Dear Representative,
I’m writing today to strongly urge you to protect our children’s freedom to play by voting against H.R. 734, the so-called “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.”
This legislation would make it illegal for schools receiving federal funding to allow transgender girls and women to play on sports teams for girls and women. This is both discriminatory and unconstitutional, and I urge you to oppose it and all bills that attack transgender people.
Transgender girls and women participate in sports for the same reasons as their peers who are not transgender: to be part of a team, learn sportsmanship, and challenge themselves. It is because of this that leading advocates for women’s sports, including Megan Rapinoe, Billie Jean King, and the Women’s Sports Foundation strongly support including transgender girls and women in women’s sports.
If Congress was serious about addressing actual barriers facing female student athletes, it would be working to eliminate continued funding inequities, address pay disparities among coaches and staff, and ending harassment and abuse.
H.R. 734 does nothing to address these barriers. Instead, it targets a small, already vulnerable group of people for further discrimination. This legislation is both mean-spirited and cruel. I urge you to protect our childrens’ freedom to play by voting against H.R. 734 and all bills that target and discriminate against transgender people.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Prefix: Mr.
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Street address: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
ZIP Code: [redacted]
Mobile phone: [redacted]
Then, after I sent the letter above to my U.S. House Representative in Congress, via the ACLU People Power website, I made a one-time donation to the ACLU in order to do my part to say 'NO' "on all bills that attack transgender Americans," to say 'NO' on the "many attacks on the freedom of transgender people to be who they are," and to say 'NO' to "H.R. 734 and all bills that target and discriminate against transgender people." –Paul Whiting (written March 20th, 2023, revised April 11th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised May 18th, 2023 and revised June 3rd, 2023)
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March 23rd, 2023 Update, Written On March 24th, 2023: It is with a somber tone and utmost humility that I wish to commemorate the passing of Darcelle XV (a.k.a. Walter W. Cole, Sr.) of Portland, Oregon, who was named the "World's Oldest Drag Queen" on August 15th, 2016, by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Darcelle was so well known, in fact, that her passing commanded an article in the Associated Press (AP) News. An introduction to the article can be found below:
"Darcelle, world’s oldest working drag queen, dies at 92" from the AP News
By CLAIRE RUSH | March 24, 2023
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Walter Cole, better known as the iconic drag queen who performed for decades as Darcelle XV and a fearless advocate for Portland’s LGBTQ+ community, has died of natural causes in Portland, Oregon. He was 92.
Darcelle, who died Thursday, was crowned the world’s oldest working drag performer in 2016 by the Guinness Book of World Records and was regaling audiences until the very end. As a performer, Darcelle was known for hosting the longest-running drag show on the U.S. West Coast. Off stage, Cole, an Army veteran, championed LGBTQ+ rights and charitable work in Portland. ...
Please see the hyperlink below for the article:
Quite a few years ago (which was in the early 2000s, to the best of my recollection), I went with friends to see the drag show at "Darcelle XV Showplace" in the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. And it was a delightful performance! In fact, later on we went to enjoy Darcelle's extravagant, funny and entertaining drag show—yet again!
Now, although I haven't been back to see the drag show at Darcelle XV Showplace since that time, just this month I walked close to Darcelle's (I am pretty sure that it was on March 12th, 2023, but it was definitely sometime during the month of March 2023), because I was traveling through the Old Town neighborhood.
Then, I happened to notice three homeless folks sitting right out in front of Darcelle's, so I made sure to walk past them in order to give them "help out money," which is a one dollar bill that I usually offer to homeless folks, if I go by them, as I am traveling around by walking to various destinations...
...And the poignant thing is that one of the homeless folks was wearing a Carnival of Venice-style mask—which was a simple design in a dark color with rhinestones accentuating the perimeter—so I wondered to myself (at that time) if that was, in fact, Darcelle helping out homeless folks, who are asking for "spare change" (or 'spanging,' as it is informally called) in front of her nightclub!
Anyway, I thought that I should say a little something about Darcelle (a.k.a. Walter Cole), who left this earth on Thursday, March 23rd, 2023, and undoubtedly went to that great big wonderful drag show in the sky:
"Oh man, what a woman!"
By the way, while I was doing some online searches regarding writing this 'update,' I noticed that the above-mentioned AP News article was even carried by Time Magazine: what a legendary drag queen. We are all going to miss you, Darcelle! –Paul Whiting (written March 24th, 2023, revised March 25th, 2023, revised March 29th, 2023, revised April 2nd, 2023, revised April 21st, 2023, revised April 24th, 2023 and revised April 25th, 2023)
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April 21st, 2023 Update—Continued (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog): I received an email from the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon (ACLU of Oregon) today, April 21st, 2023, with the subject line, "ANNOUNCEMENT: Historic ballot measure campaign", which stated the following:
Paul –
You're invited!
Earlier this week, alongside our partners Basic Rights Oregon and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, we announced the Equal Rights for All campaign. The goal of this campaign is for Oregon voters to pass a ballot measure in November 2024, which would amend our state constitution to make it clear that:
[✓] Oregonians have the freedom to make our own healthcare decisions and the right to access the essential care we need, including contraceptives and abortion care.
[✓] Oregonians can marry who we love, removing Oregon's ban on same-gender marriage, which was inserted into our constitution nearly two decades ago.
[✓] Every Oregonian is afforded the same protections to live a life free of government actions that discriminate – from housing and employment to public accommodations to state services – regardless of our sex, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
This ballot measure is an opportunity for Oregonians to speak our values of equality and freedom into action through our state constitution. Oregonians deserve to be heard.
On Wednesday, we took a big first step. The proposed constitutional amendment, Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 33, was introduced in the Oregon Senate and sponsored by all of our Democratic senators. Oregon lawmakers will decide before the end of the 2023 legislative session whether to refer the amendment to Oregon voters. If passed, Oregonians will be given the opportunity to vote on the measure in the November 2024 general election.
Please fill out our action alert to urge your legislators to support SJR 33!
TAKE ACTION***
Oregon has led the country with laws that promote democracy and protect our rights and freedoms. We can continue to lead – and be a beacon of hope across our country – by enshrining abortion and reproductive healthcare rights, transgender rights, and marriage equality in the Oregon Constitution via the Equal Rights for All ballot measure.
Read more about the campaign and our vision for an Oregon in which everyone has the freedom to be who we are, marry who we love, and pursue our dreams in our full press release.
We look forward to sharing more about this work and how you can get involved soon. We cannot take our fundamental rights for granted, and it's time to fight for ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities, together.
ACLU of Oregon Team
***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, which can be found below:
YES ON SJR 33 FOR EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL!
Act Now
In Oregon, we believe that everyone should have the freedom to be who we are, marry who we love, and pursue our dreams. As a state, we've worked for decades to protect our rights and freedoms so that each of us can make deeply personal decisions about our bodies, lives, and futures.
But the reality is that we're facing a moment when extremists across the country are moving aggressively to insert themselves into the most personal decisions we can make. At a time when we can no longer count on the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold our long-held federal constitutional protections, we are seeing relentless attacks on our fundamental rights and freedoms – including our ability to choose and access essential healthcare and marry who we love. These coordinated attacks are happening in Oregon and nationwide.
With this constitutional amendment, Oregonians have the opportunity to vote our values into our state constitution and protect decades of hard-won rights and freedoms. Simply put, this amendment will make it clear in the Oregon constitution that each of us has the rights and freedoms to make deeply personal decisions about abortion and reproductive health care, gender identity and related health care, and marriage, free from undue political interference and discriminatory actions by the government.
Message Recipients:
Your [Oregon] Governor
Your [Oregon] State Senator
Your [Oregon] State Representatives
YOUR MESSAGE
Message Subject:
Vote Yes on SJR 33 for Equal Rights for All
I am an ACLU of Oregon supporter writing to urge you to support the Equal Rights for All ballot measure referral.
Oregon has led the country with laws that promote democracy and protect our rights and freedoms. We can be a beacon of hope across our country. We can continue to lead by enshrining our rights and freedoms to abortion and reproductive health care, gender identity and related health care, and marriage equality into the Oregon Constitution via the Equal Rights for All ballot measure.
This is also an opportunity for Oregon to update our constitution to reflect our values - that we have the right and freedom to marry who we love by - removing Oregon's ban on same-gender marriage that was inserted into our constitution nearly two decades ago.
This ballot measure also provides Oregon the opportunity to double down on our core value of equality in our constitution. There is no place in our state for government actions that discriminate due to our sex, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation - whether in employment, housing, state services, or health care.
