I've set up an mailing list called GLBTeen—Tucson GSA Hangout. This "club" is a place for Tucson area high school students to interact and brainstorm about their GSA, the Imagine Project, and statewide issues & concerns. Click on this link to go to the web address and sign up for the mailing list and join to send & receive email messages or read & post messages to the GLBTeen-GSA Hangout group.
In The Life — is a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied supporters television news and information magazine on PBS (and online and podcasts). This episode, "My Life's Work" on KUAT (Tucson Public Broadcasting Service Channel 6) highlights the seminal Lesbian movie, "Desert Hearts", Award-winning playwright and actor Christopher Durang, Lorenzo Taylor has filed suit against Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the State Department because of his HIV+ status, the "Real to Reel" segment, and discussion about the current state of Gay Pride/celebrations with Moscow Pride events.
GLSEN of Tucson — is holding its next meeting on Thursday, November 1 at 4:30 at Wingspan.
GLSEN is hoping to see more GSA members and advisors show up for meetings.
Tucson AIDSWalk — is taking place this year on Sunday, October 14, on the UofA Mall. Is your GSA walking as a team? Visit the AIDSWalk site for information and registering to walk, request donation packets.
Please visit my own AIDSWalk Donation web site to make a secure donation to Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation which uses AIDSWalk as a large source of its annual income.
Pride in the Desert (previously known as OutoberFest)— takes place this year on October 13 in Reid Park. This year's pride event is preceeded by a Pride on Parade GLBT parade down 4th Ave.
Wouldn't it be totally awesome to have every GSA in Tucson take part in the Pride Parade with each school's GSA carrying their own banner?
The Tucson/Pima Public Library has paid the GLBTeen Resources web site a great service and compliment by including links to the web site in a couple of locations on the Library's web page. Thanks so much!
Listed at top of the list on the "TeenZone" web page located at:
http://www.lib.ci.tucson.az.us/teenzone/coolsites.htm
and here on the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgender Information -- Selected GLBT Internet links - Tucson & Arizona:
Here are some interesting articles summarized from various news sources
From PlanetOut.com — 9/13/2007
Really inspiring story being covered by PlanetOut about
how over 400 students at a Nova Scotia high school
wore pink one school day in support of a freshman who
was accosted and bullied by a group of homophobes
because the freshman wore a pink shirt to school.
Very clever way to confront the issue of stereotyping
and harassment because of a person's perceived
homosexuality. Awesome!
http://www.planetout.com/news/article.html?2007/09/13/6
From The Huffington Post — 3/18/2007
Here's a posting by GLSEN Executive Director, Kevin Jennings,
about Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. last week signed into law a bill
that imposes new rules on high school student clubs including
provisions on how groups can form, what they can discuss in their
meetings, who can join, and what a principal must do if rules are
violated are addressed.
So who is the mean-spirited Mormon behind this? Meet State Senator
D. Chris Buttars, the man the Salt Lake City Weekly named
"BEST INSANE POLITICIAN" and a longtime foe of Gay-Straight Alliances
who has been introducing bills for years designed to restrict or
eliminate them and got lucky with this one.
More in-depth coverage available on the New York Times online
edition (registration required) available here
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-jennings/mean-spirited-meddling-an_b_43691.html
From Reuters News Service (via Yahoo! News) — 2/24/2007
Yahoo posts this fantastic news about a federal judge in
Boston has dismissed a suit by two families who wanted to
stop a Massachusetts town and its public school
system from teaching their children about gay
marriage, court documents show.
The judge pretty much says, "that public schools
are 'entitled to teach anything that is reasonably
related to the goals of preparing students to become
engaged and productive citizens in our democracy.'"
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070224/ts_nm/usa_gays_suit_dc_1
From Provo Daily Herald — 1/24/2007
Here's an article from a Provo Utah paper with coverage of
what the homophobic bigots in the Utah Ligislature are up to again.
They're pushing to make it as difficult as possible for the founding
and continued existence of any Gay-Straight Alliances in the state of Utah.
You know, it's because all those GSA students talk about is sex at those
pro-homo agenda meetings, thinly disguised as the Gay Movement Recruitment
of our vulnerable, innocent straight students. Sickening!
From PlanetOut — 12/27/2006
Here's an article from PlanetOut on their continuing coverage of
White County, Georgia, schools now having to permit the formation
of Gay-Straight Alliance, pay the attorney fees of the students who.
brought the law suit against the District, and provide an anti-bullying
program for ninth-graders.
Queer students rule! See what awesome things students can accomplish!
From The Advocate — 12/20/2006
Here's an article The Advocate about a beating two gay men endured
outisde a restaurant in Scottsdale, AZ. on Sunday, 12/17/06. The
two men, aged 19 and 28, were allegedly beaten by seven men.
