http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/index.cfm Gay, Lesbian News National and International Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT en-us http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page1.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page1.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer The Washington Blade - the country's oldest LGBT newspaper - closed its doors for good on Monday, November 16. Employees returning to work Monday morning were greeted by a notice telling them to clear out their belongings by mid-afternoon. The only official statement on the closure came via Twitter: "Washin http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page2.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page2.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer On November 14, nearly 500 LGBT community members and their allies participated in the Approve 71 "Thank-You" Rally at Westlake Center Park in Seattle. The event, organized by a coalition of students, volunteers, and activists known as Seattle OUTProtest, was an opportunity to celebrate the November 3 victory where Washington Stat http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page3.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page3.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer US 9th Circuit Court Judge Stephen Reinhart ruled in favor of a California couple denied spousal benefits because they are Gay. Citing the due process clause in the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution and the ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation in California state law, Reinhart ordered back pay and futu http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page4.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page4.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington D.C. said on November 11 that it will be unable to continue the social service programs it runs for the District if the city doesn't change a proposed same-sex marriage law. This threat, if applied, would affect tens of thousands of people the church helps with adoption, homelessness and heal http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page5.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page5.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Beau Burriola - SGN Foreign Correspondent DAD 'You know, son,' my dad told me on the phone in one of our usual, six-thousand-mile phone calls, 'it's the pebbles in the bottom that make the river sing.' It had been a deep conversation, mostly with my dad telling me that the big fight Julien and I had that day was the very thing that d http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page6.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page6.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by James Whitely - SGN Contributing Writer Passion for her community, passion for her profession, and passion for her 26-year relationship with her partner Shad, Jody Laine has it. Bits and pieces of her passion are scattered all over Seattle thanks to her heavy involvement in the community. If you regularly attend community events, you're certain to have seen her. http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page7.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page7.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer The Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) raised over $250,000 on November 14 at the 12th annual 'TASTE of GSBA South Pacific' gala. Funds raised support the GSBA Scholarship Program, the first program of its kind in the United States to provide support to Washington State's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) and allie http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page8.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page8.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer The divide over Gay clergy within the country's largest Lutheran denomination has driven a conservative faction to begin forming a new Lutheran church body separate from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Leaders of Lutheran Coalition for Renewal (CORE) said November 18 that a working group would imm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page9.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page9.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Rex Wockner - SGN Contributing Writer Gay Euro MPs denounce Ugandan bill Members of the European Parliament's Intergroup on LGBT Rights have strongly denounced the 'Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009' pending in Uganda's Parliament. 'The proposed legislation includes provisions to punish those alleged to be Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual with life http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page11.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page11.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT Cathy Renna rennacommunications.com Statement from Judy Shepard on the Murder of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado Dennis and I, and the entire board and staff of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, stand with all who are grieving the loss of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado in one of the most shockingly brutal hate crimes in Puerto Rico's history. http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page12.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page12.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer New York State's top court ruled on November 19 that public officials have the authority to recognize out-of-state Gay marriages and pushed state lawmakers to decide whether to legalize same-sex marriage. The ruling comes in cases in which Lambda Legal intervened on behalf of two married same-sex couples after the http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page13.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page13.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer Houston's mayoral race turned ugly last week as a group of conservative Texas ministers accused one of the candidates of planning a 'Gay takeover' of City Hall. Openly Lesbian Annise Parker came in first in a field of five candidates on November 3, earning a spot in the December 12 runoff. Two candidates in the five City http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page14.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page14.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer Gilbert Caldwell, a SkyWest Airlines baggage agent who has worked for the company since September 2004, says the airline is breaking state law by refusing to give his husband the free fares it provides to heterosexual spouses. Caldwell, 56, married his partner of 34 years, Rev. David Farrell, 72, last year in June http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page15.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page15.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer LGBT employees of the federal government got closer to winning benefits for their same-sex domestic partners on Wednesday, November 18. The US House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee passed the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act (HR 2517), and sent it to the full House for actio http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page16.