GLBT DIGEST December 20, 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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Inside Higher Education

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/12/20/transgender

Dec. 20

Gender Status and Single-Sex Dorms
Kourt Osborn started off at Southern Utah University living in a women'sdormitory - not surprising given that Osborn checked "female" on theinstitution's application and enrollment forms. Now Osborn - who took timeoff for hormone and other treatments to become a man - wants to return andlive in a men's dormitory.

The university, citing advice from the state's attorney general, has saidthat to live in a men's dorm (at Southern Utah, dormitory buildings areeither all-male or all-female), Osborn must submit medical documentation to"prove" that he is male. While Osborn identifies as male and has gonethrough significant body changes because of the hormone treatment, he hadn'thad the surgery associated with switching genders. While many people whoidentify as transgender never have surgery or spend years in transitionwaiting for surgery, Osborn was told by university officials that withoutproof of an operation, he needed to stay in the women's dorm. Instead, he'sgone public with his case, filed a grievance, and plans to live off campus.

Southern Utah's position has angered advocates for transgender rights. Whileonly a distinct minority of colleges offer gender-neutral housing options(generally the top request for transgender students), the demand for medicalverification strikes many of their advocates as betraying both insensitivityand arrogance about transgendered students.

"I think it's a terrible policy," said Brittney Hoffman, campus director ofthe Gender Public Advocacy Coalition. "That's another way of putting aperson in a box, and saying, 'Unless you meet these criteria, you are notreal.' " Hoffman's group, which works on behalf of transgendered people, isplanning to formally object to the university's policy.

Since Osborn went public with his story in Utah this week, the issue hasattracted considerable attention, with plenty of criticism on all sides. Onecommenter to The Salt Lake Tribune's forum on the dispute suggested that allstudents photograph their genitals and fax them to university administratorsfor verification while another wrote in: "This kid is not a 'victim.' Otherstudents in those dorms have the right to know what his/her gender is evenhe/she is confused about it."

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If you're like TruthWinsOut.org, you agree that there's something that's sopatently offensive about ex-gay groups that you envision a world in whichthey are regarded as the antiquated superstition that we know they are. Youenvision a world in which they no longer have the opportunity to victimizegay people ever again. We've learned that the key to victory is to keep upthe pressure on a constant, never-ending basis. Our job will only be throughwhen these Ex-Gay organizations are permanently out of business...once andfor all.

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With all of the organizations in existence today, you may be wondering whyyou should give to TruthWinsOut.org. The reason is clear! We are the onlynational gay rights organization that was founded to specifically battle anddismantle the "Ex-Gay" industry. We tirelessly advocate against theseprograms, using a laser-like focus that is not duplicated by any other majorgay rights organization in the United States of America. That's why we needyour help! Please give a tax-deductible holiday gift online atwww.TruthWinsOut.org. Or, If you prefer mailing a check, please send to:

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From GLCCSF - Ft. Lauderdale

Job Announcement: Field Director for SAVE DADE

SAVE (Safeguarding American Values for Everyone), a progressive SouthFlorida grassroots organization in Miami, Florida that works for equalrights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, is looking for anexperienced Field Director.

The Field Director will work primarily on recruiting a large team ofvolunteers. SAVE's goal is for its large volunteer team to talk one-on-onewith South Florida voters to defeat an anti-gay measure that will be on theballot in November 2008. The heart of the job is volunteer recruitment andtraining.

Top Job Priorities Include:
· Recruiting and motivating a large team of volunteers: Goal is 50-100volunteers mobilized each week and up to 500 for major events such aselection day
· Develop and organize volunteer recruitment activities
· Train volunteer leadership to build a stronger and effective organization
· Create a field budget and action plan for 2008 calendar year
· Work with the Volunteer Committee to plan and organize voter contactincluding talking to voters at the polls and door-to-door; phone banking;
voter registration and get-out- the-vote drives; and all other forms of
voter persuasion and identification
· Readiness to assist with fundraising and fundraising activities is a keypart of the job
· Other responsibilities include supervising field staff and publicspeaking.

