Questions Surround Murder of Openly Gay Teen in Baltimore

Jason Mattison Jr., an openly gay teen who attended Vivian T Thomas high school in Baltimore, was recently murdered:

 "...while Jason appeared strong and confident in the safe confines of his school on North Calhoun Street, unafraid to embrace his sexual orientation as part of his personality, the world outside did not offer those same protections. Last week, at his aunt's house, one of the few occupied homes on a block boarded and sagging, he was found dead - raped, gagged with a pillowcase, stabbed repeatedly in the head and throat, and shoved into an upstairs closet. Jason's killing left his teachers, classmates and relatives in tears and family members asking questions of one another even in the days leading up to today's funeral. Did Jason leave his mother's house and move in with his aunt, as his grandmother suggested? Or was he just visiting on that fateful day, as a cousin said? And why did people in his aunt's house open their door to the suspect, a convicted killer released early from prison because of flaws in his case?"

Lots of questions surround this very sad case including what the police mean when they say Jason had a 'forced sexual relationship' with his killer."

Episcopal Nuns Defect Over Church's Gay Views, Become Catholics

Ten Episcopal nuns from All Saints Sisters of the Poor convent outside Baltimore have joined the Catholic Church because of their former denomination's acceptance of gays and lesbians:

"The ten members of the All Saints Sisters of the Poor, who were received into the Catholic Church by Baltimore Archbishop Edwin O'Brien, will continue to live with two nuns who decided not to convert at their convent in Catonsville, Md. The community's chaplain, the Rev. Warren Tanghe, also converted on Thursday with the nuns. 'Our archdiocese and our church's mission of caring for the poor are now greatly enriched for having the All Saints Sisters among us,' O'Brien said in a statement. Members of the order had been considering conversion for seven years. Mother Christina Christie, superior of the order, told the Baltimore Sun: 'We were drifting farther apart from the more liberal road the Episcopal Church is traveling. We are now more at home in the Roman Catholic Church.' By allowing gay bishops and blessings for same-sex relationships, the Episcopal Church is 'way off the boat,' Christie said."

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News: Australia, Sarah Palin, Terence Koh, Baltimore Firefighters

Gay couples stage mock weddings across Australia: "In the largest protest, about 2,000 people, many in bridal veils, marched on the Labour Party's national policy-making conference in Sydney, chanting 'gay, straight, black or white, marriage is a civil right.' Similar rallies and mock weddings were held in the southern capital of Melbourne and the Queensland city of Brisbane."

Obama "Joker" posters turning up around L.A.

Jessica Simpson wants to know if "asks" is a word.

vUS. Commerce Dept. will report same-sex couples in the 2010 census.

Todd and Sarah Palin to divorce: affairs on both sides. Denials.

August Provost murder probe to remain open despite suspect's suicide.

James Kirchick: Don't trust Obama on gay marriage. "Even if Obama does in fact believe in marriage equality, he hasn't done -- and is unlikely to do -- much to forward the cause. And apart from some toothless sniping from a handful of gay activists and donors, he seems to be getting away with it."

Giraffe and goat love one another.

Music industry unraveling at "utterly breathtaking" speed. Here's a fascinating chart.

Broadway performer Nick Adams to make solo cabaret debut at Birdland on August 17.

Giorgio Armani performs his annual Speedo promenade.

Baltimore police officers Jeffrey Chaney and John Kowalczyk are making things better for LGBT folks in Baltimore.

Gay Pride marked in Stockholm, Sweden and Belfast, Northern Ireland.

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Human Rights Watch urges Burundi to reverse new law making homosexuality illegal: "The government needs to listen to these voices to understand the harm it is doing to Burundians with its state-sanctioned discrimination. The government should rescind this law and instead work to promote equality and understanding."

Madonna shares her spiritual awakening with the world, or at least Israel, where she's to have a concert.

Artist Terence Koh and his partner Garrick Gott "marry" in East Hampton, NY, honeymoon in Tahiti. Koh: I designed the dress myself. It was my mom’s dress, and I just went and bought $50 of tulle. Then Jen Brill, Stella Schnabel, and Kathy Grayson—they were the bestest bridesmaids—helped me sew it on last minute. It felt like a floating snowball."

Senator Chris Dodd diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Jake Gyllenhaal hits the Elton John concert in Philly.

Pope Benedict to perform on record label founded by gay man: "The label said listeners would be 'shocked' by his 'incredible voice'. The album, which features the Pope using five different languages, will be released on 30 November."

Male model fix: Kyle Ledeboer.

One in ten people highly attractive to mosquitoes: "'People with high concentrations of steroids or cholesterol on their skin surface attract mosquitoes,' ]professor Jerry] Butler tells WebMD. That doesn't necessarily mean that mosquitoes prey on people with higher overall levels of cholesterol, Butler explains. These people simply may be more efficient at processing cholesterol, the byproducts of which remain on the skin's surface. Mosquitoes also target people who produce excess amounts of certain acids, such as uric acid, explains entomologist John Edman, PhD, spokesman for the Entomological Society of America. These substances can trigger mosquitoes' sense of smell, luring them to land on unsuspecting victims."

