tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28227567717312684382024-03-19T02:31:05.140-07:00the time of my lifeAggregate of LGBT news from around the world, with a focus on politics and arts. Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.comBlogger8579125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-10461276353463222002019-01-30T20:30:00.000-08:002019-01-30T20:30:29.563-08:00Serial Killer Bruce McArthur Pleads Guilty To Murder Of Eight Men Linked To Disappearance From Toronto's Gay Village, Gay Couple Denied Wedding Venue In Texas All Perfectly Legal In The State, Once Prominent Gay Conversion Therapist David Matheson Renounces Practice While Coming Out, Trump Administration Allows Faith-Based Foster Care Programs In South Carolina To Discriminate Based On Sexual Orientation <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-bruce-mcarthur-pleads-guilty-to-murder-of-eight-men-linked-to-toronto/"> An update on a previous post: In Ontario, the <i>Globe and Mail</i> reports Bruce McArthur has admitted he is the serial killer who targeted Toronto’s Gay Village for nearly a decade, murdering eight men and keeping mementos stolen from his victims even as police searched in vain for the culprit. A year after his arrest, the landscaper pleaded guilty Tuesday to all eight counts of first-degree murder, a series of killings that began in 2010 and culminated in the slaying of an acquaintance, whose calendar on the day of his disappearance just said “Bruce.” That clue helped lead investigators to Mr. McArthur and a trove of evidence. In his van, they discovered the DNA of four missing men. In his apartment, they found a bracelet, jewellery and a journal belonging to men he killed. The guilty pleas close a chapter in one of the largest investigations in the history of Toronto’s police. But with most of the victims being newcomers or homeless, there are renewed calls for an inquiry into why it took police so long to catch him. Outside court, Haran Vijayanathan, executive of the Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention, said he believed the homicide detectives did an “amazing” job, but added: “Why did it take 10 years?” Family and friends of the victims cried and hugged as details of the killings became public. They will have the opportunity to address Mr. McArthur when they read victim impact statements at his sentencing next week. Over his three-day sentencing hearing, prosecutors will disclose more details of his crimes. “I have said our city deserves two things: justice and answers,” Mayor John Tory said in a statement. The mayor added that it is likely “additional, broader examinations of these terrible events will be required.” Detective David Dickinson, one of the lead investigators, said “if there were mistakes made, then we should learn from them and see what those mistakes were.” The final call on a public inquiry falls to Ontario Attorney-General Caroline Mulroney and the Doug Ford government. Ms. Mulroney’s office did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. All but one of Mr. McArthur’s victims were refugees, newcomers or homeless. Many of the men were reported missing, but their bodies were not found until his arrest. The 67-year-old was charged with the first-degree murders between 2010 and 2017 of Skandaraj Navaratnam, Abdulbasir Faizi, Majeed Kayhan, Soroush Mahmudi, Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam, Dean Lisowick, Selim Esen and Andrew Kinsman.</a> Over the seven years that men went missing from the Gay Village, and before he was treated as a suspect, police interviewed Mr. McArthur twice. He was first tied to the case in 2013, under Project Houston, an unsuccessful attempt to solve the first three disappearances. Friends of the missing men told police that Mr. McArthur had a romantic relationship with Mr. Navaratnam, the first man to go missing; and had visited Mr. Kayhan, his third victim, before his disappearance. Three years later, Mr. McArthur was interviewed after a man alleged that the landscaper had choked him during sex. No charges were laid. An internal review into the incident was later ordered. Last year, the Toronto Police Services Board also approved an external review into how police handle missing-persons cases. The review is continuing, but it will not include any details of the investigation into Mr. McArthur himself. Despite the guilty pleas, the agreed facts that Crown attorney Michael Cantlon read Tuesday showed no sign that Mr. McArthur volunteered any information investigators didn’t already discover. Officers conducted a four-month search of his flat, on the 19th floor of an apartment tower. Inside, they found a bracelet worn by Mr. Navaratnam, Mr. Lisowick’s jewellery and a notebook belonging to Mr. Esen. Richard Harrop, a friend of Mr. Esen, remembers hearing him read from the notebook, which served as a personal journal. Police also found a duffel bag in Mr. McArthur’s bedroom, containing duct tape, a surgical glove, zip ties, a black bungee cord and syringes, Mr. Cantlon said. The prosecutor described what appeared to be an escalation in Mr. McArthur’s crimes. Starting with the third victim, Mr. Kayhan in 2012, the killings were “sexual in nature,” with the bodies of the victims being staged afterward, Mr. Cantlon said. There was a pause in the killings after the 2013 police interview. Then in 2015, Mr. McArthur used ligatures in the murder of Mr. Mahmudi, the prosecutor said. Ligatures were also used in the subsequent murders, he said. There is evidence that in the last two murders, the victims were also tied with ropes, Mr. Cantlon said. He said Mr. McArthur’s van had DNA from Mr. Mahmudi, Mr. Navaratnam, Mr. Esen and Mr. Kinsman, and a murder weapon, but didn’t elaborate on the weapon. The last victim was Mr. Kinsman. Court heard that police found in his calendar an entry simply reading “Bruce” for June 26, 2017 – the day he disappeared. Surveillance footage recorded him getting inside Mr. McArthur’s van. The minimal sentence for one count of first-degree murder is a life term, with no chance for parole before 25 years, so even if Mr. McArthur receives concurrent sentences, he would be in his 90s before he can apply for a conditional release. It was only recently that the victims' families were able to bury these men. Even after Mr. McArthur is sentenced, the investigation will continue. Police continue to probe other missing-persons files, in addition to 25 cold-case homicides, searching for “any other possible connections,” Det. Dickinson said. “I’m not sure if there is a day that goes by that I won’t make a note in my book.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/dallas/2019/01/28/wedding-venue-turned-away-gay-dallas-couple-citing-gods-design-marriage"> In Texas, Aaron Lucero and his fiance, Jeff Cannon, were driving home a few weekends ago from a same sex marriage ceremony at a Dallas church "on a high" from the celebration, Lucero said. Then, his husband-to-be got an e-mail that devastated them. The Dallas couple were told January 19 that they wouldn’t be welcome to get married at the Venue at Waterstone in Celina, because the venue doesn’t host gay weddings. Lucero and Cannon had been set to tour the venue, about an hour north of Dallas, the next day. “The instant reaction was disbelief. Like, seriously? It's 2019,” Lucero said. “The Supreme Court has already said that gay marriage is legal. What is the issue?” The e-mail to Cannon, signed by venue owner Lyle Wise, said the facility holds to a definition of marriage that is a “bride of Christ joined to the Groom,” adding, “Given His plan and design for marriage, we dare not veer from His instruction lest we be guilty of altering what He has set forth." Wise said in a statement to <i>KXAS-TV</i> (<i>NBC 5</i>) that he and his family "cannot violate the convictions God has placed within us." It is legal in Texas to fire, evict or refuse service to someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The denial hurt, Lucero said, especially in contrast with the "awesome experience" they witnessed at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration that day. Lucero sang at the service, in which 15 same-sex couples renewed their vows. “It was just a cool experience to be there and to celebrate that joyous occasion, and then completely 180 is this email that we got on the way home,” he said. Lucero, a 29-year-old choir director in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch school district, and Cannon, a 48-year-old real estate investor, got engaged last June and plan to wed in November.</a> “When people are planning their wedding, it should be a happy time full of love and excitement,” Lucero said. “And our journey into wedding planning was quite the opposite.”Lucero said he and his fiance have been inundated with messages of support since the venue's denial made national news. Some people have even offered to officiate their wedding, and other venues have contacted the couple and encouraged them to take a tour. The Knot, a major wedding planning platform, has removed the Venue at Waterstone from its website. “Our company supports everyone’s right to marry the person they love and prohibits any vendor on our site from discriminating against a couple based on their race, religion, sexual orientation, etc.,” a spokesperson from the company that owns The Knot said in a statement to Out magazine.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/once-prominent-conversion-therapist-will-now-pursue-life-gay-man-n961766?fbclid=IwAR0-fU_fTTQG5KvFRX9hqQLLpg-jGXm-cx8eTM-Qke72q1FqdfBA4rjIat4"> In Utah, David Matheson, a once prominent Mormon “conversion therapist” who claims to have helped some gay men remain in heterosexual marriages, is looking for a boyfriend. The revelation broke Sunday night after the LGBTQ nonprofit Truth Wins Out obtained a private Facebook post made by “conversion therapy” advocate Rich Wyler, which stated that Matheson “says that living a single, celibate life ‘just isn’t feasible for him,’ so he’s seeking a male partner.” Matheson then confirmed Wyler’s assertions on Tuesday with a Facebook post of his own. “A year ago I realized I had to make substantial changes in my life. I realized I couldn’t stay in my marriage any longer. And I realized that it was time for me to affirm myself as gay,” he wrote. Matheson, who was married to a woman for 34 years and is now divorced, also confirmed in an interview with <i>NBC News</i> that he is now dating men. So-called gay conversion therapy, which is sometimes referred to as “ex-gay therapy” or “reparative therapy,” is a pseudoscientific practice that seeks to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Talk therapy is currently the most commonly used technique, but some practitioners have also combined this with "aversion treatments," such as induced vomiting or electric shocks, according to a 2018 report by UCLA’s Williams Institute (Matheson stressed he never participated in "aversion therapy"). Nearly every major health association, including the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association, has denounced the practice. Matheson acknowledged his work has hurt some people, but he would not fully renounce “conversion therapy.” Instead, he blamed what he referred to as the “shame-based, homophobic-based system” of the Mormon church in which he was raised. He acknowledged that he perpetuated that system, but he also argued that he helped some men who wished to live “in congruence” with their faith. “I know there are people who won’t be satisfied by anything less than a complete and unequivocal renunciation of everything,” Matheson said. “That’s hard, because I want people to feel the genuineness of my change of heart, but people need to understand that there is more than one reality in the world.” To those who feel harmed by his past work, he relayed a message: “I unequivocally apologize.” To Chaim Levin, who said he was psychologically hurt by programs Matheson helped create, an apology is not enough. Levin told Truth Wins Out, “While I am pleased for Mr. Matheson that he has found a path forward for his life, I can’t help but think of the hundreds if not thousands of people who are still stuck in the closet, a closet that was created in part by Mr. Matheson himself. I hope that Mr. Matheson will do whatever he can to rectify the harm that he’s inflicted on many people in the LGBTQ community, myself included.”</a> Nearly 700,000 LGBTQ adults in the U.S. have received “conversion therapy” at some point in their lives, according to the Williams Institute. Its 2018 conversion therapy report notes that efforts to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity are associated with poor mental health, including suicidal thoughts. More and more states are banning the controversial practice on minors, a step that Matheson said he now supports. Just last week, New York became the 15th state to do so, but the practice still remains legal across the U.S. for consenting adults. A California bill that would have designated paid “conversion therapy” for adults as fraudulent under the state’s consumer protection law was shelved in August after opposition from religious groups. Truth Wins Out founder Wayne Besen, a longtime anti-conversion-therapy activist and former investigative journalist, referred to Matheson as a figure who many in the “conversion therapy” movement looked to as “the intellectual godfather,” adding, “When they wanted an expert, they would go to him, and when your expert is now coming out of the closet and dating men, I think that speaks volumes about how reparative therapy is damaging and ineffective.”Matheson was an early protege of Joseph Nicolosi, who founded the notorious National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH). Matheson’s involvement in developing “conversion therapy” programs goes back decades, though ironically, he has long been open about his attraction to men. His 2013 book, <i>Becoming a Whole Man</i>, chronicles his “six-year quest” to rid himself of “unwanted” homosexuality, according to the book’s Amazon.com description. In a statement Matheson e-mailed to Truth Wins Out on Sunday, he refused to renounce his past work or condemn what he called “mixed-orientation marriages,” adding, “I continue to support the rights of individuals to choose how they will respond to their sexual attractions and identity. With that freedom, I am now choosing to pursue life as a gay man.” Besen said he found Matheson’s statement “to be all about his journey” with “very little concern about his victims that he has harmed," adding, “I would like to see someone more contrite and willing to reach out and help the people whose lives he’s ruined. I’d also like to see him consider refunding the money to the people that he bilked out of their paychecks for therapy that clearly wasn’t even working for himself.” Matheson is far from the only ‘ex-gay therapist’ who has either come out as gay or been exposed for living a double life. In 2000, “conversion therapy” advocate and “success story” John Paulk was photographed at a Washington D.C. gay bar; a decade later he issued a formal apology for his “ex-gay” past. Alan Chambers, former president of the now defunct “conversion therapy” organization Exodus International, apologized to the LGBTQ community in 2013 after he acknowledged he was attracted to men. And just two months ago, Truth Wins Out exposed “ex-gay therapist” Norman Goldwasser after it allegedly discovered him soliciting men on gay dating apps. Besen said “conversion therapy” programs give people false hope that they can be “cured” of being LGBTQ. “It’s a total and complete fraud from beginning to end,” he said. As for Matheson, he denied accusations of fraud and said he’s currently pursuing a new career as well as a boyfriend. “It’s a whole different world, and what really makes me happy about it is how congruent it feels to me now,” he explained. “It feels like I’m in the right place.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/2019/01/23/miracle-hill-religious-protections-greenville-sc/2647848002/"> In South Carolina, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday granted Greenville-based Miracle Hill Ministries an exemption to continue its faith-based foster care program that works only with Christians. Miracle Hill has been operating its program for decades, but its recruiting policy came under scrutiny after the Obama administration implemented a new regulation for federal funding recipients shortly before the inauguration of President Donald Trump. The regulation prohibits groups receiving federal funding from discriminating on the basis of religion. Governor Henry McMaster had requested an exemption on Miracle Hill's behalf in March 2018, and the issue became the focus of a national discussion on religious freedom as the ministry waited on a decision from the federal government. The Administration for Children and Families, a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, granted the exemption Wednesday to protect the religious liberty of all faith-based foster care providers in South Carolina. "It protects minors who are in need of as many options as possible for being placed in loving foster families," Lynn Johnson, assistant secretary for the Administration of Children and Families, said in a statement. "The government should not be in the business of forcing foster care providers to close their doors because of their faith. Religious freedom is a fundamental human right.” Miracle Hill, the largest provider of foster families in South Carolina for foster children who do not have significant special needs, does not allow gay couples or families that don’t agree with its statement of faith to serve as foster parents through its program. However, it does direct those of different beliefs to other foster care programs. Within the past 10 months, Miracle Hill Ministries and its board members have been the target of hate mail and hate calls. Someone even threatened to burn down the organization’s building, Miracle Hill President and CEO Reid Lehman said. He said he felt a mixture of relief and joy when he learned of the decision. "It was the right decision to honor the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act," he said. "It was the right decision to keep the pool of providers for foster care as big as possible, and the right decision to make sure the needs of South Carolina children are met." The American Civil Liberties Union disagreed with the federal government's decision and considered it to be discrimination. Eight states have passed laws allowing state-contracted child agencies to exclude prospective families based on the religious beliefs of the agency, the ACLU said. This is the first action by the federal government to sanction such discrimination, the ACLU said. “There are more than 400,000 children in foster care around the country, and today the Trump administration has turned its back on each of them," said Leslie Cooper, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s LGBT & HIV Project. "Prospective foster and adoptive parents should be judged only on their capacity to provide love and support to a child — not their faith," Cooper said. Congressman Jeff Duncan said the decision is a big win for religious liberty, particularly for organizations in South Carolina who provide faith-based services. "I have been working on this issue for over two years now, and I am happy to see the Administration protect religious liberty and the children and families who rely on these services in the Upstate," Duncan said. “Faith-based foster and adoption services perform amazing work for communities in South Carolina and around the country," he said. "These organizations care deeply about children and families in need, and they shouldn’t be punished by the federal government because of their faith.</a> Miracle Hill Ministries is the Upstate’s largest, most comprehensive provider of services to homeless children and adults, its website said. Since its start in 1937, the organization has served with programs that include rescue shelters for the homeless, residential addiction recovery, transitional housing, and shelters for children. “We’re clear in our identity,” Lehman told the <i>Greenville News</i>. “We look like a social service agency, but we’re a community of Christ followers and our faith in Christ is the most important part of who we are." It’s important for Miracle Hill to partner with Christians in achieving its mission of serving the poor and especially children in the name of Christ, Lehman said. “If we had to choose between compromising our spiritual beliefs or not providing these services we would hold fast to our spiritual beliefs,” he said. Lehman said it has been argued that the pool of foster care families is reduced or restricted because Miracle Hill recruits just Christian families. Lehman said Miracle Hill would never deny a healthy person the chance to work with a child. Lehman said that anyone in the state who wants to foster has a choice of other agencies they could foster with, as well as with DSS. "If anyone – Jewish, Muslim, atheist, any religion or no religion said 'I want to foster a child' and they looked like a healthy person, we would try to help them find someone to take them through the licensing process because kids need it," he said. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said HHS's decision is “shameful, illegal and immoral,”and that "it allows a "government funded foster care agency to openly discriminate against Jews, gay couples and others who don’t follow their faith," Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and national director of the Anti-Defamation League, adding, "Allowing a taxpayer funded agency to discriminate against Jews and other minorities is outrageous and sets a dangerous precedent for our nation. This is clearly unlawful and will not hold up in court." Most of Miracle Hill's existence comes from donations, Lehman said. But some of the funds it receives from the state DSS for reimbursements — about $600,000 a year — comes from the federal sources, Lehman said. Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, said the committee opposes "government-funded religious discrimination," and said the action by HHS "signals a dramatic and troubling shift," adding, "This waiver shows more concern for the providers than children in need and willing foster parents." Miracle Hill recruits families for foster children, but it doesn't actually place them in the homes of its families. That's the role and decision of the state Department of Social Services, said Sandra Furnell, spokesperson for Miracle Hill. "When DSS comes to Miracle Hill and says, 'We have this child. Do you have a home that would take this child?,' we look among the people we have," Furnell said. "If we have a family willing and able to receive that child, DSS makes that decision whether or not to place a child with our families," she said. "We don’t have the authority to place those children." Representative James E. Clyburn, U.S. House Majority Whip, is among the key house Democrats that issued a joint response condemning the waiver. “I have stood against discrimination my entire career, and this waiver is unlawful discrimination based on religion and sexual orientation," Clyburn saiid. "The real tragedy of this situation is that federal funding is being used to keep children out of loving homes.” Representative Joe Cunningham, (SC-1) said the decision is "morally wrong, unconstitutional, and sets a very dangerous precedent," adding, "More importantly, we should not be in the position of denying families that want to help vulnerable children based on criteria that in no way impacts their ability to be a loving parent or mentor." The decision suggests "that it is not the children, but the social welfare agencies themselves, who require protection," said Representative John Lewis (GA-5), lead House Democratic sponsor of the Every Child Deserves a Family Act and member of the Ways & Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over federal policy with respect to tax-exempt organizations and child welfare. “It is remarkable to me that making it easy for agencies in South Carolina to discriminate against adoptive or foster parents comes so easily to this administration, yet the emergency facing millions of vulnerable orphan or foster children falls on deaf ears," he said. “Our state foster care system is facing many challenges recruiting loving and competent families," said Sue Berkowitz, director of SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center. " Allowing caring families to be discriminated against and denied the opportunity to become a foster home hurts the very children our state is charged to protect and should not be allowed.” The Charleston Jewish Federation is "dismayed" to learn of the exemption, said Eileen Chepenik, president and Judi Corsaro, CEO of the federation. Jeff Ayers, executive director of SC Equality in a joint statement. "This flies in the face of the first amendment to our nation’s constitution," they said."As Jews, we believe in Tikkun Olam, repair of the world, and support children’s welfare, whatever an adopting family’s religion, race, or sexual orientation." As Americans we must work to fight against any form of discrimination that marginalizes individuals at the hands of government-funded dollars." Jeff Ayers, executive director of SC Equality, said,"Right now there are children in South Carolina who could be living in stable, loving homes, with parents who just happen to be LGBT. It’s disgraceful that an agency working to provide suitable homes for children would deny then access to a bright future.” Colleen Condon, president of AFFA (Alliance for Full Acceptance) and a family law attorney in Charleston, said they are "so disappointed that the federal government has granted an exemption allowing religious discrimination in adoptions. AFFA advocates for social justice for gay parents. And I work with wonderful parents seeking to care for a child who otherwise will be left in the tentative world of foster care and group homes. We will not let this stand.” Federal law prohibits discrimination in federally-funded programs against foster parents on religious grounds, but 10 states permit discrimination by state -licensed foster care organizations against LGBTQ people, same sex couples and others if doing so conflicts with the organization's beliefs, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) said in a release Thursday. "This waiver is unconscionable, in no small part because it prioritizes federal contractors over kids in need of families," said Cathryn Oakley, HRC state legislative director and senior counsel.Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-21491171828800214382019-01-16T12:23:00.000-08:002019-01-16T12:23:55.858-08:00Ontario Gay Man Alleges Conservative MPP Sam Oosterhoff Misused Police Force Following Tweet, Two Gay Men File Legal Challenge To Hong Kong Ban On Same Sex Marriage, Dutch Court Fines Three Creationists For Distributing Vile Anti-Gay Pamphlets, Former Research Scientist Sues Eli Lilly Alleging Discrimination Based On His Sexual Orientation, Judge Sentences 24-Year-Old Andrew Czarnecki To Life In Prison Without Parole For 2013 Murder And Mutilation Of Gay Man, Outgoing Michigan Governor Rick Snyder Signs Directive Prohibiting LGBT Discrimination Through State Contracts, Loveland Colorado Police Arrest 31-Year-Old Sarah Diaz And Charge Her With Bias-Motivated Crimes For Allegedly Vandalizing Man's Apartment After Discovering He Is Gay <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/oosterhoff-gill-twitter-niagara-police-1.4962485"> In Ontario, a St. Catharines man says a police officer who visited him at home after he tweeted out the address and phone number of MPP Sam Oosterhoff's parents is an example of a politician using law enforcement as "muscle" to scare him. But Oosterhoff says the tweet crossed a line and he contacted police over fear for his family's safety. According to <i>CBC News</i>, a spokesperson for Niagara police confirmed the service received a call about "potential harassment" in the form of a home address being shared on social media on December 28. Rob Gill took to Twitter after seeing a video of the Niagara West MPP along with Premier Doug Ford smiling and clapping during a Christmas celebration hosted by Canadian Christian College president Charles McVety. In the since-deleted social media post, Gill wrote "This Christmas, let's protest @samoosterhoff and his bigot, misogynistic and homophobic personality & upbringing. Let's protest at his parents home ... or give them a call." The tweet included both the family's address and their phone number, along with the hashtag #hateraiseshate. "I know some people might say 'Why did you do that? It's stepping over the line.' I don't think it's stepping over a line because that's information that's in the public domain," explained Gill. "That's information someone can choose to keep public or keep private and they've chosen to keep it public and this is the result of that." He added he deleted the tweet shortly after posting it because it wasn't getting a lot of "traction." In a statement to <i>CBC News,</i> Oosterhoff said he appreciates hearing both positive and negative feedback from constituents, but the tweet and "disparaging language" in this case led him to contact the Niagara Regional Police. "Fearing from my family's safety I contacted the police," he wrote. "The police followed their own protocol and I am very grateful for their dedication to our community." Gill said he didn't threaten Oosterhoff and has tried to start a dialogue with him over his personal beliefs in the past through Twitter and by phone, but has never heard back. "At no point do I ever wish any harm against him or his family or loved ones. At the same time, if he's going to continue to bring his private religious views into his public office he needs to be prepared for people protesting him at any means we can figure out."</a> When Gill saw the video of the politician standing with McVety, who has previously said he's against the former Liberal government's sex-ed curriculum and same sex marriage, he was motivated to speak out. "If you're an elected official you represent all Ontarians, regardless of their sexual orientation, their socioeconomic status, their beliefs, their skin colours, all Ontarians." Gill is gay and married to a man from Brazil where far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro, who has made derisive comments about black and gay people, will be sworn in as president Tuesday. "[My husband] comes from a place where you can't speak your mind and if you speak your mind you risk losing your life," explained Gill. "So have the police appear at our home, for me speaking my mind is a big issue. To have a politician use police as some kind of muscle isn't cool." Niagara police spokesperson Stephanie Sabourin said after receiving the call about the potential harassment, an officer wasn't able to reach the person who posted the address by phone so stopped by on December 29 to "caution them regarding sharing personal information on social media which could be perceived as harassing." No charges have been laid. Sabourin added that with the popularity of social media, when possible, police try to inform and educate members of the public about what could be "potentially deemed criminal in nature." Gill said he's aware of the law and didn't need a "lecture." He claims the officer who knocked at his door around 9:00 am said he had done nothing wrong, but Oosterhoff had complained about some of the things he was posting online. At the end of a five-minute conversation the they shook hands and the officer went on his way. "At no point did he caution me about further engaging with Mr. Oosterhoff online or charge me or cite me or anything," said Gill. "I found it really odd that we have the police attending my home, unannounced, when no crime has taken place to lecture me on what a law is. I found that really strange and kind of a waste of police resources." But a spokesperson for Oosterhoff said it is her understanding that Gill was cautioned by police about communicating with him and disclosing personal information through social media.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-lgbt-court/two-gay-men-challenge-hong-kong-ban-on-same-sex-marriage-idUSKCN1OY160"> In Hong Kong, <i>Reuters</i> reports that two gay men have launched separate legal bids to overturn Hong Kong’s ban on same sex marriage, the first time the law has been challenged in court. The two men, an activist and a student, argue that the ban on same sex marriage violates their right to equality under the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution. They are asking the government to review and amend the law on marriage, currently defined as between a man and a woman, to the union of two persons, according to their lawyer Hectar Pun. The Hong Kong High Court gave permission for the cases to proceed during a preliminary hearing on Thursday, January 3. The court will hear a separate case regarding civil union first. Hong Kong has seen a number of lawsuits in recent years over the rights of gay couples, but this is the first legal challenge seeking to legalize same sex union. Rights group Amnesty International said Hong Kong’s refusal to recognize same sex relationships led to stigma and fuelled “discrimination and other human rights abuses," its researcher Doriane Lau adding, “It is regrettable that further judicial cases need to be brought to force the government to end the discrimination same sex couples face in all walks of life.” Same sex couples cannot apply for public housing or enjoy their partner’s pension benefits, Lau said.</a> Homosexuality has been decriminalized since 1991 in Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997. The city has an annual pride parade and lively gay scene. However, it does not recognize same sex marriage. Campaigners say gay and transgender people face widespread discrimination and often come under family pressure to marry and have children. The Hong Kong government said in September it would recognize overseas same sex partnerships when granting dependent visas, after a British lesbian who was denied a spousal visa took it to court and won. International banks and law firms operating in the Asian financial hub have been keen to see visa rules for people in same sex relationships eased to help attract global talent. Thailand could become the first Asian country to legally recognize same sex couples under a bill that would allow civil partnerships. Vietnam allows same sex weddings, but no legal recognition or protection of such unions.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2019/01/three-creationists-fined-for-distributing-anti-gay-leaflet/"> In the Netherlands, three men who distributed hundreds of anti-gay flyers in the west of Amsterdam in October 2016 have been each fined €500 by judges in the Dutch capital. 31-year-olds Salahattim Y and Cengis E from The Hague and 41-year-old Erdal A from Rotterdam were all found guilty of insult and inciting discrimination. The public prosecution department had called for sentences of 40 hours community service. The leaflet, distributed in the west of the city, stated that homosexuality is forbidden in Islam, Christianity and Judaism and goes on to list a number of ‘facts’ about gay people It also included a link to a Facebook page focusing on a Romanian couple who were angry their children were taken into care in England and then adopted by a gay couple.</a> The men said at the time their aim had been to start a discussion and that their action fell under freedom of speech legislation. Dutch media suggested at the time the leaflets were the work of supporters of Turkish creationist Harun Yahya. The same quotes and photographs as used on the leaflet can be found on two Dutch Facebook pages interspersed with quotes and films featuring Yahya, who is characterised by his ultra-conservative creationism.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2019/01/01/eli-lilly-and-company-discrimination-sexual-orientation-lawsuit/2365293002/"> In Indiana, a former research scientist alleges in a lawsuit against Eli Lilly and Co. that he was harassed and discriminated against because he is gay. According to the <i>Indianapolis Star</i>, Jeffrey A. Willy, who started at Lilly in 2007, says he "endured harassment, a hostile work environment, and discrimination." He left the company in September 2018. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Indianapolis. A Lilly spokesperson declined to comment on the lawsuit but said the Indianapolis company values diversity and respect. In one allegation in the lawsuit, Willy says a supervisor spoke derisively of homosexuals and used a homophobic slur. Another allegation said that while waiting for an attendant to finish cleaning the men's restroom, a co-worker told him to use the women's restroom. "If all the weirdo transgenders are using whatever restroom they want to," the co-worker is quoted as saying, "the rest of us might as well." The lawsuit says Willy reported problems with a specific supervisor but "received significant retaliation from Eli Lilly that led to being blocked from attendance and speaking opportunities at conferences, raises, promotions and other compensation."</a> A spokesperson for Lilly issued a statement saying the company "can’t comment on the specifics of pending litigation," adding that, "Diversity and inclusion are vital foundations of Lilly’s culture. Respect for people has long been one of our core Lilly values — understanding, respecting and valuing differences among our employees and the people we serve. We believe that an environment of equality and inclusion is critical to fulfill our purpose to make life better through our medicines." Willy received a master's degree from Purdue University in biology and a doctorate from Indiana University in biochemistry and molecular biology. He advanced from toxicologist to senior toxicologist to consultant toxicologist before becoming a research scientist in 2016.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2018/12/19/new-york-man-sentenced-life-murder-gay-man-detroit/2364330002/"> In Michigan, a 24-year-old New York man will spend life behind bars for killing a gay man and mutilating his body. The <i>Detroit News</i> reports Andrew Czarnecki was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole on December 19 for the 2013 robbery, murder and burning of the body of Gavino Rodriguez. Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Michael Hathaway also sentenced Czarnecki to 11-20 years for armed robbery and 57 months to 11 years for the mutilation of a dead body. Carjacking charges were dropped against Czarnecki. Rodriguez was last known to be alive July 10, 2013, authorities say. His body was found in southwest Detroit. In sentencing Czarnecki, Hathaway said it "was pretty obvious that this defendant committed and helped someone else commit along the way an unspeakably ... horrible crime, so this is not a verdict or sentence that I have any second thoughts or reservations about at all."</a> Czarnecki was found guilty December 5 of the charges following a jury trial. The case against Czarnecki was prosecuted by Wayne County Special Prosecutor Jaimie Powell Horowitz of the Fair Michigan Justice Project, a collaboration between the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and Fair Michigan Foundation Inc. The project helps Michigan law enforcement agencies and prosecutors solve serious crimes against lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender people. Fair Michigan Foundation President Dana Nessel, Michigan's attorney general-elect, said in a statement earlier this month, “This conviction in a cold-case murder of a gay man illustrates the Fair Michigan Justice Project’s resolve, in association with the Prosecutor’s Office, to investigate and vigorously prosecute serious crimes against the LGBTQ community." Czarnecki’s co-defendant, Hameer Alkotait, is scheduled for a pretrial hearing February 6. His trial is scheduled for March 6.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/12/28/snyder-bans-lgbt-discrimination-state-contracts/2432577002/"> Also in Michigan, companies seeking contracts, grants or loans from the state must agree not to discriminate against gay or transgender employees under an executive directive signed this week by term-limited Republican Governor Rick Snyder. According to the <i>Detroit News</i>, Snyder signed the directive Thursday and announced it Friday with just four days left in his tenure, describing it as an effort to lead by example in government. The directive requires state departments and agencies to include language in new contracts prohibiting contractors from hiring or firing on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. It includes an exemption for nonprofit religious organizations, including churches. “Michigan’s continued reinvention and economic growth depend on talented individuals choosing to live and work here,” Snyder wrote. “It is essential for state government to be a leader in welcoming all people to our state and ensuring that everyone is treated fairly and with respect.” In signing the new contracting rules, the outgoing governor noted that Michigan Civil Service Commission rules already prohibit departments from discriminating against state employees on the basis of sexual orientation. Michigan law does not explicitly protect gay and transgender residents from discrimination in the private sector, but the Michigan Department of Civil Rights began investigating complaints last summer after state commissioners interpreted existing statute to include some protections. Jay Kaplan, staff attorney for the ACLU of Michigan’s LGBT Project, said he is glad to see Snyder address workplace bias but thinks the exemption for religious organizations in the governor's directive is "problematic" and could allow for continued discrimination of employees who have no ministerial role. "We look forward to working with the new administration to maybe fix the problems in this executive order that (Snyder) created by having this exemption in it," Kaplan said, referencing Governor-elect Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat. Snyder left office Tuesday, December 25 after an eight-year tenure marked by state and national debates over gay right and religious freedoms.</a> He signed a controversial law in 2015 allowing faith-based adoption agencies to decline working with gay parents, and he was a sometimes reluctant defendant in a legal battle over the state’s same-sex marriage ban that was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court that same year. But Snyder also encouraged the Legislature to expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act of 1976 by including new anti-discrimination protections for gay and transgender residents, a fight Democratic Gov.-elect Gretchen Whitmer has vowed to continue. Several legislative Republicans blasted the Civil Rights Commission in May when it interpreted existing law to include similar protections, and GOP Attorney General Bill Schuette issued a legal opinion in July calling the interpretation “invalid.” Despite Schuette's opinion, the state civil rights department has continued investigating private sector workplace discrimination complaints, but it has not yet made any final determinations. Snyder’s new directive is not binding on the Department of Attorney General or Secretary of State, but he encouraged those departments to voluntarily comply. Attorney General-elect Dana Nessel, a Democrat, will be the first openly gay statewide official in Michigan history. Erin Knott, interim executive director of Equality Michigan, said the state’s largest gay rights advocacy group is happy to see Snyder build on 2003 and 2007 executive actions by former Governor Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat. The new directive “represents an important step forward in making Michigan a safe, fair and equal place for all of us, and we thank Gov. Snyder for taking it today," Knott said in a statement. But Snyder's move “does not substitute the need for legislative action,” she added. “We look forward to working with the new legislature in 2019, leveraging today's executive order, to pass an amendment to the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2018/12/26/loveland-police-arrest-woman-suspicion-bias-motivated-crimes/2417375002/"> In Colorado, police arrested a Loveland woman on suspicion of committing bias-motivated crimes that resulted in property damage and injuries December 10. Per statute, a bias-motivated crime occurs when someone knowingly causes bodily injury, uses words or conduct, or destroys property with the intent to intimidate someone because of their actual or perceived race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability or sexual orientation. Bias-motivated crime is the legal term for hate crime. According to the <i>Coloradoan</i>, the suspect is accused of causing nonserious bodily injury, domestic violence, criminal mischief and assault in the third degree. </a> An officer responded to a disturbance on Aspen Drive in Loveland. A Loveland man told dispatch that Sarah Marie Diaz, 31, was tearing up his apartment in reaction to learning about his involvement with a man. Diaz said she "destroyed his property" because she was mad about the man's "gay behaviour," according to arrest documents. She also used a homophobic slur to describe him. In arrest documents, the officer noted the "apartment was in shambles with broken glass all over the floor, a TV hanging off the dresser from its cord, a table overturned in the living room and the floor and bed were both wet." The man said Diaz "threw a plate at him, hitting him in the hand causing a small injury." Diaz admitted to throwing the plate, according to arrest documents, but said she threw it at the ground. According to court records, Diaz does not have a significant criminal history in Colorado. She is next due in court Jan. 29.Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-24741441931501703812018-12-17T19:28:00.000-08:002018-12-17T19:28:32.731-08:00Alberta Announces Investigation After Anti-Gay Catholic Teacher Contracts Surface, Bermuda Tries For Third Time To Have Same Sex Marriage Banned, Singapore Court Issues Historic Ruling Stating Gay Man Has Right To Legally Adopt Child He Fathered, Vincent O'Sullivan Attorney Hopes To Have California Court Dismiss Anti-Gay Hate Crime Charges, Despite Bizarre Condemnation Hawkins County Tennessee Board Of Education Votes To Approve Formation Of Gay-Straight Alliance, Missouri Father Warned By Public School District After Tearing Gay-Straight Alliance Poster From Wall At Daughter's School<a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-alberta-investigating-catholic-teacher-contracts-amid-gay-or-common/"> In Canada, Alberta Education Minister David Eggen is investigating employment agreements signed by Catholic-school teachers amid concerns they could be fired for being in gay or common-law relationships. The <i>Canadian Press</i> reports Mr. Eggen says he has directed all 17 Catholic boards to send him copies of their agreements to see if they meet legal standards. “What we have heard from not just [in] Calgary, but other places as well, is unsettling,” Mr. Eggen said on Friday. “You can have attestations of faith. I mean that’s one thing. But to deny someone employment or [to terminate employment] based on their sexuality or other factors is not acceptable.” He said ways to deal with such cases would be to go to the Alberta Human Rights Commission or file a complaint with the Alberta Teachers’ Association. The Calgary and Edmonton Catholic boards confirmed this week that teachers must sign agreements promising to live by Catholic values.</a> The Calgary board says those values include not being in common law or same sex relationships. The Alberta Teachers’ Association said the law governing what are commonly known as “Catholicity clauses” is complex and largely untested, but teachers should not be forced to sign employment contracts that violate their human rights. “If a school board ever used these clauses to justify discriminatory practices or to disregard human rights, we would vigorously assist, defend and protect the teachers involved to the greatest extent possible,” the professional teachers association said in a release. The union and professional association also noted that recent changes to Alberta’s School Act affirm teachers’ freedom from discrimination. Barb Hamilton, a former teacher and principal with the Calgary Catholic district, announced last week that she was filing a human-rights complaint. She alleges she was pushed to quit because of her sexual orientation. Mr. Eggen dismissed suggestions the controversy supports the idea that publicly funded faith-based schools should be done away with entirely. “Our Catholic school system provides excellent education,” Mr. Eggen said. “Catholic education is protected by the Constitution and, I believe, has served our province well,” he said. But he added: “It’s very well and fine to make sure that you do have statements of faith in the system, but you can’t break the law. Our government believes that people can be protected regardless of who they love and what relationships that they’re in.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-12-13/bermuda-appeals-to-london-high-court-to-enforce-gay-marriage-ban"> An update on a previous post: In Bermuda, <i>Reuters</i> reports the government on Thursday filed an appeal to a high court in London seeking to uphold a law challenged in local courts that would ban gay marriage in the British overseas island. In February, Bermuda's governor, John Rankin, approved the Domestic Partnership Act (DPA), which allows same sex couples to form domestic partnerships but not marry, marking a rare departure from the trend toward legalizing gay marriage in Western countries. The government of Bermuda, a wealthy territory of 60,000 people, says domestic partnerships offer equal rights as marriage. But two local courts deemed the DPA unconstitutional, most recently in November, suspending its implementation.</a> Thousands of people on the socially conservative island support a ban on gay marriage. Bermuda's government said it is appealing the matter to London's Privy Council, the highest court of appeal for British territories, because the matter is of general public importance. "Constitutional issues are important issues and this Government wants to get it right," the government said in a statement on Thursday. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council has yet to decide whether to grant permission to appeal. A spokesperson for the Privy Council could not immediately be reached for comment.Appeals to the Privy Council are rare, with only one or two cases from Bermuda brought each year, according to court records seen by Reuters. Local courts said the DPA violates a clause in the constitution that protects freedom of conscience, handing down rulings that were celebrated by local attorneys and activists who have fought to undo the legislation. "This is a cynical, bigoted, hypocritical attack on the rights and freedoms of others," said Tony Brannon, a gay rights activist in Bermuda, of the appeal to the Privy Council. If gay marriage is allowed to stand, its proponents expect it to set a precedent for other British territories.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/gay-singaporean-man-wins-adopt-surrogate-son-071816451.html"> In Singapore, a gay man Monday won the right to adopt a child he fathered via a surrogate in the United States, in a landmark court ruling for the conservative city-state, reports AFP. While Singapore is affluent and modern in many ways, attitudes towards homosexuality are routinely criticized as outdated. Same sex marriage is not permitted and sex between men remains illegal under a law that dates from the British colonial era, although it is rarely enforced. In the latest case, the man -- who is in a long-term relationship -- first enquired about adopting in Singapore but was told a homosexual couple was unlikely to get permission. He found a surrogate in the United States who agreed to carry his child for US$200,000. Surrogacy is effectively banned in Singapore. A son was born and is now five years old. The man, a 46-year-old pathologist who has not been identified, brought the boy back to Singapore and applied to formally adopt him, in the hope of securing him Singapore citizenship. A district judge rejected the initial application in December last year. But he appealed to Singapore's High Court, which ruled in his favour. Delivering the verdict, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said that "the evidence has demonstrated to us that it is very much in the interests of the child that the adoption order be made," adding, "His prospects of acquiring Singapore citizenship could be significantly enhanced by making an adoption order, which would in turn lead to an overall increase in the stability of his life in Singapore."</a> But he noted that the decision was related to that particular case and should not be viewed as an endorsement of what the man and his partner had done. The man's attorney Ivan Cheong said his client was "overjoyed and happy that at the end of a long adoption process, the child's welfare is upheld," adding, "At the end of the day, it is about what is in the child's best interests." The pathologist will still have to apply to adopt his biological son, who currently holds American citizenship. Paerin Choa, from Singaporean gay rights group Pink Dot SG, praised the ruling. "LGBT families are families too, and they are just as able to provide a loving and caring home to raise their children in," Choa said. But Jean Chong, from Singapore-based lesbian advocacy group Sayoni, said the court decision only represented "baby steps" in the gay movement's fight for more rights. The main battleground between supporters of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community and conservatives in recent years has been the ban on sex between men. The Indian Supreme Court's decision in September to decriminalize homosexual sex sparked fresh hope for change in Singapore, and a new challenge has been lodged against the city-state's colonial-era law. Chong said Monday's ruling did not provide a boost for those fighting to overturn the law, as the judge had focused narrowly on the welfare of the child rather than gay rights.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.sonomawest.com/sonoma_west_times_and_news/news/long-wait-for-justice-in-gay-hate-crime/article_06847c2c-fe5c-11e8-964a-230f98ad5479.html"> An update on a previous post: In California, Vincent O’Sullivan’s defense attorney hopes to get the charges dropped against his client next week when O’Sullivan comes to court for the twenty-third time accused of making bomb threats targeting Guerneville’s gay population. According to the <i>Sonoma West Times & News</i>, the hate crime case against O’Sullivan “is very complex,” said attorney Martin Woods in court last month when O’Sullivan was supposed to face a jury trial on felony charges that could put him in prison for several years. “It’s a very tough area of the law to figure out.” The fact that a judge has already dismissed the charges against O’Sullivan once before is expected to lend weight to Woods’ request for another dismissal. What started out as a misdemeanor petty theft case last April, when a gay pride flag went missing from the town plaza flagpole, escalated into a felony hate-crime after O’Sullivan was arrested for threatening a gay barista at the Safeway Starbucks coffee bar. The case drew widespread media attention with Bay Area newspapers and television posting stories. Probably no one has watched the O’Sullivan case unfold more closely than former Guerneville resident Beth Streets, who was instrumental last year in getting a rainbow gay pride flag officially OK’d to fly on the flagpole beneath the stars and stripes and the California bear flag. Streets will be back in the courtroom again next week when O’Sullivan appears with his attorney who is expected to revisit the previous court ruling that O’Sullivan’s alleged bomb threats failed to meet the legal standard for what constitutes a hate crime.</a> O’Sullivan is charged with violating state penal code section 422(a) that addresses “Any person who willfully threatens to commit a crime which will result in death or great bodily injury to another person,” says the state code. The threat must be proven to include “the specific intent that the statement … is to be taken as a threat, even if there is no intent of actually carrying it out.” O’Sullivan told a gay employee at the Guerneville Safeway that he planned to “blow you up, you m***********g faggot,” according to the criminal complaint. O’Sullivan also said he had pipe bombs intended to go off at the Guerneville sheriff’s substation and planned to use bombs against “all the m***********g faggots” in the Guerneville area, according to court testimony. O’Sullivan’s jury trial was scheduled in court before Judge Knoel Owen last month but was canceled after Woods said he will file the motion to dismiss the case and needed more time to prepare. The alleged bomb threats were made while O’Sullivan was already under investigation for stealing the gay pride flag from the Guerneville town plaza last April. O’Sullivan was convicted on a misdemeanor petty theft charge for the flag theft but a visiting judge, Andria Richey, dismissed the more serious felony hate crime charge citing a lack of evidence. No pipe bombs were ever found in O’Sullivan’s possession. In June the Sonoma County District Attorney’s office successfully persuaded another judge, Jennifer Dollard, to reinstate the hate crime charge. “Guerneville is well-known as an LGBT friendly resort town with many openly gay residents and numerous establishments that cater to gay clientele,” said Deputy District Attorney Robert Maddock in a written court brief in support of the hate crime allegation and an enhancement charge that gives the sentencing judge discretion to add more time in state prison if O’Sullivan is found guilty. O’Sullivan “is totally unapologetic for his conduct,” said Deputy D.A. Maddock. “There is no dispute that the crime was motivated by the hatred of homosexuals,” said Maddock. “The threats were very serious and disturbing. In the violent hate-filled climate in which we find ourselves in 2018, the court should not reduce the charge.” When O’Sullivan was convicted in July for stealing the rainbow pride flag from the Guerneville plaza flagpole, his sentence included three years probation, 100 hours of community service and a court order to stay out of the plaza. In contrast to the county jail mug shot of him with long matted hair and wearing a dirty tee-shirt, O’Sullivan, 56, has recently appeared in court wearing a dark grey pinstriped suit with black tasseled loafers and a pair of rimless eyeglasses, with his hair neatly cut and combed. Since the guilty verdict in the pride flag theft, O’Sullivan had been free on supervised pretrial release. But last week he was ordered back into custody at county jail for violating his probation by twice testing positive for using methamphetamine, according to the district attorney’s office. “I’m really glad to see him remanded and locked up,” said Streets. O’Sullivan was also ordered to pay Streets $17.50 restitution for the cost of replacing the rainbow flag. “He still owes me the money,” said Streets last week.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.timesnews.net/Education/2018/12/16/Hawkins-BOE-approves-Gay-Straight-Alliance-for-Volunteer-H-S-despite-fiery-rebuke"> In Tennessee, the Hawkins County Board of Education voted 5-1 Thursday to approve the creation of a Gay-Straight Alliance student organization at Volunteer High School, despite a fiery rebuke from one of the board members. Tecky Hicks, who is also pastor at the First Baptist Church in Surgoinsville, said that if the board approved the GSA, parents should pull their children out of school. Some BOE members stated that despite their convictions and beliefs, they worried that denying the GSA would place the county school system in legal liability. County Attorney Jim Phillips, the Tennessee School Board Association’s legal counsel and attorney Lawrence Giordano, who represents the BOE in litigation, all said if the GSA is denied and a lawsuit is filed, the county would lose. BOE Vice Chairman Debbie Shedden said she took an oath of office when she became a board member to support the Constitution of Tennessee as well as the Constitution of the United States. Shedden said board decisions don’t always reflect the viewpoints, convictions or beliefs of members. “The decisions that we make must look at potential lawsuits, not only for our school system, but also for our county,” Shedden added. “The money that we would tie up (fighting a lawsuit) would be money we would be taking away from our students, our teachers, our school system.” Hicks told board members he took the same oath as Shedden, but he believes the Bible supersedes the Constitution of the U.S., the Bill of Rights, the Magna Carta, the Mayflower Compact, school board policy, the state constitution “and everything else.” “Therefore, based on that, there’s no way under God’s heaven I can approve any such club in our schools,” Hicks told the board. “I’ve got a daughter who has a child in second grade this year, and she has already made the decision that if something like this is approved by our board, she’s pulling her kid out of school. I would suggest, and I’ll make it a public statement, that every person in the county who has that privilege — do it. “I’ll take my stand on what I believe above and beyond anything man has ever made because the Bible plainly teaches that we are to subject ourselves to the authority that’s over us as long as the authority doesn’t overstep the bounds of what God has said it ought to be. God settled that over 2,000 years ago, folks, and I’m going to stand on it until hell freezes over.”