Note
from Suz: It's time for Trivia Quiz Number Two: Countdown to
12/10/04
18 days (and counting to Hot Target, in stores on December 28th)
Note
from Suz: It's time for Trivia Quiz Number Two:
The Cosmo Quiz!
There is one Grand Prize for Trivia Quiz # 2 -- a signed advance copy of the unabridged audio book (cassette tape version) of Hot Target !
We'll be using the same rules that we used for Trivia Quiz # 1:
1) Participants must email their numbered answers to my special trivia quiz email address: SuzBrockmann@aol.com (NOTE: This is different than my regular email address!!!) Entries must BE RECEIVED by noon ET, Monday, December 13th, 2004 at this email address only. (NOTE: Go, go, go! <g> The clock is running!) We are not responsible for entries that were not received due to cyberspace SNAFUs or delays, or entries sent to a different email address.
2) The final "trivia" question is "Pick a number from 1 to 100." This question will be used if more than one entry gets all the real trivia questions correct. (And I expect that to be the case, cuz you guys are smart! See, there's only one Grand Prize, and if 300 people answer all of the questions correctly... well, you see why we have to do this!) If no one picks the exact number for the final question, the winner will be the person who has chosen the closest number. If two people surround the winning number, the winner will be the next highest number. (Example: Say I've picked 89 as the winning number, and none of the entrants select 89, but someone chooses 88 and some one chooses 90. 90 wins. Okay?) (I just want to make this clear from the start so there are no hurt feelings and no cries of "No fair!") If six people all choose the winning number, then we will have a drawing for the Grand Prize -- I'll put all six names into a hat, close my eyes and pick one. The other five will get an honorable mention listing here on my website!
3) The Grand Prize Winner of Trivia Quiz # 2 will be announced on the countdown page for December 14th!
4) Winner must provide their snail mail address to receive the Grand Prize via snail mail!
5) Only one entry per person/email address, please!
Ready?
Trivia Quiz # 2: The Cosmo Quiz
1. What injuries did Cosmo suffer in GONE TOO FAR while guarding Kelly Paoletti?
2. What did Cosmo and two other SEALs help Mike demonstrate to Joan DeCosta? Also, name the two other SEALs.
3. What animal did Mike compare Cosmo to as he saw him on top of the cargo net?
4. What rumor about Cosmo was joked about during the wheels up party in INTO THE NIGHT?
5. In GONE TOO FAR what was Cosmo’s role in Tom’s wedding to Kelly?
6. Where was Cosmo when he saw the TV news report about SEAL Team 16’s operation in Afghanistan?
7. What was Cosmo doing while Joan and Mike shared their first kiss at the Lady Bug Lounge?
8. What did Cosmo say to Mike as he excited (Whoops, typo alert! That should be exited. My bad.) the helo with a broken knee cap?
9. In Flashpoint, before Nash is introduced to Cosmo, name one of the nicknames that Nash has given him.
10. In which Troubleshooters book are we first introduced to Cosmo?
11. Pick a number from 1 to 100
Gay 101: Tolerance is a Fabulous Value!
Jules Cassidy's Favorite Broadway Shows that Feature Gay Characters:
Avenue Q
The Full Monty
Take Me Out
Bombay Dreams
A Chorus Line
The Producers
Rent
Boy from Oz
Mama Mia
Note From Suz: The Full Monty is one of my all time favorite shows, too. I was lucky enough to see it on Broadway before it closed.
There is a tremendously powerful scene where the two main characters -- an out of work, rough and tough Buffalo, New York steel worker named Jerry and his best friend, Dave -- find out that two of their other friends are gay and absolutely couldn't care less. They aren't freaked out. On the contrary, they kind of shrug and go on with their day.
It's a particularly wonderful scene considering how often that type of thing is played for The Big Laugh. Tough guys who react to gays with horror and repulsion -- we see this on TV and in movies all the time. Cudos to the playwright, who also penned the charmingly wonderful movie version which is set in England.
I really love the music to this show, too. The song "Big-Ass Rock" from is on my list of top ten all time favorite Broadway show tunes! (It's such a guy song!) (Cool trivia: Annie Golden, who sang lead for The Shirts, my favorite band back in the early 1980s, played the role of Dave's wife in the original Broadway cast!)
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The following is excerpted from The Human Rights Campaign website -- information about Establishing an Allies/Safe Zone Program . (Please click on the link above for the full text!)
In his or her most general sense, an Ally is "a person who is a member of the dominant or majority group who works to end oppression in his or her personal and professional life through support of, and as an advocate for, the oppressed population." (Washington and Evans, Becoming an Ally) Allies to racial, religious and ethnic minorities have been remarkably effective in promoting positive change in the dominant culture, and only recently has their instrumental position been extended to the area of sexual orientation. The past few years have witnessed the development of heterosexual Ally organizations which have attempted to make the culture of a campus or workplace more aware and accepting of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered individuals.
An Ally strives to...
