Don't miss this year's WORLD AIDS DAY EVENT at the Tower Theater this Thursday December 1st. This year marks the monumental 30 YEARS OF HIV.

There will be entertainment, speakers, food and a reading of names. This is a FREE EVENT.

Please come and invite your friends. Support the COMMUNITY...

This is a video from LAST YEAR'S EVENT...

2011 marks the 30th Anniversary of reported AIDS cases. It started in 1981.

The most recent studies have traced HIV back to 1921.

My first experience with HIV & AIDS came as it came to the rest of the world. It was early 1981 (specifically, AIDS was first reported on June 5th, 1981, through the diagnosis of 5 men in Los Angeles). I was barely out of the closet when I heard the nightly news story referencing "gay cancer". It was beyond vague at that point and seemed to be isolated to major metropolitan areas. It started off being reported either by the opportunistic infections which were a result of HIV infection, or as GRID...gay related immune deficiency. The term AIDS was introduced in 1982, after it became apparent that the disease was not isolated to the gay community.

In 1981, although I wasn't a virgin, I wasn't sexually active. Shortly afterward, however, in 1982, I entered into my first relationship with another man, at the same time I came out of the closet. He was much older and as far as I knew, we were monogamous.

About three years later we moved to New Jersey, a stone's throw from New York, one of the epicenters of the burgeoning disease. Still, even though we never practiced safe sex, I assumed we were safe. At the time I didn't consider the fact that his being 15 years older meant I was sleeping with more than just him. Even three years into our relationship, in 1985, HIV and AIDS was fairly vague.

My second relationship was with a man who told me he was HIV positive before we ever had sex. We were adventurous in the one year we he was healthy, half of the two years we were together, but still, I practiced sex safely.

After that I was single for a short time and had a lot of sex, all of it safe. Then I met my current husband who I've been with for 15 years now, also monogamous.

Although I've been as safe as possible, given that HIV broke into the public at virtually the exact moment I came out of the closet as a gay man, it's amazing I've escaped it. A great number of my close friends, too many to count, have not...

Ben was my first...

I moved with my partner to Lake Tahoe in 1985, beginning my 20 year hotel career by taking a management job at a local timeshare. My boss was a 32 year old semi-closeted mama's boy with a 21 year old boyfriend. Ben and I, being the same age and of the same sarcastic temperament, became fast friends. While I'd made the jump from closeted to semi closeted, it was strange to find a slightly younger version of myself, in a more conservative area, who was so free and so open. Ben worked at one of the local casinos.

 

On Thursday, December 1, 2011 we will observe World AIDS Day with an event at the Tower Theater. Beginning at 5:30 pm, the evening will be filled with local entertainment and recognition of the 30 year anniversary of HIV. We will pay tribute to current and past local providers of HIV care and prevention services. We hope you see you this Thursday!

Tomorrow (Tuesday, November 29th, 2011) there will be FREE HIV Testing offered by the Fresno County Dept of Public Health at the Fresno LGBT Community Center, which will be open. Testing will be offered from

2:30-5:30PM

Free testing is offered in honor of World AIDS Day, which is this Thursday, December 1st.

The local, annual World AIDS Day Event will be held at the Tower Theater this Thursday at 5:30PM. This is a FREE event.

The Fresno LGBT Community Center is located at 1055 N Van Ness Avenue Suite A, Fresno, CA 93728. The phone number at the Center is 559-325-4429.

Barney Frank, openly gay and in congress as a Democrat for the state of Massachusetts for 30 years, has announced his retirement. His office released the following...

I will not be a candidate for reelection to the House of Representatives in 2012.

I began to think about retirement last year, as we were completing passage of the financial reform bill. I have enjoyed--indeed been enormously honored--by the chance to represent others in Congress and the State Legislature, but there are other things I hope to do before my career ends. Specifically, I have for several years been thinking about writing, and while there are people who are able to combine serious writing with full-time jobs, my susceptibility to distraction when faced with a blank screen makes that impossible.

From President Obama...

This country has never had a Congressman like Barney Frank, and the House of Representatives will not be the same without him. For over 30 years, Barney has been a fierce advocate for the people of Massachusetts and Americans everywhere who needed a voice. He has worked tirelessly on behalf of families and businesses and helped make housing more affordable. He has stood up for the rights of LGBT Americans and fought to end discrimination against them. And it is only thanks to his leadership that we were able to pass the most sweeping financial reform in history designed to protect consumers and prevent the kind of excessive risk-taking that led to the financial crisis from ever happening again. Barney's passion and his quick wit will be missed in the halls of Congress, and Michelle and I join the people of the Bay State in thanking him for his years of service.

