UPDATE: TTD In Da Fort: Cabaret Show by Della @ 8P Friday 2 benefit Jack Ryan House and Community Harvest Food Bank

As previously mentioned on F6 there is one more opportunity for you to take your significant other on a free Valentine's Day date @ The Masonic Temple on Friday the 13th from 4-8P for the ART OFF MAIN Exhibit. Those whom are 21 and over can stop by After Dark Night Club 1601 South Harrison (5 blocks from the Grand Wayne Center) for "A Legend In My Own Mind" Cabaret Show hosted by DellaLicious with provided accompaniment by Mark Sampson to benefit ATF's Jack Ryan House & Community Harvest Food Bank.

National DOMA Protest: While the Queers march on Washington, President Bush is in Virginia naming an Aircraft Carrier after his father?

While Gays and Lesbians marched on Washington and around the country in organized protest and action against the Defense of Marriage Act, President Bush was in Norfolk, Virginia giving his Dad an, "I'm going to be getting kicked out of the Executive Mansion soon" gift.

President Bush had the US Navy name the CVN 77 in honour of his Father President George H. W. Bush in a ceremony today. The other record of note is that this is the first time a namesake of a Warship was present during the Commissioning and Launch. The ship will begin its service to our Country sometime in 2010. (Source: Fox News with additional coverage of GHWB comments here.)

The U.S. Naval Carrier Vessel 77, a Nimitz class Aircraft Carrier is has a dual Nuclear reactor that wont need to be refueled for 20 years and will serve this Country for the next 50 years. The GHWB can house up to 6,000 United States Service Members and 80 combat aircraft. Its breadth is 1092 ft long (comparable with the length of The Empire State Building), a 4.5 acre landing field, and a tower that exceeds 20 stories above the water line, it weighs in with over 47 thousand tons of steel and 1 million pounds of aluminum. The GHWB will be the tenth and final Nimitz class Carrier produced by the United States.

Talk about an impressive monument to a failed legacy. "See Dad, I even named a ship after us." In all honesty, this honour, for President Bush I, is something he truly does deserve. In 1943, he became the youngest naval aviator at that pointe our Country's history and he followed that dedicated sacrifice of 58 missions, by going to college and then serving in Congress and as the CIA Director back in the 1970s, eventually becoming Commander In Chief as our 41st President. It is just the timing and the fact that they didn't wait until he passed away, that makes it suspicious and flawed historically.



Wait! There were marches? There were protest? Where?

Well there was suppose to be a nationwide protest against the Defense of Marriage Act, but the latest dusting of the white stuff combined with a general lack of interest and organization locally, meant that once again Queers in northeast Indiana didn't participate unless they went to a larger City, or did something in smaller groups. Yet another failure to organize the local Queer Community has happened in the Summit City.

Later on this month there are two other days of action. On the 27th they are holding an Equality On Campus Rally and of course Dont Ask Dont Tell turns 16 years old two days later. Let's hope and pray that President Obama and the 11th Congress bend both DADT and DOMA across the mast of U.S.S. GHWB, CVN 77 and spank them both like the disgraced stepchildren to American law and Civil Society that they are!

Stay tuned I have two more posts to come today.....

Cite and Credit

The Top Video was done by Sean Chapin for Join The Impact.
The Second Video is an excerpt of "On The Other Hand, Death" starring Chad Allen in the lead and he is supported by, Sebastian Spence as Donald's life partner Timothy Callahan. This is the second in the series (which was originally written in 1984) of nine novels so far, written by Massachusetts journalist Richard (Lipez) Stevenson, beginning in 1981. The video clip is from the Donald Strachey Mystery Series on Here! TV Network

It's A Technical Foul....Anti GLBT Ballot Initiatives pass across the Nation

We Are Currently Experiencing A Verizon Migraine! Apparently they cant hear anyone now. Please be patient as this forum will return to production shortly. Please be patient and have a queertastic Wednesday!

Congratulations go to Senator Barack Hussein Obama of Illinois, the next black President elect of the United States of America!

He joins such other American heroes of yore with African lineage and heritage as, Presidents Warren G. Harding (29th), Andrew Jackson (7th), Thomas Jefferson (3rd), Abraham Lincoln (16th), Calvin Coolidge (30th), Dwight "Ike" Eisenhower (34th), Vice-President Hannibal Hamlin (15th, under Lincoln's first term) and the first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, who also was the Founder of the New York Post. (SOURCES: Endiana, We Declare, Dr. LeRoy Vaughn, Jim Blair)

In other news concerning the election:

Libertarians in Indiana have left 'marks for distinction' on national, statewide and local political races. Thank you to all those whom put their honour on the line to make our State a beacon of Liberty! The fight doesnt end here it is just beginning. I have two questions for you all. Does this years results help or hurt us for 2010? What can we as a Party do to improve upon the presentation of our message? While we are still waiting for actual totals to be in, here are the basics so far from the Secretary of State's website:

Now for the latest RESULTS!

