It’s been a long time coming, but Federal Judge Vaughn Walker overturned the 2008 California ruling that defined marriage in the state as between one man and one woman. The case will most likely be headed to an appeals court–being determined on August 6–but it is an indication that more federal recognition could be on its way. Walker stated in his summation that the proposition was unconstitutional because it violated federal due process and equal protections laws for gay and lesbian people. This follows up a recent Massachusetts ruling that declared the federal Defense of Marriage Act to be unconstitutional on the same grounds.

Using direct action and strong rhetoric to put the LGBT-rights movement back on track
by Kevin Sparrow

Throughout history, different pieces of evolution, society and even thought have become outmoded and re-adapted. The tailbone remains as a reminder that we came from tail-carrying species; aristocracies crumbled because the larger population had needs that were not being addressed; the Earth is no longer seen as the center of the universe or solar system because scholars could prove that it revolves around the sun. One major area that seems slow to learn from the lessons of the past is politics. Civil rights movements from women’s suffrage to African-American equality have required a dedication to their cause by grassroots groups, but these have also become subdued over time–women still consistently earn lower than men and economic disparity effects large portions of the Black community–because the sound of the movement dies down.

The same is happening with LGBT rights today: great strides of visibility that were achieved in the 1970s and ’80s coupled with greater hate crime and protection legislation in the ’90s was due to the work of small groups and organizations, like the Gay Liberation Front, ACT UP and Queer Nation,  who knew that the road to equality was paved with raised voices and confrontation. We are now looking at a movement that tries to lobby political leaders on Washington Hill with mouthpieces such as the Human Rights Campaign and to ameliorate tensions between queer and straight people through media with GLAAD. Working within those systems, both have contributed to a movement that often falters because it does not want to be seen as overbearing or assaultive, so it asks the entire community to be more considerate and patient when no progress on legislation for LGBTs is made and to avoid using strong and even inflammatory rhetoric that our anti-gay counterparts use.

Well, fuck it. The only way to progress toward rights is to not be docile about it; we have to confront the organizations that oppose us directly, whether they be NOM, AFTAH or ultra-bigoted Westboro Baptist Church, by walking right up to them and telling them why their hate is harmful and not being willing to understand a position that discriminates against so many people. Whether or not it changes the minds of those we directly address, it has the indirect effect of influencing others who may become motivated to join an LGBT-rights cause, to fight for particular legislation to end DADT or start ENDA or even make a conversation easier between a parent and a queer child. If silence persists, everyone is left to believe that the issue is solved and LGBT people are complacent with remaining in discrimination. Which we are not.

One upcoming outlet to try this line of direct action is at the Gay Liberation Network protest against the AFTAH academy being promoted in Arlington Heights. Peter LaBarbera’s Americans for the Truth About Homosexuality is launching a series of lectures aimed at youth (around age 14 and up) that details and attempts to indoctrinate them in a discriminatory view that homosexuality is immoral and that, because of its immorality, LGBT people should not be granted equal rights. The protest will begin at 7:30 PM outside the Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights (502 W. Euclid Ave). If you are coming from Chicago, you can meet up with GLN outside Ogilvie Transportation Center (5oo W. Madison) at 6 PM and take the Metra to the suburbs. And once you get there, don’t stop till your voice gives out.

We’ve been braised by the Chicago sun numerous times this summer while standing in multitudinous crowds, but what could one more weekend hurt? Especially when it’s Lollapalooza. The annual music fest is Chicago’s largest, taking place in Grant Park across 7 stages and from before noon on Friday until nearly midnight on Sunday. This weekend, enjoy some of our suggested awesome queer and not-so-queer, but still dear, musical acts.

On Friday, enjoy the oddly melodic Devo (4 PM) and Dirty Projectors (5 PM) if work lets you out to play. Follow up with former Mondayers Chromeo (7 PM), and wrap up the night with your choice of the sexy Strokes or Her Royal Strangeness Lady Gaga.

