Showing posts with label Pam's House Blend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pam's House Blend. Show all posts

Friday, February 13, 2015

Profile on my legacy as a citizen journalist in the LGBT movement...and my new passion, Journey Revisited

It's not every day that you get such wonderful press. There's a piece on my role in the LGBT movement as part of Black History Month, recognizing NC residents who have made an impact. Matt Comer of QNotes interviewed me and the issue hit the stands yesterday and the story is online now,"Famed Blogger Lifted Unheard Voices."



With Wake Forest University professor and
 MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry
(Feb 2015).
A snippit on my work publishing Pam's House Blend:

"Spaulding’s commentary and writing touched nearly every aspect of the LGBT and progressive communities. She kept tabs on local politics in cities across the Carolinas, often attending local government meetings in and around the Triangle. She’d visit the General Assembly to report on lobby days or get on-the-scene sources during legislative debates. She detailed LGBT activism in states and towns across the country, and even weighed in as an on-air commentator on CNN during the 2008 election. And, she used her increasing influence to build and lift the voices of other people of color, southerners, women and transgender writers."
But of course, this is history. I shut down the political blog in 2013 because it became too much work to maintain a full time job and the full time blog when rheumatoid arthritis really started to take hold.

I'm feeling quite a bit better these days due to some sledgehammer drugs that have their own effect on my life, but I have renewed energy working with Journey Revisited, the best Journey tribute band out there.

Matt recounts how I got involved with the group:
"Spaulding now collaborates and assists with promotions, social media and website management for Journey Revisited, a tribute band she fell in love with. (She wanted us to plug their website, which she redesigned. You should totally visit it at www.journeyrevisited.com.) 
“I happened upon them by accident,” Spaulding recalls. “I didn’t know anything about them. Someone had posted a video of theirs and I was just blown away at how good they were.” 
She left a positive comment on that video and the band’s Facebook page and began a dialogue with one of the band’s members. [Pam: the video was "When You're Alone (It Ain't Easy)" and the band member was frontman Jeff Salado.] 
She finds herself spending time now helping the band on new projects, instead of chasing down the latest news leads across the country. “I got so enamored with the work they were doing,” she says. “I’m not just a fan. I’m knee-deep in this tribute band, and it’s been extremely satisfying."
***


And healing thoughts and prayers out to my buddy Jeff Salado, who is under the weather as JR begins a stretch of 4 gigs in 7 days. We're rooting for some rest and recovery...

2/14: Valentine's Day @ Muckleshoot Casino, 7PM
2/17: Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival, 1:30PM/4:30PM
2/20: Fulton 55 - American Heart Association Benefit, 8PM
2/21: Club Fox, 8:30PM.

Info:
https://www.facebook.com/JourneyRevisited/events
http://www.journeyrevisited.com/p/tour-dates.html

Friday, March 28, 2014

A nod to the late PHB - a Vicki Award from Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance

What a wonderful surprise! Nine years of online activism and one award that I never expected to receive is a sexual freedom award. Does the content my former labor of love, Pam's House Blend's rate that honor?

The good people at the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance (Facebook, Twitter) thought so, and contacted me recently to announce that I will receive its Vicki Award (and I'll deliver a keynote address) at the Sexual Freedom Summit  (@WoodhullSFA) on August 14-17, 2014, in Alexandria, VA. Hashtag: #SFS14.

About the award:
Established in 2010, the Vicki is named after Victoria Woodhull, the namesake of the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance. Ms. Woodhull was an American suffragist born on September 23, 1838, who was described by Gilded Age newspapers as a leader of the American women's suffrage movement in the 19th century. She became a colorful and notorious symbol for women's rights, free love, and spiritualism as she fought against corruption and for labor reforms. A strong advocate for collaboration and for full equality rather than "just" individual rights, Woodhull was generations ahead of her time.
I am in terrific company. From the press release:

The 2014 Honorees

Carol Queen is an American author, editor, sociologist and sexologist with a doctorate in sexology who is very active in the sex-positive feminism movement.  The founding director of the Center for Sex & Culture in San Francisco, Queen serves as Staff Sexologist at Good Vibrations, where she’s worked since 1990.  Read more here.  

Cory Silverberg has developed and facilitated workshops for hundreds of agencies and organizations serving both youth and adults across North America on a range of topics including sexuality and disability, sexual pleasure, sexual communication, sex toys, and sex and technology. Cory has also delivered keynotes, lectures, and interactive public talks for professional conferences and student groups. Read more here.

Pam Spaulding considers herself an accidental activist.  The founder, editor and publisher of Pam’s House Blend, a startling honest and astute blog focused on the LGBT community, Pam has guest posted/contributed to Americablog, Pandagon, Firedoglake, The Rude Pundit, The Bilerico Project, Glenn Greenwald’s Unclaimed Territory on Salon, and written for The Independent Weekly.   Read more here.

The event will be a rare occasion for me these days - traveling, due to impact on my RA. Woodhull and its Executive Director Ricci Joy Levy have been very accommodating re: my need for rest and recovery. It's sad I have to live by the clock for meds and such these days. But I'll go down fighting.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Happy new year - glad to ring in 2014

Happy New Year, everyone! It's bye-bye to 2013. I hope you all had a safe and fun evening celebrating. Kate and I both fell asleep and missed the ball drop hour, lol.

2013 was a year of personal milestones and observations. Here's just a short personal look back (after all, I can be self-indulgent on my own FB wall, lol).

