the time of my life

Growing Concern After Two Men Arrested In Northern Cyprus Sunday Under Colonial-Era Law Criminalizing Gay Sex

2012-02-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

European MPs have voiced alarm after two men were arrested in Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus under a British-era law criminalising gay sex. The BBC reports that on Sunday, two inmates at the central prison in Nicosia appeared in court charged with having "sexual intercourse against the order of nature.” Gay sex is not a crime in either Turkey or the Republic of Cyprus. Amid local fears of a crackdown on gay people, MEPs urged the Turkish Cypriot authorities to repeal the law. Marina Yannakoudakis, a British Conservative MEP, said Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu had given assurances that he would sign a repeal of the ban into law. However, the repeal is still to be debated in parliament in northern Cyprus despite repeated requests by gay rights lobbyists, local group Initiative Against Homophobia said. Mr Eroglu has not yet responded to a request by the BBC for comment. Sunday's court appearance marks the third occasion in eight months when arrests have been made based on Section 171 of the penal code. Introduced in 1929, it was effectively repealed in the Republic of Cyprus in the late 1990s after a European Court of Human Rights ruling. But in the Turkish-controlled north, the gay rights group Shortbus reports that it was used to justify the arrest in July of two men. Then, in October, a former Republic of Cyprus finance minister, Michael Sarris, and two other adult men were arrested. Mr Sarris crossed the border back into the Republic of Cyprus, thereby escaping prosecution, but the two other men remain under investigation in the north, according to the Intergroup on LGBT Rights at the European Parliament. Following the arrest of Mr Sarris, the Turkish Cypriot leader said he had advised the government that Section 171 "should be abolished without delay.” He noted that one of the political parties, Communal Democracy, had submitted a bill on its repeal to the territory's general assembly on October 25. However, according to Initiative Against Homophobia, the bill has not been debated. "The repeal stayed only in words - no further action has been taken," IAH's Reshat Shaban said. Mr Shaban said arrests under Section 171 had increased "significantly" last year and he feared a campaign was under way to influence public opinion against gay people. "The recent arrests create a certain understanding that LGBT people may be arrested at any time under laws which were found incompatible with human rights by the ECHR," he said, adding that, the government in the north was not accountable to any international institutions. Furthermore, some local media had published names and pictures of suspects despite closed court hearings, he said. Marina Yannakoudakis, who is a member of the European Parliament's High-Level Contact Group for Relations with the Turkish Cypriot Community, was also concerned about the "extremely derogatory tone" in which local Turkish-language media reported the arrests. The Conservative MEP said the Turkish Cypriot leader had to make good his promises of last year. "There must be an immediate moratorium on arrests under Section 171 and the men arrested last month must be released without delay," she said. "Draft legislation submitted by the Communal Democratic Party must be fast-tracked through the assembly to ensure that there are no further miscarriages of justice and Dr Eroglu must keep his promise to sign the repeal into law. It is important not only to change the laws in the north part of Cyprus, but to change attitudes to ensure that all Cypriot adults may engage in consensual sex - be it with the same or different gender - without fear of punishment or pillory." British Labour MEP Michael Cashman, who jointly heads the Intergroup on LGBT Rights, said Section 171 "wrecked lives.” He said he planned to visit Cyprus to meet Mr Eroglu and others in order to "encourage repealing this outdated piece of legislation which has no place in Europe - or anywhere in the world.”

Washington State Senate Approves Same Sex Marriage Measure 28-21; Bill 6239 Now Heads To House

2012-02-01T20:24:00.000-08:00

A bill legalizing same sex marriage in Washington cleared its biggest legislative hurdle Wednesday night in a historic vote by the state Senate. The Seattle Times reports that lawmakers approved the bill 28 to 21. The measure now heads for the House where it is expected to easily pass as early as next week. The governor supports the bill as well. Washington would become the seventh state to legalize same sex marriage. The outcome, while expected, culminates more than decade of work by Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, the prime sponsor of the bill, and the gay and lesbian community. "A lot of people are just stunned, particularly people my age and older, to think this day would actually come in our lifetime," Murray told reporters before the vote. There was plenty of debate in the Senate with supporters arguing same-sex marriage was a matter of equal rights, while opponents said the law would impinge religious freedom. The final vote came after supporters of the bill fended off a push to let the voters decide. An amendment to put the measure on the November ballot, sponsored by Senator Brian Hatfield (D-Raymond), was defeated 23-26. Hatfield, who ended up voting for the bill anyway, said a decision this big should be decided by voters. Gay marriage opponents have promised to challenge any same-sex marriage law at the ballot. A referendum cannot be filed until the governor signs the legislation. The bill is SB 6239.

Anti-Gay Group OneMillionMoms.com Condemns J.C. Penny For Hiring Ellen DeGeneres

2012-02-01T18:16:00.000-08:00

J.C. Penney hired Ellen DeGeneres to get some attention, and to date, she's delivering. OneMillionMoms.com, a project of the uber-conservative American Family Assn. in Tupelo, Mississippi, is upset that the retailer hired DeGeneres -- the openly gay host of the daytime talk show "Ellen" -- as a spokeswoman to help retool its brand, reports The Los Angeles Times. "Funny that J.C. Penney thinks hiring an open homosexual spokesperson will help their business when most of their customers are traditional families," the group wrote on its website. "More sales will be lost than gained unless they replace their spokesperson quickly. Unless J.C. Penney decides to be neutral in the culture war, then their brand transformation will be unsuccessful." The website offers readers J.C. Penney phone numbers and invites them to express their displeasure. This drew a condemnation Wednesday from GLAAD, the gay rights organization, which dubbed the association a "hate group." Herndon Graddick, a senior GLAAD official, said in a statement, "While designated hate groups try to start 'culture wars,' it's clear that a vast majority of Americans today support Ellen as well as their LGBT friends and family members. Selecting an out performer who has inspired and entertained millions is not only a smart business practice, but a reflection of how LGBT Americans today are an integral and valued part of the fabric of our culture."

Proponents Of Effort To Repeal Unconstitutional Kansas Sodomy Law Request Hearing In Front Of Senate Judiciary Committee Who Classifies The Issue As “Sensitive,” Human Rights Campaign Alleges National Organization For Marriage Is Violating Minnesota Campaign Disclosure Rules, Proponents Of Constitutional Amendment Banning Same Sex Marriage In Minnesota Raised $830,000 In 2011, Toronto-Based Grazie Media Donation Allows GLSEN “Think Before You Speak” PSA To Air During Super Bowl, James Clementi Remembers Late Brother Tyler, John Barrow, Daniel Radcliffe Grows, David Beckham

2012-02-01T17:29:00.000-08:00

It is a law that gay rights supporters call offensive and unconstitutional: the law makes sex between the same genders a crime in Kansas. “It's an unconstitutional law and it makes no sense to have it on the books,” said Kerry Wilks, Chairperson of the Kansas Equality Coalition. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2003 that state laws cannot criminalize gay sex between consenting adults. In Kansas it's still a law, it’s just not enforceable. “It has mattered to some people, and just the fact that it's on the books should be enough,” said Wilks. According to KSN-2, supporters of a repeal will testify at a hearing Wednesday in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. It’s the same committee where a bill to repeal it last year stalled. "I think people will actually have trouble voting on this again,” said State Senator Jean Schodorf. “It is very sensitive.” Senator Schodorf is a member of the committee. She says the bill might have trouble coming to a vote because many legislators were uneasy about the topic the last legislative session. Schodorf is in support of repealing the law on a constitutional basis. “The state could be sued because it has been unconstitutional on various grounds,” Schodorf said. Anger is growing in the gay community. There was hope that this law would be on the state's repealer list of suggested laws to do away with. here were 51 recommendations on the list, but the list did not include the sodomy law. Gay rights advocates say that is sending the wrong message. "It's telling someone that who they are is wrong and that's not right,” Wilks added.”There's still hope that the legislature could act to once and for all take the language off the books. "Let's get rid of it and we won't have to talk about it anymore,” Schodorf said. The governor's office says there are still hundreds of recommendations of laws to repeal including the sodomy law. The office of the repealer says there will be more announcements in the future about additional laws. There is no indication on if sodomy is next on the list.

According to The Associated Press, a national gay rights group is calling for an investigation of disclosure reports filed by groups promoting an amendment to the Minnesota constitution to ban same sex marriage. The Human Rights Campaign accuses the National Organization for Marriage of illegally trying to avoid disclosing the names of donors to the November ballot campaign. The disclosure filed by the National Organization for Marriage’s fund for Minnesota names no individual contributors. Similarly, the Minnesota Family Council’s Marriage Protection Fund names no individual donors. But Jeff Sigurdson, assistant executive director for the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, says he saw nothing at first glance on the forms indicating any violations of the board’s rules. Leaders of the National Organization for Marriage and Minnesota Family Council say they fully complied with the disclosure requirements.

The principle proponents of a ban on same sex marriage in Minnesota raised $830,000 in 2011 in the latest signal that a fierce, high-dollar contest is taking shape over the proposed constitutional amendment. The Star Tribune is reporting that Minnesota for Marriage, a coalition of groups formed in an effort to get the marriage amendment approved this November, said that in addition to its fundraising, it also recruited more than 10,000 volunteers in 2011 to help. "Not only have we generated a great deal of financial support for the campaign, we have generated incredible, broad-based citizens support," said Minnesota for Marriage Chairman John Helmberger. The group has not publicly released its full report. As previously posted, the lead group in the effort to defeat the proposal, Minnesotans United for All Families, reported over the weekend that it raised $1.2 million in 2011 from more than 5,100 donors. Other groups that support the amendment also released fundraising figures Tuesday, the deadline for filing 2011 year-end campaign finance reports, state and federal. None of the pro-amendment groups released their reports publicly, but all 2011 state reports should be posted Wednesday morning on the website for the state Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board (www.cfboard.state.mn.us). The Minnesota Catholic Conference said it reported raising $750,000 in 2011. The bulk of that came in a $650,000 contribution from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, which tapped its investments to help fund the marriage amendment campaign. About $350,000 of the Catholic Conference funds went to Minnesota for Marriage. The Minnesota Family Council reported giving $226,000 to Minnesota For Marriage. The council reported that its marriage protection fund spent an additional $120,000 on its own in the amendment campaign.

The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network and The Ad Council today announced the award-winning "Think Before You Speak" public service announcements will appear at Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, February 5. GLSEN will become the first LGBT organization in the country to share its PSA campaign targeting anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender language among teens with Super Bowl attendees at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. "GLSEN is thrilled to share the Think Before You Speak campaign's message of respect with tens of thousands of football fans attending the Super Bowl this year," said GLSEN Executive Director Dr. Eliza Byard. "The PSA campaign featuring Hilary Duff, Wanda Sykes and the NBA's Grant Hill has already reached millions of Americans across the country and we are truly grateful for this opportunity to increase awareness among a new kind of audience about the negative impact of anti-gay slurs." According to GLSEN's 2009 National School Climate survey, three-quarters of LGBT students hear slurs such as "faggot" or "dyke" frequently or often at school and 9 in 10 report hearing anti-LGBT language frequently or often. Homophobic remarks such as "that's so gay" are the most commonly heard type of biased remarks at school. Research shows that these slurs are often unintentional and simply a part of the teens' vernacular. Most do not recognize the consequences, but the casual use of this language often carries over into more overt forms of harassment. The advertising opportunity was made possible as an in-kind donation to GLSEN by Toronto-based Grazie Media. The media company donated airtime for GLSEN's ongoing PSA campaign that will be displayed on a video billboard positioned directly in front of the Lucas Oil Stadium where Super Bowl attendees enter the stadium. "At one of the biggest sport stages around the world, the Super Bowl is a massive outlet to send a message," said Grazie Media Director of Programming, Events Vanessa Wojtala. "Our organization feels that GLSEN's presence at the Super Bowl is a wonderful way to raise awareness about the Think Before You Speak campaign." Grazie Media has also provided GLSEN's "Think Before You Speak" campaign with additional airtime at a major national sporting event to be announced soon by GLSEN.

Via Out magazine, Tyler Clementi’s gay older brother James pays tribute in the form of letters written to honour a complicated life cut too short.

British beauty John Barrow – former professional rugby player turned actor – graces the pages of GQ, and says he is not yet prepared to talk about Amy Whitehouse, whom he dated.

Daniel Radcliffe, who embraces pubic hair, by the way, featured in Esquire, grown up, smoking sexy.

The divine Mr. David Beckham dressed to the nines leaving the Connaught Hotel in London.

Mitt Romney Glitter Bombed In Minnesota; Calls It Confetti; Makes Awkward Hair Joke

2012-02-01T16:10:00.000-08:00

For the first time, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney found himself on Wednesday on the receiving end of a shimmery welcome that's plagued some of his competitors - a glitter bomb. Walking on stage for a rally in Eagan, Minnesota, a protester in the crowd tossed glitter on Romney, who was flanked by his wife Ann and son Josh. Romney smiled, told the man to raise his hand, and treated the action as if it was a result of his Tuesday victory in the Florida primary. "Hey listen you guys, I'm delighted to be here with you, this is an exciting time, I'm happy for the celebration. This is confetti! We just won Florida!" he said. He then said, "Oh I've got glitter in my hair. That's not all that's in my hair, I'll tell you that. I glue it on every morning, whether I need to or not." According to a local reporter with WCCO, the protestor has glittered presidential candidates Michele Bachmann and Newt Gingrich. Erickson's motivations seem to lie with immigration - his father was reportedly deported to Colombia. In addition to Bachmann and Gingrich, Rick Santorum has been the repeated target of glitter bombs by other protestors. Security forces removed the man from the crowd, where about 300 came to see Romney, who was joined by former Senator Norm Coleman and former Governor Tim Pawlenty.

Legally Married Disabled Iraqi War Veteran Sues Federal Government Since She And Wife Are Denied Full Benefits

2012-02-01T16:00:00.000-08:00

A lesbian Army veteran and her wife sued the federal government on Wednesday after they were denied military benefits afforded to straight spouses. The Associated Press reports that the lawsuit announced in Washington involves a 12-year veteran of the Army, Tracey Cooper-Harris. After leaving the Army she married Maggie Cooper-Harris in California in 2008. Two years later, Tracey Cooper-Harris was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and she has received disability benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a result. But her application for additional money and benefits that married veterans are entitled to was denied. The couple's lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday in Los Angeles, argues that a federal law and military policy that resulted in the denial of benefits are discriminatory and unconstitutional. If the couple were straight they would receive about $125 more a month in disability payments as a result of Tracey Cooper-Harris' illness, which has no cure. In addition, Maggie Cooper-Harris would be eligible for approximately $1,200 a month in benefits as a surviving spouse after her wife's death. The pair would also be eligible to be buried together in a veterans' cemetery. "We're only asking for the same benefits as other married couples. We simply want the same peace of mind that these benefits bring to the families of other disabled veterans," said Tracey Cooper-Harris at a press conference in Washington on Wednesday. During her military service, Cooper-Harris helped take care of drug and bomb-sniffing dogs. She met her wife, a former teacher, when the two played on opposing rugby teams in California. They now live in Pasadena, California. The military has recently become more tolerant of gay service members. In September it ended its 18-year-old "don't ask, don't tell" policy and began allowing gay and lesbian service members to serve openly. But the Pentagon has said that a federal law enacted in 1996 that defines marriage as the legal union between a man and woman prohibits the military from extending benefits to the partners of gay service members, even if they are legally married in certain states. The Defense of Marriage Act is being challenged in a number of court cases, including one by military service members filed in Massachusetts in October. Those service members were suing over a wide range of benefits that married couples receive. The Obama administration has said it will not defend the law in court. The telephone message seeking comment from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on Wednesday was not immediately returned. Same sex marriage is now legal in six states and the District of Columbia. Tracey and Maggie Cooper-Harris were married in California during a brief window in 2008 when same-sex marriage was legal in the state before residents voted to ban it. Marriages performed before the ban are considered legal, though no new marriages are currently being performed. The couple is being represented by attorneys from the Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center, a non-profit civil rights organization, and the law firm WilmerHale.

Four Men Convicted Of Killing 19-Year-Old South African Lesbian Sentenced To 18 Years In Prison; Hailed As Significant Sentences Although Three Men Convicted Of Killing Rhinos Were Sentenced Tuesday To 25 Years

2012-02-01T10:46:00.000-08:00

A South African judge sentenced four men convicted of murdering a Cape Town lesbian to 18 years in prison Wednesday in a move activists said set a precedent for harsher sentencing in homophobic crimes. According to the AFP, a crowd outside the court burst into cheers and dancing, and gay-rights groups welcomed the sentence, which came three days after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon scolded African leaders for failing to do more to protect homosexuals on a continent where anti-gay prejudices are deeply entrenched. The four men were convicted in October of stoning, kicking and stabbing to death Zoliswa Nkonyana, a 19-year-old who lived openly as a lesbian, just metres from her home in the impoverished township of Khayelitsha in 2006. Magistrate Raadiyah Wathen said the four -- Lubabalo Ntlabathi, Sicelo Mase, Luyanda Londzi and Mbulelo Damba -- had attacked Nkonyana because of her sexuality. The Triangle Project, a Cape Town gay rights organization, said that the verdict's language had set a legal precedent for sentencing in future hate crimes. "It was truly a significant victory for us in terms of setting some kind of precedent for future cases that involve an element of hate or discrimination or bias in respect of sexual orientation," Jayne Arnott, the group's director, told AFP. "The magistrate in the sentencing recognised that Zoliswa had a right to live openly as she chose, as a lesbian in the community, and that there was a clear indication of intolerance and hatred towards her on these grounds. Prosecutors, who had asked for 15-year jail terms, welcomed the sentence and said it sent a message that hate crimes would not be tolerated in South Africa, where violence against gays is common despite liberal laws that are the only in Africa to allow same sex marriage. But the men, who faced possible life sentences, got off more easily than three poachers who were sentenced to 25 years Tuesday for killing rhinos in a national park. "I had no idea that for rhino poaching you can get a bigger sentence than for murdering somebody. That's a bit of a jolt," said activist David von Burgsdorff of rights group People Against Suffering, Oppression and Poverty. But, he added, "The sentence could have been less also. We're happy with it. We think justice was served." Lesbians in South Africa are commonly targeted for attacks known as "corrective rape" by men trying to "cure" their homosexuality. Three years ago a man was sentenced to life in prison and another to 32 years for the gang rape, robbery and murder of Eudy Simelane, a lesbian activist who had been a midfielder on the national football team. In December, Human Rights Watch issued a report accusing South Africa of "desperately failing lesbian and transgender people" by not doing enough to stop attacks against them. UN chief Ban criticized African governments at an African Union summit Sunday for treating gays as "second-class citizens or even criminals.” Even under South Africa's liberal constitution, there is often a gap between law and practice, activists say. "That's the laws on paper. In practice, African societies... are very homophobic," Von Burgsdorff said, adding, "There are some progressive South Africans, but there's so much more to do to get the broader South African communities on that same page."

Montclair State University Investigate Series Of Anti-Gay Bias Crimes

2012-02-01T06:47:00.000-08:00

In New Jersey, Montclair State University police are investigating three incidents in the past week in which someone wrote threatening, anti-gay messages in a note and on the walls of the student center. The most recent was discovered Monday on the wall of the first-floor women’s restroom near the Rathskellar cafeteria, which said "Fags will die on 2/7," according to an e-mail Montclair State University President Susan Cole sent to the student body Tuesday. The Star-Ledger reports that on Friday, a note was left under the door of the student center room that serves as the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Center, according to the e-mail. The day before, a message was written in marker on the wall next to the LGBT Center. "These actions are grossly unacceptable in our community and a clear violation of university policies, as well as the basic tenets of human decency," Cole wrote in the message. "A bias incident is a criminal act, and anybody found responsible for such actions will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." A similar incident was reported in October, when students attending a meeting in the LGBT Center discovered a note that said: "You will feel the wrath of Allah/ Your thoughts are immoral/ homosexuality is sin/ Allah says you must pay." Anyone with information is asked to contact Montclair State University police at (973) 655-5222 or the confidential tips line at (973) 655-8477.

New Jersey Governor Christie Apologizes For Linking Civil Rights To Same Sex Marriage Issue

2012-01-31T21:43:00.000-08:00

One week after Governor Chris Christie raised the ire of civil rights leaders and his Democratic foes for saying people would have preferred to have a referendum on segregation in the South, tonight he apologized. “Anybody who was offended by what I said, if you’re listening out there tonight, I apologize for that,” he said on New Jersey 101.5’s monthly radio call-in show. “I didn’t mean to offend anybody, and if I did I’m sorry.” The Star-Ledger reports that the apology immediately sparked this statement from Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex): "The governor rightfully acknowledged the hurtful and insensitive nature of his remarks. Going forward, I now trust and expect that, as the legislature moves toward implementing marriage equality, the governor will respect the serious nature of the constitutionality of civil rights and equal protection under the law." The controversy came in response to the conflict over legalizing same sex marriage in New Jersey: Democrats want to do it by legislation; Christie would veto a bill and called for a referendum instead. At a Statehouse press conference today, the Republican governor attempted to clarify his remarks: “The political climate in the South didn’t give them the option to have a referendum back then,” he said. But in the process he drew more negative attention by calling Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer), one of two openly gay state lawmakers, a “numbnuts," after the lawmaker compared him to segregationists. Tonight the governor said he got the term from his late mother and downplayed his use of colourful language. “I don’t know when people lost their sense of humour,” he said. “That was, I thought, a pretty light slap at a guy who compared me to George Wallace and Lester Maddox, who were two absolutely vile people in the political history of our country.”

Religious Leaders Testify Against Maryland’s Proposed Same Sex Marriage Legislation

2012-01-31T21:25:00.000-08:00

They have the governor's backing and a rewritten bill, but advocates of legalizing same sex marriage in Maryland have made little progress in quieting the concerns of many faith leaders who adamantly oppose the legislation. "Society should protect and strengthen marriage and not undermine it," said the Rev. Derek McCoy, who heads the Maryland Marriage Alliance, a new coalition aimed at stopping the measure. "There are many Marylanders who believe marriage should be defined as between one woman and one man." The Baltimore Sun reports that he was among a series of pastors who offered that message Tuesday at a packed hearing on Gov. Martin O'Malley's bill in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. It was the first time a legislative committee has scrutinized the governor's proposed same sex marriage law, called the Civil Marriage Protection Act. O'Malley supported but was not a sponsor of the same-sex marriage bill introduced in the General Assembly last session. This year, his staff borrowed ideas from other states to clarify a section of the legislation offering protections to religious groups. Though several hundred people attended, the hearing had the feel of a dress rehearsal for the big show, a similar hearing in the House of Delegates. Last year a same sex marriage bill passed in the Senate, and O'Malley's version is expected to win approval there as well. The legislation ran into stiffer opposition in the House, where it was pulled from the floor when supporters realized they did not have enough votes for passage. This time the House bill — which has not been introduced — is expected to be sent to two committees instead of one, setting up an even larger stage for a hearing. O'Malley, a Democrat, was the first to testify Tuesday, making a rare appearance before a General Assembly committee. The governor spoke for two and half minutes, and stuck mostly to themes that he's used previously when discussing the bill. "We all want the same thing for our children," O'Malley said. "It is not right and it is not just that the children of gay couples should have lesser protections than the children of other families in our state." He took a few questions from Sen. Nancy Jacobs, a Harford County Republican, who asked him indirectly about first lady Catherine Curran O'Malley's recent remarks that some delegates who withdrew their support last year were "cowards." The governor said that opponents have "a right" to disagree with his position. Mrs. O'Malley has apologized for her remarks. The main difference between the governor's bill and last year's legislation is the section on religious protections, which has been rewritten to clarify that churches, synagogues, and mosques would not have to perform same-sex ceremonies or support gay couples. Several faith leaders acknowledged Tuesday that the bill does provide strong protections for their institutions, but said they also want businesses — like bakeries and wedding planning companies — or deeply religious individuals to be able to refuse to serve couples in same sex marriages. Such a change would be in violation of state laws which prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, gender and sexual orientation. Reworking those laws is considered unlikely to happen. Several religious leaders also asked the panel to look for an alternative to the legislation that would not change how marriage is viewed in the state. "Civil unions would do the same thing," said the Rev. John A. Lunn of the Berean Baptist Church in Baltimore, speaking in opposition to the bill. "Why not civil unions?" asked Mary Ellen Russell, executive director of the Maryland Catholic Conference, though she quickly added that the church would not support that either. The Senate committee resoundingly voted down such legislation last year. The testimony on both sides avoided some of the strong rhetoric that offended some during last year's hearing. During that discussion, Senator James Brochin, a Baltimore County Democrat, said he became so horrified by some opponents' arguments that he decided to support the bill.