Qualifications
· Extensive experience and interest in volunteer recruitment and management
· Demonstrated experience in grassroots organizing including tactics such asin-person volunteer recruitment, VoterID and phone banking
· Enormous drive to achieve measurable progress towards meaningful socialchange
· Enthusiastic desire to work as part of a team in a fast-paced environment
· Self-motivated, energetic, hard working, knowledgeable about politics andeager to learn
· Must be able to work nights and weekends with a flexible schedule and havereliable transportation
· Excellent English writing, verbal communication, and public speakingskills are required
· Written and verbal fluency in Spanish a plus
· Experience working on LGBT issues a plus
· Experience with fundraising is a plus.

Fundraising training will be provided

Compensation: $35,000 - $50,000 annual salary, dependent on experience
How to apply: Please send resume and cover letter to field@savedade.org.
SAVE is an equal opportunity employer.



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Swedish pop star confirms HIV rumours

Published: 19 Dec 07 18:59 CET
The Local
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/9458/

One of Sweden's best-known pop stars has admitted in a magazine interviewthat he is HIV-positive.

Andreas Lundstedt, 35, who achieved international success as a member ofSwedish disco foursome Alcazar told gay lifestyle magazine QX that he hadtested positive for the virus several years ago.

Rumours that he was infected had been circulating in music circles for anumber of years, but until now Lundstedt had kept his diagnosis to himself.He told QX that he was revealing his status now because "I feel I am at theright stage in my life."

Lundstedt is the first Swedish entertainment star since the eighties toadmit publicly to being HIV positive. He said the strain of the virus withwhich he was infected is not as aggressive as some other strains.

"I'm lucky in that I don't need to swallow masses of tablets," he said,adding:

more....



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http://www.tasr.sk/30.axd?k=20071219TBB00334

Bratislava, December 19 (TASR-SLOVAKIA) - Gay-rights group IniciativaInakost (Initiative Otherness) said on Wednesday that it has written toPrime Minister Robert Fico expressing its concern over his statement thatneither he nor the public are interested in the subject of registeredsame-sex partnerships.

Fico also said in an interview for SLOVAKIA last week that he doesn'tbelieve that registered partnerships will be on the agenda of hisGovernment.

"We consider the premier's statements to be a negation of the results of theEuropean Year of Equal Opportunities for All, to which Slovakia declareditself committed. It also denies the feasibility of his desire to beaccepted as a member of the Party of European Socialists (PES), whichpromotes the adoption of laws on registered partnerships," said Inakostboard chairman Julius Kolenic at a news conference.

According to him, there has been a shift in the opinion of the public, whichno longer views such partnerships negatively. Fico as chairman of a socialdemocratic party (Smer-SD) should therefore press for the adoption of a lawon same-sex partnerships governing the rights of this minority, which isInakost's key programme goal.

more....



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From EuroQueer

http://english.mti.hu/default.asp?menu=1&theme=2&cat=25&newsid=248648

Budapest, December 19 (MTI) - Only a small fraction of Hungary's populationis tolerant of gay relationships, according to a poll in Wednesday'snational daily Nepszabadsag.

Parliament yesterday adopted a law which allows same-sex civilpartnerships as part of a package giving couples many of the same rights asmarried couples.

Sixty percent condemns gays while 30 percent of respondents disapproveof them, the poll by research firm Masmi said.

Only 12 percent considered same-sex relationships as completely normal.

Just under two-thirds prefer marriages to registered partnerships butnevertheless accept the latter.

Two-thirds of people were open to children born out of wedlock, as longas it did not happen in their own family.

The majority of Hungarians -- 71 percent -- believe couples in civilpartnerships should have the same rights as married couples and 70 percentsaid inheritance rules should be the same as well, the poll said.



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

http://www.southernvoice.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=15740

In U.S. first, religious entity could assume control of Capital PrideD.C. health clinic turning over duties to new entity

By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
Dec 19, 10:06 AM

A non-profit corporation linked to D.C.'s Westminster Presbyterian Churchhas emerged as one of three organizations competing to replace theWhitman-Walker Clinic as the controlling entity behind Capital Pride, theorganization that produces Washington's Gay Pride parade and festival at anannual cost of about $120,000.

The Southwest Renaissance Development Corporation, which WestminsterPresbyterian Church created to spur economic development in low-incomeneighborhoods, joined the D.C. GLBT Community Center and a newly formedentity called Capital Pride Alliance in submitting competing proposals onDec. 11 to Whitman-Walker to obtain the rights to produce the annual Prideevents.

