Hello!

Ho, ho, ho!  Here's Santa, gettin' on his Harley!  Here's what happened... Houston, Texas... Northampton, Northamptonshire, England... Central District, Hong Kong, S.A.R., China... Boston, Massachusetts... Kohtla-jarva, Ida-Virumaa, Estonia... Pyongjom, Kyonggi-do, South Korea... Mountain View, California... London, England, UK... Washington, DC... Loveland, Colorado... Rocky River, Ohio... Amherst, Massachusetts... Raleigh, North Carolina... Atlanta, Georgia... Kennesaw, Georgia... Croydon, England, UK... Laurel, Mississippi... West Hartford, Connecticut... Athens, Attiki, Greece... Dayton, Ohio... Ottawa, Ontario, Canada... Cheshire, Connecticut... Olimpia, Sao Paolo, Brazil... Southampton, England, UK...

This month's top dog: Grady High to host CNN forum on LGBT issues

Last moments for Christmas Eve!  Make this time a special time!  Here's some charities you might give to:

American Red Cross
www.redcross.org

International Red Cross/Red Crescent
www.ifrc.org

Doctors Without Borders
www.doctorswithoutborders.org

Rainbow Fund
www.rainbowfund.org

Ho, ho, ho!  (Vroomm, vroomm!)

MDC member admits he is gay (their words,not mine) (www.zimdiaspora.com {Africa})

Acting While Trans: A Look Back at 2011 for Transgender Actors in the Media (www.huffingtonpost.com)

*more above*

Amy Koch Affair Scandal: Minnesota's LGBT Community Apologizes To Resigned Senate Majority Leader

Promoting gay rights essential for health of Africans

*more above*

Colorado Girl Scouts give acceptance for Christmas (www.edenfantasys.com)

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Reflections on the trial of Lawrence King's murderer (www.huffingtonpost.com)

*more above*

Thai airline hiring transgender flight attendants (www.gayapolis.com)

*more above*

Girl Scout troops disband in protest over allowing seven-year-old transgender to join group (www.dailymail.co.uk {UK})

*more above*

Warren Beatty toasts transgender son (www.ctv.ca {Canada})

*more above*

Happy Winter Solstice!

source: calamitiesofnature.com

Why does the media still refer to "Bradley" Manning? The curious silence around a transgender hero (globalcomment.com)

*more above*

Hatred intensifies for 'Work It', the worst show in television history (gawker.com)

*more above*

Where you can go for help

Make a copy of this guide and use when needed.  Even when you don't need it today, you might need it tomorrow!



AIDS Legal Referral Panel (ALRP)
Provides free and low-cost legal services to people with HIV/AIDS in the
San Francisco Bay Area.
 415-701-1100 (San Francisco)
  510-451-5353 (Oakland)
www.ALRP.org


Disability Rights California
Advances the rights of Californians with disabilities.
 800-649-0154
www.DisabilityRightsCA.org

Equality California
Works with policymakers and communities to achieve equality and secure
legal protections for LGBT people, including seniors.
 415-581-0005
www.EQCA.org

Lambda Legal (Los Angeles office)
Works to achieve full recognition of the civil rights of LGBT people and those
with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.
 213-382-7600
 www.LambdaLegal.org/wro

Law Help California
Helps Californians find legal aid referrals and self-help resources, with
specific assistance for seniors.
 800-551-5554 (Bay Area)
 www.LawHelpCalifornia.org

National Center for Lesbian Rights—Elder Law Project
Provides legal services, legislative support and policy work to advance
equality for LGBT elders.
 800-528-6257
 www.NCLRights.org/ElderLaw

National Center for Transgender Equality
Advances the equality of transgender people through advocacy, collaboration
and empowerment, with a special emphasis on issues facing trans elders.
 202-903-0112
 www.TransEquality.org

National Resource Center on LGBT Aging
Provides a wide array of resources for LGBT older adults, aging service
providers, and advocates.
 212-741-2247
 www.LGBTAgingCenter.org

National Senior Citizens Law Center
Protects the rights of low-income older adults through advocacy, litigation,
and technical assistance, and manages www.LGBTLongTermCare.org.
 213-674-2900
 www.NSCLC.org


Positive Resource Center
Provides comprehensive benefits counseling and employment services for
people living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS in San Francisco.
 415-777-0333
 www.PositiveResource.org

Proyecto Poderoso—a joint project of the National Center for Lesbian
Rights and California Rural Legal Assistance
Works to improve legal services for low-income LGBT people in rural
California.
 209-946-0605
 www.NCLRights.org/ProyectoPoderoso

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN)
Works to guarantee equality of treatment and opportunity for LGBT servicemembers and provides resources on issues affecting LGBT elder veterans.
 202-328-3244
 www.SLDN.org

Swords to Plowshares
Provides counseling and case management, employment and training, and
housing and legal assistance to veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area.
 415-252-4788
 www.STP-SF.org

Transgender Law Center
Utilizes direct legal services, public policy advocacy, and educational opportunities to advance the rights and safety of diverse transgender communities.
 415-865-0176
 www.TransgenderLawCenter.org

Credit: Navigating the System: A Know-Your-Rights Guide for LGBT Elders in California
please download the guide for specific information  (California only when specified)

Domestic violence charity seeking transgender worker (pressitt.com {UK})

*more above*

Prudential named a best place to work by the Human Rights Campaign (www.thestreet.com)

*more above*

Silencing communal conversation (forward.com)

*more above*

Massachusetts newspaper mocks transgender people: 'If they want, they can change it back' (thinkprogress.org)

