Gay News Watch

Miami ranks first in HIV incidence among U.S. cities

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:19:00

According to data released recently by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Miami metropolitan area ranks No. 1 in the nation in AIDS case rates. The report, based on 2008 statistics, ranks Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and New Orleans second and third respectively. Rounding out the top 10,...

Gay men on HIV meds don't engage in riskier sex

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:10:00

Gay and bisexual men didn't have riskier sex or suffer serious side effects while using Gilead Sciences Inc.'s Viread in a study of whether taking pills to prevent HIV infection would loosen inhibitions or harm health. Gay and bisexual men who took a daily pill -- either Viread or a...

Circumcision is unlikely to protect gay men from HIV

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 10:05:00

Circumcising men who have sex with men (MSM) is likely to have a negligible effect on the rate of new HIV cases in the United States, according to a survey conducted in San Francisco in 2008 and reported Thursday, July 22, at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna. Clinical trials...

UK: 1 in 6 gay men testing positive for HIV infected recently

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 22:02:00

The first data from new systems of detecting recent HIV infection in the UK have shown that among those diagnosed, one in six gay men were infected in the past few months, whereas only one in 16 heterosexuals were. Sam Lattimore of the Health Protection Agency presented the results to...

Three men reflect on 30 years living with HIV/AIDS

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 12:54:00

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued its first warning about a rare pneumonia called pneumocystis circulating among a small group of young gay men. Unrealized at the time, it was the official beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Dr. Michael Gottlieb, then a 33-year-old immunologist at the University...

Police criticized for outing gay HIV infection suspect

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 11:14:00

Ottawa police endangered the queer community by identifying a man they allege knowingly infected other men with HIV, gay advocates said Friday. "This case should have been treated in the same way police handle domestic violence cases," said Marcus McCann, managing editor of Xtra! magazine. "There are mechanisms which already...

Book claims Christopher Reeve, porn star had affair

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 10:45:00

He was best known for playing a man of steel with a sensitive side who seemed to offer a woman everything. But Superman star Christopher Reeve once had a gay affair and was 'curious' about homosexuality, according to a new book. Cal Culver, a gay porn star, has claimed from...

HIV researchers starting to use that 'C' word again

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 09:35:00

WATCH: For years, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) researchers have shied away from the whole notion of a cure, largely because evidence showed the virus can persist even under intensive treatment. But now, they are -- tentatively -- expressing a renewed interest in the idea. That interest is sparked by clinical...

Ariz. judge blocks draconian D.P. health insurance ban

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 09:28:00

A federal judge has blocked Arizona from denying family health insurance to employees' same-sex partners, saying the state violated the equal-protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. U.S. District Judge John Sedwick granted a temporary injunction that will prevent the state from enacting House Bill 2013, a 2009 law that changed...

Watch: British right-winger ambushed by gay activist

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 12:01:00

British National Party leader Nick Griffin was ambushed by human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell during a press conference at London's Millbank Studios, yesterday. Tatchell sneaked between photographers and strode up to Griffin as he was displaying his Buckingham Palace Garden Party invitation, which was subsequently withdrawn by the Queen. "As...

Activist Dan Choi honorably discharged from Army

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:19:00

Lt. Daniel Choi, a gay activist soldier and Tustin High School graduate, received notice Thursday morning that he's been honorably discharged from the Army National Guard under "Don't Ask Don't Tell." Choi, an Iraq war veteran, was discharged from the New York Army National Guard, calling the announcement "infuriating and...

MTV, CW get GLAAD high marks; CBS a failing grade

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:38:00

Youth-oriented networks MTV and the CW devoted larger shares of their prime-time hours to depicting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters than other television networks last season, according to a new analysis by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. In its fourth annual study, the advocacy group handed out...

Seven gay couples sue Montana over DP protection

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 09:48:00

The ACLU of Montana may have found a way to force states that have outlawed same-sex marriage to provide rights to gay and lesbian couples. Although a decision has not been reached in the Prop 8 trial in California, the defense's inability to produce any evidence or credible witnesses in...

Italian priests filmed at gay clubs, having casual flings

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 09:43:00

A gay priest sex scandal has rocked the Catholic Church in Italy today after a weekly news magazine released details of a shock investigation it had carried out. Using hidden cameras, a journalist from Panorama magazine - owned by Italian Prime Minister and media baron Silvio Berlusconi - filmed three...

Final DADT repeal vote in Senate expected in Sept.

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 09:40:00

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) told the Blade on Thursday he's expecting the full Senate to take up "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal in September after lawmakers return from August recess. Advocates have been anticipating a vote on the fiscal year 2011 defense authorization bill — the...

Lesbian Sara Gilbert set to cohost CBS mommy show

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:25:00

CBS has announced that lesbian mom Sara Gilbert of Rosanne fame will be hosting a new daily talk show slated to begin in October. The L.A.-based show is also set to feature panelists Julie Chen, Holly Robinson Peete, Sharon Osbourne and Leah Remini and is scheduled to replace the long...

N.J. police kill Atlanta man in gay cruising location

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:20:00

An unarmed married Atlanta CEO was shot and killed in a New Jersey park known for gay cruising after an officer says he struggled with the man and feared for his life. DeFarra Gaymon was in Newark for a high school reunion on July 16 when he allegedly approached an...

N.Z. school sanctioned for firing gay sports coach

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:16:00

A New Zealand Christian school has been ordered to pay undisclosed compensation and apologize to a sports coach it fired because he was gay. Board members of Middleton Grange School in Christchurch — on New Zealand's South Island — will also attend courses on human rights awareness, school principal Richard...

Argentine gay marriage signed into law

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:11:00

President Cristina Fernandez signed a new law Wednesday making Argentina the first country in Latin America to legalize marriage for same-sex couples. Civil registries across the nation will now begin processing long lists of marriage applications from gay couples. The first such ceremony in Buenos Aires is set for Aug....

Drug use, HIV risk among some gays linked to sex abuse

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:08:00

Gay and bisexual men who were victims of sexual abuse and social shaming as children are more likely to have psychosocial health problems that could put them at greater risk for HIV infection, a new study suggests. A second study found that most older gay and bisexual men report a...

AIDS groups call for 'renaissance' in hunt for vaccine

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:08:00

Scientists searching for the Holy Grail of a vaccine against the incurable AIDS virus say recent encouraging steps should now galvanize efforts to use limited funds in smarter ways to drive the field forward. International AIDS vaccine advocates said recent studies showing first evidence of vaccine-induced protection in humans and...

Cleveland organizers lose rights to 2014 Gay Games

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:23:00

The Cleveland Synergy Foundation lost the license to hold the 2014 Gay Games on July 6. Financial irregularities and reporting issues appear to be among the reasons. Synergy is, or could soon be, in mediation with the Federation of Gay Games over the action, while neither Synergy nor the federation...

Gay tourism confab opens as marriage bill is signed

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:30:00

The gay marriage bill which Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner is due to sign into law today coincidentally takes place as a marketing and travel conference aimed at the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community is opened by Argentina's new tourism minister. While guest panellists at the three-day...

Outed Calif. rep says time for GOP to back gay rights

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:44:00

State Sen. Roy Ashburn, the Bakersfield Republican who came out as gay earlier this year after a drunk driving arrest in Sacramento, has penned a bold column on why his fellow GOPers should wholeheartedly support civil rights for gays and lesbians. In the piece published on the website gaypolitics.com, run...

LGBT buying power in U.S. estimated at $745 billion

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:01:00

The total buying power of the adult LGBT community in the U.S. is projected to be $743 billion. This is up from the 2009 projections of $732 billion. Bob Witeck, CEO of Witeck-Combs Communications, the group who published the estimate, said that the study gives the nation a snapshot of...

Choi, 7 others arrested at Reid protest in Las Vegas

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:15:00

About 20 people demonstrated Tuesday near the intersection of the Strip and Tropicana Avenue, calling on Sen. Harry Reid to support a bill banning workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Metro Police spokesman Bill Cassell said officials arrested eight people during the demonstration at 1:30 p.m., charging...

