Brandon McInerney Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison

Months after Brandon McInerney's trial ended in a hung jury, the teen has now been sentenced to 21 years in prison in exchange for pleading guilty to second-degree manslaughter and voluntary manslaughter. McInerney, who fatally shot Lawrence "Larry" King in the back of the head in 2008 for being gay, will be 38 years-old by the time he is released. McInerney's defense painted the picture of a student who could no longer stand King's repeated sexual advances, but in reality McInerney was a budding white supremacist who owned a copy of "Mein Kampf", had a notebook filled with Nazi symbols and associated with a racist gang called the S.S.L. This news, however, has not stopped anti-gay figures such as the American Family Association's Bryan Fischer and Save California's Randy Thomasson from blaming King's death on his own "flamboyant behavior" and portraying McInerney as the real victim.

Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Supports Gay Rights

It was only last year that the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai, publicly supported the radical anti-gay views of President Robert Mugabe, who has called gays and lesbians "worse than pigs and dogs." Now Tsvangirai has reversed his position on the subject, saying the rights of gays and lesbians should be protected by the new Zimbabwean constitution that is currently being drafted. In an interview with the BBC Tsvangirai said, "It's a very controversial subject in my part of the world. My attitude is that I hope the constitution will come out with freedom of sexual orientation, for as long as it does not interfere with anybody." He then added that "To me, it's a human right." This is a strong sign of progress in a nation where homosexuality is currently illegal.

Herman Cain Calls Homosexuality a "Sin" and a "Choice"



In a recent interview with Piers Morgan, Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain stated that it is his belief that homosexuality is a "sin" as well as a "choice." When Piers Morgan pressed further, asking Cain if he really believed this, Cain responded by demanding scientific evidence to the contrary. While the science surrounding sexual orientation is complex, a 2006 study showed a correlation between male homosexuality and the number of older male (biological) siblings. In 2007, researchers discovered that by altering a specific gene in fruit flies they could effectively make the flies bisexual. In 2008 it was reported that a gene found in gay men caused an increase in fertility when present in women, which may partly explain the genetic components of male homosexuality as well as explain why homosexuality has survived natural selection. And just last year, a study showed that the deletion of a specific gene in female mice during the embryo stage effectively turned the mice into lesbians. In other words, science is increasingly demonstrating that same-sex attraction is far from a choice, in spite of Herman Cain's objections.

If Elected Michele Bachmann Would Reinstate "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

On Tuesday evening, Presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann (R-MN) made a conference call to supporters of the Faith and Freedom Coalition in which she promised that, if elected, she would reinstate the anti-gay "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. This, of course, lends further support to critics of a recent 9th Circuit decision to dismiss the ongoing legal challenge to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Legal Challenge to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Dismissed

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has dismissed a seven-year-old suit challenging the constitutionality of the anti-gay "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy on the grounds that, since the policy has officially been repealed, the legal controversy has now ended and rendered the case moot. Over a year ago a federal judge ruled in Log Cabin Republicans v. United States that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was a violation of gay, lesbian and bisexual soldiers' First and Fifth Amendment rights. Now, if a future Congress decided to reinstate the policy, opponents would have to start a new lawsuit from scratch in order to challenge it. Jon Davidson of Lambda Legal, a prominent LGBT civil rights organization, issued a statement saying that the 9th Circuit's decision to dismiss the suit effectively ignores the 14,000 servicemen and women who lost their jobs and benefits since DADT was enacted in 1993.

Leisha Hailey Escorted Off of Southwest Airlines for Kissing Girlfriend

Actress and musician Leisha Hailey (of The L Word, The Murmurs and Uh Huh Her fame) was reportedly escorted off a Southwest Airlines flight for the act of kissing her girlfriend Camila Grey. Following the incident Hailey sent out a series of angry Tweets:

According to a joint statement issued by Hailey and Grey, they shared a modest kiss before being asked to leave the plane and were told by the flight attendant that they "needed to be aware that Southwest Airlines was a family oriented airline." In response to this statement, Southwest Airlines issued one of their own, claiming that customers complained of an "excessive public display of affection" and that the couple was removed for their "aggressive reaction" to Southwest's treatment. That being said, The Daily Beast has compiled a list of similar incidents  in which Southwest customers may have faced discrimination, including forcing Kevin Smith off of one flight due to his weight.

