GLBT DIGEST April 21, 2007

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To: Ray's List Subscribers,

Thank you for your patience while we have been offline during the past several weeks. We needed to catch up on a backlog of work. We're still not "caught up" but we will try to send Ray's List most days.

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Ray and Michael

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The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Transgender-Prom-King.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print

April 21, 2007
Transgender Student Runs for Prom King
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 4:51 a.m. ET

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) -- When school officials announce the name of the FresnoHigh School prom king on Saturday, Cinthia Covarrubias will be wearing atuxedo just like the six boys vying for the honor. Administrators agreed toreverse a district protocol this week that limited males to compete for thetitle after Covarrubias was nominated by her classmates.

''I would never have run for anything if I had to wear a dress,'' saidCovarrubias, who considers herself transgender, an umbrella term that coversall people whose outward appearance and internal identity don't match theirgender at birth.

Gay youth advocates called it a landmark victory for campus genderexpression and said they believe it's the first time in the U.S. that anopenly transgender student has run for prom royalty.

''We are growing as a society to accept much more diversity in genderexpression, and that's a positive thing,'' said Carolyn Laub, director ofthe Gay-Straight Alliance Network.

Covarrubias, who wears black-and-white Vans, baggy shorts and close-croppedbrown hair, sometimes identifies herself as Tony. Her date, a close femalefriend, plans to wear a black dress and red corsage to the prom at anoutdoor reception hall surrounded by man-made waterfalls.



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The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/21/us/politics/21hillary.html?pagewanted=print

April 21, 2007
Clinton Promises a Cleanup of Government
By PATRICK HEALY and JON HURDLE

Seeking black and female votes yesterday, first at Rutgers University andthen before the Rev. Al Sharpton's political organization, Senator HillaryRodham Clinton used housecleaning imagery to swipe at President Bush andpraised the Rutgers women's basketball team as teaching her and others alesson.

Mrs. Clinton, Democrat of New York, criticized President Bush at severalpoints, particularly over Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts and Iraq, whichshe called "this war that he deliberately started." But for the most partshe used personal examples and metaphors to advocate for blacks, women, gaymen and women, the poor, the old and the young.

Before Mr. Sharpton's group, the National Action Network, Mrs. Clintonpromised to champion government reform and drew applause by talking aboutwomen's cleaning up messes made by others.

"When I walk into the Oval Office in 2009, I'm afraid I'm going to lift upthe rug and I'm going to see so much stuff under there," she told a fewhundred black political figures and others at a Manhattan hotel.

"You know, what is it about us always having to clean up after people?" sheadded. "But this is not just going to be picking up socks off the floor.This is going to be cleaning up the government."



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The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/arts/AP-TV-Washington-Emmy.html?pagewanted=print

April 20, 2007
No Emmy Try for Isaiah Washington

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 11:13 p.m. ET

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Isaiah Washington has decided this is not a good year totry for an Emmy Award.

The ''Grey's Anatomy'' star, who came under fire after using an anti-gayslur, didn't submit his name for nominations consideration, Washington'spublicist, Howard Bragman, said Friday.

''It's all about the acting, not the awards,'' Bragman said.

Washington ran into trouble at another awards show in January, the GoldenGlobes. He used the epithet during a backstage interview while denying he'dused it previously against castmate T.R. Knight.

After being criticized by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation andthe ABC network, Washington issued an apology and sought counseling.



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The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/20/us/20civil.html?pagewanted=print

April 20, 2007
Civil Unions Gain Ground as a Governor Vows Action
By PAM BELLUCK

BOSTON, April 19 - New Hampshire's governor said Thursday that he would signa bill legalizing civil unions for same-sex couples.

For weeks, the governor, John Lynch, declined to express his views on thecivil union bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives and isexpected to be passed by the Senate next week. Both chambers are controlledby Democrats for the first time in more than a century.

The measure would make New Hampshire the fourth state to allow civil unions,following the lead of Vermont, Connecticut and New Jersey. California allowsdomestic partnerships with benefits similar to civil unions. Massachusettsis the only state that allows same-sex marriage.

"It's a matter of conscience, of fairness and preventing discrimination,"the governor, a Democrat, told reporters in Allenstown, N.H., according tohis spokesman, Colin Manning.

Mr. Manning said the governor opposed same-sex marriage, adding that "thecivil unions bill does extend the rights that married couples do enjoy -hospital visitation, crime victims' rights, health insurance - but at thesame time it preserves the distinction of marriage."



