Des DownUnder On Sundays

Editor's Note: LGBTQNation Sunday Columnist Desmond Rutherford forwarded this op-ed piece authored by Sam Mclean, the Executive Director of Sydney, Australia based activist organisation GetUp! GetUp! is an independent, grass-roots community advocacy organisation which aims to build a more progressive Australia by giving everyday Australians the opportunity to get involved and hold politicians accountable on important issues.

GetUp does not back any particular party and relies on small donations to fund its work and in-kind donations from the Australian public. GetUp does not accept donations from political parties or the Government.

Sam Mclean

By Sam Mclean | SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA -- Change doesn't come easy. Just 15 years ago, it was a crime in Tasmania to be homosexual. Rodney Croome led the campaign to change that, and he won. This week, we came closer than ever -- within one vote -- of passing same-sex marriage laws in that state.

I don't know what it is to face discrimination. I'm a straight, white man, and about as privileged as they come. But this week, I sat in Tasmania's Legislative Council and listened to hour after hour of politicians talking down the discrimination gay, lesbian and intersex Tasmanians face. I heard them say that same-sex relationships are fundamentally different, and that changing the law won't help change community attitudes.

Afterwards, a man recognised me on the street. He spat at me and yelled that GetUp and our "poofter mates" are ruining the country. I couldn't shake the pall for hours. I try and fail to imagine what it is to hear that regularly -- let alone to hear it from my father, aunty or friends.

When that shameful policy was ended today 15 years ago, we heard the same dithering excuses some MLCs used when voting 'no' to marriage equality this week. Discrimination in our law feeds discrimination in our hearts.

The worst thing about the laws that made homosexuality a crime in Tasmania was not the threat of jail, but rather the constant reality of bigotry endorsed by law. Marriage equality isn't just about marriage. It's about ending discrimination. 

We lost the vote this week in Tasmania. We lost the vote in Federal Parliament the week before. But for me, both were powerful reminders of why we fight for progress, and why we will win. I'm so proud that GetUp members could support Rodney, Rick and all the other champions of reform in Tasmania, including Premier Giddings, and Greens leader Nick McKim. Let's keep fighting. I just returned from Tasmania, and I want to introduce you to some of the heroes of this campaign, like Rodney.

When you meet them, you'll understand why we must keep fighting - and why we will win. It's a short video, but I think you'll find in it some inspiration for your long weekend. It doesn't stop here. In South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and across the nation, we are on the march to removing discrimination against same-sex couples from our laws.

World News

University of Alberta Website Is Tracking Anti-gay Tweets

EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA -- The University of Alberta’s Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services in Edmonton has created a new Canadian social-media experiment that found millions of anti-gay slurs on Twitter within the past two months.

The Institute’s newly-created website, NoHomophobes.com, has a daily counter on its home page that tracks the number of slurs tweeted, the top three being the phrase(s) "Faggot," "So Gay," "No Homo," and "Dyke."

According to university researchers, a numerical analysis revealed that the word “faggot” was used more than 2.5 million times since July. Last week alone, it was in 219,000 tweets. The researchers also found the phrase “So Gay,” was in 900,000 tweets, while another 800,000 had “No Homo.” The word “dyke” came across in 350,000 comments. 

"We never imagined the scale of casual homophobia that actually exists on social media,” said Kristopher Wells, associate director for the institute. "The use of homophobic language remains one of the few socially acceptable forms of discrimination in our society and make no mistake, leads to isolation, bullying, beatings, and tragically youth suicide."

Tasmanian Parliament's Upper House Votes Down Same-Sex Marriage Bill

HOBART, TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA -- A same-sex marriage equality bill that had passed the lower house of the Tasmanian State Parliament was voted down by the upper house after legal experts, particularly a former state chief justice, called into question the federal constitutional legality of the legislation.

Former state chief justice, Bill Cox told MPs it was clear the federal government had principal standing on Australia's marriage law, and any inconsistent state legislation would be struck down by the country's High Court. Cox also argued that Premier Lara Giddings' backing for the bill appeared to be based on the ''specious'' legal argument that the federal Constitution had left a gap on same-sex marriage that could be filled by the state governments.

"Any such legislation would create a minefield in respect of rights, and make Tasmania a legal laughing stock," Cox said. "It is foolish to enact legislation which has a strong chance of being declared invalid." 

Marriage Equality rights activist Rodney Croome told the Sydney Morning Herald that it was clear that the majority of Upper House members supported same-sex marriage. 

"The fact that almost all the MLCs against this bill cited constitutional issues as the problem shows that we have won the in-principle argument for marriage equality," he said.

Mike Gaffney, a member representing the Devonport constituency said he was not concerned that the bill might be legally challenged.

"If the possibility of an invalid bill stopped us, very little reform would take place," he said. "If we vote this bill down … the issue will not go away. Most importantly, the Australian community is alive to the issue of marriage equality."

Around The Nation

Minnesota Vikings Punter Challenges Anti-Gay Minnesota Lawmaker To Same-sex Marriage Debate

Chris Kluwe (L) MN State Rep. Mary Franson (R)

MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- Chris Kluwe, the Minnesota Vikings player whose profanity-laced letter defence of Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo over his support of same-sex marriage, written to Maryland Delegate Emmett C. Burns, that won him legions of new fans and went viral has now set his eyes on debating a Minnesota State Representative who has also expressed similar anti-gay view points.
Burns, who is the pastor of Rising Sun First Baptist Church in Woodlawn near Baltimore,later walked back his criticism of the Ravens player, saying that,

[...] “Upon reflection, he has his First Amendment rights, and I have my First Amendment rights … each of us has the right to speak our opinions. The football player and I have a right to speak our minds.”

The Twin Cities largest circulated alternative paper, City Pages reported Wednesday:

Representative Mary Franson,(R-Alexandria), recently posted a cry for help on a her Facebook page, claiming she was "under attack by those who oppose traditional marriage." "Because I am standing on my principles the leftists who oppose marriage between 1 man and 1 woman are now funneling money to my opponent," the post continued. "I need YOUR HELP NOW to counter their attacks." Franson included embeds of four tweets alongside the message, one of them Kluwe's. 

The Vikings punter told the paper;

"Basically, I was pointing out the fact that it is very hypocritical of her to ask for a return to traditional values, when traditional values say she should have been in the kitchen, and not in office," Kluwe said. "Traditional values doesn't just mean what you want it to mean. It can also mean some pretty bad stuff." 

