Friday, January 08, 2010

GLBT DIGEST - January 08, 2010

**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:

Ugandan President Urges Softening of Anti-Gay Bill
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) -- Gay Ugandans likely won't face the death penalty after the president said he opposed the provision in proposed legislation, but an international gay rights group said Thursday even a watered-down bill would be repressive.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/07/world/AP-AF-Uganda-Gay-Death-Penalty.html?_r=1&scp=6&sq=gay&st=cse/

The Presidency of Barack Obama
THE ECONOMY
Stimulus Package
In early January 2009, Mr. Obama began to lay out his plans for a massive economic stimulus package, a bill meant to pump money into the economy to make up for the sudden, sharp contraction of spending by consumers and businesses. His initial outline called for a package in which about 40 percent of the total cost was devoted to tax cuts, an amount criticized by Senate Democrats as too high and by Congressional Republicans as too low. The plan included tax cuts for Americans making less than $200,000, a proposal that had been a centerpiece of Mr. Obama's campaign.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/o/barack_obama/presidency/index.html?scp=7&sq=gay&st=cse/

NJ Senate Defeats Gay Marriage Bill
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
New Jersey's state Senate has defeated a bill to legalize gay marriage, leaving it unlikely the state will have a gay marriage law in the very near future. The bill needed 21 votes to pass; only 14 senators approved the measure Thursday.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/07/us/AP-US-Gay-Marriage-NJ.html?scp=10&sq=gay&st=cse/

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

High-stakes gay marriage trial to begin in Calif.
By LISA LEFF
The Associated Press
The national debate over same-sex marriage will take center stage in a California courtroom next week at a closely watched federal trial that could ultimately become the landmark case that determines whether gay Americans have a right to marry.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/07/AR2010010702862.html/

Portugal Parliament votes to permit gay marriage
By BARRY HATTON
The Associated Press
LISBON, Portugal -- Portugal's Parliament passed a bill Friday allowing gay marriage in the mostly Roman Catholic country.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/08/AR2010010800756.html/

Uganda lawmaker refuses to withdraw anti-gay bill
By GODFREY OLUKYA
The Associated Press
KAMPALA, Uganda -- The Ugandan lawmaker who proposed a bill that would give some gays the death penalty said Friday he will refuse any request to withdraw the legislation after a minister said the government would ask him to.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/08/AR2010010800560.html/

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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
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Gays seek to involve NJ's top court after Senate defeats same-sex marriage bill
By Geoff Mulvihill
Gays are vowing to fight back through the courts after the state Senate voted down a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. Minutes after the bill was defeated 20-14 on Thursday, gay rights advocates announced they would file a lawsuit seeking to get the state's top court to order New Jersey to recognize same-sex matrimony.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-gay-marriage-nj,0,3268034.story/

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

Telluride is why skiers love to ski
BY JOY SEWING
TELLURIDE, COLO. -- I have zigzagged and wedged across Colorado ski resorts, from Loveland to Steamboat and from Vail to Breckenridge in seasons past, but never this far west. This former gold- and silver-mining town snuggled against the San Juan Mountains seemed remote at first. So remote some celebrities, such as Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan and Tom Cruise, have had vacation homes here far from the bright lights of the paparazzi. And it seems fitting American fashion designer Ralph Lauren owns a ranch nearby.
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/travel/skiing/story/1414280.html/

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

Australia Won't Budge on Adoption
By Advocate.com Editors
The state government in New South Wales, which includes Sydney, decided Thursday that it won't allow same-sex marriage, saying there isn't enough community support to justify changing the law, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. The NSW decision comes despite a parliamentary inquiry that said allowing adoption would “ensure the best interest” of Australia’s children.
http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/01/08/Australia_Wont_Budge_on_Adoption/

Vanessa Williams, Brother Do Drag-Off
By Advocate.com Editors
Sometimes nepotism is a good thing — case in point, Vanessa Williams’s brother’s turn as her drag queen doppelgƤnger Wilheldiva Hater on the January 20 episode of Ugly Betty. “I’m genetically programmed for [this role],” Chris Williams told Entertainment Weekly. His scenes were shot on location at New York’s famed burlesque club the Box. http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/01/07/Vanessa_Williams_and_Her_Brother_Do_Drag_Off_on_Ugly_Betty/

Tabatha Lets Her Hair Down
Tabatha Coffey, star of Tabatha’s Salon Takeover on Bravo, blows out her image’s frosted tips and gives new meaning to the word “bitch.”
By Brandon Voss
She’s tough, she’s talented, and she might be taking over a salon — or a gay nightclub — near you. Winner of the “fan favorite” award on season 1 of Shear Genius, Tabatha Coffey now gives business makeovers to struggling salon owners as host of Tabatha’s Salon Takeover on Bravo, which airs the show’s second season finale on Tuesday, January 12. Preparing for a special appearance at New York’s Splash on Thursday, January 7, the Australia-born Coffey called from her own salon, Industrie Hair Gurus in Ridgewood, N.J., to cut up with Advocate.com about stereotypical gay stylists, unsolicited sperm donors, and the Boystown salon that brought out her militant lesbian claws.
http://www.advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/Television/Tabatha_Lets_Her_Hair_Down/

5,000 Complaints to FCC on Adam Lambert
By Michelle Garcia
The Federal Communications Commission received more than 5,000 complaints about Adam Lambert's racy performance at the American Music Awards in November. Several of the complaints, which came from all across the country, were posted by TheSmokingGun.com.
http://www.advocate.com//News/Daily_News/2010/01/07/5000_Complaints_to_FCC_on_Adam_Lambert/

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

Corvino: Fighting gay dehumanization
By John Corvino, columnist, 365gay.com
The column that follows is about anal sex. Some friends have urged me against writing it, not because readers find frank discussions of anal sex “icky,” but because the offending comments’ source—Peter LaBarbera—is unworthy of serious attention. In one sense these friends are quite right. But for reasons I hope to make clear, LaBarbera’s most recent ugliness needs answering.
http://www.365gay.com/opinion/corvino-fighting-gay-dehumanization/

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

More allegations emerge over Iris Robinson's teen lover
Homophobic MP Iris Robinson allegedly solicited £50,000 from two property developers to help her 19-year-old lover set up a business. The Northern Ireland MP broke parliamentary rules by not declaring her interest in the business, despite sitting on the council which awarded the money to Kirk McCambley, it was claimed.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/08/more-allegations-emerge-over-iris-robinsons-teen-lover/


Portugal votes to legalise gay marriage

Portugal's parliament today voted to legalise marriage for gays and lesbians. The Catholic country will be the sixth in Europe to grant same-sex couples the right to wed, although this will not include adoption rights.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/08/portugal-votes-to-legalise-gay-marriage/

Gay magazine wants Iris Robinson's young lover on the cover
Gay magazine Attitude is offering Iris Robinson's 21-year-old toyboy a chance to appear on its cover. Kirk McCambley was 19 when he had an affair with the 60-year-old Northern Ireland MP.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/08/gay-magazine-wants-iris-robinsons-young-lover-on-the-cover/

Freddie Mercury's partner dies
The partner of the late Freddie Mercury passed away last week. Jim Hutton had lived with Mercury for six years prior to the singer's death from an AIDS-related illness in 1991
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/08/freddie-mercurys-partner-dies/

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

20 gender identities? - The Ramblings of Austin Ruse
by: Alvin McEwen
Did you know that there are 20 gender identities? A member of the religious right seems to think so. Last week, I wrote a post about a group, the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute, cheering the fact that the United Nations General Assembly voted to delete the terms "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" from a proposed anti-discrimination document.
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14748/20-gender-identities-the-ramblings-of-austin-ruse/

