tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87653755475429190132024-02-08T01:50:34.384-08:00Two Minute Briefing LGBT BlogCommentary and Analysis by TwoMinuteBriefing.ComResearch at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-56113055185128367022011-06-24T22:23:00.000-07:002011-06-24T22:40:56.125-07:00Gay Marriage in New YorkTonight, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a gay marriage bill that will bring Gay Marriage to the state of New York in 30 days. A crush of gay weddings are expected, reports MSNBC.<br /><br />New York will be the sixth state where Gay Marriage will be legal. The other states are Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Washington, D.C. also allows Gay Marriages.<br /><br />USA Today reports that a key vote, to pass the bill in the New York Senate, came from Catholic State Senator Mark Grisanti. The story quotes Grisanti as saying that although "he was raised to believe marriage is between a man and woman, he could not 'legally come up with an argument against same-sex marriage . . . .'"<br /><br />To read the USA Today story, click <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2011/06/gay-marriage-passes-ny-religion-/1">here</a>.<br /><br />To read the MSNBC story, click <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43507672/ns/politics-more_politics/">here</a>.<br /><br />For additional coverage, click on the links below.<br /><br />To read CNN's coverage, click <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/06/25/new.york.gay.marriage/">here</a>.<br />To read the Washington Post's coverage, click <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/new-york-senate-votes-to-legalize-same-sex-marriage-in-win-for-gay-rights-advocates/2011/06/15/AG3XDqjH_story.html?hpid=z1">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-7122690969342838572011-06-19T21:45:00.000-07:002011-06-19T21:50:29.452-07:00Gay Dad's on Father's DayOn a day honoring fathers, CBS News had as a major item a story entitled "Two Dads' Top 10 Things learned from their child." The story lists 10 items a gay couple mentions they have learned by having an adopted daughter.<br /><br />To read the full CBS News story, click <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/06/19/sunday/main20072372.shtml">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-1794363201356242832011-06-13T20:09:00.000-07:002011-06-13T20:31:30.907-07:00Bullying of Against Gay-Rights OpponentsAre individuals opposed to gay-rights being subjected to discrimination or bullying? This is the question addressed by a recent Fox News article. The article quotes Jim Campbell, attorney for the Alliance Defense fund as saying that gay-rights groups advocate "for a lot of changes in the name of tolerance . . . yet ironically the tolerance is not returned, for people of faith who don't agree with their agenda."<br /><br />Conversely, Evan Wolfson, president of pro-same-sex marriage group Freedom to Marry says that arguments such as Campbell's are "diversions, scare tactics and . . . playing the victim."<br /><br />Fox news reports several instances where individuals or firms have been targeted because of their disagreement with same-sex marriage: Peter Vidmar stepped down as chief of mission of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team, state Sen. Ruben Dias (D) has received death threats, and law firm King & Spalding terminated its service to U.S. House of Representatives Republicans seeking to defend the federal ban on same-sex marriage.<br /><br />Read the complete Fox News story <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/06/12/some-gay-rights-foes-claim-now-are-bullied/?test=latestnews">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-4897740661532844452011-06-07T20:28:00.000-07:002011-06-07T20:48:16.884-07:001970s Therapy for 'Sissy' Boy Destroyed His LifeIn the 1970s, Kirk Murphy was treated at UCLA because his parents were concerned his behavior was too feminine. The four-year-old underwent experimental treatment conducted largely by George A. Rekers who was a doctoral student at the time. Although Rekers concluded that after the treatment Kirk's feminine behavior was gone and he was like any normal boy, Kirk's siblings say that he was never a happy person again. Kirk's mother believes the treatment ruined his life. In 2003, Kirk committed suicide.<br /><br />Read the full CNN story <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/06/07/sissy.boy.experiment/index.html?&hpt=hp_c2">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-84396207509925569802011-06-04T13:40:00.001-07:002011-06-04T13:45:52.593-07:00Ad Campaign “Raise a Child” puts a Positive Spin on Gay ParentingIn January, the Pop Luck Club launched an ad campaign with the intent of reducing the stigma around gay parenting. <br /><br />The ads ran in the San Fernando valley, San Gabriel Valley, East Los Angeles, Central Los Angeles, Long Beach, West Los Angeles, and Orange County.<br /><br />Read the story <a href="http://www.lgbt-news.com/2011/01/raise-child-ad-campaign-puts-real-face.