-- I closed PHB after 9 years of online citizen journalism, with amazing send-offs from Michelangelo Signorile, Melissa Harris-Perry, and many of you with thoughtful FB messages and Tweets;

-- I celebrated my 50th birthday in NYC with friends and family;

-- I marked 20 years at my "real job" at Duke University Press;

-- And, of course, 2013 was a year of dealing with life-altering health challenges that are here to stay (and was the impetus for closing the blog).

Despite the personal setbacks related to the latter, it was a positive year to witness changes in LGBT life in the U.S. The civil equality ball has moved forward faster than I could have predicted, with the fall of a big piece of DOMA and more and unexpected states welcoming marriage equality.

On the other hand, we've got intransigent inequality in many states, where you still cannot be out on the job, there are no public accommodations protections, and marriage recognition is a pipe dream waiting on SCOTUS. Transgender rights have a long way to go no matter how you slice it. I hope the LGB movement puts forth the effort to effect changes that make a difference.

And race relations? Jesus, our country needs a reboot on this one. Re-electing the first black President only seemed to exacerbate the crazies on the Right, and generated precious little intelligent dialog along with cluelessness-- pretending we don't have a serious problem in this area is ludicrous. Trying to assign blame rather than accepting and working through the role privilege plays seems to be a challenge we cannot quite reach these days.

That whole Rodney King "can't we all just get along" rings in my head quite often.

But it's 2014 now, so I look forward to more news, more joy, more frustration and life in general -- as it is, while I work to make it what I hope it can be. Many gracious good wishes for you and yours.

On July 1, 2014, Kate and I will celebrate 10 years of marriage (thank you, Canada!), so it's a nice milestone in this new year that we both look forward to!

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Made it - Celebrated 20 years at Duke University Press...still no regrets about shutting down the Blend

Yesterday afternoon I celebrated my 20th year at Duke University Press at our annual meeting. I posted about it on Facebook on Wed, where a lot of well-wishers stopped by if you want to see the thread. As I said there...

A long, interesting journey it has been so far...and all while starting (and concluding) a political blogging/activism career that I somehow fit into a nine-year chunk of the same life timeline.

I doesn't seem like 20 years; not like I planned to be in any job for that long (though I've held 3 positions during my time at the Press, first as a production coordinator in the Journals division, then as essentially the help desk person/database developer, and later as manager of the IT department, a position I hold to this day.

I am fortunate to work with great colleagues, and to lead a kick-ass IT staff at a workplace that values diversity and has policies that gave me the freedom to be out of the closet w/o fear of being fired. And until ENDA is law, that is the state of things here in NC unless your employer specifically articulates protections. Same-sex spousal equiv benefits cannot be taken for granted, either. NC will turn itself around eventually, but the teabagger/teahadist turnover in 2010 and its fallout will take a lot of work to counter.

While this day job is all-consuming, as most readers know, I was simultaneously burning the midnight oil (and almost all of my paid time off) writing, attending speaking engagements and doing first-person reporting for Pam's House Blend -- effectively at a full-time pace.

I was never one of the fortunate political bloggers in the the LGBT world to monetize the blog enough to quit the day job, but I was smart enough to know that the day job was the only one putting a roof over my head and is far more predictable (though being in IT, that alone requires being professionally nimble in what is a volatile field) than figuring out whether people will donate enough, or enough ad revenue would come in, waiting for some rich benefactor to see the value of your work, or hope the mainstream media to snatch you up to pay you to do what you love. But that's ok. Life threw me a different loop.

Fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis were the final straws that broke me physically, and PHB had to go on my life chopping block.  Of course when I posted the pic of me holding up the toasting "chalice" celebrating my 20 years yesterday, some folks noted how healthy I look. It's the dilemma of invisible illnesses like RA that sap your energy, cause constant physical joint pain, and eventually makes its presence visible through joint deformity. Thankfully I'm still in the "just" painful stage.

But I'm under no illusions about what ahead. I do get more sleep and that helps me stay functional. Even so, I'm now reduced to 75% time at the Press and it wipes me out physically. There is no way this body/mind could continue doing PHB while holding down the FT job.

Of course, I haven't had the pleasure of being on the receiving end of death/violence threats on this job (yet!). Blogging was definitely more "entertaining" on that front.

It's only been since July of this year that I stopped blogging, and I can't tell you how many offers to write (some actually for $$, most not), and requests even pretty desperate ones, to promote work or an event or some press release even just on social media (I'm still active on Facebook, Twitter and G+). I'm not exactly sure my posts on those limited platforms alone are nearly as effective as a long-form blog post, so I'm not sure why my inbox is still constantly overflowing.

Maybe it's still denial on their part that I actually did walk away from the blog and that I'm merely vacationing from it.

I have no regrets walking away from that insane level of commitment that blogging/activism entailed, other than disappointment that no one here in NC has stepped up to fill the void and the dearth of lesbians of color (prominent or not) in the LGBT blogosphere after my nine years immersed in it. Even more distressing, where are the lesbians of color in the South to represent in the digital world of activism?

I'm not sure anyone will step up, though. Independent political blogging,  in my opinion, is on the way out as a medium. Unless one has the luxury of time, energy and the expectation it will always be a second job, it is tough going -- you have to rely on your passion for reporting, commentary and curating news alone.


Thursday, August 15, 2013

The Advocate asks - Is Pam's House Blend Impossible to Reproduce?

