LGBT News

MAINE: Governor Blocks Rules For Trans Students

Maine Gov. Paul LePage, who is widely known as America’s craziest governor, yesterday stopped his state’s Department of Education from issuing rules intended to protect transgender students. The Associated Press reports: Rep. Matthea Daughtry of Brunswick says the rules are required by the 2013 Maine Supreme Judicial Court’s decision in favor of Nicole Maines, a transgender student in Orono who …

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United Nations Issues LGBT Rights Stamps

The Guardian reports: The United Nations Postal Administration has released six new postage stamps promoting equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The colourful stamps by artist and UNPA art director Sergio Baradat are also meant to celebrate the diversity of the gay community and marks the first time the global body’s post office has issued stamps with an …

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Trump Promises “Forward Motion” On LGBT Issues

In an interview with NBC’s New England Cable News, yesterday Donald Trump vaguely promised “forward motion” on LGBT issues should he be elected. Bay Windows reports: Just days before the crucial New Hampshire primary, Trump cast himself as a uniter on LGBT issues. O’Connell, who is also Bay Windows’ publisher, identified herself as a lesbian in a question that noted …

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MONTANA: Out Native American Denise Juneau Announces Bid For State’s Only US House Seat

Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau has announced her bid for the US House. If elected, she will become the nation’s first openly gay Native American in Congress. The Great Falls Tribune reports: When Denise Juneau, the first Native American woman to win a statewide elective office in the country, introduced a woman she is dating at a Democratic political …

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SOUTH DAKOTA: Anti-LGBT Bills Advance In House

From Pierre’s NBC affiliate: A legislative panel has approved a bill that would bar the government from taking actions such as revoking the tax exempt status of an organization because of religious beliefs about marriage or sex. The House State Affairs committee approved the measure Wednesday. It heads to the full House. Republican Rep. Scott Craig says a person or …

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WASHINGTON: Anti-LGBT State Rep. Graham Hunt Resigns Over Falsified Military Service Record

Washington state GOP Rep. Graham Hunt has been pushing a bill that would allow businesses to restrict restroom use to people whose “genitalia match the sign on the door” – as one right wing site put it. Last night he resigned under “stolen valor” accusations. The Seattle Times reports: State Rep. Graham Hunt has resigned over accusations he exaggerated his …

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AUSTRALIA: Senator Blasts Tony Abbott For Speaking To “Lunatic Fringe” US Hate Group [VIDEO]

Whoa. You’ll definitely want to watch this. Buzzfeed reports: Greens senator Robert Simms has ripped into former prime minister Tony Abbott for speaking to an ultra-conservative anti-gay group in the U.S. last week. “It advocates for the criminalisation of homosexuality and the abolition of anti-discrimination laws that protect the rights of LGBTI people,” he said. “It is a lunatic fringe …

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INDIANA: Fake LGB Rights Bill Dies In Senate

It was hoped that the fake LGB (no T) rights bill that advanced last week in an Indiana Senate committee would be amended and corrected today before the full chamber. Instead it wasn’t heard at all and is now dead for the legislative session. Hate groups are doing a victory dance. From the Indianapolis Star: Senate President Pro Tem David …

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INDIA: Supreme Court Agrees To Reopen Case That Recriminalized Homosexuality, Sets Five Judge Panel

Huge news out of India this morning. Video below. The BBC reports: India’s Supreme Court has agreed to revisit a previous judgement that upheld a law criminalising gay sex. Three senior judges said the 2013 ruling would be re-examined by a larger bench of judges, in a move that has been welcomed by activists. The judges said that the issue …

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Bill Maher Promotes AIDS Cure Quack [VIDEO]

Karen Ocamb reports at Frontiers: AIDS ain’t over, and neither is the effort to find money and fame by charlatans promising a cure. Friday night, controversial libertarian Bill Maher gave a primetime spot on his HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher to an Australian doctor who claims he successfully treated HIV-positive actor Charlie Sheen through an alternative therapy. Maher …

