Martina – My Hero
I just read a great interview with Martina Navratilova in which she speaks about human rights for LGBT people around the globe.
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In addition to being a powerful advocate for domestic LGBT rights, Martina speaks with some authority on international issues as an asylee herself. Of course, when Navratilova requested asylum, in 1983, not only was sexual orientation not yet a recognized ground under which to apply for asylum, an applicant for any immigration benefit could be denied status here simply for disclosing that he or she was gay or lesbian.
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In the interview, Martina rightly points out that while we continue to struggle for full equality in the United States, in other parts of the world, people’s lives and freedom are in jeopardy on a daily basis simply because of who they are.
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Although she says that she’s not sure how to support LGBT people living in dangerous countries, one good way (in my humble opinion) is to support organizations like Immigration Equality which help to win lasting freedom for LGBT asylum seekers every day.
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Martina suggests that one of the best ways to promote LGBT freedom around the world is for each of us to be honest and out in our every day lives. Thanks to the work of Immigration Equality, and our Pro Bono Partners and supporters, LGBT immigrants in the US can be open about who they are without fearing imprisonment or death.
Hypothetically does anyone know how long it will take if things go well and we can pass UAFA! How long by estimate will it take for the bill to become law. 1 year, 2 years, 3 years? I would appreciate if someone who knows about this stuff would give me a guesstimate.
Thank you,
Michael
Comment by Michael — November 5, 2008 @ 11:21 am
Michael that is the million dollar question. It has been a long battle. I am hopeful UAFA will pass under President Obama. We need to rally and get things moving. I miss the one I love!
Comment by SeaMex — November 5, 2008 @ 5:34 pm
SeaMex hold on we finally are at the starting gate with a Democratic President, majority in the house and senate we can do this now. I was part of a great documentary called “Love Exiles” and one of the participants got the chance to meet Barack Obama and he is aware of our fight. I know he will live up to his promise and get this bill passed. I know it’s hard and you miss your love, but please hang in there a little longer.
All My Best!
Comment by Michael — November 5, 2008 @ 11:53 pm
Just my thoughts on the California ban:
Gay marriage.
Vote yes to ban.
Because, gasp, gay marriage might be taught to young children in school.
Or worse yet, maybe homosexuality will become a contagious disease.
Maybe little boys will come home wanting to bump other little boys,
and little girls might turn into roaring dykes.
Or wait, maybe homosexuals will even contaminate the water we drink,
and we will all go straight to hell.
Yeah, straight to hell we will go if we even look at them.
So what are we going to do to protect our children?
To protect ourselves?
Let’s just kill them.
All of them.
They’re just a nuisance anyway,
like fruit flies you think you’ve squashed
but who miraculously seem to pop up again elsewhere.
Yeah, let’s vote against gay marriage.
Let’s make sure that they bleed financially because they can’t file joint taxes.
Let’s rip their hearts out by not allowing bi-national couples to bring their loved ones legally into the country.
Let’s line them up on a firing range of hate ads even though they’ve done nothing but be born gay. Hatred is godly, and god will be proud of us.
Let’s suffocate them with contradictions, by saying yes they should absolutely enjoy the same rights, but no we’re not going to grant them.
Let’s even stab them in the back when they vote to help us minorities, us majorities;
when en masse they pour their blood, sweat and tears into the Obama campaign,
so that we may have a black president,
so that minorities can finally have the same opportunities and rights as the majority,
and so the majority can shed its guilt for having racially oppressed the minority.
Let’s celebrate our victory.
But wait, someone’s missing from our party?
Oh yes, the fruit flies.
…we don’t see them anymore.
Praise the Lord!
Praise Jesus!
Hail Mary!
We’ve bled and suffocated them, ripped out their hearts, and made sure they never rise again by stabbing them in the back.
We’ve killed them!
Hatred and fear is buying us our ticket to heaven.
But wait…
hold on…
what is going to keep us unified now that the object of our hatred is gone?
Who are we going to hate?
Not each other?
No, don’t say it,
no,
no,
no!!!
Comment by sudafrikk — November 6, 2008 @ 9:26 am
im hoping the above post was ironic…. but otherwise praise the lord, and hail mary while you are on this earth sudafrikk, because no god who gave his only son for his love of man, would praise you for a blatent display of hatred. i pity you for feeling so strongly about something you have so little influence over.
our love is real, our people are strong and your words hurt only you. your rage and words will only turn inside you, and cause you the pain of futile anger.
i would wish you peace, but i doubt someone so consummed by fear will ever get it….
signed
a roaring and proud dyke.
Comment by emma_the_brit — November 19, 2008 @ 5:24 pm