Saturday, August 01, 2009

GLBT DIGEST - August 01, 2009

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

Leader Vows to Update Spain’s Economy, With Labor Rights Intact
By RACHEL DONADIO and VICTORIA BURNETT
MADRID — Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero came to power in 2004 when Spain was riding high, its economy surging. He rode the wave to push through an aggressive social agenda, legalizing gay marriage and promoting gender equality.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/01/world/europe/01zapatero.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=gay&st=cse

Have Gun, Will Travel
By GAIL COLLINS
Plaxico Burress, the former football star, appeared before a grand jury in Manhattan this week to explain how he came to carry a concealed weapon into a nightclub. Burress, you may remember, had cannily tucked his loaded pistol into the waistband of his sweatpants when he went out for a night on the town. The gun started to slip, as objects in waistbands are wont to do. When he grabbed it, he accidentally shot himself in the thigh.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/01/opinion/01collins.html?sq=gay&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=2&adxnnlx=1249121668-ovzCNpG5x9/jdjA6i5quZA


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

A superstar real estate agent plots his comeback
By TAMARA LUSH
It's the perfect Miami morning at Carlos Justo's penthouse - warm and bright, with luxury yachts powering through the sparkling blue Atlantic Ocean some 30 stories below.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/31/AR2009073102473.html

Marriage: Sacred Rite Or Civil Institution?
Below is an excerpt from "On Faith," an Internet feature sponsored by The Washington Post and Newsweek. Each week, more than 50 figures from the world of faith engage in a conversation about an aspect of religion.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/31/AR2009073103602.html

Beleaguered Is The Peacemaker
The archbishop of Canterbury's latest move to prevent a schism in the worldwide Anglican Communion leaves both sides unhappy.
By Jacqueline L. Salmon
The archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, is not a popular man these days. Beset from both sides of his fractured flock, it seems that he can't do anything right.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/31/AR2009073103601.html

Obama Said 'I Don't.' He May Just Mean It.
By James Kirchick
Last month, former president Bill Clinton joined the increasing number of Democratic politicians who publicly back same-sex marriage. Granted, Clinton's endorsement -- offered in response to a questioner at a Washington conference for liberal college activists -- was heavily qualified: Clinton said he is "basically in support" of providing legal recognition to gay couples. This latter-day epiphany from the man who signed the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex unions, earned warm praise from gay activists. "I personally support people doing what they want to do," Clinton said, and people seemed to believe his apparent change of heart.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/31/AR2009073102286.html


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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

Allow same sex couples to adopt
My hat's off to state Sen. Nan Rich.
As adoptive parents, we are very cognizant of the fact that too many children out there are in need of safe, loving and nurturing homes. The ban that exists today in the state of Florida in regard to same-sex couples being able to adopt is absurd.
Get it off the books and do it posthaste. Time is wasting, and so are some of those children.
Louise Schuster, Tamarac
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-nan-rich-letter-m080109pnaug01,0,7777129.story


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

Portugal's high court keeps gay marriage ban
BY BARRY HATTON
LISBON, Portugal -- Portugal's Constitutional Court on Friday upheld the country's ban on gay marriage, rejecting a challenge by two lesbians who are seeking to wed.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/portugals-high-court-keeps-gay-marriage-ban.html


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

Barack Obama proving to be a mere mortal
By BETH REINHARD
The honeymoon is over. Barack Obama doesn't bring me flowers anymore. ``You don't mind taking a cab home from the airport, do you, honey?'' he asked the last time I boarded a late-night flight. It's not just I who see the bloom coming off the Rose Garden. A handful of polls this week show the president's popularity slipping. Voters are increasingly concerned that healthcare reform will leave them worse off, that the economic stimulus plan isn't working, and that the administration is trying to do too much at once.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/columnists/story/1166798.html


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

Census to Release Raw Marriage Data
By Kerry Eleveld
Department of Commerce officials said Friday that they would release the raw data collected on married same-sex couples in the 2010 Census as a way to more accurately reflect the marriage status of LGBT people.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid102586.asp

Maine Equality Opponents Gather 100K Names
By William McGuinness
Marriage Equality opponents in Maine have submitted petitions that include more than 100,000 signatures in support of a referendum against same-sex marriage. The Associated Press reports that the signatures were collected by the Stand for Marriage campaign. Members of the group delivered boxes of paperwork to the secretary of state’s office. At least 55,087 of the signatures must be certified if the referendum is to be put on the ballot in November.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid102565.asp


