Ali Forney Center Sees More Than $250K in Donations After Being Flooded Out, Can Still Use Some Help

NYC's Ali Forney Center for homeless LGBTQ youth has seen a deluge of donations since it was destroyed by the other deluge brought in by Hurricane Sandy, but it still needs more:

In the first three days, the center received almost 1,000 donations totaling more than $100,000. That total has grown to more than $250,000 — and counting — with contributions coming from around the world, including England, France, Sweden, Canada and Mexico.

"This shows the power of social media, when prominent people link digitally with a healthy network of people who connect emotionally," said Ryan Davis, a pioneer in using social media in politics and activism who is on Ali Forney's board.

About $400,000 is needed to replace what the center lost and prepare the Harlem site, which Siciliano hopes will be up and running by Christmas.

Click HERE to donate to the center.

Hurricane Relief Fundraiser for NYC's Ali Forney Center

As we reported shortly after Hurricane Sandy, NYC's Ali Forney Center, the shelter and drop-in center for homeless LGBTQ youth, was devastated by the storm.

Only a few days ago, the Ali Forney Center suffered a devastating setback: Hurricane Sandy caused irreparable damage to their  Drop-in Center in Chelsea, flooding the venue with 4 feet of water. This facility previously served up to 1,000 homeless LGBTQ youth a year, providing comprehensive health care services, thousands of meals, counseling services, showers, and more.

This facility is now uninhabitable – an unthinkable loss for the AFC and for our community.

AFC Board Member Bill Shea and his Husband Frank Selvaggi have announced they are matching up to $50,000 of all revenue raised for the center at a fundraiser this Sunday at Industry Bar in Hell's Kitchen from 4-7 pm. Tickets are a $20 donation at the door. More details on the fundraiser HERE.

You can also make online donations at this page. Please help if you can.

Beautiful 'Everyone is Different' Dutch PSA Highlights Challenges, Promotes Acceptance of LGBT Youth: VIDEO

A beautiful PSA for a Dutch LGBT youth support group highlights the challenges faced by LGBT youth, telling the stories of several kids as they struggle to find acceptance among their peers while facing the individual realizations that they are, and can be different.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Malaysian Government To Parents, Teachers: Know The Signs Of Gay

Weird news out of Malaysia, from Reuters:

The Malaysian government has begun holding seminars aiming to help teachers and parents spot signs of homosexuality in children, underscoring a rise in religious conservatism in the Muslim majority nation.

So far, the Teachers Foundation of Malaysia has organized 10 seminars across the nation. Attendance at the last event on Wednesday reached 1,500 people ...

The "signs" of homosexuality include, among boys, an affection for v-neck shirts, the wearing of sleeveless shirts, the wearing of tight clothes in general, the using of handbags, and being muscular. The Malaysian government is less clear on how to spot lesbians. Their advice to girls' parents: Make sure your daughter avoids sleepovers.

From the Agence France-Presse:

"Definitely we support the seminars because it's good for parents to be exposed to LGBT symptoms," Deputy Education Minister Mohamad Puad Zarkashi told AFP on Friday, while declining direct comment on the guidelines.

"At least preventive action can be taken," said Mohamad Puad, who officiated one of the seminars in northern Penang state earlier this week.

What "preventive action" might mean in this context is unclear. Reuters notes that a government-run camp now exists in the Malaysian state of Terengganu, where "effeminate" boys are taught to butch up.

In Malaysia, homosexual acts are officially punishable by up to 20 years in prison, though penalties are seldom enforced.

Jimmy Kimmel 'Back to School' Stunt Mocks Gays: VIDEO

Jimmy Kimmel broadcast his latest 'let's play tricks on the kids' stunt last night, which involved asking parents to give their kids the most horrible first day of school outfit ever.

At least one of the parents thought putting their kid in an "I'm So Gay" t-shirt would be hilariously humiliating. Kimmel's producers agreed enough to include it in the gag reel. Is the point here that it would be "horrible" for the kid because so many are bullied for being gay, or are gays the actual punchline? The point here would seem to be the latter, but maybe watching too many anti-bullying videos has made me lose my sense of humor.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Bullied Gay Student Sues Indianapolis Public Schools

Darnell "Dynasty" Young was expelled from his Indianapolis high school in April for brandishing a stun-gun at bullies. Mr. Young, who occasionally wore a purse and women's jewelry, had allegedly been bullied, attacked, and threatened with violence on numerous occasions before the April incident. His fellow students at Arsenal Technical High School, he said, spat on him, attacked him with rocks and bottles, and promised to beat him up. Eventually, concerned for her son's safety, Mr. Young's mother bought him a stun-gun. Now, Mr. Young is suing his school school district for discrimination, restriction of free speech, and negligence.

From NECN.com:

Darnell "Dynasty" Young, 17, and his mother, Chelisa Grimes, filed their suit Friday in federal court in Indianapolis. It seeks unspecified damages over a series of alleged bullying incidents that led Young to fire a stun gun at Arsenal Technical High School in the spring, reportedly to scare away bullies ...

"Rather than take effective measures to protect him, school staff told him that he was to blame for the [previous incidents of] harassment because of his appearance and told him to change his dress and behavior to conform to stereotypical ideas of masculinity and to be less 'flamboyant,'" the suit says.

Mr. Young's expulsion from the Indianapolis school system was to have lasted until January. Last month the penalty was reduced: Mr. Young will now be able to attend the full school year, though he will not be allowed to return to Arsenal Tech. He's currently enrolled in a charter school.

You can see an interview with Darnell, and his twin brother Darrell, here.