I laughed when I saw this headline at the Advocate's web site -- you only see it when you share the article on social media such as Facebook. The actual headline is:

Good to the last drop - Pam's House Blend"Good To The Last Drop:
After a decade as the loudest — and sometimes only — digital voice in the South coming from an out woman of color, Pam’s House Blend closed up shop July 1. Now she may never be replaced."


I was interviewed a few weeks ago by The Advocate's Sunnivie Brydum about the end of the Blend's run and completely forgot about it -- I've been snowed under on the day job that I've held all during the nine-year run of the blog. It's what keeps the roof over my head; blogging was never profitable for me, and I explained why in the piece:
"Despite its countless accolades and ever-increasing traffic, the Blend never gained the type of financial foothold that some more mainstream, news-heavy LGBT blogs have secured. Spaulding believes the reason behind that is two-fold. First, Spaulding’s refusal to run what she calls “skin ads” — services targeting gay men with often racy images — that pay handsomely, kept the Blend’s earning potential relatively limited. And, “while the work at [The Blend] was important, it didn’t necessarily entertain in the same manner as those blogs that would generate advertising of that sort anyway,” says Spaulding, referring to higher-traffic sites largely targeted to and run by gay men like Towleroad, Joe.My.God, and Queerty. “At the same time, [Blend] readers were looking for connections to the content to their lives as LGBTs, people of color, people not from gay ghettos. That kind of content may generate awards, and reach readers of influence, and even get me invited to speak on the panels at important conferences, but it doesn’t pay the bills.
Which is why, throughout the Blend’s existence, Spaulding held down a full-time job in addition to her tenacious blogging. But the toll of working essentially two full-time jobs — while only receiving the salary of one — eventually wore on Spaulding, who struggles with several chronic health conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. A decade of hard work depleted Spaulding’s reserves to the point that she decided to close up shop in July."
And about the question regarding the Blend being impossible to reproduce --  it's true -- and not because of yours truly, but because "new media," blogs and traditional news media were in a very different state way back in 2004. Would a black lesbian (and unknown) voice producing a political blog out of NC even be noticed in 2013? Read the article and weigh in.

I love the bit at the end of this piece (I didn't suggest it, btw):

"Spaulding still maintains a personal blog at PamSpaulding.net, where she writes about non-political passions including health, pit bull advocacy, and her favorite — if much-maligned — band, Journey."

Yeah, baby!

Journey sampler






Monday, July 1, 2013

So Long, Farewell: Today We Close Pam's House Blend - A Look Back. (UPDATED)

This was my last post on FDL/PHB yesterday (July 1, 2013).


The Blend has been a virtual coffeehouse where vigorous (but polite) political expression was encouraged on myriad topics including LGBT issues, race relations, the religious right, and gender issues. This outlet for commentary and original reporting has had a great run that has been gratifying to produce and hopefully enlightening for readers. As we close the doors today, thanks for the love, the barbs, the critics, the good (and energizing, but tiring) times.



Just imagine how I feel right now after the last week -- SCOTUS left me in a helluva lurch, let me tell you. The landmark rulings on DOMA and Prop 8 and the Voting Rights Act show just how much more activism and work is left to do.

That this court could essentially say that race isn't not much of an issue in the states covered by the VRA in this day and age is preposterous. Bouncing the responsibility to this Congress to address is laughable. I will say that, given what we've seen over the last couple of election cycles and the attempts to suppress the vote, it is time to expand that pre-clearance map, actually.

And on LGBT rights, while people rightfully celebrate the strikedown of a portion of DOMA covering federal benefits and the return of marriage rights for same-sex couples in California, the high court issued the most restrictive ruling possible for the win -- it dodged the issue of the constitutional right of gay and lesbian couples to marry. That means those of us in states with marriage amendments will have to deal with denial of many critical rights and legal uncertainties until a boatload of challenges inevitably bounce it back to SCOTUS to resolve.

Today also happens to be my ninth wedding anniversary. Kate and I were married in Vancouver, B.C. Canada in 2004. So we sit here in a state without employment discrimination protections, in a marriage unrecognized by the state.

Gee, what a time to stop blogging, you say? There is so much more left to say and do. But it's time; someone else, sadly, has to take the baton from me. As I said in my announcement post, sometimes real life -- in my case, serious health matters -- have rendered me left to focus on the more pressing task of holding down the full-time job that puts a roof over my head and health insurance to keep me going for as long as I can.

A new channel debuts on FDL, Justice For All, that will take on many of the same issues covered by PHB. My current co-bloggers  Laurel Ramseyer, Alvin McEwen and Autumn Sandeen will helm that blog.

She's not dead (yet), Jim

While the need to actually get sleep means I no longer have the time or energy to write long-form pieces or to go out to do original reporting, I will still be active on social media (Facebook, Twitter, G+). Blogging/citizen journalism, unfortunately, was not an avenue that I could carve out a space to make a living, though others from that initial class of new media bloggers did get absorbed into traditional media. Many, like myself, nevertheless, found our work ballooning into a full-time second job involving online and offline activism. For us it was unpaid or marginally supported (through ads) labor of love. In my case, it went on for nine years, and PHB made a dent in the political world of LGBT politics as new media challenged not only foes and the establishment, but our own advocacy organizations.

Some PHB history below the fold. I hope you enjoy the ride back in the time machine.

Monday, June 24, 2013

And then there's this kind of "fan"...