They are still tentative but please right click here and open the new chart into a new tab.If anyone knows of updates to these lists enclosed please let me know promptly.Again to the Citizens of Indiana, thank you for your vote and all the support of the party for the people!

No votes? What happened?

There are several contest which do not have data yet on the Secretary of States website among them are Districts 37, 41st, 99th, and 100, and the twenty Counties of Bartholomew, Crawford, Delaware, Hancock, Harrison, Jennings, Madison, Marion (INDY), Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Noble, Parke, Posey, Putnam, Spencer, Tippecanoe, Vermilion, and Vigo. Folks this election may not be over we are still missing up to a third of the nationwide and statewide race results across the State.

CONCERNING NATIONWIDE
ANTI GLBTIQAS (Gay & Lesbian, etc.)
BALLOT INITIATIVES

Arizona Same Sex Marriage Ban Prop 102
passed, 99% reporting 56-44%

Florida Same Sex Marriage Ban Amendment 2
passed, 99% reporting 62-38%

Arkansas Initiive Act 1 Against Gay Couples
and Unmarried Persons Adoption of Children
passed, 99% reporting 57-43%

California Same Sex Marriage Ban Prop 8
passed, 99% reporting 52-48%

(SOURCE: CNN, H/t AB & WH @ BILERICO)

Fortunately I am told (still looking up the story) Connecticut voted down their Constitutional Convention. We wont have to worry for at least another twenty years, about an amendment in order to reverse the recent State Supreme Court ruling, legalizing Same Sex Unions which are slated to begin later this month. I will have more to add about this in a few hours....stay tuned!

OCTOBER IS GLBTIQAS HISTORY MONTH

Day One: Del Martin

A public celebration of the life of Del Martin open to the public packed San Francisco's City Hall rotunda yesterday afternoon as speakers and performers remembered the gay rights pioneer who in 1955 helped found the Daughters of Bilitis, which would become one of the nation's first gay rights organizations. Her longtime partner, Phyllis Lyon sat next to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom during the ceremony.

The SF Chronicle reports: "Martin, 87, died in San Francisco on Aug. 27 - less than three months after she and her partner of 55 years, Phyllis Lyon, were among the first same-sex couples to legally wed in California, putting a public face on a social and political battle being waged in statehouses, courtrooms, voting booths and at the pulpit.(source: TowleRoad)

The rest of Equality Forums' list of honorees can be followed daily.

F6 is only going to highlight particular queer heroes especially those whom have have passed on from this life. They truly know equality and freedom within the Divine, and share with us that glimmer of hope by the successful legacy of their own sacrifices while here with us. May their merits and prayers bring us to a true understanding of whom truly is our brother and that we are his keeper. May their souls be at peace and may we one day be free to love anyone we choose!

This Weekend, Local GLBT Groups Are Hosting Democratic Federal & Statewide Campaign Events & Libertarians On Equality Issues & GLBT Persons (UPDATED)

God-des and She performs 8:30p.m. this Saturday Upstairs @ Columbia Street West

Hip Hop, R&B, Soul Artists Goddes and She (MySpace) from Brooklyn, New York (pic @ right with Jay Brannan), are the special guest headliners for a two day Democrat Making Change Happen campaign event by Fort Wayne PRIDE Committee, HRC Fort Wayne Chapter, and cross sponsored by Reality Magazine. Joining Goddes and She will be The Campaign For Change, and openly gay State Representative Greg Harris of Illinois, along with many other politicians or their staff to answer your questions.

Here is the official video for their hit song LICK IT, aka DO THAT PUSSY RIGHT:



Here are the complete details for Making Change Happen
Location: Columbia Street West Banquet Hall
135 West Columbia St. Ft. Wayne IN 46802
There will be a cash bar. Doors Open 7p; Performance 8:30p Enter off of Harrison Street.
Tickets: Ages 15 and up $15 non-HRC members, $10 HRC members, $5 students w/valid ID.
RSVP please to Linda Bentz via email or phone. All proceeds go directly to HRC.
The fun continues 2p Sunday @ Allen Co. Democrat Party HQ @ 1920 Bluffton Rd, w/dessert.

We all know that life isn’t the way it should be for people who are GLBT. We also know that real change is possible - that it can be better. So now what?

