Well, would you like your right to free speech? Would you like Fox’s right to free press put up to a vote and say well, if five states approved it, let’s wait till the other 45 states do? These are fundament constitutional rights. The Bill of Rights guarantees Fox News and you, Chris Wallace, the right to speak.

Via The Wonk Room, here are highlights from the interview.

The other memorable prom story was of Derrick Martin, who asked to bring his boyfriend to prom. After a long delay, the school district allowed him to, at which point he was kicked out of his home by his parents. Yet, despite this, he became an advocate for LGBTQ youth issues and went on to recently start Project LifeVest, partnering with The Trevor Project, Gays And Lesbians United Against Discrimination and Sean’s Last Wish.

Martin described Project LifeVest in a recent interview with Waymon Hudson at The Huffington Post (worth a read):

Project LifeVest is an organization dedicated to helping LGBTQ youths in need. If a teen is kicked out for being gay, and has nowhere to turn, we will do whatever we can to help. If someone falls under the scrutiny of the media, like I did when I came out saying I was going to prom, we will be there to direct the media, to be a wall of protection from the stress that comes with media.

We also want to be there for anyone who is injured because of hate or discrimination. We have already worked with a kid whose father, in a fit of rage, stabbed him in the leg with a rusty shovel. We have the connections, and the passion to help those who need it. Discrimination is something that no one should have to endure, especially alone.

There is something truly remarkable about someone who is only a senior in high school and can a) take a stand that results in national media attention despite real personal consequences, and b) turn what would be devastating to most into something that benefits others. You can find out more about Project LifeVest here.

The judges ruled that they think the council would not have authorized “any initiative” that would have discriminated against residents and violated the Human Rights Act. The judges also wrote that the board “correctly determined that the proposed initiative would have the effect of authorizing such discrimination.”

The suit was brought by Bishop Harry Jackson (who lives in Maryland and doesn’t believe in hate crimes protections for LGBT people) and they’ve said they will take this to the Supreme Court.  The Court, of course, gets to choose which cases it hears.

One frequent argument that Jackson and others make is that residents of the District are being denied their vote.  It’s a nice talking point, but I’d rather they put this energy towards getting DC a vote in Congress.

This weekend my boyfriend Eric and I went to Cancun.  We stayed at The Gran Melia which was listed online by Expedia as a gay friendly hotel. At check in the man at the front desk asked repeatedly why we as two men would want a king size bed instead of two doubles.  He tried to persuade us that two men in a bed was not allowed in the hotel.  We brushed it off and were still ready to have a beautiful vacation.

That night on a walk on the moonlit beach my boyfriend Eric proposed to me. I said yes. The next day was beautiful, or at least we wanted it to be.  At lunch Eric and I were holding hands. A waiter came over to our table and told us that public displays of affection were not allowed at the Gran Melia since it was “family hotel.” When we pointed out the straight couple holding hands across the room he reminded us that it was over the fact we are gay.  The waiter became very hostile towards us and I had to step in the way to cool down both Eric and the bigot waiter.

We then went to the front desk and told them the situation.  We were promised an upgrade to a suite over our whole ordeal.  The general manager of the hotel followed us to our room and told us that the Gran Melia is not a gay friendly hotel.  It is a “family hotel” and if we wanted a gay friendly hotel to go down the road.  He even gave us a list of other hotels…

You can read the rest of the story here.

Google announced last week that it will now cover the additional costs that same-sex couples have to pay in federal taxes to include their partners on their insurance plans.  As I pointed out in the piece last week, the issue comes down to what is considered a “dependent.”  From The New York Times:

Under federal law, employer-provided health benefits for domestic partners are counted as taxable income, if the partner is not considered a dependent. The tax owed is based on the value of the partner’s coverage paid by the employer.

Also worth noting is that Google is doing something the federal government can’t.  They’ll be providing equivalent of the Family and Medical Leave Act to all same-sex partners, not just children (as was recently announced by the Department of Labor).  Additionally, Google is working on updating their health insurance programs to change the definition of infertility, which is “now defined as the inability to conceive a child with no stipulations on trying for one year.”

