Gay News Watch

No evidence to charge gay mayor for underage sex

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 08:40:00

The Department of Justice released its report Monday on Mayor Sam Adams' relationship with Beau Breedlove, finding that there was no evidence that Adams had sex with Breedlove before the ex-legislative intern turned 18 years old. The long-awaited 17-page report from Oregon Attorney General John Kroger says there's "insufficient evidence...

Anti-gay Carrie Prejean loses Miss California crown

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:35:00

Beauty queen Carrie Prejean, who ignited a furor at the Miss USA pageant by taking a stand against gay marriage, has been fired as Miss California for violating her contract. Prejean, who nearly lost her Miss California crown last month following the same-sex marriage flap and revelations that she had...

Lesbian Chastity Bono transitioning to become a man

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:48:00

Chastity Bono, civil rights advocate, journalist, author and musician, is in the early stages of changing his gender -- transitioning from female to male. Bono, the child of legendary entertainers Sonny and Cher, began the process earlier this year, shortly after his 40th birthday. "Yes, it's true -- Chaz, after...

'American Idol' runner-up Adam Lambert comes out

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 07:33:00

"American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert has told Rolling Stone magazine he is gay, answering a question that followed the singer for months since he gained millions of fans on the No. 1 U.S. TV talent show. "I don't think it should be a surprise for anyone to hear that I'm...

'Pregnant man' Beatie gives birth to a second child

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 07:26:00

Thomas Beatie -- the transgender "pregnant man" -- welcomed his second child, a healthy baby boy, Tuesday morning, according to ABC's 20/20. It was a "natural childbirth," 20/20 reports. Beatie and his wife Nancy have not yet decided on the boy's name. Beatie's wife will be breastfeeding their son, as...

Lesbian couple with kids denied family rate at Idaho pool

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 07:19:00

A same-sex couple and their three foster children were denied a reduced admission price to a pool in eastern Idaho because the Lava Hot Springs State Foundation says the five don't fit the definition of a family. Amber Koger and Jeri Underwood say they and their three children were recently...

Boy George caught by tabloids kissing mystery woman

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 09:39:00

Enjoying his new found freedom after being imprisoned for imprisoning, Boy George took some time out to enjoy the sunshine and kiss a mystery woman... Making us all gag involuntarily and lose our lunch before we've even eaten it. It's lose your lunch Tuesday! Fresh out of prison and ready...

Sydney gay rugby team goes on Aussie Rules show

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 09:36:00

Members from the Sydney Convicts Rugby Club, Australia's only gay rugby team, will appear this week on Channel 9's NRL Footy Show. The team want to "put a face to both rugby players and gay men", says club President and former captain Charlie Winn. "The Convicts... dispel misconceptions that gay...

Gordon Brown names 3rd out gay man to cabinet

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 09:34:00

After Peter Mendelson named as business secretary in 2008, and Nick Brown as chief whip, Gordon Brown has named a third openly gay MP to his government. MP Ben Bradshaw has been appointed as the new culture secretary, replacing Andy Burnham, who is to take over his role as health...

Gay porn escort found guilty in murder of Denver john

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 09:27:00

A male escort was convicted this afternoon of the premeditated murder of his boss and former sexual partner, and now will spend the rest of his life in prison. Timothy Boham, 28, was found guilty by a nine-woman, three-man jury in Denver District Court of first-degree murder after deliberation, felony...

Lambert say Rolling Stone cover will answer question

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 09:21:00

Although he's encouraged people to keep speculating about his sexuality, Adam Lambert now says, "all your questions will be answered" in an upcoming issue of Rolling Stone. "Finally," he said at the 11th Annual Young Hollywood Awards Sunday in Santa Monica, where he was named artist of the year. "Once...

Supremes agree with Obama, uphold military gay ban

Mon, 8 Jun 2009 17:15:00

The U.S. Supreme Court has turned down a challenge to the Defense Department policy forbidding gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military, granting a request by the Obama administration. The court said Monday that it will not hear an appeal from former Army Capt. James Pietrangelo II, who...

S.D. Pride head attacked for carrying rainbow flag

Mon, 8 Jun 2009 13:44:00

The executive director of San Diego LGBT Pride, Ron deHarte, was attacked and beaten June 6 while waiving a large rainbow flag on Main Street in the San Diego working-class suburb of Lemon Grove. DeHarte was participating in the "Equality Torch Relay," a daylong effort that saw an "equality torch"...

Gay escort's murder trial goes to Denver jury today

Mon, 8 Jun 2009 09:56:00

The case of a gay escort accused of killing one of his clients goes to a jury Monday in Denver.
Timothy "John" Boham is accused of killing a wealthy businessman who hired him for sexual services. But Boham says the victim, J.P. Kelso, shot himself because he was depressed over failed...

Israeli gay singer mugged during Tel Aviv Pride event

Mon, 8 Jun 2009 07:55:00

The 31 year old openly homosexual actor & singer Yehonathan, was mugged and robbed during the weekends pride events in Tel Aviv, Israel. Yehonathan is "a bit rattled right now. Fortunately, he wasn't hurt, but the thugs took his cell phone and wallet. "There are so many good things happening...

Gay Days expected to bring Orlando' $100 million

Sun, 7 Jun 2009 00:16:00

The annual Gay Days event is expected to bring 150,000 people into Orlando. The event caused a lot of controversy when it was first held in Orlando 19 years ago, but now organizers say Orlando's tourism industry is supporting it like never before. An estimated $100 million is expected to...

Gay games open in Berlin amid Turk poster boy flap

Sat, 6 Jun 2009 11:20:00

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier opened the fourth edition Respect Gaymes, an annual sports and cultural event in Berlin's Jahn Park stadium on Saturday. The centrepiece of the three-week long event is a football tournament with 58 youth teams. But this year's event has been overshadowed by controversy after Erkut...

S.C. lesbian Dem outs Graham, other gay Republicans

Sat, 6 Jun 2009 08:29:00

An openly lesbian 2008 South Carolina Democratic candidate for Congress has called out three Palmetto State Republicans for being closeted gays in an interview for a progressive Democratic blog. The bombshell statements were made in a FireDogLake interview on June 1 from Linda Ketner, an openly lesbian 2008 Democratic candidate...

Gay Days party promoter sued for leaving Disney

Sat, 6 Jun 2009 08:23:00

The controversy surrounding One Mighty Weekend events at Gay Days in Orlando is growing as party promoter Johnny Chisholm must now deal with a lawsuit and a the possibility of a temporary freezing of assets days during the festivities. Plaintiffs Stephen Bardfield of New York and Charles Carver of North...

Ads pulled after Calif. DJ calls trans youth a 'freak'

Sat, 6 Jun 2009 08:16:00

Bank of America, Verizon, Chipotle and other companies have pulled advertising from a Sacramento radio station after talk show hosts referred to transgender people as "freaks" with mental disorders. During a May 28 show, one of the three hosts on KRXQ's "Rob, Arnie & Dawn" show said he would hit...

Dems resist Catholic pressure on gay immigration

Sat, 6 Jun 2009 08:11:00

U.S. lawmakers on Thursday unveiled legislation to help reunite families split apart for years by the creaky immigration system – including, controversially, same-sex partners. Rep. Mike Honda, who heads the caucus of Asian Americans, said that some families are split apart for decades due to the severe backlog in U.S....

'Heroes' may feature new lesbian storyline for Claire

Sat, 6 Jun 2009 07:55:00

You've gotta love our readers. As soon as we posted the story about Californication's Madeline Zima joining Heroes' Season 4 as Claire's (Hayden Panettiere) roommate – in came the comments hoping and praying for some college lesbian experimentation. Well, true believers, you might just get your wish. According to The...

National Mall already booked for Oct. march weekend

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 00:06:00

The organizers of the proposed march on Washington should have checked with the National Parks Service before they began announcing the October dates for that event. "It's unavailable," a parks service staffer said when Gay City News asked if the National Mall was booked on October 10, 11, and 12,...

Gay groups grow impatient with Obama on rights

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 05:28:00

President Barack Obama's promises of change are falling short for one core Democratic constituency: gays and lesbians, whose leaders say Obama's administration isn't keeping up with the times. Gay rights campaigners, most of them Democrats who supported Obama in November, have begun to voice their public frustration with Obama's inaction,...

