This morning, for a few minutes at least, the Valentine's Day messages on Twitter included one that didn't sit too well with LGBT equality advocates. The "#FagDay" hashtag was trending as the No. 3 most popular trend on Twitter worldwide at 9:15 a.m.

Some users of the social media service were offended:

By 9:35 a.m., however, the topic had been replaced as the No. 3 trending topic by the, perhaps inevitable, "Gaga Is Our Valentine."

UPDATE: Some are claiming that the "#FagDay" hashtag was relating to the British slang for cigarettes.

The only reference Metro Weekly can find to "Fag" Day is this 1917 World War I poster, which denotes the day as May 29, 1917. This image comes from the Imperial War Museums in London, but the same poster also can be found (and is referenced) elsewhere.

Is there some effort afoot to celebrate "Fag" Day again that led to the trending topic this morning?

At Towleroad, Andy Towle notes that USA Network's White Collar actor Matt Bomer, "who has up till now lived in a glass closet (most industry people knew) regarding his sexuality, made it public at an awards ceremony and in a magazine article last week."

Presented with the New Generation Arts and Activism Award from the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards on Feb. 11, he thanked his partner, Simon Halls, as well as his children:

And I'd really especially like to thank my beautiful family: Simon, Kit, Walker, Henry. Thank you for teaching me what unconditional love is. You will always be my proudest accomplishment.

In his speech, Bomer noted specifically the research he's done in the lead-up to playing Felix Turner, a gay New York Times reporter, in the Ryan Murphy-directed film version of Larry Kramer's play, The Normal Heart, about the early years of AIDS activism in New York City.

Towleroad also notes that Bomer's sexual orientation -- by way of mention of Halls -- was addressed in print in OK! Magazine a week earlier.

WATCH Bomer's speech:

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Brandon White courageously came forward today at a press conference to address an assault that had been videotaped by alleged gang members and posted on the internet.

White was attacked as he left an Atlanta, Georgia store by three men. A fourth waited to videotape the incident. They repeated yelled "No faggots in Jack City" while punching and kicking the victim. The video was seen nearly a million times on World Star Hip Hop, and police reported that The Smoking Gun was first to alert them to the violent incident.

Brandon White told reporters at today's press conference that he had been to the store numerous times before, but he did not know any of the men who attacked him. He added that he did not feel that it was exclusively about gay people, it was also about the area itself which needed help. He said many other crimes had taken place on that block that have gone unaddressed.

"I shouldn't have to worry about whether I have to look over my shoulder, or 'Is this person going to attack me?' or 'That person going to attack me?' for just being a gay male.

"I feel as though I should have justice because those guys didn't feel my pain. They didn't care whether or not I was injured. I could have died that day. Anyone could have died that day. They don't know what they do to people. They are monsters.

White said he is someone who keeps to himself and he had intended on dealing with the assault without reporting it, but after the assailants put the video online, he felt he had to step forward rather than "bottle it up":

"By them going ahead, and wanting to release it and put it on the internet, I feel that they wanted the attention themselves.  They wanted to make themselves look like they were brave, they were strong... but in my opinion, I'm the brave one. I dealt with it.... and I'm still dealing with it."

White said the "scars run deeper than anyone will know," and he did not know whether his attackers would come after him again, or even try to kill him, for speaking up. He responded to questions after his speech, saying he has not returned to the area and does not want to have to face it again. He added that he was not aware that videos had been recorded at the time of the incident.

Erik Wemple at the Washington Post reports this statement from CNN on Roland Martin's Super Bowl tweets:

"Roland Martin's tweets were regrettable and offensive. Language that demeans is inconsistent with the values and culture of our organization, and is not tolerated. We have been giving careful consideration to this matter, and Roland will not be appearing on our air for the time being."

Wemple, a Post media blogger, says "CNN took its time, but it clearly reached a strong decision here."

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation had called on CNN to fire Martin. In a statement today, GLAAD spokesman Rich Ferraro said:

"CNN today took a strong stand against anti-LGBT violence and language that demeans any community. Yesterday, Martin also spoke out against anti-LGBT violence. We look forward to hearing from CNN and Roland Martin to discuss how we can work together as allies and achieve our common goal of reducing anti-LGBT violence as well as the language that contributes to."

Metro Weekly earlier reported about Martin's tweets and his attempted apology.

[UPDATE: The victim, Brandon White, spoke out at a press conference Wednesday, Feb 8.]

A terribly disturbing act of violence appeared on the shock video site World Star Hip Hop this week in which a man was beaten for being gay.

In the recording three alleged gang members wait outside of a store for a fourth man to exit. The attackers sucker punch the unsuspecting victim, then they continually pummel him in the head and kick him while he's down on the sidewalk. The attackers laugh and chant "No faggots in Jack City" during the attack. Numerous witnesses are seen observing the assault. Only one appears to passively try to tell the attackers to stop.

Media reports now say police have identified the victim as 20-year-old Brandon White. CBS Atlanta attended a community meeting where an acquaintance, Greg Smith of the HIV Intervention Project, said White will be bravely coming forward to address the crime:

"Understand this, he is saying, 'I want to do something. Don't treat me like a victim.' His issue is everybody keeps looking at him like he was weak. He is not weak. Don't treat him like he is weak. Don't treat him like he is broken. Ain't nothing wrong with him besides his courage being broken. He wants to stand up and do something."

Police initially told ABC 2 that they were first notified by The Smoking Gun about the incident and that no victim had stepped forward at that time. WSBTV quotes Devon Barrington Ward of Change Atlanta as calling the attackers "cowards" and asking people to pressure elected officials to do more:

"Georgia is one of the only place without hate crime legislation and that needs to stop. It's sad that something like this has to take place in order for us to probably get some traction. This, unfortunately, has to be a teachable moment."

AJC reports that the FBI is looking into the incident as a possible federal hate crime.

Ellen Degeneres was recently chosen by retailer JC Penney to be the company's new spokesperson. She took a few minutes of her talk show yesterday to expose and admonish a conservative group which is trying to get her fired.  

After Degeneres first said she was happy to announce that California's Proposition 8 had been ruled unconstitutional, she added (Ellen):

"You all know that I've teamed up with JC Penney.... I'm happy about it, and JC Penney is happy about it. But there's a group called One Million Moms that is not happy about it. And normally I try not to pay attention to my haters, but this time I'd like to talk about it because my haters are my motivators.

"This organization doesn't think that I should be the spokesperson because I'm gay. So, for those of you just tuning in for the first time, it's true, I'm gay. I hope you're sitting down.... 

"They wanted to get me fired, and I am proud and happy to say that JC Penney stuck by their decision to make me their spokesperson."

Ellen Degeneres then pulled a quote from the One Million Moms Facebook page which said "traditional families" will be "offended" by JC Penney's hiring of "an open homosexual." It then called on the retail chain to "be neutral in the culture war" by replacing the gay talk show host. Degeneres then pointed out several comments of support she has receiving from fans and gay rights supporters on the One Million Moms Facebook page itself.  

