LGBT News

Gay-Basher Kathryn Knott Released From Prison

From Philadelphia Magazine: Kathryn Knott is now a free woman. On Tuesday morning, Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Roxanne Covington heard Knott’s motion for parole. “Miss Knott has been an exemplary inmate,” argued Center City attorney William Brennan, Knott’s lawyer. “She completed anger management in a timely, quick fashion. And she elected not to appeal. That speaks volumes to her …

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LIVE VIDEO: House Hears “First Amendment Defense Act” – Bill Would Legalize Anti-LGBT Discrimination

Bil Browning writes at LGBTQ Nation: One month after the mass shooting in Orlando at a gay nightclub, congressional Republicans are holding a committee hearing to discuss legalizing discrimination against LGBT people. Despite repeated calls from fellow lawmakers, activists, and civil rights organizations, chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) refused to cancel or postpone the hearing. The hearing will focus on the …

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CANADA: Anglican Church Rejects Same-Sex Marriage

The CBC reports: A passionate debate on whether the Anglican Church of Canada should bless same-sex marriages came to a head Monday when delegates to their triennial conference voted against authorizing such unions. More than 200 delegates to the church’s six-day General Synod just north of Toronto rejected the resolution after speakers lined up to make their points, with most …

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White House Slams Tomorrow’s “Disturbing” House Hearing On Bill To Legalize Anti-LGBT Discrimination

Chris Johnson reports at the Washington Blade: Tuesday’s congressional hearing on a federal “religious freedom” bill that would enable anti-LGBT discrimination is “disturbing,” a White House spokesperson said Monday. Jeff Tiller, a White House spokesperson, made the remarks in response to an email request from the Washington Blade to comment on the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform’s controversial …

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AUSTRALIA: Scientists Declare End To AIDS Epidemic

But not AIDS itself. The Sydney Morning Herald reports: Australia’s peak AIDS organisations and scientists have announced an end to the AIDS epidemic, as the country joins the few nations in the world to have beaten the syndrome. The number of annual cases of AIDS diagnoses is now so small, top researchers and the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations have …

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Caitlyn Jenner To Attend Homocon Event During GOP Convention: I Want To Support Courageous Republicans

“The party conventions are like the political Olympics, and I’m excited to be headed to Cleveland to stand with my fellow LGBT Republicans and allies. As a proud Republican and transgender woman, I want to support courageous Republicans who advocate for LGBT freedom. Our country’s nondiscrimination laws must be updated and this cannot be achieved without bipartisan support. “Congress needs …

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COLORADO: San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Sings If You Were Gay At Focus On The Family HQ [VIDEO]

Just in via email: Today, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus – with Artistic Director Dr. Tim Seelig- visited the international headquarters of Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs, CO. This was part of an outreach extension tour SFGMC is doing, following the quadrennial GALA Choruses Festival, which brings together over 160 LGBT choruses from North America and beyond …

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MISSISSIPPI: Gov. Phil Bryant Demands Court Stay Overturn Of Anti-LGBT Law Pending His Appeal

From the Jackson Clarion-Ledger: Gov. Phil Bryant has given notice of an appeal to the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals of a federal judge ruling blocking House Bill 1523. In a motion filed Thursday in U.S. District Court, Bryant’s attorney Drew Snyder asked that U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves stay his preliminary injunction pending appeal. “This is a good …

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NORTH CAROLINA: Governor Has The Sadz After 68 Major Companies Join Brief Against Hate Laws

From the Raleigh News & Observer: American Airlines, Microsoft and Marriott are among 68 companies that signed an amicus brief in the lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s House Bill 2. Former U.S. Solicitor General Ted Olson authored the brief on behalf of Human Rights Campaign, the LGBT advocacy group that is leading opposition to the law. The brief will be filed …

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WASHINGTON: Trans Rights Repeal Fails To Make Ballot

The Olympian reports: An effort to ask Washington voters about restricting which bathrooms and locker rooms transgender people can use has fallen short. Supporters of Initiative 1515 did not collect the 246,372 registered voters’ signatures it needed to qualify for the election. I-1515 would have asked voters statewide to allow public and private entities to bar people from choosing a …

