GLBT DIGEST - December 07, 2009

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HeartStrong
Since 1996, HeartStrong has provided hope and help to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students from religious educational institutions. More than 1000 current and former students aged 13-68 have come to HeartStrong after being on the receiving end of faith-based, anti-GLBT bullying and persecution. Aside from successfully implementing 14 other outreach/educational programs, the HeartStrong outreach team has self driven more than 392,000 miles doing outreach and educational work. With enrollment in religious schools exploding worldwide, the lifesaving work of HeartStrong is more relevant and necessary than ever. HeartStrong remains the only organization in the world with this mission. HeartStrong is an all volunteer educational 501(c)(3) nonprofit social justice organization. It is tax deductible donations from friends like you that enable HeartStrong to continue its work year after year. [...] HeartStrong has lost 60% of its monthly pledges in 2009. Your pledge today will help ease HeartStrong's loss. If you have questions about making a donation, please do not hesitate to contact me at 206-388-3894 or at marcadams@heartstrong.org.
http://heartstrong.org/mailman/listinfo/heartstronglist_heartstrong.org/

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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
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Los Angeles Diocese Elects Second Gay Episcopal Bishop, Highlighting an Anglican Split
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles has elected a woman who would become the second openly gay bishop in the Anglican fellowship, a global body that is already deeply fractured over the first.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/us/07episcopal.html?scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse/

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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
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Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/
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Episcopal Church Tensions Stirred
By STEPHANIE SIMON
The breach between conservative and liberal Episcopalians widened as a lesbian was elected an assistant bishop in Los Angeles, drawing fire from Anglicans world-wide. The Rev. Canon Mary D. Glasspool, 55 years old, was elected late Saturday on a seventh ballot, after several votes ended in deadlocks. Open about her sexual orientation since her seminary days, Canon Glasspool has been with the woman she calls her life partner since 1988.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126007421224878757.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_news/

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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
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Supreme Court to decide if college group must allow gays, nonbelievers to get university nod
By Associated Press
The Supreme Court will decide whether a California law school must force a Christian group to admit gays, lesbians and nonbelievers to gain stature as an official campus organization.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-supreme-court-campus-christians,0,2635715.story/

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Steve Rothaus
http://www.MiamiHerald.com/gay/
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‘We do not hire faggots’: McDonald’s in Orlando accused of not hiring transgender 17-year-old
News release from Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund:
Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund Files Employment Discrimination Complaint with Florida Commission on Human Relations Against McDonald's for Refusing to Hire Transgender Woman
McDonald’s tells 17-year-old Zikerria Bellamy: "We do not hire faggots."
New York, New York — Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund today filed a Complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Relations against an Orlando McDonald's restaurant for refusing to hire 17-year-old Zikerria Bellamy because she is transgender.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/12/we-do-not-hire-faggots-orlando-mcdonalds-accused-of-not-hiring-transgender-17-year-old.html/

Original 'Rent' hitmakers Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal in Miami Beach for encore (with video)
By CHRISTINE DOLEN, cdolen@MiamiHerald.com
Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal took different creative routes to their career-changing roles. Rapp, a Midwesterner who did his first national theater tour at 10 in The King and I, was an experienced, thoroughly trained actor-singer. Pascal was a rocker who grew up on Long Island, playing and singing in bands, writing songs, recording an album with a group called Mute.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/12/original-rent-hitmakers-anthony-rapp-and-adam-pascal-in-miami-beach-for-encore-with-video.html/

Gallery | World Erotic Art Museum owner Naomi Wilzig throws birthday bash for herself, friends
Several hundred of Naomi Wilzig’s family (including her children and grandchildren) and best friends celebrated her 75th birthday Saturday night at her World Erotic Art Museum, 1205 Washington Ave., in South Beach.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/12/gallery-world-erotic-art-museum-owner-naomi-wilzig-throws-birthday-bash-for-herself-friends.html/

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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
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Tiger's transgressions
My daughter is gay and lives in California. Neither she nor her friends can ``get married'' because of the conservative backlash. I have yet to hear any of the conservatives, or their preachers, criticize what Tiger Woods might have done to the sanctity of marriage. I realize that they think that this is a private matter. Well so is my daughter's life, and they have no hesitancy of interfering in it.
PHILIP S. GOLDIN, Miami Beach
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/letters/story/1369219.html/

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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
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Anglican Leader Warns About Lesbian Bishop
By Julie Bolcer
The leader of the worldwide Anglican communion issued a harsh statement to Episcopal Church leaders in response to the election of an openly lesbian bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles on Saturday.
http://www.advocate.com//News/Daily_News/2009/12/07/Anglican_Leader_Warns_About_Lesbian_Bishop/