Watch: Gay zombie movie banned by Aussie censors

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 09:25:00

"L.A. Zombie," a Canadian indie film described by the Melbourne International Film Festival as "gay zombie porn," has been denied an Australian festival berth by local censors. The Australian Film Classification Board concluded that implied sex with corpses by an alien zombie in Los Angeles, breached local taste standards. "L.A....

Miss. school to pay $35k over lesbian's canceled prom

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 09:21:00

The news out of Mississippi is that Constance McMillen will be paid $35,000 plus attorney fees to settle her lawsuit accusing her former school district of discrimination for canceling the senior prom rather than let her attend with her girlfriend. As part of the settlement, the Itawamba County School District...

Gay rights group wins long-awaited U.N. accreditation

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 09:18:00

The United Nations on Monday accredited a major gay and lesbian organization that Egypt, Russia and others had tried to keep out as a group permitted to lobby at the world body. The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, a U.S.-based advocacy group, had applied for "consultative status" at...

More gay couples with families in Aussie burbs, range

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:40:00

More same-sex couples in Australia are raising families in the outer suburbs and regions than in the inner city, a new study reveals. The 'Work, Love, Play' study is an ongoing longitudinal study which examines family structures and support networks for gay and lesbian couples raising children. It began with...

Gaga fans clash with anti-gay protesters in St. Louis

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:37:00

Lady Gaga's little monsters bared their claws on Saturday when anti-gay protesters picketed outside her concert in St. Louis, Missouri. On Saturday, Gaga penned a Facebook note warning her fans that Westboro Baptist Church was planning a protest outside her concert that night. "At the risk of drawing attention to...

British Labor pol claims he's a good gay role model

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 09:32:00

Former Business Secretary, Lord Peter Mandelson, has claimed he is a good role model for gay people during an interview with The Times newspaper, today. The openly-gay politician made the statement during an interview with the national paper, who are publishing a serialisation of his memoirs, The Third Man. ''I...

New index ranks the best American cities for gays

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:28:00

The U.S. metropolitan region with the largest concentration of gay and lesbian people is San Francisco. That's not exactly news, but there are more than a few surprises in the Gay/Lesbian Index's metro-area rankings. Developed by Gary Gates, a demographer at UCLA's Williams Institute, the Gay/Lesbian Index value tells you...

Argentinian priest defies the Vatican on gay marriage

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 06:16:00

A renegade Argentinian priest who publicly supports gay marriage has vowed to defy his archbishop's orders to stop celebrating Mass. Jose Alessio, a Roman Catholic priest, backs a bill being debated in Congress this week that would grant homosexual couples marriage and adoption rights, flouting Church doctrine and subjecting himself...

More than 5 million now on AIDS drugs worldwide

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:35:00

Drugs to repress the virus that causes Aids reached 1.2-million more people last year, bringing the total to 5.2-million, the World Health Organisation said on Monday. "This is the largest increase in people accessing treatment in a single year. It is an extremely encouraging development," said Hiroki Nakatani, the WHO's...

Kylie to play tattooed lesbian in film with Elvis kin

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:29:00

Kylie Minogue will play a heavily tattooed lesbian in "Jack and Diane," which stars Juno Temple and Elvis Presley's granddaughter, Riley Keough, as teen lovers. A source told us, "Kylie does have one love scene where she kisses a girl. Her fans will be surprised to see her in this...

Anti-gay abuses undermine fight against HIV/AIDS

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:24:00

The ongoing persecution and criminalization of high-risk groups such as homosexual men and intravenous drug users, coupled with a glaring lack of gender equality in large parts of the world, are undermining the ability to reign in the global epidemic of HIV-AIDS, an international conference heard Sunday. "Over the past...

HIV tests advised for World Cup fans returning home

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:46:00

Doctors are advising football fans who went to the World Cup in South Africa to check their HIV status if they had unprotected sex on their trip. Up to 25,000 England fans recently returned from South Africa, where about six million people have HIV. More than two-thirds of heterosexual men...

Anna Nicole Smith doc claims anti-gay persecution

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:11:00

One of the doctors on trial for allegedly conspiring to fuel Anna Nicole Smith with drugs claims he's being prosecuted because he's openly gay and a member of an ethnic minority. Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, an openly gay man of East Indian descent, claims in legal docs obtained by TMZ, that...

Mugabe rejects gay rights in Zimbabwe constitution

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:17:00

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe said the country will not listen to those who want gay rights to be mentioned in a draft of the new constitution, state media reported on Sunday. "We say no to gay rights, We will not listen to those advocating for their rights in the new...

Mickey Rourke wants to play gay British rugby player

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 10:28:00

He's better known for his tough guy, heterosexual roles that have included a Russian supervillain, a Mafia hit man, a professional wrestler and a highly-sexed Wall Street financier. But Mickey Rourke is set to embark on what will be his most unusual and challenging role to date - a gay...

Irish gay civil partnership bill signed into law today

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:51:00

The Civil Partnership Bill, which provides legal recognition for same-sex couples in Ireland for the first time, has today been signed into law. The Bill was signed into law by President Mary McAleese at Áras an Uachtaráin this morning. It extends marriage-like benefits to gay and lesbian couples in the...

Cash payment for safe sex said to reduce HIV spread

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:41:00

The World Bank released two studies Sunday linking cash payments to Malawian and Tanzanian youths with "significantly lower" rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. In the first study, a two-year program rewarded young girls in Malawi, rife with poverty and high HIV infection rates, with cash payments for...

Gunmen mow down 17 at gay party in Mexican city

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:34:00

A party in the northern Mexican city of Torreón that was organized by a gay group on Facebook ended in a bloodbath early Sunday morning when gunmen opened fire, killing 17 men and women and injuring 18 others. The Los Angeles Times reports it was one of the highest single-incident...

Atlanta gay nightlife mag stops printing after 10 issues

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:05:00

After just 10 issues in a resurgent market for LGBT print publications, the publisher of SBI Magazine announced Wednesday that he's pulling the plug on the gay glossy. The publication was the latest entrant into a crowded field of print publications that started earlier this year in the wake of...

First Europe Pride in Warsaw draws cheers and jeers

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:37:00

Rainbow flags flying, Village People and Madonna songs pumping from the floats, drag queens waving like royalty to the crowds: some things are the same at gay pride parades everywhere. But the thousands of police officers holding back clusters of jeering, egg-throwing youths here on Saturday served as a reminder...

Singer Vanessa Carlton: 'I'm a proud bisexual woman'

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:33:00

Vanessa Carlton just pulled an Anna Paquin. Between songs during her set at the Nashville Pride Festival on Saturday, the "Thousand Miles" singer made a big announcement to 18,000 of her closest pals. "I've never said this before, but I am a proud bisexual woman," she proclaimed. Nashville Pride is...

Indian man in gay sex sting attempts self-immolation

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:27:00

Rickshaw-puller Irfan, with whom Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Reader Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras was reportedly found involved in sexual relations and was covered in a sting operation by a television channel, sustained burn injuries when he allegedly tried to immolate himself at his residence in Aligarh's Kwarsi area early on Friday....

HIV cocktail meds shown to reduce new infections

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:22:00

In the absence of a vaccine against the AIDS virus, the most effective treatment method is aggressive treatment of HIV infections with cocktails of antiretroviral drugs, an approach known as highly active antiretroviral therapy or HAART. A new study conducted in British Columbia has found that the infection rate in...

First same-sex marriage in Argentina set for Aug. 13

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 17:54:00

Argentina's first gay marriage under a law passed this week was set for August 13 between a 61-year-old man and his 60-year-old partner, officials said Friday. The first union was authorized by municipal officials in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires for actor Ernesto Rodriguez Larrese, 60, and Alejandro Vanelli,...