Kluwe also said that he's been in talks with Minnesotans for Equality, a Minnesota-based LGBT rights advocacy group about organizing a debate between him and Franson.

"We're thinking of actually extending her an official invitation to see if she wants to do a debate," Kluwe told the publication. 

Still, he remained skeptical over whether or not Franson, who has claimed to be "under attack by those who oppose traditional marriage," would accept. "I don't think she will," he added. Franson generated headlines around the state after she reportedly declared,

"My concerns are that our children in our schools could be taught some liberal agendas because of the marriage amendment. Because in the schools they may be taught...that [same-sex marriage] is normal behavior. I personally do not believe it is."

Former Chick-Fil-A Employee: 'It's Become A Safe Place For People To Hate'

Steve Cammett courtesy of CBS Atlanta

DUNWOODY, GA -- In an interview with CBSAtlanta.com, Steve Cammett, 60, of Dunwoody, Ga. told the station that fast food restaurant chain Chick-fil-A "is a safe place for people to go in and hate, and they expect to get patted on the back for it."

Cammett, who said he worked at a Chick-fil-A restaurant and at its corporate headquarters over the past nine years, said, "I was a Chick-fil-A enthusiast. We don't have enough time to go over all the things I liked about Chick-fil-A." 

According to Cammett his attitude about his former employer changed in August when he resigned in protest over the company's anti-gay messaging. "I felt hurt by those statements," said Cammett. His late sister, Carol, was a lesbian.

Chick-fil-A donated nearly $2 million to anti-gay organizations in both 2009 and 2010 through its charitable arm, the WinShape foundation, founded by the fast-food chain's founder Truett Cathy and his family. 

The company came under fire in July, when Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy told the Baptist Press that the company was "guilty as charged" of supporting anti-gay groups. "We are very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives," he said at the time.

In his interview, Cammett told CBS Atlanta, 

"Chick-fil-A allowed a mindset to continue, especially amongst their customers that seemed to think that Chick-fil-A didn't like homosexuals."

He added he couldn't continue to work at Chick-fil-A because he would be disrespecting his late sister's memory. Before he resigned, Cammett said he watched a private video sent to franchise owners, that featured Cathy apologizing for the controversy his comments caused. Cammett said, "I want Dan Cathy to make a public statement that said that Chick-fil-A, their leadership team and the Cathy family love all of God's children including gay and divorced children."

Chick-fil-A has not responded to various Media requests for a comment. On its website, the company states; "the Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender."

In Brief

CA Governor Signs Bill Ensuring Equal Access to Fertility Services for Same-Sex Couples 

California Governor Jerry Brown signing legislation

File Photo

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Today, California Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill to ensure that women in same-sex relationships and single women can access fertility services on the same terms as women in different-sex relationships. Assembly Bill 2356, authored by Assemblymember Nancy Skinner and co-sponsored by Equality California and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, allows women using known donors to access certain fertility procedures that are less expensive and more effective.

"Women's issues once again are at the forefront of national debate. AB 2356 ensures that all women have equal access to fertility services," said Assemblymember Skinner. "I am grateful Governor Brown signed legislation that will eliminate barriers LGBT and single women confront when seeking to conceive." 

Clarissa Filgioun, Equality California Board President noted;

“The decisions regarding building a family are a core freedom in California. Same-sex couples have faced many barriers in forming families, including unequal access to fertility healthcare. This unequal treatment has, heartbreakingly, denied many couples the opportunity to conceive a child of their own. Signing AB 2356 works to remedy that disparity, putting the joy of having a child and building a family within the reach of all loving families."

Increasingly, same-sex couples and single women are asking trusted friends to be donors to help them conceive a child. With this signing, women who seek fertility services with a known donor who is not their partner are no longer subject to time-consuming and costly repeat testing that decreases the chance of successful conception. Now women who have unsuccessfully attempted to conceive at home with a known donor have access the same fertility services available to different-sex couples.
This law allows doctors and providers to provide services that are currently only available to different-sex couples to people using known donors. Many intended parents who would not otherwise be able to afford any fertility services will be able to access safer and more effective procedures under this new law.
The law will go into effect on January 1, 2013.

NY Republican Senator Who Voted For Equality Defeated In Primary And Won't Run As Write-In Candidate

NY State Senator Roy McDonald

ALBANY, NY -- New York Republican State Senator Roy McDonald who narrowly lost his primary race against Saratoga City Clerk Kathy Marchione, says he won't campaign on the Independence Party line on the general election ballot and will instead back his former primary opponent. McDonald was one of four GOP senators who voted to legalize same-sex marriage last year that were targeted by opponents for their votes.

Democratic Governor Cuomo earlier this week told McDonald in a letter that if the Senator decided to remain in the race, he would cross party lines and endorse him. 

“I understand the pros and cons both ways. I support whatever you decide”. 

The Governor acknowledged that a third party candidacy for McDonald “would have been an uphill battle”, but he said McDonald would have had support. Pro-same-sex marriage groups have already said they would have donated money and helped the Senator with get out the vote efforts.

McDonald says he’s quitting for the unity of the part, and will now back Saratoga City Clerk Kathy Marchione as the GOP’s candidate. If McDonald had actively campaigned, he could have split the vote with Marchione and caused the Democratic candidate in the race to win. That could have made a big difference in the Senate, where the GOP holds a razor-thin majority. McDonald says he believes in keeping the Senate in Republican hands.

St. Lawerence University's public radio reported: 

Empire State Pride Agenda’s Lynn Faria called Senator McDonald “a man of principle who made the humble decision to step aside in the interest of his party.” 

The anti-same-sex marriage group New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms says the end to McDonald’s Senate career means “values voters” have followed through with their warnings against Republican Senators who voted for same-sex marriage last year. 

“Rogue Republicans are being held accountable,” said The Reverend Jason McGuire. 

Three other Republican Senators voted for same-sex marriage and ensured passage of the law in June of 2011. One, Senator James Alesi of Rochester, decided not to seek reelection for other reasons. Senator Mark Grisanti of the Buffalo area easily beat back a primary challenge, while Senator Stephen Saland of the Hudson Valley squeaked by primary challenger Neil DiCarlo. 

The New York Governor said that he does not think the outcome of the primary races should discourage other politicians in other states from sticking up for same sex marriage, if they believe it’s the right thing to do: “I think you could argue it the exact opposite way."

