THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

Roy Simmons, a former New York Giants offensive lineman who later became the second former player in NFL history to come out as gay, died in his New York home at 57, The New York Daily News reported. Simmons, the only player in NFL history to acknowledge that he was HIV-positive, was known for his nice demeanor—but was also tortured by his sexuality and struggled for years with substance abuse. Simmons had been hospitalized last November and December with pneumonia.

In Illinois, Republican state Sen. Kyle McCarter—who had hoped to strike Illinois' marriage equality law from the books—is abandoning his quest after a federal judge ruled same-sex couples in the state's largest county ( Cook ) needn't wait any longer for marriage licenses, The Huffington Post reported. McCarter, of downstate Vandalia, said in a statement he was withdrawing legislation he introduced last month that would have repealed the marriage law, although he still strongly opposes marriage equality.

Two Long Island radio disc jockeys were suspended after carrying out an on-air hoax focusing on the subject of same-sex parents, NBC New York reported. DJs Steve Harper and Leanna Karlson told listeners that a local mom refused to let her son attend the birthday party of a 7-year-old girl named Sophia because Sophia's parents were gay—a story that turned out to be fictitious. K98.3 FM's public apology prompted angry responses on the station's Facebook page and across social media.

Lawmakers in South Dakota have voted down a bill meant to exclude clergy from being forced to perform same-sex marriages if the state ever legalizes gay marriage, The Christian Post reported. The South Dakota Senate Judiciary Committee voted down Senate Bill 66 four to three, killing one of two similar bills that state Sen. Ernie Otten introduced. A majority of the committee concluded the measure was unnecessary, given pre-existing law regarding marriage definition and religious liberty in the state.

A senior at California's Azusa High School will be the first transgender student to play on the girls' varsity softball team, according to the L.A. Times. Patrick Cordova-Goff, 17—who goes by Pat—is a member of the cheer squad and student body president. She could also be the state's first transgender student to play softball at a high school when the season March 5. Azusa Unified School District Supt. Linda Kaminski said only a few people have expressed concern about the school's decision to let a transgender student play on the girls' softball team.

Energized by the historic White House Roundtable on Bisexual Issues held in September 2013, the Bisexual Resource Center ( BRC ) has proclaimed March as Bisexual Health Awareness Month, according to a press release. Bisexual Health Awareness Month is the first social-media event of its kind to raise widespread awareness about bisexual health disparities using Facebook and Twitter. This year's theme is "Bi the Way, Our Health Matters Too!"

In the wake of the mistrial involving Michael Dunn for killing African-American teen Jordan Davis ( the "loud music" case ), bisexual former American Idol and The Voice contestant Frenchie Davis posted a Facebook message directed at white gay men, according to The Washington Post. In part, she posted, "I need the gay community to STOP comparing our struggle to the Black Civil Rights Movement. ... Dear White Gays, I am HEARTBROKEN by your continued silence on these issues and I DO NOT give you permission to high jack [sic] the Civil Rights Movement while simultaneously IGNORING the inequalites [sic] that youth of color face every f—ing day."

Doug Ireland—a journalist whose political instincts and engagement were honed during the cultural upheaval of the 1960s—will be remembered at a memorial service planned for Wed., March 12, at the CUNY Grad Center's Proshansky Auditorium, Gay City News noted. Ireland, who was 67, died at his East Village home on Oct. 26, 2013. Over the course of nearly four decades, Ireland was a contributor to the New York Post, New York magazine, the Nation, the Village Voice, POZ magazine, LA Weekly and French publications including the daily Liberation and the online Bakchich.

New Mexico's legislative session ended Feb. 20 and, by its inaction, resoundingly rejected a proposal that sought to strike down the state Supreme Court's unanimous ruling for marriage, according to a Freedom to Marry press release. The Senate bill, which threatened the Court's December 2013 ruling, failed to garner any support from either party. Thalia Zepatos, Freedom to Marry's director of public engagement, said, "New Mexican families everywhere can now rest easy knowing that their marriages and families are secure and safe."

The Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) released a new web video highlighting the role that U.S. extremists have played in the passage of Russia's anti-LGBT laws, according to an organizational press release. The video details how more than a dozen Americans, including National Organization for Marriage ( NOM ) President Brian Brown, have traveled to Russia in the last year to meet with policy makers and lobby for these laws. The video is on YouTube with the title "Brian Brown: Stop Harming LGBT Russians."