Archbishop Timothy Dolan: Gay Marriage Could Cause "National Conflict"

Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York has sent a letter to President Obama warning him that same-sex marriage, and particularly his administration's decision to end its legal defense of the Defense of Marriage Act, could "precipitate a national conflict between church and state of enormous proportions." Archbishop Dolan wrote that he and other Bishops have a "growing sense of urgency about recent actions taken" by the Obama Administration that "both escalate the threat to marriage and imperil the religious freedom of those who promote and defend marriage." He then goes on to criticize those who frame same-sex marriage in the context of a civil rights struggle, saying that it is "especially wrong and unfair to equate opposition to redefining marriage with either intentional or willfully ignorant racial discrimination." This is is not the first time that Archbishop Dolan has made controversial statements regarding gay rights. In an April 2009 interview with The New York Post, Dolan defended his opposition to gay marriage by saying "hard-wired into us is a dictionary, and the dictionary defines marriage as between one man, one woman for life, please God, leading to the procreation of human life." In a March 2011 interview on 60 Minutes he said that gay marriage is akin to marrying one's biological mother. In June 2011, Dolan compared the legalization of gay marriage in New York to living in a totalitarian state such as North Korea.

John Eastman Replaces Maggie Gallagher as NOM Board Chair

Maggie Gallagher has officially stepped down as the board chair of the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage (NOM). She has officially been replaced by John C. Eastman whose credentials are listed in NOM's official press release on the matter:

"Dr. John Eastman is the former Dean of Chapman University Law School in California and is the Founding Director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, a public interest law firm associated with the Claremont Institute. He has participated in over 50 cases in our nation’s highest courts, including such landmark cases as the Pledge of Allegiance case, the Boy Scouts of America case, the Ohio school vouchers case, the Kelo case involving property takings, and the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act case. Dr. Eastman is a former clerk to United States Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. He received his J.D. from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in government and political philosophy from Claremont Graduate School.

…John Eastman stated, 'Marriage has quite correctly been described as a bedrock of civilization. Protecting the institution of marriage is a critically important issue, and I’m honored to join such distinguished company on the Board of such a phenomenally effective organization as the National Organization for Marriage.'"

As an article for Advocate.com states, Eastman is hardly a better choice than Gallagher, who will ultimately remain on the board but devote her time to writing an anti-gay book entitled Debating Same-Sex Marriage.

Focus on the Family Donates Anti-Gay Books to Public School Libraries

Although Focus on the Family has taken the viewpoint that "Banned Book Week" was created by extremists and actively censors conservative Christians, they have decided to donate anti-gay reading material to public school libraries. CitizenLink, a Focus on the Family affiliate, created a list of books one can donate in order to promote "true diversity." Approved books on the list include Leaving Homosexuality and Someone I Love is Gay, the latter of which asserts that a benefit of being afflicted with AIDS is developing a "renewed passion for God."

Buffalo Teen Commits Suicide Over Anti-Gay Bullying

Sad news from Buffalo, NY: 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer was found dead outside his home in an apparent suicide. Prior to his death he was subjected to vicious homophobic bullying at school. Rodemeyer often blogged about these experiences, and wrote in a Sept. 8th entry that he was called anti-gay slurs by other students. Unfortunately for Jamey the taunting didn't end when he left school. He received numerous anonymous messages on his blog such as this:

"JAMIE IS STUPID, GAY, FAT ANND UGLY. HE MUST DIE!"

"I wouldn't care if you died. No one would. So just do it :) It would make everyone WAY more happier!"

On Sunday at 1:30 AM he posted a message on his blog giving thanks to Lady Gaga and expressing his desire to see his great-grandmother who recently passed away. It was his final blog entry.

The death of Jamey Rodemeyer was a particularly tragic one, but we should all remember that this teen (described as a "friend to the friendless" by his peers) was a tireless anti-bullying advocate who once took part in the It Gets Better Project. Here is Jamey's video from May, 2011:

The End of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Yesterday the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", a policy which barred openly gay and lesbian Americans from serving in the armed forces, officially took effect. While this move does not affect transgender Americans, who are still not allowed to serve, and will not reinstate soldiers discharged while it was in place, this is still an historic time for America. Now gay, lesbian and bisexual soldiers who defend our nation will no longer be required to hide their true feelings and identities for fear of losing their jobs. One soldier took the opportunity to call his father and reveal that he is a gay man--his father assured him that he loves him unconditionally and that this would not affect their relationship in any way. OutServe Magazine published names and photos of 101 courageous soldiers who were previously forced to live their lives in the closet. Navy Lt. Gary Ross finally married his partner of eleven years in Vermont. The Marine Corps spent time deleting multiple references to "homosexual conduct" from their regulations handbook. While the controversy surrounding DADT is far from over, this is a major step in the right direction.

