Today Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire signed the new anti-discrimination bill (HB 2661) into law. You may remember reading on here yesterday about the repeal effort already underway - not even one business day after the bill passed.

An article in today's Columbian reports that Rep. Jim Moeller says he is not surprised that activist Tim Eyman filed an initiative Monday to put gay rights on the ballot. Until now, Eyman has been better known for his tax limitation campaigns than for wading into the culture wars.

[...]

"It follows a very clear pattern," said Moeller. "Whatever will get the most revenue for Tim is what he will go after. He makes his living off these initiatives. The gay-rights issue he thinks will be good for a squeeze of maybe a few thousand dollars."

[...]

Moeller predicted that if either the initiative or the referendum qualifies for the November ballot, Washington voters will "look askance" at it.

Well, we'll see. It's pretty sick that Eyman would put this on the ballot to make a few bucks. Leave it to the wingnuts.

Our community has lost a powerful and wonderful advocate: Coretta Scott King

Coretta Scott King was an outspoken advocate for the GLBTQ community, continuing the work of her husband and standing strong on the ideals she worked on throughout her life. Not everyone knows what she has said and done regarding gay rights. I hope, through her passing, we are better aware of her powerful words and carry on her legacy.

"We have a lot of work to do in our common struggle against bigotry and discrimination. I say 'common struggle,' because I believe very strongly that all forms of bigotry & discrimination are equally wrong and should be opposed by right-thinking Americans everywhere. Freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation is surely a fundamental human right in any great democracy, as much as freedom from racial, religious, gender, or ethnic discrimination."

"We are all tied together in a single garment of destiny... I can never be what I ought to be until you are allowed to be what you ought to be," she said, quoting from her husband. "I've always felt that homophobic attitudes and policies were unjust and unworthy of a free society and must be opposed by all Americans who believe in democracy."

Thank you, Coretta.

LeAnn Locher

The nominations are out and queer cinema made out very well this year. Here is a breakdown of the nominations:

'BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN' (8 nominations)
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - Heath Ledger
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role - Jake Gyllenhaal
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role - Michelle Williams
Achievement in Directing - Ang Lee
Achievement in Cinematography
Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
Adapted Screenplay - Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana

'CAPOTE' (5 nominations)
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - Philip Seymour Hoffman
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role - Catherine Keener
Achievement in Directing - Bennett Miller
Adapted Screenpaly - Dan Futterman

'TRANSAMERICA' (2 nominations)
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role - Felicity Huffman
Achievement in Music Written For Motion Pictures (Original Song) - "Travelin' Thru" by Dolly Parton

"This has been a landmark year for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender-inclusive films," said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano. "These are films with an emotional authenticity that have clearly connected with both gay and straight audiences alike. By telling our stories, this year's Oscar nominees have helped raise the visibility of LGBT issues and have given millions of Americans a greater understanding of who we are."

Just days after the passing of HB 2661 in Washington State, the statewide anti-discrimination bill already has a repeal effort under way by the right-wing extremists. The bigot in this case is Tim Eyman. Eyman filed notice this morning of a referendum on the civil rights bill.

HB 2661 will be signed into law by Governor Christine Gregoire tomorrow. Washington has been trying to pass similar legislation for the past 30 years - and finally got it done.

"I'm surprised someone would file an initiative to say let's discriminate against our fellow citizens," Gregoire said.

"It strikes me as counter to the values of the state of Washington to have an initiative now that would say to the people of the state of Washington it's ok to discriminate... against gays and lesbians."

In order to his repeal measure on the ballot Eyman will need to collect 112,440 valid signatures within 90 days of the end of the current session of the legislation, March 9.

Washingtonians need to start prepping for this fight now. Maine fought this battle and won - though it did take them a decade and three times. Lets just hope that the crazies don't get enough signatures.

Well - we've been exposed. This is fantastic...

VICTORY FOR HB 2661!!! The Washington state Senate voted 25-23 Friday to pass an LGBT civil rights bill that ends a 30 year struggle by gays.

The legislation adds "sexual orientation" to a state law that already bans discrimination based on race, gender, age, disability, religion and marital status.

The measure passed the House last week and now moves to Gov. Chris Gregoire for signing. Gov. Gregoire has pledged to sign the bill into law.

"It's a moment of joy," Rep. Ed Murray (D-Seattle), the bills sponsor said after the Senate vote. Murray has been pushing for a decade to get the legislation passed.

This is huge for Washington and a good thing for us here in Oregon. Hopefully it will send a message to Salem for the next Legislative Session in '07.

American Express is joining the fight against AIDS in Africa. The financial services marketer is launching a new credit card, American Express Red, that will contribute 1 percent of what consumers spend on the card toward the humanitarian group the Global Fund. Amex says American Express RED will be the first credit card to meet the payment needs of a new and growing group of individuals it calls "Conscience Consumers." These are consumers who make decisions about the brands they purchase based on their social, ethical and environmental values. The new product is being launched in partnership with a U.K.-based initiative called Product RED, which is designed to engage the private sector in the fight against AIDS in Africa by channeling funds from the sale of RED products directly to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Other companies that have joined the effort include Converse, Gap and Giorgio Armani.

Read more here at Brandweek.

Get info on RED products here.

The California Assembly late Thursday passed legislation to limit the use of the so-called gay panic defense.

If a defense attorney attempted to use the argument that a client committed a crime out of panic because the victim were gay or trans a judge would be required to instruct the jury that the use of societal bias, including so-called "panic strategies," to influence the proceedings of a criminal trial is inconsistent with the public policy of the State of California.

The Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act passed the Assembly on a  45-32 vote along party lines. Two members did not vote and 1 member was absent. The bill now moves to the Senate.

