New MMCC interior

I'll bet no one has seen Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Church interior lately. I hadn't been to church since my operation and a few weeks ago I started coming and I notice quite a change inside. The old hard pews were gone and replaced by nice comfortable padded chairs. The old dark interior is no longer, in place all around the sanctuary is a sandy blond baseboard and molding and the rest of the walls are a nice white texture. No more raised podium to stumble on to or off of. Gone also are the green curtains replaced instead with white sheer curtains allowing the light from outside. Lots more room and a whole lot more comfortable. Come and join us on Sunday, I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised.

Did you know that the LGBT Center is moving?

Have you heard the LGBT center is moving?

I am sorry but I have a big problem with that. Actually I have several problems with it. First of all they are moving into an office building across the street from MSOE, 1000 N. Water St. with its attendant parking garage which I am afraid to say does not comply with accommodations for people who are disabled. Not only that but the parking lot east of the building cannot be used for parking because it is part of the Milwaukee school of engineering and they don't allow anyone to park there unless you are a student and have a valid MS O E. parking permit which I am sure none of us will be able to get. I spoke with Patrick Price and Maggie Cage on the telephone and he/she indicated that the first floor was going to be used for for LGB T. group's and project Q. the second floor which he indicated contains the mezzanine will be used by the Galano Club. And from what I can see looking at Google maps using their street view that the third floor will be used for offices for those running it the LGB T. Center.

One of my biggest problems number one is where the building is located, right smack dab in the middle of the entertainment district. You know the area where the performing arts Center is located and about 20 bars frequented by college types Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Needless to say parking is still a premium. Metered parking is available on the street and at night for free if you can find a parking place. And they indicated that they had negotiated parking spaces with a nearby condominium development. Unfortunately these parking spaces do not comply with the Americans with disabilities act because there are no parking places within a reasonable distance of the entrance to the new center. Once again this building is also on a slight decline, or incline whichever you prefer making it difficult for anyone in a wheelchair to access the front door of the building. The bottom casement of the front door is not even with the cement sidewalk and therefore making it difficult for someone in a wheelchair to enter the building.

Unless you are part of the aging LGB T. community these inconsistencies become a very big problem when it is very difficult for you to negotiate, walk or use a wheelchair to get around. As far as I can see there are no disabled parking spaces nearby. There are also no buses within a reasonable distance of this new center. For this reason many of us will probably never visit the new center. Now if you would like to take the two-hour hardhat tour of the building in June, please be my guest. Anyway I would strongly suggest that anyone should check this out and let our leaders know what you think. Now I know one of the arguments they are going to make is that they want to be accessible to the kids who use project Q., but I ask you how many of these kids will live close to the LGB T. Center? Inquiring minds would like to know. Maybe it's time that we form our own LGB T. Tea Party. Just a thought.

The superficiality of the gay community

The superficiality of the gay community

I think one of the things I would like to cover today concerns the superficiality of the gay community in southeastern Wisconsin. As a person way beyond the age of 30 I see our obsession with youth, our obsession with clothing or glamour as the case may be and our penchant for entertainment. Yes we do have an LGB T. community center which houses project Q for our young people and other programs dealing with sexually-transmitted diseases and wellness. But most of the rest caters to business.

What I don't see any type of activity concerning those of us who of lost our jobs or any type of committee or organization geared to helping them get back into the workplace.
A RCW has a food pantry for those suffering with AIDS and HIV yet we only list tons of non-gay organizations that may or may not be gay friendly. My question is why haven't we started our own food pantry for people in the LGB T. community? Why haven't we started some kind of organization or group that can help those out of work find work in a gay friendly environment?

For years we have had more than one gay newspaper, for one reason or another, either from financial difficulties, mismanagement, competition or just plain all around general infighting many of these papers ceased to exist. First gay magazine I can remember was the Instep which was run by Ron Geiman and later sold to Bill Atwell and later taken over by Kate Sherry. The other a long-running newspaper was to Wisconsin Light run by the late Terry Boughner and Jerry Johnson. Unfortunately many gay publications are run on a shoestring with the cost of printing and distribution steadily rising along with the lack of advertising revenue from within and without our own community is a contributing factor in the demise of many of these publications. Another publication was the Quest magazine put out by Za. Almost of I should know that they history of the instep went through multiple publishers until its ultimate demise this last year. And of course let us not forget the infamous catalyst committee wanted to put news articles in the Shepherd express. And I totally believe that their actions resulted in the demise of the Qlife magazine, that and the lack of advertising revenue and support from our gay and gay supportive businesses.

