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Old 01-30-2014, 07:22 PM   #41
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Default The Very Short List: Who Is Gay in the Olympics?

Mathematically, we know there are definitely more LGBT athletes heading to Sochi, Russia, than there are on this list. But after a few weeks of digging, asking around, and Googling, the crop of out athletes heading to Sochi for the Olympics includes, it seems, only five people. All five are women.

Conversely, by the time the 2012 games in London were over, there were about 25 athletes (and a coach) who were out. London is a safer place to be LGBT than Russia, where violence against LGBT people is growing by the day and a law is on the books barring so-called gay propaganda.

We'll be watching Team LGBT as the games play out, and we're hoping the roster grows in the days ahead. In the meantime, here's who we will be watching.

Belle Brockhoff, Australia

When Russia banned LGBT "propaganda," 20-year-old Australian snowboarding prodigy Belle Brockhoff leaped out of the closet.

"I want to be proud of who I am and be proud of all the work I've done to get into the Olympics and not have to deal with this law," Brockhoff said last year.

Since then she said the Australian Olympic Committee has supported her journey to the games, though she said they didn't recommend she wave around a rainbow flag. Even as she's gearing up for Sochi, Brockhoff recently said, "After I compete, I'm willing to rip on [Putin's] ass. I'm not happy and there's a bunch of other Olympians who are not happy either."

Anastasia Bucsis, Canada

Bucsis was out at the last Winter Olympic games in Vancouver, but only a few months after Russia passed its antigay law, she reiterated that she was "proud to be gay."

“I could never promote that message of concealing who you are with all of this going on in Russia. I’m kind of happy that I did it on my own terms,” the long-track speed skater said.

Bucsis, who competed in the 2010 Vancouver Games, grew up in Calgary, the site of the 1988 Winter Olympic games. She said growing up in the wake of the Calgary Olympics inspired her, spurring her parents to get her to begin speed skating. Being closeted and not knowing any other speed skaters affected her performance in 2010, where she competed in the 500-meter event. She came out with the support of teammate Kaylin Irvine and now looks forward to Sochi's Olympic games. She's on the Canadian national team and has set a personal record this year.

Sanne Van Kerkhof, Netherlands

Short track competitor Sanne Van Kerkhof, has been on the Dutch national team, and competed in 2010 in the women's relay. Since Vancouver, Van Kerkhof seems to have hit her stride as a member of the relay team, as the Dutch women have won gold at the European Championships four years in a row since 2011 as well as the World Championships last year. She is part of the Dutch team that will be tackling the 3,000-meter relay.


Barbara Jezeršek, Slovenia

At the 2010 Winter Olympics, cross-country skier Barbara Jezeršek competed in the 10-kilometer and 15-kilometer races, as well as the 4x5-kilometer relay. She will be in Sochi representing Slovenia on the slopes.

Ireen Wüst, Netherlands

Speed skater Ireen Wüst won the gold for the Netherlands in 2010 in the women's 1,500-meter race at age 23, and four years earlier she won her first gold medal in the 3,000-meter speed skating event at the 2006 Olympic games in Torino, Italy. Now she's ready to hit the ice again for Team Orange in five events.

"I’ve skated for a long time now, and I competed in the last two Winter Games, so I know what to expect and I know how to race," she said to the International Olympic Committee recently. "Everyone has their own way, but for me I need to find the balance between being really focused and being relaxed. If I’m too nervous, I won’t be able to achieve my goal as it affects my body. I have to be relaxed, but focused; that’s what I prepare for mentally."

http://www.advocate.com/sports/2014/...o-gay-olympics
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Old 01-30-2014, 08:13 PM   #42
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http://lesbiannews.com/

Many Married Utah Same-Sex Couples Can File Joint State Tax Returns
by Lesbian News • January 16, 2014

According to new guidance issued by the Utah State Tax Commission, all same-sex couples living in Utah that are eligible to file a joint federal tax return for the 2013 tax year are also eligible to file a joint state tax return.

While supporters of the state’s ban on marriage equality have appealed to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals to defend the law, the USTC determined that all Utah same-sex marriages performed in 2013 are recognized for the purposes of state income tax filings.

So, if you live in Utah, and got married there in 2013—or, if you got married somewhere else—you may want to speak with a tax professional about your unique needs. You can peruse the state’s guidance here.

Lesbian news is a great site for information.
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Old 01-31-2014, 04:32 PM   #43
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RE: Pat Parker

i heard her read on more than one occasion. Very powerful!
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Old 02-09-2014, 09:58 AM   #44
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Default

Marguerite H. Griffin has long been interested in rituals and ceremonies—and for the past seven years has turned her passion into her part-time profession.

She is a certified celebrant and non-denominational minister who was born and raised in Chicago, and she now calls the Chatham neighborhood home. Her business celebrates meaningful life moments and, naturally, her website is: Article Link Here

Griffin is a certified wedding and funeral celebrant who strives for authentic, meaningful and unique ceremonies to mark important life transitions, including anniversaries, memorials, baby blessings and more.

"We tend to move from one significant moment to another without really taking time to celebrate it, or truly understand how we've been moved by the occasion," Griffin said. "I heard about celebrants on NPR, an opportunity for individuals to create ceremonies—unique, hand-written to that event and the people involved."

Griffin, 47, who is lesbian, is a motivational speaker and writer, able to create the perfect mood for any ceremony—from sophisticated to intimate and sacred, from light and casual to overly flamboyant.

"I can suggest meaningful ways to personalize your ceremony using music, readings from secular, religious, spiritual or mythical traditions, and rituals that reflect your needs, your beliefs, your cultural, and your religious/spiritual background, and your values," she said.

"Your ceremony will express the great expectations and intense emotions that characterize the moments that have changed your life."

Griffin said the celebrant role has its roots in Australia, where it is most common.

"Things are going well," with the business, said Griffin, who, during the day, works at Northern Trust Bank. "This is something I do because I enjoy it. It is not full-time, and I don't ever expect it will be. It's a way for me to create value in the world, a way for me to give back, a way for me to be part of special moments for individuals and families, and use my skills as a creative writer and public speaker. That's what draws me to it."

