You probably know that the current situation for same sex couples in this country isn’t the brightest. Pretty much no recognition. At all.
Now, the government is finally working on a law for registered partnerships that would guarantee some rights to couples and the so-called “stepchild adoption” – though this point, still different from a “full” adoption, is really controversial and could undergo changes.

Opposition came quickly and the most traditionalist side of the country (mainly catholics) organized a “Family Day” to protest against the law – which will be discussed on January 28.
But LGBT associations are going to respond. They are all joining forces. They organized manifestations on the exact same day chosen by the traditionalist protestants, January 23 (turning the Family Day into a Family Gay) in 72 different cities all over Italy. And still counting. IT’S GONNA BE HUGE.

So Italy is going to look like this:

We really want to make our voices heard. We are tired of being invisible.
This is still so far from marriage equality, so far from what many other European countries have achieved. We are stil very far behind, and it’s just not fair.
But all those red marks stand for squares that will be crammed with people. All on the same day. All asking for equality. All over the country.
And they won’t be able to ignore us anymore.

I wouldn’t usually ask this, but in this case I’d appreciate if people shared this to let everyone know what’s going on in this country.

Gay marriage might have been legalized in the US and in other European countries, but here it feels like we’ll never even have partnership rights :/ this isn’t even the first time it’s been attempted and it’s always been refused for ridiculous reasons.

As always, Italy stands out for lagging behind when it comes to LGBT rights…

PS: Here (in Italian) is a list of the places where it’s organized if anyone who is in the country wants to participate.

The only way to get shit done is to make your presence large and known.

It’s exactly what we had to do in the U.S. and other parts of the world are no different.

Be patient and keep at it, Italy. You got this.

The first primaries are coming up fast and if Bernie Sanders is going to turn his lead in the polls in early states into a primary victory young people NEED to vote. In just a few months all this activism comes to a head and Bernie Sanders has a very real chance at winning.

Bernie Sanders is already winning in two of these early states and by much wider margins than previous Democratic challenger candidates. This can become a real victory, it really can.

Unfortunately though there is a huge obstacle to overcome, a lot of Bernie Sanders supporters are young voters who consistently fail to show up to the polls come election day.

If young people turn out to vote though at rates far above 13%, even as low as 50%, that would be MASSIVE. That would fundamentally change how our government responds to the needs of young people. It is a tall order, but it isn’t that hard. Registering to vote isn’t that difficult and there is no reason that anyone should not be registered by the deadline. It needs to be done soon, but there is still plenty of time.

Okay actually, for some people there isn’t much time left. NEW YORKERS REGISTER TO VOTE NOW! Everyone else, there is some breathing room, but get on it. Below is a link to all the paper work you need, from there it is up to you. Share with your friends and family, help them register, help them get to the polls, and lets get Bernie Sanders elected president.

Register to vote in New York

Register to vote in Iowa

Register to vote in South Carolina

Register to vote in Nevada

Register to vote in Connecticut

Register to vote in New Hampshire

Register to vote in Arkansas

Register to vote in Tennessee

Register to vote in Texas

Register to vote in Georgia

Register to vote in Louisiana

Register to vote in North Carolina

Register to vote in Oklahoma

Register to vote in Michigan

Register to vote in Mississippi

Register to vote in Colorado

Register to vote in Virginia

Register to vote in Minnesota

Register to vote in Massachusetts

Register to vote in Maine

Register to vote in Ohio

Register to vote in Illinois

Register to vote in Kansas

Register to vote in Missouri

Register to vote in Alabama

Register to vote in Nebraska

Register to vote in Utah

Register to vote in Arizona

Register to vote in Vermont

Register to vote in Hawaii

Register to vote in Washington DC

Register to vote in Florida

Register to vote in Maryland

Register to vote in Wisconsin

Register to vote in Wyoming

Register to vote in Pennsylvania

Register to vote in Rhode Island

Register to vote in Delaware

Register to vote in Indiana

Register to vote in Kentucky

Register to vote in West Virginia

Register to vote in Oregon

Register to vote in Montana

Register to vote in New Mexico

Register to vote in New Jersey

Register to vote in California

Register to vote in South Dakota

Register to vote in Washington

Register to vote in Alaska

Register to vote in Idaho

Register to vote in North Dakota

Register to vote in Puerto Rico

It doesn’t stop there though, you need to know how to vote and how each primary election type is different.

BLUE STATES: Anyone of any party affiliation can vote for Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Primary.

RED STATES: Red states are closed primaries, meaning you MUST BE A REGISTERED DEMOCRAT. You need to be a Democrat if you want to vote for Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary.

PURPLE STATES: Are Caucuses and the party affiliation required differs by state.

GREEN STATES: Most Green states are mixed primaries, meaning INDEPENDENTS or NON-AFFILIATED voters and DEMOCRATS can vote for Bernie Sanders. You can not vote for Bernie Sanders as a registered REPUBLICAN, in one of the red states.

ONE MORE THING IN THE STATE HIGHLIGHTED BELOW YOU CAN VOTE FOR BERNIE SANDERS IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION IF YOU ARE 17 AND WILL BE 18.

