Gay Superheroes!

If you watch my twitter or read my blog or even know me in real life, you probably already know I'm a fan of superheros and comics. I don't read American comics anymore since I've fallen out of love with the art styles, (don't get me started on the women depictions in comics) but I'm still in love with the industry, the fans, the fandoms, and of course the movies.
So I'm thrilled when I hear about gay characters being out and proud on comic pages! It's out now that Alan Scott, aka DC's Green Lantern is out of his closet. A spoilery interview with the author of Earth Two is here on io9. Is Green Lantern that horrible movie with Ryan Reynolds? Too bad he wasn't out when they made the movie. hehehe. Earth Two hits the stands on June 6.

And of course there's a big gay wedding for Northstar in Astonishing X-Men issue 51 out in June. I'll buy this one even though I haven't read any of the prior issues.

Following any wonderful LGBT news there are jerks out there that want to stop the children from being taught gay is okay and acceptable. Heaven forbid the younger generation is raised to not discriminate. The right-wing group One Million Moms is up in arms over Marvel's wedding announcement. I guess they're okay with scantily clad female superheroes and villains grinding against the males with water balloon boobage. That's okay because it's "natural." (insert rolled eyes here) How dare comic books teach the children that two people can love one another regardless of genders. That's a rant for another time...

I want this wedding issue to sell out. I want it to sell out IN STORES on the day of release. (June 20th) I expect it to sell out just like the issue of Life With Archie featuring Kevin Keller's same-sex wedding. (Before this issue, I didn't even know Archie comics existed anymore. I used to love them. *sad face*) One Million Moms rarely "win" when they raise a fuss over something LGBT-related and I think their fuss is great press. I hope they rage when they watch their hard work fall on deaf ears over and over again.

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Buy Astonishing X-Men issue 51 in June and maybe even get issue 50 while you're there (Northstar proposes to Kyle in issue 50) even though the reviews for the plot are quite bad.

Sh*t I love—Edition two: Downton Abbey

I started Downton Abbey after falling victim to Netflix’s constant suggestion. (I often do.) It’s times like these I’m glad I have Netflix to force viewing suggestions into my world. I love Downton Abbey! If you haven’t seen it, stop reading this and go watch it.

It’s no secret I’m fond of 1900’s fashion and fascinated by the way of life. Downton Abbey has storylines for the rich and the servants. I’m more taken by the servant storylines than the rich, but who doesn’t like to see wealthy people have problems they pretty much cause themselves? Also, the fashion alone is worth watching. The costume designers deserve all the love in the world.

The same writer is responsible for Gosford Park—a film Netflix said I’d hate but I actually loved. Both have a similar feel but there’s no murder mystery in the TV series. The multiple storylines in Downtown Abbey are connected, and each one together makes up the overall plot and dynamic of the estate. It’s remarkable how a drama with so many characters can lack confusion while keeping up with everyone’s life.

I finished season one on Netflix and then purchased season two and season one on Blu-ray. I finished season two over the course of just a few days. Season two was just as amazing as the first—despite having to say good bye to my favorite character. The price was reasonable for Blu-ray and even cheaper for DVD so please support it by buying it. If you’re in America, each sold copy informs PBS to continue to bring BBC shows to us.

 So why should you watch something that sounds like a soap opera with British accents? Because it’s so much more than watching other people live through drama. (Yes, there is drama, but it’s so beautifully executed you won’t care. And it’s realistic drama.) The acting is fantastic. (Except the doctor sometimes seems a little stale in comparison.) The characters are loveable while infuriating. I think I’ve mentioned my love for well-rounded characters before. A character with good and bad traits seems so much more real than a boring saint or being the “bad guy” just to be the protagonist in a story.

Speaking of “bad guy” for the sake of needing a villain, there’s this butler named Thomas. Oh, Thomas. I hated him in season one. He’s the butler pictured above and I wanted to love him. He’s strong-willed, cunning, easy on the eyes, and he sticks his tongue in men’s mouths. But I couldn’t even make myself like him. I was upset at the writers for pulling the same “evil doer is the only gay one” routine that Hollywood seems to fall back on, but then season 2 happened. While we see a chunk of Thomas’s character in season 1, we really dive into him in season 2 and his cruel acts suddenly make a whole lot of sense and his thick skin is shown to be cracked. My sympathy level went up with my understanding of him and I felt a little stupid for not assuming the reasons behind his personality through my viewing of season 1—there are a few hints scattered throughout. 

You're cute when you cry, Thomas.

Have I said how the costumes are brilliant? (I have) The costumes are fantastic. The setting is equally beautiful. There’s much to see and enough plot to catch that watching two or three times doesn’t seem like a chore. And there's eye candy too. 