A local, Paradise Valley Town Councilman has offered $10,000 for
information about the attack that is being classified as a hate crime.
And here at the Arizona Republic — personal info required to view story:
http://www.azcentral.com/community/scottsdale/articles/1220hatefolo-ON.html
From [0] The Task Force — 11/29/2006
Here's a link [1] to a YouTube page for the National Gay Lesbian Task Force,
Creating Change Conference with videos of speeches and presentations.
Check out a student made video, We Belong [2], on the Seeds of Tolerance [3]
contest page. The link to the We Belong (Flash Video) video is on bottom right.
[0] http://www.thetaskforce.org/
[1] http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=TheTaskForce
[2] http://webelongthemovie.com/
[3] http://www.current.tv/make/vc2/sot
From The New York Times...registration required — 10/15/2006
Here's an article on the New York Times about the passing of Congressman Gerry Studds,
the first openly gay member of Congress and a demanding advocate for
New England fishermen and for gay rights, died early Saturday at Boston University
Medical Center, his husband said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/15/us/15studds.html?th&emc=th
From Nat'l. Gay and Lesbian Task Force... — 9/30/2006
Here's an article on the NGLTF web site about the Massachusetts state Supreme.
Court deciding to let same-sex couples from neighboring Rhode Island to get
married in Massachusetts. Now, if only "same-sex couples can marry in their home state"—
wouldn't that be novel!?
From Tucson Citizen... — 11/30/2005
Here's an older article about local Tucson GLBT teens from the Tucson Citizen.
Additional coverage about the Doolen Middle School students working to form a
GSA and quotes from Amanda, past CDO GSA President.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/news/local/113005a1_gay_teens_1a
From PlanetOut.com... — 9/12/2006
PlanetOut has published a great article about Mark Bingham, one of the heroes
who helped foil the hijacking attempt of United Airlines Flight 93—one
of the four planes hijacked by terrorists on September 11, 2001.
The article includes interviews with friends and family and describes
all the honors posthumously bestowed on Bingham, a gay man and athlete.
http://www.planetout.com/content/slideshow/?coll=1656&navpath=/news//
From planetout.com... — 8/22/2006
Continuing the story about anti-GLBT bias legislation...
Most of the real "meat" of the bill to include coverage of GLBT historical
figures along side mainstream figures of importance in California school
textbooks has been removed. This was done to help insure that anti-LGBT
bias was included in the non-discrimination policies.
The textbook/curriculum adoption was removed because Gov. Arnold had
made it clear that all of his conservative Christian supporters (who
got him into office and want to keep him there!) had gone all wiggy
about the textbook portions. They still aren't too excited about the
inclusion of GLBT in policies.
Here's the lead paragraph from PlanetOut.
After a long partisan debate, the California Assembly
voted 47-31 to ban materials and activities in schools
that are discriminatory toward gay men, lesbians,
bisexuals, and transgender individuals.
Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, said the
bill, sponsored by out Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica,
was needed to expand the anti-discriminatory protections
now afforded minorities based on race, gender, and religion.
And here Yahoo News (in case PlanetOut is blocked at school)...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/po/20060823/co_po/banonschoolbiaspassescalifassembly
From www.365gay.com... — 7/14/2006
A federal judge ruled Friday that White County
High School must allow students in the gay-straight
alliance club to meet on campus.
U-S District Court Judge William C. O'Kelley said
that the school cannot deny the GSA, called P.R.I.D.E.,
equal access or a fair opportunity to conduct meetings
on school premises during noninstructional time.
O'Kelley said that school officials had violated the
Federal Equal Access Act by barring the group from meeting
on campus, while allowing other non-curricular clubs to do so.
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/07/071406whiteco.htm
And here at The Advocate...
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid33684.asp
And here at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution...
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/metro/stories/0715metwhite.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=13
From planetout.com... — 5/12/2006
This is extremely huge and very necessary
- think about what it would mean to hear about important GLBT
historical figures along side mainstream figures of importance in
the classroom. On top of that, California (and Texas) are the states where
textbook publishers market their offerings: if something is
adopted in California, then you can be sure that text book will
appear in most other states before long. Of course, this has
gone no further than the California State Senate and will have
to get to the desk of the mostly homophobic Governor Arnold, who is
easily influenced by religious right wheelers-n-dealers.
The California Senate approved a bill Thursday
to include the contributions of gay men and lesbians
in social-science curricula in public schools.
The 22-15 vote broke down mainly along party lines,
with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed. The bill
now goes to the state Assembly.
And here at New York Times (registration req'd)...
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/14/us/14gays.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin
From GLSEN.org... — 4/26/2006
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, or GLSEN,
today announced findings from the 2005 National School Climate
Survey (NSCS), the only national survey to document the experiences
of students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) in America's schools.