Harvard to endow new professorship in gay studies

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 03:35:00

Harvard University will announce tomorrow that it will establish an endowed chair in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender studies, in what is believed to be the first professorship of its kind in the country. Harvard President Drew G. Faust described the academic post as "an important milestone" in an ongoing...

N.H. governor signs gay marriage into law

Wed, 3 Jun 2009 19:23:00

New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch signed same-sex marriage into law Wednesday night. The bill, which passed the House 198-16 on Wednesday, was also approved by the state Senate 14-10. Both chambers had previously voted to approve same-sex marriage into law but faced pressure by Lynch who wanted new language added...

Senate holds hearing on gay immigration rights bill

Wed, 3 Jun 2009 19:04:00

A Senate hearing on a controversial gay immigration bill brought a touching moment when a witness relating her story about wanting to avoid deportation from the United States told her story to lawmakers. Shirley Tan, a Philippines national who has been living in Pacifica, Calif., with her partner of 23...

Obama Army secretary nominee favors end to gay ban

Tue, 2 Jun 2009 19:59:00

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday that President Barack Obama's nominee for secretary of the Army, Republican representative John McHugh, agrees with the president that "don't ask, don't tell" should be changed. "I think it's obvious from those statements and other statements that Congressman McHugh has made that...

Lingering HIV ban in U.S. excludes 60 poz Canadians

Tue, 2 Jun 2009 08:06:00

The United States remains one of the world's nations that denies entry to persons from other countries who are living with HIV/AIDS. That includes Canadians, as up to 60 would-be visitors from our northern neighbor discovered. A May 28 press release from Housing Works alerted the media that as many...

Adam Lambert to come out in Rolling Stone interview

Tue, 2 Jun 2009 00:48:00

"American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert, who has been coyly noncommittal about his sexuality since becoming a sensation on the TV talent show, will come out in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine in next month's edition. Lambert has cheerfully ducked questions about his sexual preference, despite photos posted on the...

Md. may recognize gay marriages from elsewhere

Mon, 1 Jun 2009 21:06:00

Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler is exploring whether same-sex marriages performed in other states can be recognized in Maryland, a move that could open an avenue for legal recognition of gay and lesbian couples who have been rebuffed by the courts and legislature here. The exercise puts Gansler - a...

N.H. legistors reach accord on same-sex marriage bill

Mon, 1 Jun 2009 20:59:00

House and Senate negotiators reached yesterday agreement on a compromise gay-marriage bill amendment aimed at winning a signature by Gov. John Lynch. Members of a conference committee took just over two hours to agree on language they say gives more emphasis to the Legislature's intent to protect religious freedoms regarding same-sex marriage. The bill will...

Hillary Clinton vows to fight for gay rights abroad

Mon, 1 Jun 2009 20:48:00

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton vowed Monday to fight for gay rights, calling for all nations to stop violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation. Clinton made the appeal ahead of the 40th anniversary this month of New York's Stonewall Riots, often seen as the launch of the US...

Commission passes Memphis job discrimination law

Mon, 1 Jun 2009 20:41:00

A resolution approved by the Shelby County Commission today promotes "non-discrimination" within the ranks of the county's 6,000 employees. And though it is in some ways weaker than an original ordinance that would have protected gays, lesbians and transgender people from job discrimination, Commissioner Steve Mulroy, a former Civil Rights...

Cheney backs same-sex marriage but not federal law

Mon, 1 Jun 2009 20:30:00

It's not surprising when Vice President Dick Cheney disagrees with President Obama. But it is surprising when he takes a more progressive position than the president. Said Cheney: "I think that freedom means freedom for everyone. As many of you know, one of my daughters is gay, and it is...

Gay porn star expelled by Christian school gets degree

Sun, 31 May 2009 07:58:00

The student suspended from Grove City College for his off-campus work in gay porn has withdrawn from the Christian school but can still earn a diploma. John Gechter, 22, said he and the college worked out a deal to allow him to take his final two classes elsewhere, transfer those credits to Grove City...

Senate set to hold hearing on gay immigration bill

Sun, 31 May 2009 07:48:00

The Senate Judiciary Committee next Wednesday will hold the first congressional hearings on the Uniting American Families Act, a bill that would allow lesbian and gay citizens to sponsor their partners for residency in the United States. "The hearings are really tremendous and an indication of the momentum and traction...

Nevada Senate overrides veto on domestic partners

Sun, 31 May 2009 07:36:00

The Nevada Senate has voted to override Gov. Jim Gibbons's veto of a measure that would give domestic partners, whether gay or straight, many of the rights and benefits that Nevada offers to married couples. The 14-to-7 Senate vote Saturday, the required two-thirds majority with no votes to spare, must...

'Proud' Adam Lambert: 'Keep speculating' if he's gay

Sun, 31 May 2009 07:29:00

Adam Lambert says role models come in a variety of different forms – even in eye makeup, fingernail polish and tight pants. "It's a really, really cool thing," the American Idol runner-up says, "to be able to show people that you can be yourself, and you should be proud of...

The cost of banning gay marriage in dollars and cents

Sat, 30 May 2009 07:52:00

Maghi Geary might have some peculiar advice for Californians: Gay marriage is good for business. The co-owner of Provincetown Florist has 20 to 30 weddings booked this summer, and the reason for that decent return is evident in the next customer who walks through the door – a lesbian couple...

Shiite militias torturing, killing gays in occupied Iraq

Thu, 28 May 2009 15:40:00

Two gay men were killed in Baghdad's Sadr City slum, and police confirmed they found the bodies of four more men, all killed during a 10-day period after an unknown Shiite militia group urged a crackdown on homosexuals in the country. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs believes as...

Memphis workplace bias ordinance falls short in vote

Thu, 28 May 2009 10:41:00

A proposed ordinance to protect gays, lesbians and transgender people from job discrimination failed an early test at the Shelby County Commission on Wednesday, one step in an emotional debate that touches on deep questions of race and sexuality. County rules mean the measure still goes to a vote before...

Gay groups call federal marriage lawsuit premature

Thu, 28 May 2009 09:47:00

A coalition of gay rights groups said Wednesday that a federal same-sex marriage lawsuit brought by two high-profile lawyers is premature and they'd rather work through state legislatures and voters to win wedding rights. A day after the California Supreme Court upheld a voter-approved ban on gay marriage, the American...

Same-sex couples shut down S.D. marriage bureau

Thu, 28 May 2009 09:34:00

About 45 supporters of same-sex marriage crowded into the waiting area in the San Diego county clerk's marriage license office yesterday, and three couples have asked for marriage licenses and been turned away. They said they will not to leave until they're issued a license. The event, organized in response to the...

Top Bush lawyer files a federal challenge to Prop 8

Wed, 27 May 2009 10:37:00

In a bold move that takes a new approach to achieving marriage equality, two attorneys who argued opposing sides of the 2000 Bush v. Gore lawsuit before the U.S. Supreme Court have filed a challenge to Proposition 8 in federal court. Theodore B. Olson, the U.S. solicitor general from 2001...

Same-sex marriage protests stop traffic in San Fran

Wed, 27 May 2009 10:18:00

Hundreds of demonstrators converged on the steps of City Hall this evening and later blocked traffic on Market Street after speakers urged protesters to channel their anger and rage over the Supreme Court's ruling to uphold Proposition 8. "This is our chance, right here and right now, in the streets...

Memphis pastors speak against gay rights ordinance

Tue, 26 May 2009 22:48:00

In a tense Downtown news conference this afternoon, Shelby County Commissioner Wyatt Bunker and several pastors blasted homosexuality as members of a gay rights group looked on. Bunker and the pastors gathered before the county administration building to speak against a proposed measure that would block the county government and some local businesses from...

Prop 8 supporters, foes to continue marriage fight

Tue, 26 May 2009 19:20:00

Though widely anticipated, the California Supreme Court's decision today to uphold the November ballot measure that banned gay marriage induced anger, tears and vows to intensify the fight for equal rights for same-sex couples to marry. Those who supported Proposition 8 at the ballot box hailed the ruling as a defense of traditional values,...

