As part of its mission to eradicate cyber-bullying and promote self-esteem building for teens, Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation has rolled out a new tool that will map a “kinder, braver” world. (more…)
Careful observers of video game culture know that there is a sea change going on. Over the course of this summer we’ve even seen a pretty stunning examples of harassment within the gamer community make their way into the mainstream press.
All in all the aggressive subcultures of fighting games and first-person shooters are giving a harsh reputation to what is actually a pretty diverse group of people. While anyone who has spent time on XBox Live has come across mouth breathing 14-year olds who use racial epitaphs and derogatory sexual slurs in lieu of “Hello” and “Have a nice day”, there are plenty of gamers for whom those kinds of comments hit too close to home.
That’s where the organizers of GaymerCon come into the picture. GaymerCon is scheduled to have its inaugural run next year in San Francisco and is billed as “the first gaming and tech convention with a focus on LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) geek culture.” Like a lot of smart, socially focused grass roots organizations the organizers turned to crowdfunding to pull the event together.
The response was tremendous. Looking to raise $25K the campaign is nearing $50K with over two weeks left before the clock runs out.
We spoke with two of the events organizers, Noah Silas and Ben Williams, about how the idea for the gathering came about, and the state of current affairs for Gaymers. (more…)
In a weird way, all of the recent announcements by celebrities coming out are reminiscent of celebrity deaths, as they often come in waves. And they seem to have the same power to shock. With some, we know it’s coming, but others are a complete surprise. When TV personality Anderson Cooper finally decided to make his sexuality public, he confirmed many people’s suspicions, including most of us gays. And while Anderson Cooper’s coming out may have been anticipated, the one that wasn’t was the coming out of R&B singer Frank Ocean. (more…)
Turnstyle is taking a look at the top four GOP candidates in the 2012 election. We put them side by side to see what they have to say about five issues that will be high priority for voters this fall.
In March, 2010, Congress passed the Affordable Care Act (termed “Obamacare”), which brought about many changes to national health care, such as expanding the coverage for children and young adults, and preventing insurance companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions.
Mitt Romney: “If I am elected president, I will issue on my first day in office an executive order paving the way for waivers from ObamaCare for all 50 states. Subsequently, I will call on Congress to fully repeal ObamaCare.”
(Source: USA Today) May, 2011
Michele Bachmann: “I was the very first member of Congress to introduce the full-scale repeal of Obamacare. And I want to make a promise to everyone watching tonight: As president of the US, I will not rest until I repeal Obamacare.”
(Source: On The Issues) June, 2011
Ron Paul: “As President, I plan to defund Obamacare and all federal programs that use tax money taken from the American people to promote abortion. … I pledge also to veto any bill with funding for Planned Parenthood or any other international family planning regimes.”
(Source: The State Column) August, 2011
Rick Perry: “I sincerely hope our principled senators, regardless of party, will toss out that trainwreck of a plan or its mandates will cripple our health care system and its price tag will bust our budget. … Instead of oppressive mandates, we need solutions like block grants and the freedom to improve health care delivery with innovation, flexibility and local input. You and I believe, and at least two federal courts have confirmed that it’s unconstitutional and wrong for the government to force someone to buy health insurance.”
(Source: On The Issues) February, 2011
In June, 2011 New York became the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage. As of September 20, 2011, service members will no longer be bound by the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that prohibited openly gay people from serving in the military.
Romney: “When I first heard (“don’t ask, don’t tell), I thought it sounded silly and I just dismissed it and said, well, that can’t possibly work. Well, I sure was wrong. It has worked.”
(Source: SF Gate) March, 2007
Bachmann: “The ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy has worked very well… I would be in consultation with our commanders, but yes, I probably will” [reinstate the ban].
(Source: Wisconsin Gazette) August, 2011
Paul: “I have received several calls and visits from constituents who, in spite of the heavy investment in their training, have been forced out of the military simply because they were discovered to be homosexual. … To me, this seems like an awful waste. Personal behavior that is disruptive should be subject to military discipline regardless of whether the individual is heterosexual or homosexual. But to discharge an otherwise well-trained, professional, and highly skilled member of the military for these reasons is unfortunate and makes no financial sense.”
(Source: Washington Post) May, 2010
Perry On SSM: “We must draw a line in the sand: People have the right to decide for themselves what they will believe in the core of their being, and how they will live. … For those who want to throw stones at homosexuals in the name of calling out sin, may they be just as loud about adultery among heterosexuals and pornography among their own churchgoing friends.”
(Source: Christian Science Monitor)
By the end of this year, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) expects to have deported 400,000 people due to lack of citizenship. Senate Bill 1070 in Arizona set legal precedent for states like Alabama and Georgia to develop and enact strict citizenship laws. Yet, President Obama recently stated that DREAM-Act eligible students, and others with long-standing ties to the country, will be “low-priority” for deportation.