Griffin has married about 15 couples per year, a total that no doubt will rise this year when gay weddings begin in June. She also has done baby blessings and house-warming celebrations. Plus, she has officiated memorial services for pets.

"I've enjoyed it, and really enjoy marrying gay couples," she said.

"I'm looking forward to what will be, hopefully, a busy wedding season [in 2014], which will include gay and straight couples. Now, gay couples can have a ceremony, mark the occasion, invite family and friends, have them learn more about each other, about their love, their hopes and dreams and more—just like a straight couple."

Griffin once performed a civil-union ceremony for two men who had been together for 40 years—and there was not a dry eye in the place, she said. "It was just so meaningful for them."

"For me, as a gay woman, to be able to marry a gay couple, it's very exciting; it's very hopeful and it just feels right," she said.

Griffin has performed countless memorial services over the years, such as the one she did for a terminally ill woman after being hired by the woman's children.

Griffin spent a couple of afternoons with the ill woman, to hear exactly what she had accomplished in her life, what she regretted, what she had wanted for her children, and much more. The woman passed away about four months later, and Griffin presented a perfect celebration of her life.

"For me, it was special to be a part of her journey, and also very meaningful to me that I was able to assist her children, so they didn't really have to spend the time wondering what their mom would have wanted," Griffin said. "It's wonderful work, a truly meaningful connection I have with the world."
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Old 02-12-2014, 03:31 PM   #45
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Default Lesbian filmmaker Cheryl Dunye courting Chicago on V-Day

Cheryl Dunye has mastered the art of storytelling in a multitude of viewpoints pertaining to the Queer spectrum as it pertains to the African-American lifestyle within the rainbow. Dunye received her BA from Temple University and her MFA from Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts, but it was the school of life that most impacted the Liberia native.

Self-dubbed "director, screenwriter, filmmaker, creative consultant, and educator," Dunye is taking her talk to the streets of Chicago this Valentine's Day to tell her stories of love, loss, discovery and redemption. She participated in an email Q&A with Windy City Times.

Windy City Times: The Watermelon Woman is historically noted as being the first African-American lesbian feature film, and you wrote, directed and starred in it. What was the best part of that experience for you as a filmmaker and visionary?

Cheryl Dunye: For me, the best was and continues to be my ability to build community with my work: from cast to crew to audience.

WCT: There appeared to be a fair amount of investigative reporting on your part in The Watermelon Woman. Why was this real-life story so intriguing to you?

Cheryl Dunye: I am intrigued by the courage and resilience in the lives of marginalized people, in particular women of color. It was important to bring Fae's life to light so that folks could see, connect and empower themselves by knowing that their existence has value.

WCT: In addition to The Watermelon Woman, you've helmed Stranger Inside, The Owl and Mommy is Coming. What messages do you hope the audience will leave with when they walk out of the theater after seeing your films?

Cheryl Dunye: I want audiences to be intrigued, entertained and become better informed about the world. More importantly, I want them to become change agents in their lives and the lives of others. Life is to short not to.

WCT: Is there a specific Chicago-based audience "feel" when you showcase your work in the Windy City?

Cheryl Dunye: I guess it's a Windy City "We love and support your work and come back again" that I hope to receive on my visit.

WCT: What are you most looking forward to with your visit to Chicago in February?

Cheryl Dunye: Investors and collaborators for future projects [will be there]. I am in development on a new feature, launching a screenwriting contest, and have started a nonprofit media think tank called CLEVER.

WCT: Are there parts of Black lesbian life that have not been relayed on film yet that you hope to showcase?

Cheryl Dunye: I can't answer this question.

WCT: Why do you feel it is it taking so long to tell the collective stories we all live as a community? Is it lack of interest, lack of funding?

Cheryl Dunye: Both. But it looks like folks have turned their creative energies to collectively work it out on the small screen by creating web series, YouTube [videos], and a host of other new media storytelling programs and applications.

WCT: You currently serve on the board of directors for the Queer Cultural Center ( QCC ). Can you tell us a little bit about this community resource?

Cheryl Dunye: The QCC continues to be a huge support for both emerging and established Queer artists through our skill building workshops and community based events, which includes the National Queer Arts Festival, a month-long festival of queer arts every June. This year we are looking for work about the body. Check it out. It has been around since 1993 and keeps getting bigger and better every year.

WCT: Who/what aided you most in your own personal coming-out moments?

Cheryl Dunye: When I came out, I was living in Philly at the time. I had no one to turn to in my personal circle so I looked in the phone book and called the L/G hotline. They told me about a weekly youth group meeting. The rest in history ... or herstory.

WCT: What advice might you relay to young LGBT filmmakers of color?

Cheryl Dunye: Don't hesitate—create. Put your work out in the world. We need it.

Catch Cheryl Dunye on Thursday, Feb. 13, 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. at Gallery 400 ( Lecture Room, 400 S. Peoria St. ) and on Friday, Feb. 14, beginning at 7 p.m. at Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St., with discussion following.

http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/l...Day/46201.html
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Old 02-12-2014, 04:15 PM   #46
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you know the WCT must have a crappy editor if they let the faux paux in the opening paragraph slide. I never realized that being African-American was a "lifestyle"
But thanks for sharing the interview!
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Old 02-12-2014, 10:45 PM   #47
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I spotted what looked like an obvious lesbian in the photo accompanying the below article, and I found the journalist's perspective fascinating. There's very little weight placed on the young lesbian's orientation. In fact, it's ony mentioned matter-of-factly in a quote from her lawyer in the third paragraph; “I felt that if she could escape from that, she could transform her life. She has a wonderful aunt and grandmother and girlfriend who wanted to see her succeed.”