Now I am one investigative reporter who absolutely refuses to sugarcoat the news. I am not looking for the bad things however I do believe we should get the news as it happens in an unbiased manner, if that is all possible. Cute columns like ask uncle Barbie and the latest gossip on the bar scene is all well and good. After all bar rag's serve their purpose as to gossip columns but I think what we really need is hard-hitting news about the things that are happening in our community. I guess I'm just plain sick and tired of reading about lady ga ga’s latest shenanigans at pridefest or wherever. Whether we going to wake up and smell the coffee?

Pride month humbug

I really don't know what all of hullabaloo is all about concerning pride. I guess I have to quote a passage from a book by Darren Main called hearts and minds. "There is an axiom that only a fool is proud of what he can't help being. I was lucky to have been born gay, but that evokes a sense of gratitude, not pride. For me, pride is the result of commitment, accomplishments and character." Otherwise I don't feel pride. I am proud of what we have accomplished and I am proud of the fact that we can walk hand in hand together. I am proud of what we have accomplished politically and that we have become a force to be reckoned with. No longer do we have to hide in the proverbial closet but instead we are standing out in the open so that people know who we are. It's easy to be prejudiced when you don't know someone who is gay but it's really hard to be that way when you know someone personally who is gay. For this I am proud. We still however have a long way to go to break down barriers and gain full equality. As Harvey Milk would say we have to be out there and let people know who we are because that's the only way we can gain acceptance and I think he's 100% correct. How about you?

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Announcing Pridefest celebration of our commitments

Things are changing at Pridefest this year. Gone is the Mass Marriage Ceremony instead in its place is a ceremony honoring our relationships. As we all are aware constitutional amendments were made several years ago preventing us from celebrating the institutional churches monopoly on marriage. And although we have made strides in various states throughout the union that are now recognizing gay marriage we still have a long way to go. I personally don't believe in the institution of marriage, it is antiquated, it is restrictive and no longer relevant. Way back when I was on the board of Action Wisconsin I said that if we wanted marriage we must first get Domestic Partnerships and once we get our foot in the door then and only then do we go after the institution of marriage, because by then we will have gotten 99% of the benefits that marriage offers. We must also remember that marriage or the institution thereof is between ourselves and God and not between us and the government. Apparently most of us have forgotten that or ignored it at the worst. I know that many of you will disagree with my sentiments but unfortunately it is the truth.

I am extremely happy to present to you here Pridefests new Celebration of our Relationships which will be presented by the Universal Angelican Church presided by the Right Rev. Bishop Craig Berglund. I have included the YouTube announcement for your edification.

LGB T. Center panics

Just a note for curiosity sake the swine flu scare has not only affected Milwaukee public schools but also our LGB T. Community Center. On May 2 apparently somebody got sick and they all panicked, the police and paramedics were called and the center was closed for the evening just in case it might be the flu. So for all those of you who had some sort of meeting at the community center I guess you would say it was just a false alarm.
In case you don't know or haven't seen the news Cdc has issued a statement concerning the swine flu indicating that the current strain is a mild one similar to the flu strains that we normally see during flu season. They still are however studying the current strain and preparing vaccines for the fall just in case it comes back with a vengeance. Just remember frequently wash your hands and if all possible use a hand sanitizer just to be on the safe side. Try to stay away from anyone who may be coughing or exhibits any type of flu like symptoms. Cover your mouth if you must cough and if you don't have many tissue instead of coughing into your hand you should use the inside of your elbow instead. And of course if you don't have to go out or be in large crowds don't. Instead of going to the movies or to a show rent a flick, pop some popcorn and enjoy.
Y'all keep healthy, you hear?