Category: Politics

Posts on matters related to local and national politics.

Giannoulias’ LGBT fundraiser

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date July 29, 2010

Citizens for Giannoulias hosted a fundraiser for Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias at Roscoe’s, 3356 N. Halsted, June 12. The host committee included Chicago Alderman Tom Tunney and Illinois State Representative Greg Harris, who introduced Giannoulias. Tunney spoke about the treasurer’s commitment to the LGBT community, including his support for the Center on Halsted. The alderman went on to stress that “as a community, we are concerned with public policy, fiscal responsibility and social justice,” and that the treasurer had demonstrated his commitment to all three issues.

Group stages sit-in at Durbin’s office; 13 arrested

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date May 26, 2010

Thirteen LGBTQ protesters staged a sit-in at U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin’s Chicago office May 20. They went to insist that the senator sign a pledge affirming his support for a transgender-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) . The senator was not in his office, but the activists refused to leave unless the pledge was signed; Durbin did not oblige. The pledge required Durbin to “agree to stand before [his colleagues in the U.S. Senate and the media to forcefully declare the urgent need for a transgender-inclusive ENDA in 2010.”

Gay Marriage Politics Queer Politics, Culture, and History

Prop 8 is a Distraction, or: NOW can we Dump Gay Marriage as a Cause?

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date May 27, 2009

Why build up the power of the state to coerce people into marital relationships they don’t want just so that they can get the basics like healthcare?

Chicago Chronicles Politics Queer Politics, Culture, and History

Interview with Mike Quigley, Cook County Commissioner, while running for Rahm Emanuel’s Congressional seat

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date February 25, 2009

Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley is one of the many candidates running for Rahm Emmanuel’s seat in Congress. He recently spoke to Windy City Times about his views on gay marriage, hate crimes legislation, the environment (one of his pet issues) and his thoughts about a school for LGBTQ youth.

Capitalism, Class, Inequality Film, Art, Television, and Media Gay Marriage Politics Queer Politics, Culture, and History

And the Winner Is…Gay Marriage! Or: Why Milk and Sean Penn’s Acceptance Speech Don’t Equal the Need for Gay Marriage

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date February 23, 2009

The point is not whether Milk would have wanted to marry Smith. The point is that he lived in circumstances where it was possible for an openly gay and unmarried man to leave death benefits to his surviving partner.

Chicago Chronicles Politics Reporting

Interview with John Fritchey

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date February 18, 2009

Democrat John Fritchey is currently the 11th District State Representative. He’s also among the many candidates seeking to fill Rahm Emanuel’s recently vacated seat in Illinois’s Fifth Congressional District. Fritchey has a reputation as a progressive and is backed by a number of labor unions. He spoke to Windy City Times about his views on gay marriage, DADT, hate crimes legislation and his stand on labor-related issues. The primary will take place on March 3 and the general election on April 7.

Gay Marriage Hate Crime Legislation Politics Prison industrial complex Queer Politics, Culture, and History

Equal Rep.com/Nation-Wide Campaign to Create a New Secretary of GLBT Affairs. Or, How To Silence Queers and Still Love the Idea

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date January 18, 2009

As for DADT, I’m not sure how you can be anti-war and anti-Republican war-mongering and also want to wage war.

Gay Marriage Politics Queer Politics, Culture, and History

Why the HELL Are Gays So Excited about Religion?

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date January 16, 2009

It’s difficult to make any critique of marriage, gay or straight, in an environment where marriage is seen as the only and most natural form of “rights.”