GLBT DIGEST - October 08, 2009

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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

Field Poll: Brown Has Big Lead in Calif Gov's Race
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A new Field Poll shows California Attorney General Jerry Brown with a strong lead in next year's race for governor, even before he's declared himself a candidate and despite months of campaigning by his Democratic rival and three Republicans vying for their party's nomination.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/08/us/AP-US-California-Governors-Race.html?_r=1&scp=9&sq=gay&st=cse

Sarkozy Aide Defends Minister Over Gay Sex Tourism
PARIS (Reuters) - A senior aide to French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday defended Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand, who is facing calls for his resignation for having written about paying boys for sex in Thailand.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/10/08/world/international-uk-france-mitterand-sex.html?scp=3&sq=gay&st=cse

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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

No Laughing Matter
By Howard Kurtz
Call it the Fred Armisen effect. I don't think he does a very good Obama impersonation; a flat affect seems to be the only comedic arrow in his quiver. But "Saturday Night Live" is a good cultural bellwether.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/08/AR2009100801022.html

DEAR AMY
I read with interest the letter from the parents who think their son could be gay. They don't know how to approach him about his sexuality. I may be better qualified to advise them than you.To the couple, I would say: Do nothing. Say nothing.
Your son is either gay or he is not gay. Eventually he will tell you in his own way, either by introducing a companion or in another manner.
A man who is young and gay has enough stress to deal with without added family disapproval. Keep in mind that he did not choose his sexuality, and you two did nothing to influence it -- except that the genes you passed on to him dictated it.
Clasp him firmly in the family bosom and give him all the love you have; he will need it.
Extend that love to his companion, if he chooses one. Remember, they will be as dear to each other as you two are.
I speak from long experience. I am 85 years old and have been with my chosen companion for nearly 50 years.
I live in a community where there are many gay couples that have been together from 15 to 60 years. We lead fairly happy lives for people of our age. It is a good life. -- Been There
DEAR BEEN THERE: I often hear from people on both sides of this challenging issue. There is no one or easy way to make a disclosure about sexuality, and parents don't always know how to handle the news.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/28/AR2009092802662_2.html

Gay Marriage Bill Introduced in District
Dozens of Activists on Both Sides of Same-Sex Marriage Debate Crammed Into D.C. Council Chambers
By Tim Craig
Washington Post staff writer Tim Craig will be online Thursday, Oct. 8, at 1 p.m. ET to discuss the gay marriage bill to allow same-sex couples to wed in the District, which was introduced by City Councilmember David Catania (I-At Large) on Tuesday
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2009/10/07/DI2009100703040.html

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Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/
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Virginia's Race Now a Page-Turner
By COREY DADE
RICHMOND, Va. -- Mimi Herrington hosted a dozen women at her home recently for what might have appeared to be a neighborhood book club. But this was more of a literary clobbering: It was designed to pound Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell for a graduate-school thesis in which he criticized career women and encouraged government discrimination against homosexuals.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125496002194772107.html/

A Search for a Surrogate Leads to India
By MARGOT COHEN
On their third trip to India, Rhonda and Gerry Wile finally heard a sound they thought they might never hear: the heartbeat of their unborn child. Four nerve-racking months after that joyful ultrasound moment, their son arrived on Aug. 26 at 10:22 p.m. weighing 2.7 kilograms and sporting wisps of dark hair. They named him Blaze Xennon Wile, the middle name chosen from a book of baby names that gave its meaning as "from a foreign or faraway land."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704252004574459003279407832.html/

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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
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Man dies six months after attack outside Oakland Park diner
Craig Cohen, 47, was beaten by two men who stole his cell phone
By Joel Marino
A man severely beaten near an Oakland Park diner six months ago died Wednesday, never having regained consciousness, his friends and co-workers said.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/oakland-park/sfl-diner-robbery-death-b100709,0,5904072.story/

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Steve Rothaus
http://www.MiamiHerald.com/gay/
Go to this link for the following articles:

Gay activist-donor Charles Merrill calls for cancellation of National Equality March, says organizers have socialist ties
News release from Charles Merrill:
Protesting Socialist Ties, Merrill Calls for Cancellation of National Equality March
He originally donated thousands of dollars in support of the National Equality March on Washington, D.C., coming up on Oct. 11, 2009, but today, artist, gay activist and author Charles Merrill (http://www.merrillcharles.com) is calling upon the gay community to cancel the march.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/10/gay-activist-donor-charles-merrill-calls-for-cancellation-of-national-equality-march-says-organizers-have-socialist-ties.html

Going to the National Equality March this weekend? Please send me an e-mail about your plans
If you’re going to the National Equality March in Washington, D.C., this weekend, please send me an e-mail and let me know your plans. Thanks!
srothaus@MiamiHerald.com
Look forward to hearing from you!
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/10/going-to-the-national-equality-march-this-weekend-please-send-me-an-e-mail-about-your-plans.html/