Brody's Notes... Nebraska Lesbian Who Filed False Police Report Headed To Trial

Charlie Rogers, Booking Photo

courtesy of Lincoln Police Dept.

By Chris Dyer | LINCOLN, NE -- Lancaster County, Nebraska District Court Judge Gale Pokorny continued a case Thursday against a lesbian charged with one misdemeanor count of providing false information to police investigators until November 19.

The case against Charlie Rogers stemmed from her filing a report with Lincoln police investigators July 22 claiming she was the victim of an anti-gay hate crime in which three masked attackers invaded her home, painted homophobic slurs on the walls, and carved them into her skin, before attempting to set her house on fire.

Rogers, 33, a former standout basketball player at the University of Nebraska and who is openly lesbian, was charged after investigators determined that her claims of being attacked were an elaborate hoax. Rogers has pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor of providing false information to police.

During the hearing Thursday, Rogers waived her right to a speedy trial and her attorney Brett McArthur said the delay will give him a chance to wade through the forensic evidence, but declined to comment on anything he already may have found to back up his client’s account. “She’s been incredibly strong. The outpouring of support for Charlie has been incredible,” McArthur said after court.

Lincoln Police spokesperson, Katie Flood, told media organizations last month that detectives had found no evidence that indicates that the attack was staged, however, police said they were unable to identify any suspects in the case.

Brody's Notes... Washington Post: FBI Investigating Head Of Anti-Gay Group

Eugene Delgaudio

By Brody Levesque | WASHINGTON -- The Washington Post has reported that four-term Loudoun County Virginia, Supervisor Eugene A. Delgaudio (R-Sterling), one of the Washington region’s most controversial politicians and head of a Southern Poverty Law Center declared hate group, the Public Advocate of the United States, is under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for questionable campaign fund raising practices.

According to the Post, a former staffer in Delgaudio's Loudon County Supervisor offices, Donna Mateer, a part-time aide, was tasked by Delgaudio to perform fund raising duties that fell outside of those legally allowed under Virginia law and against county policies. Mateer told the Post that she came to believe that what she was doing was unethical. She filed a complaint with the county’s Human Resources Department in which she also alleged a hostile work environment.

Delgaudio has publicly denounced gay people as “perverts” and “freaks” and routinely injected himself into heated political battles across the country through his conservative nonprofit group, Public Advocate of the United States.  

In particular, Delgaudio has used Public Advocate to rail against same-sex-marriage initiatives in various states and argue that federal anti-bullying legislation and even airport pat-downs are evidence of a “radical homosexual” agenda. 

In Loudoun County, the veteran supervisor has long been viewed as something of an eccentric, but recently he has gained more widespread attention. This year, Public Advocate was designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. ~ The Washington Post

Wednesday the civil rights group announced that it filed a federal lawsuit in U. S. District Court in Denver, Colorado, alleging that Delgaudio's Public Advocate unlawfully used an altered version of a same-sex couple’s engagement photo on anti-gay-marriage campaign literature in Colorado.

Contacted Wednesday, Delgaudio declined to comment on the SPLC lawsuit. 

In interviews,[With the Washington Post & other local media outlets.] Delgaudio maintained that he has done nothing wrong and strongly denied that he used any county resources to help benefit his political campaign, which would amount to a violation of a county policy that prohibits employees from engaging in political activities “during assigned working hours.”  

 For years, Delgaudio, 57, has been well known for his antics: Through his role as president of Public Advocate, he has also distributed a steady stream of newsletters and mass mailings advocating his conservative causes and frequently prompting condemnation from equality groups. One e-mail last year depicted a murder scene with blood stains in the colors of a rainbow, a symbol of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. 

The Post reports that Mateer had made copies of e-mails and documents, including the lists of names used to schedule fundraising appointments just prior to her being sacked by Delgaudio. She told the paper that she turned over those documents and evidence to the FBI agents, who interviewed her in late July about Delgaudio’s fundraising practices and his involvement with Public Advocate. 

According to the Post, three other former aides said that they have also been recently questioned about Delgaudio by FBI agents. Spokesmen for the FBI and the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Virginia both said they could neither confirm nor deny an investigation. 

Delgaudio reacted by telling the paper he did not see a problem with having Public Advocate work so closely with his county office, noting that his employees have to coordinate with one another to keep track of where he is and what he needs to do. “You’re going to micromanage how I conduct my two jobs?” Delgaudio said. “I think that’s really absurd.”

Around The Nation

Eastern Missouri's Sole LGBT Media Outlet Receives Its First Ever Human Rights Campaign Equality-In-Media Award

Darin Slyman, Vital Voice Publisher with Actress Doris Roberts

SAINT LOUIS, MO -- The Human Rights Campaign awarded the Vital Voice magazine its first ever Equality-In-Media award last Saturday, September 22 during HRC's “Homecoming: The 20th Anniversary St. Louis Human Rights Campaign Dinner Gala." Vital VOICE publisher Darin Slyman along with Executive Editor Colin Murphy accepted the award on behalf of the publication. 

Nearly 400 persons attended the event held at the Grand Hyatt At The Arch along the waterfront in downtown St. Louis. Dignitaries in attendance included Missouri's Democratic Governor Jay Nixon, State Attorney General Chris Koster- both of whom spoke- along with St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. 

Three-time Emmy Award winning actress Doris Roberts, best known for her work on the long running CBS comedy “Everybody Loves Raymond” was also in attendance and spoke to those gathered.

Governor Nixon received a standing ovation as the first Missouri governor to address the annual HRC Black-Tie St. Louis gala. He commended the HRC for “bending the arc of history towards full equality for all.” 

A spokesperson for the HRC indicated that the Vital Voice, which has been in publication since 1971 when it was known as the Gay & Lesbian News Telegraph, has been an important facet in advancing LGBT equality rights in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area as well as most of eastern Missouri. 

Leon A. Braxton, Jr. the Executive Director of the LGBT Center of St. Louis agreed saying;

"Vital VOICE was very instrumental in helping relocate The LGBT Center of St. Louis to its new location. Previously we were housed on the 4th floor of an unmarked building in a not so desirable part of town. 

Through the Vital VOICE the LGBT Center of St. Louis has been able to reach a broader audience and become better connected not only to the St. Louis LGBT Community but to the entire City of St. Louis. This relationship has lead donors, sponsors, events, news media and greater notoriety to the LGBT Center of St. Louis. 