We begin by electing fair-minded, equality candidates to office - from Barack Obama, Jill Long-Thompson, and Michael Montagano, right through to locals Kevin Knuth and Maria Parra - all of whom have reached out to us, fight for us, and who genuinely care about us as human beings. These people have consistently put their beliefs in action, and now it’s time for us to do the same.

~Linda Bentz, HRC FW Lead, (Reality Magazine, volume 2, issue 9, page 3)

Please Notice: in the article/press release excerpt above she listed only Democrats which is not a complete list of candidates for equality up for election this November, just the ones HRC FW & FW PRIDE want to support. That, in my honest opinion, is a violation of their Non Profit status with the State of Indiana.

How Libertarians Handle Equality Issues & Assure The Rights Of GLBT Persons

The problem with the above scenario, which repeats almost every election cycle in some regard, comes into play because, while Libertarians are pro equality, we operate under a different paradigm based on the individual's merit versus a collective privilege. Even though we strive to reach the same goals, it seems like die hard Republicans or Democrats can't handle the philosophical differences/challenges of just treating all persons as individuals, with the self evident truth that they were created equally and entitled to a free life with full liberty and the ability to pursue their own happiness with whomever or however many persons they choose to share it with in common bonds. The Libertarian Party Platform specifically reads in regards to marriage equality,

"government does not have the authority to
define, license or restrict personal relationships."

This self evident truth, of all persons being created equal, was declared by our Founding Fathers in The Declaration of Independence, which is also encased in the very beginning of the United States Code under Organic Laws of the United States, and just needs to be properly interpreted by The Supreme Court, and applied into law by The United States Congress, and enforced by the Executor of the Constitution and Commander In Chief.

The problem wont be solved by new laws but by first cleaning up and throwing out the unconstitutional laws that already exist. Then we can worry about adding new laws to the books. If we don't clean up the books soon, we might find ourselves having to write a new constitution though. That is a process that no one wants to go through and I don't think we have the courage to do so either.

Wouldn't it be better to preserve this nation rather than watch it die slowly and outside of our control?

Take a moment and think about it before you decide which candidate is just the lesser of two evils. Take a moment a think about what a third party candidate can bring to the legislative table and the marketplace of ideas. Diversity for one is for all equality!

RESOURCES: To visit LP of Allen Co. website or blog; or the LP of Indiana website; or the LP National website. To find out more info about OUTright the GLBT Caucus's website or blog. Here is the most current list of all LP Candidates up for election for voters to choose locally.

Take A Moment If You Dont Mind?

Take more than a moment and pray for our nation, our fellow citizens, and our leaders, in this time of crisis and chaos. As we have passed the Sabbath of Mabon and the Solemn Triumph of the Cross, and approach the Festival Rosh HaShanah, may we give thanks for the bounty we have been bestowed previously; and have enough humility to ask for mercy. Don't forget to also ask for wisdom, that we make the right decisions. On the 4th of November, make sure your decisions will secure the blessings of liberty for our posterity forever and ever. AMEN!

Reminder: The deadline to register to vote is the 6th of October.

UPDATE: FW PRIDE! And just to prove how open I am to all of your comments...

Apparently what I said would happen at Fort Wayne PRIDE during my reviewing and rating poorly the annual event a month before it was to take place, did happen to some degree several times. As reports trickle back through the grapevine and people leave random comments somewhere I receive a notice about them through other people who contribute silently to the information on this forum.

There were a string of comments on a local Yahoo! Group as a few of their younger members expressed similar sentiments such as, "I was just wondering if some of you thought the same as I did. Was last years pride much better? I mean not bashing anyone or anything. It just seems as if it was very well decorated last year, the stage was better for the shows, and it felt like the vendors were not cramped into so little of a space."

Also, I finally received permission to post this analysis letter as an update in reference to the PRIDE scandal "I caused". I received this from a good friend and trusted advisor he wrote me back within the last week or so and said that I could share it. Bear with me folks the drama is hardly over with yet.

"we will only become real people,
when we deal with the real issues."
written by Mark W. Stevens | artwork by Joe Phillips

I understand that your style is 'sarcastic' or caustic and that it is a style and not aimed at anyone in particular.

I also understand that Nikki is overprotective of her position and her 'baby'.

I also understand that the gay sheep of Fort Wayne are fucking incompetent when it comes to working together in public or in private.

That said:

You need to stop trying to pretend that you are unbiased when you write about things that you are passionate about. You aren't. You never will be. You are an opinionated person who doesn't want to feel that your bad feelings will shape the way that people feel about you. This is your 'blinder' in your writing and you need to learn to quit hiding from your own biases and simply own them without asking for permission or forgiveness for saying what you think. It just makes you look weak.