Look! I have a fan! Not that I've heard of this site...it has at least 2 readers, since there are 2 comments, lol. I am actually surprised that more freaks on the right haven't spewed stuff. I was looking to post the "best of".



This dude is even more marginal than The Peter. Where's my pal Pastor Billy Ball...?

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Thank you, Melissa Harris-Perry, for the wonderful Pam's House Blend send-off

Just got out of the shower just in time to catch the MHP PHB send-off! Some screen caps and pix that were shown...Melissa Harris-Perry was way too kind. Thank you. The video:


Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
And what's not to love -- she mentioned in a shout-out my much-loved (often-derided) fave band Journey. From the rough MSNBC transcript:
“For this week’s footnote i’m bidding a favorite tonight farewell to my favorite coffee shop , pam’s house blend . pam spaulding has decided to close the blog pam ‘s house blend . Launched in 2004, PHB is one of the first online opinion sources that I read on a daily basis. Pam is based in durham, North Carolina. As an African-American lesbian living in the south during the gay baiting re-election campaign of George W. Bush in 2004, she just needed a place to vent, but what started out as a personal online journal of frustration became one of the most innovative and inclusive spaces in the digital world.
Pam and her fellow bloggers reported the news and commented on the maddening developments of national politics, but they always did so through their own distinctive lens. pam and her co-bloggers withstood the identity of race and identity reminding us that gay is not just an urban experience. of course there is autumn sandeen, who is the first transgender blogger on a major site. pam and her house blend won many awards and in 2008 she was only one of six african-american bloggers credentialed to cover the Democratic National Convention. early this week she announced she will no longer produce pam ‘s house blend; she is suffering from rheumatoid arthritis , she no longer has the stamina to blog during all the hours that would be reserved for sleeping. we asked pam what she wants to be the legacy of the house blend and she said, i really do wish that we could get more lgbt people of color blogging about politics and their rights. maybe it’s the gliend of politi politics. maybe it’s that politics is depressing, i’m not sure, but it’s so necessary. and voices from the south are necessary. pam , you are a true citizen journalist . 
I will continue to check out your personal posts about your favorite band, Journey, but i will miss your daily House Blend.  Rest and take care of yourself, you certainly have earned it. But if you are out there and you have a voice that needs to be heard and a perspective that should be shared, maybe now is the time to take up the banner that Pam has held aloft for so long. ”
Reaction to the video on Facebook.
For newcomers to the Blend, I've collected a bit of history on my personal blog.

Friday, June 21, 2013

PHB tribute on MHP on Sunday (hopefully)!

Wow - now this is really a "we're not worthy" moment. Just got a call from the Melissa Harris-Perry show on MSNBC. She is going to do a feature on the close of Pam's House Blend at the end of the show on Sunday. :-)

(Of course with my luck some breaking news will explode and it will get 86ed. LOLOLOL.)

In case you're wondering, I won't be on-air. I will be in the throes of methotrexate side effects Sat and early Sunday AM. The video should be up by noon on Sunday, according to the producer.

LOLZ. I guess The Peter finally heard the news...

Peter LaBarbera, long-time "friend" of the Blend (just Google him), gives this appropriate send-off in the wake of the news that dangerous “pray-away-the-gay” therapy organization Exodus International is going to bite the dust.


This professional anti-LGBT activist, based in Illinois, perpetually called PHB "anti-Christian," which is ludicrous, because, as he well knows, not all Christians believe that being gay is sinful, or should be discriminated against.

He and I go way back, almost to the beginning of PHB. His annoyance with me reached its peak when he and his fellow anti-gay-for-pay activist Matt Barber decided to try to get me fired from my day job because of my personal political views.

During the Amendment One campaign (the "marriage protection" amendment ballot initiative here in NC that passed in 2012), he and local homophobe Rev. Patrick Wooden had this exchange about me on Peter's show -- where they tell me to find Jesus – and a man to breed with to ‘rock my world’:
Peter LaBarbera: According to the left you are a rent-a-pastor, I’m referring to a comment made by Pam Spaulding, a lesbian activist in your state. She does not have kind words for you Patrick. She calls you a bigot, and when she found out that you were appearing at our press conference and said you were among the so-called rent-a-pastors. So she was echoing the same sort of stuff we’ve caught by the SPLC [Southern Poverty Law Center], which to reiterate and remind people that they said the white organizers…which I suppose would be Peter LaBarbera and Matt Barber. We brought along a set of black pastors. So Pam, who happens to be black, she also called you a rent-a-pastor. So how do you feel about that?
Patrick Wooden: Well, first of all, I love Pam, and one of these days I hope to invite Pam Spaulding maybe to lunch, and we can sit down and talk, I have never had the privilege of meeting her. I learned that we were at an event one time together and she did not make herself known [news to me; what event is he talking about?] and of course she knew, if my information is correct, she’s aware of who I am and I did not know her. I love her and I am praying for her, and I wouldn’t dare rail insults for insults or slurs for slurs.
I will say that Christ died for Pam, and Jesus will save her and deliver her from sin and that I have nothing but love for her and look forward to an opportunity to sit down and look her in the eye and to talk to her. Now as for the comment that I am a rent-a-pastor (laughs)…listen, Peter, I’ve been called much worse, and you know, my position is this: I don’t mind being rented for the cause of Christ. I don’t mind being rented for God’s Truth, I don’t mind being used for God’s Truth…as a matter of fact I want to thank her for calling me a rent-a-pastor. And I’ll say to the Lord – you can rent me anytime you want. I don’t know why he would since he owns me, but I will do for whatever cause he would want me to be a part of …here I am Lord, I’m like Isaiah, [blah, blah, blah] as long as I am representing God’s Truth. 
Peter, it’s really not about her; we’re just vessels to be used by the Lord. It is the cause…it is the truth of God that we represent that is so important. So if the Pam Spauldings of this world, I wouldn’t get into a shouting match with her, I wouldn’t visit her web site, or her Facebook or whatever and rail insult for insult… 
Pam needs Jesus, when Pam meets the Lord that yearning for a member of the same sex will change…she’d probably make a fantastic mother [Um, no], and would enjoy having a husband who was born male – no Chaz Bono business – born male – and meet her man, and rock her world, in the name of the Lord.”
Peter: You’re right about the hatred, you expect that the hatred would come – this is a perversion movement.

