Category Archives: Virginia

Young Boy With Two Gay Dads Will Be Allowed In Swimming Pool

It’s nice to see some positive news from Virginia…

And for people to see just how the Private Sector tries to use anti-Gay Republican legislation to discriminate, not just against Gay people, but their children…

The good news is that, thanks to a Change.org petition with over 80,000 signatures-multiplying by the moment- they can also be persuaded to change.  But it seems they only change once there is enough Public Pressure to do so…

Wouldn’t it be nice if they did the right thing to begin with?

From the NewCivilRightsMovement.org:

 

A young boy with two gay dads will now be allowed to swim in a Virginia health club pool after a Change.org petition went viral, garnering as of this writing almost 80,000 signatures in a few days — and escalating by the thousands every few minutes. As The New Civil Rights Movement reported Tuesday, a same-sex couple who have a two-year old son had been denied access to the Roanoke Athletic Club‘s swimming pool, which is owned by the regional Virginia medical provider, Carilion Clinic, which revoked the membership of the family after they realized the family was headed by two gay dads.

The petition, by LGBT activist Mark Lynn Ferguson, noted that two men, Will Trinkle and his “partner Juan Granados wanted to take their 2-yeard-old son [sic] Oliver Trinkle-Granados to the gym’s outdoor pool during the summer months.”

Only children on family memberships are allowed to use the pool, so Trinkle signed up for a family plan. His application was accepted and processed, clearly listing him, his same sex partner, and their child as members.

Nine days later, a representative from the gym contacted Trinkle and told him that his application was processed by mistake. According to Trinkle, the representative said that the company was “‘tightening policies’ so no families like us would ever ‘get as far’ as we had.” The representative went on to claim that Roanoke Athletic Club is following Virginia state law, which does not recognize same sex marriage.

Now, just moments ago, Change.org wrote via Twitter that “The Carilion Clinic announced they will change their family policy so children with gay parents can swim in the pool!”

More:   Success! Young Boy With Two Gay Dads Will Be Allowed In Swimming Pool! | The New Civil Rights Movement.

Leave a comment

Filed under Gay, Social Justice, The South, Uncategorized, Virginia

Ex-congressman Virgil Goode Eyes Presidential Bid

Hasn’t he already embarrassed Virginia enough?

This man is seriously crazy- which is normal for Virginia Republicans…

Now it seems he is taking his crazy on the road…

Thank god, Goode finally lost his Congressional seat to the great Tom Perriello and we thought we were rid of him.  Unfortunately, Tom lost to that dim bulb Robert Hurt who currently occupies the VA 5th District seat and is, at least, a much quieter embarrassment than Goode.

Now, it seems, the national GOP just isn’t crazy enough for Virgil, so he’s going to try to make a comeback….

God, help us…

It will take at least a century for Virginia’s image to recover from this- especially if the current right-wing lunatic governor with really bad televangelist Republican hair ends up as the GOP VP nominee…

The good news, is there are a few people crazy enough to vote for Virgil Goode, at least in Southside Virginia, so he will at least pull a few dozen votes away from whoever the GOP nominates….

From The Washington Post:

Virgil H. Goode Jr. — the former Virginia congressman and state Senator who switched from Democrat to Independent to Republican during his time in office — is apparently interested in the nation’s top job. Goode filed papers with the Federal Election Commission last week to create the Virgil Goode for President Campaign Committee.

The form does not specify which party’s banner Goode will run under, but in 2010 he was named to the executive committee of the Constitution Party, and last year the party unanimously adopted a resolution calling on Goode to run for president. He said at the time he would “consider it.”

via Ex-congressman Virgil Goode eyes presidential bid – Virginia Politics – The Washington Post.

Leave a comment

Filed under Politics, Uncategorized, Virginia

Conservative Family Values? AntiGay Candidate Admits Lesbian Affair With Student 40 Years Ago, Still Wants Political Office

Those Family Values Republicans are at it again….

This district is very close to Jerry Falwell’s Christian Indoctrination Camp (AKA Liberty University)  and in about the most conservative part of Virginia….

I actually managed a campaign against the guy who is retiring twentysome years ago.  I know this district well.  I’m going to have to pay more attention to the local Virginia press on this one.  This could get really good….

