Vote No On Prop 8: Marriage Equality For All. Fundraiser & Afterparty, Thursday October 2nd.

The Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry present

For Faith, For Love, Forever:
In Support of Marriage Equality

A Fundraiser to defeat California Proposition 8 (Ban On Gay Marriage), featuring the cast of "Noah's Arc"

Thursday, October 2, 2008
7:00pm to 9:00pm

First Congregational Church of Oakland
2501 Harrison Street, Oakland, CA

Central to the debate on same-sex marriage in the African-American community is the institution of the black church. Despite media portrayals suggesting complete disapproval, African-American clergy have a variety of opinions on same-sex marriage. This event will highlight an inclusive vision among African-American pastors and ministers, including:

* Rev. Roland Stringfellow, director of the Bay Area Coalition of Welcoming Congregations
* Rev. Lynice Pinkard, pastor, First Congregational Church of Oakland
* Rev. Francine Brookins, pastor, Wright Chapel A.M.E. Church San Francisco
* Dr. Dorsey Blake, Dean of the Faculty Starr King School for the Ministry

Joining in the discussion will be the cast of the hit Logo network television series Noah's Arc. The cast will share their thoughts on making the first black gay love story for the big screen. Voter registration and "No on Prop 8" information will be available following this forum.

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Club Rimshot presents

The After Party @ The Vibe Lounge

2272 Telegraph Ave, Oakland
Thursday, October 2, 2008
9:30 pm - 2:00 am

$20 general admission / $40 dollars for VIP
Advance tickets are available at http://equalitytownhall.eventbrite.com/

100% of the proceeds from the door will be donated to the "No on Proposition 8" campaign.

The Invisible Woman

I saw someone post this on Facebook (shocker! i'm on Facebook :) and i watched it... the woman talks about being invisiblized in social/familial spaces... i was nodding, and kinda waited to hear the commentary grow around how women are invisiblized by sexist cultures and institutions... i really thought it was coming, then it took a turn that i wasn't expecting (is anyone else familiar with Nicole Johnson?). I really liked the cathedral metaphor, but umm, i was a bit disappointed with her final message to women around being invisiblized, which to me felt rather pacifying. That's just me though. But its funny that a 1940's movie, "The Invisible Woman" ended up being more radical around women being marginalized and invisibilized in the workplace. (below). In another blog around presidential politics, Sue Gordon makes a more poignant and personal commentary around being invisiblized as a black woman, which also refers to how Michelle Obama has been invisiblized.

MadCat 12 Women's International Film Festival Starts Today- AND only *9* days left to Frida Kahlo Exhibit at SFMOMA!

hello peoples, just a quick shout out on the bay area art scene, it is highly recommended to peep the MadCat 12 Women's International Film Festival. My friend Therese hipped me to this, it sounds very special. And you absolutely HAVE TO see the Frida Kahlo exhibit before it leaves the SFMOMA. You had a lot of time to peep it, time is running out! I saw it yesterday, i was very emotionally affected, overstimulated, inspired... and you just fall in love with her, and respect her strength, vulnerability, passion, vision and much more as you take in her beautifully visceral and sometimes downright anguished images. Not. To. Be. Missed.

"Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace And Humming Bird" -Frida Kahlo

More Feminist Organizations Are Backing Obama.

Oh this is good news, thank you Feministing. I've been deliberately trying not to just post about... someone else (one could blog about her alone and nothing else) so its good to be able to speak more to the constructive and positive news around Obama's campaign. Apparently there was a press conference of Women's Organizations who are supporting Obama. I am also glad to see that the National Organization for Women is backing Obama after backing Clinton. As well as the National Congress Of Black Women and several others.

I also like the quote that Miriam of Feministing culled from the conference: "We don't think it's much to break a glass ceiling for one woman and leave millions of women behind." See her article for more links.

Haiku Tribute To Ancestral Queens Of Liberation

Nanny of Maroons
Jamaica’s warrior queen
spirit of the hills

Harriet Tubman
forged freedom in the crossroads
mystic eyes guide souls

Just A Bit About Sarah Palin.

*and be sure to peep the Women Against Sarah Palin blog (Thanks for the heads up Sylvia!), and also Poplicks "A Good Progressive's Guide To Criticizing (And Not Criticizing) Sarah Palin".

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hey everybody, hope you are having a great weekend- sorry about the lapse in time since my last post. But surely, it just gave you an opportunity to go through all the juicy archives :)

So yeah, yeah. Sarah Palin. The insane arrival of the anti-celebrity to Obama's meaningful message celebrity is here. A lot has already been said. About how insultingly transparent McCain's choice is. "Look! I nominated a woman! Some might even refer to her as a VPILF! (not my or McCain's quote, saw that somewhere random)" About how sad it would be if pro-Clinton people actually bought it went and voted for McCain so that a woman with worse conservative politics than anyone running could be elected VP. Shoo, if Condaleeza Rice was running, i wouldn't vote for her just cuz she is black. But something has been gnawing a bit at me... how the media seems to be protecting her around the issues of her pregnant 17 year old daughter. Of course, someone as young as that should be protected from the media. But lets put it this way... what would have happened if the Obamas had a pregnant 17 year old daughter? I think we all know the answer to that one.

The Daily Show did some stuff on "the gender card" in the Palin campaign, and shows so many double standards in the reporting, its funny. The same people who were roasting Hilary and being overtly sexist are now crying foul and wagging shame shame shame at all the criticism Palin is getting, because it obviously comes from "deep rooted sexism". Vomit! Of course, even just the phrase "gender card" is so loaded because, much like "race card", it is usually used by people with privilege who don't want to look at their own crap. But this is such a perversion of it, where people in power who don't actually give a flying @#$! about women's rights are using this as a political strategy to protect a woman who reflects their anti-feminist values.

You'll need to turn up the volume on the actual interface when you go to the Daily Show page. Enjoy!

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oh JEEZ. i had to put another addendum to this. i try to not post too much about presidential politics cuz it seems to overshadow everything else. And i think everyone by now knows about the laundry list of why Palin is a very scary person. but DAMN. upon simply visiting Feministing, i see them further elucidating that new polls are showing more white women voting favoring McCain/Palin since her nomination; that not only are major news outlets like the Wall Street Journal, NPR and LA Times referring to Palin as a FEMINIST, but that she is also a Sexy SuperMom, Skirt Wearing Feminist that Hilary could have learned something from (like wearing more skirts). It is chilling to see the media laud this woman with terrifying values as so wonderful. Do newscasters have children? Or do they eat them? Sigh, i guess this is just one of the ways capitalisms screws us, paying people to say stuff that is actually bad for people. And oh yes, Feministing also schooled me that Sarah Palin as mayor made sure that rape survivors would have to pay $1200 to ensure that their rapist could be identified by a forensics rape kit. Ok, clearly, i need to start some grassroots Obama/Biden work very soon.