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White House Pride reception set for June 13

Chris Johnson — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:57:07 +0000

The White House is holding a Pride reception on June 13 (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

The White House is hosting its annual reception celebrating June as the month of Pride this year on June 13, marking the first such celebration in President Obama’s second-term.

One person invited to attend to the event received an invitation on Thursday. A White House official confirmed the event is taking place June 13.

The Obama administration has held a Pride reception at the White House for each of the previous four years President Obama has been in office. Attendees are typically made up of leaders from the LGBT community, including lawmakers, activists and celebrities. The occasion on June 13 marks the fifth such celebration at the White House.

Last year, the Pride celebration took place shortly after Obama came out in support for marriage equality, which he referenced in his remarks to attendees.

“And Americans may be still evolving when it comes to marriage equality — but as I’ve indicated personally, Michelle and I have made up our minds on this issue,” Obama said.

Puerto Rico House approves non-discrimination bill

Michael K. Lavers — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:33:53 +0000

Bayamon, Puerto Rico, resident Hector Maldonado stands outside the island’s capital on May 16 before the Senate approved a non-discrimination bill. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

The Puerto Rico House of Representatives on Friday approved two bills that would ban anti-LGBT discrimination in the U.S. territory and add sexual orientation and gender identity and expression to the island’s domestic violence laws.

The voice votes on the two measures that each passed by a 29-22 vote margin took place at the end of a nearly three hour debate. Lawmakers had been scheduled to consider the bills on Thursday, but they adjourned after a marathon session that ended well after midnight.

The Puerto Rico Senate on May 16 approved the non-discrimination measure by a 15-11 vote margin.

“I can serve God without having to discriminate against anyone,” Rep. Lydia Méndez Silva of Sabana Grande said before she announced her support of the anti-discrimination bil.

Rep. Waldemar Quiles Rodríguez of Lares described the proposal to ban anti-LGBT discrimination as “bad, twisted and perverse.” Other opponents of the measures earlier on Friday launched an online campaign that urged lawmakers to vote against it and the domestic violence measure.

“We have expressed our disagreement with SB 238 (the anti-discrimination bill) and HB 488 (domestic violence measure,)” they said in a tweeted image that also contained Proverbs 24:12. “We have given just and solid reasons. We once again remind all lawmakers that God always has the final say.

Gov. Alejandro García Padilla met with lawmakers earlier on Thursday to secure additional support for the anti-discrimination bill that Sen. Ramón Nieves Pérez of San Juan introduced in January. The governor also supports the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression in the island’s domestic violence laws and the extension of second-parent adoption rights to gays and lesbians in Puerto Rico.

Gay Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin on Wednesday also urged lawmakers to support the anti-discrimination measure.

“The rights of gay people are human rights, and human rights are for everyone,”he wrote in an open letter to members of the Puerto Rico House. “The passage of [SB 238] would represent the respect of our brothers and sisters’ rights.”

García has said he will sign the anti-discrimination bill into law. The domestic violence measure will now go before the Senate.

“Today is a thrilling day in Puerto Rican history,” Pedro Julio Serrano of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force said after the vote. “A decade ago, LGBT Puerto Ricans were criminals under the sodomy law, today we’re second-class citizens and when this bill is signed into law, we will be closer to achieving the first-class citizenship that we deserve. Equality is inevitable. Puerto Rico will be for all.”

Lesbian EEOC commissioner re-nominated for 2nd term

Chris Johnson — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:23:10 +0000

Chai Feldblum was renominated for a 2nd term on the EEOC (Photo courtesy of Feldblum)

A lesbian member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is poised to serve another term after having played a part in a ruling that provided non-discrimination protections to transgender workers.

On Thursday, the White House announced that President Obama has selected Chai Feldblum for another five-year term on the bipartisan panel, which enforces federal laws against workplace discrimination.

Feldblum, the first openly LGBT person to serve on the EEOC, is credited with coordinating a unanimous decision last year in the case of Macy v. Holder that interpreted Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to protect transgender people. The commission reasoned the existing prohibition against gender bias in the workplace applies to transgender people.

