By Carl Siciliano, Executive Director, Ali Forney Center
09.25.2008 10:49pm EDT
As National Coming Out Day approaches, I find myself wondering if the LGBT community is failing too many of the teens who come out.
When a teen comes out, and their parents are able to accept them, it is a wonderful thing. However, recent studies have shown that as many as 25 percent of teens face rejection by their parents and families when they come out. Our nation’s homeless youth population is swollen with LGBT youth who have been thrown to the streets as a punishment for their honesty and integrity in coming out.
In last year’s report “An Epidemic of Homelessness,” the Task Force cited studies showing that up to 40 percent of all the homeless youth in the United States are LGBT.
It is upsetting and disturbing to hear the stories kids tell us when they seek help from the Ali Forney Center. We hear of kids being battered and beaten by their parents and family members. We hear of kids being told that they are damned and unloved by God by their religious leaders.
We hear of kids being gaybashed in youth shelters, most of which in our country are “faith-based.”
A common theme I hear in the stories our kids tell us is how, in the eyes of their families and communities, their being LGBT cancels out their human value. They become no longer worthy of love and protection in the eyes of their parents.
A common theme I hear in the stories our kids tell us is how, in the eyes of their families and communities, their being LGBT cancels out their human value. They become no longer worthy of love and protection in the eyes of their parents.
This is where the broader LGBT community must come to the table.
We need to show our kids that they are loved and cherished for who they are. We have an obligation to our youth to create and support structures that protect queer youth when their parents refuse to do so.
In every city we need to be advocating that youth shelters be safe for LGBT youth, and that distinct programs be created and funded to meet the needs of LGBT youth. Paying closer attention to the needs of our kids needs to be a higher priority for us as a community on local and national levels.
I am proud of the Ali Forney Center’s trailblazing efforts in responding to the urgent needs of homeless LGBT youth. We opened in 2002 with six cots in a church basement. Since then, we have grown to offer eight seperate residential sites with the capacity to house 50 youth per night. We have a drop-in center that offers food, showers, medical and mental health care, HIV testing and prevention services, and vocational and educational assistance to over 500 youth per year.
We offer the kind of guidance, support, and protection that youth should be receiving from their families.
When Ali Forney, a homeless queer youth, was murdered on the streets of NYC in 1997, this kind of support for LGBT youth did not exist. Ali was faced with the choice of staying in a Roman Catholic-run youth shelter where gaybashing was notoriously prevelent, or of struggling to survive on the streets. Ali chose the streets, and was mudered on a cold December night.
It is wonderful now to see how our youth are able to thrive when given the kind of nurturing and support they need. We were so proud this past summer when one of our former clients, Lamont, was fearured in a New York Daily News article about his courageous efforts in founding the first LGBT student club at Medgar Evers College, where he became a student while living in our housing program.
We were also filled with pride last summer when Andre, another of our kids, was given a full scholoship to dance at the Alvin Ailey School.
Most recently we have exhaulted in the accomplishments of Isis, who came to us last year with a fierce determination to pursue a career in fashion, and moved from our housing program in June to become the first trans woman contentent on America’s Next Top Model!
However, the Ali Forney Center is a rarity. There are only a small handful of programs in our country dedicated to housing LGBT youth - there are tens of thousands of LGBT youth enduring the terrors and humiliations of homelessness on our streets.
The protection and safety of our youth must become a central priority of our community. We need to show these kids, and ourselves, that they are valued. When a kid is thrown to the streets for being gay, it is an assault against each one of us.
We need to do a better job, so that when kids come out of the closet, they do not have to be thrown to the streets.
Monday, September 29
"Every day, I was afraid for my sister. The world, the way it is, most people wouldn't accept who she was."
By Monte Whaley
The Denver Post
BRIGHTON — Angie Zapata's life was becoming more complicated and dangerous by the day.
As she neared her 19th birthday, she needed to shave daily to keep up appearances. Her Adam's apple was growing larger, an emerging tip-off that Angie was not exactly whom she claimed to be.
She was living in Greeley away from her protective older sister, Monica, and other family members for the first time. The striking, 6-foot-tall Latina began running with a bad crowd that sold drugs.
Angie was restless. She needed money for cosmetology school and for counseling to prepare her for hormone treatments so her breasts would develop.
"Every day, I was afraid for my sister," said Monica Zapata. "The world, the way it is, most people wouldn't accept who she was."
Born Justin Zapata, Angie wanted to live and love as a transgender female.
Her quest for a normal life on her terms ended in July, when she was beaten to death in her one-bedroom, $300-a-month apartment.
Her alleged assailant, 31-year-old Allen Andrade of Thornton, met Angie on a dating website. He grew suspicious while looking at photographs of Angie in her apartment, according to Greeley police. He confronted her about her sexual status; she allegedly said: "I'm all woman." Then he grabbed her crotch and felt a penis, police said.
Enraged, he first hit Angie with his fists. Then he used a fire extinguisher, hitting her up to five times, prosecutors said.
He covered her body with a blanket and left the apartment, taking a credit card belonging to Monica Zapata as well as Monica's 2003 PT Cruiser.
Find more after the jump...
Google opposes ban on gay marriage
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • September 29, 2008
Internet company Google will publicly oppose an attempt to ban same-sex marriage in California.
Co-founder Sergey Brin said in a blog posting that the company, which is headquartered in the state and employs nearly 20,000 people, sees the issue as one of equality.
It is unclear if Google will contribute to the campaign opposing Proposition 8.
In the past weeks Hollywood celebritities Brad Pitt and Steven Spielberg have donated to the campaign.
Proposition 8 is an initiative measure on the 2008 California General Election ballot in November.
It would amend the state Constitution to "eliminate right of same-sex couples to marry."
In May the California Supreme Court overturned a ban on same-sex marriages in the state.
The Court voted 4 to 3 to strike down the ban.
Opponents of gay marriage raised over more than a million signatures to place the initiative on the November ballot.
"While there are many objections to this proposition - further government encroachment on personal lives, ambiguously written text - it is the chilling and discriminatory effect of the proposition on many of our employees that brings Google to publicly oppose Proposition 8," wrote Mr Brin.
Find more after the jump...
Police ‘very close’ to arrests
LOU CHIBBARO JR
Friday, September 26, 2008
Police homicide detectives said they were “very close” this week to arresting one or more suspects in the murder of Tony Randolph Hunter, a gay Maryland man who died after he was attacked near a D.C. gay club.
Assistant D.C. Police Chief Diane Grooms said Monday before a meeting of Gays & Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV) that investigators were “very close to closing” the case.
Find more after the jump...
Hunter died Sept. 17, 10 days after four men attacked him near BeBar.
Grooms and acting Lt. Brett Parson, director of the department’s Special Liaison Units, including the Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit, said at the GLOV meeting that police officers stationed near the scene of the Sept. 7 attack against Hunter and his friend, Trevor Carter, saw the attackers fleeing the scene from about one block away.
