Obamacare Survives

CNN reports: (quote):

"In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court saved the controversial health care law that will define President Barack Obama's administration for generations to come.

The ruling holds that the Affordable Care Act authorized federal tax credits for eligible Americans living not only in states with their own exchanges but also in the 34 states with federal marketplaces. It staved off a major political showdown and a mad scramble in states that would have needed to act to prevent millions from losing health care coverage."

This is great news! Especially for LGBT families where coverage and inclusion are not guaranteed. Due to this ruling, we are not only able to secure adequate medical and Rx coverage, but our health care can be more protected legally. Meaning, if one of us is ill or cannot speak for ourselves--hopefully our union is more likely to be honored by health care providers. PLUS, our spot at one another's bedside will not be usurped.  (read more through this link...)

People talk a lot about "why Obamacare is not a good idea." However, I remember the years before the Affordable Care Act. My spouse was denied due to mental health issues. I was denied because my BMI was higher than "ideal." "Fortunately" at that time I owned my own business and was able to construct a "group insurance plan" through my LLC. But, make no mistake about it, the plan was much more costly than any plan I have read about through the Affordable Care Act (or through previous employers), and was substandard in coverage and reimbursement. So, I don't know what all the naysayers are upset about.

I am just thankful today that we are getting all our ducks in a row at this time to take care of our union and protect our "rights."

Golden? Or tarnished...

Remember the old saying "silence is golden"? I'm not sure that is always the case. Internet trolls may have "silenced" my Wordpress blog in 2010, and similarly the roar went to a whisper here at Blogger by late 2012.
No more fear. No more silence. No more bullying. No more capitulating to fear mongering, no more hate & bigotry. No more #transphobia! No more #homophobia.
Get on the right side of history... the life you save just may be your teen or one of their friends. 

More at my Wordpress Bridge "home"...

https://bridgeout.wordpress.com/

Remember... those so far askew of reality or veracity shall always remain way _off_ TARGET!

One Thing Straight

Let's get one thing straight here... if you can read the below and still justify your bias against gay relationships? Well, then I guess the moon is also made of green cheese. (Yes, of course that is a non sequitur... oh well!).

 

GLBT

same sex marriage

same-sex-relationships

lgbt

religion-and-politics

PS- there is no gay agenda!  

Jesus loves outlaws

Jesus was an outlaw, Jesus loves outlaws. And Jesus even loves these folks too.

I know they say that ignorance is bliss, but seriously, why be ignorant?

GLBT

same sex marriage

same-sex-relationships

lgbt

religion-and-politics

PS- there is no gay agenda! 

The 1st President to support...

...same-sex marriage in American history is our current President, Obama. USA Today is calling it a "political gamble," but the White House spokesman was quick to clarify that it was President Obama's personal opinion, and that he still believes the marriage equality issue should still ultimately be up to each individual State's decision.

Bridge's readers know why I am not "for" gay marriage anymore... and that is basically because no matter what each State decides, without DOMA being repealed, in the end it nets the LGBT community very little as far as Federally recognized relationship rights and protections.

GLBT

same sex marriage

same-sex-relationships

lgbt

Marriage & Relationship Recognition

 

Once upon a time in the PNW

It is hard to believe that it has already been 8 years this coming week since the joyous surprise occurred of Multnomah county Oregon opening their doors to issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. We stood in line at the Multnomah County Court house with  thousands of other folks in the rain for a few hours, and then walked over to Keller Auditorium and stood in another line briefly until one of the many officiants provided by Basic Rights Oregon performed our ceremony.
However, thanks to G.W.Bush and the 2004 election, that equal standing lasted just over one year. It was a good year nonetheless.
We are coming up on another election later this year, and I have to admit I am not at all encouraged by the prospects -- the 2012 candidates -- who likely do not have equality for all law-abiding Americans as part of their platform. Oh well, life is not a fairy tale... and that's why I am hard pressed to believe in gay marriage anymore.

Marriage & Relationship Recognition
same sex marriage
gay marriage
domestic partnership

Get a fire going

Yes, I am a child of the 70′s. I spent many a summer night around a campfire with my guitar and my peers singing camp songs. One of the songs I remember is “Pass it on.”

