Not Gay Adam Giambrone Quits Toronto Mayoral Race, Florida Gay Adoption Ban Takes Another Hit, San Francisco School Board Votes In Favour Of Expanding LGBTQ Programs, Does Debate Over Repealing DADT Foster Acceptance Of Gay Military Personal

Adam Giambrone, the 32 year old head of the Toronto Transit Commission who announced February 1st his intention to run for mayor of the city, has withdrawn, awkwardly, and oddly. Giambrone, long-rumoured to be gay, became embroiled in sex scandal – albeit straight – when details of multiple affairs circulated. There have been a number of suggestions that Giambrone’s campaign coordinators were responsible for authoring the scandal, meant to confirm his heterosexuality, and stifle rumours that he is in fact gay.

Another setback for the state of Florida’s gay adoption ban, as the Department of Children and Families Tuesday reversed a year-long ruling and agreed to provide the state’s adoption subsidy to the teen aged son of gay man. The DCF agreed in writing to offer the adopted son of Wayne LaRue Smith, a Key West attorney, subsidized college tuition, health insurance, and other benefits offered through the program. LaRue Smith had been raising the boy in foster care and applied to adopt him, a request approved by a Monroe County, Florida judge in 2008, who ruled the state’s adoption laws were unconstitutional. In the Florida, gay men and women can be licensed as foster parents, but, due to a 1977 law, cannot adopt.

An update to a previous post, the San Francisco school board voting Tuesday to approve funding for increases in instruction and services relating to gay and lesbian issues. The approved resolution calls for the addition of a district position to manage LGBTQ youth issues, and requires the district to monitor discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation, as well as distribute educational material to parents yearly encouraging them to discuss sexuality, gender identity, and safety with their children. Despite the city’s reputation as gay-friendly, LGBTQ students still suffer on average inordinate discrimination and harassment, and are often unmotivated to either perform well or to attend school because of an unsafe, unwelcoming environment.

With the repeal of American military ban on gay men and women serving openly now becoming a reality, is the climate of acceptance and tolerance changing or is the culture of homophobia, propped up by an exaggerated sense of masculinity innate?