Mexico City offers free honeyoon to first Argentinians

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 13:10:00

Mexico City has promised a free honeymoon in this megapolis for the first same-sex couple that marries in Argentina. It is definitely an offer intended to advertise gay-friendly tourism, which many cities have sought to promote, but Mexico City´s offer is not as random as it might appear at first:...

Ex-officer testifies in Log Cabin's DADT lawsuit trial

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 10:23:00

A former Air Force officer testified Friday that he did not violate the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy but was discharged for being openly gay after a service member snooped through his e-mails. Former Air Force Maj. Michael Almy took the witness stand to support a federal court lawsuit...

Both parties wary of mixing gay rights, immigration

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 08:35:00

Trying to broaden support for immigration reform, key Democratic lawmakers on Thursday endorsed legislation that would grant gay and lesbian Americans the ability to legally bring their foreign partners to the United States. Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois, Rep. Mike Honda of California and others urged Congress to pass the...

Translating Argentina gay marriage a tweet at a time

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 07:49:00

Andrés Duque–known to his Twitter and blog followers as Blabbeando–knew he was probably tweeting too much about the gay marriage vote in Argentina when Twitter cut him after only about three hours of translating the debate in the Argentina Senate. But his twitter feeds, in Spanish and English, became the...

Charges dropped against Dan Choi for DADT protest

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 07:03:00

Prosecutors have dropped all charges against an openly gay Iraq War veteran who twice chained himself to a White House fence to protest the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Lt. Dan Choi and James Pietrangelo, a gay army captain honorably discharged for disclosing his sexual orientation, were in court...

Global HIV infections plummet among young adults

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 06:24:00

HIV infections among young adults have plummeted in 15 of the world's worst-affected countries, according to a new UN report that credits the improvements to positive changes in sexual behavior. From 2000 to 2005, the proportion of people ages 15 to 24 with the HIV virus in Kenya dropped 60...

Gays celebrate Argentine vote for marriage equality

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 05:41:00

WATCH: It was 4:05 a.m. and frigid outside the Congress building in Buenos Aires as Argentine lawmakers voted Thursday to legalize same-sex marriage, but Marcelo Marquez was still there. He had waited through 14 hours of debate for the moment that would make his country the first in overwhelmingly Catholic...

HIV death rates drop 75% with early drug treatment

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:56:00

Early treatment for HIV cuts patients' risk of death by about 75 percent, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers tested two groups of 408 adults with HIV, the AIDS-causing virus. Among patients given antiviral drugs after their infection-fighting cells fell below a certain level,...

Many S.F. gay couples negotiate 'open relationships'

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:31:00

They call them "San Francisco relationships." A term coined by the local gay community, it's defined as two men in a long-term open relationship, with lovers on the side. A new study released this week by the Center for Research on Gender & Sexuality at San Francisco State University put...

Everyone relates to Moore-Benning lesbian dramedy

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:14:00

WATCH TRAILER: "The Kids Are All Right" arrives as the perfect midsummer movie, a comedy about a flawed-but-functional family that, like "Toy Story 3," captures the drama of growth and separation in all its exhilaration and heartache. Anyone who has burst into tears while choosing a dorm room rug for...

'Vicious' anti-gay bashing is the latest among D.C. Latinos

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:11:00

A 29-year-old gay man said he was knocked to the ground and beaten by two male attackers who called him anti-gay names while punching and kicking him as he was walking home this month from a Georgia Avenue bus stop. Francisco Martin, a makeup artist who describes himself as openly...

Some advocates question Cuomo's gay rights support

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:24:00

As a landmark gay marriage bill hurtled toward an uncertain vote last year, New York's Democratic leaders scrambled to corral support. Gov. David A. Paterson delivered impassioned speeches, Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand headlined a giant rally and City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn shuttled back and forth to Albany to...

Americans help stridently anti-gay Ugandan church

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:07:00

Martin Ssempa, who pastors the evangelical Makerere Community Church in Kampala, has become the face of Uganda's anti-homosexuality movement. He has organized anti-gay rallies. He preaches that many homosexuals are pedophiles who deserve severe punishment, and he wants to ensure that "sodomy and homosexuality never sees the light of legality...

Univ. of Ill. reviews removal of anti-gay religion prof

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 07:01:00

Faculty at the University of Illinois will review the case of a religion professor removed from the classroom after a student labeled his explanation of the Roman Catholic teaching on homosexuality as "hate speech." Chancellor Robert Easter has asked the University of Illinois' Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure...

Gay marriage is narrowly upheld in D.C.

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 05:29:00

The D.C. Court of Appeals narrowly sustained same-sex marriage in the District in a 5 to 4 vote Thursday. The nine judges were asked to determine whether the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics acted lawfully when it rejected an initiative by opponents of gay marriage to have the matter...

Key Dem lawmakers pushing gay immigration rights

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:23:00

Key House lawmakers convened a press conference Thursday on Capitol Hill in conjunction with an array of 37 advocacy groups to voice their support for including LGBT families in the comprehensive immigration reform effort. "No immigration reform measure will truly be deserving of the term 'comprehensive' unless it provides equality...

Argentina adopts same-sex marriage

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 03:36:00

Argentina became the first Latin American country to legalise same-sex marriage following a historic vote in the Senate that laid bare the country's deep political and social divisions. The bill backed by President Cristina Fernandez's government was approved by a vote of 33-27 with three abstentions after a sometimes heated...

Fergie says Obama should do more on gay marriage

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:31:00

WATCH: Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie said that President Barack Obama has helped to restore America's global image, but he really needs to change his tune on marriage equality. New Music Express caught up with Fergie at the Scottish music festival T in the Park where she offered her assessment...

Trial opens in Log Cabin 6-year battle against DADT

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:27:00

As the Pentagon continues studying the impact of repealing its "don't ask, don't tell" policy, a federal court case starting Tuesday in California will consider whether the policy banning gays and lesbians from openly serving in uniform is constitutional. A six-year legal fight by the Log Cabin Republicans culminates today...

Mormon Church restates gay marriage opposition

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:21:00

Mormon church leaders have restated the faith's unequivocal position against gay marriage in a letter to members in Argentina, where the government is debating whether to legalize gay unions. "The doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is absolutely clear: Marriage is between one man and woman...

Possible sale of gay teen database raises concerns

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:15:00

A row has erupted in the United States centring on the ownership of a gay teenagers' database. The owner of XY Magazine and its associated website - which catered for young homosexual boys - filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. XY's creditors have applied for the firm's one remaining valuable...

Obama AIDS strategy returns major focus on gays

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:10:00

The White House will unveil the first formal national HIV/AIDS strategy on Tuesday, a plan that aims to reduce the number of new cases by 25 percent in the next five years, officials said. Noting that the number of new infections in the United States has been static -- and...

NYC pays over gay cop who rubbed crotch at work

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:05:00

A lawsuit accusing a gay NYPD lieutenant of fondling himself in front of two male sergeants is costing the city a lot of scratch. The city has agreed to pay $300,000 to settle a sexual harassment claim against Lt. Kieran Crowe, who blamed his behavior on jock itch, the Daily...

Huckabee slams moderate 'gay consensus' in U.S.

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:31:00

Moderate Republican pundit David Frum is facing the wrath of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee for arguing the 2008 GOP presidential candidate is out of step with a growing consensus in favor of gay rights. "Is he socially out of touch with modern America? On gay rights the country is...

Argentine president expresses gay marriage 'concern'

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:22:00

President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner seemed not to have forgotten about the same-sex marriage issue, an ongoing topic that has been putting the opposition and the pro-government forces in a constant clash during past weeks. She expressed her "concern over the debate's tone," for she stated that "posting that it...

Jane Lynch of 'Glee' fame worried about coming out

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:18:00

Jane Lynch has revealed she used to worry about what she would do if she got famous and people discovered she was gay. The Glee actress, who recently tied the knot with long-time partner Lara Embry, spoke about being an openly gay celeb at this year's Outfest in Los Angeles....

