Vatican versus women, again.

In a new "Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Collaboration of Men and Women in the Church and in the World", the Papacy criticizes American-style feminism.
The 37-page document, released on 31 July 2004, exalts male/female differences, re-affirms the male-only priesthood, and defends celibacy and virginity.
It claims feminism has undermined the concept of the "traditional" family (as defined by the Roman church). And it says feminists have created a social climate in which straights increasingly tolerate queers (at least in First World nations).


The document languished for years, tied up in disputes among Vatican insiders. Now, fortunately for Bush, its anti-woman and anti-queer messages appear just in time to influence the November election. Fundi-Protestant Bush hopes Roman Catholic voters will see Kerry as a "bad Catholic", failing to obediently follow the Pope.

Many women dislike this revival of outmoded ideas. When the president of Catholics for a Free Choice read the document, she felt like she had "passed through a time warp," travelling several decades backward.

I'd like to suggest two ways to fight back:

First, anyone in northern California could attend the Aug. 8 demo for
equal marriage rights, on Sunday from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, in Larsen Park, 19th Ave. & Wawona, San Franci.

Second, Roman Catholics could read the document;
then write and publish critiques of it.


-- Tortuga Bi LIBERTY,
San Francisco
Sunday, 1 August 2004

........
[For text of Vatican document, in English, please visit:
http://www.vis.pcn.net/doc/040731x_en.htm ]
.......

[For National Roman Catholic Reporter story on the document,
by John L. Allen, Jr., please see:
http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/update/bn073104.htm ]
[NCR follow-ups: Benedictine Sr. Joan Chittister will offer a critique of the Vatican's new document on women. Her article will be posted to NCRonline.org on Monday morning, Aug. 2. Watch NCRonline.org on Monday [Aug. 2] for updates and more coverage of this issue. ]
...............
[For brief Reuters story on women responding to Vatican, please see:

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=5836602 ]
......................

PS 1: Warning to would-be refuters:
Don't expect to dash off a polemic in fifteen breezy minutes.
You'll need to wade thru many pages of medieval thought.
Here's a taste:

[.....].“For all of you who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ... there is neither male nor female”, writes Saint Paul to the Galatians (3:27-28). The Apostle Paul does not say that the distinction between man and woman, which in other places is referred to the plan of God, has been erased. He means rather that in Christ the rivalry, enmity and violence which disfigured the relationship between men and women can be overcome and have been overcome. In this sense, the distinction between man and woman is reaffirmed more than ever; indeed, it is present in biblical revelation up to the very end. In the final hour of present history, the Book of Revelation of Saint John, speaking of “a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev 21:1), presents the vision of a feminine Jerusalem “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Rev 21:2). Revelation concludes with the words of the Bride and the Spirit who beseech the coming of the Bridegroom, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev22:20).

Male and female are thus revealed as belonging ontologically to creation and destined therefore to outlast the present time, evidently in a transfigured form. In this way, they characterize the “love that never ends” (1Cor 13:8), although the temporal and earthly expression of sexuality is transient and ordered to a phase of life marked by procreation and death. Celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom seeks to be the prophecy of this form of future existence of male and female. For those who live it,
it is an anticipation of the reality of a life which, while remaining that of a man and a woman, will no longer be subject to the present limitations of the marriage relationship (cf. Mt22:30). For those in married life, celibacy becomes the reminder and prophecy of the completion which their own relationship will find in the face-to-face encounter with God.

From the first moment of their creation, man and woman are distinct, and will remain so for all eternity. [....]
..................

P.S. 2: Meanwhile, here are some earthly distractions:


CALENDAR 4 FREEDOM-SEEKERS
( compiled by SUN; plus info from HTC ):
........
[ For more queer events in SF Gay Area, please visit Larry-bob at
http://www.holytitclamps.com/ ]
...........
Please FORWARD freely, as appropriate.
...........
AUGUST 2004:
...............

CAL-SF: Sunday August 1, 7pm: United Genders of the Universe:
All ages genderqueer group, East bay meeting, at Pacific Center, 2712 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley.
http://www.unitedgenders.org [-HTC]
............

CAL-SF: Sunday August 1,
7:30 pm signup, show 8 pm: K'vetsh queer spoken word event. Plus open mic.
Hosted by Lynn Breedlove and Tara Jepsen.
Open mic sign-up at 7:30, one piece of 5 minutes or less.
$1-$3 donation.
Sadie's Flying Elephant bar, 491 Potrero (on corner Mariposa); first Sunday of every month. [-HTC]
...........

OREGON, Southern Cascades: Aug. 1- 8:
"anti-civilization" Black and Green Anarchist Gathering:
2nd annual. 866-270-1653
...............

