It is a stark and moving reminder of why Can’t Stop The Serenity supports Equality Now.

It was years later that I first heard of Firefly, sitting in a religion class, before school started. A classmate quoted something, and the teacher laughed. The classmate, a boy named Kory, was knitting something, a hat. Red and gold, orange. My teacher called it a ” jane” hat, whatever that was. I was confused. They said, ” watch Firefly.”
but I didn’t.
The next year in my math class, a girl saw my ring, the one that said ” Serenity”.
” Like Firefly?” she asked. ” I’m Ceilidh!( Kay-lee)” I was confused. She told me to watch Firefly.
but I didn’t.

The next year, my friend Jenna told a story about a dream she’d had. It was about cowboys in space, and someone named Mal, but Jenna was sad because someone else- Nara? wasn’t there, so there was no cute UST. Whatever that was. I was confused. She told me to watch Firefly.
but I didn’t.

That summer, my cousin, my older, crazy-awesome fantasy loving cousin was talking. She quoted something. I knew the quote. Said it back to her. ” Firefly?” she asked. ” Uh, sort of. I haven’t..” but she cut me off. ” you haven’t seen it? No. I’m sorry. We can’t be related until you watch this.” she handed me the box set. ” well,” I thought ” I might as well. I guess I should. Mike likeds it. And Bishop M. and Ceilidh. and Jenna. And I Don’t want Katy to shun me. Looks fun. might as well. At least I’ll know what all the fuss is about”.

I got home.Put in the first disk. Forgot Breakfast. Next disk.Forgot Lunch. Next disk.
Sitting on the red couch, mouth open, I loved it. How had I waited so long? Why had I waited so long?
I had to keep watching.
So I did.

Ben wrote:
My brother came over for a visit one day and told me about this amazing television show called ‘Firefly’ that he had on DVD. He had said the same thing about many shows in the past, none of which had really captured me, but I decided to humor him and give this most recent show of his a chance. I was even more skeptical of this show after he told me that he wasn’t going to show me the pilot episode first, but instead he wanted to show me the one that was aired first. Nonetheless, I watched Captain Reynolds and his crew in ‘The Train Job’ and after the episode was over I could only say one thing to my brother: “More.”

Want to have dinner with Joss in London or LA? Bid on it. The LA dinner comes with a signed Buffy crew sweatshirt.
Maybe you’d like to go with three friends to the New York premiere of The Avengers. That auction is over April 20th as the premiere is April 28th.
Today a slate from the Avengers, signed by the cast, was added.
Or if you want to freak out guests to your home, you will want the Alien Egg prop from Alien Resurrection.
There are a lot of other great items there too. Breakfast with Tom Brokaw or meet designer Nicole Miller at her showroom in New York City!
There are tickets to see Coldplay at the Hollywood Bowl and a fabulous spa package for 2 in North Carolina.
All money raised goes to Equality Now and the important work they are doing.
Want to know more about what your money supports?
Watch our latest video from EN:
Adolescent Girls Legal Defence Fund

First, from Randy of North Carolina:
I was a church pastor trying to decide which movie our youth group should see. The other counselor said, “Take the kids to Serenity, it is like Star Trek.” That was good enough for me, so we went to see this unknown movie. The memory stuck with me and I really liked the movie. About 6 months or so later I was at Best Buy looking at DVD covers. There was Serenity! I bought it and watched it at home. Looking at the special features was the first time I heard of Firefly the series. I immediately found it and bought it. I have been deeply in love ever since. I am so glad to be with people keeping this alive. This story and the characters are really wonderful! It has related to my life in so many ways. When Mal feels it is a success because Firefly is still flying that speaks volumes to me.

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Tanya from Wisconsin:
I saw Serenity first, so my first memory of Firefly was seeing Wash and knowing in every episode that I saw, that he would eventually die. :’(

But I remember that the music was so beautiful and it was what really captured my interest. I liked sci-fi things like Star Wars but hadn’t really branched far beyond that. Firefly made me a true fan of sci-fi as well as show that are simply amazing.

The casting was also masterfully done. Jayne was perfect. I mean absolutely perfect. He was so one dimensional, but only because that was what Jayne was. But in Jaynestown, he really showed who Jayne was. Adam Baldwin was able to show the original Jayne (before joining the crew) and the person he had become.
“And the stories!”

Thanks to the generosity of the New Melbourne Browncoats, she has won a copy of Firefly:The Official Companion, Vol I.

