American Defense Department Announces Outside Contractor Will Survey Military Personal On DADT Repeal To Avoid Having To Employ DADT, Moscow Mayor Bans Gay Pride March, Expedia Gets Gay, Morocco Gay Magazine Debuts, Pee-Wee Herman Broadway Bound, Ryan Phillippe, Chace Crawford

The Boston Globe reports that the American Defense Department has authorized the hiring of an outside contractor to confidentially gather opinions of troops and their families regarding the repeal of the military’s policy that prohibits gay men and women from serving openly. The hiring, according to authorities, is to enable information to be gathered without identifying gay service members, who, if the Pentagon conducted interviews, would face disciplinary action under the policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” According to the Globe, “the contractor, Westat, a Maryland research firm with experience surveying military communities, will gather information from 350,000 troops and their families, including from homosexual service members. The company will use that data to assess the possible impact of a change in policy on military effectiveness and identify possible changes needed in military recruiting, housing, spousal benefits, and other areas, according to the officials.” Representative Barney Frank, a Democrat from Massachusetts, who is on record expressing concern that the Pentagon review will be employed as an excuse to delay any action to overturn the ban on openly gay personal, said “This survey should not be used a substitute for making a decision to repeal the policy.”

Once again, Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov has banned a gay pride march planned for May 28th, citing safety and security concerns. The organizers of Slavic Gay Pride requested to hold a march down a street in central Moscow, but that that request was rejected by city hall, who did not offer an alternative route, according to one of the organizers, Nikolai Alexeyev. “There was no alternative. They gave the same reason as last year, about security and the possibility of riots,” said Alexeyev, who added that the city’s ruling would be contested in court.

Thursday, Expedia opened its first LGBT store, featuring fifteen gay-friendly cities, alongside mini gay guides. Expedia has partnered with the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association to locate LGBT welcoming hotels.

Although homosexuality remains illegal in Morocco, the publishers of a new gay magazine Mithly – an Arabic word that translates to “the same as me” - has been, according to the owners, a success. The initial issue has sold over 200 copies, and the magazine aims to modernize the subject of homosexuality and reduce the hysteria that often accompanies coverage by the mainstream media of gay issues.

The Pee-Wee Herman experience is coming to Broadway, Paul Reubens announcing that The Pee-Wee Herman Show will begin a limited six-week, forty-eight performance engagement beginning October 26th at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.

Ryan Phillippe spotted Wednesday at the New York City premiere of MacGruber.



Chace Crawford spotted Thursday at the CW Network Upfront in New York City.