Buck$ Night

Just cause we can’t get married doesn’t mean we can’t have a Bucks Night! Why should the straights have all the fun?

If there’s one thing the gayers know how to do well its have a good time. Only natural then that there would come a time when we’d want to put our own spin on this homo-erotic, straight-boy tradition.

The very, very smart people at Australian Marriage Equality (AME) are holding a fundraiser this Friday, Buck$ Night and Hen$ Night. GENIUS!!! AME need all the support – and cash – they can get as they are leading the charge to bring about marriage equality in Oz. They are good people doing phenomenal work. And I think this event is just the most brilliant idea to raise money and awareness.

So all our little Twitter cool-gang are going. I’m moist with excitement. And any other boys who’d like to join us you’d be more than welcome. I’m expecting that Buck$ Night could be my absolute favourite night of the year! Even topping the night I split my head open at the Imperial after JoThornely’s 40th.

Slide Bar & Cabaret

I do love a party. And I especially love a party with a purpose. You are making a difference while drinking cocktails rather than just getting drunk.

Wouldn’t it be ironic if I met my future husband, who I can’t marry, at a Bucks Night to raise money so that we can marry.

Obviously it won’t be a debauched, tacky night like our straight-brothers organize. I imagine it will be very glamorous and stylish and the strippers will have doodles. And dance music! And strobe lighting. And of course there will be drag queens dressed all mother-of-the-bride.

I could live out my dream of being a Flower Girl, it would hardly be inappropriate at such an event. I’d love to turn up in a little pink frilly dress with Baby’s Breath in my hair. With cute little white patent pumps. But I’ve never done drag in my life and I’m not about to start now. Even though I was mistaken for a Lady Boy twice in Thailand.

So boys (and girls) if you are not doing anything this Friday night you’d be mad if you missed it! And if you don’t come I think you should be donating to Australian Marriage Equality anyway.

Buck$ Night

Friday, September 23

9pm to 4am

Slide Bar & Cabaret

Click here to buy your tickets

Thou shall not bloggeth drunk!

I’m breaking one of my sacred St. Murphy rules tonight and that is…

Thou shall not bloggeth drunk!

Granted, I am only what ladies would call ‘tippsy’ but nonetheless this is requiring far greater concentration than it normally should, would or could.

I am resisting the temptation to pour myself a vodka and diet coke; instead I am having a strong herbal tea to calm my frayed nerves and am focused on getting this tale down while it is fresh in my mind.

It started with cocktails with the ladies, and I use that term loosely. All my senses feel like they have been abused from every angle after spending a few hours with JoThornely and MichelleLLeslie. Mental note to self; women are very different and talk about women-stuff. Avoid At All Cost!

I think I learnt more about the female species tonight in a two-hour window than I’d learnt in the rest of my life. The terminology, the subject matter, the mind-blowing directness; all of it sensational. Now boys, my ladies may be extremely extremely hot, but for your own safety and welfare do not mess with these two. At least four times I found myself with my head in my hands laughing hysterically. I fear it is a lethal combination to be both attractive and smart. Thank god I have only one of these assets to deal with.

I only wish I could retell their stories, but I fear for the faint-hearted! On the boring side we drank martini’s and champagne and ate gorgeous Japanese.

Then something weird happened. JoThornely and I found ourselves in the middle of a political debate. There are these community events called Pub Politics where they put high-profiled politicians in a pub with a moderator and take questions from the drunken clientele.

We stumbled into The Clock toward the end of their session but we immediately got drawn into the drama unfolding before us. It was Joe Hockey, Graham Richardson and my new political-lover Kate Ellis going into battle, Joe Hildebrand was moderator. As you know I love an opinion and no one was short of one here.

I make no secret of being a Labor voter, but of all the Liberal politicians I consider Hockey one of the more acceptable of an otherwise very bad bunch. I’ve changed my mind. He is as rotten as the rest of them. During a debate on gay marriage he had the nerve and the gall to say that his gay 'staff' argued with him that they wanted to be different and not marry! Give me their names and number Joe, I’m gonna get to the bottom of this! I don’t believe any gay man does not want equality. What they were probably saying Joe is that if they actually had a choice – which we don’t – that they would choose not to marry. Just as many straight people do. But at least straight people have a choice!