</a> Hicks and Chris Christian questioned why approval of the GSA had come before the BOE in the first place. One policy states that the board approves all new extracurricular activities, while another policy states the school principal approves new clubs. Director of Schools Reba Bailey noted that the BOE has set a precedent by approving new student organizations in the past. She noted that Volunteer Principal Bobby Wines has already approved the GSA at the school level. BOE Chairman Bob Larkins said both policies need to be merged and clarified, and that will be addressed at a later meeting. Volunteer High School senior Hannah Yarosh, who is one of three co-founders of the proposed GSA, told the Times News last month one of the goals of the organization is to build an environment based on tolerance and acceptance. Yarosh said the GSA would allow students “a safe place” to talk about LGBT issues as well as help increase understanding and respect for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation. She estimated last month that there are at least 20 students interested in joining the organization, some of whom are gay and some who, like her, aren’t gay but consider themselves “allies.” Christian, who represents Church Hill, said he discussed the issue with many people who might be conflicted due to personal or religious convictions, but also feel compassion for the students the GSA would serve. “Could it provide a platform, a venue for this child to be able to express themselves?” Christian asked. “Could it provide a venue to prevent tragedy, to protect this child who has no family support or no one to reach out to?” Christian added, “That’s why I serve on this board. For the betterment of the children. I’m not questioning what these kids are going to do, but if there’s an ounce of hope of saving someone, a child, I would have to vote yes.” Larkins said he was told seven years ago when he joined the BOE that if he based his decisions on what’s best for the students, he wouldn’t go wrong in many cases. “I’ve discussed it with my own pastor, spiritual leader, and I’ve discussed it with many people in the community,” Larkins said. “I’ve arrived at a decision that I think it’s in the best interest of the students.” The lone dissenting vote was cast by Hicks.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/news/20181211/stolen-poster-used-as-prop-at-board-meeting"> In Missouri, a father who tore a poster promoting the Smithton Middle School Gay-Straight Alliance club from a wall at the school has been warned that kind of behaviour isn’t acceptable in Columbia Public Schools, district spokesperson Michelle Baumstark said Tuesday. According to the C<i>olumbia Daily Tribune</i>, Ken Allen brought the poster to the Monday night meeting of the Board of Education and displayed it while his daughter, seventh-grader Summer Allen said the messages written on the sign, which include words like “transgender” and “pansexual,” clash with the family’s Christian faith and should not be allowed in public schools. “I personally believe that we are too young to have an influence such as this on us, and especially too young to be deciding that we want to change our gender,” Allen said.</a> Allen ripped the poster from the school wall after seeing it while attending a parent-teacher conference, he said. “We did call our safety and security” personnel but Allen was not arrested for theft, Baumstark said. “We have had several meetings with Mr. Allen both at the building level and district level. His voice has been heard regarding the presence of the GSA sign. From the district’s perspective, we feel like the district has listened and that he has had an opportunity to express himself.” While the district has listened to the family’s concerns, it does not want another episode like the poster incident, Baumstark said. “You have to be respectful, you have to follow our policies while you are in our building,” she said. After his daughter finished speaking, Allen addressed the board. Since many of the words written on the poster contained the words “sex” and “sexual,” he said terms like “intersex” and “asexual” are sexual in nature. Tracy Turnbow, Summer’s mother, spoke last and condemned the district for lacking transparency. There was no warning sent to parents that the posters would be hanging in school, and thus, no way to shield her child from its message. The family questions whether the district had an obligation to inform them that such an organization was active at the school. The district must follow a law notifying parents of the content of sexuality education curriculum but the club is not covered, Baumstark said. The Allens are the only family that has complained about the alliance, Baumstark said.Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-20392824539632691062018-12-10T21:27:00.000-08:002018-12-10T21:27:47.235-08:00Trial Date Set For 2019 In Bruce McArthur Gay Men Serial Killing Case, Botwood Newfoundland High School Gay-Straight Alliance Face Harassment And Threats Of Physical Violence From Classmates, Australian Police Offer Million-Dollar Reward For Information Solving 1988 Murder Of American Gay Mathematician Scott Johnson, Canton Ohio School Superintendent Investigated Over Bizarre Comment To Openly Gay Student, Prosecutors File Charges In Connection To Fatal Shooting Of Detroit Transgender Woman Kelly Stough, New York City Police Ask For Public Assistance In Identifying Suspect In November Anti-Gay Attack That Left 20-Year-Old Woman Hospitalized, Las Vegas Police Arrest Two Men In Stabbing Attack Against Gay Couple, Stormy Daniels Cancels South Florida Appearance Alleging Club Owner Called Assistant Anti-Gay Slur, Newly Named Heisman Trophy Winner Kyler Murray Apologizes For Years-Old Anti-Gay Twitter Posts <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-bruce-mcarthur-to-stand-trial-in-january-2020/"> An update on a previous post: In Ontario, an alleged serial killer facing murder charges in the deaths of eight men with ties to Toronto’s gay village will stand trial in January, 2020. According to the <i>Canadian Press</i>, Bruce McArthur said little in a brief court appearance Friday morning, November 30, and avoided looking at the family members of his alleged victims.</a> Police found the remains of seven of the men in large planters at a property where the 67-year-old worked as a landscaper. The remains of the eighth alleged victim were found in a ravine behind the same property in midtown Toronto. The Crown said it was ready to start the trial in September, 2019, but the defence said it wouldn’t be available until January. The trial is scheduled to begin on January 6, 2020.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/botwood-gsa-students-bullying-1.4931992"> In Newfoundland, <i>CBC News</i> reports a "civil war" has broken out inside a Botwood high school, according to members of the central Newfoundland school's Gay-Straight Alliance, who allege abuse and even threats of violence toward the club and its members. Two Botwood Collegiate students, including a club founder, say there has been escalating harassment since the Gay-Straight Alliance was started this school year — beginning with vandalism of the club's posters, and other rainbow posters, then moving to even physical threats. "They were saying they wanted people to die. They wanted to throw us in a box, light us on fire and throw us out in the river," said Ashley Hoskins, a Grade 11 student at Botwood Collegiate. She said the harassment has worsened over the past two weeks and now "pretty much a civil war started in the school," between the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) and students who are insulting them. "There were a lot of people who took a week or more off of school because they were feeling that threatened being at school," she said. Hoskins said the comments started on social media, and that they have been mostly confined to a group of about 10 students. She said discipline imposed by the school staff hasn't stopped them. "They've been suspending students, they used to come back, start doing the same things. They just suspend them again," added Daniel Peckford, a founder of the club. The chief executive officer of the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District called the issue "abhorrent," Tony Stack adding, "The reaction is almost visceral. It's really unfortunate." He pledged the district would do anything it could to support the GSA and its students, calling the school's inclusion policies "non-negotiable," and added that, "We will engage whatever means within our scope, in terms of discipline. We can resort to expulsion, ultimately. Some of this stuff may breach into the criminal aspect, and we can continue to apply suspensions and some proactive restorative justice measures as well." In a statement, Newfoundland and Labrador's English School District said the issue was being dealt with by school administration. "The response has, to date, included the imposition of school-based discipline — the details of which we are not at liberty to disclose," wrote Heather May, a spokesperson for the school district. The conflict started after school officials posted a standardized rainbow flag poster — a common one found in many public buildings in Newfoundland and Labrador — on the school walls.</a> Peckford said some students started to cover up the poster, "saying, 'gays are not welcome in our school, they're stupid, they shouldn't be allowed.'" At one point, some students taped a "Straight Pride" poster over the poster, and it has also been thrown into the trash several times. Hoskins said members of the group started to informally guard the poster by standing next to it. Peckford said he was hurt — and baffled — by the suggestion from some students that "straight people don't feel included anymore," adding, "I don't feel like that. The homophobia in our school is really bad. I don't think anyone is being bullied for being straight." While Hoskins said she hadn't been the direct target of the abuse, she said she still feels worried about her safety in the school, and others do too. "I mostly just ignore them, but I know one of my friends who definitely has the 'lesbian look,' she's always called a dyke, every time she walks down the hallways. Even before the whole GSA thing, she couldn't walk down the hallway without being called names." Peckford said school staff members have been supportive of his group from the beginning — and the school will hold classroom sessions this week to talk about their inclusion policies. The students also said some peers have rallied to their side, after seeing the insults hurled at them. Stack said he believes the Newfoundland and Labrador government policies are working, broadly, "but some attitudes in certain pockets seem to prevail" adding, "I believe ultimately what's going to change regressive attitudes and little pockets of hate is education." The school district said it's planning a "longer-term response" that includes "ongoing education, training and district support around inclusion and diversity, including LGBTQ-related issues." Peckford said, "I think we can start educating them, telling them why it's so hurtful to say these things."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/08/world/australia/scott-johnson-death-reward.html"> In Australia, the <i>New York Times</i> reports that almost 30 years to the day after a gay mathematician from the United States was forced off a Sydney cliff in a hate crime, the police on Sunday announced a reward of 1 million Australian dollars for information leading to the perpetrators. The mathematician, Scott Johnson, was a 27-year-old doctoral student at the Australian National University in Canberra when he died on December 8, 1988. He had moved to Australia to be with his partner and had applied for permanent residency. His body was found at the bottom of a cliff where gay men were known to meet. His death was initially ruled a suicide but was declared a hate crime by a coroner last year. Mr. Johnson’s case has drawn attention to a pattern of homophobia-driven crimes in the 1980s and ’90s in which gay men were targeted by gangs of young people, who sometimes forced them off cliffs to their deaths. Former officials have acknowledged that the deaths were not adequately investigated at the time by police officers, many of whom had a reputation for hostility toward gay men. The new reward, the equivalent of about $720,000, is a tenfold increase from the previous one. The police say they hope it will motivate people to share information. “Scott’s death is possibly one of the most challenging investigations I’ve seen — and it’s believed one of the greatest hindrances has been an unwillingness for witnesses to come forward,” said Mick Fuller, the police commissioner for the state of New South Wales, which includes Sydney. Mr. Johnson’s brother, Steve Johnson, who flew into Sydney for the announcement, said the reward was an “incredible step” toward answers. “I’m very encouraged,” he said in a phone interview on Sunday. “The million-dollar reward is speaking to the community that the police are taking this seriously and they need people’s help.”</a> Mr. Johnson described his brother as a gentle soul with a brilliant mind. “He just effortlessly understood things,” he said. “He was also the most modest person I’ve ever known.” After hearing about a 2005 inquest into the deaths of three men from the same period under similar circumstances, Mr. Johnson petitioned the authorities to reopen his brother’s case and hired an investigative journalist to collect evidence. A 2012 inquest into Scott Johnson’s death overturned the original finding of suicide but concluded that he might have fallen by accident. It called for his death to be reinvestigated. Last year the state coroner ruled that Mr. Johnson “died as a result of a gay hate attack.” A team of specialists has been investigating his death since September. “The people who killed Scott are in all likelihood still alive and living in the Northern Beaches, free,” Steve Johnson said, referring to an area of Sydney. The police are already looking at leads and with the public’s help, he said, he is optimistic the case can be solved. The reward is unusually high; of more than 240 rewards currently offered by the state government, only seven are for 1 million dollars, Troy Grant, the New South Wales police minister, said in a statement. Dozens of cases similar to Mr. Johnson’s are still under review. In 2013 the police said they were looking at the deaths of 88 men from 1976 to 2000 to determine if they should be classified as anti-gay hate crimes. About 30 of the crimes remain unsolved. In September a state parliamentary inquiry was established to investigate crimes against gay and transgender people from 1970 to 2010, including these cases, and how they were handled by the justice system. “This isn’t just about Scott’s case,” Steve Johnson said. “I think all these cases need to be looked at.” Mr. Johnson, a tech entrepreneur, has kept his brother’s memory alive by talking to his children about the talented uncle they never met. “The ’90s would have been a fantastic time to shine. It was a great time to be a geek,” he said. “They feel the world was cheated to not have Scott.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.dispatch.com/news/20181209/canton-superintendent-investigated-over-comment-to-gay-student"> In Ohio, the <i>Columbus Dispatch</i> reports that at 12:21 am on the night of the final McKinley High School football game, Canton City Schools Superintendent Adrian Allison sent an e-mail to the Board of Education. “Good evening, This evening after the football game, a band parent and chaperone approached me to tell me that our dancers in the band were being repeatedly disrespectful to adults during the game and throughout the season,” Allison wrote. He said he called the dancers over to reprimand them. ″(A student) then attempted to interrupt me and I told him that I did not want to hear what he had to say. He then began getting disrespectful with me. I told him that he was a disrespectful little boy or however he identified. After a minute or so of me saying he was disrespectful and him cussing me out, two principals escorted the student away.” Because the student is gay, Allison’s statement triggered an immediate outcry from some students and has launched the Board of Education into action. A week after the November 9 game, board members arranged a closed-door meeting to “discuss the discipline and employment of a public employee,” according to its agenda. Allison was there, but he wasn’t invited into the room to speak with the board, and no votes were taken. Follow-up meetings are expected. Board President J.R. Rinaldi later confirmed the board is investigating the situation from the football game with the help of outside counsel, but he declined further comment because the issue is personnel-related. Complicating matters is the fact Allison’s already strained relationship with some members of the board and his uncertain future with Canton City Schools. He was placed on an improvement plan last fall, and he received only a one-year contract for the current school year. His employment with the district is scheduled to end at the end of July, unless he is awarded a new contract. Allison declined to be interviewed for this story. E-mails about the incident that he sent the Board of Education — obtained by The Canton Repository through a public records request — explain his thought process. Allison said he was worried some people might think he targeted the student because of the student’s sexual orientation, and he was adamant that wasn’t what happened. “He became disrespectful and I addressed his disrespect,” Allison wrote in his initial email to the board. “My statement about how he identified was my attempt to respect his choice, not to disrespect it.”</a> After the November 9 football game, students reached out to the Board of Education about the incident before the superintendent did. The first e-mail came at 11:15 pm. At 11:30 pm, there was another, sent by a student who is a member of the dance line: “Our superintendent thought it was professional to call one of our dancers, a gay male, ‘whatever you are,’” the e-mail reads. “Highly disrespectful of him & unprofessional. My dance mate cried on the bus home from the game because our own superintendent of the school we attend thinks so low of him and not as a humain (sic) being like the rest of us. This is an issue & it needs to be fixed.” Rinaldi promised the student who e-mailed that Allison would be in touch. “We all must strive to be the best we can be for our students as we run the Canton City School District,” Rinaldi wrote. “Agree with you 100%.” Allison’s account of what happened and the accounts given to board members by students mostly match, except for one detail. At least three students said Allison called the dancer a little boy and followed with “or whatever you are,” not “however you identify.” The following week, board Vice President Eric Resnick obtained a written statement, submitted by a student in the band who witnessed the event, that detailed how the exchange turned into a shouting match and spiraled out of control. “It appears that the altercation was a little more involved and escalated than we were told, and I think we have some obligation to investigate,” Resnick wrote. The week after the football game, Allison attempted to make things right. He told the board he would participate in a “restorative circle” — a practice schools use to create a safe space for people to talk about an incident — with the student, the student’s mother and some faculty members. He also planned to attend the high school’s after-school “Safe Zone” LGBTQ+ group meeting. “My goal is always to represent the district in the best possible manner and ultimately believe that I, and the district, will learn and grow from this experience,” Allison wrote in a follow-up email to the board. He provided a statement to be shared with anyone who asked what was being done about what happened at the football game. In it, he said he had spoken with the student and the student’s guardian and that his apology had been accepted. He pledged to implement training for all staff — himself included — about how to make the learning environment equitable for everyone. The next day, board members started trying to schedule a meeting with Allison to talk about what happened. Throughout the e-mail conversations among board members and the superintendent, Resnick raised other concerns beyond the words that were said — concerns about efforts to improve the culture and climate of the district, ongoing discipline issues and what could be done to show people that “slurs against gay students” wouldn’t be tolerated and the district is affirming. He indicated he didn’t think the superintendent’s statement went far enough. Other students were offended, Resnick wrote, and everyone in the district looks to the superintendent to set tone and keep people safe. “I don’t think this statement satisfies their need to have confidence in you,” Resnick wrote. “This Board needs for you to get that part right.” The Canton Repository requested and reviewed dozens of e-mails exchanged in the past several weeks. In all of them, the student’s name is redacted, as are the names of the other students who reported the incident. A public Facebook post discussing the incident that was widely shared includes comments from students and adults, most of them categorizing Allison’s comment as unacceptable.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2018/12/10/charges-filed-slain-detroit-transgender-woman/2273251002/"> In Michigan, the <i>Detroit News</i> reports that a man has been charged in connection with the slaying of a transgender woman last week in Detroit, investigators announced Monday. A police officer found the body of Kelly Stough, 36, early Friday near McNichols Street at Brush, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement. Stough had been fatally shot. After an investigation, authorities charged Albert Weathers, 46, in the death. The Sterling Heights resident was arraigned Monday in 36th District Court on charges of open murder. Bond was set at $1 million. The county Prosecutor’s Office assigned the case to Special Prosecutor Jaimie Powell Horowitz from the Fair Michigan Justice Project, a collaboration between the Prosecutor’s Office and Fair Michigan Foundation Inc. The foundation helps state law enforcement officers and prosecutors in solving crimes against people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. “This case reflects the excessive brutality that members of Detroit’s transgender community constantly face,” said Fair Michigan president Dana Nessel, the state’s incoming attorney general, in a statement. "We thank the Detroit Police Department for their efforts to investigate the facts of this tragic crime.” On Facebook, acquaintances described Stough as using the name Keanna Mattel and posted footage of her performing in the city's ballroom scene. Some are planning a fundraiser to cover burial expenses. Her death has also sparked attention from activists. “We must listen to her words and address the factors that continue to foster an epidemic of violence targeting transgender people, particularly transgender women of color,” officials with the Human Rights Campaign said in a statement.</a> “It is clear that fatal violence disproportionately affects trans women of color, and that the intersections of racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia conspire to deprive them of necessities to live and thrive.” The group recently released a report showing at least 22 transgender people had been killed in the United States since early 2018 but noted “data collection is often incomplete or unreliable when it comes to violent and fatal crimes"against the demographic. The FBI has found that in 2017, Michigan authorities reported 57 hate crimes related to sexual orientation statewide, compared to 59 the year before. There were 15 reported in Detroit, the agency reported. This year, the state Civil Rights Commission issued an interpretive statement holding that current law offers some protections for gay and transgender residents. Attorney General Bill Schuette said only lawmakers could make that call, but the commission ignored his opinion and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights has continued to investigate complaints based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Julisa Abad, director of transgender outreach and advocacy for the Fair Michigan Justice Project, notes that while her group and other activists work to address discrimination, transgender people continue to face targeting and violence. Part of the problems lies in perception, she said. “For so long, we weren’t even counted and dehumanized.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/anti-gay-subway-attack-leaves-nyc-woman-broken-spine-n946131"> In New York City, a 20-year-old woman was hospitalized and suffered a broken spine after being attacked in the subway by a man using anti-gay slurs, according to the New York City Police Department. The New York City Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in ascertaining the whereabouts of an unidentified maleThe New York City Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in ascertaining the whereabouts of an unidentified male who fled the train and the subway system at the Forest Hills 71 Avenue station in the Queens borough of New York.NYPD “The unidentified male used a slur based upon his interpretation of the victim's sexual orientation,” the NYPD said in an emailed statement to NBC News. “As the victim walked away from the unidentified male, he approached from behind, punched the victim in the back of her head and shoved her to the ground, causing her to strike her head.”</a> Police said the man fled the scene of the November 30 crime, exiting the subway system at a stop in Forest Hills, a neighbourhood in the borough of Queens. The NYPD released a video clip and image of the suspect and is now seeking the public’s help in identifying him. Police described him as “black, 5'11", 220lbs, and 50-60 years old.” <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/ny-metro-homophobe-punches-woman-broken-spine-20181208-story.html"> The <i>New York Daily News</i> provided additional details about the attack, reporting that the suspect became incensed after he saw the victim kiss another woman aboard the E train in Queens, adding that he then called the victim a “dyke” before physically assaulting her.</a> The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the incident, and police are requesting that anyone with information about the identity of the attacker call 1-800-577-8477, visit nypdcrimestoppers.com or tweet at @NYPDTips. This latest incident comes just weeks after a Queens man was charged with several hate crimes after allegedly beating two gay men unconscious in Brooklyn. The suspect, Brandon McNamara, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/las-vegas-police-arrest-men-in-stabbing-attack-on-gay/article_e18e6822-fa70-11e8-9553-4374834574c7.html"> In Nevada, Las Vegas police arrested two men in the assault and stabbing of a gay couple near Simmons Street and Vegas Drive last week. Kealan Abraham, 34, and Andre Duncan, 39, were arrested on December 2 for battery with a deadly weapon, battery with use of deadly weapon result of substantial bodily harm and conspiracy to commit criminal contempt, according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. Charles Clements said two men ambushed him and his boyfriend, Vincent, sending them both to the hospital on November 29. Vincent suffered two broken ribs and a punctured lung. Clements said the men called Vincent a "faggot" and "an abomination" during the attack. Clements was hit in the head. He was released the next morning. On the phone, Vincent said he was released from University Medical Center on Friday night. But he was still in a lot of pain. That night, Charles picked up Vincent from work at Walmart. Vincent said he was warned men may be waiting for him after work, but he saw no one, according to Abraham's arrest report. The couple soon learned two men were following them home. When they got out of the car in front of their apartment, “I was about to unlock the door, the next thing I hear, he’s calling my name,” Clements said. “I come back, I see my boyfriend fighting with the guy.” The attack spilled over onto their front porch, where they knocked over a glass table. “There was a lot of glass on the floor so the guy came around,” Clements said. “He picked up the glass. I was like, ‘Don’t do that.’ And he started stabbing my boyfriend in the back. The guy was kicking him in his ribs.”</a> Clements said neighbours heard the attack and then saw everything. “Neighbors, everybody just looking,” he said. “Nobody called the police.” The suspects noticed how much Clements and Vincent were bleeding and drove away, according to police. “When I got hit in the head with the piece of glass I had my jacket on,” Clements said. “I was just leaking blood on my jacket.” The two went inside their apartment and called 911. “I never been through nothing like this in my life,” Clements said. “I was so scared.” Police said officers found Duncan's driver's license on the scene of the attack. Vincent told police he recognized one of the attackers as a man who works with him at Walmart. That’s how the man knew about their relationship, he said. “It was all about gay bashing,” Clements said. “The guy came up to my boyfriend’s job, calling him an abomination, calling him 'fag.'” Police said they went to Kealan Abraham's home on December 2. There, they found Duncan's car. An officer saw him walk out, into the car and drive to work at Walmart. Police arrested him there. Duncan said he saw coverage of the story on television. He admitted that Abraham had "fought" with the victim, kicking him several times. He said the attack was not a result of a hate crime, according to the arrest report. Police located Abraham at a home. He answered the door and was arrested. He admitted to getting into a fight but said it was "not hate motivated." Clements said he was excited to hear about the arrests Friday.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article222873290.html"> In Florida, the <i>Miami Herald</i> reports porn actress and stripper Stormy Daniels canceled a South Florida performance after she says a club owner called her assistant an anti-gay slur. Daniels was scheduled to perform Saturday night at Goldfinger, 3801 N. University Dr. in Sunrise. She said she refused to perform in the “VIP room” because that wasn’t in her contract. “There is no one here to make any comment on that,” an employee said. Daniels made her announcement on social media. In an Instagram photo, Daniels poses outside the club, with middle finger extended. “I will NOT be performing at Goldfinger tonight because the owner called my assistant a “f------ faggot” after asking me to do something not in my contract,” Daniels said, spelling out the F word. “That kind of abuse will not be tolerated. Now they are saying I no showed. Clearly you can see from this photo that is NOT the case. When are dipsh--s gonna learn that I do not respond well to bullies?”</a> When a follower said she “should have done the show for the paying fans,” while not doing anything outside of her contract, Daniels responded: “I’m very sorry to those who paid to see me tonight but keep in mind that I forfeited a $6800 paycheck by doing what I felt was the right thing to do for someone I care about.” Daniels is best known for saying she had sex with Donald Trump 12 years ago, a claim the president has denied. Investigators have been looking into a $130,000 payment made to Daniels as part of a confidentiality agreement. In Florida, Daniels said the Sunrise club owner was “physically aggressive and used hate speech, and added that fans need to understand. “How is that people seeing my t--- matters more than that?”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/oklahoma-qb-kyler-murray-apologizes-anti-gay-tweets-59712886"> In New York City, newly named Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray is apologizing for anti-gay tweets posted to his Twitter account several years ago, when he was 14 and 15. According to the <i>Associated Press</i>, the Oklahoma quarterback tweeted : "I apologize for the tweets that have come to light tonight from when I was 14 and 15. I used a poor choice of word that doesn't reflect who I am or what I believe. I did not intend to single out any individual or group."</a> The tweets have since been deleted from the account of the 21-year-old Murray, who won college football's most prestigious individual award Saturday night over Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa and Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins. Murray, a junior from the Dallas suburbs, has signed a $4.66 million contract with the Oakland Athletics after he was selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft in June and this season may be his last in college football.<br />
Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-83202021139340838612018-11-11T19:35:00.000-08:002018-11-11T19:35:23.472-08:00Calgary-Based Attorney John Carpay Who Is Challenging Alberta Bill That Governs Gay-Straight Alliances Compares Pride Flags To Swastikas At Far-Right Conference, Vancouver Transit Police Arrest Suspect For Alleged Assault On Gay Couple, Men Arrested In Tanzania On Suspicion On Being Gay As Authorities Intensify Oppression Of LGBT Community, Suspect In Murder Of Openly Gay 19-Year-Old Blaze Bernstein Again Pleads Not Guilty To Hate Crime Enhanced Charges, 21-Year-Old Ronald Tyler Witt Arrested And Charged With Hate Crimes After Stealing Rainbow Flags From Long Island Church Six Separate Times<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/john-carpay-pride-flags-swastikas-1.4901229"> In Alberta, the United Conservative Party should remove a member who compared rainbow pride flags to swastikas, says an LGBTQ advocate. On Saturday, Calgary attorney John Carpay, with the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, spoke at a conference organized by <i>Rebel Media</i>, a far-right media organization that has been criticized for sympathetic coverage of white supremacy. "How do we defeat today's totalitarianism? You've got to think about the common characteristics. It doesn't matter whether it's a hammer and sickle for communism, or whether it's the swastika for Nazi Germany or whether it's a rainbow flag, the underlying thing is a hostility to individual freedoms," Carpay said. Carpay told <i>CBC News</i> in a phone interview that the 30-second clip gives an incorrect impression that he's "equating different belief systems" and doesn't do justice to his 20-minute presentation, which focused on the "nature of totalitarianism," adding, "I'm saying that totalitarianism has common characteristics and then I'm saying it doesn't matter what external symbol is being used when freedoms are under attack. We have to defend the free society. It doesn't matter what the external symbol might be for an ideology, what matters is our fundamental freedoms being attacked and what are we doing to defend them." Carpay said examples of freedoms being under attack include anti-LGBT protestors being removed from college campuses and Alberta government Bill 24, which protects students from being outed by teachers if they join a Gay-Straight Alliance. He later apologized in an e-mailed statement for "unintentionally" drawing the comparison. Carpay's statement is posted in full at the source. Other speakers at the event included Conservative Saskatoon MP Brad Trost and People's Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier. Carpay is the attorney behind a lawsuit challenging Alberta's Bill 24. In arguments before the court, he alleged that Gay-Straight Alliances — peer-support groups that are meant to tackle bullying and provide supportive environments for LGBTQ students — are "ideological sexual clubs." Kristopher Wells, an LGBTQ advocate and associate professor at MacEwan University in Edmonton who specializes in sexual and gender minority youth, said that, "I thought the comments were absolutely offensive and require immediate action. The true motivations are crystal-clear now of the kind of hate and homophobia behind this kind of opposition. I think Jason Kenney needs to immediately suspend this person from the UCP party and denounce this kind of homophobic hatred."</a> Christine Myatt, a spokesperson for UCP leader Jason Kenney, provided the following e-mailed statement in response to Carpay's comments: "Of course we do not believe the rainbow flag has any equivalency to fascism and communism — ideologies that have been responsible for the deaths of well over 100 million people. The UCP is a big-tent party that supports the rule of law, equality of all before the law, and protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of all. In that light, the UCP hosted Pride breakfasts in both Edmonton and Calgary this year." Carpay is a UCP member who spoke to resolutions at the party's policy convention this spring. In 2017, Kenney spoke at a Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms event, comparing Carpay's work to that of civil-rights activist Rosa Parks and asking people to donate to Carpay's organization. Last month, Kenney disavowed a former campaign worker with ties to white supremacy and cancelled his UCP membership. The leader said at the time he was looking to create a database to screen out extremists from seeking party memberships. Kenney's spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Carpay's views about the LGBTQ flag would qualify him as an extremist member of the party. "To equate the Nazis with the movement for equality for LGBTQ people is abhorrent," said Duncan Kinney, the executive director of left-leaning advocacy group Progress Alberta. "Jason Kenney was just in the media last week talking about how he's going to create a database to keep extremists out of the UCP. This is an extremist in his ranks … Kenney has spoken warmly about the human rights work Carpay has done." A <i>Rebel Media</i> reporter took to social media to support Carpay, saying that if Kenney decides to terminate Carpay's membership, he and others at the conference will cancel their memberships. Wells said he's worried homophobia is on the rise, and called on all parties to denounce anti-LGBTQ hate speech. "I think all parties and leaders should be denouncing this kind of homophobia, it just has no place in our society, in fact I believe the Alberta bar association should look at revoking this individual's membership to practise law in Alberta with these kind of hateful and discriminatory attitudes," Wells said. "Some of the rhetoric we're hearing from UCP party members and candidates, it emboldens people to come out with these hateful attitudes and start to dehumanize and attack minority groups who are very vulnerable in our society."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/transit-police-hate-crime-unit-investigating-after-gay-couple-assaulted-on-skytrain-1.4896521"> In British Columbia, <i>CBC News</i> reports transit police say a suspect has been arrested for an assault on a gay couple inside a SkyTrain car in Vancouver earlier this fall. The young victims were kicked, hit in the face and spat on by a man yelling obscenities and homophobic slurs on September 28, according to a police statement. Officers say they are liaising with the provincial hate crime unit as the investigation moves forward.</a> The couple boarded the train at Waterfront Station at about 2:30 pm on the day of the attack, police say. As they stepped inside, a suspect allegedly kicked one of them in the foot, then got up from his seat and approached the victim aggressively. Police say the victim crouched down while the suspect raised his hand, yelling vulgar terms, but a bystander pulled the suspect away before he could hit anyone. Meanwhile, the victim's husband pushed the train's yellow emergency strip. When the suspect again became aggressive toward the first man, the husband grabbed the suspect and pulled him away, according to the police statement. Police say the suspect then struck the husband in the face, knocking off his glasses. When the train pulled into Granville Station, the suspect allegedly tried to kick one of the men in the stomach, stepped off the train and then spat in the other man's face. The suspect then walked away, but "continued to hurl profanities and homophobic remarks toward the couple," the news release says. Police announced the arrest of a suspect Wednesday night but provided no other details. In a statement, they said anyone who witnessed the assault is asked to contact them. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 604-516-7419 or text using the code 87-77-77.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL4N1XJ4JK"> In Kenya, <i>Reuters</i> reports ten men arrested for being involved in homosexual activity in Zanzibar were released on bail on Thursday, said a senior police official and their attorney, adding that the incident was still being investigated and the men could be charged in the future. Homosexual acts are illegal in Tanzania and its Indian Ocean archipelago of Zanzibar. Male offenders can face up to 25 years in jail on the tropical island which draws hundreds of thousands of tourists to its palm-fringed beaches annually. The men were arrested late on Saturday when police raided a party at a beach resort on Zanzibar’s main island Unguja following a tip-off that a gay marriage was taking place. “We have been investigating this case as it was reported to us, but we have so far found no evidence of unlawful acts so we are releasing all the men,” said Suleiman Hassan, Unguja South’s regional police commander. “We are however continuing our investigation and if we find evidence, they could be rearrested and charged,” he told <i>Reuters</i> by phone from Unguja. The arrests come just days after a senior government official in Tanzania’s main city Dar es Salaam called on the public to report the names of suspected homosexual people for arrest - sparking fear and panic within the LGBT+ community.</a> The planned anti-gay campaign prompted the European Union to recall its envoy in Tanzania as it reviews relations with the east African nation, and also sparked the United States to warn its citizens to be cautious of Tanzania’s laws on homosexuality. An attorney representing the 10 men confirmed they had been released without charges, but said that case was far from over. “I have dealt with many such cases and given the high level of homophobia in the country, I don’t think this will be the end for my clients,” said the attorney, who did not wish to disclose his name fearing for his own security. “They are likely to be harassed and re-arrested.” Tanzania has had a reputation for being more tolerant than its neighbour Uganda but, since President John Magufuli came to power three years ago, campaigners say organisations supporting gay people have been shut down and activists have been arrested. In June last year, Magufuli said that “even cows” disapprove of homosexuality. Rights group Amnesty International called on authorities to end persecution of the LGBT+ community. “They have been released on bail but they remain in a very precarious situation as do many other members of the LGBT community,” said Seif Magango, Amnesty International’s deputy director for east Africa. "The government must come out and condemn the harassment of people perceived to be from a sexual minority and they must forbid their arrests." <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2018/11/09/1397079/"> An update on a previous post: In California, a 21-year-old Newport Beach man charged with killing his former high school classmate in what prosecutors say was a hate crime because the victim was gay pleaded not guilty on Friday. According to the <i>Orange County Register</i>, Samuel Lincoln Woodward has remained in custody since his arrest on $5 million bail. At his second arraignment following his preliminary hearing in September, he again pleaded not guilty to murder and denied sentencing-enhancement allegations for a hate crime and the personal use of a deadly weapon.</a> Woodward is accused of fatally stabbing 19-year-old Blaze Bernstein, a University of Pennsylvania pre-med student whose body was found in a shallow grave in Borrego Park in Lake Forest in January. Prosecutors have alleged that evidence in Woodward’s e-mails show gay bashing and ties to white supremacists. Woodward’s prior attorney said his client was afflicted with Asperger’s syndrome and has spent years conflicted about his sexual orientation. The defendant and the victim where classmates at the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana and reconnected through the Snapchat social media platform while Bernstein was home on winter break.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://abc7ny.com/man-accused-of-stealing-lgbt-flags-from-li-church-6-times/4639420/"> In New York, <i>ABC 7</i> reports a man is under arrest and facing hate crime charges after police say he stole LGBT flags from a Long Island church on six separate occasions, several of which came after the church posted a sign pleading with the suspect to talk with them. Authorities say 21-year-old Ronald Tyler Witt, of Sayville, is charged with six counts of petit larceny as a hate crime. Hate crime detectives said the flag was first stolen from the front of the Sayville Congregational United Church of Christ, located on Middle Road, on July 29. Pastor Ray Banguolo said the first incident actually happened a few weeks earlier, but that he didn't report it until the second incident.</a> "At first I thought it had just been blown off or maybe somebody was messing with it, but then it started happening on a regular basis," he said. "Two weeks later, it happened again." Additional LGBT flags were also reported stolen from the same church on September 23, October 7, October 15, October 20 and November 6. Banguolo posted a sign outside in August, reading: "You destroyed our welcoming Rainbow Flag twice. It WAS an act of fear. It IS an act of hate. Do you realize that? IT WAS NOT KIND. IT IS HURTFUL. Instead of doing it again, talk with us. We will talk with you. You, too, are welcome here." He said he called police after the fourth incident and told them he wasn't putting the flag back up until he got surveillance cameras, which the Suffolk County police Hate Crime Unit set up in September. After an investigation, Witt was arrested at his home Tuesday night. "This 21-year-old person who's in a heap of trouble and at least at this point is accused of hate crimes, that's a horrible thing," Banguolo said. "I feel for him, I feel for his family." A defense attorney said in court that it was a prank and nothing more, but prosecutors say Witt made an oral admission to police that he "didn't want to see a gay flag on a church." He also left an American flag and a POW flag that are also at the scene. "The sign was meant to say, you know, look, do you know what you're doing here? Do you realize this is hateful, it's harmful, it's hurtful?" Banguolo said. "I think there's something there. I think it's a statement." Bail was set at $12,000, and if released, Witt will have supervised release and will have to wear a GPS die to a probationary issue on a separate case.<br />
Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-85525931009484174592018-10-03T10:39:00.000-07:002018-10-03T10:39:47.164-07:00Redacted Documents Reveal Toronto Police Investigated At Least One Gay Dating Website And Two Bars Frequently By Alleged Serial Killer Bruce McArthur Five Years Ago, Alberta Police Release Security Video Of Two Individuals Who Vandalized Rainbow Crosswalk At Medicine Hat College, Greek Gay Activist Fatally Beaten But Contradictory Reports Result In Inconclusive Cause Of Death, Romanian Activists Fear This Weekend's Referendum Seeking To Deny Same Sex Couples Right To Marry Will Culitivate Intolerable Level Of Hate And Discrimination, Trump Administration Enacts Cruel Policy Changing Policy To Deny Visas To Same Sex Domestic Partners Of Diplomats Posted In United States, 14 San Diego County High School Students Disciplined After Photograph Shows Them Wearing Tee-Shirts With Racist Anti-Gay Slurs, Houston Police Ask For Public Assistance After At Least Six Gay Men Robbed In Weeks By Man Met Through Gay App, Employer Suspends 25 Year-Old Brandon McNamra After Arrest For Allegedly Violently Attacking Two Gay Outside Brooklyn Bar, Men Case Of 24-Year-Old Brandon Wiley Charged With Anti-Gay Hate Crime Is Handed To Tennessee Grand Jury<a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-documents-reveal-new-details-about-toronto-polices-first-efforts-in/"> An update on a previous post: In Ontario, the <i>Globe and Mail</i> reports newly released documents show that when Toronto police started five years ago to probe the disappearance of three gay men, investigators checked on a dating website that alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur also used and two bars that he patronized. The heavily redacted court papers give no indication that Mr. McArthur was in the sight of detectives until he became a suspect last year. Instead, the documents outline how investigators dedicated much efforts into a tip that didn’t pan out about a suspected cannibal in Peterborough, Ontario. Mr. McArthur was arrested last January. He has now been charged with eight counts of first-degree murder. The new documents are affidavits that were unsealed at the request of media. They were used to obtain judicial authorizations during Project Houston, the task force looking into the disappearance of three gay men, Skandaraj Navaratnam, Abdulbasir Faizi and Majeed Kayhan. After the Sri Lankan-born Mr. Navaratnam vanished from Toronto’s Gay Village in September, 2010, police got a production order to obtain his phone records. They also looked up his bank records and conducted a canine search. They made no progress until 2012, when they got a tip that Mr. Navaratnam might have been the victim of a man who shared cannibalism fantasies online. On November 13, 2012, Detective Debbie Harris of 51 Division sought a court order to obtain e-mail records from Yahoo Canada.</a> The case was urgent because of “potential for disregard of human life,” her application said. While the suspect’s identity is redacted, other unsealed documents show that police focused on Peterborough resident James Alex Brunton, getting warrants to track his Mitsubishi car and to covertly enter his house to clone the data on his computers. Homicide investigators had joined the task force, and one affidavit mentions that an officer who could speak German was also needed but further details are blacked out. The documents also indicate that Toronto investigators contacted 14 other Ontario police forces about their unresolved missing-person files. During that same period, 51 Division also dealt with the disappearance in October of the Afghan-born Mr. Kayhan. He lived downtown, a few minutes’ walk away from Mr. Navaratnam’s apartment. The Houston task force also learned that Peel Regional Police investigated the December, 2010, disappearance of a Brampton resident, the Afghan-born Mr. Faizi. His last card purchases were made in the Village. A January 9, 2013, affidavit linked the three for the first time. "During an investigation into other outstanding missing persons in the gay community, this occurrence as well as two other missing males of similar ethnic background have come to light. This is a serious concern,” the affidavit said. Subsequent documents mention that police looked into SilverDaddies.com, a dating website. One affidavit said the e-mail address of SilverDaddies’ webmaster was forwarded to Detective Harris. What investigators specifically sought was redacted but Detective Harris was to “follow up in regards to identifying the accounts of the three.” Mr. McArthur also had a Silver Daddies account, where he described himself as shy but “a romantic at heart.” He was also known as an acquaintance of Mr. Navaratnam and Mr. Kayhan. Sources familiar with the investigation but who were not authorized to speak publicly say that Mr. McArthur was interviewed by police in 2013 and in 2016 but he was not considered a suspect. What the police found out about the SilverDaddies accounts is short and blacked out. Furthermore, the documents say that while data was available from SilverDaddies, it would only have been preserved for 90 days. The investigators also checked several Village bars, including Zipperz, where Mr. Navaratnam was seen before his disappearance, and the Black Eagle, which Ms. Faizi had visited before he dropped out of sight. Mr. McArthur was also known to frequent Zipperz and the Black Eagle. In May, 2013, Mr. Brunton was arrested, and later convicted for making child pornography. However, he was ultimately not connected to Mr. Navaratnam. It was only last year, when two other men vanished, that Mr. McArthur again came to the attention of police. More documents are to be released next week, parts of thousands of pages of police affidavits in the McArthur case. However, the bulk of the material is still redacted.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://calgarysun.com/news/provincial/watch-medicine-hat-police-release-video-of-pair-who-vandalized-pride-crosswalk"> In Alberta, Medicine Hat police have released surveillance video footage of two people who marred a rainbow-hued Pride crosswalk with white paint. The black-clad assailants were caught on video in the early hours of Saturday morning briskly approaching the rainbow crosswalk, recently installed at Medicine Hat College, carrying a can of white paint. The duo take about 10 seconds to pour most of the contents of the can in the middle of the crosswalk before hurrying away, reports the <i>Sun</i>. Insp. Joe West of the southeastern Alberta city’s police service said that while it’s unlikely the callous stunt would be enough to warrant hate crimes charges, the fact that it targeted an identifiable group could be an aggravating factor taken into consideration by a judge.</a> “It’s certainly a sensitive investigation as it’s not the usual kind of graffiti mischief,” West said. “If there’s evidence that shows it was motivated by hate or bias, that could be seen as an aggravating factor, and they could be facing more serious consequences.” In August, Medicine Hat police charged a man with inciting hate after he allegedly distributed money stamped with racially charged markings targeting the Jewish community. However, West said crimes motivated by hate remain a rarity in the city of 63,000. The crosswalk had only been in place less than a week before it was vandalized, with damage estimated at $200. Within a few hours of the incident, the mess had been cleaned up. West said there’s been plenty of interest in the video but few tips so far, something he hopes will change. “We’re hoping there’s some folks out there who know who did it and we hope they come forward,” he said. In June, RCMP in Grande Prairie charged a man with damaging that city’s Pride crosswalk with a truck, while vandals twice targeted the rainbow crosswalk in Lethbridge last year.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ekathimerini.com/232906/article/ekathimerini/news/forensic-report-on-death-of-lgbtq-activist-inconclusive"> In Greece, a forensic report on a 33-year-old LGBTQ activist and performer who died Friday, September 21 after being beaten for allegedly trying to rob a jewelry store in central Athens was inconclusive as to the precise cause of death. Two coroners and a technical advisor appointed by the family of Zak Kostopoulos concluded that the body did not bear injuries that would cause death and they are now expecting the results of the histological and toxicological exams to shed light on the case. “The conclusion of the autopsy, on which we and the family's technical adviser agree on, is that the cause of death is undetermined, pending laboratory test and following the macroscopic exclusion fatal injuries,” Nikos Kalogrias, one of the coroners, said. “[The body] did not bear injuries that justify death. He has some bruises across his body - small injuries which alone do not cause death - so we continue with further laboratory examinations." The incident occurred last Friday morning on Gladstonos Street near Omonia Square. The victim allegedly entered the empty jewelry store and panicked when he was locked inside. Initial reports claimed Kostopoulos was trying to rob the store, but others said he was trying to avoid a brawl that had started nearby.</a> Footage from CCTV cameras across the street published in media show the victim stumbling while trying to pick up a fire extinguisher to break the glass door. He then tried to break a street-level display window on the storefront. The store owner was alerted to the incident and returned to his store. The camera footage shows two men, one of whom is reportedly the store owner, kicking him repeatedly in the head as he crawls through the broken glass out into the street. One of the dozen bystanders called an ambulance and police. A separate video that emerged showed the victim attempting to escape after receiving first aid by paramedics, only to trip over a nearby table. It also showed a policeman beating him again as Kostopoulos is already lying on the ground. According to police on Saturday, Kostopoulos died on the way to hospital.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-romania-referendum-lgbt/romanias-vote-to-rule-out-same-sex-marriage-stirs-hate-say-lgbt-groups-idUSKCN1MC1H0"> In Romania, <i>Reuters</i> reports gay bar owner and novelist Alex Andronic fears a referendum this weekend in Romania that aims to prevent same sex couples ever securing the right to marry not only darkens his future, it will also stir an intolerable level of hate and discrimination. Romania does not allow marriage or civil partnerships for same sex couples. Nonetheless, the country will vote on whether to narrow the constitutional definition of marriage from a union of spouses to one between a man and a woman. The referendum, which needs a 30 percent turnout rate was brought by a civil society group called the Coalition for the Family, which said the gender-neutral term “spouse” could see gay couples win the right to marry in the future. It gathered 3 million signatures to generate the vote. “Take the rights I’m already not benefiting from if it calms you down, brings you closer to God, tradition and family welfare,” wrote 25-year-old Andronic in a Facebook post. “Do exactly as you feel. Because I know what it’s like to be unable to do as you feel.” His viral post drew support but also an outpouring of hateful, graphic and sometimes threatening comments illustrating the worrying rise in harassment and hate speech directed at Romania’s LGBT community.</a> Dozens of human rights groups, which are encouraging people to boycott the ballot, have warned it will embolden further attempts to chip away at the rights of minority groups and push the European Union state onto a populist, authoritarian path. The referendum needs 5 million votes to be valid. Most EU countries allow either same sex marriages or civil partnerships, but Romania, whose populist government of Social Democrats and a junior coalition partner endorsed the vote, does not even recognize those performed abroad. “This referendum gave people a reason to spread as much hate as possible and we will suffer because of it,” said Andronic in the garden of his bar in downtown Bucharest. The initiative is backed by the Orthodox Church and other religions and won support from all but one political party in parliament. The Coalition also supports cancelling subsidies for contraception and elective abortion, forcing parents of minors to have counseling if they want to divorce, and lowering some taxes for married couples. “We must understand how much our vote is needed, how much our children and grandchildren need our protection to defend their rights and future,” it has said. Some campaign posters and ads are falsely urging people to vote “Yes” or run the risk of gay couples stealing or adopting their children. The Orthodox Church has said a “Yes” vote would be Christian, democratic and patriotic. “This brings hate speech from the fringes to the mainstream with an impact on all groups in society, and the rights of all minorities will be put under question,” said Vlad Viski of LGBT rights group Mozaiq. Earlier this year, Romania needed a European Court of Justice ruling to grant residency rights to gay spouses married in other EU states. Romania decriminalized homosexuality in 2001, decades later than neighboring countries. It ranks 25th out of 28 EU states based on legislation, hate speech and discrimination against LGBT, an annual study by ILGA-Europe, an umbrella organization advocating equality, showed. “Since this referendum was approved the number of transphobic episodes I’ve encountered has more than doubled,” said Antonella, a 28-year-old transgender woman who is also part of the ethnic Roma minority at a rally in late September. “We existed in the past, we will exist in the future, we must have a say.