Tuesday, October 30, 2007

GLBT DIGEST October 30, 2007

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.


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The Detroit News

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071029/OPINION03/710290305

Support grows for those who are gay and Catholic

Monday, October 29, 2007
Deb Price:

On Thanksgiving weekend of 1983, Casey Lopata and his wife, Mary Ellen,began a spiritual journey that ultimately strengthened their family andlifelong commitment to Catholicism.

They discovered they had to navigate an emotional minefield: Their eldestson, Jim, a college sophomore home for the holiday, told Mary Ellen, "Mom,I'm lonely. I'm lonely for another man."

The next 10 minutes were an agonizing blur of fear and grief for Mary Ellen,who cried as she told Jim she loved him and assured him being gay didn'tchange that.

"Then why are you crying?" he asked.

"I don't know," Mary Ellen confessed.

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The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/us/30gay.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1193749478-0ZxnGVpURHGAFLdTaugzkA

Gay Enclaves Face Prospect of Being Passé

By PATRICIA LEIGH BROWN
October 30, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 24 - This Halloween, the Glindas, gladiators and haremboys of the Castro - along with untold numbers who plan to dress up asSenator Larry E. Craig, this year's camp celebrity - will be celebratingbehind closed doors. The city's most popular Halloween party, in America'slargest gay neighborhood, is canceled.

The once-exuberant street party, a symbol of sexual liberation since 1979has in recent years become a Nightmare on Castro Street, drawing as many as200,000 people, many of them costumeless outsiders, and there has been talkof moving it outside the district because of increasing violence. Last year,nine people were wounded when a gunman opened fire at the celebration.

For many in the Castro District, the cancellation is a blow that strikes atthe heart of neighborhood identity, and it has brought soul-searching thatgoes beyond concerns about crime.

These are wrenching times for San Francisco's historic gay village, withpopulation shifts, booming development, and a waning sense of belonging thatis also being felt in gay enclaves across the nation, from Key West, Fla.,to West Hollywood, as they struggle to maintain cultural relevance in theface of gentrification.

There has been a notable shift of gravity from the Castro, with young gaymen and lesbians fanning out into less-expensive neighborhoods like MissionDolores and the Outer Sunset, and farther away to Marin and AlamedaCounties, "mirroring national trends where you are seeing same-sex couplesbecoming less urban, even as the population become slightly more urban,"said Gary J. Gates, a demographer and senior research fellow at theUniversity of California, Los Angeles.

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The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Thompson-Civil-Unions.html


Fred Thompson Quizzed on Civil Unions

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
October 30, 2007
Filed at 1:48 a.m. ET

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson told NewHampshire voters Monday that efforts in some states to recognize same-sexmarriage are a ''judge-made controversy.''

Civil unions will become legal in New Hampshire on Jan. 1, allowing gays toapply for the same rights as married people. Same-sex unions from otherstates also will be recognized in New Hampshire if they were legal in thestate where they were performed.

Questioned about civil unions after a speech at a dental benefits company,Thompson said, ''I would not be in support of that.''

But when he elaborated, he switched from civil unions, which give gays legalrights equivalent to those of married couples, to same-sex marriages, whichare legal only in neighboring Massachusetts.

''Basically so far, it is a judge-made controversy,'' Thompson said. ''Nostate or governor has signed off on such legislation on the state level thathas endorsed marriage between the same sexes. There may have been a coupleof courts that said the Constitution of their states has required that, soit's a judicially made situation as far as I am concerned.''

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The New York Times

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/29/AR2007102901903.html

Beenie Man Faces Tax Evasion Charges

The Associated Press
Tuesday, October 30, 2007; 12:30 AM

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- A Jamaican judge released Grammy winning musicianBeenie Man on $21,100 bail Monday after he appeared in court on tax evasioncharges.

Jamaican authorities say the singer and rapper, whose real name is AnthonyMoses Davis, owes about $661,000 in overdue taxes in his Caribbean homeland.He is due back in court Dec. 3.

The 34-year-old Kingston native broke onto the U.S. charts in 1998 with thehit single "Who Am I" and accompanying album "Many Moods of Moses."

In 2001, he won a Grammy for his album "Art and Life."

Recently, Beenie Man has come under pressure from gay rights groups inBritain and the U.S. who say some songs have anti-gay lyrics.



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The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/29/AR2007102901814.html

2 Accounts Given About Sex Tapes In Trial

By Raymond McCaffrey
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 30, 2007; B02

A Navy doctor who served as a sponsor for U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen"violated the trust" of the students by using surveillance equipmentinstalled in an air purifier at his Annapolis home to make "secret sextapes" of them, a Navy prosecutor said yesterday at the start of thedoctor's court-martial.

But Cmdr. Kevin Ronan's attorney, William T. Ferris, said the tapes weremade by a former midshipman who used them in an attempt to extort money fromhis client. Ferris said the tapes became public after his client refused togive money to the former midshipman, who had been dismissed from the NavalAcademy for academic reasons and needed money for expenses.

"This was a plan to extort money from Commander Ronan that went awry,"Ferris said during his opening statement at the Washington Navy Yard.

Ronan, who is assigned to the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in theDistrict, is charged with conduct unbecoming an officer, illegal wiretappingand obstruction of justice.

Lt. Justin Henderson, a Navy prosecutor, said the tapes were made with anelaborate surveillance system that Ronan bought in April 2006. Hendersonsaid a camera inside the air purifier transmitted the images to a receiver,from which Ronan made recordings and edited "the videos down to their pureexplicit" sexual content before saving the product on DVDs. Henderson saidtwo midshipmen discovered recordings in January and gave them to Navyauthorities.

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365Gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/10/103007obama.htm

Obama: No Gay Marriage

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: October 30, 2007 - 9:00 am ET

(Cedar Rapids, Iowa) Barack Obama continues to meet with tough questioningon his positions on LGBT civil rights and especially same-sex marriage.

In two appearances on Monday he said he still opposes same-sex marriage,preferring civil unions for gays and lesbians. His position is the same asthe other Democratic frontrunners but the tone of the questioning is anindication the fallout continues from Sunday's appearance at an Obama gospelrally that featured outspoken "ex-gay" Donnie McClurkin. (story)

Both Obama events were in Iowa, where the issue of gay marriage is beforethe state Supreme Court. Over the weekend religious conservatives urgedlawmakers to act if the court fails to uphold an existing so-called defenseof marriage law. (story)

The first event was at Coe College and broadcast on MTV where the marriageissue was raised by gay student Alex Lamb.

Obama said that he believed same-sex couples should have the same rights asmarried couples but that their relationships should be called civil unionsrather than marriage.

