-
-
Mara Keisling on the National Center for Transgender Equality
From http://www.gaycenter.org/out Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality based in Washington DC, came to New York to speak about the recent activity of this advocacy organization. In this excerpt from the evening Mara touches on the issues of representation in dealing with the press and healthcare. From http://www.gaycenter.org/out Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality based in Washing... more
-
Gay porn star confirms rape rumours
Gay adult film star Mason Wyler confirmed rumours that he and his boyfriend have been raped and attacked in their apartment in Dallas.
Originally thought by some in the adult industry to be a publicity stunt, he confirmed the attack and proved it with an incident report filed with the Dallas Police Department.
Wyler stated that events leading up to the attack started months ago when he began corresponding with a man claiming to be a captain in the U.S. Army. In September, Wyler says he left his wallet at a Dallas club and received an instant message the next day reading: “Remember me?". It was the Army captain, he says, claiming he had the wallet and wanted to return it. When the man showed up at his apartment and helped he and his boyfriend carry groceries up from the car, he let him into the house.
One thing lead to another, Wyler says, and the three began fooling around -- Wyler even let the Army captain tie him up, he says, which freaked his boyfriend out. Wyler says when he began to get uncomfortable, his boyfriend attempted to run for help. It was at that point, he says, that the Army captain took out a gun. Wyler says he and his boyfriend were raped repeatedly, with more than one assailant beating them and sodomizing both of them with foreign objects and injecting them with what Wyler says he feared at the time were drugs.
Wyler says he was eventually able to escape and make it to a neighbor’s house, where he called 911. When Wyler was admitted to the hospital, he says he was told there had been more than one assailant and traces of GHB were found in his system.
"I can understand why people would think I had it coming to me and I deserved it," he said. "But I don't want people thinking I did this for attention. I love attention, but I didn't do this for attention. This was real." Gay adult film star Mason Wyler confirmed rumours that he and his boyfriend have been raped and attacked in their apartment in Dallas.... more -
Straight spouses of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people show support
Men and women who are married or have been married to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people are making their voices heard in support of Coming Out Day on 11 October.
An estimated 2 million gay, lesbian, or bisexual individuals as well as an unknown number of transgender people have married or will marry heterosexual partners.
Kathy Callori, executive director of the Straight Spouse Network, stated that when their spouses come out or transition, straight partners feel ignored, betrayed, and sexually rejected and often embark on their own soul-searching path to healing. "They and their children too are often stigmatized or isolated in social or religious groups. They also fear their LGBT partners will lose their jobs or community status if they come out publicly," she says. Men and women who are married or have been married to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people are making their voices heard in su... more -
Sperm donor "impregnated 30 lesbians"
Overzealous sperm donors are impregnating whole networks of lesbian couples whose children socialise together, says a reproductive technology expert in Australia.
Dr Andrew Dutney stated that in one case around 30 lesbians were impregnated by the same man. Some of the mothers are friends and even have picnics together where the children mix, not realizing they are related.
Perceived homophobia in the medical system and strict South Australian regulations around fertility assistance are thought to be the main reason why lesbian couples seek help with making families outside the 'official' system, creating these issues, experts claim. Overzealous sperm donors are impregnating whole networks of lesbian couples whose children socialise together, says a reproductive tec... more -
Grey's Anatomy star donates $50,000 to support gay marriage
Grey’s Anatomy star T.R. Knight donated $50,000 to 'No on 8' to fight Proposition 8, which would outlaw same-sex marriage in the state.
The donation comes one day after Equality California called for an emergency LGBT media briefing and reported that contrary to published reports, Yes on 8 is ahead in the polls.
