Archive for May, 2007
Thursday, May 31st, 2007
I've changed themes yet again. The rockin' theme of yesterday had badly written, non-XHTML compliant code such that the cache didn't work nor did podpress.
Just because someone writes up the code, then offers a wordpress theme for free doesn't mean it's good....
Those folks who don't start writing XHTML and CSS valid code are already dinosaurs....HTML is dead, or dying, or something.
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, May 30th, 2007
Another podcast, again with Dan Burns, where I discuss Self-Organizing Men's fabulous debut in Sydney, Australia, the imperialism of American English, and a few of the motivations of Homofactus Press [1]. Gaylourdes, SOM contributor and our Australian affliate at HfP, will be playing this podcast at the Melbourne, Australia debut of Self-Organizing Men [2] at Camp Betty [3].
[1] http://www.homofactuspress.com
[2] http://www.selforganizingmen.com
[3] http://www.homofactuspress.com/archives/106
Posted in Self-Organizing Men | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, May 30th, 2007
People often ask me what the title of my book means. Self-organizing derives from the greek term autopoeisis, which literally means to self organize. Rather than bore you with a lengthy written analysis, I created a short podcast with my friend Dan Burns, of the WCBN show Closets are for Clothes, where I explain why I wrote Self-Organizing Men [1] and what, exactly, the title means.
[1] http://www.selforganizingmen.com
Posted in Self-Organizing Men | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 29th, 2007
from Mombian [1]:
You are cordially invited to participate in the second annual Blogging for LGBT Families Day on June 1. I’m especially pleased to announce that the Family Pride Coalition [2] will be sponsoring this year’s event and working in conjunction with us to get the word out and raise visibility for our families.
Last year, over 130 bloggers participated, including lesbian moms, gay dads, adult children of LGBT parents, members of the transgender community, LGBT individuals without children, and straight allies. Countries represented included the United States as well as Australia, Canada, and the UK. Some bloggers told stories about their paths to parenthood, or tales about their children; some wrote about LGBT relatives or friends; others discussed current political events; and several spoke of why their faith obliges them to support LGBT rights. This year’s writings should be equally diverse and compelling.
Here’s how it works:
Blog on a topic related to LGBT families on or before June 1, 2007.
Any blogger who wants to support LGBT families is welcome, LGBT or not, parent or not. I especially encourage those who don’t usually post about LGBT families or LGBT issues, as well as those for whom every day is Blogging for LGBT Families Day.
Leave a comment on this post, or send an e-mail to lgbtfamilies@mombian.com with the permalink to your post. (If you know how, you may also add the tag “blogging for lgbt families day” to your entry.)
I’ll compile the posts and highlight them here on June 1. Come back and read the stories and insights of our community and allies.
In the meantime, please download a banner [3] and promote the event on your site. The more people who participate, the more awareness we can raise.
[1] http://mombian.com/2007/04/16/blogging-for-lgbt-families-2007/
[2] http://www.familypride.org/
[3] http://mombian.com/blogging-for-lgbt-families-day-2007-images/
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, May 29th, 2007
In case you weren't paying attention....sounds kinda like the U.S. relationship with, oh, say, three-quarters of the world!
PINK PANTHERS Portugal
Press release
Anti-gay violence in Moscow , while Socrates was in town
EUROPEAN UNION SILENCES HUMAN RIGHTS FOR THE SAKE OF BUSINESS
The movement Panteras Rosa, Frente de Combate à LesbiGayTransfobia protests against Russian authorities, for the shameful way they acted refusing to intervene both when the Moscow City Council prohibited the LGBT March and when peaceful demonstrators were violently attacked yesterday
However, even more shameful than the impunity of ultra-religious and right-wing people, who attacked this demonstration, is the unbearable silence of the EU, who, in the name of commercial agreements being arranged with Russia , is keeping violations of human rights silent.
The presence and silence of José Sócrates, the Portuguese prime minister, who was in Moscow and is about to take EU presidency, are telling about the double standard of the EU, whose rhetoric seems to be using human rights only when financial interests are not at stake.
In the European Year of Equal Opportunities, widely celebrated by the European governments, the lack of attitude on the part of the Portuguese prime minister is a particularly hypocrite sign which reveals what is about to be the Portuguese Presidency of the EU, in terms of promoting and defending human rights worldwide.
The 27th of May was a day of shame for the Russian authorities. But it was also a day of shame for José Sócrates and for the EU. And we will not forget it.
