College Employee’s Homophobic Email Gets Her Canned

One employee at all-male Morehouse College, which is located in Atlanta, Georgia, has been fired, and another reprimanded, in the wake of discriminatory comments emailed about the wedding of two African-American men.

From edgeonthenet:

The unnamed employee who lost her job had worked in the office of the college president as an administrative assistant, the article said.

The unnamed former employee reportedly was the recipient of an email that included photos taken at the wedding of two gay men. She then allegedly sent the email along to others, having included her own commentary.

Those remarks were seen as conflicting with the college’s values, according to statements by college president Dr. Robert M. Franklin, who said in a statement that, "The views expressed in the e-mail entitled, ’The WTD of the Week,’ (September 28, 2009) were the personal views of one individual and do not reflect the values or policies of Morehouse College."

Read the full report here.

Teen in Exorcism Tells "Tyra Banks" He is "Healed" and Ex-Gay

The teen that has caused a sensation when a video of him being exorcised from "homosexual demons" was posted on YouTube has stated on "Tyra Banks" that he has been "healed."

From Rod 2.0:

There is a disturbing update to the case of the fundamentalist Connecticut church that became the focus of a child welfare investigation after it posted YouTube video which shows the pastors performing an exorcism of a black gay teen's "homosexual demons." The 16-year-old appeared on Tyra Banks on Wednesday and now claims he has been "healed" by the exorcism and no longer gay.

Read some more of his statements here.

Is homosexuality still taboo and unacceptable in the black community? Is this the only way for this teen to be accepted by his family? The conflict between sexual identity and the religious community (and identity) is very real, and one that seems to be difficult to resolve.

First HIV Vaccine Helps Prevent AIDS Infection

For the first time, an experimental vaccine has prevented infection with the HIV virus.

From The Huffington Post:

The World Health Organization and the U.N. agency UNAIDS said the results "instilled new hope" in the field of HIV vaccine research.

The vaccine – a combination of two previously unsuccessful vaccines – cut the risk of becoming infected with HIV by more than 31 percent in the world's largest AIDS vaccine trial of more than 16,000 volunteers in Thailand, researchers announced Thursday in Bangkok.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/24/first-vaccine-helps-preve_n_298250.html

Read the full report here.

More Tour Dates Canceled for 'Homophobic' Jamaican Singer

You may have heard recently about Buju Banton, a Jamaican reggae singer who's currently on tour. More of this dates are getting cut. Banton's anti-gay anthem, "Boom Bye Bye," a popular song in Jamaica that talks about shooting gays and burning their bodies, has been a source of controversy. Banton however still has around 30 stops on his U.S. tour.

From Edge on the Net:

One venue that refused to cancel Banton’s appearance was the Trocadero in Philadelphia. Banton was scheduled to appear there on Sept. 12, but so were protesters who vowed to show up and demonstrate against Banton and against Trocadero owner Joanna Pang and a local promoter.

A Sept. 13 press release from the Gay Liberation Network noted that Web site CancelBujuBanton.com had announced that the performer had seen gigs fall through in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Minneapolis in the span of a few days.

Read the full story here.

Author E. Lynn Harris, 54, Dies Today

We here are mourning the death of E. Lynn Harris, one of the most significant cultural figures in the black LGBT community and modern movement. This mourning period, while sad, has served the important educational purpose of spreading Harris' powerful literary influence.

Our own Donna Payne has writes today:

Today I learned that someone very dear to the African American LGBT Community died. E. Lynn Harris was a well known author in our community and on a book tour when he had a heart attack. He blew everyone away in the early 1990’s with his first book “Invisible Life”. It chronicled the life of an African American male living a double life- one as a so-called straight man following the traditions of our black culture (going to church, attending college and family life). The other part of his double life was seeing a man on the side and keeping a cover of beautiful women around to appear straight.

E. Lynn Harris released us all from the “cultural secret” called the “down low” life. He left us over 12 books on the NY Best Seller list for over 15 years! His latest book out this week is “Basketball Jones”.

From CNN.com:

Though Harris wrote primarily about black gay men, some of his biggest fans were black women. His books became staples in black beauty salons, bookstores and book clubs.

"It was hard to go on a subway in places in New York or D.C. and not see some black woman reading an E. Lynn Harris novel," Boykin said.

Harris was an unlikely literary pioneer. He was a former IBM executive who decided to write about his life. He started off in 1991 selling books from the trunk of his car to African-American beauty salons and bookstores.

He eventually became one of the nation's most popular writers with an estimated 4 million of his books in print.

Read the full obituary on this extremely culturally important figure after the jump

Rainey Cheeks, an Affirming Bishop

Today the Washington Post did a biographic snapshot of one of the HRC's allies who works within black, faith-based communities to promote LGBT awareness and affirmation. Bishop Rainey Cheeks, who is often interviewed and placed in debate on both radio and television as a progressive voice, is truly a valued member of our community.

From the Post:

In the middle of a sermon, Bishop Rainey Cheeks felt his medicine bottle bulging in his pocket and realized he hadn't taken his pills. He paused in the pulpit and faced the congregation in his tiny storefront church.

"Excuse me," Cheeks remembers telling his parishioners last year as he poured three pills into his hand. "This is my HIV medicine. I'm going to take it now."

As he washed down the pills with water, Cheeks saw some members staring with wide eyes. Everybody knew that their pastor, an imposing man with flowing dreadlocks who once competed in taekwondo championships, is gay. But not everyone knew that he is HIV-positive.

"Go ahead, Rev," a few congregants urged. But most shrugged and waited for the bishop to swallow and get on with delivering the good word.

Inner Light Ministries in the District's H Street corridor might seem like a traditional black church, with fiery sermons, electric gospel music, a soulful choir and a congregation that sways and claps in rhythm. But it is hardly that.

For 16 years, it has served as a sanctuary for a small community of black gays and lesbians who say they feel shunned from all directions -- by black men and women who give them cutting looks of disapproval, by mainstream black ministers who condemn homosexuality, and by white gays who make them feel unwelcome in subtle ways, such as switching from hip-hop to country music in a club when too many black men hit the dance floor.

Read the rest of the mini-bio after the jump

Anthony Woods for Congress!

Today, the HRC released their official endorsement for Anthony Woods as congressman of California's 10th District






From HRC Backstory:

Today the Human Rights Campaign PAC along with the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund announced their endorsement of Anthony Woods for U.S. Congress. Woods, who is running in the September 1, Special Election for California’s 10th Congressional District, earned the Bronze Star after serving two tours in Iraq in the U.S. Army. He was honorably discharged after challenging the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law.