Appeals Court Upholds Ruling Requiring National Organization For Marriage To Adhere To Maine Campaign Law And Release Donor List

2012-01-31T20:40:00.000-08:00

In Maine, an appeals court on Tuesday upheld the state's campaign disclosure law that requires a national anti-gay-marriage group to release its donor list, but the group plans to take the fight to shield the list to the U.S. Supreme Court. According to The Associated Press, the decision pertains to ballot question committees in Maine and represents a second defeat for the National Organization for Marriage, which previously lost a challenge to the state's political action committee laws and laws governing independent expenditures and advertising attribution and disclaimers. The latest appeal focused on part of the law that says groups that raise or spend more than $5,000 to influence elections must register and disclose their donors. The NOM, which says it was founded in 2007 in response to the "growing need for an organized opposition to same-sex marriage in state legislatures," donated $1.9 million to a political action committee that helped repeal Maine's same sex marriage law. It said it believes that releasing the donor list would stymie free speech. "We already know that the homosexual lobby has launched a national campaign of harassment and intimidation against supporters of traditional marriage, so there's a good reason to keep these names confidential," said Indiana lawyer James Bopp Jr., who's representing the NOM. Mary Bonauto, an attorney with Boston-based Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, said Bopp's claims are an attempt to divert attention from NOM's failure to follow Maine disclosure rules. "Courts have said it's important for voters to know who the donors are for each side since that information may help them decide how to vote. Everyone else abides by the disclosure rules and so can NOM," she said Tuesday in an e-mail statement. The ruling by the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston, like its earlier decision, will be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, Bopp said. Even if the Supreme Court rejects the appeal, additional action would be required before the donor list could be released. The Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices must conduct an investigation to determine whether the list must be made public. The NOM has been involved in campaigns against same-sex marriage in Maine and other states. Maine voters repealed the state's gay marriage law in 2009. In neighbouring New Hampshire, Republicans who control the legislature are mulling whether to repeal a 2009 law legalizing same-sex marriage. Their state is one of six with such laws, along with Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York and Vermont, as well as the capital district of Washington. Gay-marriage advocates announced this week that they're seeking another referendum in Maine. On Monday, they turned over dozens of cartons of petitions signed by 105,000 voters, far more than the 57,277 needed to force a referendum. If the petitions are certified by election officials, as expected, then the gay-marriage proposal would go to the Legislature for an up or down vote. If the Legislature approves the proposal and Republican Governor Paul LePage signs it, then same sex marriage will be legalized. If the Legislature doesn't approve it or the governor doesn't sign a bill, as expected, then the question goes to voters and would be placed on the November ballot.

Maryland Governor O’Malley Testifies Before Senate That Same Sex Marriage A Matter Of Protecting Children, American Family Association Attacks Macy’s Over Corporation’s Same Sex Marriage Support, Archdiocese Of Minneapolis/St. Paul Spent $650,000 To Support Same Sex Marriage Ban, Ecuador Says It Will Police Clinics Found To Force Gays To Change Sexual Orientation, Anderson Cooper Parties

2012-01-31T18:59:00.000-08:00

Governor Martin O’Malley says legalizing same sex marriage in Maryland is a matter of protecting children. The governor, a Democrat, testified in support of his proposal to allow same sex marriages before the Senate Judicial Proceeding Committee Tuesday afternoon, according to The Associated Press. O’Malley said the bill will offer certain legal protections to children of gay couples, providing parity with children of married, heterosexual parents. Last year, the Senate passed a version of the bill,but it stalled in the House, at least in part over legislators’ religious and family values concerns. The governor has said that this year’s bill offers additional protection to religious institutions that do not support same sex unions by adding language that draws on similar legislation passed in other states.

As more corporations show their support for same sex marriage, sadly, a few customers are pushing back. Starbucks, Microsoft, Group Health Cooperative, Nike, Real Networks, and Vulcan all recently announced their support of gay marriage in Washington state. "While some of our employees literally grew up around the corner, others have come from every state and almost 150 countries around the world. There simply is no substitute for their diverse backgrounds, perspectives, skills and experiences," says Brad Smith, Microsoft's VP for legal and corporate affairs. Spokespeople for those companies tell me their support of marriage equality has been "well received." But that is not the case for Macy's, a national department store chain, according to a report by MyNorthWest.com. A Macy's catalogue was sent to homes with a subtle message supporting same sex marriage. The wedding cake topper in the back of a stylish, classic automobile features two grooms. The close up version of the ad, though fuzzy, shows a same-sex couple on top of the cake. A group affiliated with the American Family Association has started an e-mail campaign urging Macy's to pull the image - which does not appear in the online version of the company's catalogue. "Just because gay marriage is legal in a few states does not mean this is appropriate marketing. As a conservative customer I will not support it," they say. The group also calls Macy's decision to support gay marriage "an irresponsible choice" that is "highly offensive and not family-friendly advertising." Macy's has made no secret of its support of marriage equality. A 2008 advertisement in California stated, "First comes love. Then comes marriage. And now it's a milestone every couple in California can celebrate." That was before California voters repealed granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples with Proposition 8. A Washington State House committee held a hearing on the marriage equality measure on Monday. The House Judiciary committee approved it on a 7-6 party line vote. As I previously posted, the full Senate is to vote on their version of the bill Wednesday, with full house action to occur shortly thereafter. The bill would then head to Governor Chris Gregoire’s desk for her signature. She will sign it. Opponents wishing to challenge the new law would have until early June to collect 120,557 valid signatures, the amount required to place a referendum on the November 2012 ballot.

"The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis says it contributed $650,000 last year to support a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban same sex marriage. The archdiocese said Wednesday that it spearheaded a state-wide effort of Minnesota’s Catholic bishops. Archbishop John Nienstedt has come out strongly in support of the ban. He says it’s in line with fundamental church teaching that marriage should be between one man and one woman. The archdiocese says the money comes from investment income. The largest group working to defeat the amendment, Minnesotans United for All Families, said last week it had raised $1.2 million.

Ecuador will investigate and act forcefully against any clinics found to be trying to force homosexuals to change their sexual orientation, a Health Ministry official said last Thursday. Gay rights activists in the South American country say four clinics that engaged in coercive practices, three in the capital, have been shut down in recent months but that others still to operate clandestinely. "Sadly, authorities have not yet taken the corrective measures necessary to regulate the work of clinics that offer 'de-homosexualization' treatment,'" said Efrain Soria, director of Fundacion Equidad, an anti-discrimination group. Health Ministry official David Troya told The Associated Press the agency will deal firmly and drastically with any clinics that offer such treatments, which have been denounced by critics as abusive. Newly named Health Minister Carina Vance, who studied at the University of California and has publicly defended gay rights, is hiring someone to work exclusively on the issue, said Troya, an adviser to Vance. "We are going to take the necessary measures in a firm and drastic manner as regards this subject," he said. The ministry is "clear and emphatic" that in line with the World Health Organization findings, "homosexuality is not an illness and that as such a cure can't be suggested, so that whoever offers treatments is deceiving people and acting illegally," Troya said. Paola Concha told the AP that her family sent her in 2006 to a clinic to "cure" her of homosexuality. "I received physical and verbal aggression during the 18 months I was interned in one of these centers," she said. "Nearly daily they beat me, and many times I was handcuffed to a pipe." Concha said the women's ward of the clinic where she was held was later closed. She said other women who were "treated" along with her are afraid to go public with their stories. Troya said the few clinics offering "de-homosexualization treatment" that were shuttered by authorities were closed not because they offered such services but for other reasons, such as failing to meet sanitary standards. Soria, the anti-discrimination activist, said complaints had been filed in courts against all of the closed clinics. He said the clinics running "de-homosexualization" programs camouflage themselves by advertising that they treat such disorders as substance abuse.

The New York Daily News reports that Anderson Cooper was a different kind of host on Saturday evening. A source says the Anderson Cooper 360 anchor held a birthday party for openly gay party planner Josh Wood, of Josh Wood Productions, in the converted firehouse in Greenwich Village that Cooper bought for $4.3M in 2009. Cooper, “dressed casually in a T-shirt and glasses,” was “really social at the party [and] talked to all of his guests.”

Washington Senate Rules Committee Votes To Advance Same Sex Marriage Measure; SB 6239 Will Be Voted On Late Wednesday

2012-01-31T16:47:00.000-08:00

The Senate will vote Wednesday on a measure to legalize same sex marriage in Washington State. The Senate Rules Committee voted Tuesday to move the bill to a floor vote. Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, who is president of the Senate, pulled the bill for advancement, saying "it would be hypocritical for me to not support this bill" because of work he has done with schools and diversity. "For me, this is not a religious question," said Owen, a Democrat. "It's a legal question." The committee advanced the bill on a 14-7 vote, with six of the seven Republicans on the committee voting no. Senator Cheryl Pflug (R-Maple Valley) is one of two Republican senators who have said they will support the measure. The bill is not expected to come up for a vote until late afternoon or early evening on Wednesday. It is expected to pass in the Senate with at least 25 votes, the number needed for approval. Five other senators - two Democrats and three Republicans - have not indicated how they will vote. If passed by the Senate, the measure moves to the House, which also has enough votes to pass the bill, and Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire supports the measure and said she will sign it into law. Opponents of same sex marriage have already promised a referendum battle at the ballot if Washington becomes the 7th state to approve gay marriage. Same sex marriage is legal in New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia. Lawmakers in New Jersey and Maryland are expected to debate gay marriage this year, and Maine is likely to see a gay marriage proposal on the November ballot. A referendum can't be filed until after the bill is passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gregoire. Opponents then must turn in 120,577 signatures by June 6. Washington state has had a domestic partnership law since 2007 and an "everything but marriage" expansion of the domestic partnership law since 2009. Gay marriage bills were introduced in both the House and the Senate this year, and received their first public hearings this month. Democratic Sen. Ed Murray, a gay lawmaker from Seattle who has spearheaded past gay rights and domestic partnership laws in the state, and is sponsor of the Senate marriage bill, said that he is anxious for Wednesday's vote. "Nothing is done until it is actually voted on," he said.

Empire State Pride Agenda Condemns County Attorney Appointment Of Candidate With Direct Ties To Anti-Gay Alliance Defense Fund

2012-01-31T10:42:00.000-08:00

The state’s largest gay rights organization is calling on County Executive Daniel McCoy to withdraw his nomination for county attorney — a well-known conservative lawyer — calling the man's appointment an "insult and a grave danger to LGBT New Yorkers." The Albany Times Union reports that Empire State Pride Agenda entered the fray over Thomas Marcelle's appointment to the county's top legal post Tuesday, ratcheting up pressure on McCoy and fellow Democrats in the County Legislature to scrap Marcelle's nomination over concerns about his ties to a conservative organization that opposes same-sex marriage, abortion, and separation of church and state. "Through is role as senior staff at the Alliance Defense Fund, Mr. Marcelle's resume is built on discrimination," Ross Levi, the organization's executive director, said. "At best, the county executive is being naive if he can't see how this appointment sends the wrong message to the people of Albany County." The group's legislative and political affairs director, Brian Coffin, meanwhile, has resigned his position on McCoy's transition team in protest, Levi said. McCoy has publicly defended his pick of Marcelle, a Conservative Party member and longtime counsel to the County Legislature's Republican minority, calling him a capable attorney well-suited to the rigors of the job. Marcelle's personal beliefs, whatever they may be, are irrelevant to his responsibilities as county attorney, McCoy has said. Marcelle himself, under questioning last week by county lawmakers who must confirm his appointment, said he would not let his private views affect his "sacred duty" to give the county the best representation he can. "I don't care how people conduct their personal lives," Marcelle told members of the legislature's personnel committee last week. "It's none of my business, and it's none of the government's business." Marcelle said he would uphold the state's new same sex marriage law "without hesitation." But Levi said Marcelle's voluntary association with the Alliance Defense Fund, which uses litigation to further its agenda, seriously calls Marcelle's statements into question. "That's a decision he made," Levi said. Marcelle told lawmakers that his work as senior counsel to the organization centered largely on cases involving free speech and defending equal access of groups to government buildings and forums — a subject that helped mint the Bethlehem attorney's legal credentials when he won a U.S. Supreme Court case for a religious group on the topic in 2001. Libby Post, a longtime local LGBT activist who helped found Empire State Pride Agenda 22 years ago, said opponents are about five votes shy of the 20 needed to block Marcelle's confirmation but will continue to lobby members of the County Legislature, in which Democrats hold a 29-10 majority. Post started the local campaign to oppose Marcelle this month, a move that some close to McCoy — the county's former Democratic Party chairman — chalked up to political manoeuvring among rival factions of the Democratic Party. Post has dismissed that idea. "It's an affront to all LGBT people that our tax dollars would go to support someone who does not have the interests of the entire community at heart," she said. A spokeswoman for McCoy could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday morning.

Two Gay Men File Federal Suit Against Cleveland Police Department Alleging That During 2011 Arrest The Couple’s Constitutional Rights Were Violated

2012-01-30T23:15:00.000-08:00

Two gay men have filed a federal lawsuit against several officers from the Cleveland Police Department stemming from an arrest last April. The men claim they were subjected to derogatory name-calling and then hauled off to jail in their underwear, despite repeated requests to change clothes. FOX 8 reports that in a civil lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court, nationally-recognized civil rights attorney David Malik alleges several officers from the Cleveland Police Department violated the couple's constitutional rights. "We were called faggots a lot by police, and I consider that a fighting word," said Jonathan Simcox. Simcox and his partner, Steven Ondo, claim they were subjected to, "excessive force and undisguised prejudice," because of their sexual orientation. "It was more humiliating than I can even explain to you," said Steven Ondo. In April 2011, Ondo and Simcox were walking home from a bar on the near west side when they started arguing. They say a neighbour, who happened to be an off-duty Cleveland police officer came outside and confronted them. "He came out over shouting, saying, 'Shut up, you`re disturbing the peace'," said Simcox. "I pushed to get past him, as soon as I did that he knocked me on the ground, and just started beating me, hitting me, standing over top of me, and punching me repeatedly." A few minutes later, Cleveland police showed up at their house. Ondo and Simcox were arrested and hauled off to jail. "At the time my hands were all cut up, I was covered in blood," said Simcox. The men said after they were released from jail, they were told no charges were being filed against them. About a week later, the men were upstairs sleeping inside their home when they heard a loud banging outside their front door. According to the lawsuit, "6 or 7 members of the SWAT/and or Warrant Team" were on a sweep that day. Ondo and Simcox said officers then informed them they were wanted on a warrant that was issued for, "assaulting a peace officer." The men said each time they tried asking questions, the officers became increasingly violent. "The officer in the glasses grabbed me by my shirt, and punched me twice in the face, after he punched me, he threw me up against the wall," said Simcox. Simcox says at the time of the arrest, he and his partner were wearing only underwear and t-shirts. When Simcox's brother asked police if he could get them some pants and shoes, one of the officers allegedly responded by saying, "You can go get them shoes, but faggots don`t deserve to wear pants in jail." The lawsuit states that the men were ordered to stand outside in their front lawn for five to 10 minutes while they were publicly humiliated. Ondo and Simcox were taken to jail and according to the lawsuit for, "at least one whole day their repeated requests for pants were denied." Civil rights attorney Sam Riotte said, "Jonathan and Steven's rights were violated in part of who they are, because they are homosexuals." As for the assault charge, Riotte said, "They went to trial, it was proven they didn't do anything wrong, they were found not guilty." FOX8 contacted the Cleveland Police Department seeking comment. Interim Law Director Barbara Langhenry issued this response: "The City of Cleveland is aware that the lawsuit has been filed and will appropriately address this legal matter in court. At this point, the City has no comment on this pending litigation." Riotte said, "[Police] have a lot of power, abuse of power, and it's something that threatens not just Jonathan and Steven, but everybody and so a way to prevent this is to stand up, speak out and say this is wrong," said Riotte. Simcox added, "The police are supposed to be there to help you now after this whole incident and everything happened, I would definitely think twice about calling them again. I mean, it was terrifying, it just changed my whole view on what really is safe."

Canadian Gay Solider Says He Received Death Threats While On Duty In Afghanistan, Opponents Of Maryland Same Sex Marriage Rally In Annapolis, Accused In Seattle Anti-Gay Taunts Pleads Not Guilty, Henry Cavill, Tom Hardy And Chris Pine, Leaked David Beckham H&M Ad

2012-01-30T21:20:00.000-08:00

A Canadian soldier who served in Afghanistan says he received a threatening note, written by someone working at Kandahar Airfield, because he is gay. Warrant Officer Andrew McLean, who had tried to hide his sexual orientation, told CBC News that he found the letter on his work station in September, during his 4½-month tour of duty in Kandahar. "It said, 'You're gay. Because of this, minus-2' … that's metric [for] six feet, 6½ feet under?" McLean said in an interview from Winnipeg, where he recently took part in the Rick Hansen Relay. "I went through a lot of emotions. I went through anger, embarrassment, humiliation … fear for my safety." Canadian Forces officials said a harassment complaint was launched when McLean came forward with the discovery, but a full investigation could not be conducted without knowing who left the note at the NATO-run airfield. Officials told CBC News on Monday that McLean's complaint was taken seriously, and new military camp harassment policies were even developed as a result. McLean has since been moved to another job. McLean said he had spent years trying to hide the fact that he was gay. "I tried every trick in the book to be heterosexual," he said. When asked why, he replied, "Because that's the conflict. That's what society expects you to be. You see the negativity all around you, and why would anybody choose to confront that?" McLean said he was deployed to Afghanistan in mid-July and spent two months there before the note was left on his desk. "It was a gut punch," he said. "I had been there for two months, doing a really good job. We were working together." McLean said he struggled for two days before taking the threat (and the truth about his sexuality) up the chain of command. "These types of notes are what pushes people over the edge," he said. Now with his sexuality out in the open, McLean said he feels like he is 100-percent himself for the first time in his life. He said he hopes his experience will empower other gay men and women to take a stand. While he said he may never know who left the note on his desk in Kandahar, he said he won't ignore what happened. "If I don't stand up, who's going to stand up?" he said. "If I don't identify something, then who's going to identify it?"

More than 300 protesters filled a courtyard in front of the State House in Annapolis, Maryland on Monday evening, listening to ministers and chanting slogans in opposition to a same sex marriage bill introduced by Governor Martin O'Malley. "We ask the government to fix the problems we already have, not create new ones," said the Rev. Michael DeAscanis, a Roman Catholic priest in St. Agnes and St. William of York Parish in Baltimore. The crowd roared with approval and broke into a chant directed at state lawmakers: "Do your job! Do your job!" At another point, protesters yelled "one man and one woman" over and over again, stressing their support for traditional marriage. The Baltimore Sun reports that the rally was intended to set a defiant tone before a Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee hearing scheduled Tuesday on O'Malley's bill to legalize gay unions. The governor is scheduled to pitch the legislation in person, a rare appearance before a legislative committee. A same sex marriage bill passed the Senate last year, but was pulled from the floor of the House of Delegates when Democratic leaders determined they were a few votes short of passage. That chamber never voted on the measure. Over the summer, O'Malley pledged to include a similar bill in his legislative package for the 2012 session, and put the full force of his office behind passing it. If he succeeds, most expect that it will be petitioned to referendum and voters will decide on the November ballot. On Monday, protesters latched on to remarks made last week by Maryland first lady Catherine Curran O'Malley, who called some delegates "cowards" for preventing the measure from passing last year. She later said she regretted her choice of words. One man, who declined to give his name, held up a sign that read "Katie O'Malley, Only 'Cowards' endorse the immorality of LIBERALS." Another held a handwritten sign that said "Mrs. O'Malley, I'm not a coward." Several Republican lawmakers wore yellow buttons with the phrase "Proud to be a coward. Defend marriage." Robin Robertson, 54, of Damascus said that he came to the evening rally because he feels "bullied" by "the gay agenda." A Catholic with five children, he said, "I feel like I'm having to accept something that I don't believe in."

The suspect in a hate crime case stemming from an alleged anti-gay taunt and threats in a parking lot at Pike and Broadway remains jailed after pleading not guilty to malicious harassment and a weapons charge in Seattle Municipal Court. Michael Roderick, 25, returned to court today for a pre-trial hearing. In the alleged bias crime, police say Roderick yelled anti-gay taunts and attempted to pick a fight with the victim in the parking lot on Thursday night, January 12th. After the victim reported the incident to 911 and police responded to the scene, Roderick reportedly approached officers and was pointed out by the victim. Police placed Roderick under arrest and found he was carrying an air pistol and alleged drug dealing paraphernalia including a scale and containers with drug residue. No drug charges are currently filed in the case. He is currently jailed on $5,000 bail. A female also arrested in the incident has been charged with assault and has pleaded not guilty.

Henry Cavill (and a pair of tight trousers) spotted leaving the Chateau Marmont.

Tom Hardy and Chris Pine attend the United Kingdom premiere of the film This Means War, co-starring Reese Witherspoon.

David Beckham’s H&M underwear ad.

Washington State House Committee Votes To Advance Same Sex Marriage Proposal

2012-01-30T18:55:00.000-08:00

A House committee on Monday advanced a proposal to legalize same sex marriage in Washington State, and the Senate is expected to vote on its companion bill within days. According to The Associated Press, the House Judiciary Committee approved its gay marriage bill on a party line vote, with seven Democrats voting for it, and six Republicans voting in opposition. Three Republican amendments were rejected, including one that would have added private businesses and individuals, such as bakers and photographers, to the religious exemption in the measure that doesn’t require religious organizations or churches to perform marriages, and doesn’t subject them to penalties if they don’t marry gay or lesbian couples. Representative Jay Rodne (R-Snoqualmie), called the bill “an act of raw political power to modify the definition of marriage,” adding, “There has been no compelling justification to abandon traditional marriage.” Opponents of same sex marriage have already promised a referendum battle at the ballot if the Legislature passes the bill and it’s signed into law. Senator Ed Murray, a Seattle Democrat who is sponsoring one of the bills, said Monday that he expects a floor vote on same sex marriage in the Senate on Wednesday. A Senate committee voted to advance Murray’s bill Friday. Before last week, it wasn’t certain the Senate would have the support to pass the measure, due to a handful of undecided Democrats. But last Monday, after the first public hearing on the issue, a previously undecided Democratic senator, Mary Margaret Haugen of Camano Island, said she would be the 25th and deciding vote in support of the measure, all but ensuring its passage. The state House already had secured enough votes to pass the bill, and Democratic Governor Chris Gregoire publicly endorsed the proposal earlier this month. The House bill is set to advance to a fiscal committee, but a date for a hearing has not been set. The same sex marriage bills have the backing of several prominent Pacific Northwest businesses, including Microsoft, Nike and Starbucks. If a marriage bill is passed during this legislative session, gay and lesbian couples will be able to be wed starting in June unless opponents follow through on their threat to file a referendum to challenge it. A referendum cannot be filed until after the bill is passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gregoire. Opponents then must turn in 120,577 signatures by June 6. Same sex marriage is legal in New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia. Lawmakers in New Jersey and Maryland are expected to debate same sex marriage this year, and Maine could see a gay marriage proposal on the November ballot. The Maine Legislature previously approved gay marriage, but it was rejected by a 2009 state-wide vote, 53-percent to 47-percent. Washington state has had a domestic partnership law since 2007 and an “everything but marriage” expansion of the domestic partnership law since 2009. Representative Jamie Pedersen (D-Seattle), and sponsor of the House bill, said that even though the state’s domestic partnership law has increased rights to gay and lesbian couples, lawmakers have continued to hear from people “whose families have been disadvantaged because they do not have the rights of civil marriage afforded to them,” adding, “I’m delighted that we are finally at a position where we can correct that injustice.” Under the bills being considered by the Legislature, the more than 9,300 couples currently registered in domestic partnerships would have two years to either dissolve their relationship or get married. Domestic partnerships that aren’t ended prior to June 30, 2014, would automatically become marriages. Domestic partnerships would remain for senior couples where at least one partner is 62 years old or older. That provision was included by lawmakers in 2007 to help seniors who don’t remarry out of fear they could lose certain pension or Social Security benefits.