Whitman-Walker announced on Oct. 11 that it was "exploring options" towithdraw from its role as the producing agent and primary financialunderwriter of Capital Pride. Chief executive officer Don Blanchon said thechange would allow the Clinic to focus more on its "core mission" ofproviding health care services to the GLBT community and people with HIV andAIDS.

ReGina Newkirk, Whitman-Walker's director of development and communityrelations, said this week that the Clinic will consider the proposalssubmitted by the three groups to determine whether a "successful transition"for Capital Pride was possible in the near future.

She said the Clinic is committed to retaining its role as chief fiscal agentand producer of Capital Pride for 2008 and 2009 if Clinic officialsdetermine that a replacement group was not yet capable of producing andoperating the Capital Pride events before that time.

more . . . . .



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

http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071219/NEWS02/712190333/1003/NEWS02

Packed room supports gay marriage

By Daniel Barlow Vermont Press Bureau
Article published Dec 19, 2007

MONTPELIER - A packed room of eager gay marriage supporters came out totestify Tuesday night as a Vermont Legislature-backed commission consideringexpanding marriage rights held its first public hearing in the politicalcapitol of the state.

Members of the Vermont Commission on Family Recognition and Protection heardonly statements of support for moving past civil unions to same-sex marriageduring the two-hour hearing at Montpelier's Statehouse.

It was a startling switch from the legislative hearings on civil unions inthe same building seven years ago, which attracted hundreds of dividedVermonters who passionately argued both for and against a legal recognitionof same-sex couples.

"Civil unions were a valuable first step," said Elaine Parker of Plainfield."But separate but equal did not work as a compromise in the civil rightsmovement and it doesn't work here."

Tuesday's session - the sixth hearing the 11-member panel has held acrossthe state this year on marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples -followed in the steps of previous meetings, at which few or no opponents ofgay marriage spoke out.

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

http://www.washingtonblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=15752

Fla. activists gearing up for costly marriage battle
Both sides expected to spend millions by November

By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO
Dec 19, 2:45 PM

Now that the signatures of the necessary 611,009 Floridians have beensecured to get a state constitutional amendment defining marriage there asbetween only one man and one woman on November's ballot, activists on bothsides of the ideological divide are gearing up for an expensive, nearlyyear-long battle that, in many respects, has already been underway for twoyears.

Gay couples are already prevented from marrying, as the Florida Legislaturein 1997 enacted a statute banning marriages between persons of the same sex.Drafters and supporters of the amendment say it's necessary to preventjudges from overturning the law to allow gays to marry, as happened inMassachusetts, was attempted in Maryland and is being tried in Californiaand Connecticut.

Mat Staver, founder and chair of Liberty Counsel, drafted the amendment,which the Florida Supreme Court approved in March 2006. The courtacknowledged the amendment wouldn't change the law but would "ensure thatunions between same-sex couples that are treated virtually identical tomarriage will not be recognized in Florida."

Now that a ballot vote is secured, how are both sides strategizing?The main backer of the amendment is Florida Coalition to Protect Marriage,an organization that's launched a campaign - florida4marriage.org - solelyto support the amendment now that the signatures have been secured.

Multiple calls and e-mails placed to John Stemberger, president of theCoalition, were not returned. Calls to Staver, Bill Bunkley, a legalconsultant for Florida Baptist Convention, part of the Coalition, and JohnSullivan, president of the Convention, also were not returned this week.

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

http://365gay.com/Newscon07/12/121907lott.htm

Gay Foe Trent Lott Gone

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: December 19, 2007 - 3:00 pm ET

(Washington) Trent Lott has ended a 35 year career in Congress that saw himvoting against every LGBT measure brought before it.

Fifteen minutes before the lights were turned off in the Senate Tuesdaynight Lott issued a statement saying he would not return to work Wednesday.His spokesperson, Lee Youngblood, said the formal announcement came so latebecause Lott had to resign at least a day before the Senate recesses, whichcould be as early as today, but wanted to vote on important bills that werebeing considered well into the night.

Lott, 66, rose from the Republican ranks of the House to the helm of theSenate. He was ousted as Majority Leader in the Senate in 2002 over remarkshe made at retiring Sen. Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday. Lott had salutedthe South Carolina senator with comments later interpreted as support forsouthern segregationist policies.

After the GOP fell from power in both the Senate and House Lott was made theSenate's Republican whip.

In 2003 he was a lead supporter of U.S. District Judge Charles Pickering'snomination to the federal appeals court. Pickering had been opposed by allLGBT rights groups over rulings in which included slurs against gays.

more . . . . .