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The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/19/sports/ncaabasketball/19lsu.html?pagewanted=print

April 19, 2007
In Recruiting Season, Mistrust Is Raised at L.S.U.
By JERÉ LONGMAN

Now that the women's college basketball season has ended, many coaches areon the road recruiting through mid-May. And, some said in recent interviews,they could face fallout from last month's resignation of Pokey Chatman fromLouisiana State, following charges of what the university describedyesterday for the first time as inappropriate sexual relationships betweenher and former players.

"This is everyone's worst nightmare," Mary Jo Kane, director of the TuckerCenter for Research on Girls and Women in Sport at the University ofMinnesota, said during widespread discussion of the Chatman case during the N.C.A.A. tournament.

At its heart, L.S.U. officials said, the Chatman case is about abuse oftrust or power. Yet some coaches, administrators and academics say they fearthat the accusations against Chatman will inflame homophobia; reinforcestereotypes of lesbians as sexual predators; lead to more so-called negativerecruiting, or attempts to steer players away from coaches suspected ofbeing gay; increase skepticism toward the hiring of single women as headcoaches; and scare the parents of potential recruits.

"I think there are coaches who may try to use this against any femalecoaches who are not married and just make innuendo, to put fear in someplayers' minds or parents' minds," said Gail Goestenkors, the former Dukecoach who moved this month to the University of Texas. "That happenssometimes now anyway. I think that will fuel the fire a little bit."

Yesterday, in a telephone interview, Raymond Lamonica, L.S.U.'s general
counsel, said that charges levied by a former assistant coach againstChatman were sexual in nature. He first made similar remarks in Wednesday'seditions of The Advocate, the daily newspaper in Baton Rouge, La. Theuniversity had previously said only that Chatman had inappropriaterelationships with more than one former player.



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WashingtonPost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/20/AR2007042002054_pf.html

Gay Gains
New Hampshire is poised to join the growing list of states allowing civil
unions.
Saturday, April 21, 2007; A16

GAY AND LESBIAN couples in New Hampshire took a step closer to gainingofficial recognition of their relationships when Gov. John Lynch (D) saidthis week he would sign legislation to establish civil unions in the GraniteState. "I believe it is a matter of conscience, fairness and preventingdiscrimination," he said Thursday.

We agree. Other states should follow suit.

It seems gay marriage and civil unions are taking root in the Northeast.Massachusetts is the only state in the union to make gay marriage legal.Vermont, Connecticut and New Jersey have instituted civil unions. NewHampshire will do the sa me next week if its state Senate follows theHouse's approval of legislation that allows homosexual couples "to enterspousal unions and have the same rights, responsibilities, and obligationsas married couples." Limited domestic partnerships are provided for inMaine, Hawaii and the District of Columbia. California has domesticpartnership that offers almost all the state-level benefits of marriage.

As we have said, there is no reason homosexual couples in loving andcommitted relationships should not be recognized by their states and havethe rights and responsibilities that go with that recognition. Gay marriagewould be optimal. But the adoption of civil unions and domestic partnershipsby some states is a good thing.

Good because the experience of those states will show their residents andothers around the country that there is nothing to fear from granting gayand lesbian couples rights such as hospital visitation. Good because -- justmaybe -- opponents will see that gay marriage or similar arrangements are nothreat to heterosexual marriage.



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The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/19/AR2007041901615_pf.html

N.J. ex-governor teaches ethics after sex scandal
Reuters
Thursday, April 19, 2007; 4:06 PM

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey, whoresigned his post amid a sex scandal, is teaching law and ethics at thestate's Kean University, the school said on Thursday.

McGreevey is being paid $17,500 a year to work 15 hours a week as an"executive in residence," a position that combines teaching and consulting,the university said.

McGreevey has been teaching courses entitled "Ethical and Legal Issues" and"Management and Leadership" to business school students, said spokesmanDaniel Higgins.

McGreevey announced, on a nationally televised news conference in August2004, that he was stepping down as governor because he was "a gay American"and had been having an affair with a man he had hired as a homeland securityadviser.

The man, Golan Cipel, has denied the affair took place and has saidMcGreevey sexually assaulted him.



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The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/19/AR2007041901618_pf.html

Foley Paying Bills With Campaign Cash

By BRIAN SKOLOFF
The Associated Press
Thursday, April 19, 2007; 4:10 PM

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley is using leftovercampaign cash to pay for the huge legal bills he's racking up defendinghimself in the congressional page scandal that led to his resignation.

Foley spent $206,000 in campaign cash on attorneys from November to January,according to recent filings with the Federal Election Commission. That leftabout $1.7 million in the Florida Republican's campaign account March 31,even after he returned more than $110,000 from donors.

