Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Unblocks LGBT Websites

Tim Casey, Vice President of Marketing & Operations, International Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, LLC, issued a response today to earlier reports that wi-fi at its businesses were blocking LGBT websites:

Said Casey:

"At approximately 3:00pm on Thursday we were notified by a customer using our complementary wi-fi service that two specific sites catering to the LGBT community were blocked from access. Those sites included Pam’s House Blend and Towleroad. After learning of the issue, our technical team researched the situation and took immediate steps to unblock the sites that were brought to our attention. It is not, and has never been, the policy of the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to block Internet content or websites from our customers or members of the LGBT community. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf subscribes to an OpenDNS platform that incorporates a peer review component which allows users to flag particular sites they deem inappropriate. In this case, a small amount of flags triggered the system and the sites in question were blocked automatically. No web-content filter is perfect, but we are grateful to the customers who quickly brought this to our attention for resolution. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf supports diversity on all levels and values the community members of the areas we operate in. Our goal in offering free wi-fi service is to open communication and exchange of information, not to block information."

We thank Casey for taking prompt action on this.

Coffee Bean Blocks Towleroad, Pam's House Blend for 'Sexuality'

The Advocate (via UniteTheFight reports) on censorship at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, which operates hundreds of locations, mainly on the west coast:

"Phillip Minton of Unite the Fight -- a group trying to overturn California's Proposition 8 -- had booted up his laptop on Thursday at a Coffee Bean location in Los Angeles and was informed he couldn't access sites like Pam's House Blend and Towleroad due to 'sexuality.' According to commenters at Unite the Fight's website, ex-gay sites for groups like Exodus and Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays are accessible on Coffee Bean's Wi-Fi service. In his post, Minton wrote, 'Naturally, I wrote a rather angry e-mail [to Coffee Bean's corporate office in Los Angeles] telling them they need to do a better job determining what is porn or 'adult' from what is a news or editorial blog. If I typed in 'heterosexual,' would the sites pulled up be blocked? I doubt it.'"

The Wi-Fi provider, OpenDNS, claimed the block comes from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and not the WiFi provider. Unfortunately, this practice is all too common. Many corporations censor LGBT websites because they are automatically deemed sexual or adult in nature.

Would love to know where else we are blocked. Let us know in the comments.

ACLU: San Diego-Area School Censors Student's Harvey Milk Report

A San Diego-area sixth-grader's report on slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk was not welcomed by the school's principal, the L.A. Times reports:

"Instead, the principal sent letters to parents giving them the option of not allowing their child to listen to the presentation by classmate Natalie Jones. Officials cited the district policy requiring that parents be notified before any classroom instruction about sex, AIDS or 'family life.' About half the class received permission and listened to the report, which was given during lunch hour rather than regular classroom time like other students' reports, the ACLU said...The ACLU of San Diego and Imperial counties asserts that officials misinterpreted the district's policy on sex education and, in the process, violated Natalie's free speech rights. The group has given the Ramona Unified School District five days to respond or face a possible lawsuit."

Said Jones' mother: “This whole thing is unbelievable – first my daughter got called into the principal’s office as if she were in some kind of trouble, and then they treated her presentation like it was something icky. Harvey Milk was an elected official in this state and an important person in history. To say my daughter’s presentation is ‘sex education’ because Harvey Milk happened to be gay is completely wrong.”

The Mt. Woodson Elementary School student reportedly learned of Milk after seeing the Gus van Sant-directed film.

California School Bans Sixth Grader's Presentation on Harvey Milk [aclu

Nothing Gay in Star Wars, Game Company Insists

The Canadian electronics company BioWare, which distributes a Star Wars-themed game with LucasArts, has angered fans by blocking any discussions of homosexuality and even going so far as to censor the terms gay, lesbian, and homosexual in its online forums.

Bit-Tech.net reports: "What's more, BioWare is even trying to prevent discussion of the ban according to Eurogamer, closing threads titled 'GLBT discrimination in the forums?', among others. The only real explanation yet offered up has come from BioWare's Community Manager Sean Dahlberg, who said that the discussions were not relevant to either the games or the larger Star Wars franchise. According to Sean the idea and terms of homosexuality do not exist in the Star Wars universe and are therefore being dealt with as irrelevant. The explanation is being seen by many as flawed however, as BioWare has included romantic relationships in past games both in and out of the Star Wars franchise and hasn't shied away from the topic of homosexuality. There was even a potential lesbian subplot that could evolve between Juhani and the player character in BioWare's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic."

Disgusting censorship aside, if you didn't think there was anything gay in the Star Wars universe, check out the video, AFTER THE JUMP...

News: Susan Boyle, Iraq, Michael Phelps, Carrie Prejean, Sun

Sun dimmest it's been for 100 years...

Confirmed: Miss California Carrie Prejean dating Michael Phelps.

Boyle banishes bushy brows.

More on the executions of gay Iraqis: "According to [Congressman Jared] Polis, the 'egregious human rights violations' are 'being carried out by Iraqi government officials from the Ministry of the Interior.' ...'While I do not know if these executions are being sanctioned at the highest levels of the Iraqi government, it is nonetheless disturbing that government officials and state-funded security forces are involved in the torturing and execution of LGBT Iraqis,' Polis wrote to Patricia Butenis, the chargé d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq."