We greatly appreciate all the support that Vital VOICE has given to The LGBT Center of St. Louis. We owe a large portion of our success to Vital VOICE."

In an interview Wednesday, Voice publisher Darin Slyman credits the hard work of his staff and the enormous support the publication receives from the local LGBTQ community. Although the circulation numbers may seem small Slyman noted, 15K in print monthly along with 12K monthly on the Voice's website:

“We know that the more our community knows about each other the stronger we become,” Slyman said. “And the more the world knows about us [LGBTQ people] the quicker our march towards full equality under the law.” 

Editor's Note: The Vital Voice is a media partner of LGBTQNation Magazine

Anti-Gay, Religious Bias Suspected As Police Investigate “Rampage” Of Vandalism Of Minnesota Churches

BUFFALO, MN -- Local police in this small city located 45 minutes NW of Minneapolis in Wright County, Minnesota, are characterising vandalism that was directed at several churches as hate crimes against religion and sexual orientation.
Buffalo Police Chief Mitchell P. Weinzetl said it is clear to him that bias is motivating what he called "a rampage that damaged these churches."

"When we see religious institutions in multiple attacks, it certainly gives us reason to believe there is a religious bent on those attacks," the chief said. "An attack against a religion in and of itself is a bias or a hate crime." He added that the material on the posters was "blasphemous and also included homosexual references" that are "an attack on a class of people." 

Weinzetl declined to give specific examples of what the messages contained, other than to characterize them as "inflammatory."
Father David Hennen said that St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church had two posters taped to its entry doors Sunday morning, saying that Jesus was gay. "Then they went into descriptions of homosexual acts. I won't go into detail," he said.
According to a police spokesperson, windows were busted out with rocks between noon and 3:00 pm Monday at four church buildings -- St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Seventh-day Adventist, Hosanna Lutheran (Missouri Synod) and Buffalo United Methodist. Posters with troubling messages were left starting Saturday night at St. Francis, Zion Lutheran (ELCA), Buffalo Presbyterian and Hosanna Lutheran.
Pastor Jef Olson, from the Buffalo United Methodist church told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that someone threw a softball-sized rock through one stained-glass window damaging it and an outer storm window. Olson said he had no idea what the motivation was, but it wasn't worth spending a lot of time trying to analyze.

"Somebody was making a statement, we don't think it's the right way to make a statement, and we don't even know what the statement is," Olson said. "The end result is that we have probably several hundred dollars that we can't use in ministry because we're going to have to use it to repair this window." 

Other churches apparently sustained more damage from rocks being thrown through either glass doors or stained-glass windows.
Wednesday night, police arrested a man, who is from rural Buffalo, after announcing earlier that they had identified a “person of interest” and released photos of him. The suspect confessed to the vandalism and was being held in the Wright County Jail pending charges.

From The Center's For Disease Control

When were you last tested? 

ATLANTA, GA -- On National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, we honor the remarkable history of gay men’s leadership in the fight against the HIV epidemic. Three decades ago, extraordinary community and public health prevention efforts led to dramatic declines in new HIV infections among men who have sex with men.
Yet infection rates are now increasing among young gay and bisexual men, particularly men of color. We must not allow another generation to be devastated by this disease. Together we can, and must, revitalize the passion and dedication that helped turn back the HIV epidemic among gay men during its darkest days.
Research and surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention remind us that gay and bisexual men remain at the epicenter of the U.S. HIV epidemic. HIV prevention, education and testing for men who have sex with men remain top CDC priorities.

In Brief

Minnesota Catholics Asked To Pay For Ads Asking State's Voters To Ok Constitutional Amendment Banning Same Sex Marriage

MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- Minnesota's Roman 400,000 Catholic households are scheduled to receive a letter this week from all of the state's bishops, urging them to donate money for television ads asking voters to say yes to a constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriage.

John Green, a political science professor at the University of Akron (Ohio), said that the mailing is "unusual" compared to Catholics' roles in marriage amendment campaigns in other states; 

"I can't think of anything as direct and as explicit," Green said. "I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it legally, but certainly I'm sure it's very controversial.Catholic leaders have been involved in fundraising. I know of examples where they have reached out to parishioners, but I've never heard of anything quite this comprehensive."

The Star Tribune reports that in addition to asking Catholics to make contributions, bishops are encouraging them to vote yes on the amendment, according to a letter sent to priests and church administrators last week from Jason Adkins, executive director of Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in the state.

A new poll commissioned by the Star-Tribune published Sunday, shows slightly more Minnesotans favor the ballot initiative for a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, but that support falls just short of the 50 percent needed to pass the measure.

The church parishioners are being asked by church leadership to make a financial donation to Minnesota for Marriage, the chief group campaigning for passage of the marriage amendment November 6. The call for money comes in the wake of the release last week of two commercials by the main group opposing the amendment -- one of which takes issue with the Catholic Church's stance on gay marriage. Like other religious groups weighing in on the marriage amendment, Minnesota Catholics are heavily divided over the measure.

The Rev. Grant Stevensen, faith leader for Minnesotans United, said in a statement released Monday that his group has been contacted by thousands of Catholics statewide who are voting no on the amendment. Many of them are "very concerned and hurt by the amount of money and energy the archdiocese is spending to further this divisive amendment. It's obvious the Catholic Church is incredibly divided over this amendment, and a letter like this is only going to further isolate and pull Catholics apart." ~ Star-Tribune

Brody's Notes... Canadian Immigration Minister's E-Mail To LGBTQ Community Sparks Privacy Complaints

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney

By Brody Levesque | OTTAWA, CANADA -- An email titled "LGBT Refugees from Iran" sent from Immigration Minister Jason Kenney's office has raised concerns about privacy issues and whether the private information of Canadians may be used for partisan purposes.

Last Friday, some members of Canada's LGBT community were sent the unsolicited email from Kenney extolling the government's handling of cases of lesbian and gay refugees from Iran. Some of its recipients are now wondering how Kenney knew to target them based on their sexual orientation or interest in LGBT issues.

In an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Datejie Green, a lesbian who is a health researcher from Toronto, told the CBC;

"I just thought, my god, this is complete propaganda, how did he get my email? What the heck is going on here?" said Green. "This is scary. This is actually really scary," Green said adding, "I wasn't just disturbed; I was frightened, because they're clearly stockpiling lists of particular constituencies of Canadians, for their propaganda." 