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365Gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/opinion/corvino/corvino.htm

Winnning or Silencing?

by John Corvino

It wasn't the first time an audience defied expectations. This time it wasin Rhinelander, Wisconsin. I was there with Glenn Stanton, my "debate buddy"from Focus on the Family, to discuss same-sex marriage. The only thing weknew about Rhinelander before arriving was that its number one cause ofdeath is bar-room brawls-or so we had been told by several Wisconsinites,who warned us of the small town's "redneck" reputation.

"Bar-room brawls?" Glenn joked. "I suppose that has heterosexuality writtenall over it."

"Oh, we gays have them too," I responded. "We just call them 'hissy-fits.'"

Unlike most of our university debates, the Rhinelander event was advertisedprimarily to local residents, rather than students, and when we arrived wenoticed lots of gray hair in the audience. An older crowd in a rednecktown-Glenn's territory. I braced myself.

Then the Q&A began, and one audience member after another attacked Glenn. Ikept waiting for a critical question directed at me. Nothing.

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365Gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/10/103007thompson.htm

Fred Thompson Muddled & Confused By Civil Unions Question

by The Associated Press
Posted: October 30, 2007 - 6:00 am ET

(Concord, New Hampshire) Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson toldNew Hampshire voters Monday that efforts in some states to recognizesame-sex marriage are a "judge-made controversy."

Civil unions will become legal in New Hampshire on Jan. 1, allowing gays toapply for the same rights as married people. Same-sex unions from otherstates also will be recognized in New Hampshire if they were legal in thestate where they were performed.

Questioned about civil unions after a speech at a dental benefits company,Thompson said, "I would not be in support of that."

But when he elaborated, he switched from civil unions, which give gays legalrights equivalent to those of married couples, to same-sex marriages, whichare legal only in neighboring Massachusetts.

"Basically so far, it is a judge-made controversy," Thompson said. "No stateor governor has signed off on such legislation on the state level that hasendorsed marriage between the same sexes. There may have been a couple ofcourts that said the Constitution of their states has required that, so it'sa judicially made situation as far as I am concerned."

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365Gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/10/103007argentina.htm

Does Presidential Victory By Argentina's First Lady Bode Well For Clinton?

by The Associated Press
Posted: October 30, 2007 - 9:00 am ET

(Buenos Aires) First lady Cristina Fernandez, in her first televisedinterview since winning Argentina's presidency, thanked her husband for hisrole in her triumph and wished Hillary Rodham Clinton well in her U.S.election bid.

Speaking on Argentina's Todo Noticias network, Fernandez defended PresidentNestor Kirchner's controversial handling of inflation and the nation'sconsumer price index and promised to put a priority on creating jobs,boosting exports and bettering health care and education.

Fernandez, a 54-year-old three-term senator, captured 45 percent of the voteSunday - outpacing another female runner-up, independent Elisa Carrio, bymore than 22 percentage points. A dozen other candidates trailed evenfurther back in an unprecedented race where women took the top two spots.

Fernandez acknowledged in the 40-minute interview that she admired Clintonand noted frequent comparisons made between the two. Both women are senatorsand lawyers who accompanied husbands from obscure state governorships asthey rose to the presidency.

"I've been with her," Fernandez said, referring to a 2004 meeting withClinton in Boston that produced a photo of the two locked in big smiles asthey met - a staple of her campaign video and Web site. Another photo thereshowed her and Kirchner with former President Clinton last September in NewYork.

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365Gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/10/102907teacher.htm

Syracuse School System To Provide Partner Benefits

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: October 29, 2007 - 5:00 pm ET

(Syracuse, New York) Beginning January 1 the same-sex partners of teachersin the Syracuse school system will be eligible for the same benefits as themarried spouses of teachers.

The city school board approved the benefits package in a new contract withthe teachers union, making it one of the few public employers in the stateto offer domestic partner benefits.

Neither the city of Syracuse, or Onondaga County provide for domesticpartner benefits.

The plan includes health, prescription and dental insurance coverage andincludes personal and bereavement leave for members of the teachers
bargaining unit.

The issue had been rejected in three previous bargaining attempts with theschool board.

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365Gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/10/102907tanc.htm

Gay Foe Tancredo Won't Seek Re-Election To House

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: October 29, 2007 - 5:00 pm ET

(Denver, Colorado) Colorado Republican Tom Tancredo said Monday he will notseek re-election to the House of Representatives in 2008.

Tancredo said he is concentrating his efforts on the GOP presidentialnomination where he is considered a long-shot.

First elected to the House in 1998 from a district that includes the Denversuburbs Tancredo has served five terms in Congress.

A social conservative he was a strong supporter of two attempts to pass anamendment to the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Most recently hevoted against the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act which would add sexualityto existing hate crime law.

The proposed constitutional amendment failed to advance both times. A Houseand Senate version of the Shepard Act has passed and is now in conference,although the President has vowed to veto it.

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

O'Reilly's Homophobia Runs Rampant Over Dumbledore's Outing By Matt Corley

AlterNet
Posted on October 24, 2007,

http://www.alternet.org/bloggers//66047/

This post, written by Matt Corley, originally appeared on Think Progress

Last Friday, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling revealed that one of thecentral characters in the series, Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore, wasgay. Though Rowling says her books are a "prolonged argument for tolerance,"some conservatives attacked the revelation, saying it was "revolting" andvindication for the late Rev.
Jerry Falwell's homophobia.

On his Fox News show last night, Bill O'Reilly joined in the fray, asking ifDumbledore's outing was part of the "gay agenda" of "indoctrination"of "children." O'Reilly claimed that by dropping "the gay bomb," Rowling isa "provocateur" who is "going to let all hell break loose":

O'REILLY: Now, Dumbledore is not overtly gay in the book.

JORDAN: Absolutely not.

O'REILLY: So you wouldn't know whether he was gay or not, right?

JORDAN: And in fact, you don't know anything about the sex lives of anyof the teachers.

O'REILLY: Of any of them. Although those wizards, I'm very verysuspicious about what they're doing in their spare time. So, I think, thisis my conclusion, is that J.K. Rowling is a provocateur, did it on purpose,and now is going to let all hell break loose.

O'Reilly argued there are "many parents" who are "worried in America aboutthe gay agenda and indoctrination of their children to see homosexuality ina certain way." His guest, Entertainment Weekly Senior Editor Tina Jordan,called his "indoctrination" claims "a shallow argument," saying"indoctrination is a very strong word" because "we all know gay people,whether we know it or not."

O'Reilly has a history of boorishly attacking the gay community in the nameof his ongoing battle against "secular progressives":

"I don't want [gay] people intruding on a parade where little childrenare standing there, watching." [O'Reilly Factor, 03/17/06]


"Clustering" gays near children is "insane,""dumb" and "inappropriate." [O'Reilly Factor, 07/11/07]

"This crazy gay marriage insanity -- is gonna lead to all kinds ofthings like this" like "somebody[]" coming "in and say[ing], 'I wanna marrythe goat.'" [Radio Factor, 04/13/05]

By going after Dumbledore, O'Reilly isdemonstrating how necessary Rowling's message of tolerance still is.



