All Out

To celebrate today, the International Day Against Homophobia and...

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:01:46 -0400

To celebrate today, the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, the United Nations has a new video to boldly declare: “LGBT rights are human rights”.

So glad to see our work with the Purpose Foundation and the U.N. sweeping the globe!

This kiss might be CENSORED if we don’t speak...

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:18:00 -0400

This kiss might be CENSORED if we don’t speak out!

Finland’s Eurovision Song Contest entry, Krista Siegfrids, is set to perform her tribute to equality, Marry Me, ending with a kiss with one of her female dancers.

But, pressure is building for Eurovision to censor Krista’s performance to appease homophobic broadcasters. Already, Turkey has refused to broadcast the show on air because of it…

Tell Eurovision that this kiss must go on: allout.org/eurovision

Last weekend, the New Yorker ran a pretty brave cover for...

Tue, 14 May 2013 18:26:01 -0400

Last weekend, the New Yorker ran a pretty brave cover for Mother’s Day… or should we say Mothers’ Day?

BREAKING: Brazil’s National Council of Justice just ruled...

Tue, 14 May 2013 14:39:04 -0400

BREAKING: Brazil’s National Council of Justice just ruled that ALL couples have the right to marry.

It’s a beautiful day for Brazil - no one should have to face discrimation because of who they are or who they love. Spread the word!

Huge! For the first time ever, a professional American athlete...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:54:00 -0400

Huge! For the first time ever, a professional American athlete has come out as gay. Thank you, Jason Collins. Let him know you’ve got his back:

www.allout.org/thank-you-jason

HUGE day for love. After months of hard work and protest,...

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:37:00 -0400

HUGE day for love. After months of hard work and protest, marriage equality has passed in France — 331 to 225.

HUGE day for marriage equality in France. We could be days away...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 17:52:04 -0400

HUGE day for marriage equality in France. We could be days away from having the “mariage pour tous” law adopted there.

But we’re not letting up. Reblog and spread the word about this news, we’ll keep you updated!

Activists with Advocates for Youth delivering our latest...

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:47:00 -0400

Activists with Advocates for Youth delivering our latest petition to Alabama legislators!

Your signatures went straight to the state house to tell them to end the law that forces teachers to lie and tell students it’s illegal to be gay.

Parlez-vous français? Our campaign for marriage equality in...

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 08:01:27 -0400

Parlez-vous français? Our campaign for marriage equality in France was in Le Monde today, the biggest Francophone newspaper in the world!

Senators are debating the future of LGBT couples right now, and they’re watching to see what happens on social networks before the big vote. Please reblog and SIGN (link in French) to show your support:

www.allout.org/fr/egalite_maintenant

In Alabama, sex ed teachers are required BY LAW to tell students...

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:02:00 -0400

In Alabama, sex ed teachers are required BY LAW to tell students it’s illegal to be gay (even though it’s not)!

A new state bill was just introduced to finally stop this — tell lawmakers to pass it before the next class graduates!

www.allout.org/alabama

Huge news from Uruguay today. Marriage equality is sweeping the...

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:41:45 -0400

Huge news from Uruguay today. Marriage equality is sweeping the globe!

Go NCTE! Via Allyson Robinson’s tweet here.

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 13:16:55 -0400

Go NCTE! Via Allyson Robinson’s tweet here.

Our favorite bid for marriage equality.

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 12:00:46 -0400

Our favorite bid for marriage equality.

queermuseum: Queer African American Women and the History of...

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:20:21 -0400

queermuseum:

Queer African American Women and the History of Marriage

This photo and headline accompanied an article from the October 15, 1970 issue of Jet magazine. They reveal that long before the recent struggle for marriage equality began, African American women who love women have engaged with the institution of marriage and have fought to make it their own.