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/state-department-changes-visa-rules-for-same-sex-partners-of-foreign-diplomats/2018/10/02/8121759a-c651-11e8-9b1c-a90f1daae309_story.html?utm_term=.335e9958d5b4"> In the United States. lawmakers and gay rights advocates are criticizing a new State Department policy that denies family visas to the same sex domestic partners of diplomats posted in the country and gives those already in the country three months to marry or lose their visas. According to the <i>Washington Post</i>, the change reverses a policy put in place in 2009 under then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that defined family to include domestic partners of diplomats posted at embassies or the United Nations. That allowed them to obtain visas and accompany their diplomat partners as household members, a status that was not extended to unmarried opposite sex couples. A State Department official said the change, which took effect Monday, was made to “ensure and promote equal treatment” for both same sex and opposite sex couples. “The change in policy ensures consistent treatment between opposite sex partners and same-sex partners by requiring that same sex partners, like opposite sex partners, must marry to qualify for derivative diplomatic visas,” the official said. In 2014, the State Department rolled back partner benefits and protections for same sex couples after an unmarried heterosexual couple filed an equal employment opportunity complaint, asking to be recognized as domestic partners. The State Department gave affected couples until December 31 to marry, either in the United States or in a third country where same sex marriage is legal, and present a valid marriage certificate. Those who do not will have to seek a change of visa status or leave the country to seek a new visa abroad. Only 12-percent of the countries in the world recognize same sex marriage. Former secretary of state John F. Kerry ordered ambassadors to pressure their host countries where it is illegal to allow U.S. diplomats to bring their same sex spouses with them openly, and report progress to him annually. The Trump administration policy is an example of evolving practices since the Supreme Court ruled in 2015 that same sex marriage is a constitutional right. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said he opposes same sex marriage, but he has promised to treat all employees with respect. The State Department has become more welcoming of gay employees, a far cry from the days when gay diplomats were denied security clearances because they were believed to be susceptible to blackmail. The group GLIFAA represents LGBT staff, many U.S. embassies around the world fly rainbow flags during LGBT Pride Month, and senior officials speak at the annual gay pride event held in an auditorium and beamed by closed circuit around the building.</a> A senior administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under administration rules, said 105 families currently in the United States are affected by the changed policy, 55 of whom are connected with international organizations. But critics said there was no reason for the change and that having spousal visas in the passports of same sex domestic partners could expose them to prosecution and punishment in countries where homosexuality is illegal. Representative Eliot L. Engel (D-New York), who is on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called the policy change “cruel, utterly unnecessary” and warned it could open U.S. diplomats to retaliation. “Denying visas to same sex partners of foreign diplomats and U.N. officials is a discriminatory reversal of a policy that recognized that not all same sex couples around the world have the freedom to marry and unfairly targets LGBT families,” said Representative Mark Takano (D-California), a gay congressman who spoke at the State Department’s annual gay pride event in June. He urged the administration to reconsider a “dangerous and bigoted policy.” Foreign missions were alerted to the change, which was first reported in August by the <i>Washington Blade</i>, in a diplomatic note sent in July. “Same sex spouses of U.S. diplomats now enjoy the same rights and benefits as opposite sex spouses,” the note said. The new policy grants some limited exceptions for diplomats representing countries where same-sex marriage is illegal. The domestic partner still could get a visa as a family member so long as that country recognizes same sex spouses of U.S. diplomats posted there. But officials posted to international organizations, such as the United Nations, do not represent a foreign government, and there are no exceptions to the policy. Domestic partners currently get “derivative” visas stamped in their passports, with the principal in the household identified by name. But the exact relation to the principal is not spelled out, and nothing on the visa stamp will change as a result of the new policy. Hyung Hak “Alfonso” Nam, president of U.N. Globe, which represents LGBT staff at the United Nations, said he fears the policy’s impact on the partners of diplomats from countries where same sex marriage is taboo. He warned that some could be vulnerable to prosecution, and that it will create hurdles for couples considering a posting at U.N. headquarters in New York. “Either they will have to get married or find some means to come separately and get married here at City Hall,” he said. “The ones really impacted are those who will have difficulties going to a country that performs same sex marriages.” David Stacy, government affairs director for the Human Rights Campaign, said diplomats are in an elite class and unlikely to face persecution. He characterized it as “mean-spirited,” adding, “Those diplomats should be able to bring their partners and families with them. There’s no logic or moral benefit to keeping them out. It just seems to be a way to pick on them.”<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/sd-no-escondido-slur-20181002-story.html"> In California, fourteen Escondido High School students are being disciplined after offensive photographs were taken and shared on social media following a senior barbeque at the school on Thursday. According to the <i>San Diego Union-Tribune</i>, one photograph of nine students wearing lettered tee-shirts and lined up to spell the “n-word” circulated on social media the following day, as did two other photographs. “Unfortunately, the poor choices by a few have had a significant impact on our students and staff throughout the district, the school communities and even the greater community itself,” said Escondido Union High School District President Jon Petersen and Superintendent Steve Boyle in a statement released Monday. The men said the students involved are being held accountable, though school officials would not elaborate on what type of discipline is being meted out. Students in the photograph containing the slur, as well as two other offensive photos, plus the photographer, are being disciplined. “We are using this unfortunate opportunity to teach valuable lessons that will last far beyond a period of punishment,” the statement said. They said district staff, along with other experts, “are working directly with those involved to build their understanding of the fact the words and actions they chose to use are rooted in historical terms speaking directly to oppression and violence against different groups of people. “We are also developing plans to bring additional training, dialogue and activities to the broader student body not only at EHS, but also across our district.” The day after the photograph was posted, an anonymous tip about a threat of violence at the high school football game Friday evening was received.</a> District Spokesperson Karyl O’Brien said the threat was linked to the “n-word” photograph. Five Escondido gang detectives attended the game as a precaution. There were no incidents, O’Brien said. The statement by the board president and superintendent said the district prides itself on inclusion and embraces diversity. “Messages of racism or divisiveness will not be tolerated and any incidents should be immediately reported to an administrator,” they said. Escondido High School is the second-oldest high school in San Diego County. O’Brien said kids spelling out messages following the barbeque has been going on for years, but never has there been an offensive incident such as the one that happened last week. As part of a campus tradition, students at the lunchtime event take a class portrait on the football field, in which some seniors wear T-shirts bearing individual letters, and assemble in groups to spell out names of campus groups or school pride messages. Following the group portrait, however, some groups broke off and reassembled to spell out the racial slur as well as an anti-gay word and a lewd phrase. The photograph of the “n-word” being spelled out, followed by exclamation points, shows nine teenagers who appeared to be of various ethnic backgrounds. Why would they have done it? “It was just totally inappropriate, out of hand, and done quickly,” O’Brien said. “Kids are kids and the school district’s responsibility is to continually educate them and inform them about the power of their words...just how hurtful they can be.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://abc13.com/6-gay-dating-app-users-robbed-by-same-man-in-houston-police/4362539/"> In Texas, police say a man has robbed six people in a matter of weeks, luring in his victims through a dating app. Police say the app is called JACK'D. It's a men-seeking-men app. Investigators say the suspect is in contact with the victim through the app and instructs them to meet him. Officers say in five of the cases, the suspect has requested some victims meet him at a house in the 8600 block of St. Lo Road. <i>ABC13</i> talked to a man who lives at the home, and he said he didn't even realize the robberies were occurring until he heard from detectives. Police say there was also a second location used. The suspect told one of the victims to meet him in the 8600 block of Glenside. Police say in all of the cases, once the victim arrived, the suspect pointed a gun at them and demanded their property. <i>ABC13</i> spoke to one of the victims who was robbed just days ago, and is only identifying the victim as Alex.</a> Alex said he talked to the suspect on the app and on the phone. Alex said once he arrived to the home, a gun was immediately pointed at his head. "He gave me the address. I had my PlayStation with me. An individual in a ski mask, black hoodie, red shorts approached me and told me, 'Give me everything you have. Don't try to be stupid. Don't do nothing dumb,'" said Alex. Alex complied. He handed everything over and left. He is still shaken up by the incident. The suspect is described as being a black man from 5'7 to 6'1, 160-180 pounds, in his 20s, or possibly older. He's described as having hazel eyes. Police recommend you use caution when meeting anyone online. If you have any information on this suspect, call police or Crime Stoppers. You could receive a $5,000 reward.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/police-arrest-suspect-alleged-anti-gay-attack-brooklyn-n913471"> In New York City, police arrested a 25-year-old Queens man last Wednesday for allegedly beating two gay men in Brooklyn early Sunday morning, September 23. The suspect faces 10 charges, among them several hate crimes. Prior to Wednesday’s arrest, the New York Police Department released an image of the suspect — now identified as Brandon McNamara — and asked the public for help identifying him. NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot F. Shea credited the department’s “partnership with the community” with helping them find McNamara, who allegedly fled the scene of the crime. “An arrest has been made in the 9-23-18 Hate Crime assault in Brooklyn in which a gay couple was brutally attacked,” Shea wrote on Twitter. “Grateful to those who contacted @NYPDTIPS & assisted the Hate Crimes T.F. quickly apprehend Brandon McNamara. #YourCityYourCall” McNamara was charged with 10 counts of assault and harassment for allegedly beating and hurling homophobic slurs at two men who had just left a popular gay bar, Metropolitan, in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighbourhood. “The individual punched the 34-year-old in the face which caused him to lose consciousness,” NYPD Sergeant Jessica McRorie told <i>NBC News</i> via e-mail on Monday, prior to McNamara’s arrest. “He then grabbed the 29-year-old and threw him against a tree; also rendering him unconscious.”</a> McRorie said the younger victim was treated at a hospital for a broken finger, and the other was taken to a hospital with a fractured shoulder. The names of the two victims have not been released. Reporter Henry Rosoff from local New York news station <i>PIX11</i> posted a video to Twitter that reportedly shows McNamara’s exit from the NYPD’s 7th Precinct in Manhattan. In the video, reporters can be heard yelling questions at McNamara, including asking him whether he hates gay people. McNamara did not respond. According to the most recent FBI hate crimes data, 17 percent of hate crime victims in the U.S. in 2016 were targeted because of their sexual orientation, and most of those victims were gay men. The Kings County District Attorney’s office told NBC News McNamara has yet to appear in criminal court, and his attorney has not yet been named. McNamara's employer, EY, where he is a senior consultant, according to his LinkedIn page, told <i>NBC News</i> he "has been suspended from the Firm pending the active investigation of this matter," John La Place, an EY spokesperson, in an e-mail, adding, "The alleged conduct is abhorrent to all EY stands for including our culture of diversity and inclusion," <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.dnj.com/story/news/crime/2018/09/24/murfreesboro-anti-gay-assault-case-headed-grand-jury/1410560002/"> In Tennessee, according to the <i>Daily News Journal</i>, the case of a Lewisburg man charged with an anti-gay hate crime has been bound over to a Rutherford County Grand Jury. Brandon Wiley, 24, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a hate crime enhancement after police say he severely beat a man in July. Wiley, who appeared in court Monday, waived his right to a hearing and consented to the case being presented to a grand jury. Around 3:30 am on July 10, police responded to the parking lot in front of MJ's Sports Bar and Grill on Broad Street. After arriving, they found a severely beaten man lying on the ground. The victim suffered multiple serious facial injuries, including a broken nose and fractured orbital sockets, according to a report from Murfreesboro police.</a> A security guard told police he saw Wiley punching the victim. Wiley told the security guard the victim had "grabbed his junk and molested him," according to the report. The victim told police Wiley beat him because he "propositioned him." Police say Wiley "sent out several photos of himself covered in blood and was bragging about beating up a gay man for 'grabbing' his (crotch)." According to police, Wiley admitted to hitting the victim, but video of the incident was inconsistent with his statement. "It wasn't a hate crime," Wiley said in court Monday. "That really hurt me when that got added."Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-75960910035376023482018-09-11T21:45:00.000-07:002018-09-11T21:45:30.928-07:00Outcry After Two Women Accused Of Pursuing Sexual Relationship Publicly Caned In Malaysia, India Supreme Court Ruling Strikes Down Colonial-Era Law Criminalizing Consensual Gay Sex, Judge Rules Enough Evidence Exists For 21-Year-Old Samuel Woodward To Stand Trial For Hate Crime-Enchaced Murder Of Openly Gay 19-Year-Old Blaze Bernstein, Gay Man Violently Attacked By Redmond O'Neal Files Suit Alleging Crime Was Motivated By Bias, Attorney Who Has Billed Iowa Taxpayers Nearly One Million Dollars Defending Former Governor Treatment Of Gay State Official Resigns With Supreme Court Trial Set To Begin May 1 2019, Texas Restaurant Apologizes And Fires Employee Accused Of Repeatedly Referring To Customer With Anti-Gay Spanish Term <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/03/world/asia/malaysia-caning-women-shariah.html"> In Malaysia, two women accused of pursuing a sexual relationship were caned in an Islamic court on Monday, setting off an outcry from rights groups that said the country’s political transformation this year had done little to ensure equal treatment of all citizens. The women, who were convicted of “sexual relations between women,” were each struck six times with a rattan cane in front of witnesses in the Shariah High Court in the state of Terengganu, officials said. The sentence, delivered four months after an election that saw Malaysia’s governing party ousted for the first time since the country was founded in 1957, reflects the country’s deeply conservative culture despite a liberalization in its politics. Rights groups assailed the new government for discrimination against gay men and lesbians and for continuing to allow a form of corporal punishment outlawed in most of the world. “Caning is a form of torture, and to inflict this brutal punishment publicly on two people for engaging in consensual, same sex relations sends Malaysia back to the Dark Ages,” Gwen Lee, interim executive director for Amnesty International Malaysia, said in a statement. “Caning is a dreadful reminder of the depth of discrimination LGBTI people face in the country and a sign that the new government condones the use of inhuman and degrading punishments, much like its predecessor,” Ms. Lee added, using an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex people. Malaysia, a Muslim-majority nation, has a justice system that includes both civil courts with jurisdiction over everyone and Shariah courts that apply only to Muslims. The women, aged 22 and 32, were caned by a female prison officer, Malaysian news outlets reported. The older woman did not wince at the blows, but the younger woman began to sob when she was struck, the <i>Star</i> newspaper reported. The women were not identified in local news reports.</a> Representatives of the Terengganu government and Shariah law advocates said that the women were fully clothed while caned, and that the punishment was not meant to injure them but to provide a lesson for the public on Islamic law. “The Shariah way of caning is not brutal and oppressive, as claimed by certain quarters,” said Musa Awang, president of the Syariah Lawyers Association of Malaysia. Other legal groups disagreed. The Malaysian Bar said the country should not tolerate caning in any form and should repeal all forms of corporal punishment. “It is a harsh and barbaric form of punishment that causes harmful and long-lasting psychological effects, and has no place in a modern and compassionate society such as ours,” George Varughese, the president of the Malaysian Bar, said in a statement. Charles Santiago, a lawmaker who is part of the governing coalition, said the punishment was “outrageous” and “a form of torture.” He said Malaysia had seen a worrying rise in anti-LGBT sentiment in recent months, including a violent assault by several men against a transgender woman last month. “We need to stop targeting the LGBT community,” he said in a statement. “We need to stop invading their privacy. We need to stop abusing them. We need to grow up as a society and learn to embrace diversity.” He called on the new government to repeal all laws that criminalize homosexuality. One of Malaysia’s most prominent politicians, the former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, was twice imprisoned on sodomy charges that were seen as orchestrated by his political rivals, including the current prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad. Mr. Anwar was released from prison and pardoned by Malaysia’s king in May, which allows him to hold political office again and potentially succeed Mr. Mahathir, who is now his ally, as prime minister.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/indias-top-court-decriminalizes-homosexual-acts/2018/09/06/b2f379ae-b19f-11e8-8b53-50116768e499_story.html?utm_term=.2446e23e333b"> In India, Supreme Court on Thursday, September 6, struck down a colonial-era law that made gay sex punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a landmark victory for gay rights that one judge said would “pave the way for a better future.” The 1861 law, a relic of Victorian England that hung on long after the end of British colonialism, was a weapon used to discriminate against India’s gay community, the judges ruled in a unanimous decision. “Constitutional morality cannot be martyred at the altar of social morality,” Chief Justice Dipak Misra said, reading the verdict. “Social morality cannot be used to violate the fundamental rights of even a single individual.” According to the <i>Associated Press</i>, as the news spread, the streets outside the courthouse erupted in cheers as opponents of the law danced and waved flags. “We feel as equal citizens now,” said activist Shashi Bhushan. “What happens in our bedroom is left to us.” In its ruling, the court said sexual orientation was a “biological phenomenon” and that discrimination on that basis violated fundamental rights. “We cannot change history but can pave a way for a better future,” said Justice D.Y. Chandrachud.</a> The law known as Section 377 held that intercourse between members of the same sex was against the order of nature. The five petitioners who challenged the law said it was discriminatory and led to gays living in fear of harassment and persecution. Jessica Stern, the executive director of the New York-based rights group OutRight Action International, said the original law had reverberated far beyond India, including in countries where gay people still struggle for acceptance. “The sodomy law that became the model everywhere, from Uganda to Singapore to the U.K. itself, premiered in India, becoming the confusing and dehumanizing standard replicated around the world,” she said in a statement, saying “today’s historic outcome will reverberate across India and the world.” The court’s ruling struck down the law’s sections on consensual gay sex, but let stand segments that deal with such issues as bestiality. Homosexuality has a tangled history in India, and some of Hinduism’s most ancient texts are accepting of gay sex. But same sex couples have also been harassed for centuries in many Indian communities, whether Hindu, Muslim or Christian. Transgender people known as “hijras,” for example, have long been a common sight in India. But their treatment — both shunned as impure, and embraced for the belief that they can bring powerful blessings — reflects the complexities of gay life here. Homosexuality has gained a degree of acceptance in deeply conservative India over the past decade, particularly in big cities. India now has openly gay celebrities, and some high-profile Bollywood films have dealt with gay issues. But many gay people still face isolation and persecution, and the court’s ruling will do little to change life on the ground for millions of people. On Thursday, a leader of a prominent hard-line Hindu group noted that while it doesn’t see homosexuality as a crime, it believes gay marriage is not “compatible with nature.” Arun Kumar, a spokesperson for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the parent organization of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, said Indian society “traditionally does not recognize” gay relationships, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. A New Delhi High Court in 2009 declared Section 377 unconstitutional, but that decision was overturned in a ruling by three Supreme Court justices in 2013 on the grounds that amending or repealing the law should be left to Parliament. But lawmakers failed to take action and in July the government told the Supreme Court to give a ruling in the case. Sukhdeep Singh, a gay rights activist and editor of <i>Gaylaxy Magazine</i>, said the community still had a lot of distance to go “to be legally with your partner,“ adding that, "This will obviously open the doors for a lot of more things, more civil rights. And we’ll fight for our rights, definitely. This is the first battle that has been won and there are many more battles that we are going to fight."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2018/09/04/oc-judge-enough-evidence-for-samuel-woodward-to-face-trial-in-killing-of-blaze-bernstein/"> An update on a previous post: In California, the <i>Orange County Register</i> reports that a search of the bedroom of a man accused of killing his former high school classmate turned up a knife with dried blood on it, while an inspection of his phone found images with references to “Nazism” and homophobia, investigators testified on Tuesday. During a daylong hearing Tuesday at a Newport Beach courthouse, a half dozen Orange County Sheriff’s Deputies testified about their investigation into the death of Blaze Bernstein, who in January was found buried in dirt at the edge of Borrego Park in Lake Forest. Samuel Lincoln Woodward is facing a murder charge with enhancements for the use of a firearm and a hate crime related to the death of Bernstein, who prosecutors allege Woodward killed because Bernstein was gay. Orange County Superior Court Judge Karen L. Robinson at the close of Tuesday’s preliminary hearing found there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial. Testimony during the hearing provided new details about the evidence investigators allege ties Woodward to Bernstein’s death, as well as media found on his phone that prosecutors say illustrate his suspected homophobia and his ties to Atomwaffen Division, an armed fascist organization. Woodward — clean shaven and wearing a blue blazer and white button up shirt rather than the goatee and jailhouse jumpsuit he wore to a hearing less than a month ago — showed little emotion during the testimony. An autopsy determined that Bernstein was stabbed 19 times in his neck, while also suffering what appeared to be defensive wounds to his right palm and several fingers. Investigator Matthew Parrish testified that while carrying out a search warrant at Woodward’s family home, detectives found a knife in a drawer in Woodward’s bedroom that had blood on the tip of the blade and the handle. Detectives also testified to finding what appeared to be blood stains on a sleeping bag found outside Woodward’s home, near the window to his room, and blood stains on the driver’s side visor of his vehicle. The blood on the knife was matched through DNA to Bernstein, while the blood in the vehicle was matched to both Woodward and Bernstein, according to testimony by Corrie Maggay, a forensic scientist with the Orange County Crime Lab. Investigator Craig Goldsmith testified that detectives had to work with a New Jersey-based company to gain access to Woodward’s locked iPhone.</a> Among the material detectives discovered on the device were more than 100 “materials” referencing Atomwaffen Division, including an image used for the background wallpaper of the phone, the investigator said. “There were pictures that have references to Nazism,” Goldsmith said. Deputy District Attorney Steve McGreevy during his questioning of the investigators referenced several e-mails sent by Woodward to himself in which he referenced telling “sodomites that I am bi-curious which makes them want to convert me.” The e-mails, which were laced with homophobic slurs, outlined efforts to get gay individuals “interested” in Woodward, then either dropping them as friends or contacts or telling them it was a prank. In one of the e-mails read to the court by the investigator, Woodward described using a social networking website to send photos of gay people being killed to those he was conversing with. “They think they are going to be hate-crimed and it scares the s— out of them,” Goldsmith quoted the e-mail as reading. McGreevy did not specify what role, if any, Woodward’s alleged ties to Atomwaffen is believed to have played in the death of Bernstein, who was Jewish. The hate crime charge relates only to Bernstein’s sexuality. Woodward and Bernstein were former classmates at the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana. Bernstein was home from college on winter break when he died. Investigator Dillon Jantzen said that during interviews with detectives, Woodward said he picked up Bernstein from Bernstein’s Lake Forest home around 11:00 pm on January 2, drove him to a shopping center in Foothill Ranch, then to Borrego Park. Woodward told detectives that at some point when both men were sitting in the parked car, Bernstein kissed Woodward on the lips, Jantzen said. Woodward said he pushed Bernstein back, and claimed Bernstein apologized. At the park, Woodward told investigators, Bernstein walked off to find another unnamed person whose identity he said would be a surprise to Woodward, but did not return, the detective testified. Woodward’s attorney, Edward Munoz, focused his questions for investigators largely on his client’s apparently conflicted attitudes toward homosexuality. Under questioning by Munoz, Jantzen acknowledged that investigators had interviewed another classmate of Woodward’s, an openly gay man who said Woodward had communicated throughout high school about his own sexuality, with Woodward at times sending him nude photos of himself. Munoz also noted that Woodward had told detectives that he has Asperger syndrome, a developmental disorder that generally results in someone having difficulty with social interactions. Munoz told the judge that it is not a crime to write or possess “reprehensible or objectionable” material. “There are many among us who may have things in our electronic device that are objectionable if not shameful,” the defense attorney said. Woodward was ordered to return to court for an arraignment on September 17.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://abc7.com/man-sues-redmond-oneal-alleging-attack-over-sexual-orientation/4165376/"> Also in California, <i>KABC 7</i> reports a man has filed a lawsuit against Redmond O'Neal last Thursday, accusing the 33-year-old of a vicious attack the man said was motivated by his sexual orientation. Ken Fox announced the lawsuit with his attorney Gloria Allred. Fox said he was walking to the laundromat on May 2, when he was allegedly attacked by O'Neal. Fox, who is gay, said O'Neal called him a homophobic slur before attacking him. During a morning press conference, Fox recalled the terrifying moments of the assault. Around 8:00 pm that day, Fox was carrying a load of laundry when he encountered O'Neal, who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, baggy pants and carrying a bottle in a paper bag. Fox said that when he looked at O'Neal he yelled, "What are you looking at (expletive)?" Fox said O'Neal then struck him with a bottle, he fell and while he was down that O'Neal began throwing punches and threatening him while screaming more slurs and expletives. "I felt trapped, like a wounded animal. I literally thought I was going to die. I screamed, he called me more names. By then, I was kneeling on the sidewalk, my broken glasses cutting into my face, bleeding all over myself and all I could do was scream until he just walked away," Fox said. He said he's had nightmares of the attack almost every night since then. In the lawsuit, Fox is seeking punitive and compensatory damages, including medical bills. In addition to the lawsuit, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office filed a criminal felony assault charge over the attack, Allred said. Fox, who was in tears while speaking at the press conference, said he needed to speak up to defend other people in the LGBTQ community.</a> "I've spent the last four months recovering from what Redmond O'Neal did to me. I am speaking out today because I need to do what I can to make sure this man never injures or hurts another defenseless (expletive) ever again," Fox said. Earlier this year, LAPD robbery detectives were investigating a series of crimes that happened in the Venice Beach and Palms neighbourhoods between May 2 and May 5. Authorities believed the crimes were committed by the same suspect and that person was later determined to be O'Neal. During the spree, the suspect randomly attacked five men in unprovoked confrontations. Two of those men were seriously injured - one was stabbed in the head. On May 8, O'Neal was arrested after being identified as the suspect in a 7-Eleven robbery. After his arrest, authorities said the crime spree ended and detectives said O'Neal strongly matched the suspect's description in those attacks. The suspect in the crimes was described as having red hair and distinct tattoos. Authorities also said evidence and witness accounts linked O'Neal to the attacks. O'Neal was charged at the time with one count of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, one count of criminal threats, one count of brandishing a knife and one count of battery. O'Neal, the son of actors Ryan O'Neal and the late Farrah Fawcett, is scheduled to appear in court Friday.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2018/09/05/lawyer-george-lamarca-quits-terry-branstad-officials-gay-discrimination-case-quits-chris-godfrey/1203591002/"> In Iowa, an attorney who has billed Iowa taxpayers nearly $1 million to fight a long-running discrimination lawsuit over former Governor Terry Branstad's treatment of a gay former state official has withdrawn from the case, court documents filed Wednesday show. George LaMarca, 73, has represented Branstad and other state officials for the past seven years as the case filed by former Iowa Worker's Compensation Commissioner Chris Godfrey twice made its way to the Iowa Supreme Court. LaMarca said poor health is forcing him to retire. The trial had been scheduled to start January 14, but Judge Brad McCall on Wednesday, September 5, granted a delay to allow new attorneys to prepare. "There is perhaps no better reason to continue a case than an attorney's inability to continue representation due to health reasons," McCall said. He ordered the case reset for trial after May 1, 2019. No one disputes that Branstad, a Republican, pressured Godfrey, a Democratic appointee, to resign in 2010. When Godfrey refused, Branstad cut his salary from $112,000 to $73,000, the lowest allowed for the position. Godfrey left the state job in 2014. Godfrey says he was targeted because of his sexual orientation, but Branstad asserts he didn't know that Godfrey is gay. The state hired LaMarca at the direction of Branstad, who preferred a private attorney to represent him rather than state attorney general's office.</a> A new attorney, Frank Harty, will take over as lead counsel for Branstad and other officials named in Godfrey's lawsuit "at the discounted rate of $320 per hour," according to a court filing. Godfrey's attorney Roxanne Conlin argued that other attorneys from LaMarca's law firm who are already up to speed on the complicated case should be required to stay. She said in court documents that the move is a tactic to delay the case. She also said LaMarca's firm should have to repay taxpayers if it leaves the case. "This court should closely scrutinize the motives behind the withdrawal of counsel, and apparently his entire firm, as well as the intentions of the newly appearing counsel as the spectre of possible gamesmanship on the part of the defendants looms large given this crucial juncture," Conlin wrote in a motion filed last week. LaMarca said the assertion he should repay the money is absurd. "My plan has always been to handle this through its conclusion," he said. "Regrettably, health issues have accelerated my retirement plan." Branstad is now the U.S. ambassador to China. His attorneys have repeatedly tried to delay the trial, saying it would be difficult for him to leave his duties in Beijing. In addition to Branstad, the lawsuit names his successor, Governor Kim Reynolds, Branstad chief of staff Jeffrey Boeyink, his legal counsel Brenna Findley, and Iowa Workforce Development Director Teresa Wahlert. It accuses the officials of discrimination, of retaliation and of violating Godfrey's constitutional due process guarantees. He also alleges Branstad and some of his staff tried to extort him by threatening to cut his salary if he didn't quit. Godfrey's case is among the first to seek monetary damages from the state based on allegations that a government official infringed on the rights of an individual. He overcame a legal hurdle last year when state Supreme Court justices allowed him to seek damages for alleged political retaliation. The June 2017 ruling made it easier for Iowa residents to sue government officials who violate their rights. Godfrey is now the chief judge of the board that decides federal workers' compensation disputes in Washington.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2018/08/31/texas-restaurant-apologizes-fires-employee-accused-taunting-customers-gay-slur"> In south Texas, a restaurant has apologized and fired an employee after the worker was accused of using a homophobic slur to refer to customers last week. According to the <i>Dallas Morning News</i>, Sandra Clement, a high school principal, wrote on Facebook that she'd gone to the Agave Jalisco Mexican Restaurant in Corpus Christi with her son and his boyfriend on Thursday. Clement wrote that after her son hugged his boyfriend, a male employee pointed at them and yelled a derogatory anti-gay term in Spanish. He continued to sing the word over and over as he walked to the kitchen. Other employees were laughing during the incident, she wrote. Agave Jalisco released a statement Friday offering its "most sincere apology," adding, "We … know the seriousness of this issue, and want to state that we do not condone or accept this type of homophobic behaviour. We are family owned, we have taught our family and children to go out into the world and treat everyone the same way that they would want to be treated."</a> The restaurant said it had fired the employee and would require the rest of its staff to take sensitivity training to prevent any such incident from happening again. Clement wrote in a subsequent Facebook post that her son, his boyfriend and their family applauded the restaurant's quick action — and encouraged people to support the business, "as they have shown true character and compassion." She deleted other posts she'd made about the incident "so we can move forward as a community," adding, "I can't put into words how thankful we are for all the love and support our son and his boyfriend have received. Above all else, let's be kind."Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-41848207757138925462018-09-04T19:42:00.000-07:002018-09-04T19:42:06.860-07:00Vandals Target Campaign Signs Of Openly Gay Candidate For London Ontario City Council, Mother Of 9-Year-Old Jamel Myles Says Son Committed Suicide After Being Bullied After He Came Out, Lesbian Who Claims She Was Attacked At Retirement Home Wins First Round In Legal Challenge Against Operators, Amtrak Continues To Argue No Indication Of Criminal Activity Exists Regarding 22-Year-Old Gay Man Found Unconscious And In Critical Condition Near Railway Tracks Three Months Ago, Texas Father Of Two Whose Complaint That Art Teacher Stacy Bailey Was Indoctrinating Students With "Homosexual Agenda" Remains Convinced Gay Teachers Present Threat, Author Of California Bill Designed To Declare Gay Conversion Therapy Drops Effort For This Year After Outcry For State's Religious Community <a href="http://blackburnnews.com/london/london-news/2018/08/27/vandals-target-gay-candidates-signs/"> In southwestern Ontario, an openly gay candidate running in this fall’s municipal election isn’t letting a homophobic message spray-painted on one of his campaign signs deter him from his bid to become a member of London’s city council. Shawn Lewis was notified by a supporter on the afternoon of Saturday, August 25, that one of his election signs on Calgary St. had been vandalized. Expecting simple graffiti damage, the 46-year-old arrived to change out the sign and was shocked and disheartened by the image that had been added. Male genitalia had been spray painted in green near a picture of Lewis’ face. “It was hurtful and disappointing because I have seen the community in London progress so far in the years that I have been here in terms of their acceptance and openness to the LGBTQ community,” said Lewis, who is running in Ward 2. “It was a sucker punch… I really thought we were moving beyond that kind of nonsense. It was really disheartening to see that it is still out there.” While Lewis believes this was a personal attack against him, he initially struggled with whether or not he should report the incident to police. “I know how busy police are with their workload, they deal with all kinds of awful things every day, and they do their best for us and I didn’t want to add to that,” said Lewis. “But after I slept on it, I felt this is directed at me, this is a message to me personally, and this is an anti-gay, homophobic message and I need to do something because if I don’t it’s going to happen again and again.”</a> London police officers told Lewis they would be investigating the act of vandalism as a potential hate crime. Since filing his nomination papers in May, Lewis has had signs knocked over, damaged, and stolen. “It just makes me that much more determined,” said Lewis. “We need a city council that reflects our community. It is a city council I feel deserves common sense voices to represent us and I’ve heard from so many people in Ward 2 that they like what I am saying and they want me to be their representative. So frankly, it gives me the energy to get right back out there today, knock on more doors, and talk to more voters.” Lewis also stressed the hateful defacing of his sign is not reflective of the London he has come to know and love. He has received numerous messages of support from the community and believes the vandalism is the work of a few bad apples. “I don’t for a minute want people to think this is indicative of a large anti-gay sentiment in the city,” said Lewis. “This frankly at the end of the day, is one or two knuckle-draggers who can’t pull themselves into the 21st century and that is a shame for them, but doesn’t reflect on the community as a whole.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/28/us/jamel-myles-suicide-denver.html"> In Colorado, the New York Times reports Leia Pierce shuffled out the front door on Tuesday. Her son, Jamel Myles, 9, had killed himself last week, and she was still struggling with the basics. Eating. Sleeping. “I took a shower, but I put the same clothes back on,” she said, staring at the ground. “I need him back.” Jamel, a fourth grader at Joe Shoemaker Elementary School in Denver, hanged himself in his bedroom last Thursday, August 23, according to the county coroner, and his death has plunged a mother into despair and a community into disbelief. Ms. Pierce says her son committed suicide after a year in which he and his older sister were bullied frequently at school. Over the summer, he had told his mother he was gay. Now, she is angry at the school, which she believes should have done more to stop the taunts and insults. Will Jones, a spokesperson for Denver Public Schools, said administrators planned to conduct a thorough review of the case. “We are deeply committed to our students’ well-being,” he said in a statement.</a> Jamel’s death comes amid a startling rise in youth suicides, part of a larger public health crisis that has unfolded over a generation: Even as access to mental health care has expanded, the suicide rate in the United States has risen 25 percent since 1999. Middle schoolers are now just as likely to die from suicide as they are from traffic accidents. Staff at schools like Joe Shoemaker have had to navigate a new media landscape in which cruelty can be spread by anyone old enough to use a smartphone. This has left teachers and administrators — already overburdened — wrestling with expanded responsibilities. In recent years, some parents have begun suing schools over bullying, raising questions over how much teachers can possibly be expected to do to stop the behavior. On Monday, August 27, Joe Shoemaker Elementary had a crisis team of psychologists and social workers on hand to help. Ms. Pierce, 31, works at a hardware store and was raising three children — Jamel, Taniece, 10, and Shayla, 14. Jamel, who was obsessed with cartoons and computers, woke each morning to style his own curly hair, just like his older sisters, his mother said. Last school year, Ms. Pierce said she had been in frequent contact with administrators about behavior and bullying issues. Thursday was Jamel’s fourth day of fourth grade. Ms. Pierce picked him up, they stopped at Starbucks and went to dinner as a family. Back home, Ms. Pierce sent the children to clean their rooms. Jamel left his door ajar. When Ms. Pierce went in, she found him dead. She tried CPR, she said, but it was too late. Later, Taniece told her that the bullying that had plagued them last year had continued into this year. On Monday, Ms. Pierce went to see her son’s body for the last time, she said, lying next to him for two hours while she watched his favorite cartoons. She also sang to him. On Tuesday, standing outside her mother’s brick home, where she has been staying, Ms. Pierce was still in the same tee-shirt she was wearing the last time she had hugged Jamel. Across the street, a woman watered a bright green lawn. “We need to be more loving, more caring, more accepting of each other,” Ms. Pierce said. “My heart breaks every second.” Taniece, now the youngest child, said she had been dreaming about her brother. “Every time I wake up, I see a vision of Jamel,” she said. “And, well, it kind of freaks me out. And it gets me a little worried. And I miss him very much.” Inside, Shayla, the eldest, curled into a brown leather couch, watching television. Ms. Pierce’s mother, Jacque Miller, 53, said she could not blame the school for her grandson’s death. “The statement that it takes a village to raise a child is true,” she said. “And the village is broken.”<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-met-lesbian-housing-lawsuit-court-victory-20180827-story.html"> In Illinois, a woman who said she was harassed and abused for being a lesbian by fellow residents of her suburban retirement community has won a victory in court in a suit against its operators. The <i>Chicago Tribune</i> reports Marsha Wetzel’s federal lawsuit, claiming Glen St. Andrew Living Community in Niles failed to address and prevent alleged acts of harassment and violence against her, was initially dismissed. But on Monday, August 27, an appeals court overturned that ruling, finding the operators could be liable for housing discrimination and returning the case to the trial court. The opinion from a trio of judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit found that Wetzel’s claims that other residents repeatedly taunted her and physically attacked her over her sexual orientation constituted a violation of her rights, and that the home could be held accountable for not doing anything to stop the abuse.</a> “Not only does it (the Fair Housing Act) create liability when a landlord intentionally discriminates against a tenant based on a protected characteristic; it also creates liability against a landlord that has actual notice of tenant-on-tenant harassment … yet chooses not to take any reasonable steps within its control to stop that harassment,” 7th Circuit Appeals Court Chief Judge Diane Wood wrote. Wetzel moved into Glen St. Andrew in 2014 after her longtime partner died, and said she was soon the target of extreme verbal and physical abuse by other residents after they learned that she was a lesbian. In one instance, she said she was pushed out of her scooter; in another, she was attacked and struck in the head from behind while in the laundry area, according to the ruling. Wetzel sued in 2016, claiming that not only did staff at Glen St. Andrews fail to address the harassment, but also retaliated against her for her complaints by barring her from common areas and halting her cleaning services. Operators of the retirement community said they strongly deny the allegations in the suit. Their attorneys argued that operators tried to mediate the conflict between Wetzel and another resident, and that any disputes between her and the staff were not motivated by staff members’ opinions about her sexual orientation. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit last year. The case must now return to the court “for further proceedings consistent with this opinion,” the appeals court justices wrote in their opinion. Wetzel and her attorneys hailed the opinion as a victory for housing advocates and LGBT citizens. “This is a tremendous victory for Marsha,” Karen Loewy, Lambda Legal senior counsel and seniors strategist, said in a statement following the opinion’s release. “She, just like all people living in rental housing, whether LGBT or not, should be assured that they will at least be safe from discriminatory harassment in their own homes. What happened to Marsha was illegal and unconscionable, and the Court has now put all landlords on notice that they have an obligation to take action to stop known harassment.” A spokesperson for Glen St. Andrew released a statement Monday: “Glen St. Andrews Living Community is committed to providing fair, safe and non-discriminatory housing, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sex or sexual orientation," the statement adding, "At this stage, the court was required to assume the factual allegations of plaintiff’s complaint were true for purposes of determining the legal issues. Glen St. Andrew strongly denies the factual allegations of the complaint and will present its case in court at the appropriate time.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sierrasun.com/news/local/investigation-continues-on-man-found-on-truckee-railroad-tracks/"> An update on a previous post: In California, Amtrak police said there is no indication of criminal activity regarding Aaron Salazar, a 22-year-old man found unconscious and in critical condition near the railroad tracks in Truckee three months ago. "The investigation remains open, pending any new information or the opportunity to interview Mr. Salazar," the statement read. According to the <i>Sierra Sun</i>, Salazar was recently moved to Craig Rehabilitation Hospital in Englewood, Colorado to be closer to his family. According to a Tuesday post on a GoFundMe page set up by Salazar's family he has begun to speak. “Aaron is a person of color who also identifies as gay, and his injuries suggest that this incident may have been a hate crime against him during an Amtrak layover in Truckee, California,” Austin Sailas, Salazar's cousin, adding that, "When asked about the train, he sadly cannot remember." According to Sailas, his cousin's doctors said this is a result of the damage from his injury and his brain protecting him from trauma. "With time and therapy he might be able to remember things on his own," he said. Sailas said Salazar is no longer bedridden, is now in a wheelchair and has also begun eating solid food. "Aaron has a long road ahead of him. We are very optimistic," said Sonia Trujillo, another cousin in a Facebook message.</a> On May 15, Salazar was taking a train from Denver back to Portland, where he attended Portland State University, when he was found unconscious near the railroad tracks at the far-east end of Truckee. He was checked into Renown Hospital in Reno after sustaining injuries to his upper body, including a broken pelvis, damaged brain stem and strange burns on the inside of his thighs, according to Trujillo. Family members speculated Salazar's injuries could be the result of a hate crime, as he is gay. Amtrak Police Department has held that there is no evidence of a physical altercation and stated that it is likely he jumped from the train in a suicide attempt. His parents have strongly objected, calling Amtrak's investigation of their son a "smear campaign to sweep Aaron's story under the rug." Since then his family has created a petition requesting that the investigation be handed over to the FBI. In addition, both congressional delegations of Oregon and Hawaii, Salazar's home state, have signed letters urging Amtrak to release a thorough investigation as quickly as possible. "Aaron is a person of color who also identifies as gay, and his injuries suggest that this incident may have been a hate crime against him during an Amtrak layover in Truckee, California," Oregon's congressional delegation wrote to Amtrak president and CEO Richard Anderson. The letter was signed by Senator Ron Wyden and Senator Jeff Merkley, and Representatives Peter DeFazio, Kurt Schrader, Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici. A letter signed by Sen. Mazie Hirono and Sen. Brian Schatz and Representatives Colleen Hanabusa and Tulsi Gabbard stated, "while the Hawai'i Congressional District respects the investigation process, we expect that Amtrak will conduct a thorough investigation and provide us and the Salazar family with a comprehensive and timely report of the events leading up to Mr. Salazar's injuries."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/education/article217444875.html"> An update on a previous post: In Texas, the father of two Charlotte Anderson Elementary students said he complained to Mansfield school district officials last year that art teacher Stacy Bailey was indoctrinating students with a “homosexual agenda” — a concern he still carries as he urges educators to leave their personal lives outside of classrooms. Paul Holding said he wanted to share his views while advocating for high professional standards within the district. The school is in Arlington, but is part of the Mansfield school district. He planned to speak during the open comment portion of Tuesday’s school board meeting. “We do not care about any teacher’s politics,” Holding wrote in a statement, which he shared with the Star-Telegram and planned to read to board members. “We do not care about a teacher’s religion or lack of religion. We don’t even care about a teacher’s sexuality. What teachers choose to do on their own time is of no concern to us. The only thing we care about is that when teachers walk into the classroom, is that they project professionalism.” On August 23, 2017, Holding e-mailed the school district officials, including Superintendent Jim Vaszauskas, a complaint with the subject line: “Homosexual agenda pushed on Charlotte Anderson Students.” Holding said his daughters, who at that time were in second and fourth grade, told him that Bailey was indoctrinating students through a slide show presentation that included “her intimate relationship with a woman.” Holding said his daughters said there were several pictures of Bailey and her girlfriend. Holding said he plans to take his concerns to school board trustees. “When it comes to our pre-pubescent children, with no knowledge of sexuality, we demand that teachers exercise discretion,” Holdings’ speech states. “We feel strongly that with our younger kids, it is not appropriate to discuss sexuality without a parent’s written permission.” In his e-mail last year, Holding wrote: “She told her students to not think it is gross for same sex couples to be together. She told my daughters they could marry any type of person just like her.” Bailey’s attorney, Jason Smith, said his client wasn’t doing anything different than the rest of the Mansfield school district faculty. “Stacy Bailey merely showed a photo of her now wife,” Smith said. “She was not promoting an ideology, just merely discussing her family just like other teachers do all the time without being suspended.”</a> The teacher’s case drew national attention as her supporters asked Mansfield school district leaders why she is no longer teaching at Charlotte Anderson Elementary School in Arlington. Bailey described her girlfriend as the person she was engaged to and planned to marry. Later, during the school year, Bailey and Julie Vasquez were married. Bailey was on paid administrative leave most of the last school year. Bailey’s contract was renewed on April 23, but the district sent a letter on May 1 informing her that she had been reassigned to Lake Ridge High School. She has sued the district in federal court. “This year Stacy is again focused on being the best art teacher she can be and showing her students the magic of art.” Smith said. Bailey’s supporters called on school administrators to let her return to class. The case also drew supporters of the district who described Bailey as someone who was pushing a gay agenda. The issue prompted a movement in favor of adding more protections for LGBT students and employees in Mansfield. Proponents for a stronger anti-discrimination policy want it to have language that includes sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. “Stacy values her family,” Smith said. “Stacy is pro family values and honored to support student families as a teacher. Stacy is so grateful for all the words of support from colleagues, students and their parents.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article217429175.html"> In California, the author of a bill to declare gay conversion therapy a fraudulent business practice has abandoned his effort for this year after a fierce outcry from the state’s religious community. Assembly Bill 2943 would have made it illegal to sell any service intended to change an individual’s sexuality or gender identity. The measure had already passed with large majorities in both the Assembly and Senate, with overwhelming support from Democrats, and was one vote away from the governor’s desk. But, reports the <i>Sacramento Bee</i>, Assemblyman Evan Low said Friday that, after meeting this summer with faith leaders, he would instead try again next year with a new version of the proposal they could feel more comfortable with. “I left those productive conversations feeling hopeful. I believe every person who attended these meetings left with a greater understanding for the underlying reason and intention of this bill to create a loving and inclusive environment for all,” the Campbell Democrat said in a statement. “However, I believe there is still more to learn.” Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender advocacy groups have long raised concerns about therapies that purport to “cure” individuals of their “unnatural desires.” A 2012 bill banned the practice for minors, but only when it is offered by a licensed mental health provider. AB 2943 would have expanded the prohibition to adults 18 and older, and covered any commercially-available conversion therapy. Low, who is openly gay, has asserted that these programs expose participants to damaging psychological abuse.</a> He said in the statement that carrying the bill was deeply personal, because the confusion that he felt as a young man trying to understand his sexuality. “I hid myself and my feelings because I was afraid of what others would think of me. This left me feeling very lost, scared, alone, and even suicidal. I wondered if I could change,” he said. “Yet, I am grateful my community embraced me as I was, a gay man. Many fellow members of the LGBT community are not as fortunate.” Conservative religious groups vigorously objected to the legislation, which they considered an attack on their First Amendment freedoms. Some churches and other faith-based organizations offer programs that they say help individuals to overcome unwanted same sex attractions. Because it applies to consumer transactions, AB 2943 would not have outlawed religious counseling to change an individual’s sexuality or other conversion therapy services if they are offered free of charge. But opponents had promised to challenge the measure in court. Jonathan Keller, president of the California Family Council, a Christian organization that mobilized against the bill, said in a statement, “We are inexpressibly grateful to Assemblymember Low for meeting personally with faith leaders over the last several months and sincerely listening to our concerns,” adding, “AB 2943 would have tragically limited our ability to offer compassionate support related to sexual orientation and gender identity, and even to preach Jesus’ message of unconditional love and life transformation." Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-28396538329884388182018-08-26T22:34:00.000-07:002018-08-26T22:34:25.925-07:00Southwestern Ontario Billboard Urges Young People To Move Away From Homosexuality, Pope Francis Says Parents Of Gay Children Should Not Condemn Them, Attorney For Accused Killer Of Gay 19-Year-Old Blaze Bernstein Says Client "Confused" About Sexual Identity, Catholic Archbishop Of Milwaukee Condemns Spiritual Retreat For Gay Priests, Salt Lake County Republican Party Communications Director Dave Robinson (Himself Gay) Claims High Suicide Rate Among LGBT Community Related To High Number Of Sexual Partners, Chicago Cubs Discussed Daniel Murphy's Anti-Gay Comments Ahead Of Trade<a href="https://www.chathamdailynews.ca/news/local-news/billboard-author-says-he-only-wants-to-help"> In Canada, the <i>Chatham Daily News</i> reports an elderly Petrolia man has said he rented a billboard outside of Dresden to sway young people away from homosexuality to combat the suicide rate of the LGBTQ community. But the president of the Chatham-Kent Gay Pride Association said the sign – which says “God says no to homosexuality and abortions” – will not be helpful. “The message on the billboard does nothing to inspire hope to young gay men and women in our community,” said Marianne Willson in an e-mail. “The community response has not interpreted his message to be a suicide prevention bulletin as he suggests, only a message of intolerance and disrespect towards others.” Ralph Baker, who was reached at the number posted on the billboard at Kent Bridge Road and Countryview Line, said he is simply relaying “God’s message,” adding, “We must do something as concerned citizens for our children, our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren and our neighbours that they don’t get introduced to a lifestyle that they are not very used to." Baker acknowledged that bullying is a likely cause of suicides among gay men and women, but he doesn’t consider the sign to be hateful. However, he said only those who want to change can be helped. “What happens here is you have those that you talk to who are saying, ‘I am very pleased with my lifestyle now,’” said Baker. “Can you help that person? No. This is the sad part of it.” The Petrolia man, who has 14 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, said “Christian psychology” is the only way to prevent gay men and women from dying by suicide. When asked if he was referring to conversion therapy, Baker said “definitely.”