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

Explosive Increase in Hardcore Pornography and its Accessibility to ChildrenShould Concern Every Presidential Candidate, Says Morality In MediaPresident Robert Peters in Conjunction with the 20th Annual White RibbonAgainst Pornography (WRAP) Week

NEW YORK, Oct. 29 /Christian Newswire/ -- In conjunction with the 20thannual White Ribbon Against Pornography (WRAP) Week, which this year runsfrom Sunday, October 28, through Sunday, November 4, Morality in Mediapresident Robert Peters had the following additional comments:

"Our nation faces many problems, including the threat of terrorism, healthcare crisis, social security crises, environmental pollution, racialdivisions, entrenched poverty, decaying infrastructure, loss of jobs toforeign countries, and schools that don't teach.

"But our nation also faces a moral crisis, giving rise, among other things,to teen promiscuity, sexually transmitted diseases (including AIDS),abortions, children born to single mothers, divorces, sexual abuse ofchildren, sexual harassment, rape, and trafficking in women and children.The human and taxpayer costs associated with these and other problems areincalculable.

"It is clear that the explosive increase in the availability of hardcorepornography is helping to fuel this moral crisis. It is also clear thatignoring the growing hardcore pornography problem (the Clintonadministration's response) and refusing to take necessary steps toeffectively curb the problem (the Bush administration's response) have notsolved the problem.


more...



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

Shaunti Feldhahn & Andrea Sarvady
Woman to Woman
Publication Date:

http://staugustine.com/stories/102807/

10/28/07

Are schools encouraging students to have sex?

Shaunti Feldhahn, a right-leaning columnist, writes the commentary thisweek, and Andrea Sarvady, a left-leaning columnist, responds.

FELDHAHN

King Middle School in Portland, Maine, has handed out condoms to11-year-olds since 2000. And the school board just decided to provideprescription contraceptives without parental approval. So the school nursecan know a young girl is sexually active, privately put her on the pill soshe can avoid pregnancy, and keep that knowledge from parents who want toteach their daughter about sexual choices. If this isn't encouragingstudents toward sex, I don't know what is.

Last year, five of 134 students visiting the school nurse reported havingsex. Such a problem needs to be addressed, but this is a terrible way to doit. Does anyone really think fewer students will have sex once the pill isavailable?

Portland school committee member Rebecca Minnick defended her reasoning tothe press saying, "If it saves one girl from getting pregnant too soon, it'sworth it." Really? At the cost of sending an incredibly damaging message tohundreds of other students and parents? How about helping the little girlwith the self-destructive choices make better ones, for heaven's sake?

This is an extreme example, but, unfortunately, many American schools arenot helping children stay abstinent. Instead school actions often undermineabstinence with lip service and send the message that, really, everyone isdoing it. Oh, like that helps! Students have enough internal pressure towardsex; they need authority figures to help them fight it, not help them giveinto it.

Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association emphasized inan interview that: "The Maine decision is a symptom of a bigger problem. Ourchildren are saturated with a sexual culture. ... In such a culture, schoolsshould promote the best message.

"On other public health issues, like alcohol or drugs, the school message isalways on the best health side. But with sex, the schools often compromisethe message and put children at risk."

A Zogby poll for Huber's group found that once parents understand abstinenceeducation, they prefer it over comprehensive sex ed by a 2- to-1 margin (61percent to 30 percent). Schools simply must stop undermining parents andhelp kids avoid sexual activity.

SARVADY

Have you walked through the halls of your local middle school lately? It'spretty shocking teachers piping Usher's "Seduction" through the soundsystem, filling classrooms with lit candles, massage oil and giant pillows...

All right, I'll stop. School-sanctioned sexual activity isn't very funny,and that goes double for pregnant 11-year-olds.

more....



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

INTERNATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

Argentina: Investigate Transgender Murder and Protect Activist in SaltaProvince



Summary

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission is deeplyconcerned about the unresolved murder case of Pelusa Liendro, and theongoing persecution and harassment of Pelusa's partner in activism, Rosario.Pelusa Liendro, a human rights defender who regularly denounced police andinstitutional abuses against transgender people, was murdered on November26, 2006. Pelusa's murder came after a local TV show used a hidden camera tofilm and then broadcast police asking transgender sex workers for bribes inSalta Province, Argentina. The police have insinuated that the murderinvolved drug trafficking or a crime of passion but the crime has yet to besolved. The police have also named Pelusa's friend, Rosario, as a primesuspect in the murder case. Rosario has accused the police of the crime andrequests an exhaustive investigation into Pelusa's murder. She also asks forpersonal protection for herself, fearing that otherwise she will share thesame fate as her friend.

Action

IGLHRC, Asociación Travestis, Transexuales y Transgénero Argentinas (ATTTA),Red Lac Trans and Rosario, URGENTLY request that you send letters in Englishwith a Spanish translation to the following individuals, demanding an end toRosario's persecution and asking for a fair and exhaustive investigationinto the Pelusa Liendro murder.

Please write today to:

Sr GOBERNADOR DE LA PROVINCIA DE SALTA
DR. ROBERTO ROMERO
Fax: + 54 387 436 0400
Email: gobernador@salta.gov.ar

Sr MINISTRO DE GOBIERNO Y JUSTICIA
E.P.N. D. VICTOR MANUEL BRIZUELA
Address: Centro Cívico Grand Bourg - Salta
Phone: +54 387 432 4000 ext. 200
Email: minbrizuela@gobiernosalta.gov.ar

POLICIA DE LA PROVINCIA DE SALTA
Crio Gral. D. GILBERTO PEREYRA
Address: Gral. Güemes 750 - Salta
Fax 54 387 421 4627
Email: jefpolsalcmd@sinectis.com.ar

Sr SECRETARIO DE JUSTICIA Y DERECHOS HUMANOS
Dr. Pedro Guillen
Address: España 1350 - Salta
Fax: 54 387 4360407
Email: sjdh@salta.gov.ar

Please send copies of your letters to:

Marcela Romero ATTTA - Asociación Travestis, Transexuales y TransgéneroArgentinas
marcelaromero_40@yahoo.com.ar

RED_LAC_TRANS
coord_red_lactrans@yahoo.com.ar

Fernando D'Elio
IGLHRC - International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
fdelio@iglhrc.org

more....



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

NewYorkMag.com
Posted online October 28, 2007, issue of November 5, 2007

http://nymag.com/guides/money/2007/39957/

Saving Justin Berry

Times business reporter Kurt Eichenwald thought he was doing a noble thingby rescuing a teen from the Internet sex trade. He didn't know how much itwould cost him.