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

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/121907R.shtml

DOJ Shuns Hearing on Halliburton/KBR Rape Cases

By Maddy Sauer
ABC News
Wednesday 19 December 2007

Former Halliburton/KBR employee recounts for Congress how she was gang-rapedin Iraq.

The Department of Justice refused to send a representative to answerquestions from Congress today on the investigations into allegations of rapeand sexual assault on female American contractors.

"I'm embarrassed that the Department of Justice can't even comeforward," said the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee John Conyers,D-Mich.

"This is an absolute disgrace," said Conyers. "The least we could do ishave people from the Department of Justice and the Defense over here talkingabout how we're going to straighten out the system right away."

Among the witnesses who testified today was Jamie Leigh Jones, whoappeared on "20/20" last week.

Jones, now 23, says that after she'd been raped by multiple assailantsin her room at a KBR camp in the Green Zone, she was warned by companyofficials that if she left Iraq for medical treatment, she'd be out of ajob.

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To Form a More Perfect Union: Marriage Equality News

Information, news, and discussion about the legal recognition of same-sexcouples and their families, including marriages, domestic partnerships,civil unions, adoptions, foster children and similar issues.

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

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

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Who are they kidding? This is one of the oldest political ploys going - geta good red meat issue on the ballot to bring out ultra conservatives whomight otherwise sit at home on election day. Maybe scare some people and geta little fear out there. The only thing surprising about this is there isn'ta group - yet - that's trying to get an amendment banning flag burning ontothe November ballot in Florida.You have to wonder what Florida4Marriage andother such groups are afraid of. And what are they trying to protect usfrom? If they really are concerned about the sanctity of marriage, let thesegroups do something about the divorce rate - that's a much bigger threat tomarriage than two gay people in love.The Florida Constitution should not bethe place for zealots to turn to when they want to advance their cause. Thefolks promoting the constitutional gay marriage ban are insulting not onlygays, but voters of all political ilk who can tell a real issue from aruse.Unfortunately, it will take up valuable time, and space on a ballot. Itnever should have gotten that far.

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Uruguay President Tabare Vazquez said Wednesday that he will signlegislation making the country the first in Latin America to allow civilunions. The final version of the bill passed Congress on Tuesday. Initialdrafts of the legislation passed the Senate earlier this year and the lowerhouse last month. The law will allow same and opposite-sex couples to formcivil unions. Couples must have been together for at least five years andsign a registry. They would then receive pension, inheritance and parentingrights.

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The Vermont has been holding public hearings around the state this fall,gauging the feelings of Vermonters on the issue of Gay Marriage. Thecommission was created by Speaker of the House Gaye Symington, and SenatePresident Pro Tem Peter Shumlin. Tom Little chairs the Commission and hegave VPR's Jane Lindholm a progress report on the hearings.

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(Cape Town, South Africa) A year after he was forced to issue an apology togays for calling gay marriage "a disgrace", acquitted of rape and stillfacing corruption charges Jacob Zuma has been chosen to succeed Thabo Mbekias leader of the African National Congress - a move that puts him on trackfor becoming the country's next president. Zuma won an overwhelming victoryover Mbeki at the party's national convention this week - winning 2,329votes to 1,505. Last year in a speech Zuma said that when he was young hewould have beaten anyone who was gay. He went on to say that gay marriageis "a disgrace to the nation and to God". His remarks came as publichearings were being held on legislation to legalize same-sex civil marriageand grant rights to non-married gay and opposite-sex couples.
Despite his opposition the bill passed.

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Legislation was introduced in the Senate Wednesday Sens. Gordon Smith(R-Ore.) and Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.) The bill filed by Sens. Gordon Smith
(R-Ore.) and Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.) has 19 co-sponsors.Under the legislation a federal employee and same-sex domestic partner wouldbe eligible to participate in federal health benefits, the Family andMedical Leave program, long term care, insurance, and retirement benefits.These workers and their domestic partners would also assume the sameobligations that apply to married employees and their spouses, such asanti-nepotism rules and financial disclosure requirements. Lieberman saidthat it is time for the federal government to catch up to the privatesector. "Not just to set an example but so that it can compete for the mostqualified employees and ensure that all of our public servants receive fairand equitable treatment." "It makes good economic and policy sense. And itis the right thing to do," Lieberman said.



