Gay Austin Pages

Dot Gay May be on the Horizon

2011-02-08T11:09:00.000-08:00

Move over .com and make way for .gay!

...or .love, .eco, .car, .health, .radio, .ski, etc. In fact, there's a large list of all the possibilities various groups already want to see when the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) completes its tasks to implement the new Top level Domains over on the .NXT Conference site. The custom domain will also mean cities and states can have their own top level domain like .nyc or .florida. We may also see brand ones like .coke (.canon and .unicef are already listed).

What's the catch, you may ask? Having your own top level domain like this will be coming with a hefty price tag. $185,000 plus a $25,000 annual fee according to the Washington Post. Pretty big catch! Luckily, the dotGAYalliance and dotGAY will be pushing to have the .gay extension included so we may see eventually sites like hotel.gay, sports.gay, or health.gay popping up.

Unfortunately, as has happened in the past with the Bush Administration stopping the .xxx extension, the Obama administration is quietly pushing to allow countries, including the US, to veto top level domains. That then leads to the trouble that having a central domain such as .gay (or any number of potentially controversial extensions like .abortion, .aids, etc) would allow countries who aren't friendly towards a particular subject to block any domain with that extension if it was approved by the ICANN.

Texan Activists set to Take Action on Tuesday at Noon

2010-12-20T12:54:00.000-08:00

If you were living under a rock this weekend (as I was, also known as getting ready for the holidays), you may not have heard the news. Saturday brought with it the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell following the Senate vote to the relief of many. That is great news, especially the men and women serving in our armed forces who have had to hide who they are every day in order to serve their country.

Prior to that news this weekend, several activists in Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston were planning a rally outside Sentator Kay Bailey Hutchison's offices to let their voices be heard. After speaking with Michael Diviesti (@atxthumper) representing GetEqual (@getEQUAL) in Texas, the rally will be going ahead. "We will no longer sit by and allow votes like that of Sen. Hutchison on the repeal measure to go unnoticed. Although the repeal measure passed the Senate with a filibuster proof majority, Senator Hutchison attempted to silence those willing to defend the rights and freedoms of the United States with their lives by voting against the repeal. We will not be silenced. The freedom of speech is guaranteed to all Americans, not just those who the Senator prefers." Diviesti stated regarding the effort to let the Senator know that "Enough is Enough".

For more information about the rally, check out the original release on GetEqual's site.

Confused About "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"? You're Not Alone...

2010-11-17T15:34:00.000-08:00

As one of my followers on Twitter mentioned recently, the news about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has been less than clear. He is, of course, absolutely right as it seems things are constantly going back and forth about whether it will be repealed or not (and even if it will be included in the Defense Authorization Act this year). I've been reading the stories as they appear on various news sites and have seen everything from the White House not approving any defense bill without the repeal of DADT to the lame duck congress won't be able to pass the defense bill with or without it due to the small time span.

While I won't be able to make anything clearer about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" myself as I'm not a member of congress, at least I can do some of the legwork by giving you a list of the most informative articles I've read lately to do with DADT.

While Wikipedia has its flaws in the communal editing and potential of false information being edited in by those who aren't up on their facts or are trolling, generally, it is always a good place to look for quickly updated information and source linkes. Don't Ask, Don't Tell article on Wikipedia

Advocate.com is also another source and is where most of the articles I've been reading has stemmed from. The latest one posted as of November 16, 2010 is A Midwestern DADT Repeal Effort.

Others Articles Posted Recently

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/11/yes_dadt_repeal_could_still_pa.html

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/11/mccain_is_still_on_the_wrong_s.html

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/11/the_morning_plum_131.html

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/11/on_dadt_its_imperial_presidenc.html

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2010/11/gates-launches-investigation-of-dont-ask-dont-tell-review-leak.html

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=131223266

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sc-dc-1114-court-gays-military-20101112,0,6155475.story

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/cindy-mccain-opposes-john-mccain-dont/story?id=12131423

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20022790-503544.html

http://www.washingtonblade.com/2010/11/17/obama-restates-commitment-on-keeping-dont-ask-in-defense-bill/

Overall, we're going to have to wait and see what comes out of the lame-duck congressional session. Taking a look through some of those links will help to piece together a semblance of where things are currently standing. If it's anything like a couple recent days though, tomorrow it may very well be a different story.

Lady Gaga's Meat Dress is Real!

2010-09-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

Lady Gaga's third and final costume change of the the night was easily the most outrageous outfit of the night.

Lady Gaga changed into a real meat dress. The designer behind the dress is Franc Fernandez. "The dress is indeed real meat from my family butcher. Glad it went so well." Franc Fernandez showed off how he created the look on his blog this morning, and it's a work of art. Lady Gaga's stylist, Nicola Formichetti, was the one who styled the look.)

So why meat? It's symbolic ...

"Well, it is certainly no disrespect to anyone that is vegan or vegetarian. As you know, I am the most judgment-free human being on the earth. However, it has many interpretations, but for me this evening ... If we don't stand up for what we believe in and if we don't fight for our rights, pretty soon we're going to have as much rights as the meat on our own bones. And I am not a piece of meat."

Gay Teens Smoke More Than Straight Teens

2010-08-30T11:35:00.000-07:00

Last week a new report revealed that gay teens are more likely to smoke than their straight teens.

The report, “Coming Out about Smoking: Tobacco Use in the LGBTQ Young Adult Community,” explored the reasons why sexual minority youth smoke and suggests strategies for prevention.

Teens smoke because they face many stresses — including discrimination and lack of family acceptance. In addition, many gay teens see smoking as an important social activity.
Most gay teens prefer to date nonsmokers — and even those gay teens who do smoke say they are not heavy smokers.

In order to reduce smoking rates, the report recommends intervention programs designed by youth and for youth, plus early outreach to youth smokers with emphasis on the health risks of smoking.

A Man Dies at His Own Wedding

2010-08-16T18:58:00.000-07:00

Nestor Berchot and Adrian Garcia waited for their wedding day with great enthusiasm and happiness. No one imagined it would end tragically.

Berchot collapsed during the party that the couple had been sharing with friends and family. Consequently, the groom had to be rushed to the Hospital.

Doctors did everything they could to save his life, but Berchot could not resist and died was pronounced dead at 7 am.

HIV Mis-information on The View

2010-07-19T20:46:00.000-07:00

"On June 22, during a discussion about blood donation and the transmission of HIV/AIDS, a guest moderator on the show expressed his interpretation of data about one way the virus can be transmitted. The topic of HIV/AIDS has been raised many times over the show’s 13 years, with many voices and opinions contributing to a conversation that we expect to continue as long as The View is on the air."- ABC's statement about the mis-information given on The View.

New Voices: Commitment to country has no sexual orientation

2010-05-24T16:04:00.000-07:00

Each of us is so many things. I am African-American and Filipino. I grew up in Miami, and I am a heterosexual. Although my color and sexual orientation don't say anything about my character, one thing does: I served honorably in the United States Army.

In the Army, merit matters. Rich or poor, black or white, you are on a tough but fair playing field. Unfortunately, because of "don't ask, don't tell" rules, gay and lesbian soldiers are kicked off that field if anyone finds out their sexual orientation. That goes against the values of our armed forces and the ideals that every soldier commits to protect.

As a veteran who served alongside good, committed gay soldiers, I believe that "don't ask, don't tell" should be repealed as soon as possible.

When I joined the Army, I qualified to train at the Defense Language Institute to learn Korean and serve our country's intelligence needs. It was shortly after 9-11, and I was fresh out of high school. Like many of the soldiers who enlist at a young age, I found it stressful to leave home, learn a new job and function in an environment that was different from anything I had ever experienced — all in wartime.

When the stress starts to get to you, it's your friends who help get you through. Social isolation would make the stress that much worse, and thanks to "don't ask, don't tell," that's what happens to many lesbian and gay soldiers. Because they can be found out and blackmailed, they have to be guarded with the same people who ought to be a source of support.

Putting gay service members through this is not only unfair; it's unnecessary. For most soldiers, serving alongside a lesbian or gay person is not an issue.

While at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif., I met a fellow soldier named Jarrod Chlapowski. We became close friends, but it was a while before I heard from someone else that he was gay. So I asked him, and he said he was. It was simply no big deal to me. Jarrod was and still is my friend; being gay doesn't change that, and it didn't make him less qualified to defend our country.

I'm not the only one who feels this way. Being gay is not a problem in our military, where most of us are members of a new, more accepting generation.

Discharging people because they are gay is a problem. Looking back, it's hard to believe that the Army would let go of the talented people I knew who were discharged under "don't ask, don't tell." It takes above-average skills to serve as a linguist and serve in intelligence, and people with these abilities are desperately needed. Losing these highly-skilled people hurts our military's effectiveness.

After five years in the Army, I left to continue my education and received a college degree. But Army friendships last, and so does the duty to do what's right for this country. That is why when Jarrod told me that he was working to end "don't ask, don't tell," I decided to join him. I know firsthand that a gay soldier can be as effective, talented and committed to his country as anyone else. That is the message that more Americans need to hear.

After 9-11, many young Americans heard a call to protect this country. As in any generation of soldiers going off to war, many were gay. No matter who we were, we were all there because we believed in this country and what it stands for. I know that America is about fairness, equal opportunity and strength through diversity. "Don't ask, don't tell" doesn't live up to the America we want to protect. It's time to end it.

Top Italian court rebuffs bids to register gay marriages, says only lawmakers can decide issue

2010-04-19T15:47:00.001-07:00

ROME (AP) — Italy's constitutional court has rejected bids to have gay marriages recognized in two Italian cities.

Couples in the northern cities of Venice and Trento had sought to have their city halls ordered to post formal marriage announcements for homosexual unions, as they do for heterosexual marriages.

The court didn't officially explain its ruling Wednesday, but Italian news reports said the judges maintained that it is up to lawmakers, not judges, to recognize gay marriage.

Lawmakers have proposed various kinds of legislation for some kind of gay union in recent years. But the measures have gone nowhere in the face of stiff opposition from the Vatican, which wields powerful influence in Italian politics. Church teaching holds that homosexual activity is sinful.

Orlando Sentinel

Philippine Supreme Court allows gay party in polls

2010-04-12T13:16:00.000-07:00

MANILA, Philippines —

The Philippine Supreme Court overturned a decision Thursday barring a gay rights group from contesting national elections in May and recognized it as a legitimate political party for the first time.

In a unanimous ruling, the 15-member court threw out decisions by the Elections Commission denying accreditation to Ang Ladlad (Out of the Closet) on grounds that it tolerates immorality and offends both Christians and Muslims.

The justices said the party had complied with all legal requirements, and that there is no law against homosexuality.

"I felt vindicated," said the group's leader, Danton Remoto, an English professor at the Jesuit-run Ateneo de Manila University. He said that Ang Ladlad had struggled for recognition and accreditation for the past seven years.

The Elections Commission caused outrage among gays and liberals in November by saying the group cannot run as a political party because it "tolerates immorality which offends religious beliefs." Three of the commissioners cited passages from the Bible and the Quran to justify their ruling, claiming that Ang Ladlad exposes young people to "an environment that does not conform to the teachings of our faith."

Homosexuals are generally accepted in the Philippines and many prominent Filipinos are openly gay, despite the dominant Roman Catholic religion's rejection of same-sex relations.

The group has received support from Leila de Lima, head of the independent Commission on Human Rights, who denounced the November ruling as "retrogressive" and smacking of "discrimination and prejudice."

The group filed a case in January in the Supreme Court, which said that government is neutral and no legal impediment should be imposed on groups on religious grounds.

"The denial of Ang Ladlad's registration on purely moral grounds amounts more to a statement of dislike and disapproval of homosexuals, rather than a tool to further any substantial public interest," the court said.

Ang Ladlad is one of more than 100 parties seeking to win 50 of the 286 seats in House of Representatives allocated for marginalized sectors.

Seattle Times

Attorney: Lesbian who sued over same-sex prom date ban can bring girlfriend to private dance

2010-04-05T18:05:00.001-07:00

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — An attorney says a lesbian student who sued a Mississippi school over its policy banning same-sex prom dates can bring her girlfriend to a privately sponsored dance.

Itawamba County school board attorney Michele Floyd said Tuesday that 18-year-old Constance McMillen can escort her girlfriend to the dance Friday at the Fulton Country Club.

The private prom replaces one the school district canceled rather than let McMillen wear a tuxedo and bring her girlfriend, who is also a student at Itawamba Agricultural High School.

A federal judge ruled last week that the district's actions violated McMillen's constitutional rights, but he didn't reinstate the school prom.

He said he would hold a trial on the matter later.
Orlando Sentinel

Bigotry against gays is no utopian Virginia

2010-03-14T19:43:00.000-07:00

If you think Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's directive to public colleges and universities to remove protections for gay and lesbian employees is an aberration — it's not.

If you expect Gov. Bob McDonnell to rein him in — he won't.

Why? Because it fits in fine with McDonnell's utopian vision of a Virginia where women don't work, gays don't exist, there's no sex outside marriage, birth control is a contradiction in terms, every pregnancy is planned and perfect, and Mommy and Daddy stay together forever and ever.

Daily Press

Latin America's 1st gay marriage law takes effect

2010-03-08T18:04:00.000-08:00

MEXICO CITY —

Throngs of Mexico City gay and lesbian couples registered for marriage licenses Thursday, the day Latin America's first gay-marriage law took effect.

The first gay weddings will take place within a week to 10 days, after the paperwork is processed.

Mexico City's legislature approved the first law explicitly giving gay marriages the same status as heterosexual ones in December. The change will allow same-sex couples to adopt children, apply for bank loans together, inherit wealth and be included in the insurance policies of their spouse, rights they were denied under civil unions allowed in the city.

"This is great, it is a feeling of relief, of celebration, everything," said Daniel Ramos, 20, a medical student planning to marry his boyfriend, Temistocles Villanueva, on March 12.

"For Latin America, this is not only a precedent, but an example to follow," he added.

For now the law applies only to residents of Mexico City, though a marriage performed in one Mexican state must be recognized in the rest of the country.

While activists are trying to get the law extended to the rest of Mexico's 31 states, conservatives say they will seek to pass a constitutional reform so that other states won't have to recognize marriages that do not conform to their laws.

For the time being, it appears easy to circumvent the residency requirement, because the city accepts a phone or utility bill as proof of address - often even if the bill is in someone else's name.

Activist Jaime Cobian showed up Thursday with a sheaf of required documents - birth certificates, official IDs and residency documents - in a bid to get marriage licenses for 16 gay and lesbian couples in states where no such law exists.

"What we still have to do is take this battle to all the states in the country," Cobian said.

An Argentine couple participated in Latin America's first gay wedding in December. But interpretations vary on whether Argentine law allows same-sex unions, and the question is now before that country's supreme court.

Argentina's constitution is silent on whether marriage must be between a man and a woman, effectively leaving the matter to provincial officials, who approved the wedding. A law specifically legalizing gay marriage has stalled in Argentina's Congress since October.

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The Mexico City law is being challenged by the federal government in Mexico's Supreme Court on constitutional grounds, but remains in effect while the appeal is heard. The Roman Catholic Church has hotly criticized the new law, which allows same-sex couples to adopt children - something several couples said they were thinking of doing.

David Razu, the Mexico City legislator who proposed the law, said he is confident the Supreme Court will uphold the law.

