Time to Vote Again!

Just a gentle reminder that 24 hours have elapsed since voting began in the 2008 Weblog Awards, and that Mombian is in the running for Best Large Blog. You can (and should!) vote once every 24 hours through January 13, since results are cumulative.

Right now, I’m far from first—but I’m not last, either, and I’d like it to stay that way.

In the Best LGBT Blog category, I’m pulling for Bilerico since I’m a contributor there, but it’s a fine slate of contestants all the way around.

In yet another category, lesbian blog Grace the Spot is up for Best New Blog. It’s run by Grace Chu, who started the 8 Against 8 campaign against Prop 8 in October.

Over in Parenting, LGBT ally Looky, Daddy! is holding onto second place. (Here’s his awesome post against Prop 8, in which he cleverly captioned wedding photos to explain why everyone should have the right to marry.)

Show them all some love!

Louisiana Horror and the Evaluation of Parenting

This is appalling. A Louisiana man has confessed to murdering his two-year-old son so he wouldn’t have to make child-support payments. The man is divorced, and there is no indication it was because he is LGBT, so I am assuming he’s straight. (If he were LGBT, I’d guess the media would have latched right on to that.)

This is the same week that the state is appealing a federal court ruling to put the names of two gay fathers on the birth certificate of their Louisiana-born son, and in which news is spreading about Gov. Bobby Jindal’s (R) appointment of ultra-conservatives to the state Commission on Marriage and Family, a move that some see as a prelude to a ban on adoption by same-sex couples. (See also Steve Ralls’ lengthy post at Bilerico on this.)

Seems to me, though, that there’s no necessary connection between sexual orientation and one’s ability to be a good parent, hmm?

On a related note, a quick show of hands here: How many LGBT people in the audience contributed money to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts?

2008 Weblog Awards: Please Vote for Mombian

I’m honored to announce that Mombian has been selected as a finalist for “Best Large Blog” in the 2008 Weblog Awards.

Voting is now open! I’d very much appreciate your votes.

You can vote once every 24 hours in each blog category through Tuesday January 13, 2009 at 10:00 p.m. GMT (5:00 p.m. EST and 2:00 p.m. PST), so please take a few seconds each day to cast your votes and perhaps find some new and interesting blogs along the way.

Last year Mombian was a finalist for “Best LGBT Blog.” I’m flattered no matter where they want to put me, and appreciate the spirit of trying to include more blogs, rather than including the same one(s) in multiple categories. It also happens that The Bilerico Project, for whom I’m writing now as well, is a finalist for “Best LGBT Blog.” I’m actually glad to be elsewhere so I don’t have to compete against myself and my colleagues there.

I have to say, though, when I look at blogs like Daily Kos, I don’t feel that Mombian is really a “Large Blog.” It seems, however, that blogs are rated much like olives; after “large” comes “jumbo” and “colossal” (or in the case of the Weblog Awards, “Very Large” and “Major” blogs). My other worthy competitors for “Best Large Blog” (however one defines it) are:

• Sister Toldjah
• DeSmogBlog
• Miss Cellania
• JammieWearingFool
• Bloggasm
• skippy the bush kangaroo
• The Agonist
• Fafblog
• Fausta’s Blog

The full slate of Best LGBT Blog finalists is: Read the rest of this post »

Subaru Supports Lesbians, Posts Profit

Quick: Name the car brand most often associated with lesbians.

That’s right, Subaru, the only car company “with a specifically pro-lesbian track record.” Its Forrester was “a lesbian icon from day one,” and the company has long been marketing on The L Word.

Next question: Name the only major automaker to post a yearly sales increase for 2008.

That’s right, Subaru.

Coincidence? Read the rest of this post »

Songs for Cold Season from Erin Lee and Marci

Children’s musicians Erin Lee and Marci bring us the next of their regular posts with thematic recommendations for kid-friendly music, plus activities to make the songs an interactive experience for the whole family. Look for Erin Lee and Marci here on the first Monday of each month, or visit their homepage, www.gottaplay.org.

Erin Lee was also recently profiled by the Kingston Whig-Standard in her native Canada. She talked about her ten years as an actor, in which she “played every disturbed, addicted, pregnant teenager role that came along,” her switch to writing and performing children’s music, the dearth of intelligent music and theatre for kids (“A lot of pop music is aimed at kids, things like High School Musical, but that’s like eating Froot Loops all day”), and her inclusive family song that caught the attention of Sesame Street’s Alan Muraoka and got Marci and her a gig on Rosie’s cruise.

Erin Lee and Marci are performing in Illinois this month. Check their Web site for details if you’re in the area. —DR

The holiday season is wrapping up, and here in New York, we’ve been listening to the joyful sounds of children laughing, bells ringing, people sneezing . . . . Oh, yes, cold season is upon us. We’re confronted with it every time we step outdoors, so here are some songs to celebrate Cold Season! Read the rest of this post »

Events to Support Lesbian Rape Victim

Two men and two teenagers have been arrested in the December 13 gang rape of a California lesbian. Police are investigating the attack as a hate crime. According to several of the news sources reporting this, tips from local residents led to the arrests.

Word from folks I know in the local area, too (h/t Polly), is that the lesbian community has rallied to help the victim. Blogger Tata has put together a page in support of the woman, and notes there will be a rally in Richmond this Sunday, January 4 and a benefit in Oakland on January 9.

The Bay Area Reporter also notes:

Anyone with information about the Richmond case is asked to call Detective Ysenia Rogers at (510) 672-1718. A fund has been set up for the victim. To donate, send a check made payable to Community Violence Solutions to: Community Violence Solutions, Attn: JoAnn Douglas, 2101 Van Ness Street, San Pablo, CA 94806. Write “Richmond Jane Doe” in the memo line. Additionally, people who are bilingual and willing to help with door-to-door canvassing efforts can e-mail 007aileen@gmail.com for information to help with that effort.

Worst PR Pitches of the Year

I get a lot of e-mail from PR firms wanting me to blog about their products. I usually give them a glance, having once myself managed public relations for a dotcom. I figure it’s good karma. Still, some of them are so clearly off target it makes me laugh. Here are a few gems I’ve received over the past year. Names removed or changed to protect the guilty.

I saw your website’s page and felt that you have a wonderful resource which can be of interest to users on my website who are looking our for born again marry life partners. I have a site that provides best profiles of Christian matrimony, Indian born again, catholic & Christian believers. I would greatly appreciate a link from your site to mine.

Not that one can’t be deeply Christian and lesbian. I just figure that if this was a site for LGBT Christians, they would have specified. In this case, I’m guessing they wouldn’t really accept our type.

According to UrbanDictionary.com—manscaping is “male grooming below the belt.” But now, a NY-based CEO has taken that term to a whole new level. Meet Jane Doe, CEO/Founder of [Company]— a product that claims to ‘color the hair down there.’ According to Jane, sales to the male demographic are up 15% this year—a projected 4% increase in just one year. So does this prove that manscaping is on the rise??

I’d love to link you up with Jane to discuss this ‘manscaping’ trend and the various options that are out there for men to take care of their ‘hair down there.’

Hmm. Think I’ll forward this one to Bil. Read the rest of this post »

Happy New Year!

A joyous 2009 to you and your families!

May the year be full of love, happiness, peace, and steps towards equality for all.