Gay News Magazine Headlines (T24T-2)

Openly transgender woman elected to party position in Ore.

Openly transgender woman elected to party position in Ore.
Calvo will serve as state's Democratic Party treasurer
Jan. 14 at 3:04 PM Jan. 14 at 3:04 PM
Laura Calvo, an openly transgender woman, was elected treasurer of the Democratic Party of Oregon, according to a press release from the Stonewall Democrats.

Calvo is a longtime LGBT-rights and Democratic activist. She served on the national LGBT Steering Committee for the Obama/Biden presidential campaign last year and as an elected delegate for Hillary Clinton to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

Calvo now joins Democratic Party of Oregon Vice Chair Frank Dixon as the second openly-LGBT party officer currently serving the state's party.

"Laura is a tremendous asset to the Democratic Party, and her election as Treasurer will only gr ...

Maine lawmaker to introduce gay marriage bill

Maine lawmaker to introduce gay marriage bill
House Republican will propose dueling bill
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) | Jan. 14 at 9:28 AM Jan. 14 at 9:28 AM
State Sen. Dennis Damon is introducing a bill to end the prohibition on gay marriage in Maine. House Republican Josh Tardy, meanwhile, is proposing to bolster the state law restricting marriage to one man and one woman by making it a constitutional amendment.

The dueling proposals ensure that gay marriage will be hotly debated this legislative session.

As it stands, Maine has a domestic partnership registry that's open to gay couples. But that's not enough for gay marriage supporters. Damon says it's time to "fully end discrimination in Maine."

Gay marriage is being debated elsewhere in the region. In New Hampshire, a bill's been s ...

More gays to serve in Obama White House

More gays to serve in Obama White House
Liaisons, deputy among new appointments
By CHRIS JOHNSON, Washington Blade | Jan. 13 at 4:t 4:55 PM Jan. 13 at 4:55 PM
President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team has selected three more openly gay people to serve in his administration, according to a prominent Democratic activist.

The activist, who spoke to the Blade on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the selections, said David Medina, a gay man who is a former national political director for John Edwards’ presidential campaign, has been tapped as deputy chief of staff for Michelle Obama.

Medina is a member of the Human Rights Campaign’s board of directors and has a seat on the organization’s public policy committee.

Dave Noble, a gay man led efforts to mobilize gay voters ...

Clinton Pledges Review of LGBT Policies at State Department

Senator Hillary Clinton said Tuesday during her confirmation hearing for Secretary of State that she intended to review the department's policy of not extending benefits to partners of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender foreign service officers. But Clinton stopped short of making a specific commitment to make partner benefits available, saying she needed more information on the existing policies. Beyond being deprived of health care benefits, same-sex partners of foreign service personnel are currently unable to access other services available to heterosexual spouses, such as subsidized relocation, language training, employment opportunities, on-site medical treatment, and evacuation aid in emergency situations.

Big Labor Unions Back Overturn of Prop. 8

The Sacramento Bee is reporting that a coalition of labor unions will file a brief with the California supreme court in support of overturning Prop. 8, the ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage in the state.

Indiana Conservatives Revisit Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment

Indiana lawmakers who oppose same-sex marriage said Monday they would launch another effort to ban such unions with a constitutional amendment, reports The Indianapolis Star. Rep. Dave Cheatham, a Democrat, and Rep. Eric Turner, a Republican, said they would both sponsor measures with identical language in the house, and GOP senator Marlin Stutzman said he would sponsor legislation in the senate.

Another 'out' employee let go from ARTE' hotel

Protest scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 17. Another openly gay employee has been fired from the ARTE' Hotel in Brentwood/Nashville ande and claims his sexuality was the main reason for his termination. Former Asst. General Manager Leonard Studdard's employment...

Williams upsets House Speaker race

Tennessee Equality Project President Christopher Sanders was present at the Tennessee House on Jan. 13 when Republican Kent Williams challenged fellow Republican Jason Mumpower to win election as Speaker of the House. Democrat Lois DeBerry was elected...

