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Straight men who have sex with men do so for a number of reasons, but in general such activity is about physical release and sexual behaviors, not about attraction or desire for another man.
Transsexuals of BrazilTransgender people--more specifically, people who were born male but present themselves as female--are Brazil's single most marginalized group.
Cross-DressingCross-dressers have often been misunderstood and maligned, especially in societies with rigid gender roles.
Butch-FemmeButch-femme identities are controversial and difficult to define with precision, but both roles subvert prescribed gender and sexual expectations; ultimately, the butch-femme dynamic is a unique way of living and loving.
AndrogynyAndrogyny, a psychological blending of gender traits, has long been embraced by strong women, soft men, members of queer communities, and others who do not easily fit into traditionally defined gender categories.
Stonewall RiotsThe confrontations between police and demonstrators at the Stonewall Inn in New York City the weekend of June 27-29, 1969 mark the beginning of the modern glbtq movement for equal rights.
Women's Liberation MovementThe Women's Liberation Movement, which flourished during the 1970s, constitutes the largest and most widely publicized social movement of women in history.
Mixed-orientation marriages--those in which one partner is straight and the other is gay or lesbian--often end in divorce, but such an ending is not inevitable.
Last updated on: 10/11/12
Ryan Andresen on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
On National Coming Out Day 2012, Ellen DeGeneres featured Ryan Andresen, who was denied an Eagle Scout pin because of his sexual orientation. She not only told his story of having experienced discrimination as a result of the Boy Scouts of America's disgusting policy of excluding homosexuals, but she also presented the 18-year-old a nice addition to his college fund.
As Miriam Leitsinger of NBC News reported on October 4, 2012, the high school senior recently completed his final Eagle Scout project, which included building a 288-tile "wall of tolerance" for a middle school in California to comfort victims of bullying.
However, despite allowing him to complete all the requirements for the award, leaders of Andresen's Boy Scout troop refused to grant Andresen the Eagle Scout award because he is gay.
In protest, Andresen's father resigned as assistant Scoutmaster of his son's troop after it was confirmed that he would not receive the award.
His mother Karen Andresen told NBC, "I want everyone to know that [the Eagle award] should be based on accomplishment, not your sexual orientation."
Explaining that her son has been in scouting since he was six years old, she added, "I think right now the Scoutmaster is sending Ryan the message that he's not a valued human being and I want Ryan to know that he is valued . . . and that people care about him."
Karen Andresen also initiated a change.org petition, asking that the Boy Scouts of America's discriminatory policy be changed and that her son be given the award that he earned.
"It hurts me so much to watch Ryan suffer for being who he is, because to me, he's perfect. Ryan has worked for nearly 12 years to become an Eagle Scout, and nothing would make him more proud than earning that well-deserved distinction," she wrote on the petition website.
The petition has now received almost 400,000 signatures. It may be accessed here.
On the Ellen Show, DeGeneres not only introduced the nation to the charming Ryan Andresen and his amazing mother, but she also highlights the injustice he experienced.
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