This simple nonchalance is very new in the mainstream press, even here in NYC, and it still gives me goosebumps.


http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/12/ny...l?ref=nyregion

Facing Jail Time, Until a Lawyer With Survival Skills Helped Her Find Her Way
FEB. 11, 2014


The .22-caliber pistol was in her waistband, not only unlicensed but defaced, its serial number scratched or sanded off. She had not been to school in at least six months. Sitting in a detention cell in December 2010 at age 17, Jessica Williams of East Harlem realized she had been caught cold and was about to be cooked: a year in jail on a Class D felony, and then lifetime membership in the Rikers Island Alumni Association. “Reality didn’t hit me until I was in Rikers Island, and thought, ‘Oh my God, this is not my life,’ ” Ms. Williams said this week.

Turns out she was right.

On Thursday, Ms. Williams, now 20, will take the day off from her job at a CVS drugstore and turn up for graduation from Manhattan Comprehensive Night and Day High School. Among the speakers on the commencement program are the lawyer who decided that she was worth another chance and the judge who decided to give it to her. And cheering her on will be school advisers who helped her get a driver’s license and have her poised to start a training program with U.P.S. next month.

“She hadn’t been through the system,” said Eliza Orlins, a lawyer with the Legal Aid Society who represented her. “I felt that if she could escape from that, she could transform her life. She has a wonderful aunt and grandmother and girlfriend who wanted to see her succeed.”

For all that, nothing about Ms. Williams’s case is much out of the ordinary, except that enough people made the effort to help her way to redemption. Ms. Orlins, a graduate of private schools in Washington, is dedicated to her work, but that is not a rarity in the Legal Aid Society or in the offices of New York City’s district attorneys. (Though, it should be said, Ms. Orlins apparently is the only public defender in New York to have appeared twice on the reality TV show “Survivor.”)

As a teenager, Ms. Williams had a dreadful record in school — cutting classes, getting suspended, a fib-a-day for her parents — but none whatsoever of violence, or, for that matter, any criminality. She had a clean rap sheet.

She grew up in the Jefferson Houses projects in East Harlem, raised by her mother and stepfather, living with “five other siblings — one brother, one sister, two nephews, one niece,” she said. After attending Bayard Rustin High School for a few years, she effectively dropped out.

“I was hanging out in the projects, partying, running around, doing negative things,” Ms. Williams said. “I was, like, popular.”

One afternoon in December 2010, she said, she and some friends found the gun near a trash can on 119th Street. “I thought it would be cool if we kept it, and that night — I don’t know why — I decided to take it outside,” she said. The police rolled up. She explained that she had thought it might be worth a few dollars by turning it in at a police station house. “The officer said if I was going to take it there, I should never have had it in my waistband,” Ms. Williams recalled.

A minimum of a year in jail is the formula applied by New York State as a hedge against the history of misery associated with guns; when it turned out that the gun was not working, and that its possession was therefore not a felony but a misdemeanor, the Manhattan district attorney’s office stuck by its demand for a year in jail. Even a broken gun is a source of havoc. Then again, so is too much jail.

In Brooklyn, the Red Hook Community Court has taken drastically different approaches and has shown that some problems are better solved by not locking people up. It accepts criminal cases from three police precincts and, under a single roof, manages to steer people into drug treatment, alternative schools, and other places besides jail. Its recidivism rate is lower than that in the rest of the city, and it saves up to $15 million a year in incarceration costs, according to a recent study.

But what is routine in Red Hook demands special agility elsewhere. Ms. Orlins told Ms. Williams to get back into school if she wanted to have any hope of avoiding jail. After getting advice from others at Legal Aid, Ms. Orlins approached Judge Lynn Kotler, who was hearing the case, and asked that Ms. Williams be given a chance to work with Bronx Connect, a mentoring program to help young people stay out of prison. After a few stumbles, Ms. Williams wound up at Manhattan Comprehensive, where Judge Kotler and Ms. Orlins will speak at graduation on Thursday.

Had being on “Survivor” helped Ms. Orlins navigate the court system?

“You mean being starving and miserable and dealing with people who are cranky and miserable?” Ms. Orlins said. “It’s the perfect preparation for criminal court.”
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Old 02-15-2014, 09:16 AM   #48
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Default Juno Comes Out

very touching speech by Ellen Page (Juno)

I was moved by her honesty. Wish I could have been so eloquent when I was her age.

I know that Juno for kids is like a cult film. Hopefully her coming will have an impact on LBGTQ youth.

here's the link

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqJThFrFXh4"]Ellen Page Comes Out As Gay At Human Rights Campaign Time to Thrive Conference - Full Video - YouTube[/nomedia]
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Old 03-14-2014, 12:49 PM   #49
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Default A Woman Becomes Infected With HIV By Her Female Partner

A rare case of female-to-female HIV transmission has been found in Texas, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported on Thursday.

A 46-year-old woman allegedly acquired the virus from her female partner during their six-month sexual relationship. She was infected with a strain that had a 98% genetic match to her partner’s. According to CDC, the HIV-positive woman had not taken medication for two years.

“In this case, the discordant couple [one HIV-infected partner and one uninfected partner] routinely had direct sexual contact – without using barrier methods for protection – that involved the exchange of blood through abrasions received during sexual activity,” the CDC said in a weekly report.

The CDC noted that HIV infections in women who have sex with other women are traced to intravenous drug use or heterosexual sex. The woman newly diagnosed with HIV did not report any other risk factors, such as injection drug use, tattooing, transfusions or transplants, officials said. She did not engage in any heterosexual relationships during the past 10 years.

However not common, the infection was possible since HIV can be present in vaginal fluid and menstrual blood, and the women are said to have engaged in unprotected sex involving oral contact with vaginal fluids or inducing bleeding, and shared sex toys.
--------------------------------------


Good reminder of why lesbians need to play safe too.
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Old 03-15-2014, 08:00 PM   #50
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Default Kitty Genovese - 50th anniversary

***** Trigger Warning ****



March 13th marked the 50th anniversary of the murder and rape of Kitty Genovese, a 28-year-old lesbian bartender from Queens, New York.

Genovese is one of America’s most famous murder victims because 37 of her neighbors allegedly listened to her screams for help as she was being raped and stabbed to death by Winston Moseley and did nothing.

Her murder was deemed emblematic of urban apathy and the New York Times headlined the story with, "37 Who Saw Murder Didn’t Call Police."

