05/24/2006
What would Jesus do? The Archbishop of Kenya literally abandons the Bishop of Chelmsford, the Right Reverend John Gladwin, and 20 curates in rural Kenya after he discovers that they are patrons of "Changing Attitude, the campaigning group that aims at the 'full inclusion' of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual people in the Church of England."
A 46-year-old gay man is suing Qwest after co-workers allegedly left anti-gay pamphlets on his desk and called him "faggot." Donald Moreau: "I did everything a good employee is supposed to do --- I showed up to work on time, did my job well and received praise from my supervisors even though I was constantly subjected to extreme verbal attacks by my coworkers. I acted professionally and Qwest had policies in place to protect me, but they chose not to."
The White House has plenty more records on Jeff Gannon's visits they haven't released. Hmm. (via americablog)
Jake Gyllenhaal loves the ball sports.
The Washington Post investigates the defaced sign in Maryland I posted about yesterday: "The 72-year-old business owner broke down and cried yesterday as she wondered why someone had altered the sign on the door by painting out certain letters and adding others to discourage black and gay patrons. 'I have no idea who would mess with my sign. I can't believe that someone would be that vicious,' said Sturgell, who has run the inn for 30 years."
After threatening to kill himself and causing general chaos in the house, gay UK Big Brother contestant Shahbaz Chaudhry walked out of the house after four hours of counseling amid fury from fans that the producers allowed a contestant with serious mental illness on the show.
Five people in Delaware are facing criminal charges after clashing with Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist church as they protested at another Marine's funeral.
Dana Carvey and Mary Cheney: separated at birth?
Scientists grow replacement penises...in rabbits. They see possibilities for the future in treating impotence and erectile disfunction in humans. (via payor)
Ang Lee follows up Brokeback Mountain with Lust, Caution.
During Dublin visit, Irish students accuse Australian Prime Minister John Howard of entrenching homophobia through his actions on same-sex marriage. Howard: "I think it is a form of minority fundamentalism to say that you have to, in every aspect of one’s institutions and one’s arrangements in society, have technical equivalence."
New York theatergoers show Lestat the garlic. The Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Anne Rice collaboration will close after 39 shows.
Posted 9:24 AM EST by Andy Towle in Australia, Crime, Elsewhere, Elton John, Jake Gyllenhaal, Religion, Television | Permalink
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Yes, Jake likes the "ball" sports, that's for sure.
Mary Cheney needs to go hunting with her dad.
Posted by: Wayne | May 24, 2006 10:30:32 AM
I am an Anglican neophyte, but am grateful for situations such as the one in Kenya which reveal true colors so clearly. When it comes to matters of faith, "peace" should not be an empty word.
Posted by: Kevin | May 24, 2006 11:19:28 AM
Although the actions of Anglican Church in Kenya are despicable, I take exception to the timesonline writing that tries to exagerate the remoteness of Embu, Kenya and reinforces the stereotype of Africa as a dark inaccesible inhospitable place. These stereotypes are damaging and Towleroad of all people should be the first to recognise that!
Posted by: John | May 24, 2006 12:18:14 PM
O My God - Ang Lee doing an Eileen Chang story: the ultimate wet dream-come-true for any Chinese literary fans!
Posted by: eileen | May 24, 2006 12:18:30 PM
How ironic. Those very tears the 72 year old bar owner shed, I've shed too. Except it wasn't because someone de-faced my sign. It was because they beat the hell out of me for being gay.
I guess we have a lot in common.
Posted by: jason | May 24, 2006 1:51:21 PM
Using the mention of pseudo journalist/real pig Gannon as an excuse to praise this news: another pseudo journalist/real pig—Sleaze, er, Liz Vargas, is being 86ed as ABC Evening News anchor by Charlie Gibson. Couldn't happen to a more deceitful, dishonest fame whore than Vargas whose smear, on "20/20" in 2004, of Matthew Shepard as the cause of his own gruesome beating and death on has never been avenged. His literal killers may still be in jail but someone who tried to fagbash his memory [and somewhat succeeded as letters to various gay newspapers afterward revealed], rose higher and higher in the media brothel. She allegedly voluntarily bowed out because she's preggers, and will return to the roost on "20/20"—whatever, the bitch is out.