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Visit the Pop Luck Club website <a href="http://www.popluckclub.org">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-48668779948790835832011-05-28T09:16:00.000-07:002011-05-28T09:19:01.349-07:00Elementary School Students are taught that Gender is a SpectrumChildren and teachers in all grades at Redwood Heights Elementary School in Oakland, California received instruction in anti-bullying from a group called <a href="http://www.genderspectrum.org/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Gender Spectrum</span></a>. Fox News, reports that Joel Baum, director of education and training for Gender Spectrum, taught that "Gender identity is a spectrum where people can be girls, feel like girls, they feel like boys, they feel like both, or they can feel like neither."<br /><br />To read the Fox News report, click <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/05/25/gender-diversity-lesson-california-school-riles-critics/">here</a>.<br />To read the Advocate.com report of the story, click <a href="http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/05/24/Org_Miffed_Over_Schools_Transgender_Fish_Lessons/">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-31914714434439355412011-05-22T15:09:00.000-07:002011-05-22T20:10:05.212-07:00For the First Time, Most Americans Support Same-Sex MarriagesA new Gallup survey reports that 53% of respondents felt that same-sex marriages should be legally valid. This is a major shift from previous surveys.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">...............</span>Should be valid<span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">...............</span>Should not be valid<br /><br />2011<span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"> ..................</span>53%<span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">....................................</span>45%<br />2010<span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">.................</span>44%<span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">....................................</span>53%<br />2009<span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">..................</span>40%<span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">....................................</span>57%<br /><br />The shift in opinion appears to be driven by a shift in opinion among those who identify themselves politically as Democrats or Independents.<br /><br />Read the Gallup report by clicking <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/147662/First-Time-Majority-Americans-Favor-Legal-Gay-Marriage.aspx">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-49802844320649473952010-07-27T20:41:00.000-07:002010-07-27T20:49:54.747-07:00Intolerance Toward Christian AttitudesABC News ran a story today regarding Jennifer Keeton. Ms. Keeton is a graduate student in counseling at Augusta State University in Georgia.<br /><br />As a Christian, she believes and has shared her belief that a homosexual lifestyle is not in keeping with Biblical teaching.<br /><br />She has been told by school officials that she was not conforming to professional standards and that she needed to attend a “remediation” program to help her change her views, or she would be dropped from the graduate program.<br /><br />As tolerance for Lesbians/Gays/Bi-sexuals/Tran-sexuals increases, tolerance for the traditional Christian viewpoint decreases.<br /><br />To read the ABC News story, click <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/georgia-student-sues-university-lgbt-sensitivity-training/story?id=11261490%20">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-61609299140635051142009-06-29T21:00:00.000-07:002009-06-29T21:20:33.999-07:00White House Support of Gays and LesbiansToday, for the first time ever, the White House held a reception to commemorate the Stonewall riots, an event that is frequently cited as the beginning of the Gay rights movement in the United States.<br /><br />Today's reception, in combination with other events, shows clear Presidential support for Gays and Lesbians. This support is coming not only in the form of rhetoric or pageantry, but through a very significant appointment in the area of education.<br /><br />Kevin Jennings, the founder of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network has been appointed Assistant Deputy Secretary of Education.<br /><br />Read more about these events and their implication in our latest TwoMinuteBriefing, available by clicking <a href="http://www.twominutebriefing.com/files/Two%20Minute%20Briefing%20-%20White%20House%20Support%20of%20Gays%20and%20Lesbians.pdf">here</a>, or by visiting <a href="http://www.twominutebriefing.com/">www.TwoMinuteBriefing.com</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-49570674753482538112009-06-24T19:19:00.000-07:002009-06-24T20:55:36.321-07:00LDS Church Urged to Reconcile with Gays and LesbiansDescribing themselves as "an organization of LDS Members, former members and others who believe in the equal value of every soul regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or worldly condition," the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Committee for Reconciliation</span> has launched a website to petition the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to reconcile with gay and lesbians.<br /><br />Although the site does indicate that individuals who have been hurt by "mistreatment, misunderstanding, or demonization as a consequence of the LDS church's official policies, actions, and teachings" must reject seeking redress through hostility against the Church, most of message is directed at what they feel Church leaders must do.<br /><br />Essentially they call upon the Church to disavow its teachings of homosexuality as sin, acknowledge that scriptures have been used out of context to condemn homosexuality, and repudiating reparative practices.<br /><br />The site, called LDSApology.org clearly seeks an effectual "apology" from the Church.<br /><br />The website states that they are not anti-Mormon nor are they affiliated or sympathetic to anti-mormon groups or agends, but rather that they simply wish to affirm their "love and devotion to the Christian principles upon which [the] Church was founded."<br /><br />This sentance implies, of course, that the Church in taking a position against homosexuality, is not abiding by or has strayed from Christin principles.<br /><br />Whether intentional or not, the Committee for Reconciliation is using the technique known as "jamming" as described in the TwoMinuteBriefing <a href="http://www.twominutebriefing.com/files/Two%20Minute%20Briefing%20-%20The%20Selling%20of%20Homosexuality.pdf">Selling Homosexuality</a>. In this case, the technique is being used to try to substitute feelings of religious conviction and commitment towards the LDS Church with feelings the the Church is bigoted, unreasonable, and hurtful. They do this by emphasizing their love of everyone, while pointing out how hurtful the Church's policies have been.<br /><br />To access the Committee for Reconciliation website, click <a href="http://www.ldsapology.org/">here</a>.<br /><br />To read the Salt Lake Tribune story on the Committee, click <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_12666617">here</a>.<br /><br />To read the Deseret News story on the Committee, click <a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705312338/LDS-Church-urged-to-soften-gay-stance.html">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-42078532634463016252009-06-17T19:08:00.000-07:002009-06-17T20:59:08.253-07:00Presidential Memo Extends Benefits to Same-Sex Partners<script src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/js/2.0/video/evp/module.js?loc=dom&vid=/video/politics/2009/06/17/sot.obama.same.sex.benefits.cnn" type="text/javascript"></script><noscript>Embedded video from <a href="http://www.cnn.com/video">CNN Video</a></noscript><br />Today, President Obama signed a presidential memorandum extending limited benefits to same-sex partners of federal workers.<br /><br />President Obama acknowledged that under current law (referring to the Defense of Marriage Act) full benefits could not be given to same-sex partners of federal workers. The President then announced his support of a bill entitled the Domestic Partner's Benefits and Obligations Act which would "guarantee these rights for all federal employees".<br /><br />The President pledged to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act, saying that he believed it to be discriminatory and that it interfered with state's rights.<br /><br />In stating that the memorandum he signed today would pave the way for, "long overdue progress in our nation's pursuit of equality," the President was in a sense echoing the sentiment of the California Supreme Court in its same-sex marriage decision of 2008 (In Re Marriage) in which the Court essentially noted that because all other benefits had been granted to same-sex couples, the state demonstrated that it had no vested interest in not allowing same-sex couples to exist as families, and hence should be granted the right of marriage.<br /><br />TwoMinuteBriefing believes that the President is correct in saying that the signing of this memorandum today begins the paving of the road that will move us in the direction of granting full rights, including marriage, to same-sex couples at the federal level.<br /><br />To read the CNN coverage of this story, click <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/17/obama.gay.critics/index.html">here</a>.<br />To read the ABC News coverage of this story, click <a href="http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/06/president-obama-signs-lgbt-partner-benefits-memo.html">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-38724106165426767732009-06-15T17:21:00.000-07:002009-06-15T17:41:40.703-07:00Why Transsexual/Transgender Rights MatterOn June 11th, various news sources announced that Chastity Bono, the only daughter of Sonny and Cher, had begun sex change procedures earlier this year.