I actually stole this from another forum, but it was so nice I wanted to share. Its an advice column from the Washington Post about a young guy who is looking for advice about his older brother who didn't let his parents kick him out of the family.

This is the website if you wanted to check it out: http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/...story.html

Quote:Dear Carolyn:

I’m 17 and moving away next fall for school. My older brother, who lives on his own, came out to our family 18 months ago. My mother (very religiously conservative) has “kicked my brother out of the family,” to use her words. She told him he was not welcome at any family functions.


My brother refuses to be kicked out. He shows up at family gatherings anyway, often bringing his partner. He also stops by the house sometimes to see my sister and me, and when Mom tells him to leave, he just smiles, tells her he loves her and then ignores her. He has told her repeatedly that “revoking his family membership” isn’t within her powers. He told her to revoke the law of gravity while she’s at it.
I’m tired of my mom’s constant complaining to me about my brother. I think she’s wrong, but I’ve stayed silent ’cause I still live at home, and the one time I suggested she might rethink things, she went into orbit.
My friends say I’m a coward not to defend my brother. I love my mom and I love my brother, but I’d like to get through the last of high school in peace. My mom might kick me out if I take a stand.

Quote:Utah
Your brother is an impressive human being.
He’s being true to himself, firm but loving with your mom, attentive to his sibs, crystalline in his imagery — be still my writer’s heart — all without being punitive toward the mother who rejects him for who he is. Wow.
My opinion of your friends . . . not so gushy. When their parents blackball their gay siblings and they have to decide between owning their beliefs and potentially losing their homes, then they can judge you.
Your brother and your friends neatly illustrate the difference between courage and bravado, respectively. One speaks up, and the other goads someone else to.
Now, your kick-out risk is debatable, since your mom hasn’t succeeded in kicking anyone out of anything, though maybe she just hasn’t figured out how yet.
But your story suggests your brother came out to your parents when he was already on his own, or soon to be. So this person of obvious courage also made the calculation that antagonizing the source of his nurture, food and shelter wasn’t the savviest move. I mean, what are the chances he first realized he was gay 18 months and a day ago?
You need to make a calculation now similar to your brother’s. That’s not to say you need to declare your truth the moment you leave the nest. It just means you have to balance what you believe against what you need and feel — and do that knowing you’re the one who has to live with the consequences. Literally and figuratively.
If it helps, your choices aren’t limited to either selling out for shelter or defending your brother. When Mom complains, for example, you can take a cue from your brother and say, “Mom, I love you and I love [Brother],” then excuse yourself to do homework/dishes/whatever.
You sound like a pretty good egg yourself; there’s no one way to assert that, and the only right way is the right one for you.

Is anyone interested in the upcoming avengers movie??

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/...sfeed=true

from comments

"Goodbye to minorities in the middle east. the next set of victims will be Egyptian Copts, and Syrian Christians plus other minorities such as druzes and Alawites. In the middle east, I am afraid we are witnessing the transition from secular dictatorships to Theocracy."

thanks to the Democrats Obama

i guess gays wont speak up till its them which i can assume it already is them

here in usa were stuck at disneyland i guess

Gay Malaysian Man's Wedding in Ireland Sparks Fury at Home, Government Action

Ariff Alfian Rosli, a Malaysian national who has been studying in Ireland for eight years, is under fire from his home country after photos were published showing his wedding to his civil partner (identified only as Jonathan) at Dublin City Hall, the Irish Times reports:

The pictures were published on the front pages of some local newspapers and have been the source of criticism from numerous political groups in Malaysia, where same-sex sexual relationships are illegal and punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

The Malaysian police have been urged by Muslim groups to investigate the issue on the basis that Mr Rosli has failed to adhere to the country’s Islamic laws. The controversy has prompted the Malaysian prime minister’s office to issue a statement pledging to investigate the matter.

An official from Malaysia’s ruling political party is reportedly due to arrive in Dublin later this week to convince Mr Rosli to return home.

For further news and photos of this news please visit the source's website - http://www.towleroad.com/2011/12/gay-mal...ction.html

Edit: Okay, I'll be lying if I don't feel hibby jibby inside my tummy. I didn't post the whole news due to the hibby jibby. Whew. So if you guys would like to read further, please visit the source. Thanks!

Thai "ladyboy" flight attendants take to the skies

(Reuters) - Thai transsexual ladyboys are taking to the air as flight attendants for a new airline, a move that some said could be a key step towards still broader acceptance in a nation where they are already unusually visible.

Known as "katoeys" or "ladyboys," transgenders and transsexuals hold mainstream jobs in a variety of fields in Thailand. They are especially common in cosmetics shops or health stores, which almost always have a ladyboy shop assistant.

