PRIDE

I've heard I person or two say that there is "No point" to the pride parade. The suggestion was that there was nothing special about being gay, "who cares what people do behind closed doors?"

I wish that were true.

In the united states it is estimated that 15% of reported hate crimes where directed at homosexual people.
There are seven countries where homosexual acts are punishable by death.
In 1998 Mathew Sheppard was picked up in a bar by two men posing as gay men. After taking Mathew a remote area, Russell Arthur Henderson and Aaron James McKinney savagely beat him, tied him to a fence post and left him for dead. He was found 18 hours later by a passing cyclist.
While Matthew lay dying in hospital, just a few miles away, a group of students from Colorado State University thought it would be funny to ride atop a homecoming float that featured a scarecrow figure designed to resemble Matthew's battered body. The figure was wearing a sign that said "I'm gay." An obscene message was painted across the back of the scarecrow's shirt.
On December 3, 2007, Craig Gee was attacked by four men whilst holding his boyfriend's hand walking down Crown Street in Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia. Part of his skull was reduced to powder and his leg was broken during the attack. Despite the attack, Gee and his boyfriend joined the Chief of Parade Margaret Cho to lead the 2008 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade.
As recently as February of 2008 a fifteen year old boy was shot in the head in his own school because he was openly gay
At least 41 states in the us have statutes and/or constitutional provisions that prohibit same-sex marriage.

Clearly some people care very much about what gay people do behind closed doors.

As long as violence and discrimination against gays and lesbians exists there is a place for events like the pride parade.

Events that are positive and life affirming, where groups like PFLAG (Parents and friends of Lesbians and gays) can stand up and be heard. Where a parent of a homosexual could, in a public and tangible way march side by side with there child and say "your my kid and your gay and thats alright".

Pride is where politicians, police and public figures send a queer positive message to the public. Pride is where, for the first time ever, the Canadian military came out and marched and acknowledged there gay brethren.

Human rights issues and political agenda's aside Pride is a damn good party. Today the haggis and I wrestled out way to the crowded side of the road and watched the party go by. People where happy, smiling, dancing.

It made me feel good to be there, cheering my self hoarse, howling at the outrageous drag queens and taking as many photos as I could.

One down one to go.

Last exam was on Friday.

I don't know what my marks were but I know they were good enough.

One year down, one to go.

I have enjoyed school allot, but I am really ready for a break.

TMI - The Saga Continues

I don't have cancer

We don't know what I have.

The results of the ultra sound are that I have about four fibroids, the largest of which is 4cm across. - 'Bout the size of a small plum. These may or may not be contributing to my monthly (or month long) horror show style bleeding. They could not see clearly if any of the fibroids are in the endomitrial layer of the uterus (if they are, that explains the bleeding.)

So this means another test.

I get to go back to the place that I had my ultrasound, (the lovely place with the curtains that don't close all the way, and the drafty open-in-the-back gowns)

Yep.

This test is called Its called a "sonohystogram". They fill the uterus with saline and do a ultrasound, the saline makes the internal contours of the uterus more visible in the ultrasound.

Oh joy.

Another invasive uncomfortable procedure. And I get to leave the ultrasound office dripping saline! How much fun is that!

Ahem.

Clearly Exams are making me a tad sarcastic.

TMI part 3

So I had my ultrasound last week. (no news yet..)

I wonder some times about when was the last time the people working in these clinics actually had to go through one of the procedures that they are providing.

Case in point was my trip to the ultrasound office. -I feel the need to point out that I do believe that these people are competent and capable, they've just forgotten what it's like to be a client.

I arrived at the clinic at the appropriate time having drunk the vast quantity of water that they requested. The place was packed to the rafters and of course I had to wait doing a squirming-in-my-seat version of the pee-pee dance. Finally the I was shown to a cubicle and directed to remove every thing from the waist down and put on an examination gown.

The drape to the cubicle did not close all the way.

The "gown" was one of those nasty open in the back types.

Then I was asked to follow the ultrasound Tec to another room, doing so I had to walk down a hallway visible from the waiting room, while waring an open-in-the-back gown and thus showing my ass off to anyone in the waiting room who happened to glance my way.

I gathered up the gown so that the waiting room wouldn't get a free show.

I got into the cubicle with the tec and got on the table, she whipped out a bottle of freezing cold ultrasound gel and squirted a vast quantity on my belly and proceeded to jam the ultrasound head firmly against my very full bladder.

After what seemed like an eternity she informed me that I could go pee and come back for the next part of the exam.

There is a next part you say?

Oh yes. Fortunately I was prepared for this.

She cheerfully whipped out a "wand" - This instrument has a handle, is about 8 inches long and an inch or so wide.

It was waring a condom.

I'm going to let you imagine what the rest of the exam was like.

Everywhere in this office there were signs stating that the tec's were not allowed to tell you your results, and while I tried to read my tec's face, she had to much of a poker face for me tell any thing.

Results hopefully on Tuesday

More TMI

I'm afraid to say it out loud least I jinx it... (Read stealthily)

My period, (the 45 day long one) has ended.

Shhhhhhhhh....