With this constitutional amendment, Oregonians have the opportunity to vote our values into our state constitution and protect decades of hard-won rights and freedoms. Simply put, this amendment will make it clear in the Oregon constitution that each of us has the rights and freedoms to make our own deeply personal decisions about abortion and reproductive health care, gender identity and related health care, and marriage, free from undue political interference and discriminatory actions by the government.
Oregonians overwhelmingly support our fundamental rights and freedoms to control our own bodies, lives, and futures without undue political interference and discriminatory government actions. And the polling is clear: Oregon voters understand that our rights are under relentless assault and support these constitutional safeguards that will protect us and the people we love from further attacks. Please vote Yes on SJR 33 for Equal Rights for All. Oregon voters deserve to have our voices heard.
Sincerely,
[First Name] [Last Name]
YOUR INFORMATION
Salutation (required by some officials): Mr.
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
E-mail address: [redacted]
Address: [redacted]
Address Line 2: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip Code: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]
And, after I sent the letter above, I received a confirmation email today, April 21st, 2023, from the ACLU of Oregon with the subject line, "Thank you for your support!", which stated the following:
Dear Paul,
Thank you for taking action to protect civil liberties in ACLU of Oregon. This is an important issue and your lawmakers need to hear from you.
Take the next step and share this action with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.
And keep an eye on our social media accounts and emails for more information on how to support and get involved in the Equal Rights for All Campaign!
Thank you for your support!
ACLU of Oregon
So, I selected the "Twitter" option (by the way, I only have a Twitter account so I can read tweets which are included in some online articles that I read) in order for me to provide you, my readers, with the text and hyperlink below:
Let's enshrine our core values in the Oregon Constitution to ensure that each of us has the rights and freedoms to make our own decisions in deeply personal areas such as abortion, contraception, gender identity and related health care, and same-gender marriage - free from political interference and discriminatory government actions.
https://action.aclu.org/send-message/or-era?initms_aff=or
Then, after I sent the letter above to the Oregon State Governor, as well as my State Senator and my State Representatives, via the ACLU of Oregon website, I made a one-time donation to the ACLU of Oregon in order to show my support for the "Equal Rights for All ballot measure" (SJR 33), because "this amendment will make it clear in the Oregon constitution that each of us has the rights and freedoms to make our own deeply personal decisions about abortion and reproductive health care, gender identity and related health care, and marriage, free from undue political interference and discriminatory actions by the government." –Paul Whiting (written April 21st, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised May 23rd, 2023, revised June 3rd, 2023 and revised February 21st, 2024)
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April 22nd, 2023 Update—Continued Further Some More, Written On April 24th, 2023 [My Writing About The Passing Away Of An Internationally Renowned Star, Dame Edna Everage (a.k.a. Barry Humphries) (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog)]:
It is with gracious decorum and pageantry that I wish to commemorate the passing of Dame Edna Everage (a.k.a. Barry Humphries), who was the "Housewife Gigastar."
Years ago, I watched The Dame Edna Experience television show (I think that it was in syndication), but I don't recall precisely where I watched it (I think it was in Salt Lake City, Utah), or precisely when I watched it (I think that it was in the 1990s after the show had originally aired, from September, 12th, 1987 to December 22nd, 1989) which, as Dame Edna would say is, "Spooky!"
By the way, I read the entire Wikipedia webpage about Barry Humphries, which can be found below, while I was searching for the name of the Dame Edna television show that I watched back in the 1990s. So, for all you Dame Edna fans out there, it's a very interesting read regarding Mr. Humphries long, and often times sordid, career...
...That is, at least according to the critics!
"Barry Humphries" from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this blogger (I make a totally affordable monthly donation):
Plus, I did a search on YouTube for "Dame Edna," because I was planning to select a video that summed her up, but there were so many videos from which to choose that it was overwhelming...
...The same way Dame Edna was overwhelming!
And that's why I decided to simply provide the hyperlink below to the above-mentioned YouTube search, so that you can see for yourself the spectacular spectacle of the sparkling, shining, shimmering, satiny and sequined star:
–Paul Whiting (written April 24th, 2023 and revised April 25th, 2023)
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June 1st, 2023 Update: Happy Pride Month, everyone! I received an email from the ACLU today, June 1st, 2023, with the subject line, "Take action on the first day of Pride Month", which stated the following:
Paul: It's the first day of Pride Month – and while this should be a month of celebration and being in community, LGBTQ people are under attack.
Across the states, politicians are going after the rights of transgender and gender-nonconforming people – including blocking access to potentially lifesaving health care, banning kids from school sports, and restricting the First Amendment rights of drag performers. And on Capitol Hill, extremist members of Congress are trying to criminalize and strip trans people of the care they need to live.
We will never let that happen, Paul. The ACLU is fighting back in every way we can, and we need you to join us today. To kick off Pride Month, please send a message to Congress, and tell them to reject any attacks on access to health care for trans people.
PROTECT TRANS LIVES***
We all deserve the right to make decisions about our own bodies, our own futures, and our own lives – but that's not a reality for trans people across the country.
While the ACLU is fighting back at the state level – taking states to court over health care bans and sports bans – we also know this anti-trans movement is far from over.
A new bill was introduced by the most extreme anti-LGBTQ Members of Congress – led by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene – that would criminalize the lifesaving health care trans people need. And another bill prohibiting trans girls from being able to play team sports has already passed in the House. This is not the end of these attacks at the federal level.
That's why it's so critical that people like you speak up for trans rights every chance they get – on the first day of Pride Month and every day that follows. Please, send a message to Congress today calling on your elected officials to protect trans people from discrimination.
Thank you in advance for speaking out,
[Name redacted]
Pronouns: He, him, his
[Title redacted], ACLU
***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]
And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, which can be found below:
PROTECT TRANS CARE NOW
The attacks on the freedom and dignity of trans people and their families are just starting. One-third of the country has passed laws that criminalize and ban access to gender-affirming care. The next stage of the fight for basic LGBTQ freedoms is coming, and it affects everyone – even in states that haven't seen any anti-trans attacks.
A new bill has been introduced by the most extreme anti-LGBTQ Members of Congress, led by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, that would criminalize the health care trans people need. While such a law is beyond the pale, it won't be the last. Any national ban on gender-affirming care would be devastating. You and your elected Members of Congress are our last line of defense against this national threat.
We must stop any effort to criminalize trans people and the families and communities who love us. Send your message loud and clear: Tell your Members of Congress to protect trans people from discrimination.
YOUR MESSAGE
Subject: Protect Trans People from Discrimination
Recently we have seen wave after wave of extreme measures in the states and in Congress, to criminalize and strip transgender people of access to healthcare that keeps them alive and healthy. As we celebrate our LGBTQ family members, friends, and neighbors this Pride Month, I am writing – during a genuine moment of crisis – to urge you to publicly commit to doing everything within your power to protect the health and dignity of transgender people. Will you do so?
I want to be very clear: Gender-affirming care, including for transgender youth, is evidence-based, medically necessary, and life-saving. This is why every leading medical organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, strongly oppose efforts to criminalize and deny this care to transgender people.
Patients and their doctors should be the ones making individual healthcare decisions, not cynical politicians looking to score political points through fear-mongering and ignorance. As a Member of Congress, you must stand against this.
Transgender people deserve the same chance to thrive and live fulfilling lives as everyone else. Having the freedom to control our bodies and seek the healthcare we need, including gender-affirming care, is an essential right for all people.
I urge you to not remain silent in this moment. Use your voice. Publicly show up in support with the transgender community, not only during Pride Month but all year long. Most importantly, use your power to protect life-saving healthcare for transgender youth and adults alike.
Thank you. I look forward to your response.
[First Name] [Last Name]
YOUR INFORMATION
Salutation (required by some officials): Mr.
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
E-mail address: [redacted]
Address: [redacted]
Address Line 2: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip Code: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]
And, after I sent the letter above, I received a confirmation email today, June 1st, 2023, from the ACLU with the subject line, "One more thing - can you spread the word?", which stated the following:
Hi Paul,
Thank you for taking action to protect trans people.
Help us build our power: Share the action by forwarding the email below to your friends, or by sharing this link:
Thttps://action.aclu.org/send-message/protect-trans-care-now
Thank you,
The ACLU Team
----
Hi friend,
Recently, we have seen wave after wave of extreme measures in the states and in Congress to criminalize and strip transgender people of their right to safety, dignity, and autonomy.
In fact, a new bill was introduced by the most extreme anti-LGBTQ Members of Congress, led by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, that would criminalize the health care trans people need. While such a law is beyond the pale, it won't be the last. And any national ban on gender-affirming care would be devastating.