"There is always a wave of reaction to these kinds of measures, but we are prepared to face it," said Razu, a member of the leftist Democratic Revolution Party.

Gay couples entered the sprawling city government building and submitted their documents to the clerks amid hundreds of heterosexual couples doing the same thing.

Patria Jimenez, 54, waved a multicolor gay pride flag outside the building, shouting: "Freedom! At last, we have freedom!"

But she said she must overcome other, more personal obstacles before she can register for her own marriage license: "I still have not convinced my companion. I don't know if she will say 'yes.'"

Seattle Times

Continue gay discharges during "don't ask" study, generals ask

2010-03-01T17:57:00.000-08:00

Top Navy and Marine Corps officers said Wednesday that they oppose a moratorium on discharges of openly gay military personnel.

"I would encourage you to either change the law or not," said Gen. James T. Conway, the Marine Corps Commandant. "But half measures will only be confusing in the end."

Some Democrats in Congress are pushing for a moratorium on discharges of gays and lesbians while the military studies the effects of a wholesale change in the law.

Both Conway and Adm. Gary Roughead, the Chief of Naval Operations, said they support the effort to study the effects of lifting the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the armed forces.

"There has never really been an assessment of the force that serves," Roughead said. "Equally important is the feelings of the families that support that force."

As part of the 1993 law creating the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, the Pentagon is required to remove service members who admit they are gay or are determined to be gay following accusations. More than 14,000 service members have been booted out for those reasons.

Earlier this month, Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he supported ending the ban. But none of the service chiefs testifying this week has taken a similar stand.

On Wednesday, neither Conway nor Roughead offered their personal opinion on whether gays and lesbians should serve in the military. However, Conway, echoing arguments by some Republicans opposed to changing the policy, said that reviews of the ban should focus primarily on military readiness.

"My concern would be if somehow if that central purpose of focus would be secondary to the discussion," Conway said.

On Tuesday, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the Army Chief of Staff, said he was concerned about the impact changing the law would have on troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I do have serious concerns about the impact of repeal of the law on a force that is fully engaged in two wars and has been at war for 8 1/2 years," Casey said Tuesday. "We just don't know the impacts on readiness and military effectiveness."

Opponents of the ban say that allowing gays to serve openly will not affect readiness, and that permitting them in the military is a matter of basic fairness.

Despite differences in views between top military officials who favor repeal and commanders who prefer a go-slow approach, advocacy groups opposed to "don't ask, don't tell" applauded the service chiefs' this week for supporting the Pentagon review process.

"The testimony given by the service chiefs this week only furthers the belief that whatever orders are handed to them by their superiors, our men and women in uniform will have no trouble carrying out those orders with honor and professionalism," said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign.

Orlando Sentinel

Ireen Wüst Is The Best: Gold Medal for Dutch Lesbian Speedskater

2010-02-22T19:54:00.000-08:00

She did it again. Four years ago, lesbian Dutch speedskater Ireen Wüst won gold for the ~~1,500~~ (oops) 3,000-meter race in Turin. Today, she repeated history.

"Pulling all the pieces together, I'm so proud and happy," she says of winning gold for the 1,500 meter race this time around (she won bronze in the event in 2006). "I can't describe how happy I am. I don't have words for it. I think I'm the happiest person on Earth right now."

Those are the words of the athlete who was worried talk about her sexuality was overtaking the reason she is in Vancouver: to win. And even we could feel the tears brewing on the medal podium as she received the gold medal around her neck.

Queerty

Lady Gaga and Elton John Perform Together at the Grammy's

2010-02-01T05:07:00.001-08:00

Adam Lambert Performs on the Oprah Show

2010-01-24T18:20:00.001-08:00

Supreme Court to decide whether Wash. can release names of anti-gay rights petition signers

2010-01-18T20:25:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Friday got involved for the second time this week in a case in which opponents of gay rights fear they will be harassed if their views are made public.

The high court will consider whether Washington state officials can release more than 138,500 names on a petition seeking a vote on overturning the state's domestic partnership rights.

Protect Marriage Washington, which unsuccessfully opposed the law giving gay couples expanded rights, wants to shield from disclosure the signers of the petition for a referendum on that law. The group says it fears harassment by gay rights supporters, some of whom have vowed to post signers' names on the Internet.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has said before the Nov. 3 vote that the names could be made public, but the Supreme Court blocked their release until it decided whether to hear the case.

Arguments will be heard later this year.

Justices earlier this week intervened in another case where gay rights opponents complained about potential harassment.

The court's conservative majority decided to block the televising of a trial on California's ban of same-sex marriage. The trial in federal court in San Francisco concerns Proposition 8, the voter-approved ban on gay marriage in the state. Lawyers representing opponents of gay marriage argued that broadcasts would expose their trial witnesses to retaliation from gay marriage supporters.

In Washington state, Referendum 71 asked voters to approve or reject the so-called "everything but marriage" law, which grants registered domestic partners the same legal rights as married couples.

Voters ratified the law, but the conservative Christian groups that sponsored it want to keep the signed petitions that asked for the referendum out of public view because they fear harassment from gay-rights supporters, some of whom have vowed to post the names of petition signers on the Internet.

"We are pleased that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear this case that seeks to protect the rights of citizens who support a traditional definition of marriage to speak freely and without fear," said James Bopp, Jr., lawyer for Protect Marriage Washington. "No citizen should ever worry that they will be threatened or injured because they have exercised their right to engage in the political process."

U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle in Tacoma blocked the release of the petitions, saying that releasing the names could chill the First Amendment rights of petition signers. The San Francisco-based appeals court reversed that ruling, but the Supreme Court blocked the name's release.

Washington state officials say the petitions are covered by their public record laws. "We welcome an opportunity to go to the highest court in the land to defend Washington citizens' strong desire for transparency, openness and accountability in government, and the public's belief that our state and local public documents must be available for public inspection," Secretary of State Sam Reed said.

But not all state officials feel that way. A GOP state representative, Mike Armstrong of Wenatchee, is sponsoring a bill that would exempt the petitions from public records.

At a public hearing on the bill Friday, fellow Republican, Rep. Gary Alexander of Olympia, expressed concern about releasing the names.

"I believe in open government and I believe in public records, but what I've seen unfortunately, is people who use that for purposes of vengeance, purposes of harassment," he said at the hearing before the House State Government & Tribal Affairs Committee.

Meanwhile, Rep. Reuven Carlyle, a Democrat from Seattle, wants a law that would essentially reaffirm that names and addresses on petitions are public record, and has introduced a bill that would add a statement on petitions letting signers know that they are public records.

Carlyle said that there was a "compelling public interest in full and open disclosure."

"We have a fundamental right to that information," he told the committee. "This is in no way about R-71 or about the left or the right. This is about the core essence of democracy."

___

The case is Doe v. Reed, 09-559. The bills being considered in Washington state are House Bill 2612 and House Bill 2418.

___

Associated Press Writer Rachel La Corte contributed to this story from Olympia, Wash.

Orlando Sentinel

Hawaii's Gays Can't Get Married, But Are They About to Get Civil Unions?

2010-01-18T19:58:00.000-08:00

Hawaii, the state that set off the whole Defense of Marriage Act movement in the mid-1990s, this week is expected to see state legislators approve a bill granting civil union rights to gay couples. Remember, that's civil unions, not marriage, which Hawaii's voters banned in 1998 via constitutional amendment, although they'd be just like marriages, just without the name. And, like clockwork, the Catholic Church got involved: "Honolulu Catholic Bishop Larry Silva in a letter last week urged some 220,000 parishioners to lobby lawmakers. He called civil unions 'simply a euphemism' for gay marriage and claimed it is justifiable to discriminate against gay couples who want to marry."

Queerty

Click here to find out more! Your request is being processed... 'One Life To Live' Gay Sex Scene Is First Ever On Daytime TV

2010-01-03T18:02:00.000-08:00

Kathy Griffin Keeps Anderson Cooper Honest, Barely Closeted on New Year's Eve

2010-01-03T17:13:00.000-08:00

Chelsea Handler at the LA Gay and Lesbian Center Awards Gala

2009-12-28T19:58:00.001-08:00

Drag Queen Appears on White House Christmas Tree

2009-12-27T20:43:00.000-08:00

New Mexico's Frightening Court Ruling That Demands Christian Photographers Must Shoot Gay Weddings

2009-12-21T05:39:00.000-08:00

In 2006, New Mexico's Vanessa Willock asked the owners of Elane Photography if they were interested in being paid to photograph her commitment ceremony to Misty Pascottini. But Elane's owners declined, pointing to their Christian beliefs that didn't approve of homosexuality, let alone homosexual relationships. That led the state's Civil Rights Commission, at Wilcock's behest, ordering the photo company to pay $6,637.94 in damages and attorneys fees for violating the couple's rights under state law. And a judge just upheld that ruling. Stupidly.

Because Elane Photography, owned by wife-and-husband team Elaine and Jon Huguenin, is a "public accommodation," it's not entitled to discriminate against anyone in business, ruled District Judge Alan M. Malott, affirming the $6,600 ruling.

The Alliance Defense Fund, which is representing the Huguenins, has promised to appeal. And i actually agree with ADF senior counsel Jordan Lorence's argument: "Christians in the marketplace should not be subject to predatory legal attacks for simply abiding by their beliefs. The Constitution prohibits the state from forcing unwilling artists to promote a message they disagree with and thereby violate their conscience. Should the government force a videographer who is an animal rights activist to create a video promoting hunting and taxidermy? American small business owners do not surrender their constitutional rights at the marketplace gate, nor can the government make people choose between their faith and their livelihood."

A photography company is not a public accommodation; it is a private business, which should have the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason. Even if that means it's engaged in discrimination. There's a distinction between private companies and government-run entities, which must adhere to non-discrimination codes. But I wouldn't want to see a court rule against a gay photographer who, on moral grounds, refused to take the business of a religious fundamentalist and homophobic couple. Because religion is a protected class, just like sexual orientation. Under the New Mexico Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a "government agency shall not restrict a person's free exercise of religion [i.e., an act or a refusal to act that is substantially motivated by religious belief] unless … the application of the restriction to the person is essential to further a compelling governmental interest and is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest." Which is exactly what New Mexico's Civil Rights Commission, and now courts, are doing; there is no compelling government interest.

Let the wedding photographers discriminate. It's their choice who to engage in business with. And besides, what gay couple wants to patronize — and, literally, fund — a business that looks down on us?

[UPDATE: Ed: Rightfully so, a number of readers completely disagree with Mr. Smith's argument. Queerty counts itself among them. We don't maintain too many "policies," but generally we're in favor of prohibiting discrimination across the board, whether it's based on religion or sexuality. We understand Mr. Smith's rationale. We do not agree with it.]

Queerty

How Anderson Cooper, Kathy Griffin + Lance Bass Will Give CNN The Gayest New Year's

2009-12-21T05:20:00.000-08:00

15-Year-Old Boy Shot During the Tel Aviv Youth Center Attack Sues For $4 Million. Kosher?

2009-12-13T14:47:00.000-08:00

Remember August's horrific gay youth center shooting that left two dead and about a dozen injured? Fifteen-year-old Yonatan Buks certainly does, because he's among those the bullets hit. And now he's suing for $4 million. But who is he suing? The youth center.

In a lawsuit just filed in Tel Aviv, Buks's family is looking for a massive payout for his nonlethal injuries from the Tel Aviv Gay and Lesbian Association, which runs the youth center the gunman — still at large — attacked. And while the gay community there can understand his rage, the center's members and staff don't understand why they're going after them.

"Yonatan is very dear to us, and we understand the suit is part of the family's way of coping," says the center's manager Shaul Gannon. "This boy was abandoned by the state and needs help. I can only wish him health and love from the bottom of my heart." And Ynet quotes an unidentified member of the organization: "We understand Yonatan and his pain. It is not easy to listen to the claim, but I don't suppose he is motivated by greed. I believe he really fears the future and feels he needs money."

It's hard to charge a 15-year-old victim with "greed" when his injuries remain severe and his ability to speak challenged. But the motivation of his attorney is clear: find someone to blame. "I am sure (the gay center) was full of good intentions, but when you take upon yourself such a huge responsibility, replace the parents, and take a child through an activity that holds danger it is your duty to get the parents' approval," says Buks's family lawyer Eitan Peleg. "The center functioned with an 'open door' policy, every Saturday at the same place and the same time, and without security cameras, an alarm, call buttons, or escape routes. We have all been exposed to the homophobia that runs rampant. You can start by closing the door."

Indeed, any building could be made more secure by outfitting the place with cameras and a locked door. But part of the center's appeal was that anyone could come in, no questions asked. Did that make for more lax security? Sure. But some schools, run by the state, are not even equipped with such security measures. It's hard to fault an organization committed to keeping Israel's queer youth safe with, well, not doing so. But it's also hard to imagine anyone there could have foreseen a maniacal gunman storming the place and opening fire.

All around, it's an unfortunate incident, and we're not sure whose side to take in the case. Or whether that's even a realistic possibility.

Queerty

Controversy surrounds Adam Lambert's canceled appearances

2009-12-07T06:16:00.000-08:00

The decision by ABC to cancel Adam Lambert's upcoming appearance on the late night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and to remove him from the potential roster of New Year's Rockin' Eve performers continued to create controversy Thursday, as a conservative Christian group defended its decision to protest Lambert's sexually suggestive performance last month at the American Music Awards.

The Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit public interest law firm closely tied to the late Rev. Jerry Falwell's Liberty University in Virginia and provides legal assistance in defense of what it calls "Christian religious liberty, the sanctity of human life and the traditional family," filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission over Lambert's controversial performance at the AMAs. In it, the group called on the FCC to fine ABC for "airing such an outrageously lewd and filthy performance during a show and time period that is targeted for family audiences."

Kimmel's show airs well after the 10 p.m. cutoff for FCC regulation of indecent material. But Matt Barber, Liberty Counsel's director of cultural affairs, noted that Lambert's AMA performance aired at 9:55 p.m. Central Standard Time and may have been seen by children and teenagers.

"I would say this is inappropriate period," Barber said of Lambert's performance. "This is not HBO or some of these cable networks where that type of indecency and filth has come to be expected. This is television where people just flipping through channels could have stumbled onto that -- people unaware of what's coming down the pike in terms of the indecency being performed."

Executives at ABC, which had earlier canceled Lambert's scheduled appearance on "Good Morning America," have declined to discuss the reasons behind the cancellations. Lambert, the popular and openly gay "American Idol" runner-up, has said on his Twitter site that the network is responding to "FCC heat."

Lambert also tweeted Wednesday that he was disinvited from performing on ABC's "New Year's Rockin' Eve." Although the roster hasn't been officially closed or announced, ABC and Dick Clark Productions, which produces the show as well as the AMAs, had discussions with the artist about performing on it. Lambert will definitely not appear on the show, sources said. He will still appear on ABC's Barbara Walters' "The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009" at 10 p.m. Wednesday, presumably because there is no performance involved.

On Nov. 24, Liberty Counsel filed a complaint with the FCC against ABC contending that Lambert's American Music Awards performance two days earlier was "obscene" and "indecent." Although ABC did receive about 1,500 complaints from viewers about Lambert's sexually suggestive performance, which featured the singer kissing another man, Lambert fans have in turn complained about ABC's decision to cancel "GMA" and now Kimmel.