- be a friend
- be a listener
- be open-minded
- have his or her own opinions
- be willing to talk
- commit him or herself to personal growth in spite of the discomfort it may sometimes cause
- recognize his or her personal boundaries
- recognize when to refer an individual to additional resources
- confront his or her own prejudices
- join others with a common purpose
- believe that all persons regardless of age, sex, race, gender, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation should be treated with dignity and respect
- engage in the process of developing a culture free of homophobia and heterosexism
- recognize his or her mistakes, but not use them as an excuse for inaction
- be responsible for empowering his or her role in a community, particularly as it relates to responding to homophobia
- recognize the legal powers and privileges that heterosexuals have and which GLBT people are denied
- support the Ally program of his or her university or workplace
Lucent Technologies has developed a program called the Safe Space Program. Its brochure states:
Most lesbians and gay men remain closeted or at least partially so within the work environment. Paradoxically, there are frequently other people who wish to be supportive of their co-workers, but do not want to risk making them uncomfortable and don't know where to begin.
The brochure continues by listing a series of suggested behavioral practices if one supports the aim of the Safe Space Program.
Develop a Common Language
In order to achieve their goal of serving as a resource for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals, Allies should be aware of the meaning and usage of some common GLBT terms and symbols.
Homosexual: A person who is emotionally, physically and/or sexually attracted to a person of the same sex.
Gay: A common and acceptable term for male homosexuals, but also used when referring to both men and women.
Lesbian: A common and acceptable term for female homosexuals.
Bisexual: A person who is emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted to both men and women.
Transgender: An umbrella term for individuals who blur the lines of traditional gender expression. It sometimes refers to crossdressers and transsexuals. It also reflects recent scholarship which suggests gender to be socially constructed. Transgendered individuals recognize the social construction of their genders and thus do not fit neatly within societally-prescribed gender roles determined by biological sex.
Queer: In the past, this term was a derogatory word for gay men and lesbians. It has been reclaimed by more radical LGBT activists during the 1980s and used in the slogans of ACT UP and Queer Nation (We're here, we're queer, get used to it!). Considered a more inclusive term than gay, queer also sometimes refers to a more radical and confrontational type of activism.
Heterosexual: A person who is emotionally, physically and/or sexually attracted to members of the opposite sex.
Homophobia: The irrational fear of homosexuals, homosexuality or any behavior, belief or attitude of self or others which does not conform to rigid sex and gender-role stereotypes. The extreme behavior of homophobia is violence against gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender persons.
Heterosexism: Evidenced by the assumption that everyone is heterosexual. The systematic oppression of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons that is directly linked to sexism.
Internalized Oppression: The process by which a member of an oppressed group comes to accept and live out the inaccurate myths and stereotypes applied to the group.
Ally: Any non-lesbian, non-gay, non-bisexual or non-transgendered person whose attitudes and behavior are both anti-homophobic and anti-heterosexist and who works toward combating homophobia and heterosexism on a personal and professional level.
Coming Out: To publicly declare and affirm one's homosexuality to oneself or to others.
In the Closet: To hide one's homosexuality in order to maintain one's job, housing situation, friends, family or in some other way to survive life in a heterosexist culture. Many LGBT persons are out in some circumstances, but closeted in others.
Rainbow Flag: The flag was originally designed by San Francisco artist, Gilbert Baker, in 1978 and was intended to be a symbol of gay and lesbian pride. It was inspired by the Flag of the Races which had five stripes, each one representing the colors of human kind. The six colors of the flag — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple — represent the diversity and unity within the LGBT movement. The widespread use of the flag is due less to any official recognition of it as a symbol and more to its adoption by members of the LGBT community.
Pink Triangle: An inverted pink triangle was a Nazi symbol used to identify homosexuals during the Holocaust. The symbol was adopted by gays and lesbian activists to remember those who were tortured and killed in Nazi concentration camps.
Lambda: This Greek letter was adopted by the Gay Activist Alliance in 1970 as a symbol of the gay movement. An ancient Greek regiment of warriors who carried a flag emblazoned with the lambda marched into battle with their male lovers. The groups was noted for their fierceness and willingness to fight until death.
Freedom Rings: These six colored aluminum rings are linked together and reminiscent of the Rainbow Flag. Wearing them has come to symbolize independence and tolerance of others. The rings are often used in necklaces, bracelets, rings and key chains.
Double Women's Symbol: Representing the planet Venus, this symbol represents women loving women.
Double Man's Symbol: Representing the planet Mars, this symbol represents men loving men.
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Last but not least: Out Magazine (a leading gay publication!) interviewed me! (And Jules Cassidy!) A snippet from the interview appears in the January issue of the magazine (my bad -- I thought it was the December issue, but it's the January issue, which will be on sale in December!), but the entire feature is up on their website, at www.out.com ! Click HERE for a direct link to the feature!
That's all for now! Be sure to come back for tomorrow's installment in the Countdown to HOT TARGET!
See you tomorrow!