San Diego Kindergartner Expelled From School For Having Two Moms, Because Jesus

Across the street from Mt. Erie Baptist Church in San Diego is Mt. Erie Christian Academy, an elementary school whose student population has just decreased by one due to institutionalized homophobia.

The parents of a 5-year-old girl were recently notified that their daughter would no longer be able to attend the school, where she’d also gone to preschool and summer camp.

Why? Because this girl has the audacity to have two moms, a fact her parents Lashaune and Sheena say was already known throughout the church community.

Related: School Won’t Let Student Bring Another Boy To Homecoming Dance, Warns Him About Murderous Gays

“They told us, ‘oh this is not about your child,’ but it is about my child,” said Sheena, who asked that her last name not be used.

“If we knew from the beginning that this was unacceptable, they didn’t condone or believe in this, if it was such a big deal, we would have never started her off there,” she continued. “I would never put my child’s emotional wellbeing in an unstable setting like that.”

Just a few days before school was to start, Lashaune and Sheena were called into the school for a meeting with the pastor.

After a prayer, he broke the news.

“It was heartbreaking,” Sheena said. “I didn’t finish the conversation with them when they took us in the room because I just, I didn’t want to look at them any longer.  I just couldn’t believe that they did that.”

The school’s nondiscrimination policy was revised in June 2015, and now reads:

Mt. Erie Christian Academy is a religious, Bible-believing institution providing education in a distinct Christian environment, and it believes that its biblical role is to work in conjunction with the home to mold students to be Christ like. On those occasions in which the atmosphere or conduct within a particular home is counter to or in opposition to the biblical lifestyle that the school teaches, the school reserves the right, within its sole discretion, to refuse admission of an applicant or to discontinue enrollment of a student. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, living in, condoning or supporting sexual immorality; practicing homosexual lifestyle or alternative gender identity; promoting such practices; or otherwise having the inability to support the moral principles of the school (Leviticus 20:13a; Romans 1:21-27; Matthew 19:4-6; I Corinthians 6:9-20).”

Current law gives private religious institutions, including schools, carte blanche to adopt and enforce any policy they claim is in line with their religious beliefs, including showing a 5-year-old the door because her parents are gay.

Related: Pastor To Gay High School Grads: “Congrats, But You’re Going To Hell!”

Some, like San Diego attorney Eugene Iredale, think that might change in the next five to ten years if a case like this were to be brought before the Supreme Court.

“Now the question is where do you draw the line?” Iredale said to local 10 News. “If you have a religion that believed in human sacrifice or amputation of the arm or the hand for theft, would we permit that in the interest of permitting the free practice of one’s religion? I don’t think so, and one could argue that psychologically… this is as devastating to the little 5-year-old girl as some of those other vicious practices.”

Meanwhile, Sheena and Lashuane’s daughter just wants her life back.

“I miss my friends. I miss my teachers,” she said.

Related: “Antigay Day” Held At Pittsburgh High School, “Lynch List” Circulated Among Students

Dan Tracer

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New Jersey Radio Producer Comes Out Live On Air: LISTEN

New Jersey radio producer Joe Votruba came out live on air on Friday during the Deminski & Doyle Show, which he produces. The off the cuff announcement caught radio hosts Jeff Deminski and Bill Doyle off guard.

Joe’s announcement came as the hosts and Joe were discussing whether it’s wise to be friends with your ex. During the chat, Joe said, “I can give you a story. This story has to come with an announcement first of all. I’m gay. But we’ll talk about that later.” From the show’s website:

We spent the hour debating whether or not it’s ever okay to remain friends with an ex. Joe chimed in with a story of his own, but he buried the lead. Little did we know that this was going to be the moment when Joe V decided to announce to the audience that he’s gay. We are so happy for him that he did, though!

After coming out, Joe took to social media to thank all those who offered him support and love after coming out on the air. Wrote Joe,

“While a lot of my friends and relatives were already aware of that fact that I’m gay, Friday afternoon was the first time I ever talked about that aspect of my life on the air. Your kind words in response have been so incredible and you are all truly amazing. I just want to say THANK YOU for your outpouring of love, support and acceptance. Stay hungry and stay free!”

Congratulations, Joe!

The post New Jersey Radio Producer Comes Out Live On Air: LISTEN appeared first on Towleroad.

Sean Mandell

www.towleroad.com/2015/09/new-jersey-radio-producer-comes-out-live-on-air-listen/

WATCH: Kim Davis Is the Very Model of a Modern Fundamentalist

A new YouTube video from La Strega Entertainment honors the satirical legacy of composers Gilbert and Sullivan by skewering renegade Kentucky clerk Kim Davis’ anti-gay crusade. While the “Major General’s Song” from Pirates of Penzance is one of the most widely parodied songs from the duos catalog, director Richard Kraft brings out the best in performer Rena Strober as she sings about the current worst religious zealot in America.

