LGBT News Clips

LGBT News Clips Friday (January 27, 2012)

2012-01-27T15:49:00.001-05:00

Friday (January 27, 2012) News


Headline		Date	Outlet	Links
.HRC In the News (4)
	Al Franken Urges Americans To Support Gay Marriage	01/27/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	Same-sex marriage returns to political spotlight	01/27/2012	Dallas Voice	Text	View Clip
	Romney Donates to Anti-Gay Groups	01/27/2012		Text	View Clip
	Senator Al Franken Makes Marriage Equality Video	01/26/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
Activism/Protest (2)
	Adam Levine, Maroon 5 Boycott Restaurant Over Gay Marriage	01/26/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	Gay Groups Face Off Against Dallas Mayor Over Pledge to Support Marriage Equality: VIDEO	01/26/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
Courts/Legal (2)
	Law Firm Argues Wisconsin High School Student Has Right to Publish Article Saying Gays Should Be Put to Death: VIDEO	01/26/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	Aussie Catholic Priest Helps End Gay Panic Defense	01/26/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
Education/Youth (2)
	Dennis Shepard Says Tenn. Legislature Is Bullying Gays	01/26/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Tuscaloosa schools told: 'Let lesbians go to prom'	01/26/2012	PinkNews.co.uk		View Clip
Entertainment/TV/Movies (2)
	Bishop Gene Robinson Documentary Premieres at Sundance	01/26/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	FIRST LOOK: TV Drama About Queer Life In L.A.	01/26/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
Marriage (10)
	Gay Marriage Bill Clears Washington Senate Panel	01/27/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	Marriage Equality Advocates Ready for Maine Referendum	01/26/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	NOM Cheers Chris Christie's Decision To Veto New Jersey Gay Marriage Bill	01/26/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	St. Paul, Minnesota City Council Opposes Gay Marriage Ban	01/26/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	Minnesotans on Defensive Over Anti–Gay Marriage Initiative	01/26/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Op-ed: It's Time to Win in Maine	01/26/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Washington Gay Marriage Bill Clears Senate Committee	01/26/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Barney Frank Is Engaged to Be Married	01/26/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Marriage Equality Question to Appear on 2012 Maine Ballot; LGBT Advocates 'Comfortable About Winning'	01/26/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	Maryland State Bar Association Endorses Marriage Equality Bill	01/26/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
Military (1)
	LGBT Military Group Outserve to Hold Summit Focusing on Families	01/26/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
Politicians/Leaders (4)
	Black Leaders Blast Christie for Referendum Proposal	01/26/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Mehlman Urges N.H. Republicans to Keep Marriage Equality	01/26/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Liberty Counsel Backs Student Who Penned Antigay Editorial	01/26/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Newark, NJ Mayor Condemns Treatment of Gays as Second-Class Citizens: VIDEO	01/26/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
Transgender issues (1)
	Transgender Pakistanis Celebrate Newfound Voting Rights	01/26/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
Al Franken Urges Americans To Support Gay Marriage \| View Clip 01/27/2012 On Top Magazine Minnesota Senator Al Franken has recorded an ad for the Human Rights Campaign's (HRC) Americans for Marriage Equality campaign Return to Top
Same-sex marriage returns to political spotlight \| View Clip 01/27/2012 Dallas Voice NEW YORK — Same-sex marriage is back in the political spotlight and likely to remain there through Election Day in November as a half-dozen states face potentially wrenching votes on the issue. In New Hampshire, Republicans who now control the legislature are mulling whether to repeal the 2009 law legalizing same-sex marriage. Their state is one of six with such laws, along with Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York and Vermont, as well as the capital district of Washington. In Maryland, New Jersey and Washington state, bills to legalize same-sex marriage have high-powered support and good chances of passage in the legislature. Gay-marriage opponents in Maryland and Washington would likely react by seeking referendums in November to overturn those laws, while New Jersey's Republican governor, Chris Christie, says he'll veto the bill if it reaches him and prefers that lawmakers OK a referendum so voters can decide. In all three states, polls suggest voters are closely divided on whether gays should have the right to marry, so there's a chance one could emerge as the first state to support same-sex marriage in a statewide vote. Three of the remaining Republican presidential contenders, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, have signed a National Organization for Marriage pledge opposing same-sex marriage and endorsing a federal constitutional amendment to ban it. But it's not among the topics prominent in the stump speeches of Romney or Newt Gingrich, the two front-runners. On the Democratic side, President Barack Obama has taken several steps during his first term that have pleased gay-rights advocates, but says he is still "evolving" in regard to same-sex marriage and isn't ready to endorse it. Some activists hope he will do so before the election, though there's been no strong hint of that from the White House. "Obama will get asked about it, and you can't straddle both sides of this forever," said Richard Socarides, a former Clinton White House adviser on gay rights. "Clearly he's not going to retreat, so he only has one place to go, and I think he will do it before the election." Maine voters also may have an opportunity to vote for same-sex marriage in November; gay-rights activists announced Thursday they are moving forward with a ballot-measure campaign, submitting more than 105,000 signatures to the Secretary of State. Proposed amendments for constitutional bans on gay marriage will be on the ballots in North Carolina on May 8 and in Minnesota on Nov. 6. Added together, the state-level showdowns will likely raise the prominence of the marriage issue in the presidential campaign, even though it's not a topic that the leading candidates tend to broach proactively. Another potential factor: Judgments could be issued during the campaign in one or more of several pending federal court cases about same-sex marriage. Appeals could result in the issue heading toward the Supreme Court, and the presidential candidates would be expected to comment on any major development. In all the showdown states, national advocacy groups are expected to be active on both sides. The Human Rights Campaign, for example, has promised to provide funding, strategic advice and field staff for the various campaigns supporting same-sex marriage. On the other side, the National Organization for Marriage is vowing a multistate effort, including promises of financial support in the primaries to defeat any Republican lawmakers who support gay marriage in Washington. Though several major national polls now show that a slight majority of Americans support same-sex marriage, National Organization for Marriage president Brian Brown predicts his side will continue its winning streak and prevail in any state referendums that are held this November. "There's a myth that history is on a trajectory moving toward same-sex marriage," Brown said. "There is no such momentum." Return to Top
