1) Dallas News; traditional family values must have equal time on campus, House says
2) The inquirer; Two beat at Swarthmore; homophobia suspected
3) Pipe Dream; Conference Aims to Raise LGBT Acceptance
4) 365Gay; Withers: Former BYU athlete opens up about being gay and Mormon
5) Post Standard; University United Methodist program focus on being free to love without fear
6) The Star; Women beaten in an alleged homophobic attack at York University
7) Duluth News Tribune; UMD’s Proud Prom to honor teed who fought for gay rights
8) Tufts Daily; Greeks give blood on behalf of would-be LGBT donors
Robert T. Garrett/Reporter Apr. 1, 2011
The Texas House approved a budget provision late Friday requiring state colleges and universities, if they use state funds to support "a gender and sexuality center," to spend an equal amount on a center promoting "family and traditional values."
While many members in the chamber cracked jokes and guffawed, the amendment's author, Rep. Wayne Christian, said the University of Texas, Texas A&M and "some other schools" have centers promoting "alternative sexual practices."
"I'm not treading on their rights to that, to teach alternative sexual behavior," said Christian, R-Center (right). But he said they must match it, dollar for dollar, with advocating heterosexual, "traditional values."
Christian's amendment speaks of any center "for students focused on gay, lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, transsexual, transgender, gender questioning, or other gender identity issues."
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, asked, "What is a pansexual?"
Christian said if Castro would go to UT's or A&M's gender and sexuality centers, "they would teach you."
The vote on the amendment was 110-24.
2) Two beaten at Swarthmore; homophobia suspected
April 05, 2011|By Robert Moran
A Swarthmore College student and his friend were attacked on campus Sunday by a group of teens in what may have been a gay-bashing assault, a college official said.
The attack occurred on Mertz Field on the Delaware County campus, Elizabeth Braun, dean of students, wrote to the college community Tuesday. Neither the student nor his friend was identified.
The student reported that he and his friend were punched and knocked to the ground, and then were repeatedly kicked and stomped by at least five boys and one girl, Braun said.
"Our student has also shared that he and his friend were being affectionate with one another when they were approached by the high school-age students," Braun said.
"While it still isn't clear what prompted the assault on our student and his friend, it does appear that homophobia could have been a factor in the attack," she said.
Braun said that the victims were treated at a health center on campus and then went to a hospital for further observation. They did not sustain serious physical injury.
Campus security and Swarthmore Borough police are investigating, Braun said.
She noted that an annual campus cross-dressing party is scheduled this weekend at Swarthmore, and she urged students to have fun, "but also be careful and aware."
3) Conference Aims to Raise LGBT Acceptance
Ariel Argueso April 5, 2011
Binghamton University will host the 16th annual Northeastern Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Conference this weekend.
The conference will span three days — from Friday to Sunday — and will include workshops on rights, challenges and cultural issues facing the LGBT community. It will also feature a drag show with student and professional performers.
The conference's theme this year, "Knowledge Moving Forward," is about "personal and societal growth and acceptance," according to the Northeastern LGBT Conference's website.
The conference is sponsored by corporations such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, Campus Pride, Human Rights Campaign and Sodexo.
Russell Heiman, assistant director of the conference, said funding for the conference has come from these sponsors as well as from the Rainbow Pride Union's (RPU) budget.
"I think this is a great accomplishment for Binghamton," he said. "This conference will give us the chance to show people from all over the Northeast how accepting of the LGBT community our campus is."
Heiman, who is also director of public relations for RPU, said the group provides social, political and creative outlets for its members to express themselves and to address issues facing the LGBT community, which some also refer to as LGBTQ, the Q standing for queer or questioning.
"We promote education and awareness concerning LGBTQ issues with an emphasis on the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, culture, religion and identity," he said.
According to information from the conference's website, "The annual LGBTQ Conference provides an opportunity to network with peers and meet like-minded students throughout the Northeast who are interested in advancing our goals."
Brittany Kalten, a senior double-majoring in accounting and finance at BU and the director of the conference, expressed confidence in the success of the weekend-long event.
"I think the conference will bring increased understanding and respect for LGBT people from the Binghamton community," said Kalten, who is also president of the Rainbow Pride Union on campus.
