Tag Archives: LGBT youth

NBC News reports: A man described as a member of a violent gang was arrested Wednesday and charged with murder in the death of a 10-year-old boy in Southern California, officials said. The boy, Anthony Avalos, had recently come out as gay, a county official said, and some suspect that homophobia played a role in his death. Anthony Avalos was …

The Los Angeles Times reports: Anthony Avalos came out as gay in recent weeks, and authorities are now investigating whether homophobia played a role in the death of the 10-year-old Lancaster boy, a county official said. Anthony was found mortally wounded at his home last week with severe head injuries and cigarette burns covering his body. Brandon Nichols, deputy director …

The Independent reports: The Vatican has recognized the term “LGBT” by using it in one of its official documents for the first time. A paper examining the Catholic Church’s relationship with young people, published on Tuesday, said “some LGBT youth” were looking to “benefit from greater closeness and experience greater care by the church.” The use of the term appears …

Canada’s Global News reports: A group that believes parents should be told when their children join gay-straight alliances at school says Alberta’s law barring teachers from doing that is unsound. “The legislation is deeply flawed and it fails to protect children,” Jay Cameron, a lawyer with the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, said in Medicine Hat court Wednesday. The Justice …

In a column denouncing the pending California bill which would ban ex-gay torture for adults under fraud laws, today Breitbart interviews Joseph Nicolsi Jr., the son of NARTH founder Joseph Nicolosi, who dropped dead last year at the age of 70. An excerpt: Nicolosi is a licensed clinical psychologist who runs the largest reparative therapy clinic in the world. He …

Utah’s Daily Herald reports: Utah Senator Orrin Hatch commemorated LGBT Pride Month Wednesday with a speech on the Senate floor. Hatch, whose National Suicide Hotline Legislation passed a House subcommittee Wednesday morning, spoke about suicide risk for LGBT youth on the Senate floor as he urged the House of Representatives to pass his proposal. “Today in honor of Pride Month, …

The Christian Post reports: A resolution submitted to the Southern Baptist Convention for its annual meeting in Dallas, Texas, has called on the nation’s largest Protestant denomination to reject “homosexual identity politics” and state bans on conversion therapy. Titled “On Ministry and Counseling to Lead People from Homosexuality to Heterosexuality,” the resolution, among other things, asks the SBC to “offer …

Manchester’s ABC affiliate reports: Civil libertarians and LGBTQ rights advocates praised Republican Gov. Chris Sununu on Friday after he signed into law a bill prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender identity. “Discrimination – in any form – is unacceptable and runs contrary to New Hampshire’s Live Free or Die Spirit,” Sununu said in a statement after signing House Bill …

Hawaii News Now reports: Hawaii is now the 12th state in the country with a law that prohibits therapists from offering so-called “conversion therapy” to minors. Conversion therapy, the practice of trying to change a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, is universally rejected by national organizations that guide accepted practices for licensed psychological professionals and is considered …

Via press release from the ACLU: A federal court today denied the Gloucester County School Board’s motion to dismiss a case brought by former student Gavin Grimm, holding that Title IX and the Constitution protect transgender students from being excluded from the common restrooms that align with their gender identity. The court directed the parties to schedule a settlement conference …

The Associated Press reports: Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has signed a bill to prohibit health professionals from practicing “gay conversion therapy” on minors, as a growing number of states and municipalities are banning the practice. The Republican governor signed the bill Tuesday. Maryland is the 12th state to enact legislation against the practice of trying to alter a person’s sexual …

Oregon’s The World reports: The North Bend School District is facing serious discrimination allegations. The allegations include an LGBTQ student being forced to read Bible passages as a form of punishment and whether or not LGBTQ students were discriminated against after reporting sexual harassment. These allegations are detailed in a March 6 letter from the Oregon Department of Education to …

Ireland’s Gay Community News reports: Sinn Féin spokesperson for the Arts, Youth Affairs and LGBTQI rights, Senator Fintan Warfield has welcomed the passing of the Prohibition of Conversion Therapies Bill 2018 through second stage in the Seanad today. The bill aims to make the practice of performing so called ‘conversion’ or ‘reparative’ therapies illegal in Ireland and would carry fines …

Hawaii News Now reports: State lawmakers on Friday approved a ban on so-called ‘gay conversion therapy’ treatments conducted on minors. Gay rights advocates say the practice, which is largely discredited by healthcare professionals, does more harm than good to those who are subjected to it. “This has been a priority of the caucus for years,” said Michael Golojuch, chair of …

Maryland’s Capital Gazette reports: Del. Meagan Simonaire said in a dramatic speech Wednesday she would vote for a ban on conversion therapy for homosexuality and revealed that her father — state Sen. Bryan Simonaire — asked her to try the discredited treatment after she revealed she was bisexual. The Republican from Pasadena, who is not seeking re-election after one term, …

Via press release from Democratic National Committee: Today, Democratic Governor Jay Inslee signed into law a bill banning licensed therapists from attempting conversion therapy on minors. Washington becomes the 11th state in the nation to ban the practice. In response, DNC LGBTQ Media Director Lucas Acosta issued the following statement: “Today, Washington State takes a huge step forward in protecting …

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports: The Milwaukee Common Council Tuesday voted to ban a controversial therapy that aims to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity, a practice known as “conversion therapy.” Aldermen vote 12-2 in favor of the ban, with one abstention. Supporters and opponents of the ban packed Tuesday’s meeting at City Hall, with opponents occasionally shouting “Amen!” “This …

The BBC reports: Dozens of protesters have gathered outside a London cinema to protest against the cancellation of a screening of a film advocating therapy to “cure” people from being gay. Christian group Core Issues Trust hired a screen at Vue Piccadilly, in the West End, to show its film – the Voices of the Silenced. But the cinema cancelled …

Andy Humm reports at Gay City News: A brief cell-phone video captures a harrowing September 27, 2017 assault on gay student Abel Cedeno in his Bronx high school class by Matthew McCree, joined by his friend Ariane Laboy, as Cedeno defends himself with a knife, fatally wounding McCree and slashing Laboy. McCree, in a white T-shirt, can be seen charging …

Minutes ago the Broward County Commission voted unanimously to ban ex-gay torture, becoming the 16th and largest Florida municipality thus far to take such a stand. Other Florida municipalities with bans on the books include Palm Beach County, Boca Raton, Miami, Tampa, Wilton Manors, Key West, and Oakland Park. Bucking the statewide trend, however, is Miami-Dade County, which rejected a …