Red Balloon finale - hommage of the balloons

Omofobia: la propaganda “ritardata” di “Avvenire”

Avvenire pubblica oggi un articolo in cui sostiene che i figli di coppie gay sono portati a essere affetti da malattie sessualmente trasmissibili, al suicidio e al ricorso a terapia psicologica. Il problema, oltre alla solita omofobia strisciante, è che il quotidiano propaganda la scientificità di questo studio di Mark Regnerus, professore di sociologia all’Università del Texas. Il giornale dei vescovi (lautamente sovvenzionato dai contributi pubblici) parla di “ritardo”. Ma è proprio la testata cattolica ad arrivare in ritardo. O forse ha voluto far uscire dal cassetto una notizia ad hoc proprio ora che si parla di estendere i diritti anche alle coppie gay.
Perché già a giugno Slate pubblicò un articolo in cui Regnerus illustrava il suo studio. E il giorno dopo arrivò la “smentita”, con un’analisi critica della ricerca che ne rivelò alcuni evidenti difetti nel metodo. Lo studio, per quanto basato  su un ampio campione statistico, catalogava per esempio come “omosessuale” un genitore in base a questa domanda, fatta al figlio ormai adulto: “Dalla tua nascita fino a 18 anni, hai mai saputo di un rapporto romantico di tuo padre/tua madre con una persona dello stesso sesso?”.
Ovvero, si includevano volutamente genitori che avevano avuto relazioni con altre persone, lasciando per di più ai figli questa ’schedatura’ inappropriata dell’omosessualità dei loro genitori. Prevedibile che nel calderone finissero etichettati come “figli di omosessuali” non quelli di coppie gay stabili e serene, ma ragazzi provenienti da coppie vacillanti. E in cui possono esserci figli con maggiori disagi, a prescindere dal fatto che si tratti di coppie gay o eterosessuali. Non c’è dunque molto da stupirsi che non sia esattamente l’ambiente ideale in cui crescere, ma la causa diretta non risiede nel fatto che quel genitore è gay. Aggiungiamoci che la ricerca risulta commissionata con lauto finanziamento da esponenti di gruppi conservatori anti-gay.

È vero che gli studi sulle famiglie Lgbt non sono (ancora) statisticamente molto solidi, come ha rilevato Loren Marks su Social Science Research. Infatti il problema è che, essendo le coppie gay ancora non riconosciute, o riconosciute da poco tempo, non è possibile analizzare migliaia di casi omogenei in un arco di tempo ampio come si vorrebbe e dovrebbe.
Nello stesso volume che ha pubblicato la ricerca di Regnerus l’editore ha però incluso tre commenti di altri ricercatori che ridimensionavano molto i risultati, pur apprezzando il tentativo di creare una statistica ampia. Il prof. Paul Amato dell’Università della Pennsylvania scrive: “Se crescere con genitori gay e lesbiche fosse così catastrofico, il problema emergerebbe anche da studi fatti su campioni ridotti. È probabile che le differenze siano piccole, paragonabili forse con quelle di figli di divorziati”. A questo punto, diamo un’idea per la prossima campagna di Avvenire: abolire il divorzio.

Non è la prima volta che i detrattori religiosi degli omosessuali, non potendoli più seriamente dipingere di fronte all’opinione pubblica come dei debosciati o dei peccatori sulla base di vecchi stereotipi di fede, tentano di usare alcuni studi per avvalorare le proprie tesi. Sostenendo ora che i figli di coppie gay crescono con spaventosi traumi e disagi: sebbene non sembri proprio così, come rilevato ad esempio da Chiara Lalli nel suo libro Buoni genitori.  Non è quindi un caso che questo studio di Regnerus sia stato cavalcato mesi fa soprattutto da blog di integralisti cattolici, dopo essere stato commentato laconicamente su La Stampa. Come rilevaMalvino, che evidenzia le stesse remore di Regnerus. Fa però specie constatare come il più importante giornale cattolico italiano sia ormai al traino dei siti più fanatici. Succede del resto alla stessa Chiesa, ormai succube dei nuovi movimenti ecclesiali, dall’Opus Dei a Comunione e liberazione.

Di fronte alla crescita delle famiglie omosessuali e alla loro domanda di riconoscimento sociale gli integralisti religiosi giocano dunque la carta della delegittimazione. Il metodo-Betulla fa scuola. Ammantato, in questo caso, di una parvenza di scientificità. Peccato che le apparenze spesso ingannino. Perché l’unico vero ritardo in questa vicenda è quello che la Chiesa cattolica sta accumulando nei confronti della società moderna, e non sarà certo ridotto con l’utilizzo di espedienti di questo tipo.

Tratto da: I figli di coppie gay? Un disastro! | Informare per Resistere http://www.informarexresistere.fr/2012/09/29/i-figli-di-coppie-gay-un-disastro/#ixzz27vy3lrnb

Παγκόσμια Ημέρα Coming Out - Βγες απ’ τη Ντουλάπα!

Πέμπτη 11 Οκτωβρίου 2012 στις 20.00

Θέατρο Βικτώρια*

Οι LGBTQ (λεσβίες, γκέι, αμφί, τρανς, κουίαρ) Οργανώσεις της Αθήνας:
Ομοφυλοφιλική και Λεσβιακή Κοινότητα Ελλάδας (ΟΛΚΕ), Ομοφοβία στην Εκπαίδευση,
Θετική Φωνή, Colour Youth, σε συνεργασία με το Διεθνές Φεστιβάλ LGBTQ ταινιών
Θεσσαλονίκης,, τη ΣΥΜΠΡΑΞΗ για το κοινωνικό Φύλο, και τον Κόσμο χωρίς Πολέμους και Βία,

παρουσιάζουν το ντοκιμαντέρ της Ινδής παραγωγού, Sonali Gullati με τίτλο “ I am”.
Ένα ντοκιμαντέρ που πραγματεύεται την αγάπη των γονιών προς τα παιδιά τους, όταν αυτά τους
αποκαλύπτουν τον σεξουαλικό τους προσανατολισμό, προσεγγίζοντας παράλληλα τις κοινωνικές
δυνατότητες μιας κλειστής κοινωνίας όπως αυτή της Ινδίας.

