sundries

[rm]

Good morning. Four hours of sleep. Did I really do this every day for a year? On one hand, I don't feel so bad. On the other, I think being the best me I can be involves at least six a night. Wow, this is crap.

Moving along. Last night was the opening party for the New York Musical Theater Festival which is what all of those 2am thinky thoughts were about. I probably have buckets of more thoughts honestly, but feel, irritatingly, the need to spare you (or my dignity). Also apparently Catherine Martin and John O'Connell were there, but didn't put in public appearances that I noticed, alas (understandable for a number of reasons, but I'm a big fan of their various work too, particularly Martin's, so cue minor *sadface*). But! What I really _have_ to tell you about is this amazing musical performance we were treated to of this ridiculous song about how you can't sing opera if you're a country star. It was above and beyond, but I need to wait until I can do it justice.

redstapler and I are currently having the most hilarious, least appropriate conversation in EVER. And it's all because she just texted my phone with "Waffle House."

Hey, Austin people, check in. Also does anyone have any current reliable news from UT? First I heard there was one gunman who shot himself and no one else. Then I heard there was a second, then a third, and then that the third wasn't real. So, take a moment to say hello people and give us the news.

I am a not a guest of the Duane Reade, nor is eating my dinner a job. I am old fashioned about service and feel really strongly about these. Marketing is a gorgeous art, so's service. But man, it's crap when the two meet.

The clean-up crews for New York's tornadoes aren't local, so getting to come here for this type of job is a bit novel.

Anti-gay bullying claims another life.

A Minnesota school district that has had four recent suicides due to anti-gay bullying is being challenged on its "neutral stance" on queer issues and being urged to protect its students, thus far to no avail. Thanks to pgdudda for the link.

I want to take a second to note here, that if I were able to find every instance of a young person who killed themselves each day because they are queer or because they've been bullied for being perceived as queer, there would be No Room For Any Other Content On This Journal.

This is not a new rash of suicide amongst gay youth. Rather, statistics show that gay teens attempt suicide at at least four times the rate of their straight peers. And that doesn't even take into account those kids who are targeted with anti-queer slurs who may not have any queer identity.

The cruelty which we too often ignore, tolerate and encourage in our youth, that we say is just a part of growing up, is killing kids EVERY DAY in and adjacent to our communities.

An 11-year-old male cheerleader has been beaten up by bullies and had his arm broken. Yup, you guessed it, more anti-gay bullying. He doesn't plan to give up cheerleading, though. He also has his mom's support and the football team did send him a card.

Student body vote for a homecoming king is overruled by school administration because winner is trans.

For the first time, the portion of adults 25 - 34 who have never been married exceeds that that have.

Comments

[airspaniel.livejournal.com]

I can't get what I want to say to phrase itself in a manner that isn't insulting to someone, so suffice it to say that my dad was a cheerleader in high school, and that whole article just makes me ill.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

From UT's emergency alert -
September 28, 2010 at 10:22 am

The university is closed.

A suspected shooter in PCL library is dead. Law enforcement are searching for a second suspect. If you are off campus, STAY AWAY. If you are on campus, lock doors, do not leave your building. All organized classes for today, September 28, are canceled.

There's a lot of talk about a second suspect and they are shutting down chunks of central austin.

[introductory.livejournal.com]

I move to UT and this is what happens.

First gunman dead in library. Second suspect (possibly armed, probably not) still on the loose. Currently flushing out the library and surrounding buildings to try to find him. Third suspect unconfirmed -- got a text from my housemate that a student in her class was told about a third suspect.

[introductory.livejournal.com]

Mostly I'm just confused as to how an AK-47 GOT THROUGH THE LIBRARY METAL DETECTORS considering a library book can't.

[introductory.livejournal.com]

Now they're reporting the shots (described as "burst of fire," about 10 rounds) may have not been fired in the library after all but in Jester, the residence across the street. No one knows for sure.

Actually, it doesn't seem like anyone knows much at all.

[lokiale (from livejournal.com)]

If it lets you feel any better UT is usually a pretty safe school. Also it seems like no one was hurt besides the gunman. Hope that your time in Austin is much less scary from here on out.

[introductory.livejournal.com]

rm, sorry for spamming your inbox and your post. I just wanted to add that I've been updating about the UT Austin situation in real time here. So far it seems like the whole thing is winding down due to lack of information, but something might come up.

[cozzene.livejournal.com]

Austin: I have a friend who's friend lives just off campus. Police swarming area and advising people to stay inside locked homes.

Houston: cy-fair school district is so bad that my father moved so I didn't have to go there senior year. If I had he was considering letting me carry a .22 concealed. Seriously evil place.