Romney Donates to Anti-Gay Groups \| View Clip 01/27/2012 As it turns out, Mitt Romney's donations in 2010 and 2011 include a non-trivial gift to several organizations that could be charitably described as viciously anti-gay: The Human Rights Campaign points out a report by CNN that says Romney's charitable foundation gave at least $35,000 to antigay groups in 2010, with $10,000 going to the Massachusetts Family Institute, which ran radio ads last year warning parents that a transgender civil rights bill could lead to all manner of danger in bathrooms. One woman said in a radio ad that if the legislation passed (which it did), she wouldn't let her daughter use the restroom alone anymore. And the group's website showed a restroom door with the provocative message, "Who's going to be waiting for your wife and daughter?" Considering how much LGBT-rights have been mainstreamed, I'm not sure that this won't hurt Romney among Republicans, at least the moderate Republicans most likely to vote for the former Massachusetts governor. That said, this would absolutely be a liability in a general election. More importantly, this should serve as a reminder that Romney—despite his persona—is just as conservative as his competitors, and will govern as such if elected president. Indeed, odds are good that a President Romney would be more conservative than a President Gingrich or a President Santorum, due to his strained relationship with the conservative movement. Because of the need to build trust with his political base, Romney will have every reason to hew right and accommodate conservative activists. That's not to say that his pragmatic instincts wouldn't be valuable during a crisis, but for the day-to-day business of being president, Romney would be as disastrous as any other conservative choice. Return to Top
Senator Al Franken Makes Marriage Equality Video \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Advocate, The U.S. Senator Al Franken of Minnesota has contributed an online video to the Americans for Marriage Equality campaign from the Human Rights Campaign. Return to Top
Adam Levine, Maroon 5 Boycott Restaurant Over Gay Marriage \| View Clip 01/26/2012 On Top Magazine Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine and his band are boycotting a Los Angeles-area Mexican restaurant over its support for Proposition 8 Return to Top
Gay Groups Face Off Against Dallas Mayor Over Pledge to Support Marriage Equality: VIDEO \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Towleroad Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings was not among the dozens of American mayors who signed the 'Mayors for the Freedom to Marry' endorsement of marriage equality last week, and the LGBT community in Dallas is not happy about it, WFAA reports:... Return to Top
Law Firm Argues Wisconsin High School Student Has Right to Publish Article Saying Gays Should Be Put to Death: VIDEO \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Towleroad Over the weekend, Brandon posted about a high school student newspaper controversy in Wisconsin. The newspaper had published a point - counterpoint opinion piece (you can read it HERE) on gay adoption that had offended the gay parents of a... Return to Top
Aussie Catholic Priest Helps End Gay Panic Defense \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Advocate, The A Catholic priest in Australia is responsible for helping to end the "gay panic" defense in the Queensland territory. Return to Top
Dennis Shepard Says Tenn. Legislature Is Bullying Gays \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Advocate, The The father of slain gay college student Matthew Shepard spoke out to Tennessee's legislature, asking members to drop their antigay prejudices and the antigay policies they're considering. Return to Top
Bishop Gene Robinson Documentary Premieres at Sundance \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Advocate, The "If my story can help a young boy or girl in their teens believe they can have a wonderful and productive life and family, then it's worth my putting up with a film crew following me around for two years in order to comfort and inspire them," Robinson told RNS. Return to Top
FIRST LOOK: TV Drama About Queer Life In L.A. \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Advocate, The From L Word producer Larry Kennar comes DTLA, a new series that will begin airing on Canada's OUTtv beginning late spring and will star Darryl Stephens, Danny Roberts, and Leslie Jordan. Return to Top
Gay Marriage Bill Clears Washington Senate Panel \| View Clip 01/27/2012 On Top Magazine A bill that would make Washington the seventh state to legalize gay marriage cleared a Senate panel on Thursday Return to Top
Marriage Equality Advocates Ready for Maine Referendum \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Advocate, The Marriage equality advocates in Maine have collected more than 100,000 signatures and are ready to announce a decision about whether to bring the issue back to the ballot in 2012, the Associated Press reports. Return to Top
NOM Cheers Chris Christie's Decision To Veto New Jersey Gay Marriage Bill \| View Clip 01/26/2012 On Top Magazine NOM on Wednesday cheered New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's decision to veto a proposed gay marriage bill Return to Top
St. Paul, Minnesota City Council Opposes Gay Marriage Ban \| View Clip 01/26/2012 On Top Magazine The St. Paul City Council has approved a resolution opposing an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution that would ban gay marriage Return to Top
Minnesotans on Defensive Over Anti–Gay Marriage Initiative \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Advocate, The With nine months before Minnesota voters weigh in on a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, LGBT leaders and equality-minded politicians are preparing a defense. Return to Top
Op-ed: It's Time to Win in Maine \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Advocate, The The national campaign director at Freedom to Marry is opposed to voting on the rights of any minority group. But when it comes to Maine, he explains why he supports activists' ballot initiative. Return to Top
Washington Gay Marriage Bill Clears Senate Committee \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Advocate, The The marriage equality bill in Washington State moved one step closer to becoming law Thursday when a Senate committee advanced the measure to the floor for a vote. Return to Top
Barney Frank Is Engaged to Be Married \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Advocate, The Rep. Barney Frank is engaged to marry his partner of four years, Jim Ready, a spokesman confirmed today. Return to Top
Marriage Equality Question to Appear on 2012 Maine Ballot; LGBT Advocates 'Comfortable About Winning' \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Towleroad A coalition of LGBT groups that have been collecting signatures in an effort to proceed with a ballot initiative to legalize same-sex marriage in Maine, say they have met their goal, Think Progress LGBT reports: The coalition, led by EqualityMaine... Return to Top
Maryland State Bar Association Endorses Marriage Equality Bill \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Towleroad The Maryland State Bar Association has endorsed the marriage equality bill, the WaPo reports: The endorsement of the State Bar, which is comprised of 24,000 lawyers and judges, comes just days before Maryland lawmakers turn their attention to the bill... Return to Top
LGBT Military Group Outserve to Hold Summit Focusing on Families \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Towleroad OutServe, the association of actively serving military personnel, announced the first OutServe Capital Summit, to be held May 14-15 in Washington, DC., which will focus on military partners and families, the group reports: The Summit will gather actively-serving military of... Return to Top
Black Leaders Blast Christie for Referendum Proposal \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Advocate, The Prominent African-American elected officials including Newark mayor Cory Booker slammed the suggestion from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to put same-sex marriage to a public vote, as the governor, legislative leaders and advocates prepared for a protracted fight. Return to Top
Mehlman Urges N.H. Republicans to Keep Marriage Equality \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Advocate, The Former Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman is continuing his work for marriage equality by urging lawmakers in New Hampshire to oppose a repeal attempt. Return to Top
