Tag: LGBT

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Petition with 1.4 million signatures delivered to Boy Scouts of America urging change in gay ban

The Advocate is reporting a petition was delivered Tuesday morning to the Boy Scouts of America’s board members, urging them to change the national policy barring openly gay scouts and troop leaders.

Both gay and straight scouts and leaders delivered a bundle of several petitions, totaling 1.4 million signatures from Americans who weighed in on the policy, according to GLAAD.

The petitions were handed off to board members at the BSA’s Texas headquarters where the policy is one of the chief concerns during a three-day conference.

An announcement is expected Wednesday regarding any change of policy.

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CNN: Hate group leader says gay scout leaders will molest your kids

Hate group leader Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council appeared on CNN today to speak with Carol Costello about the full page ad his group ran in USA Today urging the Boy Scouts to retain their ban on gay scouts.

Said Sprigg: “The mere fact that someone openly identifies themselves as homosexual means that they are modeling for boys the acceptability of homosexual conduct. And parents who do not agree with that view have a right to protect their children form that… They have a right to protect their children from the potential risk of child sexual abuse at the hands of men who might be attracted to other males.”

Costello correctly quoted an American Psychological Association study that shows homosexuals are not any more likely to molest kids than straight men.

“Unless you’re condemning every single homosexual in the country as being a possible pedophile, that’s not fair!”

(source)

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President Obama reiterates his support for allowing gays in Boy Scouts

President Obama affirmed his opposition to the Boy Scouts ban on openly gay scouts and troop leaders in an interview on Sunday with CBS Evening News.

“My attitude is that gays and lesbians should have access and opportunity the same way everybody else does, in every institution and walk of life,” Obama said. “The Scouts are a great institution that are promoting young people and exposing them to opportunities and leadership that will serve people for the rest of their lives, and I think that nobody should be barred for that.”

In related news, GLAAD reports that the Boy Scouts of America are set to get a huge delivery of petitions containing 1.4 million signatures this morning.

The Boy Scouts of America headquarters in Dallas will get a visit from ousted Boy Scout mom Jennifer Tyrrell, gay Eagle Scout Will Oliver, gay former Scoutmaster Greg Bourke, and Eric Andresen, father of a gay Scout denied his Eagle Award – and they’ll be bringing with them signatures of more than a million Americans who want the BSA to end its ban on gay scouts and volunteers.

The national leaders of the Boy Scouts of America are gathered this week for to discuss an end to the organization’s discriminatory ban.

“Millions have been moved to speak out in favor of ending the anti-gay ban from across religions, race, and political backgrounds including current scouts and corporate sponsors,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. “While an end to the ban will strengthen scouting and stop the harm it caused to so many young gay people, the campaign for change will continue until the national policy is one where every young gay person is allowed to participate.”

Today, the Family Research Council and other hate groups took out a full-page ad in USA Today urging the BSA to retain its anti-gay policies.

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Sen. Harry Reid: Gay families need to be a part of immigration reform discussion

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid appeared on ABC’s THIS WEEK telling George Stephanopoulos that same-sex families need to be included in immigration reform.

Via Think Progress:

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS (HOST): One of the other big issues, the President said he wants gay and lesbians to be able to have a family preference. Senator McCain has said we shouldn’t come up with legislation for what he calls social issues.

REID: If we have gay folks in this country who have children, or they come from some other place they should be protected just like any other child.

STEPHANOPOULOS: That’s the position the Republicans are saying that’s too heavy to lift.

REID: If they’re looking for an excuse not to support this legislation, this is another one, but the American people are past excuses. They want this legislation passed.

On the other side of the issue, Sen. John McCain says he thinks adding LGBT families to the mix becomes an entirely different discussion saying “Which is more important: LGBT or border security? I’ll tell you what my priorities are.”

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Las Vegas: 3rd Annual LGBT Wedding Expo 2/10/13

Rainbow Wedding Network returns to Las Vegas for their 3rd LGBT Wedding Expo on Sunday February 10th, 2013 from 1-4pm.

Las Vegas Pride acts as the premier community sponsor and Circus Circus Hotel & Casino will host the event.

From the website:

The event will feature dozens of gay-friendly wedding vendors, fabulous raffle giveaways, LGBT-planning tips, music, samples and interactive presentations. RSVPs are requested through this event webpage and 25% of attendee donations will be contributed to Las Vegas Pride.

Experience the joy of planning in a welcoming environment! 25% of all donations will be contributed directly to Las Vegas Pride!

Couples, singles and marriage equality advocates are all invited to attend!

Sunday Feb. 10th, 2013
(1:00-4:00pm)

Circus Circus
2880 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Click in for more info.

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Colorado: Civil unions bill passes in state Senate committee

The Colorado Senate Appropriations Committee has approved a civil unions bill by a vote of 4 – 3 this morning. Civil unions passed the Senate Judiciary Committee last week.

If passed, SB-11 will provide committed gay and lesbian couples with critical legal protections and responsibilities, such as the ability to take family leave to care for a partner, to make medical and end-of-life decisions for a partner, to live together in a nursing home, and to adopt children together.

The landmark legislation will now head to the full Senate for consideration.

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High school senior produces documentary based on 10 coming out stories of men aged 15 to 82

Devon Yaffe, a high school senior in L.A., recently completed his Senior Project, a 90-minute documentary in which ten gay men talk about their experiences growing up and coming out.

Writes Devon: “After finding out I could choose any topic for my Senior Project, I decided on one that was closer to home: Overcoming Adversities as a Gay Teen. As a member of this ever growing community I planned to branch out to the gay community in order to hear the stories of gay youth. This documentary tells the story of ten gay males, ages ranging from 15-82. We find out how each of them overcame their adversities as a gay teen throughout each generation. Please enjoy.”

I’ve watched much of it and while simple in format, the men’s stories are powerful in their telling.

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Whitney Houston’s mother would not have accepted Whitney as lesbian

Oprah Winfrey interviews singer Cissy Houston, Whitney’s mom, in the latest episode of Oprah’s Next Chapter.

Cissy discussed the longstanding rumor that Whitney was involved in a romantic relationship with her best friend and one-time executive assistant Robyn Crawford.

In the book, Cissy alludes to Whitney “experiment[ing]” with this friendship. Cissy tells a clearly surprised Oprah that had Whitney come out to her as a lesbian she would not have liked it, or condoned it.

(via Towleroad)

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President Obama to introduce immigration reform plan today

Today President Obama will introduce his immigration reform plan and LGBT couples are expected to be included. However gay immigration is not addressed in the Senate plan. Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed:

A Democratic source said: “Same-sex couples will be part of his proposal.” A second source confirmed that, unlike the Senate framework released Monday, same-sex bi-national couples — those with one American and one foreign partner — will be included in the White House principles.

The decision by Obama seeks to remedy what advocates for same-sex couples view as one of the most searing inequalities under the existing federal limit on marriage to one man and one woman: LGBT American citizens simply have no way to confer citizenship on their romantic partners, something that is automatic — if not always simple — for straight couples.

Under current law, such same-sex couples, even when married under state law, are not eligible for the green cards that opposite-sex couples can receive. Foreign partners of same-sex couples have in the past found their green card applications denied — often forcing couples to separate or move abroad.

On CBS This Morning, Sen. John McCain made his position clear saying that inclusion of LGBT couples in the immigration reform bill is “not of paramount importance.”

(source)