Big Gay News
Iowa Voters Evenly Divided on Gay Marriage Ban
Iowans are just about evenly divided on whether they would support a constitutional amendment to end same-sex marriage in the state. According to the Des Moines Register’s recent Iowa Poll, 41 percent said they would vote for a ban; 40 percent said they would favor keeping same-sex marriage legal; and 92 percent said the legalization of same-sex marriage in the state has brought no real change to their lives. It is the first poll taken since the Iowa Supreme Court overturned the state ban on same-sex marriage in April.
Gay Couples as Fit To Adopt as Heterosexuals
The sexual orientation of adoptive parents does not affect the emotional development of their children, according to a new study. Paige Averett, Assistant Professor of Social Work at East Carolina University, said in a statement, “We found that sexual orientation of the adoptive parents was not a significant predictor of emotional problems.” Averett and others questioned nearly 1,400 couples in the United States, including 155 gay and lesbian parents. The findings are reported in the journal Adoption Quarterly.
Navy Reviewing Abuse of Gay Dog Handler in Bahrain
According to a spokesman for the US military, the Navy is reviewing its handling of the case of 23-year-old Joseph Rocha. He was discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in 2007 following an investigation of hazing of which he was the victim. He was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the abuse. The officer responsible for Rocha’s unit at the time of the hazing since has been promoted. Congressman Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania, a former admiral, has asked the Navy for information about the hazing and its internal investigation. A Navy spokesman said the case and its outcome are being reviewed.
Gay House Members Seek Antibias Bill
Openly gay members of the US Congress Barney Frank and Tammy Baldwin testified in front of the House Education and Labor Committee in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would protect GLBT people in the workplace. Baldwin told the committee it was time to “bring our laws in line with the reality of American life.” A similar bill without protections for transgender people passed in the House two years ago, but stalled in the Senate. While a House vote is expected later this year, the Senate is not expected to visit the issue until 2010. Less than half of US states have existing protections for GLBT workers.
GLBT Teens at Risk for Eating Disorders
A new study finds that gay, lesbian, and bisexual teens may be at higher risk of binge eating and purging than their heterosexual peers. Previous research has shown that gay men have higher rates of symptoms of eating disorders. For the new study, researchers at Harvard University and Children’s Hospital Boston used data from a US survey of nearly 14,000 12- to 23-year-olds to look at the relationship between sexual orientation and binge eating and purging. They found increased rates of binge eating among both males and females who identified themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or mostly heterosexual. The report appears in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