Liberty Counsel Backs Student Who Penned Antigay Editorial \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Advocate, The The right-wing legal group has taken up the cause of a Wisconsin high school student whose opinion piece opposing adoption by gays was pulled from the school paper. Return to Top
Newark, NJ Mayor Condemns Treatment of Gays as Second-Class Citizens: VIDEO \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Towleroad Responding to a question about New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's call for a voter referendum on same-sex marriage, Newark mayor Cory Booker slammed Christie's suggestion and denounced the treatment of gays in the U.S. as second-class citizens. Said Booker: "Dear... Return to Top
Transgender Pakistanis Celebrate Newfound Voting Rights \| View Clip 01/26/2012 Advocate, The It's been two month since transgender Pakistanis were granted voting rights and joyful celebrations continue as many register to vote for the first time in their lives. Return to Top

LGBT News Clips Wednesday (January 25, 2012)

2012-01-25T15:58:00.000-05:00

Wednesday (January 25, 2012) News


Headline		Date	Outlet	Links
.HRC In the News (1)
	Gay Couple Denied Commitment Announcement in Arkansas Paper	01/24/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
Activism/Protest (1)
	Aisha Tyler Poses For NOH8 Campaign After Recording Gay Marriage Video	01/24/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
Business/Workplace (1)
	Starbucks Endorses Marriage Equality in Washington State	01/25/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
Courts/Legal (2)
	Appeals Court Rules In Favor Of Minnesota Gay Marriage Plaintiffs	01/24/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	Will Court Ruling Guarantee Passage of Minn. Antigay Amendment?	01/24/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
Discrimination (2)
	No Gay T-Shirts! Printer Refuses GSA Club Order	01/24/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	Protesters Want Hershey To Disavow School That Kicked Out HIV+ Boy	01/24/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
Education/Youth (2)
	School Sexual Orientation Policy Draws Praise, Criticism	01/24/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Pepperdine University Blocks LGBT Club Because Homosexuality is Not 'God's Will'	01/24/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
Elections (1)
	Gay Mayor to Run for New York Congressional Seat	01/24/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
Entertainment/TV/Movies (3)
	Gay Director's "The Help" Gets Best Picture Oscar Nod	01/24/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Lizzy the Lezzy Auditions for The L Project - Video	01/24/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Cynthia Nixon Attempts to Clarify that Whole 'Being Gay is a Choice' Thing	01/24/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
Family/Home life/Children (1)
	Utah Bill Would Extend Adoption Rights to Gay Couples	01/25/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
International (1)
	Colombian Capital Appoints First Trans Public Official	01/24/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
Marriage (8)
	Gay Marriage and Transgender rights Bills Head back to Legislature	01/25/2012	Baltimore City Paper	Text	View Clip
	Maryland Governor Introduces Marriage Equality Bill	01/24/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Gov. Christie: Put Marriage on the Ballot	01/24/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	NOM Mouthpiece Jennifer Roback-Morse Spews Grotesque Bigotry at Washington State Marriage Equality Hearing: VIDEO	01/24/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	ACLU Says Christie Has Done Well on LGBT Rights -- So Far	01/24/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	N.J. Marriage Bill Advances, Christie Wants Referendum	01/24/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Hearings on Marriage Equality Bill Begin in New Jersey Senate	01/24/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	NJ Governor Christie Announces He Wants Voters to Decide If Gay People Deserve Equal Rights: VIDEO	01/24/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
National Politics (1)
	Two Lesbians Join First Lady for SOTU	01/24/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
Politicians/Leaders (1)
	Rick Santorum Tells Piers Morgan That He Would Outlaw Gay Marriage	01/24/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
State/Local Politics (1)
	N.H. Bill Would Allow Discrimination Against Gay Couples	01/24/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
Other (1)
	NJ Governor Chris Christie Calls for Voter Referendum on Same-Sex Marriage, Says He Would Veto Bill	01/24/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
Gay Couple Denied Commitment Announcement in Arkansas Paper \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Towleroad Cody Renegar and his fiance Thomas Staed plan to hold a commitment ceremony at their Elkins, Arkansas home this summer and hoped to publish an announcement in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. But the paper won't let them, KNWA reports: The... Return to Top
Aisha Tyler Poses For NOH8 Campaign After Recording Gay Marriage Video \| View Clip 01/24/2012 On Top Magazine Aisha Tyler has doubled down on her support for gay marriage, posing for the NOH8 Campaign and recording a video for HRC Return to Top
Starbucks Endorses Marriage Equality in Washington State \| View Clip 01/25/2012 Towleroad Starbucks has joined a list of company's publicly supporting Washington state's marriage equality bill. The company released a statement yesterday: To: U.S. partners Date: January 24, 2012 Re: A Message from Kalen Holmes: Starbucks Supports Marriage Equality Dear partners, Starbucks... Return to Top
Appeals Court Rules In Favor Of Minnesota Gay Marriage Plaintiffs \| View Clip 01/24/2012 On Top Magazine A Minnesota Court of Appeals on Monday overturned a lower court's ruling dismissing a lawsuit challenging the state's ban on gay marriage Return to Top
Will Court Ruling Guarantee Passage of Minn. Antigay Amendment? \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Advocate, The An appeals court ruled on Monday that three same-sex couples suing for the right to marry in Minnesota have the right to a trial—a decision that complicates a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in the state. Return to Top
No Gay T-Shirts! Printer Refuses GSA Club Order \| View Clip 01/24/2012 On Top Magazine A Kansas City printer has refused to fill an order for t-shirts for a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club Return to Top
Protesters Want Hershey To Disavow School That Kicked Out HIV+ Boy \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Advocate, The Activists from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation descended on the Milton Hershey School in Pennsylvania on Tuesday. Return to Top
School Sexual Orientation Policy Draws Praise, Criticism \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Advocate, The In Minnesota's Anoka-Hennepin School District, a revision of a revision of guidelines for classroom discussion of sexual orientation received mixed reviews at a Monday hearing. Return to Top
Pepperdine University Blocks LGBT Club Because Homosexuality is Not 'God's Will' \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Towleroad Pepperdine University in Malibu has blocked the formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance called 'Reach Out' because Dean of Students Mark Davis says homosexuality is against "God's Will", the L.A. Weekly reports. From the Pepperdine Graphic newspaper: From the administration's perspective,... Return to Top
Gay Mayor to Run for New York Congressional Seat \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Advocate, The The mayor of Wappingers Falls, Matt Alexander, is running against an incumbent Republican in New York's 19th congressional district. Return to Top
Gay Director's "The Help" Gets Best Picture Oscar Nod \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Advocate, The Tate Taylor's depiction of racial divisions in the 1960s Deep South is among nine films nominated for this year's Academy Award for Best Picture. Return to Top