By David France

In his remarkable twenty-year career as a New York Times businessjournalist, Kurt Eichenwald has seen himself as a kind of crusader-sheddinglight on the world's dark places, uncovering wrongdoing, bringing criminalsto account. Lately, however, the pursuer feels like the pursued. "I had noidea of what I was taking on. I had no idea of the magnitude of the evil ofthese people," he tells me. "This is an organized-crime business, these arepeople-we're not talking about people with an affinity for Scotch-they spendtheir days talking and living and breathing the sexual issues of children."

Two years ago, Eichenwald wrote a sensational front-page story in the NewYork Times about Justin Berry, a teenage pornography star who ran anenormously lucrative business from his room while his mother thought he wasdoing homework. The article resulted in congressional hearings, arrests,book-and-movie interest, and an Oprah episode. Eichenwald followed thatfirst story with disturbing reports about illegal child-modeling Websitesand self-help chat rooms where child molesters perfect their strategies. TheBerry piece was impressive in its vividness. Law-enforcement agencies seizedupon it as the definitive word about a sordid, teeming underworld, andparents inclined to worry about the dangers of the Internet were givenreason to worry much more.

As much as the stories provided a window into a seldom-seen world, they alsoraised troubling questions about how they were reported-and ultimately aboutthe man who reported them. To start with, Eichenwald made himself acharacter in the story about Berry-highly unusual for the New York Times.The reporter appeared as a savior, working to win Berry's trust and finallyrescuing him from the business he'd fallen into and delivering him back tohis religious faith. But once Eichenwald became part of the story, othersbegan to ask questions: Why would a Times reporter believe he should go intothe rescuing business? And how had he accomplished what he'd accomplished?

(Reporting on child pornography is inherently difficult, because looking atthe images themselves is illegal, even for a journalist.) And behind thosequestions is a more fundamental one: What drives the people who fill theseroles, criminal and pursuer, obsessive fan and obsessive foe?

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http://media.www.temple-news.com/media/storage/paper143/news/2007/10/23/DoinItWithKirkAndHolly/The-Nature.Of.Watching.Porn.Is.It.Normal.Or.Freaky-3048400.shtml

The nature of watching porn: is it normal or freaky?

While some dirty birds can't get enough, others choose to view pornographyin limited amounts. The effects on sexuality and romatic relationships.

By: Brian James Kirk and Holly Otterbein

Posted: 10/23/07

Brian James Kirk

I wasn't the only kid who lost his imaginary virginity to a two-dimensionalgirl on the Internet - the average age we see our first dirty picture is 11.

Researchers aren't sure what effect this early exposure has on children -testing could be harmful to kids, and parents who would let it happen couldbe prosecuted for endangering minors.

What's left is an easily debatable clinical observation. I may not be a badcase study of the ill effects of porn. I'm starting to believe that my momwas right when she said I'd never have a normal relationship after she foundmy stash.

Statistically, though, I'm fairly normal. In a study published last year inCollege Student Journal, college students proved porn is more prevalent thanwe admit at the family dinner table.

Everybody has seen it. Ninety-nine percent of men and 88 percent of womenadmitted having seen a nipple or two. But less are likely to sign up fortheir local porn shop's "Frequent Beatin' It" card. Thirty-two percent ofmen and 4 percent of women watch porn three to five times a week. That'sstill a hell of a lot of Jergens.

Moving beyond the obscenity debate over sexual morality, research nowfocuses on the impact of porn on sex psychology. That means it might beaffecting you too, Dirty Harry.

more...



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Forwarded from National Gay News
http://nationalgaynews.com/

Go to the website, above, for the following articles:

--
Out, the nation's leading gay general interest magazine, and a flagshipbrand of PlanetOut Inc , today announced it will honor the 100 mostinfluential people in gay culture at the annual 2007 Out 100 Awards onFriday, November 9 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York. Tori Spelling andTim Gunn will host the 13th annual gala along with a special musicalperformance by the legendary Chaka Kahn.

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The problem of domestic violence involving women is well-known andextensively studied, but the problem is just as bad with another lessstudied group: gay men. So says a study conducted by two researchers at theUniversity of Illinois at Chicago.In fact, they found that 1 out of every 3men in a same-sex relationship has been abused. That is similar to whatstudies of battered women have found.

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State Rep. Richard Curtis, R-La Center, caught up in a statewide mediafrenzy over an ongoing extortion investigation in Spokane, said Monday thathe is not gay. "I committed no crime," Curtis said Monday afternoon. "I didnot solicit sex. I was trying to help somebody out."

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Mianne Bagger, a 37-year-old Dane, became the first transsexual golfer toqualify for the Ladies European Tour. Bagger shot a 5-over-par 77 Wednesdayto tie for ninth place after four rounds in qualifying school at the Rivadei Tessali golf club.

--
Singer-songwriter and guitarist Daan Erikson likes to joke about his musicalcareer: "I was in an all-girl band in high school-until I ruined that."
Coming out as a trans guy may have put an end to his garage band but it'sopened the door to a great deal more. Today, the New York Universitysophomore-who is majoring in both Entertainment Media and Gender andSexuality Studies-says his experience with the band continues to influencehis scholarly endeavors.

--
Lance Bass first thought the majority of 'NSYNC was gay. The former boy bandmember was asked, by GQ in their November issue, about the sexuality of hisband mates. "When we were in the group, we thought Justin was gay, becausehe told us he wanted to do a gay part in a movie," said Bass.



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The Advocate

http://advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid49987.asp

All in the Family

A mother of four asking her uncle to provide temporary foster care for herchildren while she undergoes drug rehab should be of no concern to anyonebut her and her uncle. Unless that uncle cohabits with another man and livesin Utah.

By Bernice Yeung
October 25, 2007
An Advocate.com exclusive posted October 25, 2007

There was a time not too long ago when a typical evening in Mike Oberg andGregg Valdez's home involved a quiet family meal in the kitchen of theircomfortable residence in Salem, Utah. During the meal they'd chat abouttheir day and ask Little Mike, Valdez's 13-year-old son, about school orskateboarding; if Valdez's 17-year-old daughter wasn't out with friends, shemight join them at the table.

But that quiet evening ritual changed when Valdez's niece, AntoinetteRudman, 34, had a drug relapse in mid September and called her uncle on aFriday afternoon to ask if he'd temporarily take care of her four youngchildren. Valdez, who works as a case manager at a local prison, immediatelyjumped in his car to pick them up.

Though the family still gathers for dinner every evening, now there's anexcited energy at the table as the older kids chat and squabble. Afterdinner, the couple, who have been together for more than four years, spendmost of the evening prodding the children to do their homework and to taketheir baths. Though Valdez calls the experience a "fun challenge," he alsowryly notes that "it's not quiet anymore. And there aren't leftoversanymore."