</a> Conversion therapy – the practice of trying to change a person’s sexual orientation – was banned in Ontario in 2015. The Canadian Mental Health Association cites support from friends and family, supportive workplaces and neighbourhoods and experiencing positive responses to coming out as ways to promote positive mental health among the LGBTQ community. Willson said the billboard is not considered a hate crime under law, but it is “damaging” to the community morale and to how Chatham-Kent is perceived by people from outside of the area. “What happens is people in progressive companies say, ‘We’re going to pull out of Chatham-Kent because yeah, that’s not the image our company wants to have,’” she said in an interview. “If that’s the case, that means (for) everybody who lives here, taxes go up to maintain the standard of living.” People are welcome to express their opinions, said Willson, but this message tells outside investors that “people with different opinions living next to us” are not embraced. However, she said the response the organization had to its first pride parade last weekend does not support that message. Baker did not say the August 18 parade was the reason he had the billboard made, but the turnout – which surpassed what organizers were expecting – was “a big ouch” to him. “What is going to happen next year and the year after?” he said. “Here’s the thing, we have to put the brakes on it.” Willson said she is willing to have a conversation with Baker. “We want communication,” she said. “Just come to us and talk to us about why you feel that it’s necessary.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/the-latest-pope-denounces-irelands-forced-adoptions/2018/08/26/dd87b6a0-a919-11e8-9a7d-cd30504ff902_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.40c226cf8d26"> In Ireland, Pope Francis says parents of gay children shouldn’t condemn them, ignore their orientation or throw them out of the house. Rather, he says they should pray, talk, and try to understand. Speaking to reporters after closing out a Catholic family rally in Ireland, Francis said: “There have always been gay people and people with homosexual tendencies.”</a> Francis was asked what he would tell a father of a child who just came out as gay. Francis said he would first suggest prayer. “Don’t condemn. Dialogue. Understand, give the child space so he or she can express themselves.” Francis said it might be necessary seek psychiatric help if a child begins to exhibit “worrisome” traits, but that it’s something else if an adult comes out as gay. He urged parents not to respond with silence. “Ignoring child with this tendency shows a lack of motherhood and fatherhood.” He said: “This child has the right to a family. And the family not throwing him out.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2018/08/22/blaze-bernstein-murder-case-attorney-for-samuel-woodward-denies-hate-crime-allegation-says-his-client-has-a-serious-mental-disorder/"> An update on a previous post: In California, the <i>Orange County Register</i> reports a man charged with killing his former high-school classmate denied a hate-crime allegation Wednesday, with his attorney saying that he suffers from a “serious mental disorder.” Less than a month after Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas alleged that Samuel Lincoln Woodward killed Blaze Bernstein because Bernstein was gay, Woodward appeared in a Newport Beach courtroom for a brief hearing. Through his attorney, Woodward, 21, denied the added hate-crime enhancement. A preliminary hearing, where a judge will decide if there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial, was delayed until September 4. After the hearing, Woodward’s attorney, Edward Munoz, responded to claims by prosecutors that a large number of graphic texts and images that Rackauckas described as “racist, anti-semitic, misogynistic and anti-government” were found on Woodward’s cellphone, laptop and social-media accounts. “It wasn’t entirely shocking,” Munoz said outside the courtroom after the hearing. “It was disappointing. You are talking about someone with a serious mental disorder.” Munoz said Woodward has Asperger syndrome, a developmental disorder that generally results in someone having difficulty with social interactions. The defense attorney also said Woodward had issues with sexual identity.</a> Woodward was reportedly a member of the Atomwaffen Division, an armed, fascist organization that the Anti-Defamation League characterizes as “a small, neo-Nazi group whose members see themselves as soldiers preparing for an impending race war.” Munoz didn’t confirm his client was a member, but did say that Woodward tried to connect with others, sometimes in places where most would not venture. “You are kind of a victim of who you are from a physical standpoint,” Munoz said, specifically mentioning Woodward’s blond hair and blue eyes. Responding to questions about whether Woodward is gay, or if he was confused about his sexual identity or his feelings about the sexual identities of others, Munoz responded that Woodward was confused about his overall identity. Woodward, sporting closely cropped hair and a goatee, spoke little during the hearing, only answering, “Yeah” and “Yes” when asked if he agreed to his preliminary hearing being continued. Woodward and Bernstein were classmates at the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana. Bernstein was home from college on winter break when he died. Prosecutors say that Woodward picked up Bernstein from Bernstein’s Lake Forest home around 11:00 pm on January 2, driving him to a shopping center in Foothill Ranch, then to Borrego Park. According to court filings, Woodward told detectives that he and Bernstein met to catch up, and that Bernstein tried to kiss him on the lips while the two were sitting in a parked car, authorities have said. Woodward claimed to investigators that he pushed Bernstein away, leaving Bernstein to exit the car and walk alone into the park. Prosecutors allege Woodward stabbed Bernstein to death and buried his body in the dirt at the edge of the park. A day after the two went out, Bernstein’s parents reported him missing. Six days later, his body was found. Woodward faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In explaining the need to delay the preliminary hearing, Deputy District Attorney Steve McGreevy told Orange County Superior Court Judge Karen L. Robinson that there was a “voluminous” amount of evidence that is being turned over to the defense.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2018/08/25/catholic-archbishop-denounces-retreat-gay-priests/1088898002/"> In Wisconsin, plans to offer a spiritual retreat for gay Catholic priests in Racine has drawn the ire of Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki, who told parishioners in a letter this month that the program is "not in line with Catholic Church teaching" and "in no way connected to or endorsed by the archdiocese." According to the <i>Milwaukee Journal Sentinel</i>, Listecki was unavailable to elaborate on his objections, which followed similar criticisms on conservative Catholic websites in recent weeks. But organizers and participants of the annual retreat say those comments were unfounded and reflect the church's hostility toward gay and lesbian people, even as Pope Francis calls for greater understanding and compassion. "Getting lost in this whole discussion is that this is a spiritual event. It's a group of people gathering to pray," said the Rev. Bryan Massingale, a Milwaukee priest and Fordham University theologian who agreed to lead the retreat for Maryland-based New Ways Ministry. "I have to say, I'm surprised and sad that a group of priests who want to pray has become a major controversy. And I think that speaks to the level of hostility and lack of compassion that LGBT persons still face ... in our society." The fourth annual retreat, this year titled "Living in Truth: The Call to Authenticity," is scheduled for October 2-4 at the Siena Retreat Center operated by the Racine Dominicans, a Catholic women's religious order on the shores of Lake Michigan. It is aimed at gay priests, deacons and brothers and is expected to draw at least 25 people from around the country. Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, said there is nothing in the retreat that is contrary to Catholic teaching, including the church's requirement that priests remain celibate, whether they are gay or straight. "The priests who come to our retreats are priests who are earnestly living their ... promise of celibacy," said DeBernardo. "They come to find better ways of doing that, to seek support and to seek friendships with other gay men who are in similar situations." That was true for the Rev. Greg Greiten of St. Bernadette Parish in Milwaukee, who received a standing ovation when he came out to parishioners in December. He attended last year's retreat in November, also at the Siena Center, calling it "a wonderful experience." Greiten, who found last year's theme — "Following Jesus in Holy Honesty" — especially poignant in his own process of coming out, added, "We prayed together, reflected together and just shared our lives with each other. Over the years, I've experienced lots of toxic shaming and secrecy. And sharing my truth has truly been an experience of holy honesty," he said. "The church ... calls us to grow in holiness, and I found that to be the experience of last year's retreat."</a> The Catholic Church teaches that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered” and “contrary to natural law.” It is not considered a sin in the church to be gay. But it has struggled with how to minister to gay and lesbian people, including its own clergy, many of whom are gay. Just how many is not known, and estimates from surveys and sociologists have swung widely, from 15-percent to 60-percent. Because many priests remain closeted, "there are no authentic role models of healthy, well-balanced, gay, celibate priests to be an example for those, young and old, who are struggling to come to terms with their sexual orientation," Greiten wrote in an essay last year in the National Catholic Reporter. The issue of celibacy — how it is addressed at the retreat — and even the term "gay priests" appear to be among Listecki's concerns, based on his letter and a link he shared to an essay by the Rev. Nathan Reesman, who leads the archdiocese's Courage/Encourage ministry for people with "unwanted same sex attractions." Listecki issued a statement supporting Greiten when he came out to his parish last year. But he told a radio interviewer days later that he wished the priest had kept his sexuality private, saying it could sow confusion among Catholics who might think he's "actively involved in gay sexual activity." Even the term "gay priest" suggests the cleric sees his same-sex attraction as a defining trait and "allows them to live a lifestyle that normalizes same sex relationships," whether on an emotional or physical level, according to Reesman. Reesman also takes issue with the timing of the retreat as the church continues to grapple with a sexual abuse crisis that reached the highest ranks of its episcopacy. "Once more we are living through the horror of frequent headlines about the deviant behaviors by male clergy with younger men or boys," he said. Those sentiments echoed those of Madison Bishop Robert Morlino, who wrote in the wake of the lurid report by a Pennsylvania grand jury this month recounting abuses in that state. "There is a homosexual subculture within the hierarchy of the Catholic Church that is wreaking great devastation in the vineyard of the Lord," Morlino said. Such comments reflect the view by some that the church's sex abuse crisis is the result of homosexuality, rather than pedophilia or abuse of power — an assertion Massingale said diminishes the pain of female survivors, contradicts the church's own research and further stigmatizes gay priests. "The crisis of the church is not one of sexual orientation," Massingale said. "The crisis of the church is one of sexual violations, systematic dishonesty and episcopal malpractice. And blaming gay priests is grossly unfair and a slander, frankly. There are many many gay priests who serve this church with integrity, dedication and commitment, and every bishop knows that."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2018/08/21/do-too-many-sex-partners/"> In Utah, in a sweeping, one-hour meeting with the <i>Salt Lake Tribune</i>’s editorial board on Monday, the Salt Lake County Republican Party’s new communication director made claims about the LGBTQ community that the county health department described as “wildly inaccurate” and Equality Utah said are “deeply irresponsible.” Dave Robinson joined county GOP Chairman Scott Miller, who has been on the job for a little more than a month, for a conversation about where they see the party headed on issues ranging from water to land use and the LGBTQ community. Miller said he’s looking to make his party “relevant again” during his roughly nine-month term, noting that it has been “apathetic” in the past. In the future, he said, the party needs to work to represent the entire county and not just the “far right,” adding, “As far as changing the direction of the party, [it] is really just to re-engage with our communities as a whole,” mentioning people of color and communities that are concerned about environmental protection. Robinson, the party’s communication director since late July, also noted that some people view the Republican Party as unfriendly toward the gay community. “I said, you can own your own business, you can run for office — I don’t think there’s a better time on this planet in history to be gay than right now,” Robinson said, recounting his recent response to his neighbors when they expressed beliefs about an intolerant GOP. But what about the high rate of suicide among the LGBTQ community? they countered. “So then I walked through and I said, ‘I actually think it has more to do with the lifestyle that the gays are leading that they refuse to have any scrutiny with,’” said Robinson, who is gay. “As far as changing the direction of the party, [it] is really just to re-engage with our communities as a whole,” he said, mentioning people of color and communities that are concerned about environmental protection. Robinson, the party’s communication director since late July, also noted that some people view the Republican Party as unfriendly toward the gay community. “I said, you can own your own business, you can run for office — I don’t think there’s a better time on this planet in history to be gay than right now,” Robinson said, recounting his recent response to his neighbors when they expressed beliefs about an intolerant GOP. But what about the high rate of suicide among the LGBTQ community? they countered. “So then I walked through and I said, ‘I actually think it has more to do with the lifestyle that the gays are leading that they refuse to have any scrutiny with,’” said Robinson, who is gay. Robinson told the <i>Tribune</i> that while many people attribute the high suicide rate to the culture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or to Utah’s high altitude, that may not capture the full story. He said he knows people in the community who have had “over 2,000 sex partners” and said he thinks that could be at the root of “some of the self-loathing to the point of suicide,” adding, “You talk to some of these people that have had grundles of sex partners and the self-loathing and basically the unhappiness and the self-hatred level is tremendously high,” noting that they may turn to sex to fill a hole left by a lack of acceptance in Utah. “The gay community really needs to start having some conversations within their community, saying how is our lifestyle affecting our mental health.” Utah’s youth suicide rate has grown at an alarming pace, according to recent studies conducted by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The state’s suicide rate among young adults ages 10 to 17 had more than doubled from 2011 to 2015, growing at an annual clip nearly four times faster than the national average. In all, 150 youths died by suicide over the five-year period, and it’s thought that LGBTQ youth are at a higher risk. Troy Williams, executive director of Equality Utah, pushed back on Robinson’s comments about the suicide rates, saying his theory is based on “old, tired stereotypes and tropes” that members of the LGBTQ community are promiscuous. He also noted that the suicide problem is most prevalent among youth, many of whom have likely never had a sex partner. “Condemning who and how we love is a strange way to build a bridge between the Republican Party and the LGBTQ community,” Williams said. “Mr. Robinson’s rhetoric is deeply irresponsible and unbecoming of a leader in a political party in the state of Utah.”</a> At the meeting with the <i>Salt Lake Tribune</i>, Miller said high suicide rates are an example of one of the “internal issues” in a community that the party wants to have dialogue with. But he told the newspaper later that he doesn’t necessarily agree with Robinson’s stance that a multitude of partners may contribute to high rates of suicide, noting that he doesn’t have enough information on that particular issue. As far as his stance on the LGBTQ community, Miller told The Tribune that although he would likely “catch some grief” from hard-right Republicans, he thinks that allowing members of the LGBTQ community to “live their life the way they deem fit” is a fundamental tenet of the Constitution. Robinson also said in the meeting that he thinks issues around the PrEP pill, a daily preventive strategy for those at risk of contracting HIV, need more attention as a factor for the rise of STDs in the LGBTQ community and also to the rise of mental-health issues. He said the gay community “went to the county health department and said, ‘Look, if you love the gays, then you need to give us and all of our people this medication for free.’ And so the county’s like, ‘Yes, we love the gays,’ so they start giving them all this medicine.” Then, he said, members of the LGBTQ community began having unprotected sex like “bunny rabbits” at monthly “sex parties” because they were unaware that the pill did not prevent STDs. Lynn Beltran, the STD and HIV epidemiology supervisor at the Salt Lake County Health Department, called Robinson’s claims “wildly inaccurate.” Though she noted that Salt Lake County did work with a member of the LGBTQ community on PrEP outreach, she said it has never given out free pills — and that the county’s STD clinic isn’t even able to prescribe the medication. She agreed that there has been a national lack of education on PrEP that may lead more people to engage in unprotected sex. Robinson said he relayed the information from the health department as he understood it and that there may have been some mischaracterization in his conversation with the county. But Williams said Robinson’s statements are a misguided way to reach the group the county Republican party is looking to engage with. “He is mischaracterizing and spreading misinformation about our community,” Williams said. “And if he truly wants to help the Republican party open up their doors to actually invite the LGBTQ community in, he needs to stop this salacious and egregious misinformation.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/cubs/2018/08/26/cubs-laura-ricketts-co-owner-daniel-murphy-anti-gay-comments-trade/1104636002/"> <i>USA Today</i> reports the anti-gay comments Daniel Murphy made in 2015 were taken into consideration when the Chicago Cubs decided to acquire the second baseman from the Washington Nationals last week. Addressing the issue for the first time, Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts said Sunday in a series of tweets there were "thoughtful conversations" involving the front office, ownership and MLB Ambassador for Inclusion, Billy Bean, before the trade was made. Ricketts, who is openly gay, said the discussions took place "precisely because of the Cubs' sensitivities on the matter," and as a result, she was in favor of the trade. Murphy is a devout Christian, who when asked about Bean in 2015 said: "I disagree with his lifestyle." However, he also added, "That doesn't mean I can't still invest in him and get to know him."</a> Ricketts said Bean and Murphy have since developed a friendship -- and that Bean was "very positive and encouraging" as the trade talks progressed. The Cubs faced criticism two years ago for another late-season addition when they acquired closer Aroldis Chapman -- who had received a 30-game domestic violence suspension. Murphy was not disciplined for his comments in 2015. In his first four games with the Cubs, Murphy has gone 7-for-19 (.368) at the plate with two home runs, five RBI and four runs scored.Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-15498816669506735362018-08-19T23:05:00.000-07:002018-08-19T23:05:43.691-07:00British Columbia's Christian Trinity Western University Drops Mandatory Anti-Gay Covenant, Canadian Transportation Minister Contacts WestJet After Calgary Gate Agent Outs Transgender Passenger, Russian Village Agrees To Host Gay Pride Parade Then Reverses Ruling Hours Later, Gay San Francisco Police Officer Sues City For Sexual Harassment And Discrimination, Portland Oregon Man Charged After Threatening To Bomb Apartment Complex For People Living With HIV/AIDS, Colorado Anti-Gay Baker Sues Governor And Civil Rights Commission After 2017 Decision Finding Jack Phillips Discriminated When Refusing To Serve Transgender Woman<a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/british-columbia/article-bcs-trinity-western-university-drops-mandatory-covenant-forbidding/"> An update on a previous post: In Canada, the <i>Globe and Mail</i> reports British Columbia’s Trinity Western University has dropped a requirement that students adhere to a community covenant that forbids sex outside of heterosexual marriage, but says it has no plans to revive its proposal for a law school. The change, announced on Tuesday, follows a Supreme Court ruling in June that upheld the right of provincial law societies to reject the graduates of the proposed law school. Law societies in British Columbia and Ontario argued the mandatory covenant amounted to discrimination against LGBTQ students. The court case drew more than two dozen groups as intervenors amid a debate about the limits of religious freedom and equality. British Columbia's Ministry of Advanced Education withdrew its preliminary approval of the school after the province’s law society refused to accredit it. The university and several intervenors maintained that the law school should be allowed to operate and that blocking it violated the constitutional protection for religious rights. In an interview on Tuesday, Trinity Western president Bob Kuhn said the change, which does not apply to faculty, was not driven by the law-school controversy and that the university has no immediate plans to renew its application. “At this point in time, there’s been no decision made for the potential of a law-school application being resubmitted,” Mr. Kuhn said. “If it were, it would require additional work, given that it’s been effectively on hold for the past five years or more.” In a letter explaining the change to donors, the university said the school was not compromising its values. “We will remain a Biblically-based, mission-focused, academically excellent university, fully committed to our foundational evangelical Christian principles,” the letter said. Law societies in British Columbia and Ontario said it would be premature to speculate whether they would now be prepared to accept law students from the university. Trinity Western would also require provincial approval to revive its law-school proposal, British Columbia's Advanced Education Minister, Melanie Mark, said in a statement.</a> Trinity Western, established in 1962, describes itself as Canada’s largest independent Christian liberal arts institution, with an enrolment of 3,600. In 2012, it proposed to create a law school of 170 students, and got preliminary approval from the Federation of Law Societies of Canada. But the law societies of British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia refused to accredit it, arguing that to do so would be to endorse discrimination. Courts in British Columbia and Nova Scotia sided with the school, and Ontario’s top court sided with the provincial law society. In a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court of Canada said the limit on religious freedom was minor and that accrediting the school would have threatened the integrity of the legal system. Two dissenting judges said the law societies' decisions interfered with religious freedom and were contrary to the state’s duty of neutrality. Margot Young, a professor at the Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia, said Tuesday’s announcement was not a surprise, given the resources Trinity Western has put into establishing a law program. “It really is the only way forward,” she said in an interview. She said she suspected moving away from a mandatory covenant would be enough to earn the necessary approvals from the British Columbia government and provincial law societies, but issues with any prospective program would remain. “I have some concerns about a legal-education environment premised on a viewpoint that condemns sexual-orientation diversity,” she said. “And I know that this is a central frame for the teaching at Trinity Western University and so it’s going to be really important that Trinity Western University do a really good job on making sure that its students graduate with not just a tolerance for diversity, but an idea of the importance and the value of diversity.” Kathryn Chan, an assistant professor of law at the University of Victoria, said Trinity Western’s announcement appeared to be a response to the Supreme Court judgment. She said her view is that Trinity Western is entitled to adopt a faith-based perspective, as long as the terms of admission and treatment of students are not discriminatory. Matthew Wigmore, a Trinity Western graduate and co-founder of One TWU, a support and networking group for LGBTQ students, said he welcomed the change but still had concerns. “I think the core thing to understand is that this is not a change in the covenant, it is simply a change in the requirement to sign it,” Mr. Wigmore said in an e-mail. “Let’s celebrate this as a first step but nothing more – to do so would undermine the mounds of work that need to be done to respect LGBTQ students on campus.” Archbishop Michael Miller of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver, which was an intervenor at the Supreme Court of Canada, said in a statement that he supports Trinity Western’s decision and hopes it will refile its application to open a law school.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/westjet-transgender-outing-1.4788279"> Also in Canada, <i>CBC News</i> reports Transportation Minister Marc Garneau has instructed his staff to contact WestJet after a passenger said one of the airline's gate agents outed her as a transgender woman to other passengers on her flight. "When the incident was first reported, the Minister instructed his office to get in contact with WestJet so that measures are taken to prevent this type of incident from reoccurring," said spokesperson Delphine Denis, in an e-mailed statement. Lenore Herrem was flying from Calgary to Saskatoon last week when she says the gate agent expressed confusion while checking her ID and boarding pass. Herrem's gender presentation is female, but her gender on her Quebec health-care card is marked as male. The accompanying five-year-old photo on the ID card also presents as male. But the name on both her ID and boarding pass matched. One of the agents was confused over the male ID, but Herrem said she quietly explained that she was transgender, hence the discrepancy. "My face is the same and my ID matches the name on my boarding pass," Herrem said.</a> She boarded the plane, but shortly both gate agents boarded and the agent who had been confused again demanded her ID. "She said something like, 'Oh, that's not the name I remember seeing on the computer when I looked at it,' and she started spouting off different, other women's names that were not mine," Herrem recalled. "She rolled her eyes at me and said, 'Are you sure it wasn't your girl name that was on the computer?' … She outed me in front of the whole airplane." WestJet has since apologized to Herrem. The company is investigating and also provided her with a credit for her flight. Outing a transgender person against their will can put them in a dangerous or threatening situation and can have significant impacts on their mental health, according to the Egale Canada Human Rights Trust website, a non-profit group that works to improve the lives of LGBT people. "Canadians are proud of our country's diversity and inclusion. Minister [Marc] Garneau strongly believes that all passengers must feel safe to be themselves when travelling and is very upset about this incident," Denis said.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.rferl.org/a/local-authorities-withdraw-approval-for-russia-s-first-gay-pride-parade/29437237.html"> In Russia, Local authorities in Russia say they have withdrawn their approval of what would have been the country's first officially approved gay-pride parade -- an event that had been scheduled for August 26 in a village with only seven residents on the outskirts of the city of Novoulyanovsk, reports <i>Radio Free Europe</i>. Novoulyanovsk's city manager, Gennady Denikayev, said on August 16 that the approval given for the parade by the city's mayor was invalid because the decision had been made without consulting him or Novoulyanovsk's city council. "I made a decision, there will be no gay parade," Denikayev said. "We intend to protect traditional family values and, foremost, our children from the propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations."</a> Media reports about a gay-pride parade in the Yablonevy settlement in Russia's Ulyanovsk region emerged after Nikolai Alekseyev, one of Russia's leading gay-rights activists, wrote on Facebook on August 15 that Novoulyanovsk's mayor, Svetlana Kosarinova, had formally approved the event. Calling Kosarinova "Russia's most courageous human," Alekseyev had thanked her and predicted 300 people would take part in the parade. "This is the coolest development in Russia's history! Thank you," Alekseyev wrote, calling her "a real liberal, democrat, and simply the greatest human." Alekseyev also posted an image of Kosarinova's official letter offering for a gay-pride parade to be staged in nearby Yablonevy rather than within Novoulyanovsk's city center. Kosarinova's letter said: "Taking into account the population's negative attitude about these kinds of events, and in order to avoid conflicts and a possible violation of the Russian law...we offer you to change the place of the public event and hold it in Yablonevy settlement." Kosarinova's letter referred to Russia's internationally criticized 2013 law prohibiting "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations among minors." Russian authorities cite the law as grounds for refusing to allow gay-pride parades.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/crime/article/Gay-San-Francisco-cop-sues-city-in-sexual-13164696.php"> In California, a San Francisco police officer was harassed because of his sexual orientation in a yearlong bullying campaign by superiors that only got worse when he reported the behavior, according to a lawsuit filed this week against the city. The <i>Chronicle</i> reports Brendan Mannix, 28, accused members of the Police Department of sexual harassment, sexual discrimination based on his sexual orientation, and retaliating against a whistle-blower. Mannix’s attorneys filed the suit Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court. Mannix said two sergeants at Central Station frequently made comments about his sexual orientation, including calling him a “queen,” “too dramatic” and insulting his masculinity, attorney Lawrence Organ wrote. When he tried to report the behavior, Mannix allegedly faced retaliation, and he said the department didn’t do anything to stop the harassment. The Police Department said it could not comment on the lawsuit but takes “allegations of discrimination and officer misconduct seriously and will thoroughly investigate all complaints,” police spokesperson David Stevenson adding, “The San Francisco Police Department is committed to diversity, tolerance and respect for the public and all of our members. Department members are sworn to hold each other accountable and required to act swiftly to report any misconduct.” The San Francisco city attorney’s office said it has not been served with the lawsuit and could not comment on it. “The city of San Francisco, including the Police Department, has been a leader on LGBT rights for decades and remains committed to providing a safe and respectful work environment for all,” said John Coté, a spokesperson for the city attorney’s office. Mannix — who is still employed as a San Francisco police officer — graduated from the police academy in May 2015 and was assigned to the Richmond Station, where he completed his field training over a probationary period. In the fall of 2016, he transferred to the Central Station, where officers are assigned to patrol the Financial District, the Embarcadero, Chinatown and North Beach. That’s when the trouble started, Organ said. “Mr. Mannix quickly noticed the ‘Old Boys’ Club’ atmosphere of the station: Anyone who did not fit a precise mold — broadly speaking, straight, cisgender, white and male — was targeted for mistreatment; those who complained about it were treated even worse,” Organ wrote. The bulk of Mannix’s accusations focus on two sergeants. One suggested Mannix was in a sexual relationship with the other gay officer at the station, and when Mannix did or said something the sergeant believed was stereotypically gay, he would say “ugh, you gays!” or “God, you gays!” Organ said. The sergeant, Organ said, would also mock Mannix’s hair style and physical appearance, making comments like, “Is that hair big enough?!” and “How much do you weigh? One hundred pounds soaking wet?” In one instance, when they discovered a dead body in the water at night, the sergeant told him, “don’t be such a queen,” when Mannix said he was cold, Organ said.</a> Mannix later confronted the two sergeants in a station conference room, asking them to stop the harassment, Organ said. The second sergeant, he said, got in Mannix’s face and told him, “if you think I am a bully, file a f—ing complaint.” In another instance, a sergeant “talked positively about how ‘back in the day,’ the police would ‘round up’ all of the ‘trannies’ ” who were prostitutes, which Mannix found offensive and concerning, his attorney said. Mannix claims the sergeants then began retaliating against him. In April 2017, he chased a robbery suspect down Market Street and radioed for backup. No one from his station immediately showed up to help and Mannix apprehended the suspect himself, Organ said. Officers from a neighboring station eventually arrived on the scene to assist, he said. The alleged harassment began to take a toll, Organ said, prompting Mannix to take a three-month leave beginning May 1, 2017, to “maintain his mental health.” When he returned in August, Mannix filed a formal complaint, but the sergeant who took the report was “dismissive” and omitted many of the incidents he reported, Organ said. The complaint was later closed. In September, Mannix and his partner responded to a domestic violence call and the suspect shot at them, forcing them to retreat. Backup later arrived and shot the man. Mannix complained that he had to accompany the suspect to the hospital, where he waited through the night, spending more than 12 hours on shift. Mannix said he was later given unfavorable assignments at the station. He was later summoned into a meeting with a lieutenant to discuss the harassment complaints with his sergeant. The sergeant “told him that he had inappropriately addressed her and violated policy by discussing an active Internal Affairs investigation,” Organ said.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://katu.com/news/local/court-docs-man-threatens-to-bomb-portland-building-with-gay-residents"> In Oregon, a 47-year-old is facing an intimidation charge, accused of threatening to blow up an apartment building for people living with HIV and AIDS, court records show. Scott Wayne Smith was booked into the Multnomah County Jail on Monday. His bail is set at $2,500. The investigation started Monday when some residents at an apartment complex in Southwest Portland called police to report that a neighbor to the building had threatened to kill them. The two men told police they are gay, as are most residents in the building. The caller said he was sitting on the steps of the building with a friend when Smith walked up and asked for a cigarette. He said they’d had problems with Smith in the past, so they ignored him. Smith got upset and yelled that he was going to kill them and used a homophobic slur, the caller said. According to a probable cause document, the residents said they’ve had similar interactions with Smith and that he “threatened to bomb the building and to kill ‘all you people.’” Residents told <i>KATU</i> that they've had problems with him in the past and have had at least one negative interaction with him.</a> "A lot of times he'll be out there skateboarding and shaking his head," said Donnie Blodgett. "All kinds of weird stuff. Half naked," saying things like, "'I'm gonna get you, set your house on fire.'" Wade Jorgenson said he's also had issues with Smith. "When I walked by the hedge where he lives, he was saying all kinds of hate stuff about (vulgar slurs deleted), and they should all die. Just really awful stuff," Jorgenson said. Smith was arraigned Tuesday, and is scheduled for his next court appearance in September. He could spend a year in jail for intimidation if he's convicted. Smith has a couple of misdemeanors on his record.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://gazette.com/news/cake-shop-owner-sues-hickenlooper-colorado-civil-rights-commission/article_ecd606e6-a09c-11e8-a831-6744f8b7a726.html"> In Colorado, the <i>Gazette</i> reports Jack Phillips, whose refusal to make a custom wedding cake for a gay couple went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, is back in the news with another discrimination complaint filed against the Lakewood baker. And Phillips and his attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom have returned fire with a lawsuit in federal court that claims the state of Colorado is engaged in “unconstitutional bullying.” The latest claim against Phillips stems from his refusal in June 2017 to make a cake for a transgender woman, Autumn Scardina. Scardina, a family law attorney, asked for a birthday cake last year that was pink on the inside and blue on the outside, which she said would celebrate her birthday as well as seven years since she transitioned from male to female. According to a complaint filed July 20, 2017, with the Colorado Civil Rights Division, a female employee at Phillips’ Masterpiece Cakeshop said they would not make the cake as they did not believe in celebrating gender changes based on religious beliefs and hung up on Scardina. She called back and allegedly was hung up on again. Scardina said the employee did not object to making the birthday cake until Scardina told her the cake was intended to celebrate her birthday and the gender transition. In a decision June 28, the Division of Civil Rights found that the cake shop had discriminated against Scardina, based on the state’s public accommodation law, which says that a retailer must serve everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, religion, race and a host of other protected characteristics. That was a few weeks after the Supreme Court ruled on June 4 in Phillips’ favor after he refused in 2012 to make a custom wedding cake for two gay men, Charlie Craig and David Mullins. That case also went through state civil rights officials. In that case, the state Civil Rights Commission said that Phillips’ refusal violated the law. The Colorado Court of Appeals upheld the determination; the state Supreme Court declined to hear the case. But the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 7-2 ruling that said the “Civil Rights Commission’s consideration of this case was inconsistent with the state’s obligation of religious neutrality.” The justices stopped short of a sweeping declaration about whether there’s a right to discriminate based on religious beliefs. The Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented Phillips in the Supreme Court case for the previous complaint, is now suing the Hickenlooper administration, the Division of Civil Rights and the Colorado Civil Rights Commission in federal court over the Scardina matter. The lawsuit claims “Colorado has been on a crusade to crush plaintiff Jack Phillips because its officials despise what he believes and how he practices his faith.” The lawsuit also claims that Phillips “serves everyone” — despite his refusal to create custom cakes for LGBT individuals.</a> The Alliance claimed the state admitted that cake artists—including Phillips — are free to decline to create custom cakes with a “specific design” that they will not make for anyone. “All people — no matter who they are, what they believe, or what protected characteristics they have — are welcome in Phillips’ shop and may purchase anything available for sale,” the lawsuit continued. “But as a devout man of faith, Phillips cannot create custom cakes that express messages or celebrate events in conflict with his religious beliefs.” The lawsuit also claimed the U.S. Supreme Court “vindicated” Phillips, stating that the court found commission failed to exercise “religious neutrality” in its decision, which the court said was required by the Colorado Constitution. Phillips claimed in the lawsuit that during the past year he has fielded calls asking for cakes that celebrate “Satan, featuring satanic symbols, depicting sexually explicit materials, and promoting marijuana use. Phillips believes that some of those requests came from the same Colorado lawyer,” an apparent reference to Scardina, the lawsuit stated.Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-42878746912539218012018-08-13T21:39:00.001-07:002018-08-13T21:39:22.512-07:00Costa Rica Supreme Court Rules Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Unconstitutional Giving Authorities 18 Months To Legalize It, 16-Year-Old Male First Minor Prosecuted Under Russia's Anti-Gay Propaganda Laws, Authorities Close Achille Oklahoma School Until At Least Wednesday After Parents Threaten To Hurt 12-Year-Old Transgender Student. Austin Gay Bar Targeted With Fireworks For Second Time This Summer, United States Postal Service Investigates After Employee Allegedly Calls Gay Couple "White Faggots"<a href="http://www.ticotimes.net/2018/08/09/costa-ricas-high-court-same-sex-marriage-should-be-legal-someday"> In Costa Rica, the Supreme Court of Justice released a ruling at midnight Wednesday stating that the prohibition of same sex marriage is unconstitutional – and that the Legislative Assembly has 18 months to overturn it. According to the <i>AFP</i>, the current assembly draws 14 of its 57 members evangelical pastors, and the path to comply with the ruling is most likely an exceedingly arduous one. The decision came seven months after the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that its member countries, including Costa Rica, must grant equal rights to same-sex couples. President Carlos Alvarado, whose support for same sex marriage and the Inter-American Court’s ruling played a significant role in his election, celebrated the decision, but it drew criticism from those who criticized the 18-month delay.</a> “The ruling makes no sense. Basically what it does is prolong [the wait] for the fulfillment of our rights,” attorney Marco Castillo, who wrote one of the suits against the current prohibition of same sex marriage that the Supreme Court considered, told journalists. “It’s a judicial aberration for a state entity to recognize that discrimination exists, and at the same time allow that discrimination to continue for 18 months more,” said LGBTQ activist Margarita Salas. “It think it’s improbable that in 18 months the assembly with resolve this,” said Enrique Sánchez of the Citizen Action Party, who is Costa Rica’s first openly gay legislator.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-gay-propaganda-laws-teenager-lgbt-minor-prosecuted-maxim-neverov-russian-network-a8487766.html"> In Russia, a schoolboy has become the first minor to be prosecuted under Russia’s strict “gay propaganda” laws. Maxim Neverov, a 16-year-old from the city of Biysk, was reportedly fined £50,000 rubles (£580) by a court, according to campaign group the Russian LGBT Network. The organization said a police report filed in July claimed the teenager had posted several images of “partly nude” men on the social network VKontakte. It added the images had been determined to have “the characteristics of propaganda of homosexual relations”, according to an “expert opinion." The Russian LGBT Network, which also provided a lawyer to represent Maxim, said authorities may have pursued charges following the teenager’s involvement in an event called “Gays or Putin."</a> He and other organizers reportedly submitted 12 applications to hold events around Biysk, all of which were rejected by the city. “Maxim Neverov points to the absurdity of the fact that the proceedings for propaganda among minors were initiated against a minor, but he expected such a decision,” the network said in a statement. “Maxim Neverov is 16 years old; he is a schoolchild.” The teenager’s attorney, Artem Lapov, said the decision by the court violated his client’s right to freedom of expression. He said he intended to appeal the decision, claiming Maxim’s friends and supporters were barred from attending the hearing, while the recording of proceedings were also forbidden. Russia’s so-called “gay propaganda” rules were agreed by the State Duma in 2013 and later signed into law by president Vladimir Putin. The stated aim of the laws is to “protect” minors from being exposed to content that presents homosexuality as being a norm in society. Moscow claims the rules uphold “traditional family values” by “preventing children from forming non-traditional sexual predispositions." The laws have received widespread criticism from campaign groups and human rights organizations. Kyle Knight, of Human Rights Watch, said the law was a "flimsy excuse to discriminate against LGBT people." In 2017, the European Court of Human Rights ruled the legislation was discriminatory and restricted the free speech of Russian citizens.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.kxii.com/content/news/Mother-of-transgender-Achille-ISD-7th-grader-shares-struggles-following-threats-490766611.html"> In Oklahoma, several law enforcement agencies have stepped in after parents made threats to harm a 12-year-old Achille ISD student on social media last week. <i>KXII</i> reports 12-year-old Achille ISD transgender student Maddie's mother Brandy Rose says her family moved to Achille from Sherman when Maddie was in 5th grade. "She's been living as female for years she started at Achille as Maddie," Rose said. "We had no problems when we first started." Trouble started when Maddie was accused by another student peeping under a bathroom stall. "My daughter leans very far forward to use the bathroom," Rose explained. "I can understand why someone seeing her lean forward would think, OMG, she's trying to look under." Maddie did not get in trouble, but started using the staff bathroom, and had been doing that for the past two years. That is, until the first day of school Wednesday in the middle school they reopened. "She hadn't been told where the staff bathroom was. Before she was able to be told, she had to pee, so she used the girls bathroom one single time." One parent found out, and took to a private Achille Facebook group to complain. That's where the threats started. Adults called Maddie by "it" and "thing."</a> Some said she should be stabbed or beat up. One even suggested it was open hunting season for transgender people. "That's a threat against her life--that's scary," Rose said. "These are adults making threats-- I don't understand it." Rose said her usually upbeat and positive daughter is afraid for her life. "She's an awesome kid. To see any fear in her,I can't explain how bad that hurts me for them to hurt her." As a precaution, the Bryan County Sheriff suggested closing campus Monday and Tuesday. Superintendent Rick Beene agreed. He said there haven't been any problems with Maddie over the past two years until the adults' comments last week. Beene says he and the school can't control what parents post online. The sheriff said the mother filed a protective order against one parent but no other arrests have been made, however several agencies including the FBI are stepping in to see if any comments constitute a hate crime. A peaceful demonstration in support of the student has been scheduled for Tuesday morning in Achille.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.mystatesman.com/news/local/firework-tossed-austin-gay-bar-shocks-patrons-2nd-time-this-summer/VMCRAljwhYi6bZ68wYeMsM/"> In Texas, a downtown Austin gay bar is beefing up security after someone threw a firework onto its patio for the second time this summer, setting off a cloud of smoke that sent patrons scrambling early Thursday just days before Austin Pride weekend. The <i>Austin American-Statesman</i> reports Steve Rivas said he was at the Iron Bear on West Eighth Street for karaoke night with his husband when, shortly after 1:00 am, he heard a loud, thunderous bang that rattled the bar’s windows. “There was a bright green flash followed by a burst of smoke,” said Rivas, who called 911 to report the incident. He said a firework had been thrown from a moving vehicle onto the patio, where about a dozen people were gathered. “I don’t think people were afraid as much as in shock,” Rivas said. “When a firework is thrown, it is loud. When a firework is thrown on a sidewalk full of people at a gay bar, it is scary.”</a> The Iron Bear co-owner Bengie Beshear said he was in the office when it happened but was told by patrons that the firecracker was thrown from a black or dark-colored car that was stopped at a traffic light. The camera system, however, didn’t record the incident because it faces the front door to the establishment. He said a woman complained that an ember hit her leg but she was okay. “(The firework) landed in an empty spot, and thankfully no one was hurt,” he said. Beshear said this is the second time this has happened. On June 28, after another karaoke night, someone similarly threw a firework onto the patio. Beshear said patrons called the police that time, too, but no one responded. He said he is not sure if the business was targeted because it is a gay bar, but whoever threw the firework did not say anything or yell any slurs. “I am a little more concerned this time because this is the second time this happened,” Beshear said. Austin police confirmed Thursday that officers responded to the bar around 1:00 am. They also said that about 30 to 40 minutes later, another firework was thrown on the south side of the Driskill Hotel, at the corner of Sixth and Brazos streets. None of the officers in the area saw any suspects, police said. With Austin Pride events coming up this weekend and 400,000 people expected to crowd downtown streets for festivities, Beshear has asked police to increase patrols near his bar. He said he plans to install a camera with a street view to ensure patrons are safe. Rivas said he thinks everyone should “be on high alert,” adding, “Someone did this once, they can do it again. It is a cause for everyone to always be alert, and if you see something, say something.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.10tv.com/article/usps-worker-allegedly-calls-gay-men-homophobic-slur"> In Ohio, a United States Postal Service employee in Columbus is accused of calling two gay men a homophobic slur. Michael Coward and his fiance Michael Vaughn were headed to a dinner party, Tuesday night, when Coward went over and grabbed his mail from his mailbox. The USPS driver was delivering mail at the time. When Coward grabbed his mail, he says the worker reacted negatively. He says she was annoyed that he didn't wait until she was finished. "I started arguing with her and she called me a faggot," he said. He says the worker called him a homophobic slur. That's when the argument escalated. "And then she just kept going on and on and on about me and my fiance being white faggot," Coward said. "Yeah, not just faggot," Vaughn said."White faggots." Coward took his phone out and started recording the argument. On the video you never hear the worker call him the slur, but you do hear him confront her and she never denies it. "You've called me a faggot at least 10 times," Coward says on the video. The worker replies "I called you what you are." The men say the USPS worker also took their names off their mailbox, saying they wouldn't get mail again. "You're telling us that you're not going to deliver our mail because we're quote, end quote 'White faggots," Vaughn said. "I don't think that's how that works."</a> The United States Postal Service responded to the allegations, Tuesday evening: “The allegations made against a Postal Service employee are very concerning. These actions – if true – are not consistent with and don’t represent the values of the Postal Service organization and will not be tolerated. You can be assured that this alleged incident is being fully investigated and that the Postal Service will take whatever action is appropriate. Customers may report concerns and complaints to the United States Postal Service by calling 1 800-275-8777." Vaughn and Coward filed a police report, Tuesday evening.Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-54496103950181149922018-08-05T19:48:00.000-07:002018-08-05T19:48:35.859-07:00Toronto Police Investigate Possible Hate Crime After Two Suspects Spray Paint Rainbow Walkway In City's Gay Village With Swastika, Russian Police Detain An Estimated 25 Gay Rights Activists Who Participated In Unauthorized St Petersburg Rally, Following Viral Fundraising Georgetown University Awards Gay Valedictorian Seth Owen Full Scholarship, 19-Year-Old Trevon Godbolt Sentenced For Vicious Attack Against 17-Year-Old Gay Michigan Male<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/police-investigate-after-swastika-found-painted-in-gay-village-in-despicable-hate-crime-1.4775030"> In Ontario, <i>CBC News</i> reports Toronto police are investigating after a swastika was found painted in the city's Gay Village neighbourhood in what's being called a "despicable hate crime." On Friday, police received online reports about the symbol, which was found a day earlier painted on top of a rainbow walkway in the area of Church and Alexander streets. Investigators are looking for two people who "deliberately" tried to conceal their identity, according to a tweet by the force's LGBTQ liaison.</a> The investigation is in its early stages, say police, but anyone with information or surveillance camera footage is asked to contact police at 416-808-5184. In 2017, the number of reported hate crimes in Toronto jumped 28 per cent compared the previous year, accordingt to the Toronto Police Hate Crimes Unit. In all last year, 186 "hate-motivated occurrences" were recorded, with mischief-to-property offences like vandalism and graffiti accounting for much of the spike. For a hate crime charge to be laid in Ontario, the province's attorney general must provide consent. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gay-pride-russia/police-detain-around-25-gay-rights-activists-in-st-petersburg-idUSKBN1KP0EL"> In Russia, police detained around 25 gay rights activists who took part in an unsanctioned rally in St Petersburg on Saturday, according to <i>Reuters</i> witnesses. A few dozen activists gathered at Palace Square on Saturday afternoon, defying a ban to hold the rally. Organizers had said they would stage one-man protests to demand freedom of association after city authorities turned down their request to hold a parade.</a> Police detained campaigners who unfurled rainbow flags or held placards, dragging them into a police bus. There were no clashes between police and the activists. Russia passed a law in 2013 banning the spreading of gay “propaganda." Last month, Russian police briefly detained British LGBT campaigner Peter Tatchell after he protested near the Kremlin in support of gay rights. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/after-fundraiser-goes-viral-georgetown-awards-gay-valedictorian-full-scholarship-n897481"> An update on a previous post: In Florida, Seth Owen, 18, thought his dreams of attending Georgetown University were in jeopardy earlier this year after receiving his financial aid package from the prestigious school. The package had been determined based on the expected contribution of his family, a religious family he said drove him out of his home due to his sexual orientation. “I started to cry, because I realized there was no way that I could go to college,” he said, noting he would have to fork up $20,000 for the first year’s tuition alone. That’s when his former teacher and mentor, Jane Martin, decided to set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for his tuition, hoping to “make the impossible possible." Martin's original goal was to raise $20,000, but Owen’s heart-wrenching story went viral. News outlets across the country reported on Owen’s story, and his fundraising total skyrocketed to nearly $130,000. Then on Friday, <i>NBC News</i> learned that Georgetown had decided to offer Owen a full scholarship.</a> “While the campaign has been ongoing, the professionals at the Office of Student Financial Services have continued to work with me to make my dream a reality,” Owen said in a statement sent to <i>NBC News</i>. “Due to their efforts and attention, they were able to adjust my aid package even further, my expected contribution is now $0. With these new adjustments, I will be able to attend Georgetown University this fall.” Owen said he plans to use the money his GoFundMe page has raised to cover his additional personal expenses while at Georgetown and to create a scholarship fund for other students. “At the moment, I am in process of exploring the establishment of a scholarship to help LGBTQ+ scholars who find themselves in the circumstance I was in earlier this year,” he stated. “I am looking forward to utilizing the resources of Georgetown to help with this effort.” Seth's complete statement is available at the source. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2018/08/teen_headed_to_prison_for_vici.html"> An update on a previous post: In Michigan, if not for the forgiveness of his teenage victim, Trevon Godbolt would be serving more than three years in prison for a "vicious" beating alleged to have been motivated by the victim's sexual orientation. <i>MLive.com</i> reports Muskegon County Circuit Judge Annette Smedley, clearly disturbed by the assault that included forcing the victim to strip naked, said she would have sentenced Godbolt to more than the minimum guideline of 43 months if not for the wishes of the victim and his family. At Godbolt's sentencing Friday, August 3, Smedley also noted that members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community should have "more protection" under state law. The state's ethnic intimidation and hate crime statute does not apply to sexual orientation. Godbolt, 19, was accused of jumping and attacking the victim at Edgewood Elementary School in Muskegon Heights. The attack was video recorded and posted on Facebook. Godbolt also was accused of stealing the 17-year-old victim's cell phone and clothing, forcing the nearly incoherent victim to walk home naked. Godbolt pleaded no contest to unarmed robbery and unlawful imprisonment, which is not an admission of guilt but treated like one at sentencing. "It was a very disturbing video and a vicious attack on this young man," Smedley said. She said if it wasn't for the wishes of the victim and his family, she "probably would not have" set Godbolt's minimum sentence at the bottom of the state guidelines, which are 43 months to 15 years. She gave him credit for 269 days already served. Smedley earlier accepted and then rejected a guilty plea by Godbolt made under an agreement he be sentenced as a juvenile to 24 months, a conviction that would have been expunged from his record. The agreement was made over "strong objections" from the prosecutor and rejected by Smedley when she learned the state guidelines were much higher. Godbolt apologized in court for attacking the victim, who a police report indicated was lured to the school by Godbolt. "I'm truly sorry for what I did to the young man," he said. "I know it was wrong. I just let my anger get the best of me... I apologize to his family for what I have done. I hope they accept my apology. I'd like to tell my mom I love her and miss her and hope to come home soon."</a> Defense attorney Matthew Kacel said Godbolt had seen the video of the assault, and now realizes how "damaging" the attack was. Everyone who watches it is "pretty disturbed by the video," Kacel said. The video shows the 17-year-old being beaten while at least one other person is using a phone to video record. The victim asks his attacker to "please stop," as the suspect identified as Godbolt repeatedly asks, "Why you on this gay s---?" The victim is repeatedly called derogatory terms as he is beaten. At the end he is forced to strip naked and is allowed to run off. Young women can be heard laughing and yelling "catch him." Two minor girls were charged in juvenile court with unarmed robbery and unlawful posting of a message/video. Court records indicate they have been placed on 90 days probation and ordered to perform community service and attend school without tardies or unexcused absences in return for them admitting to the unlawful posting charge and writing a letter of apology to the victim. The unarmed robbery charge was dropped. Police were called after witnesses saw the victim walking naked down Summit Avenue in Muskegon Heights at 8:20 pm on November 4, 2017, the Muskegon Heights police report shows. The bloodied victim, located by police at his home, was described by an officer as "lethargic," complaining of chest pain and barely able to speak. During a later police interview, the victim explained that he had posted "Link" on Facebook, which essentially is a request for a meet-up. He said Godbolt, who he knew as Trevon Taylor (his mother's last name), responded to the Facebook post, saying he wanted to hang out and to meet him at Edgewood school, according to the police report. The victim told police he had known Godbolt when they lived near each other, but hadn't spoken with him for about two years, the report states. "(The victim) advised Trevon would come to his residence and try to have (the victim) do sexual acts on him," the police report says. During the assault, Godbolt accused the victim of "catfishing" him, the report states. Catfishing is a term that refers to a person who pretends to be someone different on online social sites to lure an individual into a romantic relationship.<br />
Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-55751204482641345482018-08-03T18:07:00.001-07:002018-08-03T18:07:46.793-07:00Accused Of Allegedly Murdering 19-Year-Old Blaze Bernstein Because He Was Gay 21-Year-Old Samuel Woodward Now Faces Hate Crime Enhancement, North Carolina Parade Closes Alleging Members Were Subject To Death Threats After Holiday Caravan Denied Gay Rights Group's Entry, Illinois Republican State Representative Nick Sauer Resigns After Allegations He Used Nude Photos Of Ex-Girlfirend To Trick Other Men Online, Sonoma District Attorney Reinstates Hate Crime Charge Against 55-Yer-Old Man Convicted In July Of Stealing Gay Pride Flag From Guerneville Town Plaza<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2018/08/02/samuel-woodward-will-face-a-hate-crime-enhancement-in-the-blaze-bernstein-murder-case/"> In California, Samuel Lincoln Woodward, already charged with the murder of his former high school classmate Blaze Bernstein, will now face a hate-crime enhancement as well. That means Woodward, if convicted, could spend his life in prison without the possibility of parole. “We will prove that Woodward killed Blaze because Blaze was gay,” Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said during a Thursday news conference at his Santa Ana office announcing the enhancement. The enhancement, filed Thursday, arose from evidence discovered since Woodward’s initial arrest in his cellphone, laptop and social-media accounts that the district attorney described as revealing “the dark side of Woodward’s thoughts and intentions.” That included a “large number of texts and images” that Rackauckas described as “graphic and chilling” and “spewing hate toward almost every protected group," adding, “They could be described as racist, homophobic, anti-semitic, misogynistic and anti-government." Bernstein’s father, Gideon, said the “truth of what happened to our son” is becoming more apparent as evidence is analyzed. “Today we suffer an added layer of pain for learning he was killed for who he was as a human being,” Gideon Bernstein said.</a> Woodward, 21, is accused of stabbing to death Bernstein, whose body was found in a shallow grave at Borrego Park in Lake Forest early this year. Woodward and Bernstein were classmates at the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana. Bernstein was home from college on winter break when he died. Prosecutors allege that Woodward picked up Bernstein from his parent’s Lake Forest home around 11:00 pm on January 2, driving him to a shopping center in Foothill Ranch and then to Borrego Park. According to an affidavit filed by detectives, Woodward told investigators that he and Bernstein met up that night to catch up, and that Bernstein kissed him on the lips while the two were sitting in a parked car. Woodward told the investigators that he pushed Bernstein away, and that Bernstein exited the car and walked alone into the park. Prosecutors allege that Woodward stabbed Bernstein to death and then buried his body in the dirt. A day after their son went out, Bernstein’s parents reported him missing. Six days later, his body was discovered. And on January 12, at his Newport Beach home, Woodward was arrested. Woodward has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. Prior to the hate-crime enhancement, Woodward was facing 26 years to life in prison if convicted. To prove the hate-crime allegation, the prosecutors must get the jurors to decide that Woodward committed the killing at least in part because of Bernstein’s sexual orientation. If prosecutors argue that there were multiple reasons Woodward is believed to have killed Bernstein, then sexual orientation must be a substantial factor. State law does not allow prosecutors to consider a killing motivated by sexual orientation as a special-circumstances murder, a distinction that means Woodward, as currently charged, is not eligible for the death penalty. Rackauckas said the evidence now available to prosecutors does not support charging Woodward with a sentencing enhancement alleging the killing was driven by Bernstein’s religion; he was Jewish. Woodward was reportedly a member of the Atomwaffen Division, an armed fascist organization. According to the Anti-Defamation League, the Atomwaffen Division is a “small neo-Nazi group whose members see themselves as soldiers preparing for an impending race war,” Jonathan A. Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League in a statement following the DA’s announcement, adding, “This case is a stark reminder of how white-supremacist organizations sweep up young recruits into their violent and hateful culture, with potentially deadly consequences.” Bernstein’s parents have started a group called Blaze It Forward in their son’s memory. “We live in a world where hate is real, and the people who practice it can be hiding in your child’s bedroom, through their computer,” said Jeanne Pepper Bernstein, Blaze Bernstein’s mother, during the news conference.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article215938850.html"> In North Carolina, a holiday parade has shut down, blaming hate mail and threats of protests after the parade denied a gay rights group’s float entry last year. The Holiday Caravan Parade has been a 58-year tradition around Thanksgiving in the town of Spencer and neighboring city of Salisbury. Last November, the leader of a Rowan County gay rights group accused parade organizers of discrimination after a float she and supporters were to ride on was banned from participating, the <i>Charlotte Observer</i> reported at the time. Parade organizers said the float’s sponsor, AVITA Pharmacy, violated its rules by letting a separate group advertise its message with “signage, apparel, fliers” that were not approved beforehand, the <i>Observer</i> reported. That group was Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, which includes parents of LGBTQ children. Donna Brown Odrosky, president of the group’s Salisbury-Rowan chapter, told the <i>Observer</i> at the time that the parade’s organizers objected to her members’ attire: rainbow-colored Mardi Gras beads, rainbow designs on their hats and black PFLAG shirts. Avita, whose customers include HIV patients and which has sponsored PFLAG and Salisbury Pride events, invited Odrosky and three other PFLAG members to join its float after some planned Avita riders indicated they couldn’t make the parade, Odrosky told the <i>Observer</i>. A statement on the parade’s website this week said that “since last year’s parade the all volunteer board members have received hate mail, e-mails, and threats to protest the 2018 parade to not only their personal e-mail addresses, home addresses, social media but also to their place of employment," and that, “These board members have dedicated their entire lives and heart to this event each and every year, some of them for over 30 and 40 years!”</a> The parade committee removed other floats in years past “due to non-compliance” with parade policies, according to the statement. Social media reacted mostly with anger, sadness or outrage over the parade’s cancellation. “I am so sad to see this tradition for my family come to an end,” Tonya Hull posted. “I have taken my children to watch this every year.” Susan Bittner Nation-Doyle posted, “This. Pisses. Me. Off. Why in the world is there so much hate in the world. This is something that so many looked forward too. Sad, just sad.” Others said they were glad the parade was closing. “If they can pull a pharmacy float due to supporting PFLAG (they had a rainbow flag), then discriminatory parades should end,” posted Chip Palmer. In a statement to the <i>Observer</i> and other media on Wednesday, Odrosky said she, too, was disappointed by the parade committee’s decision to end the parade. “Since the incident in November 2017, PFLAG has asked for, and welcomed a dialogue with the Holiday Caravan board, to no avail,” Odrosky said. “It has always been our vision at Salisbury Rowan PFLAG to have “a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected and affirmed inclusive of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression,” she said. “...We look forward to working with a future parade committee whose mission and vision more closely aligns with PFLAG, the cities of Salisbury and Spencer, and event sponsors.” On Facebook, Avita Pharmacy said on Wednesday that it “is deeply saddened to see this community become so divided through this situation. We would love to see the Holiday Caravan parade carry on its long tradition of fun and celebration for the families of Salisbury and to do so in a manner that is welcoming and inclusive of all groups who represent the beautiful and diverse community of Salisbury. “We empathize also with the citizens of Salisbury in their disappointment over this decision by the Holiday Caravan board members and urge Holiday Caravan to reconsider its decision to cancel this long-held and valuable community tradition,” Avita posted<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-illinois-house-representative-sauer-allegations-20180801-story.html"> In Illinois, Republican state lawmaker tasked with helping find ways to prevent sexual harassment stepped down Wednesday following a report of accusations he sent nude photos of an ex-girlfriend to other men online. State Representative Nick Sauer’s resignation came several hours after Politico published a report about the allegations, which reportedly were detailed in complaints filed with the Chicago Police Department and the state legislative inspector general. In a resignation letter, the Lake Barrington lawmaker wrote that he decided to step down “as a result of the allegations” by “a former girlfriend” but did not address them further beyond calling them “a distraction,” adding, “After speaking with my family, I feel it best to step away from my public responsibilities." Sauer could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Inspector General Julie Porter said she was “not able to talk about current investigations, including whether or not a complaint has been filed.” The matter, though, quickly became political fodder. Republican Governor Bruce Rauner said Sauer’s departure was “the right thing to do” but said his political nemesis Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan has fostered a culture of abuse at the Capitol. Sauer, who was appointed by Rauner to the Illinois Tollway board in 2015, is the first GOP lawmaker to be accused of inappropriate behavior amid a recent string of allegations against Democrats that have felled several top Madigan aides. “There’s no culture that I’ve created,” Rauner said at an unrelated event Wednesday when asked about his past support for Sauer. “Madigan, in the legislature, has created a culture of abuse. People all around him have had to resign because they’ve been caught.” Madigan chief of staff Jessica Basham said in a statement that the speaker “remains committed and focused on creating a positive culture and safe workplace, free from harassment of any kind.” Basham replaced Madigan’s longtime chief of staff Tim Mapes after he resigned this summer. A House employee said she endured years of harassment by Mapes, who also served as executive director of the Democratic Party of Illinois. Sauer is a first-term lawmaker who had not withdrawn his re-election candidacy as of late Wednesday, according to the State Board of Elections. He was a member of the House Sexual Discrimination and Harassment Task Force that Madigan formed late last year after several dozen women who work in and around Illinois government and politics signed on to an open letter outlining rampant sexual harassment at the Capitol and on the campaign trail. House Republican leader Jim Durkin called the allegations against Sauer “troubling,” saying “we should allow the proper authorities to conduct their investigations.” State Senator Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) said Sauer “made the right decision to resign his seat” following the “abhorrent” allegations. “Harassment in any form is unacceptable and I applaud the victim in this case for having the courage to come forward and share her story,” McConchie said. “It is incumbent upon all elected officials to hold themselves to the highest ethical standard and to ensure their government provides a harassment-free environment for all.” Senator Melinda Bush, a Grayslake Democrat who co-chairs the Senate’s Sexual Discrimination and Harassment Awareness and Prevention Task Force, said in a statement said she thought Sauer’s alleged actions violated the state’s “revenge porn” law. That law states that it is a felony to post sexually explicit videos and photos of another person online without his or her permission. According to <i>Politico,</i> the accuser said she and Sauer met on a dating app and began a long-distance relationship. She moved to Chicago in 2017, but they broke up in March 2018 after she found out he was seeing other women. She said she later discovered an Instagram account with nude photos of her and said Sauer had been using the photos in conversations with other men. She contacted the department through the city’s 311 center on July 12 to say she was told by someone about a “fraudulent Instagram account” containing “provocative and/or sexually explicit photographs” of her, according to police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi. The accuser told police she once shared those photographs privately with an ex-boyfriend, Guglielmi said, but she did not name the man in her report. A little more than a week later, the detective division picked up the case, Guglielmi said, but he did not say whether it has obtained the photos. Contacted by the <i>Tribun</i>e on Wednesday, the woman said she stood by what <i>Politico</i> reported but was taking time to decide whether to talk further.</a> The allegations against Sauer are the latest to cast questions on lawmakers and aides as the #MeToo movement seeks to highlight harassment and gender inequality and discrimination in industries across the nation. In October, victim rights advocate Denise Rotheimer accused Democratic state Sen. Ira Silverstein of using her advocacy for a crime victim rights bill as an opening to pursue a personal relationship. The inspector general concluded that Silverstein had acted in a way that was unbecoming of a lawmaker but said the case did not rise to the level of sexual harassment. He lost his primary election in March. In February, the <i>Chicago Tribune</i> disclosed sexual harassment allegations from Alaina Hampton, who was working on Democratic House campaigns and had received aggressive and inappropriate text messages from Kevin Quinn, a top aide in Speaker Madigan's political organization. Madigan then ousted Quinn, the brother of Ald. Marty Quinn, the point man in the speaker's 13th Ward. Days later, Shaw Decremer — a lobbyist, former Madigan staffer and top campaign worker — departed over what one lawmaker labeled abusive actions during House Democratic campaigns. While Rauner has tried to seize on the issue in an effort to oust Madigan, it has sometimes proved politically tricky. In her accusations against Mapes, House employee Sherri Garrett said he brushed aside complaints about harassment by lawmakers, including former Democratic Representative Ken Dunkin of Chicago. Rauner appointed Dunkin, a former ally, to a $70,000-per-year job on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District in May. The governor has since called on Dunkin to step down, which he has refused to do.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.sonomawest.com/sonoma_west_times_and_news/news/hate-crime-charges-reinstated-in-plaza-gay-pride-flag-theft/article_d1412424-95a7-11e8-8fb3-6fa8ce95bf5b.html"> In California, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s office has reinstated a hate crime charge against the Guerneville transient convicted last month for stealing a gay pride flag from the flagpole in the Guerneville town plaza. Vincent O’Sullivan, 55, will be back in court August 29 to face charges that he threatened LGBT individuals in Guerneville during a confrontation with a Starbucks employee at the Guerneville Safeway. According to the <i>Sonoma West Times & News</i>, O’Sullivan called the worker “a faggot” and threatened to bomb “all the gay people in Guerneville,” according to court records. O’Sullivan is now facing charges of violating state penal code section 422(a) that states: “Any person who willfully threatens to commit a crime which will result in death or great bodily injury to another person, with the specific intent that the statement … is to be taken as a threat, even if there is no intent of actually carrying it out.” O’Sullivan was arrested in May on felony charges of making a hate-crime threat involving bomb violence, and a misdemeanor charge of petty theft. A visiting judge dropped the felony accusation owing to insufficient evidence. O’Sullivan had not been found in possession of any bomb, said a sheriff’s office spokesperson. The Sonoma County District Attorney’s office in June successfully petitioned a different judge to reinstate charges that O’Sullivan made a terrorist threat that constituted a hate crime. If convicted on the new charges O’Sullivan could face fines and up to three years in state prison. The re-filed hate-crime charge follows O’Sullivan’s July 20 conviction on a misdemeanor charge of stealing a rainbow pride flag from the Guerneville plaza flagpole. His sentence included three years probation, 100 hours of community service and a court order to stay away from the plaza. An accomplice in the flag theft, Michael Campos, 35, of Guerneville, pleaded no contest and was sentenced to three years probation and 80 hours of community service, according to court records. Campos remained in custody at Sonoma County Jail this week on separate charges. The charges against O’Sullivan and Campos resulted from a theft recorded on a plaza surveillance video in the early morning hours of May 9. Surveillance footage from the Smart Pizza parlor on the plaza showed Campos and O’Sullivan loitering around the plaza, inspecting the flag pole and looking at the surveillance cameras, said a Sonoma County District Attorney’s office media statement of the O’Sullivan and Campos sentencing. “Eventually, Michael Campos used a napkin/rag to cover the surveillance camera during which time Vincent O'Sullivan removed the pride flag from the pole,” said the D.A.’s statement.</a> O'Sullivan and Campos were subsequently seen in the surveillance footage “working together to adjust the collars on the flag pole before leaving the area.” The pride flag was never recovered. Superior Court Commissioner Mark Urioste, who sentenced O’Sullivan, “admonished O’Sullivan regarding his conduct and reiterated although he has every right to feel a particular way about the pride flag he does not have a right to steal with impunity,” said the D.A.’s media statement. “Commissioner Urioste further commented the theft was not done for the monetary value of the flag but was rather committed in order to silence the members of the LGBTQ community and limit their First Amendment rights.” O’Sullivan’s conduct was “reprehensible and will not be tolerated,” said Urioste. “We agree with the court’s remarks regarding the theft of a flag that is a symbol to many,” said Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch. “The act reflects an intolerance that is not characteristic of this community, and the thieves were properly brought to justice.” Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-73175164625235082152018-07-31T22:09:00.000-07:002018-07-31T22:09:17.632-07:00New Brunswick Town Has Had Its Rainbow Crosswalk Vandalized Six Times Since May But Community Continues To Repaint And Support LGBT Residents, Cuba's New Constitution Appears To Prepare Path For Legalizing Same Sex Marriage, Nashville Police Arrest Georgia Man Wool Allegedly Robbed Man Using Gay Dating App, Republican Candidate For Missouri House Seat Believes Homosexuality "Lifestyle" Kills At Higher Rate That Smoking, Alaska Airlines Tries Unsuccessfully To Apologize After Flight Attendant Orders Gay Couple Move From Their Seats So Opposite Sex Couple Could Sit Together, Air Force Football Player Bradley Kim Becomes First Openly-Gay Athlete In Military Academies, Rejected By Southern Baptist Parents Gay Valedictorian Seth Owen Set To Attend Georgetown University After Donors Raise Over $50,000<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/miramichi-pride-crosswalk-rainbow-defaced-st-antoine-1.4224565"> In New Brunswick, <i>CBC News</i> reports Melanie Maltby Ingersoll has helped restore a defaced rainbow crosswalk in Miramichi six times — not three — since it was first painted in May. The teacher at Miramichi Valley High School and co-ordinator of the school's Gender Sexuality Alliance Club, said most people in the area would only know about three acts of vandalism because the club didn't want to give the perpetrators too much publicity. But it keeps happening, so Maltby Ingersoll decided to speak out. The longest time nothing happened to the city's pride symbol in front of City Hall was a two-week stretch in June. "It started out with burnouts and skid marks, then white paint and now, this is the worst yet," she said. Late Sunday or early Monday, a phallic symbol was spray-painted on the crosswalk, along with some black scribbles. But that's not the worst, Maltby Ingersoll said. Earlier, the club painted another crosswalk behind the school in May, as a practice. That one was defaced twice, the last time with vulgar messages and images, she said. Maltby Ingersoll said the school has since obtained video footage of two of the vandals, which it will forward to police. "I don't feel I can be silent about it either," she said. "I feel so hurt by it, for the LGBTQ community." On Friday, the sidewalk in front of City Hall will be repainted by the school club, members of the Kinsmen, the community's two high school football teams and the mayor. Maltby Ingersoll said council, the Kinsmen and local firefighters helped with repainting in the past. The Kinsmen also bought the paint. Miramichi Mayor Adam Lordon said each time the rainbow was defaced and repainted, more people came out in support. "Miramichi responds to these actions en masse with positivity and signs that they don't accept these actions as a community," he said.</a> The city will celebrate its sixth Pride Festival this weekend and decided to kick it off by repainting the crosswalk on Friday afternoon, followed by raising the pride flag, he said. "We as a community, as an LGBTQ community, need to ensure that we keep pushing to ensure not just equal rights under the law, but to allow people to understand that people in the LGBTQ community are part of our city here in Miramichi, and they are part of communities across the country," Lordon said. "And are a wonderful, vibrant part of those communities." He hopes the vandals will "get the message," but said if the vandalism continues, the community will respond. Council may consider adding more cameras to supervise the area, he said. Recently, crosswalks in Woodstock and Rogersville were also defaced, but it hasn't stopped communities from painting them. Ricky Gautreau, mayor of Saint-Antoine, a small community north of Moncton, said members of council painted the stripes on the road near the village post office on Thursday morning. Gautreau said he's not concerned about vandalism. "And if there is, we will fix it," he said. Gautreau said the village is participating in a rainbow crosswalk challenge that started in Cap-Pelé a few weeks ago. Several other communities in the area have since painted crosswalks, among them Shediac, Bouctouche and Saint-Louis-de-Kent. Gautreau said village council unanimously approved the decision to paint the crosswalk, and the residents are supportive. Almost everyone in the village, including himself, knows someone who is a member of the LGBTQ community, he said. "What I think and what we think we are demonstrating is openness and support to our people that live in Saint-Antoine," he said. "And today we are in 2017. We are telling them that they are welcome in our village."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cuba-assembly-gaymarriage/cubas-draft-constitution-opens-path-to-gay-marriage-idUSKBN1KB0P6"> In Cuba, <i>Reuters</i> reports the draft of the country’s new constitution opens the path to same sex marriage, a government official said on Saturday, July 21, which would make the country that once persecuted homosexuals an unlikely leader in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights. In the early years of Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution, many homosexuals were sent to correctional labor camps, part of an institutionalized homophobia for which Castro later apologized. Yet Communist-run Cuba has made great strides over the past decade on LGBT rights, approving sex-change operations and banning workplace discrimination, partly thanks to the high-profile advocacy of Castro’s niece Mariela Castro. Proposals to recognize same sex unions had stalled in view of the slow legislative process and lingering stigma in the macho society. That will start to change with the new constitution that will replace Cuba’s 1976 Soviet-era Magna Carta, the secretary of the council of state, Homero Acosta, told lawmakers on Saturday. The draft, elaborated by a commission headed by former President Raul Castro - Mariela Castro’s father - defines matrimony as between two individuals rather than between a man and a woman, he said. “The possibility of marriage between two people strengthens our project’s principles of equality and justice,” Acosta told lawmakers, adding that further legal changes would be needed to allow for gay marriage.</a> The move reflects a trend in Latin America where same sex couples have been allowed to marry in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay and some parts of Mexico in recent years, despite church opposition. The battle has not yet been won however, Cuban LGBT rights activist Isbel Diaz Torres cautioned on social media. While the national assembly is expected to approve the draft constitution this weekend, it will then be submitted to a popular consultation, and final draft will be put to a national referendum. “We will continue in the streets until the final process of the constitutional reform,” said Diaz Torres. “And after the constitutional modification has been approved, we must ensure that same sex marriage is approved.” Grassroots campaigns for and against gay marriage have made it the most broadly debated proposed constitutional modification. Five evangelical denominations shared a statement on social media last month declaring marriage “exclusively the union of a man and a woman, according to the Bible.” Churches also plastered neighborhoods with anti gay marriage posters such as one reading “I am in favor of the original design - the family as God created it,” showing a heterosexual couple with a boy and a girl. LGBT rights activists fought back with their own posters such as one reading “I am in favor of Cuban design - a very original family,” showing a panoply of different family configurations including same sex unions.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2018/07/30/nashville-police-man-used-gay-dating-jackd-app-meet-and-rob-man/862290002/"> In Tennessee, Metro police on Sunday arrested a 28-year-old Georgia man who they say used a gay dating app to meet and rob another man in Nashville over the weekend. Desmond S. Clements, who has a lengthy criminal background and lives in Atlanta, is charged with robbery, criminal impersonation and vandalism following the weekend incident and, as of Monday, was being jailed in Nashville on $11,500 bond. According to an arrest affidavit, Clements met the man on Jack'd, a dating app for gay men, and arranged for him to come to the home where he was staying. When the man arrived, the affidavit states, Clements demanded $100 from him causing the man fear. When the man told Clements he didn't have the money, Clements jumped into the man's car and "honked the horn repeatedly stating he had friends with guns inside."</a> He then drove the man to an ATM at a liquor store in the 800 block of Main Street in East Nashville and when the man got out of his car, the affidavit continues, Clements told him to hurry up and that the longer he took the more damage he would do to his car. Clements then reportedly keyed the man's car. At some point, the man went to the ATM and told a witness he was being robbed. The witness called police, officers arrived and arrested Clements. According to the affidavit, while being transported to jail, Clements began to laugh and said "you don't even have the real me, because that isn't me." He then gave police his real name, and the officer soon learned the man had an outstanding warrant out of Georgia. It was not immediately known what charge Clements was wanted on.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/anti-gay-views-of-missouri-statehouse-candidate-cause-stir-in/article_15c2f298-5555-57ed-bf84-2328f7322a2c.html"> In Missouri, the <i>St. Louis Post-Dispatch</i> reports Hardy Billington does not like homosexuality. A blurb promoting his 2006 book called legalizing same sex marriage an “outrage.” He has asserted that homosexual “lifestyles” kill people at a higher rate than smoking tobacco. In 2012, Billington bought a newspaper ad in support of an effort to ban the mention of homosexuality in public schools. Now, Billington, 65, is running to represent Poplar Bluff in the Missouri House. If Billington wins in November, no one will be surprised. Four-fifths of the voters in Butler County cast ballots for Donald Trump. No Republicans are challenging Billington, a longtime local GOP politico. He has a towering cash advantage over his apparent Democratic opponent, Robert L. Smith, a former circuit judge and assistant prosecutor in Butler County. Smith, 68, said he signed up to run because he could not let Billington win office unopposed. The winner in November will replace House Speaker Todd Richardson (R-Poplar Bluff) who is term-limited. “I’ve known Hardy for 30 years, and I knew he had published those ads,” Smith said. “I don’t think it’s right to discriminate against people because of who they are.” It is unclear if opposition to Billington’s views will register in this deep-red district. But evolving public opinion on gay rights could nonetheless keep him out of the mainstream in the Missouri Legislature as younger voters fill the electorate. “I don’t believe someone with such hateful and ignorant views should be an elected official,” said Brett Keele, 17, a volunteer for local Democrats. One recent Facebook post critical of Billington had been shared almost 100 times as of Friday. Billington did not return multiple calls for this article. “He’s not afraid to let anybody know that that’s his position, his personal conviction,” said Thomas W. GrahamJr., Billington’s campaign treasurer. “That doesn’t mean that he has any animosity towards somebody that doesn’t hold that conviction.” In May 2012, Billington took out an advertisement in the <i>Daily American Republic</i>, Poplar Bluff’s local newspaper. In it, he advocated for the passage of House Bill 2051, the “Don’t Say Gay” measure Missouri legislators were considering at the time. The 37-word bill would have banned the mention of sexual orientation in public school classrooms except in scientific contexts. “We are encouraging and affirming individuals into the ‘gay’ lifestyle,” Billington wrote. “If you truly love someone, you would steer them away from self-destructive behaviors, shouldn’t you? Homosexuals need our tough love, not blind love.” He also said that “study after study” showed that homosexuality can take up to 30 years off of someone’s life, “yet nobody seems to care.” Dr. Fred Rottnek, director of community medicine at the St. Louis University School of Medicine, called that claim “pretty spurious.” In 2012, when a Virginia U.S. Senate candidate said homosexuality “cuts your life by about 20 years,” the fact-checking news outlet <i>Politifact</i> rated the claim “false.”</a> <i>Politifact</i> said Virginia Delegate Bob Marshall used an outdated study to back up his claims. The 1997 study, published in the <i>International Journal of Epidemeology</i>, studied gay and bisexual men in Vancouver between 1987 and 1992. Researchers found that at the time, the life expectancy of a 20-year-old gay or bisexual male was eight to 21 years less than all males in that city. Researchers have said advancements in treatment and public health mean deaths due to HIV have fallen precipitously since the 1990s. And though Marshall said gay men face other increased health risks — including suicide and certain cancers — Politifact said none of the studies Marshall cited “focused on the life expectancy of homosexuals, and they certainly didn’t conclude that gays die about 20 years earlier than heterosexuals.” Representative Greg Razer, an openly gay Kansas City Democrat who grew up in the southeast Missouri town of Cooter, said, “What might take years off of peoples’ lives are young people growing up in communities where they hear this (rhetoric) spouted from people of authority. Those teenagers then commit suicide, that’s how years come off your life.” Gay rights have been a potent political issue in Missouri for years. In 2004, 70 percent of Missouri voters embedded a ban on same sex marriage in the state constitution. Public opinion is shifting, however. The Pew Research Center last year said a record 62 percent of Americans supported same sex marriage, which the U.S. Supreme Court legalized nationwide three summers ago. The polling also showed differences between generations, with 74 percent of millenials favoring same-sex marriage compared to 56 percent of baby boomers and 41 percent of the silent generation, those born between 1928 and 1945. For the first time, Republicans polled split evenly on the issue. Forty-seven percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters supported same sex marriage, while 48 percent of that subset opposed same sex marriage. Representative Kevin Engler (R-Farmington) began serving in the Legislature in 2003, and he said he has seen generational turnover and a cultural shift within the Capitol’s halls. “There’s still a lot of people (in the Legislature) that don’t want to recognize the rights of the LGBT community,” Engler said, but, he said there is a popular view, especially by younger lawmakers, that “someone should not be able to be fired strictly because of their sexual orientation.” Despite years of effort to the contrary, that is legal in Missouri. Rep. Tom Hannegan, an openly gay Republican from St. Charles, said that members of his own party have said some “not-so-good things” about homosexuality since he took office last year. “It’s unfortunate that people have these views,” Hannegan said, “and all I can do is offer a different perspective.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/alaska-airlines-accused-separating-gay-couple-heterosexual-couple/story?id=56937856"> <i>ABC News</i> reports that Alaska Airlines apologized on Tuesday after a customer says a flight attendant discriminated against him and his partner. David Cooley, an owner of the popular Los Angeles bar, The Abbey, said he was seated in his assigned seat ahead of a Sunday departure from New York to LA alongside his companion when a flight attendant asked his partner to move "so a couple could sit together." Cooley wrote on Facebook that despite explaining that they too are a couple, the flight attendant ordered him to move seats or get off the flight. "We could not bear the feeling of humiliation for an entire cross-country flight and left the plane," he wrote.</a> Cooley and his partner arranged another flight to Los Angeles. Alaska Airlines provided a statement to <i>ABC News</i>, claiming the incident was "caused by a seating mix-up," the statement adding, "It's our policy to keep all families seated together whenever possible," the statement read. "That didn’t happen here. We are deeply sorry for the situation and did not intend to make Mr. Cooley and his partner feel uncomfortable in any way. All of us at Alaska value inclusion for our guests and each other. Full LGBTQ equality is part of the fabric of Alaska Airlines. We are an airline for everyone and reflect these values through our work with dozens of nonprofit LGBTQ organizations, and our efforts toward achieving a perfect score in HRC’s Equality Index. We’ll keep building on this commitment with our LGBTQ employee group, GLOBE.” Alaska Airlines spokesperson Ann Johnson would not answer questions from <i>ABC News</i>, including if the flight attendant understood that Cooley and his partner are a couple.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://gazette.com/sports/air-force-football-player-bradley-kim-comes-out-as-gay/article_f7690f9c-91ea-11e8-9bd8-9bebaf1bb735.html"> In Colorado, Air Force defensive back Bradley Kim became a trailblazer for service academy athletics on Friday. And it had nothing to do with football. Through Instagram, in person to teammates and in an article in <i>OutSports</i>, the sophomore announced that he is gay. “I did not think this day would ever come, but I’ve finally reached the point where I am comfortable and confident enough with myself to say that I am gay,” Kim said on social media. While an increasing number of athletes have felt comfortable similarly going public with their sexuality, it is a rarity among football players and it had yet to happen for an active player at Air Force, Army or Navy. It was seven years ago that “don’t ask, don’t tell” was repealed and gays, bisexuals, and lesbians were allowed to openly serve in the military. Citing the football team’s media policy, Kim declined an interview request from the <i>Gazette</i>. “I hope that I can serve as an example to those who are allowing their fear of acceptance to change who they are,” Kim wrote on Instagram. “I almost gave up my dream of playing division 1 football for fear of not being accepted by everyone, but today I am happy to say that I am a cadet at the Air Force Academy playing the sport I love with amazing people standing behind me and supporting me. If anyone feels like they don’t have a voice or feel like they are alone, just know there are plenty of people out there like you and me, and more that are willing to talk to you about it. God bless all and thank you to everyone who has made me feel comfortable to live my most genuine life.”</a> The article from <i>OutSports</i> said the sophomore received a standing ovation from fellow defensive backs Friday morning when he told them. Support for Kim has poured in from teammates on social media. “I can’t imagine the amount of courage it took for him to open up about this,” teammate Demani Hansford said. “Love you bro! Always be yourself!” added Tre Bugg. “Love you brother, so damn proud of you!” James Jones IV said. Air Force public affairs responded to the <i>Gazette</i> with the following statement: “The academy strives to foster a culture where everyone gives and receives dignity and respect so that each individual has the opportunity to fulfill their potential.” In his social media announcement, the Seattle native referenced Jeremiah 29:11, adding “God made me this way for a reason.“ Kim — whose brother, Mitchell, played soccer and graduated from the Air Force Academy — added that," I’ve spent too many years worrying what other people will think and letting it affect what I do in my daily life. And I’m kind of done with that. It doesn’t affect my ability to play football. It doesn’t affect my ability to serve my country. No one cares here. We all go through the same thing, we all go through basic training. What we go through going through the academy goes way deeper than worrying about what someone will think.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.wxxv25.com/2018/07/31/rejected-by-parents-gay-valedictorian-is-going-to-college-with-50k-from-donors/"> In Florida, Seth Owen, 18, said attending college has always been his “life goal,” one he has been working on diligently since elementary school. “I was the nerd in fifth grade who walked around recess talking about how I wanted to be an astronaut,” Owen told <i>NBC News</i>. “I was always in a textbook, always in the library, always reading something.” With a 4.16 GPA and an acceptance letter from Georgetown University, it seemed like the high school valedictorian’s dream would become a reality. But when he received his financial aid package from the prestigious school, a different reality set in: The financial aid package had been determined based on the expected contribution of his family, a family he said drove him out of his home due to his sexuality. “I started to cry, because I realized there was no way that I could go to college,” he said. “Georgetown was my only option, because I had already denied my other acceptances.” With Georgetown refusing to amend his financial aid package and $20,000 needed for his first year’s tuition, the Florida teen thought his situation was hopeless. But then his former biology teacher stepped in. “Seth was just a kid that really stood out to me,” the teacher, Jane Martin, told <i>NBC News</i>. “He was super ambitious and was always trying to go above and beyond to make sure he could be as successful as possible.” Martin set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for Owen’s tuition, hoping to “make the impossible possible,” and she succeeded. As of Tuesday afternoon, the fundraising page raised over $50,000 — more than double its initial $20,000 goal. Trouble at home began for Owen during his sophomore year of high school, when his Southern Baptist parents discovered he was gay. “I was writing a paper, and my dad decided to check my phone late in the evening,” Owen recalled. “He found a damning photograph of me and another guy. Nothing inappropriate, but it clearly indicated that I was gay.” Owen said his dad informed his mother of the discovery, and the two questioned him about his sexuality until 4:30 am. “Soon after, they sent me to a Christian counselor,” he said. “It was clear that their intent was for me to walk out of therapy straight,” adding, “It was not like a conversion camp, but it was definitely awkward conversion therapy where they tried encouraging stereotypical masculine tasks and things like that." He said he participated in the Christian therapy program for a “few months” before eventually convincing his parents to let him stop. Conversion therapy, also known as “reparative therapy” or “ex-gay therapy,” aims to change one’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Despite widespread opposition from health associations, like the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, approximately 700,000 LGBTQ Americans between the ages of 18 and 59 have been subjected to this practice at some point in their lives, according to a 2018 report from UCLA’s Williams Institute. The report also estimates tens of thousands of LGBTQ youth currently between the ages of 13 and 17 will undergo “gay conversion therapy” before they turn 18. On February 11, two-thirds of the way through his senior year, Owen said he left his parents’ home for his own well-being. “I started bringing up my disagreements with the church that they attend. I mean, there was just incident after incident,” Owen said. “They talked very negatively about the LGBTQ+ community. They said that gay people would not serve in the church. Then they were talking about transgender people as though they weren’t human, and that really, really bothered me.” Owens said he tried to convince his parents to let him attend a different church, but they refused. They then gave him an ultimatum: attend their church or move out. “The worst part was I was packing my bags, and I was walking out the door, and I was hoping that my mom would stand in my way. I was hoping that she would say ‘I love my child more than I love my religion.’” Just a few weeks after leaving his parents’ home — when he was sleeping on friends’ couches and thought things couldn’t get any worse — Owen received his financial aid package and tuition total from Georgetown. “I was just devastated once again,” he said of realizing his college dream was in jeopardy.</a> When Jane Martin, who taught Owen freshman biology and served as his mentor throughout high school, found out about his situation, she met with other teachers and students to figure out a way they could help him. “We know that he’s not the type of person to always say, ‘I need help.’ He tries to be very solution-oriented and deal with things on his own,” Martin said about Owen. “We just got to the point where we came together and said, ‘This is something where we need to take the lead, and make sure that he gets what he needs” Martin set up a fundraising page for Owen’s tuition on GoFundMe, with a goal of raising $20,000. “I know the goal seems unrealistic and the circumstances aren’t ideal, but I also know communities can make the impossible possible,” Martin wrote in her GoFundMe plea. Six weeks and more than 750 donations later, the fundraising page surpassed $50,000. “After we had hit $2,000, Seth was just like, ‘I’m so surprised that people, like, actually care about me,’” Martin recalled. “He has had so much support and so many people reach out and say ‘You’re not alone,’ and ‘It gets better,’ all of the things that we all need to hear when we’re queer teenagers and are suffering,” Martin, who is also gay, added. “I’m just excited for him to have this community literally come around and put all of our arms together and bring him up and raise him up for the first time.” If Georgetown does end up readjusting Owen’s financial aid package, which Owen and Martin are still hoping for, they plan on using the donations to create a scholarship fund for other teens facing a situation similar to Owen’s. Georgetown University did not respond to <i>NBC News</i>’ request for comment. Owen said he hopes his story inspires others to talk more openly and honestly about the adversity they’re facing. “I remember growing up and saying I had really strict religious parents, and people would brush it off,” Owen explained. “If someone were to say that to me today, I would sit down, and I would ask them, ‘What’s going on? What’s going on at home? What’s happening? What kind of messages are being preached in your church?’” When asked what he would say to his sophomore self or other teens facing similar issues at home, he said, “I would tell that sophomore kid to hold their head high, roll their shoulders back and be exactly who they are,” adding, “It’s difficult to be who you genuinely are when you have all this pressure around you from all these different people in your life, but if you become comfortable with who you are, you’re that much more equipped to face these difficult times.” Owen plans to move to Washington, D.C., next month to join Georgetown University’s Class of 2022.Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-69917460475064797352018-07-18T22:32:00.000-07:002018-07-18T22:32:07.682-07:00Toronto Police End Second Search Of Alleged Serial Killer Bruce McArthur Property Saying It Found Human Remains Nearly Daily During Nine Day Period, Ohio Executes 58-Year-Old Robert Van Hook Who Brutally Murdered Openly Gay David Self In 1985, MLB Announce Milwaukee Brewers' Pitcher Josh Hader Must Participate In Sensitivity And Diversity Training After Anti-Gay Racist Tweets Surface While Team Excuses His Behaviour, Cal Poly Revokes Star Wrestler Scholarship After Video Emerges Showing Bronson Harmon Yelling Anti-Gay Slurs During Counter-Protest Of Immigrant Families, North Carolina Charter School Now Says It Was A Misunderstanding When It Told Students They Were Prohibited From Discussing Or Promoting Being Gay<a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/toronto/article-toronto-police-wrap-search-of-property-linked-to-bruce-mcarthur-find/"> In Ontario, the <i>Canadian Press</i> reports a second exploration of a site where alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur is accused of burying the bodies of numerous men yielded human remains on nearly every day of a nine-day search, Toronto police said Tuesday. The excavation of the area in and around a central Toronto home where McArthur once worked as a landscaper wrapped on Friday, said police spokesperson Meaghan Gray, noting that investigators have not yet determined if the remains found belong to more than one person, or if they’re dealing with a new alleged victim. “Remains include everything right down to perhaps teeth or bone fragments,” Gray said, adding that identification efforts could take several weeks to complete. Police had already conducted an extensive search of the residential property earlier this year, during which they uncovered the remains of seven of the eight men McArthur is accused of killing. The men, who had ties to Toronto’s gay community, all vanished between 2010 and 2017 and their remains were discovered in planters McArthur is believed to have installed at the property as part of his landscaping work, police have said.</a> After completing the initial search of the property in the dead of winter, police indicated they planned to revisit the site in warmer conditions. When they returned to the home earlier this month, cadaver dogs immediately alerted them to the presence of human remains. Gray said investigators continued to unearth remains on virtually every day of their second excavation of the property and surrounding area. McArthur, 66, of Toronto, is alleged to have killed Majeed Kayhan, Selim Esen, Skandaraj Navaratnam, Andrew Kinsman, Dean Lisowick, Soroush Mahmudi, Abdulbasir Faizi and Kirushna Kanagaratnam. Police have said remains belonging to all but Kayhan have been found so far. Police previously indicated that newly discovered remains at the property could belong to the eight alleged victims named so far. But the sprawling investigation into McArthur involves probing unresolved missing persons reports as well as cold homicide cases dating back decades, and lead investigator Det. Sgt. Hank Idsinga has previously indicated that more murder charges could be a possibility. “We’ve laid eight charges and we may at the end of the day only have eight victims,” Idsinga previously told the Canadian Press. “We just don’t know yet.” Gray said investigators are working to identify the newly discovered remains using fingerprints, dental records or DNA testing depending on what method is most feasible. She said dental comparisons and DNA screening could take several weeks to complete if deemed necessary. Police have searched about 100 properties linked to McArthur, but have only found body parts in and around the one home. McArthur’s case is scheduled to return to court on July 23.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.record-courier.com/article/20180718/NEWS/307189746"> In Ohio, Robert Van Hook horrifically murdered a Cincinnati man, but he seemed remorseful as he died by lethal injection on Wednesday at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility. According to the <i>Record-Courier</i>, Van Hook, 58, was strapped to the gurney in Ohio’s death house and the lines carrying the deadly drugs had been inserted in his arms when he turned his head to three witnesses from the family of his victim, David Self. Van Hook had seemed calm as technicians prepared him to die, but then he started to cry. “I’m very sorry for taking your brother from you,” he said. “I’m no good. I hope now you have some peace. One day may you be reunited with him, and your mother as well. I pray one day he goes through the light.” Van Hook recited a Norse poem and then sang a song, the words of which were unintelligible, until the first of the Ohio execution protocol’s three-drug cocktail took effect. He fell silent. A minute later, his breathing became labored. At 10:32 am, technicians checked his eyes — apparently before injecting the second drug. Within a minute, he began puffing out his lips as he exhaled and then he wheezed loudly enough that it was audible through the microphone feet away in the back of the death chamber. A minute later, Van Hook’s breathing appeared to stop. Ten minutes after that — at 10:44 am — he was pronounced dead. Van Hook served a violence-plagued 32 years in prison after a death-penalty conviction for what now could be considered a hate crime — of the utmost violence. On February 18, 1985, Van Hook met Self in a gay bar in downtown Cincinnati and went home with him. Van Hook’s clemency report says he lured Self into a vulnerable position and strangled him into unconsciousness. “He then took a paring knife from the kitchen and stabbed the victim behind the right ear, aiming the thrust upward toward the brain, accompanied by a blade-twisting movement,” the report said. It added that Van Hook then appeared to try to decapitate Self. After that, he cut open Self’s abdominal cavity, stabbed his liver and heart and then “placed a small bottle which contained amyl nitrate, its cap, a cigarette butt and the paring knife into the victim’s abdominal cavity,” the report said. Van Hook stole a few trinkets, checked the refrigerator. Finding nothing he liked, he left. He was arrested in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on April 1, 1985. Van Hook raised the defense that he was in a “homosexual panic” when he committed the crime, but prosecutors rejected the notion. Illinois and California have outlawed the defense.</a> During his incarceration Van Hook amassed a disciplinary record of more than two dozen incidents, including stabbing another inmate in the face and chest, threatening to kill corrections officers and damaging property. Joe D’Ambrosio served 22 years on death row with Van Hook until D’Ambrosio was exonerated and released in 2010. “He had mental problems, I don’t care what anyone says,” said D’Ambrosio who was at the prison Wednesday to protest Van Hook’s execution. “He would go for long periods of time and then he would explode.” In their unsuccessful bid for clemency, Van Hook’s attorneys cited his difficult childhood. His mother, who had a history of mental illness, abused alcohol and drugs and became enmeshed in repeated, mutually abusive relationships. His father also drank heavily, beat Van Hook and was a virulent homophobe, the attorneys wrote. Van Hook’s father, a musician, introduced his son to alcohol and drugs when Van hook was 11 or 12, his lawyers said. At 14, Van Hook moved with his father to Florida and eventually ran away. He lived on the streets, sometimes supporting himself by having sex for money with men. After Van Hook’s execution, one of his attorneys, Allen Bohnert, said that even after his client was honorably discharged from the Army in the early 1980s, he never had access to the drug-and-alcohol or mental-health counseling that he needed. D’Ambrosio said there was no point in killing Van Hook. “It was unneeded, unnecessary, cruel, unusual,” he said. “It’s barbaric.” But three members of Self’s family, who sat quietly holding hands through the execution, wanted Van Hook to die. They declined comment on Wednesday. But Self’s sister, Janet Self, told the parole board that her brother’s murder reduced him in the public mind to nothing more than a gay man in a bar, when in reality he was an intelligent, witty person. She also noted that Self was abused by his own father and had to face prejudice because he was gay. Van Hook’s execution was the first in Ohio in 2018. The last attempted execution — of Alva Campbell in November — was called off when corrections workers could not find a suitable vein for intravenous drugs. He died earlier this year of natural causes. Gary Otte and Ronald Phillips were executed last year. They were the first to be killed in Ohio’s death chamber after a three-year moratorium following the 2014 execution of Dennis McGuire, 53, who gasped, choked, clenched his fists and appeared to struggle against his restraints for about 10 minutes before being pronounced dead. Van Hook was the 56th man to be executed in Ohio since 1999. Two more executions are scheduled for later this year. A total of 137 people remain under death sentences in Ohio. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2018/07/18/brewers-mlb-issue-statements-josh-haders-tweets/795369002/"> In Wisconsin, the <i>Journal Sentinel</i> reports both the Milwaukee Brewers and Major League Baseball responded Wednesday morning to revelations of inflammatory tweets years ago by reliever Josh Hader that came to light during the All-Star Game on Tuesday night. MLB announced that Hader must go through sensitivity training and participate in diversity initiatives but did not fine or suspend him. The Brewers did not indicate whether Hader would be disciplined in any way but said the club will "continue to work through this issue" with him. Here is the statement from Brewers general manager David Stearns: "We have been in contact with Josh and he is fully aware of the severity of the situation related to his social media comments, regardless of the timeline of his posts. His comments are inexcusable, and he is taking full responsibility for the consequences of his actions. In no way do these sentiments reflect the views of the Brewers organization or our community. "Those of us that have come to know Josh do not believe that these posts are representative of his beliefs. He has been a good teammate and contributor to the team in every way. We will continue to work through this issue with Josh as we prepare to resume games after the break." MLB released this statement, including the requirement of sensitivity training: “During last night’s game we became aware of Mr. Hader’s unacceptable social media comments in years past and have since been in communication with the Brewers regarding our shared concerns. After the game, Mr. Hader took the necessary step of expressing remorse for his highly offensive and hurtful language, which fails to represent the values of our game and our expectations for all those who are a part of it. The Office of the Commissioner will require sensitivity training for Mr. Hader and participation in MLB’s diversity and inclusion initiatives.”</a> The offensive tweets by Hader, posted as a teenager in 2011 and 2012, before he became a professional baseball player, came to light as he performed in the All-Star Game in Washington, D.C. Hader was elected as a first-time all-star and one of five representatives from the Brewers. It was unclear who brought attention to those tweets but it created a social media firestorm that Hader was informed of after coming off the field, where he allowed a three-run home run to Seattle’s Jean Segura that snapped a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning. The tweets, many of which appeared to be from musical lyrics, included homophobic, sexist and racial slurs, including the N-word, and one that simply said, "I Hate Gay People." In a clubhouse interview after the game, Hader said, “I was young, immature and stupid. There’s no excuses for what was said." Asked for the context of those tweets, Hader said, “It was something that happened when I was 17 years old, and as a child I was immature and obviously did some things that were inexcusable. That doesn’t reflect on who I am as a person today.” Hader posted the tweets while in high school in Millersville, Md., about 30 minutes from Nationals Park, where he pitched in the All-Star game. He was drafted in June 2012 by the Baltimore Orioles, later traded to Houston and then to the Brewers in July 2015 as one of four prospects garnered in exchange for Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers. “I was in high school,” Hader said. “We’re still learning who we are in high school. You live and you learn. This mistake won’t happen again. There’s no excuse for what was said, and I’m deeply sorry for what I said and what’s going on. Like I said, that doesn’t reflect my beliefs going on now.” Brewers teammate and fellow all-star Lorenzo Cain, an African American, talked with Hader after the game about what had happened and then spoke to reporters about it. “He’s young; we all say some crazy stuff when we’re young,” Cain said. “That’s the reason I don’t have social media, things like this. You always get in trouble for things you say when you’re younger. We’ll move on from it. The situation is what it is. I know Hader; he’s a great guy. I know he’s a great teammate. I’m fine. Everybody will be OK. We’ll move on from it. At the end of the day, we’ve all said crazy stuff growing up, even when we're 17, 18 years old. If we could follow each other around with a recorder all day, I’m sure we’ve all said some dumb stuff.” Asked whether Hader apologized to him, Cain said, “I didn’t ask for an apology. I heard about the hate comments. That’s all I heard. We’ll talk more about it once we get on the plane.” Another African American teammate, all-star reliever Jeremy Jeffress, told <i>Yahoo Sports</i>: "He made a mistake when he was younger. Sometimes you’ve got to live with your past. That’s not him. He’ll apologize. He’ll make it right. I wish and I hope people don’t take it out of context. It was a young, stupid mistake. I’ve made plenty of those. He’s a great guy. He’s humble. He doesn’t try to make it seem like he’s someone he’s not. It’s just a mistake he made.” Another Brewers all-star, Jesus Aguilar, tweeted his support for Hader Wednesday, saying he "obviously" is not a racist. "He made a mistake 7 years ago. He admitted, he apologized and most important: He learned from it." It remains to be seen how much of a distraction this will be for the Brewers when they open second-half play Friday night against the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers at Miller Park. Hader no doubt will address all of his teammates before that game and is expected to take questions from the media as well. Manager Craig Counsell withheld comment Wednesday until he can speak with his players as they reconvene for the second half. In past years, the team has held a voluntary workout on the day before the first game of the second half.