Slog
News & ArtsTuesday, February 1, 2011
Homo Barbara Bush—George Bush's Daughter—Supports Marriage Equality!
Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, Feb 1, 2011 at 9:59 AM
Amazing! Wonderful! Awesome! And in other news...
Actual Republican elected officials move to ban gay marriage in Washington D.C.
Actual Republican elected officials move to ban gay marriage in Iowa.
Actual Republican elected officials move to ban gay marriage in New Mexico.
Actual Republican elected officials move to ban gay marriage in Wyoming.
Actual Republican elected officials move to ban gay marriage in New Hampshire.
Actual Republican elected officials in Florida plot to enforce ban on adoptions by gay couples despite the law having been declared unconstitutional by the courts.
Actual Republican elected officials will block gay marriage in New York State despite polls showing solid majority of New Yorkers favor marriage equality.
Actual Republican elected officials seek to block repeal of DADT.
Actual Republican elected officials pulling out of CPAC to presence of gays.
Those useful, pole-smoking idiots at GOProud will point to Barbara Bush's position on marriage equality as proof that today's GOP is whole lot less anti-gay than yesterday's GOP. Don't fall for it. What Cindy McCain, Megan McCain, and the Bush twins think of gay marriage—what all the relatives of GOP elected officials think of gay marriage—is pretty close to irrelevant. If you want to know where the GOP is at on gay rights, pay attention to what actual Republican elected officials are doing.
Can we stop falling for this shit, please?
1
That anyone ever fell for it at all is amazing. But some must have because 1/3 of self-identified gay voters in the midterms voted GOP. what the hell? And if anyone tries to explain this by saying they were voting for their wallets, I'll say that either a shit load of gay voters are billionaire CEO bankers or 1/3 of gay voters are about as oblivious to GOP policies for the middle class as they are about GOP policies on gay rights.
3
Republicans are America's Mubarak. Old, backwards, and never in the interest of freedom and justice
4
Dan's right, being a gay republican sucks, and not in a good way. Unfortunately ex-republicans are alot like ex-gay men, which is to say most of them are just kidding themselves. Democrats are more like lesbians, their allegiance can and does shift.
6
@1 As the saying goes the problem with the American Dream is that it makes us all worry for the time when we'll be rich. People deserve the government they choose. My town is losing cops and firemen and the schools are in the toilet. They've just given up on the kids and no one seems to notice. They just keep voting republican.
8
You wanna see some gay Republicans? Try this. Post something attacking the Obama administration for foot-dragging on something -- DADT, for instance -- and watch them come out of the woodwork.
10
I agree that this support from fringe righties doesn't change the real views of elected officials (although hopefully some of them will actually advocate for pressuring the elected officials).
But the best thing about this is that the ABC link says "barbara-bush-campaigns-sex-marriage-joins-lady-vice." Hee! Lady vice! That is indeed what she's supporting. Well, half of it.
But the best thing about this is that the ABC link says "barbara-bush-campaigns-sex-marriage-joins-lady-vice." Hee! Lady vice! That is indeed what she's supporting. Well, half of it.
11
Which would you rather have: a 100% anti-gay opposition party, or a 90%-and-declining anti-gay opposition party? Fact is, both parties are about more than this one issue, and otherwise gay-loving voters find it hard to swallow the Democrats' political load whole.
13
Why is the HRC giving this Legacy Brat -- and privileged daughter of a war criminal -- any attention at all with their video release? Hey HRC! No one cares what this idiot thinks about our relationships. Just like Meghan McCain, these Duchesses of the GOP have no influence on the party at all.
Way to march into irrelevance.
Way to march into irrelevance.
15
Thank you, Dan! It's very nice that she is supportive. She should show up in one of the states you mentioned - other than NY - if she wants to embarrass her father further. Otherwise she should have tea with the McCain gals and the Cheney fuckers and the GOProud dolts that have an agenda completely separate from anything related to LGBT rights.
16
I emailed Dan a link to a story about Barbara Bush.
I didn't do it because I thought it meant the Republican party was becoming less anti-gay. I did it because the more family members of prominent Republicans express their pro-gay-rights views, the more stupid, out of touch, and hypocritical those prominent Republicans look.
I didn't do it because I thought it meant the Republican party was becoming less anti-gay. I did it because the more family members of prominent Republicans express their pro-gay-rights views, the more stupid, out of touch, and hypocritical those prominent Republicans look.
