query: Ramadan is the ninth calendar month in Islam.

pos: Ramadan Ramadan ( -LSB- ˌræməˈdɑːn -RSB- رمضان , -LSB- ramaˈdˤaːn -RSB- ; In Arabic phonology , it can be -LSB- -LSB- rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn , ramadˤɑːn , ræmæˈdˤɑːn -RSB- -RSB- , depending on the region . also romanized as Ramazan , Ramadhan , or Ramathan ) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar , and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting ( Sawm ) to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief . This annual observance is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam . The month lasts 29 -- 30 days based on the visual sightings of the crescent moon , according to numerous biographical accounts compiled in the hadiths .   The word Ramadan comes from the Arabic root ramiḍa or ar-ramaḍ , which means scorching heat or dryness . Fasting is fardh ( obligatory ) for adult Muslims , except those who are suffering from an illness , travelling , are elderly , pregnant , breastfeeding , diabetic , chronically ill or going through menstrual bleeding . Fasting the month of Ramadan was made obligatory ( wājib ) during the month of Sha ` ban , in the second year after the Muslims migrated from Mecca to Medina . Fatwas have been issued declaring that Muslims who live in regions with a natural phenomenon such as the midnight sun or polar night should follow the timetable of Mecca , but the more commonly accepted opinion is that Muslims in those areas should follow the timetable of the closest country to them in which night can be distinguished from day .   While fasting from dawn until sunset , Muslims refrain from consuming food , drinking liquids , smoking , and engaging in sexual relations . Muslims are also instructed to refrain from sinful behavior that may negate the reward of fasting , such as false speech ( insulting , backbiting , cursing , lying , etc. ) and fighting except in self-defense . Food and drinks are served daily , before dawn and after sunset , referred to as Suhoor and Iftar respectively . Spiritual rewards ( thawab ) for fasting are also believed to be multiplied within the month of Ramadan . Fasting for Muslims during Ramadan typically includes the increased offering of salat ( prayers ) , recitation of the Quran and an increase of doing good deeds and charity .

neg: Hejaz The Hejaz , also Al-Hijaz ( اَلْـحِـجَـاز , , literally `` the Barrier '' ) , is a region in the west of present-day Saudi Arabia . The region is so called as it separates the land of the Najd in the east from the land of Tihamah in the west . It is also known as the `` Western Province . '' It is bordered on the west by the Red Sea , on the north by Jordan , on the east by the Najd , and on the south by ` Asir Region . Its main city is Jeddah , but it is probably better known for the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina . As the site of Islam 's holiest places , the Hejaz has significance in the Arab and Islamic historical and political landscape .   Historically , the Hejaz has always seen itself as separate from the rest of Saudi Arabia . The Hejaz is the most populated region in Saudi Arabia ; 35 % of all Saudis live in Hejaz . Hejazi Arabic is the most widely spoken dialect in the region . Saudi Hejazis are of ethnically diverse origins .   The Hejaz is the most cosmopolitan region in the Arabian Peninsula . People of Hejaz have the most strongly articulated identity of any regional grouping in Saudi Arabia . Their place of origin alienates them from the Saudi state , which invokes different narratives of the history of the Arabian Peninsula . Thus , Hejazis experienced tensions with people of Najd .

neg: Muharram in Bahrain The Islamic month of Muharram is a period of mourning in Shia Islam and commemorates the death of Imam Hussain , the third Imam , and his companions at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD . Processions called Azadari are held to commemorate and remember the events that took place , these are often organised by congregation halls known as Hussainia . Mourning climaxes on the tenth day of Muharram , Ashura . The mourning is sometimes referred to as the Remembrance of Muharram ( ذكرى محرم or مناسبة محرم ) .   The mourning that takes place during Muharram in Bahrain has a long history in the country , having been practiced for centuries , and the month sees a massive influx of visitors from neighbouring Gulf countries , who spectate or participate in the mourning processions .

neg: Buddhist calendar The Buddhist calendar ( Sāsanā Sakaraj သ သန တ သက ရ ဇ , -LSB- θàðənà θɛʔkəɹɪʔ -RSB- ព ទ ធសករ ជ Sinhala : බ ද ධ වර ෂ or ස සන වර ෂ ( Buddha Varsha or Sāsana Varsha ) ) is a set of lunisolar calendars primarily used in mainland Southeast Asian countries of Cambodia , Laos , Myanmar and Thailand as well as in Sri Lanka for religious or official occasions . While the calendars share a common lineage , they also have minor but important variations such as intercalation schedules , month names and numbering , use of cycles , etc. . In Thailand , the name Buddhist Era is a year numbering system shared by the traditional Thai lunisolar calendar and by the Thai solar calendar .   The Southeast Asian lunisolar calendars are largely based on an older version of the Hindu calendar , which uses the sidereal year as the solar year . One major difference is that the Southeast Asian systems , unlike their Indian cousins , do not use apparent reckoning to stay in sync with the sidereal year . Instead , they employ their versions of the Metonic cycle . However , since the Metonic cycle is not very accurate for sidereal years , the Southeast Asian calendar is slowly drifting out of sync with the sidereal , approximately one day every 100 years . Yet no coordinated structural reforms of the lunisolar calendar have been undertaken .   Today , the traditional Buddhist lunisolar calendar is used mainly for Theravada Buddhist ထရဝ ဒဗ ဒၶဘ သ festivals , and no longer has the official calendar status anywhere . The Thai Buddhist Era , a renumbered Gregorian calendar , is the official calendar in Thailand .

neg: Second International Islamic Unity Conference From August 2 through the 4th , 1996 , some 7,000 attendees and over 125 speakers from around the globe attended a three-day marathon of lectures , parallel workshop sessions , prayer , praise of Muhammad and Islamic social interaction . Officially known as the International Islamic Unity Conference , it started off with a press session on Friday morning and ended with a parade through downtown Los Angeles on Sunday evening . Attendees praised the organizers for an excellent , though intense schedule of speeches by muftis , Islamic scholars , international political leaders , American political figures and an array of interfaith events .   Chaired by Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani , the conference was sponsored by As-Sunnah Foundation of America , the Naqshbandi Haqqani Sufi Order and by a number of other charitable and religious organizations .   Many felt the conference organization was exemplary , the facilities at the Los Angeles ' Westin Bonaventure Hotel excellent and the wide variety of cultural food and Islamic entertainment very apropos for such an international event . The many San Francisco Bay Area attendees were happy to find a number of prominent local Islamic activists featured , as well as those from national ISNA , IQRA , MPAC and other national Islamic organizations well represented .   The spirit of unity was especially apparent at the `` Peace in the Streets '' session , where about 20 former gang leaders , along with the popular rap star MC Hammer , took shahada with Shaykh Nazim al-Qubrusi , Grand-mufti of Cyprus and worldwide leader of the Naqshbandi Haqqani Sufi Order .   Attendees were treated to sessions on politics , importance of schools of thought , purification of the heart , establishing Islamic economic power , educational curriculum initiative and many other subjects , discussed from the main podium as well as in intimate workshops where speakers and attendees were able to express their views . A major event occurred on Saturday night , with the launching of the International Day of the Orphan , which is expected , given the sponsorship of California 's Assembly , and endorsement by a number of international organizations , to become a globally sponsored day for recalling the plight of orphans and children in difficulty .