Argentine bishop: gay couples '30 times more violent'

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:50:00

A leading Roman Catholic bishop in Argentina has claimed that same-sex couples are "thirty times more violent than heterosexual couples" . The unsubstantiated charge by Antonio Marino, Auxiliary Bishop of La Plata, was offered as one more from the long list of nonsense he argued that Argentina's legislature should not...

Pentagon hits back at gay criticism of DADT survey

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:45:00

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell is hitting back against criticisms of the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell survey, which was distributed to 400,000 members of the Armed Forces this week. Critics have blasted the survey for everything from its focus on the troops' supposed feelings about showering with gay and lesbian...

GOP guv in R.I. vetoes transgender hate crime bill

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:36:00

Leaders of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender organizations and their supporters criticized Governor Carcieri on Friday for vetoing a bill last month that would have added "gender identity and gender-related expression" to Rhode Island's Hate Crimes Monitoring Act. The bill would support additional police training and data collection about such...

Trans woman arrested in bizarre Idaho bomb plot

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:32:00

A woman at odds with law enforcement officials over her gender identity has been jailed, accused of rigging pipe bombs to a propane tank and running naked along a southwestern Idaho highway. Catherine Carlson was arrested Sunday after firefighters found four pipe bombs on the porch of her trailer home...

Emmy makes 'Glee,' 'Modern Family' parent-approved

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:26:00

Rachel is raised by two dads. Mitchell and Cameron have adopted a baby girl. Kurt musters up the courage to come out to his father, and gets his blessing. Just as the notion of what makes a family in America is changing fast, so are old pictures on U.S. television...

Gay groups unhappy with 'derogatory' DADT survey

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:00:00

"If Don't Ask, Don't Tell is repealed and you are assigned to bathroom facilities with an open bay shower that someone you believe to be a gay or lesbian Service member also used, which are you most likely to do? Mark 1." So asks the Pentagon survey of 400,000 non-deployed...

U.S. judge rules DOMA unconstitutional

Thu, 8 Jul 2010 17:04:00

In an enormous victory for same-sex marriage, a federal judge in Boston today (Thursday, July 8) ruled, in two separate cases, that a critical part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. In one challenge brought by the state of Massachusetts, Judge Joseph Tauro ruled that Congress violated...

Latest trend among teen girls: gay best friend (GBF)

Thu, 8 Jul 2010 08:18:00

He's fun, trust-worthy, and supportive, plus you don't have to compete with him. He's your gay best friend--and he's in demand. This spring, sixteen-year-old Mimi* noticed a new trend at her Pacific Palisades, California, high school. The must-have items for her fashionista classmates included a Proenza Schouler tie-dyed top, a...

Pentagon sends out 400,000 surveys on DADT policy

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 22:04:00

WATCH: The Pentagon on Wednesday began sending out to troops a survey of more than 100 questions seeking their views on the impact of repealing the "don't ask, don't tell" restrictions prohibiting gays and lesbians from openly serving in the U.S. military. An administration official confirmed to CNN that the...

Lisa Cholodenko on Benning-Moore lesbian drama

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 20:15:00

WATCH: Writer-director Lisa Cholodenko earned attention with critically acclaimed features like High Art (1998) and Laurel Canyon (2002). Her latest movie, The Kids Are All Right, is a "personal film" about a lesbian couple raising teenagers. I spoke to Cholodenko about queer politics, explicit content, and keeping things lighthearted.
Q:...

Gay asylum seekers win appeal to U.K. supreme court

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 19:30:00

Two gay men who said they faced persecution in their home countries have the right to asylum in the UK, the Supreme Court has ruled. The panel of judges said it had agreed "unanimously" to allow the appeals from the men, from Cameroon and Iran. They had earlier been refused...

Beheading of Ugandan gay activist apparently a hoax

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 19:24:00

The GLBT site that broke the story in America of a murdered, beheaded Ugandan GLBT equality activist now says that while a murder and beheading did take place, the identity of the victim was deceptively said to be the missing activist--possibly in order to perpetrate fraud, or maybe to discredit...

Gay cleric blocked from Church of England bishopric

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 19:12:00

Members of the Church of England's Crown Nominations Commission, which includes Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, rejected calls for Dr Jeffrey John to be made the next Bishop of Southwark. The Dean of St Albans, who is in a civil partnership with another priest, was on the shortlist...

Argentine Senate panel votes down gay marriage bill

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 19:06:00

A Senate committee yesterday rejected a same-sex marriage bill backed by the administration of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner — already passed by the Lower House — and favoured instead a civil union bill sponsored by the opposition. Both bills will be debated by the Senate next Wednesday. The rejection...

Priest charged with using church funds for male escort

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 08:03:00

A Roman Catholic priest in Waterbury, Connecticut has been accused of stealing more than $1 million from his parish and spending the money on lavish meals, clothing--and encounters with male prostitutes. Kevin Gray, 64, a longtime priest at Waterbury's Sacred Heart church, fleeced his parishioners to the tune of $1.3...

Hawaii's GOP governor vetoes gay civil unions bill

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 05:00:00

Hawaii's governor vetoed legislation Tuesday that would have permitted same-sex civil unions, ending weeks of speculation about what she would do with the contentious, emotionally charged issue. Republican Gov. Linda Lingle acted on the last day she had to sign the bill, veto the bill or allow it to become...

More than 1 million join Toronto Gay Pride celebration

Tue, 6 Jul 2010 16:26:00

Toronto's Pride parade danced, sang and jumped through the city's downtown on Sunday. Controversies dogged the organizers this year, but in the end it was a loud, joyous, celebration of all things gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered. Organizers estimated 1.3 million people turned out to watch the annual parade, which...

Rate of STDs skyrockets for men on Viagra-type meds

Tue, 6 Jul 2010 15:22:00

Something is on the rise for men who take erectile dysfunction drugs and it's not what you think. A new study of men over 40 found that the rate of sexually transmitted disease was nearly three times as high for those taking medications to enhance their love lives. Risky behavior,...

Stem-cell research leads to a novel AIDS treatment

Tue, 6 Jul 2010 13:16:00

Lab work on mice has opened up a novel way of closing a gateway to the AIDS virus, according to a study published on Friday. The doorway in question is called CCR5, a protein that helps the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) penetrate a cell, its first step before hijacking the...

London mayor backs gay marriage, seeks new term

Tue, 6 Jul 2010 12:11:00

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has said that he supports gay marriage and wants to be mayor again for Worldpride, which London will be hosting in 2012. Kicking off the parade with members of the Gay Liberation Front, Mr Johnson said: "If the Conservatives and Liberals can get together in...

Tenn. lesbian couple wins landmark custody victory

Tue, 6 Jul 2010 12:06:00

After a more than three-year court battle, Angel Chandler can finally have her children legally stay in her home. And for Chandler and her partner Mary Counce, the couple hopes the recent landmark legal victory makes it easier for other gay and lesbian couples facing similar situations. "It definitely makes...

Colleges rated by gays from club scene to research

Tue, 6 Jul 2010 12:03:00

Club scene. Reputation for research. Proximity to parents' washing machine. All issues prospective students will be weighing up over the next few weeks as they make final decisions about which university to choose. But some will be asking another question, too – which institution will allow them to feel comfortable...

Severed head of missing Ugandan gay activist found

Tue, 6 Jul 2010 11:56:00

Editor's note: This report has subsequently been questioned as a hoax. Details here. A severed head has has been identified as belonging to farm worker, Pasikali Kashusbe, whose body was discovered nearby earlier in the week. Kashusbe was active with Integrity Uganda, an LGBTI support...

George Michael arrested after London Pride car crash

Tue, 6 Jul 2010 11:44:00

For the seventh time, 47-year-old former pop star George Michael was arrested for a driving-related wrong, BBC News reports. After police got reports that his Range Rover had crashed into a Snappy Snaps shop in London following his attendance at London's gay pride parade, he was taken into custody at...