Η προβολή της ταινίας είναι αφιερωμένη στη παγκόσμια ημέρα Coming Out
(στην ελευθερία ανοικτής έκφρασης του σεξουαλικού προσανατολισμού και ταυτότητας φύλου)

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Θα ακολουθήσει συζήτηση
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Είσοδος Ελεύθερη

Μετά το πέρας της προβολής και συζήτησης, ακολουθεί catering
Finger Food and Sangria στο φουαγιέ του Θεάτρου Βικτώρια,
για την οικονομική ενίσχυση του LGBT κοινωνικού κέντρου “The Athens Rainbow House”.

Χορηγοί Επικοινωνίας: City Uncovered – Antivirus – 10% – Λεσβιακή Ομάδα Θεσσαλονίκης

*Θέατρο Βικτώρια:
Μαγνησίας 5 (Γ΄Σεπτεμβρίου 119) τηλ. 210 8233 125

Belgrade Flash Mob 28.09.2012.

Lesbian and Gay Parents and Their Children: Summary of Research Findings

Patterson, C. J., & Wainright, J.L. (in press). Adolescents with same-sex parents: Findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. In Brodzinsky, D., Pertman, A., & Kunz, D. (Eds.), Lesbian and gay adoption: A new American reality. New York: Oxford University Press.

Da un campione complessivo di 12.105 adolescenti pescati a caso nelle scuole americane è stato individuato un sottocampione di quelli con coppie di genitori omosessuali, che erano 44.
I dati sono stati raccolti tramite
• Interviste e Questionari self-report somministrati a scuola, volti ad indagare:
o –Adattamento psicosociale.(depressive symptoms, anxiety, self esteem),
o –Funzionamento scolastico (school grades, trouble at school, and school connectedness).
o –Variabili familiari e relazionali (Adolescents’ reports of their perceptions of parental warmth, caring from adults and peers, their integration into their neighborhood, and their autonomy).
o –Attrazioni, comportamenti e relazioni romantiche. (Adolescents’ romantic attractions, relationships, and behaviors were assessed with individual items).
• Questionari compilati dai genitori sul rapporto con i figli.
È stato così possibile paragonare tutti questi aspetti con quelli dei pari cresciuti in famiglie eterosessuali che erano stati rilevati nell’ambito dello stesso studio, non trovando nessuna differenza significativa. I 44 adolescenti cresciuti in famiglie omogenitoriali si sono mostrati complessivamente nella fascia più funzionale del campione. Il disagio si è mostrato correlato alla qualità delle relazioni e non al sesso dei genitori.

US National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study (1986-1992)
“Between 1986 and 1992,154 prospective lesbian mothers volunteered for a study that was designed to follow planned lesbian families from the index children’s conception until they reached adult- hood. Data for the current report were gathered through interviews and questionnaires that were completed by 78 index offspring when they were 10 and 17 years old and through interviews and Child Behav- ior Checklists that were completed by their mothers at corresponding times. The study is ongoing, with a 93% retention rate to date.
According to their mothers’ reports, the 17-year-old daughters and sons of lesbian mothers were rated significantly higher in social, school/academic, and total competence and significantly lower in social problems, rule-breaking, aggressive, and externalizing prob- lem behavior than their age-matched counterparts in Achenbach’s nor- mative sample of American youth. Within the lesbian family sample, no Child Behavior Checklist differences were found among adolescent offspring who were conceived by known, as-yet-unknown, and perma- nently unknown donors or between offspring whose mothers were still together and offspring whose mothers had separated.
Adolescents who have been reared in lesbian-mother families since birth demonstrate healthy psychological adjustment. These findings have implications for the clinical care of adolescents and for pediatricians who are consulted on matters that pertain to same-sex parenting.”

Bos, H.M.W., Gartrell, N.K. (2010). Adolescents of the US National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study: the impact of having a known or an unknown donor on the stability of psychological adjustment. Human Reproduction. doi:10.1093/humrep/deq359.

Gartrell, N., Bos, H. (2010). US National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study: Psychological Adjustment of 17-Year-Old Adolescents. Pediatrics. 126(1):1-9.

Bos H.M.W., Gartrell N., Van Balen F., Peyser H., et al. (2008). Children in planned lesbian families: A cross-cultural comparison between the USA and the Netherlands. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 78(2):211-219.

Gartrell N., Rodas C., Deck A., et al. (2006). The USA national lesbian family study: 5. Interviews with mothers of ten-year-olds. Feminism & Psychology. 16(2):175-192.

Gartrell N., Deck A., Rodas C., et al. (2005). The national lesbian family study: 4. Interviews with the 10-year-old children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 75:518-524.

Gartrell N., Banks A., Reed N., Hamilton J., et al. (2000). The national lesbian family study: 3. Interviews with mothers of five-year-olds. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 70:542-548.

Gartrell N., Banks A., Hamilton J., et al. (1999). The national lesbian family study: 2. Interviews with mothers of toddlers. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 69:362-369.

