Openly gay former U.S. Rep. Barney Frank told The Huffington Post that President Obama made a major political mistake by lying about the details of his health care plan. "The rollout was so bad, and I was appalled—I don't understand how the president could have sat there and not been checking on that on a weekly basis," Frank said. "But frankly, he should never have said as much as he did—that if you like your current health care plan, you can keep it. That wasn't true." However, Frank is a strong supporter of the law, and he has repeatedly defended Obama and his legislative agenda.
Dozens of Indiana firefighters, police officers and emergency medical workers say a federal appeals court should uphold same-sex marriage in Indiana and Wisconsin for the sake of the families of gay first responders, according to Edge Boston. A spokeswoman for marriage-equality supporters said that more than 100 first responders have signed a legal brief filed with the 7th U.S. Court of Appeals. The court has scheduled an Aug. 26 hearing on an appeal of rulings that threw out same-sex marriage bans in Indiana and Wisconsin.
Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has pledged to sign an executive order that would prohibit state agencies from discriminating against employees on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity if he returns to the governor's mansion, On Top Magazine reported. Crist announced that if elected he will sign five executive orders Jan. 6, 2015 that "will make Florida a better place for all—not just those at the top." Among the orders in what Crist calls the First Day of Fairness is one which would "prohibit any form of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity within the state agencies or its contractors—because all Floridians should be equal in the eyes of the law."
Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen stands by his decision not to defend Wisconsin's domestic-partner registry, LGBTQ Nation reported. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that the registry giving limited benefits to same-sex couples does not violate the state's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. However, Van Hollen said that despite the court's unanimous decision, he still believes the registry is unconstitutional. Meanwhile, he continues to defend the state's ban on same-sex marriage, despite a federal court ruling—and more than a dozen others like it—that the ban is unconstitutional.
A federal judge dismissed a challenge to New Jersey's law prohibiting "ex-gay therapy" for minors, Metro Weekly reported. U.S. District Court Judge Freda Wolfson dismissed the case Doe v. Christie, which was filed by a minor and his parents arguing that the New Jersey ban violates the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The dismissal follows a similar decision by Wolfson in November 2013 in the case King v. Christie, filed by two licensed therapists challenging the law.
With California's governor, lieutenant governor and state Senate president pro tem all out of town for part of July 30, newly elevated Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins ( D-San Diego ) found herself briefly serving as acting governor—becoming the first openly gay person to serve in that capacity, The L.A. Times reported. Atkins, who just became speaker in May, said she couldn't help but think about "how a young girl who grew up in poverty in Virginia ends up as speaker and, therefore, gets the opportunity to be acting governor." She added, "If Gov. Brown wants a few more days away, I'm here for him!"
Mozilla has given acting chief executive Chris Beard the job permanently, bringing an official end to the management crisis that struck the Firefox developer four months ago with the short-lived tenure of Brendan Eich, CNET.com reported. Eich, Mozilla's co-founder and chief technology officer, was promoted to CEO in March, but resigned fewer than two weeks later in April after a lot of protest about his 2008 contribution of $1,000 to a movement against same-sex marriage in California.
Broward Circuit Judge Dale Cohen declared Florida's gay-marriage ban unconstitutional—the third South Florida judge in 18 days to do so, McClatchyDC.com reported. He immediately stayed his decision pending an appeal by the state of Florida. His ruling paves the way for Heather Brassner to dissolve her 2002 Vermont civil union.
Opponents of Houston's LGBT-inclusive Equal Rights Ordinance ( HERO ) fell short of qualifying for a ballot referendum, according to LGBTQ Nation. The petition needed at least 17,269 valid signatures from registered Houston voters to put a repeal of the ordinance before voters in November; there were 15,247 such signatures. The city council approved the ordinance May 28, and consolidates city bans on discrimination based on sex, race, age, religion and other categories, and increases protections for LGBT residents.
