Monday Meme: Memorial Meme Madness!

cullen meme

So many LGBTQ folks with May birthdays, so little meme time. This month is so jam-packed with pioneers, icons and trailblazers we hardly know where to begin in our Monday Meme endeavors!  But to start we’re honoring poet Countee Cullen who was born on May 30, 1903. Although overshadowed by some of his contemporaries like Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes, Cullen is still a major player in Harlem Renaissance story and considered a member of that era’s “gay elite.” Cullen’s impressive catalog of poems chronicles everything from race to politics to religion to relationships, like in “Song In Spite of Myself”
used in today’s meme.

Laverne Cox Meme

Next, we give a Monday Meme shout out to trans-activist and award-nominated actress Laverne Cox! Cox turned 32 yesterday and at a young age she has already changed the way Hollywood thinks about and casts trans performers. Cox recently became the first trans actor to be cast in a leading role in a network television show, this fall’s Doubt on CBS, and will also be seen in a much-buzzed about reboot of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

melissa meme

Lastly, we celebrate Melissa Etheridge! The songwriter and singer turned 55 yesterday. Etheridge’s activism for the LGBT community, marriage equality and cancer survivors is almost as rich as her near 30 year legacy in the music industry. A dynamic performer, an outspoken advocate and a passionate mother Melissa Etheridge is truly deserving of icon status!

But why stop the meme madness here? Go follow us on Instagram for more memes, quotes and images from our fantastic cards!

Peruvians March For Marriage Equality

peru story The global fight for marriage equality continues. Political activism is alive and well in Peru and over the weekend thousands of LGBT activists took the streets of Lima. The protest was organized to help shine a light on the country’s backward LGBT policies.  More per On Top Magazine:

Thousands of people marched through the streets of Lima – the capital and largest city of Peru – for LGBT rights on Saturday.

Marchers carrying rainbow flags and posters called for marriage equality. Organizers said that they wanted to send a message to Peru’s next president.

“We want to push for full rights on recognition, marriage equality, gender laws and hate crime laws,” Gabriela Zavaleta, a spokesperson for Matrimonio Igualitario Peru, told reporters at the march.

Out lawmaker Carlos Bruce told demonstrators that those opposed to homosexuality don’t have to sleep with a gay man or lesbian “but they cannot discriminate, cannot reject humans.”

Currently, Peru does not recognize the relationships of gay couples. Gay couples can marry in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay and parts of Mexico.

Monday Meme: Harvey Milk

milk meme

Had he lived, politician and gay rights activist Harvey Milk would have been 86 on May 22nd. We celebrate Harvey and his trailblazing efforts for the LGBT community with a Monday Meme! But it seems we’re not alone in celebrating this incredible man. As we told you last week, Salt Lake City has renamed a city street after him while The Human Rights Campaign, The Advocate, Queerty and SF Gate, respectively, put together amazing birthday tributes to Harvey Milk. Plus Levi’s annual gay pride collection pays homage to Milk and gay life in the 70’s.  A portion of the proceeds from the Levi’s collection benefits the Harvey Milk Foundation and is available online. havery-milk-pride

So happy belated birthday, Harvey and thank you.

Celebrate someone you love with one of our cards, perfect for any occasion! 

 

 

Salt Lake City Puts Harvey Milk Blvd on the Map

milk blvd

Despite being one of the most conservative states in the union, Utah,and in particular Salt Lake City, has made some pretty huge strides for the LGBT community. Just last year, Salt Lake welcome its first openly gay mayor, Jackie Biskupski and a 2015 Gallup polled deemed it the seventh gayest city in the U.S. The progress continued last week when the city christened a city street, Harvey Milk Blvd. Named after the legendary gay rights activist Harvey Milk, the street is part of what the town’s 900 South Street. The Salt Lake City Council recently voted unanimously to rename 900 South after Milk, who was one of the country’s first openly gay elected officials until his assassination in 1978. Mayor Biskupski, who was photographed hanging a new street sign last week said, ““I am where I am because of people like Harvey.” A massive celebration took place last weekend to celebrate Harvey Milk Blvd in Salt Lake City’s 9th District. “Harvey is an icon to the LGBTQ community. He taught us to come out of the closets and into the streets,”  LGBT activist and Utah resident Jeanetta Williams told City Weekly in an email. “We know that Harvey Milk Boulevard on a prominent downtown street will be a beacon of hope to LGBTQ youth, as well as any marginalized teen. Over time, we hope Harvey will become a hero to all Utahns.”

Senate Confirms Eric Fanning, First Openly Gay Leader Of Military Service

fanningOn Tuesday, the Senate confirmed the nomination of Eric Fanning for the position of Army secretary. This historic move makes Fanning the first openly gay leader of the military service. President Obama nominated Fanning for the position nearly 8 months ago. The Associated Press reports,

“The voice vote approval Tuesday came after Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., dropped his opposition to Fanning after a senior Pentagon official told him that no detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, would be sent to the Army prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, or other facilities in the United States.”

Prior to Army secretary, Fanning held numerous military positions during the Obama administration including special assistant to Secretary Defense Ash Carter, acting secretary of the Air Force and deputy undersecretary of the Navy. When he nominated Fanning, Obama said,”Eric brings many years of proven experience and exceptional leadership to this new role. I am grateful for his commitment to our men and women in uniform, and I am confident he will help lead America’s Soldiers with distinction. I look forward to working with Eric to keep our Army the very best in the world.” NPR reported on Fanning’s experience working for the Pentagon as an openly gay man.

“In a Defense Department statement in July, Fanning said he came out as gay in 1993 and talked about how attitudes at the DOD have changed in recent decades.
” ‘There is a much larger community out there that is looking for opportunities to show its support of us — that’s certainly been my experience as I’ve come out in my professional network, and it’s picking up steam,’ Fanning said. ‘It’s gone from tolerance to acceptance to embrace.’
“The nomination is the latest in a series of policy changes and appointments the Obama administration has made that advance the rights of LGBT people in the government. In addition to extending federal benefits to same-sex couples and repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell,” which allowed gays to serve openly in the military, last month, Obama announced the hiring of the first openly transgender White House staffer.”