In Colorado, John Garon, a homeless man, was tossed from a shelter because of his sexual orientation, according to 365Gay.com . Garon had been staying at the Open Door Mission for approximately three weeks when the director, the Rev. Richard Thebo, reportedly told Garon 'I don't allow homosexuals to use these facilities.' Thebo confirmed that he told Garon to leave, saying that Garon 'flaunted his sexuality' and flirted with another man.
In Missouri, a?Kansas City man has been sentenced to life in prison for knowingly exposing individuals to HIV, according to an NBC5.com item. Sean Sykes, 33, had unprotected sex with a woman, and did not tell her he was HIV-positive. At least three other women who had sex with Sykes have tested positive.
The U.S. Navy is trying to stop an order that would send openly gay Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Knight on a third tour of duty, 365Gay.com reported. Knight was first discharged two years ago after coming out. The military recalled him this year, but dropped Knight again after a story about him came out in a military newspaper, Stars and Stripes.
In Florida, Fort Lauderdale attorney John Michael Moody II was arrested after allegedly groping a male steward and carrying another passenger's child through the cabin during a flight, 365Gay.com reported. Moody, who allegedly asked, 'Where is the gay section?' when he boarded his flight with three friends, reportedly grabbed and cursed at flight attendant Cory Cash. If convicted, Moody could be sentenced to 20 years in prison and have to pay a fine of $250,000.
In California, San Jose's city council has voted 10-2 to support San Francisco in its attempt to overturn the state's initiative that restricts marriage to heterosexual couples, according to the San Jose Mercury News. San Jose will file a friend-of-the-court brief supporting San Francisco's request that Proposition 22—ratified in 2000 by 61 percent of voters—be declared unconstitutional.
The Arkansas Family Council, a Christian conservative group that initiated the drive for that state's constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, is now angling for a ballot initiative that would prohibit gays and lesbians from being foster or adoptive parents, according to the Arkansas News Bureau. Jerry Cox, the council's executive director, has said that his organization is drafting such a measure and plans to submit it to the attorney general's office this summer.
Navy Reserve commander Zoe Dunning, 43, has called it a career after more than two decades of service. Fourteen years after coming out and almost 13 years after prevailing in a wrongful discharge case against the U.S. Navy, Dunning retired June 2, according to the Bay Area Reporter. A formal retirement ceremony, complete with a red carpet, was held on the flight deck of the U.S.S Hornet Museum in Alameda, Calif.
Openly gay former N.J. Gov. Jim McGreevey has blamed estranged wife Dina's 'awful appearance on the Oprah Show ... appearing in an inappropriate and ill-fitting ball gown with a plunging neckline' as the reason for slow sales of her book, Silent Partner, which details their marriage, according to the Associated Press. In a letter sent to New Jersey Superior Court Judge Karen Cassidy, who is presiding in Dina's defamation case against Jim, he also said that her book is 'dull' and 'poorly written.'
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, an organization dedicated to promoting workplace equality for LGBT employees, has announced the finalists for the annual Out & Equal Workplace Awards ( commonly known as 'The Outies' ) , according to an organizational press release. Wells Fargo, PepsiCo, Intel and Kaiser Permanente are the nominees for the Out & Equal Workplace Award while gay-rights activist Frank Kameny is among those up for the Trailblazer Award. The award winners will be announced Sept. 28 during a gala dinner in Washington, D.C.
In Washington, D.C., Police Chief Cathy Lanier is disassembling special units designed for the Latino and LGBT communities, generating much criticism, according to The Washington Post. Lanier contends that she is attempting to expand services throughout the city; however, activists say that the move will negatively impact the effectiveness of the squads.
Two 14-year-old girls were allegedly kicked off a Portland, Ore., transit bus after kissing, according to 365Gay.com . After another passenger reportedly called the girls 'sickos,' the bus driver allegedly told the teens to 'knock it off;' then, as the girls hugged each other, the driver ordered them off the bus. The girls' parents are considering legal action.
Three of the world's top reggae/dancehall singers—Capleton, Beenie Man and Sizzla—have reportedly renounced homophobia and condemned violence against lesbians and gay men, according to a press release from the British pro-LGBT group OutRage! The singers, who have sung songs with anti-gay lyrics, have signed the Reggae Compassionate Act. The agreement follows the three-year-long Stop Murder Music campaign, during which the singers lost sponsorship deals and concert-related income.
In Iowa, LGBT legal advocacy group Lambda Legal has asked the state court to rule for the plaintiffs in its lawsuit seeking full marriage equality, according to an organizational press release. In 2005, Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit in Polk County on behalf of six same-sex couples who were denied marriage licenses. The organization argues that preventing the couples from marrying is denying them equal protection and due process.
The National Gay & Lesbian Journalists Association ( NGLJA ) has launched a podcast, called OUTspoken, according to an organizational press release. Hosted by NLGJA member Chagmion Antoine, the podcast will explore various issues; the first episode is entitled OUTspoken on: Don Imus & Shock Jocks, which can be downloaded from iTunes or the organization's Web site, www.nlgja.org .
The National Center for Lesbian Rights ( NCLR ) has announced the publication of The Challenges of Lesbian Asylum Claims, authored by Lena Ayoub, an immigration attorney. The publication, among other things, includes advice and legal strategies for lesbian asylum seekers.
Mitchell Gold, the founder of the pro-LGBT religious justice organization Faith in America ( FIA ) , has called on Pope Benedict XVI to expand upon an apology he made in order to include the gay community. The pope recently apologized for, among other things, saying that the Catholic Church had not imposed themselves on Latin American Indians, according to an FIA statement. However, Gold has challenged the pope to 'renounce bigotry and foster an environment where love, acceptance and understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people flourish.'
