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March 26, 2005


GLSEN Phoenix - Updates & Call for Volunteers |


  • GLSEN Phoenix First Responders Unit - To provide K-12 school staff and other first responders with information and resources to help them 1) integrate LGBTQ perspectives into existing counseling practices & crisis management tools and 2) sensitize and empower school staff to affirmatively support LGBTQ students. W/ EMPACT-SPC. We have conducted nearly 10 trainings since the beginning of the new year! Invite us to your school or organization to talk about LGBTQ youth issues. New volunteers welcome – TRAINING SATURDAY APRIL 16!

  • GLSEN Phoenix Bridges Project – To link community college and university GSAs with high school GSAs to bridge the gap between high school and college. Includes panel discussions about critical issues; information about college application, financial aid & LGBTQ resources. Is your college or high school GSA involved?

  • Teachers’ Lounge – For all LGBTQ and allied K-12 school staff to hang out and network. First Fridays 5-7pm @ Fair Trade Café (NW Corner Central and Roosevelt) Next lounge: Friday, April 1st

  • GLSEN Phoenix invites you to show some PRIDE this coming weekend!

    • Walk with GLSEN Phoenix in the Phoenix PRIDE parade, Saturday, April 2nd. All ages, GSAs, community members welcome. Look for yellow GLSEN banner & meet @ Palm and Central at 10am.
    • Volunteer for a two-hour shift at the GLSEN Phoenix booth at PRIDE, Saturday April 2nd or Sunday April 3rd. Call 602/705-9780 or info@glsenphoenix.org to sign up.
    • Volunteer for a shift at the PRIDE YouthZone (adults). What is YouthZone? Want to volunteer? youthzone@azpride.org
    • Enjoy YouthZone! What is YouthZone? http://azpride.org/youthzone/youthzone.html Questions? youthzone@azpride.org Youths aged 14-22 welcome Saturday, April 2 (1-6pm) & Sunday, April 3 (12-4pm) Co-sponsored by GLSEN Phoenix, PFLAG Phoenix & 1N10.
    • Enjoy Teachers' Lounge PRIDE weekend - Friday, April 1st, 5-7pm at Fair Trade cafe (NW corner of Roosevelt & Central Ave) - intended for LGBTQ and allied K-12 school staff.

GLSEN National Day of Silence - April 13 |


WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO END THE SILENCE?
Day of Silence - April 13, 2005

Join over 450,000 students at over 4,000 K-12 schools and colleges across the country in this year's Day of Silence! As a student or student club you can register your participation and organizations can be come Organizational Endorsers... Downloadable resources – order Speaking Cards & T-shirts online!

The Day of Silence, a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in collaboration with the United States Student Association (USSA), is a student-led day of action where those who support making anti-LGBT bias unacceptable in schools take a day-long vow of silence to recognize and protest the discrimination and harassment -- in effect, the silencing -- experienced by LGBT students and their allies.

GLSEN Youth Jumpstart Leadership Team |
What is Jump-Start (in official terms)? GLSEN's student club and leadership project, the Jump-Start Project, trains, provides resources for, activates, networks and supports student leaders from all walks of life to start and strengthen student clubs commonly known as gay-straight alliances (GSAs) as well as implement other safer schools organizing in schools and communities across the country. Middle and high school student leaders are identified, trained and supported in an anti-oppression framework for the Jump-Start National Student Leadership Team to be peer-educators and lead organizers for GLSEN's four student-driven project areas: campaigns, days of action, starting and networking student clubs and summits and teacher training (including safe space programs).

Applications online: http://www.glsen.org/cgibin/iowa/student/library/record/1777.html

Social Science Summer Course Paid & Stipend |
The U. of North Texas Department of Anthropology has been funded by the National Science Foundation to provide a 10 week program in social science research methods to students who are members of groups typically underrepresented on college campuses, including ethnic minorities and first-generation college students (for whom neither parent has graduated from college). The program runs from June 6 to August 12, 2005. Includes cost of housing & stipend ($3300). College credit is available. In the past the program has been very receptive to GLBTQ related topics and research agendas proposed by students. http://www.unt.edu/anthropology/nsf.htm.

