As Census forms are delivered to households across the country during the month of March, Our Families Count is working hard to ensure that LGBT Americans understand the importance of filling them out, as statistics gathered from each Census guides vital government decisions, from redistricting to funding allocations for social services.

While this year’s Census records only five identity areas (age, sex, race/ethnicity, relationship, tenure of stay in your home), under Relationship same-sex couples have the opportunity to be counted as either “unmarried partners” or as husband/wife.”

In an interview with GayPolitics.com, Our Families Count coordinator Che Ruddell-Tabisola explained, “What is different for the LGBT community…is that the Census will count same-sex couples as we define ourselves – whether as unmarried, same-sex adult partners (as in 2000), or as married same-sex husbands or wives.”

On their website, Our Families Count details:

“In order to be counted as a same-sex couple, one of the partners must be listed as ‘Person 1’ (since the Census asks each household member to list how he/she is related to Person 1).  Same-sex couples who have been legally married or consider themselves to be spouses should identify the other person as a ‘husband or wife’.”  Our Families Count does acknowledge that “those terms fit some – but certainly not all – LGBT households.”

While this Census will not record information about an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, Our Families Count encourages those “who are living with a spouse or partner [to] indicate that relationship by checking either the ‘husband/wife’ or ‘unmarried partner’ box” while advocates continue to push for congressional legislation to expand the identity categories recorded by the Census.

Although this means that transgender people cannot officially identify as such, Our Families Count notes that “the census asks each of us to tell the truth as we understand it.  Check the box on the census form that most closely reflects your current gender identity.”

For further resources regarding the U.S. Census, check out the U.S. Census Bureau Toolkit for LGBT Communities.

GLAAD is a proud partner of Our Families Count and encourages all LGBT people and allies to fill out your Census and send it back to ensure our community’s full visibility.

While speaking to a Florida radio program on Sunday, Hayworth said “You see, the Massachusetts Supreme Court, when it started this move toward same-sex marriage, actually defined marriage — now get this — it defined marriage as simply, ‘the establishment of intimacy’. Now how dangerous is that? I mean, I don’t mean to be absurd about it, but I guess I can make the point of absurdity with an absurd point — I guess that would mean if you really had affection for your horse, I guess you could marry your horse.”

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But as Maddow points out, the language Hayworth cited in that interview does not actually exist.

“So here’s my question about that,” Maddow challenged Hayworth. “Where does the ‘establishment of intimacy’ thing come from? Where in Massachusetts law or in the Supreme Court ruling does it say ‘the establishment of intimacy’? I spent the whole afternoon sort of looking for that and couldn’t find it anywhere.”

Hayworth suggested that Maddow simply had a “disagreement” with him.

“Well it either is true or it isn’t. It’s empirical,” Maddow finally said.

MSNBC’s Chris Matthews also criticized Hayworth’s comments.

“Bringing up the connection between horse and rider in this debate really doesn’t show a lot of common sense or human understanding,” said Matthews.

Meanwhile, Hayworth issued a statement on Monday saying that he stands by his claim, but once again did not clarify where he found the language he cited.

GLAAD applauds Rachel Maddow for taking former Congressman JD Hayworth to task and ensuring that politicians be held accountable for their claims.

You can also watch the video on YouTube.

View a complete list of award recipients and photos from the event.

Honorees, award recipients and event photos can also be seen on an earlier post: Cynthia Nixon and Joy Behar Honored at the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York

To learn more about the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards, visit www.glaad.org/mediaawards.

In “Her Name was Steven,” Susan Stanton speaks about the challenges facing the transgender community and about her own journey from Steven to Susan.

In 2007, Largo, Florida, City Manager Steven Stanton came out as transgender. Steven was quickly terminated from Largo’s City Manager position, but courageously continued the transition process.

Now, Susan Stanton has resumed her role in Floridian politics and works as City Manager in Lake Worth, FL. Stanton says that although her title is the same, she is treated differently as a woman:

“You don’t realize how difficult it is to lead people as a woman because you don’t get the deference as a woman.

“As a guy, when I’m talking, people would stop. But now, sometimes I find myself saying, ‘Excuse me, stop interrupting me.’”

The CNN profile also revealed the isolation that Stanton faced simply by being who she was. Like many transgender people, Stanton says she contemplated suicide and battled depression.

According to the network, “CNN followed Stanton’s life for more than two years [and] the resulting portrait is sensitively told in Stanton’s own voice, with arresting candidness and honesty.”

GLAAD is encouraged to see CNN devote a significant amount of coverage to transgender people. Transgender people are our neighbors, coworkers, and friends. They contribute greatly to the rich tapestry of the world and they deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. Programs like CNN’s “Her Name was Steven” are the right step in moving the conversation forward about transgender people.

For more information on “Her Name was Steven,” visit CNN Presents’ website here.

VIEIRA: “You hugged him pretty tight, I must say, in the moment. There was a lot of man lovin’ goin’ on last night. Do I have reason to be worried?”

Anthony Mackie then offered a heartfelt response, completely disarming the idea that there may be a problem with two men embracing.

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Vieira has a long track record of supporting our community so the remarks did come as a surprise. GLAAD also heard from multiple constituents who were offended by what she said.  That’s when we got on the phone with Vieira to voice concerns and ask her to address the issue.  We had a very productive conversation and in the end we walked away knowing her heart is in the right place and she had no intention of causing harm for LGBT people.

She even sent along a statement of explanation and an apology which she asked GLAAD to distribute:

“During an interview with the cast of the hurt locker on Monday, I turned to actor Anthony Mackie and made a joke about “man hugging” in reference to a hug he and fellow actor Jeremy Renner had shared a few weeks earlier on our air. It was meant to be lighthearted, but some were offended by what they believed to be a homophobic comment. That was never my intent, but that doesn’t matter. Words are extremely powerful and should never be chosen lightly, even in a lighthearted moment. I apologize to any and all that I offended. My support of the gay and lesbian community is longstanding and well documented. It has not and will never waver.”

GLAAD thanks Meredith Vieira for listening to concerns, addressing this issue sincerely and for using this moment to educate the public on how words can hurt. We continue to value her as an ally and a friend.

