Via JMG: Today's Gallup Poll

Gallup reports:

Fifty percent of Americans believe same-sex marriages should be recognized by law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages -- down slightly from 53% last year, but marking only the second time in Gallup's history of tracking this question that at least half of Americans have supported legal same-sex marriage. Forty-eight percent say such marriages should not be legal.

Labels: Gallup, marriage equality, polls

Reposted from Joe

Via Gay Politics Report:

• New poll finds half of U.S. adults back marriage equality
   
• A new Gallup poll finds 50% of U.S. adults support legal marriage for same-sex couples, while 48% oppose it. Marriage equality is supported by the majority of Democrats and Independents, but by 22% of Republicans, the poll found. Politico (Washington, D.C.) (5/8)     

Via Gay Politics Report:

• Despite Biden remarks, White House doesn’t budge on marriage
  Reporters yesterday hammered White House spokesman Jay Carney over President Barack Obama’s position on marriage equality a day after Vice President Joe Biden unexpectedly said he’s comfortable with same-sex couples marrying. Biden’s office later said the vice president’s official position still mirrored Obama's, leading the White House press corps Monday to repeatedly ask Carney to explain Obama’s position more fully. The press corps' questions about marriage equality took up nearly half the daily briefing. Carney referred reporters to Obama’s record on LGBT issues and his oft-repeated answer that the president was still evolving on the issue of marriage rights, an answer Obama himself first uttered in 2010. National Public Radio (5/8), The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (5/6), Metro Weekly (Washington, D.C.)/Poliglot (5/7), Washington Blade (5/7)     

• Education secretary says he supports marriage equality: Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said Tuesday morning he supports the rights of same-sex couples to marry, becoming the latest Obama administration official to publicly break with the president over the issue. Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan has also said he backs marriage rights for gays and lesbians. Advocate.com (5/7)     

• Are some Obama donors closing their wallets?: Several major political givers who are upset with President Barack Obama’s refusal to sign an executive order banning LGBT employment bias among federal contractors have reportedly suspended their fundraising efforts for his re-election bid despite his overall record on LGBT issues, according to this article. The Washington Post/The Plum Line (5/7)     

Via JMG: VIDEO: It Could Happen To You

Andy Towle writes: Shane Bitney Crone has marked the one-year anniversary of his boyfriend of six years, Tom Bridegroom, with a devastating video, It could happen to you, chronicling what happened to him after Tom's sudden death. If there's anyone in your life who doesn't understand the familial rejection, the institutional discrimination, and the bias that gay couples face every day, here's one man's account.

Labels: LGBT culture, LGBT rights, memoriam

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: WorldPride To Honor Hillary Clinton

No doubt in recognition of her historic speech to the United Nations, WorldPride London has announced that Hillary Clinton will be the recipient of their World LGBT Award. Pink News UK reports:

Clinton, who is married to former US President Bill Clinton, will be honoured at a star-studded black-tie fundraiser preceding WorldPride 2012 on 5 July. The gala evening is in aid of Pride London’s new Solidarity Fund, which supports organisation within the Commonwealth that work with and for LGBT people to tackle homophobia and transphobia. Also to be honoured, with the “International Community Award”, is ILGA – the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. Founded in 1978, ILGA brings together more than 750 LGBTI groups from around the world.

RELATED: WorldPride has previously been held Rome (2000) and Jerusalem (2006). After WorldPride Toronto in 2014, the event will take place on a five-year cycle. (Tipped by JMG reader Huntington)

Labels: gay Pride, Hillary Clinton, LGBT History, London

Reposted from Joe

Via GayBahai.net:

Mother28 Collapse posted:

I recently resigned from the Baha'i Faith from my letter of resignation I said:

This is the post I referred to above:

"I always believed that the Faith would eventually consider science and the rigorous study of society, however it is clear from the activities of the Faith around the world that the Faith will not change its policy regarding marriage equality, the flexibility of gender roles, or gender identity. I have found it particularly disappointing that a Faith I once embraced has supported hate groups against homosexuals and that Baha'i Counselors have in international forums promoted corrective therapy for LBGTQ members that has been condemned in the medical community as abusive, harmful and ineffective."

this was the straw that broke my back, I don't want a religion in my life that is not tolerant and in alignment with science.