"Many congressmen, when they resign, they keep the money and do good thingswith it. But paying for your legal bills? I don't think so," said RobertStarr, chairman of the Charlotte County Republican Party.

The FEC has ruled in other cases that such expenditures generally arelawful.

"I got my 500 bucks back. ... I gave him money because I believed in him.It's not that way anymore," Starr said.



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The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/18/AR2007041801577_pf.html

James Dobson says prefers families to politics

By Ed Stoddard
Reuters
Wednesday, April 18, 2007; 3:13 PM

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo (Reuters) - U.S. conservative heavyweight JamesDobson is tired of being asked his preference in the 2008 White House racebut he says two things are for certain.

One is that the Republican Party cannot count on the unequivocal support ofright-wing Christians. The other is that Republican front-runner and formerNew York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is unlikely to inspire the party's conservativebase because of his checkered marital past.

In an interview, the founder and chairman of the influential conservativeadvocacy and counseling group Focus on the Family said that politics was asideline to his real passion: helping families via his books, radio show andcounseling services.

"It's not Focus on Politics, it's Focus on the Family," he told Reuters athis spacious office that offer breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains inColorado.

Dobson, who turns 71 on Saturday, founded Focus 30 years ago to combat whathe regarded as the moral decay of the family, a trend he linked to broadersocial problems.



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The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/18/AR2007041802257_pf.html

Former Evangelical Leader Moves to Phoenix
Rev. Ted Haggard will join church that aided televangelist Jim Baker

Eric Gorski
Associated Press
Wednesday, April 18, 2007; 8:33 PM

DENVER (AP) -- The Rev. Ted Haggard moved Wednesday from his longtime homein Colorado Springs to Phoenix, where the disgraced minister will join thesame church that helped fallen televangelist Jim Baker.

Haggard, 50, resigned as president of the National Association ofEvangelicals last year, after a former male prostitute alleged a three-yearcash-for-sex relationship. The man also said he saw Haggard usemethamphetamine. Haggard confessed to undisclosed "sexual immorality" andsaid he bought meth but never used it.

As part of his severance package from New Life Church, a 14,000-membercongregation he started in his basement, Haggard agreed to leave ColoradoSprings, a city he helped make an evangelical center.

"When he moved out of town today, there was a kind of relief on the part ofthe church that life can get back to normal," said the Rev. H.B. London, oneof three ministers overseeing what has been called Haggard's "restoration.""For the Haggards, it is the beginning of a huge new chapter. It's a brandnew start for them, the beginning of a new beginning."

Before his fall, Haggard was an emerging voice in evangelical politics. Hetook part in White House conference calls and fought to broaden themovement's agenda to include environmental issues.



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The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/17/AR2007041702412_pf.html

Mayor Leads Gay Marriage Ban Protest

By RYAN J. FOLEY
The Associated Press
Tuesday, April 17, 2007; 11:53 PM

MADISON, Wis. -- The mayor and half the city council denounced Wisconsin'snew ban on gay marriage Tuesday by adding a strongly worded statement totheir oath of office.

Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and 20 city council members elected April 3 raisedtheir right hands and vowed to uphold the state and federal constitutionsand the city charter during a midday ceremony at City Hall.

But then Cieslewicz and 10 council members signed a statement saying theytook the oath under protest because the ban approved by 59 percent of votersin November "besmirches our constitution."

They vowed to work to minimize the ban's impact and overturn it in thefuture.

"I cannot in good conscience take office without noting my strong oppositionto the recent amendment that so blatantly discriminates against my fellowWisconsinites who are gay or lesbian," Cieslewicz said to applause afterbeing sworn in to a second four-year term.



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The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/17/AR2007041701080_pf.html

Bermuda Cut From O'Donnell's Gay Cruise

The Associated Press
Tuesday, April 17, 2007; 9:21 PM

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- A summer cruise for gay and lesbian familiesorganized by Rosie O'Donnell has cut Bermuda from its planned itinerarybecause of possible protests by church groups in the British islandterritory.

O'Donnell's charter company said it would replace the Bermuda stop with twoother ports of call in Florida. It will also stop at a private island in theBahamas. The tour is scheduled to leave New York in July on a ship owned byMiami-based Norwegian Cruise Line.

The charter company, R Family Vacations, said on its Web site that it wantedto avoid the type of protests that greeted passengers when one of itscruises stopped in Nassau, Bahamas, in 2004.

In the statement, the company said Bermuda's prime minister had assured themthey would be welcome astourists and they had also received hundreds of supportive e-mails frompeople who live in the wealthy British enclave.

