Jessica Wakeman

Good writing is clear. Talented writing is energetic. Good writing avoids errors. Talented writing makes things happen in the reader’s mind — vividly, forcefully — that good writing, which stops with clarity and logic, doesn’t.

— Samuel Delaney (via nusca)

NEW YORKERS, THIS IS TONIGHT!

thefrisky:

tylercoates:

Dear Center Community,

I know you share my sadness and outrage at the recent string of anti-gay violence gripping our city, including the horrific murder of 32-year old Mark Carson on Friday night, just blocks from the Center. I want you to know that the Center is committed to standing with community partners and leaders, and doing everything in our power to respond and denounce this wave of violence against our community.

On Monday evening we will gather on the steps of the Center, along with the Anti-Violence Project, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, community members, other elected officials, and LGBT community leaders and allies, and march to the site of Friday’s shooting to demand an end to hate crimes against our community. At the end of the march, we will rally to denounce hate violence, call for justice and to mourn the death of Mark Carson. Please join us, and help spread the word.

New York is our city, and we aren’t going backward. Join us on Monday evening to honor Mark and help ensure everyone hears our message.

In solidarity,
Glennda Testone
Executive Director

MARCH AND RALLY IN RESPONSE TO LGBT HATE CRIMES – Monday, May 20th at 5:30 p.m. beginning at the Center, 208 W 13th Street, and proceeding to West 8th Street and 6th Avenue.

I was incredibly moved by Saturday night’s vigil in memory of Mark Carson, who was randomly and brutally murdered on a busy street corner in the West Village in the early hours of Saturday morning. I was simultaneously disappointed that more people didn’t show up. When something like this happens, it’s disheartening to look at the lack of response from the straight community, who tend to lend their support for the LGBT community when it comes down to the populist causes and when the Pride Parade rolls down Christopher Street. (I get it: weddings and dance parties are fun, murder and disease and addiction are not.)

I’m trying my best to keep my anger at a minimum, because rage never really inspires much of anything positive, at least from me. But this is happening IN OUR CITY, in a neighborhood that is populated by straight and gay people alike, and when a young gay man of color is gunned down in the street by a stranger simply because he was gay, THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. 

It’s hard to believe that this has happened, that it’s the fourth hate crime directed toward gay men this month in Manhattan, the second to take place in the West Village (and those are the attacks that are reported). It leaves me flabbergasted. I have been lucky and have never found myself uncomfortable or afraid that I couldn’t walk down the street either with my friends or with my boyfriend. I regularly hold Andrew’s hand in New York City, as I should be allowed to do without being afraid that someone will take offense that I’m able to do anything that would be seen as normal if we were a man and a woman. 

Perhaps I am being naive, but it’s an increasing shame that more people aren’t FUMING about this. I encourage my gay friends to say that to their straight friends, to make sure this isn’t seen as a problem that affects a small percentage of the community. We are your family members, your loved ones, your friends, and the straight community’s near-silence is incredibly disappointing.

I know the news that Tumblr was bought by Yahoo is surely inciting some crazy reaction .gifs this morning, but perhaps you’d consider sharing this news instead? 

Babies scare me more than anything. They’re tiny and fragile and impressionable—and someone else’s! As much as I hate borrowing stuff, that is how much I hate holding other people’s babies. It’s too much responsibility. Of course they are lovely and warm and adorable, and it’s so funny when they decide they like you and hold you in return, but I am frightened of doing something wrong that will alter them forever. Give them a weird look and they might be talking to their therapist about me fifty years later.

[…]

It might not be a fear of kids themselves, as in truth I usually get along with them pretty well. They like my tattoos and my uncomplicated child/adult face. They identify with my orange shoes. I look like I would let them get away with stuff, and I do. My fear of having children is that, frankly, I just don’t want to love anyone that much. I have my own problems with love, and I have processed and played the same games for a lifetime, but what if I had to do that with someone I actually MADE?! (Or went all the way to China and adopted. This is not a joke—I have long thought I would adopt one of those baby girls from China, because really, who’s going to know the difference?)

—Comedian Margaret Cho on (not) parenting. (via explore-blog)

(Source: , via explore-blog)