Panteras Rosa
http://www.panterasrosa.com
www.panterasrosa.blogspot.com
Posted in Features | Comments Off
Tuesday, May 29th, 2007
Instead of a Starbucks coffee or shirt from Target how about supporting a woman of color doing the good work through creating radical media?
From Brownfemipower at Women of Color [1] blog:
Hello Everybody!
As you all may know, Women of Color Blog (brownfemipower.com [2]) is currently directing readers and supporters to the blogs (and pay pal buttons) of some really great feminists of color media makers. These amazing women are raising money so that they can attend the Allied Media Conference being held in Detroit [3] on June 22-24th. While there, they will have the opportunity to participate in the women of color track that is being sponsored by Incite! Women of Color Against Violence. [4]
I strongly encourage you to dig a little into your piggy banks, sofas and sock drawers–cash in your pop bottles, pick up pennies off the sidewalk–and donate it to one of the amazing bloggers on this list. You will be helping to support ground breaking and necessary feminist action–ending violence against women of color and their communities in all it's manifestations through the use of media technology.
To get more information and see a list of the bloggers who are accepting donations, please visit: http://brownfemipower.com/?p=1440 [5].
And be sure to repost this notice at your own blog, post a bulletin on MySpace, share the link on Facebook, and email it to your contacts.
[1] http://www.brownfemipower.com
[2] http://brownfemipower.com/
[3] http://alliedmediaconference.org/
[4] http://www.incite-national.org/
[5] http://brownfemipower.com/?p=1440
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007
I deplore censorship, regardless of whether or not I agree with what is being said. And that includes the most heinous transphobic comments.
So I now have yet another reason to not bother to read Daily Kos. Via takingplace [1]:
A disturbing post by Haitham of Sabbah’s Blog [2]on the banning and censoring of Pro Palestinian bloggers, including himself [3], on the Daily Kos.
Yesterday, which marked the celebration of the Nakba, Daily Kos blew the last bridge it had with the Palestinian voices. Midday GMT, the news started coming. They first banned Umkahlil, later on they banned me, and last but not least, they banned Anna Baltzer. Why? Nobody knows. No reason is given. No warning or any notice from the ‘busy’ Kos administrators to let any of us know the circumstances under which the decision was taken and what valid reasons they gave for throwing these poisoned donuts at us. All that we heard from unofficial sources: we are associates of Shergald, again!
It is sad to believe that Daily Kos administration based its decision on such meaningless illusions. It would not have taken them more than a minute to check the history of each of us and see that we all are established pro Palestine peace activists, just by looking at our blogs and websites. We don’t have to have any association with anyone, not even with other banned Kos members or other groups that might also talk about the plight of Palestinians. Our blogs and our work, online and offline, have their own merits and stands on its own. I do not deny knowing Shergald, in fact I’m proud to know a tough fighter like him, but he is not the reason why I started posting on Daily Kos. The main reason is the same reason I write here in my blog, which all of you know is about presenting the truth about Palestine historically and about the daily catastrophes that result from the criminal occupation of the Zionists of my homeland. I never hid my objectives, which are to bring justice to everyone in this conflict, including Israelis.
Please read this post and if you support the banned bloggers then link to Haitham’s post and spread the word about the Daily “censor” Kos.
[1] http://takingplace.org/2007/05/17/the-daily-censor-at-the-daily-kos/
[2] http://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2007/05/16/daily-kos-quote-iof-you-are-peace-maker-quote-palestinian-you-are-a-terrorist/
[3] http://sabbah.dailykos.com/
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, May 21st, 2007
[1]Doing my part to uphold the binary gender system!
[Note: Panel 1 and Panel 2 are meant to go together. In order ;-P]
[Update May 21, 2007: I will be reposting all my cartoons so that I can update them to reflect the reading habits of people with visual impairments or learning disabilities that require them to use a screen reader. I'm also updating the cartoons to allow readers who primarily read in any language other than English to use the Tarzana translation plugin.]
Panel 1.
[2]
[In Panel 1 the first frame is titled "Jay in the World" and depicts a stick figure drawn using the letters from the word privilege. An arrow points to the figure and the text reads, "Jay in the world." Jay says, "Women dig me! Me! Me! Me! It's all about me! I'm a victim too you know? Past as a woman?!? What past? Women are weird! White dudes rock!" An arrow points to the stick figure's crotch with text that reads "Big Package Here." In the next frame the title reads "An SUV flattens our hero" and Jay is underneath a tire with the word "SPLAT" written in big red letters."]
Panel 2.