Knoxville Restaurant Owner Martha Boggs Removes And Bans Anti-Gay State Senator Campfield; “He’s Gone From Being Stupid To Dangerous”

2012-01-30T11:28:00.000-08:00

In Knoxville, Tennessee, there is no welcome for state Senator Stacey Campfield on the menu at one popular downtown restaurant. The News Sentinel is reporting that Martha Boggs, owner of the Bistro at the Bijou, said she ordered the controversial Republican legislator out of her restaurant Sunday in disgust over his recent remarks about the origin of AIDS. "He's gone from being stupid to dangerous," Boggs said today. "It's just my way of standing up to a bully." Campfield, of Knoxville, has made national headlines as sponsor of the Don't Say Gay bill, which he prefers to call "don't teach gay." It passed the state Senate last year after being revised to declare that only sexuality involving "natural human reproduction" can be addressed in classrooms. It currently awaits a House vote. He made news again last week after blaming the AIDS virus on men having sex with monkeys and calling the disease "virtually impossible" to contract via heterosexual intercourse. He made the comments during a radio interview on Sirius XM's LGBT channel, OutQ. Boggs said those remarks crossed the line. When Campfield walked in the door during Sunday brunch, she told him he was not welcome. "He didn't have much to say," Boggs said. "He left graciously." Campfield could not be immediately reached for comment this morning. The sign in front of the Bistro Monday reads, "Today's Special: Fried Chicken. Crispy Chicken Livers. No Stacey." The story will likely be updated.

In Attempt To Clarify Remarks Linking Civil Rights To Same Sex Marriage New Jersey Governor Christie Calls Openly Gay Assemblyman “Numbnuts”

2012-01-30T11:09:00.000-08:00

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie this morning attempted to clarify statements me made about same sex marriage and civil rights, but in the process called an openly gay assemblyman who was among the governor's detractors "numbnuts." In calling for a voter referendum on gay marriage last week, the Republican governor said: "The fact of the matter is I think people would have been happy to have a referendum on civil rights rather than fighting and dying in the streets in the South.” The Star-Ledger reports that in a Statehouse press conference Monday, he expanded on the statement: “The political climate in the South didn’t give them the option to have a referendum back then,” he said, adding later: “They wished they would have had the option, but the political climate did not permit it, meaning they would not win.” Christie signalled out Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer), one of two openly gay state lawmakers, as "numbnuts" for comparing him to infamous segregationalists. “Governors Lester Maddox and George Wallace would have found allies in Chris Christie over efforts by the Justice Department to end segregation in the South,” Gusciora said Thursday in a statement. Christie also likened Democrats’ reaction to his original statement to what he called politically motivated overreactions to his comment last year that the press should “take a bat out” on Senator Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen). “It just shows how politically desperate the Democrats are,” he said. This afternoon civil rights leader U.S. Representative John Lewis (D-Ga.) is scheduled – along with U.S. Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ) and Assembly Speaker Shelia Oliver (D-Essex) – for a press conference to discuss the original comments. Lewis in a phone interview today called Christie’s comment a “big blunder,” adding, “I just thought it was unbelievable, unreal. He’s a lawyer, governor and not to know that putting the issue of civil rights – segregation and racial discrimination in the American south – to a vote? We would have never made it during the 40s, the 50s or the 60s. Most of the governors except for a few of the states were outright segregationist. And most of these states in the old confederacy, people of color could not register to vote.” Christie said he had not been approached about meeting with Lewis, but would clear his schedule should the opportunity arise. “Congressman Lewis is an American hero,” he said, “and anytime he wants to come to New Jersey he will be welcomed with open arms because he led an extraordinary movement at great risk and sacrifice to himself.” Christie said he met this morning with leaders in the African-American community who, he said, understood his comments were not intended to be “racially insensitive.” The breakfast meeting with representatives from local chapters of the NAACP and mayors had been previously planned, he said.

Maryland Governor O’Malley Says Words Of Compassion And Justice Are Needed In Same Sex Marriage Debate, Opponents Of Proposed Minnesota Constitutional Amendment Banning Same Sex Marriage Raise Over One Million Dollars, No One Not Even Republicans Appear To Want To Repeal New Hampshire Same Sex Marriage Law, New York Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell Weds John Bata, The Help Wins Big At Screen Actors Guild Awards, Novak Djokovic Celebrates Epic Victory With Sweaty Shirt Tear

2012-01-29T22:45:00.000-08:00

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley sought to smooth over any raw feelings in Annapolis after his wife referred to opponents of gay marriage as “cowards,” saying Sunday that words of compassion, understanding and justice are needed in the debate. O’Malley, a Democrat who has made same sex marriage legislation a priority this year, closed out his remarks at the 24th National Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality by underscoring the need for using compassionate rhetoric. The Washington Post reports that the governor said it’s important not to let passionate views prompt people to use “words of hurt, rather than words of healing,” adding, “Laws matter, but words also matter, and if compassion and understanding and justice are what we want, then we must choose laws and we must choose words of compassion, understanding and of justice.” First Lady Katie O’Malley, while giving a welcoming speech at the conference on Thursday night, said “there were some cowards that prevented it from passing” in a reference to last year’s failure of gay marriage legislation. She issued a statement Friday morning saying she regretted the comment, which was not received well by some lawmakers in Annapolis the next day. A same sex marriage bill passed the state Senate last year, but stalled in the House of Delegates. O’Malley, speaking to reporters after his speech, confirmed that his remarks were made with his wife’s comments in mind. “I love my wife very, very much, and for the last 20 years she has done the very difficult job of balancing a host of responsibilities and doing it very, very well, and none of us speak perfectly, and sometimes we make mistakes, and she’s had the humility and the strength to apologize for the mistake that she made in her choice of words,” O’Malley said. The governor also said he thinks his wife, who is a Baltimore District Court judge, feels “very badly” about the comment. Despite the controversy, the governor, who has reshaped the bill this year to more carefully address concerns about religious freedom, said he believes momentum is growing for the legislation. “I think there is a much broader coalition in support this year,” O’Malley said. “I think as we progress, more and more people appreciate that the protection of individual rights and the protection of religious freedom are intertwined, and they are part of the effort that all of us share to reflect in our laws a more perfect union.” A rally of people who oppose same sex marriage is scheduled for Monday in Annapolis. A hearing on the legislation is scheduled for Tuesday.

In Minnesota, a group leading the effort to defeat a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage has raised $1.2 million, mostly in the closing months of 2011, according a new campaign finance report. The Star Tribune reports that Minnesotans United for All Families raised the funds last year from more than 5,100 people, with some larger donations coming from wealthy and prominent Minnesotans, including James Pohlad, owner of the Minnesota Twins. "Thousands of Minnesotans are beginning conversations with friends, family and neighbours about why they need to vote no on this anti-family amendment," said Richard Carlbom, campaign manager for Minnesotans United. "It's not about the money, it's about the conversations." Minnesotans United's fundraising prowess signals that the ballot question on the marriage amendment could be the most expensive campaign in the state this year. Campaigns must file their state finance reports by Tuesday, but the Star Tribune obtained an early copy of the group's finances. A leading organization pushing for voters to pass the amendment, Minnesota for Marriage, won't release its reports until the deadline, said Chuck Darrell, a spokesman for the group. It is building a coalition of supporters around the state, including many in the religious community. "Our fundraising is going well and we will ... raise whatever it takes to get the job done," Darrell said Friday. Voters will decide the fate of the proposed amendment in November. More than two dozen states have already approved constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage. Recent polls indicate the margin in Minnesota's vote could be razor thin either way. State law already prohibits same-sex marriage, but supporters say the amendment is necessary to prevent courts or future legislatures from allowing same-sex couples to wed. The average contribution to Minnesotans United was about $216, including giving from political groups, and 75 percent of the money came from Minnesotans. Marriage Equality Minnesota gave the group its largest single donation, $85,000. Marriage Equality Minnesota is a branch of Project 515, a founding organization behind Minnesotans United. The local political-action committee of the Human Rights Campaign -- a national organization promoting civil rights for gays, lesbians and bisexuals -- gave $174,857 through a mix of cash and in-kind assistance. Among individuals, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, chairwoman of travel giant Carlson Cos., gave $40,000, the largest single donor. Aside from Nelson, more than a dozen gave contributions of $10,000 or more. Among those were Charles Zelle, president and CEO of bus company Jefferson Lines, George Pillsbury and Bruce Dayton, the father of Gov. Mark Dayton. So far, the financial backbone of Minnesotans United has been a series of small meetings around the state, many in private homes or at churches. Ellen Eastby, of Fergus Falls, held one of the meetings last fall at her church. "I really think people need to be valued and their relationships need to be valued," said Eastby, who says she has many gay friends. "Marriage is a huge, positive value in our society, and being able to marry validates the relationship." Rick Smith, who has given a couple hundred dollars to Minnesotans United and now plans to host a house party for the cause in coming months, never thought of himself as very political. "I think, like a lot of people, I would have just sat on the sidelines," said Smith, 59, a computer security consultant in Hastings. Smith's daughter is gay and a medical student at Harvard University. She and her partner married in Massachusetts. That his daughter's union would not be recognized in Minnesota caused Smith to join the effort against the marriage amendment. "There is nothing that can strengthen a family more than letting two people who love each other get married," he said. "I know how hard it is to find a soul mate, and I can't imagine how hard it is that they can't do what is in their hearts."

The Concord Monitor, in an exhaustive report, says that while the fate of a bill repealing same sex marriage in New Hampshire remains uncertain, two facts are not in dispute: Republicans hold veto-proof majorities in the House and Senate. The state Republican Party platform defines marriage as "the legal union between one man and one woman" and opposes "all other forms of civil unions, regardless of where such unions were formed." So what's so hard about getting it done? "It is certainly disappointing to me," Senator Fenton Groen, a Rochester Republican who has been vocal in his support of the repeal, said last week. "I think that, in the House particularly, we have a significant libertarian caucus within the Republican Party. . . . And there are some Republicans who differ on that within that caucus." The 2010 elections entered a wave of Republicans from varying backgrounds, all generally united in a desire to cut spending and lower taxes. Where this group stands on the 2009 marriage law (an issue that turns on ideology and life experience) has never been as clearly defined. With lobbyists on both sides of the issue gearing up efforts to sway a House vote expected in the coming weeks - creating lists of those for and against and on the fence, urging constituents to pepper their lawmakers with phone calls and e-mails - legislators are wondering how their colleagues will finally come down on the issue. "I'm for liberty and freedom, leaving people alone so long as they don't harm or defraud other people," said Representative Steve Winter, a Newbury Republican who opposes the repeal. Winter, a 73-year-old retired airline captain, was Senate clerk under Republican former Senate president Tom Eaton from 2002 to 2006. He considers himself a "fiscal conservative and a social libertarian," adding, "I believe what people do with their lives, how they select their mates, is none of my business and none of the state's business." Representative Seth Cohn, a Canterbury Republican who moved here as part of the Free State project, a libertarian movement to relocate to New Hampshire, is also against repeal. Cohn and others believe the bill may pass the House but does not have the two-thirds majority to override a potential veto by Democratic Governor John Lynch, who signed the bill three years ago legalizing same sex marriage. "I know for a fact, based on people I've talked to, that if Gov. Lynch vetoes it, that veto is not override-able," Cohn said, adding that he plans to introduce an amendment on the House floor that would take government entirely out of marriage, instead giving all couples a civil union and leaving marriage up to churches and other religious institutions. That same approach is supported by the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire, a libertarian-leaning group that endorsed 107 House members elected in 2010.

The main sponsor of New York’s same sex marriage law married his longtime partner Sunday in Manhattan. According to The New York Daily News, Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell and John Banta were married by Judith Kaye, the former chief justice of the state Court of Appeals. Guests included Governor Cuomo, who aggressively pushed passage of the same sex marriage bill last year. Also in attendance was O'Donnell's sister, talk show host Rosie O'Donnell, and their mother, as well as a host of state lawmakers who O’Donnell had promised to invite if they ever passed a gay marriage bill. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan), Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and state Controller Thomas DiNapoli were also at the reception at Gustavino's on E. 59th St. During the ceremony, Kaye received laughs when she referenced O'Donnell's speech on the floor of the Assembly when he implored members to vote '"yes" because he wants to experience the same thing that most members have "two or three times. Assemblyman Joseph Lentol (D-Brooklyn) said the event was "like nothing I ever attended before," adding, "It was really elegant and tasteful. The speeches were short, but really meaningful. Everybody was just engaged and listening and clapping. The newness of having a same-sex marriage is still there for a lot of people and they loved the idea of being at this type of reception."

The Screen Actors Guild awards were held Sunday in Los Angeles, and in something of an upset, three of five film awards were bestowed on The Help, including the SAG ensemble, Viola Davis for best lead actress, and Octavia Spencer as best supporting actress. Christopher Plummer won best supporting actor for his brilliant turn in Beginners as a man who comes out late in life, and The Artist’s Jean Dugardin earned best actor. Boardwalk Empire and Modern Family were named best ensemble drama series and best ensemble comedy series respectively.

Novak Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal in what can only be described an epic battle to win the Australian Open. The five hour, and fifty-three minute match (it ended 1:37 am Monday morning in Sydney) was the longest Grand Slam final in history, and Novak celebrated by tearing his shirt and yelling something of a primal scream.

Ontario College Of Teachers Asked To Investigate Catholic Principal Who Banned Formation Of Gay-Straight Alliance For Professional Misconduct

2012-01-29T19:55:00.000-08:00

Ontario’s College of Teachers has been asked to investigate a Catholic principal for professional misconduct after students were banned from starting a gay-straight alliance at their Mississauga high school. According to The Toronto Star, in a formal complaint, teacher Thomas McCue asks that the college look at the alleged “actions or inactions” of Frances Jacques, principal of St. Joseph Catholic high school last year, that could have “put certain groups at increased risk, which is contrary to the code of conduct of members.” McCue is referring to a group of students led by Leanne Iskander, who asked to form a gay-straight alliance but were turned down. They said the principal instead offered talks with the school’s chaplain or that they join other groups already running at the school. Even though gay-straight alliances are common in public schools, Catholic boards have not allowed them, given the Vatican’s stance against homosexuality. Although McCue has named Jacques in the complaint — because she was the front-line official involved — the complaint could have much wider implications for the Catholic system’s approach to such clubs. As McCue followed media reports on the St. Joseph’s incident, “it all seemed unreal to me,” he said in a telephone interview from the Montreal area, where he now lives with his same sex partner. “When I shared it with the staff (at his current school), they thought Ontario was living in the 1960s.” (The St. Joseph’s teens eventually started a club called “Open Arms,” after Ontario’s Catholic bishops and school trustees bowed to public pressure and allowed groups to address bullying based on sexual orientation.) Jacques retired at the end of the 2010-11 school year as planned but is still a member of the teachers’ college. McCue’s complaint also asks the college to examine if Jacques failed to maintain the standards of the profession, because without a gay-straight alliance support group “to address issues of bullying, some students may feel that their emotional well-being was being compromised,” adding that, “In any case, given the recent suicide at an Ottawa Carleton District (board) school as well as a spate of other horrible incidents around North America, it is time that this issue be taken seriously. There is a book and video entitled It gets Better. The understanding is that once a (gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender) student makes it to adulthood, life gets better. This is all fine and good, but it needs to get better now, not in four years.” The complaint, sent to the college last November, includes several studies showing the importance of safe, supportive social environments for gay and lesbian teens. “The studies clearly indicate that a ‘diversity club’ is insufficient to properly address the unique issues facing gay and lesbian youth,” McCue wrote. The college has 120 days to investigate and determine whether to proceed to a disciplinary hearing. “Our legislation prohibits us from talking about a matter until it reaches the stage of a formal hearing,” said Brian Jamieson of the Ontario College of Teachers. “I cannot confirm or deny whether a complaint has been registered, and we are not allowed to discuss matters under investigation.” Bruce Campbell, of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, said no one at the board was aware of the case and that, regardless, he could not respond “due to the personnel-related nature of such a complaint.” He contacted Jacques twice on the Star’s behalf; she said she had not been contacted by the college. “She has not been advised of this and did not wish to comment on it,” Campbell also said. McCue taught in Ottawa public schools before moving to Montreal in 2007. He grew up in Barrie. “I kind of felt sick to my stomach” after reading that St. Joseph students had been denied, especially after they were brave enough to ask for — and then publicly fight for — a gay-straight alliance at such a young age, he said. “It’s clear in Ontario College of Teacher regulations that you can’t put students at increased risk,” said McCue, 41. The question is if this is “conduct unbecoming a member,” he added. “Would most members consider this not to be proper?” Noa Mendelsohn Aviv, director of the equality program at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, said her organization has not taken a position on the case because it is not familiar with the college’s disciplinary process. However, she said she will follow its progress. “It is one of the many ways people are expressing their concern with the fact that students were not provided with the supports they need,” she said. “It’s a very interesting take (on the issue).” The incident at St. Joseph’s highlighted the difficulty facing Catholic schools as the province looked at ways to fight homophobia, something students — in both Catholic and public schools — have said they want. Since then, the Ontario government has directed schools to allow anti-homophobia clubs if students demand them, although the word “gay” does not have to be in their title. Just last week, Catholic educators suggested calling such groups “Respecting Difference,” but said the groups could not be activist, protest or discuss sexual attraction or gender identity.

Court Documents Detail History Of Anti-Gay Behaviour By New Jersey “Christian” High School Teacher Viki Knox

2012-01-29T13:59:00.000-08:00

In New Jersey, Facebook comments posted by Union Township English teacher Viki Knox were "hateful, bigoted and discriminatory," the district school superintendent says in a court document that provides a detailed account of Knox’s alleged anti-gay conduct. The document describes the results of a school district investigation and has been filed with the state Office of Administrative Law. According to The Star-Ledger, the case, in which the school board is attempting to fire Knox, is expected to be argued before an administrative law judge in May. In December, Union’s school board received the document and voted to suspend Knox without pay after voting to certify tenure charges brought against her. She had been on leave with pay. "Ms. Knox’s statements and actions not only constitute discrimination against GLBT students and staff in Union High School, but are completely incompatible with the aforementioned mission of the Union Township School District," Superintendent Patrick Martin wrote in the filing. According to the document, the district also found Knox:

• Denied services to a special-education student wearing a gay pride bracelet

• Accused her colleagues of indoctrinating students to live a gay lifestyle

• Likened homosexuality to a "sin" that "breeds like cancer," during a class discussion of Rutgers student Tyler Clementi’s suicide

• Led prayers during a student club meeting, violating federal law and district policy.

Knox was not available for comment. Her lawyer, however, said her posts are protected expressions of speech and religion that took place "out of the school arena." The lawyer, Sanford Oxfeld, also denies any wrongdoing by Knox, who had been teaching in Union for more than a decade. Oxfeld was retained for Knox by the New Jersey Education Association. "Ms. Knox made no statements nor took any actions which involved students that can form the basis of any of the charges against her," Oxfeld wrote in another court document filed with the Office of Administrative Law. "Nothing that she said can or will compromise her ability to be an extraordinary teacher." Nearly four months ago, Knox’s comments drew national attention and sparked debate over free speech, gay rights and the separation of church and state. Hundreds turned out for an October board meeting to both defend and decry Knox’s actions. The board’s December actions and the court filing begin the effort to fire Knox — a process that could take years and cost taxpayers thousands of dollars in legal fees. The district, according to the filing, finds Knox at fault for starting a "string" of Facebook posts criticizing the formation of a gay-straight alliance club at Union High School — an idea another teacher had posted about favourably. Knox wrote that "tolerance and acceptance" of "whatever makes the flesh feel good," referring to homosexuality, should not be tolerated because it is not tolerated by God, according to the filing. The back and forth between Knox and others through Facebook posts eventually went viral on the internet. "Much of the debate centered not on alternative lifestyles in general but on Ms. Knox’s views on what should or should not be happening at Union Township High School," the district’s document states. "It was clear during the entirety of the Facebook ‘conversations’ that Ms. Knox was employed in the Union Township School District." Knox’s conduct has led students and staff at the high school to express "extreme discomfiture in ever being in the same school building with Ms. Knox," and several staff members have filed grievances with the district administration protesting the comments, according to the filing. In response to the district’s tenure charges, Oxfeld denied that Knox’s Facebook comments were made publicly, that she engaged in a "running dialogue," or that the comments were meant to be hateful, bigoted or discriminatory. "Ms. Knox denies creating the controversy," Oxfeld wrote. "At no time did Ms. Knox beseech others to look at her private Facebook page. Nothing Ms. Knox did was aired publicly nor did she cause a debate on alternate lifestyles." In closing, Oxfeld argued the high school will be at a loss without Knox. "The students in this District are better served with Ms. Knox being employed as a teacher than without her guidance, supervision and love," he wrote.

United Nations Secretary General Tells Audience Of African Leaders They Must Respect Gay Rights

2012-01-29T07:15:00.000-08:00

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, in an unusually outspoken declaration on Sunday, told African leaders they must respect gay rights, an issue that is controversial in many African states."One form of discrimination ignored or even sanctioned by many states for too long has been discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity," Ban said at an African Union summit in the Ethiopian capital. "It prompted governments to treat people as second-class citizens or even criminals," he added. Homosexuality is outlawed in most African countries and discrimination against gays and lesbians is rife on the continent, with South Africa being the only country that recognises gay rights and same-sex marriage, at least on paper. However, previous external criticism of restrictions imposed on homosexuals has attracted angry responses from African leaders, who claim it is alien to their culture. According to the AFP, outgoing African Union chairman Tedoro Obiang Nguema, speaking before Ban's remarks were delivered, complained about the external criticism the continent receives. "Africa should not be questioned with regards to democracy, human rights, governance and transparency in public administration," he told the summit. After Commonwealth leaders refused to adopt reforms to abolish homophobic laws in 41 member nations, British Prime Minister David Cameron said last year he would consider withholding aid from countries that do not recognise gay rights. "Confronting these discriminations is a challenge, but we must not give up on the ideas of the universal declaration" of human rights, Ban told the summit. Gay rights in Africa, most notably in Uganda, made the news on several occasions last year. Homosexuality is already illegal in Uganda, but a controversial bill that calls for the death penalty for certain homosexual acts was re-introduced in the Ugandan parliament late last year. The proposed legislation envisages stiffer punishments -- including the death penalty -- for anyone caught engaging in homosexual acts for the second time as well as for gay sex where one partner is a minor or has HIV. Gay rights activists have blamed an increase in homophobia in Uganda on evangelical preachers, some of whom are close to the regime of President Yoweri Museveni. Sexual Minorities Uganda, a group of gay activists based in Kampala, welcomed Ban's remarks. "It holds a lot of weight that Ban Ki-moon has come to this meeting and addressed this issue," SMUG advocacy officer Pepe Julian Onziema said by telephone, adding, "It makes a difference because it is an issue that the African Union has ignored. We have pushed them on it but they have shut us out." Ban also told leaders that they should respect democracy, noting that the Arab Spring revolutions that swept North Africa last year were "a reminder that leaders must listen to their people," adding, "Events proved that repression is a dead end. Police power is no match to people power seeking dignity and justice."