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ITALY: Catholic Church & Anti-Gay Groups Stage Massive Rally Against Civil Unions Bill [VIDEO]

Anti-LGBT groups and the Catholic Church have organized a massive rally taking place in Rome today against the civil unions bill under consideration in Parliament. The day began with Anonymous hacking the website of the group organizing the protest, replacing their banner with a “Love Is Love” message. The Guardian reports: Tens of thousands of people have gathered in Rome …

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SAN DIEGO: Naval Base Coronado Nominates Gay Man As Military Spouse Of The Year [VIDEO]

San Diego’s ABC affiliate reports: For the first time, the military spouse of the year nominee at Naval Base Coronado is gay. “I was the kid who didn’t want to be gay,” Brian Alvarado said. “I was scared.” But, there was no denying it. He met his husband, Matthew Alvarado, online two years ago. Matthew has been an active duty …

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Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker Named Co-Chair Of Democratic National Committee LGBT Board

Last year the DNC created the LGBT Advisory Board to elevate “grassroots LGBT Democratic voices.” Today they announced that former Houston Mayor Annise Parker and longtime New York City HIV/AIDS activist Rev. José M. Román have accepted positions as the board’s co-chairs. Annise Parker:  “The LGBT community has made huge strides the past 7 years under Democratic leadership, but with …

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MICHIGAN: LGBT Rights Ballot Drive Folds

Michigan Live reports: The proposal to add civil rights for LGBT people to Michigan’s constitution will no longer aim for the 2016 ballots, its organizer announced during a taping of public television show Off The Record Friday morning. “We are suspending our 2016 campaign, but I can assure you this is not the end of Fair Michigan,” said organizer Dana …

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Parlour Tricks – Broken Hearts / Bones [VIDEO]

What a lovely track. NPR raves: The perfect music video makes me fall in love with a song by breathing life into its story. Here is a perfect music video. The band is Parlour Tricks, a band in love with radio pop, something I don’t always embrace, but that’s where the video worked it’s magic. I madly love the story …

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CRITICAL MASS: Majority Of Australian MPs Now Back Same-Sex Marriage, Free Vote Pressure Mounts

The Sydney Morning Herald reports: Parliamentary support for same-sex marriage reform appears to have reached critical mass and for the first time could pass in both houses, placing renewed pressure on Malcolm Turnbull to grant a free vote, rather than spend millions of dollars organising a non-binding public plebiscite. Mr. Turnbull has promised conservative colleagues he will honour the plebiscite …

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GERMANY: 68% Back Same-Sex Marriage

In a YouGov poll issued today, more than two-thirds of German voters and a majority of those belonging to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party say they support same-sex marriage. Via Germany’s edition of The Local: With 68 percent in favour, support has grown by around 3 percent on this issue since YouGov last conducted the poll less than 12 months ago. …

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NEBRASKA: Marriage Ban Repeal Might Go To Voters

Via the Associated Press: Nebraska’s defunct same-sex marriage ban could once again go before voters under a measure that seeks to remove it from the state constitution. Sen. Burke Harr of Omaha told a legislative committee Wednesday that his proposed amendment would ensure the constitution stays consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that allowed same-sex marriage. Voters approved the …

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NEW YORK: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Former Rentboy CEO On Prostitution & Money Laundering Charges

Reuters reports: The former chief executive of the male escort website Rentboy.com was indicted on Wednesday on a charge of promoting prostitution, in a case that has outraged gay and civil rights activists. The three-count indictment against Jeffrey Hurant, 51, by a federal grand jury in Brooklyn, New York, added money laundering charges not previously filed against the company founder …

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VIRGINIA: Anti-Gay Lawmaker Busted On Grindr, Local Gay Paper Declines to Name Him, Dan Savage Objects

Brad Kutner of GayRVA, Virginia’s LGBT newspaper, was tipped this weekend about a state lawmaker spotted cruising on Grindr. Rather than publicly outing him for his anti-LGBT voting record, Kutner has published a lengthy open letter to him. A small excerpt: I know you’re obviously not out at work here at the General Assembly, but I have to ask why …

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