Grooms and Parson said they could not disclose additional details of the investigation, but noted they were hopeful that arrests would be made soon.
Friday, September 26
Gay man flies under radar as major mover and shaker in Obama’s campaign
Steve Hildebrand has the opportunity to become one of the highest-ranking openly gay members of a presidential administration if Sen. Barack Obama is elected this year.
Hildebrand has been with the campaign since before it officially formed, and currently serves as deputy national campaign manager.
“I was the Kool-Aid drinker from the beginning,” Hildebrand said, smiling during a recent trip to Atlanta.
Hildebrand grew up in a small South Dakota city best known for the Mitchell Corn Palace. He wears his graying hair in a buzz cut, and admits to feeling unfashionable at some of the campaign’s more trendy events. He doesn’t enjoy talking about himself and hates having his picture taken.
Hildebrand started in politics working for Democrats in western states. Quickly earning praise for his field operations skills, he ran the Gore Iowa Caucus campaign in 2000 and managed campaigns for Sen. Tom Daschle and Sen. Tim Johnson in his home state. He was also one of the first to talk about an Obama presidency.
“I was the one who was literally emailing 300 people Barack Obama clips every day for months, driving people crazy,” he said. “I then got connected with him and had a long series of meetings around a conference table trying to make sure that this made any sense.”
Find more after the jump...
‘These kids are invisible’: An LGBT youth shelter in words and pictures
It’s a gorgeous mid-September Tuesday evening in New York City and the setting sun warmly glows over the streets of Midtown. Chelsea, New York’s gayest enclave, shifts into party mode just a few blocks south. To the northeast, the world is starting to queue up for Broadway hits. Meanwhile, commuters rush to the comforts of home.
But for thousands of gay youth in Gotham, there will be no partying, no theater, no playing tonight.
And once again, no home.
Estimates say that a staggering 20,000 young people are homeless every night in the city, - anywhere from a quarter to a third of those are LGBTQ kids. A lucky fraction of that number has found its way to Sylvia’s Place, tucked here on the city’s far west side, so near and so far from so much wealth.
Sylvia’s Place is the subject of Queer Streets, a new Logo documentary shot in 2006 which followed seven LGBT teens who frequented the shelter. To see what Sylvia’s place is like now, I step into this surreal and humbling world to meet with Kate Barnhart, director of Sylvia’s Place since 2004.
Tonight, like every Tuesday evening, dinner is being served by a small team of volunteers from the adjacent Metropolitan Community Church of New York. I take a seat on a metal folding chair next to Kate’s desk, not quite sure where to put my manpurse amidst the overflowing boxes, plastic bags, and just plain stuff that’s everywhere. She motions for me to throw it into the area behind her, with a dozen other backpacks and handbags.
“Behind my body is the safest place, so everyone stashes their stuff back here,” she says.
Find more after the jump...
But for thousands of gay youth in Gotham, there will be no partying, no theater, no playing tonight.
And once again, no home.
Estimates say that a staggering 20,000 young people are homeless every night in the city, - anywhere from a quarter to a third of those are LGBTQ kids. A lucky fraction of that number has found its way to Sylvia’s Place, tucked here on the city’s far west side, so near and so far from so much wealth.
Sylvia’s Place is the subject of Queer Streets, a new Logo documentary shot in 2006 which followed seven LGBT teens who frequented the shelter. To see what Sylvia’s place is like now, I step into this surreal and humbling world to meet with Kate Barnhart, director of Sylvia’s Place since 2004.
Tonight, like every Tuesday evening, dinner is being served by a small team of volunteers from the adjacent Metropolitan Community Church of New York. I take a seat on a metal folding chair next to Kate’s desk, not quite sure where to put my manpurse amidst the overflowing boxes, plastic bags, and just plain stuff that’s everywhere. She motions for me to throw it into the area behind her, with a dozen other backpacks and handbags.
“Behind my body is the safest place, so everyone stashes their stuff back here,” she says.
Find more after the jump...
Dallas Southern Pride adds black/Latino summit, literary reading to 2008 event schedule
By Ben Briscoe
Sep 25, 2008
Dallas Southern Pride, an annual celebration for the African-American LGBT community, will run Oct. 2-5 and has a significantly different direction this year than in the past, according to organizers.
“Last year there was a big focus on parties, but this year we are going to focus on our daytime events as well,” said Cochair Venton Jones. “The community felt the need to extend our programming and services to foster holistic change with African-American, Latino and LGBT communities.”
Jai Makokha, of Legacy of Success Foundation, is excited about the new direction.
“I think the coordinators are bringing a much warranted change,” he said. “This event is really about uplifting the community, and I think this will do that.”
This year’s theme for the event, which normally draws about 10,000 people, will be “Come Out and Play.” The two biggest additions to the celebration will be a literary reading showcasing national black LGBT authors and the “National Black & Brown Summit.”
The reading will bring in Michael Christopher, Fiona Zedde, Tim’m T. West, Nikki Rashan. It will take place Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m at the same location as all of the other Southern Pride events, Sterling Hotel Dallas.
Find more after the jump...
Sep 25, 2008
Dallas Southern Pride, an annual celebration for the African-American LGBT community, will run Oct. 2-5 and has a significantly different direction this year than in the past, according to organizers.
“Last year there was a big focus on parties, but this year we are going to focus on our daytime events as well,” said Cochair Venton Jones. “The community felt the need to extend our programming and services to foster holistic change with African-American, Latino and LGBT communities.”
Jai Makokha, of Legacy of Success Foundation, is excited about the new direction.
“I think the coordinators are bringing a much warranted change,” he said. “This event is really about uplifting the community, and I think this will do that.”
This year’s theme for the event, which normally draws about 10,000 people, will be “Come Out and Play.” The two biggest additions to the celebration will be a literary reading showcasing national black LGBT authors and the “National Black & Brown Summit.”
The reading will bring in Michael Christopher, Fiona Zedde, Tim’m T. West, Nikki Rashan. It will take place Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m at the same location as all of the other Southern Pride events, Sterling Hotel Dallas.
Find more after the jump...
Monday, September 22
100th Post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you to all our readers for continuing to support this effort. Please be sure to let friends and family know about us...about our truth and our voice!
This is HBCU+HRC Blog 100th post!!!!
This is HBCU+HRC Blog 100th post!!!!
Nashville conference to support gays in the pews
Does God love and accept His gay children? Is it possible to be gay and religious? Where do struggling parents, friends and family go to understand and accept a gay family member? These questions are at the heart of the Our Family Matters conference held Wednesday, Oct. 22 through Saturday, Oct. 25 at Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville.
Launched as a live version of Kim Clark’s documentary, God and Gays: Bridging the Gap, the four-day conference offers a contemporary Christian perspective on being gay and Christian. The schedule includes a film festival, live concerts, national keynote speakers (Dr. Jack Rogers, Rev. Deborah Johnson) and three days of workshops.