Many of Lambert's supporters, including the Advocate, celebrity blogger Perez Hilton and AfterElton.com, believe he is being targeted because he is a gay male. They note that Janet Jackson, who opened the AMAs, grabbed the crotch of a male dancer but that was not subjected to the same kind of scrutiny.

In an interview Thursday with the Times, Barber said he was not aware of Jackson's performance but the "over-the-top homoeroticism that was featured in [Lambert's] performance was simply indecent and inappropriate for the airwaves."

"The issue is not so much about homosexuality, although I believe the preponderance of Americans find public hyper-sexualized acts of homosexuality particularly off-putting," Barber said. "But the issue was more of indecency and what is decency? And frankly the issue is one of law. We believe this performance met the threshold for violation of federal law and violation of FCC regulations. And the Supreme Court has held time and again that there's not a First Amendment right to engage in public indecency as evidenced by the outcry and complaints that poured into ABC."

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation issued a statement on Thursday saying that, after discussions with ABC executives, the organization was convinced there were no homophobic motives behind the cancellation of Lambert's appearances.

"It would appear that the kiss between Adam Lambert and his keyboardist did not factor into ABC's decision," said Jarrett Barrios, president of GLAAD. "ABC has a history of positive gay and transgender inclusion that includes featuring kisses between gay and lesbian couples on-air."

The decision to cancel the "Kimmel" appearance was the network's -- and not the show's, sources said. ABC executives have issued only a short statement regarding that: "We decided not to move forward with the booking at this time."

Lambert's publicist on Thursday declined a request for an interview with the artist but said, "We respect what [ABC] says."

During an interview on "The Early Show" on CBS, Lambert admitted the adrenaline got the best of him on stage and the acts in question were not featured in his rehearsals, which angered ABC executives.
Orlando Sentinel

Did Chelsea Handler Make Chris Colfer Come Out for the Last Time?

2009-12-07T05:54:00.000-08:00

This Homo Wants Barack Obama's Old U.S. Senate Seat

2009-11-30T05:47:00.000-08:00

Though currently occupied by the mostly lame duck Roland Burris, the U.S. Senate seat in Illinois left vacant by Barack Obama has a new wannabe tenant: Jacob Meister. He's a 'mo.

With Burris opting not to run for a full term, that leaves Democrats hoping to keep the Senate seat in their control. Which leaves Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, former city of Chicago inspector general David Hoffman, and Chicago Urban League leader Cheryle Jackson all facing off against Meister, a commercial litigation attorney.

Having made his campaign public in September, Meister is already running television ads — focusing on jobs, jobs, jobs. And he's going to need all the media exposure he can nab; polling puts him in the back of Democratic challengers. And while he isn't making his sexuality a huge part of his campaign (if elected, Meister would become the first openly gay U.S. senator), Meister says, "I think it’s actually a strength of my candidacy,” Meister said of his sexual orientation to the Edge. "I think it resonates with Illinois voters as they recognize that this is the civil rights issue of today. Illinois is a progressive state."

Yeah, so good luck with that whole gay marriage thing.

Queerty

Adam Lambert Talking About His AMA Performance

2009-11-26T06:21:00.000-08:00

For Her Big Return, Janet Jackson Returns to Her Entire Past

2009-11-21T20:05:00.001-08:00

Gay teen burned and decapitated in Puerto Rico

2009-11-16T20:18:00.000-08:00

Towleroad reported today that a gay Puerto Rican teen was found brutally murdered on the island.

Nineteen-year-old, Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado’s body was found burned, decapitated and dismembered on Nov. 14 in Cayey, a city only a few miles away from his hometown in Caguas.

According to an iReport by Christopher Pagan, “He was a very well known person in the gay community of Puerto Rico, and very loved.”

Pagan said, “Never in the history of Puerto Rico has a murder been classified as a hate crime. Even though we have to follow federal mandates and laws, many of the laws in which are passed in the USA such as Obama’s new bill, do not always directly get practiced in Puerto Rico.”

Pagan also noted the public remarks from a police investigator for the case that ‘people who lead this type of lifestyle need to be aware that this will happen’.

Towleroad translated gay activist Pedro Julio Serrano’s response:

“It is inconceivable that the investigating officer suggests that the victim deserved his fate, like a woman deserves rape for wearing a short skirt. We demand condemnation of this investigator and demand that Superintendent Figueroa Sancha replace him with someone capable of investigating this case without prejudice.”

According to Pagan, the story has only made local headlines and deserves international coverage.

365 Gay

Alabama High School Will Let Cynthia Stewart Go Gay at Prom!

2009-11-11T18:27:00.000-08:00

Cynthia Stewart, the lesbian Alabama high school junior who was barred from bringing her girlfriend to the prom, will be able to slow dance with her gal after all. Even before the ACLU got involved, supposedly the school district was "already in the process of re-evaluating the issue and concluded Stewart's girlfriend can attend the prom in March as long as she is cleared through a screening process that all out-of-district dates must undergo when attending similar school functions." We want photos!

Queerty

Robert Bellamy Jr. Bashed 2 Guys Because 'God Made Me'

2009-11-08T21:10:00.000-08:00

Military's Own Research Concludes Gay Soldiers Are OK

2009-10-25T14:53:00.000-07:00

While the Pentagon loses millions by dismissing well-trained gay soldiers because of their sexuality, they've also been spending money — since 1957 — researching whether gay soldiers have any effect on military preparedness. And the resounding answer? From the military's own research? NO.

That's what Col. Om Prakash's much-buzzed-about article in this month's Joint Force Quarterly reveals, notes Shauna Miller in The Atlantic. Looking at more than five decades of the American military's own delving into the issue:

The DoD has funded studies on the impact of gay servicemembers as far back as 1957, when the Navy's Crittenden Report found "no factual data" to support the idea that they posed a greater security risk than heterosexual personnel. Straight officers boasting secrets due to "feelings of inadequacy" were a realer threat, it found. Despite these findings, the report recommended no changes to dismissal policies, for a reason that would define the department's stance on open service into the 21st century: "The service should not move ahead of civilian society nor attempt to set substantially different standards in attitude or action with respect to homosexual offenders."

In 1988, the Defense Personnel Security Research Center — a DoD agency — conducted its own study on gay soldiers to determine whether their service under current policies created security risks, for instance in terms of blackmail. It also discussed, based on the military and wider social data available, whether the military's policies were sustainable. The study returned again and again to the facts of conduct: "Studies of homosexual veterans make clear that having a same gender or an opposite-gender orientation is unrelated to job performance in the same way as is being left or right-handed."

[...] The [Government Accountability Office] report itself turned a harsh light on the DoD. It found that existing policy was "based solely upon concerns about homosexuality itself," and criticized the department for not conducting hard research to support its practices. "In addition," the report said, "professional psychiatric, psychological, sociological associations and other experts familiar with the research conducted on homosexuality in general disagree with the basic rationale behind DoD's policy."

The latest data Prakash cites comes from a 1993 RAND Corp. study commissioned under President Clinton to determine a "practical" strategy on gays in the military. It pulled together the broadest range of data, including opinion of active-duty officers and attitudes of foreign militaries with openly gay servicemembers. Its straightforward conclusion supported the previous 40 years of findings: Policy should set equal expectations of conduct for all servicemembers, and "emphasis should be placed on behavior … not on teaching tolerance or sensitivity."

And it's not like there wasn't (racial) history to go on:

The [Defense Personnel Security Research Center] study also owned the lessons of racial integration: "The intensity of prejudice against homosexuals may be of the same order as the prejudice against blacks in 1948, when the military was ordered to integrate," it found. "The order to integrate blacks was first met with stout resistance by traditionalists in the military establishment. Dire consequences were predicted for maintaining discipline, building group morale, and achieving military organizational goals. None of these predictions of doom has come true."

The Pentagon rejected a draft of the report and its follow-up, claiming it exceeded its mandate. Excerpts from the unpublished studies were released in a 1992 General Accounting Office (now the Government Accountability Office) 10-year report on the Pentagon's policies toward gay servicemembers as Congress debated the guidelines that would become DADT.

We'd just love to hear how much more "research" and "studying" and "planning" the Defense Department still needs now that everything has been laid out, explicitly clear, for all to see. Because rest assured, it's coming.

Queerty

What Were Hollywood's A-Gay Activists Doing All Together? Raising Cash For Maine

2009-10-25T13:57:00.001-07:00

On the one-year anniversary of meeting to organize a "No On 8" fundraiser at grocery billionaire, Clinton friend, and skeeve Ron Burkle's home, Perry Vs. Schwarzenegger spearheaders and Hollywood A-gays Chad Griffin and Bruce Cohen were holding a similar sort of fundraiser on Tuesday: one for Maine's "No On 1" effort.

Tuesday's private affair raised $50k, and all your favorite activist homos were there: Mark Walsh (Hillary Clinton's campaign primary gay), Paul Katami and Jeff Zarrillo (a pair of Perry plaintiffs in Ted Olson and David Boies' lawsuit), Fred Karger (Californians Against Hate), Geoff Kors and Marc Solomon (Equality California), Rick Jacobs (Courage Campaign, pictured chatting with Griffin), Allan Hergott (entertainment lawyer), Skip Paul (video game and new media exec), Mary McCormack (actress), and Wendy Greuel (Los Angeles City Controller).

Ah, Hollywood, always having their hands in everything.

Queerty

Michael Bloomberg's 1-Word Answer on Obama's Gay Rights Record

2009-10-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

Obama Picks Sharon Lubinski to Be America's First Out Gay U.S. Marshal

2009-10-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the White House announced it wants Sharon Lubinski, Minneapolis’ current assistant police chief and 30-year veteran, to be the U.S. Marshal for the District of Minnesota. (What do U.S. Marshals do, you ask? Protect America's district court system.) No offense to Lubinski, who's probably well deserving of the gig, but Obama probably wants a another hug from the gays for this one. First, the Senate has to hug it out and confirm her.
Queerty

HRC Just Granted Obama an Absolutely Horrific 7-Year Pass on Gay Rights

2009-10-11T22:33:00.000-07:00

If there was any doubt the Human Rights Campaign was colluding with Democrats and the White House to give Barack Obama a pass on your civil rights, confirmation arrived yesterday, when the organization told its "millions" of members not to judge the president today, but wait until January 19, 2017. Yes, more than seven years from now.

The stupidity of the message —

But what has he [Obama] done?

I've written that we have actually covered a good deal of ground so far. But I'm not going to trot out those advances right now because I have something more relevant to say: It's not January 19, 2017.

That matters for two reasons: first, the accomplishments that we've seen thus far are not the Obama Administration's record. They are the Administration's record so far….

I am sure of this: on January 19, 2017, I will look back on the President's address to my community as an affirmation of his pledge to be our ally. I will remember it as the day when we all stood together and committed to finish what Senator Kennedy called our unfinished business. And I am sure of this: on January 19, 2017, I will also look back on many other victories that President Barack Obama made possible.

— should be self-evident. (The full message is on the next page.) That note, from HRC's Joe Solmonese, effectively lets Obama off the hook for your LGBT rights until the last day of his (not definite) second term. Yes, Solmonese is saying we will judge Obama's legacy on that date. But you know who can't wait for 2017 for Obama to come around? The same people who supposedly aren't facing "immediate threats" to their civil rights: American soldiers, parents who yearn to adopt, couples who are not attached under the law, employees who can be fired at a moment's notice because they are queer.

It's preposterous that an organization charged with defending and demanding the rights of LGBT Americans — and already facing allegations of telling Obama to give preference to some gay rights legislation while ignoring others — just told the entire world that the gay community can wait until Obama is moving out of the White House to expect our rights. The ramifications of HRC's message are dire; the media and other gay organizations around the world take cues from this organization, and if this is the agenda they are pushing, we worry it'll reverberate into a message the "gay community" is behind.

It is not.

HRC may be comfortable "looking back" at some point in the future, but that's not good enough for millions of us who don't have seven years to putz around and, fingers crossed, expect a man to come to our aid. We certainly share Solmonese's hope: That when Obama is done as commander-in-chief, we'll wave goodbye to a man who helped enact the most progressive slate of gay rights legislation in this country's history. But we don't expect too much from a guy who doesn't (publicly) think we're entitled to the M-word.

We're not in the business of building Obama's legacy. We're in the business of making sure we're all treated like any other America. We're not quite sure where HRC's mission falls.

Maybe the protests arranged for tonight's HRC dinner shouldn't be aimed at the president, but at America's "largest" Gay Inc. organization.

UPDATE: Joe sends this update, clarifying:

I’ve seen some reactions to my weekly message, that I gave the President a free pass not to fulfill his campaign promises until 2017.

Here’s something from what I wrote that the authors didn’t include in their pieces: “I predict great things coming out of our work with this President, but that does not mean that I am satisfied today. Our community cannot be satisfied so long as DOMA is on the books and an inclusive ENDA is not.“ I am not satisfied.

HRC is not satisfied.

Our community is not satisfied and that’s why thousands of LGBT people and our allies are in Washington this weekend to demand more.

That’s our position. Stopping here would mean losing. But stopping here is not what we intend to do.

We are pushing for much more. It is our job to dog them, but it is also our job to make sure that success is possible. As I wrote, “To do the work, we have to work with our supporters in Congress and with the Administration.

Whatever you think of the Administration’s first nine months, you don’t pass laws by sitting out. You pass laws by sitting at the table.” Do I believe we’ll have a good track record by 2017? Yes. But the President can’t deliver on his promises alone. It will take all of us working together.

Queerty

University of North Texas Says No to Gay Homecoming Couples

2009-10-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

Sorry, is this a story about college students, or second-graders? " The University of North Texas’ student governing body has voted down a proposal to allow same-sex couples to run for homecoming king and queen. Five of the senators at the meeting voted Thursday to amend the Student Government Association’s bylaws, 10 voted against and eight abstained. Jason Howeth, a junior who represents the College of Music, said he voted against the proposal because of opposition from parents who threatened to remove their children from the school and alumni who said they would withdraw their financial support."
Queerty

Lady Gaga + Kanye Cancel Their Tour

2009-10-02T08:23:00.000-07:00

Well you sort of figured this would happen: The Kanye West-Lady Gaga tour has been canceled, and we hear it has nothing to do with ego. Haha.

Man baby Kanye and man lady Gaga were supposed to entertain fans in a touring production that would combine each of their artistic talents for an evening of really, really gay fare. (So gay, in fact, that 50 Cent referred to The Fame Tour as The Gay Tour. He's since apologized.)

It was just last week the two were promoting their tour. Now, nothing; Live Nation confirmed the tour is dead.

Which means it's time to let the theories fly: There was bad blood between them! Kanye made one too many gay jokes! Kanye really is going to take time off like he promised! Or, this very real possibility: Nobody was buying tickets. Sure, neither Kanye nor Gaga have problems filling a room by themselves, but that was before Mr. West used the MTV Video Music Awards as his own personal idiocy effigy.

Whatever the reason, it means this Fame Kills promo will be relegated to the Internet dustbin of unearthed potential. It's probably for the best anyhow, since the tour's gimmicky pricing structure was an invitation to be ripped off at the hands of a man who, frankly, should stop talking.

Queerty

Is Gay Fav Lady Gaga Ditching Gay Baiter Kanye West?

