DverCITY Magazine March 2004, Vol. 6, No. 3
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2002 Articles and News Stories | 2003   BLACK WOMEN SIGNIFICANT BENEFACTORS OF LEGAL SAME-SEX MARRIAGES	Easter Baskets For Sale! Caters 2 U.com

Rosie O'Donnell Plans to Marry Girlfriend (2-26-04). Rosie O'Donnell plans to marry her girlfriend, Kelli Carpenter,  in San Francisco, where over 3,000 same-sex couples have done the same thing since February 12. O'Donnell says that President Bush's call for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage inspired her to act. Although state courts are still considering the legality of same-sex marriage, the city is still officiating weddings. According to O'Donnell, "the actions of the president are, in my opinion, the most vile and hateful words ever spoken by a sitting president. I am stunned and I'm horrified." She and Carpenter, a former dancer and Nickelodeon marketing director, applied for spousal privilege during her recent trial related to her defunct magazine and were denied it by the state. She says, "as a result, everything that I said to Kelli, every letter that I wrote her, every e-mail, every correspondence and conversation was entered into the record." Editorial Note: O'Donnell's views are not a reflection of this magazine. DverCITY Magazine promotes FREEDOM OF SPEECH. How do you feel about this debate? Should same-sex marriages be legal or banned. SOUND OFF NOW!
BLACK WOMEN SIGNIFICANT BENEFACTORS OF LEGAL SAME-SEX MARRIAGES By K. Godfrey Easter (3/17/04) While mainstream Christian leadership publicly competes for the decaying concept of traditional marriage to be socially crowned as the only valid matrimonial construct, many of their personal relationships remain silently threatened by deadly dysfunction. At the core of these toxic states of holy matrimony and traditional couplings rest the reality that many husbands and boyfriends carry out secret, sexual relationships or rendezvous with other men. But the disheartening fact is that these types of weak-kneed excursions represent fatal threats to heterosexual women everywhere. With lined pockets from persistent, rightwing Christian conservative groups, politicians and pastors throughout America seek to deconstruct same-sex marriage equality efforts. Meanwhile, eclipsed beneath headlining arguments about gay/lesbian marriage are reports indicating that in black colleges and universities HIV infections among males have risen to an alarming stagger. Moreover, throughout African America sexual misconduct involving traditionally coupled men who sexually stray from the boundaries of customary relationships remains an all too pervasive commonality. Recently, the phrase within the black community to describe such behavior among black men was coined, 'being on the Down-Low. Health constituents regard such men as, 'men who have sex with men (MSM s),' because these men fear being adversely labeled, gay. But instead of being labeled 'Down-Low" brothers, such behavior would more aptly be described as low-down. These guys seek out same-sex hook-ups by discretely connecting at church events, combing through website chat rooms, or connecting through local, adult phone line services. Once satisfied from their encounters, these social cowards conveniently return home to bedrooms where spouses or girlfriends await. But even more disturbing, HIV infection and other sexually transmitted dangers nowadays often accompany these men on return trips back to their social safety nets, as well. Consequently, black, heterosexual, young ladies and women are naively placed in death's path. Impending sexual encounters with the infected husband or boyfriend might mark the beginning of not only a failed marriage or relationship, but also a woman's unnecessary suffering and untimely physical demise. But in my brothers' defense, accountability for the horrific atrocities that they inflict on the child-like trust of women should not rest securely on their backs alone. Unjustly, many of them have never felt permitted, as sexually curious individuals, to explore their natural inclinations toward other men, absent of the overwhelming onslaught of adversity from respected, domestic, religious and social influences. To this day this weighted encumbrance continuously threatens to strip the black man of his masculinity, spirituality, and social approval, should he courageously attempt emerging from his closet, primarily constructed from the sweaty stench of wayward religious instruction. As opposed to lovingly and faithfully embracing the unknowns of an ever-evolving society, mainstream Christian leadership, especially black Christianity, seems resigned to fearfully remain curtained behind laws in a book that are at best, misunderstood, and at worst, perpetuate self-hate and human disregard. Just as with the case written in the Gospels, today's Pharisees are once again intimidated at the notion of change. Alternatively, they selectively pick and choose miscomprehended scripture then hypocritically peddle off opinionated wares as the un-bendable word of God. While concurrently, those who occupy their choir stands, music departments, pulpits, and yes - even their pews - continue to explore the natural wonder of being same-gender-attracted - on the sly. As a result, countless black men, women and children lie sick or buried because of the respected ignorance of others; or as scripture puts it, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Quiet as it's kept, the ultimate aim of well financed Christian conservatives is to outlaw same-gender validity, altogether. But even if that were possible, this fallible notion is not the relevant issue here, no more than it was in the biblical example of Sodom and Gomorrah. The clear and present fear that countless same-gender-attracted men feel forced to hide behind female relationships in order to be approved as good relatives, spouses, fathers, religious leaders, or to socially survive this is the seemingly insurmountable problem. But to effectively destroy ignorance's contagious virus religious leadership would be forced to recognize and publicly assert that perhaps they might have missed the boat, as it relates to the supposed 'wickedness of homosexuality.' It would also necessitate returning to theological drawing boards and re-sketching the humane possibilities associated with this uniquely blessed segment of humanity. Christian leadership would have to mirror the tenacity and commitment once advocated for topics such as slavery, divorce and adultery, interracial relationships, and other prevailing cultural ideologies exhaustively researched, and now etched into mainstream religious history as ill-learned philosophies. Social and scientific intellect must accompany faith, scripture and emotion. But alas, this is where ignorance and pride is to Christianity what cancer is to the human body. As an author, I've cataloged how I sent one woman through the horrific hell of being traditionally married to a gay man. I've detailed the emotionally crippling repercussions of our 'unequally yoked' union because I hid my reality behind her genuine love, devotion and commitment. But now my ex-wife and son have both benefited psychologically, spiritually and socially because I hunger to be the same-gender-attracted Christian God intended me to be, as opposed to the acceptance-starved, opinion appeaser I once was. Perhaps, to legitimize same-sex marriages would be equivalent to validating same-gender attraction. So what? By doing so, black men, who are naturally attracted only to others of their same gender, may one day not feel the prevailing social prerequisite to don heterosexual masks like makeup, nor feel the fatal sting of sexual misconduct, which radically threatens their mortality, and that of innocent women, children and families. In this present hour heterosexual women, especially black women, should be publicly represented in droves, alongside gay and lesbian social activists throughout the country, chanting.... '2,4,6,8 don t legi-slate hate!' My Nubian sisters should be partnered beside me, stretching picket signs toward heaven, as together we all contend for same-gender-attracted equality. If for no other reason then to ensure that the man with whom they intend to eventually commit their lives is ecstatically heterosexual, and who does not feel forced by written statutes or universal opinion to use women as identity deflectors. Nationwide, AIDS is the leading cause of death for African Americans, ages 25 to 44. [distributed through BlackPR.com/BlackNews.com] Editorial Note: The author's views are not a reflection of this magazine. DverCITY Magazine promotes FREEDOM OF SPEECH. How do you feel about this debate? Should same-sex marriages be legal or banned. SOUND OFF NOW!