SCOUTS and the Voting Rights Act

Today the Supreme Court decided to strike down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which gave congress the power to review states with histories of race discrimination before they changed their voting laws. They found that this was unconstitutional and that the states had the right to decide whatever they wanted about voting laws. The thing is, that voting is a right, not a privilege and a right that must be afforded to all. Immediately after the decision states started putting in place new voter ID laws which inherently discriminates against minorities, people in poverty, and the elderly by requiring voters to display photo ID before making their trip into the booths. Many people cant afford these IDs, have no residence to tie them to and so many other complications that have arisen from such laws. They tried to enact one of these laws in Pennsylvania in 2012 for the presidential elections but pulled it at the last minute because of controversy.
The vote in this case was 5-4 with the majority including all the conservative justices, including chief justice John Roberts and Clarence Thomas. The latter vote confuses me because as a person of color, Justice Thomas should realize the implications this decision could have on communities of color. He should also realize why this law was created in the first place, to protect African Americans from the voting discrimination such as the literacy tests that they were forced to take in order to register to vote. When I was younger, I learned about freedom summer in 1964 when thousands went down to the south to register people of color to vote. I wonder if something like this could happen again now that the Voting Rights Act has essentially been gutted.
I have no expectations about what will happen tomorrow with the vote on DOMA and Prop 8. Even though gay marriage is an issue I am not fiercely passionate about, I still support the cause because I know that there are many rights denied to couples who aren't married.
In addition the Supreme Court made another decision today in the case of baby girl vs. adoptive couple in which they bypassed the ruling of a South Carolina court which gave custody of a baby girl to her biological father in lieu of a couple that had raised her since birth. The interesting thing about this case is that the father was part of the Cherokee nation of Oklahoma who ruled as a sovereign state that this girl was also part of their nation. The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 was written to curb the adoption of native children by non native parents, hoping to end the troubling trend that had been started when america put native children in homes and boarding schools in order to make them more civilized. The court ruled that the father would not have custody of his child because the child was only a tiny fraction Cherokee. However, the Cherokee nation does not decide the identity of the child based on genetics but rather on what the tribal council thinks. The council ruled that the child was considered part of their nation, therefore the supreme court was undermining their authority to decide such things when they issued their ruling today. This could have a wide impact on many native children who are being ripped from their tribes because of their adoption by non native couples. Its just another way we are slowly expelling native Americans from this country.
Ultimately, I don't think the Supreme Court will rule positively in any case until we have more liberal justices. In this current configuration, conservatives always win and will continue to do so.

Today is verrtual lobby day to repeal DADT. Don't Ask Don't Tell is a policy that keeps our men and women in uniform from being who they really are. This is not right, the military are government employees, if things like ENDA are passed then basically the government violates them. Everyones parents tell them that they can be what ever they want when they grow up, but what if thats not true? I just want to know why the policy is still in place. Tell me. 

more about the T.

When was the last time you were sitting in your GSA and someone brought up a transgender issue? Do you even know what transgender issues are? I think a lot of people forget about transgender issues in their GSA's because transgender kids aren't as prevalent in our schools as gay's and lesbians. The reason for this is that Transgender kids have a harder time coming out than other students. Being transgender involves a lot of money, time, commitment and emotional distress. Teenagers have a hard time doing this because they know it will be a long and hard process that might cause much pain to them and their loved ones. They are afraid to be themselves. Some are so afraid that they keep it a secret their entire lives. I have 2 stories I'd like to share with you so that you can see how different Transgender people's experiences can be. The first story I'd like to tell you is about a boy, lets just call him r. He is an FTM who started his transition last year. When he first told his parents, who are divorced they were not exactly supportive. But they came around eventually, buying him a binder and considering a name change. R has since started a you tube blog that talks about Transgender issues and is in the process of writing a bill that will allow students to have their chosen names on official school documents like yearbooks and ID cards. He is a shining example of a transgender success story and he is a really inspiring person to talk to, he has become a role model of mine, changing the transgender world one step at a time. The next story is about a girl, lets just call her C. She is an FTM that has not begun her transition yet. Being transgendered is all about the transition from gender of origin to gender of choice. C has told most of her friends that she is trans, but is afraid of what her parent's reaction will be. She is involved in the LGBT community and is getting help from the people around her, but she does not know when she will tell her parents. I don't think she keeps secrets, but I think she is afraid, the fear that keeps you from coming out.
Please take these stories to heart and share them, so that the world is afraid no more.

