Tag: LGBT

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Florida: Jacksonville rejects gay anti-discrimination bill

The Jacksonville City Council voted down a bill that would have protected LGBT residents from housing and employment discrimination by a vote of 10-9.

Seven of the “yes” votes were gained only after a clause protecting transgender individuals was stripped out of the bill.

The city already protects citizens against discrimination based on color, race, sex, national origin, religion, age, marital status or disability.

Councilman Warren Jones filed the bill in May hoping to add protections based on sexual orientation. To gain traction, the language including “gender identity” and “gender expression” had to be removed. In the end, though, that was not enough to pass the bill.

The Florida Times Union noted that the deciding vote Wednesday came from City Councilman Johnny Gaffney, whom had previously had supported the bill when it went through committees. But Gaffney voted against and made no public remarks giving his reason for switching his support.

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BG Tammy Smith becomes first openly gay general

Former Army Colonel Tammy Smith has become the first openly gay flag officer to come out while currently serving in the U.S. military. She was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in a private ceremony which took place today at the Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

BG Smith received her stars from her wife, Tracey Hepner.

Army Veteran and SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis praised Smith’s leadership and encouraged others would follow her lead.

“It is indeed a new era in America’s military when our most accomplished leaders are able to recognize who they are and serve the country they love at the same time. Brigadier General Smith made history today – not only as an exemplary service member who renders outstanding service to our nation with integrity and honor – but as a proud lesbian acknowledging the tremendous sacrifice her family makes in order for her to serve and advance. This day was long overdue, but I have no doubt more senior enlisted and officers will follow BG Smith in stepping forward smartly with their spouses and loved ones,” he said.

Smith is assigned as deputy chief in the Army Reserve Office of the Chief in Washington, D.C.

Via press release

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Ten “out” gay & lesbian 2012 Olympians take home medals

The LGBT community can be proud of the showing gay and lesbian athletes made at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

From SBNation: Ten publicly out gay and lesbian Olympians are taking home medals from these Olympic Games in London, most of them gold.

If Team Gay was a country, it would have finished 31st overall with seven medals, tied with Mexico, Ethiopia and Georgia.

They would have beaten the medal count of such countries as Jamaica, Ireland, Argentina and India.

They would have finished 21st overall for most golds (four), tied with Iran, Jamaica, Czech Republic and Korea.

The 2012 openly gay Olympic medal winners are:

  • GOLD: Seimone Augustus, USA, Basketball. The U.S. women’s basketball team was arguably the most dominant team in any sport at these Olympics.
  • GOLD: Carl Hester, Great Britain, Equestrian. Hester and his two teammates won Great Britain’s first-ever Team Dressage gold. Hester finished fifth overall in the individual competition.
  • GOLD: Marilyn Agliotti, Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel, Kim Lammers, Maartje Paumen, Netherlands, Field Hockey. The Dutch women beat Argentina, 2-0, in the gold medal match. Paumen and Dirkse van den Heuvel scored the team’s two goals.
  • GOLD: Megan Rapinoe, USA, Soccer. The Americans beat Japan, 2-1, in the gold medal match. Rapinoe had a key pass in the game. She also had two big goals in the semifinal match. Coach Pia Sundhage is also openly lesbian.
  • SILVER: Judith Arndt, Germany, Cycling. Arndt was the first out athlete to win a medal in London, taking silver in the road race time trial.
  • BRONZE: Edward Gal, Netherlands, Equestrian. Gal was on the bronze-medal team for Team Dressage; He finished ninth overall in the individual event.
  • BRONZE: Lisa Raymond, USA, Tennis. Raymond and partner Mike Bryan won the mixed doubles bronze medal.

Let’s hear it for Team Gay!

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Documentary: “Inlaws & Outlaws”

I just finished watching a very moving, sad, sweet, funny and touching documentary – “Inlaws & Outlaws” – chronicling the lives of several couples and their lives together.

From the beginning of the film, you don’t know who is straight or who is gay; you don’t know who’s with whom. The people telling their stories range in age from young adults to senior citizens.   The stories unfold and as the viewer you learn the journey these folks have taken in terms of human connection and bonding.

Very well done by director Drew Emery, the film thoughtfully explores the condition of being single, married, divorced or in some cases widowed.  Along the way there are some tears, many laughs and the crystallized realization that we all have much in common.

Watching the documentary, it becomes clear that “being with someone” isn’t just a heterosexual or homosexual idea. And that all of our relationships have a lot in common. A great thought to embrace as marriage equality is being debated around not only the US, but the world.

“We love. We lose. We all want to belong. And we’re all making this up as we go along.”

Check out the movie’s website at www.inlawsandoutlawsfilm.com

At the same website you can get information about the Hearts + Minds Campaign whose mission is “sharing our true stories, we believe we can bring people together to recognize a beautiful thing: love is neither gay nor straight – it’s human.”

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Houston restaurant introduces new “Chick-On-Chick” Filet sandwich

A popular Houston restaurant, Beaver’s, has decided to make it’s own stance against Chick-Fil-A’s anti-gay position.

Beaver’s announced a new addition to its menu, the “Chick-On-Chick” Filet, which is described as “two loving chicken breasts married on toasty buns with a honey mustard witness and joined in celebration with tolerant fries.” A photo of the menu special has since been circulating on Facebook.

According to the Huffington Post, he Texas restaurant is pro-marriage equality, according to Gawker. Not only is owner and celebrity chef Monica Pope a lesbian, but her Houston restaurant is also known for attracting a diverse clientele.

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New poll shows gay men spend more on self-improvement

Community Marketing has conducted a poll of over 45,000 LGBT consumers and here are some of the results:

  • 77 percent of gay men plan to vote for Barack Obama, and many are actively involved in financial and volunteer support.
  • 91 percent of gay men own “smartphones,” up 23 percent from 2011. The most popular smartphone is iPhone (with Android phones quickly gaining ground).
  • Straight men drink 3 times more beer than gay men, but gay men drink 50 percent more spirits/cocktails than straight men.
  • 49 percent of gay men under age 30 have a gym membership.
In addition, gay men spend much more than the national average when it comes to things like vitamins, gym memberships, spa treatments and paid educational classes.

Check out more of the results with at this graphic.

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Episcopal Church approves ceremony for blessing same-sex couples

Episcopalians have approved a churchwide ceremony to bless same-sex couples, the latest major step toward accepting homosexuality by a denomination that nine years ago elected the first openly gay bishop.

The liturgy can be used starting Dec. 2, the first Sunday in Advent.

At the Episcopal General Convention, which is divided into two voting bodies, about 80 percent of the House of Deputies voted Tuesday for the provisional rite for same-sex unions over the next three years. A day earlier, the House of Bishops approved the rites 111-41 during the church meeting in Indianapolis.

Supporters of the same-sex blessings insisted it was not a marriage ceremony despite any similarities. Called the Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant, it includes prayers and an exchange of vows and rings. Couples must complete counseling before their unions or civil marriages are blessed by the church.

Via AP