Justice Department Informs Appeals Court It Will Continue To Defend Defense Of Marriage Act Until It Is Struck Down Or Repealed

The Associated Press is reporting that Monday, the Justice Department says a lesbian federal employee should still be denied permission to add her wife to her health insurance despite the Obama administration's refusal to defend a federal law banning recognition of same-sex marriages, government attorneys telling a federal judge in San Francisco that the administration will still enforce the Defense of Marriage Act until it is struck down by a court or repealed by Congress. They say its new position on the act's unconstitutionality is irrelevant. Karen Golinski is a Ninth United State Circuit Court of Appeals lawyer suing the Office of Personnel Management for denying the authorization of family health coverage for her wife. The circuit's chief judge has twice ordered the office to allow it. The Justice Department says the rulings were not binding because they were made in the judge's role as Golinski's superior.

Openly Gay Ordained Presbyterian Minister Acquitted On Charges He Violated Church Constitution By Legally Married His Partner; Appeal Certain

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church was acquitted Monday by a church panel of charges that he violated the church constitution when he legally married his same sex partner in California in 2008. The case of the Reverend Erwin Barron, who was associate pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in the 1990s, is likely to be appealed. It is the first time the divided church, which avoided the issue of same sex marriage at its national convention last summer in Minneapolis, has dealt with the possible discipline of an openly gay pastor who legally married a same-sex partner. Barron, a college professor in San Francisco whose church credentials remain with the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, faced a two and a half hour trial before a presbytery panel of six at Oak Grove Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, Minnesota, and after almost three hours of closed deliberations, the panel deadlocked 3-3. A two-thirds vote was required for conviction, which lawyers said could have led to de-frockment. "I'm relieved," Barron said. "I wish it was more definitive. ... The decision is not clear for the church." The Reverend Neil Craigan, a White Bear Lake pastor on the prosecuting committee, said his group will consider an appeal. The case could rise to the synod level and possibly to the national church for final disposition. "I think there is a high probability that we will appeal to get more clarity on the issues that we face as a denomination," Craigan said. "We've never had a trial of this kind before." The historic hearing, held in a church community room, featured defence and prosecution lawyers who were Presbyterians, and who volunteered their services. About 25 people attended, most of them Barron supporters from Westminster. The six-person judicial commission comprised of three pastors and three church elders, sat with files and copies of the church constitution at a table facing a witness table and a lectern, where the lawyers argued their case. The issue was whether Barron violated the church constitution, which states that church officers must "live either in fidelity with the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, elders, or ministers."

Wyoming Anti-Same Sex Marriage Bill Stalls In Committee

A proposed amendment to the Wyoming Constitution that would specify the state would not recognize same sex marriage performed out-of-state is in trouble, legislators failing to reach a compromise Monday, reports the Billings Gazette. A conference committee of state senators and representatives failed to agree on the bill on Monday and scheduled another meeting to discuss it Tuesday. Some members say they are not optimistic they can reach a compromise before the legislative session ends later this week. The Wyoming Senate has amended the House bill to specify that same-sex couples who enter civil unions in other states would have access to the Wyoming court system to resolve any disagreements that arise in their relationships, however the House version of the bill would not allow same-sex couples access to the courts. Representative Amy Edmonds (Republican-Cheyenne) is leader of the House negotiating team, and she said at Monday's conference meeting that she would only agree to a deal that fully embraced the House's position. The Senate conferees rejected that proposal. "The problem with this bill is that the two chambers are so polar opposite," Edmonds said after the meeting. "It's almost impossible, as you can see from the number of conference committees that we're having, and by the fact that we can't come to a middle ground." Although current Wyoming law defines marriage as existing only between one man and one woman, it also says the state will recognize marriages performed elsewhere. With an increasing number of other states and foreign countries recognizing same-sex marriages, some Wyoming lawmakers say they see the need to change state law. Governor Matt Mead, a former United States Attorney, has said same-sex couples should have access to the state's court system. The Senate earlier this month amended the House bill to specify that couples who enter same-sex civil unions or other formal relationships that wouldn't be recognized as marriage in Wyoming could still access the courts in the state. A similar Senate bill that would have allowed Wyoming voters consider whether to change the state Constitution to specify that marriage in the state exists only between one man and one woman died Friday after the House failed to consider it before a procedural deadline.

Homophobic Reverend Grant Storms Arrested On Obscenity Charge; Caught Masturbating In New Orleans Public Park Near Children’s Playground

The Reverend Grant Storms, a vehement, vocal anti-gay Christian fundamentalist famous for his bullhorn protest of the Southern Decadence festival in New Orleans’ French Quarter, has been arrested and charged with an obscenity for allegedly masturbating in a public park, according to a report by the New Orleans Times-Picayune. The 53 year old Storms was taken into custody Friday at Lafreniere Park after two women reported seeing him masturbating in the driver's seat of his van, which was parked near the carousel and playground, a Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office report said. The first woman told police she was taking her children to the playground and parked next to the van at about noon. As she was walking around her own vehicle, she noticed the van windows were down and the occupant was "looking at the playground area that contained children playing, with his zipper down...," the report said. The woman noted that he was masturbating and quickly ushered her children out of her car. She told a second woman, who walked to the van and also spotted the man masturbating, the report said. The second witness told deputies that the driver saw her and tried to conceal the zipper area of his pants with his hand. The two women flagged down a park employee who notified the Sheriff's Office. The employee detained the man, later identified as Storms, until deputies arrived. Storms explained to deputies he was having lunch at the park when he decided to urinate using a bottle instead of the restroom. Deputies booked him and bond was set at $5,000, but he was released from the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna on Sunday because of jail crowding. He is infamous for arming followers with bullhorns, Bibles and picket signs to protest Southern Decadence, the three-day gay festival held in the French Quarter during Labour Day weekend. In 2003, Storms attempted to shut down what Southern Decadence organizer Chuck Robinson called a peaceful festival that celebrates gay and alternative lifestyles, although the attempt failed. "He's done everything through the years to disturb that and try to make it into something nasty that it's not," Robinson said. "If the Rev. Storms is caught doing that in our city, it is ludicrous and heinous that he would have the nerve to complain about any kind of sexuality." Because of Storms’ disruptive displays, New Orleans City Council adopted ordinances banning the use of megaphones and other such devices in the French Quarter, though the law requires a certain decibel meter reading before it can be enforced.

USC Quarterback Matt Barkley Shakes Head At Decision By Justice Department Not To Defend Indefensible Defense Of Marriage Act But Insists He Is No Homophobe, Academy Awards Stumble, In Memoriam Omissions, Sir Elton John To Host SNL, Andrew Sullivan Joins Daily Beast/Newsweek, David Burtka And Neil Patrick Harris Take Gideon And Harper Out Of Town, Aiden Grimshaw Covers Gay Times

University of Southern California quarterback Matt Barkley inexplicably thought it necessary to tweet his thoughts regarding same sex marriage, February 23rd, shortly after the Justice Department, acting on orders from President Obama, announced it would no longer defend the indefensible Defense of Marriage, Barkley posted “Smh ... ‘@YahooNews Gov't says it won't defend constitutionality of law that bans recognition of same-sex marriage: http://yhoo.it/hUSDca,’” Smh shorthand for shaking my head. Barkley was quite quickly taken to task for the tweet, in particular from @vegasrobert who posted @MattBarkley "SMH"?? really? ur a homophobe? did not know this about you.. how disappointing to learn it.” Barkley soon after defended the tweet, "look bro, I’m not discriminating and I’m not a homophobe. I’m standing up for what I believe. Cool down.."

The 83rd annual Academy Awards were held Sunday night in Los Angeles, and it was a dismal affair to be sure. Not simply the show itself, which was stunningly dull and managed to insult the senses (Melissa Leo’s bit of fakery was particularly jarring) but as an indication of the year in film, which hit new lows, in particular the insipid Black Swan, an unimaginative amalgamation of Carrie and Turning Point, and not nearly as interesting as either of those two. The complete list of winners, such as they were, here.

The Oscar show in recent history has fouled up the In Memoriam segment, omitting the names of Hollywood individuals who died in the preceding year, and this year, as Deadline.com points, was no exception to the forgetfulness, Eric Rohmer, Peter Graves, and Corey Haim among those left of the list.

Sir Elton John will to host and service as musical guest (along with Leon Russell) on the April 2nd episode of Saturday Night Live, the announcement made at John's annual Oscar viewing party, held Sunday night at the Pacific Design Center, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The party included a live auction to benefit the Elton John Aids Foundation. Among the items offered was VIP access for two to SNL's April 2 show and cast after-party, courtesy of Lorne Michaels. The winning bid came in at $75,000.

Amid the Oscars, Tina Brown announced that angry Andrew Sullivan was leaving his post at The Atlantic to join the Daily Beast/Newsweek, Tina suggesting that “Andrew almost single-handedly defined the political blog and has been refining it as a form of journalism in real time nearly every day for the past decade.”

David Burtka and Neil Patrick Harris spotted arriving at Los Angeles International Airport Sunday, new twins Gideon and Harper (and nanny) safely in tow, the family departing for an unknown destination.

19 year old X Factor cutie Aiden Grimshaw graces the cover of the April issue of Gay Times.