Gartrell N, Hamilton J, Banks A, et al. (1996). The national lesbian family study: 1. Interviews with prospective mothers. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 66:272-281.

Patterson, C. J. (2005). Lesbian and Gay Parents and Their Children: Summary of Research Findings. In Lesbian and Gay Parenting: A Resource for Psychologists (2 Edition). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association

È la meta-analisi più recente commissionata dall’American Psychological Association che conta il riferimento a più di 150 pubblicazioni sull’argomento (a partire dal 1972). Stabilisce che non esiste evidenza scientifica di differenze né nell’incidenza di disturbi psicologici o disturbi dell’identità di genere, né nel manifestarsi di un orientamento omosessuale,.

Αγάπη είναι... βιβλίο «Γκντουπ!» (για παιδιά από 10 ετών και πάνω) από τις εκδόσεις Κέδρος

Ο Λύο Καλοβυρνάς απαντάει στις ερωτήσεις της A.V. με αφορμή το νέο του βιβλίο «Γκντουπ!» (για παιδιά από 10 ετών και πάνω) από τις εκδόσεις Κέδρος
της Δήμητρας Τριανταφύλλου

Είναι όντως η παιδική λογοτεχνία μιας από τις πιο... τζαναμπέτικες λογοτεχνικές κατηγορίες;

 Νομίζω ότι είναι από τις πιο κακοποιημένες. Πολλά παιδικά βιβλία, στην Ελλάδα,  πατρονάρουν τα παιδιά. Τους απευ...θύνονται σαν να μιλάνε σε χαζά ή σαν να ζούνε σε εποχές πριν από 50 χρόνια. Τα παιδιά είναι πολύ πιο έξυπνα απ’ ό,τι μας βολεύει να πιστεύουμε. Βέβαια, δεν είναι ούτε ενήλικες σε μικρογραφία. Σίγουρα, πάντως, δεν χρειάζονται συγκατάβαση και μασημένα ηθικά διδάγματα. Με όλα τα θέματα μπορούν να έρθουν σε επαφή, αρκεί να γίνει με τρόπο και σε γλώσσα που να αντιστοιχεί στη δική τους.

Το βιβλίο σας ασχολείται πολύ με το ζήτημα του διαζυγίου κι είναι από τις λίγες φορές που βλέπουμε σε ένα παιδικό βιβλίο την αποδοχή αυτής της κατάστασης.

Το διαζύγιο δεν είναι πάντα κακό πράγμα. Αντίθετα, μπορεί να είναι μια πάρα πολύ καλή αρχή για κάτι καινούργιο, αφήνοντας πίσω κάτι που είχε πάψει να λειτουργεί, κάτι που προκαλούσε δυστυχία σε όλους τους εμπλεκόμενους. Είναι κρίμα να το δαιμονοποιούμε ως μάστιγα. Στο κάτω κάτω, ποιος λέει ότι ένας γάμος πρέπει σώνει και καλά να κρατήσει για πάντα; Σε βάρος, μάλιστα, της προσωπικής εξέλιξης των δύο συζύγων; Αν δεν ενοχοποιούσαμε το διαζύγιο ως απόδειξη προσωπικής ή κοινής αποτυχίας, ίσως να χωρίζαμε λιγότερο οδυνηρά – και για τα παιδιά. Αυτό προσπαθούν να κάνουν οι γονείς της Λίνας. Πονάνε, δέχονται τον πόνο τους, αλλά δεν ανεβάζουν τρίπρακτο δράμα με θεατή το παιδί τους.

Το ζήτημα της ομοφυλοφιλίας, αλλά και του sex, είναι η δεύτερη «καυτή πατάτα» που τολμάτε να πιάσετε. Δεν σας φόβισαν οι αντιδράσεις;

Να μιλήσεις σε παιδιά για σεξ; Και ομοφυλοφιλία; Ιιιι! Κι η παιδική ψυχούλα τους δεν θα πάθει ανήκεστο βλάβη; Η στάση μας γι’ αυτά τα θέματα όχι μόνο είναι γελοία, είναι καταστροφική! Επειδή εμείς είμαστε φορτωμένοι με ταμπού και ενοχές για το σεξ, επειδή εμείς στραμπουλιόμαστε εσωτερικά με το θέμα, αφήνουμε τα παιδιά μας στο έλεος των ΜΜΕ και της τυχαίας παραπληροφόρησης. Δεν φοβήθηκα αντιδράσεις, αλλά υπήρξαν εκ μέρους ενός άλλου εκδοτικού που ακύρωσε την έκδοση φοβούμενος αντιδράσεις. Ο Κέδρος, παρότι ανησύχησε για τυχόν αντιδράσεις, τελικά πίστεψε στη δύναμη της ιστορίας. Τις περισσότερες φορές οι αντιδράσεις αποκαλύπτουν περισσότερα γι’ αυτόν που αντιδρά παρά γι’ αυτό που προκαλεί την αντίδραση.

Ποιος είναι τελικά ο καλύτερος τρόπος να μιλάμε στα παιδιά για όλα αυτά τα ζητήματα που μας προκαλούν αμηχανία, αλλά που πλέον αποτελούν επίμονες ερωτήσεις από πολύ μικρές ηλικίες;
Διάβασα κάποτε για δυο παιδάκια, τριών και τεσσάρων, που ρώτησαν τον μπαμπά τους: «Γιατί ο θείος Μπομπ πάει παντού με τον Πητ;». «Επειδή είναι ερωτευμένοι, όπως εγώ κι η μαμά σας» τους απάντησε εκείνος. «Α, καλά. Έχει άλλο μπισκότο;» ήταν η αντίδραση του μικρού. Πάει η ψυχούλα του, ε;

Μια συμβουλή που θα δίνατε σε δύο γονείς που έχουν ένα παιδάκι σαν την Πετρουλίνα – πανέξυπνο και με δύσκολες απορίες;

Καταρχάς, τη λένε Λίνα! Σιχαίνεται το Πετρούλα και να το σεβαστείτε, παρακαλώ! Η μόνη συμβουλή είναι να δουλέψουν με τον εαυτό τους και ν’ ανοίξουν οι ίδιοι τα κλειστά κουτάκια του μυαλού τους, ώστε να μπορούν να παρακολουθούν το μαγικό ταξίδι του παιδιού τους.

