The Best Boy Ever Made

by Rachel Eliason

Alecia Mueller has a plan for her life. She's going to find and marry the One, go to college for horticulture, be a farmwife, and never live more than a mile away from her best friend since childhood, Sam Oleson, the biggest tomboy in town. Her sister, Britney, on the other hand, only cares about cheerleading, the latest gossip, and Alecia's boyfriend, Jeremy. Alecia doesn't understand why her mother seems to think that Brit's got the right idea--she's only pulling Cs, and if she'd rather raise goats with Sam than go to parties with the boys from school, why wouldn't she? The boys from school bring kegs to their parties and try to get in her pants, and Alecia's waiting for the One. Another thing that Alecia's mom doesn't get is that Alecia puts loyalty before politics, and so when Sam comes out as transgender, Alecia doesn't hesitate to stick by her friend's side. As a country girl raised Catholic and conservative, Alecia has a lot to learn as Sam starts coming out at school and preparing to transition. Alecia's suddenly got a lot on her mind, including the meaning of her ongoing attraction to Sam, her mother's wholehearted rejection of anything queer, her favorite great-grandmother's ailing health, the consequences of her sister's partygoing ways, and an upcoming district debate about gay marriage.

The Best Boy Ever Made was a sweet story overall, and Alecia was a likeable character with her steadfast support of Sam, even when she wasn't totally sure what that entailed. She also comes to switch pronouns for Sam without being asked, which was nice (it having been totally clear which ones Sam wanted). Some of the plot seemed a little bit forced--Alecia's attraction to Sam wasn't well integrated. It was implied that this was on purpose; Alecia says she hasn't admitted it (to us) yet and now will have to come clean. But she also says that this had caused them to drift apart, and because the first time we meet Sam, he's fetching Alecia to check on their goats and to come out, we don't really see any of that, which would have been helpful. At least a one or two awkward meetings at school where Alecia bemoans their distance and implies that it was her fault would have done a lot for the story. Alecia's lack of internal anguish over anything but Sam's wellbeing, the debate, and her Grandma Becca also wasn't particularly believable--surely a girl raised by parents who won't even allow discussion of gay marriage in the house would have more of a negative gut reaction to Sam's coming out, and more apprehension concerning acting on her feelings? Sam, however, was a true-blue character, and the tension between Sam's 'I have to do this, no matter the social consequences' and Alecia's 'They're going to hurt you, what harm would waiting do?' was expertly handled so as not to make the reader facepalm at either one. Brit's story was also very well woven in, though a tender moment before the big showdown would have helped. The end felt a bit tied-up-in-a-bow, but thankfully at least one major thing (won't say what for spoilers) was left unhappily resolved, and it was the most crucial to do so for. Who knows, maybe they pull those kinds of stunts in the country? The only other thing I had to complain about was the syntax--is it a country thing to leave out half your contractions, or did Eliason just not have a good sense of natural speech? 'I am not ready for that, and neither are you' just doesn't flow unless you're a Vulcan. None of this totally ruined my suspension of disbelief, though, and some readers may find a deviation from typical plot refreshing.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Project upshot: I'm a little disappointed--I was hoping to use this book as one of my touchstone books for the conference. I may still end up doing so, but I'm definitely going to have to use more than one if I do that. It's closely related to my story in that it's about an FTM transition (mine is an FTN, female to neutral, but it touches on the idea of going FTM first, and where am I going to find something that specific?) and about the relationship between the trans person and their best friend. I'd prefer something that I don't feel like I know how to improve, though. Still, I'm super excited to have finished my first book!
Also, style tribute goes to my old friend the Ink Mage at http://inkmagic.blogspot.com/. Unfortunately, she no longer runs the site, but it's definitely worth reading through the back entries if you want book recommendations in fantasy.

LGBT in Puerto Rico

So I read through the articles, and the upshot is this:
Because Puerto Rico is a territory of the USA, the anti-sodomy laws and the hate crime laws apply. There are also non-federal laws signed into being last year, including probhibition of discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation (unclear whether this includes gender identity, I'm guessing not), and extension of the definition of domestic violence to include same-sex couples. However, there are no legal same-sex unions or recognitions of same-sex unions performed elsewhere, and no adoption of kids by same-sex partners.
Trans people are having a very hard time of it. At best, they are ridiculed, and at worst, being subjected to horrific hate crimes.
However, the arts scene is pushing back, hard. Two movies related to transgenderism have been produced within the last three years, and there are two film festivals dedicated to queer life.

Lawsuit over same-sex marriage
http://www.lgbtpuertorico.com/blog/
Wikipedia on being LGBT in Puerto Rico
Nice summary; Where does Puerto Rico stand on LGBT issues
Hate crime
Film Mala Mala

Gay men will marry your girlfriends.

http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6846855/gay-men-will-marry-your-girlfriends

More newspaper.