Tico Almeida, president of the LGBT group Freedom to Work, praised Feldblum’s re-nomination and said she has “worked tirelessly to build bi-partisan consensus” to improve employment laws.

“Feldblum deserves our praise not only for her leading role in the unanimous EEOC decision in Macy v. Holder, but also for her leadership in drafting the EEOC’s new Strategic Enforcement Plan, which explicitly lists workplace protections for LGBT Americans among the Commission’s national priorities,” Almeida said. “Commissioner Feldblum has demonstrated a strong commitment to opening the EEOC’s doors to the LGBT victims of unfair discrimination who were previously turned away when they sought help from the Commission.”

Prior to serving on the EEOC, Feldblum was a nationally recognized gay rights attorney. She’s credited with the drafting the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed into law in 1990, and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which has yet to become law.

She’s also had experience in LGBT activism. Feldblum was the legal director for the Campaign for Military Service, a group that unsuccessfully fought in the early 1990′s against the enactment of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” She’s also the partner of Nan Hunter, a Georgetown University law professor with experience in LGBT cases.

Feldblum’s initial nomination to the EEOC faced difficulties in the Senate. One or more unidentified senators placed a secret hold on her and four other EEOC nominees. In March 2010, Obama cleared the way for her to serve by making a recess appointment. The Senate later confirmed her in December 2010.

Obama praises Boy Scouts, but hopes for more change

Chris Johnson — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:23:19 +0000

President Obama praised the Boy Scouts of America’s decision to lift its ban on openly gay youth, but added he hopes the organization will take further action to allow openly gay Scout leaders, according to the White House.

Shin Inouye, a White House spokesperson, issued the response to the 103-year-old organization’s decision to end its ban on gay youth on Friday in response to an inquiry from the Washington Blade.

“The President welcomes the decision by the Boy Scouts of America to open its membership to all, regardless of sexual orientation,” Inouye said. “He has long believed that the Scouts is a valuable organization that has helped educate and build character in American boys for more than a century.”

Inouye continued, “He continues to believe that leadership positions in the Scouts should be open to all, regardless of sexual orientation.”

On Thursday, the 1,400 members of the Boy Scouts National Council approved a resolution to end its ban on gay youth from participating by a margin of 61-38 percent. But the measure leaves in place the ban on openly gay leaders.

Obama’s views on the Boy Scouts’ policy on gay members is particularly significant because, as president of the United States, he also serves as honorary president of the Boy Scouts.

Deron Smith, a Boy Scouts spokesperson, responded to the White House by saying the organization continues to appreciate Obama’s support for the organization.

“For 103 years, the Boy Scouts of America has been a part of the fabric of this nation, with a focus on working together to deliver the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training,” Smith said. “We are thankful President Obama recognizes the value of the organization.”

GLAAD praised Obama’s statement.

“As the Honorary President of the Boy Scouts of America, this statement on President Obama’s support is significant,” said Rich Ferraro, a GLAAD spokesperson. “Gay parents and adults should be accepted into Scouting and our campaign for change will continue until that happens. As openly gay youth begin participating in Scouting and earn Eagle Rank, the Boy Scouts will come to realize that gay Americans and our families only strengthen Scouting as an institution.”

Boy Scouts of America vote to partially end gay ban

Phil Reese — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:19:48 +0000

Approximately 61 percent of delegates to the Boy Scouts of America National Annual Meeting voted Thursday to partially end a policy barring openly gay boy scouts. (Photo by Steven Depolo; courtesy Creative Commons)

According to ThinkProgress, approximately 61 percent of delegates to the Boy Scouts of America’s National Annual Meeting voted Thursday to partially end a policy barring openly gay boy scouts.

The 1,400 delegates were not given the option, however, to lift the prohibition of openly gay adult volunteers and leaders.