I understand that you do not want to alienate people or make them feel hostile or upset with you or with your writing, but at the same time you must see that the topics about which you write are controversial and inflammatory and arouse great passion in others. That is, in my opinion, your intention. It is the nature of the subjects you touch on. You come off as wishy washy or bland when you censor yourself so offhandedly, and it shows that you do not really trust your audience to intelligently read what you write and to be as forthcoming as you wish them to be. You concede to them that these are only your opinions as if you want them to believe that either your opinion is not important or that it carries no weight. Yet I know that you know better. This seems rather hypocritical and turns people against you before they have the opportunity to really hear you out. Quit asking if it makes sense as if you believe that it does not. Instead ask 'Do you agree' and 'How would you say that', either of which implies that you have owned your opinion and wish to have a dialogue and to learn the listeners opinion as well. Trust your own writing to be as powerful as your opinion. Don't undersell or oversell it, just put it out there where it can be seen and evaluated for what it is... an opinion.

As to Nikki's and her co-board person's replies:

I do not agree with most of what was written about the purposes of the Fort Wayne PRIDE events. I believe that the event is aimed at only one audience at this time and that is the young white gay person who wants to believe that they are doing something vital in the community without taking any real risks or making any real effort. It is a product of the me generation and as such it has as much substance as a glam rock love ballad... sickly sweet and sentimental, and as forgettable as yesterdays obituaries. Until a need for real and positive action, and a true desire for affirmative action meets the awareness of the real heart of the gay community in Fort Wayne, there will be no true unity and there will be no real community. This was proven by the shallow and unreal expectations and pomp of the UTSCC, and is still supported by all of those who broke and ran before the shit hit the fan there.

Unfortunately I must include myself in the cut and run crowd who did not have the balls to stand up to the board and to Mary when she could have been stopped. I must also say that I am not willing to put the effort into trying to make the PRIDE committee see the error of its ways at this time. Maybe I never will be. I know that at one time I had an opportunity placed before me that might have given me a voice in the community that could have made a difference, and I choked. Afterward nothing I could have done would have had any more affect than to make others believe that I was bitter and angry... which was true enough without being aired as dirty laundry. I am beginning to realize that I am beyond redemption because I did not make a stand when I was attacked and my voice has been taken from me.

Back to the issue at hand.

The Fort Wayne PRIDE Committee is trying very hard to do something important and I applaud their effort. But they have been just as infected as the rest of us with the idea that we must work very hard to be as low-key as possible and not offend anyone that they consider to be their people. Unfortunately they still believe that the celebration of who we are will convince people that we count for something. That is very idealistic, even for me. They want to believe that we can change people by just offering to temper our community with 'normality' and ignoring the negativity from the homophobic and bigoted crowds who control our laws and our lives. When they begin to see that there is more to this fight than feeling good about ourselves, there will be progress. I am counting on that.

What it all comes down to is this: We must own our opinions and our biases. We must move forward diligently and without fear of the reprisals that WILL come. We must be able to defend our opinions to ourselves and to those willing to hear us out, but not be upset when those who will not hear or who fall into their self-righteousness refuse to acknowledge that there can be a meeting of minds even among those who disagree. We must learn where our voice is and where it can be heard in a progressive environment. We must, and I stress this above all else that I say, WE MUST believe that someday we will make the difference in the mind of that one person who can change their world... ourselves.


EDITOR"S PREFERENCE:
F6 L<3VZ THE WORK OF JOE PHILLIPS & YOU CAN SHOW HIM SOME L<3VN 2!!

Local Queer Community Calendar Update

*This post has been updated*
The next two weeks or so are going to be very busy for the local GLBTIQAS Community as we prepare for our annual family reunion, aka PRIDE FEST, at the end of this month. I want to take a moment and wish Bil Browning and Jerame Davis, along with all the other Indiana and Inter/National writers and editors, that have made The BILERICO Project the successful avenue of information and queer thought that it is, Happy One Year Anniversary!!

In just a few hours (10 p.m.) contestants will be gathering at After Dark Night Club on Harrison Street, five blocks south of the Grand Wayne Center, to begin finding out who will be the IDOL of Fort Wayne PRIDE Fest 2008. But that is not all.... There are still two other events for PRIDE this week and the Human Rights Campaign's Fort Wayne Chapter has two events going on in the next two weeks as well. Here is a breakdown of the local GLBT Calendar as far as we know or have information for the rest of the month.