Said HRC President Joe Solmonese: “The Human Rights Campaign is proud to endorse Anthony Woods, a veteran of the Iraq war and steadfast advocate for our community, to become the next U.S. Congressman from California’s 10th district. Anthony hasn’t just shown his support on issues of LGBT equality, he’s lived them — especially the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ Anthony’s support of marriage equality will also be important as we work to repeal Proposition 8, which stripped marriage rights away for California’s same-sex couples. There is no doubt that Anthony will be a role model for LGBT youth, and we applaud his continuing service to our country.”

"Gay is not the New Black"

Picture Property of ESPN


Commentator and public personality, LZ Granderson, Recently wrote a piece for CNN on why the gay rights movement is distinct from the civil rights movement, and where there might be confusion and conflict within the two (according to him) separate sequences of events. We'd definitely like you to weigh in and share your own thoughts and experiences with the two conflicting identities of race and sexuality.


From CNN.com:

When Proposition 8 passed in California, white gays were quick to blame the black community despite blacks making up less than 10 percent of total voters and whites being close to 60 percent. At protest rallies that followed, some gay blacks reported they were even hit with racial epithets by angry white participants. Not to split hairs, but for most blacks, the n-word trumps the f-word.

So while the white mouthpiece of the gay community shakes an angry finger at intolerance and bigotry in their blogs and on television, blacks and other minorities see the dirty laundry. They see the hypocrisy of publicly rallying in the name of unity but then privately living in segregated pockets. And then there is the history.

The 40th anniversary of Stonewall dominated Gay Pride celebrations around the country, and while that is certainly a significant moment that should be recognized, 40 years is nothing compared with the 400 blood-soaked years black people have been through in this country. There are stories some blacks lived through, stories others were told by their parents and stories that never had a chance to be told.

While those who were at Stonewall talk about the fear of being arrested by police, 40 years ago, blacks talked about the fear of dying at the hands of police and not having their bodies found or murder investigated. The 13th Amendment was signed in 1865, and it wasn't until 1948 that President Harry S Truman desegregated the military. That's more than an 80-year gap.

Check out the full opinion after the jump and don't forget to weigh in here!

NAACP Conference

Recently, the NAACP held national meetings and conferences in DC to celebrate its 100th anniversary as the nation's oldest civil rights organization. The center of the event, NAACP president, Benjamin Todd Jealous, who touched on a number of pertinent civil rights issues, was also interviewed later to talk about other, less mentioned issues such as LGBT Rights and Marriage equality.

According to Pam's House Blend:

Ben Jealous has has a strong background on social justice issues; his efforts have been forward-thinking in many respects, including outreach to the blogosphere. I met Mr. Jealous last year as he was starting on the job at the NAACP, and I asked him specifically about the organization and its public stance on marriage and LGBT rights. At the time he was quite firm in saying that there is strong support for marriage equality in some individual chapters (they are autonomous) and in leadership in the NAACP(board member Julian Bond is also a strong ally as well).

But it's clear, based on this interview with T.J. Holmes of CNN the other day, that he's getting the message loud and clear from membership that this it's a third rail issue they don't want to touch. Jealous says now that "We don't take a position on that nationally."

Read the entire story after the jump


Also, you can read the full commentary on the event by HRC's own Donna Payne who attended the conference on HRC Backstory

Ya Es Hora

Ya Es Hora, Spanish for "It is Time" is the name of a new HRC collaborative initiative to register Legal Permanent Residents (LPR's) in the United States for citizenship. This past Saturday was the very beginning of Ya Es Hora, with South Florida, Los Angeles, and Phoenix being the first cities to hold the event.

On HRC Backstory:

This past weekend, Human Rights Campaign volunteers participated in Ya Es Hora events — the largest and most comprehensive effort to incorporate Latinos as full participants in the American political process. Its multi-layered integrated campaign provides a comprehensive approach that links naturalization to voter participation and Census enumeration under a single message: “it’s time.”

Ya Es Hora is led by four national organizations and dozens of regional and local organizations including: Univision, the largest Spanish-language media network in the U.S.; Mi Familia Vota Education Fund; National Council of La Raza; National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund; and the Service Employees International Union. Together, the Ya Es Hora partners have a goal to move over 1 million Latino eligible legal permanent residents (LPRs) on the path to U.S. citizenship during 2009 and 2010. Since 2007, this campaign has helped process U.S. citizenship applications for more than 1.4 million Latinos.

Read the whole story, including commentary and reflection from our volunteers, after the jump

If you'd like to find out more about Ya Es Hora, or find out where the nearest Ya Es Hora will be happening near you, please contact me or Hyacinth Alvaran

President Obama on Gay Rights

Earlier this month, President Obama declared June to be National LGBT History Month. Following through with this declaration, last week, President Obama made the landmark decision to grant all federal employees equal benefits for themselves and their partners, regardless of the marital status or sexual orientation of the employee and his or her partner. For the signing of this article, Obama invited numerous civil rights and political leaders to the oval office where he delivered some remarks on the topic.

The Daily Voice reports:

Forty years after the Stonewall riots sparked the gay rights movement, President Barack Obama hosts an historic reception for LGBT activists and their families to honor LGBT Pride and the 40th Stonewall anniversary. The speech, carried live on CNN and other networks, marks the first time a sitting president has given a live televised speech on LGBT issues.

The President, who has been criticized by many LGBT rights advocates for inaction on his many campaign promises, says his Administration has made some progress on behalf of gay Americans and will do more.

Read the whole story, including all of President Obama's Remarks, after the jump

Following Don't Ask, Don't Tell

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" or DADT, a policy put into effect in the Clinton administration, has made the many LGBT men and women fighting in our military both invisible and expendable. Since the inauguration of President in Obama alone, the military has lost 265 gay men and women to this policy, and the policy remains unchanged. Between 1994 and 2006, more than 11,000 people had been discharged from the military under this policy.

Recently, Lt. Dan Choi has recently become the face of the war against DADT, being both an outspoken person of color and LGBT representative.

The California Progress Report writes:

Lt. Dan Choi on Tuesday faces a hearing to determine whether he will be kicked out of the military due to his violation of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy." This despite the fact that he has willingly and proudly served his nation with honor. This despite the fact that he has the rare skill of speaking fluent Arabic. On Friday night, he was in Davis to campaign for his friend and classmate from West Point, Anthony Woods who is running for Congress in the 10th Congressional District.