The NYT's headline and story was later proven to be incorrect. Depending on which source you use, the number of people who were aware there was a problem in the street outside there apartments drops dramatically.

Those who did hear her screams for help still were unaware of the attack per se. Some thought it was a lovers quarrel, a woman who was beaten up, or rowdy people leaving a bar.

One of her neighbors did shout out the window for the man to leave her alone, which initially scared off the attacker. Several called the police station. Back then, one had to call the station directly and talk with a desk sargent, who was responsible for determining if police assistance was needed. It is unclear why the police did not respond to the first round of calls.

The attacker, Winston Moseley, who had been cruising the area "looking for a woman to kill", came back to the scene. By then, Genovese had moved herself into the alley way leading to her apartment. She was hidden from the neighbors when Moseley returned to stab her again and sexually assault her.

The attacks spanned a half hour.

The police were called again. When they responded, Kitty was still alive in the arms of her neighbor named Sophia Farrar, who had courageously left her apartment to go to the crime scene, even though she had no way of knowing that [Mosely] had fled.

This case was supposedly responsible for the development of the 911 system which was implemented in 1968.

It was also responsible for the development of the Genovese syndrome or the bystander affect/apathy, a a social psychological phenomenon that refers to cases in which individuals do not offer any means of help to a victim when other people are present. The probability of help is inversely related to the number of bystanders. In other words, the greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that any one of them will help. Several variables help to explain why the bystander effect occurs. These variables include: ambiguity, cohesiveness and diffusion of responsibility.

Fascinating shit. Check it out.

In addition, this case was supposedly the impetus for neighborhood watch programs.

Wikipedia provided the best, least bias account of the events I could find.
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Old 03-19-2014, 09:50 AM   #51
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Default LGBT Activist Vernita Gray Dies

Legendary gay rights activist Vernita Gray, who made history as one-half of the first same-sex couple legally wed in Illinois, died late Tuesday night after a prolonged battle with cancer. She was 65.

The Windy City Times first reported the news of Ms. Gray’s death. Her wife, Pat Ewert, was by her side and she was visited by family in the weeks leading up to her death.

Ms. Gray’s legacy will reach far beyond her marriage to Ewert last November. She was a pioneering gay rights activist in Chicago starting in 1969 when she organized a gay and lesbian hotline; the phone number spelled out FBI-LIST. She founded Chicago’s first lesbian newspaper, Lavender Woman, and was a victims advocate for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office for over 20 years. Her work to empower African-American gays and lesbians often endangered her among Chicago’s black community. Ms. Gray was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996 which spread to her bones and formed inoperable tumors in her brain. Her last wish was to be wed to Ewert, to whom she proposed in 2009.

Ms. Gray received her wish in November 2013 when U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman ordered the Cook County Clerk's office to immediately issue marriage licenses to all Illinois same-sex couples who, because of a life-threatening illness, cannot wait until next summer to get married. A court ruling last month allowed same-sex couples to be married ahead of Illinois’ marriage equality law taking effect in June.


http://chicagoist.com/2014/03/19/lgb..._gray_dies.php
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Old 04-01-2014, 02:10 PM   #52
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Default German 'lesbian-only' burial area after gay women's group called for somewhere for them to 'live together in the afterlife"

A new burial area exclusively for lesbians is set to be introduced in a historic Berlin cemetery this weekend.

A 400-square-metre (4,300-square-foot) area of the Lutheran Georgen Parochial cemetery, established in 1814 in central Berlin, will be reserved as a graveyard for up to 80 lesbians, said Usah Zachau, a spokeswoman for the Safia association, a national group primarily for elderly lesbians.

The association said it had created a burial area to be inaugurated Sunday, as a space 'where life and death connect, distinctive forms of cemetery culture can develop and where the lesbian community can live together in the afterlife.'

The group was given use of the cemetery area for 30 years in exchange for cleaning up and landscaping the area, and promising to be responsible for its upkeep.

In Germany is it customary to have long-term, renewable leases on burial plots rather than buy them outright.

'We don't have to pay any rent, but we had to invest a lot of money to turn that part of the cemetery into a usable burial ground again,' Zachau said Tuesday.

The group commissioned a landscaping company to build winding sand paths and has reserved spaces for cremated ashes in urns and for the burial of bodies. The area is framed by oak, birch and yew trees.

Neighboring parts of the Lutheran cemetery, which is located near Alexanderplatz square, are currently not being used. Old, toppled tombstones are overgrown by weeds.

A spokesman for the Berlin Lutheran church said the agreement with the women's group comes as part of the church's efforts to 'revitalize its cemetery grounds by cooperating with other groups.'

'We are also in an ongoing discussion with Muslim groups to see whether they can have their own plots on our cemeteries,' said Volker Jastrzembski.

The Lesbian and Gay Association of Berlin welcomed the creation of the cemetery.

'It increases the diversity of opportunities and is a nice opportunity for those lesbian women who want to be buried among other lesbians,' said spokesman Joerg Steinert.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ed-Berlin.html
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Old 04-08-2014, 09:46 AM   #53
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Default

Anyone here a basketball fan? Brittney Griner has been making the news headlines after coming out as a LESBIAN despite being pressured/forced to keep quiet about her homosexuality by her basketball coach and Baptist Univesity.

She is one of the hottest basketball stars these days and an out and proud LESBIAN.


http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/5/21...imone-augustus

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...-hope/7437521/
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Old 04-09-2014, 12:08 PM   #54
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Default How Brittney Griner Found 'A Place Of Peace'


Brittney Griner is 23 years old, 6 feet 8 inches tall and one of the best female basketball players in the world. She was the WNBA top draft pick last year, and in college she set records for the most blocked shots in a season and the most career blocks in history — for male and female players. She's so good that the owner of a men's team — the Dallas Mavericks — has said he'd recruit her.

Now, Griner is also an author. She's co-written a new memoir, In My Skin, in which she describes being bullied and taunted as a kid for her height and athleticism.