READ MORE HERE...

From Autostrade:

 

Australia's voting population isn't as divided on the issue of marriage equality as America's; in fact, almost two-thirds of voters support it. But it's also not seen as an issue of high national priority, and Australia's Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, still claims that marriage equality would constitute an unwelcome change to the institution of marriage.

Into this context comes a new ad campaign from GetUp! Australia, an "independent movement for a progressive Australia:"

 

Possibly the sweetest marriage equality video to date.

Why does this video strike such a cord? Because it reminds us that marriage is about bonds that are forged with time and experience.

And that’s the message that we need to be spreading: gay or straight, love is love and commitment is commitment.

It’s time.

BUY NOTHING DAY is November 25th.

Courtesy Wikipedia...

Buy Nothing Day (BND) is an international day of protest against consumerism observed by social activists. Typically celebrated the Friday after American Thanksgiving in North America and the following day internationally, in 2011 the dates are November 25 and 26 respectively. It was founded in Vancouver by artist Ted Dave and subsequently promoted by magazine, based in Canada.

The first Buy Nothing Day was organized in Mexico in September 1992 "as a day for society to examine the issue of over-consumption." In 1997, it was moved to the Friday after American Thanksgiving, also called "Black Friday", which is one of the 10 busiest shopping days in the United States. Outside North America and Israel, Buy Nothing Day is the following Saturday. Adbusters was denied advertising time by almost all major television networks except for CNN, which was the only one to air their ads. Soon, campaigns started appearing in the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, Austria, Germany, New Zealand, Japan, the Netherlands, France, and Norway. Participation now includes more than 65 nations.

In one of the highest profile LGBT violent crimes in California history, Brandon McInerney's prosecution for the killing of sexually ambiguous Larry King has ended in a plea deal.

McInerney was 14 when he violently murdered King at school, apparently for flirtations which McInerney, offended by King's questioning gender and sexuality, took offense at.

At one point, this trial was going the way of so many bullshit defenses of the past, trying to claim that McInerney was exhibiting the "gay panic defense", which amounts to "it's okay to kill someone if they're of a different sexuality and are coming on to you".

The Oxnard teen who shot a gay classmate he believed was flirting with him has agreed to spend the next 21 years in prison, a plea deal that ends a case that drew national attention and ignited debate on how schools should deal with openly gay students.

Brandon McInerney has already served nearly four years in jail and would be released by the time he is 38, under terms of the deal.

READ MORE HERE...

The COMING OUT SUPPORT AND SOCIAL GROUP day has changed. This group, which met initially on the 2nd Wednesdays of the month, will from this point on meet on the 2nd Thursdays of the month at the Fresno LGBT Community Center. Please check Gay Fresno's CALENDAR for updates.

Last week I visited the U.S. Federal Courthouse here in Fresno to attend a Central Valley Hate Crimes Task Force. The meeting was put together by the U.S. Department of Justice and moderated by Elana S. Landau, Assistant United States Attorney. The session was attended by various members of law enforcement, as well as representatives from the FBI and other Central Valley Justice personnel. Also in attendance were various representatives of local community groups, including those representing the LGBT community, Muslim community, African American community, and the Sikh community. There was also a representative from the Clovis United School District.

The purpose of this and future meetings is to empower Hate Crimes Legislation. The Department of Justice is reaching out to various community groups in order to facilitate reporting, as well as to assist prosecuting hate crimes and to facilitate law enforcement sensitivity training.

One thing everyone agreed on in the room is that hate crimes are, indeed, happening in the Central Valley. Another certainty, however, is that hate crimes in Fresno and the Central Valley go virtually unreported. For the last reported time period, the reports showed 1 hate crime reported in the Fresno area. Understanding that requires knowledge particular to individual groups.

Those who represented the Muslim and Sikh communities offered the fact that hate crimes against those populations are often reported to their own state and national organizations, yet not necessarily or immediately to local law enforcement officials. It wasn't, apparently, a disservice to legal authority, but rather a natural result of group organizations and directives already in place. I explained to the group that I'd received calls at the Fresno LGBT Community Center reporting incidents which might qualify as hate crimes but which I referred to local agencies such as the ACLU or GSA. It appears hate crimes within communities are often reported somewhat internally. Although each group may feel empowered by doing so, the result may be detrimental to the power of state and national law enforcement in dealing with such problems.

