WHEATON, Illinois (CNN) — Combing through prayer requests in a Wheaton College chapel in 2010, then-junior Benjamin Matthews decided to do something “absurdly unsafe.” He posted a letter on a public forum bulletin board near students’ post office boxes. In the letter, he came out as gay and encouraged fellow gay Christian students – some…
(CNN) — A spokeswoman for Republican Gov. Chris Christie said Thursday that he “does not believe in conversion therapy” for homosexuals, but did not say whether the New Jersey governor plans to support a ban on the practice that’s under consideration by state lawmakers. “There is no mistaking his point of view on this when…
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is spending $1.5 million to study the “high public-health significance” of why 75 percent of lesbian women are obese and gay men are not, according to a report in The Washington Times. “Obesity is one of the most critical public health issues affecting the U.S. today,” the description of…
(CNN) — Your Facebook “likes” might be revealing more than you know about your private life. It is possible to predict potentially private traits such as a person’s sexual orientation, political leanings, religion, intelligence, emotional stability and even if they abuse drugs or alcohol, just by analyzing their Facebook likes, according to a new study…
Crime rates in San Diego increased in all categories in 2012 as compared with 2011 with the lone exception of hate crimes, which decreased by 16.7 percent overall. The number of hate crimes due to sexual orientation went down from 18 in 2011 to 11 in 2012 which was a 31.4 percent drop, according to…
WASHINGTON –More than 50 civil rights, religious, professional, labor, civic and education organizations have sent a letter to President Obama calling for an executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating in employment on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Because of a lack of federal protections, it remains legal in 29 states to…
On the heels of the controversy surrounding the Boys Scouts of America’s policy to exclude members of the LGBT community as scouts or adult leaders, today state Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Long Beach) and Equality California announced the introduction of new legislation that would remove a state tax exemption for any youth group, including the Boy…
In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, San Diego LGBT Pride has announced today that Freedom to Love and Marry is the theme for the 39th annual Pride celebration weekend, July 12 – 14. Announcing the theme, Fernando Lopez, administrative and public affairs director wrote in an email, “We are standing at a critical moment in…
WASHINGTON – Thirty-seven United States senators, led by Sen. Jeff Merkley, have today sent a letter to President Obama urging him to issue an executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating in hiring on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Because of a lack of federal protections, it remains legal to fire or…
WASHINGTON – Today Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta has announced that the Department of Defense will be extending additional benefits to same-sex partners of servicemembers. Panetta also stated that while the Defense of Marriage Act still remains law the Department faced legal limitations in regard to extending full benefits. Panetta’s statement follows: “Seventeen months ago, the…
