Les chansons d’amour

So in review all of the movies for the Maryland Film Festival 2009, the only one that looked really interesting was the John Waters’ pick for the year, Love Songs, or Les chansons d’amour:

Waters did a little intro beforehand which was cool. The movie itself was really interesting and thank goodness for the singing because otherwise it would have been severely depressing. But the singing made it quite a bit of fun. I wish movies like this were made in the US. Such an excellent film for exploring sexuality, and not making a huge fucking deal about it like we have to here.

Work is incredibly stressful but otherwise I’m really happy with it. I love the work that I do. This upcoming week I’m doing a staff training and then presenting a workshop with the other social worker at a conference. I’m getting a lot of great experience at the job, and for the most part, enjoy my clients. But, because I have to have a million things going at once, I’m looking to join the Maryland chapter of NASW’s Committee On Sexual Minorities. I hate the title of the committee, but I think it will be a great way to network and create some good ol’ social change. I’m also planning on attending a workshop this summer in order to become a postpartum doula.

Last month I went to California and visited Jacqueline. It was fabulous. I don’t want to live in Maryland forever.

 

ACLU sues Arkansas

Finally!

ACLU of Arkansas Sues Over Adoption Restrictions

“Act 1 violates the state’s legal duty to place the best interest of children above all else,” said Marie-Bernarde Miller, a Little Rock attorney in the lawsuit.

The group sued on behalf of 29 adults and children from more than a dozen families, including a grandmother who lives with her same-sex partner of nine years and is the only relative able and willing to adopt her grandchild, who is now in Arkansas state care.

The case is assigned to the same judge that overturned a gay foster parent ban in 2006, so hopefully it will go well. Though, maybe it would be for the best if this ended up with the US Supreme Court so similar laws could be done away with and there won’t be any more in the future.

 

Tea Time

Jacqueline and George visited this past weekend and it was really nice. I miss her. I miss her company and our ability to have great stimulating conversations about feminism and politics, and then make inappropriate jokes about sensitive subjects. So having her for the weekend was great. We had lots of good food and went shopping on the Avenue. On Sunday, we went for afternoon tea at this really great place on the edge of Charles Village and Waverly, Thir-tea First Street Cafe & Tearoom. The food was absolutely delicious, the atmosphere was really interesting. They’re also vegan and vegetarian friendly.

 

Milk.. and beyond

This evening my partner and I had a date night. We went for Tapas, which was delicious, and then to the movies at The Charles. We saw Milk, and it was fabulous. It was very touching and I loved how they mixed pieces of real footage in with the movie. Afterwards, we drove down a few blocks to go to Grand Central’s ladies’ lounge for a drink and maybe a game of pool. I didn’t really feel like going but Christina really wanted to. So after driving around for a while looking for a good spot (I didn’t want to walk far in the cold) I finally found a great spot a block away from the bar (this is Charles and Chase, in front of Akbar’s, for Baltimore folk). A few moments before I park, Christina commented on two men walking down the street holding hands. Before I even finish parking however, she is out of the car. I finish parking quickly, and step out of the car, and she’s engaged in some argument with about 10 15-year-olds. The teenagers had been harassing the two men, in their mid-40’s. They asked them to kiss. Christina had stepped in between the pack and the couple, telling the to turn around and keep going. They got angry and accused her of calling them out because they were black. Then Christina started going on, not making much sense, yelling, “I love you, I don’t care that you’re black. I love you, because you’re black.” And asked them to keep moving. By the time I came closer, some of them had started to leave and walk on. But then one of them pulled out a switch blade and threatened Christina with it. She kept going, saying that she loved them and that they can love who they want, and “fags can love who we want, everyone can love each other.” Finally they all seemed to tire of it, and ONE of the young men apologized and tried to get the rest of the to leave. This all happened within a matter of a minute or so. After they left the couple just stood there silently Once the kids got out of ear shot, they thanked Christina for stopping. After a few more moments, one of the men stated that they lived around the corner. He went on to say that just the other week, another man was killed a street over when walking home holding his partner’s hand, and he was afraid the same might’ve happened to him.

While watching Milk, I kept going back and forth.. At some points, it was if the times in the movie happened just last month. But at other moments I kept thinking about how far we’ve come. Walking out of the theatre, still sort of shaken, and encountering this was very disheartening. I want direction. I want something to do. I know my partner and I have been more unapologetically out recently, and I think that’s a start. I think being out and open about our lives is important to humanize the issues.. but what else?

 

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?

When I walked in to my parents’ house on Thanksgiving, this is what I saw:

It scared the crap out of my. And then my mom made everyone pose with him. She almost made us eat with him.

I hadn’t knit or crochet for months until recently. I really missed it. So in the past week I’ve made two scarves, and then whipped up a sweater for Percy on Sunday. He loves it.

 

I am thankful

I’m thankful for having a place to go on Thanksgiving. And that I know there will be lots of food, and it didn’t cause a hardship to put the food on the table.

I’m thankful for two parents who love me unconditionally. I’m thankful that I am able to know what having that sort of love is like.

I’m thankful for my job, which I love! I’m also thankful for all of the wonderful people that I work with, as difficult as they can be sometimes – all of them care so much about the young ladies we work with, and it shows every day. Nobody shows up just because it’s a job – they show up for the girls.

I’m thankful for my partner. She is the most adorable and loving woman. With her I am happy, safe, and loved. I’m thankful that I get to spend this holiday with her.

I’m thankful for my health, both physical and mental.

I’m thankful for sirius radio and dvr.

I’m thankful for a cute puppy who is bad, but his cuteness makes up for it. some.

I’m thankful for many wonderful friends! Who are supportive, understanding, and amazing. I appreciate how different each of them are and what they each bring to my life.

 

Gay Adoption Ban Overturned

Good news!
Florida Gay Adoption Ban is Ruled Unconstitutional

After the train wreck that was Election Night, where every anti-gay ballot measure passed, this is uplifting. I hope Arkansas courts do the same thing.

 

God Hates Assholes

Louis Theroux of the BBC did an excellent documentary of Fred Phelp’s Westboro Baptist Church. It’s absolutely bizarre. I had a few moments of dry heaves at 7:55.

In some ways, I wonder if Fred Phelps is good for the LGBT movement. They are so far out in right field, I feel like more sane religious and conservative individuals must be able to look at them and see them for how horrible they are.. and then realize that they are really not that far off – they’re just not in-your-face-crazy about it.

I facilitate a group at work for LGBT residents and Allies. We’ve had four sessions so far. A couple of weeks ago, it was really rough when two very ignorant residents came to group and were very hostile. I let them stay, thinking it would be a good teaching moment, but it went downhill and ended very poorly. I told them to come back when they were able to be respectful and leave their hatred at the door. So this week we looked at LGBT bias and how to confront homophobia and heterosexism. I was a little worried and thought it might go poorly, but I was really impressed! I had prepared a list of common negative statements about the LGBT community and at times the girls laughed and had a hard time coming up with appropriate responses because to them it was a “duh” issue. It was reassuring. I needed it.