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

Annie Leibovitz sued in NY for breach of contract
By The Associated Press
A New York finance company that lent celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz $24 million has filed a lawsuit charging that she reneged on the deal.
http://www.365gay.com/news/annie-leibovitz-sued-in-ny-for-breach-of-contract/

RachelWatch: The Calcium Supplements Worked!
By AliDavis
From Beer to Eternity
Rachel led off with an update on President Obama’s attempt to thaw racial tensions by throwing back a frosty one with Police Sergeant James Crowley, Professor Henry Louis Gates, and Vice President Joe Biden.
http://www.365gay.com/living/rachelwatch-the-calcium-supplements-worked/


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#####

GLBT DIGEST - August 01, 2009

**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.

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

Living in Tents, and by the Rules, Under a Bridge
By DAN BARRY
PROVIDENCE, R.I.
The chief emerges from his tent to face the leaden morning light. It had been a rare, rough night in his homeless Brigadoon: a boozy brawl, the wielding of a knife taped to a stick. But the community handled it, he says with pride, his day’s first cigar already aglow.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/us/31land.html?_r=1&scp=5&sq=gay&st=cse

Spain’s Leader Sees Investment as Means to Ease Job Losses
By RACHEL DONADIO and VICTORIA BURNETT
MADRID — Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero came to power in 2004 when Spain was riding high, its economy growing dramatically. He rode the wave to push through an aggressive social agenda, legalizing gay marriage and promoting gender equality.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/business/global/31iht-peseta.html?scp=4&sq=gay&st=cse


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

DEAR AMY: My college-age nephew confided in me that he is gay.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/20/AR2009072001219.html

House Subcommittee Backs Extension of Benefits To Gay Partners of Government Employees
By Joe Davidson
Reflecting changing national views on gay and lesbian relationships, a House subcommittee voted Thursday to extend employee benefits to the same-sex partners of federal workers.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/30/AR2009073003935.html


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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

Hawaii coach apologizes for using gay slur in describing Notre Dame cheer at media briefing
By James Song
Hawaii coach Greg McMackin apologized Thursday for making a derogatory remark usually directed toward gays while describing Notre Dame's chant during a dinner banquet leading up to last year's Hawaii Bowl.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-fbc-hawaii-coach-apology,0,2102155.story

Gay-rights activists: Struggle continues for basic rights; marriage equality is secondary
By Cheryl Wittenauer
Gay marriage and gays in the military may dominate the headlines, but activists in many states say their fight is much more fundamental: basic rights and protections against discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-gays-equality,0,7728071.story

Camillus House advocate to receive White House honor
By Jaweed Kaleem
A South Florida doctor who has long advocated for the poor and homeless will travel to the nation's capital next month to receive the prestigious U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-camillus-honor-bn073009,0,2318181.story


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

South Florida gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender performing artists sought for ‘A Taste of Out in the Tropics’
News release from Robert Rosenberg:
We are looking for GLBT artists to perform at A Taste of Out in the Tropics showcase, a part of the Miami Beach Sleepless Night event, Saturday, November 7, 2009 (www.sleeplessnight.org). This showcase will take place at the Colony Theatre on Lincoln Road.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/south-florida-gay-lesbian-bisexual-and-transgender-performing-artists-sought-for-a-taste-of-out-in-the-tropics.html


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

Get up and crawl for the cause
BY LESLEY ABRAVANEL
Deep into the summer, things have come to somewhat of a turtle-like crawl, but in the case of Summer Fest '09, that's a good thing because that crawl is between bars. Kicking off Friday and going through the weekend, the Equality Florida Bar Crawl joins with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force to present a musical chairs of sorts for adults, with some of South Beach's best -- and only -- gay bars hosting various events. That's Score, Palace, Halo, Twist, as well as equal opportunity spots like Hotel Victor and the Tides Hotel. The weekend's festivities will be emceed by drag stars Geraldine and Fernan-D-Cute. http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/columnists/lesley-abravanel/story/1163618.html

Washington State reviewing signatures on anti-gay rights petition
By Brad Shannon
Social conservatives who organized the Referendum 71 challenge to domestic-partnership rights for same-sex couples turned in fewer signatures than initially thought.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1165581.html


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South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

Nude beach may return to Key West
Clothing-optional area would become second legal nude beach in Fla.
By BOB KECSEMETY
Residents in Key West may have the opportunity to vote if the southernmost city in the United States should have a nude beach.
http://www.floridablade.com/2009/7-30/news/localnews/6105.cfm