Saturday brings the sublime Rogue Wave (1 PM) or the spicy Dragonette (1:45 PM), or strategize a way to see Stars (2:15) in the daytime. Savor the afternoon delight of Grizzly Bear (4:15 PM), then dance the night away with Cut Copy (7:30 PM) and Empire of the Sun (9 PM). In the interim, try some of the francophilic pleasures brought by Phoenix (8:30 PM).

If you find yourself able to crawl out of bed and into the morning light on Sunday, might we suggest a toast to HEALTH (11:30 AM)? Take a chaser of Didi Gutman (from Brazilian Girls)’s DJ set (1:30 PM), and then head to Yeasayer at 4 PM. Time your heartbeat to the earthy tones of Erykah Badu at 5 PM and get a bit surreal with MGMT (6 PM). Go out with a blaze with The Arcade Fire (8:30 PM). Hopefully, these recommendations keep your weekend flowing from start to finish.

After Nikki Araguz lost her firefighter husband, Thomas, on July 4 to injuries sustained on the job, her devastation went beyond his death. Araguz is now in a legal battle to retain her husband’s estate as his immediate family is claiming their marriage is illegal because Araguz is transgender; in Texas, transgender people are legally considered to be their birth sex, and due to DOMA, two people of the same sex cannot be married. Araguz is challenging this and hoping to vindicate her relationship.

A federal judge halted a proposed Arizona law to ban gay and lesbian domestic partnership benefits. The bill was put into motion toward passing as part of a budget plan signed last September, but has so far been kept from being signed into law.

Lieutenant Dan Choi was released from service last week, becoming the latest of 59 Arabic linguists fired by the U.S. military’s DADT policy. Choi had been on suspended leave awaiting a formal discharge and working as an LGBT rights activist in the meantime.

Target is currently under scrutiny for recent political donations. The Minnesota-based chain provided $150,000 to political action committee MN Forward, which then distributes money to politicians like conservative gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer who financially supports rabidly homophobic Christian rock group You Can Run But You Cannot Hide.

Just 5 days ago, Argentina set a historic precedent as the first Latin American nation to legalize same-sex marriage. The 33-27 Senate vote was a fitting passage as part of President Cristina Fernandez’ administration, and even received lauds from Mexico City which offered a free honeymoon to the first gay Argentine couple to marry.

After months of humiliation and injustice for wanting to attend her high school prom with her girlfriend, Constance McMillen has finally received a settlement from the northern Mississippi school district that refused her entrance and canceled the official prom to prevent McMillen’s attendance. McMillen received $35,000 in damages, and the ACLU, who led the prosecution of the school district, were able to effect an agreement from the school district to enforce a non-discrimination policy for gay students.

An adjunct professor at the University of Illinois was recently fired for making disparaging comments about homosexuality in his Catholicism classes. Kenneth Howell was appointed to teach these Catholic studies classes by St. John’s Catholic Newman Center through a partnership with U of I that began in 1971; the university will now be reviewing this policy to assess if it violates the separation of church and state and hope to have a firm new policy by the fall semester.

Instead of focusing on musicians this week since we’re exhausted from the fantastic weekend we spent at Pitchfork, we would like to turn your attention to something equally fantastic, especially in the city of Chicago: slam poetry. Before the National Poetry Slam steals away our local poets in August, two local teams will be battling it out on the mic at Butterfly Social Club (722 W. Grand, off the Grand Blue Line stop)–this event features Team Green Mill (Roger Bonair Agard, Robbie Q Telfer, JW Baz, Tristan Silverman, Amy David) and Team Mental Graffiti (Marty McConnell, Emily Rose, Billy Tuggle, Andi Kauth, John Davis) going head-to-head in a friendly but spirited competition. Stop by tomorrow, Monday, July 19 at 8 PM to see the show; and for those of you who want the opportunity to jam the mic yourself, stop by early to sign up for the open mic preceding the show.

UPDATE: The show was incredible–beyond the Mental Graffiti and Green Mill performers, student performers from Young Chicago Authors competed and rivaled their more established counterparts. Stand-out performances from Tristan Silverman describing the challenges of runner Caster Semenya and Andi Kauth meditating on bulimia were well-matched by amazing poems performed surrounding them from J.W. Baz, Emily Rose and Amy David.