A judge on May 26 sentenced a karate instructor to 26 years in state prison for repeatedly having sex with a teenage male student. Eric Dylan Protas, 38, of La Mesa, was married at the time and operated a popular martial arts studio in Allied Gardens when the sexual encounters took place in 2009 and…
The City Attorney’s office has verified Carlos Marquez remains eligible to serve as commissioner on the San Diego Redistricting Commission. Marquez’ eligibility was questioned at the last commission meeting by San Diego Republican Party chairman Tony Krvaric, after he presented evidence from a month-long private investigation that alleged Marquez no longer lived in San Diego….
While many would assume there is considerable support for the LGBT community in high tech companies, others contend that not enough is being done to support openly gay scientists and engineers. To address the issue, a new organization called QuEST – Queer Engineers, Scientists and Technical Professionals of San Diego – is holding its second…
A contract with the city’s organist who has played at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park for 10 years will be taken up by the San Diego City Council in June before her contract expires on June 30. The Natural Resources and Culture Committee has heard the contract of Dr. Carol Williams twice and…
Here we go again. With Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls recent homophobic outburst at a Miami Heat fan, the subject of homophobic slurs is garnering national attention. During the game, Noah had said “F**k you, faggot” to the fan. It subsequently incurred him a scornful $50,000 fine from the NBA. Noah apologized after the…
NEVADA – Nevada’s Republican Governor Brian Sandoval has signed the Transgender Employment Protection bill (AB 211) into law, prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression. Nevada is now the 14th U.S. state, along with the District of Columbia, to provide protections based on gender identity or expression. “It is wrong to…
GRENADA – On the eastern Caribbean island of Grenada, officials have arrested a man for engaging in sexual activities with another male, the Associated Press reported. The 41-year-old man was charged for allegedly having sex with a 17-year-old man, Grenada’s director of public prosecution, Christopher Nelson, said last week. The age of sexual consent in…
BRAZIL – The results of Brazil’s 2010 national census recognized 60,000 same-sex couples. For the first time, the census contained a question asking if those interviewed formed a same-sex couple. The results were published by the governments official Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Toni Reis, president of the national LGBT association ABGLT, was surprised…
This year marks the 35th anniversary of Stepping Stone and its unique approach to alcohol and drug treatment in San Diego. What sets Stepping Stone apart from other treatment facilities is its understanding that members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community may require specialized care. Stepping Stone’s treatment programs focus on addressing the…
Three decades, 650,000 deaths in the United States, 7,000 known deaths in San Diego County and still no cure. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome – commonly known by its acronym, AIDS – was first documented on June 5, 1981 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The LGBT community has never been the same. AIDS…