Georgie's Alibi owners face off in court
Minority owners fighting to see financial records
By DMITRY RASHNITSOV
Georgie’s Alibi owners Mark Negrete and Jackson Padgett are locked in a legal dispute with their fellow minority bar owners Dennis Bellehumeur and Garrison “Gary” Smith, over access to financial records. In November 2007, Bellehumeur and Smith purchased 28 1/3 percent of Gat Bar Inc., the parent corporation of Georgie’s Alibi. They spent close to $1 million, with about $727,000 of it in a secured note to be paid off completely in four years. Bellehumeur, a real-estate agent, previously owned Dorothy’s Deli, a restaurant that existed where the current Starbucks on NE 26th St. sits. Smith also worked at Alibi’s, and is named as the licensee of the bar’s liquor license.
http://www.floridablade.com/2009/7-30/news/localnews/6109.cfm

AAA to provide benefits for same-sex couples
Equality Florida lobbies auto insurer to change policy
By DMITRY RASHNITSOV
The American Automobile Association Club South has agreed to provide the same benefits to same-sex couples as they do to married straight couples. AAA is an automotive club that offers roadside assistance, insurance, discounts and travel planning for its members. The nationwide AAA is made up of 69 individual clubs in North America and each club is allowed to set its own membership rules. There are about 50 million members total in the entire organization.
http://www.floridablade.com/2009/7-30/news/localnews/6106.cfm


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

How Do You Say Chutzpah in German?
By Matthew Breen
In a photo shoot for Heeb magazine, comic actress Roseanne Barr gleefully courts controversy by dressing as Adolf Hitler, complete with a swastika armband, pulling a tray of burnt “Jew Cookies” from an oven. Barr, a 5-foot-4 Jewish grandmother, requested that she be dressed as the führer for the photos.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid102259.asp


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

Ruby-Sachs: What is it About Gay Athletes That is so Threatening?
By Emma Ruby-Sachs
The recent reports of bombings during the Danish Gay Games have shocked many. It would be like someone launching a gay bashing in the middle of gay pride, in San Francisco. Copenhagen is a gay friendly city. The deputy mayor is gay, it shares much of Europe’s tolerant atmosphere for gay culture and the highly educated, well off population certainly lives harmoniously with gay residents.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/ruby-sachs-what-is-it-about-gay-athletes-that-is-so-threatening/

Syfy Promises More LGBT Characters
By Ali Davis
Of all the networks that received failing grades from GLAAD’s Network Responsibility Index, so far only Syfy has responded.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/davis-syfy-promises-more-lgbt-characters/

Corvino: We’ve still got far to go
By John Corvino
I’m not usually a touchy-feely, share-your-emotions, “Trust the Process” kind of guy. I’m a philosophy professor. I revel in cold, hard logic.
http://www.365gay.com/opinion/corvino-camp/

U.S. Soldiers accused of executing gay Iraqis
By 365gay Newswire
(Lebanon) U.S. soldiers have been accused of aiding in the execution of gay Iraqis, the Washington Blade reports. The accusations were made by two unnamed, gay Iraqi refugees during a fundraiser event at the Human Rights Campaign headquarters.
http://www.365gay.com/news/us-soldiers-accused-of-executing-gay-iraqis/


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

Tornado was 'God's wrath' for civil partnership
A tornado which struck the Isle of Lewis has been blamed on a recent civil partnership ceremony. A local minister warned the ceremony defied "God's law".
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13506.html

Quakers agree to hold gay marriages
The annual meeting of Quakers in York has decided to hold marriages for gay couples. According to those present, many hugged and burst into tears when the decision was announced.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13507.html

Appeal for Burundi to end criminalisation of homosexuality
The Human Rights Watch (HRC) has called on Burundi to reverse its law criminalising gay sex.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13503.html

Refugees accuse US military of executing gay Iraqi civilians
Two gay Iraqi refugees sparked astonishment at a LGBT meeting in Lebanon when they accused US soldiers of committing atrocities against gay Iraqi civilians.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13502.html

A Gay Council of Britain?
We've got Peter Tatchell at one side and Stonewall at the other - but is it time for a more democratically-elected representation?
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13501.html


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Thursday, July 30, 2009

GLBT DIGEST - July 30, 2009

**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.


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

Out and Proud in Amsterdam
By Joel Weickgenant
AMSTERDAM | The next few days will feature an around-the-clock program of photo exhibitions, movies, and parties, all leading up to the signature event of Amsterdam Gay Pride Week: the Saturday boat parade, which this year will feature a ceremony aimed at hearts and minds on both sides of the Atlantic.
http://globespotters.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/30/out-and-proud-in-amsterdam/?scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse


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

Albania plans to legalize gay marriages
The Associated Press
TIRANA, Albania -- Albania's governing Democrats have proposed a law allowing same-sex civil weddings in the small, predominantly Muslim country.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/30/AR2009073000567.html