neg: Etiquette in the Middle East Many matters of etiquette in the Middle East are connected to Islam as it is written in the Qur ` an and how it has been traditionally understood and practiced throughout the centuries . Prescribed Islamic etiquette is referred to as Adab , and described as `` refinement , good manners , morals , ethics , decorum , decency , humaneness and righteousness '' .   As such , many points discussed in this article are applicable in other regions of the Islamic world . This holds especially true in Muslim majority countries outside Middle East .   The Middle East is home to many people who follow faiths besides Islam . Most notable among them are the churches of Eastern Orthodox Christianity , Copts and other adherents of Oriental Orthodoxy , Maronites , Melkites other Catholics of the Eastern Rites as well as the Roman Rite , Zoroastrians , Bahá ' ís , and various Jewish denominations .   In many cases , however , Muslims and non-Muslims in the Middle East will share characteristics , whether it is the prohibition against pork ordained by both Islamic and Jewish dietary restrictions , a preference for the beverage widely known elsewhere as `` Turkish coffee '' , or knowledge of how to conduct business in a crowded souk without being cheated . It is a place where people with different beliefs often share the same traditions .

neg: Surah A Surah ( -LSB- ˈsʊərə -RSB- also spelled Sura ; سورة , plural سور suwar ) is the term for a chapter of the Qur ` an . There are 114 Surahs in the Qur ` an , each divided into verses . The chapters or suras are of unequal length , the shortest chapter ( Al-Kawthar ) has only three ayat ( verses ) while the longest ( Al-Baqara ) contains 286 verses . Of the 114 chapters in the Qur ` an , 87 are classified as Meccan , while 27 are Medinan . This classification is only approximate in regard to location of revelation ; any chapter revealed after migration of Muhammad to Medina ( Hijrah ) is termed Medinan and any revealed before that event is termed Meccan . The Meccan chapters generally deal with faith and scenes of the Hereafter while the Medinan chapters are more concerned with organizing the social life of the nascent Muslim community and leading Muslims to the goal of Dar al-Islam by showing strength . Except for sura At-Tawba , all chapters or suras commence with ` In the Name of God , the Merciful , the Compassionate ' . This formula is known as the Bismillah and denotes the boundaries between chapters . The chapters are arranged roughly in order of descending size ; therefore the arrangement of the Qur ` an is neither chronological nor thematic . Suras ( chapters ) are recited during the standing portions ( Qiyam ) of Muslim prayers . Sura Al-Fatiha , the first chapter of the Qur ` an , is recited in every unit of prayer and some units of prayer also involve recitation of all or part of any other sura .

neg: Islam in Asia Islam began in Asia in the 7th century during the lifetime of Muhammad . A number of adherents of Islam have lived in Asia & specially West Asia and South Asia since the beginning of Islamic history . Islam is said to have arrived in Manipur ( Northeast India ) in 615 AD via Chittagong which is part of present-day Bangladesh 's coast in the age of silk route ( both onland and by sea ) trades when Sa ` d ibn Abi Waqqas ( b.594-d .674 AD ) and others namely Uwais al-Qarni ( 594-657 ) , Khunais ibn Hudhaifa , Saeed ibn Zaid , Wahb Abu Kabcha , Jahsh and Jafar ibn Abu Talib preached there .  The Barmakid family was an early supporter of the Abbasid Revolution against the Umayyads and of As-Saffah . This gave Khalid ibn Barmak considerable influence , and his son Yaḥyā ibn Khālid ( d. 806 ) was the vizier of the caliph al-Mahdi ( ruled 775 -- 785 ) and tutor of Hārūn ar-Rashīd ( ruled 786-809 ) . Yaḥyā 's sons al-Faḍl and Ja ` far ( 767-803 ) both occupied high offices under Harun .   Many Barmakids were patrons of the sciences , which greatly helped the propagation of Indian science and scholarship from the neighbouring Academy of Gundishapur into the Arabic world . They patronized scholars such as Gebir and Jabril ibn Bukhtishu . They are also credited with the establishment of the first paper mill in Baghdad . The power of the Barmakids in those times is reflected in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights ; the vizier Ja ` far appears in several stories , as well as a tale that gave rise to the expression `` Barmecide feast '' .   Many of the early governors of the Caliphate were Barmakids . Khalid ibn Barmak built Mansura , Sindh and later Baghdad . His son was the governor of what is now Azerbaijan .

neg: Ar-Rum Sūrat ar-Rūm ( سورة الروم , `` The Romans '' ) is the 30th surah of the Quran . It consists of 60 ayat . The term Rûm originated in the word `` Romans '' and in the time of Muhammad referred to the Greek-speaking Romans ( Byzantine Empire ) , hence the title is sometimes also translated as `` The Byzantines '' .

neg: Hamd A hamd , `` Praise '' in English , is a word that is usually written in Arabic , Persian , Punjabi , or Urdu and means a poetic piece in praise of God . The word `` Hamd '' comes from the Qur ` an . Hamds are recited all over the Muslim world , from Indonesia to Morocco . A Qawwali performance usually includes at least one Hamd , which is traditionally the first song in the performance .

neg: Khorram rooz Khorram Rooz is the first day of Dey , the 10th month of the Iranian calendar . Both religious and non-religious traditions are associated with this day , such as the ancient Persians considering it the first day of their New Year .

neg: Kiraman Katibin In Islamic tradition the two kiraman katibin ( كراماً كاتبين `` honourable scribes '' ) , are two angels called Raqib and Atid , believed by Muslims to record a person 's actions , thoughts and feelings . Whether a person is sent to jannat ( paradise ) or Jahannam ( hell/purgatory ) is not , however , dependent on whether good deeds outweigh bad deeds ; but is ultimately up to Allah 's mercy upon a believer . The Quran refers to them in two places , in 50:16 -18 and by name as ` Noble Recorders ' in 82:10 -12 .   The work of the Kiraman Katibin is to write down and record every action , thought , or feeling a person has each day . One angel figuratively sits on the right shoulder and records all good deeds , while another sits on the left shoulder and records all bad deeds .   The Book in which the angels are writing is the cumulative record of a given person 's deeds . After that person 's death , it is said that on the Day of Judgement each person will be confronted with this record , and the two angels will be present to tell God of what the person did .   It is recorded that Muhammad once said , `` The ( scribe ) on the left hand raises his pen ( i.e. , delays writing ) for six hours ( this may refer to six hours of 60 minutes as measured by astronomers , or it may refer to short periods of time during the day or night , according to Lisan al - ` Arab ) before he records the sinful deed of a Muslim . If -LSB- the Muslim -RSB- regrets it and seeks God 's forgiveness , the deed is not recorded , otherwise it is recorded as one deed . '' A further respite is granted after the deed has been recorded ; up until the moment before death approaches , one is able to repent and ask for forgiveness .   With regard to the two Angels , Kiraaman Khaatibeen , who accompany every Muslim , Imam Baihaqi ( radi Allahu anhu ) narrates the following Hadith ; Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas ( radi Allahu anhu ) in which Sayyiduna Rasoolullah ( sallal laahu alaihi wasallam ) has stated , `` After the death of the Muslim , they soar to the Heaven and seek permission to live there , but Almighty Allah turns down their request saying , ` My Heavens are full of Angels who are constantly engaged in glorifying Me . ' Then they will implore to live on the earth . To which Almighty Allah will reply , ` My creation has filled the earth , constantly glorifying Me . ' Thereafter , Almighty Allah commands them to stand at the graveside of the Muslim and the servant of Allah , to recite the Tasbeeh of Allah , and the Sawaab of which is then bestowed upon the deceased person . ''

