A measure to add sexual orientation to the Alabama hate-crimes law has cleared the state Senate Judiciary Committee and could receive a vote on May 19, the final day of this legislative session. The bill got the go-ahead on Tuesday from the state House. WRCB TV Channel 3 (Chattanooga, Tenn.)/Associated Press ...

When asked by Fox News talk-show host Bill O'Reilly whether he agreed with the alleged anti-gay and anti-Catholic views of right-wing pastor John Hagee, likely Republican presidential nominee John McCain took exception only to the anti-Catholic comments reportedly made by Hagee, according to this blog posting. Read more at ThinkProgress.org. ...

The Hills girls may be incomprehensibly famous, but not all reality stars live their caviar dreams. For example, Rodrigo De Carli left his gay porn star life at Rascal videos to join the ranks of Janice Dickinson’s Modeling Agency. Well, things didn’t turn out quite the way he wanted, because it is  Back To Gay Porn For ‘Janice’ Model Queerty, NY -  also: Rodrigo De Carli: from porn to modeling and reality TV and back again Gay Socialites ...

Trade union groups in the Republic of Ireland have expressed their dismay at a ruling by the European Commission confirming that church schools can sack teachers who are openly gay. Under the Employment Equality Act religious schools can dismiss homosexual teachers. Section 37 of the Act states that schools that promote certain religious values can take action "to prevent an employee from undermining the religious ethos of the institution." The European Commission initially warned that the provision was not compatible with EU anti-discrimination legislation, but has now changed its mind after the Irish government argued that it was a ...

25 years ago, Aad and Ron Dissel de Boo, a gay couple living in Holland, became foster parents to two abused boys “almost as a gesture of ill will” by the Welfare agency. They have since fostered more than 100 children. Public acceptance of gay parents appears to be on the rise. A 2007 Pew poll stated that 46 percent of respondents believed gay and lesbian parents should be allowed to adopt, compared with 38 percent in 1999. The American Psychology Association supports same-sex couple adoption, and in the past two decades at least 15 studies ...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - When Phil Miatkowski created an online group to support civil union legislation in Illinois, it was meant to be just an easy way to keep friends informed. A year later, the group on the social networking site Facebook has swelled to nearly 9,000 members. The legislation's sponsor sought their help to lobby for the measure which would be the first of its kind in the state. And they've generated thousands of faxes and e-mails to state lawmakers, organized rallies and circulated petitions. "Every time I log on, it's getting larger, so it's exciting to see," said ...

Faculty and other members of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County community have started circulating an online petition to protest a proposed ROTC unit at the Catonsville campus, which could open this fall. According to faculty senate President Terrance L. Worchesky, the U.S. Army proposed establishing the ROTC unit during an April 25 meeting of campus leaders. The unit, which would be housed in an unused campus building, would function as a Department of Military Science, said Worchesky, who was present at the meeting. Campus officials last night confirmed the Army's proposal and said that responses from student government ...

Being openly gay in China is one of the country's biggest taboos, but you wouldn't know it stepping into Destination, Beijing's hottest gay club. Nicknamed "Desperation," this dance club and lounge, with its thumping bass, beautiful people, flowing cocktails and bouncing hydraulic dance floor -- seems at first like a typical weekend hot spot . But it's far from the usual Chinese nightclub. While there would be nothing remarkable about Destination in the United States, here the club stands apart. Self-labeled "Beijing's finest bar venue for the alternative crowd," Destination is often the only place in Beijing where young ...

News about an ongoing operation by D.C. police aimed at arresting male prostitutes and the male customers who seek their services surfaced last month when a male undercover officer posing as a hustler arrested the mayor of District Heights, Md., for allegedly offering him $40 for sex. James L. Walls Jr., 30, considered an up-and-coming political figure in Prince George’s County, was charged with solicitation for lewd and immoral purposes about 12:30 a.m. on April 24 at Sixth and F streets, N.W., near the Verizon Center. The arrest drew the immediate attention of gay activists, who noted that police ...

LAS VEGAS — This city wants your gay dollar. On a media trip there last weekend, I was repeatedly told that gay consumers are a respected and highly sought after market. There are several travel studies to back up the assertion that Vegas is already a top destination for gay and lesbian travelers. But a series of unfortunate events in Sin City left me with the impression that Vegas’ commitment to those travelers doesn’t guarantee a gay ole’ time. came to Vegas believing that it was a perfectly friendly place for gay tourists and acted accordingly. My first hint ...