Other affected LGBTQ Canadians also expressed anger about Kenney's missive yesterday on social media sites like Facebook. 

Randall Garrison, a Member of Parliament in the the House of Commons who is a member of the New Democratic Party, serving as the NDP critic for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and transsexual issues, said that if a clear explanation doesn't come from Kenney's office, the NDP may make a formal complaint with federal Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart. 

"I think there's a serious privacy question here when the minister is obviously touching on a subject that's very sensitive to many people and connecting up sexual orientation with individual names and addresses," Garrison said. "I think we need a full explanation of how he put together that list."

Under Canada's privacy laws, political parties are pretty much exempt but they do gather up significant amounts of highly personal data about citizens, including how they vote, their age, religious and ethnic backgrounds and other details.

Stoddart's communication director, Anne Marie Hayden, called the case "troubling," but added there is little the office is able to do. Hayden pointed out that Commissioner Stoddart has previously publicly warned that Canadians have no legal rights when it comes to personal information collected by parties and held in databases for partisan use.

"Our office does not have jurisdiction over political parties under either the Privacy Act or the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)."

Kenney's office claimed Tuesday that the e-mail was a "response to individuals who have communicated with our office about gay refugee issues."

However, guidelines for information sharing in the federal government stipulate that a minister cannot use personal information that is sent to him in his capacity as minister for MP or party purposes.

Around The Nation

Southern Poverty Law Center Plans Federal Lawsuit Against Public Advocate of the United States

Eugene Delgaudio

MONTGOMERY, AL -- The Southern Poverty Law Center plans to file a lawsuit Wednesday, September 26, in the U.S. District Court for Colorado in Denver, against a Falls Church, Virginia based anti-gay group over a direct-mail campaign that used a photoshopped version of a New York gay couple's engagement photo without their knowledge or permission.

Public Advocate of the United States- a group identified as a hate group by the SPLC- whose president is Eugene Delgaudio, used Brian Edwards and husband Tom Privitere's personal engagement photo altering the image to include anti-gay propaganda to attack several Colorado state lawmakers including Republican State Senator Jean White, who supported Colorado’s civil union legislation.

White lost her party's primary election in June, three weeks after voters in her district were bombarded with direct mail from Public Advocate that featured the image of Edwards and Privitere kissing against a snowy, Rocky Mountain backdrop. White said she believed the mailers were "solely responsible for my defeat."

In July, the SPLC announced it had taken up the case for Edwards and Privitere, along with their photographer, Kristina Hill. The SPLC sent Public Advocate a cease and desist letter on July 23. In press release today, the SPLC said: "Public Advocate, a group identified as a hate group by the SPLC, used the couple’s personal engagement photo without permission and altered the image to include anti-gay propaganda to attack Colorado state lawmakers including Sen. Jean White, who supported Colorado’s civil union legislation." 

SPLC deputy legal director Christine P. Sun will brief reporters Wednesday on a conference call regarding the full specifics of the lawsuit.

Another Embattled Republican Senator Who Voted For Same-Sex Marriage In NY Wins Primary Race

NY State Senator Stephen Saland, (R)

NEW YORK -- In a closely watched contest and by the narrowest of margins, Republican State Senator Stephen Saland seems to have won a victory in his primary battle against his conservative challenger Neil Di Carlo. New York Republican Party officials say that with the nearly all of the absentee and affidavit ballots counted, Saland maintains a 107-vote lead over Di Carlo. The New York State Elections Commission said Monday afternoon that only a few dozen contested ballots remain to be counted.

Saland was one of four GOP senators to cast votes in favor of legalising gay marriage when the State Senate approved the measure last year and his primary battle was watched closely by LGBTQ equality rights advocates as well as opponents of same-sex marriage, particularly the National Organisation For Marriage who had run a concerted campaign against Saland's reelection claiming that he had betrayed his party's principles and had also voted against the majority interests of his constituents in the same-sex marriage vote.

“I congratulate Senator Saland - - a steady, effective and fiscally conservative voice for Hudson Valley taxpayers and their families - - on achieving a hard-fought victory in the Republican primary for the 41st Senate District race,” Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos said in a statement.

Two other Republican senators, who voted in favor of same-sex marriage - Senators Roy McDonald and Mark Grisanti, also faced primary challenges this month. Grisanti handily won his primary but the battle between McDonald and Kathy Marchione is still being contested. With most of the absentee and affidavit ballots counted, McDonald still trailed by 113 votes. McDonald campaign spokesman Mike Veitch issuing the following statement:

“The McDonald campaign is considering all available options at this time. Senator McDonald is very proud of his career along with the accomplishments he’s achieved during his time in office and he is honored to participate in the democratic process. We plan to have a decision about the campaign’s future by the end of this week or the beginning of next week.”

Around The Nation

Minnesota Poll Shows Almost Even Split On Same-Sex Marriage Ban

MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- In a poll commissioned by the Star Tribune newspaper last week, results show that Minnesota voters in favour of a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage only have a two point lead over those opposed. Published Sunday, results indicated that those in favour were 49% versus those opposed which stood at 47% with a 4% sampling undecided.
The breakdowns ran along party lines although independents played a dominant factor:
Party            Yes     No      Undecided
Democrat 24% 73% 3%
Republican 78% 22%     -
Independent 55% 38% 7%
The Tribune also polled on the question asking:If same-sex couples are not allowed to marry, do you support or oppose allowing civil unions that would grant the same legal status as marriage?
There was a decidedly different outcome as support for civil unions ran 63% versus those opposed ran 23% and those undecided polled at 9%.
Along party lines the independents led by a 66% in favour of civil unions versus 27% saying no while Democrats polled answered in at 79% in favour of civil unions and 11% opposed. Republicans polled similarly with 55% in favour of civil unions vs. 34% saying no.
Source: Star Tribune Minnesota Poll, Sept. 17-19, 800 likely voters, margin of error +-3.5 percentage points.

Views & Voices

Zach Wahls: Don't Let Them Scare Us 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Zach Wahls, an Iowa based LGBT equality rights advocate, spoke at a fundraiser for the 2012 campaign to re-elect President Obama, last Friday September 21, 2012 in San Francisco. Delivering his message in his crisp yet engaging manner, Wahls points out that the LGBTQ community needs to prevent the opposition to LGBTQ equality from "defining who we are." 