Rush: health care is cheap for uninsured - since most 'can afford a pretty expansive media room'
by: Pam Spaulding
I rest my case -- the right wing mouthpieces that spew "let the market decide except when the market fails the fat cats" are in completed disconnect with the real world. Fat-wallet Rush thinks that since he is uninsured, saw the bill and declared his treatment "cheap." I assume the purpose of his diatribe is that you all out there are belllyaching -- our system works just fine. (Media Matters via Politics USA):
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14751/rush-health-care-is-cheap-for-uninsured-since-most-can-afford-a-pretty-expansive-media-room/

Ellen on American Idol antigay banter
Filed by: Bil Browning
"If we lived in a world where there was no such thing as racism or homophobia, then obviously there would be no off-limits [humor]. Unfortunately, there are people in this world that don't like other people, and that was one of the issues that was brought up about Adam Lambert. So I'm sensitive to it just because I've experienced that kind of discrimination. At the same time, the stuff that Simon and Ryan do - none of that has ever been offensive to me. I'm more offended by people who make jokes about something sounding like an animal that's been caught in a lawn mower or whatever. Because there are sick people out there that would go, "What's that sound like?""
-- Ellen DeGeneres in a joint interview with Simon Cowell talking about the gay jabs between Simon and host Ryan Seacrest
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/ellen_on_american_idol_antigay_banter.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilericoProject+%28The+Bilerico+Project%29/

Buju Banton Pleads Not Guilty
posted by Joe
Yesterday anti-gay "murder music" reggae star Buju Banton plead not guilty to federal drug charges in a Tampa court. Banton is accused of conspiring to buy 11 pounds of cocaine from an undercover federal agent. His attorney says that Banton is innocent and will not be seeking a plea arrangement. Banton faces up to thirty years in prison. He will certainly not be available for the Grammy Awards ceremony on January 31st, where he is nominated for Best Reggae Album.
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2010/01/buju-banton-pleads-not-guilty.html/

Smoking Gun Obtains Complaints To FCC About Adam Lambert
posted by Joe
Here are three examples of complaints received by the FCC about Adam Lambert's performance on the American Music Awards, as obtained by the Smoking Gun via the Freedom Of Information Act. Embiggen to read, or see the full forms on TSG. Many of the complaints went far beyond the performance itself and launched into full-on anti-gay hatred.
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2010/01/smoking-gun-obtains-complaints-to-fcc.html/

Gay Conservatives Come Out
Posted by LibertyDC
This week I was pleased to write an op ed explaining GOProud’s sponsorship of CPAC in Metro Weekly. The op ed can be found here and below. In mid-February thousands of conservatives will descend on D.C. for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference — better known as CPAC — the premiere political event for conservative leaders and activists. CPAC sponsors represent the broad spectrum of conservatives and libertarians: economic conservatives, foreign policy conservatives, social conservatives and traditional libertarian groups. This year, gay conservatives will have also have a voice at CPAC thanks to GOProud.
http://www.gaypatriot.net/2010/01/08/gay-conservatives-come-out/

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Thursday, January 07, 2010

GLBT DIGEST - January 07, 2010

**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:

Judge: Gay Marriage Trial Can Be Shown on YouTube
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The federal trial on the constitutionality of California's same-sex marriage ban beginning next week will be videotaped and uploaded to a video-sharing Web site, the presiding judge ruled Wednesday.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/07/business/AP-US-Gay-Marriage-YouTube.html?_r=1&scp=7&sq=gay&st=cse/

Less Than Two Weeks
Published: January 6, 2010
After weeks of maneuvering and delay, the New Jersey State Senate will finally vote on Thursday on whether to legalize same-sex marriage. The Senate needs to approve the bill, and the General Assembly needs to follow — quickly. Gov. Jon Corzine has pledged to sign the legislation into law; his soon-to-be-successor, Gov.-elect Christopher Christie, has vowed to veto it. The transfer of power takes place in less than two weeks on Jan. 19.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/opinion/07thurs3.html?scp=5&sq=gay&st=cse/

Ugandan President Urges Softening of Anti-Gay Bill
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) -- Gay Ugandans likely won't face the death penalty after the president said he opposed the provision in proposed legislation, but an international gay rights group said Thursday even a watered-down bill would be repressive.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/07/world/AP-AF-Uganda-Gay-Death-Penalty.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:

Uganda's bill to imprison gays for life is an outrage that should be rejected
Thursday, January 7, 2010
THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY Bill of 2009 is an ugly and ignorant piece of legislation being considered in Uganda. If it is approved, the gay people of that nation would be subject to life in prison. This retreat from the death sentence originally proposed should neither be celebrated nor considered a concession by the government in response to pressure from the United States and other nations. The proposal is barbaric. That it is even being considered puts Uganda beyond the pale of civilized nations.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/06/AR2010010604016.html/

Hill Republicans join fight against D.C. gay marriage
By Tim Craig
Republican congressional leaders have joined local activists in a court fight to allow voters to decide whether same-sex marriage should be legal in the District, underscoring the continued uncertainty surrounding the issue.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/06/AR2010010604548.html/

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

Alleged mistress: Tiger Woods had gay encounters
By Hal Boedeker
Just when you think you've heard it all about Tiger Woods, another story crops up. An alleged Woods mistress, who's trying to sell a book, says she saw the golfer enjoy gay sex, the Web site RadarOnline.com says in an exclusive report.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/os-tiger-gay-sex-sl-010710-20100107,0,3990581.story/

Gay travel dropped for the first time in years
By Doreen Hemlock
Travel by gays and lesbians declined last year for the first time in the 14 years that a San Francisco group has been tracking it, showing that the recession has hit tourism harder even than the 2001 terrorist attacks.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fl-gay-travel-down-20100105,0,953181.story/

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

Restaurant review | Life partners’ petite Le Patio in Wilton Manors has outsized charms
BY ROCHELLE KOFF, rkoff@MiamiHerald.com
Le Patio is so diminutive, its owners call it ``the tiniest, cutest restaurant in South Florida.'' If you happened to drive past the little venue on a Wilton Manors side street, you could blink and miss it. But with delicious dishes at recession-busting prices -- the most expensive is $12.95 -- Le Patio has been thriving since it opened in September.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2010/01/restaurant-review-life-partners-petite-le-patio-in-wilton-manors-has-outsized-charms.html/

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

Antigay Irish MP Iris Robinson an Adulterer
By Advocate.com Editors
Days after stepping down from her post as Northern Ireland’s Member of the Parliament to deal with her “lifelong battle with depression,” antigay politician Iris Robinson has admitted that she was cheating on her husband last year.
http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/01/06/Antigay_Irish_MP_Iris_Robinson_an_Adulterer/

The Advocate's Photos of the Year
From Olympic gold medalist Matthew Mitcham to comedian Wanda Sykes, take a look back at some of most memorable photos from the pages of The Advocate in 2009.
By Albert Smith
From Olympic gold medalist Matthew Mitcham to comedian Wanda Sykes, if they lent their voices to the fight for gay rights, made a splash or simply made headlines in gay media in 2009, The Advocate was there to capture the moment on film. Take a look back at some of our favorite photos from last year.
http://www.advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/Photography/Top_Advocate_Photos_of_the_Year/

Porn Star Francois Sagat Does Fallen Britney
By Advocate.com Editors
Britney Spears may have cleaned up her act, but that hasn’t seemed to stop gay porn star Francois Sagat from making fun of the pop star for her messy public image. Sagat posted a series of pictures to his Facebook titled “Fallen Britney” over the weekend. Check them out here.
http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/01/06/Porn_Star_Francois_Sagat_Does_Fallen_Britney/

Wash Po: Antigay Uganda Bill an Outrage
By Advocate.com Editors
An editorial in Wednesday’s Washington Post calls Uganda’s anti-homosexuality bill an outrage, saying that even with the death penalty off the table, the alternative of life-imprisonment “should neither be celebrated nor considered a concession by the government in response to pressure from the United States and other nations.”
http://www.advocate.com//News/Daily_News/2010/01/07/Washington_Post_Antigay_Uganda_Bill_is_an_Outrage/