SACRAMENTO—Sacramento mayoral candidate Kevin Johnson upset local gay and lesbian leaders after saying he believes marriage is between a man and a woman. The former NBA star made the statement in response to a question during a candidate debate this week. Gretchen Bender, vice president of the Sacramento County Board of Education, says Johnson's statement shows that he is not ready to lead the city. Bender and a half-dozen other gay and lesbian leaders held a news conference to express their concern about the former Phoenix Suns star. Former NBA star's opposition to gay marriage stirs anger San ...

I'm not surprised. Those long, lean, pimpin' machines of yore, those boats of the '70s have been derided long enough by those of us who remember when Disco played on the AM stations. Left unloved too long, their original owners long passed away, these gas-guzzling relics have finally found a new, and adoring audience: Gay car collectors. In this piece in the Los Angeles Times, a writer by the unlikely name of Cocoa Efficient relates to us why gay collectors have flocked to the luxury land-cruisers popular in the 70s: They're fabulous. As spacious as an SUV, and ...

Just this week, Pennsylvania killed an amendment that would ban gay marriage. Now, Gov. Ed Rendell will march in a Pride parade in New Hope on May 17. "The parade and the entire weekend showcase New Hope and our diverse community," said Louis Licitra, Chair of New Hope Celebrates Pride 2008, in a press release. "It is fast becoming an annual New Hope tradition which highlights our varied history and our commitment to the future as a gay-friendly destination."   Pa. Gov. Rendell marches in Pride parade ...

Oxnard, California) The arraignment of a 14-year old charged with murder in the shooting of a gay classmate has been postponed until June so that his lawyer can prepare a motion challenging the constitutionality of charging the youth as an adult. Brandon McInerney is charged with murder as a hate crime in the February 12 shooting of 15-year old Larry King (pictured), in a classroom at E.O. Green School in Oxnard. Arraignment Delayed In Gay Teen Murder Case 365Gay.com ...

The official visitor organisation for London is celebrating today after it won twice at the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association Awards ceremony in Las Vegas.  The awards were voted for by the membership of IGLTA, which represents the global lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender travel and marketing community. Visit London won the awards for Best Brochure/Collateral and Best Advertisement.   Gay London advert wins travel award PinkNews.co.uk, UK - ...

The crowd from the Crawford Texas Peace House may be sitting this one out, but the sanctity of President Bush’s daughter’s wedding Saturday won’t necessarily stop anti-homosexual protesters from the Westboro Baptist Church from trying to crash the blessed event. Shirley Phelps Roper, daughter of the leader of the Topeka, Kan., church whose members picket at locations where they believe homosexuality is being encouraged, said eight church members will picket near Jenna Bush’s wedding Saturday night. The protesters will set up at Prairie Chapel Road and Farm-to-Market Road 185 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Roper said.   Kansas anti-gay ...

 BURBANK, Calif. — After much anticipation on the set of ABC's Brothers & Sisters, a wedding cake has arrived. The four-tier creation — adorned with flowers and blackberries — is locked in a freezer, out of sight from the curious cast members, who are wondering what the cake topper looks like. Spotting a prop woman with the topper in her hands, Matthew Rhys — whose character, Kevin, weds Sunday (10 p.m. ET/PT) in the show's Season 2 finale — calls her over. "Is it a man and a woman?" he asks. Getting a closer look, ...

Last night's episode of Grey's Anatomy featured a subplot that saw two handsome active duty military men engaging in a steamy and prolonged hospital bed kiss as the unloved Dr. Grey looked on with tearful envy. The ill soldier was awaiting brain tumor surgery and his boyfriend, who was about to be deployed overseas, had offered to go AWOL to help him recuperate, to the objections of his partner. Their kiss was interrupted by the ill soldier's angry father, who ordered the boyfriend out of the room.  …/ Kudos to Grey's Anatomy for so vividly demonstrating the evil of ...

 BURBANK, Calif. — After much anticipation on the set of ABC's Brothers & Sisters, a wedding cake has arrived. The four-tier creation — adorned with flowers and blackberries — is locked in a freezer, out of sight from the curious cast members, who are wondering what the cake topper looks like. Spotting a prop woman with the topper in her hands, Matthew Rhys — whose character, Kevin, weds Sunday (10 p.m. ET/PT) in the show's Season 2 finale — calls her over. "Is it a man and a woman?" he asks. Getting a closer look, ...

DJ shigeki There's a hunky new guy spinning at Taboo: DJ Shigeki, a Japanese deejay and music maker previously based in Sydney and now living in Singapore. Fridae interviews him about his life and career. ...