According to Lt. Choi, for him this is an issue of honor and integrity. Lt. Dan Choi said, “I graduated from West Point, we learned that a cadet would not. It had nothing to do with your orientation, it does not say that a straight cadet would not lie, but a gay cadet must lie. So that kind of dissonance we don't deal with. There's a zero tolerance policy, there's not compromise on that. So those things don't change. A West Point cadet and graduate has a certain level of character, certain level of man and woman. We don't put up with it, we don't say it's okay for our government to discriminate. That was the little piece of sand that was creating the friction that created the pearl that we see today.”

Read all about Lt. Dan Choi and DADT after the jump

A Gay Exorcism in 2009

Last week a story got picked up from a church in Bridgeport, CT with a primarily black congregation. The non-denominational Christian Manifested Glory Church recorded a video of them, as they claim, ridding a young (16 year-old) black man of a homosexual demon that had supposedly possessed him. When outreach and interview were requested, the church leaders had no comment, making the video that they posted to be the only gimpse into the workings of their church.

The Examiner writes:

A video has emerged illustrating the exorcism of a reportedly 16 year-old homosexual teenager by a Connecticut church—Manifested Glory Ministries—which had posted the activity on their website. Not surprisingly, the footage of the young, black man, flailing about on the floor, sometimes violently and to the point of physical illness as Pastor Patricia McKinney ordered the “homosexual demon” out of his body, has garnered some attention.

Watch the video and read the full article after the jump

Isaiah Washington joins the NO H8 Campaign

Isaiah Washington, who made news years ago for the controversy surrounding using a homophobic slur against co-actor T.R. Knight of the show Grey's anatomy, just joined the No H8 Campaign. The No H8 Campaign is a photo-driven advertising project headed up by Adam Bouska that aims to send a backlash to this past year's passage of Proposition 8, held up by the courts of California.

Towleroad writes:

Isaiah Washington is the latest star to take part in photographer Adam Bouska's "No H8" campaign.

He gave a rambling interview to Entertainment Tonight:

"What has been purported about me has nothing to do with who I am. I have been dealing with organizations like ACT UP for over 25 years. Right before Keith Haring passed away I was working with him. City kids of New York. Fighting for awareness of HIV/AIDS for 25 years of my life..."

Watch the video after the jump

Support for Marriage Equality over Racial and Ethnic Lines

A new poll out by the L.A. times has tried to compile all the stats showing the divisions in support for marriage equality across the lines of race and ethnicity. The summary of the poll shows how hard it can be for individuals in more than one minority position.

In the state's continuing political battles over gay marriage, both sides are targeting Latino voters, and a new Los Angeles Times poll illustrates why.

Overall, the poll showed a majority of voters in Los Angeles support the right of same-sex couples to legally marry, with 56% in favor and 37% opposed. That finding closely tracked results of November's election, when Proposition 8, which limited marriage to a man and a woman, won statewide but lost in Los Angeles.

Read the rest of the story after the jump

Human Rights Campaign Statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Denial of Certiorari in Pietrangelo v. Gates Case

Please find the official HRC response to the rejection of DADT by the Supreme Court:

WASHINGTON –The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization issued a statement today on the U.S. Supreme Court’s denial of a writ of certiorari in the case of Pietrangelo v. Gates, a challenge to the U.S. Military’s discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law. Captain Pietrangelo was discharged in 2004 under the U.S. Military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law. The Supreme Court’s decision ends the appeals process for Captain Pietrangelo. This decision comes weeks before the Board of Inquiry hearing is scheduled to review the case of First Lieutenant Daniel Choi of the New York Army National guard who is being discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.

“The time to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is now. The Supreme Court’s denial of a writ of certiorari in this case, and the upcoming hearing to discharge Lt. Dan Choi, is only further proof that this law is not working and is putting our national security at unnecessary risk,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “Every day, patriotic lesbian, gay and bisexual service members continue to be discharged under this discriminatory policy. Every moment that the Administration and Congress delay repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” our nation is robbed of brave men and women who would risk their lives to keep our country safe.”

Pietrangelo v. Gates, originally Cook v. Gates, was brought by twelve former members of the U.S. Military who were discharged under DADT. At the time the case was called Cook v. Gates. The district court dismissed the suit for a failure to state a claim and the plaintiffs appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Last year, the appeals court affirmed the district court’s ruling. Captain Pietrangelo on his own subsequently appealed his case to the U.S. Supreme Court by filing a petition for a writ of certiorari.

First Lieutenant Daniel Choi of the New York Army National Guard is one of those service members affected by DADT. Later this summer, Lt. Choi will go before a Board of Inquiry to fight the U.S. Military’s efforts to discharge him under DADT. Lt. Choi, is an Arabic linguist who graduated from West Point. His case has received significant national media attention, underscoring the need for repeal of DADT.

The rejection is especially problematic given Pres. Obama assurances that he would repeal DADT during his term in office. In this particular case we see why it is important for us to continue to educate the general public about our issues, and pressure our representatives to keep their promises.

For more information on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" or other LGBT military issues go here...

A Message from Morehouse: Robert M. Franklin's Speech

“The Soul of Morehouse and the Future of the Mystique”

President’s Town Hall Meeting
Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
11 a.m.

(The following is an excerpt from prepared remarks delivered by Dr. Robert M. Franklin to
the students of Morehouse College.)


…I’d like to address a subject that is vital to every man of Morehouse, namely,
the soul of Morehouse and the future of the Mystique.

I have tried to translate the mystique into terms more comprehensible to the
public. So, you have heard my vision language on many occasions and many of
you have already begun to interpret and apply this vision in creative ways. Here
is the vision in eight simple words:

Renaissance Men with social conscience and global perspective.
Morehouse produces such leaders in a very special kind of community; we call
it “The Brotherhood.” … [The Morehouse Mystique] is a distinctive and
mysterious bond between good men that strengthen us when we’re together and
sustains us when we’re apart and until we meet again. It is captured in rituals
like the College hymn. Show me one other college that sings its hymn in a
manner where a mystical bond seems to radiate above and within the members.
This is Morehouse. It cannot be reduced to words or data.

But after two years, I have learned something that I did not [know] before. One
of the critical ingredients in the Morehouse mystique is a fundamental sense of
discontent with mediocrity and nonsense. Morehouse men bond around their
complaints about how Morehouse often functions or ‘dysfunctions.’ In other
words, you cannot be a Morehouse Man in the making—a Renaissance Man
with social conscience and global perspective—unless you are uneasy about the
human condition. I want each of you to have a healthy impatience with the
status quo. And I will declare at every Morehouse commencement that
Morehouse men must be so sensitive to the presence of disorder, mediocrity and
injustice that they cannot sleep well at night until they tip the scale toward
justice. Unto whom much is given, much is required.