Brit to U.S.: Come Out of Your Closet
By Julie Bolcer
A former high-ranking official in the British government urged the U.S. LGBT community to come out of its “national closet” and join others around the world in pressing to protect gay populations under siege in places like Uganda, Jamaica and Eastern Europe.
http://www.advocate.com//News/Daily_News/2009/12/07/Brit_to_US_Come_Out_of_Your_Closet/

Palin and Frank Joke at Dinner
By Julie Bolcer
Barney Frank and Sarah Palin shared an unlikely bill at the Gridiron Dinner on Saturday night in Washington, D.C. The former Alaska governor and Republican vice presidential nominee poked fun at herself, while the gay congressman took shots at Twitter.
http://www.advocate.com//News/Daily_News/2009/12/07/Palin_and_Frank_Joke_at_Dinner/

Philanthropist in Deep Debt
By Advocate.com Editors
The Wall Street Journalon Friday profiled Terrance Watanabe, who managed to lose $127 million at two Las Vegas casinos in one year and is now suing the casinos—Caesars Palace and Rio—saying they bear some of the responsibility for his debt. And then Towleroad’s Andy Towle reported that Watanabe wasn’t only giving big on the gaming floor, he is also a major donor to gay causes, including the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Gay Men’s Health Crisis in New York City. Reported Towle: In 2002, GLAAD reported a donation from Watanabe as its largest by an individual donor in the organization’s history.
http://www.advocate.com//News/Daily_News/2009/12/06/Philanthropist_in_Deep_Debt/

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

RachelWatch: The Mad Tea Party
By Ali Davis, Contributing writer
And the Friday Night Panel is back! This time Congressman Anthony Weiner (D – New York), Princeton University professor and prolific writer Melissa Harris-Lacewell, and New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof joined Rachel for some spirited discussion.
http://www.365gay.com/living/rachelwatch-the-mad-tea-party/

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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
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Lesbian wins 'substantial' payout for partner's death
A lesbian whose civil partner died after her cancer was wrongly diagnosed has won a landmark case for compensation. Tina Lane, 42, of Dorset, died of ovarian cancer in February.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/12/07/lesbian-wins-substantial-payout-for-partners-death/

Gay Tory candidate selected to challenge Hazel Blears
A gay Conservative candidate has been selected to challenge Hazel Blears for her Manchester seat. Matthew Sephton is the chairman of the party's affiliated gay group, LGBTory.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/12/07/gay-tory-candidate-selected-to-challenge-hazel-blears/

Actor sues over Wikipedia 'gay' edits
An American actor has filed a lawsuit in an attempt to stop an unknown hacker calling him gay on Wikipedia. Ron Livingston, the Stand-Off actor who married his co-star Rosemarie De Witt last month, has been plagued by a user of the site who keeps changing his personal information.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/12/07/actor-sues-over-wikipedia-gay-edits/

X-Factor contestant Danyl Johnson sent home
Danyl Johnson was voted off the X-Factor last night. The 27-year-old bisexual singer lost out on a place in the final, leaving the three would-be winners Olly Murs, Joe McElderry and Stacey Solomon.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/12/07/x-factor-contestant-danyl-johnson-sent-home/

Spain apologises for 1970s jailing of gay man
A Spanish gay man who was sentenced to three months in jail in the 1970s has received an official apology from the government. Antoni Ruiz, 50, was jailed in 1976 at the age of 17 after coming out to his parents.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/12/07/spain-apologises-for-1970s-jailing-of-gay-man/

London protest to be held this week over Uganda's anti-gay bill
A protest has been organised this week in London against Uganda's proposed law to execute and jail gays. Activists will gather outside the Ugandan High Commission in Trafalgar Square on Thursday, which is also International Human Rights Day.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/12/07/london-protest-to-be-held-this-week-over-ugandas-anti-gay-bill/

'Homophobic' Buju Banton receives fourth Grammy nomination
Buju Banton, the Jamaican reggae star who has been accused of inciting hatred towards gays, has been nominated for a Grammy award. The singer had a string of gigs in the US cancelled this autumn after protests from gay groups.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/12/07/homophobic-buju-banton-receives-fourth-grammy-nomination/

Equality and Human Rights Commission to collate sexuality status from across government databases
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is to collate sexuality data given to hospitals and other surveys in order to gain a greater understanding of the inequity that lesbian, gay bisexual or trangendered (LGBT) people may be suffering.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/12/06/equality-and-human-rights-commission-to-collate-sexuality-status-from-across-government-databases/

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Daily Queer News
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/
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Biden lauds nation’s ‘true diversity’ as gay ambassador takes oath
Posted by Chris Johnson
Vice President Joe Biden touted the Obama administration’s belief that sexual orientation is an important element of diversity before swearing in Friday the first openly gay U.S. ambassador nominated by this White House.
http://dcagenda.com/2009/12/04/biden-lauds-nations-true-diversity-as-gay-ambassador-takes-oath/