Κάποια στιγμή ο αγαπημένος θείος της Λίνας λέει στη μικρή: «Η αγάπη είναι σαν ηλιακός θερμοσίφωνας. Έχει πάντα ζεστό νερό». Θα μας δώσετε και μια δεύτερη, εναλλακτική πρόταση για να λέμε στα πιτσιρίκια;

Όπως λέει η Λίνα, που ανησυχεί πόσο την αγαπάνε οι δικοί της, «η αγάπη είναι σαν ασανσέρ. Άλλες φορές αγαπάς κάποιον μέχρι τον πρώτο κι άλλες μέχρι τον πέμπτο». Ο θείος Κώστας της απαντά: «Μπορεί κάποιος να μας αγαπάει τρελά. Αυτό δεν σημαίνει ότι θέλουμε σώνει και καλά να τον έχουμε πλάι μας. Μπορεί η αγάπη του να μη μας ταιριάζει. Το θέμα δεν είναι μέχρι ποιον όροφο σε αγαπάει ο καθένας, αλλά αν εσύ θέλεις να ζεις στην πολυκατοικία του».

chinawoman-lovers are strangers

"Piccolo Uovo" di Altan e Francesca Pardi.

"Piccolo Uovo" di Altan e Francesca Pardi. Puoi ordinarlo presso IBS

Questa è una favola, ma è tratta da una storia vera, ha un colpo di scena e il lieto fine non è così scontato

C’era una volta un libro per bambini illustrato da Altan (il creatore del mitico personaggio della Pimpa), una favola che ha per protagonista un uovo, anzi un Piccolo Uovo che vuole conoscere tutti i tipi di famiglie che ci sono prima di decidere dove schiudersi, e nel farlo incontra, tra le altre, anche una coppia di genitori gay rappresentati da due pinguini in frac.

 Il libro e' per bambini da 3 anni in su .
Ma c’è questa volta l’assessore alle Politiche Sociali Piefrancesco Majorino (Pd) che ha letto il libro di Altan a suo figlio e da padre lo consiglia a tutti, tanto da suggerirne, pare, la diffusione nelle scuole milanesi, proposta che dovrebbe essere stata messa in calendario dalla Giunta Pisapia .
Sembra una bella favola, ma c’è anche questa volta il lupo cattivo in agguato, chi ne ha approfittato per fare a gara di omofobia e strappare un po’ di visibilità a spese nostre.

Contando che, nelle favole che ci riguardano, il lupo cattivo non sta nascosto nel minaccioso bosco, ma su comode poltrone in bella vista…
Così il PDL e tutta la destra milanese, spronata dal consigliere Francesco Migliarese, ha deciso che non si può e non si deve “insegnare l’omosessualità” ai bambini e che quindi il libro mai e poi mai dovrà entrare nelle biblioteche delle scuole pubbliche.altri che evito di citare minacciano addirittura roghi di libri di hitleriana memoria, e questo già la dovrebbe dire lunga sulla qualità, la dignità e la provenienza dei protestatori.
Comunque, quando si tratta di bambini, meglio avere un dubbio che non averne, ma sarebbe anche meglio informarsi prima di parlare e scoprire cosa dicono gli esperti di psicologia e pedagogia, cioè coloro che hanno fatto del dubbio e della ricerca la loro professione. Ma purtroppo l’Italia a volte sembra la sagra del dilettante allo sbaraglio, dove tutti sono esperti di tutto, e vince chi riceve più attenzioni, non chi è più competente, e perde chi è coperto da urla sguaiate. E si sa che le minoranze hanno la voce più flebile rispetto a una massa abilmente manipolata.
 non esistono ricerche scientifiche al mondo che contraddicano quanto appurato dall’American Psychoanalytic Association, dall’American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) e dall’American Academy of Pediatrics in vent’anni di studi longitudinali effettuati nell’interesse dei bambini, e cioè che i genitori omosessuali, dati statistici alla mano, sono competenti esattamente come quelli eterosessuali e che la differenza o meno di sesso nella coppia non pregiudica minimamente lo sviluppo psicologico dei figli.

Sì, i gay possono essere anche ottimi genitori come ci ricorda Piccolo Uovo, libro che insegna non certo l’omosessualità (non si impara e non si insegna a essere gay, lesbiche o bisessuali, lo si è o non lo si è), bensì la pari dignità di tutte le famiglie e di tutte le persone, togliendo armi all’omofobia e combattendo la discriminazione dei figli di coppie gay.

Perché adesso arriva la parte più sconvolgente di tutte, udite udite: le famiglie gay già esistono. Anche qui, In Italia. E queste famiglie arcobaleno sono numerose. E sono senza diritti.
Ci vogliono leggi che le tutelino e tanti più libri che educhino al rispetto come questo di Altan e Francesca Pardi, l’autrice del testo. Se una coppia lesbica ha una bambina e muore il genitore biologico, non va all’altra mamma, a cui vuole bene, con cui è cresciuta e che identifica come genitore, ma viene considerata dalla legge italiana adottabile. Questo è inaccettabile. Contrario alla scienza e alle leggi del buonsenso, ma non contrario alle leggi italiane.