The National Hispanic Council on Aging ( NHCOA )—in partnership with SAGE and the Diverse Elders Coalition—released the first-ever report focused primarily on Hispanic LGBT older adults, according to a SAGE newsletter. "In Their Own Words: A Needs Assessment of Hispanic LGBT Older Adults" includes a literature review, focus groups and key informant interviews with LGBT Hispanic older adults around the country, as well as with service providers who work LGBT Hispanic elders. The full report is at SAGEUSA.org .

U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake ( R-Ariz. ) said that Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer should veto SB 1062, legislation that would allow business owners to cite their religious beliefs in refusing to serve gay and lesbian customers and others, according to LGBTQ Nation. Social conservatives and libertarian-minded members of the GOP believe the legislation protects the First Amendment rights of business owners who are expressing their religious beliefs. Flake's announcement comes amid calls by Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett and Treasurer Doug Ducey, both GOP candidates for governor, for Brewer to veto the bill.

Another person who wants Brewer to veto the bill is former GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, according to The Huffington Post. Romney expressed his thought in a tweet: "@GovBrewer: veto of #SB1062 is right." Over the years, Romney has spoken out against discrimination against LGBT individuals, saying in 1994 that stopping such discrimination should be a "mainstream concern." However, he opposed a federal law barring workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, and was against marriage equality.

Democratic Virginia Del. Mark D. Sickles, from Fairfax, has become the second openly gay member of the state legislature, LGBTQ Nation reported. Sickles is among those vying for the nomination to run for the Northern Virginia congressional seat of retiring Rep. Jim Moran. The state's other openly gay legislator, state Sen. Adam Ebbin of Alexandria, also is vying for the nomination for Moran's seat.

In recognition of the need to expand ministries among Hispanic populations, 30 leaders of the global Metropolitan Community Churches ( MCC ) came together for a historic meeting Feb. 21-22 at Resurrection MCC in Houston, Texas, according to a press release. Leaders attending the gathering included MCC Moderator Rev. Dr. Nancy Wilson and the Rev. Hector Gutierrez, who oversees MCC ministries throughout Latin America. "The model of Hispanic families that includes everyone is exactly the direction MCC is moving with its holistic ministries," said Wilson.

The National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association ( NLGJA ) will hold its annual New York benefit, "Headlines and Headliners" March 20 at The Prince George Ballroom, according to a press release. ABC news anchor Amy Robach will host, with slated guests including The Wall Street Journal's Jason Bellini; CNN's Ashleigh Banfield; journalist couple Stephanie Gosk and Jenna Wolfe of NBC News, along with that station's Natalie Morales; ABC News' Sara Haines and Gio Benitez; Troy Roberts of CBS News; and MSNBC's Thomas Roberts and Krystal Ball.

A federal judge has ruled that a school board is not liable to a homeless family who says their daughter was spat at, kicked and threatened to be made into a lesbian, according to Courthouse News Service. Katina Thomas, guardian ad litem for her daughter, sued the East Orange Board of Education in New Jersey Superior Court on Feb. 1, 2012. The daughter claimed that a gay classmate had told her that she was going to make K.T. a lesbian; however, the assistant principal found evidence suggesting that the girl's classmate had merely asked to be friends.

No one took up two Texas judges' offers to hold gay "commitment" ceremonies on Valentine's Day even though same-sex marriages are banned in the state, Courthouse News Service noted. Travis County Court-at-Law Judge John Lipscombe and his wife, visiting, retired Court-at-Law Judge Jan Breland, made the offer as part of a long-standing tradition to hold free courthouse weddings on Valentine's Day. One same-sex couple did show up at the courtroom but left quickly, telling the Austin American-Statesman they did not like the media spotlight.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed seems to have forged a friendship with gay local Rabbi Joshua Lesser, according to Project Q Atlanta. Recently, Lesser was part of Reed's State of the City address, and delivered the event's invocation two years ago. In addition, Reed had Lesser, along with clergy from across the city, help diffuse a contentious standoff between City Hall and Occupy Atlanta protesters in October 2011. During Winter Storm Leon earlier this month, Lesser was included in a conference call between Reed and faith leaders.

Campus Pride has announced the launch of the National LGBT Scholarship Database in partnership with Point Foundation, according to a press release. The new online dynamic database is free and provides LGBT and ally students with the largest, most comprehensive source of LGBT scholarship and funding resources in the nation. See CampusPride.org/Scholarships.

On Jan. 21, Equality Florida Institute joined with six couples in a lawsuit challenging the Florida's ban on marriage equality. In recognition of her support, Equality Florida will be honoring actress/activist Sharon Gless and the six couples with the Voice for Equality Award at the organization's Annual Miami Gala at the Perez Art Museum on March 16, according to a press release. In 2013, Gless took a leading role in Equality Florida's "Get Engaged" campaign, which aimed to build support for marriage equality in the state.