Rep. Sally Kern Says Gays Are Worse Than Terrorists

Rep. Sally Kern (R-OK) stated during a radio talk show appearance with Peter LaBarbera (head of the certified hate group Americans for Truth About Homosexuality) that gays and gay sex are greater threats to the safety of America than terrorism:

"You know if you just look at it in practical terms, which has destroyed and ended the life of more people? Terrorism attack here in America or HIV/​AIDS? In the last twenty years, fifteen to twenty years, we’ve had maybe three terrorist attacks on our soil with a little over 5,000 people regrettably losing their lives. In the same time frame, there have been hundreds of thousands who have died because of having AIDS. So which one’s the biggest threat? And you know, every day our young people, adults too, but especially our young people, are bombarded at school, in movies, in music, on TV, in the mall, in magazines, they’re bombarded with ‘homosexuality is normal and natural.’ It’s something they have to deal with every day. Fortunately we don’t have to deal with a terrorist attack every day, and that’s what I mean.

...

It’s more dangerous, and yes I think that it’s also more dangerous because it will tear down the moral fiber of this nation. We were founded as a nation upon the principles of religion and morality, if we take those out from under our society we will lose what has made us a great nation, we will no longer be a virtuous people, which we see happening already. And without virtue this nation will not survive."

This, however, is hardly surprising given that Rep. Kern has used such inflammatory rhetoric in the past.

Tennessee Students Fight to Have Gay Straight Alliance

Students at Sequoyah High School in Madisonville, TN believe that a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) would be very important at their school. Nathan Carroll, a senior at the school, says he has been bullied and harassed for being gay most of his life and that at SQHS anti-gay remarks such as "God hates gays" are commonplace. Yet the children who have been trying to establish a GSA have been threatened with suspension if they continue trying to get support for it.

Article and video here.

Rep. James Forrester Calls Gays "Unhealthy"

Rep. James Forrester (R-NC), the primary sponsor of an amendment to the North Carolina constitution which would prohibit same-sex marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships, recently gave an anti-gay speech at a town hall meeting in which he claimed that gays are "unhealthy" and have shorter lifespans than heterosexuals:

"At least 20 years is taken off a homosexual's life, if they practice homosexuality, due to the increased death rate from AIDS, and hepatitis, and all of the other related factors to that. That doesn't seem to discourage them from practicing this unhealthy lifestyle. I'm trying to talk with them. And I've got a few homosexual patients, and I treat them just the same as anybody else. I love them. Perhaps even more, because I know they're going to die at least 20 years earlier. We need to reach out to them and try to get them to change their lifestyle back to the normal lifestyle which we can accept. It's a new day in Raleigh. This could really make a mark on society as we know it."

However, in spite of the audience giving Forrester a standing ovation and his assurances that his marriage amendment will pass, 57% of North Carolinians support same-sex marriage or civil unions according to a recent Elon University Poll.

U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke Honors Homophobic Artist

At the recent “Reggae Rhythm and Blues Festival”, Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY) presented reggae singer Beenie Man with an award and welcomed him to the U.S., calling him an "outstanding performer" and saying he "made all Jamaicans proud." Beenie Man, like fellow murder musician Buju Banton, is well-known for his intensely homophobic views and song lyrics. From the "Dancehall Dossier":

"Han Up Deh":

Han chi chi gal wid a long piece of rope

[Hang lesbians with a long piece of rope]

"Damn":

I'm dreaming of a new Jamaica, come to execute all the gays

"Batty Man Fi Dead" [Queers Must Be Killed]:

All batty men fi dead!

[All faggots must be killed!]

From you f--- batty den a coppa and lead

[If you f--- ass, then you get copper and lead [bullets]]

Nuh man nuh fi have a another man in a him bed.

[No man must have another man in his bed.]

"Roll Deep":

Roll deep motherf-----, kill p-----sucker

[P---- -sucker: a lesbian.]

Tek a Bazooka and kill batty-f---er

[Take a bazooka and kill bum-f---ers [gay men]]

Beenie Man remains unapologetic for his violent, anti-LGBT song lyrics. You can watch the video of the award presentation here:

10 Anti-Gay Myths Debunked

The Southern Poverty Law Center, a prominent civil rights organization, thoroughly debunks ten of the most pernicious anti-gay myths used by the far-right, including the notions that homosexuals molest children at higher rates than heterosexuals, that no one is born homosexual and that people who identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual were often abused as children. Certainly worth reading:
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2010/winter/10-myths

Three Men Executed for Sodomy in Iran

On September 4th, six men were hanged in Iran's Karoun prison, three of whom were convicted of sodomy. According to human rights groups, Iranian authorities often try to prevent international controversy by claiming those who are executed for homosexual relations are actually being executed for rape. In this case, the men in question were found to have violated articles 108 and 110 of the Iranian Islamic penal code. The text of both articles makes it clear that the executions were indeed for homosexuality:

Article 108: "Sodomy (or Lavat) is sexual intercourse between men"

Article 110: "Punishment for sodomy is killing; the Sharia judge decides on how to carry out the killing"

Full story at Iran Human Rights:
http://iranhr.net/spip.php?article2227

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/

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/

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: