Supporters Of Same Sex Marriage Denied Communion Sunday In St. Paul Minnesota

Minnesota Public Radio reports that in St. Paul, church officials denied communion to a small delegation of Catholics who wore rainbow sashes to mass at the St. Paul Cathedral, the sashes meant to send a statement of support for same sex marriage. The silent protest is an annual event for a decade now, each year organizers ask the archbishop via a letter for permission to participate in the Eucharist while wearing the sash. A spokesperson for the St. Paul –Minneapolis Archdiocese said it would by sacrilege to give the Eucharist to those using communion to make a political statement, Dennis McGrath saying “There’s no question that they’re free to receive communion without the sash. But they’re wearing the sash to advance their own protest. And communion time must never be used for political or protest statement. It’s that simple.” Brendt Vanderlinden and his wife wore sashes, Brendt saying that church officials politicised the Eucharist when the archdiocese recently mailed thousands of church members state-wide an anti-gay marriage DVD. “We’re saying that by sending out the DVD and taking a strong stand of something that is really a civil political issue,” Vanderlinden said. You know, whether the state is going to legalise gay marriage is a civil political issue. The church doesn’t have to take a stand on that” Mr. and Mrs. Vanderlinden say they wore the sash to show support for their son, who is gay.

American Library Association Announces That For First Time Gay And Lesbian Literature Will Be Honoured With Awards

The American Library Association announced that their annual selection of children’s prizes for literature – which includes both the influential Caldecott and Newbery medals, and are announced in January, will for the first time include an award for gay and lesbian literary, the Associated Press reporting that the library association will issue a statement Monday saying that the Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Literature Association have been added the ALA’s Youth Medal Awards, important since the award selections are used by educators and librarians to determine which new books to add to their collection. The Stonewall prize honours “English-language works for children and teens of exceptional merit in relation to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered experience.” Stonewall has for forty years bestowed awards for the best adult books, but this is the first year a children’s category has been created. The decision is critical because books with gay and lesbian themes are often high on the association’s annual report of works most criticised and threatened with removal by parents and educators, the acclaimed, beautiful “And Tango Makes Three,” Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell’s picture story about two male penguins who become parents topping the list from 2007-2009. Roberta Stevens, the American Library Association president, said that “Ours is a very inclusive profession and we represent a wide variety of viewpoints,” who added that the decision to include the Stonewall prize was made well ahead of the recent rash of suicides by teens thought to be the victims of anti-gay bullying. She also said “Millions of children in this country are being raised by gay or lesbian parents. There are young people who are gay and sometimes feel very alone. This is a real opportunity for youths who may be felling along to read about others like themselves.”

Attorneys For Dharun Ravi And Molly Wei Begin Campaign To Clear Clients Charged In Suicide Of Tyler Clementi; Dispute Allegations That The Two Saw Any Sexual Contact; Initiate Smearing Of Clementi’s Character

Steven Altman and Rubin Sinins, the attorneys who represent Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei respectively, tell the Star-Ledger that the secret webcam stream that recorded 18 year old Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi engaged in an intimate encounter with another man September 19th was seen on a single computer and that the images captured did not show the two having sex. Ravi and Wei are both charged with invasion of privacy for allegedly using the webcam to watch Clementi in a sexual encounter, that was allegedly broadcast online, Clementi committing suicide September 22, a day after the two alleged attempted to once again view Clementi in an intimate encounter. Steve Altman, Ravi’s attorney says “When the forensic evidence from all the seized computers if revealed, the truth will come out. Nothing was transmitted beyond one computer and what was seen was only viewed for a matter of seconds.” Sinins, the attorney for Wei says “I’m unaware of any evidence of sexual conduct. The statute defining sexual conduct refers to nudity and private parts, and, to my knowledge, nothing like that was seen. I’m also unaware of any evidence that any video was recorded, reproduced or disseminated in any way.” Sean Yan, a friend of Wei, says that she said “Dharun came in to my room and turned on my computer to web chatting. We watched for two minutes.” Wei added that she saw Clementi and a male kissing, the latter she described as “kind of sketchy,” with ragged clothes and a scruffy beard. That night, September 19th, Ravi used his Twitter to tell his 150 followers that he and Wei saw his roommate “making out with a dude.” Two days later, September 21st, Ravi posted another message to his Twitter, telling his followers to tune in to a video chatting site to watch Clementi and another man. Both Ravi and Wei have withdrawn from Rutgers University, Ravi free on $25,000 bail and Wei free on her own recognizance. No court date has been scheduled.

Hundreds March In Moscow Protesting European Human Rights Ruling That Gay Pride Parades Must Be Permitted, Hundreds Of Thousands Participant In Taiwan Gay Pride Parade, Conference In China Calls On Families To Support Gay Sons And Daughters, Gay-Positive Chicago Synagogue Targeted In Thwarted Mail Bomb Attack, Jacksonville Gays Pressure City To Add Sexual Orientation To Anti-Discrimination Ordinance

Saturday, over 1,000 anti-gay protestors assembled in Bolotnaya Square, Moscow, the demonstration organised by a number of Orthodox organisations meant to be a en masse disapproval of gay pride parades, the legalisation of same sex marriages, and the purported advancing of immoral propaganda, that according to a report from RiaNovosti.com. The rally arrives after a recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that found Moscow’s ban on gay parades is illegal. Amid cries of “We don’t need gay parades,” Vladimir Khomyakov, the co-chair of the Narodny Sober (People’s Gathering) Orthodox organisation said “Despite the stories about our belligerent homophobia, we have never urged and are not urging to destroy gay clubs and attack gays. We have come to claim that the ECHR ruling is a gross interference in Russia’s domestic affairs and a violation of the Russian constitution and international law.”

A Taiwanese gay advocacy group, Taiwan LGBT Pride said Sunday that a gay right rally held Saturday through the streets of Taipei was the largest ever held in the country, Rex Shau, a spokesperson say “The rally was a big success as the turnout was bigger than we expected,” telling the AFP that at 30,000 has participated in the gay pride parade. Parade organisers say they hoped the event helped elevate gay and lesbian issues higher up on the political agenda in five cities ahead of mayoral elections to take place in less than a month, the results of which will be regarded as a mid-term test of Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou. Said Shau “While we hoped the rally would raise awareness of gays and lesbians, the rally also aimed to vie for substantial support from the elections candidates. Some politicians just paid lip service, never taking real steps to adopt non-discrimination measures.” In 2003, Taiwan’s cabinet created a controversial bill to legalise same sex marriage, and to recognise the right of gay couples to adopt children, which if passed, would make Taiwan the first country in Asia to do so. However, years later, both measures have yet to pass, and gay activists regard the bill’s creation as a ploy to court voters.

Saturday and Sunday, over 200 gays and lesbians, accompanied by their parents gathered in a small conference room in a non-descript Beijing hotel room, there to call for families to accept and support gays, Xinhuanet.com reports.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that a small, progressive synagogue in Edgewater which serves gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Jews was one of the targets of foiled mail bombs. Lilli Kornblum, the co-president of Or Chadash, a North Side congregation of about 100 members, said “We are somewhat alarmed and somewhat disturbed. We’re a very, very small, which is why we’re surprised we would draw anyone’s attention. We are taking it very seriously. But to be quite frank, for most of use it’s not that different than a regular day in terms of going about our security because we’re always on a heightened sense of alert.” No one is certain why Chicago area synagogues were targeted – there are reports that between two and four, including the Or Chadash, were the subjects of threats.

Jacksonville, Florida remains the only major metropolitan area in the state does not have a measure that would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, and according to a report from the Associated Press, gay rights activists are meeting with business leaders to gather support for a proposed measure that would reverse that oversight and add sexual orientation and gender to the city’s current ordinance.

Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council Last Minute Attack On Louisiana Republican Who Voted For Hate Crimes Prevention Act And Repeal Of DADT, Is Glee The New Heroes, The Battle Between Ron Howard And GLAAD, James Marsden Modern Family Picture, Lyndon Ogbourne

The Tony Perkins headed Family Research Council Action political action committee has initiated a campaign against Louisiana Representative Anh Joseph Cao, Republican from New Orleans because he supports gay equality, NOLA.com reporting that an advertisement has appeared days before the election portraying Cao as a politician whose support for homosexual rights at the expense of religious liberty. Perkins said that Cao’s “record is dismal on our issues,” and added that Cao was the only Republican candidate condemned by the anti-gay, barely relevant FRC. The ad says in part “Cao has repeatedly voted for extra protections for homosexuals at the cost of religious liberty. Cao voted to use the military to advance the radical social agendas of homosexual activists and he voted for a so-called hate crimes bill that places your personal liberties at jeopardy.” Mr. Cao did co-sponsor both the Matthew Shepard James Byrd Hate Crimes Protection Act of 2009 and House legislation to repeal the policy that prohibits openly gay service members, and he said of the FRC attacks “I believe it is a human rights violation to impose government-sanctioned penalties on a group of people just because of their sexual orientation, just as it would be a human rights violation to impose penalties on a group because of its religious affiliation or race. I will continue to fight for the protection of human rights for all people.”

As Glee aimlessly ambles into its second season, Movieline.com suggest the show is the new Heroes.

Entertainment Weekly examines the dilemma over the inclusion of a gay joke that isn’t a joke at all in Ron Howard’s soon to be released The Dilemma as well as Anderson Cooper’s now famous referencing of the trailer and GLAAD’s demand that the line – “electric cars are gay” – be removed and Howard’s refusal to do so. The conclusion: both Howard and GLAAD are right and wrong.