WATCH:

In Brief

Angry Chicago Alderman Tells Chick-Fil-A CEO Dan Cathy: You Can Forget About That Expansion Until You Come Clean 

Proco "Joe" Moreno, Dan Cathy

CHICAGO, IL -- Chicago Alderman Proco "Joe" Moreno is angered by reports published Friday that signaled that the promises made by Chick-fil-A executives to him and local LGBT equality rights activists, [that the company was going to cease financial support of several noted anti-gay organisations] were nullified by Chick-Fil-A company President Dan Cathy.

Taking to his personal blog over the weekend, Moreno wrote: 

Dan Cathy decided to make a PUBLIC statement to Mike Huckabee that, at the least, muddied the progress we had made with Chick-fil-A and, at the worst, contradicted the documents and promises Chick-fil-A made to me and the community earlier this month. Since Mr.Cathy made a PUBLIC statement, I am PUBLICLY asking him to confirm and support what I was told and shown by his company representatives. 

I am asking him to PUBLICLY confirm and support a letter that was voluntarily given to me by his company executives earlier this year that states the future behavior of Chick-fil-A’s not for profit arm, The WinShape Foundation. The letter states that, “The WinShape Foundation is now taking a much closer look at the organizations it considers helping, and in that process will remain true to its stated philosophy of not supporting organizations with political agendas.” 

We were told that these organizations included groups that politically work against the rights of gay and lesbian people. I am also asking him to PUBLICLY confirm and support what Chick-fil-A executives voluntarily told and confirmed to me earlier this month— that Chick-fil-A, and its not for profit arm WinShape, in 2012 has not and will not donate to entities with political agendas, including organizations that politically work against the rights of gay and lesbian people.

The Alderman then wrote that should the response not be forthcoming and honest, he would reconsider his position on the legislation which is necessary for the fast food company to build a franchise in his ward. 

Mr Cathy continues to not confirm to the press what his company executives have told and showed me. This is disturbing. Since Mr. Cathy wants to confuse people, he needs to publicly confirm the three components described above, which allowed us to move forward. 

I am simply asking Mr. Cathy to confirm statements and documents that HIS company exectuives provided to me. It is pretty simple, Mr. Cathy. Do you acknowledge and support the policies that your exectuives outlined to me in writing or do you not? Yes or no? If not, Chick Fil A is a business that practices irresponsible, and potentially illegal, business standards. 

Perhaps Mr. Cathy felt that he could make these public statements to Mike Huckabee because I had provided a letter of support for his restaurant to the City of Chicago earlier this week. I provided this letter based on the progress we had made with Chick-fil-A. 

I still need to introduce legislation to make the Chick-fil-A in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago a reality. I will wait to see what Mr. Cathy’s next PUBLIC statement is, and reflect on that statement before moving forward with appropriate legislation.

Brody's Journal... Rutgers University Now Shines As An Example Of Diversity And Inclusiveness

By Mark Singer | NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ -- Two years ago after the death of Tyler Clementi, a gay freshman university student whose suicidal leap off New York City's George Washington Bridge was precipitated by his roommate's secretly streaming webcam video over the internet of his sexual encounters with another man, Rutgers University quickly found itself the subject of intense media scrutiny coupled with national recognition- not the good kind- finding itself being associated with homophobia and cruelty. 

Now, two years later the atmosphere at this large and diverse New Jersey state university is more welcoming, and inclusive as LGBT students can find a supportive staff, as well as specialized boarding and listings for queer resources in the student handbook numbering nearly 100 pages. 

New York Times Deputy Culture Editor for Online Journalism, Ariel Kaminer, took an extensive look at Rutgers' vibrant LGBT community since the Clementi tragedy. Published Friday, Kaminer reports that LGBT students and their supporters can choose from four specialized housing options, three of them new, ranging from a service to pair them with like-minded roommates to Rainbow Perspectives, a floor in a residence hall organized around common interests.

They can now turn for support to the 130 staff and faculty members who have been trained as official campus liaisons, or to the graduates of a new training program for “allies,” whose inaugural session is already booked to capacity.

Last week, Campus Pride, an organization that rates schools based on the inclusiveness of their policies, upgraded Rutgers’s main campus in New Brunswick to the maximum rating, five stars. Out of the 32 possible categories in which a school can distinguish itself, Rutgers scored in 31. 

Rutgers previously had a history of inclusiveness; when the Rutgers Homophile League was founded in 1969, for example, it was only the second such student group in the nation. But since Clementi’s death on September 22, 2010, the university has increased its efforts, propelled by a vocal campus community, an energetic administrator and an urgent need for damage control. According to Kaminer, the center of all this activity is Jenny Kurtz, the head of the Rutgers Center for Social Justice Education and LGBTQ Communities. Kurtz said that one of her principal priorities was to “create allies” — people whose identities do not correspond identifying as LGBT but who consider themselves friendly to the cause or causes and want to learn more about how to help. That effort, which as with the center’s other projects comes out of a discretionary budget of $70,000 this year (up from $40,500 the year before Clementi died).

But beyond LGBT students themselves, and the concentric circle of those who actively position themselves as allies, it is not clear how far the center’s message has gotten. However, Kurtz said she had yet to meet anyone who was less than supportive.

In Brief

Staff Reports

National Organization for Marriage Pumping $250K Into Maine Anti-Gay Marriage Campaign 

PORTLAND, ME -- The Washington, D.C. based anti-gay political group, the National Organization for Marriage, transferred $250,000 Thursday to the Protect Marriage Maine political action committee, which is spearheading the campaign against Maine's November ballot question seeking to legalise same-sex marriage. 

Protect Marriage Maine campaign manager Frank Schubert, said- during a telephone conference call with reporters Thursday night along with the co-chairman of Protect Marriage Maine and other gay marriage opponents- that NOM's infusion of cash is vital as the ballot question has national implications because Maine could become the first where same-sex marriage is legalized in a popular vote.

"It is a critical race for the survival of the institution of marriage in this country," Schubert said. "It's a race that the entire nation is looking at and will have an impact far beyond the borders of Maine." 

Schubert, a conservative political strategist, is funded by NOM and in addition to the efforts in Maine is also managing other campaigns opposing same-sex marriage ballot initiatives appearing this November in Maryland, Washington and Minnesota.