Contact: dhenry@scs.unt.edu (940) 565-2290

PFLAG Scholarship April 25 |
PFLAG Phoenix is proud to offer a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating senior (Spring 05) who is pursuing advanced schooling. This person needs to be active in the gay/school community. Information and application forms are available: rgrove2468@aol.com or 602.957.4340. Application deadline April 25, 2005. http://www.pflagphoenix.org

City of Phoenix Youth Projects |
Get involved with the City of Phoenix Youth & Education Department- Lots of opportunities to have your voice heard – including cable station programming KNOW99! http://www.phoenix.gov/know99/

Marriage Debate Events in AZ |
The Demonstration: Within the next week or two, Arizona will finalize the passage of Arizona Bill HCM 2005, the Marriage Ban Amendment Postcard to Congress. As a symbol of conscientious objection to this abhorrent action by the Arizona Legislature, 216 participants in the demonstration will wear black armbands, signifying the 216 years our nation¹s Constitution has existed before being amended to deprive a minority group of equal rights. We need you there... We are looking for participants who can be available with short notice to attend and wear the black armbands. Please send an email to: blackarmbandaz@yahoo.com

The Concert: An inspirational concert of protest and unity will be presented. Since it is uncertain which day HCM 2005 will pass, all performers are TBA. Nonetheless, we have many wonderful performers on call and ready to perform. When: 6:30 pm On the passage date of HCM 2005. Where: Portland Park, Portland and Central Avenue (Just north of Central and Roosevelt) Sponsoring Organizations: No Longer Silent: Clergy for Justice; Gentle Shepherd MCC Marriage Equality Task Force; Arizona Human Rights Foundation; PFLAG; and various other organizations.

The Coalition: Late last year it became apparent that the Center for Arizona Policy intended to launch a statewide ballot initiative to amend the Arizona Constitution to prohibit same-gendered marriage. In response to that reality the leadership of several community organizations began a dialogue about what a coalition would look like, and what it would pursue. Early in March these organizations came together to review polling data information about where the voters in Arizona stood on marriage equality and domestic partnerships. That polling data verified much of what had already been assumed, namely, that a majority of Arizonans, like Americans, believe that same-gendered couples shouldn¹t be denied basic rights, yet they are uncomfortable with marriage. Twenty percent actually support full marriage rights. Another 36 percent support domestic partnership. For more information, please contact Brad at RevWishon@aol.com.

Support Kids Living with HIV/AIDS - April 2 |
OZ presents Camp for Kids Benefit sponsored by Logan's Playground & Body Positive Sat., April 2nd 9:00pm * Raffle * Auction * 50-25-25 Drawing * Show hosted by: Miss Sissy Collins Guest performances by: * Pulsating Pauline * Ms. Sara Gosa * * Renee Richards * Bambi * Live Vocal performances by: * Tracey Cruise * Retta Stone * Lil Audrey * All proceeds to benefit kids living w/ HIV/AIDS

Call 602-307-5330 for more information, .or make your secure online gift

Lesbian Comedy - April 9 |
Come out for lesbian comedy nite presented by Bas Bleu Productions: Michele Balan & Lisa Koch – Saturday April 9th at 7:00pm at the Madison School Auditorium, 16th Street and Missouri. Tickets $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Tickets by mail: Bas Bleu P.O. BOX 7766 Phoenix, AZ 85011. Available at: Unique on Central 602.279.9691 & Changing Hands 480.730.0205.