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

Florida: Complete schedule of events for Equality Weekend 2009
5th annual HRC Summer Event Series
From Tony Sandonato, community events co-chair, HRC South Florida:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/complete-schedule-of-events-for-equality-weekend-2009----5th-annual-hrc-summer-event-series.html

Rachel Maddow video | U.S. Rep Alcee Hastings on 'don't ask, don't tell': 'The time is now to eliminate this bigoted law'
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/rachel-maddow-video-us-rep-alcee-hastings-on-dont-ask-dont-tell-the-time-is-now-to-eliminate-this-bi.html


Political Town Hall with HRC's Marty Rouse & Equality Florida’s Joe Saunders on Aug. 7 in Fort Lauderdale
From Michael Emanuel Rajner:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/political-town-hall-with-hrcs-marty-rouse-equality-floridas-joe-saunders-on-aug-7-in-fort-lauderdale.html

Music review | American Idols improve on tour, but Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta have it all
BY HOWARD COHEN
American Idol is easy to champion on TV. Yet its contestants are, all too often, just as easy to forget before the inevitable summer tour of the Top 10 finalists comes around just a couple months after a winner is crowned in May. (Michael Sarver, you were on Idol this season? Who knew?)
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/music-review-american-idols-improve-on-tour-but-adam-lambert-and-allison-iraheta-have-it-all.html


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

Utah Kissing Couple Won't Face Charges
Click the byline to view more stories by this author.By Chris Jai Centeno
A gay couple arrested for trespassing after exchanging kisses in Salt Lake City’s Main Street Plaza earlier this month will not face any charges.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid102116.asp

Kalamazoo LGBT Law Opposed
Opponents of the new LGBT rights ordinance in Kalamazoo, Michigan submitted petitions with more than 2,000 signatures on Wednesday in an attempt to have the law overturned, reports the Kalamazoo Gazette.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid102196.asp

Greek Goes Gay: Really Gay
On the heels of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation's Network Responsibility Index (ranking which networks are doing right by the gays), Gawker has spliced together a video reel of what could possibly hold the title "Gayest Show on TV": ABC Family's Greek.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid102082.asp


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

Chicago considers set asides for LGBT businesses
By Ali Davis, Contributing writer
Out gay Chicago alderman Tom Tunney has reintroduced a proposal to add contract set asides for LGBT businesses in addition to the set asides that already exist for women and racial minorities.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/chicago-considers-set-asides-for-lgbt-businesses/

Syfy Promises More LGBT Characters
By Ali Davis
Of all the networks that received failing grades from GLAAD’s Network Responsibility Index, so far only Syfy has responded. Mark Stern, Syfy’s executive vice president in charge of original content, made a statement to TV Guide that is sensible enough that I can almost forgive the network for its recent, terrible name change.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/davis-syfy-promises-more-lgbt-characters/

Besen: Setting the stage for tragedy
By Wayne Besen
On Sunday, The New York Times featured a chilling article on how fundamentalist Christians stalked, harassed and ultimately murdered Wichita abortion provider George Tiller, who they taunted with the nickname, “Tiller the Baby Killer.”
http://www.365gay.com/opinion/besen-setting-the-stage-for-tragedy/

Is DADT still around because of us?
By James Withers
Spend anytime reading the comment sections on gay political sites and there is lots of vitriol for President Barack Obama. From DOMA to DADT, there is a palpable sense the Obama administration has turned its back to the LGBT community. That is a fair reading few would dispute, even those who continue to support the White House. However, the Palm Center released a paper arguing DADT is still around because of conscious choices by gay activists.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/072909-is-dadt-still-around-because-of-us/


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

Man arrested for 'hate crime' at World Outgames
A man has been arrested at the World Outgames in Copenhagen for allegedly throwing fireworks at athletes. The 31-year-old man told a court he had thrown one firework against a wall but did not intend to hurt athletes.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13488.html

US survey finds almost a third of trans respondents have considered suicide
A study has found that almost a third of trans respondents have seriously considered committing suicide in the last year.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13498.html

Police urge caution after gay chatline muggings
Police have urged users of gay chatlines to take care after two men in Haringey were robbed at knifepoint. The men were robbed after being lured to a private place by someone they met on a gay chat line.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13490.html

Dutch Olympic champions promote gay tolerance in sport
Several Dutch Olympic champions, including openly gay swimmer Johan Kenkhuis, take part in this year’s Amsterdam gay pride canal parade to promote acceptance and tolerance of LGBT people in sport. Adrian Tippetts reports.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13494.html