Opponents in Maine thus far have raised only $100,000 to $200,000, he said, while a spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign told LGBTQNation Friday that same-sex marriage supporters expect to raise and spend $5 million or more. 

Schubert acknowledged that recent polling suggests that the Maine ballot question is close. However, he felt confident the question will fail. 

The Maine Legislature in 2009 legalized same-sex marriage, but voters later that year overturned the law 53 percent to 47 percent. 

In Maryland and Washington, residents are voting in November on ballot questions that would overturn same-sex marriage laws passed by those states' legislatures. Voters in Minnesota are voting on a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Al Sharpton And Black Ministers Voice Support For Maryland Same-Sex Marriage 

WASHINGTON -- During a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, Friday, Black clergy members who support same-sex marriage say they want to dispel the myth that all African-American ministers are against it. About a dozen clergy joined MSNBC host and Reverend Al Sharpton, the Reverend Amos Brown of San Francisco, and Reverend Delman Coates of Clinton, Md., to express support for a November referendum in Maryland to allow same-sex marriage. 

''This is not an issue about gay or straight, this is an issue about civil rights,'' said Sharpton. ''And to take a position to limit the civil rights of anyone is to take a position to limit the civil rights of everyone. You cannot be a part-time civil rights activist. You cannot be for civil rights for African-Americans, but not for gays and lesbians.'' 

Reverend Coates, who is senior pastor of Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, Maryland, told those gathered that people don't have the right to impose personal religious beliefs on others in matters of public policy. Coates emphasised that the debate over same-sex marriage needed to be a question of public policy, rather than a debate over religious beliefs.

''Admittedly, many of us find the idea of voting on someone else's civil rights a bit disconcerting,'' Coates continued. ''When the rights of the minority are submitted to a vote, all too often the minority loses."

Sharpton, who in addition to his duties as hosting a programme on MSNBC, is president of the National Action Network, said that theological debates should take place in churches, not in government. 

In Crystal City across the Potomac from Washington near the Pentagon in Arlington, the Coalition of African American Pastors or CAAP, held its own press conference Friday with several of the black ministers traveling from Tennessee. The group says it stands for what the bible says. 

Founder Reverend William Owens said President Obama "sold us out," referring to the debate over same-sex marriage.

"All of who follow him who are weak and who have non-biblical principles, I don't care if they have reverend in front of their name, to lead a society downhill for money is sinful and it's wrong and that's what they are doing,” he says. “It's all about money." 

Bishop Harry Jackson, a leading black clergyman in the fight against same-sex marriage first in the District of Columbia and more recently in Maryland, appeared on CBN this morning telling African Americans, who might be torn between voting for Mormon like Mitt Romney and President Obama, who supports an "anti-God, anti-church agenda," that they cannot simply stay home and not vote. 

Instead, Jackson declared, they must support the candidate "whose values line up with clear Biblical mandates," saying sarcastically that "if you can vote for abortion and you can vote for the redefinition of marriage; you want to vote for two men marrying, or open the door for two women and three men and all kinds of crazy stuff - if you can do that and the Holy Spirit can be with out in the ballot box, more power to you."

The two sides are becoming more visible as Election Day approaches. Maryland, which has a black population of about 30 percent, is one of four states where voters will decide the question in November. Maine and Washington also have ballot questions, and Minnesota will be voting on a constitutional ban.
Kevin Nix, a spokesman for Marylanders for Marriage Equality, said the group would be getting its message out in every way, including television, radio and online.

"We will be doing some advertising in the coming weeks," Nix said. 

Around The Nation

Zach Wahls Asks Intel To Stop Funding Discriminatory Boy Scouts 

IOWA CITY, IA -- Iowa based LGBT equality rights activist Zach Wahls, launched a petition this week on Change.org calling on Intel to cease its financial support of the Boy Scouts of America until the group removes its ban on openly gay scouts and scout leaders. Wahls noted that in 2010, Intel gave nearly $700,000 to BSA despite its policy banning gay Scouts and leaders from participating. 

"This is in direct conflict with Intel Foundation's own funding criteria, which stipulates that Intel will not fund "Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran or disability status," Wahls said.

In an investigation piece by The American Independent's Andy Birkey published earlier this week, TAI reported that according to tax documents, the Intel Foundation gave about $700,000 to Boy Scout chapters in 2010. Those donations came exclusively through the employee volunteer matching program. Of that, more than $320,000 went to Boy Scout troops and councils connected to the Mormon Church. 

TAI contacted two of the regional councils overseeing those Boy Scout troops, but those inquiries were not returned. When asked about the Intel’s funding policies, Intel Foundation executive director Wendy Ramage-Hawkins told TAI via email:  

“All organizations seeking financial support from the Intel Foundation are required to affirm their compliance with Intel's non-discrimination corporate donation policy. Organizations that cannot affirm their compliance will not receive funding from the Intel Foundation.” 

Intel wouldn’t say whether or not it would continue to fund the Boy Scouts. 

“We will know if and when they affirm our non-discrimination policy and request our support,” Ramage-Hawkins said. 

She later clarified that the Intel Foundation will be asking for a statement of agreement with their nondiscrimination policy in the next grant cycle but had not done so in the past; “We have not previously asked for affirmation, so this will be the first time the question is raised,” she said. 

Wahls writes: "As an Eagle Scout, I applaud Intel's support fort the Boy Scouts of America as a vital American institution critical in the development of our nation's future leaders. But on July 17, 2012, the Boy Scouts of America reaffirmed their discriminatory policy, stating in part: '…we do not grant membership to individuals who are open or avowed homosexuals…' 

Until the Boy Scouts of America removes this hurtful policy that is inconsistent with its own principles, they do not deserve the financial backing of companies that strive for workplace equality — especially innovators like Intel," Wahls said. 

Wahls, an engineering student at The University of Iowa, has taken a sabbatical from his studies to actively campaign for LGBTQ equality rights. He recently co-founded a pro-gay group called Scouts for Equality, which currently numbers around 1,500 members. 

An Eagle Scout himself, Wahls became involved with the Boy Scouts issue delivering more than 275,000 signatures to the Boy Scouts of America at its National Annual Meeting in Florida in May, calling on the group to end its long history of anti-gay discrimination and reinstate Ohio mom Jennifer Tyrrell, who was forcibly removed as den leader of her son’s Boy Scout troop because she’s gay. 