The original anti-Ellen post says:

Recently JC Penney announced that comedian Ellen Degeneres will be the company's new spokesperson. Funny that JC Penney thinks hiring an open homosexual spokesperson will help their business when most of their customers are traditional families. More sales will be lost than gained unless they replace their spokesperson quickly. Unless JC Penney decides to be neutral in the culture war then their brand transformation will be unsuccessful. Degeneres is not a true representation of the type of families that shop at their store. The majority of JC Penney shoppers will be offended and choose to no longer shop there. The small percentage of customers they are attempting to satisfy will not offset their loss in sales. JC Penney has made a poor decision and must correct their mistake fast to retain loyal customers and not turn away potential new, conservative shoppers with the company's new vision. By jumping on the pro-gay bandwagon, JC Penney is attempting to gain a new target market and in the process will lose customers with traditional values that have been faithful to them over all these years. Make a personal phone call to JC Penney's customer service department. Their numbers are 972-431-8200 (customer service) and 972-431-1000 (corporate headquarters). Ask JC Penney to replace Ellen Degeneres as their new spokesperson immediately and remain neutral in the culture war. 

CNN's Roland Martin responded to criticism regarding his Superbowl tweets this morning, saying he is sorry if people were offended and that they were just a "playful shot" at soccer. Read the entries from the bottom up:

It was not immediately clear whether the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, which is calling for Martin's firing, would consider this a sufficient response.

Over at BuzzFeed, however, Matt Cherette pointed out that, putting aside Martin's past comments about homosexuality, even earlier tweets throughout the past week that might cause GLAAD concern. For example:

UPDATE @ 9:15A FEB. 7: On Monday evening, Feb. 7, Martin offered a second apology, calling it his "final thoughts" on the matter:

Based on several tweets I made on my Twitter feed on Super Bowl Sunday yesterday, I have been accused by members of the LGBT community of being supportive of violence against gays and lesbians and bullying.

That is furthest from the truth, and I sincerely regret any offense my words have caused. ...

To those who construed my comment as being anti-gay or homophobic or advancing violence, I’m truly sorry. I can certainly understand how someone could come to a different conclusion than the one I meant.

I’m disheartened that my words would embolden prejudice. While public debate over social issues is healthy, no matter which side someone takes, there is no room for debate as to whether we need to be respectful of others.

The statement is longer. Go read it.

Madonna's Superbowl Half-Time Show was all the rage on Twitter and Facebook Sunday night.

Opening with her gay dance anthem "Vogue," Madonna covered a number of her hits with help from CeeLo Green and LMFAO, and also performed her latest cheerleder-inspired single, "Give Me All Your Luvin'," with Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. 

While most people complimented her performance and physicality, others had a field day with the 53-year-old's gold-and-black haute couture outfits (designed by Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci), a small slip during the song "Music," her alleged plastic surgery, and the level of lip synch involved. Madonna's nemesis, Piers Morgan, especially did not miss the opportunity to criticize her on the latter. Either way you felt about the show, as Michelangelo Signorile said, "Once again, she dwarfed the event!"

A few thoughts from some famous Tweeters:

Alec Mapa:
Ok Madge, you win. I even liked the Margaret Hamilton exit.

Anne Rice:
Madonna's Half Time Show was great. And for those of you who don't know it, here's a youtube of the original "Like a Prayer."

BD Wong:
Oh, Madge! Come back! Come back!

Bill Maher:
That hurt MY balls!! ... Get to the part where she kisses Britney!

Bret Easton Ellis:
Weird feeling about Madonna. The songs are great but she needed Nicki, MIA, Cee Lo and LMFAO to back her up? Didn't happen with Springsteen.

Carson Kressley:
That halftime show made the whole superbowl thingy worth it!!! 

Chely Wright and Rosie O'Donnell:
she WAS perfection!! RT "@Rosie: Madonna = perfection"

Chris Colfer:
Wait, which jersey number is Madonna? ... The author of "Sex" and director of "W.E.", ladies and gentlemen! What a show! Amazing!

Cyndi Lauper:
Just saw half time. Common, visually OMG! And there is only one Madonna! Xx Cyn

David Corn:
Next up Tim Tebow joins Madonna in "Papa, Don't Preach." 

Donna Brazile to HuffingtonPost:
Leave the Diva alone. Seriously? RT @HuffingtonPost WATCH:Madonna slips, stuns in #SuperBowl halftime performance 

Kristin Chenoweth:
Madonna I love u!!!! ... Madonna KLLED it!

Mo Rocca:
Loved Madonna's halftime show, even the plug for Who's Still Standing at the end. 

Jackie Beat:
Madonna, nice message at the end of your half time show, but you spelled PIECE wrong! 

John Amaechi:
After near 20 years in the US, I saw my first Super Bowl - just the halftime show (easing in) - and have been playing Madonnas since. Damn!

Kathy Griffin with Suze Orman:
When @SuzeOrmanshow comes over for Super Bowl XLVI, look what happens. Rehearsal #1

Kristie Clements (Vogue Editor):
All these male commentators talking about how old Madonna is. She was awesome. Nobody says anything about Bono. Or Sting. And they're not. ...  And by the way Madonna thank you for the Vogue plug!

Lisa Lampanelli:
ATTENTION: All gay men can now turn off the game and return to their glory holes. Madonna is done singing. 

Lizz Winstead:
It's either I loved Madonna/ I hated Madonna every other tweet in my stream. Just like when Madonna does anything. 

Leisha Hailey:
#Madonna I worship you. Always have always will.

Neil Patrick Harris:
I really dug the halftime show. Not sure how it looked on TV, but all the production and projections combined with Madonna rocking? Loved. 

P. Diddy:
Madonna had the best Half-time performance of all time !! Everyone on that stage killed it! 

Piers Morgan to Perez Hilton and Sharon Osbourne:
Sorry mate, her tape ran out RT @PerezHilton Can't we have some more #Madonna now??? Encore!!!!
Queen of what? Lip-synching? RT @MrsSOsbourne Madonna is back! She's the queen. Just sensational!

Rosanne:
Madonna kicked ass 4 gays kabbalists and Botox

RuPaul:
#Madonna. Shante. U Stay. Condragulations!

Sandra Bernhard:
world peace has arrived! ... nothing says madonna like bridgestone! i know she loves a good tire.

Santino Rice:
I could tell the parts that were pre-recorded (ie: Lipsync) & which were sung Live. Madonna was 90%

Serena Williams:
Wow best halftime show ever!!! Wow Madonna! Wow ...  I'm in love with Madonna!

Thomas Roberts:
The Material Girl still got it! #madonna slayed that half-time show! 

Tony Tripoli:
CeeLos choir robe is gayer than Dolly Parton's in Joyful Noise!  ... Only in America do you follow #Madonna s 12 min lipsynch with an ad for The Voice.

Tonight's Madonna half-time show at the Superbowl got a significant amount of attention from her dedicated gay fans, but it was CNN commentator Roland Martin's tweets about H&M's new David Beckham underwear that started a secondary firestorm on Twitter. He tweeted:

He then followed up, tweeting:

He later attempted to explain his tweets, writing:

Although he responded to several other tweets, Martin did not respond to a question from Metro Weekly about why, if the tweet was about soccer and not based in anti-gay sentiment, he only referenced his concern about "a dude ... hyped" about the very sexual ad.

