Today’s White House anti-bullying summit marks a major breakthrough in national support of LGBT safety initiatives. Together with the bicameral introduction of the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act and the Student Non-Discrimination Act, as well as the Senate introduction of the Safe Schools Improvement Act earlier this week, the White House conference reinforces a…
After significant media debate leading up to yesterday’s vote, House Republican leaders voted to authorize a legal defense of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The move comes in response to the Obama Administration’s decision to cease defense of Section 3 on constitutional grounds. Michael Steel, a spokesperson for Speaker of the House John Boehner,…
San Diego is being represented at the White House as President Obama hosts a conference to hear concerns about anti-LGBT bullying. The anti-bullying prevention conference, taking place March 10 at the White House, is being hosted by Obama, the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services. The conference unites students, teachers…
A reported deal made between Target Corp. and Lady Gaga was dissolved this past week due to Target’s donations in 2010 toward groups supporting candidates who were opposed to LGBT equality. The announcement was made this afternoon by the co-founder of Fly-Life marketing agency, Carmen Cacciatore. Gaga was reported stating to Billboard in February that…
Media Arts Center San Diego presents the annual San Diego Latino Film Festival, now celebrating its 18th season. The 11-day event is March 10-20 at the UltraStar Mission Valley Cinemas Hazard Center. The Festival features more than 20,000 festival attendees; 160 entertaining and award-winning movies starring such actors as Ricardo Darin, Martha Higareda, Demian Bichir, Adal…
LGBT advocates have repeatedly urged the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to lift the stay preventing a definitive ruling in the Prop. 8 trial — and Palm Springs resident Ed Watson is no exception. Like so many gay couples, Ed and his partner Derence want desperately to see an end to the trial so they…
Led by House Speaker John Boehner, House Republicans are expected to take action this week in defense of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act. The move is in direct response to the Obama Administration’s landmark actions in support of greater scrutiny in sexual discrimination cases. With a Friday filing deadline in two related…
The U.S. Navy is up in arms over a “sleepover” dispute. A male soldier says he fell asleep with another male soldier after watching “The Vampire Diaries.” Now, Navy Petty Officer Stephen C. Jones is being discharged on account of “willful failure to exhibit professional conduct.” “That is the honest, entire story,” Jones said. Navy…
Harvard University opened its doors Friday to welcome the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) to its campus as an important step in moving past old divisions that prevented Americans from entering the military. But, not everyone on campus is thrilled. Protesters feel the decision to bring ROTC back on campus (since the Vietnam war…
When San Diego local Jarett Wilkins headed out to The Lamplighter on Tuesday night, he was simply looking for a low-key good time – a little karaoke and a few drinks with friends visiting from out of town. But when Wilkins went to take the karaoke stage, he found himself the brunt of offensive, anti-gay…