Working for new charter airline PC Air, transsexual flight attendants including 22-year-old Tanyarat Jirapatpakorn made their debut on a flight from Bangkok to the southern city of Surat Thani on Thursday, serving drinks and snacks and carrying out safety demonstrations.

"This is the beginning of the acceptance of transsexuals in Thailand, giving the opportunity for us to work in various fields," said Tanyarat.

"Maybe in the future we can get any job that transsexuals never did before, such as police, soldiers or even pilots."

PC Air, whose name comes from the initials of president Peter Chan, originally planned only to hire male and female flight attendants, but changed its mind after more than 100 transsexuals and transvestites applied as well.

Four were chosen, along with 19 female and 7 male flight attendants. The airline said qualifications for the ladyboy flight attendants were the same as for female flight attendants, with the additional provisos that they be like women in how they walked and talked, and have a feminine voice.

Chan, the airline president, said the ladyboy flight attendants actually might have a special advantage.

"They might provide better services because they understand both males and females. And they're well trained according to the aviation standard," he added.

The new recruits were chosen in February and have been training since in security measures, in-flight services, and make-up application.

PC Air flies domestically as well as to several Asian destinations, including Japan and South Korea.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/1...EO20111216

I think a lot of us are familiar with the name Crouch, as in Dominic Crouch who commit suicide in May 2010 by jumping of the 6th story of a school building due to homophobic bullying. His father, Roger Crouch became a tireless anti-bullying campaigner and set up his own popular facebook page in honour of his beloved son and to end the bullying that is killing our kids.

Roger, as tirelessly as he campaigned, never recovered from the loss of his best mate and son.

Roger passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at age 55 on November 28th 2011 only weeks after recieving a couple of awards for his work with youth.

No cause of death has been released, but there are rumours Roger had also taken his life. I hope this is not true, but if it is in fact true, I hope Bullying will be taken more seriously as a crime.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...denly.html

well i have seen some behaviourtoward gay people that was just wonderfuly good you may say christian acts i will try to name aa few here
i saw agay couple that were relativly poor they had just moved to ssanfransisco and one sunday they were visiting fishermaans warfe anyway they were like a couple of kids with there faces pushed against the glass at the candy store and they checked their change to see if they could afford some french bread but decited with expences tey felt not so they wwalked on
they get like 1/2 block down the streetwhen an older lady catches up and says herre and hands them a loaf of breead and turns and walks away leaning on a cane well the lady was about 75 or so and was with her husband this was in like 1970 so a normaly not gay frendly now this couple
were very obiously gay they were holding arms together actuly the one was clinging to the others arm and just f she sliped 30.00 into his hand and told him to go buy some new jeans
rom the guys stance he looked like he should be dressed in a skirt
but was in a mr rogers sweater and cloths anyway the couple must have reconized he was gay
but they had bought the bread to someone that really would aprecate it but was too poor to aford it so the older couple just did this thing it is a simpel act of kindness and was really all the better that it was a gay couple that were the recipeants just plucked at my hart strings and made me love san fransiscos people more.
another time a guy thaat was selling jewelry on the street (my lover ) had lots jewelry but his braces had worn holes in tis pants legs and this fairly well dresed older lady came up and bought something and when he handed hr the change she sliped 30.00 into his hand and said go buy a pair of jeans but of course he didnt as he had pleanty of newer cloths just copyed ny normal mode of dress utillatarian. but nice thought she would do that there was like 20,000.00 worth of jewelry on the table that was displayed for sale we talked it over and he was a bit confused why it had happened but under stood when he realized she probaly had sons she always wanted dressed properly and he is handicaped so just combanation ofthings
the first
it was funny the prviously mentioned couple and i were walking down the street when a little kid around 10yo or so did not ask his age came up to the fem guy and asked him stright out if it hurt to be gayand got the anwser if it hurts it is being done wrong
anyway i have seen many many things that gave me hope that onne day wewill be ble to live together on this earth as equals andhuman race brothers and in san fransisco i have seen more of this i think because of the outness of the people so strights see us as just regular people not something to be worried about and protect their children from

It should be at least mentioned that it is World AIDS Day today.
I had no idea to be honest.*feels all guilty*:frown:
Normally someone else would of started a thread on it by now(hope i haven't missed it:redface but anyway, here goes!:


You Tube is hosting a Live Event thingy at 3PM GMT and 10AM ET for those interested.mile:
Their Channel page video:


Channel URL: http://www.youtube.com/theonecampaign?fe...inp-yo-WAD

My heart goes out to those who's lives have been, and also those who's lives are still being effected by AIDS.

so i saw the movie Beautiful Boxer today, it was an enchanting experience.