UPDATE @ 10:45P: GLAAD is calling on CNN to fire Martin, about whom they state: "Martin's tweets today advocating violence against gay people weren't an accident. They are a part of a larger pattern for Martin."

Tennessee state senator Stacey Campfield continued his media campaign against homosexuality and discussions about gay lives in schools by appearing on the David Pakman Show.

During his 10-minute interview on Monday, Campfield seemed to indicate that insurance companies raise their rates for homosexuals. He claimed this to be true because the companies have statistics showing that gays, when compared to others, live significantly shorter lives -- by a full 24 years!

Pakman asked the senator why his anti-gay politics are focused on anal sex between men. Campfield replied (DavidPakman.com):

"Well, obviously, like I said, it's not a healthy lifestyle. It's very dangerous. The average homosexual, for a variety of reasons, has a lilfespan of about 24 years shorter than the average person.... Actually, there's, uh, statistics for insurance companies who do that sort of thing.

"Well, now they try and discredit it. They say, 'What about older men in monogamous relationships?' Well, I hate to say it, but most homosexual relationships -- I shouldn't say most. Many homosexual relationships are not monogamous.... There's statistics on it. And actually, where you get a lot of this information --. You can pull a lot of this information up.

"Look at insurance statistics. If you are a homosexual man, your insurance rates go through the roof, and the reason is because you have so much shorter life span.... Life insurance."

Campfield either could not or chose not to elaborate futher on this latest stunning claim. He did seem to say that homosexuality did not exist in the animal kingdom because:

"I hate to use graphic language, but I've never seen or heard of an animal sodomizing another animal.... I know animals, they sort of -- I hate to say 'fake it' or whatever, to show of dominance over one another, but I've never seen an animal sodomize another animal, no. ... Well, that's what most people have said, that it's more of a show dominance. When they do that, they're showing dominance over another animal.... If you want to go online, you can look that up."

The senator added that he did not believe more bullying laws needed to be added to protect gay students. (Two teenagers committed suicide in Tennessee recently. Reports say they suffered through years of bullying.) Campfield said he did not think anyone should be bullied; but then claimed gay people choose to engage in homosexual activity, therefore, it is right to conclude that people choose to be gay. 

The only other bright point heard in Campfield's gay-obsessed concerns came when the discussion moved to the recent incident where he was kicked out of a gay-friendly restaurant. David Pakman suggested that Campfield might have a sense now of what it feels like when homosexuals are discriminated against. Campfield replied:

"I'll be honest with you. I would not frequent a place that said, 'We're not going to serve homosexuals' in a restaurant. I wouldn't go there.... I don't think we should be discriminating based on that. I don't think that's a valid reason."

It is not apparent if Sen. Campfield knows that "homosexuality" includes women, too, or if he knows homosexuality incorporates many more relationship and intimacy options than anal sex. But with his high level of misinformation about AIDS, gays, and the needs of school children, the public likely does not need to find out.

For reasons all her own, actress Cynthia Nixon has given the Advocate magazine a clarification about her sexual orientation. She has been under pressure since a controversial remark she made to the New York Times seemed to indicate that being gay is "a choice" for some. 

In her latest statement, Nixon still maintains that people shouldn't be "pigeon-holed into one cultural narrative," but she does acknowledge:

"While I don't often use the word, the technically precise term for my orientation is bisexual. I believe bisexuality is not a choice, it is a fact. What I have 'chosen' is to be in a gay relationship."

She went on to say that she does not believe people choose the gender of the individuals they are attracted to -- not in "our community" and not for "the majority of heterosexuals."

Nixon has been criticized by many people for confusing the issue of sexual orientation on both personal and sociopoliticial levels. In an Jan. 19 interview about her new role in the play "Wit," Nixon told a New York Times reporter:

"For me, [being gay] is a choice. I understand that for many people it's not, but for me it's a choice, and you don't get to define my gayness for me."

Several days later, she told a writer at The Daily Beast that she was bisexual, but she didn't care for that particular word as a label. And she insisted that her change from male partners to a female partner did not indicate she had been "walking around in some kind of fog":

"I don’t pull out the 'bisexual' word because nobody likes the bisexuals. Everybody likes to dump on the bisexuals."

Most media attention focused solely on her NYT statement, though, and she received a mixed reaction from both fans and her fellow celebs. Joy Behar, Barbara Walters, and chef Cat Cora all said it was "dangerous" of her to use such phrasing. Others were more sympathetic, like Harvey Fierstein, who wrote: "Would people please get a life and leave thd lady alone."

Nixon had her first public coming out as being in a same-sex relationship back in 2004. At first she was coy, saying:

"My private life is private... I have nothing to hide. So what I will say is that I am happy." 

In 2008 she told Oprah Winfrey that she had been "pretty shocked" to fall for a woman, but explained her same-sex attraction cheekily with, "You haven't met my girlfriend."

In the last couple of years, she has become a full-fleged activist for gay marriage equality -- making a speech at the 2009 March on Washington, a PSA for marriage rights in New York, another speech where she announced her engagement to Christine Marinoni, and even sat next to Brian Brown of NOM to argue very successfully against his notion that gay marriage is "redefining marriage."

Now that she has redefined herself with more "acceptable" terminology, you may want to catch her on stage in "Wit." She plays an ovarian cancer patient in that Broadway play. Nixon is appearing at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 West 47th St., NYC. 

Gay radio talker Michelangelo Signorile interviewed Tennessee state Senator Stacey Campfield about his pending, "Don't Say Gay" bill. That measure would essentially prevent any discussion by teachers about gay lives or references to homosexuality. What Signorile got in response was pretty stunning.

The Tennesse senator let loose a plethora of ignorant comments about the "nature" of homosexuality, bestiality, and the combination of the two leading to AIDS:

"... most people realize that AIDS came from the homosexual community.... It was one guy screwing a monkey, if I recall correctly, and then having sex with men."

Listen to the conversation at Signorile.com.

When confronted by Knoxville TV station WBIR about his numerous faulty statements, Campfield did not back down, nor did he apologize. He basically blamed Signorile for asking him about the topic when, "I'm not a gay AIDS historian."

Have a look and decide. Is he mixing science and hearsay? Cherry picking negative facts to suit his anti-gay agenda? Or is there legitimate merit in his gay-focused political agenda?

You should also listen to RadioLab's excellent program about "Patient Zero: The Origin of AIDS," which aired two months ago:

Two hundred people of faith gathered in the city of Frederick yesterday to tell legislators the time has come to legalize civil marriage for gay and lesbian couples.

Several Maryland officials attended the packed meeting including Attorney General Doug Gansler, Delegate Galen Clagett (D-Frederick Co.), Senator Ron Young (D-Frederick & Washington Cos.) and Senator Rob Garagiola (D-Montgomery Co.). They were given standing ovations by a diverse audience -- Christian and Jewish, all ages, straight and gay.

[See related: Doug Ganlser at Frederick gay marriage rally.]
[Also see: Galen Clagett and Ron Young support marriage equality in Frederick.]