The T in LGBT

We talk alot about how this is an LGBT blog. But I dont think anyone talks enough about the T in LGBT. Transgender people suffer many hardships, just as much if not more than gay's and lesbians. Transgender people often dont feel comfortable with their own bodies and some cant even look at themselves in the mirror. They have to go through so much to make them feel and look like the other gender. Some struggle with name changes and being called their birth gender, others are not accepted anywhere and feel like they have nowhere to turn. I have a friend who I met on the internet who is trans. He is FTM (male to female) and struggles to be accepted by his family and in school. He made me begin to question my own gender. I have always had male and female qualities. When I was young, I always used to get mistaken for a boy. I sometimes still do. I love to hang out with the guys and talk about guy stuff. But I also love to dress up and feel pretty. I like having the guys take care of me and treat me like a lady. What I have concluded about myself is that I am like a tuffle . With a very beautiful, feminine, loving outside and a gooey, boyish, playful and inappropriate on the inside.  I am genderqueer. I am both a boy and a girl and I like the way I am. I sometimes wish I had male genitals but most of the time I am happy with my body. I love to joke and be tough and play sports (but in a very girly way, I am so bad at sports). I think that gender identity is something that the LGBT community should take more seriously. Combating Transgender bullying and harassment is important too. So is helping teens to combat dysphoria, which debilitates teens so often and no one even knows. It's sad to see people go through this. I want to help.

"here come the business men like a heard a cattle rumbling in the exchange has officially begun, and all the offices or buzzing the executives are busy bees, watch the keys turn in the employees" - Turn, Smile, Shift, Repeat, Phantom Planet

read my new blog post at&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.dayofsilence.org/2010/04/day-of-silence-student-voices-emmy-new.html">http://blog.dayofsilence.org/2010/04/day-of-silence-student-voices-emmy-new.html</a>
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LGBT Activism at it's Best!

I took a break for a few days but now i am back. During the time I was gone I met some amazing people and did some amazing things. At a screening for a documentary screening called bullicides (about LGBT kids who are bullied so badly they commit suicide) I met Daryl Presgraves who is the communications director for GLSEN and Dr. Eliza Bayard the executive director of GLSEN. Daryl recognized me from my tweets asking me if i was rememberandhope on twitter. When I replied that I was he told me that he loves my tweets and reccomended that I apply for the GLSEN ambassadors program, which connects LGBT youth with social media. I also met, through her website and a confrence call Laura who is the executive director of NMB and who is organizing for harvey milk day in may. Day of silence is on friday and I am so pumped! I am so excited to participate, organize and get active for this most wonderful event. I have been planning ever since last years DOS and now my plans are finally coming true. Now I am just trying to get the word out and do the right thing. Also, I started a conversation with Ryan Cassata a 16 year old FTM transgender. He is so nice and so smart and inspiring. I think that he can help me alot and we can eventually partner to do something great together. I love meeting new people, being an LGBT activist and just making the world a better place.

Passover and Activism

Passover is a day where we celebrate freedom and commemorate the Jews "coming out" of Egypt. I think that Passover is the Jewish holiday that has the strongest connection to activism that I know of. Freedom is something that we in the LGBT community do not have yet. We cannot come out openly into our metaphorical Egypt and we have no guiding force like Moshe to lead us out. Which is why even the people in the back can do their part to help start the journey. Even in the passover story every action has a reaction. Moshe's mom did not want to let her baby die and put herself in danger to protect him, it was a small action that produced a huge reaction. Just remember all of the things you can do, no matter how small they seem to make a difference. You can organize Day of Silence at your school which could lead to huge numbers of people joining your GSA and then you guys organizing a rally, and so on. Its like that Disney song. The "Friends for Change" http://tv.disney.go.com/disneychannel/friendsforchange/ program is focused on the environment and helping kids to do their part in helping to save the planet. Their main message is that kids can do something to change the world even if it is that one little thing. The Jewish people all worked together to get out of Egypt and do something great. The Friends for Change program seeks to work with kids, just as Moshe worked with the Jewish people. This lesson about passover something that I think should be shared at every Seder and included in every Hagaddah because it is something that everyone needs to know.