“Today’s vote is a significant victory for gay youth across the nation and a clear indication that the Boy Scouts’ ban on gay adult leaders will also inevitably end,” Rich Ferraro, a spokesperson for LGBT media watchdog group GLAAD said in a statement after the vote. “The Boy Scouts of America heard from religious leaders, corporate sponsors and so many Scouting families who want an end to discrimination against gay people, and GLAAD will continue this work with those committed to equality in Scouting until gay parents and adults are able to participate.”

The vote comes after months of lobbying on both sides of the issue, with gay advocates pressuring the organization to remove all barriers to involvement for LGBT people — including Eagle Scouts, den mothers and scout masters — while conservative forces have pushed the organization to remain with the current policy.

On Thursday, Washington D.C.-based Family Research Council took out a half-page ad in the Dallas Morning News urging delegates to the 2013 National Annual Meeting to vote against the plan.

“Boy Scouts of America delegates will vote TODAY on a resolution that will introduce open homosexuality into Scouting’s ranks and eventually, in all likelihood, into Scouting leadership,” the ad reads. “This open letter calls on ALL DELEGATES to VOTE NO on the resolution and thereby preserve Scouting’s timeless values and honor 103 years of faithful service to our nation and her boys.”

The FRC ad goes on to list five reasons the organization believes that the ban on gays in scouting should be kept, including speculation that 400,000 members will abandon the scouts, citing “massive membership losses” after the organization’s Canadian counterpart lifted their own prohibition to gay scouts.

Despite the opposition’s virulent protests, prior to the vote, many LGBT advocates were optimistic about the vote’s outcome.

“I’m confident, especially now that the BSA leadership is behind the resolution,” Ferraro told the Blade earlier on Thursday. “I think it’s because of the stories that BSA voting members and Americans have heard over the past years from moms from Ohio and teenagers from California who shouldn’t be discriminated against.”

The Dallas Voice, earlier Thursday, released a video of a press conference held by LGBT advocates prior to the vote.

Earlier this month, Texas Governor Rick Perry also weighed in on the Boy Scouts controversy, as the Blade reported.

“The fact is, this is a private organization,” Perry said. “Their values and principles have worked for a century now, and for pop culture to come in and try to tear that up because it just happens to be the flavor of the month, so to speak, and to tear apart one of the great organizations that have served millions of young men — to help them become men and become great fathers — that is just not appropriate.”

Following the affirmative vote, many advocates expressed measured relief that efforts had been partially victorious.

“Today’s vote ending discrimination of gay Scouts is truly a historic moment and demonstrates the Boy Scouts of America’s commitment to creating a more inclusive organization,” Zach Wahls, Eagle Scout and Founder of Scouts for Equality, said in a statement released by GLAAD. “Scouts for Equality is honored to be a part of the movement that has achieved a tremendous victory towards the fight for equality in America and we are proud to call ourselves Scouts. We look forward to the day where we can celebrate inclusion of all members and are committed to continuing our work until that occurs.”

Others who had experienced discrimination in the scouts under this policy spoke out after the vote as well.

“When I was kicked out of the Boy Scouts last April, I was devastated.” said Ohio mom Jennifer Tyrrell, who was ousted as leader of her son’s Cub Scout pack because she’s gay. “Having to look my son, Cruz, in the eye and tell him that our family isn’t good enough was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. Today is truly a watershed moment for me, but even more so for the millions of kids across this country, who will now be allowed to serve in the Scouts without fear of rejection. I’m so proud of how far we’ve come, but until there’s a place for everyone in Scouting, my work will continue.”

Lesbian elected to AAPA board

Michael K. Lavers — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:30:48 +0000

The American Academy of Physician Assistants this month elected Diane Bruessow to its Board of Directors. (Photo courtesy of Diane Bruessow)

The American Academy of Physician Assistants earlier this month elected a lesbian woman with two decades of experience in LGBT-related health care to its Board of Directors.

Diane Bruessow, who is at-large member of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association Board of Directors, founded the Long Island Lesbian Cancer Initiative in 2000. She also works at Healthy Transitions, a New Jersey practice with more than 600 transgender clients that will soon open a second location in Queens, N.Y.