She says, "Growing up, I always got 'She's a man,' or 'She plays too hard,' or 'There's just no way that she can be that good because, you know, a girl can't do that.' And I struggle with it a little bit. I'm like: Well, am I going too hard? And then I just realized, like, I'm a competitor. I want to go as hard as I can, and if I look like a guy out there playing ball, well, hey, I feel sorry for the opponent."

Sports writer Dave Zirin likens Griner's talent to that of Wilt Chamberlain or LeBron James. "She plays with a kind of emancipated abandon," he says, and he admires her openness about the sexism and homophobia she's encountered in the not-particularly-progressive world of college athletics. "She represents a break from the sexual McCarthyism in women's sports."

Griner came out as a lesbian while playing at Baylor University in Texas. There, she was a much beloved star, but Griner had no idea her school had a policy against homosexuality until her coach urged her to keep quiet about it. Griner disclosed her sexual orientation in interviews with SI.com and ESPN shortly before leaving college. Now she's made it something of a mission to address closet culture in women's sports.

"I had a girl come up and tell me how her coach basically told them that they could not be gay on their team," she says. "And I've heard stories of some coaches will not recruit you if you are."

Griner brings a defiant gender nonconformity to the court — and to the culture that surrounds it. Her distinctive fashion sense impresses even hard-core sports writers who don't generally care about such things.

"She dresses like a 1920s male dandy," Zirin marvels. "And it's pretty amazing to see. I don't know anybody who pulls off argyle socks quite like Brittney Griner."

She has shoulder-length braids and a ton of tattoos, but she looks to Ellen DeGeneres — known for her sleek, red carpet suits — as a fashion role model, because, she says, "It shows that we're not just big-baggy-clothes butch."

Griner proudly identifies as butch, and that makes her rare among women in the public eye. When Nike endorsed her as its first openly gay athlete, the company asked her to model its menswear line.

"It looks a little bit better on me, honestly, than some of the tighter female clothes," she says grinning.

So when the WNBA recently showed players possible new "sleek and sexy" uniforms — part of a plan to attract more men to the games — Griner was startled.

"The shorts came in short or extra short," she says. "As soon as I heard that — 'sleek and sexy' — I was like, 'Um, excuse me, I play basketball.' "

And it's basketball that brings in Griner's fans. Attendance at Phoenix Mercury home games shot up more than 30 percent since she joined the team, and ESPN2 decided to keep broadcasting WNBA games partly because of her popularity. Griner says all this would have been unimaginable to the middle school kid who once considered suicide because of the constant teasing about her looks and carriage.

"Now I want to stand out," she says. "I want to show off how big I am; I want to show off my long arms, my big hands — just loving myself."

She pauses, then adds: "It's just a place of peace."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/...place-of-peace
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Old 04-10-2014, 08:50 PM   #55
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Default Two moms, a baby and a legal first for U.S. gay marriage

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee (Reuters) - Last month a baby in Tennessee made history: Emilia Maria Jesty was the first child born in the state to have a woman listed on the birth certificate as her "father."

The marital status of the baby's parents was the subject of a flurry of court filings up to a few days before her birth. Valeria Tanco and Sophy Jesty were wed in New York, a state that recognizes gay marriage, and moved to Tennessee, which does not.

They are among scores of same-sex couples who, working with advocacy groups, have filed lawsuits to expand gay-marriage rights following a major U.S. Supreme Court decision last June allowing federal tax and other benefits for same-sex married couples.

Depending on the pace of rulings, as early as next year Tanco and Jesty's case or a similar challenge could reach the Supreme Court. Since the court's June decision in U.S. v. Windsor, about 50 such cases have been filed, in nearly all 33 states that prohibit gay marriage.

So far, the eight federal judges who have ruled citing Windsor have sided with the same-sex couples, saying the states may not treat same-sex couples differently from opposite-sex ones. All of those cases are on appeal.

On Thursday, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will begin hearing cases involving Utah and Oklahoma. In May, the 4th Circuit will hear a dispute from Virginia.

As Tanco approached her due date, a Nashville federal judge in mid-March issued a preliminary injunction forcing Tennessee to honor their marriage. The state appealed to the 6th Circuit.

It is possible a ruling against the couple could void Emilia's birth certificate and require that it be reissued with only Tanco listed. A spokeswoman for Tennessee Attorney General Robert Cooper declined to comment, as did a spokesman for the state Health Department, which oversees birth certificates.

But for now, says Jesty, "It gives me strength."

URBAN AND RURAL COUPLES

About half of the cases were brought by gay-rights advocacy groups that do not charge the plaintiffs, and many of the lawyers in the other cases are working for free. As part of their legal and public relations strategy, organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights look for a broad mix: Same-sex couples from both urban and rural America, in an array of vocations and facing problems such as those arising from care of their children or an ill partner.

State attorneys general typically defend the state laws, although private lawyers have become involved too. Lawyers from the Alliance Defending Freedom, an Arizona-based Christian organization, are assisting in the defense of state bans in Oklahoma and Virginia and have submitted "friend of the court" briefs in other cases, including the Tennessee dispute.

Greg Scott, an Alliance spokesman, said his group seeks to counter sympathetic "micro" narratives with a "macro" argument. "What we argue is that marriage has a particular role in society as a whole," and that has historically meant only unions between a man and a woman.

Most new challenges seek a broad constitutional right to same-sex marriage. But a handful, including the Tanco case, take a more incremental approach, arguing only that states must recognize marriages from other states. Gay-rights groups say the narrower argument could sway judges in more conservative states and potentially the Supreme Court, which ruled 5-4 in Windsor.

A VOLUNTEER IN KNOXVILLE

Tanco and Jesty became the lead plaintiffs in a lawsuit after they were approached last August by Regina Lambert, a Knoxville lawyer who had been volunteering for the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

The advocacy group relies on a network of lawyers and other volunteers to help find plaintiffs. During a series of conference calls, Lambert and other lawyers decided to bring one of the narrower cases in Tennessee, a largely conservative state. The group separately has filed broader based lawsuits in Idaho, Wyoming and Florida.

Lambert, who teaches at the University of Tennessee law school, thought of Tanco and Jesty. She had met the couple through a friend and knew they presented a good set of facts. Even though they had a legal New York marriage, they were not entitled in Tennessee to spousal benefits.

