Lambda Legal elected the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson to serve on its board of directors, a press release stated. Robinson is well-known nationally and internationally as the first openly gay and partnered Episcopal bishop after being elected bishop of the Episcopal diocese of New Hampshire in 2003. Currently, Robinson is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C. In addition, Dallas attorney Tracey Guyot-Wallace has been elected co-chair of the national board.
KFC announced that it terminated the manager who hired a trans woman only to fire her an hour later after learning about her gender identity, The Huffington Post reported. Georgia Carter, a 27-year-old transgender woman from Virginia, told ABC 13 that she was given a position at the establishment, but management rescinded their employment offer after seeing that her government-issued ID said "male." Gay Star News noted that the franchisee's leadership has also had a conversation with Carter, offering her employment at this restaurant or any of its Richmond-area KFC restaurants, effective immediately.
During March 1 ( Super Tuesday ), gay incumbent Lamar County ( Texas ) Clerk Russ Towers lost his race to controversial challenger Ruth Sisson, according to KETR.org . Towers was appointed to the office in 2015 after seven years as the county's elections administrator, and would have been the first openly gay Republican to win a Texas election had he succeeded. Sisson—whose history of writing bad checks has led to criminal cases and civil suits—waged a "family values" campaign against Towers, and won 51 percent to 49 percent.
Openly gay Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu has dropped out of the race to represent Arizona's Fourth Congressional District in Congress, The Wisconsin Gazette reported. In announcing his withdrawal from the race this morning, the Republican cited personnel problems in the sheriff's office. He said that he'd decided to run for re-election to that position in order "to maintain the continued success of our sheriff's office." Local pundits said Babeu had no chance of winning the congressional race in what is an ultraconservative district.
Two gay conservatives—GOProud leaders Christopher Barron and Jimmy LaSalvia—have said they're horrified at what they call Trump's divisive campaign rhetoric and want people to know how much they regret what they helped unleash, CNN reported. "I'm sorry, America. I helped Donald Trump to give his first speech as a potential candidate," LaSalvia told CNN in an interview. "And now I'm going to work to make sure he never gives an inauguration speech."
In a new ad, the group Log Cabin Republicans ( LCR ) challenges potential GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump on his same-sex marriage stance, Instinct Magazine noted. LCR President Gregory T. Angelo previously called Trump the most "pro-gay" Republican candidate.
Social media exploded with comments about Caitlyn Jenner's interview with The Advocate, most of them focusing on her desire to be the "trans ambassador" to her favorite presidential candidate: Ted Cruz. Jenner, still the conservative Republican she was before publicly transitioning, said she realizes that the candidate is "probably one of the worst ones when it comes to trans issues." But she likes the senator from Texas because he's "a great constitutionalist and a very articulate man," she said, while stopping short of endorsing him.
Mount Saint Charles Academy in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, has issued a policy banning transgender students from the school, GoLocalProv.com reported. The 2015-2016 edition of the Parent and Students Handbook states, "Mount Saint Charles Academy is unable to make accommodations for transgender students. Therefore, MSC does not accept transgender students nor is MSC able to continue to enroll students who identify as transgender." According to the schools mission statement, "Each and every student is known, valued, treasured and taught in partnership with the family."
In the absence of specifics from police surrounding the alleged murder of a transgender woman in Bakersfield, California, advocates are searching for clues about her life and death, Advocate.com reported. Police found the body of Jasmine Sierra, a transgender woman of color, on Jan. 22—and have said Sierra's body showed signs of trauma and foul play is suspected. The alleged murder was not included among the other four homicides of transgender individuals in the United States this year because Sierra's gender-variant identity was unknown due to deadnaming and misgendering in the a report from TV station KBAK. ( Deadnaming occurs when using a transgender person's former name. )
An HIV study made by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that one in four Latino gay who have sexual contact with men are likely to acquire HIV, Australia Network News reported. The CDC analysis was presented during the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections held in Boston. HIV diagnosis in the United States, including its lifetime risk, is already one out of 99.
An Alabama attorney who is against last year's order by the U.S. Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide filed a federal lawsuit against the five justices on the high court who made up the majority in that ruling, AL.com reported. Attorney Austin Burdick named Justices Anthony M. Kennedy, Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kegan in the suit, which alleges the justices went "beyond a manipulation, twist, strain, or unique perspective on the text and [crossed] over in to an abandonment of the Constitution."