ABC’s original article also carried a headline that nearly mirrored the defamatory one appearing on the cover of Life & Style’s March 1^st edition: “Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt: Turning Shiloh into a Boy?” After discussion with GLAAD’s Director of National News, ABC agreed to change the headline to the current “Mag: Brangelina Dressing Shiloh Boyish.”

But the story still devotes a vast amount of space to the views of Glenn Stanton, who represents the virulently  anti-LGBT organization, Focus on the Family.  Stanton does not have the expertise or qualifications to speak credibly about raising children and it was irresponsible of ABCNews.com to perpetuate his unsubstantiated views. As GLAAD’s Senior Director of Programs Rashad Robinson recently noted in his critique of Life & Style “We believe media has a responsibility to differentiate between credible authorities and politically motivated (and usually self-proclaimed) experts like Focus on the Family’s Glenn Stanton.” 

Please join in our Call to Action against Life & Style for their original publication, and call on ABCNews.com to correct its missteps as well.

Click here to contact ABC News

“If Americans want to serve, they ought to have the right to be considered for that service regardless of characteristics such as race, religion, gender or sexual orientation,” said Lieberman.

Sen. Joseph Lieberman with Maj. Mike Almy who was discharged in 2006 (New York Times)

It is unclear whether Lieberman’s bill, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, will garner the 60 votes needed to pass in the Senate.

“I think a guess right now — and this is really a guess — if this bill came to a vote tomorrow, we’d have over 50 votes and that’s saying a lot,” Lieberman told the Advocate “Do we have 60? Not clear yet, but possible.”

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) told The Washington Post on Thursday that a vote on Lieberman’s bill will most likely come in May as part of the annual defense authorization bill.

The repeal is still facing some staunch opposition from Republican lawmakers, however.

Rachel Maddow sternly criticized one such opponent last night on her MSNBC program, The Rachel Maddow Show.

Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) told the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday that the amount of service members lost to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is “not significant.”

Maddow answered Rep. Wilson’s outrageous assertion with the story of Air Force Major Michael Almy, who was discharged after 13 years of service because of his sexual orientation.

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GLAAD commends Rachel Maddow and other mainstream journalists who continue to shine a spotlight on the concrete harms of barring qualified gay and lesbian people from serving openly in the United States Armed Forces. We will continue to follow the media’s coverage of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. For more information on the myths and facts surrounding the impact of repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell click here to read about our collaboration with Media Matters for America.

Sports Illustrated

Burke, the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the United States Olympic hockey team, suffered the tragic loss of his son, Brendan, earlier this month.

Brendan and a freind, Mark Reedy, were killed in a weather-related car accident in Indiana on February 5.

Brendan had come out to his father two years ago, but only recently stepped onto the national landscape as a stellar LGBT advocate who worked to eradicate homophobia in sports.

ESPN profiled Brendan and Brian late last year in an incredibly moving piece about coming out in a sports-centric family. Brian Burke is quoted as telling Brendan, “Of course we still love you. This doesn’t change a thing,” after Brendan told his father and stepmom that he was gay.

Now, Brian Burke has vowed to take on LGBT advocacy work of his own after the loss of his son, according to Sports Illustrated. “Brendan’s causes are Brian’s now,” writes SI reporter Michael Farber.

Burke says he will march in Toronto’s Gay Pride parade in June. “I’d promised him I would march with him,” says Burke. “He won’t be there, but I will.”

Brian Burke and his family will join GLAAD at the 21^st annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York City on March 13 to celebrate the nomination of ESPN’s article, “We Love You. This Won’t Change a Thing,” which spotlights Brendan’s heartfelt coming out story.

For more information, click here.

Gen. James Conway

Marine General James Conway, the highest-ranking officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday that he supports the Pentagon’s study on the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT). Gen. Conway was clear, however, that repealing DADT must take a back seat to the military’s ability to protect the country, according to The Associated Press.

Conway’s testimony comes on the heels of similar testimony by Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz.

The New York Times reported on Tuesday that both Generals “expressed reservations about moving too swiftly to change the policy, and both endorsed the decision by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to deliberately review the issue before acting.”

Earlier this month, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael G. Mullen told Congress that he personally supported lifting the ban on openly gay men and lesbians serving in the United States armed forces:

“No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens.”

(To read GLAAD’s original blog post about Adm. Mullen’s testimony, click here)

International leaders are also weighing in on the repeal. According to PinkPaper.com, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown sang the praises of his military’s gay and lesbian service members and suggested Americans could reap the same rewards if the ban is overturned:

“You are the pride of our country and we thank you very much,” Brown told an audience of LGBT people and supporters. “We know this debate continues in America today. I would say to people who still favor ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’, look at our experience in Britain.”

Yesterday, GLAAD joined Media Matters for America in calling on the mainstream media to cover Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell fairly and accurately. For more information about GLAAD and Media Matters’ open letter to the media, click here.

GLAAD will continue to follow the media’s coverage of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. For updates, check out GLAADblog.org

While Hochman also includes fair-minded opinions from developmental psychology experts, the article seems to legitimize the discomfort, even homophobia, a handful of anonymous fathers voiced in discussing their feelings about their own sons being gay. 

He writes, “You may chuckle when little Leo dons butterfly wings and plays tea party for the third day in a row (hey, it’s just a little gender blurring), but you’re really thinking, No, God, no.”  By quoting a series of otherwise-liberal dads, who have no problem interacting with gay people outside of their family but cringe at the possibility of having a gay son, Hochman implies that no parent could ever be pleased to have a gay child.

What seems to be most at issue for these fathers, however, has very little to do with their sons’ actual sexuality and everything to do with their gender expression – a distinction Hochman never directly makes, thereby leaving in tact the stereotype that all gay men are effeminate and all effeminate men are gay. Whereas the article purports to question parental homophobia, it turns out to focus solely on male fears about signs of their sons’ deviation from traditional masculine standards.  There is also a notable lack of discussion about their gay daughters.

The original online article also included an inappropriately sexual, and crudely cropped, photograph of a rainbow popsicle entering a child’s mouth on the second page. Details removed the picture after GLAAD called with concerns. Editor-in-chief, Dan Peres acknowledged after further reflection that the image was highly inappropriate and told us it was removed from the online version and won’t make it into print. GLAAD pointed out to Details that the image served only to sensationalize the topic and divert attention from the fathers’ misplaced fears to the children’s sexuality.