Hockey I think you are a fool for making this flippant comment a part of the debate. It’s not about wanting to be different, we will always be different, that comes from being a MINORITY! It’s about wanting EQUALITY!!! Just like any other member of society would expect. I shall not waste any more oxygen on you Joe Hockey.

For the briefest of moments though I felt very intellectual and politically active, and I loved it! Granted, I could not stop tweeting the entire time, but it was happening all around me so how could I not.

Now a brief spiel about my new political-lover Kate Ellis. Why is it that all of the politicians that I like, enjoy, agree with and want to vote for are women? Clover, Kate, Tanya, Kristina, Sarah, Julia, even Julie. Women make more sense. They are level-headed. They encourage a sense of trust that male politicians simply don’t. Welcome to my fold Kate, pleasure to have you here.

Of course the night ended with JoThornely and I meeting some new Twitter friends that we’d never met before. Came about cause they saw our tweets at the event. Again I say, Twitter is the greatest democracy ever invented. Twitter should decide elections and policy. Twitter is everything.

All this and still home by 10.30. And if I was really drunk I guess I would have used far more colourful language to describe Joe Hockey and his attitude to gay marriage.

See you all at the Rally on Saturday!

Loree Rudd; join in the laughter with me!

WARNING: loaded with sarcasm!

Do you know what, sometimes you just have to laugh! There are times that something is just so ridiculous that you have to laugh or the alternative, to take it seriously, would result in anger management issues. Laugh or punch the wall? Today I choose to laugh.

Loree and Kevin Rudd

My case in point today is the delightful sister of our Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd. Before yesterday I’d never heard of this charming senior citizen who is so obviously intimately connected with her community. Her name is Loree Rudd and she is just a sensitive, caring woman who has beauty in her heart. She believes, and has now stated very publicly, that gays lobbying for equal rights are akin to the Gestapo who slaughtered millions of innocent people.

Of course we are darling, just like the Gestapo!

See what I mean? Some things are just so ridiculous you just have to laugh.

Normally I turn a weird shade of purple and verbally abuse whenever I come across such ignorance in thinking. Possibly I’m getting old or my medication has finally kicked in, because today I choose to laugh. Even the great intellect and insight of Loree could not anger me. I do feel though that we need to discuss in more detail the comments of Loree, she deserves our attention.

Oh Loree, you look so sweet, but yet...

She first came to my attention in a story on The Australian website. The whole story is a lesson in true humanity, but particularly the last three paragraphs excite me…

Ms Rudd said she did not want to demonise gay people, but was bound by her faith that marriage is only between a man and woman.

She said there was a worldwide gay movement that "fed propaganda" to lobby for the changes.

"I call them the global gay Gestapo: it is the lobbying movement that is brainwashing people, particularly the young in the community that this (homosexuality) is an optional extra in life," she said.

Now I’m going to turn off my Sarcasm Switch that I have so obviously had on ON during the first half of this post, lets get down to seriousness. I need to make a number of points, just in reference to these final 3 paragraphs…

1.    The fact that she says that ‘she did not want to demonise gay people’ means that she already knows that she has. That is distinctly un-Christian behaviour Loree.

2.    Using ‘faith’ as an excuse to get away with saying and believing whatever suits your needs revolts me. Christianity is not an excuse to discriminate, alienate and force your beliefs on others.

3.   ‘fed propaganda’, I can’t even begin to understand what she means? Propaganda such as loving adult relationships, lifelong partnerships and a fundamental human desire for equality? Yes, I can see how someone as narrow-minded and as selfish as Loree could see that as propaganda.

4.    I’m resisting her Gestapo reference for the moment. Skipping along to the apparent ‘brainwashing’ that equality lobbyists are undertaking, as if being homosexual is like joining a cult or the Stockholm Syndrome. Fuck, if all it took was some brainwashing to turn someone gay don’t you think Brad Pitt would be batting for the better team by now?

5.    This was the absolute hardest opinion of Loree to ignore when deciding to laugh rather than be angry. She infers that this ‘brainwashing’ teaches the young that being gay is ‘an optional life extra’. I beg of you Loree, please speak with any gay or lesbian, ask them if they chose being gay or if they were lucky enough for it to choose them? Now I’m quietly confident that you have never associated yourself with an out, proud, confident, comfortable homosexual so call me and I’ll introduce you to some. Ask them if being gay is at the core of who they are, if it’s something they intuitively and fundamentally know about themselves and they will all have the same answer – YES! No one taught us, no one trained us, no one brainwashed us to be gay. We are gay because that is how we were born.