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

Withers: Ford might challenge Gillibrand
By James Withers, contributing editor, 365Gay Blog
Harold Ford, a former Democratic congressman from Tennessee, is considering a run against New York’s junior senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand. Presently he pundits for MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” and when he was in office Ford was a regular on the Don Imus radio show; that gig lasted until the “I-Man” decided to ruminate on the follicle and sexual backgrounds of a college basketball team.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/010710-ford-might-challenge-gillibrand/

RachelWatch: Politics and Plinko
By Ali Davis, Contributing writer
Rachel started us off with the observation that, thanks to the announcements of three whole retirements, many terribly savvy political analysts have decided that the Democratic Party is totally collapsing and maybe on fire and is definitely now less relevant than the Whigs or the Free Soil Party.
http://www.365gay.com/living/rachelwatch-politics-and-plinko/

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

Jonathan Ross quits the BBC
Updated: 11.20am. Jonathan Ross has announced today that he is leaving the BBC. The star, who got into hot water this year over a gay adoption joke last year, said his reasons for leaving were not financially motivated.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/07/breaking-jonathan-ross-quits-the-bbc/

Tatchell says Iris Robinson is a 'hypocrite'
Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has accused Northern Ireland MP Iris Robinson of being a hypocrite for having an affair. He expressed sympathy over her suicide attempt and mental breakdown but said she had offered no apology for her comments about gay people.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/07/tatchell-says-iris-robinson-is-a-hypocrite/


Lesbian in custody dispute issues appeal for missing daughter

The non-biological mother of a seven-year-old girl has issued an appeal to the public to find her after the child's biological mother defied a court order to hand over custody.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/07/lesbian-in-custody-dispute-issues-appeal-for-missing-daughter/

Government appointment of faith advisors attacked as 'cynical'
The appointment of 13 'faith advisors' to the government has been attacked by the National Secular society as "cynical" and "an insult to non-religious Britons". The charity warned that most people "disregard" religious teachings on issues such as homosexuality and said the appointment was "undemocratic".
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/07/government-appointment-of-faith-advisors-attacked-as-cynical/


Social worker struck off for abusing trans child

A social worker has been found guilty of shouting homophobic abuse at a child in his care. Stan Lansdell, 52, was struck off today for "gross abuse" of his position. He worked for Bradford council at the time of the offences.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/07/social-worker-struck-off-for-abusing-trans-child/

New South Wales government upholds gay adoption ban
The Australian state of New South Wales has opted to continue a ban on gay couples adopting. Although a parliamentary inquiry had recommended that changing the law would be in the best interests of children, the state government said there was not enough evidence of support for it.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/07/new-south-wales-government-upholds-gay-adoption-ban/

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

Iowa Senate leader rules out same-sex marriage debate
Gronstal says budget, jobs to take lead.
By MIKE GLOVER
As the Legislature prepares to convene next week, a key leader Wednesday ruled out any debate over an Iowa Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage. Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said the session beginning Monday will be focused on the state's budget problems and job creation.
http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/k0133-BC-IA-Iowa-GayMarriage-1stLd-Writethru-01-06-0577/

Shelter for LGBT youth faces closure
by Seth Hemmelgarn
A San Francisco organization that aims to provide shelter for queer youth could close March 1. But Bishop Yvette Flunder, the CEO of Ark of Refuge Inc., which includes Ark House, the endangered program, balks at the idea.
http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=4455/

The punishment doesn't fit the crime: More on transgender women, prison, and Maria Benita Santamaria
Filed by: Alex Blaze
I posted the other day about Maria Benita Santamaria, a transgender woman sent to prison after she was found with ten pounds of meth on her. She was sent to a men's prison, put in solitary confinement, and denied hormones after having been on them for two years.
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/i_posted_the_other_day.php/

D.C. Jail guards accused of beating gay inmate
Posted by Lou Chibbaro Jr.
A 39-year-old gay man being held in the D.C. Jail has accused jail guards of severely beating him last month, saying they carried him, handcuffed, down three flights of stairs while deliberately knocking his head against the walls and handrails.
http://dcagenda.com/2010/01/d-c-jail-guards-accused-of-beating-gay-inmate/

Maddow: Obama Names First Transgender Nominee; USAJobs Adds Gender Identity
by: Autumn Sandeen
Well, color me surprised -- and in the good way! Rachel Maddow picked up on two trans specific stories for her show last night. I was expecting either her or Keith Oberman to pick up on the Amanda Simpson story, but I didn't expect her to pick up on the second story about the USAJobs website story (First video is 2:06 minutes long; second video is 0:49 minutes long).
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14740/maddow-obama-names-fist-transgender-nominee-usajobs-adds-gender-identity/

Memorial service for Mike Penner (f.k.a. Christine Daniels)
by: Autumn Sandeen
I'm planning a trip up to Los Angeles for the service.
~~Autumn~~
By Karen Ocamb
Many of us were stunned by news last November of the suicide of Los Angeles Times sports columnist Mike Penner -- who we had come to know as Christine Daniels. I confessed that I was confused about which name to call Christine -- as I knew her after my interview with her for IN Los Angeles Magazine and I asked Pam's House Blend columnist Autumn Sandeen if I could cross-post her story about the difficulties transgender people suffer when transitioning. Autumn said that Christine wanted to be known as Mike and we should respect that.
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14734/memorial-service-for-mike-penner-fka-christine-daniels/

Will Atlanta officially apologize to the Eagle?
Filed by: Gloria Brame Ph.D.
Just in from one of the lawyers representing the owners of the Atlanta Eagle. Some of you may recall the club was targeted by rogue Atlanta cops who intimidated and abused innocent patrons this past fall. On January 12, the Atlanta City Council will be voting on whether the city should apologize to the Eagle.. (Watch the WSB video..) If you live in area, please consider attending this historic event, and letting the City Council know how you feel.
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/will_atlanta_officially_apologize_to_the_eagle.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilericoProject+%28The+Bilerico+Project%29/

16 Years Old And Already A Catholic Rebel
Filed by: Father Tony
Fr. Tony,
My name is Donny, and I am a 16 year old Catholic. I read one of your articles online about the Roman Catholic Church and homosexuality and LOVED it. You brought up a really good point about the "fan club card"! My question to you is this... I love Jesus and most teachings of the Catholic Church but some just do not click. (Especially when it comes to homosexuality being "sinful"). I really want to have a partner some day and I do not want to be looked down on because of it! Would it be wrong to explore and find Jesus myself without the aid of the Church? Thanks for taking the time, and I hope to hear from you soon.
God bless,
Donny
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/in_which_i_turn_a_16_year_old_into_a_rebel_catholi.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilericoProject+%28The+Bilerico+Project%29/

Neil Patrick Harris wins Gay Man of the Decade: Shuns me again
Filed by: Bil Browning
Neil Patrick Harris has won AfterElton.com's Gay Man of the Decade contest. The actor took 61% of the vote in the online poll that went viral once he and actor John Barrowman started a Twitter battle over the title. Various celebrities like Neil Gaimon, Alyssa Milano, Hal Sparks, Kevin Smith, and Felicia Day endorsed their favorite nominee, and I threw my weight under behind Neil Patrick Harris.
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/neil_patrick_harris_wins_gay_man_of_the_decade_shu.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilericoProject+%28The+Bilerico+Project%29/

Martha Coakley: Dishonoring her Alma Mater*
Posted by B. Daniel Blatt
Like yours truly, Martha Coakley is a graduate of the college currently ranked (by U.S. News and World Report) as the nation’s top liberal arts college. But, unlike our fellow alum and her fellow Democrat, Chris Murphy, she doesn’t seem very interested in the concerns of her constituents who do not share her political point of view.
http://www.gaypatriot.net/2010/01/07/martha-coakley-an-embarrassment-to-her-alma-mater/

