An Arizona judge is questioning the validity of the marriage of Thomas Beatie as he proceeds to divorce wife Nancy, the Huffington Post reported. Thomas (known as so-called "pregnant man") is the transgender man who has given birth to three children. The judge isn't convinced the union is a heterosexual one. At the time of their 2003 wedding, the couple represented themselves as a heterosexual pair because Thomas reportedly had a state-authorized sex change before the event.
U.S. Rep. Ben Quayle (R-Ariz.) (pictured)—the son of former U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle—is claiming that a mailer from his opponent (Rep. David Schweikert, another Republican) insinuates that Ben in bisexual, according to Advocate.com . The mailer says that Ben Quayle is a politician who "goes both ways." Schweikert says it was meant to refer to what he sees as Quayle's history of flip-flopping on issues.
The Rev. Anita C. Hill, an openly lesbian and partnered pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), was installed Aug. 11 as a regional director for ReconcilingWorks at a worship service held at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Minn., according to a ReconcilingWorks press release. Hill began in her position with ReconcilingWorks, an organization that works for the full participation of LGBT people, May 1. The worship service was a formal installation of Hill in her position following the action of the of the ELCA's St. Paul Area Synod council to issue a letter of call for her to serve in the position as a pastor. CAPTION: Rev. Brad Schmeling, Rev. Anita Hill and the Rev. Paul Erickson (from left). Photo from ReconcilingWorks.
Military veterans have announced the establishment of the National LGBT Veterans Memorial (NLGBTVM) in Washington, D.C., as a visible and lasting testament to the contributions of LGBT service members, according to a press release. The board of directors of NLGBTVM has entered into an agreement with the board of directors of Historic Congressional Cemetery to establish the memorial there and has purchased cemetery plots for the project. NLGBTVM is targeting Memorial Day 2014 for a dedication ceremony; find out more at www.nlgbtvm.org .
In South Carolina, two students from Spectrum, Wando High School's gay-straight alliance, are circulating a petition to remove Chick-Fil-A from their campus, a news release stated. High school seniors Austin Bucholtz and Anne Singer have collected more than 1,000 signatures on the Change.org petition they created Aug. 2. Bucholtz said, "The First Amendment gives Mr. Cathy the right to express his beliefs, whatever they may be. Our problem is that our school district should not financially or otherwise support an institution that funds hate groups."
In Massachusetts, Richard Tisei (Pictured)—a former state senator running to be the first openly gay Republican elected to Congress—released the first television ad of his campaign, according to Advocate.com . The 30-second spot features Tisei talking about his connections to the 6th District north of Boston, but he doesn't use the words "gay" or "Republican." Tisei, a realtor, faces eight-term Democratic incumbent Rep. John Tierney.
In related news, Tisei put some space between new vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan and himself hours after Mitt Romney chose Ryan as his running mate, Advocate.com reported. In a statement, Tisei said, "I don't agree with [Ryan]—or anyone else—on every single issue. I do believe that it's critical that we have leaders from both parties who aren't in denial about the problems we face and who are determined to resolve them."
ProtectMarriage.com: Yes on 8—the campaign committee for California's anti-marriage equality initiative, Prop 8—faces $49,000 in fines for failing to properly report and handle political contributions it received, according to the L.A. Times. The state Fair Political Practices Commission is proposing the fine, as the group allegedly failed to properly report more than $1 million in contributions. The committee faces 18 counts of violating state campaign-finance laws.
After trashing piles of the gay publication Out & About for more than a year at Nashville's Vanderbilt University, the female thief has been caught, according to Advocate.com . It turns out the woman has worked for the school for three decades. Vanderbilt police agreed to get involved after Out & About created signage indicating the first newspaper was free and each additional copy cost 50 cents.
In Texas, Dallas Police Sgt. Mark Johnson is under investigation after bring a Chick-fil-A sandwich back to the station—and allegedly making inappropriate comments to two lesbian officers about the purchase, according to Advocate.com . The incident occurred last week during Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day (Aug. 1). Johnson has been transferred to jail duty pending the results of the investigation.