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JustNews.com
http://www.justnews.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

Broward Teacher's Union Files Lawsuit
Union Wants To Stop District Hiring
The Broward Teachers Union is suing the school district to stop the hiring of new teachers. The district wants to hire 89 new teachers instead of re-instating hundreds of others recently laid off.
http://www.justnews.com/news/20222899/detail.html?treets=mia&tid=2655619429813&tml=mia_9am&tmi=mia_9am_1_08000207302009&ts=H


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#####

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

GLBT DIGEST - July 29, 2009

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

Anglican Sees ‘Two-Track’ Church
By ALAN COWELL
PARIS — The Most Rev. Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, said profound differences among the world’s 77 million Anglicans over gay clergy and same-sex unions could divide their church into a “two-track model” yielding “two styles of being Anglican.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/29/world/europe/29church.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse


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

Under ‘pressure’ from White House and colleagues, U.S. Rep. Hastings withdraws 'don't ask, don't tell' amendment from Defense bill
From U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings: Today, Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-Miramar) made the following statement on the withdrawal of his amendment to H.R. 3326, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010. The Hastings amendment would have prohibited the use of funds to carry out the provisions in Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell regarding investigating and separating soldiers who admit they are homosexual or bisexual.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/under-pressure-from-white-house-and-colleagues-us-rep-hastings-withdraws-dont-ask-dont-tell-amendment-from-defense-b.html

Video | Conan O’Brien, NBC respond to GLAAD’s F grade: ‘We couldn’t be more gay’
From The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/video-conan-obrien-nbc-respond-to-glaads-f-grade-we-couldnt-be-more-gay.html

Married Tennessee state senator who sponsored ban on gays adopting quits after affair with intern
By ERIK SCHELZIG, Associated Press
A Tennessee lawmaker resigned from the state Senate on Tuesday after his extramarital affair with a 22-year-old intern was revealed by an investigation into an extortion case.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/married-tennessee-state-senator-who-sponsored-ban-on-gays-adopting-quits-after-affair-with-intern.html

Rachel Maddow: What was Lou Dobbs thinking when he called me a ‘tea-bagging queen’?
From Media Matters:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/video-rachel-maddow-what-was-lou-dobbs-thinking-when-he-called-me-a-tea-bagging-queen.html


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

Bombs, Beatings Mar Outgames
By Chris Jai Centeno
Reports of as many as three explosive devices detonated in two track stadiums of the Outgames in Copenhagen, leaving one person with minor injuries.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid101902.asp


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

South Africa launches new AIDS research
By The Associated Press
(Johannesburg) South Africa launched a new HIV/AIDS research initiative Tuesday aimed at stimulating scientific studies into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
http://www.365gay.com/news/south-africa-launches-new-aids-research/

Is DADT still around because of us?
By James Withers
Spend anytime reading the comment sections on gay political sites and there is lots of vitriol for President Barack Obama. From DOMA to DADT, there is a palpable sense the Obama administration has turned its back to the LGBT community. That is a fair reading few would dispute, even those who continue to support the White House. However, the Palm Center released a paper arguing DADT is still around because of conscious choices by gay activists.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/072909-is-dadt-still-around-because-of-us/

RuPaul's Next Drag Superstar?
By Chris Jai Centeno
With fabulous black tresses and a superb eye-shadow/liner combo that would rival actress Megan Fox, Florida native Jessica Wild has been given the green light to compete for the title of America’s next drag superstar on the second season of RuPaul’s reality series Drag Race.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid101884.asp


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

London's gay sports day to be held next month
The annual Royal Vauxhall Tavern/GMFA Gay Sports Day is to take place at the end of August. Events include a space hopper obstacle course, a drag relay, the handbag throw and the 50m mince.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13476.html

Swindon man attacked in 'homophobic' hate crime
A Swindon man who was attacked after a night out in the town has said he was beaten because he was gay.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13478.html

The Bible has now been put behind glass
'Defaced' bible forced behind glass
An exhibit in Glasgow designed to promote gay rights within the church has had to be put in a glass case to prevent visitors scrawling obscene messages.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13473.html

Met police chief urges gays and lesbians to report homophobic crime
The head of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Paul Stephenson, has urged gays and lesbians to report homophobic crimes. Speaking at a press briefing today, he admitted that the police had got it wrong in the past.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13479.html


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Tuesday, July 28, 2009

GLBT DIGEST - July 28, 2009

**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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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
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Learning to Tolerate Intolerance
By CLYDE HABERMAN
It is always edifying to see how New Yorkers deal with opinions that they despise. Three members of the Westboro Baptist Church held a protest the other day across from the Jewish Community Center on Amsterdam Avenue. This is a group based in Topeka, Kan., whose views may safely be described as loathsome to most people in this city.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/nyregion/28nyc.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=gay&st=cse