Lizzy the Lezzy Auditions for The L Project - Video \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Advocate, The For anyone who is not yet familiar with Lizzy the Lezzy – get with it! That said, Lizzy has teamed up with The L-Project to help raise awareness about bullying of LGBT youth. Return to Top
Cynthia Nixon Attempts to Clarify that Whole 'Being Gay is a Choice' Thing \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Advocate, The Star of the upcoming Broadway revival of Wit Cynthia Nixon has clarified that whole being gay is a choice statement she made in a recent interview with the New York Times, but the clarification she made about the word bisexual to The Daily Beast will not like assuage her detractors in the LGBT community. Return to Top
Utah Bill Would Extend Adoption Rights to Gay Couples \| View Clip 01/25/2012 Advocate, The Legislation proposed by state senator Ross Romero would allow gay couples, as well unmarried couples living together, equal adoption rights. Return to Top
Colombian Capital Appoints First Trans Public Official \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Advocate, The Gustavo Petro, the mayor of Bogota, Colombia, has appointed the capital city's first transgender public official. Return to Top
Gay Marriage and Transgender rights Bills Head back to Legislature \| View Clip 01/25/2012 Baltimore City Paper In 2008, City Councilmember Bill Henry (D-4th District) introduced a resolution urging the Baltimore City delegation to the Maryland General Assembly to show support for statewide marriage-equality legislation. The bill passed with a handful of sponsors, but only after a contentious Council meeting in which city residents spoke out strongly against marriage equality and letters were read aloud from bill opponents who requested their opinions be entered into the record. Much has changed in the past four years. On Jan. 23, the City Council passed resolution 11-0002R, Request for State Action—Equal Access to Marriage, which was sponsored by 10 of 15 councilmembers, again requesting that the city's delegation stand with the statewide marriage-equality bill that is expected to drop in the capital this week. At a Jan. 18 hearing, no letters were read into the record; nobody showed up to oppose it. The seeming change in attitude toward the passing of marriage-equality legislation is what proponents of the bill are hoping will be the case statewide. Last year, House Bill 175, otherwise known as the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, passed the Maryland Senate but, surprisingly to many, fell short in the House. Advocates are hoping that increased visibility from supporters this year—including big names such as Gov. Martin O'Malley and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake—will ensure the bill becomes law. It is fortuitous timing, then, that Baltimore will for the first time this week play host to the 24th annual National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change (creatingchange.org), the largest LGBT conference in the nation. The conference is estimated to bring 3,000 attendees who will participate in workshops, panels, and receptions in order to develop skills they can bring back to their own communities; Rawlings-Blake is expected to attend the welcome reception and NAACP President and CEO Ben Jealous will be giving the keynote speech. "Baltimore was a happy alignment of a community that wanted us to be here, a great hotel space, and proximity to headquarters in Washington, D.C.," conference director Sue Hyde says. "When we are looking at sites for Creating Change, we usually look at a few different cities, we reach out to folks in the LGBT community to ask the question, would you like us to come to your city? Folks here were very enthusiastic about it coming." There are a lot of folks who are enthusiastic about the likelihood of the marriage-equality bill passing as well. Last year's bill contained language to establish "that a marriage between two individuals who are not otherwise prohibited from marrying is valid in the State." It also contained a religious exemption ensuring that no religious organization or entity could be forced to perform marriages with which the entity disagrees "in violation of the constitutional right to free exercise of religion." This year's bill is expected to contain similar language, says state Del. Maggie McIntosh (D-43rd District), one of seven openly gay members of the House, and "it will come in this year with an even stronger religious exemption," in hopes of finding common ground with the religious contingency that forms the primary opposition to the bill. McIntosh says much of the advocacy for last year's bill happened quietly, "from colleague to colleague and constituent to elected official." The opposition, on the other hand, began to take out ads on TV, target constituents with mailings, and generally make a lot more noise. "I think there was a miscalculation that if it got out of the Senate it would easily pass the House," McIntosh says. "So boom, out of the Senate it comes, and everybody just thought, OK, line up the votes, get it out on the floor, and get it passed. Don't make a big deal of it—let's just get it done." Supporters of the bill seem to be taking a noisier approach themselves this year. The recently formed Marylanders for Marriage Equality merges the NAACP's Baltimore Chapter, the health care workers' union 1199 SEIU, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, Progressive Maryland, Equality Maryland, the Human Rights Campaign, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (which runs Creating Change) as a united front to advocate for marriage equality in the state. The Creating Change conference will, for the first time ever, include a lobbying day in Washington, doable because of Baltimore's proximity to the capital. And at a union rally on Jan. 16, U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards (D-4th District) spoke out strongly in favor of marriage equality, emphasizing the difference between religious sacrament and a state marriage license. "I never dreamed that I would be in the legislature at a time when marriage was being considered," McIntosh says. "I thought it was a long way away, but it's not. I think it's a matter of either this year or a few years away. And yeah, we have conservative parts of the state, but Maryland has tended to be progressive, Maryland has tended to offer rights rather than take them away." Getting less attention so far is the Gender Identity Nondiscrimination Bill, a bill designed to provide equal treatment for the transgender community, a version of which was also introduced last year and passed the House but failed in the Senate. The bill created hot debate within the LGBT community, largely concerning protections in public accommodations—i.e., restrooms ("Transgender Gap," Feature, June 15, 2011). Some feel that the public-accommodations allowance is the thing that most makes such a bill difficult to pass, and the community should strive to pass a less complete bill, rather than nothing at all. This year's bill, expected to drop in the next few weeks, will include protection in public accommodations. Last year the main proponent of the bill was Equality Maryland; this year, a new organization, Gender Rights Maryland, has formed, the sole purpose of which is to see the trans-rights bill become law. "We formed largely out of the fact that we nearly passed some legislation last year, and we saw that there was a need for a voice of trans people speaking for themselves," GRM Board Chair Sharon Brackett says. "We felt it was important for us to really make sure that people understand that this is a basic civil rights bill. This is not a gay rights bill. We really represent the complete populace, meaning we have straight people, we have gay people, we have lesbians, we have asexual people. . . . The notion that we're part of the gay community is really a bit of a misnomer. We're a different animal. As I often tell people, being gay is about who you love, being trans is about who you are." Brackett feels hopeful that attitudes toward the trans community are changing in a way that will make the legislation pass. She points to the December 2011 decision in the case of Glenn v. Brumby, in which a transwoman sued her employer after he fired her when she announced that she would be transitioning from male to female. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over federal cases originating in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, ruled that trans discrimination is sex discrimination, which is illegal under the 14th Amendment. "So in many ways the bill that we're trying to put forward is an opportunity for Maryland to simply codify that it's progressive," Brackett says. "Maryland really doesn't want to be behind Alabama on civil rights legislation. Essentially, we are, and we need to catch up. I don't think any Maryland legislator would be comfortable with that." She also points to the case of Chrissy Polis, a transwoman who was beaten outside a public bathroom in a McDonald's in April 2011, which prompted O'Malley to release a statement announcing his commitment to passing legislation to end discrimination against the trans community. O'Malley will be introducing both the marriage-equality bill and the trans-rights bill in his legislative package, but the City Council has yet to acknowledge the bill. Neither Henry nor Kraft had heard of it, though Henry added that "there are many of us on the Council who believe in freedom and equality" and that should the bill be brought to the Council's attention in the future it would likely see support. Within the gay and trans communities, support for the two bills seems to be mutual. McIntosh says she supports the gender identity bill; Brackett echoes the sentiment for marriage equality. "The reality is that marriage equality is an important trans right that we support," Brackett says. "We're not leading the effort on that bill but we're supportive of it. When a trans person gets married, there's going to be somebody who has a question about that marriage." Creating Change's Sue Hyde, who has been the director of the conference since 1994, has noticed, among other trends, an increasing presence from the trans community at the conference. "We've seen the emergence of a very strong youth and campus contingent attending," Hyde says. "A very strong representation by transgender people, relating to the transgender community and issues. . . . We're looking forward to a very exciting event. It is always our goal that our community leaders and organizers go home better equipped to do their work." McIntosh is optimistic about the marriage-equality bill's chances in Maryland this year, noting that as a younger generation grows into voting age, opposition to marriage equality becomes less intense. She cites a recent meeting with a Catholic leader (whom McIntosh declines to name) who acknowledged that the law will change, it's only a matter of when. "People, actually even people who oppose it right now, have a sense that it will happen," she says. "And it will come back year after year." Return to Top
Maryland Governor Introduces Marriage Equality Bill \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Advocate, The Maryland governor Martin O'Malley introduced marriage equality legislation Monday with clarification on protections for religious institutions and leaders. Return to Top
Gov. Christie: Put Marriage on the Ballot \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Advocate, The "I believe in the institution of marriage. I realize this is my personal opinion," Christie said Tuesday as lawmakers took up marriage equality legisation. "Rather than have stalemate and deadlock on this issue, let's put it on the ballot....It shouldn't be decided by 121 people in Trenton." Return to Top
NOM Mouthpiece Jennifer Roback-Morse Spews Grotesque Bigotry at Washington State Marriage Equality Hearing: VIDEO \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Towleroad Yesterday, we learned the fantastic news that following Washington state's marriage equality hearing, a state Senator had changed her mind and provided the 25th vote needed to pass the measure. Perhaps it was the disgusting bigotry of Jennifer Roback Morse... Return to Top
ACLU Says Christie Has Done Well on LGBT Rights -- So Far \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Advocate, The As all eyes turn to Gov. Chris Christie and what he will do if a marriage equality bill arrives on his desk, the ACLU of New Jersey gives the governor a grade of B-minus on his LGBT rights record so far. Return to Top
N.J. Marriage Bill Advances, Christie Wants Referendum \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Advocate, The The marriage equality bill cleared a key senate committee Tuesday, setting the stage for a floor vote next month, while Governor Chris Christie called for a referendum on the issue. Return to Top
Hearings on Marriage Equality Bill Begin in New Jersey Senate \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Towleroad Hearings on a marriage equality bill before NJ's Senate Judiciary Committee are set to begin at 11 am. According to Twitter user Brian Thompson, who shot the photo above, there's an overflow crowd. You can listen in HERE once the... Return to Top
NJ Governor Christie Announces He Wants Voters to Decide If Gay People Deserve Equal Rights: VIDEO \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Towleroad As I reported earlier, today New Jersey Governor Chris Christie called for a voter referendum on same-sex marriage and said he'll veto any marriage equality bill that comes to his desk. Christie's announcement comes even as a Quinnipiac poll this... Return to Top
Two Lesbians Join First Lady for SOTU \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Advocate, The Ginger Wallace (right), an Air Force colonel, and Lorelei Kilker (far left), who fought gender bias in her workplace, will be among Michelle Obama's guests at tonight's State of the Union address. Return to Top
Rick Santorum Tells Piers Morgan That He Would Outlaw Gay Marriage \| View Clip 01/24/2012 On Top Magazine Rick Santorum has reiterated his opposition to gay marriage, telling CNN's Piers Morgan that he would as president outlaw the institution Return to Top
N.H. Bill Would Allow Discrimination Against Gay Couples \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Advocate, The A bill is being considered to allow business owners to discriminate against gay couples getting married in New Hampshire. Return to Top
NJ Governor Chris Christie Calls for Voter Referendum on Same-Sex Marriage, Says He Would Veto Bill \| View Clip 01/24/2012 Towleroad As the first hearings on a marriage equality bill were held in the New Jersey Senate today, Governor Chris Christie spoke out about the issue at a town hall, the Star Ledger reports: Gov Chris Christie called today for a... Return to Top

LGBT News Clips Monday (January 23, 2012)

2012-01-23T13:55:00.001-05:00

Monday (January 23, 2012) News


Headline		Date	Outlet	Links
.HRC In the News (5)
	Lobbying for just a nod, a mention	01/23/2012	Politico	Text	View Clip
	Same-sex marriage on docket in Washington	01/23/2012	Associated Press	Text	View Clip
	GW declines to pay extra medical tax	01/23/2012	GW Hatchet, The	Text	View Clip
	The Private Sector And Gay Equality	01/23/2012	TheDailyBeast.com	Text	View Clip
	HRC Gala is around the corner: Are you on board?	01/21/2012	Q-Notes	Text	View Clip
Activism/Protest (2)
	It Gets Better: The Bagram Edition	01/22/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Project to tour state	01/21/2012	Q-Notes	Text	View Clip
Education/Youth (1)
	Phillip Parker, 14, Has Killed Himself	01/22/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
Entertainment/TV/Movies (6)
	'Sex And The City's' Cynthia Nixon Says Being Gay Could Be Choice	01/22/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	Charlotte: Center to present film series	01/21/2012	Q-Notes	Text	View Clip
	Coming Out in a Sundance Debut	01/21/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Watch Trailer: HBO Set to Air Elton John Documentary	01/21/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	'30 Rock' Spoofs Tracy Morgan's Gay Controversy	01/21/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	Julia Roberts, Jim Parsons, Alec Baldwin, Matt Bomer Join AIDS Drama 'Normal Heart'	01/21/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
Events/Fundraising (2)
