WCT's cover shows those in the news in 2008, including ( clockwise from upper
left ) Lisa Tonna ( right, with partner Avis Jamison ) ; the cast of Another Gay Sequel; Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who received the 2008 Outspoken Award from the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission; President-elect Barack Obama; Heath Ledger ( right, with Jake Gyllenhaal ) , who passed away; Lawrence King, who was allegedly killed by a classmate because of King's sexual orientation; Rachel Maddow, who got her own MSNBC show; Center on Halsted Executive Director Modesto "Tico" Valle; thousands of Chicagoans protesting Prop 8 in November; Hontas Farmer and Sam Finkelstein at the Nov. 19 meeting where the proposal for an LGBTA high school was scuttled; and James Franco and Sean Penn in Milk.
For LGBTs, 2008 was filled with triumph, tragedy and troops:
Bugging out: A controversial study ( with results released Jan. 14 ) revealed that gay men are significantly more likely to become infected with the "superbug" MRSA—methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus—than heterosexuals are. However, some people question the logic of labeling MRSA as a "gay" disease.
Political animals: The primary elections on Feb. 5 ( "Super Tuesday" ) established how tight the Democratic presidential race between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would be, as he won more states and she took the bigger states. However, on June 7, Clinton delivered her concession speech/endorsement of Obama in Washington, D.C. On Nov. 4, many members of the LGBT community experience the heights of euphoria when Obama—operating on a platform of inclusion—defeated Republican candidate John McCain to become president-elect of the United States.
Tragedy in California: In Oxnard, Calif., 15-year-old Lawrence King—who identified as gay, and wore make-up and feminine clothing—was allegedly shot Feb. 12 by 14-year-old classmate Brandon McInerney because of the former's sexual orientation. King was removed from life support Feb. 16.
Craig, borrow and plead: A Senate ethics panel officially admonished Sen. Larry Craig, saying he acted improperly during and after an airport bathroom sting. The Senate Ethics Committee was displeased with Craig's actions after he was arrested for soliciting sex at a Minneapolis airport in June 2007, according to a letter of admonition signed by all six members of the panel on Feb. 13.
On the money: The estate of Ric Weiland—one of the first people to work at Microsoft Corporation and a high school classmate of the company's founders, Bill Gates and Paul Allen—bequeathed $65 million to gay-rights and HIV/AIDS organizations. Among the organizations that benefited from the bequest were Lambda Legal and the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.
Wade open: Director-producer Cynthia Wade won a Best Documentary ( Short Subject ) Oscar for Freeheld, which recounts the recent struggle of New Jersey Detective Lt. Laurel Hester to transfer her pension to her domestic partner, Stacie Andree, before Hester's death.
Causing a commotion: Superstar musician and gay icon Madonna was among several performers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in its 23rd annual induction ceremony March 10 at New York City's Waldorf-Astoria. The year would prove to be bittersweet for the Material Mom; she later divorced husband Guy Ritchie.
A Kern for the worse: Gay-rights organizations criticized Republican Oklahoma State Representative Sally Kern after an audio recording of her denouncing gays was leaked. A YouTube video of Kern talking about the LGBT community to a group of approximately 50 Republicans revealed her saying, among other things, that "according to God's word, that is not the right kind of lifestyle. It has deadly consequences for those people involved in it."
Oh, baby: Thomas Beatie, 34, from Bend, Ore., made history as the first pregnant transgender man. He appeared on various television shows ( including The Oprah Winfrey Show ) and publications ( such as The Advocate ) . He gave birth to a girl ( Susan Juliette Beatie ) on June 29—and is pregnant again.
Altared state: In a historic development, hundreds of supporters gathered at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco as Archbishop Desmond Tutu received the 2008 Outspoken Award from the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. During his half-hour address, Tutu said that he felt it necessary to speak up "when people were frequently hounded ... vilified, molested and even killed as targets of homophobia ... for something they did not choose—their sexual orientation."
I do—for now: The California Supreme Court ruled May 15 that state laws prohibiting the recognition of same-sex marriages violate state constitutional rights of gay people; marriages commenced in mid-June. Marriage would again be thrust into the forefront in November when state residents passed the anti-same-sex-marriage initiative Proposition 8.
Working it out: The first-ever federal hearing on workplace protection from transgender persons took place June 26 before the education and labor subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives. Lesbian U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and openly gay U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., were among those who testified.