GLADD And The National Hispanic Media Coalition Filed Joint Complaint With Federal Communications Commission Against Spanish-Language Television Program Jose Luis Sin Censura For Show's “Unrelenting Attacks On Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Guests”

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the National Hispanic Media Coalition is filing an indecency complaint against Spanish-language KRCA Los Angeles and licensee/program distributor Liberman Broadcasting over broadcasts of daytime Spanish-language talk show José Luis Sin Censura (José Luis Uncensored), reports Broadcasting and Cable. The complaint alleges the show is obscene, indecent and profane, and provides transcripts and photos to illustrate the allegations. Streamed video clips allegedly from the show supplied by GLAAD feature pixilated nudity and a combination of bleeped and un-bleeped cursing and anti-gay slurs as well as violent outbursts from angry audience members. "For years Liberman has ignored concerns from viewers as well as revenue loss from advertisers pulling spots," said GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios. "This material is some of the most violent and offensive on television today and the FCC should hold the broadcaster responsible for airing material which is putting gay and lesbian people in harm's way," adding that in episodes that aired between June 18th, 2010 and November 11th, 2010 alone, the program contained anti-LGBT language, including epithets such as "maricón," "joto" and "puñal" (or "faggot" in English), and encouraged guests and audience members to engage in verbal and sometimes even physical attacks on people perceived to be LGBT. According to GLAAD, it met with the station owner in 2005 and asked it to cut out the cursing, slurs and violence, but that request was ignored. It also says that after that protest several advertisers pulled ads. A spokesman said GLAAD would renew its call to advertisers to avoid the show. The show also airs on Liberman's Estrella TV network in 37 other markets, which the company says reaches over 77% of Hispanic TV households, including in Miami, New York and Houston, according to GLAAD. GLAAD said it is teaming up with the Women's Media Center for an online campaign urging supporters of its complaint to send e-mails to the FCC supporting their complaint or filing their own individual complaints in other markets. "In over twenty episodes that aired between June 18 and Dec. 7, 2010, the program contained images and language of the nature that is never displayed or is bleeped out of pre-taped English-language programs of the same nature," said GLAAD. "This program is way overboard, and goes far beyond a fleeting moment of expletives or nudity," said NHMC President Alex Nogales in a statement announcing the complaint. "José Luis makes Jerry Springer look like Mr. Rogers."

Avowed Anti-Gay Christian Couple Lose High Court Case To Become Foster Parents; Pentecostals Told Social Worker They Could Tell A Child “Homosexual Lifestyle” Was Acceptable

The Press Association reports that an avowed anti-gay Christian couple has lost a historic High Court case over the right to become foster carers. Eunice and Owen Johns, 62 and 65 years old respectively, from Oakwood, Derby, went to court after a social worker expressed concerns when they said they could not tell a child a "homosexual lifestyle" was acceptable. The Pentecostal Christian couple had applied to Derby City Council to be respite carers but withdrew their application, believing it "doomed to failure" because of the social worker's attitude to their religious beliefs. They requested judges to rule that their faith should not be a bar to them becoming carers, and that the law should protect their Christian values. But Lord Justice Munby and Mr Justice Beatson ruled that laws protecting people from discrimination because of their sexual orientation "should take precedence" over the right not to be discriminated against on religious grounds. The Johns are considering an appeal. Outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London Monday, Mrs Johns stood alongside her husband as she said: "We are extremely distressed at what the judges have ruled today. All we wanted was to offer a loving home to a child in need. We have a good track record as foster parents. But because we are Christians, with mainstream Christian views on sexual ethics, we are apparently unsuitable as foster parents." Ben Summerskill, chief executive of Stonewall, the lesbian, gay and bisexual charity, said that “Thankfully, Mr and Mrs Johns' out-dated views aren't just out of step with the majority of people in modern Britain, but those of many Christians too. If you wish to be involved in the delivery of a public service you should be prepared to provide it fairly to anyone." The Christian Legal Centre warned "fostering by Christians is now in doubt" and said the judges had effectively ruled "homosexual 'rights' trump freedom of conscience in the UK". The judges had stated that "biblical Christian beliefs may be 'inimical' to children, and implicitly upheld an Equalities and Human Rights Commission (ECHC) submission that children risk being 'infected' by Christian moral beliefs".

24 Year Old English Cricketer Steven Davies Comes Out

Steven Davies has come out, the Telegraph reporting that the Surrey and English wicketkeeper becoming the first playing professional cricketer to announce his he gay. The 24-year-old player said he had decided to make the announcement after months of personal conflict, Davies, who began his professional cricketing career with Worcestershire when he was 18, said he could no longer bear to lie about his sexuality. Davies, who told his family he was gay five years ago and has enjoyed their complete support, said it was a huge relief to finally come out and be honest with the wider public. "I'm comfortable with who I am - and happy to say who I am in public," Davies said. He said he hoped his decision would help other young gay people to have the confidence to follow in his footsteps. He explained that “This is the right time for me…I feel it is right to be out in the open about my sexuality. If more people do it, the more acceptable it will become. That must be a good thing. To speak out is a massive relief for me, but if I can just help one person to deal with their sexuality then that's all I care about." A former England under-19 captain, Davies, who made his international debut in 2009 during the Twenty20 in Trinidad, is widely tipped as a future star of the game. But he admitted hiding his sexuality has affected his relationships in the dressing room. He said he loathed long international tours because he was forced to conceal a critical part of his life from his team-mates. Davies decided to confide in his England colleagues after being called up for the recent Ashes tour to Australia, and said he received wonderful support from his team-mates, especially fellow wicketkeeper Matt Prior and captain, Andrew Strauss, and now looks forward to forging ahead with what he hopes will be, a long and successful career at the highest level. Davies’s decision to go public at such an early stage in his professional life is seen as hugely significant in breaking down barriers surrounding homosexuality in professional sport. "I hope it's all going to be fine with the fans," Davies added. "If there is any abuse or anything then I don't need to worry about those people giving it out. The people that matter to me are family, friends and my team-mates, and everyone has been so amazing, that's what counts."

State Senator Determined To Secure Hearing For Bill That Would Make It Illegal In Utah To Discriminate In Areas Of Employment And Housing Based On Sexual Orientation Or Gender Identity

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that state Senator Ben McAdams (Democrat-Salt Lake City) intends to secure a hearing for a bill that would make it illegal in Utah to discriminate in areas of employment and housing based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Senate Bill148 has been stalled in the Senate Rules Committee, which assigns bills to committees for public hearings, for weeks, however next week, McAdams will ask the Senate floor to bypass the rules committee and give his bill a hearing. It is unlikely that he will secure enough votes in the Republican controlled Senate. “We know that a majority of Utahans support these important protections,” Equality Utah executive director Brandie Balken said Friday in an interview. “Equality Utah believes that a committee hearing could be very productive in establishing our common values around non-discrimination as well as understanding what concerns some legislators may have about the [bill’s] language.” This is the fourth year that a Democrat has introduced a measure on Capitol Hill to add sexual orientation and gender identity to existing state laws that ban housing and employment discrimination based on race, religion and other characteristics, the issue last received a legislative hearing in 2009. McAdams also has filed Senate Bill 170, which would afford same sex couples the ability to sue when a wage-earner suffers a wrongful death. SB170 also has not made it out of the Senate Rules Committee. Representative Rebecca Chavez-Houck’s House Bill 108, which would allow second-parent adoptions for same-sex partners, has not received a committee hearing, either. But a duplicate bill, started in the Senate by Senator Ross Romero, did. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee declined to forward the adoption bill to a floor vote. March 10 is the final day of the 2011 session, but committee meetings end next week.

Belgium Gay Couple Finally Reunited With Their Two Year Old Son Born Via Surrogate In Ukraine

The Associated Press reports that a 2 year old baby boy born via a surrogate mother in the Ukraine was finally reunited with his parents; a pair of legally married Belgium men Saturday after an application for the child’s Belgium passport was repeatedly rejected. Samuel Ghilain arrived with his parents, Peter Meurrens and Laurent Ghilain, early Saturday evening. "It has been better than we thought to see him again after one year," Meurrens said at Brussels' main airport, adding that he felt "lots of joy and relief to him again. This morning was the most stressful of my life until we got the final message from Lviv in Ukraine that they passed border control and were on the plane. That was incredible." He said the couple wept when the met the boy again at a prearranged meeting point in Warsaw and that Samuel was immediately at ease when they held him. Samuel is now aged 2 years and 3 months,and was born to a surrogate mother in Ukraine in November 2008. Meurrens and Ghilain were with him shortly after his birth and saw him a number of times after that, but for more than two years, bureaucratic barriers kept the baby from being issued a Belgian passport. According to Meurrens, the problems were usually minor, and continued until this week, when the Belgian Foreign Ministry, following a court decision in the couple's favour, finally issued Samuel a passport. Belgian law is silent on surrogate motherhood, open for interpretation. There is no specific legal bar to a gay couple (or any couple) using a surrogate mother abroad and bringing the child back home. But Ghilain and Meurrens ran into continual obstacles. The couple believes that some bureaucrats, both in Ukraine and in Belgium, were anti-gay. Belgian Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere said in a statement earlier this month that a "gap in the law" made it problematic for the country to recognize the use by Belgians of surrogate mothers in other countries. He asked for new regulations on surrogate mothers to explicitly prevent all forms of "commercial exploitation." Without a passport, Samuel spent the first 16 months of his life with a foster family in Ukraine, at a cost of euro1, 000 a month. When Meurrens' and Ghilain's money ran out, they tried in March 2010 to smuggle the boy, who is Ghilain's biological son, out of Ukraine and failed. They had not seen him since then, until Saturday, when they were reunited in Warsaw, where he was brought by their lawyer. After the failed attempt to spirit him out of the country, Samuel was taken to an orphanage in Lviv, Ukraine, where he spent almost all of the last year. Ghilain took a DNA test to prove paternity so the orphanage would not allow the boy to be adopted by some other family. Ghilain and Meurrens plan now to take the boy to their home in a small town in southern France, where they moved before Samuel was born so he could have a quiet childhood.