Apparently we have a potentially felonious “ex” Lesbian running against a guy convicted of drunk driving and carrying a concealed weapon for the State Senate?  That’s just on the “conservative” GOP and GOP “Leaning” side.

Sounds like typical Virginia Republicans to me….

The Dems seem to be staying out of this and letting the GOP do their dirty work for them….

I encourage you to click through the link and read the whole story.  Truth is truly stranger than fiction…..You can’t make this stuff up!

From Jonathan Turley:

An interesting story out of Appomattox, Virginia, and  one that hits closer to home than I originally thought. Anti-Gay lobbyist and former deputy clerk of the Virginia House of Delegates, Linda Wall, wants to put her conservative  ideology to work for the citizens of Appomattox, Virginia in the election for the Commonwealth’s 59th District House seat.  Running as an independent, she describes herself as a “Republican-leaning conservative.” Her campaign slogan is: “A Campaign of Protection and Restoration.”  But the place where our Country was reunited in 1865, is wondering just what kind of “protection” she’s talking about and has a real dilemma on its hand since Wall admitted a lesbian affair with one of her junior high students in the early 1970s.

via Conservative Family Values? AntiGay Candidate Admits Lesbian Affair With Student 40 Years Ago, Still Wants Political Office « JONATHAN TURLEY.

Leave a comment

Filed under Politics, Virginia

Danville Downtowner Motor Inn to be Demolished

Ah, another part of my  misspent youth is going to be gone shortly…

We had some damn good parties at that place and I used to eat lunch in their Restaurant when I worked in Downtown Danville at a Bank right after college.

Had some fun times at their “disco”, the Black Horse Cellar…

We also spent most of our Senior Prom in a Suite there having cocktails before and after making our token appearance at the Dance…

See my previous blog post on my other blog for details:  http://mysoutherngothiclife.com/2011/02/12/chapter-50-party-at-the-hot-sheet-hotel/

From GoDanRiver.Com:

The Danville Industrial Development Authority has bought the former Downtowner Motel at the corner of Main and Union streets with the help of a Danville Regional Foundation grant.

“Without the financial support of the Danville Regional Foundation, we would not have been able to make this very significant purchase at this time to advance the Master Plan being developed for the River District,” said Richard Turner, chairman of the Industrial Development Authority. “Because of its high visibility, the removal of this structure will begin what we all think will be a major transformation of the district.”

The Downtowner building has been empty for more than a decade but has “become the focal point of blight eradication and redevelopment in the newly designated River District,” the release said.

via Danville IDA buys the former Downtowner Motel | GoDanRiver.com.

Leave a comment

Filed under Danville, Social Commentary, Uncategorized, Virginia

Robert Hurt and His Incompetent Staff Fail Again…

I’m on the mailing list for Virginia Republican Congressman Robert Hurt both because it amuses me and to see what he’s up to….

I just received his Memorial Day message– this morning….

Uh, Robbie, Memorial Day was yesterday….You didn’t get your paper in on time and this isn’t Hampden-Sydney College.

You are in the big leagues now…at least theoretically.

I still can’t believe folks in my old home District voted for this guy to replace the incredibly smart, effective and dedicated Tom Perriello.

They are getting just what they deserve….

Incompetent representation due to incompetent voting…

Leave a comment

Filed under Congress, Politics, Virginia

VA AG Ken Cuccinelli Wants To Be One Of Bin Laden’s 72 Virgins

I’ve always known Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is one weird dude, but I never expected this….

For reference, here is his Tweet:

“How much would I give to be one of the 72 Virginans Osama is ‘hanging out’ with since Sunday?”

Here is how the Huffington Post examines this:

I”m really not sure if this is an example of a bit of tweet-snark gone terribly awry, or maybe an account that’s been hacked, but Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has sent one of the strangest tweets ever in response to the death of infamous terrorist Osama bin Laden.

For real: what is going on here? Why is Cuccinelli going all Mitch Albom on Osama bin Laden? Does he really want to service bin Laden, sexually, in the great beyond? Maybe he plans to give the dead terrorist the “blue balls?” And is Cuccinelli a virgin, or was he — perhaps more disturbingly — shooting for “Virginians” with this tweet? It’s possible that Cuccinelli is trying to say that he wishes he had been part of the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group, more informally known as “SEAL Team Six,” who conducted the raid on bin Laden’s compound and who are garrisoned in Virginia at the Naval Air Station’s Dam Neck Annex. But this would be an odd way of communicating that desire.

