Category: Uncategorized

OUT/ABY

Ben and I are starting a new adventure with a group called “Out in Albany.”

Out in Albany is a social group for the LGBT+ community in Georgia’s “Good Life City.” We help build new relationships by promoting safe spaces and connecting people with each other and equality-minded resources.

Facebook page

Private Meetup group

The purpose of this group is to organize opportunities to meet up with other members of the Albany LGBT+ community in safe, supportive, welcoming places. We will meet in restaurants, coffee shops, or anywhere else where the owners and mangers have committed to ensuring a safe space for everyone. We will also have outings to visit and attend LGBT+ events across South Georgia to help people find more opportunities to connect with other people and resources.

This page is private on purpose–not everyone who is interested in attending our events is interested in making that known to anyone who visits an event page. We also maintain a Facebook page that lists the same events as the Meetup page as well as links to other resources and businesses who have expressed support.

Facebook and politics

I have been talking (ranting) a bit lately about my disdain for political candidates and their supporters who would reduce LGBT equality to a political issue that can be debated. After observing emotions beginning to run high, a friend posted a link to my Facebook wall to an article in the New York Times about emotions running high when discussing politics online. Here’s my response:

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National Coming Out Day

My big coming out was at the Pentagon last June at the first official LGBT Pride Month event. You can check out the video at C-SPAN (my part begins at 36:20). Still, on this day, I thought I would take a minute to express my pride in those fellow service members–both LGBT and our straight allies–who express their support for equality.

I will also take a brief moment to encourage those who are on the fence to come out. It’s a personal decision, to be sure, but it’s a decision that is based on integrity rather than fear. Coming out is not only personally liberating, but it’s an inspiration to those around you who need to know that we’re here, in every community, in every family, and deserve exactly the same rights to live our lives and pursue our dreams.

A Lecture on DADT

I recently gave a lecture at San Diego State University with my good friend Kristen Kavanaugh, a fellow Marine and former captain, and one of the founders of the Military Acceptance Project. The lecture was the first of their FLUID Lecture Series, which is a public lecture series focusing on the diversity of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Intersex Queer and Ally community.

On comments

I am completely overwhelmed by the response the posts about the Birthday Ball have gotten. I want you all to know how much I truly appreciate the kind words and support you have shown Brandon and me. I wish I had time to reply to each of you, but I just can’t keep up. You should at least know that I have read every single comment and reply and I’ve shared them with Brandon, too. I love very much that you’re posting your words for me and everyone else to see.

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Rambling

It’s been a while since I’ve written. Maybe it’s because I don’t have anything to say. Or perhaps it’s because I haven’t had time. Or perhaps it’s another reason altogether.

I’m visiting Chicago this week. After months of non-stop work, I finally got a break and wanted nothing more than to visit my family and my dog. Everything is more or less as I left it, as I suppose would be expected. It’s comforting to know that when everything is going crazy, whether good or bad, some things are always there.

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Motivation

As I sit here in my room on a Saturday morning, I think about all the things I can do to get my life in order. I need to wash my car, I need to get it fixed. I need to clean the room. I need to do laundry. I need to do some homework, and some work I brought home from work. I need to go to the gym, and I need to get some running in. But all I really want to do is sit here. I can’t help but wonder why.

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