A scion of the Rockefeller family has launched an LGBT scholarship, the Philadelphia Gay News reported.Rick Rockefeller-Silvia, 25, has started the Rockefeller-Silvia Dream Endowed Scholarship, which will allow college students in Philadelphia to study in Europe for a semester. Rockefeller-Silvia said that he came out to his mother—Donna Rockefeller Deyoung Simpson, the great-great-granddaughter of billionaire oil entrepreneur John D. Rockefeller—when he was an adolescent.
In New York, a judge ruled that the state's thruway authority has to pay transwoman Mackenzie Valentine more than $55,000 because she worked in a hostile work environment, according to Advocate.com . Co-workers had called Valentine a "freak" and a "drag queen," and view computerized information about her when they discovered her former identity. Valentine underwent gender-reassignment surgery in 2006.
Dina Matos, the former wife of openly gay ex-New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, has come out against same-sex marriage, according to DailyRecord.com . Matos—who stood by McGreevey's side in 2004 when he declared himself a "gay American"—said that state lawmakers were correct when they rejected a marriage-equality measure, saying, "We have the civil union law in place, which I think is wonderful." McGreever is currently in a same-sex relationship, and has commented that he would marry his partner if he could.
In San Diego, Calif., several pro-LGBT groups ( including Equality California and the Courage Campaign ) recently held a demonstration against the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel—even though a marriage-equality workshop took place inside, according to the Bay Area Reporter. The Manchester Grand Hyatt, owned by Doug Manchester, has been targeted by gay-rights activists ever since it was revealed that he contributed $125,000 to support California's anti-same-sex-marriage initiative, Prop 8. The Washington, D.C.-based American Historical Association was meeting inside, and had included a forum called "Historical Perspectives on Same-Sex Marriage."
Also in San Diego, authorities are looking for a thief who seems to be going after gay men at Urban Mo's, a bar in the Hillcrest area, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. The suspect, who called himself "John" or "Paul," picked up at least two men in December at the nightspot.
In Nashville, Tenn., several hundred people met Jan. 7 for the 8th Annual Gay Christian Network Conference, according to Out & About Newspaper. The number of attendees exceeded expectations; the economy and a storm had organizers planning for a lower number of guests. Among the speakers was Mary Lou Wellner—best known for her interview in the documentary For the Bible Tells Me So—who discussed her lesbian daughter's suicide.
Jorge and Robert Morgan—a gay couple who say they are domestic partners—could face the death penalty if they are convicted of murdering Cynthia Ramos, who was killed in her Tracy, Calif., last summer, according to EDGE Boston. Ramos had been beaten, stabbed 55 times and strangled in her mobile home. In addition to the murder, the Morgans are charged with robbery, lying in wait and burglary. On a side note, the couple is seeking to be allowed to be incarcerated in the same cell even though policy dictates that they be kept apart.
A 22-year-old Seattle, Wash., man has told police that he was attacked in the parking lot of the Seattle Filipino Community Center because of his sexual orientation, according to SeattlePI.com . Police arrested the man, who also allegedly made anti-gay threats after the purported attack; however, he posted bond and was released from King County Jail. A second alleged attacker ran from the scene as authorities arrived.
Naval authorities are being criticized for the way they handled harassment and hazing in a dog-handling unit in Bahrain, according to the Virginian-Pilot. An investigation revealed more than 90 incidents of harassment of junior sailors, including being force-fed dog treats and ordered to simulate oral sex during a training video. Openly gay Petty Officer Joseph Rocha said that he was forced to leave the military in 2007 because, in reporting the hazing allegations, he admitted he was gay, violating the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, according to an Advocate.com item.
In Maine, marriage-equality activist Bruce LaVallee-Davidson has been convicted of manslaughter after he killed friend Fred Wilson "during a drug-fueled, three-way sex party that lasted 12 hours," according to Queerty.com . While it was not believed LaVallee-Davidson meant to kill anyone, using loaded guns during sex play was deemed negligent. He could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.
South Florida experienced its first same-sex-wedding expo when the Same Love, Same Rights Wedding Expo took place recently in Fort Lauderdale, the Miami Herald reported. The event attracted more than 200 visitors, who checked out what caterers, DJs, travel agencies, resorts and florists ( among others ) had to offer. Cindy Sproul, founder of the North Carolina-based Rainbow Wedding Network and sponsor of the expo, said that " [ u ] ltimately, we will have equal rights." Florida does not allow same-sex marriage.