Still, organizers felt they could not be certain there would be noprotesters greeting them upon arrival. "We feel that our cruise would bemore enjoyable with an alternate itinerary to ports where we know we arewelcome by everyone."



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The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/17/AR2007041701351_pf.html

Anglican Head Williams Says Anti-Gays Misread Bible

By Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor
Reuters
Tuesday, April 17, 2007; 5:47 PM

PARIS - The spiritual leader of the world's 77 million Anglicans has saidconservative Christians who cite the Bible to condemn homosexuality aremisreading a key passage written by Saint Paul almost 2,000 years ago.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, addressing theology students inToronto, said an oft-quoted passage in Paul's Epistle to the Romans meant towarn Christians not to be self-righteous when they see others fall into sin.

His comments were an unusually open rebuff to conservative bishops, many ofthem from Africa, who have been citing the Bible to demand that pro-gayAnglican majorities in the United States and Canada be reined in or forcedout of the Communion.

"Many current ways of reading miss the actual direction of the passage,"Williams said on Monday, according to a text of his speech posted on theAnglican Church of Canada's Web site.

"Paul is making a primary point not about homosexuality but about thedelusions of the supposedly law-abiding."



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The Miami Herald

http://www.miamiherald.com/772/v-print/story/77803.html

Posted on Wed, Apr. 18, 2007
Gay rights bills pass Oregon House
By BRAD CAIN

Same-sex couples would receive the same benefits as married couples, andgays and lesbians would be protected against discrimination under billsapproved Tuesday by the Oregon House.

The Senate is expected to pass the two bills and Gov. Ted Kulongoski plansto sign both.

The first bill would enable same-sex couples to enter into contractualrelationships that grant them the same benefits offered to married couplesunder state law. The bill refers to the relationships as "domesticpartnerships."

Oregon would join Vermont, Connecticut, California and New Jersey inoffering civil unions or domestic partnerships to same-sex couples.Massachusetts allows gay couples to marry. Hawaii extends certain spousalrights to same-sex couples, along with cohabitating heterosexual pairs. TheWashington Legislature last week approved a limited domestic partnershipbill that's expected to be signed into law soon.

A national gay rights group called the Oregon vote part of a larger movementby state lawmakers to provide recognition for gay and lesbian couples.



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The Miami Herald

http://www.miamiherald.com/367/v-print/story/75968.html

Posted on Mon, Apr. 16, 2007
Anglican meeting set on gay issue
By CHARMAINE NORONHA

The spiritual leader of the world's Anglicans said Monday he has agreed toan urgent request for a meeting with U.S. church leaders as the Anglicanfellowship nears a split over the Bible and sexuality.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, visiting Canada for a spiritualretreat with the country's Anglican bishops, said he would meet with U.S.Episcopal leaders in the fall.

"My aim is to try and keep people around the table for as long as possibleon this, to understand one another," Williams said at a news conference atthe Anglican Church of Canada headquarters.

Last month, U.S. Episcopal bishops affirmed their support for gays andrejected a compromise plan that would have required the Americans to give upsome authority to theological conservatives outside the U.S. church.

The Episcopal bishops then implored Williams to meet with them to hear theirviews.



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The Express Gay News

http://www.expressgaynews.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=12450

Longtime leader of SLDN to resign
Osburn co-founded group dedicated to fighting 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'
Apr 20, 11:03 AM

The longtime executive director for the Servicemembers Legal DefenseNetwork, is resigning this month to pursue new career opportunities, thenational group announced in a news release Friday.

C. Dixon Osburn co-founded the thirteen year-old group whose mission is toend discrimination against and harassment of service members harmed by themilitary's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

Osborn said, "It has been an honor, privilege and inspiration to work withour men and women in uniform who fight for our freedom even when deniedtheir own. I am glad that I could do my small part for them, and for allAmericans who believe in equality and our nation's security."

Osburn and Michelle Benecke co-founded the organization in 1993 and servedas co-executive directors until Benecke's departure in 2000, when Osburnbecame SLDN's sole executive director.



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Examiner.com

http://www.examiner.com/printa-685028~Settlement_near_in_alleged_police_anti-gay_attack.html

Settlement near in alleged police anti-gay attack
Adam Martin and Josh Sabatini, The Examiner

Apr 20, 2007 3:00 AM (1 day ago)
Current rank: # 63 of 7,089

SAN FRANCISCO - After an alleged homophobic attack by San Francisco policeofficers, The City is preparing to settle a lawsuit out of court, but theofficers involved in the case may never be fully investigated.

