April 11, 2006
A free twice-weekly news summary for the LGBT community




Headlines
Virginia gov refuses to sign marriage amendment Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, a Democrat, has refused to sign a measure that puts an anti-gay marriage amendment on a statewide ballot this November, a move his spokesman called "symbolic and relatively rare." The governor, who was not able to veto the legislation, urged voters to reject it, saying the amendment's "broad wording" goes far beyond simply limiting marriage rights to heterosexual couples. Richmond Times-Dispatch (Va.) (4/11), The Washington Post (free registration) (4/11)
Issues & Legislation
NAACP leader: Marriage rights are civil rights Rev. Nelson B. Rivers III, chief operating officer of the NAACP, urged black leaders in South Carolina to oppose a state constitutional amendment banning legal marriage for same-sex couples. "Equality is what we must stand on. We cannot be afraid and surrender the higher ground for moral principal," said Rivers, citing the debate as a civil rights issue. The State (Columbia, S.C.) (4/11)
Online profiles prompt expulsion of gay students Twenty-year-old Jason Johnson was expelled last week from the University of the Cumberlands for revealing his homosexuality on MySpace. The expulsion follows gay student Michael Guinn's dismissal from John Brown University in January, after some of his Xanga postings violated "campus lifestyle guidelines." MTV (4/11)
Other News

Gay CBS News employees attacked in St. Maarten ABCNEWS 4/11

Gay-friendly candidate leads Italy's national election 365Gay.com 4/11

Logo network rejects gay-friendly church's ad PlanetOut.com 4/10
Political Landscape
Egg Roll politics The White House has refused comment on the planned attendance of about 200 gay families, to be identified by rainbow leis, at the annual Easter Egg Roll scheduled for Monday, other than to say all families are welcome. Organizers at the Family Pride Coalition insist the families will be there not to protest, but to be visible. Detractors called that claim "facetious and not very persuasive." The New York Times (free registration) (4/11)
Religious conservatives argue their right to intolerance Some religious conservatives contend that discrimination laws intended to protect gays and lesbians are illegal, infringing on their right to religious expression. "[But] what if a person felt their religious view was that African Americans shouldn't mingle with Caucasians, or that women shouldn't work?" asked Jon Davidson, legal director of the gay rights group Lambda Legal. Los Angeles Times (free registration) (4/11)
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Business & Enterprise
Study: Gays, lesbians more likely to book travel online Gays and lesbians are more likely to book travel online than heterosexuals, according to a new study from Harris Interactive. The group found that 79% of gays and lesbians book online, compared to 54% of heterosexuals, and 16% of gays and lesbians said the way the hotel treats them is in the top three considerations when picking a hotel for business purposes, compared to 4% of non-gays. ModernAgent.com (4/11)

Queen Mary 2 chartered for all-gay cruise: PlanetOut travel brand RSVP Productions will charter Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 for an all-gay and lesbian May 2007 transatlantic sailing. The company specializes in tours tailored to the gay and lesbian market. Travel Agent (4/7)
Gay retirement centers underscore LGBT aging issues The Palms of Manasota, "America's First Gay & Lesbian Retirement Community" has opened in Palmetto, Fla., with more expected across the country. Amber Hollibaugh, a senior strategist at the Task Force, said LGBT seniors are sometimes less likely to seek out essential services. Metro Weekly (4/11)
Community Review
Theron honored at GLAAD Media Awards The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation awarded Charlize Theron its Vanguard Award for increasing "visibility and understanding in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community." Theron and her partner Stuart Townsend refuse to wed until LGBT couples are granted the same right. FOXNews.com (4/11)
SmartQuote
At 76, when you're dealing with bad knees, homophobia is the last thing you want to deal with."
-- Amber Hollibaugh, a senior strategist for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, speaking about the challenges presented by an aging LGBT population.



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