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Boy Scouts to allow gay youths
- Groups respond - The Boy Scouts of America voted by a 60-percent majority May 23 to allow gay youth to participate in scouting, USA Today reported. The vote overturned a 22-year-old ban on openly gay scouts that was based on a line from the 1911 Boy Scouts of America oath: "On my honor I will do my best ... to keep myself physically ...
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Sex ed bill will positively impact LGBT youth, advocates say
- The Illinois General Assembly has passed a sexual education bill that advocates say will positively impact LGBTQ youth. HB 2675, a comprehensive sex education bill that mandates medically accurate teaching in grades six through twelve, cleared the Senate March 22. The bill already passed the House on March 17. It now heads to the governor's desk. While the bill is ...
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HBHC's Broadway Youth Center to move
- From a press release - Howard Brown Health Center (HBHC) announced on May 22 that several programs and services provided by the Broadway Youth Center (BYC) will begin transitioning from Broadway United Methodist Church (BUMC) to Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ (WAUCC) located at 615 W. Wellington Ave. beginning Monday, June 3 at 12 p.m. "The Broadway United Methodist Church (BUMC) has been an ...
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Peace Corps open for same-sex couples
- From a press release - Peace Corps Deputy Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet today announced that the agency will begin accepting applications from same-sex domestic partners who want to serve together as volunteers overseas. Same-sex couples may begin the application process starting Monday, June 3. "Service in the Peace Corps is a life-defining leadership experience for Americans who want to make a difference around the world," Deputy ...
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Chicago Sky opens season May 27
- The Chicago Sky has never had a winning season in its seven years in the WNBA, and has finished 14-20 each of the past three seasons. But now they're talking playoffs, even going deep into the playoffs. The Sky held its annual Media Day May 9 in north suburban Deerfield with players, coaches and staff on hand—and all were optimistically ...
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Harvey Milk plans changed; Crist backs same-sex marriage
- National roundup: Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - A San Francisco lawmaker has abandoned a proposal to rename San Francisco International Airport after slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk, instead planning to pursue getting an airport terminal named in Milk's honor, according to SouthFloridaGayNews.com. Supervisor David Campos said he gave up on the idea of putting a question on the city ballot after the airport-related plan generated a ...
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Media panel part of LGBT anti-suicide event
- "Media" was among a number of panels featured at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) LGBT suicide-prevention symposium at Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Feinberg School of Medicine April 20. Matthew Breen, editor-in-chief of the Advocate Magazine; Tracy Baim, publisher and executive editor at Windy City Media Group; and Adrienne Williams, a writer and from the AFSP Media Watchers Group spoke ...
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Law panel part of LGBT anti-suicide event
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - James L. Bennett, regional director of Lambda Legal; Lori Fox of Out and Equal; Illinois State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-14th); and Steve Moore, legislative advocacy committee chairperson of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) addressed legal issues at the foundation's LGBT suicide-prevention symposium at Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Feinberg School of Medicine April 20.. Moore began with a presentation about ...
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AFSP panel looks at community resources
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - "Community Resources" was the focus of one of the panels at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention LGBT suicide prevention symposium at Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Feinberg School of Medicine April 20. Krista Walker of Youth Outlook; Lawrence Carter, Illinois Safe Schools Alliance (ISSA) GSA network coordinator; and Simon Chavez, AFSP LGBT Outreach Committee co-chairperson were the featured speakers addressed a ...
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GLSEN to honor 2013 Educator of the Year
- From a press release - NEW YORK — May 7, 2013 — On National Teacher Appreciation Day, GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) is proud to announce the selection of Matthew Beck as the 2013 Educator of the Year, presented by Sodexo. Beck is a guidance counselor at Erie Elementary School in Erie, Illinois. The Educator of the Year award recognizes an exceptional ...
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Center on Halsted's GED program starting
- Center on Halsted will again partner with Truman College to offer another session of the onsite GED program. Pre-testing is available 1:30-4 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday through May 23 at Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St. The onsite GED program offering began in February. Enrollment and assessment is required for the program, which starts May 21. For more ...
