QueensSpeech - gay news

City GOP takes decries inclusive Fort Worth policies

A task force appointed in the wake of the violent Stonewall-Day police raid at the Rainbow Lounge, a Fort Worth gay bar, recommended that the city adopt policies that would make it more inclusive for LGBT citizens.

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Another weird Haggard switch – is he or isn’t he starting a church?

Ex-Gay Watch, the blog that’s always so good about tracking such things, reports today, “Ted Haggard, the evangelical pastor exposed in 2006 as a homosexual and adulterer, has started a regular prayer meeting in his Colorado home.

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My Twitter #FollowFriday #lists. Please follow

I doubt there’s anyone who’s likely to see this post on a news-blog that doesn’t already know all about Twitter, but in just in case there are a few, skip down to my own little intro to the service and recommendation that you give it a try.

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No ‘excessive force’ at Rainbow Lounge, official reports say

Fort Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead announced at a Thursday press conference that an internal department investigation has concluded that his officers did not use “excessive force” during a June raid at a Fort Worth gay club, the Rainbow Lounge.

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Man charged in LI hate crime says ‘God made me hate gay people’

Robert Bellamy

A man who was arrested on Long Island and charged with beating up two men he thought were gay told police, “God made me hate gay people," court records show.

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Election note: Ref 71 finally called ‘approved’ by AP

Although it’s been obvious for a day or so, Associated Press is now calling Referendum 71 approved.

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Item: NY governor calls special session; Marriage on agenda

   ::: New York Governor David Paterson today issued an official proclamation setting up special session of the legislature on Tuesday, New York Observer reports.

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NH conservatives now hope to repeal marriage equality there

Fired up by the victory Tuesday for the anti-gay campaign in Maine, a group of conservative legislators and activists in New Hampshire are planning to attack that state’s marriage equality law, which – like Maine’s was passed by the legislature last spring.

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Item: Rumor confirmed – Advocate to become Out insert

   ::: The blog of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association confirmed today a press-industry rumor first reported last week by Queerty: The Advocate will no longer be available as a standalone magazine, but will be included as in insert with Out, another magazine also published by Here Media.

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Must read: Report – Health care reform benefits could be blocked by DOMA

Washington Blade’s Chris Johnson reports that the health care reform bill unveiled Monday by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi could could restrict benefits from flowing to LGBT people.

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Advocates and couples try to make sense of Tuesday’s ‘devastating’ vote results

Source: Bangor News, Associated Press, Portland Press Herald, San Francisco Chronicle, Seattle Times

“Devastating” is an adjective often used in press articles to describe the results of Maine’s vote on Question 1 Tuesday that denies marriage rights to the state’s gay and lesbian couples.

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Video: Daily Show take on Question 1

After an election like Tuesday’s a bit of humor is welcome relief. Jon Stewart does offers a funny summary of Maine’s vote on Question 1.

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Item: Wisconsin high court turns away challenge to DP law

   ::: Wisconsin’s Supreme Court today declined refused to hear a constitutional challenge to the state's new domestic partnership law for same-sex couples, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

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Item: Ref 71 approval rate approaches 52 percent

   ::: The approval percentage for Washington’s Referendum 71 has reached nearly 52 percent in the latest figures from the secretary of state’s office, which were released at 4:43 pm PST.

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Item: Report expected to mostly clear Rainbow raid officers

   ::: At a press conference tomorrow, Forth Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead will announce the results of a long-anticipated internal investigation by his department of a June raid on Rainbow Lounge, a gay club in Fort Worth, a police spokesman confirmed today.

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Video: Colbert explains why Mormons ‘nailed-em’ for kiss

As only he can, Stephen Colbert, gives the Report treatment to the July detention by Mormon church security guards of a gay couple, Derek Jones and Matt Aune, who were charged with “criminal trespass” after they shared a kiss on the cheek while they walked through a generally public plaza in Salt Lake City which is owned by the church.

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Razor thin margin still favors partner rights in Washington

While voters in Maine rejected a law offering full equality in marriage rights to gay and lesbian Mainers, voters on the opposite side of the continent appeared to give tenuous support to a measure that would give slightly more limited rights to gay and lesbian Washingtonians.

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Kalamazoo voters resoundingly support equal rights

Andrea Siferd, 26, left, was one of dozens of exuberant One Kalamazoo supporters who cheered news that the city’s anti-discrimination measure had passed photo: Kalamazoo Gazette

Through a decisive vote in favor of the anti-bias measure, Kalamazoo last night became the 16th city in Michigan to adopt an ordinance protecting its gay, lesbian, and transgender citizens from discrimination.

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Downcast crowd helpless as Maine’s voters strip rights from LGBT citizens

The defenders of marriage equality in Maine last night were downcast as they left a hotel ballroom where hundreds had gathered to watch election returns trickle in last night.

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Victory in Kalamazoo -- Election notes (updated regularly)

7 pm PST:

Several hopeful results are coming in from Maine.

Bangor News (@bangordailynews) reports on its Twitter feed at 15:57 PST: “Q1 "no" leads with 51%” (A ‘no’ vote retains marriage equality.

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