11月6日將討論兩個主題: 抗癌少女/同志街頭革命

 

江子翠 11月6日星期二

各位親愛的會員: 11月6日將討論兩個主題: 抗癌少女/同志街頭革命

Topic 1.抗癌少女YouTube教化妝.

這是一個勇敢堅強的故事，Billy看了影片後感動的熱淚滿眶，哭濕了三條手帕，非常佩服這個女孩，當她知道生命即將結束，還是滿臉笑容，無比地堅強。

要是Billy知道生命只剩下幾個月，鐵定會崩潰，

多麼勇敢的女孩，願上帝/媽祖賜與她神秘的力量。

我們是不是也得到一些啟示，多善用我們的人生 用我們的寶貴的時間，努力完成我們的夢想，也要多愛我們身邊的每一位有緣人。

「化妝就是我的假髮」美國13歲抗癌少女YouTube教化妝.
(國際中心／綜合報導)

美國抗癌美少女13歲的塔莉亞‧卡司特拉諾（Talia Castellano），設立YouTube個人頻道，教人化妝，吸引1900多萬人次點閱。罹癌6年，她選擇正面迎戰病魔，「化妝就是我的假髮（MAKEUP IS MY WIG）」讓人見識到樂觀堅強的一面。

塔莉亞正和兩種癌症病魔對抗中。2007年2月，先被診斷出神經母細胞瘤，但愛美的她得知噩耗，反應不是「天啊！我要死了」，而是頭髮掉光，要戴假髮怎麼辦？「我討厭戴假髮，那讓我看起來不像真的我。」不能到學校見朋友也讓她感到失落，於是她從化妝中找到自我，研究出一套適合光頭造型的化妝法，「別人看我焦點不在光頭，而是我的妝法！」

今年夏天，塔莉亞在自己的影片部落格宣布，罹患了第二種癌症白血病，接受化療、放射線、幹細胞移植等治療，醫師評估，如果她不接受骨髓移植，只能再活4個月至1年，但她說：「我正決定是否接受骨髓移植，或是就這樣過完剩下的時間。」雖然還沒有定論，她仍堅持上傳化妝教學影片，希望大家「記住我從哪來」。

化妝品大廠「Cover Girl」被塔莉亞樂觀對抗病魔的故事感動。上個月，她擔任脫口秀《艾倫愛說笑》（The Ellen DeGeneres Show）的特別來賓時，主持人艾倫狄珍妮絲（Ellen DeGeneres）在節目中宣布，「Cover Girl」邀請塔莉亞擔任榮譽代言人的好消息，讓她又驚又喜。

「罹癌讓我受益良多」。堅強的塔莉亞表示，當初建立YouTube個人頻道就是希望激勵更多人，「能以化妝當我的假髮是多麼美好的事」。

“Make-up is my wig,” (By Rachel Elbaum TODAY)

A 12-year-old girl with cancer, who has captivated the Internet with her makeup tutorials over the past year, announced that her cancer has spread to her bone marrow.

Talia Castellano started her YouTube video channel, “Make-up is my wig,” about a year ago and quickly gained a following of more than 100,000 people. She appears in her videos bald, and goes through how to apply different styles of eye shadow and shows off finds from shopping expeditions.

Castellano, who lives in Orlando with her mother, father and older sister, was diagnosed with cancer more than five years ago when she was 7. Since then, she has continued going to school, while still pursuing her interest in makeup, art and dancing.

“I saw other girls making makeup videos on YouTube and thought it would be fun,”Castellano told TODAY.com. “I put one up and ever since then it gotten more and more popular. It’s cool that people are now seeing that fighting cancer is not just about chemo, and that there are different things that help us through the journey. For me that was makeup.”

In the past year, Castellano has posted 150 videos on YouTube, not only talking about makeup, but also bringing awareness to childhood cancer, and promoting the CureSearch Walk. With makeup skills to rival any pro, she artfully applies primer, combines colors and explains which brushes to use when.

In her most recent video, Castellano, who turns 13 on Aug. 18, told her viewers that the cancer has returned and spread to her bone marrow.

“I know it’s a lot to take in. Right now I am leaning to not doing [the treatment] because I don’t want to go through that,” Castellano said haltingly in the video. “The chances of not surviving are fewer than surviving. If we even find a match, if my body rejects it then I am screwed, I went through all that crap for nothing.”

Doctors have told Castellano’s parents that after so many years of treatment, she should make the ultimate decision on how and if she wants to proceed.

“I will support her in whatever she wants to do,” Castellano’s mother Desiree told TODAY.com. “She told me, ‘I know my body,’ and I believe she does.”

Since announcement, scores of supporters have commented on her video, wishing her well.

"Please take solace in the fact that you are NOT going through this alone," wrote Android Ashley. "We're all behind you."

DisneySinger12 wrote: "I look up to you, because I wouldn't know how to deal with a situation like you're in. So, keep going and keep pushing. No matter what you decide to do, just know that we are all here to support you."