We must stop any effort to criminalize trans people and the families and communities who love us. That's why I just joined the ACLU in sending a message to Congress urging them to protect trans people now.
Will you join me?
Thanks.
Then, after I sent the letter above to Congress, via the ACLU website, I made a one-time donation to the ACLU because "it's so critical that people like [me] speak up for trans rights every chance they get – on the first day of Pride Month and every day that follows," by sending "a message to Congress today calling on [my] elected officials to protect trans people from discrimination." –Paul Whiting (written June 1st, 2023, revised June 7th, 2023 and revised July 24th, 2023)
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June 1st, 2023 Update—Continued [May 23rd, 2023 Update—Continued Further (Follow-Up, Written On June 1st, 2023) (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog)]:
This update is a follow-up to my 'May 23rd, 2023 Update—Continued Further,' where I explained, in part, that I signed up to be reminded to watch the livestream "Pride Month: Defying the Nazi Campaign to Control Sexuality."
Therefore, I received an email from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum today, June 1st, 2023, with the subject line, "Digital Program Now Available | Pride Month: Defying the Nazi Campaign to Control Sexuality", which stated the following:
Digital Program Now Available
Pride Month: Defying the Nazi Campaign to Control Sexuality
Thank you for your interest in today’s discussion. The recording is now available on demand, and we encourage you to share it with friends.
WATCH NOW:
https://m.facebook.com/holocaustmuseum
About This Program
Berlin was known as the gay capital of the world until Nazis began terrorizing LGBTQ+ people and shut down the Eldorado Club in 1933.
But love persisted in spite of Nazi persecution. Repeated arrests and beatings couldn’t crush the bond between Jewish dancer Margot Holzmann Liu and her partner, Marta Halusa. The inhumane conditions at the Ravensbrück concentration camp didn’t prevent prisoners Nelly Mousset-Vos and Nadine Hwang from beginning their lifelong romance.
Watch this special program and join Museum experts in commemorating Pride Month by recognizing these legacies of resilience and rebellion during Nazi rule.
This virtual program and previous episodes are available on demand on the Museum’s Facebook (https://m.facebook.com/watch/34362997676/2572591559664662/) and YouTube (https://youtu.be/jr6Gn5DFDPo) pages.
Now, to clarify, I decided to wait until after the event had livestreamed to watch it, since I only have a cellular data plan through my cell phone company (so, I don't have access to Wi-Fi on my smartphone). Plus, this program started livestreaming at 6:30 AM PDT! Additionally, whenever I watch these livestreamed programs as a recording, I can go back to parts of the program that I wish to repeat in order to watch them over again.
Besides that, I also decided to watch the video on the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Channel on YouTube. Here is the description from that video (with a hyperlink to the video below):
Pride Month: Defying the Nazi Campaign to Control Sexuality
Berlin was known as the gay capital of the world until Nazis began terrorizing LGBTQ+ people and shut down the Eldorado Club in 1933.
But love persisted in spite of Nazi persecution. Repeated arrests and beatings couldn’t crush the bond between Jewish dancer Margot Holzmann Liu and her partner, Marta Halusa. The inhumane conditions at the Ravensbrück concentration camp didn’t prevent prisoners Nelly Mousset-Vos and Nadine Hwang from beginning their lifelong romance. Join us as we commemorate Pride Month with their legacies of resilience and rebellion during Nazi rule.
https://youtu.be/jr6Gn5DFDPo
In addition to that, I decided to make a one-time donation to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, shortly before I started to watch the video, in order to show my support for the program "Pride Month: Defying the Nazi Campaign to Control Sexuality." –Paul Whiting (written June 1st, 2023, revised June 3rd, 2023, revised July 16th, 2023, revised August 22nd, 2023 and revised October 21st, 2023)
P.S.: I started watching the video of the program "Pride Month: Defying the Nazi Campaign to Control Sexuality" at 10:07 PM PDT. And I finished watching the video thirty one minutes later. So, my take on the program was that I found it to be a really powerful history of the persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals in Nazi Germany, which highlighted endearing stories of Margot Holzmann Liu and Marta Halusa, as well as Nelly Mousset-Vos and Nadine Hwang, who were two lesbian couples that found lifelong loves in unbearable conditions.
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June 6th, 2023 Update—Continued (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog): I was doing my oftentimes daily news searches on Google today, June 6th, 2023, when I noticed an article on APNews.com titled, "LGBTQ+ Americans are under attack, Human Rights Campaign declares in state of emergency warning." An introduction to the article can be found below:
"LGBTQ+ Americans are under attack, Human Rights Campaign declares in state of emergency warning" from AP (Associated Press) News
By Hannah Schoenbaum | June 6, 2023
The Human Rights Campaign declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. on Tuesday and released a guidebook pointing to laws it deems discriminatory in each state, along with “know your rights” information and resources to help people relocate to states with stronger LGBTQ+ protections.*
Sounding the alarm about the current political climate, the nation’s largest organization devoted to the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans said travel advisories aren’t enough to help people already living in states where lawmakers have targeted LGBTQ+ people.
“We need champions right now,” HRC President Kelley Robinson said in an interview with The Associated Press. President Joe Biden and other LGBTQ+ rights supporters with decision-making authorities, she said, need to be more than just allies.
The declaration is a call to action for “people in power at every level” of government and the business community, she said, urging them to fight for LGBTQ+ rights with the same fervor as they’ve fought for abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer.
“When Dobbs fell, you saw a federal response to deal with the abortion crisis that we’re in,” Robinson said. “We are in a crisis of even greater scale to the health and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community, and we need that same sort of response.”
Just a few days into Pride Month, the campaign said it’s taking action in response to an “unprecedented and dangerous” spike in discriminatory legislation sweeping state houses this year, with more than 525 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced and more than 70 signed into law so far in 2023 — more than double last year’s number.
A recent Associated Press analysis found that many bills seeking to ban or restrict gender-affirming health care for transgender youth, who have been the primary targets of state legislation this year, sprang not from grassroots or constituent demand, but from the pens of a few powerful conservative interest groups.
The HRC guidebook, meanwhile, provides information about filing complaints for civil rights violations and points to resources for financing moves and finding employment, particularly in the 17 states with a trifecta of Democratic leadership in both legislative chambers and the governor’s office.
“The amount of calls I get every day from parents asking how they can move to another state because they’d rather mourn their home than their child is real,” Robinson said. “This is a different level of urgency and demanded a different level of response.”
The emergency declaration is the first in the 43-year history of the HRC, which encompasses a foundation focusing on research, advocacy and education, national and state lobbying campaigns and a political action committee that supports and opposes candidates for office. It comes as Republican-dominated legislatures around the country have restricted various aspects of transgender existence, from pronoun usage and bathroom access to medical care and more. ...
Please see the hyperlink below for the article:
*Plus, I also read that article on HRC.org titled, "For the First Time Ever, Human Rights Campaign Officially Declares ‘State of Emergency’ for LGBTQ+ Americans; Issues National Warning and Guidebook to Ensure Safety for LGBTQ+ Residents and Travelers", which was referenced in the "LGBTQ+ Americans are under attack, Human Rights Campaign declares in state of emergency warning" article above. An introduction to the article can be found below:
"For the First Time Ever, Human Rights Campaign Officially Declares ‘State of Emergency’ for LGBTQ+ Americans; Issues National Warning and Guidebook to Ensure Safety for LGBTQ+ Residents and Travelers" from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
By HRC Staff | June 6, 2023
HRC’s First-Ever Emergency Declaration Comes After More Than 75 Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills Signed Into Law This Year (More Than Double The Number From Last Year), Creating an Imminent Threat to the Health and Safety of LGBTQ+ People and Families Nationwide
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — officially declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the United States for the first time in its more than 40-year history, following an unprecedented and dangerous spike in anti-LGBTQ+ legislative assaults sweeping state houses this year. A new report released by HRC today — LGBTQ+ Americans Under Attack — details more than 75 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have been signed into law this year alone, more than doubling last year’s number, which was previously the worst year on record.
Please see the hyperlink below for the article:
And I decided to highlight this AP News article—as well as this Human Rights Campaign article—for you, my readers, to consider reading too!
Besides that, I made an yearly (annual) donation to show my support for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), since the HRC "officially declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the United States for the first time in its more than 40-year history, following an unprecedented and dangerous spike in anti-LGBTQ+ legislative assaults sweeping state houses this year [2023]," because "the sharp rise in anti-LGBTQ+ measures has spawned a dizzying patchwork of discriminatory state laws that have created increasingly hostile and dangerous environments for LGBTQ+ people, prompting HRC today [June 6th, 2023] to also issue a national warning and downloadable guidebook for the LGBTQ+ community." –Paul Whiting (written June 6th, 2023 and revised August 22nd, 2023)
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June 7th, 2023 Update: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, June 7th, 2023, with the subject line, "Pride is joy, resistance – and action. Let's go.", which stated the following:
Paul – Pride began as a protest, and we're channeling that same spirit of resistance this month as LGBTQ people face escalating attacks.
