Kate Bornstein's Blog for Teens, Freaks and Other Outlaws

Wait! Is that a heartbeat I hear in the heartland?

There's free rounds of drinks in all the gay bars in Iowa tonight, you betcha. A court has just overturned the Iowa state law that bans same-sex marriage. No, really. Gay marriage has reared it's gorgeous, legal head in Iowa, the US heartland. I'm positively elated.

I've been a huge fan of the Mid-West LGBTIQQA movement for years. That's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, questioning, and allies. In my campus travels around the US for the past dozen years or so, it's been mostly the red states where I've met and had the privilege of working with the some of the most loving, caring dedicated sex positivists and gender anarchists I've ever met. And I just wanted to say YAY FOR IOWA!!! Thank you for living up to my 50's dream of an America based on fair play.

Gay Pride '07

Greetings from New York City. I'm writing this on Saturday, June 23rd. It's the day before the big Pride parade here. Lots of proud lesbian women, and a whole lot of proud gay men, as well as a healthy sprinkling of proud bisexual folks, and a nice assortment of proud transgender people. A lot of people turn out for Gay Day in New York, and the weather is supposed to be fairy-tale appropriate: sunshine, sunshine, sunshine. I won't be going. I'm proud of a lot of things in my life, but it doesn't seem that I'm proud of what I'm supposed to be proud of.

The Queerest of the Queer—in America's Heartland!

I've just returned from a visit to Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. I was there as part of a trans-awareness weekend, which included an amazing drag show which included participation by one of the fraternities on campus, and and a genderfuck party in the frat house later. I was happy to hang out with a collection of perfectly delightful queers of all genders, sexualities, and persuasions.

Top Row, Left to Right: Kelli, Mercedes, Kate, Haley, Will, Maddie. Front Row, Left to Right: Ellen, Kari (the photographer), Courtney, Rachael

Ugly Ducklings: scary fairy tale with a happy ending

Okay, here are some sobering statistics for ya. They may not be surprising, but the numbers sure scare me.

According to Sexual Information Council of the United States:
41.7% of LGBTQ youth do not feel safe in their school.
28% of queer teens drop out of school annually. That's three times the national average.

And according to 2005 report from Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
95% of school counseling services have few or no gay, lesbian or bisexual resources. And...
99% of school counseling services have little or no transgender resources.

Thank goodness there are national campaigns like Ugly Ducklings, run by Hardy Girls Healthy Women, out there actually doing something about this quiet horror.

Will Bush Go After Ahmadinejad for His Denunciation of Liberal Educators?

It's back to school in Iran, too. But Ahmadinejad is welcoming Iran's students back with a challenge:

"Today, students should shout at the president and ask why liberal and secular university lecturers are present in the universities!"

SEEING THE FOREST For the Trees has an interesting take on this, comparing the fundamentalist Iranian regime with fundamentalist US Republicans. But I think Bush and Company are in a bind. Are they actually going to defend the liberal and secular professors in Iran? Can't wait to see that!