Rev. Irene Monroe
Sometime in the late hours of Saturday night the call will come in. Philbert (not his real name) like many of his Christian lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) buddies wait anxiously for the call in order to know the time and place of the van pickup, and where it’ll drop them [...]

by Rev. Irene Monroe
The historical legacy of the devaluation and demonization of black motherhood was both applauded and rewarded at this years Oscars. And the point was clearly illustrated with Mo’Nique, capturing the gold statue for best supporting actress in the movie “Precious,” based on the novel Push by Sapphire, as a ghetto welfare mom [...]

Rev. Irene Monroe
Given the history of the exploitation of African American women’s reproductive system for involuntary sterilization, medical experimentation, monetary compensation, and political gain, it’s difficulty for many of us in the black community to not see an anti-abortion ad campaign specifically targeting the African-American community in Georgia with a message of “Black Children are [...]

by Charley James
I’ve never been much of an Olympics fan but it strikes me there’s an obvious reason why so many people have been wrapped up in the Joannie Rochette story. If you are an indifferent a follower of the games like I am usually, she won a bronze medal last night in figure skating [...]

Rev. Irene Monroe
Missing from the annals of African American history and the history of Nazi Germany are the documented stories and struggles of African Americans, straight and “queer.” Valaida Snow, captured in Nazi- occupied Copenhagen and interned in a concentration camp for nearly two years, is one such story forgotten every Black History Month in [...]

by Glyn Strong
Inter-Parliamentary Union: Committee On The Human Rights of Parliamentarians.
Case No AFG/01 – Malalai Joya – Afghanistan)
The Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians holds its next session 27 March to 01 April in Bangkok. That will be its last chance to call for the reinstatement of suspended Afghan MP Malalai Joya [...]

By Denis Campbell
New York City in winter is an acquired taste. It’s a cold, unforgiving and tough place to live in or visit. It was almost 4-years since my last trip to the ‘Big Apple.’ My kids asked why they call it the Big Apple and this confusing explanation was the best I could find [...]

Rev. Irene Monroe
In celebrating Black History Month, I want to personally celebrate the courage and strength of sistah-warrior Gladys Bentley (1907-1960).
Bentley a 250-pound African-American lesbian (who today we would consider transgender) was known as “America’s Greatest Sepia Piano Player” and the “Brown Bomber of Sophisticated Songs.”
Her fall from the entertainment spotlight, however, is a cautionary [...]

by Sharon Kyle
The Tea Party movement held a national convention this week with Sarah Palin delivering the keynote address.  Palin, who ran as John McCain’s vice presidential candidate in the 2008 presidentional election, has become the darling of the movement, as was evidenced by the rousing applause and howls coming from the audience throughout her [...]

Rev. Irene Monroe
Since the world community has descended on Haiti with relief aid in response to the January 12th earthquake, I am wondering how Haiti’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) communities are being helped.
As one of Haiti’s most marginal groups the question arises in response to how some American LGBTQ New Orleans were [...]