Combined Gay News Headlines (T5T-1)

Stefano Gabbana Binges On Small Plates

THE SHOT — "I love italy," tweets designer Stefano Gabbana, who must obviously be done with his yachting vacation to engulf so many calories. CONTINUED » Permalink | Post a comment | Add to del.icio.us Tagged: Food, Italy, Stefano Gabbana, the shot, Twitter

If the Church Is So Concerned About Gay Marriage, Where's The Uproar Over Divorce?

Bishop Harry Jackson, the religious zealot leading Washington D.C.'s ridiculous campaign to halt same-sex marriage, claims he's "teaching, training, [and] having interventions" to keep people from supporting an end to marriage discrimination. Great. But why, asks Contessa Brewer pointedly today, isn't he expending the same effort to, uh, keep people from supporting the right to [...]

Wisconsin Supreme Court to Domestic Partnership Foes: Don't Let the Door Hit Ya

So, one other piece of good news this week: CONTINUED » Permalink | Post a comment | Add to del.icio.us Tagged: Domestic Partnerships, Julaine Appling, Lawsuits, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Family Action

Integration is Turning 1 Year Old!

Come out and celebrate with us!

See you on the corner!

Fresno: Shaw and Blackstone: 6:30pm – 8pm. Nov 4th. Bring signs and candles! “See you again in 2010!” More Info? 559-715-2010 Jay Matthew: Region.Eight@Gmail.com www.RestoreEquality2010.com

Tearin’ Up The Dancefloor

Last week week’s INTEGRATION Halloween party was truly spectacular. If momentum has anything to say about it, this week’s anniversary party should be pretty cool too.

Carrie Prejean rises again...in a sex tape

Is it me or is the former Miss California a prime example of a living, breathing hypocritical cliche? Apparently she has a sex tape in her past...

The video the lawyer showed Carrie is extremely graphic and has never been released publicly. We know that, because TMZ obtained the video months ago but decided not to post it because it was so racy. Let's just say, Carrie has a promising solo career. We're told it took about 15 seconds for Carrie to jettison her demand and essentially walk away with nothing. As we first reported, the Pageant is paying around $100,000 to her lawyers and publicist -- a fraction of her bills. She pockets nothing in the settlement.

Joe Jervis said:

Hey Maggie Gallagher! Did I just hear your tires squealing? Since, as you say, God was speaking directly to Carrie during her anti-gay pageant answer, what was he saying during her double-penetration scene? I kid, I kid. I only HOPE there's a double-penetration scene!

I have two questions: 1) Is this pre- or post- the free tatas from the pageant? 2) Does this mean she won't headline the Values Voter Summit 2010?

Washington's Referendum 71 still looking good

States with mail-in ballots have the excruciating pleasure of having to wait days or even weeks to learn the result of tight races.  Washington is one such state.  So here's the latest but not the last word on Referendum 71.  Remind er: we want to see R-71 approved because this means that the domestic partnership law will be preserved.  As of 6 pm on Nov. 4th, the Secretary of State reports:

Approved: 579,502 (51.65%)
Rejected: 542,582 (48.35%)

Looking good!  However, there are still about 400,000 ballots on hand yet to be counted, so if you're cautious you'll want to wait a bit before celebrating victory.  Bill sponsor Sen. Ed Murray and is already calling it a win since about 56% of the projected total number of ballots cast have already been coen counted.  Captain Reject (Larry Stickney) hasn't conceded yet, but must be feeling as desperate as Sen. Murray is confident because he asked people this afternoon to do this:

As you may know, we have seen amazing things happen at every critical juncture of this campaign. Please join me today in getting down on our knees to lift up this effort to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Let's pray the REJECT R-71 effort across the finish line! Every family and church in Washington now and for years to come will benefit from our efforts if we win! Pray that we are in the lead by the end of today's counting!

Now, for God to influence the election after ballots have been cast, wouldn't that require God to change people's votes?  So Stickney wants God to tamper with ballots.  Apparently God isn't into felonious activities, since He did not deliver unto Stickney such ill-gotten gains in the 6 pm count.

Elections Results: The Good In Kalamazoo

When I woke up after the November 2008 election, I woke up with the reality that about half the people I saw on the street in my hometown of San Diego did not want to see my lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community have equal marriage rights under the law. Moderating the CoverItLive (CIL) live-blogging/chat room thread, I saw some LGBT folk in the Northeast realize, like I did last November, that just over half of their families, friends, neighbors, and people they see in the street voted against their equality, with regards to marry, under the law.

I put out the poll early on in our live blogging coverage about which election result our blenders were following closest:

I'm one of the 2% who said the election result I was following closest was the basic civil rights election in Kalamazoo, Michigan. I cared about that most because I believe it was the one that spoke to the basic civil rights issues of trans people and community most directly, and because the opposition fought that piece of legislation with the Bathroom Meme -- the Bathroom Meme that states crossdressed men and trans people are going to invade public restrooms to prey on women and children.

