sundries

[rm]

The couple imprisoned in Malawi for 14 years for being gay have been pardoned by Malawi's president. But I want to make one thing very clear Monjeza and Chimbalanga, while certainly members of the LGBT community, are not a same-sex couple. Chimbalanga identifies as a woman and it has been an act of trans erasure by the western press, and, sadly, many parts of the gay community, to insist on making this case about the equal marriage rights battle in the US. Chimbalanga and Monjeza are expected to be released from prison on Monday. May they be happy and safe.

Operation Write Home is a collection of cardmakers who make handmade greeting cards and send them, along with notes of encouragement and thanks, to deployed service members. There aren't any Hallmark stores in the deserts of Afghanistan. via kathrynrose

Update on the female marines trying to connect to the women of Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, some self-described "libertarian and anti-feminist blogger" has a bizarre and APPALLING screed on how rape is the reasonable, justifiable and obvious way for men to achieve equality with those thieving women demanding their rights. pecunium has a write up.

The challenge of cooking out in the city.

If I hang out with you in RL and you are going to the vintage beach picnic tomorrow, get in touch. I've just been to Costco and there will be big cooking tonight. If you want to pitch in with a few bucks or other goodies, we are willing to include you in our food plans.. I've just found out we're not allowed to bring our own food and drinks, and because of my celiac disease I can't eat anything on the menu. I've left a comment about my frustration on the event's facebook page and Patty and I are currently planning a plan B. If you're interested, let us know.

DanceAfrica, what we went to at BAM last night, was THE BEST THING EVER and since it happens in many cities around the country, if you have a chance, you should go. We are so totally going every year now. Also, all the tributes to our ancestors stuff was seriously on point to my current work and was a huge bonus.

Like many of you who are about my age and remember Gary Coleman as someone other than a punchline, I find myself surprised at how sad I am at this passing.

I have just heard about Dennis Hopper's passing, and am gutted.

The BP oil spill terrifies me. I fear we won't be able to stop it. Ever. That it will keep going for however long it takes for all the oil to come out. That this is how it happens, how the earth winds up looking like every post-apocalyptic story or movie that I love(d). Even if we do stop it, I think this much is true: there is no going back from here.

Today I got mistaken for an alcoholic because someone on the street mistook the mini hand sanitizer bottle half sticking out of my pocket for booze.

Comments

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the heads-up on the Malawi couple - I did NOT know one of them identifies as a woman.

They seriously need to get out of Malawi. Yes, Malawi needs to change its laws and attitudes, but in the meantime these people are not safe there.

[weirdquark]

Thanks so much for the heads-up on the Malawi couple - I did NOT know one of them identifies as a woman.

Ditto. I wonder how much of the coverage is/was purposeful trans erasure and how much was people not doing enough research.

Because I can see some people saying that it's a same-sex marriage issue because the law says that same-sex relationships are illegal, and since the law does not recognize that Chimbalanga identifies as a woman, as far as the law is concerned, they're both men. And while it's true that the illegality of same-sex relationships is a problem that needs to be dealt with, it ignores the problem of people not recognizing Chimbalanga identifying as a woman. Possibly the trans erasure comes from people feeling that the trans issues would distract from the same-sex relationship issues. Which, whether or not that [people being distracted] is actually true, is a third problem.

I can also see first reports not recognizing Chimbalanga as a woman, referring to Monjeza and Chimbalanga as a same-sex couple, and then further reports just going with it because the journalists aren't talking to Monjeza and Chimbalanga or anyone who knows them for some reason, and so they don't know that there are trans issues involved.