So far this year, state lawmakers have introduced more than 490 anti-LGBTQ bills, most of which target transgender and non-binary people. The ACLU has been fighting back by working in state legislatures, taking unconstitutional policies to court, and mobilizing supporters to protect trans rights. This Pride month, and every day, the ACLU is defending our right to be ourselves – fully, freely, and with joy.
PRIDE IS JOY
Community Stories
In the midst of attacks on trans people's safety and dignity, we're celebrating stories of trans joy. Because when forces larger than us try to break our spirit, we can respond as forcefully and effectively with joy as we can with anger, defiance, and protest. One of our clients explained that after they started using new pronouns for their trans daughter, "It was as if a cloud lifted and Brooke's smile came back. We had a happy, bright-eyed child again." Another trans client explained that "having access to care means I'm able to be myself, and be healthier and more confident – physically and mentally." We're fighting for a society where every trans person has the opportunity to attain that joy, where everyone can live safely and freely as themselves.
PRIDE IS RESISTANCE
Updates On Our Work
The ACLU has been fighting for LGBTQ freedom for decades. And as an organization at the intersection of every civil liberty issue in this country, we know full well that nothing exists in isolation: Our fight to stop attacks on LGBTQ people's First Amendment rights of self-expression, for instance, is a fight to stop attacks on all our First Amendment rights:
[✓] We just filed a lawsuit against a school district that barred a trans student from wearing a dress to her graduation.
[✓] And, we're working to defend Connecticut's trans-inclusive sports policies that support a student's right to be themselves and be part of a team.
[✓] Plus, we recently filed a lawsuit against a city that censored drag performers. Because an attack on one of our rights is an attack on all of our rights.
PRIDE IS ACTION
Take Action With Us
Pride began as a protest – a movement led by Black and brown trans women. And as we continue the fight for LGBTQ freedom today, we need you to take action. Not only are states passing anti-LGBTQ censorship laws, they are also passing bans on gender-affirming care for trans youth. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene even recently introduced a federal ban in the House. That's why we're asking during Pride Month: Please, send a message to your member of Congress urging them to protect trans care.*
Thank you for reading this Pride month's update. We'll be sharing rundowns of this work every week this month, so please stay tuned and thank you in advance for taking action to protect trans rights.
Happy Pride,
The ACLU Team
*By the way, I already sent the above-mentioned "message to [my] member of Congress urging them to protect trans care" on June 1st, 2023, a copy of which can be found below, as quoted from my 'June 1st, 2023 Update,' which can be found above:
"...PROTECT TRANS CARE NOW
The attacks on the freedom and dignity of trans people and their families are just starting. One-third of the country has passed laws that criminalize and ban access to gender-affirming care. The next stage of the fight for basic LGBTQ freedoms is coming, and it affects everyone – even in states that haven't seen any anti-trans attacks.
A new bill has been introduced by the most extreme anti-LGBTQ Members of Congress, led by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, that would criminalize the health care trans people need. While such a law is beyond the pale, it won't be the last. Any national ban on gender-affirming care would be devastating. You and your elected Members of Congress are our last line of defense against this national threat.
We must stop any effort to criminalize trans people and the families and communities who love us. Send your message loud and clear: Tell your Members of Congress to protect trans people from discrimination.
YOUR MESSAGE
Subject: Protect Trans People from Discrimination
Recently we have seen wave after wave of extreme measures in the states and in Congress, to criminalize and strip transgender people of access to healthcare that keeps them alive and healthy. As we celebrate our LGBTQ family members, friends, and neighbors this Pride Month, I am writing – during a genuine moment of crisis – to urge you to publicly commit to doing everything within your power to protect the health and dignity of transgender people. Will you do so?
I want to be very clear: Gender-affirming care, including for transgender youth, is evidence-based, medically necessary, and life-saving. This is why every leading medical organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, strongly oppose efforts to criminalize and deny this care to transgender people.
Patients and their doctors should be the ones making individual healthcare decisions, not cynical politicians looking to score political points through fear-mongering and ignorance. As a Member of Congress, you must stand against this.
Transgender people deserve the same chance to thrive and live fulfilling lives as everyone else. Having the freedom to control our bodies and seek the healthcare we need, including gender-affirming care, is an essential right for all people.
I urge you to not remain silent in this moment. Use your voice. Publicly show up in support with the transgender community, not only during Pride Month but all year long. Most importantly, use your power to protect life-saving healthcare for transgender youth and adults alike.
Thank you. I look forward to your response.
[First Name] [Last Name]
YOUR INFORMATION
Salutation (required by some officials): Mr.
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
E-mail address: [redacted]
Address: [redacted]
Address Line 2: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip Code: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]..."
And so, for very much the same reason that I donated on June 1st, 2023, I made a one-time donation to the ACLU today, June 7th, 2023, since "it's so critical that people like [me] speak up for trans rights every chance they get," because "PRIDE IS JOY," "PRIDE IS RESISTANCE" and "PRIDE IS ACTION!" –Paul Whiting (written June 7th, 2023, revised June 21st, 2023 and revised June 28th, 2023)
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June 9th, 2023 Update: I received an email from Planned Parenthood Federation of America today, June 9th, 2023, with the subject line, "Our movements are inseparable", which stated the following:
Dear Paul,
It's Pride Month, and listen: We love a parade. We love to come together as a joyful, vibrant, diverse, proud community. We love to celebrate. We love love.
But that is only part of Pride.
Pride is also about solidarity, supporting one another, and building power within the LGBTQ+ community. It's about defiance — of laws and lawmakers who would dare to tell us how we can live, who we can love, and what we are worth. It's about building a future of liberation and equality.
It's in that spirit of showing up and speaking out, of solidarity and defiance — and, yes, of love — that Planned Parenthood is supporting partner organizations rooted in the LGBTQ+ community this Pride Month.
Click here to make a donation that will be shared among these partners:
[✓] Gender Justice
[✓] Marsha P. Johnson Institute
[✓] SPARK Reproductive Justice Now!
DONATE***
As a wave of abortion bans has swept through state after state, so have bans on gender-affirming care and other legislation targeting LGBTQ+ people. Each one of these is a direct attack on the right to control our own bodies and lives.
Our movements are deeply intertwined, and our causes are inseparable. When courageous lawmakers stood up to filibuster anti-trans legislation in Nebraska, bill sponsors added an abortion ban to the bill to help force it through.
They showed us who they are in that moment, and demonstrated once again that these bills — abortion bans, gender-affirming care bans, and so much more — are about power and control. The only way to stand against them is to stand together.
Make your special Pride Month gift right now and support grassroots organizations powering this movement.
Thank you for your commitment, your solidarity, and your defiance. And thank you also for the joy, celebration, love, and pride you bring. We need all of it, together, now and for the work ahead.
— Planned Parenthood
***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]
Thus, I made one-time donations to Gender Justice, Marsha P. Johnson Institute, and SPARK Reproductive Justice Now!, on Plan Parenthood's donation portal via ActBlue.com, because Pride is about coming "together as a joyful, vibrant, diverse, proud community," however "Pride is also about solidarity, supporting one another, and building power within the LGBTQ+ community. It's about defiance — of laws and lawmakers who would dare to tell us how we can live, who we can love, and what we are worth. It's about building a future of liberation and equality." –Paul Whiting (written June 9th, 2023 and revised June 2nd, 2024)
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June 12th, 2023 Update: I received an email from Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America today, June 12th, 2023, with the subject line, "Honor the victims and survivors of Pulse with action: Send your message," which stated the following:
Paul—
The same week we're remembering the tragedy at Pulse nightclub—one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history—extremist Republicans in the House are proposing to gut our gun laws.
They want to make it EASIER for potential mass shooters to get the kind of extremely dangerous assault weapons used in multiple shootings, including at Club Q in Colorado Springs and at The Covenant School in Nashville. President Biden took action to regulate this type of weapon under existing law, but extremists now want to roll it back.
Paul, you've already taken action on this important issue—but if we're going to stop extremist lawmakers from gutting our gun laws, we need to keep the pressure up.
The House is voting THIS WEEK to make it easier to get a type of extremely dangerous assault weapon that is highly regulated. Honor the victims and survivors of the shooting at Pulse with action: Send another message to [your representative in Congress] demanding they vote NO!
