THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

—Mr. Cicilline goes to Washington: Providence, R.I., Mayor David Cicilline runs for the U.S. House—and becomes the fourth openly gay member in the legislative body, joining Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin and Jared Polis.

—Hero effect: Openly gay intern Daniel Hernandez Jr. was credited for helping to save the life of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was among the many shot by Jared Lee Loughner.

—Answer this: President Obama was once again thrust into the fray involving same-sex marriage. Reporters asked the White House about a 1996 Windy City Times survey he completed when he ran for the Illinois Senate that showed that he once supported marriage equality; he now backs civil unions.

—Appoint of view: Obama, however, made a lot of pro-LGBT moves in 2011. Among those was appointing longtime lesbian civil-rights activist Roberta Achtenberg commissioner on the U.S. Civil Rights Commission. He also appointed Jeffrey Levi, who once headed the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, as a member of the newly created Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health at the Department of Health and Human Services. The White House even got its first gay special assistant to the president and social secretary in Jeremy Bernard.

—Aloha, civil unions: In Hawaii, Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed SB232, which establishes civil unions for same- and different-sex couples. Civil unions will provide a full range of state law protections and duties to all unmarried couples, such as access to family court to resolve disputes in an orderly way and other vital family protections. The law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2012. Delaware and Rhode Island also OK'd civil unions, although some marriage-equality activists in the latter state saw the move as a concession.

—Right said Fred: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment protects an anti-gay protester's demonstrations in close proximity to a private funeral service. The case, Snyder v. Phelps, arose out of a conflict around anti-gay activist the Rev. Fred Phelps and his followers staging loud and hate-filled protests near the funerals of American soldiers killed in Iraq.

—Taking on bullying: The White House held a high-visibility conference on bullying prevention March 10, with the president and first lady calling on parents, teachers, students and communities to address the problem together. Members of Congress also introduced several LGBT-inclusive bills designed to address bullying of students. In addition, several states passed anti-bullying measures.

—The beginning of the ENDA: U.S. Rep. Barney Frank reintroduced the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to the U.S. House, characterizing it as "winnable," while Sen. Jeff Merkley introduced the measure in the U.S. Senate. However, given the current chasm in the two-party system, the measure—which seeks to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity—has been the subject of much debate.

—The numbers game: The Williams Institute, a leading think tank dedicated to the field of sexual orientation and gender identity-related law and public policy, released new research that estimates the size of the U.S. LGBT population as 8 million, making up 3.5 percent of the adult population.

—We are families: The Uniting American Families Act was introduced in both houses of Congress. This measure would allow gay and lesbian Americans to sponsor their permanent partners for legal residency in the United States, a right currently enjoyed only by married heterosexuals under immigration law.

—X marks the spot: Author Manning Marable asserted in his new book, Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention, that (among other things) the civil-rights leader engaged in a same-sex relationship with a white businessman. However, Marable passed away April 1—just before the book was released.

—Social insecurity: Out actor George Takei (Star Trek), along with Patty Duke, took part in a promotion for Social Security. However, some questioned why Takei would do so, because the federal government denies legally married same-sex couples spousal Social Security benefits since it does not acknowledge marriage equality.

—Foster the people: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a memo April 6 encouraging child welfare agencies to better serve the needs of "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth" in the foster care system. It said such agencies should avail themselves of federal funds for training staff on how to better serve this community, and it called LGBT prospective parents "a largely untapped resource" for providing foster or adoptive homes to LGBTQ young people.

—An attack in Maryland: An attack on a transgender woman at a McDonald's restaurant in Baltimore County, Md., April 18 was videotaped and then went viral via the Internet, while the victim claims it was "definitely a hate crime." Chrissy Lee Polis, 22, stopped at the McDonald's to use the restroom, but was attacked by two females, including a 14-year-old girl, who repeatedly kicked and punched her. Polis also claimed they spit in her face. Other people in the restaurant were basically bystanders, with some laughing.

—Labor Day: The U.S. Department of Labor announced changes to its equal employment statement, including the addition of gender identity as a protected category. The policy, while internal to the department, will apply to all hiring, promotion and disciplinary practices for employees of the agency.

—Prop and go: The debate involving the California anti-marriage-equality initiative Prop 8 continued, with the year ending with a federal appeals court weighing the case. Many expect the case to go to the U.S. Supreme Court.

—Reno 211: Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval signed AB 211 into law, which codifies prohibitions against discrimination in employment on the basis of gender identity or expression.

