U.S. Religious Leaders Urge National Prayer Breakfast to Pray for Slain Gay Rights Activist

New York, February 2, 2011 /LGBT News/ Key religious leaders are calling for 'A Prayer for David Kato' on February 3rd, the first day of the National Prayer Breakfast, to honor the Ugandan gay rights activist who was killed last week, amidst a storm of anti-gay sentiment in his country. Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson and Auburn Theological Seminary are spearheading this national call for prayer and remembrance.

Mr. Kato was one of the few openly gay Ugandans willing to speak out against the anti-gay fervor spawned by a bill that proposes life sentences and even the death penalty in some cases for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Members of "The Family," the private group that organizes the influential National Prayer Breakfast, were widely reported as having inspired this legislation last year.

"Coming off of the brutal murder of David Kato, and with this death penalty legislation potentially heading for a vote, it is vital now more than ever that the organizers of the National Prayer Breakfast join us in ending this hatred and violence," said Bishop Robinson. "As an act of good faith, we urge that at the National Prayer Breakfast this Thursday, they lead a prayer of compassion and concern for the family, friends and colleagues of David Kato, and pray for their protection from further harm."

Bishop Robinson and a coalition of religious leaders organized the American Prayer Hour as an alternative to the National Prayer Breakfast last year, and asked President Obama to use his appearance at the National Prayer Breakfast to denounce the anti-gay legislation in Uganda. He did, calling the legislation "odious"; and this past week the President released a statement about David Kato's recent murder: "David showed tremendous courage in speaking out against hate... The United States mourns his murder, and we recommit ourselves to David's work."

Building on Mr. Kato's work for LGBT people and others, Auburn Seminary in collaboration with the organizers of last year's American Prayer Hour, are gathering faith leaders committed to justice nationwide to come together across region, religion, demographic and issue, to embody the majority and stand with all those whom religious extremists have shunned or persecuted, such as Muslim-Americans, immigrants and LGBT people.

"Many participants of the National Prayer Breakfast recognize that prejudice and violence against any group of persons goes against all of our faiths," said The Reverend John Vaughn, Executive Vice President of Auburn Theological Seminary. "However, the Breakfast's organizers have embarked on a path that has led to dangerous situations in places like Uganda. We implore them to change course and they can begin with a prayer in memory of David Kato."

Auburn Theological Seminary has an almost 200-year history of being at the forefront of social justice causes – from suffrage to civil rights. Auburn is spearheading its newest cause: to help heal the divisive religious landscape in the U.S. To do so, Auburn is creating a broad constituency united around shared concerns and values to stop intolerance in the name of faith.

Washington, February 1, 2011 /LGBT News/ The Hospice Foundation of America yesteray released "Aging and End-of-Life Challenges in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Community," a free online webinar, written by Kimberly Acquaviva, PhD, MSW, that can help organizations better serve older LGBT adults and their loved ones who are coping with progressive illness, loss and grief.

"Aging and death don't discriminate. This webinar examines obstacles faced by individuals who are aging or living with advanced illness and addresses how hospice providers and other healthcare organizations can better serve the LGBT population. We are pleased to include this important webinar in our online resource library."

In addition to the program, additional resources and Fact Sheets can be downloaded for sharing with staff, students, and community members at no charge. Free Continuing Education credits are available for a wide range of professionals.

This program is part of HFA's Hospice Information Center, an extensive online library that also includes programs such as Understanding Hospice, Family Caregiving, Understanding Grief, and Coping with Cancer at the End of Life. The programming provides hospices and other community organizations the opportunity to educate staff and volunteers about the basics of hospice care, caregiving, and grief, and links are provided to guide viewers to more information on a variety of subjects. Other resources are available for consumers, to help family and friends learn about hospice and how it can help people cope with some of life's most challenging situations, in a format that is accessible and understandable. Resources are also available in Spanish and Chinese.

Hospice Foundation of America (www.hospicefoundation.org) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help those who cope personally or professionally with terminal illness, death, and the process of grief and bereavement. This project is provided through the support of a grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to support hospice and end-of-life care outreach and education. CMS funds of $571,000 with HFA in-kind services of $5,710 are funding a variety of outreach and educational programs, including this project.

