I'll take misogynistic, homophobic, racist crap for $100, Mr. Trebek...

CNN is reporting that the Transportation Security Administration has launched an investigation into a field office in Florida where supervisors used a game show-style crew assignment board to ridicule and keep score on "women, gays and other minorities":

The board, resembling the TV game show "Jeopardy," includes categories such as "pickle smokers," "our gang" and "creatures," which sources said were names used by managers for gay men, African-Americans and lesbians.

Talk about profiling.... Looking at the immature and sophomoric terms used, apparently the supervisors were all elementary school children. This is exactly what I want to be thinking about as I fly to Dallas today for Creating Change...

Continue reading "TSA Plays Derogatory 'Jeopardy': More Fun in the Friendly Skies" »

We've got a special treat for Projectors today... Contributor Jeff Sheng has been previewing photos from his "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" series on TBP, but now his first book has been released. To help Jeff celebrate the new book, we're going to give a copy to 5 lucky readers.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Volume 1 is the first book from Jeff's DADT series. I've seen an advance copy and it is visually stunning. Since servicemembers photographed for the series could be dismissed for coming out, none of the photos show the soldiers' faces. The names and locations are faked to protect their privacy too.

The photos of the darkened soldiers serving in quiet pain is one of the most disturbing and heartwrenching things you'll ever lay eyes on. You. Want. This. Book.

To win, just leave a comment below. You can only enter once and the contest will close Sunday, January 31 at midnight Eastern time. Retail value is $30, but if you just can't wait a week to see if you've won, the first 500 copies ordered through his site will save $5. (And if you donate some extra coins to the project, he'll autograph your book!)

Photos from the book after the jump.

Continue reading "Contest: Enter to win Jeff Sheng's new photobook" »

Wednesday night volunteers from across the state joined us for our first ADOPT EQUALITY phone bank. First timers and seasoned volunteers alike committed 2 hours and made hundreds of calls to Florida voters to ask where they stand on Florida's shameful adoption ban.

Right now, these conversations are crucial.

The Florida 2010 legislative session will begin in just a few short weeks and an appeals court ruling is expected any day on a Miami judge's ruling that Florida's anti-gay adoption ban is unconstitutional. Judge Cindy Lederman ruled in 2008 that there is "no rational basis to prohibit gay parents from adopting" and that the law violates equal protection rights for the children and their prospective parents based solely on anti-gay prejudice.

No matter the decision, win or lose, we must prepare to fight.

Continue reading "Florida Adoption Court Ruling Matters Nationwide" »

Several Bilerico contributors and staff will be at the NGLTF Creating Change conference next week and we'll be featuring our yearly coverage chock full of interviews, reports and gossip - and we're sponsoring six sessions on internet activism. In fact, we love seeing y'all so much, we're hosting a blogger/Twitter reception on Friday night at 8:30 too!

I know many of you are excited about the opportunity to win a free autographed copy of Jeff Sheng's new photobook, Don't Ask, Don't Tell Volume 1, but we had a lot more awesome content like this:

Sunday

Olympics and the coming gender inquisition Filed by: Patricia Nell Warren
The Rector-Rotor Filed by: Gloria Brame Ph.D.

Monday

Orientation labels peel away Filed by: Cassandra Keenan
How did the "Lady Gaga is a hermaphrodite/has a penis" rumor start? Filed by: Alex Blaze

Tuesday

What about the rest of us? Filed by: Sean Kosofsky
A John Edwards sex tape? Filed by: Bil Browning

Wednesday

The Accidental Vegan Filed by: David Castillo
State of the Union on LGBT Issues Filed by: Michelle Marzullo

Thursday

Building Blocks Filed by: Antonia D'orsay
Will faith-based agencies help Haiti's gay community? Filed by: Rev Irene Monroe

Friday

What the DC Agenda Story on ENDA Really Means Filed by: Dr. Jillian T. Weiss
iPad, Menses, and Sexism. Oh My! Filed by: Jason Tseng

Don't forget:

• Subscribe to the Bilerico Project Report to get all of the previous day's posts sent to you every night at midnight Eastern time.
• Follow Bilerico Project on Twitter for links to new posts, breaking news and contest opportunities.
• Subscribe to the Bilerico Project RSS feed to read posts via a feedreader like Google Reader or Bloglines, or include the feed in a customized homepage like My Yahoo! or iGoogle.
• Want to read a faster version of TBP on your phone? We have a mobile version!