neg: Rasm Rasm is an Arabic writing script often used in the early centuries of Arabic literature ( 7th century - early 11th century AD ) . Essentially it is the same as today 's Arabic script except for the big difference that dots and dashes are omitted . It is also known as Arabic skeleton script . In Rasm notation , the five distinct letters ـبـ ـتـ ـثـ ـنـ ـيـ are indistinguishable because all the dots are omitted . In other words Rasm script omits i ` jam pointing .   In the early Arabic manuscripts that survive today ( physical manuscripts dated 7th and 8th centuries AD ) , one finds dots but `` putting dots was in no case compulsory '' . Some manuscripts have no dots at all , while others add dots only sparingly and only in phrase contexts where the scribe thinks the omission of dotting on a word would leave the meaning ambiguous .   Rasm means ` drawing ' , outline , or pattern in Arabic . When speaking of the Qur ` an , it stands for the basic text made of the 18 letters without vowel diacritics and without i ` jam consonant points .   The rasm is the oldest part of the Arabic script ; it has 18 elements , excluding the ligature of lām and alif . When isolated and in the final position , the 18 letters are visually distinct . However , in the initial and medial positions , certain letters that are distinct otherwise are not differentiated visually . This results in only 15 visually distinct glyphs each in the initial and medial positions .   This character may not display correctly in some fonts . The dot should not appear in all four positional forms and the initial and medial forms should join with following character . In other words the initial and medial forms should look exactly like those of a dot-less bāʾ while the isolated and final forms should look like those of a dot-less nūn .  There is no hamzah in rasm writing , including hamzah-on-the-line ( i.e. , hamzah between letters ) .   Compare the Basmala , the beginning verse of the with all diacritics and with the rasm only . Note that when rasm is written with spaces , spaces do not only occur between words . Within a word , spaces also appear between adjacent letters that are not connected .   The first sentence only appears as it should if one of the fonts Scheherazade or Lateef was installed .  The last two sentences appear with them and can also appear properly if DejaVu Sans was installed .

neg: Mourning of Muharram The Mourning of Muharram ( or Remembrance of Muharram or Muharram Observances ) is a set of rituals associated with both Shia and Sunni Islam . The commemoration falls in Muharram , the first month of the Islamic calendar . Many of the events associated with the ritual take place in congregation halls known as Hussainia .   The event marks the anniversary of the Battle of Karbala , when Imam Hussein ibn Ali , the grandson of Muhammad , was killed by the forces of the second Umayyad caliph . Family members accompanying him were killed or subjected to humiliation . The commemoration of this event during the yearly mourning season , with the Day of Ashura as the focal date , serves to define Shia communal identity . Muharram observances are carried out in countries with a sizable Shia population .

neg: Mahdi In Islamic eschatology , the Mahdi ( مهدي , ISO 233 : `` guided one '' ) is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will rule for five , seven , nine , or nineteen years ( according to differing interpretations ) before the Day of Judgement ( , literally , the Day of Resurrection ) and will rid the world of evil .   There is no explicit reference to the Mahdi in the Qur ` an , but references to him are found in hadith ( the reports and traditions of Muhammad 's teachings collected after his death ) . According to Islamic tradition , the Mahdi 's tenure will coincide with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ ( Isa ) , who is to assist the Mahdi against the Masih ad-Dajjal ( literally , the `` false Messiah '' or Antichrist ) . Differences exist in the concept of the Mahdi between Shia Muslims and adherents of the Sunni tradition . For Sunnis , the Mahdi is the Muslims ' future leader who is yet to come . For most Shia Muslims , the Mahdi was born but disappeared and will remain hidden from humanity until he reappears to bring justice to the world , a doctrine known as the Occultation . For Twelver Shia , this `` hidden Imam '' is Muhammad al-Mahdi , the Twelfth Imam .   Throughout history , various individuals have claimed to be the Mahdi . These have included Muhammad Jaunpuri , founder of the Mahdavia sect ; the Báb ( Siyyid Ali Muhammad ) , founder of Bábism ; Muhammad Ahmad , who established the Mahdist state in Sudan in the late 19th century ; and Mirza Ghulam Ahmad , founder of the Ahmadiyya sect .

neg: Year of Sorrow In the Islamic tradition , the Year of Sorrow ( -LSB- عام الحزن , ` Ām al-Ḥuzn -RSB- , also translated Year of Sadness ) is the Hijri year in which Muhammad 's wife Khadijah and his uncle and protector Abu Talib died . The year approximately coincided with 619 CE or the tenth year after Muhammad 's first revelation .   After the death of Abu Talib , Muhammad became vulnerable due to the loss of clan protection granted by Abu Talib ( who was also the chief of Banu Hashim ) . He began to be the target of physical attacks by his Meccan opponents . He visited Ta'if to look for help and invite the inhabitants to Islam , but was rejected . On the way back to Mecca , he petitioned several prominent Meccans to ask for protection . Chief Mut ` im ibn ` Adi , from the Banu Nawfal clan , acceded to his request , escorted Muhammad into the city and announced the clan 's protection of Muhammad .

neg: Divisions of the world in Islam The Arabic singular form dar , translated literally , may mean `` house '' , `` abode '' , `` structure '' , `` place '' , `` land '' , or `` country '' . In Islamic jurisprudence it often refers to a part of the world .   The notions of `` houses '' or `` divisions '' of the world in Islam such as Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb does not appear in the Quran or the Hadith . According to Abou El Fadl , the only dar the Qur ` an speaks of are `` the abode of the Hereafter and the abode of the earthly life , with the former described as clearly superior to the latter '' .   In classical Islamic law , the major division are dar al-islam ( lit . territory of Islam ) , denoting regions where Islamic law prevails , dar al-sulh ( lit . territory of treaty ) denoting non-Islamic lands which have concluded an armistice with a Muslim government , and dar al-harb ( lit . territory of war ) , denoting adjoining non-Islamic lands whose rulers are called upon to accept Islam .   Early Islamic jurists devised these terms to denote legal rulings for ongoing Muslim conquests almost a century after Muhammad . The first use of the terms was in Iraq by Abu Hanifa and his disciples Abu Yusuf and Al-Shaybani . Among those in the Levant , Al-Awza ' i was leading in this discipline and later Shafi'i .   The concept of dar al-harb has been affected by the political fragmentation of the Muslim world and has little significance today .

