DISHING DEREK'S CARTERING

Are you planning a dinner, party, or event and the menu is the LAST THING you want to think about? If your in the Atlanta area Dishing Derek is only a phone call away! Go to www.dishingderekscatering.com for delicious food that won't break the bank!

*This was just a random night at home...lol

The Vitamin T Show

Check out our 2nd Episode of the Vitamin T Show with an interview with Tae'Morian Black!!!!

Charles Barkey gives shout out to the LGBT community

Shelter Denies Gays

This is just plain wrong...people can be so heartless:

The Dallas Morning News Will NOT Publish Same Sex Marriage Announcements

A gay Dallas couple, Mark Reed-Walkup and Dante Walkup, have been trying like heck to get their paid same-sex wedding announcement into the Weddings section of the Dallas Morning News, the city's largest paper and one of the bigger dailies in the country. But the paper won't allow it. Why?


Because according to the paper's official policy, since the state of Texas doesn't recognize gay marriage, there's no reason for the Dallas Morning News to recognize same-sex weddings as legitimate either. What a shame, and what a missed opportunity for such a respectable paper to set a precedent for other publications around the country.
The logic behind the Dallas Morning News' wedding policy is pretty squishy. Around the country, countless newspapers and publications print same-sex wedding announcements in their Weddings section, even if their respective states don't recognize marriage equality. There's the New York Times. There's the Philadelphia Inquirer. There's even the Omaha World-Herald in Nebraska, which has a constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage.
The Dallas Morning News could join the ranks of these papers, and not segregate same-sex couples under a different label that flies in the face of their legal marriage (after all, we're talking about same-sex couples who get married in the five states, or the District of Columbia, where same-sex marriage is legal). But so far, they haven't.
Mark Reed-Walkup told Change.org that pushing same-sex couples into a different section, or calling their legal marriages just "commitments," is another example of how same-sex couples are made to feel 'less than' in our culture.
"Placing a paid same-sex wedding announcement in any other section but Weddings is 'less than,' as well as false advertisement," Mark said. And he's right.
That's one of the reasons why Mark and his husband have filed a discrimination complaint with the city of Dallas, arguing that the Dallas Morning News' current policy of keeping same-sex couples out of the Weddings section violates the city's nondiscrimination ordinance regarding public accommodations. It's a unique take on anti-discrimination law, and should play out in the coming weeks with interesting results.
"Our ultimate goal is to raise awareness about how this is blatant discrimination and send a clear message to the Dallas Morning News," Mark added. Spoken like a dedicated LGBT activist (it's no wonder that Mark is a board member of GetEqual, the direct action organization that has managed to shake things up on a federal, state and local level for LGBT equality).
Lend your voice to this campaign, and help push the Dallas Morning News in the direction of recognizing all of their readers -- whether they're in heterosexual relationships or same-sex relationships -- equally. After all, the Dallas Morning News does seem willing to recognize same-sex anniversaries. Shouldn't they be willing to recognize same-sex weddings with as much dignity, too?

Anderson Coopers Aids Special...very informative

The South Shall Rise Again!...WOW

According to a study of data released by the U.S. Census, there are more gay couples raising children in the southern states than in urban states more traditionally considered to be gay hot spots.


Child rearing among same-sex couples is more common in the South than in any other region of the country, according to Gary Gates, a demographer at the University of California, Los Angeles. Gay couples in Southern states like Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas are more likely to be raising children than their counterparts on the West Coast, in New York and in New England. The pattern, identified by Mr. Gates, is also notable because the families in this region defy the stereotype of a mainstream gay America that is white, affluent, urban and living in the Northeast or on the West Coast.

One theory for the result is that southern blacks and Latinos may be more likely to have been in a heterosexual marriage with children prior to coming out.
 
provided by joemygod.blogspot.com

12 Step program provided by The Colorado Cath. Diocese...REALLY?

The Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs has begun offering a 12-step program for homosexuals. The program is called the Twelve Steps Of Courage.