2009-10-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

Lady Gaga is going to pull out of her co-tour with obnoxious celebrity Kanye West, according to fact-laden website Media Take Out. This presents a perfect opportunity to make jokes about The Gaga removing her penis from Kanye's butt.

T-minus 10 seconds until Kanye leaps on stage and calls it a homophobic attack.

Queerty

Miley Cyrus Didn't Have a Real Gay Following. Until Now

2009-09-24T12:27:00.000-07:00

Beyonce's "Single Ladies" Dance Routine Hits TV, Courtesy Glee

2009-09-24T12:03:00.000-07:00

Ellen Degeneres Talks About Being the New American Idol Judge

2009-09-22T10:26:00.000-07:00

"Apparently, there's a lot of debate going on right now, whether I'm qualified or not to be the new judge on American Idol … I'll tell you right now, how I know I'm going to be a great judge — because I've spent my whole life being judged. So, I know what it's like. So, I will be kind. I will be compassionate. I will be empathetic, and I will be truthful. I will be an honest judge without being mean. … I'm very excited to be on the show. I will tell you that right now. I just continue to be excited every single day. I knew people would have opinions, and I did not want to know what they were because why should I take that stuff in? I try not to watch anything that I think is going to be talking about me." —Ellen DeGeneres

Lady Gaga VMA Costumes

2009-09-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

Lady Gaga made multiple appearances at the VMA awards in very different and unique outfits. Which one was your favorite?

American Idol's Jim Verraro Is Getting Married on Sunday!

2009-09-09T11:39:00.001-07:00

Take that, Marc Jacobs! American Idol's first openly gay contestant Jim Verraros will marry partner Bill Brennan on Sunday, the singer announced via Facebook. No, the pair can't legally marry in Illinois, but when did that ever stop us from getting hitched?

You'll recall that during the first season of Idol, Fox made Verraros scrub any mention of his gayness from his show-sponsored website. But the Internet wasn't all bad to Verraros: That's where he met Brennan four years ago; they were engaged in December 2007. On MySpace. Read their full love story here, but allow us to excerpt:

Bill is quite honestly the most loving, loyal, funny, warm, personable, honest and caring human being I've ever met and because of his years, I've been able to learn and grow so much as a person since we've been together. I think that's what life is about, essentially; being able to grow with your partner, not away from them.

I knew with Bill that I wanted to "marry," him. I put "marry," only because, sadly it isn't legal in Illinois yet, but we're hopeful that the time is near. Looking back on our four years together, we've come so far and grown so close together. He's not only my partner, but my confidante, my soul mate, my best friend, and the love of my life. When we're apart, I miss him and when we're together, I think to myself how lucky I am that our paths have crossed and intertwined.

People ask me how I knew that Bill was the one, and I always say the same thing: "I just knew. When you KNOW, you know."

Congratulations to you both!
Queerty

Three Axed Over Texas Gay Bar Raid

2009-09-01T07:31:00.001-07:00

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has fired two agents who took part in a June 28 raid on a gay bar in Fort Worth, along with their supervisor, the Associated Press reports.

On Friday the commission fired agent Christopher Aller, agent trainee Jason Chapman, and their supervisor, Sgt. Terry Parsons, who was not present at the raid on the Rainbow Lounge. One bar patron was seriously hurt in the raid.

Liquor board officials said their investigation of the incident showed that Aller and Chapman failed to report that they used force in arresting the patron or that he incurred serious injuries, according to the AP. Parsons failed to report that his agents used force. The board report also said the two agents disrupted the business during the raid and participated in the action without their supervisor's approval.

The commission also disciplined Parsons's direct supervisor, Lt. Gene Anderson, by giving him a three-day unpaid suspension and six months' probation, and issued a written reprimand to Capt. Robert Cloud, who oversees commission operations in Dallas and Fort Worth.

The liquor commission is changing its policies on the use of force, implementing diversity training, shortening agents' shifts, and reviewing its agent field training program. Some of these changes were planned before the raid, and they may prevent a similar incident from happening, board spokeswoman Carolyn Beck told the AP.

The raid, in which Fort Worth police participated along with liquor commission agents, was initially described by the authorities as a routine liquor license check, but it resulted in the arrest of six patrons and serious head injuries to one of them, Chad Gibson, who was hospitalized for a week.

Fairness Fort Worth, a group formed to protest the raid, praised the disciplinary actions and policy changes as appropriate. The AP could not reach the fired and disciplined officers for comment. They have 10 days to appeal the actions.
Advocate

Today's Vermont Wedding Cakes Will Be Of the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Variety

2009-09-01T07:16:00.000-07:00

Because the only way gays know how to celebrate is with food, it's fitting that Ben & Jerry's — Vermont's most famous exporter of fine goods — is celebrating today's Day One of same-sex marriage there by renaming its Chubby Hubby flavor to "Hubby Hubby."

Actually, you'll just have to pretend they did it; B&J needs 18 months to revise shipping labels, so they're not actually changing the mark-up of their pints sold in stores. Use your imagination. (Or visit one of their six ice cream parlors in Vermont, where you can get a real Hubby Hubby sundae.) But hey, at least it's a less-sexualized, kid-friendly message than B&J's previous one.

We're buying a case for Bill Slimback and Bob Sullivan, Vermont's first gay couple to wed under the new law. They got married this morning, at 12:01am.

Queerty

Another Rainbow Lounge Investigation? This Time It's For a TABC Agent

2009-08-31T17:58:00.000-07:00

We've lost count, really, about how many investigations various parties have launched into the Stonewall-style raid of Ft. Worth's Rainbow Lounge bar in June. So why not throw a new one in the mix?

The latest investigation is from the Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission, which agreed to look into a complaint filed by Christopher Aller, one of the two TABC agents who took part in the raid. The details of his complaint aren't known, but as the Star-Telegram notes, it comes just a week after TABC admitted to reporters that it violated its own policies.

Sounds like a certain agent is trying to avoid becoming a scapegoat!

UPDATE: Aller and two other agents (Terry Parsons and trainee Jason Chapman) were fired today, specifically for their involvement in the Rainbow Lounge raid. And a slap on the wrist for their now-ex boss, Fort Worth District Lt. Gene Anderson, who, according to the agency's statement, "will receive three days suspension without pay and six months probation for inadequate monitoring of the training of new agents and inadequate supervisory oversight of his employees and their activities." Captain Robert "Charlie" Cloud "received a written reprimand for failure to follow the incident notification policy, inadequate monitoring of the training of new agents and inadequate supervisory oversight of the Fort Worth employees and their activities.."

But what about future incidents like the Stonewall-style raid? How will those be prevented?

TABC currently requires all employees to attend cultural diversity training, and the agency curriculum includes both sexual orientation and gender identity. However, TABC plans to increase the effectiveness of this training by collaborating with community groups to conduct additional cross-cultural education. Chief Moreno said, "I believe that improving relationships with community groups will create on-going support in both directions - to better meet community needs as well as state regulatory needs." The regional training coordinators will work with the headquarters training liaison to create new opportunities to combine and enhance outreach, education and dialogue at the regional level.

Color us impressed. But it's always interesting to see the underlings fired, while management keeps their jobs.

Queerty

Adam Lambert Would Love It If You Stopped Throwing Rubber Dildos At Him

2009-08-26T12:08:00.000-07:00

Castro Bar Owner Dies of Swine Flu

2009-08-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

In a truly sad note this morning, Doug Murphy, co-owner of Moby Dick and, most recently, Blackbird, died Friday due to complications from the H1N1 virus, better known as swine flu. He was 41 years old, and was in Palm Springs at the time of his infection, and he had not been traveling abroad, according to business partner Shawn Vergara.

Information about a memorial service will be provided at the Blackbird fan page linked above.
Sfist

"My first manager, ironically a gay man, almost threatened me. He basically said, ‘You read like a dyke and you need to watch that'"

2009-08-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

SOUNDBITES — "My first manager, ironically a gay man, almost threatened me. He basically said, ‘You read like a dyke and you need to watch that.’ I’ve always been sort of a tomboy, but I thought, ‘I can act and I can play straight people.’ That was a little scary." —Married With Children actress Amanda Bearse on the early career "advice" she received about coming out

So how long did it keep her in the closet?

It taught me to be fearful, so at first I kept my personal life and professional life pretty fragmented. Then when I moved to L.A. in the mid-eighties I became more comfortable with myself. When I was cast in Married With Children, I was in a very safe and familial environment. I lived my life openly and people knew I was gay. But I didn’t come out professionally until 1993—the year my daughter was born.

Watermark

Maggie Gallagher's Moving Speech On Why Her Husband Ditched Her on Marriage & Family Day

2009-08-18T20:45:00.000-07:00

Harvey Milk Awarded 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom

2009-08-13T09:42:00.001-07:00

Back When Channing Tatum Was an 18-Year-Old Stripper

2009-08-12T10:34:00.000-07:00

It was called Male Encounter, and it's the adult men's dance troupe Channing Tatum's agent would've preferred everyone forget about. Back in 1999, a then-18-year-old Tatum was paying the rent (in his pre-Mountain Dew days) by dancing for dollars — earning $50 a night, plus tips. Predictably, "the women went crazy for him," says the owner of the Chippendales-esque group. And while the singing-and-stripping act may be a slight blemish on any budding Hollywood actor's IMDB listing, something suggests G.I. Joe's $56,000,000 opening weekend will make those worry warts disappear.
Queerty

Withers: 2010 Census will count gay couples

2009-08-05T23:01:00.000-07:00

Remember a few months back when it was announced that gay couples, even married ones, were going to be listed as “unmarried partners” in the 2010 Census? Well you can put away the harangue you had all prepared for the census taker. Hitched gay couples will have their relationships counted.

The Commerce Department reversed a policy with a legal opinion that argued the Defense of Marriage Act does not mean the Census cannot release raw data on gay pairs. Aside from the fairness of it all, this is a boon for research purposes. While talking about LGBT life is rather easy (heck, they even let me do it), it would be nice if there was just a base of raw data especially when it comes to marriage. Sure many folk have done yeoman work when it comes to gay crunching numbers, but the more information we have the better it is for the cause.

Aside from the stats, this move is typical of the Obama not enough people paid attention to during the campaign. It is undramatic, lacks sex appeal, and makes people yawn. But that is how the president operates. If he makes any moves on the gay rights agenda (and the jury is still out on that), anything he does will be below the fold. Small, yet significant moves, that reverberate beyond the news cycle. He’s not going to tackle the topic head on. We can debate if that’s the best strategy, and if it is any different from people who came before him; however, he is who he is.
365Gay

School won't apologize for turning transgender student away at prom

2009-08-03T07:04:00.000-07:00

The controversial topic of equal rights among gays, lesbians and transgenders has been brought to light recently, as "Jeremy" met with George Washington High School officials in hopes to get closure on the issue. Jeremy was turned away from his senior prom back in may after he wore a dress. School officials say there should be a transgender policy at the Department of Education.

The problem is that the GW administration wants nothing to do with drafting one.

Back in May, the George Washington High School senior told KUAM News he was turned away from the prom because he was wearing a dress. At the time, he said he felt discriminated against by school officials. "I said, 'Where does it state in this rule in this paper that there's no cross-dressing, no individualism and no opposite genders? It doesn't say anything.' So I have a case right here. And that's wrong," he stated.

Jeremy spent over $400 for his clothes, shoes and makeup, which all went to waste because he wasn't able to attend his senior prom. Just recently, he met with school officials to settle the matter. He was asking for a refund on his ticket and for all the items he had purchased for the prom and a public apology. While Jeremy did receive a refund for the senior prom, evidently he didn't receive anything more than that.

"There's no need to make a public apology," noted GW principal Begona Flores, "because we weren't the ones that put it out in the public. He was the one that did so. There's no need for a public apology from any of us, according to legal counsel, because we didn't bring it out in public. He was the one that did."

Flores says Jeremy wasn't following proper guidelines established by prom chaperones.

While Jeremy is asking for a refund for all the money he spent on getting ready for the big night, Flores says the school doesn't owe him anything else, adding, "He knew the attire. This is for male, this is for female. And he made the conscious decision to buy something else. So why should we be responsible?" She also said, "You cannot pick and chose when you want to be. You want to be this, then not this time. When you start picking and choosing, there's no consistency here. And so we cannot blame other people because when I see Jeremy here, he's a boy."

Flores says it's up to DOE and the Guam Education Policy Board to come up with a transgender policy to ensure this never happens again. But Flores admits that she will not be a part of drafting one because it goes against her beliefs. "I am not going to personally put myself in that position because I don't believe in it. I don't believe in it because I have my own personally beliefs and I am not going to deviate from them because those are my values and those are my beliefs," she told KUAM News. "Of course I will uphold the policy and support the policy, but for me to spearhead something like that, something that goes against the grain of my beliefs and values, I don't do that."

Meanwhile, Jeremy tells KUAM that all he wants is fairness in the system, to ensure all people treated the same and not differently because of one's sexuality.

Kuam

No charges in Mormon church plaza kissing incident

2009-07-29T12:44:00.000-07:00

(Salt Lake City) The Salt Lake City prosecutor’s office says it will not pursue charges against two men who were cited for trespassing on a Mormon church-owned downtown plaza earlier this month after sharing a kiss.

Prosecutor Sim Gill says in a statement there is reason to believe that although the property is private, Matt Aune and his partner, Derek Jones, did not think they could legally be ejected from the plaza because it is perceived to be open to the public.

Aune and Jones have said they were targeted because they are gay. The July 9 incident has prompted two mass kissing demonstrations at the plaza.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has disputed Aune’s and Jones’ version of the events, saying their behavior was lewd and more was involved than a “simple kiss of the cheek.”

365Gay

Australia Proudly Keeps Gays Banned from Institution of Divorce

2009-07-29T12:06:00.000-07:00

Australia will continue its loophole recognition of gay marriage, and continue turning a blind eye to most same-sex couples. Huzzah!

While marriages remain valid between two folks of the same-gender only if one of them transitioned to another gender after they married, gays can't tie the knot — and it's going to stay that way, according to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, whose Australian Labor Party won't act to lift the gay marriage ban.

Which is going make the mass wedding on August 1, as part of the National Day of Action, slightly … awkward. And awesome.

Queerty

Kathy Griffin on the Today Show

2009-07-27T19:47:00.000-07:00

U2 Keeps Promoting Equality

2009-07-22T21:53:00.001-07:00

Why Is the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Still Targeting Gay Bars?

2009-07-16T09:13:00.000-07:00

On the heels of the Ft. Worth gay bar raid comes a similar Stonewall-esque police dump on a Dallas gay bar that has all the markings of a repeat incident. You would think with all the criticsm lodged its way after sending one man to the hospital during the Ft. Worth raid on June 28, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission would've learned its lesson — or at least that it should hold off on things while members of Congress demanded an investigation.

But the TABC doesn't think that way. Around the stroke of midnight on Friday night, commission officials descended upon the Dallas Eagle, a "Leather and Levi's" nightspot. Official excuse? To make sure the bar had its proper liquor licenses.

Interestingly, just like the Rainbow Lounge in Ft. Worth, the Dallas Eagle had recently re-opened before being raided by TABC.

