Equality Matters latest post reveals how the Family Research Council (FRC) used actor and comedian Robin Williams’ suicide to champion discredited “ex-gay” therapy, comparing treatment for mental illness to treatment for homosexuality. In an August 18 post for the FRC’s blog, Senior Fellow for Policy Studies Peter Sprigg compared the late actor’s struggles with addiction and depression to people struggling…
James Jeffords, the former Republican congressman and senator from Vermont who famously dropped his party affiliation in 2001 has died at age 80. A moderate with a clear-eyed independent streak, Jeffords was an early supporter of LGBT equality within the Republican Party—jointly introducing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to the U.S. Senate with Senators Edward Kennedy…
WASHINGTON – Dozens of the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) advocacy organizations have joined an open letter of solidarity in response to the tragic death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager who was shot and killed by a police officer in suburban St. Louis. Since Tuesday when the letter was released with 17 signers, an…
WASHINGTON –– The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), has renewed its call to lawmakers, advocates, and supporters of the rights of women and LGBT people in New York to speak out against any effort by the Sultan of Brunei to acquire a hotel in the city. The Sultan currently owns two in the United States—The Beverly…
The new downtown central library will be the site of the 39th Annual Nicky Awards, “The gay academy awards San Diego”. The GLBT community awards show will be held this Sunday Aug. 24 at 6 p.m. The Nicky Awards named after long time gay Latino activist City Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez, honor outstanding achievements within…
CHINA — When a 27-year-old woman, surnamed Wang, met the 32-year-old man, surnamed Zhou, she was, in her own words, swept off her feet. The two met one night and, much to her surprise, this charming, humorous stranger proposed. After four months of dating, they got married. But Wang quickly discovered certain quirks about him….
Pleasant Hill, IOWA — After 16-year-old Alexander Betts Jr. passed away following a suicide attempt, his family chose to have his organs donated. His heart, liver, kidneys and lungs were all donated to recipients in need. His eyes, however, were not. The young man’s eyes were rejected for donation, not because of any medical condition,…
The Tampa Tribune has pulled a controversial column that alleged Disney is indoctrinating children with its “pro-gay agenda.” The column, which was highlighted by Media Matters for America, had also drawn criticism from gay rights activists and Florida journalists. Aug. 11, Douglas MacKinnon, who is listed on the since-pulled column as “Tribune staff,” argued that Disney has been engaged in an underhanded effort…
A robber known as the “Peep Bandit” who held up adult bookstores and other businesses pleaded guilty Aug. 12 to all charges. Oscar Augustin Smith, Jr., 29, faces a maximum term of 15 years and four months in state prison, said Deputy District Attorney Roy Lai. Sentencing is set for Oct. 16 by San Diego…
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has a long tradition of documenting the full breadth of the American experience and what it means to be an American. The LGBT narrative is an important part of that American story, and the Smithsonian has been documenting and collecting related objects for many years. Tuesday, Aug. 19,…