Reverend Jim Kitchens is pastor of the event’s host church, and is elated this conference is coming to his hometown.
“There are many more affirming churches in Tennessee than most initially think. Most mainstream congregations are very inclusive and welcome everyone as they are, with open arms. Especially given the recent shooting at the Unitarian-Universalist Church in Knoxville, it’s important that we all stand together to give public witness to our love for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters,” said Kitchens.
Clark agrees that Our Family Matters comes to Tennessee at a crucial time.
Find more after the jump...
Launched as a live version of Kim Clark’s documentary, God and Gays: Bridging the Gap, the four-day conference offers a contemporary Christian perspective on being gay and Christian. The schedule includes a film festival, live concerts, national keynote speakers (Dr. Jack Rogers, Rev. Deborah Johnson) and three days of workshops.
Reverend Jim Kitchens is pastor of the event’s host church, and is elated this conference is coming to his hometown.
“There are many more affirming churches in Tennessee than most initially think. Most mainstream congregations are very inclusive and welcome everyone as they are, with open arms. Especially given the recent shooting at the Unitarian-Universalist Church in Knoxville, it’s important that we all stand together to give public witness to our love for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters,” said Kitchens.
Clark agrees that Our Family Matters comes to Tennessee at a crucial time.
Find more after the jump...
Activist tries to break cycle of gay teen suicide
"Why did God create me this way?"
That's what Mitchell Gold asked himself as a teenager in the mid-1960s as he hid his homosexuality from family and friends. The better he got at the hiding game on the outside, the more torn up he became on the inside.
What he called "the black cloud" swallowed him up. And he found himself thinking of ways to kill himself -- from overdosing on sleeping pills to driving off a cliff.
Gold felt completely alone, but the sad truth is that countless other gay and lesbian teens were feeling just as painfully isolated. Unlike Gold, many gay and lesbian teens of his generation didn't make it. Many gay teens are still not making it. And this tragic pattern won't change unless all of us -- gay and heterosexual alike -- help break the cycle.
hat's the latest message of the once self-hating gay teen who grew up to become the successful co-founder of the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams furniture company and an innovative gay-rights activist.
Find more after the jump...
That's what Mitchell Gold asked himself as a teenager in the mid-1960s as he hid his homosexuality from family and friends. The better he got at the hiding game on the outside, the more torn up he became on the inside.
What he called "the black cloud" swallowed him up. And he found himself thinking of ways to kill himself -- from overdosing on sleeping pills to driving off a cliff.
Gold felt completely alone, but the sad truth is that countless other gay and lesbian teens were feeling just as painfully isolated. Unlike Gold, many gay and lesbian teens of his generation didn't make it. Many gay teens are still not making it. And this tragic pattern won't change unless all of us -- gay and heterosexual alike -- help break the cycle.
hat's the latest message of the once self-hating gay teen who grew up to become the successful co-founder of the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams furniture company and an innovative gay-rights activist.
Find more after the jump...
VP Nominee Joe Biden to Address HRC Dinner
With Barack Obama's campaign continuing its outreach to LGBT voters, Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden is expected to speak at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner this weekend in Washington, D.C.
Biden’s decision to speak comes on the heels of the Obama camp’s landmark policy call discussing the Democratic presidential ticket’s opposition to “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Biden has long supported a repeal of the policy.
"If the support Senator Biden has proven on our issues is any indication of the type of vice president he will be," HRC President Joe Solmonese said in a statement just after Biden was added to the Democratic ticket, "then our community can be assured that Senator Obama has chosen a thoughtful and staunch advocate for equality as his closest adviser."
Biden returned the compliment, expressing his support of the HRC in a statement.
"I'm honored to participate in this event," Biden said. "Discrimination has no place in this country and I am proud to stand with HRC in the fight to end it."
In recent years Biden served as one of the most vocal advocates of repealing the U.S. ban on HIV-positive visitors and immigrants in the latest renewal of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
Biden has also vocally opposed “don’t ask, don’t tell” and the Federal Marriage Amendment. Additionally, Biden supports extending hate-crimes and job bias protection to LGBT people. (The Advocate)
Friday, September 19
Sam Ronson is a "Fresh Kid", says Kanye
Star rapper and fashion icon, Kanye West, featured Sam Ronson on his daily blog as today's Fresh Kid. Kanye's Fresh Kid post is reserved for fashionable, up and coming entertainers and known personalities. Ronson has gain more fame over the last few months because of the speculation that she and Lindsey Lohan are an item. Here's what he had to say about Ronson:
In 2000, Ronson spun live for MTV New Year's Eve 2001's show from the network's studios in New York Times Square. In 2002, it was announced Duncan Sheik would be co-producing an album for Ronson that would be out in the spring. In 2004, she opened for JC Chasez on his Schizophrenic tour.
Ronson distinguished herself by becoming the first rock act signed to Roc-A-Fella Records. She released four songs under the label "Super" with very little public interest: "Pull My Hair Out", "Fool", "If It's Gonna Rain" and "Built This Way," and wrote and recorded her first album, Blue. "Built This Way" was featured in the movie Mean Girls starring Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams. RED was never officially released, though song downloads were made available from her MySpace page. Ronson has also made a number of appearances on mix tapes produced by artists on the Roc-A-Fella label. In a January 2008 interview with MTV News, it was revealed Ronson had parted ways with her label and is currently focusing on DJing.
Ronson was co-owner of the New York City nightclub The Plumm, along with actor Chris Noth among others.
While comments on the post seem to varied, I have to agree that Ronson is indeed a Fresh Kid...if only for bagging the very ovah Miss Lohan!
Find the post here...
Wednesday, September 17
Indictments in N.J. killings
Six defendants were indicted Monday on murder and other charges in the brutal killings of three teenagers last summer in Newark, N.J. A fourth victim survived and two of the suspects are charged with sexually assaulting her.
Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow said yesterday that robbery and gang activity were factors in the case, but she declined to reveal what police think is the motive for the attack.
The Blade has been reporting all along that the real motive for the killings was anti-gay bias. At least two of the victims were gay and sources have told us that jewelry, cell phones and other items of value were found at the crime scene, eliminating the robbery motive. The teens were said to be en route to a Black Gay Pride event in New York.
It’s been more than a year since the grisly murders, the full details of which the Blade and other media outlets have declined to report. And yet in all that time, mainstream media still won’t touch the gay angle. The New York Times mentioned the gay rumors in passing, but local media in New Jersey are colluding with police to cover up the true motive for the attack. If the Blade can uncover sources in Newark — activists, friends, politicians — who knew the victims to be gay and are urging a full investigation of the hate crime angle — then surely the New York Times, the Newark Star-Ledger and other nearby outlets can do the same. I’d be happy to share our sources with them.
Find more after the jump...
Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow said yesterday that robbery and gang activity were factors in the case, but she declined to reveal what police think is the motive for the attack.