In most states and in most cases, the agreement Rudman had made with Valdezabout the care of her children wouldn't merit much attention, since theperson that a parent chooses as a temporary guardian is a private matter.But an assistant attorney general representing the state's Division of Childand Family Services has argued that because Rudman was being monitored bythe state for drug use, the arrangement violates a Utah state law thatprohibits those cohabitating in a sexual relationship from becoming fosteror adoptive parents -- a law that some critics say was designed to targetgay and lesbian couples.

Following the legal challenge, the children have been allowed to remain inValdez's custody only because of an emergency court order; a hearingscheduled for October 29 will determine whether the children will bereturned to their mother, will stay with Valdez or other relatives, or willbe placed elsewhere.

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The Advocate

http://advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid49929.asp

A Look on the Bright Side

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed a second assembly billthat would have granted gay and lesbian couples the right to marry. EqualityCalifornia's executive director, Geoff Kors, tells The Advocate why he'sstill optimistic that marriage equality is in our future.

By Michelle Garcia
October 25, 2007
An Advocate.com exclusive posted October 25, 2007

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed Assembly Bill 43, whichwould have granted gay and lesbian couples the right to marry. It is thesecond time he has vetoed such a bill. In his October 12 veto message, thegovernor reiterated his stance on the issue: that because 2000's Proposition22 bans same-sex marriage, it is up to the courts to rule on theproposition's constitutionality and whether same-sex marriage should be madelegal in California.

Equality California has served as an active educator to the governor'soffice, successfully urging Schwarzenegger to enact several pro-gay laws. The group's executive director, Geoff Kors, tells The Advocate why he'sstill optimistic that marriage equality is in our future.

What does this veto mean for the future of marriage equality forCalifornians and the rest of the nation?
Well, I think the fact that the legislature passed the bill again [isreassuring]. And this is a new legislature: Because of term limits, close toa third of the legislators were new and were not members when the bill wentthrough in 2005. Twenty-three of the 43 assembly members who supported thebill were new members, and three of the senators are new. The bill passed bya wider margin in both houses than last time. Two senators who voted againstit in 2005 voted for it in 2007, and that's the result of a lot of lobbyingwork by Equality California. That's the result of a continuing shift inpublic opinion. Every legislator who voted for the marriage bill wasreelected easily, so we're seeing great progress. Even the governor's vetomessage was different this time. All he said was that the court [is] theright place to make this decision. He didn't say it shouldn't go to thepeople.

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To Form a More Perfect Union: Marriage Equality News

http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/

Go to the website, above, for the following articles:

--
John Scott and his partner Elijah Davidson have been together for awhile, sowhen it came to announcing their commitment, they didn't think twice aboutdoing things the traditional way. But after their announcement was publishedin the Warrensburg newspaper, their love became a community issue.Theceremony is set to take place on November 13, and Scott and Davidsoncouldn't be more excited. "It's just going to be a simple ceremony with ourfriends, and we're going to have cake and punch and things afterwards. We'rejust waiting until the day," Scott said. The partners wanted to make theirofficial announcement in the Warrensburg Daily Star Journal."All the otherstraight people get to put their announcements in the paper. Why can't we?"Scott said.

--
Law professor Arthur S. Leonard examines a court case seeking damages forloss of consortium. Among his conclusions: "Yet another illustration of whylegal recognition of same-sex partners of a comprehensive nature is needed."

--
Country music performer John Rich offered off the cuff remarks on marriageequality that brought up incest. Complaints to Warner Brothers have causedgrief to LGBT employees and gay-supportive employees. Rich has offered anexplanation of the "broader issues," but did not directly retract hisstatement.

--
An anti-marriage equality rally organized by Des Moines churches drewprotesters who vowed to overturn a judge's finding that preventing same-sexcouples from marrying is inherently unfair.





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Forwarded from Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus
Here's a great chance to help send two of our members to New Hampshire inNovember for the National Stonewall Democrats and Young Democrats of Americajoint training session. And if they raise more than is needed, theadditional monies go back into the Keith Smith Fund to help future deservingstudents. It's a great cause. I've made a contribution - I hope you willtoo! Any amount will help.

Bill Vayens
Caucus Secretary

--
Two members of the Stonewall Democrats of Alachua County will be attendingthe Presidential Weekend & Leadership Training conference in Manchester, NewHampshire this coming November 16-18. The weekend features concurrentconferences by the National Stonewall Democrats and the Young Democrats ofAmerica.

The president of the Stonewall Democrats of Alachua County, Horacio, hasbeen awarded a Student Scholarship from the National Stonewall Democrats'Keith Smith Fund for $100. This fund comes with a personal fund raising linkthat allows people to donate up to an additional $450 for the trip.

Please consider donating to help offset the costs for this trip for ourfellow Democrats. The money raised will be split evenly between Horacio andMichael, the Secretary of Stonewall Democrats of Alachua County, who willalso be attending the conference.

To donate please go to the following link:
http://www.stonewalldemocrats.org/contribute?code=hsierra

Be sure to write "Keith Smith Fund for Horacio from Alachua County" on the"Organization or Individual who Referred You" so that it's clear where thefunds go to. Money raised in excess of the $450 will go to future KeithSmith Fund awards. Anyone who contributes $35 or more will also become amember of the National Stonewall Democrats.

In addition to various leadership training sessions that will allow ourmembers to return to Alachua County with new ideas about how to improve ourorganization and its ability to meet its mission statement, the conferencealso features both a breakfast and a lunch with the Democratic PresidentialCandidates - a rare opportunity for those of us being snubbed in Florida.Furthermore, the two members will participate in a breakout session wherethe presidential campaigns will have them work with their teams for anafternoon wherein they will experience the unique political tradition ofcampaigning in first-in-the-nation New Hampshire.



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Press Release from Greek Homosexual Community - G.H.C. - E.O.K.
Monday 29 October 2007

TO: The European Parliament, European Political Parties, HumanitarianOrganizations, International Press

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are writing to draw your attention to the case of a 40-year-old gayIranian man, identified here as Alex, who is about to be expelled fromGreece and deported back to Iran. As is well known and documented, gaypeople in Iran are subjected to persecution and severe punishment, includingexecution. If Alex returns to Iran, Greece will be committing a seriousmiscarriage of justice and a gross violation of human rights.