Girl Guides Of Canada Considering Transgender Members, United Kingdom Christian Councillor Found Guilty Of Professional Misconduct After Prescribing Gay Cure Prepares Appeal, Dallas Mayor Explains He Did Not Sign Onto Marriage Equality Campaign Because He Is “Pledge-Phobic,” Kansas Republican Legislator Presents Yet Another Attempt To Prohibit Same Sex Marriages On Military Bases, Anti-Gay Family Research Council Condemns Star Wars’ Gay-Positive Game, Beefy Daniel Garofali, Pumped Zac Efron

2012-01-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

The historic Girl Guides of Canada is wrestling with a very modern question: Whether to allow transgender girls — children who were born male but identify as girls — into their troops. “Our board is seeking advice from medical and law professionals, and will deal with requests on a case-by-case basis,” said Deborah Del Duca, CEO of Girl Guides of Canada. “Girl Guides of Canada strives to ensure environments where girls and women from all walks of life, identities and lived experiences feel a sense of belonging and can fully participate.” According to The Toronto Sun, the volunteer service organization was recently asked if they would allow transgender girls into their organization. The Canadian request was made after a Colorado Girl Scouts troop was asked to include a transgender girl into their ranks. The American group eventually agreed to admit the child. “Girl Scouts is an inclusive organization and we accept all girls in Kindergarten through 12th grade as members,” the Girl Scouts of Colorado said on its website. “If a child identifies as a girl and the child's family presents her as a girl, Girl Scouts of Colorado welcomes her as a Girl Scout.” The move has angered some parents, who have called for a boycott of what they see as an LBGT rights agenda in a children’s organization. The question is a non-issue for Scouts Canada, which ceased being a boys-only group in 1998 when it allowed girls to join. The Girl Guides was founded in 1910 in England by Lady Agnes Baden-Powell, sister of Lt. Gen Robert Baden-Powell, an army officer who wrote the book on scouting and orienteering. Guides and Scouts focused on skills training, wilderness survival, charity and citizenship. Gov. Gen. David Johnston is the Chief Scout of Canada, while the Queen is the Patron of the Guiding Association. Girl Guides of Canada now tackles a wide range of issues, including bullying, climate change and HIV awareness.

An update on a previous post, Lesley Pilkington was effectively barred from her professional register after attempting to convert a homosexual man in a therapy session at her home. Her patient turned out to be a gay rights journalist, who had secretly recorded the sessions and then reported her to her professional body. Mrs Pilkington, a committed Christian, was subsequently found guilty of professional misconduct. The therapy practised by Mrs Pilkington had been described as "absurd" by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and roundly condemned by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. But, reports The Telegraph, ahead of her appeal against the BACP ruling, Mrs Pilkington has received backing from the Right Reverend Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury. In a letter to her professional body, Lord Carey – along with a number of senior figures – suggests Mrs Pilkington is herself a victim of entrapment whose therapy should be supported. His comments – in a letter co-signed by, among others, the Right Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, the former Bishop of Rochester and the Right Rev Wallace Benn, the Bishop of Lewes – will cause controversy in the gay community and beyond. The joint letter states: "Psychological care for those who are distressed by unwanted homosexual attractions has been shown to yield a range of beneficial client outcomes, especially in motivated clients ... Such therapy does not produce harm despite the Royal College of Psychiatrists and others maintaining the contrary." It concludes: "Competent practitioners, including those working with biblical Judeo-Christian values, should be free to assist those seeking help." Lawyers acting for Mrs Pilkington will argue at the appeal hearing on Wednesday that the counsellor did not get a fair hearing. The case against Mrs Pilkington – first reported in The Sunday Telegraph a year ago – was brought by Patrick Strudwick, a journalist, who approached her at a largely Christian conference and asked her to treat him. In May 2009, Mr Strudwick attended a therapy session at Mrs Pilkington's private practice, based at her home in Chorleywood, Herts, and recorded the session on a tape machine strapped to his stomach. On the tape, Mr Strudwick asks Mrs Pilkington if she views homosexuality as "a mental illness, an addiction or an anti religious phenomenon". She replies: "It is all of that." Last year, Strudwick said, "Entering into therapy with somebody who thinks I am sick … is the singularly most chilling experience of my life. If a black person goes to a GP and says I want skin bleaching treatment, that does not put the onus on the practitioner to deliver the demands of the patient. It puts the onus on the health care practitioner to behave responsibly." Mrs Pilkington said her method of therapy – Sexual Orientation Change Efforts – is legitimate and effective. The therapy is practised by a handful of psychotherapists in Britain. The method involves behavioural, psychoanalytical and religious techniques. Homosexual men are sent on weekends away with heterosexual men to "encourage their masculinity" and "in time to develop healthy relationships with women", said Pilkington. Her legal defence is being funded by the Christian Legal Centre, which has instructed Paul Diamond, a leading human rights barrister, to fight the case.

After refusing to sign a pledge in support of a Constitutional law allowing same-sex marriage, Dallas, Texas Mayor Mike Rawlings met with 25 leaders in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community Saturday to explain why. “I’m a bit pledge-phobic,” Rawlings told reporters after the closed door meeting. “I think America has got too many pledges out there and I think it’s simplistic and not substantive.” The national advocacy group Freedom to Marry asked mayors across the country to sign a pledge supporting gay marriage. More than 100 mayors have signed the pledge, six of whom reside over Texas cities. But no mayor from North Texas has added his or her name to the list. CBS 11 News reports that Rawlings’s refusal to sign the pledge prompted a demonstration in front of Dallas City Hall Friday night. The mayor said he supports the rights of all Dallas residents as well as those in the LGBT community, but he maintained his stance Saturday afternoon. “I’m a mayor that wants to be substantive,” he said. “I do care about the civil rights of all of our citizens.” Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price served as the grand marshal of the Tarrant County Gay Pride Parade in 2011, but also refused to sign the pledge. She said she believes gay marriage is a state issue and not a local one. Meanwhile, gay rights advocates say they will continue to pressure the mayors to sign the pledge.

A congressional lawmaker opposed to homosexuals serving openly in the military is again attempting to pass a measure meant to prevent gay couples from marrying on military bases and ensuring chaplains who oppose homosexuality do not suffer for their views. Military.com reports that Kansas Republican Representative Tim Huelskamp is sponsoring a bill that stipulates the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" cannot be used to force chaplains to do anything against their beliefs, he said in an announcement Friday, including marrying gay partners. "It will also protect the freedom of those in the military to express vocally the tenets of their faiths. And it will make certain that our military facilities are not used in contravention to the federal Defense of Marriage Act," he said. "Military installations exist to carry out the national defense of our nation, not to facilitate a narrow social agenda." Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which fought against the ban on gays serving openly for years, slammed Huelskamp's bill as "another round of resistance tactics that have already been rejected by Congress and the American people."

The Force might soon be with your gay relationship in the massively multiplayer game, Star Wars: The Old Republic, but the Family Research Council is certainly not. According to PC Magazine the Washington D.C.-based non-profit, which bills itself as, "the leading voice for the family in our nation's halls of power," has issued a statement decrying Bioware's about-face about homosexuality in the Star Wars gaming universe. According to Bioware, the ability to have a same sex relationship within The Old Republic (with a NPC character, not a relationship with a real-life player in the game) is on the horizon. "In a galaxy not so far, far away, Star Wars gamers have already gone to the dark side. The new video game, Star Wars: The Old Republic, has added a special feature: gay relationships," says Tony Perkins, FRC president, in a statement, accompanied by a radio ad. "Since the announcement, homosexuals have been celebrating the news, but parents sure aren't. On the game's website, there are more than 300 pages of comments--a lot of them expressing anger that their kids will be exposed to this Star Warped way of thinking. You can join them by logging on and speaking up. It's time to show companies who the Force is really with." adds Perkins. The issue of homosexuality within The Old Republic first came about back in 2009, when users of Bioware's online forums noticed that the words, "gay," "lesbian," and "homosexual" were censored whenever they were posted within a forum thread. Bioware community manager Sean Dahlberg attempted an explanation, saying in an April 2009 post that, "[Gay and lesbian] are terms that do not exist in Star Wars. Thread closed." It's unclear whether Bioware's going to actually use "those words" at a future point within The Old Republic, but the official line from the company is that gamers will eventually be allowed to pursue relationships (or hook-ups, at least) with NPC sidekicks of either gender. And the reason this feature wasn't implemented at the game's December 2011 launch was more an issue of logistics than controversy. "Due to the design constraints of a fully voiced MMO of this scale and size, many choices had to be made as to the launch and post-launch feature set. Same gender romances with companion characters in Star Wars: The Old Republic will be a post-launch feature," reads a statement on Bioware's forums. "Because The Old Republic is an MMO, the game will live on through content expansions which allow us to include content and features that could not be included at launch, including the addition of more companion characters who will have additional romance options."

The beautiful, beefy male model Daniel Garofali in an editorial called Conquest.

Zac Efron packs his guns and heads off the set of The Paperboy.

Tapes Reveal Troy Mayor Did Not Link Gays And Mental Illness But Did Call Lifestyle “Dangerous”

2012-01-28T19:48:00.000-08:00

Troy, Michigan Mayor Janice Daniels did not draw a connection between homosexuality and mental illness during a meeting in January, but she did indicate that she believes the homosexual lifestyle is dangerous. Daniels was accused by Troy High School senior Skye Curtis, who attended the meeting, of saying that she would gather "a panel of psychologists who would testify that homosexuality is a mental disease." That accusation put the mayor's views on homosexuality back in the spotlight after a Facebook controversy last year over her use of the term "queers." In an interview after the meeting, Daniels denied making the statement about mental illness, saying instead that there's a higher incidence of overall disease in the homosexual community. But a recording of the meeting, released to The Detroit Free Press on Friday based on a Freedom of Information Act request to the city, provides the actual exchange about plans for an event in the city pitched at various times as an anti-bullying or anti-suicide seminar. Daniels said she would "bring in psychiatrists who will tell you that the homosexual lifestyle is dangerous." Daniels asked in a phone message on Friday that questions be e-mailed to her but had not responded Friday night. Zach Kilgore, 17, a member of Troy High School's Gay-Straight Alliance who attended the meeting, said that Curtis has already backed away from the mental illness accusation, but he noted that the mayor's comments are troubling nonetheless. Curtis, who is the co-president of the alliance, could not be reached. "What she still said is not in the mainstream view of the health experts," Kilgore said of Daniels. "When she clarified her statements, she said homosexuals have more diseases, and that's not true." He said the mayor wanted to turn the event that was being discussed into an anti-suicide seminar. "She wanted to bring in psychiatrists who would have told them that who they are is dangerous, and that would not have been good," he said. Kilgore said his group is continuing to plan for an event but without the mayor's involvement. The recording of the meeting paints a picture of a mayor who believes she has been unfairly vilified for a "basically inconsequential" Facebook posting she made before she was elected mayor in November. Daniels said that she has been bullied and threatened.

Margaret Court Now Says Being Gay Direct Result Of Sexual Abuse

2012-01-28T09:48:00.000-08:00

Margaret Court is now claiming homosexuality is often the result of sexual abuse. Amid a growing backlash over her opposition to same sex marriage, the three-time Wimbledon champion told the Sunday Herald Sun that "many, many" gay and lesbian people she knew of had "been abused” and this had led to their sexual orientation. Court, a senior minister at Perth's Victory Life Centre, has already sparked fury among gay and equal rights activists for recent comments including that the push for gay marriage was trying "to legitimise what God calls abominable sexual practices.” When asked whether she felt such abuse led people to homosexuality, Court said: "Yes. You look at a lot of them, that's happened." Peter Rosengren, editor of the Catholic Church's The Record newspaper, batted away her latest claims, saying he had "never heard of any scientific study" linking abuse and homosexuality, and that "everyone has to be respected.” In a wide-ranging interview, Court also said: "The word of God is our TV guide to life. It's not out to get you, it's not the fear book, it's a wonderful love book and it tells us how to live our lives,” that "I would have won six Wimbledons not three ... if I'd known what I know now from the scriptures, on the area of the mind,” that she had "nothing against" immigrants, but many expected Australians "to change our laws to embrace what they have, and I don't feel that's right,” and added that "Christianity is a way forward" for Aboriginal people. Court also said she did not regret speaking out against same sex marriage. "I say what God says, and that's why I've spoken out," she said. "I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I have a right as a minister to say that. I believe it's important for young people to know that. You look at the decline in the world today I think it's so important for values and morals and righteousness to come forth like never before."

Marriage Equality Proponents Continue To Push Dallas Mayor To Sign Freedom To Marry Pledge, California Secretary Of State Clears Anti-Gay Group’s Proposal To Repeal Senate Bill 48, Second Most Powerful Senior Cleric In Church Of England Suggests Prime Minister Cameron Would Be “Dictator” If Legalized Same Sex Marriage

2012-01-27T22:19:00.000-08:00

Supporters of marriage equality took over the grounds outside Dallas City Hall Friday tonight, urging Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings to get onboard with a national pledge, reports KDAF-TV. “We really feel that the mayor needs to speak out on this issue, needs to take a stand. We need his private beliefs to match his public policy,” said Get Equal Texas North Texas Coordinator Daniel Cates. They want Rawlings to join other mayors across the country in signing the Freedom to Marry pledge. They say so far 100 other mayors have. “I have a lot of friends that are in the LGBT community, and I have seen atrocities that happen to them over and over in this city, and in this state,” said protester Noam Zerzan. There were some heated exchanges tonight as others came to protest the protesters."As a concerned citizen just supporting the biblical definition of marriage and just kind of stand for our Mayor,” said opponent Will Stanford. Rawlings is scheduled to meet with the group Saturday morning. Last week, on his Facebook page he addressed the issue saying, "I decided not to sign onto that letter because that is inconsistent with my view of the duties of the office of the mayor.” But the protesters think the mayor is out of touch. "I think that some of his comments have actually been destructive, they've bordered on homophobia where he said these are issues that are no relevant to the lion's share of the community that he serves. I think that's an unfortunate statement,” said Cates. To them, same sex marriage is an issue that starts local. "He has the power to unite with us and when you unite with us and stand for equality for all human beings you send a message to your constituents, the state of Texas and to the rest of America,” said protester Shannon Kern. "While the mayor may not have the power to directly influence the law, he does have the power to pressure law makers who do have that ability,” said Cates.

In California Thursday, the secretary of state’s office today cleared a proposal to repeal Senate Bill 48 for circulation. Senate Bill 48, also known as the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful Education Act, requires that LGBTs’ historical contributions be taught to California’s school students. According to The Bay Area Reporter, the proposal, submitted by Lou Sheldon of the anti-gay Traditional Values Coalition, repeals SB 48′s requirement that instructional materials recognize those contributions. Sheldon also wants to undo the law’s provision that prohibits instructional materials that reflect adversely on people based on their sexual orientation and other characteristics. Backers of Sheldon’s initiative have until June 25 to collect the 504,760 valid signatures needed to get the proposal on the state ballot. Sheldon could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday. Karen England, executive director of the Capitol Resource Institute and its affiliated Capitol Resource Family Impact, is backing another SB 48 repeal initiative, which is expected to be cleared for circulation by mid-February. Richard Rios, another anti-gay activist, had also proposed undoing SB 48, but he said this week he’s dropping his efforts.

Ministers should not overrule the Bible by allowing same sex marriage and David Cameron would be like a "dictator" if he lets homosexual couples get married, the Archbishop of York has said. The UKPA reports that Dr. John Sentamu, the second most senior cleric in the Church of England, said marriage must remain a union between a man and a woman. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, the archbishop said marriage is set in history and the state cannot change it overnight. He said: "I don't think it is the role of the state to define what marriage is. It is set in tradition and history and you can't just (change it) overnight, no matter how powerful you are. We've seen dictators do it in different contexts and I don't want to redefine very clear social structures that have been in existence for a long time and then overnight the state believes it could go in a particular way. It's almost like somebody telling you overnight that the Church, whose job is to worship God (that it will be) an arm of the Armed Forces. They must take arms and fight. You're completely changing tradition." The Government will open a consultation on the issue in March. Dr. Sentamu said the bishops in the House of Lords did not try to stop Labour introducing civil partnerships in 2004, giving same-sex couples improved legal rights. He added the Church was also content with last year's move to allow civil partnership ceremonies in places of worship, as long as it is voluntary and agreed by the governing body of any particular denomination. Meanwhile, Dr. Sentamu said the Church must do more to avoid its leadership being solely white and middle class. The archbishop said white working class parishioners and black church-goers are poorly represented in the Anglican church. He said, "I used to chair the committee for minority ethnic Anglican concerns, and we seemed to be making some progress but that now seems to be going backwards. Where we have lost out is black people who had been realised Anglicans, who are now joining Pentecostal churches. That's a huge drain."

Federal Appeals Court Rules Expelled Eastern Michigan University Counselling Student Who Refused To Council Gays And Lesbians Can Argue Discrimination Suit Before Jury; Court Says Julea Ward’s Free Speech Violation Claim Deserves To Be Heard

2012-01-27T20:48:00.000-08:00

An Eastern Michigan University student who was expelled from a counselling program because she refused to counsel gays and lesbians about their lifestyles won a critical victory today in the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. According to The Detroit Free Press, a three-member panel of the court said Julea Ward can argue her religious discrimination suit against the university before a federal court jury in Detroit. “Ward’s free speech claim deserves to go to a jury,” Judge Jeffrey Sutton said in an opinion joined by Julia Gibbons and John Adams. Adams is a federal district judge from northern Ohio who was sitting by designation on the appeals court. “Although the university submits it dismissed Ward from the program because her request for a referral violated the ACA (American Counselling Association) code of ethics, a reasonable jury could find otherwise — that the code of ethics contains no such bar and that the university deployed it as a pretext for punishing Ward’s religious views and speech.” Ward’s lawyers at the Alliance Defense Fund, a faith-based legal group, hailed the decision. “Public universities shouldn’t force students to violate their religious beliefs to get a degree,” said the Alliance’s Jeremy Tedesco, the lawyer who argued the case. “The court rightly understood this and ruled appropriately. Rather than allow Julea to refer a potential client to another qualified counsellor — a common, professional practice to best serve clients — EMU attacked and questioned Julea’s religious beliefs and ultimately expelled her from the program because of them.” Eastern Michigan University cautioned in a statement this morning that the 6th Circuit made no legal findings against the school, did not rule that the university engaged in discrimination and did not rule in Ward’s favour in the suit. “Rather, the Sixth Circuit Court ruled that there needs to be additional legal proceedings before a decision can be reached,” EMU Vice President for Communications Walter Kraft said. “The Court also found that the Regents and the President of Eastern Michigan University were properly dismissed from the lawsuit and refused to reinstate them despite Ward's request.” Kraft added: “This case has never been about religion or religious discrimination. It is not about homosexuality or sexual orientation. This case is about what is in the best interest of a person who is in need of counselling, and following the curricular requirements of our highly respected and nationally accredited counselling program, which adheres to the Code of Ethics of the American Counselling Association and the Ethical Standards of the American School Counsellor Association. Those Ethical Standards require that counsellors are not to allow their personal values to intrude into their professional work.” The ACLU of Michigan, which filed a court brief supporting the university, said: “While no public university can discipline any student because of her beliefs, universities have a right to insist that their graduate students adhere to accepted standards of professionalism and place the needs of their clients first.” The case now goes back to U.S. District Judge George Steeh in Detroit, who ruled in favour of the university in 2010. The case was closely watched by Christian-rights, gay and lesbian and academic-rights groups. Several Michigan universities filed briefs in support of EMU, saying schools should have the right to set their curriculum and students should be required to follow them. Although Ward refused to counsel gays and lesbians about their sexual orientation, she said she was willing to counsel them on other issues

Parents In Manitoba Demand Two Grade Five Teachers Remove Gay Ally Cards From Their Classrooms, Elk Grove California Victim Of Anti-Gay Hate Crime Sues Bowling Alley Where He Was Attacked, Governor Perdue’s Decision Not To Seek Re-Election Dramatically Changes Landscape Of North Carolina Same Sex Marriage Constitutional Amendment Vote, New Jersey Gay Advocates Warn Of The Economic Cost Of Same Sex Marriage Ban

2012-01-27T15:47:00.000-08:00

In Manitoba, Canada, a group of parents are demanding two Grade 5 teachers remove cards displayed in their classrooms pledging support for gay and lesbian youth. “We have to sign hundreds of petitions to allow religious exercises in school,” parent Kim Peters Sawatzky said. “We should treat this situation in the same way, as it seems to be just as controversial.” QMI reports that the cards declare that Stephanie Fortier and Peter Wohlgemut, teachers at West Park School in Altona, about 120 km south of Winnipeg, have completed training sessions through the Rainbow Resource Centre in Winnipeg. Last October, the two voluntarily participated in a session, along with 25 other educators from the region, as part of the provincial professional development day. Participants were given the option to display the card, which includes the word “Ally” on a rainbow, along with the words, “As an Ally, I support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Two-Spirit, intersex, queer, and questioning individuals, families and communities. As an Ally, I will work towards a more aware, affirming, safe, and open work environment in both policy and practice.” Since the cards were posted, the school has had a steady stream of parents asking they be removed. Many only heard about the card this week. “I would like to have the choice of how I choose to teach my children about these words and what they mean,” Peters Sawatzky said. Rachael Friesen, whose son is in Wohlgemut’s class, said she has no issue with the card. “The kids are hearing some pretty crazy stuff on the playground and we have no control over that. All we can do is damage control, so I’m not understanding why a teacher can’t answer a question without everyone freaking out,” she said. Ultimately, the school decided to post only the top piece of the training card, the rainbow piece that only contains the word “Ally.” Still, a group of parents is insisting the cards be removed entirely. Border Land School Division superintendent Krista Curry said discussions about the card will continue. “Inclusive education is a divisional priority regardless of gender, race or ethnicity,” she said. “We want everyone to feel accepted, safe and supported in our schools.”

The victim of an Elk Grove anti-gay hate crime is suing the bowling alley where he was beaten. The Sacramento Bee reports that Seth Parker, 26, of Sacramento, sued the owners of Strikes Family Entertainment Center over the beating he suffered in the alley's parking lot last June. The lawsuit, filed in Sacramento County Superior Court, blames the alley for tolerating a violent atmosphere on its premises. The suit also targets Parker's assailant, Joel Baltazar Olivarez. Olivarez pleaded guilty to felony battery charges. His sentencing was postponed today to February 17. Elk Grove police labelled the case a hate crime because Olivarez hurled an anti-gay slur at Parker during the incident. Parker had gone bowling with some female co-workers. The owners weren't immediately available for comment.