Here's the blast from the past...



Also see:
* This Is What Professional Homophobes Do When It’s ‘Game Over Man’

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

(Unexpected) reaction to the announcement about the end of Pam's House Blend...and a chat with Michelangelo Signorile

On Sunday I thought I could get away with announcing that I was shutting down Pam's House Blend (closing the coffeehouse on July 1, its 9th birthday) with little fanfare, as that's a pretty dead day when people are out and about, and it was also Father's Day.

Boy, was I wrong. There was a massive outburst of reaction on Facebook and Twitter and the Internet (see at the bottom of the post). It was overwhelming -- and kind of weird, like being at your own funeral without the pine box/urn. I say "unexpected" in the headline because I truly didn't think it would matter this much. I still have a hard time placing the work I do on the blog in the context of things like "success" or "popularity" because the latter is hard to gauge sitting here where, aside from a few comments on the blog or social media, just how far and wide your words reach, since most people lurk, not comment. The former is hard to define in today's new media world -- success can come in awards and honors (I do have a number of those), professional opportunities (those never materialized in any way that I could consider quitting my day job), or financial (that's laughable). But apparently the Blend is well-loved by enough people that they kindly shared their thoughts on Sunday in numbers that surprised me.

The blog will be closed, but I'll still be active on social media (FB, Twitter, etc.); I'm just not up to long-form blogging/reporting anymore. If I am not able to do it to the standards I have kept up over the years, it's time to let it go. I know it's time, because the decision was easy; I know my physical limitations now and I'm not in denial about what I can accomplish in a given day. It takes all of the energy I can muster just to be able to hold down my 75% day job.

***

On Tuesday I went on the Michelangelo Signorile Show on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. I am honored to call Mike -- a legendary LGBT activist and journalist -- a dear friend and he's been a big booster of the Blend over the years. He also recently co-authored with me a chapter about the Righthaven copyright scourge and its impact on media authorship in a book, Copyright Shakedown: The Rise and Fall of Righthaven.

Anyway, we chatted for about 15 minutes about closing the coffeehouse, and discussed the state of blogging back in 2004, and how it has changed over the years, particularly with the recent high impact of social media. You can read Mike's write up on Huffington Post, where he is the editor of Gay Voices. A snippet:

Spaulding talked about starting the blog in 2004 and never imagining it would become the award-winning, highly-noted must-read site that often garnered media attention as well a notice from mainstream gay groups Spaulding sometimes criticized, like the Human Rights Campaign.

“There were not many blogs out there [9 years ago],” she said. I wasn’t blogging to an audience. I was just blogging about my frustrations about the virulently antigay campaign that George Bush was running. For the first year to year-and-a-half the most I had in terms of readership was 300 people. I thought that was enormous and that I’d never surpass it.”

Looking back, Spaulding is especially proud of the diverse voices she brought to the PamsHouseBlend and the political blogopshere, readers and writers who’d often begun posting in the diaries on the site and rose to become regular bloggers, including the prominent transgender activist and blogger Autumn Sandeen.

“I’m really proud of that,” Spaulding said, “because that was a voice that was missing at the time in the blogosphere. There really were not any transgender bloggers at the time among the A-list blogs. I think that kind of exposure led to more discussion about transgender issues.”
Here's the audio:



I couldn't capture all of the reactions on FB and Twitter, but thanks to Storify, here's a good number of them from good friends, readers and fans (sorry, no reaction so far from professional anti-gays Porno Pete or Bam Bam Barber yet, lol).



Wednesday, April 14, 2010

David Mixner names the 'Twenty Most Powerful Lesbians In American Politics'

OK. I'll only give you five full descriptions from his list; you can surf over to read about the rest. David Mixner's no stranger to power lists. The best-selling author, civil rights and AIDS activist, political strategist and former advisor to Bill Clinton was once named by Newsweek as the most powerful gay man in America.

With that in mind, here's how he conjured up his selections, meant for generating fun discussion.
Oh, this posting will be fun and sure to result in some debate. Often very powerful and influential political Lesbians are left off the usual national LGBT publications lists. No doubt many will question some of my choices and rankings. Others will question why a male is putting together such a list. You can have fun debating both of those points in the comments section.

To create this list, I eliminated anyone from the entertainment and sports community and focused totally on national politics and grassroots. So that leaves off such influential but not exclusively political heavy weights like Kate Clinton, Cynthia Nixon, Melissa Etheridge and Ellen DeGeneres. Some such as Nancy Sutley, who has a major position in the Obama team is lower in the list because she is not that active in LGBT issues or politics despite her powerful position.
Who do you think made the top 5? Oy, here you go...
1. Rachel Maddow: Who can argue with this influential and powerful commentator being number one? With her MSNBC perch, she reaches millions and doesn't shy away from being a Lesbian and covering LGBT stories. Her own journey is an amazing story and gives new definition to LGBT power.