Just Jared interviews Rosie O'Donnell. On her 2004 marriage to Kelli: "I wanted to be included in the list of people that raised their hands. I didn’t want it to be something that I had an opportunity to participate in but was afraid to, so we went and did that. We don’t actually celebrate that as our anniversary, and that marriage was annulled, because the first few were, but people did write us to say 'Happy Anniversary!' which is how we remember, but our anniversary is in December…for sort of when we knew that we would be together…forever."

Project Runway date announced...

Male rocker Marilyn opens up about relationship with Gavin Rossdale.

Dallas company pulls homophobic prom ad.

Victory Fund announces 12 new endorsements, largely in municipal races across the country.

Former Miss Delaware sides with Carrie Prejean.

Arizona student can wear rainbow wristband, after demands from ACLU: "Eighth grader Chris Quintanilla wore a rainbow wristband with the words "Rainbows are gay" to Parkridge Elementary School in March. Natali Quintanilla, the boy's mother, said the principal called her and told her he would not allow Chris to wear the wristband.Quintanilla contacted the ACLU following the incident; the union wrote a letter to the district demanding it rescind its ban on the wristband, saying the ban was a First Amendment violation."

Alabama lawmaker Jay Love drafts resolution in support of Miss California: "Love said there are those 'tell­ing people what they can believe and what they can say,' which he said is wrong. He said she is being punished for saying marriage is between a man and a woman. 'I don't believe that's right,' Love said."

Delhi teach fired for being gay, teaching students about homophobia.

ABC News: Silence deafening in culture wars. "While social conservatives remain a major part of the GOP, they are losing influence inside and outside the party, said Rich Galen, a Republican strategist."

Worst Catholic logo ever?

Jesus Luz: new post-Madonna photos.

Gay couple attacked by curry vendor at Sydney Royal Easter Show: "Richard said that when the couple went to try one of the sauces offered for public taste testing, they were told by a female worker at the stall: 'No, it’s only for mums and dads. It’s only for people who have families.' When the couple asked why they were being discriminated against, the worker replied: 'I can discriminate against who I want – it’s my product. Now get lost.' The couple were subsequently offered the product by another employee at the stall, but after trying it, the employee who had ordered them to leave threw a pot of curry at them, narrowly missing Richard. She then went to throw a glass jar at the couple before they retreated."

News: Susan Boyle, Washington, Timothy Dolan, Tennessee, Cuba

Washington State legislature passes Domestic Partnerships: "The Democratic-controlled House approved the Senate-passed measure on a mostly party-line 62-35 vote after nearly two hours of debate. It next goes to Gov. Chris Gregoire, who said she will sign it into law." But that may not happen.....

Britain's Got Talent's Susan Boyle on The Early Show!

Illinois Governor says he expects state will have civil unions.

Overheard: UCLA's Lacrosse team pep talk - "Let’s go get those f***ing faggots! Besides … they’ve got blacks too.

Ugandan government: Unicef, Amnesty International "promoting homosexuality" in Uganda. "Ethics and integrity minister Dr. James Nsaba Buturo, in a hard-hitting statement to Parliament, also implicated Human Rights Watch, Frontline Human Rights Defenders and East Horn of Africa Human Rights in the 'racket'.  The organisations, Buturo said, were working with local groups which depend on them for funding, to spread homosexuality in the local population."

A shockingly gaunt Patrick Swayze fights on in cancer battle...

Octo-mommy wants to trademark 'Octo' name. Is NEVER GOING AWAY.

New York's new Archbishop Timothy Dolan on same-sex marriage: "Dolan said he would challenge any efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in New York, but insisted that his position was not anti-gay. 'We love them,' he said of gays and lesbians. 'We would defend their rights.' However, marriage must remain as it always has been, between one man and one woman, he said. 'If we let that definition of marriage go and begin to include other relationships, it will be to a detriment to the civilization,' he said."

Michael Savage warns of "rogue homosexual elements within Homeland Security."

WaPo talks to Lambda Legal Attorney Camilla Taylor about the Iowa marriage victory: "Some people involved in gay rights efforts tried to tell Taylor she was wasting her time. Iowa was, they told her, a conservative, religious state in America's rural heartland, and the effort was better concentrated on the more liberal coasts. 'There were many people telling us we were crazy,' she said, 'that we were foolhardy even thinking of filing a case, and that we might create a backlash.'"

Gay leaders inspired by renewed access to the President.

Cristiano Ronaldo is a winner.

Newt Gingrich pushing Rudy Giuliani to run for New York governor: "While Giuliani didn't discuss his 2010 political intentions directly, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) explicitly called on Giuliani to run for governor and for former GOP Gov. George Pataki to run for Senate."

UVA students plan vigil in response to the recent gay bashing of two men there.

Cancer could soon be detectable in a single drop of blood: "New technology that allows cancer proteins to be analysed in tiny samples could spell the end of surgical biopsies, which involve removing lumps of tissue, often under general anaesthetic."

Obama cracks door to Cuba.

Students and parents want Tennessee public schools to stop blocking access to LGBT websites: "They complained to the American Civil Liberties Union, which on Wednesday gave Metro and Knox County schools an April 29 deadline to announce plans to open access to the non-sexual sites. A letter to the districts threatened lawsuits if they don't comply."