EVERYONE REGISTER TO VOTE. WE CAN WIN THIS THING. WE WILL WIN THIS THING. BERNIE SANDERS 2016!

I’m gonna pass this along.

In the spirit of the Holidays please join me in reaching out to one of our own. Withywindlesdaughter.  Nadine and her daughter are still homeless and living in a car. It’s dropping to the low 50’s (11-13c) at night and is going to rain for the next 4 days. 

She has a second blog that you might want to follow. It is eye opening: Secretly Homeless

 If you can find it in your heart and budget please think about donating something to help. Imagine spending the holidays trying to sleep in a cold car at night and having nothing to eat but the cheapest packaged or fast food. I don’t know about you, but I can’t and she never thought she would ever have to live like this. There may be a job next week, but then there is gas to buy. And she needs medication (see her GoFundMe for more information on that.)

 Needs are: Money, of course. GoFundMe and she has a PayPal Account if you prefer - use the email Writer6608@yahoo.com

 Other ways to help are gift cards:

 Trader Joe’s market - a very inexpensive store that features healthy food free of chemical additives, hormones and GMOs. Affordable organics.

Ralph’s Market - best discount baked goods rack in town.

ARCO gas - best prices and they’re everywhere.

Those are our biggest challenges. Target cards are good for everything else.

If you have something you want to mail her, maybe treats or something for the holidays please ask first to see if it is appropriate. Please contact her through her Yahoo email or here at Tumblr for an address that will accept packages for her. 

If you can’t donate that’s fine, but please please reblog!

Also, remember that if you can only afford to give a few dollars (nothing is too small) donating to PayPal is a big help. She can transfer PayPal finds directly to her Starbucks card. Inside Starbucks is a warm place to sit and charge her electronics, free WiFi, a clean bathroom, and a variety of food and drinks. Even a donation of $5 makes a difference.

Anything helps and I believe Withy would do the same for any of us if the situation was reversed. She’s a kind person, a talented writer, and she’s one of the fandom.

If you are hesitant about donating, consider that she will write your prompts for a very reasonable commission. You can have a short fic written just for you while helping out a friend!

Please help if you can. Please, please repost and get the word out. Christmas is a horrible time to be homeless. 

You are angels - every one of you! 

I’m being evicted. Tonight. Midnight.

It’s why I’ve been distant, and quiet. Every time, when I need help the most, I pull away from people. I can’t stop myself. I always do. As if drawing attention to my weakness will only inspire derision and pain. I’ve escaped my family, but their lessons follow me no matter where I go or how long ago.

My every attempt to better myself, to pull myself out of the cesspool I was born in has failed. Will I ever finish school, or have a home not always in danger of being ripped out up from under? Will I ever be safe, warm, and loved? If the past can be used as a predictor for future success, then the answer is what I’ve always suspected, what my mother has told me time and time again: no.

My medication is not working as well as I hoped. I found myself not caring about eating, or drinking. I rarely bathe. My room is a trashed mess. My therapist hasn’t answered my texts. I can’t make myself leave my bedroom to go to work, or school. So, naturally, I have no way to pay the rent. 

I curled up, and stop fighting, like always do. Every time life gets a little hard, I drop to the floor in the fetal position, and try to wait it out. I know it’s a defense mechanism from my childhood abuse, but I hate it. I hate myself for it. I always will. I can’t fight to defend myself, because I feel like if I do, I will only be hurt that much more for it than if I just let it happen. I hate myself for it. I hate it.

I’m suppose to be out by midnight. How, I don’t know. I have nowhere to go, no money to do it. I have six hours left. I’m going to be homeless again, and there is nothing I can do. It’s December, and it’s freezing and wet outside. 

I feel like dying. I want to fall asleep and die, and never face this again. But I can’t. I’m too cowardly, too weak. There are parts of my mind that insists I should find some way around this. There isn’t, but there it is. I wish I could.

I’m going to be a statistic again. Yet another queer women of color being thrown out in the streets again. I don’t think I can survive this. But I don’t know what to do anymore.

Update: December 1, 2015

My roommate went with me to the leasing office today. My therapist came to help me talk with the building managers. We explained to them what has been going on; how my medication is not working, and so I haven’t been able to function in a long while. My anxiety and PTSD were out of control. I was fortunate they were sympathetic to hearing me out, even when I was crying so hard I had trouble breathing. 

They’re stopping the eviction for now. So I won’t have to worry about being thrown out into the winter night. This is a deep relief to me, because I can tell you right now from experience, it is a terrifying and distressing thing I hope never to go through again.

However, the fact still stands that I owe them the rent for October, November, and now December. My rent is $575 a month, so that’s $1725 I have to come up with. I’m meeting with the leasing office again tomorrow with my therapist to discuss what my options are. After that, to my work’s office to get more hours once they know what is going on. They seem willing to work with me, so I’m hoping that I can find a way to stay indoors and try to get my life back together.

I am learning to ask for help. One of the things I have learned is that asking for help seems to be a trigger for me. I have to unlearn that asking for help only ends in pain. It’s not what my life is anymore.

So, I’m asking for help. Donations, reblogs, kind words. All of this is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for reading this, reblogging, for asking me how I am. My paypal is dayala0514 at gmail dot com. 

Again, thank you.