Mundane Monday News: Prop. 8 Standing, LGBT Mormons, Ending Planned Parenthood Funding…

*IRS Revokes Antigay Group’s Tax Exempt Status

*Sean Hayes Will Return In New Sitcom

*New Book Explores Coco Chanel’s Bisexual Romances A new book sheds light on the life outside of art and fashion that influential designer Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel led.  In Coco Chanel: An Intimate Life, biographer Lisa Chaney wrote that Chanel had intimate affairs with other women as well as artists like Salvador Dalí and a German man named Hans Günther von Dincklage who also might have been a Nazi spy. According to the publisher, Chaney was able to draw upon newly discovered letters and records to connect the missing pieces of Chanel’s storied life. 

*Prop. 8 Standing Arguments to be Televised Oral arguments on a legal standing question in the Proposition 8 case will be televised live in September, according to a California Supreme Court spokeswoman. Of the September 6 hearing, SF Appeal reportsthat “because of public interest in the case, the court has approved a live statewide television broadcast of the arguments on the California Channel, a public affairs network,” according to spokeswoman Lynn Holton.           

* Researchers Focus on LGBT Mormons  In what may be a first-of-its-kind study, researchers at Utah State University are reaching out to nearly 1,000 LGBT Mormons to learn more about their experience within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The 149-question survey is being distributed via gay-positive Mormon groups, as well as networks for those who believe that sexual orientation can be changed, the Associated Press reports. Among other questions, the study asks respondents whether they have suffered violence or teasing within the church community, and how they “view God’s response” to their sexual orientation.

*Why Rick Santorum’s Argument About Same-Sex Marriage Leading To Polygamy Is So Wrong

*New Hampshire May Hold Vote On Repealing Marriage Law Ahead Of State Primary

*Fox News Largely Ignores Pending Repeal Of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell A new Equality Matters analysis finds that Fox News largely ignored the government’s decision to certify the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, covering the story just 5 times between July 21 and July 24. Comparatively, “CNN covered the administration’s certification 26 times, MSNBC covered the story 11 times” and “ran a number of longer segments”

*Kansas Law Ending Planned Parenthood Funding Blocked By Federal Judge  WICHITA, Kan. — A federal judge has blocked a new Kansas law that would strip federal family planning funding from a Planned Parenthood chapter in the state. U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten issued his ruling Monday. Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri had argued that it would have suffered irreparable harm if a temporary injunction were not issued. It contended it would be forced to close one or more clinics and raise fees.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              *U.S. Cities Spending The Most On Health Care: Bundle.com

News Briefs: ‘HE-SHE FREAK,’ Brown’s Anti-Gay Views, Pelosi to Bachmann, Sept. Arguments in Prop. 8 Case

Trevor’s David McFarland On Teen Suicides In Anoka-Hennepin School District Civil rights organizations are pushing district to address suicide epidemic. Anti-gay groups accused of fueling & ignoring crisis. Thomas Roberts talks with David McFarland from The Trevor Project.

Pelosi to Bachmann: Address the Teen Suicides in Your District Republican presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann’s failure to address a disturbing trend of teen suicides within her own congressional district does not reflect well on her White House ambitions, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told The Advocate Thursday.                Calif. Supreme Court Schedules Sept. Arguments in Prop. 8 Case The California Supreme Court will hear argumentson September 6 as to whether proponents of Proposition 8 have the legal standing to appeal Judge Vaughn Walker’s decision striking down the ballot measure — one he issued nearly a year ago. In February, the state’s highest court certified a question from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, where the case is currently on appeal, on whether under state law the backers of an initiative have “the authority to assert the State’s interest” when public officials refuse to do so.    