Araujo was a transgender teenager from Newark, Calif., who was attacked and killed in 2002. Defense lawyers in the trials of her killers claimed their clients acted out of panic after having sex with the teen and then discovering she was born biologically male.

The Assembly bill was authored by Assemblywoman Sally J. Lieber (D-San Jose).

"This is a critical step forward in the effort to rid our courtrooms of bias," said Lieber following the vote. "We must ensure that California's criminal justice system treats all victims equally."

LGBT rights groups which had fought for the legislation hailed its passage in the Assembly.

"California has a powerful law that enhances the penalties of criminals who commit hate crimes," said Geoffrey Kors the Executive Director of Equality California.

"The 'panic' defense all but invalidates this law by reducing sentences due to the hate the defendant had for his or her victim."

The Araujo trials focused national attention on the increasing use of the "panic strategy" by defendants in murder trials.

via 365gay.com

That is what some in the legislature hope to accomplish. Rep. Mark Larson, D-Burlington, has drafted a bill to expand marriage to same-sex couples and plans to introduce it Thursday, although neither he nor advocates believe it will be debated or adopted this year.

Vermont has had civil unions for gay and lesbians for the past six years. Rep. Mark Larson said that he believes that Vermont is 'ready to talk about giving gay and lesbian couples the ability to marry'.

Vermont was the first state to recognize same-sex relationships when it created civil unions.

The first draft of the new bill will be introduced Thursday. The bill will do two things. First, it would give same-sex couples the right to marry. Secondly, it would allow clergy to refuse to perform a same-sex marriage if it violated their religious beliefs.
The bill would not address civil unions, either by abolishing them in favor of marriage or by setting out a process where a civil union relationship could be converted to civil marriage.

When asked about his opinion of Brokeback Mountain, George Bush ummed and hawed.

Watch the video here.

"You would love it. You should check it out," a man in the audience told Bush Monday during a question and answer session at Kansas State University.

Bush followed up with, "I'd be glad to talk about ranching, but I haven't seen the movie." He looks very uncomfortable. Quite funny.

Posted by Bryan Harding

I've got my tickets. The boy and I will be going. Portland metro-ites should check this out. From what I know about the event - it's going to amazing. Great venue - free drinks - free food - chocolate bar. Singles and couples - straight or gay welcome (as always). Great graphics for the event too *wink wink*. This event is a benefit for the Basic Rights Oregon Equality PAC who is committed to electing fair-minded, pro-GLBT candidates into office.

Posted by Bryan Harding

Well over 1,000 gay rights supporters joined together in a rally Monday on the Capitol steps in Olympia, demanding the passage of a gay civil rights bill. The bill, House Bill 2661, looks as though it has enough support this year after nearly 30 years of failure in the state Legislature. Last year it only lost by one vote.

Both Washington lawmakers and various religious leaders spoke in support of the measure that would add "sexual orientation" to a state law that bans discrimination in housing, employment and insurance. Sixteen states have passed similar laws.

Washington's HB 2661 has already passed the House by a bipartisan 60-37 vote and kept the legislation on track for expected passage in the Senate.

If this legislation passes - I believe that it will make it easier for Oregon to pass a similar bill next session (2007). Our neighbors to the north may set a great precedence by standing against outright discrimination.

Christine Gregoire spoke at the rally as well saying, "We are on the brink of doing something truly remarkable," told the cheering crowd. "Finally, after far too many years, the state is going to take a stand to say that gay and lesbian individuals living in our great state have the right to be valued and considered to be as worthy as any other citizen."

Rep. Fred Jarrett, R-Mercer Island, attended the rally with his lesbian daughter Catherine and her partner. Jarrett was one of six Republicans in the House who voted to support the measure.

"I come from a party that got its start in the first great civil rights movement in this country over 150 years ago. I believe our party is still on the side of civil rights and I'm sorry that many of my colleagues do not share that," he said. "We need to be sure that we always do what Matthew 7:12 suggested, commanded us to do. To do unto others the way we would expect them to do unto us."

Since when is using a list of people who are subscribed to a newsletter that keeps them current on Multnomah County business, kosher to use for a large unsolicited email campaign for a person running for Mult. County Chair? We should ask Ted Wheeler.

Late last night I received an email from Ted Wheeler's Campaign for Multnomah County Chair (as many of you may have as well). It seems as if the reach of this email was pretty broad.

So this morning when I woke up I had more than 20 emails from other people on this email list who were demanding to be taken off the list as it is SPAM. Instead of the email saying something like 'If you would like to remain on this list click here' -- it was the opposite.

It is completely innapropriate of Wheeler. While it is legal for Wheeler to access that information via a 'public records request' (BTW we know it was at least 11k email addresses), he violated the trust and privacy of the very people he is asking to vote him into office.

This is a man who claims he is running for office to bring credibility and trust to Multmomah County and yet, he has demonstrated today that he is willing to exploit public information for his own personal advantage.

Excerpts from these emails include:

Dear Mr. Wheeler:

Your unsolicited campaign message and your assumption that you can be cavalier with my privacy has cost you my vote.

1) I did not give anyone permission to share my name and contact information with you.

2) I did not subscribe to your list, nor did I allow anyone to do so on my behalf.

3) I do not appreciate being contacted in this way or being told that I have been added to someone's political list without my consent.

Remove me from your mailing list immediately!

I did not give anyone permission to share my name and contact information with you. I did not subscribe to your list, nor did I allow anyone to sign me up on my behalf. I do not appreciate being contacted in this way and being told that I am added to someone's political list without my consent.
Remove me from your mailing list immediately.

One would then ask, "How the hell did the Wheeler Camp get all of our email addresses?".

So I called Barbara Willer, Ted's campaign manager. I asked her how my email got on this list. She said that they did a 'public records request' and these emails came from Multnomah County. Specifically from Multnomah County Chair Diane Linn's "Linn Line", a newsletter that Diane sends out to people who opt-in to the list. The "Linn Line" is meant to keep citizens of Multnomah County up-to-date on the happenings of the county - it is in no way a reelection tool.