Loree, you deserve absolutely not a second more of my time, my anger or my frustration. What you get is laughter! I laugh at you! Someone as ignorant, as narrow-minded and as disrespectful as you does not deserve anything more. Actually, what you do deserve is my pity. I pity you because your ignorance of diversity will result in a sheltered, boring, little life.

Gay sermon over.

The Power Gays (artists formerly known as Gaystapo)

Truth be known, time to come clean: A group of fabulous friends and I recently started calling ourselves the Gaystapo. We’ve found this mildly amusing. Now to be very clear, we coined this name not because we aim to discriminate, vilify and ultimately kill millions of people but more because we are militant in our homosexuality and overt campness. See, we are as gay as Christmas and if a bar fight at Stonewall broke out we’d run like the wind. The term Gaystapo is truly ironic when applied to us. But after hearing Loree use this reference with the tone that she has I think we’ll return to calling ourselves the Power-Gays. Equally appropriate I think.

A Political Revolution!

I’ve got the shits with politicians. And I mean ALL politicians. I’ve been very vocal about being a Labor voter, but for the purposes of this rant think of me as apolitical.

But before we get down to the reasons why, what are we currently dealing with?

I just feel the whole political system is not making much sense at the moment. My perception is that Julia says one thing and then Tony will instinctually argue the opposite until he is blue in the face. The precarious Labor government then starts to waver, polls come out, everyone gets more nervous or wound-up…. The whole time I don’t feel that anything is actually working or moving forward in any purposeful way.

Firstly, whatever Tony Abbott says I profoundly believe the opposite. It is a primal reaction. The man revolts me both personally and professionally. The fact that he gets so much air-time JUST because he is the leader of the opposition scares the hell out of me. I’ve never wanted to put someone over my knee and give them a good spanking like I do with Abbott. And can I be very clear, there is NO sexual undertone there, just that I think he’s a child.

REPULSIVE!!!!

Julia, who I have previously loved and adored, seems to have lost her way somehow. I find myself saying ‘poor Julia’ far too often. I sense she is really struggling to rally her troops. And is it just me or is her voice becoming slightly weird now. I think the stress levels are slowly increasing the tightness of her vocal chords. The rest of the Labor party leave me ‘underwhelmed’ to say the least.

The only political subject I am truly passionate about is legalising gay marriage so of course I am completely in love with Sarah Hanson-Young from the Greens. She speaks at the Gay Marriage rallies for god’s sake, this is why she is my favourite.

So why, when all these pollies are elected as our representatives to make the important decisions, am I so disillusioned with them all. It’s simple. Cause they are not human in the way you and I are. They have not lived the same lives that we have. They do not have the life experience that I need from a politician to adequately represent me and my views.

The reality in Australian politics is that the media weed out anyone who has a remotely interesting story, plaster it all over their pages and the web, and cripples their political career. On the flipside, no political party is going to endorse a candidate with a personal history of say, someone like me. It would be fraught with danger due to the level of scrutiny of their personal life.

Using my story as the example (and please do not see this as a desire to enter politics). I’ve played hard, worked hard and made a shitload of mistakes along the way. I’ve been too drunk too many times, I’ve been to the biggest of the dance parties, I’ve mingled with the seedier side of life. I’ve done a lot of stupid things that have not only embarrassed me but also my friends and family. But I do not think I am a bad person or that this should disqualify me from public service.

I’d love to be able to vote for a politician who has experienced some of the same things that I have. Someone that has been so riddled with credit card debt they couldn’t afford a decent vodka. That they have slept with the wrong person at the wrong time in the wrong place – and on more than one occasion. I want to vote for someone who’s done a shit load of weird stuff just because they could. I do not want a clean-living, sterile and sheltered politician representing my views in Parliament.

Just like so many other people I know, love and respect… we have never been involved in violence, we have never caused injury or harm to others, we do not discriminate or harass, we have never committed any form of abuse, we have never been involved with anyone who wasn’t our equal. But our life experiences would completely rule us out of ever entering the political domain.

I just don’t see how that without making some big mistakes in life and pushing some of your boundaries that you can really get a handle on what is important or just in life. 