The Blade has been reporting all along that the real motive for the killings was anti-gay bias. At least two of the victims were gay and sources have told us that jewelry, cell phones and other items of value were found at the crime scene, eliminating the robbery motive. The teens were said to be en route to a Black Gay Pride event in New York.
It’s been more than a year since the grisly murders, the full details of which the Blade and other media outlets have declined to report. And yet in all that time, mainstream media still won’t touch the gay angle. The New York Times mentioned the gay rumors in passing, but local media in New Jersey are colluding with police to cover up the true motive for the attack. If the Blade can uncover sources in Newark — activists, friends, politicians — who knew the victims to be gay and are urging a full investigation of the hate crime angle — then surely the New York Times, the Newark Star-Ledger and other nearby outlets can do the same. I’d be happy to share our sources with them.
Find more after the jump...
LGBT group focuses on voter registration
Shannon Simcox
Daily Collegian, The
Daniel Kolbe said this election will directly affect how he lives his life.
"It's important to me to have the right to be an equal citizen in our country," said Kolbe, a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community (LGBT).
Passionate about his beliefs, Kolbe is president of LGBT Students for Obama, created in March. Kolbe (junior-information sciences and technology) would like to bring LGBT issues into the spotlight this election by informing voters.
Both Kolbe and Zachary Zabel, president of Penn State Students for Barack Obama, said Obama has the community's best interests in mind.
At this time, LGBT Students for Obama is focusing mainly on registration, with a forum planned for the upcoming Coming Out Week. In the future, Kolbe has strong goals for the group.
"One of our plans, our goals, I guess is to try and include the State College community with it. We also want to basically try and bring a lot of LGBT and basic human rights issues to the front and have people look honestly at all the issues within the campaign and make informed decisions on who they are going to be voting for," Kolbe said.
Obama addresses many of the issues the LGBT community is interested in, Zabel said.
Find more after the jump...
Daily Collegian, The
Daniel Kolbe said this election will directly affect how he lives his life.
"It's important to me to have the right to be an equal citizen in our country," said Kolbe, a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community (LGBT).
Passionate about his beliefs, Kolbe is president of LGBT Students for Obama, created in March. Kolbe (junior-information sciences and technology) would like to bring LGBT issues into the spotlight this election by informing voters.
Both Kolbe and Zachary Zabel, president of Penn State Students for Barack Obama, said Obama has the community's best interests in mind.
At this time, LGBT Students for Obama is focusing mainly on registration, with a forum planned for the upcoming Coming Out Week. In the future, Kolbe has strong goals for the group.
"One of our plans, our goals, I guess is to try and include the State College community with it. We also want to basically try and bring a lot of LGBT and basic human rights issues to the front and have people look honestly at all the issues within the campaign and make informed decisions on who they are going to be voting for," Kolbe said.
Obama addresses many of the issues the LGBT community is interested in, Zabel said.
Find more after the jump...
Monday, September 15
Racist "Obama Waffles" Sold at "Value" Voters Summit
Black, gay blogger extraordinaire Rod 2.0 is reporting this story, take a look:
Over the weekend at the Values Voters Summit, conservative activists eagerly bought boxes of "Obama Waffles" that featured several racist caricatures of Sen. Barack Obama on the front, back and top flap. The Democratic presidential nominee is depicted with "popping eyes and big, thick lips" and another image depicts Obama wearing an Arab-like headdress on its top flap. "Point toward Mecca for tastier waffles!" reads the instructions.
Find more after the jump...
Thursday, September 11
PFLAG to counter ‘ex-gays’ at Palin church-supported conference
(Anchorage, Alaska) Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays intends to offer support Saturday outside an Anchorage conference of the controversial “Love Won Out” conference in Anchorage.
The conference, which claims homosexuality can be “cured” through prayer, is being promoted by Gov. Sarah Palin’s church. “Love Won Out” is part of Focus on the Family, the national Christian fundamentalist organization.
Mainstream psychiatrists and psychologists have discredited the group’s assertion that homosexuality is learned and can be reversed.
Gay rights advocates call the conference “dangerous.”
“Families never win at Love Won Out,” said Jane Schlittler, president of PFLAG’s Anchorage, Alaska chapter.
“The conference’s organizers maliciously target often well-meaning parents who are dealing with a difficult issue in their lives, and in the process put their kids’ well-being at risk. Make no mistake: There is far more ‘preying’ than ‘praying’ taking place at these meetings, and far more harming than healing in the doctrine of Love Won Out,” she said.
Critics of the so-called ex-gay movement say groups like “Love Won Out” use outmoded medical theories and radical religious beliefs.
Find more after the jump...
The conference, which claims homosexuality can be “cured” through prayer, is being promoted by Gov. Sarah Palin’s church. “Love Won Out” is part of Focus on the Family, the national Christian fundamentalist organization.
Mainstream psychiatrists and psychologists have discredited the group’s assertion that homosexuality is learned and can be reversed.
Gay rights advocates call the conference “dangerous.”
“Families never win at Love Won Out,” said Jane Schlittler, president of PFLAG’s Anchorage, Alaska chapter.
“The conference’s organizers maliciously target often well-meaning parents who are dealing with a difficult issue in their lives, and in the process put their kids’ well-being at risk. Make no mistake: There is far more ‘preying’ than ‘praying’ taking place at these meetings, and far more harming than healing in the doctrine of Love Won Out,” she said.
Critics of the so-called ex-gay movement say groups like “Love Won Out” use outmoded medical theories and radical religious beliefs.
Find more after the jump...
Obama’s gay mentor speaks out
By LOU CHIBBARO JR, Washington Blade
As an 18-year-old undergraduate student at Occidental College in Los Angeles, Barack Obama was among a coterie of students who spoke regularly with Lawrence Goldyn.
Goldyn, an openly gay political science professor who served as a mentor and friend to many of the school’s minority students, said Obama joined him and other students in discussions about social and political issues at a time when Obama was beginning to develop an interest in politics and civil rights causes.
“He was one of those unusual, straight young men who was secure enough in his sexuality that he was not fearful of being associated with me, whether that involved taking a class or just talking socially,” said Goldyn, who also served as faculty adviser for Occidental’s gay student group.
Goldyn, who was at Occidental from 1978 to 1981, has since changed professions and now works as a physician and medical director for a clinic in Northern California, with a specialty in HIV medicine.
He decided to speak with the Blade about his interaction with Obama during their years at Occidental after Obama told the Advocate, in an April interview, that Goldyn had a “strong influence” in his understanding and perception of gay people and gay rights.
Find more after the jump...
As an 18-year-old undergraduate student at Occidental College in Los Angeles, Barack Obama was among a coterie of students who spoke regularly with Lawrence Goldyn.
Goldyn, an openly gay political science professor who served as a mentor and friend to many of the school’s minority students, said Obama joined him and other students in discussions about social and political issues at a time when Obama was beginning to develop an interest in politics and civil rights causes.
