Hope, but hold accountable

From The LGBT “James Meeks” Watch:

Obama’s skills as a politician are phenomenal. In just four years he has not only captured the national stage, he has created (with the barest of records) a messianic image among the LGBT community. He can now tell us: ”“There has not been a stronger or more consistent advocate on LGBT issues than I have been,” and we collectively nod our heads in adulatory agreement. Obama’s skillful aura has the potential to be an inclusionary force for our community – keyword being potential.

The simple truth about Obama is that we just don’t know. His messianic view of himself and the LGBT community is not supported by a record of action. Further, the record gives us clear grounds to be skeptical.

This blog (The LGBT “James Meeks” Watch) will serve as a record of accountability. It will track what Obama says and contrast it with what he does. Ultimately, these efforts will either serve as a testament to achievement or an accounting of duplicity.

Is the notion of a queer community a fairytale?

From Queers United:

We often hear the terms “Gay community” or “LGBT community” to refer to sexual and gender minorities who have banded together under an umbrella term. Is there really such a community? The notion of whether we are a community is subject to debate in Queer theory circles.

Each subgroup has a different struggle and a different agenda, we all have overlapping similarities. We all have overlapping political aspirations. Does this make us a community? We also have divisions amongt us. Do Gay men really care about Lesbian rights and having a women centered and feminist empowering movement. Do Lesbians really accept Trans-women as female? Are Homos and Hetero’s throwing out the Bisexuals as just a confused bunch? Do Transgender people really care about LGB rights once they have transitioned and are “passable”? Do Asexual people really want to be labeled with a bunch of Queers who are “defined” by their sexuality? and finally do Intersex people want to be lumped into the umbrella with those who have “GID”?

Even amidst our so called respective populations we have divisions. Gay men are divided into categories Bears, Twinks, Fetish practitioners, etc. Lesbians divide themselves up by Butch, Femme, and Trans. Transgender people are divided by classifications of M2F, F2M, Andogyne, Genderqueer, Pre-op, Post-op, etc.

There is a lot of inner debate and struggle within our so called “community” and there is misunderstanding and even downright hatred. So often we hear arguments about which letter comes first in the acronym LGBT and we hear other debates that acronym is not all inclusive. We also often hear that the B or the T is being left out.

That being said there are some unifying themes that we all share. We all have the struggle of being closeted, and embracing and coming to terms with our identities, and we all share an opposition that hates us and wants to deny us rights… (continue reading here)