It's fairly simple from an organizational framework...if the numbers of hate crimes don't manifest in U.S. Dept Of Justice reports, then our empowerment, as it relates to government and law enforcement intervention, is at risk of not being as effective as it could be.

We in the LGBT Community hear about hate crimes all the time on a national and global level. Typically we read that a violent attack is accompanied by specific LGBT slurs. It's usually that the criminals or perpetrators are yelling such things as "faggot" which accompanies a violent beating. As we have continually heard, I assumed, probably as many others have, that those slurs in and of themselves define a particular crime of violence as a hate crime. Not so. It turns out that while slurs during a crime are indeed the catalyst for a hate crime charge, further investigation has to be conducted in order to justifiably label it as one. Investigators take the fact that slurs were used against a victim, and in turn investigate their history. They may search their homes, question family, friends and acquaintances, etc. A foundation of prejudice must be established in order to prosecute a crime as a hate crime.

In other words, lots of things may be uttered by a perpetrator during a violent attack, but in order to qualify as a hate crime, a pattern outside the crime itself must be established. This came as news to me, and during a deeper discussion, we were told how critical it then becomes to report such slurs. Even if in one particular case, a hate crime may not end up being the outcome, officials keep complaints on file and they prove very beneficial in establishing a pattern later on. The importance of reporting may come into play two or three offenses later, when a violent criminal may then have a history on their legal record which shows a propensity toward a particular prejudice.

What's most important is that we report hate crimes. The Fresno LGBT Center now has brochures from the United States Attorney's Office Eastern District of California, which outline how to report hate crimes. That information is available to everyone by visiting the Community Center during open hours or calling us at 559-325-4429 and leaving us a message so that we can get that information to you.

There's a built in sentiment in the LGBT Community that law officials are not open to supporting us on these issues, and during the meeting, it became apparent that our community is not the only one that feels this way. Part of the current efforts by the U.S. Dept of Justice is to train law officials on how to better handle these incidents. In the meantime, we cannot allow a potential insensitivity on the part of some law officials to keep us from reporting offenses. I can tell you that I, as a member of the LGBT Community, felt completely supported by the officials at that meeting. An FBI officer even made a point of coming up to me afterwards, introduced himself and assured me that they are dedicated to working on these problems. He also urged me to encourage open communication and reporting between his office and the LGBT Community.

TO REPORT A HATE CRIME in Fresno:

FBI Robert B. Schofield 559-436-4474

TO CONTACT THE HATE CRIMES TASK FORCE in Fresno:

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elana Landau 559-497-4083

United States Attorney's Office Eastern District of California http://www.justice.gov/usao/cae/

STOP BULLYING - GOVERNMENT SITE

http://stopbullying.gov/

The Matthew Shepard James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed into federal law by President Barack Obama in October of 2009.

Courtesy Wikipedia...

The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, also known as the Matthew Shepard Act, is an American Act of Congress, passed on October 22, 2009, and signed into law by President Barack Obama on October 28, 2009, as a rider to the National Defense Authorization Act for 2010 (H.R. 2647). Conceived as a response to the murders of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., the measure expands the 1969 United States federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability 

The bill also:

• removes the prerequisite that the victim be engaging in a federally-protected activity, like voting or going to school;
• gives federal authorities greater ability to engage in hate crimes investigations that local authorities choose not to pursue;
• provides $5 million per year in funding for fiscal years 2010 through 2012 to help state and local agencies pay for investigating and prosecuting hate crimes;
• requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to track statistics on hate crimes based on gender and gender identity (statistics for the other groups were already tracked).

The Act is the first federal law to extend legal protections to transgender persons

You want a definitive answer as to which side the police are on?...either the public, who PAYS THEIR SALARIES...or CORPORATIONS in bed with GOVERNMENT...if THIS VIDEO doesn't get you on the side of the Occupy Wall Street Movement, NOTHING WILL...

 

In a longer version of the video, the students are shown seated across a stretch of walkway surrounded by more than a dozen UC Davis cops, dressed in riot gear and clutching batons. Many other students are standing along the sides of the scene, watching and protesting as the standoff unfolded. Some students shouted "Thugs on campus!" and "From Davis to Greece, fuck the police!" Those chants were tamped down quickly by others, who warned all to "Keep it peaceful" and "Keep it nonviolent."

So the students started up a new chant that would prove prophetic: "You use weapons! We use our voice!"

At one point, one of the riot cops ambles over to the seated line and asks one of the students a question. The student replies, "We're sitting here."

