Men

Stand with Officer Justin Markiewicz

by
Justin Markiewicz

Justin Markiewicz has been an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC since May of 2006. In 2010 he was detailed to the Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit. From 2010 to 2015 Justin worked closely with members of the LGBT community to ensure they received equal police services. In 2015 he was selected as a Capital Pride Hero for his work with the LGBT community.

In 2014 Justin was forced to file a complaint against the Captain who managed the Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit for repeated homophobic remarks. The police department failed to respond correctly and immediately after he made his complaint Justin began to be retaliated against. He was denied overtime, subjected to unfair discipline, and suspended. MPD failed to properly investigate the homophobic remarks Justin was subjected to and as many as 8 months after the complaint the Police Department was continuing to refer to Justin as the same homophobic name on official police documents. Ultimately Justin was forced to leave the Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit and return to patrol in the 6th Police District in September 2015.

This is not the first time this has happened.  As we speak, Officer Christopher Lilly is also in a legal fight with the Metropolitan Police Department because they did not address the anti-LGBT harassment and discrimination he experienced from the MPD.  This has to stop

Currently Justin is in a costly legal battle with the Police Department. Ultimately he hopes that at the end of the battle MPD will take complaints made my LGBT officers seriously and protect them from future retaliation and harassment.

Justin has already had to pay for thousands of dollars of legal expenses out of his own pocket, not to mention lost work time.  He can’t continue this fight without you.  Now is the time to stand with Justin.

As friends of Justin we are coming together to show him our support.  As members of the LGBT community we greatly appreciate the sacrifices Justin has made.  By standing up for himself, he is standing up for all LGBT officers and for all of us who strive for equal opportunities for everyone in the District of Columbia.

Please join us in supporting Officer Justin Markiewicz .

gofundme.com/standwithjustin

Justin Markiewicz

My Secret App Secrets

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My Secret App Secrets

The app secret is officially dead, and for good reason.   It has been fading away slowly for some time now, as people realize exposing each other’s secrets is not as fun as it first seems.  In honor of it’s demise, however, I would like to share a few of secrets of my own

  • I once went to trader joes and purchased a package of pre hard boiled eggs and a tub of ready-made hollandaise sauce. What happened next is not something I am proud of.
  • In my itunes collection I own the Glee version of the Justin Bieber song “somebody to love”
  • I have a purple satin sleep mask. It helps me sleep at night, and it smells nice.
  • I would much rather have a bud light lime-a-rita than the craft beer you drink.
  • Last night I played the game RISK online and took great pleasure in defeating a high school student from Lincoln Nebraska.

This is me. Deal with it.

Six Things I Would Say to Tom Daley

by
Tom Daley

1. Congratulations. Living your life openly and honestly is not always easy, but it is always worth it in the long run.
2. Some people are calling you gay, some people are calling you bisexual. Forget them. You are nineteen years old! What matters is that you are in a relationship with someone who makes you happy, you have plenty of time to figure out the rest.
3. You owe it to yourself to be honest and open not just with us, but also with your doctor, and he may actually want to know some more personal stuff. As a guy who is in a relationship with another guy, you may want to consider things like the HPV Vaccine, Hep Vaccines, and regular HIV testing. Take care of yourself, you deserve a long and happy life.
4. You got a lot of love and support today, and that it because of the people who came along this path before you. Those people who came before you and their stories are now a part of you and your journey. You owe it to yourself to seek out these stories. The struggles of LGBT folks are not told to you by your mother at bedtime, and they are rarely shared by the family around the table on Christmas day. You have to discover them yourself. Find them on the bookshelf, but also find them from mentors in our community. Their stories and struggles are amazing and powerful, and they will help you.
5. You’ve surely figured this out by now, but your legions of gay fans are interested in you for more than just your brain. Many men seem to be a lot more focused on physical appearance than women are, which may make you more prone to judge yourself by your appearance. Don’t fall into this trap. You have a lot more to offer the world than just your looks. Make a point of hanging around people who recognize this truth. And with regards to your good looks, as Rufus Wainwright once said, ‘Watch your head about it’.
6. You are the same person you were before this video came out. With all the same talent and drive. All the same capacity to love and be loved. The same worth, and the same dignity. Don’t ever doubt this for a moment. There is a brotherhood of men who have fought, and continue to fight, for our right to live our lives openly. That brotherhood of men, those who still live today, and those who are no longer with us, take great joy in knowing that your path will be even a even the slightest bit easier than our own. Your happiness, your love, and your honesty … well it makes the struggle all seem worthwhile. Be Happy.