Also in Texas, Kris Wong, C.D. Kirven and Mark Reed have donated more than $2,000 to help solve the shooting of a teenage lesbian couple, the Dallas Voice reported. (Reed added that the city council and two police departments have committed $25,000 to the investigation.) On June 22, 19-year-old Mollie Olgin was murdered and 18-year-old Kristene Chapa was shot in a park in Portland, Texas. So far, there are no suspects.
In Mississippi, a museum will now allow lesbian couple Ceara Sturgis and Emily Key to hold a commitment ceremony there after initially denying them, LGBTQ Nation reported. The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum and the state's attorney general have now recognized the right of same-sex couples to hold commitment ceremonies at the museum after the Southern Poverty Law Center demanded the facility rescind its discriminatory policy. However, several officials (including Miss. Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves) have expressed their disappointment with the policy change.
President Obama opposes the recently affirmed Boy Scouts of America policy of banning gay individuals, according to the Washington Blade. In response to an inquiry from the publication, the White House issued a statement that read, "The President believes the Boy Scouts is a valuable organization that has helped educate and build character in American boys for more than a century. He also opposes discrimination in all forms, and as such opposes this policy that discriminates on basis of sexual orientation."
The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) announced that it will honor DreamWorks Animation co-founder/CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg and his wife Marilyn, as well as out gay actor Matt Bomer and his partner, Hollywood publicity executive Simon Halls, at the eighth annual Respect Awards, according to the Huffington Post. The Respect Awards—to be held in Los Angeles Oct. 5—showcases the work of those who have made a significant difference in the areas of diversity, inclusion and the safe-schools movement.
In an interview with the Dallas Voice, Mary Gonzalez—a Democratic Texas representative candidate who previously made headlines as the state's "first openly lesbian" rep—identified as pansexual. According to the publication, many would identify "pansexual" as bisexual, except pansexuals can be attracted to all gender identities and don't believe in the classification of sex and gender into "masculine" and "feminine." Gonzalez is not facing any Republican opposition, clearing the way for her to be part of the state legislature.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada has agreed to hear a lawsuit brought by Lambda Legal on behalf of eight same-sex couples challenging the state's law banning marriage equality, according to a Lambda Legal press release. Lambda Legal Staff Attorney Tara Borelli said, "These loving couples, burdened by the stigma of Nevada's marriage ban, will have the chance to demonstrate in court that their relationships and their families are worthy of equal dignity and respect." Gov. Brian Sandoval, joined by Carson City Clerk-Recorder Alan Glover, had moved to dismiss the case, Sevcik v. Sandoval.
An illuminated roadside construction sign allegedly posted in Provo, Utah, appeared to display the phrase "God Hates Gays," according to the Huffington Post. A YouTube user posted a video of the sign; she said she encountered the sign on University Avenue on her drive home. A project spokeswoman said an unknown person reprogrammed the message board; the computer was left unsecured, allowing access "for anyone to manipulate it."
David Rakoff, a gay essayist who won the 2011 Thurber Prize for American Humor, died Aug. 9 in New York City at age 47, according to On Top Magazine. The L.A. Times noted that he won the prize for the essay collection Half Empty (2010). He also wrote Fraud and Don't Get Too Comfortable. A longtime contributor to the public radio show This American Life, Rakoff also wrote essays that appeared in publications such as the New York Times, GQ and Slate, among others.
Former Army Col. Tammy Smith has become the first openly gay flag officer to come out while currently serving in the U.S. military, according to a Servicemembers Legal Defense Network press release. She was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in a private ceremony that took place at the Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. Smith received her stars from her wife, Tracey Hepner.