The police officer then returns to his position with the other officers. He also turns his back on the seated students, as does at least one other officer. They show no fear that the students might turn violent or threatening. The first cop talks on his radio for a while.

After a few "mic checks" and few more chants, a cop goes back to the seated students. The student asks, "You're gonna shoot me for sitting here? You're shooting us for sitting here?"

Roughly a minute later, the officer can be seen shaking the pepper spray canister as the gathered students start shouting, "Don't shoot your children!"

As the officer began spraying the group of students, onlookers screamed, "Don't do it! Don't you do it!"

READ MORE HERE

GLAAD has launched an effort to encourage the LGBT Community to speak up to their families during the upcoming holidays. As we always have to remember, our true power lies in COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET and being as open as possible...

The LGBT community has a ton to be thankful for from the past year.  But we also have a long way to go. And believe it or not, putting down that forkful of stuffing for a minute and just talking about yourself (if you're able to) this Thanksgiving can make a huge difference.

We've all had those Thanksgiving dinners where Aunt Betty decides this is the perfect time to discuss a year's worth of ailments and medical treatments. Well, you know what?  If she can talk about her polyp, you can talk about your partner.

The fact is, while you're scarfing down mashed potatoes and staying silent while everyone else at the table is freely speaking their minds, you're missing a golden opportunity to make real, honest progress by talking about your life, and the things you care about.  It's okay if Aunt Betty feels a little awkward at first, it's important for her to know that someone she loves cares deeply about LGBT equality.  And the more we all talk about what's important to us, the less awkward those conversations will become.

Speaking openly and honestly about your life with your loved ones is one of the best ways for all of us to move forward together.

READ MORE HERE

New statistics from the CDC show an alarming trend.  Over 19 million people were diagnosed this year with a sexually transmitted disease. But one group seems to be hit harder than the rest: young gay and bi black men. 

The rate of young black men getting syphilis rose 134% since 2006 despite a national trend of rates falling from 2009 to 2010 by 1.6%. 

Across all populations, the rate of chlamydia has steadily increased to 1.3 million cases in 2010. 

Researchers believe the rise is due to better screening and more patients being properly diagnosed. 

Blacks and Hispanics are more affected by STDs than whites. This is likely due to social and economic factors — such as low income and lack of access to health care. 

A few more notes from the CDC: 

Young people represent 25% of sexually active people in the U.S. but account for nearly half of new STD cases. 

Obviously something ha to be done. Leaders across the country are calling for more education, more testing sites, and more safe sex tools like condoms and dental dams. 

Because.. and here's the kicker... chlamydia and syphilis are totally preventable if sex is done safely, namely with protection. 

Condoms and dental damns are available at the LGBT community Center. Before you head out this weekend to the bars, drop by and stock up! 

And when meeting people for casual sex, whether it is in a bar, via online dating or a spontaneous hook up.... Be Prepared! 

And in case you need a reminder… Let's talk Chlamydia: 

Symptoms 
Chlamydia might cause abnormal discharge and painful urination. For men, that's as bad as it gets. In women, the infection spreads from the cervix to the fallopian tubes. This can cause her to feel lower back and abdominal pain, nausea, fever, spotting between menstrual periods and pain during intercourse. However, the vast majority of people don't have any symptoms at all, which is why chlamydia is so common, according to the Mayo Clinic. 

Long-Term Effects 
If untreated, chlamydia can pose some serious long-term health effects. While men are less likely to suffer from any complications, women with untreated chlamydia infections can experience permanent damage to their reproductive system. These damages can be silent until it is too late. 
The most common long-term effect of chlamydia is pelvic inflammatory disease. This happens once the chlamydia has spread and causes scar tissue to form in the fallopian tubes and uterus. This scar tissue may result in infertility or ectopic pregnancy, which is a pregnancy that is implanted in the fallopian tubes. This type of pregnancy cannot be successful and can result in fatality to the woman if she carries to term and the tube bursts, resulting in internal bleeding. 

How It Is Spread 
Chlamydia is spread easily, often because the carrier and the partner have no idea of its existence. Chlamydia infections are passed through any sexual contact, be it vaginal, anal or oral. The risk of chlamydia infection is higher in girls under 25 because their cervical opening is not fully matured, allowing for the infection to easily enter into the fallopian tubes. 

Prevention/Solution 
STD testing is an important obligation for individuals engaging in sexual intercourse, especially those who have done so with multiple partners. While latex condoms are a good measure to stay safe, it is possible to get infected with chlamydia as well as other STDs if they are used incorrectly or broken.

