ISU Alliance Blog

My Halloween gift to you!

So I know we haven't put anything up in a week, and some people are missing us!

Cut us some slack mary, we do the best we can! J/K love you oh so much honey!

I'll explain everything in the TalkyBlog.

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens!
Nate:)

Hello Alliance blog buddies!

Next Thursday, October 11th is National Coming Out Day (NCOD).

Between the LGBTAA, the ISU Committee on Lectures, ISU's LGBT Student Services Office and SUB (Student Union Board), there is a week full of events that help you celebrate or support the COMING OUT process!

Check out our Google calendar and the information below and get excited for an awesomely fabulous week! It's like Pride Month.. in October! =)

Monday (10/8) :
10am to 4pm - It's Ok With Me T-Shirt Distribution
Location: Memorial Union
We'll be distributing the new It's Ok With Me t-shirts in the Memorial Union at the table on the south side of the staircase leading from the food court area to the M-Shop. Pre-order your shirt
by sending your size and number of shirts to itsokwithmeisu@gmail.com . See the It's Ok With Me section for more details.

7pm to 8:30pm - Workshop - Ally Training
Location: 2121 Martin Hall
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Student Services (LGBTSS) -- a unit of the Dean of Students Office at Iowa State University -- will present an engaging workshop that will give its participants the tools they need to be effective Allies to the LGBT community. Also come to learn how you can get involved with the LGBTSS office at ISU! (Co-sponsored by the LGBTA Alliance)


Tuesday (10/9) :
6pm - Film - In Good Conscience
Location: South Ballroom of the Memorial Union
8pm - Speaker - Sister Jeannine Gramick - "The Place of Gays and Lesbians in the Church"
Location: Sun Room of the Memorial Union
Co-sponsored by the Committee on Lectures and Belonging. In Good Conscience is a documentary film about the story of Sister Jeannine Gramick and her faith journey and battle with the Vatican over the rights of gay and lesbian Catholics. In 1999 the Vatican's Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith permanently prohibited her from any pastoral work with lesbian or gay persons. In 2000 the School Sisters of Notre Dame ordered her to cease speaking about the
Vatican investigation and about homosexuality in general. She transferred to the Sisters of Loretto in 2001 in order to continue engaging in lesbian/gay ministry.

We're excited to announce that - thanks to the efforts of ISU's Committee on Lectures and the local Catholic group Belonging - the amazing Sister Gramick will be at ISU speaking after the showing of In Good Conscience to address the topic of "The Place of Gays and Lesbians in the Church."

Wednesday (10/10):
8 - 9pm - Workshop - Coming Out 101 (How to Tell Your Story)
Location: 2121 Martin Hall
This interactive workshop -- put on by the Alliance -- will help you find the power in your personal story. Whether you're gay, bi, transgendered, or an ally-- your story can change the world. Come to get some great tips and maybe even sign up to speak and share your story at the National Coming Out Day Rally the following afternoon!

Thursday (10/11):
11am - 1pm - Rally! - National Coming Out Day Rally
Location: Free Speech Zone (just south of Parks Library)
Quite possibly the most exciting event of the week of National Coming Out Day activities, every year the rally draws a crowd of people to listen to speakers who care enough to speak up and speak out about any number of things: coming out, their vision for the LGBT community, or just words of encouragement and support. Whatever it is, the rally is a rewarding experience that is sure to recharge your passion for LGBT activism. Make sure to wear your It's Ok With Me t-shirts!

1pm - 3pm - Open House - LGBTSS Open House
Location: 1034 Student Services Building
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Student Services (LGBTSS) is a unit of the Dean of Students Office at Iowa State University and has a wealth of resources available to support LGBT and Allied students at Iowa State University. Following the National Coming Out Day Rally, there will be an open house in the
LGBTSS office and LGBTSS library to introduce people to the office staff and resources! Oh, and did we mention there will be free goodies?

8pm - Film - Brokeback Mountain
Location: Pioneer Room of the Memorial Union
SUB Films presents this screening of the film.
Synopsis: In 1963, two young men hire on as Wyoming ranch hands. During months of isolation, a bond develops. When the season ends, they part, only to realize the depth of their feelings. Thus begins a decades-long affair that the two try to hide, proving to be simultaneously beautiful and devastating.

Friday (10/12):
Noon - Launch Event - Lunch Discussion & Launch of MatthewsPlace.com
Location: 202 Carver
Bring your lunch and watch/discuss an online video stream from Judy Shepard to launch MatthewsPlace.com on the 9th Anniversary of her son's - Matthew Shepard's - passing. This launch is the beginning of a historical web resource and part of a critical discussion of disenfranchised LGBT youth. Co-sponsored by the LGBTSS and LGBTAA.

We have a name. We have pricing. We'll have pre-orders soon. You get a costume.

The Fall Benefit will be called HalloQueen: Scary Mary! Get excited!

There will be a costume contest with a variety of awards, so dress to impress, frighten, disgust, and awe! It's going to be fierce kids!