Showcase: Women Celebrating Womyn
By Daniel J. Wakin
It seemed a paradox. The Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival was started in 1976 as a private space for women, most of whom are lesbians, to set themselves apart and away from scrutinizing eyes. “For many of us, it is a relaxing, organic environment where we feel most whole and most truly ourselves,” the festival’s Web site says.
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/showcase-27/?scp=3&sq=gay&st=cse

Study Rates Inclusion of Gay TV Characters
Compiled by DAVE ITZKOFF
Cable channels outpaced the broadcast networks in the third annual Network Responsibility Index compiled by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, which analyzes the amount of prime-time television hours that feature gay, bisexual and transgender characters, the group said Monday in a news release. According to the report, for which Glaad reviewed more than 4,900 hours of prime-time programming on the five major networks and more than 1,200 hours on 10 cable networks, such characters are represented in 42 percent of HBO’s programming hours, and 26 percent of Showtime’s. ABC led the broadcast networks with 24 percent, with CW at 20 percent, Fox at 11 percent, NBC 8 percent and CBS 5 percent.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/arts/television/28arts-STUDYRATESIN_BRF.html?scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse


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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
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Anglican Sees Way To Reconcile on Gays
The archbishop of Canterbury says the Anglican Church may have to accept a "two track" communion in which believers can hold different opinions about gay clergy and same-sex unions.
Rowan Williams wrote on his Web site Monday that there are "two styles of being Anglican" and that both sides should work together to maintain the church.
Williams is the Anglican spiritual leader. His comments are in response to a decision this month by the U.S. Episcopal Church, a member of the Anglican Communion, to authorize bishops to bless same-sex unions and research an official prayer for the ceremonies.
-- Associated Press
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/27/AR2009072703063_2.html

Obama Supreme Court pick Sotomayor clears panel
By Deborah Charles
President Barack Obama's nominee Sonia Sotomayor won the backing of the Senate Judiciary committee on Tuesday, all but ensuring she will become the first Hispanic justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/28/AR2009072801182.html

Lesbians in China petition to donate blood
By CHI-CHI ZHANG
BEIJING -- Lesbians in China have organized an online petition calling for gay people to be allowed to donate blood, state media reported Tuesday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/28/AR2009072800079.html


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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
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Anti-gay adoption law a drawback for Florida's efforts
By Sen. Nan Rich
Recently, the Sun Sentinel ran a guest column by Gov. Charlie Crist to highlight "Explore Adoption Day" in Florida. In it, the governor celebrated last year's record-high 3,700 adoptions of foster children in our state, and says that all an adoptive parent needs is "an open heart and the willingness to be a parent to a child who has experienced abuse, or neglect, and needs a safe and loving home."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-rich-column-forum-m072809sbjul28,0,4546369.story

Activists want to make it tougher, more expensive to get Florida marriage license
Activists want getting a marriage license to be tough, more expensive
By Anthony Man
Nan Rich has been married 47 years and Virginia Brooks for 40. They offer similar perspectives on how their marriages thrived. "You learned through experience. You learned by working through things together. You didn't run at the first sign of difficulties. You worked things out," Rich said.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/local/sfl-marriage-license-fee-b072809sbjul28,0,1440028.story


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

Florida Family Association: AAA pressured into offering Family Memberships to Same-Gender spouses
Mailing from Florida Family Association:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/florida-family-association-aaa-pressured-into-offering-family-memberships-to-same-gender-spouses.html


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

When Walter Cronkite got ``zapped'' by gay-rights activist
BY EDWARD ALWOOD

Walter Cronkite's illustrious career is remembered for the historic events he covered, from the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. to the moon landing and the Vietnam War. But Cronkite also reported on burgeoning social movements, including the struggle for gay liberation. After becoming a target of that movement, Cronkite would become a behind-the-scenes ally.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/inbox/story/1160762.html


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

Neff: The dangerous ex-gay movement
By Lisa Neff, columnist, 365gay.com
I’m the first to admit that I need people to show me the way. I’m accepting of help in household duties, because I’m not too handy with repairs, and only capable in the kitchen.
http://www.365gay.com/video/neff-the-dangerous-ex-gay-movement/


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

Archbishop of Canterbury: 'Gays have split Anglican church in two'
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has said that the church may have to accept "two styles of being Anglican" in order to avoid a schism.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13452.html

