"A Vote for Obama is a Vote for Equality"

Those of you in the States will know that today is crucial to the future of your country.

Let's quickly take a look at a genuine quote from Mitt Romney himself:

I do not favour marriage between people of the same gender and I don't favour civil unions.

I'd like to ask you one question: If Mitt Romney is saying things such as this, why are you voting for him?

A vote for Romney is a vote for turning back the clock. A vote for Romney is a vote in favour of discrimination against who you are and against those you love.

Now, I don't care if you don't want to get married. I don't care if you don't think marriage is an important factor to you. All I care about is the fact that you should think about your LGBTQ brothers and sisters who do believe that marriage is a step towards equality for all people who come under the queer umbrella.

A vote for Romney would mean that you are taking this right away from them; a right that gay people and their straight allies have fought for for a number of years.

A vote for Romney is a vote in favour of treating gay people like second-class citizens, who are different from their straight counterparts.

Some of you may say "you are being a one issue voter". Does that really matter?

Your sexual orientation is central to who you are. I'm not saying it defines you, but it is definitely a big part of your life. A VOTE FOR ROMNEY IS A VOTE AGAINST YOURSELF.

Now, let's compare this to the current president, Barack Obama.

Remember when he supported gay marriage publicly: the first time any president in US history has explicitly stated this? Let me remind you.

(Source | orangecountyfldems via YouTube)

Can you not see? Are you so blind as to hear Obama speak so emotionally about our LGBT family, yet vote for Romney anyway?

Not only that, but Obama has supported other legislation regarding LGBT equality.

In 2010, President Obama repealed Don't Ask, Don't Tell, which prevented gay service members from serving openly in the US armed forced.

President Obama has constantly supported the idea that foreign nationals in the States should be low priority cases in terms of deportation, allowing them to stay with their partners.

Obama has spoken out publicly against bullying in regards to pupils who regard themselves as gay - he even released an "It Gets Better" video, to show thousands of young people that he supports them and their right to be whoever they want to be.

So, you lovely gays, I'm going to ask you one more time: If you're voting for Romney... why? You are voting against everything many people just like you believe in.

A vote for Obama is a vote for civil rights.

A vote for Obama is a vote for moving forward.

A vote for Obama is a vote for EQUALITY.

Top Lesbian News of 2010.

I know I usually do this blog in December, but I thought it would make more sense doing it in January, just so I don't miss anything.

Obviously at the top of the gay news list for 2010 is the fact that Don't Ask, Don't Tell was repealed, giving gay service members in the US the right to fight for their country.

Helping the cause along the way was Adam Bouska's 'NOH8' campaign, in which hundreds of celebrities got their picture taken (as seen above) to support the marriage and civil service rights of gay people.

In a less up beat, positive side of politics, Constance McMillen made headlines this year refused to go to her high school prom, as the school would not let her take her girlfriend along with her.

Of course, there's always a silver lining - Constance's battle with homophobia from her school was so shocking that it earned her a place on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, in which she was interviewed and respected like any other celebrity. Props, Ellen.

On the entertainment side of things, there were a lot of 'outings' this year. (Take singer Ladyhawke and Amy Winehouse, for example.) But there were also a couple of fake outings that made the media headlines.

Yep, that's right, Nicki Minaj was outed this year as 'bisexual', which excited lesbian fans of hip/hop and r&b everywhere. But Minaj later dismissed the rumours, tweeting that 'us ppl r simple'.

Lesbian fan favourites 'Calzona' are still going strong on Grey's Anatomy (and by 'strong' we mean haven't been killed of yet), whilst, as far as I know, the young lesbians on Pretty Little Liars are also doing the gay community proud.

Lesbian favourite and The L Word alum Jane Lynch continued to be nominated for several awards and was a fan-favourite on Glee in 2010 - her success being something which she finds so surreal.

Although this 'news' is possibly something negative, lesbian reality show The Real L Word started this year, created by our favourite(?) lesbian producer, Ilene Chaiken.

Fabulous (again '?') news for next year too - The Real L Word is back for a second series in 2011, with Whitney apparently being at the forefront. Hmm... Only time will tell, ladies.

So what did I miss? Anything worth noting?

If You Don't Like It... GO HOME.

Chances are, you are probably aware of the, as what can only be described as 'stupid', law in the American constitution known as 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'.

This ruling sees that homosexuals in the US Army are fired and discharged from their units once they are found to be gay, lesbian or bisexual.

Ridiculously, the 'justification' behind this law being passed is that apparently homosexuality within a unit can affect the cohesion and morale of the group as a whole, with heterosexual soldiers claiming that they are distracted and disgusted by their gay service members.

This week, Lady Gaga - one of the worlds most famous, committed gay rights fighters - gave a speech in Maine, in which she made a series of incredibly valid points in favour of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Perhaps most significantly, she suggested creating a new rule, in which instead of sending home the homosexual soldiers within the army, we should send home the homophobic. We should send home those who believe that someone's sexuality is 'wrong' and we should send home those that believe gay people working alongside them affects their performance on the front line.

Gaga also made the point that when signing up to the army, you make an oath to protect your country and everyone in it. This is supposedly because you love your country and it's citizens so much that you are willing to risk your life to fight for it.

However, doesn't this also mean that you have made the oath to protect the gay people in your country too? Doesn't this mean that you love the gay people within your country? Well, that's what you swore into when you joined, so why would anyone who promised such a thing feel the need to be protected by Don't Ask, Don't Tell?

Quite poignantly, Gaga helps the crowd realize that the homophobic soldier is not filled with said love for his country, but rather that his 'loyalty' towards his country is tethered by hate towards certain members of his unit.

Unfortunately, DADT was not repealed this week, but that doesn't mean we can't keep fighting.

You can watch the full length speech from Lady Gaga by clicking here.