0711_B1_CHICOS_PROTEST_rrr

In the meantime, you'll remember another iteration of Texas hospitality when police last week helpfully allowed Chico's Tacos in El Paso to kick out two men who shared a kiss in the restaurant. Just like the bar raids, the local community isn't having it: Protesters gathered in front of the restaurant over the weekend, smooches in full view.
Queerty
(Photos: Dallas Voice, El Paso Times)

Ft. Worth Police Stonewall'd Gay Bar Because … They Saw a Drunk Guy 2 Days Before

2009-07-16T08:18:00.000-07:00

Ft. Worth Police have come up with a reason for why they raided the Rainbow Lounge, Stonewall-style, on June 28: Two days prior, police spotted a really drunk guy leaving the bar!

In what sounds like a "cover your ass" discovery, the FWPD say they have a report of a police cruiser spotting a man leaving the Rainbow Lounge two days prior, extremely intoxicated, and told him to find a ride home. Also: They've got in on video (pictured, left)! Which certainly helps negate any suspicion that they made it all up.

But it still doesn't explain how the police managed to send a man, Chad Gibson (pictured, top), to the hospital and nearly break his brain. (Police say Gibson touched an officer's genitals; he says that's "a big lie.")

Nor does it explain why, when entering the bar for the "check," the police needed to call in back-up when — get this — a customer allegedly blew a kiss at the officer. Who was standing by the bathroom, naturally. (Need more LOLs? The police also say a female customer's hips touched an officer in a "sexually explicit" way. Was she giving him a lap dance?)

What we have here is the police giving itself an excuse to raid a gay bar. We're actually quite fine with the cops following up an incident of public intoxication with checking on the bar that served him.

But what happened on June 28 was not a simple check to see if the Rainbow Lounge was over-serving customers; there's no way to observe bartenders pouring too many drinks for the same customer when you barge through the doors en masse. So while the cops may have a satisfactory reason for coming to the bar on that Saturday night, they are not off the hook for their intolerant approach and excessive violence. Because their version of things flies in the opposite direction of everyone who was at the bar.

(Not helping things, however, are the Ft. Worth activists who interrupted a city council meeting by acting like children.)

WFAA has a full video report here.

ALSO: The Dallas Eagle, the second Texas gay bar raided in as many weeks, acknowledges it was shut down because it didn't fill out its liquor license paperwork properly. The owners claim a competitor tipped off the alcohol commission.

Queerty

Massachusetts state senator comes out

2009-07-10T12:26:00.000-07:00

59-year-old Rosenberg joins five openly gay members of state legislature
BOSTON — State Sen. Stanley Rosenberg says he’s gay.

The Amherst Democrat wrote a column in the Daily Hampshire Gazette about liberty over the July Fourth weekend describing himself as “a foster child who grew up as a ward of the state, as a gay man, as a Jew.”

He declined further comment when contacted by the Republican of Springfield.

The 59-year-old Rosenberg served in the House from 1987 to 1991, before moving to the Senate.

There are at least six gay members of the legislature.
Washington Blade

Gay exorcism spurs government action

2009-07-09T13:50:00.000-07:00

16-year-old boy shown laying on floor while adults try to cast "demons" from his body

MANCHESTER — State officials in Connecticut are taking action after a video showing a 16-year-old boy undergoing an apparent gay exorcism surfaced online.

A spokesperson for True Colors, a sexual minority youth and family services group in Connecticut, said the state’s Department of Children & Families has become involved.

In the video, the boy is shown lying on the floor, convulsing, while adults try to cast a “homosexual demon” from his body. The church behind the exorcism, Manifested Glory Ministries, is a non-denominational black church in Bridgeport.

Kamora Herrington, the mentoring program director at True Colors, said the boy had been involved with True Colors for two years and wanted to accept his sexual orientation, but an “underlying religious piece tells him it’s wrong, it’s evil, it’s demons, and that he’s going to hell.” Herrington said the boy requested that Manifested Glory Ministries perform the exorcism.

“He was searching for acceptance and unfortunately he found acceptance in this church,” she said. “They are so far outside the mainstream and we can’t even say this is something that mainstream churches do.”

The Connecticut Department of Children and Families did not return a call for comment.

Washington Blade

Advertising Industry Shocked to Learn Gays + Straights Buy The Same Crap

2009-07-01T09:39:00.000-07:00

Who knows how much was spent studying the consumption habits of gay Americans, but the data reveals at least this much: We're greedy materialists just like breeders.

Mindshare, a giant media buying and creative agency, polled 1,452 homos (two-thirds men, one-third women) to find out what they're buying, reading, eating, and just generally consuming. According to Mindshare's business planning director Lisa Antonucci, the firm went into the project thinking "this was kind of a niche audience, reaching niche publications, but what the study really uncovers is these consumers are more in the mainstream."

Ya don't say!

Turns out we're not all spending cash on slings and Slide, but rather iPhones and high-speed Internet connections — and at greater frequencies than heteros. Which actually means we're consuming more media than most of America.

Oh, and do we care about brands that specifically target the gays? You bet your ass. AdAge: "Purchasing decisions also weigh heavily on quality of products (76%), the price of the product (72%) and the brand's reputation as being supportive of gay/lesbian individuals and causes (30%). It's that commitment to the gay community that respondents took most to heart in gay-inclusive marketers' ad campaigns as well — 69% said companies did a good job targeting gay consumers because the company openly funds or sponsors gay/lesbian causes or events, while 54% liked how ads depicted gays and lesbians as part of the diversity of today's America."

Which means … we're suddenly slaves to Calvin Klein because the brand plays loose with sexuality? Heh. Probably.

PLUS: Revisit one of our favorite (unintentionally?) homoerotic ads from yesteryear.

Queerty

Obama Promised to Uphold His Promises

2009-06-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama played the consummate host yesterday, welcoming GLBTs to "their" White House. For a dozen or so minutes he delivered prepared remarks to 200 invited guests, reiterating some of the same gay rights promises he made during his campaign — only now he wasn't courting the gay vote, but rather reacting to harsh criticism and demands for action that have tarnished his first months in office. The president is deeply aware of how the temperature of the gay community has turned against him, which explains why his staff pulled together the reception — which was technically a Stonewall 40th anniversary celebration — in just a week's time. But just because Michelle stood by him in a dress any gay can appreciate does not mean he's smoothed everything over.

In order to do that, he'll need to make good on his promises. This much we know.

Obama's gay rights defenders point to a timeline: In office for fewer than five months, there's no way any president could enact all the equality legislation we want from him. Just wait a little longer, they say, and he'll get the job done. Yesterday, the president made that same case for himself. On Don't Ask Don't Tell, Obama said: "I'm confident, we'll look back at this transition and ask why it generated such angst, but as Commander-in-Chief, in a time of war, I do have a responsibility to see that this change is administered in a practical way and a way that takes over the long term."

But for a president so self-aware and so in tune with messaging and the media, he remains out of touch with our most basic demands — one of which derives from his horrible defense of the Defense of Marriage Act (i.e. we'd like him to apologize).

Our singular demand remains this: Full equality under the law in all aspects of life. But even the most cynical will have to admit a finger snap cannot accomplish all that in this bureaucratic democracy. So until he "works with Congress" to repeal DOMA and DADT, enact ENDA and the Matthew Shepard Act, we'd like what's possible: Stop-gap measures to prevent gay soldiers from being discharged and a more reasoned approach to "defending" current laws on the books.

The president did hand us one of our demands: more transparency. The great orator has been painfully silent on our rights since taking office. Only when pressed, or as a PR maneuver, has he spoke to us directly about his plans to bring about this "change" he's spoken so much about. If Obama truly believes he cannot grant us our civil rights overnight, the least he could do is lay out his plans for how he'll get things done. Yesterday, he moved in that direction.

But the president remains attached to — comfortable with? — a timeline that could span more than three years to get all this done. By the end of his first term to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell? We're closing in on 300 gay soldiers lost to the policy already; how many more must go before the Pentagon's cronies come down on the side of right?

Lost in the conversation — amidst worthy debates about DADT, DOMA, and ENDA — is that we still have a president who does not believe in marriage equality. He thinks civil unions are good enough. Maybe he just campaigned on that notion to win votes, but until he says otherwise, we must take him at his word. And while he says he's committed to repealing DOMA, which prevents federal recognition of same-sex marriage, he thus leaves our ability to wed the ones we love in the hands of the states. This was not good enough for interracial marriage. It is not good enough for same-sex marriage, either. Arguments based in religious belief, or the sanctity of a word, never were adequate; they still are not.

A man who proclaims himself a "fierce advocate" for our rights and equality does not get to give himself that title when he refuses to go all the way.

Like many gay rights activists, Obama speaks much about the importance of convincing more than our legislators that gays deserve equal rights — but that our neighbors need talking too as well. It is they who need their attitudes changed. Yesterday the president told us, "For if we're honest with ourselves, we'll acknowledge that there are good and decent people in this country who don't yet fully embrace their gay brothers and sisters — not yet."

Mr. Obama lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Please continue knocking on his door.

Queerty

Rev. Jackson plays victim on Fox News

2009-06-18T08:40:00.001-07:00

Rev. Harry Jackson appeared on Fox News’ “O’Reilly Factor” Thursday night to play the victim and complain that the Blade has endangered his and his family’s safety by reporting details of his multiple home addresses.

“They hacked into my records, found out when I registered to vote in the District of Columbia. They printed in two newspapers my home address and the addresses of houses I own in the Maryland region, outside D.C. And there have been e-mails that have gone forth saying they want to destroy my church. Kind of amazing, isn’t it?”

There was no “hacking” required, as all the information we’ve reported is a matter of public record. The Blade’s senior news reporter, Lou Chibbaro Jr., obtained Jackson’s voting records by visiting the city’s Board of Elections & Ethics office, something that anyone can do.

If Jackson has been threatened as he claims, then he should report it to police. We’ll be looking for the police reports, as they’re open to public scrutiny, too. It would be unfortunate and regrettable if he is being threatened, but that’s the thing about free speech — others are free to respond to your hate. I’ve received more death threats than I care to remember in my career, but no one invited me on national TV to whine about it.

The reason the Blade reported Jackson’s multiple addresses, is that those facts are crucial to the question of whether he is eligible to file a referendum in the city. If he’s not a resident of D.C., then Jackson is not allowed to initiate a referendum. He has yet to prove that he lives in D.C. In fact, he raised even more questions on Fox last night, by referencing his “young adult daughters” and wife. So, are we to believe that Jackson lives in a one-bedroom condo with a roommate, his wife and children when he owns a $1.1 million Tudor estate on four acres in nearby Silver Spring? It’s a laughable claim and no one believes Jackson’s assertion that he’s a D.C. resident.

What’s sad about this spectacle is that this is exactly what the white, evangelical “Christians” at Family Research Council hoped for: to foment discord between D.C.’s African-American and LGBT communities. They know that sending Tony Perkins to fight the anti-gay marriage battle here wouldn’t resonate; they needed a black minister to front their operation and found one in Jackson.

This is not about Jackson. I’m sure he’s a good person with a lovely family and church dedicated to charitable deeds in the community. It’s about outside forces determined to undermine the Democratic process underway in D.C. The City Council, in a 12-1 vote, said the city must honor same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. The mayor signed it. We live in a representative Democracy, where elected leaders speak for the people and on this issue, in this city, they have done just that. Further, D.C.’s attorney general has said it is illegal to pursue a referendum on this matter.

I’m confident that the religious right’s cynical effort to drive a wedge between D.C.’s black and gay residents will fail. We’re all smarter than that. The Blade stands behind its reporting.

Washington Blade

Adam Lambert's Big Rolling Stone Coming Out Cover Is Here!

2009-06-09T09:46:00.000-07:00

No secret here: Adam Lambert is gay! And finally, he's put to rest what some describe as "speculation" — or which we describe as "concerted avoidance to confirm" — that he's gay. "“I’m proud of my sexuality,” Lambert tells Rolling Stone. “I embrace it. It’s just another part of me.” But keep in mind: “I’m trying to be a singer, not a civil rights leader." Not until we recruit you!

On the photo "scandal" of him in drag making out with his ex-boyfriend: "Wasn't ready for that. … I've only dressed in drag three or four times. … I don't tuck and wear breasts, that's not me."

On bunking with Kris Allen: "They put me with the cute guy. Distracting! He's the one guy I found attractive in the whole group on the show: nice, nonchalant, pretty and totally my type — except that he has a wife. I mean he's open-minded and liberal, but he's definitely 100% straight."

On his wardrobe: "I was like, ‘I’m going to glue rhinestones on my eyelids, bitch!'"

On being compared to Clay Aiken: "Clay Aiken's gay, and I'm gay, and we couldn't be more different. The only thing that is the same about everyone in the gay community is that we're gay. … Why can't we talk about a human community?"

On growing up gay:: "I started to realize I wasn’t like every other boy."

On his lady fans: ""I loved it this season when the girls went crazy for me," he says. "As far as I'm concerned, it's all hot."

On coming out after the show: "Right after the finale, I almost started talking about it to the reporters, but I thought, ‘I’m going to wait for Rolling Stone, that will be cooler.' I didn’t want the Clay Aiken thing and the celebrity-magazine bullshit. I need to be able to explain myself in context."

Dislikes: Cocaine. "That drug is such a reflection of the lack of self-esteem and control people have over themselves and their lives."
Queerty

Obama 'Proclaims' June Gay Pride Month

2009-06-02T13:52:00.000-07:00

THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
June 1, 2009

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2009
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Forty years ago, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City resisted police harassment that had become all too common for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Out of this resistance, the LGBT rights movement in America was born. During LGBT Pride Month, we commemorate the events of June 1969 and commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans.

LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country's response to the HIV pandemic.

Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration. These individuals embody the best qualities we seek in public servants, and across my Administration — in both the White House and the Federal agencies — openly LGBT employees are doing their jobs with distinction and professionalism.

The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress, but there is more work to be done. LGBT youth should feel safe to learn without the fear of harassment, and LGBT families and seniors should be allowed to live their lives with dignity and respect.

My Administration has partnered with the LGBT community to advance a wide range of initiatives. At the international level, I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality around the world. Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security. We must also commit ourselves to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic by both reducing the number of HIV infections and providing care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States.

These issues affect not only the LGBT community, but also our entire Nation. As long as the promise of equality for all remains unfulfilled, all Americans are affected. If we can work together to advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded, every American will benefit. During LGBT Pride Month, I call upon the LGBT community, the Congress, and the American people to work together to promote equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

BARACK OBAMA

Colin Farrell's New Role: Best Man at Gay Brother Eamon's Wedding

2009-05-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

In Bruges actor and homemade porn star Colin Farrell will be on the altar at his brother Eamon's wedding — to another dude. Colin is expected to play the role of best man between Eamon, a choreographer, and Steven Mannio. Except Ireland doesn't recognize gay marriage, so what's a boy to do? Well Eamon still plans on going full marriage: "I don't really like civil union cake — I want a wedding cake at my party. Who wants a civil union? It's just so legal. I want to be able to get married. The Government's paper on civil unions is only for gay people. If you're straight you can't have one. So that's not fair either. If you want a civil union you should be able to do it, if I want to get married I should be able to do it."

Queerty

Did Being Gay Sway Voters Opions for Kris Allen?