“He was one of those unusual, straight young men who was secure enough in his sexuality that he was not fearful of being associated with me, whether that involved taking a class or just talking socially,” said Goldyn, who also served as faculty adviser for Occidental’s gay student group.
Goldyn, who was at Occidental from 1978 to 1981, has since changed professions and now works as a physician and medical director for a clinic in Northern California, with a specialty in HIV medicine.
He decided to speak with the Blade about his interaction with Obama during their years at Occidental after Obama told the Advocate, in an April interview, that Goldyn had a “strong influence” in his understanding and perception of gay people and gay rights.
Find more after the jump...
Anti-Gay Protest Fizzles, Obama Pride Sizzles in NYC
by Kilian Melloy
EDGE Contributor
Tuesday Sep 9, 2008
An Obama Pride gathering sizzled in New York City last weekend, while a few blocks away a Hispanic anti-gay demonstration fizzled.
Sunday, Sept. 7 saw two very different gatherings taking place in Manhattan, with one--a GLBT Obama rally--attended by a supportive throng, while the other--an anti-gay protest led by Hispanic clergy--drew only a relatively paltry crowd.
The anti-gay clergy and their supporters met at 25 Federal Plaza, even as the Obama Pride crowd assembled mere blocks away.
As noted by gay Web blog Blabbeando, the NYC Obama Pride gathering took place at City Hall, while an estimate 250-300 people showed up for the anti-gay event, which Blabbeando reported featured homophobic speeches, including an address from "the very non-Latino... Joseph Mattera of the Christ Covenant Coalition," whom Blabbeando said had "been at work in 'diversifying' religious opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion-rights for more than a few years perhaps in order to make discrimination a tad bit more palatable to the general masses."
Find more after the jump...
EDGE Contributor
Tuesday Sep 9, 2008
An Obama Pride gathering sizzled in New York City last weekend, while a few blocks away a Hispanic anti-gay demonstration fizzled.
Sunday, Sept. 7 saw two very different gatherings taking place in Manhattan, with one--a GLBT Obama rally--attended by a supportive throng, while the other--an anti-gay protest led by Hispanic clergy--drew only a relatively paltry crowd.
The anti-gay clergy and their supporters met at 25 Federal Plaza, even as the Obama Pride crowd assembled mere blocks away.
As noted by gay Web blog Blabbeando, the NYC Obama Pride gathering took place at City Hall, while an estimate 250-300 people showed up for the anti-gay event, which Blabbeando reported featured homophobic speeches, including an address from "the very non-Latino... Joseph Mattera of the Christ Covenant Coalition," whom Blabbeando said had "been at work in 'diversifying' religious opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion-rights for more than a few years perhaps in order to make discrimination a tad bit more palatable to the general masses."
Find more after the jump...
Tuesday, September 9
HIV-Positive Man Sues McDonald's for Wrongful Termination
A man is suing a McDonald's restaurant in Dyersville, Iowa, allegedly it fired him because he is a gay man with HIV. Daniel Carver claims he was promised a promotion and a full-time schedule, which he did not receive, according to the Dubuque Telegraph Herald newspaper. A manager punched him in the stomach, and another employee called him a "faggot rat" and slapped him with a slice of cheese, Carver alleges. Additionally, he claims he received death threats from other employees. Though he reported the problems to a manager, the incidents continued. He was fired in February 2008, after almost four months of employment.
He has filed his claim with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. The commission has sent Carver, 46, a right-to-sue letter, prompting him to file suit in the Dubuque County district court.
Iowa law prohibits workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Since the law was enacted in 2007, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission has received six complaints for gender identity discrimination and eight for sexual orientation discrimination, according to the Telegraph Herald. State law also bans discrimination against an employee who is HIV-positive. The state's department of health reports that nearly 2,000 Iowans have HIV. (The Advocate)
Find the article here.
He has filed his claim with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. The commission has sent Carver, 46, a right-to-sue letter, prompting him to file suit in the Dubuque County district court.
Iowa law prohibits workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Since the law was enacted in 2007, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission has received six complaints for gender identity discrimination and eight for sexual orientation discrimination, according to the Telegraph Herald. State law also bans discrimination against an employee who is HIV-positive. The state's department of health reports that nearly 2,000 Iowans have HIV. (The Advocate)
Find the article here.
Palin supporters, black Obama voters will help pass Florida's gay marriage ban
Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald
TALLAHASSEE -- The ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage in Florida continues to be in trouble, a new poll released Monday by Quinnipiac University found, so promoters are now pinning their hopes on presidential politics to push them over the top.
The poll found Florida voters support the same-sex marriage ban by 55-41 percent, but that falls short of the 60 percent needed to become law.
Supporters say that both Sarah Palin, the right-leaning Alaskan governor credited for firing up the Republican's conservative base, and the historic candidacy of Democrat Barack Obama will bring out more proponents of Amendment 2.
''Palin may turn out more conservative voters who might have stayed home,'' said Steve Strang, founder of Orlando-based Charisma Magazine for evangelicals. ``If they support Sarah Palin, they most likely will vote on this amendment.''
OBAMA SUPPORTERS
Meanwhile, Obama will draw black voters ''who know and understand this issue,'' said John Stemberger, president and general counsel of the Florida Family Policy Council, which is promoting the Yeson2 campaign.
The poll of 1,427 Florida voters was conducted Sept. 2-4 and has a margin of error of 2.6 percentage points. Amendment 2 would define marriage as a legal union between a man and a woman.
Although same-sex marriage is already illegal in Florida, the amendment enshrines it in the constitution and prevents the establishment of civil unions by adding that ``no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.''
Find more after the jump...
Miami Herald
TALLAHASSEE -- The ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage in Florida continues to be in trouble, a new poll released Monday by Quinnipiac University found, so promoters are now pinning their hopes on presidential politics to push them over the top.
The poll found Florida voters support the same-sex marriage ban by 55-41 percent, but that falls short of the 60 percent needed to become law.
Supporters say that both Sarah Palin, the right-leaning Alaskan governor credited for firing up the Republican's conservative base, and the historic candidacy of Democrat Barack Obama will bring out more proponents of Amendment 2.
''Palin may turn out more conservative voters who might have stayed home,'' said Steve Strang, founder of Orlando-based Charisma Magazine for evangelicals. ``If they support Sarah Palin, they most likely will vote on this amendment.''
OBAMA SUPPORTERS
Meanwhile, Obama will draw black voters ''who know and understand this issue,'' said John Stemberger, president and general counsel of the Florida Family Policy Council, which is promoting the Yeson2 campaign.
The poll of 1,427 Florida voters was conducted Sept. 2-4 and has a margin of error of 2.6 percentage points. Amendment 2 would define marriage as a legal union between a man and a woman.
Although same-sex marriage is already illegal in Florida, the amendment enshrines it in the constitution and prevents the establishment of civil unions by adding that ``no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.''