California Supreme Court upholds Prop 8

Tue, 26 May 2009 13:09:00

The California Supreme Court has upheld a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, but it also decided that the estimated 18,000 gay couples who tied the knot before the law took effect will stay wed. The decision Tuesday rejected an argument by gay rights activists that the ban revised the California...

Gay U.S. diplomats to receive equal partner benefits

Tue, 26 May 2009 07:02:00

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will soon announce that gay American diplomats will be given benefits similar to those that their heterosexual counterparts enjoy, U.S. officials said Saturday. In a notice to be sent soon to State Department employees, Clinton says regulations that denied same-sex couples and their families...

Texas mayor quits job, leaves U.S. for Mexican lover

Sun, 24 May 2009 10:08:00

It was, simply put, the most stunning abdication since King Edward VIII in 1936 gave up the British throne for Wallis Simpson, the twice-divorced American socialite. Only two weeks after being elected to serve his fourth term, Mayor J.W. Lown of San Angelo submitted his resignation letter Tuesday from an...

Gay murder convict's lawyers seek appeal removal

Wed, 13 May 2009 09:08:00

Attorneys for convicted murderer Harlow Cuadra filed court papers Friday asking a judge to allow them to be dismissed from the case because they believe Cuadra has no funds to pay them. The also said they were to be retained only for his trial, not the appeal process. The papers were filed...

Three anti-gay leaders among those banned by U.K.

Wed, 13 May 2009 08:58:00

Anti-gay talk show host Michael Savage's commentary has offended groups from parents of autistic kids to Muslim leaders. But the San Francisco-based syndicated talker, who made a "name and shame" list of people banned from entering Britain, may have been shocked himself to find some of his opponents, including civil libertarians, defending him. On...

Calif. group renewing push for same-sex marriage

Thu, 7 May 2009 12:35:00

As the California Supreme Court mulls the fate of a 2008 ballot measure outlawing same-sex marriage, one of the state's largest gay rights groups is laying the groundwork for a campaign to overturn the measure, perhaps as soon as next year. The announcement by the group, Equality California, comes almost a year after...

Maine gay marriage could be delayed by referendum

Thu, 7 May 2009 11:32:00

Maine's governor signed a bill on Wednesday legalizing same-sex marriage, clearing the way for the Northeastern U.S. state to become the fifth in the country to do so, five years after Massachusetts became the first to allow gay people to marry. But the law could be delayed or even voided by a...

Documentary sheds light on D.C. gay political closet

Thu, 7 May 2009 10:21:00

Documentary filmmaker Kirby Dick's latest exposé, "Outrage," promises to be a PR nightmare for certain closeted gay politicians. He names names. He interviews their alleged sex partners. He portrays these officials -- overwhelmingly Republican, with anti-gay voting records -- as hypocrites of the worst sort. But there is a special place in his heart...

Kelly McGillis of 'Top Gun' fame comes out as lesbian

Thu, 7 May 2009 08:59:00

Kelly McGillis, the actress who won millions of male fans across the world when she played the love interest in the iconic 1980s film Top Gun, has come out as a lesbian. The girl who lit Navy pilot Tom Cruise's afterburners says that at the age of 51, and after...

More racy pics could cost Miss Calif. pageant crown

Thu, 7 May 2009 08:53:00

Miss California USA Carrie Prejean has assured pageant officials that a lingerie modeling photo published online this week is the only one she posed for, the state pageant director said. But the Web site that published the first picture said it has several more that it will "slowly roll out"...

With gay issues in view, Obama pressed to engage

Thu, 7 May 2009 08:49:00

President Obama was noticeably silent last month when the Iowa Supreme Court overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage. But now Mr. Obama — who has said he opposes same-sex marriage as a Christian but describes himself as a "fierce advocate of equality" for gay men and lesbians — is...

Are women leaving men suddenly for other women?

Thu, 7 May 2009 07:25:00

Lately, a new kind of sisterly love seems to be in the air. In the past few years, Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon left a boyfriend after a decade and a half and started dating a woman (and talked openly about it). Actress Lindsay Lohan and DJ Samantha Ronson...

Maine becomes fifth gay marriage state

Thu, 7 May 2009 07:09:00

Gay rights advocates celebrated swift and unexpected twin victories in New England on Wednesday when Maine became the fifth state to legalize same-sex marriage and New Hampshire's legislature shortly afterward sent a marriage equality bill to the governor. If Gov. John Lynch (D) signs the New Hampshire bill or allows...

Barry warns of D.C. racial 'civil war' over gay marriage

Thu, 7 May 2009 07:03:00

D.C. Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8), the only council member to vote against the bill today to legalize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, predicted today there could be a "civil war" in the District if the Council decides to take up a broader gay marriage bill later this year. "All...

Groups push for first out gay Supreme Court justice

Thu, 7 May 2009 06:56:00

President Barack Obama is looking to advance diversity with his pick to replace retiring U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter — and early speculation has focused on whether he'll pick a woman, or perhaps the first Hispanic justice. But gay rights groups — disappointed that Obama didn't pick an openly...

Dems see opportunity as more accept gay marriage

Sat, 2 May 2009 12:24:00

Gay marriage legalization in several states and the public's growing acceptance of same-sex unions have Democrats sensing political opportunity and some Republicans re-evaluating their party's hard-line opposition to an issue that long has rallied its base. In recent weeks, Vermont and Iowa have legalized same-sex marriage, while New York, Maine and New Hampshire...

Miss USA runner-up mum on gays and civil unions

Sat, 2 May 2009 11:15:00

A national controversy exploded when Miss USA runner-up Carrie Prejean answered a question from a Miss USA Judge Perez Hilton and said she did not support gay marriage. Carrie is not backing down and may be just ratcheting up the controversy. She has joined up with the National Organization for Marriage as part of...

Welsh magistrate resigns over gay 'pedophile' remark

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:55:00

A senior magistrate has been forced to stand down after he appeared to claim that all homosexual men are paedophiles. Byron Butler, 68, was being interviewed for a television programme about attitudes to homosexuality when he made the 'outrageous' remark to a gay pop singer. Ian Watkins, who is known...

In reversal, 8th grader can wear rainbow wristband

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:50:00

A school district near Phoenix, Ariz., is now allowing a gay 14-year-old student to wear a rainbow wristband at school following demands from the American Civil Liberties Union. Eighth grader Chris Quintanilla wore a rainbow wristband with the words "Rainbows are gay" to Parkridge Elementary School in March. Natali Quintanilla,...

Maine Senate passes same-sex marriage legislation

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:41:00

The Maine Senate voted 20-15 today in favor of a bill to allow same-sex marriages in Maine. After just over an hour of debate, which featured personal stories from those on both sides of the issue, the Senate backed L.D. 1020 "An Act to End Discrimination in Civil Marriage and...

'Etiquette guide' aims to curb gay, trans Thai monks

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:35:00

A Buddhist preacher in Thailand has announced plans for new guidelines aimed at curbing the flamboyant behaviour of gay and transgender monks. The "good manners" curriculum - the country's first - is being introduced in the northern province of Chiang Rai. The senior monk told the BBC he was particularly...

N.H. legislature sends gay marriage bill to governor

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:30:00

The New Hampshire Senate voted narrowly on Wednesday to legalize same-sex marriage, paving the way for the state to potentially become the fifth in the nation — and the third this month — to allow gay couples to wed.

The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 13 to 11 in favor of the bill,...

Amsterdam park signs point to gay men seeking sex

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:48:00

A park near Amsterdam has unveiled information signs pointing out spots where officials say gay men are known to have sex, so visitors are not taken by surprise. The signs "clearly indicate what is happening in each zone; also those where gay men are known to practice 'cruising'," municipal spokeswoman...

Miss California emerges as 'opposite marriage' leader

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:43:00

Miss California, Carrie Prejean, who offered memorable opposition (above) to same-sex marriage and a young, attractive new face for the movement against it, will appear tomorrow at a press conference hosted by the National Organization for Marriage at the National Press Club, according to a press release from the group.

She'll...

House approves Matthew Shepard hate crimes bill

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:40:00

Victims of violence who are gay would have new federal protections under a hate-crimes bill approved by the House. The vote was 249 to 175, with most Democrats voting in favor and most Republicans against. The bill defines hate crimes as those motivated by prejudice and based on a victim's...