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Wednesday, January 06, 2010

GLBT DIGEST - January 06, 2010

**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:

Harold Ford Jr. Weighs a Challenge to Gillibrand
By MICHAEL BARBARO
Encouraged by a group of influential New York Democrats, Harold Ford Jr., the former congressman from Tennessee, is weighing a bid to unseat Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand in this fall’s Democratic primary, according to three people who have spoken with him.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/06/nyregion/06ford.html?sq=gay&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=3&adxnnlx=1262793710-nTUt1Er0eXQX7CwoFTl81w/

Malaysian Polygamy Club Draws Criticism
By LIZ GOOCH
KUALA LUMPUR — Rohaya Mohamad, 44, is an articulate, bespectacled medical doctor who studied at a university in Wales. Juhaidah Yusof, 41, is a shy Islamic studies teacher and mother of eight. Kartini Maarof, 41, is a divorce lawyer and Rubaizah Rejab, a youthful-looking 30-year-old woman, teaches Arabic at a private college.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/06/world/asia/06malaysia.html?scp=7&sq=gay&st=cse/

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

Loudoun County's nondiscrimination policy expanded to protect gays
By Sholnn Freeman
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to expand the county's nondiscrimination policy to prohibit bias on the basis of sexual orientation.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/05/AR2010010503792.html/

RI lawmakers back funeral rights for gays
By RAY HENRY
Rhode Island lawmakers voted Tuesday to allow same-sex and unmarried couples the right to plan the funerals of their late partners, overriding a veto by the governor, who warned it eroded traditional marriage.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/05/AR2010010502797.html/

NJ Senate schedules vote on gay marriage
The Associated Press
New Jersey's state Senate is set to vote on whether to legalize gay marriage.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/05/AR2010010502274.html/

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Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:


The Times a-Changing: Nev. Brothel Gets OK To Offer Men to Clients

By Ashby Jones
The same-sex marriage debate has been roiling our country for several years now. But here’s a wrinkle: what about same-sex prostitution? The issue recently came up out in Nye County, Nevada, where it’s legal for men to pay for sex with women. A county board’s vote Tuesday approved the request of Bobbi Davis, a brothel-owner, to offer men to her clientele. The vote followed months of heated debate among the state’s legal brothel community. Click here for the story, from the LA Times.
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2010/01/06/the-times-a-changing-nev-brothel-gets-ok-to-offer-men-to-clients/

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

Autopsy planned for heiress Casey Johnson
From today’s Miami Herald People page: Officials announced on Tuesday that an autopsy would be performed on the body of Johnson & Johnson heiress Casey Johnson.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2010/01/autopsy-planned-for-heiress-casey-johnson.html/

Broadway, TV star Sam Harris to perform Feb. 1 at Birdland concert series in New York City
From Broadway performer Jim Caruso (Liza’s at the Palace): Jim Caruso’s Cast Party is proud to present SAM HARRIS in concert on Monday, February 1 at 7pm. This concert is part of the long-running Broadway at Birdland concert series, which highlights performers and composers from the Great White Way at the historic music room.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2010/01/broadway-tv-star-sam-harris-to-perform-feb-1-at-birdland-concert-series-in-new-york-city.html/

Survey: Fort Lauderdale No. 7, Miami tied for 13th in top 25 destinations for gay travelers
Community Marketing, which specializes in gay and lesbian market research, on Tuesday released its 14th Annual Gay & Lesbian Tourism Study: This 50 page document contains a top ten findings section starting on page three, that includes CMI’s annual gay and lesbian destination rankings, effects of the recession (for the first time we have seen a decrease in gay travel), and a list of the top travel brands outreaching to the market.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2010/01/survey-fort-lauderdale-no-7-miami-tied-for-13th-in-top-25-destinations-for-gay-travelers.html/

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

Family Rep Talks to Maddow About Uganda
By Advocate.com Editors
Rachel Maddow continues her investigation into Uganda’s pending antigay law, this time profiling the religious group The Family. Maddow says it wasn’t until her show tied The Family – and with it several high profile conservative politicians and religious figures – to the “kill the gays” bill that anyone agreed to appear on the show.
http://www.advocate.com//News/Daily_News/2010/01/06/Family_Rep_Talks_to_Maddow_About_Uganda/

Andy Roddick, Size Queen?
By Advocate.com Editors
Andy Roddick's bags went missing over the Christmas holiday, and the tennis star posted a picture on his Twitter of the clothing the good folks at Lacoste were kind enough to send over. Too bad none of it fit.
http://www.advocate.com//News/Daily_News/2010/01/06/Andy_Roddick_Size_Queen/

Pop Star Ke$ha Tells Out: “I’m Bi”
By Advocate.com Editors
Touted by critics as the next Lady Gaga, Ke$ha has a smash hit single (her song “Tik Tok” just broke the record for most downloads in a single week by a female artist) and an announcement – she’s bisexual.
http://www.advocate.com//News/Daily_News/2010/01/05/Pop_Star_Kesha_Tells_Out_Im_Bi/

Tiger Helping Annie Climb Out of Debt?
By Advocate.com Editors
Vanity Fair’s current Tiger Woods cover, along with the six interior photos that accompany an article on the much-maligned golfer, have helped put a dent in photographer Annie Leibovitz’s reported multi-million dollar debt, the New York Post reports.
http://www.advocate.com//News/Daily_News/2010/01/05/Tiger_Woods_Helping_Annie_Leibovitz_Climb_Out_of_Debt/

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

HRC iPhone app helps you buy gay-friendly
By 365gay Newswire
01.05.2010 5:02pm EST
HRC has released a first of its kind, free iPhone application for its “Buying for Equality” guide. The app allows shoppers to access the Buying for Equality guide as they enter a store to see how gay-friendly hundreds of brands are.
http://www.365gay.com/uncategorized/hrc-iphone-app-helps-you-buy-gay-friendly/

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

BNP may face prosecution over 'misleading' financial accounts
The British National Party could face prosecution for breaking the law over its accounting. The anti-gay political party has until Friday to submit further details of its spending after auditors said they were not adequate.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/06/bnp-may-face-prosecution-over-misleading-financial-accounts/

Canterbury's only gay bar closes
The only gay bar in Canterbury, a city which was condemned by a local Pride group for not being gay enough, has closed. O2 was opened six months ago on King Street but is closing because of a lack of business.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/06/canterburys-only-gay-bar-closes/

Video: David Letterman attacked for skit on Obama-appointed trans woman
US television host David Letterman was attacked for a joke about Amanda Simpson, the trans woman appointed by President Barack Obama.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/06/video-david-letterman-attacked-for-skit-on-obama-appointed-trans-woman/

New Jersey in last-ditch vote on gay marriage
New Jersey's Senate will vote tomorrow on gay marriage in a final attempt to pass the bill before a new governor takes office. A vote was cancelled in early December after Democrats were reportedly concerned the bill did not have enough votes to pass.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/06/new-jersey-in-last-ditch-vote-on-gay-marriage/


Graham Norton signs £4m deal with BBC

Gay presenter Graham Norton has signed a two-year, £4 million deal to stay at the BBC. According to the Sun, he accepted a pay cut of £500,000, having previously been on £2.5 million a year.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/06/graham-norton-signs-4m-deal-with-bbc/


Anti-gay hate preacher's march may be banned

An attempt by an anti-gay Muslim preacher to hold a march in a British town may be blocked by home secretary Alan Johnson. Islam4UK, headed by Anjem Choudary, plans to march through Wootton Bassett, a town famous for honouring soldiers killed abroad.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/05/anti-gay-hate-preachers-march-may-be-banned/

Warning over high HIV rates in gay African men
A study in the medical journal The Lancet has warned that HIV rates among gay men in some parts of Africa are ten times higher than their straight counterparts.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/05/warning-over-high-hiv-rates-in-gay-african-men/

