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A Marine Comes Home

reposted from Towleroad:

Above: A pic of the homecoming of Brandon Morgan, of the United States Marines Corps, posted to the Gay Marines Facebook page yesterday. It’s now got 1,000 comments and 800 shares.

Thanks to Joe.My.God for forwarding it along. He’s also found this statement, from Mr. Morgan’s own Facebook page:

To everyone who has responded in a positive way. My partner and I want to say […]


Biggest national & international LGBT news stories of 2011

qPDX likes to keep the focus local but we are also queers in this big bad world with national and international news that affects us all. These are my picks for the most important ones of 2011. […]


Places in Portland to celebrate the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ tomorrow

Last week's cover of the Marine Times
Last week's cover of the Marine Times

Last week's cover of the Marine Times

It’s been a long time in the making but my own very non-military-concerned and currently very work heavy life has made me lackadaisical toward tomorrow’s repeal (finally) of the infamous Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. Luckily, the Portland Mercury is all over the best places in to celebrate tomorrow’s lifting of the ban on gays in the military. I don’t have time to reinvent the wheel with my usual witticisms and bad puns so I will simply copy the information, as well as let you know that Mayor Sam Adams tweeted that he wants you to celebrate with him at city hall.

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Most heated queer issues on the national stage of 2010

"It Gets Better" project founder Dan Savage (R) with husband Terry

A roller coaster of emotions swept gay America this year. Here’s a snapshot.

5 – University of Michigan’s Student Body President Stalked and Harassed by State’s Assistant Attorney General

When MI Attorney General Andrew Shirvell began harassing UMich Student Body President Christ Armstrong people started to notice, mostly prominently among them CNN’s Anderson Cooper, who interviewed Shirvell on air.

4 – Constance McMillan is barred from her prom and embraced by the rest of the world

When Constance McMillan planned to take her girlfriend to prom, organizing parents canceled the event and held a gay-free dance elsewhere. But instead of cowering McMilan powered along with an ACLU lawsuit and won the support of celebrities, public figures and the world-at-large. Her Facebook fan page has over 400,00 members and she has a scholarship care of Ellen Degeneres.

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Boxing day news roundup includes the signing of DADT repeal and the hilarious Barney Frank

Congressman Barney Frank may look like a muppet but he's tough as nails and funny as anything Jim Henson ever dreamed up

Sorry for the hiatus folks, you have evil domain empire GoDaddy to thank for that. This was originally supposed to be a Christmas Eve news roundup but here we are at Boxing Day, the day to return all the horrendous sweaters we got yesterday. So if you’re still trying to avoid the long arms pf the family here’s a little roundup of good news you have have missed over the last few days of Christmas cheer. (And stay tuned for a New Year’s roundup!)

Obama signs the reapeal of DADT with video below. “That’s done!”

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“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repealed in the Senate!

Today the Senate passed the standalone bill to repeal the ban on gays in the military. Who knew we had to be alert on a Saturday? Congress has been working overtime. In a bill that seemed close to dead this repeal of the 17-year-old Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policynow heads to President Barack Obama‘s desk where he will most certainly sign it into law.

From Politico:

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Standalone “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal bill introduced

Senator Leiberman (L) and Senator Collins

Joseph Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, and Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine introduce a bill to end the ban on gays in the military. From the Advocate:

Two prominent senators introduced a bipartisan bill Friday to end the ban on gay and lesbian troops serving openly in the military.

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Statement by the President on the Senate Vote on the National Defense Authorization Act

I am extremely disappointed that yet another filibuster has prevented the Senate from moving forward with the National Defense Authorization Act.  Despite having the bipartisan support of a clear majority of Senators, a minority of Senators are standing in the way of the funding upon which our troops, veterans and military families depend. This annual bill has been enacted each of the past 48 years, and our armed forces deserve nothing less this year.

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Where we stand on DADT from Jon Stewart’s ‘Gaypocalypse Now’ perspective

Spotlighting John McCain‘s flip floppy nature of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (as if that’s his only contradictory issue) Jon Stewart gives an update on DADT with his segment “Gaypocalypse Now” which I’ve embedded below. This comes directly after the release of an extensive Pentagon survey that found repealing the policy would have little to no negative effect on our armed forces. There is no “queer and present danger” to speak of but I like that bit of humor.

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The flip-flopping McCains and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and a new ACLU lawsuit

Cindy McCain poses for NoH8

This Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell two-step is starting to really get on my nerves.

Only one high ranking military officer seems opposed to the repeal, Marine Corps Gen. James Amos. Even Republican Arizona Senator John McCain formerly stated that he would leave the decision to top military officials. However, as more and more officers came out in support of the repeal he has asserted his own opinion that we needed to wait for the findings of a study currently in progress. Now, as the study draws to a close, showing that most service members are indifferent, he moves even further from the side of rationality by telling reporters that it “isn’t the right study.”

Perhaps less politically important but even more frustrating, is his wife’s betrayal. And I mean to her own beliefs, not to her husband.

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