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National Gay News

http://nationalgaynews.com/

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

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Closing Arguments Heard In Gay Cop's Civil Suit
The LAPD's first openly gay police officer was a victim of broken promisesand denied opportunities, spoiling his return to the department as part ofthe settlement of a prior lawsuit, his lawyer said Tuesday."They didn't wanthim continuing to do what they had promised him in the settlement he coulddo," Dan Stormer, attorney for Mitchell Grobeson, told a Los AngelesSuperior Court jury.

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Makepeace Inducted into Women's Hall of Fame
When it rains it pours, or so the saying goes, and for former ColoradoSprings Mayor Mary Lou Makepeace, 2007 is ending not with a sprinkle butwith a virtual shower of honors. In the past couple of weeks she has beennamed a 2008 inductee to the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame and one of theWomen's Foundation of Colorado's 20 Be Bold award recipients. The directorof the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado also received the 2007 Athena Award,the NEWSED Celebrate Culture Civil Rights Award, and the Bernie ValdezCorporate Award.

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Good Sports
Many more gays and lesbians are participating in the Gay Games and Outgamesorganisations, and in international events on a regular basis. Events suchas the Bingham Cup with the Sydney Convicts and the Masters Games - yes,some of us are now older than 30 and still enjoy participating in regularactivity - come to mind.

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Telluride Gay Ski Week Releases Schedule of Events From Top to Bottom
The Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association (TMVOA), sponsors andorganizers of the Fifth Annual Telluride Gay Ski Week (TGSW) today announcedthe schedule of events for 2008 which takes place Saturday, February 23,2008 thru March 1, 2008. Since 2004, Telluride Gay Ski Week has welcomedguests from across the U.S. and around the world to some of the finestskiing and GLBT events in North America. This year's event as in years pastwill benefit the Telluride AIDS Benefit (TAB), a local, grassroots 501(c)(3)rganization that has been committed to HIV/AIDS awareness in Colorado fornow 15 years.

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PlanetOut Inc. Closes Sale of RSVP Vacations
PlanetOut Inc. (Nasdaq: LGBT - News), the leading media and entertainmentcompany exclusively focused on the gay and lesbian market, today announcedthat, in accordance with the previously announced agreement with AtlantisEvents, Inc., the sale of RSVP Vacations to Atlantis has been completed.



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365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/12/121907lott.htm

Gay Foe Trent Lott Gone

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: December 19, 2007 - 3:00 pm ET

(Washington) Trent Lott has ended a 35 year career in Congress that saw himvoting against every LGBT measure brought before it.

Fifteen minutes before the lights were turned off in the Senate Tuesdaynight Lott issued a statement saying he would not return to work Wednesday.His spokesperson, Lee Youngblood, said the formal announcement came so latebecause Lott had to resign at least a day before the Senate recesses, whichcould be as early as today, but wanted to vote on important bills that werebeing considered well into the night.

Lott, 66, rose from the Republican ranks of the House to the helm of theSenate. He was ousted as Majority Leader in the Senate in 2002 over remarkshe made at retiring Sen. Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday. Lott had salutedthe South Carolina senator with comments later interpreted as support forsouthern segregationist policies.

After the GOP fell from power in both the Senate and House Lott was made theSenate's Republican whip.

In 2003 he was a lead supporter of U.S. District Judge Charles Pickering's nomination to the federal appeals court. Pickering had been opposed by allLGBT rights groups over rulings in which included slurs against gays.

In one speech he called Pickering "one of the smartest individuals, one ofthe best judges I've known in my life.''

more . . . . .



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365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/12/121907bens.htm

New Bid To Provide Benefits To Partners Of Gay Federal Workers

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: December 19, 2007 - 5:00 pm ET

(Washington) Legislation was introduced in the Senate Wednesday that wouldprovide domestic partner benefits to federal employees.

The bill filed by Sens. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) and Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.)has 19 co-sponsors.

Under the legislation a federal employee and same-sex domestic partner wouldbe eligible to participate in federal health benefits, the Family andMedical Leave program, long term care, insurance, and retirement benefits.

These workers and their domestic partners would also assume the sameobligations that apply to married employees and their spouses, such asanti-nepotism rules and financial disclosure requirements.

More than half of Fortune 500 companies and almost 10,000 other companiesprovide benefits to domestic partners. Hundreds of state and localgovernments - including Connecticut and Oregon - and scores of colleges anduniversities, said Sen. Smith.

more . . . . .