neg: Naskh (tafsir) Naskh is an Arabic word usually translated as `` abrogation '' ; It is a term used in Islamic legal exegesis for seemingly contradictory material within , or between , the two primary sources of Islamic law : the Quran and the Sunna . Several Qur ` anic verses state that some revelations have been abrogated and superseded by later revelations , which are understood by many Muslim scholars as pertaining to the verses of the Quran itself .   Neither the Quran nor the sayings of Muhammad state which verses stand abrogated . However , narrations from Muhammad 's companions inform about the abrogated verses or rulings of the religion ; and the principle of abrogation of an older verse by a new verse in the Quran , or within the Hadiths , was an established principle in Sharia at least by the 9th century . The possibility of abrogation between these two primary sources of Islam has been a more contentious issue . The allowability of abrogation between sources has been one of the major differences between the Shafi'i and Hanafi fiqhs , with the Shafi'i school of jurisprudence forbidding abrogation by the Sunna of the Qur ' ān , while the Hanafi school allowing abrogation by the Sunna of the Qur ' ān .   Seventy-one of the Quran 's one hundred and fourteen surah contain abrogated verses according to one estimate . Muslim exegetes and jurists have disagreed and disputed the number of verses of the Quran and sunnah in the Hadiths recognized as abrogated .

neg: Al-Ramadin Al-Ramadin is a Palestinian village located 24 kilometers southwest of Hebron and includes the smaller village of ` Arab al-Fureijat to the southeast . The village is part the Hebron Governorate in the southern West Bank . According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics , the two villages had a combined population of 3,853 in 2007 . The principal families are al-Sho ` ur , al-Zagharna , al-Fureijat , al-Daraghmeh , al-Raghmat , al-Mlihat and al-Masamra .   Al-Ramadin and ` Arab al-Fureijat were established by Bedouins who fled their traditional homeland in the vicinity of Beersheba in the Negev for the suburbs of ad-Dhahiriya . The name `` al-Ramadin '' derives from `` Ramadan , '' the patriarch of the main Bedouin tribe that founded the modern village after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War . A nine-member village council was appointed by the Palestinian Authority to administer al-Ramadin and Arab al-Fureijat in 1997 .   There are three active mosques in al-Ramadin , as well as three historic Christian edifices , including the al-Fadi Monastery and al-Asela Church . The primary health care facilities for the village are designated by the Ministry of Health as level 2 .

neg: Hajj The Hajj ( -LSB- hædʒ -RSB- -LSB- `` pilgrimage '' ) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca , the most holy city of the Muslims , and a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey , and can support their family during their absence . It is one of the five pillars of Islam , alongside Shahadah , Salat , Zakat , and Sawm . The Hajj is the largest annual gathering of people in the world . The state of being physically and financially capable of performing the Hajj is called istita'ah , and a Muslim who fulfills this condition is called a mustati . The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people , and their submission to God ( Allah ) . The word Hajj means `` to intend a journey '' , which connotes both the outward act of a journey and the inward act of intentions .   The pilgrimage occurs from the 8th to 12th ( or in some cases 13th ) of Dhu al-Hijjah , the last month of the Islamic calendar . Because the Islamic calendar is lunar and the Islamic year is about eleven days shorter than the Gregorian year , the Gregorian date of Hajj changes from year to year . Ihram is the name given to the special spiritual state in which pilgrims wear two white sheets of seamless cloth and abstain from certain actions .   The Hajj is associated with the life of Islamic prophet Muhammad from the 7th century , but the ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca is considered by Muslims to stretch back thousands of years to the time of Abraham . During Hajj , pilgrims join processions of hundreds of thousands of people , who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj , and perform a series of rituals : each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around the Ka'aba ( the cube-shaped building and the direction of prayer for the Muslims ) , runs back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah , drinks from the Zamzam Well , goes to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil , spends a night in the plain of Muzdalifa , and performs symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing stones at three pillars . The pilgrims then shave their heads , perform a ritual of animal sacrifice , and celebrate the three-day global festival of Eid al-Adha .   Pilgrims can also go to Mecca to perform the rituals at other times of the year . This is sometimes called the `` lesser pilgrimage '' , or Umrah . However , even if they choose to perform the Umrah , they are still obligated to perform the Hajj at some other point in their lifetime if they have the means to do so , because Umrah is not a substitute for Hajj .


query: The self-empowerment of the LGBT community is discussed in Born This Way.

pos: Born This Way (song) `` Born This Way '' is a song by American singer Lady Gaga , and the lead single from her second studio album of the same name . Written by Gaga and Jeppe Laursen , who produced it along with Fernando Garibay and DJ White Shadow , the track was developed while Gaga was on the road with The Monster Ball Tour . Inspired by 1990s music which empowered women and the gay community , Gaga explained that `` Born This Way '' was her freedom song . She sang part of the chorus at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards in 2010 and announced the song as the lead single from the album , released on February 11 , 2011 .   The record is backed by rumbling synth sounds , a humming bass and additional chorus percussion , with sole organ toward the end . The lyrics discuss the self-empowerment of minorities including the LGBT community as well as racial minorities , referring to `` cholas '' and `` orients '' , which drew criticism from Latino and Asian communities . Critics positively reviewed the song , calling it a `` club-ready anthem '' , though it faced criticism for having similarities with Madonna 's 1989 single `` Express Yourself '' . The song reached number one in over 25 countries and was her third single to top the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and the 1,000 th song in that chart 's history ( since 1958 ) to reach number one . `` Born This Way '' has sold 8.2 million copies worldwide , becoming one of the best-selling singles of all time .   Nick Knight directed the accompanying music video , which was inspired by surrealist painters like Salvador Dalí and Francis Bacon . Gaga is depicted as giving birth to a new race during a prologue . After a series of dance sequences , the video concludes with the view of a city populated by this race . Critics noted the video 's references to the work of Madonna , Michael Jackson , Björk , and the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen , as well as to Greek mythology and surrealism .   Gaga performed the song at the 53rd Grammy Awards after coming out of an incubating vessel . It was also performed during the last leg of The Monster Ball Tour and on television shows such as Saturday Night Live , Dick Clark 's New Year 's Rockin ' Eve and Good Morning America . The song was treated with different remixes , including a `` Country Road '' version recorded by Gaga herself and another by Indian production duo Salim-Sulaiman . Alice Cooper , Madonna , Katy Perry , Maria Aragon , and the cast of the TV series Glee have covered the song .