The NYT piece gives a lot of really good background on the current inequities faced by same-sex couples.  A few worth noting:

• The provision in health reform efforts that would have corrected the fact that same-sex couples pay more for domestic partner health coverage was passed by the House, but lost in the final watering down of reform.
• “The Kaiser Family Foundation says that 36 percent of large companies that offer health benefits provide coverage for same-sex domestic partners, and more than half of Fortune 500 companies provide domestic partner coverage — but few pay the extra costs of that coverage.”
• Kimpton Hotels, Cisco, and the Gates Foundation also “gross up” to cover these inequalities.

An interview from the Associated Press on why Radcliffe supports the Trevor Project.

THE TREVOR PROJECT LAUNCHES PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FEATURING DANIEL RADCLIFFE

Radcliffe raises awareness about crisis and suicide prevention efforts for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth

The Trevor Project, the leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, announced today the launch of a national public service announcement (PSA) targeted at LGBTQ youth. The PSA features Daniel Radcliffe, the star of the “Harry Potter” film series, Broadway’s “Equus” and the upcoming revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” Newsrooms and broadcasters are encouraged to download the broadcast-quality (MPEG-2) PSA available on the panel to the right, and the video can also be easily embedded onto websites, blogs and online news outlets.

“MTV News” offered an exclusive first look at the PSA on the channel on Mon., May 17, with the full-length version running exclusively that day on “MTV.com.” The piece raises awareness about The Trevor Helpline, the only nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for LGBTQ youth. Radcliffe delivers a touching message to youth, reminding them that there is always a safe place to turn, and encouraging those who are feeling lost or alone to call The Trevor Helpline. To conclude, Radcliffe says: “be proud of who you are,” a vital message for LGBTQ youth to hear.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15 to 24-year-olds, and LGBTQ youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. Those who come from a family who rejects their sexual orientation are up to nine times more likely to do so.

“LGBTQ youth suicide is a preventable epidemic, and at The Trevor Project, we know that community education is the key to combating these devastating statistics,” said Charles Robbins, executive director and CEO, The Trevor Project. “Because this PSA features Daniel Radcliffe, it has the incredible power to educate communities and spread the word to youth that help is always available and that it is okay to reach out for support.”

Daniel Radcliffe has been involved with The Trevor Project since August 2009, when he joined the Circle of Hope, a community of major donors which plays an essential role in the financial leadership that makes the organization’s lifesaving work possible, with a significant donation. He has since continued his involvement, taking a tour of The Trevor Project’s East Coast Call Center in New York City this February during which he met with staff members and volunteer helpline counselors and also filmed the PSA.

“I believe that The Trevor Project has a universal mission of acceptance that is so profound,” said Radcliffe. “If this brief PSA makes even one lost and alone young person aware of The Trevor Helpline and the lifesaving support it offers, then it will have been an endeavor well worth making.”

To learn more about The Trevor Project’s programs and its work toward saving lives, building communities and changing society, visit TheTrevorProject.org.

About The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is the leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. Every day, The Trevor Project saves young lives through its free and confidential helpline, in-school workshops, educational materials, online resources and advocacy. The organization was founded in 1998 by three filmmakers whose film, “Trevor,” a comedy/drama about a gay teenager who attempts suicide, received the 1994 Academy Award® for Best Short Film (Live Action). For more information, visit www.TheTrevorProject.org.

I was struck by two things about this email.  One, a reminder of the generational change.  I can’t imagine a gesture like this being such a small thing when I was in middle school in a nearby town (not THAT long ago).  The second thing I was struck by was the fact that Facebook, something that came into existence when I was either a freshman or sophomore in college, enable news of this effort to permeate the all size towns in all regions.