17
Republicans, every last man jack of them, are scum. Garbage human beings. That's all you need to know.
18
I agree that it doesn't do much in terms of changing public policy, but it can help a little to change public perception. Getting support from unexpected people does help gay equality look more mainstream.
20
Her coming out in favor of equal rights should not be regarded as a reflection in any way on GOP politics. What it does show (along with other children of pole smokin conservatives), is a massive generation gap in the way we view the gay community.
Our generation is finally starting to affect the professional and political worlds, and we are nothing like our parents.
Our generation is finally starting to affect the professional and political worlds, and we are nothing like our parents.
21
I like Dan's point. Don't put a whole lot of hope in that silver lining. The cloud is still there and it's fierce.
22
@4 While I agree with you in part, your analogy really only works if we pretend that the Republican party isn't shifting away from anyone. When you consider the current party platform's conflict with positions and policies of past leaders like Reagan, Nixon, and Eisenhower or the increasing centralization of Justice Kennedy, given this longstanding trend, people will either need to change their personal ideology or party identification, although cognitive dissonance, misinformation and candidate rounding may allow that to stretch well beyond a reasonably predictable point.
Then again, given that anybody happy used to be gay, it may be you're correct.
@17 I think that Lincoln and Eisenhower, both Republicans, rate somewhat better than scum and wish I could think of a modern example. Still, as I argued above, I think there are otherwise decent people who have not yet shed their Republican identification even though it clashes with their underlying decency.
Still, I am willing to agree that anyone still voting Republican is creating or perpetuating dire evils.
Then again, given that anybody happy used to be gay, it may be you're correct.
@17 I think that Lincoln and Eisenhower, both Republicans, rate somewhat better than scum and wish I could think of a modern example. Still, as I argued above, I think there are otherwise decent people who have not yet shed their Republican identification even though it clashes with their underlying decency.
Still, I am willing to agree that anyone still voting Republican is creating or perpetuating dire evils.
23
@16. Very true! It makes it worth it for them to come out in support. It's Generation X'ers and Generation Y'ers that will make the difference, so the more of us that are in support of gay marriage, the better! Don't care who their parents are, and I'm not under any delusions that the GOP is becoming less anti-gay, just some of the younger members with a clue!
24
Don't be fooled,indeed. This all by design for the GOP. Muddy the waters with powerless,women in the party,making it look like progress. This won't even make news with the theocrats the run the base of the GOP,but we will talk about it and that is all they want. They are genius at shit like this,gotta hand it to em.
25
- I love Dan's post about this, because I was having the same thought in my head. I agree with @18 when he/she says that every little bit of support helps in the changing of public perception. Voices of dissent have their impact, though admittedly Barbara jr.'s voice isn't that important to many conservative voters.
What I have issue with is this whole idea that gay equality needs to be more "mainstream". As a gay man of color I am usually hesitant of any desire of going mainstream, because that often means buying into usually white, heteronormative, hegemonically masculine, judeo-christian bullshit of what constitues a loving or legitimate relationship. It also often means leaving behind people who do not fit into the mainstream mold, such as our transgendered brothers and sisters, femmes, butch dykes, queer people of color and poly's and bi's, etc. Equality should be about accepting a person as a fellow HUMAN BEING, not about having them conform to what someone decides is mainstream or acceptable.
What I have issue with is this whole idea that gay equality needs to be more "mainstream". As a gay man of color I am usually hesitant of any desire of going mainstream, because that often means buying into usually white, heteronormative, hegemonically masculine, judeo-christian bullshit of what constitues a loving or legitimate relationship. It also often means leaving behind people who do not fit into the mainstream mold, such as our transgendered brothers and sisters, femmes, butch dykes, queer people of color and poly's and bi's, etc. Equality should be about accepting a person as a fellow HUMAN BEING, not about having them conform to what someone decides is mainstream or acceptable.
26
gee Danny, GOProud must be in the 94% of homosexuals who take it in the ass (and don't squeal like bitches....)
Perhaps if you'd loosen up and use lube you would get along with the GOP better.....
Perhaps if you'd loosen up and use lube you would get along with the GOP better.....
28
The men in power in the GOP don't give a shit about the opinions of Barbara or the McCain women. Why should I?
