Gay mob bosses get no respect, according to reports from New Jersey. CBS reports that John 'Johnny Boy' D'Amato, an alleged mob boss on the East Coast, was murdered because of his gay encounters. Anthony Capo, a former soldier for D'Amato, said he killed his boss after finding that D'Amato was engaging in gay partner swapping with his girlfriend.
The San Francisco City Health Department is warning gay men that those who use crystal methamphetamine, or speed, are at higher risk of contracting HIV, reports AP. Dr. Jeffrey Klausner of San Francisco's Health Department said the agency is confident that the drug plays an important role in the increase in unsafe sexual behavior. Some reports suggest that 40 percent of gay men in San Francisco have used the drug.
A teacher at Capuchino High School in Northern California received thousands of hate e-mails as a result of an article in the school paper describing the teacher's role as an adviser of the new gay-straight alliance. The superintendent of the school district said they have a mutual respect policy and such e-mails would not be tolerated, according to 365gay.com . Police have identified that the same person likely sent all 2,000 emails.
The Texas House of Representatives approved legislation that would make Texas the 37th state to ban gay marriages, reports the San Antonio Express News. The bill awaits approval from Gov. Rick Perry.
Fred Phelps has some competition when it comes to picketing gay events. Dallas-based Operation Rescue and Operation Save America became visible in Charlotte to protest the North Carolina city's annual LGBT pride festival, according to 365gay.com . The national director of the group moved to Charlotte and used this as an opportunity to make his presence known. A Baptist minister reportedly continued performing commitment ceremonies for gay couples during the yells from Operation Rescue.
Gays in baseball are nothing new, especially with gay ex-baseballer Billy Bean about to begin a tour for his new book about coming out. But Colorado Rockies Todd Jones was scolded recently for telling the Denver Post that he would not want a gay teammate, reports the Rocky Mountain News. 'Yeah, he's got rights or whatever, but he shouldn't walk around proud. It's like he's rubbing it in our face. 'See me, hear me roar,'' he said. Jones apologized to his teammates but said his mistake was in making his beliefs public.
The Judicial Committee of Massachusetts' House of Representatives gave hope to the possibility of gay marriage in that state. By failing to make a recommendation about a proposed Constitutional Amendment banning gay marriage, the committee allowed the motion to move to the Constitutional Convention with an 'adverse recommendation,' reports AP. If the representatives and senators take no further action, as they did last year, the proposal will be defeated again. A ruling on gay marriages is expected from the state's supreme judicial court this summer.
The city council of Davis, Calif., unanimously approved a resolution that urges Gov. Gray Davis to repeal what they call discriminatory anti-gay marriage laws, reports the California Aggie. California Assembly Bill 205 would amend the state's marriage laws to include same-sex partners.
Nebraska's constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage, and more, is being challenged in Federal Court, according to AP. Unlike other defense of marriage acts, Nebraska's amendment bans gay couples who work for the state from sharing benefits. The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit alleging that the ban allows heterosexual unmarried couples to ask for benefits but precludes gay couples from doing the same.
The city council of Covington, Ky., unanimously approved a gay-rights ordinance, reports the Kentucky Post. A conservative Ohio group, Citizens for Community Values, vowed to help fund lawsuits on behalf of employers who believe they have a right to discriminate.
The government of Puerto Rico has asked the Puerto Rican Supreme Court to review a ruling it made that excluded gays from protection in a new law against domestic violence, according to AP. The government said the court misinterpreted legislative intent and that the law is gender neutral, intending to protect everyone from violence, regardless of gender or sexuality.
The Hill newspaper April 30 featured an article titled: 'Homosexuality: Ultimate Wedge issue of 2004?' by Dr. David B. Hill. The noisy recent flap caused by Sen. Rick Santorum 'suggests gay rights may become the ultimate and most divisive wedge issue of this election cycle. Even gun control and abortion don't seem to divide the electorate like sodomy and same-sex marriages,' the Hill said. 'Looking at some polling trend data, casual observers might find all this to be a little surprising. For several decades, polls have shown strong majorities of Americans, 70 percent and more, opposed to discrimination against homosexuals in employment or housing. And growing public acquiescence to something called the 'homosexual lifestyle' is also evident in polls. But a closer examination of trends unearths some equally important data that are not changing. Gallup polls show that the percentage of Americans who say that homosexual relations 'should not be legal' (42 percent to 43 percent) is about the same as it was two and three decades ago.'
The University of Kansas has a new fraternity: A gay one. One might not expect it in the deep Midwest, but a graduate student started a chapter of Delta Lambda Phi national social fraternity to enhance the quality of life of gay students, according to the Daily Kansan. The fraternity is awaiting approval from the University for official recognition.
Transgender and gender-variant individuals employed by the Office of the State Comptroller of New York will be fully protected in their workplace by equal opportunity, non-discrimination, affirmative action and non-harassment policies under newly-expanded executive orders signed this month by Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi.
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund has announced its co-endorsement of Tom Ammiano and Susan Leal for mayor of San Francisco, Calif., Nov. 4. This is the Victory Fund's second co-endorsement in its 12-year history (the first being Tom Tunney and Rick Ingram for Chicago's 44th ward Alderman).
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