"The 2005 National School Climate Survey reveals that anti-LGBT
bullying and harassment remain commonplace in America's schools,"
said GLSEN Founder and Executive Director Kevin Jennings.
"On the positive side, it also makes clear that inclusive policies,
supportive school staff and student clubs, like Gay-Straight
Alliances, all relate to reduced harassment and higher achieving students."
http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/news/record/1927.html/
From WMAQ-TV Chicago, IL... — 4/18/2006
Lambda Legal filed suit in federal court Tuesday
to stop what it calls discrimination against students
at the Noble Street Charter High School who tried to
create a gay straight alliance, or GSA, student group.
James Madigan, staff attorney in Lambda Legal’s
Midwest Regional Office in Chicago, said in a
release. "By forcing the GSA to meet informally, and
not allowing the GSA to use resources given to other
school clubs, the administration has created a
second-class citizen status for these students, and
that is against the law."
http://www.nbc5.com/education/8799955/detail.html?rss=chi&psp=news
And here...
From salisburypost.com... — 4/8/2006
Preachers and concerned Christians set up camp outside
South Rowan High School at 6:30 a.m. Friday, loudly condemning
its new Gay/Straight Alliance and sin in general to anyone
who would listen.
From www.aclu.org... — 2/27/2006
The ACLU filed a lawsuit Monday in federal court against
officials at White County High School in Cleveland, Ga., for banning
a gay-straight alliance group.
http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/24284prs20060227.html
And here...
From MSNBC.com... — 2/5/2006
The 18 year-old teen high-school drop-out, Neo-Nazi sympathizer,
who went on a killing rampage with a hatchet and pistol at a
gay bar in New Bedford, MA, was cornered in a shoot-out with
Arkansas police and died today from two bullet wounds in the head
sustained in the gun battle. Along the way, he killed a police
officer in Missouri, and apparently killed the older woman friend
he had picked up in W. Virgina.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11146480/
And here...
From www.planetout.com... — 1/27/2006
Prison sentences for the 2002 killing of transgender teen Gwen Araujo.
The two men convicted of second-degree murder, Michael Magidson
and Jose Merel, were sentenced 15 years to life.
http://www.planetout.com/news/roundups/package.html?sernum=461
From 365Gay.com... — 1/16/2006
State Senator Chris Buttars took his campaign to ban
gay-straight clubs to Utah's most outspoken conservative
group on the weekend.
Buttars told the Eagle Forum his bill to ban the clubs from
meeting on school property will be introduced in the Utah
Senate this year.
From The Rocky Mountain News... — 11/22/2005
Colorado Springs School District 11 has settled a lawsuit
filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of students
after Palmer High School refused to recognize their Gay/Straight Alliance
as an official school club.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4259255,00.html
And here...
From The Advocate... — 10/20/2005 — Please Note: The Adocate might be filtered
by your school district and not be accessible from your school
London police officials said Wednesday that three teens
were arrested in connection with the brutal murder of
Jody Dobrowski. Two of the men, both 17, and another male,
age 13, were arrested early Monday morning and were released on bail
From Provo Daily Herald... — 10/16/2005
Whether the community wants it or not -- and the bag
is a mixed one -- Provo High School has approved the
formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance club.
http://www.harktheherald.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=66491
From CHAMP Network... — 9/14/2005
State health officials are sending a new message to
Arizona teens: Abstain from sex - or at least use a condom.
http://www.champnetwork.org/index.php?name=pagetool_news&news_id=37
From New York Times ...registration required — 5/8/2005
If Pope Benedict XVI wants to ease human suffering,
he could encourage the use of condoms.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/08/opinion/08kristof.html?ex=1116216000&en=0900ad6d8afb668a&ei=5070
The meeting of the Governing Board of Sunnyside Unified School District (Tucson) on Tuesday, April 12, the board voted unanimously to add "gender identity or expression" to all of our non-discrimination policies -- (1) nondiscrimination, (2) staff hiring, (3) student participation, and (4) multicultural/diversity education.
Sunnyside is the only school district in the state of Arizona that now offers domestic partner benefits to all employees, defines "domestic partners" within the context of "families" in district policies, and has BOTH "sexual orientation" and "gender identity or expression" in all of our discrimination policies!
From QueerDay... — 4/30/2005
Richard McCullough admitted that he fatally stabbed 15-year-old Sakia Gunn during a confrontation about her being a lesbian. He was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison, having previously faced up to 30 years before pleading guilty last month to aggravated manslaughter, aggravated assault and bias intimidation. Sakia Gunn, pictured, and four other girls were waiting for a bus in downtown Newark, New Jersey, when McCullough and another man drove up and asked them if they wanted to go to a party. The girls responded that they were lesbians. The men began spewing homophobic insults and McCullough stabbed her.
http://www.queerday.com/2005/apr/22/richard_mccullough_gets_20_years_for_sakia_gunn_murder.html
With another story about the murder and murder conviction:
From N.O.W. ... — 5/2/2005
The president of the Navajo Nation vetoed a measure
Sunday that would have banned same-sex marriage on the
Indian reservation.