"With one little action the chain reaction
We'll help it start
Make it strong
Shine a light and send it on" - Disney's Friends for Change, Send it On

Thank you and have a Happy Passover

Constant Dilligance

If you want to do something you have to be constant and diligent about it. I really want this blog and my website to take off so I put alot of work into it. I take time away from things that other kids my age do so that I can be the real activist I want to be. I love what I am doing and I would never want to do anything else. This is my passion, I am diligent, professional, loving and very persistent in what I do. My activism spans across all the areas of my life, from hanging out with my friends, to school project and it is my weekends, it even is in my religion. I work with an organization called keshet which connects Judaism with LGBT activism. I have such a love for the youth that I work with and that I am. I know that one day my work will impact many many kids out there. I know that even if it just impacts one, I can feel good about what I'm doing. Before the internet kids didnt have a place to go when no one else was there and they were feeling alone about their sexuality. Now, there are many places like that, but I want to create a place where kids can help other kids help themselves. I would really appreciate your help to do that because I know that by working together we can make the LGBT world a better place. 

Sacrifice

If you really want something you have to be willing to sacrifice for it. I want so badly to be in, run and organize in my GSA but I cannot do that right now due to parental restrictions ( and let me make this absolutely clear it has nothing to do with me being gay) but I am willing to sacrifice that right now so that I can do it next year. I can still go to my group but I wanted to be active in the school and I still do. But there are things you have to be willing to put on hold to do what is right. I will probably have to wait until break to volunteer for the organization medwiser but I know that once I do I will have a great feeling that will make it worth the wait. I know that everyone needs to make priorites and that its important to do what you love, but there is a right time for everything and maybe now just isnt the right time.

"I want some happily ever after to happen to me"- Happily Ever After, Once Upon a Mattress

P.S Please 1. Nominate me for student advocate of the year on GLSEN
2. sponsor me for the NYC AIDS walk

Stress

Stress is something that happens to everyone, wether you happen to be an LGBT activist who on top of her "job" also has school work and a dramatic production, or a regular hardworking guy who has to provide for his family everyday stress will eat you alive if you dont deal with it right. I know that with Day of Silence coming up we all feel the stress to put on our best for what most likely is the biggest LGBT student activist day of the year. We are all putting our heads together trying to figure out why and how we can make 2010 the best DOS ever and how our school can grow and show solidarity.  The truth is you just have to really believe in what your doing, be intrested and be pumped. Make priorities, lists whatever it takes to get the job done right. Remember that balance is important and that you cant let your schoolwork take a back seat to your extracurriculars (trust me it happens). Remember that there are people there to help you no matter what, so don't be afraid to step back for a little bit and let others take the wheel. Its the ability to step back that makes you a real leader. Try your hardest and that will be the best you can do, dont worry too much but have fun!

"Were like 3 different people with only 1 (heart) the king and the minstrel and I" The King and The minstrel and I, Once Upon a Mattress

P. S on a personal note , it would be really awesome if you guys voted for me for student advocate of the year for GLSEN, email me or comment for more info.

Gov 2.0, Technology and LGBT Activisim

Gov 2.0 is all about the transparency of our government right? It's the ability to be able to show the people exactly what the government and what it's officials are doing. Technology is the only answer because its environmentally friendly, can be accessed almost anywhere and is available to a wide variety of people. Technology and Government sound like they should go hand and hand right? But some people in government don't want transparency and technology because they don't want to be held accountable for their actions. If people could see all the wrong doings in government, employees might become more efficient. Corruption might decrease. What a shame that would be for people who mess around in government.  People might recognize that the government is denying people what they need because of corrupt politicians who only want what's best for them and don't have the peoples best interests at heart. What does this have to do with LGBT Activism? There are 2 bills in the house right now called the Safe Schools Improvement Act and the Student Non Discrimination Act. The politicians who vote no on this are the same ones who who don't want this transparency. This is on both sides of the isle. It needs to stop. Gov 2.0 needs to happen and stay in place because people need to know the truth about their government and their interests in politics.