Gay Activists Promise "Bloodbath" After Senate Marriage Rejection
By John Del Signore
The rhetoric is ratcheted up to 11 after last week's overwhelming rejection of same-sex marriage in the state Senate, which left gay-rights activists reeling. "It's going to be a bloodbath," one gay "operative" tells the Daily News. "We're going to use every single weapon in our quiver to take these people out. We either need to replace them or scare the hell out of them so they do the right thing." Activists say they'll focus their efforts on the Democrats who they feel betrayed them, and number one on the list of Senator Joseph P. Addabbo of Queens.
http://gothamist.com/2009/12/07/gay_activists_promise_bloodbath_aft.php/

NJ Committee Prepares To Tackle Gay Marriage Bill
By Jay Dow
The latest effort to legalize same sex marriage in New Jersey, one a week after New York senators voted down the measure, is simply a race against time.
http://wcbstv.com/topstories/gay.marriage.bill.2.1354104.html/

Gay marriage has nothing to do with bigotry
To the Editor:
Letter writer Stanton Peele informs us that he supports gay marriage. How wonderful, now I can sleep soundly tonight. Peele incorrectly states that "Republicans garnered the mantel of bigotry by resisting civil rights legislation in the 1960s." This is complete fabrication. The facts are that a higher percentage of Republicans in both the House and Senate voted for the 1964 Civil Rights Act. In the House of Representatives, 80 percent of Republicans vs. 63 percent of Democrats voted for the Civil Rights Act. In the Senate, 82 percent of Republicans vs. 69 percent of Democrats voted in favor. Since Peele is so confident of his opinion, why not let everyone vote on this matter? Peele states that, "In 10 years, Christie and his ilk will all be labeled big-time bigots." There sure must be a lot of big-time bigots in the liberal state of California since they did not support gay marriage.
WILL COFNUK
Morristown
http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20091207/OPINION02/91204027/-1/LIFEFRONT/Gay+marriage+has+nothing+to+do+with+bigotry/

Ireland Considers Recognizing Gay Unions
By On Top Magazine Staff
The Republic of Ireland is considering a bill that would grant gay and lesbian couples most of the rights and obligations of marriage. Debate began Thursday on Justice Minister Dermot Ahern's Civil Partnership Bill, the Independent reported.
http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=4964&MediaType=1&Category=24/

NJ Dems and Gay Marriage, Journalist Explores ‘Ex-Gay’ Boot Camp, Why Defeating Uganda Anti-Gay Bill is Important, and more…
by Victoria Lavin
New Jersey Democrats have a defining moment with the issue of gay marriage. Today begins the debate on whether or not NJ will be the next state to recognize gay marriage. Read more
http://dailyqueernews.com/201/nj-dems-and-gay-marriage-journalist-explores-ex-gay-boot-camp-why-defeating-uganda-anti-gay-bill-is-important-and-more/

Demand Pepsi Apologize for Sponsoring Anti-Gay Musician in Uganda
To: Julie Hamp (Senior Vice President, PepsiCo Communications) and Jeff Dahncke (Public Relations Officer)
Started by: Michael Jones
Pepsi has long been a supporter of LGBT rights. Which is why it's particularly troubling to find out that they recently sponsored a concert in Uganda by Jamaican artist Beenie Man. Among his more controversial lyrics, Beenie Man's songs advocate executing LGBT people.
http://www.change.org/actions/view/demand_pepsi_apologize_for_sponsoring_anti-gay_musician_in_uganda/

Answer to Donnie McClurkin: Black & Gay is Beautiful - You damned right it is
by: Alvin McEwen
Pastor Joseph Tolton of Rehoboth Temple wrote the official response on behalf of New York’s black gay men and counters the "hypocrisy in the pulpit" and "spiritual" violence of McClurkin and homophobic black churches. It reads in part: "For those of us in faith who have always loved the black church, the defining issue of our lives has been the churches damning stance on homosexuality. As children, the condemnation broke our spirit. As adolescents, this ridicule broke our hearts. As young adults, this disdain has attempted to drive us to the brink. Spiritual violence is wrong and it kills the spirit. The black church must find new ways to talk about sex and sexuality."
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14383/answer-to-donnie-mcclurkin-black-gay-is-beautiful-you-damned-right-it-is/

DC: Dialing for ENDA Before the END-A the Year
By Michael Cole
2010 is right around the corner and given last week’s news on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, we need to keep the pressure on. HRC staff, members and volunteers are working tirelessly to prevent workplace discrimination from creeping into yet another year and you can help.
http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2009/12/dc-dialing-for-enda-before-the-end-a-the-year/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HrcBackStory+%28HRC+Back+Story%29/

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