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365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/12/121907zu.htm

South African Gays Wary Of New ANC Leader

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: December 19, 2007 - 5:00 pm ET

(Cape Town, South Africa) A year after he was forced to issue an apology togays for calling gay marriage "a disgrace", acquitted of rape and stillfacing corruption charges Jacob Zuma has been chosen to succeed Thabo Mbekias leader of the African National Congress - a move that puts him on trackfor becoming the country's next president.

Zuma won an overwhelming victory over Mbeki at the party's nationalconvention this week - winning 2,329 votes to 1,505.

Following the vote the two 65 year old politicians appeared on stage for anembrace in a show of party unity.

Zuma was acquitted of rape last year, but he still faces bribery chargesover an alleged multimillion-dollar arms deal that his supporters say isnothing more than a smear campaign.

He was removed from the deputy presidency after a court found he had had a"generally corrupt" relationship with a former aide but he remained a majorforce within the African National Congress.

more . . . . .



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365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/12/121907palm.htm

Palm Beach Adds Gender Identity To Nondiscrimination Law

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: December 19, 2007 - 5:00 pm ET

(West Palm Beach, Florida) Palm Beach County Commissioners have unanimouslyapproved amendments to two county ordinances which will prohibitdiscrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based ongender identity or expression.
The new law, which covers public and private employers with fifteen or moreemployees, and most real estate transactions, goes into effect on January1.

"No one should be fired, harassed, or denied promotion simply because theydon't fit the stereotypes for masculinity or femininity," said Rand Hoch,president of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council.

"In a matter of days, all Palm Beach County residents will be judged on thequality of their work and will given an equal chance to succeed," said Hoch."No longer will an employer be able to fire an employee solely because sheis a woman with a masculine walk or he is a man with an effeminate voice."

With almost 1.3 million people, Palm Beach County will become one of thenation's largest jurisdictions to prohibit discrimination againsttransgender persons.

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365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/12/121907ve.htm

Vermont Commission Mulling Gay Marriage Nears End

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: December 19, 2007 - 5:00 pm ET

(Montpelier, Vermont) A state appointed commission looking into Vermont'scivil unions law and tasked with determining if it should be amended toprovide for same-sex marriage is nearing its completion.

The commission has just three more public hearings - scheduled to end in midFebruary - before it begins to prepare its report to the legislature.

The Commission on Family Recognition and Protection this week held hearingsin Montpelier and was told that while the state's civil union law - thefirst of its kind in the nation - was a step forward same-sex couples stillare not equal.

It was the first time the traveling commission heard deputations in thestate's capital city and the session was a far cry from hearings that wereconducted seven years ago when the state was considering the civil unionsbill.

Then, dozens of people from conservative groups opposed to the billdenounced the measure and protestors carried signs outside.

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365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/12/122007rudy.htm

Giuliani Leaves Hospital

by The Associated Press
Posted: December 20, 2007 - 8:00 am ET

(Kansas City, Missouri) Rudy Giuliani planned to head home to New York Cityon Thursday after spending the night in a St. Louis hospital getting checkedout for flu-like symptoms, his campaign said.

"After precautionary tests the doctors found nothing of concern at this timeand Rudy will be going back to New York later today," communicationsdirector Katie Levinson said in a statement issued before dawn Thursday. "Heis in high spirits and is grateful to the doctors and nurses who checked himout."

It was not immediately clear when he would leave the hospital.

The former New York City mayor felt the symptoms while campaigning for theRepublican presidential nomination in Missouri, and they soon became worse,Levinson said late Wednesday. She did not describe the symptoms beyond thosebeing commonly associated with the flu.

"The symptoms worsened as the day wore on and shortly after taking off fromChesterfield, Missouri, for New York the mayor became uncomfortable enoughthat our plane returned to the airport in Chesterfield," Levinson said. "Tobe on the safe side, the mayor consulted with his personal physician in NewYork and made the decision to go to the Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louisfor routine tests."

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365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/12/122007tanc.htm

Tancredo Drops Out

by The Associated Press
Posted: December 20, 2007 - 8:00 am ET

(Denver, Colorado) Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo, whose forceful oppositionto illegal immigration vaulted him to national prominence, plans to announcehe is abandoning his long-shot bid for the presidency, a person close toTancredo said Wednesday.