neg: Friendship and Freedom Friendship and Freedom , published from 1924 to 1925 , was a short-lived American gay-interest newsletter published by the Chicago-based Society for Human Rights ( SHR ) , the first recognized homosexual rights organization in the United States . Henry Gerber , founder of the Society for Human Rights , started publishing the newsletter using his personal typewriter . The purpose of the newsletter was to act as a forum of discussion among gay men . The first issue of the newsletter was published in 1924 , and a total of only two issues were published . Friendship and Freedom was the first known gay-interest periodical in the United States . This periodical , along with Jim Kepner 's Gay Fan and Lisa Ben 's Vice Versa , is described by author of LGBT-issues James Thomas Sears as `` amateurish '' . The title of the magazine , Friendship and Freedom , was directly translated from a 1920s German gay magazine , Freundschaft und Freiheit .   In the 1920s , the United States was less progressive compared to contemporary Germany , where many gay rights organization flourished during this period . As a result , Gerber 's room in a boardinghouse was raided by the Chicago Police Department in July 1925 , and everything associated with the publication of the newsletter , including Gerber 's typewriter and his personal diaries , were seized . Gerber was thrown into jail for three days and the news of his arrest was published in the contemporary press with the headlines , `` Strange Sex Cult Exposed . '' All copies of Friendship and Freedom that were not in circulation were seized by the police and destroyed .   No copy of Friendship and Freedom survives today . Despite lack of any existing copy , the existence of this publication was verified by American LGBT historian Jonathan Ned Katz through a photograph published by sexologist and LGBT-rights advocate Magnus Hirschfeld in 1927 depicting homosexual publications , among them Friendship and Freedom .

neg: Self-concept One 's self-concept ( also called self-construction , self-identity , self-perspective or self-structure ) is a collection of beliefs about oneself that includes elements such as academic performance , gender identity , sexual identity , and racial identity . Generally , self-concept embodies the answer to `` Who am I ? '' .   Self-concept is distinguishable from self-awareness , which refers to the extent to which self-knowledge is defined , consistent , and currently applicable to one 's attitudes and dispositions . Self-concept also differs from self-esteem : self-concept is a cognitive or descriptive component of one 's self ( e.g. `` I am a fast runner '' ) , while self-esteem is evaluative and opinionated ( e.g. `` I feel good about being a fast runner '' ) .   Self-concept is made up of one 's self-schemas , and interacts with self-esteem , self-knowledge , and the social self to form the self as whole . It includes the past , present , and future selves , where future selves ( or possible selves ) represent individuals ' ideas of what they might become , what they would like to become , or what they are afraid of becoming . Possible selves may function as incentives for certain behavior .   The perception people have about their past or future selves is related to the perception of their current selves . The temporal self-appraisal theory argues that people have a tendency to maintain a positive self-evaluation by distancing themselves from their negative self and paying more attention to their positive one . In addition , people have a tendency to perceive the past self less favorably ( e.g. `` I 'm better than I used to be '' ) and the future self more positively ( e.g. `` I will be better than I am now '' ) .

neg: List of gay, lesbian or bisexual people: Sa–Sc Parent article : List of gay , lesbian or bisexual people ;  Siblings :   The historical concept and definition of sexual orientation varies and has changed greatly over time ; for example the word `` gay '' was n't used to describe sexual orientation until the mid 20th century . A number of different classification schemes have been used to describe sexual orientation since the mid-19th century , and scholars have often defined the term `` sexual orientation '' in divergent ways . Indeed , several studies have found that much of the research about sexual orientation has failed to define the term at all , making it difficult to reconcile the results of different studies . However , most definitions include a psychological component ( such as the direction of an individual 's erotic desire ) and/or a behavioural component ( which focuses on the sex of the individual 's sexual partner/s ) . Some prefer to simply follow an individual 's self-definition or identity .   The high prevalence of people from the West on this list may be due to societal attitudes towards homosexuality . The Pew Research Center 's 2003 Global Attitudes Survey found that '' -LSB- p -RSB- eople in Africa and the Middle East strongly object to societal acceptance of homosexuality . But there is far greater tolerance for homosexuality in major Latin American countries such as Mexico , Argentina , Bolivia and Brazil . Opinion in Europe is split between West and East . Majorities in every Western European nation surveyed say homosexuality should be accepted by society , while most Russians , Poles and Ukrainians disagree . Americans are divided -- a thin majority ( 51 percent ) believes homosexuality should be accepted , while 42 percent disagree . ''   This is a partial list of confirmed famous people who were or are gay , lesbian or bisexual . Famous people who are simply rumored to be gay , lesbian , or bisexual are not listed .

neg: LGBT rights in the Republic of Ireland Attitudes in Ireland towards lesbian , gay , bisexual , and transgender ( LGBT ) people are regarded as among the most liberal in the world . Ireland is notable for its transformation from a country holding overwhelmingly conservative attitudes toward LGBT issues to one holding overwhelmingly liberal ones in the space of a generation . In May 2015 , Ireland became the first country to legalise same-sex marriage on a national level by popular vote . The New York Times hailed the victory as putting Ireland at the `` vanguard of social change '' . Since July 2015 , transgender people in Ireland can self-declare their gender for the purpose of updating passports , driving licences , obtaining new birth certificates , and getting married . Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is legal in the state . Government recognition of LGBT rights in Ireland has expanded greatly over the past two decades . Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1993 , and most forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation are now outlawed . Ireland also forbids incitement to hatred based on sexual orientation .   In 2015 a survey of 1000 individuals in Ireland found that 78 % of people are in support of same-sex marriage and 71 % of people think that same-sex couples should be allowed to adopt . A 2013 survey showed that 73 % of Irish people agreed that `` same sex marriage should be allowed in the Constitution '' . Earlier , a 2008 survey showed that 84 % of Irish people support civil marriage or civil partnerships for same-sex couples , with 58 % supporting full marriage rights in registry offices . The number who believe same-sex couples should only be allowed to have civil partnerships fell from 33 % to 26 % . A March 2011 The Sunday Times poll showed support for full civil marriage rights at 73 % .   In July 2010 , the Oireachtas passed the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 , recognising civil partnerships between same-sex couples . The Bill passed all stages in the lower house ( Dáil ) , without the need for a vote , and by a margin of 48 votes to 4 in the upper house Seanad ( Senate ) . The bill was supported by all parties , although individual politicians have criticised the legislation . Since the Civil Partnership legislation has been fully enacted and implemented from the start of 2011 , gay and lesbian couples have been able to register their relationship before a registrar . The bill was signed by President Mary McAleese on 19 July 2010 . The Minister for Justice signed the commencement order for the act on 23 December 2010 . The law then came into force on 1 January 2011 . Due to the three-month waiting period for all civil ceremonies in Ireland , it had been expected that the first Civil Partnership ceremonies would take place in April . However , the legislation does provide a mechanism for exemptions to be sought through the courts , and the first partnership , which was between two men , was registered on 7 February 2011 . The first publicly celebrated Irish civil partnership under the Act took place in Dublin on 5 April 2011 . On 6 April 2015 , the Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015 was signed into law , amending ( among other acts ) the Adoption Act 2010 , to enable same-sex couples to jointly adopt children and step-children .