Ohio police chief blames indecent exposure on wife's cancer

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:36:00

Olmsted Township Police Chief Charles McNeeley was charged with indecent exposure after being arrested with another man Tuesday morning in the Cleveland Metroparks, rangers said. McNeeley and Daniel Crown were arrested at 8:30 a.m. after ranger Lisette Gonzalez spotted them masturbating, Capt. Jack Hall said. McNeeley, 60, told rangers he...

Signs GOP is rethinking opposition to gay marriage

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 06:33:00

It was only five years ago that opposition to gay marriage was so strong that Republicans explicitly turned to the issue as a way to energize conservative voters. Yet today, as the party contemplates the task of rebuilding itself, some Republicans say the issue of gay marriage may be turning...

Feinstein wins reprieve for foreign-born lesbian mom

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:30:00

A Philippines-born lesbian mother ordered to leave the country next month for overstaying her visa will likely be allowed to stay through next year thanks to intervention from U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Feinstein on Wednesday introduced an emergency immigration bill in Congress that would give Shirley Tan two years to...

Ex-Clinton aide's film touts outing gay Republicans

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:26:00

A former aide in Bill Clinton's White House is backing a new film that tries to make the case that several nationally prominent Republican politicians are closeted gay men who hypocritically thwart advances in the gay-rights agenda. Chad Griffin, a Hope, Ark., native who went to work for Clinton's campaign...

Gay congressman weighs 'omnibus' rights legislation

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:47:00

The newest openly gay member of Congress is considering introducing an omnibus LGBT rights bill in the U.S. House. Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) told the Blade in a phone interview that he's looking at the possibility of introducing such legislation, but hasn't made any decision "about what that would contain...

Dem political 'insiders' say party should back marriage

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:37:00

National Journal's regular survey of Political Insiders this week yielded some pretty interesting responses to the question of gay marriage. For starters, a solid majority of the 102 Democratic Political Insiders who were polled--59 percent--said that from a political perspective, they thought their party should support gay marriage. Only about...

Ariz. police officer's threats shut down gay rights rally

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:28:00

A gay-rights demonstration was cut short Wednesday in Casa Grande when a police officer threatened participants with arrest for flying a pride flag inside city limits, organizers allege. The Casa Grande Police Department is investigating the incident. Police say the officer was called to the area on a report that the group's flag,...

Iowa warns local officils to obey gay marriage ruling

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:23:00

Some Iowa county recorders say they have contemplated refusing to give a marriage license to gay couples who walk into the office, but so far none is vowing to do so. "This is putting us in a very, very difficult position here," Wayne County Recorder Angela Horton said Thursday in an interview. "But sometimes...

Female McCains lend hand to gay Republican group

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:17:00

Log Cabin Republicans are getting some support from the McCain family. Cindy and Meghan McCain will make an appearance at the gay rights organization's four day convention in Washington, which kicks off Thursday night. "Of all the causes I believe in and speak publicly about, this is one of the...

Prince isn't gay but a fancy lesbian, say bandmates

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:22:00

In a wide-ranging interview with Out magazine, Revolution members Wendy and Lisa dish about their impressions of Prince, their own image and sexuality and, well, more about Prince. An excerpt: Q: Did you first think Prince was gay? Lisa: He was little and kinda prissy and everything. But he's so...

Threatening fliers against gays posted in Baghdad

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:44:00

Offering the latest evidence of an organized campaign of persecution against Iraq's gay community, threatening fliers have been posted around the impoverished Shiite enclave of Sadr City in eastern Baghdad targeting homosexuals, according to residents. "If you don't cease your perverted acts, you will get your fair punishment," read the...

Karoake club angers by posting 'not a gay bar' sign

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:39:00

It didn't play in Peoria, Ill., when a karaoke bar called The Elbo Room put up a sign announcing: "We are not a gay bar." Peoria Councilwoman Barbara Van Auken, whose district includes the bar, says the sign violated state law and the city has notified owner Greg Quast, the...

U.S. at 'tipping point' on gay marriage after victories?

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:09:00

April's triple triumph on the front lines of the U.S. same-sex marriage wars — Vermont lawmakers approved marriage on April 7, the same day D.C. City Council voted to recognize marriages performed elsewhere, and the Iowa Supreme Court on April 3 ruled in favor of gays — have many on...

Nose-biting justified by victim's 'gay tactics' on dance floor

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:05:00

A convicted nose-biter says his inner cannibal got the better of him during a bar brawl on Whyte Avenue two years ago. Zacharie Morrison, 23, told a psychologist earlier this year that when he saw an older man grab a girl on the dance floor that night, he stepped in...

Competing gay Republican groups vie for attention

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:03:00

A new gay Republican group launched this week as the National Log Cabin Republicans kicked off its annual convention in D.C. GOProud, the new group, aims to educate voters on federal issues and elections important to Republicans. Jimmy LaSalvia, a former Log Cabin policy director, is GOProud's executive director. Chris...

Soccer great Maradona hits Pele with anti-gay slur

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:58:00

As leading contenders for the position as the greatest football of all time, the Brazilian Pele and the Argentinean Maradona have been trying to soil one another's reputations for years. In 2000, Pele denied an accusation by Maradona that he had had his first sexual experience at the age of...

Amazon restores sales rankings for gay books, videos

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:55:00

Two days after Amazon said a "glitch" had caused the sales rank to be dropped from thousands of books, the numbers returned Tuesday for Annie Proulx's "Brokeback Mountain," James Baldwin's "Giovanni's Room" and other notable titles. Some authors whose rankings were dropped have posted messages from Amazon that said their...

Polish politician fumes over gay elephant at the zoo

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:51:00

A Polish politician has criticized his local zoo for acquiring a "gay" elephant named Ninio who prefers male companions and will probably not procreate, local media reported Friday. "We didn't pay 37 million zlotys ($11 million) for the largest elephant house in Europe to have a gay elephant live there,"...

LGBT families joined Easter Egg Roll at White House

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:46:00

Families with gay and lesbian parents came from across the nation to participate Monday in the White House Easter Egg Roll. Jennifer Chrisler of Family Equality Council, which helped coordinate the effort, said this year's work benefited from "outreach and inclusion" from White House officials. "You know, every administration has...

Congressional leaders mull partial repeal of DOMA

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:44:00

Discussions around repealing a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act that prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages have heated up in the wake of recent legal challenges filed and the addition of two new states legalizing same-sex marriage. Legislative aides familiar with the discussions say a handful...

Obama defense chief cautious on repealing gay ban

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:36:00

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates made clear on Thursday that any repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law would have to be undertaken slowly, and suggested that it might not happen at all. "If we do it,'' Mr. Gates told reporters on his plane enroute to Rhode Island, "it's important that...

Out Iowa senator gets death threat over gay marriage

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:40:00

An openly gay state senator has received a death threat. Public safety officials say Sen. Matt McCoy, a Des Moines Democrat, received the threat by telephone on Monday. The threat was made as opponents of gay marriage continue to pressure lawmakers to take steps against a ruling by the Iowa...

Binational gay couples left wondering where is home

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:31:00

State-level legalization of same-sex marriage has gay and lesbian couples celebrating from the Green Mountains to the Corn Belt. But with the gay-marriage movement reaching a fever pitch—in addition to Iowa and Vermont, New York Governor David Paterson announced he'll introduce a same-sex marriage bill this week—these couples are quickly...

Gay man guilty of murdering ex by setting him on fire

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:25:00

A Hounslow man has been found guilty of murdering his ex-boyfriend by setting him alight. Nadim Kurrimbukus, 25, poured petrol over the head of Charlie Davies and set him alight outside his home in Templedene Avenue, Staines two months after their relationship ended. He was also found guilty of one...

Mother says son killed himself after anti-gay bullying

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:39:00

Two days after the worst day of her life, when she found her 11-year-old son had committed suicide by hanging himself, Sirdeaner L. Walker said on Wednesday she wants the bullying to stop. She found Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover hanging by an extension cord on the second floor of their 124 Northampton Ave. home...

Md. state employees win domestic partner benefits

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:13:00

As the Maryland legislative session nears its April 13 conclusion, gay state residents have scored at least one victory. Partners and dependents of gay public employees are poised to receive health, dental and prescription drug benefits for the first time under a new state budget. Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's fiscal...