Sources: 
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/alarming-rise-sexually-transmitted-diseases-bisexual-gay-black-men-article-1.979720
and 
http://www.ehow.com/about_5510082_side-effects-chlamydia.html#ixzz1e54HgcqK

 

 

This Sunday is Transgender Day Of Remembrance

The Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder on November 28th, 1998 kicked off the “Remembering Our Dead” web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester’s murder — like most anti-transgender murder cases — has yet to be solved.

Although not every person represented during the Day of Remembrance self-identified as transgender — that is, as a transsexual, crossdresser, or otherwise gender-variant — each was a victim of violence based on bias against transgender people.

Please join the Local Transgender Day Of Remembrance Dinner & Memorial, organized by Trans-e-motion...which includes dinner, speakers, memorial, entertainment and art. Dinner tickets are $10 per person. Featured Speakers include Robin McGehee, Scotti Maldonado and Matt Mazzei.

Click on the links in this article for venue, directions and more information.

Thursday night, Nov. 17, at around 9:55 p.m., a transgender woman named Cassidy (aka Nathan Vickers) was shot in the chest and killed in Hollywood on Lexington Avenue and Gower Street.

Police believe the same suspect may have been responsible for the attempted robbery of another African-American transgender woman in Plummer Park in West Hollywood. The LAPD Crime Alert says the incident apparently occurred around 10:25 p.m., when the suspect “fired at the victim once with a black semi-automatic pistol.” The Alert says “Suspect should be considered armed and dangerous.”

LAPD Det. Jim Hays says that the suspect is described as a black male, around 5’ 9” tall, about 150 pounds, in his mid-20s to 30 years old, with light facial hair, wearing a possible dark, hooded sweatshirt. He is believed to be a possible transient. He was last seen leaving Plummer Park riding a Beach Cruiser-type bicycle.

Hays says the LAPD and the West Hollywood Sheriff’s station are working closely together to find the suspect but would appreciate the public’s help. If you have any information, please contact:

Hollywood Homicide Detectives: D. Vinton, Serial No. 31085, (213) 972-2901, 31085@LAPD.LACITY.ORG OR B. Goodkin, Serial No. 37039, (213) 972-2912, 37039@LAPD.LACITY.ORG

AFTER HOURS CONTACT HOLLYWOOD WATCH COMMANDER AT (213) 485-4628.

As reported here yesterday by our own Kaylia Metcalfe, the Prop 8 trial continues. Citing other rulings within the continental United States, the California Supreme Court decided Thursday to allow the proponents of Prop 8 to appeal Judge Walker's historical ruling.

In response to the question submitted by the Ninth Circuit, we conclude, for the reasons discussed above, that when the public officials who ordinarily defend a challenged state law or appeal a judgment invalidating the law decline to do so, under article II, section 8 of the California Constitution and the relevant provisions of the Elections Code, the official proponents of a voter-approved initiative measure are authorized to assert the state’s interest in the initiative’s validity, enabling the proponents to defend the constitutionality of the initiative and to appeal a judgment invalidating the initiative.

With all the horrendous judicial decisions against the LGBT Community in recent years, this one doesn't really bother me, and in the end, may (and that's a BIG "may") further our equal rights in the end. If Judge Walker's decision is upheld, which virtually everyone feels it will be, then this case could then proceed to the federal Supreme Court. They have the choice to hear it or not, and may not, given that historically they don't rule on such monumental issues before a hefty number of states have done so. But it could happen, and if it does, then the question of same sex marriage equality becomes a one stop national decision.

In the meantime, I hate, once again, to predict, but let me go out on a limb and say California will soon, once and for all, have legal same sex marriage.

Follow this link to read the entire ruling... http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/S189476.PDF

We C.A.R.E.  Fresno
Presents

THE GREEN DANCE - A TEA DANCE EVENT

Recycle & Renew Your HIV / AIDS Awareness

December 4th, 2011
4pm to 8pm

Club Legends
3075 North Maroa Ave.
Fresno, CA  93704

Raffles and Food Provided
Free Tickets available at Specialty Health Services, The Living Room, and We C.A.R.E.
or $5.00 at the door. Door Gifts to the first 50 people.