THE SOUL IN DISTRESS


But today, our soul is sick and our mystique is threatened. Not for want of more
financial resources. We have never had enough money. (And, it is amazing that
we continue to produce Ivy League results with HBCU resources.) Nor is the
mystique threatened by what the Harvard historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr. called
“discrepancies between our rhetoric and our reality.” Every institution has its
discrepancies and gaps in quality and performance. My administration is fully
committed to eradicating and alleviating Morehouse discrepancies and I trust
that you see evidence of progress….

Our soul is threatened by the presence of a few people inside and outside the
Morehouse village who are spiritually ill and disoriented. So, I’d like to speak
very directly to those men and women, but primarily to men of Morehouse. As
all of you listen to these remarks, I want you to do two things: first, help us to
disseminate this message widely, especially to our brothers who were unable or
unwilling to join the president in this historic chapel meeting….

Second, to those who have not yet committed to the Renaissance and renewal of
Morehouse, I want you to listen and make a decision about whether you should
remain at Morehouse. I know that a few of you are enrolled because it was
mama’s or daddy’s dream. But, if it isn’t your dream, you should exercise the
discernment and the courage to transfer to a more suitable environment. There
are a lot of schools out there that would love to have a young man who
qualified for admission to Morehouse. And remember that there are thousands
of brothers out there who did not receive a Morehouse admission letter.


A PIVOTAL DATE FOR THE MOREHOUSE RENAISSANCE

On this day, April 21st, I want to set forth and clarify the expectations of the
Morehouse Renaissance. This date is pregnant with meaning. According to
tradition and myth, on April 21, 753 B.C., Romulus and his twin brother,
Remus, founded Rome, perhaps the first great international city, the first world
house. Today, I use that event to symbolize the groundbreaking of a renewed
Morehouse as world house.

I have articulated five attributes of the Renaissance Man. My staff calls them the
“Five Wells.” Well read, spoken, traveled, dressed and balanced. (To remember
them in order, remember that “R,S,T” are consecutive letters of the alphabet.
You’re on your own for remembering the final “D” and “B.”) I want to highlight
three of these today: reading (or the life of the mind), speech and dress.

· Well-read. You have seen that HBCUs face a crisis of graduating
students, especially black men. In many schools, less than 29% of the
men enrolled graduate within six years. This year, Morehouse is
reporting a rate of 67%, which is exceptional to most people—but not
good enough for Morehouse. Last week, at the student election debate, I
heard a candidate announce an initiative called “GOT: Graduate On
Time.” Perhaps more parents should follow the model of elite institutions
that award scholarships. They pay for eight semesters, period, and only if
the student maintains a 3.0 GPA.

· Last week, the College honored several hundred men who earned a place
on the Honor Roll at Morehouse College. Recently, a record was set as
688 students (out of our 2,600 total) earned the distinction of Dean’s List
placement. I challenged all of my students to aim for this honor and then
to aim higher. But, if you need assistance, be man enough to ask for help
rather than fail a course. Our teachers are smart, but most of them cannot
read your mind or follow the games some students play to pass courses
without really learning much.

· It gives me heartburn to mention this topic, but there is the matter of
academic dishonesty. During my time here, we heard the joke, ‘All work
and no plagiarism make for dull papers.’ Some of you are smart, but not
as smart as you think. We know about using technology to cheat, about
texting answers into exams. Brothers, someone is paying for a
Morehouse education. Shouldn’t you be trying to get it? Do the right
thing.

· I have seen too many students standing in lines wasting time. You should
carry something to read and make good use of your down time. Read
books, not just summaries of books. Choose an accomplished and prolific
writer as a role model. But just as important—if not more—study
grammar and syntax and the art of composition. General Education at
Morehouse seeks to teach and encourage you to apply these fundamental
rules. Learn the power of accurately constructed sentences and well positioned
words.

· It matters how well you write. Each of you must be able to write a solid
personal statement for a job, graduate application or a fellowship. Once
you have been accepted into the prestigious programs, it is crucial to be
able to write flawless research papers, theses and dissertations. And on
an ongoing basis, your written communications with superiors and
colleagues in the workplace are of even more importance. I do not want
employers or professors to call us and ask, ‘How did Morehouse graduate
a student who writes so poorly?’

· If you are not learning, if you need a tutor, ask for help. Morehouse
provides tutors and we are about to establish a more comprehensive
mentoring program inspired by a student-led movement called
Resurgence of the Crown….

· … The Renaissance Man is well-spoken. He chooses his words
carefully. This reduces the necessity of relying on profanity or empty
verbal placeholders like, ‘um, um, ahh…’ or nonsense like ‘you know
what I’m saying, you know what I’m saying?’
· Strive to have something valuable to say, and be in possession of elegant
words and phrases that allow you to effectively communicate complex
emotions and ideas. Profanity does not reflect your verbal grace and
style. It suggests a lazy mind and is contrary to the Morehouse ideal…


EXPECTATIONS FOR THE RENAISSANCE

· In the matter of violence. Morehouse will be a campus of peace and
justice. We will be a violence-free zone. … We have an excellent judicial
council and it will continue to render decisions in student misconduct
cases. But, I intend to take a personal interest in brothers who try to
resolve conflict by violent means….

· In the matter of gender relations, Morehouse will be a community that
respects women. We will be a community of zero tolerance for sexual abuse,
date rape, prostitution, pimping and other forms of illegal behavior….

· In the matter of customer service and professionalism, Morehouse will
operate in accord with the best practices of a selective, private college. I
have heard your call for improved customer service. It is outrageous to learn
that occasionally a faculty or staff member has behaved in ways that fall
below Morehouse standards. We will not tolerate this. But, at the same time,
we expect every one of you to show respect to all faculty and staff.

· It is unacceptable to be demanding or demeaning, threatening or
challenging, insulting or inflammatory. We are here to meet your needs, but
the staff and faculty are not obligated to yield to rudeness….

· The other issue concerns our campus and its conservation efforts. We are
becoming a greener Morehouse. We will improve utilization of energyefficient
light bulbs and paper recycling. I want to thank students and alumni
for working with my team to accomplish this.

· As for our attractive ambience, we employ the services of professionals to
help maintain the grounds of the campus. …We have a collective
responsibility to ensure the cleanliness and hygiene of our dorm rooms,
classrooms, bathrooms and the entire campus. If I can stoop to pick up trash,
may I ask that you do the same?

· After all of the filth and trash that the slave system forced us to endure, how
can we deliberately litter our campus with flyers and handbills? I have asked
our General Counsel to prepare a legal communication to the companies that
are employing people to dump handbills on our campus grounds....