Voters Split Over New York’s Same Sex Marriage Law, Support Growing Among Religious Respondents Americans are split over whether New York’s same-sex marriage law is a positive or negative outcome, a new Washington Post poll finds. Support is increasing among political independents and religious respondents, however. While 50 percent of all adults viewed the outcome as a positive development (46 percent do not), 54 percent of Independents, 63 percent of White non-Evangelical Protestants and 59 percent of Catholics said they support the measure. Among African Americans, “more than six in 10 say the law is a negative development, while roughly one in three see it positively” 

WOMAN ASSAULTED AT SIZZLER: KICKED, THREATENED, CALLED ‘HE-SHE FREAK’ Lambda Legal has field a lawsuit on behalf of Liza Friedlander, a woman who was “physically and verbally assaulted for her perceived sexual orientation.” Friedlander was out to brunch at Sizzler Restaurant in Forest Hills, Queens, when an employee of the restaurant approached Friedlander, claiming she hadn’t paid, and then “proceeded to shove Friedlander and kick her. Patrons joined in assaulting her, with one customer calling her a ‘he-she freak’ and another threatening to sexually assault her. The injuries she inflicted required an ambulance.”

Denying ‘It Gets Better’ Only Latest Example Of Scott Brown’s Anti-Gay Views  Here is a quick look at Brown’s anti-gay remarks and actions:

– OPPOSES SAME-SEX COUPLES RAISING CHILDREN: In 2001, he attacked state Sen. Cheryl Jacques and her domestic partner, Jennifer Chrisler, for deciding to have children, calling it “not normal,” though later said he chose the wrong words.

– CALLED OUT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT EQUALITY: In 2007, Brown “crossed the line” when he quoted profanity from a Facebook group and identified the students who used it when he was invited to King Philip Regional School District to discuss his opposition to marriage equality.

– TRIED TO BAN SAME-SEX MARRIAGE MULTIPLE TIMES: As a Massachusetts state senator, Brown voted twice in 2007 to ban same-sex marriage after voting for two similar amendments in 2004.

– TRIED TO CENSOR HOMOSEXUALITY IN SCHOOLS: Brown cosponsored the “Parents Rights Bill,” which would have allowed Massachusetts parents to prevent their students from learning anything about same-sex families in school.

– TRIED TO OVERTURN DC MARRIAGE EQUALITY: Brown took a “state’s rights” position on same-sex marriage in his campaign for U.S. Senate, but in March of 2010, Brown voted for a referendum to overturn marriage equality in the District of Columbia. This was in contradiction to previous statements leaving marriage to the states.

– OPPOSES NONDISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS: Brown has made it quite clear that he would oppose passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would protect LGBT employees from unfair hiring practices.

– ACCEPTED MONEY FROM ANTI-GAY GROUPS: Many of Brown’s electoral victories have been thanks to the support of anti-gay PACs and organizations like hate-group MassResistance and the National Organization for Marriage.

– NO SUPPORT FOR ANTI-BULLYING BILLS: Though Brown’s spokesman said he has a “strong record…against bullying,” Brown has not signed on to support any of the anti-bullying bills currently before Congress.

 

LET LOVE BE RECOGNIZED BEFORE ITS UNRECOGNIZABLE

I saw this bouncing around blogs and websites yesterday. Crawling into bed spooned up ( or spork if you like) next to my better half and decided to end my wild friday night at home with this 2 minute clip of what appears to be Santa Clauses brothers sitting on a bench. The story has much more history and depth and signifigance much greater than just them.

ALL THEY WANT IS TO GET MARRIED WHILE THEY ARE STILL CAPABLE OF RECOGNIZING ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE SADLY, ONE HALF OF THIS DUO HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH Alzheimer’s WHICH IS RAPIDLY TAKING HIS MEMORY. ( SAD FACE)

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Ed and Derence, of Palm Springs, CA, are a couple who submitted their story to Courage Campaign‘s call for stories in the wake of the California Supreme Court’s decision to accept the question regarding the issue of standing in the Proposition 8 case — just to decide whether or not they’re going to rule on the issue! — and then announce that they’re going to drag this decision out for six months-plus. Our field staff drove for several hours out to the desert last week to get their story on video because these are the human faces of what happens while the California Supreme Court insists on taking six months just to hear oral arguments, and more to issue a decision.

Related Articles

• Video: Ed Watson and Derence Kernek explain why the Prop 8 ruling shouldn’t have to wait (crooksandliars.com)
• This Is Heartbreaking, You Should Watch It of the Day (thedailywh.at)