"You want someone who is in a stable, good relationship," Lambert said. "I liked the fact that they were homeowners, too." She thought the couple would also connect with the public because they were "likeable" and professors of veterinary medicine at the University of Tennessee. At that point she did not even realize Tanco was pregnant.

Lambert learned that when she invited the couple over to her house in August to broach the idea of the lawsuit. Tanco had become pregnant through artificial insemination about two months earlier.

The couple asked for time to think. Tanco was ready to say yes right away, but Jesty hesitated. She was not sure she wanted the attention that would come from a lawsuit. But two days later they called Lambert and agreed to sign on. "This was an opportunity to make a difference," Jesty said. "How do you turn away from something like that?"

In October, they filed suit in federal court in Nashville. Two other couples, gay men, are part of the lawsuit.

The pregnancy turned out to boost their case in court, at least for now. By mid-March, the court had yet to rule, and the couple's lawyers requested a status report. Judge Aleta Trauger issued a preliminary order requiring Tennessee to recognize the marriages of the couples pending a final decision. She noted that under existing Tennessee law, Jesty would not be recognized as a parent to Tanco's child and would be unable to make certain medical decisions.

The state appealed. Two days later, on March 27, just after 4 p.m., Emilia was born, weighing eight pounds, five ounces.

Following the usual routine, a hospital employee visited Tanco's room the next day to fill out the birth certificate. Tanco said Jesty's name should be on it with hers.

At first there was confusion over whether that was possible. Lambert worked the phones. After several hours and many calls between the hospital in Knoxville and the health department in Nashville, hospital officials produced the birth certificate.

A health department spokesman said in an email that officials were not aware of any previous Tennessee case in which the names of same-sex parents were listed on the birth certificate.

The document now sits on a desk in the couple's study. "It might be something that needs to get framed," said Jesty.

http://news.yahoo.com/two-moms-baby-...--finance.html
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Old 04-11-2014, 10:36 AM   #56
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Default Iceland's Jónína Leósdóttir: I was the world's first lesbian First Lady


In global history, there has only ever been one head of state to have a same-sex spouse. That wasn’t in the progressive Sweden, or the occasionally-progressive America, but in Iceland, which has a population around the size of Croydon.

And this is how my conversation with Jónína Leósdóttir, the only First Lady in the world to be a same-sex spouse, begins (although I am pretty surprised she knows Croydon even exists).

She is married to Iceland’s former Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir. They married in 2010 – just after same-sex marriage was made legal in their country – but have been together since 1985, when they both left their husbands to be together. It means their relationship spans almost 30 years.

It hasn’t been an easy ride. “We lived in a very different time,” explains Jónína . “There were no gay laws or no rights to a civil partnership or anything. It was the stone ages compared to now.”

For almost half of their relationship, they kept it a secret because they were so worried about what it could do to Jóhanna’s career as an MP. “It’s ridiculous looking back,” says Jónína. “We never lived together which made it a little bit more complicated for people to prove. I think it was bad for us because we were a little bit isolated. We didn’t belong anywhere.

“I'm sure we could have started living together before but we got stuck in our ways. It was difficult. I kept making scenes and slamming doors and saying I couldn’t wait any longer but you try and be sensible and think, after the election it will be fine, but then there’s another one in four years time.”

It was only in 2000 that they moved in together and found that there was no real reaction. The media were respectful of the couple’s decision to not do interviews, and nine years later, Jóhanna was elected as Prime Minister. She was well-liked by the country and generally thought of as responsible for leading the country away from bankruptcy and its worst financial crisis.

But, Jónína thinks that the '"non-reaction" was because of who they were: white older women. By the time they ‘came out’, she was a grandmother. “I think it helped being such a mature age with grandchildren,” she says. “I think people see white women grandmas as rather harmless so maybe it’s not so threatening.”

If she had been a man, or even younger, she thinks she might have faced a different reaction. But, on the whole, her relationship with Jóhanna was well-received. Even when the couple went on an official visit to China, where homosexuality is not encouraged, Jónína “wasn’t completely erased”.

“Everyone was completely polite,” she says. “. They must have been briefed before. They never battered an eyelid. People had predicted they’d try to ignore me and I wasn’t mentioned on TV, but I was interviewed once. I wasn’t completely erased. I’m sure they found it strange to welcome a same sex couple.”

It was only on a visit to the nearby Faroe Islands (an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark) that they experienced serious prejudice when an MP refused to sit with them at a dinner. “He made a bit of a fuss about it,” she says. “He seemed to mind that I was there. He would have accepted coming in if Jóhanna hadn’t ‘flaunted’ me there.”

But the problems surrounding their relationship didn’t just stem from being in the public eye. When the two met, back in 1983, they were both married with children. “It was so underground and hard and we were afraid our children would be hurt from this,” says Jónína. “We had to go through a divorce and wondered if it would harm our children.”

Their husbands weren’t exactly pleased either, but both are now re-married. None of the women’s children were ‘harmed’ either, Jónína laughs, as she tells me the three boys are now all married and work in the aluminium, oil and media industries.
'It's not a life choice'

It is partly why Jónína has now written a book about their relationship, (which isn't available in English yet) because the family are no longer in the public eye, and she thinks it might inspire others to accept their sexuality.

“We’re trying to get the message across that it isn’t easy – it’s not a life choice, it’s just something that happens to you,” she says. “It’s not something you particularly go after and if you’d had the choice, you’d have said, no thank you. Life would have been easier but we’re grateful we stuck it out.”

The pair met in politics, where they were both working on the same committee, even though for Jónína – a journalist and writer – it was only a temporary role. Over a year, Jónína found herself falling for Jóhanna. It was the first time she had ever felt any lesbian feelings.

“It just wasn’t something I’d expected to happen to me,” she says. “It’s different when you’re that mature because you’re not an insecure teenager - you know who you are.” She called her emotions “funny feelings” and never really identified as a lesbian.