SQUARING IDENTITY AND ETHICS: A CAMPUS IMPERATIVE

In the matter of diversity, Morehouse will be a safe, respectful campus that
balances personal liberty with the responsibility of membership in a moral
community. Morehouse is blessed with a variety of diversity assets. You hail from
43 different states and 27 different countries. You are diverse in ethnicity and race,region, socio-economic background, culture, religion, political loyalty and personal interest. But all of you can and will become Renaissance Men.

As an all-male institution with the explicit mission of educating men with
disciplined minds, perhaps the great challenge of this moment in history is our
diversity of sexual orientation. … Part of our greatness lies in our ability to accept men of quality who wish to uphold the Morehouse mystique. We do not pry into a
person’s private identity; nor do we wish to have identity paraded in an undignified
manner. We do demand that everyone aspire to high ethical standards and
responsible community behavior. Identity must always square with, and yield to,
ethics.

…I have appointed a committee on Diversity and Tolerance to review the
effectiveness of what we have done and are currently doing. You will hear more in
the fall. But, let me be clear: three basic principles will govern our life together in this moral community:

1. The principle of safety and security. Anthropologist Abraham Maslow
has observed that if people do not feel secure, not much else will matter.
Every student, staff and faculty member must feel safe and secure in the
Morehouse community.…

2. The principle of diversity. It is a privilege to study and live in a diverse
community. People often assume that an HBCU is less diverse than other
majority institutions. Well, I’ve been a student and taught at majority
institutions and they are hardly more diverse than Morehouse. We have a
small percent of non-African American men. Most majority schools have
a small percent of nonwhite students.

· Since we are unique, why don’t we use this opportunity to model
something our community needs? Straight men should learn more about
the outlooks and contributions of gay men. Read a book by a gay author.
Have an intelligent conversation with a gay neighbor. At a time when it
was truly scandalous to have homosexual friends or associates, Dr. King
looked to Bayard Rustin, a black gay man, as a trusted adviser. And,
Malcolm X regarded James Baldwin, a black gay man, as a brilliant
chronicler of the black experience. To my straight brothers, diversity at
Morehouse is an opportunity that can enrich your education if you are
courageous enough to seize the opportunity. We cannot force you, but we
invite you to learn from your environment.

3. The principle of decorum. Decorum is a Latin word that means orderly,
dignified, becoming and handsome. …

· Here, I offer a word about being well-dressed, the fourth of the
“Well” attributes. I have not desired to be overly prescriptive about
this. You do not have to wear a tie and jacket to class, although no one
would object to it. You’re a college student. You can enjoy yourself
while wearing comfortable clothing that respects the fact that you are
part of a community of educated and ethical men…

· We cannot monitor what you wear when you leave campus, but
while you are on the Morehouse campus, in the presence of adult
learners, do not sag your pants, do not show your undergarments.
Do not wear do-rags, and do not wear baseball caps in class or in
the cafeteria. …

· And, to those who would experiment with wearing clothing
associated with a women’s garb (dresses, tunics, purses and
pumps) I am directing that you not exhibit these items on the
Morehouse campus. Wear what you wish to off campus. But, while
you are here on the ground where Mays and Martin and Maynard
walked, those items are off limits. A man in women’s clothing on
campus is provocative and will not be tolerated.

I want to establish a culture of high expectation and encouragement, not one of
enforcement and harassment. But, I ask you to work with me to restore the
Morehouse that our mothers and fathers prayed and sighed for.


THE CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER

So, in summary, I want to say that Morehouse is your house. You must take
responsibility for its excellence.

…If you cannot follow the guidelines of a moral community, then leave. Change
your behavior or separate from this college.

…If you want to be part of something rare and noble, something that the world has
not often seen—a community of educated, ethical, disciplined black men more
powerful than a standing army—then you’ve come to the right place….

Up you mighty men of Morehouse, you aristocrats of spirit, you can
accomplish what you will!

The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for LGBT Employees List

As the school year winds down and job searches pick up, are you wondering which companies are America's most LGBT friendly. Diversity Inc. just published their own list of the 10 ten best employers for LGBT Americans:

What makes a company the right place for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender employees--and their friends and families--to work? To determine this list, we looked at several factors, including inclusive benefits for same-sex partners of employees, strong diversity training programs, recruitment efforts aimed at LGBT people and the vitality of the company's LGBT employee-resource group.

Since the workplace demographic data on LGBT employees is inconclusive (most companies don't ask about orientation, and even those that do believe a certain segment is uncomfortable coming out), we also include ratings from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC)'s Corporate Equality Index (CEI), which measures workplace rights for LGBT individuals. No company can be on our Top 10 Companies for LGBT Employees list that doesn't receive a 100 percent CEI rating. Interestingly, 74 percent of The 2009 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® received a 100 percent CEI rating this year, compared with 52 percent in 2006 and 28 percent in 2004.

We also examined the company's web site to assess its visible commitment to the LGBT community, as well as its relationships with external organizations such as the HRC and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). And we gave companies extra points for marketing to the LGBT community and for use with LGBT suppliers certified by the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

Here are the top 10 and a reason why each of them made the list:

No. 1: Ernst & Young, No. 3 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 2 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities

The Big Four firm has a strong employee network for LGBT employees called Beyond Professional Resource Network. E&Y spends 0.5 percent of its total procurement budget with certified LGBT contractors. The company's nondiscrimination policy includes gender identity.

No. 2: Wells Fargo & Co., No. 31 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 8 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Recruitment & Retention; No. 10 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Latinos; and No. 2 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans

Well known for its efforts to reach out to LGBT customers, the San Francisco-based bank offers its LGBT employees and their partners benefits equal to those of heterosexual partners. Its diversity training includes sexual orientation and gender-identity components.

No. 3: PricewaterhouseCoopers, No. 5 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 1 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Global Diversity Companies

The firm's commitment to its LGBT employees is clear in its collateral material and on its web site, where its inclusive policies are emphasized. It has a strong LGBT resource group, called GLBT Mentoring Circles.

No. 4: IBM Corp., No. 10 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 1 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities; No. 2 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Supplier Diversity; No. 4 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans; and No. 2 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Global Diversity Companies

IBM has strong ties to the LGBT community, as demonstrated by its philanthropy to such groups as International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, International Lesbian and Gay Association, Out for Work, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), Gay Men's Health Crisis and others.

