News: Donnie McClurkin, Purdue, Guidos, Cheesecake Factory

Longtime HIVAIDS activist Howard Jacobs dies in L.A. at 45.

The surface of Mars as revealed by orbiter.

New MTV reality series to feature Jersey shore house "full of the hottest, tannest, craziest Guidos."

Purdue students protest professor Bert Chapman's blog post arguing the "economic case against homosexuality". Chapman: "As a conservative Christian, I firmly believe the homosexual lifestyle is morally wrong, and my blog posting sought to emphasize there are economic and public policy implications to widespread and open acceptance of this lifestyle."

10-year-old refuses to say Pledge of Allegiance until there is liberty and justice for gays.

Marriage equality in Connecticut one year later: "Fully half of the gay and lesbian couples who wed in Connecticut were from other states or other countries. They came from South Dakota, Mississippi, Russia, Hawaii, Costa Rica and Israel, among other far-flung locales. But above all, they came from New York: 455 Empire State couples traveled to Connecticut to marry."

Balloon boy family to plead GUILTY to hoax.

High school band marches in Palm Springs Gay Pride parade.

Human Rights Campaign throws support behind Kirsten Gillibrand: "From her personal lobbying of the New York legislature in support of marriage rights to helping garner support for a Senate hearing on repealing 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,' Gillibrand has time and again stood for fairness for all."

Corpus Christi, the Terrence McNally play featuring a gay Jesus, to be mounted in Orange County, California.

Remember the homoerotic Cheesecake Factory hazings from July 2008? The case has been settled, in the amount of $345,000.

And he only gets better with age.

PREVIEW: Rihanna's Rated R.

Jon Stewart catches Sean Hannity using Glenn Beck's "enhanced crowd" teabagger march footage. Hannity, although it "pained him," admitted Stewart was right.

Kim Kardashian fitted with prosthetic face.

Gore Vidal: a life in pictures.

Reverend Donnie McClurkin goes off on gays: ""God did not call young people to such perversion. Society has failed him, his church has failed him ... I would be homosexual to this day if Jesus hadn't delivered."

Title and summary for Prop 8 repeal ballot language to be released next week: "As soon as the approval is given, the Restore Equality 2010 campaign will have 150 days to collect approximately 700,000 valid pen and ink signatures by voters registered in California. To account for the invalid signatures that are bound to show up on the forms, the Restore Equality 2010 campaign is aiming to collect 1 million signatures within the 150 day timeframe."

News: Michael Jackson, Argentina, Jenny Durkan, Barbie, Coyotes

Rex Wockner: 8,000 volunteers working in Maine, and more needed...

Mario tries to find the right shade.

Joe Jackson on the King of Pop: "He's worth more dead than he was alive."

Schwarzenegger says "fuck you" letter was a complete (8 billion to one) coincidence.

Damn: Elton John is spry.

Gay City News interviews Kirsten Gillibrand: "a new advocate emerges..."

32 LGBT organizations issue joint statement on hate crimes passage: "This week, we call upon lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, families and allies to take this opportunity of increased media and public attention on hate crimes to educate co-workers, classmates, neighbors, family members and friends about our lives, and about why we need not only their friendship and love, but their vocal support for a more just and equal America for LGBT people."

WATCH: clip of Britney Spears' "3" music video.

First openly gay U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan begins work...

GLAAD board member dies on Atlantis vacation: "According to sources on board, Spencer Yu, a Los Angeles attorney, suffered cardiac arrest October 21 while on the Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas, which was chartered by Atlantis for a seven-day trip along the Mexican Riviera. A medical team attempted to resuscitate Yu for 45 minutes before he was taken to a Puerto Vallarta hospital, where he showed no brain activity. Yu was later taken off of life support. "

How often do you hear of anyone being hunted down and killed by coyotes? This is terribly sad.

Inside Candis Cayne's closet.

The Keith Haring documentary Drawing the Line is broadcast on Ovation this weekend.

Perhaps the most profitable and overrated flick of all time.

Introducing, the Barbie Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken Doll.

