by Darren
“GIVE BLOOD, SAVE A LIFE.” It was widely spread slogans like this that helped me to turn the prospect of giving blood around in my mind. I often went with my friend to support her in her altruistic and admiral exploits to give blood each month. Like clockwork, I’d sit next to her doing my reading while she skimmed through the blood-donating handbook that is al-ready too familiar to the both of us. Also like clockwork, she’d try to get me to donate blood myself to which I would always decline (in varying degrees of vehemence).
Despite my aversion to the donation process, I must admit that with each blood drive I went to, there was an increasing desire to do some good myself. Then came the last time she donated blood. It was finally the day that I took the initiative to do so. This was entirely due to the fact that her iron levels were too low to donate. Feeling compelled to step up, I walked in, was sat down at a computer and filled out a simple, albeit long, profiling application. Once I was done I called over the nearest Red Cross nurse, who was all set to move me to the following iron test—that is until the system alerted her to a problem…
Continue reading ‘There Will Be (No Gay) Blood’
The upcoming presidential has already proven to be uniquely historic. It could bring about some big changes for the LGBTQ community. Here’s a look at each of the main candidates still in the race, and their views and histories with LGBTQ issues. Continue reading ‘The Future of LGBTQ Politics’
The Internet. Just two decades ago we were able to live without it. Instead of e-mails people actually mailed letters, picked up a phone, or even got off their ass and knocked on their friend’s door. The very word “friend” has a different meaning now, it has become an “add” to a list of random people whom you maybe have seen once; but now it makes for bragging rights to have as many possible (e.g. I have 1,203,5670 friends you only have 1,203,5569). In many ways this phenomena that has brought the world to your fingertips has actually further distanced human beings, and impersonalized relationships between them. Nonetheless, it is important to recognize that it has become an important tool for the LGBTQ community in our society. Continue reading ‘Second Lives, The Grid and Dating Holograms: LGBTQ Tech’
by Erica
Two Fridays ago, on April 25th, a large group of about 75 Binghamton and BCC students, faculty members, LGBTQ organization members and community members all gathered together outside of the University Downtown Center across from the Arena to march to the Binghamton High School in support of one cause. Less than two weeks prior, I had gotten the motivation to organize a march/rally in response to a particular article that was ran in the local paper…
Continue reading ‘The Day We Marched: Binghamton’s Ingredients for a Queer-Friendly Future’
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