	GLAAD Lays Off Almost A Quarter Of Employees	01/22/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	'Glee's' Jane Lynch To Be Honored For Her Gay Advocacy At NCLR Event	01/21/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
Family/Home life/Children (2)
	Virginia To Consider Opposing Gay Adoption Bills	01/22/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	Adoption Debate In Virginia Hits The Legislature	01/21/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
Hate Crimes/Criminal (1)
	Hazing death may be bias-based	01/21/2012	Q-Notes	Text	View Clip
Marriage (5)
	Washington Lawmakers to Consider Marriage Bills Monday	01/22/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	NOM Pledges $250,000 To Advance New Hampshire Gay Marriage Repeal	01/22/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	The Test Ahead	01/21/2012	Q-Notes	Text	View Clip
	The Economic Benefits of Marriage Equality in Washington State	01/21/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	NOM: N.H. Lawmakers for Gay Marriage "Will Suffer the Consequences"	01/21/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
National Politics (1)
	Gingrich Beats Romney in South Carolina	01/21/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
Politicians/Leaders (8)
	Santorum Feels "Absolutely No Pressure" to Drop Out	01/22/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Video: Santorum Glitter-Bombed in South Carolina	01/22/2012	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Mayor Thomas Menino Says Gay Marriage Has Made Boston Better	01/22/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	Meet Rick Santorum's Honorary Campaign Chair	01/22/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	Washington's Chris Gregoire Wishes Obama Would Join Her In Endorsing Gay Marriage	01/21/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	Fox Psychiatrist On Newt Gingrich: Infidelity A Sign Of Awesomeness	01/21/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	Obama To Endorse Gay Marriage In SOTU? White House Won't Rule Out Possibility	01/21/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	Annise Parker: Gay Marriage Would Have Made A Tremendous Difference In My Life	01/21/2012	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
Religion (1)
	Religious Freedom To Discriminate Under Assault In Alaska	01/21/2012	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
Lobbying for just a nod, a mention \| View Clip 01/23/2012 Politico The State of the Union address may be one of the most heavily lobbied 6,800-word documents in Washington. Immigration reform; the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community; background checks for gun buyers; and the Keystone pipeline are just a few of the wide array of issues liberal groups are lobbying White House aides to tuck into the text of President Barack Obama's State of the Union address. It's an annual tradition: Trade groups, unions and advocacy organizations scramble to sell their cause in hopes of scoring one of the specific references sprinkled throughout the speech each year. And this time around, the White House appears to be paying closer attention than usual to what its friends want to hear. "Generally speaking, it is the Super Bowl of politics — it's as competitive and difficult in that way," said Robert Raben, president of progressive lobbying firm The Raben Group. "This is where the president lays out to his biggest audience of the year what he stands for and what his party stands for." "The advocacy and lobbying is intense," he added. This year, the White House has been open to hearing from groups that will be critical to Obama's reelection effort. A day after Obama returned in January from his family's holiday vacation in Hawaii, the president stopped by a meeting in Washington where chief speechwriter Jon Favreau was talking with a confab of progressive leaders from the group Common Purpose. The group represents women's organizations, ethnic groups, labor and progressive grass-roots coalitions. This iteration of the group's weekly Tuesday afternoon meeting at the Capitol Hilton was an opportunity for Favreau to take suggestions about what should be in the president's speech, according to a person briefed on the meeting who requested anonymity because it was off the record. Other groups are taking their wish lists — which range from requests for single words to long-shot pushes for entire pieces of legislation — to the White House themselves. The Human Rights Campaign successfully pushed to keep the "don't ask, don't tell" repeal effort in Obama's speech last year, even after Congress approved the legislation. This year, the group pushed Obama to mention the LGBT community in his list of accomplishments and policy proposals. "The inclusion of our community in those laundry lists in any part of the speech helps us tremendously in being thought of as a vital part of the American fabric," said Fred Sainz, a spokesman for HRC. "The good news for this White House is that they don't believe that the oracle of wisdom begins and ends with them, so they are solicitous of perspectives from a wide variety of folks," he added, noting that lobbyists know that issues related to jobs have a better shot. The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials views the speech as an opportunity for the president to shore up support among disappointed backers. NALEO Executive Director Arturo Vargas said concerns about voter ID laws in states like South Carolina and Obama's failure to secure immigration reform may force his organization to lobby the White House directly for language in the State of the Union that could help stave off further disenchantment among Hispanic voters. "This year, we may [lobby] simply because of the dynamic of going into 2012 and what's left of his administration," Vargas said. "It would be important for him to mention that there still is unfinished business — the major policy challenge that this administration faces that has not been addressed." It isn't just Obama's allies who are knocking on the White House's doors. The National Association of Manufacturers has been at odds with the administration over a slew of issues in the past three years, including the National Labor Relations Board's policies, the Environmental Protection Agency's regulations and the stalled Keystone pipeline project. Aric Newhouse, NAM's chief lobbyist, said the trade association will be working with administration officials and members of Congress to encourage the president to support policy proposals its members view as good for manufacturers. "What NAM members want to hear is the president say, 'I'm proud to announce tonight that I'm going to approve Keystone,'" Newhouse said. "Unfortunately, we've had to play a lot of defense on energy policy," he added. "I'd love it if that would change in the coming months." A change, of course, is just what many lobbyists hope the State of the Union will bring for some issues that have gotten short shrift in the past. Gun control advocates tried unsuccessfully to tie the deadly shooting spree that injured Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) to a push for Obama to finally address the politically difficult issue. This year, Mayors Against Illegal Guns — a coalition led by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino — plans to send a letter to Obama to encourage him to address the background check system, noting the one-year anniversary of the Tucson, Ariz., shooting. And lobbyists aren't the only ones hoping to influence what will be in the final document. There is also intense internal lobbying by members of the Cabinet and Congress, adding to the competition for White House bandwidth. As members of Congress greet the president on the floor of the Capitol before the speech, some will quickly convey pitches for their pet issues, in many cases after having consulted with like-minded lobbyists. Ultimately, the State of the Union address is a test of connections that have developed over time and sheer creativity. "The Office of Public Engagement is the door to the White House, but the more sophisticated you become, you learn to work people like Valerie Jarrett, Pete Rouse or if you have a relationship with Jon Favreau or Melody Barnes," said one person familiar with the process of lobbying the administration. "We have a lot of allies who have direct relationships with [these] people. I call it lobbying with a lower case 'L.'" One labor leader likened the process of getting a nod in the speech to a scene in a Joseph Conrad novel in which French sailors, aboard a warship off the shores of Africa, fruitlessly shoot their guns into a vast forest — even though "it's clear they have no idea what they're shooting at." "It's not like that — but it's sort of like that," he said. "It's not completely blind, but it does have this kind of one-way quality to it — they're very protective of what's in that speech." Return to Top