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page16.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer The FBI announced on Tuesday it was monitoring a police investigation into the brutal murder of a young Gay man in Cayey, Puerto Rico. Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado was decapitated, dismembered, and his remains were partially burned on Friday, November 13. He was 19 years old. On Tuesday, November 17, Puert http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page17.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page17.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT Again, we lost a good friend of our community. Ben Hill left us, tragically, several days ago. Ben, as you may have read, was fatally burned in a fire in his apartment where a friend tried to rescue him, without success. Ben was a handsome, outgoing guy with lots of talent. He was an accomplished musician and played drums in various bands in Seattle and http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page18.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page18.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT Alabama School Reverses Decision To Bar Lesbian Student From Attending Prom With Her Girlfriend Chris Hamptom ACLU LGBT Project RUSSELLVILLE, AL - The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded Franklin County School System officials for reversing their decision barring a lesbian student from attending the school prom with her girlfriend. http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page21.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page21.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by James Whitely - SGN Contributing Writer The Second Annual Seattle Red Dress Party November 21 Naval Reserve Center South Lake Union Got a pretty red dress? You'll need one for Seattle's Second Annual Red Dress Party on Saturday November 21. The Red Dress Party is a unique fundraiser for local HIV/AIDS charities in http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page22.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page22.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by James Whitely - SGN Contributing Writer The Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle crowned a new Mr. and Miss Gay Seattle on November 14 at the 2009 Mr., Miss and Ms. Gay Seattle Pageant. Held at Neighbours nightclub, the drag variety show featured 20 stellar performances. LaTrina Bidet, the positively negative emcee, kept her cynical comments going all thro http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page23.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page23.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer The Pixies November 13-14 Paramount Theatre Alt-rock veterans the Pixies' two-night gig at the Paramount - both vocally and musically speaking - couldn't have been better. The shows, a 20th anniversary celebration for the band's Doolittle album, were a triumph for fans and groupies alike. For 9 http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page24.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page24.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by David Zimmerman- Special to the SGN Byron Hurt is lifting weights in a New York City health club. Like most people around him, he's listening to music on his iPod. It's hip-hop - 'Almost always is,' says Hurt. The rapper: Nas. The album: Hip Hop is Dead. The lyric: 'If I sound too smart, will ya'll run away.' Hurt finishes at the gym, and boards a p http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page25.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page25.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by E. Joyce Glasgow - SGN AandE Writer The First Annual Seattle International Cabaret Festival November 11-15 Can Can, Triple Door, Pensione Nichols, ACT, Moore Theatre The ambitious Seattle International Cabaret Festival, organized by Can Can owner Chris Snell, showcased avant-garde cabaret acts from lo http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page26.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page26.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Mercy Moosemuzzle - SGN Contributing Writer New Orleans Trip As part of their Sweet Caribbean Cruise, Mercy and Cuteness spent three days in New Orleans, where the trip originated, which allowed them some time to look around. They were saddened by how little the city has recovered from Katrina blowing through there more than four years ago. They st http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page27.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page27.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Eric Andrews-Katz - SGN AandE Writer The Diviners November 20 and 21 Youngstown Cultural Arts Center The Diviners, a play by Jim Leonard, Jr., is billed as "a powerful, poignant, and deeply human play." These words themselves are highly charged, yet the play is definitely along the lines of subtle drama. The Diviners plays on a http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page28.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page28.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Miryam Gordon - SGN AandE Writer Meet Me in St. Louis The Village Theatre Issaquah through January 3 Everett January 8-31 Meet Me in St. Louis is a movie that is famous for several signature songs, mostly sung by the great Judy Garland, such as "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "The Trolley Song" ("clang, clang, http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page32.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page32.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Scott Rice - SGN Contributing Writer The Twilight Saga: New Moon Opening November 20 Bella Swan (the long-suffering Kristen Stewart) is a total dumbass. I mean, I've heard of difficult love triangles, but this girl gets herself caught between a vampire and a werewolf. I know the pickings can be slim in a small town, but please, a va http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page33.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page33.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Rajkhet Dirzhud-Rashid - SGN AandE Writer The Blind Side Now Playing According to my sweetie, an expert in Chinese and Vedic astrology, Sandra Bullock's a "fire tiger." Since next year falls in a fire tiger sign, that could mean good things for the perky (and now blonde) actress. All I know is that her performance in The Blind Side (base http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page34.cfm http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/mobile/page34.cfm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT by Scott Rice - SGN Contributing Writer The Box Now Playing Here's the deal: Some guy leaves a box with a button on your doorstep. He lets you know that if you push the button, you'll get one million dollars. Sounds good, right? But if you push the button, someone you don't know will die. That complicates things? The Box is