Hunter's Canvas

McCain on Ellen Degeneres discussing gay contracts*

*marriage

My most popular Digg submission yet! TheGayerGamer name banned by Xbox Live.

I read Consumerist everyday, and rarely do the comments piss me off as much as they did yesterday on this post.  The post is about an Xbox Live player who was asked to change his gamer tag.  His tag, TheGayerGamer, was apparently offensive to many people on Xbox Live.  The irony of people being offended on Xbox Live is not lost on me. These people are playing horribly violent games and are constantly taunting each other with derogatory language, so why the hell do they care that his name is TheGayerGamer?  I don't think it's because they want to protect the LGBT population from discrimination...

I don't think Microsoft is anti-gay.  I am just disappointed that people are offended by someone expressing the fact that he's gay.  It should be no different than if someone called themselves the TheBlackGamer or TheIrishGamer.

The fun part about all of this, is that I submitted it to Digg, and it has been Dugg 848 times, has 388 comments and is on page 3 of the Top in 24! 

Fuck you WNBA Public Relations!

The WNBA recently unveiled its plans to boost support for the league and its bottom line: femme-ing up its players.  Instead of focusing on the amazing athleticism these women possess, instead of putting more money behind marketing and media for the teams and the league, their answer is to make these athletes "women first."  There are all sorts of gender issues here: the sexualization of women, the homophobia that exists in sports, women forced to change instead society moving forward.  It's just disgusting that we are still forced to deal with things like this in 2008.

Below is a commentary from Feministing.com's "Friday Fuck You" series on YouTube.  (Definitely worth subscribing to.)  Also check out the discussion on Feministing.com here.

You just never know who's a homophobe these days

Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs received an email from a male fan professing his "man-crush."  Mike proceeds to demonstrate how homophobic he is. Via Joe. My. God.

Coney Island remains open for another season!

Coney Island will stay open through next season.  I am very happy to hear that we can enjoy Burlesque at the Beach once again.

Pic Cred

Fantastic short film

It's called Transit, directed by Kerry Weldon, Administrative Director of the NewFest.  It's a great little story.  I love the way it was edited, and for a film with no dialogue, the acting is quite good.  I think I love it so much also because I can appreciate the anonymous interactions we all have riding the NYC subways everyday. 

Every few months Kerry hosts the OutProfessionals/LYNX Filmmakers Brunch Series which sets to spark dialogue on the "issues related to our representation on film by lesbian underground filmmakers, as well as by media-makers in the mainstream."  Next one is November 4th.

If it takes Dear Abby saying it's OK to be gay, then so be it

Dear Abby (Jeanne Phillips, daughter of the original Dear Abby) was recently interviewed by the AP on her advice to readers regarding gays.  She's so reasonable and caring - qualities so many people lack in this country.  Here are some highlights:

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"I believe if two people want to commit to each other, God bless 'em," the syndicated advice columnist told The Associated Press. "That is the highest form of commitment, for heaven's sake.

"If gay Americans are not allowed to get married and have all the benefits that American citizens are entitled to by the Bill of Rights, they should get one hell of a tax break. That is my opinion," said Phillips, who speaks with the no-nonsense tone of someone who is used to settling debates.

"Right now, Abby, as Phillips prefers to be called, is working on a reply to a woman who wanted to know whether she should include childhood photographs of her transgender brother-in-law in a family album. The woman is worried what she will tell her children when they see pictures of their uncle as a little girl.

Phillips' guidance to Worried Reader will be simple, she said: Include the photos, of course. Silence is the enemy. Answer any questions the kids have honestly — Uncle John was born with a body of the wrong sex, so even when he was called Jane he was really John inside."

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It's so refreshing to hear someone advocating openness! What a concept! We need to start talking about human qualities that scare so many of us in this country.  And though I think I would advise the reader with a transgender brother-in-law to ask him what he wanted, the fact that her response is forcing a discussion and acceptance, I'm all for it. 

What are people so afraid of in this country??  Gays, poor people, blacks, immigrants - this list is too long!  We need to move this society in a new direction.

Thanks for the link Lauren! CRED for pic.