“It was never a revelation,” she says. “It’s always been about loving that person and it has not been a huge part of my identity because when you’re 30, your identity is already in place. “ In fact, when she was younger, she tells me she was utterly "terrified of lesbians" because she didn’t know any.
Scared of lesbians

When she was at university here in Essex, she once went to a bar that shared its toilets with a gay disco next door. “I didn’t try to go to the loo in case there were lesbians,” she tells me. “It was as if someone had told me to go into the men’s room with all the drunk young boys. It shows my total ignorance and stupidity.”

She thought of lesbians as “a different species” and even when she finally admitted her feelings to Jóhanna, she told her: “If you would spread your arms and say come here and try and kiss me I might run into a toilet and throw up.”

Jóhanna didn’t say anything at all. It was only a few months later that she started to reciprocate those feelings, and in 1986 she divorced her husband. Jónína won’t tell me how long it took for them to have their first kiss, but she does say that it took a long time.

The physical side of things eventually came naturally though. “You fall in love with people, especially women,” she says. “You fall in love with the person. I think about all my friends [they] fall in love with guys who are short or thin or tall. It’s not such an issue with women but maybe I’m prejudiced.”

Prejudice is something she hopes that her story will eventually change. The only way she thinks it will ever disappear is with frequency: the more leaders we see with same-sex spouses, the more it will come to be the norm.

Now she’s just waiting for the UK to join Iceland in having a lesbian leader. “Nick Clegg said the UK is ready for a gay Prime Minister,” she says, “I totally agree.” Watch this space.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/wom...irst-Lady.html
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Old 04-18-2014, 09:06 PM   #57
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Default Lesbian police chief with 20 years service is summarily fired by new anti-gay mayor

An openly gay chief of police has been fired by a South Carolina mayor who was caught saying he preferred alcoholics to homosexuals.

Crystal Moore, a 20-year veteran with the Latta Police Department, was relieved of her duties as chief of police on Tuesday following seven reprimands handed down by newly elected Earl Bullard.

The chief had recently discovered during an investigation that the town's parks and recreations director Vontray Sellers had operated a city vehicle with a suspended license.

During the probe, Moore found that Bullard failed to conduct a proper background check on Sellers before giving him the job.

On Tuesday, Bullard dismissed Moore, who is the Latta's first female chief of police and has not faced disciplinary action in her two decade career.

Bullard claimed Moore conducted a background check without authorization, questioned the authority of a supervisor and contacted 'news media to help bring about disorder and disruption to the town of Latta,' among other things.

But many in the community, including city officials, are questioning whether the real motive behind the firing was retaliation or the fact he allegedly doesn't like gay people.

Council member, Jared Taylor, provided WBTW with a recording of a phone call in which the mayor makes several anti-gay remarks.

I would much rather have - and I will say this to anybody's face - somebody who drank and drank too much taking care of my child than I had somebody whose lifestyle is questionable around children,' Bullard said on the call.

'I'm not going to let two women stand up there and hold hands and let my child be aware of it, and I'm not going to see them do it with two men neither.'

Another council member, Lutherine Williams told the station of the new mayor: 'We have codes, but this mayor refuses to obey anything in that book he don't want to.'

Williams added that proper protocol would required Bullard to give Moore a verbal warning, then a written warning.

Instead, he gave her seven reprimands in one day.

'Before he was sworn in [as mayor], he said ... Crystal would not have a job,' Williams told WBTW.

Moore said Thursday she now agrees the mayor had a vendetta against her and fired her because of her sexuality.

'I can't believe that we still have no equal rights. That's the biggest issue. I've been harassed, intimidated. This is the first time it's been this public. I'd tried living a quiet decent life and do what I'm supposed to,' she said.

As well as council members, who have refused to acknowledge her termination, Latta residents were furious by the new mayor's move and showed their disapproval by protesting Moore's termination at City Hall.

'This woman has been a veteran of the department and a pillar of this community for years,' Kevin Drawhorn, a Latta resident and supporter of Moore, told WBTW.

Another support rally was planned for the chief Thursday night.

The city council, which says the mayor can only fire a police chief with their prior approval, held a special meeting on the dismissal Thursday night in which they voted for a referendum to weaken the mayor's power.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ay-couple.html
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Old 04-18-2014, 11:53 PM   #58
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Default

I read this today and of course i was angry. I have nothing of value to say.
My question is- when will it end and what do WE need to to to end it?


Quote:
Originally Posted by Kobi View Post
An openly gay chief of police has been fired by a South Carolina mayor who was caught saying he preferred alcoholics to homosexuals.

Crystal Moore, a 20-year veteran with the Latta Police Department, was relieved of her duties as chief of police on Tuesday following seven reprimands handed down by newly elected Earl Bullard.

The chief had recently discovered during an investigation that the town's parks and recreations director Vontray Sellers had operated a city vehicle with a suspended license.

During the probe, Moore found that Bullard failed to conduct a proper background check on Sellers before giving him the job.

On Tuesday, Bullard dismissed Moore, who is the Latta's first female chief of police and has not faced disciplinary action in her two decade career.

Bullard claimed Moore conducted a background check without authorization, questioned the authority of a supervisor and contacted 'news media to help bring about disorder and disruption to the town of Latta,' among other things.

But many in the community, including city officials, are questioning whether the real motive behind the firing was retaliation or the fact he allegedly doesn't like gay people.

Council member, Jared Taylor, provided WBTW with a recording of a phone call in which the mayor makes several anti-gay remarks.

I would much rather have - and I will say this to anybody's face - somebody who drank and drank too much taking care of my child than I had somebody whose lifestyle is questionable around children,' Bullard said on the call.

'I'm not going to let two women stand up there and hold hands and let my child be aware of it, and I'm not going to see them do it with two men neither.'

Another council member, Lutherine Williams told the station of the new mayor: 'We have codes, but this mayor refuses to obey anything in that book he don't want to.'

Williams added that proper protocol would required Bullard to give Moore a verbal warning, then a written warning.

Instead, he gave her seven reprimands in one day.

'Before he was sworn in [as mayor], he said ... Crystal would not have a job,' Williams told WBTW.