• Wed. 9th PRIDE IDOL @ ADNC 10p.m.
  
• no door cover charge
  
• Thurs. 10th Obama for President PRIDE
• Question and Answer Session 7:00p.m.
• @ Allen Co. Public Library Pontiac Branch @ 2215 South Hanna St. (north of Creighton)
  
• Sat. 12th FLOW Poetry and Art Slam Benefit @ UTSCC 7p.m. sugg. donation $5
  
• Sat. 12th Mr. PRIDE Pageant @ ADNC 10p.m. door cover $4or 5 (manager not sure)
  
• Mon. 14th PRIDE IDOL for MINORS @ The PINT & SLICE @ 7p.m. sharp
• Mon. 14th PFLAG FW Chapter Monthly Meeting @ Plymouth (West Berry) 7p.m.
• Tues. 15th HRCFW Volunteer Mobilization Meeting (open post in a new tab)
• @ Allen Co Public Library Main Trunk Business & Technology Room 6:30p.m.
• Wed 16th FW PRIDE VOLUNTEER MEETING 6p.m.
  
• Allen County Public Library Main Branch Meeting Room C
  
• Sat. 19th FW Area Bears Breakfast @ Golden Corral on Maysville Road 9:30a.m.
• Fri. 25th PRIDE Fest @ Head Waters Park East 7p.m.-12mdnght admit $3
• Sat. 26th PRIDE Fest @ Head Waters Park East 12noon-12mdnght admit $5
• Sun. 27th Open Door Chapel PRIDE Picnic @ Rockhill Park Pavilion 12 noon
• Rockhill Park is located on Catalpa between West Jefferson and Taylor east of Freeman
  
• Hot Dogs provided please bring covered dish and beverages (no alcohol) to share
  

EDITOR'S NOTES: YOU CAN READ OTHER POSTS ON F6 ABOUT FW PRIDE 2008 HERE, HERE & HERE AND THE HRCFW VOLUNTEER MEETING. YOU MAY ALSO WISH TO PERUSE F6's LINKS PAGE FOR INFO ON GAY FORT WAYNE OR IN GENERAL GAY & LESBIAN RESOURCES ALSO.

As F6 approaches its 200th post in the next two weeks....We need to review and do some updates.

It is time to do some tidying up around here, clean up some loose ends, get the three blogs that technically make up F6 streamlined a little better. Some of that has been going on behind the scenes over the last couple of weeks and plans have been in the works since May. However as anybody who operates a venue that serves a broad segment of the population across the electronic two lane highway is aware, sometimes you just have to stop for a couple of days to a week and do a full sweep. In order to get both the full priorities of this forum in place and functioning which will assure that the next few hundred posts are less painful then the last two hundred, I will not be actively posting until next Saturday although I do have the post for Wednesday already written out, sort of.

So what is different so far?

Font and Text Colours: The Font unless GOOGLE screws something up will always be Georgia. While I have been playing with the colour scheme of the blog we are pretty much settled on a basic format. From the Sunday after Easter to the Eve of All All Saints/Samhain the blog background will be the beige that you see today. From All Saints to Easter it will be that dismal Grey that you originally saw last year.

The basic colours of the blog are Orange, Hunter Green, and Navy Blue. Orange is primarily for links, it stands out. Hunter Green is for My Direct Editorial or Commentary and Navy Blue is for articles and sub headers within the blog. Now occasionally Hunter Green and Navy Blue will interchange within a given field of text to make a particular point stand out, but that is the only time. I have tried to be consistent on that recently but even I get a little sidetracked on which colours go where, when dealing with older posts or something I am really passionate about, pardon me for that.

Comments are no longer on moderation: One of the primary reasons F6's Comments were on moderation is so that I could see them. Judging by my site meter almost all of my traffic comes well after the fact of me publishing a particular post, because I have a tendency to publish ahead of the popular culture curve. So in order to keep up with who posted what to where, it was easier to track by simply putting the comments on moderation. Under the sixth links section to the left entitled "What y'all bitch at me for? Keep doing it please!" You will find the five most recent comments on F6.

F6's Links Page and Feeds or Jump Page: Are so far cleaned up and have been streamlined... I still need to clean up the colours on the Feeds and Jump Page. The Links Page has been cleaned up with the links on the left side now having their own separate posts, though still with the pictures as links for now, until readers have time to get used to the change.

Some of the new Links include: Throwing A Party Across Three Rivers and Pedalling Your Paws Across Three Rivers and these can always be directly accessed either by going to the LINKS PAGE and clicking on the Category Fort Wayne, Indiana or by going down the left side of this main page to the tenth links section under the "Room For Dreams" banner and picking which particular set of links you want to view.

