Hello!

I can't believe how fast the snow has melted!  Here's what's happening... Bozeman, Montana... York, England, UK... Mountain View, California... Sale, Cheshire, England, UK... Mound,
Minnesota...  Chicago, Illinois... San Francisco, California... Mukwonago, Wisconsin... Moreno Valley, California... Asheville, North Carolina... Eugene, Oregon... Torrance, California... Rome,
Lazio, Italy... Ivins, Utah... Reading, England, UK... Tel Aviv, Israel... Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy... Stony Brook, New York... Dallas, Texas... Gent, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium... Lake Havasu
City, Arizona... Lady Lake, Florida... Rochester, New York... Île-perrot, Quebec, Canada... Guildford, Surrey, England, UK... Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada... Istanbul, Turkey...
Edmonton, Alberta... Portland, Oregon...


Yeah. I know my pal Gerry will harp on me (the song is American, not Irish) but I know when Irish eyes will really be smiling... give to the American Red Cross or Doctors Without Borders!  (or both!)

www.redcross.org

www.doctorswithoutborders.org

Didn't think it could happen, did you?

When Barack Obama sent a brief to the Supreme Court advocating same-sex marriages, it was an earth-shaking moment.  But when George W. Bush sent a letter advocating the same thing... whoa.

Think of that.  Barack Obama and George W. Bush and Joe Biden and Dick Cheney... extraordinarily powerful men with very different viewpoints... come to agreement on same-sex marriage.

It used to be that same-sex marriages were a matter of liberal vs. conservative.  No more.  Now they're a matter of liberal and conservative vs. troglodyte.

Don't let your representative be a troglodyte.  E-mail 'em.

Torrance, California - Maxine Waters(D) - CA43
Ivins, Utah - Chris Stewart (R) - UT2
Mountain View, California - Anna Eshoo (D) - CA18
Eugene, Oregon - Peter DeFazio (D) - OR4
Stony Brook, New York - Tim Bishop (D) NY1
Dallas, Texas - Eddie Bernice Johnson (D  - TX30
Lake Havasu City, Arizona - Paul Gosar (R) - AZ4
Mound, Minnesota - Erik Paulsen (R) - MN3
Lady Lake, Florida - Richard Nugent (R) - FL11
Rochester, New York - Louise Slaughter (D) - NY25

The  selection above  is chosen at random through the Internet.  To determine who your representative is, go to www.house.gov and enter your ZIP code. In Canada, go to www.parl.gc.ca and follow the directions from there.  

Translation - Jennifer Tyrrell - http://www.blogger.com

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Taylor or Kirby? Premier thinks outside the square - Anna Patty - http://www.parkeschampionpost.com.au

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Republicans now likely to pass transgender inclusive Violence Against Women Act - J. SKYLER ROBINSON - http://www.examiner.com

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Are Aging Services Ready for Us? - http://10thousandcouples.com

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ezs note:  Are you or a loved one approaching age 65 years or older?  Are you younger than that, but want to plan ahead?  If you are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, the time to start planning is now.  A good place to start is at www.lgbtei.org.

Students protest over transgender student's 'special treatment' - Justin Hanson - http://www.wafb.com

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VIDEO: Transgender student sues Cal Baptist for expulsion after appearing on MTV's 'True Life' - http://www.scpr.org

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Transgender Marriages An Encouraging Step - http://www.scoop.co.nz/

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Fraternity Raises Funds for Brother's Transgender Surgery - MICHELLE GARCIA - http://www.advocate.com

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Transgender Student To File Complaint Over Bathroom Use - http://www.lawweekonline.com

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Family Research Council: Transgender People Need Therapy, Not Nondiscrimination Protections - Zack Ford - http://thinkprogress.org

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Why 'LGB' and 'T' Belong Together - Brynn Tannehill - http://www.huffingtonpost.com

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LGBT+ Inclusivity in Surveys and Questionnaires - A.J. Walkley - http://www.huffingtonpost.com

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Transgender candidate to run for office - http://www.gulf-times.com

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Did I make a mistake? A transgender woman’s journey of transition - Carolynn Dimmer - http://www.straight.com

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Pornography, Race and Effeminacy at Lavender Languages - Akeem Favor - http://www.edgeonthenet.com

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New York legislature aims to protect transgender job seekers from discrimination - J. SKYLER ROBINSON - http://www.examiner.com

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India Inc. gets cool, makes space for the 3rd sex in its offices - S. Kushala and Kalyan Subramani - http://www.punemirror.in

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Pune, Mahashtra, India

Credit:  www.ageofstock.com

Hello!

