Big Gay News
BigGayNews from the United States:
Jason Collins Comes Out: NBA Player Becomes First Openly Gay Professional Male Athlete In Major Sport
The Huffington Post reports that NBA center Jason Collins has become the first male athlete in a major professional sport to come out as gay.
The 34-year-old admits to dating women when he was younger, hoping to live up to what society expected of him, but eventually felt that embracing the truth of who he is was more important.
Collins said that his decision to come out was prompted by the Boston Marathon bombings, stating that “it takes an enormous amount of energy to guard such a big secret. I’ve endured years of misery and gone to enormous lengths to live a lie. I was certain that my world would fall apart if anyone knew. And yet when I acknowledged my sexuality I felt whole for the first time. I still had the same sense of humor, I still had the same mannerisms and my friends still had my back.”
BigGayNews from the United States:
60th Anniversary Of Federal Government’s Gay Purge
The San Diego Gay & Lesbian News reports that renewed effort to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act launched last week came days before the 60th anniversary of a defining moment in GLBT history, when thousands of employees and contractors were purged from the federal government because they were gay or lesbian.
President Dwight Eisenhower issued an executive order on April 27, 1953 which called for the removal of all homosexuals from federal agencies, allegedly because they were considered to be a “godless, immoral group” similar to the Communists which brought such fear to the US government of the 1950s.
What became known as the “Lavender Scare” resulted in a vast number of GLBT employees being fired outright, or voluntarily resigning from their positions for fear of being outed.
BigGayNews from Pennsylvania:
Issak Wolfe, Transgender Student, Denied Chance At Prom King After Being Placed On “Prom Queen” Ballot
The Huffington Post reports that a transgender high school student from Pennsylvania who was denied a bid to become prom king is getting support from social media communities advocating for equal rights.
The Red Lion Area Senior High School senior’s name was allegedly placed on the “queen” ballot list by school principal Mark Shue, who said that he was uncomfortable about placing Wolfe’s name on the boys’ list without informing Wolfe beforehand.
Wolfe said: “For a transgendered person, it is degrading to have that, and I wasn’t even warned. I would like an apology, at a minimum. I wasn’t given a fair opportunity. I mean, if I don’t win, I don’t win but I’m not a queen.”
BigGayNews from Minnesota:
Dayton Makes Appeal For Legislators To Pass Same-Sex Marriage
The Star Tribune reports that Governor Mark Dayton is intensifying pressure on legislators to legalize same-sex marriage this year.
Dayton, a longtime supporter of marriage equality, calls the measure “historic legislation”, and his campaign sent out an appeal to supporters calling for them to contact their legislators and urge them to support legalizing same-sex marriage.
The governor said in the note: “Urge lawmakers in St. Paul to follow their consciences and pass the freedom to marry. We cannot legislate love. Committed, same-sex Minnesota couples deserve to make their own decisions for their own families. It’s a simple, yet profound ideal.”
BigGayNews from the United States:
John Paulk Formally Renounces, Apologizes For Harmful “Ex-Gay” Movement
The Advocate reports that the former ex-gay leader said Christianity changed many things for him, but his sexual orientation wasn’t among them.
In a public statement, Paulk apologized for the harm that he and the movement have caused over the years, and stated that he no longer believes that reparative therapy can “cure” people of their attraction to the same sex.
Paulk states: “I know that countless people were harmed by things I said and did in the past. I am truly, truly sorry for the pain I have caused. … From the bottom of my heart I wish I could take back my words and actions that caused anger, depression, guilt and hopelessness. In their place I want to extend love, hope, tenderness, joy and the truth that gay people are loved by God.”
BigGayNews story from Oregon:
Joe Bell, Father Of Gay Teen Jadin, To Walk Cross-Country With Anti-Bullying Message
The Huffington Post reports that the father of a gay Oregon teen who committed suicide in February is planning a cross-country tribute in honor of his son.
Joe Bell is planning to walk across the United States over a course of two years in memory of his son, starting in his home state of Oregon and planning to cover 15 to 25 miles per day. He hopes to bring a face to the ongoing issue of GLBT students being bullied in schools across the country
Bell’s 15 year old son Jadin was removed from life support in February after hanging himself due to constant bullying about his sexual orientation.
BigGayNews from Kazakhstan:
Kazakhstan: Lesbian Wedding Raises Eyebrows
Eurasianet.org reports that the industrial city of Karaganda in northeastern Kazakhstan has seen an event utterly out of the ordinary for the former Soviet Union: a wedding between two women.
While same-sex marriage is not recognized in Kazakhstan, the two women—identified only as Karolina and Kristina—wanted to use the ceremony as a symbolic event to bring attention to GLBT rights and discrimination in the former Soviet country.
The website Vox Populi profiled the story, sparking lively and very vocal debate on the issue.
BigGayNews from Australia:
MP Proposes Referendum On Gay Marriage In Australia
Gay Star News reports that Australian independent MP Tony Windsor has proposed that the nation say yes or no to gay marriage in a referendum in September.
Defending the idea of taking issue from the hands of the politicians and giving the decision over to public vote, Windsor commented: “Polls on gay marriage say it’s what the population wants. A way to resolve it is through a referendum.”
Windsor had previously voted against same-sex marriage, but has conceded that his views have changed since he attended a civil union ceremony which he described as being “possibly the most sincere and meaningful occasion” he had witnessed.