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #410

BARACK OBAMA: Responding to Paul Krugman's column criticizing him for an economic stimulus package that falls short of what's necessary: "If Paul Krugman has a good idea in terms of how to spend money efficiently and effectively to jump-start the economy, then we're gonna do it."

LEON PANETTA: Obama's nominee for CIA director gives his speech, continues 'war on terror' terminology.

SHEILA DIXON: Baltimore mayor indicted on 12 counts of corruption.

HOWARD DEAN: Chris Matthews gives Howard Dean his due.

News: Baltimore, Claymates, Folsom Street, PETA, Brad Pitt

Baltimore police probe shooting of gay man as possible hate crime: "Police spokeswoman Officer Nicole Monroe says the shooting occurred shortly after midnight Monday in the 600 block of Howard Street. A gay couple was walking on the street when a man on a bicycle approached one of the two men and engaged him in conversation. Monroe says the second man walked ahead several feet, heard what sounded like two gunshots and saw his companion was injured. The man with the bike fled on foot, then returned for his bicycle and left the scene."

Michelle Obama pens Advocate op-ed: "The World As it Should Be."

Obama to pose for cover of Men's Health.

Blindsided Claymates apoplectic over Clay Aiken's coming out: "please tell me I'm not the only one who is shocked beyond belief! I feel numb I'm so upset. This can't be real!! How can you guys say this won't change anything? This changes EVERYTHING. I don't even know what to think right now"

Lobbying firm of Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager, remains on the payroll of Freddie Mac. McCain attacks story but does not deny.

Was Condoleezza Rice passed up for VP because of her sexuality?: "It was the persistent rumors about her sexuality that ultimately killed her chances and removed her from the list...In Washington circles, it’s just assumed Rice is gay and nobody really cares. But in the glare of the media spotlight, those rumors were bound to get magnified a thousandfold and the mainstream media would have had an excuse to reveal the facts that would have caused conniption fits among the Republican base."

Log Cabin Republican slams "wacky left bloggers" for outing McCain chief of staff Mark Buse.

The San Francisco Bay Guardian profiles Kink.com's takeover of the San Francisco Armory.

Fundie Peter LaBarbera makes annual trip to San Francisco's Folsom Street Fair to confront Mayor Gavin Newsom.

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NYT David Pogue looks at the T-Mobile G-1 running Google Android.

Madonna tour towels seized in Montenegro: "The Queen Of Pop travels with 300 expensive designer towels for her and her dancers to use when they come off stage. But officials in Montenegro confiscated the lot because they were suspicious about the number she was taking into the country. A source said: 'The customs people had never come across that kind of volume of towels for personal use before, or the cost given for them. People in Montenegro just aren’t used to spending that much on a towel.'"

Drew Barrymore inserting herself between rumored gay Gossip Girl co-stars.

Bad boys: The Sarah Palin email hacker and the Britney Spears single leaker.

Brad Pitt forced into hideous yellow terrycloth get-up!

Latifah: Hairspray sequel still in the works.

PETA urges Ben & Jerry's to switch from cow milk to human breast milk: "PETA's request comes in the wake of news reports that a Swiss restaurant owner will begin purchasing breast milk from nursing mothers and substituting breast milk for 75 percent of the cow's milk in the food he serves."

Scott Pomfret, author of gay erotica and a lector at a Boston Catholic church, loses the latter job over new book: "Pomfret's latest book, a sarcastic memoir titled 'Since My Last Confession,' proved too much for the friars, many of whom were interviewed by Pomfret as he wrote the book. The book suggests that some local clergy, who are given fictional names, are sexually active, and is mocking toward Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley, the archbishop of Boston."

Teen Executed by Fellow Gang Members for Being Gay

A teen who was a member of the Family Swans (a subset of the Bloods gang) was killed by fellow gang members after they discovered he was gay, according to police in Baltimore:

"A neighbor told police that Parrish left his parents' home with another young man and walked toward the woods. About a minute later, the witness and other neighbors heard someone yelling and pleading, 'Stop! Why are you doing this to me? I didn't do anything!' according to court documents...On the day before Parrish's death, several members of the gang met at his home, according to charging documents. There, Hollis and Flythe discussed finding what they believed to be 'gay' text messages on Parrish's cell phone. Angered by the messages and a photograph they found, they worried that their Bloods group would appear weak to others if word got out that they had a gay member, according to court records. 'As a result, they decided that Steven Parrish 'had to go,'' police wrote in charging documents. 'There was no date or time discussed for the killing, but it was made very clear to all those present that Parrish was going to be killed.' Flythe later told his fellow gang members that he and Hollis confronted Parrish, who did not deny that the messages were 'gay' in nature, according to court records. Flythe also told his associates that they stabbed and hit the victim before stomping on his neck, according to charging documents. A red bandanna was placed over Parrish's face and he was left in the woods."

Parrish was found to have bruises, over 50 superficial knife wounds, and a deep stab wound to the chest. Steven Hollis, 18, of Randallstown and Juan Flythe, 17, of West Baltimore have been charged with first degree murder and are being held without bail.