Loyola University Chicago changed its guidelines for wedding ceremonies on campus, adopting an official policy ahead of Illinois' equal-marriage law on June 1. The new policy, enacted last December, only allows Catholic weddings in the university's Madonna della Strada Chapel, Windy City Times reported. All other civil or religious weddings, including same-sex unions, are banned from campus facilities. The decision also comes after a Loyola student launched a Change.org petition last September, urging university administrators to allow same-sex ceremonies on campus.

After months of advocacy, Lambda Legal announced the Social Security Administration ( SSA ) paid Robina Asti, a 92-year-old transgender woman, the survivor benefits she was denied after her husband's death, according to a press release. The agency initially denied her benefits after it determined that she was "legally male" at the time of their marriage, despite all the legal documents to the contrary. "When I saw that the money was in my account, I was so happy. I felt like it was my husband Norwood's Valentine's Day gift to me," said Asti.

In the wake of college football player Michael Sam coming out of the closet, Washington, D.C., lobbyist Jack Burkman said he is preparing legislation that would ban gay athletes from joining the NFL, according to a Yahoo! Sports item that cites TheHill.com . Burkman, who got the idea for the bill when Sam announced he was gay, claimed in a statement he had political support for the bill but did not mention from which specific lawmakers. Burkman's younger brother, Jim, is actually gay—and the younger sibling has criticized the lobbyist for his plan, The Huffington Post noted.

Foes of the School Success and Opportunity Act—a new California measure that provides transgender students certain rights in public schools —have failed to gather enough voter signatures to place a referendum to repeal the law on the November ballot, according to the Associated Press.

At least 504,760 signatures were required to force a public vote on the statute the California Legislature approved and that Gov. Jerry Brown signed last year. The law's opponents submitted 619,387, but county election officers determined that just 487,484 of them were valid. The law took effect Jan. 1.

The Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) announced that Vice President Joe Biden will deliver the keynote address at the organization's Los Angeles Dinner on Saturday, March 22, according to a press release. Dr. Jill Biden will join him. "Vice President Biden has been a champion of civil rights for his entire career, from his leadership on the Violence Against Women Act to his strong support for marriage equality," said HRC President Chad Griffin.

Nearly half of adolescents who have had HIV since birth may be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease—including heart attack and stroke —later in life, according to a National Institutes of Health network study. The results are based on clinical assessments of 165 HIV-positive teens age 15 or older who were born to HIV-positive mothers and who have been treated with anti-HIV medications since birth.

U.S. Reps. Mike Quigley ( D-Ill. ) and Jared Polis ( D-Colo ) released a statement supporting LGBT concerns being addressed in a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on the issue of solitary confinement in our federal prison system, according to a press release. They said, in part, "Instead of punishing the victims of abuse, we need to implement protections that will truly address the needs of LGBT inmates and ensure safe alternatives to solitary confinement." The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights hearing, entitled "Reassessing Solitary Confinement II: The Human Rights, Fiscal, and Public Safety Consequences," took place Feb. 25.

BlueCross BlueShield of Louisiana ( BCBS ) and two other Louisiana insurers will continue to accept federally funded third-party premium funds for the time being as Lambda Legal's lawsuit against the insurance companies progresses through the courts, according to a Lambda Legal press release. A U.S. District Court judge granted Lambda's request for a temporary restraining order ( TRO ) to compel BCBS, Louisiana Health Cooperative and Vantage Health Plan to continue accepting the federal Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funds that enable low-income Louisianans living with HIV to purchase health insurance.

In Michigan, a Ferndale man woke up to find an unexpected guest—34-year-old Anthony Jagger—sleeping on his couch, according to WXYZ.com . Jagger's boyfriend, Rick Grice, said Jagger was out with friends for a late holiday party and drank too much: "He is a good guy, a hard worker and goes to school pathology. He went out to have a good time and thought he was coming home to the right place and made a mistake." Jagger was arraigned on trespassing charges and released on a $1,500 bond.

On an episode of "Oprah: Where Are They Now?," former Mr. Universe Bob Paris talked about how coming out on her talk show in 1989 ( with then-boyfriend Rod Jackson ) affected his life, according to a Huffington Post item. "For me, the repercussions [of coming out] were tremendous," Paris said. "I lost about 80 percent of my business. Literally had doors closed in my face." His personal life was also adversely affected, leading to a break-up with Jackson; however, in 1997, Paris met Brian LeFurgey, who is now his husband.