Bruessow, who is a past president of the AAPA’s LGBT PA Caucus, has been a physician assistant since 1993.

“In our AAPA environment, times are definitely moving in the right direction,” she told the Washington Blade when asked about the importance of her election. “To me the biggest thing about all of this is that it wasn’t a barrier and it shouldn’t be a barrier. When those moments happen they need to be celebrated.”

Bruessow added she feels her work on LGBT-specific health care will prove an asset to her fellow board members.

“This just adds another level of knowledge and informed decision making to the board,” she said. “When an issue comes up relating to the effect of health in our communities, than it helps to have someone in that room who is able to speak to it with some experience.”

Founded in 1968, the AAPA has grown to include more than 40,000 members from across the country.

The Alexandria, Va., based group in the 1980s endorsed “equal rights for all person” and “guaranteeing such rights.” The AAPA also added sexual orientation and gender identity and expression to its non-discrimination policy on how physician assistants deliver health care to their patients.

Bruessow also worked to secure passage of an AAPA resolution that opposes so-called “conversion” or “reparative” therapy designed to change a person’s sexual orientation.

“When this representative body of my colleagues stood up and said ‘yeah, you know this is not okay to do this to our patients,’ it was a really meaningful moment,” Bruessow said.

Summer sex and alcohol

Dave Purdy — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:44:24 +0000

The summer means fun and frivolity, but make sure you protect yourself from HIV and AIDS, and keep your wits about you. (Photo by Omar A. via Creative Commons)

Here comes summer, which to many means the beach, the pool, barbecues and, of course, cocktails. Lots of cocktails.

So when I learned a recent study found alcohol consumption can lead to more instances of HIV infections, I thought, “Duh? Of course, these go together. Summertime and cocktails, sex and alcohol.

There is a reason why Prohibition failed: Alcohol is a part of our lives, directly or indirectly. People love to drink and some love to drink a lot, and do so for many reasons — to relax, to get high and to have fun. Or all three.

Researchers are trying to understand the complicated marriage between alcohol and HIV. One link comes from alcohol’s effect of loosening inhibitions, such as neglecting to take precautions when having sex. And then the virus spreads.

Studies also suggest people living with HIV are twice as likely to use alcohol as those who aren’t HIV positive. In fact, one study reports almost half of adults living with HIV have histories of alcohol-related problems.

Researchers also learned patients living with HIV are aware that drinking alcohol while taking HIV medications can be harmful. With alcohol abuse, the side effects can be serious, even leading to death. Thus, some people living with HIV don’t take their medications when they’re drinking.

One study showed that of people living with HIV and on AIDS-related treatment, more than half didn’t take their HIV medications when drinking, even though HIV medications must be taken daily to ensure suppression of the virus. Skipping scheduled dosages can lead to drug resistance and heavy drinking can lead to liver disease. In HIV-positive patients, a healthy liver is especially important as it helps maximize the effect of HIV medications in the body.

It has been drilled into the general population that certain medications are harmful when taken with alcohol. It appears that is the main reason why many people living with HIV stop taking their medications when they drink alcohol. Also, they often forget to take their medications after drinking.

So what about alcohol and AIDS around the world? It’s a serious problem in most cultures. Of the more than 34 million people globally living with HIV, two-thirds are in sub-Saharan Africa. In this region, the annual consumption of alcohol per drinker is higher than anywhere else. In fact, some countries consider AIDS and alcohol consumption a twin epidemic.

Having traveled throughout the African bush, I can tell you drinking alcohol is ingrained in most cultures.

Countries with heavy HIV infection rates and high alcohol consumption seem unaware of alcohol’s negative effects on HIV prevention and treatment efforts. In both the United States and elsewhere, not much research focuses on the link between alcohol and HIV.

We need to have an open and honest discussion about alcohol and HIV. AIDS and LGBT organizations around the world need to work closely with such drinking establishments as bars and nightclubs to develop effective outreach campaigns that focus on awareness and changing behaviors. Increased awareness of the link between alcohol and HIV could help slow the spread of the disease and save the lives of many living with HIV.

