Celebrating Pride

[MadCast: doublestufforeo]

Coming into 2020 I wanted to just reiterate the open nature of this forum and welcome any and all questions, comments, and discussion here in a respectful environment. This thread is a safe space. 

"What she meant by “safe space” was that she was happy to be in an environment where difficult subjects can be discussed openly, without the risk of disrespect or harsh judgment. This works both ways. What I mean is, this young woman was comfortable, in this university setting, wrestling with things like the Aristotelian idea of some humans being born as “natural slaves.” She was quite comfortable in that space. The question was, how comfortable was the 52-year-old white guy in that discussion? Did it make me uncomfortable? Yes. I’m grateful for the discomfort. Thinking about things I don’t understand or have, for most of my life, written off, is a good thing." - My Semester With the Snowflakes

So feel free to be uncomfortable, ask questions, and learn from each other. 

Also with the New Year I welcome you to look back and reflect on 2019 in LGBT rights. 

 

Opening up with 2020 I thought I'd start off with something fun, and while I've shared this video before, Cut does excerpts on certain people and I quite enjoy Woody's takes on sexual orientation. 

Here's to a more positive, tolerant, and accepting 2020. 

[MadCast: doublestufforeo]

I won't be around for a February topic so I thought I'd add something light hearted and fun, please enjoy!

 

[MadCast: doublestufforeo]

On 9/15/2019 at 12:27 PM, MadCast: doublestufforeo said:

The fact that I'm even talking about Borderlands in a Pride thread just makes me giddy. The game has hinted before in side quests that characters were part of the queer community, but in Borderlands 3 they just put it in your fucking face. It makes me so happy to see queer representation displayed so naturally in a video game.

They make it so simple, the gesture of holding hands in troubled times, or just speaking of the other in a caring manner. (There's even a little easter egg in the art at the end that I won't spoil for anyone.) 

Just thinking about young impressionable me, and if I had more exposure to just how normal being queer is, it would've made things a little bit easier for me growing up. I'm just so happy that's where we are as a society. It sounds sappy, but I legitimately just cried some happy tears last night when I completed the game and saw the character development for them. It was so simple, but such a perfect touch, and it makes me incredibly proud of Gearbox for including it in their game.

Bringing this one back up because the next campaign was just announced -- 

Guns, Love, and Tentacles - The Marriage of Wainright and Hammerlock.

 

This is pretty monumental for the video game industry. The normalization of marriage between to people of the same sex is a milestone I didn't think I'd be seeing in games. I hope it inspires people and helps them further recognize the queer community as valid.

I am so incredibly proud of Gearbox and what they're doing with Borderlands 3. 

 

Also for those of you who were waiting, it releases on Steam with this expansion, just FYI.

[MadCast: Kitty Stark]

9 hours ago, MadCast: doublestufforeo said:

The normalization of marriage between to people of the same sex is a milestone I didn't think I'd be seeing in games

The best part in my opinion is that they're two older and very classy gentleman (as classy as anyone can be in the Borderlands universe anyway) that, despite stereotypes, don't seem to have been raised in old-fashioned ideals or societal norms. The subversion of expectation that Gearbox is pulling off here with by using that demographic for the characters is really well done and at the end of the day their love feels natural and their relationship is real.

[MadCast: doublestufforeo]

\\ Let's learn about Voguing. 

Quote

Vogue, or voguing, is a highly stylized, modern house dance originating in the late 1980s that evolved out of the Harlem ballroom scene of the 1960s.[1] It gained mainstream exposure when it was featured in Madonna's song and video "Vogue" (1990), and when showcased in the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning (which went on to win the Grand Jury Prize at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival).[2] In its modern form, this dance has become a global phenomenon that continues to evolve both stylistically and demographically.[3]

Willi Ninja (widely known as the grand father of voguing,) from the wildly acclaimed 1991 documentary "Paris is Burning" talking about the birth of vogue.

Here you can see one of the Ballrooms in a more modern setting. (2019)

 

[Don Scuoglio]

Thank you for this entire thread, DSO and everyone who has pitched in to make this an informative and safe discussion area. I never knew too much about the politics or events that has happened to the LGBTQ+ community aside from very big and society-changing events or laws, but I do have some experience with very close family members and friends being a part of the community. I wish I had a better way of learning more about the LGBTQ+ community than my only friend in middle school taking his life from all of the bullying that came with coming out at such a young age. I know this thread has been here for a while, but even if one person who is struggling with all of the hardships of life sees this, I implore you to find someone you can trust, like basically this entire community, and talk. It is a lot of pressure and people have to put so much thought into whether or not they are "Actually gay" because of how just about everyone was raised.