That says nothing about the fact that this guy has a lot of nerve exploiting the bitter taste of the campaign loss last year that is still left in mouths of many gay Portlanders for his own advantage.

The truth is that Ted Wheeler has never and will never do have of what Diane Linn has done for gay Oregonians and for him to posture as if he would should be seen for what it is: nothing more than a cynical campaign ploy.

So how is it that Ted Wheeler's camp is able to do a public info request and then in turn use that information for his campaign? It's dirty. And he needs to stop courting the 'gay vote' and gays need to stop thinking that he is a good candidate simply because of the whole Multnomah County marriage issue.

Ted Wheeler's family got rich off timber money. His family's foundation gives a ton of money to extreme conservatives and their causes including anti-gay causes. Let's hope gay portlanders don't buy his BS.

Posted by Bryan Harding

Queers and supporters are picketing in South Africa.

In a country with the world's highest number of HIV cases (more than 5 million people infected) they are still under the impression that HIV/AIDS is a gay disease. South African officials announced earlier this month that gay men are banned from donating blood in South Africa. Queer activists are up in arms over this draconian, homophobic rule. (http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid24435.asp)

Let's join them. It's not like things are any different in the U.S. Gay men are banned from giving blood here too. As is anyone who was "born in, or lived in, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Niger, or Nigeria, since 1977." (http://www.redcross.org/services/biomed/0,1082,0_557_,00.html)

Ironically, South Africans, as long as they're not gay, slipped under this racist American radar which of course was invented 20 years ago before that country had the devastating rates of infection it now sees. Not that I'm advocating that any more countries be added to the U.S. list of tainted national origins.

U.S. activists could seize the moment to show international solidarity and protest outside American Red Cross offices. Good old fashioned take-to-the streets activism. A unifying point for blacks and gays (well timed with the National Black Justice Coaltion's "Black Church Summit" in Atlanta this week.)

Imagine the posters and picket signs: "HIV doesn't discriminate, why does The Red Cross?" "My blood's not tainted just because U.S. law is." "How many will die because you won't accept our blood?"

Written by Meg Daly

Meg is a freelance writer, newly transplanted to San Francisco. She is the former features editor at Just Out, Portland's queer newsmagazine. Her articles have appeared in national and regional press, including Tikkun, Grist online magazine, Punk Planet, Portland Monthly, Oregon Business, and Willamette Week. She is the editor of two anthologies on women's friendships, including Surface Tension: Love, Sex, and Politics Between Lesbians and Straight Women.

Post by Adam Tollinger

Bryan's post reminded me of all the questions that gay people are asked by our straight counterparts, which had me think back on a questionnaire that an ex-boyfriend once showed me. For your reading pleasure, the Heterosexual Questionnaire.

THE HETEROSEXUAL QUESTIONNAIRE:

This questionnaire is for self-avowed heterosexuals only. If you are not openly heterosexual, pass it on to a friend who is. Please try to answer the questions as candidly as possible. Your responses will be held in strict confidence and your anonymity fully protected.

1. What do you think caused your heterosexuality?

2. When and how did you first decide you were a heterosexual?

3. Is it possible your heterosexuality is just a phase you may grow out of?

4. Could it be that your heterosexuality stems from a neurotic fear of others of the same sex?

5. If you've never slept with a person of the same sex, how can you be sure you wouldn't prefer that?

6. To whom have you disclosed your heterosexual tendencies? How did they react?

7. Why do heterosexuals feel compelled to seduce others into their lifestyle?

8. Why do you insist on flaunting your heterosexuality? Can't you just be what you are and keep it quiet?

9. Would you want your children to be heterosexual, knowing the problems they'd face?

10. A disproportionate majority of child molesters are heterosexual men. Do you consider it safe to expose children to heterosexual male teachers, pediatricians, priests, or scoutmasters?

11. With all the societal support for marriage, the divorce rate is spiraling. Why are there so few stable relationships among heterosexuals?

12. Why do heterosexuals place so much emphasis on sex?

13. Considering the menace of overpopulation, how could the human race survive if everyone were heterosexual?

14. Could you trust a heterosexual therapist to be objective? Don't you fear s/he might be inclined to influence you in the direction of her/his own leanings?

15. Heterosexuals are notorious for assigning themselves and one another rigid, stereotyped sex roles. Why must you cling to such unhealthy role-playing?

16. With the sexually segregated living conditions of military life, isn't heterosexuality incompatible with military service?

17. How can you enjoy an emotionally fulfilling experience with a person of the other sex when there are such vast differences between you? How can a man know what pleases a woman sexually or vice-versa?

18. Shouldn't you ask your far-out straight cohorts, like skinheads and born-agains, to keep quiet? Wouldn't that improve your image?

19. Why are heterosexuals so promiscuous?

20. Why do you attribute heterosexuality to so many famous lesbian and gay people? Is it to justify your own heterosexuality?

21. How can you hope to actualize your God-given homosexual potential if you limit yourself to exclusive, compulsive heterosexuality?

22. There seem to be very few happy heterosexuals. Techniques have been developed that might enable you to change if you really want to. After all, you never deliberately chose to be a heterosexual, did you? Have you considered aversion therapy or Heterosexuals Anonymous?

Quiz by Martin Rochlin, Ph.D.

Huge news out of Virginia today. The Virginia Division of Vital Records has agreed to issue a gender-neutral birth certificate to a lesbian couple, showing both women's names on their son's record.

The couple adopted their son in 1999. His birth certificate will now show "Parent 1" and "Parent 2" on the birth certificate. Pretty cool news if you ask me.

Read the entire story here.