Knight’s donation comes after Ohio entrepreneur Jonathan Lewis issued a challenge of sorts to Los Angeles's entertainment industry -- raise $500,000 for No on Prop. 8, and he and his family will match the contributions dollar for dollar. Grey’s Anatomy star T.R. Knight donated $50,000 to 'No on 8' to fight Proposition 8, which would outlaw same-sex marriage in... more -
Home Run or Strikeout? 25 Years of LGBT Sports
From http://www.gaycenter.org/out Out Professionals hosted the panel “Homerun or Strikeout: 25 years of gay and lesbian sports.” A large and illustrious panel of athletes and sportswriters spoke about the current situation of being out in both professional and academic sports in the context of how far we’ve come in 25 years. To find out more about Out Professionals go to http://www.outprofessionals.org/ From http://www.gaycenter.org/out Out Professionals hosted the panel “Homerun or Strikeout: 25 years of gay and lesbian sports.” A la... more
-
Gay marriage opponents outraise supporters in California
A just-released poll conducted by Lake Research Partners shows the yes side leading by four percentage points. Currently, 47% of voters support the banning of gay marriage in California, while 43% would vote against a ban, according to the poll.
During an "Emergency LGBT Media Briefing," Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California and a member of the No on 8 executive committee, stated: "We are going to lose this ... if we don’t raise the money we need to compete on the airwaves."
The poll showed a major shift from recent polling results that claimed opponents of the ban, Proposition 8, had a five-point advantage among voters. The reason for the shift, Kors explained, is simple: Yes on 8 is raising more money, and its most recent ad campaign has been highly effective.
Though Lake Research Partners' Celinda Lake said studies show the No on 8 ad campaign has proved to be effective with voters, Kors said the additional money raised by Yes on 8 has allowed ban supporters to get their message out to a wider audience.
On the conference call, Smith and Kors put it a little more plainly -- No on 8 needs to raise at least $10 million in the next 28 days. That money, they say, will be used to directly combat the Yes on 8 ad campaign's strategic advantages. Smith stressed that No on 8 is having great success reaching young voters through grassroots and Internet viral marketing campaigns, but that more money is needed to compete with television advertising. A just-released poll conducted by Lake Research Partners shows the yes side leading by four percentage points. Currently, 47% of voter... more -
Sean Penn texted Madonna to brag about first gay kiss
Hollywood actor Sean Penn reportedly texted his ex-wife Madonna to brag about his first gay kiss while shooting the biopic of US gay advocate Harvey Milk.
His co-star - and kissing partner - James Franco revealed: "After our kiss, Sean texted Madonna and said, 'I just popped my cherry kissing a guy. I thought of you. I don't know why.'" Apparently, the Queen of Pop replied, saying: 'Congratulations'. Hollywood actor Sean Penn reportedly texted his ex-wife Madonna to brag about his first gay kiss while shooting the biopic of US gay a... more -
Leather and Fetish Art and Fashion in New York City
http://www.gaycenter.org/out/ The Leather and fetish scene is a thriving community in New York City. Over Columbus Day weekend this year they will have a full schedule of art, film, dance and other activities at New York City's LGBT Center and other venues. In 2006 the Center hosted an erotic art fair that included a panel with members of the Tom of Finland Foundation. This video presents the panel, some footage from the fair and ends with a leather fetish fashion show that happened earlier this year. Enjoy! http://www.gaycenter.org/out/ The Leather and fetish scene is a thriving community in New York City. Over Columbus Day weekend this y... more
-
Gay parents flock to the Bronx
New York City's same-sex couples living in the Bronx are more likely to be raising children than those who live in any other borough of the city, according to a new study.
The city's northernmost borough has become home to 3,000 gay couples (a fraction of the borough’s 1.3 million people), 49% of whom have children. The study estimates that about 26,000 same-sex couples in total live in the city, with most of them residing in more traditionally gay-friendly neighborhoods such as Manhattan's Chelsea and Brooklyn's Park Slope. Manhattan, for instance, houses 10,000 gay couples, but only about 4% of them have children according to the report.
Many gay parents say they have chosen to settle in the Bronx due to cheaper rent, more spacious apartments, racial affinity, and familiarity with the area.
But Lisa Winters, executive director of the Bronx Community Pride Center, told the Times that problems still exist. “The Bronx lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community has largely been a hidden community for a very long time because of very real homophobia,” Winters said. “The Bronx is a very machismo borough, and it’s a very religious borough. The religious institutions have a very strong foothold here, and they preach from the pulpit that homosexuality is a sin." New York City's same-sex couples living in the Bronx are more likely to be raising children than those who live in any other boro... more -
Lesbian granted joint custody after split
A judge in Montana granted a woman joint custody of two children she and her former lesbian partner adopted when they were a couple. Michelle Kulstad sought joint custody of her 8-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter after she and former partner Barbara Maniaci split up in 2006 after a 10-year relationship.