Chicago, January 31, 2011 /LGBT News/ Governor Pat Quinn today signed into law the Illinois Religious Freedom and Protection and Civil Union Act, making civil unions available for same-sex couples in Illinois. The law, drafted by lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, marks an important step toward fairness for thousands of gay and lesbian couples in Illinois. Illinois now joins a growing list of states across the country that provide legal protections to the unions of same-sex couples.

The new law permits Illinois couples – including those of the same sex – to enter into a legal relationship that provides them all the basic legal protections and responsibilities currently offered only to different-sex couples through marriage.

"Illinois is taking an historic step forward in embracing fairness and extending basic dignity to all couples in our state. We commend Governor Quinn for signing this bill," said John Knight, director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Project of the ACLU of Illinois.

The measure was first introduced in February of 2007 by then-newly elected Representative Greg Harris.

On December 1 of last year, the Illinois Senate approved the bill 32-24, sending the measure to Governor Quinn. That move came one day after the bill passed in the House by one vote.

"This new law reflects the triumph of hope and fairness over distortion and division," said Jill Metz, President of the ACLU of Illinois Board of Directors.

The new law counts Illinois among 17 states, plus the District of Columbia, that recognize some form of protection for committed same-sex couples – from limited partnership rights through civil unions to marriage.

"Today marks yet another victory in the clear trend line of achieving fairness for families across the country," said James Esseks, Director of the ACLU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Project.

Although the passage of civil union legislation represents an important step forward on the road toward full equality for LGBT individuals in Illinois, the ACLU continues to work to achieve the freedom to marry for all couples.

"We look forward to the day when Illinois joins other states across the nation by making marriage available for all Illinois citizens," said Colleen Connell, executive director of the ACLU of Illinois. "This new law suggests that the day of complete fairness for lesbian and gay couples is not far away in the Land of Lincoln."

The law takes effect June 1.

Source: ACLU of Illinois

January 20, 2011 /LGBT News/ The European Parliament (EP) yesterday called on Lithuanian MPs to reject an amendment to the Lithuanian Code of Administrative Offences.

The proposed amendment, if passed by the Lithuania Seimas, would punish the ‘public promotion of homosexual relations’ with fines up to €2,900.

The resolution was presented to MEPs by the S&D, ALDE, Greens/EFA and GUE/GNL groups after a series of worrying events in Lithuania. Local authorities recently adopted a Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effects of Public Information.

The legislation approved by the Lithuanian government is an attempted ban on gay and equality demonstrations and use of hate speech by leading politicians.

The EP said that minors should be able to access information about homosexuality freely and asked the European Commission to present a plan to combat homophobia.

The Lithuanian Parliament is currently analyzing probable amendments to the law and has not voted on the law until the review is over. The proposed amendments are in conflict with EU law.

January 18, 2011 /LGBT News/ A British court has awarded a gay couple £3,600 (5,800 dollars, 4,300 euros) in a lawsuit against Christian hotel owners who refused to let them stay in a double room.

Judge Andrew Rutherford ruled that Peter and Hazelmary Bull, the devout Christians who own the hotel, were breaking the law when they denied Martyn Hall and his civil partner Steven Preddy a room at the Chymorvah Hotel, near Penzance, in September 2008.

Mr. and Mrs. Bull said it was not about sexual orientation rather their opposition to sex before marriage. They had argued that the restriction also applied to heterosexual couples who are not married.

Hall and Preddy won the case based on the Equality Act Regulations of 2007. This is the first time this law was used to sue on the basis of sexual orientation. The ruling is said to provide those in civil partnerships with greater protection from discrimination.

WATCH:

January 6, 2011 /LGBT News/ Rhode Island's David Cicilline, 49, the former mayor of Providence, has become the fourth openly gay member of Congress. He was sworn in at 2:17 p.m. Wednesday as the new representative of Rhode Island's First Congressional District.

“I am thrilled to be the next congressman from Rhode Island’s First District and so grateful to the members of the LGBT community who supported my campaign,” Cicilline said on election night. “I look forward to going to Washington and fighting for the issues important to all of us — creating good jobs, protecting Social Security, working to fight global climate change and, of course, fighting for full equality for our community.”

Cicilline now joins a small group of high-profile openly gay politicians, such as U.S. Reps. Barney Frank, Jared Polis and Tammy Baldwin as well as Houston, Texas, Mayor Annise Parker.

