The gays swept the Golden Globes last night, taking home Best Actor (Capote), Best Actress (Transamerica), Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Original Song (Brokeback Mountain) for all heavily gay themed performances.

Here's what the incomparable Felicity Huffman said during her acceptance of the Best Actress award for her performance as Bree in Transamerica

"I know as actors our job is usually to shed our skins but I think as people, our job is to become who we really are, and so I would like to salute the men and women who brave ostracism, alienation and a life lived on the margins to become who they really are," the actress said, to roaring approval."

It was an ecstatic night for your lesbian correspondents followed up by an exclusive appearance on The Temporary John McIntire Show on KDKA during the 11 PM hour. 

A caller (let's call her Sue) wanted to know if I saw a comparison between Brokeback Mountain and The Crying Game (you remember the "big reveal" don't you?).  She was almost rapturous describing her emotional response to the compassion and beauty of this movie's touching story about the gay experience.  When I asked if she was planning to see Brokeback Mountain, she told me probably not because the gay male sex scene seemed unnatural.

SIGH

Sue -- you need to go see this movie.  I guarantee if you had such a strong response to The Crying Game (an excellent film) that Brokeback Mountain will be a completely satisfying experience for you.  Please PLEASE go see this movie. 

please.  I will take you to the movies AND dinner afterwards to discuss. 

Sue

The homohating bigots are at it again, calling for a boycott on Microsoft and other companies supporting a LGBT civil rights bill in the Washington state legislature. 

What can you say to this kind of overt hatred?  Again, I cannot get my mind around the fact that these bigots and their sheep actually BELIEVE that homosexuals are the biggest threat to American families.  Period.  Not the economy, health care, the environment. Not even terrorism.  Nope.  Its us queers.

It appears that Microsoft has learned their lesson from their previous supplication at the foot of the mighty Christian wingers. 

Then again here in Pennsylvania the legislature is buying into the same ridiculous argument. 

Disgusting.

Sue

This ain't funny, folks.  The PA legislature, home of the midnight pay raise, has made protecting marriage from the homos a focus right now.  Never mind that our fair city of Pittsburgh is crumbling around us while our beloved mayor plugs holes with political hacks.  Never mind that GM is closing a plant and putting hundreds of people out of jobs.  Never mind that Medicare Part D is a nightmare and thousands of older adults are swimming in a sea of bureaucratic crap.  Never mind.  Just sling some homohate around and people will <snap> forget all about the real problems that threaten Pennsylvania families.

Tell you legislators that this is a waste of resources, will hurt Pennsylvania families and is unfair to children.   Go here to do something. 

"A significant number [of legislators] who signed on as co-sponsors may not know the consequences and impact it would have," Sobel said. 

Here's something interesting from 365gay.com - Britain's most gay-friendly workplace is a POLICE department.

Today, the force is being honored as the most gay-friendly force in the country and the best place in Britain for gays and lesbians to work.

The honor was bestowed on the force by Stonewall, Britain's largest LGBT rights organization.

I hope Chief Costa is reading this announcement. 

Pittsburgh's force may have made some gains in LGBT sensitivity but it is a FAR cry from being gay-friendly.  And given that Mayor O'Conner did not conduct a search to find the best candidate, instead appointing a politically connected crony, I doubt change is on the way.  Click here to read what the 2003 LGBT Needs Assessment has to say about Pittsburgh Police Force and the local LGBT community.

The 365gay.com reports goes on

It adopted a policy of hiring gay officers and fast tracking the best to senior positions on the force. Today one in 10 of the force?s 2,309 police officers is gay.

Officers are entitled to have paid parenting leave if they or their partners adopted a child, and they are allowed to attend up to three gay pride festivals a year on paid time. 

I'm fairly confident that there are no "out" cops in the local police force, probably in any local police force.  I'm equally sure that there are, in fact, gay cops working in those police forces. 

There's a long way to go.  This report, at the very least, demonstrates that it is possible to get there.