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sanluisobispo.com/sports/college/cal-poly/article215062810.html"> In California, the <i>San Luis Obispo Tribune</i> reports Cal Poly has revoked the wrestling scholarship of Bronson Harmon, a recent Modesto-area high school graduate, after video surfaced of him yelling a homophobic slur and making an obscene gesture during a counter protest of the Families Belong Together March in Modesto on June 30. Cal Poly Athletic Director Don Oberhelman declined to comment on the reason why Harmon’s scholarship was revoked, however, only saying the university was aware of the video before the athletic department made the decision. “Saying what I said is definitely not the right thing. I am supposed to be there to help the community be the best person I can be and represent the college the best way I can,” Bronson Harmon told The <i>Tribune</i> on Tuesday. “But I still feel like my freedom of speech was taken away, and I don’t think my scholarship should have been revoked over something like that.” Harmon was also allegedly involved in an incident after the slur was captured on video that led to a formal complaint being filed with the Modesto Police Department, according to spokesperson Sharon Bear. Harmon, a recent graduate of Oakdale High School and CIF State Meet medalist, can be seen in one video obtained by the <i>Tribune</i> walking with his father Todd Harmon and a friend carrying a sign that reads “Donald Trump 2016” to counter a march protesting the “zero tolerance” immigration policies of the Trump administration. Harmon shows his middle finger to the person recording and says “Fuck you faggot” as he notices he is being recorded. Earlier in the video, Todd Harmon can be heard yelling “Send their asses back!” as he walks down the street. The video has been viewed over 30,000 times on Facebook as of Tuesday evening. Abdul Lasaing, who recorded the video, said he heard the men shouting as they approached so he pulled out his cell phone. “I not once said anything to these guys I was just walking,” Lasaing told the <i>Tribune</i> on Wednesday. “I’m not sure if I was disrespected for my skin color or my “World Peace” sign. I was shocked.” Lasaing said he was scared because one of the men, Todd Harmon, was wearing gloves and looked like he was there to fight. “They scared families with small children which I find very wrong,” Lasaing said. “And all the racist and homophobic slurs were very disrespectful.”</a> The incident comes as Cal Poly continues to deal with a series of racist and offensive incidents that occurred on campus in the past year, including multiple instances of students donning “blackface,” the return of alt-right speaker Milo Yiannopoulos and dissemination of white supremacist fliers and graffiti on campus. In another video posted to Twitter, Harmon can be heard saying, “Take pictures of this! Trump 2020!” as he walks down the street holding the Trump sign. Participants of the march can be heard screaming obscenities in his direction. “I totally regret it,” Bronson Harmon said of the slur. “I got caught up in the heat of the moment. I was there to peacefully protest the things that we believe, and people were harassing us, spitting on us and calling us Nazis.” Harmon, his father and friend allegedly became involved in a physical altercation as they left the march. According to Harmon, he saw a man placing a screwdriver behind the tire of his father’s truck as they were getting ready to leave. The man, who later filed a complaint with police, said he saw the screwdriver and was trying to pick it up to prevent a flat tire. Bronson and the others confronted the man and allegedly pushed him, according to the complaint, and he fell against a tree and scraped his arm. There was a small amount of blood on his arm and clothing, but he refused medical assistance at that time, Bear said. The victim asked to press charges against Harmon, who is 18 years old. Harmon told the Tribune he never touched the man. The case has been forwarded to the district attorney’s office for review. No charges have been filed and no arrests have been made as of Tuesday. Harmon compiled a 35-7 record as a junior at Oakdale, claiming fourth place in the state finals at 160 pounds after a first-place finish in the CIF-Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Meet. He did not wrestle for Oakdale the second half of his senior season after he had a falling out with the coach over which weight class he would wrestle in. Harmon said Cal Poly wrestling coach Jon Sioredas saw the video and called on July 2 to inform him his scholarship would be revoked. Sioredas did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. Oberhelman said the offer of financial aid signed by all student athletes says the university can cancel aid for actions that could cause embarrassment to the school at the discretion of the athletic director. With the Cal Poly wrestling team now out of the picture, Harmon said he plans to focus his energy on becoming a mixed martial arts fighter and, as of Tuesday, still plans to attend Cal Poly in the fall. “I got accepted, and they said I am welcome still,” Harmon said. “It’s just that they can’t be bringing all this publicity to athletics, so I can’t be involved with athletics.” Lasaing said he feels bad that Harmon lost his scholarship but added “I do believe there is consequences for your actions. I hope he gets all the help he needs." <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article215040005.html"> In North Carolina, the <i>New & Observer</i> reports a Wake Forest charter school insists it was only a misunderstanding when it told students that they were prohibited from discussing or promoting being homosexual, bisexual or transgender. For several years, the student handbook at Franklin Academy said that “promotion, affirmation or discussion of behaviors associated with the terms, ‘sexual orientation’ or ‘gender identity,’ including homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism, are expressly prohibited.” But after several people complained online last week, the handbook wording was revised to say that “harassment on the basis of affirmation or discussion of behaviors associated with the terms, ‘sexual orientation’ or ‘gender identity,’ including homosexuality, bisexuality, or transgenderism, are expressly prohibited.” School leaders said Wednesday that the language was revised to make it clearer to students. “The ‘Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying Policy’ in our 2018-19 handbooks is reflective of the belief of our school,” Denise Kent, Franklin Academy’s head administrator, said in a statement. “One line in this policy was recently clarified when it was brought to our attention that if an individual only reads that line out of context of the entire policy it can be misinterpreted and misconstrued. “The line has been revised, for clarity, in order to prevent any further misrepresentation of the intent of this policy. We believe strongly in the maintenance of a dedicated learning environment in which students and staff feel safe. We appreciate those who brought this possible misinterpretation to our attention.” But some former students failed to believe the school’s explanation. “It’s a good thing that it was changed,” said Krista Gilbert, 21, who graduated from Franklin Academy in 2015. “It’s a good thing that the handbook doesn’t say something horrible. But the problem is that it was in there to begin with. As a charter school, they get public funding and shouldn’t be able to do this.” While the policy was substantially revised in Franklin Academy’s handbook, it was only slightly revised in the handbook for Thales Academy, a network of private schools. Both Franklin Academy and Thales Academy were founded by Bob Luddy, a Raleigh businessman and a leading backer of conservative causes in North Carolina. The revised Thales handbook still says promotion, discussion or affirmation of sexual orientation and gender identity are prohibited. But it now adds an exception when a student is filing a grievance alleging bullying or harassment. Several students, both in interviews and on social media, say the prior wording is an example of how Franklin Academy made it uncomfortable for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. “I didn’t really complain that much when I was there,” said Bibi Miller, 20, who graduated from Franklin Academy in 2016.</a> “It took me leaving the school to realize how toxic the environment was.” Miller cited issues such as how she said the school has rejected multiple attempts by students to create a Gay-Straight Alliance club. She said the school mirrored Luddy’s conservative views, with some teachers trying to push their ideologies and with mentions of LGBTQ history minimized. Miller also said she was dissuaded from making a statement in favor of gay marriage in an art project while Christian-friendly art was allowed. “There were a lot of students who were very conservative who came from a very white Christian perspective,” added Ben Grueneich, 20, who graduated from Franklin Academy in 2016. “That’s understandable for this area. But when that viewpoint is being backed by the management at a charter school, that’s wrong.” Of Franklin Academy’s 1,639 students, 85 percent are white. That’s higher than the 46 percent of students who are white in the Wake County school system, where Franklin Academy is located but is separate from. Charter schools are taxpayer-funded schools that are exempt from some of the rules and regulations that traditional public schools must follow. Franklin Academy is celebrating its 20th year and is one of the oldest charter schools in North Carolina. It’s now one of the largest charter schools in the state and also is one of the highest-performing academically. But when the new school year began last week, several current and former students began talking online about the wording in the handbook banning promotion of homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism. Soon afterward, the handbook was taken down and the new wording added. “Word is they are calling it a ‘mistake,’ so they took the link down to fix it,” Ninon Hentz, a former Franklin Academy teacher, posted last week on Facebook. “ I believe it was pressure from all of you — keep it up. Fight the good fight. It is the young people who will save us all.” The change needed to be made because categorically prohibiting discussions like that violates the First Amendment and its guarantee of free expression, according to Irena Como, staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina. Como said the old wording also violated the Equal Access Act, which guarantees the rights of LGBTQ and allied students to assemble on equal footing as other extracurricular clubs. “LGBTQ students have a constitutional right to be themselves, openly and proudly, and schools cannot silence them if they choose to be open about their sexual orientation or gender identity,” Como said in a statement. “Franklin Academy has a responsibility to ensure that it is a safe, welcoming and affirming place that supports all students and parents, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. And as a recipient of federal funds, the school is required to do so by law.” The Franklin Academy controversy is taking place at a time where the issue of LGBTQ rights for students in North Carolina and in the nation are in flux. In 2016, state lawmakers passed HB2, which dictated which restrooms and locker rooms that transgender people must use in state buildings and public schools. The bill also put restrictions on legal protections that could be given to LGBTQ residents. In 2017, legislators passed a compromise bill that repealed the bathroom provisions in HB2. At the same time, the Trump administration rescinded protections implemented by the Obama administration that advised schools to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms corresponding to their preferred gender identity.Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-54035887196292943252018-07-17T19:53:00.000-07:002018-07-17T19:53:42.430-07:00Ontario Premier-Elect Doug Ford's Education Minister Takes Sex-Education Curriculum Back To A Time When Same Sex Marriage Did Not Exist, Federal Judge Rules Philadelphia Can Legally Require Foster Care Agencies Adhere To Nondiscrimination Agencies, Anger Mounts After Video Shows Portland Oregon Lesbian Couple Harassed And Threatened With Violence As Police Patrol Take No Action, New York Times Criticized As Being Anti-Gay For Running Cartoon Of Donald Trump And Vladimir Putin As Lovers<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-sex-ed-plans-1.4742523"> In Canada, <i>CBC News</i> reports Ontario's education minister says the sex-ed curriculum taught to children in the coming school year will be an older version, not the controversial updated program brought in by the previous government. Lisa Thompson said Wednesday ministry staff are working to inform school boards of the decision to revert to the curriculum that was in place before 2015. Thompson said the ministry will be moving quickly to consult parents on how to update the curriculum, and details on that process will be coming soon. Premier Doug Ford promised to repeal and replace the controversial sex-ed curriculum when he ran for the Progressive Conservative leadership and repeated the pledge during the spring election. The new curriculum sparked controversy, particularly among social conservatives, when the Liberal government introduced it. It was the first time the curriculum had been updated since 1998 and included warnings about online bullying and sexting, but protesters zeroed in on discussions of same sex marriage, gender identity and masturbation. The PC Party's plans sparked immediate reaction. Tanya Granic Allen, who ran unsuccessfully against Ford for the PC leadership on a platform focused on getting rid of the new sex-ed curriculum, tweeted simply: "Great work!" Granic Allen had hoped to run as an MPP, but was dumped by the PC party over comments she'd made in the past that Ford called "irresponsible." NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said she finds the decision "disappointing," adding the curriculum needed to be updated to cover a range of topics facing youth today. Instead, she said, the government is taking an approach that is "not the right direction for the kids of this province."</a> Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner accused Ford's government of "declaring war on modern life," by going back to a curriculum that was written in the early days of the internet. Schreiner said the move amounts to taking away key tools from teachers and called it inappropriate. Brittany Smith of the advocacy group Leadnow, which petitioned to keep the revised curriculum, called Ford's move "ideologically driven" and "pure politics," adding, "He's really making this decision to appease the religious right and far-right factions of his base who helped him get elected. This is a cynical political decision of his, and children across Ontario are being made to pay the price." At least one outspoken critic of the Liberals' curriculum wants to know what the PCs plan to do next. Farina Siddiqui of Mississauga, Ontario, kept her two daughters home from school to protest the curriculum. She concedes that the 1998 curriculum needed "revisions." But, she says, changes "should be widely consulted with community leaders, with parents, with faith leaders, with educators and with the experts." Smith and other supporters of the now-scrapped curriculum say it was the result of careful and thorough consultation. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/foster-care-philadelphia-dhs-same-sex-couples-catholic-social-services-lawsuit-20180713.html"> In Pennsylvania, the <i>Daily News</i> reports that Philadelphia can require its foster care agencies to adhere to its nondiscrimination polices, a federal judge said Friday in a decision that could have national repercussions. United States District Court Judge Petrese B. Tucker found that the city did not violate the religious liberties of Catholic Social Services (CSS) when it suspended its contract with the agency for foster-care services after discovering that the agency would not work with same sex couples. The Department of Human Services had a legitimate interest in ensuring “that the pool of foster parents and resource caregivers is as diverse and broad as the children in need of foster parents,” Tucker wrote in a decision Friday denying CSS’s request for a temporary restraining order to resume its work for the city. The city welcomed the news. “As the court found, the city has a legitimate interest in ensuring that when we employ contractors to provide governmental services, that those services are accessible to all Philadelphians who are qualified for the services,” spokesperson Deana Gamble said in a statement. “Regrettably, by refusing to certify same sex couples, CSS is ruling out qualified families who are willing to provide care for children in need, who can be certified, and who have roots in this community. ” DHS has said that it will not remove children already in CSS-certified families, and has and will continue to make exceptions in some cases, including placing a child with a sibling already in a CSS home. Attorneys for CSS, who filed the lawsuit along with three foster parents, said they would appeal. “Foster children deserve loving homes, and foster parents like Ms. Fulton and Mrs. Paul have been waiting with open arms to welcome them,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket Law. “But the city has put politics above the children, and today the court allowed the city’s discriminatory actions to continue — a decision we will immediately appeal.” Cecilia Paul, a foster parent through CSS for 46 years, and Sharonell Fulton, another foster parent, were among those filing the suit and testified on behalf of CSS in last month’s hearing before Tucker. The case stemmed from an instance last year in which a same sex couple interested in fostering were turned away from Bethany Christian Services after the agency learned they were gay. Their story appeared in March in the <i>Inquirer</i> and <i>Daily News</i>. The story also noted that Bethany and CSS had policies preventing staff from working with same sex couples. At the time, the city said it was unaware of the discriminatory policies, and stopped foster-care referrals to both agencies following the report. Bethany has since changed its policy and will resume work with the city, according to court testimony. CSS sued, arguing over three days of testimony that requiring the organization to abandon its religious beliefs in order to care for kids infringed on its religious freedoms, and that the suspension put children in need of good homes at risk.</a> Staff from CSS testified that the organization had about 30 certified homes going unused. The city now has 29 foster care agencies it contracts with to certify that homes and families are safe for the 6,000 kids in DHS custody. Catholic Social Services was reimbursed $1.7 million last year for placing 266 children, representing 1.9 percent of the amount the city paid in foster care services. (Bethany was reimbursed $1.3 million for operating foster homes for 170 children.) In testimony, James Amato, who heads CSS’s foster care program, said conducting a home study to certify a family “is essentially a validation of the relationships in that home.” He said that because a same sex couple’s relationship “is not one that is acceptable in terms of church teaching,” to certify such a couple would violate the organization’s religious beliefs. Amato said in court that if the contract was not renewed, the foster care program would be forced to shutter and lay off its staff. CSS has several other contracts with the city that remain unaffected, including a contract with DHS as one of 10 community umbrella organizations that work with children and families already in the foster-care system. CSS has additional contracts with the Office of Homeless Services, the Department of Public Health, Planning and Development, and the Office of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, that are unaffected by the ruling. In her decision, Tucker agreed with the city’s assertion that CSS’s policy against working with same sex couples violated Philadelphia’s Fair Practices Ordinance, which forbids city contractors from discriminating on the base of sexuality. She noted that testimony indicated that CSS could be in violation of another aspect of the ordinance, one unaffiliated with this case. CSS’s Amato had testified that his organization requires a letter from a clergy member from all interested foster parents. The denomination of the sender does not matter but Tucker called the condition problematic. “This evidence is disconcerting to the court because it raises serious constitutional as well as contractual questions,” Tucker wrote. The ACLU of Pennsylvania, which filed a brief in support of the city, celebrated the decision as the first of its kind in the nation and said it could have a bearing on similar cases pending in Michigan and Texas. “When faith-based agencies choose to receive taxpayer dollars to provide public child-welfare services, their religious beliefs cannot trump the best interests of the children in their care,” said Leslie Cooper, deputy director of the ACLU’s LGBT and HIV Project. “The court saw it was not only permissible for the City of Philadelphia to prohibit discrimination by its contract agencies, but that allowing the use of religious screening requirements in the public child welfare system would likely violate the Constitution.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2018/07/homophobic_rant_against_portla.html"> In Oregon, police are investigating a verbal altercation where a man hurled threats and homophobic slurs at a same sex couple in Southeast Portland after a video of the incident went viral, sparking public outrage. Trudy and Wendy Dragoon said they were trying to find the owner of a lost dog in their neighborhood early Sunday evening when a young man getting out of a pickup truck on Southeast Duke Street near 63rd Avenue erupted into a bigoted rant. A 3-minute video captured by Wendy Dragoon shows the man repeatedly threaten to physically assault her spouse, make derogatory slurs about the women's sexual orientation and spew expletives and other crude comments. Two men who are with the crass talker do not appear to intervene, the video shows. A Portland police officer on patrol in the area arrives on scene at the end of the video. But the officer did not make a report of the incident, the women said. "[The officer] told us 'just ignore them and walk away.' And I was like 'no this is hate crime and you need to take care of this right now,'" Trudy Dragoon told <i>KATU News</i>.</a> That evening, the couple posted the video to their Facebook pages, which has now been viewed more than 100,000 times. On Monday evening, neighbors and other Portlanders showed up at the location of the incident to show support for the Dragoons. As public anger over the episode began to build, the Portland Police Bureau said it had opened an investigation into a potential bias crime. The bureau will forward its findings to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, said Sgt. Chris Burley, a police spokesman. Among those materials will be a police report that includes the video, police said. Officers have also interviewed the people involved, police said. Associated reports will be forwarded to prosecutors, as well. "There are too many people that get berated daily. It's sickening," Trudy Dragoon told <i>KOIN News</i>. "It needs to stop," <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-media-gay/new-york-times-under-fire-for-homophobic-cartoon-of-trump-and-putin-idUSKBN1K802J"> A viral cartoon depicting Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as gay lovers has been condemned as “homophobic”, with mental health charities warning it sent a negative message to vulnerable young LGBT people. Activists said the satirical animation in the <i>New York Times</i> implied homosexual relationships were shameful or laughable, echoing homophobic bullies and adding to pressure on young people struggling with their gender or sexuality. According to <i>Reuters</i>, the <i>New York Times</i> said the video, which has been viewed more than 1.3 million times on Twitter alone, was “not meant to be homophobic." Activists however expressed fears over its impact on young lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, who research shows are at higher risk of depression and suicide. “There seems to be no greater insult than comparing someone to a queer person,” American transgender actor and activist Jeffrey Marsh - who does not identify as male or female - told <i>Reuters</i>. “For an LGBTQ youth, it’s not background noise. When it comes up on their feed it feels like a direct personal attack, and to have a group that’s as well-established as the <i>New York Times</i> personally attacking you feels horrendous.” Marsh’s comments were echoed by Amit Paley, head of the LGBT suicide hotline charity The Trevor Project. “Using sexual orientation or gender identity as an insult or joke punchline can send a message to young people that being LGBTQ is inherently negative,” said Paley.</a> “Now more than ever, LGBTQ youth need to see positive and affirming representations of themselves in the media, a major step in letting them know that they are valued and never alone.” A spokesperson for the <i>New York Times</i> defended the animation in an email,. saying the artist Bill Plympton was “known for his irreverent, unsettling and at times disturbing cartoons." Kim Sanders, head of media engagement at the British charity Stonewall, said the images “reinforce a harmful narrative that being LGBT is inferior or something to be ridiculed," adding, “Depicting public figures as gay or bi in an attempt to mock them is a damaging trend that needs to stop. This isn’t political satire, it’s just old-fashioned homophobia.” According to The Trevor Project, young lesbian, gay, and bisexual people are more than four times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers, while nearly half of all transgender people have attempted suicide. A study by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released in June found that a third of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are bullied at school.Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-67388764146246875412018-07-13T17:02:00.000-07:002018-07-13T17:03:00.498-07:00India's Supreme Court Deliberating Decriminalizing Consensual Homosexual Sex, Oregon High School Principal Demoted Over Alleged Anti-Gay Discrimination Pushes Back, Protestors Descend On Dixon California City Hall Demanding Resignation Of Wildly Anti-Gay Vice Mayor Ted Hickman, Pennsylvania Police Ask For Assistance In Identifying Man Who Tried To Set Woman's Pride Flag On Fire, 24-Year-Old Brandon M. Wiley Charged With Hate Crime In Beating Of 39-Year-Old Gay Tennessee Man, Scarlett Johansson Drops Out Of Film That Would Have Seen Her Play True Story Of Transgender Man<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/10/world/asia/india-gay-decriminalization.html"> In India, the <i>New York Times</i> reports the Supreme Court on Tuesday started hearing a challenge to one of the world’s oldest laws criminalizing consensual gay sex, a debate that has raised broader questions about how far to extend equal rights in the country. Attorneys representing a cluster of gay and lesbian Indians who petitioned the court said the law, known as Section 377, was an archaic holdout from India’s colonial era. “We are asking for a declaration that our rights are protected,” one of the attorneys, Mukul Rohatgi, argued before five judges in black robes. The court will most likely reach a verdict in a few weeks. The question of how far safeguards should stretch for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Indians pumped a bit of tension into the courtroom. When Mr. Rohatgi veered into a discussion of other rights for gay people, saying that “what happens in a bedroom is not the end-all, be-all,” Dipak Misra, the chief justice of the court, swiftly steered him back to the constitutionality of Section 377. “I think you are questioning whether they can marry,” he said. “We’re plunging into the sea.” Laws similar to Section 377 have been overturned in the United States, Canada, England, and Nepal, India’s neighbor, Mr. Rohatgi said. He argued that the law was not in keeping with a ruling last year that guaranteed the constitutional right to privacy, including for gay people, and that it made no distinction between consensual and nonconsensual sex.</a> For much of its precolonial history, India was at ease with depictions of same sex love and gender fluidity. In Hinduism, the country’s predominant religion, gods transform into goddesses and men become pregnant. But acceptance of homosexuality eroded when the British settled in India, bringing with them laws that reflected a rigid, Victorian morality. In the 1860s, the British introduced Section 377, imposing a sentence of up to a life sentence on “whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature.” The law is usually enforced in cases of sex between men, but it officially extends to anybody caught having anal or oral sex. It also offers cover for those who want to blackmail, harass or sexually assault gay and transgender people. Although prosecution is unusual, many Indians fear that if they report crimes such as rape, they, too, will be arrested. After a long legal battle, the Delhi High Court ruled in 2009 that the law could not be applied to consensual sex, essentially decriminalizing gay sex — but the decision technically applied only to the New Delhi region. Shortly after, Hindu, Christian and Muslim religious groups appealed the ruling and in 2013, the Supreme Court restored the law, saying Parliament, and not the Delhi High Court, should take up the issue. The court said only a “minuscule fraction of the country’s population constitute lesbians, gays, bisexuals or transgenders.” Responding to that ruling, a group of gay and lesbian citizens stepped forward to challenge the law on the basis that it violated their rights to equality and liberty, among other infractions, under India’s Constitution. The initial group included Navtej Singh Johar, a dancer; Sunil Mehra, a journalist; Ritu Dalmia, a celebrity chef; Ayesha Kapur, a businesswoman; and Aman Nath, a hotelier. Over the last few months, at least 26 others joined them. On Tuesday, the Indian Psychiatric Society called for decriminalization, saying homosexuality was not a disorder. And at the hearing, Justice Indu Malhotra noted that homosexuality has been observed in animals, a remark that was interpreted as sympathetic to the petitioners’ case. Mr. Rohatgi, the attorney, cataloged legal advances for gay people in the United States, including the Supreme Court ruling in Lawrence v. Texas in 2003 that struck down sodomy laws. That ruling became one of the fundamental pillars in the framework of legal protections afforded to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the United States today. Justice R.F. Nariman interjected to offer advice. “At some point, are you going to cite the European courts?” he asked. “Those are also important.” When lawyers from the central government asked the court to delay hearings to give them more time to prepare despite months of notice, the bench refused. Keshav Suri, a hotelier who filed one of the petitions against Section 377, said he was frustrated by the limitations of “conservative India.” He said it projected the message that the country cannot take steps that butt up against the mores of the traditional Indian family even when human rights hang in the balance. “Conservative India needs to get out of being conservative,” Mr. Suri said. But the country is changing, he said. For a decade, pride parades have threaded through New Delhi’s streets. At The LaLiT, the hotel chain that Mr. Suri runs in India, stars from the American television series <i>RuPaul’s Drag Race</i> shimmy onstage at his dance parties. Recently, Mr. Suri married a Frenchman. Among Mr. Suri’s own staff, a patchwork of Indians from mixed economic and social backgrounds, views have evolved over the years, he said. Now, Mr. Suri has “an army behind me of 3,500 people,” many of who are ready for the end of an “ugly law” like Section 377. “I’m hopeful,” he said. “These judges are very capable.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.opb.org/news/article/north-bend-oregon-principal-demoted-deny/"> An update on a previous post: In Oregon, the high school principal who was demoted over alleged anti-gay discrimination is pushing back. The North Bend School District demoted Bill Lucero from high school principal to middle school vice principal, as part of a legal settlement involving the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon and the Oregon Department of Education. Now Lucero’s attorneys are disputing the allegations in a letter to the school board and superintendent. One accusation that made national headlines was that Lucero had required a lesbian high schooler to read from the Bible as punishment for being gay. But that’s not what happened, according to a statement the attorneys have provided from the student involved. The student, who is not identified in materials provided to <i>OPB</i>, said that she’s not gay and that she agreed to read the Bible passage as punishment for her behavior in class. “In approximately 2016 I was pulled out of the hallway for using foul language and yelling,” the student wrote in a statement dated June 7, 2018. “My mother was called and came to the school. I was taken to Mr. Lucero’s office to discuss my behaviour. I was asked to read a verse from the [B]ible that had to do with the slip of your tongue and how words affect people. This incident in no way was ever about my sexuality. I am not now or have ever identified with the LGBTQ community.” The student’s statement goes on to praise Lucero and his role in helping her graduate. Lucero’s attorneys also raise questions about the integrity of the investigations by the school district and ODE, particularly how they approached an allegation involving Lucero’s son, Brody. The two female students responsible for the complaint had alleged that Brody Lucero had driven up close to them and then yelled an anti-gay slur at them. The attorneys said investigators didn’t do an adequate job of researching the allegation. “ODE interviewed Olivia Funk and Haley Smith, but surprisingly, made no request to speak with Brody Lucero,” the attorneys said. “How ODE made factual findings about this incident without bothering to interview Brody Lucero is baffling and, is a move that certainly foreclosed any opportunity for the ODE investigator to assess the credibility of all parties involved.”</a> According to the letter, the North Bend School District didn’t interview the younger Lucero either, when it was handling the complaint before ODE. Attorneys for Bill Lucero said the district had its Title IX administrators lead the investigation into the students’ discrimination complaint, but instead of interviewing Brody Lucero, investigators had his father, Bill, speak to him. “Mr. Lucero complied with the request and spoke with Brody Lucero, who adamantly denied this incident ever happened,” the attorneys’ letter said. The attorneys took aim at other aspects of the complaint, including an allegation of racism at the high school under Lucero. Lucero’s attorneys also said that the principal felt misled by the North Bend School District. They argue that as an administrator, Lucero was led to believe that the school district was representing his interests as it negotiated with ODE and the ACLU. Then Lucero was surprised to be demoted, and read statements from the NBSD stating officials were “pleased” with the settlement. “The District and the District’s attorneys worked in concert with each other to violate Mr. Lucero’s rights in an effort to protect the District,” the attorneys said. “The injury to Mr. Lucero was compounded by the directives from District staff […] prohibiting him from defending himself publicly.” The attorneys’ letter alleges damage to the former principal’s reputation, but it’s not a lawsuit notice. In an e-mail to OPB, Lucero attorney Roland Iparraguirre said his client is most concerned about the district and state, rather than the role of the ACLU. “In our experience, the ODE has demonstrated an inability to conduct a fair, complete, and objective investigation,” Iparraguirre said. “We recognize that the ACLU is simply advocating for their clients and we are not focusing on the ACLU’s actions.” But the letter Iparraguirre sent with his law partner Shannon Rickard said the ACLU was a big factor in the district reaching a settlement. The letter provides evidence that the ACLU pressured North Bend school officials over the incident in Lucero’s office, involving a student reading a religious text in a public school. The attorneys’ letter quotes from a message sent by the ACLU’s director Mat dos Santos on May 21, 2018. “That one violation of law, that is already admitted will literally result in the automatic withholding, probably without return, of the about $32 million of its $38 million budget,” the excerpt reads. “They [District] just have to lose on the proselytization law to lose all of their state funding.” The legal settlement was announced later that day. A message to the North Bend superintendent and school board chair wasn’t immediately returned.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article214659185.html"> An update on a previous post: In California, almost 200 people showed up at Dixon City Hall on Tuesday night to call for the resignation of Vice Mayor Ted Hickman, who has been the subject of escalating outrage since a controversial column calling for a Straight American Pride Month and referring to gay men as “faries” and “tinkerbells” went viral. “We are different from them…. We work, have families (and babies we make) enjoy and love the company (and marriage) of the opposite sex and don’t flaunt our differences dressing up like faries (sic) and prancing by the thousands in a parade in nearby San Francisco to be televised all over the world,” he wrote in the June 29 column. A small group of protesters grew larger as the evening progressed and the weather cooled. The LGBT supporters, residents of towns around the region, waved signs and called for Hickman to resign. Will Eukel, 27, said he drove 43 miles from Martinez to support his friends in the LGBT community. “Because making fun of them in this manner basically is like attacking them and I don’t like it when my friends are attacked, especially by a person in a position of power,” he said before the meeting. Council chambers were filled with people who wanted to share their concerns about Hickman’s column, with many waiting outside because the chamber was full. Some asked the council to strip Hickman of the title of vice mayor and to remove him from city committees. "It’s no question that Mr. Hickman’s words are grossly out of line and out of touch, and dare I say unamerican,” Julian Cuevas told the council. “Show your constituents that this body doesn’t cherry pick who they represent, but that you represent everyone, including those in the LGBT community.” Ian Arnold asked the council to donate to the LGBT club at the high school. “I agree that he had the right to write that, but the fact he used his title should call for the Rules Committee to censure him.</a> The council directed the city attorney to call a special closed session to decide what action, if any, can be taken against Hickman. Hickman, 74, is up for re-election in November and protesters let him know that they would oppose him. “We have tolerated your bad behavior and bad words too long,” said Chelsea Baer, a commissioner on the Parks and Recreation Commission. “Dixon is fed up. Listen to those people out there and look at all these people there. … We will vote November 6 and you will see what will happen and you will not win.”’ Only a few people spoke in support of Hickman, although the councilman spoke briefly during council comments. He said he regretted using his title in the column, although he fell short of apologizing for the content of the column. “I didn’t give up my First Amendment rights when I became a public official,” Hickman said before the public comment session began. “… If I could rewind time and write the column again I would not use the words sarcastically of vice mayor because I see it might not be acceptable to some.” He told a <i>Bee</i> reporter earlier this month that the column was just meant to be tongue-in-cheek humor. Since its June 29 publication in Dixon’s <i>Independent Voice</i> newspaper the column has brought unprecedented media coverage to the town of about 18,300, known mostly for its annual Lambtown Festival and for being the hometown of country music singer Jon Pardi. Many speakers spoke of the embarrassment they felt for having such intense media attention focused on Dixon because of the column. “Dixon is a melting pot that represents people from all over the world,” said Teresa Soria. “If the kitchen is getting too damn hot you need to leave it. If you can’t, won’t or are unable to represent us, you really need to resign. That kind of thinking doesn’t represent the community and doesn’t represent where the world is heading.” More than a dozen police officers watched over protesters outside and inside the council chambers, but the crowd was peaceful. Mayor Thom Bogue said he was grateful for the crowd’s good behavior. “Thank you very much for the respect you have given,” Bogue said. “You have definitely earned my respect and I thank you for that.” Hickman was first elected to the Dixon City council in 1968 and served for 12 years. He ran and was elected again in 2014. His term will expire in 2019.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.wpxi.com/news/top-stories/police-man-attempted-to-light-gay-pride-flag-on-fire/786924004"> In Pennsylvania, Greensburg police posted surveillance video to their Facebook page Tuesday hoping to identify the man who tried to set a woman's pride flag on fire. The video was captured by Ashley Rudnik's surveillance camera. It shows a young man approach her porch while holding what appears to be a lighter, which he then holds up to the flag.</a> Rudnik says this isn't the first time something like this has happened. She told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 her pride flag was stolen last summer. "There's a lot of hate around here," Rudnik said."There's a lot of misunderstanding and intolerance, and I'm surrounded by it every day." Rudnik does not intend to take the flag down.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.dnj.com/story/news/2018/07/11/hate-crime-murfreesboro-anti-gay-beating/775772002/"> In Tennessee, a Lewisburg man has been arrested in connection with what police say was an anti-gay hate crime in Murfreesboro. Brandon M. Wiley, 24, was charged with aggravated assault with a hate crime enhancement in the beating of a Murfreesboro man. According to the <i>Murfreesboro Daily News Journal</i> at approximately 3:30 am Tuesday, police responded to the parking lot in front of MJ's Sports Bar and Grill on Broad Street in Murfreesboro. There, they found a man lying on the ground who had been severely beaten. The 39-year-old victim suffered multiple severe facial injuries, including a broken nose and fractured orbital sockets, according to the report from Murfreesboro police. A security guard for the building informed police that as he drove past the area, he saw the suspect punching the injured man. The suspect then, according to the police report, walked over to the security guard's car and told the guard that the man had "grabbed his junk and molested him."</a> The victim told police that Wiley beat him because he "propositioned" him. According to police, the suspect "sent out several photos of himself covered in blood and was bragging about beating up a gay man for 'grabbing' his penis." According to police, Wiley admitted striking the victim, but video of the incident and of "earlier activities between Mr. Wiley and the victim" were inconsistent with his statement. The victim was transported to Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital for treatment. Wiley was released Wednesday on a $25,000 bond. An initial court date is scheduled for Aug. 28 in Rutherford County General Sessions court. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.out.com/out-exclusives/2018/7/13/exclusive-scarlett-johansson-withdraws-rub-tug"> Scarlett Johansson has dropped out of <i>Rub & Tug</i>, the movie that would have seen her play a transgender man. "In light of recent ethical questions raised surrounding my casting as Dante Tex Gill, I have decided to respectfully withdraw my participation in the project," said Johansson in a statement to <i>Out.com.</i> "Our cultural understanding of transgender people continues to advance, and I’ve learned a lot from the community since making my first statement about my casting and realize it was insensitive," the actress continued. "I have great admiration and love for the trans community and am grateful that the conversation regarding inclusivity in Hollywood continues." <i>Rub & Tug</i> tells the story of Jean Marie Gill, who was assigned female at birth but who assumed the identity of a man, Dante “Tex” Gill, and operated a massage parlor and prostitution business in Pittsburgh in the 1970s and '80s. While it is unclear how Gill, who died in 2003, identified, an obituary in the <i>Pittsburgh Post-Gazette</i> notes that he ran his parlors while "insisting that she was a man and telling everyone she wanted to be known as 'Mr. Gill.'" When the project was announced on July 2, along with Johansson's casting, there was an immediate online backlash. The majority of commenters argued that the role should have gone to a trans performer. The next day, the website <i>Bustle.com</i> reported that Johansson, in a statement provided by a rep, said, “Tell them they can be directed to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto and Felicity Huffman’s reps for comment.” The <i>Hollywood Reporter</i> was unable to confirm the statement, which references cisgender actors that have previously played award-winning trans roles. Trans actors shared their criticisms of the casting, with <i>Transparent</i> actress Trace Lysette, tweeting, "I wouldn’t be as upset if I was getting in the same rooms as Jennifer Lawrence and Scarlett for cis roles, but we know that’s not the case. A mess."</a> <i>Rub & Tug</i> would have seen Johansson reteam with director Rupert Sanders, with whom she worked on 2017's <i>Ghost in the Shell</i>, a project that also sparked controversy over Johansson being cast as a character who is Japanese in the original manga series. New Regency was set to produce the movie, along with Joel Silver's Silver Pictures, Tobey Maguire’s Material Pictures and Johansson’s These Pictures banners. In response to her decision to drop out of the film, GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement, “Scarlett Johansson’s announcement, together with the transgender voices who spoke out about this film, are game changers for the future of transgender images in Hollywood. Hollywood changed how Americans understand gay and lesbian lives, and TV is starting to do the same for transgender people with authentic transgender portrayals being major hits with critics and audiences. The film industry has a real opportunity to do the same."Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-66622037867343292492018-07-09T19:57:00.000-07:002018-07-09T19:57:49.293-07:00Tab Hunter Dead Three Days Shy Of 87th Birthday, London Pride Organizers Offer Apology After An Anti-Transgender Group Forced Way To Front Of Parade, New Zealand Baker Refuses To Serve Same Sex Couple, Maine Governor Paul LePage Vetoes Bill Banning Gay Conversion Therapy Calling Proposal Overly Broad, 19-Year-Old William Gomez Charged After Being Removed From Historic Stonewall Inn And Returning To Break Bar's Window<a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-tab-hunter-20180709-story.html"> In California, actor and singer Tab Hunter, whose blond all-American good looks made him a matinee idol and poster boy for Eisenhower-era optimism, has died. He was 86. According to the <i>Los Angeles Times</i>, just three days shy of his 87th birthday, the 1950s heartthrob was stricken Sunday at his home in Santa Barbara and went into cardiac arrest after a blood clot in his leg traveled to his lung, said Allan Glaser, Hunter’s husband of 35 years, on Monday. “He collapsed in my arms in the front lawn and I called 911 and we raced him to the hospital,” Glaser told the <i>Times</i>. “It was sudden and unexpected.” Glaser said Hunter died at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. “I want people to know what a good man he was,” he said. “It was more important that Tab was known for being a good human being. That was most important to him than being an actor and a recording artist. He didn’t place importance on his movie career or his celebrity.” Yet Hunter’s wholesome good looks and aw-shucks demeanor embodied an American ideal in the 1950s and helped launch his career. Discovered as a stable boy, he rocketed to fame as a teen heartthrob in movies such as <i>Island of Desire</i> and <i>Battle Cry</i>, and as a chart-topping crooner with the hit <i>Young Love</i>. Hunter was the aspirational dream boat for swarms of Baby Boomers and the perfect arm candy for Natalie Wood and Debbie Reynolds, all while hiding his homosexuality. When he dared challenge his well-crafted persona, the industry cast him aside. Hunter clawed his way back 30 years later by lampooning his former self in campy comedies. Then he gave up on acting altogether to live quietly riding horses in Santa Barbara. “When you’ve been a product of Hollywood and been subjected to as much crap as I have, it’s not conducive to your own development,” he told the <i>Times</i> in 1976. “It’s see-through plastic of the worst kind.” Born Arthur Gelien on July 11, 1931, in New York City, Hunter was raised, along with his older brother, by a German immigrant mother. After she divorced their abusive father, they moved to California. Hunter was a shy introvert who nevertheless sang in the church choir and was a competitive figure skater. Shamed by a priest at 15 when he confessed his homosexuality, he lied about his age to join the U.S. Coast Guard. And when his age got him discharged, Hunter moved to Los Angeles, where he was discovered while working as a stable hand.</a> An agent came up with a new name and Tab Hunter made his film debut in the 1950 western <i>The Lawless</i>. In 1952, he earned his first starring role as the romantic lead opposite bombshell Linda Darnell in the shipwreck romance <i>Island of Desire</i>. Hunter’s career took off almost immediately, earning him roles as servicemen who mesmerize the women around him. But he was serious and driven, honing his acting chops in summer stock theater to earn supporting roles in more substantial films, opposite Robert Mitchum in <i>Track of the Cat</i> and John Wayne in <i>The Sea Chase</i>. Hunter auditioned 10 times for the role that made him a marquee star, the 1955 military drama <i>Battle Cry</i>, beating James Dean and Paul Newman for the part. It was a box office success that earned him a seven-year contract with Warner Bros. Pictures. On loan from Warner Bros., Hunter went on to earn critical notice starring opposite Wood in <i>The Girl He Left Behind</i> and <i>The Burning Hills</i>, both in 1956. Around the same time, his recording of <i>Young Love</i> knocked Elvis Presley from the No. 1 spot on the charts. But Jack Warner himself was so incensed that Hunter had a hit song outside his studio contract that he launched Warner Bros. Records in 1958 just to keep the profits in-house. Meanwhile, Hunter hid his relationships with championship skater Ronnie Robertson and actor Tony Perkins. He was arrested when police raided a gay house party, but the studio scuttled the story. Publicly, he was romantically linked to Wood and French actress Etchika Choreau. By the late 1950s, Hunter enjoyed critical success with starring roles in <i>The Kind of Woman</i> opposite Sophia Loren, as a psychopathic cowboy in <i>Gunman’s Walk</i> and as the lead in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical <i>Damn Yankees</i>. Convinced he could pursue a more satisfying career outside Warner’s control, he bought out his contract. But Hunter’s career never recovered from that bold move. He spent the 1960s in a short-lived TV sitcom and typecast in B-movies such as <i>Operation Bikini</i> and <i>Ride the Wild Surf</i> just to pay the bills. Though Hunter landed a costarring role opposite Newman in <i>The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean</i> in 1972, he spent much of that decade touring nonstop with a dinner theater troupe. The rigors of that life wore him out and he stopped after a heart attack. In 1981, camp director John Waters called Hunter with an offer: to play drag star Divine’s love interest in an outrageous comedy called <i>Polyester</i>. The quirky film was a hit and revived Hunter’s career. A year later, he appeared as a substitute biology teacher in <i>Grease 2</i>, singing the raunchy musical number <i>Reproduction</i>. And in 1985, he and Divine costarred in Paul Bartel’s 1985 western <i>Lust in the Dust</i>. “I think from all the leading ladies I had, from Geraldine Page to Natalie Wood to Sophia Loren to Rita Hayworth, Divine goes right in there," Hunter told the <i>Times</i> in 2015. After that, Hunter withdrew from public life with his partner, former studio executive Glaser. He finally told his story in his 2005 autobiography <i>Tab Hunter Confidential</i>, which was adapted into a documentary 10 years later. Glaser said that Hunter was a religious man who worked with paralyzed veterans and animals. “He was a tremendous human being. If he could do anything to better someone else’s life, he would,” Glaser said. In his later years, Hunter was often quoted as saying, "I am happy to be forgotten." Hunter is survived by his husband and several nieces and nephews. Plans for a funeral service have not yet be made. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/08/london-pride-organisers-say-sorry-after-anti-trans-group-leads-march"> In Britain, organizers of London’s annual LGBT Pride celebration have apologized after anti-transgender campaigners forced their way to the front of the parade and were allowed to lead the march. According to the <i>Guardian</i>, on Saturday, a group of about 10 women carrying anti-trans signs pushed through to the head of the march, which the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, had been scheduled to lead with NHS staff. Police and security did not intervene, and the event organisers, Pride in London, said they allowed the group to stay where they were because of the hot weather and concerns over safety. Pride in London has since issued an apology and condemned the Get The L Out radical feminist group, which it said “showed a level of bigotry, ignorance and hate that is unacceptable," adding, “Sadly we could not forcibly remove the group as their protest was not a criminal offence. They demanded to march behind the rainbow flag, which marks the official start of our parade. We did not allow that as we did not want to legitimise them or their message. We moved them to an area far in front of the official parade start to separate them. We are looking at what we could do differently if something like this happens again.”</a> Khan had condemned the protesters for hijacking the march, through a spokesperson for his office, who said “transphobia is never acceptable." The decision to allow the anti-trans campaigners to continue at the front of the march carrying signs with slogans such as “transactivists erase lesbians” has prompted heavy criticism. The LGBT+ Liberal Democrats chair, Jennie Rigg, said, “I am appalled that transphobic protesters were allowed to lead the march and the crowd asked to cheer them on. This is a betrayal of the thousands marching. The Pride organisers should resign and offer a full apology.” About 30,000 people from almost 500 LGBT groups took part in the parade through central London, cheered on by hundreds of thousands of spectators.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12085733"> In New Zealand. the <i>Herald</i> reports a same sex couple say a baker refused to make them a wedding cake because of their sexuality. Moe Barr and Sasha Patrick, from Brisbane, planned to get married in Waipu, Northland, in January. They had organized to have a wedding cake made by Kath's Devine Cakes in Warkworth. But the owner told them that would not be possible because same sex marriage went against her beliefs. Barr posted an e-mail from the owner, Kath, on Facebook. "I do not wish to offend either of you and I thank you for letting me know that it is a same sex wedding," it said. "Even though as individuals you are both fabulous and amazing people, I must follow the integrity of my heart and beliefs. Our Government has legalized same sex marriages, but it is not my belief that it is correct, therefore I will not support it and cannot make your wedding cake for you." Barr expressed disappointment on her Facebook page, saying: "Be sure to avoid Kath's Devine Cakes if you support marriage equality."</a> The business did not respond to request for comment. Under New Zealand's Human Rights Act, it is illegal to refuse to provide goods or services to a person because of their sexual orientation. The Human Rights Commission's chief legal adviser Janet Anderson-Bidois said anyone who believed they had been discriminated against because of their sexuality could make a complaint to the Commission, and it would be carefully considered. The Commission would not comment on invididual complaints it received, she said. A similar case in the United States went all the way to the Supreme Court after a gay couple, Charlie Craig and Dave Mullins, complained of discrimination when baker Jack Phillips refused to bake them a wedding cake. The court sided with Phillips, but did not go as far as creating an exemption for businesses to refuse service to gay customers.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://bangordailynews.com/2018/07/06/news/state/lepage-vetoes-6-new-bills-including-ban-of-conversion-therapy/"> In Maine, the <i>Bangor Daily News</i> reports Governor Paul LePage vetoed six more bills Friday, endangering an effort from LGBT activists to ban so-called “conversion therapy” and adding to a pile of work for lawmakers who will have 42 vetoes to consider next week. These are expected to be the Republican governor’s final vetoes before lawmakers are to return to Augusta Monday to try to override those vetoes, and reach a deal on several issues, including public campaign funding, a transportation borrowing package and conforming Maine to the federal tax code. The highest-profile bill vetoed by LePage Friday was the bill that aimed to stop conversion therapy by establishing sanctions — for practitioners including psychologists, doctors, therapists and guidance counselors — from treating someone in an attempt to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. The practice has been denounced by the American Psychiatric Association, which says it is “based on a view of homosexuality that has been rejected by all the major mental health professions.”</a> Now, 13 states and the District of Columbia have laws aimed at banning it, according to the Movement Advancement Project. LePage said the proposal was overbroad in his veto letter, saying it could “call into question a simple conversation” and that physical or mental abuse is already prohibited. That echoed the viewpoint of the conservative Christian Civic League of Maine, which led 2009 and 2012 campaigns against same sex marriage and called the original bill “Orwellian” in testimony. Representative Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) who is gay, sponsored the bill after he said an administrator at the Catholic university he graduated from in 2014 urged him to seek similar therapy. Representative Matt Moonen (D-Portland) the executive director of EqualityMaine, a pro-LGBT rights group, said in a statement that LePage “chose petty politics over protecting kids” with his veto. Other vetoed bills included two omnibus packages that would overhaul Maine’s medical marijuana program in several ways, including eliminating a list of qualifying conditions, allowing dispensaries to operate as for-profit businesses and exempting marijuana testing facilities from certain requirements. The two others revolve around jail funding and state park fees. The Legislature will need to muster two-thirds votes in both chambers to overturn the vetoes, which also include start-up funding for Medicaid expansion. The conversion therapy bill failed to win two-thirds support in either chamber in earlier votes. The marijuana bills passed easily.