MISSOURI: Aug. 3, Tuesday, primary election:
Voters decide whether to write anti-gay prejudice into their state constitution.
..............

CAL: SF: Aug. 3: free admission, on 1st Tuesdays, to: ASIAN ART MUSEUM; Legion of Honor; SF MOMA;
Conservatory of Flowers (in Golden Gate Park); etc.
.............

CAL-SF: Tuesday August 3, 7:30 sign up, start at 8 pm: "House of Love" open mic,
hosted by Blue Buddha. First Tuesday of each month. [...]
Are you looking for someplace to do your thang? Do you have need to be a bit of an exhibitionist? Well then you've come to the right place. "House of Love" is looking for you. We're the friendliest and most perverted open mic in town. If you have a song, an angry story, a dance or some fecal art [!] to share, then we're your ticket to freedom, baby.
Join our unconventional family of freaks and pervs and show us your stuff 'cause we will show you ours -and for free!!
Each performer gets 3 songs or about 15 minutes-WOW is right. We give it to you good.
http://www.brainwash.com/calendar.html
Brainwash is located @ 1122 Folsom St. (between 7th & 8th /SOMA) (415) 861-FOOD [-HTC]
...........
CAL: SF: Aug. 4: free admission, on 1st Wednesdays, to: San Francisco ZOO;
Fort Mason galleries; etc.

*** [Tortuga's suggestion for midweek, Aug. 4 and 5:
Wednesday: SF zoo in morning (free);
freedom concert in afternoon, 5pm (free);
hot Lynn Breedlove in evening, 8pm ($7 to $10).

Thursday nite: "LIVE NUDE GIRLS UNITE!" film, 8pm ($5).
After the film, one could play at The Power Exchange.....

This SF midweek beats a weekend in most places.... ]

...............
CAL-SF: 4 Aug., Wed: Electronic Frontier Foundation's 4th annual
FREEDOM FEST, a free outdoor concert/rally, at LinuxWorld conference/expo,
Yerba Buena Gardens, downtown SF. 5 to 8pm. Open to all freedom-seekers.
[Details from EFF:
[.....] For the past four years, EFF has been thanking
its members for their support with a free outdoor concert called
Freedom Fest. This year's event will be bigger and better than
ever. EFF has partnered with Red Hat, the world's leading provider
of Linux and open source solutions, to conduct the festivities
as part of the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo in San Francisco.
Freedom Fest will be held outdoors at the gorgeous Yerba Buena
Gardens, with an all-star lineup that features celebrated local
artists Austin Willacy, Josh Fix and the Furious Force, and The
Megan Slankard Band.

Warwick Davies, Group Vice President, IDG World Expo, said, "We're
pleased to have EFF's Freedom Fest at LinuxWorld. It's a
natural partnership, and we hope everybody who attends has
a great time."

Red Hat Vice President of Corporate Communications David Burney
added, "As an open source company, Red Hat believes in providing
freedom and choice to technology users, and we are excited to
partner with EFF to bring this great event to the Bay Area."

In addition to celebrating digital rights, this year's Freedom Fest
is held in honor of the attorneys who volunteered their time to
help win the Bunner case, defending Andrew Bunner and hundreds
of other Linux users who hosted DeCSS code on their websites
in a lawsuit brought by several large entertainment companies.
The annual concert is also a chance for people interested in EFF
issues to meet the staff in a relaxed atmosphere, enjoy some free
music, and share food and drink. And for the first time ever,
the event will be simulcast live over the Web at the EFF website.

The EFF Freedom Fest will take place on Wednesday, August 4th,
from 5:00-8:00 p.m. The event is open to everyone attending
LinuxWorld and all EFF supporters - please join us!

EFF Freedom Fest website:
[ http://www.eff.org/freedomfest ]
.......................................................


..............
*CAL-SF: Lynn Breedlove,
of Tribe 8 and Lickety Split!!

until Aug. 6:
[....]


*Wednesday August 4 at 8 pm,

Thursday August 5 at 10 pm,

Saturday August 6 at 10 pm:

Less Rock, More Hilarity: Lynnee Breedpal's One Freak Show.

Lynn Breedlove yaps about gender, parents, our "president," and how it all ties together.
It's standup. It's social commentary. It's songs. it's dramatizations.
See the trannyboy impersonate herm's dad impersonating a fag. See the butch impersonate shim's mom impersonating marlene dietrich. See shim not even try to impersonate the automaton known as dubya. All while yelling punkrock songs to homohop beats about testosterone, cuz shim's a sensitive guy....
Shim wrote the novel Godspeed by for and about the ADD generation,
and has fronted dyke/trans punk band Tribe 8 for the last 14 years.
Shim's the headmaster of Unka Lynnee's Skool 4 Boyz,
and ran an all girl bike messenger company called Lickety Split....
Get a cheap first edition of godspeed signed by the freak hermself.
sliding scale $7-10. All ages.
At The Dark Room Theater, 2263 Mission St. SF
http://www.darkroomsf.com [from HTC]
......

***CAL: SF: Aug. 5, Thurs., 8pm: "LIVE NUDE GIRLS UNITE!":
documentary film about strippers organizing a union at SF's Lusty Lady
(which later became a worker's co-op):
screening at ATA, 992 Valencia Street, SF. $5.
(415) 824-3890
...............
CAL: SF: Aug. 5: Passion Dance: class on first Thursday of each month (?)
[<http://www.passiondance.com>]
.............

Sat, Aug 7, 8pm: SFinX presents "CHERRY: Queering Virginity, First Encounters of the Queer Kind".
Featuring: Carol Queen, Yosenio Lewis, Julia Serano, Gina de Vries, Melissa Gira, and more! ... an evening of performance ... about how queers do -- or don't -- define virginity and sex ...
prepare to be shocked, titilated, confused, and comforted ... questions encouraged...
$12 - $20 s.s. no one turned away. For reservations / wheelchair access call 415-554-0402.
Remember to bring $$ for refreshments. At Jon Sims Center for the Arts, 1519 Mission Street.
http://www.jonsimsctr.org [-HTC]

..............
CAL-SF: 8 Aug, Sunday: rally/march for marriage equality:
11:30 AM to 1:30PM, in Larsen Park, 19th Ave. & Wawona, in Sunset district.
............


CAL: SF: August 10: Radar Reading Series, hosted by Michelle Tea,
at SF's downtown New Main public library,
featuring Noel Alumit, Paige McBee, Peter Plate, Beth Steidle.
Free. 6 to 7:30 pm.

..............
CAL-SF: Friday August 13th, signup at 7:30, reading at 8 pm: Premiere of Queer Open Mic
at the Center's [new] Three Dollar Bill Cafe.
2nd and 4th Fridays.
Host Cindy M. Emch with featured readers Shar Rednour & Jackie Strano.
Adding to the mixing pot of spoken word in the city is a = new open mic night at the SF LGBT Community Center.
Pro grrrl, pro boi, and completely genderqueer in scope,
the night aims to combine the raunchy enthusiasm of the Hole in the Wall, the warmth and community of Ashkenaz, the unapologetic queer of the Bearded Lady, the radical politics of Café Macondo and the sweet rhythms of El Rio to create a space for spoken word, poetry and performance that is feminist, multi cultural, multi gendered, completely inclusive and dynamic.
$1-5 donations benefit Femina Potens (http://www.feminapotens.com) and The Center (http://www.sfcenter.org)
in an effort to encourage more queer radical art in our community.
No one turned away for lack of funds.
There will be prizes for all readers and a special drawing for one lucky audience member!
At Three Dollar Bill Café, 1800 Market @ Octavia
(... SF LGBT Community Center) [-HTC]
............

GREECE: circa 13 August 2004:

Will Athens Olympics distract U.S. voters from political issues?
Or will Al Qaeda terrorists strike Athens to help Bush get elected?

Why would terrorists want Bush, whom they despise, to rule the USA?
Because he stupidly falls for their tricks
and plays into their hands;
thus alienating America's potential allies
and energizing potential opponents.
...........
*CAL-SF: 18 August, Wed., 7pm: Mariette Pathy Allen explores the GENDER FRONTIER
at A Different Light bookshop, 489 Castro St. (near 18th St). Free.
[ http://www.ADLbooks.com ]
...........

CAL: circa Aug. 23: By this date, California Supreme Court might hand down a decision
about whether San Francisco city-county officials
acted illegally when they issued same-sex marriage licenses
(in SF's historic "Winter of Love", February-March 2004).
..........

MASS.: 25-29 Aug.: 2nd LGBTI Health Summit, in liberal Cambridge.
[ http://www.healthSummit2004.org ]
.........

NEW YORK: circa Aug. 27 - Sept. 4: NYC: RNC and protests.
For info, please see:
[ http://www.counterConvention.org ]
Republican National Convention will attempt to
exploit a nation's traumatic memories of 9-11-2001, by portraying the
Bush regime as effectively "fighting terror". Some protesters will claim that Iraq War
has drained resources away from fighting Al Qaeda and similar groups.
Others will raise many issues, including equal marriage rights.
......
Meanwhile, Cheney decides whether to seek a second term as veep.
[ His poor health allows him to retire, without much embarrassment,
at any moment. ]
.......

NEW YORK city: Aug. 29, Sunday, AM:
CodePink participates in big anti-war demo.
For info, please see:
[ http://www.indybay.org/news/2004/07/1688689.php ]
..........................................................
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