In Florida, Oscar Mosqueda, 34—who was wearing a miniskirt and high-heeled shoes—was fatally shot by Cesar Villazano, 18, following an argument between the two, according to News-JournalOnline.com . Both were in a restaurant called Pasta Amore when Mosqueda allegedly came on to Villazano, who said he was embarrassed about the advance because he is not gay.
UPS, Inc., will extend health-insurance benefits to the civil-union partners of its gay employees, according to Advocate.com . The state's governor, Jon Corzine, even sent the company a letter asking it to change its position so that gay couples could also use the policy.
A coalition of 16 national LGBT organizations is asking the City Commission of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and the Broward County Commission to publicly condemn Mayor Jim Naugle for recent anti-gay comments, according to a press release from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, one of the groups in the coalition. Among other things, the coalition's letters say that Naugle agreed with the statement that 'homosexuality is a criminal act.' Other groups in the coalition include Family Pride, Log Cabin Republicans, National Stonewall Democrats and GLAAD.
Jennifer Spencer, a transwoman, recently prevailed in a case against the Idaho Department of Corrections and its doctors, claiming that they ignored dozens of requests for gender-identity disorder treatment she felt she needed, according to Advocate.com . Spencer, who was born Randall Gammett, changed names after being jailed in 2000 but didn't talk about her perceived disorder until 2003; in 2004, she castrated herself with a disposable razor blade after she said she was ignored.
In New Jersey, a new three-story LGBT community center has opened in Jersey City, according to Advocate.com . Hudson Pride Connections; the Northern New Jersey chapter of the national organization GLSEN; and the organizers of the city's annual pride festival, Jersey City Lesbian + Gay Outreach, will all occupy the building, which will have an official opening ceremony on Oct. 25.
In Wisconsin, teenager Eric Hainstock received life in prison for shooting his high-school principal, John Klang, because the official supposedly let the student be subjected to anti-gay taunting, according to the Associated Press. Hainstock's lawyers had argued that he had a troubled childhood and had only taken the shotgun and revolver to school to make people listen.
Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) has released a statement expressing its disappointment over the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's nomination of Judge Leslie Southwick to the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. In the statement, HRC has cited Southwick's civil-rights record, saying that he 'participated in a decision removing an 8-year-old child from the biological mother due in part to the mother's sexual orientation.'
Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson—the first openly gay man elected bishop of a major American Christian denomination—has announced that he is endorsing Barack Obama for president, WMUR.com reported. ' [ He ] sees beyond the partisanship and hopelessness that have dominated in recent years, and the movement he's building is bringing vital new energy and optimism into our democratic process,' Robinson said of Obama, who supports civil unions but not same-sex marriage.
Hillary Clinton's camp has announced that lesbian U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin has endorsed her for president. 'Senator Clinton is supremely prepared and the candidate best able to ensure health care for all, reaffirm our commitment to the Constitution and rule of law, and re-establish our position of leadership in the world,' Baldwin said in a statement.
In Pennsylvania, federal judge Marvin Katz has allowed gay couple Daniel Mangini and Steven Roberts to reunite even though they are each serving supervised release after being jailed for drug possession, according to 365Gay.com . The U.S. Probation Office usually does not let felons associate with each other while being supervised; however, exceptions may be made for close family members.
Recently, Young Democrats of America voted for its first openly gay president when it elected Dallas activist David Hardt during the organization's annual convention, according to The Dallas Voice. Hardt won with 93 percent of the total votes cast—the largest margin in the group's history.
In St. Louis, the former chief of the city's public defender's office has admitted to arranging a fake marriage to keep his boyfriend in the country, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Eric Affholter said that he and his Peruvian beau, Pedro Cerna-Rojas, convinced employee Collette Lewis to marry Cerna-Rojas. Affholter and Cerna-Rojas, who has returned to his home country, were both indicted.
In Lawrence, Kan., the first same-sex domestic-partner registry in the state has opened, according to 365Gay.com . Approximately a dozen couples lined up the first day, Aug. 1, to register. The city's commissioners approved the plan in May.
