In a groundbreaking think tank sponsored by the National Center for Lesbian Rights ( NCLR ) in partnership with the Women's Sports Foundation Initiative: It Takes a Team! Education Campaign for LGBT Issues in Sport, top sports leaders, legal experts, policymakers and student-athletes met recently in Indianapolis, Ind., to address equal opportunity for transgender student-athletes, according to an NCLR release. The two-day session provided an opportunity to identify best practices and develop model policies for high school and collegiate athletic leaders to ensure the full inclusion of transgender student-athletes.
GLAAD announced award recipients at the recent 1st GLAAD Media Awards in Advertising ceremony presented by Ogilvy and Southwest Airlines, according to a GLAAD press release. Actor Alan Cumming, who received the Vito Russo Award at the awards, hosted the event, and was joined by special guests such as Bryan Batt ( Mad Men ) and Jay Manuel ( America's Next Top Model ) . Subaru received the Corporate Responsibility Award while Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams ( of the furniture company Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams ) were presented with the Public Visibility Award.
Lambda Legal has sent a letter to SkyWest and Delta Airlines warning the companies that their policy toward gay employees' spouses and registered domestic partners is illegal, according to a press release. SkyWest employee Gilbert Caldwell, who married his partner of 34 years in 2008, has to pay fare for his spouse while spouses of heterosexual workers do not pay. Lambda Legal added, in part, "SkyWest's denial of equal travel benefits amounts to a reduction in gay and lesbian employees' pay."
Window Media—which publishes the Southern Voice, Washington Blade, South Florida Blade, 411 Magazine, Houston Voice, David Magazine and the already-dead Genre magazine—abruptly closed over the weekend of Nov. 14, according to Philadelphia Gay News. Project Q Atlanta reported that a three-sentence notice was posted to the front door of the Window Media office in Atlanta; it read, in part, "It is with GREAT regret that we must inform you that effective immediately, the operations of Window Media, LLC and Unite Media, LLC have closed down."
In Indiana, Purdue University officials do not plan to censure library science professor Bert Chapman, who recently blogged about an "economic case" against homosexuality, UPI reported. University spokeswoman Jeanne Norbert told the Indianapolis Star, "There are many things on the Internet that would be offensive to a lot of people but protected by the First Amendment. The best response is to speak up, which is exactly what our students and some faculty are doing." Chapman, who describes himself as "a conservative Christian," said that he is surprised by the backlash he has experienced.
In Alabama, a school district has reversed its decision and now may allow lesbian high-school student Cynthia Stewart to bring her girlfriend to the prom, according to PinkNews.co.uk. Stewart was initially told the prom was cancelled because she wanted to bring her girlfriend to the Twarptown High School prom; however, pressure from the American Civil Liberties Union resulted in the reversal.
Embattled pastor Ted Haggard said that he was never an anti-gay preacher, according to TheDenverChannel.com . Haggard—who resigned from Colorado's New Life Church three years ago after admitting being with a gay male escort—said, "I was never a religious right, hateful, anti-gay guy—secretly running off, except right at the end." Haggard also said he believes the gay affair happened because of a childhood incident with one of his father's employees. Haggard and his family have returned to Colorado Springs, Colo.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ( GLAAD ) has announced a new board member and the results of its annual election of officers. John Hadity and Susan Mindell will serve as co-chairs of the national board of directors, Collin Sam was re-elected as treasurer and Mike Schaefer was re-elected to serve as secretary. Hadity is the chairman of the Producers Guild of America ( PGA ) East and has a seat on PGA's national board of directors.
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., has said that she would support changing the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include gays and lesbians, according to TheHill.com . Although no such amendment has been proposed in Congress, she said that such a measure would be "certainly worth fighting for." Gillibrand, who occupies the seat formerly held by now-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, has been outspoken on gay rights since becoming a senator almost a year ago.
In Texas, 20-year-old Ernesto Ivan Martinez has been arrested in the murder of Brownsville Museum of Fine Arts Executive Director Barry Horn, 59, who was openly gay, MySanAntonio.com reported. Martinez, who had lived with Horn for several months, allegedly stabbed Horn several times and fled in the victim's car. One of Horn's co-workers has said that Horn and Martinez—who reportedly had a background filled with foster homes and abuse—had more of a mentor/mentee relationship, and were not lovers.
In New York City, a taxi driver reportedly kicked a gay couple out of his cab when they embraced in the back of the vehicle, according to a New York Post item. Paul Bruno and his partner hailed a cab Nov. 2 but driver Medhat Mohamed allegedly pulled the taxi over two blocks into the trip, reportedly saying, "You guys have to get out of the taxi! Hugging is not allowed in here!" The Taxi and Limousine Commission is allegedly investigating the matter.
Lambda Legal has issued a statement praising the Los Angeles ( Calif. ) Police Commission for ending its ties with Learning for Life, a youth training program affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America. The commission cut ties almost two years after Lambda sent a request to then-City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, citing the Boy Scouts' exclusion of gays and atheists. Lambda Legal Senior Counsel Jennifer C. Pizer said, " [ t ] he department has moved away from an often divisive and confrontational past and into an inclusive and diverse present."
In Rhode Island, Gov. Donald L. Carcieri has vetoed a measure that would give domestic partners the right to claim the bodies of their loved ones as well as plan their funerals, according to the Providence Journal. Carcieri, a Republican, said: "This bill represents a disturbing trend over the past few years of the incremental erosion of the principles surrounding traditional marriage, which is not the preferred way to approach this issue." The bill's passage through the General Assembly was helped, in part, by resident Mark S. Goldberg, who told legislators about his fight to get the state to release the body of his partner of 17 years, Ron Hanby, for cremation. Carcieri met with Goldberg and other gay-rights activists Nov. 12 about the bill.
Howard Jacobs, an HIV/AIDS activist and a staff member at the West Hollywood ( Calif. ) City Hall, passed away Nov. 12 after battling HIV for 20 years; he was 45, according to Advocate.com . Jacobs entered a local hospital two weeks ago complaining about a pain in his side; he later discovered that he had a malignant tumor in his liver.
The Catholic archodiocese of Washington, D.C., has threatened to end its social-services program if the district keeps a proposed same-sex marriage law, according to Advocate.com . The program provides various services—including health care and homeless shelters—to thousands of people; however, the new bill would prevent religious groups from sexual-orientation discrimination. In a statement, the coalition D.C. Clergy United for Marriage Equality said, "the leadership of the Catholic Church made clear that they are choosing a cynical political ploy over their call to serve the neediest among the community."
Gay-rights organization Equality Arizona has laid off its staff of two members—Executive Director Barbara McCullough-Jones and Field Coordinator Meta Goforth-Zinn—but no one is saying why, AZCentral.com reported. Annie Groth, co-chairwoman of the Equality Arizona board, said, "We're being careful in what we say right now." Groth said she hoped to have an official statement Nov. 19. McCullough-Jones, who became the first out lesbian to seek political office in Arizona, had led Equality Arizona for four years.