Find more after the jump...
Monday, September 8
GOP accused of ignoring domestic AIDS issue
HIV/AIDS groups are accusing Republican presidential candidate John McCain of ignoring the growing rate of new HIV cases in the US.
The Republican National Convention concluded last week with no mention of the domestic AIDS epidemic and only passing reference to the epidemic overseas. Neither McCain nor his running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, mentioned AIDS in their remarks to convention delegates.
The Republican Convention was held one month after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new estimates indicating that the HIV infection rate in the United States is 40 percent higher than previously thought.
Every year, more than 56,000 Americans become infected with HIV, a rate that has not fallen in eight years and is higher than it was for most of the 1990s, according to the CDC.
Find more after the jump...
The Republican National Convention concluded last week with no mention of the domestic AIDS epidemic and only passing reference to the epidemic overseas. Neither McCain nor his running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, mentioned AIDS in their remarks to convention delegates.
The Republican Convention was held one month after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new estimates indicating that the HIV infection rate in the United States is 40 percent higher than previously thought.
Every year, more than 56,000 Americans become infected with HIV, a rate that has not fallen in eight years and is higher than it was for most of the 1990s, according to the CDC.
Find more after the jump...
Bashing victim publishes photos of injuries
By ZACK ROSEN, Washington Blade
One of three men injured in an Adams Morgan anti-gay attack in July has sparked renewed media interest in the case by releasing photos of his injuries.
In the July 13 incident, three gay men were assaulted by a group of five men who used anti-gay epithets. The Blade covered the attack a week after it happened. This week, the victim released photos of himself that appeared on a blog, thenewgay.net. Since then, local radio station WAMU has covered the story.
The victim in question, who asked to be identified only by his first name Todd, said that he chose to release the graphic photos to raise awareness about homophobia and hate crimes in Washington.
Find more after the jump...
A Yeshiva University professor left two years ago as a man - and returned last week as a woman.
Literature Professor Joy Ladin, formerly known as Jay Ladin, 47, showed up for her first day of school sporting pink lipstick, a tight purple shirt and a flirty black skirt. She cheerfully strutted through the doors of the Midtown campus' main building, where she oversees the writing center.
Many at the Jewish university are horrified by the presence of the transgender professor. Some fear the news could cut alumni donations.
Ladin and the school won't comment on the situation, but some rabbis are shocked that she's still a member of the faculty.
Find more after the jump...
Thursday, September 4
Take Action: Send McCain A Message About Marriage!!!
This week, when John McCain wants to sell himself as a moderate, can you take a moment to ask him why he's marching in lockstep with the radical right?
* He has publicly embraced the hateful California marriage initiative that would deny marriage rights to committed same-sex couples.
* In 2006, he appeared in the TV ad below for a similar measure in Arizona.
* He doesn't believe GLBT couples should
be able to adopt children.
Sign this petition and tell Sen. McCain to stop supporting discriminatory anti-GLBT measures.
* He has publicly embraced the hateful California marriage initiative that would deny marriage rights to committed same-sex couples.
* In 2006, he appeared in the TV ad below for a similar measure in Arizona.
* He doesn't believe GLBT couples should
be able to adopt children.
Sign this petition and tell Sen. McCain to stop supporting discriminatory anti-GLBT measures.
Human Rights Campaign to Host Minn., N.C., and Va. “Camp Equality,” Train Activists for Election 2008
WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, will hold campaign trainings in St. Paul, Minn., Charlotte, N.C., and Crystal City, Va., as part of a national program to help elect fair-minded candidates and defeat discriminatory ballot measures. The program – called Camp Equality – will train nearly 1,500 people in 18 cities to work on political campaigns. The Camp Equality trainings will take place in Charlotte and Crystal City on September 6-7 and in St. Paul on September 6. Those interested in participating in Camp Equality are encouraged to apply online here.
“We are searching for talented and committed supporters of equality who are engaged in the political process and eager to build the skills necessary to win,” said National Field Director Marty Rouse. “By maintaining a visible presence on campaigns, we’re ensuring that the fight for equality remains a priority in this election cycle and beyond.”
Camp Equality builds on the Human Rights Campaign’s successful Campaign College, which brings 40 college students to Washington, D.C. every summer for intensive campaign training. Camp Equality takes that model out to the country, training individuals in their own communities and providing them with information about opportunities to engage in competitive political campaigns. By recruiting and training supporters of equality, HRC is bringing more people into the political process, training them to help fair-minded candidates achieve victory, and building support for equality across the country.
From mobilizing the GLBT community, recruiting and training a cadre of grassroots political advocates to staff and assist political campaigns on the ground, and strategically targeting “high-impact” races, the Human Rights Campaign is gearing up to make sure that issues of equality for the GLBT community are discussed in ’08 on our terms – not used as a divisive wedge by anti-gay forces on the right.
In 2006, the Human Rights Campaign flexed its political muscle in unprecedented and strategic ways that helped alter the political dynamic in key races across the country. HRC’s influence was felt in key victories for strong pro-equality candidates like Florida’s Ron Klein, Arizona’s Gabrielle Giffords and Pennsylvania’s Bob Casey.
Through an expanded field team and an unprecedented focus on state-level activity, the Human Rights Campaign helped ensure victory for 211 endorsed candidates, offering up a stinging defeat for some of the most anti-gay politicians in the country, including Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa. Because of these efforts, HRC was ranked the second most successful political organization in the country by National Journal (“Reversal of Fortune”, National Journal, 11/11/06).
St. Paul, Minn.
WHAT: Camp Equality Training by Human Rights Campaign
WHO: Human Rights Campaign, Stonewall DFL, the Progressive Majority, and America Votes Minnesota
WHEN: Saturday, September 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Time is for media purposes only)
WHERE: Minnesota Humanities Center in the Library. 987 Ivy Ave East, St. Paul, MN 55106 (Location is for media purposes only)
Charlotte, N.C.
WHAT: Camp Equality Training by Human Rights Campaign
WHO: Human Rights Campaign, Equality North Carolina
WHEN: Saturday, September 6 from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, September 7, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Time is for media purposes only)
WHERE: UNC – Charlotte, Fretwell Hall Rooms 106 & 122, Charlotte, NC 28223 (Location is for media purposes only)
Crystal City, Va.
WHAT: Camp Equality Training by Human Rights Campaign
WHO: Human Rights Campaign
WHEN: Saturday, September 6 from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, September 7, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Time is for media purposes only)
WHERE: Holiday Inn National Airport, 2650 Jefferson David Highway, Arlington, VA 22202 (Location is for media purposes only)
“We are searching for talented and committed supporters of equality who are engaged in the political process and eager to build the skills necessary to win,” said National Field Director Marty Rouse. “By maintaining a visible presence on campaigns, we’re ensuring that the fight for equality remains a priority in this election cycle and beyond.”
