LGBT News

Reuters reports: A gay Chinese student activist has lodged a suit against the Ministry of Education over school textbooks describing homosexuality as a mental disorder, the latest step by China’s small but growing gay rights movement. It is not illegal to be gay in China and these days many large Chinese cities have thriving gay scenes, though there is still …

NBC Out reports: In his new film, “My Harlem,” filmmaker Jeff L. Lieberman takes a stand against Harlem’s anti-gay ATLAH Worldwide Missionary Church. The Vancouver native, who has documentary “The Amazing Nina Simone” under his belt, uses his new film to examine important themes including homophobia, gentrification and violence against the LGBTQ community. In “My Harlem,” the two main characters, …

Via press release from US Rep. Richard Hudson: “This is political theatre by the NCAA and ACC. If these multi-million dollar, tax exempt organizations were interested in social change and not making a political statement, they would proceed with their marquee events in North Carolina and enact any transgender bathroom policy they wanted. This blatant political move – less than …

Bet you can guess why. Raleigh’s NBC affiliate reports: State Sen. Tamara Barringer, R-Wake, told WRAL News Tuesday night that she became the first Republican lawmaker to call for the “substantial and immediate” repeal of House Bill 2 due to the measure’s “unintended consequences,” which have played out over the past six months. “I did not realize the consequences of …

NCAA 2, Electric Boogaloo! Via press release: Statement from the ACC Council of Presidents: “As members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the ACC Council of Presidents reaffirmed our collective commitment to uphold the values of equality, diversity, inclusion and non-discrimination. Every one of our 15 universities is strongly committed to these values and therefore, we will continue to host ACC …

The Guardian reports: The government will propose new protections for “conscientious objectors” to same-sex marriage which marriage equality advocates fear could allow civil celebrants, registrars and even bakers and florists to refuse to serve same-sex weddings. According to briefing notes on the plebiscite prepared for the Coalition party room, seen by Guardian Australia, the legislation would allow “conscientious objectors” to …

Above is just one article on the front page of the sports section in today’s Greensboro News & Record. See the full thing below. Here’s what two college athletes are saying in an op-ed for the Raleigh News & Observer: In reaction to HB2, the NCAA’s Board of Governors will relocate all seven collegiate championship events from North Carolina in …

BOOM. Via press release: Based on the NCAA’s commitment to fairness and inclusion, the Association will relocate all seven previously awarded championship events from North Carolina during the 2016-17 academic year. The NCAA Board of Governors made this decision because of the cumulative actions taken by the state concerning civil rights protections. In its decision Monday, the Board of Governors …

Buzzfeed reports: Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie was faced with a question close to home on ABC’s Q&A on Monday, when her gay brother asked if the government’s proposed plebiscite on marriage would affect his emotional wellbeing. “Given the majority of parliamentarians and Australians now support marriage equality, is a $160 million plebiscite necessary, and what impact do you think the …

News Corp Australia reports: Federal Labor has introduced to parliament legislation that aims to legalise same-sex marriage in an attempt to gazump the government’s planned national vote on the issue. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten introduced a private bill on Monday, saying it was a chance for the parliament to prove its worth and fulfil its purpose. “Today we can bring …

Andy Towle reports at Towleroad: Across Mexico over the weekend, thousands of “pro-family” groups protested against same-sex marriage as the country moves toward marriage equality. In one particular march in Celaya, Guanajuato, a 12-year-old boy was photographed in the middle of the street trying to block the march of 11,000 people from moving forward. Journalist Manuel Rodriguez captured an image …

Via the Hollywood Reporter: Miss Missouri Erin O’Flaherty was not among the top 15 picked to advance in the pageant during its nationally televised finale Sunday night. The first openly gay contestant in the Miss America pageant was eliminated Sunday night when the top 15 finalists were chosen. Miss Missouri Erin O’Flaherty was not among the top 15 picked to …

Last night RuPaul won the Creative Arts Emmy for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program. Yahoo News reports: Truth be told, the first-time nominee had reason to feel like an Emmy underdog, since he was representing RuPaul’s Drag Race, a fringe show about drag queens on Logo, a niche LGBT cable network. But Sunday, on night two of …

Early this year Finland’s parliament finalized the details of the marriage equality law which goes into effect in March 2017. Enter the group attempting to repeal the law before then. Via the Helsinki Times: A citizens’ initiative to repeal the upcoming legislative amendment granting marriage rights to same-sex couples was discussed at the Finnish Parliament on Thursday. Hanna Sarkkinen (Left …

TMZ reports: Alexis Arquette died Sunday morning surrounded by family and friends … the family confirms to TMZ. Alexis’ brother, Richmond Arquette says Alexis died at 12:32 AM while listening to David Bowie’s, “Starman.” Besides being the sibling of David and Patricia Arquette — Alexis was known for her roles in “Pulp Fiction” and “The Wedding Singer,” as well as …

The video below isn’t very good but the audio is decent. The Washington Post reports: Isn’t it rich? Broadway legend and Hillary Clinton supporter Barbra Streisand lampooned maybe-billionaire Donald Trump before a crowd of wealthy Democrats on Friday night, to the tune of “Send In The Clowns.” Yes, that Broadway classic from 1973 that you now cannot get out of …

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 …

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 …

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, …

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. …