2009-05-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

gmaidol
by queerty

BREAKING: NH Gov. John Lynch OKs Gay Marriage, But Only If …

2009-05-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

… legislators insert language making it more explicit that churches, synagogues, and other religious institutions would get to decide whether they perform same-sex marriages. Says Lynch: "“If the Legislature passes this language, I will sign the same-sex marriage bill into law. If the Legislature doesn’t pass these provisions, I will veto it. We can and we must treat both same-sex couples and people of certain religious traditions with respect and dignity." The governor points to the language in Connecticut and Vermont passed as an example of the religious declarations he wants.

So how does it affect us normal folks. Well, for instance, "the change … would only give a legal protection to individuals working directly for a religious organization or an entity that a religious group owns or controls … [but would not] permit a self-employed photographer or caterer to refuse to work because a same-sex marriage ceremony violated their own religious beliefs."

Rep. Jim Splaine, the bill's primary sponsor, says this is good news. Now the House will need to pass a third version of the same-sex marriage bill while the Senate inserts an amendment in an existing bill in front of legislators. The bills as they stand still need the signatures of Speaker of the House Terie Norelli and Senate President Sylvia Larsen; it's likely they will hold off signing them until the bills meet Lynch's requirements.

If all goes according, the bill would update the state's 2008 civil unions law, automatically converting civil unions to full-blown marriages on Jan. 1, 2011. Oh, and of course New Hampshire would recognize legal same-sex marriages from other states.

Here's Lynch's full statement:

The gay marriage debate in New Hampshire has been filled with passion and emotion on all sides. My personal views on the subject of marriage have been shaped by my own experience, tradition and upbringing. But as Governor of New Hampshire, I recognize that I have a responsibility to consider this issue through a broader lens.

In the past weeks and months, I have spoken with lawmakers, religious leaders and citizens. My office has received thousands of phone calls, letters and emails. I have studied our current marriage and civil union laws, the laws of other states, the bills recently passed by the legislature and our history and traditions.

Two years ago, we passed civil unions legislation here in New Hampshire. That law gave same-sex couples in civil unions the same rights and protections as marriage. And in typical New Hampshire fashion, the people of this state embraced civil unions and agreed we needed to continue our tradition of opposing discrimination.

At its core, HB 436 simply changes the term 'civil union' to 'civil marriage.' Given the cultural, historical and religious significance of the word marriage, this is a meaningful change.

I have heard, and I understand, the very real feelings of same-sex couples that a separate system is not an equal system. That a civil law that differentiates between their committed relationships and those of heterosexual couples undermines both their dignity and the legitimacy of their families.

I have also heard, and I understand, the concerns of our citizens who have equally deep feelings and genuine religious beliefs about marriage. They fear that this legislation would interfere with the ability of religious groups to freely practice their faiths.

Throughout history, our society's views of civil rights have constantly evolved and expanded. New Hampshire's great tradition has always been to come down on the side of individual liberties and protections.

That is what I believe we must do today.

But following that tradition means we must act to protect both the liberty of same-sex couples and religious liberty. In their current form, I do not believe these bills accomplish those goals. The Legislature took an important step by clearly differentiating between civil and religious marriage, and protecting religious groups from having to participate in marriage ceremonies that violate their fundamental religious beliefs. "But the role of marriage in many faiths extends beyond the actual marriage ceremony.

I have examined the laws of other states, including Vermont and Connecticut, which have recently passed same-sex marriage laws. Both go further in protecting religious institutions than the current New Hampshire legislation.

This morning, I met with House and Senate leaders, and the sponsors of this legislation, and gave them language that will provide additional protections to religious institutions.

This new language will provide the strongest and clearest protections for religious institutions and associations, and for the individuals working with such institutions. It will make clear that they cannot be forced to act in ways that violate their deeply held religious principles.

If the legislature passes this language, I will sign the same-sex marriage bill into law. If the legislature doesn't pass these provisions, I will veto it. We can and must treat both same-sex couples and people of certain religious traditions with respect and dignity.

I believe this proposed language will accomplish both of these goals and I urge the legislature to pass it.

So what language does Lynch want attached? Here it is verbatim:

I. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a religious organization, association, or society, or any individual who is managed, directed, or supervised by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association or society, or any nonprofit institution or organization operated, supervised or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association or society, shall not be required to provide services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods or privileges to an individual if such request for such services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods or privileges is related to the solemnization of a marriage, the celebration of a marriage, or the promotion of marriage through religious counseling, programs, courses, retreats, or housing designated for married individuals, and such solemnization, celebration, or promotion of marriage is in violation of their religious beliefs and faith.

Any refusal to provide services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods or privileges in accordance with this section shall not create any civil claim or cause of action or result in any state action to penalize or withhold benefits from such religious organization, association or society, or any individual who is managed, directed, or supervised by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association or society, or any nonprofit institution or organization operated, supervised or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association or society.

II. The marriage laws of this state shall not be construed to affect the ability of a fraternal benefit society to determine the admission of members pursuant to RSA 418:5, and shall not require a fraternal benefit society that has been established and is operating for charitable and educational purposes and which is operated, supervised or controlled by or in connection with a religious organization to provide insurance benefits to any person if to do so would violate the fraternal benefit society's free exercise of religion as guaranteed by the first amendment of the Constitution of the United States and part 1, article 5 of the Constitution of New Hampshire

III. Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed or construed to limit the protections and exemptions provided to religious organizations under RSA § 354-A:18.

IV. Repeal. RSA 457-A, relative to civil unions, is repealed effective January 1, 2011, except that no new civil unions shall be established after January 1, 2010.
Queerty

Miss California Keeps Her Crown

2009-05-13T17:49:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former Miss USA Shanna Moakler resigned as co-executive director of the Miss California USA pageant on Wednesday, saying she no longer believes in the organization because of pageant owner Donald Trump's decision to let the state's controversial title holder keep her crown.

After Miss California USA Carrie Prejean created a stir with her response to a question about gay marriage at last month's Miss USA pageant, questions about her work with gay marriage opponents and nearly nude photos taken of her when she was a teenager put her title in jeopardy.

At a news conference Monday, Moakler angrily accused Prejean of violating the contract she signed with pageant organizers, but Trump announced Tuesday that Prejean would keep her title.

Moakler, the Miss USA of 1995, said she decided after Trump's news conference to quit."I cannot with a clear conscience move forward supporting and promoting the Miss Universe Organization when I no longer believe in it or the contracts I signed committing myself as a youth," she said in a statement issued by her publicist. "I want to be a role model for young women with high hopes of pageantry, but now feel it more important to be a role model for my children."

Trump's senior executive assistant, Rhona Graff-Ricci, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Prejean, the first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant, created a brouhaha when she responded to a question by celebrity judge Perez Hilton by saying, "I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

After gay rights advocates took her to task, California pageant officials said Prejean, 21, asked for permission to elaborate on her answer and they agreed. But then, they said, she began speaking without their permission in front of crowds opposed to gay marriage, including her San Diego church and the National Organization for Marriage.

Keith Lewis, the state pageant's co-executive director, said Prejean also began missing Miss California events she was contractually obligated to attend.

Trump on Tuesday said there had been miscommunication among Prejean, pageant organizers and the outside groups, but added that "the communication problem, I believe, is totally solved."

Trump defended Prejean's statements that marriage should be exclusive to men and women, saying her position was similar to President Barack Obama's.

Photos of Prejean in her underwear, taken when she was 17, emerged after the Miss USA pageant.

Moakler had said Monday that Prejean's failure to reveal the photos to organizers showed she entered the pageant under false pretenses. Trump, however, while acknowledging the photos were "risque," said he didn't think they were bad enough to get her booted.
Orlando Sentinel

Bullied to Death: Two Devastated Moms Speak Out

2009-05-05T08:09:00.000-07:00

Just days after burying their sons, two moms meet on stage. Then, at 13 years old, he says he can't take it anymore—an emergency intervention you need to see. Tune in on Wednesday to Oprah.

Gay man says he was forced out of partner's room at OHSU

2009-04-30T05:45:00.000-07:00

PORTLAND -- A visit to Oregon Health and Science University hospital turned into a frustrating situation for a gay couple who said their rights as domestic partners were not honored until a lawyer got involved.

Video: Partner upset with OHSU

The domestic partner of a man who appeared to be near death was reportedly ordered to leave the room when it was time to make some major decisions about the patient.

This all started with a hospital visit. The patient, who only wanted to go by his first name of Christopher, was having trouble breathing. So his partner, Patrick took him to OHSU.

As Christopher was laying close to death, Patrick was told he had to leave the room and couldn't believe what the nurse was telling him.

"The nurse said, 'Christopher is very ill. There are some life and death decisions that have to be made and now is not the time for friends to be in the room.' I'm like, 'we don't have any friends in the room,'" recalled Patrick.

Under Oregon law, Patrick had the right to stay in the room because the pair had been legal domestic partners for nine months. Patrick found a lawyer who made a call to the hospital and after two and a half hours, he was allowed back inside.

OHSU officials told KGW this may be a case of human error.

"Truly. Every couple is welcome here. It doesn't matter what their relationship is... same sex or not. We understand it. And I'm really very sorry this happened to this particular couple," said Barbara Glidewell, a spokeswoman for OHSU.

The hospital has vowed to put staff members through additional training to make sure this doesn't happen again.

As for Christopher, his condition has improved and he was expected to go home Thursday to continue his recovery there.

KGW

Forget the Oscars, heed the message Seize the love, otherwise you may find yourself alone, emotionally broke and back mountin’ everything with a puls

2009-04-20T08:21:00.001-07:00

NEW YORK (AP) — Two days after Amazon said a “glitch” had caused the sales rank to be dropped from thousands of books, the numbers returned Tuesday for Annie Proulx’s “Brokeback Mountain,” James Baldwin’s “Giovanni’s Room” and other notable titles.

Some authors whose rankings were dropped have posted messages from Amazon that said their books had been categorized as “Adult” and were being removed from some best-seller lists and search functions. Amazon’s actions led to a furious stream of responses on Twitter and elsewhere online.

Amazon has yet to comment on the author messages, but called the deletions Monday an “embarrassing and ham-fisted cataloging error” and promised “to implement new measures” to prevent them in the future.
Washington Blade

A Sexually Active Gay Pastor Walks Into a Lutheran Church …

2009-04-14T17:55:00.001-07:00

Brad Froslee is the new pastor of the Calvary Lutheran Church in Minneapolis on Sunday. Dozens of fellow pastors, as well as his parents, grandmother, and pews filled with congregants attended. But you won't find Froslee's ministry listed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church — because he's gay and in a five-and-a-half year relationship, disavowing the church's already contested permission of celibate gay pastors.

But to make it work, Froslee and the church and synod leaders are operating on what church council member Brian Aust called "the margins of the ELCA." It's an arrangement that could be formalized this August, when leaders of the ELCA - the nation's largest Lutheran denomination with 4.7 million members - meet for their biannual convention in Minneapolis.

An ELCA task force has recommended a policy that would let congregations decide whether to allow gays and lesbians in committed relationships to serve as their clergy. The resolution has been criticized from both directions, with liberals saying it doesn't go far enough and conservatives saying it conflicts with Scripture.

[AP]

Chemistry.com Already Firing Back at eHarmony's Gay Site

2009-04-08T09:45:00.000-07:00

Despite complying with a settlement reached with New Jersey's attorney general to provide online dating services to same-sex couples (Compatible Partners), eHarmony still has problems. Legally, there's still the class action lawsuit in California that argues eHarmony's gays-only site is also illegal because it's a "separate but equal" strategy. And then there's the competition.

Chemistry.com, owned by Match.com, has already been going after eHarmony for turning gays away, with a serious of vicious ads. With eHarmony discriminating against gays, not only did Chemistry.com get to brand a competitor as a dirtbag, but steal a customer base eHarmony was leaving on the table.

And now that eHarmony has CompatiblePartners.net for gays? Chemistry.com isn't letting up the heat.

Here's the first of what we expect to be a full on media assault, painting eHarmony and Dr. Warren as the hatemongers they always have.

Queerty

Breaking: Vermont Legislatures Overrides Governor Veto, Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

2009-04-07T08:34:00.000-07:00

Vermont's House needed 100 votes to overrule Gov. Jim Douglas' veto of the same-sex marriage bill both legislators passed. And they got it (100-49), officially overriding the governor's veto after the Senate voted this morning 23-5 to do the same thing. What's it all mean? Marriage equality has, officially, come to Vermont.

Queerty

Text size: increase text sizedecrease text size Gay rights battle puts strain on parties

2009-03-31T08:27:00.000-07:00

"The women are a hoot, and some can be just delightful," said Geno Zaharakis, the owner of Cocktail, a gay bar on North Halsted Street. "But because not everybody can get married, watching them celebrate, it's such a slap in the face. Prop 8 just reopened the wound."

Zaharakis told me that Cocktail stopped hosting bachelorette parties a couple of years ago when he noticed his gay patrons weren't just complaining about the women being minor irritants but about them "flaunting" their right to marry. So Zaharakis hung a sign on the front door of his establishment that says, "Bachelorette Parties Are Not Allowed."

If that message isn't resonant enough, he offers a written statement: "Until same-sex marriage is legal everywhere and same-sex couples are allowed the rights as every heterosexual couple worldwide, we simply do not think it's fair or just for a female bride-to-be to celebrate her upcoming nuptials here at Cocktail. We are entitled to an opinion, this is ours."

Indeed some gay men and straight women have a friendship that's reminiscent of the old television show "Will & Grace." And many men make the distinction between their "girlfriends" who frequent gay bars and are sensitive to the marriage issue and other women who are merely seeking good music and "go-go boys" (translation: nearly naked male dancers) for a bachelorette party.

"We appreciate that these women are not homophobic and … want to party with us," said Jens Hussey, a gay man who's in a four-year relationship and worries about being able to make medical and other decisions regarding his partner. "But with all that's going on [in] the media about us not being able to marry, are [these women] willing to march with us or raise money with us or work to change somebody's attitude to help us get equal rights?"

Hussey recently was on hand at Circuit Night Club, a gay bar about three blocks north of Cocktail that caters to bachelorette parties. But he said he'd rather see women take such parties elsewhere until everybody legally can wed.

Circuit presents a Las Vegas-style male revue called SinZation that includes Honey West, billed as "the only transgender emcee of a male revue show anywhere in the country." Buff dancers don't strip bare-naked but get so close—using creatively draped G-strings—that hardly anything is left to the imagination.

On a recent Saturday night there, the gay marriage issue wasn't remotely on the minds of two groups of women whose inhibitions flew out the door as the dancers left the stage to retrieve dollar bills that the women strategically placed around their bodies.

"Gay men are far more reserved," said Hussey, watching and laughing from the sidelines.

One woman from Kansas City told me that she enjoyed being able to drink as much as she wanted and not having to worry about being propositioned by a straight guy or waking up the next morning in his bed.

I found it ironic that, as the women got liquored up, they were the ones doing the pawing and clawing until soon they resembled the straight guys they were trying to avoid.

And this, more than the equal rights issue, is why Art Johnston, the owner of the popular Halsted Street bar called Sidetrack, prefers not to hold bachelorette parties in his establishment.

"As gay men who understand discrimination, none of us want to look like we don't welcome folks," Johnston said. "But it comes down to ignorant, bad behavior. … That's the issue."
They've become a familiar sight in gay bars: women holding bachelorette parties.