Jury Awards New Jersey Gay Couple $3.15 Million In Gay Bashing; Couple Chased And Beaten In Burger King By Staff Following Dispute Over Order

The New Jersey Star Ledger reports that a Hudson County jury has awarded a gay Union City couple $3.15 million after the two men, 43 year old Peter Casbar and 46 year old Noel Robichaux, were chased and beaten following a dispute over their order at an area Burger King. Casbar and Robichaux testified during the civil trial that began February 7th, saying the dispute with the person taking their order in the 2007 incident escalated and other Burger King workers became involved after they had already left the restaurant. "The manager and a group of angry restaurant employees chased the couple and then mercilessly kicked, beat and spat upon the two men while screaming hate-filled anti-gay invectives," the couple’s attorney, James F. Fine said in a statement. The couple had alleged they were victims of a violent hate crime and brought the suit under New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination. The jury rendered its verdict early Wednesday evening and the award includes $1.7 in punitive damages. The $3.15 million must be paid by Food Service Properties Corp. and Union City Restaurant Corp. which own seven Burger Kings, including the one at 3501 Bergenline Ave. in Union City. Angel Caraballo and Christopher Soto, two employees of the Union City Burger King, have already pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in connection to the attack on Casbar and Robichaux. Fine added that “Violence against anybody, including gay people, cannot be condoned. The jury spoke to this issue,” adding that "It was devastating to them. We assert this was a gay bashing. They thought that they were going to die."

Belmont University Finally Affords Gay Student Group Bridge Builders Official Status On Campus

This is great news, Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee has finally recognized the school’s first gay student group, Bridge Builders, an organization dedicated to discussing issues important to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students having its application twice turned down, now holding official status on campus, reports the Tennessean. Belmont Provost Thomas Burns and Bridge Builders President Robbie Maris announced the decision in a joint statement Friday, saying the new student group would advance the "ongoing campus dialogue about Christian faith and human sexuality," and that "This outcome represents many months of conversation, collaboration and cooperation between Belmont students, faculty and staff. What we have accomplished working together represents our community well and is better than what we ever could have accomplished working separately." In recent years the school has moved away from some of the more conservative policies and practices it operated under through most of its history while it was affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Belmont split from the convention in 2007, after the school decided to add non-Baptists to its board of trustees. Belmont trustees added sexual orientation to the Christian school's non-discrimination policy in January. Some considered that a reaction to the controversy surrounding the sudden departure of the women’s soccer coach, Lisa Howe, shortly after she revealed that she and her same sex partner were expecting a baby, however the school's president said it merely put into writing what Belmont always practiced.

Chestnut Hill College President Releases Statement Saying It Fired Father St. George Because He Is Gay But That College Did Not Know His Sexual Orientation When He Was Hired A Year Ago

An update on a previous post, late Friday night, Chestnut Hill College President Carol Jean Vale released a statement explaining the college’s decision to fire Father Jim St. George, reports the Chestnut Hill Local. The openly gay priest who has taught theology courses at the school since January 2010 learned he was fired late last week. In her statement, Vale confirms that the St. George’s sexual orientation was the reason he was terminated, saying it was incompatible with the college’s Roman Catholic principles. She also states that the decision to fire St. George was not the result of pressure from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia or a letter from attorney James Pepper, but rather revelatory statements made by St. George on his personal blog, saying “It was with great disappointment when we learned through St. George’s public statements of his involvement in a gay relationship with another man for the past 15 years. It is important to note that this information came to our attention only after St. George chose to make his private life public information on his blog.” According to Vale, the college did not know when it hired St. George anything about his sexual orientation or that he belonged to St. Miriam Church in Blue Bell, a church affiliated with the Old Catholic Apostolic Church of America, which allows its priests to be gay, straight, celibate or married. She concludes the terse statement saying “While we welcome diversity, it is expected that all members of our College community, regardless of their personal beliefs, respect and uphold our Roman Catholic mission, character and values both in the classroom and in public statements that identify them with our school. For this reason, we chose not to offer an additional teaching contract to St. George.”

Private Catholic Pennsylvania School Chestnut Hill College Fires Openly Gay Father Jim St. George

Chestnut Hill College, a private Roman Catholic college in Pennsylvania, has fired Father Jim St. George, an openly gay theology professor, reports the Chestnut Hill Local, although the reason for his termination remains unclear. St. George has been the pastor of St. Miriam Catholic Church in Blue Bell for three years, and is part of the Old Catholic Apostolic Church of America, which allows its priests to be gay, straight, celibate, or married. St. George says he has been in a long-term relationship with his boyfriend for 15 years. St. George says the letter he received February 18th simply stated “Your services are no longer needed.” The 44 year old St. George says he would “hate to think” that his homosexuality was a factor in the school’s decision, adding “I don’t hide the fact that I’m openly gay.” He says that “Obviously (Chestnut Hill College) knew my parish, it was never hidden. But I never sat down and (that I’m gay) on paper.” St. George said he believed that an e-mail Blue Bell attorney James J. Pepper sent last week to Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, influenced his firing. Pepper forwarded the e-mail to Daily News columnist Ronnie Polaneczky, who reported that Pepper described St. George as “quite plainly a heretic” and that his teaching at a Catholic institution as a homosexual was “scandalous.” Pepper is a former high school teacher in the Philadelphia Archdiocesan school system. Phone calls to his office were unanswered. Archdiocesan spokesperson Donna Farrell confirmed that the Archdiocese had received the letter, but had not taken any action. “The Archdiocese had no conversations with Chestnut Hill College regarding [St. George],” she said. “Obviously this Jim Pepper has influence,” said St. George. “I think it has more to do with politics and money than with who I am as an individual.” Since last week, St. George has been besieged with phone calls, e-mails and text messages from his students offering their support. Chestnut Hill College senior Jessica Murray took one of St. George’s classes last fall. She found out about his firing on Tuesday. “To find this school that claims to be more spiritual than religious has fired him without warning … is ridiculous,” Murray said in an e-mail to the Local. “I am disgusted with this school and will not be returning to this school for my master’s degree,” and added that she has started a petition for Chestnut Hill College to rehire St. George. St. George said he never shared his homosexuality with his students because it was “not relevant” to the coursework. But in the classroom, he did like to “peel back the onion and find the truth” on a wide array of controversial issues.” St. George says “I would hope they would ask me back. But my mission and the rules they state have to be lived out, and I don’t see that.” Prior to his firing, St. George had been preparing for the start of one of his classes –“Theology and Justice.”

White House Appoints First Ever Male And First Openly Gay Individual As Social Secretary

Friday, the White House announced the appointment of the first male and the first openly gay social secretary, Jeremy Bernard, according to a report by the New York Times. The President said in an e-mail statement in part that "Jeremy shares our vision for the White House as the People’s House, one that celebrates our history and culture in dynamic and inclusive ways. We look forward to Jeremy continuing to showcase America’s arts and culture to our nation and the world through the many events at the White House.” Currently, Mr. Bernard, 49, serves as senior adviser to the United States ambassador to France. He previously was the White House liaison to the National Endowment for the Humanities. He declined to be interviewed, but in an e-mail statement said, “I am deeply humbled to join the White House staff as social secretary and support President Obama and the first lady in this role.” Mr. Bernard was an early supporter of President Obama’s candidacy in California, where Bernard, and his partner Rufus Gifford, helped raised millions of dollars in campaign contribution. Mr. Bernard will start sometime in March, and will be the third social secretary in the Obama administration. The first was Desiree Rogers, who was also the first black social secretary. She resigned in 2010 and was followed by Julianna Smoot, a fund-raising powerhouse and political operative who stepped down in February, after just 10 months on the job, to join the president’s re-election shop in Chicago. Chad Griffin, a friend of Mr. Bernard’s and a political strategist in California who helped lead a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutional validity of Proposition 8, the voter-approved measure that prohibits same-sex marriage in that state, said of the appointment that “As the first man and first LGBT American to hold the post, Jeremy’s appointment underscores the president’s commitment to diversity.”

Flour Bluffs Independent School District In Corpus Christi Texas So Homophobic It Would Rather Punish A Christian Student Athlete Group Than Allow The Formation Of A Gay-Straight Alliance

Flour Bluffs Independent School District in Corpus Christi, Texas, will not allow the proposed Gay-Straight alliance, but the proposal prompted the district to revisit a decision to allow the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to meet on campus, the Corpus Christi Caller Times reports, the district apparently so determined not to allow a gay and lesbian student support group organize that they are prepared to punish everyone. Superintendent Julie Carbajal said she has asked the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to meet off campus while the district studies the legality of allowing the club while disallowing a club supporting homosexual students. She said there is no chance the district will approve the proposed Gay-Straight Alliance, but she will make sure all other school clubs are following the district’s policy, saying “We need to be fair and equitable to all.” In disallowing the Gay-Straight Alliance, the district said it didn’t have to follow a federal law mandating schools offer equal opportunities for all students to organize. The district approved a policy in 2005 that did not allow student clubs not tied to curriculum to meet on campus. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which has been meeting on campus, may not be adhering to that policy, Carbajal said, adding that the district is consulting with its attorneys on the matter. “We feel like we need to follow the policy in place,” she said. “If we’ve made any wrong judgments then we have to fix that because we are not looking at changing our policy.” Carbajal’s decision to disallow any non-curriculum clubs from meeting on campus may stop a local gay activist from protesting next week. “They’d rather get rid of all organizations rather than to allow this one to start? Wow,” said Paul Rodriguez, president of the Gay-Straight Alliance at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. “If she’s not going to allow any other clubs on campus then we have no ground to stand on.” The superintendent’s decision arrives after Flour Bluff High School senior Bianca “Nikki” Peet’s proposed club garnered attention from such national organizations as the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and Change.org, which by Friday afternoon gathered 500 signatures on a petition asking the school’s administration to approve the club. Rodriguez had argued that denying Peet the chance to create a Gay-Straight Alliance violates the Equal Access Act, a law mandating that federally funded schools provide equal access to extracurricular clubs. The legislation, approved in 1984, was seen then as an attempt to protect Bible study and other religious groups, but the law has since been invoked by supporters of gay rights to protect the formation of Gay-Straight Alliances in schools. Rodriguez said he gave the district two options when he intervened on behalf of Peet who had unsuccessfully petitioned her principal to start a club. He said the district could approve Peet’s club or disallow other clubs not based in the curriculum. Carbajal said she respects the differing opinions on her decision but said she hopes people recognize she is going to be fair and equitable to all students.“We’re not going to do something that lets someone be able to have an advantage over anyone else,” she said. The American Civil Liberties Union said district policy does not trump any precedent it sets by allowing the creation of other clubs that do not have a direct connection to the school’s curriculum, and that if the district allows other non-curricular clubs to meet on campus, such as the chess club, it cannot discriminate against other non-curricular clubs, said Manuel Quinto-Pozos, staff attorney at the ACLU Foundation of Texas. “There is a very specific definition to a limited open forum,” Quinto-Pozos said. “It’s definitely triggered by what the school has done to non-curricular groups in the past and not tied to what the school states.” Among those supporting the superintendent’s decision, 18 year senior Ryan Claybourn, who said the proposed club to support homosexual students is a poor fit for Flour Bluff High School. “I don’t endorse it,” he said. “I think it’s out of place at a high school,” adding that all other clubs at the school are steeped in curriculum and promote learning and critical thinking while Peet’s proposed group would not be educational.

