Queer Presences and Absences: Citizenship, Community, Diversity - or Death Yvette Taylor

Same-sex marriage rights Dark Blue= marriage rights Dark Red=Constition bans

Being there…. ‘Jersey Roots, Global Reach’ Being there…. ‘Jersey Roots, Global Reach’

‘…focusing attention on civility in the context of one of the most culturally and racially diverse research universities in the nation’ was highlighted as a re- commitment to ‘the values of civility, dignity, compassion, and respect’ in shared, painful times (see Project Civility at

Rutgers Responds Media presence at Rutgers Media presence at Rutgers

Sexual citizenship Lesbian grandmothers from mars Lesbian grandmothers from mars

‘THE PLEDGE: Everyone deserves to be respected for who they are. I pledge to spread this message to my friends, family and neighbors. I'll speak up against hate and intolerance whenever I see it, at school and at work. I'll provide hope for lesbian, gay, bi, trans and other bullied teens by letting them know that ‘It Gets Better’’. Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Obama

It Gets Better in the UK? David Cameron David Cameron

Anyone who tries to tell you that it gets better is either full of shit or is trying to sell you something. Or, both. it gets betterit gets better

Lesbian and Gay Parents: Securing Social and Educational Capitals

Coming Forward? Lifelines, Inheritances and Losses Coming Forward? Lifelines, Inheritances and Losses I think that part of what lesbian and gay couples have got is also a sort of alternative way for the heterosexual marriage and I don’t think that we should just be sort of seduced down the line of you know ‘oh you can do the same and it’s like a marriage’ and you know and turn round and say, like an honorary heterosexual couple in that you’re a married a couple. I think that then we could lose, just some people will be losing what we have that’s kind of alternative and different and showing a different way of having a kind of family unit … but in terms of I mean in terms of the legal side the financial things and everything I mean that’s all a great step forward. (Elizabeth, 52, middle-class)

I think the danger of it is that I think it’s fantastic for people that want to do it, I’ve been to lots. But I think the danger of it is that it’s creating a sort of two-tiered world where you are kind of jolly and out and no problems and equal to straight people and then the kind of slightly grotty ones who decide not to. You know, like an underclass, and I’m in that! (laughter). I’m in that underclass …… again! Back in the margins. And I think, I mean, that’s one way of looking at it and also, because I’ve done that, I’ve been married and I spent most of my adult life married … you’re not really going to start wandering back into that world and, you know, I don’t care about the legal and the financial links really. (Katerina, 52, working-class)

Sexual Citizenship? New York New York2010