—Lemon aid: CNN anchor Don Lemon, 45, officially came out of the closet in his book, Transparent. He also revealed the childhood abuse he suffered. He told Windy City Times, "Long story short, I started writing about my childhood and it became cathartic—and I realized this would've been a book that would've helped as a kid, when I was abused, all sorts of things came out."

—Not exactly Southern hospitality: Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam signed legislation prohibiting cities in the state from passing anti-discrimination laws protecting LGBT individuals. Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese said, "Haslam has put discrimination ahead of the state's values and even business interests by signing this horrible legislation."

The Tennessee state Senate passed bill SB0049, also known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, that would outlaw any discussions on homosexuality in classrooms from kindergarten to eighth grade. The state House will vote on the bill in January 2012.

—Net gain: Several sports figures came out of the closet in 2011, including NBA executive Rick Welts, who, at the time, headed the Phoenix Suns. (He's now with the Golden State Warriors.) The day after Welts came out, former Villanova basketball player Will Sheridan revealed he is gay. Soccer player David Testo also revealed his sexuality, as did Scott Norton, the Professional Bowlers Association Rookie of the Year.

—Guiding light: The U.S. Office of Personnel Management produced a set of employment guidelines for federal transgender workers for the first time. "Guidance Regarding the Employment of Transgender Individuals in the Federal Workplace" covers everything from appropriate pronoun usage to insurance policy.

—Not funny: Actor/comic Tracy Morgan went on an anti-gay rant during a stand-up act in Nashville. After much backlash (including from 30 Rock co-star Tina Fey), he apologized and met with GLAAD. "I know how bad bullying can hurt," Morgan said. "I was bullied when I was a kid. I'm sorry for what I said."

—New York, New York: On June 24, New York became the sixth and most populous state to legalize marriage for same-sex couples. After a tense several days beyond the scheduled end of the legislative session, in which it was unclear if Republican leaders in the state Senate would even allow a marriage bill to come up for a vote, the Senate voted 33-29 in favor of the bill. Gov. Andrew Cuomo quickly signed the measure. The law went into effect July 24.

—GLAAD to the bone: The board of directors of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation accepted the resignation of the organization's president, Jarrett Barrios, on June 23. At the same time, eight board members resigned. Barrios had been under fire from gay bloggers and journalists for sending a letter to the Federal Communications Commission supporting the merger of AT&T and T-Mobile as a good thing for LGBT people. AT&T is a donor to GLAAD.

—DeLong and the short of it: Lesbian United Methodist minister the Rev. Amy DeLong received a 20-day suspension (that started July 1) for performing a same-sex wedding in 2009. (In addition, she was found not guilty of being a "self-avowed practicing homosexual.") She was also required to write a document about dealing with issues that "create an adversarial spirit" within the church.

—Schools closed: The Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, the U.S. Department of Education office once headed by openly gay appointee Kevin Jennings and charged with helping with efforts to stop bullying and harassment of students, including LGBT youth, folded—a victim of drastic federal budget cuts. Jennings had left two weeks prior to take a position in the private sector.

—Doctor, doctor: The American Medical Association adopted a new policy in support of same-sex marriage. The AMA said that excluding same-sex couples from marriage recognition is discriminatory; it also supports relationship recognition as a means of addressing health disparities that gay and lesbian couples and their families face.

—Slaying in Seattle: In Seattle, Wash., Isaiah Kalebu was found guilty July 1 on all counts—aggravated murder, first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, first-degree rape and first-degree burglary—in a case in which he attacked Teresa Butz and her surviving partner in 2009. At one point, Kalebu testified to jurors, "I was instructed by my God, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, to attack enemies. I followed the instructions by God." He received life in prison with no parole.

—In effect: The Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 went into effect in September. President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen provided the certification required by the act to Congress, making the repeal possible.

—Method to his madness: An investigation by Truth Wins Out revealed that the clinic of Marcus Bachmann, the husband of presidential candidate Michele Bachmann, practices reparative therapy, a controversial method designed to "cure" gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Marcus also later phoned the investigative reporter to collect on unattended sessions.

—School daze: In a U.S. first, Gov. Jerry Brown on July 14 signed into law a bill that requires California public schools to teach about LGBT people's contributions to the economic, political and social development of California and the U.S. The new law also prohibits classroom instruction and school-sponsored activities that promote a discriminatory bias on the basis of sexual orientation, and requires that newly acquired social-sciences textbooks and other social-sciences instructional material used in California adhere to the bill's requirements.