“It’s not about therapy and not about activism,” said the Rev. Larry Brennan, diocese director of priest formation. “It’s about support.” The Catholic Church views homosexual relations as a sin, but not homosexual thoughts. It expects those with same-sex attraction to be celibate. “The exercise of sexuality is reserved for marriage, and that can only happen between a man and a woman,” Brennan said. Jim Fitzgerald, executive director of Call to Action, a national progressive Catholic group headquartered in Chicago, is skeptical of Twelve Steps of Courage because he contends homosexuality isn’t sinful. “It restricts people’s freedom to be the kind of person they were created to be,” Fitzgerald said of Courage. But Brennan says the program is not for people comfortable with their gay lifestyle.

And here are the Twelve Steps Of Courage, which ask participants to agree that they are insane and defective.
1. We admitted that we were powerless over homosexuality and our lives had become unmanageable.*


2. We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives to the care of God as we understood Him.

4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of our character.

7. We humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.

8. We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make direct amends to them all.

9. We made the direct amends to such people whenever possible except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.

11. We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for the knowledge of God's Will for us and the power to carry it out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT THIS IS, REALLY?

Loving the Movement!!!!!

DISHING DEREK'S CATERING SERVICE

My new catering website it now up, operating, and ready for business. Need a good caterer? Dishing Derek's Catering Service is the way to go!!! Visit my new site at http://www.dishingderekscatering.com/

Birds Death is caused by Don't Ask Don't Tell? REALLY?

 If you're like most Americans, you've probably recently been worried about the mass bird die-offs that made the news this year, fretted about signs and portents for a day or two, and eventually calmed down after you heard from scientists that such events aren't that unusual, it's just that we've only now started to really tweet our feelings about these things with other people.




But there remain dissenting opinions on the matter, such as the one offered by Cindy Jacobs, that these mass avian deaths are actually being caused by the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." Now this is just plain dumb?"

A Year in Review

A look back at all of the Accomplishments we've made in the LGBT community in 2010:

Kids and Gender Roles

One of my favorite youtube couple and their kids. I don't know why I like these folks but watch this interesting video:

Hillary Clinton Still Opposed to Gay Marriage

Current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently told the Advocate that while her husband might have recently changed his opinion about gay marriage, she made sure the magazine knew that “I have not changed my position.” AKA, Hillary Clinton still opposes gay marriage. She wouldn’t elaborate on the subject, so it’s anyone’s guess as to why she’s opposed to prejudice but just fine not supporting marriage equality.


(Well at least her husband in on the band wagon..hopefully he can shed some light on the subject with her and eventually change her mind)

Gay Marriage in Ireland

Beginning today Ireland will recognize same-sex marriages and civil unions performed abroad. However those married in other countries will have their relationships "downgraded" to civil partnerships upon arrival in Ireland.


Unions from 27 countries or states will be recognised; 17 of which currently give gay couples the right to marry. Couples will be automatically considered as civil partners and will not need to register. Brian Sheehan of the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network said: “Same-sex couples who have already celebrated their relationships and made formal commitments to each other by having a civil marriage or civil partnership in another country will today have those relationships recognised in Ireland. This recognition will provide significant protections for these couples.”

DISHING DEREK'S CATERING SERVICE

 As of today 1/11/2011 my new catering website it now up, operating, and ready for business. Need a good caterer? Dishing Derek's Catering Service is the way to go!!! Visit my new site at http://www.dishingderekscatering.com/

R.I Bishop heated over same sex marriage possibility

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence on Friday denounced as "morally wrong" legislation recognizing same-sex marriage that has been introduced in the General Assembly. "The push to legalize the marriage of homosexual persons is morally wrong and detrimental to the well-being of our state," Tobin said in a news release. Bills to legalize what Tobin described as "gay marriage" were introduced Thursday in the House and Senate by Rep. Arthur Handy, D-Cranston and Sen. Rhoda Perry, D-Providence. The bills would recognize "civil marriage" between people of identical gender, while leaving religious institutions the right to refuse to participate. The issue claims Governor Chafee as among its supporters. Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont recognize same-sex marriage. There is a repeal effort under way in New Hampshire. In Maine, voters overturned the state Legislature's approval of same-sex nuptials. Tobin said the question should be put to a referendum. "It is particularly disturbing that our new governor, who has trumpeted his desire to bring our state together in unity, would adopt such a very divisive agenda item as one of his first priorities," Tobin said. "His proposal violates the sincere conscience of many of our citizens and inflames passions on both sides of the issue."
He said that state government instead should concentrate on creating jobs.