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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

Levi Johnston to Pose Nude for Playgirl
By Julie Bolcer
Levi Johnston, the father of Sarah Palin’s grandson, will pose nude for Playgirl, his attorney said on Wednesday. Details of the arrangement remain to be fleshed out, according to the Associated Press.
http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2009/10/08/Levi_Johnston_to_Pose_Nude_for_Playgirl/

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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

Results of Utah gov. meeting with gay rights groups
By The Associated Press
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert met with gay rights advocacy groups Tuesday for the first time since saying he opposes providing legal protections for gay and transgender people.
http://www.365gay.com/news/results-of-utah-gov-meeting-with-gay-rights-groups/

Obama picks openly gay lawyer for ambassadorship
By The Associated Press
President Barack Obama said Wednesday he planned to nominate an openly gay lawyer as the U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. If confirmed by the Senate, David Huebner would become the third openly gay ambassador in U.S. history and the first pick by this administration. In a statement released from the White House, Obama said he looked forward to working with Huebner and is confident he will represent the United States well in the Pacific
http://www.365gay.com/news/obama-picks-openly-gay-lawyer-for-ambassadorship/

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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:

Cameron praises civil partnerships but prepares to put Iain Duncan Smith in charge of families
Tory leader David Cameron has cited civil partnerships for gay couples as a good thing. However, he said that former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith would lead the way in mending "broken society".
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/10/08/cameron-civil-partnerships-a-good-thing/

PinkNews.co.uk poll: Will you vote Conservative?
Following David Cameron's speech this afternoon at the Conservative Party Conference, we want to know how our readers feel about the party.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/10/08/pinknews.co.uk-poll-will-you-vote-conservative/

Police release CCTV images of homophobic attack suspects
Police have released images of two women they are seeking in connection with a homophobic attack in Trafalgar Square last month. A 62-year-old man is still in hospital with serious head injuries.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/10/07/police-release-cctv-images-of-homophobic-attack-suspects/

French culture minister urged to resign over sex with boys
Frederic Mitterrand, the French culture minister, is facing calls for his resignation after writing in a 2005 autobiography about paying boys for sex.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/10/08/french-culture-minister-urged-to-resign-over-sex-with-boys/

Gay man admits trying to poison lesbian neighbours
A gay man who gave his lesbian neighbours a curry laced with slug pellets was involved in a long-running feud with them. Gary Stewart, 37, told magistrates in Manchester that he had attempted to poison Marie Walton and Beverley Sales but denied making threats to kill.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/10/08/gay-man-admits-trying-to-poison-lesbian-neighbours/

Gay businessman is frontrunner for ITV boss
Sir Michael Bishop, the openly gay businessman, has been tipped as the next chairman of ITV. The former head of airline BMI is now in pole position to take over Michael Grade's role after Sir Crispin Davis announced he was withdrawing from the race.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/10/08/gay-businessman-is-frontrunner-for-itv-boss/

Mary Cheney pregnant with second child
Mary Cheney, the lesbian daughter of former US vice-president Dick Cheney, is pregnant with her second child. She had her first baby, Samuel David, in 2007.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/10/07/mary-cheney-pregnant-with-second-child/

Stonewall chief Ben Summerskill says Tories are monitoring Polish allies' homophobia
Stonewall chief executive Ben Summerskill has said he has been reassured by the Conservative Party that it is checking past statements made by its European allies for homophobia. He also denied he had been "used" by Labour when he pulled out of a gay Tory event last night.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/10/07/stonewall-chief-ben-summerskill-says-tories-are-checking-polish-allies-homophobia/

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Daily Queer News
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

The High Cost of Queer
Jennifer Vanasco \ Independent Gay Forum
It is expensive to be gay. How expensive? We didn’t know. We did know that committed gay couples had fewer rights than committed straight ones. We knew this meant we paid more for health insurance, that we couldn’t share our partner’s social security benefits, that we had to pay estate taxes that straight couples didn’t.
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/10476/

Marriage Licenses Now Available in NH for Gays
Associated Press \ Boston Herald
Gay couples can now apply for marriage licenses in New Hampshire — though the unions can’t be performed until Jan. 1 when the state’s law legalizing the unions takes effect.
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/10475/

Gov. Schwarzenegger Urged to Veto Bill Honoring Homosexual Activist
The Christian Post \ Dakota Voice
Lawrence D. Jones
Christian Post Reporter
Social conservatives are calling upon Christians in California to rally against a bill that – if passed – would pressure schools into honoring the late Harvey Milk, the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in a major city.
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/10474/