In Hawaii, a federal district court has upheld the state's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, the Washington Blade reported. In the 120-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Alan Kay said that Hawaii has a legitimate interest in restricting marriage to opposite-sex couples. He wrote, in part, "In the absence of a suspect or quasi-suspect classification or a restriction on a fundamental right, the Fourteenth Amendment does not require Hawaii to endorse all intimate relationships on identical terms." D'Amato and Maloney, LLP, a Honolulu-based firm, had challenged Hawaii's law on behalf of three plaintiffs: two women in a relationship and a man who's in a civil union with his male partner.
In Washington, D.C., Police Chief Cathy Lanier, police officials, two members of the City Council and civic activists from the city's Bloomingdale and Eckington neighborhoods participated in a rally and walk against anti-LGBT violence, according to the Washington Blade. Chanting "From Ward 1 to Ward 8, stop the violence, stop the hate," about 100 people gathered outside the Big Bear restaurant; then, approximately 60 people walked several blocks to a site where a gay male couple was attacked and beaten July 22.
With its latest $500,000 pledge to match donations to the campaign for marriage in Washington state, the pro-LGBT campaign Freedom to Marry has met its initial 2012 goal of raising and investing $3 million in three key states where marriage is on the ballot in November, according to an organizational press release. Freedom to Marry now intends to continue working to raise more funds toward the more than $10 million the three campaigns still need. Freedom to Marry's latest investment will match donations dollar for dollar until Aug. 31, with a goal of bringing in an additional $1 million for Washington United for Marriage.
The Federal Aviation Administration has released new medical certification procedures for transgender pilots that eliminate psychological testing that had previously been required, according to an item from the National Center for Transgender Equality. From now on, medical certification for trans pilots will require only submitting current clinical records together with an evaluation from a psychiatrist or psychologist, as well as a report on any surgery (if applicable).
Centric Research Institute has launched CIRCUMserum, the first personal care product formulated specifically for use by circumcised men, according to Business Wire. CIRCUMserum is a daily moisturizing cream made from a patent-pending blend of botanical oils designed to condition areas of the penis dulled by the constant exposure resulting from circumcision. Recent medical studies identify a correlation between circumcision and reduced sensation.
In North Carolina, Davidson College has become the first educational institution to suspend Chick-fil-A, according to the Huffington Post. Students began protesting against serving Chick-fil-A at school-sponsored late-night events called After Midnight, and an online petition garnered about 500 signatures. Several colleges have seen students protest against Chick-fil-A restaurants located on campus, but Davidson doesn't actually have one at their school. Chick-fil-A's president, Dan Cathy, has admitted to being against marriage equality.
Helen Gurley Brown, the legendary editor of Cosmopolitan magazine who many say helped bring about the sexual revolution, died Aug. 13 at 90. Gurley Brown wrote Sex and the Single Girl (1962) about her single life, urging women to have sex freely, regardless of their martial status. She became editor at Cosmo three years later. She stayed in the position until 1997, when Bonnie Fuller replaced her.
LPAC, a super PAC formed by several lesbians, announced that U.S. Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin would be the first person to receive the group's support, Advocate.com reported. Baldwin, a seven-term Democratic congresswoman, could become the first openly gay person elected to the Senate. An advisory board of eight women, including Chicago Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts and activist Urvashi Vaid, launched LPAC in July.
The Denver Post looked back at a string of killings involving gay men in Denver in 1992. Four gay men were stabbed to deaththat year, and police were investigating whether they were all hate crimes committed by the same killer. Gay-rights advocates worried that the anti-gay Amendment 2, passed in November 1992, may have stirred emotions. To date, only one of the murders has been solved.
It took a judge's consent decree, but Vanguard High School in Ocala, Fla., can now have a gay-straight alliance, according to CBS12.com . U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard signed the decree and an order requiring Marion County school officials to permit the alliance. The ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of the group after school principal Jim Yancey banned the club's formation.
In Minnesota, the Mankato City Council has decided to oppose an amendment to the state constitution that would ban marriage equality, according to TheRepublic.com . The 4-1 vote by the City Council came despite people saying the council shouldn't be involved in the issue. The constitutional amendment defining marriage as a strictly heterosexual union will be on Minnesota's Nov. 6 ballot.