There are so many smart, sensitive, socially aware, driven, motivated people in our society who would be brilliant ambassadors for their electorate who could never conceivably run for a seat in parliament. As soon as their opposing party or the media did any digging they would be publicly crucified. Simply because they have lived their life!

And I passionately believe that our political system lacks character because of this. It also means that I do not think I will ever be comfortable with the decisions of my government while I know that the people making the decisions can in no possible way understand the views of big chunks of the electorate. Too much cleansing and sterilisation of our politicians has taken place.

As a result we are lumbered with the boring, narrow-minded politicians and a total disconnect with the electorate.

Great News! Uganda's parliament takes no action on anti-gay bill

I like to think that we've all made a little difference today.





Lots of emailing and blogging of late about the horrid situation in Ugandan where there was the potential for a law to be introduced that could mean death penalty for homosexual acts.





Parliament wrapped up yesterday and the Bill didn't make it to a vote. While the Bill is not completely dead it now needs to start the long road all over again before it can become law, such is the way Ugandan parliament works.

Gay activist David Kato killed in January

The story of murdered Ugandan activist David Kato and the worldwide call for petition signatures are both things I've banged on about before, so it is a great relief to know that the gay community in Uganda does not live under this threat, at least for the time being. They still have unbelievable discrimination issues so they so there is still a long way to go.





To read more, here is some of the coverage today...





CNN

BBC News

Forbes

Global Post (great read)





And just finally, so impressed that Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd came out in opposition to this. Very impressed that it was on his radar. Thanks Kev!





ABC News story on Rudd's condemnation of Uganda's anti-gay bill.





Thanks all.

Death Penalty for citizens who repeatedly “practice homosexuality”!

I've talked about David Kato here before, and its time again to revisit his story. He was killed in Uganda for being gay after a 'name and shame' campaign by local papers, which is so disturbing I'm lost for words. But the Ugandan Parliament is still trying to pass laws that could see gays and lesbians being hung for being born this way. So while I sit here in the eastern suburbs of Sydney leading what can only be described as a 'flamboyantly gay' lifestyle, it breaks my heart that I have it so good while other men and women face the threat of death for loving who they love. Please take a minute to read this letter from the Avaaz Organisation and sign their petition. A small way to make a difference....

Hanged for being gay – two days to act!

Dear friends,

David Kato, murdered Ugandan gay rights activist In two days, the Ugandan Parliament could pass a brutal hate law that would impose the death penalty on citizens who repeatedly “practice homosexuality.” If we can keep this law from reaching a vote this week, it will die when Parliament closes on May 12th. Click below to sign the petition, then forward to everyone:

In two days, Uganda could legalize the murder of gays and lesbians. Parliament is on the verge of passing a brutal hate law that would impose the death penalty on citizens who repeatedly “practice homosexuality.”



Last year, a massive outcry of citizens from around the world helped shelve this same bill. But, political unrest is mounting in Uganda, and religious extremists in Parliament are hoping the confusion and violence will distract the international community from a second effort to pass a bill legalizing the murder of gay Ugandans. If we can keep this hate-filled law from reaching a vote this week, it will die when Parliament closes on May 12th and all current bills are scrapped.



Frank Mugisha, a close friend and gay rights activist in Uganda, wrote to us today, "If this bill passes there is going to be more harassment, and more bashing and violence in the streets. This anti-gay bill will turn Uganda into a police state where we can't speak out, can't express ourselves, and we won't even be able to live here without being thrown in jail or hanged. Please help". With only 2 days to go until the closing of Parliament, we don’t have a moment to lose. Let’s build a huge petition to stop the gay death penalty and protect Frank and his community from a brutal government crackdown -- click here to take action, then forward this email widely:



http://www.avaaz.org/en/uganda_stop_homophobia_petition/?vl



For Frank and thousands of others, being gay in Uganda is already dangerous and terrifying. They are regularly harassed and beaten, and just months ago, Avaaz colleague and gay rights activist, David Kato (pictured above), was brutally murdered in his own home. Now LGBT Ugandans are threatened by this draconian law which imposes life imprisonment for people convicted of same-sex relations and the death penalty for “serial offenders”. Even NGOs working to prevent the spread of HIV can be imprisoned for “promoting homosexuality” under this hate-filled law.