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Fla. board allows GSAs
- Just one day after 14-year-old Bayli Silberstein filed suit against the Lake County (Fla.) School Board to enforce her constitutionally protected right to establish a gay-straight alliance (GSA) at her school, the board will allow the club to meet, according to an ACLU press release. The ACLU stated that the school board had, over months, repeatedly delayed and thwarted the ...
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A Fierce and Fabulous night benefits IL Safe Schools Alliance
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - It was a Fierce & Fabulous night at Lakeview's minibar on Halsted Street as MODA Boutique walked a cat walk and raised money for the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance, an organization dedicated to promoting a healthy environment about LGBT issues in the Illinois education system. Many may know the group from its Youth Leadership Summits or annual demonstration Day of ...
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Stroger Hospital opens LGBT clinic for city youth
- John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County is now home to an LGBT clinic. The Same-Gender Loving (SGL) Clinic at Stroger opened Feb. 1 and has been providing weekly care for uninsured and underinsured LGBT youth since. SGL is one of three county-funded clinics serving teens ages 13-24, but it's the first and only to cater specifically to the ...
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'YOU Belong' sports camp hosts kickoff
- Video link below - Center on Halsted hosted the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital Of Chicago Safe Space Day May 5. As part of the event, former openly gay NFL football player Wade Davis and writer/educator Darnell Moore spoke about their YOU Belong sports and leadership camp for LGBTQ and allied youth. YOU Belong will present a series of athletic and leadership ...
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Lincoln Park High School starts LGBT mentor program
- A new mentoring program for LGBT students will launch at Lincoln Park High School—the brainchild of the school's dean of students, who happens to be a straight, married woman. "My background in research is working with LGBT students and identity development; that was a big area that I focused on while I was in graduate school at Indiana University," said ...
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Wonka becomes a 'Circus'
- About Face Theatre celebrated its 17th year with a circus-themed party entitled "Wonka Ball 2013: Circus Maximus." Architectural Artifacts was the perfect space for acrobats, jugglers, and magicians to roam and play with guests on April 26. During the Ringmaster's VIP section of the evening, Andrew Volkoff was announced as the new artistic director, succeeding Bonnie Metzgar. Mary Morton was ...
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Girl Scout events and registration at Center on Halsted
- From a press release - Girl Scouts of greater Chicago and northwest Indiana will host a fun-filled night of games and activities on Tuesday, May 16 at Center on Halsted, located at 3656 N. Halsted St., Chicago, Ill. Guests may stop by to learn more about the Girl Scouts and what scouting has to offer. The event is free. A parent or guardian must attend ...
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Safe Space Day workshops and events at Center on Halsted
- From a press release - Center on Halsted will host "Safe Space Day" — a series of workshops and events focused on anti-bullying, HIV testing and acquiring and transmitting HIV, encouraging testing and early treatment. Safe Space Day will take place on Sunday, May 5 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Center on Hasted, located at 3656 N. Halsted St., Chicago, Ill. 60613. While ...
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Dept. of education to change student aid forms
- From press releases - Family Equality Council issued a statement praising the U.S. Department of Education for making plans to change the federal student aid form (FAFSA) to recognize the diversity of American families. Starting with the 2014-2015 FAFSA, the Department will begin collecting income and other information on a student's legal parents, regardless of the parents' sexual orientation or marital status, as long ...
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LGBT suicide prevention symposium held
- The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) hosted an LGBT suicide prevention symposium at Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Feinberg School of Medicine April 20. About 100 people gathered to hear leaders in the field of mental health and the LGBT community present information on suicide prevention and survivor support within the LGBT community. Mike McRaith, director of the Federal Insurance Office ...
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Students fight for return of fired gay teacher
- From a press release - COLUMBUS, OH — Students at Bishop Watterson Catholic High School near Columbus, Ohio, have launched a petition on Change.org asking the Diocese of Columbus to rehire Carla Hale, their teacher who was fired after someone complained that a female partner was listed on Hale's mother's obituary. Hale says she returned to work after attending her mother's funeral to find an ...