[3]
[Panel 2 is one frame. The title reads "The EMTs arrive." (Emergency Medical Technicians). The first EMT is a stick figure with a blue triangular body and he says, "Dude this is a woman!" The second EMT, also with a triangular body, says, "Yeah, let's go get some donuts!" Jay lays on the ground with xs for eyes and his tongue hanging out and a solid red face. Arrows point to three places. The text at the end of the arrows reads: "Jay's privilege? Choose your favorite orifice!"]
[This image is free. Have fun pissing off the world!]
[1] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/jay-in-the-world.GIF
[2] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/jay-in-the-world.GIF
[3] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/jay-screwed.GIF
Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
Wednesday, May 16th, 2007
She's very fierce, I think, in this Newsweek [1] interview
There's no sound-bite compact enough to cover this subject. I wish it could be boxed up and passed out in pretty packages, but it can't be. It's not just that it's a multilayered subject, but it's also different for every person like me. It's hard because I'm using my fame, and exploiting it, but in a positive way to do something beneficial as opposed to catastrophic—which is what we're constantly doing to ourselves as a group. I'll say it a million times—my documentary is a vain pursuit, and I can see why a lot of people could say gays are narcissistic, but it is just as important. Until all of us can feel we can walk down the street without ridicule, none of us really will ever be safe from Hitler's Gestapo.
My favorite comment:
There are a lot of people who are attracted to people like myself because they like boobs and a penis, and let's just be honest about that. They like she-males.
[1] http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18615747/site/newsweek/
Posted in Transphobia | 4 Comments »
Tuesday, May 15th, 2007
[1]
[This cartoon is free. See licensing use in the "About Cartoons" section below.]
You know George Bush is gonna call him a hero. (Thanks to Megs for the inspiration on this one!)
[For the blind readers: The image is of a scary looking red monster baring its teeth shouting "War isn't Terror! Tinkie Winkie is Terror!"]
[1] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/twinkie-winkie-is-terror.JPG
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 15th, 2007
I received an email last week letting me know that Mark Karbusicky [1], Mirha-Soleil Ross' boyfriend of ten years took his own life two weeks ago.
I met Mark about seven years or so ago, when my film Phallocy screened at the Toronto Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. He and Mirha were very supportive, and in the ensuing years, Mirha and I (and sometimes Mark) have run into each other in Chicago or Toronto. Mirha is a fierce transsexual activist, great artist and a laugh-out-loud funny woman.
My heartfelt condolences go out to Mirha and their friends and family.
Mirha has started a blog called Suicide Widows [2], using her email exchanges with Aimee Finley, whose lover of almost six years, transsexual artist Liam Hustins committed suicide about two and half years ago, to illuminate the process of grieving and solidarity for the widows of suicide.
Both Mirha and Aimee speak of the sense of worthlessness their lovers felt. As someone who has lived with some very bleak times, that bleakness is inextricably linked to feeling like the biggest piece of worthless tripe of the face of the earth. I still vividly recall one afternoon when I had really wanted to commit suicide but I simply had no energy to get up from my chair. Sloth became a virtue for me that day.
Suicide happens in our trannie/queer communities too often. Marcelle Cook-Daniels [3] died as a result of suicide in 2000. There are others, I'm sure, that I do not know about. Please feel free to leave their names in the comments section of this post. Every one is a fallen warrior.
To attempt to live your life with dignity as an out queer and/or trans/sexual person can some days require every muscle in your heart and body to simply leave the house. The whys of suicide are complicated. What I have learned for myself is to try never to listen to those voices in my head that tell me I am worthless. They don't have my best interests at heart.
For me, Mark's death is a call to be a better friend and more present human being with the people I love. What we want more than anything in this lifetime is to be seen and heard and understand exactly as we are, with no efforts to fix us. Loving is that simple.
To Mirha and Mark and Aimee and Liam and Marcelle and every one touched by suicide, I bow to you.
Namaste.
[1] http://lagalipote.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/viewing-and-memorial-for-mark-karbusicky-forward-widely/
[2] http://mypebbleboy.wordpress.com/suicide-widows/
[3] http://femmenoir.net/2007/01/10/marcelle-cook-daniels/
Posted in Queer | 4 Comments »
Friday, May 11th, 2007
[1]
[Click on image to enlarge, etc. For licensing rights, please read "About the Cartoons" below.]