In looking at the article as a whole, Details missed an opportunity to discuss the very real problem of parental insecurities around both their children’s sexuality and gender expression. This is the second time in as many months that Details has published a problematic article related to LGBT-identity, following a defamatory piece referring to bisexual women as “hasbians” in January.  While the effort to discuss parental distress with gender nonconformity is laudable, the casual tone of the writing and treatment of the subject overshadow the original intention. If the sentiment of the article’s closing line, calling for unconditional parental support, could have resonated throughout, the reporting would have been greatly improved.

We encourage you to contact Details to express your concern about the magazine’s problematic coverage of men’s discomfort regarding the idea of  having gay sons.

New York Daily News also reports that Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) will announce next week that he is “taking the lead on the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the 1993 law that prohibits gay people from serving openly in the armed forces.”

In an exclusive interview with the Daily News, Lieberman told [reporter James Kirchick] that his commitment to repealing DADT is twofold. First, allowing gays to serve openly fulfills the bedrock American promise of providing citizens with “an equal opportunity to do whatever job their talents and sense of purpose and motivations lead them to want to do – including military service.” Second, and no less important for a lawmaker whose commitment to national security the Pentagon can’t doubt, is that “When you artificially limit the pool of people who can enlist then you are diminishing military effectiveness.”

Sen. Lieberman went on to speak of his experience on the Armed Services Committee:

“My own experience as a member of the Armed Services Committee, visiting our troops on bases here in this country and abroad, particularly in war zones, the most remarkable quality you’ll find is unit cohesion. What matters is not the gender of the other person in your unit or the color or the religion or in this case the sexual orientation. It’s whether that person is a good soldier you can depend on. And that’s why I think it’s going to work.”

Similarly, The New York Times published an article today about a new Palm Center study which indicates that a speedy repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell would not endanger or disrupt American troops.

That study, “Gays in Foreign Militaries 2010: A Global Primer,” is set to be released Tuesday.

The Santa Barbara-based research center surveyed existing policies that allow gay men and lesbians to serve openly in Britain, Canada, Australia, South Africa and other countries.

“On implementation, the study said that most countries made the change swiftly, within a matter of months and with what it termed little disruption to the armed services,” The New York Times reported.

The New York Times article also noted that General David H. Patraeus spoke on the subject of repeal on NBC’s Meet the Press program on Sunday.

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In that interview, Gen. Patraeus said that a review of the policy barring gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the U.S. armed forces is “warranted.” Although Gen. Patraeus declined to give his own opinion on the policy, he said that he would do so if prompted by lawmakers.

When asked by host David Gregory if men and women “serving on the ground and in the field care one way or the other if their comrade in arms are gay or lesbian,” Gen. Patraeus replied, “I’m not sure that they do.”

GLAAD will continue to follow the media’s coverage of the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. Updates can be found on GLAADblog.org

OutSports.com reported today that an afternoon radio host on 105.3 KRLD-Dallas made defamatory comments about American Olympic figure skater, Johnny Weir.

“Yeah we know you’re gay, queen,” radio host Gregg Henson reportedly quipped. “It’s your choice to live that ‘lifestyle’.”

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough also made unfair inferences about the Men’s Figure Skating event on Thursday morning’s program.

WILLIE GEIST: Joe, I know you’re very, very excited about the uh Men’s Figure Skating tonight. It should be a real battle.

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Well, it’s always, every four years I look forward to it. It’s a great chance for me to do a couple things at once. It’s usually where I get my nails buffed and polished while sitting there watching Men’s Figure Skating.

GUEST COMMENTATOR: One thing it does do though, it gives you a preview of what Willie will be wearing when he comes back here to New York.

GLAAD will be contacting both KRLD-Dallas and MSNBC’s Morning Joe to voice concern about their faulty coverage.

The Olympic Games draw the world’s fiercest athletes together in a global celebration of sport and athleticism. It is unacceptable that these Olympians are subject to undue mockery about their perceived sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

If you see or hear unfair Olympic coverage that degrades athletes on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, contact GLAAD’s National News team at: nationalnews@glaad.org. Be sure to include the outlet’s name, the date of the problematic coverage and a brief synopsis of the offense.

GLAAD will continue to monitor the media’s coverage of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. Updates can be found on GLAADblog.org

An article in The Huffington Post details the “monstrous implications” of the Ugandan anti-gay bill:

The more controversial provisions of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill would sentence HIV-positive homosexuals to death for their sexual acts, make it illegal to publicly defend LGBT rights, or provide social and medical services to LGBT individuals, and turn Ugandan citizens into anti-homosexual informers…

…LGBT Ugandans endure verbal insults, physical and sexual harassment, arbitrary arrests and torture, and humiliating publicity. They are victims of correctional rape and other sexual abuse, blackmail, and arbitrary detention, and are denied health care, housing, education and other social services on account of their sexual orientation. Since the introduction of this bill in October, 2009, there have been reports of death threats against LGBT individuals and police have raided the offices of some human rights activists.

The Washington Post published a column this week challenging American lawmakers and faith leaders to act now and not be lulled by the passing of time:

In a time of constant calamity and crisis fatigue, proposed legislation in Uganda to execute gays passes through the American consciousness with the impact of a weather report. Corrupt politicians count on the brevity of the American attention span, but certain items demand a tap of the pause button…

… A country where gays are routinely harassed, rounded up and incarcerated doesn’t need stoking by American fundamentalists on a mission from God.

With the horrific realities of this proposed law, it is was deeply shocking when Christianity Today reported that Ugandan Anglican bishops support everything but the death penalty or throwing priests and counselors in prison for not turning in gay people.  Family members of gay people would still be required to turn in family members.

Around 35% of Ugandans are Anglican. 42% are Catholic.  Bold individuals like Canon Gideon Byamugisha, a prominent member of Uganda’s Anglican Church, have called the bill “state-legislated genocide.”  The Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the global Anglican Church, opposed the legislation saying, “Overall, the proposed legislation is of shocking severity and I cannot see how it could be supported by any Anglican….”  More recently, he called the bill “infamous” and “repugnant” but has been very slow to speak.  The Vatican has been mostly silent except for a little publicized statement in December at a United Nations panel—despite the fact that roughly 45% of Ugandan’s are Catholic.