The five-term Colorado congressman planned to make the announcement at anews conference in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday, the person said, speakingon condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak forTancredo or his campaign.

Tancredo's campaign would only say he planned a "major announcement"Thursday.

Tancredo has consistently polled at the back of the nine-person GOP field.He has based his campaign on opposition to illegal immigration, a top issuein many areas of the country. He has run television ads that link lax bordersecurity to terrorist attacks, rape and other crimes.

Tancredo announced in October that he would not seek a sixth term inCongress, but hinted he would consider running for the Senate after hispresidential bid.

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365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/12/122007romney.htm

Romney Aligns With Bush On Iraq

by The Associated Press
Posted: December 20, 2007 - 8:00 am ET

(Davenport, Iowa) Republican Mitt Romney aligned himself squarely withPresident Bush and his national security policies Wednesday, reaching out toGOP loyalists who hold the president in high regard, back the Iraq war andcould sway the high-stakes nomination race.

"I support our troops, and I support what our troops are doing. I alsosupport our president. I believe that the president has acted in good faithand out of a desire to protect this country to do everything in his power tokeep America safe," the Republican presidential candidate said. He spokeafter touring the Army's Rock Island Arsenal near this eastern Iowa rivercity.

Romney staunchly defended Bush in Iowa a few days after rival Mike Huckabeecriticized the Bush administration's efforts in a Foreign Affairs journalarticle, denouncing a go-it-alone "arrogant bunker mentality" andquestioning decisions on Iraq. The former Arkansas governor says hiscomments have been misinterpreted.

With polls in Iowa showing a competitive race for the Jan. 3 caucuses,Romney has assailed Huckabee at just about every campaign appearance,criticizing him for the journal comments as well as for his stances onimmigration, taxes, spending and crime. Romney led in the state for monthsafter pouring millions of dollars into TV ads, but Huckabee has recentlyzoomed past him in opinion polls.

Standing on the Mississippi River bank alongside snow piles, Romney soughtto lower expectations for him in the caucuses. He twice noted that pollsshow Huckabee with a double-digit lead in Iowa. But he was referencingout-of-date figures; more recent polls show Huckabee's lead narrowing tosingle digits.

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365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/12/122007edwards.htm

Edwards Says He's The Anti-Poverty Candidate

by The Associated Press
Posted: December 20, 2007 - 8:00 am ET

(Portsmouth, New Hampshire) Democrat John Edwards says he's the presidentialcandidate who's made fighting poverty the cause of his life, trying to layclaim to the issue as the first voting of the 2008 campaign nears.

The nation's millions of poor people have not been a major focus of thecampaign. But with Edwards, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama in atight race in leadoff Iowa, the others don't want to let the former NorthCarolina senator have the issue by himself.

Earlier Wednesday, Clinton said in Iowa that people - she didn't nameanyone - "talk about poverty in this campaign." But "we," she said,referring to husband Bill Clinton's presidency - "lifted more people out ofpoverty during the 1990s than at any time in our history."

Edwards, on the second day of a brief swing through New Hampshire, saidClinton's remark was "a veiled reference to me, and he took issue with it.

"She said something about people talking about poverty, but you know, whatare we going to do about it?" Edwards said to reporters. "Let me just beclear, ending poverty in this country is the cause of my life and I amcompletely committed to it."

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365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/12/122007green.htm

Green Party Enters Presidential Race

by The Associated Press
Posted: December 20, 2007 - 8:00 am ET

(Atlanta, Georgia) Former Democratic Rep. Cynthia McKinney, who was oustedfrom office last year after a headline-grabbing scuffle with a Capitol Hillpolice officer, has decided to seek the presidency - as a Green Partycandidate.

In a video posted on the Internet on Tuesday, McKinney criticized the war inIraq and complained about Democrats and Republicans, saying both parties arebeholden to corrupt corporate interests. She called the Green Party "my newpolitical home."

McKinney, 52, registered to vote in California after a group called Run!Cynthia! Run! began drafting her as the Green Party's candidate there. Sincethen, she had made campaign appearances in Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Illinois,Minnesota and Wisconsin.

In the more than seven-minute video first posted on her Web site on Sunday,then on YouTube on Tuesday, McKinney had particularly harsh words for herformer party.

"The Democrats do not speak for us," she said. "The Democrats are nodifferent than their Republican counterparts."

