Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Kaine slammed Donald Trump's relationship with the LGBT community at the Human Rights Campaign's 20th annual black-tie dinner Sept. 10, ABC News noted. "Donald Trump is no friend to this community and he's no friend to the value of equality," Kaine told guests at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Also, Kaine, a practicing Catholic, acknowledged his initial struggle to accept the idea of same-sex marriage. Civil-rights icon and Congressman John Lewis, D-Georgia, also spoke.
During National Suicide Prevention Month this September, The Trevor Project is using various forms of digital media to engage with hundreds of thousands of people about the many ways they can make a difference in the lives of LGBTQ youth, a press release stated. ( There will be PSAs with actor Kira Kosarin, actor/activist/writer Benjamin O'Keefe and Futurehood rapper Kaycee Davis. ) As part of these plans, The Trevor Project will be launching a billboard in Times Square inspiring people to take part in the fight to save young LGBTQ lives. They will also be joining the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Take 5 to Save Lives and SAMHSA for their #BeThe1To campaign, which inspires people to connect, communicate and care about suicide prevention.
Barbra Streisand's LGBT fundraiser for Hillary Clinton drew hundreds of attendees, including big-name celebrities, who arrived at Cipriani Wall Street restaurant in New York City, TheWrap reported. Among the high-profile guests were Cynthia Nixon; designers Isaac Mizrahi, Donna Karan and Diane von Furstenberg; actors Michael Urie, Laverne Cox, Debra Messing, Kathy Najimy, Mary Louise Parker, Andrew Rannells, Zachary Quinto, Marissa Tomei and Jesse Tyler Ferguson; DNC Interim Chair Donna Brazile; Bravo's Andy Cohen; studio mogul Harvey Weinstein; and IAC Chairman Barry Diller. Singer Rufus Wainwright performed Judy Garland's "Over the Rainbow," while Streisand performed some Sondheim and a special rendition of "Send In the Clowns"—but with revised lyrics aimed at Donald Trump.
Lambda Legal filed a brief in the Georgia Court of Appeals on behalf of Andrew Baumert, a transgender man whose petition to legally change his name was denied by the same trial court that denied Rowan Feldhaus' name change in June, according to a press release. Lambda Legal is handling both appeals. At the hearing on his petition, held June 2, Baumert provided all the necessary information for a name change; however, after nine minutes, the court denied Baumert's request for a name change, saying "[it] will not change a name from an obviously female to an obviously male name, and vice versa." The court applied the same policy to Feldhaus.
Some are accusing the Democratic Party for sensationalizing one openly gay Arizona sheriff's alleged misconduct at a school for boys, SDGLN.com reported. Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu is running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives; however, he is dealing with some apparent mud-slinging from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which has funded an ad against Babeu using buzzwords such as "sexual abuse" and "dangerous practices," referring to the boarding school controversy. Babeu was headmaster at a boarding school for boys in Massachusetts; rumors and accusations circulated regarding abuse surfaced, but Horn News said these allegations were "thoroughly debunked."
Orlando city officials say they want to keep an assistance center for victims of the Pulse nightclub massacre open for several more years, ABC News noted. The Orlando Sentinel reported the city council voted Aug. 29 to pay the Heart of Florida United Way more than $123,000 to staff the Orlando United Assistance Center through early November. Survivors of the June 12 shooting can seek grief counseling, rent assistance and other services at the center.
A local GOP communications chair raising funds on behalf of Minnesota Congressional candidate Jason Lewis used a family photo to attack the wife and kids of Victory Fund-endorsed candidate Angie Craig, according to an organizational press release. In a Facebook post promoting an upcoming Lewis fundraiser, Vickie Froehlich showed a photo of Craig, her wife and four teenage sons playing Scrabble around their dining table, and said, "In case you're wondering - the family photo page is the families of our candidates and then of Jason Lewis' opponent - Angie Craig. She's liberal and this is her family. She and her female marriage partner and their 4 teenage sons. Support Jason, give to Jason and work for Jason!!!" Lewis reportedly has not apologized.
