Steve Lee, Editor

Amnesty International calls on President Obama to commute Bradley Manning’s 35-year sentence

Military judge Col. Denise Lind today sentenced Bradley Manning to 35 years in military prison – out of a possible 90 – for leaking reams of classified information to Wikileaks. He has already served more than three years in pre-trial detention, including 11 months in conditions described by the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture as…

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New Mexico: Dona Ana County issues marriage licenses to same-sex couples

Same-sex couples in Doña Ana County, NM began receiving marriage licenses this morning after the county clerk announced he was issuing them based on a legal opinion endorsed earlier this year by the City of Santa Fe and a recent filing by the attorney general stating that New Mexico’s laws demanded that the state issue…

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GLAAD introduces ‘Studio Responsibility Index,’ report on LGBT images in films released by ‘Big Six’ studios

LOS ANGELES – GLAAD has released its first annual Studio Responsibility Index (SRI), a report that maps the quantity, quality and diversity of images of LGBT people in films released by the six major motion picture studios during the 2012 calendar year. GLAAD found that of the 101 releases from the major studios in 2012,…

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Empire State Pride Agenda uncovers startling health disparities among LGBT New Yorkers

NEW YORK – The Empire State Pride Agenda, New York’s statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, has revealed the most comprehensive report on the health disparities faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in New York City. The report outlines data collected by the New York City Department of Health…

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Equality California to Honor Rep. Mark Takano with Leadership Award

Equality California today announced that Rep. Mark Takano has been named the Leadership Award honoree for the Palm Springs Equality Awards scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 12. Takano is the first openly gay person of color elected to the House of Representatives, representing California’s 41st District, and since his election, has been a strong voice in…

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Miss Universe Organization condemns Russia’s anti-gay law

Today, the Miss Universe Organization issued a statement through GLAAD condemning Russia’s recent law banning “gay propaganda,” and which condones violent attacks on LGBT people. The organization, which is holding its annual pageant in Moscow Nov. 9, says the Russian law that bans holding hands, rainbow flags and the simple act of coming out is…

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Commentary: should our congressional candidates be focusing on mayoral issues?

Like many San Diegans, I found out Monday morning that Congressional candidate Carl DeMaio would be organizing events for the effort to recall Mayor Bob Filner. This is my shocked font! Of course, the man who lost the mayoral race to Filner is joining the recall. It allows him to settle an old score and…

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Homosexuality in Kazakhstan should be ‘harnessed and suppressed’

Riding a wave of Russian homophobia, neighboring Kazakhstan, the world’s largest landlocked country by land area, plans to introduce legislation in September that would shutter gay clubs, bar protests from the LGBT community and prevent what officials are calling the propagandization of alternative lifestyles. Member of the Majilis (the lower chamber of the parliament) Aldan…

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Assemblywoman Gonzalez introduces bill to prevent fraud on the pathway to citizenship

SACRAMENTO – California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego),who represents California’s 80th Assembly District, located in southern San Diego County including the cities of San Diego, Chula Vista and National City has introduced legislation today to prevent payment for immigration reform services until federal immigration reform is enacted and to ensure other basic consumer protections are provided…

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