A project of the Manship School of Mass Communication, LSU
Commentary: Christianity’s new look on gays
By Kirsten Powers
(June 4, 2014 | USA Today via RNS) - Could there be a future where most American Christians support same-sex relationships? If so, it will be due to the emergence of conservative Christians who say orthodox believers can support lifelong, monogamous gay relationships without undermining their commitment to biblical authority. Read more
Orrin Hatch says gay marriage as ‘law of the land’ is inevitable
Dan Harrie and Lindsay Whitehurst
(May 29, 2014 | The Salt Lake Tribune via RNS) - Sen. Orrin Hatch says legal gay marriage is almost certain to become a reality throughout the United States. Read more
Federal judge overturns Pennsylvania same-sex marriage ban
By Niraj Chokski and Reid Wilson
(May 20, 2014 | The Washington Post) - A federal judge struck down Pennsylvania’s ban on same-sex marriage Tuesday, handing gay rights advocates their second legal victory in as many days and striking the last remaining ban in the Northeast. Read more
NFL: Michael Sam gets drafted, social media reacts to kiss
By Chris Hoenig
(May 13, 2014 | DiversityInc.) - The NFL is a step closer to becoming the second of the so-called “Big Four” sports leagues with an openly gay player.
Former University of Missouri defensive end Michael Sam, who came out publicly in February, was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of last weekend’s NFL draft. As the 34th pick of the final round, Sam was the 249th player drafted and still has to make the team’s 53-man final roster. Read more
U.S. Laws lag behind, but employer LGBT acceptance continues to grow
By Anna Gallegos
(May 14, 2014 | LXBN) - The St. Louis Rams drafting the first openly gay football player highlights the disconnect between how the public treats the LGBT community and the nonexistent employment protections.
After Michael Sam was drafted, Missouri’s Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill raised the point on Twitter that Sam and other Missouri employees can be fired for being gay. Read more
A massive resource for transgender people
(May 1, 2014 | The Washington Post via Associated Press) - As transgender people strive to gain more acceptance and legal protections, they will soon have a hefty new resource to assist them — a 672-page book, written by scores of transgender contributors, that encompasses social history, gender politics and wide-ranging advice on health, law, relationships and many other matters. Read more
Most Disney movies are pro-Gay
By Akash Nikolas
(April 23, 2014 | The Atlantic) - The culture warriors have decided: Disney’s Frozen is queer. Elsa hiding her ice-powers could be read as a metaphor for the closet, the Oscar-winning “Let it Go” plays like a coming-out anthem, and a character in the film evokes the question of whether homosexuality is a choice by inquiring of Elsa’s powers, “born with it or cursed?” Some liberals have praised the film for its subtext; some conservatives have denounced it. Read more
Do ask, do tell: Poetry collection about U.S. soldier wins gay literary award
By Ron Charles
(April 25, 2014 | The Washington Post) - Earlier this week, a story in The Washington Post noted that the battle over a gay graphic novel at the College of Charleston, S.C. “serves as a reminder that rapid national shifts on social issues — particularly gay rights — are hardly universal and remain hotly contested.” Read more
DiversityInc.: Tennessee family makes history
By Julissa Catalan
(April 22, 2014 | DiversityInc.) - Last month, Emilia Maria Jesty made history by being the first baby born in Tennessee to have a woman listed on the birth certificate as her “father.” Read more
Black LGBT Seniors Struggle with Double Discrimination
(April 20, 2014 | New America Media) - In San Francisco African American seniors who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) often face double jeopardy in terms of discrimination. Within the black community, they struggle to overcome homophobia. In the LGBT community, they encounter race-based prejudices. Read more
India now recognizes transgender citizens as "third gender"
By Terrence McCoy
(April 15, 2014 | The Washington Post) - In India, as in almost every nation in the West, members of the transgender population have historically been forced to designate themselves as either a “male” or “female” on all governmental forms. Read more
Related Story:
UN conference provokes heated gay rights debate
(April 11, 2014 | The Washington Post via Associated Press) - Many countries at this week’s U.N. population conference are objecting to the idea of enshrining the right of women to make their own sexual decisions, fearing it would tacitly condone same-sex relationships, the U.N. population chief said. Read more
LGBT Latino seniors face housing crunch, isolation in San Francisco
(April 10, 2014 | New America Media) - Facing pronounced housing issues and isolation in San Francisco, the city's population of Latino lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender (LGBT) seniors is in particular need of housing assistance and adult day programs, say policy experts on aging. Read more
Mozilla CEO Eich steps down over criticisms on his donation to anti "same-gender" marriage campaign
(April 3, 2014 | The Mozilla Blog) - Mozilla prides itself on being held to a different standard and, this past week, we didn’t live up to it. We know why people are hurt and angry, and they are right: it’s because we haven’t stayed true to ourselves.
We didn’t act like you’d expect Mozilla to act. We didn’t move fast enough to engage with people once the controversy started. We’re sorry. We must do better. Brendan Eich has chosen to step down from his role as CEO. He’s made this decision for Mozilla and our community. Read more
Related story:
Gay marriage, Mozilla's Brendan Eich, and the role of a CEO [Los Angeles Times]
Gay people not visible enough in world media
(March 24, 2014 | Media Diversity Institute) - “Don’t forget us!” This was the message of Russian gay activists to the Western media. They worry about the decrease in media coverage of LGBT community and its issues after the Olympic Games in Sochi. Read more
U.S. human rights report focuses more on LGBT discrimination in global community
By Anne Gearan
(Feb. 27, 2014 | The Washington Post) - Gay and transgender people are singled out for state-sanctioned discrimination or mistreatment in about 80 countries, the United States charged Thursday in the broadest statement yet that Washington considers the treatment of gays a key measure of human rights around the world. Read more
Mother allegedly beats 4-year-old to death over perceived homosexuality
By Julissa Catalan
(April 4, 2014 | DiversityInc.) - Jessica Dutro and her boyfriend, Brian Canady, are currently on trial in an Oregon courtroom for the murder of Dutro’s 4-year-old son, Zachary Dutro-Boggess, who prosecutors say was beaten to death over a fear he was gay. Read more
Appeals court keeps stay on Michigan gay marriages
(March 25, 2014 | USA Today) - An appeals court put an indefinite halt Tuesday on same-sex marriages in Michigan though lawyers for the couple who challenged the state's gay-marriage ban had asked the judges to allow them while the state appeals the ruling. Read more
A wave of trans influence is hitting pop culture
By Soraya Nadia McDonald
(March 13, 2014 | The Washington Post) - If it seems like we’re experiencing a surge when it comes to talk of transgender rights and culture, it’s because we are. Read more
Journalist's Resource: The size of the LGBT population and the magnitude of anti-gay sentiment
By Julissa Catalan
(March 10, 2014 | DiversityInc.) -In an interview with an Italian newspaper, Pope Francis hinted that the Catholic Church could soon accept a type of civil union for LGBT couples. Read more
Arizona’s anti-LGBT law gets to Gov.’s desk, gets vetoed
By Albert Lin
(Feb. 26, 2014 | DiversityInc.) - The Arizona State Legislature has become the first in the nation to pass a bill that essentially would allow businesses to discriminate against LGBT people, but the measure has been vetoed by Gov. Jan Brewer. Read more