Andrew Marconi claims that three officers approached him when he wentoutside the Endup nightclub on April 18, 2005, to urinate. In his legalclaim against The City, he states that Sgt. Jason Fox and officers IanFurminger and Simon Chan uttered a series of anti-gay slurs at him.

"You peeing in my streets? Do you think I want your AIDS-infected pee in mystreets, f-----?" one officer allegedly said to Marconi. The officer thenallegedly forced Marconi to his knees in a puddle of urine and used his hairto wipe the urine-soaked wall, according to the complaint.

The officers hit and threatened Marconi, the complaint states, but leftafter Marconi's friend showed them his Stockton Police Department badge.

The Rules Committee of the Board of Supervisors on Thursday approved an$83,000 settlement for Marconi, but it is unclear whether a complaint wasever filed with the Office of Citizen Complaints, the civilian agencycharged with investigating citizen reports of police misconduct.



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Dayton Daily News

http://daytondaily.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Gay+rights+group+visits+Cedarville&expire=&urlID=22022401&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.daytondailynews.com%2Fn%2Fcontent%2Foh%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Flocal%2F2007%2F04%2F19%2Fddn042007cedarvillefolo.html&partnerID=528

Gay rights group visits Cedarville
Touring activists meet with selected students, highlighting differing waysthat Christians view homosexuality.

By Stephanie Irwin
Staff Writer
Friday, April 20, 2007

CEDARVILLE - - In the student center at Cedarville University on Thursdaymorning, student escorts, administrators and security guards waited formembers of Soulforce, a gay rights activist group on a bus tour to Christiancollege campuses.

"We're excited to meet them and have an opportunity to show them love," saidBrittany Donald, a Cedarville junior.

Soulforce, a nonprofit based in Lynchburg, Va., is touring 40 campuses toprotest homophobic doctrine and school policy that disciplines homosexualbehavior. The group is hoping to increase openness toward gay, lesbian,bisexual and transgendered Christians.

"We think they're trying to change not only policy but views ofhomosexuality in Christian circles," said Lukas Seelye, a junior and studentgovernment president.

Cedarville, a Baptist liberal arts college in Greene County, has along-standing policy on what it considers immoral acts. Students commit to acommunity covenant that requires "correction and confrontation" among themembers to discipline students in support of their spiritual development,according to its handbook.



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

Special 20/20 with Barbara Walters

Tune into ABC's 20/20 for a very special program with Barbara Walters Friday
Night, April 27th, 2007.

This program will portray the true meaning of UNCONDITIONAL LOVE as Barbaraintimately explores the lives of three incredible families and theirtransgender children.

These pioneering families are members of a support group for families oftransgender children of all ages sponsored by PFLAG affiliate TransFamily ofCleveland. This group currently encompasses nearly 400 families from allover the United States, Canada, England, and Australia. All three havechildren who have been diagnosed by medical professionals as transgendered,and all are under continuous observation by professional family therapistsand medical personnel.



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

U.S. Capitol Building

The 2007 Soulforce Equality Ride has been honored by the House ofRepresentatives andwritten into the congressional record. On Monday, April 16, Rep. Jerrold L.Nadler of New York addressed a tribute to the Equality Ride and its Ridersto the Speaker of the House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi.

"Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an extraordinary group ofyoung adults -- The Equality Riders -- who have dedicated 2 months of theirlives, traveling thousands of miles, visiting 32 colleges and universitiesaround the country and talking to countless students, faculty members andstaff in pursuit of social justice.

The spirit of The Equality Ride was born out of the recognition thathomophobia is globally pervasive and that no country, state, city, communityor school escapes its reach. The Equality Ride offers a unique opportunityfor student activists to dedicate their time and energy in the pursuit ofLesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered equality through the practice ofnonviolent resistance and educational campaigns.

I embrace the spirit of The Equality Ride and these leaders in the fight forsocial justice. The participants of the Equality Ride as well as itssupporters have changed numerous lives, raised awareness and challengednotions regarding homosexuality through both on and off campus activities.



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070420/64052905.html

Court denies gay parade claim against Moscow mayor

14:43 | 20/ 04/ 2007
Ria Novosti

MOSCOW, April 20 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow's Tverskoi Court has turned down aclaim against Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov by organizers of a gay parade, aspokesman for the court said Friday.

"The court did not find any grounds to meet the claim," the spokesman said.

Last year, Moscow authorities denied an application by organizers to hold agay parade, but the claim was motioned following a negative statement madeby Luzhkov.

Earlier this year the conservative 70-year-old mayor, who has been in officesince 1992, said he would never allow a gay parade to take place in Moscowdespite pressure from the West.