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Night of Noise celebrates youth activism to combat bullying
- Chicago-area LGBT youth and their supporters gathered at Thompson Center Plaza April 19 for Night of Noise to commemorate Day of Silence. Every year, thousands of students take a vow of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools. Locally coordinated by the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance—an advocacy group promoting safety, support and ...
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Delta Lambda Phi makes history as gay frat in confab
- From a Campus Pride press release - Today the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) announced that Delta Lambda Phi Social Fraternity has joined the Conference as a member fraternity. The fraternity was approved for membership on April 11th and was formally seated at the House of Delegates on Monday, April 15 at the Annual Meeting of the NIC in St. Louis, MO. Delta Lambda Phi (DLP) Fraternity's addition ...
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High schoolers discuss SCOTUS, marriage equality
- by Matthew C. Clark - Inside the Judge Abraham Lincoln Marovitz Courtroom of IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, a crowd of students were discussing the possible legal arguments that could be made in Hillingsworth v. Perry and United States v. Windsor, the two same-sex marriage cases that were recently argued at the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). Except rather than law students, the ...
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IL house passes sex ed bill
- From a press release - The Illinois House of Representatives passed a comprehensive sexual health education bill (HB 2675) today in a vote of 66 to 52. The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois (ACLU-IL), Planned Parenthood of Illinois, and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) played a major role in moving this legislation forward, which was sponsored by Rep. Camille Lilly (D-Chicago). "This is ...
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Illinois Safe Schools Alliance's Night of Noise April 19
- From a press release - Hundreds of young leaders from city and suburban high schools will gather Friday, April 19 at 5:30 p.m. for the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance's Night of Noise. The annual event celebrates the strength of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and allied (LGBTQA) youth community. The Night of Noise follows the Day of Silence, which recognizes the violence, harassment, and ...
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Smith asked to end transgender discrimination in applications
- From a press release - GLAAD, students, alumni voice support of trans-inclusive admissions policy New York, April 11, 2013 - GLAAD, the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy organization, today announced that it has joined more than 3,000 Change.org petition signers and student organizers at Smith College to call for an end to the school's policy that unfairly rejects the admission applications ...
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Trevor Project's suicide prevention work honored
- From a press release - West Hollywood, CA, (April 10, 2013) — The Trevor Project announces the official listing of its cornerstone education program, the Trevor Lifeguard Workshop, as a best practice for suicide prevention. This school-based training program, appropriate for middle school, high school and college age students, has been reviewed by experts for adherence to standards and is the first training to address ...
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LGBTQA Week Celebrated at WIU April 15-20
- From a WIU News press release - MACOMB, IL — The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer and Allies (LGBTQA) Resource Center at Western Illinois University and the UNITY campus organization will celebrate LGBTQA Awareness Week Monday, April 15 through Saturday, April 20 on the WIU-Macomb campus. The annual celebration serves as an opportunity to educate students, faculty and staff and to celebrate the progression of equality. The ...
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WCT seeks nominations for 30 Under 30
- CHICAGO—Windy City Times is seeking to recognize 30 more outstanding LGBT individuals (and allies) for its annual 30 Under 30 Awards. Nominees should be 30 years or under as of June 30, 2013, and should have made some substantial contributions to the LGBT community, whether in the fields of entertainment, politics, health, activism, academics, sports or other areas. The deadline ...
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Hospital the site of LGBT suicide-prevention event
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - On April 20, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) will host an LGBT suicide prevention symposium at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The symposium will feature talks from leaders in the fields of mental health and the LGBT community. They will present information on suicide prevention and survivor support within the LGBT community. According to its website, "the AFSP is the ...
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Karen Lewis receives Ron Sable Award for activism
- From a press release - Crossroads Fund, a Chicago foundation that funds grassroots groups working for racial, social and economic justice, will honor Karen Lewis and the Chicago Teachers Union at their annual benefit Seeds of Change on April 12, 2013. Blocks Together and the Chicago chapter of the National Lawyers Guild will also be honored at the event. Crossroads Fund has been supporting grassroots ...