According to The Associated Press, something unexpected happened on the way to North Carolina's vote on a same sex marriage ban this May: Democratic Governor Beverly Perdue decided not to run for re-election, meaning more voters who oppose the ban could turn out at the polls. Before Thursday's development, mostly Republican voters were expected to show up to pick their nominees for governor and president, and likely make North Carolina the last state in the Southeast to block same-sex marriage. Now gay rights supporters hope they have a better chance of shooting down the constitutional amendment with more Democrats showing up May 8 to pick a candidate for governor at the same time. Gay marriage opponents believe they have the votes sewn up anyway and it won't make much of a difference. "I'm sure that supporters of the amendment thought that, strategically, putting the question on the May ballot was their best chance," said Michael Bitzer, a professor of politics and history at Catawba College. "That strategy just got blown out of the water." People on both sides of the question see the referendum here as having significant national implications: Gay marriage will either be banned in a clean sweep of the South, or there will be a stunning Dixie rejection. "Given the fact that this amendment won't be decided by such a narrow slice of voters as it would have been previously, it increases the optimism from our side," said Michael Cole-Schwartz, spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign, a national gay rights group. "It's something we have to consider carefully in light of all the other issues in other states around the country this year." If Perdue's departure hurts the ban's chances, it would be ironic, given that her objections to its appearance on the November ballot helped convince lawmakers to move it back to spring. Perdue opposes the amendment and said she didn't want to see it on any ballot, but she worried that Republicans wanted it in November to help their chances in the general election. Turnout for primary elections is historically lower than in November, and without a contested Democratic primary in either the gubernatorial or presidential races, there was little reason for Democratic voters to turn out in large numbers this spring. "Democrats didn't want it on the November ballot because they feared it would be bad for them in the presidential and gubernatorial races," said John Dinan, a professor at Wake Forest University. "Nobody could have predicted at that point that the May primaries would be much more contested. Nobody planned it this way." A Democratic primary could bring out voters more likely to oppose bans on gay marriage, said Richard Matland, a professor at Loyola University Chicago who co-authored a paper last year that analyzed every single state referendum on gay marriage. All 34 of those votes were in favour of banning gay marriage, except for a 2006 referendum in Arizona where the measure was narrowly defeated, although Arizona would ban same-sex marriage in a subsequent vote. Although the results are essentially uniform, Matland said there are important distinctions, especially regarding turnout. In general, higher turnout means closer elections featuring more "episodic" voters like young people, who tend to be more supportive of same sex marriage. "Turnout really does drive the process," he said. "If there does turn out to be a big campaign with a lot of candidates able to get up and running, it might make the North Carolina referendum a lot more interesting." Supporters of same-sex marriage hope that's the case. "Having a Democratic governor's race definitely helps our chances," said Jeremy Kennedy, campaign manager for the Coalition to Protect North Carolina Families, the group leading the opposition to the ballot measure. Gay marriage opponents, though, say the issue cuts across party lines, and has significant support among Democrats and unaffiliated voters as well as Republicans. "I don't think it'll have any effect," said the Rev. Ron Baity, president of Return America, one of the groups working to secure passage of the measure. "I'm sure the amendment is going to pass." Tami Fitzgerald, co-chairwoman of the Vote FOR Marriage NC coalition, which supports the amendment, said she welcomes the prospect of a contested Democratic primary. "The more folks that turn out on May 8, the better," she said. Certainly, there are complexities among Democratic voters that may work in favour of amendment supporters like Fitzgerald. The emergence of a black candidate such as Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, who is considering a bid, could attract a disproportionate number of black voters, according to David McLennan, a political science professor at William Peace University, who tend to be more conservative on gay marriage. The primary "creates some confusion to what's going to happen," he said. "It could go any number of ways."

Gay rights advocates in New Jersey have been pushing for a decade to get state courts or lawmakers to recognize same-sex marriage. But this week, they demurred when Governor Chris Christie called for a public vote to settle the topic. The main reason they've given is based on principle: It's not fair, they say, to let voters decide a civil rights issue. But there's more to their position. It would be a costly and divisive fight, and they know the odds are against them, even though several recent polls have shown the majority of New Jersey voters support allowing gay marriage. Steven Goldstein, chairman of the gay rights group Garden State Equality, said a public vote on the issue would not really reflect the will of the people. "A referendum reflects which side can corrupt the political system with more money," he said. Brian Brown, the president of the National Organization for Marriage, said his organization and others would put millions of dollars into a campaign against allowing gay marriage. "The other side has put forward a number of lies," he said. "Our job is to expose them." So far, reports The Star-Ledger, Brown's side has been winning. Thirty-one times states have had votes on constitutional amendments to define marriage as being only between a man and a woman. The referendums have been approved 30 times. And in the one exception, in Arizona, voters two years later passed a similar amendment. This year, marriage amendments could be on the ballots of about a half-dozen states. Only two are being pushed by groups that want gay couples to be allowed to marry. Those are Maine and California, where there are efforts to overturn constitutional bans. In New Jersey, opponents of same sex marriage have been calling for years for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. But to get that or any question on the ballot, they would need the Legislature to approve it. In a state controlled by Democrats, that is an idea that has never gotten much traction. But it got a boost this week from the governor. Gay marriage advocates are already battling for recognition of same-sex marriages. But this month, State Sen. President Stephen Sweeney, a Democrat, said passing a law to allow it was a top priority. And on Tuesday, a measure was approved by the state Senate Judiciary Committee. The same day, Christie, a Republican, vowed to veto any such bill and instead called for a public vote, saying such an important societal change should be made by the people, not lawmakers. Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for the governor, would not say this week if the governor wants a referendum on whether to allow gay marriage or to ban it. Democratic officials quickly spoke up against Christie's idea, making it clear that the referendum wouldn't be put on the ballot anytime soon. Many of those speaking for the Democrats were African-American leaders who related the battle for gay marriage to the fight for civil rights for blacks. "No minority should have their rights subject to the passions and the sentiments of the majority," said Newark Mayor Cory Booker. The reasoning for gay rights groups goes beyond theory — and straight to the 30 state constitutional amendments already adopted in the U.S. Marc Solomon, national campaign director for the New York pro-gay marriage group Freedom to Marry, said a referendum campaign in New Jersey might look a lot like the one in 2008 in California, where he worked as a volunteer during the last weeks of the campaign and after as director of Equality California. In California, voters put in place an amendment to bar same sex matrimony months after a state court allowed it. Advocates there spent a combined $83 million in their campaigns — a large sum, but less than the state's two most recent gubernatorial elections. Television commercials and online videos were ubiquitous. Groups backing gay marriage, the side that narrowly won the spending battle, had an online fundraising video in which all sorts of gay marriage proponents, including children, used profanity and described opponents as hateful. Another ad, criticizing the role of Mormons in campaigning for the amendment, showed two Mormons knocking on the door of a lesbian couple's home. One of them said: "We're here to take away your rights." Social conservatives asserted that allowing gay marriage would have widespread negative consequences. A frequently cited one: Schools would teach about homosexuality even if parents objected. In one spot, a girl tells her mother: "Mom, guess what I learned in school today? I learned how a prince married a prince and I can marry a princess." Another thread is that religious groups would be punished for having anti-gay or anti-gay marriage beliefs. Solomon called those ads "pure hate-mongering." And he said that the campaign caused harm. Young gays and children of gays were more likely to be bullied during the campaign, he said, and gay-led families suffered the psychological damage of having their very existence debated. The National Organization for Marriage, which was founded in Princeton in 2007 but has since moved its headquarters to Washington, has emerged as one of the largest fundraising groups opposed to same sex marriage. Brian Brown, the group's director, said it would invest heavily in New Jersey if there were a vote here. "The content of our ads would be similar to what you've seen throughout the country, which is telling the truth about the consequences of same sex marriage," he said. Garden State Equality's Goldstein says opponents' ads prey on people's fears — but often sway voters. "If there were a law banning both sides from spending a penny, we'd win," he said. Jim White, a former state deputy of the Knights of Columbus, a Roman Catholic-affiliated group that says it would campaign against same sex marriage, doesn't have much patients for statements like those. "They keep bragging about the polls," he said. "But they refuse to put it to a vote."

Minnesota Legislators Introduce Anaemic Anti-Bullying Bill That Avoids “Focusing Too Much On Group (Being Bullied) Or Another”

2012-01-27T14:16:00.000-08:00

State lawmakers are working on a bipartisan effort to supposedly expand and strengthen Minnesota’s anti-bullying laws, but it is an effort that has been criticized because of its ambiguity. HF 1953 would require schools to promptly report and discipline incidents of bullying. The Star Tribune reports that the idea for the legislation was first proposed by DFL state Attorney General Lori Swanson, but the legislation is being spearheaded in the House by Representative Jim Abeler (R-Anoka), whose district was shaken by an outbreak of student suicides in recent years – including some youngsters who had been tormented by bullies before their deaths. “We’re trying to keep this from becoming as polarizing as it has been in the past,” said Abeler, a father of six, who teamed with Rep. Debra Hilstrom (DFL-Brooklyn Center), to introduce the bill. “I’d like to create a good dialog. I think the error we made in the past was in focusing too much on one group (being bullied) or another." The legislation, first proposed last year by Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson, would require educators to report a bullying incident within 24 hours of learning about it, and to develop procedures to document, investigate and discipline the students involved. It would replace the state’s current anti-bullying statute, which at 37 words is one of the briefest in the nation. The bill was introduced Thursday and referred to the Committee on Education Reform. Its supporters are working to line up Senate sponsors now. Hilstrom said the bill is modeled after anti-bullying statutes in conservative states. “North Dakota, Wyoming, they have a better bullying statue than Minnesota,” she said. If the bill passes, she said, Minnesota “would be setting a tone, that bullying is not going to be tolerated.” It remains to be seen how schools will react to the idea of new state-dictated bullying policies. When Swanson first proposed the legislation last November, Anoka-Hennepin schools Superintendent Dennis Carlson said his district already has adopted many of the measures the new law would require. The district, the state's largest, has been under scrutiny in the aftermath of the suicides -- including a federal civil rights investigation and a lawsuit, both focusing on how it handled allegations of bullying. "Bullying is an issue for the community and the state," Carlson said at the time. "Everyone is going to need to be involved if we're going to eliminate bullying. ... Some of the things we're doing right now are going to get us closer than any generation before us to eliminating bullying."

Maryland First Lady Katie O’Malley Apologizes For Characterizing Opponents Of Same Sex Marriage Measure As “Cowards”

2012-01-27T10:21:00.000-08:00

An update on a previous post, Catherine “Katie” Curran O’Malley said Friday that she regrets characterizing opponents of the Maryland same sex marriage bill that failed last year as “cowards.” In welcoming remarks Thursday night at a national conference of gay-rights advocates in Baltimore, the wife of Governor Martin O’Malley (D) blamed the bill’s demise in the General Assembly on “some cowards that prevented it from passing.” In a statement Friday, reports The Washington Post, O’Malley, a district court judge in Baltimore, said that she “let my feelings get the better of me,” adding, “I deeply respect that there are strongly held and differing views on marriage equality in Maryland but hope that our state’s elected officials will come together to fairly address this important issue for our families and children.” Martin O’Malley is seeking to build support to pass a reworked same sex marriage bill that he unveiled this week. By most accounts, bill supporters began the 90-day legislative session several votes short in the House of Delegates. Last year’s legislation, which the governor supported but did not sponsor, narrowly passed the Senate before unexpectedly falling short in the House, traditionally the more liberal chamber on social issues. A few delegates who had initially supported the bill later changed their minds, citing community opposition. The legislation proved a hard sell among delegates from Prince George’s County, some of whom cited resistance from black churches, and among more conservative Democrats from Southern Maryland and the Baltimore suburbs. O’Malley is scheduled to speak Sunday at the 24th National Conference on LGBT Equality, the gathering that his wife addressed Thursday. Katie O’Malley’s remarks were first reported by the Associated Press. As a sitting judge, she is prohibited by a judicial code of conduct from engaging in partisan political activity. As a result, she has been less visible in some respects than other Maryland governors’ spouses. She has used her position to champion several less controversial causes, including anti-bullying measures. Aides say Katie O’Malley feels very passionate about legalizing same sex marriage. Last year, she met privately with several wavering lawmakers, urging them to support the bill. She said at the time that her advocacy as on the issue was “just as a citizen.”

New Jersey Black Leaders Condemn Governor Christie’s Remarks Linking Civil Rights Movement To Same Sex Marriage Voter Referendum, Maryland First Lady Blames Failure Of 2011 Same Sex Marriage Measure On “Cowards,” Conor Oberst Among Nebraska Musicians Calling For Legislators To Drop Bill That Would Prohibit Cities From Passing Ordinances Banning Discrimination Against Gay And Transgender Persons, Atlanta Gay Bookstore Outwrite Closes Door

2012-01-26T22:16:00.000-08:00

Influential black leaders in New Jersey said Wednesday they were stunned by comments made by Governor Chris Christie that civil rights pioneers of the 1950s and '60s would have gladly put the rights they were fighting for to a vote, and suggested he needed a history lesson. On Tuesday, Christie proposed putting the question of same-sex marriage on the November ballot rather than seeking its legalization through legislation. "The fact of the matter is," he said, "I think people would have been happy to have a referendum on civil rights rather than fighting and dying in the streets in the South." But, reports The Star-Ledger, sponsors of the bill, including Senate President Sweeney (D-Gloucester), noted that civil rights have historically been gained through legislation. Today, Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) had sharp words for the governor and said he needed a "history lesson," adding, "Governor — people were fighting and dying in the streets of the South for a reason," she said. "They were fighting and dying in the streets of the South because the majority refused to grant minorities equal rights by any method. It took legislative action to bring justice to all Americans, just as legislative action is the right way to bring marriage equality to all New Jerseyans." Newark Mayor Cory Booker had much the same criticism, saying, "I shudder to think what would have happened if the civil rights gains, heroically established by courageous lawmakers in the 1960s, were instead conveniently left up to popular votes in our 50 states.” One of the leading injustices civil rights activists protested against a half-century ago was discrimination at the polls, which after years of bloodshed resulted in passage of the Civil Rights Acts and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Jerome Harris, chairman of the New Jersey Black Issues Convention, said, "The 1965 Voting Rights act was enacted to overcome the systemic, intentional racial suppression of the black vote. It’s certainly a lack of historical understanding about how the expanding definition of who ‘We the People’ are has happened. Sometimes it takes bold acts of defiance by the minority." At a news conference today, Christie defended his statement, insisting that civil rights activists would have been able to pursue justice through the courts if a referendum had failed. "My point is, they’re trying to say the only way to deal with a civil rights issue is through legislation, and my point is that in a state like this, the fact of the matter is their own polling belies that position." A recent Quinnipiac University poll found that 52 percent of registered voters in New Jersey supported same-sex marriage. Oliver was not the only lawmaker to take umbrage at Christie’s remark. Assemblyman John Wisniewksi (D-Middlesex), chairman of the state Democratic Party, said, "Rosa Parks didn’t get to the front of the bus through a ballot question and Jim Crow laws weren’t repealed by public referendum." As Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer), put it, "It’s difficult to understand what the governor was thinking."

Maryland First Lady Katie O’Malley is not mincing any words when it comes to describing why she thinks gay marriage legislation failed last year. According to The Associated Press, the first lady, speaking Thursday at the 24th annual Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality on Thursday, said “there were some cowards that prevented it from passing.” A bill to allow same sex marriage passed the Senate, but stalled in the House of Delegates. O’Malley, who is a Baltimore judge, says she’s hopeful things will be different this year. Her husband, Gov. Martin O’Malley, is making same-sex marriage legislation a priority of the legislative session. The first lady says religion should not play a role in determining the laws of the state of Maryland. She says same-sex marriage is a civil rights issue, not a religious one.

"A group of Omaha musicians, including Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, is calling on state lawmakers to drop a proposal that would ban Omaha and other communities from passing anti-discrimination ordinances. The World Herald reports that in a letter Tuesday, Oberst and 16 other musicians called it “deplorable and unacceptable” to attempt to block Omaha City Councilman Ben Gray from winning passage of an ordinance to ban discrimination against homosexual and transgender people. Gray has said he would propose such an ordinance this month or next. State Senator Beau McCoy of Omaha has introduced a proposal (Legislative Bill 912) that would bar cities from passing such ordinances. He said creating a new, protected class of citizens should be done on a state-wide basis, not city by city. “It simply says there needs to be consistency,” McCoy said Tuesday, referring to his bill. “I don't understand how discrimination could stop or start at a city border.” The senator argued it would be improper to allow a “patchwork quilt” of anti-discrimination ordinances to emerge. His measure would not prevent legislation from being introduced to provide state-wide anti-discrimination protections. Musician Laura Burhenn, who rallied the letter's 17 signers, said she's convinced the bill is really intended to stop a movement in Omaha. “Don't keep selling Omaha as another fly-over Midwestern city,” said the singer-songwriter who fronts the Mynabirds. “We have a lot of progressive people here who are welcoming.” Burhenn, who formerly lived in Washington, D.C., said she moved to Omaha three years ago because she loved the people she met through working with Saddle Creek Records. She has since made many more friends, including some who feel afraid to be open about who they are in their workplaces. The letter was sent to senators on the Legislature's Judiciary Committee. Others signers include members of The Faint, Big Harp, So So Sailors and Honeybee & Hers. The musicians fear if lawmakers pass the bill, it will deter creative people from exploring opportunities in Omaha and could persuade some gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people to leave the community. “Progressive cities attract eager newcomers, both young professionals and artists, which in turn creates growth and economic prosperity,” the letter stated. “LB 912 will send the message to the world that Nebraska is not forward thinking or welcoming.” A public hearing on LB 912 before the Judiciary Committee at the State Capitol has not yet been scheduled.

It wasn't just its location, at 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue, that placed Outwrite Bookstore and Coffeehouse in the heart of Atlanta's LGBT community. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that last May, when store owner Philip Rafshoon informed customers of Outwrite's precarious financial situation, sales increased and attendance at book signings and special events spiked. Not enough, it turns out. The bookstore closed for good Wednesday, victim of a stagnant economy that's been particularly challenging to those who trade in the printed page. Outwrite had little choice but to shutter, store owner Philip Rafshoon has said. The store's lease expires at the end of the month. In a December interview, Rafshoon told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Our landlord didn't really raise our rent that much, but we need to find a heck of a lot cheaper space or a heck of a lot more customers."
It's a fate that's befallen booksellers large -- such as Borders, the national chain forced to liquidate last summer -- and independent. Last year also saw the closing of another iconic gay bookstore, A Different Light, in San Francisco after 32 years. In the note to customers posted on Outwrite's website, Rafshoon took pride in the store's success. "As an independent bookstore and coffeehouse focused on the LGBT community, Outwrite has served as a symbol of strength and diversity in this city; and we have helped create a vibrant, pedestrian environment in Midtown," he wrote. "While it is a challenging economy and the bookselling industry is rapidly evolving, there is still a need for neighbourhoods with a strong LGBT presence and independent bookstores serving communities throughout the world." When Outwrite opened a little more than 18 years ago in the Midtown Promenade shopping center, Rafshoon said he hoped the city's first gay and lesbian bookstore would develop into "a community center and an alternative to the bars." The store has been in its present location since 1996. When Outwrite announced its intent to relocate last November, Jeff Graham, executive director of Georgia Equality, told the AJC, "It is a very visible intersection and it has become a natural gathering place for folks in the LGBT community, specifically when we have had times to really celebrate as a community." But, as Rafshoon alluded in his note to customers, the funding just wasn't there. “Unfortunately, we have run out of time and money to make that transformation,” he wrote.

Ontario Catholic School Trustees Suggest Gay-Straight Alliances Become "Respecting Differences" Clubs

2012-01-26T17:47:00.000-08:00

For eight months, a small Catholic think tank tackled one of the most delicate balancing acts in Ontario education: What to call the anti-homophobia clubs that Ontario schools must now allow — without calling them Gay-Straight Alliances and offending the Vatican? While common in public high schools, “gay-straight alliances” were seen as too politicized for a system whose faith disapproves of the homosexual act. So what do you call clubs that support gay students but not gay activism? It was controversial issue on which a province-wide committee of Catholic trustees, students, parents and clergy could not agree. The September deadline came and went. First term came and went. Now, reports The Toronto Star, at last, progress, of sorts. In a report sent Thursday to schools, the committee suggests anti-bullying groups be called “Respecting Differences clubs.” They must have a staff advisor committed to the Catholic faith, they are not to provide personal counselling in a group setting, and are not to be a forum for “activism, protest or advocacy of anything that is not in accord with the Catholic faith foundation of the school,” says the 15-page blueprint sent out this week to all Catholic school boards. “This is about helping kids feel safe against bullying, not as advocacy for a lifestyle,” said Nancy Kirby, president of the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association. “We have nothing against homosexuals, but it’s the (homosexual) act that is in contradiction of the teachings of the church.” Kirby said “Gay-Straight Alliance” is an American-made term for groups that lobby for adult issues that go beyond the mandate of a school club. The Respecting Differences clubs can be broad-based equity groups or focus specifically on anti-homophobia, she said. However, Mississauga student Leanne Iskander does not like the new term at all. “It highlights the difference, rather than the similarities, and it should be about more than just respect — it should be about accepting people as they are,” said the Grade 12 student at St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School, who pushed unsuccessfully for a gay-straight alliance at her school. Instead, the school has allowed an anti-homophobia club called Open Arms, which Iskander said is planning some awareness events this spring. The provincial government now requires all school boards to have “equity and inclusive education” policies and to fight bullying, including homophobia. Kirby has said Catholic schools are committed to supporting students bullied because of their sexual orientation, noting their suicide rates are higher than among their heterosexual peers. The report also stresses that issues of sexuality be presented against the backdrop of Catholic sexual morality, which encourages chastity for all students of any orientation until marriage. That’s not a message typically associated with gay-straight alliances, noted Sharon McMillan, media coordinator for the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association — “but it’s the same hope shared by many Ontario parents.”

Same Sex Marriage Bill Voted Out Of Washington State Senate Committee, Australia Announces Changes To Aid Gay Couple Who Wish To Marry Legally Out-Of-Country, Barney Frank To Marry Jim Ready, Johnny Weir And Victor Voronov, Orlando Bloom’s Purple Sweatpants

2012-01-26T15:24:00.000-08:00

In Washington State, legislation legalizing same sex marriage appears headed for a floor vote in the state Senate after clearing a key committee on Thursday. The Senate Government Operations, Tribal Relations and Elections Committee approved the measure after Democrats beat back several attempts to amend the bill. The Seattle Times reports that it is not clear when the full Senate will vote on the measure. Senator Don Benton (R-Vancouver), attempted to add a provision that would send the gay marriage law to voters, arguing "a change this significant in long standing state law ... requires more than a simple majority vote of the Legislature." The amendment was rejected on a party-line vote along with four other amendments proposed by Senator Dan Swecker (R-Rochester), an opponent of the same sex marriage legislation. Swecker's amendments dealt with various protections for religious groups under the proposed law. Senator Craig Pridemore (D-Vancouver), said the existing bill already provides adequate protection for churches, and makes it clear they would not be required under state law to marry same sex couples. Pridemore said there are discussions underway to make sure the provision could not be vetoed, in order to address concerns raised by opponents, although the governor has said she wants the bill to include protections for religious organizations. Same sex marriage supporters earlier this week clinched the votes needed to pass a bill through the Legislature, when Senator Mary Margaret Haugen (D-Camano Island), announced her support for the legislation. Haugen's decision apparently provides backers the 25 votes needed to secure passage in the Senate, while the state House already has enough lawmakers signed on to approve it. Governor Chris Gregoire backs the bill as well. Opponents of the measure have promised to mount a referendum challenge if the Legislature approves the law. A referendum cannot be filed until the governor signs the legislation. Under state law, opponents have 90 days from the end of the session to collect 120,577 signatures to put a referendum on the ballot. The regular session ends March 8. If opponents turn in enough signatures, the law would be put on hold until the election. If upheld by voters, the law then would go into effect December 6. Same- sex marriage is legal in New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia.