And, before anyone starts whining about crusty old Charlie with the bad hair, note that he is very gay friendly. Years ago, he did a long, very sympathetic and admiring GMA interview of Leonard Matlovich about his suit against the Air Force and battle with AIDS. I think he might have even spoken at his funeral.
Posted by: Leland | May 24, 2006 2:26:51 PM
"If you saw 'Lestat'... I'm talking ... you fuckwit, fucking vampires you should be shot, you should be all shot. Thank you."
Posted by: basis4insanity | May 24, 2006 3:06:56 PM
lol
Chaudry: DrrrrAMA
Did Moreau go through HR and have everything documented? Sounds like management knew so why didn't they discipline the offenders? Were they were afraid of being sued for anti-homophobe discrimination? I'd love to know why it went on so long. I always hate to hear people say, "If he didn't like it why didn't he leave?" So they could do it to someone else? That sort of thing should be stopped and someone has to be the one. Good for him, assuming it's all true.
Posted by: Chad Hanging | May 24, 2006 10:02:38 PM
I wonder how long it will be before he tries to paint that statement on the side of the barn. John Howard makes me ashamed to be Australian. First for his completely uncaring policy. Second for the fact that a majority of my fellow Australians either hold his view, or care more about financial gain than social betterment, or both, and continue to vote for him. How very sad.
Posted by: Sayke | May 25, 2006 1:12:59 AM
I worked with Don Moreau (sat 2 cubicles away for over a year) and was told 3 years ago by my peers to STAY AWAY from him, that he & his partner were conspiring to get Qwest into a lawsuit and were planning to play "the gay card".
There are numerous out gay men & women in the office, including the team lead (the boss' boss) who are happy & content, none of whom ever experienced even a shred of harrassment. Quite the opposite.
It is going to be sad for Lambda Legal when they find out they have been duped. I can not even express in words how angry I get when I think about them wasting my $100 donation (can I get that back?) filing this case without asking A SINGLE OTHER GAY EMPLOYEE if these claims were true or not.
Yes, HR investigated his claims. So did Risk Management and Legal. One of my co-workers was called FIVE TIMES to talk to investigators. His claims? None could be substantiated. What kind of employee was he? He did his job, but GOD FORBID you cross him because the fangs would come out and next thing you know you'd be in a little room with your boss, answering to a bunch of fabricated accusations.
Need an example? He tried to file a sexual harrassment claim in '02 against a 55 year old, married, pudgy Republican. The claim was because the guy wore a silk shirt one day, and two female co workers were touching it and commenting on the soft fabric in a mock suggestive way. Giggling ensued. No one thought anything of it, but Don marched right over to the EEO office and got them all in trouble.
The claims were always aimed at those people in the office who are Republican and/or openly religious. It was common knowledge in the office that Don was paranoid, that he was convinced that the bible-thumper types talked about him and were anti-gay. Well, I'm an out gay man, as are three other men in the office (it was four but one passed away last year after a long battle with AIDS) and none of us were ever treated poorly, even by the hard-core evangelicals.
It's my opinion that Don and his partner have basically been blackmailing Qwest for years with nebulous claims. It has cost our office untold misery and heartache. Since he left, employee satisfaction and harmony is through the roof. There were ZERO claims before he got there, and have been ZERO since he quit (he did NOT get fired despite what the release says), so figure THAT one out.
I can barely put into words how much it pisses me off that Lambda Legal took this BS case, because it's my opinion that this case is 100% BS and that all this guy wants is (1) not to have to work and (2) to get money for nothing.
End of rant. Thanks for reading.
Posted by: MtberMan | May 30, 2006 9:19:50 PM
An op-ed "Gays lead the charge back to the alter" challenging John Howard's position is at http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/gays-lead-the-charge-back-to-the-altar/2006/06/09/1149815312937.html
Posted by: Mike | Jun 9, 2006 2:18:13 PM