29
@19 BEG whenever I am confused by Slog, I turn to Urban Dictionary for my smutty translation needs. Pole smoking is not the act of being a good pole dancer, as I had thought, nor is it butt sex, which I thought next...lo, it is the artful blow job, apparently...
30
So I've been seeing/hearing interviews with gay Conservatives recently, and it's still totally surreal. Turns out gay people can hate dark-skinned people, foreigners, and the poor just as much as the next xenophobic Tea Party bigot. It's still confusing, though, as I would have thought their consignment to a legally-oppressed group that's vilified by many of their co-Conservatives might make them more sensitive to other false cultural narratives being spun by the right-wing propaganda machine.
@19: Yup, "pole-smoking" is a politer way of saying "cocksucking".
@19: Yup, "pole-smoking" is a politer way of saying "cocksucking".
31
and this is why, no matter how greedy and corrupt the Dems in my state government get, I will never ever ever vote Republican. The Democrats want to pick my pocket, but at least they're willing to stay out of my bedroom and my doctor's office.
33
Barbara Bush's support of marriage equality, in itself, is insignificant.
What is significant is that she is another representative of the generational, cultural shift that is still on-going. One of the Shrub's twins is now publicly to the left of Barack Obama on marriage equality. Sure, actual actions of actual elected officials are much more important, but mocking Barbara, who appears to be earnest and sincere, is churlish and cheap.
What is significant is that she is another representative of the generational, cultural shift that is still on-going. One of the Shrub's twins is now publicly to the left of Barack Obama on marriage equality. Sure, actual actions of actual elected officials are much more important, but mocking Barbara, who appears to be earnest and sincere, is churlish and cheap.
35
Ya know why all those women can say that they are for gay rights? Cause their republican MEN don't listen to a word they say. And in those Family First republican homes, that's the way they like it. Women's input doesn't matter.
36
@35 YES.
@16's opinion "I didn't do it because I thought it meant the Republican party was becoming less anti-gay. I did it because the more family members of prominent Republicans express their pro-gay-rights views, the more stupid, out of touch, and hypocritical those prominent Republicans look."
is cut to ribbons by that.
They don't give a shit what women say, think, or feel.
@16's opinion "I didn't do it because I thought it meant the Republican party was becoming less anti-gay. I did it because the more family members of prominent Republicans express their pro-gay-rights views, the more stupid, out of touch, and hypocritical those prominent Republicans look."
is cut to ribbons by that.
They don't give a shit what women say, think, or feel.
37
@34 Okay, smartypants, what is the etymology of "pole smoking"? Does it mean, "really hot," as in "Dude! Your boyfriend is totally smokin'!" Or does it mean "smoking" as in "going through the same action one would when smoking a cigarette," which doesn't seem all that appealing, for the non-smokers, anyway...and with the inhaling bit, ew...or is it something else entirely? And don't EVEN worry, I wasn't the least bit offended by the "old farts" thing...
39
Smoking Pole
A man cheating on his not-so-bright girlfriend puts a condom in his wallet. Going throgh his pants one day, the gf finds it and, unsure what it is, asks her cheating boyfriend.
Thinking quickly, he says, "That is a condom, and it goes over your cigarette so you can smoke in the rain. They sell them at the pharmacy."
Believing him, she goes to the pharmacy and asks for some condoms. "No problem," says the clerk. "What size would you like?"
She replies, "Just big enough to fit a Camel."
A man cheating on his not-so-bright girlfriend puts a condom in his wallet. Going throgh his pants one day, the gf finds it and, unsure what it is, asks her cheating boyfriend.
Thinking quickly, he says, "That is a condom, and it goes over your cigarette so you can smoke in the rain. They sell them at the pharmacy."
Believing him, she goes to the pharmacy and asks for some condoms. "No problem," says the clerk. "What size would you like?"
She replies, "Just big enough to fit a Camel."
40
@34: Careful, now. I've been using the expression "pole smoking" and its variants since before you were born, sonny.
41
@38 I've read that "blow job" is a shortening of "below job," as in, below the waist, FWIW...
@39 Hah!
@40 Yeah, BB, you tell him! You tell that little punk we'll hit him with our canes if he gets out of line again...
@39 Hah!
@40 Yeah, BB, you tell him! You tell that little punk we'll hit him with our canes if he gets out of line again...
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