Special appearances from the Chaffee Zoo and More!
We C.A.R.E. T-Shirts available for purchase. $15.00

We C.A.R.E.  Fresno
559-557-7109

Court Rules that ProtectMarrigae does indeed have the legal standing to oppose Judge Walker's Ruling 


More than just marriage rights, today's decision has long reaching consequences in terms of whether or not the people can override legislative authority. At stake is the initiative process as a whole. 

Do the people have the ability to pass a law that isn't supported by their elected officials? 

The court today said "yes.' 

What this means: in the grand scheme of things this means that should a ballot initiative pass by popular vote, it is difficult if not impossible for a ruling legislative body to over turn it... in other words, popular majority wins and even if the Governor and Attorney General refuse to defend it, those who places the ballot initiative on the ballot in the first place have the right to argue for the legality and continuation of that ballot. 

The point is that the court rules toward the Will of the People... even if those people make stupid bigoted decisions. 

In the more immediate, this means that Judge Walker's overturn of Prop 8 can be appealed by the very people who placed Prop 8 on the ballot... and that appeal could go as far as the Supreme Court. 

This is a blow for the gay community, there is no question about that. but in a broader sense it is about so much more. Should the majority of citizens be allowed to dictate the rights of a minority? Should the ballot initiative system has as much power as it currently does? These are very valid questions and the debate on them has only just begun. 

There is still a chance that the Appeals Court will uphold judge Walker's ruling... but the optimism of the summer has indeed faded. 

Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/11/proposition-8-california-supreme-court.html

 GayFresno.com is seeking volunteers

Contribute your writings about politics, community news, movie reviews or choose your own topic... We can also assign local events for you to cover. Write as frequently as you wish, on your schedule.

We are also looking for regular feature columns on any subject. If you have ideas for articles feel free to let us know.

We're also looking for volunteers to help with the website, light office duties, etc.

If you are interested, please write us to get started!

Come On Down!  Saturday, November 19th, join us for a Game Show Fundraiser at The Express

Have a laugh! A take-off of the 1970's television game show with the same name. Partners are temporarily separated while their significant other is asked what the other would say to a series of provocative & off the wall questions and vice versa.

The laughter comes in when the answers are shared and often very different! 
Don't miss the Great Garter Toss. You may get the chance to dance with one of Fresno's finest bachelors or bachelorettes. 

Love "The Price is Right" ? Win your chance to be a contestant in a mini The Price is Right game where YOU keep the items.

Join us for a very light-hearted and fun evening served up with a few surprises.

All funds raised will benefit Marriage Equality USA's Fresno County Chapter. A 501(c)(3) non profit organization, working since 1998 to progress marriage equality in California and nationwide.

RSVP to this event on Facebook

Would you like to make a donation towards this event?
Please contact us ASAP by messaging us here or emailing us at: ca-fresno@marriageequality.

The Fresno LGBT Community Center has launched new groups and programs. The Community Center is located at 1055 N Van Ness Avenue Suite A, Fresno, CA 93728. Our phone number is 559-325-4429.

LGBT Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting - Tuesdays 7-8pm

Narcotics Anonymous Meeting - Sundays 6-7PM

Coming Out Support Group - 2nd Thursdays 7-9PM

Women's Coming Out Support Group - 1st Thursdays 7-8PM

Transgender Support Group - 1st Saturdays 5-7PM

Strings & Things Creative Art Group - 3rd Mondays 6-8PM

Creative Arts Potluck Group 3rd Fridays @5:30PM

To join and participate in any of these groups simply visit the Fresno LGBT Community Center during the days and times listed. For more information you may visit the Calendar at www.gayfresno.com

The Fresno LGBT Community Center would like to thank the Stanislaus Pride Center for their generous donation of several boxes of books for our lending library. We are sorting through the books and they are currently available to the public.

We'd like to make a clarification for our request for VHS tapes. Due to an influx of tapes, we request that in the future, only VHS tapes of an LGBT theme be donated. This applies to VHS tapes only, we will still accept all DVD & Book donations.

In honor of World AIDS Day on December 1st, we will once again be offering FREE HIV Testing, courtesy of the Fresno Dept Of Public Health, on Tuesday, November 29th, from 3:30PM-6:30PM.

The Center is currently seeking the following donations:

• Large Flat Screen TV for Movie Nights

• Sofa or other comfortable seating

• Brochure racks / Magazine holders

• Medium Size Refrigerator

• DVD-VHS Combo Player

• Product Donations for our Annual Holiday Fundraiser on Dec 2nd

The Fresno LGBT Community Center is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from Noon-5PM. We are available for group and organizational meetings 7 days a week with prior scheduling. If you would like to hold a meeting or an event at the Community Center call anytime at 559-325-4429.