The Prop 8 trial continued this week and we kept up our daily coverage and live multi-source Twitter feed. That wasn't the only major story this week though. Check out some of the great posts we ran this week:

Sunday

A Problem and a Proposal Filed by: D Gregory Smith
Hair, gender, and power Filed by: Alex Blaze

Monday

Donor-Turned-Boyfriend after Break-Up Filed by: Michele O'Mara
Educating Congress Filed by: Dr. Jillian T. Weiss

Tuesday

Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition... Literally Filed by: Waymon Hudson
Caster Semenya: Sports Authorities in Gender Gridlock Filed by: Patricia Nell Warren

Wednesday

IN Marriage Amendment Moves Forward Filed by: Bil Browning
Massachusetts Is Not Invincible Filed by: Sara Whitman

Thursday

Iowa Catholic Church Fires Woman Over Transgender Counseling Filed by: Betty Greene Salwak
More Queer/Trans Maine Activists Speaking Out Against Equality Filed by: R. Conrad

Friday

Now That Corporations Are People, Can They Marry Each Other? What If They're Gay? Filed by: David Badash
Rep Paul Scott Blows Smoke on Transgender Michigan Filed by: Keri Renault

Don't forget:

• Subscribe to the Bilerico Project Report to get all of the previous day's posts sent to you every night at midnight Eastern time.
• Follow Bilerico Project on Twitter for links to new posts, breaking news and contest opportunities.
• Subscribe to the Bilerico Project RSS feed to read posts via a feedreader like Google Reader or Bloglines, or include the feed in a customized homepage like My Yahoo! or iGoogle.

Coverage of the Prop 8 Perry v Schwarzenegger trial dominated the LGBT blogosphere this week and Bilerico Project has our own correspondent inside the courtroom. New contributor Davina Kotulski has provided regular updates while Gloria Nieto also gave her impressions from the day she attended. All week long our multi-source live Twitter feed from the Prop 8 trial was immensely popular, but 140 characters is too small to contain great posts like these:

Sunday

Remember Chris Crocker? Filed by: Dr. Jillian T. Weiss
Writing a check your body can't cash Filed by: Antonia D'orsay

Monday

AFA Self Mutilates over Amanda Simpson Filed by: Keri Renault
Meet the Independent: Jim Madigan vs 'The Machine' Filed by: Phil Reese

Tuesday

Putting Up with Disrespect Filed by: Michele O'Mara
Prop 8: The Twinkie Offense Filed by: Dana Rudolph

Wednesday

Sick and Wrong Filed by: Paige Schilt
Oprah's website names gay men one of the top self-esteem boosters for women Filed by: Alex Blaze

Thursday

Transphobia In Mainstream Media: Are The Right-Wingers The Real Problem? Filed by: Rebecca Juro
Conflicting Signs on DADT Repeal Filed by: Waymon Hudson

Friday

ENDA: More Trans Follies Filed by: Dr. Jillian T. Weiss
Indiana State Senate to take action on marriage amendment Filed by: Bil Browning

Don't forget:

• Subscribe to the Bilerico Project Report to get all of the previous day's posts sent to you every night at midnight Eastern time.
• Follow Bilerico Project on Twitter for links to new posts, breaking news and contest opportunities.
• Subscribe to the Bilerico Project RSS feed to read posts via a feedreader like Google Reader or Bloglines, or include the feed in a customized homepage like My Yahoo! or iGoogle.