In New York, the state Senate campaign of anti-gay Bronx City Councilmember Fernando Cabrera is under fire from the incumbent he is challenging for "flagrant campaign finance violations" in using funds raised for the general election campaign in his primary campaign, Gay City News reported. The campaign of incumbent state Sen. Gustavo Rivera charged that the Cabrera campaign illegally applied around $22,000 in donations that Sean M. Fieler and Ana C. Fieler made to Cabrera's general election campaign to the current primary campaign. State campaign-finance laws limit primary campaign donations to $7,000 per person.
An assault in San Diego's Oak Park neighborhood in which a man was beaten and stabbed was being investigated as a possible hate crime, CBS8.com noted. A "Gay Pride'' T-shirt the 40-year-old victim was wearing as he was walking alongside College Grove Drive near the Chollas Reservoir may have incited the suspects to spew a barrage of insults as they passed by in a car. Shortly afterward, the suspects' car allegedly turned around and stopped near the victim, and several men got out and began punching and kicking him while continuing to shout slurs.
Also in San Diego, police have identified one of the two women caught on camera vandalizing a gay bar in Hillcrest, CBS8.com reported. Surveillance video shows the women throwing rocks at Urban Mo's on University Avenue. One of the women in the video has been identified as 23-year-old Raquel Bonilla.
An early-morning explosion at a house in Homestead, Florida, has police investigating whether the couple who lives there is being targeted because they are gay, according to NBC Miami. No one was hurt, but photos show damage to the home that included a broken window. It's not the first time that the homeowners say they have been targeted; in May, another reported incident involving rocks being thrown at the home took place.
A physical therapist who allegedly prevented a woman with HIV from accessing a therapeutic swimming pool has denied the allegations, Philadelphia Gay News reported. In court papers, Timothy Burch, a leased employee of OSS Orthopaedic Hospital in York, denied that he prevented "Bonnie Jones" from using the hospital's pool last year. The incident occurred June 26, 2015, when Burch allegedly blocked Jones' access to the pool in a vocal manner that divulged Jones' serostatus to onlookers.
NLGJA - The Association of LGBTQ Journalists has announced its 2016-2017 board of directors, a press release stated. Jen Christensen, of CNN, was re-elected president, while Sarah Blazucki, of the US Agency for International Development Office of Inspector General, was re-elected vice president of print and online. Newly elected board members include Oriol Gutierrez, of POZ; Eric Hegedus, of the New York Post; Belinda Hernandez, of CNN, and Christina Kahrl, of ESPN. They will all serve two-year terms.
Bob and Genie Flournoy, of East Texas, are the toast of conservatives for advertising in their local Christian magazine their refusal to book weddings for same-sex or transgender couples, LGBTQ Nation noted. "Our Christian faith demands that we not participate in same-sex, transgender or any other perversion of marriage," the ad says. "If you disagree with our stance on marriage, please respect our Christian belief and have your wedding elsewhere." Flournoy is the owner of Texas Forest Country Weddings, a bed- and-breakfast in Manning, Texas.
Also in Texas, an openly gay reverend in Waco is planning an LGBTQ pride event after seeing a billboard in the city promoting gay conversion therapy, Chron.com noted. KXXV reported that a billboard reading "Ex-gays prove change is possible" was spotted in Waco. The billboard is sponsored by the group Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays ( PFOX ), which works as a "support group for people who are working to overcome same-sex attractions," according to the news station. Rev. Charley Garrison of Waco's Central Texas Metropolitan Community Church told the news station that he plans to hold a pride event rather than renting out a billboard to refute the ex-gay billboard.
It was called "The Roast of Rob Lowe," but the Comedy Central special seemed to focus more on conservative author Ann Coulter, CBS News reported. Coulter got skewered by stars ranging from host David Spade to singer Jewel; for example, comedian Nikki Glaser said, "Ann Coulter has written 11 books—12 if you include Mein Kampf." Jeff Ross told Chelsea Handler on her Netflix talk show that Coulter did not laugh at all during the taping, but she managed to poke a little fun at herself when she took the stage.