Watch below as Strober and Kraft slay Davis’ hypocritical version of Christianity.

Bil Browning

www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/2015/9/29/watch-kim-davis-very-model-modern-fundamentalist

Azealia Banks Is the Donald Trump of Rap
Azealia Banks is a lovely young individual. She is tactful, helpful, thoughtful and intelligent. Wise beyond her 24 years, this rap artist has a keen sense of the history of oppression. She acts according to her conscience and, in so doing, is a beacon of light for women of color and for those in the LGBT community.

When Ms. Banks tweets an astute message on her Twitter account that compares the LGBT community to “gay white KKKs,” I think to myself: Wow, how helpful! This young woman has so much to teach us!

She writes that she wants to “spray a gay man in the face with pepper spray” and dreams that a gay man will “be murdered and stuffed under a truck somewhere soon.” How refreshing! Words like these are doing so much to advance women and the LGBT community.

When she re-defines “faggot” for her own purposes to avoid being defined homophobic, I must shout out, “Yes! Let’s make up our own individual meaning for every word! Then we will not be responsible for anything that comes out of our mouths! Yes!” Thank you! She is an armadillo! (Note: I have decided that “armadillo” now means “strong, brave woman,” so it is now an expression of admiration!)

This week, she told a 47-year-old British actress to “Botox those frown lines. Juvederm those lips. Get a tan. YIKES!” This young rapper is amazingly helpful to those artists who are older than herself. As a 50-year-old, I will follow Ms. Banks’ sharp, insightful advice in order to improve my own…

STOP! Wait a moment, I have to take my tongue out of my cheek.

I had originally planned to write a post about this bratty young woman and her outrageous, angry tantrums, but I attempted to take the high road instead. Ms. Banks thinks that she is somehow advancing the cause for women of color and bisexual women, so I wanted to be as kind and respectful as possible. But it is difficult to maintain positive thoughts toward someone so mean-spirited.

If Ms. Banks were to read this, I am sure that she would lump me into the category of “gay white male bloggers” and dismiss anything I have to say because of my “gay male misogyny.” So why bother? I am not famous or influential enough for her to attack me on Twitter anyway. She has started media feuds with dozens of celebrities in the past few years. She posts outrageous messages on social media to get noticed. Her insults advance her career. She is the Donald Trump of rap.

She has a Trump-sized ego. She believes that her use of the word “faggot” has ignited the entire gay male community into a manic frenzy. She credits herself with exposing our weaknesses. She assumes she has been given “so much power” because of the firestorm created when she barked “fucking faggot” at a flight attendant this past week. She has even stated that she “INVENTED femininity, OK?” Anything that is “fabulous, feminine and clever”? She owns “AWWWWWLLLLL of this. It’s mine.”

Media attention is not power. She did not invent anything. She does not “own” fabulous. There are many other women who are more fabulous, more clever.

Before this week, I did not know Azealia Banks from Iggy Azalea, or from an azalea plant. I would venture to say that many Americans have never heard her music. She is a minor celebrity with a big mouth. If she wants to be an activist, she might re-think her tactics because she is apparently alienating some her own fans.

It is a waste of time to write about why Ms. Bank’s rants are ignorant to the history of oppression that she believes she is relieving. She is too young. Too brash. Too full of herself. I am a college professor and I have worked with young people like this before. She knows everything and is not prepared to learn anything.

Maybe when she is 47 years old and some up-and-coming opportunist rails against an old and ugly Azealia Banks, maybe then she will see things from a different perspective. But that will be in the year 2038, so I will not hold my breath. In the meantime, we should not bother giving this young woman much attention. She is purposefully provocative in order to advance her career. We do not have to take the bait.

— 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.

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Virgin, AmEX, IBM, Google, EY and other global giants unite to fight LGBTI discrimination

Fourteen global companies have come together to create a business-led coalition to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) inclusion around the world.

The launch of Open For Business will be announced today at The Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting in New York – a four-day event taking place at the Sheraton New York.

The initiative is being supported by American Express, AT&T, Brunswick, EY, Google, IBM, LinkedIn, Linklaters, MasterCard, McKinsey & Company, Royal Bank of Scotland, Standard Chartered, Thomson Reuters and Virgin Group.

The businesses argue that economies perform better and successful businesses thrive in societies that are open, diverse and inclusive. To back up their argument, they are issuing a report based on research carried out in the first half of 2015.

The report was produced, according to its executive summary, because, ‘The coalition identified the need for a stronger and more comprehensive evidence base that makes the business and economic case for LGB&T inclusion.’