Already some drinking establishments permit LGBT groups to distribute condoms. Why not expand that joint effort to include efforts to raise awareness of alcohol’s damaging effects on HIV-positive people? But without judgment and focus more on support.

Help for bullied LGBT students

Staff reports — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:27:07 +0000

A screen shot from the movie ‘Bully,’ which highlights the problems faced by many kids experiencing bullying in schools today.

By DONALD WILSON

Getting through adolescence is hard enough. There’s the agony of puberty, the mood swings, the withering self-consciousness and the pressure to conform. Then comes the clumsiness of emerging sexuality. It can be overwhelming.

For some young people, the passage can be even more daunting. For kids coming to terms with their attraction to the same gender or those where their gender identity is questioned – in a society that does not always accept diversity – the challenge can be deadly. A national study of adolescents in grades seven to 12 found that LGBT youth were more than twice as likely to have attempted suicide as their heterosexual peers.

No federal law or policy exists that requires schools to adopt policies to address bullying and harassment. Existing state laws vary greatly in their reach and effectiveness. Anti-Bullying programs are necessary, can be effective and need your support.

The Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA) is a House bill (H.R. 1199) introduced by Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) with bipartisan support that addresses bullying and harassment for all students, including the categories of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) introduced a Senate version of the bill (S. 403) with bipartisan support. The SSIA requires that states report data on bullying and harassment to the Department of Education.

The SSIA is a zero-cost bill that would require schools to implement comprehensive anti-bullying policies that address bullying and harassment and ensure the safety and well being of all students. Comprehensive anti-bullying policies are seen as more effective than curriculum interventions. Curriculum interventions are interventions that focus on modifications of the curriculum, which may include videos, classroom discussions, classroom presentations, etc. Whole School Interventions refer to programs that go beyond changes in curriculum to include school-wide efforts, such as teacher training, conflict resolution training, changes in school policies and sanctions, and individual counseling.

Research to date suggests that curriculum-based interventions do not appear to work. Bullying is a systemic problem and trying to solve it with simple modifications of the curriculum without addressing the entire school culture and other systemic issues is likely not effective. However, whole-school interventions can be effective. These interventions are the model that schools should follow when implementing future anti-bullying campaigns.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) youth experience bullying at school more frequently than their non-LGBT peers. In fact, LGBT youth are twice as likely to experience verbal harassment, exclusion and physical attack at school as their non-LGBT peers. Among LGBT youth, 51 percent have been verbally harassed at school, compared to 25 percent among non-LGBT students; 48 percent say they are often excluded by their peers because they are different, compared to 26 percent among non-LGBT students; and 17 percent report they have been physically attacked at school, compared to 10 percent among non-LGBT students.

LGBT youth identify bullying as a primary problem in their lives. They identified family rejection (26 percent), school/bullying problems (21 percent) and fear of being out or open (18 percent) as the top three problems they face. In comparison, non-LGBT youth identified classes/exams/grades (25 percent), college/career (14 percent) and financial pressures (11 percent) as the top three problems they face. Clearly, LGBT youth spend time worrying about bullying and rejection, while their non-LGBT peers are able to focus on grades, career choices and the future. LGBT youth are also at far greater risk for suicide.

Please contact your local elected officials and ask them to support The Safe Schools Improvement Act.

Donald Wilson is a graduate student studying social work at the University of Southern California.

Cartoon: Why did our allies leave us behind?

Staff reports — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:13:00 +0000

“Leave out the gays or no deal,” the elephant says to the donkey. (Comic by Ranslem)

Advocate ‘confident’ Boy Scouts will end ban on gay youth

Chris Johnson — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:57:39 +0000

The Boy Scouts to set to vote on a resolution today to end its ban on gay youth (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

An LGBT group working to end the gay ban for the Boy Scouts of America is striking an optimistic tone on the day leaders are set to vote on a resolution to partially lift it.

