LGBT News

FLORIDA: State Seeks $150K Fine From Security Company That Employed Pulse Massacre Shooter

The Tampa Bay Times reports: When Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen applied for a security job in 2007, he first had to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. The company that hired him, G4S, told the state that a doctor gave Mateen a clean bill of mental health. But after the June killings opened Mateen’s life to nationwide scrutiny, the doctor named …

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ARUBA: Parliament Approves Civil Unions

Some pleasant news to end a day otherwise full of hate. Via the Associated Press: Lawmakers in Aruba have voted to grant same-sex couples the right to register their unions and receive benefits granted to married people on the Dutch Caribbean island. Parliament voted 11-5 with four abstentions late Thursday to amend civil code regulations related to marriage to cover …

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Houston’s Oldest Gay Bar Closes After 36 Years

Houston resident and JMG reader Dwayne points us to this Facebook post: Effective immediately, Montrose Mining Company, located at 805 Pacific Street, is closed. We sincerely appreciate Houston’s support of The Montrose Mining Company for the past 36 years. The Montrose Mining Company was the first Houston Levi/Leather gay (GLBTQ) cruise bar on Pacific Street with an amazing sound system, …

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SHOCK: Court Tosses Conviction Of Student Whose Anti-Gay Bullying Led To Suicide Of Tyler Clementi

The New York Daily News reports: The 15-count conviction against a Rutgers University student who spied on his roommate and caught him kissing another man — leading to the roommate’s suicide — was thrown out by a New Jersey appeals court Friday. Dharun Ravi will face a new trial on some of the original charges, but not all of them. …

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FLORIDA: Craig Jungwirth Appears Before Federal Judge, May Get Monday Release On Pretrial Bond

Orlando’s NBC affiliate reports: Craig Jungwirth, 50, who is facing federal charges of making an online threat to members of the gay community in a small South Florida town, will remain in custody through the weekend. That may change by Monday. In his first court appearance Thursday afternoon, Jungwirth’s attorney told federal Magistrate David Baker that he will ask for …

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ILLINOIS: Social Security Administration Staffer Says He’d Rather Be Fired Than Watch LGBT Diversity Video

The Champaign News-Gazette reports: A Social Security Administration employee who believes he shouldn’t have to watch a workplace diversity video about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, because it violates his religious beliefs, fears he may lose his job because of it. David Hall, 42, of Tolono has worked for the federal agency for 14 years, based in the …

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Two Tears In A Bucket: Lady Chablis Dies At Age 59

Atlanta’s Project Q reports: The legendary drag performer Lady Chablis – a fixture at Club One in Savannah and drag centerpiece of “Midnight in the Garden and Evil” – died on Thursday. The death of the iconic performer was announced by Club One, where Lady Chablis has performed since the club opened nearly 30 years ago. She died surrounded by …

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Christian Site Declares: There’s No Such Thing As Gay Sex, It’s All Just “Genital Activity” Between Two Persons

From the Christian site LifeSiteNews: Some of the phrases that I can’t stand writing as a pro-family reporter are “men having sex with men (MSM)” or “gay sexual relationship” or “gay sex.” And I’ll tell you why. It’s obvious on a purely biological level that two males or two females are utterly incompatible with one another when it comes to …

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NORTH CAROLINA: Flailing Gov. Pat McCrory Attacks Transgender Students In New Campaign Ad [VIDEO]

Mic.com reports: North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory doubled down on his state’s transgender bathroom law in a new ad for his tough re-election bid, saying the law — which requires transgender students to use the restroom of their sex assigned at birth — protects everyone’s “privacy and safety.” There is no evidence to support the claim that transgender-inclusive restrooms are …

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FLORIDA: Craig Jungwirth Dodges Arraignment On Federal Terror Charge, Hospitalized For Chest Pain

Orlando’s ABC affiliate reports: A man linked to social media posts threatening a Pulse-style attack against the LGBT community will not face a judge in federal court Tuesday. According to the FBI, Craig Jungwirth, 50, was arrested at his Orlando home Saturday for a violating bond conditions in an unrelated pending misdemeanor case. Jungwirth’s court appearance was canceled after he …

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This Weekend Might See Our First Gay Miss America