Alex (his real name and identity are known to our organization) used to livea fully respected life in Iran. He is a member of a rich Iranian family andused to have a respectful job in Iran. In 1999 he was visited at hisworkplace by an ex-schoolmate who knew Alex was gay and who was probably amember of the government party. After that visit, Alex was arrested by thereligion police and kept in the Jankal jail at the Iranian town of Rast for45 days.

for more information please visit : www.irqo.net/IRQO/English/pages/099.htm



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INTERNATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
Prominent Ugandan Activist Victor Mukasa Joins IGLHRC Staff

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) welcomesprominent Ugandan activist Victor Juliet Mukasa as its newest staff memberand the Program Associate for the Horn, East, and Central Africa. Victorjoins current IGLHRC staff, Cary Alan Johnson, IGLHRC's Senior Specialistfor Africa, and Joel Nana, Program Associate for Southern and West Africa,in the IGLHRC Africa Regional office in Johannesburg, South Africa office.

Aside from being the co-founder and the president emeritus of SexualMinorities Uganda (SMUG), Victor is a founding member of several Ugandanrights groups, including East and Horn of Africa Human Rights DefendersNetwork (EHAHRDN) (2005), Freedom and Roam Uganda (FARUG) (2002), and thePan African group African Solidarity (2006). Victor has also served as aboard member of many African and international LGBT groups, including GenderDynamix (South Africa), Behind the Mask (South Africa), Coalition of AfricanLesbians, and the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA).

more....



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The Telegraph - UK

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/30/nmosques130.xml

'Hate literature easily found at UK mosques'

By Toby Helm, Chief Political Correspondent 30/10/2007

Extremist literature that encourages hatred of gays, Christians and Jews can be easily found at many of Britain's mosques, according to a new survey.

Researchers for the centre-Right think tank Policy Exchange claims it found the literature in a quarter of the 100 mosques and Islamic institutions they visited. Many of the publications allegedly called on British Muslims to segregate themselves from non-Muslims and for unbelievers to be treated as second-class citizens wherever possible.The literature also allegedly contained repeated calls for gays to be thrown from mountains and tall buildings and for women to be subjugated.

Policy Exchange said that among the documents were the anti-Semitic forgery, The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, and other publications peddling bizarre conspiracy theories.

Anthony Browne, the director of Policy Exchange, said: "It is clearly intolerable that hate literature is peddled at some British mosques.

"I am sure the majority of moderate Muslims will be as horrified as everyone else that pamphlets advocating jihad by force, hatred for insufficiently observant Muslims, Christians and Jews, and segregation have found their way into the UK's mosques."

more....


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Forwarded from EuroQueer

Death penalty/imminent execution/Makwan Moloudzadeh (October 26, 07)

Persian Version: www.irqo.net/IRQO/Persian/pages/059.htm

Child offender Makwan Moloudzadeh, an Iranian Kurd, is believed to be atriskof imminent execution. He has reportedly been convicted of lavat-e iqabi(analsex) for the alleged rape of a 13-year-old boy. Makwan Moloudzadeh was aged13at the time of the alleged offence... for more information please visitwww.irqo.net



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30 October 2007

For immediate release

Delegates of ILGA-Europe annual conference experience first-hand discrimination and resistance in Vilnius, but are united and determined to work togetherfor Europe of equality and respect

On 25-28 October 2007, almost 200 delegates from all over Europe gathered inthe Lithuanian capital of Vilnius for the 11th ILGA-Europe's Annual Conference.

While the public event to display rainbow flag during the conference was banned by the Mayor of Vilnius and there was a demonstration against the conference, the delegates are determined to fight prejudice, discrimination and injustice.

During 5 plenary sessions, 2 discussion panels, 21 workshops and a series of
self-organised groups, the delegates had a chance to listen, have discussions and engage with prominent international, European and national experts on equality and human rights. This year's conference programme provided a diverse agenda and covered a whole range of issues from the work at the UNand European level to organisational development challenges in evolving LGBT groups. The programme was designed in a way to ensure that the delegate had not just anopportunity to listen but to actively engage and participate in alldiscussions. As usual the conference had two capacity building practicalworkshops, on developing advocacy strategies and using video in monitoringhuman rights abuses.

ILGA-Europe's annual conference is also its annual general meeting and thedelegates approved Strategic Plan for 2008-2011 and elected a new ExecutiveBoard for 2007-2008:
1. Pierre Serne (France)
2. Renato Sabbadini (Italy)
3. Lisette Kampus (Estonia)
4. Ruth Baldacchino (Malta)
5. Chrsitine Le Doare (France)
6. Martin Christensen (Denmark)
7. Deborah Lambillotte (Belgium)
8. Linda Freimane (Latvia)
9. Tomasz Szypula (Poland)
10. Natasa Sukic (Slovenia)

The conference also voted on a venue for the ILGA-Europe's annual conferencein 2009 which will be held in Malta.



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.proudparenting.com/node/940

Community Support Ft. Lauderdale gay marriage Maryland NAACP

Groups are beginning to equate African American struggles with LGBTequality. We get stronger from fair-minded support.

Sat, 10/27/2007 - 8:11am by Community Editor

There's a new movement happening that is strengthening support for us.African American activist groups are beginning to publicly equate ourstruggle for equality with theirs.

In Ft. Lauderdale - where gay men have been subjected to embarrassingrhetoric from Mayor Naugle - Marsha Ellison, President of Fort LauderdaleNAACP, has stood proudly for our dignity against accusations from Naugleabout public sex.

At a recent altercation between factions - that took place inside FortLauderdale City Hall - Ellison said, ''I'm not here to condone or condemngay sex, this is a hate campaign against gays launched by the mayor.''

More recently, the Maryland Black Family Alliance was formed as a result theCourt of Appeal's decision to uphold the state's ban on gay marriage. Thegroup hopes to show support of straight African-Americans for gay marriageas a civil right. And the organization's members want to show that advocatesof gay rights will continue to battle for equality.

Elbridge James, a former lobbyist for the state NAACP and co-founder ofMBFA, told the Examiner.com, "We are here to say, 'No, the black communityis not homophobic'. Civil rights belong to everyone. We are saying no tothose who want to bigot us, divide us."

more . . . . .



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.proudparenting.com/node/938

Anti-gay voter fraud on video: Massachusetts woman earns up to $1200 a dayscamming citizens into signing a homophobic petition.

Thu, 10/25/2007 - 3:29pm by Community Editor [Add to Friends List]gay marriage News & Politics video

This past year, Massachusetts voters were fooled into believing they weresigning a petition about grocery store products, but a conservative groupwas actually gathering signatures - in a bait and switch scam - to bansame-sex marriage.

The Massachusetts Family Institute is responsible for the petitioning.

MFI's mission is posted on it's website:

"Recognizing that healthy families are indispensable to the preservation ofa strong and free society, the Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) isdedicated to strengthening the family and affirming the Judeo-Christianvalues upon which it is based. Established in 1991, MFI is a non-partisanpublic policy organization dedicated to strengthening families inMassachusetts. MFI engages in research and education on a wide range ofpublic policy issues to strengthen the well-being, health and safety offamilies - its individual members and the collective unit."

