10/29/2007
News: Marc Jacobs, Skeletons, FEMA, Kentucky, Tori Amos, Uganda
FEMA official resigns over fake press conference, lands "amazing" job to head public affairs at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Photographer Patrick Gries looks at the beauty of bones in Paris exhibit.
Daniel Craig returning for four more Bond films.
Brightening comet thrills astronomers.
Hundreds turn out for first gay pride festival in Galveson, Texas: "While some in the area had voiced concerns about lewd behavior at such an event, those booths offered only such things as crafts and information on civil rights and spirituality. Harbor Metropolitan Community Church had one of the booths, where church volunteers offered literature on acceptance and love for all. The Rev. Pat Farnin said her congregation on the island was growing, and she anticipated the festival would do likewise, should it become an annual tradition."
Celebs hit Wiltern Theater in L.A. for Matthew Shepard Honors.
back same-sex marriage. The Christian Democrats are the only holdouts.
Virginia State GOP and Republican State Senator James J. "Jay" O'Brien Jr. send out homophobic flyer warning of Democratic opponent's platform: "George Barker wants to take time away from core academic subjects like math, science, and reading to teach children to accept the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Lifestyle (GLBT)."
Marc Jacobs goes blueberry for Halloween.
40 minutes with Tori Amos.
Historic gay rights meeting held in Uganda. Pastor: "Never before has there been such a far reaching well organised and professional gay public debate in this country."
Introducing the new gay stereotype.
Kentucky court rules that high school student can "pursue nominal damages" from his school district over anti-harassment training given to students: "The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the Boyd County school district's policy provided a 'chill' on student Timothy Allen Morrison's ability to profess his Christian beliefs and opposition to homosexuality. The ruling sends the case back to U.S. District Judge David Bunning for a hearing on damages. Judge Karen Nelson Moore, joined by Judge John R. Adams, wrote that the allegation of a policy stifling free speech is enough to allow Morrison to seek damages. To make his case, the judges said, Morrison must show that the policy would 'deter a person of ordinary firmness' from exercising free speech rights. Joel Oster, an attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund, a Scottsdale, Ariz., Christian law group that represented Morrison, said the ruling has left him 'ecstatic.'...'It's everything we could have hoped for,' Oster said. 'This vindicates our client's constitutional rights.'"
Meet the recycled World Trade Center. (warning: site NSFW)
Journal of Urban Health STUDY: 1 in 3 gay men report being abused in a relationship. "The study is published in the most recent edition of the Journal of Urban Health. McKirnan and graduate student Eric Houston studied surveys filled out by 817 men through the Howard Brown Health Center, which primarily serves the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community from its North Side (Chicago) location. More than 32 percent of the men reported experiencing verbal, physical or sexual abuse in an intimate relationship. Just under 20 percent said they were physically or sexually abused. As with women, poorly educated and low-income men were more likely to be victims. However, minorities did not show higher rates of abuse."
More hearings held on New Jersey civil unions. Verdict: they're falling short.
Posted 12:30 PM EST by Andy in Daniel Craig, Gay Marriage, Gay Pride, Gay Rights, Kentucky, Marc Jacobs, Matthew Shepard, Military, Natural Disasters, Nature, New Jersey, News, Photography, Space, Sweden, Texas, Uganda, Virginia | Permalink
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The news about the Ugandan queers just made my day. Thanks again, Andy!
Posted by: Shabaka | Oct 29, 2007 1:16:39 PM
Huh, that funny I thought the bitchy Perez Hilton was the new gay stereotype - oh, no, he's just a plain old bitch.
It must be the shallow, self-centered, smug, bitches as the new gay neighbors on Desperate Housewives. I'm wondering which Sunday the slapping, hair-pulling, rollin' in the dirt between Susan and the little obnoxious fagula is going to air.
How is it that it's always gay men that create the most disturbing stereotypes?
David B.
Posted by: David B. | Oct 29, 2007 1:20:48 PM
That report about gay men being abused by their partners was horrifying.
To all the gays on this board - how many of you have ever been abused by your partner? What are your stories?
Hollywood Dave (formerly David from L.A.)
Posted by: Hollywood Dave (formerly David from L.A.) | Oct 29, 2007 1:56:24 PM
The latest from Boyd County is mindboggling. This fight by the Kill A Queer For Jesus crowd has been going on for five years. It has involved one student being charged with destruction of property and harrassing a teacher; 100 students walking out of school to protest the club; nearly half the high school refusing to to at all one day; and a protest against "homosexuality being promoted on school time as a normal lifestyle" attended by 2000 locals and out-of-town agitators.
The last I heard, the gay group's original courageous advisor, a straight woman English teacher, had transferred to another school in the system. This year she's not listed among their teachers at all.
The Alliance Defense Fund has a multimillion dollar a year budget to fight, among other civil liberties, gay equality; even the very idea that LGBT kids should be able to feel safe at school. THAT should be the number one priority of every gay group—fighting for those who can't fight for themselves.
Posted by: Leland Frances | Oct 29, 2007 2:47:37 PM
Of the two homobigot empowering judges who gave the green light to harassment and victimization of GLBT students, one, Judge Karen Nelson Moore was put on the bench by Bill Clinton just before he campaigned for and signed DOMA. The other was put on the bench by Bush.
The idea of waiting for the judiciary to ‘grant’ us equality is as irrational as the ‘theory’ of lesser evils.
Bush/Clinton/Bush/Clinton = the fix is on.
A Republican politician is a baboon in a people suit with a totalitarian christian attached at the hip. A Democratic politician is a Republican in drag.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Nelson_Moore
Posted by: Bill Perdue | Oct 29, 2007 2:52:33 PM
The "Beauty of Boners" exhibit was quite a hit also.
Posted by: anon (gmail.com) | Oct 29, 2007 4:04:32 PM
I saw the headline about Marc Jacobs and then saw the picture of the skeleton and figured Marc finally reached his goal weight.
Posted by: Jaimie | Oct 29, 2007 4:40:08 PM
Designers like Marc Jacobs really tick me off...his clothes are incredibly unoriginal and manufactured overseas, yet he still charges $200 for a t-shirt. If the wealthy didn't need to buy expensive shit to feel good about themselves, he'd be out of a job.
Posted by: scientitian | Oct 29, 2007 5:10:36 PM
re: the Galveston Pride Festival......I moved to Atlanta, from Galveston, three years ago and miss it to death. That was the gayest little island ever. The population was something like 70k and it had 5 gay bars!!! They did have a PRIDE parade each year, which was one flatbed trailer w/ drag queens and disco music, but it was all in good fun. The island is very live-and-let-live....not so much about activism, but more about just chillin'. Sounds like that hasn't really changed. Go Galveston!!
Posted by: rdptoday | Oct 29, 2007 10:00:49 PM