The Supreme Court won't avoid the issue of same-sex marriage the next time a case comes to the court, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, according to The Huffington Post. Ginsburg said in an interview with The Associated Press that she expects a same-sex marriage case to be heard and decided by June 2016, and possibly a year earlier. She added that attitudes have changed swiftly in favor of same-sex marriage, which is now legal in 19 states and the District of Columbia.
Advocates are calling for the immediate release of a transgender woman who has been detained in the privately run Eloy Detention Center in Arizona for over a year, after she was sexually assaulted by her cellmate in late July, according to a joint press release from the Transgender Law Center, Arcoiris Liberation Team and Puente Movement. Marichuy ( legal name: Jesus Leal Gamino ) reportedly experienced bullying, lewd comments and threats of rape from her cellmate for weeks before the incident. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) officials have been advised of the situation on multiple occasions, but have reportedly failed to take adequate measures to ensure her safety, even allegedly trying to pressure her to sign a declaration claiming that the rape was consensual sex.
Five same-sex couples have been turned down for marriage licenses in a South Carolina county, The Aiken Standard reported. The couples, part of Campaign for Southern Equality's "We Do" project, had expected their requests to be rejected. The rejections happened two days after the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Virginia's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional. South Carolina is in the same judicial circuit, but the state plans to continue fighting a lawsuit to overturn its gay-marriage ban.
Yvette Cantu Schneider is the latest "ex-gay" leader to renounce the movement, according to On Top Magazine. In a blog post for GLAAD, Schneider, who is promoting her book Never Not Broken: A Journey of Unbridled Transformation, explained that she began questioning the movement in 2008, as Christian conservatives came together to help approve Proposition 8. Schneider has also reportedly said that many of her former colleagues were unconvinced that altering a person's sexuality is possible.
Speaking of Schneider, she is one of nine former leaders of so-called "ex-gay" ministries who published a joint letter denouncing conversion therapy and lending their support to the National Center for Lesbian Rights' #BornPerfect campaign to end the practice in five years, according to a press release. Some of the others who signed the letter include Tim Rymel, former outreach director of Love in Action; John J. Smid, former executive director of Love In Action and board member for Exodus International; and Darlene Bogle, founder and former director of Paraklete Ministries.
The annual Fire Island Dance Festival raised more than half a million dollars for the fight against HIV/AIDS, The Washington Blade reported. The 20th annual event, which took place on New York's Fire Island on July 18-20, raised $533,860 for Dancers Responding to AIDS. The dance festival featured nearly 50 professional dancers during multiple performances.
Chicago will have an openly gay mayoral candidate. Dennis Sneyers, who has worked in the financial-services industry for several years, will formally announce his intentions Aug. 5 at the LGBT community facility the Center on Halsted. Sneyers claims he would bring to City Hall a governing style that's more diplomatic, transparent and open to new ideas than the one current Mayor Rahm Emanuel has.
A man accused of killing a bisexual California college student has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, a hate crime, and a special circumstance allegation of lying in wait, Advocate.com reported. Miguel Angel Bautista Ramirez was arrested July 13 in connection with the fatal shooting of Juan Ceballos, 20, in Mecca. According to Ceballos's younger brother, the victim was bisexual, and police say the crime was motivated by his sexual orientation.
The music director of a Illinois church lost his job after getting engaged to be married, NBC Chicago noted. Colin Collette got engaged to his longtime partner in Rome; however after announcing his big news, he was fired from the Holy Family Church in the Chicago suburb of Inverness. The Archdiocese of Chicago issued a statement saying it was aware of the situation at Holy Family and would not comment on an individual's personnel issues. A petition is available at www.act.faithfulamerica.org/sign/colincollette .
Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor intends to resign from Congress in August following his surprising defeat in the June primary, The Chicago Tribune noted. The Republican told The Richmond Times-Dispatch he would resign his seat in the House of Representatives effective Aug. 18. Cantor has asked Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe to hold a special election to coincide with the regular election in November for his seat.
