Normally a woman entering a federal building to pick up a social security card for her son wouldn't end up in controversy. Unfortunately for Lapriss Gilbert, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, wearing the wrong t-shirt. When she arrived at the government complex
sporting a t-shirt with the words “lesbian.com” on the front, a private security officer hired by the Homeland Security Department stopped her and demanded she leave the premises.
The guard, an employee of Paragon Security, cited The Rules and Regulations Governing Conduct on Federal Property to support his claim that he is able to decide which articles of clothing are acceptable and which are not.
Though just a scootch late for the
famous nuptials of Ellen and Portia, Hallmark has
rolled out a new line of greetings, created for just such an occasion. In response to California ruling gay marriage legal, Hallmark saw a fancy card niche to be filled — one that doesn't involve shiny embossed images of a traditional bride and groom. Despite the fact that most states don't recognize gay marriage (CA and MA are the only two) several others recognize civil commitments, and when there's a ceremony, there's a cause for card.
Hallmarks says the decision to offer the greetings was not politically motivated, but rather a response to consumer demand.
Some tourists
treat San Francisco's gay population as a tourist attraction. Residents of the historic gay Castro District have reported an increase in large tour buses, which drop off thousands of nervous visitors ready to snap photos of two men holding hands or point and stare in shock.
While Castro dwellers and merchants welcome visitors and their cash with open arms, they have little tolerance for the new breed of non-shoppers.
75 Percent Back Gays Serving In Military: Massive Shift
In a recent poll, there has been a massive and remarkable shift in public opinion on homosexuals in the military since 1993. Up from 44 percent in 1993, now 75 percent say that homosexuals who publicly disclose their status should be allowed to serve. It is demonstrative of a vastly more progressive nation on LGBT rights.
The South Carolina state employee who approved a controversial ad campaign aimed at gay tourists has resigned, according to the director of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.
The "South Carolina is So Gay" posters
appeared in the London Underground and were aimed at gay travelers — the campaign is sponsored by Amro Worldwide and other cities like Boston, Las Vegas, and New Orleans have used the slogan to proclaim their inclusiveness.
But the frank-talkin' slogan is not what the Palmetto state director
had in mind, "Our tourism marketing funds are for the purpose of bringing visitors to South Carolina, not for getting involved in various social agendas," adding that the South Carolina target audience is families.
The poster's mastermind says that the "So Gay" campaign is supposed to reverse the negative impact of the phrase and make it a tourist magnet.
Is This Heinz Ad Inappropriate?
Update. In a controversial move, condiment king Heinz has pulled a UK television commercial from the air. Viewers complained that
the commercial — which features a single-sex parental relationship — was inappropriate and unsuitable.
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell," might bring to mind men fighting in foxholes — but the plan is actually rooting out more foxes of the opposite gender. The US Army and Air Force discharged an hugely uneven ratio of women to men in 2007 under the "
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy, which prohibits gay military personnel from disclosing their sexual orientation.
The
New York Times reports that even though women only make up 14 percent of Army personnel, 46 percent of those discharged under the policy in 2007 were female. Up in the air, women account for 20 percent of the Air Force and 49 percent of its discharges.
And the trend is growing — there's a noticeable increase from 2006, when about 35 percent of both the Army’s and the Air Force’s "asked and tolds" were women, according to stats pulled from Pentagon data by a policy advocacy organization.
Yesterday,
more than 1,400 same-sex couples all over California tied the knot, and will continue to do so indefinitely. Along with taking some
pictures of the scene in San Francisco, we filmed the newlyweds and their families talking about their love and decisions to get married. We even caught one couple exchanging vows.
Not wanting to miss a historical moment, I went down bright and early to San Francisco's City Hall to check out all the wedding festivities. Today is the first full day of same-sex marriages, following the California Supreme Court
ruling that legalized the nuptials. A romantic and emotional atmosphere surrounded the happy newlyweds.
Today most counties in California, the nation's most populous state, will begin their first full day of
issuing marriage licenses to committed couples, regardless their gender combination. San Francisco kicked things off last night at 5:00 p.m., with Mayor Gavin Newsom
marrying Phyllis Lyon, 87 and Del Martin, 84, who have been in love for over 50 years.
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