Yikes!  More snow predicted! Here's what's happening... Pune, Maharashtra, India... Woking, Surrey, England, UK.... Islamabad, Pakistan... Utrecht, Netherlands... Preston, Lancashire, England,
UK... Mountain View, California... College Station, Texas... Jersey City, New Jersey... Braunschweig, Niedersachsen, Germany... Amphawa, Samut Songkhram, Thailand... Albuquerque, New
Mexico... Stony Brook, New York... Concord, North Carolina... San Luis Obispo, California... Trabzon, Turkey... Wroclaw, Dolnoslaskie, Poland...  Two Rivers, Wisconsin... Carroll, Iowa... Dorval, Quebec,
Canada... Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland... Aigues-mortes, Languedoc-Roussillon, France... Cincinnati, Ohio... Orono, Maine... Stockholm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden...
Sunnyvale, California... Torrance, California... Novi Pazar, Shumen, Bulgaria... Lincoln, Nebraska... Bozeman, Montana...

www.redcross.org

It's time... once more!!!

Earlier this week, I was so excited having a brief meeting at a town hall with my representative John Larson.  I said my bit - but now it's your turn.

I can't tell you adequately how much this will mean to you.  All I can say to you is to give it a try.  If you are prevented by work or distance, send an e-mail.   Even if your representative is initially opposed to what you have to say, one more person - one more voter - may make him or her think twice.

As for me, I'm for freedom.  Freedom to meet.  Freedom to marry.  Freedom to walk the streets unaccosted. Freedom to share a dinner without being kicked out.  Freedom to make love without the police ramming down your door. Freedom to visit your sick partner.  Freedom to say a final farewell.

This is what gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender deserve.

This is what we should demand.

Mountain View, California - Anna Eshoo (D) - CA18
College Station, Texas - Bill Flores (R) - TX17
Jersey City, New Jersey - Albio Sires (D) - NJ8
Albuquerque, New Mexico - Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) - NM1
Stony Brook, New York - Tim Bishop (D) - NY1
Concord, North Carolina - Richard Hudson (R) - NC8
San Luis Obispo, California - Lois Capps (D) - CA24
Two Rivers, Wisconsin - Thomas Petri (R) - WI6
(NO SITE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME - USE SNAILMAIL)
Carroll, Iowa - Steve King (R) - IA4
Dorval, Quebec(CAN) - Isabelle Morin (NDP) - Notre Dame de Grace - Lachine

This is an Internet sampling of places in the US and Canada.  US residents, please go to www.house.gov and enter your ZIP code.  Canadian residents, please go to www.parl.gc.ca and enter your directions.

Anderson Cooper to be honored by LGBT community - Cindy Clark - http://www.azcentral.com

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Fund helps LGBT DREAMers get work permits, deportation relief - http://www.windycitymediagroup.com

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Milestones: a blog marking important moments in our lives - http://sdgln.com

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ezs note:  Holy moly!  When "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." went off the air, many people thought Jim Nabors had disappeared.  (at least I did)  But he didn't. He married longtime lover Stan just recently.  Congratulations, Jim and Stan!  May you have a long, happy life together!

Gender neutral bathrooms are a step for transgender acceptance - Kathleen Martin - http://www.thesunflower.com

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I did it last night... SO CAN YOU!!!

Yesterday afternoon I was busy typing away at my computer when my friend Dave walked into the restaurant I was in.  I had called him the previous night asking if he was interested in going to see our representative John Larson.  When he said he was willing to go, I immediately went home, got dressed to the nines, and got back into his car and drove off.

Once we got to the community college, it was... um... bigger than we we expected.  It was still a single building,  but it was in kind of a strange, curvy shape.  We had to go about a bit,  but ultimately we found where representative Larson was talking.

Now to the point:  When I sat down, I wasted no time in getting to my theme.  I was wondering how the sequester would affect me and my house.

After the main session was over, I went up to him and said that I was a transgender individual, and that I was still very concerned about LGBT  people, particularly in the south and west.

So, what is the point?  I got off my rump.  I got into my friend's car.  Despite a crazy situation, I got to where my representative was speaking.  And I spoke to him, not once but twice, despite my having a stroke.