Justice Department Vaguely Informs Massachusetts It No Longer Intends To Defend Lawsuit Challenging Constitutional Validity Of Defense Of Marriage Act

Thursday evening, reports WBUR, the United States Department of Justice sent a letter to the First Circuit of Appeals in Boston, informing the court that it will no longer defend a lawsuit in Massachusetts challenging the federal definition of marriage as that only existing between one man and one woman. In the letter, Assistant Attorney General Tony West said the Obama Administration said it will “cease its defense” of the Defense of Marriage Act, but gay rights advocates and the office of the Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said that they uncertain what the letter means, since in the same letter West wrote that the Justice Department “will continue to represent the best interests of the United States.” Wednesday, the Justice Department said it would stop defending DOMA, and indicated it would be sending a letter to the court in Boston. Seventeen gay and lesbian residents of Massachusetts and Coakley have already won lawsuits striking down DOMA in a lower court. However Janson Wu, an attorney with Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, says the Justice Department’s letter does not necessarily mean that the government is dropping its appeal. “The extent to which they will no longer defend DOMA’s constitutionality is unclear at the moment,” Wu said.

Despite Repeal Of Military Policy Prohibiting Openly Gay Service Personal The Justice Department Requests Ninth Circuit Court Of Appeals Uphold Ban

Despite a repeal of the military policy prohibiting openly gay service personal, the Obama Administration Friday requested that a federal appeals court to refrain from striking down the ban, according to a report by the Associated Press. Justice Department attorneys asked the Ninth United States Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to allow the Pentagon time to train troops and take other steps Congress outlined in December, when it agreed to repeal the policy known as "don't ask, don't tell.” The request was made in the government's opening brief challenging a Southern California trial judge who in September declared the "don't ask, don't tell" policy unconstitutional. "This case is thus now in a different posture," Assistant Attorney General Tony West wrote for the administration. "That statute is now undergoing a repeal process subject to a more recent law duly enacted by Congress and signed by the President." The relevant question now before the Ninth Circuit Court, West argued, is not whether "don't ask, don't tell" is unconstitutional, but whether it was unconstitutional for Congress to leave the policy in effect while the Pentagon works toward its repeal. The brief was submitted in a case filed six years ago by Lob Cabin Republicans, a gay rights group that argued that ordering gay service members to keep their sexual orientations secret if they did not want to be discharged violated their First Amendment rights, among others. United States District Judge Virginia Phillips agreed and issued a worldwide injunction barring enforcement of "don't ask, don't tell." The appeals court subsequently imposed a stay preventing Phillips' order from taking effect. Gay rights and conservative activists had been eager to see what the Department of Justice, which faced a Friday deadline for filing its brief, would say two days after Attorney General Eric Holder announced the government would no longer defend the 1996 federal law that prohibits recognition of same-sex marriages. Holder said the decision stemmed from President Obama and his conclusions that any law that treats gay people differently is unconstitutional unless it serves a compelling governmental interest. West did not reference the administration's new position anywhere in his 56-page filing, instead arguing that Phillips had erred, largely on procedural grounds, and suggested that laws involving the military fall into a different category from those affecting civilians. "Congress's judgment on matters respecting military affairs is entitled to judicial deference, and, as this court noted in granting a stay pending appeal, an immediate court-ordered end to the policy would cause substantial disruption," he said, noting that every other appeals court that had considered the constitutionality of "don't ask, don't tell," including the Ninth Circuit Court, had let the policy stand. Attorneys for the Log Cabin Republicans have until March 28th to respond to Friday’s filing.

Newt Gingrich Calls On Republicans In Congress To Consider Impeachment Proceedings Against President Obama For Deciding Not To Defend Defense Of Marriage Act

US News and World Report breathlessly reports that serial liar and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich said Friday that should President Obama reverse a decision and order the Justice Department to enforce the Defense of Marriage Act, Republicans in Congress should consider impeachment proceedings. "I believe the House Republicans next week should pass a resolution instructing the president to enforce the law and to obey his own constitutional oath, and they should say if he fails to do so that they will zero out [defund] the office of attorney general and take other steps as necessary until the president agrees to do his job," said Gingrich. "His job is to enforce the rule of law and for us to start replacing the rule of law with the rule of Obama is a very dangerous precedent." Gingrich, who threatens to reveal in the next two weeks if he intends to run for the office of president in 2012, said that during Obama’s campaign he continually stated he supported the Defense of Marriage Act, and that now, with this reversal, “He is breaking his word to the American people,” adding "He swore an oath on the Bible to become president that he would uphold the Constitution and enforce the laws of the United States. He is not a one-person Supreme Court. The idea that we now have the rule of Obama instead of the rule of law should frighten everybody. The fact that the left likes the policy is allowing them to ignore the fact that this is a very unconstitutional act.”

National Organization For Marriage President Brian Brown Thinks It “Egregious” President Obama Declare Homosexuals Protected Class Under Constitutional, Sam Guzman Suggests Decision Not To Defend Defense Of Marriage Act Sign Government “Trying To Abolish God”

The Washington Post permits Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, to pen an opinion piece on the decision by President Obama not to defend the indefensible Defense of Marriage Act. Writes Brown, who tends to revise judicial history, “President Obama's announcement Wednesday that he will refuse to do his job when it comes to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is part of this stunning pattern of rejecting the democratic process. Obama said that his administration would not defend the law in legal challenges because it is unconstitutional but that it would continue to enforce the law selectively. This is incomprehensible and incoherent, except in nakedly political terms. The president is using his power to do what he - and his base - wants. Particularly egregious is Obama's unilateral declaration that homosexuals are a specially protected class under the Constitution and that this is the reason DOMA is unconstitutional. But the Constitution does not directly say so. Congress has passed no such law. Nor has the Supreme Court ever said that homosexual people are a protected class.”

Meanwhile, at the Christian Science Monitor, Sam Guzman, composes an opinions piece suggesting that the decision by the Obama Administration is an indication that the government is “trying to abolish God.” He too, struggles with recorded history, writing “Ancient wisdom holds that law makes man. Today, we mistakenly think that man makes law, which is why our government now suggests that God’s creation of two sexes – male and female – is an irrelevant principle in forming a family. But what right does government have to interfere in what has historically been a religious institution? It’s one thing for states to codify standards – like minimum-age requirements – and establish spousal legal benefits. But it’s quite another for government to radically redefine marriage itself. If the government has this kind of authority, couldn’t it just as easily begin to regulate things like religious worship or proselytizing? It is a smaller step than we may think from tampering with marriage to targeting people of faith with so-called hate crimes because they publicly uphold moral principles. It is ironic that those who most strongly advocate the separation of church and state will just as strongly advocate the government’s intrusion into an issue that has historically been an issue reserved for religious institutions to bless and define. It is ironic, but not surprising. For we have essentially abolished God and any trace of divine authority from the public sphere. And what has filled the void (for something always fills the void)? Government. It has taken on the role of God, and only too gladly.”

Westboro Baptist Church GodHatesFags.Com Hacked Thursday; Site Remains Inaccessible

The Westboro Baptist Church web site remains inoperable, one day after it was hacked by someone called Jester, according to a report by the Register, which writes that the self-proclaimed activist revealed in a twitter update that he had broken into the Church's website in protests against its pickets on the funerals of American servicemen with anti-gay signs. The Jester gained notoriety with denial of service attacks against WikiLeaks around the time the site released US diplomatic cables late last year. It remains unclear whether Westboro Baptist Church itself or sections of Anonymous were the first to post threats against the church last weekend. The threats were later disavowed by members of Anonymous as a massive troll and a honeypot operation designed to capture IP addresses for subsequent lawsuits. The assaults on the church's GodHatesFags.com site have remained ongoing during the week and the site remained unreachable as of Friday. The Jester is known to have helped develop an application layer attack tool for assaulting jihadist sites, called XerXeS, a utility he has taken to applying to a range of targets, including WikiLeaks, and also, it is suspected, the controversial church, led by fire-and-brimstone minister Fred Phelps. The tool attacks sites at the application level and is therefore more sophisticated than the packet-flooding LOIC that's become the main artillery piece in assaults by Anons against those who have earned the loosely knit group's collective displeasure over recent months.