The bride-to-be is often easily identifiable. She's the one wearing either a veil or tiara or feather boa or phallic-shaped blow-up hat, and is surrounded by women who begin the night somewhat reserved but metamorphose into pelvis-thrusting vamps as their blood-alcohol levels rise.

The women come to celebrate without having to worry about straight men pawing them. The gay men are there because, well, they don't want to be around a lot of women.

For years, some bar owners have tried to accommodate both groups, but that's becoming increasingly difficult. With California's vote last November in favor of the gay-marriage ban known as Proposition 8, some gays are saying that bachelorette parties at their bars are becoming more than a minor nuisance. They're a constant reminder that gays don't have equal marriage rights.
For others, though, the issue is gay marriage, and women who are considering hosting these parties should think about that issue. Such a party may feel less like a celebration in the presence of men who feel they're being discriminated against.

As the show got under way at Circuit with a theatrical mist floating over the audience, I asked reveler Blythe Thomas whether, in general, she believed holding bachelorette parties in gay bars was "heterosexist," or insensitive.

"I never would have thought about it like that," Thomas said, watching a curtainlike screen rise on four soon-to-be-nearly-naked dancers. "I could see how this could be frustrating to gay men. Maybe it's something I'll think about next time."

Maybe. But, for now, it was showtime.

Chicago Tribune

Woman Calls Police 500 Times Over Neighbours Nightclub

2009-03-05T12:28:00.000-08:00

From the department of “man bites dog,” we bring you the story of a woman apparently using excessive force on police. She has called 911 “once or twice every night” for the past 21 months to complain about noise coming from Neighbours, a gay dance club that has operated on Broadway since the early 1980s. Her calls began in June 2007, when she moved into a low-income, partially subsidized apartment building at East Pine Street and Broadway, on the same block as the dance club. The most recent complaint on record, made at 2 a.m. last Friday night, summoned the police.

The responding officer notes in a report that the woman “calls nightly to complain about music from this club…. She is the only person who calls to complain. She has told officers in the past that she wants to close this club down and will call as many times as it takes to accomplish this.”

The woman, a 56-year-old retired nurse who asked not to be named, denies that she is trying to shut down the club. “I would call the police once or twice every night,” she confirms, sitting in her one-bedroom apartment, which looks south onto the roof of Neighbours and toward First Hill. It smells strongly of her two medium-sized dogs. “I’m an old rock ‘n roll queen from way back when, and if it was just music I was hearing, it would be fine,” she says. “But what we hear is bass and bass only. And it has been so loud in the past that the windows rattle.” She says drunken throngs in the alley are also noisy.

As a solution, the woman proposes that Neighbours close by 2 a.m. (the dance club is open until 3 a.m. on Thursdays and until 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays). She also thinks club security should usher people in the alley down to Pike Street, away from her building.

The woman acknowledges that police resources are limited, but says that police asked her to call 911 to deal with "noise, prostitutions or drug dealing," she says.

John Kmetz, who has managed Neighbours’ sound and lighting system for the past 15 years, says that the club tried to address noise concerns in mid-January by installing sound insulation on the ceiling, covering skylights, and capping the sound system’s volume. “This place has been here for 27 years and she just moved in here,” he says. “I think she shouldn’t be complaining."

“Clearly the noise ordinance is not in effect or else the city would be fining Neighbours $1000 a week,” the woman says.

But the city noise ordinance, which passed in December 2007, only penalizes bars and clubs amplifying noise that is "plainly audible" from inside nearby buildings. However, the police report from last Friday says, “There was not enough noise coming from the club for a violation.” The officer adds: “I could faintly hear the sound of music coming from far off but I could not determine if it was coming from the club. Passing vehicular and pedestrian traffic was much louder.”

Lashunda Perez, a resident of the building, says, “When I moved in, they told me that it gets loud on the weekends. It’s not very disturbing to me.

The Stranger

Lutherans divided over treatment of gay pastors

2009-03-04T05:38:00.000-08:00

ATLANTA — Neither the conservative nor liberal wing of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is happy with a proposed statement that would change the way the church treats gay pastors.

Released by an ELCA task force Feb. 19, the “Proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality” and related “Rostering Recommend-ations” acknowledge there is no consensus about how the church should treat its gay members and pastors. The 20-page document recommends allowing churches and regional synods to make their own decisions on non-celibate gay pastors, a change from the current ban.

But the document does not call for rites to bless gay unions, and it does not call for the re-rostering of defrocked gay pastors like Rev. Bradley Schmeling.

Schmeling was the denomination’s first gay pastor to be defrocked after losing an ecclesiastical trial because he was openly living with another man. Although officials at Atlanta’s St. John’s Lutheran Church knew Schmeling was gay and in a committed relationship when he was called as pastor, then-Southeastern Synod Bishop Ron Warren said Schmeling was violating church rules.

Warren won the 2007 trial and Schmeling was defrocked, which means he is no longer a pastor in the eyes of the ELCA. Nonetheless, St. John’s retained him as pastor and Schmeling’s church went on to become one of only two ELCA churches in Atlanta that grew in size during 2008.

Schmeling said he was encouraged by parts of the proposed statement on human sexuality and the referendum, but noted that if it were enacted as is, it would damage the church.

“What we need is a clear decision from the church to confirm pastors who are in long-term, monogamous relationships,” Schmeling said. “I think some people see this as a step in the right direction, but I see this as a step to a more divided church.”

As written, the policy would allow synods to decide if coupled gays could serve as pastors and allow churches within affirming synods to opt out of having a gay pastor. Churches in synods that decide not to affirm gay pastors in relationships would not be allowed call such pastors against the wishes of their bishop.

“If this policy had been in place [during the 2007] trial, then nothing would have changed for me or St. John’s,” Schmeling said.

Phil Soucy, a spokesperson for Lutherans Concerned, said the group would attempt to amend the policy before August’s church-wide assembly in Minneapolis.

Lutherans Concerned, an organization that supports full inclusion for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, aims to give local churches more control, create an accelerated process for pastors like Schmeling to be re-rostered and make the statement more gay inclusive.

“It’s a step along the way,” Soucy said. “It’s a draft in motion.”

The draft will go through several steps before appearing as legislation on the floor of the 2009 ELCA assembly, where voting members from synods across the country vote on church policy. Legislation seeking to address coupled gay pastors has appeared at every national assembly for the past 10 years.

Unlike some denominations, the ELCA does not have a leader positioned to dictate church policy.
Voting members representing each region at the biannual church-wide assembly determine church policy and the denomination has struggled with gay issues for the past 30 years. While the human sexuality statement seeks to allow greater recognition of gay couples and gay pastors, it does not address the fundamental question of whether homosexuality is a sin.

When the ELCA issued its first human sexuality statement in 1993, it affirmed the church policy that gays could be pastors so long as they remained celibate. That task force also was unable to find consensus, with Dr. Larry Yoder, chair of religious studies at Lenoir Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C., as the lone dissenting voice. At the time he felt that statement was too liberal.

“I am in no greater favor of altering the church’s teachings than I was 16 years ago,” Yoder said this week. “I think the case that has been made is an emotional case, because there is no case that can be made in the scriptures.”

Yoder casts a long shadow in the ELCA and is one of the more influential conservative voices in the denomination.

Rev. Paull Spring, chair of Lutheran Coalition for Reform, said his group would oppose changing the human sexuality statement and any legislation aimed at increasing the role of coupled gay pastors.
“This is the one that really is the killer — this is the one that will make it or break it,” Spring said.
“On a frustrating note, we’ve been dealing with this issue for 10 years, and each time we think it will be the last time, but every two years, here it comes again.”

Spring said he disagreed with the suggestion that there is no consensus, noting the rejection of prior bills and their own polling that shows 60 percent of the church does not support non-celibate gay clergy. He fears if the new statement is passed, there could be a great falling away among ELCA congregations.

Both sides cited similar flaws within the proposal. Schmeling and Spring said they believe the church cannot be healthy if it has different rules and different beliefs in different parts of the country. But they cannot agree on a solution. Spring wants to uphold current policy, whereas Schmeling wants to see a more welcoming statement.

“I think the solution is to call for a clear affirmation from the ELCA,” he said. “I think a flexible structure won’t help the church, it will only divide us.”

Washington Blade

Obama names gay man to lead Office of National AIDS Policy

2009-02-26T07:54:00.000-08:00

Jeffrey S. Crowley, MPH, has been named Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy, the White House announced today. Crowley is currently Senior Research Scholar at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute.

“Jeffrey Crowley brings the experience and expertise that will help our nation address the ongoing HIV/AIDS crisis and help my administration develop policies that will serve Americans with disabilities,” said President Obama.

Crowley has served as Deputy Executive Director at the National Association of People with AIDS. He earned his Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University.

The LGBT community’s Presidential Appointments Project recommended Crowley for the appointment.

Gay Politics

Thailand Gay Pride Festival Shut Down

2009-02-23T07:46:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, a group of about 200 gay rights activists were celebrating Chiang Mai's second gay pride festival when a group of 30 red-shirted demonstrators appeared with magaphones and shut down the event, dismantling the stage and blocking off Pride parade demonstrators from either exiting or leaving. Taiwanese police had promised protection for the group, but did nothing, according to reports.

In an Op-Ed signed by "Milt" in The Nation, one demonstrator writes:

"With their sound system blaring, and their thugs gathered and menacing, they surrounded Buddha Satharn, a public space, where a few Chiang Mai citizens were preparing to stage Chiang Mai's second Gay Pride Parade. They made it impossible for participants to either enter or leave the grounds. They shouted nonsense about gays not representing Lanna culture. Funny, but I didn't know that threatening other Thais was representative of the good people of Lanna or their heritage. And they remained there shaking their signs and screaming their threats long after the parade was officially cancelled.

Of course, Chiang Mai's police failed to do anything to see that the sanctioned parade went ahead despite telling organisers they would be out in force to prevent violence. "

While Asia Online has more substantive details:

"The move came after a group of 30 red-shirt protesters went to Tawan Trendy Mall, where a stage had been erected to welcome the Gay Pride Parade. The parade was scheduled to head from the Buddhasathan towards the Night Bazaar and to the mall.

The protesters launched verbal attacks through megaphones, saying the event tarnished the city's reputation. They also reacted angrily to a remark by the organisers that the "Rak Chiang Mai 51" group was acting like thugs.

The group vowed not to allow the event to take place in public. They confronted the organisers and dismantled the stage set up to welcome participants of the parade.

"We do not understand why the red-shirt group has to drag politics into our activities," said Niwat.

Thai Youth Network coordinator Kullanant Padermwan-napong said the red-shirt movement has actually discouraged teenagers who want to work for society.

The youth group wants the protesters to apologise for their "uncivilised" action towards teenagers and other people who organised the event."

Queerty

Anti-gay preachers banned from UK

2009-02-19T12:24:00.000-08:00

A father and daughter from a US church which preaches hatred of homosexuals have been banned from entering the UK.

Fred Phelps and his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper from the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) had urged protests against a play being put on in Hampshire.

Queen Mary's College in Basingstoke is staging The Laramie Project, a play about a man killed for being gay.

Mrs Phelps-Roper told BBC News Online the decision would "bring great wrath upon your heads".

She warned other members of the church, who are not as well known to the authorities, will be trying to get into the UK to protest.

"There are members of WBC that are not named Phelps," she added.

Cannot play media. Sorry, this media is not available in your territory.

"So they [the authorities] might have their work cut out for them.

"Unless they intend to begin checking the bare backsides of every person coming into that country to find that tattoo that says 'Property of WBC' - they will have no way of identifying who is from WBC."

She called the British government "filthy" for thinking they have the power "to keep the word of God from coming into her borders".

The UK Border Agency said it opposed "extremism in all its forms".

A spokesman added: "Both these individuals have engaged in unacceptable behaviour by inciting hatred against a number of communities.

"We will continue to stop those who want to spread extremism, hatred and violent messages in our communities from coming to our country.

"The exclusions policy is targeted at all those who seek to stir up tension and provoke others to violence regardless of their origins and beliefs."

'Amazed and disturbed'

The Westboro church's website advertised the picket which was set to take place on Friday, proclaiming: "In merry old England they plan to further enrage the living God by putting on the farce known commonly as The Laramie Project.

"We will picket them, and see if they actually believe those lies they tell about how tolerant and accepting Brits are."

Hampshire Police said they were aware of the planned protest and officers were monitoring the situation.

The church's pickets of military funerals have outraged Americans

Stephen Sheedy, principal at Queen Mary's College, said: "I have been amazed and disturbed by what has happened this week.

"[The church's views] are such a gross abuse of Christianity and a gross misreading.

"The show is being put on by a production company, not by our students, but we support it fully and hope it goes ahead without any problems."

He does not expect any picket by the Westboro church but thought the coverage could actually spark a counter protest against them.

Members of the group - based in Topeka, Kansas - have denounced homosexuality for years and have in the past targeted the funerals of Aids victims.

In 2007, the church was told to pay $10.9m (£5.2m) after its members cheered a soldier's death as "punishment" for US tolerance of homosexuality.

BBC News

Gay the Catholic Way

2009-02-17T08:11:00.000-08:00

Today's Daily Texan features a cover story about a new gay prayer group on campus. Surprise! It's Catholic!

Despite the fact that the issue comes wrapped around this month's installment of the paper's most excellent Texas Travesty (think Onion, sophomore year…), from what we can tell, we are almost totally sure that the news of the gay Catholic group is not a hoax, spoof, or ruse, but, indeed, the real deal.

We've put a call in to the UT Catholic Center director, Rev. Ed Koharchik, quoted liberally in the piece, but he is out of town until Friday. We have questions. We'll report more after we speak to the good father.

Source: Austin Chronicle

Bishop Gene Robinson Gives the Invocation at the Inaugural Opening Ceremony.

2009-01-26T07:42:00.000-08:00

Bishop Gene Robinson gave the invocation at the inaugural opening ceremony.

Texas AG Vows to Fight Gay Divorce Request

2009-01-25T21:32:00.000-08:00

All your ex's live in Texas– except when you're gay. A gay couple who married in Massachusetts, but live in Texas, are ready to pack their bags and head for Splittsville, but Texas General Greg Abbott (pictured) has vowed to fight any attempt the couple makes to divorce in Texas, which does not recognize their marriage. Instead, the couple may have to move to Massachusetts and establish residency there before they can get a divorce.

Pink News UK has a rundown of Abbott's latest statements:

"In the State of Texas, marriage is – and has always been – a union between one man and one woman.

"To prevent other states from imposing their values on this state, Texas voters overwhelmingly approved a Constitutional amendment specifically defining marriage as a union of one man and one woman.

"Because the parties' Massachusetts-issued arrangement is not a marriage under Texas law, they are asking a Texas court to recognise – and dissolve – something that does not legally exist."

The lawyer acting for the man seeking a divorce told the Dallas Morning News that he will argue that the men have rights under Article IV, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution. The so-called Full Faith and Credit Clause provides, in part, that states recognise contracts from other states.

However, in 1996 Congress passed the Defence of Marriage Act.

States are not required to "treat a relationship between persons of the same sex as a marriage, even if the relationship is considered a marriage in another state."

DOMA also prevents the federal government from gay and lesbian relationships as marriage "for any purpose," even if the marriage is recognised by one of the states."
Source: Queerty

Gay Dallas man files Texas’ first same-sex divorce petition

2009-01-22T17:11:00.000-08:00

A gay Dallas man who married his husband in 2006 when they lived in Massachusetts has filed what is believed to be Texas’ first same-sex divorce petition.