—I love a parade: In what may have been a first in the country, some 300 active-duty troops (the majority of the contingent) and veterans marched in San Diego's LGBT Pride parade July 16. It was a symbolic goodbye to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

—Here comes the judge: The U.S. Senate approved the confirmation of openly gay attorney J. Paul Oetken to serve as a U.S. district court judge. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, Senator Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., called Oetken a "superbly" qualified candidate and noted his nomination was historic in that he is the first openly gay man to be nominated a federal district court judge. The vote was 80-13, with seven senators not voting.

—Games on: In a case from the 2006 Chicago Gay Games, a U.S. Court of Appeals ruled against a group of anti-gay protesters over two complaints they filed, but the court sent a third back to the courts for review. James Deferio, Ryan Murphy and Michael Marcavage—of religious organization Repent America—were arrested July 2006 for refusing to relocate their protests at three Gay Games events.

—Blood brothers: Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., were among those applauding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for outlining concrete steps toward ending the lifetime ban on gay men from donating blood, according to a press release. "We've been working on this a long time in a serious way and I'm glad Secretary Sebelius responded with concrete steps to finally remove this policy from the books," said Kerry.

—Driven: In a move that could impact transgender people nationally, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) recommended that transgender drivers be allowed to more easily change the gender markers on their driver's licenses. AAMVA, the non-profit that makes recommendations on driving issues to every state, hosted a webinar on transgender issues and driver's licenses Aug. 3.

—Generation MAP: The Movement Advancement Project (MAP) released a comprehensive report that illustrates that more than half the country is still without LGBT protections. According to the report, high-profile triumphs for LGBT communities in the past two years have had little impact on policies in 28 states, where protections for LGBT people are almost nonexistent.

—What about rocky road?: U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., has compared being gay to selecting ice cream, according to Advocate.com . When an interviewer asked West if the gay-rights movement is the same to the civil-rights movement for African Americans, West (who is African-American) replied, "You cannot compare me and my race to a behavior. I can't change my color. People can change their sexual behavior. I like chocolate chip ice cream and I will continue to like chocolate-chip ice cream—so there's no worry about me changing to vanilla."

—Halt: The government publicly dropped the deportation proceedings that threatened to tear apart Alex Benshimol and Douglas Gentry—a married, gay, binational couple in California—marking the second time in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement has agreed to close a deportation case involving such a couple.

—Mass. distinction: A study showed that Provincetown, Mass., is the gayest place in the country, with 163 same-sex couples per 1,000 households. Wilton Manors, Fla., with 140 same-sex couples per 1,000 households, placed second.

—Tech, please: Tim Cook, a gay man, became the new CEO of Apple after Steve Jobs—who later passed away—resigned Aug. 24. The company said the switch was made during a meeting of the board of directors; Jobs specifically asked for Cook to replace him.

—Follow the leader: The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) announced in a press release Aug. 27 that its president, Joe Solmonese, "will not renew his contract, which expires March 31, 2012." Solmonese took the helm of the nation's largest LGBT political organization in 2005, following an 11-month stint by his predecessor, Massachusetts state Sen. Cheryl Jacques.

—You're as young as you Phil: Indiana state Rep. Phil Hinkle admitted that he paid 18-year-old Kameryn Gibson $80 on Aug. 6 for sex. However, not only did Hinkle refuse to say that he is gay, but he also rejected calls for him to step down. House Speaker Brian Bosma stripped Hinkle of his committee chairmanships and has joined other GOP officials who have asked him to resign.

—Nudes you can use: Republican Puerto Rican senator Roberto Arango resigned from office after a very explicit nude photo surfaced on the gay pickup site Grindr. He originally said of the photo, "As I shed that weight, I've been taking pictures. I don't remember taking this particular picture but I'm not gonna say I didn't take it. I'd tell you if I remembered taking the picture but I don't."

—The race is on: Openly lesbian U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., announced her official bid for the U.S. Senate. In a three-minute online video, she compared herself to retiring Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl and former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold.

—Let's make a deal: In California, Brandon McInerney, 17, avoided a retrial by agreeing to a plea deal of 21 years in prison for shooting gay classmate Larry King in 2008. McInerney pled guilty to second-degee murder, voluntary manslaughter and use of a firearm. McInerney, while in a fit of rage, killed King at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard because he didn't like King's attire and the victim's attention to him.

—Vet offensive: Brenda S. ("Sue") Fulton became the first openly gay veteran appointed by President Barack Obama to the board of visitors of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The appointment followed a career in and surrounding the military spanning more than three decades.

—9/11 revelation: It turned out that a gay priest was among the first casualties of 9/11. Father Mychal Judge, a Franciscan friar, was chaplain for the New York Fire Department; he was killed after going to the World Trade Center with off-duty firefighters after the first building was hit.