Via the Associated Press: After competing in pageants for generations in the closet or working behind the scenes, gays and lesbians finally get to see one of their own take one of pageantry’s biggest stages. Miss Missouri, Erin O’ Flaherty, will compete for the Miss America crown this weekend as the first openly lesbian contestant. “Behind the scenes, we’ve been …

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FLORIDA: Craig Jungwirth To Be Arraigned Today On Federal Terrorist Threat Charge, Faces Five Years

Orlando’s NBC affiliate reports: On Wednesday, FBI agents identified the address of Jungwirth’s mother, and found Craig Jungwirth walking on the street in the area of Citrus Chase Drive in the Bay Hill area. FBI and Orlando Police detectives talked to Jungwirth, who refused to read the printed Facebook statements, and denied making the threats. He would not speak further, …

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FLORIDA: Man Accused Of Making Terrorist Threats Against Gay Bars Arrested On Unrelated Charges

The Orlando Sentinel reports: A man linked to social media posts threatening a Pulse-style attack against the LGBT community in South Florida was arrested Saturday by the Florida Highway Patrol on an unrelated charge, officials said. A Broward County judge on Saturday held an emergency hearing to issue an arrest warrant for Craig Jungwirth, 50, for a violating bond conditions …

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ALABAMA: State GOP Chair Seeks To Change Rules To Protect Unethical Renegade Judges Like Roy Moore

AL.com reports: Alabama’s process for punishing judges needs to be changed, the Alabama Republican Party’s executive committee says in a resolution aimed at what led to the suspension of Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore. The resolution asks that the executive, legislative and judicial branches of state government enact law for the election of all nine of the Judicial Inquiry Commission …

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REPORT: Man Who Allegedly Made Terrorist Threats Against South Florida Gay Bars Arrested In Orlando UPDATE: Wilton Manors Police Chief Denies Report

JMG reader Richard tips us that Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Dean Trantalis just announced on his Facebook page that Craig Jungwirth, who is suspected of having made terrorist threats against Wilton Manors gay bars, has been apprehended in the Orlando area. See his message below. At this writing no further details are available. I’ll update this post shortly when more …

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FLORIDA: Police Agencies Investigate Online Terrorist Threats Against Wilton Manors Gay Bars [VIDEO]

The suspect is a gay man with a lengthy criminal history who is very well known to the South Florida bear community, bar owners, and club promoters. Via Miami’s NBC affiliate: The Broward LGBT community is on edge after threats were made on social media. Some bars in Wilton Manors, like Rumors Bar and Grill, are stepping up security with …

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Gay US House Candidate Matt Heinz Wins AZ Primary

Arizona Public Media reports: Former legislator Matt Heinz won the Democratic primary election in Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District Tuesday and will challenge incumbent Republican Martha McSally. With nearly half the votes counted, Heinz led Victoria Steele, another former legislator, 53 percent to 47 percent. In comments at a Democratic victory party, Heinz set the agenda for his campaign. “Martha McSally …

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AUSTRALIA: Multiple Marriage Bills Announced

The Guardian reports: Labor and a group of Greens and independent MPs have separately given notice that they will introduce private members’ bills to legalise same-sex marriage. Greens MP Adam Bandt and independents Cathy McGowan and Andrew Wilkie gave notice on Tuesday of a cross-party marriage equality bill, in identical terms to one before the previous parliament. On Tuesday, as …

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NEW YORK: Democratic State Senate Candidate Vows To Erase Gay Couples From Textbooks Because Jesus

The New York Daily News reports: A Democrat waging a primary campaign in Queens vowed to fight to bar pictures of same-sex couples from appearing in school textbooks. S.J. Jung, who is challenging incumbent Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky in the Sept. 13 primary, made the remarks in March to a group made up primarily of Korean churches. At the same …

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NORTH CAROLINA: Federal Judge Bars State University From Enforcing Anti-Transgender Portion Of Hate Law

Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed: In a limited ruling on Friday afternoon, a federal judge barred the University of North Carolina from enforcing the “bathroom bill” provision of the state’s anti-LGBT HB 2 law against those transgender individuals who sued the state following the passage of the law. In the ruling U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Schroeder noted, “Ultimately, the …

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