Is Sacha Baron Cohen's 'Bruno' a satire or setback?

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:09:00

Sacha Baron Cohen's new mockumentary "Brüno" purports to expose Americans' bias and homophobia surrounding gay men, but gay groups are split whether Cohen's flamboyantly gay character helps or hurts the gay rights movement. In his new movie from Universal, rumored to be fully titled: "Brüno: Delicious Journeys Through America for...

Lagging on marriage is bow to New Yorkers' pride

Thu, 9 Apr 2009 19:33:00

With this week came a new challenge in humility for New Yorkers: swallowing their gay pride. As of a year or so ago, those so inclined could at least brag that New York agencies recognized all gay marriages legalized elsewhere. As of late March, they could take heart in living...

D.C. Council unanimous on recognizing gay marriages

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 07:25:00

The D.C. Council unanimously voted yesterday to recognize gay marriages performed elsewhere, joining a growing number of states to loosen restrictions on the unions. The District's actions came the same day as Vermont became the fourth state to recognize same-sex marriages and a week after the Iowa Supreme Court legalized...

Vt. becomes fourth state to allow gay marriage

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 07:22:00

Vermont legalized gay marriage on Tuesday after lawmakers overrode a veto from the governor by a wafer-thin margin, making the New England state the fourth in the United States where gays can wed. The vote, nine years after Vermont was first in the United States to adopt a same-sex civil-union...

Iowa high court strikes down gay marriage ban

Sat, 4 Apr 2009 07:16:00

The Iowa Supreme Court, citing California's historic marriage decision, overturned a ban Friday on same-sex marriage in a ruling that emphasized the need for courts to protect minorities even when public sentiment is against them. The unanimous decision makes Iowa the first Midwestern state to legalize gay marriage, which is...

Serbian lawmakers pass gay non-discrimination law

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:16:00

Serbian lawmakers narrowly gave final approval Thursday an anti-discrimination law that is part of pro-Western reforms but was strongly opposed by the Serbian Orthodox Church and other conservatives. Parliament passed the bill with a slim majority of 127 votes in favor to 59 against -- one more vote than was...

Many gay rights leaders earning well into six figures

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:40:00

Craig Shniderman, executive director of Food & Friends, which provides meals and nutritional services for homebound people with HIV/AIDS in the Washington, D.C. area, had the highest salary among the heads of the nation's most prominent LGBT advocacy groups and groups that provide AIDS-related services in Los Angeles, New York...

Melbourne Catholic Church to 'test' for gay priests

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:24:00

Melbourne's Catholic Church has embraced a Vatican suggestion to test potential priests for sexual orientation. Those who "appear" gay will be banned. The head of the Vatican committee that made the recommendations has made it clear celibate gays should also be banned because homosexuality is ''a type of deviation''. Archdiocese...

N.H. House OKs gay marriage, sends bill to Senate

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:17:00

The state House on Thursday voted narrowly to make New Hampshire the third state to allow gay couples to marry. The bill, which passed the House 186-179, next goes to the Senate, where its future is uncertain. Democratic Gov. John Lynch opposes gay marriage but has not said specifically that...

Top McCain strategist endorses same-sex marriage

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:08:00

Steve Schmidt, chief strategist for U.S. Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) presidential campaign, came out in favor of marriage rights for same-sex couples in an interview with the Blade last week while urging the Republican Party to be more inclusive of gays and lesbians. "I'm personally supportive of [marriage] equality for...

Gay men concerned over rising HIV diagnosis rates

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:56:00

Gay men are being warned about their HIV risk after latest figures show high rates of new diagnoses. The Health Protection Agency estimates revealed nearly four in 10 of the 7,370 cases last year were in gay men - twice the number of a decade ago. Recent studies have suggested...

Del. legislature hands activists two gay rights wins

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:51:00

Gay rights advocates gained two victories Thursday in the state Legislature -- the Senate's defeat of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage and the House's passage of a bill prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. More than 1,000 demonstrators wearing white T-shirts with the slogan "One Man, One Woman...

Vt. governor threatens to veto same-sex marriage bill

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:42:00

Gov. Jim Douglas of Vermont said Wednesday that he would veto a same-sex marriage bill if it reached his desk, setting a new hurdle for a measure that had been moving swiftly through the legislature. But Mr. Douglas, a Republican, also said that "legislative leaders would not have advanced this...

Hawaii civil union bill passes House, dies in Senate

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:36:00

The Hawaii state Senate today rejected a motion to recall a civil-unions bill from committee, which likely means the bill is dead for the session. The vote on the motion to pull the bill was 18 to 6 in opposition. Under the state Constitution, it takes the votes of nine...

One in six U.K. psychiatrists have tried to 'cure' gays

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:23:00

Research published today in the BMC Psychiatry journal shows that a sixth of registered British therapist and psychiatrists have attempted to "cure" patients of homosexuality. Shockingly one psychiatrist who responded to the study justified offering "cures" saying: "the physical act for male homosexuals is physically damaging and is the main...

BBC DJ rapped for mocking gay singer Will Young

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:16:00

BBC Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles came under fire today from the broadcasting watchdog for mocking gay singer Will Young in an effeminate, high-pitched voice. The self-styled 'saviour of Radio 1' imitated the gay singer live on air, changing the lyrics to his hits Evergreen and Better Leave Right Now....

'Violent sex' Craigslist ad led to NYC gay man's murder

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 08:53:00

The troubled teen accused in the stabbing death of radio reporter George Weber is a Satan-loving sadomasochist and hustler who agreed to a drug-fueled rough sex romp for $60. Knife fetishist John Katehis, 16, stabbed Weber "50 times to the neck" and body, police said. "He and Weber met online...

Eight Ugandan men publicly renounce homosexuality

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 08:48:00

Eight more men yesterday confessed involvement in homosexuality and gay activities, which they said they had abandoned. Speaking to journalists at the Grand Imperial Hotel in Kampala, the youthful men described homosexuality as abnormal and anti-Christian, and declared war against it. The tough-talking men were accompanied by George Oundo, who earlier in the week denounced...

Defiant about privacy, Vin Diesel slams gay rumors

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:25:00

Hollywood action star Vin Diesel has slammed rumors he is gay and remains defiant about keeping his personal life private. The XXX star is notoriously guarded when it comes to his romantic relationships. He explains, "I'm not gonna put it out there on a magazine cover like some other actors. "I come...

Radio reporter may have been killed by 'male date'

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 08:20:00

Longtime New York radio newsman George Weber was found stabbed to death in his Brooklyn apartment Sunday morning, cops said. The bloody body of Weber, a passionate fan of the city who spent a decade doing local news on WABC morning radio, was found just after 9 a.m. when he...

Hate crime charges filed in anti-gay attack on Seattle bus

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 06:12:00

Prosecutors have filed hate crime charges against an 18-year-old Seattle man accused of accosting another man on a Metro bus while yelling anti-gay slurs. Abiazzizi I. Idris has been charged with second-degree attempted robbery and malicious harassment, the state's hate crime statute, in the March 10 attack. In court documents,...

Capacity crowd screens MTV Pedro Zamora biopic

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 03:09:00

About 400 attended Sunday night's screening of Pedro, the new MTV film about Miami AIDS activist Pedro Zamora, who died just after appearing on the network's reality program, The Real World, in 1994. The screening was sponsored by the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. If you missed the movie...

'Gossip Girl' star Ed Westwick denies that he's gay

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:05:00

Gossip Girl star Ed Westwick has laughed off rumours that he is in a gay relationship with co-star Chace Crawford. "[The rumours are] ridiculous," the British actor tells Rolling Stone magazine. "It's funny because I love this dude [Chace] dearly. I would die for this dude. He's my brother. But,...

AIDS exec gets raise, now earning $325,000 a year

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:57:00

The head of the D.C. region's largest provider of food services to homebound people living with AIDS received a nearly 7 percent increase in salary and benefits last year — after drawing public criticism for his pay. Craig Shniderman, executive director of Food & Friends, received $382,200 in salary and...