An announcement for the event listed a coalition of five sponsoring congregations -- All Saints Episcopal, Grace United Church of Christ, Congregation Kol Ami, Unity in Frederick, and Evangelical Reformed  United Church of Christ. The latter also served as host for the Jan. 29 event.

Manley Calhoun of Marylanders for Marriage Equality was also in attendance informing eager participants on ways they could work for the cause.

A number of same-sex couples shared their personal stories at the hour-long event. They told the officials about their needs as residents of Maryland and how they have dealt with the "trials and tribulations of not being married." Couples related their faith to real-life challenges, like: partner recognition at health care facilites, financial and legal inequalities, and dealing with situations involving children and other family members.

In stark contrast to the Frederick rally, an anti-gay protest is being held today, Jan. 30, from 5-6 p.m., next to the Annapolis State House. It promises to bring together a number of religious and political groups clamoring to keep a ban on gay marriage. These will include the Archdiocese of Maryland, the National Organization for Marriage and, allegedly, a large contingent from at least one of Maryland's (unspecified) black churches.

It is expected that the state Senate will pass a pending marriage equality bill with strong approval by Governor Martin O'Malley. However officials at Sunday's rally reminded attendees there is a "tough road ahead," with less certainty among House members who seem beholden to vocally anti-gay members of their constituencies. Should marriage pass, there will most certainly be a voter referendum to follow, and Gansler projected that they matter will end up in the court system. Warriage supporters would then battle over the Constitutionality of Maryland's discriminatory ban.

Dr. Linda Sowbel and her partner of 34 years, Betsy Van Ness, shared their family story. They have two daughters with son-in-laws and five grandchildren. Sowbel said, because they are not legally married, she had to put their home and assets into trust to avoid unfair taxing, and said they will not be eligible to receive certain retirement benefits. They shared an amusing tale of how Sowbel adopted Van Ness' daughters for estate reasons, but also the uncertainty they had to face with hospital visitation rights and the "additional anxiety" that situation caused. Van Ness concluded her speech with:

"We know we could go Washington, DC, or Massachusetts to get married. But we don't want to do that. We are Maryland citizens, and we want to get married in Maryland." 

Glen Wallace and Jim White, members of the Evanglical Reformed UCC, said they became a couple 15 years ago, and they also had to pay thousands of dollars to obtain legal recognition regarding medical issues. Those legal rights are essentially conveyed to male-female couples through the low cost of obtaining a marriage license. 

Rosalind Jack told the audience and legislators that she had been married to a man previously, but when she fell in love with a woman, she learned that there were major legal, financial and social differences between the two types of relationships. She said, for example: 

"I did not have to worry about being turned away from his hospital bed, or from making health choices. With a woman, I could be her partner for 90 years and not be allowed at her bedside if she were ill, hurt or dying, because I might not even be considered her family."

Her partner, Paula Willey, echoed those same types of concerns with regards to assisted living facilities, Medicaid coverage, and also the unfortunate possibilty of unwarranted family intrusions. She said:

"My Will and Power of Attorney are legal documents. They protect me, and they protect Roz. But without marriage equality, they are vulnerable to challenges from disgruntled family members. And I have those!"

[See related: Doug Ganlser at Frederick gay marriage rally.]
[Also see: Galen Clagett and Ron Young support marriage equality in Frederick.]

Three important state legislators helped to rally support for Maryland's same-sex marriage bill on Sunday, Jan. 29, at a church in the city of Frederick.

Delegate Galen Clagett, Senator Ron Young, and Senator Rob Garagiola (all Democrats) were joined by Attorney General Doug Gansler. Together they addressed a capacity crowd of 200, most of whom were there to represent a diverse set of religious groups. The sponsoring coalition was called Congregations United for Marriage Equality, and representatives from another organization, Marylanders for Marriage Equality, were also in attendance.

[See related: Doug Gansler at marriage rally in Frederick. (video)]
[And also: Gay couples tell lawmakers marriage rights will stop undue hardships (video)]

Galen Clagett (D-Frederick Co.) told the crowd that he was a sponsor of the House bill in 2011, and that he again signed onto the 2012 House bill earlier this week. He spoke of his past advocacy for racial equality and for the mental health community, adding that he was not afraid of change. He specifically noted that "19 Tea Party members of the 43 Repbulicans," two of which were "in our Delegation.... don't want change. But we will prevail this time." 

Senator Ron Young (D-Frederick and Washington Cos.) said it he and Clagett seemed to be the "only two in the five Western Maryland Counties that did vote for" the 2011 bills in the House or Senate. He challenged attendees to contact and convince their lawmakers to vote for the same-sex marriage bills, "particularly in the House." He related his personal history to the notion that marriage will be destroyed by inclusion of gay couples:

"I was divorced, and I hear people say that same-sex marriage will destroy marriage. Actually, I guess divorce destroys marrige more than two people that really want to be together."

Young predicted "a tough road in front of us." He evidenced this with his inability to convince "the two young women from Prince George's County" to "come over" to his side. He also relayed the surprising story of a Democrat from Western Maryland who wanted to rally churches to, not support gay marriage, but to "throw out all the people who voted for same-sex marriage."

Rob Garagiola (D-Montgomery Co.) did not deliver a speech at the event, but did Tweet about it afterward, saying: "Good to see MD Dems united."

[See related: Doug Gansler at marriage rally in Frederick. (video)]
[And also: Gay couples tell lawmakers marriage rights will stop undue hardships (video)]

Maryland's Attorney General, Doug Gansler, joined a standing-room only crowd at a church in Frederick on Sunday to support gay marriage.

Gansler called Maryland's current ban against same-sex marriage "unconstitutional." He then explained his reasoning for supporting equality for gay and lesbian couples. Gansler also offered his take on the nature of negative feedback from Republicans and religious leaders. And he predicted that the current marriage bill would pass but, he warned, supporters will need to make a significant effort to vote against an inevitable anti-gay referendum, saying: "That's where we're really going to need your help."

Gansler was joined by three state legislators: Delegate Galen Clagett and Senator Ron Young, both representing Frederick, and Senator Rob Garagiola of Montgomery County. The appreciative crowd of 200 gave the officials standing ovations for their continued support of marriage equality. The meeting was held at the Evangelical Reformed Church, United Church of Christ in Frederick, MD, and was sponsored by Congregations United for Marriage Equality.

[Related: Clagett and Young strongly support gay marriage at rally (video)]
[And also: Gay couples tell lawmakers marriage rights will stop undue hardships (video)]

The Attorney General explained his history with the issue, including a somewhat disputed Feb. 2010 opinion. He wrote then that gay couples who were legally married elsewhere should be recognized as such inside of Maryland, too:

"I've been testifying for this about three or four years now, ever since I've been Attorney General.  I didn't tell my political people. I just did it because it's the right thing to do. And then in early 2010, we wrote the opinion recognizing out-of-state same-sex marriages, so that people who did want to go to another state, could come here from  the five states -- now six, including the District of Columbia -- can come here and legally have that recognized.

"Obviously the law that we have -- marriage between a man and a woman -- is unconstitutional. It defies the equal protection, it's against due process, and  it will change."