Castellano's family is now busy planning her Las Vegas-themed 13th birthday party, complete with showgirls and games tables.

Her parents plan continue in their efforts to raise money in support of cancer research and their own medical bills that have piled up over her many years of treatment. To update friends, family and well wishers on Castellano's progress, the family started a website, AnglesforTalia.com.

"I feel proud that I have accomplished so much on YouTube, have so many people watching and now taking seriously how childhood cancer don’t have enough funding," Castellano told TODAY.com.

Though she is only entering her adolescence, she sounds much older than her nearly 13 years, and she plans to continue making videos as long as she is able.

"The journey of having cancer has been amazing, but every journey has to have an end," she said in the video.

But sounding more like the child that she still is, she also comments: “I'm only 13, I shouldn't have to be doing this... It’s really not fair for kids to have cancer and it really frickin sucks."

Questions:

1. What do you think of Talia?

2. What is the most inspirational story you've heard?

3. What person or event inspired you or changed you in a positive way?

4. Who has inspired you most?

5. What would you do If you only had a short time to live?

6. What would you do if you got cancer?
 

Topic 2.同志街頭鬧革命 高喊結婚有理

中國時報【許俊偉╱台北報導】2012年10月28日

台北街頭昨天彩虹旗飄揚，逾六萬五千名同志和異性戀朋友上街「鬧革命」，爭取婚姻平權和伴侶多元權。這場亞洲最大的同志遊行邁入第十個年頭，今年兵分南北兩路全長九公里，路線規模世界第一，不僅外國客相挺，同志父母也出面力挺，高喊「他他」和「她她」也要婚姻權。

為推動同志人權，台灣伴侶權益推動聯盟日前才剛推出民間版民法修正草案，訴求同志婚姻、伴侶制度和收養、多人家屬制度。聯盟發起人之一的簡至潔說，他們正在發動「百萬連署」運動，盼在明年九月能將民間版草案送進立法院。

自一九八九年丹麥率先通過同志伴侶法以來，目前已有近四十個國家或地區，陸續立法承認「異性戀婚姻」以外的多元家庭形式。其中有十一個國家和兩個地區實施同志結婚權。

Albert說，修法只是第一步，整個社會的反歧視人權教育和改革二元性別文化，才是同志平權的艱困漫長路。他說，遊行不只訴求法制革命，更要透過同志上街運動，讓更多人扭轉潛藏在內心的歧視。

台灣同志遊行走過十年歲月，從一開始只有五百人、僅爭取能見度，到如今參與人數突破六萬五千人、進展到提倡同志政策，參與人數已是亞洲之最。今年遊行路線總長更勝巴西聖保羅的同志遊行，「全球第一長」。

Over 50,000 at gay parade call for same-sex marriage equality (Gaypedia.com)

Over 50,000 at gay parade call for same-sex marriage equality

A record of over 50,000 people from across Taiwan and abroad marched through the streets of Taipei yesterday afternoon for the 2012 Taiwan Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Parade.

Participants called for the legalization of same-sex marriage during the parade — the largest event of its kind in Asia, according to the Taiwan LGBT Pride Community, organizer of the event.

The organizer said a record number of over 3,000 foreign LGBT supporters from 23 countries joined the event, which carried the theme “Marriage Revolution — Equal Rights to Marriage, Diversity in Partnership.”

Inaugurated in 2003, the annual parade celebrates its 10th edition this year, and the number of participants has rapidly surged over the years from 500 to 50,000, indicating the growing support and recognition of LGBT people in Taiwanese society.

Participants gathered at 1 p.m. on Ketagalan Boulevard and were divided into two groups, with one heading north and the other south before regrouping on the boulevard at the end of their routes.

Several local and foreign musicians and entertainers performed at the event to support the appeal. Gigi Leung, a Hong Kong-born singer, said that love transcends sexual orientation and people should have the right to enjoy happiness.

Marchers carried balloons, rainbow flags and self-made placards with slogans calling for equal rights to marriage. Many dressed in creative costumes, including men wearing bridal gowns and women wearing suits.

Eleven countries have legalized same-sex marriage, but Taiwan, despite claiming to support human rights, has continued to deny homosexual couples such rights, the organizer said.

Questions:

1. What do you think about gay parade?

2. Do you support "those" gay pride events?

3. Do you think gay parades are disgraceful to society?

4. Do you support gay rights?

5. Do you support the legalization of gay marriage?‎

 

CONVERSATION

 

Go to the gym

Tina: Billy, what should we do this afternoon?

Billy: I have been staying home all morning. I'd like to exercise.

Tina: Me too. Let's go to the gym.

Billy: Great idea. What are we going to do there?

Tina: We can do aerobics or do weight lifting, and

I like to do aerobics. Are you good at it?

Billy: Not really, but I like to do yoga and play badminton, do you think we can play badminton there?

Tina: No, there's not enough room. I think it's better if we play outside.

Billy: OK, maybe we can go play badminton later this afternoon.

Tina: Oh, No, It's raining outside. Let's wait until the weather gets better.