<br /><br />Although the transsexual/transgender segment of the population is very small, their fight for rights, and the attention they are receiving in the media, are a significant assault both on the traditional family, and on those religious authorities and denominations that proclaim that gender is divinely assigned.<br /><br />Read about this issue in the TwoMinuteBriefing - <a href="http://www.twominutebriefing.com/files/Two%20Minute%20Briefing%20-%20Why%20Transgender%20Rights%20Matter.pdf"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why Transsexual/Transgender Rights Matter</span></a>.<br /><br />To access the PDF file, click <a href="http://www.twominutebriefing.com/files/Two%20Minute%20Briefing%20-%20Why%20Transgender%20Rights%20Matter.pdf">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-75160196579384742512009-06-15T07:05:00.000-07:002009-06-15T07:06:25.208-07:00The (Mormon) Church and Gay MarriageTime Magazine has published an article online entitled "The Church and Gay Marriage: Are Mormons Misunderstood?" Although already available online, the article is dated Monday, June 22, 2009.<br /><br />The article describes the involvement of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the California Proposition 8 campaign in some detail, including the theological underpinnings for its opposition to same-sex marriage.<br /><br />In commenting on this article, a posting on Examiner.com's Salt Lake City page agrees that religions should be allowed to "fight for what they view as right". However, the article immediately goes on to quote a talk by Mark E. Peterson given at BYU in 1954 in which he warns against the "Negro" desiring not only equal rights but "absorption with the white race" through intermarriage.<br /><br />The Examiner article concludes by stating that just as the "morality", as defined by the Church in 1954, opposed civil rights, the Church's "morality" opposes civil rights today. "The arguments haven't changed, only the target of discrimination."<br /><br />To access the Time Magazine article, click <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1904146-3,00.html">here</a>.<br />To access the Examiner.com article, click <a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-8829-Salt-Lake-City-Freethinking-Examiner%7Ey2009m6d13-TIME-magazine-on-gay-rights-and-the-Mormon-church">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-14026935581035981402009-06-09T20:53:00.000-07:002009-06-09T21:21:03.074-07:00New Hampshire Legalizes Same-sex MarriageLast week, Governor John Lynch signed into law a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in New Hampshire. <br /><br />The bill signed by the Governor had been revised at his request to specify that religious organization would not be forced to participate in same-sex unions or be required to allow same-sex marriages to occur on their properties. <br /><br />Still, some felt that the bill did not go far enough to protect those who object to same-sex marriages. For example, whereas religious organizations and their employees are protected from being forced to participate in same-sex marriages, florists, caterers, or photographers are not.<br /><br />With regard to the signing of the bill, Neil G. Giuliano, president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is quoted in a New York Times articles as saying, "our culture is moving to equality."<br /><br />To read the New York Times story, click <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/us/04marriage.html?hp">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-43912450087041814522009-06-09T20:24:00.000-07:002009-06-09T21:12:28.272-07:00Summit County, Utah, Will Study Giving Health Benefits to Same-Sex Domestic PartnersThe Salt Lake Tribune reported that Summit County in Utah is examining the possibility of giving health benefits to unmarried domestic partners of county employees, including same-sex partners.<br /><br />Some may feel that the granting of health benefits to same-sex partners is relatively innocuous.<br /><br />However, the Supreme Court of California in its 2008 decision in the <span style="font-style: italic;">In Re Marriage</span> cases specifically sited the existence of same-sex domestic partnerships, and the privileges granted to those partnerships, as the rational for determining that same-sex couples should have the right to marry.<br /><br />To view the Salt Lake Tribune story, click <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12503233">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-82162286174811259532009-06-03T18:13:00.001-07:002009-06-03T20:05:06.039-07:00Gay Marriage Supporters Sound the Warning - The Mormons are Coming!Acting upon their sentiment that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) played a significant role in the passage of Prop. 8 in California, the Group Californians Against Hate have sought to place ads on newspaper web sites in the states of New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Delaware, Rhode Island and Maine warning readers that "The Mormons are coming!"