SEND MY MESSAGE***
Seven years ago, Orlando, Florida and the LGBTQ+ community were changed forever. A gunman opened fire at the LGBTQ+ nightclub Pulse, killing 49 people and wounding more than 50 others, many of whom were Latinx or Black.
We've worked to honor their lives with action, but we cannot ignore how much work we have left to do.
Loss continues to echo throughout and beyond the Latinx, Black, and queer communities. Mass shootings and daily gun violence continue to happen. And to make matters worse, extremist lawmakers in Florida—as well as several other states—are working to make their communities less welcoming, particularly for trans and queer youth.
Being out and openly queer, as many of the victims of the shooting at Pulse were, requires not just an immense degree of courage to be oneself, but also profound belief that a world in which we are able to experience joy and thrive as ourselves is possible.
It is with that intense amount of joy and hope that we, as a movement, must approach ending this deadly crisis. Together, we can turn our dream of a country free from gun violence into a reality—but only if we make it so.
This Pride Month, and on the seven-year-mark of the Pulse tragedy, we are answering the challenges we face with hope and resolve. We will fight to make our country safe for all—regardless of who we are, and who we love.
Honor the victims and survivors of the shooting at Pulse with action: Send a message to [your representative in Congress] now.
Thank you for being a part of this movement.
[Name redacted]
She/Her/Hers
[Title redacted]
Moms Demand Action
***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]
And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, which can be found below:
Tell Your U.S. Representative: Oppose Gutting Our Gun Laws And Support Gun Safety Legislation
Gun lobby allies in Congress continue to attack the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)—the federal agency tasked with enforcing our gun laws, solving gun crimes, and keeping our communities safe from gun violence.
Just weeks after a school shooting in Nashville where the shooter used an assault weapon equipped with an arm brace, Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee advanced legislation that would make it easier for dangerous individuals to get their hands on these modified guns.
Enough is enough. Common-sense gun policies on background checks, Extreme Risk Protection Orders, and assault weapons can help prevent shootings and keep our families safe. Inaction is not an option, and these extreme attempts to gut our gun laws are shameful.
Demand the U.S. House prioritize gun safety. Our U.S. representatives must reject this extreme attempt at undermining the ATF, and take action on common-sense gun legislation like expanding background checks to all gun sales, passing a federal Extreme Risk Protection Order law, and reinstating the Assault Weapons Ban.
Dear Representative,
I am writing to you as a constituent filled with grief, fear, and anger. I am fed up. As countless acts of preventable gun violence continue to threaten the safety of communities across the country day after day, I am urging you to oppose the extreme attempts to attack the ATF, including efforts to repeal the ATF's arm brace rule, and, instead, support action on gun safety. I ask you to support common-sense legislation that would expand background checks to all gun sales, create a federal Extreme Risk Protection Order law, and reinstate the Assault Weapons Ban. This common-sense legislation can help prevent tragic mass shootings, as well as the 120 gun deaths that happen every day.
Please, I'm urging you to prioritize public safety. Take action and save lives.
Complete the form to send your message now:
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Prefix: Mr.
Email address: [redacted]
Street address: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
ZIP Code: [redacted]
Mobile phone: [redacted]
And, after I sent the letter above to my representative in Congress, via the Everytown for Gun Safety website, I made a one-time donation to Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America (via the Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund) in order to do my part to "honor the victims and survivors of Pulse [nightclub] with action by send[ing]...another message to [my representative in Congress] demanding they vote NO...to stop extremist lawmakers from gutting our gun laws." –Paul Whiting (written June 12th, 2023, revised June 17th, 2023, revised July 5th, 2023 and revised September 7th, 2023)
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June 14th, 2023 Update—Continued (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog): I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, June 14th, 2023, with the subject line, "New podcast: Trans kids speak out!", which stated the following:
New Podcast Episode
Let Trans Kids Speak for Themselves
"I really hope for those of you that are younger and you find yourself caught in the hurricane that is the 'trans debate,' that you can find the eye of that hurricane and just learn to be yourself … no matter how far you sink, there will always be someone willing to lift you back up."
– [Name redacted], 15 years old
LISTEN NOW:
Then, after I listened to the podcast, I made a one-time donation to the ACLU because, as the podcast host says in her opening statement:
"As legislatures across the country enact anti-LGBTQ bills, one group has taken center stage in our national conversation: trans youth. Of the 491 anti-LGBTQ bills that we are tracking in this legislative session, 118 are bills seeking to restrict or ban gender-affirming care for trans kids. In the midst of all of this we are losing sight of the big picture. Trans kids are simply kids. And they’d like everyone else to let them be that. They don’t want to have to grow up fast, or be thrust into the spotlight. They want to manage their cheer team, build robots in their bedrooms, and go to homecoming with their friends.
So today, we’re passing them the mic, because well, the adults are talking too much and need to sit down and listen."
–Paul Whiting (June 14th, 2023, revised June 17th, 2023 and revised April 28th, 2024)
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June 16th, 2023 Update, Written On June 17th, 2023: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) yesterday, June 16th, 2023, with the subject line, "The intersection of racism and queer hate.", which stated the following:
Paul – all Pride month long, we're uplifting the joy, resistance, and action of our communities, especially in the face of escalating attacks against LGBTQ people's rights and safety. Particularly for trans people.
While state lawmakers continue to introduce discriminatory laws (nearly 500 anti-LGBTQ bills so far this year), the ACLU is working to defend the right to live fully and authentically as ourselves. One crucial piece in all this is the intersection between racism and queer hate that so many Black and brown LGBTQ people are forced to navigate – especially trans people of color. That's why this week, for Pride and in the lead-up to Juneteenth, we want to uplift the stories and work within this fight as we all work towards a liberated future free of harm and full of life.
PRIDE IS JOY
Community Stories
In the midst of attacks on trans people's safety and dignity, we're celebrating stories of trans joy
(https://www.aclu.org/news/lgbtq-rights/were-here-to-stay-black-trans-futures). In Alabama, for instance, as anti-trans state bills unfolded, the national press focused solely on the tragedy of being trans in the state, while interviews presented (mostly) white parents of trans youth in Alabama. This gap in storytelling brought about Black Trans Futures
(https://www.aclu.org/news/lgbtq-rights/were-here-to-stay-black-trans-futures), a storytelling project by the ACLU of Alabama and the Knights & Orchids Society. As one young Alabamian named Ro shared, "I love my journey. I'm not a man, I'm a trans man and that holds so much power ... There's only one Ro and that Ro is special."
PRIDE IS RESISTANCE
Updates On Our Work
The ACLU has been fighting for LGBTQ freedom for decades. And as an organization at the intersection of every civil liberty issue in this country, we know full well that nothing exists in isolation: Our fight to stop attacks on LGBTQ people's right to exist in public life, includes defending access to protections like fair housing, healthcare, and beyond. Here's just a highlight of some of our work in these areas:
[✓] Systemic racism, widespread poverty, and the criminalization of sex work continues to fuel housing discrimination for marginalized groups within the queer community, especially for trans people. We at the ACLU are educating and fighting for equal access to housing rights: Get informed on the history behind this work and how housing segregation shaped America's 'Gayborhoods.'
(https://www.aclu.org/news/lgbtq-rights/how-housing-segregation-shaped-americas-gayborhoods)
PRIDE IS ACTION
Take Action With Us
Pride began as a protest – a movement led by Black and brown trans women. And as we continue the fight for LGBTQ freedom today, we need you to take action. While anti-trans politicians in state legislatures continue to attack young people by passing bans on gender-affirming care for trans youth, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene recently introduced a federal ban in the House. That's why, we're asking during Pride Month: Please, send a message to your member of Congress urging them to protect trans care.*
Paul, this month and every month – we won't stop fighting for our communities. Thank you for reading this Pride month's update, and remember to watch your inbox all June for more updates as we fight to protect LGBTQ rights and all people's civil liberties.
Happy Pride,
The ACLU Team
*By the way, I already sent the above-mentioned "message to [my] member of Congress urging them to protect trans care" on June 1st, 2023, a copy of which can be found below, as quoted from my 'June 1st, 2023 Update,' which can be found above:
"...PROTECT TRANS CARE NOW
The attacks on the freedom and dignity of trans people and their families are just starting. One-third of the country has passed laws that criminalize and ban access to gender-affirming care. The next stage of the fight for basic LGBTQ freedoms is coming, and it affects everyone – even in states that haven't seen any anti-trans attacks.
