A couple of important LGBT-related bills will now be considered by the U.S. Congress in the fall, according to a Washington Blade item. A hate crimes bill regarding sexual orientation and gender identity will remain stalled in the Senate until at least September while the House is expected to debate the Employment Non-Discrimination Act ( ENDA ) the same month.
Officials at various Fort Lauderdale, Fla., hotels, visitors' bureau and related establishments are concerned that Mayor Jim Naugle's anti-gay comments may affect the number of LGBT tourists who visit the city, according to 365Gay.com . Among other things, Naugle has upset the city's LGBT community by saying, among other things, that gay sex is rampant in public restrooms.
Also, several hundred people turned out for an anti-Naugle rally outside Fort Lauderdale's city hall, according to Towleroad.com . Naugle held a news conference earlier that day, but it was to apologize to the city's residents 'for not alerting the public earlier to the serious problem of gay men having sex in public bathrooms.' Among those at the rally was Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith and Chip Arndt, a local resident who won TV's Amazing Race with Reichen Leimkuhl.
In Wisconsin, a murder trial has begun for Eric Hainstock, a teen who killed John Klang, his high-school principal, for reportedly failing to stop the student from being the subject of anti-gay bullying, according to 365Gay.com . While the district attorney has painted Hainstock as a liar, defense lawyers have stated that teachers ignored the bullying that the teen allegedly suffered.
In Palm Springs, Calif., an elderly man was beaten in what authorities are calling a reverse hate crime, KESQ.com reported. The 68-year-old victim was allegedly beaten by two men after he declined their offer to go home with him. Police are saying that the beating occurred because the victim was not gay.
In Rochester, N.Y., police union head Ron Evangelista has slammed Police Chief David Moore because of an internal investigation Moore has called involving a gay-bashing, according to The Advocate. Moore ordered the investigation after local gay-bashing victims alleged that police who responded to the incident used anti-gay slurs. 'It's the people with guns and drugs that are the problem,' Evangelista said. 'You can't chastise [ the police ] for their discretions.'
Gaywheels.com, which caters to LGBT car shoppers, has put together its Top 10 most-researched Vehicles for the second quarter of this year—and all 10 were from LGBT-friendly makers, according to a press release. The Toyota Yaris took the top position for the fourth consecutive quarter; other heavily-researched vehicles include the Toyota Camry, Audi A3 and Volkswagen Jetta.
Men who have had sex with other men since 1977 still are prohibited from donating blood, according to a New York Times article. Even though the American Red Cross and other organizations have derided the policy, the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) has reiterated the ban, saying that those men are more likely to contract HIV and transmit the disease to others.
In Indiana, Special Judge David Hanselman, Sr., has allowed St. Peter's First United Church of Christ to leave the denomination over the subject of same-sex marriage, the Associated Press reported. A restraining order had been instituted in 2005 that prevented the church from leaving the UCC, but the judge dissolved it. In July 2005, the UCC's 25th Synod passed a resolution supporting marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples.
The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that 17 taxpayers who challenged the Ann Arbor school district's same-sex benefits policy cannot proceed with their case, according to the Associated Press. A majority said that the taxpayers did enough to challenge, but still did not have the right to sue.
Reno, Nev., resident James Gau has been charged with hiring a hit man to murder his wife so he could live with another man and have custody of his children, according to 365Gay.com . Authorities claim that Gau recently told his wife that he was gay and had a boyfriend. The hit man went to police, who set up a sting.
In Arizona, transgender woman Michele DelaFreniere has filed a sex discrimination lawsuit against Anderson's Fifth Estate, a nightclub in the city of Scottsdale, KTAR.com reported. Club owner Tom Anderson said that it was fine when DelaFreniere and her friends danced, but being in the ladies' restroom was another matter. A hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 7.
In North Carolina, a Fort Bragg soldier who was allegedly on a gay porn Web site with a military theme will be discharged, 365Gay.com reported. Last year, seven soldiers from Fort Bragg's 82nd Airborne Division were discharged after they were on the same site.