[Note to visually impaired readers: There are three abstracts images surrounding text that reads "There are no rules that say you have to follow the rules." The abstract images are colored in various greys with a pinkish-grey overtone to the entire cartoon. One abstract image looks like a celtic cross with the upper cross connected to two small ellipses and the larger cross connected to two larger ellipses. The other two abstract images are simple line drawings in which I draw my pen around and around attempting to form a maze or labryinth. Then I colored each image in a grey tone. Some areas became grey and others remained white.]
[1] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/no-rules.jpg
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Friday, May 11th, 2007
I received an email asking for a small donation to support Out in Vermont, the recently demised independent LGBTQ newspaper of Vermont.
Running a truly independent newspaper is no small feat, given the same-ification of queer media. (We're all thin! We're all white! We're not disabled!) Please consider giving what you can.
I will be donating some of my cartoons.
Yours in the work.
_____________________________
Dear friends of Mountain Pride Media,
Today, MPM Board members launched the Phoenix Campaign.
http://www.mountainpridemedia.org/images/PhoenixCampaign.pdf [1]
Since January, we've been gathering feedback from the Vermont GLBTQ community. What you've told us, loud and clear, is that you want Out in the Mountains back and you even want more ways to connect to individuals and organizations within our community. This is our response.
We have the plan, we have the vision, and we have the volunteers. Now we need the resources and the support of the community.
Our goal is to raise $6950. That amount is broken into two stages. The first will give our community a statewide, interactive calendar, a resource database (for non-profits, social groups, human services, etc.), and advertising modules to ensure this initiative is sustainable. The second stage brings our beloved Out in the Mountains back to life, which is exactly why we're calling it the Phoenix Campaign.
MPM Board members will not sign off on any new initiatives until we have the financial support of the community. This means that your contributions are a direct vote for the type of media vehicles you want available for all GLBTQ Vermonters.
I'm writing this e-mail with the emotions of the last several months welling up inside of me. The paper wasn't sustainable with the model wewere using. We've learned some extremely valuable lessons through that experience and we were just as saddened and disappointed as many of you were. But now...now is a new opportunity.
We know we can make this work. And our volunteers and fresh faces are stepping up to the plate to continue our 21+ year
legacy into a new arena. I personally invite you to join us in this effort. Please consider donating today.
Every dollar you donate helps our community reconnect.
Michelle Barber
President
Mountain Pride Media Board of Directors
http://www.mountainpridemedia.org/images/PhoenixCampaign.pdf [1]
Mountain Pride Media exists to develop and strengthen the community of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning (GLBTQ) Vermonters, through the development and maintenance of communication vehicles.
[1] http://www.mountainpridemedia.org/images/PhoenixCampaign.pdf
[2] http://www.mountainpridemedia.org/images/PhoenixCampaign.pdf
Posted in Queer | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 9th, 2007
[1]
[Click on the image to enlarge, etc. Read About the Cartoons for more info.]
[The cartoon character says "I love it when it's all about me.]
A local pal of mine has started a new online queer zine. The first issue is awesome.
Of course, I'm interviewed (shameless self-promotion) here [2].
[1] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/all-about-me.jpg
[2] http://queerzinelit.com/manifestos/self-organizing_men_challen.html
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, May 9th, 2007
Please spread far and wide! (Disclaimer: I have a stake in Homofactus Pres [1]s.)
We've had a dynamic year (yes, it has been more than one year since we started Homofactus Press) and want to add some people to our team.
We're looking to add a graphic designer with expertise in book design and cover layout. This person will be brought on as a long-term partner, with a percentage of sales of all books they work on as part of their partnership agreement. We cannot pay cash upfront. So this person must be comfortable making an investment in what will turn out to be a very lucrative future.
If you are interested or know who is,please send an email to design@homofactuspress.com the following:
a statement of purpose (i.e why do you design, why do you love books, why you want to join our partnership)
style of work (last-minute, six months out, etc.)
design portfolio
Students and newcomers to the field welcome!
We are ALSO looking for folks with great voices to record our "books on mp3s." British, Canadian and Australian voices especially encouraged as we have some pieces by writers from these countries. Of course, U.S. voices, too. "Male" and "female" voices welcome. These recordings will be paid on a project-by-project basis. People interested in this work must have access to a computer, a microphone, and either Audacity or Garageband. We cannot provide you any equipment, unless you live in our area.
If so, we can help!
If you are interested in this line of work or know someone who is, please email audiobooks at homofactuspress dot com with an mp3 recording of your voice.
If you any questions, please email us at publisher at homofactuspress dot com.
Thank you!
Jay, Ms. H. and vegankid
[1] http://www.homofactuspress.com
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
