Standing Watch

Iranian actress Kiana Firouz fears film of her life ends in death (1)

“My application was … ignored by the [British] Home Office despite the serious threat to my life that I’ll face if they deport me to Iran,” she told Radio Free Europe. “I’m shattered and emotionally devastated that they have dealt with my application so irresponsibly.”

Pedophile obtains SRS/GRS to “get closer to young girls” (1)

One of the biggest fears most have expressed is that somehow those who are transgender are really sexual predators seeking to “pretend to be the opposite sex” in order to gain easier access to young women and children in order to hurt them. This fear has been repeated often enough in recent decades that nearly everyone on the planet has heard them.

It does not help when the medical community joins in and facilitates such predatory desires.

Bad Questions to Ask a Transsexual: Old Version (0)

A friend of mine sent me this video, which is, to say the least, hilarious! It’s somewhat in keeping with the current ongoing discussion on transphobia, so there’s considerable truth behind the humor (as is the case with much good humor). Calpernia Addams doesn’t hold back, lol.

PBS Widget to Calculate Extent of Gulf Oil Spill (0)

The following widget is provided by PBS.org to calculate the extent of the oil spill resulting in the Gulf of Mexico due to the explosion and subsequent sinking of the Deep Horizon oil drilling rig. The flow rate can be adjusted to take into account the various figures being bounced around by various groups.

Oklahoma GOP, Tea Party to Start State-Run Militia (1)

According to multiple reports originating from the Associated Press, it would seem that some members of the Oklahoma State GOP, as well as leaders within that state’s Tea Party organization, are working together to form a state-sponsored militia to counter what they claim is “the over-reaching of the federal government,” most notably the recent health care legislation.

US Alone, Still won’t Ratify UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1)

The United States has taken over 15 years now “to undertaking a thorough and thoughtful review of the Convention of the Rights of the Child”. Meanwhile, a report of child abuse is officially recorded every 10 seconds. More than 28,000 have died waiting for the United States to sign the treaty and act upon it since Clinton signed the treaty.

On Celebrity Outings and Labelling (0)

More than a few writers and commentators have suggested that Baxter is not a “real lesbian,” but is instead a lesbian-identified bisexual. Now, normally, I’m not a huge fan of labels, but this particular one, especially in the context it is used in, not only denies Baxter’s self-identification and expression of herself as a lesbian, but negates her entire past, not to mention her journey of self-exploration to find her true self and the happiness she sought.

Texans Ban Marriage, in 2005? (0)

It would appear, in the race to add constitutional amendments to prevent LGBT persons from becoming equal with their heteronormative counterparts, that Texas, as usual, took some fairly extreme measures.  Because, in that effort to keep inequality legal, 22 words brought LGBT Texans much closer to equality than heteronormative Texans would have guessed, or wanted. [...]

Obama to GOP: “No, you can’t drive!” (0)

Thursday evening, at a political fundraising dinner held by the held by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), President Barack Obama compared the GOP to a bad driver, telling his audience of the GOP, “After they drove the car into the ditch, made it as difficult as possible for us to pull it back, now they want to keys back. No! You can’t drive. We don’t want to have to go back into the ditch. We just got the car out.”