Economy wreaks havoc on feds' AIDS drug program

Sat, 3 Jul 2010 20:26:00

The weak economy is crippling the government program that provides life-sustaining antiretroviral drugs to people with H.I.V. or AIDS who cannot afford them. Nearly 1,800 have been relegated to rapidly expanding waiting lists that less than three years ago had dwindled to zero. As with other safety-net programs, ballooning demand...

Log Cabin Republicans rejecting Texas GOP platform

Sat, 3 Jul 2010 20:20:00

The Dallas chapter of Log Cabin Republicans issued a statement on the recently adopted and virulently antigay platform of the Texas GOP. The platform calls for gay sex to be criminalized and the performing of gay marriages to be made a felony, and refers to homosexuality as a practice that...

Five years in jail for ex who stalked lesbian D.C. judge

Fri, 2 Jul 2010 13:18:00

The ex-girlfriend of a D.C. Superior Court Magistrate judge was sentenced to more than five years in prison on Thursday for stalking the judge and breaking into her Northwest Washington home. In an emotional and often complex hearing, Judge Russell F. Canan sentenced Taylar Nuevelle, 41, to the maximum sentence...

British Medical Ass'n declares gay 'cures' harmful

Fri, 2 Jul 2010 12:48:00

The annual meeting of the British Medical Association has declared that therapies to 'cure' gay people of homosexuality are harmful. The body met in Brighton yesterday and more than two-thirds of doctors present backed a call for the Royal College of Psychiatrists and other mental health standard-setting bodies to reject...

Republican S.C. senator tell N.Y. Times, 'I ain't gay'

Fri, 2 Jul 2010 11:45:00

Senator Lindsey Graham apparently told a reporter with "The New York Times" quote: "I ain't gay." The newspaper was following up rumors about Graham's sexuality. It comes after a speaker at a state tea party rally suggested Democrats had threatened to "out" Graham. When graham was asked about his sexuality...

Two brothers arrested in June Vancouver gay bashing

Fri, 2 Jul 2010 11:10:00

Two brothers have been arrested in connection with an attack on a gay couple in downtown Vancouver on June 12. Vancouver police Const. Jana McGuinness announced the arrests at a press conference this afternoon, as well as details of an overnight assault also being investigated as a hate crime. Parminder...

Obama AIDS panel bucks White House on HIV funds

Fri, 2 Jul 2010 10:04:00

President Obama's newly appointed Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS adopted a resolution Tuesday urging the White House and Congress to do something they have been reluctant to do: approve $126 million in emergency funds for the struggling AIDS Drug Assistance Program. The federal program, which is operated jointly with states,...

Irish OK gay civil partnerships with all parties favoring

Fri, 2 Jul 2010 09:04:00

The Bill recognising the civil partnership of same-sex couples passed all stages in the Dáil tonight without a vote. Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said the Civil Partnership Bill would put in place a legal regime that reflected the many forms of relationships in modern Irish society. "Our society has...

Taunts aimed at out gay rugby player result in fines

Fri, 2 Jul 2010 08:19:00

Homophobic abuse aimed at Bridgend sporting legend Gareth "Alfie" Thomas while playing Super League for the Crusaders has resulted in a US$60,000 fine for his opponents. Thomas, who won 100 caps for Wales and toured with the Lions in 2005, came out as gay in December and was subjected to...

Gay groups back straight mayor over lesbian hopeful

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 11:59:00

The Michigan Democratic Party's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Allies Caucus has endorsed a straight man over a lesbian opponent in the race for mayor. John Hieftje is the incumbent. Annarbor.com reports that he has a record of supporting LGBT rights, and campaigned against a statewide ban on gay marriage....

Google to add pay to cover a tax for gay D.P. benefits

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 11:39:00

Working for a company as rich as Google comes with an incredible number of fringe benefits: the free food, the free laundry, the doctor on duty at company headquarters and the impressive five months of maternity leave with full pay and benefits, to mention a few. So it is not...

Gay rumors follow 'Bachelor' Jake Pavelka's breakup

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 10:26:00

Is Jake Pavelka gay? There are now two separate reports of this surfacing. Despite his nice public persona, The Bachelor star weaves a web of lies, according to Vienna Girardi ... and Tanya Douglas, who dated Jake from 2008-09. "Jake did the same thing to me!" says Tanya, claiming Jake...

Lesbian councilwoman enters race for Oakland mayor

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 09:11:00

Oakland City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan, an out lesbian who captured the at-large council seat with a resounding win two years ago, announced this week that she is running for mayor of the East Bay city in November. Kaplan outlined her plans for the city in a series of interviews with...

Gay print media on the wane as online sources grow

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 07:59:00

If the old-line gay print media are, as many say, dying, November 16, 2009, marked the day the death rattle began. The Washington Blade, the nation's oldest and most important community weekly, had just celebrated its 40th anniversary in a hotel ballroom filled with political stars. When staffers arrived to...

Tobacco use runs very high among LGBT Americans

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 06:21:00

Gay, bisexual and transgender men are 2 to 2.5 times more likely to smoke than heterosexual men, according to a new American Lung Association report that examines tobacco use in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. The document also says that lesbian, bisexual and transgender women are 1.5...

Obama high court pick denounces Don't Ask Don't Tell

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 06:07:00

The issue of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and a controversy over allowing the U.S. military to recruit on college campuses emerged as central concerns during U.S. Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan's confirmation hearings this week. The issues emerged Tuesday during the second day of hearings for Kagan — who's currently...

Argentina's Senate rejects gay marriage referendum

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 05:17:00

Members of the Argentine Senate have rejected a call by the Roman Catholic Church to put a gay marriage bill up for a vote, La Nacion reported. Church officials had asked senators to move the debate on gay marriage from the Senate to the public square. The bill was approved...

Justices rule against Christian group that bars gays

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:06:00

A university can legally deny recognition to a Christian student group that bars gays and nonbelievers, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday in a case that pitted anti-discrimination principles against religious freedom. Such official recognition qualifies campus groups for funding and other benefits. By a 5-4 vote, the justices...

Gay ex-NFL player talks about domestic violence bust

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:02:00

Openly gay former NFL player Esera Tuaolo was arrested last weekend after he turned himself in to police in Minnesota. He was charged with domestic assault and disorderly conduct. Outsports spoke with Tuaolo at length today about the incident, and he offered this statement: "This is a private situation that...

Gay former NFL player busted for domestic violence

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:14:00

Former Minnesota Vikings player Esera Tuaolo, who came out as a gay man in 2002, was arrested in Minnesota last week for domestic assault and charged with three misdemeanors. Details of the altercation are few but the Pioneer Press sheds some light on the basics: "According to the incident report,...

Prop 8 attorney vows to convince all nine justices

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 09:46:00

David Boies is one of the lead attorneys in the suit against Proposition 8, the California initiative barring same-sex marriage. He is part of a legal-political odd couple, joined by Theodore Olson, his opponent in the 2000 Bush v. Gore case (and later George W. Bush's solicitor general). Salon spoke...

Gay tango class offers comfort to Md. participants

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 09:25:00

Tango instructor Max Gonzalez watched as Peter Russell and his boyfriend crisscrossed their feet while gliding in a circular pattern. The gentle sound of their feet scuffing the wooden dance floor offset the funky new-age tango music playing from the speaker. Two years ago, the couple didn't know how to...

NY parish holds blank Pride banner after bishop's ban

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:14:00

WATCH: This year, as for the past 12 years or more, parishioners from St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church have marched under their church banner in New York's colorful Gay Pride parade. But this year, there was a difference. Their banner was blank, missing the name of the church. New...

Ga. becomes 11th state with AIDS drug waiting list

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 07:10:00

Georgia Equality Executive Director Jeff Graham said Saturday that Georgia will become the 11th state in the nation to have a waiting list for its AIDS Drug Assistance Program beginning July 1. Graham announced the news Saturday at the Atlanta Pride Committee's "Be Visible, Make A Statement Rally & Community...