Thanks to Adriel Hampton (@adrielhampton on twitter) for getting me interested in Gov 2.0 and The Engadget team for helping me connect LGBT Activism and Technology!

crazy studying is crazy studying which leaves me no time for anything! ahhhhh omg! english and ssx3 + chem = study face of steele! so now what??? Day of silence thats what! dayofsilence.org is amazing, the people there are amazing and I feel amazing (apart from more than legit failing my math test! go day of silence now!!!!!!

Today is one of my BFF's birthdays! He is like the coolest kid ever. I love brithdays, not just for me but for everybody. It makes you feel good about yourself, either because you love that person so much or because you are that person that everyone loves. I love my life right now. This morning, I completley forgot everything (including some important stuff), but it felt so good. Living in the moment is amazing because you dont really have anything to worry about. I love everyone from my play too, their all so nice and amazing. They know exactly how I'm like and they accept me, jusr like my friends do. You need to pave the way for yourself before you pave it for others. That is what i am trying to do right now. &nbsp;I want to pave that road and I will. I love.....

"shy im incredibly shy cant you see that this confident air is a mask that I wear cuz im shy, and you may be sure, way down deep I'm demure, and though some might deny it at bottom I'm quiet and pure. I know its wrong to be meek as I am my chances may pass me by, I pretend to be strong but as weak as I am all I can do is try" - Shy, Once Upon a Mattress

I made someone do what she made me do. Why? Why did I do that, I just wanted him to know that there was someone going through the same thing he was. I didnt mean to give him another way to hurt himself. I know once you do it, every time you feel that way after that, you will do it again. He says that its not my fault, but I know it is. I am so tired and so full of ambition and hurt at the same time. These people are my friends and I dont want to lose them, but I dont want to hurt them either. &nbsp;Why must I do all this to myself. I do wrong by me even when I dont realize it. I do not know how I can reverse this. I want to create a world where me and all my like can be equal, but if I am not sociable and relatively successful I cannot do that. People's intentions are not their actions. They may mean well but they dont act as well as they mean. I need to be a good person. I need to be loved. If I can be loved I can allow all of the others like me to be loved too.&nbsp;

"In a little while, just a little while, you and I will be 1,2,3,4. In a little while just a little while &nbsp;I will see your smile on the face of my son to be forever hand in glove, is the way I have it planned, but I'll only stay in love, If the glove contains your hand" - In a Little While, Once Upon a Mattress&nbsp;

I have drastically changed my additude over the past 3 days. I went on a school retreat this weekend and it totally changed my whole perspecive. Not only do I feel closer to my whole grade than I ever have, but I feel better than I have in months. I had a really amazing conversation with kids in our grade. I love them and see that if I really try hard enough I can get to know and be friends with them. I'm not going to lie, I felt really awkward. But, the awkwardness fades as you get closer and closer to the people that you are talking to. My next step is to get closer to the people in the play. They all seem really nice and sweet and I know if I try hard enough they can become my friends. I love being here right now! I am stoaked for the play next sunday....&lt;3

"Quiet Quiet, the Queen insists on quiet, she's ordered 20 mattresses the softest and the best, and shes threatened execution if we dare desturb the rest of her very special guest shes ordered quiet, quiet" - Quiet, Once Upon a Mattress

I am so confused. I thought I knew who I was and what I was supposed to be doing. I guess I dont anymore though. It makes me sad that I dont know anymore. I have been hurt so badly that it made me believe in "no one no cry" so I feel like I want to be a loner. I dont care about having friends or being popular, I just want to help people and do what I am passionate about. I don't want to be so much of a leader but a follower someone behind the scenes who makes everything happen. I want to make my dreams come true. Even if I'm not a household name, even if I never strike it big, Ill be helping people. That is my greatest dream.&nbsp;