The World Council of Churches published an open letter to President Museveni saying they are “saddened and distressed” by the proposed law.  American World Jewish Service leaders organized an open letter to members of Congress and are emphasizing that people from within Uganda are speaking out and working against this legislation at great risk to themselves.

GLAAD continues to urge mainstream media to shine a light on Uganda’s virulently anti-gay measure and expose the potentially lethal injustices that gay and lesbian Ugandans could face simply by being who they are.

Updates can be found on GLAADblog.org

According to Marriage Equality USA, “at local marriage counters in cities all over the country, same-sex couples will request marriage licenses at their local County Clerk’s Offices and engage in other public education outreach to raise awareness of the harms and impact the inability to marry causes on their families.”

DallasVoice.com shared the story of one such couple, Kay Mathews and Wendy Churitch, who renewed their vows in Dallas today at noon to mark the holiday. Churitch and Mathews were legally married in Iowa last August.

And San Jose Mercury News reported that same-sex couples and supporters will gather on San Francisco’s City Hall today to request marriage licenses from the county clerk.

National organizations are also promoting marriage equality today. Chicago’s Gay Liberation Network has organized an informational picket on Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral in order “to highlight the role the Church’s leadership has played in promoting inequality,” according to an article that appeared on ChicagoPride.com today.

For more information about ‘Freedom to Marry Day’, visit www.marriageequality.org

GLAAD, GSA Network, GLSEN, Ventura County Rainbow Alliance, Human Rights Campaign, National Center for Lesbian Rights and Equality California are urging LGBT advocates and allies to honor King’s memory and call for an end to violence and harassment in the classroom directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Here is an update on what some organizations are doing:

GSA is hosting a vigil at Los Angeles City Hall at 7 o’clock P.M. Their site provides individuals with an action guide offering tips  on how you can honor King’s life and how to mobilize and inform those in your community. Here is an excerpt:

Inform:

• Ask your administration to let your Gay-Straight Alliance club make an announcement on the PA system asking for a 30 second vow of silence to remember Lawrence King. Include who he was and why remembering him is important for you and your school.
• Make an altar for Lawrence King to visually represent the violence LGBTQ students face.  Ask to display it at school.  Include the time and place where your GSA meets so students can get more involved with your club.
• Write a letter to your campus newspaper demanding that violence against LGBTQ people stop.  Write about Lawrence King and why it’s important for your school to stand up to hate.  Give the time and place where your GSA meets.
• Organize an anti-violence assembly at your school. Invite speakers who can either talk about Lawrence King’s live and death or about the violence in schools against LGBTQ youth.
• Work with other students or groups on campus to organize a “No Violence Week.” Have discussions, show movies, or make posters about the violence and bullying in our schools.

Read the complete guide here.

On GLSEN’s “Remembering Lawrence” web page, they asking those to register events and join Facebook and MySpace groups to show their support. Here is a list of registered events so far

California

Spectrum Lawrence King Vigil
Camarillo, California
Friday, February 12, 2010
6:00 PM
Location: California State University Chanel Islands
Co-Sponsored By: Spectrum Center for Multicultural Engagement Center for Civic Engagement Housing and Education
Questions: http://vcra.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=4520621&highlight=vigil kari.moss@csuci.edu

Remembering Larry
Culver City, California
Friday, February 12, 2010
All Day
Location: 4401 Elenda St
Co-Sponsored By: Culver City High School Gay Straight Alliance

Remembering Lawrence King
Los Angeles, California
Friday, February 12, 2010
7:00pm
Location: Los Angeles City Hall – South Steps
On First St. between Main and Spring
Co-Sponsored By: GSA Network
Questions: www.gsanetwork.org/lawrenceking daniel@gsanetwork.org 213.482.4021

Remember Lawrence King
Los Banos, California
Friday, February 12, 2010
3:30
Location: Los Banos High School
Co-Sponsored By: Gay/Straight Alliance
Questions: nnelson@losbanosusd.k12.ca.us

Illinois

Remember Lawrence
Mattoon, Illinois
Friday, February 12, 2010
All Day
Location: Lake Land College
Co-Sponsored By: BGLADD (Bisexuals, Gays, Lesbians, and Allies to Develop Diversity) of Lake Land College, Mattoon, IL.
Questions: http://www.myspace.com/b_gladd

Minnesota

End the Violence
Blaine, Minnesota
Friday, February 12, 2010
11:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m
Location: Blaine High School
Co-Sponsored By: Blaine High School Gay Straight Alliance

Texas

Time for A Change presents: remembering Larry
Southlake, Texas
Friday, February 12, 2010
6:00 pm
Location: Bicentennial park
Co-Sponsored By: Time for A Change
Questions: T4c.me Info.timeforachange@gmail.coM 214.578.0119

Virginia

“I Love Larry”
Arlington, Virginia
Friday, February 12, 2010
All Day
Location: Wakefield High School
Co-Sponsored By: The Wakefield High School Gay & Lesbian Alliance
Questions: jclisham@arlington.k12.va.us 703-228-6711

Candle Light Vigil
Univ Richmond, Virginia
Friday, February 12, 2010
6:30pm
Location: Forum on Campus
Co-Sponsored By: Student Alliance for Sexual Diversity
Questions: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=292384489684&ref=mf sasdur@gmail.com

Register your event online here.

The Ventura  County Rainbow Alliance is hosting an event at California State University Channel Islands campus sponsored by Spectrum (the gay/straight student alliance), the Center for Multicultural Engagement, the Multicultural and Women’s & Gender Student Center, School of Education, Student Housing and the Center for Community Engagement.

Learn more about their event here.

Burke, 21, captured international attention after sharing his moving coming out story with mainstream media in 2009.

In “We Love You, This Won’t Change a Thing,” ESPN Staff Writer and anchor John Buccigross recounts Brendan’s story in the second-person narrative:

But, now, telling your secret to Dad is another story. Molly’s reassuring hand guides you to the couch for the moment of truth. It’s time to tell Dad, a most public example of hockey machismo, that you are gay.