Eric Stonestreet tweets a picture of Modern Family guest-star James Marsden, looking seriously sexy.

Emmerdale’s Lyndon Ogbourne makes an appearance on Guys with iPhones sandwiched into a pair of teeny, tiny, tight white briefs. (Site NSFW)

Suspect In Attack On Retired Priest Who Abused He And Brother Surrenders To Police And Released On Bail, Christian Couple Challenge In Court British Council Decision To Ban Them As Foster Parents Because Of Their Vehement Opposition To Homosexuality, Candidates For School Board In Southern Utah Suggest If Elected They Will Eliminate All Gay-Straight Alliances

Will Lynch, a 43 year old resident of San Francisco was freed on bail Friday after he surrendered to authorities on his own, Lynch accused of assault for allegedly attacking a 65 year old Jesuit priest in May, a priest Lynch argues molested him when he was 7 years old, reports KUTV. Investigators insist that Lynch went to the Jesuit Sacred Heart Retirement Center in Los Gatos, California this past spring, identified himself as Eric, and asked to speak to Father Jerold Lindner about a death in the family. He then allegedly beat Lindner. Lynch’s attorney said that he and his brother were molested by Lindner over thirty years ago during a camping trip in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Pat Harris saying “He took the two of them out in the woods. He sexually abused both of them. Forced them to actually also have sex with each other. And then physically tortured them as well. That’s the history here.” Lindner, who remains in residence at the retirement home, was never criminally charged with sexual abuse, however there does exist a $625,000 settlement with the brothers. Father John P. McGarry of the Jesuits of the California Province said “We do everything we can to reach out to those who have been allegedly harmed by any of our members and we do everything we can to bring about reconciliation and healing.” If Lynch is found guilty he could be sentenced to four years in prison.

Eunice and Owens Johns, a self-described Christian couple, are to appear before England’s High Court Monday there to request clarification after the Derby City Council banned the straight couple from becoming foster parents because of their views on homosexuality, the Telegraph reporting that the Christian Legal Centre, which is representing the two, arguing the future of Christian foster carers and adoptive parents “hangs in the balance.” The couple have acted as foster parents for over twenty years, and in 2007 applied again, however Derby City Council rejected their application when it became apparent that their traditional understanding of family meant that their views would be anti-gay. The challenged the council, and were allowed to reapply in 2008, but the adoption panel failed to find a final decision. A spokesperson for the Christian Legal Centre said “It may not be long before local authorities decide that Christians cannot look after some of the most vulnerable children in our society, simply because they disapprove of homosexuality,” adding that “Research clearly establishes that children flourish best in a family with both a mother and father in a committed relationship, like the Johns have.” Ben Summerskill, the chief executive of Stonewall, said “Too often in fostering cases nowadays it’s forgotten that it is the interests of a child, and not the prejudices of a parent, that matter. On the evidence available to us, Derby City Council have clearly made a sensible decision. Many Christian parents of gay children will be shocked at Mr. and Mrs. Johns’ views which are more redolent of the 19th century than the 21st.”

In Utah, the Salt Lake Tribune reports that two candidates for seats on the Washington County School District Board, challenging incumbents, have gone on record saying that intend to deteriorate or eliminate entirely the Gay-Straight Alliance clubs at four southern Utah high schools. They say that the clubs, formed only this past March after pressure from the Utah chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, do not reflect the community’s conservative values.

California Department Of Motor Vehicle Employee Sends Anti-Gay Letter To Transgender Woman

The California Department of Motor Vehicles is investigating after a San Francisco transgender woman was sent a hate-filled anti-gay letter deemed her to be an abomination, reports ABC-7. Last week, Amber Yust went to the San Francisco Department of Motor Vehicles to change the name on her driver’s license, and this past Monday she received a letter sent to her home, the author claiming to be the DMV clerk who helped her, telling her that being transgender is “evil.” He also pleaded with her not to complete her gender reassignment, included a reference to a Biblical passage, and wrote that “Let (gays) be put to death.” Yust said “I was shocked to receive this letter from the person who processed my paperwork at the DMV. I would never have expected that a DMV employee could use information from my name change application to reach out and personally attack me. This has been a traumatic experience for me and I want to ensure that nothing like this happens to anyone else.” The DMV is investigating, but a spokesperson for the agency released a statement that read in part “This is a personal disciplinary matter which the department does not discuss, but the DMV does not condone or tolerate the access or use of personal information for non work-related purposes.”

Ron Howard Refuses To Remove Gay “Joke” From The Dilemma, Johnny Weir Urges Bullied Youth To Make Living The Way You Want To Live Your Statement, Shia LaBeouf Shirtless, Ryan Gosling Sexiness

Ron Howard tells the Los Angeles Times that a gay joke in his film The Dilemma will remain, despite demands that the joke, spoken by Vince Vaughn’s character Robbie Valentine, saying that an electric car is “gay,” most famously by Anderson Cooper, who said of the trailer “we’ve got to do something to make those words unacceptable, ‘cause those words are hurting kids.” Universal Pictures pulled the trailer, replacing it with one absent of any gay humour. Howard’s defence – exhaustive and thorough – rests on the idea that he defends “the right for some people to express offense at a joke as strongly as I do the right for that joke to be in a film.” I think the part missed in all the discussions to date is that using the word “gay” in pejorative way is not, um, funny.

Johnny Weir, interviewed for Eye Weekly, is asked how he feels about the recent rash of gay youth suicides precipitated by bullying, Weir saying “I don’t feel myself as a preacher for anyone aside from people that feels a little but different and feel unique and feel that they want to express themselves. I’m from a tiny, tiny village in the middle of Pennsylvania ... that was literally 99.86 per cent Christian Caucasians. And Amish. To come from there, and be what I am today, it’s – it’s not an easy road. I’ve been bullied nearly every day of my life. Today, how many times was I called ma’am today? I think four times today. Or, you know, constantly being called ‘faggot’ in school. It’s awful. But those things make you stronger. It’s so distressing to see what’s actually happening with these kids that feel so alone and so weak and it’s so sad and I mean, I can relate in a way that I’ve been bullied. I’ve never been hit or beat up. Friends of mine have – have been dragged behind trucks. I am aware of what’s going in the world. But suicide is never the answer. If you want to send a message, live. And live the way that you want to live. And let that be your statement to the world. You have to be strong. Suicide is an easy way out of a problem.”

Shia LaBeouf seen shirtless on the set of Transformers Thursday.

Ryan Gosling spotted on set of Drive Thursday, smoking sexy.

Mega Church Pastor Jim Swilley Comes Out; “I Know A Lot Of Straight People Think It Is A Choice. It Is Not”

Jim Swilley, the bishop of Conyer’s Church in the Now in Rockdale County, Georgia, has come out, WSBTV.com reporting that the 52 year old hopes that his coming out will change attitudes towards homosexuality, saying “I know a lot of straight people think it is a choice. It is not.” Swilley founded the church 25 years ago, married, with four children, his wife Debye, an associate pastor, knowing his sexual orientation from the start, adding “I think some women marry gay men because they really think they can change them.” The couple are now divorced, Swilley saying that it was time to stop living a lie. He came out to his children and to his congregation, and says that the rash of recent gay teen suicides a motivating factor. “As a father, thinking about your 16, 17 year old killing themselves. I thought somebody needed to say something.” Swilley says he has received support from his congregation, however one Christian blog has deemed him sick, twisted, unclean, and an “instrument of the devil.” Says Willey, “I know all the hateful stuff that’s being written about me online, whatever. To think about saving a teenager yeah, I’ll risk my reputation for that.”

University Of Michigan Openly Gay Student Assembly President Chris Armstrong Files Request To Have Anti-Gay Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell Disbarred

University of Michigan Student Assembly President Chris Armstrong filed a request Friday to have Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell disbarred, Ann Arbour.com reports, Armstrong released a statement that read in part “I felt I could not stand by and let Mr. Shirvell continue his reckless, bullying behaviour." Armstrong, the first openly gay student body president at U of M, has been attacked by Shirvell since taking office in the spring, Shirvell alleging that Armstrong was using the position as president to advance a “radical homosexual agenda.” Today, Armstrong asked that an investigation be initiated to disbar Shirvell, who was admitted to the bar in 2007, on “the grounds that he has repeatedly violated the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct by making obviously false, disgusting and utterly outlandish allegations about Armstrong’s lifestyle and personal behaviour and by trying to get Armstrong ousted from a summer internship on Capitol Hill.”Armstrong cited the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 8.4, which states “it is a professional; misconduct for a lawyer to ... engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation or violation of the criminal law, where such conduct reflects adversely on the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer.” Monday, Armstrong dropped request for a personal protection order against Shirvell. On Tuesday, a request made by the University of Michigan of Public Safety for stalking charges against Shirvell was denied by Washtenaw County prosecutors. Early Friday, Shirvell met with U of M to appeal a trespass order that bars him from any and all university owned property. Next week, Shirvell is scheduled to appear before a state Civil Service Commission to face possible disciplinary actions after taking a personal leave of absence from his position three weeks ago.