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TX school relents, allows trans student to wear prom dress
- From a press release - HOUSTON — In a letter to the American Civil Liberties Union, Spring Independent School District stated that Tony Zamazal, a transgender student at Spring High School, may wear a dress, pump-style shoes, makeup and a wig to the school prom on May 11. A school administrator previously told Zamazal that wearing a dress would be "unacceptable" because boys have to ...
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Asher Brown's parents drop suit; HRC's red logo
- NATIONAL ROUNDUP: Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - Amy and David Truong, parents of gay teen suicide victim Asher Brown, have dropped their lawsuit against the Cy-Fair Independent School District in Houston, Texas, according to the Dallas Voice. Brown, 13, committed suicide in September 2010; the Truongs had claimed their son had been bullied based on his Buddhist beliefs, size and sexual orientation. Martin Cirkiel, the Truongs' attorney, ...
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NYPS app brings role models to Black LGBT youth
- by Jason Carson Wilson - Positive images and role models elude Black LGBT youth. National Youth Pride Services (NYPS), which created the app, surveyed more than 9,000 young people about year ago. Results revealed they neither see good role models in real time nor positive images in the media. Now, there's an app for that. "It does one thing that [the] 'It Gets Better' [campaign] ...
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Research shows many unsafe school environments for IL LGBT students
- From a GLSEN press release - NEW YORK — March 21, 2013 — Illinois middle and high schools are hostile places for many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students, according to School Climate in Illinois, a research snapshot of the experiences of LGBT students in Illinois schools released today by GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network. The findings, based on Illinois students who ...
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'Mad Hatter's Brunch' to benefit Broadway Youth Center
- Holding on to your hat may not be so easy if the Kinsey Sicks have you bowling over with laughter. But the comedy and music revue act may do just that at an upcoming brunch. On Sunday, April 7, the Howard Brown Health Center (HBHC) will be hosting a "Mad Hatter's Brunch." The event is a fundraiser to benefit the ...
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Internal Boy Scout documents show ban driving decline
- From a Scouts for Equality press release - Internal polling documents obtained exclusively by Scouts for Equality (SfE) demonstrate that the Boy Scouts of American's (BSA) policy of banning gay scouts and scoutmasters is a key driver in scouts decades-long decline. SfE's release of these documents comes on the heals of news that the BSA was conducing a comprehensive poll of its membership on the prospect of changing ...
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ACLU/SC challenges teacher harassment of LGBTQ high schoolers
- From a press release - (Los Angeles)—Today the ACLU Foundation of Southern California (ACLU/SC), and the law firm of Nixon Peabody LLP sent a letter to administrators at Sultana High School and the Hesperia Unified School District in San Bernardino County demanding that school officials stop censoring the speech and activities of the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) school club, stop discriminating against lesbian, bisexual, gay, ...
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GALA of Notre Dame/St. Mary's to honor gay Bishop
- From the website of Gay & Lesbian Alumni of Notre Dame and St. Mary's - The Officers and Board of Trustees of GALA-ND/SMC (Gay & Lesbian Alumni of Notre Dame and St. Mary's) 2013 Thomas A. Dooley Award recipient is The Right Reverend Gene Robinson, retired Bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church in U.S. Bishop Robinson is widely known for being the first priest in an openly gay relationship to ...
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Queer youth unimpressed with CPD trans policy
- A transgender policy quietly adopted by the Chicago Police Department last August has been a sore spot for activists because the policy fell short of their hopes. A March 9 discussion on the policy showed they are not alone in their concerns. A group of about 30 young people attended a discussion on the policy at Center on Halsted, hosted ...
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Queer undocumented youth push for inclusive immigration reform
- From a news release - Washington, D.C.— Today, queer undocumented youth from United We Dream's Queer Undocumented Immigrant Project (QUIP) are in Washington, D.C., committing to organize and advocate for a pathway to citizenship and LGBTQ family inclusion for 11 million Americans without papers. QUIP leaders will attend an event called "The LGBT Undocumented" this afternoon at the Washington, D.C.-based progressive think tank Center for ...