Rich Ferraro, vice president of communications for Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, said he expects the 1,400 members of the Boy Scouts National Council to approve a measure allowing gay youths to participate.

“I’m confident, especially now that the BSA leadership is behind the resolution,” Ferraro said. “I think it’s because of the stories that BSA voting members and Americans have heard over the past years from moms from Ohio and teenagers from California who shouldn’t be discriminated against.”

The vote is taking place in Grapevine, Texas, during the organization’s 2013 National Annual Meeting. An announcement on the vote is expected around 6 pm. The Washington Blade will provide updates as warranted.

Currently, openly gay people are unable to participate in the Boy Scouts in any capacity. The proposal would alter the policy so gay youths can take part in the organization. Even if the resolution is approved, gay adults would still be unable to serve as scoutmasters.

Ferraro based his optimism on work activists have done to draw attention to the gay ban as well as statements from Boy Scouts’ leadership in opposition to current policy.

Wayne Perry, president of the Boy Scouts of America, called on the organization to approve the resolution in an op-ed in USA Today published on Thursday.

“The BSA’s executive committee unanimously presented this resolution because it stays true to Scouting’s mission and remains focused on kids,” Perry writes. “No matter what your opinion is on this issue, America needs Scouting, and our policies must be based on what is in the best interest of our nation’s children.”

According to GLAAD, thousands of people on both sides of the issue are at the hotel to make their views heard — many of them clad in their Boy Scouts’ uniform.

“I think it shows just what I’ve seen over the past year running this campaign how dedicated people are to the institution of scouting,” Ferraro said. “The message that we’re trying to send is that including gay adults and gay teenagers will only strengthen the institution of scouting.”

Members of Congress have also weighed in. Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), along with 20 other House members, delivered to the Boy Scouts earlier this week a letter asking the group to change its policy.

“Today, BSA has a policy that excludes gay Scouts and Scout leaders from participating,” the letter states. “This is counter to BSA’s mission to teach our youth to combat discrimination. … We strongly urge the BSA to pass the proposed resolution to end discrimination against gay youth. Furthermore, we believe that BSA should implement a full non-discrimination policy.”

Zach Wahls, a 21-year-old activist and Eagle Scout, said the time is right for the Boy Scouts to change during an event in Grapevine called the Equal Scouting Summit.

“It is clear that if Scouting is not willing to move forward on this issue, it will be left behind by an America that supports our LGBT friends, neighbors, family members and even our fellow Scouts who made it through the program,” Wahls said. “America needs the values that Scouting has to offer now more than ever, and we cannot afford to lose this great cultural icon.”

In February, President Obama voiced support during an interview that aired before the Super Bowl for lifting the gay ban in the Boy Scouts.

But anti-gay groups are also at work to urge the Boy Scouts to keep the ban on gay youth in place. On Thursday, the Family Research Council ran a half-page advertisement in the Dallas Morning News. The ad identifies five reasons to support the current policy, including saying the change “forces all scouting units to accept openly gay youth.”

Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.), a freshman U.S. House member, took to the House floor this week to criticize what he called the “intolerant left” for efforts such as repealing the gay ban in the Boy Scouts.

“The left’s agenda is not about tolerance, and it’s not about diversity of thought,” Bridenstine said. “It’s about presenting a worldview of relativism, where there is no right and wrong, then using the full force of the government to silence opposition and reshape organizations like the Boy Scouts into instruments for social change.”

Bridenstine concluded,”To my friends on the left, this is not tolerance. But here’s the good news about true tolerance: the most tolerant one of all has the ability to redeem us all.”

But Ferraro dismissed efforts from anti-gay groups, saying they won’t have significant impact and are only an effort to spread hate against LGBT people.

“People like Tony Perkins and the FRC are continuing to paint themselves not as scouting supporters, but as anti-gay activists, and that’s going to make the difference,” Ferraro said. “Their messages are clouded by anti-gay hate, especially when you consider faith leaders and so many officials in the BSA pushing for change.”