Per essere chiaro, cito lo psichiatra e psicanalista italiano Lingiardi: “Le persone gay e lesbiche hanno sempre cresciuto bambini e continueranno a farlo anche in futuro;  la questione è se questi bambini verranno cresciuti da genitori in possesso dei diritti, dei benefici e dalle tutele garantiti dal matrimonio civile”.
Accusate il libro di essere ideologico, caro Migliarese, invece l’ideologia è la vostra (l’ideologia è basata su schemi concettuali precostituiti piuttosto che sull’analisi concreta, definizione del Devoto-Oli) mentre la scienza, la nostra, si basa su ipotesi e dati verificabili.

Il vero problema che assilla i detrattori del libro potrebbe essere questo: che non esiste LA famiglia, ma LE famiglie. Non c’è un solo modo di tirare su cuccioli di uomo sani ed equilibrati, ma molti. Quando i nostri bisogni di base vengono soddisfatti, quando ci vogliono bene, veniamo su bene. Però questo, per Migliarese, Giovanardi, Casini, Buttiglione, Bindi, Bagnasco, Ratzinger, non è accettabile perché se un bambino viene su bene con una mamma single, se cresce sano con due papà, o con una famiglia allargata, o multietnica o (Dio non voglia!) multireligiosa o addirittura in cui i due genitori sono atei, allora possiamo mettere via il Presepe, o meglio metterlo tra le tante possibilità, togliergli l’esclusiva.

A ben pensarci, anche Giuseppe e Maria, che i nostri sostenitori della famiglia “naturale” ci vogliono presentare come modello, erano una coppia ben particolare. Lasciamo perdere la grande differenza d’età (Maria era per i nostri standard molto minorenne nel momento del concepimento), differenza largamente accettata all’epoca (come si evolvono le società, vero?). Beh, Maria e Giuseppe hanno concepito Gesù senza fare sesso tra loro e lo hanno allevato, proprio come accade anche alle coppie gay. E senza fare sesso neanche dopo, cosa che trovo poco salutare, ma questa è una mia personale opinione.
Il punto è che vogliono dirci come dobbiamo essere per allevare i nostri figli, non cosa dobbiamo fare per rispondere ai loro bisogni di amore, comprensione, curiosità per il mondo e per le persone. E questo è razzismo bello e buono – anzi brutto e cattivo. Ecco perché la lotta affinché siano riconosciute tutte le famiglie non è una questione gay o lesbica, ma una questione che interessa la libertà di tutti.

Consulenza psicologica di Stefano Ventura, ACSE
Dal blog di Luca Bordoni:voglio sposare Tiziano Ferro

.Καιρός να σηκωθούμε... !!!

who is more fit to raise a child? A convicted killer or a lesbian? This is the story of Mary Ward, and the fight for

“I believe that this child should be given the opportunity and the option to live in a non-lesbian world…” Judge, Pensacola, FL 1995.  Unfit:  Ward vs. Ward is about a custody case that answers the question, who is more fit to raise a child?  A convicted killer or a lesbian?  This is the story of Mary Ward, and the fight for her daughter.
DIRECTORS: Katy Carmichael and Edwin Scharlau to attend film screening
  Runtime 90 minutes
USA 2012

Cloudburst (movie)_kd lang's legs

Director: Thom Fitzgerald
Runtime: 94 minutes
Canada 2011
Community Sponsor: Women In Network
Screening Sponsor: HBO Latin America

Adapted from the award-winning play, Thom Fitzgerald’s “Cloudburst” starring Olympia Dukakis and Brenda Fricker, tells the tale of a lesbian couple who has been together for 31 years. When Dot is committed to a nursing home by her meddling granddaughter, her partner Stella comes to Dot’s rescue. Together, they escape from the Maine nursing home and head to Canada to obtain a marriage license and have their relationship legally recognized. Along the way, they pick up a sexy, shirtless hitchhiker and the familial plot thickens and evolves.

Roxette - Stars -

                                         sumera exoume kai epeteio......

Καταλήγω ότι απλώς κάποιους τους αγαπάμε πιο πολύ από εμάς

Ο 30χρονος Αποστόλης, γνωστός στο twitter ως @moloch82 έχασε την περασμένη Κυριακή την μάχη με τον καρκίνο. Μέχρι τις 15 Σεπτεμβρίου μιλούσε καθημερινά με διάφορους χρήστες που είτε γνώριζε είτε δεν είχε συναντήσει ποτέ στην ζωή του. Στο hashtag #TolislovedMaria εκδήλωνε συνεχώς την αγάπη του για την Μαρία που ήταν μαζί από τα δεκαοκτώ τους.
Στο blog του docamioc κατέγραφε την περιπέτεια της υγείας του ανάμεσα σε άλλα. Το τελευταίο ποστ ήταν στις 7 Ιουλίου. Το προτελευταίο στις 17 Απριλίου όπου γράφει τα εξής:

«Φυσικά και σκέφτομαι το θάνατο. Τυπικά τουλάχιστον οι πιθανότητες επιβίωσης στον αγώνα μου είναι σημαντικά εναντίον μου. Σε στιγμές φιλοσοφίας όμως καταλαβαίνω το εξής: είμαστε όντα περίεργα αγαπητέ. Ο θάνατος μου θα έρθει -μάλλον- είτε στον ύπνο μου, είτε σε κάποιο κώμα, είτε με κάποια ανακοπή, στα πλαίσια του καρκίνου. Μάλλον. Υπάρχουν ελπίδες να σκάσω από το φαγητό νωρίτερα. Μετά το θάνατό μου όμως για μένα μαύρο. Ένας βαθύς ασυνείδητος ύπνος. Μετά τίποτα. Ούτε ανησυχία, ούτε σκέψεις, ούτε πόνος, ούτε φόβος, ούτε αγάπη, ούτε έρωτας, ούτε γέλιο, ούτε κλάμα. Τίποτα. Τότε τι φοβόμαστε; Τι μας νοιάζει το μετά αν δεν θα είμαστε εκεί για να το αντιληφθούμε; Καταλήγω ότι απλώς κάποιους τους αγαπάμε πιο πολύ από εμάς. Φοβάμαι περισσότερο πια για το τι θα απογίνουν οι άλλοι, κάποιοι περισσότερο από άλλους. Για τον πόνο που θα τους προξενήσω, το ότι δεν θα μπορώ να κάνω τίποτα για να το πάρω πίσω. Δεν είμαστε τόσο εγωιστικά όντα τελικά. Υπάρχει και η άλλη βέβαια όψη, άκρως εγωιστική. Γιατί να συνεχίζει η ζωή να "ζείται" -παθητική κι ας μην υπάρχει- αν δεν είμαι εγώ στον κόσμο. Τι μέρες, νύχτες, χαμόγελα, στιγμές με πλεγμένα χέρια, παιχνίδια στην κουζίνα, αδιάφορους καυγάδες, βόλτες στην καλοκαιρινή Αθήνα, ταινίες, βιβλία, μουσικές θα χάσω.
Γράφοντας το παραπάνω, βούρκωσα στις δύο τελευταίες σειρές. Τελικά είμαστε εγωιστές. Θέλω να μείνω κι άλλο εδώ»

Bisexuality is real. it exists...

 

  Bisexuality isn't confusing - Bisexuals aren't confused...
No, they're really not - it's people's attitudes to bisexuality that are confused. A bisexual is someone who is attracted to more than one gender.

Everyone accepts that it's possible for a person to be attracted to people of more than one height, weight, hair color, or race. For bisexuals that openness also includes gender.

Bisexuals aren't greedy
It's not 'greed' if someone likes chocolate cake and fruit salad. Greed isn't a wide range of desire or attraction; it's excessive attraction. Some people seem to confuse being attracted to more than one gender with being attracted to everyone. This is rather silly - it's a bit like saying that lesbians or straight men are attracted to all women, or straight women and gay men are attracted to all men.
They're not. Bisexuality isn't about 'all' it's about 'either'.
Bisexuals don't have to be equally attracted to men and women
You don't have to be equally attracted to red-heads and brunettes to be attracted to both, and preferring lettuce to liver doesn't make you a vegetarian, so why do some people insist that "true" bisexuals are exactly and equally attracted to men and women?
Some bisexuals prefer androgynous partners, some don't. Some really love the differences between the sexes, others don't see those differences. Some of us are only attracted to 5% of one gender, and 60% of the other - you don't need to be 50/50 or have those add up to 100. And some bisexuals believe that thinking in terms of two genders is restrictive.

Sexuality isn't black and white - and the spectrum between gay and straight isn't greys. Think about it this way - rather than black and white, sexuality is red and blue. Purple is not the new red-blue, purple is the new purple. And there are more colors besides that between red and blue, there's orange, yellow and green for starters!

Bisexual isn't about there being only "two sexes"
Some people get hung up on the 'bi' and protest that gender isn't binary. They claim that identifying as bisexual is tantamount to saying Trans people don't exist, or that you're not attracted to them, or that you're only into masculine men and feminine women. However many people using the identity "bisexual" disagree.

In traditional dictionaries:
•Homosexual is defined as "only attracted to the same sex"
•Heterosexual is defined as "only attracted to the opposite sex"
So why then dismiss bisexuality as being about "only men and women" when the definitions of hetero- and homo- don't mention those? And why don't the critics of the word also have a go at people using "heterosexual" or "homosexual" on the grounds of the words being even more restricted?
In this modern age with a wider understanding of gender some people choose to re-state those as:
•Homosexual- "attracted to people of a broadly similar gender"
•Heterosexual - "attracted to people of a broadly different gender"
In fact many people say there are more than two genders, but if two options are either "similar to me" or "different to me" then it's clear that "both" can refer to those two options rather than two perceived sexes.

The gay and lesbian scene is full of bisexuals, many of whom know it'd be socially awkward to come out about their true sexuality in a biphobic atmosphere. We're all together in our attraction to people of the same or similar genders, and in the discrimination we face for being "them" from the homophobes. For decades we've marched together on Gay Pride, worked in gay bars, and we've all been bashed for not being straight. Bisexuality needs to be recognized as part of the LGBT movement, and should be welcomed as part of the struggle for acceptance and tolerance.

Bisexuals are the targets of biphobia, and homophobia too.
LGB & T are not rigid sided boxes to stuff people into, they're circles of overlapping light, they are a Venn diagram.
Bisexuals can be faithful
Some people ask "How can someone attracted to more than one gender be faithful to a partner of one gender?" Quite easily! Being attracted to people isn't cheating, did you know? Some people are attracted to more than one gender, some people to more than one skin color, or height, or body shape, or age group, or background.