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

D.C. Jail guards accused of beating gay inmate
Posted on 06 January 2010 by Lou Chibbaro Jr.
A 39-year-old gay man being held in the D.C. Jail has accused jail guards of severely beating him last month, saying they carried him, handcuffed, down three flights of stairs while deliberately knocking his head against the walls and handrails. The gay inmate, John Burrows, a D.C. resident, gave a detailed account of the incident to his mother and sister, who released the information this week to the DC Agenda.
http://dcagenda.com/2010/01/d-c-jail-guards-accused-of-beating-gay-inmate/

Arrest warrant sought in lesbian parental custody dispute
Posted on 06 January 2010 by Harley Dennett
An arrest warrant for Virginia resident Lisa Miller was likely to be issued this week, according to lawyers involved in her child custody dispute that has become a focal point in the nation’s same-sex parenting debate. Miller’s former partner, Janet Jenkins, came forward Monday with a plea to help find her 7-year-old daughter, Isabella, after Miller failed to return her by a Jan. 1 deadline set by Rutland Family Court in Vermont.
http://dcagenda.com/2010/01/arrest-warrant-sought-in-lesbian-parental-custody-dispute/


Gay-marriage foes slam plans to televise Prop 8 trial

Witnesses harassment feared
By Valerie Richardson
Supporters of traditional marriage are outraged over a California judge's efforts to bring television cameras into court next week to cover a trial challenging Proposition 8, California's initiative against gay marriage.
http://washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/06/gay-marriage-foes-lash-out-at-plan-to-televise-pro/?feat=home_headlines/

Catholic Portugal set to legalize gay marriage
Agence France-Presse
LISBON- Catholic Portugal, traditionally one of Europe's most socially conservative countries, is expected to approve the legalization of gay marriage on Friday with a minimum of fuss.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100106-245900/Catholic-Portugal-set-to-legalize-gay-marriage/

Gay marriage is so last decade; polyamory is in, newspaper says
By Ginger Q. Lawless
This news isn't going to go over well at Focus on the Family: the new way to live the dream, perhaps, is polyamory, which means “many loves." Those who practice it have multiple lovers and "poly” as it’s also called, has a very full spectrum of possibility. You might have a couple in a primary relationship who then have one or more secondary relationships. There’s also polyfidelity, in which three or more people are mutually exclusive. There are also love circles where the possibilities are endless. It sounds like a racy topic, but it is mainstream enough to have recently been featured in The Boston Globe.
http://dscriber.com/denver/956-polyamory-gay-marriage.html/

Besen: Dobson Not Ready To Retire Anti-Gay Rhetoric
By Carlos Santoscoy
Focus on the Family founder James Dobson is leaving the organization, but he's got no plans to retire his anti-gay rhetoric, gay rights activist Wayne Besen says. Last February, Dobson stepped down as chairman of the anti-gay group he founded in 1977 but remained the group's primary radio voice. A post he'll retire next month.
http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=5081&Category=26&MediaType=1/

U.S. Government Adds Gender Identity Protections To USAJobs Website
by: Autumn Sandeen
Via the New York Times' U.S. Job Site Bans Bias Over Gender Identity:
The Obama administration has inserted language into the federal jobs Web site explicitly banning employment discrimination based on gender identity.
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14727/us-government-adds-gender-identity-protections-to-usajobs-website/

Janet Jenkins pleads for help in finding her daughter
by: Alvin McEwen
Janet Jenkins is now pleading for help from the public in finding her daughter, Isabella. Jenkins' former civil union partner, Lisa Miller (now claiming to be an ex-gay) was supposed to turn Isabella over to Jenkins after a court ruling. This ruling came about because of Miller's continued refusal to allow Jenkins access to Isabella, whom they were supposed to be raising together. Miller and Isabella have since disappeared and the belief is that Miller has taken Isabella and gone into hiding.
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14725/janet-jenkins-pleads-for-help-in-finding-her-daughter/

What About Antitrans Sentiments Expressed Intra-LGBT Community Against Amanda Simpson?
by: Autumn Sandeen
I've pointed out bad media coverage that I -- and Anna Wipfler of the glaadBLOG -- has pointed out regarding Amanda Simpson's appointment as a Senior Technical Advisor at the Department Of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). I've also pointed out antitrans, antigay, and anti-LGBT sentiments in comment threads of mainstream -- and a little out of the mainstream -- news articles and commentary.
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14720/what-about-antitrans-sentiments-intralgbt-community-against-amanda-simpson/


Let the Ed Block Foundation know dog-killer Michael Vick does not deserve its
Courage Award
by: Pam Spaulding
I recently blogged about the Philadelphia Eagles and its decision to nominate its dog-killing, beating, electrocuting, shooting player Michael Vick as its example of courage, deserving of the Foundation's award. There is a petition up gathering signatures to let the Ed Block Foundation CEO Sam Lamantia know that the Eagles organization is misguided, and that Vick in no way represents personal or professional courage by serving time in the clink for profiting off of the torture and mistreatment of animals.
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14719/let-the-ed-block-foundation-know-dogkiller-michael-vick-does-not-deserve-its-courage-award/

Jesus Datalo's underwear pics in gay mag causes stir
Filed by: Bil Browning
Soccer player Jesus Datalo posed in his underwear for a photo spread in Italian gay publication Romeo Mag and the leadership of his club is hopping mad. Datalo plays for Napoli. The Argentinian player is hardly the first soccer star to pose in their undies for a queer magazine, but Aurelio De Laurentis, president of the Napoli club, offers up a very convoluted reasoning for his displeasure. De Laurentis is not bothered by the photos but because "the image of Napoli rights have been violated."
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01
/jesus_datalos_underwear_pics_in_gay_mag_causes_sti.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilericoProject+%28The+Bilerico+Project%29/



People Who Matter -- An Open Letter to Newsweek

Filed by: Terrance Heath
Note: This is a somewhat extended version of a “Letter to the Editor” I emailed to Newsweek upon seeing their December 19th issue. To the Editor: I know what was meant by it, but I couldn’t help rolling my eyes when I read the subtitle of your December 19th issue: “People who matter, on what matters most.” Frankly, that struck me as precisely our problem in this country, on so many levels.
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/people_who_matter_--_an_open_letter_to_newsweek.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilericoProject+%28The+Bilerico+Project%29/

Evangelical Hate-Monger Scott Lively's "Nuclear Bomb" In Uganda
posted by Joe
The guys at Box Turtle Bulletin are doing fantastic work exposing the American evangelicals behind Uganda's "kill gays" bill. Here's their first of three clips in a series about Scott Lively, who helped organize the conference that resulted in the bill. Lively's book, The Pink Swastika, claims that gay men orchestrated the Holocaust. Because we are all serial killers at heart. Watch the clip and head over to BTB for analysis and the rest of the series.
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2010/01/evangelical-hate-monger-scott-livelys.html/

NY Sen. Carl Kruger: I'm Am Not Gay
posted by Joe
Anti-gay closet case NY Sen. Carl Kruger says local activist Allen Roskoff is a "bottom feeder" for saying that he's gay. Which he's not. Totally. No, really, he's not. At all. Brooklyn state Sen. Carl Kruger became the No. 1 target of gay activists when he voted against same-sex marriage last month. Now, his enemies are circulating photos taken of Kruger at a birthday fund-raiser last year, where cross-dressing entertainer Leonid the Magnificent performed hula-hoop tricks in a skintight cat suit. "For hating gay marriage so much, Kruger sure loves watching tight, Lycra-clad asses," snarked Queerty.com. Gay activist Corey Johnson and Allen Roskoff, the openly gay president of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, have led demonstrations at Kruger's home. Roskoff wrote on his blog, "People ask us how we know he is homosexual. My immediate response is, how does one know that Paul Lynde and Liberace were gay?" Kruger, who denies being gay, called Roskoff "a bottom feeder," and said he was unfazed by the smear campaign. "It goes with the territory," he told Page Six. "I have not changed my position."
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2010/01/ny-sen-carl-kruger-im-am-not-gay.html/