Online Youth Resources |
http://www.teenadviceonline.org/gethelp/numbers.html
http://www.collegegoalsundayusa.org/
http://www.godmademegay.com/Letter.htm
http://gpac.org/youth/index.html

We Are Family Foundation Education Initiative |
New initiative launched to teach children about the value of all our families: We Are Family Foundation

We are Family – Teacher’s Guide PDF

Anti-Defmation League - AZ Film Series |
Warm thanks to the Arizona Anti-Defamation League and Scottsdale Community College for hosting the “MANY FACES OF HATE” FILM SERIES

This month the Arizona Region of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Scottsdale Community showed the stirring documentary, “License to Kill.” Licensed To Kill takes a riveting journey into the minds of men whose contempt for homosexuals led them to murder.

The series will be free to the public and feature monthly documentary films dealing with the subject of hate, with a moderated discussion to follow each month’s screening. Films in the series will be shown at 6:30pm on the third Wednesday of each month through May at the Performing Arts Center of Scottsdale Community College, 9000 E. Chaparral in Scottsdale. The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry. Contact: Bill Straus, Arizona ADL Regional Director (602) 274-0991

Call for Papers: Young Queer Women |
This is a call for papers for an anthology entitled, Rise and Resist: Young Queer Women Do Activism. What I am looking for: personal essays written by lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women (in their late teens to early thirties) on their participation in queer activism(s). I want to create a snapshot of what young queer women are doing to resist the current oppressive political climate that engulfs our lives. This is an outlet for illustration of our legacy of creative queer women's resistance and an offering of hope for future endeavors in queer activist struggles. Possible topics may include, but are certainly not limited to: * How one became involved in queer activism/learning how to become an activist * Everyday activism(s) * Historical presence of activism * What we've learned from lesbian separatism/the current place of lesbian separatism * Queering the queer: bi and trans activisms * Coalition-building politics * Gender activism as queer activism * Experiences in activist circles & organizations * Activist families (chosen or biological) * Support networks in queer activism * The importance of street activism(s), radical activism(s), etc. * Queer activism in particular political climate

Submissions must be received by June 31, 2005 Send one hardcopy of your submission to: Maura Ryan, Department of Sociology, University of Florida, Turlington 3219, P.O. Box 117330 Gainesville, FL 32611. E-mail queries to: mryan@ufl.edu

LBT Women of Color - Fact Sheets |
For Women's History Month, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Releases "Lesbians Are Women Too," New Fact Sheets on LBT Women of Color. Available online at:

http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/WHM031605.pdf

GenderPAC Decries School Board’s Ban of Girl in Tux & Conference on Gender |


~Florida high school student excluded from yearbook for refusing to wear a gown and pearls, but parents support their daughter~

Washington, D.C. (February 28, 2005) The Gender Public Advocacy Coalition (GenderPAC) decries the decision to ban a straight-A high school student from her senior yearbook for wearing a tux instead of a dress and pearls. Even though there is no written dress code for senior pictures, the principal in Green Cove Springs, Florida pulled Kelli Davis’s picture and fired the yearbook editor. The school board let the decision stand. “It is outrageous that county school officials would force female students to wear low-cut gowns or risk exclusion in their own yearbook. Kelli Davis is a member of the community and she should be honored and respected as such,” said GenderPACs Youth Program Director, Kristin Effland. “And that principal should get back to what’s really important – educating young people, not policing their choice of outfits.”

The school board’s decision conflicts with new National School Boards Association guidelines that say there is no legal justification for gender-specific dress codes. Kelli explained that she felt uncomfortable exposing her chest in a photo. Kelli’s parents support their daughter and took out an ad in the yearbook featuring the banned photo. “We hear a lot of talk these days about family values. This young woman’s parents are showing real family values by supporting their daughter,” said Effland. “Young people should be able to choose how they want to be remembered in their yearbooks. If that sounds simple, that’s because it is.”


