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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2010

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APA Council Votes to Move Its August Meeting Out of the Manchester Hyatt Hotel

(Washington, DC) — The Council of Representatives, the major legislative body of the American Psychological Association, will not meet at the Manchester Hyatt Hotel during the Association’s August 2010 Convention. In response to a donation to the Proposition 8 campaign by the owner of the Manchester Hyatt, Doug Manchester, a number of APA Divisions and members voiced concerns about APA’s use of the hotel during its annual meeting.

“Today’s decision allows Council to make an important statement that it stands in solidarity with the LGBT community and its allies in protest of Mr. Manchester’s political views. Members of our Council will now not be faced with having to choose between their responsibilities as members of Council and their wish to express their opposition to Mr. Manchester’s action by not entering his hotel,” said APA President Dr. Carol Goodheart.

APA is not calling for a general boycott of the Hyatt hotel but will make every effort to provide choices to members or groups who do not want to use the Hyatt hotel. Other lodging and meeting space will be available.

“It is important that we be respectful of the decisions of individuals; those who choose to stay at the Hyatt and those who do not,” said Goodheart.

In addition, APA plans to use the meeting to highlight the Association’s policy statement in support of same-sex marriage and the science that supports that position.

Go PETA!

From JMG: Keith Olbermann And Dan Savage Rip On Miss Beverly Hills 2010

Dan Savage blasts back with some Bible verses of his own.

Reposted from JMG

From JMG: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Expresses Gratitude To Gay Soldiers

In stark contrast to the situation in America, last night British Prime Minister Gordon Brown thanked his nation's openly serving gay soldiers in a ceremony celebrating the contributions of LGBT people to Britain.

Brown told guests at 10 Downing Street, including a number of gay servicemembers, that there was a “debt of gratitude we can never fully repay”. He said that the pride they felt was “nothing compared to the pride we feel in them”. Mr Brown cited the current struggle in the US to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, which bans gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military, saying he knew debate on the issue continued. In 2009, for the first LGBT reception at Downing Street, Mr Brown said that the ban on gay marriage in California was “unacceptable”. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the British military allowing out gay soldiers. Mr Brown said: “I promise you that no one need walk the road to equality alone again.” He also listed the achievements made for gay equality in the last ten years, such as gay adoption and fertility rights for lesbians, saying people had warned these things could not be done.

Reposted from JMG

From OutWord: Golden Lesbian Wins Olympic 1,500 Meter

Lesbian speed skater Ireen Wüst of the Netherlands powered around the final lap to win the women's 1,500 meters in Vancouver. Wüst posted a time of 1 minute, 56.89 seconds to beat Canadian Kristina Groves by .25 seconds to capture her country's fifth speedskating medal of the Vancouver Olympics.

At the podium, Wüst broke down in an emotional moment as the Dutch national anthem surrounded the crowd.

Read more: Golden Lesbian Wins Olympic 1,500 Meter

From 365gay.com: Gay couple lives in Pope’s former flat

It seems Pope John Paul II doesn’t mind conducting business with queers.

In a truth-is-weirder-than-fiction moment, a gay couple in Madrid told Typically Spanish they purchased their flat from the pope. Apparently, a devout woman left it to him in her will. He, in turn, put it on the market.

The couple, Alberto and Miguel Ángel, said “the Church does not love us, but is happy to do business.”

The Web site commented “The gay couple, who are now married, also against the Church’s wishes, now enjoy dinner parties showing the escrituras (deeds) of the flat with the name of the Pope.”

jump here to see the full article

From JMG: Sen. Lindsey Graham: Healthcare Debate Will Mean End Of Minority Party Rights

I think Miss Graham is complaining about not being able to filibuster the health care vote down to a standstill.

posted by Joe

From JMG: DADT: Don't Lie, Don't Misinform

Today Media Matters and a coalition of LGBT and progressive groups co-signed a letter calling on the media to be truthful when covering the attempt to repeal DADT.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell proponents too often paint a distorted picture of what a repeal would mean. Today, Media Matters for America released a comprehensive review detailing how opinion pages and cable news talk shows have been flooded with falsehoods and anti-gay rhetoric to support the dubious argument that Don't Ask, Don't Tell is working. Myths that repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell would adversely affect unit cohesion, retention, or the HIV rate among servicemembers are not based in reality. Similarly, the anti-gay rhetoric permeating many of these arguments only serves to cheapen the national discussion on this important issue. Because news outlets continue to repeat these outrageous myths, a coalition of organizations is banding together to combat misinformation about the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law. As Congress moves forward on this legislation, we will be vigilant in ensuring that news reports are accurate and fair. The public deserves an honest debate -- not one marred by blatant falsehoods and anti-gay attacks.

Among the co-signers are the HRC, the Courage Campaign, GLAAD, and the NGLTF. Visit the Myths and Falsehoods page for a point-by-point refutation of the lies and misinformation being spread about the gays in the military and the repeal attempt.Lifted from JMG

From GR: When Catholics Fear Male Figure Skating

What's one indication that the sport of male figure skating is going to emerge from the 2010 Olympics as more popular than ever? Conservative Catholics are starting to worry that the sport is going to take a nation of men and turn them into a nation of ... men who wear sequins.

While Pope Benedict XVI hasn't issued an edict denying Communion to male figure skaters yet, the sport has clearly gotten under the nerves of at least one Catholic columnist, Louie Verrecchio. He writes for Catholic News Agency, and in his latest column he takes male figure skating to task for not being NASCAR on ice.

jump, fly, skate here to read the full article

Singer Melissa Etheridge rails against the passage of the gay-marriage ban in California

Singer Melissa Etheridge rails against the passage of the gay-marriage ban in California—and she won't be paying the state a dime.

Okay. So Prop 8 passed. Alright, I get it. 51% of you think that I am a second class citizen. Alright then. So my wife, uh I mean, roommate? Girlfriend? Special lady friend? You are gonna have to help me here because I am not sure what to call her now. Anyways, she and I are not allowed the same right under the state constitution as any other citizen. Okay, so I am taking that to mean I do not have to pay my state taxes because I am not a full citizen. I mean that would just be wrong, to make someone pay taxes and not give them the same rights, sounds sort of like that taxation without representation thing from the history books.

Jump here to read the rest of the article