Prime Minister Gillard’s government will help Australian same sex couples marry in other countries where gay marriage is legal by issuing them with documents that are currently only available to heterosexual couples. In several nations that allow gay marriage, including Portugal, Spain, Norway and South Africa, a person must produce a so-called Certificate of No Impediment, which proves that they are at least 18 years old, not already married and that there is no other barrier to the marriage. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Attorney-General Nicola Roxon will announce Friday that from February 1, same sex couples will be able to apply for the certificates. ''This important change will allow same-sex couples to take part in overseas marriage ceremonies, and be considered married according to the laws of that country,'' Ms Roxon said. The announcement follows a change of Labor Party policy on the issue at its national conference in December. Same sex marriages conducted overseas are not recognized as marriages in Australia, but may be evidence of a de facto relationship for the purposes of federal and state laws. Australian Marriage Equality convener Alex Greenwich welcomed the news. ''The removal of this mean-spirited policy is an important victory for same-sex couples and supporters of marriage equality,'' he said.

The Washington Post reports that Barney Frank, 71, and longtime partner Jim Ready, 42, are engaged, the congressman’s office offering confirmation Thursday, following a report by New England Cable News. The wedding is to be held in Massachusetts, where same sex marriage was made legal in 2004. No date has been given. Frank is set to leave Congress next winter after 32 years, and he’s said the rigors of the job and the desire to devote more time to his relationship were factors. “I have a partner now,” Frank told Charlie Rose in an interview a couple weeks ago. “I’m in love for the first time in my life.” The couple met at a political fundraiser in Ready’s home state of Maine. The Advocate described him in 2009 as a Todd Palin lookalike and surfing enthusiast. Their mostly low-profile relationship has made the news a handful of times, when Ready exchanged words with his beau’s opponents at public forums, and when he was charged with having marijuana plants at his home in 2007. Ready lives in Ogunquit, Maine, where he has a business doing carpentry, custom awnings, painting, welding, and other handyman work. They’ve been involved since the spring of 2007.

Johnny Weir and his super sexy husband Victor Voronov spotted skating in New York at A Midwinter’s Night Skate Party Wednesday evening.

Orlando Bloom dons a pair of purple sweatpants while on a West Hollywood shopping excursion Thursday.

Family Joins Activists In Marking One-Year Anniversary Of Murdered Ugandan Gay Rights Hero David Kato

2012-01-26T11:07:00.000-08:00

Ugandan gay rights activists braved hostility and stigma Thursday as they gathered to commemorate the first anniversary of the murder of their fellow campaigner David Kato."We are here to celebrate and thank God for our beloved friend and human rights activist David Kato," former Anglican bishop and gay rights campaigner Christopher Senyonjo told a crowd of around 100 activists and family members, according to the AFP. Kato, former advocacy officer for Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), was found bludgeoned to death at his home outside Kampala on January 26, 2011. In November, a Ugandan court sentenced Enoch Nsubuga, 22, to 30 years in jail after he admitted beating Kato to death with a hammer. Nsubuga had claimed he was reacting to unwanted sexual advances. Gay rights activists speaking at the event called Kato, 46 at the time of his death, "the godfather" of the Ugandan gay movement and said that his passing had left a large void in the life of the country's gay community. "He always looked out for all of us even at times when we thought it was too difficult," Frank Mugisha, director of SMUG, said at the function in the garden of a hotel in central Kampala. Kato's killing drew worldwide condemnation, coming after a newspaper in Kampala had published a picture of him in the same issue as a headline demanding that homosexuals be hanged. Kato's family members at the event spoke of the support that they had received from campaigners both in Uganda and the international community following his death "It is not easy when a loved one dies but thanks to all the friends inside and outside Uganda who worked with David ... when I get down they lift me up and help me," said Nalongo Kisule, Kato's mother. Homophobia is widespread in Uganda and gay men and women in the country face frequent harassment and threats of violence. Homosexuality is punishable by up to life in prison. The Anti-Homosexual Bill of 2009, a controversial bill that calls for the death penalty for certain homosexual acts, was recently re-introduced in the Ugandan parliament after lawmakers failed to debate it during the last session of the legislative body. It brings in the death penalty for anyone caught engaging in homosexual acts for the second time as well as for gay sex where one partner is a minor or has HIV. It also proposes to criminalize public discussion of homosexuality and would penalise an individual who knowingly rents property to a homosexual. Talking at the memorial event, international gay rights supporters pledged to help defeat the proposed legislation. "We will not be crushed by the (anti-gay) bill, we will not be crushed by other people's fears," John Talton, a pastor from the Fellowship of Affirming Ministries in the US, said. Homosexuality is outlawed in many African countries and discrimination against gays and lesbians is rife on the continent, with South Africa being the only country that recognizes gay rights and same sex marriage.

Maine Marriage Equality Advocates Announce Same Sex Marriage Measure Will Appear On November Ballot; If Successful State Will Be First To Pass Same Sex Marriage Legislation By Popular Vote

2012-01-26T10:30:00.000-08:00

An update on a previous post, gay rights activists in Maine, the only New England state that doesn't allow gay marriage or civil unions, said Thursday that they are forging ahead with plans to put the marriage question up to a second state-wide vote. EqualityMaine, the Maine Civil Liberties Union and the Maine Women's Lobby have collected more than 100,000 signatures — far more than needed to seek the referendum — and made their announcement Thursday at the State House. The Legislature previously approved same sex marriage, but it was rejected by a 2009 state-wide vote, 53-percent to 47-percent. If Mainers approve same sex marriage, the state would be the first to do so by a popular vote. According to The Associated Press, Betsy Smith, executive director of EqualityMaine, said polling by gay marriage supporters indicates 54-percent of state residents now support same sex marriage. "The number of signatures we gathered and the thoughtful conversations we've been having with voters tell us that Mainers are eager to speak on this question again," she said. The new petition drive kicked off in August, and by November gay marriage supporters had collected more than 100,000 signatures, but supporters wanted to wait to make sure the timing was right before deciding whether to deliver those petitions to the secretary of state. To get gay marriage on the 2012 ballot, organizers needed to collect at least 57,277 signatures by January 30. If the signatures are certified, the proposal first goes to the Republican-controlled Legislature for an up-or-down vote. If the Legislature approves the proposal and the governor signs it, then gay marriage will be legalized. If the Legislature doesn't approve it or the governor doesn't sign a bill, as expected, the question goes to voters. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, which opposes gay marriage, expressed disappointment that same sex marriage supporters chose to seek another vote so soon after the 2009 referendum. "After the bitterly divisive campaign of 2009, in which Maine people clearly and decisively voted against changing the meaning of marriage, we're dismayed that they would bring this issue back for yet another vote," Brian Souchet, a spokesman for the diocese, said in a statement. In New England, same sex marriage is allowed in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Vermont, and civil unions for same sex couples are allowed in Rhode Island. Other states that allow gay marriage are New York and Iowa, along with Washington, D.C. In the six states where gay-marriage is allowed, the laws all came through either court orders or legislative votes, not through a state-wide popular vote. Elsewhere, bills to legalize same-sex marriage have good chances of passage this year in legislatures in Maryland, New Jersey and Washington. Proposed amendments for constitutional bans on gay marriage will be on the ballots in North Carolina on May 8 and in Minnesota on November 6.

Four Of Six Anoka-Hennepin School Board Members Support District’s Alternative To Its Sexual Orientation Curriculum Policy, Rick Santorum Says Homosexuality Unhealthy For Society, Maine Marriage Equality Advocates Expected To Announce Another Ballot Measure, Calvin Klein Double Negative Love For Nick Gruber, Tom Daley Wipes Out, Ricky Martin And Sons Step Out

2012-01-25T22:08:00.000-08:00

In Minnesota, four of the six Anoka-Hennepin school board members said Tuesday they're inclined to support the district's latest alternative to its Sexual Orientation Curriculum Policy. The four -- Scott Wenzel, John Hoffman, Marci Anderson and Mike Sullivan -- also said, however, that they want more public feedback to the proposed Respectful Learning Environment Curriculum Policy. The policy was introduced Monday and is expected to come up for a vote February 13. The Star Tribune reports that a fifth board member, Chairman Tom Heidemann, said he believes the new draft achieves the board's objectives and also addresses a broad scope of community concerns. Still, he said, he wants to respect the process, which includes taking in another round of public comment at the February 13 meeting, before deciding. "I don't want people to think our minds are made up," he said. "Look what community input did to the last policy. I think the process works." The sixth board member, Kathy Tingelstad, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Last month, the district announced plans to scrap the Sexual Orientation Curriculum Policy, which requires staffers to remain neutral on issues involving sexual orientation. Detractors have said the policy contributed to a hostile atmosphere for gay and lesbian students and it is the target of a lawsuit, but the district said the planned change was a result of staff confusion on the policy. The board's initial proposal was to replace the "neutrality policy" with a broader one on controversial topics, which would have barred teachers from voicing personal opinions on contentious issues. That proposal was roundly criticized on several grounds by both supporters and opponents of the current policy. At Monday night's board meeting, members and the public got their first look at the new proposal. A positive perspective is what makes the difference for this draft, Wenzel said on Tuesday. "It uses positive statements instead of negative words, like 'controversy' and what not to do," he said. "It puts it into affirming words, of this is what we want people to do. It's done in a positive sense, as in this is what we believe we are going to be doing and this is what we want to do in the future. It really states what we have been doing and what our expectations are in a very positive, encompassing way." While the new proposal also says teachers "shall not attempt ... to persuade students to adopt or reject any particular viewpoint," it also lays out the importance of age-appropriate material, a balanced scope of information, respectful discourse and affirmation of all students. Community members who advocate for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students generally were supportive of the new language on Monday. "It's come a long way," said Robin Mavis, founder of the district's Gay Equity Team, after the meeting. "It's not in conflict with anything teachers have been entrusted with and instructed by their own union how to professionally go about their daily teaching." She also said she was "extremely happy" that the new policy doesn't single out any one population, as the neutrality policy did. Those who seek to keep the current policy generally continued to argue that conversations about sexuality, and homosexuality in particular, should be left in the home and church. Barb Anderson, a member of the Parents Action League, expressed misgivings in an e-mail Tuesday that the proposed policy is vague. "Our primary concern is keeping the teaching and celebration of homosexuality and other unhealthy behaviours out of the K-12 curriculum so the schools can focus on core academics," she said. "We want this new policy to have the same effect as the existing policy. This new one, however, is vague and the language does not directly address that concern." Marci Anderson said she and other board members have struggled to find their own paths on the matter. "You just have to really listen for whatever opinions people bring forth and carefully consider what they're telling you," she said, "and remember that I represent my whole community and not just one side or the other." The academic purpose for the policy is to allow for respectful discussion and disagreement. Heidemann said he hopes the process will move along in a similar spirit. The district really did try to incorporate as many perspectives as possible into the new policy language, he said, adding, "If you're looking for your point of view only, I think both sides are going to be disappointed."

Despite low poll numbers, Rick Santorum is not changing his focus, continuing to campaign as the hero of the far right. The Palm Beach Post reports that at a campaign stop at Community Christian Academy in Stuart, Florida on Tuesday, a woman asked Santorum why her gay son does not have the same rights as a heterosexual. “Everybody in America should have the same rights, and I would agree with that,” Santorum said. “Everyone in America should have rights that are endowed to them by the Creator, those are unalienable rights. And your son, just like everyone else here, has those unalienable rights.” But, Santorum said, “There are certain things that government does that gives people privileges in order to promote activity that are healthy for society and are best for society. And those things we promote would give people advantages or benefits, government benefits because we think that is healthy activity. Mothers and fathers coming together: forming healthy marriages; having children, and raising those children. Every American child has the right, and the government should support the right to have and know their mother and father and be raised by their mother and father.”

Same sex marriage advocates will announce Thursday whether they will pursue a campaign to put the issue back before voters in November. The groups, according to The Morning Sentinel, including EqualityMaine, Maine Civil Liberties Union and the Maine Women's Lobby, have said they have enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. They will be at the State House Welcome Center at noon Thursday to announce whether they plan to turn in the signatures to get a question on the November ballot. Maine voters rejected same sex marriage in 2009 by a vote of 53-47-percent. The Christian Civic League of Maine today released a statement on its support for "natural marriage," adding, "Unnatural marriage, as seen in cases across the country, will curtail religious freedom. If unnatural marriage is put on the referendum, then all Mainers who trust that their government will uphold religious freedom will, once again, come to the voting booth to keep our current marriage laws."

The New York Post reports that Calvin Klein and his 21-year-old boy toy Nick Gruber are still together, despite reports that the two are “on a break.” The fashion designer, 67, was in good spirits at the Ziegfeld on Tuesday night for the premiere of Madonna’s film W.E. without his beau, but with Drena De Niro. Klein explained that Gruber was out West skiing, adding, “We still have a wonderful relationship and I love him.” He stressed: “We’re not not together . . . he’s a very special person in my life.”

British diving star Tom Daley tweets a picture of himself (and crack) after suffering a “wipeout” during practice.

Ricky Martin spotted alongside his two oh-so-cute, and oh-so-stylish twins – Matteo and Valentino.

Southern Poverty Law Center Accuses Alabama School Of Censoring Student’s Speech Supportive Of Gay Rights; Student Says She Was Forced To Remove Sweatshirt And Request To Bring Same Sex Partner To Prom Denied; School Superintendent Says No Record Exists Of Incident

2012-01-25T18:23:00.000-08:00

In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Brookwood High School sophomore Elizabeth Garrett is taking a public stand for gay rights in Tuscaloosa County Schools after she says she was forced to remove a sweatshirt because its message supported gay rights. Garrett is openly gay and says she was also told by an administrator she could not go to her school's prom with a member of her own sex. Elizabeth reported her problems to the Alabama Safe Schools Coalition (ASSC) and the Southern Poverty Law Center intervened, threatening suit by letter if the teen's rights were abridged. However, on Wednesday, Tuscaloosa County Schools superintendent Frank Costanzo said there is no record of any incident regarding Garrett being forced to remove a sweatshirt because its message supporting gay rights was potentially disruptive. He also questioned other allegations of mistreatment of Garrett. Costanzo also said no disciplinary action has been taken against Elizabeth Garrett, who alleged a BHS administrator forced her to remove the sweatshirt. He said that BHS and the county board of education also does not have a written policy preventing same sex students from attending the school prom or any other function together. "The Tuscaloosa County Board of Education recognizes the importance of personal rights of students in the school system, and we do not take that lightly," said Costanzo, who confirmed he had spoken to the board's attorney as well as Garrett's. Garrett says the incident with the shirt "really upset me," and she felt singled out among students because of her sexual orientation. "In my opinion, wearing the hoodie that had the slogan on it is no different than somebody wearing something talking about who they are or wearing a sports shirt," Garrett said. "Being gay is a part of who I am." Garrett said it's equally upsetting to face not attending prom. "Prom for high schoolers is a really big deal," she said. "I want to be able to go as myself with my own date." The SPLC sent a letter to BHS, the county school system superintendent and the county’s school board demanding they respect students' constitutional rights or face a federal lawsuit. In the letter, the SPLC gives the school district until Feb. 1 to stop its censorship of speech supportive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and its prohibition against same-sex couples at the prom. If the school district does not comply with those demands, the SPLC will file a federal lawsuit seeking an injunction, damages and attorneys’ fees. Sam Wolfe, Garrett's attorney with SPLC, reiterated that they are not alleging she was disciplined by the school. He has since reviewed the policy and confirmed the school and county school system does not have a written policy prohibiting students from wearing shirts with pro-gay rights slogans or attending school functions with members of the same sex. But he says the fact that someone ordered her to remove the sweatshirt is a violation of her First Amendment rights. "I am seeking for gay kids to be treated the same as the rest of the student body," Garrett said. "With them not allowing gay slogans on the shirt, it's singling us out from everybody else. It's just not fair. "I want to stand up for everybody who is being mistreated. I want everyone to have a fair opportunity to be who they are." In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Costanzo emphasized that the school administration and faculty go to great lengths to inform all students of procedures and requirements related to school functions. He said the schools address those that pertain to the school prom, for example, the security and safety, appropriate dress and who is and is not allowed to attend the function. According to the policy, adults may not attend unless they are students, and students who have dropped out of school cannot attend. The dress code at the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education prohibits students from wearing clothing that is either a known or imminent threat that would result in a disruption, Costanzo said. "There has to be a threat or actual disruption to be a violation of that policy," he said. "As with any complaint, we will revisit the board's dress code policy. However, the board has not adopted a policy restricting students from wearing clothing that expresses acceptance of LGBT individuals." The superintendent said he and the board's attorney have had a telephone conversation with the student's attorney this afternoon, and he is sure they will have continued discussions. Costanzo also said Wednesday was the first time he received any information regarding the student's allegations.

Crown Appeals Stay For Trespassing Charge Against Man Who Distributed Anti-Gay Pamphlets At University Of Calgary, El Paso Victim Of Anti-Gay Hate Crime Speaks Out, Harrisville Utah Becomes 14th City Or County In State To Pass Ordinance Banning Discrimination Against Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity, Proposed Bill Would Allow Same Sex Couples To Adopt In Utah, Nick Jonas Succeeds In Business Without Really Trying, Andrew Hayden-Smith Nude, Armie Hammer Arrested In November For Marijuana Possession, Miley Cyrus Gives Liam Hemsworth A Big Penis Cake

2012-01-25T15:54:00.000-08:00

A Crown appeal of a judicial stay for a trespassing charge against an Edmonton man for distributing anti-gay pamphlets at the University of Calgary nearly four years ago is set to be heard March 30 in Court of Queen's Bench. The appeal, filed by prosecutor Eli-ana Close, followed the controversial November 15 ruling by provincial court Judge John Bascom that found William Whatcott's charter right to freedom of expression was infringed. Close cited in her primary ground for appeal that the trial judge "erred in law in ruling that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms applies in the circumstances of this case." Alternatively, she said, the judge either erred in law in finding that the University of Calgary infringed Whatcott's charter rights or that the trial judge erred in his application of Section 1 of the charter. The Crown is seeking either a conviction on the charge, stemming from the alleged trespassing violation against Whatcott on July 25, 2008, or a new trial. Whatcott had been given an indefinite ban from setting foot on the campus, stemming from a similar incident on January 16, 2005, when Whatcott was cited for handing out anti-abortion flyers. That ban had also been lifted when the judge issued the stay of proceedings. Bascom had concluded in his ruling that "preventing the peaceful distribution of leaflets that an individual attendee finds offensive does not relate to an objective that is pressing and substantial," adding, "It is therefore not of sufficient importance to override a constitution-ally protected right. Having found the university actions in banning Mr. Whatcott is not a significant objective, it is unnecessary to move to the second part of the test, that is, the means chosen are reasonable and demonstrably justified. . . . I find that banning Mr. Whatcott is arbitrary and unfair. The means used by campus security halted Mr. Whatcott's distribution of these flyers and violated his right of free expression. In addition, the indefinite ban for Mr. Whatcott's actions of January 16, 2005, are out of proportion." Dale Fedorchuk, Whatcott's lawyer, said outside court following the judge's decision that "the judge applied the charter to the University of Calgary, notwithstanding the Crown's (Kristyn Stevens) argument that the university is private property to which the charter does not apply." Whatcott, at that time, called it "an important victory for social conservatives and Christians who want to express themselves." The case will be heard as a summary conviction appeal.

In El Paso, KFOX-14 reports that with the exception of a few stitches in his mouth, Emilio Moreno, 23, is physically almost recovered from a brutal beating that happened just over two weeks ago. "I'm doing a lot better, especially knowing they're caught and they're in jail and not going to hurt anybody else," said Moreno. He says the mental scars, though, will be harder to get over,” adding, “I don't take life for granted because they could have taken my life. I was down, but in the end I am still alive. They didn't take that away from me.” Moreno said he was hoping to have a quiet night that Sunday night two weeks ago when he went to Rumor's Sports Bar around the corner from his house. "I just remember being by myself and saying, I'm just going to have one beer not stay out late, and then I woke up in the hospital," he said. Since then, he does remember more about what happened in the alley behind the bar when he tried to walk home. "I just remember getting hit with something very hard that wasn't a fist in the back of my head, and they threw me to the ground, and I looked up and saw another guy that began holding me while the other one was kicking and kicking me," said Moreno. El Paso police have since arrested Arturo Contreras and Fernando Martinez in connection with the attack. Moreno said the two shouted anti-gay slurs at him as they beat him. He spent a couple of days at UMC recovering, but now he's slowly getting back to normal. "Yeah, they beat me that night, but it didn't change who I am," said Moreno. "There are gay people out there and people need to respect us. I believe we were born this way, it’s not something I can change," he said. Moreno says the FBI is now also investigating.

As two lawmakers ready to push a state-wide law that would ban discrimination against gay and transgender Utahns, one more local government has passed such protections. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that on Tuesday, the Harrisville City Council unanimously passed anti-discrimination ordinances, making it the 14th Utah city or county to do so. More than a quarter of Utahns now live in places where it is illegal to discriminate in housing and employment based on a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Harrisville, north of Ogden, has a population of 5,567. "A vast majority of Utahns support these protections that demonstrate our common values," said Brandie Balken, executive director of Equality Utah. "There is broad support — not just in larger cities or counties, not just in Salt Lake County — but across the state in smaller communities that may be perceived as more conservative." Nearly three-fourths of Utahns favour a state-wide law to protect gay and transgender residents from discrimination, according to a Dan Jones & Associates poll in October that was commissioned by Equality Utah. Representative Derek Brown (R-Cottonwood Heights), and Senator Ben McAdams (D-Salt Lake City), have announced plans to run a bill that would expand those protections state-wide, amending existing state laws that forbid housing and employment discrimination based on characteristics such as race, religion and sex. Similar bills have fizzled in the Utah Legislature the previous four sessions. But Brown and McAdams hope their colleagues like a new protection in their bill for political activity and speech. That would mean Utahns could not be discriminated against for things like giving money to California’s Proposition 8, the controversial 2008 ballot measure that overturned gay marriage in the Golden State.

Also in Utah, if passed, Senator Ross Romero's Adoption by a Co-parent Bill would allow gay couples, or any unmarried couple living together, to adopt. "Some people may not want to marry or some people may not be able to marry, so this could apply with equal force if they were sisters," says Romero, giving a hypothetical example. "One sister moved in with another sister and one of the sisters from a previous marriage had a child. They could not legally marry." According to KUTV, the two could legally be parents to the same child if the bill passes. However, it may be a tough sell to the Utah Legislature given that the bill failed last session. "I think it would be impossible of me to assume the intentions of the legislators who determine the fate of a bill like this one," says Executive Director of Equality Utah Brandie Balken. Balkan says the bill would have substantial impact on the state's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual community by allowing them to adopt. But Romero says the bill is more than just about LGBT rights, but about parental rights, gay or straight. "What this bill says is 'I know what is best for my child and it will be judged on what's in the best interest of the child,'" Romero explains. Romero says the parent could be able to designate a co-parent to raise the child, whether that person is a sister, brother, or significant other. Although Romero is not convinced it will pass this year, he says it is important to keep the dialog going and believes one day it will pass.

Nick Jonas – joined by cast member Michael Urie – takes a curtain call following his debut in the Broadway revival of How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

The very cute British actor Andrew Hayden-Smith is photographed nude for Gay Times.