A new bill has been introduced by the most extreme anti-LGBTQ Members of Congress, led by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, that would criminalize the health care trans people need. While such a law is beyond the pale, it won't be the last. Any national ban on gender-affirming care would be devastating. You and your elected Members of Congress are our last line of defense against this national threat.
We must stop any effort to criminalize trans people and the families and communities who love us. Send your message loud and clear: Tell your Members of Congress to protect trans people from discrimination.
YOUR MESSAGE
Subject: Protect Trans People from Discrimination
Recently we have seen wave after wave of extreme measures in the states and in Congress, to criminalize and strip transgender people of access to healthcare that keeps them alive and healthy. As we celebrate our LGBTQ family members, friends, and neighbors this Pride Month, I am writing – during a genuine moment of crisis – to urge you to publicly commit to doing everything within your power to protect the health and dignity of transgender people. Will you do so?
I want to be very clear: Gender-affirming care, including for transgender youth, is evidence-based, medically necessary, and life-saving. This is why every leading medical organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, strongly oppose efforts to criminalize and deny this care to transgender people.
Patients and their doctors should be the ones making individual healthcare decisions, not cynical politicians looking to score political points through fear-mongering and ignorance. As a Member of Congress, you must stand against this.
Transgender people deserve the same chance to thrive and live fulfilling lives as everyone else. Having the freedom to control our bodies and seek the healthcare we need, including gender-affirming care, is an essential right for all people.
I urge you to not remain silent in this moment. Use your voice. Publicly show up in support with the transgender community, not only during Pride Month but all year long. Most importantly, use your power to protect life-saving healthcare for transgender youth and adults alike.
Thank you. I look forward to your response.
[First Name] [Last Name]
YOUR INFORMATION
Salutation (required by some officials): Mr.
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
E-mail address: [redacted]
Address: [redacted]
Address Line 2: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip Code: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]..."
And so, for very much the same reason that I donated on June 1st, 2023, and on June 7th, 2023, as well as on June 14th, 2023, I made a one-time donation to the ACLU today, June 17th, 2023, since "it's so critical that people like [me] speak up for trans rights every chance they get," because "PRIDE IS JOY," "PRIDE IS RESISTANCE" and "PRIDE IS ACTION!" –Paul Whiting (written June 17th, 2023, revised June 21st, 2023, revised June 28th, 2023 and revised August 22nd, 2023)
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June 21st, 2023 Update: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, June 21st, 2023, with the subject line, "Abortion care, trans care, and bodily autonomy for ALL.", which stated the following:
Paul – all Pride month, we have been updating you in our fight for LGBTQ rights, particularly as trans people nationwide remain targeted. More than anything, we want to make clear that an attack on any community's rights and freedoms is an attack on all our rights and freedoms. That's why we at the ACLU are here.
Given this Pride week also marks the one-year anniversary of the Dobbs decision, that intersectional fight for civil liberties is more evident than ever. Because the very same lawmakers who are banning abortion are also banning lifesaving care for trans people. It's a coordinated attack on our bodily autonomy. But we won't let that happen without a fight. You are the rightful owner of your life story Paul, and together, we will make that clear through Pride and beyond.
PRIDE IS JOY
Community Stories
In the midst of attacks on trans people's safety and dignity, we're celebrating stories from trans people's own experiences. Because when forces larger than us try to break our spirit, we can respond as forcefully and effectively with joy as we can with anger, defiance, and protest. And one area that we know uplifting the voices of trans people is so needed in the movement is in the fight for reproductive freedom. As Cazembe Jackson put it in an interview with ACLU and our partners at We Testify, "As a Black trans man, my abortion experience was not easy, but it saved my life... If I'd heard any other Black trans voices when I got an abortion, I believe it would have been a lot easier." Read his full story
(https://www.aclu.org/abortion-stories/cazembe-murphy-jackson).
PRIDE IS RESISTANCE
Updates On Our Work
The ACLU has been fighting for LGBTQ freedom for decades. And as an organization at the intersection of every civil liberty issue in this country, we know full well that nothing exists in isolation: That's why we defend trans people's right to access gender-affirming health care and all people's right to access abortion care. Full stop. Here are just a few of our most recent updates on this work:
PRIDE IS ACTION
Take Action With Us
Pride began as a protest – a movement led by Black and brown trans women. And as we continue the fight for LGBTQ freedom today, we need you to take action. During Pride Month, as we fight to protect bodily autonomy and access to life-affirming care for all of us: Please, send a message to your member of Congress urging them to protect trans care.*
Paul, this month and every month – we won't stop fighting for our communities. Thank you for reading this Pride month's update, and remember to watch your inbox all June for more updates as we fight to protect LGBTQ rights and all people's civil liberties.
Happy Pride,
The ACLU Team
*By the way, I already sent the above-mentioned "message to [my] member of Congress urging them to protect trans care" on June 1st, 2023, a copy of which can be found below, as quoted from my 'June 1st, 2023 Update,' which can be found above:
"...PROTECT TRANS CARE NOW
The attacks on the freedom and dignity of trans people and their families are just starting. One-third of the country has passed laws that criminalize and ban access to gender-affirming care. The next stage of the fight for basic LGBTQ freedoms is coming, and it affects everyone – even in states that haven't seen any anti-trans attacks.
A new bill has been introduced by the most extreme anti-LGBTQ Members of Congress, led by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, that would criminalize the health care trans people need. While such a law is beyond the pale, it won't be the last. Any national ban on gender-affirming care would be devastating. You and your elected Members of Congress are our last line of defense against this national threat.
We must stop any effort to criminalize trans people and the families and communities who love us. Send your message loud and clear: Tell your Members of Congress to protect trans people from discrimination.
YOUR MESSAGE
Subject: Protect Trans People from Discrimination
Recently we have seen wave after wave of extreme measures in the states and in Congress, to criminalize and strip transgender people of access to healthcare that keeps them alive and healthy. As we celebrate our LGBTQ family members, friends, and neighbors this Pride Month, I am writing – during a genuine moment of crisis – to urge you to publicly commit to doing everything within your power to protect the health and dignity of transgender people. Will you do so?
I want to be very clear: Gender-affirming care, including for transgender youth, is evidence-based, medically necessary, and life-saving. This is why every leading medical organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, strongly oppose efforts to criminalize and deny this care to transgender people.
Patients and their doctors should be the ones making individual healthcare decisions, not cynical politicians looking to score political points through fear-mongering and ignorance. As a Member of Congress, you must stand against this.
Transgender people deserve the same chance to thrive and live fulfilling lives as everyone else. Having the freedom to control our bodies and seek the healthcare we need, including gender-affirming care, is an essential right for all people.
I urge you to not remain silent in this moment. Use your voice. Publicly show up in support with the transgender community, not only during Pride Month but all year long. Most importantly, use your power to protect life-saving healthcare for transgender youth and adults alike.
Thank you. I look forward to your response.
[First Name] [Last Name]
YOUR INFORMATION
Salutation (required by some officials): Mr.
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
E-mail address: [redacted]
Address: [redacted]
Address Line 2: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip Code: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]..."
And so, for very much the same reason that I donated on June 1st, 2023, and on June 7th, 2023, and on June 14th, 2023, as well as on June 17th, 2023, I made a one-time donation to the ACLU today, June 21st, 2023, since "it's so critical that people like [me] speak up for trans rights every chance they get," because "PRIDE IS JOY," "PRIDE IS RESISTANCE" and "PRIDE IS ACTION!" –Paul Whiting (written June 21st, 2023, revised June 28th, 2023 and revised August 22nd, 2023)
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June 22nd, 2023 Update: I was doing my usual reading of Time Magazine articles from one of their daily emails that I received today, June 22nd, 2023, when I noticed a Time.com article titled, "Pride, Against All Odds." (By the way, I am a subscriber to Time INSIDER Digital Magazine.) An introduction to the article can be found below:
"Pride, Against All Odds" from Time Magazine
By Joey Lautrup and Solcyre Burga | June 22, 2023
In America, the month of June is Pride Month, a celebratory period for the queer community whose origins are tied to the 1969 Stonewall rebellion. It is normally commemorated with parades, drag shows, and rallies—all in an effort to uplift the LGBTQ+ community. But this year, pride has been clouded by legislative attacks against the queer community.
Violence against LGBTQ+ people has been at a high, prompting President Joe Biden to announce a new LGBTQI+ Community Safety Partnership that aims to better protect the queer community. Companies have been targeted—and in some cases experienced bomb threats—for their partnerships with transgender activists, causing some businesses to scale back their pride merchandise or messaging.
In the past six months alone, the ACLU’s legislative tracker found that more than 490 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced across state legislatures, targeting trans youth’s access to health care, the right to perform drag and banning discussions about gender identity or sexuality.