My first memory of Firefly…

I love Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Battlestar Galactica,etc. etc…. but honestly, I started watching Firefly to impress a guy. He was a dreamy Nathan Fillion lookalike, and I knew he was into the series. I really wanted us to have something to talk about.

I didn’t expect to love Firefly, but I did.

I annihilated the entire series in about a week, some eps multiple times. Shiny, shiny goodness! One day, I went up to this guy, and nervously spouted,”Last night, I saw 3 Fireflies!!” …
He thought I meant actual lightning bugs. He had no idea what I was talking about.

Well, the story ends with us dating.
His name is Clayton. We cosplay together, him as Mal and me as Saffron or River. We’re moving in together in June, and MCing Chicago’s Can’t Stop the Serenity this September.

I’ll support CSTS from now on, not only because the series and the charity ROCK, but because it brought us together.

EN is putting together an intimate evening that will feature celebrity performers and a performance by talented singer songwriter Natalie Merchant.
The co-chairs of the event are Jane Fonda, Gloria Steinem, Meryl Streep and Joss Whedon.

Would you like to be among that illustrious company? Tickets are now on sale!
Details available at EqualityNow.org

To commemorate this momentous occasion, we’re having a contest. Tell us, in at least 100 words, what your first memory of Firefly is.

Send your entry to info@cantstoptheserenity.com and a randomly selected entry will win a copy of Firefly: The Official Companion Vol.1 .

Be sure to include your name (real or online), an email address where you can be reached and where you are from.
All entries may be published, the winning one will certainly be!

Deadline March 15th, 2012.

Equality. Sort of rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? Try saying it. Really try to get your tongue wrapped around those four syllables. Equality. Hmm, it’s a lovely word, like love, or celery. Filled with pleasant harmonics quite regardless of the meaning. Phonaesthetics probably dictate it to be absolutely hideous, but it’s got a quite lovely little tone to it. It’s a pity more people can’t say it and mean it, really; they’re missing out on a phrase to rival “cellar door” in euphony. Because when people say equality, quite often, they don’t mean it.
Equality is another armband to wear to a festival, along with your “Drink ‘til You Fall” shirt and tacky rasta hat. It’s a little like tossing your shrapnel in the charity bucket at the newsagents. That’s your slate clean for another week or two. Ho hum, back to the grind without as much of the gnawing guilt as you just had, look, aren’t I the next Gandhi, I saved a – wait, it might’ve been for some seals that are covered in oil somewhere. But I’m pretty certain it was for blind children! Maybe! I’m pretty certain they were at least young seals! And come on, have you ever had oil in your eyes?
But when people do equality – let me rephrase that in a less grammar-mangling way; when people implement equality – that is when the magic starts to happen.
When people sit up and say “Hey, wait! Why was that man not arrested for this crime? Because he was a man? I’m not standing for this! I’m going to work for a difference!” or “Hang on a moment, that teenager was stoned to death for daring to come out as gay? That’s not fair! I want to go and work with teenagers like that to show them they don’t have to take this!” then, then it becomes more than just a simple word. It becomes a beautiful thing, to roll around the entire universe’s tongue. Ah, it’s a lovely action, like love maybe not celery. That’s more of a vegetable. Really try to wrap your arms around the person next to you, regardless of creed, class, colour, or Cola vs. Pepsi preference. Well, maybe not. Some of us have more space issues than others. Just settle for a smile.
Just because we are all created differently does not mean we should all be treated the same, and Equality Now are helping address that issue. The notion that anybody, from the tiniest baby girl in England to the oldest man in Africa, should be treated different is a notion almost as ridiculous as sprouts being delicious, and EN strive to correct this every step of the way. Now, if only Equality Now could be enacted on some kind of larger sca-… Wait. I think that’s called the world.
And that’s why I support them. I’m one more step towards the entire world holding hands. Only a small step, mind you, but it’s a start. And sometimes, that’s all we need for it to never stop.

We hope that this will inspire you to take that step beyond words and help make equality a tangible thing.

And don’t forget that there’s still time to take part in Equality Now’s “What Does Equality Mean to You?” PSA campaign! You have until March 20 to grab a camera, your phone, or your laptop and tell Equality Now: what does gender equality mean to you? Selected videos are featured on equalitynow.org/me and social media sites. Please take part in Equality Now’s anniversary campaign: watch the PSA, share your own video, and spread the word to your friends. You can also join the conversation by posting your thoughts on Equality Now’s Facebook page or tweet with the hashtag #E2M.