Eagle Scouts Protest Gay Ban

image from wikipedia, not my own

Eagle Scouts (the highest level of Boy Scouts) are turning in their badges in protest of the BSA not allowing openly gay or lesbian youth or parents in their troops. According to the site, the BSA policy states that "While the BSA does not proactively inquire about the sexual orientation of employees, volunteers, or members, we do not grant membership to individuals who are open or avowed homosexuals or who engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the BSA.”

The website set up explains how you can send in your badge and also shares letters/photos of those that have already done so. They say-

Many Eagle Scouts have returned their badges in protest since the Boy Scouts of America announced it’s decision to reaffirm the ban on openly gay people participating in the organization. This site was created to display those letters and encourage more Eagle Scouts to join the movement against BSA bigotry and discrimination.

And that-

127 Eagle Scouts have shared their pictures and letters renouncing their Eagle award on this site as of August 17, 2012.

I applaud these Eagle Scouts for sticking up for what they believe in and supporting their fellow human beings. I know it can't be easy for all of them to give up a symbol of all their hard work, but they are definitely doing it for a great and just cause. I've been a Girl Scout since elementary school. I stopped working at it around Junior year of high school but we did finish while trying to achieve our Gold Award (the top award for Girls Scouts) and I know that if I'd actually earned it, I would be sad to see it go but I'd know that I was doing the right thing and would happily be part of a wonderful movement.

What are your opinions? Do you know any Eagle Scouts that might want to send a letter?

The New Cast of Glee + More Spoilers for Season 4!

It's not really a surprise that I'm a huge fan of Glee. I know people have problems with the show and I get that. There are things that I just have to shake my head at too, but when it comes down to it, I feel for the characters. I believe in them. I love the songs and how they relate to life. I like that they are the outcasts. They might not all look like the "nerds" or "dorks" you think of but that's a good thing too...it shows that people are all different and you can be pretty on the outside but full of diversity on the inside. It's a mix.
Anyway, I'm not here to talk about my love of Glee for pages and pages until you stop scrolling and throw your comptuer across the room. I have some news about the upcoming season!

Glee comes back on Thursdays (note the change from Tuesday) starting September 13th at 9 p.m.

There are also a lot of new characters like two new girls, Melissa Benoist and Becca Tobin, playing Marley and Kitty, respectively.

Benoist is the left, Tobin on the right

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There are two new guys as well- Dean Geyer and Jacob Artist.

From the article, "Geyer... has been cast as Brody Weston, an upperclassman at NYADA who shows an interest in Lea Michele’s Rachel. Meanwhile, back at McKinley, Artist will play Puck’s younger half-brother Jake."

Geyer on the left, Artist on the right

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I don't know what roles the girls will play, but I think having Puck's younger brother should be pretty interesting...I'm curious about the characters we all know so well having family we have yet to really get to know, like Blaine and his older brother (who we met last season; played by Matt Bomer).

One of last year's Glee Project winners was Damian McGinty who played the Irish exchange student, Rory, who I'm a huge fan of...so I'm bummed to hear he won't be coming back to McKinley...at least not for the fall season. Fingers crossed for the spring!

Want to know more about Damian, as well as 14 other spoilers about the fourth season of Glee? Check out this exciting article! If you don't want anything at all ruined for you, well, don't read it. But avoiding any and all spoilers about the new season of Glee might be a bit difficult if you're attached to the internet like I am.

What do you all think about the upcoming season? Feel free to share your thoughts. As long as you aren't rude to another commenter, then we're good!

Review: Andy Squared by Jennifer Lavoie

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Andy Squared by Jennifer Lavoie

Out September 18th!

Review by Lauren

copy from Bold Strokes Books and Netgalley

Official Summary: Seventeen-year-old twins, Andrew and Andrea Morris, have always been close. They share everything—from their friends to a room—and they both enjoy star positions on their high school’s soccer teams. All’s right with the twins...or is it?

When new student Ryder Coltrane moves from Texas to their small New York town, he spins Andrew’s world upside down. All of Andrew’s past relationship troubles begin to make sense and his true feelings start to click into place after Ryder comes out to him. His friendship with Ryder turns secretively romantic, but secrets, they soon find out, are hard to keep. Once rumors start to fly, so-called friends turn on them, and the boys’ relationship turns into a bomb about to explode. But Andrew never expected it would be his own twin, Andrea, holding a lighter to ignite it.

Review: Andrew never thought that he might like guys. After all, the only out guy in his school was called names and pushed around. Even Andrew's best friend Charlie used derogatory terms, so it's no wonder when Ryder moves to town and Andrew learns he's gay, he doesn't tell anyone and does everything he can to downplay the rumors. When the two of them decide to give each other a chance, it works. In their own little world, though.

Ryder lives with his aunt and uncle and teaches Andrew how to ride. They spend many afternoons after school just basking in each other's company. It's relatively a sweet romance. There is kissing and sex, but nothing gratuituous. Andrew is finally learning to be himself, and it's easiest to do so with Ryder. However, Andrew's twin, Andrea, isn't ready to let her brother go. She doesn't know about Andrew's new relationship, but she is already upset about Andrew wanting to stop playing soccer in college and even go to another university than his twin.