Canadian Federal Court Of Appeals To Hear Quarter-Century Old Anti-Gay Discrimination Case Brought By Former Civil Servant Paul Richard

Monday, the Canadian Federal Court of Appeals will begin hearings in the case of 69 year old Paul Richard, who alleges, according to the Canadian Press, that throughout his career a civil servant from 1978-1985, he was routinely treated unfairly because he is gay. Mr. Richard first filed a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission in August, 2005, claiming to have been the victim of systemic abuse by supervisors and colleagues. He addressed the lateness of the complaint, saying that struggles with his mental state preventing him from filing earlier. Richard refilled the complaint in 2007, and in August, 2009, the Commission said it would not hear the case, stating that the government had demonstrated that the lengthy delay would damage its ability to defend itself considerably. However, in April, 2010, the Federal Court rejected Richard’s challenge of the commission’s ruling, and on appeal, the court will hear arguments beginning November 1st. The federal government contends that any documents relevant to the events would have been destroyed, making a fair hearing impossible, a brief filed on behalf of the government saying “it is highly unlikely that the witnesses would presently be able to provide reliable evidence.” Richard counters that the government has had five years to search for witnesses and for documents, but has failed to outline any attempts to locate documents or witnesses. Richard, in court documents, says he has been successful in tracking down several relevant people, stating “Simple Internet searches, without any of the vast resources available to the federal government, have made this possible with only a few hours work.” Richard is requesting that the appeal court order the commission to hear his complaint or to render a decision based on the evidence before it, and added that a hearing on his complaint would both help him seek justice and open a window on a time when equality for gays in the workplace did not exist.

Noose Discovered At Santa Ana Offices Of Equality California; Attending Police Officer Suggests “Sometimes You Just Have To Live With Being A Victim”

A noose was discovered hanging from a doorknob at the offices of Equality California Thursday night when 25 year old Mel Distel, a volunteer returned to her office to find the obvious threat, but as the Orange County Register reports, she was ultimately more upset by the cavalier attitude of the attending officers that she and another Equality California staff member Daniel Shad shared. “There was nothing they could do, of course, there was no suspect and no crime had been committed. The officer said ‘what it is, is a string on a door.’ My vision got blurry, I was embarrassed and felt stupid for making the call. I took a deep breath and said ‘Do you see any correlation between the fact that this is a gay office and there was a noose left on our door in the wake of all these teen suicide?’ The officer said, ‘Sometimes you just have to live with being a victim,’ and proceeded to mention that his car had been broken into before,’” wrote Distel of the incident on her Facebook page. Friday, Distel said the noose “was shocking. It struck me as something that could escalate, something that was definitely meant to be hurtful.” She added that she “absolutely” intends to file a formal complaint about the police response. The offices of Equality California – unmarked save for a rainbow flag – were being used Thursday night on behalf of Assembly candidate Melissa Fox, who issued a statement that read in part that the hanging of the noose was a “despicable and hateful act, clearly intended to threaten and intimidate Equality California and other supporters of marriage equality from exercising our Constitutional rights to free speech and free association.” The police department has yet to comment.

Grand Jury Indicts Three More In Connection To Gang Anti-Gay Attacks In Bronx. Second Suspect In Shooting Murder Of Transgendered Woman Surrenders To New Jersey Police, New York Sets Up Anti-Gay Violence Task Force

A grand jury indicted three accused members of the Latin Goonies Gang Thursday for their alleged participation in the horrific gay bashing attack on two male teens, and two male adults in the Bronx earlier this month, reports the New York Daily News. 23 year old Elmer Cofresi, 17 year old Nelson Falu, and 22 year old Ruddy Vargas are charged with multiple hate crimes in connection to the anti-gay attacks, bringing the number to seven of those suspects charged. Earlier this week, prosecutors dropped all charges against four teens held in custody, citing a lack of evidence. All seven defendants are due back in court November 23rd.

Sunday, the second suspect in the shooting murder of 28 year old transgender woman Victoria Carmen White surrendered to police, reports the New Jersey Star Ledger, 23 year old Alrashim Chambers turning himself in without incident. He and 25 year old Marquise Foster have been charged with murder and weapons offenses in the slaying of White September 12th. The prosecutor’s bias crimes unit is investigating and both men are likely to face an additional charge of bias intimidation since authorities believe White’s murder was precipitated by a discovery of her sexual orientation “during the course of their interactions.” Both men are being held in custody.

Meanwhile, a Hate Crimes Task Force has been created, Kings County New York District Attorney Charles J. Hynes making the announcement that his office and the Task Force will put into place initiatives meant to protect members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community, reports Empire State News. One of the programs – Project Reach Out – will provide resources and support to members of the community surviving violence. The Task Force is also creating a 24-hour hotline that hate crime victims can call, Hynes saying that “Often, biased crime victims are hesitant to come forward and report crimes against them. It is a scary and traumatic experience for them. They may not want to call 911 or walk into their local precinct. The new hotline can help those people.”

Betty White For Marriage Equality; Reminds Others To “Mind Your Own Business”

88 year old Betty White graces the cover of this weekend’s Parade magazine, and inside she says of her cemented status of gay icon “Gays love old ladies,” and adds that “I don’t care who anybody sleeps with. If a couple have been together all that time – and there are gay relationships that are more solid than some heterosexuals ones – I think it’s fine if they want to get married. I don’t know how people can get so anti-something. Mind you own business, take care of your affairs, and don’t worry about other people so much.”

Hung Jury In Trial Of 18 Year Old John Katehis Accused Of Murdering Openly Gay George Weber

The trial of 18 year old John Katehis, accused of murdering 47 year old George Weber, ended Thursday in a hung jury, the New York Daily News reporting that “One lone juror was the holdout, refusing to vote with the 11 others who stood ready to convict” Katehis. Weber, a WABC New York newsman, went online to hire the then 16 year old Katehis off Craigslist to act out a staged sadomasochist scene. That went horribly wrong, and Weber ended up stabbed multiple times, and despite the “50 stab wounds Weber suffered, the unidentified female juror holdout “refused to believe they proved intent. Prosecutor Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi promised a new trial.

Dharun Ravi And Molly Wei Reportedly Withdraw From Rutgers University; Wei Continued Class Days After Tyler Clementi Committed Suicide

Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei – the two Rutgers students accused of secretly spying on Ravi’s dorm roommate Tyler Clementi – have each withdrawn from the university, reports the New Jersey Star-Ledger. Wei’s attorney, Rubin Sinins says that the 18 year old wrote to Rutgers and asked to “withdraw without prejudice” after Clementi, an 18 year old freshman, jumped to his death from the George Washington Bridge realising that Ravi, aided by Wei, had live streamed at least one sexual encounter with another man online September 19th. Wei, who stands charged with two counts of invasion of privacy, will likely face disciplinary action if she were to return to Rutgers, including possible expulsion. Her attorney added that “She is a student in good standing, has not been convicted of anything but had concerns for her safety.” Apparently, Wei had been e-mailing her professors to assignments and had continued her classes in the days following Clementi committed suicide, but eventually withdrew, and may apply to other universities. Ravi, also 18 years old, is charged with two counts of invasion of privacy, as well as an additional invasion of privacy count for allegedly setting up a webcam a second time to capture Clementi in another encounter September 21st. He is free on $25,000 bail, Wei on her own recognizance, prosecutors still determining whether to upgrade the charges to bias crimes because of Clementi’s sexual orientation. A Rutgers spokesperson refused to comment of Ravi’s status as a student, forbidden to do so under federal privacy laws.

Zachary Quinto Opening Night Angels In America

Mr. Zachary Quinto spotted attending the opening night party for the New York City revival of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America at Pio Pio Thursday.

Pentagon Survey Finds Majority Of Personal Favour Repeal Of Military Ban On Openly Gay Personal, Sophia Bush Addresses The Games Anti-Gay Hate And Gets Labelled A Racist, Angels In American Opens To Glowing Praise, Chris Pine On Set Sexiness

A majority of active-duty and reserve United States service members and their families surveyed by the Defense Department would not object to serving and living alongside openly gay personal, according to NBC News as reported by the Associated Press, both of whom referenced an anonymous source. The results of the Pentagon survey are thought to be included in a report due December 1st to President Obama regarding how the military would go about ending enforcement of the policy known as “don’t ask don’t tell.”Some, but far from a majority of those surveyed objected strongly to the idea of serving with openly gay service members, and suggested that they would end their military careers if the policy were repealed. The survey is based on 400,000 questionnaires sent in July by the Pentagon and although the Defense Department would not comment, it is believed that an estimated 103,000 surveys were completed prior to the due date.

Previously I posted about The Game and his anti-gay hate tweet, and now Sophia Bush – an ally of the gay community – has taken to Twitter to offer a response of sorts, the One Tree Hill star writing “Homophobia is the new racism. It depresses me to see men like 50 Cent and The Game, who are minorities, supporting bigotry. So, so sad.”

The New York City revival of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America opened Thursday, the reviews ranging from “powerful” to “relevant” to “soaring,” the New York Times praising the reinterpretation of the canonized work and of an “excellent” Zachary Quinto.

Quinto’s Star Trek co-star, the perfect Chris Pine, spotted on set in Vancouver Thursday, hard at work on the upcoming film This Means War.