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Tuesday, January 05, 2010

GLBT DIGEST - January 04, 2010

**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:

After Americans Visit, Uganda Weighs Death for Gays
By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN
KAMPALA, Uganda - Last March, three American evangelical Christians, whose teachings about "curing" homosexuals have been widely discredited in the United States, arrived here in Uganda http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/uganda/index.html?inline=nyt-geo> 's capital to give a series of talks. The theme of the event, according to Stephen Langa, its Ugandan organizer, was "the gay agenda - that whole hidden and dark agenda" - and the threat homosexuals posed to Bible-based values and the traditional African family. For three days, according to participants and audio recordings , thousands of Ugandans, including police officers, teachers and national politicians, listened raptly to the Americans, who were presented as experts on homosexuality. The visitors discussed how to make gay people straight, how gay men often sodomized teenage boys and how "the gay movement is an evil institution" whose goal is "to defeat the marriage-based society and replace
it with a culture of sexual promiscuity."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/04/world/africa/04uganda.html?hp/

Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions, and Domestic Partnerships
For over a decade, the issue of same-sex marriage has been a flashpoint political issue in the United States, setting off waves of competing legislation and ballot initiatives attempting either to legalize or ban the practice. Rifts have also opened among religious groups over the decision to recognize same-sex marriage or condemn it.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/s/same_sex_marriage/index.html?scp=3&sq=gay&st=cse/

Gay in Uganda, and Feeling Hunted
By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN
KAMPALA, Uganda — Isolation, insults, threats and violence: this is what Uganda’s mostly closeted gay community has dealt with for years. But now that Ugandan politicians are threatening to pass a new anti-homosexuality bill that would sentence some homosexuals (serial offenders, those who are H.I.V. positive and others) to life in prison or even death, many gay men and lesbians said they felt hunted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/04/world/africa/04gay.html?scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse/

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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/

Go to the links for the following articles:

Dave Marsden for Senate
IN VIRGINIA, the two candidates running in a special election to fill the state Senate seat vacated by Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli II, in western Fairfax County's District 37, offer voters a stark choice. One of them, Dave W. Marsden, a Democrat, is a well-respected expert on incarceration, juvenile justice and rehabilitation, having run the Fairfax County Juvenile Detention Center for 17 years as well as the state's Department of Juvenile Justice, a position for which he was chosen by a Republican governor. Mr. Marsden has served two terms in the House of Delegates with distinction.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/03/AR2010010301743.html/

California's scary sneak preview
By Ezra Klein
We Californians pride ourselves on the crystal-ball quality of our state. Auto emissions regulations, the tech boom and bust, Ronald Reagan, Hispanic immigration, the anti-tax revolt, the mortgage bubble, the struggle for gay rights, most movies, the popularity of Richard Nixon, the unpopularity of Richard Nixon, plastic surgery, and Tiger Woods's marital problems were all tested in the Golden State before being released to audiences nationwide.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/01/californias_scary_sneak_previe.html/

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

Houston officially becomes nation's largest city with openly gay mayor after private ceremony
By Associated Press
Annise Parker has been sworn in as Houston mayor, officially making her city the nation's largest to be led by an openly gay person. Parker took the oath of office in a private ceremony at City Hall on Saturday, two days before a public inauguration during which she will be sworn in again.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-houston-mayor,0,5219321.story/

Saddleback Church Raises $2.4 Million After Plea for Donations
By KTLA News
Evangelical pastor Rick Warren says his appeal for donations to his Orange County megachurch pulled in a "history-making" $2.4 million. At Saturday evening's church service, Warren announced that $2.4 million was raised after he appealed on the church's website for members to donate.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/ktla-saddleback-money,0,4665091.story/

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

Women’s Empowerment Luncheon to be held Jan. 20 at The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables
News release from the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce: The Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, in association with the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida, presents A Women’s Empowerment Luncheon, the first of a bi-monthly program showcasing successful Chamber Members who are professional women. The guest speaker will be Ms. Shelley Freeman, President, Wells Fargo/Wachovia Florida, on January 20, 2010, at The Biltmore Hotel, 1200 Anastasia Blvd., Coral Gables, FL. (305-445-1926). Registration begins at 11:30am with lunch and presentation at 12:00 Noon. Lunch is $35 for MDGLCC members and $45 for non-members. Luncheon reservations are requested. RSVP to the office and pre-payment is required. Please submit your name (and guests) by calling the Chamber office at 305-573-4000. You may also fax to our secure line at 305-573-4787 or, via email to mdglcc@bellsouth.net.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2010/01/womens-empowerment-luncheon-to-be-held-jan-20-at-the-biltmore-hotel-in-coral-gables.html/

HRC: After 22 years, HIV travel and immigration ban lifted
News release from Human Rights Campaign:
“The United States of America has moved one step closer to helping combat the stigma and ignorance that still too often guides public policy debates around HIV/AIDS,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese
WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, hailed the announcement that a ban on HIV positive visitors and immigrants entering the country, first established in 1987, has been lifted. A regulation promulgated by the Obama administration last summer and finalized in November goes into effect today, removing HIV from the list of communicable diseases that bar foreign nationals from entering the United States.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2010/01/hrc-after-22-years-hiv-travel-and-immigration-ban-lifted.html/

Keys gay, political activist Henry Woods, 58, dies
KeysNet.com reports that Key West gay activist Henry Woods, an adjunct political science professor at Florida Keys Community College, has died after suffering an aneurysm and slipping into a coma on Christmas Eve. Woods ran for Monroe County elections supervisor in 2008. “He was a leader in the Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus and the Key West Lambda Democrats. Sudden and sad news,” says Stephen Gaskill, a Washington/South Florida political consultant.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2010/01/keys-gay-political-activist-henry-woods-58-dies.html/

Denise King, mother of slain gay teenager Simmie Williams Jr., dies suddenly at age 40
Sad news from Fort Lauderdale: Denise King, mother of Simmie Williams Jr., an openly gay teen who was slain nearly two years on Sistrunk Boulevard, died suddenly on New Year’s Eve. King was 40 and collapsed in her apartment about two hours before midnight.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2010/01/denise-king-mother-of-slain-gay-teenager-simmie-williams-jr-dies-suddenly-at-age-40.html/

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

Osteen Thanks God For Annise Parker
By Julie Bolcer
Megachurch pastor Joel Osteen, who ignited a firestorm in November with his comment to The View that gay people were not among “God’s best,” thanked the heavens on Monday for Annise Parker, the newly inaugurated openly lesbian mayor of Houston. According to a tweet from the Victory Fund, during the inauguration ceremony Monday morning, Osteen thanked God for "lifting up our new mayor, Annise Parker."
http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/01/04/Osteen_Thanks_God_For_Annise_Parker/

Track Star Nixes Fake Breasts for Speed
By Julie Bolcer
Australian track star Jana Rawlinson, who recently underwent breast augmentation surgery, admits that she promptly had the implants removed because of fears that the fake breasts would hinder her upcoming Olympic performance. The 27-year-old hurdler, a straight mother of one, spoke about her decision with the new issue of Woman’s Day magazine, according to The Daily Telegraph.
http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/01/04/Track_Star_Nixes_Breast_Implants_for_Speed/

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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/

Go to this link for the following articles:

Democrat eyeing Kennedy seat avoids family legacy
By The Associated Press
Attorney General Martha Coakley may be the front-runner in the race to fill the late Edward Kennedy’s U.S. Senate seat, but she is crafting a campaign largely free of the Kennedy mystique. Although she shares Kennedy’s position on key issues and is appealing to the same liberal Democratic voters who returned him to office during his 47 years in the Senate, Coakley is helping usher in a post-Kennedy Massachusetts – a state whose politics have been inextricably linked to the family for generations.
http://www.365gay.com/news/democrat-eyeing-kennedy-seat-avoids-family-legacy/