Numbers dwindle for Gay Pride march in south India

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 06:52:00

The second edition of the 'Chennai Rainbow Pride March' — an event to celebrate alternative sexuality and gender identities — on Sunday saw fewer participants when compared to last year but activists in the southern India city formerly known as Madras said it was the people themselves who mattered. "We...

Rare kidney transplant success between HIV patients

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 06:32:00

The first four of the transplants, which occurred in 2008, were described in a recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Five more have been done since then at the same Cape Town hospital, Groote Schuur. It's the only medical center in the world to have done them,...

Thousands join parade, parties for NYC Gay Pride

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 05:41:00

Thousands of marchers and a rainbow of floats filled the streets of Manhattan Sunday as people celebrated gay pride. Participants in the annual parade, including Mayor Bloomberg and Gov. David Paterson, made their way down Fifth Avenue toward Greenwich Village. Throngs of people turned out despite the heat and humidity....

Marchers across U.S. celebrate Gay Pride weekend

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 22:10:00

WATCH: Gay pride was on display in towns and cities across the United States Sunday as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people -- and their supporters -- marched in parades large and small to demand equality, oppose discrimination and express pride in who they are. In New York, the parade...

Obama's high court pick favors porn prosecutions

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 22:04:00

A 1993 conference at the University of Chicago Law School on the subject of pornography and hate crimes wasn't your typical legal seminar. The gathering of nearly 700 lawyers, scholars and activists sometimes seemed more like a revival meeting for anti-pornography forces than an academic symposium, journalists observed. Protesters beset...

Gay Pride: a photographic look at defining moments

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 21:36:00

ABC News offers a look back at a few defining moments in recent gay history: A crowd resists a police raid at the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street in New York City's Greenwich Village neighborhood on June 27, 1969. Though the raids were not uncommon, something that night caused patrons...

Prime minister weds as Iceland legalizes gay marriage

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 21:31:00

Miss Sigurdardottir, 68, formally married Jonina Leosdottir, a writer, after the couple submitted a demand for their civil union to be transformed into a marriage, the RUV broadcaster said. Iceland's parliament on June 12 unanimously adopted legislation allowing gay marriage, in a law that came into force on Sunday. Homosexual...

3 shot, 1 dead at San Francisco Pride street party

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 21:25:00

Thousands of revelers gathered in downtown San Francisco for the 40th annual gay pride parade on Sunday, one day after a related celebration turned deadly with a shooting at a street party. Stephen Powell, 19, was among three people shot late Saturday night during the city's "Pink Saturday" event that...

Thousands march in Mexico City Gay Pride parade

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 00:00:00

Thousands of people took part in a gay pride parade, celebrating Mexico City's historic decision six months ago to become the first city in Latin America to allow same-sex marriage. For three hours on Saturday, throngs of jubilant demonstrators aboard colorful floats and convertibles, but mostly on foot, streamed down...

San Francisco Gay Pride parade celebrates 40 years

Sat, 26 Jun 2010 23:52:00

Organizers kicked off San Francisco's 40th annual gay pride weekend with a celebration Saturday in front of City Hall. Thousands of people crowded into Civic Center Plaza, where vendors sold barbecue and burritos, and DJs spun tunes on a large stage. Advocates for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community...

Bulgarians join Sofia Gay Pride parade for tolerance

Sat, 26 Jun 2010 23:03:00

Some 200 gays and lesbians, dozens of human rights activists and many heterosexual Bulgarians marched in Sofia Saturday to promote tolerance at a Gay Pride that has been slammed by the Orthodox Church. "Love equality, embrace diversity" was the slogan of this year's parade that passed along Sofia's streets escorted...

Stanley Cup will take a ride in Chicago Pride parade

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 06:58:00

The Stanley Cup, which has been on more adventures than perhaps any other piece of championship hardware, will make its first appearance in a gay-themed event this weekend. The Chicago Gay Hockey Association invited the Blackhawks to join Sunday's Gay Pride Parade after the team won its first Stanley Cup...

European high court rules against gay marriage suit

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 06:01:00

In a key judgment issued today, the European Court of Human Rights ruled on a complaint of a homosexual couple in Austria who were denied the right to marry. Although very recently (January 2010) Austria created the possibility to enter into a Registered Partnership for same-sex couples, marriage still is...

Justices approve releasing anti-gay petition names

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 02:23:00

A state law that would make public the names of people signing a petition for a voter referendum against greater rights for same-sex partners has been upheld by the Supreme Court. At issue in this free speech and privacy dispute was whether officials in Washington state properly decided there was...

AFA claims 10-year-old Pride marshal is child abuse

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:55:00

Will Phillips, 10, has been chosen as grand marshal of the Northwest Arkansas Gay Pride Parade in his hometown of Fayetteville. Phillips is the young man who made news last fall when he refused to stand in class to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, because the pledge promises "liberty and...

'Jersey Shore' guys are totally down with the gays

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 10:47:00

The Jersey Shore boys love all their fans—including the gay ones. So it was a little surprising to read this morning that our pals Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro and Vinny Guadagino were upset to find shirtless photos of themselves on the cover of the "Queer Issue" of New...

Obama uses powers to expand gay rights, benefits

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 10:42:00

In the past year and a half, President Obama has quietly used his powers to expand federal rights and benefits for gays and lesbians, targeting one government restriction after another in an attempt to change public policy while avoiding a confrontation with Republicans and opponents of gay rights. The result...

Anti-gay pastor likely to keep job despite gay report

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:39:00

A Lutheran pastor ardently critical of allowing gays into the clergy is on leave from his Minneapolis church after a gay magazine reported his attendance at a support group for men struggling with same-sex attraction. Church officials, however, said Wednesday that the Rev. Tom Brock likely will return to the...

President hosts second LGBT Pride Month reception

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 07:35:00

U.S. President Barack Obama hosted a reception at the White House Tuesday to honor Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month. Obama, who has been criticized by many gays and lesbians because the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on open service by homosexuals remains in place, said the...

Clinton pledges to push gay rights in U.S. and abroad

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:51:00

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged to end violence and discrimination against gays and lesbians at home and abroad Tuesday, as the Obama administration moves to extend further benefits to gays working in the federal government. "We are moving together in the right direction," said Clinton. "We reaffirm our commitment...

New Aussie PM said to oppose same-sex marriage

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:00:00

Australia has its first female prime minister, Julia Gillard, but it doesn't look like she will be pushing for any changes as far as marriage equality Down Under goes. Gillard became prime minister Wednesday (Thursday in Australia) after Kevin Rudd stepped down in response to falling support in the Labor...

N.Y. Senate passes gay, trans-inclusive bullying bill

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:45:00

The Dignity for All Students Act, which would protect LGBT students from bullying and harassment in schools, has passed the New York state senate after years of effort. Gov. David Paterson is expected to sign the bill into law, which would mark the first time gender identity and expression are...

CNN documentary takes big-hearted look at gay dads

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:24:00

They're parents "like anybody else," says a sympathetic soul, but not really. Not quite. If they were like anybody else, these parents wouldn't both be wearing "Proud Dad" caps at the baby shower. As the title more than implies, "Gary and Tony Have a Baby," a poignant and captivating CNN...

President may veto bill with military gay ban repeal

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:19:00

Defense Secretary Robert Gates says President Barack Obama could end up vetoing legislation that would lift the ban on gays serving openly in the military. Obama supports repealing the law, and the White House has pushed for quicker congressional action than the Pentagon has favored. Gates also supports repeal. But...

Rally protests Ga. gay bashing, need for hate law

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:50:00

Antonio Rodriguez stood behind a lectern Sunday afternoon and asked a crowd of about 150 people who else had been attacked because they are gay. After some chiding by Rodriguez, five slowly emerged from the crowd and stood proudly around him. "These people are the reason this state needs to...

Christian group condemns Obama tribute to gay dads

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:06:00

A Christian group is denouncing President Barack Obama's salute to families headed by "two fathers" in his June 18 Father's Day proclamation. The proclamation says, "Nurturing families come in many forms, and children may be raised by a father and mother, a single father, two fathers, a step father, a...