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School rejects mediation in transgender girl's case
- From a news release - York, NY — GLAAD and the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) announced March 7 that Eagleside Elementary School in Fountain, CO has rejected mediation in a civil rights case asking the school to allow 6 year-old transgender student Coy Mathis to use the girls' bathroom at her school. In mid-December, the Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 told Coy's ...
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WCT seeks nominations for 30 Under 30
- From a news release - CHICAGO—Windy City Times is seeking to recognize 30 more outstanding LGBT individuals (and allies) for its annual 30 Under 30 Awards. Nominees should be 30 years or under as of June 30, 2013, and should have made some substantial contributions to the LGBT community, whether in the fields of entertainment, politics, health, activism, academics, sports or other areas. The deadline ...
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Suburban high school embarks on anti-bullying program
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - Barrington High School has taken a bold step to combat bullying, showcasing 26 teachers in poster-sized photos—with tape on their mouths and NOH8 stenciled on their faces—that are now hung throughout the northwest suburban school. The photos were taken at school during the last week of January by United Colors, Barrington's GSA, and hung around school in mid-February. "The goal ...
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Carly Rae Jepsen cancels Boy Scouts gig
- From a Change.org press release - After more than 62,000 people signed onto gay Eagle Scout Derek Nance's Change.org petition urging Carly Rae Jepsen to denounce the Boy Scouts of America's national ban on gay Scouts and gay Scout leaders, the singer issued a statement today over Twitter saying that she would not perform, as scheduled, at the Boy Scouts of America's 2013 National Scouting Jamboree ...
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Program seeks to help LGBTs with substance-abuse issues
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - Although the extent of substance-abuse disorders among the LGBT population hasn't been fully quantified, a number of studies indicate that the rates of substance abuse among the LGBT community are higher than the rest of the population. According to Dr. Jason Trautman, Chicago Lakeshore Hospital (CLH) clinical coordinator for outpatient services, LGBT membership appears to correlate with increased risk of ...
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One in seven Fortune 500 gave to Boy Scouts
- Among the corporations that make up the current Fortune 500 — Fortune magazine's yearly list of the top 500 American companies ranked by revenue — about one in seven, or 14 percent, each donated at least $10,000 to the Boy Scouts of America in 2010, despite the organization's longtime ban of gays and lesbians. Many of those donors, like Comcast ...
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Gay Eagle scout urging Nat'l Geographic to condemn scouts ban
- From a news release - Gay Eagle Scout and outdoorsman Will Oliver delivered more than 120,000 Change.org petition signatures to National Geographic Channel as the network prepares for the premiere of their new series "Are You Tougher Than A Boy Scout?"; Petition urges National Geographic to issue a disclaimer condemning the Boy Scouts of America's ban on gay Scouts and Scout Leaders WASHINGTON, DC — ...
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Safe Schools Improvement Act introduced in Senate, GLSEN responds
- From a news release - NEW YORK, NY, February 28, 2013 - The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) today lauded the reintroduction of the Safe Schools Improvement Act. Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) joined by Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL), introduced a Senate bill with bipartisan support that addresses bullying and harassment for all students, including the categories of actual or perceived sexual orientation or ...
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Study: Bullying decreases over time
- A recent study in Pediatrics has found that bullying of LGB youth really does decrease over time. More than 4,000 English teens were interviewed annually from 2004 to 2010. One hundred eighty-seven of these teens identified themselves as LGB. Fifty-seven percent of lesbian and bisexual girls and 52 percent of gay and bisexual boys reported being bullied at ages 13-14. ...
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Gender-neutral 'frarority' present at NEIU
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - There are only five members of Delta Lambda Psi at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), ranging in age from 21 to 29. They are juniors and seniors—gay, lesbian and straight. This is a gender-neutral "frarority," as they call themselves. "We hope to recruit more people from different sexual backgrounds and also hope to attract students who are gender non-conforming, queer and ...