No. 5: Aetna, No. 48 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 7 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities

Aetna's president, Mark Bertolini, is a strong advocate for the company's LGBT employees and received an Out & Equal Champions Award in 2007. The company has very strong benefits for its LGBT employees and their partners, as well as an excellent LGBT employee-resource group.

No. 6: KPMG, No. 21 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 10 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities

The Big Four accounting firm, which is being honored this year at GLSEN's Respect Awards for its commitment to LGBT equality, has a strong employee-resource group for LGBT workers and has excellent benefits for LGBT employees and their partners, including coverage for transgender treatment.

No. 7: Sodexo, No. 6 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 3 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Recruitment & Retention; No. 3 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for African Americans; No. 2 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Latinos; No. 1 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Executive Women; and No. 9 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities

The company has excellent benefits for LGBT employees and their partners, including bereavement leave, relocation assistance and retiree healthcare benefits. It also has mandatory diversity training for managers, including sexual orientation and gender identity.

No. 8: AT&T, No. 2 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 7 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Recruitment & Retention and No. 1 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for African Americans

The company has a strong employee-resource group for LGBT employees, called LEAGUE -- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered United Employees at AT&T. The company has strong benefits for LGBT employees, including adoption assistance.

No. 9: Cisco Systems, one of DiversityInc's 25 Noteworthy Companies. Also No. 3 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities and No. 4 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Global Diversity Companies

Cisco is a supporter of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007, has excellent benefits for LGBT employees and their partners, and has been a strong supporter of LGBT nonprofits.

No. 10: Johnson & Johnson, No. 1 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 4 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Recruitment & Retention; No. 5 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans; and No. 2 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Executive Women

The company has strong diversity training that includes orientation and gender identity as well as first-rate benefits for LGBT employees and their partners.

Coalition urges swift passage of hate crimes bill

The momentum around pro-LGBT legislation is truly staggering. The hate crimes legislation is up for debate in the House and there is a broad coalition supporting it. 365gay is reporting:

(Washington) The US House is expected to vote this week on legislation to add sexual orientation to the list of categories covered under federal hate crime law.

The bill was marked up last week by the House Judiciary Committee.

A wide coalition of national civil rights, human rights, and faith communities is calling for swift approval of the bill. Among the groups is the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.

“Violence against people because of who they are, where they worship, or the color of their skin, is the antithesis of what we stand for as a nation. Hatred that leads to violence is a matter of fundamental concern to the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and its 200-member coalition and we are unified in our support of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act,” said Wade Henderson, president of the LCCR.

“The right to be protected and to be safe and free from physical harm or intimidation is the most fundamental of civil and human rights. We urge Congress to quickly pass the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, legislation that will enhance protections against hate crimes and give local police departments the resources they need to crack down on hate motivated violence,” said Benjamin Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP.

You find the rest of the article after the jump...

Judy Shepard Video as Congress Takes up Hate Crimes Legislation

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization – released a video today as part of the effort to pass the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (LLEHCPA) featuring Judy Shepard whose son Matthew was murdered in 1998 because he was gay.

“It’s been ten years since Judy Shepard lost her son Matthew and this video is a painful reminder that the federal government does not have the resources it needs to assist in prosecuting these horrific acts,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “Since Matthew’s murder, tens of thousands of Americans have been victims of hate violence and it’s time to give local law enforcement the tools to combat this scourge.”

Tomorrow, the House Judiciary Committee will mark up the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (LLEHCPA), also known as the Matthew Shepard Act. The bill would give the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence by providing the department with jurisdiction over crimes of violence where the victim is chosen because of the person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.

The video profiles the stories of hate crimes victims who were targeted because of who they are. They include:

· Angie Zapata who on a summer night in Greeley, Colorado, was bludgeoned to death with a fire extinguisher because she was transgender.

· Billy Ray Johnson a mentally disabled man from Texas who was taken to a party, ridiculed, knocked unconscious, and then dumped by the side of the road.

· Luis Ramirez who while walking home to his family in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, was beaten him to death by a group of young men yelling racial and ethnic epithets.

· Ryan Skipper of Eloise, Florida, who was robbed, driven to a dirt road and stabbed more than twenty times because he was gay.

· Sean Kennedy, a South Carolina man who died after he was assaulted by a man yelling anti-gay slurs. The state has no hate crime law and his attacker was sentenced to three years in prison.

Would middle school GSAs help curb anti-gay bullying?

As we work to secure LGBT student orgs on the college level, the discussion is being had in the middle school arena. In Boston, MA three youth panelists testified to the importance of GSAs and other LGBT youth support groups during their high school years. The Edge reports:

During an April 14 legislative briefing by the Massachusetts Commission on GLBT Youth, commissioners, lawmakers and young people debated whether middle schools would be the next frontier for the gay/straight alliance (GSA) movement. Three youth panelists testified to the importance of GSAs and other LGBT youth support groups during their high school years, but commission vice-chair Eleni Carr pointed out that research suggests students are now coming out at much younger ages. The briefing took place in the House Member’s Lounge inside the State House.

"Today the average age is actually 13.4, which is middle school. ... I’m wondering if there are any thoughts here on the panel or in the room of the appropriateness and possibilities that might exist in gay/straight alliances in middle schools," said Carr.

Find the rest of the article after the jump...

Watch: MTV presents Pedro

The HBCU Program got this alert from the HRC Communications Department:


In 1994, Pedro Zamora captured the hearts of millions on MTV’s The Real World: San Francisco as the first-ever openly gay, HIV-positive main character on a national television show. Pedro is an intimate bio pic tracing his humble Cuban immigrant roots to his courageous rise to national prominence as the most recognizable HIV-AIDS activist in the United States. The world premiere of Pedro provides us with a unique opportunity to begin an honest discussion about the realities of sexually transmitted infections.

To carry on Pedro’s fight, we want to encourage all sexually active people to get tested. To make this as easy and fun as possible, we set up an SMS code so all anyone has to do is text their zip code to 49809 and they will get a text back with the location of the nearest testing center. In addition, everyone who texts that SMS code will automatically be registered to win a trip for 2 people to the 2009 MTV Movie Awards in Los Angeles! Not a bad deal for doing something we should all be doing anyway right?

Watch the trailor here!

Gay student stripped of university student senate seat

Injustice or a matter of procedure?? Lezgetreal.com is reporting that a lesbian student at Valparaiso University was stripped of her senate seat in the student government. The seat was apparently set aside for minority students, and the bylaws do not include LGBT in the definition of minority. Students are saying that the admin used this technicality to minimize LGBT representation on the campus.

In February, Tia Kolasa, an openly gay undergraduate at Northern Indiana’s Valparaiso University, was overwhelming elected by her classmates to fill a student senate seat designated for minority students. Kolasa sought to fill that seat so she could represent the gay community on campus.