While working my shift at the Fresno LGBT Community Center, over just a two week period of time, I received several phone calls regarding bullying in our local schools. All were from parents or those hoping to help a younger person who was facing this terrible danger. We hear daily about bullying stories from across the country, but it's also happening here in our own backyard.

One of the stories was about a Clovis teacher who was very blunt to her students about how dangerous SB 48 was (The Fair Education Act, which is now law and will bring about the teaching of the historical contributions of LGBT individuals into our classrooms). She even urged them to get their parents to work against it by providing the specific website to do so. (The signature gathering campaign against SB 48 failed shortly afterward).

Another was the mother of a student at a charter school who is an out lesbian and had to be pulled out of regular classes due to bullying threats. Independent study did not protect this young girl, however, and an altercation did occur between her and the bullying crowd. The parent is very frustrated since no anti bullying program is in place to protect her daughter. I connected her with the local ACLU and GSA and the story is ongoing.

Yet another concerned a 12 year old boy who is questioning his gender and after being bullied himself, was finding himself becoming a bully. Elementary and high school clearly are still a very powerful force in our lives, particularly for the LGBT Community. I'm thankful that Fresno now has an LGBT Community Center which can direct people to the help they need, and I'm proud every time I get one of those calls that as a board member of Gay Central Valley, I helped to make it happen.

Like so many of us, no matter how far removed I get from my high school experience, it's easy to recall. The sights and smells are wrapped around the isolation, the friendship, the joy and the fear. There are times that I once again feel like my younger self, an innocent, passionate and confused American boy. The reason high school is such a topic is because it's often the most delicious and the most vile time of anyone's life. There's nothing like it. And when you fall into a category such as L, B, G or T...the light and shadows of school take on a much deeper dimension.

I didn't know exactly what I was from the beginning, but I knew I was different. That "difference" has a multitude of layers, even within the exclusive LGBT group. I knew, from as early as the age of 4, that I was not the same as those around me. Time went on, and I came to understand that my difference was complicated, but was primarily driven by the fact that I was a gay male. Add to that my sarcasm and flair for drama, whether a product of my sexuality or an entity on its own, and fitting in was complicated and dangerous. The thing about our strengths as LGBT people is that it may never be certain to any of us if we are born with these gifts, or if we develop them through the course of pain and suffering.

One of my strengths was acting. I found it early on and excelled at it starting in the ninth grade. The drama department was integral in my finding my way through the mud. Anyone in high school needs to find whatever it is that allows them to excel at what they're good at. While it's virtually everyone's goal in high school to be popular and liked, the salvation of the most awkward period of life (and it is, nothing is worse than high school) is finding a place where your voice can be heard. It doesn't take away the pain and the isolation, but it helps.

While high school seems to be a vivid and important experience to everyone, it's important to recognize the uniqueness of it. High school is nothing more than a passage, something to get through on the way to life. Survival is the goal. In order to get to a better life, you have to survive high school.

I remember, just as clearly as when I was 17, that feeling that the high school part of my life was the most alive I'd ever feel, the most curious and excited I'd ever be, and in some ways, that's true. But it's true because we're young, our bodies and brains are still developing. We have no honest concept of the real world because we're not living in it. We're living in a controlled environment in which the last thing we typically feel is any sense of control.

It's normal to believe, while you're in it, that who you are, what you feel and what you experience in high school will remain that way forever. It's a period filled with so many first times that it carries with it a significant emotional toll. High school is merely the very beginning of the long path of life, nothing more. Programs like Dan Savage's "It Gets Better", which uses personal video to relay a message of survival to high school teens is revolutionary. When I was in high school there weren't any adult LGBT voices to let me in on what life would be like after high school or even that it would be different. This is why the "It Gets Better" message is so important. It's important for the adult LGBT community to send the message to those struggling students trapped in the very false environment of high school, that a wonderful life is waiting just on the other side.

So survive high school. Give up the idea that those are the most important years of your life. They may be the most dramatic, but they are far from the most important. In fact, they are often considered, by those who survive, to be the most ridiculous. Pass through the childishness of prejudice and prescribed identity and bloom into adulthood. Adulthood is where you have power. Adulthood is where you become yourself.

You can contribute your voice in this effort by visiting It Gets Better

(http://www.itgetsbetter.org).

Are you in a gay or lesbian relationship?