Posted by Bryan Harding

Far too often I hear this sort of statement from extremist wingnuts. Though, it's more like "stop flaunting your homosexuality" or "stop shoving your lifestyle down my throat". So in homage of this, I have decided to write a little poem based on an experience last night at Blue Hour. I want to dedicate this beautiful poem to one of the craziest extremists that I know. Well there are two. The first is Daniel of "Daniel is Right". The second is more a group of people who post hateful comments on blogs - they all have the same name though. It's strange. They are all named "Anonymous" for some reason. Hmm.

Enjoy.

"The Hetero's in the Metro's"

I arrive for Happy Hour
And things quickly turn sour
First of all you took my favorite seat
Then I realize you're all over your boyfriends meat
While you're rubbing your boyfriend's pecks
I'm simply trying to enjoy my cold Becks.
You are practically spooning on the seat
Aren't we just there to eat?
He is nibbling on your ear
And my eyes begin to sear
Waitress bring me a Jack and Coke!
That ain't no joke.

OK. Now seriously people. How do I, as a young gay man, "flaunt my homosexuality" and how do I "shove it down your throat"? Please explain.

Posted by Bryan Harding

Well maybe he won't enjoy it seeing as how he hates gays. Anyway, read on.

From The Weekly Standard (ignore the quotation marks they use on words that should not have them - they're ummm con-serv-a-tive and trying to make a point):

For over a hundred years children have gathered on the South Lawn of the White House on the Monday after Easter to roll Easter eggs across the yard and meet the Easter Bunny. Seemingly few (if any) Washingtonians have ever tried to exploit the annual White House Easter Egg Roll for political purposes. Until now. A church-based gay rights group is planning to crash the event with a "family visibility action" to spotlight their non-traditional families.

On April 17, 2006, when the White House lawn is opened to families for the Annual Easter Egg Roll, imagine if the first 1,000 families onto the lawn were LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender] families," enthused a January 4 email alert from Soul Force. Once America sees the White House lawn awash in LGBT families, "there will be no going back," Soulforce promised.

Soulforce is the political organizing tool of self-described "militant gay activist" Mel White, the former Jerry Falwell speech writer who discovered his gayness and became a clergyman in the predominantly homosexual Metropolitan Community Churches.

White and his supporters routinely show up at church conventions and other events to protest, perform acts of civil disobedience and demand that denominations change their teachings about homosexuality. They apply the "soul force" of principles from Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi to the struggle for justice for sexual minorities.

According to Soulforce, LGBT participants are being urged to gather at the White House gate the night before so as to be the first to enter the next morning. Volunteers will stand in line for LGBT parents who cannot do it themselves.

Although Soulforce insists this will not be a political protest, only a gathering for families, its supporters will arrive with special "non-political" t-shirts to identify themselves as LGBT.

Read entire piece here.

Posted Bryan Harding

Before I get into the details of this I just need to say one thing. It is nearly impossible to hurt Microsoft in any way, shape or form by having a boycott. If you buy a new PC - you are giving money to Microsoft. Are these anti-gay groups truly not going to purchase any new computers? It's a bunch of bullshit. I almost welcome their attempt at a boycott - because when they are bitterly unsuccessful in the end -- I can laugh at them.

So now the details.

Last week several companies, including Microsoft Corp., Boeing Co., Hewlett Packard Co. and Nike Inc., signed a letter urging passage of the measure, which would add "sexual orientation" to a state law that already bans discrimination in housing, employment, and insurance based on race, gender, age, disability, religion, marital status, and other factors. Microsoft's support comes a year after it was denounced for quietly dropping its support for the measure.

This is my favorite part...
Reverend Ken Hutcherson, the pastor of Antioch Bible Church in the Seattle suburb of Redmond, which is also home to Microsoft, said he would officially make the call for the boycott Thursday on a national conservative talk radio show, Focus on the Family. "We're tired of sitting around thinking that morals can be ignored in our country," he said Monday. "This is not a threat, this is a promise. Check out the past presidential election. We made the moral issue the number 1 issue."

Ok Mr. Hutcherson... who is "we" during the past presidential election? You mean 'they" - right? They as in the people behind "W" getting reelected. Gays and lesbians were brought into the spotlight too distract you stupid wingnuts from the real problems in this country. You flock like sheep to that bullshit. Now, you are all on a crusade to destroy families across the nation. Get a fucking clue - you are NOT "pro-family" so please stop claiming you are.

From the Advocate.com:

When asked about Hutcherson's threat Monday, Microsoft spokesman Lou Gellos said, "Our position is well-known, as we said in our letter last week, and we stick by it." He declined to comment further. Boeing spokesman Peter Conte said the company had no plans to withdraw its support. "The position that we have taken is one that we do feel strongly about," he said. "It is entirely consistent with our own internal practices and policies." Other companies did not return phone calls on Monday, the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Rep. Ed Murray, a Seattle Democrat who has sponsored the measure for more than a decade, said he wasn't concerned that Hutcherson's move would have any impact on the companies' bottom line. "The American people and citizens of Washington State aren't going to buy into his line of bigotry," he said.

Hutcherson said he has the support of several national organizations, including the Family Research Council, Southern Baptist Convention, and Focus on the Family. That's absolutely wonderful Mr. Hutcherson. The three most hateful groups in the United States. Hutcherson should maybe work with Lonnie Latham of the Southern Baptist Convention... although he may proposition you for a blowjob - oh right and he resigned from the executive committee of the SBC after soliciting sex from a male prostitute who was a male undercover cop.

Thank you Microsoft. Thank you Hewlett Packard. Thank you Boeing.

Post by Bryan Harding

This evening at The Golden Globe Awards, Brokeback Mountain took in four major awards. Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Song. This is huge for this film and a truly remarkable sign of what's to come.