And while there has been some successful push back against such policies, causing federal courts to strike down Arkansas’ gender-affirming-care ban on Tuesday and block other healthcare bans in states like Indiana, LGBTQ+ residents still say they feel anxious by the ongoing attacks on the queer community.
“I’m not gonna lie [the Tennessee drag ban] kind of made me very, very nervous,” said Kirkland Pinkerton, a Tennessee drag queen. “The political climate and how fast it changed at the beginning of the year was a slap in the face and I was more nervous to go out in public.”
TIME spoke to Americans in four states—Florida, Missouri, Montana, and Tennessee—that are seeking to limit LGBTQ+ rights. Here’s what they told us: ...
Please see the hyperlink below for the article:
And I decided to highlight this Time Magazine article for you, my readers, to consider reading too! –Paul Whiting (written June 22nd, 2023 and revised August 12th, 2023)
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July 2nd, 2023 Update: I was doing my usual reading of Time Magazine articles from one of their daily emails that I received today, July 2nd, 2023, when I noticed two Time.com articles! (By the way, I am a subscriber to Time INSIDER Digital Magazine.)
The first Time Magazine article that I read today is titled, "The Supreme Court Just Made Same-Sex Marriage More Vulnerable to a Challenge." An introduction to the article can be found below:
"The Supreme Court Just Made Same-Sex Marriage More Vulnerable to a Challenge" from Time Magazine
By Philip Elliott | June 30, 2023
On the surface, the details of the case seemed plenty narrow: a Colorado web designer who is cool making wedding websites for “Mike and Mary” but not “Mike and Mark” thinks Colorado’s anti-discrimination law could force her to someday do coding that runs counter to her Evangelical Christian faith. She isn’t yet in the business of making such pages, no confirmed couples had approached her, and the plaintiff here was a civil rights panel. It was a sketchy case built on a dodgy—and maybe fabricated—premise, but it still wound up on the docket. Yet in the designer’s view, Colorado and the 29 other states with similar protections for LGBTQ individuals impede her First Amendment rights to preemptively advertise that she wants none of their nuptials’ joy.
But, look beyond the sepia-toned pages asking a distant cousin the age-old question of beef, fish, or vegetarian entree? Nothing less than the rights of every LGBTQ American to marry their same-sex partner hangs in the balance of a case nominally about hyperscript, links to registries, and social-media links. After all, these things often start narrow and then snowball.
The Supreme Court on Friday decided Lorie Smith’s fears were grounded in some version of a paranoid reality. In a 70-page ruling that is a blow for LGBTQ rights—and perhaps a harbinger of even more chipping away to come—the justices decided the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution had primacy over any state-level non-discrimination laws. The case, 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, was named for Smith’s firm and the chair of the state civil rights panel, Aubrey Elenis.
“The First Amendment envisions the United States as a rich and complex place where all persons are free to think and speak as they wish, not as the government demands,” the 6-3 majority wrote in a ruling that was as expected as it was foreboding.
Put plainly: states can try to pass local anti-bigotry laws, but national religious liberties still supercede them. ...
Please see the hyperlink below for the article:
The second Time Magazine article that I read today is titled, "The Intersex Community Is Fighting for Every Body." An introduction to the article can be found below:
"The Intersex Community Is Fighting for Every Body" from Time Magazine
By Alicia Roth Weigel | June 30, 2023
When I first moved to Texas in 2016, I never expected it’d be here that I’d come out as intersex. I certainly never thought that would’ve happened in a Senate hearing, divulging details about my body and medical history most of my family didn’t even know to a bunch of conservative legislators. I told them that I was born with physical traits—external sex anatomy, internal reproductive organs, hormones, and chromosomes—that didn’t fit neatly into the binary “male” or “female” options on a birth certificate. And I shared that very personal fact with a government chamber full of total strangers because the “bathroom bill” they were pushing not only discriminated against the trans community, but also completely ignored the existence of intersex folks like me.
The day that bill died in June 2017, something new was born within me: The confidence to share my truth with the world and the conviction that the whole world needed to hear my story—our story. Since then, I haven’t stopped showing up (at the State Capitol and on stages across the globe) to raise awareness of the inequity we face. Similarly to what the trans community has experienced, though, increased visibility can be a double-edged sword. At first, only the wrong people listened to me—or the right ones listened, those tasked with serving their constituents, but they intentionally received and parroted the wrong message.
As I shouted about the involuntary surgery that sterilized me, an operation to remove the internal testes that didn’t “match” my external “female” genitalia, Gov. Greg Abbott and the former Texas Attorney General heard me loud and clear. They then translated the alarm bell I was sounding for intersex kids into a battle cry against trans youth; they used arguments of forced sterilizations and the neglect of gender-nonconforming children not to help me and others like me, but rather to hurt people I also care about. Despite hearing my desperate calls for a life raft—one of affirmative consent, so that all human beings might decide for themselves the form their body might take—they instead unleashed a deluge of misinformation that has since swept the nation.
The same bills that seek to block gender affirming care for transgender Americans, cropping up in state legislatures across the country, contain loopholes that allow the same surgeries and hormones to be forced onto intersex children without our having any say in the matter. As journalist Carter Sherman wrote in their piece for VICE, “Republicans have compared gender-affirming health care to child abuse and Nazi war crimes. But they’re more than happy to let doctors perform surgeries on intersex children.”
This all proves that the authors of these bills seek not to shield children from harm but rather to eradicate those that don’t fit their cis-heteropatriarchal paradigm. Texas Republicans took my plea for protection and warped it into propaganda—and it’s time to set the record straight. ...
Please see the hyperlink below for the article:
And I decided to highlight these articles from Time Magazine for you, my readers, to consider reading too! –Paul Whiting (written July 2nd, 2023, revised August 12th, 2023 and revised September 23rd, 2023)
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July 24th, 2023 Update: I received an email from CREDO Mobile (which is my cell phone company) today, July 24th, 2023, with the subject line, "Sign the petition: "Sign the petition: Stand against corporate donations to anti-LGBTQ+ politicians", which stated the following:
Dear Fellow Progressive,
The LGTBQ+ community is under attack. A recent Supreme Court decision allows businesses to refuse to serve LGTBQ+ customers. Don’t say “gay” laws. Attacks on gender affirming care. According to Human Rights Campaign, over 520 anti-LGTBQ+ bills have been introduced in state legislatures already in 2023.[1] And, every June, big corporations slap rainbows on their logos and talk about supporting the LGTBQ+ community. Then, many of these corporations turn around and donate to politicians who actively work against LGTBQ+ rights.
We need your help today.
Sign this petition to tell corporations to stop funding LGTBQ+ hate.
It is the height of cynical hypocrisy to make a few dollars off the LGTBQ+ community in June, and then donate to the very politicians working to oppress that community the rest of the year. AT&T, UPS, Comcast and Home Depot are just a few of the companies who donate to politicians hostile to the LGTBQ+ community. It's time for these corporations to put their money where their mouths are and truly support the LGBTQ+ community.
Click here to sign the petition to tell corporations to stop donating to anti-LGTBQ+ politicians.
Sign the Petition***
Thank you for speaking out. Please share with like-minded friends.
-The team at CREDO Mobile
P.S. CREDO Mobile supports the LGTBQ+ community all year round. Since 1985, CREDO has donated more than $15 million to progressive nonprofits fighting for equality and civil rights – groups like the Transgender Law Center, SAGE, Family Equality and the National LGTBQ Task Force. Learn more here.
Footnotes:
***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]
And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, which can be found below:
Sign the petition: Stand against corporate donations to anti-LGBTQ+ politicians
[Petition Text:]
Everyone, irrespective of one's sexual orientation or gender identity, deserves an equal chance to thrive. This year, Republican extremist state legislatures have passed a record number of anti-LGBTQ+ legislations. These actions represent a direct attack on the LGBTQ+ community, and it's time we stood up. We cannot support elected officials who directly attack our right to exist.
AT&T, UPS, Comcast, Home Depot, and General Electric have now joined the ranks of the many corporations that donate millions to politicians who actively work against LGBTQ+ rights. Although we have made significant strides towards acceptance and equality, such progress is threatened when corporations fund politicians who seek to roll back these hard-won rights.
The LGBTQ+ community has a purchasing power of $3.7 trillion, and allies are 82% more likely to purchase goods and services from companies that openly support LGBTQ+ equality. These corporations need to understand that funding anti-LGBTQ+ politicians alienates a significant portion of their customer base.
We must hold these corporations accountable. They cannot wave the rainbow flag during Pride month and then fund politicians who actively work against the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. It's time for these corporations to put their money where their mouth is and truly support the LGBTQ+ community.