Authorities say Hollywood actor Armie Hammer was arrested at a border patrol checkpoint in West Texas after a drug sniffing dog discovered marijuana in his car. The 25-year-old, who starred with Leonardo DiCaprio in J. Edgar, spent about a day in jail before paying a $1,000 bond. According to The AP, arrest records show he had 0.02 ounces of marijuana, three medicinal marijuana cookies and one brownie when arrested November 30 in Sierra Blanca, a few miles from the Mexican border. El Paso's district attorney declined to prosecute because a felony requires more than 4 ounces of actual marijuana. The county attorney could pursue lesser charges since the case is going back to the local sheriff, but Hammer's lawyer Kent Schaffer says no charges have been presented.

Does anyone know why Miley Cyrus would give her boyfriend Liam Hemsworth a birthday cake decorated with an enormous penis? Or why she goes down on said cake as it was wheeled into the room?

Matthew Shepard’s Father Says Tennessee And Several Other States Have “Become A Bully Pulpit In More Ways Than One;” Also Condemns Representative Floyd’s Comments That He Would “Stomp” Transgender Persons

2012-01-25T14:20:00.000-08:00

In Nashville, the father of a young gay college student, whose 1998 murder in Wyoming spurred national discussion about hate crimes, said Wednesday that Tennessee and several other states have “become a bully pulpit in more ways than one.” Dennis Shepard, whose son Matthew was killed in Wyoming due to, according to court testimony, his sexual orientation, said two pending bills dealing with gay issues “disturb me” and he urged state lawmakers to work instead “toward an all-inclusive law toward hate crimes.” Shepard’s comments came at a news conference at Legislative Plaza where he spoke out specifically against a bill that seeks to create a religious exemption in the state’s anti-school bullying law and another measure known as the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The amended bill says teachers can only discuss “natural reproduction” with students in grades K-8. On another front, Shepard was critical of recent remarks made by Representative Richard Floyd (R-Chattanooga), who has introduced legislation barring transgender persons from using public restrooms and store dressing rooms if they do not fit the gender listed on their original birth certificate. Floyd created a stir when he told The Chattanooga Times Free Press earlier this month that “I believe if I was standing at a dressing room and my wife or one of my daughters was in the dressing room and a man tried to go in there — I don’t care if he thinks he’s a woman and tries on clothes with them in there — I’d just try to stomp a mudhole in him and then stomp him dry.” Shepard said the various bills and talk “about stomping transgender and other gays. That does encourage it [harassment]. What it does is say nobody’s going to do anything. And as I mentioned ... it creates a policy of it is open season. I can do whatever. And that’s what happened to Matt.” Earlier, Floyd said he’s received any number of threatening e-mails and phone calls — as well as expressions of support — in the wake of his comments. “They get upset about somebody else, but the emails and phone calls I’ve got with the verbiage and the violent threats and even worse, if anybody threatened them with that kind of violence, you want to talk about violence, evidently they support violence.” He said “the word ‘stomp’ is very mild compared to what I heard. I guess it’s the pot calling the kettle black.” Floyd said “this is America. They have every right in the world to do whatever they want to do as long as they don’t threaten anyone else ... That’s their perfect right.” Senator Bo Watson (R-Hixson) originally sponsored the Senate version of the bill at Floyd’s request. After Floyd’s remarks, Watson yanked the bill. Floyd said he has been unable to find another Senate sponsor.

Federal Judge Rules Discrimination Lawsuit Filed Against St. Cloud Minnesota By Gay Police Officer Will Stand; Sets March 19 Trial Date

2012-01-25T10:19:00.000-08:00

Attorneys for St. Cloud, Minnesota and for a former police officer who said he suffered discrimination because of his sexual orientation will meet for a settlement conference next month. A March 19 trial date has been set, in the event a settlement cannot be reached. On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Donald Frank denied three of the five requests by the city for summary judgments in a lawsuit filed by Sean Lathrop. The St. Cloud Times reports Lathrop filed the suit against the city of St. Cloud and several of the police department’s members. Judge Frank would not issue judgments on Lathrop’s claims of discrimination and retaliation by the department and that he was denied equal protection when he worked for St. Cloud Police Department from September 2006 through April 2010. Frank did grant the city’s request for summary judgments on Lathrop’s claims of conspiracy and that his First Amendment rights had been violated. A summary judgment on all claims would have ended the case in the city’s favour without a trial or settlement. Lathrop’s attorney Ashwin Madia said it was a “well-reasoned decision.” He said the equal protection claims are the most important claims and deserve to go to trial. “This decision was a good decision not just for Officer Lathrop, but for all members of the LGBT community in Minnesota,” Madia said, adding, he will enter the settlement discussions with the city in “good faith.” Attorney Patricia Y. Beety is representing the city and the police department members. She said the city is pleased that the judge granted summary judgment for two of the claims, and added, she is confident that if the case went to trial, the facts would support the city. “We’re very confident that we’ll be able to show that there wasn’t any discrimination,” Beety said. Lathrop’s attorneys have argued that the department learned of Lathrop’s sexual orientation in May 2009 because of a letter to Police Chief Dennis Ballantine from a deputy police chief in the Minneapolis Police Department. The letter asked that Lathrop be allowed to work at a community outreach booth at a Twin Cities gay pride event. The city has denied that Lathrop was discriminated against and that any action taken against him related to his misconduct and performance issues.

Federal Court Weighs Case Of Georgia Man Rejected By Atlanta Police Force Because He Is HIV-Positive

2012-01-25T10:11:00.000-08:00

A panel of federal judges appeared sceptical Wednesday of the Atlanta police department’s decision to reject a job application from an HIV-infected man. According to The Associated Press, the 40-year-old man sued the city in 2010, claiming he was denied a police officer job solely because he has the virus. Atlanta attorneys argued there are other officers on the force with HIV, and said the police department does not have a blanket policy disqualifying candidates with the virus. Gay rights groups and police agencies are closely following the case. One of the three judges signalled the lawsuit would likely be sent back to a lower judge to reconsider. “I don’t see how we can avoid a remand in this case,” Circuit Judge R. Lanier Anderson said. The judges will issue a ruling later. The man sued under the pseudonym Richard Roe and has requested anonymity because he believes his medical condition could prevent him from other job opportunities. He said in an interview he was a former criminal investigator with the city of Los Angeles who discovered he had HIV in 1997, but that it didn’t hinder his ability to perform his duties. Roe moved to Atlanta to find a better job and joined the city’s taxicab enforcement unit. In January 2006, he decided he wanted to join the police force. He passed a series of tests, but hit a snag when a blood test revealed he had the virus that causes AIDS. The doctor didn’t do any more tests, according to records, and recommended to the city that he have “no physical contact or involvement with individuals.” Atlanta attorneys said the city follows the recommendation of the physicians who examine candidates, and in this case, the doctor advised the department to limit Roe’s interaction with the public. “We’re told that he can’t do the job,” said Robert Godfrey, a city attorney. “We have to assume when a doctor tells us this, he can’t perform the essential duties.” Roe’s attorney, Scott Schoettes of gay rights group Lambda Legal, said there was no evidence that Roe posed a threat to the health and safety of others. The city violated the federal Americans with Disabilities Act by not fully vetting his client, Schoettes said. Roe’s advocates said the city’s position perpetuates myths about HIV that have persisted for three decades. Modern medical advances have made the disease a manageable condition that in many cases won’t affect job performance even in the most demanding fields, they said. “I really see an opportunity for the city of Atlanta to make some drastic changes and move forward,” Roe said. “I think that’s what this whole case is about.”

Maryland Governor O’Malley Seeks Support Of Religious Leaders In Effort To Pass Same Sex Marriage Legislation, Starbucks Announces It Supports Washington State Same Sex Marriage Measure

2012-01-25T09:49:00.000-08:00

It is highly unlikely that there will be a same sex wedding at Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Prince George's County, Maryland which defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman. But its pastor, the Rev. Delman Coates, went to Annapolis on Tuesday to support Governor Martin O'Malley's same sex marriage bill. Coates said he feels comfortable that the legislation would not force his church to do something against its beliefs, and he thinks that gay marriages can co-exist with traditional ones. "I think everyone is protected here," he said. "You don't have to agree with same-sex marriage as a matter of personal religious choice." According to The Baltimore Sun, the minister's reaction is exactly what O'Malley and advocates for legalizing same sex marriage are looking for as they begin their push in the Maryland General Assembly. The governor's top aides re-wrote a bill that failed last year so it would have a greater focus on religious protections. They are hoping the new language will blunt opposition to the bill from some religious groups and bring wavering delegates to their side. But many critics — including representatives of the Roman Catholic Church — said they remain staunchly opposed. Mary Ellen Russell, executive director of the Maryland Catholic Conference, said she cannot support the measure because of "the impact such a drastic change would have on all society," adding, “No changes to the bill can change that fundamental fact." Another opponent, Republican Delegate Don Dwyer of Anne Arundel County, said he's going to work "every hour of every day" to defeat the same sex marriage bill. "It is my only legislative agenda. Period," he said. It was too early to know Tuesday whether any lawmakers were persuaded by O'Malley's changes; several who are on the fence said they needed more time to study the legislation. Last year a same-sex marriage bill passed in the state Senate but was pulled from the House of Delegates when leaders realized they did not have the 71 votes needed for passage. O'Malley invited faith leaders, gay couples and union supporters to a breakfast Tuesday at Government House, the governor's residence. Afterward about 40 supporters stood with him on the front steps of the mansion to show their support for the legislation. "Other states have found a way to do this," O'Malley said at the event. "We can find a way to do this, too." O'Malley's legislation was introduced Monday night in the state Senate with 20 co-sponsors, including Howard County's Sen. Allan Kittleman, the only GOP legislator to support the bill. A House version has not been introduced, though advocates were passing it around and gathering co-sponsors Tuesday. O'Malley's proposal borrows language and ideas from similar laws in New Hampshire, New York and Washington, D.C., to attempt to make clear that religious institutions would have some protections without rolling back the state's anti-discrimination laws. In New York, where a same sex marriage bill passed last year, amending the legislation to add religious protections was paramount for some lawmakers who were hesitant about supporting the bill. Six states and the District of Columbia allow same sex marriage. In Washington state this week advocates announced they have the votes to pass gay marriage there as well. Maryland's new bill — called the Civil Marriage Protection Act — includes four changes from last year: It is now stated that religious leaders, as well as their institutions, are protected from lawsuits; that the state can't withhold funds to penalize a religious institution that does not recognize same-sex marriages; and that the state can't dictate religious doctrine. There also is an attempt to clarify that some programs run by religious institutions can exclude same sex couples. "The exemptions are more explicit this year," O'Malley said. "They may be more explicit in this bill than they have been in any other bill around the country." Supporters offered this example of how the legislation would apply: If a church ran a homeless shelter that also offered marriage counselling, the shelter could not refuse to house a gay couple — but it could refuse to provide the counselling. Delegate John A. Olszewski, Jr., a Baltimore County Democrat, said he wanted more time to discuss the measure with staff from the Maryland attorney general's office before declaring his position. "I'm looking at it," Olszewski said. He thought last year's bill did not have strong enough religious protections. "I think this bill goes a long way in addressing those concerns," he said. But some religious leaders said they remained worried that legalizing same sex marriage could force them to recognize the unions in more subtle ways. For example, would the bill require a faith-based school to provide benefits to the same sex spouse of a teacher? Would state-licensed marriage counsellors working for religious institutions be required to meet with same-sex couples? Bryce, said that in both cases the new bill would favour the religious institutions. A gay teacher could be fired. A counsellor would not face state retribution if working for a church. If the legislation does pass in the General Assembly, most believe that it will be petitioned to referendum and Maryland voters will have the last word. A recent poll shows the state is split evenly on the topic. That means House passage — far from a sure bet — would set up a state-wide battle on the issue, a point O'Malley made Tuesday. "This issue will go to the people in referendum," he said. "And, in fact, there are some issues that can only be resolved when people come together and give it some thought."

Starbucks today joined a growing list of corporations, including Microsoft, that have endorsed same sex marriage legislation in the Washington state House and Senate. The Seattle Times reports that same sex marriage supporters have apparently secured the votes needed to pass a measure through both houses, and Governor Chris Gregoire has said she'll sign it into law. Starbuck’s statement in part reads, “Starbucks is proud to join other leading Northwest employers in support of Washington State legislation recognizing marriage equality for same-sex couples. Starbucks strives to create a company culture that puts our partners first, and our company has a lengthy history of leading and supporting policies that promote equality and inclusion. This important legislation is aligned with Starbucks business practices and upholds our belief in the equal treatment of partners. It is core to who we are and what we value as a company. We are proud of our Pride Alliance Partner Network group, which is one of the largest Employer Resource Groups for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender employees in the U.S., helping to raise awareness about issues in the communities where we live and work. For the last 20 years, our benefits program has offered domestic partner benefits in the U.S. These benefits include medical, dental, vision, prescription drugs and alternative health care coverage. All partners (part-time and full-time) in all work locations, whether in a store, a roasting plant or a corporate office, adhere to the same eligibility requirements for health coverage and have access to the same comprehensive health plans. We are deeply dedicated to embracing diversity and treating one another with respect and dignity, and remain committed to providing an inclusive, supportive and safe work environment for all of our partners. We look forward to seeing this legislation enacted into law.”

Margaret Court Takes Seat At Australian Open The Day Her Opinions Piece Is Published Arguing “A Person’s Sexuality Is A Choice. It Is Not Something You Are Born With”

2012-01-24T23:44:00.000-08:00

Tennis legend Margaret Court reignited controversy over her views on homosexuality Wednesday as she defied gay protest threats by visiting the Australian Open. Activists have launched a Facebook campaign against the Australian, whose 24 major singles titles are a world record, and said they would rally at Melbourne Park against the former player, now a church pastor. But Court took her seat as a spectator at the event on Wednesday, the same day that she repeated her views in an uncompromising opinion piece published in Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper. "Let me be clear. I believe that a person's sexuality is a choice. In the Bible it said that homosexuality is among sins that are works of the flesh," she wrote. "It is not something you are born with. My concern is that we are advocating to young people that it is OK to have these feelings." The article said Australian morals were in "steep decline" and Court also recounted how being caned by a nun had taught her a valuable lesson. "A nun at my primary school once gave me the cane and it was one of the best lessons of my life. She could see the potential in me long before I did." Fellow great Martina Navratilova earlier this week slammed Court's "outdated" views, adding her voice to a chorus of criticism in Australia. Gay activists are planning a protest wearing rainbow colours and waving flags on Friday, according to press reports. Activists have launched an online petition calling for the renaming of Margaret Court Arena. But protests have been low-key so far. Britain's Laura Robson wore a rainbow hair-band supporting equal rights, and Navratilova wore rainbow colours on her sleeves during a legends doubles match on Margaret Court Arena. Court said she would not be budged from her views. "To target me and the tennis is a political stunt," she was quoted as saying by the Herald Sun. "I love (gays), I even work with them... but what concerns me so much is the amount of hatred that has been directed at me."

New Hampshire House Judiciary Committee Holds Hearing On Bill That Would Allow Services To Discriminate Based On Conscience Or Faith

2012-01-24T16:12:00.000-08:00

In New Hampshire, florists, caterers and other wedding-related businesses could turn away engaged gay couples under legislation before the House that opponents likened to segregation and Nazi Germany's race laws. The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing Tuesday on the bill, which would allow providers of wedding-related goods or services to withhold those services if they believe doing business with gay couples would violate their conscience or religious faith. The bill also would bar lawsuits against business owners in such situations, according to The Associated Press. Bill sponsor Representative Jerry Bergevin (R-Manchester), called it a "business protection bill" and said a person's personal religious beliefs should receive protection in his or her capacity as a service provider. Noting that New Hampshire protects against discrimination based on both religion and sexual orientation, Bergevin asked, "How do you strike a balance between them?" State Representative Cynthia Chase, D-Keene, called the bill "codified discrimination" and the beginning of a "slippery slope,” adding, "When you begin to codify things for one group, pretty soon it's OK for that group, and then that group." Although the bill was presented in reference to same sex marriage, opponents said allowing a "person's conscience or religious faith," as the bill reads, to determine whom they serve would open the door to discrimination against inter-faith and inter-racial couples, too. "There are some religions that still believe that African-Americans and Caucasians shouldn't be able to marry. They would be allowed to discriminate against them under this bill," said New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Claire Ebel. New Hampshire's gay marriage law already exempts churches and religious groups from being forced to officiate same sex marriages or provide services, facilities and goods of any kind to participants. The bill would provide the same protections to individuals, which gay marriage opponents sought in 2009. At the time, then-state Senate Democratic Leader Maggie Hassan of Exeter said she had heard of no legal challenges filed by gays over businesses refusing to provide services for their civil unions in the 17 months civil unions had been legal in New Hampshire. No cases were mentioned in Tuesday's hearing either. The committee has not issued a recommendation on the bill. Once they make a recommendation, the bill will move to the full House for a vote. Another bill facing a vote in the coming weeks would repeal same sex marriage and replace it with civil unions of any two adults, including relatives. It would also allow individuals to refuse their services for a civil union's' ceremony and to refuse to treat the civil union as valid if it conflicted with their religious or moral beliefs.

Newark New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker Condemns Governor Christie’s Proposed Same Sex Marriage Referendum

2012-01-24T15:38:00.000-08:00

In an unprecedented public divergence with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Newark Mayor Cory Booker said today he is firmly against leaving the question of same sex marriage up to a referendum. "I shudder to think what would have happened if the civil rights gains, heroically established by courageous lawmakers in the 1960s, were instead conveniently left up to popular votes in our 50 states," Booker said in a statement, reports The Star-Ledger. With the gay marriage debate advancing in Trenton today, Governor Christie said, who has long said he would veto a gay marriage bill, said "I need to be governed by the will of the people." But Booker countered that leaders are elected to make difficult decisions, not submit to a public referendum. "Equal protection under the law – for race, religion, gender or sexual orientation – should not be subject to the most popular sentiments of the day," Booker said. "Marriage equality is not a choice. It is a legal right. I hope our leaders in Trenton will affirm and defend it." Booker has been a strong advocate of marriage equality for years. Since being elected mayor, he has refused to perform marriages at City Hall in protest of what he cites as inequalities in the state's marriage laws. In October 2009, he formed the City of Newark Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Concerns Advisory Commission which examines issues of inequality and harassment, based on sexual identity in the city.

Newfoundland And Labrador Announce $90,000 Funding For Gay-Straight Alliances, Queensland Government Announces Criminal Code Will Be Amended To Remove “Gay Panic” Defence, Arkansas Newspaper Refuses To Print Same Sex Engagement Announcement, Academy Award Nominations, Henry Cavill Candid

2012-01-24T15:29:00.000-08:00

Tens of thousands of dollars will be spent to make schools across Newfoundland and Labrador more welcoming to gay students, according to the province's education minister. “We know that many young people struggle with issues around sexual orientation – often with hurtful, or even tragic, consequences,” said Minister Clyde Jackman in a news release, reports CBC. “This cannot continue within a school system, and a society, which claims to celebrate diversity and to respect the value of every individual. This resource will help us take an important step forward in recognizing that we all have a responsibility for ensuring that all of our students are accepted, and respected, for who they are.” The province says $90,000 will be provided as support for administrators, teachers, and students who wish to establish gay-straight alliances in their schools. “The resource, entitled My GSA (or My Gay-Straight Alliance), will be provided this spring to all Newfoundland and Labrador schools offering Grades 7-12,” said the news release. The My GSA resource is funded through the provincial government's Violence Prevention Initiative ($50,000) and the Department of Education ($40,000), and developed in partnership with the Women's Policy Office and Egale Canada — the country's lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-human rights organization. Newfoundland and Labrador’s version of My GSA is modelled after a similar resource currently available in some Ontario schools, according to the government’s news release.

In Australia, the Queensland Government has announced plans to change the state’s Criminal Code to remove doubts about how and when a partial defence involving a sexual advance can be used, essentially ending the so-called “gay panic” defence. There has been continued pressure on the Bligh Government to change the legal loophole after a substantial campaign by Catholic priest Father Paul Kelly, whose change.org petition had reached over 20,000 signatories in support of the defence’s elimination. Attorney-General Paul Lucas said the Government had last week received a recommendation from a special committee established in November last year to consider the matter. He said the Criminal Code currently contained a partial defence of provocation which could be used to reduce a conviction from murder to manslaughter where a defendant claimed they were provoked into committing the act. He also acknowledged that members of the community had recently raised concerns that this could be used to establish a gay-panic defence, where a defendant could claim the victim made a homosexual advance towards them and provoked them into committing a criminal act. “We made it crystal clear from day one that the Queensland Government does not believe that anyone should be able to use a claim of non-violent homosexual advance to reduce a conviction from murder to manslaughter,” Lucas said. “That’s why we listened to the expert advice of the Queensland Law Reform Commission in 2008 and ensured strengthened legislation was passed so words alone could not amount to a partial defence. “However, I received a number of representations from the gay community last year and consequently set up an expert committee comprised of key stakeholders to examine the laws. Lucas said the committee had completed its review and based on the recommendations of legal expert and retired Court of Appeal Judge John Jerrard, they will be amending the law to ensure the intent of the partial defence provisions are clear. “While the committee was not unanimous in its decision, the ultimate recommendation endorsed by the chair, recommended a change,” he said. The provisions contained in section 304 are to be amended to ensure that an unwanted sexual advance would not be enough to establish provocation unless there were exceptional circumstances. “It is not possible to remove sexual advances completely without affecting situations such as that of a battered woman who knows that her refusal of a sexual advance from her partner is a precursor to assault and she takes immediate action to stop this from happening,” he said. “There is no place for these kinds of acts in a civilised society. “These amendments make it crystal clear that someone making a pass at someone is not grounds for a partial defence and by no means an excuse for horribly violent acts.” Lucas said the Bligh Government would introduce a bill to Parliament this year and called on Opposition Leader Campbell Newman to provide bi-partisan support. “We know Campbell Newman was forced into a weak promise on the Civil Partnerships Act but the Shadow Attorney General, Jarrod Bleijie, made it clear last week that the LNP still wants to overturn the laws,” he said.

When a northwest Arkansas newspaper declined to run a same sex engagement announcement last week it set into motion a groundswell of support that has garnered the attention of local media and activists. According to Yahoo! News, Cody Renegar, 35, of Elkins, Arkansas asked the Arkansas Democrat Gazette to publish an engagement announcement for his June wedding commitment ceremony, something Renegar said happens for other couples who would like to announce their impending nuptials. "I called the newspaper and asked how I can submit our announcement for publication," Renegar said. "I was told that they won't publish them until it's legal." Renegar said the newspaper declined to run the announcement because of long-standing policy. According to newspaper representatives, the Arkansas Democrat Gazette charges a minimal fee and has content length requirements, but does run announcements on a regular basis for heterosexual couples, including mixed race couples. They do not run same sex announcements because the state of Arkansas does not legally recognize those unions. Gazette publisher Rusty Turner said Monday that he was not familiar with Renegar's request, but said it would not be published because of long-standing editorial policies. "We run announcements for marriages that are legally recognized in Arkansas," Turner said."It is a long-established policy of the newspaper." Turner said he was personally unaware of any similar requests from same sex couples. Renegar and his fiance, 28-year old Thomas Staed, plan to conduct a public commitment ceremony at their northwest Arkansas home this summer. Same sex marriage is not currently recognized under Arkansas state law, although other states and the District of Columbia do recognize same-sex marriage or civil unions. "We don't need a license to prove our love," Renegar said. "We'll get married in front of our family and friends...we know we're in love." On Saturday, the couple’s story was published and immediately drew the attention of friends and family on social media sites such as Facebook, as well as KNWA, a local television news outlet. "My friends are just amazing," Renegar said. "They started calling and texting me and asking when it would be in the newspaper." Local activist Jay Phillips was one of the people to join Renegar's cause. Through his contacts at GetEqual.com and Change.org, Phillips initiated an online petition drive to apply pressure on the newspaper to change its policies. "I contacted (publisher Rusty Turner) to give him an advanced notice of our intent to build public awareness of their discriminatory policy," Phillips said. "It's my opinion that he's willing to progress on the issue, but he is reasonably worried about blow-back from his conservative readers." Turner said there were no plans currently under way to examine the policy or grant an exception for Renegar. Phillips said some apprehension on the newspaper's part was understandable. "This is a very progressive area in a red state," Phillips said. "Mr. Turner is very justified to be cautious, but it is wrong." Renegar said he thought the newspaper's policy was outdated and simply needed to be changed to keep up with the times. "Maybe they just need to take another look at their policies and change them," he said. "It is the right of any couple to be able to share their love and happiness...it's validating."