The ‘Open For Business: the Economic and Business Case for LGB&T Inclusion’ report examines economic performance, business performance and individual performance. Key findings include:

• LGBTI discrimination often goes hand-in-hand with a culture of corrupt practices, a lack of openness and a weak civil society with poorly developed institutions.
• Companies that support inclusion and diversity are better able to compete for talented employees, and show higher rates of retention.
• LGBTI inclusion is associated with higher levels of innovation and more effective collaboration and teamwork.
• Individuals working in open, diverse, inclusive environments have higher levels of engagement and satisfaction, leading to greater productivity.
• Companies operating in countries with anti-LGBTO legislation face a variety of risks, including risks to employee safety and security, risks of non-compliance, and risks to brand and reputation.
• Companies not vocally supporting global LGB&T inclusion but promoting their diversity credentials at home may be accused of hypocrisy or ‘pink washing’.
• In a new survey of UK and US consumer attitudes, nearly half (47.5 percent) would support a boycott of companies working in countries that have anti-gay laws.
• More than half (52.5 percent) said they would be unlikely to support international development aid going to a country that has anti-gay laws.
• More than half (52 percent) would be unlikely to work for a company that does business in a country that has anti-gay laws
• More than half (51 percent) would be unlikely to go on vacation to a country that has anti-gay laws.

To follow up the report, members of the Open For Business coalition will hold global events over the coming 12 months to raise awareness of the business and economic case for LGB&T inclusion.

Randy Berry, US Department of State

One of the report’s forwards was written by Randy Berry, Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons, US Department of State. In a statement to announce the launch of Open For Business, he said:

‘Discriminatory laws are detrimental to business and economic development. They threaten the stability businesses desire, risk the safety of employees and jeopardize business interests all over the world.

‘Companies need to come together to promote policies and work environments that enable them to attract the best talent regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, it is the responsibility of all of us – government, civil society and business – to take a stand against discrimination and injustice.’

Joshua Graff, Senior Director at LinkedIn Europe, Middle East and Africa said, commenting on his firm’s involvement in the project, said, ‘We believe that a diverse workforce has a multitude of benefits for a business and for the individuals.

‘So anything that we can do to encourage diversity for our own team, our clients and our members around the globe is entirely in line with what we’re looking to accomplish. If you consider diversity specifically in terms of LGB&T rights, that’s why we’re part of Open For Business.’

Cynthia Marshall, SVP Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer at AT&T said, ‘Diversity and inclusion have long been a part of AT&T’s culture and operations, and our experience supports the coalition’s finding that successful businesses thrive in diverse and inclusive societies.

‘We support laws that prohibit discrimination everywhere we do business, and we’re proud to be a part of this coalition.’

Open For Business describes itself as an informal coalition that has been developed ‘in dialogue with a number of civil society organizations,’ including the the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Kaleidoscope Trust, the Human Rights Campaign, Stonewall, Out Leadership and OUTstanding, among others.

The Kaleidoscope Trust‘s Executive Director, Felicity Daly, told Gay Star Business that she welcomed the launch of Open For Business.

‘While it has long been clear to the Trust and to our partners around the world that there is an economic cost to the criminalization and persecution of LGBT people, having solid evidence, supported by some of the largest companies in the world, helps us to make that case to governments everywhere.

‘We’re delighted that our Programme Manager, Alistair Stewart, was invited to work with Open for Business to ensure that the perspectives of our international partners are at the very center of this report and are central to the work of Open for Business.’

The post Virgin, AmEX, IBM, Google, EY and other global giants unite to fight LGBTI discrimination appeared first on Gay Star News.

David Hudson

www.gaystarnews.com/article/virgin-amex-ibm-google-ey-and-other-global-giants-unite-to-fight-lgbti-discrimination/

Taking the Pulse of LGBT Healthcare in Arkansas

HRC Arkansas was excited to work with HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) team to encourage hospitals and clinics to create welcoming environments for LGBT patients and to participate in HRC’s HEI survey.
HRC.org

www.hrc.org/blog/entry/taking-the-pulse-of-lgbt-healthcare-in-arkansas?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Closeted Married Men Are Keeping Relationship Counselors Working 24/7

A sexologist in Winter Park, FL says he could “literally work 24 hours a day, seven days a week” because of all the people cheating on their significant others thanks to websites like Craigslist and Ashely Madison.

Related: Antigay GOP Leader Outed For Having Ashley Madison Account, Says It Was For “Research”

“The volume is that great,” Michael Rothenberg, sexologist and owner of onlinesexualaddiction.com, tells the Orlando Sentinel. “It’s becoming easier and easier to find a sexual partner.”

Rothenberg says many of the patients he works with are closeted married men who use the internet to find other guys to hook up with on the DL.

“I’ve had closeted gay men go on there,” he says. “Some people are on there because they’re curious, or curious to see if there are people on there that they know.”