Finally, you say it. Awkwardly. You basically stumble along trying not to make it a big deal before just blurting out, “And I love you guys and wanted to tell you that I’m gay.”

There is a brief silence.

Dad is surprised when you tell him that you are gay. He never suspected at all.

Your stepmom speaks first: “OK, Brendan, that’s OK.” And gives you a reassuring smile. Then your dad says, “Of course, we still love you. This won’t change a thing.”

GLAAD celebrated ESPN’s report of Brendan’s story in Dec. 2009 and awarded the broadcast giant a spot on our “Best of National News” list. Shortly thereafter, “We Love You, This Won’t Change a Thing” went on to win a 2010 GLAAD Media Award nomination for the article’s superb account of Brendan’s bravery.

GLAAD joins the LGBT community, its allies and sports fans across the nation in mourning the devastating loss of Brendan Burke. Brendan’s tremendous courage will continue to inspire families everywhere to love and embrace their gay and lesbian sons and daughters.

The American Prayer Hour opening press conference was held in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, February 2, and included Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in The Episcopal Church.  Poignant remarks were made by Moses, a gay Ugandan man who is seeking asylum in the US.

Moses spoke at the National Press Club press conference with a bag over his head to avoid retribution, highlighting the serious impact of the proposed law.  He shared his story of being raped by police and being too afraid to go to the hospital for treatment.  He said, “It breaks my heart that I have to leave my family and loved ones to seek asylum in this country simply because I am gay.  Even as I speak, gay people are being persecuted as a result of this proposed law against gay people.  I can only imagine how bad it will be if the bill actually passes.”

The  New York Times, Religion News Service, Christian Post and blogs covered the opening press conference in the nation’s Capital on Tuesday.  Key American Prayer Hour gatherings were held on Thursday in Washington, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Berkeley, Dallas, Boston, Anchorage and Atlanta.

GLAAD collaborated on the American Prayer Hour with the Human Rights Campaign, The National Gay & Lesbian Taskforce, the National Black Justice Coalition, Metropolitan Community Church, PFLAG, Progressive Christians Uniting, Truth Wins Out, Two Spirit Press Room, Arcus and Haas Jr.

GLAAD also worked to amplify the voices of these inclusive faith leaders by drafting press materials and earning media coverage.

Secretary General Robert M. Gates

Yesterday, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael G. Mullen, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he personally supports the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) because “it’s the right thing to do.”

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates also spoke about the repeal, saying it “is not whether the military prepares to make this change, but how we best prepare for it.”

Today, mainstream media are reacting to the military officials’ call to scrap the ban on openly gay service members in the United States armed forces.

The New York Times published an editorial today that echoes the call to lift the ban:

The United States has traveled far since 1993 on gay rights. It is ready for a military built on a commitment to equal rights for all.

The editorial also counters Rep. John Boehner’s (R-OH) assertion that it is not the right time to end the ban amidst two wars. “In fact, it is an ideal time,” says The New York Times. “The armed forces need every qualified person who wants to serve.”

The Los Angeles Times also published an op-ed today in favor of repeal. In it, Senior Research Fellow at the Palm Center, Nathaniel Frank, writes that the military’s newly announced year-long assessment of DADT “is nothing but a delaying tactic.”

“The issue has been studied for half a century,” Frank writes. “… It only gives political obstructionists and moral opponents of equality for gays the chance to sow doubt and fear in an effort to derail reform.”

In response to Senator John McCain’s (R-AZ) firm remarks at yesterday’s Senate hearings in opposition to a possible repeal, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow pointed out last night that Sen. McCain once supported an end to the ban and goes on to interview Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach who stands strong in favor of the repeal.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Meanwhile, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Colin Powell, also voiced his support for a repeal in a statement from his office today:

In the almost 17 years since the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ legislation was passed, attitudes and circumstances have changed. I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week by Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen.

GLAAD continues to work with national news outlets to ensure that the concrete harms inflicted by DADT are exposed in both print and broadcast media.

On February 12, organizations and individuals nationwide will honor Larry’s memory and call for an end to violence and harassment in the classroom directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

A 2007 study conducted by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) found that more than 9 out of 10 LGBT middle school students surveyed (91%) said they experienced harassment at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation, 59% experienced physical harassment and a startling 39% said they had been physically assaulted, nearly twice as many as in high school (20%). That same study found that more than 8 out of 10 LGBT middle school students (82%) reported hearing homophobic epithets frequently or often from other students in school — a higher percentage than high school students (73%). Perhaps most shocking, 63% of LGBT middle school students had heard school staff make homophobic remarks.

To locate and register for a vigil near you, please visit www.rememberinglawrence.org

“This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are.”

The possible repeal gained further attention on Thursday after Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell announced that the Defense Department will hear testimony on Tuesday from Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, that will “identify specific steps the military will take before the law is changed to lessen the impact on a force fighting two wars.”

MSNBC added to that report with speculation that the military might adopt an “interim policy” before full repeal of the law that could “ease the number of discharges and investigations that take place under the policy.”

GLAAD will continue to follow the media’s coverage of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Updates can be found on GLAADblog.org

This day-long institute will feature trainings by:

• Scott Goodstein, former External Online Director for Obama for America, who was responsible for developing the campaign’s social media platforms, now of Revolution Messaging;
• Jarrett Barrios, President of GLAAD;
• Rashad Robinson, Senior Director of Programs, GLAAD;
• Heather Cronk, Chief Operating Officer at the New Organizing Institute (NOI), which runs the only progressive advocacy and campaign training program focused on cutting-edge online organizing techniques;
• Julia Rosen, Trainer with the New Organizing Institute and Online Political Director at the Courage Campaign;
• Christopher Hoyt, PHR, Associate Director at AT&T Talent Attraction, where he leads the integration of social media and mobile marketing;
• Jed Alpert, founder and Chief Strategy Manager at Mobile Commons, which pioneers easy-to-use technology for scalable mobile marketing campaign management;
• Jen Nedeau, New Media Consultant and former Director of Digital Strategy for Air America;
• Gregory Rae, member of the national leadership of Living Liberally, an organization dedicated to creating social spaces centered around progressive politics.