neg: Black Feminist Future Black Feminist Future is a social community formed by the black feminist organizations to empower black women in United States for the recent cultural shift , digital movement and engaging both black women and girls in the current pulse of movements . It is a platform to unite black women from all over the world to share their point of view about what it is being a black woman in US both socially and politically . The basic purpose of this community is to change the mindset of the people as well as the internal thoughts of black women about herself as being a neglected part of the society and to change the racial policies that are present in the US culture from a very long time while advancing intersectional strategies , making innovative and determinable solutions for bringing a change in society .   They recently have launched a movement named as `` Freedom Dreams 2016 '' . Their first initiative in this regard is that they have made visioning saloons known as the platforms to build vision and movement that centers the African-American feminist lives . Now , they want to make a change by coming into politics and revising the laws made up to defend the white for their wrong doings in this situation of racial discrimination . In order to find some entrance into the politics , they have selected a theme for their Visioning Saloons this year as `` Freedom Dreams : Black Feminist Visioning Our Political Future '' that will help them in defining a center and vision of Black Women and Girls .   As women are women , whether they are black or white , Asians or Americans or even if they belong to any part of the world , they have every right to enjoy equal rights whether they are at work , at home or contributing their efforts for the betterment of their society .

neg: LGBT cruises LGBT cruises are a rising phenomenon in LGBT culture and a growing trend in the LGBT tourism industry .

neg: Gay SG Confessions Created on 14 February 2013 in the footsteps of a host of popular `` confessions '' pages hosted on Facebook , Gay SG Confessions is a Singapore-based LGBT-focused confessions page that hosts a collection of anonymous user-contributed personal stories regarding gay issues such as coming out to family and friends , dealing with social acceptance and rejection , sexual health and emotional well-being education as well as gay relationship troubles .

neg: LGBT social movements Lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender , and questioning ( LGBTQ ) social movements are social movements that advocate for the equalized acceptance of LGBT people in society . In these movements , LGBTQ people and their allies have a long history of campaigning for what is now generally called LGBTQ rights , sometimes also called gay rights or gay and lesbian rights . Although there is not a primary or an overarching central organization that represents all LGBT people and their interests , numerous LGBT rights organizations are active worldwide . The earliest organizations to support LGBT rights were formed in the 19th century .   A commonly stated goal among these movements is social equality for LGBT people , but there is still denial of full LGBTQ rights . Some have also focused on building LGBT communities or worked towards liberation for the broader society from biphobia , homophobia , and transphobia . There is a struggle for LGBTQ rights today . LGBT movements organized today are made up of a wide range of political activism and cultural activity , including lobbying , street marches , social groups , media , art , and research .   Overview   Sociologist Mary Bernstein writes : `` For the lesbian and gay movement , then , cultural goals include ( but are not limited to ) challenging dominant constructions of masculinity and femininity , homophobia , and the primacy of the gendered heterosexual nuclear family ( heteronormativity ) . Political goals include changing laws and policies in order to gain new rights , benefits , and protections from harm . '' Bernstein emphasizes that activists seek both types of goals in both the civil and political spheres .   As with other social movements there is also conflict within and between LGBT movements , especially about strategies for change and debates over exactly who comprises the constituency that these movements represent , this also applies to changing education . There is debate over to what extent lesbians , gays , bisexuals , transgender people , intersexed people and others share common interests and a need to work together . Leaders of the lesbian and gay movement of the 1970s , 80s and 90s often attempted to hide masculine lesbians , feminine gay men , transgender people , and bisexuals from the public eye , creating internal divisions within LGBT communities . Roffee and Waling ( 2016 ) discovered that LGBTIQ people experience microaggressions , bullying and anti-social behaviours from other people within the LGBTIQ community . This is due to misconceptions and conflicting views as to what entails `` LGBTIQ '' . For example , transgender people found that other members of the community were not understanding to their own , individual , specific needs and would instead make ignorant assumptions , and this can cause health risks . Additionally , bisexual people found that lesbian or gay people were not understanding or appreciative of the bisexual sexuality . Evidently , even though most of these people would say that they stand for the same values as the majority of the community , there are still remaining inconsistencies even within the LGBTIQ community .   LGBT movements have often adopted a kind of identity politics that sees gay , bisexual and transgender people as a fixed class of people ; a minority group or groups , and this is very common among LGBTQ communities . Those using this approach aspire to liberal political goals of freedom and equal opportunity , and aim to join the political mainstream on the same level as other groups in society . In arguing that sexual orientation and gender identity are innate and can not be consciously changed , attempts to change gay , lesbian and bisexual people into heterosexuals ( `` conversion therapy '' ) are generally opposed by the LGBT community . Such attempts are often based in religious beliefs that perceive gay , lesbian and bisexual activity as immoral .   However , others within LGBT movements have criticised identity politics as limited and flawed , elements of the queer movement have argued that the categories of gay and lesbian are restrictive , and attempted to deconstruct those categories , which are seen to `` reinforce rather than challenge a cultural system that will always mark the nonheterosexual as inferior . ''   After the French Revolution the anticlerical feeling in Catholic countries coupled with the liberalizing effect of the Napoleonic Code made it possible to sweep away sodomy laws . However , in Protestant countries , where the church was less severe , there was no general reaction against statutes that were religious in origin . As a result , many of those countries retained their statutes on sodomy until late in the 20th century .

neg: LGBT topics in Singaporean literature This article deals with writing that deals with LGBT themes in a Singapore context . It covers literary works of fiction , such as novels , short stories , plays and poems . It also includes non-fiction works , both scholarly and targeted at the general reader , such as dissertations , journal or magazine articles , books and even web-based content . Although Singapore lacks a dedicated gay book publisher or gay bookshop , it does have at least one dedicated gay library , Pelangi Pride Centre , which is open weekly to the public . Many of the works cited here may be found both in Pelangi Pride Centre , as well as the National Library or other academic libraries in Singapore , as well as in some commercial bookshops under ` gender studies ' sections .

neg: LGBT rights in Malawi Lesbian , gay , bisexual , and transgender ( LGBT ) persons in Malawi face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents .   The Penal Code prohibits `` carnal knowledge against the order of nature '' , attempts to commit `` carnal knowledge against the order of nature '' , and acts of `` gross indecency '' . However , in November 2012 , President Joyce Banda suspended all laws that criminalized homosexuality . In July 2014 , the Justice Minister announced that Malawi would no longer arrest people for same-sex sexual activity and review its anti-gay laws .   In late December 2009 , a trans woman , Tiwonge Chimbalanga , and a man , Steven Monjeza , were arrested after holding a traditional `` engagement '' party . On 18 May 2010 , they were found guilty of having committed `` unnatural offenses '' and `` indecent practices between males '' . On 29 May 2010 , then President Bingu wa Mutharika pardoned both individuals .   On 17 April 2015 , The Marriage , Divorce and Family Relations Law came into force and banned all same-sex marriages and unions . While the law was praised for raising the minimum age of heterosexual marriages from 16 to 18 , it was at the same time condemned for the exclusion of homosexual couples and for its language stating that one 's gender is assigned at birth . The new law does not allow people who have undergone gender reassignment surgery to marry someone of that person 's prior gender and also draws comparisons of gay sex to rape and sexual harassment .