Proponents of the bill claim that it defends national culture, but this culture of intolerance did not happen by accident. In the last decade, powerful religious figures, backed by US radical religious groups have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to instill homophobia in Ugandan communities, and drive abroad messages of fear, hate and violence.



These extremists preach a message of hate which is a far from the the christian values many Ugandans are taught and that are enshrined in the country’s constitution which guarantees freedom of expression, thought, and a right to life. In the next 48 hours, let’s build a massive international outcry in support of respect for human rights, justice and tolerance. Together we can save lives by stopping this bill -- sign now here, then tell friends and family:



http://www.avaaz.org/en/uganda_stop_homophobia_petition/?vl



Earlier this year, we stood in solidarity with Uganda's equality movement to show that all life, no matter creed, nationality or sexual orientation, is equally precious. Together, we shelved this hate-filled bill the first time it was presented to Parliament. Then, when a tabloid newspaper published 100 names, pictures and addresses, of suspected gays and those identified were threatened, Avaaz supported a legal case against the paper and we won! We proved that, when hundreds of thousands of us come together in solidarity and with purpose, we have the power to change the world for the better. Let’s renew our commitment to the fight for equality in Uganda, and prevent any further bloodshed:



http://www.avaaz.org/en/uganda_stop_homophobia_petition/?vl



With hope and determination,



Emma, Iain, Alice, Morgan, Brianna and the rest of the Avaaz team





SOURCES:



Ugandan lawmakers hold hearings on anti-gay bill

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article



Uganda gay activist Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera hailed

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13278374



Pulling Out All the Stops to Push an Antigay Bill

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/world/africa/14uganda.html

Note from St. Murphy: After much talking-up of 'Fashion Spread' I promise it will be tomorrow's post. With only two days to go before Ugandan Parliament shuts down the work of Avaaz

I do not need to see the shots of a dead bin Laden

I do not want to see the shots of Osama bin Laden shot in the face.

And I do not need to see them.

Surely this is one instance where we should be happy to take the word of the leader of the free world. If Obama puts himself on the line like this, he who has so expertly linked himself with this momentous event and with the full support of CIA, Pentagon and world leaders – who am I to want to see the evidence?

56million Americans watched...

And at the risk of sounding dumb, if Osama has been shot in the face how the hell is Joe Public meant to tell if its him anyway. We’ve only ever seen grainy photos or video of him so what would be gained? Surely to release the photos to appease the public’s baying for blood is completely redundant. I can understand experts wanting to see them, and they have, and they’ve been verified. As has DNA. US citizens, I feel, should be happy with that and on this one issue of such national importance should have a little more faith and trust in their political and intelligence leaders.

And that is to say nothing of the political and societal impact of releasing a graphic photo of someone shot in the face, irrelevant of who it is. That would have to be one of the most disturbing images ever to be seen on Page 1. No thanks, I don’t need to see it.

On somewhat of a tangent, it has been fascinating to watch the events of the last week and look at them from a communications and publicity perspective. Before I go down this path I need to say that I could not be considered by any stretch of the imagination an expert on US politics or world terrorism. I’d say 75% of my knowledge of US politics comes from the second best TV series ever made, West Wing. What I know is from a general, sometimes passing, interest in world events.

Situation Room on West Wing

Watching live Obama’s speech announcing the death of bin Laden, what struck me the most was his incredibly clever use of language to leave no doubt in the public’s eye that it was he, Obama, who had brought down bin Laden. I can’t remember the exact words but it was Obama who lead the investigation, Obama called for clarification, Obama gave the final word, Obama watched it live, Obama has called all key stakeholders. It felt like he said ‘as Commander-in-Chief’ every second sentence. His message was clear. He was the US leader that had found and killed bin Laden. The political capital in this is astronomical.

We’ve all heard the phrase ‘a picture tells a 1000 words’. That picture of the Security Council watching the attack on the compound live will be one of the most historical photos ever taken. To release that shot was absolutely genius! It gave an act of war a distinctly human feel. Hilary in particular stands out to me. What strikes me as odd about it is how did it come about? Do they shoot everything that happens in that room, me thinks not. So someone would have had to make the call that they needed a photographer in the room which automatically gives it a different context for me.