NMTI will be held on Thursday, February 4, 2010, at the Sheraton Dallas.  Find more information about NMTI on GLAAD.org. You can register for NMTI and Creating Change here.

Additionally, if you are attending, please be sure to RSVP to the NMTI on Facebook. Also note the New Media Training Institute Twitter hashtag #NMTI and the Creating Change hashtag #cc10. And follow our trainers on Twitter! Julia Rosen – @JuliaRosen; Heather Cronk – @HCronk; Christopher Hoyt – @TheRecruiterGuy; Jen Nedeau – @HumanFolly; Jed Alpert – @mobilecommons; Rashad Robinson – @rashadrobinson; New Organizing Institute – @neworganizing; GLAAD – @glaad.

GLAAD will have a table set up at Creating Change with staff members available to answer any questions you may have about GLAAD’s work and upcoming projects. So stop by, say hello and find out how you can get involved.

GLAAD thanks the Gill Foundation and Gill Action for making the New Media Training Institute possible. GLAAD would also like to give a special thanks to AT&T for your invaluable help with NMTI.

GLAAD would also like to thank the Task Force for all their hard work putting this conference together and we look forward to seeing everyone in Dallas!

“Some male tells a female (presumably his wife or girlfriend) that it’s a surprise that there is nacho cheese in a layer of the Taco Bell burrito. The woman responds with “Well, I have a surprise for you. I was born male, my name was Claudio” and her voice is lowered several octaves. After which, the male says ‘Ew.’”

GLAAD contacted Taco Bell’s Media Relations staff about the collective outcry over the use of someone’s transgender identity as the punch line of a joke and Taco Bell spokesman Rob Poetsch swiftly issued this statement:

“We sincerely apologize as the ad was not meant to offend anyone and as soon as it was brought to our attention, we immediately stopped airing it.”

Unfortunately GLAAD has received several reports that the problematic ad is still running in places like Indianapolis, Indiana, Cincinnati, Ohio and Hampton Roads, Virginia. The Advocate Magazine also reported hearing a similar commercial on Sunday morning in Los Angeles on KIIS-FM during Ryan Seacrest’s weekly American Top 40 countdown. According to the Advocate, “In this ad, after a fight between the man and the woman, the woman says, “Well then I don’t feel so guilty telling you… [I wasn't born] Martha.” The woman’s voice then changes to a man’s voice, which says, “I’m Marvin.”

We reached out to Taco Bell to ask that the company rectify this situation immediately and explain why the problematic commercials are still reportedly running in several markets. Taco Bell issued this response:

“We are very concerned to have learned that over the weekend some stations were airing a radio ad that we instructed them to remove on January 14. In the process of replacing the ad, we discovered that some stations inadvertently ran the original commercial. We sincerely apologize that this ad ran again and offended people. We’re in the process of contacting all of our radio partners to ensure that the original ad never airs again. We appreciate that GLAAD brought this to our attention so that we could take immediate action.”

We appreciate Taco Bell issuing this apology but urge our members to hold the company accountable for fair advertising standards moving forward.  If you hear anti-LGBT radio commercials in your local area please contact GLAAD immediately at nationalnews@glaad.org and tell us what time the commercial aired, on what station, and in what city.  Taco Bell must live up to its word, pull all of the spots immediately, and cease defaming LGBT people in all future advertisements.  GLAAD and the community will be listening.

On the January 14 edition of Clear Channel’s nationally syndicated radio program, “The War Room with Quinn and Rose,” host Jim Quinn made outrageous and defamatory comments about people living with HIV/AIDS and what he called the “homosexual AIDS lobby.” Quinn erroneously compared contagious tuberculosis patients to people living with HIV/AIDS and went on to say, “When you get AIDS, pal, the door opens up to you. You have got all kinds of government goodies, including a maid to clean your house, transportation – I mean it’s – there’s just a wealth of wonders that come.”

Following our Call to Action, GLAAD allies wrote numerous e-mails to Clear Channel executives and demanded that Jim Quinn be held responsible for his outrageous comments.

As a result, Clear Channel’s Chief Communications Officer, Lisa Dollinger, released the following statement to GLAAD:

Clear Channel doesn’t condone Jim Quinn’s remarks and we don’t share his view. Clear Channel has raised considerable funds and positive awareness for HIV/AIDS and the GLBT community over the years and we will continue to do so. We’ve spoken with Mr. Quinn about the seriousness of this incident.

While GLAAD appreciates this statement from Clear Channel Communications, we urge the company to live up to its own diversity policy which states in part:

Our ZERO TOLERANCE policy that prohibits discrimination extends beyond our employees, into each and every market in which we conduct business.

If Clear Channel is truly committed to prohibiting discrimination, the company must ask Jim Quinn to apologize for his grossly inaccurate and offensive remarks and ensure that these kinds of defamatory attacks cease in future broadcasts.

Please continue to write to Clear Channel Communications and tell the company that Jim Quinn’s inaccurate and appalling comments are unacceptable and Clear Channel must stop allowing Quinn to perpetuate hatred, fear and misinformation.

CONTACT:

Lisa Dollinger
Chief Communications Officer
Clear Channel Communications
(210) 822-2828
lisacdollinger@clearchannel.com

Rod Phillips
Programming Senior Vice President
(210) 822-2828
rodphillips@clearchannel.com

Robert H. Walls, Jr.
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
(210) 822-2828
robert.walls@clearchannel.com

(To read more about Uganda’s proposed anti-gay legislation, click here)

D.C. Agenda reports today that Cary Alan Johnson, executive director of the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission, was among the people who testified at the hearing:

Johnson said the women’s caucus in the Ugandan parliament is supporting the legislation and opposition from the first lady — as well as President Obama — could influence women’s groups in Uganda to drop their support.

“I’m wondering if there is women leaders within the U.S. Congress — and perhaps the first lady herself — might be able to play some role in having discussions about the potential impact of this bill — not just on human rights, but on HIV prevention within the country,” Johnson said.

Openly lesbian Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis; Pictured Left) chaired Thursday’s hearing.

