Truth Wins Out leader Wayne Besen makes a statement about ex-gay leaders caught in sex scandals. Photo by Rex Wockner_______
In Massachusetts, Boston organization The Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project has issued a press release that focuses on bashings reportedly taking place in the gay mecca of Provincetown. A man received serious injuries after being attacked Sept. 10, according to the release—and the incident came at a time when Provincetown's police department is being criticized for its allegedly violent arrest of Boston DJ Barry Scott.
In his new book, Washington Post journalist Glenn Kessler states that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice once co-owned a home and shared a line of credit with another woman, according to RawStory.com . The book reveals that Rice owned a home with documentary filmmaker Randy Bean, who said that she had little money and Rice helped her by buying the house with openly gay Stanford University professor Coit Blacker.
Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company has refused to even give coverage quotes to a United Church of Christ ( UCC ) congregation in Michigan after learning the denomination supports same-sex marriage, according to a UCC release. The company told West Adrian UCC in Adrian, Mich., that its positions increased its risk for liability and property insurance.
New HIV-related cases have increased by a third in gay men under the age of 30 in New York City since 2001, according to a New York Daily News item. In 2001, there were 374 new diagnoses in that demographic; last year, a city report stated that there were 499. Moreover, the rate in teenage gay males has doubled over that time span, from 41 to 87.
In Evesham, N.J., the school board voted to stop showing third graders That's a Family, an educational video that includes families headed by same-sex couples, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. The school district started showing That's a Family last year, but some parents objected to the gay content.
The Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) has thrown its support with a civil-rights coalition seeking justice in the 'Jena 6' case in Jena, La., according to an organizational press release. The Washington Post reported that the case has drawn nationwide attention because of the seriousness of the charges filed against six Black youths who allegedly attacked a white student; later, three white students hung nooses from a tree at the school, and were suspended even though Black parents wanted the whites expelled.
Speaking of the HRC, the organization held its fifth 'Claim Your Truth' Summit in Washington, D.C., Sept. 12–15, according to an organizational statement. The conference was the organization's training program for LGBT students at the country's historically Black colleges and universities. Among the slated speakers were former NBA star John Amaechi and Noah's Arc co-star Doug Spearman.
Washington, D.C., Mayor Adrian Fenty has named Christopher Dyer as permanent director of his Office of LGBT Issues, according to The Washington Blade. Dyer, a longtime gay-rights activist, was interim director for about six months.
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network ( GLSEN ) has released a research brief that documents how helpful gay-straight alliances ( GSAs ) have been in schools. Among the important findings is that GSAs contribute to a more positive environment ( e.g., more supportive administrations ) , making schools more accessible to LGBT students. Over 3,600 GSAs are registered with GLSEN in every state, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.
So far this year, 53 major companies—including MasterCard, Starbucks and Campbell Soup—have added non-discrimination policies that cover gender identity and expression, making the total number 230, according to a Gender Public Advocacy Coalition ( GenderPAC ) release. Ten years ago, Lucent Technologies was the first large corporation to include gender identity in its non-discrimination policies.
Pro-gay think tank Truth Wins Out is warning people to be very skeptical of an 'ex-gay' study conducted by Stanton L. Jones of Wheaton College and Mark A. Yarhouse of Pat Robertson University. According to an organizational release, the study states that a lot of gay people can become straight through faith-based counseling. Truth Wins Out leader Wayne Besen said in a statement that 'after several key ex-gay leaders have been caught in sex scandals, their tales of transformation lack credibility.'
Danny Fields—the manager of such legendary musical acts as Iggy Pop and the Ramones—is suing OUT magazine for $100 million, according to The New York Post. The lawsuit alleges defamation, with the openly gay Fields, 65, claiming that the publication 'has called me virtually a sexual predator.' Fields contends that an October 2006 article that quoted him essentially 'gay-bashed' him.
A Mafia killer who likes to hang out with gay men—and who is on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list—has allegedly been seen in Italy, according to 365Gay.com . Photos and video from Italy reveal a man who resembled James 'Whitey' Bulger, 77, and his girlfriend, Catherine Greig. Bulger, who is believed to have been involved in the deaths of 20 people, reportedly owned two Boston gay clubs in the '60s and '70s. In 2001, Tulsa, Okla., police said that Bulger has 'an affinity' for the gay community.
The first-ever transgender community career expo took place Sept. 14 at the 17th annual Southern Comfort Conference in Atlanta, Ga., according to a Human Rights Campaign press release. Representatives of more than 20 major corporations with policies that incorporate gender identity protection participated.
San Diego's city council will not support a court challenge to California's refusal to allow same-sex couples to marry, according to 365Gay.com . Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland are among the cities supporting a 'friend of the court' brief. However, San Diego's council voted 4-4 to support it, meaning the issue stalled.
Equality Forum, an international LGBT-rights organization, has announced 31 icons to be featured during GLBT History Month in October. Icons incude athlete Billie Jean King, writer Gore Vidal, ruler Frederick II, singer Bessie Smith and actress Lily Tomlin. Icon videos and biographies will be available at www.GLBTHistoryMonth.com .
The Rev. D. James Kennedy, a Christian broadcaster and pastor known for being against same-sex marriage, among other issues, died in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Sept. 5 at the age of 76, according to the AP. Kennedy was the force behind Coral Ridge Ministries, and he created a political branch called the Center for Reclaiming America for Christ. In a statement, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's Jason Cianciotto said, 'We express our condolences to the family, friends and all those close to the Rev. Dr. D. James Kennedy. ... Unfortunately, Kennedy's 'truth' included the vilification and demonization of millions of [ LGBT ] people for more than 30 years.'
In Pennsylania, a prostitution sting has resulted in the arrest of a local policeman, 365Gay.com reported. Levi Gibbon, Jr., 40, a part-time officer with Newport Township, was arrested after he talked about sex acts and fees with an undercover officer; Gibbon eventually settled for $200. Authorities said that Gibbon admitted in a written statement that he was an escort and expected to be paid for performing sexual acts.
LGBT-rights organization Equality Forum has announced that 92.6 percent of the 2007 Fortune 500 companies ( or 463 of them ) include sexual orientation in their employment nondiscrimination policies. The finding stands in stark contrast to federal and state laws; there is no comparable federal measure and only 20 states have sexual orientation as a protected category in the workplace.