—Shopping Mart: Big-box retail giant Wal-Mart has added transgender protections to its employee non-discrimination policy. The protections include gender identity and gender expression.

—Suicides continue: Teens continued to commit suicide as a result of bullying. In New York, 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer died of an apparent suicide Sept. 19 after repeatedly asking people to help him with a problem involving bullying. It was this suicide that pushed Lady Gaga to meet with the Obama administration.

—Change is coming: In a settlement with a transgender inmate who sued for the right to transition behind bars, the Federal Bureau of Prisons ended its policy of "freezing" gender-specific medical care upon entry. People who entered prisons not on hormones would not necessarily have access to them for transition during their incarceration.

—Stepping out: NBC's The Playboy Club may have only lasted a few episodes, but became known for its Mattachine-related headline as well as the fact that it starred bisexual actress Amber Heard and gay actor Sean Maher, who came out in October. Also, actor Zachary Quinto (Star Trek; Margin Call) publicized his sexuality.

—Proving her medal: Lesbian mother Janice Langbehn was one of 13 recipients of the 2011 Presidential Citizens Medal. The medal was established in 1969 to recognize American citizens who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens.

—I want your sex: A new study by researchers at Indiana University and George Mason University found the sexual repertoire of gay and bisexual men more diverse than expected, according to a press release. The study—which included feedback from almost 25,000 men—revealed 1,308 unique combinations of behaviors, with the most common being kissing a partner on the mouth.

—A czar is gone: White House Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP)/Senior Advisor on Disability Policy Jeff Crowley issued a letter to friends and colleagues stating that he's leaving his post. The letter read, in part, I am grateful to the HIV community and our many, many partners inside and outside of government that helped us develop a road map for moving forward at this critical juncture in our Nation's response to the domestic HIV epidemic."

—Natural election: Various elections took place nationally Nov. 8—and the LGBT community scored some big victories. Among them were lesbian Houston Mayor Annise Parker being re-elected and openly gay Chapel Hill, N.C., Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt winning his re-election bid with 78 percent of the vote. In a race that had implications regarding Iowa's marriage-equality law, Democrat Liz Mathis defeated Republican Cindy Golding 56 percent to 44 percent; Democrats will keep a 26-24 edge through the 2012 legislative session.

—Notes on a scandal: Former longtime Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, 67, is facing charges that he sexually abused 12 boys. He is charged with, among other things, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of someone under 16; aggravated indecent assault of someone under 16; and corruption of minors. The scandal also resulted in the firing of legendary football coach Joe Paterno.

—Repeal moves on: The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee voted to recommend passage of a bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. The bill is the Respect for Marriage Act. The 10-8 vote, along partisan lines, was postponed a week at the request of Republicans on the committee.

—Not appealing: The White House withdrew the nomination of openly gay attorney Edward DuMont to serve on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee blocked DuMont's nomination from the start, when President Obama nominated him in April 2010. DuMont was the first openly gay person to be nominated to a federal appeals court.

—Pro and Shaun: United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan became the first U.S. cabinet secretary to address a transgender-related event when he gave the keynote speech Nov. 15 at the eighth anniversary celebration of the National Center for Transgender Equality. When asked if he supports marriage equality, Donovan replied "absolutely."

—Going Gaga: Pro-LGBT superstar Lady Gaga continued to make impressions in 2011, doing everything from meeting the White House about anti-bullying measures to being named AP Entertainer of the Year.

—Being Frank: Barney Frank, one of the few openly gay individuals in the U.S. House of Representatives, announced Nov. 28 that he will not seek re-election. Frank, 71, has served office for 16 terms. In a statement, President Obama said, "This country has never had a Congressman like Barney Frank, and the House of Representatives will not be the same without him. For over 30 years, Barney has been a fierce advocate for the people of Massachusetts and Americans everywhere who needed a voice."

—Gary-go-round: Former New Mexico governor and current presidential candidate Gary Johnson announced that he supports same-sex marriage. Previously, Johnson had supported civil unions; however, he said his support of marriage equality was based on "a great deal of deliberation, discussion with the gay community, and a conclusion that government has no business choosing who should be allowed the benefits of marriage and who should not."

—Glenn of action: In Georgia, a federal appeals court granted a legal victory to transgender woman Vandy Beth Glenn, who was fired as a legislative editor at the General Assembly after disclosing her intention to make the transition from male to female.

—Play ball: The National Basketball Association announced it would adopt a non-discrimination policy that covers sexual orientation as part of its collective bargaining agreement. Earlier this year, the National Football League and Major League Baseball added sexual orientation to their nondiscrimination protections.