“I do think it is important for us to listen and receive guidance from people on the ground in Uganda — not just thinking from afar what to do,” D.C. Agenda quoted Baldwin. “I think there’s probably additional ways where we can empower local activists, local voices in Uganda at the same time as we speak crystal clear our dedication to human rights for all [people] across the globe.”

Rep Baldwin also issued a press release yesterday that said Reps. Jared Polis, Barney Frank, and 90 other members of Congress sent letters to President Obama and Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni which expressed their opposition to the anti-homosexuality bill.

The Dallas Voice published the content of those letters here.

Among others who testified was an official from the State Department, Edge Boston reported:

“Ensuring human rights for sexual minorities is perhaps the truest barometer of the full integration of human rights principles in a society, because their enshrinement in law and integration into societal norms and practices are not always a matter of popular opinion,” said Cary Alan Johnson of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.

GLAAD continues to urge mainstream media to shine a light on the brutal anti-gay legislation that is currently pending in Uganda, and expose the potentially lethal injustices that gay and lesbian Ugandans could face simply for being who they are.

Updates can be found on GLAADblog.org

Attorneys David Boies and Ted Olson, who argue that bans on marriage equality are unconstitutional, presented testimony on Wednesday from a 26 year-old openly gay man who was forced by his evangelical Christian family to undergo so-called “reparative therapy,” The Los Angeles Times reported late Wednesday:

Ryan Kendall, 26, who grew up in an evangelical Christian family in Colorado, said his parents forced him to undergo therapy with a Christian group to try to change his sexual orientation. The therapy made him suicidal but did not change his sexuality, he testified.

“I was just as gay as when I started,” Kendall testified.

Kendall, a Denver resident, testified tearfully about how his mother abused him after learning of his sexuality from reading his journal. He said he was the target of slurs and his glasses were smashed when he was a student at an evangelical school.

Boies and Olson also presented evidence which suggested that the Catholic and Mormon Churches had close ties to leaders of the anti-gay, “Yes on 8” campaign.

Documents unveiled later revealed the Catholic and Mormon churches played a major role in passing Proposition 8.

An e-mail from the executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to the bishops and a cardinal said Catholics were crucial in providing money and volunteers to qualify Proposition 8 for the ballot.

The Associated Press reported on Thursday that Boies and Olson also introduced an e-mail from Mark Jansson, the Mormon church’s representative to the executive committee that oversaw the “Yes on 8 campaign.”  That email indicated that the Mormon church and other faith leaders took the lead in the anti-gay campaign:

This campaign is entirely under (Mormon) priesthood direction in concert with leaders of many other faiths and community groups.

Other testimony on Wednesday included Stanford University Professor Gary M. Segura who testified that gay people do not have a meaningful degree of political power — as evidenced by, among other things, hate crime statistics, relatively low numbers of gay office holders, and the success rate of anti-gay ballot measures.

On Thursday, anti-gay activist and “Yes on 8” proponent William Tam was called to the stand, The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Friday.

The plaintiffs hope to prove that backers of the Prop. 8 initiative were led by anti-gay bias and unfair stereotypes:

In a message to supporters during the campaign, for example, Tam wrote that “other states would fall into Satan’s hand” if same-sex marriage remained legal in California. San Francisco’s government, “under the rule of homosexuals,” would next move to legalize sex with children and prostitution, he said.

Tam affirmed those statements in a San Francisco federal courtroom Thursday. He said he also believes, based on European nations that have allowed same-sex marriage, that it is a forerunner to legalized incest and polygamy, all signs of “the moral decay of a liberal country.”

According to The Los Angeles Times, when Tam was asked how he had come to such conclusions about gay men and lesbians, he said it was “based on different literature I have read.” Tam, however, was unable to recall where he had read the information.

Boies later asked Tam if he would be frustrated if denied the right to marry:

Boies… noted that Tam, a Chinese American, had described himself as a minority. Boies asked if he would be aggrieved if he were forbidden to marry the person he loved. Tam said yes.

GLAAD will continue to follow the media’s coverage of the Prop. 8 trial. Updates can be found on GLAADblog.org

The ‘NoH8 Campaign’ – a photo project that features celebrities and civilians who oppose California’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples, known as Proposition 8 – posted a photo to its website on Wednesday boasting the face of Cindy McCain with the campaign’s staple silver duct tape over her mouth and ‘NoH8’ written across her cheek.

Cindy McCain contacted the NoH8 campaign and volunteered to pose for the photo, The Associated Press reported on Wednesday.

Meghan McCain, daughter of John and Cindy McCain, has been a longtime advocate for marriage equality and also posed for the photo project in 2009.

Fox News contributor and conservative commentator Margaret Hoover also revealed her support for marriage equality recently in an article published to FoxNews.com on January 15.

In it, Hoover notes that Ted Olson, lead council in the federal Prop. 8 lawsuit that challenges California’s ban on marriage equality, is not only a well-respected conservative but acted as George W. Bush’s Solicitor General and is the same man “who successfully argued Bush v. Gore before the Supreme Court in one of his fifty-five performances before the nation’s highest judicial body.”

Hoover goes on to ask of her conservative brethren:

Gays and lesbians are our friends, neighbors, doctors, colleagues, sisters and brothers. Does it sit well with you that because of their sexual orientation, a factor outside one’s control, that they should have less rights and protections in the eyes of the law?

But McCain and Hoover aren’t the only conservative leaders to weigh in on unions between same-sex couples. Last June, former Vice President Dick Cheney told Fox News’s Gretta Van Susteren that while he does not believe marriage equality should be a federal issue, he “believe[s] equal rights means equal rights for everybody and that people ought to be able to enter into any kind of relationship they want, but that the states ought to retain the ability to regulate and determine what’s marriage and what the legal status of those unions are.”

GLAAD will continue to follow the media’s coverage of the conservative response to marriage for same-sex couples. Updates can be found on GLAADblog.org

Daly sites various pop culture references in an attempt to prove that being a lesbian is passé or no longer trendy as it was in the 90’s, and reaches the conclusion that as a result of this more women are “switching” to male partners. Additionally, he lumps bisexual women with male partners into the category of “hasbian” notably ignoring the definition of bisexuality.