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Advocate.com

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid51225.asp

7-year-old Beaten for Wearing Nail Polish

December 20, 2007

A man was arrested after allegedly beating a 7-year-old boy with a beltbecause the boy applied pink polish to his nails, according to OrangeCounty, Fla., sheriff's deputies.

Aundre Jermaine Hill, 25, was arrested on Saturday after sheriff's deputiesresponded to a call saying that the young boy had bruises on his body, WKMGreported Tuesday. Authorities said that the boy's mother was bathing himwhen she discovered the bruises on his hands, buttocks, arms, legs, andtemple.

Hill was arrested and taken to the county jail, where he later posted bondto be released. (The Advocate)



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Advocate.com

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid51226.asp

Idaho City Grants DP Benefits for City Workers

December 20, 2007

The Moscow, Idaho, city council approved a resolution to provide insurancebenefits to the domestic partners of city employees. The 4-2 vote occurredduring the council's final meeting of the year, the Associated Pressreported Wednesday.

Regency Blue Shield of Idaho, the city government's insurance company, hasoffered a plan to cover health insurance to heterosexual and same-sexdomestic partners. According to the article, employees who meet Regency BlueShield's requirements must also sign an affidavit to be eligible for thebenefits.

Moscow city attorney Randy Fife told the Associated Press that the plandoesn't violate the state's ban on same-sex marriage because the city isadding an option to an insurance plan, not creating domestic partnerships.
(The Advocate)



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Advocate.com

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid51224.asp

Smith, Lieberman Want Partner Benefits for Federal Employees

December 20, 2007

A bill introduced by Republican senator Gordon Smith and Democratic senatorJoe Lieberman along with 19 cosponsors would grant domestic partner benefitsto federal employees.

Under the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act for 2007, federalemployees and their domestic partners would be eligible for federal healthbenefits, the Family and Medical Leave program, long-term care, insurance,and retirement benefits, according to a statement released Wednesday bySmith and Lieberman. Same-sex couples would also assume the same obligationsthat apply to married employees and their spouses, such as antinepotismrules and financial disclosure requirements.

"It's time for the federal government to catch up to the private sector, notjust to set an example but so that it can compete for the most qualifiedemployees and ensure that all of our public servants receive fair andequitable treatment," Connecticut's Lieberman said in the statement. "Itmakes good economic and policy sense. And it is the right thing to do."

"The federal government should be leading the way rather than following whenit comes to providing benefits," Smith, an Oregon senator, said. "Rights andbenefits must be afforded to all employees equally. This bill corrects thecurrent inequity."

The two senators introduced similar legislation during the previous sessionof Congress.

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New York Times

http://warner.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/holier-than-they/index.html?ref=opinion

Holier Than They
Tags: Christianity, politics and religion

December 13, 2007, 9:09 pm

For years, the left - and moderates - permitted the right to frame itself asthe sole custodian of "family values" in the United States. It was only whenvast numbers of American families woke up to the fact that they were notbeing valued at all - that, in fact, they were being fleeced - thatnon-conservatives shook themselves into a sentient state and began to talkabout replacing empty words with substantive promises about health care,child care and college aid.

Now a similar thing is happening with religion. We are, we've repeatedlybeen told in the past week, in the grip of a faith war. There has been a lotof interesting discussion of Mormonism and Evangelical Protestantism, aboutMitt Romney and Mike Huckabee outdoing themselves to appeal to Christianconservatives, and about John McCain's belief in a "Christian nation." Therehas been dismay about a political moment in which it seems a candidate mustpass a religious litmus test to gain national viability. There have beencomparisons to John F. Kennedy, talk of the Founding Fathers, of theseparation of church and state, and of how the Puritans' rather intolerantvision of religious freedom continues to trickle down to our day.

But one line of questioning, it seems to me, is missing. One point of viewis inexpressible, taboo. I am not referring to atheism - the one beliefsystem that clearly had no place in the vision of America Romney painted inhis much-anticipated speech on faith last week. Rather, I'm thinking of thenow entirely muted issue of whether the basic ethical foundations of Romney,Huckabee et al's political views truly are "Christian" - in thegood-neighborly sense of the word.

I am referring here to the sentiments that lie behind the candidates'attitudes toward gays, which may have found their most honest and openexpression in Huckabee's recently resurrected 1992 suggestion that AIDSpatients should be forcibly isolated.

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