Some Queer Things I've Liked Lately

So I'm trying to post more regularly, but long ranty and over-researched posts aren't going to happen too often. So today you're going to get some things I like that you might've missed. Feel free to add your own recent faves to the list in the comments!

First: Nic Bravo's "You Can Get It: A Queer Ladies' Field Guide to Fucking Nic Bravo."
Nic, as alert readers will already know, is one of my very best friends in the whole world. She's great at talking about sex (which, as much as Republicans would like to argue otherwise, is something a lot of people have/think about/talk about - thought not everyone, of course, and I don't want to reify the idea that all people are into partnered sex or any kind of sex at all), consent, communication, and not slut shaming. This is a great, great example of how to talk about sex, and if you know Nic and you think she's cute (she is!) give her a call sometime. You should also read her whole blog, "Stick up for yourself, son." She's a great great writer.

For other queer history nerds, my dear friend Casey pointed me to Fuck Yeah, Queer Vintage. It's beautiful and really good at the inclusivity/diversity thing. Also on the history tip, here are some black lesbian elders telling their pre-Stonewall stories.

Audre Lorde is one of my favorite people, and you can go here to hear her read a poem and read some stuff!

I love a lot of stuff on Radically Queer, so read the whole thing, but I especially liked this piece, "Do Feminist Dating Messages Apply to Queer Dating?"

Friend Mallory sent me this, on the importance of gay mentors in higher education. I have some outstanding queer mentors, although most of mine are at other universities.

Speaking of queer mentors, Catherine Lugg, who is not really my mentor but is someone I admire greatly, and who is faculty at Rutgers, has this fantastic blog, Thinking Queerly.

What've you been reading lately that you'd like to share? I need things to read when I'm procrastinating from paper-grading!

Semi-Guest Post: Gay Agenda at Toys R Us

Hello, faithful Nth Wavers! Thanks to the continuing ridiculousness of my schedule, I'm still having trouble finding time to write. I will find a way to resolve this, but in the meantime, I pounced on a Facebook post from Alert Reader Andrew, who lays into the bigotry of One Million Moms and their rampage against Toys R Us for allowing something gay to happen in the proximity of their stores. I'm gonna give y'all some background and then let Andrew take it from there, k?

One Million Moms, for those who don't know, are a bunch of hate-filled parents who are terrified of all things queer and also of having conversations with their kids. I'm not gonna link to their site here, because I trust you can all use Google if you really need to know and I'm not into giving them more hits. They're upset because Toys R Us is carrying Archie comments, and Archie has a gay character who got gay married to his gay partner.

Andrew leads with this quote from that story (what's to follow is from him):

Unfortunately, children are now being exposed to same-sex marriage in a toy store. This is the last place a parent would expect to be confronted with questions from their children on topics that are too complicated for them to understand. Issues of this nature are being introduced too early and too soon, which is becoming extremely common and unnecessary.

Ah, yes, the toy store, the last virgin wilderness where parents can be sure that all things their children see won't raise awkward questions...

Let's have a gander at a small sample of toys that can be seen at Toys R Us:
1) Animals devouring carcasses of other animals and leaving only the skeletons

2) Medieval siege engines with attached prison cages

3) Robbers

4) Pirates

5) Poachers

6) Armed cops arresting thieves

7) Lots of forts, cannons, and other military scenarios

8) Secret agents

So One Million Moms feels fine explaining war, conquest, pillage, theft, animal cruelty, the natural order, torture, espionage, and other things but they find it inappropriate that two men who love each other are getting married? Damn. Those are some priorities. (I'm not saying kids shouldn't learn about other things, but I don't know that it's easier to explain why Mr. Lion ate Mr. Fluffers than to explain that Steve and John love each other and are getting married.)

In the words of Archie CEO:

We stand by Life with Archie #16. As I've said before, Riverdale is a safe, welcoming place that does not judge anyone. It's an idealized version of America that will hopefully become reality someday.

We're sorry the American Family Association/OneMillionMoms.com feels so negatively about our product, but they have every right to their opinion, just like we have the right to stand by ours. Kevin Keller will forever be a part of Riverdale, and he will live a happy, long life free of prejudice, hate and narrow-minded people.

Not all available at Toys R Us, but here are Play Mobil sets of questionable virtue for children.

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Hi! It's Jess again! I'm interested in what parents who aren't bigots have to say about all of this, of course. And if anyone else wants to write a guest post to help a grrl out while I'm getting my act together, I'd be most appreciative. Otherwise, you're probably going to get a lot of nerdy "here's what I learned in the archives today!" posts for awhile.

Love y'all!