Watch the news video, to see how the group gains support for its mission.

more . . . . .



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=23981

Bloggers Talk to Alleged Craig, McClurkin Sex Partners

by Kilian Melloy
EDGE Boston Contributor
Saturday Oct 27, 2007

While traditional news outlets have been busy covering the allegedpeccadillos of Larry Craig and the brouhaha occasioned by Barack Obama'schoice of "ex-gay" gospel singer and preacher Donnie McClurkin as an artistfor his South Carolina three-date concert and campaign tour, online bloggershave been attending to the story behind the headlines.

Now two websites offer what they claim are interviews with people who saythat they were involved sexually with Craig and McClurkin.

Wonkette.com has posted a story by a writer identified as "Princess SparklePony" in which David Phillips, described as a "bear-about-town," wasinterviewed about his alleged encounter with Craig, the Republican IllinoisSenator who pled guilty to cruising for gay sex in a Minneapolis airportmen's
room.

According to the wonkette.com article, Phillips was in a bar recently whenCarig's voice came on over the television. Said Phillips, "I went pale andnearly vomited" because the voice brought back memories of an encounter fromtwo decades past in which Phillips claims he had a sexual experience withCraig.

Phillips described going to a now-closed D.C. bar called La Cage AuxFollies, where, he said, "There were so many closeted neocons who trolledfor cock and ass there, particularly cock and ass on younger men: TerryDolan, Jon Hinson, and a bunch of other men who seemed to run in a close andsecretive group."

more . . . . .



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.kait8.com/Global/story.asp?S=7274556

Foster Parent Issue May Not Reap Gains for GOP

LITTLE ROCK - It could be deja vu all over again: Republicans pin theirhopes on a wedge issue involving gays and lesbians that they expect willdrive their voters to the polls in the presidential election.

But make no mistake, 2008 is not 2004. And the push to ban unmarried couplesfrom fostering or adopting children may not pay off for Republicans inArkansas the way a successful gay marriage ban did in 2004. The head of theArkansas Family Council, which is trying to get the measure aimed at banninggays and lesbians from fostering or adopting children, admits as much whenhe talks about the level of interest today.

Jerry Cox, the council's director, says supporters of the constitutionalamendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman virtually snatchedpetitions out of volunteers' hands to sign and place the measure on theballot in 2004. This time, volunteers may just have to hand their clipboardsover.

Unlike the gay marriage amendment in 2004, the foster parent ban isn't partof a larger, multi-state campaign that would grab the attention of thepresidential hopefuls. That year, Arkansas was one of 11 states to pass gaymarriage bans.

Then, religious and conservative groups were able to draw support throughimages of gay marriages on television. Equally dramatic images of childrenbeing placed in an adoptive or foster home don't come as easily.

more . . . . .



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.washblade.com/2007/10-26/news/national/11455.cfm

Victory Fund endorses record number of candidates
Seven 'races to watch' seen as winnable

By ELIZABETH PERRY
Oct. 26, 2007

A political organization dedicated to electing openly gay candidates tooffice is reporting a record-breaking number of endorsements this year.

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund has endorsed 71 candidates nationwide, ofwhich 45 are running in general elections Nov. 6. Denis Dison, vicepresident of communications for the group, said this is the highest numberof endorsements in an odd year when no federal races are scheduled. He saidthe fund has come a long way since it started in 1991 with only one endorsedcandidate, Sherry Harris, who was running for Seattle City Council and won.

"She was the first ever lesbian African-American city council member in thecountry," Dison said. "When we formed there were only 49 openly gayofficials, and now there are 380.

He said the growth came from the increasing ability to identify and endorsepoliticians early in their careers and the development of a national networkof donors to help fund races around the country at all levels of government.Local candidates endorsed by the fund are Adam Ebbin (D), who's running foranother term in Virginia General Assembly, and Patrick Wojahn, a newcomer topolitics who's running for a seat on College Park City Council in Maryland.

For all the progress in some states - New York has five out gay candidates,Texas has four and Massachusetts has six - there remain other states with noopenly gay elected officials: Alaska, Louisiana, North Dakota, South Dakota,South Carolina and West Virginia. Dison said it is not because they are "red" states - Alabama now has two openly gay elected officials, PatriciaTodd, the first out gay person elected in the state last year and board ofeducation member Howard Bayless.

more . . . . .



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.washblade.com/2007/10-26/news/national/11456.cfm

Of 45 long-serving senators, most backed ENDA in 1996
But filibuster-proof majority could prove elusive this year

By JOSHUA LYNSEN
Oct. 26, 2007

It could face a close vote in the Senate, but a majority of that chamber'slongest-serving members supported the Employment Non-Discrimination Act thelast time it came up for a vote in 1996.

Among the 45 current senators who were in office in 1996, 26 voted for thebill and 19 voted against it. That bill, like the one that awaits a Housevote, had no language regarding gender identity.

Political experts said the tally means bill proponents would begin lobbyingefforts at an advantageous position among the Senate's most influentialmembers.

"Certainly, having support among the senior members lends credibility to thelegislation," said Mark Rozell, a George Mason University public policyprofessor.

Efforts to pass ENDA would shift to the Senate - where supporters would seek60 votes to overcome any attempted filibuster - if the House approves themeasure. A vote on the House bill could come next week, though there is noguarantee it will come up at all. [See related story, Page 1]

more . . . . .



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/307665/1/.html

Title : Gay debate takes ugly turn
Date : 25 October 2007 1346 hrs (SST)

The Parliamentary debate on the law against gay sex will be remembered forits fiery, heart-felt spirit. But outside the House, passions - among bothsupporters and opponents of Section 377A - have, at times, degenerated intospite.

There were threatening, expletive-laced emails. One parliamentarian had hissexuality questioned. Another academic was flamed in blogs and had her phonenumber circulated.

And the employer of one gay professional was questioned about their hiringhim.

The ugly turn of events, some may say, is only to be expected given theemotional nature of the subject matter - one that Prime Minister Lee HsienLoong had warned on Tuesday could polarise society.

But a bigger question being asked is: What do such instances say ofSingaporeans' ability to debate issues maturely, and without hostility?

more . . . . .



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ci=108&ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=features&sc3=&id=5650

Symbolism or Substance in ENDA Debate?

by Opinion/Editorial by Jody M Huckaby
Wednesday Oct 24, 2007

When the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) received its first-evervote in the House of Representatives and passed the Education and LaborCommittee on Oct. 18, it should have been a historic - and celebratory -moment for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Butthere was a cloud hanging over the vote, with over 300 LGBT and alliedgroups in the United ENDA Coalition advocating for the original form of thebill introduced earlier this year- one that finally included a ban ondiscrimination based on gender identity. The House Democratic leadership'sdecision to strip those protections from the bill, leaving only sexualorientation covered, has turned what should have been a victory into anunnecessarily divisive, disappointing setback for the LGBT movement.