So what is going to be new?

Cleaning up of the old posts: First of all, I am going to have to go back and sift all of the last hundred and ninety eight posts. As the blog has transitioned I want to go back and make sure that there is uniformity while I still have a feasible chance to do so. Second there are at least three posts that could be deleted under the Administration of the Blog because they no longer apply to the application and operation of F6. I am still wrestling with that one though, I don't like the idea of destroying part of the blogs history and development but the post themselves will never again be applicable to the blog. However if I did remove those three posts and two others it would postpone by a week the two hundred mark that precipitated this review process initially.

What are your thoughts on that?
Please leave your comments below.

New Content; New Contributors: I have asked a local political cartoonist Christopher Bennett to step back into his once infamous role as the author of Topher Time. He has agreed to provide F6 with two (sometimes multiple panel) cartoons a month. Needless to say this will be interesting, as always I will not edit his work for space or content. Y'all are in for an adventure as he puts pencil to paper once again. I am currently in conversation with three other local authors who wish to contribute content occasionally and one international author whom is originally from the Fort Wayne area who wants to share his memories of Gay Fort Wayne with you all.

Over all I think that is pretty fucking cool that over the last eleven months that F6 version 2.0 has become an internationally reviewed source of local queer social and political perspective!

Anyway that is enough for now I have two major awesome updates:

A week ago I posted regarding FORT WAYNE PRIDE FEST; which will happen @ Head Waters Park East the last weekend of this month. Recently there was another post on the FWPC MySpace regarding the PRIDE IDOL karaoke contest for those under the legal drinking age. The under twenty one portion of the PRIDE IDOL contest will happen @ The Pint & Slice on Calhoun at the 14th of July 7p.m. sharp. The Committee is still in need of volunteers and you can fill out an application (pdf) online or contact Nikki via email nikki@fortwaynepride.org. As previously mentioned in the last post, the Mr. Pride Pageant is on the 12th of July and the adult PRIDE IDOL contest is on 9th of July. Both events start around 10 p.m. @ After Dark Night Club on South Harrison Street five blocks south of The Grand Wayne Center past Powers and under the viaduct.

I also have a three part post on Gays In The Military which I was going to break it up between Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, but I decided that was just a little annoying, even for me. So I am going to take care of the one update part of that post series here and save the rest for the post two Saturdays from now, as originally scheduled.

Brazilian soldier released after arrest for coming out
22 June 2008 Gay News Watch

The Brazilian Army has released a soldier arrested on the set of a nationwide TV show just before going on-air with his military boyfriend. Sgt. Fernando de Alcantara Figueiredo spent eight days in an Army prison in Brasilia after appearing on the cover of the magazine Epoca, going public about being gay and his relationship with Laci Marino de Araujo. Army officials claimed Figueiredo was arrested for desertion after he traveled to Sao Paulo to appear on a program for Rede TV! hosted by an ex-girlfriend of Rolling Stones rocker Mick Jagger. They also said he violated Army regulations about appearing in public with an altered military uniform; the magazine cover pictured both men in uniform. Figueiredo claimed his trip was on his own time and was needed to receive medical treatment. His release followed high profile criticism of the arrest from human rights groups and gay activists inside and outside Latin America's largest country.

F6 EDITOR'S COURTESY: 3 days later this story was updated again via MADE IN BRAZIL:

Gay ex-sergeant sues Brazilian military over arrest

A Brazilian Army sergeant who came out last month on the cover of nationwide magazine filed a lawsuit yesterday against the military command in the southeast of the country. Former Sgt. Fernando Alcântara de Figueiredo wants to prove that his arrest and that of his partner by the Army were a result of homophobia, that they were physically and verbally abused, and that the Army denied proper medical health to his partner. According to Figueiredo, the lawsuit was filed in the state of São Paulo because that is where he and his partner were arrested. The Army will be tried based on law 10.948/2001, the first law against homophobia in the state which was used as a precedent back in 2003 when two gay men sued Frei Caneca Mall for discrimination after kissing in public. Figueiredo left the Army on June 27, after being arrested twice. His partner Laci Marinho de Araújo is still in jail.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The above articles are in conclusion towards two previous post covering the story about particular Gays In The Military which can be found here and here. F6 also has an extensive LINKS PAGE regarding this topic and many others for your perusal.

I will see you all next Saturday ..... Blessings Along The Journey!

Remembering The Day Of Our Liberation: The Stonewall Riots and Why Drag Queens are still on every gay man's mind?

