Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders ( SAGE ) will hold its fourth annual national conference on LGBT aging Oct. 12-14 in New York. The conference, titled, 'It's About Time: LGBT Aging in a Changing World,' is being sponsored by AARP. Hundreds are expected to participate this year. See www.sageusa.org for more information.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is continuing to show his support of gay marriage. Newsom announced that he would host a rally at San Francisco State University, urging voters to vote 'No' on Proposition 8 and Proposition 4 in November. Proposition 8 would overturn the California Supreme Court's decision legalizing same-sex marriage. Proposition 4 would require 48 hours notice for anyone under 18 to get an abortion without their parent's consent.
The Advocate reported that a victim of a possible hate crime that occurred near a Washington, D.C., gay bar, died from his injuries. Four young men attacked a 27-year-old gay man from Maryland one block away from the popular D.C. bar, BeBar, on Sept. 7. The victim, Tony Randolph Hunter, passed away on Sept. 17. Police are investigating it as a possible hate crime.
The University of Wyoming will dedicate a bench in memory of its former student, Matthew Shepard, on Sept. 27. Shepard was murdered in Laramie 10 years ago during a violent hate crime. His mother, Judy Shepard, will attend the dedication. Shepard's murder shed light on anti-gay hate crimes.
The American Civil Liberties Union recently filed a suit on the behalf of three individuals who claim they were victims of anti-gay harassment while they ate lunch at a Kentucky McDonald's. The ACLU filed a complaint with Louisville's Human Relations Commission. Louisville's human rights ordinance prohibits such discrimination. The fast food company's corporate headquarters are located in suburban Chicago. McDonalds has pro-gay policies. Last year, anti-gay groups such as the American Family Association called for a boycott of the company because of its involvement with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
The investigation of a recent deadly commuter train crash in Southern California that killed 25 people is focusing on a gay engineer. On Sept. 12, a commuter train crashed into a freight train. Investigators are focusing on a gay engineer, Robert Sanchez, who was also killed in the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board said that Sanchez never used the brakes before the crash, and they are investigating whether or not he was text messaging during those final moments before the deadly crash.
An online community for gay gamers was recently launched. The site, iGaymer.com, is for gay gamers and sci-fi geeks to dish about XBOX360, Wii, PC games and much more. Individuals can create profiles and connect in forums and blogs. The site's creator and lifelong gamer, Steve Lunny, created iGaymer.com after 'years of trying to find ways to connect with like-minded geeks.'
Gay-porn star Kurt Wild has said that he was fired from his job at a Subway sandwich franchise outside St. Louis, Mo., because a customer complained about Wild's film work, GayWired.com reported. Wild, 22, stated on the Web that ' [ a ] customer said they wouldn't even eat there at subway anymore because of my past work and said that if I wasn't fired then they would boycott the store.'
Actor Brad Pitt just donated $100,000 to help fight California's Proposition 8, a November ballot initiative that would overturn the California Supreme Court decision that legalized gay marriage. Pitt said, 'Because no one has the right to deny another their life, even though they disagree with it, because everyone has the right to live the life they so desire if it doesn't harm another and because discrimination has no place in America, my vote will be for equality and against Proposition 8.' Both Pitt and his partner, actress Angelina Jolie, have donated to several causes, such as combating HIV/AIDS in African.
Transformers actress Megan Fox told GQ magazine that she was once in love with a female stripper. The 22-year-old is engaged to actor Brian Austin Green, but said that she fell head over heels for a woman named Nikita when she was 18. She revealed that she brought the woman gifts and tried to persuade her to stop stripping. However, Fox said she doesn't identify as a lesbian. 'I just think that all humans are born with the ability to be attracted to both sexes,' she said. 'I mean, I could see myself in a relationship with a girl—Olivia Wilde is so sexy she makes me want to strangle a mountain ox with my bare hands.'
Showtime announced that its online spin-off of 'The L Word' will star Leisha Hailey, who plays the character Alice. 'L Word' creator Ilene Chaiken said that filming for the online show begins in December, but would not provide any other details about the show. The sixth and final season of 'The L Word' will start airing on Showtime in January.
Various networks are currently considering the pilot of a new lesbian detective show. 'The Seer' is a new crime solving drama with a gay twist—the lead character, a visionary who assists the Los Angeles Police Department with their cases, just happens to be a lesbian.
'True Blood' creator Alan Ball said the new HBO drama is not a metaphor for gay and lesbians folks, despite what many have been saying. Reporters recently asked the executive producer if vampires were being used to convey a message about gay rights, but Ball said that isn't so. 'I really don't look at the vampire as a metaphor for gays,' he said. He said that the use of vampires is 'not that serious,' but acknowledges that vampires do work as a metaphor for gays or 'anyone that's misunderstood.' Ball was also the creator of the former HBO hit series, 'Six Feet Under.'