I dont know what to say to the people out there who are feeling what I feel right now. I know that there is nothing I can say or do to make you feel better. I know that you will just go home and cry into someone's arm like I did last night. I just want you to hope. I hope everyday that things will get better. I know someday they will because I'm confident. I try to build my self confidence everyday. Because confidence is the key to being happy. If your confident in yourself you wont really care what those other people say. I want to send this message to anyone out there feeling lonely. Find something your passionate about. Being passionate makes you happy and gives you an oppertunity to meet people that arent like the ones you usually come in contact with. That's where Live Out Loud has really helped me. I strive to be the best. I love, I laugh and I cry. You can be balanced, you just need confiednce, hope and passion.&nbsp;

"Life is a road and I want to keep going, Love is a river and I want to keep flowing"- At The Beginning, Anistasia&nbsp;

Diamond

Diamonds are shiny, they lure us in with there sparkle and sexy appeal. When you get close to the diamond  you have to make a choice, whether you want to pay the price or not. It's one of those pivotal moments in life where you really realize who you are. You probably have two choices in front of you, the one that could make you popular or the one that could make you a great person. You have to choose the one you want more, you have to choose the one that makes you happy. I will come across that moment next year when I decide if I want to continue acting or not. I love to act, but I want to do hockey and I want to focus more on gay rights stuff. Hockey doesn't begin until the spring, the ending of the production but it would mean that I have to either miss tryouts or double up. I want to be in the GSA next year, but my therapy gets in the way of me doing more than one afterschool thing at a time. Besides, I got alot of crap for being in the play this year because my mom said it was preventing me from doing other things that are more meaningful  than acting. The thing is I don't want to give up acting because it runs in my blood. My mom was an wonderful actress and a drama teacher. I have been acting since I was 4 years old, when I was in the chorus of a semi-professional production of The Sound of Music. Ever since then I have been in a production almost every year since. I didn't do anything in 8th grade because I didn't have access to any theatre stuff. I know that I don't have time for everything but I'm still not sure what is more important. What is my Diamond? And what's my right path? Have you guys ever had a crystalizing moment like that (scrubs reference)? What was your experience? Write it in the comments! Please! Remember to follow me!

"Maybe it's not my weekend
But it's gonna be my year
And I'm so sick of watching while the minutes pass as I go nowhere
And this is my reaction
To everything I fear
Cause I've been going crazy I don't want to waste another minute here" - Weightless, All Time Low

The Real World

Sometimes in the world you need to compromise with people. You can not always have everything your way. I know people who have an image of what they want in their head and refuse to except anything less than perfect. Perfectionism is a good thing sometimes, but sometimes you cant have exactly what you want because things don't go as you plan. A very good friend of mine once said what happens in here (school) is not the same as what happens out there (the world). When you get out there your'e on your own. Its the "real world" as he calls it. It's not easy and It's not fun but it happens and you have to get through it because sometimes life might surprise you and give you a good moment. He says that I am more in the real world than any of my classmates because of what I have endured. That out there there are millions of people just like me. If you are feeling alone, just know that there is someone out there just like you for you to talk and connect to, and to listen to there story too. That is what NGYA is all about. Please visit our site at ngya.yolasites.com. Thanks!

"this cant be the real world now, I dont believe it, when I cant see the truth" - The Real World. All American Rejects

"And there's a million of us just like me
who cuss like me; who just don't give a fuck like me
who dress like me; walk, talk and act like me
and just might be the next best thing but not quite me!" - The Real Slim Shady, Eminem 

Connection

I am trying to think of ways to connect with other LGBT activists to network and build a community. I want to be able to be in contact with many LGBT organizations and activists from all around the world. I was wondering if you guys had any suggestions how to do that? I'm using twitter but I feel that I am not getting out there enough. What else is there? I have linkedin and facebook and this blog, but I want more attention from the LGBT community. I was wondering if there was anyone reading this with alot of social networking experience that could help me? I really love doing what I do and I want to make it known to everyone out there what I'm doing and what my message is. I know that someday I will be the big activist I want but I just want to build up a small community right now. So spread the word!
Thanks,

Emmy

"I'm not a princess and this ain't a fairy tale and I'm not the one you sweep off her feet, lead her up the starewell, this ain't hollywood, this is a big town and it's too late for you and your white horse to come around"
-Taylor Swift, White Horse