The conference's agenda includes lectures on healthy relationships, transgender equality, suicide prevention and legal rights. More than 20 schools will be attending and RPU is expecting over 400 people as an audience.
"It has been a ton of work, but I think it will definitely be worth it," Kalten said of planning for the conference.
RPU's annual Drag Show will kick off the conference on Friday at the Anderson Center's Osterhout Concert Theater.
The rest of the weekend's events will consist of workshops, keynote speakers, presentations and meals.
Frank Torres, a junior double-majoring in financial economics and political science, is the programming director for the conference and special projects coordinator for RPU. He was in charge of finding presenters and keynote speakers.
"A lot of people contacted us," he said. "We found people that would add something particular to the conference that presenters weren't doing themselves."
Torres said he is most excited for presentations from Ernst & Young.
"I'm excited because it's this big accounting firm caring about LGBT issues," he said.
Torres said Monday that there were about 50 spaces left for anyone who wanted to register for the conference.
"I think it's going to do a lot for the Binghamton community," he said. "Even Mayor Matt Ryan sent us a letter of support. This conference will diversify Binghamton and help bring people to a place they would not have gone to otherwise."
The conference is free for Binghamton students. The members of RPU will be tabling in the New University Union today and in the Tillman Lobby in the Old University Union on Thursday and Friday so that students can register and pick up tickets. Tickets will also be available in the RPU lounge located in room 302 of the New Union.
A full list of events and registration information is available at www.nelgbtc.com.
4) Withers: Former BYU athlete opens up about being gay and Mormon
James Withers April 6, 2011
With college basketball season over (congrats to the Aggie’s for theirwomen’s NCAA basketball win), this Outsports article on a former Brigham Young University student-athlete is worth looking at. “Michael” (a pseudonym) was a Brigham Young University students from 2001 to 2003. He was a star of the school’s track team and briefly played on its football team. He graduated in 2003, and now lives in Mississippi.“You wouldn’t think that going from Provo to Mississippi would be a change as far as liberal culture goes, but it actually was for me. Mississippi was much more liberal,” said Michael.
Apparently he met other gays, was invited to a party, and met a guy he dated for nine months (his first relationship)
Michael was raised in a Mormon household—he’s left the faith—and attending BYU seemed to be as natural as rain. Knowledge of sexuality be dammed.
“I think anybody else who’s Mormon would tell you, going to BYU is kind of something you just grow up with. Everybody in everybody’s family [his parents are an exception] went to BYU. You grow up rooting for the Cougars. I don’t want to say it’s like being a Notre Dame fan and being Catholic, but it’s similar. That’s where people want you to go and that’s where you want to go from a very early age.”
He didn’t violate the school’s honor code, but life was lonely. Mainly because he didn’t sense his peers were ready to know someone who wasn’t following the Mormon path—graduation, mission, marriage, and kids.
Thinking out loud here, scary I know, but Michael’s story is tragic. He doesn’t take it there. Got a good education, is debt free, and moved on. Even got an invite to the 2004 Olympic trials; however, isn’t there is a certain price for the athletic journey? And that price is keeping your private/real self on lock down. It’s more treacherous for athletes who are gay, but can a sports stars be who they really are? Do we as fans want perfectibility on the playing field and off?
OK. I’ll stop. Let me think about this for a bit and come back with something that makes sense.
5) University United Methodist program focus on being free to love without fear
April 6, 2011 Mia Drane-Maury
Syracuse, NY — Since October, the University United Methodist Church has hosted events and activities meant to engage its congregation in the discussion of what it feels is an important topic — accepting members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.
This week, the theme will continue with the “Free to Love Without Fear: Defying the Church’s Persecution of LGBT People.”
The series of events, co-sponsored by Syracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel, The Carnegie Religion and Media Program, the LGBT Resource Center and Pride Union, began Tuesday when the “Shower of Stoles” exhibition was blessed.
The exhibition is a collection of liturgical stoles and other sacred items representing the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people of faith, compiled by the Institute of Welcoming Resources. The exhibition will be on display Thursday through Sunday at University United Methodist.