Other huge highlights for the GLBT community came from Philip Seymour Hoffman ("Capote") for Best Dramatic Actor and Felicity Huffman ("Transamerica") for Best Dramatic Actress.

Fact: 46% of all Golden Globe wins -- 11 out of 24 categories -- came from LGBT inclusive projects. What an amazing night.

Post by Bryan Harding

David Englin, a freshman delegate from the Commonwealth of Virginia, delivered a overtly blunt and brilliant speech on same-sex marriage, domestic partner benefits - or any other marriage-like benefits. I challenge you who disagree to argue with this... intelligently. This speech was made as Virginia was to vote on legislation to ban same-sex marriage. David Englin is straight, married for 10 years and has a 6 year old child. Here it goes.
______________

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this resolution. I'm not going to talk about same-sex marriage. I'm no fool -- although others might make a different judgement about a freshman delegate rising in this chamber on the third day of session. But I understand that on the issue of marriage, I'm in the minority, perhaps even in my own caucus. I also sleep very well at night knowing that at some point in the future of this great Commonwealth, those of us of my opinion will be judged to have been on the right side of history. But let's for a moment forget about the question of same-sex marriage, because this amendment addresses much more than that. We need to be clear and honest: This amendment also outlaws civil unions and domestic partnerships and other similar private legal arrangements.

We have heard from the other side that this constitutional amendment is necessary to protect conventional marriage. I am blessed with a beautiful and brilliant wife who is the love of my life. In June, Shayna and I will celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary, and I would fight with every ounce of my strength anything that would threaten my marriage. So I would like to know, how exactly civil unions and domestic partnerships and other similar arrangements threaten my marriage?

We have heard from the other side that this amendment will protect families. Shayna and I are blessed with a strong and bright six-year-old son, Caleb, and we have a strong family. My friend the gentleman from Rockingham County, Delegate Lohr, and I have discussed how we come from different backgrounds and different parts of this great Commonwealth, yet we share a deep and abiding commitment to our families. I want nothing more than to protect my family. I spent 12 years wearing the uniform of the United States Air Force to protect my family. I've been in harm's way to protect my family. So I would like to know, how exactly do civil unions and domestic partnerships and other similar arrangements threaten my family? Because if they do, I will be the first one to stand up and fight, because nobody better threaten my family.

Moreover, we have heard from the other side that this amendment must pass sooner rather than later, as if there is some kind of crisis that is more important than issues like transportation or education or health care. Why else would this be our first order of business? Yet Virginia law already makes same-sex marriage and civil unions and domestic partnerships illegal.

So if this amendment doesn't help protect my marriage, and doesn't help protect my family, and if it doesn't even change the status of same-sex marriage and civil unions and domestic partnership contracts, then what exactly does this amendment do? I submit to my fair-minded colleagues that this amendment sends a message. And that message is, if you are gay, or lesbian, or even a man and a woman living together and committed to each other who are not married, you are not welcome in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

And who are these people whom we are shutting out in the cold? They are my dear friends Karen and Sue, who have been together for years and are as loving and committed to each other as any husband and wife. They are my friend Lou, who served with me at the Pentagon, and continues to serve our country today. They are Father Mychal Judge, the gay priest who died in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11 while ministering to fallen firefighters. They are Mark Bingham, a gay passenger on United Airlines Flight 93, who fought back against Al Queda hijackers and sacrificed his life to save others. They are Ronald Gamboa and his partner Dan Brandhorst, who, along with their 3 year old son David, were killed when Al Quaeda flew United Airlines Flight 175 into the World Trade Center. They are David Charlebois, the co-pilot of American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon when Al Qaeda tried to kill me and my comrades who were on duty inside the Pentagon at the time. They are friends and neighbors and teachers and doctors and soldiers and loving parents who want nothing more than to live life without fear that the government will tear their families apart.

I'm a student of history, and I find our Founding Fathers to be a great source of wisdom on many matters, so I want to close my remarks by reading from a letter that great Virginian named George Washington wrote more than two centuries ago:

"The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for giving to Mankind... a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection, should demean themselves as good citizens.

May the Children of the Stock of Abraham who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid."

Ladies and gentlemen, I implore you, be strong and of good courage and vote down this resolution.
______________

Comments?

2005 was the year of queer cinema. Most notably, of course, we had Brokeback Mountain, TransAmerica and Capote.

Could this be the year gay-themed films dominate Hollywood's awards season? There is a damn good chance that will be the case.

Tomorrow night, The Golden Globes are taking place. With Brokeback Mountain taking in seven nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (Ang Lee), Best Actor (Heath Ledger), Best Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams), Best Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Original Song it's bound to take in many of those.

Capote stands a good chance as well. Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance earned him a nod for Best Actor.

Felicity Huffman was nominated for Best Actress for her performance in TransAmerica. Transamerica is also nominated for Best Song.

Gay themed films have never made it into the Best Picture category, so this could be huge. Brokeback Mountain, combined with Capote and Transamerica, could become the biggest test yet for gay-themed films come Oscar time. Since The Golden Globe Awards and SAG Award nominations are traditionally used to calculate the odds of 2006 Oscar contention favorites - these movies will definitely get their chance come Oscar nominations on January 31st, 2006. The actual awards show is on March 5th.

So tomorrow night watch The Golden Globes. NBC at 8pm.

Post by Bryan Harding

It's the weekend. I'm allowed to be off topic. I'm totally confused. Is this not incredibly homoerotic? Thanks Abercrombie.

Water sports?


No really - thank you Abercrombie.

I've done it again. The third time in three months. I've been a bit restless the past couple of days though. My significant other flew back to Missouri to have heart surgery. Nothing too major - though still heart surgery, therefore it freaks me out - especially because I can't be there with him. He's with his parents though and they're taking great care of him, of course. He'll be back tomorrow night which seems a bit crazy considering he just had his surgery on Friday.