• An appeals court in New York says calling someone gay is not slander, because it is not defamatory. I always thought slander depended on the information being untrue. There's me told.
• Gaydar is apparently totally real, with about 60% accuracy, and dependent on the relationship between a person's facial features.
• The company Replacements Limited came out for gay marriage, to the loss of several customers. C'mon, queer allies, anti-boycott!
• More notes on Chick Fil'A.

News and Politics

I know I've been absent for a couple months, but I've been racking up the news articles to send you. Warning: NYTimes.com only lets you view ten free articles a month, so think carefully before clicking the links. I can get around that by getting them sent to me in my inbox, but even I can't view my bookmarks.
 So, Biden's big announcement in favor of same-sex marriage. I'm sure you've heard about this. Drove the White House a little crazy, rushing to make sure everyone knew this was Biden's personal opinion and not the official stance, and forcing Obama to say something one way or the other. I feel for the big man--he got voters from both sides by walking the line, and this doesn't help his cause. Quite frankly, I'm worried about what will happen if Mitt Romney gets in office. It really feels like he sets his stance based on what he thinks the public wants to hear, and changes it accordingly. What is the problem with Obama? I hope this is the article that talks about this--I keep getting a message that says I've read my free articles for the month before I can even read enough to see if it's the one I want. Basically, Romney's telling us Obama lost the country jobs--well, in his first few months of taking office, before his policies could take effect. And now he's trying to get us to return to the same policies that got us into this mess. Who really believes two terms are enough to dig the country out of its hole? Who thinks that a man who won't take a stance of his own and says what he thinks you want to hear will make a good president?  (Apparently, a lot of people.) And Romney won't support same-sex marriage--he says so himself, although he also apparently has friends who are gay. Yes, ObamaCare may be in line with socialist ideals. But guess what? So is public education. It doesn't make him evil. We're so close to getting many of our rights, despite some waffling in the White House--Obama Won't Order Ban on Gay Bias by Employers--some of the original top supporters of DOMA are trying to get it revoked, and the public mind is changing all the time. Don't let the country take two steps back for every step forward. Pull out your common sense. Leave the states vs federal debate and the abortion debate for another day. Debate them in your own time, please do. Work to change people's minds for the things you really care about. But the whole country's going to suffer if you elect Mitt Romney. Re-elect Obama. Pass it on.

In other news:
Homophobic? Maybe You're Gay
All you have to do is watch Glee to know some of the most vehement anti-gays out there are in the closet and scared to death. A good reason to turn the other cheek and be kind to those who hate your guts.
Methodists Vote Against Homosexuality Rule Change
Basically, the Methodists have it written down that homosexuality is incompatible with their teachings, and they decided not to rewrite it.
Harming the Troops
Military Chaplains officially can't marry same-sex couples, even in states where it's legal. I think. Legalese confuses the heck out of me. I shall never be a politician.
Malawi President Wants to Repeal Nation's Antigay Laws
Malawi, a country in Africa, currently has laws prohibiting homosexual acts, but its president wants to repeal them if she can.
And:
Rutgers Webcam-Spying Defendant Sentenced to 30 Days
This is the kid who spied on his roommate having gay sex using a webcam, and posted about it on Twitter, leading to the young man's suicide.

Marriage legality

I was reading the New York Times today, and came across this article. It's about the fight for gay marriage and the new donor pool it has. The really interesting thing, though, was that I recognized the name of the Republican lawyer, Theodore B. Olsen. I came across him while writing my research paper. He stood out for writing about why conservatives ought to support gay marriage, something I think needs to be a central point in changing minds. You can't change many minds just by saying 'this is right' and 'your way is unconstitutional', you need to add a 'this is why you should want this' to the mix. People are selfish, and often won't do anything unless it benefits them or their values in some way. Anti-gay people know that refusing to pass ENDA and similar laws (not marriage--by legal definition, we have exactly the same right as straight people: to marry the opposite sex*) is pretty unconstitutional. They probably know they haven't got any decent arguments. But the whole idea of gay marriage and gayness at all hits their gag reflex. Plain and simple, they don't like it. So they throw everything they've got, like money and religion, against it. We need to make them like it. We need to tell them why they should want equality for all.
Here's Olsen's article.

*This confuses a lot of people. If you're one of them, I'll put it in black and white.
Susan is straight. She has the legal right to marry a man, whether or not she loves him. She couldn't marry a woman for whatever crazy reason. She doesn't have the right.
Annie is gay. She also has the legal right to marry a man, even if she doesn't love him. She couldn't marry a woman even if she does love her. She doesn't have the right.
There's no actual legal difference. Gay and straight (and bi) women alike have the right to marry a man, not a woman. Gay and straight (and bi) men alike have the right to marry a woman, not a man.
Straights don't actually get any special privileges--they're just lucky enough to have the people they're attracted to/people they're capable of loving in the same category as people they're legally allowed to marry, while gay people aren't.
This is not to say I support this. Yes, I think the federal legal definition of marriage should be changed. Point is, this is how things stand. We can't really shout 'equal rights' on this because we have them. What we're asking for is more rights--the right to marry any legal adult human being we please. It'll extend to straight people as well, who don't have that right either, although they generally don't want to marry someone of the same sex, so no one sees them as missing out.