Gansler said he would be testifying for the bill this Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the hearing of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. Marylanders for Marriage Equality was in attendance at the rally. Their website is calling for "phonebank" volunteers that day to counterbalance the opposition who, they say, will "be there to scare legislators into voting against loving and committed families." Gansler thanked straight allies and gay people for coming out publicly to stand for a "worthy fight":  

"First of all, I want to thank all of you, for being here because many of you are not gay, and it's important for us that are not gay to stand up for doing what's right. But it's equally important for the gay community to do so, and these stories -- for people come out and say, 'You know what, I am gay. I'm your neighbor. I'm your teacher, I'm your fireman. I'm your police officer -- whatever it might be. Because then people --.

'"You know, when I was in high school, nobody was gay. (Really?!) And now people are, and it turns out that everybody -- we have the same desires, the same people. And I think that helps to change the public opinion. And it's helped some of these elected people coming out."

He covered many of the oft-heard alarmist arguments about same-sex marriage, too -- bestiality, polygamy and an infringement on people's "religious freedom" to be anti-gay: 

"'What about sodomy?' Some state senator said, 'Well, now you're gonna let me have sex with my dog.' No, senator, we're not talking about your dog today. (You know, some of those Republican guys that are out there.)

"And polygamy? there's no movement for that. And I talk about much of this in my 46-page opinion, about same-sex marriage, and marriage, and  the history of marriage in the state of Maryland.

"But some of the other arguments are actually somewhat interesting, as well. Because I'm from the side where I don't even get the other side anymore. I'll get many pastors, particularly pastors from the African-American community, will call and say, "This is against the religion. This is against the Bible." And I would have to remind them, though I'm not a religious scholar, there's nothing about gay marriage in the Bible. There is about tolerance, treating people with dignity, treating people equally and let God decide what the judgment ought to be."

Gansler said that the fundamental root of their arguments was the notion that "You choose to be gay." He mocked the idea that people of various ages wake up and say, "Hey, I think I'll be gay today." And he called civil unions "nothing short of a cop out" which is unfair.

He also discussed some legal history and concerns about the intermingling of church, state and marriage:

"And the last piece of it, of course, is, 'Well, what about this church and state thing? You're gonna make my church  have it ....' Back in England, before we were a country, they mixed up church and state, right? There's nothing more of a blending church and state than it is your marriage. Then, we have a country that was founded, and right there in the Declaration of Independence, it was about 'Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.' And that's what this is about, the pursuit of  happiness. And the First Amendment talks about freedom of religion, freedom of association. Nobody is ever going to make any church, temple, or mosque make someone get married or not get married."

Ganlser said legislators would add "stuff" to the bill, joking that it would be "because most of them aren't lawyers anymore." But he assured those misguided attempts would fail because of Constitutional law. He concluded with:

"I think we're going to pass it this year. It'll go to referendum. That's where we're really going to need your help. And then, at the end of the day, it's going to go to court. And  there was something that was said about the Federal side. We have challenged DOMA. Some of my colleagues have challenged DOMA. President Obama has told his Justice Department, 'Don't defend this anymore.' So, at some point, the courts are going to fix it as well. So, hang in there, work hard. We'll get this done."

[Related: Clagett and Young strongly support gay marriage at rally.]
[And also: Gay couples tell lawmakers marriage rights will stop undue hardships (video)]

Edwin O'Brien, Baltimore's soon-to-be Cardinal, used a speech this week to denounce marriage rights for Maryland's gay and lesbian couples. He angrily attacked the pending passage of marriage bills in the House and Senate. Maryland's Governor, Martin O'Malley, is a strong supporter of marriage equality and he helped to introduce the bills this past Tuesday.

On Wednesday, O'Brien put his own spin on one of the most heinous arguments put forth by social and religious conservatives -- that gay people's civil rights are an affront to black people and the rights of black people. He stammered through his divisive proclamation, saying (Catholic Review):

"We are going to be strong in upholding the institution of marriage as a bond between one man and one woman, open to life. It's been not only our teaching, but it's been the core of our Western culture for as long as anybody can remember. And to think that a fiat of a legislature can turn that over without damage being done is naive and highly political. 

"So, we will do everything that we can on our own, in conjunction with other religious groups --. Our African-American community, I think, is very strong on this issue as we are. And I think, to some degree, they're a little concerned to call this a matter of discrimination.

"Racial discrimination is discrimination because of the pigment of the skin [rubs back of hand]. And it can't be tolerated. But marriage goes far deeper than the pigment of the skin. It goes to the very roots of our culture. And we are in it to -- for keeps.

"I think in 30 areas of the country, 30 states where legislatures have passed this, the people's vote has voided it, has knocked it down. And we believe that we have a strong grassroots coalition here, that will uphold the sanctity of marriage in the traditional teaching and long-term practice of marriage between man and a woman."

Political maneuvers like Obrien's are frequently used by the opponents of gay equality to alarm and anger African Americans. He may have singled out African American voters for special appeal because black residents represent about 29% of the population of Maryland (more than twice the national percentage).

O'Brien's small-minded argument completely ignores the fact that: 1) there are people who are both black and gay, 2) not all African Americans agree with O'Brien's anti-gay political beliefs, 3) many churches in Maryland want to perform legal marriage ceremonies for gay couples, and 4) a large portion of Maryland's Catholic parishoners disagree with the Church's discriminatory stance.

These manipulative foes of gay rights seem to be conveying a devious message that goes something like this: "Homosexuals are abhorrent and have been disliked throughout history. Today homosexuals are trying to attach themselves to the accomplishments of black people. If black people allow this association to happen, it will drag down black people's position in society and diminish all the civil rights for which they have fought so hard. Gay people cannot be victims of discrimination because they choose to be different through their behavior. However, black people are discriminated against because of their skin color. And skin color is not a choice; it is not changeable -- yet sinful behavior is, right? Therefore, we anti-gay preachers think you proud African Americans need to rail against homosexuals now, because they are going to be ruinous, not only to your lives and religious freedoms, but to all of civilization itself. Proof is in the Bible, right? 'Marriage = man and woman. Gays = abomination. Sodom = destroyed.' And we all know that, 'The church is the heart and soul of the black community,' right? So, then, since we're all in this together, let's vote for our tried-and-true tradition of denying gays legal rights and social equality. We're not bigots. We don't hate anybody. It is not hate -- it is God's Word."

The Archdiocese of Baltimore has joined several other political and religious groups to set up a rally to continue denying gay people their marriage rights. It is to be held in Annapolis on Monday, January 30, 6-8 pm, next to the Governor's Mansion.

On Sunday, January 29, a pro-gay marriage event is to be held in Frederick, MD, that will include Attorney General Doug Gansler, two Delegates, and representatives from welcoming chruches. The event will be at the Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ, 15 W. Church Street, Frederick, MD, 5-6pm.

One recent survey did indicate that gay marriage supporters may indeed have a tough battle at the ballot box in November should an anti-gay marriage referendum arise. Survey respondents were split on legalization of gay marriages -- 49% in favor and 47% opposed. The author of that survey also singled out African-American voters as the key opponents to marriage equality. 