Pre-sale of tickets will go on sale soon. I'll get you an exact date ASAP. Pre-ordering prices will be $5 and tickets at the door will be $7.

We're opening the doors of the M-shop at 7 and the show will start at 8. Trust, you'll want to be there early to get good seats. Also, we'll have pre-show entertainment going on. More on this as we get things squared away.


It's gonna be a good'n kids! Woot!

You heard it here first kids

Perhaps there is a "special" number planned for this semester's benefit.

No word yet on what this number entails, but whatever it is, it's sure to be fierce.

They're also working on titles for the show. Comment with your suggestions!

Check back soon for more and better video blogs!
We're excited to come up with entertaining and informative content.

Best,
Matt

There are a few questions we didn't have a chance to get to at last week's Sex talks and Blow Pops meeting. So, here are some of the unanswered questions and their answers, well, the best answer that I can provide. :)

What are the risks associated with unprotected oral sex?

Unprotected oral sex can cause many problems. If the person receiving has a STI/STD they can transmit that to their partner, and vice versa. It's also important to remember that there is no such thing as 100% safe sex, only safer sex. Oral sex has a smaller percentage of risks than anal/vaginal sex, but it's still risky. Just remember to play as safe as you can and talk with your partner.

How do I dress like a lesbian?

Contrary to popular belief, not all lesbians look the same. There is no one right or wrong way to dress like a lesbian. If you identify has a lesbian, and you dress in such a way that you are pleased with the way that you are presented, then you look like a lesbian.

What are the top 5 sex positions for Gay/Lesbian couples?

Everybody has different things that they like/don't like. There hasn't been a lot of research into the favorite sex positions of Gay men or Lesbians. I can however, offer you this site for gay men, and this site for lesbians. Both sites offer various sexual positions for couples. Enjoy!

Why does it matter if an imperialist facist government acknowledges our marriages?

Same-sex marriage is a very hot political, and civil rights topic in our country today. There are over 1000 rights that married couples are receiving that same-sex couples are not. It is important to everyone for a different reason. Some demand equality, some demand recognition, some demand these rights. I could write a book about same-sex marriage, but what's important to keep in mind is that equality, that is, all those represented being treated with equal and just respect, has not yet been achieved in this country. We all have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, according to the constitution that built this country.

In a lesbian/gay relationship is there always a "lable" of man and woman? Does this make the relationship easier?

Once again, this type of thing depends on the couple, and the people involved. There are certainly couples out there who have a male/female role between them. However, not all are like this. It's important to know what you're comfortable with before you decided to see/date another person. Knowing your own personal boundaries and limits is of the utmost importance in relationships. Also, having someone that respects those boundaries is always nice.

How do women contract Sexually Transmitted Infections from other women? It's an exchange of fluids obviously, but please elaborate.

When there is an exchange of fluids between two women, through either oral, digital, or foreign object, stimulation it is possible for those fluids to contain some gross nasties that can cause a pretty big problem. UTIs can be caused by bacteria entering the vagina and making its way to the urethra, ureters, and possibly to the bladder. While this may be the most common STI via an exchange of fluids, if you think you've contracted a STI or STD from a partner, please make sure to contact your medical professional, and discuss it with them. More often than not, the sooner something is detected, the sooner it can be treated and removed from your system.

Best wishes for a fabulous week kids!

A kindergarten teacher explains to her class that she is an Iowa Hawkeye.
She asks her students to raise their hands if they are Hawkeyes too.

No one really knows what a Hawkeye is, but wanting to be like their teacher
their hands explode into the air like fleshy fireworks. There is, however,
one exception. A girl named Kristen has not gone along with the crowd.

The teacher asks her why she has decided to be different. "Because I'm not
a Hawkeye."

"Then," asks the teacher, "what are you?"

"Why, I'm a proud Iowa Cyclone," boasts the little girl.

The teacher is a little perturbed now, her face slightly red. She asks
Kristen why she is a Cyclone.

"Well, my mom and dad are Cyclone, so I'm a Cyclone too."

The teacher is now angry. "That's no reason," she says loudly. "What if your
mom was a moron, and your dad was a moron. What would you be then?"

"Then," says Kristen, "I'd be a Hawkeye."

GO CYCLONES!!

I know that I'm not supposed to, but....



I absolutely ADORE Melissa Etheridge. This song is one of my all time favorites and this girl BRINGS IT with a capital "Hell-to-the-Yea!"

That being said, I feel that since this is the first post, there should be some point to it. So let's get all that first post stuff out of the way:

1. When we created this blog, it's intention was to be a fun place for the Members of the ISU LGBTAA, the Iowa State University community, and THE WORLD could get to know the members of the Alliance cabinet, and a little more about their lives.
2. We will be posting "breaking-news," hot tips, and quirky/interesting things that we find, that we think we should share with y'all.
3. We assure you, this will be entertaining, informative, and like every Alliance matter, handled with fashion sense, wit, and that certain brand of collegiate wisdom you can't get anywhere else.

Look ahead for fun! (Always wanted to say that),

Nate