LGBT News

San Antonio Rejects Revote On Airport Chick-Fil-A

USA Today reports: Chick-fil-A has not been cleared for takeoff at the San Antonio International Airport. Nearly a month after the San Antonio City Council voted to ban the fast-food chain from opening a location in the airport, the council narrowly rejected a proposal to reconsider the March 21 decision, Councilman Greg Brockhouse said Thursday. At the March meeting, council …

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SF’s Beach Blanket Babylon To Close After 45 Years

The San Francisco Chronicle reports: For 45 years, the team at “Beach Blanket Babylon” has donned enormous hats and skewered politics and pop culture in a campy musical revue in a snug North Beach theater. The beloved show has become so ingrained in San Francisco culture that many rank it alongside the Golden Gate Bridge and cable cars. Though seemingly …

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Top Rugby Star Battles Firing For Anti-Gay Posts, Gets Support From Tennis Legend Margaret Court [VIDEO]

Agence France-Presse reports: Wallabies fullback Israel Folau on Wednesday formally challenged Rugby Australia’s decision to sack him over anti-gay social media posts, thrusting the sport into further turmoil ahead of the World Cup. The latest showdown with the devoutly religious 30-year-old — who last year was embroiled in a similar row — came after he posted on his Instagram account …

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LGBT Groups Split On Canada’s “Gay Loonie” Coin

CBC News reports: A new dollar coin designed to commemorate 50 years of homosexual rights has sparked a dual backlash — from both members of Canada’s LGBT community and from a social conservative group. The loonie, to be launched April 23 at an invitation-only event in Toronto, will feature a stylized depiction of two overlapping human faces within a large …

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POLAND: Extremists Arrested At Pride March [VIDEO]

In Poland reports: Nine men were detained by the police following Saturday’s pride march in the western central Polish city of Gniezno, deputy inspector Iwona Liszczyńska reported. Some of the detainees were accused of disturbing a public gathering and violating police officer’s bodily integrity. The first ever pride march in Gniezno’s history took place under the “Gniezno – the first …

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Madonna Teases Coming “Madame X” Album [VIDEO]

Rolling Stone reports: After dropping various hints on social media in recent weeks, Madonna has unveiled the teaser for her latest project Madame X. In a 90-second video that features snippets of new music, the singer dons numerous costumes and identities while she explains the concept behind her next album. “I decided to call my record Madame X,” Madonna says …

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MISSOURI: Students Rip Down Anti-Bullying “Day Of Silence” Posters And Display Confederate Battle Flag

The Springfield News-Leader reports: Early Friday, as a group of Kickapoo High students prepared to mark the national Day of Silence — to raise awareness about the bullying and intimidation of LGBTQ students —a few students drove through the parking lot, waving flags. A district spokesman said “three or four” students were circling through the parking lots of the high …

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NEW YORK: Ruben Diaz Announces Bid For US House

Patch reports: The city councilman who recently drew fire for his inflammatory remarks about gay people says he will run for Congress to give conservatives and moderates a voice in Washington. Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. said he will run to replace U.S. Rep. Jose Serrano, who is not seeking re-election in 2020. The Bronx Democrat — who drew widespread criticism …

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Mike Pence: I Don’t Believe In Discrimination, Mayor Pete’s Problem Is With The First Amendment [VIDEO]

The Hill reports: Vice President Mike Pence responded to criticism from 2020 White House hopeful Pete Buttigieg (D) in an interview that aired on Friday, accusing the South Bend, Ind., mayor of ginning up a conflict for votes. In an interview with CNN, Pence said that the mayor knew that Pence did not have a problem with him over his …

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San Jose City Council Votes To Hang Rainbow Flags Near New Airport Chick-Fil-A In Sign Of LGBT Solidarity

NBC News reports: A California city that last year approved the opening of a Chick-fil-A at its local airport now wants to send a message of support to LGBTQ people as the opening date for the fast-food restaurant nears. The San Jose City Council voted 11-0 on Tuesday to hang rainbow flags in support of LGBTQ people and pink, blue …