Anti-Gay Wisconsin Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch’s Openly Gay Uncle Deeply Disappointed In Her Recent Ridiculous Remarks That Gay Marriage Would Lead To Marrying Clocks

Chris Pfauser, the openly gay uncle of Wisconsin Lt. Governor candidate Rebecca Kleefisch, tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he is incredibly “disappointed” at statements made by Kleefisch earlier this year condemning the state’s new domestic partnership registry, deeming it both fiscally irresponsible and in direct contradiction with Biblical beliefs, saying at one point “This is a slippery slope in addition to that. At what point are we going to OK marrying inanimate objects, Can I marry this table or this, you know, clock? Can we marry dogs? This is ridiculous.” She apologised Thursday, saying she used a “poor choice of words.” Her uncle, however, has not accepted the apology, Mr. Pfauser having been in an 18 year long-term relationship with Rob Gow, saying she is less than sincere. He warned that if elected, Kleefisch is likely to work to repeal the domestic partnership registry and end a decision by Governor Jim Doyle to extend domestic partner benefits to state employees. He added “I don’t feel she is qualified – ever less qualified than Sarah Palin would have been for the VP role. At least Sarah had some government experience. Becky has been a journalist and to my knowledge never managed a person in her life, needless to say a state and thousand of state workers.”

Arkansas School Board Member Resigns While Appearing On CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360; Disowns Comments Posted To Facebook Suggesting He Would Celebrate Gay Youth Suicides; Tells Cooper He Fears For His And Family’s Safety

Clint McCance has resigned. While appearing on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, the dangerously ant-gay Arkansas school board member who wrote on his Facebook page last Wednesday on Spirit Day, a day set aside to remember gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered youth who were victims of bullying or suicide, “Seriously they want me to wear purple because five queers committed suicide. The only way I’m wearin’ it for them is if the all commit suicide. I can’t believe the people of this world have gotten this stupid. We are honouring the fact that they sinned and killed themselves because of their sin.” Tonight, after a week of condemnation and calls that McCance resign, he told Cooper “I’m sorry I’ve hurt people with my comments. I’m sorry I made those ignorant comments and hurt people on a broad spectrum. I would never support suicide for any kids. I don’t support bullying of any kids. I’d like to extend apologies to those families that have lost children, for all those children who feel that suicide is the only way out, especially for the five families who have already lost children,” adding “I brought more hurt on them ... they didn’t deserve that and I do feel genuinely bad for them.” Though he says he disapproves of homosexuality, he told Cooper that “I give everyone a chance and try to love everyone.” He said that since his homophobic comments had been made public, he has received “thousands of phone calls, hate mails, people threatening to kill my family and me,” adding that he has sent his wife and two daughters out of the state because he fears for their safety, and that he has been forced to install a security system at his home. “I’m reaping what I’ve sown,” he said. I’ve had a lot of hate speech thrown at me and my family on every level.” Earlier Thursday, according to the Arkansas Times, an estimated 35 demonstrators gathered in front of Midland High School Thursday morning to protest McCance, the Midland School Board member recently re-elected to another four-year term. A small contingent of counter-protestors were on hand Thursday, 10 or so, including a preacher, all of whom arrived in a pick-up truck waving an American and a Christian flag. They said they were there not stand up for gays or straights, but to “stand up for God.”

Brian Burke On Son Brendan’s Unfinished Work And Sport As The Last Bastion Of Homophobia, The Game Tweets Anti-Gay Hatred, Chris Colfer’s Character Kurt To Get Kissed But Not By Who You Would Expect, Big Love Fifth Season Also Last, Gay Men’s Chorus Of Los Angeles Shows True Colors

Brian Burke, the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager and father of the later Brendan Burke, who came out publically last November only to tragically killed in an automobile accident at the beginning of February, is interviewed in the newest issue of Toronto Life, asked if he has yet to see a cultural shift in the world of hockey.“Not yet,” answered Burke. “Sports is the last bastion of homophobia. There’s still not a player in the NHL who’s acknowledged he’s gay. What Brendan did took great courage, and I am determined to make sure that his work continues. I look forward to the day when coming out is not even a news story.” He is also asked for an example of the worst homophobia he’s witnessed in hockey, Burke responding “I haven’t been in a dressing room since the late 70s, when I was a player. Back then, homophobic slurs were common. Although, I’m not sure that calling your fellow player a ‘fag’ is intentionally homophobic – it’s a habit. But it’s still offensive, and it still has to go.”

The Game – an unintentional failure of a rap artist – took to Twitter earlier Thursday to post “Aye! I gotta question: What kinda man let another man put his d!ck in his booty. I’m just askin n!gga that sh!it krazy thou.#buttpirates.” He later explained that he was not being anti-gay, just, um, curious.

Entertainment Weekly confirms that on the November 9th episode of Glee, Chris Colfer’s character Kurt Hummel will finally get his much deserved first kiss – courtesy of someone other than Blaine, played by new cast member Darren Criss, who is to be Kurt’s boyfriend. It’s all so confusing!

Good news: Big Love returns to HBO January 16th for its fifth season. Bad news: its fifth season will be the series last, so says the Hollywood Reporter.

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles contributes to the It Gets Better campaign, more than 200 members of the group participating in their poignant version of Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors.

Wisconsin Lt. Governor Candidate Kleefisch Apologises Suggesting That Domestic Partnership Benefits Beginning Of Slippery Slope Where Citizens Marry Clocks And Dogs

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that Republican candidate for Wisconsin Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch has issued an apology for recently surfaced remarks she made during an interview in January on a Christian radio program, when Kleefisch, asked about the extension of benefits to domestic partners, answered “We can’t at this point afford to just be handing out money to anyone. This is a slippery slope in addition to that – at what point are going to OK marrying inanimate objects? Can I marry this table, or this, you know, clock? Can we marry dogs? This is ridiculous.” Fair Wisconsin, the state’s largest gay advocacy group, sent an e-mail to supporters earlier in October, referencing the quote, suggesting that her statements were not said by “sensible and decent Wisconsinites,” and that “We simply cannot allow our next Lieutenant Governor to someone who likens the values of relationships between caring and committed same-sex couples to tables and clocks.” Kleefisch is the running mate of Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker, and his campaign’s spokesperson released a statement from Kleefisch Thursday that read in part “My comments were meant to relay my concern with redefining marriage. I never intended to sound insensitive, and have the utmost respect for all people. I apologize for my poor choice of words.”

Supreme Court Of Canada Agrees To Hear Case Of Self-Described “Anti-Gay Activist” William Whatcott

The Supreme Court of Canada will now hear the case against William Whatcott, a member of the Christian Truth Activists, who in 2001 and 2002 distributed anti-gay flyers in Saskatoon and Regina that alleged school children were being taught pro-gay propaganda, the CBC reports. One of the flyers read “Our children will pay the price in disease, death, abuse and ultimately eternal judgement if we do not say no to the sodomite desire to socialize your children into accepting something that is clearly wrong.” Four individuals complained to the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission that the flyers, found in their mailboxes, unfairly targeted them because of the sexual orientation. In 2005, the Human Rights Commission agreed, and ruled that Whatcott violated the provincial human rights code, ordering him to compensate the four individuals 17,500. Whatcott appealed, arguing that the statute in the Human Rights Code violates a clause in the Canada Charter of Rights and Freedoms that guarantees a right to free speech. In February, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal overturned the Human Rights Commission and found that the flyers did not violate the Code because the content was protected under the freedom of expression. A case against Whatcott is currently before a provincial judge in Calgary, Alberta, Whatcott charged in July, 2008, with trespassing by the University of Calgary for distributing flyers that contained that same anti-gay rhetoric, Whatcott having been previously banned from campus indefinitely after an incident in January, 2005, when he appeared on campus distributing anti-abortion material.

Arkansas Department Of Education And Midland School District Disown Violently Anti-Gay School Board Member Clint McCance, McCance Protest Scheduled For Thursday, Montana Violent Homophobe Tim Ravndal Reappears As Head Of Yet Another State Tea Party Incarnation

The Arkansas Department of Education has condemned the violently anti-gay messages allegedly posted by Clint McCance, a member of the north Arkansas Midland School Board, to his personal Facebook page last week, on Wednesday, a day set aside to wear purple to show support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered youth, McCance posting that he would only consider wearing purple if “they all commit suicide, reports the Associated Press. He added “Seriously they want me to wear purple because five queers killed themselves. I cant (sp) believe the people of this world have gotten this stupid. We are honouring the fact that they sinned and killed themselves because of their sin.”The page has since been disabled, and McCance says that the incident has been “blown out of proportion.” He intends to issue a statement late Wednesday. The Arkansas Education Department said it was “dismayed” over the posting. The Midland School District released a statement that read in part “Mr. McCance was not acting as an agent of this school board, but as a private citizen when this comment was posted. This post does not reflect the thought of the board or administration of the Midland School District. The district strives to foster an environment that discourages all forms of bullying and an environment that encourages a safe and productive educational climate of all our students.”

Late Wednesday, with McCance yet to release an as promised statement, the Arkansas Times reports that the Center for Artistic Revolution, a gay advocacy group based in Little Rock, intends to travel to the Midland School District Thursday and protest,calling for McCance to resign. CAR director Randi Romo saying “It’s important that we present a cohesive and calm message, and called tomorrow’s rally a “visibility.”

Tim Ravndal, fired from his position as president of the Big Sky Tea Party Association in September for a series of Facebook postings that mocked the murder of Matthew Shepard and suggested he sanctioned violence against homosexuals, is now the executive director of something called the Lewis and Clark’s Conservative Tea Party, according to the Billings Gazette. The organization was founded by Bobbette Madonna, a former member of the Big Sky group, who is convinced there exists a conspiracy involving the government and the United Nations, who said “Personally, I don’t with or approve of the way it was handled, referencing Ravndal’s termination.

