Compiled by Howard Israel
"The No. 1 thing that I find from my experience is that there's no set way to be a transman. Identity is pretty fluid."
– Amos Mac, freelance photographer and co-founder – with poet and rapper Rocco Kayiatos – of Original Plumbing, the premier magazine dedicated to the sexuality and culture of FTM trans guys, in an article titled "Giving Voice to the Once-Silent," http://www.nytimes.com, Aug. 11.
"We're not afraid. We think we're doing God's work. We're trying to prevail over the hypocrisy of the underdog hung up on human rights while he himself doesn't uphold them in his own society. Women, children, gays and lesbians – they're all weak in a society that is, generally speaking, strict and patriarchal. That needs to be changed. In order not to be hypocritical, you can't fly the flag of human rights when you yourself don't protect them. This will be another crack in the wall behind which Arab society has barricaded itself for many years."
– Ala Hlehel, Israeli-Arab author, in an article titled "New Arabic-language website to tackle 'taboo' gay issues," ask whether he is apprehensive over the site's reception across the Arab world, http://www.haaretz.com, Aug. 16.
"Same-sex marriage is legal in Mexico and Canada, which makes America the straight meat in a big gay sandwich."
– Stephen Colbert, in an episode of the "Colbert Report" titled "Invasion of the Country Snatchers," about the legalization of same-sex marriage in Mexico City and recognition throughout the country, www.colbertnation.com, Aug. 16.
"As the world's largest organization of psychologists, we felt it was important to make a statement here and now to demonstrate APA's unwavering support of marriage equality. With the issue playing out so prominently in California, we are using the opportunity presented by our annual convention to present the growing body of science that is the foundation for our position, and that has influenced many of the legislators, judges and other public officials who are working to achieve this goal."
– Carol D. Goodheart, American Psychological Association president, in a article titled "APA Reaffirms Support for Same-Sex Marriage," http://www.healthnewsdigest.com, Aug. 11.
"For all those people out there who have spent so much time and energy and money defending Prop. 8 – not only are you on the wrong side of history but you're on the wrong side of life. Enough of the hate – your 'morality' has nothing to do with my marriage."
– Tara Lohan, in her blog titled "Why I Have to Postpone My Marriage (Again!)," about the federal appeals court decision to extend the ban on same-sex marriages in California until it decides whether the ban is constitutional, http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy, Aug. 16.
"Although women comprise only 14 percent of the Army, the new data show that lesbians received 48 percent of the Army's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' discharges last year. In the Marines, women comprise just 6 percent of the force, but received 23 percent of discharges under the policy. In the Air Force, women comprise 20 percent of the service but received 51 percent of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' discharges last year."
– Aaron Belkin, in his column titled "It's Do-or-Die for 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'," about new Pentagon data demonstrating the ever-mounting costs of the military's failed policy, especially the heavy burden it places on women, http://www.huffingtonpost.com, Aug. 17.