Mark Scott Found Guilty Of Assaulting Lesbian Couple In Front Of Children On An Oshawa Ontario Schoolyard

The Durham Region News reports that Thursday a judge convicted an Oshawa man of two counts of assault causing bodily harm in connection to an attack in late 2008 against two women, a lesbian couple, in a crowded schoolyard, Ontario Court Justice Katrina Mulligan rejecting Mark Scott’s claim he was acting in self-defence when he punched and spat at the two, suggesting that Scott’s explanation “verges on the ridiculous,” adding that “I cannot find in these circumstances he was acting in self-defence.” The verdict was of relief to the victims Angela Dimitriou and Jane Currie, who sustained cuts, bruises and other injuries in the assault outside Gordon B. Attersley Public School, where they, Mr. Scott and numerous other parents had gathered to greet their children at the end of the school day on Nov. 3, 2008. "What he did to us was wrong," said a tearful Ms. Curry, 39. "What happened to us is now officially a crime." Supporters of Ms. Dimitriou and Ms. Currie filled the courtroom for the long-awaited verdict, which arrived after a lengthy and contentious trial that actually began in the fall of 2009 and continued sporadically for the next year and a half. At issue were conflicting versions of events that day. The victims described being confronted and assaulted by an angry Mr. Scott. They said the man, who towers over both women, started the fight, spitting on Ms. Dimitriou and then punching her in the head. Ms. Currie was punched in the face when she came to her partner's defence, court heard. Testifying in his own defence, Mr. Scott, 45, said a belligerent and profane Ms. Dimitriou confronted him, and that he spat out a mouthful of peanuts, then had to use his fists when Ms. Dimitriou and then Ms. Currie attacked. Both women shouted racial slurs during the attack, he testified. In her judgment, Justice Mulligan rejected much of Mr. Scott's testimony, including his claim about the peanuts. "Mr. Scott's peanut explanation verges on the ridiculous," the judge said. "... I find he spat on Ms. Dimitriou and it was intentional. "Spitting on her and then coming off the curb to punch her was excessive in the circumstances and completely unwarranted," Justice Mulligan said. Not at issue at trial was the history of animosity between Mr. Scott and the women. Court heard they had previous profanity-laced clashes over parking in front of the school. The physical altercation was precipitated by Mr. Scott's belief the women had confronted his young son about behaviour that affected one of their children. Despite his testimony he was content to let school officials deal with the issue, he resolved to confront the women over it, Justice Mulligan found. Ms. Dimitriou, 33, said Mr. Scott called her and her partner "men" and "fucking dykes" during the confrontation. Outside court, both women denied directing racial epithets at Mr. Scott. Justice Mulligan chided all participants in the clash for their behaviour in a school yard filled with children. "I can't help but feel sorry for the young children exposed to all their behaviour," she said. Mr. Scott is to appear in March for sentencing.

Imperial Country California Again Files Motion To Intervene In Proposition 8 Appeal To Defend Anti-Gay Marriage Initiative

The Imperial Valley Press reports that the Northern California-based Advocates for Faith & Freedom Friday filed a motion to intervene on behalf of the newly elected Imperial County Clerk in the defence of Proposition 8 in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The appellate court had denied the deputy county clerk's standing in a January 4th ruling, but left unanswered the question whether an elected county clerk, instead of a deputy county clerk, would have standing. Chuck Storey, who was sworn in January 3rd, said in a statement that he "took an oath of office to uphold the California Constitution, and Prop 8 is part of the Constitution.” County officials had earlier claim they are directly affected by the voter-approved law because they would be forced to perform gay marriages. But the court dismissed the request, questioning why the head elections clerk wasn't part of the case. The Imperial County clerk at the time had declined to join. The move comes as the court also questions whether the Proposition 8 sponsors themselves have the right to defend the law through the appeals process.

New York State Appeals Court Rules Survivor Of Same Sex Marriage Performed In Canada Can Inherit As Spouse

An appeals court in New York ruled Thursday that a survivor of same sex marriage can inherit as a spouse, according to the Associated Press. Although same-sex couples cannot wed in New York State, J. Craig Leiby and H. Kenneth Ranftle were legally married in Canada, therefore Leiby is entitled to recognition as the surviving spouse in a dispute over Ranftle's estate, the appellate judges said in upholding a lower court's decision. Leiby and Ranftle married in Montreal on June 7th, 2008, after being together for nearly 25 years, according to court papers. Financial and professional services employees, the two resided and worked in New York City. Ranftle died of lung cancer Nov. 1, 2008, according to an obituary notice. One of Ranftle's brothers, Richard, sought to contest the will and challenged the legitimacy of the marriage, saying it violated public policy in New York. The will left most of the estate to Leiby, with bequests to Richard Ranftle, other brothers and a goddaughter. "New York's long-settled marriage recognition rule affords comity to out-of-state marriages" that are valid where they are made, the state Supreme Court's Appellate Division wrote. There are exceptions for marriages that violate New York statutes or "natural law," sometimes interpreted to mean such situations as polygamy and incest. But "same-sex marriage does not fall within either of the two exceptions," the appeals judges wrote. Susan Sommer, the senior counsel for the gay rights advocacy organization Lambda Legal, which represented Leiby, said that the case marks the first time a New York appeals court has afforded recognition to same-sex spouses for inheritance purposes, and added that the ruling "is a decision that helps put to rest the idea that out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples could be vulnerable to attack from private parties. Family members cannot come in and try to pretend there was no marriage and interfere with the private choices the deceased spouse, Mr. Ranftle, made about protecting and leaving his estate to Mr. Leiby."

Maryland Senate Passes Same Sex Marriage Measure; Bill Now Moves To House Of Delegates Where Passage Is Uncertain

The Maryland Senate voted Thursday evening to pass landmark legislation that will allow same sex couples the opportunity to marry, sending the Civil Marriage Protection Act to the House of Delegates, where it appears to have equal support for and against, reports the Baltimore Sun. The Senate voted 25 to 21 to approve the act after two days of largely restrained and respectful debate. Senator Richard S. Madaleno Jr., the Senate's only openly gay member, said “I’m just thrilled. I'm so excited that we were able to get this done." Discussion in the House of Delegates is set to begin Friday, with a committee hearing that could be far more divisive than anything seen in the Senate, Delegate Don H. Dwyer, Jr., a chief opponent of the legislation, promised this week to "take off the gloves" when he discusses same sex marriage. His bill to ban recognition of any union not between a man and a woman is also slated to be heard Friday "The Senate has been congenial. The House is going to be a lot more volatile," foresees Delegate Keiffer Mitchell, a Baltimore Democrat and co-sponsor of the House version of the same-sex marriage legislation. "There are more personalities in the mix. I'm concerned about the tone." Proponents said the Senate vote would bring equality to thousands of gay and lesbian couples who contend current law treats them as second-class citizens. Opponents warned the bill would have unintended consequences, such as bringing a "homosexual worldview" into classrooms and diminishing the "sanctity" of heterosexual marriage. Opponents did not have the votes to mount a successful filibuster. At 6 p.m. Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Robert J. Garagiola, the bill's lead Senate sponsor, called for a vote to limit debate to one hour, a motion that passed easily with 30 votes. Final passage 30 minutes later brought applause from supportive senators. The prospect of legalizing same-sex marriage has dominated the General Assembly session so far, with several lawmakers predicting the vote would be remembered well after they retire. The measure gained momentum this year with the addition of two more supporters to the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, providing for the first time enough votes to bring the bill to the chamber floor. Governor Martin O'Malley, a Democrat, has said he will sign the legislation if it reaches his desk, which would make Maryland the sixth state to legalize gay marriage. The District of Columbia allowed same-sex unions last year. At least two other states are also taking up the issue. Approval in the House of Delegates, however, is far from guarantied. The bill in that chamber has 58 sponsors, and 71 votes are needed for passage. If it is passed, opponents will almost certainly petition for a referendum, which would give Maryland voters, the final say.

Anti-Gay Diatribe Published In Wichita Kansas High School Newspaper Suggesting Same Sex Dating “A Social Disruption” Defended As Exercise In Free Speech

An update on previous post, the Wichita Eagle reporting that a letter published February 11th in an opinion column authored by a student reporter, Colin Johnson, in the editorial section of The Messenger, the student newspaper of East High School, which argued same sex relationships are “just not normal” and “should be frowned upon,” augmenting the thesis with Biblical verses calling homosexuality an “abomination” punishable by death, is being defended by district officials, the newspaper’s faculty advisor, and student editors, all of whom contend the column constitutes free speech, and is therefore protected under the First Amendment and by the Kansas Student Publications Act. The act specifically mentions that “material shall not be suppressed solely because it involves political or controversial subject matter.” The act also states that material not protected by the act includes anything "libellous, slanderous or obscene," material that encourages or promotes criminal activity, or material that creates "substantial disruption of the normal school activity." James Pryor, president of the Wichita chapter of the Center for Human Rights, says that "This is not free speech but hate speech. They (administrators) have the responsibility to make sure our kids are safe. By allowing this hate speech to happen, it's just legitimizing bullying and hate, and it's irresponsible." Pryor added that the East High student "has every right to say what he wants to say, but to publish it is different. To basically say people should be killed — that incites danger," he said. "We believe the district dropped the ball on this one." In an e-mail, Sharon Martin, who teaches journalism at East High and acts as the faculty adviser for the student newspaper, defended the column’s publication, saying she read the column and determined that it met the criteria for protected speech, saying in part "I did not have the right to withhold publication." The district released a statement supporting the decision to publish the anti-gay diatribe, saying in part “As with opinions expressed in community media outlets such as the Wichita Eagle and local television stations, the views of one person do not necessarily represent the school or district opinion or position on an issue,” and that “The opinion of one student writer does not change the Wichita Public Schools’ commitment to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all students.” An online petition calling for East High to "take steps to address the damage that this article may have caused" had garnered more than 1,140 signatures by Tuesday, the petition suggesting that the newspaper run an article about the importance of safe schools and why it's "absolutely necessary" to talk about same-sex issues in the classroom. It also calls for officials to "send a school-wide message" against harassment of gay or lesbian students.The original editorial, which concludes that the acceptance of homosexuality in high school serves as “a social disruption,” is available here.