I am a graduate student in clinical psychology and I am studying the relationship between same sex couples and mental and physical health. If you have been in a relationship with your partner for at least 6 months and would like to participate, please contact me. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire that will take approximately 30-45 minutes.

Your participation is greatly appreciated.

To complete the survey go to the following website –

https://alliant.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_bx9PYfgpt6bj7vu

For more information please contact

Mark Kent

mkent@alliant.edu

559-892-5419

I will also be attending the Marriage Equality Fundraising event at the Fresno Express on November 19^th to pass out fliers and invite participation.

Bullying is an issue in our world today, and one group that's been hit hard is made up of lesbian gay transsexual bisexual youth.

There is something we can do. You may have heard of recent deaths in the gay community. It seems that lately, suicides make up a significant number of these deaths. Take the late Jamey Rodemeyer. This young man killed himself on Sept. 18, after years of peers taunting him online with epithets like "I wouldn't care if you died. No one would. So just do it :) It would make everyone WAY more happier!"

While his friends came to his aid on multiple occasions, the bullying eventually prevailed, and Jamey, just 14 years old, committed suicide.

Depressing as the bullying problem may be, we are by no means powerless to help. Local Gay-Straight Alliances and organizations such as Gay Central Valley and It Gets Better offer support as well as opportunities to help stop bullying by spreading awareness, hosting events, and participating in demonstrations.

Whether you are gay or straight, whether you attend school or not, you have the power to prevent future suicides and hatred toward homosexual young adults. Get involved today.

Jonah Ryan Bassman

Fresno

SOURCE - FRESNO BEE OPINION PAGE

TOWER THEATER WEBSITE

I've had the pleasure of interviewing Abby Dees twice before for Gay Fresno and Gay Central Valley. I came across this piece she wrote about the differences in traditional marriage and the trials same sex partners go through. This piece just appeared in South Florida Gay News...

It’s my wedding anniversary today and I’m 6000 miles away from my partner, sitting in an English café.  Being all alone and so far away is making me especially wistful about these last three years since we were legally married in California.

I had to be cajoled into getting married. Not the commitment and love thing – I was clear on that – I balked at marriage itself.  First, I had to tease out my motivations: was it the universal human urge to engage in an ancient rite or was it the sudden excitement around this new opportunity? Even though we got “equal” marriage rights in California, it was still so different for us.

Most straight people will never know what it’s like to have spent their lives being excluded from full marriage, then to have that change instantly one day – and then to learn within days that marriage might be snatched away again if you don’t marry before election day. Oh, this was definitely not like traditional marriage.

READ MORE HERE...

Saturday, November 19th
Imperial Dove Court Presents: Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner & Show

Gay Central Valley's annual HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER is less than a month away. This year's event will once again be at the North Tower Circle on Friday, December 2nd. Doors are at 9PM and the party will to until 2AM.

The North Tower Circle is located at 2777 N Maroa Avenue in Fresno, CA 93704. Phone 559-325-4429. Click above link for a map to the club.

Our theme this year is CHRISTMAS GIFT GIVEAWAY. We will be raffling off several holiday gifts which can start off your holiday shopping season!

There will be a $5 donation at the door which will include 2 FREE raffle tickets. Additional tickets may be purchased for $1 each.

There will be entertainment, games and contests, holiday decor, live DJ and holiday drink specials.

If anyone would like to donate an item to be raffled off, please email Chris Jarvis at chris@gaycentralvalley.org .

We are looking for original items still in the box. Our wish list includes

• Television

• Video Game Console

• DVD Player

• Kitchen Accessories & Small Appliances

• Clothing

• Concert Tickets

• Travel Packages

• DVD's /CD's

• Jewelry

• Gift Cards & Gift Certificates

• and just about anything else you can think of...

All proceeds go to supporting the daily operations of Gay Central Valley and the Fresno LGBT Community Center. Activities at the Center are increasing daily, as we've recently added several groups and meetings to our monthly schedule, including LGBT AA/NA Recovery Meetings, Coming Out Groups, Creative Art Groups, a Transgender Support Group and scheduled free HIV Testing and consultation. Also, in September, in anticipation of providing more to the community, we moved the Community Center to a larger space in the same building, incurring a large increase in our monthly rent and operating budget. Donations, including monthly support can be set up by visiting Gay Central Valley.

Please join us for our annual Holiday Party, and if you or anyone you know is able to donate a raffle item to make the event more successful, again, please contact Chris Jarvis at chris@gaycentralvalley.org or call the Community Center anytime at 559-325-4429.

We look forward to seeing you there!