Andy Squared is great when it comes to including family, which often seems lacking in YA these days. Andrew not only has to deal with Andrea's anger towards him before and after she finds out about him and Ryder, but there is also plenty of fun and a bit of drama concerning other aspects of his family from grandparents to parents. Even Ryder's aunt and uncle play a large role in the novel.

I really enjoyed Andy Squared overall. I actually read it in one night. Whenever I wanted to stop and actually get some sleep, I would start a new chapter just to see what would happen next with Andy, Ryder, and the drama that slowly unfolded upon their perfect world. I would say the ending was a bit too quick. I liked it, don't get me wrong, but I guess I just wanted more, and I suppose that's never a bad thing, right?

I Got to Meet Chris Colfer (Glee Star)

photo from Fox.com

This past Sunday, I saw Chris Colfer at a local bookstore where he did a signing for his debut novel, The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell, which I pre-ordered in order to attend the signing. Now I have a lovely autographed copy and I got to stand in Chris' prescence for like 5 seconds. He was too adorable though!

I hope to have a full Author Signing post up soon with photos of Chris and whatnot...and as soon as I get a chance to read his book, I'll be posting a review on this blog as well.

Do you have a copy of The Wishing Spell?! Did you get to see Chris live?

The New Art of Coming Out: Jim Parsons and Anderson Cooper

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This was actually last week's issue of Entertainment Weekly and I apologize for not letting you know ahead of time. I'm sure you can still find this issue online or at a Half-Price books type of store. At any rate, as you can see from the cover, the main article is all about The New Art of Coming Out. There is still fan fare surrounding a new celebrity coming out but it's definitely less than it was and more and more celebrities are coming out in very understated ways. I think this is great. It's your choice to be open about your private life, but I know being a celebrity makes it more noticeable, so it's your choice to come out however you like.

Jim Parsons

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Jim Parsons recently came out in an interview about his role on broadway in Harvey. The fact that he was gay was actually mentioned by the interviewer and not Jim at all, which is very cool, in my opinion. If you read the article online, the news isn't even revealed until the third (and final) page:

“The Normal Heart” resonated with him on a few levels: Mr. Parsons is gay and in a 10-year relationship, and working with an ensemble again onstage was like nourishment, he said.

The reason I'm finally posting about all of this (as I meant to do a post when Jim Parsons came out...by the way, he plays Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory) today is because newsman Anderson Cooper came out!

Anderson Cooper

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There have been all sorts of rumors about Cooper being gay, and personally, I always figured he was...but I think it's his choice to come out whenever he wants and it's great that he finally has in hopes that it will help others. The article I linked to above includes some of what Cooper wrote but I really enjoyed this: "In a perfect world, I don't think it's anyone else's business, but I do think there is value in standing up and being counted."

Punk Rocker Comes Out as Transgender

Laura in Rolling Stone (do not own photo)

In the latest issue of Rolling Stone, punk-rocker Tom Gabel from the band Against Me! talks about being transgender and her transition to becoming a female. She will take the name Laura Jane Grace. I actually have the issue with me right not but haven't had a chance to read the article, so I might edit this or leave a comment with extra thoughts once I do. However, I'm really happy for Laura and I hope she is treated fairly kindly and with understanding...as she hopes. It's great she's being open about it though, and I hope it will open people's eyes up to what being transgender means for people.

Laura is married to a woman named Heather and they will continue to remain so, which is great. I hope they can help each other through this process. I enjoyed the short article Rolling Stone posted online and it makes me excited to read the entire thing because they do refer to Laura as a "she" even as they call her by the last name, Gabel still, which is important to show others that this is who she is and she deserves the chance to live as such.

As far as I know, she will continue to be a part of Against Me! and I wish her all the best.

Another article on the news was published by LA Times and though they do refer to Laura as a he in this one, I still wanted to note it because of something I wasn't aware of. I know who Against Me! is and I'd enjoyed a song or so in the past, but I never really payed much attention...though I do hope too now because they are good and I want to show support!

At any rate, the LA Times mentioned a song that the band released in the past called "The Ocean" where Laura states her true feelings-

And if I could have chosen, I would have been born a woman
My mother once told me she would have named me Laura
I'd grow up to be strong and beautiful like her
One day, I'd find an honest man to make my husband

She might not have a husband, but hopefully her wife and her can make it through and she will grow up to be as strong and as beautiful as her mom.

If you would like to hear an acoustic version of the "The Ocean"...just look below-

President Obama Supports Same-Sex Marriage

I do not, of course, own this image

President Obama has come out in support of same-sex marriage. Regardless of what you think his reasonings were, I am extremely excited about this development and I think it was courageous of him in an election year. It could certainly help with some votes, but I am sure there are many that will go against him- even more- for this.

I'm not really a political person and that's not what this blog is about, but I figured this was news that would be worthy to share. Feel free to express your opinions in the comments but be kind to other points of views please!

While reading the article, I learned that Vice President Biden had recently come out in support as well, so that's amazing! I didn't read the comments, though I see there are a lot already, because I just don't want to deal with the hateful/downright negative ones. Feel free to do so with care, or just read the article like I did.