Ugandan Member Of Parliament David Bahati Reiterates Anti-Homosexuality Bill Will Become Law “Soon”

David Bahati, the Ugandan Member of Parliament and sponsor of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009, told CNN Wednesday that the proposed bill, which would include the introduction of laws mandating life imprisonment and the death penalty for “aggravated acts” of homosexuality, will “soon” become law. “We are very confident because this is a piece of legislation that is needed in this country to protect the traditional family here in Africa, and also protect the future of our children,” Bahati said. Since the bill was announced last year, there has been an almost universal condemnation, governments that routinely donate aid to Uganda threatening to withhold funds, and human rights groups pressuring the country, and most thought that the heinous act of hatred costumed as legislation had been shelved. But Bahati says that is not true, that “Every single day of my life now I am still pushing that it passes.” His statements arrive as a Ugandan newspaper – with which Bahati is directly involved – published a list of what it deemed to be the country’s “Top 100 Homosexuals” along with a call to “Hang Them.” The published of that magazine – Rolling Stone; not in any way related to the American publication of the same name – one Giles Muhame said that homosexuality is a virus spreading throughout the world. Parroting a popular American Christian evangelical refrain, he added that Ugandan homosexuals are intent on recruiting “converts in schools.” “We thought”he said, “by publishing that story, the police would investigate them, prosecute them, and hang them.” Bahati , dangerously defiant, remains determined to cleanse Uganda of homosexuals, saying “God has given us different freedoms, our democracy is giving us different freedoms, but I don’t think anyone has the freedom to commit a crime and homosexuality in our country is a crime, it is criminal.”

Chris Pine Unstoppable Premiere Perfection

Chris Pine spotted in the lovely Westwood neighbourhood of Los Angeles Tuesday night at the premiere of Unstoppable, Pine pure perfection as always.

Emmerdale Star Apologises For Anti-Gay Verbal Attack On Fan, British Advertising Standards Bans Ad Featuring Two Priests About To Kiss For Mocking Catholic Church, Gay New York City Detective Suing Department For Workplace Harassment

Adam Thomas, an actor appearing on the British series Emmerdale, has apologised after allegedly abusing a gay fan, the Sun reporting that Thomas, who stars as a Adam Barton, was in a McDonalds in Leeds when 22 year old Ricky Platts approached him to say hello. Thomas apparently replied “Yeah, what about it gay boy?” Platts says that then Thomas began “hopping up and down like a madman” and called him and friend, who were dressed in drag, “queers.” Platts, a student, videotaped the incident, and said “I couldn’t believe that someone who is meant to be a role model would do something like that.” Thomas, who appears as Adam Barton on the show, a character who is struggling with his best friend’s revelation that he is gay, released a statement that in part read “I deeply apologise for my actions and I am horrified to realise that I have caused offence.”

An advertisement for Antonio Federici ice cream that appeared in the British magazine Look, showing two rather attractive priests eating from a tub of ice cream appearing about to kiss accompanied by the text “We Believe in Salvation” has been banned after the Advertising Standards Authority ruled it was offensive to Catholics, reports the Telegraph. According to the ASA, “We considered the portrayal of the two priests in a sexualised manner was likely to be interpreted as mocking the beliefs of Roman Catholics and was therefore likely to cause serious offence to some readers.” It ruled that the ad must not appear again and that Antonio Federici must not create ads likely to cause serious or widespread offence. In September, the ASA banned another of the company’s advertisements that showed an obviously pregnant nun standing in a church holding a tub of ice cream and spoon with the text “Immaculately conceived” and “Ice cream is our religion.” In a statement, Federici said it was an Italian company, and that the ad was not meant to mock Catholicism, but rather to reflect “the grave troubles they considered affected the Catholic Church, and that it would continue to create advertising challenging the church that it believes remains troubled.

A gay detective is suing the New York City Police Department, the 33 year old saying he was targeted after complaining about relentless anti-gay harassment on the job at both the 103rd Precinct in Queens and Internal Affairs in Manhattan, the four year veteran of the force called a “faggot” a “rat,” and a “meat gazer,” reports the Daily News. The man, who is filing the suit as John Doe, says that his grievances were roundly ignored, and that he was subsequently punished, including being accused of duplicating his patrolman’s shield. “I opened my mouth and reported corruption and misconduct, and this is what happens,” he said. “To not see anything done is absolutely disgusting.”

Wisconsin Lt. Governor Candidate Rebecca Kleefisch Suddenly Makes Same Sex Marriage The Election Issue; Suggests Gay Marriage Slippery Slope That Leads To Individuals Marrying Clocks Or Tables

Candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin Rebecca Kleefisch, the running mate of Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker – for reasons that remain unclear – opted to make gay marriage a campaign issue less than a week before voters go to the polls, telling WVCY Radio during an interview “This is a slippery slope. In addition to that at what point are we going to be okay marrying inanimate objects? Can I marry this table or this, you know, clock? Can we marry dogs? This is ridiculous, and biblically, again, I’m going to go right back to my fundamental Christian beliefs marriage is between one man and one woman,” reports FOX6News. Appearing on FOX6’s Real Milwaukee, she said “The people of Wisconsin are against gay marriage. The people of Wisconsin spoke on this issue, as you guys are aware, in 2006, passed a constitutional amendment that said marriage is between one man and one woman.” She added that gay marriage would be a “budget buster” because of the costs associated with having to pay state same sex employee’s spousal benefits. When addressing a sparse audience of students at the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha, Kleefisch said comments made on the radio were taken out of context, and that “I was talking about a slippery slope and we would have to do in legislation to define and redefine what marriage is. If I sounded insensitive that’s wrong.”

Andrew Shirvell Now Threatens To Sue The University Of Michigan If Trespassing Order Against Him Is Not Rescinded, Obama City Council Vote To Protect Homosexuals From Discrimination Fails, President Obama Reminds Everyone That He Is Personally Committed To Repealing The Military Ban On Openly Gay Service Members At The Same Time He Directs Appeal To Ruling Finding Policy Unconstitutional, Bad Full Frontal Nudity Courtesy Andy Dick, Good Full Frontal Nudity Courtesy Vincent Piazza

Philip Thomas, an attorney representing Michigan assistant attorney general Andrew Shirvell intends to request the University of Michigan to allow Shirvell back on campus after U of M Student Assembly President Chris Armstrong dropped his request for a personal protection order against Shirvell, Ann Abour.com reports. Armstrong had made the request September 13th after Shirvell began attacking him for his manipulating his position as president to promote a “radical homosexual agenda,” and started appearing at events and outside his home. The University of Michigan issued a trespass warning against Shirvell the following day, and his attorney said Tuesday that if it not rescinded, a lawsuit will be brought against the school.

In Obama, Nebraska Tuesday, a proposed city ordinance presented by Councilmen Ben Gray that would have permitted gays, lesbian, bisexuals, and transgender individuals to be a protected class under city code – protection not offered under either state or federal law, failed, the final vote 3-3, reports the Obama World-Herald. Gray had amended the proposal ton includes an exemption for religious organizations, but members of the city’s business community opposed the ordinance. Gray’s ordinance would have permitted homosexual and transgender individuals who contend they have been fired or endured any other workplace discrimination, or have been refused service at a hotel, restaurant, or other service industries, to file a complaint with the Obama Human Rights and Relations Department. The vote arrived after nearly eight hours of testimony for and against the measure, including Pastor Cedric Perkins, the pastor of the Pilgrim Baptist Church, who said “I find it offensive that we would equate this with civil rights. Those rights were based upon a person’s color of their skin, which they could not change.”

Tuesday, President Obama met briefly with representatives from gay rights groups advocating a repeal of the American military’s ban on openly gay service members, reports the Washington Post. The groups, including members of the Center for American Progress, the Human Rights Campaign, the Log Cabin Republicans, the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, the Palm Center, and the Log Cabin Republicans were meeting at the White House with Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina, senior advisor Valerie Jarrett, and other officials, and the president reportedly joined the meeting briefly “to directly convey to the participants his personal commitment on this issue.” The meeting took place against a backdrop of the Obama administration appeals a decision that found the policy known as “don’t ask, don’t tell” unconstitutional.

The terribly, um, terrible Andy Dick flashed his, um, dick, RadarOnline.com reporting that exposed himself Monday afternoon at Cafe Audrey in Los Angeles. An eyewitness says Dick “was really belligerent. He was outside yelling at a celebrity tour bus that was going by saying ‘I’m right here, I’m right here!’” Dick then allegedly kissed another man full on the lips, stood up, took out his dick, and yelled “This is me!’”

The terribly cute Vincent Piazza, star of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, gives the gift that keeps on giving – full frontal nudity. (NSFW)

Prince Edward Island Gay Community Shows Support For Gay Couple Whose Home Was Destroyed By A Likely Deliberate Fire, Charges Against Three Of Eleven Suspects In Bronx Anti-Gay Attacks Dropped, Lawsuit Against Sacha Baron Cohen Alleges Bruno Filmmaker Purposely Incited Riot At Yes On Proposition 8 Rally In 2008, Madonna To Open Gyms Named For Worst Album, Jake Gyllenhaal New Beard Alert

CBC reports that the Prince Edward Island gay community is rallying around a same sex couple whose home in Little Pond was destroyed by fire, likely deliberately. Jim Culbert, who owns and operates a gay-friendly bed and breakfast in Vernon Bridge, said Tuesday that he has offered a safe haven for the two men, saying “If the boys need a place to move to in a friendly environment, my community is obviously welcoming to same-sex people. I could see, if they could come down or want to come and meet me or talk to me, what the community as a whole could (do to) help them.” In the early hours of October 18th, as I previously posted, the two awoke to the sound of window being broken, and a fire erupting inside their home. The fire is being investigated as a crime. The two men, who have no spoken publically, moved to the Island from British Columbia five years ago, and in that time their home has been broken into, and their mailbox destroyed. A friend of the couple, Maureen Campbell-Hanley, said “I do know that some of the harassment would have been intended to make fun of their sexual orientation.” There are no suspects, and the couple allegedly intends to move out of the province.