Yes they knew it would be a historic moment, yes I’m sure they were all aware of the inevitable public expectation for detail. As I’m sure they are so used to being photographed they didn’t even notice him in the room. I would just love to know how that conversation took place, and between who, that decided to have a photographer in the room. It’s the publicist in me, but it was an absolute stroke of genius and who ever in Obama’s Communications team suggested it is my new idol (a real-life CJ Cregg).

The only thing I’ve found confusing about this situation from a communications perspective is the changes to the story of what exactly happened in that compound. Knowing the level of scrutiny they would be under from the world’s media and citizens, I am so shocked that every minute detail was not confirmed beyond a doubt before being released to the public. It’s Crisis Management 101. Take a leaf out of Anna Bligh’s book, she was the master during Qld floods. Only speak to what you know as fact. It does not instill the public with confidence when one group says one thing and then someone else says something different. I am genuinely amazed that this happened.

As I said, I’m only a passer-by on this dramatic world event. It’s just that I picked up on a few things that really got me thinking about the communications strategy involved. I’m fascinated by the PR components of this dramatic tale.

And of course I will be reading the inevitable behind-the-scenes book!

Because you were born this way you are EXPELLED!

WARNING: No Valentines Day love-stuff here.

So my overall bad mood continues today. My apologies in advance, I promise it will lift soon. But today I need to get off my chest how I feel about our Attorney-General, John Hatzistergos. A man I’ve never heard of before but who goes straight to the top of my list of ignorant stupid dumb people – and you know I hate nothing more than dumb.

Hatzisdumbgos

The man is obviously an idiot.

When presented with the opportunity to denounce a ridiculous law that allows private schools to expel gay students simply for being gay, he instead backed it with some waffling excuse about the ‘delicate balance’ between discrimination and ‘practicing their own beliefs’.

I know it is an election year but surely commonsense still has a place in politics???

Here is the story, and big thanks to Sydney’s Queen of Publicity who brought it to my attention. She is a very smart woman that QoP.

There are two glaring statements in the story that make me want to vomit. The first is the insinuation by the AG that the church has the right to discriminate – against children. Because of how they were born!!! Surely we do not have to go through this tired, boring debate again. How many times does it have to be disproven for it to sink into the minds of ignorants like AG. Homosexuals are born homosexual! We do not decide it as a lifestyle, we do not make a conscious decision to suddenly ‘switch teams’. What makes me gay is the deep-seeded, primal, fundamental attraction to people of the same sex. No different to how hetero's feel about the opposite sex. No one taught me that as a belief or doctrine, its how my mind and body functions. Ask any gay or lesbian! Therefore, why the hell does the church have the right to discriminate against gay kids, at an age when they are most vulnerable, and why the hell does the AG allow them?

Secondly, and I quote here…

Recent research shows that young same-sex-attracted people are up to 14 times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers and that 80 per cent of the verbal or physical abuse they experience occurs in schools.

Heartbreaking. It does not take a genius to see the connection. But yet private schools and politicians are not prepared to change an out-dated law that so blatantly discriminates against gay kids. The message being “there is something wrong with you and, if we want, we will get rid of you because you are different”. No wonder gay kids are having such a hard time when such an example is being set by community leaders.

And let me just highlight…

Jim Wallace

Brigadier Jim Wallace of the Australian Christian Lobby has no qualms about the law. The head of the influential Christian pressure group said a church school should have the right to expel any openly gay child. “But I would expect any church that found itself in that situation to do that in the most loving way that it could for the child and to reduce absolutely any negative affects”.

Because booting the poor kid from their school because of how they were born couldn’t possibly have any negative effects.

Makes me so unbelievably angry.

Tony Abbott: why I can't be part of the bashing!

I despise Tony Abbott. He is without a doubt a personifaction of all that shits me about society. I am often overcome with sickness when I hear him speak. On Election night this year I almost vomited when the tally-room first suggested he could be PM. Thank god commonsense prevailed and he is still in Opposition. Just laying some groundwork here as what I am about to say makes me despise myself.

I genuinely believe his “shit happens” comment was completely in the moment and that the footage clearly shows it was contextual. When I watch the footage it just does not jump out at me as offensive in any way. They are standing in a warzone talking about death, they are somber, serious, intense. It does not have the flippancy needed for such a phrase to be offensive.