Sources at the school say Kolasa is well liked and popular with her peers on the senate. They also say she was doing “a great job” as a senator, that she was bringing a new awareness of LGBT issues to non gay students and had instilled a sense of pride in the members of Valparaiso University LGBT student community.

But a few weeks after Kolasa assumed her new responsibilities as a student senator, questions were raised by some students and school administrators if being gay should be considered a minority and soon after Valparaiso University officials informed the counsel that sexual orientation did not qualifying under the student senate’s bylaws or under school policies for minority status and directed that Kolasa be removed from her seat.

In issuing his ruling, President Mark Heckler said the issue of unseating Kolasa was entirely a matter of procedure. Heckler also said the ground rules were established from the beginning, and that changing those rules in midstream to seat someone was the reason for Kolasa was removed.

Read the rest of this article after the jump...

President Obama Appoints Out Lesbian to the D.C. Superior Court

Shewired.comr is reporting that Prez. Obama has appointed an out lesbian to D.C. Superior Court. Marisa Demeo, who currently serves as a Magistrate Judge, demonstrated understanding and unwavering commitment to civil rights.

The White House Press Office announced President Obama is, ”pleased to put forward two nominees who have served the people of the District of Columbia with such distinction. Marisa Demeo and Florence Pan have dedicated their careers to serving the public good and they will be esteemed and eminent additions to the DC Superior Court.”

The appointment of Demeo, who currently serves as a Magistrate Judge, pleased the Human Rights Campaign.

The HRC applauded the choice noting, “Demeo has a demonstrated understanding and unwavering commitment to civil rights. She has more than 15 years of experience working with LGBT, community, Latino, and civil rights groups such as DOJ Pride and GAYLAW. Judge Demeo is also a former co-chair of GELAAM where she conducted HIV and breast cancer outreach and education to the local Latino community. Demeo clearly possesses the intellectual rigor and experience required of an Associate Judge and we are confident her knowledge and expertise will serve our community well.”

You can read the article after the jump...

Why the African American community should embrace gay rights.

The Bay Area's Contra Costa Times just published an opinion piece by Pastor and syndicated columnist, Byron Williams. Williams makes some pretty good points, check it out:

WHENEVER THERE is a discussion about gay rights and the African-American community, someone can be depended upon to offer the juvenile critique that the cause of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community is not the same as the historical Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and '60s.

It's not uncommon to hear African-American pastors suggest "my skin cannot be compared with their sin" as a way to poetically justify their homophobia.

This argument assumes a collective understanding of what the Civil Rights Movement is and what the LGBT movement is not.

If one views the civil rights movement and the current LGBT struggle through the linear paradigm of race and sex, I would agree there is little that connects the two.

If, however, one understands the civil rights movement as something that helped America get closer to the democratic values to which it committed itself in 1776, along with the preamble of the Constitution that reads: "We the people of the United States in order form a more perfect union," then I would suggest the LGBT struggle is very much an extension in the ongoing civil rights struggle.

Find the rest of the article after the jump...

Anonymous E-mail Accuses Diversity Program of Promoting ‘Gay Agenda’

Julie Bolcer at the Advocate is reporting that a mass email has been sent to thousands of parents of a California high school complaining that the school's diversity program is advancing the "gay agenda". It seems like the email didn't illict the response the author had hoped for:

An anonymous e-mail potentially sent to thousands of parents accused the Castro Valley High School in California of promoting a "gay agenda" in its diversity program last week.

The high school near San Francisco is the alma mater of lesbian MSNBC host, Rachel Maddow.

The two-day “Days of Diversity” program, now in its ninth year at the school, teaches students about the history of their community and country, including inter-religious relations and civil rights, according to Principal Pete Alvarez.

Whoever sent the e-mail thinks otherwise, however.

“I find out that the influence of the gay agenda at CVHS is much worse than I had been led to believe,” said the message. “I already knew that most of my child’s teachers were gay.”

Officials are unclear how the sender received the e-mail addresses of parents, many of whom expressed their disgust with the anti-gay sentiments.

Find the original article after the jump...

Human Rights Campaign Applauds Obama Administration for Supporting UN Declaration Affirming Human Rights of LGBT People

Some amazing news is coming off of the HRC wire. This is the change we can believe in:

Human Rights Campaign Applauds Obama Administration for Supporting UN Declaration Affirming Human Rights of LGBT People

Bush administration had previously refused to sign



WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, issued a statement today on the Obama administration’s announcement that it formally endorsed a United Nations declaration calling for an end to discrimination and other human rights abuses based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The move is a reversal of the Bush administration’s refusal to sign the statement, which made the United States the only western nation not to support the measure when presented by the U.N. General Assembly in December.



“This is a welcome step forward as it signals to the world that, after years of a hostile administration, the United States recognizes the humanity of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people at home and abroad,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “We applaud the Obama administration for joining the other 66 member nations that have officially recognized that basic human rights include the equality of LGBT people.”



“The United States supports the U.N.'s statement on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity and is pleased to join the other 66 U.N. member states who have declared their support of the statement,” the State Department said in a statement released today. “The United States is an outspoken defender of human rights and critic of human rights abuses around the world. As such, we join with other supporters of this statement, and we will continue to remind countries of the importance of respecting the human rights of all people in all appropriate international fora.”



In December, HRC was a vocal critic of the Bush administration’s refusal to sign the declaration. Nearly 2,500 HRC members called the State Department urging it support the declaration. HRC also released a joint statement denouncing the Vatican’s opposition to the declaration. The statement, which was signed by faith program directors from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and National Black Justice Coalition, can be found read online by visiting, http://www.hrc.org/news/11728.htm.

NAACP National Chairman Julian Bond Gives Amazing Speech at HRC LA Dinner

National NAACP Chairman Julian Bond gave an amazing speech in support of LGBT rights at HRC’s Los Angeles Gala Dinner on Saturday, March 14. Check the video out below!!!

South Africa: 'Corrective Rape' Spreads To 'Fix' Lesbians

The Huffington Post is featuring a story by The Guardian on the rise of sexual violence against lesbians in South Africa:

The partially clothed body of Eudy Simelane, former star of South Africa's acclaimed Banyana Banyana national female football squad, was found in a creek in a park in Kwa Thema, on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Simelane had been gang-raped and brutally beaten before being stabbed 25 times in the face, chest and legs.As well as being one of South Africa's best-known female footballers, Simelane was a voracious equality rights campaigners and one of the first women to live openly as a lesbian in Kwa Thema.

