N.Y. cop calls Bruce Springsteen a fag
The Washington Blade reports that gay city officials and activists are urging the New York Police Department to combat homophobia within its ranks following a media report that a 30-year retired veteran of the police force called Bruce Springsteen a "fag."
Robert Lucente, president of the New York State Fraternal Order of Police, was quoted in a June 9 interview with Sonicnet.com, as calling Springsteen a "dirtbag" and a "floating fag."
Springsteen was due to open at Madison Square Garden, and some New York City police said they would boycott the concert because of a Springsteen song. "American Skin," whose refrain "41 shots," refers to the number of bullets NYPD officers fired at Amadou Diallo, an unarmed African immigrant.
AIDS rider dies
A bicyclist on the Washington, D.C. AIDS Ride died June 24 in a Richmond hospital after collapsing in a medical tent at a camp for riders, reports The Washington Post.
The death of Eve Jaffe, who was in her 30s and in good shape, according to friends, was announced by ride officials, who would not say how she died, only that it was not because of an accident or stress from the ride.
Jaffe fell ill the first day of the ride, and was treated initially by medical volunteers at a first-aid tent in the camp, where she was given oxygen and intravenous fluids. After failing to be revived, Jaffe was rushed to the hospital, where she later died, the Post said.
Lesbian to Democratic National
Platform Committee
Democratic National Committee National Chair Joe Andrew has named Tina Podlodowski, an openly lesbian former member of the Seattle City Council, to the Democratic Platform Drafting Committee.
Podlodowski has had a long and varied career and life as a legislator, technology executive, philanthropist and parent. A former senior manager at Microsoft, she founded PodVentures LLC, an investment company with holdings in new media and early stage internet-based businesses.
Podlodowski sits on the executive committee of the Women's Leadership Forum of the Democratic National Committee, as well as on the Democratic Business Council.
Poll: Consumers will reject
Dr. Laura advertisers
A new poll conducted by Harris Interactive and Witeck-Combs Communications shows that 74% of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender consumers and 42% of heterosexual consumers polled said they would be less likely to buy a product from a company if they advertised on a program that expressed negative views of gays and lesbians.
These findings were part of a larger poll about the consumer behaviors and political attitudes of gays and lesbians, as well as of other adults. The latest Harris/Witeck-Combs research was conducted online among 13,276 adults from the Harris Interactive online panel of respondents, between June 7 and 13, in which 744 individuals ( 6% ) identified themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender