Lesbian actress/activist Meredith Baxter will serve as the keynote speaker at Dallas' 31st annual Black Tie Dinner Nov. 3 at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel, according to a press release. The sold-out event is the largest one-night LGBT black-tie fundraiser in the nation. Comedian/actress Caroline Rhea will emcee the event. In addition, Chaz Bono will receive the Elizabeth Birch Equality Award; architect/humanitarian Lucilo Pena will receive the Kuchling Humanitarian Award; and JCPenney will be the recipient of the Black Tie Dinner Media Award.
At the recent Democratic National Convention, openly gay U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., twice compared the Log Cabin Republicans (a gay GOP group) to the Uncle Tom character in Uncle Tom's Cabin. After Log Cabin's leaders expressed outrage, Frank responded in a statement issued Sept. 11, according to Advocate.com . In part, Frank said, "It is a good thing for Republicans to try to influence other Republicans to be supportive of LGBT rights. The problem is when they pretend to be successful when they haven't been, and urge people to join them in rewarding the Republicans when they have, in fact, continued their anti-LGBT stance."
GLAAD has announced the nominees for its 2012 Amplifier Awards, which honors pro-LGBT individuals and projects in advertising and public-relations industries, according to a press release. Among the companies receiving nominees are Wells Fargo, Kraft Foods (with its Oreo Pride campaign), Lexus, Orbitz and KY Brand. The awards show will take place Oct. 2 at New York City's XL Nightclub. To see all the nominees, see www.glaad.org/amplifierawards/nominees.
Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) has unblocked the term "bisexual" from its search algorithm, according to a press release from BiNet USA. Since late 2009, Google has had "bisexual" on a list of banned words. BiNet USA President Faith Cheltenham said, "It will take time for bisexual search terms to be ranked as they were before the ban, but now bisexual people and their allies have a fighting chance to be seen, heard and understood."
Organizers of the Unity Through Community LGBT welcome event for the Democratic National Convention said nearly 1,000 people attended their special event Sept. 2, held at the new North Carolina Dance Theatre building on South Tryon Street, just blocks away from official convention venue sites in uptown Charlotte. Among those attending were former Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese, openly gay Charlotte City Councilmember LaWana Mayfield, National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Jerame Davis and Clinton White House advisor Richard Socarides.
In an interview with The Advocate, Athlete Ally founder Hudson Taylor admitted to not always being a supporter of the LGBT commuity, having used gay slurs in the past. However, he added that most of his closest friends are now LGBT, and he is now using his organization (in partnership with GLAAD) to provide ally trainings for professional sports teams and leagues—starting with the NBA.
In Boston, U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf ordered the Massachusetts Department of Corrections to provide sex-change surgery to transgender inmate Michelle Kosilek (born Robert Kosilek), who's serving life in prison for murder, according to NBC News. In so ruling, Wolf—who is reportedly the first federal judge to make such a decision—said that to not provide the surgical option violated Kosilek's Eighth Amendment right to adequate treatment. Kosilek, who identifies as female, has received hormone treatments and lives in an all-male prison.
In Maryland, Christian Ariel Romero, 20, has been charged with attempted murder and theft after stabbing a gender-variant person after the two engaged in a sex act, according to Advocate.com . After arriving at the victim's home and engaging in the act, Romero allegedly stabbed the victim several times, stole the victim's cell phone and fled the scene. Considering Romero admitted attacking the victim because of gender identity or expression, he could face federal hate-crime charges under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
In California, four U.S. Marines were arrested after allegedly assaulting a gay man—and the attack is being investigated as a possible hate crime, according to NBC News. The victim, a film student, blacked out from being beaten Sept. 3 outside the Silver Fox bar in Long Beach, which went to with his boyfriend; he was briefly hospitalized and released with non-life threatening injuries. In addition to the physical attack, Long Beach Police Cmdr. Joe Stilinovich said, "During the course of the assault and prior to the assault, statements were made by the suspect [and/or suspects], derogatory statements, regarding the victim's sexual orientation."
In Michigan, transgender male Seth Knop has joined the varsity football team at Grosse Pointe South High School, according to Advocate.com . Knop, a running back, said he wanted to join the team last year but was too afraid to try out. However, this year he approached both varsity and junior-varsity football coaches and was told the school's athletic policy permits co-ed sports teams. Knop said most people have been supportive, even in his conservative town of 5,000.
Maryland state House Delegate Emmett Burns has criticized Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo for the player's stance in favor of marriage equality, Outsports.com reported. Burns sent a letter to Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti saying he found it "inconceivable" that a player would support same-sex marriage. In response, the player tweeted, "The fight is not about same-sex marriage or interracial marriage or slavery or equal rights for women. The fight is for equality for all." Ayanbadejo offered two tickets to the Ravens' season opener to support a fundraiser for Marylanders for Marriage Equality.
In response to Maryland state House Delegate Emmett Burns criticizing Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo for the latter's stance in favor of marriage equality, another player has berated Burns. According to ABC News, Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe (in a letter) told the politician, "I can assure you that gay people getting married will have zero effect on your life. They won't come into your house and steal your children. They won't magically turn you into a lustful cockmonster. ... I find it inconceivable that you are an elected official of Maryland's state government."
Freedom to Marry has launched the National Engagement Party, a program of house parties that aims to raise awareness and funds for battles to win marriage ballot-measures in key states this November. The National Engagement Party will take place in cities across the country Saturday, Oct. 13. The National Engagement Party will include grassroots and DIY events across the country as well as sponsored events confirmed for Miami; New York; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; Palm Springs, Calif.; and San Francisco.