In short, this show ranks up there with BBC’s Sherlock. A hearty thank you to the BBC.

Is anyone else enjoying Downton Abbey? Am I the only one hoping Edith gets married? Let's rant and rave together. :D

A Person is a Person No Matter How Gay

True story

Within the context of psychology, a phobia is a type of anxiety disorder where a person fears—often this fear is characterized as irrational—an object or situation. Many people have phobias but it’s a working fear. I fear spiders but I can surely squish one if I need to. I also fear small spaces but can buck up and ignore my phobia.

It’s believed phobias arise from an event in a person’s life. I used to hide in a closet during frightening times in my life, and then I developed a fear of small spaces. Makes sense, right? Spiders...well who doesn’t fear those creepy things? I’ve been bitten by spiders and make it a point to fear anything with fangs and poison. I allow the harmless ones to live...unless I see those fangs. Fangs hurt!

So what about an irrational fear of a gay person? Say what? That just doesn’t make a lick of sense to me. This phobia is one taught to a person—by a parent or the media, or maybe just too many negative influences around. Violence as a way to act out homophobic urges is also taught.

I was raised a fairly sheltered life. I can honestly say I didn’t know what lesbian or gay truly meant until after high school. (In my defense sex was new in my little world too. Boy, have I come a long way.) I knew gay guys in high school and knew they loved (or liked for a weekend...whatev) other guys, but I had no idea it was such a “problem” in our society, because I saw no problem if two men loved each other. I hadn’t been taught to believe their way of loving “is wrong.”

Now my parents are amazing people, but they didn’t raise me by telling me LGBT was okay either. It was pretty much ignored, but that gave me the option of forming my own unbiased opinion about gays. And that opinion based on my teenage knowledge of the world was gays are no different from me. My opinion hasn’t changed. They’re people. People like me. What is the big deal?

It hurts my head to attempt to understand homophobia. One of my best friends—one I couldn’t live without—is gay and I can’t imagine anyone hating him. To know someone out there hates him based on a silly fact that he’s attracted to the same gender is just astonishing. This type of hate is right up there with skin color or gender discrimination—it isn’t okay, it lacks any sense, and it is taught. Society as a whole needs to press harder to get their communities to see LGBT individuals or families as no different from the Christian, Jewish, Mormon, black, white, Asian, purple, or turquoise family down the street. We’re all human.

Life is hard on our LGBT community, and it’s harder for the kids.  Growing up is already difficult. It’s almost impossible to understand homophobia when you’re trying to understand yourself too. Below are some resources to help the youth through the hardest time of their lives made all the more difficult by being a minority that is attacked daily. It has gotten better over the years, and I hope in my life time I will see day where “gay” isn’t separating factor or something that people think they need to hide.

Trevor Project

The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LGBTQ youth by providing life-saving and life-affirming resources including our nationwide, 24/7 crisis intervention lifeline, digital community and advocacy/educational programs that create a safe, supportive and positive environment for everyone.

http://www.thetrevorproject.org/

Support line: 866-488-7386

It Gets Better Project

The It Gets Better Project was created to show young LGBT people the levels of happiness, potential, and positivity their lives will reach – if they can just get through their teen years. The It Gets Better Project wants to remind teenagers in the LGBT community that they are not alone — and it WILL get better.

http://www.itgetsbetter.org/

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I’m giving away Water Waltz in ebook format. I built a world free of homophobe in Water Waltz—in fact, every fantasy creature is both gay and straight and no one gives a fuck. Just leave a comment about homophobia—your opinion or maybe an experience—and be entered in the random drawing. Leave your email so I can contact you if you’re the winner when the hop ends.

Also visit the participating blog master list (http://hopagainsthomophobia.blogspot.com/) and join in on the other conversations about homophobia and maybe find more contests.

And maybe while you’re clicking links, click this one here http://shop.hrc.org/ and buy something to make a donation toward the fight of LGBT equal rights! One day, love will conquer hate.

Read my interview. Discover my cop fascination.

Ramblings of an Australian Writer has interviewed me.

"What is it that fascinates you about the law enforcement genre and careers? Do you touch on these themes in your novel, "Undercover Sins"?
My friends like to say it’s a uniform fetish, but I respect those able to handle a police career. Police get a lot of hate from those they’re protecting. I don’t touch too deeply on the seed of my love for the law enforcers in Undercover Sins, but I also didn’t paint their lives in a glamorous light either."

You can read the rest here: http://misslj-author.livejournal.com/44732.html

I just started a new WIP with a police officer caught up in an officer-involved shooting and the nightmare that surrounds such an ordeal. I might just touch upon my deep respect in that novel. ;)


Come back this weekend and join the Hop Against Homophobia Bloghop. I'll be sharing a rough excerpt from the new WIP.