The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare have issued new rules that require all hospitals that participate in those programs to allow patients to designate who shall be allowed to visit them and make medical decisions on their behalf—and the designation includes same-sex partners, according to an ACLU press release. The new rules were published in the Federal Register Nov. 19. James Esseks, director of the ACLU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Project, said, "We are thankful that the administration has acknowledged that everyone should have the right to be with their loved ones in their times of need. Nobody should have to suffer the indignity of having to justify who should be at their hospital bedside."
U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., said Nov. 18 that there are enough votes to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, according to Advocate.com . "I am confident that we have more than 60 votes prepared to take up the defense authorization with the repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell' if only there will be a guarantee of a fair and open amendment process—in other words, whether we'll take enough time to do it," Lieberman said. Full debate on the entire bill could take as long as two weeks.
Three generations of LGBT veterans and advocates went to the White House fence Nov. 15 to call for the U.S. Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid, and President Obama to make good on their promises to secure the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" during the abbreviated, lame-duck session of Congress that started that day, according to a press release. The 13 individuals—who ended up being arrested—included Lt. Dan Choi ( who had previously been arrested ) , former U.S. Army Arabic Linguist Ian Finkenbinder and Robin McGehee, co-founder/director of GetEQUAL, the group that organized the protest.
In Oklahoma, two female high school students are talking after officials stopped them from graduating upon discovering the girls are a couple, according to Advocate.com . Melissa McKenzie, 18, said that she was expelled from Del City High School in Del City, Okla., after administrators found out she was living with her girlfriend, Kelsey Hicks, who subsequently dropped out of school. Hicks wanted to return to school to achieve her dream of being a firefighter; however, Hicks has claimed that school officials discouraged her from returning.
Harvey Milk School teacher Fred Goldhaber passed away Nov. 15 at age 63 of liver cancer, according to Advocate.com . Goldhaber—who resided in Jersey City, N.J.—volunteered to become the first teacher at the New York City, N.Y., school when it opened in 1985. Goldhaber is survived by his partner, Wilfredo Hinds.
In Illinois, Americans For Truth About Homosexuality President Peter LaBarbera has weighed in on the airport pat-down situation, wondering if gay Transportation Security Administration agents might go too far when examining travelers of the same sex, according to Christian News Wire. After Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano explained that the pat-downs are "same gender," LaBarbera later asked, "Isn't it just as inappropriate for a 'gay' male TSA agent to pat down male travelers as it is for a normal, heterosexual male TSA agent to pat down female travelers? ... The reality is, most traveling men would not want Barney Frank to pat them down at the airport security checkpoint."
In Michigan, high school students have backed teacher Jay McDowell, who told a student to leave because of the latter's anti-gay comments, according to Advocate.com . McDowell was suspended without pay for a day after kicking out the student, who cited religious reasons for his anti-gay stance. However, at a recent school-board meeting, 14-year-old openly gay Graeme Taylor ( among others ) asked the board to reverse its decision.
In New York City, HIV/AIDS activists plan to organize a "schmear" campaign to protest Mayor Michael Bloomberg's annual World AIDS Day Bagel Breakfast, according to Advocate.com . Dozens of activists, outfitted as bagels, plan to picket the event outside the Brooklyn Public Library; they will then attend the 24-hour vigil in City Hall Park, where the names of people who have died of AIDS will be read. Activists say that Bloomberg has proposed HIV/AIDS budget cuts after saying for the past three breakfasts that he is committed to AIDS funding.
Sarah Palin's daughter Willow posted anti-gay slurs on her Facebook page, according to Newser.com . The website TMZ showed screen shots of Willow, 16, posting the slurs to a male schoolmate who criticized her mother's new reality-TV show. On the social-networking site, Willow posted "Your so gay," misspelling "you're," and then called the boy a "faggot." Bristol Palin also allegedly got in a shot, calling the boy a "shit talker."
In a related development, the Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) has repeatedly called on Sarah Palin to come out against the kind of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment that the organization said is "typified by her 16-year-old daughter's posting on Facebook." Willow Palin, 16, has since deleted her Facebook page and Bristol Palin has apologized for their behavior, but Sarah Palin has not said anything on the subject. HRC Vice President of Communications Fred Sainz asked, "Sarah Palin's daughter seems to know when an apology is in order—why doesn't she?"
A study conducted by social scientists at the Pew Research Center in coordination with Time magazine found that 63 percent of the respondents thought that a same-sex couple raising a child qualifies as a family, according to AOL News. Other findings were that 39 percent of the participants thought that marriage, in general, is becoming obsolete, and 86 percent felt that a single parent and child constitute a family. Pew researcher Paul Taylor said, "If four in 10 are saying it's becoming obsolete, they're registering an awareness of a very important social change. It doesn't necessarily mean marriage is about to disappear or has disappeared."
In New York, C.J. Spiller, a running back for the NFL's Buffalo Bills, has apologized for tweeting an anti-gay insult against Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Ricky Sapp, according to Advocate.com . Sapp tweeted, "How is everyone today?" and Spiller responded, "Keep my name out of ur mouth fag"—a post that has since been deleted. Spiller, who played college football at Clemson University, later posted, "I wanna apologize for using dat derogatory term to any1 that I may have offended I am truly sorry that was out of my character. God bless."