*more above*

Utah: 73% think gays deserve protection, but 54% think it's a choice (www.gayapolis.com)

*more above*

Happy Hanukkah... Chanukah... *sigh*

credit: idowhatiwant

Three teenagers receive part-funding for first year at university (auckland.scoop.co.nz {New Zealand}))

*more above*

Crossdressing comedy no laughing matter (gaynewsnetwork.com.au {Australia})

*more above*

Human rights complaint launched against NWT minister (www.cbc.ca {Canada})

*more above*

Chaz Bono, Jennifer Elia split (www.nypost.com)

*more above*

News briefs - six Ohio firms hit 100 on harder HRC equality list [among others] (www.gaypeopleschronicle.com)

*more above*

CWA (Central Texas) leader calls for boycott of Macy's (lezgetreal.com)

*more above*

Marriott hotels gets high gay friendly rating from the Human Rights Campaign (www.gayapolis.com)

*more above*

LGBT history project (www.hastingsobserver.co.uk)

*more above*

Peace

Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
Howard Thurman
Permanent Prayer for Peace

LGBT film festival in city ends (ibnlive.in.com {India})

*more above*

Gay couples happier and healthier if legally accepted (www.ibtimes.com)

*more above*

Peace

 A cure for War? Furiously spending the same daily amount of money toward making friends. Being an indispensable source of food, shelter, peace, and cultural support dedicatedly spending 9 billion dollars a month on helping people would be a formidable enemy of evil.
 Vanna Bonta quotes

Child's father, a 'former Republican', knows meaning of family values (bostonglobe.com)

*more above*

Boston, Massachusetts

Credit: SBnation

Hello!

To my Jewish friends, happy Hanukkah! ...um, Chanukah!  (crap, I always mess this one up...)  Here's this week... Boston, Massachusetts... Brussels, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, Belgium... Atlanta, Georgia... Kings Park, New York... Easton, Pennsylvania... Wilhelmshaven, Niedersachsen, Germany... Croydon, England, UK... Stillwater, Minnhesota... Malmo, Skane Lan, Sweden... Groningen, Netherlands... Chaun, Kangwon-do, South Korea... Deerfield, New Hampshire... Sezana, Bohinj, Slovenia... Portland, Oregon... Dallas, Texas... Cebu, Cebu City, Philippines... Taipei, Taiwan... Virginia, Beach, Virginia... Jersey City, New Jersey... West Hartford, Connecticut... Ankara, Turkey... Oak Lawn, Illinois... Corona, New York... Chelles, Ile-de-France, France... San Luis Obispo, California... Brooklyn, New York... Bratislava, Slovakia... Seattle, Washington... Laingsburg, Michigan... Mountain View, California... Canton, Ohio...

This month's top dog: Grady High to host CNN forum on LGBT issues

Hey, it's the last days before we celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa!  Make someone's fortunes are down on their luck are happier.  Donate to one of these charities:

American Red Cross
www.redcross.org

International Red Cross/Red Crescent
www.ifrc.org

Doctors Without Borders
www.doctorswithoutborders.org

Rainbow Fund
www.rainbowfund.org

Hollywood vigil for slain transgender woman (latimesblogs.latimes.com)

*more above*

ezs note:  Please take a good look at the suspect.  If you know who it is, please call the LAPD right away!

Peace

credit: Adelle Laudan

11th Circuit rules for transgender employee in sex discrimination case (www.lexology.com)

*more above*

Filipinos hail UN gay rights report (www.mindanaoexaminer.com {Philippines}))

*more above*

Elizabeth Warren announces support for LGBT rights (www.baywindows.com)

*more above*

UN urges global LGBT protections (www.democracynow.org)

*more above*

A UN milestone: LGBT rights are human rights (www.undispatch.com)

*more above*

UN calls for protection gay rights worldwide (af.reuters.com {Africa})

*more above*

Thailand's transgender flight attendants PC Air takes on groundbreaking crew (www.huffingtonpost.com)

*more above*

Anchorage municipality clerk verifies signature for initiative protecting gay, transgender rights (www.therepublic.com)

*more above*

Help fight against LGBTQ bullying (my.hsj.org)

*more above*

Peace

The End and the Beginning
by Wisława Szymborska

After every war
someone has to clean up.
Things won't
straighten themselves up, after all.

Someone has to push the rubble
to the sides of the road,
so the corpse-filled wagons
can pass.

Someone has to get mired
in scum and ashes,
sofa springs,
splintered glass,
and bloody rags.

Someone must drag in a girder
to prop up a wall,
Someone must glaze a window,
rehang a door.

Photogenic it’s not,
and takes years.
All the cameras have left
for another war.

We’ll need bridges back
and new railway stations.
Sleeves will go ragged
from rolling them up.

Someone, broom in hand,
still recalls how it was.
Someone else listens
and nods with unsevered head.
But already there are those nearby
starting to mill about
who will find it dull.

From out of the bushes
sometimes someone still unearths
rusted-out arguments
and carries them to the garbage pile.

Those who knew
what was going on here
must make way to
those who know little.
And less than little.
And finally as little as nothing.

In the grass which has overgrown
causes and effects,
someone must be stretched out
blade of grass in his mouth
gazing at the clouds.

Transgender icon Carmen Rupe dies (news.smh.com.au {Australia})

*more above*

Fox News invites anti-LGBT guests to mock, smear transgender Macy's guests (www.lgbtqnation.com)

*more above*

Twin boys, one transgender, become brother and sister (www.firstcoastnews.com)

*more above*