The Advocate has determined the 15 gayest cities in the United States, using a point system that includes same-sex couple households per capita; gay elected officials; and LGBT films in Netflix favorites as factors, among others. Among the cities that made the cut are Albuquerque, N.M.; Springfield, Mass.; Gainesville, Fla.; Austin, Texas; Madison, Wis.; and Burlington, Vt. Atlanta, Ga., topped the list.
And speaking of Atlanta, details of a professional player from that city who romanced and dumped a male partner has the Internet community wondering who the mystery athlete could be, according to Advocate.com . Ms.Jia.com—a Web site for Black women—carried the story, which detailed how the player signed a $20 million contract; the player then supposedly offered the partner money to leave, but the lover did not accept it. The sports blog Deadspin has since identified the athlete as Atlanta Falcons player Ovie Mughelli, 29.
The LGBT organization Lambda Legal recently welcomed M. Dru Levasseur as its transgender-rights attorney, according to a press release. Prior to joining Lambda Legal, Levasseur was a staff attorney at the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund and, before that, served for two years as a law clerk in the Massachusetts Superior Court. In 2007, Levasseur co-founded the Jim Collins Foundation, which raises money to fund gender-reassignment surgeries.
The U.S. Supreme Court will decide if the 138,000 people who signed the Referendum 71 petitions in Washington state should have their names made public, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Referendum 71 is meant to overthrow a new domestic-partner law that benefits same-sex couples. Gay-rights organizations have vowed to post signers' names on the Internet, and the referendum supporters fear harassment if the public knows their names.
Miami Beach Gay Pride has teamed up with Passport Magazine, Source Events and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau to host a vacation for two on April 16-23 that centers around Miami Beach Gay Pride, according to a press release. The Miami Beach Gay Pride vacation contest will be online at www.passportmagazine.com/miamipride through March 14; the winner will be announced March 15. For details and information on Miami Beach Gay Pride, visit www.miamibeachgaypride.com .
GLSEN ( the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network ) , the Matthew Shepard Foundation and The Trevor Project—three organizations that work to improve the lives of LGBT youth—are among 100 finalists in Chase Community Giving, a campaign by Chase and Facebook to award $5 million to charities voted on by Facebook users. The top vote-getter receives $1 million, while five runners-up receive $100,000 each. Voting runs until Jan. 22; each Facebook user is eligible to vote for up to five charities.
The Human Rights Campaign has released a first-of-its-kind, free iPhone application for its "Buying for Equality" guide, according to an organizational press release. This new technology will allow shoppers to access the guide as they enter a store to see how hundreds of popular U.S. brands are rated, based on the businesses' treatment of their LGBT employees. See www.hrc.org/iPhone.
Beginning in 2010, the Obama administration, through the Office of Personnel Management, has listed gender identity among the classes protected by federal Equal Employment Opportunity ( EEO ) policies, according to an ACLU press release. "This new policy is a very significant development," said Christopher Anders, ACLU senior legislative counsel. "The inclusion of gender identity in federal EEO policies is a very clear statement that the federal government will not discriminate based on gender identity.
Minnesota's PRIDE Institute has partnered with GLBTQ Online High School to provide mental-health services as needed to the school's students, according to a joint press release. PRISM, the Minneapolis-based PRIDE-affiliate mental-health program, will provide Web and phone services, and will use its nationwide network of LGBTQ-friendly mental health services to help families find services in their own areas.
The anti-gay organization Focus on the Family will air a televised ad during the Super Bowl Feb. 7, according to the Denver Post. The 30-second commercial will feature senior University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow—a self-proclaimed virgin who is known for his strong Christian beliefs—and his mother. Focus on the Family has not revealed the exact content of the upcoming ad.
The American Foundation for Equal Rights has announced several prominents civil-rights leaders to its advisory board, according to a press release. Among the new board members are NAACP Board Chair Julian Bond, gay Iraq War vet Lt. Dan Choi, activist Cleve Jones, Huffington Post Editor-at-Large Hillary Rosen and Stuart Milk, the out nephew of the late San Francisco politician Harvey Milk.
Registration is underway for the 20th World Conference of GLBT Jews, to be held Aug. 13-15 in Los Angeles, Calif., on the UCLA campus. Early-bird discounts are available until Jan. 31; prices start at $225 per person. See www.la2010.org for more information.
