Hi Folks!
So it was an Amazing weekend! Pride absorbed most of my energy this week past, but we got the signs finished, and ourselves as (mis)organized as we could.
Friday night was spent at the center with Denren making signs. It was so therapeutic doing drawing that I'm seriously considering using my degree in art by way of offering an LBGT art class at the Center, if I can get 3 or 4 people who are interested.
The result of our efforts was a Fantastic Saturday.
Talyne and I rode down to Chug and met up with Chris there, we all together ran down to AnchorTown. We weren't too late, so we dug in and set up our MatSu Community Center tables.
To raise some funds Talyne and I made stickers, jewelry, poetry books and a simple donation can "The We-Can!" available for the fair goers. I didn't sell a single string of beads, but many people did admire them, so that was nice, if unproductive. The stickers were a hit, probably because they were a "give away", but they were a great incentive to donations, and the tally ended up being some thirty ($30.00) Dollars.
I appreciate the public's generous donation! Yay! It's nice to know that our undertaking is important enough to people that they opened their wallets for us. It is a hard time economically, so THANKS FOLKS!
After we got set up on park lawn, we headed out to get our spot in the Parade. Since my Back and Knees were going out (too much sitting in small folding chairs hurts me, my L4 & L5 are severely damaged). So I asked on a whim if we could actually drive instead of march. Talyne asked about it, and Phyllis (Hooray! for Her) agreed. Chris suggested putting down the Jeep top, and So, we rode in style with all our signage hanging out. Well, Chris and I rode with reggae blaring. Talyne and Miss D traipsed (!) down the parade route in glee, it was Awstaculartastic!
People stood up and clapped as we came down the road. I'd like to think that was the fantastic response to having a LBGTCC in the Valley, but I suspect some of it was my Earth Mother Goddess poster that read "My Mother Loves Me".
Whichever it was, the fact is that the crowd went wild, "yay."
In other news; it's been interesting at the center. We've gotten some great information coming in this week from various sources about Transgendered issues.
The Institute for Welcoming Resources, a program of the Nation Gay and Lesbian Task Force has announced the creation of a curricula for the education of churches and religious/faith organizations accepting and understanding Transgendered congregates.
So many of us Transfolk have really suffered at the hands of the religious community, but I think we should Applaud the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists for their efforts to promote understanding of Transfolk, their needs and fears and aprehensions about Equality, Justice and faith. These efforts will help educate the church-going public about our real selves, and put human faces and honest stories in front of them. This will inevitably lead to acceptance and understanding of us by all people of honest good faith.
Gender Spectrum will be putting in it's 7th annual Gender Odyssey Conference in Seattle, WA. September 4-6, 2009 you can find out more here.
On July 23 Linda Sanchez, Dem Representative of California introduced a bill to protect all students from bullying and harassment in schools. The language includes sexual orientation and gender identity/expression specifically, and will recommend that states and districts maintain and report data regarding incidents of bullying and harassment. I'm not actually sure that this is an entirely good thing frankly. Yes I know, it sounds like I'm defending bullying. I abhor it. And still, I get a bit nervous with the "police state" mentality that says we need to watch each other so closely that our children become steam kettles.
Violence and anger, and childhood bullies have been a part of human society since year dot. I don't think any legislation can end it flat out. I'm afraid that the enforcement might put even more environmental pressure on our nation's children. The same children that are exploding like popcorn in frenzies of mass shootings and thuggery. The ones already acting out violently in small spurts don't need more pressure do they? Unless this bill includes language and legislation to provide bullies with high quality psych counseling, I believe it will do more harm than good. Of course that's my own personal opinion. Your milage may vary.
Lastly, tomorrow might be the last installment of the War Between Redina and Bluevia. Or, How the City Council finished hearing testimony about the New City Ordinance. Jerry Prevo's friends from ABT will be there, and probably some bussed in from the Valley again. I'm going to try my best to make it as well. Although I won't be bringing a bus load with me I Will be riding in one, my first experience with the Alaskan version of Public Transit. What terrors will that involve I wonder?...
Frankly I'm not looking forward to this with any relish. Ossiander (Hoping my good prayers for her override my nasty thoughts), has put on the table a "new" version of the ordinance that screws over TG people. I urge everyone to stand together against That particular version. In fact I firmly believe the only acceptable version is the first.
Well all, 'M Tired and It's Late.
~Brianne!
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