Considering that a recent survey found 78 percent of Americans identify as heterosexual, but only 4 percent of that 78 percent said they were “100 percent heterosexual,” this doesn’t totally surprise us.

Related: Men Confess To Blackmailing Married Man Looking For Gay Sex On Grindr

Relationship counselor Tim Tedders agrees that these days it’s much easier than ever for married men, closeted or not, to locate hanky panky on the side.

“Way before technology, to have an affair it meant that you had to get into a car, go somewhere and hopefully you wouldn’t run into someone who knew you,” he says. “And now, it’s just waiting to be apart from your spouse and getting on your smartphone and going online and hooking up with someone.”

Rothenberg says he doesn’t believe the issue of will be going away anytime soon.

“There’s a sense of everybody is doing this, so it legitimizes it,” he says, “and I don’t see signs of it lessening. I think it’s going to get worse.”

Worse? We suppose that depends on who you’re asking.

Related: Five “Straight” Guys Who Have Grindr To Thank For Accidentally Coming Out

h/t: Sioux City Journal

Graham Gremore

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You’ll Never Guess The First Thing Michelle Obama Wants To Do After Leaving The White House: VIDEO

First Lady Michelle Obama was on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night and she talked about her post-White House plans come 2017.

So what’s the first thing the first lady is itching to do upon her return to ‘civilian’ life? Said Obama, “I wanna open a window! I want to go to Target! I want to drive!” Colbert quipped, “We’ll get you a canister of fresh air.”

One days as a treat my lead agent let me hgave the windows open on the way to Camp David. It was like five minuts out. He was like, ‘The window’s open! Enjoy it!’

As Mashable notes, Obama also shared some advice for whoever the next first spouse to enter The White House may be:

“Without naming names, if we have a female president next, would you leave a letter for her husband?” Colbert asked Obama. “What would you say? What’s the thing he needs to know more than anything else about the job?”

Obama replied: “Follow your passion; just be you.”

“I think he does,” Colbert said to a big laugh from the audience.

Watch below:

The post You’ll Never Guess The First Thing Michelle Obama Wants To Do After Leaving The White House: VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad.

Sean Mandell

www.towleroad.com/2015/09/youll-never-guess-the-first-thing-michelle-obama-wants-to-do-after-leaving-the-white-house-video/

WATCH: Zimbabwe's President Tells U.N.: 'We Are Not Gays!'

President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe took to the floor of the United Nations on Monday to speak out against LGBT rights. Complaining about “double standards,” the African leader declared his country’s dedication to “human rights” while denigrating efforts to raise awareness about the abuse of LGBT people in his nation.

“Respecting and upholding human rights is the obligation of all states, and is enshrined in the United Nations charter,” Mugabe told the gathered delegates. Then he played the victim card:

“Nowhere does the charter abrogate the right to some to sit in judgment over others, in carrying out this universal obligation. In that regard, we reject the politicization of this important issue and the application of double standards to victimize those who dare think and act independently of the self-anointed prefects of our time.”

“We equally reject attempts to prescribe “new rights” that are contrary to our values, norms, traditions, and beliefs,” he continued, before barking, “We are not gays!”

LGBT people face constant persecution in Zimbabwe and is often used as a whipping post for the country’s economic issues. Mugabe has often railed against LGBT rights, once saying gays and lesbians are “worse than pigs and dogs.”

The United States and other Western countries have threatened to cut aid to African nations that continue to arrest or physically abuse their LGBT citizens. In 2011, a member of Zimbabwe’s parliament was jailed for alleging that Mugabe’s homophobia hides his own homosexuality.

Mugabe has held firm to his anti-LGBT stance, insisting that LGBT people will never have civil rights in Zimbabwe, no matter the financial consequences.

“We say no to gay rights,” he said before the country adopted a new constitution. “We will not listen to those advocating for their rights in the new constitution. We say no to gays! We will not listen to those advocating the inclusion of their rights in the constitution.”

Watch below as Mugabe sounds off on LGBT rights, below.

Bil Browning

www.advocate.com/world/2015/9/29/watch-zimbabwes-president-tells-un-we-are-not-gays

Kerry Washington Offers Empowering Message To LGBT Youth

Actress Kerry Washington dropped in for AOL Build last week to discuss a number of topics, including winning GLAAD’s Vanguard Award earlier this year, and gave an empowering message to LGBTQ youth who are struggling.

“The notion that we are not enough is a lie. And I think more young people need to know that. When you have that thought that you’re not enough — that’s based on a lie… Somebody said or did something to you to make you feel like you’re not enough, and that’s not true. You are everything that you need to be,” she said. “You are exactly who you need to be.” Check out more below.

Also on HuffPost:

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