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This week, Baltimore, MD is host to a large gathering of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender activsts who are attending the NGLTF's 24th Creating Change Conference.

Several young college students have posted videos on YouTube discussing their personal experiences at the conferences "queer" institutes, along with theirs reactions to speakers and their thoughts about the effectiveness of specialized workshops. Topics at the sessions seem to span the spectrum of diversity including awarness of racial issues, the differently abled, bisexual health, transgender issues, politics, sex and lots more.

WBAL-TV has posted two news pieces: One explains the point of the conference and how it relates to the fight for same-sex marriage in Maryland; the other features  appearances by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the Governor's wife Katie O'Malley, and Benjamin Jealous of the NAACP. Some controversy erupted after Mrs. O'Malley used the word "cowards" to describe state legislators who did not vote for the 2010 version of the gay marriage bill.

The students' documented reactions seem largely positive, but not entirely:

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Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum was twice this week the target of "glitter bombing" -- once in South Carolina and once in Florida. Individuals were caught on camera shouting out at Santorum (whose anti-gay views are well documented) that he should stop the hate and that he is a bigot. The protesters also indicated that they self-identified as members of the Occupy movement. Some of the protestors were physically removed at each event.

Dennis Shepard, appeared at a press conference sponsored by the Tennessee Equality Project this week. He directed his comments toward parents about the need to hold the state's legislators responsible for protecting gay youth against bullying at school and online. He referenced the suicides of two Tennessee teens in his speech -- Phillip Parker and Jacob Rogers -- who were reported to be the targets of bullying at school.

Shepard asked if he could take part in the conference because of legislation being proposed in Tennessee. Unfortunately, certain lawmakers are pressing for a bills that will suppress the rights and freedoms of LGBT citizens. The "Don't Say Gay Bill" is meant to prevent any teacher from discussing anything to do with homosexuality in elementary schools. Also the "Bathroom Bill" is intended to criminalize the use of bathrooms or dressing rooms by people who are transgendered -- people who wish to use facilities appropriate to their self-identified gender which may be different from the sexual organs with which they were born. A third bill nicknamed the "License to Bully" would allow students to berate gay students and denounce homosexuality in class if their views could be considered "religious freedom of expression."

Dennis Shepard referenced the ongoing efforts of his wife, Judy Shepard. Both Dennis and Judy have worked tirelessly to promote the acceptance of gay, bi and transgender people since their son, Matthew Shepard, was murdered in 1998. Mr. Shepard also suggested that people's perception of LGBT individuals may be skewed by "flamboyant" media portrayals -- fame grabbers who do not reflect the otherwise equally "boring" lives of gay people:

"We have a problem in the schools. We've lost two young men in the last 30 days in this state to bullying. Some of which has to do with sexual orientation. These kids need a safe place and a safe haven to go to during the day, and it should be the schools. It should not be a place of dread and fear when you walk into a school. You're there to learn both facts and figures as well as your social skills.

"And what seems to be happening in this state, along with some other states, is that it's become a bully pulpit in more ways than one.

"Bullying is a concept that people knew about but didn't talk much about until lately. There's the physical bullying, which we're most used to -- which is what happened basically to Matt. Beaten to death.

There's the verbal bullying -- "He's so gay. She's so gay" -- using the words.

You have electronic bullying now. You also have the emotional bullying that people don't think about. When you brush by somebody and ignore them when they say "Good morning," just because they're different -- whether they're gay or straight doesn't matter, they're just "different." We should be applauding those differences, and trying to take advantage of those differences.

"How can these kids reach their full potential? Schools should be a safe haven, should be rooms and teachers who have volunteered to help these kids in case of bullying, in case of concerns they may have.

"I urge the legislature to work towards an all-inclusive law, or hate crimes, and also for the policies toward schools by the schoolboards to include other areas that are not protected, such as "gender identity, sexualy orientation." These kids are in fear and they are pushed further into the closet. This is not the time to do that. This country needs their best and their brightest to reach their full potential. They're not going to do that if they're afraid to come to school, if they're afraid to walk down the street, or even if they're afraid to go home and get on their computer. So, please, I urge all of you to help.

"The kids have potential: Let them succeed or fail on their own. Don't let them fail because of what has been termed "bullying" because they're different. It's not just the kids who are gay, its also the kids who are perceived to be gay. I get comments all the time from the so-called straight community: "Well that's okay when you're gay." And I say, "What if you had a son or daughter who isn't gay, but they're perceived to be and they're abused in that fashion, and they're beaten, because people think they're gay? What do you do then?" They have no answer.

"So, please, talk to you legislators. Talk to your community, to your neighbors. The legislature works for you. You vote them in. You verify that they're following their campaign promises. You hold them accountable. And, if not, you vote them out. 

"When my wife speaks, she talks about a "sick community." And if you don't vote, you're part of the sick community ... silent, different and complacent. Don't be part of the sick community. The gay community is just as dull and boring as the straight community. Please remember that. The ones that you see on TV are trying to get their 15 minutes of fame, with the feathers and the boas. If you think that's all their is, they you have to remember that in Brazil, when they have Carnival, is everybody there gay? I don't think so. Now they're just as flamboyant, and they have the feathers and the boas. 

"So, please, hold them accountable. Protect everybody. Get a hate crimes law passed in this state that protects everybody. They're all-American citizens. They need all the rights of all American citizens -- not just a limited number of rights. Protect your kids in schools. They need to have all-inclusive policies protecting them. This can only be done through you because you control the schoolboards. Make this a safe haven. They want a gay-straight alliance in their school, give it to them. More than half the kids in the gay-straight alliances are straight. It's the allies who are important.

"So tell your stories, get their support, and do whatever you can."

A number of major corporations are stepping forward to show their support for marriage equality in Washington state.

The Seattle Times has reposted a message today from Starbucks executive vice president, Kalen Holmes, that reads, in part:

Starbucks is proud to join other leading Northwest employers in support of Washington State legislation recognizing marriage equality for same-sex couples....

This important legislation is aligned with Starbucks business practices and upholds our belief in the equal treatment of partners. It is core to who we are and what we value as a company. We are proud of our Pride Alliance Partner Network group, which is one of the largest Employer Resource Groups for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) employees in the U.S., helping to raise awareness about issues in the communities where we live and work.

For the last 20 years, our benefits program has offered domestic partner benefits in the U.S. These benefits include medical, dental, vision, prescription drugs and alternative health care coverage....

We look forward to seeing this legislation enacted into law.

Microsoft's Brad Smith posted a message online a few days ago stating that his corporation had joined with several other well-known companies to support Washington's new marriage bill. His argument for legalizing same-sex marriage hinged on the perception that talented employees, who are gay and in relationships, would be motivated to move to other states that offer full marriage equality: 

Today, Microsoft is joining other Northwest employers Concur, Group Health, Nike, RealNetworks and Vulcan Inc. in support of Washington State legislation recognizing marriage equality for same-sex couples. We believe that passing this bill would be good for our business and good for the state’s economy....

Our support today for Senate Bill 6239 and HB 2516, Washington’s marriage equality legislation, builds upon our previous work in this area.