YOU CAN TOO.

Everywhere across the country, representatives hold town meetings. When they get there, all manner of people show up.  From the very richest to the very poorest.  From the most conservative to the most liberal, and every shade in between.  There's only one person who might not show up.

You.

C'mon.  Be proud.  When your representative has a town or city meeting, show up and speak up. 

Massachusetts Education Department Accommodates Transgender Students - Glennisha Morgan - http://www.huffingtonpost.com

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Arica Love prepares to tell the world her story in a new documentary - Steve Blanchard - http://www.watermarkonline.com

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LGBT Percentage Highest In Hawaii, Lowest In N. Dakota - http://hawaii.news.blogs.civilbeat.com

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US: Massachusetts issues rules respecting identity of transgender students - Corinne Pinfold - http://www.pinknews.co.uk

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Hello!

Finally... out of the piles of snow! Here's what's happening... Mountain View, California... Baton Rouge, Louisiana... Guildford, Surrey, England, UK...  Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania... Cambridge,
Massachusetts... Riyadh, Ar Riyad, Saudi Arabia... New York, New York...Albuquerque, New Mexico... Dabrowa Gornicza, Slaskie, Poland... Saint-ybard, Limousin, France... Wolcott, Connecticut...
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh , India... Brunswick, Maryland... Stony Brook, New York... Fort Lauderdale, Florida... Zimmerman, Minnesota... Wesley Chapel, Florida...Burlington, Ontario, Canada...
Guilford, Connecticut... Newport Beach, California... Trenton, New Jersey... Glasgow, Glasgow City, Scotland... Rhinelander, Wisconsin... Naperville, Illinois... Reading, Pennsylvania...  Rome,
Lazio, Italy... Sunnyvale, California...   Quezon, Nueva Ecija, Philippines... Broken Arrow, Oklahoma... Poughkeepsie, New York... Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg City, Russia... Gilroy,
California... Palm Bay, Florida... Woking, Surrey, England, UK...

No matter how high the mounds of snow... you can reach your mailbox! Donate to the American Red Cross!

www.redcross.org

Milwaukee Police end landfill search for Evon Young - Jaclyn Brandt - http://www.todaystmj4.com

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ezs note:  Please, if you live in Milwaukee, or travel through there, and you can provide any information regarding the murder of Ebony (Evon) Smith, please bring it forward now!!!

On Transgender Healthcare, NYT Reports Tree, Ignores Forest - Julie Hollar -http://www.fair.org

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Study Into LGBT Parenting In Ireland Welcomed - http://www.build.ie

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PFLAG National To Honor NFL's Ayanbadejo and Kluwe, Author John Irving with Straight for Equality Awards at Fifth Annual Gala - http://books.broadwayworld.com

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Women build home for Indonesia’s aging transgender community - Rebecca Henschke - http://fsrn.org

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Trans health officer offers sensitivity classes - WBadmin - http://www.washingtonblade.com

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CBS’ Mike & Molly Under Fire for Anti-Transgender Joke - Jillian Page - http://blogs.montrealgazette.com

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More Elite Colleges Are Covering Sex-Change Surgery and Other Transgender Student Needs - Katie J.M. Baker - http://jezebel.com

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Transgender Patients in Rural Areas Struggle To Access Health Services - www.californiahealthline.org

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ezs note:  a great place to get information is through Lyon-Martin Health Services. To find out more, read Anand Kaira's comments.

Former Saddleback student returns as transgender, is told not to go into female restroom - Angie L. Pineda - http://www.lariatnews.com

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SF Weekly dumps on transgender people, all of Tenderloin - Marke B. - http://www.sfbg.com

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Laverne Cox, Transgender Actress And Producer, Talks Reality TV, Race And Visibility - Glennisha Morgan - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

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Ivy League university ready to include transgender surgeries in health plans offered to students - http://english.ruvr.ru

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President Obama Endorses Orlando for Gay Games - Watermark - http://www.southfloridagaynews.com

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Gay and transgender group to honor two with awards - Charles J. Dean - http://blog.al.com

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Polish Transgender Lawmaker Loses Shot at Top Post - Vanessa Gera - http://www.edgeonthenet.com

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Transforming (Trans) Stereotypes - Victoria Michaels -http://www.southfloridagaynews.com

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Amid Daily Struggles, Gay Rights Movement Embraces Watershed Moments - http://fm.kuac.org

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