The first week back after the holidays is always the hardest, isn't it? Everyone is struggling to get back into the swing of things at school, work, or around the house as we clean up after hosting a bazillion family members. On TBP, we kept plugging along to bring you our award-winning posts like these:

Sunday

Should We Scrap the Word "Transgender"? Filed by: Dr. Jillian T. Weiss
Saxx Apparel - it's a romper room for your boys Filed by: Nathan Strang

Monday

How a transgender prisoner gets tougher punishment because of her gender identity Filed by: Alex Blaze
Crazy tea baggers and liberal blogger friends Filed by: Jerame Davis

Tuesday

Sherlock Holmes sequel in jeopardy after Downey's gay comment Filed by: Bil Browning
Marriage equality safe in Iowa until at least 2014 Filed by: Joe Mirabella

Wednesday

Description, Affinity, Politics, and Identity Filed by: Antonia D'orsay
Scott Lively doesn't want you to think he hates you Filed by: Phil Reese

Thursday

Ridicule, the federal jobs site, and an ENDA prescription Filed by: Bil Browning
16 Years Old And Already A Catholic Rebel Filed by: Father Tony

Friday

What are the best ways to show interest in someone? Filed by: Michele O'Mara
Death of Denise King is a Call to Our Community Filed by: Michael Emanuel Rajner

Don't forget:

• Subscribe to the Bilerico Project Report to get all of the previous day's posts sent to you every night at midnight Eastern time.
• Follow Bilerico Project on Twitter for links to new posts, breaking news and contest opportunities.
• Subscribe to the Bilerico Project RSS feed to read posts via a feedreader like Google Reader or Bloglines, or include the feed in a customized homepage like My Yahoo! or iGoogle.

There is sad news from South Florida. Denise King, the mother of slain 17 year old Simmie Williams Jr and LGBT advocate, died unexpectedly at 10pm New Years Eve.

Since Simmie's death in 2008, Denise King has balanced her grief with the unsolved murder of her openly LGBT child with her desire to make a difference in equal rights for our community, especially LGBT youth.

My husband and I were blessed with being able to know Denise King- a woman who has turned unspeakable tragedy into a call to action.

She is my hero and an inspiration to all.

Continue reading "Denise King, Mother of Simmie Williams Jr & LGBT Advocate, Dies" »

The new year brought lots of "Best of" looks at the last year and decade, but we also broke a huge news story this week when Father Tony brought us news that GM has unveiled their new 2010 Queer. What else did we bring you this week? Great posts like these:

Sunday

Why Americans think Hoosiers are a bunch of ignorant Bible beaters Filed by: Bil Browning
Suddenly Hunky: Shirtless Lance Bass Filed by: Prince Gomolvilas

Monday

Illinois GOP Senate primaries hit a homophobic low-note Filed by: Phil Reese
Non-conformity and Bias Filed by: Guest Blogger Rachel Dunn

Tuesday

Fly No More Filed by: Sara Whitman
The forest and the trees of the trans community Filed by: Austen Crowder

Wednesday

Top 10 LGBT Stories of 2009 Filed by: Bil Browning and Alex Blaze
Gays and lesbians left at the border in immigration reform bill Filed by: Joe Mirabella

Thursday

The defining decade of my youth Filed by: Matt Comer
The top 15 queer newsmakers of 2009 Filed by: Alex Blaze

Friday

Trans News Timeline: 2009 Filed by: Dr. Jillian T. Weiss
Eyes - A Poem For The New Year Filed by: D Gregory Smith

Don't forget:

• Subscribe to the Bilerico Project Report to get all of the previous day's posts sent to you every night at midnight Eastern time.
• Follow Bilerico Project on Twitter for links to new posts, breaking news and contest opportunities.
• Subscribe to the Bilerico Project RSS feed to read posts via a feedreader like Google Reader or Bloglines, or include the feed in a customized homepage like My Yahoo! or iGoogle.