HIV worker gets naked for gay charities on the Fourth Plinth
A sexual health worker has used his hour on Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth to support the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) and LGBT domestic violence charity Broken Rainbow.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13458.html

Irish civil partnerships are for 'second-class people'
The Irish government's proposals to introduce civil partnerships for gay couples have been attacked by Amnesty International as being "a second-class form of marriage".
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13453.html

US Senate to hold hearing on gay military policy
The US Senate will hold congressional hearings into the country's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. The policy prevents openly gay men and women from serving in the US military and has so far seen nearly 13,000 servicemen and women dismissed on the grounds of their sexuality.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13457.html

No restrictions for Belfast Pride
Belfast Pride will not be subject to any restrictions when the parade marches through the city this Saturday. The Parades Commission said it had received assurances from organisers over the "stewarding of the parade and the general conduct of the participants".
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13455.html

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Monday, July 27, 2009

GLBT DIGEST - July 27, 2009

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

Backers of Gay Marriage Rethink California Push
By JESSE McKINLEY
Discouraged by stubborn poll numbers and pessimistic political consultants, major financial backers of same-sex marriage are cautioning gay rights groups to delay a campaign to overturn California’s ban on such unions until at least 2012.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/27/us/27gay.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse


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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
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Study: HBO leads on TV in showing gay characters
By FRAZIER MOORE
HBO scored highest among 15 networks for its representation of gay characters last season, according to a report released Monday.
In its third annual Network Responsibility Index, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation found that of HBO's 14 original prime-time series, 10 included content reflecting the lives of gay, bisexual and transgender people. That totaled 42 percent of the network's programming hours, in series such as "True Blood," "Entourage" and "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/27/AR2009072700527.html


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

Soldier, magazine of the British Army, profiles gay trooper
From Soldier Online, magazine of the British Army:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/soldier-magazine-of-the-british-army-profiles-gay-trooper.html


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

Gay police couple have baby after sister acts as surrogate
A gay couple work as police officers are celebrating the birth of their son after one of the men's sisters volunteered as their surrogate.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13429.html


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Sunday, July 26, 2009

GLBT DIGEST - July 26, 2009

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

A Tall Order
To the Editor: Re Jennifer Schuessler’s review of “The Tall Book,” by Arianne Cohen (July 12): Today I can buy long-sleeved pink men’s shirts and chartreuse men’s Levi’s, and nobody thinks they aren’t women’s clothes. As a tall woman, I am eternally grateful to the gay rights movement, which made “feminine” clothing accessible to long-armed, long-legged people of any gender. So much for the stigma of wearing men’s trousers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/books/review/Letters-t-ATALLORDER_LETTERS.html?scp=4&sq=gay&st=cse

The Battle Over a Baby
By PAMELA PAUL
On Christmas Eve in 2007, the State of West Virginia bestowed upon Kathryn Kutil and Cheryl Hess of Oak Hill a relative rarity in the foster-care system: a newborn. The baby girl, TiCasey, was born on Dec. 8 to a longtime drug addict, father unknown, and entered the world with cocaine, opiates and benzodiazepines in her bloodstream. For two weeks after delivery, she went through withdrawal, unable to sleep and crying incessantly. When not being held by a hospital nurse, she was put in special rocking machines to help relieve her pain. Still suffering from tremors and extended crying jags, TiCasey arrived at Kutil and Hess’s home, where she was met by five other foster children all clamoring to hold her.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/magazine/26lesbian-t.html?scp=3&sq=gay&st=cse


=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
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A Sanctuary From Hate
Pastor, D.C. Church Offer Gay African Americans A Message of Acceptance and Responsibility
By Darryl Fears
In the middle of a sermon, Bishop Rainey Cheeks felt his medicine bottle bulging in his pocket and realized he hadn't taken his pills. He paused in the pulpit and faced the congregation in his tiny storefront church.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/25/AR2009072501665.html


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

Washington state gay partnership foes turn in signatures
By RACHEL LA CORTE, Associated Press
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Sponsors of a campaign to overturn Washington state's domestic partnership law turned in their petition signatures Saturday and said they believe they have enough to force a public vote. The expanded "everything but marriage" domestic partnership law was scheduled to take effect Sunday, but is now delayed until the signatures can be counted, a process that could take up to a month.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/washington-state-gay-partnership-foes-turn-in-signatures.html


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South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

Lavender Events Sports Fair for women
Sunday, Sept. 26 at new GLCC campus
By Dan Renzi
Lavender Events for Women at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of South Florida (GLCC) is committed to enriching the lives of those who identify as women-- through education, community involvement, health awareness and social networking. With these endeavors in mind, we are hosting a Sports Fair on September 26, 2009 at the new GLCC campus at 2040 North Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors from 10am-2pm.
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm#26411