And, as I pointed out in the Godly Perverts And The Bathroom Meme, one has much more to fear from Godly Perverts in women's public restrooms than one has to fear from crossdressed men and trans women.

That this is the second municipality in a row (the first being Gainesville, Florida) where voters rejected those who used the Bathroom Meme in an attempt to and deny basic civil rights to LGBT people...well, I think this says something positive about America regarding America's views on housing, employment, and public accommodation for LGBT people.

Still, I'm with Pam and many other baristas and blenders in this though: Civil rights aren't things that should be subject to mob rule. As happy as I am in winning in Kalamazoo, I'm not happy at all that there was a referendum on a basic civil rights ordinance for LGBT people.

Will the next stop for the Bathroom Meme be Tampa, Florida? From Tampa Bay Online's Tampa City Council to vote on transgender protections:

The city council is expected to vote Thursday on a proposal to expand Tampa's anti-discrimination laws to include transgender individuals.

The proposed ordinance, if approved, would extend laws prohibiting discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations based on sexual orientation, sex, race and religion to include "gender identity or expression" as a protected class...

Let's hope that if this passes we don't end up with another "mob rule" referendum on the ballot.

Maine’s super-volunteers and passionate student allies

From Maine with Love

We are 11 days away from the November Election. The Portland, Maine office is humming with volunteer activity. Every day, volunteers drop off food provisions for all the other volunteers. The first day we had homemade chili, yesterday egg salad sandwiches, and this morning someone brought in some carrots from their own yard. Mainers are chipping in any way they can. My time has bem their own yard. Mainers are chipping in any way they can. My time has been spent in the office working in the communications department while Travis Prinslow and Meleanie Altaras have been adopted into the Data and Campus Outreach departments. We work 9 to 9, when we're lucky and have been working on a variety of projects. From confirming volunteers, to getting people to vote early and in person volunteer recruitment. The amount of work that goes into a campaign is astounding. You walk into any office and you hear typing, people on the phone, stapling, paper shuffling and people being directed. It's a small preview of what Oregon will be dealing with soon enough. However, Oregon's fight will be much larger-- Maine's population is a third the size of Oregon's. I'm grateful that Basic Rights Oregon is starting early and getting all our ducks in a row before we enter our own fight. Maine's latest YouTube celebrity goes by the name of Phillip Spooner. Mr. Spooner is 85 years old, a WWII vet, and a lifelong republicanâ€"he is also in favor of marriage equality. Click here to watch his testimony in April during the Marriage hearings. His video has officially gone viral, with close to 500,000 views. Mainers are excited to have someone like Mr. Spooner speaking up for equality, so much so that he has unofficially become the face of the campaign. Click here to watch a segment of Mr. Spooner being interviewed about his views on Marriage Equality. The opposition is using children to scare voters into voting against equality. They are running ads claiming that "gay sex education" will be taught in schools. Fortunately, the Maine campaign has been very diligent about countering their ads and has caused a stir by featuring a French catholic woman who supports her son's right to get married. Yolande Dumont is also a Maine celebrity and has inspired Catholics and other religious denominations to come out and support the No on 1 campaign. Of course the Catholic DIoces is bankrolling the opposition's campaign along with National Organization marriage and Shubert Flint of prop 8 fame. When Yolande first came on the airwaves the Catholic Diocese was up in arms and started to spend resources countering Yolande's message. This is exciting because the opposition is now on the defensive. Not only do they have to counter multiple legislators, and educators on the whole "Teaching gay in Schools" issue, now they have to make sure that other fair minded Catholics reject Yolande's message. If the No on 1 Campaign wins on Election Day it will be a model on how to defeat the oppositions' vitriol and lies. Although, Maine is literally the farthest place from Oregon in the country, their efforts will have a huge impact on our work. They need all the help they can get. If you have not donated to the NO on 1 campaign you can do so by clicking here. If you cannot afford a donation but have some extra time on your hands you can phone bank from Oregon with their Call for Equality Program sign up here. I'm going to get back to work now but feel free to shoot me an email if you have any questions about getting involved in the Maine campaign. In solidarity, Alejandro Juarez Communications Coordinator Basic Rights Oregon (503) 222-6151 x 105 alejandro@basicrights.org

“You Have Always Been Welcome Here”, a play about the lives of four transgender people as they explore their relationships to family, gender, Christianity and spirituality is coming to Pendleton thanks to Pendleton PFLAG!

“You Have Always Been Welcome Here” here Presented by PFLAG Pendleton in cooperation with Communities of Welcoming Congregations & The Drama Queens    -   “You Have Always Been Welcome Here” portrays the lives of four transgender people as they explore their relationships to family, gender, Christianity and spirituality.   Rev. Tara Wilkins, executive director of Community of Welcoming [...]

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