Luzhkov said, "Last year, Moscow came under unprecedented pressure tosanction the gay parade, which can be described in no other way than asSatanic. We did not let the parade take place then, and we are not going toallow it in the future."



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

http://www.javno.com/en/world/clanak.php?id=36855

Are there homosexuals among top politicians or top politicians amonghomosexuals?

Ana Marija Vojkoviæ
Published: April 20, 2007 10:32h
Javno

Being different from others is a thing of prestige and being a homosexual isa modern way of life.

Many famous persons in show business are coming out of the closet withouthesitation, which caters to their image and popularity. But what abouthomosexual politicians? Do those who perform a public service have thecourage to publicly admit to their sexual preferences?

The most famous homosexual politicians are the mayors of Berlin, Hamburg andParis. Some disclosed their sexual orientation during their candidacy andsome were forced to by scandals. It is interesting that all three mayorshave been at the helm of their cities since 2001.

Countries in which homosexuals perform their political duties are certainlyliberal. When will politician in Croatia garner the courage to admit theyare attracted to people of the same sex?



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Forwarded from Marc Adams
HeartStrong Executive Director
http://heartstrong.org/

Over the past six years, HeartStrong has been predicting that manyreligious educational institutions are about to change some of their vagueanti-gay policies and make them more specific. This will be in directresult to public exposure as well as the newly looming threat of highprofile lawsuits against religious schools with vague anti-gay policies.

Like many religious universities, Brigham Young University is no place forsomeone who is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered. However, manystudents are coerced by their own religous beliefs or by their parents toatend this school.

Previously, BYU's Honor Code and rules about homosexuality included thefollowing : "Brigham Young University will respond to student behaviorrather than to feelings or orientation. . . . Advocacy of a homosexuallifestyle (whether implied or explicit) or any behaviors that indicatehomosexual conduct, including those not sexual in nature, areinappropriate and violate the Honor Code."

Basically they were saying that the school would always look at astudent's behavior as opposed to invoking discipline as a result ofsuspicion or even someone saying that they were gay (without 'practicing'homosexuality).

The revised statement reads as follows: "Brigham Young University willrespond to homosexual behavior rather than to feelings or orientation andwelcomes as full members of the university community all whose behaviormeets university standards. . . . One's stated sexual orientation is notan Honor Code issue. However, the Honor Code requires all members of theuniversity community to manifest a strict commitment to the law ofchastity."

As you can see, there is very little difference between the twostatements. The newer statement seems to make a statement that one'sadmission of being gay is not grounds for dismissal or even exclusion fromenrollment. HOWEVER, the key statement here is "BYU... welcomes...allwhose behavior meets university standards...the law of chastity."

While this new policy may have prevented the two students from gettingexpelled a couple years ago for watching "Queer as Folk", the policy isstill anti-gay. There are no pro-gay social events at this university,only pro-heterosexual. As well, the only students that are required tolive in chastity are single heterosexual students and those who identifyas gay. Again, heterosexual privilege prevails as usual.

Interestingly but not surprisingly, the rules only speak of homosexualityand not the issue of transgendered students. Or, bisexuality.

This policy also confirms the school's position about homosexuality. Mostpeople in this sect of Christianity don't really believe there is such athing as homosexual people, but rather believe that everyone isheterosexual and some are just prone for falling victim to the "sin" ofhomosexuality. Just like others are prone to falling victim to the "sins"of lying, cheating, stealing, murder, pornography, etc.

This new policy clears up any confusion about the school's position inthis area and confirms their belief in "original sin."

And, nothing is stated about discontinuing the degrading discussion andname calling of those who exhibit homosexual "behavior" as sinners. Thereis also no statement made about the school's rabid history of promotingreparative therapy both passive and extreme.

It is extremely important to note that there is NOT nor will there ever bea non-harassment or non-discrimination policy on the books and enforced atBYU. And those policies are what is necessary for a school to be trulysafe.

As usual, things like this are predictable. We predicted these changesback in 2000. (Yet no one ever seems to believe us.) There will be manyadditional similar changes in hig profile schools as these schoolscontinue to seek to avoid public scrutiny, outrage and potential lawsuits.

Similar to this change, we expect many schools, even k-12 schools tochange their vague policies about homosexuality. Many schools removed theword homosexuality from their student handbooks and replaced it with thehighly subjective term of immorality. Because of recent lawsuits by someof our students, we expect some schools to begin changing their policiesto be more definitive.

Once again, proof that the work of HeartStrong is more important todaythan it was nearly eleven years ago when we first began our outreach.

The HeartStrong board of directors is grateful for the continuousfinancial support from many of you. Without it, HeartStrong would not behere for these students.

