Erie Gay News

July 8, 2010, Los Angeles, CA - The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today congratulated the openly LGBT actors as well as the creative teams of several LGBT-inclusive television programs that received nominations for the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

BOSTON – In two related cases, a federal district court in Massachusetts has ruled that critical portions of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) violate the federal Constitution. In striking down the section of the statute that bars federal legal protections to legally married same-sex couples, Judge Joseph Tauro found that the law violates states’ rights to define marriage and violates the Constitution’s equal protection clause by treating married same-sex couples differently from married different-sex couples. Prior to the passage of DOMA, the federal government always recognized the states’ right to define marriage. The cases were brought by the Massachusetts attorney general and Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD).

Buffalo United Artists presents "The Odd Couple" Female Version by Neil Simon with Jimmy Jaowski and Lauren Fox. One night only for July 28 at 7 PM. Directed by: Anthony Chase. Also starring Kerrykate Abel, Wendy Hall, Darryl Hart, Mary Loftus, Lisa Ludwig and Adam Rath. TICKETS:  $25.00 in advance, $30.00 at the door. To reserve tickets, call (716)886-9239. Buffalo United Artists is at 119 Chippewa St, Buffalo NY.

Freedom to Marry sat down with a number of political leaders this spring, including Kirsten Gillibrand and Cory Booker, to hear why they support the freedom to marry.  The videos are now online.

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If you’re a big fan of the movies, as I am, you’re more than familiar with Hollywood’s ideas of Love.  In the movies, “falling in love” implies that we’re passive and helpless.  It just kind of happens to you, if you’re lucky and all the planets are aligned just right.  In real life, it doesn’t work this way.

Author: Michael Kimmel

WASHINGTON, July 6 — Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle today vetoed a bill that would have granted same-sex and opposite-sex couples the right to enter into civil unions. The legislation passed the state House on April 29 by a 31–20 vote and the state Senate on Jan. 22 by an 18–7 vote.

Last year, the GLBT community had an info table at the Erie Jazz and Blues Festival, held in Frontier Park (by W 8th and Bayfront Parkway), Erie PA. The festival is held the first full weekend in August and this year that is August 7 and 8. Like the other community groups and organizations, we have information on hand for people who may not be aware of resources in the area. If you have been considering running an ad in Erie Gay News, the next issue would be a particularly good one to be in, since we will be passing out copies of the August 2010 issue of Erie Gay News at the festival, so you would benefit from that. If you are interested, please contact me by this coming Monday, July 12. You can see advertising info here. Thanks!

Author: Michael Mahler

There’s a fork in the road. What do you do? Pick it up so as not to injure your tires. Then figure out what road you are going to take to get to where you are going. There are plenty o’ forks out there just waiting to put their tines into you. Pick your road correctly and Handel’s Alleluia chorus serenades you to health and wellness. Choose unwisely and Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor walks you away from health and fitness. On with the decisions!

Author: Ron Blake

Win Visible Lives., a tribute to the late author E. Lynn Harris, featuring novellas by 3 of his friends who are noted writers. Erie Gay News is giving away 5 copies! To enter the contest, fill out the form here from July 2 though July 23.

It’s that time again.  Truly, the best thing about Outfest is that it’s never the same experience twice!  Year after year, the best and brightest LGBT filmmakers and their friends converge on Hollywood to show off their creativity and express their unique vision to the masses.

(Albany, NY) The Senate Democratic Majority passed legislation (S6177A/Montgomery) that allows individuals involved in same-sex relationships to be granted funeral or bereavement leave from their place of employment.

NASHVILLE – A three-judge panel of the Tennessee Court of Appeals has unanimously ruled today that a trial court judge was wrong to impose a "paramour provision" barring a mother's lesbian partner of more than 10 years from being in the home during the mother's overnight visits with her children.

Are you someone who loves to shop?  Does it make you happy?  Is it hard to stop buying stuff?  Are you in debt from continual shopping?  For some people, whenever they feel down, they go shopping.  They justify it by telling themselves some version of:  life is so hard…don’t I deserve to have nice things to comfort me when I feel bad? 

Author: Michael Kimmel

Maybe you’ve heard that gaytravel.com is looking for the FIRST ever Gay Travel Guru!  Whoever gets the job will be paid $30k plus all expenses covered to travel throughout North America for six months.  The person has to be a social media wiz, they’ll blog, tweet, Facebook update and upload video/photos to keep our site visitors updated on their travels. We want to get Gay Icon, comedienne Kathy Griffin to judge the finals.  We’re pulling out all the stops to try and convince her.  We’ve even created a Facebook page www.facebook.com/KathyGriffinJudgeYourGays gays to rally support.  The following is an admittedly shameless open letter we’d like to get to Ms. Griffin.  Maybe she’s performing in your town!  Maybe you are one of her gays!  Maybe she’s reading this!  But if you see her, pass along this message.

WASHINGTON, June 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Lung Association's latest health disparity report, Smoking Out a Deadly Threat: Tobacco Use in the LGBT Community, examines the trend of higher tobacco use among the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and the need for additional research specific to this community.

Win Rag Tag DVD, from Ariztical Entertainment.. To enter the contest, fill out the form here from June 29 through July 20.

WASHINGTON, DC – The Supreme Court ruled today that Hastings College of Law at the University of California may deny official recognition and funding to any student club that violates its non-discrimination policy, as long as that policy is applied equally to all clubs. The policy was challenged by Christian Legal Society (CLS), a student group that requires members to sign a Statement of Faith that, among other things, states that sexual activity should not occur outside of marriage and then only between a man and a woman. Consequently, gay and lesbian students, as well as anyone who does not subscribe to CLS' specific religious beliefs, are barred from membership. The American Civil Liberties Union filed an amicus brief in the case in support of Hastings.

Bellevue Council will consider an amendment to the borough's personnel code that will incorporate the non-discrimination criteria already in effect in the Allegheny County and City of Pittsburgh's hiring policies. The change proposed by council member Mark Panichella will add ancestry, sexual orientation and color to the list of characteristics that will not be used to discriminate in the hiring and treatment of employees. Panichella also proposed changing the word "sex" to "gender" in the personnel code. A public hearing on the amendment will be held at 6:45 p.m., prior to the pre-council meeting, on July 13

June 25, 2010, New York, NY - Yesterday GLAAD released a Call to Action for community members and allies to contact executives at the ABC Television Network following a highly problematic June 22 segment on ABC's "The View."  During broadcast, host Sherri Shepherd and guest host D.L. Hughley perpetuated dangerous myths about African American gay and bisexual men, blaming them for increased HIV rates among African American women, despite evidence to the contrary from the Centers for Disease Control.

Singer/song writer Tom Goss who has performed in Erie on a few occasions sings his song Lover at Baltimore Pride 2010 with Mara Levi. For more about Tom, browse to http://www.tomgossmusic.net/.

See the Video Gallery.