Mother Sues Florida School District Following An In-Class Incident Where A Teacher Publically Ridiculed Her 15 Year Old Gay Son

In Palm Coast, Florida, the mother of a 15 year old gay son is pursuing legal action against the Flagler County School District, after her son, Luke Herbert, was singled out by a teacher for being gay and publically ridiculed, according to a report by News 13. A freshman at Flagler Palm Coast High School, Luke says that his high school experience was fraught with harassment from fellow students, but that the abuse and bullying has only intensified following an in-class incident with a teacher, Luke saying that the teacher “stood in front of the class and said 'you can't put Mountain Dew or Pepsi in the same fridge or they'll turn gay'. He [also] came over to me and I was like 'hi.' He said hi, like he was imitating me or mocking me.” Herbert and his mother said they went to school officials several times, but weren't taken seriously. "As a parent, it's hard because you feel like you have to be there every day, begging them to please help. That's how I felt," Dorene Davenport said. Luke and his mom recently met with school officials, as well as the teacher himself. Luke said the teacher apologized and that officials promised to place him in another classes, but that never happened. "I don't feel safe with him being there," Dorene said. A district spokesperson told News 13 they are investigating the case, but said they cannot comment further. Luke hopes what he went through can help other teens in his situation "There are a thousand Luke's out there and I'm not the only one out there and so I think this is something that should be heard," he said. A school official told News 13 they take these cases very seriously and if the teacher is found guilty, he will be disciplined, but stressed since they cannot release details, they will not say if that has already happened. Luke, sadly, has stopped going to school, adding that after what his teacher said, and the reaction from his classmates, he cannot foresee returning. He is now looking into other options like home schooling.

In Violation Of Equal Access Act Corpus Christi Texas High School Repeatedly Denies Attempts By 17 Year Senior To Start Gay-Straight Alliance

The Corpus Christi Caller Times reports on the efforts of 17 year old Bianca “Nikki” Peet, a senior at Flour Bluff High School in Corpus Christi, Texas, to set up a Gay-Straight alliance at the school, the senior saying that since November, 2010, her principal has found creative ways to prevent the formation of the alliance. Local gay activists claim that the principal – and by extension, the school district – is practicing a form of institutional discrimination against homosexual supporters and their supporters in violation of a federal law, and they have issued an ultimatum, giving the school until Monday to approve a student club supporting gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students or they will begin demonstrating in front of the campus. Wednesday, district officials released a statement that said it supports cultural diversity and reaffirmed a policy that gives school officials discretion on clubs. Officials said the district, according to its policy approved in 2005, is not subject to the part of the Equal Access Act, which requires the school to offer fair opportunities for students to form student-led extracurricular groups, regardless of their religious, political and philosophical leanings. Non-curriculum student groups do exist at Flour Bluff High School, including the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Peet says that following the initial rejection of her application, she changed the name of the proposed club and broadened the club’s constitution to include issues beyond those specific to homosexual students in an attempt to satisfy Principal Jim Crenshaw’s concerns, but to no avail. Enter Paul Rodriguez, the president of the Texas A&M gay-straight alliance, who intervened on Peet’s behalf, sending e-mails to the district demanding Crenshaw approve the club or Peet's supporters will protest and possibly seek legal action. Rodriguez already urged supporters to inundate Crenshaw and Superintendent Julie Carbajal with letters of support for Peet's proposed club. Carbajal and Crenshaw could not be reached for comment despite repeated calls, and spokesperson Lynn Kaylor said district officials would not comment beyond what was written in the prepared statement. Rodriguez, 37, who is gay and the father of a gay son at Carroll High School, said Gay-Straight alliances afford a safe space to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students who face harassment and discrimination, and denying Peet the chance to create a Gay-Straight Alliance violates the Equal Access Act, a law mandating that federally funded schools provide equal access to extracurricular clubs, Rodriguez said. That legislation, enacted in 1984, was seen then as an attempt to protect Bible study and other religious groups, but has since been invoked by supporters of gay rights to protect the formation of Gay-Straight Alliances in schools. Rodriguez sent a letter Tuesday to Carbajal that read in part “Denying the formation of this club is not the answer to ending and bullying and discrimination in our schools. You are supposed to punish offenders of your bullying policy, not the members of the club." Peet said she wanted to start a Gay-Straight Alliance to give Flour Bluff students an open place to talk about issues facing homosexual students, and adds at least 15 students have signed a petition expressing interest in joining her club."I wanted to bring unity and raise awareness that we're here and we should be OK with that," she said. If you would like to contact Flour Bluffs High School, that information is available here.

Increasing Number Of Corporations Covering Transgender Reassignment Surgery, Gay History Mural Proposed For San Francisco Not The Castro Causing Controversy, James Franco And Gus Van Sant Exhibition Opening In Los Angeles, Kellan Lutz Clearly Circumcised

The Associated Press reports on the release of the latest Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, which reveals that increasingly, large corporations, including Coca-Cola, Campbell Soup and Walt Disney, are expanding their insurance coverage to meet the needs of transgender workers. The trend follows a concerted effort by transgender rights advocates to get employers and insurers to see sex reassignment the way the American Medical Association does, as a medically necessity instead of an optional procedure. "We understand people simply get appendicitis, and it is something our community deals with through insurance," said Andre Wilson, who counsels companies on transgender issues as a senior consultant with San Francisco-based Jamison Green & Associates. "That's what we need to understand about transsexualism. Not everybody will be diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder, and in fact, few people will be. But the people who are diagnosed with it really need treatment." Among the corporations providing transgender-inclusive health benefits are some leading Wall Street and Main Street brands, including American Express, Kraft Foods, AT&T, Yahoo!, Eastman Kodak, Sears, Morgan Stanley, Price Waterhouse, General Motors and State Farm are among 85 large businesses and law firms that cover the cost of at least one surgery, according to a 2010 survey by the Human Rights Campaign. The number is expected to increase this year, when HRC adds availability of surgery-inclusive medical benefits for transgender employees or transgender dependents to the criteria in its annual corporate diversity report card. To maintain the 100- percent rating when the next Corporate Equality Index is published in the fall, companies will have to offer at least one insurance plan that covers at least $75,000 worth of surgery and other treatments recommended by a patient's doctor. Deena Fidas, the associate director of the Human Right Campaign’s Workplace Project, says that "A lot of people are pretty surprised that alongside the cosmetic and experimental treatments that are excluded from mainstream plans, you can see very broad exclusions related to transgender care. In raising the bar...we are addressing the root cause of the problem."

NBC Bay Area reports that a proposed mural on Polk Street in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District has been rejected, although according to the report, the exact explanation for the opposition is difficult to determine. At a community meeting in January, attendees objected to the quality of the art, as well as to content that alluded to the neighbourhood’s gay history. But the artists point out that that is precisely what they were hired to depict, according to the BAR. The Lower Polk Neighbourhood Association hired the artists to paint a gay history mural, and that is exactly what they produced. Some residents consider it problematic that Polk's gay history is littered with conflicts, that although for decades, the neighbourhood has been a haven for disadvantaged LGBTs, but during the sixties and seventies, incidents of police harassment and brutality well well-documented. Even though things have since improved since then, some residents do not want to acknowledge that history, arguing it is too negative. Other opponents contend that the mural belongs in the Castro, not on Polk Street. But prior to the 1970s, the Tenderloin was San Francisco’s gay centre. Another proposed mural, which included a male hustler, was also rejected.

James Franco, the hardest working man in show business, has partnered with Gus Van Sant, reports the Los Angeles Times, a new exhibition created by the two men opening Sunday at the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills. Titled Unfinished, and running February 26th to April 9th, the work will features two films, Endless Idaho and My Own Private River, created by Franco using dailies and other footage that Van Sant shot for his 1991 movie My Own Private Idaho. The gallery said that Endless Idaho runs a Warholian 12 hours and features edited outtakes, deleted scenes, alternate takes and behind-the-scenes footage from the movie. The score is by Luke Paquin and Tim O'Keefe. My Own Private River focuses on the late actor River Phoenix, who plays a narcoleptic drifter in the original movie. The film features edited footage of Phoenix to create a portrait of the young actor at work. Music for the movie is by Michael Stipe of R.E.M. The movies will be accompanied by eight works on paper by Van Sant, including watercolours. Gagosian said that the idea for the exhibition was born when Van Sant worked with Franco on the 2008 movie Milk. The director showed Franco unused footage from Idaho and the actor was inspired to turn it into works of art.

Kellan Lutz spotted sexy and sporty Wednesday in Los Angeles, pre-workout, the Calvin Klein underwear star sans underwear, again offering evidence he is, um, circumcised.

Hawaii Governor Abercrombie Signs Civil Unions Senate Bill 232 Into Law, Utah-Registered Web Site Suggests New Zealand Earthquake Act Of God Triggered By Country’s Acceptance Of Homosexuality, Some Gay Polish Soccer Fans Seek Separate Seating For 2012 European Championships, Lance Bass And Chris Evans Tramp Up Trousdale

Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie, a Democrat, signed into law Senate Bill 232, a bill that affords all couples, same sex and opposite sex, to enter into civil unions, a legal status with all the same benefits, responsibilities, and rights as traditional marriage, reports the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Abercrombie signed the legislation at a ceremony today at historic Washington Place. "E Komo Mai: It means all are welcome," Abercrombie said before signing the bill into law. "This signing today of this measure says to all of the world that they are welcome. That everyone is a brother or sister here in paradise. The legalization of civil unions in Hawaii represents in my mind equal rights for all people." Senator Mike Gabbard, an opponent of the legislation, said "It's a sad day for the people of Hawaii. Politicians have shown that they just don't care about the views and values of the majority of Hawaii's residents." Another opponent, the Hawaii Catholic Conference, released a statement that read in part "Passage of this legislation is just a step towards the legalization of same-sex marriage." Former Governor Linda Lingle, a Republican, had classified civil unions as same-sex marriage by another name, which she opposed, saying the issue was too important for government to decide and should be put to the people for a vote. She vetoed the proposal in July. Couples are able to enter into civil unions beginning January 1st, 2011. Hawaii has been fundamental in advancing the movement for equality since the early 1990s, when the state Supreme Court came close to legalizing same sex marriage. The 1993 ruling would have made Hawaii the first state to allow same-sex couples to wed, but it did not take effect while voters were given a chance to decide the matter. They responded in 1998 by overwhelmingly approving the nation's first "defense of marriage" state constitutional amendment, giving the Legislature the authority to define marriage as between one man and one woman but leaving the door open for civil unions.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that a website claims that the catastrophic earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand was an act of God that was triggered by the tolerance of homosexual behaviour in the city, gay and lesbian advocates denouncing the site as “despicable and appalling. The website Christchurch Quake, which was registered on September 20th to an address in Utah, suggests the destruction was a result of ''lesbians running loose on the South Island as if they own the place'' and general ''amoral'' behaviour. Among other inflammatory accusations, the website alleges that the earlier September earthquake, which coincided with the start of Gay Ski Week in Queenstown, was a warning from God to ''End the Evil - or else!''.