From Austin

[lokiale (from livejournal.com)]

The school is closed for the day by order of the president of UT. The school is still in lockdown last I heard and they're constantly advising people to stay off campus if they haven't gone yet. They sent in a SWAT team after the second gunman and it seems like even though shots were fired the first gunman didn't hit anyone but was taken down non-lethally and proceeded to shoot himself.
Twitter and facebook beat news stations, CNN, official emails and texts by anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour which is unacceptable in a situation like this but at least kids had a way of finding out to stay home instead of none at all.
That's all I got. I'm a junior at UT, by the way.

[tommx.livejournal.com]

Did you see this story?

http://www.queerty.com/oakleigh-marshall-cant-be-homecoming-king-because-he-was-born-a-woman-20100928/

Thought it would be something you'd want to know about.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Ah yeah, saw that yesterday, but it's kinda been a 24 hours. Just added it. Thanks!

[adelheid-p.livejournal.com]

I have a friend who is going to live in Austin but not to attend UT. She leaves this coming weekend. I'm glad she isn't there now, though. My thoughts are with those affected by this.

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

I found this link running down the UT situation.

I apologize for the inappropriate humor (or, you know, my stock and trade), but there's a line in it that said, "Gunman could possibly be wearing a tuxido[sic]. Unconfirmed."

I...what?

I'm also about as far away from the main campus as a person can be and still technically be in Austin, so I'm safe.

Though, as mentioned on FB/Twitter, my office building is a UT building, and we have pretty heavy security anyway. And also some Army and NASA offices.

I feel safe as houses.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Well, I know you're all right because you've been cracking me up SO HARD. Oh wait, bad choice of words there.

ANYWAY....

Thank you for the news source.

Lovely Tuesday, isn't it?

[yarram.livejournal.com]

I'll be posting this in my LJ shortly, but wanted to add it to the conversation here, because you've linked to news on the inciting events before, and you're posting related stuff in this entry: people are calling the Anoka-Hennepin School District (MN) on the BS that is their harmful and silencing "neutral stance" wrt queer issues (http://www.startribune.com/local/north/103902163.html?elr=KArks:DCiUHc3E7_V_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr). You'd think 4 suicides directly linked to anti-glbt bullying in its schools would be a fucking clue, but apparently the school district's administration doesn't think so.

[rm.livejournal.com]

THank you. I'm going to add the link and a bit of a thing.

[myrrhmade.livejournal.com]

Fucking hell. Thanks for these links, I'm going to repost some of them. Ugh.

[kallaneboi.livejournal.com]

UT issued the all clear, from what I can gather from news sources. I'm not actually in Austin, though, so there may still be stuff going on.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100928/ap_on_re_us/us_ut_gunman

A link

[billijean.livejournal.com]

Canada’s prostitution laws unconstitutional, court rules . . here: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/867332--canada-s-prostitution-laws-unconstitutional-court-rules?bn=1

"lawyers for Ontario’s attorney general suggested there are already measures that women on the streets can employ to ensure safer working conditions, including simply warning each other about customers with a propensity for violence." wtf?

Also.. haircut tomorrow. :(

Re: A link

[rm.livejournal.com]

Ooo, thank you. I'll link tomorrow.


How's he holding up about the hair?

[idiomagic.livejournal.com]

Here in Austin...nothing new to report, no one dead except the gunman.

And on the subject of awkward and inappropriate references...my friend was wondering why the gunman decided to go to the library for all this.
My immediate response? "He was probably looking for a copy of Catcher in the Rye."

[threewalls]

statistics show that gay teens attempt suicide at at least [***] times the rate of their straight peers

I think there is a crucial word missing here.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thanks, fixed. It's "four," sadly.

[firefly124.livejournal.com]

The cruelty which we too often ignore, tolerate and encourage in our youth, that we say is just a part of growing up, is killing kids EVERY DAY in and adjacent to our communities.

Thank you for those links. Each of those stories is just so damned heartbreaking and so, so necessary to be told.

In return, I offer what must unfortunately be an extremely vague positive on the front of school response to anti-LGBT bullying. Which is that just today I got to see a very strong response by a school such that not only are the bullies being held accountable, but the school is actively working to make sure the bullied student experiences school as a safe place to learn. It's one case versus far, far too many where nobody steps up or even speaks up, but I found it encouraging nonetheless. Now to get more schools to recognize the importance of making sure they are safe environments for everyone to learn, and to make sure that's true before someone is hurt or driven to suicide.

[zare-k.livejournal.com]

I can't #*$&*@!-ing stand being asked if I'm "still working on" my plate at a restaurant, and wish I knew who first coined the phrase so I could whallop them soundly with a trout.
Unfortunately I now hear it all the time, including at independent restaurants, so it's obviously been picked up as a polite thing to say and so I suppose there isn't much to be done about it.

[sanat.livejournal.com]

Found via Kate Bornstein on Twitter: a young transperson is selling art in exchange for money for top surgery.

Link if you so desire - http://noshirtnoproblem.chipin.com/ashs-top-surgery-fund

[rm.livejournal.com]

Will boost in the morning. Thanks!