Maniaci, who is now married to a man, says she and her husband should raise the children as they see fit because Kulstad was neither an adoptive parent nor a biological relative. She was represented by an attorney from the conservative Alliance Defense Fund.
"To discriminate further against Ms. Kulstad because of her sexual preference in this day and age is no different than telling a person to go to the back of the bus because of her skin color," district judge Ed McLean wrote.
"By acknowledging Kulstad as a parent, the court today recognized that it would be both cruel and against established Montana law for her children to be denied the parental love and support Kulstad has shown them since they entered her home," Kulstad’s attorney Susan Ridgeway said in a press release. A judge in Montana granted a woman joint custody of two children she and her former lesbian partner adopted when they were a couple. M... more -
Never too old to google
From http://www.gaycenter.org/out/ Young people from the Center’s Youth Enrichment Services(YES) and Seniors from Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders (SAGE) came together at Caring Community for an intergenerational learning experience led by Older Adults Technology Services (OATS). For ten weeks LGBT youth mentored seniors in basic computer skills under the guidance of an OATS facilitator. Let’s meet some of the participants from this unique learning collaboration between queer youth and seniors. To find out more about YES go to: http://www.gaycenter.org/youth To find out more about SAGE go to: http://sageusa.org To find out more about OATS go to: http://www.oatsny.org/ To find out more about Caring Community go to: http://www.thecaringcommunity.org/ From http://www.gaycenter.org/out/ Young people from the Center’s Youth Enrichment Services(YES) and Seniors from Services a... more
-
Palin clarifies views on homosexuality
Gay activists have had a tough time believing Palin when she says she has close gay friends. But Tuesday night, in a second interview with CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric, Palin elaborated on the friend she’s so often referred to -- a woman she says she’s been close with for 30 years.
When talk turned to a church that Palin has frequented sponsoring a conference promoting the conversion of gays and lesbians to straight through prayer, the maverick Republican turned defensive.
“I don’t know what prayers are worthy of being prayed, and I don’t know what prayers are going to be answered, but as for homosexuality, I am not going to judge Americans and the decisions that they make in their adult personal lives.”
Palin suggested the press "got it wrong" when they implied she supported the church's beliefs.
Later, despite acknowledging that one of her best friends is a lesbian, Palin went on to suggest that she believes homosexuality is a choice.
“One of my absolute best friends for the past 30 years happens to be gay… I love her dearly. She is not my gay friend-- she is one of my best friends. She happens to have made a choice that isn’t a choice that I would have made.” Gay activists have had a tough time believing Palin when she says she has close gay friends. But Tuesday night, in a second interview ... more -
Firefighters 'traumatized' in Gay Pride parade
Four San Diego firefighters who were given a direct order to ride in the city's gay pride parade last year should be awarded up to $1 million apiece because they were sexually harassed at the event, their attorney told a jury Tuesday.
Charles Limandri said firefighters John Ghiotto, Jason Hewitt, Alex Kane and Chad Allison were called names and subjected to cat-calls, hostile language and other sexually explicit acts by scantily clad parade attendees on July 21, 2007.
The firefighters, who manned a station in the Hillcrest neighborhood where the parade took place, were ordered to take part when another crew backed out the night before the event.
"They did everything humanly possible to avoid the parade," Limandri said in his closing argument.
Ghiotto, the crew's captain, was told by a supervisor, "John, you have to take the direct order," Limandri told the jury tasked with deciding the firefighters' civil suit against the city.
Limandri said the firefighters saw a man on the parade route groping himself and tried to videotape the event, but failed.
"Nobody should see a man doing that in public," Limandri told the jury.
The attorney said the firefighters are men of integrity and honor who felt "humiliated, demoralized, abandoned and persecuted" by the event.