The Associated Press reports that a contingent of gay soccer fans from Poland have requested that organizers of the 2012 European Championship to set aside separate seating from gays and lesbians in order to protect them from possible aggression from fellow fans. Teczowa Trybuna 2012, or Rainbow Stand 2012, calls itself the first-ever gay fan club for Poland's national team. A statement on its website reads in part that its members fear aggression from other fans and want to feel safe during the tournament in Poland and neighbouring Ukraine, stating that “During trips to matches of our beloved clubs ... we unfortunately are often faced with unpleasantness, harassment and violence from the 'real' fans. We dream of being able to relax in the stands - we can't imagine not being at the Euro 2012 matches, which will be held in our country!'' Polish soccer matches sometimes see violent attacks and fights involving hooligans, and homophobia also remains rampant in Poland, largely because of the legacy of communism, which treated homosexuality as a taboo, and the teachings of the church in the predominantly Roman Catholic country. One match venue, the city of Gdansk, rejected the group's call for separate seating, saying it would only further stigmatize gays, and some gay rights groups are distancing themselves from the appeal. Gregory Czarnecki of the Campaign Against Homophobia, a leading gay rights group in Warsaw, said he believes that very few gays and lesbians would willingly choose separate seating. "I understand their initiative, and what they are trying to do,'' Czarnecki told The Associated Press.”But the message might be counterproductive in Poland,'' he said. "I don't think many people would be brave enough to not only come out, but also to sit in this section.''


Tuesday night, Lance Bass and a mystery man (who looks oddly familiar) spotted leaving Trousdale in West Hollywood, while separately, Captain America, Chris Evans leaves looking a little petulant.

Illinois Gay Couple Suing Two State Bed And Breakfasts Who Refused To Host Civil Unions Ceremony

An Illinois gay couple are filing complaints against two bed and breakfasts which refused to rent them space for a civil unions ceremony and a reception, according to a report in the Chicago Sun-Times. Todd Wathen and his partner (who has requested anonymity because his sexual preference has not been made public), both in the mid-forties, have been partners for almost eight years. Following the passage of the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act, which comes into effect in June, they planned a civil unions ceremony later that month. Days after Governor Pat Quinn signed the bill on January 31st, Wathen contacted the Beall Manison in Alton and the TimberCreek B&B in Paxton, about 50 miles south of Kankakee, to book a venue for a ceremony and reception. But in an e-mail reply from the Beall Mansion, Wathen was told, “At this point we will just be doing traditional weddings,” which Beall defined as “Weddings as opposed to civil unions.” The inn later e-mailed back to say they did not host civil union ceremonies or receptions for either same-sex or heterosexual couples, “nor do we do many other types of events.” Its website, however, states “elegant accommodations for pleasure or business, weddings and receptions ... corporate retreats ... anniversary parties, fund-raising events, bridal and baby showers.” While the Beall attempted to avoid the issue, Timber Creek was more direct in its denial. In an e-mail reply to Wathen, Jim A. Walder of the TimberCreek Bed & Breakfast wrote “We will never host same-sex civil unions. We will never host same-sex weddings even if they become legal in Illinois. We believe homosexuality is wrong and unnatural based on what the Bible says about it. If that is discrimination, I guess we unfortunately discriminate.” When informed of the new law, Walder replied, “The Bible does not state opinions, but facts. It contains the highest laws pertinent to man. It trumps Illinois law, United States law, and global law should there ever be any.” On Feb. 18, Walder sent an unsolicited e-mail to Wathen that included links to Bible passages. He wrote, “Hi Todd, I know you may not want to hear this, but I thought I would send along a couple of verses in Romans 1 detailing how the Creator of the Universe looks at the gay lifestyle. It’s not too late to change your behaviour.” Wathen said he was shocked by the response from both inns, saying that “If they’d just sent the e-mail back and said, ‘Hey, I’m uncomfortable with this,’ or ‘I wouldn’t be the best (place) for this, but I wish you luck’,” adding that “They don’t have a right to talk to us like that.” Chicago attorney Betty Tsamis is representing Wathen and his partner, and says they filed complaints with the Illinois Attorney General’s office and the Dept. of Human Rights alleging violations of the Illinois Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation by businesses open to the public.

Senator Diane Feinstein Says She Will Introduce Bill To Repeal The Defense Of Marriage Act

United States Senator Diane Feinstein (Democrat-California) issued a statement late Wednesday saying that a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, she intends to introduce a bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, her announcement arriving after the Obama Administration announced the Department of Justice would no longer defend the 1996 act defining marriage as that only existing between one man and one woman, according to a report by the San Jose Mercury News. Feinstein said that “My own belief is that when two people love each other and enter the contract of marriage, the federal government should honour that. I opposed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. It was the wrong law then; it is the wrong law now; and it should be repealed." Rick Jacobs, the founder and chairman of the Courage Campaign, a progressive grass roots organization representing an estimated 700,000 Californians, said Wednesday that the president's decision "is a huge victory for equality and justice in the United States." The Courage Campaign had pressured the Obama Administration not to defend these cases, and Jacobs said it launched a social-media effort to thank the president for his decision, but also to urge him to publicly acknowledge the right of gays and lesbians to marry. The Florida-based Liberty Counsel, however, a conservative law group that has helped to defend California's Proposition 8 against constitutional challenges, issued a statement that accused the president of placing his own ideology above his duty to defend lawfully passed legislation that already has been upheld by other courts. "Today, President Obama has abandoned his role as President of the United States and transformed his office into the President of the Divided States," Liberty Counsel founder and Chairman Mathew Staver said. "He has been the most divisive president in American history. He has today declared war on the American people and the fundamental values that are shared by most Americans. His radicalism resulted in the historical push-back in the 2010 elections. His radicalism today will come back around when the people respond to this betrayal in 2012."

Montana Senate Votes To Strike Down Obsolete Law Criminalizing Homosexual Relations

The Billings Gazette reports that the Montana Senate has voted to remove an obsolete law that criminalized homosexual relations. The state Supreme Court struck down the law in 1997, but Senate Bill 276 would remove the language from state code. The Senate endorsed the bill Wednesday 41-9. Democratic Sen. Christine Kaufmann argued in support of the measure, saying the law has criminalized people like her. Predictably, opponents say the proposal may go beyond what the Supreme Court has ruled on the issue. Removal of the law is a popular cause among gay rights advocates. As previously posted, the Montana Republicans’ official party platform supports making homosexual acts illegal again, but Wednesday most Senate Republicans voted for the bill. The measure has one more vote before it goes to the House; that vote usually a matter of procedure.

Maryland Same Sex Marriage Bill Passes First Vote In Senate

The Baltimore Sun reports that Maryland senators voted 25-22 Wednesday to advance a same sex marriage measure to a final vote, which could come as soon as Thursday. Senator John Astle (Democrat-Annapolis) and the only Anne Arundel senator who had not said how he stands on the issue, voted against the measure. In the process, legislators added further protections for religious groups, like the Knights of Columbus, to exempt them from having to provide educational services or insurance coverage for same sex couples. They also changed the official name of the bill — stripping the words "Religious Freedom" from the title — to make it the "Civil Marriage Protection Act." Proponents of the bill defeated numerous proposals from opponents that would have allowed court clerks to refuse to marry gay couples, kept schools from "promoting same-sex marriage" and renamed the bill "Same-Sex Marriage."

Proposition 8 Opponents Request Federal Appeals Court Lift Stay Preventing Gays And Lesbians From Marrying In California

The Los Angeles Times reports that attorneys challenging Proposition 8 urged a federal appeals court Wednesday to lift an order preventing gays and lesbians from marrying, and called on the California Supreme Court to hasten its review of a key issue in the case. The legal team trying to overturn the 2008 ballot measure requested that the Ninth Circuit United States Court of Appeals lift its hold on a federal district court judge’s order declaring the ban on same sex marriage unconstitutional. The request is considered a long shot. The attempt to place pressure on the judges comes as the state’s high court considers whether initiative sponsors are entitled to defend a ballot measure when state officials refuse to do so. California officials declined to appeal the ruling last August by U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn R. Walker overturning the measure. The sponsors of Proposition 8, ProtectMarriage, did appeal, but the Ninth Circuit has said it was uncertain whether they had the legal right to do so, and in turn asked the state court to rule on the so-called “standing” question as it considers Walker’s ruling. But the involvement of the state court is expected to delay a decision in the case for many months. The California court has said it would hold a hearing “as early as September,” which would delay a ruling until the end of the year. The state high court does not hold arguments in July or August. But attorneys arguing Proposition 8 say that gays and lesbians are being penalized every day a decision in the case is delayed.