Would a straight man attracted to both tall and short women be unable to remain faithful to a tall girlfriend? Would a lesbian woman attracted to both musicians and engineers be unable to commit to a guitarist?
Being bisexual isn't what makes someone cheat. Wanting to cheat makes someone cheat.
Bisexuals don't have to date both men and women
Some are in happy relationships with one partner, others have multiple relationships and some swap to dating the other sex whenever their current fling ends. Some bisexuals are happily married and raising children. Some bisexuals are single, some are celibate. You do not need to have ever have had sex to be bisexual. Some bisexuals enjoy casual sex, others don’t' have sex outside committed relationships.
Bisexuality isn't about whom you have sex with, or who you're in a relationship with. It's just about you - and the genders you are attracted to.
Bisexuality isn't an 'easy option'

Some people think that bisexuals are just gay and lesbian people who don't want to come out as gay or lesbian, as if saying you were bisexual would allow you to sidestep the prejudices and discrimination we face. It's not an easier option.
My Partner Is Bisexual, What Should I Do?
On hearing their partner is bi, some people wonder if this means they'll be unfaithful, or leave them for someone of a different gender, or if this means they've already been sleeping around during the relationship.

But being bisexual doesn't mean these things - just as being attracted to a range of hair colors, or ages, doesn't mean that either. You're the one they're with, you!

Everyone isn't Bisexual really
The often quoted "Everyone is bisexual really" is not true! When people say this they hardly ever include themselves for starters. It's a phrase people use to dismiss bisexuality.
When people use it they seem to mean "potentially" and talk about how we're all  born bisexual. This is either not true, or not useful.
It's about as useful as saying "Everyone's mixed-race really" when talking about ethnicity - it's not accurate in any real sense and doesn't provide any useful answers or usable insight when trying to combat racism or privilege.
Some people are attracted to only one gender. Some people are attracted to more than one gender.
Bisexuality is real. it exists...

H καλύτερη δουλειά του κόσμου ;

Snow Patrol - I am an astronaut (lyrics)

πάρε τη θέση σου στο σήμα της Ειρήνης και της Μη-βίας.

..

Σάββατο.από τις 9:00 μ.μ. μέχρι τις 11:00 μ.μ... Μοναστηράκι (πλατεία)

 Ποιον ωφελεί η βία;
Στη βία της ανεργίας και της φτώχειας που δέχεται μεγάλο μέρος της κοινωνίας, έρχεται να προστεθεί η έκρηξη της ρατσιστικής βίας, με επιθέσεις σε μετανάστες, ομοφυλόφιλους κι άλλες ομάδες.
Αντιμετωπίζουμε πλέον τη βία στην πιο άμεση μορφή της: τη σωματική βία, τη βία στο δρόμο, στα σπίτια, στα καταστήματα, στη Βουλή...
...
Μπροστά στον κίνδυνο γενίκευσης της βίας, πάρε τη θέση σου στο σήμα της Ειρήνης και της Μη-βίας.
Δήλωσε:
"Η βία είναι ανήθικη και οδηγεί σε αδιέξοδο"
Το σήμα θα γίνει με αναμμένους δαυλούς που προμηθευτήκαμε από την Greenpeace της Τσεχίας (οικολογικοί). Κοστίζουν 1€. Φυσικά μπορεί κάποιος να συμμετάσχει και χωρίς δαυλό ή να φέρει τον δικό του ;)))
Θα μας συνοδεύσουν με τα κρουστά τους το συγκρότημα Batuca!!!
Το Σήμα Ειρήνης και Μη-βίας οργανώνεται στο πλαίσιο του Διημέρου 21-22 Σεπτεμβρίου για την Ειρήνη και τη Μη-βία, με αφορμή την Παγκόσμια Ημέρα Ειρήνης. Θα γίνει στο Μοναστηράκι, το Σάββατο 22 Σεπτεμβρίου, στις 21.00. Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες: http://www.kosmosxorispolemous.gr/2012/09/2hmero-eirhnhs-mhvias/
Περισσότερα για τα Ανθρώπινα Σήματα Ειρήνης και Μη-βίας:
http://www.kosmosxorispolemous.gr/draseis/shmata_eirhnhs/

Τί κάνουμε αν δεχθούμε ομοφοβική τρανσφοβική επίθεση

 
Βία είναι κάθε σωματική, ψυχολογική ή/και λεκτική κακοποίηση ανθρώπου που δμιουργεί σωματικό ή/και ψυχικό πόνο ή πληγές.
Προσέχουμε για να έχουμε:
•Έχουμε τα μάτια μας δεκατέσσερα όταν περπατάμε μόνοι μας
•Αν έχουμε πιει ζητάμε από κάποιον να μας συνοδεύσει
•Αν καποιος μας περιμενει σπιτι τον ενημερωνουμε ότι ερχόμαστε
•Εμπιστευόμαστε το ένστικτό μας, αν νιώθουμε ότι κάποιος μας παρακολουθεί ή οτιδήποτε δε το αγνοούμε
•Δε πάμε από δρόμους που δε ξέρουμε ούτε και περπατάμε με φόβο
Αν υποπτευθούμε ότι απειλούμαστε:
•Πάμε κάπου όπου έχει φώτα ή κάμερες π.χ. τράπεζα
•Προσπαθούμε να δείξουμε ότι δεν είμαστε μόνοι/ες τηλεφωνούμε σε κάποιον
•Κοιτάζουμε και παρατηρούμε συγκρατούμε πρόσωπα, πινακίδες ό,τι μπορεί να βοηθήσει στον εντοπισμό προσώπου
•Σε περίπτωση λεκτικής επίθεσης που εξελίσσεται σε σωματική προσπαθούμε να αποφύγουμε τη συμπλοκή αν θεωρούμε ότι κινδυνεύουμε