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

Roundup: Gay Churches Praised, Outgames Begin
By Julie Bolcer
Just like heaven: Some straight believers feel more at home in predominantly gay congregations.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid100934.asp


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#####

GLBT DIGEST - July 25, 2009

**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.


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

Varied Opinions on Gates Controversy Light Up the Web
By MARIA NEWMAN
The arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr., the black Harvard scholar, for disorderly conduct in his home in Cambridge, Mass., by a white police officer, is fueling an often emotional dialogue on Web sites and blogs.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/us/politics/25gatesblogs.html?_r=1&scp=5&sq=gay&st=cse


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

How Do You Turn Walter Cronkite Into a Friend of Gay Rights? Zap Him.
By Edward Alwood
Walter Cronkite's illustrious career is remembered for the historic events he covered, from the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. to the moon landing and the Vietnam War. But Cronkite also reported on burgeoning social movements, including the struggle for gay liberation. After becoming a target of that movement, Cronkite would become a behind-the-scenes ally.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/24/AR2009072402084.html


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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

Wealthy donors help Crist build campaign war chest
By Aaron Deslatte and Mark K. MatthewsGov. Charlie Crist has a lot of wealthy friends. And many of them, from plaintiff lawyers and corporate executives to New York socialites and Tallahassee lobbyists, have cut checks to his U.S. Senate bid for the full $4,800 they're allowed to give to a federal candidate, according to Crist's fund-raising report.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-crist-wealthy-donors-072409,0,3066436.story


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

First openly gay member, U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, joins Air Force Academy board
By KRISTEN WYATT, Associated Press
A Colorado Democrat who last year became the first openly gay non-incumbent elected to Congress took his place Friday on the U.S. Air Force Academy's supervisory board.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/first-openly-gay-member-us-rep-jared-polis-joins-air-force-academy-board.html


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

Roundup: Gay Churches Praised, Outgames Begin
By Julie Bolcer
Just like heaven: Some straight believers feel more at home in predominantly gay congregations.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid100934.asp

Antigay Groups Sue Over Wisconsin DPs
By Andrew Harmon
Marriage equality foes have sued the state of Wisconsin to block a “sneaky” domestic-partnership registry scheduled to come into effect next month.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid101037.asp

Gays Disproportionately Light Up
By Amita Parashar
Nearly 40% of gay women smoke, compared to 18% of their heterosexual counterparts, according to new figures from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid101033.asp


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

Scientists find HIV’s ‘missing link’ in ill chimps
By The Associated Press
Scientists believe they have found a “missing link” in the evolution of the virus that causes AIDS. It bridges the gap between the infection that does no harm to most monkeys and the one that kills millions of people. That link is a virus that is killing chimpanzees in the wild at a disturbingly high rate, according to a study in Thursday’s journal Nature.
http://www.365gay.com/news/scientists-find-hivs-missing-link-in-ill-chimps/

Maine court upholds IBM heir’s adoption of lover
By The Associated Press
Maine’s highest court has given a legal victory to a woman who stands to stake a claim to a share of one of America’s premier business fortunes thanks to her adoption by her lesbian partner.
http://www.365gay.com/news/maine-court-upholds-ibm-heirs-adoption-of-lover/

Gay news anchor in Miami demoted
By 365gay Newswire
After allegedly making rude comments about a fellow anchor, gay news anchor Charles Perez was demoted from his position as an evening anchor reports the Advocate.
http://www.365gay.com/news/gay-news-anchor-in-miami-demoted/

Man who assaulted lesbian gets sentence delayed
By 365gay Newswire
A judge granted a sentencing delay last Tuesday to a man who assaulted a lesbian musician while she hugged her girlfriend.
http://www.365gay.com/news/man-who-assaulted-lesbian-gets-sentence-delayed/

St. Paul approves of domestic partnerships
By 365gay Newswire
As of Wednesday, gay couples in St. Paul, Minnesota, can get domestic partnerships. The state capital joined two other cities in that state in approving a resolution that allowed for domestic partnerships.
http://www.365gay.com/news/st-paul-approves-of-domestic-partnerships/

Davis: One More Question from Michael Brown
By Ali Davis
I mentioned in Wednesday’s article that Michael Brown finished his e-mail off with one last question for me: “Can you imagine in any way that our community see gay activism as a real threat? Can you step into my shoes for a minute and imagine how I feel about the things I shared on the video? Just further food for thought.”
http://www.365gay.com/opinion/davis-one-more-question-from-michael-brown/


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