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-metro-teen-bashes-stonewall-window-20180707-story.html"> In New York City, the <i>Daily News </i>reports a teenager irate he was thrown out of Greenwich Village’s historic Stonewall Inn, the birthplace of the LGBT civil rights movement, bashed in the bar’s window with a baseball bat early Saturday, officials said. The attack did nearly $7,000 worth of damage to the window and the bar’s neon sign, authorities said William Gomez, 19, was in the bar with co-workers when he was thrown out of the legendary Christopher St. watering hole by a bouncer, according to police and Gomez’s mother. He allegedly returned with a baseball bat about 4:30 am and smashed the bar’s window with it, punching holes in the glass and damaging the neon sign that sits in the window. Police arrested Gomez near the scene, charging him with criminal mischief and reckless endangerment. Gomez was freed after his arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court on Saturday evening. He is not facing hate crime charges, since it does not appear that the attack was motivated by the bar’s significance in the gay rights movement, sources said. Gomez’s mother, who declined to give her name, told the <i>Daily News</i> her son isn’t gay and his girlfriend is expecting their child soon. She said he went to the bar with a group of co-workers. She said her son called her Saturday from lockup, claiming a bouncer had punched him in the face before he was thrown out of the bar. “He said that a bodyguard was messing with one of his co-workers and he told him to stop,” she said. “He then thought the conversation was over but at one point he was punched in the face. He’s a quiet boy. He doesn’t get into trouble.”</a> Police sources said he has been arrested several times before. He was charged with assault in Brooklyn last year, was accused of criminal impersonation in 2015 and was arrested on a robbery charge in 2014, the sources said. The broken window and sign were repaired when the Stonewall Inn reopened on schedule at 2:00 pm Saturday. The Stonewall Inn became famous in 1969, when a police raid sparked a melee between cops and gay patrons. The confrontation and ensuing riots sparked the movement to secure rights for gays and lesbians. President Barack Obama declared the Stonewall Inn a national monument in 2016. "Stonewall will be our first national monument to tell the story for the struggle for LGBT rights," Obama announced at the time. A year earlier, the city gave the Stonewall Inn landmark status.Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-40838983571261795842018-07-06T22:37:00.000-07:002018-07-06T22:37:38.403-07:00Toronto Police Find More Human Remains In Alleged Gay Serial Killer Bruce McArthur Investigation, Petition To Recall Gay Groves Texas Councilman Refiled As Cross Coburn Refuses To Resign, Protest Announced Amid Growing Outrage Over Dixon California's Vice Mayor Vile Anti-Gay Comments, Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules Former Marquette Professor Should Not Have Been Fired For Blog Post Criticizing Student Instructor He Believed Shut Down Gay Marriage Debate <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/toronto/article-new-human-remains-found-in-bruce-mcarthur-investigation-police-say/"> Another update on a previous post: In Ontario, the <i>Globe and Mail</i> reports police have confirmed that new human remains were found Wednesday during their investigation into alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur – in the Toronto ravine near a Leaside property where they previously found the remains of seven men in planters. The yet unidentified remains were pulled from the wooded area around 4:00 pm Wednesday afternoon, in a large black bag carried by a team of officials, and slid into the back of a coroner’s van. The grim scene came just hours after Toronto police started excavating the property, where − in January − they seized multiple planters, cracked them open and found remains of Andrew Kinsman, Soroush Mahmudi, Skandaraj Navaratnam, Selim Esen, Dean Lisowick, Abdulbasir Faizi and Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam. Mr. McArthur, 66, has been charged with murdering all of them, as well as Majeed Kayhan, a 58-year-old who fled from war in Afghanistan to the safety of Canada, only to disappear in 2012. Mr. Kayhan’s body has yet to be found. Police wanted to search the ground at the Leaside house immediately after finding remains in the planters. But the earth in January was cold and hard. Investigators tried to warm it, but ultimately resolved to return when the seasons shifted. In May, trained cadaver dogs indicated the possible presence of human remains in multiple locations across one larger piece of the property. After a month of co-ordination, including scheduling with the Centre of Forensic Sciences and communication with the homeowners, the excavation began Wednesday morning. “We found items of interest and they have been sent to the office of the coroner for testing,” police spokeswoman Meaghan Gray said Wednesday night.</a> On Thursday morning, Detective Hank Idsinga confirmed that the “items” were, in fact, human remains. The Leaside house, tucked neatly into a corner of a sleepy, curling row of homes on Mallory Crescent, is the only property out of approximately 100 that police dogs signalled might be of interest during their search. Mr. McArthur had worked there as a landscaper for years. As of Wednesday morning, the excavation was slated to take several weeks, depending on what – if anything – was found. A tent was set up above the ravine, at the side of the property, partially blocked by a fleet of cars that included a command vehicle, a Durham Region forensic-investigation services van and a van from Toronto’s forensic-identification services. In a dark car at the side of the scene, Detective David Dickinson − lead investigator Hank Idsinga’s right-hand man − sat quietly at work. Detective Dickinson is one of more than a dozen officers working the McArthur case, and has been tapped to eventually testify during Mr. McArthur’s trial − so his availability to discuss the investigation is different than Det. Idsinga’s. His goal, he said, is just to give answers to the communities involved. He believes that even when the trial is over, there will be families of missing people wondering whether Mr. McArthur was involved. “Part of this is humanitarian,” he said. He tapped the black-leather folder on the passenger seat, which he kept close at hand as he ventured up and down the ravine through the afternoon, saying he would keep updating his notes until they had explanations. The locations identified by the cadaver dogs were hot spots within one larger area, Det. Dickinson explained − a leafy area between the house and the railway tracks that run behind it. A police service dog named Major was on-scene throughout the day Wednesday. At one point, he was taken down into the ravine by his handler, Sergeant Derrick Gaudet, and returned with a reward between his teeth: a blue toy bone. Around 4:00 pm, a hurried group of officers and officials emerged from the trees, a team of them carrying a black bag. A black van, identified by an officer on-scene as the coroner’s van, had its back doors open and waiting. Then they were snapped shut and the van drove away.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Petition-to-oust-councilman-over-photo-leak-13026679.php"> An update on a previous post: In Texas, a petition to oust a Groves councilman over nude photos leaked earlier this year collected enough valid signatures to trigger a recall election, a city official announced on Monday. Ward I Councilman Cross Coburn has five days to resign or face a recall election on November 6, according to city ordinances. According to the <i>Beaumont Enterprise</i>, the recall petition, signed by 936 registered voters, was approved by city attorney James Black at Monday's City Council meeting. Earlier this month, the petition fell short of the required 893 signatures — equal to 10 percent of Groves' registered voters. "I have said before that I will not resign," Coburn said in a statement after the meeting. "But I have the right to take that five days to ponder my official answer. We also have a right to pursue legal remedies and will do so in these next days." If Coburn decides not to resign, he would have from now until November "to show his constituents what he can do for his city," said Jill Pierce, his attorney. "His only request is that in November, when this issue is on the ballot — if it does end up on the ballot — that people judge him and vote for him based on the job he's done as a city councilperson," Pierce said. Coburn said he believes the recall petition has "some fundamental problems" and said Pierce would be looking "at any and all legal remedies to bring those problems to light." The effort to recall Co-burn, 19, was launched at the beginning of May by Groves resident William L. Howlett after he learned nude screen-shot images of the councilman were anonymously sent to City Hall and local media. According to Howlett, Coburn "publicly demonstrated actions unbecoming a public official." In March, Groves Mayor Brad Bailey said he believed public servants "should be held to a higher standard" but said the photos were not illegal and a potential recall election would be "a citizen-driven issue."</a> Grindr, the gay dating app from which the photos were screen-shot, does not store user information as a means of protecting user privacy, according to Pierce, who said she spoke with Grindr representatives as part of an investigation into who might have mailed the photos of the councilman. Bailey, Ward III Councilman Sidney Badon and Ward IV Councilman Kyle Hollier signed Howlett's petition, which was also circulated by their family members, according to a copy of the petition provided by Coburn's legal team. "Some people worked hard to get that petition signed," Bailey said at the June 11 City Council meeting. "They did it the right way. That's a citizen's right, it's citizen-driven," adding, "I have the right to vote and I want to exercise that right. I'll fight for it because right is right and wrong is wrong. Period." Bailey also chastised Coburn for "not apologizing" for the photos. Co-burn said he did apologize and "owned up to my mistake." Coburn, who ran unopposed, was elected to Ward I in November 2017. Elected city officials cannot be recalled within their first six months in office, according to a city ordinance.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article214355859.html"> An update on a previous post: In California, a vice mayor who penned a controversial column in which he called gay men "faries" has faced escalating outrage, a planned protest and calls for a recall or resignation in the week since the column was published in the hometown newspaper. Dixon Vice Mayor Ted Hickman faced near-immediate backlash and outrage among the public and at least one of his fellow city council members in response to the latest edition of his column, <i>That's Life</i>, published Friday, June 29, in Dixon's <i>Independent Voice</i> newspaper and also posted to his personal website. A portion of the column contained controversial comments regarding the LGBTQ community, including remarks that gay people have an "inferior complex." The installment of his column also declared July to be <i>Straight Pride American Month</i>. "We ARE different from them. … We work, have families, (and babies we make) enjoy and love the company (and marriage) of the opposite sex and don’t flaunt our differences dressing up like faries and prancing by the thousands in a parade," Hickman wrote. An online Care2 petition seeking a recall of Hickman was about 500 signatures short of its goal of 15,000 early Thursday afternoon. "Dixon, California's Vice Mayor Ted Hickman fancies himself a comedian. The only problem is he's not funny, he's hateful," the Care2 page begins. Gay rights advocacy group Equality California, as well as a fast-growing anti-Hickman group on Facebook, have mobilized quickly to call for Hickman's swift resignation or a recall election. A mother of six who is planning to move to Dixon soon, Heather Eckert, set up the "Recall Ted Hickman" Facebook page with two of her friends. She identified the trio as "past, present and future Dixon residents," with no ties to a formal activist group. Eckert said a friend brought Hickman's column to her attention the day it was published. "Look at this. Help," the friend told her, according to Eckert. "This has to get out, people have to know this." In Dixon, the position of vice mayor rotates among city council members, with the role changing hands every January. Hickman is up for re-election to the council this November. Eckert notes that in California, a recall election cannot take place less than six months before a regular election. But she did not know that at the time; the page was set up as a "gut-punch reaction" the same night the column was published, she said. Eckert said she did not want to change the name of a Facebook group that had already gained so much momentum — more than 1,500 followers in less than a week. The Facebook page featured a recent post to the group demanding Hickman's resignation letter instead, on Mayor Thomas Bogue's desk by the end of business Friday. Dixon's next city council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday.</a> An event invitation on Facebook for a planned protest of that meeting was set up by Eckert. It has garnered more than 150 responses indicating an intent to attend. Eckert advocates for a "calm protest," with no "screaming" or "chaos," "Just a quiet message of, 'We want you gone.'" Hickman stood by his column after its publication and the following outrage, defending it in a phone interview with the <i>Sacramento Bee</i> last weekend as tongue-in-cheek humor. In the days since, Hickman's writing has gained a wider audience as the story was picked up by national news outlets, including <i>Newsweek</i> and the <i>Huffington Post</i>. Multiple attempts by the <i>Sacramento Bee</i> to reach Hickman since Monday for follow-up comments have been unsuccessful. Celebrity and LGBTQ rights advocate George Takei on Tuesday shared a link on his Facebook page to a news story about Hickman. Takei is a very active Facebook poster, with more than 10 million followers on the social media platform. His post about Hickman gained thousands of reactions and comments, as well as hundreds of shares, by Thursday morning. Takei calls Hickman's column "as offensive as it is unfunny." Equality California, the state's largest nonprofit LGBTQ activist group, on Monday issued a statement calling for Hickman's resignation. "Despite all the progress we've made, hate and intolerance are alive and well in fringe politicians like Mr. Hickman," Executive Director Rick Zbur said in Equality California's statement. Councilman Devon Minnema condemned Hickman in a public Facebook post, calling the vice mayor's positions "deeply disturbing" and saying he has spewed "venom" over the years. By phone on Saturday, Hickman said his personal beliefs are protected by the First Amendment and have not negatively affected his job performance. A few of Hickman's supporters have expressed similar sentiments on social media, but Minnema and many who have petitioned against Hickman spoke negatively of the vice mayor's past. "He is willing and able to continue to affect an already marginalized population," as long as he remains in office, protest organizer Eckert said. Hickman told the Bee that he welcomes citizens to take action against him if they feel it is necessary: "They're gonna have a recall motion? Let them do it."<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-marquette-university-professor-court-decision-20180706-story.html#"> In Wisconsin, former Marquette University professor who wrote a blog post criticizing a student instructor he believed shut down debate against gay marriage shouldn't have lost his job because of what he published, the state Supreme Court ruled Friday. According to the <i>Chicago Tribune</i>, the 120-page decision concluded that the private Catholic school breached its contract with professor John McAdams that guaranteed academic freedom and that he should be immediately reinstated. The university said it would comply with the ruling. The court's 4-2 decision came down on ideological lines, with the conservative majority siding with McAdams. Those justices said the faculty panel that recommended his discipline had an “unacceptable bias” because one member had publicly expressed support for the graduate instructor. The liberal justices called the decision “far reaching” and said academic freedom “does not protect McAdams from discipline” if his peers concluded he acted unprofessionally. One justice didn't participate in the ruling. McAdams sued the university in 2016, arguing that he lost his job for exercising freedom of speech. Marquette said he wasn't fired for the content of his 2014 post, but because he named the instructor and linked to her personal website that had personal identifying information. “That's not academic freedom. That's cyberbullying,” Ralph Weber, Marquette's attorney, said Friday. The instructor, a graduate student, later received a flood of hateful messages and threats, and at one point needed a security guard stationed outside her class. She eventually moved to another university where she had to repeat three semesters and revise her doctoral thesis. The case has been closely watched by conservatives who see universities as liberal havens, as well as private businesses that want control over employee discipline. In the November 2014 blog post, McAdams described an interaction between a conservative student and a graduate student instructor of philosophy. The student claimed the instructor refused to allow discussion about opposition to gay marriage during a class and provided McAdams with a recording he secretly made of a conversation with the teacher after the class. That formed the basis for McAdams' post, in which he argued that the students' experience was another example of liberals silencing people whose opinions they disagree with or find offensive. The post included the student-teacher's name, a link to her personal website and her e-mail address.</a> In its Friday ruling, the court's conservative majority said McAdams' blog post can't be blamed for the harassment against the instructor. “Just because vile commentary followed the blog post does not mean the blog post instigated or invited the vileness,” the majority's written opinion said. Liberal justices who dissented said conservatives ignored the fact that McAdams promoted his post to national media outlets knowing the backlash the student could receive, once writing that when something gets widespread attention, it's possible “some jerks are going to say nasty things.” The dissenting justices wrote, “McAdams indeed did ‘instigate’ or ‘invite’ the vileness that followed his blog post. He knew what would happen, and he actively ensured that it would happen.” They called McAdams' behavior reckless and contrary to the university's professional standards. McAdams' attorney, Rick Esenberg, said he disagreed with the liberal justices' conclusion that academic freedom shouldn't protect the professor from discipline. “I think it's just flat wrong. The whole purpose of academic freedom is to allow people in the university community to express themselves without fear of sanctions,” he said. He said McAdams intends to teach again at Marquette, though it's unclear when that will happen. McAdams published his post on his personal website, “Marquette Warrior,” which he has used for more than a decade to condemn political correctness and the silencing of ideas that might be hurtful to protected classes, according to his lawsuit against the school. McAdams was given the chance to return to work after his suspension, provided he write a letter apologizing for his conduct. The letter was to be shared confidentially with the student instructor, but McAdams refused to write it.Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-63314907721414406622018-07-04T20:51:00.002-07:002018-07-04T20:51:36.731-07:00Toronto Police Resume Excavation Of Property Where Alleged Gay Serial Killer Bruce McArthur Worked, Highest Hong Kong Court Rules British Lesbian Holds Right To Spousal Visa, Newley-Elected New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy Signs Three Bills Into Law Protecting Rights Of Transgender Residents In Life And Death, Quincy Illinois City Council Rejects Application For Permit Of Gay Club<a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/toronto/article-toronto-police-resume-dig-at-property-where-bruce-mcarthur-worked-as/"> An update on a previous post: In Ontario, the <i>Globe and Mail</i> reports that for the second time in the Toronto police investigation of alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur, cadaver dogs have indicated the possible presence of human remains at a Leaside property – this time, in multiple locations. On Wednesday, the home where police found planters filled with human remains in January was retaped off and readied for excavation. Police dogs trained to sniff out remains had indicated several spots of concern, approximately one month ago. The one-month lapse was due to co-ordination with the Centre of Forensic Sciences. “It’s really too early to say whether or not we’ll find something, but certainly they’ve indicated enough that we felt it was necessary to go back and dig up those spots to see what’s there,” police spokesperson Meaghan Gray said. “Obviously our dogs are very well trained, and have been successful in the past. They indicated on the planters that we ended up seizing, where we found all of the remains to date.”</a> Over the course of the last six months, police have charged Mr. McArthur with eight counts of first-degree murder – but they’ve only located seven sets of remains so far. The remains of Andrew Kinsman, Soroush Mahmudi, Skandaraj Navaratnam, Selim Esen, Dean Lisowick, Abdulbasir Faizi and Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam were located after police cracked open large planters seized from the same property and found bones. But the body of Majeed Kayhan – a 58-year-old who fled from war in Afghanistan to the safety of Canada, only to disappear in 2012 – has yet to be accounted for. Mr. McArthur was charged with Mr. Kayhan’s murder a little over a week after his initial arrest. The Leaside house, tucked neatly into a corner of a sleepy, curling row of homes on Mallory Crescent, is the only property out of approximately 100 that were searched by police dogs to turn up signs of possible additional human remains. Mr. McArthur had worked there as a landscaper for years. After locating the remains of seven men in the planters, police had attempted to heat the then-frozen ground outside to search it further, but ultimately decided to return when the seasons changed. The new excavation is slated to take several weeks, depending on what – if anything – is found.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-britain-lgbt/top-hong-kong-court-grants-uk-lesbian-right-to-spousal-visa-idUSKBN1JU083"> In Hong Kong, <i>Reuters</i> reports the country's top court ruled on Wednesday that a British lesbian should be granted a spousal visa in a landmark judgment that could open the door for expatriate same sex partners to move to the Chinese-ruled city. The British woman, who requested to be identified only as QT in court, sued the director of immigration in 2014 after she was denied a spousal visa that would have granted her resident status and allowed her to work without the need for a separate visa. The woman and her partner, a dual British and South African national identified only as SS and who was offered work in Hong Kong, had entered into a civil partnership in Britain. QT did not appear in court. “Although I cannot be with you in person today, that does not diminish the joy I feel, knowing that Hong Kong’s highest court has upheld my right, as a lesbian woman, to be treated equally by the Hong Kong government,” QT said in a statement. She plans to live in Hong Kong, instead of flying back and forth to Britain as she has been doing for years. “I won’t feel like a second citizen anymore and I can have the basic rights like anyone else, from as simple as having a library card to having healthcare,” she told reporters by phone. The unanimous ruling by five judges, upholding a lower court’s decision, brings to an end the case involving rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, which won support from more than 30 global banks and law firms, including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. “This ruling strengthens Hong Kong’s ability to attract global talent and its competitiveness as Asia’s pre-eminent global center for commerce,” the companies said in a statement. The decision goes beyond immigration and effectively recognizes the rights of local and foreign same sex couples who legally entered civil partnerships abroad, said the British woman’s attorney, Michael Vidler. “We never argued this case is about same sex marriage for Hong Kong, but we hope this case will pave the way for exactly that,” he said outside the Court of Final Appeal. Hong Kong’s Immigration Department said it respected the ruling. “We are studying the judgment carefully and shall seek legal advice as necessary before deciding the way forward,” it said. Hong Kong could become the first Asian jurisdiction to officially grant dependent visas to same sex partners, even though it already makes some exceptions to diplomats. Foreign diplomats in mainland China also say the Chinese government has been issuing de facto spousal visas to same-sex partners in recent years. Although Taiwan set a precedent in Asia last year when its constitutional court ruled that same sex couples have the right to legally marry, gay marriage has not been legalized yet. An official website stated that same sex spouses do not qualify as spouses for immigration purposes. Japan does not officially grant dependent visas to same sex couples, but some married foreign couples say they managed to get one. Hong Kong is a popular destination for expatriates, many of whom work in the city’s financial services and legal sectors. Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1991, although marriage is legally defined as a monogamous union between a man and a woman. It does not recognize same sex marriage.</a> There is no law against sexual discrimination in the territory which is governed under a “one country, two systems” formula that promises it a high degree of autonomy, a legal system separate from that of mainland China and an independent judiciary. In a 45-page judgment, the judges said the director of immigration’s assertion that an obvious difference existed between marriage and a civil partnership rested on “shaky foundations." The court also said that while the director of immigration’s policy aimed to attract foreign talent, the act of rejecting same sex partners was counter-productive. It had not allowed the 31 global banks and law firms’ to join in the court case, but acknowledged their effort in the judgment. “As is evident from the attempted intervention of the banks and law firms, the ability to bring in dependants is an important issue for persons deciding whether to move to Hong Kong,” it said. Veteran LGBT activist Billy Leung, who arrived at court with a small rainbow flag, said he knew at least six same sex couples who had chosen not to move to Hong Kong or had left the city in the past five years over what they described as a lack of LGBT-friendly policies. “The struggle is real,” he said.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/07/murphy_signs_law_protecting_transgender_rights.html"> In New Jersey, for the first time, transgender people living in the state have the legal right to alter the sex recorded on their birth and death certificates, under new laws enacted Tuesday by Governor Phil Murphy. There are an estimated 30,100 transgender people living in New Jersey and about 1.4 million transgender people living in the United States, according to a 2016 report by the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. People whose gender identity conflicts with their sex at birth face unique forms of discrimination that lesbian and gay people do not. Christian Fuscarino, executive director of Garden State Equality, lauded Murphy and members of the Legislature for "seeing that equality reaches everyone in New Jersey," adding, "Transgender people have long stood in solidarity with LGB people and here at Garden State Equality we make sure nobody is left behind."</a> Murphy, a Democrat, signed: * A1718, which requires the state Registrar of Vital Statistics to issue an amended birth certificate to a person born in the state which bears the transgender person's name and sex. The law was named after Babs Siperstein of Edison, the first elected transgender member of the Democratic National Committee in 2012. The law removes the requirement that a transgender person had to submit medical records showing reassignment surgery had taken place. "Our existing law does not support the understanding that gender reassignment surgery is no longer the only option for transitioning," said Senator Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex) who sponsored the bill with Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen). "By enacting this legislation, we acknowledge nonsurgical transitioning which usually includes physical, psychological, social, and emotional changes." Former Governor Chris Christie, a Republican, twice vetoed the bill during his eight years in office, citing concerns over fraud. * A1726, which permits the person planning the funeral of a transgender person to request the death certificate reflect the person's identity. The transgender person may also leave behind a document "providing proof of clinical treatment for gender transition may be used to memorialize a gender transition." * A1727, establishing a transgender equality task force "to assess legal and societal barriers to equality" and recommend future laws to prevent discrimination. "Today is an important day for New Jersey as we continue to strive toward equality for all of our residents, regardless of sex or gender expression," Murphy said in statement. "Allowing vital records to match gender identity is an important step forward that will allow transgender individuals to control the disclosure of their transgender status. And by creating a Transgender Equality Task Force, New Jersey can ensure that all residents receive the protections they deserve. New Jersey will continue to stand with our LGBTQ residents in the continued pursuit of similar rights nationwide." New Jersey is the 17th state that allows transgender residents to change their gender on death records without proof of surgery, and the fourth state, following California, Oregon, and Washington, that will include transgender as an option on birth certificates, according to Garden State Equality's Director of Programs Aaron Potenza, who helped draft the birth certificate legislation.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wgem.com/story/38561382/quincy-city-council-denies-lgbt-nightclub"> In western Illinois, a city council has turned down a permit for a gay nightclub, rejecting the recommendation of the planning commission. The Quincy City Council vote was 8-5 Monday. <i>WGEM </i>says the special permit would have allowed the business to be open until 3:00 am. Aldermen who opposed the permit say they're concerned about parking and noise. Another gay club, Irene's Nightclub, operated at the site for 36 years before it closed in 2016.</a> Chris Taylor says he picked the site because of the history. He says he doesn't understand the council's decision. Area business owner Rusty Williams says he supports the new club. He says he's disappointed with what he considers to be the "closed-mindedness" of elected officials.Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-54692280910565955692018-07-02T20:08:00.000-07:002018-07-02T20:08:19.483-07:00Turkish Police Disperse LGBT Activists Who Defy Authorities Prohibition Of Gay Pride March, Equality California Asks That Dixon Vice Mayor Ted Hickman Resign After He Authors Then Defends Vile Anti-Gay Column, 19-Year-Old Jackson Sugrue Charged With Hate Crime After Confining And Beating 50-Year-Old Gay Man For Four Days But His Parents Say Son Not Guilty, 23-Year-Old Minnesota United Midfielder Collin Martin Comes Out Becoming The First Openly Gay Athlete Currently Playing In One Of Five Men's North American Sports League<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/istanbul-pride-organizers-say-they-will-march-despite-a-ban/2018/07/01/222504ee-7d0e-11e8-a63f-7b5d2aba7ac5_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.c4b5e304cbcd"> In Turkey, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex activists gathered Sunday for an LGBTI pride march in Istanbul, moving from street to street for an hour as police tried to end an event the local government had banned for the fourth year in a row. According to the <i>Associated Press</i>, hundreds of people chanted slogans and waved rainbow flags on side streets along Istiklal Avenue, Istanbul’s main pedestrian thoroughfare. The organizers released a statement saying the city’s ban would not deter them from marching peacefully. Despite the ban, police allowed the organizers to read a press statement. “We do not recognize this ban,” the group said in the statement read out loud by a volunteer, calling the prohibition imposed by Istanbul’s governor “comical.” Police told the crowd to disperse after the statement, warning “otherwise, we will intervene.” Officers patrolled with dogs and had water cannons stationed nearby. They fired tear gas on groups in some areas and were seen elsewhere pushing and shouting at participants who were too slow to scatter. March organizers said Friday that the governor had prohibited the march in violation of the right to freedom of assembly. The governor has cited security reasons and public “sensitivities” as grounds for barring LGBTI marches since 2015. Prior to that, Turkish authorities had allowed pride marches since the first one took place in 2003. As many as 100,000 people attended Istanbul Pride in 2014. While police tried to disperse Sunday’s march, participants kept reassembling in clusters different parts of the city’s Taksim district, chanting “Don’t be silent, shout out, homosexuals exist.”</a> Another activist read from the statement that the march organizers also circulated online and said, “We miss the marches attended by thousands where we celebrate our visibility.” On Thursday, the governor in Turkey’s capital city of Ankara, citing the need to protect “public order,” banned a screening of “Pride,” a Golden Globe-nominated film about gay activists in the United Kingdom. The prohibition on the movie followed a blanket ban issued in November on LGBTI events in Ankara. Although homosexuality and being transgender are not illegal in Turkey, LGBTI people face discrimination and hate crimes. Yasemin Oz, an activist and lawyer, told the <i>AP</i> that transgender and gay people were “ostracized and discriminated against” in accessing education, health care and employment. LGBTI individuals need to “go out to the streets, show themselves, say ‘We are here, we are among you,’” if they are to be accepted by society, Oz said. The Turkish government denies that individuals are discriminated against based on gender identity or sexual orientation and says current laws are sufficient to protect the rights of every citizen. The government says perpetrators of anti-LGBTI hate crimes are prosecuted. Turkey has been under a state of emergency for nearly two years following a failed coup attempt, which allows authorities to curtail some freedoms.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article214214659.html"> In California, the <i>Sacramento Bee</i> reports that nonprofit activist group Equality California issued a statement Monday urging Dixon Vice Mayor Ted Hickman to resign, three days after his column using an offensive term for gay men was published in a local newspaper. A portion of Hickman's column in Dixon's <i>Independent Voice</i> quickly spurred outrage, including calls on social media for a recall election. In last Friday's edition of "That's Life," Hickman referred to gay men as 'faries' (sic), among other comments that many people found homophobic. Equality California, the largest branch of a national nonprofit that advocates for LGBTQ rights, issued a statement Monday calling for Hickman's resignation, directly citing his column and his "derogatory references to the LGBTQ community," Executive Director Rick Zbur of Equality California adding, "Despite all the progress we've made, hate and intolerance are alive and well in fringe politicians like Mr. Hickman who spew hateful rhetoric in an attempt to dehumanize members of our LGBTQ community," Zbur also said in the statement that Hickman's personal beliefs are protected by the First Amendment, "but he's not entitled to serve in elected office and the very same Amendment protects the rights of Dixon residents and pro-equality Californians to stand up and demand accountability. That's what we intend to do."</a> On Saturday, Hickman defended his column to the <i>Sacramento Bee</i> as "tongue-in-cheek," adding that his personal beliefs have not affected his performance as vice mayor. Hickman did not return the Bee's initial requests for comment Monday afternoon. A political columnist with the <i>Independent Voice</i> and a controversial former vice mayor of Dixon, Michael Ceremello, defended Hickman and the column Monday in an e-mail copied to the <i>Bee</i> and <i>Hickman</i>, responding to a letter by a reader who was critical of Hickman. Ceremello said he was "dismayed" the reader could not find a sense of humor in Hickman's column, and called the reader's viewpoint one-sided. In his e-mail, Ceremello also called gay pride parades "a hedonistic demonstration of marginal values," also referring to the LGBTQ community as "1 to 2% of the population," adding, "I salute Ted Hickman for opening the door to the conversation. Some of us are not afraid to talk about race or sexual orientation." As reported in 2010 by the <i>Vacaville Reporter</i>, then-City Council member Ceremello was escorted out of the Dixon Council Chamber for a "cooling off" period after an angry rant and telling then-Vice Mayor Rick Fuller, "You do not have the floor. Please sit back and shut the (expletive) up." Current Dixon Councilman Devon Minnema issued a statement on Facebook on Saturday, calling Hickman's rhetoric "venom" and saying his fellow council members should "do the right thing in coming weeks." The "Recall Ted Hickman, Vice Mayor of Dixon, CA" page on Facebook had about 100 likes on Saturday. As of Monday afternoon, it has about 1,000. Equality California is a member of the Equality Federation, a national advocacy program, and is that program's largest member.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20180702/updated-framingham-man-charged-with-hate-crime-parents-say-son-didnt-do-it"> In Massachusetts, a Framingham man found bloodied and bruised on the ground on Saturday told police that he had been held against his will in a Concord Street apartment without food and water for four days while being beaten, authorities said. The man he claimed attacked him, Jackson Sugrue, 19, is facing a hate crime charge because during one violent assault he kept referring to the man with homosexual slurs, prosecutor Dylan Krasinski said Monday during Sugrue’s Framingham District Court arraignment. On Saturday, police went to Kendall Street at 5:39 pm for a report of a man who had been beaten by a bat. They found the 50-year-old man covered with blood, bruises and scratches. He had no shirt or shoes on, just a pair of pants. “He said he had escaped from an apartment where he had been kept against his will for the past four days,” Krasinski said. After the man was taken to MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham, he provided more information about what had occurred and who assaulted him. He said he lives in a small apartment beneath the Philadelphia Baptist Church, 259 Concord Street, which is where he was being held. He said he has been “hanging out” with Sugrue for the past few weeks, the prosecutor told the court. The man told police he is gay and that Sugrue took advantage of him by borrowing money and buying things. On Wednesday, the pair used crack together when Sugrue suddenly became violent. ″(The alleged victim) tried to leave, but the defendant wouldn’t let him leave the apartment,” said Krasinski. “He (Sugrue) took his phone away and wouldn’t let him leave. The victim was afraid if he tried to leave he would be hurt or killed. He said the defendant is a dangerous man.” Sugrue refused to let the man drink or eat while being held captive, Krasinski said. On Saturday, the man was sleeping in his bed when Sugrue grabbed him by the foot and dragged him from the bed onto the floor. Sugrue stepped on the man’s throat, choking him while pinning him to the floor with his foot. Sugrue then let the victim up, before picking up a coffee table and beginning to strike him repeatedly with it. During the assault, Sugrue kept referencing the man’s sexuality. “He (Sugrue) kept saying, ‘I know you like me. I know you’re gay,’” said Krasinski. “He kept saying it over and over. The victim believes this is what led to the assault.” The man finally escaped. Police arrested Sugrue at his 282 Belknap Road home at 8:46 pm Saturday and charged him with a hate crime, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (coffee table), assault and battery and intimidation of a witness. Krasinski asked Judge David Cunis to hold Sugrue on $2,500 bail, but Sugrue’s attorney, Kenneth Gross argued for Sugrue’s release. Gross claimed Sugrue was actually the victim.</a> He said the 50-year-old man was trying to take advantage of his 19-year-old client. “He (alleged victim) was trying to entice my client to do things that were against his nature,” Gross said. Sugrue’s parents, Terry and Frank, were shocked and dismayed by the story told by the alleged victim. They spoke with the <i>Daily News</i> on Monday. “My son is a victim of a 50-year-old man,” said Terry Sugrue. She added the two had known each other for a couple of months and that in the past week, she and her husband had tried to limit the contact between her son and the other man. Terry said she and her husband had tried to help the other man by doing things like buying him dishes. “This is someone we tried to help,” said Terry Sugrue. “He became obsessed with my son.” The Sugrues said their son had been home on Thursday and part of Friday and could not have kept the alleged victim in the Concord Street apartment. Terry Sugrue added that her son had scratches when he returned home on Saturday. He had told his parents that he was hiding from the other man in a neighbor’s yard. “It’s absolutely ridiculous to suggest my son would have anything to do with a hate crime,” said Frank Sugrue in an interview Monday afternoon. The Sugrues believe the full story will come out. Cunis ordered Sugrue held on $1,000 bail and to stay away from and not contact the victim. Sugrue is due back in court on August 1 for a pretrial conference. Terry said her son is in the hospital and afraid to come home. “My focus right now is on my kid,” said Terry Sugrue.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.startribune.com/minnesota-united-player-collin-martin-comes-out-publicly-that-he-s-gay/486944251/"> Minnesota United midfielder Collin Martin publicly came out as gay in a social media statement Friday morning, making him the only out athlete currently playing in one of the five major men’s North American sports leagues. Martin, 23, is the first male athlete from any of those major leagues to say he is gay since 2014, when Michael Sam came out ahead of the NFL draft. Martin is believed to be the first male athlete from a pro Minnesota team to come out publicly during his career. “I never thought that was completely important because I thought it’d been done before,” Martin said in an interview with the <i>Star Tribune</i>. “But, I mean, you look around, there’s still not an out professional athlete in the five major sports in America … right now. So it’s still important.” Robbie Rogers, a former LA Galaxy and U.S. national team soccer player, was the first openly gay man to compete in one of the top five leagues after he came out in February 2013. He retired in 2017 after missing the season with injuries. About two months after Rogers came out, veteran NBA center Jason Collins announced he was gay. He played for the Brooklyn Nets in 2014 before retiring that same year. Sam, who was the 2013 SEC Defensive Player of the Year at Missouri, came out almost a year after Rogers before the St. Louis Rams drafted the defensive lineman. He retired in 2015 without playing an official NFL game. In baseball, a minor league player from the Milwaukee Brewers’ system, David Denson, came out as gay in 2015; he retired in 2017. The NHL has never had an out player. Other sports have several out male athletes, such as figure skater Adam Rippon and freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy, who both participated in the Olympics. Martin has played in 20 games with 13 starts since joining the Loons last year, including starting five of the past nine. He said he decided rather suddenly to come out Friday ahead of United’s Pride Night game. He did not play in the 1-0 loss to FC Dallas but participated in a halftime ceremony for United’s community award and received applause. A fairly private person who rarely posts on Instagram or Twitter, Martin said one day it just clicked for him, and he decided he was ready to move forward. He informed the team of his plan Monday. The Chevy Chase, Maryland, native has been out to his four siblings and friends for about four years and to his parents and teammates for about two. He said a few factors recently inspired him to make a public statement. One was seeing how much support there is in soccer for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. About 125 men’s and women’s soccer players from all different levels participate in Playing for Pride, a fundraising campaign in its second year that raises money and encourages conversation about inclusion. “I’ve been out with the team and with my teammates and the staff for over a year now, and I’ve had nothing but support,” Martin said. “It’s taken me a while to feel comfortable on the teams I’ve played on and to be completely myself, and talk to my teammates about my [ex-]boyfriend and who I’m going on dates with or about being gay myself. And all that has been super rewarding. It was just trying to maybe get over that hump and to maybe see if I can just affect more people, because I think I’ve affected a lot of people in my daily life and around this locker room positively just by being myself.” Martin said he read several coming-out stories from athletes in other sports and at other levels that share a negative aspect or barrier to overcome. He admits to having those, too, culminating during his one year at Wake Forest when he used alcohol as a defense mechanism while trying to figure out his sexuality as well as his place within a soccer team and a heteronormative world. Since returning home and signing his first professional contract as a homegrown player for D.C. United in 2013, he was finally able to explore the sexuality he knew he identified with since he was a boy. Those he has come out to have met him with support and understanding. While Martin shies away from talk of being brave or an inspiration, he hopes sharing his story will encourage younger gay athletes to know there is a space for them, just as athletes who came out before encouraged him. “It’s important for people to just respect themselves and respect their own timeline but to also just be open and honest and understand that locker rooms are changing,” Martin said.</a> “And professional sports are a place for people to be themselves wholeheartedly.” By the end of the game Friday, Martin’s announcement had 60,000 likes and 13,000 retweets on Twitter. He said he didn’t expect that magnitude of response and couldn’t figure out how to turn off the notifications on his phone. During the game, he said he noticed the crowd yelling his name a bit more and was happy to have Dallas players come up to him and express support. And the support has been abundant both online and in person, from the likes of MLS Commissioner Don Garber to Martin’s own team. “To see the reception he’s gotten publicly from the fans, from other teams, from other players around the league,” center back Michael Boxall said, “I think it’s heartwarming to see.” Team owner Bill McGuire said he wasn’t worried at all about any negative business ramifications from Martin’s announcement, calling it “a human statement” not “a political statement.” Coach Adrian Heath said as far as Martin’s job on the field, this will make “no difference,” adding, “It’s a brave decision. Hopefully, if there’s one or two people out there thinking about it, this might give them the emphasis to join him.” When Martin came to Minnesota in a trade ahead of the Loons’ inaugural 2017 MLS season, he didn’t have to make any big announcement to the whole team. “It’s funny. I told maybe one or two guys last year, and it just spread really fast,” Martin said. “You tell the right person, and he’ll tell everyone for you.” Martin’s closest teammate, fellow midfielder Collen Warner, said he remembered going to dinner with Martin and several of the draft picks early last season when Martin told them he was gay. The group didn’t believe him at first, since Martin is known for joking. “All of us basically said, ‘You’re lying to us.’ … Everybody was, like, chirping at him. But then he was like, ‘No, seriously, I’m gay,’ ” Warner said. “I remember it being an emotional night because I’ve never really experienced anything like that as far as a close friend or anything.” Martin said for some of his teammates, such as Warner, he is their first gay friend or first gay person they know. To sit down to lunch with them and have intimate conversations about what it’s like to be gay is “priceless,” he said. “For them to ask me … anything that you would ask a normal person that’s your friend and for them to ask me those questions and feel comfortable with it, I love that,” Martin said. “And for them to ask dumb questions for me to be like, ‘No. You have it completely wrong. You’re ignorant. You’re being stupid.’ That stuff means a lot. Or for them to be like, ‘How was your date the other night, Collin?’ Mainly because, I mean, I’m very open. I like to tell them everything. But for them to also engage with me makes me feel … like nothing else is new, which is how it should be.” While not all of the reaction has been positive, Martin’s father, Gerard Martin, said he knows his son is prepared to handle it and has been since he was 6 years old, when he drew attention for being the smallest, youngest and most talented player on his youth soccer team. That tended to rattle some of the more intense parents. “Parents would scream at him and say, ‘You don’t belong here. Play with your own age.’ And he would just sit there and laugh,” Gerard Martin said. “He would play the soccer game, and he would do something amazing, and he’d turn around and look at the father who was yelling the most at him and point right at the father and then he’d put his finger to his lip like, ‘Shh.’ He always had a huge personality. If someone was going to get after him, he was going to show them.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-14696453702010987432018-06-27T21:27:00.002-07:002018-06-27T21:27:52.309-07:002003 Psychological Report Concluded Alleged Gay Serial Killer Bruce McArthur May Have Held "Resentments" But His Risk For Violence "Very Minimal," New South Wales Police Review Finds At Least Twenty-Seven Gay Men Murdered By Anti-Gay Killers Between 1976 And 2000, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Arrest Boyfriend Of Mother Of 10-Year-Old Anthony Avalos Murdered Authorities Suspect Because He Was Gay, Topeka Kansas Fitness Club GreatLife Staffer Refuses To Believe Lesbian Couple Legally Married<a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/toronto/article-alleged-gay-village-serial-killer-bruce-mcarthur-didnt-acknowledge/"> In Canada, the <i>Globe and Mail</i> reports alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur didn’t acknowledge his sexual orientation until his 40s and may have been harbouring “underlying resentments,” according to a psychological report after his one previous criminal conviction. However, the report, which was conducted in 2003 after Mr. McArthur pleaded guilty to assaulting another Toronto gay man with a metal pipe, concluded that his risk for violence was “very minimal.” Another assessment, a presentencing report, also reached a positive conclusion. “The subject upholds a pro-social attitude and is willing to undertake correctional intervention,” it said. The two documents were released on Wednesday following a media court application. Based on the two reports, Mr. McArthur received a conditional sentence for the 2001 assault. The 66-year-old was arrested again last January and charged with the first-degree murders of eight men with ties to Toronto’s Gay Village. When he was sentenced for the 2001 assault, he had apologized for the unprovoked attack. “We are not alleging a worst-case scenario where Mr. McArthur was roaming the streets as a violent predator,” Crown attorney Michael Leshner told the court in 2003. The assault took place on October 31, 2001, when Mr. McArthur was in the apartment of a male sex trade worker. Mr. McArthur suddenly struck the victim several times with a metal pipe. He later went to police, saying he didn’t know why he attacked the man. The two reports say he had trouble accepting his sexual orientation when he was growing up on a farm in Ontario’s Kawartha Lakes region.</a> “He felt he could never please his father. Looking back, the subject questions whether this was due to his father sensing his homosexuality or lack of masculinity,” the presentencing report said. It said he chose to ignore his attraction to other men and married a long-time friend with whom he had two children. He separated from his wife in 1997, after he accepted his sexual orientation. He consulted a psychiatrist and was prescribed Prozac, an anti-depressant. He also took an anti-seizure drug, Dilantin, because he had epilepsy. He told the psychologist that he passed out while in the victim’s home. When he regained consciousness, the other man was bleeding and holding his head. The psychologist, Marie-France Dionne, found him articulate and coherent. “There is no trace of psychosis, no trace of hallucinations or delusions, no trace of mood disorder and no trace of any personality disorder or antisocial behavior,” she wrote. She said, however, that he may harbour “underlying resentments.” Using a common assessment tool, the HCR-20 rating, Ms. Dionne said that “we are confident to conclude that the risk for violence is minimal.” Neither reports mention why Mr. McArthur was carrying a metal pipe. “He apparently was concerned with issues of safety and security as a result of the subculture involving street hustlers,” Mr. Leshner said in court. The reports also don’t mention that while the assault case was still before the courts, in December, 2002, Mr. McArthur registered with Recon, an online dating app that bills itself as being for “gay men into leather, rubber, BDSM and kink.” He described himself on Recon as seeking “submissive men of all ages.” He told potential partners that he was looking to “see how much you can take” and “push till you can’t take any more.” The two reports noted that he remained on good terms with his wife and children and wanted to attend his daughter’s wedding. “I’m sure you will get some help and carry on and enjoy your life and enjoy getting arrangements for your daughter’s wedding,” the judge said after sentencing Mr. McArthur in 2003.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jun/27/twenty-seven-sydney-men-were-probably-murdered-because-they-were-gay-police-say"> In Australia, twenty-seven gay men were likely to have lost their lives to homophobic killers during a violent period of Sydney’s history, a New South Wales police review has found. According to the <i>AAP</i>, the force has vowed never to let the dark period of history repeat itself, and is understood to be considering issuing a formal apology for its handling of the cases. On Wednesday, police released the findings of Strike Force Parrabell, whose goal was to “do all that is possible” to heal the rift that grew between police and the LGBTIQ community in those decades. A team of police investigators and independent academics from Flinders University looked at whether attackers had shown evidence of gay-hate motivation. They reached different conclusions in some cases but agreed eight deaths were the result of gay hate. All eight have been solved – the killers were charged and convicted. A further 19 men are suspected to have died in similarly brutal attacks, while 25 other deaths could not be ruled out as hate crimes. Among them was a 25-year-old newsreader, Ross Warren, whose keys were found at the base of a cliff at a Tamarama gay beat in 1989. His body was never found but homophobic youths were known to be launching attacks on gay men in the area to assert masculinity or as gang initiation. In 2005 the deputy state coroner ruled that Warren was a homicide victim. Scott Johnson, who was found dead on the rocks below North Head’s gay beat in 1988, is also a suspected victim. His death, like many others, was ruled a suicide by an early inquest. But Parrabell, like the latest coronial ruling in 2017, saw enough evidence to rule that homophobic attackers may have thrown or chased him off the cliff. Five of the suspected gay-hate killings remain unsolved and 23 of the 86 cases are now back with the unsolved homicide unit. The violence reached a bloody crescendo in the late 1980s and early 1990s fuelled by a “moral panic” triggered by the HIV epidemic. Up to 20 assaults took place each day but unsympathetic elements of the police and judiciary meant most attacks were never reported or investigated. Only 34 cases had no evidence of bias while the remaining 25 had insufficient evidence for classification – but could not be ruled out. Twelve recommendations were made by NSW police to improve how the force investigates potential gay-hate crimes. “We accept that there were mistakes made,” Assistant Commissioner Tony Crandell said.</a> “We accept there are improvements required. We accept that we can learn from the past and we can do better. “We believe that the community expectation of police today, and always, is to conduct thorough investigations when it comes to the death of somebody, whether that be from a family or community perspective, and we must live up to that standard. Please understand that Strike Force Parrabell is not a comment upon the level of violence or hatred or motivations against the LGBTIQ or gay-lesbian community in the 70s, 80s, 90s.” The HIV support organization Acon welcomed Parrabell’s findings, but the group’s chief executive, Nicolas Parkhill, said the recommendations essentially reinforced existing policies, and he called for police to bolster its bias crimes unit to protect the LGBTIQ community. Parkhill wants a broader independent review into the criminal justice system’s handling of the under-siege community in the violent decades. “Concerns have been raised in the past about whether the police can objectively review themselves and their practices,” he said. Parrabell stopped short of taking up Acon’s recommendation of a police apology – but Parkhill reignited the call. “This would send a positive sign to any same sex attracted couple who are still too frightened to hold hands in many places around the state for fear of violence,” he said. It is expected police leadership will consider an apology.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-anthony-avalos-arrest-20180627-story.html"> In California, Los Angeles County sheriff’s detectives have arrested the boyfriend of the mother of a 10-year-old Lancaster boy who was found unresponsive at his home a week ago. According to the <i>Los Angeles Times</i>, Kareem Leiva, who years ago was documented by social workers as a gang member, was arrested on suspicion of murder after he was interviewed in the Antelope Valley. Leiva is being treated for a self-inflicted laceration to his upper chest that is not life-threatening. After he is medically cleared, he will be booked on a murder charge and held on $2-million bail, Sheriff Jim McDonnell said at a Wednesday afternoon news conference. Anthony Avalos died at a hospital the morning after he was found, and investigators classified the death as “suspicious.” But McDonnell said the extent of Anthony’s injuries were “grossly overstated” by the Department of Children and Family Services. He said detectives did not find cigarette burns on Anthony’s body, but he did not elaborate on the injuries the boy had sustained. Anthony had come out as gay in recent weeks, prompting speculation that homophobia played a role in his death. Sheriff’s Capt. Chris Bergner said homophobia has not come up in their investigation as a motive. The boy’s mother, Heather Barron, was interviewed but not arrested. Leiva was living in the apartment on and off with Barron, with whom he had several children. County officials removed eight children — from 11 months to 12 years old — from the home as the investigation continued. They are all now in the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services. Sources familiar with the case have told the <i>Times</i> that law enforcement officers and child protection caseworkers had documented years of severe abuse allegations. School administrators, a teacher, a counselor, family members and others had called police or the child abuse hotline at least 16 times since 2013 to report child abuse in the family’s Lancaster home, according to sources who reviewed county documents in the case.