LGBT
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“It Gets Better” in music: 5. It Gets Better Song by Todrick Hall
Posted by Jim DeLaHunt on 31 May 2012 | Tagged as: LGBT
With number 5 in my list of favourite musical contributions to the It Gets Better project, the contributions become much more ambitious artistically. It gets more and more satisfying to rewatch each video and remind myself why it is special.
My 86-year old mother has visited the It Gets Better project site, and so I hope you have too. Watch some of the over 10,000 videos contributed by people, from all walks of life, with a common theme: encouraging youth who are being bullied, and perhaps contemplating ending their lives, to believe that life gets better after high school — and that they too should stick around to see it happen.
Number 5 on my list is a song which narrates a short film, with a really marvellous story arc and inventive directing. Self-made new media song-and-dance man Todrick Hall wrote and performed the song. It speaks directly to the hurting queer heart. It has melancholy which acknowledges the pain, but it is also a catchy tune which points hopefully to the future where “it gets better”. Continue Reading »
“It Gets Better” in music: 6. LeAnn Rimes & GMCLA – The Rose
Posted by Jim DeLaHunt on 30 Apr 2012 | Tagged as: LGBT
Last July, I posted number 7 in my list of top favourite musical contributions to the It Gets Better project. After an interval, I’m continuing with number 6.
If you haven’t come across It Gets Better, then run don’t walk to the It Gets Better project site. Watch some of the over 10,000 videos contributed by people, from all walks of life, with a common theme: encouraging youth who are being bullied, and perhaps contemplating ending their lives, to believe that life gets better after high school — and that they too should stick around to see it happen. The project started in late 2010, and no longer has the new-project enthusiam. Still, the passion of the messages and the diversity of the messengers is moving.
Number 6 is a guest appearance by country singer LeAnn Rimes with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA). I found this video after finding another, even more impressive, It Gets Better video by the GMCLA. That will appear later in the countdown. This is a beautifully sung performance of a wonderful song, and that alone is good. But what really tops it off is the heartfelt, at times tearful, introduction by Rimes — along with the supportive but sassy interjections by the chorus.
This performance is an example of the world of professional entertainment, bringing its polish to the It Gets Better series. Bravo to Rimes and to the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles!
Enjoy, and see you again in a few days. No, really.
“It Gets Better” in music: 7. Vancouver Mens’ Chorus
Posted by Jim DeLaHunt on 31 Jul 2011 | Tagged as: LGBT, Vancouver
In honour of the Vancouver Pride Parade and Festival today, which celebrates the spice which lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people contribute to our community — by means of a parade that ran literally past our front door — I’m kicking off a blog post series featuring my top seven favourite musical contributions to the It Gets Better project.
If you haven’t come across It Gets Better, then run don’t walk to the It Gets Better project site. Watch some of the over 10,000 videos contributed by people, from all walks of life, with a common theme: encouraging youth who are being bullied, and perhaps contemplating ending their lives, to believe that life gets better after high school — and that they too should stick around to see it happen. Continue Reading »
Redemption, and disappointment
Posted by Jim DeLaHunt on 05 Nov 2008 | Tagged as: LGBT, marriage equality, politics, USA
Obama was elected US President yesterday, and there was a huge celebration at a bar in Yaletown near our house (see the photo). It felt great to cheer the good news. Ducky and I have both been weeping from time to time over the last few days as the news sinks in.
This is about more than politics. This is a step towards redemption.
Silicon Valley says No to Proposition 8
Posted by Jim DeLaHunt on 31 Oct 2008 | Tagged as: LGBT, marriage equality, politics
You know I am against California’s Proposition 8, which eliminates marriage, and I’m a Silicon Valley boy. I was really pleased to see over 50 Silicon Valley leaders take a public stand against Proposition 8, in the form of a full-page ad in the San Jose Mercury News today (October 31, 2008). One name really meant a lot to me: that of Chuck Geschke, co-founder and co-Chairman of Adobe Systems, where I worked for 16 years.
I heard about the ad in news stories, but I couldn’t find it on the newspaper’s site. (It’s funny that newspaper ads don’t make it to their websites. You’d think that for expensive full-page public statement ads, it would be part of the package.) But Techcrunch carried an image: “Silicon Valley Stands United Against Prop. 8“. (Oh, and the No on 8 campaign has a press release with the text.)
With respect to all the other notable people in the ad, Chuck Geschke’s name means the most to me. Like many Adobe-ites in the 1990’s, I learned about ethical, successful business from Chuck and from John Warnock, and from Adobe Systems, the company they founded. I was just a worker bee, but their ethics and culture permeated the place.
Why we’ll match your donation [to No on Prop 8, California]
Posted by Jim DeLaHunt on 22 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: LGBT, marriage equality
My spouse and I are proud to have been part of this step to fight the anti-marriage Proposition 8 constitutional amendment in California. This was sent out today (July 22, 2008) to Equality California‘s email list. I’ve edited it slightly to fit the blog format.
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:58:38 -0700
From: “Jim & Kate DeLaHunt for Equality California” <email @ eqca.org>
Subject: Why we’ll match your donation today
Ten years ago, we decided to take the plunge.
We got married.
Standing at our side were our friends, Rich and Chris. I don’t think we would have gotten married without their good example. Their household was filled with love and laughter, and the just and equitable relationship they built was an inspiration for us.
Jim & Kate DeLaHunt