<br /><br />The ads were rejected by sites in three of the states, including Maine's Kennebec Journal which the Washington Post reported as feeling that the ad "borders on insulting and denigrating a whole set of people based on their religion."<br /><br />Fred Karger, formerly a Republican campaign consultant and founder of Californians Against Hate, feels that Mormons are the "nicest people" and that "they do wonderful things." However, his goal "is to get them out of the same-sex marriage business and back to helping hurricane victims."<br /><br />As a political strategist, he knows his numbers, and will seek to take advantage of the fact that almost 80% of Americans know or work with a gay person, while slightly less than 50% know a Mormon.<br /><br />Whereas this could be viewed as a challenge to the LDS Church, it may actually be an opportunity for them to spur their members on to become overall more visible, more openly "Mormon" with their colleagues, their neighbors and their friends.<br /><br />To read the Washington Post article, click <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/28/AR2009052803573.html">here</a>.<br />To read Fred Krager's comments on The Huffington Post, click <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/fred-karger/the-mormons-are-coming-th_b_188808.html">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-73572665211086248432009-06-03T17:51:00.000-07:002009-06-03T20:05:44.092-07:00Cheney Favors State-by-State Decisions on Gay MarriageThe Washington Post reported this week that former vice president Richard Cheney has come out in favor of Gay Marriage as decided on a state-by-state basis.<br /><br />Cheney is quoted as saying, "people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish, any kid of arrangement they wish."<br /><br />Cheney has a personal interest in the matter, given that his youngest daughter is a lesbian and has a longtime partner.<br /><br />That someone as prominent in the Republican party would make such a clear statement favoring Gay Marriage brings to mind the issues discussed by TwoMinuteBriefing in its analysis, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Moral Right or Political Might</span> which noted that some Republican party insiders were encouraging the party to acquiesce on Gay Marriage in order to stay politically viable.<br /><br />To read the Washington Post article, click <a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/06/01/cheney_comes_out_for_gay_marri.html?wprss=44">here</a>.<br />To access the TwoMinuteBriefing analysis Moral Right or Political Might, click <a href="http://www.twominutebriefing.com/files/Two%20Minute%20Briefing%20-%20Moral%20Right%20or%20Political%20Might.pdf">here</a>, or visit: <a href="http://www.twominutebriefing.com/">www.TwoMinuteBriefing.com</a>.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-9266641147477631482009-06-03T17:35:00.000-07:002009-06-03T20:06:41.683-07:00Harvard to Have a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Studies Endowed ChairA New York Times article reports that Harvard will endow a chair for visiting scholars who are studying sexuality or sexual minorities. It is currently assumed that visiting professors will be invited to teach on campus for one semester.<br /><br />The position has been made possible by a donation of a reported $1.5 million from the Harvard Gay and Lesbian Caucus.<br /><br />Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender studies are relatively new in the U.S. The first university program in this area was started in 1986 at the City University of New York.<br /><br />Harvard University believes, however, that theirs will be the first endowed, named chair in this subject.<br /><br />This move by Harvard is another modest indicator of how the acceptability of Homosexuality in U.S. academic circles.<br /><br />To read the New York Times story, click <a href="http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/harvard/">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-14365483460767931992009-06-03T15:06:00.000-07:002009-06-03T20:07:59.415-07:00Catholic Charities Must Allow Gay Adoption in England and WalesOn June 1st, a English Charity Tribunal (administrative court) ruled that Catholic Care <span style="font-weight: bold;">must</span> consider same-sex couples as potential foster or adoptive parents, or otherwise they could not continue to operate as an adoption agency.<br /><br />Catholic Care is the social services agency of the Diocese of Leeds.<br /><br />The ruling was based on an application of the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007.<br /><br />Most of the 11 other Catholic adoption agencies in England and Wales have chosen to become independent "secular" agencies in order to continue operations while not violating the Catholic Church's stand regarding same-sex unions.<br /><br />In January of 2007, the Church of England had expressed its opinion that the Catholic Church should be exempt from the application of this Act. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, and the Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu, in a joint letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair stated that the, "rights of conscience cannot be made subject to legislation."<br /><br />Links:<br /><br /><a href="http://thecatholicspirit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1891&Itemid=33">British court: Church adoption agency must include same-sex couples</a><br /><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/5433917/Catholic-charities-breaking-law-on-homosexual-adoption.html">Catholic charities breaking law on homosexual adotion</a><br /><a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=8467">Church of England supports Catholic position on homosexual adoption</a>Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-83245168812304318142009-05-28T18:48:00.001-07:002009-05-28T20:10:14.340-07:00Fairfax High in Los Angeles Elects Gay Male Prom QueenSergio Garcia, a gay male Fairfax High student, was elected prom queen this month.<br /><br />Prior to his election, he assured his classmates that if selected, he would not wear a dress. He is quoted as saying:<br /><blockquote>I will be wearing a suit, but don't be fooled, deep down inside, I am a queen!</blockquote>Garcia indicated that this all started out as a stunt and challenge, but ended up being a serious effort which generated discussion at the school about gender roles. He told his senior class audience:<br /><blockquote>At one time, prom may have been a big popularity contest where the best-looking guy or girl were crowned king and queen. Things have changed and it's no longer just about who has the most friends or who wears the coolest clothes. Sure, I'm not your typical prom queen candidate. There's more to me than meets the eye.</blockquote>Although not all Fairfax High students supported Garcia, some, including senior class president Vanessa Lo, felt Garcia's election showed the open-mindedness of the senior class.<br /><br />Virginia Uribe, founder of Project 10 which is a district wide on-site support program for Gay, lesbian,bisexual and transgender youth, felt that Garcia's election is an indication of where society is now on gay rights. She is quoted in the Los Angeles Times as saying, "Gender-bending is just kind of in".<br /><br />Garcia's success in being elected Prom Queen brings to Robin Byler's statement, posted to this blog on August 20, 2008, in which she declared that the Gay Marriage battle was already won, although perhaps for the next generation, because young people already believed in it.<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><blockquote>A solid majority of young people under the age of 24 believe that same gender partners should have the right to marry. So the Supreme Court is <b>just one more battle in a war we have already won</b>, be it for the next generation.” (emphasis added) <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:85%;">(Robin Byler<o:p></o:p>, Lesbian News, March 2008, Vol. 33 Issue 8, p. 9)</span></blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></span><br />To read the Los Angeles Times story, click <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prom-queen28-2009may28,0,2700821.story">here</a>.<br />To read the KTLA story, click <a href="http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-gay-prom-queen,0,5858145.story">here</a>.<br /><br />Additional resource: <a href="http://www.casafeschools.org/">California Safe Schools Coalition</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">- TwoMinuteBriefing thanks JP for recommending this story.</span>Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-4215191059945041592009-05-27T22:22:00.000-07:002009-05-27T22:58:27.648-07:00Federal Lawsuit Filed to Overturn Prop. 8On Wednesday May 27, Theodore B. Olson and David Boies held a news conference and announced that they had filed a complaint in federal court requesting a permanent injunction against implementation of Prop. 8 and a judgment that Prop. 8 violates the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the U.S. Constitution as well as 42 U.S.C. 1983.<br /><br />Olson and Boies represented George Bush and Al Gore respectively in the 2000 presidential election case that went before the U.S. Supreme Court. They have joined together and created the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which according to its website, "is dedicated to protecting and advancing equal rights for every American through legal, policy and political advocacy."<br /><br />Their first project, is the federal court challange to Prop. 8.<br /><br />Links:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.equalrightsfoundation.org/">American Foundation for Equal Rights</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Foundation-for-Equal-Rights/89182346346?v=info&viewas=0">American Foundation for Equal Rights Facebook on Facebook</a><br /><a href="http://www.equalrightsfoundation.org/images/2009-05-22_Filed_Complaint.pdf">American Foundation for Equal Rights Federal Complaint</a>Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-7569907722438261432009-05-27T18:04:00.000-07:002009-05-27T18:34:58.013-07:00Church of Scotland Endorses Gay MinisterWhen Rev. Scott Rennie, who is openly gay, was appointed last year as minister of Queen's Cross Parish Church in Aberdeen, Scotland, a rift began to appear similar to that which has been experienced by the Episcopal Church over the last few years.