Openly transgender woman elected to party position in Ore.

Openly transgender woman elected to party position in Ore.
Calvo will serve as state's Democratic Party treasurer
Jan. 14 at 3:04 PM Jan. 14 at 3:04 PM
Laura Calvo, an openly transgender woman, was elected treasurer of the Democratic Party of Oregon, according to a press release from the Stonewall Democrats.

Calvo is a longtime LGBT-rights and Democratic activist. She served on the national LGBT Steering Committee for the Obama/Biden presidential campaign last year and as an elected delegate for Hillary Clinton to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

Calvo now joins Democratic Party of Oregon Vice Chair Frank Dixon as the second openly-LGBT party officer currently serving the state's party.

"Laura is a tremendous asset to the Democratic Party, and her election as Treasurer will only gr ...

Maine lawmaker to introduce gay marriage bill

Maine lawmaker to introduce gay marriage bill
House Republican will propose dueling bill
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) | Jan. 14 at 9:28 AM Jan. 14 at 9:28 AM
State Sen. Dennis Damon is introducing a bill to end the prohibition on gay marriage in Maine. House Republican Josh Tardy, meanwhile, is proposing to bolster the state law restricting marriage to one man and one woman by making it a constitutional amendment.

The dueling proposals ensure that gay marriage will be hotly debated this legislative session.

As it stands, Maine has a domestic partnership registry that's open to gay couples. But that's not enough for gay marriage supporters. Damon says it's time to "fully end discrimination in Maine."

Gay marriage is being debated elsewhere in the region. In New Hampshire, a bill's been s ...

More gays to serve in Obama White House

More gays to serve in Obama White House
Liaisons, deputy among new appointments
By CHRIS JOHNSON, Washington Blade | Jan. 13 at 4:55 PM Jan. 13 at 4:55 PM
President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team has selected three more openly gay people to serve in his administration, according to a prominent Democratic activist.

The activist, who spoke to the Blade on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the selections, said David Medina, a gay man who is a former national political director for John Edwards’ presidential campaign, has been tapped as deputy chief of staff for Michelle Obama.

Medina is a member of the Human Rights Campaign’s board of directors and has a seat on the organization’s public policy committee.

Dave Noble, a gay man led efforts to mobilize gay voters ...

Gay Marriage Fight Sets Up In Maine

The fight over gay marriage shifts to the six state New England region

Gay Feature Films Premiere At Sundance

A pair of gay-themed feature films are set to premiere at Sundance

The Amazon Trail: Susan, We Hardly Knew You

Lee Lynch reminisces about novelist Susan Sontag

Labor Unions Come Through for Us Again with Friend of Court Brief to Overturn 8

We support labor because it’s the right thing to do (well, that, and because we both come from working-class backgrounds ourselves). And the unions have historically recognized and fought for equality for everyone. Today, true to form, they came through again — and, again, made us even more proud to stand side by side with the [...]

Why We Still Love Reverend Al: “There is something immoral and sick about using all of that power to not end brutality and poverty, but to break into people’s bedrooms and claim that God sent you.”

Sharpton decries churches pushing Prop. 8 From the pulpit of Tabernacle Baptist Church on Sunday, Rev. Al Sharpton called out the Mormon Church and other conservative faiths for mobilizing to support Proposition 8 to ban gay marriage in California while refusing to be as involved in any other social concerns. “It amazes me when I looked at [...]

Kalamazoo Goes to Kalamahell: City Council Caves to Radical Religionists, Overturns Anti-Discrimination Ordinance

We keep telling you: They have no intention of stopping until they’ve stripped us of all our rights, everywhere. Memo to all you revoltingly lily-livered cowards on the city council: When it comes to civil rights, there is no such thing as “compromise.” Either you’re on the side of right, or you’re on the side of [...]