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Top Australian Rugby Star Fired For Anti-Gay Posts

Australia’s SBS News reports: Rugby Australia and NSW Rugby Union will terminate star player Israel Folau’s contract, following his “disrespectful” social media posts about homosexuals. On Wednesday night, Folau took to Instagram to post an image with a warning that “those that are living in Sin will end up in Hell unless you repent” alongside an image telling “homosexuals” to …

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Cruise Line To Drop Brunei Stops Over Anti-Gay Law

Travel Agent Central reports: Princess Cruises is looking to change its calls to Brunei after the destination introduced a harsh penal code that includes laws that make gay sex and adultery punishable by stoning to death, a spokesperson for the cruise line tells Travel Agent. “Princess Cruises is aware of the news stories circulating about the country of Brunei and …

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Taylor Swift Donates $113K To Tennessee LGBT Group

Variety reports: Taylor Swift has donated $113,000 to the Tennessee Equality Project as it tries to stop state lawmakers from passing a series of bills she and others characterize as a “slate of hate.” The donation was announced by Chris Sanders, who leads the project. “She sees our struggle in Tennessee and continues to add her voice with so many …

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Massachusetts Now 16th State To Ban Ex-Gay Torture

Mass Live reports: Massachusetts therapists can no longer use a type of therapy that tries to alter a teenager’s sexual orientation. Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday signed into law a bill banning licensed health care professionals from providing conversion therapy to anyone under 18. Fifteen states and Washington, D.C., have already banned conversion therapy, according to the Human Rights Campaign. …

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ISRAEL: PM Benjamin Netanyahu Refuses To Commit To LGBT Rights In First Meeting With Activists In 10 Years

The Times of Israel reports: Leaders of Israel’s LGBT community blasted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Sunday after the Likud leader told them during a meeting that coalition pressures prevented him from promising to promote equal rights. In a rare meeting with activists at his residence in Jerusalem, the prime minister said opposition from religious and ultra-Orthodox parties blocked him from …

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LONDON: Protesters Storm Entrance Of Brunei-Owned Hotel Over New “Stone Gays To Death” Law [VIDEO]

The BBC reports: Brunei should be “chucked out” of the Commonwealth if it does not revoke its anti-LGBT laws, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry has said. Dozens of protesters chanted “shame on you” outside the Brunei-owned Dorchester hotel in London on Saturday. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he had expressed “deep UK opposition” to the new laws to Brunei’s government. …

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AG Bill Barr Orders Probe Into Treatment Of LGBT Staffers At DOJ After Complaint From Employee Group

NBC News reports: Attorney General William Barr ordered an investigation into the Department of Justice’s treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender staff following a complaint from DOJ Pride, its LGBTQ employee resource group. In an April 4 letter to DOJ Pride released Friday, Barr said he was “troubled” by the group’s concerns, which were raised in a March 27 …

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Top Vatican Official Meets With Activists On Call For Pope To Condemn Laws That Criminalize Homosexuality

The Washington Blade reports: A group of more than 50 LGBTI rights advocates on Friday met with a high-ranking Vatican official and renewed their calls for the Catholic Church to condemn laws that criminalize consensual same-sex sexual relations. ILGA World in a press release said the activists met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, and presented him …

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NEW STUDY: About 20% Of LGBTs Live In Rural Areas

NPR reports: LGBT people are typically depicted as city and coastal dwellers. And those who live in rural America are often characterized as people yearning to escape rural life for more acceptance in urban areas. But a new study from the Movement Advancement Project, a think tank that advocates for LGBT equality, shatters that stereotype. Between 2.9 million and 3.8 …

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Petition Calls For Australia To Ban Royal Brunei Airlines

SBS News reports: A petition to ban Royal Brunei Airlines from landing in Australia has gathered steam as Virgin Australian cancelled staff travel on the airline following the country’s introduction of harsh Sharia law that includes the death penalty for gay sex. The petition, directed to the Minister and Shadow Minister for Transport, calls on the government to “commit to …

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