<br /><br />Rennie was elected to his post by 86% of the church's congregation, and that vote was ratified by the Presbytery of Aberdeen last January by a vote of 60 to 24.<br /><br />However, the Presbytery of Lochcarron and Skye filed a motion seeking to exclude homosexuals from ministry in the Church of Scotland. Also, a group called The Fellowship of Confessing Churches collected 5,000 signatures on a petition to "defend Christian Orthodoxy" and to not "condone homosexual practice in general and among its leaders in particular".<br /><br />On May 24th, CNN reported that the church's ruling body had voted 326 to 267 to support Rev. Rennie's appointment.<br /><br />Read the London TimesOnline story by clicking <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6222672.ece">here</a>.<br />Read the CNN story by clicking <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/05/24/scotland.church.gay.minister/index.html">here</a>.Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-36675599749020106032009-05-25T22:34:00.000-07:002009-05-25T22:42:33.746-07:00The Selling of Homosexuality<p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >The din subsequent to the California Supreme Court decision on Proposition 8 to be issued May 26<sup>th</sup> at 10:00 a.m. may cause attention to focus on the protests, the protesters, their cause etc. and by doing so, two critical points may become lost: first, the legal decision itself, and second, and perhaps more important, how the protest or celebrations themselves fit into the broader plan of selling homosexuality to America. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >Read about how a plan written in 1990 for selling Homosexuality to <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place> is being implemented today in a new TwoMinuteBriefing entitled “The Selling of Homosexuality”.</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >To access this TwoMinuteBriefing, visit <a href="http://www.twominutebriefing.com/">www.TwoMinuteBriefing.com</a> or simply click <a href="http://www.twominutebriefing.com/files/Two%20Minute%20Briefing%20-%20The%20Selling%20of%20Homosexuality.pdf">here</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p>Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-10505128170622879972009-05-22T12:26:00.000-07:002009-05-22T12:27:15.178-07:00Official - California Supreme Court WILL Issue an Opinion on Proposition 8 on Tuesday<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >The California Supreme Court website has posted the following information:<br /><blockquote>The California Supreme Court has announced that it will issue an opinion in three cases challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8 at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2009. (<i>Strauss v. Horton</i>, S168047; <i>Tyler v. State of California</i>, S168066; <i>City and County of San Francisco v. Horton</i>, S168078.) Tuesday at 10 a.m., the opinion will be available on the California Courts Web site at this link: <a href="http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/">http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/</a>.<br /><br /></blockquote></span>Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765375547542919013.post-36334018539758547932009-05-22T07:13:00.001-07:002009-05-22T07:13:59.758-07:00California Supreme Court Decision on Gay Marriage Expected SoonSeveral news sources are reporting that the California Supreme Court Decision on proposition 8 and the future of Gay Marriage in California is imminent. Some had speculated that the decision would be handed down yesterday, but are now expecting the decision on Tuesday.<br /><br />Some groups favoring Gay Marriage are anticipating that proposition 8 will be upheld, and are planning accordingly. One of the more interesting approaches is being taken by the group Equality California. They have started a campaign entitled "Win Marriage Back". Their campaign plans to feature a concertedgrass roots effort, along with what they describe as "powerful" TV commercials.<br /><br />Links:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.eqca.org/site/pp.asp?c=kuLRJ9MRKrH&b=4815401">Equality California - Win Marriage Back</a><br /><a href="http://www.sfbaytimes.com/?sec=article&article_id=10715">San Francisco Bay Times - Here Comes Da Justice! California to Rule Soon</a><br /><a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-358-SF-City-Hall-Examiner%7Ey2009m5d19-Prop-8-Ruling-Will-Come-Out-Soon-Its-Prediction-Time">SF City Hall Examiner - Prop 8 Ruling Will Come Out Soon! It's Prediction Time!</a>Research at TwoMinuteBriefinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413317062441940582noreply@blogger.com0