Neff: New Hampshire’s new era
By Lisa Neff, columnist, 365gay.com
The new year brought a new era in New Hampshire. Some of us ushered in 2010 — the start of a new year and a new decade — with noisemakers, bubbly champagne and hearty attempts to remember the lyrics to “Auld Lang Syne.”
http://www.365gay.com/opinion/neff-new-hampshires-new-era/

Withers: Parker is ready to be Houston’s most vocal booster
By James Withers, contributing editor, 365Gay Blog
Annise Parker is more than willing to talk about her place in history. The 53 year old was inaugurated in a private ceremony this past weekend as the mayor of Houston, making her the first openly gay politician to run a major American city. However, that conversation bores her. She gets animated when discussing the Houston and Texas she knows and how her win is not that odd. A lot of the media coverage has been about me being first in Houston and this has given me an opportunity to talk about Houston and Texas as I know them,” Parker said in an interview with 365Gay. “Houston is a very diverse, open, tolerant, and business oriented city. People care more about what you can do, as opposed to who you are. It is the most diverse and international city under the radar.”
http://www.365gay.com/blog/010410-parker-is-ready-to-be-houstons-most-vocal-booster/

RachelWatch: Stay Classy, Dick Cheney
By Ali Davis, Contributing writer
Record Scratch
Rachel started us off with the attempts by numerous Republicans to score political points with the attempted underpants bombing on Christmas Day. Dr. Maddow seemed to have had exactly enough of that sort of thing, characterizing the political opportungasm as “a serious of obviously baseless, factually incorrect, demonstrably untrue, and hypocritical attacks.”
http://www.365gay.com/living/rachelwatch-stay-classy-dick-cheney/

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

US HIV travel ban lifted today
The ban on HIV-positive people entering the US officially ends today. The 22-year-old law was one of the most restrictive immigration policies in the world for people with HIV but was lifted by President Barack Obama in November.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/04/us-hiv-travel-ban-lifted-today/

Woman fails to hand child to lesbian ex-partner
A US woman who was ordered to hand over custody of her child to her lesbian ex-partner could be charged with parental abduction for failing to comply with a court order.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/04/woman-fails-to-hand-child-to-lesbian-ex-partner/

Copyright holder baulks at 'gay' Sherlock Holmes film
The US copyright holder of the Sherlock Holmes series has threatened to withdraw permission for a film sequel if producers develop a homoerotic storyline.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/04/copyright-holder-baulks-at-gay-sherlock-holmes-film/

Bisexual penguin fights serious illness
The bisexual penguin at the centre of a much-reported love triangle is gravely ill. Harry, a Magellan penguin at San Francisco Zoo, is suffering from a respiratory illness.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/04/bisexual-penguin-fights-serious-illness/

Lady Gaga tackles homophobic fan
Lady Gaga was reportedly forced to confront a homophobic man at one of her gigs. The gay-friendly singer had performed in an Ottawa club and was dancing with friends when a man approached her to hurl homophobic abuse at her and fellow star Adam Lambert.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/04/lady-gaga-tackles-homophobic-fan/

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

Halo bar to change name, go green
Posted on 04 January 2010 by Lou Chibbaro Jr.
The D.C. gay bar Halo is changing its name to MOVA and will evolve over the next year into an environmentally friendly “green” business with an expanded program to support both LGBT and broader community causes and projects. Gay attorney and businessman Babak Movahedi, owner of Logan Circle Spectrum, LLC, the company that owns Halo bars in D.C. and Miami Beach, said the name change and plans for the business’s community-related projects would be formally announced during a Jan. 1 celebration at the club in D.C. at 7 p.m. Halo is located at 1435 P St., N.W.
http://dcagenda.com/2010/01/halo-bar-to-change-name-go-green/

Ban gay marriage? How about divorce, too?
FROM PAM MULLIN
In response to the article (Dec. 27) in which Bryan English, of the Iowa Family Policy Council ACTION, advocated putting gay marriage to a public vote: It seems to be the position of his organization that marriage should be only between one man and one woman. I say let's put it on a ballot as long as a vote to ban gay marriage also includes a vote to ban divorce in Iowa.
http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=268696/

NJ gay marriage advocates plan Trenton rally to urge lawmakers' vote
By Mary Fuchs/Statehouse Bureau
Clergy from 19 different faith groups around the state are asking Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) and Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden) to vote on same-sex marriage legislation before the current legislative session ends. In a letter addressed to the leaders of the two houses, 120 clergy members said the current marriage law favors a religious viewpoint of traditional marriage over their beliefs, which allow gay marriage.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/01/nj_gay_marriage_advocates_to_u.html/

N.J. lawmakers return to Trenton to debate on bills in lame-duck session
By Claire Heininger/Statehouse Bureau
State lawmakers return to Trenton today to close out a lame-duck session with debate on bills to legalize medical marijuana, relax prison sentences for some drug offenders in school zones and allow towns to stave off property tax hikes by postponing pension payments.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/01/nj_lawmakers_return_to_trenton.html/

The politics of gay marriage
By Jonathan Rauch
For the gay marriage debate, 2009 was transitional instead of transformative, but last year was historic nonetheless. To mangle Churchill, it was not the end, nor even the beginning of the end, but it was at least the beginning of the middle. This is an issue on which the fundamentals of public opinion change glacially. Support for same-sex marriage is rising, but only by about a percentage point or so a year. Essentially, a third of the public supports gay marriage, another third or so supports civil unions instead, and the remaining third opposes any kind of legal status for same-sex couples.
http://www.kansas.com/781/story/1118406.html/

Gay Socastee couple looks to be first married couple in D.C.
By Mason Snyder
17 years ago Craig Dean and his partner Patrick lived in Washington D.C., and they wanted to get married. “Back in the 80’s and 90’s [gay] marriage wasn’t even a blimp on anybody’s thinking,” Dean said. “Nobody even contemplated the idea of gay people being married.“ So Dean proposed to Patrick and later that year, the couple tied the knot. But when the couple filed for a marriage license, they were denied.
http://www2.scnow.com/scp/news/local/grand_strand/article/gay_socastee_couple_looks_to_be_first_married_couple_in_d.c/95382/

Dutch Christian schools start teaching respect and empathy for gays
by: Lurleen
I have become convinced that pretending homosexuality doesn't exist is not an option. ...It does exist. Gay teachers work at each of the four Reformed schools and there are students with homosexual feelings. We want these students have a good school experience, they are allowed to exist.
-- Huib van Leeuwen, President of the Reformed Schools committee
When Christian conservatives say with regard to gays and lesbians that they "love the sinner but hate the sin", what do they do to demonstrate that love? In the United States, too often such "love" is translated into cruel efforts to try to negate or "cure" a person's innate homosexuality, and punish gays with punitive laws and unrelenting vilification.
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/12915/dutch-christian-schools-start-teaching-respect-and-empathy-for-gays/

Scott Lively practiced 'pink-baiting' in Uganda
by: Alvin McEwen
Yesterday, the New York Times came out with a sensational article about the Ugandan anti-gay bill. It was short, precise and linked Scott Lively, Caleb Lee Brundidge, and Don Schmierer to the bill, making sure to note that their "teachings" that homosexuality can be cured has been discredited in this country and also noting how the bill came to pass because of a conference the three took part in earlier last year in Uganda. And in the article, they come across exactly as they are - anti-gay charlatans who are now cowardly backtracking after the world sees what they have done.
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14692/scott-lively-practices-pinkbaiting/

Neil Patrick Harris needs us!
Filed by: Bil Browning
Neil Patrick Harris has called his fans and followers to battle! My favorite stalkee out gay celeb is in a Twitter battle royale for the title of AfterElton.com's Man of the Decade. Neil sent a tweet to his followers asking them to vote for him, but Dr. Who actor John Barrowman took up the Twitter challenge too. Umpteen other celebrities have taken sides in this phallic measuring contest - and you know Neil's..., well, okay, so we don't know, but I can imagine!
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/neil_patrick_harris_needs_us.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilericoProject+%28The+Bilerico+Project%29/

