In Washington State, the badly decomposed body of openly gay radio talk-show host Mike Webb was found in a Seattle home, according to the Seattle Times. Local police and fire officials had searched for Webb—a top host for years on 710 KIRO AM, and during 1999-2000 on the nation's first LGBT radio network, GAYBC—since May, according to GAYBC.com . Finally, a landlord inspected Webb's residence and found his body in the basement. A tribute to Webb is at GAYBC.com .
For the first time in a CNN poll about the subject, most respondents believed that a person's sexual orientation cannot change. Fifty-six percent of over 500 people said they sexual orientation cannot be altered; six years ago, 45 percent believed that. Also, 42 percent of those questioned believe that homosexuality is affected by environment, while 39 percent said that it is genetic.
In California, an appeals court unanimously ruled that three congregations that left the Episcopal Church over the appointment of openly gay bishop V. Gene Robinson cannot have property claimed by the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, the New York Times reported. In 2004, All Saints Church in Long Beach, St. David's Church in North Hollywood and St. James Church in Newport Beach left the Los Angeles Diocese and the Episcopal Church and aligned themselves with foreign Anglican bishops.
Three former leaders of the ex-gay ministry Exodus International have apologized, the Associated Press reported. The individuals, who held a press conference at the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center, said in a joint statement that 'although we acted in good faith, we have since witnessed the isolation, shame, fear and loss of faith that this message [ of changing your orientation ] creates.'
The Newark, N.J., school district has apologized for blacking out a picture of high school student Andre Jackson kissing his boyfriend from all copies of Jackson's school's yearbook, CNN reported. However, Jackson—who commented that the yearbook featured straight couples kissing—said that the apology was not genuine because the superintendent did not say he was sorry in public and to Jackson's face.
In Ohio, GOP leaders will support Log Cabin Republican Bill Brownson's bid for the city council of Columbus, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Brownson, who is the first out candidate to receive the backing of the county's Republican committee, has had to weather charges of betrayal because the Log Cabin Republicans, among other things, decided to not support George W. Bush during his last run for president.
In Delaware, the British company Qsoft Consulting Limited has filed a lawsuit against TDTong Ltd., claiming to own the term 'gaydar,' according to DelawareOnline.com . The 10-year-old Qsoft—which is suing TDTong for infringement—claims to have registered Internet domain names with 'gaydar' back in 1999 and registered GAYDAR as a trademark in the European Community in 2003.
Almost 50 gay men in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Diego and New York City have been discovered as carriers of neurosyphilis, a potentially dangerous form of syphilis, according to EdgeBoston.com . This rare strain of syphilis can develop within a year of initial infection and can cause blindness or strokes. The CDC has said that gay and bisexual men have been the main reasons for a nationwide increase of syphilis.
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards and his wife have different views when it comes to same-sex marriage, according to the Associated Press. At the recent San Francisco Gay Pride Parade, Elizabeth Edwards expressed her support of marriage while John, on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, said 'I'm very strong about ending discrimination against gay and lesbian couples. But I'm not quite where Elizabeth is yet [ regading same-sex marriage ] .'
A study conducted by University of California at Davis professor Gregory Herek has revealed that almost four out of every 10 gay men and one out of every 8 lesbians and bisexuals in the United States have been the victim of a hate crime, according to 365Gay.com . The study, to be published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, also showed that almost 50 percent of the 662 respondents had suffered verbal abuse because of their orientation.
Former CBS News producer Richard Jefferson has filed a discrimination-based lawsuit against the company, saying that the network fired him for speaking about the slow response to a gay-bashing attack he suffered in the West Indies isle of St. Maarten, according to ABC News. Jefferson, who was earning $225,000 a year at CBS, wants up to $50 million in damages for what he says is the network's 'deeply rooted bias against homosexuals.'
In San Francisco, several officials and the Community United Against Violence ( CUAV ) have started a social marketing campaign entitled 'Men Surviving Rape,' which aims to make people aware of male-on-male sexual assault, according to the Bay Area Reporter. According to a CUAV report, the number of male rapes doubled from 2005 to 2006.
Republican anti-gay presidential candidate Mitt Romney is facing criticism for what some are calling pet abuse, according to 365Gay.com . In 1983, Romney put the family dog, Seamus, in a kennel tied to the top of his car for a 12-hour family trip; when Seamus developed diarrhea, Romney sprayed the animal and the kennel with a hose before continuing driving. Romney meant for the story to show his coolness in a crisis, but animal-rights activists are calling his actions 'cruel.'
The number of gay-straight alliances that has registered with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network ( GLSEN ) has passed 3,500, according to an organizational press release. At least one such alliance from each state; Washington, D.C.; and Puerto Rico has registered with GLSEN since the groups formed in 1988. The top states for registrations are California, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Illinois.
Following a plan used by Michigan State University, the city of Kalamazoo, Mich., has found a way to continue offering domestic-partner benefits without violating the state amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage, 365Gay.com reported. Kalamazoo will simply employ what will be called an 'Other Qualified Adult' program for any two people who rreside together in a dependent relationship.
In California, San Jose's city council has voted 10-2 to support San Francisco in its attempt to overturn the state's initiative that restricts marriage to heterosexual couples, according to the San Jose Mercury News. San Jose will file a friend-of-the-court brief supporting San Francisco's request that Proposition 22—ratified in 2000 by 61 percent of voters—be declared unconstitutional.
The Arkansas Family Council, a Christian conservative group that initiated the drive for that state's constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, is now angling for a ballot initiative that would prohibit gays and lesbians from being foster or adoptive parents, according to the Arkansas News Bureau. Jerry Cox, the council's executive director, has said that his organization is drafting such a measure and plans to submit it to the attorney general's office this summer.
Navy Reserve commander Zoe Dunning, 43, has called it a career after more than two decades of service. Fourteen years after coming out and almost 13 years after prevailing in a wrongful discharge case against the U.S. Navy, Dunning retired June 2, according to the Bay Area Reporter. A formal retirement ceremony, complete with a red carpet, was held on the flight deck of the U.S.S Hornet Museum in Alameda, Calif.
In Missouri, a?man has been sentenced to life in prison for knowingly exposing individuals to HIV, according to an NBC5.com item. Sean Sykes had unprotected sex with a woman without tellling her he was HIV-positive. At least three other women who had sex with Sykes have tested positive.