Jimmy Creech, the first United Methodist pastor to be tried and defrocked for officiating a same-sex wedding in 1999, will host three discussions. The combination of real-life stories will help move the dialog from an academic approach to a more personalized, storytelling one, said the Rev. Craig French, pastor of the University United Methodist Church.
Cheryl Brown, a University United Methodist Church member who helped assemble the “Shower of Stoles” exhibition at the church, said the focus of the events, including those taking place throughout this week, is promoting inclusion within the church.
Brown said that the United Methodist Church “accepts everyone,” but that the exclusion of members of the LGBT community goes against that stance. She noted the church’s more progressive attitudes toward women and minorities and said that “a lot of people in the church feel this is the time” to address the issue of creating a more open, accepting church for all.
The Rev. Dr. Tiffany Steinwert, dean of Hendricks Chapel and an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, said such events stimulate dialogue and help build bridges between the university and the community.
Steinwert said sexuality and religion is a pressing, contemporary issue and Hendricks Chapel will continue to sponsor events that foster engagement within the university and the community as a whole.
This week, the theme will continue with the “Free to Love Without Fear: Defying the Church’s Persecution of LGBT People.”
The series of events, co-sponsored by Syracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel, The Carnegie Religion and Media Program, the LGBT Resource Center and Pride Union, began Tuesday when the “Shower of Stoles” exhibition was blessed.
The exhibition is a collection of liturgical stoles and other sacred items representing the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people of faith, compiled by the Institute of Welcoming Resources. The exhibition will be on display Thursday through Sunday at University United Methodist.
Jimmy Creech, the first United Methodist pastor to be tried and defrocked for officiating a same-sex wedding in 1999, will host three discussions. The combination of real-life stories will help move the dialog from an academic approach to a more personalized, storytelling one, said the Rev. Craig French, pastor of the University United Methodist Church.
Cheryl Brown, a University United Methodist Church member who helped assemble the “Shower of Stoles” exhibition at the church, said the focus of the events, including those taking place throughout this week, is promoting inclusion within the church.
Brown said that the United Methodist Church “accepts everyone,” but that the exclusion of members of the LGBT community goes against that stance. She noted the church’s more progressive attitudes toward women and minorities and said that “a lot of people in the church feel this is the time” to address the issue of creating a more open, accepting church for all.
The Rev. Dr. Tiffany Steinwert, dean of Hendricks Chapel and an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, said such events stimulate dialogue and help build bridges between the university and the community.
Steinwert said sexuality and religion is a pressing, contemporary issue and Hendricks Chapel will continue to sponsor events that foster engagement within the university and the community as a whole.
If you go
What: “Free to Love Without Fear: Defying the Church’s Persecution of LGBT People, “ series of events focused on the acceptance of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.
The events:
Shower of Stoles: An exhibition at the University United Methodist Church, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m., Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday; and 9 a.m. to noon, Sunday, that excludes the 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. service at the church.
Fired for Justice — A Public Interview with Gustav Niebuhr: Niebuhr, director of the Carnegie Religion and Media Program at Syracuse University, will interview Jimmy Creech, 5 p.m., Thursday, in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium in Newhouse 3.
Hendricks Chapel Luncheon Series: A Conversation with Creech, noon, Friday, Hendricks Chapel Noble Room.
Reconciliation or Incompatibility: Word Choices Matter: Creech will host a discussion at 7 p.m., Friday, University United Methodist Church.
Cost: Free
Shower of Stoles
The exhibition is “a collection of over a thousand liturgical stoles and other sacred items representing the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people of faith,” according to the Institute of Welcoming Resources, which collected the items. The stoles represent religious leaders who have served in thirty-two denominations and faith traditions, in six countries, and on three continents. Each stole contains the story of a GLBT person who is active in the life and leadership of their faith community in some way.
What: “Free to Love Without Fear: Defying the Church’s Persecution of LGBT People, “ series of events focused on the acceptance of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.
The events:
Shower of Stoles: An exhibition at the University United Methodist Church, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m., Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday; and 9 a.m. to noon, Sunday, that excludes the 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. service at the church.