Daly makes a dubious claim that a bisexual woman is somehow “shifting” when entering into a committed relationship with a man. A bisexual person is someone who is physically, romantically, emotionally and/or spiritually attracted to men and women, but by Daly’s definition, once a bisexual person enters into a committed relationship with anyone, they’re “shifting.”

Daly writes:

“There are no reliable statistics by which to gauge how many refugees there are from the isle of Lesbos. Bisexual women, for instance, don’t have to “switch teams” to enter into relationships with men, even if they’ve lived with other women for decades. But if the hasbian (and for simplicity’s sake, we’ll include bisexuals who’ve shifted from women to men) really is having a coming-out moment, it might be because the lesbian had her big coming-out moment in the nineties—the decade that saw Cindy Crawford shaving k.d. lang on the cover of Vanity Fair, the birth of Lilith Fair, and the mainstream popularity of lesbian-friendly folksingers like DiFranco, the Indigo Girls, and Dar Williams, not to mention a slew of literal “coming-out moments” set off by Ellen’s “Yep, I’m gay” in 1997.”

Without any real knowledge or statistics (the one fact Daly concedes, and yet his own admission on the dearth of statistical data does not preclude him from continuing with his absurd premise) and a handful of pop culture references and interviews with men who have supposedly “landed” a woman who was once involved with another woman, the author spins an elaborate tale naming these isolated incidents as a cultural sea-change in which masses of (uncountable) women are drawn to opposite sex relationships.

He even suggests that a woman’s “biological clock” might be affecting her “sexual proclivities.” In other words, as a woman reaches child-rearing age, even one who has never experienced an attraction to men, might be more inclined to find a male partner in order to reproduce. If the author of this article is unfamiliar with the numerous same-sex couples, many of which include a bisexual partner, who are happily raising children right now, GLAAD would be happy to provide contacts for him to interview.

The article ends with a disturbing segment in which two people who identify as “ex-gays” are quoted. This is particularly offensive given recent news reports on the link between American “ex-gay” activists and Uganda’s virulently anti-gay legislation. The American Psychological Association adopted a resolution in August of 2009 invalidating the efficacy of “ex-gay” treatments and discouraging mental health professionals from telling their patients that it is possible to change their sexual orientation.

Below is an interview with Rachel Maddow and Richard Cohen, the author of the book, Coming Out Straight: Understanding and Healing Homosexuality and head of the International Healing Foundation, in which she clearly links ex-gay activists with the proposed Uganda bill.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

This irresponsible article perpetuates misconceptions about lesbians and bisexual women and damages our community. GLAAD urges you to contact Details and express your concerns about this piece.

Meyer was the second witness called to the stand on Thursday in the Prop. 8 trial, a federal lawsuit challenging California’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples.

From The Los Angeles Times article:

Proposition 8 sent “a message that gay relationships are not respected, that they are of secondary value if they are of any value at all,” Meyer said. He also said the 2008 measure made the public statement that it was OK “to designate gay people as a different class of people in terms of their intimate relationships.”

… Meyer said concealment of one’s sexual orientation for fear of rejection was “damaging and stressful” and testified about a federal government report that said gay male adolescents were two to three times more likely than heterosexual teens to attempt suicide.

The report also said that gays and lesbians were more vulnerable than heterosexuals to mood disorders and substance abuse.

Earlier on Thursday, Edmund Egan who heads the Office of Economic Analysis in San Francisco testified that extending marriage protections to same-sex couples would boost local economies.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported today that Egan predicted that San Francisco could expect a $1.7 million per year increase in added sales taxes and $900,000 in hotel taxes from wedding-related spending and out-of-town visitors if marriage equality were legal.

Marriage equality would also save money in healthcare costs because “Married individuals are healthier, on average, and behave in healthier ways than single individuals,” according to Egan.

Meanwhile, The Associated Press has reported that presiding Judge Vaughn Walker has abandoned his effort to broadcast the trial online via YouTube, after the Supreme Court issued a permanent stay on broadcasting the proceedings:

Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn R. Walker said Thursday he’s withdrawing his application to have the landmark case video-recorded under a pilot program approved last month by the governing body for federal courts in the West.

The AP goes on to report that Prop. 8 supporters are calling on Judge Walker to destroy recordings of the trial that were produced in the opening days of the case. Walker has rejected that request.

GLAAD will continue to follow the media’s coverage of the Prop. 8 trial. Updates can be found on GLAADblog.org

While no audio recording of the commercial has yet been found, BorderHouse blog published the most complete description of its content on January 7^th:

Some male tells a female (presumably his wife or girlfriend) that it’s a surprise that there is nacho cheese in a layer of the Taco Bell burrito.  The woman responds with “Well, I have a surprise for you.  I was born male, my name was Claudio” and her voice is lowered several octaves.  After which, the male says “Ew.”

GLAAD contacted Taco Bell’s Media Relations staff about the collective outcry over the use of someone’s transgender identity as the punch line of a joke (a troubling trend we dealt with most recently in outreach to the Late Show with David Letterman).  

Spokesman for Taco Bell, Rob Poetsch, confirmed that descriptions of the ad by concerned advocates were accurate and quickly began the process of taking the ad off the air. He issued this statement to GLAAD late today.

“We sincerely apologize as the ad was not meant to offend anyone and as soon as it was brought to our attention, we immediately stopped airing it.”

- Rod Poetsch, Taco Bell Corp.

It is encouraging to see Taco Bell act so quickly in response to our concerns.  A special thank you to all of the community members, especially Autumn Sandeen, who brought this to GLAAD’s attention. We were happy to help bring a resolution to this situation.

That block will  remain in effect until the Court rules on an upcoming appeal that will challenge the decision, SCOTUS Blog reports.

SCOTUS blog goes on to say:

“As a practical matter, the ruling almost certainly dooms any broadcast coverage of the trial as it goes on.  The trial’s length has been estimated variously at two weeks to several weeks.  There is no indication that final Supreme Court action on the dispute would be speeded up to the point that the question could be resolved during that brief span of time..”

The 17-page decision states that the U.S. District Court in San Francisco defied standing procedures regarding public broadcasts when it declared the proceedings would be available online via YouTube on a delay.

GLAAD will continue to follow the media’s coverage of the Prop. 8 trial. Updates can be found on GLAADblog.org