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Ohio Bakery: No BIRTHDAY Cakes For Gay Couples

From Toledo’s ABC affiliate: It certainly wasn’t the text message Candice Lowe was expecting to get on her honeymoon. She says it came from the owner of Take the Cake Bakery in Toledo, canceling the order for her wife’s birthday cake. Lowe says, “after she saw my Facebook page, she found out that I was in a same-sex marriage and …

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Sulu To Be Revealed As Gay In New Star Trek Film

From Australia’s Herald Sun: One of the best loved characters in the Star Trek universe has been revealed to be gay. Helmsman of the USS Enterprise, Hikaru Sulu, played by John Cho, is shown in Star Trek Beyond as the loving father of a daughter with a same sex partner. And in typical trailblazing Trek fashion — it’s just not …

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RALEIGH: City Could Lose $40M Over Hate Laws

From Raleigh’s NBC affiliate: Raleigh could lose as much as $40 million in convention business from the state’s controversial law on transgender rights. Statistics from the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau show that 16 trade associations or corporate groups have canceled gatherings in Raleigh because of House Bill 2, causing an estimated economic loss of $5.6 million. Raleigh is …

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PHILADELPHIA: Archbishop Bans Remarried Couples, Unwed Couples, & Gays From Receiving Communion

And apparently gays should just get opposite-married anyway. Philly.com reports: Divorced and civilly remarried Catholics, as well as cohabitating unmarried couples, must “refrain from sexual intimacy” to receive Holy Communion in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput has asserted in a new set of pastoral guidelines. Released Friday, the guidelines instruct clergy and other archdiocesan leaders on implementing …

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Marriage Equality Availability Hits Global Landmark

According to figures compiled by an Australian activist, over one billion people worldwide now live in jurisdictions with legal same-sex marriage. Frontiers reports: The analysis comes from Melbourne-based LGBT activist Tony Pitman, and reveals that the world crossed the billion-mark just a few weeks ago. “The turning point came a few weeks ago when Colombia and then several Mexican states …

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QUEENS: Outrage After Police Arrest Gay Man For Being “Momentarily” Nude On Popular Beach [VIDEO]

Mic reports: LGBTQ New Yorkers celebrating July 4 at Jacob Riis Beach — long a safe haven for the city’s LGBTQ community — witnessed U.S. Park Police carry a naked gay man by his towel as he screamed “Help me!” on Monday evening. In a video obtained by Mic, a group of police officers carried Brooklyn-based photographer Krys Fox off …

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Comcast Donates $1.5M In Airtime To Promote LGBT Rights Summit During Democratic Convention [VIDEO]

Via press release: Equality Forum 2016, the nation’s annual LGBT civil rights summit scheduled to take place during this year’s Democratic National Convention from July 25th – 28th, announced today the national launch of a public service announcement. Comcast Corporation, the lead sponsor of Equality Forum, is donating airtime valued at $1.5 million for the broadcast of a 30-second public …

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SHORT FILM: Son Comes Out To Dad On Prom Night

Out Magazine recaps: In case you didn’t know, Hallmark Cards now has its own streaming service, Feeln. For a few dollars a month you can watch all those feel-good Hallmark Hall of Fame movies as well as original series. Feeln also produces original shorts, including a new addition called The Beginning, which features a young man coming out to his …

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Pope Francis Accepts Resignation Of Dominican Cardinal Who Used Anti-Gay Slurs Against US Ambassador

From the Washington Blade: The Vatican announced on Monday that Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez of the Archbishop of Santo Domingo. The Holy See said in a statement that the pontiff has named Monsignor Francisco Ozoria Acosta of the Diocese of San Pedro de Macorís as López’s successor. López has repeatedly used …

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John Cena On Patriotism & Diversity [VIDEO]

Note the family in the background. Mashable sets up the clip: John Cena wants to body slam bigotry in America. In a new public service announcement that feels as if it could just as easily be an ad announcing a “Cena 2016” campaign, the pro wrestler gives an earnest-sounding lecture about how patriotism goes hand in hand with respect for …

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