It’s a worn out cliche to say that the internet is a powerful tool, but it has really done amazing things to connect people with others who care about their issues and have shared experiences.  The fact that a 12 or 13-year-old girl in Maine can take initiative and pass on notice of an International Day Against Homophobia without having to form a student group or get approval from an administration means that students with a sense of justice can more easily organize and lead without barriers or any effort beyond a few clicks.  That is progress, and that is why the generational shift that is moving us closer to full equality is picking up speed.

Over at AMERICAblog there is a petition for Obama to fire Jonathan Katz, who he recently appointed to a team offering federal scientific and technological support to BP engineers.  Why?  Because he’s a self-described (and self-published) homophobe and climate change denier.  John and Joe point out some of his worst moments in his “In Defense of Homophobia,”  (yes, that’s actually the name) including this one:

The religious believer may see the hand of God, but both he and the rationalist must see a fact of Nature. The human body was not designed to share hypodermic needles, it was not designed to be promiscuous, and it was not designed to engage in homosexual acts. Engaging in such behavior is like riding a motorcycle on an icy road without a helmet. It may be possible to get away with it for a while, and a few misguided souls may get a thrill out of doing so, but sooner or later (probably sooner) the consequences will be catastrophic. Lethal diseases spread rapidly among people who do such things.

Unfortunately, the victims are not only those whose reckless behavior brought death on themselves. There are many completely innocent victims, too: hemophiliacs (a substantial fraction died as a result of contaminated clotting factor), recipients of contaminated transfusions, and their spouses and children, for AIDS can be transmitted heterosexually (in America, only infrequently) and congenitally. The icy road was lined with unsuspecting innocents, who never chose to ride a motorcycle. Guilt for their deaths is on the hands of the homosexuals and intravenous drug abusers who poisoned the blood supply. These people died so the sodomites could feel good about themselves.

But it doesn’t stop there.  It turns out that being gay is just like being a potential murder or adulterer.

What of those cursed with unnatural sexual desires? Must they forever suppress these desires? Yes, but this is hardly a unique fate. Almost everyone has desires which must be suppressed. Most men and women think adulterous thoughts fairly often, and find themselves attracted to members of the opposite sex to whom they are not married. Morality requires them to suppress these desires, and most do not commit adultery, though they feel lust in their hearts. Almost everyone, at one time or another, covets another’s property. They do not steal. Many people feel great anger or intense hatred at some time in their lives. They do not kill.

I am a homophobe, and proud.

No matter how smart he is (and I have to doubt his scientific prowess as he denies climate change), there is no way someone who openly advocated discrimination against some other minority would be serving in this role.

Sign the letter.

“I’m accustomed to discrimination, I suppose, at my age and my experience as a gay woman, but I didn’t expect it against my child.”

Now it appears that the Boston Archdiocese is distancing itself from the school’s position.

Spokesman Terry Donilon said the archdiocese has no prohibition against same-sex couples sending their children to Catholic schools.

Further, it has drawn the attention of state Representative Garrett J. Bradley.  Bradley commented to the Globe:

“These parents thought enough of St. Paul’s to want to send their child there; St. Paul’s thought enough of their child to admit him. For the school to then discriminate against him and withdraw his acceptance because of his parents’ sexual orientation is not only inappropriate, but mind-blowing.  Shame on St. Paul’s, and shame on us as a community if we allow it.”

Here’s hoping that once the Archdiocese has reviewed the case they’ll say not just say it’s not their policy, but they’ll say it’s wrong.

A Mississippi school board was grossly discriminatory and mean-spirited when it told Constance McMillen that she could not attend her high school prom with her girlfriend. A ruling by a federal judge that Ms. McMillen’s constitutional rights had been violated is a welcome sign that gay people are continuing to make progress toward equality. It should also be a warning to school districts nationwide about the cost of discrimination.

The other prom story that I have yet to cover is the story of Derrick Martin who, after a three month struggle, was allowed by his school to bring a same sex date, but was later kicked out of his parent’s home.  Video is here.

This may not seem like a big deal to some or a battle worth fighting, but even beyond the principle of the matter, it sets a context for understanding gay couples from a younger age.  Visibility and familiarity are the best ways we can increase acceptance and understanding.