OUTREACH TRIP UPDATE:
We are off to Atlanta, and Tennessee and South Carolina over the nextweek. We have already been told by people who don't like HeartStrong thatwe are not welcome where we are going in South Carolina as well asTennessee. Funny how that makes us just do MORE.

Marc Adams
Volunteer Executive Director
http://www.heartstrong.org/



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Yahoo!.com

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070420/wl_mideast_afp/israelsocietygay&printer=1;_ylt=Ar.dIfXwfg9mO5rqlNJp6dibOrgF

Man hurt by anti-gay bomb in Israel
Fri Apr 20, 2:49 PM ET

A farmer was wounded on Friday when a bomb exploded near Jerusalem at a sitewhere tracts were found denouncing a gay pride parade planned for the HolyCity in June, police said.

The device exploded near a convent in the town of Beit Jamal, west ofJerusalem. The farmer, who was working nearby, was taken to hospital with alight wound to his foot.

The pamphlets denounced the planned June 21 parade being organised by agroup called Jerusalem Open House, which describes itself as a grassroots,activist organisation of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgendered peopleand allies.

Speaking in New York, Jerusalem Open House executive director Noa Sattahsaid the group "could not more strongly condemn this act of violence andhatred directed at us. This violent act is just one example of the religiousbigotry, prejudice and violence lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgenderpeople across the world are confronted with every day.

"Morally bankrupt religious bigotry will never deter us from our strugglefor freedom of expression and full and equal civil and religious rights. Weurge the Jerusalem police to find the perpetrators of this despicable actionand bring them to justice.



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

The Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists documentary film

Abomination: Homosexuality and the Ex-Gay Movement is now available throughour website,

www.aglp.org

Amazon.com and CustomFlix, the distributor

(http://www.customflix.com/Store/ShowEStore.jsp?id=226180).

The release of Abomination: Homosexuality and the Ex-Gay Movement marks theculmination of a three-year effort by the AGLP to counter an increasingamount of misinformation about gay people and homosexuality which is beingput forth in the media.

This documentary is AGLP's professional response to those who have made ittheir mission to pathologize homosexuality to religious communities for anincreasingly political goal.

Abomination: Homosexuality and the Ex-Gay Movement poignantly illustrateshow these so called "therapies" have left devastated individuals andfamilies in their wake.



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

http://www.planetout.com/news/article.html?2007/04/18/6

Pelosi honors late activist at Capitol ceremony

Planet Out, Wednesday, April 18, 2007

SUMMARY: Bob Hattoy, who devoted his life to gay, Democratic andenvironmental causes, is remembered by the House speaker as "a force ofnature."

Fellow Democrats and others were led Wednesday by House Speaker Nancy Pelosias they honored longtime activist Bob Hattoy with a memorial at the U.S.Capitol.

Hattoy, an advocate for gay and environmental issues, in 1992 became thefirst out gay person to speak at a major party's national convention,accusing the first President Bush of doing nothing about AIDS. He died March4 of complications of the disease.

At his death, Hattoy was president of the California Fish and GameCommission.

Here is a transcript of Pelosi's remarks:

"Today we celebrate the life and contributions of Bob Hattoy --environmentalist, activist, and friend. We also pay tribute to the many wholoved him, and grieve his loss.



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

http://www.planetout.com/news/article.html?2007/04/18/2

Vandalized school hews to Day of Silence

Planet Out, Wednesday, April 18, 2007

SUMMARY: South San Francisco High School observes the Day of Silence despitebeing blanketed over spring break with anti-gay and racist graffiti.

Students at South San Francisco High School held their observance ofWednesday's nationwide Day of Silence in a campus that had been blanketedduring spring break with homophobic, anti-Semitic and racist graffiti.

Meanwhile, religious-right opponents of gay rights who have launched a "Dayof Truth" counterprotest got a setback Tuesday from a federal judge inIllinois.

The school in South San Francisco, a small, historically working-class citynow known for its biotech industry, carried out its plans to celebrate GayStraight Alliance Week despite the disturbing and very thorough vandalism,which police called the work of one or two current or former students.

The hate messages included white-power slogans in English and Spanish and a"big hand spray painted with the middle finger sticking up saying, 'Day ofSilence This,' a junior told KCBS reporter Holly Quan.

"I have a teacher, she's a lesbian. Imagine how the teachers feel," a seniortold Quan.



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

Polish group challenges gay-rights demonstration

Catholic World News
http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=50586

Krakow, Apr. 18, 2007 (CWNews.com) - A controversial Polish group hasannounced plans to counter a homosexual-rights demonstration in Krakow,raising the prospect of a confrontation between the groups this weekend.