What the dickhead should be hung and quartered for, and dethroned immediately, is his utter stupidity in dealing with the media and his complete inability to contain his emotions. Both are crucial skills for anyone hoping to be PM.  The interview in question screams uneducated Neanderthal to me. So while I am quietly squealing with glee that Abbott is in serious trouble, I just wish it was for a mistake that I felt warranted it. 

Shit has happened.

David Kato, Brenda Namigadde, Elton John and the guy at the petrol station

This has pissed me off, made me sad and got me thinking! It brought me out of my inner-city bubble and made me think about those living a very different life to mine.

Quite by accident I came across two brilliant bloggers yesterday, both who were writing about homophobia. They come with very different stories but the message is still the same. The first is from Gay Fourth And Multiply who recaps the incredibly tragic story of David Kato from Uganda who was beaten to death with a hammer last week. Because he was gay! An excerpt…

David Kato

“Not only had he (David Kato) been viciously murdered, the chances for justice are slim, with homosexuality a crime in Uganda and newspapers running a "name and shame" campaign, printing photos of suspected "homos" under the headline: Hang them.”

Can you imagine? If Sydney newspapers did this we’d strip the world of trees.

Ugandan newspaper

Gay Fourth And Multiply also tells the story of Brenda Namigadde who fled Uganda for fear of prosecution. While this degree of homophobia seems a problem far removed from our Western society, homophobia takes many shapes and forms. As GFAM points out, lets not forget the newsagent in Arkansas who felt he had to hide the Elton John magazine cover which featured a picture of him with his partner and child. God-forbid gays can love too.

Fimly shield my arse!

Which brings me to my next blogger and much closer to home. Cate Swannell tells the story of the obvious ignorance and homophobia of the guy in front of her in line at a petrol station. And this is on the Gold Coast! It’s a funny story, but her message isn’t. She confronts the ignorant bastard brilliantly, then, in her words… “You’d think i’d rubbed an ice-cold dildo between his arsecheeks he moved that fast.”

We need to hear stories like this! The reason is that so many of us can go about life in our inner-city bubble – myself included – and lose sight of the homophobia that exists around us. I’ve always been very lucky and homophobia has rarely touched my life, compared to David Kato I have not a care in the world. I am incredibly grateful for that. I also think that is one of the reason’s why his story hurts so much, I live a life he could have only dreamed of.

But like I said, homophobia takes many forms, some of them incredibly subtle. We need to be alert and aware and pull people up on it whenever we get the chance. Just like Cate did. As lucky as we are in Australia we still have a ways to go. From my perspective, the most frustrating hurdle we are yet to overcome is marriage equality, the greatest legalised homophobia left in Australia. So while compared to David and Brenda’s issues it may fade in significance, it is still homophobia. And we all need to speak up about it. 

Especially to our politicians and the ugly bogans at the petrol station.

If you were like me and didn't really listen to the news on David Kato last week then catch up here...

The Guardian, Jan 30, 2011

The New York Times, Jan 27, 2011

Sydney Star Observor, Jan 28, 2011

For more information on gay activism...

Gay & Lesbian Rights Lobby

Australian Marriage Equality

Brilliant gay-acceptance projects...

This Is Oz

It Gets Better

Born This Way

Politicians - What are they good for?

I’ve been doing some research and I’m not happy Jan!

Via my dear friend Twitter I learnt that the Federal Government’s Community Consultation period on Gay Marriage was ending this Friday. But hang on a minute… I haven’t been consulted? So off I go to the website of my Federal Member of Parliament, Labor’s Tanya Plibersek, to have my rant.

I was very pleased to find that Ms Plibersek had a feedback form front and centre on her home page. Two minutes later she knew exactly how I felt. In fact, I connected her with my post on Woogsworld where I first started venting. I bet Woogsworld is now sweeping through Parliament and soon Mrs Woog will be dining at The Lodge.

Thank you for the opportunity to have my say Tanya (and Mrs Woog!). I suggest everyone take her up on the offer.

So then I wanted to see what other pollies from the two major parties were doing? Were they letting their constituents in on this as well? I’ve done a quick whip-around of some of the key decision-makers websites and the results may surprise you, maybe not.

• ·      ALP – There’s nothing here, not even on the policy page. Go figure!


•       Julia Gillard/Lalor/Labor – again, nothing. Sadly I think I already see a pattern developing.