See the article below on the original ban by the Navajo Tribal Council
From N.O.W. ... — 4/21/2005
On Wednesday, the Connecticut legislature voted 26 to 8
to make civil unions legal for same-sex couples.
Civil unions carry the rights and privileges of marriage at
the state level, but not at the federal level.
From PlanetOut... — 4/27/2005
A bill to legalize same-sex marriage in California cleared an Assembly committee Tuesday despite arguments that it violates a gay marriage ban approved by voters five years ago.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050427/ap_on_re_us/gay_marriage_2
From PlanetOut... — 4/26/2005
The tribal council of the Navajo Nation outlawed same-sex marriages in a unanimous vote. The Dine Marriage Act also prevents plural marriages and marriages between close relatives.
http://www.planetout.com/news/article.html?date=2005/04/26/2
From PlanetOut... — 4/15/2005
A new poll in Sports Illustrated shows mixed feelings about
out athletes -- there's "nothing wrong" with openly gay pro
jocks, but they're "bad for the team." What?
http://www.planetout.com/bounce/pnodirect/orbit/2005/0415/sports.html
From PlanetOut... — 4/15/2005
As thousands refused to speak for a day to draw attention to
harassment of LGBT students, the religious right struck back
with a so-called "Day of Truth."
http://www.planetout.com/bounce/pnodirect/orbit/2005/0415/silence.html
From PlanetOut... — 3/29/2005
A Tucson court sentenced the murderer of a gay man
to life in prison. The victim's mother described her son's
killer as having "evil running in his blood."
Here's the original "guilty verdict" story from Tucson DailyStar
From Arizona Daily Star... — 1/28/2005
A 22-year-old man described as having neo-Nazi beliefs was
convicted Thursday in the murder of a gay man who was beaten
to death near North Fourth Avenue in 2002.
David A. Higdon was convicted of the first-degree murder
of Philip Walsted, who was beaten to death with a baseball bat.
The Advocate... and from... The Kansas City Star...
Brad Mathewson, whose situation prompted the American
Civil Liberties Union to file a lawsuit against the high
school and its principal, dropped out of school this week.
That would appear to end the controversy that started when
he was asked to conceal the gay-pride themes on two T-shirts
he wore in October.
http://www.advocate.com/new_news.asp?ID=14571&sd=12/11/04-12/13/04
and here:http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/10390539.htm?1c
From PlanetOut...
Citing areas of the country that have seen an
increase in hostility since the November election, Lambda
Legal has made commercials that affirm gay students' civil
rights.
From Arizona Daily Star
This article about GSAs, the Laramie Project play being put on
by Rincon/UHS, and information about the Arizona Revised Statutes
that deny discussion about homosexuality in a positive manner in schools.
From Tucson Weekly...
While Tucson has a progressive reputation, the 2002 death
of Philip Walsted serves as a reminder that anti-gay hatred remains.
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Currents/Content?oid=oid:62494
From PlanetOut... 7/14/2004
Yet another high school honor student Ryan Kim was disowned by his parents
and kicked out of their home, as well as having all monetary support
for his college education withdrawn, he is one of the
Point Foundation college scholarship recipients.
From PlanetOut... 1/12/2005
High school honor student James Barnett made headlines when
he was expelled for being gay. Now, he tells PlanetOut about
his Point Foundation college scholarship and how he came out.
http://www.planetout.com/news/article.html?date=2005/01/12/1
From PlanetOut...
During the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday,
voters in 11 states gave a clear indication on their
feelings toward same-sex marriage.
From PlanetOut...
Teenagers raised by two moms develop as well as
teens raised by opposite-sex parents, according to a
groundbreaking new study published in the journal Child
Development.
From QueerDay...
Gay and lesbian couples can officially tie the knot
in Saskatchewan with Justice Donna Wilson ruling today
that the "traditional" definition of marriage is unconstitutional.
From PlanetOut...
A senior Catholic bishop has gone against the
pope's recent comments and backed equal rights for lesbian
and gay couples.
From PlanetOut...
The ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of gay and
lesbian students at a Los Angeles high school Thursday,
claiming that school staff members harassed them repeatedly.
From PlanetOut...
Gay and lesbian youth, like older LGBT people, may be 40 to 60 percent more
likely than their straight peers to smoke cigarettes, according to recent
research. 26-Oct-2004 02:50:12 pm, Health
From The Advocate...
Chicago mayor signs petition supporting same-sex marriage.
Last updated September 14, 2007