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LGBTQ youth of color activists lead nationwide summit
- Over 40 LGBTQ youth of color, representing approximately 17 organizations, from 16 cities across the nation gathered in Chicago to share activist tactics in the Connect Our Roots organizing summit Feb. 15-17. New York City-based organization FIERCE, dedicated to building the leadership and power of LGBTQ youth of color, assembled the three-day grassroots organizing summit. Affinity Community Services, Broadway Youth ...
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A Flood of Hope, Hurricane Relief concert benefits youth center
- From a news release - CHICAGO, IL - A concert of hope, survival, and support filled with emotionally moving songs about wind, sea, and rain. Under the direction of new Artistic Director, Paul Caldwell, Windy City Gay Chorus and Aria present "A Flood of Hope", a Hurricane Sandy Relief concert benefiting the Ali Forney Center in New York City for homeless LGBT youth that was ...
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WCT seeks nominations for 30 Under 30
- CHICAGO—Windy City Times is seeking to recognize 30 more outstanding LGBT individuals (and allies) for its annual 30 Under 30 Awards. Nominees should be 30 years or under as of June 30, 2013, and should have made some substantial contributions to the LGBT community, whether in the fields of entertainment, politics, health, activism, academics, sports or other areas. The deadline ...
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Homeless youth programs expand with $4.8 million city grant
- The Night Ministry and Howard Brown are just two of the LGBT-friendly organizations set to expand youth services in 2013, thanks to $4.8 million in city grants. The funding comes from the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS), and will be used to augment drop-in centers, youth shelters and rapid re-housing programs, DFSS spokesman Matt Smith said. "[This] ...
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LGBTQ youth of color discuss issues left out of gay agenda
- From a news release - The Connect Our Roots Summit will highlight organizing strategies and tactics to address homelessness, police violence and diminishing services for LGBTQ Youth. "As LGBTQ youth of color, we stand at the intersections of many identities and issues. We are queer and trans. We are people of color. We are immigrants. We are from low-income families. To make meaningful, lasting change, ...
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Indiana High School pushed to ban LGBTs from prom
- From a news release - Washington — The Human Rights Campaign is condemning the efforts of a small group in Indiana working to ban gay and lesbian students from attending the Sullivan High School prom this year. One student who supports the ban told a local NBC affiliate: "We want to make the public see that we love the homosexuals, but we don't think it's ...
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Lurie LGBT center launching Gender Identity Clinic
- Go to Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, and you'll find one of the most HIV-impacted communities in the city. But look for free HIV testing services, and you might come up short. The neighborhood, which is home to myriad social service providers, has few HIV testing sites. Zach Stafford, of the Gender, Sexuality and HIV Prevention Center based out of Lurie Children's ...
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Boy Scouts delay decision on gay ban
- After more than a week of debate about The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) ban on gay scouts, the organization has announced that it has postponed consideration of the policy until this Spring. In a statement released to media outlets, BSA said the organization needed time to weigh the decision. An announcement on the policy had been expected Feb. 6. ...
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Bullied teen dies in Oregon
- In Oregon, gay teenager Jadin Bell died after a suicide attempt that took place in the schoolyard of an elementary school, RawStory.com reported. Bell hung himself Jan. 19, but was taken off life support Jan. 29. Family and friends said the boy was the target of vicious bullying, both at school and online. Bell had reportedly begged his parents for ...
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Obama backs gays in Boy Scouts
- President Barack Obama said he is in favor of the inclusion of open gays in the Boy Scouts of America. He was asked the question by CBS journalist Scott Pelley on Super Bowl Sunday, giving the answer a high-profile audience of tens of millions. Obama said "nobody should be barred" from the Boy Scouts: "Gays and lesbians should have access ...
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Boy Scouts close to ending gay ban
- The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) could be ending its longtime ban on gay scouts, the organization announced Jan. 28. Deron Smith, Director of public relations for BSA, said in a statement that BSA was discussing removing the national restrictions on sexual orientation. "This would mean there would no longer be any national policy regarding sexual orientation, but that the ...