So back on topic. The blog has been redesigned.

*poof* it's a blog.

Posted by Bryan Harding

As we reported last week, one of the four executive committee members of the Southern Baptist Convention was caught with his 'pants down'. Well, arrested for propositioning a MALE undercover cop for a blow job. Probably not the best idea if you ask me. Latham has officially been charged for the crime with a single misdemeanor count of offering to engage in an act of lewdness. He could go to jail for a year and have to pay a minor fine if found guilty.

This is wrong on so many levels and only getting worse. Why?

1.) Rev. Lonnie Latham is extremely anti-gay. Preaching hate and discrimination. A good example of this is when he encouraged the 42,000 SBC churches to "befriend gays and lesbians and try to convince them that they can become heterosexual "if they accept Jesus Christ as their savior and reject their 'sinful, destructive lifestyle."

2.) After being arrested Latham had an excuse. Granted it was shitty and a lie - he still had one. After getting out on bail he told the media, "I was set up. I was in the area pastoring to police."

Cough. Cough. Bullshit.

Latham has now put in his resignation as senior pastor of South Tulsa Baptist Church, stepped down from the board of directors of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma and the executive committee of the Southern Baptist Convention. I guess when he told the media that the church would understand when they knew the truth - was less than the truth.

What kind of Christian example is he setting? He is a hypocrite. He is lying to the world. Be honest about what you've done Lonnie.

Uggh. People like this make me sick.

Bryan Harding

If you've been reading up on scary Supreme (Straight Old Boys Club) Court nominee Sam Alito, you know that he has a schizophrenic record when it comes to privacy rights. He wanted to uphold a machine gun owner's right to sell arms, but not a married woman's right to get an abortion without notifying her husband. He supported a homophobic bully's right to harass a gay kid, but did not support a ten-year-old girl's right not to be strip searched by police when they entered her home in a drug bust.

See the pattern? If the state's power, or an individual male person's power, is threatened, Alito stands up for the long arm of the law. If a woman or child's power - over her own body, say - is threatened, Alito says she should defer to men.

Whether you're male or female and you're queer, Alito's nomination should give you pause. I take that back. It should inspire your outrage and dissent... especially when the American Family Association is getting their panties in a wad over his confirmation. The AFA are the folks who are currently protesting Mattel for their American Girl doll subsidiary partnering with Girls Inc., which AFA calls a "pro-abortion, pro-lesbian group."

Thanks AFA, I know what I'm getting my nieces for Christmas this year! Girls Inc. "I Can" bands and maybe an American Girl doll to boot. (For more info, visit click here)


Written by Meg Daly

Meg is a freelance writer, newly transplanted to San Francisco. She is the former features editor at Just Out, Portland's queer newsmagazine. Her articles have appeared in national and regional press, including Tikkun, Grist online magazine, Punk Planet, Portland Monthly, Oregon Business, and Willamette Week. She is the editor of two anthologies on women's friendships, including Surface Tension: Love, Sex, and Politics Between Lesbians and Straight Women.

In California, a bill to prevent the use of the "gay panic defense" is progressing.

On Wednesday, the Assembly Public Safety Committee voted on the bill and passed it by a 4-2 vote. The bill is in memory of Gwen Araujo who was brutally murdered in 2002, hence the name of the bill, The Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act.

The bill, if passed would require the judge to instruct the jury (if attempted by the defense attorney) that the use of societal bias, including so-called "panic strategies", to influence the proceedings of a criminal trial is inconsistent with the public policy of the State of California.

The author of the legislation is Assemblywoman Sally Lieber. "We should not allow criminal defendants to blame their victims," said Lieber. "We prohibit discrimination based on race, religion, gender and sexual orientation in nearly all areas of public life. Why should we allow killers to use bias and intolerance as a justification for murder?"

This bill will hopefully bring more awareness of the transgender community, as well as rid California of this nonsensical defense.

"Allowing defendants and their attorneys to succeed in appealing to anti-transgender bias among jurors is like putting a bull's eye on the back of every transgender person in the state," said Christopher Daley, Director of the Transgender Law Center. "Through this bill, the Legislature has the ability to assure transgender people that the anti-discrimination policies that protect them in California institutions apply to the courtroom as well."

We'll keep you updated as this legislation progresses.

Posted by Bryan Harding

A Washington state civil rights bill that captured nationwide attention after Microsoft's reversal of support helped scuttle it last spring gained new life after a key Republican lawmaker pledged to vote for it.

Former state Senate minority leader Bill Finkbeiner, a Republican from Kirkland, Wash., said he has split with his party on the issue and will support the bill closing a loophole that allows landlords and employers in the state to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.

Before stepping down as leader in November, Finkbeiner joined fellow Republicans and two Democrats in opposing the bill, leading to its 25-24 defeat after passing by a large margin in the House. On Monday, however, he reversed his stance, giving civil rights advocates new hope for the bill's passage.

"I've had a number of conversations over the past year that have led me to more fully understand the level of discrimination against gays and lesbians, and I now find it is both appropriate and necessary for the state to make it clear that this is not acceptable," Finkbeiner said in a written statement.

Read entire story here.

Equal Rights Washington Executive Director Fran Dunaway released the following statement today:

BUSINESS COMMUNITY UNITED IN SUPPORT TO PROTECT WASHINGTONIANS FROM DISCRIMINATION

"A coalition of businesses today announced their support of the anti-discrimination bill that was introduced in the house yesterday by Governor Gregoire. The anti-discrimination bill, HB2661, would extend protections from discrimination in housing, employment and other categories to include sexual orientation. Equal Rights Washington is proud to have worked with these companies to ensure that people across Washington are treated with fairness, equality and respect."