CNN reports that charges have been dropped against three of the eleven suspects arrested in connection with a series of disturbing anti-gay attacks in the Bronx earlier this month, the district attorney’s office saying that there does not exist enough evidence to continue with cases against Bryan Almonte, Steven Caraballo and Brian Cepeda, all 17 years old, Assistant District Attorney saying “After a thorough review of the evidence, there is insufficient evidence to prove criminal conduct beyond a reasonable doubt.” All three of were held in custody since their arrests. At the same time, the district attorney’s office announced that one of the suspects, 26 year old Luis Garcia, was indicted by a grand jury in the attacks on two gay teens and two adult men, one gay, one straight. The grand jury brought charges of gang assault and robbery against Garcia, who now faces a maximum sentence of 15 years for the gang assault charge and 25 years for the robbery charge.

Mike Skiff, an openly gay cameraman who covers events in the Los Angeles area “involving the gay community” filed a suit Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, according to TMZ.com, alleging that while filming a Proposition 8 rally November 2nd, a production crew from Sacha Baron Cohen’s Bruno (including Cohen) he was injured when the filmmakers deliberately incited a riot by carrying Yes On Proposition 8 signs and encouraging participants “to enhance the dramatic effect of what they may capture for their film.” The complaint alleges cause of action for assault, violation of civil rights and inciting riots. Skiff has uploaded a video of the event on YouTube.com, available at the link.

Madonna is to open a chain of fitness centres throughout the world; the first to be opened in Mexico City on November 29th reports the Associated Press. The gyms are to be called Hard Candy Fitness (?) and a statement released Tuesday said that the gyms “will open in major cities around the world,” including Argentina, Asia, Brazil, Europe, and Russia.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Taylor Swift are allegedly dating, Us magazine reports, the timing perfect since Swift has a new album out, Speak Now, and Jake’s new film Love and Other Drugs is set to open November 24th, not to suggest that theirs is an arranged relationships of um, convenience.

Federal Judge Awards American Civil Liberties Union $81,665 In Legal Fees In Constance McMillen Case

A federal judge has ordered that a Mississippi school district pay $81,665 in legal fees and expenses in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union acting on behalf of Constance McMillen, whose prom was cancelled because she wanted to bring her girlfriend to the dance, according to WMCTV.com. ACLU attorneys deemed the ruling a victory, and a reminder to school districts that ant-gay discrimination will not be tolerated. Monday, United States District Judge Glen H. Davidson, who had previously ruled that McMillen’s civil rights were violated after the Itawamba Agricultural High School in rural Mississippi cancelled the prom April 2nd rather than revising its archaic policies, signed an order calling for the Itawamba Country School District to pay $67,265.50 in attorney’s fees and another $14,400 in expenses. ACLU attorney Christine P. Sun said “We are very satisfied with the amount. This case was not about the money, but hopefully it will send a message to school districts that it’s not only wrong to discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students, but there are monetary consequences for doing so.” McMillen had previously been awarded $35,000 in damages, and the school district was forced to implement an explicit non-discrimination policy dealing with gay students.

Canadian Telecommunications Company Telus Opens First Retail Store Specifically Designed For Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, And Transgender Customer

Telus, a Canadian telecommunications company, opened a new retail store Friday in Vancouver – Caya: an acronym meaning Come As You Are, the venue, located at the corner of Howe and Davie streets in the downtown, is designed specifically for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community, reports the Vancouver Sun. The store, the first of what Telus hopes will be many across Canada, features 20-foot ceilings, designer lighting, exclusive electronic accessories, but perhaps most notably, the retail space has been created as an area where community events can be held, Kenn Hamlin, the director of special projects for Telus, and founder of the corporation’s Spectrum resource group for LGBT employees, says that the space was a collaboration between the company and community partners, including A Loving Spoonful (a local non-profit that helps feed those living with HIV/AIDS), Out on Screen, and the Vancouver Pride Society. “A lot of them are very grassroots and need a space that they can call home to do fundraisers – and we’ve been approached by a couple already to book a gay wedding in the summer,” said Hamlin, who added that “If you look at that internally at Telus, we’ve had same sex partnerships benefits since 1994. If you look at how we have engaged in the LGBTQ community, from a community affairs and investment perspective, we’ve given over $1 million nationally to a number of LGBTQ organizations. There has been a long-standing partnership, and in listening to those people we were told that this particular space would be welcome.” Hamlin said he is most proud of the store’s Giving Wall, where patrons are encouraged to drop a $2 coin into a slot, all of the money collected going directly to a program called Out in Schools that aims to make students safe from bullying and homophobia.

British School Claims To Have All But Eliminated Homophobia After Implementing Program To Teach Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, And Transgender History

The London Evening Standard on a secondary school in north London, Stoke Newington School that claims to have almost eliminated entirely any anti-gay bullying after it began teaching lessons on gay history. Students at the school learn about iconic mathematician and wartime code-breaker Alan Turning, who committed suicide after being prosecuted for homosexuality and forced to choose between a sentence of prison or a course of female hormones (the British government recently issued an apology for his terrible treatment), as well as famed gay authors Oscar Wilde and James Baldwin. Stoke Newington music teacher Elly Barnes says she developed the lesson plans with colleagues five years ago after becoming concerned with the regular use by pupils of the phrase “so gay” in the pejorative sense. Now, Stoke Newington plans to extend the plan by educating hundreds of teachers how to “educate and celebrate” being gay, Barnes saying that by giving staff the confidence and resources required to tackle prejudice, homophobia can be “eradicated” from all schools. “Many school haven’t even begin to deal with homophobia,” she said. “Some still think being gay is illegal in parts of the country. By looking at famous LGBT people in history, we’ve changed opinions and we have had a number of pupils come out. We’ve also changed the language used in the school. I used to hear the word gay used all the time as a derogatory term. Now we hardly hear it.”

Gay Emory University Student Allegedly Forcibly Ejected From Fraternity To Cheers Of Other Attendees

The Emory Wheel, the university’s student paper is reporting that this past weekend a gay student was “forcibly ejected” from a party at the off-campus house of the Sigma Nu fraternity, the paper suggesting that the incident serves as a reminder that Greek life at Emory,located in Atlanta, Georgia, is a little less than welcoming to members of the university’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community. The paper writing that “According to the alleged victim, his admission that he was gay instigated his forceful removal from the premises. His ejection was accompanied by anti-gay slurs and followed by what he termed ‘affirmative cheering’ from many in attendance.” The student, who wants to remain anonymous, and who has not yet filed a police report, says he attended a party Friday evening at Sigma Nu, dressed in a lime green jacket, red pants, and a wizard hat. “At first, when I walked into the party, some people were taking pictures of me and appreciating, if you will, what I was wearing,” said the student. However, he says shortly thereafter another attendee who has been confirmed as recent alum Adam Smith, began harassing the alleged victim. “This guy approached me and asked why I was wearing the hat ... I said that I like the hat, just as you like your pink shirt. He then asked me if I was gay, and I said I was. He then started choking me with his elbow and put me into a head lock, and dragged me out of the party by neck,” says the student. The student says he was then dragged at least 10 feet from the common area of the house to the door and thrown onto the front lawn, Smith allegedly heard to tell other partygoers “Hey, this kid’s a faggot.” Smith denies the story, offering a variation of sorts. “This kid was at the party, and was acting kind of ridiculous. I went over, took his hat and started dancing around,” saying that he then asked the student “Why are you wearing this gay ass hat?” According to Smith, the student then replied “Same reason you’re wearing your pink shirt.” Smith, who graduated in the spring, says he then asked if the student was implying him – Smith – was “fucking gay or something,” and when the student said yes, Smith admits to putting him in a head lock and forcibly ejecting him from the party. To date, the Sigma Nu chapter president released an e-mail stating that an investigation is ongoing and that “At this point we believe this to be an issue of personal, not fraternity conduct.” Emory President James W. Wagner wrote an e-mail as well stating his disappointment at an “alleged act of disrespect and intolerance,” but would not comment further.

Elton John Says He Has Become The “Acceptable Face Of Homosexuality” And That Eminem Gave He And David Furnish As A Civil Partnership Present “Two Diamond-Encrusted Cock Rings

Elton John, whose new work, a collaboration with Leon Russell titled The Union, is scheduled for release November 2nd, is interviewed by The Telegraph, John saying that at 63 years old, in England he is “the acceptable face of homosexuality, because I’m quite blokey. And I’m very happy with that. That’s why I love being in this country, because people are always very honest with me and very kind and have a great sense of humour, and you still get the wolf whistles walking along the street and stuff like that.” He also talks about a period in his life deemed “a complete and utter blur,” when John would spend time “not bathing for three or four days, staying up watching pornography all the time, drinking a bottle of scotch a day. And I was bulimic as well, so I wouldn’t eat for three days, then gorge on six bacon sandwiches and a pint of ice cream and throw it up. And then have a shower and start the whole procedure all over again. There was no self-respect there whatsoever.” John says that his friendship with Ryan White and the young man’s death in 1990 at the age of 18 from complication arising from HIV/AIDS was the catalyst for change. He dismisses criticism for having played the wedding of notorious homophobe Rush Limbaugh, and mentions that when he and partner David Furnish participated in a civil partnership ceremony, Eminem presented the couple with “two diamond-encrusted cock-rings.”