“It only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around can warm up in its glowing.”

I thought of that song this recently when I saw that there is one Senator in the large state of Pennsylvania who is bold enough to introduce legislation to bring full marriage equality to Pennsylvania. Senator Daylin Leach is one little spark of hope in the otherwise (mostly) equality unfriendly state of Pennsylvania. In fact, there already others who are attempting to introduce an amendment to the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage (it is currently already banned legislatively). You can listen to senator Daylin Leach in a recent debate over marriage equality for Pennsylvania.

Here is hoping that this small spark can indeed become what is needed to fuel the fires of equality in the Keystone state.

An UPDATE: on protection of PA citizens: 

“As Pennsylvania’s top enforcer of the law, Pennsylvania Attorney General, Tom Corbett should be aggressively advocating for laws that protect ALL of Pennsylvania’s citizens,” Hoeffel charged Monday, calling on Corbett to support two statehouse bills that would create equal protection for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens of Pennsylvania.

HB 300, introduced by Rep. Dan Frankel (D- Allegheny County), would amend the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression” as protected classes. If passed, this bill will prohibit discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in housing, employment, and public accommodations.

HB 745, introduced by Rep. Josh Shapiro (D- Montgomery County), expands the definition of a hate crime to include crimes motivated by malicious intent toward an individual’s or group’s ancestry, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, or gender or gender identity.

A recent poll showed that half of Pennsylvanians are in favor of marriage equality, so it's time to get a fire going for relationship recognition in Pennsylvania.

Marriage & Relationship Recognition

GLBT

same sex marriage

domestic-partnership

same-sex-relationships

lgbt

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

♫ "Find out what it means to me"... ♬
You know the song... 
But do you think our President knows what it means to the LGBT community that he has finally come out in support of the Respect for Marriage Act (important legislation that would finally repeal DOMA)? 

For one thing, it means that we can have the same rights, protections and privileges that opposite sex couples are afforded automatically by saying "I do." (Here's a list of some of the more than 1000 protections of "marriage").
It means that partners can be there by the side of their loved one without distant family members making the life-saving (or changing) decisions while the partner is left out in the cold. 
It means that LGBT people could actually have legal respect for the hard work they put in with their partner's children... and actually be acknowledged as a valid parent. 
It means so much more than these things. 
It means something different to each and every individual. 

What does it mean to you?


religion-and-politics
gay-life
politics
same-sex-relationships
lgbt 

ignorance is bliss

... or at least it is for the unaware, unconscious, uncouth and unenlightened.
Yesterday at work a group of employees in another department started holding forth at a volume hard to ignore. Their topic for the day was unbelievably uneducated opinions about religion and the rapture. I just sat there shaking my head. For two reasons. One, generally talking about religion in the secular workplace is a no-no. Two, I have never heard such wacky opinions about "the rapture." Understandably this was a popular topic after that guy mispronounced the "rapture and end of the world" last Saturday (of course, now that it did not come true, he has changed is date). But, I had to let it go because, unlike the kids in that department, the adults in my department had work to do and interventions to make.
Then today at work the same employees in that other department started loudly expressing their misinformed and misguided opinions about gay people as "fact." Some of the low-lights included: "people are gay as a result of their environment," and "I know there are a lot of kids that need homes but gays shouldn't adopt." My ire was a rising... especially compounded after yesterday. I could not believe that such ignorance is still so pervasive... especially among the under 30 crowd. (This group has also offered their toxic teachings on political party issues and abortion -- doesn't seem to just be an isolated incident or two).
Again, I had too much work to perform to attempt an intervention with those half dozen people in an attempt to enlighten and edify them. I did, however, let the management know that a group of employees were creating a "hostile work environment" with their bullhorn level discussions on loaded topics. We'll have to see what happens. 

To quote a line from one of my favorite movies: "morons, your bus is leaving!" Follow the arrow to escort the ignorance out of the building. 


religion-and-politics
gay-life
politics
same-sex-relationships