Sweet support

Aww. Vermont is for lovers! Check out their gay marriage themed ice cream.
http://www.benjerry.com/hubbyhubby/

And according to polls, more and more Catholic voters support gay marriage. I'm very proud of my church.
New York Times

Makes sense to me

A nice, clear explanation of why same-sex marriage is completely different from marrying pets, inanimate objects, corpses, or children. View here. This is what I'm talking about.

End marriage discrimination

Watch original here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_TBd-UCwVAY

Know Your Rights

My mother was shocked today to hear that workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity is not illegal.
In fact, there are a lot of states that don't have laws against it. We looked up a couple of states and their laws. HCR.org allows you to select your state and see whether it recognizes same-sex marriage, has anti-discrimination laws and/or anti-hate laws, whether it has protection in schools, etc. Try it.
So we moved to the worldview. The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Organization posts one of these every year. Explore the worldview on subjects such as whether one can change one's gender on one's birth certificate, whether hate crime based on sexual orientation is considered an aggravating circumstance, and whether adoption by couples is legal.
This is ridiculous. There is no good argument for not having legal rights.

Marriage

A recent poll says that just over half the population now supports gay marriage.
Make one more today. Support a person's right to the pursuit of happiness, living in a recognized life partnership with the person they love. Support our legal rights as committed partners, such as hospital visitation and federal benefits. And support our right to NOT be treated 'special', to dream of a wedding just like yours.
My church tells me that I can be gay, but not act on it. Why? Because it's the same as sex before marriage.
So give us marriage and a choice other than life celibacy or going against our church.

Ed and Derence

Watch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=H8nTy0e8mj4

Finally.

It passed the House--for the second or third time.
It passed the Senate--for the first time.
Now we're still waiting for Obama to act on the repeal of DADT.
I got four emails on Saturday with the news.
Unfortunately, as the Post said, repealing DADT was a solid, less controversial issue (as ENDA really should be--but I'm not seeing a whole lot of action going on there) . Marriage is going to take a lot more oomph to pass.
Harvey Milk once said, "Come out, come out, wherever you are." meaning come out of the closet, of course, in hopes that those who formerly were against gay rights, finding that they know someone who's GLBTQ, will change their minds and support their friends and family. This is insanely difficult, I know. But it could help.
On the right and below are some pictures of the Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy in San Francisco.

Liberty and Justice for All?

Back in '09 a kid in Arkansas refused to pledge allegiance to the flag because we are not free. Read more. Why can't we all sit down? The Pledge of Allegiance is a serious thing. I've seen people giggle and fool around during it before.
Think about what you're saying. What's a pledge? A serious promise that you don't break. And 'allegiance'? Allegiance means you stand together.
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America".
I promise, and will never break this promise, that I will stand with the symbol of the United States of America.
"And to the republic for which it stands".
Self-explanatory.
And skipping to the end?
"With liberty and justice for all".
This is not true. We are not free. We are not treated justly.
What a day when the Pledge of Allegiance is announced and the silence brings down the house.
What a day when liberty and justice for all are once again granted and the people stand up to say it again.

This is ridiculous.

Why can't same-sex couples be married?
Seriously. Give me one good answer.
Is your proposed answer that the Bible condemns gay people? Or that marriage is between a man and a woman? Go and read the facts.
As far as I can see, the only problem Christians ought to have with gay people being together is sex before marriage. And isn't the logical step to offer us marriage? Legal and spiritual?
Updated Jan. 13 (which may be slightly out of date, but can't be too far out of whack) the Human Rights Campaign shows us the big picture.
Computer won't read it?
It says:
29 states have "constitutional amendments restricting marriage to one man and one woman" 18 of which are "states where the law or amendment that does, or may, affect other legal relationships, such as civil unions or domestic partnerships".
12 states have "law restricting marriage to one man and one woman".
Wikipedia tells us that "same-sex marriages are currently granted by five of the 50 states, one federal district, and one Indian tribe:

• In Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Washington, D.C., marriages for same-sex couples are legal and currently performed.
• The Coquille Indian Tribe in Oregon also grants same-sex marriage."

I'm guessing they mean Native American tribe, not strictly Indian.

Five. As opposed to 41 states that strictly forbid it.

Wikipedia also says that, "In New York, Rhode Island, and Maryland, same-sex marriages are recognized, but not performed",
"As of June 1, 2009, New Jersey has created legal unions that, while not called marriages, are explicitly defined as offering all the rights and responsibilities of marriage under state (though not federal) law to same-sex couples. California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Washington have created legal unions for same-sex couples that offer varying subsets of the rights and responsibilities of marriage under the laws of those jurisdictions".
Go ahead and check out this article. It has a lot to say on the subject.
Makes me wonder what all these people have to say about New Mexico. The map shows it as not having law or constitutional amendments against same-sex marriage, yet the Wikipedia article doesn't talk about it, despite having been updated today.