New York, NY, February 3, 2012 - GLAAD, the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today applauded J.C. Penney’s decision keep Ellen DeGeneres as their national spokesperson after “OneMillionMoms.com a project of the American Family Association” which is designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) demanded that J.C. Penney fire Ellen DeGeneres because she is gay.

Win Older Man/Younger Man: A Love Story by Joseph Dispenza! Erie Gay News is giving away a copy of this moving memoir to 3 lucky winners, your choice of print or Kindle! To enter the contest, fill out the form here from February 3 through February 24. Fifty percent (50%) of the proceeds from book sales all February will go to the GLBT National Help Center for Youth..."our work helps to end fear and isolation for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and questioning youth across the United States."

WASHINGTON – A robust coalition made up of civil rights, labor, progressive, faith, student, health, legal, women’s, and LGBT organizations today announced support of the Respect for Marriage Act – the bill to repeal the discriminatory so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that withholds federal protections and respect for legally married gay and lesbian couples.  The Respect for Marriage Act (H.R.1116 and S.598) enjoys broad support with a majority of Americans and has a record number of Congressional cosponsors with 136 in the House and 32 in the Senate.

NEW YORK – February 1, 2012 – The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and The Ad Council today announced the award-winning “Think Before You Speak” public service announcements (PSA) will appear at Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, Feb. 5. GLSEN will become the first LGBT organization in the country to share its PSA campaign targeting anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) language among teens with Super Bowl attendees at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN.

See the Video Gallery.

New York, NY, February 2, 2012 - GLAAD, the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today announced that Yahoo! has removed violent, anti-gay comments posted to the site's Y! Music 'Reality Rocks' blog and will continue work to address anti-LGBT comments on its platforms.

WASHINGTON, DC – After more than 50,000 people signed a popular online petition urging DynCorp International to protect gay employees from harassment, the U.S. defense contractor announced it is adding sexual orientation and gender identity to its workplace nondiscrimination policies.

San Francisco, CA – Today, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a decision not to unseal the video record of the historic twelve-day public trial in Perry v. Schwarzenegger (now Perry v. Brown). The Perry case is a federal constitutional challenge to Proposition 8, which stripped gay and lesbian Californians of the fundamental freedom to marry. In a landmark August 2010 ruling, Proposition 8 was found unconstitutional by the Federal District Court.

This columnist has been preaching for over a year now, but particularly during this primary season, that America is changing — in favor of LGBT rights and equality. That change was never so true as in Monday’s announcement from New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Here’s how AP reported it

Author: Mark Segal

Jan 30, 2012 WASHINGTON– U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced today new regulations intended to ensure that HUD's core housing programs are open to all eligible persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Donovan previewed the announcement at the 24th National Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Equality – Creating Change. View the final rule here.

Columbus, OH -- Six Ohio Mayors are among a growing list of local officials who have joined Freedom to Marry’s “Mayors for the Freedom to Marry” campaign, which supports marriage equality for same-sex couples.

NEW YORK, N.Y. (February 1, 2012) — MTV and Logo, two Viacom networks, jointly announced today that Dan Savage, syndicated columnist, author, co-creator of the It Gets Better Project, and star of MTV’s upcoming series “Savage U,” will anchor a 60-minute “It Gets Better” special, which will spotlight the emotional and societal struggles many LGBT youth face.  “It Gets Better” will air on both MTV and Logo on Tuesday, February 21 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT. 

February 1, 2012 – Tonight, public television stations across the country will begin airing Perpetuating Stigma, an episode from the award-winning documentary series IN THE LIFE. This special report investigates the injustices that arise when a person’s HIV status becomes a crime, with a focus on how women have been stigmatized and prosecuted under these laws.

See the Video Gallery.

HARRISBURG - Equality Pennsylvania’s President, Adrian Shanker, turns 25 in April, and a birthday roast has been planned in his honor. Lehigh Valley political leaders will roast Shanker, an Allentown resident, at a brunch fundraiser at 11am on April 1st at The Palace Center in Allentown

New York, NY, February 1, 2012 - GLAAD, the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today called on community members and allies to stand up for Ellen DeGeneres and tell J.C. Penney that the company made the right choice in selecting her as its new spokesperson.

Win tickets to The Color Purple at the Erie Playhouse! Erie Gay News is giving away a pair of tickets for either the Wednesday, February 22 OR the Thursday, February 23 performances for this delightful and moving musical. To enter the contest, fill out the form here from January 31 through February 14.

Please join us at Edinboro University for a meeting of the LGBTQIA groups of the Erie-West Region. Identity, Edinboro's LGBTQIA group, is hosting this meeting Thursday, February 16th in the Pogue Student Center at EUP (specific room number will be posted soon). Edinboro, Behrend, Allegheny, Mercyhurst, Gannon, Clarion, Clarion-Venango, Westminster, and any other willing campuses will be represented at this meeting.

“Correcting Civil Wrongs through Civil Rights in an Uncivil Time” is the topic for the February 11, 2012 meeting of the Jamestown Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). Gregory Rabb, will be the speaker.

(Augusta, Maine) – Today, Maine supporters of the freedom to marry will deliver more than 100,000 signatures to the Secretary of State putting forward a ballot measure that, if passed by voters in November, would end same-sex couples’ exclusion from marriage. Below is a statement from Evan Wolfson, founder and President of Freedom to Marry:

A smile is worth a thousand friends! In the last column I talked about how a smile should be one of those things you really aim to use this year to help keep you healthy. I shall spend all of this week’s ink elaborating on the great healthy effects of a fantastic smile.

Author: Ron Blake

In a world where multi-national corporations and governments devote themselves to promoting made-up realities, we may genuinely wonder what world we are living in.  If this world is largely made up of images to sell things, how can we look to it for our happiness?  Let’s look at our money, homes and relationships as starting points.

Author: Michael Kimmel