Sign the petition: Funding anti-LGBTQ+ politicians is unacceptable. We must demand that corporations stop funding hate and start investing in love and acceptance.
Participating Organizations:
✓ Blue Amp Action
✓ Daily Kos Liberation League
✓ Futures PAC
✓ OD Action
✓ Able Dems
✓ Cedar Key Progress
✓ CREDO Mobile
✓ Democracy for America Advocacy Fund
✓ Democratic Values
✓ Forward Blue
✓ HollywoodDemocrats.com
✓ National Campaign for Justice
✓ TakeItBack.org
ADD YOUR NAME:
First Name: Whiting
Last Name: Paul
Email: [redacted]
Zip/Postal Code: [redacted]
Thus, I signed the petition to corporations in order to ask that they "stop donating to anti-LGTBQ+ politicians." –Paul Whiting (July 24th, 2023)
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July 24th, 2023 Update—Continued: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, July 24th, 2023, with the subject line, "Urgent Action Alert: Tell Congress to protect trans care and all LGBTQ rights this week", which stated the following:
Paul –
Opponents of LGBTQ equality in Congress have been pushing extremely concerning provisions in critical government funding bills over the past few weeks against peoples' civil liberties – particularly when it comes to the safety and rights of trans people.
These attacks are only continuing and have now expanded to target everyone in our LGBTQ community.
Here's what to know and what action to take immediately:
What's going on?
[✓] Several government funding bills are moving in the House that come after federal funding for gender-affirming health care for trans people, Pride Flags, marriage equality, and more. BUT members of the House of Representatives are also expected to vote on amendments that would remove these damaging and discriminatory provisions from these bills.
What action can you take?
[✓] Paul, these anti-LGBTQ provisions are a dangerous assault. Defunding transgender people's health care especially will pose an immediate risk to their lives and well-being.
[✓] We can and must let our leaders in Congress know that we, the people, do NOT support these hateful efforts: Send a message to your representative today.
TAKE ACTION***
Paul, make no mistake: This is a dangerous effort to hijack the federal budget in order to deny health care that many trans people need to live, while stripping away several other protections for all our communities.
We at the ACLU will not allow this unconscionable attack against our LGBTQ community to go down without a fight.
Please join us in action at this urgent time. And know whatever attacks they may throw at us, we at the ACLU are here now and always to protect peoples' rights. Count on it.
Thank you for your activism,
The ACLU Team
***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]
And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, which can be found below:
PROTECT TRANS CARE NOW
The attacks on the freedom and dignity of trans people and their families continue to escalate, with one-third of the country that has passed laws that criminalize and ban access to gender-affirming care. The next stage of the fight for basic LGBTQ freedoms is here, and it affects everyone — even in states that haven’t seen any anti-trans attacks.
Legislation has already been introduced by the most extreme anti-LGBTQ Members of Congress, led by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, that would criminalize the health care trans people need. While such a law is beyond the pale, it won’t be the last. Any national ban on gender-affirming care would be devastating. You and your elected Members of Congress are our last line of defense against this national threat.
We must stop any effort to criminalize trans people and the families and communities who love us. Send your message loud and clear: Tell your Members of Congress to protect trans people from discrimination.
YOUR MESSAGE
Subject: Protect Trans People from Discrimination
Recently we have seen wave after wave of extreme measures in the states and in Congress, to criminalize and strip transgender people of their right to safety, dignity, and autonomy. I am writing – during a genuine moment of crisis – to urge you to publicly commit to doing everything within your power to protect the health and dignity of transgender people. Will you do so?
I want to be very clear: Gender-affirming care, including for transgender youth, is evidence-based, medically necessary, and life-saving. This is why every leading medical organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, strongly oppose efforts to criminalize and deny this care to transgender people.
Patients and their doctors should be the ones making individual healthcare decisions, not cynical politicians looking to score political points through fear-mongering and ignorance. As a Member of Congress, you must fight against this.
Transgender people deserve the same chance to thrive and live fulfilling lives as everyone else. Having the freedom to control our bodies and seek the healthcare we need, including gender-affirming care, is an essential right for all people.
I urge you to not remain silent in this moment. Use your voice to publicly show support for the transgender community. Most importantly, use your power to protect life-saving healthcare for trans youth and adults alike.
Thank you. I look forward to your response.
[First Name] [Last Name]
YOUR INFORMATION
Salutation (required by some officials): Mr.
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
E-mail address: [redacted]
Address: [redacted]
Address Line 2: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip Code: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]
[By the way, I already sent letters to "tell [my] Members of Congress to protect trans people from discrimination" on June 1st, 2023. (Please see my 'June 1st, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) And I sent letters again on July 13th, 2023 to reflect "that certain members of Congress are attacking access to life-saving gender-affirming care for transgender people, including using the National Defense Authorization Act to block lifesaving access for people who serve in the military while also attempting to undermine access to abortion for service members." (Please see my 'July 11th, 2023 Update, Written On July 13th, 2023, Which Also Discusses July 13th, 2023,' which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog: https://poetartistandphilosopher.blogspot.com/2016/11/i-am-no-longer-being-activist.html.) However, the letter above has been updated to reflect that "several government funding bills are moving in the House that come after federal funding for gender-affirming health care for trans people, Pride Flags, marriage equality, and more. BUT members of the House of Representatives are also expected to vote on amendments that would remove
these damaging and discriminatory provisions from these bills." Thus, I sent this letter again.]
And, after I sent the letter above, I received a confirmation email today, July 24th, 2023, from the ACLU with the subject line, "One more thing - can you spread the word?", which stated the following:
Hi Paul,
Thank you for taking action to protect trans people.
Help us build our power: Share the action by forwarding the email below to your friends, or by sharing this link:
aclu.org/transcare
Thank you,
The ACLU Team
----
Hi friend,
Recently, we have seen wave after wave of extreme measures in the states and in Congress to criminalize and strip transgender people of their right to safety, dignity, and autonomy.
In fact, legislation has already been introduced by the most extreme anti-LGBTQ Members of Congress that would criminalize the health care trans people need.
We must fight back and stop any effort to criminalize trans people and their families and communities. That's why I just joined the ACLU in sending a message to Congress urging them to protect trans people now, including by voting against all anti-civil liberties amendments in the defense bill.
Will you join me?
Thanks.
Then, after I sent the letter above to Congress, via the ACLU website, I made a one-time donation to the ACLU due to the fact that "several government funding bills are moving in the House that come after federal funding for gender-affirming health care for trans people, Pride Flags, marriage equality, and more. BUT members of the House of Representatives are also expected to vote on amendments that would remove these damaging and discriminatory provisions from these bills." And that is why I wrote to "tell [my] Members of Congress to protect trans people from discrimination." –Paul Whiting (written July 24th, 2023 and revised March 4th, 2024)
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July 25th, 2023 Update—Continued Further (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog): I received an email from Planned Parenthood Federation of America today, July 25th, 2023, with the subject line, "It’s time to talk about gender-affirming care", which stated the following:
Paul,
Have you noticed a similarity in how anti-abortion and anti-trans politicians and activists justify their dangerous policies? They love to cite "health" and "safety" as the motivation behind their bans. But I promise you, health and safety have nothing to do with it.
It's hot health care summer, and we’re bringing you the facts about gender-affirming care and why it matters right now.
What is gender-affirming care?
The short answer is: It's different for everyone! Gender-affirming care can include anything from hormone treatment to voice therapy, surgery to social support. And not all transgender and nonbinary people need or want the same care.
Why is gender-affirming care essential health care?
Gender-affirming care literally saves lives. Studies have shown that transgender and nonbinary people who have access to gender-affirming care experience significantly lower rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation.
What barriers to care are trans and nonbinary people facing?
Many states and organizations are actively working to prevent transgender and nonbinary people from getting the gender-affirming care they need. While some states are still working to increase access to gender-affirming care, it's not enough to meet the needs of transgender and nonbinary people right now.
In 2023 alone, politicians in 36 states have introduced anti-transgender health care legislation.
What is Planned Parenthood doing to support transgender and nonbinary people?
All Planned Parenthood health centers proudly serve people of all genders and gender expressions. They also provide STD testing and treatment, birth control, wellness exams, and other sexual and reproductive health services. Nearly 70% of health centers also offer gender-affirming hormone treatment. To learn more about the services available in your area, contact your nearest Planned Parenthood health center.
Paul, trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people deserve access to safe, inclusive health care always. Your support for Planned Parenthood helps make gender-affirming care happen. Thank you.
Sincerely,
[Name redacted], [Title redacted]
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
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