Fired for Justice — A Public Interview with Gustav Niebuhr: Niebuhr, director of the Carnegie Religion and Media Program at Syracuse University, will interview Jimmy Creech, 5 p.m., Thursday, in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium in Newhouse 3.
Hendricks Chapel Luncheon Series: A Conversation with Creech, noon, Friday, Hendricks Chapel Noble Room.
Reconciliation or Incompatibility: Word Choices Matter: Creech will host a discussion at 7 p.m., Friday, University United Methodist Church.
Cost: Free
Shower of Stoles
The exhibition is “a collection of over a thousand liturgical stoles and other sacred items representing the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people of faith,” according to the Institute of Welcoming Resources, which collected the items. The stoles represent religious leaders who have served in thirty-two denominations and faith traditions, in six countries, and on three continents. Each stole contains the story of a GLBT person who is active in the life and leadership of their faith community in some way.
6) Women beaten in an alleged homophobic attack at York University
Emmanuel Samoglou; April 9, 2011
An incident at York University where a woman alleges she was attacked because of her gender and sexual orientation has been strongly condemned by the school’s administration.
York University President Mamdouh Shoukri issued a statement on Friday condemning the attack, saying “we will not tolerate any actions or forms of speech that advocate violence or hatred.”
Valerie Bustros said she was verbally assaulted and beaten by three males at the University’s Absinthe Pub last Tuesday night.
According to a news release issued by groups affiliated with York’s gay community, Bustros was walking to the women’s washroom when a man approached her and said she was using the wrong washroom. She explained to the man that she was a woman and a lesbian.
While leaving the washroom, the man once again questioned her gender. The situation escalated and the suspect pushed Bustros and proceeded to punch and kick her with the aid of two males, the news release said.
Detective Rick Ramjattan of Toronto police confirmed the attack took place after reviewing security footage retrieved by investigators from the campus pub.
All three suspects have been described by police as South Asian males in their mid-20’s.
Jattan said there are currently no leads in the investigation.
Shoukri added in his statement that it’s imperative for the community to embrace diversity. “It is essential to recognize and respect the different beliefs that exist within our university.”
7) UMD’s Proud Prom to honor teed who fought for gay rights
Jana Hollingsworth; April 9, 2011
A high school rite of passage was marred this winter for Desiree Shelton, when she had to fight to walk with her girlfriend as elected members of her school’s royalty court.
The 18-year-old Champlin Park (Minn.) High School senior and her girlfriend, Sarah Lindstrom, were told by school officials they couldn’t walk as a couple. Three parties, including the National Center for Lesbian Rights, sued on behalf of the students. Through federal mediation the district relented, allowing students to walk with whomever they chose.
Since then, Shelton has received plenty of recognition, including an invitation to today’s University of Minnesota Duluth’s Queer and Allied Student Union-hosted Proud Prom.
“The only reason that Proud Prom got started was because of looks people got at prom, or flak from parents or friends if someone went with who they wanted,” said Alyssa Longley, a UMD student and member of the school’s Queer and Allied Student Union. “I never went to my high school prom.”
Longley invited Shelton because she wanted her to experience the rite of
passage with the same ease that opposite-sex partners do.
She said she told Shelton, “You’d be among family. You deserve to have this.”
“We want to honor her,” Longley said.
Shelton plans to attend the UMD prom and also will attend her high school prom, where she doesn’t expect any issues. But the UMD prom, she said, will be more open and inviting.
Winning the right to walk with Lindstrom felt “really good,” Shelton said. “Nobody deserves to feel uncomfortable for who they are.”
Shelton experienced some negative online reaction to what she and Lindstrom did, but said most people have been positive. In the weeks following the Snow Days Pep Fest, where the duo walked together in suits and pink ties, the hallway stares and conversations started by random students eventually died down, Shelton said.
She doesn’t see herself as a role model, but if other teens find courage or comfort in what she did, she said, she’s happy. Shelton has heard from young people nationwide who have said her actions gave them strength to come out to family and friends.
UMD’s GLBT director, Angie Nichols, plans to give Shelton the same rainbow tassel all UMD gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students get upon graduation.
“It’s our acknowledgement for her being a pioneer,” said Nichols, who has heard of many experiences from students who felt they had “overt or covert” messages in high school to avoid bringing a same-sex partner to a prom.