Obama Administration Announces It Will No Longer Defend Defense Of Marriage Act; Attorney General Holder Calls DOMA “Unconstitutional”

Breaking news from Washington, CBS News reports that the Obama administration says it will no longer defend the constitutionality of a federal law that bans recognition of same sex marriage. In a statement Wednesday, Attorney General Eric Holder says President Barack Obama has concluded that the administration can no longer defend the federal law that defines marriage as only between a man and a woman. The Justice Department had defended the Defense of Marriage Act in court until now. Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement that the Department will stop defending the policy because it has now been challenged in the Second Circuit, "which has no established or binding standard for how laws concerning sexual orientation should be treated. After careful consideration, including a review of my recommendation, the President has concluded that given a number of factors, including a documented history of discrimination, classifications based on sexual orientation should be subject to a more heightened standard of scrutiny," he said. "The President has also concluded that Section 3 of DOMA, as applied to legally married same sex couples, fails to meet that standard and is therefore unconstitutional. Given that conclusion, the President has instructed the Department not to defend the statute in such cases. I fully concur with the President's determination." Holder said that despite the decision, his department will "remain parties to the cases and continue to represent the interests of the United States throughout the litigation." He added that members of Congress can still elect to defend the statute and that Justice will "work closely with the courts to ensure that Congress has a full and fair opportunity to participate in pending litigation." The Defense of Marriage Act, enacted in 1996 by then-President Bill Clinton as an election year compromise, prohibits the federal government from recognizing same sex marriages, and that states not be forced to recognize same sex marriages from other states.

Andy Roddick Memphis Open Championship Point

Sunday, Andy Roddick captured the Memphis Open against Canadian Milos Raonic (who is fast becoming a breakaway star on the tour), Roddick winning 7-6, 6-5, 7-5 two sets to one match. The tournament was won on the final shot, an incredible effort by Roddick, who also manages to flash the fleshy part of that butt.

Baltimore Police Investigate After 25 Year Old Transgender Found Asphyxiated In Basement Of Abandoned Home

A terribly sad story from the Baltimore Sun, a 25 year old transgender woman known as Tyra, born Anthony Trent, found dead, Saturday, someone wandering into a vacant city-owned home in Northwest Baltimore and finding Trent's body in the basement. She had no identification and no cell phone, but an autopsy revealed that she had been asphyxiated. City homicide detectives are investigating the case. It took two days to confirm Trent's identity and notify family. Trent had been reported missing two weeks earlier, after leaving home late at night on a Sunday and never returning. Trent had been known to leave for a few days at a time, but always kept in touch with her mother, Sundra, but did not this time. Relatives gathered at the Trent family home Tuesday night, where they remembered Trent as a vibrant person who liked to dance, loved animals and loved to style hair. She worked with people with disabilities, they said. She also worked the streets, often spending time at an area of lower Charles Village known as "The Stroll" that transgender prostitutes are known to frequent. Court records show dozens of arrests for loitering and prostitution between 2003 and 2008, however Trent hadn't been arrested since 2008, and it is unknown what circumstances led to her death. Sandy Rawls, director of Trans-United, which provides outreach for members of the transgender community, said she had been working with Trent, who was in the process of formally changing her name and working to obtain a GED. "The whole transgender community is at risk," Rawls said. "We don't have the economical foundation set up for us as transgender people. We can't go into jobs without being discriminated against, and it's really hard for individuals to be themselves and have a way of living. Sometimes they end up doing wild things to survive, and they end up" in dangerous situations.

Maryland Senate Ready To Debate Same Sex Marriage Bill

The Baltimore Sun reports that the state Senate has only one bill on its agenda – the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Act. We've cleared the desk," Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller told senators Tuesday morning. "We have nothing else to do tomorrow aside from that bill." Debate on the measure to allow same-sex couples to marry is expected to run into Wednesday evening and carry over to Thursday. Miller has told senators to clear their weekend schedules in case an expected filibuster extends into Saturday. The bill, which would repeal Maryland's definition of marriage as the union of a man and a woman, is expected to clear the Senate, but that is not guaranteed. Twenty-four senators have declared their support for the measure, the minimum needed for final passage. Proponents in the House of Delegates say they are close to having the votes for final passage in that chamber, and Gov. Martin O'Malley has said he will sign the bill if it passes. Opponents had seven amendments prepared as of Tuesday morning, and were considering others. Discussion could take hours, but might not be as lengthy as many have predicted. Typically, opponents gearing up for a major floor fight prepare hundreds of amendments. Minority Leader Nancy Jacobs, the Republican leading opposition to the bill, said she believes "only a handful" of GOP members will stand up and speak against the bill, and that she is expecting speeches from a small group of Democrats who oppose the bill. Like others, she expressed a desire for the debate to be civil, saying "We all love our gay friends in the House and the Senate. I hope and pray that this does not get personal and does not get taken personally." Much of Wednesday's debate is expected to focus on technical issues. Jacobs said she wants to strengthen a provision intended to allow religious organizations to opt out of participating in same-sex ceremonies. The bill could also be amended to allow for civil unions instead of same-sex marriage.

Kentucky House Committee Approves Anti-Bullying Bill Specifically Designed To Protect Based On Student’s Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity, Hiring Of Homophobic Former Washington State Republican Senator By Influential Liberal Union Angers Advocates, Rosie O’Donnell Single, Angels In America New York Revival Extended, Matthew Mitcham And Lachlan Public Displays Of Cuteness, Kellan Lutz, Jake Gyllenhaal

The Louisville Courier-Journal reports that Tuesday the Kentucky House Education Committee passed House Bill 370, which would expand the anti-bullying legislation approved in 2007 to expressly state the law applies to student’s sexual orientation or gender identity, race, religion, national origin, or disability. Current law does not identify those specific categories. Representative Mary Lou Marzian (Democrat-Louisville) said the changes are intended to make the law more specific, consequently affording school officials more authority to discipline bullies. HB 370 also bans “cyber-bullying” through electronic communications. The committee voted 21-1 to approve HB 370. Representative Ben Waide (Republican-Madisonville) cast the only no vote. Waide said he was concerned about why existing anti-bullying law is not better enforced and also about the tenor of the arguments in support of HB 370, saying “What’s troubling to me is that the appeal from our testimony seems to be about the moral acceptance of homosexuality and not about school safety,” and added that he also was concerned that the measure appears to “create a protected class. If this is about creating a protected class it is completely out of order.” Marzian countered that lawmakers have recognized other protected classes, through civil rights legislation and disability rights laws, and that HB 370 is needed to protect children and ensure their success in school. “We know these are the kids who are getting picked on,” she said. “Who wants to stay in school when you are getting shoved up against your locker every day?” HB 370 now goes to the full House.

The Associated Press is reporting that the hiring of Luke Esser, a former Republican state party chairman and state senator by an influential labour union in Washington State has upset prominent gay lawmakers and advocates, dividing two political camps that are usually allies. Luke Esser, who was removed in January as the chairman of the state's Republican party, is now a lobbyist in Olympia and one of his clients is the Service Employees International Union 775NW, the home-care workers union. It was an unusual political partnership - the union is a prominent liberal voice at the capital and has often had clashing views with conservative lawmakers. But gay rights advocates remember that Esser as a state senator was one of the key voices of opposition during the efforts to establish civil rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in Washington. "I think this is a teachable moment," said Josh Friedes of Equal Rights Washington, an advocacy group. "We need to remember that Luke Esser was a longtime leader in fighting against fair labour laws for LGBT people." During his time as a legislator, Esser voted against establishing gay rights and often spoke on the floor against it. In 2006, moments after the Senate approved an anti-discrimination measure, Esser pressed the chamber to also consider a constitutional amendment to protect marriage between a man and a woman, a resolution that had been on hold in the Senate Judiciary Committee for two years. "I'm not going to attempt to influence an organization's personnel decisions, but obviously we're concerned that somebody who is a leader against the gay and lesbian civil rights bill and marriage equality for gay and lesbians now plays a significant role in the organization," said Senator Ed Murray, a Seattle Democrat, told The Associated Press. "I'm concerned that they fully understand our on struggle." Murray is drafting a letter to the union that will state his views.

The New York Post’s Page Six reports that Rosie O’Donnell and Tracey Kachtick-Anders, her girlfriend since 2009, have separated. A representative for O’Donnell told Page Six that "Rosie and Tracy never officially lived under one roof. They have lived near one another for quite some time, and their families still socialize and they see each other frequently." A source, however, says “They have definitely split up, but it is very complicated because their kids are very close. They still spend a lot of time together,” noting that Rosie still has pictures of her and Tracy together on her blog.

Broadway World reports that the Signature Theatre Company has announced a fourth extension for the first New York revival of Tony Kushner's Angels In America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, directed by Michael Greif. The production, originally slated to run through December 19, 2010 and first extended through January 30, 2011, then a second time through February 20, 2011 and a third time through March 27, 2011, will now play its fourth and final extension through Sunday, April 24, 2011. The current cast of Angels In America features Adam Driver as Louis Ironson, Sofia Jean Gomez as The Angel, Bill Heck as Joe Pitt, Keira Keeley as Harper Pitt, Lynne McCollough as Hannah Pitt, Billy Porter as Belize, Michael Urie as Prior Walter and Frank Wood as Roy Cohn. On Tuesday, March 29, Tony Award nominee Jonathan Hadary will replace Frank Wood as Roy Cohn for the final weeks of the run.

In Australia, the very cute Matthew Mitcham and his equally cute boyfriend Lachlan Fletcher took in Fair Day in Sydney Monday, as a part of the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras celebration, the twosome posing for pictures at the SX News booth.

Tuesday, the smoking sexy Kellan Lutz spotted in Los Angeles taking his rescue brood for a run accompanied by an unidentified male companion.

Jake Gyllenhaal was seen out and about at the fabulous Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles Tuesday.