Today marked the 39th Anniversary of the modern birthing forth of our queer liberation. For those who constantly bitch about the necessity for drag being promoted within our community today, I will tell you to take a strong look at what the big mamma's of drag had the courage to do and still do everyday. For by their struggles we are free!

They challenge our community members to be themselves and better the lives of queers now and fags to come. They are a face, a figure head, for the GLBTIQAS Community to the rest of society. As previously stated, in my post a couple of days ago, "The Bars are for Queers, What the Church is for Blacks", Drag Queens are for the Gay Community what the Patron/Matron or Mother/Father of the House or Church is to those within the Pentecostal Movement or the African American Christian Communities.

EDITOR'S UPDATE:
You have to READ this article from 15-July-08
by Eric Leven @ Knuckle Crack via BILERICO!

To the pointe that illustrates this perfectly, even an accomplished Christian author, playwright, and movie and television producer Tyler Perry uses drag to communicate the message of the Gospel and righteous living to the Black Community and all who love the Chronicles of Mable "Madea" Simmons (They are the same person, picture to left).

Pardon me for a moment while my inner baptist black woman comes out for a tour across your mind. She needs no further introduction to the readers of the original F6, a monthly article series, which was published in a traditional publication many years ago, she is Mamma Kahlua Kyler (*see FAQS below).

"Most drag queens today at least in this area don't give two dumps about the history or the future. They is just confused little boyz wanting to play dress up as girls and win the pageants they did not get to as participate in as a child. Yes, I saysd it!"

But somewhere over the rainbow on their adventures across the yellow bricked path something clicks (like Dorothy's heels in the ruby slippers) and they begin to realize that their voice has a power for change in the Community! Their presence on stage and in the local arenas is one that makes fundamentalist rile in agony and civil society quiver in fear. That is why certain Drag Queens become pseudo or default leaders within the Community, because while "in character" they have the ability and the definitive power of the people at their disposal and command. Their character or persona can challenge the statistical quotation and educate the public in a similar way to the Vaudeville Shows or Shakespeare's (who used young men in drag on stage for female roles) writings played out on stage. The Drag Queen has the ability to explain and enforce the moral compass of the Community, without necessarily preaching.

Every once in awhile though, as with anyone whom has power or prestige thrust upon them and become default leaders in a Community, that power either corrupts them or makes it almost impossible for them to be challenged or corrected when doing something wrong. That is when some serious drama and rumors develop. It is not just enough to excuse or correct the infraction. However to let it fester and continue, to a point that the damage to the Community is not repairable in the foreseeable future, is even worse and makes for a bad taste in the mouth for all members of the Community.

The problem is created when someone is put into leadership before they learn how to serve the people. I have stated this before several times and will continue to state that: We need to "open every Community institution for review. Bury the skeletons in the ground not back in the closet! We must not make it harder for Community members to self identify as (belonging) by lining their path of realization with (tales of) corruption, greed, scandal, abuse, or outdated stereotypes and reputations", with no merit or historical fact.

LINKS: References and works on Stonewall Riots and the Gay Liberation Movement
Stonewall Revisited | Stonewall and Beyond | Stonewall Movie, 2005 |

FAQS: Drag names are formed by your first pets name and mother's maiden name combined; while porn names, start with your middle initial followed by the first street you lived on.
(using myself eg: R. M. = Ram or Rim Livingston(es), as an example)

VIDEOS: Here are three videos that I think are awesome and have some reference within this post but not directly so please bear with the fact that they are out of sync with the text pretty please.

Day 1 Diner with Rev. Otis Moss of Trinity UCC in Chicago "Guess who is coming to dinner?" The reason for posting this video is because the pastors actually had an open conversation with all sides being heard which before would have hardly ever happened. That shows progress in our fight for equality and recognition as also being made in the image and likeness of GOD!


Chi Chi LaRue speaking out about condom usage even before the SafeSexIsHotSex campaign


Tyler Perry as Madea talking about telling the truth and keeping true people in your life.

Fort Wayne PRIDE Fest: warming up to be a mediocre celebration this year.

Just within the past month or so the GLBT Community has finally been receiving messages from our Fort Wayne PRIDE Festival Committee regarding this year's celebration. The group has a new host for its website and it looks really awesome in the picturesque "Room For Dreams" colour scheme and display. Unfortunately for myself the schedule as it is laid out so far is lame as hell. Instead of taking the opportunity to reinvent the wheel after an awesome fucking late show last year arranged (16-July-08*updated via Della: by Paige Turner and headlined*) by Miss Tykela, crowned Miss Fort Wayne PRIDE 2007, it seems like the schedule (as of 19April08, pdf) just languishes.