Moore said Thursday she now agrees the mayor had a vendetta against her and fired her because of her sexuality.

'I can't believe that we still have no equal rights. That's the biggest issue. I've been harassed, intimidated. This is the first time it's been this public. I'd tried living a quiet decent life and do what I'm supposed to,' she said.

As well as council members, who have refused to acknowledge her termination, Latta residents were furious by the new mayor's move and showed their disapproval by protesting Moore's termination at City Hall.

'This woman has been a veteran of the department and a pillar of this community for years,' Kevin Drawhorn, a Latta resident and supporter of Moore, told WBTW.

Another support rally was planned for the chief Thursday night.

The city council, which says the mayor can only fire a police chief with their prior approval, held a special meeting on the dismissal Thursday night in which they voted for a referendum to weaken the mayor's power.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ay-couple.html
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Old 04-23-2014, 04:06 PM   #59
Kobi
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Default Jodie Foster weds artist Alexandra Hedison

The 51-year-old Oscar winner wed girlfriend Alexandra Hedison over the weekend, Foster's publicist confirmed Wednesday. Jennifer Allen offered no other details.

E! was the first to report that Foster tied the knot with Hedison, a 44-year-old photographer based in Los Angeles.

It's the first marriage for Foster, who came out publicly in a rambling, heartfelt speech at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards, where she accepted lifetime achievement honors.

Foster acknowledged longtime partner Cydney Bernard, with whom she has two sons. The couple ended their 20-year relationship in 2008. While Foster never hid the relationship, she kept her sexuality private until the Globes speech.

E! says Foster and Hedison have been dating since last summer.

Hedison, who was previously linked to Ellen DeGeneres, is also an actress with TV credits including "Nash Bridges" and "The L Word."

http://news.yahoo.com/jodie-foster-w...lkA1NNRTM0M18x
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Old 05-15-2014, 04:10 PM   #60
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Default Enterprising women: Sapphire Books, Christine Svendsen

When Christine Svendsen’s first book was turned away by publishers, she launched her own publishing company.

Now, four years later, she’s got a stable full of award-winning lesbian authors and her own award-winning books published under the pseudonym Isabella via Sapphire Books.

“Believe in yourself. Rejection isn’t the end of a story, it can be a beginning,” Svendsen said. “Looking back, I didn’t think in terms of what if this doesn’t work? I only thought of the possibilities.”

Sapphire Books is offering anyone who likes their Facebook page a free book. After you like the page, email to Svendsen.

Svendsen took time out of her busy schedule to share the secrets to Sapphire’s success with us.

What do you do and why?

I’m the publisher and an author at Sapphire Books Publishing. I started Sapphire Books Publishing in 2010. We publish lesbian novels, written by lesbians. Our authors include Linda Kay Silva, Kim Pritekel, Beth Burnett, Karelia Stetz-Waters, Linda North, Lynette Mae, Riley Adair Garret, Lorraine Howell, Rhavensfyre and Stephanie Kusiak.

What did you do before you started your company?

I do the same thing now as I did when I started Sapphire Books, I work as a community college instructor in California. My current job affords me the luxury of working remote for most of my work load. The flexibility allows me to set my own hours, which really helps with the publishing company.

How did you come up with the idea for your company?

I had submitted my first manuscript to two publishers and was rejected by both. One said they weren’t looking for my type of story at that time. The other company wanted me to completely rewrite the story and resubmit. I thought long and hard about rewriting it. After talking to my wife, I decided that I’d try and publish it myself.

I researched self-publishing, looked at all the options and decided to start a publishing company. I’d always thought about growing the company at some point, but that was in the future. When Linda Kay Silva, a popular lesbian author, left her publishing company, I sent her an email. We met and discussed writing, publishing and motorcycles. It clicked for us and the company took off from that point. We’ve signed some really awesome writers. I have to say that I’m thrilled to work with some really talented ladies.

What do you find most rewarding about owning your own business?

I get to work with some amazingly talented women. They write books that blow my socks off.

Where do you see yourself / your company in five years? Hopes / dreams / plans?

Sapphire Books isn’t going anywhere. We’re in it for the long haul and plan on adding to our already growing list of fantastic authors.

What resources would you recommend to someone who is contemplating starting her own business?

Research the industry. Do your homework and ask questions. Learn everything you can and even then there will still be things that surprise you, so plan to be surprised. Roll with it, flexibility is important in today’s business world.

Social media is starting to play a huge role in business and it’s important that you treat social media as a tool in the business tool box.

Go to conferences, meet people in your industry and make sure to check out the competition. See what they are doing right and notice what isn’t working. IBPA and SPAN are great resources, if you really want to get into publishing.

Finally, be persistent.

What’s the process for an aspiring author to get published with Sapphire?

First, write your book. Polish the manuscript. Send the best work possible, you only get one chance to make a first impression. Sapphire isn’t the traditional lesbian publisher. We don’t have a formula. I like to think we publish great books that a lot of other publishers wouldn’t touch. For example, we’ve published books that were over 500 pages, most publishers in lesbian fiction won’t publish long manuscripts. We’ve published some truly scary books about serial killers and fetish killers. We also have published erotic books, Sci Fi, paranormal as well as romance. We just signed an author who writes the Happy Lesbian Housewife blogs and she has been referred to as “the love child of Erma Bombeck and Chelsea Handler,” so we are pretty open as long as they have strong lesbian characters, written by lesbians. Writers can contact me at publisher@sapphirebooks.com.

What would you say is the single most important key to sustaining a business long term?

Have a plan and be flexible. I can’t say that enough. The industry is constantly changing and we need to change with it.

What obstacles did you face in establishing your company and how did you overcome them?

I think the biggest obstacle I faced was being taken serious, both as a writer and as a publisher. I won an award for my first book and that started the ball rolling. When we signed Linda Kay Silva, a lot of people started to take notice.

After that, we signed some pretty awesome talent and our authors started winning awards, which moved Sapphire Books up on the list to be noticed.

Follow Sapphire Books on Facebook and Twitter

http://www.lesbian.com/sapphire-book...tine-svendsen/
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