(In my opinion, what he needs to be concerned about is teaching the true message of god and spirituality instead of creating hate and separation in the church and religious organizations...just saying what an idiot)

Tarik K

Well Damn!!!!

The Dairy Of Ericka Kane

I came across this video and I don't know why but I am interested in this young lady!

Don't Ask Don't Tell doesn't apply to the Transgender community

     The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy now heading toward history does not apply to transgender recruits, who are automatically disqualified as unfit for service. But the military’s long-standing posture on gender-identity has not prevented transgender citizens from signing up before they come out, or from obtaining psychological counseling, hormones and routine health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs once they return to civilian life. So as the Pentagon prepares to welcome openly gay, lesbian and bisexual service members for the first time, Sandeen is not alone in hoping the United States will one day join the seven other nations – Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, the Czech Republic, Thailand and Australia – that allow transgender troops. “There is really no question, it’s just a matter of when,” said former Army Capt. Allyson Robinson, 40, a 1994 West Point graduate who has spoken to sociology classes at the alma mater she attended as a male cadet. “There are active-duty, as well as reserve and national guard transgender service members, serving today.” No one knows how many transgender people are serving or have served. Neither the Department of Defense nor the VA keep statistics on how many service members have been discharged or treated for transgender conditions or conduct. The Transgender American Veterans Association, an advocacy group founded in 2003, estimates there could be as many as 300,000 transgender people among the nation’s 26 million veterans. When 50 TAVA members laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier six years ago, representatives from every U.S. conflict since World War II were there, said former Navy Machinist Mate First Class Monica Helms, the group’s co-founder and president.
Most had spent years, if not decades, as veterans before they could acknowledge the mismatches between their brains and their bodies. Helms, 59, spent four years in the engine room of a nuclear submarine during the Vietnam War, but did not start living as Monica until 1997.
Military regulations state that men and women who identify with or present a gender different from their sex at birth have mental conditions that make them ineligible to serve. Those who have undergone genital surgery are listed as having physical abnormalities. Service members caught cross-dressing on base have been court-martialed for interfering with “good order and discipline,” according to the National Center for Transgender Equality. Until the American Psychiatric Association removes Gender Identity Disorder from its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, as it did for homosexuality in 1973, that’s likely to remain the case, Sandeen said. The very diagnosis that keeps transgender Americans out of uniform has enabled some to obtain transition-related medical care and other services when they become veterans. Federal law prohibits Veterans Health Administration (VA) facilities from performing or paying for sex-change surgeries. But some VA medical centers provide psychological counseling, sex hormones, speech therapy and other medical treatment short of gender reassignment surgery.
Sandeen said the VA hospital in San Diego made it possible for her to start living as a woman once she retired from the Navy a decade ago.
“As soon as I got an appointment with the psychiatry department, the first thing I said to them is, ‘I have gender issues. I don’t know if I’m a transvestite or a transsexual or if I’m something in between, but I need to work this out with a therapist,’” she recalled.
She eventually received a recommendation to see a VA doctor who could prescribe estrogen to help her grow breasts and hips and diminish body and facial hair. The endocrinologist told her she first would have to try presenting herself as a woman for two-and-half-months. Sandeen, already classified as a disabled vet with bipolar disorder, had lined up a work-study job at the hospital’s patient health library.
“February 6, 2003, my first day of being publicly female, I was working for $10 an hour at the VA helping other vets with health care needs,” she said. “The VA is the organization that helped me work this out.”
The attention Sandeen received as a veteran is not unusual, but not universal, transgender advocates say. In response to complaints that some transgender veterans have been treated disrespectfully or denied care at VA facilities, Helms’ group has lobbied the Veterans Affairs department to issue guidelines on services to which transgender patients are entitled.
San Diego resident Zander Keig, who was a woman during a two-year stint with the Coast Guard, had been on testosterone for a year when he wanted his prescription transferred from a suburban VA clinic. But veterans are not allowed to change their names on discharge papers so he was directed to the women’s VA clinic in San Francisco.
Keig, 44, said a senior physician there “grilled me with questions. Why are you taking T? Do you know what it’s doing to your body? How are you eligible for these services?” “I said, ‘I established my eligibility for VA services in 1988, I have every reason to be here. Am I going to get my shots or not?’” Keig recalled. He did get his injections.
In 2007, the VA complex in Boston became the first veterans’ medical provider to draft a policy designed to assure transgender veterans received consistent and sensitive care.
Department of Veterans Affairs spokeswoman Katie Roberts said the VA is reviewing the Boston policy and others, hoping to create a formal directive in the “near future.”

