20 5 / 2013
the girl in this image is kaitlyn hunt, a high school senior in indian river county, florida. kaitlyn hunt is an upstanding student with an exemplary record and plenty of extracurricular activities. she’s in the choir, she’s a cheerleader, she’s a basketball player, and she was even voted “most school spirit” in the school’s yearbook.
on february 16th, she was arrested for lewd and lascivious battery on a child age 12-16 for being in a same sex relationship with a fellow 15 year old student. the relationship started when kaitlyn was 17 and her girfriend was 15. as soon as kaitlyn turned 18, her girlfriend’s parents went to the police, had her arrested, and got her expelled from school. not only that, but she had previously already been kicked off the basketball team for being in a same sex relationship.
kaitlyn’s girlfriend INSISTS that the relationship is 100% consensual, but the law doesn’t grant her any legal say in the matter, so her parents are able to press charges regardless of her opinion. and because of that, kaitlyn is facing two years of house arrest and a year of probation. they never spoke to kaitlyn’s parents or the school to say they had a problem with the girls dating. they simply went to the police and got her arrested.
it would be very simple for anyone to argue that age is the defining factor in this situation, but you and i both know that’s total bullshit. the girls were minors when they started dating. the parents stated that “there is no way our daughter is gay.”
this was driven by the homophobia of those parents, plain and simple. if this was an 18 year old male and a 15 year old girl, nobody would give a shit. it happens ALL the time in high schools across the country. but this young woman, who planned on being a nurse, is now facing felony charges because she was in a same sex relationship.
this is not okay. we need to show our support for kaitlyn and send a message to florida legislators that the selective enforcement of laws like this is NOT okay and that we will NOT stand for this.
if you’d liike to support kaitlyn’s cause, you can sign this petition, and you can donate money to help pay for the family’s legal funds here.
if you’re from florida, you should also find and email your representatives and tell them selective legislation biased against homosexuals, especially teenagers, is simply NOT OKAY!!!!
(via guernicaluca)
23 2 / 2013
February 22, 2013 — Happy Birthday, Steve Irwin.You taught me things about animals ever since I was little, you were the best part of my childhood and I will never stop watching The Crocodile Hunter.
Rest in Peace.
(Source: dillypatchkid, via aw-wee-oo-killer-tofu)
19 2 / 2013
A dog named Lilica has a special devotion and sense of duty to her family. She provides for her extended family by venturing two miles away each night to pick up food specially prepared for her and the other animals in her family, so that they have food to eat. This smart and loyal dog has been sharing her food with her family every night for three years.
Lilica lives in a junkyard in São Carlos, Brazil. She lives on the site with another dog, a cat, chickens and a mule, along with Neile Vania Antonio, who found Lilica abandoned as a puppy and took her in.
Every night the dog makes her way to the home of Professor Lucia Helena de Souza. She travels miles along a busy highway road to meet with Lucia. Lucia, who takes care of 13 stray dogs and 30 cats, has developed a special routine with the dog. Lucia prepares food and puts it in a bag for Lilica and then meets her every night at 9:30 pm. Lilica eats some of the meal and then carries the bag back to the junkyard to feed the other animals.
Lucia said, “I realized that she ate and then stared at what was in the bag.” A neighbor pointed out Lucia that maybe Lilica wanted to take the rest of the food with her. “Then we tied it up and took the bag and gave it to Lilica. From that day on we do it,” said Lucia.
Lilica gently picks up the bag and travels back home to deliver the much appreciated dinner. Neile said that Lilica has been making her nightly meal delivery for three years. She said that Lilica is a special dog. “People don’t do that. Some people hide and do not want to share what they have with others. She did not, Lilica is an exceptional animal.”
(via allcreatures)
15 2 / 2013
Born in Africa to French wildlife photographer parents, Tippi Degré had a most unusual childhood. The young girl grew up in the African desert and developed an uncommon bond with many untamed animals including a 28-year old African elephant named Abu, a leopard nicknamed J&B, lion cubs, giraffes, an Ostrich, a mongoose, crocodiles, a baby zebra, a cheetah, giant bullfrogs, and even a snake. Africa was her home for many years and Tippi became friends with the ferocious animals and tribespeople of Namibia. As a young child, the French girl said, “I don’t have friends here. Because I never see children. So the animals are my friends.”
(via jenasawyer)
