An attack that occurred at a New York shelter for trans and gay youth resulted in the arrest of four teens recently. The teenagers were arrested for hitting the priest who runs the shelter, located in Queens, as well as a few of the shelter's residents, while using anti-gay language. All victims had minor injuries. According to the priest, this isn't the first time his residents have been harassed or attacked.
A California county declined to act on a measure that would ban gay marriage. Kern County supervisors rejected conservative group The Campaign for Children and Families' idea to pass a gay marriage ban because it would be illegal for the county to reject the statewide policy allowing same-sex marriage, which went into effect on June 16.
The American Family Association called for a McDonald's boycott recently. The conservative, anti-gay national group called the boycott because the fast food chain is affiliated with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. The AFA has boycotted a number of companies over the years for supporting the LGBT community. In response to AFA's decision, McDonald's said it would stand by its support of the lesbian and gay community.
Legislators are trying to repeal a law that bars gay couples from marrying in the Massachusetts if same-sex marriage is illegal in their own state. Gov. Deval Patrick said that he would support the repeal of the old law. If it passes, Massachusetts will join California in opening up gay marriage to out-of-staters. Massachusetts legalized gay marriage in 2003.
A Midwestern gay man is suing two Bible publishers for including anti-gay passages. Bradley LaShawn Fowler of Michigan filed two lawsuits against Bible publishers Zondervan and Thomas Nelson Publishing for publishing Bibles that contain passages saying homosexuality is a sin. Between the two suits, he is seeking roughly $70 in damages. According to 365gay.com, even though the case sounds frivolous, conservatives are keeping their eyes on the cases.
Jesse Jackson has apologized for making vulgar comments about presidential hopeful Barack Obama. The comments—that Jackson wants to 'cut his [ Barack Obama's ] nuts off' and that the senator 'talks down to Black folks'—were picked up by a hot mic prior to a Fox News Chicago interview. According to Jackson, he was not aware that the microphone was live. Oddly enough, Jackson supports Obama.
Two Michigan teens are accused of beating a lesbian classmate, according to the Associated Press. The two female high school students were videotaped attacking their classmate by another student, and posted online. The attack was also caught on a school security camera. The victim said she thinks the attack occurred because of her sexual orientation. A pretrial hearing was set for July 21.
A Virginia gay couple who obtained a marriage license in Newport News Circuit Court will not be charged for providing false information. While applying for a marriage license, one of the men dressed as a woman and provided the name 'Justine.' Officials later realized that they had provided a gay couple a marriage license. Both men face charges, but officials dropped them because they couldn't prove whether the couple intended to deceive officials. Gay marriage is illegal in Virginia.
Chad Hardy—who created 'Men on a Mission, a calendar that featured shirtless Mormon missionaries—was excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for making the item, according to 365Gay.com . Hardy, 31, said that the elders 'still felt the calendar is inappropriate and not the image that the church wants to have.'
In Fort Lauderdale, Fla., two gay individuals—business owner Earl Rynerson and former City Commissioner Dean Trantalis—have tossed their hats into the ring to run for the mayoral post currently held by Jim Naugle, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported. Naugle, who cannot run again because of term limits, has incurred the wrath of the local LGBT community with comments such as, 'I use the word homosexual. Most of them aren't gay; they're unhappy.'
Supermodel Christine Brinkley testified during her divorce trial that she would have never married her ex-husband Peter Cook if she knew that he had been arrested for drugs at a gay truck stop. According to People Magazine, Brinkley thought Cook had been arrested elsewhere, and said, 'If I heard the facts as I know today I don't think I would have gone forward with the marriage.'
A lesbian couple that competed on a CBS reality show recently wed in California. Former 'Amazing Race' contestants Pat Hendrickson and Kate Lewis, who have been together for 11 years, tied the knot. Both are clergy members.