—Troy story: Troy, Mich. Mayor Janice Daniels used an anti-gay slur in a Facebook post she made back in June. The comment, which followed New York's passage of gay marriage, read, "I think I am going to throw away my I Love New York carrying bag now that queers can get married there." Many are now calling for her to resign.

—Not so perfect: The Human Rights Campaign released the 2012 Corporate Equality Index and, because of more stringent ranking criteria, 148 fewer companies than last year scored 100 percent. However, among the other findings was that the number of Fortune 500 companies offering domestic-partnership benefits has increased by 76 percent since 2002.

—To your health: Same-sex marriage improves the health of gay and bisexual men—even if they are not themselves married—according to new research. "We've known for decades that marriage is good for health and longevity among heterosexual men; this extends it to sexual minority men as well," said Mark L. Hatzenbuehler, a Columbia University researcher and lead author of the study that appeared in the American Journal of Public Health.

Passages:

—The Rev. Peter J. Gomes: The openly gay Harvard University minister, theologian and author died at the age of 68.

—Lanford Wilson: The openly gay, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright behind works such as Burn This, Lemon Sky, Hot L Baltimore and Fifth of July died March 24 at the age of 73. Wilson was one of the founders of off-off-Broadway theater, and won the Pulitzer for Drama for Talley's Folly, a one-act play about a heterosexual couple, in 1980.

—Therese Edell: A pioneer in '70s and '80s "women's music," Edell—who battled multiple sclerosis—passed away in March. Edell received the Jane Schlissman Award for Outstanding Contributions to Women's Music at the National Women's Music Festival in 1998.

—Elizabeth Taylor: The legendary actress and AIDS activist died at age 79. Taylor won numerous awards over the years, and is seventh on the American Film Institute's Female Legends List. She won two Academy Awards for Best Actress (for BUtterfield 8 and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), and the Jean Herscholt Humanitarian Award in 1992 for her AIDS work. Her own Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, which she founded in 1991, raised an estimated $50 million to fight the disease.

—Camila Guzman: Transgender woman Camila Guzman was found stabbed to death in her New York apartment; she was 38. Activists condemned the killing. Equan Southall, 25, was arrested and charged with her murder.

—Frank Kameny: One of the gay movement's most important pioneers, Dr. Franklin E. Kameny, died of natural causes; he was 86. Kameny, a World War II Army veteran, was among the first gays to protest outside of the White House, on April 17, 1965, and later the Pentagon, Independence Hall in Philadelphia and other institutions. He fought against anti-gay bias in federal hiring, against the American Psychiatric Association's classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder, against the District of Columbia's sodomy law and for a wide range of other LGBT rights.

—Paula Ettelbrick: Paula Ettelbrick, former legal director at Lambda Legal and a lifelong activist for LGBT equality and social justice, died after a long battle with cancer at age 56. She also worked for other organizations, such as the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the Empire State Pride Agenda and, most recently, the Stonewall Community Foundation.

—Arthur Laurents: The iconic playwright, who penned Broadway classics such as Gypsy and West Side Story as well as the screenplay of The Way We Were, died at 93 of pneumonia complications. Tom Hatcher, Laurents' partner of more than half a century, pre-deceased him.

—Steve Jobs: The American businessman and inventor widely recognized as a pioneer of the computer revolution died at age 56. He was co-founder, chairman and CEO of Apple Inc., which donated $100,000 in 2008 to fight the anti-marriage-equality initiative Prop 8. Out exec Tim Cook is the new CEO of Apple.

—Barbara Grier: Barbara Grier, co-founder of Naiad Press, died Nov. 10 of cancer at age 78. Generations of lesbians grew up on the novels of Naiad Press. The company was co-founded in 1973 with Grier's partner Donna McBride, and partners Muriel Crawford and Anyda Marchant (who used Sarah Aldridge as her pen name).

—John G. Lawrence: John G. Lawrence, whose same-sex encounter led to a pivotal moment in the gay-rights movement, died at his home in Houston Nov. 20 at age 68. The court case Lawrence v. Texas started in 1998, when police investigated a report of a "weapons disturbance" and entered Lawrence's apartment. The United States Supreme Court eventually decided 6-3 in 2003 the Texas law forbidding same-sex encounters was invalid.

—Christopher Hitchens: The British-American critic, intellectual, Vanity Fair essayist, atheist and self-defined "conservative Marxist" died at 62 at a Texas hospital. He died of pneumonia, a complication of esophageal cancer. Hitchens, known for being a womanizer, wrote in his autobiography that he has sexual relations with men while at Oxford.