Unfortunately, the mainstream media has characterized this primarilyintra-community conflict as the protestations of a "fringe minority oftransgender activists" or the "extreme left" of the LGBT population. Nothingcould be further from the truth. One look at the list of organizations andthe constituencies we represent makes that crystal clear. This is not aconflict between "pragmatic incrementalists" and "all-or-nothing idealists."This controversy goes to the very core of what brings the LGBT communitytogether, and it has forced a much-needed debate to the surface. It is timefor some truth-telling and difficult conversations about what it means to bea community advocating for workplace protections.

Our coalition is urging Congress either to restore gender identityprotections via an amendment offered by Congresswoman and out lesbian TammyBaldwin or, if that cannot be accomplished, to drop the effort to pass LGBTanti-discrimination legislation this year. The reality is that thisPresident will not even consider signing such a bill, whether it coversgender identity or only sexual orientation. This gives us the opportunity inthe coming months to continue to educate our elected officials - and thepublic - about how matters of gender affect people of all sexualorientations.

Legal experts have criticized the existing bill as having far too many flawsto provide adequate protections for individuals based on sexual orientation,which often is closely linked to their actual or perceived genderexpression. Gay, lesbian and bisexual people who are "straight-acting andappearing" might indeed face a safer future following the passage of thisbill, but those who more outwardly transgress gender norms would remainvulnerable under the stripped-down ENDA. Sadly, this has been lost in nearlyall of the media coverage of this issue.

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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18956221&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=568864&rfi=6

Obama's Anti-Gay Gamble

By: DOUG IRELAND
10/25/2007

The marriage of Barack Obama and Donnie McClurkin involves a leap ofpolitical hope, and a good measure of audacity, but certainly not the'audacity of hope."

Senator Barack Obama has enrolled a trio of notorious anti-gay bigots tocampaign for him in the South - and when a blogosphere firestorm eruptedover the move, Obama compounded his betrayal of the gay community byrefusing to dump the homohaters.

This past weekend, the Illinois Democratic senator's presidential campaignannounced a three-day, gospel music campaign tour through South Carolina itbilled as "Embrace the Courage" featuring four singers - Reverend DonnieMcClurkin, Mary Mary (a sister act duo), and Reverend Hezekiah Walker, allprominent in the gospel world. The tour was designed to mark the final daysof Obama's "40 Days of Faith and Family" campaign in South Carolina, acritical early primary state.

McClurkin, an evangelical minister and a Grammy Award-winner, has told theWashington Post that he's in "a war" against what he calls "the curse ofhomosexuality."

Moreover, McClurkin is the poster boy for the African-American "ex-gay"movement. He claims that he became homosexual after having been molested byrelatives when he was eight and 13, but was "cured" by religion.

more . . . . .



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.gaylesbiantimes.com/?id=10795

Born in a bind: treating transgender children
by Celene Adams, News & Features Editor

At age 11, Daniel* is tall enough to go on all the rides at Disneyland. He'stall enough to ride a "teenage" bike, and he's tall enough to reach thecereal on the top kitchen shelf. But, at 4 feet 6 inches tall, Daniel isstill just out of reach of what he really wants most:

He wants to be a girl.

"I wanna get it, but right now I'm too short," Daniel says, referring to anincreasingly used medical treatment that puts puberty on hold fortransgender kids.

You see, Daniel, who, his mother says, began covering his genitals with aface cloth at age four because he did not want to see his penis, says hedoes not want his voice to change. And he does not want to "get hairy."

To stop that from happening, Daniel will, in about a year and a half when hehas grown enough, begin treatment to transition into a female.

more . . . . .



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18956656&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=568860&rfi=6

Lawsuit Okay In HIV Breach

By: ARTHUR S. LEONARD
10/25/2007

A sharply divided Florida Supreme Court, ruling 4-3, has found that thestate's HIV confidentiality law can be shown to establish a duty on adefendant for which he or she can be held liable in a personal injury claim.

In affirming a ruling by Florida's 2nd District Court of Appeal, the highcourt also recognized a right to use a negligence lawsuit to seek damagesonly for emotional distress under the HIV law, without the usual need toalso demonstrate physical injury, a judicial convention known as the "impactrule."

Courts traditionally have been very dubious about such negligence claims; infact, for a long time damages for emotional distress were not available dueto judicial suspicions it could be feigned. The notable exception to thiscame in defamation cases, where courts would award damages when injury couldbe assumed without any evidence of a physical impact, since it was caused bywords.

Mental health science has advanced sufficiently to overcome this hurdle, butmany courts remain hostile to a negligence claim in which no physicalimpact, much less an actual injury, can be shown.

Florida's Supreme Court, in 1995, rejected a claim for emotional distressdamages from a plaintiff misdiagnosed as HIV-positive, and that precedentwas the basis on which the trial court dismissed Lisa M. Abril's complaintin this case.

Abril worked in a county jail as a licensed practical nurse, and gaveunprotected mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to an inmate, who as it turned outwas infected with hepatitis C and whose HIV status was not known. She soughtHIV testing through the facility's workers compensation carrier, whichdenied coverage saying the transmission risk in this scenario was not great.

more . . . . .



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.edgesanfrancisco.com/index.php?ci=70&ch=news&sc=national&sc2=news&sc3=&id=23915

Activists tackle homophobia in sports

by Michael K. Lavers
EDGE San Francisco Contributor
Wednesday Oct 24, 2007

Former National Football League defensive lineman Esera Tuaolo fought many abattle during his nine years on the professional gridiron. But Mr. Alohareached a personal crossroads in 2002 when he came out.

The father of two is now a regular guest at gay events across the country.He sang the national anthem at the Gay Games in Chicago last summer. Tuaoloattended the Human Rights Campaign's annual Washington gala earlier thismonth. But he explained to lesbian New York City Council Speaker ChristineQuinn and hundreds of gay football players from across the country whoattended the Gay Superbowl 7 opening ceremonies in lower Manhattan on Oct. 5that his activism is personal.

"For 33 years of my life I was in the closet," Tuaolo said. "Never in ahundred years... I thought I would be here with you today."

The LGBT movement has embraced Tuaolo and other former gay athletes inrecent years as it devotes more time, resources and even staff to addresshomophobia and other LGBT issues in sports. The Gay & Lesbian AllianceAgainst Defamation became the latest organization to join this bandwagonwith the launch of its sports initiative last month.

The media watchdog chose former Sports Out Loud editor Ted Rybka to lead theprogram. He told EDGE in a recent interview from his New York office thatthe initiative is an extension of GLAAD's overall mission.

more . . . . .


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