Hewitt -- now a captain -- claimed his supervisors retaliated against him for bringing the suit by giving him low marks while he was trying to get his promotion.
Chief Deputy City Attorney Maria Severson questioned Limandri's request for $500,000 to $1 million in damages for each firefighter.
The plaintiffs were required -- as part of their job -- to be in the parade representing the fire department if asked, Severson said in her closing argument.
"We owe it to the citizens to be there," she said. "That is public service at its best."
Severson said the fire department makes every effort to get volunteers to participate in parades, but when that doesn't work, staff are assigned to take part.
The gay pride parade was not a hostile environment, Severson said, noting that no other agencies complained about their involvement in the parade.
She said the firefighters were treated like "rock stars" for most of the parade, except for a small fraction of the event.
Severson argued there was no sexual harassment suffered by the plaintiffs because there was no physical touching and no threat of physical touching. She said the claimed harassment was neither "severe or pervasive," as claimed. Four San Diego firefighters who were given a direct order to ride in the city's gay pride parade last year should be awarded up t... more -
Google opposes same-sex marriage ban
Google has taken a stand against Proposition 8, an anti-gay marriage measure on the November ballot in California.
Google's co-founder Sergey Brin released a statement, saying that "while there are many objections to this proposition – further government encroachment on personal lives, ambiguously written text – it is the chilling and discriminatory effect of the proposition on many of our employees that brings Google to publicly oppose Proposition 8. While we respect the strongly-held beliefs that people have on both sides of this argument, we see this fundamentally as an issue of equality. We hope that California voters will vote no on Proposition 8 – we should not eliminate anyone's fundamental rights, whatever their sexuality, to marry the person they love. Because our company has a great diversity of people and opinions – Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals, all religions and no religion, straight and gay – we do not generally take a position on issues outside of our field, especially not social issues." Google has taken a stand against Proposition 8, an anti-gay marriage measure on the November ballot in California. ... more -
18,000 march for gay rights in Taiwan
An estimated 18,000 protesters marched in a gay pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, in what's considered the largest such march to take place in Asia. The event was Taipei's sixth gay parade and occurred despite rain showers. The first parade, held in 2002, drew 500 people, while last year's saw 15,000.
"This shows that more and more homosexuals are daring to stand out and be themselves," the march's organizer, Wang Ping, told the paper. "But we hope this 'dare to be oneself' can turn into participation in the gay rights movements." An estimated 18,000 protesters marched in a gay pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, in what's considered the largest such march to ta... more -
Levi's supports gay marriage
San Francisco-based Levi Strauss & Co. will cochair with Pacific Gas & Electric to encourage businesses to oppose California's proposed gay marriage ban, Proposition 8.
The move is in keeping with the philosophy of Levi Strauss, the first Fortune 500 company to ever offer health benefits to the domestic partners of gay employees. Levi Strauss has pledged $25,000 to Equality for All, the coalition leading the campaign. San Francisco-based Levi Strauss & Co. will cochair with Pacific Gas & Electric to encourage businesses to oppose California&#... more -
American TV shows depict record number of gay characters
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) have announced that the number of gay and lesbian TV characters on broadcast networks will double this season.
GLAAD’s yearly survey reveals that there will be 16 regular LGBT characters on major network scripted series in the 2008-2009 season.
This is double the amount of LGBT characters in last year’s season, and the most recorded since GLAAD began carrying out the survey 13 years ago.
The figures are welcomed as the survey demonstrated declining LGBT representation in television broadcasts in 2006-2007, and 2007-2008.
The survey also shows that the number of recurring LGBT characters is on the rise, increasing from 13 last season to this season’s 19.
GLAAD president Neil Giuliano said:
"This dramatic increase shows how far many networks have come in developing complex, multilayered lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender characters."
The organisation named Fox as the most-improved network for LGBT representation.
The network had no LGBT characters last year, but this year will have five, which is more than any other network. CBS has no LGBT characters, whilst CW has only one. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) have announced that the number of gay and lesbian TV characters on broadcast n... more -
Fans react as Clay Aiken reveals that he's gay
By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY – 7 hours ago
NEW YORK (AP) — The revelation that Clay Aiken is gay hasn't fazed Simon Cowell.