Posted by Bryan Harding

After airing "The Book of Daniel" last week, a television station in Little Rock, Arkansas is receiving hate mail, hate calls and now death threats. Yes ladies and gentlemen, the Christian 'right' has lost it yet again. Are they planning on killing in the name of God or what?

Security guards are now protecting the station from these threats. Little Rock's NBC affiliate refused to air the show's premiere Friday after pressure from the American Family Association and area pastors. WB42, a WB affiliate then agreed to run the series.

Station spokesperson Gary Robbins defends the decision to run the series and says despite the threats there are no plans to cancel it.

"We've had hate mail, we've had hate phone calls... but there's no profanity in this show, there's no indecency, there's no nudity," he said.

Monday, the self-proclaimed 'American Family Association' called on its members to keep up the pressure on other affiliates across the nation. In an email from AFA, their PR machine told the group's followers also to put pressure on the show's advertisers.

"The Book of Daniel" features one of primetime's few openly gay male characters, has a lesbian supporting character and is written by a gay screenwriter.

I watched the show... it's not bad, it's not great though. Why doesn't the AFA just boycott the show instead of threatening to kill people over airing this show. It just doesn't seem very Christian... does it? Hmmm.

Posted by Bryan Harding

The wingnuts are all up-in-arms about the kiss between the two boys last night on Desperate Housewives. They're all over the ABC message boards spreading filth and hypocrisy. It's so funny how they all love the show when it has infidelity, murder, suicide, scantily clad women and blackmail... but WHOA!!! A gay kiss? No way!

One post from the message board with the title "Disgusting homosexuals" reads:

How come ABC and other mainstream media organizations continue to force homosexuality of 2% of the country down our throats? Maybe it represents the majority of the entertainment companies. It is easy to turn channels and we will if that storyline continues.

Give me a break people. If you are so concerned, then take your indecisive, pick-and-choose morals somewhere else. By the way, I'm pretty sure that the 2% figure is a bit higher. A bit over 10%. So, I assume because the percentage of men who admit to cheating on their spouse is nearly 45%, (via New York Times poll taken in 2000) that makes the infidelity on Desperate Housewives much more acceptable? There was my rant.

So anyway - in case you missed it...


Above: Ryan Carnes (Justin) and Shawn Pyfrom (Andrew)

Posted by Bryan Harding

Labels: celebrity, entertainment

Yet another example of the abhorrent cultish filth that comes out of the 'Westboro Baptist Church' led by the 'Rev.' Fred Phelps. They are going to protest at the funerals of the miners who perished in West Virginia...

In a press release, his group stated the following:

Judgment in West Virginia! Thank God for His Outpoured Wrath and for 12 Dead Miners.
WBC to picket their Memorial Service - at 2 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 15, at Wesley Chapel, West Virginia Wesleyan College, Camden Ave. & Meade St., Buckhannon, WV - in religious protest 8t warning: "God is not mocked!" God Hates Fags! & Fag-Enablers! Ergo, God hates the Sago Miners and is tormenting them in Hell, hypocritical Tallmansville village, and West Virginia.

[...]

Behold the heathen! Idolatrous caterwauling necromancers at a "candlelight vigil" (whatever the heck that is!) in a sodomite whorehouse masquerading as Sago Baptist Church!

They worship dunghill fag gods on "Brokeback Mountain," and their holy book is "The Da Vinci Code' - not the King James Bible. God mocked them with a lightning bolt, agonizing deaths, false reports of life leading to fools gold jubilation followed by hopeless despair. "meet you on the other side" eh? Yes, you all will meet again - in Hell!

Well that was sure uplifting.

The 'Westboro Baptist Church' is the same disillusioned group that created GodHatesFags.com and GodHatesAmerica.com - just to name two of the dozen or so sites. WBC is also the same group who has protested the funerals of American soldiers who gave their lives in Iraq, Matthew Shepard's funeral, rejoiced in the death of those in the World Trade Center attacks - blaming it on the wrath of God. They have no shame in their actions. When asked why they say "Thank God for September 11th"? He responded:

"For several reasons. First, God ordained and decreed these acts. He determined in eternity to hurl those airplanes like fiery darts out of the sky. He used the evil followers of Osama bin Laden to punish even more evil people."

It's so incredible that these people are actually serious. For more background on the Phelps family click here.

Posted by Bryan Harding

2005 demonstrates, 2006 brings the real deal.

How does GLBTQ community build community? Bar scene, potlucks, clubs, word of mouth, defending ourselves on the political front: it's been a big hodge podge of ways, but we've done it. But for many in the community, they still don't feel connected.

The Q Center came about through feasibility work conducted in 2003. During that time, more than 1600 people and 30 organizations provided feedback and the results were clear: Portland needs, wants and can support a LGBTQ Community Center.

Since that time, the concept of the center began at Pride in 2005, and hard work has been done to develop leadership, initial funding, and community outreach and support. Many conversations with like organizations have taken place, and will continue to take place, because at its core, the Q Center is geared towards fostering unity and diversity within the LGBTQ community.

For the big picture of what a community center for the LGBTQ community can look like, visit the websites for the centers in Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago or Salt Lake City. They offer safe places for people to be who they are, and to connect with others. Families, seniors, new residents, and others have "a place" to go to find support, fun and interaction. It's amazing to think Portland hasn't had one, but we've developed community anyway. Aaah, Portland. We are unique, aren't we?

So what happened in 2005 for Q Center? It was a banner year with significant stakeholder meetings, community meetings, roundtable discussions, working groups established and donor cultivations. The center first because visible at Pride '05 and experienced strong community support with 1,000 people signing up on the outreach list and 50 people saying they were ready to volunteer. In addition, the Pride Warehouse Party and Block Party raised awareness and money for the center.

The house was put in order with the development of a business plan, a board put in place and an interim director hired and working strong. Community events emerged with amazing volunteer leadership, and the hugely successful Spooktacular previewed what a center could be like for families: 200 people showed up to carve pumpkins, dance, and play with their kids. In December, a story telling event geared at providing interaction for all ages, tripled turnout goals.

Q Center is gaining momentum and the community is coming forward to support the center. 2 founders have committed $25,000 each, and along with businesses and organizations, individuals are donating services and supplies to lay a base for a great 2006. Between June and December of 2005, 80 volunteers have stepped up to help, and the year ended with 2,000 people on the mailing list. Add to that 4 working groups of active volunteers, and Q Center is definitely gaining momentum.

So what's the haps for 2006? Lots. Look for more programming, and first on the horizon will be arts and culture events, along with a collaboration with another organization on health and wellness. A service provider roundtable will bring together a cross section of organizations serving the GLBTQ community, and look for Q Center at the annual Red Dress event, Pride, and other community events. The first permanent staffing hire is in the works and finally, Q Center will be announcing an actual roll-out site, giving a sense of place to the momentum and community that is building. The community has said and demonstrated we need and want a GLBTQ community center: it looks like we're getting it in 2006.

Q Center is made up of people: get involved and learn more here.

Post by LeAnn Locher. LeAnn is a regular contributor to Gay Rights Watch and a member of the board of directors for Q Center.

Spooktackluar photos courtesy of Marty Davis.

...And I'd like to introduce everyone to my generation. Zogby International along with Hamilton College in NY released their latest poll surveying hot button issues among high school seniors. Among the highlights:

Two-thirds of this year's high school graduates favor legal recognition of gay marriages, a view shared by just one-third of the adult population. According to a Hamilton College poll of high school seniors, the class of 2001 sides with gays on contentious issues from gay marriage to gay Scoutmasters. Comparisons with recent adult polls reveal that the graduates are consistently more liberal than older Americans on gay issues. But the poll also revealed that many graduates doubt they would be comfortable with gays in common social situations. And the Hamilton researchers found a solidly anti-gay minority, about 30 percent of the graduates, who have negative attitudes toward gays and conservative opinions on most gay issues.

Hamilton sociology professor Dennis Gilbert and his students collaborated with the polling firm Zogby International to conduct the Hamilton College Gay Issues Poll. This national telephone survey of 1,000 seniors has an expected margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percent. The poll was funded by Hamilton's Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center.

Highlights:

71 percent of the high school graduates polled by Hamilton vs. 54 percent of the adults surveyed by Gallup said that sexual relations between same-sex adults should be legal.

About half the graduates reported that they have heard classmates insult gay students by calling them "faggot, homo, dyke" or a similar name.

80 percent of Catholics support legal recognition of gay marriages, in direct opposition to official Church doctrine.

Eight out of 10 graduates say that gay men and lesbians should be "accepted by society."

77 percent agree that "gays contribute to society in unique and positive ways."

The anti-gay minority (about 30 percent of graduates) consists largely of highly religous Christians who regard homosexuality as a moral or religious question.

71 percent of graduates would allow gay men to serve as Scout leaders.

Posted by Bryan Harding

An anti-gay pastor busted for trying to pick up male prostitute decoy, just another example of the scathing hypocrisy within the hypo-Christian movement. Lonnie Latham, an executive committee member of the Southern Baptist Convention was arrested for propositioning a male plainclothes policeman outside a hotel, police said.

Lonnie Latham, senior pastor at South Tulsa Baptist Church, was booked into Oklahoma County Jail Tuesday night on a misdemeanor charge of offering to engage in an act of lewdness, police Capt. Jeffrey Becker said. Latham was released on bail.

Latham, who has spoken out against homosexuality, asked the officer to join him in his hotel room for oral sex. Latham was arrested and his 2005 Mercedes automobile was impounded.

The lewdness charge carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Latham is one of four Southern Baptist Convention executive committee members from Oklahoma.

Most disturbing... He has also spoken out against same-sex marriage and in support of a Southern Baptist Convention directive urging its 42,000 churches to befriend gays and lesbians and try to convince them that they can become heterosexual "if they accept Jesus Christ as their savior and reject their 'sinful, destructive lifestyle."

Hey Pastor - your own self-described 'sinful, destructive lifestyle' was just uncovered. Better start praying.

- Bryan Harding

Just wanted to give an update on the progress of the Martinez v. State of Oregon case. You might remember that a Marion County Court ruled that Measure 36 was constitutional as written - hence the appeal. The appeal was just recently filed December 21, 2005. Sorry about the delay in reporting this.

Briefing should begin in the next couple of months for all parties in the case which includes Basic Rights Oregon, the state and the anti-gay, self-proclaimed "Defense of Marriage Coalition" that placed the measure on the ballot. Arguments before the court will likely occur sometime mid-summer. The court could take several months to more than a year to rule.

Despite the lower court decision which upheld the measure, BRO remains optimistic about the possibility of overturning the measure.

"Basic Rights Oregon believes that Judge Guimond's thoughtful opinion, even though it did not contain the result we had hoped for, strongly positions our case for success in the Oregon Court of Appeals," said Basic Rights Oregon Communications Director Rebekah Kassell. "We believe in the strength of our arguments and that, ultimately, the Oregon Court of Appeals will uphold the fundamental principles of justice and equality under the law that our Constitution and State was founded on."

From what I can ascertain from the opinion, this optimism is not entirely unfounded. Judge Guimond's decision was to the point, but not hostile. In fact, he seemed almost apologetic for the final ruling, noting that he was bound by earlier court of appeals and supreme court rulings--decisions that BRO will ask the court to reconsider and that the court could overturn, paving the way for a plaintiff victory in this case.

The case undoubtedly will be appealed all the way to the Oregon Supreme Court - no matter who wins this next round.

-Bryan Harding

Resources on this case:
Measure 36 Unconstitutional?
Measure 36: More on Today's Ruling