The petition, filed Wednesday, Jan. 21 in Dallas County’s 302nd District Court, sets up a legal showdown over whether Texas courts can grant divorces to same-sex couples who’ve married in other states.

Texas, which has a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union between a man and a woman, doesn’t recognize same-sex marriages from other states. In 2003, the state Attorney General’s Office ruled that a same-sex couple from Beaumont couldn’t use a Texas court to dissolve the civil union they obtained in Vermont.

But Dallas attorney Peter Schulte, who’s representing the man who filed the divorce petition, argued that a marriage is not the same as a civil union. Schulte noted that his client can’t obtain a divorce in Massachusetts or elsewhere because all 50 states have a residency requirement for divorce.

“We can maybe understand that the state [Texas] doesn’t recognize the right for same-sex couples to marry — fair enough,” Schulte said. “But if other states recognize the right, there has to be a way for those couples to dissolve their relationship under the laws of any state they choose to live in. This is a fundamental rights issue for gay couples in this state. Gay couples should not be restricted on what state they live in.”

Although the divorce petition is a matter of public record, Schulte asked that his client not be identified by name in this article because he is not out as gay to his employer. Schulte said the man and his husband, who’ve been together for 11 years, are seeking the divorce as a result of irreconcilable differences.

One gay-rights attorney said he fears the case could undermine LGBT equality by establishing a bad legal precedent. Ken Upton, a senior staff attorney for the South Central Office of Lambda Legal, a national LGBT civil rights group, said the case is likely to be appealed to the Texas Supreme Court, which would undoubtedly interpret the constitutional amendment to mean that the couple cannot obtain a divorce here.

Upton was among legal experts who in 2008 warned same-sex couples from Texas against traveling to California to get married, in part because they wouldn’t be able to obtain divorces.

Source: Dallas Voice

Boy George Sentenced to 15 Months in Jail

2009-01-17T14:31:00.000-08:00

New Evidence Mormon Church Illegally Contributed to Yes on 8

2009-01-15T10:30:00.000-08:00

Oregon Church Clergy Refuse to Sign Marriage Certificates in Pro-Gay Gesture

2009-01-07T20:26:00.000-08:00

An Oregon church dedicated to equal civil protections for the GLBT community has announced that its clergy will not sign off on marriages for straight couples until gay and lesbian families have the same access to marriage as do straights.

A Jan. 5 article in the Ashland Daily Tidings reported that the First Congregational United Church of Christ’s Rev. Pam Shepherd, seeing the act of signing marriage licenses for heterosexual couples as a form of discrimination against gays and lesbians, decided that in the name of fairness no licenses should be dignified with the signature of the church’s clergy until all families receive equal treatment under the law.

The article quoted Rev. Shepherd as saying, "I’ve been for civil rights for gay and lesbian people for a long, long time, but I never thought, ’I’m helping the discrimination every time I sign a license.’"

Added Rev. Shepherd, "Every time I sign a license, it’s like I’m saying, ’OK,’ but it’s not OK."

The very act of signing a legal document, Shepherd said, runs counter to the American tradition of a separation between religious faith and governmental authority.

Said the reverend, "We’ve blurred equal protection under the law and civil rights of all people with the right of faith communities to marry or refuse to marry anyone they want.

"Our faith communities need to struggle about what the Bible says about gay people and gay marriages, but the government should be deciding who gets civil rights based on the Constitution.

"The Constitution is very clearly based on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and if marriage is not the pursuit of happiness, what is?"

In total, four of the church’s clergy--Shepherd and three others, all retired--have declared in a letter that they are renouncing the signing of marriage licenses.

That doesn’t mean that they won’t perform wedding ceremonies: they will, but couples they marry will have to get justices of the peace or judges to sign their licenses.

The four clergy have the full support of the church’s Council, the article said, even if they may not have the support of all other people of faith.

Said Rev. Shepherd, "I know a lot of other ministers in the community will disagree with us, but it grows out of our faithful reading of the Bible and our attempt to follow Jesus."

Added Rev. Shepherd, "For us, it’s a faith issue. It’s not just a political stand."

Said church member Leslie A. Stone, "When our straight allies stand up for us and our right to protect our families and treat us with respect, I think that’s fabulous."

Stone continued, "I was thrilled that Pam had this idea because it’s an opportunity for more people to become educated on the inequalities that exist for same sex couples who are committed to each other and want to protect their relationships."

Fellow clergyman Charles Harlow, one of the other three who will no longer sign marriage licenses, said, "I believe in equality, I believe in justice, and I’m not against love."

Added Harlow, "I think we need more of it in the world, not less, and people shouldn’t be beating other people over the head because they like a person that is the same gender they are."

Another article in the same edition of the Daily Tidings said that the church, which is located in Ashland, a south-central Oregon community of 20,000, would be participating in a Join the Impact event on Jan. 10.

Join the Impact was formed in the wake of California voters narrowly approving an anti-gay measure, Proposition 8, in November. The measure rescinds what had been the existing right of gay and lesbian families to marry in that state.

The article said that clergy at the First Congregational United Church of Christ will marry gay and lesbian couples in religious, but legally non-binding, ceremonies that day, starting at 10:30 a.m.

The church will also invite people to add their signatures to a letter addressed to President-elect Barack Obama, encouraging him to keep his campaign promise to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the 1996 law that bans any federal recognition of gay and lesbian families, even if they have been granted marriage by the state in which they live.

At present, only Massachusetts and Connecticut offer marriage equality, but can only do so at the state level, due to DOMA.

DOMA also allows states that do not extend marriage equality to refuse to recognize marriages performed in states that do offer families marriage parity.

Barack Obama is not alone in renouncing DOMA; the former Congressman who wrote the measure, Bob Barr, has also come out against the law, saying that it needs to be repealed to preserve states’ rights.

Meanwhile, in other cities around America, Join the Impact-related events advocating the repeal of DOMA will be taking place.

Since the November passage of Proposition 8, Join the Impact has coordinated events and demonstrations around the country.

More than 300 cities have seen anti-Prop. 8 demonstrations take place; despite the vast majority of those demonstrations being carried out peacefully, right-wing groups have condemned such demonstrations, claiming that gays and lesbians have acted in a systematically "violent" manner and calling those opposed to the anti-gay measure "fascists" who seek to disregard the will of the electorate.

The Jan. 10 events supporting the repeal of DOMA are also intended to be peaceful.

Said Stone, who has helped to organize the event at the church, "The purpose of the national event is to basically take to the streets again and let people know that Barack Obama made a lot of promises to the community, specifically, repealing the Defense of Marriage Act, and we’re gathering signature to send along with everybody else to make sure he stays on top of this."

Added Stone, "We want Obama to follow through on what he said when he courted our votes."

Obama came under heavy criticism from the GLBT community when he chose megachurch pastor Rick Warren--who campaigned for Prop. 8--to deliver the invocation at Obama’s inaugural, which will take place later this month.

Source: Edge

Kathy Griffin - No Longer Banned from The View

2009-01-06T10:21:00.000-08:00

Perez Hilton is reporting that the ban that was placed on Kathy Griffin from appearing on The View has now been lifted.

Kathy has been seen on television making fun of Barbara Walters in her stand up act. The View was discussing having Kathy as a co-host on the show but after her badmouthing the show the idea was nixed.

Glad to see Kathy is welcomed back!

ACLU Taking Act One to Court

2009-01-05T12:28:00.000-08:00

Just days before it's scheduled to take effect, the ACLU files a lawsuit to strike down initiated act 1.

That act would ban unmarried couples who live together from adopting or fostering children.
The ACLU says it doesn't matter if you're single, married, gay, straight or co-habiting, every prospective foster or adoptive parent should be screened on a case by case basis.

But supporters of act one say the people have already spoken and they're confident the ban will stay on the books.

At today's press conference the ACLU explained they currently have 29 plaintiffs in the suit, and more may follow.

They say whether you're single, married, or living with a partner, your household needs to be examined on a case by case basis when it comes to taking in a child.

But the Family Council Action Committee, the group behind the ban, doesn't think this lawsuit will amount to much.

"To deny a child adoption or to take a child that has already been removed from an abusive home from a loving, caring foster home from a loving, caring foster home is beyond cruel, says Meredith Scroggin who is against act 1.

"What you heard here today was just blowing a lot of smoke really on the part of the people that have opposed this act from the very beginning, says Jerry Cox with the Family Council Action Committee.

Representatives from the ACLU say they have also heard from voters who were confused by the wording on the act one ballot and weren't exactly sure what they were voting on.
The Family Council Action Committee says the language on the ballot was perfectly clear.

Source: MSNBC

Bush signs gay rights bill

2008-12-30T13:00:00.000-08:00

Call it a Christmas present for gay and lesbian couples. President Bush signed the Worker, Retiree and Employer Recovery Act of 2008 (WRERA) two days before Christmas. The new law makes it mandatory for businesses to roll over retirement benefits to a same-sex partner in the event of the employee’s death.

Previously, employers could decline and surviving same-sex partners would have to pay tax on the inheritance of the deceased partner’s retirement savings. Legally married heterosexual couples automatically avoid that tax penalty.

National LGBT rights groups hailed the move. “This legislation secures much-needed protection for lesbian and gay couples,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “Our community faces unique challenges in preparing for retirement because we are denied Social Security spousal and survivor benefits. Protecting our hard-earned retirement savings is even more crucial to us, and until now, the tax code made it that much harder.”

Source: Minnesota Independent

Gay Activists Boycott Backers of Prop 8

2008-12-29T08:53:00.000-08:00

The restaurants's crime: A daughter of the owner donated $100 to support Proposition 8, the antigay-marriage initiative approved by voters. Gay activists have refused to lift the boycott -- which restaurant managers say has slashed revenues by 30% -- even after some El Coyote employees raised $500 to help repeal the new ban.

The boycotters have demanded that the owner's daughter, El Coyote manager Marjorie Christoffersen, pony up $100 to help repeal Prop 8. She tearfully declined, citing her Mormon faith, during a raucous meeting with activists. "You are not my friend if you take my civil rights," one activist shouted before she fled the room.

In the first days after California voters reinstated the ban on Nov. 4, activists vented much of their anger in protests at Mormon and other churches that had advocated Prop 8. But they soon shifted to a new tack: compiling Internet blacklists of businesses like El Coyote, where top officials or one or more employees were found from public disclosures to have donated to the "Yes on 8" campaign.

The idea is to use gay-spending power to punish businesses the activists say discriminate against gays' right to get married. Among the dozens of businesses now being targeted for boycotts are hotels, fast-food chains and dental offices.

So far, the boycott campaign has claimed at least two high-profile casualties: Scott Eckern, artistic director of the California Musical Theatre in Sacramento, and Richard Raddon, president of the Los Angeles Film Festival. Both men resigned after their private donations to Yes on 8 were revealed and activists threatened boycotts unless they quit.

Mr. Eckern and Mr. Raddon were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members accounted for much of the $40 million in contributions raised by the Yes on 8 campaign. "The main finger we are pointing is at the Mormon Church," says Vic Gerami, a leading gay activist in West Hollywood, Calif.

Some gay-rights advocates say they don't agree with the boycotts. "We need to get it together. I mean, gang, we lost," Dana Miller, a gay television producer from Los Angeles, wrote in a Nov. 24 column in the gay magazine, In Los Angeles.

Leaders of the gay-marriage movement say they don't endorse hurting people's livelihoods, but understand why some people would. "I am not going to support a business that will not support my rights," says San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who gained national attention for allowing same-sex marriages in his city in 2004.

Some legal experts say the boycotts raise issues about the civil liberties of people who are targeted. In most cases, individuals can boycott anyone they want for almost any reason so long as they aren't representing a government institution, says Vikram Amar, associate dean of the University of California at Davis School of Law. But if the boycotts include defamatory comments that are untrue, Mr. Amar said, the target of the boycott could have grounds for a lawsuit.

"If I am just outing you because you are a Proposition 8 supporter, there is nothing the law can do," said Mr. Amar.

In compiling blacklists, activists say they have tried to make sure a business really belongs on one. They decided not to target a law firm in Los Angeles after learning that only one of the partners had donated to Yes on 8 and that the firm employed many gay attorneys, says David Stern, publisher of Frontiers Magazine, a gay publication in Los Angeles.

But the fact that many of the El Coyote's 89 employees are gay didn't spare that establishment. The cafe also has long served as a gay hangout, which is why boycott organizers say they chose to target it after they discovered Ms. Christoffersen's donation."It just hit too close to home," Mr. Gerami says.

The restaurant invited activists to a free brunch on Nov. 12 and Ms. Christoffersen read them an apology. "I am sick at heart that I have offended anyone in the gay community," the 67-year-old manager told a few dozen activists in the colorfully decorated cafe. The meeting turned ugly when she refused to renounce her support of the gay-marriage ban. "I can't change a lifetime of faith in which I believe in very deeply," she said.

LOS ANGELES -- Soon after California's passage of a initiative banning same-sex marriage last month, dozens of gay activists descended on the El Coyote restaurant with signs and placards. They chanted "Shame on you," cussed at patrons and began a boycott of the cafe.

Boisterous street protests erupted that night, prompting a sharp slowdown of El Coyote's business. While the protests have died down, the restaurant has been assailed since in online reviews.

"It's a lynch mob," says Carl Bell, 77 years old, a retired Hollywood animator who dined there on a recent afternoon. "I'm ashamed of the gay community."

At first, Ms. Christoffersen stayed away, but then returned to the cafe when the protests faded. "Tons of people have called or come in to show their support, and that has been gratifying," she said at the El Coyote on a recent evening, when several tables remained empty.

Boycotters offer little sympathy, and some even suggest they won't go back unless she quits. "Marjorie," says Mr. Gerami, "has the key to make things better."

Source: Wall Street Journal

Judge Judy on Larry King Live Talking About Proposition 8 & Gay Marriage

2008-12-24T10:14:00.000-08:00

Transgendered former Dallas mayoral candidate Jennifer Gale found dead in Austin

2008-12-18T09:49:00.000-08:00

A body found near the University of Texas campus this morning is that of perennial mayoral candidate Jennifer Gale, Austin fire officials said.

Ms. Gale, 47, a transgendered homeless former Marine, had run unsuccessfully for numerous public offices in Austin and Dallas. She finished ninth out of 11 candidates in the 2007 race for Dallas mayor.

In Dallas' 1995 mayoral race, she earned five votes as a write-in candidate.

The body was found in front of the First English Lutheran Church in the 3000 block of Whitis Avenue where Ms. Gale was staying, and officials told KVUE-TV they feel certain the body was that of Ms. Gale.
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Austin police said the medical examiner's office had not identified the body.

A crew responded to a 911 call and found the body, fire officials said. The crew performed CPR for at least 30 minutes but never felt a pulse.

Ms. Gale gained fame in Austin by repeatedly running for multiple offices, including mayor, City Council, governor and Congress. Ms. Gale was also known for attending municipal hearings where she presented arguments in song. She planned to run for Austin mayor in 2009.

Ms. Gale ran for Dallas mayor in 2007 and wanted Dallas to legally recognize gay and lesbian unions, turn the Trinity River Corridor into a working farm and extend publicly subsidized health and dental benefits to residents.

Source: Dallas News