Trans wife gets 4 years for elderly husband's death

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:47:00

James M. Mason knew his wife since she was born a boy. The janitor and former military man was a boarder in the child's home and was treated like family. Many were surprised when he married Chris nearly three years ago, not just because he knew she underwent sex-change surgery...

Spring break marred by Oregon coast gay bashing

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:26:00

A spring break trip to the Oregon coast was short cut by a vicious gay bashing for two nursing students from Western Washington. The two men, Samson, 22, and Kevin, 22, said they left a campfire to walk along the beach during what was supposed to be a stress-free getaway....

Row over gay wedding ban at Queen Mum's castle

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:16:00

A row has broken out over the decision to open the former Scottish home of the Queen Mother to Christian weddings – but not same sex ceremonies. The move will help pay the bills at the Castle of Mey, near John O'Groats in Caithness, but gay weddings are banned at...

Lesbian ex-TV psychic Miss Cleo starts her new life

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:01:00

At a tiny, earth-toned coffeehouse, the fliers advertise mediums and meditations. Wind chimes ring and dream catchers spin. It's early afternoon. The plush couches sit empty. And seated at a table, a silver snake earring dangling from one ear, Miss Cleo says she couldn't be happier. "I'm a proud voodoo...

British gay couple sues Christian hotel over double room

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:49:00

Martyn Hall, who lives with civil partner Steven Preddy, has lodged a county court claim for £5,000 in damages, alleging 'direct discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation' against the hotel owners, Peter and Hazelmary Bull. The pair, from Bristol, booked a room at the Chymorvah Private Hotel in Marazion,...

In reversal, N.Y. senator comes out for gay marriage

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:35:00

At a private risotto dinner last night with gay leaders and elected officials at Gramercy Tavern last night, Sen. Chuck Schumer reversed himself on the issue of same-sex marriage, saying he not only now supports it but also backs a full reversal of the Defense of Marriage Act. Schumer's office...

Vt. Senate votes overwhelmingly for gay marriage

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:25:00

The Vermont Senate voted overwhelmingly Monday to legalize same-sex marriage, potentially setting the stage for a high-profile legislative showdown and breaking a new political barrier in the state that made history in 2000 by becoming the first to approve civil unions for gay and lesbian couples. If the bill becomes...

Marriage debate puts strain on bachelorette parties

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:10:00

They've become a familiar sight in gay bars: women holding bachelorette parties. The bride-to-be is often easily identifiable. She's the one wearing either a veil or tiara or feather boa or phallic-shaped blow-up hat, and is surrounded by women who begin the night somewhat reserved but metamorphose into pelvis-thrusting vamps as their blood-alcohol...

Woman ready for sex change is pregnant with twins

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:15:00

Ruben Noe Coronado, 25, from Spain, postponed the process of becoming a man so that he could keep his female reproductive organs and give birth. 'He' fell pregnant after undergoing fertility treatment when doctors told his girlfriend, the mother of two children from a previous relationship, she ...

Gay Republicans may split off from Log Cabin group

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:10:00

Some gay Republicans are considering organizing outside of the Log Cabin Republicans, raising questions about whether a new group will form to compete with the organization. Chris Barron, a former Log Cabin political director, said he's involved with activities such as "talking to gay Republicans and kind of getting a...

Kerry asks for asylum for raped Brazilian gay man

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:50:00

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry has asked Attorney General Eric Holder to grant asylum to a gay married man in his state who was deported despite his rape in Brazil. In his letter sent to Attorney General Eric Holder on Thursday, Kerry said Immigration Judge Francis Cramer found Oliveira's testimony to...

Genre magazine suspends publication due to economy

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:46:00

Genre magazine will temporarily suspend publication, due to the ongoing recession, company officials announced today. "We thank all of our readers, advertisers and editorial staff for their support throughout our more than 16-year history and hope that we can re-establish our relationship when times are better," company CEO David Unger said in a...

'Don't say gay' bill introduced in Tenn. legislature

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:03:00

One state lawmaker does not want homosexuality brought up at all in schools. Rep. Stacey Campfield said he believes the issue of homosexuality can be too complicated for young minds to understand. Campfield filed, the "Don't Say Gay" bill, which would essentially ban teachers from talking about the topic. "I...

La. ordered to include two dads on birth certificate

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:58:00

Louisiana has 15 days to add the names of both fathers to the birth certificate of a boy born in Shreveport and adopted by a gay couple from out-of-state, a federal judge has ruled. The state is asking the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the ruling by...

N. Irish pol won't face prosecution over 'gay' remark

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:52:00

A Northern Ireland assembly member will not face prosecution over comments she made about homosexuals last year. Iris Robinson, chair of the Stormont health committee, called for homosexuals to seek psychiatric counselling. Mrs Robinson said if gay people got help they could be "turned around". The police said they were...

Third Calif. teacher charged with student romances

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:38:00

Another Silicon Valley physical education teacher was arrested on suspicion of having an inappropriate relationship with a student — the third in two weeks. Megan Sainsbury, 31, a teacher and former coach at Prospect High School in Saratoga, Calif., was arrested Wednesday on three misdemeanor counts of "annoying or molesting"...

Insemination fight leads to arrest of lesbian's wife

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:28:00

A woman who allegedly intended to artificially inseminate her wife with her brother's semen has been charged with domestic assault and battery. Pittsfield, Mass., police responded to a call shortly before 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the city's Morningside neighborhood, where the assault allegedly occurred. Stephanie K. Lighten, 26, was released...

Same-sex marriage gets recognition in the dictionary

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:21:00

Same-sex marriage might not be recognized in most states, but it is in the dictionary. Merriam-Webster included a secondary definition of marriage to recognize same-sex relationships several years before gay couples were allowed to tie the knot anywhere in the United States, but the change had gone largely unnoticed until...

Gay porn star spared death penalty in murder trial

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:01:00

Their arms interlocked and tears rolled down their faces as the family of Bryan Kocis stood Monday within an arm's reach of the man who killed their brother and son. "I certainly hope that a day does not go by for the rest of your life that you do not...

In reversal, Ind. school district OKs lesbian's prom tuxedo

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:53:00

The Lebanon school district has reversed its policy that barred a female student from wearing a tuxedo to her school's prom. The unidentified 17-year-old Lebanon High School senior filed a lawsuit last week. Court filings said she is a lesbian and does not wear dresses because she believes they represent...

Mexican pol hopes to be country's first gay mayor

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:51:00

An openly gay Social Democrat Party (PSD) politician is to stand for mayor of Guadalajara in Mexico. Miguel Galán, 31, will discover whether his party will put him forward as the official candidate at the end of this month, reports The Argentimes. Guadalajara has a traditionalist reputation and is currently...

D.C. rally held to protest 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:45:00

Takia Mitchell said she served openly as a lesbian for two years in South Korea without ever hearing a complaint from her commanders. After less than a year of serving secretly in New York, her new commanders forced her out of the Army under the don't ask, don't tell rules....

Colo. judge throws out confession in trans slaying

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:39:00

A Weld County district judge says prosecutors cannot use at trial a confession made by a man accused of killing a transgender woman in Greeley, Colo. Judge Marcelo Kopcow issued a ruling Tuesday that threw out a July 30 confession to police by 31-year-old Allen Andrade of Thornton. Andrade is...

Gay porn star found guilty of first degree murder

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:30:00

Harlow Cuadra slumped in his chair when he heard the jury foreperson say "guilty," convicting him for the brutal slaying of Bryan Kocis in January 2007. The verdict, which came after more than three hours of deliberation on Thursday, carries 12 convictions, including first-degree homicide. The jury will return today...

Gay bar sex complaint resolved with fine in Vegas

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:57:00

Nevada gambling regulators are recommending a $50,000 fine and a 6-month suspension of a slot machine license to resolve a complaint alleging that several patrons in a Las Vegas gay bar engaged in sex acts in public areas of the bar. The settlement signed by Snick's Place owner Dominick Vitale and state Gaming Control Board...

Closing arguments today in gay porn murder trial

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:45:00

Closing arguments are scheduled for this afternoon in the Harlow Cuadra murder trial. This morning the accused killer was back on the stand and there were more fireworks. Cuadra was cross-examined by lead prosecutor Michael Melnick for about 2 hours. Judge Peter Paul Olszewski said they had to review a...