Gay former Scout 'broke down and cried' when fired

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:34:00

A gay man expelled from the Boy Scouts in 2003 said Monday he misses being a scout but has no regrets. "There is no bitterness in my heart against these people," Greg Lattera said in an interview following his court appearance. "They are still an organization that gave me the...

Bisexual man beaten to death, another jailed in Iran

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 07:57:00

One bisexual man was tortured to death in prison and another was lashed 74 times and faces the death penalty in the Court of Sari in Iran, according to reports from the Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees. The report came from the brutal region of Sari (the capital of the...

Obama extends some medical leave to gay workers

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 06:50:00

President Obama will soon expand the rights of gay workers by allowing them to take family and medical leave to care for sick or newborn children of same-sex partners, administration officials said Monday. The policy will be set forth in a ruling to be issued Wednesday by the Labor Department's...

Why so much homosex in Argentina's World Cup bid?

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 15:30:00

WATCH: What's up with the Argentina soccer world cup team and their latest obsession with homosex? The latest: Back in May, before the tournament began, team coach and famed former player Diego Maradona (right) made an unusual promise: If Argentina returns from South Africa as the world champions, he will...

Eminem defends gay marriage in a change of heart

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 14:25:00

Eminem has spoken out in favour of gay marriage, declaring that "everyone should have the chance to be equally miserable". The rapper has a long history of provoking gay rights groups with homophobic lyrics, which he later claimed were satirical. In the face of protests, he recently promised to leave...

Another gay role for Robert Pattison raises eyebrows

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 13:19:00

Robert Pattinson is responsible for pouring life and blood into the character of Edward in Twilight and he has been acting so naturally in this role that people often forget that he is a human in real life. While Robert earned all his fame due to his vampire role, he...

Warren Beatty's daughter planning FTM sex change

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 12:04:00

The eldest daughter of Warren Beatty and Annette Bening is living as a young man after changing her name. Kathlyn Beatty, 18, is now known as Stephen Ira and is said to be planning a sex-change operation. According to reports in the U.S., Hollywood veteran Beatty, 73, is 'crushed' by...

'Real L Word': gay, female and overworked as ever

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 11:14:00

The old joke surfaces early on "The Real L Word." "What does a lesbian bring on a second date?" The punch line: "A U-Haul." "The L Word," which has inspired this new series, spent its five-year tenure on Showtime tirelessly working to upend the perceptions that underlie such bons mots:...

Texas GOP calls for making gay ceremonies a felony

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 10:40:00

The 2010 GOP platform in Texas supports laws that criminalize sodomy and suggests that straight people who support same-sex marriage should be penalized with jail time.The GOP platform was quoted as openly stating: "We oppose the legalization of sodomy. We demand that Congress exercise its authority granted by the U.S....

For a suspected gay man, GOP rep's outfit shocks

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:40:00

Illinois's 29-year-old GOP congressman, Aaron Schock, has already been the target of rumors, but a recent photo of him is adding to his notoriety. Gawker published a photo of Schock on Friday attending a White House picnic last week. Already known for his physique — Huffington Post readers named him...

Calif. judge hears closing arguments in Prop 8 case

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:47:00

A landmark federal trial that could lead to a constitutional right for same-sex couples to marry ended Wednesday with competing views about the traditional role of marriage and whether the battle represented the latest frontier of the nation's civil rights struggle. Two stalwarts of Washington's conservative legal community argued before...

Savannah police: 'may have been more' to bashing

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 07:47:00

The LGBT liaison for the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department is asking the public to be patient as the department investigates the alleged beating of a gay man by two Marines over the weekend. "The FBI is assisting our department to determine if it fits into the federal hate crimes law...

Charges dropped in Elton John death threat matter

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 22:45:00

Charges against a Georgia man charged with threatening singer Elton John were dismissed on the day a trial was scheduled to begin. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kimberly Esmond Adams dismissed the charges against Neal Horsley on Monday. The 65-year-old Horsley was charged with making terroristic threats, criminal defamation and...

Palm Springs cops use anti-gay slur in public sex sting

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:35:00

A Palm Springs police officer used a gay slur against one of the targets in a summer 2009 Warm Sands public sex sting, a witness who watched a surveillance video of the operation testified in court Monday. The slur, made by an undercover officer monitoring the sting from a nearby...

Warrant out for murder for gay for pay porn actor

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:30:00

Detectives in Pasco, Fla., are searching for a gay-for-pay porn actor who is accused of killing a tattoo shop owner in May. A warrant was issued for 26-year-old Jason Richard Andrews, who also goes by Addison on gay porn sites. He is wanted for the first-degree murder of Dennis "Scooter"...

Hate crimes targeting gay men on the rise in Canada

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:23:00

Police services are reporting a big jump in hate crimes, and they say gay men are being targeted more often and in the most violent incidents. But Statistics Canada says the numbers could be more a result of better reporting than of increased violence. The agency said police logged 1,036...

Barcelona clinic probed for offering 'cure' for gays

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:17:00

The government in Spain's Catalonia region said Tuesday it was investigating a clinic in Barcelona that is allegedly offering treatments to "cure" homosexuality. The Policlinica Tibidabo in the Catalan capital is offering pills and psychiatric treatment to "convert" homosexuals, Spain's leading daily El Pais reported. Many of those coming for...

Cambridge, Mass. mayor comes out for Pride week

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:08:00

Cambridge Mayor David Maher spoke publicly for the first time about being gay during the city's annual pride brunch this past weekend. In a speech he prepared for the event, honoring all the accomplishments and milestones made toward equality within the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community, Maher acknowledged that...

Minn. gay Republican takes porn twink out for dinner

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 07:39:00

(*Original source link NSFW*): State Senator Paul Koering is best known for being Minnesota's first gay Republican to hold elected office. Despite being gay, his platform (anti-abortion, pro-guns) is unremarkable for a conservative. So what was the 45-year-old senator thinking when he took 20-year-old gay porn star Brandon Wilde on...

Pelosi: No ENDA vote until after DADT is repealed

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 07:35:00

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Friday said that a vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act wouldn't take place until Congress completes legislative action on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." During her weekly press conference, Pelosi said in response to a Blade inquiry on ENDA's prospects that lawmakers "still have...

German court: Canadian gay marriage is 'partnership'

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 06:21:00

Germany introduced "registered partnerships" for same-sex couples in 2001 but stopped short of granting them the full rights and privileges afforded to married couples. Andreas Boettcher, a 37-year-old German event manager, married his Spanish partner, a dancer and choreographer, in Montreal in July 2006 but when he returned to Germany,...

Iceland adopts gay marriage law in unanimous vote

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:23:00

Iceland, the only country in the world to have an openly gay head of state, passed a law on Friday allowing same-sex partners to get married in a vote which met with no political resistance. The Althingi parliament voted 49 to zero to change the wording of marriage legislation to...

Puerto Rico panel to probe 'epidemic' of gay, trans bashings

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:13:00

A special committee to investigate hate crimes has been created in Puerto Rico, where advocates say gay and transgender people are the victims of an "epidemic" of violence. The announcement by the attorney general was cheered Saturday by activists who complain the government has yet to invoke 2002 legislation establishing...

Bingham Cup gay rugby contest this weekend in Minn.

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:08:00

The two-time defending champion Sydney Convicts will try to show again they are the best gay rugby squad when Minneapolis hosts this year's Bingham Cup international rugby tournament Friday through Sunday. The event is named after Mark Bingham, a rugby player who died on one of the planes hijacked on...

Reid's challenger belonged to virulently anit-gay party

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:01:00

The key to understanding Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle may be the fact that she has not always been a Republican. For at least six years in the 1990s before she held state-level elective office, Angle was a member of the little-known Independent American Party, a right-wing party that...