The National Conference on Gender with Eve Sedgewick and Anne Fausto-Sterling. The 2005 GenderYOUTH Track of Workshops is an awesome and insightful spread of workshops geared toward providing students and youth with new and improved outreach techniques and mobilizing tactics to end gender-based violence and discrimination while offering a safe space to share concerns and victories. This track is deeply committed to emphasizing and questioning how gender stereotyping intersects with racism, classism, homophobia, sexism, and transphobia. Scholarships are available for students and those in need.

To fill out a Scholarship Application Online, visit: http://www.gpac.org/ncg/2005scholarships.html

For more general information about the National Conference on Gender and to register, visit: http:www.gpac.org/ncg

For more general information about the GenderYOUTH Network, visit: http://www.gpac.org/youth/

New Book on The New Gay Teenager |


Cornell Daily Sun, March 17, 2005 139 W State St, Ithaca, NY, 14850

Prof Argues Gays More Accepted
Rebecca Shoval

Prof. Ritch Savin-Williams, human development, talked about his new book, The New Gay Teenager, to a group of students, faculty, staff and Ithaca residents yesterday afternoon on the second floor of the Mann
Library Addition.

Savin-Williams talked about the prominence of homosexuality in the media today, naming popular mainstream television shows, magazines and news features in which homosexual themes or homosexual people play a major part. For example, the first publicized baby born in 2003 had two women for parents. Savin-Williams also mentioned that the media has stopped censoring and, in fact, highlights lesbian kissing.

"I can see why religious people and those with objections to gay relations are upset -- they're losing," Savin-Williams said.

Savin-Williams focused much of his talk on the large generation gap among the same-sex attracted population. He feels that, in contrast to the small generational differences in racism and sexism, sexual
minorities have been very successful in their integration into society. Speaking to the students in the room, Savin-Williams said, "There have been tremendous advances since you were [in high school]."

In a survey of high school students in the 2000-2001 school year, for example, 67 percent of those surveyed said that gay marriage should be legalized and 85 percent said that sexual minorities should be accepted by society. These figures strongly conflict with the opinions of the voting population.

Moreover, Savin-Williams's statistics show that sexual minority youths feel they are harassed by about five percent of their peers, basically the same five percent who bully everyone.

Savin-Williams also mentioned said that it was difficult to generalize past research with today's youth as many young people are refusing to identify as homosexual because sexuality is only part of who they are.

Savin-Williams calls this the "disappearance of the gay teenager."

"Today's teenagers are more at ease with homosexuality -- and with a more flexible and shifting view of human sexuality in general – than their parents' and grandparents' generation," said Prof. Meredith Small, anthropology.

Savin-Williams brought up the concept of the "gay and lesbian prom", saying that as quickly as it became popular, it became passé. He feels that the integration of sexual minorities into popular culture encourages teens to want to bring their same-sex partners to the traditional prom. Savin-Williams's other major topic was the question of who is homosexual. Savin-Williams feels that as more and more youths reject common sexual labels, determining sexual minorities becomes ever more difficult. He said that as many youths with same-sex attractions and behavior identify as heterosexual, many gay adults admit to not identifying as a sexual minority during high school. "Who's gay?...I think it is one of those very important questions we tend to ignore," Savin-Williams said.

Savin-Williams feels that sexual orientation cannot be determined by who a person has sex with, self-labels or fantasies. While less than four percent of female and three percent of male high school students identify themselves as homosexual or bisexual, eighteen percent of female and eight percent of male students admit to same-sex behavior or attractions.

"Now in high school, it's 'cool' to be gay," said Donna Callais, a member of the Mann Library staff.

The lecture was one of "Mann's Chats in the Stacks" that occur regularly in the Mann Library Addition. According to the director of Mann Library, Janet McCue, these talks "highlight research done by faculty ... and give members of the Ithaca community access to professors and informal discussion."

Savin-Williams is the author of seven books on the behavior and self-esteem of adolescents. He is currently working on a trilogy involving sexual minority youths. Savin-Williams also has a private clinical psychology practice dealing with identity and family issues in teens.