Life in prison for Fla. man convicted of killing gay man

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 08:48:00

A Polk County man has been convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in the death of a 25-year-old gay man. After nearly two days of deliberation, jurors returned a guilty verdict on Friday for 23-year-old Joseph Eli Bearden. Prosecutors had been pushing for a first-degree murder conviction. Bearden's defense attorney...

Del. gay rights bill could see vote after decade fight

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 07:18:00

The decade-old battle to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation began anew Tuesday with the introduction of legislation in the state House. And this year, with the Senate's famous desk-drawer veto now apparently out of play, the bill's chances of reaching the governor's desk seem brighter than in...

All five gay candidates lose in Ft. Lauderdale election

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:39:00

The gay community was fired up politically after feuding with Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle in 2007, but that didn't translate to success at the polls. Coleman Prewitt's loss last night in a district City Commission race in Fort Lauderdale means that all five gay candidates lost in the February...

Israeli court allows gay couple to adopt 30-year-old

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:38:00

Openly gay former Knesset member Uzi Even and his life partner can legally adopt their 30-year-old foster son, the Tel Aviv family court ruled on Tuesday, making them the first same-sex male couple in the country whose right of adoption has been legally acknowledged. "We opened a door, an opening,...

Lesbian student sues Ind. school over wearing tux to prom

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:15:00

A 17-year-old Boone County girl has sued Lebanon Schools after her high school principal told her she could not wear a tuxedo to the school's April 25 prom but would have to wear a dress. The Lebanon High School senior, whose name is not revealed in the lawsuit, is a...

Vermont governor comes out against gay marriage

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:12:00

Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas says he's against gay marriage. Douglas says Vermont's civil unions law is good the way it is, and he says the state doesn't need a "divisive" debate on the topic. Vermont was the first state in the nation to adopt civil unions, in 2000, and legislative...

Brazilian actor refuses to dub Penn's voice in 'Milk'

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:08:00

Brazilian actor Marco Ribeiro, who has dubbed Sean Penn's voice into Portuguese for the films 21 Grams and All the King's Men has refused to help with the Oscar winner's newest film set to hit Brazilian airwaves, Milk. Ribiero is a pastor in the conservative protestant God's Assembly Church in...

Gay congressman thought U.S. had hate crime law

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:29:00

Jared Polis, the 33-year-old freshman Democrat from Colorado, put his foot in his mouth last weekend in Austin while addressing the Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus. One of three openly gay members of Congress, Polis was asked about rural hate crimes. Polis responded that if local authorities refused to investigate anti-gay hate crimes, Brown should contact...

Haggard shows up at N.Y. play about his own downfall

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:20:00

Former evangelical superpastor Ted Haggard slipped out of the Vineyard Theatre at 9:15pm tonight, with his wife, Gayle, and two other companions: filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi, who directed the 2007 HBO documentary The Trials of Ted Haggard, and her husband, Michael Vos. All four had just seen the new Civilians docutheater...

Kutcher: 'Fag' and 'gay' are as bad as the 'N-word'

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:59:00

Actor Ashton Kutcher took to Twitter this afternoon to tweet his disgust at people who use "gay" and "fag" as insults. In typical Twitter style, where capitalization and punctuation are optional, Kutcher wrote: "can we just get clear, calling some one 'gay' or 'fag' is as derogatory as calling someone...

U.S. remake of 'Absolutely Fabulous' begins filming

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:16:00

The unspeakable has begun. FOX has started filming the pilot for its American remake of Absolutely Fabulous, a favorite show of nearly every gay man living today. For years now there has been talk of an American re-imagining, but for some (good) reason, the project never came to fruition. The...

Gay porn star denies guilt in first-degree murder trial

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:08:00

Harlow Cuadra admitted he was in rival gay porn producer Bryan Kocis' home Jan. 24, 2007, but testified Tuesday he didn't kill him. His partner, Joseph Kerekes, stabbed Mr. Kocis in a jealous rage, Mr. Cuadra told jurors during the 11th day of testimony in his capital homicide trial. Later,...

Ky. adoption, foster ban on unmarried couples dies

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:02:00

The sponsor of a controversial bill to ban unmarried couples from becoming foster or adoptive parents acknowledged yesterday that the bill is dead. "It's too late," Sen. Gary Tapp, R-Shelbyville, said of Senate Bill 68, which was voted out of committee last week but still hasn't been called for a floor vote. "It didn't go...

Vt. senator pushes immigration rights for gay couples

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:51:00

Same-sex couples in Vermont enjoy the legal benefits not shared by most couples across the country. But couples with one foreign partner still face obstacles. Senator Patrick Leahy wants to change that with new legislation. Same-sex couples in the United States have made great strides in gaining legal recognition, but...

Nigerian activists oppose criminal ban on gay marriage

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:47:00

Nigerian gay rights activists have told the country's lawmakers that a new bill to outlaw same sex marriage would lead to widespread human rights abuses. The new law would mean prison sentences for gay people who live together, and anyone who "aids and abets" them. The plea by activists was...

Wash. Senate OKs domestic partner rights expansion

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:38:00

Same-sex domestic partners would have all of the rights and benefits that Washington offers married couples under a measure passed by the state Senate. Supporters of the bill said it offers same-sex couples fairness that has been denied them under the state's 1998 Defense of Marriage Act, which restricts marriage...

Gay porn star testifies in his first-degree murder trial

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:17:00

t turned out to be a bizarre morning in the murder trial of Harlow Cuadra. His former lover and alleged partner in crime took the stand Tuesday but said he didn't want to talk about the murder of Bryan Kocis. The two most important men in the case were on the stand,...

Women's only gym owner sued by pre-op transsexual

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:55:00

Here's your cutting-edge human-rights case for the day: Should a person with a penis be allowed to use the women's locker room because he feels like he's a woman? If you answered "not necessarily," please send a dollar to John Fulton, who owns a gym in St. Catharines, Ontario. He'll...

Woman calls police 500 times over gay disco noise

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:38:00

From the department of "man bites dog," we bring you the story of a Seattle woman apparently using excessive force on police. She has called 911 "once or twice every night" for the past 21 months to complain about noise coming from Neighbours, a gay dance club that has operated...

U.S. Census in 2010 won't count gay married couples

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:29:00

No matter the legal fate of Proposition 8, the 2010 Census will not count same-sex marriages or ask respondents about their sexual orientation. The federal Defense of Marriage Act signed in 1996 by President Bill Clinton does not recognize gay unions sanctioned by states. Census takers will ask same-sex couples who live together to define...

Oral argument suggests Prop. 8 compromise in Calif.

Sun, 8 Mar 2009 15:58:00

The California Supreme Court could decide that there are two kinds of same-sex couples: those who can't get married, and those who already did. A ruling that upholds both voters' November decision to ban gay marriage and the 18,000 same-sex marriages conducted earlier in California could come off as a...

Catholic Church fear U.K. school code promotes homosexuality

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 11:59:00

The Roman Catholic Church has warned that Christian schools in Britain could be forced to promote Islam and homosexuality under a new legally binding code of conduct for teachers. The newly proposed code is accused of undermining the religious ethos of Christian schools by promoting secular morality. It is also...

Despite protest, gay marriage ban kept off N.C. ballot

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 10:49:00

There is little doubt that North Carolina state legislators heard the voices of thousands of Christian conservatives outside the Legislative Building yesterday pursuing a statewide vote on a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. There is also little doubt that the rally participants will not get what they want. While voters...

Smoking prevention aims to clear the air for gays

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 06:40:00

The cigarette pitch demands a second look. Two ripped, rakish men and one lean, pristine hound pause, inexplicably, in the cool shallows of a calm green sea. "How gay is this ad?" R.E. Szego, a Portland tobacco-prevention specialist, asks when she sees such an image. It's a sincere question, not...

Philippines opens military and police to 'discreet' gays

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 06:19:00

The Philippines military and police tolerate homosexuals within their ranks—as long as they are not openly gay, officials said yesterday. Armed Forces Chief Alexander Yano said the military was open to gay recruits as long as they didn't show their tendencies. "As of now we don't have a policy on...