Anti-tax leader Grover Norquist joins gay GOProud

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:57:00

Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform, has joined the advisory council of GOProud, the gay Republican group that recently -- and unfortunately -- drew attention when it was alternately derided and defended from the stage of CPAC. (The most notable critic, California activist Ryan Sorba, has unsuccessfully...

Outed California Republican defends anti-gay votes

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:52:00

Roy Ashburn was smitten by politics as a kid on the Central Coast. At 12, he was pedaling his bike to Ronald Reagan's gubernatorial campaign headquarters in San Luis Obispo, hanging out and helping out. He would grow up to be a Kern County supervisor for a dozen years, then...

Apple reverses censor of Oscar Wilde graphic novel

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 22:43:00

In the last few days, a pair of stories have emerged illustrating the issues with Apple's App Store and its potential to censor content. The latest was Apple's blocking of an iPad graphic novel adaptation of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. According to a report in The Big...

Thugs beat, punch Vancouver gay couple in bashing

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:37:00

Two middle-aged Vancouver men who live near GM Place were victims of an apparent gay-bashing Saturday. Two thugs viciously assaulted David Holtzman and his partner, Peter Regier, as they tried to enter their townhouse on Keefer Street at around 10:45 p.m. "We were out at a concert and came home...

It's OK to be gay (and get married) in FrontierVille

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:30:00

A huge draw of FrontierVille is the Sims-like potential to get married and start a family -- but we were instantly curious how far the game takes life simulation. Today we found out FrontierVille allows gay marriage. Getting a spouse in the game is no easy thing. There are four...

Goalkeeper for England is surprised to be gay icon

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:24:00

English goalkeeper Joe Hart has been forced to dive for cover before he's even taken to the field in South Africa, thanks to his ever- increasing army of gay followers. The Manchester City star, 23, became a YouTube sensation two years ago when footage of him dancing in skimpy briefs...

Advisory panel advises to keep gay blood donor ban

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:19:00

A federal committee recommends maintaining the policy preventing gay men from donating blood in the United States, provoking disappointment and anger from gay activist groups. The Federal Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability voted 9 to 6 against lifting the ban Friday. This committee makes recommendations to the U.S....

Gays are much more likely to oppose Ariz. immigration law

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:16:00

Gay people are much more likely to oppose Arizona's controversial immigration law than their straight counterparts, according to a Harris Interactive poll. The statute, enacted in April, requires police to check an individual's immigration status anytime an officer suspects the individual may be in the US illegally. Sixty-three percent of...

Jane Lynch a.k.a. 'Sue Sylvester' marries in Mass.

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:10:00

Actress Jane Lynch and Lara Embry were married last week at the Blue Heron Restaurant in Sunderland, Mass. Ms. Lynch, 49, portrays Sue Sylvester in "Glee," the Fox television series. Her film roles have included parts in "Julie & Julia" (2009), "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" (2005), "A Mighty Wind" (2003) and...

At D.C.'s Capital Pride, a mix of politics and partying

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:40:00

Many of the people wandering Pennsylvania Avenue at the Capital Pride festival Sunday had their minds on the buildings at either end of the famous stretch -- the Capitol and the White House, where momentous decisions about gay rights are expected this year. Visitors who came to listen to music,...

Does outing GOP politicians help or hurt gay rights?

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:35:00

Owing to a solid record of outing closeted gay Republicans including defiled names like Larry Craig and Mark Foley, gay political blogger Mike Rogers has developed a reputation for consistency that's becoming increasingly difficult for mainstream media to ignore. But Rogers' latest conquest, Illinois Republican Congressman Mark Kirk, the story...

Two U.S. Marines charged in Savannah gay bashing

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 09:19:00

Two Marines were jailed Saturday on misdemeanor battery charges after they beat up a gay man, according to Savannah-Chatham police. About 3:45 a.m., a metro police officer was patrolling when he saw two men running on Congress Lane. Moments later, the officer received a call about a man at Congress...

D.C. gays hope to wield power in fall mayoral race

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:12:00

Fresh off their recent victory to legalize same-sex marriage, gay activists in the District are regrouping to try to remain a potent political force by proving they can still influence the outcome of city elections even as they gain more rights. Following the D.C. Council's votes on same-sex unions, advocates...

Sharon and Kelly Osborne face anti-gay protesters

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 07:03:00

Sharon Osbourne and daughter Kelly sat atop a float as grand marshals of the West Hollywood Gay Pride Parade on Sunday afternoon. The pair waved to more tan 400,000 people who lined the route through the streets to celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities in Los Angeles. But...

Ill. treasurer extends DP benefits to gay state workers

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 05:48:00

With six months left in his four-year term, state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias signed an executive order on Sunday extending family-leave benefits to gay and lesbian employees in domestic partnerships. The new policy will allow gay and lesbian employees of his office to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave...

Soccer star Freddie Ljungberg addresses gay rumors

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 03:30:00

Tucked into this Q&A in the New York Times Magazine piece on the home life of soccer's Freddie Ljungberg, now with the Seattle Sounders, was a question about gossip and this was his response: "There's been a gay rumor for a long time. I don't mind at all. I am...

Hearings begin on lifting ban on gay blood donors

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:13:00

A federal advisory committee is set to begin hearings today to consider lifting its long-standing policy banning men who have had sex with men from giving blood. The prohibition, which has been in place since the mid-'80s, was intended to protect the blood supply from being tainted with the virus...

N.Y. high school crowns gay couple prom king, queen

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 11:57:00

A couple of gay best friends were voted prom king and queen by such a wide margin at an upstate New York high school that the school didn't even bother with any runners-up. Seniors Charlie Ferrusi and Timmy Howard won their respective crown and tiara by a landslide Saturday. They...

Why Rush Limbaugh likes Elton John and civil unions

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:50:00

Zev Chafets, who has ridden the publicity train for his new, sympathetic biography of Rush Limbaugh into a gig as Limbaugh's emissary to the rest of the media, explains why the talk show host booked Elton John to play his wedding -- for $1 million: "On some social issues, like...

Gay Va. GOP candidate loses House primary battle

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:41:00

A gay Republican running for Congress in Northern Virginia narrowly lost his bid on Tuesday for the GOP nomination in the race. Matthew Berry, who's gay and an attorney for the Federal Communications Commission, was seeking the Republican nomination to represent Virginia's 8th congressional district, which comprises Arlington and Alexandria....

Seven gay Calif. Assembly hopefuls win primary races

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 08:36:00

Seven gay California Assembly candidates won their primary races this week, ensuring that the current four-person LGBT Legislative Caucus in Sacramento will gain new members in 2011. The outcome of Tuesday's intra-party races had several firsts. Two gay men – Ricardo Lara and Rich Gordon – won their Democratic primary...

Huffington Post axes lesbian who joined BP PR team

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 08:01:00

The liberal news site Huffington Post has cut ties with its former Washington Editor at Large, Hilary Rosen, because of Rosen's new role as a consultant for the embattled oil company British Petroleum. Rosen, a Washington figure and former chief music industry lobbyist, now heads the Washington office of the...

Mormon Church pays fine for hiding Prop 8 support

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 07:29:00

The Mormon Church has agreed to pay a fine of slightly more than $5,000 for failing to report some campaign staff contributions it made in support of Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that outlawed same-sex marriage. According to the Fair Political Practices Commission's Web site, the Church of Jesus...

N.J. Muslim jihadist wanted to mutilate gays: police

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 06:54:00

Mohamed Mahmood Alessa at 14 was already talking about mutilating homosexuals, blowing up his school, and subordinating women in the name of Islam. During his teen years the Jersey jihadist was kicked out of a string of schools, where "he was exhibiting this crazy, radicalized behavior," and officials found him...

Madrid Gay Pride bans Israelis over Gaza flotilla raid

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 06:07:00

A delegation of gay residents of Tel Aviv has been banned from joining a gay pride march in Madrid because authorities in the Israeli city have not condemned the recent attack on the Gaza flotilla. "After what has happened, and as human rights campaigners, it seemed barbaric to us to...