Camp Equality builds on the Human Rights Campaign’s successful Campaign College, which brings 40 college students to Washington, D.C. every summer for intensive campaign training. Camp Equality takes that model out to the country, training individuals in their own communities and providing them with information about opportunities to engage in competitive political campaigns. By recruiting and training supporters of equality, HRC is bringing more people into the political process, training them to help fair-minded candidates achieve victory, and building support for equality across the country.
From mobilizing the GLBT community, recruiting and training a cadre of grassroots political advocates to staff and assist political campaigns on the ground, and strategically targeting “high-impact” races, the Human Rights Campaign is gearing up to make sure that issues of equality for the GLBT community are discussed in ’08 on our terms – not used as a divisive wedge by anti-gay forces on the right.
In 2006, the Human Rights Campaign flexed its political muscle in unprecedented and strategic ways that helped alter the political dynamic in key races across the country. HRC’s influence was felt in key victories for strong pro-equality candidates like Florida’s Ron Klein, Arizona’s Gabrielle Giffords and Pennsylvania’s Bob Casey.
Through an expanded field team and an unprecedented focus on state-level activity, the Human Rights Campaign helped ensure victory for 211 endorsed candidates, offering up a stinging defeat for some of the most anti-gay politicians in the country, including Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa. Because of these efforts, HRC was ranked the second most successful political organization in the country by National Journal (“Reversal of Fortune”, National Journal, 11/11/06).
St. Paul, Minn.
WHAT: Camp Equality Training by Human Rights Campaign
WHO: Human Rights Campaign, Stonewall DFL, the Progressive Majority, and America Votes Minnesota
WHEN: Saturday, September 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Time is for media purposes only)
WHERE: Minnesota Humanities Center in the Library. 987 Ivy Ave East, St. Paul, MN 55106 (Location is for media purposes only)
Charlotte, N.C.
WHAT: Camp Equality Training by Human Rights Campaign
WHO: Human Rights Campaign, Equality North Carolina
WHEN: Saturday, September 6 from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, September 7, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Time is for media purposes only)
WHERE: UNC – Charlotte, Fretwell Hall Rooms 106 & 122, Charlotte, NC 28223 (Location is for media purposes only)
Crystal City, Va.
WHAT: Camp Equality Training by Human Rights Campaign
WHO: Human Rights Campaign
WHEN: Saturday, September 6 from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, September 7, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Time is for media purposes only)
WHERE: Holiday Inn National Airport, 2650 Jefferson David Highway, Arlington, VA 22202 (Location is for media purposes only)
Wednesday, September 3
Man Charged in Murder of NYC College Student
by Kilian Melloy
EDGE Contributor
The alleged killer of a college sophomore expressed no remorse when he spoke with his father and confronted the media, multiple news sources reported.
22-year-old Jeromie Cancel was charged in connection with the Labor Day weekend slaying of Kevin Pravia, an honor student at Pace University.
Pravia was murdered in the Chelsea, NY, apartment he shared with roommate Josephine Madonna, who discovered his body when she returned from a trip out of town.
Cancel claimed responsibility for the slaying, describing to authorities how he punched Pravia in the face, then wrapping a cord around his neck and suffocating him.
Cancel had been detained by police on an unrelated matter, after Cancel's father reported that he had been robbed, reported The New York Times in a Sept. 2 story.
According to GLBT news site Towleroad, the victim was a gay man.
Police said that though Pravia had been found in his underwear, there was no indication that anything sexual had taken place.
Cancel told authorities that he had met Pravia early on the morning of Aug. 30 in Union Square Park. According to the suspect, he had gone to the park looking to buy drugs; police said there was no evidence that Pravia had supplied any drugs to Cancel.
As reported in the NY Times and The New York Post, Cancel said that he had accompanied Pravia back to the student's apartment before attacking and killing him. Then, Cancel said, he watched a movie while sitting next to Pravia's body: the 2004 horror film Saw.
Cancel then left the apartment, taking Pravia's iPod, laptop and cell phone, which he said that he subsequently sold.
Cancel was charged with first- and second-degree murder following his confession, but he exhibited no remorse. In photos published at the New York Post, Cancel looked into the camera lens with a smile.
At some point following the murder, Cancel seems to have gone to his father's apartment in Queens, Towleroad reported; Cancel's father, Jesus Soto, described his son's demeanor to the Post, saying, "He's mentally imbalanced."
Added Cancel's father, "He seemed off-balance. He didn't seem right."
In June, the media sources said, Cancel had stayed with Soto for a couple of weeks before disappearing, along with some of Soto's property, including a PlayStation.
Towleroad and the Post quoted Soto as saying that when Cancel visited him in the Queens apartment, "All the time he was gloating, like it didn't mean nothing to him."
"He was not remorseful, like he was happy with what he did."
Added Soto, "He had this big smile on him."
Police showed up at Soto's apartment to take Cancel into custody.
The Post quoted Soto as saying, "I called the cops, and when they pulled up... he just turned to the cops and told them he just killed someone."
Find article after the jump...
The Post reported that as Cancel was taken out of police headquarters, he told reporters that he had killed Pravia "because I wanted to," and then challenged, "You got a problem with that?"
EDGE Contributor
The alleged killer of a college sophomore expressed no remorse when he spoke with his father and confronted the media, multiple news sources reported.
22-year-old Jeromie Cancel was charged in connection with the Labor Day weekend slaying of Kevin Pravia, an honor student at Pace University.
Pravia was murdered in the Chelsea, NY, apartment he shared with roommate Josephine Madonna, who discovered his body when she returned from a trip out of town.
Cancel claimed responsibility for the slaying, describing to authorities how he punched Pravia in the face, then wrapping a cord around his neck and suffocating him.
Cancel had been detained by police on an unrelated matter, after Cancel's father reported that he had been robbed, reported The New York Times in a Sept. 2 story.
According to GLBT news site Towleroad, the victim was a gay man.
Police said that though Pravia had been found in his underwear, there was no indication that anything sexual had taken place.
Cancel told authorities that he had met Pravia early on the morning of Aug. 30 in Union Square Park. According to the suspect, he had gone to the park looking to buy drugs; police said there was no evidence that Pravia had supplied any drugs to Cancel.
As reported in the NY Times and The New York Post, Cancel said that he had accompanied Pravia back to the student's apartment before attacking and killing him. Then, Cancel said, he watched a movie while sitting next to Pravia's body: the 2004 horror film Saw.
Cancel then left the apartment, taking Pravia's iPod, laptop and cell phone, which he said that he subsequently sold.
Cancel was charged with first- and second-degree murder following his confession, but he exhibited no remorse. In photos published at the New York Post, Cancel looked into the camera lens with a smile.
At some point following the murder, Cancel seems to have gone to his father's apartment in Queens, Towleroad reported; Cancel's father, Jesus Soto, described his son's demeanor to the Post, saying, "He's mentally imbalanced."
Added Cancel's father, "He seemed off-balance. He didn't seem right."