San Francisco Area Gold’s Gym Plan To Leave Brand Following Disclosure That Owner Robert Rowling Donated To Anti-Gay Karl Rove Headed Political Committee

An update on a previous post, Salon.com reporting that four Gold’s Gym franchises in the San Francisco/Bay Area intends to leave the Gold’s brand after 22 years following the revelation that the owner of Gold’s Gym, Robert Rowling, donated $2 million to the American Crossroad, the political committee founded by Karl Rove that in turn funded anti-gay candidates. Don Dickerson, the director of operations for Gold’s Gym in the Bay Area, said that “Our contracts started 22 years ago. We’re one of the first franchisees for Gold’s Gym. We can’t get out overnight, but we will be out of it.” He added that the leaving the brand may cause financial hardship for the Bay Area gyms since being a part of the Gold’s national network allows members to work out at Gold’s franchises around the country. But Dickenson says that once the Bay Area gym’s contract expires with Gold’s in September, 2012, they will be leaving the brand. In the meantime, Dickerson says all four gyms will donate a sum that is equivalent to their Gold’s franchise fees to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender charities. A spokesperson for Gold’s Gym International, Dave Riesman, released a statement that in part underlined its commitment to diversity, distancing itself from Robert Rowling, stating in part that “our sole purpose as an organization is to help people reach their fitness goals.”

Rutgers Rally Scheduled For Wednesday An Awkward Attempt To Shift Responsibility For Tyler Clementi Suicide From Dharun Ravi And Molly Wei To The University Itself, New Jersey Legislators Propose Stronger Anti-Bullying Laws, Anoka-Hennepin School District Attempts To Strengthen Anti-Bullying And Harassment Policies

It is not clear why, but Wednesday a student group at Rutgers University, Queering the Air, has organized a rally to condemn what it considers a “rush to judgement” in which two undergraduates – Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei – have been blamed for the suicide of 18 year old Tyler Clementi, the rally titled “Justice Not Vengeance," according to a report in MyCentralJersey.com. Robert T. O’Brien, an instructor in the Department of Anthropology, whose affiliation with the student group is ambiguous at best, released a statement in support of the rally, reading in part “Ravi and Wei have become a foil for anti-Asian racism calling for their ‘return to their countries,’ and ascribing homophobia to their cultures – as if homophobia were not deeply ingrained in the culture of the U.S. Two students are being scapegoated for the failure of the university and the wider community to provide a safe environment for Rutgers’ diverse community. Such public outrage often fuels vengeance and inequality rather than actions.”

Meanwhile in New Jersey legislators are attempting to strengthen anti-bullying laws for school-age children, the Star-Ledger reporting that that the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights would require training for nearly all school employees on how to recognize, prevent, and report acts of intimidation. Measure A3466 would also mandate school staff to report harassment they learn occur of that takes place off school property – and that those who fail to will face disciplinary action.

In Minnesota Monday, the Anoka-Hennepin School District board changed its anti-bullying and harassment policies to state explicitly what classes are protected, including race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, age, poverty, and sexual orientation. The measure passed unanimously, NPR reporting that the clarification was required in order to make certain it is understood that the bullying and harassment of gay students will not be tolerated. The district was condemned earlier this year, after it was reported that 15 year old Justin Aaberg of Andover, Minnesota hanged himself in his bedroom in July, friends later revealing that he had been the frequent target of bullies, the staff at the school he attended having known, but having done nothing. His mother, Tammy Aaberg, addressed the board Monday, and said that not enough changes were made, arguing that the district’s neutrality policy must also be changed. “I want to know, who is it going to hurt if you change the policies to include equality for everybody? Can we all be a little more like Justin, and accept everyone for who they are and not for who you want them to be?”

Federal Judge Dismisses National Organization For Marriage Lawsuit That Seeks Exemption From New York Election Laws, Log Cabin Republicans File Request To Allow Ruling Finding Military Ban On Openly Gay Service Members Unconstitutional Stand, Priscilla: Queen Of The Desert Performance Dedicated To It Gets Better, Joe McElderry Mobbed At G-A-Y, Elisabeth Moss To Appear With Keira Knightley In The Children’s Hour Revival, David Beckham Leaves Little To Imagination

A federal judge Monday dismissed a lawsuit filed the National Organization for Marriage, reports the Buffalo News, United States District Judge Richard J. Arcara said the lawsuit brought by NOM to sponsor advertisements supporting Republican New York gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino was premature. NOM wants to fund Paladino, but does not want to adhere to state election laws which would require the anti-gay marriage group to register as a political action committee, consequently having to file financial reports and list donors by name. NOM last week asked Arcara to rule that portion of New York election law unconstitutional, however the judge said that NOM has yet to attempt to air any of its ads in New York state and there is “no evidence” the organization ever discussed its request with the Board of Elections prior to filing the lawsuit. Kenneth A. Manning, an attorney from Buffalo representing the Board of Elections said that NOM wants “preferential treatment” and that “If they are going to engage in political committee activities, which would include express advocacy of a particular candidate, they would be deemed a political committee.”

Monday, the Log Cabin Republicans asked the Ninth United States Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to let stand an order by a lower court that found the military ban on openly gay service members unconstitutional, the group arguing that national security would not be irreparably harmed by allowing gays to serve openly while the Department of Justice appeals the case, the Washington Post reports. The request arrives after a three-judge panel of the appeals court imposed a tentative stay that reversed a decision eight days earlier by Judge Virginia A. Phillips who had issued an immediate injunction prohibiting the enforcement of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” The Obama administration is on record supporting a repeal of the 17 year old policy, but wants the repeal to be an act of Congress. Lawyers for the Log Cabin Republicans wrote Monday that “The district court’s injunction requires only one thing: that the government discontinue all investigations and discharge proceedings that have been commenced under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” statute.”

Monday night, in Toronto, the curtain call for this evening’s performance of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert will be dedicated to the It Gets Better campaign, reports CBC, Tony Sheldon, the openly gay Australian actor who stars as Bernadette, says he hopes that the work’s message of acceptant can assist teens who are struggling with sexual identity. “It’s a very timely piece in that it is speaking to the misfits of this world,” he said. “We’re in a time when gay kids are committing suicide because they think there’s nobody out there who understands them and there’s no support. And this is a show about very lonely gay people who travel across very hostile terrain and end up finding family of their own making. It’s actually quite current.” The play ends its previews Monday, the official North American premiere and opening night is Tuesday.

Joe McElderry, so courageous, so cute, made an appearance Saturday night at London’s famous G-A-Y Club, and 3am.com reports that he performed his hit song Ambition, as well as five more selections from his debut album, and “Towards the end of his last song a fan clambered on to the state and tried to haul him off it and into the crowd. Bouncers waded in and dragged him to safety. There was a stampede!”

Yesterday, I posted that the New York Post was reporting that Rosie O’Donnell was in talks to co-star alongside Keira Knightley in a West End revival of the 1934 Lillian Hellman landmark play The Children’s Hour, however now the BBC reports that Mad Men’s Elisabeth Moss, making her West End debut, will join Knightley.

David Beckham spotted Saturday on the field during a match between his Los Angeles Galaxy and FC Dallas, the sexy Beckham offering a gratuitous glimpse of the good in his tight, white briefs, as well as the tattoos decorating his torso.

Senate Candidate Ken Buck Campaign Team Concedes He “May Have Mis-Spoke” Suggesting Homosexuality Is Similar To Alcoholism And That Being Gay Is A Choice

The Colorado Independent reports on Debra Stone, a Coloradan who called on United States Senate candidate Ken Buck to retract ridiculous comments he made while appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, that included an assertion same sex attraction was a choice and drawing a comparison between alcoholism and homosexuality. Stone has a gay 19 year old son, bullying relentlessly as a teen, and last week at a news conference organized by One Colorado, the state's largest gay rights advocacy group, Stone asked Buck to meet for coffee and to discuss his statements, rightly arguing that his comments “contribute to the climate of bullying, hate and bigotry that turned my son into a social outcast and led to the recent suicides we’ve seen in the media over the last few weeks.” Buck did not agree to the offer, but his campaign did send an e-mail to Stone conceding that his statements were incorrect, as well as referencing Buck’s contribution in obtaining a hate crime conviction in the murder of transgender Colorado resident Angie Zapata, the campaign writing that “Ken may have mis-spoke, but his desire is to serve the people of Colorado period. As the prosecuting attorney for Weld County, Ken was the only DA in the country to try a hate crime that involved a transgender individual and win. Too often comments are misunderstood and taken out of context, but the hope is that you will realize Ken’s commitment to Colorado and it’s citizens.”

Home Of Gay Couple In Little Pond Prince Edward Island Burned To Ground; Investigated As Crime While Community Fears Arson

CBC is reporting that a gay couple in Little Pond, Prince Edward Island may have been the victim of a hate crime, the two men, who moved from British Columbia to the small community in eastern P.E.I. five years ago, awaking to the sound of windows being smashed and a fire erupting inside their home. The two escaped without injury, the home, however, was burned to the ground. Previous reports indicate that the couple has had their home broken into, and their mailbox destroyed A criminal investigation continues. The community, meanwhile, is condemning the incident, this Sunday, the Reverend Beth Johnston of the Dundas United Church, delivering a sermon urging tolerance and support, some in the community have begun to collect donations. The couple is reportedly not willing to speak publically at this time, but friends say the emotional trauma is severe and that they couple are afraid for their lives.

