First, the good stuff! It's Day 1 of Pride Month! The gays are descending into Central Florida, and I couldn't be happier. One of my very best friends is in town, and I believe he is showing his friends the marvel that is the Mannequin's dance floor as I type this!
On the cusp of Gay Days weekend, what could make a gay or gay-adjacent person smile in delight? Well, probably many things, but here's one -- the headline: Batwoman to Return as Lesbian. According to D.C. Comics, "The 5-foot-10-inch superhero has flowing red hair, knee-high red boots with spike heels and a super-tight black outfit." Meow!!! She's a Gotham City socialite who's had a previous affair with police detective Renee Montoya.
While we're continuing the gay-related news, President Bush is expected to relight the fiery debate over the Federal Marriage Act as early as next week. Thanks, Dubya; you've got really nice timing. Trying to take away rights of Americans during the month in which we celebrate them. You're a jackass. But I could call him names all day. What I need to do is act. You can, too. Check out the sites below, educate yourself, donate some $$$ if you can and write to your elected officials.
Equality Florida
Equality Florida Blog
Human Rights Campaign
HRC's Vote No Campaign
CafePress.com's selection of equality and gay marriage gifts (because you might as well look fabulous while you're leading the charge!)
On the flip side, there's the June 1 that no one is looking forward to -- the first day of hurricane season. It can be really scary to live near the Gulf Coast during hurricane season. After Charley, Frances and Jeanne in 2004, us Floridians were a tired bunch. But that was nothing compared to the devastation Hurricane Katrina caused less than one year ago.
The local newspaper in New Orleans created a truly amazing animated illustration of Hurricane Katrina's Inundation of New Orleans. According to the map, my parents' home should have been underwater. I can't believe how lucky we were. Still, this illustration made me cry because it's my hometown, and I'm watching this place that I love fill with water, death and despair. Take a moment to check it out -- if anything, it's an important piece of history.You can also read about how likely it is that Louisianians will relive this same nightmare because the levees are not ready. The Times-Picayune featured the story Corps says gaps, flaws caused levee system failure, in which the Army Corps of Engineers takes responsibility for the disaster.
According to the story, the corps said "the New Orleans area hurricane protection system "was a system in name only" that was compromised by Hurricane Katrina because it was incomplete, inconsistent in its levels of protection, and lacked levels of redundancy that would have limited the effects of flooding..."
This is a story that will continue for a really long time. Let's just pray it's a quiet season.
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