Daily Archives: August 5, 2015
Owner of Chicago-Area Gay Bar Admits to Arson Scheme
Owner of Chicago-Area Gay Bar Admits to Arson Scheme
Frank Elliott pleaded guilty to hiring an arsonist to torch the bar he owned, in a fire made to look like a hate crime.
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Trudy Ring
www.advocate.com/crime/2015/08/05/owner-chicago-area-gay-bar-admits-arson-scheme
Kentucky’s anti-gay Rowan County Clerk files lawsuit against governor in marriage license battle
Kentucky’s anti-gay Rowan County Clerk files lawsuit against governor in marriage license battle
Kentucky’s anti-gay Rowan County Clerk is suing the state’s governor for insisting that she and other clerks in the state issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Kim Davis has filed a lawsuit against Governor Steve Beshear alleging that he has violated her ‘religious freedom.’
Her lawsuit states: ‘The Commonwealth of Kentucky, acting through Governor Beshear, has deprived Davis of her religious-conscience rights guaranteed by the United States and Kentucky constitutions and laws, by insisting that Davis issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples contrary to her conscience, based on her sincerely held religious beliefs.’
Beshear sent a clear message last month to Davis and other county clerks in his state who continue to refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples following the US Supreme Court’s 26 June ruling that brought marriage equality to all 50 states: Do your job or quit.
‘When you voluntarily decide to run for office, and you win, and you raise your hand and you take the oath to uphold the Constitutions of the United States… that oath doesn’t say “I will uphold the parts of the Constitution that I agree with and won’t with the parts I don’t agree with,”‘ Beshear said during a press conference on 21 July.
He had added: ‘You can continue to have your own personal beliefs but, you’re also taking an oath to fulfill the duties prescribed by law, and if you are at that point to where your personal convictions tell you that you simply cannot fulfill your duties that you were elected to do, than obviously an honorable course to take is to resign and let someone else step-in who feels that they can fulfill those duties.’
Davis claims in her lawsuit that my insisting Davis issue licenses to same-sex couples, he has left her vulnerable to lawsuits.
Davis, who has been married four times, is being sued by the American Civil Liberties Union and wants the governor to pay for those and any other lawsuits filed against her by her constituents.
According to The Lexington Herald-Leader, Davis is seeking protection from ‘Kentucky’s marriage policies’ given her rights under the state’s religious-freedom law which protects ‘sincerely held religious beliefs’ from infringement unless there is ‘a compelling governmental interest.
The post Kentucky’s anti-gay Rowan County Clerk files lawsuit against governor in marriage license battle appeared first on Gay Star News.
Greg Hernandez
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Former Sportscaster Sues, Says Fox Fired Him for Antigay Religious Beliefs
Texas Must Recognize Gay Marriage On Death Certificate, Judge Rules
Texas Must Recognize Gay Marriage On Death Certificate, Judge Rules
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug 5 (Reuters) – A U.S. judge on Wednesday ordered Texas officials to recognize on a state death certificate the surviving spouse in a same-sex marriage whose husband died earlier this year.
The case comes as states such as Texas, which had barred same-sex marriage, grapple with changes brought by the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in June that made gay marriage legal in the United States.
Texas, where Republican leaders have tried to push back against gay marriage, had balked at recognizing John Stone-Hoskins as the surviving spouse on the death certificate of James Stone-Hoskins, according to court documents.
U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia in San Antonio ordered defendants including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, and the state’s acting health commissioner to appear in his court next week as he considers whether they should be held in contempt.
The two were not immediately available for comment.
John and James Stone-Hoskins were lawfully married in New Mexico in August 2014 and James died in January 2015.
Texas refused to recognize John as the surviving spouse at the time of the death and he is seeking to have Texas change its ways now that gay marriage is legal in all states.
He filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in federal court, which prompted the judge’s order. It said Texas has refused to fill in the space on the death certificate for surviving spouse.
Republican Governor Greg Abbott, Paxton, a county clerk and the acting health commissioner were named as defendants. None of them responded to requests for comment on the case.
“Although John has made numerous attempts to have James’s death certificate corrected to reflect John as James’s surviving spouse, Defendants refuse to make this correction – thus refusing to recognize John and James’s marriage,” the lawsuit said.
Neel Lane, an attorney for Stone-Hoskins, said the reason Texas officials refuse to put John’s name on the death certificate is because at the time his spouse died Texas was aggressively denying same-sex couples the right to marry.
“The only reason that he was denied that is because the state was intent on depriving him of his constitutional right,” he said.