Αν βρισκόμαστε σε κίνδυνο:
•Προσπαθούμε να προσελκύσουμε τη προσοχή. Φωνάζουμε “Φωτιά” ή αν έχουμε χρησιμοποιούμε σφυρίχτρα
•Προσπαθούμε να διαφύγουμε
•Αν βρισκόμαστε στο έδαφος καλύπτουμε το κεφάλι
Μετά το περιστατικό:

•Καταγγέλουμε την επίθεση στην αστυνομία και επιμένουμε να καταγραφεί ως περιστατικό ομοφοβικής ή τρανσφοβικής βίας
•Ζητάμε αντίγραφο της καταγραφής του περιστατικού από το βιβλίο συμβάντων
•Αν υπάρχουν πληγές/τραύματα πηγαίνουμε στο νοσοκομείο και ζητάμε εξέταση από ιατροδικαστή επιμένοντας να συνταχθεί αντίστοιχη έκθεση
•Επικοινωνούμε με τη γραμμή LGBTQ Κατά της Βίας 693 093 8505 ή στελνουμε email στο kataggeile.to@gmail.com. Καλώντας σε αυτό το νούμερο μπορούμε να ζητήσουμε άτομα της ομάδας υποστήριξης να μας συνοδεύσουν στην αστυνομία, στο νοσοκομείο ή αλλού

Αν τύχει και έιμαι μάρτυρας ενος ομοφοβικού περιστατικού
•Δεν στεκόμαστε απαθείς, φωνάζουμε για βοήθεια, καλούμε την αστυνομία.
•Καταγράφουμε στοιχεία των δραστών
•Αν είμαι μάρτυρας ψυχολογικής ή λεκτικής βιας υποστηρίζουμε το θύμα, δείχνουμε ότι δεν είναι μόνος/μόνη
•Επικοινωνούμε με τη γραμμή LGBTQ Κατά της Βίας 693 093 8505 ή στελνουμε email στο kataggeile.to@gmail.com.

Από το φυλλάδιο που μοιράστηκε κατά τη διάρκεια της πορείας ενάντια στις ομοφοβικές/τρανσφοβικές επιθέσεις.
Διαδώστε το, Όλοι/Όλες πρέπει να ξέρουμε

Francesca,Alessandra kai ta didima tous

Mombasa Court Recognizes Kenya lesbian Marriage

  
Mombasa Court Recognizes Woman To Woman Marriage in KENYA
The High Court in Mombasa has made a landmark ruling for lesbian Marriage allowing a woman who was ‘married’ to another woman to inherit her late ‘husband’s’ property worth millions of shillings.
Justice Jackton Ojwang ruled that Nandi customary law entitled Monica Jesang Katam and her children to take over the estate of her ‘husband’.
He dismissed an application by Jackson Chepkwony and Selina Jemaiyo Tirop, who had moved to court to object the issuance of letters of administration to Katam for the estate of Cherotich Kimong’ony Kibserea.

In traditional Kalenjin culture, a barren woman could ‘marry’ another woman and live as lesbian who would proceed to bear their children by men who would have no obligation towards them or their children. The children would belong to the barren woman or ‘husband’ as she had paid bride price. The practice also spread to neighbouring Kisii but has now largely died out. The name Chepkwony, meaning ‘of a woman’, traditionally signified that someone was a child of a marriage between two women.
Woman-woman lesbian marriage in Kenya was found among Nandi, Kipsigis, and, since about the mid-twentieth century, among Keiyo. It is however not customary among other Kalenjin sub tribes.

A female husband is a woman that has taken some of the traditional male role on behalf of the family. The Kalenjin culture gives her the ability to allow her family name to live on, in a culturally accepted way. She provides a home and inheritance for the children in the family

Her other female God given gift that women have naturally like nurturing care and love with female conscience and intuition serve as strength and her family can enjoy them.
In the suit, Katam said she was the ‘widow’ of Cherotich who died in Kwa Hola, Magongo area in Mombasa on June 7, 2008. She was survived by two sons aged 16 and 12.

Chepkwony and Tirop claimed to be a stepson and niece to the deceased. They were demanding a share of monies in several bank accounts, household goods and a 11-roomed Swahili house, all valued at Sh2 million.
Chepkwony had written to the court seeking caveats over the estate, claiming that the deceased had left a will dated December 5, 2007.
He told the court that Katam was not a wife to the deceased but a servant. He said the late Cherotich had been married to Sugun Kibiy who has since died. “The deceased’s co-wife is one Pauline Burgei, who is still alive, and the petitioner is not related to the deceased, since she bore no children of her own, and prior to her death, she had been living with her niece, who is one of the objectors,” Chepkwony argued. The duo wanted the petition filed by the widow to be dismissed, saying she had concealed vital documents.

But Katam informed the court that she had the original death certificate issued to her on July 8, 2008, and that the objectors were not her dependants and had no relationship with her but only wanted to benefit from the estate left by the deceased.
Chepkwony, a farmer in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu county, said Katam was not a ‘wife’ to the deceased, but had worked for her for three years, and left before she died of diabetes.
The court had received two copies of wills, purportedly written by the deceased, one in favour of Katam and the other in favour of Chepkwony.

“My mother could not marry Katam at 80 years of age. That is something she could have considered at the age of 40,” said Chepkwony.

However, during cross-examination he said the Cherotich was a sister to his mother. The court also found that fingerprints differed on various documents presented in court.
Justice Ojwang finally ruled, “since the petitioner is not the ‘wife’ in the conventional sense, nor are her sons ‘children’ of the deceased in the ordinary manner, it is necessary to consider how the law treats them, in relation to dependency under the deceased’s estate,” He concluded that woman to woman marriage is a recognized family institution in Nandi customary law.