Edna Knowles, on the left, and Peaches Stevens were wed in Liz’s Mark III Lounge, a gay bar on the South Side of Chicago, “before a host of friends and well wishers.” The article ended by noting, “although the duo has a type of ‘marriage license’ in their possession, the state’s official marriage license bureau reported it had no record of their license.” This ending serves to remind Jet readers that Knowles and Stevens’ union was not legitimate in the eyes of the state, as does the use of quotes around the word “married” in the headline.

However, decades prior to this bold public display of queer affection, African American female couples in New York strategized alternative ways to obtain marriage licenses in the 1920s and 30s:

“Marriage ceremonies were held with large wedding parties which included several bridesmaids, attendants, and other wedding party members. Actual marriage licenses were obtained by either masculinizing the first name, or having a gay male surrogate obtain the license for the marrying couple. These marriage licenses were placed on file with the New York City Marriage Bureau.” - Luvenia Pinson, “The Black Lesbian: Times Past-Time Present,” Womanews, May 1980 p. 8.

Also during the 1930s, popular performer Gladys Bentley was making a living singing bawdy tunes and playing piano late into the night at various clubs all over New York, including one named after her.

Bentley married her white girlfriend in Atlantic City in a ceremony to which she invited friends in the entertainment industry:

“Columnist Louis Sobol remembered Bentley coming over to his table one night and whispering, ‘I’m getting married tomorrow and you’re invited.’ When Sobol asked who the lucky man was to be, she giggled and replied, ‘Man? Why boy you’re crazy. I’m marryin’ ——’ and she named another woman singer.” - Eric Garber, “Gladys Bentley: The Bulldagger Who Sang the Blues,” Out/Look, Vol. 1, No. 1, Spring 1988, pp. 52-61.

These examples show some of the various ways queer African American women have created public rituals to express their relationships and have therefore insisted on their rights to full citizenship, many decades prior to the current struggle for marriage equality.

- Cookie

Love this.

Tumblr, we need you! A rogue Arizona State representative, John...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:57:00 -0400

Tumblr, we need you! A rogue Arizona State representative, John Kavanagh, wants to pass a bill that would thow trans people in jail for using public restrooms. Anyone could be asked for I.D. to “prove” their gender, and if there’s a discrepancy they could face a fine or jailtime.

When asked why the bill targeted trans people, Kavanagh explained that it’s because he thinks “they’re weird.” Outrageous.

We can stop this bill by taking action at www.allout.org/arizona and spreading the word far and wide. Will you help?

Amen!

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:04:12 -0400

Amen!

What a family. Dad overhears his son talking about coming out,...

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:25:03 -0400

What a family. Dad overhears his son talking about coming out, preempts it with a supportive note.

Here’s the full text, SHARE it widely!

Nate,

I overheard your phone conversation with Mike last night about your plans to come out to me. The only thing I need you to plan is to bring home OJ and bread after class. We are out, like you now.

I’ve known you were gay since you were six, I’ve loved you since you were born.

- Dad

P.S. Your mom and I think you and Mike make a cute couple.

Our favorite story this week — here’s Lawrence and...

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:59:00 -0500

Our favorite story this week — here’s Lawrence and Jimmy, a Ugandan couple that fled their home country to marry abroad.

Sweden has now granted them asylum after they received death threats from Uganda. Thank you Sweden!

Tokyo Disney Resort just held its first same-sex wedding! The...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 03:08:53 -0500

Tokyo Disney Resort just held its first same-sex wedding! The country doesn’t have marriage equality quite yet, but these happy brides are a glowing example of what might be coming for LGBT couples in Japan.

Reblog to spread the word!

This is lsie Liao and Mayu Yu from Beijing, China. On Monday,...

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:54:58 -0500

This is lsie Liao and Mayu Yu from Beijing, China. On Monday, they walked into their local registry to try and apply for a marriage license. As expected, they were turned away.

But instead of going quietly, the two girls fired so many questions about LGBT rights at the official that he “retreated into a back room”. Score.

Baby steps, but so brave. Share their story!