That is Mayor Annise Parker now
Filed by: Alex Blaze
Congrats to the new mayor: Annise Parker has been sworn in as Houston mayor, officially making her city the nation's largest to be led by an openly gay person. Parker took the oath of office in a private ceremony at City Hall on Saturday, two days before a public inauguration during which she will be sworn in again. The 53-year-old Parker took the oath before state District Judge Steven Kirkland and alongside her partner, Kathy Hubbard. Good for her. I'm currently living in the largest city in the world with a gay mayor, and while her political beliefs will be a lot more important to how she governs than her sexuality, it does make me feel better to know it can happen.
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/thats_mayor_annise_parker_now.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilericoProject+%28The+Bilerico+Project%29/

Testicle terrorist tormented by repressed sex issues
Filed by: Bil Browning
"As i get lonely, the natural sexual drive awakens and i struggle to control it, sometimes leading to minor sinful activities like not lowering the gaze [in the presence of unveiled women], and this problem makes me want to get married to avoid getting aroused." -- Testicle terrorist Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab in a comment left on an Islamic Forum Web site, gawaher.com.
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/testicle_terrorist_tormented_by_repressed_sex_issu.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilericoProject+%28The+Bilerico+Project%29/

Lady Gaga outfits inspired by Pokemon?
Filed by: Bil Browning
Suddenly Lady Gaga's outfit choices start to make sense. Who knew she was getting her inspiration from Pokemon characters?
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/lady_gaga_outfits_inspired_by_pokemon.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilericoProject+%28The+Bilerico+Project%29/

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Sunday, January 03, 2010

GLBT DIGEST - January 03, 2010

**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:

Calif. Pastor Takes in $2.4M After Donations Plea
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Evangelical pastor Rick Warren's plea for donations to fill a $900,000 deficit at his Southern California megachurch brought in $2.4 million, Warren announced to cheers during a sermon at the church on Saturday. Warren said the amount raised after the appeal was posted online Wednesday included only money parishioners brought in person to Saddleback Church by New Year's Eve. More was arriving by hand and by mail, he said.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/03/us/AP-US-Rick-Warren-Donations.html?_r=1&scp=9&sq=gay&st=cse/

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

California's scary sneak preview
By Ezra Klein
We Californians pride ourselves on the crystal-ball quality of our state. Auto emissions regulations, the tech boom and bust, Ronald Reagan, Hispanic immigration, the anti-tax revolt, the mortgage bubble, the struggle for gay rights, most movies, the popularity of Richard Nixon, the unpopularity of Richard Nixon, plastic surgery, and Tiger Woods's marital problems were all tested in the Golden State before being released to audiences nationwide.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/31/AR2009123103487.html/

Census counts on partnerships to find hard-to-reach groups
By Carol Morello
George Duangmanee is a financial adviser in the District, an immigrant and an officer in a scholarship program for Asian tennis players. It is the latter role that has made him a catch for the Census Bureau.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/02/AR2010010201605.html/

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

Pioneering plaintiff wants DC's 1st gay marriage
By JESSICA GRESKO
Craig Dean's first wedding was attended by thousands, and as he recited his vows, gay couples behind him on Constitution Avenue echoed their own. It was 1993, and Dean and boyfriend Patrick Gill headlined what was billed as the largest gay marriage ceremony at the time. Dean, 29, and Gill, 26, were celebrities after suing the city of Washington for denying them a marriage license. They'd been on CNN, were profiled in The Washington Post and sat on Oprah's couch.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2010/01/pioneering-plaintiff-wants-dcs-1st-gay-marriage.html/

FIU’s gay fraternity one of many diverse student groups at South Florida universities
From a sorority for plus-size women to a fraternity for gay men, there are plentiful options for brotherhood and sisterhood at South Florida's universities.
BY LAURA FIGUEROA, lfigueroa@MiamiHerald.com
Over at Florida International University, the South Asian and Caribbean brothers of Sigma Beta Rho raise money for tsunami and hurricane ravaged countries. At Nova Southeastern University, the brothers of Alpha Nu Omega gather weekly to host Bible study sessions.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2010/01/fius-gay-fraternity-one-of-many-diverse-student-groups-at-south-florida-universities.html/

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

Letting myself go for graceful exit, new life
By Ellen Goodman
Editor's Note: This is Ellen Goodman's final column.
BOSTON -- January is named for the Roman god of beginnings and endings. He looked backward and forward at the same time. So, this morning, do I.
I wish I could find the right language to describe this rite of passage. Retirement, that swoon of a word, just won't do. The Spanish translation, jubilaciĆ³n, is a bit over the top for my own mix of feelings.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/columnists/story/1406282.html/

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

With gay marriage coming to DC, man who fought for it 2 decades ago wants first spot in line
By Jessica Gresko
Craig Dean's first wedding was attended by thousands, and as he recited his vows, gay couples behind him on Constitution Avenue echoed their own. It was 1993, and Dean and boyfriend Patrick Gill headlined what was billed as the largest gay marriage ceremony at the time. Dean, 29, and Gill, 26, were celebrities after suing the city of Washington for denying them a marriage license. They'd been on CNN, were profiled in The Washington Post and sat on Oprah's couch.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-dc-gay-marriage-pioneer,0,2028522.story/

Iowa and New Hampshire's equality and the Presidential elections
by: Joe Mirabella
(Although The Iowa Poll conducted September, 2009 found that 35% of adults strongly oppose same-gender marriage and 41% would vote for a constitutional amendment banning it, 92% admit that its advent hasn't changed their lives and 63% say other issues are more important when they vote for candidates. Joe has said elsewhere that "One Iowa has been door knocking since the Supreme Court decision was handed down....By the 2012 election nearly every Iowan will have been reached more than once. Iowans don't wait until the last minute to campaign. They campaign constantly." The possibilities are intriguing. - promoted by Lurleen) At 12:01 AM on January 1, New Hampshire became the 5th state to grant marriage equality to same gender couples, changing Presidential politics as we know them. Arguably the most important states in Presidential politics, both Iowa and New Hampshire are equality states.
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14682/iowa-and-new-hampshires-equality-and-the-presidential-elections/

The Difference Between Conformity and Change
Filed by: Patricia Nell Warren
The other day I ran across a commentary that I put out to my newslist in 1999. Re-reading it reminded me that the ex-gay issue hasn't changed in 10 years -- just some of the talking heads that are arguing WE can change. Here, for the record, is my 1999 comment. It's still pertinent a decade later, as we launch into 2010 and fierce new ex-gay rhetoric coming from a revived religious right. A few days ago, one Diane Parker wrote to the Journal American with her own argument that homosexuality is not genetic. She believes that the "reformed homosexuals" now visible in certain videos, programs and organizations are compelling proof that homosexuals can really change.
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/the_difference_between_conformity_and_change.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilericoProject+%28The+Bilerico+Project%29/

The Kung Fu Terrorist
Filed by: Bil Browning
"I think we have got to get serious about catching terrorists, not just catching weapons. I'm waiting for the terrorist who knows kung fu or something that gets on an airplane without a weapon. God knows what that is going to be like." -- MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews. I'm assuming Matthews was giving reasons why crazed rightwinger Chuck Norris should be put on the "No Fly" list.
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/the_kung_fu_terrorist.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilericoProject+%28The+Bilerico+Project%29/

Rick Sanchez chews up Nevada's Senator John Ensign
Filed by: Bil Browning
While I can't stand CNN's Rick Sanchez, I have to admit I loved his grilling of Republican Senator John Ensign. Sanchez digs in about the scandal around the good Senator's "pay back" to some guy after the shtupped the poor bastard's wife. The entire scandal is too much to explain in this small area, so just enjoy the looks on Ensign's face as Sanchez keeps asking him if he did something illegal. See? Still perfectly enjoyable.
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/rick_sanchez_chews_up_nevadas_senator_john_ensign.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilericoProject+%28The+Bilerico+Project%29/

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