2. Congresswomen Tammy Baldwin: Having been in Congress for a decade as an open Lesbian, she has developed a significant power base and respect in the United States House of Representatives. Representing Wisconsin's second district, she has become a close ally of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and is a major point person in the House on LGBT legislation.

3. Hilary Rosen: Without a doubt, one of the most powerful behind the scenes political power brokers in Washington, DC. Rosen's list of friends reads like a "who's who" in American politics both in Washington and the entertainment industry. As a television commentator, she has earned the respect of many in the nation's capital. Is there anyone she doesn't know?

4. Pam Spaulding: Charismatic, kind and powerful are the words to describe Pam Spaulding. Her site, Pam'sHouseBlend.com, has become one of the most well-read and influential blogs in America. Quick with breaking stories, unapologetically liberal and a champion of Transgender rights, she is known for her lack of patience in freedom for LGBT people. Her influence will only grow.

5. Randi Weingarten: As president of the American Federation of Teachers, she is the most powerful open LGBT person in American labor. She is known to be a fierce advocate for her members and fighting for LGBT rights in the American labor movement.
The rest of the top 20 makes me squirm uncomfortably because many of them certainly should rank higher than your blogmistress. And no, I didn't slip David some scratch; in fact we have yet to meet.

6. Speaker Christine Quinn
7. Mayor Annise Parker
8. Rea Carey
9. Urvashi Vaid
10. Dr. Marjorie Hill
11. Kerry Eleveld
12. Robin McGeehee
13. Torie Osborn
14. Nancy Sutley
15. Kate Kendall
16. Sheila Kuehl
17. Karen Ocamb
18. Elizabeth Birch
19. Lorri Jean
20. Coya Artichoker
And congratulations to David, btw, who will receive the Point Legend Award from The Point Foundation in NYC on Monday.
The Point Legend Award is presented to an individual who has, through the course of their lifetime, achieved greatness in their professional career and unapologetically supported the LGBT community. David Mixner has been a force within the LGBT community for many, many years. In celebrating 50 years of community organizing and volunteerism, Point is humbled that he’s graciously agreed to be recognized with the Point Legend Award. He continues to be a source of inspiration to society and more importantly, our youth. He is a shining example of the type of leaders Point scholars strive to be.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

My Durham News column: When do dogs get 2nd chance?

This month, I took on the subject of Michael Vick and his rehabilitation tour. He made a stop here to talk to at-risk youth. From his POV, it's to help kids learn that dogfighting can lead to your career crashing down on you. What it isn't about is restoring the reputation of a breed of dog Vick helped demonize as well as debase by shooting, electrocuting and beating to death for entertainment's sake.
Mr. Vick and many of the students he spoke to are receiving second chances to rebuild their lives with new skills and support. In Vick's case he was asked by the Humane Society of the United States to travel around the country to talk about the animal cruelty he engaged in - and how it has affected his life. His visit here in Durham touched many, including Bull City resident Jason McClairy, 19, who said he initially raised three pit bulls to fight, but after seeing the fate of Michael Vick, is now raising them as pets.

Those may be three lucky pit bulls.

...[I]n the wrong hands - like those of Mr. Vick and his cohorts - the pit bull became synonymous with unstable, anti-social, chained, aggressive dogs, bred solely for the ability to fight, maim, and kill. And that reputation led to fear and unnecessary breed-specific legislation.
I go on to compare the message of Vick's rehab tour to the work of Cesar Millan, who has done more to rehabilitate the image of the pit bull than Vick will ever do.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

The NYC Anti-Violence Project's Courage Awards is just around the corner...

It's coming up soon! Tickets are available. Hopefully, given my health issues, I will survive the airplane trip in one piece in order to receive this distinguished award.

The New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) will hold its 13th Annual Courage Awards on Monday, November 9, 2009 at the W New York Ballroom at 541 Lexington Avenue, New York. The evening includes cocktails and a chefs' tasting and a program featuring the award presentation.

At this year’s event, AVP has the privilege of honoring Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Tony Kushner, author of Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes and The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism With a Key to the Scriptures, for his truthful and cutting edge political writing and analysis; Weblog creators Bil Browning (The Bilerico Project), Joe Jervis (Joe.My.God.), Pam Spaulding (Pam's House Blend) and Andy Towle (Towleroad), in recognition of the impact of LGBTQH weblogs have made in the fight for civil rights and against violence in our communities; and Clifford Chance US LLP, for their commitment to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and HIV-affected (LGBTQH) rights and extensive work on behalf of the communities AVP serves.

Date: Monday, November 9, 2009

Location: W New York Ballroom at 541 Lexington Avenue, New York

Time: 7pm-9pm (VIP reception starting at 6pm)

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Equality Alabama Gala - must-see speech by ally Congressman John Lewis

It was an amazing evening with many old and new friends at Equality Alabama's Gala Saturday night. The highlight was keynote speaker Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), who is a native of Troy, Alabama. His played a legendary fearless role in the civil rights struggles of the 60s -- and he is man who believes in LGBT civil equality with equal conviction -- he immediately signed on to DOMA repeal legislation.