LGBT activists delivered more than 75,000 emails to Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, expressing their disgust with an anti-gay "religious freedom" bill that has sparked a national backlash, Project Q Atlanta reported. The activists—led by Jeff Graham of Georgia Equality and Georgia Unites Against Discrimination, Chad Griffin of the Human Rights Campaign and Simone Bell of Lambda Legal—demanded that Deal and lawmakers kill the legislation.
The Republican-controlled Florida Legislature has passed a bill that would legally shield clergy members who refuse to perform same-sex marriages, FloridaPolitics.com reported. The House bill ( HB 43 ) passed through the Senate 23-15; next, Republican Gov. Rick Scott needs to sign it to become law. State Sen. Chris Smith, a Fort Lauderdale Democrat, tried but failed to amend the bill to define "religious organization" as "any not-for-profit entity organized for a religious purpose."
Lambda Legal announced the resolution of its lawsuit against the Social Security Administration ( SSA ) brought on behalf of Kathy Murphy, a Texas widow denied spousal benefits after the death of her wife, and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, a press release stated. For more than 30 years, Texas residents Kathy Murphy and Sara Barker shared their lives together, marrying in Massachusetts in 2010. Barker lost her battle with cancer in March 2012 at age 62. However, because the couple lived in Texas—which refused to recognize their marriage at the time of Sara's death—SSA also wouldn't recognize the marriage, denying Kathy spousal survivor's benefits.
In Michigan, U.S. District Court Judge David M. Lawson temporarily prevented a state law from taking effect that would have barred many public entities from providing health insurance to the domestic partners of their employees, finding it to be unconstitutional, The Wisconsin Gazette reported. The American Civil Liberties Union and Kirkland & Ellis LLP challenged the law on behalf of five gay and lesbian public employees, as well as their long-term domestic partners, who either lost their health insurance or would have lost their insurance as a result of the law.
Former Speaker of the New York City Council Christine C. Quinn issued a statement about the LGBT-inclusive St. Patrick's Day Parade in NYC. Quinn, an out lesbian, said, "Unfortunately, due to anti-LGBT exclusionary practices, my father and I were never able to participate in this celebrated event when I was an elected official. But due to the bravery and unwavering persistence of New York City's LGBT community—in particular, the Lavender and Green Alliance and ILGO—parade organizers have finally relented and created an event where all proud Irish New Yorkers can celebrate their heritage together. What this means is that the totality of who someone is as an Irish LGBT person, will finally be part of the greatest St. Patrick's Day celebration in the world."
In Georgia, Bishop Eddie Long recently revealed to his congregation that he'd considered suicide, The Georgia Voice reported. The longtime leader of New Birth Baptist Church in Lithonia did not offer specific details around what led him to contemplate taking his own life, but the publication stated the admission will undoubtedly lead back to the 2010 sexual allegations by Long's "spiritual sons" that caused a media firestorm and threatened Long's reputation and standing in the faith community.
A Chicago-area transgender woman spent the last hours of her life sick and in pain after ingesting mysterious seed bought on the Internet for $5, The New York Daily News noted. Lucia Anderson, 22, died last month after taking pong pong seeds that were purchased online from Thailand, where it grows on a plant called the "suicide tree." Natosha Anderson said her child had recently desired to live life as a woman and had changed names to Lucia from her birth name, Bernard McCalip.
A Dallas man will spend no time in jail after pleading "no contest" to vandalizing a church driveway and a local gay landmark with "666" in June 2014, reported Advocate.com, citing the The Dallas Morning News. Richard Sheridan admitted to "intentionally and knowingly" spray-painting the so-called Mark of the Beast on the driveway of Dallas's Cathedral of Hope and on the Legacy of Love Monument at Cedar Springs and Oak Lawn, "because of their significance to the LGBT community." Sheridan accepted a plea agreement that includes paying fines and submitting to "community supervision."
The National Center for Transgender Equality ( NCTE ), Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union's LGBT & HIV Project issued a joint statement denouncing the Transportation Security Administration ( TSA )'s decision to codify its use of full body scanners in a final rule. Ordered to review the program by a federal appeals court five years ago, TSA said yesterday that it will make no changes in airport security and denied there is any impact on travelers' privacy. "It is completely unacceptable to require Americans to discuss their genitals with uniformed government officials in order to travel by air," said NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling. "But that's exactly what the body scanner program means for many transgender people."