Tuesday morning, nominations for the 84th Academy Awards were announced, The Artist and Hugo gathering the most nods. Among the surprises, Leonardo DiCaprio not nominated for Best Actor, Gary Oldman earning his first (!) nomination for his Lead Actor in Tinker Tailor Solider Spy, Albert Brooks not receiving a Supporting Actor nomination, Nick Nolte and Max von Sydow receiving Supporting Actor nominations. As well, there were only two Best Song nominees. Thankfully, the Academy recognized the terrific work of Christopher Plummer, nominated for Supporting Actor in Beginners, as well as Terrence Malick and his film The Tree of Life, receiving Best Director and Best Film nominations respectively.

The super sexy Henry Cavill poses with a lucky little fan on the set of Superman: Man of Steel.

New Jersey Senate Committee Advances Same Sex Marriage Bill Along Party Lines As Governor Christie Calls For Referendum

2012-01-24T13:04:00.000-08:00

After three hours of impassioned arguments on both sides, a Senate committee today advanced a bill allowing same sex marriage in New Jersey. The Star-Ledger reports that the 8-4 vote along party lines is the first significant development in gay rights since December 2006, when the state enacted civil unions that gay rights activists have said fail to give same sex couples the same rights as married heterosexual couples. Arguments in favour of gay marriage ranged from personal stories of discrimination to legal accounts of how the civil union law is flawed. Opponents' arguments included claims a change would diminish the meaning of marriage and quotes from the Bible condemning homosexuality and its supporters. Republican Sens. Christopher Bateman, Michael Doherty, Gerald Cardinale and Joseph Kyrillos who opposed the measure, said they like Governor Chris Christie's suggestion to put the issue to referendum. "There's nothing wrong with letting the voters weigh in on the issue," Bateman said.

Governor Christie made that suggestion earlier Tuesday at a town hall meeting in Bridgewater, calling for the Legislature to put on the fall ballot a voter referendum on whether to legalize same sex marriage. If successful, the referendum would amend the state Constitution and trump the current civil unions law. He urged all Republicans in the Legislature to put the matter to voters, but promised to veto the measure if it came to him in the form of a bill."I think this is not an issue that should rest solely in my hands, or the hands of the Senate President or the Speaker or the other 118 members of the Legislature," he said. "Let's let the people of New Jersey decide what is right for the state.""Let's make sure that political manoeuvring is not what judges this and let's make sure this is not someone just trying to have fun and create a campaign issue," he said, adding that, "The institution of marriage if too serious to be treated like a political football." In reaction to Christie's statement, State Senator Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), a sponsor of the bill, said same sex marriage is "a right that's guaranteed by the Constitution. It's up to us to implement it as legislators." Earlier this month, Democrats introduced the bill, S1, first in the new session to symbolize its importance. "I would hope the Legislature would be willing to trust the people the way I'm willing to trust the people," Christie said, reiterating his personal opposition to gay marriage. "I think it's the institution of marriage and it's bigger than just a word, it's hundreds of years of tradition both legally and societally and religiously and that's what I stand up in protecting." Still, Christie said he would be willing to consider strengthening the legal protections under the state's civil unions law, and when he heard hospitals were denying visitation to same sex partners, he called on Health Commissioner Mary O'Dowd to look into the matter.

Pepperdine University Continues To Deny Student’s Request To Recognize Proposed Gay And Lesbian Support Group On Campus

2012-01-24T08:09:00.000-08:00

Students at Pepperdine University in California have amassed nearly 4,000 signatures in an online petition protesting the administration's decision not to grant recognition of a proposed gay and lesbian support group on the Malibu campus. The Associated Press reports that students submitted an application for club recognition of their group, Reach OUT, on November 9. They were notified of the denial about a month later. Dean of Students Mark Davis, a spokesman for the university, says the group's mission is not aligned with the conservative religious university's beliefs on sexual morality. Students say the university's policy creates an atmosphere of silence and anxiety that alienates the LGBT — lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender — student population and those concerned for their well-being. The latest denial marks the fourth attempt to start a LGBT support group at Pepperdine

Maine Human Rights Commission Rules 3-1 That Real Estate Management Company Failed Take Corrective Action Knowing Gay Couple Was Being Harassed

2012-01-24T08:07:00.000-08:00

The Rockport, Maine-based real estate management company that owns the apartment complex knew that a gay couple living there was being harassed and should have done more to take corrective action, according to a 3-1 vote Monday by members of the Maine Human Rights Commission. The Bangor Daily News reports that Joseph Bonnadio II and William Paquet allege that within two months of moving into the Sproul Block Apartments in January 2009 other tenants were calling them names and telling them “their kind did not belong,” according to their complaint filed with the commission. Bonnadio and Paquet complained about the hostile housing environment at various times over several months, but the landlord, Realty Resources Management, responded only with a short note, according to the Maine Human Rights Commission’s investigator. “The name calling that’s going on is very unfortunate. Disputes between neighbours happen from time to time and is not usually a violation of the lease. Therefore, the resolution needs to be achieved by those parties,” Realty Resources Management wrote. The commission investigator reported that such a response was not enough to comply with state law. “It is clear that [Realty Resources Management] knew or should have known about the sexual orientation harassment and failed to take any corrective action … as they are required to,” the investigator wrote. The commissioners voted 3-1 to find reasonable grounds that unlawful discrimination occurred. In such cases, both parties are encouraged to reconcile and reach a settlement. If conciliation fails, the complainant may file a civil lawsuit in Maine Superior Court, where a binding settlement can include monetary damages.

Canada Accuses Commonwealth Countries Of Criminalizing Homosexuality And Ignoring Human Rights, Maryland Governor O’Malley Plan To Push Same Sex Marriage Measure, Cynthia Nixon Creates Uproar Contending Homosexuality A “Choice,” Michigan Lesbian Couple Sues State Over Law Prohibiting Any Unmarried Couple From Jointly Adopting Children, Starbucks To Add Beer And Wine To Some Southern California Locations

2012-01-23T20:37:00.000-08:00

Canada will not stand by while its "Commonwealth cousins" criminalize homosexuality and ignore other fundamental freedoms, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Monday in a sweeping speech about human rights. Speaking to an audience in London, England, Baird said Canada and the U.K. share values and will not compromise on basic rights, reports the CBC. "Dozens of Commonwealth countries currently have regressive and punitive laws on the books that criminalize homosexuality," Baird said in his prepared text. Homosexuality is illegal in 41 of 54 Commonwealth member states. "We will continue to press countries in the Commonwealth to live up to their international obligations, and uphold the basic contract any government should have with its people. To inform, to educate, to be tolerant and accepting." Baird said Canada will speak out on issues that matter to Canadians, including on how women are treated around the world, the persecution of gays, lesbians, bisexual or transgender people, and targeted attacks on those practicing their faith. "We will not sit in our far-off homes and plead ignorance to crimes against those who seek the same freedoms we enjoy," he said. Baird's speech mentions China, which Prime Minister Stephen Harper will visit next month, citing raids against Roman Catholics and other Christians and harassment of "Falun Gong practitioners," Tibetan Buddhists and Uyghur Muslims. Baird also singles out Egypt, where Coptic Christians have been attacked, and Iran. "Nowhere is religious intolerance more present than in Iran. Baha'i's and Christians are consistently threatened with death and torture for simply believing," Baird's speech reads. Last November, Baird took on Nigeria when the country considered toughening anti-gay laws and punishing same sex marriages with 14-year jail terms. A month before that, Canada was one of the countries pushing at a meeting of Commonwealth heads of government for member states to decriminalize homosexuality. Baird says he's found as foreign minister that there are times diplomacy must be balanced with tough talk in the course of frank discussions. "For we cannot be selective in which basic human rights we defend," he said in the text. "Nor can we be arbitrary in whose rights we protect." Baird also echoed some of the darker themes Prime Minister Stephen Harper has referred to in the past, where Harper talks about new forces rising in the world that Canada must resist. "Darkness still lives," Baird said. "And so the fight for what is right and just persists."

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley on Tuesday plans his most public display of support for a same sex marriage bill since his announcement in July that he would sponsor the legislation this session. According to The Washington Post, O’Malley (D) is scheduled to host a breakfast gathering of same sex couples at Government House and then tout his legislation at a news conference afterward. Aides say O’Malley will be joined outside his residence by supportive legislators, clergy and labour leaders. Word of his plans spread as O’Malley prepared the formal release Monday night of his legislative agenda for the 90-day session that began this month. A same sex marriage bill cleared the Senate last year but fell short in the House of Delegates. In a bid to attract more support, O’Malley’s bill will include more explicit protections for religious organizations opposed to gay nuptials, aides indicated.

Cynthia Nixon is currently starring in a revival of Margaret Edson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Wit, on Broadway, directed by Lynne Meadow, set to open January 26. The play, which had its first New York staging Off Broadway in 1998, is an actor’s tour de force about an exacting poetry professor who undergoes a brutal — and by now outdated — experimental treatment for Stage 4 ovarian cancer, a woman who excelled all her life by analytical brainpower suddenly forced to grapple with extreme, unwelcome emotions. Nixon herself discovered she had breast cancer during a routine mammogram in 2006 (it was caught at an early stage and required a lumpectomy and radiation but no chemotherapy; she still takes Tamoxifen). Profiled in The New York Times, Nixon says she has little tolerance for the scepticism she says her same sex relationship has sparked among some gay activists who find her midlife switch in sexual orientation disingenuous. “I totally reject that,” she said heatedly. “I gave a speech recently, an empowerment speech to a gay audience, and it included the line ‘I’ve been straight and I’ve been gay, and gay is better.’ And they tried to get me to change it, because they said it implies that homosexuality can be a choice. And for me, it is a choice. I understand that for many people it’s not, but for me it’s a choice, and you don’t get to define my gayness for me. A certain section of our community is very concerned that it not be seen as a choice, because if it’s a choice, then we could opt out. I say it doesn’t matter if we flew here or we swam here, it matters that we are here and we are one group and let us stop trying to make a litmus test for who is considered gay and who is not.” Her face was red and her arms were waving. “As you can tell,” she said, “I am very annoyed about this issue. Why can’t it be a choice? Why is that any less legitimate? It seems we’re just ceding this point to bigots who are demanding it, and I don’t think that they should define the terms of the debate. I also feel like people think I was walking around in a cloud and didn’t realize I was gay, which I find really offensive. I find it offensive to me, but I also find it offensive to all the men I’ve been out with.”

A lesbian couple from Oakland County, Michigan filed a federal lawsuit today to overturn a state law that prevents unmarried couples in gay, lesbian and heterosexual relationships from jointly adopting children. According to The Detroit Free Press, April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse, state-certified foster parents who are trying to jointly adopt three abandoned or surrendered newborns that they took into their household during the past two years, filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Detroit. “The State of Michigan found these women good enough to put their blood, sweat and tears into raising these children,” their lawyers, Dana Nessel of Detroit and Carole Stanyar of Plymouth, said in a prepared statement announcing the suit. “To now deny them the opportunity to both become legal parents to the children they love, and who are the only parents they have ever known, is totally irrational and serves no legitimate purpose.” There was no immediate comment from Governor Rick Snyder or Attorney General Bill Schuette, who were sued in their official capacities. The lawsuit seeks to enjoin Snyder, Schuette and judges from blocking second parent adoptions in Michigan. DeBoer, a neo-natal intensive care nurse, and Rowse, an emergency room nurse, have been in a committed relationship for 10 years, the suit said. During the past two years, they took in two boys and a girl shortly after they were born. DeBoer adopted a 23-month-old girl who was surrendered by her 19-year-old mother. Rowse adopted the 2-year-old boys. One was born to a homeless woman and the other to a drug-addicted prostitute. All three children have experienced health problems. Rowse wants to adopt the girl and DeBoer wants to adopt the boys, but they cannot under Michigan law. The state Constitution prohibits same sex couples from marrying. Although married couples and single people can adopt a child in Michigan, an unmarried couple cannot. Only one of the parents may adopt. The lawsuit seeks to strike down the prohibition on the grounds that the law violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. It says children of unmarried second parents seeking to adopt in Michigan are denied legal, emotional, financial, social, medical and other benefits. The suit says sociological and psychological evidence shows that unmarried straight, gay or lesbian couples are just as loving, carrying and effective parents as married couples. The suit said there are major benefits for children to have two legal parents rather than one, including the right to have a parent if the first parent dies, the right to dependency benefits such as social security, workers compensation, pensions, insurance, and the right to have at least one parent available to make decisions if the other parent is unavailable or incapacitated. “Jayne and I love our children as deeply as any other parent loves their kids,” DeBoer said in the statement announcing the suit. “We just want our children to have the same protections all other children have so that our kids know they can never be taken from either of us.”

Starbucks is aiming to become the catch-all beverage stop in Southern California, saying Monday that it plans to add wine and beer to the coffee and juice it serves in stores. The Seattle-based company will bring booze to four to six new or re-modeled stores in the region by the end of this year, and will do the same to a select group of locations in Atlanta and Chicago. Since first offering alcohol at its Olive Way outpost in Seattle in 2010, the chain has expanded its beer and wine menu to four other Seattle locations and one in Portland, Oregon. There, beers are $5 each while wines range from $7 to $9. In addition to getting tipsy, customers will also have access to “premium food” such as savoury snacks, small plates, and hot flatbreads. The alcohol available will be hand-selected and then modified over time to reflect local preferences. The cafes will be arranged so that the seating set-up will attract individuals, small groups and even larger parties such as book clubs. “As our customers transition from work to home, many are looking for a warm and inviting place to unwind and connect with the people they care about,” said Clarice Turner, senior vice president of U.S. Operations. Starbucks is also revamping other parts of its business strategy. In the fall, the chain added its lightest blend ever with a Blonde roast. It also laid claim to the health food industry by buying San Bernardino juice company Evolution Fresh Inc. for $30 million and promising to launch a series of “wholesome” juice shops. The company is also experimenting with new drive-through models, recycling industrial shipping containers and incorporating them into new cafes.

Washington State Senator Mary Margaret Haugen Announces Support For Same Sex Marriage Measure Thereby Ensuring Enough Votes Available For SB6239 And HB2516 Will Pass

2012-01-23T17:29:00.000-08:00

As lawmakers held their first public hearing on legalizing same sex marriage, a previously undecided Democratic senator on Monday announced her support for the measure, all but ensuring that Washington will become the seventh state to allow gay and lesbian couples to get married. According to The Associated Press, the announcement by Senator Mary Margaret Haugen (D-Camano Island), that she would cast the 25th and deciding vote in favour of the issue came as hundreds of people filled the Capitol to advocate for and against gay marriage. In a written statement issued at the end of a Senate committee hearing on the bill, Haugen said she took her time making up her mind to “to reconcile my religious beliefs with my beliefs as an American, as a legislator, and as a wife and mother who cannot deny to others the joys and benefits I enjoy,” adding, “This is the right vote and it is the vote I will cast when this measure comes to the floor.” The state House is widely expected to have enough support to pass same sex marriage, and Gov. Chris Gregoire publicly endorsed the proposal earlier this month. If a marriage bill is passed during this legislative session, gay and lesbian couples will be able to get married starting in June unless opponents file a referendum to challenge it. Opponents have already said they will. A referendum cannot be filed until after the bill is passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gregoire. Opponents then must turn in 120,577 signatures by July 6. Opponents and proponents packed a Senate committee hearing for the first public hearing of the most high-profile issue before the Legislature this session. The Senate set up three overflow areas for the public, including the public gallery on the Senate floor. Gay marriage foes wore buttons that said “Marriage. One Man. One Woman.” Others wore stickers that read “Washington United for Marriage,” a group that announced in November that it was forming a coalition to support same-sex marriage legislation. Democratic Sen. Ed Murray, a gay lawmaker from Seattle who has led the push for gay civil rights and domestic partnerships, testified before the Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections Committee with his longtime partner, Michael Shiosaki. “I realize the issue of marriage for our families is emotional and divisive,” said Murray, who is sponsoring the Senate bill. “It touches what each of us holds most dear, our families.” Others argued that the measure goes against traditional marriage and the Bible. “You are saying as a committee and a Legislature that you know better than God,” said Ken Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Bible Church. Committee chairman Craig Pridemore said that no action on the bill would be taken Monday, but that a committee vote would be taken Thursday morning. The bill is expected to easily pass out of committee, since the four Democratic members, including Pridemore, have all said they would vote yes on the measure. The three Republicans on the committee have all said they will vote against gay marriage. The House Judiciary Committee held a companion hearing in the afternoon. Washington would join New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia in legalizing gay marriage. The state has had a domestic partnership law since 2007, and an “everything but marriage” law since 2009. Murray said that upon learning the decisive vote had been secured, he felt “humbled,” adding, “It’s an emotional moment. I want to smile and cry at the same time.” The National Organization for Marriage, noting its involvement in ballot measures that overturned same-sex marriage in California and Maine, issued a statement Monday morning pledging a referendum campaign to fight any gay marriage law in Washington state. Last week, the group announced that it would spend $250,000 to help fund primary challenges to any Washington Republican who crosses party lines to vote for same-sex marriage. So far, two Republicans in the Senate and two in the House have said they would vote in support of gay marriage. “I want to re-emphasize that we fully expect that this issue is going to end up on the ballot,” said Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle and sponsor of the House bill, said at a news conference following Haugen’s announcement. “People should not be complacent.” Gay marriage has won the backing of several prominent Pacific Northwest businesses, including Microsoft Corp. and NIKE, Inc., and last week a conservative Democrat who once opposed same-sex marriage said he will now vote for it. Jane Abbot Lighty, 75, and her partner of 35 years, 84-year-old Pete-e Petersen, celebrated the vote-count announcement after the hearing. “We could have gone out of state and gotten married,” said Lighty, of Seattle. “We want to be married in our home state.” In October, a University of Washington poll found that an increasing number of people in the state support same sex marriage. About 43-percent of respondents said they support gay marriage, up from 30-percent in the same poll five years earlier. Another 22-percent said they support giving identical rights to gay couples but just not calling it marriage. When asked how they would vote if a referendum challenging a gay marriage law was on the ballot, 55-percent said they would vote yes to uphold the law, with 47-percent of them characterized as “strongly” yes, and 38-percent responded “no,” that they would vote to reject a gay marriage law. Zach Silk, campaign manager for Washington United for Marriage said they were prepared for a tough campaign. “This is just the first scrimmage into the long battle into November,” he said. The same sex marriage bills are Senate Bill 6239 and House Bill 2516.

Minnesota Appeals Court Overturns Dismissal Of Lawsuit Challenging Legal Barriers To Same Sex Marriage In State; Rules Case Must Return To District Court

2012-01-23T10:59:00.000-08:00

In a win for gay rights advocates, a state appeals court on Monday overturned the dismissal of a lawsuit that sought to remove legal barriers to same sex marriage in Minnesota. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of three same-sex couples, will now return to Hennepin County District Court, where it will likely proceed to trial as debate heats up over a state-wide vote next fall to ban gay marriage in Minnesota. The Star Tribune reports that in its order, the appeals court ruled that a district judge threw out the lawsuit before properly analyzing the couples' equal-protection, due-process and freedom-of-association claims. The couples, on behalf of Marry Me Minnesota, sued Hennepin County Registrar Jill Alverson and the State of Minnesota in 2010 after Alverson's office denied them applications for marriage licenses, citing the Minnesota Defense of Marriage Act. The couples argued that DOMA was unconstitutional. The following March, District Judge Mary Dufresne dismissed the lawsuit, rejecting the couples' claims on the basis of Baker vs. Nelson, a 1971 Minnesota Supreme Court decision that said limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples does not violate the U.S. Constitution. In the 15-page unpublished ruling, the Appeals Court ruled that Dufresne was right when she threw out the suit because the state was not an eligible defendant and because it did not violate the couples' religious freedom, but that she improperly relied on the Baker case. The couples should be granted an opportunity in district court to prove their rights were violated, Judge Renee L. Worke wrote. "...Even if the right to marry is not considered a fundamental right, appellants should have been granted an opportunity to show that MN DOMA is not a reasonable means to its stated objective -- to promote opposite-sex marriages to encourage procreation," Worke wrote. The couples' attorney, Peter Nickitas called the order "a win for marriage equality." He said the case will now return to trial, and, if halted by another dismissal, will be appealed again. "We told the court of appeals what we wanted and they listened," he said. The plaintiffs include Doug Benson, executive director of Marry Me Minnesota, and his partner, Duane Gajewski of Robbinsdale; Tom Trisko and his partner, John Rittman of Minneapolis; and Jessica Dykhuis and her partner, Lindzi Campbell of Duluth, plus their son, Sean Campbell.

South Africa Human Rights Commission Investigates Following Reports King Told Audience Same Sex Relationship “Wrong” And “Rotten”

2012-01-23T10:53:00.000-08:00

The South Africa Human Rights Commission said on Monday that it would be writing to King Goodwill Zwelithini following reports that he made homophobic comments at a function attended by President Jacob Zuma. “The Commission will be writing to the king to ascertain whether he did in fact make such statements and if he did, to immediately retract them,” spokesperson Vincent Moaga said in a statement. The Zulu Royal Household has criticized what it called a “reckless translation” of Zwelithini’s speech. “At no stage did His Majesty condemn gay relations or same sex relations,” Prince Mbonisi Zulu said. “The main focus of his speech was on the creation of a compassionate society with men protecting the vulnerable members of society, especially the elderly, women, and children.” Zwelithini reportedly told guests at the 133rd commemoration of the January 22, 1879 Battle of Isandlwana at Nquthu, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, on Sunday that “traditionally, there were no people who engaged in same sex-relationships,” and that, “There was nothing like that and if you do it, you must know that you are rotten. I don't care how you feel about it. If you do it, you must know that it is wrong and you are rotten. Same sex is not acceptable.” Zulu said the king had said that in the past men would go for months in battles to fight the enemy without their wives, and that they did not harass each other sexually. “He said nowadays you even have men who rape other men. The king said this was a clear sign of moral decay and he said he condemned those involved, no matter who they were.” Moaga said that in the context of growing levels of hate crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people, the Commission found the utterances attributed to Zwelithini to be “inflammatory,” adding, “If it is indeed accurate that His Majesty, the Zulu King, made the utterances as reported, they constitute hate speech, are dehumanising and are a violation of the constitutional right of LGBTI people to equality and freedom.” Moaga said section nine of the Constitution provided that “everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law.” It further provided that equality included the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms, including sexual orientation. “The king should use his powerful position not to dehumanise and discriminate (against) certain people on the basis of their sexual orientation but to uphold the Constitution and promote tolerance and diversity,” said Moaga. “The Commission is also concerned that the king made his utterances in the presence of President Jacob Zuma,” Moaga said. “The president is entrusted with the defence of SA's constitution and cannot remain silent in the face of such attacks. The Commission will also be raising this matter with the president.” The Commission planned to obtain transcripts of Zwelithini's recorded speech to begin its work, he said. Zuma was himself criticized in 2006 for homophobic statements he made at a Heritage Day celebration.