The Gay Men’s Spiritual Retreat (GMSR) has served the spiritual needs of the San Diego gay community for 20 years. This year, the organization’s annual retreat will take place June 10-12 at Camp Stevens in Julian, CA and provide attendees with a sober, supportive environment of fellowship, workshops, drug and alcohol rehabilitation and recreation. The…
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) announced this week that the Grammy-Award-winning actress and native New Yorker Vanessa Williams has joined the dozens of high-profile celebrities, political figures and ordinary citizens taking a stand for marriage equality in New York. Williams, who made a name for herself when she was crowned the first African-American Miss America…
The Obama Administration has unveiled a new website providing resources for LGBT Americans and highlighting President Obama’s accomplishments and initiatives on behalf of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Dubbed “Winning the Future,” the site constitutes the first LGBT-oriented constituency webpage in the nation’s history. Brian Bond, gay liaison for the White House, told…
In a landmark move for professional sports organizations against LGBT discrimination, the San Francisco Giants released a highly anticipated video yesterday for the It Gets Better Project on behalf of LGBT youth. USA Today reports that the video, which features a number of Giants players including well-known pitcher Barry Zito, expresses empathy with teens and…
Today, June 1, Illinois’ law allowing civil unions for both same-sex and opposite-sex couples came into effect, inspiring more than 75 couples to line up outside the Cook County Building in Chicago early this morning in order to acquire a civil union license. Gay and lesbian couples have until 7 p.m. to get in on…
On May 31, President Obama signed a proclamation declaring June as LGBT pride month. Following in the footsteps of former President Bill Clinton, who signed the first such proclamation in 1999, Obama officially recognized the LGBT community as he has each year since taking office. The proclamation describes the history and trials of America’s lesbian,…
Pop star Miley Cyrus joined the Twitter fray against Urban Outfitters this week, adding to follower complaints about a stolen jewelry design by accusing the fashion and accessory retailer of supporting anti-gay political campaigns. According to the Vancouver Sun, a heated dispute erupted on Twitter after Etsy designer Stevie Koerner claimed that Urban Outfitters stole…
Mimi Laver, the Director of Legal Education at the ABA Center on Children and Law, has initiated the creation of an LGBT bullying and discrimination awareness campaign to educate legal professionals about the increasingly pertinent plight of underserved LGBT youth in America. Laver’s campaign, known as The Opening Doors Project, is the first national program…
No longer is the gay prom queen a figment of Glee plot lines and teen fantasy: Jake Boyer, an openly gay senior at Blacksburg High, took home the tiara this year in what he and others are counting as a resounding victory for LGBT equality. NBC Washington reports that Boyer, who came out earlier this…
Mega clothing retailer Old Navy will sell gay pride T-shirts this year in an effort to discourage bullying and promote diversity among teens and young adults, both members of the store’s principle demographic. The T-shirts, which come in several different styles and bear messages including “Love Proudly” and “Pride 2011” along with rainbow-oriented graphics, will…
