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Tag: same-sex

  • Michelle Duggar and Family Homophobia Charges Over Kissing Post Follow Them on Roadtrip

    The marriage equality battle being waged on the Duggars’ Facebook page is still going on. The family is trying to put it behind them and move on with their life, but it is still a hot topic. Even when they got out of town for a trip to a Christian liberal arts college, the press followed them with headlines about the “kissing scandal”.

    Jessa Duggar and her new hubby Ben Seewald decided to keep their first kiss private rather than share it with all the expectant folks at their wedding. But to keep their fans happy, they wound up posting a kissy pic to Instagram a few days later.

    Then mom Michelle and dad Jim Bob followed suit, posting a copycat pic of their own kiss. The message: We’re not prudes. We Don’t mind a little PDA. Just keep it in the marriage.

    Both pictures went viral. In a week that saw a swing from a couple waiting until they were married all the way to Kim Kardashian nearly breaking the Internet with her bare bottom and full-frontal hijinks, there was a wide range of sexual mores on display.

    But then the Duggars went for another level. they issued a “kissing challenge” on their Facebook page that invited other couples to post their own pictures of their PDA moments.

    Many did. But not all were welcome. Some of those pictures were of same-sex pairs kissing. The Duggars are pretty traditional when it comes to sexuality and marriage, if you hadn’t noticed. They even specified in their challnge post that they believe that, “God designed marriage to be a loving, dynamic relationship between a husband and wife for a lifetime.”

    Post by Duggar Family Official.

    So they started deleting those same-sex pics. And that’s when it hit the fan.

    Since those pics have been deleted from the Duggar page, you have to see them in screenshots grabbed by some quick bloggers here.

    Some same-sex marriage supporters took up the cause and started flooding the Duggar page with pictures of men kissing men, women kissing women. The Duggars responded with another statement.

    Post by Duggar Family Official.

    Strong opinions flew on both sides of the marriage equality issue, with the Duggar page as the battlefield. Comments were flung quickly.

    “A difference in opinion doesn’t condone legislating discrimination or campaigning against the civil rights of other humans. That’s hate, and it’s never okay. CIVIL rights belong to everyone, regardless of religion. If your religion tells you that others are less than you, it’s not a loving religion. It’s hatred masked with a tax free status.”

    “Saying that being gay is a ‘lifestyle choice’ is a lie.”

    “Same thing racists used to say back in the day about interracial marriages. Stop discriminating. It takes away your credibility as a Christian”

    “Either way we will get our rights and you will continue to be portrayed as the intolerant, hate mongers you are! No better than the whites against segregation back in the 50’s and 60’s.”

    “I am gay and support your freedom to secure your values on your personal page. I also appreciate the positive response from you regarding the recent events. That being said, I will pray for you all too and hope that you enjoy a blessed upcoming holiday season.”

    Some see the “activism” on a page like the Duggars’ as inappropriate, even if they agree with the marriage equality message.

    “It’s your page. You set the rules. It was disrespectful for them to post here….knowing your stand convictions.”

  • FAFSA Now Recognizes Same-Sex Unions

    It’s that time again– right up there with the joys of pulling all-nighters is the FAFSA adventure that you must do every year for the upcoming school year. Whether you’re a freshman or an old pro at this, a few tips couldn’t hurt to smooth the process:

    As always, the Department of Education tells us that you need these things to complete the FAFSA:

    -Your Social Security Number
    -Your Alien Registration Number (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
    -Your most recent federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of money earned. (Note: You may be able to transfer your federal tax return information into your FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.)
    -Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable)
    -Records of untaxed income (if applicable)
    -A Federal Student Aid PIN to sign electronically.

    Your parents have to fill out this information as well if you are a dependent student.

    A major change in the 2014-15 FAFSA for household information–in an announcement late last year, we are now aware that we can notify the DoE of parent’s of the same sex, whether married or cohabiting. This will give the department a better idea of what financial aid resources each student needs. Regarding this change, the U.S. Secretary of Education Anne Duncan states,””We must continue to ensure that every single American is treated equally in the eyes of the law, and this important guidance for students is another step forward in that effort,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “As students fill out their FAFSA this coming year, I’m thrilled they’ll be able to do so in a way that is more fair and just.” Essentially, as long as you live in a household with a marriage legally recognized by your state, the union will now also be recognized by the Department of Education.

    While this could mean less financial aid for some who now have to claim another parent on their form, this also helps those who may need more financial aid due to only having one parent to help with costs– now, there just may be more money available for them if all unions are recognized.

    Filling out the FAFSA is similar to filing your taxes; each require your important financial information to be accurately reported. The recent changes in the FAFSA ensure that everyone will be doing so, no matter the circumstances. Maintain your records and take care to fill each box accurately, so that you will only have to worry about grades next year– not how to pay for your classes.

    Image via Wiki Commons

  • Millionaire Matchmaker: A Same-Sex Episode

    If there is one thing about America and our preferred variety of entertainment, it’s this: We believe that no person, regardless of their race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability or genetic information should be exempt from letting the millions of us meddle in your personal life. You are getting paid for it after all, so hush up and entertain us.

    In agreement with this decree, the latest episode of The Millionaire Matchmaker featured same-sex matches of both sexes in two segments entitled “The Late Bloomer” and “The Gay Hugh Hefner”

    “The Late Bloomer” involved a 46-year-old lesbian named Rosie Pierri. Rosie gets the name “The Late Bloomer” because she very recently came out of the closet, so she feels a bit behind in the scene. This hindrance is giving her some difficulty in finding a mate, and it was Patti’s intention to change this. A fact of variable interest: Rosie Pierri is the sister of a cast member of the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” show.

    In “The Gay Hugh Hefner,” Andrew Christian is a designer surrounded by male underwear models, but desires a model with a great head on his shoulders, or maybe a hairy, unfit slob– because what he sees every day at work and play is not enough.

    Although there was some of the usual uproar about the show featuring same-sex relationships, the show has done it before– usually in the first episode of the season (possibly to ensure a great start in ratings?).

    Who saw the show last night? Did it entertain you? And what do you think about equal-opportunity oversharingrelationship reality shows?