A central California school district settled a free-speech lawsuit brought by a high school junior who was sent home for refusing to change out of T-shirt that read, "Nobody Knows I'm a Lesbian," the Associated Press reported. The deal requires the Manteca Unified School District—which serves the cities of Stockton, Lathrop and Manteca—to adopt a policy clarifying that students may wear clothing with statements celebrating their or their classmates' cultural identities, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Also in California, a school has asked about a dozen students wearing anti-gay stickers to remove the badges "at least for now," according to a Fox News item that cites The Desert Sun. Both anti-gay stickers and pro-gay rights symbols previously had been allowed as a matter of free speech at Shadow Hills High School in Indio, a city outside Palm Springs. However, Superintendent Gary Rutherford wrote in a letter to Shadow Hills staff on Monday that new "information" had prompted an additional review.
In San Diego, drag performer Kickxy Vixen-Styles was allegedly attacked while patrons watched without helping, Queerty reported. Vixen-Styles claims she was accosted in the bar's parking lot by a man who had been escorted out of the club earlier in the night. She didn't suffer any serious injury thanks to bar security staff, but says she's left with emotional scars after her screams for help went unanswered by patrons.
Faith Lutheran Church in Appleton, Wisconsin, is cutting ties with Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, because the Boy Scouts of America now allows openly gay leaders, WJLA.com reported. "We kind of feel like we didn't end the relationship, but the Boy Scouts ended the relationship," said pastor Dan Thews. The decision affects about 100 Boy and Cub Scouts. Faith Lutheran told the Scouts to find a new home by June 1, although that deadline could be extended.
Beyond Bold And Brave will present the inaugural "The Evolution of Our Community" Black Lesbian Conference 2016 ( BLC 2016 ), which will take place on March 25-26 in Harlem, according to a press release. BLC 2016 aims to unite transgender and cisgender lesbians of Black/African descent and their allies of various ages, socioeconomic, educational and life work histories. Dr. Marjorie J. Hill, CEO of the Joseph Addabbo Health Center in New York, will deliver the keynote address.
Equality California will honor U.S. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, actor and activist George Takei, businessperson/philanthropist Kathy Levinson and former San Francisco Supervisor/civic leader Bevan Dufty at the 2016 San Francisco Equality Awards April 2, a press release stated. Pelosi will receive Equality California's Ally Leadership Award, while Takei will be honored with the Equality Advocate Award. Each year, Equality California recognizes individuals and organizations who have made a significant impact on the movement to secure full and lasting equality for LGBT people at its annual Equality Awards—a series of formal events held in San Francisco, San Diego, Palm Springs, Los Angeles and Sacramento.
On Monday, March 21, GMHC will present the 2016 Spring Gala and honor Louis Bradbury, former GMHC board president; activist/artist/author Mary Fisher; and screenwriter/director/activist Dustin Lance Black, a press release stated. The gala will include live and silent auctions, awards presentations and a performance from Broadway actor/singer/dancer Nick Adams.
A judge has agreed to hear arguments on changing a five- to 10-month jail sentence imposed on a suburban police chief's daughter in a group attack on a gay couple that prompted Philadelphia to add sexual orientation to its hate-crimes laws. A March 8 hearing was scheduled on the re-sentencing motion on behalf of 25-year-old Kathryn Knott, The Philadelphia Inquirer noted. Defense attorney William Brennan has called Knott's sentence "excessive."
One week before Bill Cosby was to face a preliminary hearing on criminal charges stemming from an alleged 2004 drugging and sexual assault of lesbian Andrea Constand, the Superior Court of Pennsylvania granted him some breathing room, Deadline noted. The Pennsylvania court issued an order that temporarily stays the lower-court proceedings pending a verdict on the local D.A.'s motion to kill the actor's appeal in the matter.
An intersex dog named Cody who made news recently has found a new owner: Michigan attorney Dana Nessel, who helped spearhead a fight against the state's gay-marriage ban and helped take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, The Detroit Free Press reported. Cody first drew media attention after arriving at Detroit Dog Rescue. The silvery-gray pit bull mix had been listed as male—and had been given the name "Cody"—before a transfer from Detroit Animal Control, but an inspection revealed the dog had both sex organs.
Gay-porn star Mike Dozer has been sentenced to 17-and-a-half years in prison for raping a 14-year-old boy, Gay Star News reported. The 33-year-old allegedly met up with the child in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania after first speaking to him on gay hookup app Jack'd. They reportedly then had sex without the use of a condom.