It might have been a holiday week, but we kept plugging away to bring you the best content we could - including tons of holiday-themed posts! Check out some of these great posts from last week:

Sunday

Disturbing: Pelosi & Reid burnt in effigy by schoolchildren Filed by: Bil Browning
The Last Minute Gay Geeks Gift Guide Filed by: Nathan Strang

Monday

The year Lance Bass saved Christmas Filed by: Joe Mirabella
Surprise -- Roses at Christmas Filed by: Patricia Nell Warren

Tuesday

Katy Perry offends LGBT people in a bout of twitterrhea Filed by: Jerame Davis
8 Tips for LGBT People to Lower Holiday Stress Filed by: D Gregory Smith

Wednesday

How Newsweek Got It Wrong On Gay Rights Filed by: Dr. Jillian T. Weiss
Just say no to the Salvation Army's red bucket Filed by: Alex Blaze

Thursday

My Marriage is a Stone Filed by: Father Tony
Christmas Eve in the Tenderloin Filed by: Guest Blogger Jerry Weiss

Friday

Merry Christmas! Filed by: Bil Browning

Don't forget:

• Subscribe to the Bilerico Project Report to get all of the previous day's posts sent to you every night at midnight Eastern time.
• Follow Bilerico Project on Twitter for links to new posts, breaking news and contest opportunities.
• Subscribe to the Bilerico Project RSS feed to read posts via a feedreader like Google Reader or Bloglines, or include the feed in a customized homepage like My Yahoo! or iGoogle.

The highlight this week was Dr. Jillian Weiss' three part series on transphobia in the LGBT community that was so interesting Michelangelo Signorile had her on his Sirius radio show to talk about it further. Since it is the holiday season, it's also time for our year-end roundup "Best Of" lists. We'll have all that and more next week, but for now here's the great stuff we ran this past week including:

Sunday

Husband of openly gay Illinois Senate candidate's rival makes a scene at Jim Madigan fundraiser. Filed by: Phil Reese
What's the plan? Answers to your questions Filed by: Jerame Davis

Monday

3 Lessons to Take Away from Ron Goldgate Filed by: Bruce Parker
Don't Avoid The Anger Filed by: Antonia D'orsay

Tuesday

A Million Miles From Shame Filed by: Donna Rose
Handjobs Are the Perfect Christmas Gift! Filed by: Prince Gomolvilas

Wednesday

Bush's African Baby Boom Filed by: Terrance Heath
In Sickness and in Health Filed by: David Castillo

Thursday

Are We Really One Family? Filed by: Father Tony
Zoe Brain's Trans 101, with science Filed by: Alex Blaze

Friday

Feeling burned by the Democratic party? Do something. Filed by: Joe Mirabella
Oh, and Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe... Filed by: Patricia Nell Warren

Don't forget:

• Subscribe to the Bilerico Project Report to get all of the previous day's posts sent to you every night at midnight Eastern time.
• Follow Bilerico Project on Twitter for links to new posts, breaking news and contest opportunities.
• Subscribe to the Bilerico Project RSS feed to read posts via a feedreader like Google Reader or Bloglines, or include the feed in a customized homepage like My Yahoo! or iGoogle.

In 2007, Ryan Skipper was stabbed to death in Central Florida because he was gay . In 2009, two men were found guilty in separate trials of butchering Ryan, and were sentenced to life terms in state prison. Prosecutor Cass Castillo and Circuit Judge J. Michael Hunter powerfully and explicitly stated in a Bartow courtroom that Ryan Skipper was murdered because he was gay.

Please share this video. It is time for us to compel our elected and community leaders to speak out as anti-hate crimes in Florida continue to increase in the most violent categories.

(Produced by Vicki Nantz; more info at www.RyanSkipperDocumentary.com.)