In June, the media sources said, Cancel had stayed with Soto for a couple of weeks before disappearing, along with some of Soto's property, including a PlayStation.
Towleroad and the Post quoted Soto as saying that when Cancel visited him in the Queens apartment, "All the time he was gloating, like it didn't mean nothing to him."
"He was not remorseful, like he was happy with what he did."
Added Soto, "He had this big smile on him."
Police showed up at Soto's apartment to take Cancel into custody.
The Post quoted Soto as saying, "I called the cops, and when they pulled up... he just turned to the cops and told them he just killed someone."
Find article after the jump...
The Post reported that as Cancel was taken out of police headquarters, he told reporters that he had killed Pravia "because I wanted to," and then challenged, "You got a problem with that?"
Tuesday, September 2
Uncovered Questionnaire Shows Republican VP Nominee Palin Opposes Hate Crimes Laws
WASHINGTON – During her 2006 run for Governor, Sarah Palin filled out an Alaska Eagle Forum questionnaire that reveals even more about her stance and view on equality for LGBT equality.
One of the questions the conservative group asked her on the questionnaire was her views on expanding hate crimes laws. The question reads, “Will you support an effort to expand hate crimes laws?”
Palin answered, “No, as I believe all heinous crime is based on hate.”
Another question from the same survey asked, “Do you support the Alaska Supreme Court’s ruling that spousal benefits for state employees should be given to same-sex couples? Why or why not?”
Palin answered, “No, I believe spousal benefits are reserved for married citizens as defined in our constitution.”
And last, but not least, Palin was asked what her top three priorities, as regards to families, would be while Governor.
Palin answered, “#2 - Preserving the definition of ‘marriage’ as defined in our constitution.”
“I’d say we have a pretty definitive understanding of where Sarah Palin stands on issue of equality for our community. Sarah Palin is against recognizing our relationships, against domestic partner benefits, and against hate crimes laws. She championed that her second top priority in office would be preserving an anti-gay definition of marriage. The more we find out about her record, the more frightening her record becomes,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.
The full questionnaire and answers can be found here...
When asked about the right-wing’s reaction to the choice of Gov Palin, the New York Times quoted Ralph Reed, the former head of the Christian Coalition as saying, “They’re beyond ecstatic”.
Highlights of Governor Palin’s Anti-Equality Record
· Prior to being elected governor, Palin supported the 1998 constitutional amendment barring marriage for same-sex couples and has said she would support a ballot measure overturning a state supreme court decision mandating benefits for domestic partners of state employees
· She is close to “traditional values” groups, like Family Research Council, because she is strongly anti-choice
Marriage and Relationship Recognition
· Palin told the Anchorage Daily News that she supported the 1998 constitutional amendment on marriage.
· In addition, she told the Daily News that she would support a ballot question that would deny benefits to the domestic partners of public employees, which were ordered by an October 2005 decision of the Alaska Supreme Court, because, she said “honoring the family structure is that important." http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/elections/governor06/story/8049298p-7942233c.html
· While she followed the Court’s decision and he also signed legislation –her first legislative act as Governor of Alaska—to put the issue on the April 2007 ballot for a nonbinding advisory vote. This was the only issue on the ballot and that election cost the state taxpayers $1.2 million. This measure passed, but the legislature did not follow the public’s advice and it chose not to take any further action to overturn the court’s decision.
· She did, however, veto legislation passed by the state legislature in 2006 that would have prohibited providing DP benefits to state workers, in defiance of the Alaska Supreme Court’s ruling. She did this after the Supreme Court had already ruled and the Attorney General (Republican) advised her that the legislation was unconstitutional. Palin went on to state that, as a matter of policy, she was in favor of the bill.
Ties to Anti-LGBT Groups
· She will be honored alongside anti-gay Representative Michelle Bachman (R-MN) at an event at the 2008 Republican Convention, the “Life of the Party,” sponsored in part by long-time opponent of GLBT rights, Phyllis Schlafly.
One of the questions the conservative group asked her on the questionnaire was her views on expanding hate crimes laws. The question reads, “Will you support an effort to expand hate crimes laws?”
Palin answered, “No, as I believe all heinous crime is based on hate.”
Another question from the same survey asked, “Do you support the Alaska Supreme Court’s ruling that spousal benefits for state employees should be given to same-sex couples? Why or why not?”
Palin answered, “No, I believe spousal benefits are reserved for married citizens as defined in our constitution.”
And last, but not least, Palin was asked what her top three priorities, as regards to families, would be while Governor.
Palin answered, “#2 - Preserving the definition of ‘marriage’ as defined in our constitution.”
“I’d say we have a pretty definitive understanding of where Sarah Palin stands on issue of equality for our community. Sarah Palin is against recognizing our relationships, against domestic partner benefits, and against hate crimes laws. She championed that her second top priority in office would be preserving an anti-gay definition of marriage. The more we find out about her record, the more frightening her record becomes,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.
The full questionnaire and answers can be found here...
When asked about the right-wing’s reaction to the choice of Gov Palin, the New York Times quoted Ralph Reed, the former head of the Christian Coalition as saying, “They’re beyond ecstatic”.
Highlights of Governor Palin’s Anti-Equality Record
· Prior to being elected governor, Palin supported the 1998 constitutional amendment barring marriage for same-sex couples and has said she would support a ballot measure overturning a state supreme court decision mandating benefits for domestic partners of state employees
· She is close to “traditional values” groups, like Family Research Council, because she is strongly anti-choice
Marriage and Relationship Recognition
· Palin told the Anchorage Daily News that she supported the 1998 constitutional amendment on marriage.
· In addition, she told the Daily News that she would support a ballot question that would deny benefits to the domestic partners of public employees, which were ordered by an October 2005 decision of the Alaska Supreme Court, because, she said “honoring the family structure is that important." http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/elections/governor06/story/8049298p-7942233c.html
· While she followed the Court’s decision and he also signed legislation –her first legislative act as Governor of Alaska—to put the issue on the April 2007 ballot for a nonbinding advisory vote. This was the only issue on the ballot and that election cost the state taxpayers $1.2 million. This measure passed, but the legislature did not follow the public’s advice and it chose not to take any further action to overturn the court’s decision.
· She did, however, veto legislation passed by the state legislature in 2006 that would have prohibited providing DP benefits to state workers, in defiance of the Alaska Supreme Court’s ruling. She did this after the Supreme Court had already ruled and the Attorney General (Republican) advised her that the legislation was unconstitutional. Palin went on to state that, as a matter of policy, she was in favor of the bill.
Ties to Anti-LGBT Groups
· She will be honored alongside anti-gay Representative Michelle Bachman (R-MN) at an event at the 2008 Republican Convention, the “Life of the Party,” sponsored in part by long-time opponent of GLBT rights, Phyllis Schlafly.
Deomcratic Strategist James Carville on GOP Vice Presidential Pick
I love this man, the Raging Cajun!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