<http://www.gaybahai.net/discussion/post/1816052>

Via Towleroad:

'Where the Wild Things Are' Author Maurice Sendak is Dead at 83

Maurice Sendak, the gay author of iconic children's books like Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen, has died at 83.

The cause was complications from a recent stroke, said Michael di Capua, his longtime editor.

Sendak came out of the closet publicly in 2008 in an interview with the New York Times:

"Was there anything he had never been asked? He paused for a few moments and answered, 'Well, that I’m gay...I just didn’t think it was anybody’s business,' Mr. Sendak added. He lived with Eugene Glynn, a psychoanalyst, for 50 years before Dr. Glynn’s death in May 2007. He never told his parents: 'All I wanted was to be straight so my parents could be happy. They never, never, never knew.' Children protect their parents, Mr. Sendak said. It was like the time he had a heart attack at 39. His mother was dying from cancer in the hospital, and he decided to keep the news to himself, something he now regrets. A gay artist in New York is not exactly uncommon, but Mr. Sendak said that the idea of a gay man writing children books would have hurt his career when he was in his 20s and 30s."

Sendak recently appeared in two genius interviews with Stephen Colbert. If you missed them, makes sure to take a look HERE and HERE.

Posted May. 8,2012 at 8:32 AM EST by Andy Towle in Books, Deaths, MAurice Sendak, News

Read more: http://www.towleroad.com/2012/05/where-the-wild-things-are-author-maurice-sendak-is-dead-at-83.html#ixzz1uHxQeajQ

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma

Tricycle Daily Dharma May 8, 2012

Saving Yourself from Anger

 

When you give in to aversion and anger, it’s as though, having decided to kill someone by throwing him into a river, you wrap your arms around his neck, jump into the water with him, and you both drown. In destroying your enemy, you destroy yourself as well.

- Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, "Putting Down the Arrow"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

Via JMG: Olympics Hopeful Comes Out

Olympics hopeful Josh Dixon wants to be the first out American gymnast in the history of the games. Outsports reports:

The Stanford grad took a big step toward that goal at the U.S. Men’s Qualifier on Saturday in Colorado Springs, finishing second overall out of the 72 competitors. He also tied for wins in two events: floor exercise and high bar. It was a game-changing come-back performance for Dixon, who tore his Achilles tendon last spring. Now Dixon is talking about his personal life and sexual orientation publicly for the first time. Like charging at the vault, he’s coming at it at full speed.

Read the full article.

Labels: coming out, gay athletes, Outsports, sports

Reposted from Joe

JMG Quote Of The Day - Rep. Barney Frank:

"Any gay or lesbian person with any self-respect should not be voting for any of the Republicans, including Mitt Romney, who made the degrading comment in one of the recent debates about how he kept Massachusetts from being the Las Vegas of gay marriage, kind of cheapening this very profound thing for us. This is a faker who in 1994, when he was trying to beat Ted Kennedy in a different era, said 'Oh, I’ll be better than him on gay rights,' and of course he’s been outrageous.

"In fact in 2004, when the Massachusetts Supreme Court had ruled in favor of gay rights, there was an effort in the state Legislature to overturn it. Mitt Romney led a fight against a whole lot of legislators who had courageously voted with us to uphold gay marriage, and he tried very hard to defeat them. I think he gave the business I’m in a bad name. He is the most unprincipled, dishonest, intellectually flexible guy I’ve seen. There does not appear to be any public policy to which he’s committed." - Rep. Barney Frank, in an interview with Palms Springs' Desert Outlook.

Labels: 2012 elections, Barney Frank, GOP, Mitt Romney

Reposted from Joe