I mean no offense, and I do love their music, but who wants to hear two hours of Good Night Gracie on Friday? For that matter, do we really need a drag show on Saturday to go on for two hours either? Both events close their perspective evenings of PRIDE Fest from 10p-12m. I do like the fact that they are bringing in newer talent like Rich Lysaght (Friday, 8:50p) and some committed classic performers @ our PRIDE return as well like LVNMUZIQ (Saturday, 12:45p). But seriously after ten years one would think that the same old format needs to change or at least mature to the next level.

I am pleased to announce that after three weeks since the competition, we "finally know who" Miss Fort Wayne PRIDE 2008 will be, Della Licious, the incomparable former morning Disc Jockey on WJFX HOT107.9, is going to be representing the Fort Wayne Gay Community in her finest fashion and presentation. I have to give credit to Della she is a friend and strong advocate for the GLBTIQAS Community. Mr. Pride will be decided on the 12th of July along with the other competition going on for PRIDE, which is an "IDOL" karaoke competition with the preliminary rounds happening on the 9th of July. All three preliminary events are being held @ After Dark Night Club, 1601 South Harrison Street (5 blocks south of Jefferson Boulevard, past Powers Hamburgers and under the viaduct).

Of course that leads back to one of my original bitch session for the last decade (10 years):
Q: Why does everything queer happen at the bars?
A: The bars are for Queers what the Church is for Blacks.

As a matter of fact a lot of Gay Churches started in the back of the Gay Bars on a Sunday night. The bars were the only historical place for us to be ourselves, be safe, be with each other, get caught up on the news of the day or current queer events, and rally for our equality and freedom. So therefore younger queer bois and gyrlz can not participate in the activities within the larger GLBTIQAS Community, because alcohol is being consumed/served. Then as that is the case, you are not considered a "full member of the Community" unless you are at the bar once in awhile. In addition, because our Community organizations and leaders are so lacking in responsibility and accountability, most of the local queer youth and young adult programs are so deficient it is ridiculous to consider them even functional at the moment. But anyway I digress and will return back to the original intent of this post.

Yesterday this message came through the FWPC MySpace: We are almost one month away from Pride '08 and we are seeking volunteers to help with front gate, wristbanding, security, the childrens' area and set up/ tear down. Anyone is able to take advantage of being a Pride '08 volunteer which includes a free t-shirt and free admission on the day you work! Being a volunteer is a great way to help out Pride and not have the commitment of being on the committee. For more info or to fill out a volunteer application (pdf) visit our website.

There is still no word on how much admission will be ...wait the secret press release just came through.... apparently the price has not changed from last year, thank goodness, it will be $3 dollars on Friday the 25th of July from 7p-12m and $5 Saturday from 12n-12m @ Head Waters Park East. To read more of Nikki Berger-Fultz's commentary on the history and future of Fort Wayne PRIDE Fest, and a response to some critics, please check out page 3 of the July issue of Reality Magazine which will hit news stands near you in a week or so.

FINAL COMMENTARY:

One of the things that frustrates me more than any is that our PRIDE Fest has gotten stuck some where between a family reunion and a full fledged big city event.

One of the things I seriously miss, that was promised to be brought back by now, was an open volleyball (all the hot sweaty bois with their shirts off, yummy!) game, but it hasn't still happened. Volleyball is one of the "event's qualities" that kept our celebration and our Community more like family, rather than every organization and group's leader challenging for top dog position within the Community during PRIDE.

During PRIDE opposing sides actually came together during the festival and now we find ourselves on the opposite side of a huge tent and bitching about how incompetent the other organizations are, while having to shout over the music like a banshee because the echo/reverberation is too loud.

Let us not even get started on the interpersonal drama between individuals within the Community as a whole. Sure you can hate the other persons guts for fucking your best friend's boyfriend's ex-girlfriend's current boyfriend or ex; but back then you didn't let it affect you at PRIDE! In Fort Wayne, unfortunately if you have fucked one of them, you have in essence fucked all four, sexually or otherwise. Thank GOD, I am still a virgin!!!

PRIDE is not just about being proud.

It is about becoming a family with other people that have common interests or bonds (like a pride of lions). That is what I miss about PRIDE. What do you miss? What do you want to see change? What do you want to see come back? and What should they do away with? Please leave your answers to these questions and any comments below. Comments will be forwarded on.

EDITOR'S UPDATE:
The followup post for this review and further analysis of this post may be found here:
UPDATE: FW PRIDE! And just to prove how open I am to all of your comments...