Joe McElderry On Coming Out: “I’m Glad I’ve Done It”

The very cute and courageous Joe McElderry, the 19 year old who was crowned X Factor champion 2009, and who is seen below leaving the X Factor studio Sunday, is interviewed by London-based daily Metro magazine, and in addition to admitting the first record he bought was the Spice Girls Wannabe when he was 7 years old, is asked whether his recent coming out was a traumatic experience, Joe answering “Not really. I was nervous about it but I’m glad I’ve done it and I can now move forward and get on with the rest of my life. I wasn’t pressured into doing it. It was all my own decision.” For any current X Factor contestants who may be gay, Joe offers this advice: “Just talk about it when you feel ready. When you make that decision, just go for it.” The remarkably poised and unaffected young man also says that if he could come back reincarnated as one animal it would be a dolphin, “I’d like to swim all day.”

University Of Michigan Student Assembly President Chris Armstrong Drops Personal Protection Request Against Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell

Ann Arbour.com is reporting that a request for a personal protection order by openly gay University of Michigan Student Assembly President Chris Armstrong against Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell has been dropped, Armstrong requesting it be dismissed because Shirvell “has not contacted me since service of the petition on him,” according to a court document. A hearing had been set for 1:30pm Monday in the courtroom of Judge Nancy Francis. Armstrong filed the request in September, alleging that Shirvell had been harassing and stalking him, largely by a blog titled the Chris Armstrong Watch, where Shirvell attacked Armstrong as abusing his position of power at U of M by promoting a radical homosexual agenda. Armstrong also alleged that Shirvell protested outside his home day and night, followed his friends around campus, and behaved in manner that suggested he posed a serious threat to Armstrong. Shirvell is on personal leave from his assistant attorney position, and faces disciplinary action when he returns. There has been condemnation of his actions – I previously posted that last week the Ann Arbour City Council voted unanimously to condemn the attacks - as well as calls for Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox to fire him. So far, neither Armstrong nor his attorney has been available for comment.

Did The New York Times Out Zachary Quinto Or Did It Change The Way Mainstream Media Address Speculated Sexual Orientation

There is a general consensus that a profile appearing in the Sunday New York Times of Zackary Quinto represents a sea change in the way mainstream media treats the supposed sexual orientation of stars which is by addressing it directly. Quinto, who is appearing in the first New York City revival of the great Tony Kushner play Angels in America, playing Louis, is quoted saying “I’m grateful that celebrity or notoriety wasn’t thrust up me when I was in my 20s, because I think I would have buckled under the weight of it, as so many people do. But I’ve come to realize through experience that ultimately I really do have a lot of power in terms of the way I relate to the public or to people outside of my intimate circle of friends and family. Boundaries are very important to me.” The Times then writes that “Despite Mr. Quinto’s efforts to keep his private life private, the blogosphere is rife with speculation about his sexuality, no doubt fuelled by his support for gay rights and organizations like the Trevor Project. He prefers not to feed that rumour mill with either substantiation or dismissal. He speaks passionately about gay marriage, about “don’t ask, don’t tell” and about the recent wave of gay bullying and suicides.” Quinto then adds “The fact that these things are such hot-button issues right now, socially and politically, I would rather talk about that then about who I sleep with. I would love to be a voice in this maelstrom of chaos and obsessive celebrity infatuation that says, ‘Let’s talk about something that matters.’”

Denis Simpson, Anti-Gay Ads Appear In Toronto Attacking George Smitherman, Australian Labour Senator Says Gay Marriage Inevitable, Transgender Political Candidates Poised To Make History, Massachusetts Republican House Candidate Confuses Gays Serving Openly In The Military With Height Requirements

Sad news, Denis Simpson has died. He was 59, just shy of turning 60, Simpson succumbing to a sudden brain haemorrhage Friday in Toronto. The CBC reports that Simpson was originally from Jamaica and grew up in Scarborough, making a move to New York City in his early 20’s. He was an original member of the Canadian a cappella group The Nylons, and, most memorably, was one of the hosts the popular TVO children’s series Polka Dot Door.

The Globe and Mail reports that several hours before a municipal election in Toronto, an anti-gay advertisement appeared on a Tamil radio station Saturday, in which a man is asked who he is voting for. The other man answers “What kind of question is this? I am Tamil. We have religion and culture. Take Rob Ford: His wife is a woman,” an obvious reference to Ford’s rival George Smitherman, who is openly gay, married, and raising an adopted child. The ad prompted several complaints, and was quite quickly taken off air. Ford issued a statement saying “I do not condone the recent Tamil radio ad. I support diversity and have no issues with others’ lifestyle choices.” Sunday, flyers with an anti-gay sentiment appeared over posters for city council candidate Rasal Rahman, a Muslim and Smitherman supporter, who said “I don’t like dirty politics. Islam may say homosexuality is not for Muslims, but it doesn’t say don’t vote for these people.”

In Australia, Labour secretary Senator Doug Cameron said that is inevitable that laws will be changed to allow gay marriage in the country, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Cameron added that voters are right to express concern that the federal government and the coalition have silenced debate on same sex marriage, Prime Minister Julia Gillard consistently saying that the Labour party has decided that the Marriage should not be amended and that marriage must be defined as that existing only between one man and one woman. Cameron, however, believes different, saying “I just can’t understand why a party that calls itself progressive can’t allow two people who love each other, who are committed to a long-term arrangement should be treated differently. My view is this is absolutely inevitable and I think we should reconsider our position.”

The New York Times reports that there are a number of transgendered individuals who are viable candidates for public office this fall, including Teresa Sparks. A decade ago, Sparks had successful gender reassignment surgery, and she is running for the San Francisco Board of Supervisor on a sort of surprisingly conservative platform – pro-development and anti-loitering – and she has been endorsed by Mayor Gavin Newsom, the city’s firefighter’s union and the country deputy sheriff’s association. “This district really needs someone with a strong business background, a strong economic background and a really wide diversity of experience,” says Sparks who is an experienced engineer, a Navy veteran, and the former chief executive of Good Vibrations, a sex toy company. If she is elected, Sparks will become the first transgender supervisor in San Francisco.

In Massachusetts, Republican House candidate Sean Bielat – running against Barney Frank – told the Boston Herald editorial board last week that he believes openly gay men and women do not have the right to serve in the military, I think. “There’s no absolute right to serve,” said Sean. “Men under the height of 5 feet, 2 inched can’t serve – I don’t see anybody protesting. Where are the people standing in front of the White House, the short guys standing in front of the White House? You don’t see it. We understand that there’s no absolute right to serve in all these other areas.”

Queer Kissing Flashmob Scheduled For November In Spain In Front Of Pope Benedict, One Of Two Suspects Wanted For Murder Of New Jersey Transgender Woman Surrenders, Alan Cumming Says President Obama Has “Diddly Squat” So Far For Gays, Keira Knightley To Make Stage Debut In Revival Of Children’s Hour, Ian Somerhalder And Paul Wesley Sex Up Sunny Florida, Robbie Amell

Same sex couples from around the world are being asked to participate in a Queer Kissing Flashmob November 7th in Barcelona, Spain, The Reader reports, the event staged in the Cathedral Square as Pope Benedict XVI passes by. A group on Facebook attracted 12,000 members before the social media site closed down the group, prompting the organizers to claim censorship.

CNN reports that Marquise L. Foster surrendered to Essex County, New Jersey authorities Saturday night, the 25 year old a suspect in the murder of 28 year old Victoria Carmen White, a transgendered Newark women, shot September 12th in an apartment in Maplewood. Police continue to search for a second suspect, 23 year old Alrashim N. Chambers. Last week, authorities announced that they were investigating the killing of White as a possible bias-motivated crime.

Alan Cumming has launched a campaign condemning President Barack Obama, The Herald Scotland reporting that the Scottish-born, openly gay actor, who became an American citizen in November, 2008, three days after Obama was elected to office, and who has been an ardent advocate for the president, said “We keep hearing that Obama is an ally, that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will end under his watch, but what do we actually get? Diddly squat thus far on a federal level, and in addition to that some very offensive statements that would have made the Republicans look bad.” He added that unless fulfills his pre-election promise to repeal the military policy prohibiting openly gay service members soon, the president is guilty of cultivating anti-gay prejudice, saying “When America is full of hatred of all kinds, but especially hatred towards young gay people, what, message is the President sending when he repeatedly goes out of his way to spread the message that the gay population is not worthy of respect that everyone else is? How can we counsel our children not to bully their gay classmates or mock their gay friends when they see their President, their beloved President Obama, refusing to do the equivalent in regards to troops and other adults? “

Keira Knightley will reportedly make her West End debut in a revival of Lillian Hellman’s landmark play The Children’s Hour, so says the New York Post. The play, written in 1934, tells a tale of two female teachers at a girl’s boarding school, whose lives are ruined when one of their students accuses the two of having a lesbian relationship. The play was banned in Boston, but opened on Broadway in 1936, a film adaption appearing in 1961 starring Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine. The Post adds that the play will likely move from London to New York sometime in the winter of 2011, and that Rosie O’Donnell is in talks to co-star.

Vampire Diaries stars Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley spotted in Kendall, Florida Saturday, a double dose of deep deliciousness.





And the very cute Robbie Amell spotted Saturday at a Kinect for X-Box 360 launch party.