Romney: “As Governor, I authorized the State Police to enforce immigration laws. I opposed driver’s licenses and in-state tuition for illegal aliens. … As president, I’ll oppose amnesty, cut funding for sanctuary cities and secure our borders.”
(Source: Fact Check.org) November, 2007
Bachmann: “How do you solve it? You build a barrier, a fence, a wall — whatever you want to call it. You build it. … As president of the United States, every mile, every yard, every foot, every inch will be covered on that southern border.”
(Source: AliPac) August, 2011
Paul: “We shouldn’t give them easy citizenship. We should think about protecting our borders rather than the borders between Iraq and Afghanistan.”
(Source: Immigration Attorneys.org) June, 2011
Perry: “We must say to every Texas child learning in a Texas classroom, `We don’t care where you come from, but where you are going, and we are going to do everything we can to help you get there. … And that vision must include the children of undocumented workers. That’s why Texas took the national lead in allowing such deserving young minds to attend a Texas college at a resident rate. Those young minds are a part of a new generation of leaders; the doors of higher education must be open to them. The message is simple: Educacion es el futuro, y si se puede.”
(Source: The Atlantic) 2001
Creationism in schools is a hot topic as our country debates education reform.
Romney: “In my opinion, the science class is where to teach evolution, or if there are other scientific thoughts that need to be discussed. … If we’re going to talk about more philosophical matters, like why it was created, and was there an intelligent designer behind it, that’s for the religion class or philosophy class or social studies class.”
(Source: Physics Today) January, 2008
Bachmann: “I don’t think it’s a good idea for government to come down on one side of scientific issue or another, when there is reasonable doubt on both sides. … I believe the federal government should not be involved in local education to the most minimal possible process.”
(Source: Huffington Post) June, 2011
Paul: ” The idea that if you don’t believe in evolution means that you don’t believe in a creator is total nonsense. So I think this once again is overly played and we spend too much time on it. And besides, if you’re in politics it shouldn’t be a bother. … When you have government schools it becomes important.”
(Source: Ron Paul.com) September, 2009
Perry on Evolution: “It’s a theory that’s out there. … It’s got some gaps in it, but in Texas we teach both creationism and evolution in our public schools, because I figure you’re smart enough to figure out which one is right.”
(Source: Huffington Post) August, 2011
The national unemployment rate hovers around 9.1 percent as of July, 2011. However, certain groups fare much worse: African Americans face an unemployment rate of 15.9 percent.
Romney: “The indisputable fact is that unemployment benefits, despite a web of regulations, actually serve to discourage some individuals from taking jobs, especially when the benefits extend across years.”
(Source: The Hill) December, 2010
Bachmann: “The President promised if we passed the massive stimulus package that unemployment wouldn’t go above 8 percent, we are now at 9.2 percent. Unfortunately, millions of Americans are suffering today as a result of the president’s broken promise and his policy of attempting to create jobs through massive government spending that has added over 35 percent to our national debt.”
(Source: Politico) July, 2011
Paul: “There’s a lot of deception, and people sense this. I think they’d rather hear accurate information than to try to be bamboozled into believing things are just hunky dory, when they know there’s a lot of inflation out there… We had too much debt and too much mal-investment and we haven’t dealt with that. When you get too much of that you have to liquidate it. When you get in over your head and you can’t pay the bills, you either have to declare bankruptcy, or work hard, or take a new job. We can see this as an individual or a company, but evidently, our economic theory now, is that governments are exempt from those kind of economic rules.”
(Source: Info Wars) July, 2010
Perry: “The fact is, government doesn’t create jobs, otherwise the last 21 / 2 years of stimulus would have worked. … Government can only create the environment that allows the private sector to create jobs. The single most important contributor to our jobs-friendly climate here in Texas is our low tax burden, because we know dollars do far more to create jobs and prosperity in the people’s hands than they do in the government’s.”
(Source: Washington Post) August, 2011
Images are from Flickr sources: Gage Skidmore and World Affairs Council of Philadelphia.
Chris McCoy and Robyn Gee contributed to article.
Tracy Morgan is not only apologizing for anti-gay remarks he made during a recent standup act, but he has returned to the place where he made them: Nashville, Tennessee. Before his trip, Morgan also visited gay children in New York.
The incident went viral on Facebook when audience member Kevin Rogers recounted it on his page, eliciting more than 2,000 comments and public criticism from some of Morgan’s peers.
The New York Times Arts Beat blog recounts the entire episode. Here is an excerpt:
Mr. Rogers, whose Facebook post called attention to Mr. Morgan’s performance, was present at Tuesday’s news conference, and hugged Mr. Morgan, who did not take questions before he exited. Mr. Rogers said in a statement: “Tracy was sincere and spoke from his heart today. I decided to speak out and use my voice to inspire others. The best thing that has come from this is a national conversation that anti-gay violence is unacceptable and that homophobia is outdated.”