New Adventures New Possibilities

Hello Followers I would first like to say Happy New Years and I wish you all much love and success in 2011. Yes the blog is back up and operating as of today January 10,2011. I am sorry for leaving everyone who really got interested in what I had to post and discuss but I'm back baby. I want to discuss my new business venture and my new project coming soon. With much thought and prayer, I've decided to open my own catering business. I will be catering all types of events, ranging from small birthday parties to any event with up to 200 guests as of now. I will be providing a range of different foods and possibly special cocktails for each event. I am also in the works with two of by best friends to bring to you all the Vitamin T Show which will be aired in February 2011 on YouTube. We will be discussing a range of topics about our gay community  from social events, to entertainment news and politics that are not frequently aired in the daily, commonly viewed news/media. We are extremely excited about this show and hopefully we can get a great deal of support from all who watch. I want to thank you all for your continued support of this blog and our up and coming show and I wish you all love and great health.

If anyone is interested in having a special event catered by "Dishing Derek's Catering Service" please email me at dereksdish@gmail.com . Thanks Again and I hope you all have a great week and a wonderful New Year!

Do I not fit in?

                                                       You know I have been open and out about my sexuality, learned and observed a number of different things about my community, but it still baffles me that our own community is still so small minded and competitive for no reason. I recently lost about 15 lbs and its funny how I now get more attention from my own community. I mean people seem to have more of an interest in me since I loss a few lbs. Now I know this story isn't one of ground breaking news or uncommon of a person to share but I feel it is my duty to bring more awareness about things that concern me about our community. I would like to know when and where did gay men feel it was okay to judge each other based upon our appearance/stance? I may get a lot of heat from this but I feel it is worse in the black gay community. I feel as if it's all a competition for most people, trying to get the finest, sexiest, richest man out there. Once you do find that special someone who fits everything you think you wanted, most realize that these men feel they have so many other options that they need not be tied down to one person, even if this one person does everything they possibly can to keep the opposite happy. All that time they spent turning the "less attractive" and/or heavier guys down who would have kept them happy, they choose to take the superficial route and end up with a man who has had his thrill and is now on to the next. Those same people who choose these sexy men and are now unhappy in there own lives will put on such a front and a mask while out in public and still have the nerve to talk about others appearances as if they are not even worthy to be apart of the "Elite" gay community. Am I loosing my mind or is this what our next generation will have to use as their text books and study guides? If so, then we have so much more work to do. I would love to see the day, especially in Atlanta when all walks of gay life that being heavy, built, White, Spanish, Asian, and Black can all coexist in the same party scenes and social settings. Is this dream unrealistic?

I would really love to hear from anyone who feels like I am loosing my mind or from people who agree with me

Darryl Stephens Gets RAW

Wow...A Must See-Marsha Ambrosius

Kaoz..Interesting

On Christmas day Kaoz posted on his youtube page a brand new video to his widely popular song "(Keep It) Human (rmx) feat. Loren Jamal." The song is dedicated to each and every young adult, teen and person that we have lost and may continue to lose as a result of the increasing acts of violence & hate that eat away at so many of us, internal and external. Hate based on class, race, size, "difference," bullying, discrimination, disenfranchisement, disappointment, despair. The message is: "It doesn't just get better...Know that you are not alone..."