In Texas, a gay couple used ingenuity to get married in the state, where same-sex marriages are banned, according to NBCDFW.com . Mark Reed and Dante Walkup got hitched Oct. 10 inside the W Hotel in Dallas; however, the person performing the ceremony did so via Skype from a W Hotel in Washington, D.C., where marriage equality is practiced. Reed and Walkup did have to register for a marriage license in D.C., however.
Also in Texas, 19-year-old Hermilio Moralez who had been accused of murdering 18-year-old Josh Wilkerson said that he beat Wilkerson's to death and burned his body because the boy allegedly came on to him, according to the Dallas Voice. Wilkerson's body was found Nov. 17 in a field after a 24-hour search. However, Wilkerson's family disputes Moralez's claim, with the victim's uncle, John Crochet, saying, "There had been some accusations by this animal that some sexual advances were made. ... The bottom line is whatever happened, he didn't deserve to die," the Houston Chronicle reported.
In Florida, friends celebrated the life of gay activist David Wylie, who died of cancer at the age of 44, on Nov. 13, the Miami Herald reported. Wylie had a particularly difficult early life: His biological parents abandoned him when he was 3 after his baby sister died, and his adoptive parents disowned him after he came out of the closet. Wylie died broke Oct. 19, with friends raising funds for his $895 cremation. Contributions can be made to the David L Wylie Memorial Fund, Bank of America, 1333 S. University, Plantation, Fla., 33324.
At the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, police are investigating more hate crimes, and the latest acts center around race and sexual orientation, according to the Chicago Tribune. Someone slashed the tires of the cars of three Black students and spray-painted "KKK" on the vehicles. On Nov. 7, a male allegedly shoved a female student against a fence while making an anti-gay comment. In September, a student was punched in the face while wearing a "Legalize Gay" T-shirt.
OUT Magazine has released its annual OUT 100 list, and Ricky Martin has been named entertainer of the year. Among the other honors doled out by the publication: figure skater Johnny Weir was named Diva of the Year, actress Julianne Moore ( The Kids Are All Right, A Single Man, Chloe ) was deemed Artist of the Year, Nate Berkus was Stylemaker of the Year and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow was named Newsmaker of the Year. Others on the list include Scissor Sisters, Rufus Wainwright, and David Cicilline ( the out gay mayor of Providence, R.I., who was elected to the U.S. House earlier this month ) .
At the U.S. Mr. Gay pageant held recently in Philadelphia, Penn., Eddie Rabon from Columbia, S.C., won the competition, according to Phillymag.com . Philadelphia's Ryan Mattis was first runner-up and New York City's Mario Godiva Green was second runner-up; Charles Biggs of Rehoboth Beach, Del., was the fitness winner and Clint Hudler of Nashville, Tenn., was Mr. Congeniality. While in Philadelphia, some of the competitors recorded a video for the "It Gets Better" project during a special event at the Liberty Bell.
While talking with evangelical voters in Des Moines, Iowa, Republican Mike Huckabee praised the ouster of three state supreme court justices who ruled in favor of same-sex marriage, according to Advocate.com . Huckabee spoke to more than 1,000 individuals at an event that marked the merger of a few groups into a single organization, the Family Leader. Huckabee, who is currently a TV commentator, may run for president in 2012.
After more than a year than a controversial inspection took place at the Fort Worth, Texas, gay bar known as the Rainbow Lounge, city officials have dropped charges against four patrons, according to the L.A. Times. During the inspection, Chad Gibson suffered a head injury; subsequently, people protested locally and nationally after patrons accused police officers of excessive force. Public-intoxication charges were dropped against Gibson, George Armstrong, Dylan Brown and Jose Macias.
Republican California state Sen. Roy Ashburn has done an about-face regarding how he does his job since coming out of the closet—so much so that his Equality California rating has skyrocketed, according to Gayapolis.com . Ashburn's score last year was zero; now it is 86—higher than some Democrats. Ashburn came out earlier this year amid rumors that he was arrested for drunk driving shortly after leaving a gay club.
In Massachusetts, prisoners are suing the state over its dispersal of HIV medication, according to an HIVPlusMag.com item. The suit claims that authorities routinely discourage prisoners from taking the drugs in order to save the state millions of dollars annually. New guidelines dictate that prisoners receive their daily medication in infirmaries instead of their own cells. As many as 300 inmates receive HIV medication.
Kristina Schake—who co-founded the consulting firm Griffin Schake and is a board member of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which is behind the lawsuit challenging Prop 8—is Michelle Obama's new communications director and President Obama's special assistant, according to Advocate.com . In a statement, Michelle Obama emphasized Schake's background in public-health issues and childhood nutrition. The position starts Dec. 6.
In Michigan, Saul Anuzis, the head of that state's Republican party, has endorsed Kyle Bristow, a right-wing extremist who has been involved in anti-gay and racist activities, Advocate.com reported. Bristow is the former leader of the Michigan State University branch of Young Americans for Freedom, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has classified as a hate group. Anuzis is hoping to overtake Michael Steele as chair of the Republican National Committee.
In Hawaii, it looks like a civil-union bill is poised to become law next year—especially since Neil Abercrombie has been elected governor, according to LGBTQNation.com . Abercrombie is a former 10-term congressman who supports gay rights; he has said that he would sign a same-sex civil-union bill if the state legislature passes it. The legislature passed a bill that would have given same-sex couples the rights of marriage, but Republican Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed it.