</a> The callers said Anthony or his six siblings were denied food and water, sexually abused, beaten and bruised, dangled upside-down from a staircase, forced to crouch for hours, locked in small spaces with no access to the bathroom, forced to fight each other, and forced to eat from the trash, the sources said. Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call from Anthony’s mother about 12:15 pm June 20 and found the boy unresponsive inside his family’s apartment. Authorities said they were told the boy had “suffered injuries from a fall.” Brandon Nichols, DCFS deputy director, said that his department’s caseworkers had documented that Leiva was allegedly a member of the MS-13 criminal gang, but that information was not classified by the workers as a safety threat necessitating Anthony’s removal from the home, and the department never moved to have the boy permanently removed. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday ordered officials in charge of child protection to examine shortcomings in the system.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cjonline.com/news/20180626/topeka-greatlife-staffer-to-gay-couple-produce-your-marriage-license"> In Kansas, a lesbian couple encountered trouble applying for a family membership to GreatLife Golf & Fitness at the YWCA after they couldn’t immediately prove the legitimacy of their marriage, the couple said. According to the <i>Topeka Captial-Journal</i>, the women, married in Iowa in 2013, say they believe they were discriminated against. A GreatLife official Tuesday said club policy was followed when they were asked to provide a marriage license. When Shelley Fisher and Shannon Donaldson applied for a family membership Monday to the gym at 225 S.W. 12th, a staffer questioned whether they were married, Fisher said. The couple inquired about policies requiring proof of marriage and had to retrieve the license from a wall in their home. “We left and we were mad. We were just going to go home but Shannon had said that we should go home and then take the marriage license off the wall and take it back down there. I said, ‘Let’s do it,’” Fisher said. Rick Farrant, GreatLife president, said the fitness club’s policy has long been to require people with different last names to show proof of marriage for the family membership. Fisher said they were asked for proof before telling the staff member their names, however. “We’re a family organization. We don’t discriminate,” Farrant said. “At the end of the day people keep saying, ‘Why don’t you just go to a different gym?’” Fisher said. “Well, that is the closest one to our house, and why should we have to do that? It is 2018, and it is ridiculous. Why can’t they just be human beings and treat people decently?” The staff member offered both women individual memberships. Fisher said after the couple presented their marriage license, they were given a family membership but were told by the staff member they could have it rejected at any time. “We just couldn’t be a family, but we are a family,” Fisher said of the individual memberships. “It seems kind of silly, but it is really important these days. It made me more angry than anything.” Farrant said couples, regardless of sexual orientation, may be asked to prove marriage if they have different last names. The company is reviewing the policy, he said. “I believe our policy reasonable and applied fairly,” he said. When reflecting on the event, Fisher said Tuesday she hopes the company will take a closer look at their beliefs. She doesn’t harbor animosity toward the GreatLife employee, she said. “I just want there to be a little bit more tolerance and humanity in Topeka,” Fisher said.</a> “Whoever he is employed by really needs to take a look at their policies they are going off of.” Early Tuesday morning, YWCA Northeast Kansas CEO Kathleen Marker and board president Glenda Washington issued a news release explaining the GreatLife fitness center and Topeka YWCA are located in the same building but aren’t affiliated. Marker and Washington condemned discrimination in the release. “YWCA Northeast Kansas strives to provide quality services every day in a spirit of inclusion and intersectionality,” the statement read. “We are proud of our 130 year legacy in the Topeka community of standing against injustices and advocating for change. On the eve of the anniversary of the landmark SCOTUS decision ultimately requiring all states to grant the fundamental right to marry to same sex couples, we condemn this discriminatory practice.” The employee involved in the interaction declined to comment.Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-34255054810920645512018-06-27T19:28:00.000-07:002018-06-27T19:28:21.171-07:00Judge Dismisses Challenge To Alberta Law Protecting Rights Of Students Who Participate In Gay-Straight Alliances, Massachusetts House Passes Bill Prohibiting Practice Of Gay Conversion Therapy On Minors, Dick Leitsch Who Led 1966 Act Of Civil Disobedience That Advanced Gay Rights Dies At 83 <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-judge-dismisses-request-to-put-albertas-gay-straight-alliance-law-on/"> In Canada, a judge has denied a request to put Alberta’s Gay-Straight Alliance law on hold because she says the benefits to LGBTQ youth outweigh any potential harm. The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms – on behalf of more than two dozen faith-based schools, parents and public interest groups – had requested an injunction until a ruling is made on the law’s constitutionality. The law bans schools from telling parents if their children join the peer groups meant to make LGBTQ kids feel welcome and to prevent bullying. “The effect on LGBTQ+ students in granting an injunction, which would result in both the loss of supportive GSAs in their schools and send the message that their diverse identities are less worthy of protection, would be considerably more harmful than temporarily limiting a parent’s right to know and make decisions about their child’s involvement in a GSA,” Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Johnna Kubik said in her decision Wednesday. According to the Canadian Press, the Justice Centre, which argued that keeping parents out of the loop violates their charter rights, had characterized the alliances as “ideological sexual clubs” that could expose young or otherwise vulnerable kids to explicit material. It also raised concerns that schools’ funding and accreditation could be jeopardized if they don’t comply. The province and others have argued the law is meant to protect LGBTQ youth, who may be put in harm’s way if they are outed to parents who aren’t accepting. Both sides made their case in Medicine Hat court last week.</a> In her decision, Kubik said the applicants had to establish that there was a serious constitutional issue to be tried, that complying with the law would cause irreparable harm and that refusing their request would cause them more harm than granting it would cause to the other side. Kubik said she was satisfied the competing charter rights of parents and children is a serious constitutional issue. But she dismissed many of the Justice Centre’s arguments around irreparable harm, including that young and vulnerable children may be exposed to graphic material through the alliances. “There is no evidence that any of these materials were ever promoted by the respondent or GSAs generally, or that the materials ever came into the hands of any students through a GSA,” Kubik wrote. She also said she could not verify accounts cited by the Justice Centre of children becoming suicidal after being encouraged to dress and behave like the opposite sex at school. Justice Centre president John Carpay said the group plans to appeal. “The judgment does a very shallow and cursory review of the evidence that was before the court that children have been harmed,” he said. Education Minister David Eggen said the ruling was a win for justice and equality. He said the province won’t back down on enforcing the law. The legal wrangling has been confusing for kids who take part in the alliances, he added. “The existence of this court case served to undermine a lot of the good work that we’ve done over the past two years to create safe and caring environments for kids in schools,” Eggen said. “An appeal would just keep stretching that out.” Pam Krause, president of the Centre for Sexuality, said she was pleased with how strongly Kubik highlighted the importance of the alliances. She said the group, formerly known as the Calgary Sexual Health Centre and which presented evidence in court, intends to have a say in any constitutional challenge. “We’re going to get the opportunity to really continue to talk about and provide evidence to the point that Gay-Straight Alliances are very important, that they help schools to be more safe and caring and that they help students be more healthy and resilient.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/06/massachusetts_house_bans_conve.html"> In Massachusetts, the state House passed a bill on Wednesday that would ban "conversion therapy" for minors. Conversion therapy allegedly attempts to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. "So-called conversion therapy...has been debunked and discredited," said Rep. Sarah Peake, D-Provincetown, who worked on the bill. "It is a fraudulent medical practice." Arline Isaacson, co-chairwoman of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus, said the bill is important for gay, lesbian and transgender youth "who have been forced into this barbaric treatment by well-intentioned families who did not realize how damaging it would be to their kids." The bill passed the House 137-14. The only Democrat to vote against it was Representative James Dwyer (D-Woburn). Republicans were divided. Some Republicans raised concerns about free speech and about government interference in medicine. Representative Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica) said he supports banning a type of conversion therapy that causes a child pain in order to change their sexual orientation. "What I don't support, however, is the idea of government interfering with parental rights and relationships between doctors and patients," Lombardo said. "The idea that a doctor can't speak to a 12-year-old child about some alternatives to permanent life-changing surgeries without being in violation of a law and potentially losing a medical license is crazy to me." Conversion therapy is a type of medical therapy that aims to make someone who is gay, straight. In some forms of therapy, referred to as aversive conditioning, a therapist might induce nausea or administer electric shock when someone has a sexual reaction to someone of the same sex. Therapy could include hypnosis or teaching someone that having sexual feelings for someone of the same sex is shameful. Many established medical organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association, American Medical Association, American Psychological Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics have condemned conversion therapy. It has been banned in 13 states. The bill, H.4664, would prohibit any state-licensed mental health professional from performing therapy on someone under 18 that aims to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. Health care providers who advertise or perform conversion therapy would be subject to discipline from their licensing board, which could include having their license suspended or revoked. The bill would not affect counseling by non-licensed religious counsellors.</a> A therapist would still be allowed to conduct any kind of professionally accepted therapy to help someone cope with issues surrounding their sexual orientation and gender identity. Isaacson said conversion therapy stems from a time when people thought being gay was a sickness and a choice. "It's predicated on the notion that being LGBT means you're sick or ungodly and are in need of fixing, of changing, of conversion," Isaacson said. "Now people understand it's not a sickness, people know you can't change someone." House Speaker Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop) said, "This practice has no scientific basis, is rooted in bigotry and can have lasting, detrimental health effects." According to advocates for the bill, conversion therapy has been associated with depression, self-loathing and suicide when used on young people. It is not effective in changing someone's sexual orientation. "Being exposed to conversion therapy practices can be emotionally and psychologically traumatizing for any individual, particularly the LGBTQ minors who are at a vulnerable stage in their lives," said Representative Kay Khan (D-Newton) who sponsored the bill. Representative Jack Lewis (D-Framingham) who is gay and was formerly the executive director of an organization that helps gay youth, said he frequently worked with kids who worried that their therapists and their parents would not accept who they were and would try to change them. "Since these barbaric practices were still law in Massachusetts, who were we to assure them this wasn't the case?" Lewis said. Lewis said his message to gay youth is, "There's nothing wrong with you, nothing is broken and nothing needs fixing." Similar bans in California and New Jersey have been challenged and upheld. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2017 declined to take up a challenge to California's ban. The conservative Massachusetts Family Institute argued that a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday related to disclosure requirements placed on anti-abortion pregnancy centers in California could threaten the bill. Part of that ruling stated that speech by professionals is protected. Andrew Beckwith, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, said the group is asking lawmakers to "preserve our freedom to speak the truth." Representative Jim Lyons (R-Andover) introduced an amendment that would have banned any practices that physically hurt a child, but allowed therapy that uses speech alone to try to change someone's gender identity or sexual orientation. "We do not need to take away people's First Amendment rights," Lyons said. "Speech is not unprotected merely because it is uttered by professionals." Lyons' amendment was voted down 117-34, largely along party lines. Advocates for the bill say it does not impede free speech. "What we are limiting is a debunked and medically unsound and medically unrecognized practice," Peake said. "We are not limiting speech." Khan said the bill falls with the Legislature's power "to regulate health care practice, not speech, and legislate for the welfare of our children." An earlier version of the bill would have deemed it "child abuse" for a parent to take a child to undergo conversion therapy, which could have allowed the Department of Children and Families to intervene. That language was taken out of the final bill. The bill now goes to the state Senate for consideration. If it passes the Senate, it will go to Governor Charlie Baker. Baker spokesperson Sarah Finlaw said, "The administration is proud of the Commonwealth's history of support for equal rights and protecting all citizens against discrimination, and we will carefully review any legislation that reaches the Governor's desk."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/obituaries/dick-leitsch-dead.html"> Dick Leitsch, who in 1966 led a pioneering act of civil disobedience to secure the right of gay patrons to be served in a licensed bar, helping to clear the way for gay bars to operate openly in New York State, died on Friday at a hospice center in Manhattan. He was 83. A close friend, Paul Havern, said the cause was liver cancer, which had spread. Mr. Leitsch, who lived in Manhattan, learned he had terminal cancer in February. According to the <i>New York Times</i>, a gentle, soft-spoken Kentuckian, Mr. Leitsch (pronounced LIGHTSH) was one of the first leaders of the Mattachine Society, an early defender of gay rights when homosexuality was mostly underground and even a small protest took courage. He called his action a “sip-in,” and likened it to sit-ins by black protesters at segregated lunch counters in the South during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Three years before the Stonewall Inn uprising accelerated the gay rights movement in America, Mr. Leitsch challenged the common practice of bars’ serving gay customers under a no-questions-asked arrangement necessitated by an unwritten State Liquor Authority policy that regarded homosexuals as inherently “disorderly.” Bars that knowingly served them could have their liquor licenses revoked. The policy, supported by no law and apparently unconstitutional because it precluded the right to free assembly, led to charades by gay men and lesbians. They would sometimes minimize their sexual identities by avoiding affectionate touching or dancing with one another or any other conduct that might be interpreted as “queer.” Bartenders looked the other way and poured the gin. It was just another of the countless indignities and rights violations that gay men and lesbians endured in an age when vice squads raided bars frequented by gay clientele and entrapped men in homosexual “encounters.” Many publications, including the <i>New York Times</i>, referred to gay men and lesbians as “sexual deviates.” Hypocrisy infected the era. Gay men and lesbians were widely regarded as sick by the medical establishment, sinners by the clergy and criminals by the law. Judges accepted the testimony of undercover officers who had solicited sex from gay men and then arrested them. For those with a name, job or family to protect, lewdness charges could carry fines, jail time and ruinous publicity. Criminals also took their cut. There were scores of illegal bars in New York, many of them private clubs run by the Mafia, that catered to gays and lesbians. Drinks were watered, prices were steep, police raids were scheduled (with forewarnings), payoffs were routine and liquor licenses, if they existed at all, were rarely challenged by the liquor authority. “For decades, gay bars were our most visible institutions,” Perry Brass recalled in 2015 in the <i>Philadelphia Gay News</i>. “Gay men and lesbians found their only home in them. In New York, bars were raided cyclically: usually before elections, before major events like the 1964 New York World’s Fair, when Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. closed the bars to keep innocent tourists from wandering in, or when cops decided they wanted to squeeze out a bit more payola from Mafia barkeeps.” On April 21, 1966, Mr. Leitsch and three friends, Craig Rodwell, John Timmons and Randy Wicker, accompanied by a <i>Times</i> reporter and a <i>Village Voice</i> photographer, staged the “sip-in” at Julius’, a bar at West 10th Street and Waverly Place in Greenwich Village. The bar had been serving a gay clientele since the 1950s. A clergyman had just been arrested there on charges of soliciting sex, and a sign said, “This is a raided premises.” As the four stood at the bar in suits and neckties, a bartender set up glasses and asked, “What’ll you have?” Mr. Leitsch announced, according to several accounts he gave to the news media, “We are homosexuals. We are orderly, we intend to remain orderly, and we are asking for service.” The bartender clapped his hand over Mr. Leitsch’s glass — a signal moment captured by the Voice photographer, Fred W. McDarrah — and refused to serve them. “I think it’s the law,” the bartender said. The <i>Times</i> published an account the next day: <i>3 Deviates Invite Exclusion by Bars</i>. The Mattachine Society, citing the events at Julius’, said it would sue the State Liquor Authority to overturn the policy that prohibited bars from knowingly serving alcoholic beverages to gays on grounds that they were inherently “disorderly.” The liquor authority chairman, Donald S. Hostetter, promptly denied that such a policy existed, and claimed that the authority had never threatened or revoked the licenses of bars that served gays. Mr. Leitsch, in an interview for this obituary in March, said that the lawsuit had not been filed because the liquor authority had backed down. “The whole thing was bizarre,” he said. “We didn’t need to prove that the bars refused to serve us, or that the liquor authority revoked licenses for serving gays. They denied ever doing it.”</a> In 1967, New York State courts, ruling on two suits filed by bars, struck down theories that homosexuals were inherently disorderly, effectively ending the liquor authority practice of using gay patronage as an excuse for revoking licenses. Among other effects, the rulings opened the way for licensed gay bars, which proliferated in years to come. “Dick Leitsch was one of the country’s most militant and important gay activists in the decade before Stonewall,” George Chauncey, a Columbia University historian who wrote <i>Gay New York</i> (1994), said in an e-mail. “The sip-in he organized at Julius’ is a brilliant example of lessons he took from the black civil rights movement about how to stage events that reframed public understanding.” After years of stony silence from public officials and potential allies in his fight against police raids and entrapment cases, Mr. Leitsch, starting in 1966, won the support of John V. Lindsay, the new Republican-Liberal mayor of New York; of William Booth, the commissioner of human rights; and of columnists for the <i>New York Post</i>, then a progressive paper, who wrote about police corruption. Weeks after the protest at Julius’, Mr. Lindsay ordered the Police Department to halt the entrapment of gays, although many gay men said his orders were ignored, at least initially. Historians of the gay rights movement say Mr. Leitsch was instrumental in ending police entrapment in New York. Besides helping to persuade Mr. Lindsay to ban it, he worked with bar owners, the American Civil Liberties Union, police brass and other city officials to gradually overcome the practice. He also advised gay men how to navigate arrests in sting operations, and urged entrapped men to request lawyers and plead not guilty, forcing courts to bring their cases to trial, where the testimony of arresting officers could be challenged. In court, gays were urged to present themselves as model citizens, in suits and ties. The Mattachine Society’s gradual approach to change became obsolete overnight on June 28, 1969, when the Stonewall raid triggered an explosive protest that roiled Greenwich Village for a week and transformed a gay men’s reform agenda into an LGBT revolution. On the morning after the raid, as the violent protests spread, Mayor Lindsay called Mr. Leitsch and pleaded, “You’ve got to stop this!” Mr. Leitsch reportedly replied, “Even if I could, I wouldn’t. I’ve been trying for years to get something like this to happen.” David Carter, the author of <i>Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution</i> (2005), called Mr. Leitsch a pivotal figure in the fight for gay rights. “The historical evidence suggests that Leitsch’s total success in persuading the Lindsay administration to end entrapment and his partial success in legalizing gay bars constituted a liberalization that was the most essential precondition of the Stonewall uprising,” Mr. Carter said in an e-mail. Richard Joseph Leitsch was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 11, 1935, the oldest of four children of Joseph Leitsch and Ann (Moran) Leitsch. His father owned a wholesale tobacco business. Richard, called Dick, and his siblings, John, Joanne and Laurene, grew up in a Roman Catholic household and attended parochial schools. Dick was attracted to boys at St. Patrick’s elementary school. At Flaget High School, he was a voracious reader, worked in the library stacks and had several homosexual encounters, he said. He graduated in 1953. His family was supportive when told he was gay. At Bellarmine University, in Louisville, he appeared in theatrical productions, but dropped out before graduating. Mr. Leitsch moved to New York in 1959, met Mr. Rodwell and formed his first long-term partnership. Mr. Rodwell belonged to the Mattachine Society, and persuaded Mr. Leitsch to join. In the early 1960s he was inspired by Franklin Kameny, one of America’s earliest gay rights activists, who urged gays to model their struggle after the civil rights movement. At a time when many gay men concealed their sexual identities, Mr. Leitsch was open about his. As Mattachine’s president from 1965 to 1969 and then as executive director, he faced television cameras, briefed reporters and lectured widely, never worrying about his jobs as a bartender, waiter and journalist for gay publications. One Leitsch article detailed the Stonewall uprising for the Mattachine newsletter and later appeared in <i>The Advocate,</i> the LGBT magazine. “Those usually put down as ‘sissies’ or ‘swishes’ showed the most courage and sense during the action,” he wrote. “Their bravery and daring saved many people from being hurt.” After Stonewall, Mr. Leitsch was criticized by younger, louder voices of the Gay Liberation Front as being insufficiently militant. “Dick and Mattachine were loathed by many of my young G.L.F. brothers and sisters,” Mr. Brass recalled. “For us he represented gay accommodationists.” It passed. Mr. Leitsch was eventually seen as an early hero of the gay rights movement. Julius’ became a landmark in the National Register of Historic Places and a setting for gay-themed films like <i>The Boys in the Band</i> and <i>The Normal Heart</i>. It called itself the oldest gay bar in New York. Mr. Leitsch dined there often. On the 50th anniversary of his protest, a crowd celebrated at Julius’, and Andrew Berman, of the Greenwich Village Historic Preservation Society, hailed Mr. Leitsch and his sip-in. “This was one of the first, if not the very first, planned acts of civil disobedience for LGBT rights,” he said. Mr. Leitsch is survived by his brother, John, and his sister, Joanne Williams. His partner of many years, Timothy Scoffield, died in 1989 after developing AIDS. In the crush of letters Mr. Leitsch received after his illness became known was one from former President Barack Obama. “Thank you for your decades of work to help drive our nation forward on the path toward LGBT equality,” he wrote. “Our journey as a nation depends, as it always has, on the collective and persistent efforts of people like you.”Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-21899197122991629282018-06-25T21:15:00.000-07:002018-06-25T21:15:53.782-07:00In Wake Of Bruce McArthur Tragedy Toronto Pride Memorializes Victim Of Alleged Serial Killer, Alberta Anti-Gay Activist William Whatcott Charged With Promoting Hate After Handing Out Leaflets At 2016 Toronto Pride Parade, Tens Of Thousands Celebrate Gay Pride In Mexico City Ahead Of Likely Presidential Election Victory Of Leftist Andres Manuel, Knoxville Tennessee Anti-Gay Protest Results In Arrest, United States Supreme Court Vacates Washington State Supreme Court Ruling That Found Florist Violated Same Sex Couple's Civil Rights When Refusing Them Service, In Surprising Reversal Department Of Housing And Urban Development Announces Buffalo's Oldest Gay Bar Given One-Year Lease<a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/toronto/article-toronto-pride-parade-strikes-sombre-tone-memorializing-lgbtq-victims/"> In Ontario, Toronto’s annual Gay Pride Parade, usually a colourful and joyous celebration, was sombre at times on Sunday as marchers and spectators remembered the alleged victims of suspected serial killer Bruce McArthur. Thousands of people lined the sidewalks across a stretch of Yonge Street to watch groups march this year’s rainy parade route. An hour into the parade, a moment of silence was held to remember LGBTQ victims of violence. Tensions have flared in recent months between police and members of the LGBTQ community over the former’s handling of the McArthur investigation. For the second year in a row, uniformed police officers did not participate in the parade. One marcher held a sign that read “Who will protect me now?” – an indication of the community’s strained relationship with police. The <i>Globe and Mail</i> reports the parade ended with a march called Until We’re Safe, which was led by organizers and volunteers wearing black. The barriers were opened and organizers invited onlookers to join the march. Pride Toronto’s executive director Olivia Nuamah said the march was to remember the eight alleged victims of Mr. McArthur, along with others who have been affected by hate crimes and feel unsafe. “We need to come out together in a very public show of support for each other and the community as a whole,” she said in an interview during the parade. “What we’re really trying to do is show support for every member of the LGBTQ community, no matter where they come from.”</a> Several union leaders and politicians, including Toronto Mayor John Tory, provincial NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and departing Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne attended the event. Premier-designate Doug Ford did not attend Sunday’s parade, and had previously indicated to reporters that he would have considered going if uniformed police were allowed to participate. Although uniformed police officers did not march in the parade, they were on hand as the streets flooded with onlookers. Police have come under fire from the LGBTQ community in recent years. After several men disappeared starting in the fall of 2010, the LGBTQ community complained police were not taking their fears of a serial killer seriously. Mr. McArthur, a landscaper, was arrested in January and was subsequently charged with eight counts of first-degree murder. Ms. Horwath wore a black arm band around her wrist Sunday to signify the “poignant” and “painful” moment the community has faced after the deaths of eight of Mr. McArthur’s alleged victims. “There are still tensions with the police, and I believe that dialogue has to continue to happen and that it will resolve with respect from both sides, but those things are part of the context of moving us forward as a province and as a city, and I’m happy to be here and part of that positive revolution,” Ms. Horwath said. In remarks to the <i>Globe and Mail</i> editorial board earlier this year, Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders said that Mr. McArthur would have been identified sooner had those in the community been more forthcoming with investigators, comments many in the community saw as blaming the victims for police failures. Tensions involving the parade and police are not new. Members of Black Lives Matter interrupted the parade in 2016 and presented several demands, including uniformed officers be excluded from marching. Pride organizers endorsed the demands and barred police from marching in last year’s parade.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/william-whatcott-anti-gay-1.4721243"> Also in Ontario, an Alberta man has been charged after allegedly handing out "anti-gay material" at Toronto's annual Pride Parade two years ago. Toronto police say they received complaints about the alleged incident in 2016. They say a man was arrested in Calgary on Friday — two days before this year's Pride parade in Toronto. Calgary police said the man contacted the Calgary Police Service's hate crimes co-ordinator and asked if he could turn himself in. Investigators say the man from Leduc, Alberta, was brought to Toronto, where he was charged with wilful promotion of hatred against an identifiable group.</a> Toronto police said in a release that William Whatcott, 51, is accused of distributing "anti-gay material which promoted hatred towards the gay community." Whatcott was the subject of a 2013 ruling from the Supreme Court of Canada that upheld Canada's provisions against hate speech. He was scheduled to appear in court Monday.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gay-pride-mexico/mexico-pride-march-poses-questions-for-leftist-presidency-favorite-idUSKBN1JK00O"> In Mexico, tens of thousands of gay rights supporters marched through Mexico City on Saturday with both hope and some nagging doubts about the prospect of a presidential election victory by leftist front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador next weekend. <i>Reuters</i> reports revelers sporting gaudy outfits and everyday garb waved rainbow flags and the Mexican national colors on the capital’s Paseo de la Reforma boulevard just as Mexico’s soccer team was defeating South Korea 2-1 in the World Cup in Russia. A Lopez Obrador win on July 1 would be a watershed in Mexican politics, but the electoral marriage of convenience he has forged with a socially conservative party worries some of his liberal backers about his commitment to gay rights. His National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) is part of a coalition with another smaller leftist party and the religious Social Encounter Party (PES), an anti-abortion group with traditional views about family life. Eager to avoid tension with conservative backers, Lopez Obrador, or AMLO as he is commonly known, has walked a fine line on gay rights, saying he would hold referendums to decide questions like same sex marriage.</a> “MORENA has been very quiet, and actually I’m going to vote for AMLO, but I don’t like that he’s been quiet and wants to put our rights to a plebiscite,” said Diego Posada, a gay 52-year-old decked out in a pearl necklace, a long blue dress, gem-studded glasses and a bright bouquet of flowers on his head. “Like what’s the big fuss?,” Posada asked. The PES has softened its tone on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues in the campaign, but many liberal MORENA supporters express unease about the alliance. “At the start they say they’re going to help you, but when the time comes, they forget us,” said Mitzariy Bonarroti, a transgender woman, originally from the southern state of Oaxaca. Temistocles Villanueva, a gay MORENA congressional candidate running in Mexico City, acknowledged that the tie-up bothered some supporters, but said it had also changed the PES. “The PES has had to moderate its stance during the election campaign because they know they’re with two progressive parties,” the 28-year-old told <i>Reuters</i>. “They yielded to us.” A 2015 Supreme Court ruling effectively gave the green light to same sex marriage in Mexico. However, the following year Congress rejected legislation proposed by President Enrique Pena Nieto meant to codify the right nationwide. Same sex marriage is permitted in Mexico City and in several states, but elsewhere the process remains slow and bureaucratic. The pride march has been staged for 40 years in Mexico City, and Villanueva said there was still work to do to protect the community, pointing to the murder of three gay activists in the troubled southwestern state of Guerrero earlier this month. Paulina Carrasco Hernandez, 35, a transgender psychologist wearing a rainbow colored t-shirt, said she did not believe any party in Mexico truly represented LGBT people, and only used “wash pink” strategies to court their vote. Carrasco has not decided who to vote for yet.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/2018/06/23/knox-pridefest-protest-tennessee-gay-lesbian-lgbt-white-nationalist/726192002/"> In Tennessee, the <i>News-Sentinel</i> reports that while thousands lined Gay street in support of Knox Pridefest on Saturday, there were approximately a dozen protesters. Knoxville Police Officer Will Wilson confirmed that one protester, who identified himself as a white nationalist, was arrested and charged with assault. The protester is identified in an arrest warrant as 33-year-old Kynan Dutton. About 1:20 pm, police were monitoring "two opposing groups" entering the State Street Parking Garage when witnesses reported seeing Dutton push a man to the ground, according to the warrant. The alleged victim suffered minor scratches and bruises; he did not need medical attention. Earlier in the day, Dutton spoke to USA TODAY, and identified himself as the leader of the Tennessee National Socialist Movement and spoke about why he showed up to Knox Pridefest. “There’s pro-white organizations out here for the protesting of this act of sexual deviance and degeneracy that is being promoted upon our youth," said Dutton.</a> The protesters gathered at the intersection of Summit Hill Drive and Gay Street. They stood at the corner, shouting at parade participants and viewers. Many of them wore camouflage clothing and bandannas covering their faces. William Raymond, a protester with the group of white nationalist supporters, talked about his duty to the country. "We're here to support God and do the right thing for our people and country," said Raymond. After the end of the parade passed Summit Hill, the protesters were escorted by KPD to the Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum where the Pridefest Festival was taking place. KPD had a designated area set up for the protesters; however, protesters refused to use the space provided. They were then escorted to protest near a parking garage outside of the Coliseum. A counter-protest movement followed the protesters throughout the day. The counter-protesters outnumbered the protesters, and various Pridefest attendees joined in throughout the day. IB Goins-Hopper, a counter-protester, was disappointed with the anti-Pride displays. "It's unfortunate that there's so much hate among neighbors," Goins-Hopper said. After two hours of protests, the group was escorted to the State Street Parking Garage, where police said the assault occurred.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/u-s-supreme-court-hands-richland-florists-gay-wedding-case-back-to-washington-courts-2/"> In Washington State, the <i>Seattle Times</i> reports Richland florist Barronelle Stutzman is proclaiming a victory for her religious beliefs after the United States Supreme Court on Monday vacated the Washington State Supreme Court ruling that she had violated a gay couple’s civil rights by refusing service. “I’m very thankful and grateful the Supreme Court will allow my case to continue,” said Stutzman, owner of Arlene’s Flowers. “This isn’t just about my freedom, it’s about everyone’s freedom.” The U.S. Supreme Court didn’t hear Arlene’s Flowers v. Washington, but with two sentences, ordered the state Supreme Court to take another look at the case. The U.S. Supreme Court cited its recent decision earlier this month in favor of a Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple. Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson said he wasn’t surprised by Monday’s order. “The Washington State Supreme Court now has the job of determining whether the U.S. Supreme Court ruling affects this case,” he said. “I am confident they will come to the same conclusion they did in their previous, unanimous ruling upholding the civil rights of a same sex couple in our state.” Ferguson and same sex couple Curt Freed and Robert Ingersoll sued Arlene’s Flowers after Stutzman refused to design flowers for the men’s wedding in 2013 because she believed marriage was a sacred covenant between a man and a woman. The couple went ahead with their wedding, but they had it at home with 11 guests and flowers from another florist, instead of the larger event they had envisioned.</a> A Benton County judge ruled in 2015 that Stutzman violated the Washington Law Against Discrimination, which protects people from discrimination based on their sexual orientation, religion, disability, race and other protected classes. Stutzman appealed, saying she had a right to refuse the couple based on her opposition to same sex marriage. But the state Supreme Court last year unanimously upheld the lower court’s opinion. Within the next month, the state Supreme Court will determine whether it will review the case, or send it to a lower court for review. But it’s unclear how Stutzman will fare, considering the state’s highest court sent a clear, unified message. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Washington represents Freed and Ingersoll. “To be clear, the court made no indication the lower courts ruled incorrectly and made no decision on the case’s merits,” said James Esseks, director of the ACLU’s LGBT and HIV Project. Ingersoll said, “Curt and I now live our lives on-guard in a way that we didn’t before we were turned away from Arlene’s Flowers. No one should have to experience that, and we’re hopeful the Washington courts will again recognize that this case is clearly about discrimination, which has no place in the public marketplace or in our Constitution.” In the Colorado case, Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, the U.S. Supreme Court had concerns about the agency’s anti-religious bias and sent it back to that state for a second look. However, the Supreme Court did not address the key issue of whether baker Jack C. Phillips discriminated against the couple. Stutzman’s attorney, Kristen Waggoner of the Alliance Defending Freedom, said Ferguson has acted similarly to the Colorado commission by disparaging Stutzman’s beliefs and “punishing her” by suing her personally. The five-year battle isn’t close to resolution. Waggoner said if the state upholds their decision, she will go back to the U.S. Supreme Court for a final ruling. Stutzman, who started managing her mother’s shop in 1982, had provided flowers to the couple for almost a decade. When Ingersoll told her the men were planning a wedding, Stutzman refused to provide the flowers but suggested other florists who could help them. Writing for the state court’s majority in 2017, Justice Sheryl Gordon McCloud said, they agreed with the couple that ‘this case is no more about access to flowers than civil rights cases in the 1960s were about access to sandwiches.” Stutzman’s claim that her floral arrangements were a form of artistic expression that was protected by the First Amendment was also rejected by the court.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://buffalonews.com/2018/06/24/the-underground-historic-gay-bar-shut-down-by-hud-set-to-reopen/"> In New York, the Underground Niteclub, Buffalo's oldest gay bar, is getting a new one-year lease on life. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which expelled the bar from its longtime home in a HUD-funded apartment building on Delaware Avenue last month after citing noise complaints from residents, has reversed its decision after an internal review and a rash of bad press. Lynne Patton, the administrator of HUD's Region II office covering New York and New Jersey, announced on Twitter Sunday morning that she and other HUD officials were working with the bar's owner to reopen the venue. "I may be a Republican, but I am a New Yorker first," wrote Patton, a former event planner for the family of Donald Trump. "The traditional views of my party do not align w/my own." Patton, in an interview with the <i>Buffalo News</i> about the reversal in early June, said she personally convened the bar owner, property owner and her HUD team after learning from news reports about the bar's historical significance and importance to the LGBT community. "While HUD doesn't make their decisions based on perception," she said, "the reason why we immediately suspended the eviction and convened all of the decision-makers on the phone is because my personal leadership style has always been to get all the principals in the same room." After discussions with the HUD field office in Buffalo and negotiations among the parties, the New York and New Jersey office of HUD has approved a provisional, one-year lease for the bar. If everything goes smoothly, it will be extended. No opening date has been set for the bar, which is owned and operated by longtime bartender Nick Tiede and long considered a welcoming enclave for members of Buffalo's gay community. Tiede, who is still working to finalize the details of the lease with the property owner, the Rockland County-based company Multifamily Management, said the community's embrace of the bar was a factor in HUD's decision. "I get the feeling that after the news broke and details of the bar and its history came to light, that there were people at HUD who realized it was more than just a bar and that it had history and longstanding significance to the LGBTQ community," Tiede said on Sunday. "I wish it never happened. It's definitely created a lot of heartache. But at least they're seeing that they made a mistake and are trying to do the right thing. "People felt a part of the local LGBT identity was under attack and I was amazed at how people really came together."</a> The federal department, Patton said, was in a difficult position with the Underground, which was legally required to be approved by HUD officials but somehow evaded that requirement for 30 years. When she was informed that the bar had been allowed to operate without HUD approval for that long, Patton said, she was shocked. "I'm actually surprised that you didn't hear me screaming all the way from my office in New York City," she said. "We definitely bear responsibility for not addressing this sooner." As for the complaints of residents about patrons loitering on the corner and making noise, which were solicited by HUD via a buildingwide survey, Patton said she and other HUD officials took them seriously but ultimately characterized them as "not that big a deal," adding, "The owner of the Underground should have been given an opportunity to address the complaints. They have been a very cooperative and respectful and impactful business in the Buffalo community and I think they deserve to be heard for that reason alone." On Sunday, as news of the reopening trickled out, Facebook was filled with ecstatic posts from patrons excited about returning to their onetime haunt. Patron Autumn Nuzum called the bar "the only all-inclusive bar that I've ever been to" and a place where "every day is a new day and they accept you as you are." During what was supposed to be the bar's final week of operation in May, patrons flocked to the bar for one last cocktail, commiserated with old friends and scrawled messages of support on the back wall. Soon, in what one Facebook commenter described Sunday as a "Pride miracle," they'll be able to return. "I think it's great that we can maintain one of our safe spaces for the LGBT community," Tiede said. "The Underground gets a diverse crowd, so it's a place for people to feel comfortable and call home. I think it's keeping a piece of our history alive, but it's also an opportunity for our community's future."Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2822756771731268438.post-37228044695236400812018-06-19T20:42:00.000-07:002018-06-19T20:42:03.717-07:00Alberta Gay-Straight Alliance Legislation Faces Legal Challenge By Group Arguing They Are "Ideological Sex Clubs," Celebrations Follow Approval By Federal Judge Of Landmark Deal Compensating Members Of Canadian Military And Other Agencies Victimized Under Nation's "Gay Purge," Ukraine Police Detain 56 Members Of Far-Right Extremist Groups Allowing Kiev's Gay Pride March To Take Place Without Serious Incident, FIFA Opens Disciplinary Proceedings Against Mexico After Fans Continue To Use Anti-Gay Slurs This Time During World Cup Match, Mere Weeks After Announcing His Intent To Sue New Jersey Borough Over Alleged Homophobic Slurs Openly Gay Police Officer Conveniently Fired<a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-albertas-gay-straight-alliance-law-faces-court-challenge/"> In Canada, Alberta’s law banning schools from telling parents when their children join a Gay-Straight Alliance faces its first legal challenge. According to the <i>Canadian Press</i>, a Court of Queen’s Bench judge in Medicine Hat, Altbert, is to hear arguments Wednesday filed on behalf of 25 faith-based schools and others to put the law on hold pending a constitutional challenge. Education Minister David Eggen says he wants the issue cleared up as soon as possible, because legal wrangling leads to confusion and concern on the part of students. “Uncertainty created by a court case like this ... seeks to counter a lot of the progress that we’ve made to create safe and caring environments for kids and I find that pretty disturbing,” Eggen said in an interview. The lawsuit was filed in April in response to a law passed by Premier Rachel Notley’s government late last year. Gay-Straight Alliances are peer support networks organized by students to help gay kids feel welcome and to prevent bullying or abuse. Leading the legal challenge is the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms. The group argues in court documents that keeping parents out of the loop violates multiple charter freedoms, including freedom of religion and expression. It also says Gay-Straight Alliances are “ideological sex clubs” where graphic information on gay sex is available. The group also says the law has “stripped parents of the ability to know fully where their children are, who they are involved with, and what they may be encouraged to think or do.”</a> Schools have until the end of June to file information to the government showing they are complying with the new legislation. The lawsuit asks the judge to put that order on hold pending the full airing of concerns over the law’s constitutionality. The government, in its legal filings, says the applicants have misstated the role of the alliances and adds that charter freedoms have not been infringed. “(The applicants) speculate that GSAs are clubs aimed at providing children with sexually explicit material and at making children vulnerable to being preyed upon,” says the government. “In fact, GSAs focus on creating a safe space where students can socialize, be themselves, make friends and help other students understand the importance of being respectful to LGBTQ people.” The peer groups have been the subject of heated political debate for years. Notley’s government made the change to the law last year after Opposition United Conservative Leader Jason Kenney said he believed parents, in cases where their children’s safety was at risk, should be told when they join a Gay-Straight Alliance. Kenney has never explained how teachers should be able to effectively judge when a child’s safety is at risk. Advocates say children can tell their parents any time they want about being in a Gay-Straight Alliance. They say even the possibility that parents could be told would keep kids from joining. The United Conservatives have a troubled relationship with GSAs. At the party’s founding convention last month, rank-and-file members clashed with Kenney after they voted in favour of having the party endorse the principle that parents always be told when their children join the group – no matter the circumstance. Kenney said he wouldn’t include that in the party platform, because it must reflect the needs and values of all Albertans.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/federal-court-lgbtq-landmark-decision-1.4711691?cmp=rss"> Also in Canada, a federal judge has approved a landmark deal to compensate members of the military and other agencies who were investigated and sometimes fired because of their sexual orientation. According to the <i>Canadian Press</i>, cheers of joy and celebratory hugs greeted the decision of Federal Court Justice Martine St-Louis after hours of testimony Monday from class action members. "This is vindication after years of the persecution that I personally experienced as part of the military," said Lt-Col. Catherine Potts. "It's truly a human rights victory for all of us." Gay military veterans told St-Louis they were interrogated, harassed and spied on because of their sexuality. Sobbing could be heard from onlookers as a steady stream of men and women took turns at a microphone to lament how being gay or lesbian made them enemies of their own country. The discriminatory policies that often ruined careers and lives had their roots in federal efforts that began as early as the 1940s to delve into the personal lives of people who were considered security risks. Potts, a 37-year veteran who still serves with the air force, says she lived in the shadow of the anti-gay policy for years, watching how she spoke and dressed to avoid attracting attention. "I lived with fear, I was consumed by it," she told the court. "When would the game be up and would I be found out?" Potts was followed by military police and her phone was tapped. "I was hunted and now, sadly, it haunts me. I want to be able to put all that behind me."</a> An agreement in principle in the court action was drafted last November, just days before the government delivered a sweeping apology for decades of discrimination against members of the LGBTQ community. The final settlement includes at least $50 million and up to $110 million in total compensation, with eligible individuals each expected to receive between $5,000 and $175,000, depending on the gravity of their cases. The vast majority of those who appeared in court Monday spoke in favour of the settlement. "I'm absolutely ecstatic. It's a great day for justice in Canada," said attorney Doug Elliott, who represented the members. "I think Canadians can be proud that our country has not turned its back on these victims of a bad era in our history when people were treated like lesser human beings because they were gay." If the next steps unfold as expected, people will start receiving cheques in the fall, Elliott said. A total of about 1,000 people are expected to sign on to the class action, he said. "It could go higher, but I don't think so. First, a lot of the gay men are dead, either from suicide or AIDS. And also there is a certain group within our class (for whom) the psychological barriers are so great, that they're just not going to come forward," Elliott said. "And that's a shame because it shows that the purge is still having a negative effect on people in Canada in a way that's really sad." The settlement entails several reconciliation and remembrance measures, including a national monument, a Canadian Museum for Human Rights exhibition, declassification of archival records and a citation akin to a medal for affected people. The Liberal government has also introduced legislation that would allow people to apply to have their criminal convictions for consensual sexual activity between same sex partners erased from the public record.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCAKBN1JD05H-OCATP"> In the Ukraine, police said they had detained 56 members of far-right radical groups in Kiev on Sunday after scuffles before the capital’s gay pride march. Otherwise, reports <i>Reuters</i>, the annual rally of several thousand supporters of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights took place without serious incident. Early in the morning, more than 150 far-right protesters had sought to block off the route of the march through central Kiev. Small clashes broke out when police in riot gear moved to clear the street. “Several men who resisted and used gas canisters against law enforcement officers were detained,” the police said in a statement. Far-right group C14 said police had surrounded its protesters, attacking them with batons and tear gas. “Look at how they protect ‘sexual minorities’ and violate the rights of regular Kiev citizens,” it said in a post on Facebook.</a> More people were detained in a subsequent altercation near the Opera House, police said. Kiev’s 2015 pride march was disrupted by violent attacks, but a substantial police presence kept the events in 2016 and 2017 largely peaceful. Last week, however, leading human rights organizations rebuked the authorities for police inaction in response to rising violence against ethnic minorities, women’s rights activists and LGBT people. The government has increased support for LGBT rights since a Western-backed leadership came to power in 2014, but critics say homophobic attitudes remain relatively widespread.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/worldcup/mexico-fifa-disciplinary-proceedings-anti-gay-slur-1.4710776"> According to the <i>Associated Press</i>, FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Mexico after its fans used an anti-gay slur during the team's 1-0 win over Germany. Some Mexican supporters chanted the slur when Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer prepared to take a goal kick in the 24th minute of Sunday's game at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. Fans in Mexico use the chant to insult opposing goalkeepers as they take a goal kick. Widely considered a slur, some argue there is no discriminatory intent. FIFA did not elaborate on the nature of the disciplinary proceedings and didn't say when a hearing would take place. "Further updates will be communicated in due course. As proceedings are ongoing please understand we cannot comment further at this stage," FIFA said in a statement.</a> The Mexican soccer federation has been repeatedly fined by FIFA over fans chanting the slur in recent years, but the sanctions haven't escalated. The federation and players have previously urged fans to stop the chant to avoid further punishment. The Court of Arbitration for Sport cancelled two fines against Mexico in November, ruling the chant was "insulting" but not meant to offend, though it left other fines in force. FIFA is using a new anti-discrimination procedure for the World Cup, under which referees are instructed to stop the game for an announcement on the public address system when discriminatory behaviour is seen or heard. If it continues, the official could suspend the game, and then abandon it if the behaviour persists. "A public announcement was prepared, but the chants ceased," FIFA said. "After the match and as an important step for further action, the incident was duly included in the match report, as well as the evidence produced by the anti-discrimination observers."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/palisades-park/2018/06/15/gay-palisades-park-cop-robert-devito-fired/702893002/"> In Palisades Park, New Jersey, just weeks after announcing his intention to sue the borough over alleged homophobic slurs, a gay police officer was fired at a special meeting Friday morning. The Borough Council voted to dismiss probationary Police Officer Robert DeVito, citing two pending internal affairs investigations. DeVito's attorney, Matthew Priore, said it was apparent that DeVito was being punished for reporting the “deplorable conduct” of a council member. He said DeVito's personnel file had been clean until three weeks ago, when two internal affairs investigations started which Priore called “suspect and retaliatory.” The first investigation concerned his alleged use of a borough vehicle without permission, although DeVito says he has an e-mail showing he was allowed to use it. The second complaint was brought by Councilman Henry Ruh, who alleged harassment. After Friday's hearing, DeVito said, "I am disgusted that this clear homophobic incident happened during the month that we are supposed to be celebrate our rights and civil liberties," referring to Pride Month. "Instead this community chose homophobia, bigotry and discrimination. These council people voted to reinforce the hatred that caused the Stonewall riots." In his pending claim against the borough, DeVito alleges Ruh made derogatory, homophobic comments about a school board trustee. When DeVito objected to Ruh's language, Ruh corrected himself, changing the word to "pedophile," as if the words were “interchangeable,” Priore said. Regarding the allegations against him, Ruh said Friday, “No comment.”</a> Mayor James Rotundo, Councilwoman Cynthia Pirrera and Ruh all recused themselves from the vote and stepped down from the dias during Friday's meeting. They did not participate in closed session discussions. Only Councilman Chris Chung voted to keep DeVito, citing a “lack of evidence” and saying he did not have enough information about possible wrongdoing. Two other probationary officers, James Park and Samuel Kim, also received formal notices, called Rice notices, that the council would discuss their employment on Friday. They were retained, and are now permanent officers with the department. Borough Administrator David Lorenzo does not recall another meeting for probationary officers during his 22 years of working for the borough. DeVito said, “It is very disappointing that a town that was just in the media for racist comments does not want to take action against clearly homophobic comments." He was referring to a racist outburst on Facebook by Rotundo's mother, in the wake of the longtime mayor's losing bid in the June 5 primary. Priore called the outcome “disappointing” and said the next step would be legal action. “I’m going to discuss this with my client, but there is no doubt in my mind that a judge or jury will in find in favor of my client in this case given the information available,” Priore said. When Borough Attorney John Schettino approached Priore to offer a potential extension to the probationary period, they opted to not take it. “It’s not permissible in his PBA contract,” Priore said. “More importantly, it is likely that they would take that time to try and build a case against my client so we would be back here in six months with the same result.” DeVito, Park and Kim were hired in November 2016 and became probationary officers upon graduating from the police academy. The probationary period in Palisades Park is 365 days from the day the officers graduate, which was Friday. DeVito, 31, has worked in Palisades Park for 13 years in a variety of jobs including EMT, traffic officer and dispatch operator. This is not the first time he has alleged he was subjected to “derogatory homophobic comments.” He had complained about former Police Chief Ben Ramos, and the subsequent investigation sustained his complaint. He took no legal action. DeVito, who also serves as communications manager for the borough, is concerned about that job status as well. "I would not be surprised if they try to further their retaliation efforts," he said.Brian Di Leandrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722758804061022463noreply@blogger.com0