Ken Starr vs. transsexual in Calif.'s Prop 8 showdown

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 06:10:00

Kenneth Starr and Shannon Minter, lead attorneys in the California Supreme Court case that will decide the fate of same-sex marriage in the state, are as different as the competing sides they represent. Starr, dean of Pepperdine University School of Law, is best known for leading the inquiry into President...

Gay TV channel saves 'Sarah Silverman' third season

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 06:05:00

"The Sarah Silverman Program" will be back for a third season on Comedy Central, following the resolution of four-day day standoff over planned budget cuts. The cable channel has ordered a 10-episode season of its signature live-action series, which will now be co-financed with gay-oriented sister cable network Logo. "We're...

Gay porn star testifies murder defendant wanted him

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 05:57:00

Sean Lockhart, a well-known gay pornography star, has testified in the capital murder trial of Harlow Cuadra. Prosecutors allege Cuadra, 27, killed Bryan Kocis in January 2007 at his Dallas Township home because Cuadra thought the rival pornography producer was preventing Cuadra and his partner Joseph Kerekes from signing Lockhart...

Bill introduced to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 14:14:00

It is precisely the sort of knife fight no president wants to get into, especially in his first 100 days. But it seems that President Barack Obama is about to get dragged down the same dark alley as Bill Clinton when he was forced to confront the highly charged issue...

Mass. gay group to file lawsuit against federal DOMA

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 11:41:00

Since the 2001 filing of the landmark Goodridge suit Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) had largely confined its marriage equality advocacy to the state courts, but this month the advocacy law firm turned its sights on Washington, specifically on the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). GLAD...

Colombia court awards rights to same-sex couples

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 11:33:00

Members of the gay civil rights advocacy group Colombia Diversa just celebrated their fifth anniversary with a big event, which the occasion clearly merited due to a recent landmark decision by the Constitutional Court recognising equal rights for heterosexual and same-sex partners in common-law unions. With the ruling, the Court took a historic leap with...

Gay waiters win sexual harassment suit against gay bosses

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 11:23:00

Gay twins who worked as servers at a Los Feliz restaurant were sexually harassed by the homosexual men who owned the eatery, a jury determined today in awarding each plaintiff $1,000. The Los Angeles Superior Court jury deliberated for a little more than a half day before finding that the 32-year-old twins were forced...

Two arrested, three injured in gay bashing at Galveston bar

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 11:19:00

A 4-pound stone, one of several door stops hurled at patrons in a bar that includes gay people among its clientele, left one man with 12 staples in the back of his head and two brothers and an acquaintance accused of a hate crime. Marc Bosaw, 57, said Monday he...

Sean Penn campaigns for Harvey Milk Day in Calif.

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 11:12:00

On the heels of winning an Oscar for his role in "Milk," Sean Penn has joined a push to get the state of California to officially recognize Harvey Milk's birthday on May 22. Penn will appear at a news conference today in San Francisco with state Sen. Mark Leno, who's...

N.J. governor says he'd sign marriage equality law

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 10:49:00

Over 800 people attended a gala fundraising dinner on Saturday for Garden State Equality, a gay rights organization that advocates same sex marriage. Tickets were between $225 and $1,000. Governor Jon Corzine told the attendees that he would sign a marriage equality law, saying he hopes he gets to do...

James Dobson resigns as Focus on Family chairman

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:34:00

Dr. James Dobson has resigned as chairman of the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family. Jim Daly, president and chief executive officer of the Colorado Springs, Colo.-based ministry, said Friday that Dobson will continue to host the organization's flagship radio program and speak out on moral issues. The departure...

Statue of gay activist to be placed in Utah's Capitol?

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:29:00

Senator Chris Buttars meet Harvey Milk. In response to the senator's recent anti-gay comments, a Sandy man now wants to put a statue of the famous gay activist at the state capitol. When Senator Buttars compared gays to radical Muslims and said gays represent America's greatest threat, Roger Carrier never thought he would hear a...

Home of D.C. gay activists named historic landmark

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:18:00

It's a simple, brick, neocolonial house: two stories with a screened porch and a one-car garage. It was built in 1955, a time when being gay was enough to get you fired from your job. Yesterday, this ordinary-looking house at 5020 Cathedral Ave. NW was designated a D.C. Historic Landmark...

HRC seeks pay, benefit cuts from unionized staffers

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:50:00

As the recession continues to take a toll on non-profit organizations, the Human Rights Campaign is seeking to renegotiate a contract with its unionized workers. Stacey Mink, a union spokesperson, said HRC has proposed "pay and benefit cuts" for its 75 workers that are part of the Service Employees International...

Is a Democrat in control of Log Cabin Republicans?

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:21:00

The amount of money that the Gill Action Fund has contributed to the Log Cabin Republicans — about one-third of its total budget in some years — is raising questions about Democratic influence over the GOP organization and its search for a new president. Tim Gill, founder and chair of...

Idaho Senate panel kills gay civil rights protections

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:40:00

A state Senate committee on Friday rejected a proposal to forbid discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. About 50 supporters of the proposed change to the Idaho Human Rights Act filed quietly out of the room, some in tears, after the Senate State Affairs Committee voice vote. Similar bills have...

Colo. Republican half-apologize for gay-murder link

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:30:00

A Colorado Republican says his choice of words may have been wrong, but he is not backing off from a condemnation of homosexuality as a sin. State Sen. Scott Renfroe has been at the center of storm of controversy after telling the Colorado Senate this week that homosexuality an "offense...

Trial links porn actor-producer to his murdered rival

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:18:00

Justin Hensley said he was out of work in April 2005 when Joseph Kerekes offered him a job as an escort for Norfolk Male Escorts in Virginia. Hensley then began performing with Kerekes' partner, Harlow Cuadra, in gay pornographic films and moved in with the two in July 2005 to...

A Different Light gay bookstore closes in Los Angeles

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:05:00

After nearly 30 years in business in Los Angeles, A Different Light Bookstore on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood is closing its doors. A sign will go in the window on February 25th letting its customers know. A store-wide sale aims to help the store move through the majority of its current inventory. Bill...

Phelps clan are banned from Britain as 'extremists'

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 09:00:00

Two U.S. anti-gay preachers have been banned from entering England, officials said.
Fred Phelps and his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper, who belong to the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas, were planning to come to Britain to protest outside a performance of "The Laramie Project," the Times of London reported Friday. The plan...

Lesbian files suit after hospital blocked dying visit

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 08:53:00

As her partner of 17 years slipped into a coma, Janice Langbehn pleaded with doctors and anyone who would listen to let her into the woman's hospital room. Eight anguishing hours passed before Langbehn would be allowed into Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center. By then, she could only say her final farewell as a...

Calif. high school cancels play 'Rent' over gay worries

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 08:47:00

Drama students and alumni of Corona del Mar High School are staging an uproar, following accusations that a principal's alleged censorship sank the school's planned production of the musical "Rent." In an anonymously published letter circulated to students, alumni and gay websites like queerty.com, a student accuses principal Fal Asrani...

New gay immigration bill introduced in U.S. Congress

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 08:34:00

Last week, lawmakers from both houses of Congress resurrected a bill that would provide for more equitable treatment of binational LGBT couples. The Uniting American Families Act would, among other stipulations, allow the same-sex foreign partners of American citizens to receive the same immigration opportunities currently provided to binational heterosexual...

Utah senator stripped of panel posts for gay comments

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 08:28:00

Despite being stripped of his membership and chairmanship of two Utah Senate committees for his anti-gay rant, Republican Sen. Chris Buttars was defiant Friday. He strongly disagreed with the decision by Senate leaders from his own party to reprimand him and refused to apologize to those who said they were hurt by his comments....

Gay drag choice for homecoming queen divides school

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 08:21:00

Spend time with George Mason University senior Ryan Allen and it's clear why he's a Big Man on Campus. He wears size 12 pumps. Allen is now -- as of halftime at Saturday's sold-out basketball game against Northeastern at the Patriot Center -- the school's homecoming queen. He received more votes than...

Billie Jean King reflects on coming out back in 1981

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:58:00

Ten years after the 1999 Australian Open, where Amelie Mauresmo publicly acknowledged that she is a lesbian, Billie Jean King spoke to Tennis.com about her own rocky coming out nearly three decades ago. King, the first prominent athlete to come out, was forced to do so after she was outed...