The "American Idol" judge reacted in typically sarcastic form, telling the entertainment news show "Extra": "Wow. That's a shock. It's like being told Santa Claus isn't real. Unbelievable."
Getting serious, Cowell said: "Good for him. If he said it, it's the right thing for him. ... I don't think anyone cares. Let's face it. It's 2008. You know. Who cares?"
The 29-year-old former "Idol" runner-up, multiplatinum recording artist and Broadway star acknowledges his sexuality in an interview with People magazine. He appears on the cover of the latest issue holding his infant son, Parker Foster Aiken, conceived by in-vitro fertilization with friend and producer Jaymes Foster. The headline: "Yes, I'm Gay."
Cowell representative Anne Finn said he was unreachable for further comment Wednesday. His fellow "Idol" judges were not able to be reached: Paula Abdul's spokesman, Jeff Ballard, said she was unavailable, and Randy Jackson's representative, Brit Reece, didn't immediately return phone and e-mail messages.
Cowell might not bat an eyelash, but Aiken's hardcore fans — known as Claymates — are taking the news very seriously. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were reportedly more than 2,000 entries on the message board for Aiken's official Web site.
"We'll `talk' more later, but, suffice it to say, for the first time in recent memory, I am speechless," Aiken writes on his Web site's fan page ClayOnline, according to People. "I'm so proud to know and love all of you."
To read Aiken's newest blog and post a message, the site requires you to join his fan club. Membership fees range from $14.99 plus tax to $29.99, plus shipping and handling for a Clay Aiken tote bag, lip balm and set of Clay Aiken buttons.
Meanwhile, the Aiken fan site ClayManiacs was open for viewing. Response in a thread on the site's "ShoutBox" was generally supportive, though at least one fan was shaken by Aiken's public confession.
"This is really shocking news as I had no idea he was gay," read a comment posted by "Sheridansq." "And now I have to deal with this. I am not sure what to say to people who know I was a fan. ... I didn't go to work today and am not answering the telephone."
In his People interview, Aiken credits baby Parker with making him realize that he could no longer hide his homosexuality from the world. The magazine cover features Aiken holding his son, who was born in August.
"It was the first decision I made as a father," Aiken told the magazine, which arrives on newsstands Friday. "I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things. I wasn't raised that way, and I'm not going to raise a child to do that." By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY – 7 hours ago NEW YORK (AP) — The revelation that Clay Aiken is gay hasn't fazed Simon Cowell. ... more -
Did lesbian rumours ruin Condoleezza Rice's VP chances?
A mid-level member of the Republican National Committee has stated that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, not Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, was the first choice for Senator John McCain's female running mate. However, Rice was allegedly not chosen because of the persistent lesbian rumours surrounding her.
"Once [Democratic presidential nominee, Illinois Senator] Obama selected [Delaware Senator] Biden" instead of Senator Hillary Clinton, the source told journalist Ian Halperin, "they had this theory that Condi was the perfect candidate to put up against him. She's tough, conservative and a hawk, not to mention a football fanatic, which would be more than enough for white men."
However, according to the source, rumors about Rice's sexual orientation took her out of the running. "In Washington circles," the source said, "it's just assumed Rice is gay and nobody really cares. But in the glare of the media spotlight, those rumors were bound to get magnified a thousandfold and the mainstream media would have had an excuse to reveal the facts that would have caused conniption fits among the Republican base."
Rice, as Provost of Stanford University long before she was on the Bush cabinet, jointly owned a California house and held a line of credit with documentary filmmaker Randy Bean, with whom Rice has said she bonded over a "mutual love of football."
"I'm a great admirer of Secretary Rice," Senator McCain said in April when asked if she was being considered as his running mate. "I think she's a great American," McCain added. "I think there's very little that I can say that isn't anything but the utmost praise for a great American citizen that served as role model to so many people in this country and around the world." A mid-level member of the Republican National Committee has stated that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, not Alaska Governor Sarah... more
-
related topics
LGBTQ
Contributors (959)
LGBTQ
