Ontario Public Library Systems Filters Word Gay, Post-Suicide Of 15 Year Old Billy Lucas Indiana Schools District Implements Anti-Bullying Initiatives, Anti-Gay Hate Messages Left On Billy Lucas Memorial Page, Anti-Gay Marriage Speech Lawsuit Dismissed, Anderson Cooper Boyfriend Benjamin Maisnai Opens New Bar, Jeremy Renner, German Male Gymnasts Goodness

According to the Toronto Sun, a public library in south-western Ontario is being accused of censoring web searches based on sexual orientation, Sarah Fraleigh last week unable to log onto GayCanada.com, a social networking site, at a Chatham-Kent Public Library. “The GayCanada site is a way for gay people to contact people who are similar and for many it’s their only way to communicate, as many of us life in smaller communities in this municipality and may not have many people we can talk to where this site offers us the chance. These sites are no different in nature than Facebook, and I can certainly say it’s much better in content than several other sites that can be accessed through the public library.” Fraleigh said she was able to log into sites like “Fuckme.com,” prompting her to ask “Would the f-word not be a word to filter over the word gay?” Director of library services Kathryn Goodhue said that the word ‘gay’ should not have been blocked, and that the municipality intends to purchase an improved filtering system. She added that during the interim, those seeking to access gay-friendly sites can speak to library staff who can manually bypass the filter, although Goodhue thinks that solution is unsatisfactory. “How fair is that? Do other people have to announce their orientation to use the computer? Regardless of the whether this is technological glitch or not, and aside from any moral judgement, it is discrimination based on a person’s sexual orientation and therefore highly illegal.”

WISH-8 is reporting that one week after 15 year old Billy Lucas, allegedly bullied and tormented throughout his schooling beginning at age ten, took his own life, Greensburg Indiana Community Schools Superintendent Tom Hunter issued a video statement Friday saying “This is more than just a tragedy, it is devastating and our hearts go out to his family as they deal with this great personal loss. All of us at Greensburg have been proud of the programs and educational experiences we have provided for our students, but this situation has caused us to question whether we have done enough.” Now, in wake of Billy’s suicide and the international attention it has brought, Hunter says the Schools District has created an action plan, working with the Indiana Department of Education on an anti-bullying program for the school, in addition to a community advisory committee and a request for funding for a full time counsellor to deal with issues surrounding bullying. Meanwhile, WRTV-6 reports that a number of hate messages were left on memorial page for Billy Lucas, including many mocking the presumed sexual orientation of the 15 year old.

Friday, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously overturned a lower court decision allowing a lawsuit of Los Angeles City College student Jonathan Lopez to proceed; Lopez having claimed that a teacher illegally castigated him in class for making a speech opposing same sex marriage, NBC Los Angeles reports. A three-judge panel ruled that Lopez failed to demonstrate he was harmed by the incident that occurred days after California voters in November, 2008 voted to pass Proposition 8 – the amendment that effectively eliminated the right of gay men and women to marry in the state. Lopez alleges that LACC speech instructor John Matteson interrupted him midway through an speech when he quoted the dictionary definition of marriage and recited two Biblical verses. He also alleges that Matteson called him a “fascist bastards.”

Benjamin Maisani opened his new bar Bedlam last week -“the new bar and lounge captures the mood of late 19th- century parlour life – think Edith Wharton or Robert Louis Stevenson.” Among those attending opening night Anderson Cooper (Benjamin’s boyfriend), Alan Cumming, Sarah Jessica Parker and husband Matthew Broderick.

Jeremy Renner is seriously sexy in GQ.

The 2010 Berlin Artistic Gymnastics Championships brings a small sampling of some smoking sexy German gymnasts, in particular 23 year old Marcel Ngyuen, a ginger-haired goodness, and one Brian Gladow.