neg: I Was Born This Way `` I Was Born This Way '' is a disco song by Valentino , released in 1975 , then by Carl Bean in 1977 ( both artists for Motown ) . It was written by Chris Spierer and Bunny Jones . The record was first released on the Motown-distributed Gaiee Records and performed by Valentino ( real name Charles Harris ) .  Frankie Crocker of WBLS Radio in New York first aired the song and it was an instant hit . The writers , Spierer and Jones , wanted to write a Gay anthem and make the plight on Gay issues known and bring it to the forefront .   The song 's lyrics are about a man who proclaims that he 's a homosexual and that he was `` born this way '' . It was one of the first gay disco songs written specifically for the Gay community , before the Village People wave .   It was also sampled in 1999 by Stuart Price , using the alias Pour Homme , as `` Born this Way '' . It was a tremendous hit in Europe .   In 2008 , Magnus Carlsson , Sweden 's popular gay male vocalist re-recorded 3 versions of `` I Was Born This Way '' in addition to Paul Oskar of Norway . Magnus Carlsson can be seen performing `` I Was Born This Way '' on YouTube as well as Marty Thomas of the Broadway hit show `` Wicked ''

neg: Civil rights movements Civil rights movements are a worldwide series of political movements for equality before the law , that peaked in the 1960s . In many situations they have been characterized by nonviolent protests , or have taken the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change through nonviolent forms of resistance . In some situations , they have been accompanied , or followed , by civil unrest and armed rebellion . The process has been long and tenuous in many countries , and many of these movements did not , or have yet to , fully achieve their goals , although the efforts of these movements have led to improvements in the legal rights of some previously oppressed groups of people , in some places .   The main aim of the successful Civil Rights Movement and other social movements for civil rights included ensuring that the rights of all people were and are equally protected by the law . These include but are not limited to the rights of minorities , women 's rights , and LGBT rights .

neg: Gay City News Gay City News is a free weekly newspaper based in New York City that focuses on local and national issues relating to the lesbian , gay , bisexual and transgender ( LGBT ) community . It was founded in 1994 as Lesbian Gay New York , later LGNY , and was sold to Community Media LLC , owner of The Villager , in 2002 , which renamed the publication . It is the largest LGBT newspaper in the United States , with a circulation of 47,000 .   Gay City News came into existence after several incarnations . The newspaper began to form in the late 1980s after the collapse of the LGBT newsmagazine OUTWEEK ( which came into existence in 1989 to compete against the then-dominant New York Native -- which itself folded in 1997 ) . OUTWEEK was famous for firebrand activist style journalism and provided groundbreaking coverage of a then nascent gay civil rights movement . It was one of the first publications to undertake scientific reporting on the growing AIDS crisis .   After an investor squabble that closed the magazine , Troy Masters , then an advertising director at OUTWEEK , led the formation of a group to create a new publication ; that publication became known as QW ( or `` QueerWeek '' ) , the first glossy gay magazine , and was funded by William F. Chafin . Mr. Chafin died before the publication could make a profit , and the magazine was closed upon his death .   Two years later , Masters sought to establish a newspaper and founded LGNY ( Which stood for `` Lesbian-Gay New York '' ) . LGNY published for eight years and was relaunched in 2002 as Gay City News .   Its current editor-in-chief is Paul Schindler , and the associate editor is Duncan Osborne .

neg: Postfeminism The term postfeminism ( alternatively rendered as post-feminism ) is used to describe reactions against contradictions and absences in feminism , especially second-wave feminism and third-wave feminism . The term postfeminism is sometimes confused with `` 4th wave-feminism '' , and `` women of color feminism '' ( e.g. hooks , 1996 ; Spivak , 1999 ) . However , by definition feminism strives for gender equality , whereas postfeminism must in some way move past or `` transcend '' the absolute need for gender equality -- something which neither theorists ' definition does .   The ideology of postfeminism is often recognised by its contrast with a prevailing or preceding feminism . Postfeminism strives towards the next stage in gender-related societal progress , and as such is often conceived as in favor of a society that is no longer defined by gender binary and gender role . A postfeminist is a person who believes in , promotes , or embodies any of various ideologies springing from the feminism of the 1970s , whether supportive of or antagonistic towards classical feminism .   Postfeminism can be considered a critical way of understanding the changed relations between feminism , popular culture and femininity . Postfeminism may also present a critique of second-wave feminism or third-wave feminism by questioning the second wave or third-wave 's binary thinking and essentialism , their vision of sexuality , and the perception of relationships between femininity and feminism .   Second-wave feminism is often critiqued for being too ` white ' , too ` straight ' , and too ` liberal ' , and resulting in the needs of women from marginalized groups and cultures being ignored . However , since intersectionality is a product of third-wave feminism , the references to such as postfeminist are open to challenge and may be more properly considered feminist .

neg: World AIDS Museum and Educational Center The World AIDS Museum and Educational Center , located at 1201 NE 26th St. in Wilton Manors , Florida , opened on May 15 , 2014 .   The AIDS Museum and Educational Center began as a HIV support group , Pozitive Attitudes , at the Pride Center in Fort Lauderdale . The facilitator of that group was Steve Stagon and it was his idea to create an AIDS museum , in south Florida because Broward County and Miami-Dade County are `` the epicenter of the AIDS crisis in America . '' A non-profit corporation was set up and fundraising began . After various local exhibits in churches and the Pride Center , once they had enough funding they choose the location on 26th Street .   On Nov 07 , 2013 , Magic Johnson visited the World AIDS Museum and dedicated the space , 22 years to the day he announced his HIV status . Doors officially opened to the public in May 2014 . The World AIDS Museum and Educational Center has a main gallery featuring the historical timeline of the AIDS epidemic , 2 art galleries , and a research library . They also do traveling exhibits and educational programs in the schools . The current CEO is Hugh Beswick and the Operations Manager is Ed Sparan .   Author and AIDS activist Larry Kramer , who spoke there on March 9 , 2017 , remarked :   What an amazing and outstanding place this is ! ... Now they have funding from the state , and can ... host groups of students . The exhibition , beautify installed , has , among much else a GMHC -LSB- Gay Men 's Health Crisis -RSB- room , an ACT UP room , and a Keith Haring room . The history of hiv/AIDS timeline is extensive , I learned a few thngs myself ( and was able to point out a few things that needed correction ) . The docent is exceptionally knowledgeable ... . The board members are exceptionally committed ... . They take pride in claiming that Fort Lauderdale is now the largest gay community in the country . This museum certainly beats anything in San Francisco or New York . Spread the word that this place exists !