You can find the rest of the article after the jump...

Human Rights Campaign Recognizes Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

More than 26 years after its discovery, HIV/AIDS continues to change the face of human health like no other modern illness. Today we know that women and female adolescents account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses - and the infection rates among women of color are even more alarming. In 2004, the CDC reported these shocking statistics (.PDF) about HIV/AIDS:

• is the leading cause of death for black women (including African American women) aged 25–34 years.
• the 3rd leading cause of death for black women aged 35–44 years.
• the 4th leading cause of death for Hispanic women aged 35–44 years.

That same year, HIV infection was named the 5th leading cause of death among all women aged 35–44 years and the 6th leading cause of death among all women aged 25–34 years. Only cancer and heart disease caused more deaths among women.

Khadijah Tribble, Executive Director of Pediatic HIV/AIDS Care and member of the HRC Diversity and Inclusion Council, writes about the significance of the day and what it means to all of us working for equality and justice.

Find the article after the jump...

HRC Launches Endthelies.org

The Human Rights Campaign launched a new website this past week. When the right-wing attacks the LGBT community, their messages usually consist of one main ingredient - lies. HRC's EndtheLies.org will help you counter to those lies with the truth. EndtheLies.org has videos, audio, pictures and quotations calling out those who knowingly use lies and misinformation to disrupt the LGBT community's path to equality. Users can add comments on multimedia discussion boards, learn how to fight the far-right's misdeeds and nominate their own candidates for inclusion on the interactive wall of shame.

Click here to find more!

Morehouse Men Respond to Homophobia

The brave men at Morehouse are again confronting homophobia face on, and they're doing it in an impressive way. This article comes from the Southern Voice:

Morehouse College under fire again for alleged homophobia
Student newspaper column questions masculinity of gay men at all-male institution
By DYANA BAGBY, Southern Voice | Feb 17, 4:51 PM

A Morehouse College student newspaper column titled “Is Gay the Way?” has caused a stir in Atlanta as well as the national blogosphere, with many gay and transgender activists accusing the writer of being homophobic. The opinion article, published Feb. 16 in The Maroon Tiger, questioned masculine norms at the all-male historically black college.

Gerren Gaynor, who wrote the column and serves as the paper’s associate opinions editor, told Southern Voice he believes his message has been misunderstood.

“In no way was my article an anti-gay piece,” said Gaynor, a sophomore English major.

“This article was exclusive about the way in which it affects the campus of Morehouse College and no other institution, not even the United States government … While I do agree that I went about my topic the wrong way — and please be advised that this was an article done over night for a weekly college publication — it is completely wrong to disregard the feelings of other students on campus, gay and straight, because every homosexual is not comfortable with seeing a man with feminine qualities,” he said. “Nowhere in my article do I attack gays. The article is strictly a critique on gender norms.”

In his column, Gaynor states, “It’s not so much that ‘straight’ men of Morehouse are uncomfortable with the gay lifestyle, but more so because that the lifestyle is constantly and robustly thrown in their faces. Does being a gay man include adopting the traits of a woman? Because if that’s the case, there’s a more fitting school, and it’s not an all-male institution.

You can find the rest of the article after the jump...

More Grins Than Grumbles at a Gay Ball

Just a little insight into the big gay party this weekend. Here's a report from the NY Times blog:

“I’m so tired of Rick Warren,” Rufus Wainwright sang, tweaking the lyrics to his anthem “Going to a Town.” (”I’m so tired of you, America.”) “I’m so tired of California,” he sang, earning a smattering of “woos” at the Human Rights Campaign’s Out for Equality ball at the Mayflower Hotel on Tuesday night.

But the crowd was far more effusive when Mr. Wainwright brought out another performer, Cyndi Lauper. For one duet, she climbed up on the piano like an old-fashioned chanteuse, albeit one in leather pants.

There were far more tuxedos than gowns in the crowd; their owners feasted on miniature Chicago pizzas and miniature Chicago sliders, and posed for photos in front of a bright rainbow ice sculpture.

Still, President Obama’s choice of Mr. Warren, the California pastor and author of “The Purpose-Driven Life,” whose anti-gay-marriage stance has drawn criticism from the gay community, to deliver the invocation on Tuesday was much-remarked upon.

“I translated to Jerome that it was a controversial character,” said Robert Gould, 40, an administrative law judge from New York who attended the inauguration with his Parisian boyfriend, Jerome Riesterer, 36, an airline employee. When Mr. Warren addressed his prayer “to everyone,” Mr. Gould added, “all the people around us, who I assumed were straight — they said, ‘Except for gays.’ ”

But Mr. Gould said Mr. Warren’s presence did not put a damper on the festivities. “When you see this big achievement,” the grandness of it overshadows this one person, he said.

You can find the rest of the article after the jump...

Prop. 8 Exit Polling of African-Americans Way Off, Experts Say

The initial reports of African American support for Prop. 8 are continuing to be discredited by researchers. Take a look at this article from the Advocate:

A new study on California’s Proposition 8 voting trends released Tuesday found that far fewer African-Americans voted to pass the gay marriage ban than the 70% suggested by exit polling and concluded that race was not the most significant factor affecting people’s vote for or against marriage equality.

After conducting in-depth analysis of election returns from five key California counties and using census data to estimate the racial makeup of the voters in those counties, researchers found that between 57% and 59% of African-Americans voted in favor of Proposition 8, which amended the state's constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage.

"This is a far cry from the [National Exit Poll] estimate,” said Kenneth Sherrill of Hunter College, one of the lead authors of the study.

You can read the rest of this eye opening article after the jump...

Marriage: The Time Is Now

News sources are reporting that a legislator in Vermont is preparing to introduce legislation that will secure marriage rights for the lesbian and gay community:

AUGUSTA, Maine—The gay marriage issue moved onto the legislative agenda Tuesday as supporters of the idea said this is the time to recognize marriages between same-sex couples -- even if the debate comes amid major concerns in the State House over budget cutbacks and their impact.

Sen. Dennis Damon said he is introducing a bill to rewrite Maine's existing statute that defines marriage as between one man and one woman, instead defining it as a union between two people. In addition, it recognizes gay marriages from other states.

Damon, D-Trenton, answered critics who questioned the timing of the bill as lawmakers face a $838 million shortfall by saying it's "long overdue."

"Currently there is discrimination. Heterosexual couples who have decided to spend their lives together are treated differently than same-sex couples who have ... that same commitment to each other," Damon said. "I don't see the fairness of that. I don't see the need for that, and this bill will put an end to that."

You can find the rest of the article after the jump...