 

I was raised super Catholic, and although my parents are fairly OK with the LGBTQ community, I know that either I went to a super homophobic church or religions tend to make it sound like one of the worst sins would be being born gay. I had grown up liking things that can be considered "girly" and I grew up with my brothers being a lot older and my sister only 2 years older, so I spent a lot of time with her, doing things she was and liking things she liked. When i voiced some things that I liked when I was much younger, people would call me gay slurs and such. I had no issue being called gay, I had an issue with being called something that I was not. And that really gave me an understanding of everyone. Not only do people who are gay have to actually hide their own sexual orientation, ya'know, who they are, but even then, so many people are using those words to hurt, so why would anyone WANT to be gay? 

 

I'm starting to think of too many things now, but what I'm trying to say is, society has come a long way, but there is still MUCH more to be done. In the end, we are all just people, right?

 

This is how I kind of came to understand what being gay was... Some people like to date shorter people, some people like to date bigger people, some people like to date blondes, and others don't. To me it's just like that, who cares? 

 

I have been to Pride in Chicago almost every year since middle school, although I don't know about this year yet with the current situation. Skype Pride parade or???

[MadCast: doublestufforeo]

In celebration of May 17th, International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia Riot games has released fluft bundles that you can purchase in the store for 1 Blue Essence to represent Pride flags from different groups: 

Catseye - Pansexual
Citrine - Lesbian
Obsidian - Non-Binary
Rose Quartz - Transgender
Sapphire -  Bisexual
Tanzanite - Asexual

Upon equipping the icon you will have an animated trail celebrating your Pride in Teamfight Tactics, and when you achieve a high movement speed on Summoner's Rift, (the start of game, as well as launching out of the cannon in URF.) 

Enjoy! 

Edited May 17, 2020 by MadCast: doublestufforeo

[MadCast: doublestufforeo]

This post is dedicated to George Floyd, in Minneapolis MN, Breonna Taylor, in Louisville KY, Ahmaud Arbery in Glynn County, GA, Tony McDade in Tallahassee, FL, Dion Johnson in Phoenix, AZ and every Black life taken too soon through bigotry and racial discrimination. 

Black Lives Matter, today and everyday.

//

LGBTQ communities know that liberation is not a given; it is fought for.

We celebrate June as Pride Month, because it commemorates, in part, our resisting police harassment and brutality at Stonewall in New York City, and earlier in California. We remember it as a breakthrough moment when we refused to accept humiliation and fear as the price of living fully, freely, and authentically. We remember it was trans women of color who led the riots at Stonewall, catalyzing a national movement. 

As LGBTQ people from many races, many religions, and many colors, we know what it is to stand up for our inherent worth, our identities, our bodies, and to speak out against discrimination, harassment and violence. Countless times LGBTQ people and organizations have organized, agitated and taken action to demand institutional equity and respect for our lives.

We are called to stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and all struggles to fight racism, to ensure the end of ruthless murders of Black people, and to call attention to the pervasive culture of white supremacy in the United States.

·

Every 28 hours a Black person is killed by the police or vigilantes in the United States. The average life expectancy of a Black transgender woman is 35 years. In 2013, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence programs reported that 72 percent of hate crimes were against trans women, 89 percent of whom were transgender women of color.

Not long ago, police also openly targeted and beat white gay and gender nonconforming people, and the authorities ignored it. The government and social structures that made these beatings “normal” for all gays and lesbians are the same structures of violence that have made it “normal” for the state to rape, kill, incarcerate, and enslave Black people for over 400 years.

·

We are reminded and hold true the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies … but the silence of our friends.” We will not be silent.

Show your support for Black Lives Matters protesters across the country.

 

 

Edited June 2, 2020 by MadCast: doublestufforeo

[MadCast: Apoz]

Before pride month is over I wanted to say thanks for helping echo the voice of the LGBT+ community! As a gay man myself, it's nice to see some representation.