As other states recognize marriage equality, Washington’s employers are at a disadvantage if we cannot offer a similar, inclusive environment to our talented employees, our top recruits and their families. Employers in the technology sector face an unprecedented national and global competition for top talent. Despite progress made in recent years with domestic partnership rights, same-sex couples in Washington still hold a different status from their neighbors. Marriage equality in Washington would put employers here on an equal footing with employers in the six other states that already recognize the committed relationships of same-sex couples – Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. This in turn will help us continue to compete for talent.

While Microsoft’s support for marriage equality is motivated by respect for our employees, we also respect the views of those who may not agree with our position. For example, we have many highly valued and highly successful employees who hold a wide range of views on this and many other issues. We’re not asking anyone to change their views to conform to the company’s position.

We also recognize that marriage has meaning as both a civil and a religious institution. Like the marriage equality bill passed last year in New York State with bipartisan and business support, this bill preserves religious freedom in Washington’s churches while ending discrimination in Washington law.

Like the New York bill, we believe Washington’s legislation should be passed into law. It will make our state and our economy stronger.

Washington's Governor, Chris Gregoire, released this statement thanking those companies for supporting SB239 & HB2516:

I thank Microsoft, Nike, Vulcan, Inc., RealNetworks, Group Health Cooperative and Concur for standing up for marriage equality in our state. They understand that our same-sex couples deserve the same respect and dignity as their peers and that loving, committed relationships add to vibrant and diverse workforces. The support of these employers is courageous and appreciated.

"I gave a speech recently, an empowerment speech to a gay audience, and it included the line 'I've been straight and I've been gay, and gay is better.' And they tried to get me to change it, because they said it implies that homosexuality can be a choice. And for me, it is a choice. I understand that for many people it's not, but for me it's a choice, and you don't get to define my gayness for me. A certain section of our community is very concerned that it not be seen as a choice, because if it's a choice, then we could opt out. I say it doesn't matter if we flew here or we swam here, it matters that we are here and we are one group and let us stop trying to make a litmus test for who is considered gay and who is not.

“As you can tell, I am very annoyed about this issue. Why can't it be a choice? Why is that any less legitimate? It seems we're just ceding this point to bigots who are demanding it, and I don’t think that they should define the terms of the debate. I also feel like people think I was walking around in a cloud and didn’t realize I was gay, which I find really offensive. I find it offensive to me, but I also find it offensive to all the men I've been out with.”

-- Cynthia Nixon, whose comment to the New York Times Magazine last Sunday has sparked a firestorm of criticism across the web including:

John Amaechi: "Oh Cynthia, please... It's not that you can't have an opinion, just don't conflate it with the best factual knowledge - that's what they do... and don't mistake what ppl chose to do, with who people are or will become..."

John Aravosis: "[I]f you like both flavors, men and women, you're bisexual, you're not gay, so please don't tell people that you are gay, and that gay people can 'choose' their sexual orientation, i.e., will it out of nowhere. Because they can't. And when you tell the NYT they can, you do tremendous damage to our civil rights effort. Every religious right hatemonger is now going to quote this woman every single time they want to deny us our civil rights. Thanks.”

Perez Hilton: "We totally hear her out and true, we cannot define her 'gayness,' but it wasn't a choice for us. We were BORN gay. And millions of gay people around the world feel the same way."

Harvey Fierstein: Folks are jumping down CYNTHIA NIXON'S throat for saying that: A- She's a lesbian by choice. B- She doesn't like the bisexual designation. Would people please get a life and leave the lady alone? There is very little black and white when it comes to sexuality. Isn't that what KINSEY taught us more than 60 years ago? Why are we being as intolerant as the bigots we despise? Let people experience their lives as they experience their lives. It's none of your damn business! Whether we are born this way or not should not be the basis for our citizenship anymore than our religion.

On Wednesday, the ladies of ABC's The View picked up on the controversy. Joy Behar made light of bisexuality, and said there was a "phenomenon" where wives leave marriages with men to be with women later in life. Sherri Shepherd said she did not like reading that event organizers had asked Cynthia Nixon to alter the wording of her speech to fit an "agenda." Shepherd added that, while she believed many gay people claim there is no choice in being gay, there exists some people who say they did choose to be gay and, "You can't say they're wrong." 

Barbara Walters said that a problem exists where anti-gay people say, "You chose to be gay. We're going to send you to a psychiatrist to change, to a religious organization to change -- we're going to pray, we're going to move the gay, or we're going to punish the gay away." She added, "Many gay people have said, look, 'This is not a choice, this is the way I am.'" Behar agreed with Walters, concluding that Nixon's statement was "a dangerous thing to say."

Celebrity Chef Cat Cora of Iron Chef was on The Talk when host Julie Chen asked what she thought of Nixon's statement. Cora responded:

"Well, I'm gay and I was born this way. So, I really feel like it was dangerous and irresponstible of Cynthia, especially in this environment today when so many young people are taking their lives. I know, growing up as a young gay person, how much you hate yourself -- how much you think you're different. And for someone to say, 'It's a choice. You know you can be this way or that way." I just think it's dangerous. And I ask Cynthia to please reach out to the community and say that 'To all the people who do hate themselves right now -- all these young kids who are so impressionable, who don't like themselves already -- you're OK. One day at a time. It gets better.'"

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“She was all about Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. She repeated that about four or five times, so I just felt I couldn’t get through to her. ... Maybe she thought she could get through to me.”

Openly lesbian tennis legend Martina Navratilova on her last conversation with fellow legend Margaret Court, the Australian champ who now ministers a church and makes very public comments opposing LGBT rights and marriage equality. Court's most recent comments have spurred controversy at the Australian Open, where one of the tournament's main show courts is named "Maragaret Court Arena."

Navratilova had her first doubles match scheduled on Margaret Court Arena, raising expectations of further controversy. She made no public comments about the scheduling, but did wear a rainbow patch on her shirt for the match. (Associated Press)

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A 14-year-old gay boy, Phillip Parker, took his own life on Friday. Reports are coming out that he was the focus of bullying at Gordonsville High School in Tennessee.

His parents, Gena and Phillip Parker, told WSMV that their son had been treated badly because he was gay. His mother told cameras at a vigil on Saturday, "That was his choice, and nobody else liked it." His grandmother, Ruby Harris, indicated that young Phillip felt like he "had a rock on his chest," and he wanted to take it off so he could breathe. (WSMV)

Phillip's grandfather, Paul Harris, told News Channel 5:

"After he did what he did, we found out a lot that we didn't know and there is a lot of bullying that goes on at the school.... Whether it's verbal or physical a counselor at the school should be on top of it and notify the parents. We weren't notified, and Phillip didn't tell us about it."

The parents say they will be meeting with school officials today.

Phillip Parker's death follows news of other gay teens committing suicide under similar circumstances in recent weeks.

Jacob Rogers, 18, also from Tennessee, took his life on December 7. A friend of Rogers told WSMV that, despite seeing guidance counselors, he felt no one was helping: "He started coming home his senior year saying 'I don't want to go back. Everyone is so mean. They call me a faggot, they call me gay, a queer." The Tennessean reports that Rogers lived with his grandmother due to family issues, and he had at some point experienced difficulty with an eating disorder and substance abuse. 