(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Eric Beech)
— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
Judy Garland’s youngest daughter, Lorna Luft, undergoes mastectomy
Judy Garland’s youngest daughter, Lorna Luft, undergoes mastectomy
Lorna Luft has shared the news on Facebook that she has undergone a mastectomy.
The youngest daughter of gay icon Judy Garland shared the medical update in a Facebook post Wednesday (5 August).
‘I am recovering well,’ she writes. ‘Surrounded by family, friends and an outstanding team of doctors and nurses. I am especially grateful for the outpouring of love and support I have received from all of you. I am so blessed!’
Luft adds: ‘Looking forward to a very bright future.’
Luft, now 62, was still a teenager when her legendary mother died in 1969 at the age of 47 of an accidental drug overdose. She left behind Luft, her younger brother Joey Luft and older sister Liza Minnelli.
But she said earlier this year she doesn’t want anyone to think of Garland as a tragic figure.
‘We all have our problems, every single one of us,’ Luft told the Daily Express. ‘There has long been a myth about my mum being a tragic figure that has driven me nuts and it used to drive my mother nuts too. She never understood it because she truly wasn’t tragic.
‘She was incredibly warm and amazingly funny. She was smart and so gifted. She took us on the movie sets with her and at home she was a regular person.’
Luft toured the UK earlier this year with new show, Judy – The Songbook Of Judy Garland. In the show, she sang many songs made famous by her mother in such classic films as The Wizard of Oz, A Star is Born and Meet Me In St. Louis.
In addition to her work on the stage, Luft is best known for her role in the 1982 cult classic Grease 2 and was a cast member on the TV series Trapper John M.D.
The post Judy Garland’s youngest daughter, Lorna Luft, undergoes mastectomy appeared first on Gay Star News.
Greg Hernandez
www.gaystarnews.com/article/judy-garlands-youngest-daughter-lorna-luft-undergoes-mastectomy/
News: GOP Debate Drinking Game, Bernie Sanders, Beanie Babies, NOM
News: GOP Debate Drinking Game, Bernie Sanders, Beanie Babies, NOM
> Drinking game rules for Thursday’s GOP Debate.
> Actor Falk Hentschel cast as Hawkman on The Flash, Arrow and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.
> Which 2016 campaign logo is the worst?
> Archaeologists discover the entrance to biblical city of Gath.
> Henry Cavill stands on a couch.
> Gay Canadian talk show host Christopher Hyndman found dead in an alley at 49.
> Steven Tyler has a burning question for Lenny Kravitz.
> DC judge rescinds reduced sentence in anti-gay attack.
> Astronomers discover what appears to be the largest feature in the observable universe–a ring of nine gamma ray bursts (read: galaxies) 5 billion light years across.
> Bernie Sanders in statistical dead-heat with Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire.
> Beanie Babies unveil special Cecil the Lion plushie. 100% of proceeds are being donated to the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit.
> Idris Elba becomes the first man to cover Maxim magazine solo.
> Gay priest fired from Seton Hall University for his work to end anti-gay bullying has a new job.
> Jeb Bush: “I’m not sure we need half a billion dollars in funding for women’s health programs.”
> RuPaul’s Drag Race Drag Queens react to straight porn.
> Australia has a marriage equality hashtag problem.
> Clay Aiken on Donald Trump: “I kind of hope he decides to stick with it and maybe give people another option outside of the Republicans and Democrats.”
> Lexus has a hover board that reportedly works.
> Maine’s top court rules NOM must disclose its donor list.
The post News: GOP Debate Drinking Game, Bernie Sanders, Beanie Babies, NOM appeared first on Towleroad.
Sean Mandell
News: GOP Debate Drinking Game, Bernie Sanders, Beanie Babies, NOM
15 Harrowing Photos Show The Weight Of Discrimination
15 Harrowing Photos Show The Weight Of Discrimination
Facing discrimination every day is a tiring, never-ending battle that all too often goes unnoticed.
Two photographers are shedding light on these prejudices in a new project.
Created by Paula Akpan and Harriet Evans, the “I’m Tired” project highlights the negative impacts that result from different stereotypes. The photos feature people of all ethnicities and genders with a phrase written on their backs. Each phrase reflects an assumption or stereotype that they’re “tired” of hearing.
“I’m tired of being the angry black woman.”
“I’m tired of being told I’m too skinny for a guy.”
“I’m tired of men thinking they have the right to catcall me.”
The series deals with stereotypes of different identities including race, gender, sexuality and body image.
“Growing up, in a mostly Caucasian area, I had not [realized] until I was much older that the image of a black boy or man is often one of anger or aggression.”
“When we are able to relate to a picture on a deeply personal level, it brings about almost a feeling of camaraderie because there is someone out there who understands exactly how you feel and has been able to articulate in a way that hopefully informs many others,” co-creator of the project Paula Akpan told The Huffington Post.
After photographing each participant, Akpan and Evans asked them to explain their feelings in more detail in a written paragraph below their image.
Evans told HuffPost that they chose to write each “I’m tired” sentiment on the participants’ backs because it “means that it could be anyone saying it. Your postman, your best friend, or a complete stranger.”
“What is important to both Paula and myself is that someone is able to look at at least one of the pictures and either say ‘someone else is going through this too, it’s not just me, I am not alone,'” Evans said. “Or for them to have their minds opened to the discrimination that they may not normally bear witness to, or may not have considered in the past.”
Scroll below to see the Akpan’s and Evans’ riveting images.
If you’re interested in getting involved with or being featured in the “I’m Tired” project email the creators at [email protected] or check out the project’s Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr pages.
H/T Mic
Also on The Huffington Post:
— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
This 80s pop star is writing LGBTI-friendly songs for schools
This 80s pop star is writing LGBTI-friendly songs for schools
Songstress ViX Perks, lead singer/songwriter of all-girl chart band ‘We’ve Got a Fuzzbox and We’re Gonna Use It’ has continued to produce music through the decades and more recently to promote LGBTI inclusion.
After achieving worldwide success with chart hits including ‘Rules and Regulations’, ‘Pink Sunshine’ and ‘International Rescue’, ViX’s career has taken a different twist – she’s now a project manager and composer for LGBTI charity Educate & Celebrate.
As a patron of Educate & Celebrate, ViX has composed original songs with actions from children’s books that have a LGBTI friendly theme, to help kids celebrate differences.
Some of the books the songs are based on are internationally known such as ‘King and King’ by Linda De Haan and Stern Nijland about two princes who fall in love and marry.
Gay Star News interviewed Vix about her decision to promote LGBTI equality through her music:
Why did you want to decide to get involved with work with LGBTI young people?
As a Brummy born and bred, I am extremely proud to be part of a wonderfully diverse and tolerant community that celebrates difference. Therefore, I am very passionate about equality, which of course starts with equality in education. My late father, Roger Perks was a Headmaster who received an OBE for Services to Education; he believed that education was ‘The Golden Key’ to change, opportunity and success. He would be very proud of me I’m sure!
What made you choose Educate & Celebrate?
I wanted to be involved with a forward thinking, vibrant, creative and exciting organisation and to make a real difference. I see the difference we make every single time we work with students, staff, parents etc. We challenge with common sense, with humour… and with the law! The Equality Law means nothing if we say it’s ok to be homophobic but not to be racist!
What is your personal favourite of all the songs you have written as primary school resources and why?
Ooh… that’s tricky! I love them all! I wanted to write in a fair variety of styles, from nursery rhyme Mama, Mommy and Me to the big anthemic We Are All Born Free. Current faves are probably The Odd Egg, The Crocodile Who Didn’t Like Water and 10,000 Dresses. It was really fun composing for these fab books. I’d love to create videos for these songs – maybe with Makaton signing!
Any chance of a ‘We’ve Got a Fuzzbox…’ reunion?
We released the single Pop Muzik and toured the UK in 2010 which was ace! Sadly, we lost Jo to cancer not long after this, so I’m really grateful we had this opportunity to gig and have fun together. Maggie and I are currently writing a book about Fuzzbox, which is going to be bostin and there is a lot of interest for us to go out and do the retro/80s festivals, so who knows! Watch this space…!
What is a ‘Fuzzbox’?
Well, you with the filthy minds can think what you like (cough cough! Do remember we were 16 year old innocent schoolgirls!) but a fuzzbox is actually a distortion pedal for a bass or guitar to make it sound fuzzy!
Elly Barnes, CEO of Educate & Celebrate said:
‘Vix is a super talented coach, performer and composer and can work and enthuse students of all ages; The results of her work with young people have resulted in an EP of equality songs, stunning performances in our showcases and now a whole SING-A-LONG with Educate & Celebrate songbook of 25 songs for all to download for free. We are planning further LGBTI-inclusive projects together to engage more schools in our programme as music and movement is fun and accessible to all.’
The post This 80s pop star is writing LGBTI-friendly songs for schools appeared first on Gay Star News.
Mel Spencer
www.gaystarnews.com/article/this-80s-pop-star-is-writing-lgbti-friendly-songs-for-schools/
