BY ANDREW DAVIS
In California, the state Senate will consider a bill that would require the state's schools to teach students about the contributions gay people have made to society, according to the San Jose Mercury News. The bill was recently passed by a Senate committee.
In a controversial 2-1 decision, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said that a school could stop someone from wearing a T-shirt that proclaimed 'Be Ashamed, Our School Embraced What God Has Condemned' on the front and 'Homosexuality Is Shameful'—without violating the First Amendment, Los Angeles Times reported.
In somewhat of a surprise development, former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, a moderate Republican, has campaigned for Senator Rick Santorum, R-Penn., who is known for his strong opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage, The New York Times reported.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston opened its books, revealing a $46 million deficit—the largest any diocese has ever had, The New York Times reported. Part of the reason for being in the red is because the archdiocese has paid out more than $150 million related to accusations of sexual abuse by priests.
A bus driver for a Washington, D.C.'s tourist bus has been suspended for telling a passenger to move to the back of the bus after the passenger complained about a message that unfavorably compared homosexuality with murder, according to The Washington Blade.
The New York-based International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission ( IGLHRC ) announced that its 2006 Felipa de Souza Award will be presented in May to Rauda Morcos, founder of ASWAT ( Voices ) , the first group for Palestinian lesbians in the region. The Felipa Award carries with it a $5,000 stipend to assist grassroots human rights groups. IGLHRC is undergoing a reorganization and reevaluating its mission following the loss of five of 13 staff members in the past year, The New York Blade reported. IGLHRC Executive Director Paula Ettelbrick said the organization cannot afford to hire full-time staff for each of its positions.
The Rev. William Sloane Coffin, a United Church of Christ ( UCC ) minister known as a peace and justice advocate, passed away at his home in Strafford, Vt., according to a UCC press release. More than two decades ago, he led New York City's Riverside Church to become the UCC's first 'open and affirming' church—a movement that now includes nearly 600 LGBT-inclsive congregations.
Christopher Penczak, a well-known gay author who has written books about witchcraft, will speak at the 2006 Gathering of the Tribes that will be held at Enota Mountain Retreat near Hiawasee, Ga., on April 27-30. See www.tylwythteg.com/gathering.html .
Openly gay prisoner and Survivor winner Richard Hatch is being held in protective custody apart from other inmates until his sentencing on tax evasion charges, according to 365Gay.com . Hatch, who won $1 million in the first season of the CBS reality series, was found guilty in January of failing to pay taxes on his winnings and other income.
After referring to gays as a 'protected species' during a meeting, Palm Beach County School Board Chairman Tom Lynch apologized to a gay-rights group, according to the Palm Beach Post. However, Lynch's e-mail did not seem 'heartfelt' to Rand Hoch, founder of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ( GLAAD ) has asked U.S. media covering the brutal anti-gay attack on two CBS News employees in St. Maarten to focus on a local newspaper editorial that supposedly glorified gay bashing. GLAAD President Neil Giuliano said that the article 'is so grotesquely defamatory that it almost defies description.'
The National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association ( NLGJA ) awarded its first Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship to Dennis Shane Mitchell at a gala attended by such celebrities as newsman Brian Williams and radio personality Al Franken, according to the NLGJA Web site. The $5,000 award is named after the organization's founder, who died in 2004.
The National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association ( NLGJA ) announced the appointment of Thomas Cashman Avila as deputy executive director. Avila will oversee NLGJA's work in the training and education of journalists on the fair and accurate coverage of LGBT issues. Avila will be the first candidate to serve in this new role.
In Georgia, Savannah's police chief said that he would not hire a gay police officer to serve as a liaison to gay residents—contrary to what the mayor and Georgia Equality representatives thought would take place, according to Southern Voice. Willie Lovett, interim chief of the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department, said that instead of hiring a gay officer he would give direct access to his office to gay leaders.
Less than two weeks after celebrating its 27th anniversary, the San Diego LGBT newspaper Update announced that it will no longer be published by Dawn Media, Inc., according to Gay & Lesbian Times. Update publisher Tom Ellerbrock blamed difficult financial conditions fueled by a lack of advertising revenue.
A group that has spent years battling LGBT civil rights in Maine is out of money and says it will likely have to lay off staff, 365Gay.com reported. The Christian Civic League of Maine is asking supporters for cash, but the plea appears to be falling on deaf ears.
Gay TV network here! announced that it would begin broadcasting the United Church of Christ's new 'ejector' commercial—without charge—as a public service announcement, following decisions by others, including gay network LOGO, not to air the ad. The ad explains that the church welcomes all people, including the LGBT community.