Rogers clearly takes the high road.
June is LGBT month, and several new It Gets Better videos are surfacing: the SF Giants and Janet Mock included.
The It Gets Better Project aims to send the message to LGBT teenagers who are facing bullying, contemplating suicide, or losing hope that life eventually gets better. Founder Dan Savage and his partner Terry made the first video, and since then, have curated tons of videos from celebrities, organizations, and individuals telling their stories and speaking messages of hope. Today there are over 10,000 It Gets Better videos on their site.
World Series champions San Francisco Giants recently released an It Gets Better video – after lifelong Giants fan Sean Chapin started an online petition to get the team to take a stance on the issue.
Chapin writes, “Professional sports is one of the few remaining pockets of strong homophobia in our country. Kobe Bryant’s homophobic slur against a referee, captured on national television, is the tip of a very large iceberg.” And the Giants answered. Read the full petition here.
Watch the Giants below:
Janet Mock, Associate Editor of People.com, released an It Gets Better video telling the story of her transition from male to female. She said she knew at the age of four that she was a girl stuck in a boy’s body. Her video interlaces pictures from her male years going through school with photos of her now.
Patrick Lienen co-created the app, Confession: A Roman Catholic App, with his brother and a mutual friend, because he saw a void of Catholic apps in the world. He was inspired by what Pope Benedict said in the World Communications Address and told Turnstyle, “[The Pope] called for new media at the service of the Word. We sat around and thought, ‘What does that mean?’” said Lienen.
For those unfamiliar with Catholic confession, the sacrament entails going into a private booth and speaking directly to a priest about the sins you’ve recently committed. If the priest believes you are sincere, they will prescribe penance that you need to perform, and then you will be absolved of your sins.
This app released by Little iApps, LLC, aims to be an aid to two kinds of people: those who frequently go to confession, and those who have stayed away for a while or are intimidated by it, said Lienen.
The app works like this: after creating a username and password, the user answers a series of personal questions. The app creates a personalized “examination of conscience” for the user, which looks like a checklist categorized by the Ten Commandments. When you click on a commandment it will ask you questions like, “Have I been honest with my friends and family?” “Have I paid my debts on time?” The user checks off the ones that apply to them. The second part is using that checklist when you’re in the confessional.
“It’s like a shopping list, but a shopping list of all the bad things you’ve done,” said Lienen. “There’s usually a long list when I’m in there.”
So how does the app decide which questions to give you? The examination of conscience creates a list of questions based on your age, gender, and vocation. In Catholicism, your vocation means whether you’re single, married, or a priest. “It’s your state of being, literally your calling,” said Ryan Kreager, co-founder and developer of the app. This ensures that a mother gets a different examination than a teenager or a priest. What happens if you’re both a teenager and a mother? They’re working on it. “We’re trying to make the examination more adaptive. There are a few married priests in the church – so we’re trying to deal with unique situations like that. You can identify as more than one thing,” said Kreager.
The questions were created by two priests, not by the app developers themselves. The app has been criticized recently for one question in particular, “Have I been guilty of any homosexual activity?” Wayne Besen, executive director of Truth Wins Out, an advocacy group for LGBT people, is quoted in the Guardian as saying, “This is cyber-spiritual abuse that promotes backward ideas in a modern package… gay Catholics don’t need to confess, they need to come out of the closet and challenge anti-gay dogma. The false idea that being gay is something to be ashamed of has destroyed too many lives. This iPhone app is facilitating and furthering the harm.”
Lienen, Kreager, and their team responded with a press release. They explained that many sensitive areas of Catholic teachings are included in the app, like masturbation, premarital sex, contraception, pornography, infidelity, and impure thoughts. They also write, “We… would like to point out that the aforementioned sexual act is deemed by the church to be sinful – not homosexuality or homosexuals. The Catholic Church teaches that homosexuals, like all people, are to be treated with ‘…respect, compassion, and sensitivity.’” They also say that this particular question is given no more emphasis or distinction than others.
The app developers got all of the text in the app approved by a Bishop who gave the app an imprimatur – which is Latin for “Let it be written,” according to Lienen. It means that there were no doctrinal or moral errors of the Catholic church. This is the first time it’s ever been used on an app,” said Lienen.
Lienen believes that apps like this one can help personalize one’s faith. “Phones are devices for you, and maybe in the future your faith will be personalized through your phone as well… I’m gonna be a terrible salesman and tell you that you can go to a confessional for free. But it’s nice to have with you. It’s nice to the app with me so I can do my own spiritual reflection as I’m bouncing around from place to place.”