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Gay inclusive scout pack could lose charter; parents, groups object
- From a GLAAD press release - January 25, 2013, NEW YORK, NY - GLAAD, the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, and Scouts for Equality today spoke out against the National Capital Area Council (NCAC) of the Boy Scouts of America after it threatened to revoke the charter of a local Cub Scouts pack that bars discrimination on the basis ...
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Runaway hotline rebrands
- The National Runaway Switchboard marked its 42-year anniversary Jan. 15 with a big change: a new name. Starting this month, the Chicago-based organization, which works to prevent youth homelessness, will operate as the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). "The [original] name didn't resonate well with youth," NRS Executive Director Maureen Blaha said. "When asked what a switchboard is, teens of today ...
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African-American males face unique challenges coming out
- From a news release - NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — Coming out to one's family can be stressful, but gay black males face a unique set of personal, familial and social challenges. "Parents and youths alike worry that gay men cannot meet the rigid expectations of exaggerated masculinity maintained by their families and communities," says Michael C. LaSala, director of the Master of Social Work program ...
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Passages: Prince Edwards
- Prince Edwards, a popular young gay dancer who was active National Youth Pride Services (NYPS) died Jan. 16 after an illness. He was 25. "This is really a shock to us, but I can say Prince lived his life to the fullest," said NYPS CEO Frank Walker in a statement. "I thank him for all the young people he introduced ...
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LGBTs among groups opposing more police in schools
- A handful of Chicago groups are speaking out against President Obama's plan to put more police in schools, and LGBT advocates are among them. School groups voiced that opposition at a press conference at the Chicago Public Schools Headquarters Jan. 21. The groups want more school counselors, psychologists and other resources in place of increased police presence in CPS. Among ...
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Windy City Times nominated for GLAAD award
- From a news release - For the second year in a row, Windy City Times, Chicago's weekly LGBT newspaper, has received a nomination from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. The category they are in also has nominations for The New York Times and The Boston Globe. The nomination was for the Windy City Times Generation Halsted series, an exploration of at-risk LGBTQ youth ...
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TJLP talks trans legal disparities at Chicago Bar Assn.
- Attorneys on the Chicago Bar Association's LGBT Committee recently mulled over the many legal disparities facing transgender people. The Transformative Justice Law Project (TJLP) of Illinois, an organization that provides free criminal legal services to transgender people, presented at the committee's downtown meeting Dec. 16. TJLP attorneys Owen Daniel-McCarter and Elizabeth Ricks said that criminal legal system is particularly challenging ...
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Same-sex pair crowned homecoming king and queen
- Bougest Sutton and his best friend, Bryant Jenkins, hatched a plan last summer. They were, at the time, on the train heading home to suburban Round Lake Beach after attending the annual Chicago Gay Pride Parade. They wanted to become the first same-sex pair to be named homecoming king and queen at Round Lake High School. "Once the school year ...
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New law against conversion therapy for minors blocked
- California Gov. Jerry Brown appealed a court injunction that has blocked enforcement of a new law that prohibits conversion therapy for minors, according to the L.A. Times. State Attorney General Kamala Harris filed the notice of appeal was filed on behalf of Brown and the Medical Board of California with the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which decided Dec. ...
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VIEWPOINTS Queer street youth need OUR love
- As a queer person there is much to be proud of as 2013 begins. Last year was an unprecedented year of progress in the LGBT-rights movement, with greater LGBT visibility and support for marriage equality gaining huge momentum. And that momentum doesn't seem to be slowing, as it looks like the state Illinois will soon legalize same-sex marriage. Yes, in ...
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Generation Halsted: Recommendations
- LGBTQ Youth Series from Windy City Times - "People even today can't fathom the idea that young people are homeless on the streets. It's just ridiculous to think it happens. That's why it's such a big issue... The idea—it's like aliens riding the Red Line." — Nomi Michaels Devereaux, LGBTQ homeless youth advocate. Photo by Kate Sosin Throughout the "Generation Halsted" series, many readers have asked how they ...
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