Smart + Strong, publisher of POZ magazine, has purchased AIDSmeds.com and its related HIV treatment information, according to a POZ release. ( POZ is an award-winning monthly magazine for people with HIV/AIDS founded by AIDS activist Sean Strub. ) AIDSmeds will continue to operate independently as a division of Smart + Strong, and Peter Staley will continue to oversee the site as president of the AIDSmeds division.
Lambda Legal filed a federal lawsuit in Nevada on behalf of a man who was fired by a Subway restaurant because he is HIV-positive, according to an organizational statement. Lambda Legal represents Robert Hickman, who was terminated on Feb. 4, 2005, one day after his employer learned that he has HIV.
Also, Lambda Legal announced a multimedia campaign blitz—targeting gamblers, the LGBT community and the general public—to draw attention to a federal lawsuit against Harrah's Casino for firing a 21-year bartender, Darlene Jespersen, because she refused to make up her face every day to match a photo given to her by Harrah's. Lambda Legal's 'Shame on You Harrah's' campaign already has collected more than 6,000 signatures.
In Washington, D.C., Mayor Anthony Williams signed a bill making his Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Affairs a permanent part of the city government, the Washington Blade reported. His decision to sign the bill, introduced by gay councilmember Jim Graham, D-Ward 1, put to rest a dispute between Williams and the council in which the mayor initially opposed the legislation.
New Zealand filmmaker Lee Tamahori, who directed the James Bond movie Die Another Day, was arrested in a Hollywood prostitution sting while dressed in drag, according to Agence France-Presse. Tamahori, 55, was arrested on Jan. 8 when he allegedly sought sex with an undercover cop while clad in women's clothes.
Southern Legal Counsel and the National Center for Lesbian Rights ( NCLR ) filed complaints on behalf of Jamie Beiler with the Florida Department of Health and CIGNA Healthcare of Florida against Dr. John R. Hartman and Dawn Pope-Wright, according to an NCLR release. After Beiler consulted Hartman's office for a routine medical matter, Pope-Wright gave Beiler a packet of anti-gay propaganda referring to homosexuality as 'sinful' and advising lesbians and gay men to change their sexual orientation.
In a new report titled Restoring American Military Power, the Center for American Progress ( CAP ) calls on Congress to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell ( DADT ) ,' the military's ban on LGB personnel, according to a release from the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. The report labels the policy as 'counterproductive' and advocates the implementation of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, a bill introduced to repeal DADT.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts sent Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice a letter criticizing her for her role in the rejection of two international gay civil-rights groups by a United Nations body. Last month, the U.N. Economic and Social Council voted not to admit the International Lesbian and Gay Association and the Danish Association of Gays and Lesbians. Frank also sent a letter to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to express his displeasure with him.
The national board of Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, has taken a strong stand in supporting partnership rights for LGBT relationships by passing a resolution that advocates the passage of state and federal civil-rights legislation to protect against hate crimes and discrimination based on sexual orientation. According to a group press release, the resolution was passed overwhelmingly.
Two of Houston's most prominent HIV-related organizations, the Montrose Clinic and The Assistance Fund, have merged to create Legacy Community Health Services, according to a press release. Montrose Clinic, a United Way agency, is a full-service healthcare center that offers a wide range of services to local residents and the GLBT and HIV-positive communities. The Assistance Fund provides financial assistance to HIV-positive patients, helping them pay for medication and insurance premiums.
The Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau is reaching out to minority travelers by launching a new Web site, www.glbtdallas.com . A press release stated that the site contains content tailored for gay travelers, including LGBT resources, event calendars, photo posts and nightlife features.