Bush league: The United States international AIDS effort—the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief ( PEPFAR ) —was renewed for another five years. The PEPFAR budget will more than triple to $50 billion over the life of the program. Another major provision involved lifting travel and immigration restrictions on persons who are HIV-positive.
Book thrown at library: A federal judge found that the Library of Congress illegally discriminated against a transgender woman, Diane Schroer, in the process of transitioning when it withdrew a job offer to her.
Now hear this: The first congressional hearing on repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," held July 23, featured a heavy dose of inspirational patriotism from witnesses and representatives.
Shootings in Tennessee: On July 27, a man opened fire at Knoxville's welcming Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. Two people were killed and six others were injured.
The numbers game: New HIV infections in the U.S. topped 56,000 a year in 2006—about 40 percent more than previous estimates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released those numbers at a news conference Aug. 2.
Show time: MSNBC announced Aug. 20 that it was giving political commentator Rachel Maddow her own weeknight show. The press statement included mention that Maddow lives with her "partner," artist Susan Mikula.
Ban and boy: In Florida, a judge ruled that the state's gay-adoption ban was unconsitutional. Monroe Circuit Court Judge David Audlin, Jr., delivered the ruling, which was in favor of a gay foster parent in Key West who wanted to adopt a 13-year-old boy.
Outgoing: Actress Lindsay Lohan and singer Clay Aiken both came out of the closet. Lohan confirmed her relationship with DJ Samantha Ronson.
With this ring: The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Oct. 10 that gay couples in the state must be able to obtain marriage licenses the same as straight couples can. The decision was a 4-3 vote, with the three dissenting justices each submitting their own brief.
No laughing matter: Comedienne Wanda Sykes came out of the closet—and admitted that she married her partner Oct. 25—during a Nov. 15 anti-Prop 8 rally at the GLBT Community Center in Las Vegas, Nev.
A matter of policy: Retired Admiral Charles Larson, former superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, topped a list of 104 retired generals and admirals calling for an end to the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy governing gay troops.
Milk men: On Nov. 26, Milk—the critically acclaimed filmic biography of late gay-rights activist/politician Harvey Milk—opened in select theaters around the country. The film stars Sean Penn, James Franco and Emile Hirsch ( among others ) and is directed by Gus Van Sant.
Out of the closet: Commercial Closet Association ( CCA ) announced that it would integrate its programs and operations with those of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation—but it would happen without CCA Executive Director/Founder Mike Wilke, who was terminated from the association after months of mounting tension between himself and board members.
The need to lead: Over 600 LGBT elected officials and leaders attended the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., which took place Dec. 4-7. Among the topics discussed was how President-elect Barack Obama can make improvements for LGBT people.
Holding court: On Dec. 9, the Iowa Supreme Court heard arguments in Lambda Legal's case on behalf of six Iowa same-sex couples who are seeking the right to marry.
Warren of words: Controversy erupted over President-elect Barack Obama's invitation to evangelical minister Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration. Although Warren has been at the forefront of some causes such as the battle against the HIV/AIDS pandemic, he also is against same-sex marriage ( equating it with incest and pedophilia ) and abortion rights.
Passages:
Heath Ledger—an actor who starred in many acclaimed movies, including the 2005 gay cowboy film Brokeback Mountain and the 2008 summer blockbuster The Dark Knight—was found dead in a New York City apartment of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. He was 28.
Jahna Steele, a Las Vegas transgender legend, died Jan. 24 at the age of 49. The cause of death was an accidental mixed-drug intoxication.
Mildred Loving—who started a ball rolling toward knocking down laws banning interracial marriage and who, late in life, also spoke out against bans on gay marriage—died May 2, in Milford, Va. She was 68.
Charles Moskos, the architect of the anti-gay military policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," died of cancer at the age of 74.
Jesse Helms—the former North Carolina senator who opposed gays and liberals during his three-decade run in the U.S. Congress—died on the Fourth of July. He was 86.
Del Martin—the legendary lesbian activist who married her love of 55 years, Phyllis Lyon, June 16 in California—died Aug. 27 in San Francisco, Calif., according to a release from the National Center for Lesbian Rights ( NCLR ) . Martin was 87.
Gene Copello, the executive director of The AIDS Institute, died Oct. 7 at the age of 49 at a Washington, D.C., area hospital. The cause of death involved complications of kidney disease.
Eartha Kitt, the sultry singer-actress and legendary gay icon, died of colon cancer in Connecticut on Christmas Day. She was 81.
