The Advocacy Council for Human Rights

There is an LGBT fundraiser for congressional candidate David Gill from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 23 at Lancaster’s Restaurant, 513 N. Main Street in downtown Bloomington.

Free appetizers and a cash bar will be available at the event. There is no suggested donation but since it is a fundraiser his campaign hopes this event will raise some good money to help David in his effort to unseat Congressman Tim Johnson.

Gill is running for the 15th congressional seat held by Johnson since 2001. The district encompasses parts of Bloomington/Normal and stretches east beyond Champaign/Urbana.

Johnson has a clear history of opposing equal rights for LGBT people; in fact, he has consistently scored “0″ on the Human Rights Campaign congressional scorecards. Gill, in contrast, has declared his support for a variety of LGBT issues including the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, overturning the “Defense of Marriage” Act, and granting equal marriage rights to same-sex couples.

Please consider joining us in helping elect an LGBT-friendly candidate to represent us in Washington! And please, PLEASE pass along this information to other listserves and individuals!

On October 7-10 the Advocacy Council for Human Rights in association with the Normal Theater will host Your Normal LGBT Film Festival. Our mission is to “create a showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender stories and arts to entertain, inspire and grow the number of central Illinois fans and champions.”

Read more »

The second annual Peoria Pride Festival will kick off at noon on Sunday, Sept. 12 at the CEFCU stage on the Peoria Riverfront.

Following on the heels of last year’s phenomenal success the festival is again offering a full afternoon of fun including stage entertainment, vendors, food options and LGBT organization information booths. Read more »

A pride cruise on Peoria’s own Spirit of Peoria will be from 7 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11. The cruise will embark from the Peoria Riverfront.

 The cruise includes on-board entertainment, food, and a journey on the Illinois River. The evening will begin with boarding and a dock party at 7 p.m. followed by the cruise at 8:30 p.m.

 Tickets for the cruise are $50 and passengers must be at least 21 years old. All tickets must be purchased in advance.

 For more information and to order tickets online go to www.peoriapride.com

Trey Polesky, a local transman and Licensed Social Worker, is opening a practice that includes services for transgender people.

Trey’s focus is on working with transgender clients and those questioning their gender identity or gender expression; he also works closely with the LGBTQ community. He is available to help people with issues related to transitioning, coming out, relationships, work related concerns, and mental health and substance use issues. Through his studies he is also able to write letters of referral for hormone therapy and/or gender reassignment surgery.

Trey utilizes the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s Standards of Care. He does not accept insurance at this time but offers a sliding scale and payment plans.

Please feel free to contact Trey at (773)-819-5428, visit his Web site, or e-mail him at treypolesky@gmail.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Our David, a comedy/drama that makes a unique and cutting-edge case for equality, will be performed on Wednesday, Sept. 15 at the Eaton Gallery, 411 N. Center Street in downtown Bloomington. Read more »

New Covenant Community is pleased to announce the inaugural lecturer of the “Jim and Gwen Pruyne Lectureship in Progressive Christianity.” Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers will be in Normal, Illinois the weekend of October 29 and 30, 2010 to discuss ways that the modern church can become more biblically responsible, intellectually honest, emotionally satisfying and socially significant. Read more »

TGINBNIL (Transgender in Bloomington/Normal) has slated a full list of events for the fall.

 On September 11 there will be a swap meeting /Pizza and Slumber Party until midnight.
Bring any clothes, shoes, wigs, jewelry, or other item you may have but don’t use anymore.  Items will be given a very moderate price with all proceeds going to support the McLean County AIDS Task Force who provides a meeting space for us. Bring your jammies and fuzzy slippers – pizza and a scary movie will be provided. Read more »

by Gene Naden 

The brilliant 20^th century German poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote: 

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue.” 

I heard these words a decade ago but only now do I recognize my own struggle within them. 

Gay Fred says he could never make love to a woman.
Successfully.
George says whenever he made love to his wife it felt like rape.
Like he was being raped.
Bill says he has to visualize a man to perform.
To perform with a woman.

 I envy them.
Because they know who they are.
They know their place.
Their place on gay.com.
In Facebook.
In the Pride Parade.
In a bar on Halsted Street. 

Gay men.

 Their personal advertisements read,
“Mature gay man seeks stable man for friendship and more.”

My ad would read,
“Arguably mature, sort-of-gay man seeks stable man or maybe woman for something.”

Or consider a letter, a postal message
With two destinations.
Maybe two return addresses, too.

I was lost in space,
orbiting the moons of Jupiter.
I landed on icy, cratered Ganymede,
Found and entered one of Rilke’s locked rooms,
and browsed a book in a “very foreign tongue.”

I will never be a simple man.
Thankfully.