This is significant in a day when there is a clear dearth of support in the religious black community; Lewis has the moral standing that a homophobe in the pulpit like Bishop Harry Jackson can never touch. John Lewis took batons to the head, was beaten to unconsciousness multiple times for equality -- courage and moral conviction that Jackson and his fellow charlatans of bigotry are bereft of.



Rep. Lewis spoke eloquently about the simplicity of the government staying out of the lives of gay and lesbian couples -- there is no need to "save" marriage from two people who simply want to love one another and be legally affirmed in the same way that heterosexual couples are when they marry.

But perhaps the most powerful message was to those in the LGBT community who are waiting for equality to come to them -- Lewis charged us to seize the moment, do not accept being told to wait your turn, to demand your rights through your representative, and most of all take personal responsibility -- the message we all heard was loud and clear. Too many LGBTs are in the closet waiting for someone else to do the heavy lifting and LEAD. We are all capable of leading by kicking that closet door open. The main meat of the speech begins around 5:00 -- and you will want to hear it all. The man had the audience spellbound.



John Lewis could have let someone else take the baton to the head for his rights. He didn't; his rights were too important to him to NOT lead by example. I asked State Rep. Patricia Todd thought of his wake up call to our community. She agreed that there is no excuse for our so-called leaders, our elected representatives who say they are our allies but lack the political spine to do the right thing should watch this speech as required education. But we also noted to one another that even more critical was Lewis's call to you - those of us who rail about what someone else can do to lead or move the ball forward and don't step up, or take even small steps to be interested in determining the fate of your civil rights. Where is the fire in the belly of our movement? It's not in DC, it's all of you, if you choose to do a tenth, hell, one-hundredth of what John Lewis showed in terms of personal courage to fight for his rights against hostility day and night. The transcript is here.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

NN09: Women Bloggers Found: Has Feminist Blogging Gone Mainstream?

Finally, the video of one of the interesting panels I was on at Netroots Nation has turned up (sorry no transcript). I did discuss the whole dustup over having to rewrite the Blend's TOS. Lots of fun listening to the trials and tribulations of how women who blog often pay much more attention to maintaining civility on their blogs (and seem to be expected to) whereas blogs by men often are a free for all.
Women Bloggers Found: Has Feminist Blogging Gone Mainstream?
Jill Filipovic, Amanda Marcotte, Samhita Mukhopadhyay, Lindsay Beyerstein, Pam Spaulding.

A few years ago, male bloggers 'round the liberal bloglandia were wondering out loud, "Where are the women bloggers?" Many of the women in the feminist and progressive blogospheres responded with frustration—we were there, and had been, the whole time. Today, the blogosphere looks awfully different, as feminist bloggers are increasingly mainstreamed and able to exert stronger influence on online discourse. But "blogging while feminist" isn't always easy, and feminist bloggers have faced harassment and threats that are uniquely gendered and sexualized. Feminists who have been most successful at running bigger blogs have also been mostly young, white, heterosexual and middle-class—so their issues have been presented to the mainstream progressive movement as the whole of feminism. This panel will look at what has changed, what hasn't and who remains on the edges of progressive blogging. It will also examine how female bloggers—and feminist bloggers in particular—are treated in mainstream spaces, and what we can do about it.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Equality Alabama Weekend is coming soon!

I am glad that the good folks at Equality Alabama invited me back to participate in its Equality Weekend (Sept 18-20).
On Saturday, September 19, 2009 a day long schedule of educational programs will focus on workplace equality, safe schools, transgender concerns, religious issues, youth concerns , racism, romance, activism, electing gay and gay supportive candidates, parenting and other issues. The evening will include networking, silent auction, a gala dinner, and a bar after party. Friday and Sunday events will round out the weekend.
The real thrill for me about this year's conference is that the keynote speaker is ally Congressman John Lewis [D-GA]. He has literally shed blood for civil rights during the 60s, and today he is an open and strong advocate for full equality for LGBTs. I hope to snare a few moments to get a short interview with him. It will also be good to connect to Alabama State Representative Patricia Todd, the first out lesbian elected to its legislature (for House District 54 in 2006).

Fellow Durhamite and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Mandy Carter and I will head up workshops during the conference. Read about them below the fold.


Mandy's tackling:

"ERASING RACISM"
The intersection of race, gender and sexual orientation."

"BEING LGBT, BEING SOUTHERN"

Join a discussion of cross-issue, anti-oppression, and meeting at the crossroads of race, class, culture, gender and sexuality, towards building the local work, unity and interconnection of people.

I will also give two talks with Q&A:

"ELECTRONIC ACTIVISM"
Making the world a little better: With literally just a few clicks of a mouse, you can make a positive difference. Technology provides incredible opportunity for change. Join one of the movement's well-known bloggers in a discussion about this exciting new frontier.

"EFFECTIVE SOUND BITES"
Pam Spaulding uses her experience in media to consider preparation to make interviews effective, no matter how limited the sound bite selected for air or print quotes. Have you ever wondered what the perfect response is to a situation or a question? Media and interactive training: Be prepared for the next time a news reporter or a nosey neighbor needs to hear just the right response.

SCHEDULE of EVENTS

This is the latest schedule for Equality Weekend—check back often for updates!