"I have enormous respect for [each]," Cicilline said, according to Windy City Times. "They have done so much and have been the pioneers. I feel very honored to join them, and hopefully my presence here [in D.C.] will add to our success as a community and the work that still needs to be done to achieve full equality for all members of the LGBT community.

"We're continuing to make progress in our march toward full equality. We continue to make progress and, over time, we're going to, without question, reach a place in this country where there's full equality for members of our community, where we have all of the rights and responsibilities of every other person in this country.

"The repeal of DADT is really important, a very historic event. And that hopefully will set an example for other organizations and institutions that currently discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation, that is something that should not continue.

"We have work to do to pass ENDA and [on] a lot of other fronts, too. So long as we continue to push, work hard, and continue to make our case as a community then we continue to see more and more equality, and it eventually will get to the point where we've achieved full equality for our community in this country," he added.

Cicilline succeeds Rep. Patrick Kennedy, who retired. He ran in a Democratic stronghold and was a powerhouse fundraiser. According to Federal Election Commission reports, Cicilline raked in nearly $1.7 million over the course of his campaign.

He earned the endorsement of many national LGBT organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign and the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

January 5, 2011 /LGBT News/ Lincoln Chafee completed his political comeback Tuesday, being sworn in as Rhode Island's first independent governor four years after losing the U.S. Senate seat he held as a Republican.

During his speech, Chafee called for Rhode Island to legalize gay marriage, and asked the General Assembly to quickly consider and pass legislation doing so.

"I would hope that Rhode Island will catch up to her New England neighbors and pass a bill to establish marriage equality. I urge our General Assembly to quickly consider and adopt this legislation. When marriage equality is the law in Rhode Island, we honor our forefathers who risked their lives and fortune in the pursuit of human equality," Chafee said.

"Rhode Island today must be as welcoming to all as Roger Williams intended it to be. Mark my words, these two actions [gay marriage and repealing anti-immigration policies] will do more for economic growth in our state that any economic development loan. Because good business is about treating people right", he added.

Such legislation has repeatedly been introduced and died as Carcieri and legislative leaders have opposed it. But this year, with Chafee and Democratic House Speaker Gordon Fox, who is openly gay, in office, there is renewed hope from advocates of gay marriage. Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed, however, has opposed such legislation in the past.

Watch Lincoln Chafee's inaugurations speech:

Pop Luck Club launches an ad campaign featuring its member families in order to reduce stigma around gay parenting.

Los Angeles, CA, January 4, 2011 /LGBT News/ The Pop Luck Club, a non-profit organization that supports gay fathers throughout Southern California, announced today the launch of its “Raise a Child” ad campaign that is geared to raise community awareness, support and understanding for gay fathers and their families.

The campaign also aims to inspire and aid gay fathers and prospective fathers as they explore the many routes to creating families, including surrogacy, fostering and adoption. The campaign includes radio PSAs and bus shelter ads featuring family portraits of its members. The ads run throughout January across the Los Angeles region, from the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys through the West Side, Central and East L.A. to Long Beach and Orange County.

The ad campaign hopes to reduce stigma around gay parenting. “We make lunches for our kids, get them to music and karate lessons… just like every family,” says Richard Valenza, co-president of the Pop Luck Club. He adds, “With this campaign, we are putting a real face on gay parenting.”

Since its founding in 1998, the Pop Luck Club has grown from a handful of fathers to over 500 members. It facilitates monthly “pot luck” play dates, discussions and support groups, online resources and news groups, family events and mentorship programs for prospective fathers.

Some gay fathers have found a perfect match through fostering and public adoption. “Nationwide, over 200,000 children are awaiting families.,” said Dr. Tony Zimbardi, a Pop Luck Club board member. “It is our hope that more gay men will be inspired and enabled to create the loving families they deserve.”

The group’s members overwhelmingly report that raising children has affected them deeply. “Growing up, many of us felt sadness that coming out as gay would end our dreams of parenting,” says John Ireland, a Pop Luck Club board member. “I now know that becoming a father and providing a loving home for our child is the most important and rewarding thing I have ever done.”

For more information, visit http://www.popluckclub.org