Argentina considers same-sex marriage: "'We can't expect social equality if the state is legitimizing inequality,' said Maria Rachid, president of Argentina's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Federation. 'We now have the social and political context necessary to change the law.' ... Rachid said more than 20 lawmakers have signed on as supporters of same-sex marriage, and they believe they have enough votes in committee for a full vote in the lower house. It would then go to the Senate."

Arjan chats with Blake Lewis.

Boston gay bashing case to go to trial: "Darren Morgan, 46, and Howard Rice, 50, are charged with assault and battery, disorderly conduct and civil rights violations, said Conley. Both men will appear in Boston Municipal Court on Dec. 10. The charges are the result of an incident on June 15, according to Boston police. Morgan and Rice were on Washington Street when the victims walked towards them from a bus stop, police said. The pair allegedly began to verbally abuse the two men, targeting them on the assumption they were gay, said police."

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand: I Would Support Amending 1964 Civil Rights Bill to Cover Gay Rights

Andy and I had the chance to sit down and interview United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand at the LGBT Community Center in New York City on Sunday afternoon. 

Watch the interview, AFTER THE JUMP...

We spoke to the Senator about the legislative road to repealing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell', critics who have questioned her convictions on LGBT issues, the marriage equality battle in New York State and also if she'd be supportive of amending the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation.

Said the Senator: "I would [be supportive of that]. I truly believe that this gay rights agenda is the civil rights march of our generation. I think marriage equality, I think repealing DOMA, Don't Ask, Don't Tell. All of that work we're doing is part of equal rights in America and it is something that is so important to this generation. I think that kind of bill would be transformational...Whether we have the votes for that kind of bill today, I don't know. But it's something certainly worth fighting for."

Senator Gillibrand had a small private meeting with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender activists from five boroughs before holding a larger event that was open to the general public. Lt. Dan Choi introduced her at the public event and she updated the audience on the current pieces of legislation before the Congress that are of importance to the gay community. She then took questions from the crowd. During the question and answer period she told a few personal anecdotes related to growing up in a political family where her grandmother had a close gay couple as friends and also how during her career as a senior associate at a law firm she had plenty of gay colleagues.

Watch our interview, and a brief video clip from Gillibrand's talk at the center in which she discusses why LGBT rights are important to her, AFTER THE JUMP...

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to Speak at NYC Gay and Lesbian Center

New Yorkers, on Sunday Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will speak at New York's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center. Via the announcement:

“As a New York progressive, Senator Gillibrand strongly believes in equal rights for all. Since her time in the House of Representatives, she has spoken out in support of full marriage equality, becoming one of the first members of the U.S. Senate to favor full marriage rights for same sex couples. In the U.S. Senate, Senator Gillibrand is working on an aggressive agenda to provide equal rights for all, including eliminating the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy in our armed forces, protecting people of all sexual orientations and gender identities from hate crimes and employment discrimination, and repealing the Defense of Marriage Act. This event is an opportunity for New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community leaders to meet your new Senator, learn more about her agenda and discuss your priorities.”

The talk will take place at The Center at 208 West 13th Street, Room 301, from 3:30-4:30 on Sunday. If you'd like to attend, RSVP here.

Towleroad is going to be speaking to Senator Gillibrand on Sunday as well. Feel free to post any suggestions for questions you'd like the Senator to answer in the comments. I can't guarantee we'll ask them but we'd love to hear them.

Gillibrand Meeting with Defense Dept. Today on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

Or so she tweets.

Gillibrand: Senate to Hold Hearings on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold hearings on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", according to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), who claims to have secured the commitment:

"A statement from the Gillibrand’s office, shared exclusively with The Daily Beast, notes that '265 men and women have been unfairly dismissed from the Armed Forces since President Barack Obama took office.' Gillibrand’s fast-track proposal for halting DADT, an amendment to the Military Reauthorization Act that would have ordered the Defense secretary to stop investigating gay service members, was never introduced. Even with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid expressing his support, Gillibrand couldn’t gather the 60 votes needed to avoid a filibuster, according to a spokesperson...Gay-rights leaders expressed high hopes that Senate hearings could bring reluctant legislators around. According to a recent Gallup poll, 69 percent Americans think gays should be allowed to serve."

The Daily Beast talks to Jason Bellini, AFTER THE JUMP...