UMD, she said, “is doing a great job in comparison to what happens in high schools. Here, you can dance with your partner and not get stared at.”
8) Greeks give blood on behalf of would-be LGBT donors
Rachel Rampino; April 8th
Volunteers from Tufts' fraternities and sororities will next week be giving blood on behalf of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in an effort to raise awareness of the fact that federal statutes prohibit some of its members from doing so themselves.
The students will donate blood at the April 12-16 American Red Cross blood drive, hosted by the Leonard Carmichael Society (LCS), in Carmichael Hall next week. A 1992 U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulation bars men who have sex with men (MSM) from being blood donors.
"They'll be donating on behalf of the larger idea of those who can't, particularly MSM people but there are so many people who can't," Aaron Hartman, a graduate assistant at the LGBT Center, said. "They'll record that they're donating for that particular reason."
"It is a wonderful idea to raise awareness," senior Jenna Dargie, one of the blood drive's co-coordinators, said. "It's great to still donate blood because it's so important, but this will open discussion about this policy and hopefully it will be changed."
Hartman said members of Team Q, an on-campus student group that focuses on LGBT issues, will be at the drive to raise awareness about the ban and encourage them to donate. Many people are unaware that the ban exists, he said, because the screening questionnaire taken beforehand only asks if would-be donors have ever slept with another man without explaining the reason for the question.
"A lot of times if you're not thinking about it you wouldn't realize there's a ban," Hartman said.
To further incentivize blood donation, fraternities and sororities will compete against each other. The Greek organization with the highest percentage of members donating on behalf of the LGBT community will receive a $400 prize, according to sophomore Logan Cotton, a Theta Delta Chi brother in charge of marketing the campaign.
The FDA regulation in question states that any man who has had sex with another man — since the 1977 emergence in the United States of the HIV/AIDS epidemic — are indefinitely ineligible to donate blood. This restriction extends to MSM persons in monogamous relationships and women who have slept with MSM persons.
According to the site, the MSM community is the largest single group of blood donors to test HIV positive.
The rule is in place for biological reasons, not discriminatory ones, the FDA argues.
"Scientifically, there is basis for the policy to still exist," Ryan Heman, a senior TCU senator, said. "The MSM population does have the vast majority of HIV and AIDS in the United States, so the risk of transmission if MSM were allowed to donate would increase."
According to Heman, the discriminatory nature of the regulation was addressed in fall 2004 when then-senior Matthew Pohl filed a complaint against the LCS with regard to the blood drives. Pohl claimed that because the LCS received TCU funds to conduct the blood drives, they violated the university's non-discrimination policy.
"His opinion was that since gay and bisexual members of the community cannot participate because they can't donate blood, it was a violation of the non-discrimination policy, both of the TCU and the university," Heman said.
In an arbitration agreement between Pohl, the LCS and the university, the blood drives were allowed to continue. LCS would host, rather than sponsor, the drives, and agreed to provide programming that promotes awareness of the MSM policy and LGBT issues.
"As it stands [the blood drive] is still in violation of the non-discrimination policy, but an exception was made through the arbitration agreement," Heman said.
This exception was made because the agreement includes the disclaimer requiring educational initiatives to spread awareness of the issue. Heman said this side of the agreement has not been upheld.
"The cause to raise awareness over the controversy is not something that has really been carried out," Heman said. "The disclaimer is not enough, and something else should be done. It would be great to see joint programming."
The Red Cross collects 2,000 units of blood a day across the nation, according to Red Cross spokesperson Donna Morrissey. Though it is legally obligated, along with all other blood banking organizations, to follow the FDA regulation on MSM, the Red Cross does not necessarily endorse it.
"The Red Cross believes that the current lifetime deferral for men who have had sex with other men is unwarranted and that the donor criteria should be modified," Morrissey told the Daily last month.
Hartman thinks there are ways to allow some members of the LGBT community to donate without putting recipients at risk, he said.
"The statistics make sense but there are a lot of reasons why the regulation shouldn't still be this way," Hartman said. "Feasibly the policy would be very easy to change. Raising awareness through events like the blood drive is more important than anything."
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