Georgia High School Boots Student for Crossdressing
Queers United
Jonathan Escobar, 16 of Georgia’s North Cobb High School in Kennesaw has been kicked out due to the fact that he wears female attire. Jonathan maintains the school originally had no problem with the fact that he cross dresses but only told him to stop after a student harassed him. The school then said he was in violation of their dress code and that the outfits were “causing a disruption and that he needs to dress more manly” if he wants to continue attending the school.
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/10473/

NC: Gay Candidate Loses in Raleigh Council Election
Matt Comer \ Q-Notes
October 7th, 2009
A well-run campaign utilizing new media and promoting technology and development for downtown Raleigh wasn’t enough to secure victory for a young, openly gay candidate in Raleigh Tuesday.
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/10472/

Hearing on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”–Rep. Patrick Murphy on Our Side; Anderson Cooper Holds Choi v. Donnelly Debate
Isabell James \ Lez Get Real
Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) held a special hour on the House floor on Tuesday, to discuss the detrimental impact of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the need to repeal it. An Iraq war veteran, Murphy is the lead sponsor of H.R. 1283, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act which is a bill that would replace DADT with a policy of nondiscrimination throughout all branches of the military.
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/10470/

House Hears About Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell–and from Rep. Gohmert
Chris Geidner \ Law Dork
Rep. Patrick Murphy (D- PA, 8th Dist, House site) is leading a special order speeches hour on the House floor to discuss the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. He says there are three main reasons that we need the repeal:
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/10469/

LA: US Court of Appeals Hears Arguments in Lambda Legal’s Case Seeking Birth Certificate for Child Adopted by Two Fathers
Lambda Legal
A three-member panel of federal judges in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals heard today from attorneys on both sides regarding Lambda Legal’s lawsuit against the Louisiana Registrar of Vital Statistics for refusing to respect the New York adoption by a same-sex couple of a Louisiana-born baby boy.
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/10468/
DC: Catholic University Denies LGBT Support Group on Campus
Amanda Hess \ The Sexist \ Washington City Paper
Yesterday, local Catholic university Georgetown took on LGBT acceptance at the really Catholic local U., the Catholic University of America.
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/10466/

Science Fiction Meets Religious Oppression
Peterson Toscano
So many people who hear me talk about the Ex-Gay Movement and my many varied failed attempts to “de-gay” myself think I am making this stuff up–total fiction. Add to it the Evangelical world view, some evil spirits, generational curses and football clinics–well it sounds downright nutty.
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/10465/

Middle School-Age Youth More Open to Coming Out; Exodus Youth Respond
Emily K \ Ex-Gay Watch
The New York Times published an article detailing experiences of middle school-age children (roughly ages 11-14) who were open about their sexuality. Chris Stump of Exodus Youth responded with this article. In the Times article, we learn that while some might not experience their gradeschool years free of conflict concerning their sexuality, they are much more likely to be accepted or simply left alone about their orientation. These kids date, have boyfriends and girlfriends, and can talk openly about their crushes – no matter their gender – with their friends and peers. One 13-year-old who came out did so because when he realized he was attracted to other boys, he did not want to go through a period of miserable isolation. He chose instead to be sexually honest and open about his attractions. In response, several of his girl friends told him they were bisexual.
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/10464/

Ex-Gay Michael Glatze: Obama is ‘Utterly Disgusting Because He is Black’
David Roberts \ Ex-Gay Watch
Some may remember Michael Glatze from his ex-gay debut a couple of years ago. Formerly co-editor of XY Magazine, Glatze and boyfriend of ten years, Benjie Nycum, set out in 2004 to found YGA, another magazine designed for GLBT Youth. Nycum and Glatze also co-authored the book XY Survival Guide while still working with XY in 2000. YGA seems to have published only six issues and stopped publication after 2006.
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/10463/

Aetna Recognized by Gay and Lesbian Medical Association for Efforts to Improve Health and Well-Being of LGBT Community
At the annual conference of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA), Aetna (NYSE:AET - News) received an achievement award for its work in improving the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals. The GLMA Achievement Awards recognize efforts to improve the quality of health care for LGBT individuals, to improve the workplace environment for LGBT health care workers and to advance LGBT civil rights. GLMA Achievement Awards are given without regard to recipients’ sexual orientation or gender identity.
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/10461/

CA: Sunset Entertainment Group Cancels Buju Banton Concert Following Public Outcry
PR Newswire
“Faggots. . . have to die” Singer’s Oct. 15 Show at Cabana Club Called Off
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Once again, an outcry from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community has convinced promoters to cancel a scheduled performance by notoriously anti-gay reggae singer Buju Banton, whose appalling lyrics have glorified the violent murder of gay and lesbian people. Hours after the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center launched a public campaign, Sunset Entertainment Group (SEG) announced the cancellation of Banton’s show scheduled for its Cabana Club on Oct. 15.
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/10459/

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