Homosexual activists plan a "March for Tolerance" in Krakow for thisSaturday, April 21. The event has been organized in connection with the 4thKrakow Festival of Gay and Lesbian Culture.

"We will not permit the sodomites to enter the city's main square,"announced representatives of All-Polish Youth. The group-- formerly alignedwith the League of Polish Families, a political party that is part of thecurrent government coalition-- announced that it will organize its own"March for Tradition and Culture" as a counter-demonstration, also onSaturday.



=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_5682181

Senate backs gay-bias ban in workplace

By Jeri Clausing, Denver Post Staff Writer, 04/17/2007

The state Senate voted Monday to prohibit workplace discrimination based ona worker's sexual orientation - a bill Sen. Jennifer Veiga has been tryingto pass for nearly a decade.

With a Democratic governor, she said she hopes the proposal - twice vetoedby former Republican Gov. Bill Owens - will become law.

The Senate gave initial approval to Senate Bill 25 after more than an hourof debate.

Republicans tried unsuccessfully to add a number of amendments, including aprovision that would have protected people from being fired for expressingtheir religious beliefs and another that would have allowed school districtsto adopt gender-specific dress codes.

Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, said he feared the bill would allow maleteachers to dress as women without consequences.

Opponents also argued that the bill was both unneccessary and an undueburden on business.



=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

Polish group challenges gay-rights demonstration

Catholic World News
http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=50586

Krakow, Apr. 18, 2007 (CWNews.com) - A controversial Polish group hasannounced plans to counter a homosexual-rights demonstration in Krakow,raising the prospect of a confrontation between the groups this weekend.

Homosexual activists plan a "March for Tolerance" in Krakow for thisSaturday, April 21. The event has been organized in connection with the 4thKrakow Festival of Gay and Lesbian Culture.

"We will not permit the sodomites to enter the city's main square,"announced representatives of All-Polish Youth. The group-- formerly alignedwith the League of Polish Families, a political party that is part of thecurrent government coalition-- announced that it will organize its own"March for Tradition and Culture" as a counter-demonstration, also onSaturday.



=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_5682181

Senate backs gay-bias ban in workplace

By Jeri Clausing, Denver Post Staff Writer, 04/17/2007

The state Senate voted Monday to prohibit workplace discrimination based ona worker's sexual orientation - a bill Sen. Jennifer Veiga has been tryingto pass for nearly a decade.

With a Democratic governor, she said she hopes the proposal - twice vetoedby former Republican Gov. Bill Owens - will become law.

The Senate gave initial approval to Senate Bill 25 after more than an hourof debate.

Republicans tried unsuccessfully to add a number of amendments, including aprovision that would have protected people from being fired for expressingtheir religious beliefs and another that would have allowed school districtsto adopt gender-specific dress codes.

Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, said he feared the bill would allow maleteachers to dress as women without consequences.

Opponents also argued that the bill was both unneccessary and an undueburden on business.



=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

Polish group challenges gay-rights demonstration

Catholic World News
http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=50586

Krakow, Apr. 18, 2007 (CWNews.com) - A controversial Polish group hasannounced plans to counter a homosexual-rights demonstration in Krakow,raising the prospect of a confrontation between the groups this weekend.

Homosexual activists plan a "March for Tolerance" in Krakow for thisSaturday, April 21. The event has been organized in connection with the 4thKrakow Festival of Gay and Lesbian Culture.

"We will not permit the sodomites to enter the city's main square,"announced representatives of All-Polish Youth. The group-- formerly alignedwith the League of Polish Families, a political party that is part of thecurrent government coalition-- announced that it will organize its own"March for Tradition and Culture" as a counter-demonstration, also onSaturday.



=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_5682181

Senate backs gay-bias ban in workplace

By Jeri Clausing, Denver Post Staff Writer, 04/17/2007

The state Senate voted Monday to prohibit workplace discrimination based ona worker's sexual orientation - a bill Sen. Jennifer Veiga has been tryingto pass for nearly a decade.

With a Democratic governor, she said she hopes the proposal - twice vetoedby former Republican Gov. Bill Owens - will become law.

The Senate gave initial approval to Senate Bill 25 after more than an hourof debate.

Republicans tried unsuccessfully to add a number of amendments, including aprovision that would have protected people from being fired for expressingtheir religious beliefs and another that would have allowed school districtsto adopt gender-specific dress codes.

Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, said he feared the bill would allow maleteachers to dress as women without consequences.

Opponents also argued that the bill was both unneccessary and an undueburden on business.

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