Same-sex marriage on docket in Washington \| View Clip 01/23/2012 Associated Press The last time same-sex marriage was debated in the Washington state Legislature, lawmakers voted to ban it. Fourteen years later, Washington could become the seventh state plus the District of Columbia to legalize same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriage has won the backing of several prominent Pacific Northwest businesses, including Microsoft Corp. and Nike Inc., along with lawmakers who once opposed it. Bills to legalize same-sex marriage have been introduced in the House and Senate, sponsored by two gay lawmakers. The measures will have their first public hearings Monday. "If there's one word to sum up where Washington is on marriage equality, it's momentum," said Michael Cole-Schwartz, a spokesman for the Washington, D.C.-based Human Rights Campaign. Same-sex marriage is legal in New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia. Lawmakers in New Jersey and Maryland are expected to debate same-sex marriage this year as well. The debate over same-sex marriage in Washington has changed significantly since lawmakers passed the state's Defense of Marriage Act in 1998. The constitutionality of DOMA was ultimately upheld by the state Supreme Court in 2006, but earlier that year, a gay civil rights measure passed after nearly 30 years of failure, signaling a change of mind-set in the Legislature. Democratic state Sen. Ed Murray, a gay lawmaker from Seattle, has led the push for gay civil rights and is sponsoring the Senate marriage bill. "The culture changes and the politics follows," he said. "The most political act that changed the culture wasn't in Olympia, it wasn't me. It was people coming out to their families, to their workplace. That's what's changed people's minds." The state House is widely expected to have enough support to pass same-sex marriage, and Gov. Chris Gregoire publicly endorsed the proposal earlier this month. The state Senate is now just one vote shy of having enough backing to approve the bill, with a half-dozen lawmakers remaining uncommitted. In October, a University of Washington poll found that 43 percent of respondents said they support same-sex marriage, up from 30 percent in the same poll five years earlier. Another 22 percent said they support giving identical rights to gay couples but just not calling it marriage. Several religious groups have opposed any discussion of same-sex marriage. This month, the Catholic bishops of Washington issued a statement saying that same-sex marriage was not in the public interest and calling on "the citizens of this state to maintain the legal definition of marriage." Rep. Jamie Pedersen, a Democrat from Seattle who is sponsor of the House bill, said that even if a same-sex marriage law doesn't pass this year, the stage has been set for future success. "This change is inevitable," he said. "It's just a question of how long the families of same-sex families are going to have to wait for that justice to be done." Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/01/21/MNS61MSN97.DTL#ixzz1kIdtZiO6 Return to Top
GW declines to pay extra medical tax \| View Clip 01/23/2012 GW Hatchet, The The University has no plans to reimburse employees in domestic partnerships for extra taxes they pay for medical coverage, despite a flurry this month of colleges and businesses opting to cover the added expense. Domestic partnership health coverage is counted as taxable income by the federal government, making recipients of those benefits pay additional fees because – unlike their married counterparts – their unions are not legally recognized. The University offers domestic partnership plans, but does not cover the expense of the federal tax. Beginning this January, Columbia and Yale universities and Barnard College joined a growing list of organizations that reimburse their employees for the extra cost. In the business sector, Google, Apple, Facebook and Teach for America are among the companies that already reimburse domestic partners for the $1,200 to $1,500 tax, The New York Times reported Jan. 11. This month, Bank of America, Microsoft and Ernst & Young also expanded their benefit packages to include tax compensation. The growing list of employers that reimburse the tax signals a trend to equalize the playing field among heterosexual and gay professionals in higher education. University spokeswoman Michelle Sherrard declined to say why the University does not reimburse the tax, but maintained that GW complies with existing federal tax laws. "GW extends benefits to both same-sex and opposite-sex domestic partners. We currently do not reimburse additional tax costs incurred by domestic partners in their health plans," she said. Benefit policies are reviewed each summer and no plans have been made as to what benefits will be considered this year, she said. GW expanded its medical benefits last year to include support for opposite-sex domestic partners so unmarried couples in committed relationships could receive the same benefits as married couples. These couples are also subject to the extra tax on benefits. The District and six states permit gay marriage, while 10 others allow domestic partnerships – a difference that determines if homosexual couples pay the additional tax. Unlike same-sex couples under federally recognized marital status, domestic partners must adhere to benefit regulations for local or state-sanctioned unions. Compensating employees for these taxes is known in human resources lingo as "grossing up," which helps "to level the playing field for gay and lesbian couples," Michael Cole-Schwartz, director of media relations for the Human Rights Campaign, said. The LGBT-rights organization "encourages all employers to not only offer these benefits but to also ensure there aren't additional financial barriers to taking advantage of them," Cole-Schwartz said of the tax. "GW should reevaluate [reimbursing the tax] because it would aid in maintaining equitable health and promoting diversity within the GW community," Dana Tai Soon Burgess, a gay professor who heads the Department of Theatre and Dance, said. Return to Top
The Private Sector And Gay Equality \| View Clip 01/23/2012 TheDailyBeast.com One of the oldest arguments we had in the old gay rights movement - back when it was a monolithic captive of the New Left - was whether discrimination could be countered more effectively by private choice or public mandate. My view was that the government should not discriminate against gay citizens in any way, but that the private sector and anti-gay religious communities should retain more freedom. The market would eventually win over bigotry, I argued. That's me and my libertarianism. The consensus view was that federal anti-discrimination laws were much more vital, and the top priority of the Human Rights Campaign. That was in 1988. Such a federal law remains out of reach more than two decades later, despite massive support from the general public. But without such a law, we've been able to test whether the free market logic of non-discrimination can work. Today, we hear this news: For the first time ever, all 100 firms on Fortune's Best Companies To Work For list this year have non-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation. This is not because they are somehow being noble. It is because they are serving their shareholders by employing the absolutely best people for the jobs they have and do not want to miss someone's talents because of something irrelevant like sexual orientation. Hence capitalism enables equality. And the last entity to get with the program is the government. Return to Top