Jeffrey Fehr, 18, was a member of his California school's cheerleading team who hanged himself on January 1. The Sacramento Bee reported that Fehr was taunted by bullies for years, and that a relationship had recently ended between Jeffrey and another young man. His family said students started calling Jeffrey a "fag" in sixth grade, and his father, Steve Fehr, is quoted as saying: "We will second-guess ourselves forever.... But we do know that for years and years, people knocked him down for being different. It damaged him. It wore on him. He could never fully believe how wonderful he was, and how many people loved him."

EricJames Borges, 19, was a budding filmmaker who also took his life this month. Despite being a volunteer for The Trevor Project and making a video contribution to the "It Gets Better" Project," it seems Borges could not overcome the treatment he received in his "extremist Christian household," along with years of bullying at school where he was "physically, mentally, emotionally and verbally abused on a day-to-day basis." EricJames said that, during his freshman year at college, his mother attempted to "cure" him with an exorcism. His parents subsequently called him "disgusting and perverted" and finally kicked him out of their house.

Headless torso shots and dark sunglasses may not have been enough to protect some Grindr users' accounts from unauthorized access by a "hacker."

According to an article written by Ben Grubb of Australia's Fairfax Media, the popular gay hook-up app for phones and tablets has been found to have security vulnerabilities. The article claims that an unnamed hacker created a website which listed users' pseudonyms. It then granted access to certain abilities associated with those accounts. 

The URL of the website was not specified in the article, and the site is supposedly inactive now. But it allegedly allowed one to "impersonate" Grindr users to send out messages as those users and to change their profile pictures.

Grubb's article specifically discusses the accounts of Australian users but claims the hacker could "search for any Grindr user regarless of their location."

The alleged flaw is described as having to do with a "hash" shared between users' phone apps. Grubb says his media company spoke with Grindr's founder, Joel Simkhai, about the matter. Simkhai replied that he was "certainly aware" of the potential problems, and "they will be fixed as fast as humanly possible."

Simkhai is also quoted as giving reassurances about the security of chat messages sent between users.

Read about it at the Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax sites. Or visit Grindr's website for more details about the app.

Coincidentally, there appear to be two new plays opening now in Australia -- "Confessions of a Grindr Addict" and "Grindr: A Love Story." 

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A new survey released by Patrick E. Gonzales' Research and Marketing Strategies, Inc. could indicate a small but important decline in support for same-sex marriages in Maryland over the past year. 

The company conducted three surveys over the past 12 months -- January 2011, October 2011, and the newly released January 2012. Some 800 registered Maryland voters were questioned by telephone each time. With an estimated margin of error of 3.5%, the surveys show some interesting reactions to the following question:

Would you favor or oppose a law in Maryland allowing same-sex couples to marry, giving them the same legal rights as heterosexual married couples in areas such as tax exemptions, inheritance and pension coverage?

If accurate, the overall results seem to indicate a small decline from those in favor (51% down to 48.8%) and a slight increase in opposition (44.1% up to 47%). The October 2011 survey showed an even higher disparity with 49.1% opposed, and only 48.2% in favor. 

Two or three percentage points in either direction is significant in this case because the opinions received are split near the crucial halfway mark. A new same-sex marriage Bill is expected to be introduced in Maryland soon, and a referendum challenge is likely to follow. With such a close split of opinion, every voter in favor of same-sex marriage would have to show their support at the ballot box to defeat an anti-gay referendum.

According to this new Gonzales survey, Maryland's Democrats are largely in favor of granting lesbian and gay couples marriage equality, while Republicans remain significantly more opposed. However, both Democrats and Republicans indicated a small weakening in favorability and a small strengthening of opposition. Independents, though, rose in both favorability and opposition (because more chose to answer the question this year than last). 

Gonzales' survey also broke down results by "race," but only for "White" and "African-American." White voters, the survey claims, rose in favorability for marriage equality, but African-American voters declined over the past 3 months. According to Census data, Maryland's percentage of black residents is more than double the national average (29.4% vs. 12.6% nationally) with white residents somewhat lower (58.2% vs. 72.4% nationally).

Anti-gay flyer hosted by Archdiocese of Maryland

Gonzales' survey went so far as to claim:

"Opposition to same-sex marriage among African-American voters is what keeps the issue close in the state. If black support was equivalent to that of Democrats, as it is on many issues, same-sex marriage would be in a solid majority in Maryland."

In the larger picture, it ought to be noted that the opposition includes a number of groups and politicians of different backgrounds. Chief among these detractors include leaders of the Catholic Archdiocese of Maryland and Catholic Charities, the Family Research Council, the National Organization for Marriage, Delegate Don Dwyer, Delegate Emmet C. Burns, and preachers like Harry Jackson. The Archdiocese, Dwyer and others are calling for foes of gay families to attend a "Rally for Marriage and Family" at the Lawyer's Mall in Annapolis, MD, on Monday, January 30, from 6-8 p.m. (next to the Governor's Mansion and State House).

'We found a place in Harlem that a woman had been living in for 40-odd years, and it was roomy and reasonably priced. We went to L.A. and got this moving truck and collected his mattress and bed frame and some stuff we each had in storage, and we started a journey across the country. We stopped in Albuquerque, where my family is, and they gave us some stuff. And we went through Memphis and up to Michigan, where his family is, and picked up his parents' piano. We went slowly across America, filling up this truck, and by the time we got to New York, we had a new life full of furniture."

Neil Patrick Harris, writing of moving in with his fiancé, David Burtka, in Out's February "love" issue.

"Gay guys control the fashion industry and the casting industry and the whole Hollywood look. And gays like bodies that remind them of a 14 year old-boy. Guys like curves. Guys like curves. Absolutely, positively. It's biological, because a woman with curves looks like she can bear your children successfully and that's biologically what a man is looking for. So sexually a guy is much more turned on by a woman with curves than these 14 year old-boy stick figures. And that's how I know for sure, I don't need to do any research or any proof that it's gay guys who control the entire casting industry."

A comment made by John Kobylt during the January 16 broadcast of Clear Channel's syndicated talk show The John and Ken Show. Kobylt and co-host Ken Chiampou were discussing the previous night's Golden Globes Awards with contributor Sharron Farren. Media Matters responded in its blog that "Kobylt's claim that 'gays like bodies that remind them of a 14 year-old boy' suggests that gay men are largely attracted to children and invokes the persistent myth that gay people molest children at far higher rates than heterosexuals." Media Matters cited a 2010 post from the Southern Poverty Law Center debunking the myth. (mediamatters.org)

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"The Hollywood Foreign Press have warned me that if I insult you or cause any controversy, they would invite me back next year.... I'm not to libel anyone. And I must not mention Mel Gibson this year. Not his private life, his politics, his recent films or especially not Jodie Foster's Beaver. I haven't seen it myself. I've spoken to a lot of guys -- they haven't seen it either but that doesn't mean it's not good."

Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais in his opening monologue, referring to Jodie Foster's film "The Beaver." The loaded comment has sparked speculation in the press if Gervais publicly outed Foster, who is notoriously silent about her sexual orientation. (Contactmusic.com)

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