New Study: Anti-Gay Prejudice Increases Health Risks for Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals

A new study by the Williams Institute suggests that lesbians, gays and bisexuals have an increased risk of physical health problems as a result of prejudice-related stress. According to the senior author of the report, Dr. Ilan H. Meyer, the study shows that "stigma and prejudice have a great toll on the health of LGB people. Prejudice-related life events are more damaging to the physical health of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals than any other kind of stressful life event." Dr. David M. Frost states that the findings demonstrate "a clear need for interventions and policy change to reduce the stigma surrounded sexual minorities that is still prevalent in society."

http://www.sdgln.com/health/2011/09/05/new-studyanti-gay-prejudice-increases-health-risks-gays-lesbians-and-bisexuals

Anti-Gay Hysteria in Ghana

It was only two months ago that a Ghanaian minister, Paul Evans Aidoo, began urging the citizens of Ghana to report suspected homosexuals to the police in an effort to "get rid of these people in the society." In August, the Presbyterian Church of Ghana began stepping up efforts to "cure" homosexuals through the pseudo-science of reparative therapy. Sam P. Yalley, former Ghana Deputy Minister, has recently compared homosexuality to genocide, saying:

"Genocide results in the extermination of the human race and if you expand the meaning of homosexuality to mean that a man cannot have a child with another man then it means that that practice would lead to the extermination of mankind and therefore for me if I am to charge anybody apart from having unnatural carnal knowledge, I would also charge him with genocide and see how he can get out of that situation. If you are a man and you are having carnal knowledge with a man how are you going to have a child?"

Now, GhanaWeb is reporting an unprecedented anti-gay propaganda campaign, with prominent religious leaders calling gays "unbiblical, un-African, abnormal and filthy" and a Ghanaian legislator saying that gays could legally be lynched just like robbers. If this trend continues, Ghana could become the next Uganda for the LGBT community.

"Paul Evans Aidoo's Ghana gay spy call 'promotes hatred'":
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14250170
"Ghanaian Church Aims to Pray Away the Gay":
http://www.care2.com/causes/ghanan-church-aims-to-pray-away-the-gay.html
"Ghana: Homosexuals Commit Genocide By Having Sex And Must Be Arrested":
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/ghana-homosexuals-commit-genocide-by-having-sex-and-must-be-arrested/politics/2011/09/03/26352
"Ghana’s Growing Gay Pride Faces Evangelical Backlash":
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=217497

Rep. Duncan Hunter Attempts to Obstruct DADT Repeal

In yet another effort to hinder the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) has drafted a bill which would protect troops who openly express anti-gay views. The text of the bill, known as the "Don't Pressure Me!" bill, is as follows:

To amend Public Law 111-321 (Dont’ Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010) to require that… members of the Armed Forces are not pressured to approve of another person’s sexual conduct if that sexual conduct is contrary to the personal principles of the members.

Yet while this amendment would certainly have a negative effect on unit cohesion, The Army Times notes that it probably will not pass: "Hunter has tried several times to block or undermine repeal of the ban on open service by gays but has been blocked at every step by the Senate’s refusal to take up any legislation modifying the repeal law."

Think Progress article on the bill here:
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2011/09/01/310195/duncan-hunter-discourages-unit-cohesion-dont-pressure-troops-to-accept-gay-conduct/

Army Times article here:
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/08/military-hunter-dont-ask-dont-tell-083011w/

California Senate Passes Anti-Bullying Law

Seth's Law, named for a 13-year-old California student who hung himself in his backyard after bullies targeted him for being gay, has passed the CA state senate and is expected to be signed by Gov. Jerry Brown. Seth's Law will "make schools provide bullying complaint forms on their websites, give schools a timeline to investigate and resolve complaints and have them post policies throughout campuses."

Full story here:
http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x682452439/Seths-Law-anti-bullying-bill-heads-to-governor

Uganda’s Family Life Network Calls for Passage of Anti-Homosexuality Bill

As Warren Throckmorton reports, Stephen Langa of the Family Life Network has launched the "Pass the Bill Now Campaign", urging the Ugandan parliament to approve the draconian anti-homosexuality law which would, among other things, make homosexuality a capital offense. Langa, who organized the 2009 Kampala conference attended by Scott Lively and other anti-gay evangelicals, stated in a press release that as we speak "[t]he molestation, recruitment and defilement of our children is still going on unabated and with impunity."

You can view the press release in its entirety at Warren Throckmorton's blog:
http://wthrockmorton.com/2011/09/03/ugandas-family-life-network-calls-for-passage-of-anti-homosexuality-bill/

Welcome Oliver Mushtare, 1L, to the WNE OUTlaw Blawg

Please welcome Oliver Mushtare, 1L, to the WNE OUTlaw Blawg! As evidenced by the last three posts, Oliver is off to a great start. We are so excited to have him join OUTlaw and help us keep the blawg up-to-date with LGBTQ legal news for the WNE Law community.

You can reach Oliver or any of the other members of OUTlaw by emailing us at outlaw.wnec@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

Piers Morgan Questions Rick Santorum Over Anti-Gay Rhetoric

In an interview with former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Rick Santorum, Piers Morgan asks him about his critical views on homosexuality:

Five Things ‘Nightline’ Could Have Done Better In Its Special On Transgender Children

Nightline recently ran a special on transgender children, and Think Progress provides a list of five things they could have done better. The link also has the entire special if you feel inclined to watch it:
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2011/09/01/309882/five-things-nightline-could-have-done-better-in-its-special-on-transgender-children/

Hung Jury in Brandon McInerney's Murder Trial

A jury was unable to reach a verdict in the murder trial of 17-year-old Brandon McInerney, who is accused of shooting his fellow classmate, Lawrence King, for being gay. McInerney's defense attorneys appear to be using the notorious "gay panic defense", claiming that he shot King twice in the back of the head at point-blank range because King constantly flirted with him.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/09/gay-slaying-jury.html

Election Results

Congratulations to OUTlaw's 2011-2012 Executive Board and Representatives!

President: Erika Scibelli, 3L
Vice President: Caitlin Childs, 3L
Treasurer: Shiona Heru, 2L
Secretary: Chris Burnett, 1L
SBA Liaison: James Ackley, 1L
3L Representative: Aimee Lemay-Hammond
2L Representative: Amber Gould
1L Representative, Section 1: Josh Goldberg
1L Representatives, Section 2: Kaley Lentini, Oliver Mushtare
Social Chair: Jackie Bouchereau, 3L