Equality Illinois has launched a statewide voter engagement effort for the November election—called "Get Your V Card"—to "defend the historic victories Illinois has been able to achieve and to continue to build a stronger state," according to a press release. The campaign's website, GetYourVcard.org, is a one-stop location for voters who want to register to vote online; verify if their registration is up to date; or request an absentee ballot.
Funders for LGBTQ Issues has released a new report entitled "Pathways Forward: Foundation Funding for LGBTQ Immigration Issues," according to a press release. The report finds that while there are nearly 1 million LGBTQ immigrants in the United States, less than half of 1 percent of immigration funding specifically targets LGBTQ immigrants. Both the infographic and full report are now available for download at www.lgbtfunders.org .
In North Carolina, a Belmont restaurant owner is fielding criticism and accusations of discrimination for his refusal to support a gay advocacy group with a fundraiser at his business, The Gaston Gazette reported. Doug Rogers, founder of Johnny B's Pizza Pad, often partners with schools and nonprofits to host Spirit Night events; however, when PFLAG ( Parents, Friends and Family of Lesbians and Gays ) Gaston asked to be included in that promotion, Rogers declined, as he said he would with any group he deems partisan or potentially divisive. Rogers has said he personally has no problem with gay people.
Gay supporters of Georgia Democrat Jason Carter flooded a fundraiser and raised nearly $90,000 for his campaign for governor—even though Carter offered no specifics on his positions on LGBT issues, according to Project Q Atlanta. In his remarks to the crowd, Carter reportedly talked in general terms about equality and how he believes that all people should be treated fairly in the workplace; however, he didn't address gay marriage or other LGBT issues at the event, even though the state is being sued in federal court over its same-sex marriage ban.
Nevada state Sen. Pat Spearman—a gay pastor who sponsored a resolution to amend the Nevada Constitution to allow same-sex marriage—performed a rainbow-themed wedding ceremony for a gay couple, Las Vegas entertainer Phil Flowers and his partner, Bob Nole, before a crowd of 400 people at the Silverton's Veil Pavilion, The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. "It's time," said Spearman, D-North Las Vegas. "You can't say you're for civil rights and equal rights and stop at marriage." The state doesn't recognize the couple's nuptials, but Spearman said she got tired of waiting for the law to change.
A blogger and social-media specialist for a Provo, Utah-based English language learning center has been fired after writing an article explaining "homophones," because the school's owner said it created the perception the school promoted a gay agenda, according to LGBTQ Nation. Tim Torkildson claims that after he wrote the blog, Nomen Global Language Center owner Clarke Woodger fired him because "now our school is going to be associated with homosexuality." The school has removed the article from from its website, but a similar explanation of homophones was posted in 2011 with apparently no controversy.
In Texas, the Fort Worth Police Department has launched a new effort to make inroads with the city's gay community, according to CBS Fort Worth. It is the latest attempt to mend a dept rift between the city's officers and the LBGT community following the 2009 police raid of the Rainbow Lounge, during which two people were injured. The video features Fort Worth Police Detective Chris Gorrie, and is intended to help recruit a more diverse group of officers.
Colorado regulators claim that a popular Denver gay bar discriminated against a man when a bouncer denied him entry last year because he was dressed in drag, according to the Associated Press. The civil-rights division of the state's Department of Regulatory Agencies ordered the Denver Wrangler to resolve the dispute with Vito Marzano, a 27-year-old gay man who was wearing a dress, make-up and a wig when he went to the bar on Aug. 31, 2013. Director Steven Chavez said the Wrangler wrongly favors bisexual and gay men who embrace a hypermasculine image while shunning interaction with gay men who "exhibit effeminacy."
The job market is apparently so tough that some business schools have been encouraging straight students to attend career fairs geared toward their LGBT counterparts, according to Businessweek.com . For example, Matt Kidd, executive director of Reaching Out MBA, said only one of the 15 students from Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business who attended the conference in New Orleans last year was openly gay. While some don't see why the move's controversial, Reaching Out MBA will now restrict how students can sign up for the conference. Students will be asked to write about why they want to attend or to sign up through their campus LGBT student groups.