Wahls previously called on the Boy Scouts to reveal the identities of the 11-member committee that supposedly investigated whether to allow gay scouts and opted against it, and he's pledged to approach local chapters to press for anti-discrimination policies. 

Wahls first burst onto the national scene when he testified in November 2011 before the Iowa House of Representatives about the strength of his family and being raised by lesbian parents.

Video of his testimony went viral, and was the most-watched political clip of 2011, according to YouTube. 

Wahls’ mothers were married in 2009 after a decision by the Iowa Supreme Court legalised same-sex marriage; he is the author of the book, “My Two Moms: Lessons of Love, Strength, and What Makes a Family.” 

Earlier this month he was an invited speaker appearing before the delegates at the Democratic National Convention held in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Brody's Notes... Maryland Governor To Attend Same-Sex Marriage Fundraiser With Baltimore Ravens Player

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, (D) 

By Brody Levesque | ANNAPOLIS, MD -- Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, (D) is teaming up with the Baltimore Ravens' linebacker, Brendon Ayanbadejo, in a joint appearance next month to raise money for the campaign for the same-sex marriage ballot initiative occurring in this November elections.
O'Malley announced in an email on Wednesday that he and Ayanbadejo will attend a Monday Night Football party and fundraiser in Baltimore on October 8.

Last Thursday, O'Malley spoke at a New York City fundraiser on behalf of the Marylanders for Marriage Equality campaign. The big-ticket fundraiser was held atop a SoHo hotel where roughly 200 guests paid between $250 and $25,000 to mingle for two hours with celebrities.

Some of the notables in attendance were Sarah Jessica Parker, best known for her work on HBO’s “Sex & The City,” actors Julianne Moore (who played Sarah Palin in the HBO movie “Game Change”), Edward Norton and Susan Sarandon. Barbara Bush, daughter of former president George W. Bush attended along with former Clinton White House adviser Richard Socarides. 

Ayanbadejo drew national headlines earlier this month after he voiced support for same-sex marriage in a YouTube video which drew a sharp rebuke from state Delegate Emmett Burns Jr. (D-Baltimore County) who had written Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti asking him to restrain Ayanbadejo from speaking publicly on the issue. 

After the ensuing outrage leveled against him for attacking the Ravens linebacker, Burns withdrew his statements and apologised. 

This past spring Governor O'Malley had signed a bill that would permit same-sex couples to obtain marriage licences in Maryland starting Jan. 1, 2013. However, opponents collected enough signatures on the matter to force a referendum.

Around The Nation

Marquette University Law School Poll Shows Baldwin Leading Thompson

MILWAUKEE, WI -- A new Marquette University Law School Poll released Tuesday shows the Democrat candidate for the U.S. Senate seat, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, leading her Republican challenger former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson, 50% to 41%, in the race for the U.S. Senate seat.

Marquette University Professor Charles Franklin, who directed the poll, noted that less than a month ago those numbers were exactly the reverse. Franklin said that the biggest shift in the polling numbers came from independent voters.

The results of an August poll revealed that the state's independent voters preferred Thompson 47% to 37% over Baldwin. That support has shifted with this poll as independents indicated a preference for Baldwin 50% versus Thompson’s 38%.

“The thing that is so striking is how big the shift is for independents. For most of the change we see is independents shifting their view on things. Of course the flip side is what can change dramatically in one month could change again dramatically later,” Franklin said.

This poll also shows that President Barack Obama is experiencing a significant post-convention bump as Wisconsin voters weighed in favouring the president over Republican Mitt Romney, 54% to 40%. The August poll had the president's lead at much narrower 49% to 46% difference.

Franklin cautioned, however, that there was also movement in the makeup of partisanship in the poll. In September Republicans made up 27 percent of the likely voter sample, down from an average of 30 percent across all eleven Marquette Law School polls conducted since January. Democrats made up 34 percent, up from an average of 32 percent. Independents were 37 percent of the September sample, the same as their average for the year.

“Our September poll makeup is about two points more Democratic and three points less Republican than average, which is within the margin of error,” said Franklin. 

[If the sample were adjusted to match the yearlong average partisan makeup, both margins would tighten, with Baldwin leading 48 to 43 percent and Obama leading 51 to 43 percent.]

The poll also shows the president’s job approval rating among regular voters to be 54% with 39% disapproving. In the August poll, the president’s approval rating was 48% with 45% disapproving.

The poll shows 28% of regular voters say the economy has improved over the past year. 33% say it has gotten worse. 37% say it has stayed about the same.

Broward County Schools First In U.S. To Recognise LGBT History Month

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL -- Broward County School Board members Wednesday unanimously passed a formal resolution recognising LGBT History Month, making the school system the first in the nation to officially recognise LGBT History Month, which takes place every October.

During the public forum before the final vote, emotions ran high as students and community leaders spoke. Hollywood Hills High School senior Leo Washington told the board,

“I’m 18 and African-American,” he said. “All we want is to recognize them for who they are so we can recognize ourselves for who we are. That’s what I want for every student in every school.” 

Washington said he knows of at least 30 people in his school who are LGBT but afraid to come out as such, not even in their own homes. “There’s a lot of people out there that come to me and tell me they can’t come out,” he said. “It can be really bad.”

The board's resolution does not set any specific curriculum for teachers but will allow them to craft academic lessons of LGBT history that "may have been overlooked up until now."

“Administrators, teachers, staff, parents and students are encouraged to take part in LGBT History Month in any way that is most positive and uplifting to their schools and communities,” the resolution states. “And to coordinate efforts to highlight exemplary role models from the LGBT community.”

Broward County has 1.7M residents and its school system is the sixth-largest in the nation with over 260,000 students.

Last year the California legislature passed a law requiring that state public schools are to include notable LGBT figures and moments in history lessons.

Former member of the school system’s Diversity Committee, Michael Rajner, a local LGBT activist pointed out that Florida's GOP dominated state legislature has shown little interest in LGBT-rights issues, saying that there is little chance of LGBT history being added to the state’s education curriculum anytime soon.

He added that LGBT History Month showcases LGBTQ activists, pioneers, who are an important part of American history, and it can also boost the self-esteem of adolescents who may be struggling with their own emerging sexual identities, and who are often the targets of bullying.

“It gives youth a role model to look up to and to realize that they themselves are a wonderful human being, and can be a productive, important member of our society.”