HRC Gala is around the corner: Are you on board? \| View Clip 01/21/2012 Q-Notes The Human Rights Campaign North Carolina Gala is swinging into town the weekend of Feb. 23-26. With it comes a variety of statewide and national leaders, activists, entertainers, philanthropists and other movers and shakers. Return to Top
It Gets Better: The Bagram Edition \| View Clip 01/22/2012 Advocate, The Members of the OutServe chapter serving in Afghanistan have debuted their own "It Gets Better" video from Bagram Air Base. Return to Top
Project to tour state \| View Clip 01/21/2012 Q-Notes The Vote Against Project will be taking to the super slab during the next few months to photograph participants who wish to defeat the anti-gay amendment on the May 8 ballot. Return to Top
Phillip Parker, 14, Has Killed Himself \| View Clip 01/22/2012 Towleroad Another one. From WSMV.com: A Gordonsville boy's parents say bullying caused their son to take his own life. Phillip Parker, 14, died this week. His parents said he was constantly bullied for being gay. ... "He was fun, he was... Return to Top
'Sex And The City's' Cynthia Nixon Says Being Gay Could Be Choice \| View Clip 01/22/2012 On Top Magazine Cynthia Nixon has said that being gay for her is a choice Return to Top
Charlotte: Center to present film series \| View Clip 01/21/2012 Q-Notes The GayCharlotte Film Series has announced its upcoming three-part "Breaking In: The Business of Movies" schedule. It is a project of The LGBT Center of Charlotte. Return to Top
Coming Out in a Sundance Debut \| View Clip 01/21/2012 Advocate, The Among the entries at this year's festival is a short film by a gay Korean-American man who used the project to come out to his family. Return to Top
Watch Trailer: HBO Set to Air Elton John Documentary \| View Clip 01/21/2012 Advocate, The Elton John is coming to the small screen on February 2 in the new documentary, The Union, directed by Cameron Crowe. Return to Top
'30 Rock' Spoofs Tracy Morgan's Gay Controversy \| View Clip 01/21/2012 On Top Magazine The controversy over Tracy Morgan's anti-gay jokes last summer ended with a big laugh on NBC's '30 Rock' Return to Top
Julia Roberts, Jim Parsons, Alec Baldwin, Matt Bomer Join AIDS Drama 'Normal Heart' \| View Clip 01/21/2012 On Top Magazine Julia Roberts, Jim Parsons, Alec Baldwin, Matt Bomer and Mark Ruffalo are set to star in the big screen adaptation of 'The Normal Heart' Return to Top
GLAAD Lays Off Almost A Quarter Of Employees \| View Clip 01/22/2012 Towleroad The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation laid off 11 of its 45 employees last week. From The Advocate: The cuts come against the backdrop of an economy that still has not fully recovered, and nonprofits everywhere continue to face... Return to Top
'Glee's' Jane Lynch To Be Honored For Her Gay Advocacy At NCLR Event \| View Clip 01/21/2012 On Top Magazine Jane Lynch, who plays Sue Sylvester on 'Glee,' will be honored for her gay advocacy at NCLR's 2012 Anniversary Celebration Return to Top
Virginia To Consider Opposing Gay Adoption Bills \| View Clip 01/22/2012 On Top Magazine Virginia lawmakers are set to consider opposing gay adoption bills Return to Top
Adoption Debate In Virginia Hits The Legislature \| View Clip 01/21/2012 Towleroad Last month in Virginia, the VA Board of Social Services "finalized regulations" peeling back discrimination protections encoded in the state's adoption laws, according to the AP, allowing religious adoption agencies receiving state moneys to discriminate against prospective LGBT parents. Some... Return to Top
Hazing death may be bias-based \| View Clip 01/21/2012 Q-Notes On Nov. 19, 2011, Florida A&M University student Robert Champion Jr. was found unresponsive aboard a band bus after the school's biggest game of the year. Police ruled the death a homicide from hazing. Return to Top
Washington Lawmakers to Consider Marriage Bills Monday \| View Clip 01/22/2012 Advocate, The Large crowds are expected Monday in Olympia as lawmakers begin considering whether to make Washington the seventh state in the nation where marriage equality is legal. Return to Top
NOM Pledges $250,000 To Advance New Hampshire Gay Marriage Repeal \| View Clip 01/22/2012 On Top Magazine NOM has pledged $250,000 to support New Hampshire lawmakers who vote for a bill that would repeal the state's gay marriage law Return to Top
The Test Ahead \| View Clip 01/21/2012 Q-Notes I am bewildered already by the blizzard of emails I receive daily about the upcoming vote (May 8, 2012) on a constitutional amendment in North Carolina that would further restrict and solidify what it means to be married in this state. I've been talking about the vote since both houses of the General Assembly voted upon its passage in September 2011. Return to Top
The Economic Benefits of Marriage Equality in Washington State \| View Clip 01/21/2012 Advocate, The Passage of a marriage equality bill in Washington would add $88 million to the state economy and generate millions in tax revenue, according to a report released Friday by The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. Return to Top
NOM: N.H. Lawmakers for Gay Marriage "Will Suffer the Consequences" \| View Clip 01/21/2012 Advocate, The The National Organization for Marriage announced it would spend $250,000 to support New Hampshire lawmakers favoring repeal of the state's marriage equality law. A vote on the issue appears to be within weeks. Return to Top
Gingrich Beats Romney in South Carolina \| View Clip 01/21/2012 Advocate, The Riding a recent surge that defied incendiary "open marriage" allegations by an ex-wife, Newt Gingrich has won Saturday's primary over Mitt Romney, who outspent the former House speaker in the state by 2 to 1. Return to Top
Santorum Feels "Absolutely No Pressure" to Drop Out \| View Clip 01/22/2012 Advocate, The "I think people realize that Mitt Romney is now no longer the inevitable," he told CNN's Candy Crowley in a Sunday morning interview. Return to Top
Video: Santorum Glitter-Bombed in South Carolina \| View Clip 01/22/2012 Advocate, The Occupy protesters were among those on the rope line at Rick Santorum's South Carolina election night party at The Citadel military college in Charleston, where the candidate faced another round of glitter bombing directly following his speech to the crowd. Return to Top
Mayor Thomas Menino Says Gay Marriage Has Made Boston Better \| View Clip 01/22/2012 On Top Magazine Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino has said gay marriage has made Boston 'a much better place to live' Return to Top
Meet Rick Santorum's Honorary Campaign Chair \| View Clip 01/22/2012 Towleroad Rev. O'Neal Dozier is a nut. I've spoken with him on two occasions, most recently when he whipped into a frenzy the most acidic elements of South Floridian fundamentalism to support a teacher who was in trouble for dousing an... Return to Top
Washington's Chris Gregoire Wishes Obama Would Join Her In Endorsing Gay Marriage \| View Clip 01/21/2012 On Top Magazine Washington state Governor Chris Gregoire wishes President Barack Obama would join her in endorsing gay marriage Return to Top
Fox Psychiatrist On Newt Gingrich: Infidelity A Sign Of Awesomeness \| View Clip 01/21/2012 Towleroad South Carolina's big primary is today, and Newt Gingrich is the most talked about man in America. He's been up, he's been down, and then he was up and then down and now up again, and the caprices of fate... Return to Top
Obama To Endorse Gay Marriage In SOTU? White House Won't Rule Out Possibility \| View Clip 01/21/2012 On Top Magazine Is President Obama preparing to endorse gay marriage in his State of the Union address? The White House won't rule out the possibility Return to Top
Annise Parker: Gay Marriage Would Have Made A Tremendous Difference In My Life \| View Clip 01/21/2012 On Top Magazine Houston Mayor Annise Parker on Friday provided powerful testimony on what marriage means to gay and lesbian couples Return to Top
Religious Freedom To Discriminate Under Assault In Alaska \| View Clip 01/21/2012 Towleroad ... and it's not just in Virginia. In Alaska, too, securing legal protections for gayfolk may prevent the free exercise of religion. From The Anchorage Daily News: A national conservative Christian legal group says the gay rights initiative on Anchorage's... Return to Top