• ·      Wayne Swan/Lilley/Labor– nothing. Just some bad, air-brushed photography of himself. No mention of Gay Marriage.


• ·      Simon Crean/Hotham/Labor – my dodgy blog page looks better than his site. But still nothing.


• ·      I even checked in with Senators Penny Wong and Mark Abib – still no mention anywhere.


• ·      Liberal Party – I was so disturbed by the offer of “Liberal TV”, yes their own tv content, I could barely continue. But hey, low and behold, NOTHING.


• ·      Tony Abbott/Warringah/Liberal – it goes without saying, NO. Not even listed in his Constituent Issues Survey.


• ·      Joe Hockey/North Sydney/Liberal – getting real bored with this now, NO.


• ·      Malcolm Turnball/Wentworth/Liberal – Eastern suburbs hood you would think may be a little more progressive, NO. Only thing he was offering up was his iPhone App. What the…???

 Then shock, horror, BRACE YOURSELVES!!!

• ·      Julie Bishop/Curtin/Liberal – YES YES YES. Ms Bishop had a lovely little poll on the main page where you could vote – Strongly Agree down to Strongly Oppose. But the best part of it all – you can see the results! 64% of respondents voted STRONGLY AGREE with Gay Marriage!!!  Brilliant!

Julie Bishop

Can I strongly suggest that you all go to Ms Bishop’s site so that at least someone in the Liberal Party understands how we feel...

So my overall report card for our political representatives is depressing and sad. They are obviously disconnected and disinterested in regards to this issue, which appalls me. I can feel the anger boiling up inside. How the hell are they meant to know what their constituents think on the issue if they do not actively engage with them? Isn’t that like Politics 101 for a Federal Member?

I am now too angry to continue…

Anna Bligh - my new hero!

Like many Australians I have been obsessed with watching the coverage of the Queensland floods. Thank god I make sure there is a television wherever I go. It has been incredibly dramatic, heartbreaking and frightening. I also find it disturbingly intriguing to watch as it is one of those events that are so far out of your realm of possibility that you can’t help but be fascinated by it. I’ve never seen anything like it and possibly (hopefully) never will again. Through all of the mayhem there has been one constant re-assuring voice that has kept me calm and focused and that’s the Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh.

I think Bligh has been OUTSTANDING! She has been so unbelievably calm, so authoritive, so on top of the situation, it has been inspiring to watch. Her recall of facts and figures has been nothing short of phenomenal. Even with her relatively soft-spoken delivery she commands respect and attention. Visibly you can see she is getting tired and it’s taking its toll but you would never tell from her speech or the content. It is obviously devastating for her to see her beloved state going through this natural disaster but she is unflappable in her resolve to see it through and do the best job possible.

I am a New South Welshmen so my knowledge of Queensland politics and Bligh are limited to say the least. From some of the reactions I’ve got on Twitter I gather she is not the most popular of Premiers. I sincerely hope that this flood has demonstrated to her constituents her strength as a Premier and as a person. 911 did wonders for Giuliani’s popularity and I’m hoping for the same for Bligh. I would be a damn shame to lose a politician of this calibre.

To see Bligh front up at every press conference, every two hours, through Queensland’s darkest hour has been the most remarkable thing about the floods, besides the water that is. I once spent the day with Premier Bligh under completely different circumstances. I found her to be completely lovely, and I remember saying at the time how ‘normal’ she was. She was warm and funny, and it was so obvious after a 5-minute chat how completely devoted to Queensland she was. I made jokes about it.

It is a really tough comparison to make under these circumstances, but the contrast with our PM Julia Gillard has been obvious. They’ve done a few press conferences together so it is only natural to make comparisons. Bligh spoke from a series of bullet-points, predominantly off-the-cuff, rattling off facts and figures while delivering heartbreaking news. Gillard appeared to have an autocue (my guess, not fact) and delivered her lines in the typical fashion we’ve come to expect from her since she became PM. There was a lack of warmth and humanity in Gillard that Bligh has shown in bucket loads.

I’m a Labour voter to the core and one of Gillard’s most vocal supporters; I only hope that some of Bligh rubs off on Gillard. I want to see and sense the woman she was before becoming PM. I loved her! The office has hardened Gillard, as you would expect, but I still want to see some personality and candidness from our PM. Especially in our times of need.