Friday, September 18, 2009

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Reception honoring speakers and volunteers
5608 8th Court South, Birmingham, AL 35212
[Home of Jay Barrett and Michael Cyr]
Tickets are $25.00, support Equality Alabama and are tax deductible

8:30 pm - until
Welcome Party at Our Place [smoke free neighborhood bar]
2115 Seventh Avenue South, Birmingham

Saturday, September 19, 2009

8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Registration opens for educational workshops
All sessions held at Cahaba Grand Conference Center
3660 Grandview Parkway [off highway 280], Birmingham, AL 35343

9:00 am - 9:45 am
Opening session begins
Featured speaker = Representative Patricia Todd
Top Ten for 2008-2009: Year in Review
Annual Equality Alabama Report and Future Directions
Award Presentations
Introduction of workshops and presenters

10:00 am - 11:30 am
Morning Workshops [see workshop schedule]

11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Lunch Break

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Afternoon Workshops [see workshop schedule]

2:45 pm - 4:00 pm
Interest-based Caucuses [see workshop schedule]

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Silent Auction and Drawings
Networking Reception [cash bars]

6:00 pm - 9:pm
Youth Dance Party
Off Cahaba Grand Upper Level of Entrance Rotunda

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Gala Dinner
Magic City Choral Society Performance
Featured Speaker = Congressman John Lewis [D-GA] Civil Rights Champion
Awards

9:30 pm
After Party at Joe's on Seventh [new smoke free neighborhood bar] corner of Seventh Avenue South and 27th Street South, Birmingham

Sunday, September 20, 2009

10:00 am - 12:00 noon
Services at Welcoming Churches [ask for list at registration]

12:15 pm - 2:00 pm
Brunch featuring performance by Politically Incorrect Cabaret
Historic Redmont Hotel
2101 Fifth Avenue North [in downtown loft district]
Birmingham, AL 35203

.

You can see the full program here.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Ron Reagan interviews me at Netroots Nation 2009

Ron Reagan was broadcasting his Air America show at Netroots Nation this year. Megan Carpentier, one of the behind-the-scenes people at Air America came up to me during an earlier panel and asked if I do a segment with Ron Reagan about LGBT issues later in the day. Of course I was surprised that I was a first pick for this, considering the many great peeps in attendance. Anyway, I said sure, and showed up early since it was hard to find the radio row.

So I'm standing around chatting and all of a sudden his producer comes up and says that I was going to go on right now because the slotted guest was late. YIPES. So before I knew it, I was in the hot seat with the headphones on and doing the interview with Ron, who is a really nice guy who works well in this challenging environment with a wide variety of guests who are here at Netroots Nation.

It was a fun interview (radio is infinitely easier than doing TV) we talked about Prop 8 repeal, the Maine ballot initiative, allly support, and minority outreach.



We fit a lot into ~10 minutes.



My columns for The Durham News

[UPDATE (8/18): I had lunch with editor Mark Schultz, and the N&O/The Durham News has decided to extend my gig! He asked me whether I'd like to increase the column to twice a month, but I don't know that I can add that much to my already-full plate. I will be able to go longer on pieces if I want/need to -- usually I was constrained to 550-600 words.]

I'm the first out lesbian columnist for the News & Observer, one of the largest newspapers in the state and possibly the first out lesbian columnist for a major newspaper in NC; I have no idea. Anyway, several columns have now run in The Durham News, its Bull City community edition. It's a monthly column (I rotate with other local folks), a gig for six months that began in March 2009, so I'm wrapping up my stint.

Mark Schultz, the editor of TDN and The Chapel Hill News (as well as one of the Western Triangle editors for The News & Observer) just asked me out of the blue to do this. I was recommended by one of my old pals and former neighbor in Old West Durham, John Schelp, since I'm a Durham native. It's a small world.

My column is not like my blog -- about national politics -- this is about community flavor, but I do take on politics The first piece is still so far the one that has generated the most mail -- about breed-specific discrimination regarding American Pit Bull Terriers. I adopted Casey from a local shelter in 2008 and seen bias around here that reminds me all too much of racial discrimination. I only have about 650 words to jabber on -- no freedom for endless commentary like I have at the Blend.

My Columns

Night at the City Council
Sept 9, 2009
2 degrees of Stuyvesant, NYC

Aug 12, 2009
How city grew out of its shell
Jul 08, 2009
Sounding off on the need for speed
May 13, 2009
Pols now tight-lipped on gays
Apr 08, 2009
Fighting pet prejudice
Mar 15, 2009

Full list is on the Publications page of my site.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

I will be honored with the New York City Anti-Violence Project's Courage Award

I just learned that I will receive a 2009 Courage Award from the New York City Anti-Violence Project "for the significant contributions you have made to raising awareness about anti-violence work." A snippet of the email from AVP's Executive Director Sharon Stapel:
For almost 30 years, the New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) has been an invaluable resource to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV-affected (LGBTQH) communities. Our mission is to address the root causes of violence committed against and within our communities, while providing services and outreach to survivors. Each year, AVP presents the Courage Awards, highlighting the significant contributions of members of our community and allies, whose thoughtful and meaningful work inspires us.

In recognition of the impact of LGBTQH weblogs in the fight against violence in our communities, we are honoring a select group of bloggers who have shown exceptional commitment to the values we espouse. We would like to honor you as part of that group with a 2009 Courage Award. In accepting this award, you will join the distinguished company of past awardees including: Alan Cumming, HBO, In the Life, Judy Shepard and George C. Wolfe, to name but a few.
Also among the past honorees is Law & Order: SVU's B.D. Wong.
The Courage Awards will be held on Monday, November 9, 2009.