In Chicago, the Legacy Walk's inaugural dedication will take place in the Boystown section of Halsted Street on Thursday, Oct. 11—National Coming Out Day. The Legacy Walk will be the only outdoor museum-scape in the world dedicated to celebrating the contributions that LGBT people have made to history and culture. This year's inductees include, among others, Oscar Wilde (sponsors: Tom Chiola and Drew Jemilo), Christine Jorgensen (Tawani Foundation), Alvin Ailey (Fifth Third Bank), Barbara Jordan (Levi Strauss & Co.) and Keith Haring (Highfield Group); there are 17 inductees total.
The mother of William "Billy" Lucas—a 15-year-old boy who committed suicide in September 2010 after being bullied—is suing the school he attended, according to Advocate.com . Indianapolis Attorney Tom Blessing has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit that claims Lucas was a target of bullying because of his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), ethnicity and perceived sexual orientation. Among those named in the suit are Greensburg Community Junior High School Principal Rodney King; Assistant Principal David Strouse; and school employees Iris Ramp and Darci Kovacic.
The National AIDS Memorial Grove announced the expansion of its Young Leaders Scholarship Program, making $1,000 to $2,500 scholarships available to young leaders, according to Business Wire. The scholarship aims to recognize, support and encourage the educational efforts of young people committed to active roles of public service and leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Applications and personal statements are due Oct. 5, and essays must be received by Oct. 22; see www.aidsmemorial.org or contact Steve Sagaser at ssagaser@aidsmemorial.org or 415-765-0497.
President Obama recently announced more key administration posts—including David C. Bohnett, according to a White House. Bohnett, who is openly gay, was named a general trustee of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' board of trustees. Bohnett is currently chairman of the board of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, and a trustee of the Foundation for AIDS Research and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Caroline Kennedy was also named a trustee for the Kennedy Center.
In Iowa, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney has endorsed anti-gay right-wing extremist Steve King for Congress, according to Gay Star News. In an interview with the conservative group the Family Research Council, King said all gay people should be closeted so they don't have to deal with discrimination at work. In addition, he has defended embattled politician Todd Akin by saying he himself was personally unaware of any widespread issue of women becoming pregnant through rape, according to the Huffington Post.
Indiana University has released Kinsey Reporter, a global mobile survey platform for collecting and reporting anonymous data about sexual and other intimate behaviors, according to a press release. The pilot project allows citizen observers around the world to use free applications now available for Apple and Android mobile platforms to not only report on sexual behavior and experiences, but also to share, explore and visualize the accumulated information.
The first academic study of the military's new open-service policy has found there have been no negative consequences from the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the Huffington Post noted. The study—published by the Palm Center, a research branch of the Williams Institute at UCLA's law school—found that there has been no overall negative impact on military readiness, unit cohesion, recruitment, retention or morale. Researchers solicited the views of various individuals, including watchdog organizations and military officials who predicted that repeal would undermine the military.
In Florida, Sunrise resident Keith "Keyoko" Sumlin, 30, was arrested for attempted murder for having sex with a 15-year-old boy and infecting him with HIV, according to the Huffington Post. Sumlin met the teen through a mobile phone app and then invited him to his home, where they had sex. Sumlin reportedly told police he had sex with the victim and knew he was underage, but also claimed he used a condom.
In Massachusetts, gay couple James Fairbanks and Alain Beret is suing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester for allegedly refusing to sell them a retreat center because of their sexual orientation, Syracuse.com reported. The couple says that church officials halted negotiations to sell them the "Oakhurst" mansion because they feared the married business partners would host same-sex weddings at the site. Monsignor Thomas Sullivan, chancellor of the diocese, said that policy dictates the church won't sell properties that could be turned into a bar, lounge, abortion clinic or site for same-sex weddings.
A coalition of human-rights groups has asked public officials not to attend the Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C., because its host, the Family Research Council, has allegedly spread lies about the LGBT community, and because one of its co-sponsors, the American Family Association (AFA), has linked homosexuality to the Holocaust, according to a GLAAD press release. "Given the FRC's and AFA's public statements, we urge you not to lend the prestige of your office to the summit," the coalition wrote in letters to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, Sens. Jim DeMint and Rand Paul, and other public officials who have been invited to speak at the summit. The summit is slated for Sept. 14-16.
North Dakota State College of Science student Jamie Kuntz has been kicked off his school's football team after kissing his boyfriend in the press box at a game, according to Advocate.com . Kuntz, who was a linebacker, could not play because he recently sustained a concusion, so he was in the press area at the school's game in Colorado with his 65-year-old boyfriend, who lives in Denver. After finding out about the kissing, head coach Chuck Parsons told Kuntz that it was a mistake to kiss his older boyfriend during a trip. Kuntz is currently looking for another school to attend, in hopes that he will reach his eventual goal of playing professional football.
Florida A&M University wants a judge to throw out a lawsuit that the family of Robert Champion—the drum major who died after being beaten by fellow members of the marching band last November—has filed against the school, according to CBS News. The university maintained that it was Champion, not the school, who bears the ultimate responsibility for his death because he did not refuse to take part in the hazing ritual. Champion was openly gay; however, his parents have said they don't believe his sexual orientation was an issue in his death, Advocate.com has reported.