At any rate, until I hear otherwise, I’m just going to assume that Ken Cuccinelli wants to make love to Osama bin Laden in hell. Keep calm and carry on!

via Ken Cuccinelli Wants To Be One Of Bin Laden’s 72 Virgins, For Some Reason [UPDATED].

Leave a comment

Filed under Politics, Virginia

Forever Prep: Virginia Living Magazine Feature Shot at Sweet Briar College- and some other school

There is a photo spread in this month’s “Virginia Living” magazine called “Forever Prep.”

For  those who don’t know, the Virginia  college circuit is the epicenter of Prep in Virginia and the South.

There is an article in the “paper” magazine also that talks about the Virginia Prep lifestyle of the 1980’s that I and many of my friends were part of at Sweet Briar, Washington and Lee, Mary Baldwin, Hollins, Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and UVa….and how it translates to today’s world.

It’s  also a reference to “True Prep” that came out late last year and the 30th Anniversary of the “Official Preppy Handbook”.

The photo’s were shot at Sweet Briar College and Hampden-Sydney…

Sweet Briar makes perfect sense, but Hampden Sydney???

This Washington and Lee Man may have to cancel his subscription….

And I do have a subscription…

It’s a sickness…

Here is the Link: http://www.virginialiving.com/downloads/slideshows/274/slides/0/index.html

Leave a comment

Filed under Journalism, Style, The South, Virginia

Monkey in woman’s bra makes waves at Amherst courthouse | GoDanRiver.com

Only in Virginia….

Authorities said a woman entered the Amherst County Courthouse on Thursday morning with a tiny monkey tucked into her bra, dressed in diapers and a pink and white dress.

The unusual event occurred when the woman arrived for a hearing in Juvenile and Domestic Relations court.

Officials said they had no idea the woman had the monkey until the she went into an office for a routine procedure to fill out court-related paperwork.

When the woman referred to a daughter, a puzzled official asked where the daughter was and the woman pulled the monkey out of her bra.

Officials confirmed the incident, from the commonwealth’s attorney, Stephanie Maddox, to deputies who were working in the courthouse. They did not identify the woman.

“You couldn’t make up something like this,” Maddox said.

But it was no big deal, the woman said later, because her tiny marmoset turns seven weeks old today and is, in the parlance of monkeys, an infant who needs constant attention.

“I can’t understand why the deputy didn’t see her — she was peeking out” from the cleavage of her blouse, she said.

The woman contacted The News & Advance late Thursday afternoon after seeing a story about the monkey online. She wanted to explain why she took the creature, named Cara, into the courthouse. The woman’s identity is being withheld for family reasons.

via Monkey in woman’s bra makes waves at Amherst courthouse | GoDanRiver.com.

Leave a comment

Filed under News, Virginia

Chapter 52: Sex in the South: Part 2- The Queen of the South | My Southern Gothic Life

New post up on my other blog, MySouthernGothicLife.com….

Here’s a brief excerpt and a link to the full post…

Like fashion, new movies, ethnic food and just about everything else, the Sexual Revolution came late to Danville, Virginia.

However, given the sexually repressive atmosphere, it should be no surprise it led the way in one area:  Outdoor Porn Drive In Theaters.

via Chapter 52: Sex in the South: Part 2- The Queen of the South | My Southern Gothic Life.

Leave a comment

Filed under Entertainment, History, Movies, My Journey, Scott's Commentary, Style, The South, Virginia

Chapter 51: Sex in the South: Part 1- Setting the Stage | My Southern Gothic Life

There is a new post up on my other blog:  My SouthernGothicLife.com

Here is the intro and a link to the full post:

To put it bluntly, when we were growing up, we knew sex was everywhere in the South.  It was poorly hidden, but not a topic of socially approved conversations.   Or at least it once wasn’t…

We came from, perhaps, the last generation to be fed totally screwed up information about sex.  At least, I hope so…

MORE:   Chapter 51: Sex in the South: Part 1- Setting the Stage | My Southern Gothic Life.

Leave a comment

Filed under North Carolina, Scott's Commentary, Social Commentary, The South, Virginia