neg: Firebrand Books Firebrand Books is a publishing house established in 1984 by Nancy K. Bereano -- a lesbian/feminist activist in Ithaca , NY . Karen Oosterhouse , publisher since 2003 , describes Firebrand as `` the independent publisher of record for feminist and lesbian fiction and nonfiction , '' championing `` authors whose work has been marginalized : women of color , women coming out of poverty , transwomen , the genderqueer , and other underrepresented voices . '' It is among the many feminist and lesbian publishing houses that grew out of the Women 's Press Movement ; other presses of that period include Naiad Books , Persephone and Kitchen Table : Women of Color Press .   From 1984 to 2000 , Firebrand Books published literary fiction , nonfiction , and poetry on lesbian and feminist themes , placing publisher Nancy Bereano `` at the forefront of lesbian and small press publishing . '' Firebrand was the first publisher of Dorothy Allison 's short story collection Trash , which subsequently won double Lambda Literary Awards in the categories of Lesbian Fiction and Small Press , and of the `` Dykes to Watch Out For '' series by Alison Bechdel .   The press has published poetry , fiction , and non-fiction by many luminary authors , including Jewelle Gomez , Leslie Feinberg , Cheryl Clarke , Ruthann Robson , Lesléa Newman , Mab Segrest , Leslie Feinberg , Judith Katz , Audre Lorde , and Minnie Bruce Pratt , earning four American Library Association Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Book Awards and 12 Lambda Literary Awards , including the Publisher 's Service Award for Bereano , in 1996 . On Bereano 's influential role as an editor and publisher , Alison Bechdel writes : `` she discovered me and published my first book when I was a punk kid ... She also urged me to write a graphic novel long before the current craze , and that was the beginning of Fun Home . ''   Bereano has emphasized the importance of small independent presses in supporting and promoting `` new ways of thinking , '' especially for readers marginalized by large publishing houses . Citing her experiences publishing the work of Audre Lorde , Bereano writes : The fact that -LSB- Lorde 's -RSB- prose was published exclusively by small independently owned women 's presses was both a result of the major houses ' narrow perspective and the fact that Audre Lorde 's prose , particularly her myth-shattering essays , was instrumental in framing a changing reality for many women , primarily lesbian women ( a readership long dismissed by the mainstream publishing world ) . After Bereano 's retirement in 1994 , Firebrand Books was sold , first to distributor LPC Group , and eventually to Karen Oosterhouse , who relocated the press from Ithaca to Ann Arbor , Michigan , in 2003 . In a 2009 interview , Oosterhouse stated that , `` perhaps there will come a day when there is no longer a need for a specifically lesbian and feminist press , but for now Firebrand is that press . ''

neg: A Queer History of the United States A Queer History of the United States is a concise history of LGBT people in US society . It describes ways in which queer people have influenced the evolution of the United States , and how the culture of the United States has affected them .   A Queer History of the United States was published by Beacon Press in 2011 . It was recognized with a Stonewall Book Award in 2012 . The author , Michael Bronski , is a professor of Women 's & Gender Studies at Dartmouth College , and professor of Practice in Media and Activism in Studies of Women , Gender , and Sexuality at Harvard University .

neg: Psychology of disenfranchisement The Psychology of Disenfranchisement is a theory developed by Rex Briggs while studying minority groups at social research firm Yankelovich Partners . Originally published by Yankelovich Partners , Grant Lukenbill 's book , Untold Millions , applied the theory to help explain marketing opportunities to gays and lesbians . In Brigg 's original research , he observed higher levels of stress , skepticism and self-protection needs among minority groups .   The psychology of disenfranchisement theory suggests that there are three components that drive the psychology of disenfranchisement : alienation , cynicism and perceived victimization . These components interact and intensify each other . Alienation , Briggs argues , may be due to negative perceptions , stereotypes and discrimination condoned and practiced by the dominant culture . The perception of separation from the mainstream culture can create severe stress and can be considered the impetus for the psychology of disenfranchisement . Cynicism is one of the inevitable offshoots of alienation , resulting in the conviction that things will go wrong , that harm is to be expected . It involves a sense that the institutions of society ( from which one is alienated ) are not only remote , but inimical . Victimization is the feeling the develops out of the perception of intentional or unintentional undeserved mistreatment by other individuals , organizations , or institutions . Victimization is a logical outgrowth of feelings of cynicism and alienation from the dominant culture . The perceived victimization legitimizes and justifies the cynicism , and over time this cycle can become entrenched , thereby increasing the feelings of alienation .   The resulting needs include : self-understanding ( recognition of and respect for one 's individuality ) , association ( a sharing of occasions with `` people like me '' ) , security ( emotional , social and psychical ) , independence , stress relief ( self-indulgence , escapism ) .   All the Rage : The Story of Gay Visibility in America cites Briggs ' psychology of disenfranchisement theory as a launching point to discuss how advertising can offer inclusion in its messaging , so as to resonate better .   In 2006 , Steven Andrew Culpepper summarized Dubois 1903 book , Sols of Black Folk as capturing the essence of a double-consciousness , a paradoxical experience of deep psychic atrocity tracing from slavery , `` while the American experience resonates with a hopeful ethos characterized by universality of equality and justice for all . '' Culpepper applies this same psychology of disenfranchisement to women , `` that were severely excluded from its rights and privileges in society that touts equality and justice . ''   A more literal use of the concept , `` psychology of disenfranchisement '' has been applied by Keven Lanning where he examines the consequences to both the person and the community when individuals do not have equal access , or equal voices , at the polls .

neg: Empowerment Experiment __ NOTOC __  The Empowerment Experiment ( formerly called the Ebony Experiment as of March 12 , 2009 ) , was co-founded by John and Maggie Anderson of Oak Park , Illinois . Steven Rogers , director of the Kellogg Entrepreneurial Practice Center at Northwestern University 's Graduate School of Management , serves as an Executive Advisor to the experiment , which is a year-long study designed to find out what happens when people buy things only from black-owned businesses .   Some participants who are committed to this movement have been willing to drive substantially longer distances than what they had driven before the movement started , in order to purchase goods from black-owned businesses .   By May 12 , 2009 , 4,000 people had signed up on the Andersons ' website to participate in their experiment .   The United States has one million black-owned businesses , which account for more than $ 100 billion in annual sales . Blacks have more than $ 800 billion in expendable income each year .   Directories such as The WhereU app , The Internet Black Pages , Support Black Owned , and Black Business Women Online make it possible to purchase black goods online .

neg: Transgender Law Center The Transgender Law Center ( TLC ) is an Oakland-based civil rights organization advocating for transgender communities . They are California 's first `` fully staffed , state-wide transgender legal organization '' and were initially a fiscally sponsored project of the National Center for Lesbian Rights . The stated mission of TLC is to connect transgender people and their families to technically sound and culturally competent legal services , increase acceptance and enforcement of laws and policies that support California 's transgender communities , and work to change laws and systems that fail to incorporate the needs and experiences of transgender people .   TLC utilizes direct legal services , public policy advocacy , and educational opportunities to advance the rights and safety of diverse transgender communities .   Since launching in 2002 , TLC has held over 250 transgender law workshops providing legal information to more than 3,250 community members , attorneys , social service providers , and business owners , as well as collaborated on public policy initiatives designed to improve safety in schools and prisons and safe access to public restrooms for transgender people in San Francisco . TLC successfully helped to revise San Francisco 's `` Regulations to Prohibit Gender Identity Discrimination '' in December 2003 , making them more inclusive of people who do not identify as strictly female or male , and to pass legislation in the City of Oakland banning gender identity discrimination in housing , employment , public accommodation , and city services .