Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Your Morning LGBT News Roundup

Warning! Lots of marriage ahead... with some other stuff sprinkled in.

  • The ACLU is threatening to sue Tennessee school districts if they do not restore access to LGBT educational websites. Tennssee has a statewide blanket blocking software that individual districts can click in or out for certain topics. A recent check indicates that upwards of 80% of school districts have blocked non-sexual, gay-themed websites.
  • Rudy Giuliani is against gay marriage -- although we're not quite sure if he's making waves for a 2010 run for NY Governor, or a 2012 run for President. Regardless: Giuliani is a loser who could only win an election for NY Mayor. Seriously, folks. His best gay friends, with whom he lived with for six months, thinks that the opinion is ok -- it comes from political and religious views, not personal ones. *raises hand* I have questions!
  • The Maine legislators is set to hear arguments from both sides on equal marriage. A poll released yesterday indicates 43.3-49.5-3.3 pro-con-maybe split in the state. Actually, that's not bad.
  • Headline-grabbing Republicans endorse gay marriage to the (what we thought was) defunct Log Cabin Republicans (LCR)! Steve Schmidt, former NJ Governor Whitman, and Meghan McCain all said gay is OK this week.
  • The NY Assembly has passed the Gender Equality Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA -- clever, folks) that would extend protections to cover gender identity and expression, and expand the current hate crimes statutes the same. Considering the recent announcement by the LCR that the state Republicans would allow representatives to "vote their conscience," people are wondering whether this once defeated bill will cause problems for marriage in the Empire State. (Take them both, I say!)
  • Louisiana begins the fight: couples in New Orleans are suing for the right to marry after being denied licenses at their local county clerk's office.
  • And Tango Makes Three, a children's book about gay penguins that adopted a pup, remains at the top of the "Challenged" book list by the American Library Association. Really? Really?
  • Nevada's Senate passed a partnership bill giving most of the rights of marriage to same-sex couples, and it is expected to pass the Assembly. However, Gov. Jim Gibbons may veto it and the 12-9 vote is not enough to overturn the veto.
  • The Church of Scotland has published an opinion asking parishioners to come to terms with gay relationships, noting conservatives' "selective" use of Biblical verses.
  • Miss California says that her opinion on equal marriage cost her her crown. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Apparently, God was testing her faith. God does that for people a lot when it comes to two people loving each other, doesn't he?
  • In the murder trial of Angie Zapata, which is the first under Colorado's gender-inclusive hate crimes statute, alleged killed Allen Andrade heard his own voice on a voicemail saying, "It's gay. Gay things need to die." It's in reference to a cellphone, btw. Also fun is that they found a vibrator... with Andrade's DNA on it, and not Zapata's. Strange, yes?
  • John A. Farrell at US News and World Reports thinks that Reagan would not have spent as much time on social issues as the Republicans who are championing his name, these days, are. Yea, too bad he spent so little time on it that he completely ignored this thing we call "AIDS."
  • Another pre-teen -- 11 year old Jaheem Harrera -- has killed himself over school bullying, some of which was focused on his supposed sexual orientation. But, you're right, Day of Silence was completely unnecessary. *rolls eyes* Nobody needs to hear more about bullying in school.
  • The Florida Supreme Court hears arguments for and against same-sex partner adoption today. You can hear the arguments online here.
  • Despite the US government promising to change the law, HIV+ individuals are still being denied access into this country. No word yet from the Obama administration -- which is something that I'm writing a lot these days.

And now you're all caught up! Don't you feel better?

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