TOLERANCE IS THE ONLY WAY

http://toitow.wordpress.com/2012/10/01/178/

  When I got asked by Shena Neox to participate in TOW, I couldn’t pass this up because this cause means a lot to me in RL.  Some of my closest friends are gay and I support them 100% like they would do for me.  What a struck a chord in me was fifteen years ago on Oct. 7, 1998 when one of my friends, Matthew Shepard, was tortured and tied to a fence left to die in Laramie, Wyoming because he was gay.  He died with 12 severe head injuries on Oct. 12 in a hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado.  On that day, I felt very numb.  I was just talking to Matt at the coffee shop I used to work at in Denver a few days before this incident.  He was very shy, soft-spoken, and always polite.  Not the type of person that his killers accused him to be.  At that time, I had  went to school at University of Northern Colorado in Greeley and we would go and hang out in Fort Collins, both were small college towns.  A lot of others from Wyoming would drive down because it was closeby and because it was a place where gay youth can feel accepted.  When I attended the candlelight vigil of Matthew in Greeley, I saw how it deeply affected millions of people around the world.  Matthew’s life was cut short but his death will always remembered and brought to light that there is still hate and discrimination in our communities, our schools, and families.

  Matthew’s killers were not charged with a hate crime because there was no legislation addressing crimes committed on a basis of sexual orientation.  It took twelve years after Matthew’s death for the hate crime legislation to pass.  The Matthew Shepard Act was adopted as an amendment on July 15, 2009, the act was passed by Senate on Oct. 22, 2009.  President Obama signed the measure into law on October 28, 2009.

  Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are at risk every day of their lives. This group is most at risk with violence, job discrimination, and losing their families.  Homophobia is a form of bigotry.  “Tolerance Is The Only Way” is a worthy cause to bring about awareness to this type of discrimination.  If you feel as strongly about this cause as much as I do, please join us on Oct. 31 at Solo Evane Agency and on Nov. 3 at BeStyle District as we show our support in the fashion shows.  Proceeds from the design sales goes to COGAM, a non-profit organization (http://www.cogam.es/en/quienes-somos).  For further information, please contact Shena Neox.

Exhibition:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cash%20Island%204/128/215/22

Sera in ST! “Urban Flower” for TOW

Exclusive for TOW are these poses from PosESion from the “Raven” set.  The asian style kimono sweater top and shorts are from ST!  called the “Urban Flower”.

Exclusive for TOW – Poses by Posesion – Raven set

Exclusive for TOW – ST! “Urban Flower” Kimono sweater and shorts

Boho fringe wedges in ghost by Dore Limited 

Dominant ombre red lipstick by MONS

Silver Ensemble eyeshadow by Madrid Solo

Couture Eyeliner No.1 by  Glam Affair

Natural Lashes 2 by  Glam Affair

Brows#5 by blackLiquid

Hawk Mesh hair from Wasabi Pills

Couture Eyeliner No.1 by  Glam Affair

Shoulder Muffler scarf in goldenrod by ::C’est la vie !:: 

Shibuya nails by FAB PONY 

Ring Gang 1 in Gold by 7891

Uprising Bracelet in black and white by DDL

Love Bracelet in gold by Magic Nook (from TDR)

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Photography/Model/Stylist: Me ~ Sera Ginger Tokyoska (gig1)

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