D.C. is the place to be

So today Washington, D.C. voted 11-2 to allow gay marriage.

I tear up because it is one more victory in a long struggle for equality and acceptance.

I tear up also because the struggle even exists.

The following states already allow same-sex marriage:
Massachusetts, Iowa, Vermont and Connecticut.
In 2010, we also gain the right in New Hampshire.

But the struggle is still not over. It does not give federal recognition, nor does it give recognition in any of the states that forbid it.

So we struggle... and we climb.

A while ago, a friend of mine and I designed a t-shirt to symbolize our struggle.















I love that shirt, as it was designed by two men together, at least conceptually (I'll admit, he did the art)... and both of us struggle for our rights.

I am happy for D.C., but I wish this was not even an argument. And one I do not understand. I get the "traditional marriage" or "definition" concept, as I am not an idiot. But take religion out of it, and how does it make sense? As we have separation of Church and State, I cannot grasp the foundation of it.

I'm not asking to get married in anyone's Church that does not support it.

But I am asking for the law and government to recognize my commitment, should I ever get there...

And so I continue to fight...

Wear What Matters

Foreign Parts Under the Hood

Guest blogger, Collycol here, making her first appearance on Wearism. Hopefully the first of many.

The other day I thought about the innocence of youth. Early childhood seems ripe with possibilities, permutations, and aspirations. The world is big, wide, open, and limitless. Then other people set in...along with their fears, prejudices, proclivities and general badness. Suddenly that big, open, limitless world shrinks and everyone has to fit in a box....a static, monochromatic, one size fits all, box. And, worse yet, you don't even get to choose which boring box. Heaven forbid you are an octagon peg in the square box, a cavity search may necessary...ask Castor Semenya.

Don't we have the right of self determination? A young woman's triumph is turned into a freak show. Not because she's a freak, she was born that way. The real freaks are the media, the doctors and association that got up in her business...way up in her business, because she has a vajayjay, to find out she's....a woman (with male characteristics). She's intersexed, but she was raised a girl, her family saw her as a girl, so as far I'm concerned, she's a girl. But what the heck do I know? I'm just a girl.

World AIDS Day

December 1: World AIDS Day.

As a modern gay man, I would like to be able to say that I am lucky enough to be disease free.

And though I can stand here with certainty and say that I am, it does not make me lucky.

HIV/AIDS has been in the background of my life for as long as I can remember.

From the Junior High Music teacher who was carted away on the news, as he lay sick and dying...

To the Music Minister of my Church who just stopped showing up one day...

From the first guy I ever went on a date with... telling me years later that he had contracted HIV... and that he just needed someone he could trust to talk with...

To being there as one of my exes found out he was positive...

And those friends that I have lost...

I am only 31.

This year I designed two shirts to pay homage to those I love who are affected by the virus as well as to honor those who first brought awareness to it... (A percentage of profits from all WEARISM sales go to help the cause advocated by the garment)












I will not stop fighting, until HIV/AIDS is just a distant memory.


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Romans 13:10

Catholic Charities has been getting a lot of press lately, because of their stance against the potential legalization of marriage in D.C.

D.C. Council and Catholic Charities Argue Gay Marriage

D.C. Officials Push for Compromise with Catholic Charities

As a former Catholic, often referred to as a lapsed or recovering Catholic, I am absolutely disgusted. As a modern day agnostic, homosexual, and citizen of the United States, I am appalled.

Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, so Catholics can feel free to hate me. But people forget that there is a separation of Church and State. So when public funds become an issue, you must comply with the law at hand or give up your government monies.

And to threaten to potentially have to close homeless shelters or giving aid to the needy, on the basis of "religious freedom." Well... how very Christian...

Do we need reminders that the Bible historically has also been used to justify slavery and racism as slaves should be obedient to their masters (Ephesians 6:5) and countless of times in the oppression of women.

Homosexuality as a concept and subculture, did not exist back then as it did now. Oftentimes religious leaders quote small portions of the Bible and ignore the greater context - that drives me nuts. Nothing more annoying than a religious zealot who does not know their own scripture.

Regardless, let us merely go back to the separation of Church and State. Stick to your guns Catholic Charities and lose your public funding. And in so doing, lose a lot of respect from intelligent people who would see that as manipulative and cruel.

My latest design out of frustration from this situation:




Wear What Matters

Kiss Me I'm Irish

A recent contest for best interactive gay male kiss was held online at http://www.biggaykiss.com/.

The winning entry shown below got met thinking.




Kissability.

It's a deal breaker for me.

I may meet Princes of England or the most down-to-earth model on the planet. If he cannot kiss, friends can we only be.

In my support of the importance of the kiss, my advocacy for gay rights, and my love of affection, I designed a t-shirt for WEARISM that exemplified my passionate pursuits (the shirt was designed well before the video was made).



I do love a kiss.

Kudos to the contest makers and the contest winners. I'm going to go watch the rest of the contest entries now... Until next time.


Wear What Matters

Introduction

Our belief at WEARISM is that apparel has a tremendous impact on society. Whether it is a fashion fad that sweeps a nation, a requirement of one's faith, an attempt to challenge modern norms, or anything in between, what we wear makes a statement.

Outside our corporate mission to get people to wear what matters, this blog was created to take a look at fashion as artifact as well as an influence on culture.

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Not So Humble Beginnings

Wearism.com originated at a protest for Marriage Equality in Philadelphia on November 15, 2008.

A romantically challenged designer and business consultant based in Philadelphia, PA had designed a shirt for the protest in order to impress a boy he had been casually seeing.

A happily coupled screen printer who gaily prints in Camden, NJ had also printed a shirt for the protest to distribute and sell.

The designer/business consultant and the screen printer met and decided to put their advocacy to broader use. Their vision is to change the world one t-shirt at a time and promote social change via fashion.

The two founded WEARISM, a clothing line designed by minorities of some kind or another and printed by hand in the United States on fashion fit garments. A percentage of profits goes to support like-minded organizations related to the cause promoted on the t-shirt. So not only does the buyer promote by wearing, they donate and further the cause simply by buying.

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