The Mount Diablo-Silverado Boy Scout Council has approved a gay Scout’s Eagle application after more than 460,000 people joined his mother’s campaign on Change.org, despite the Boy Scouts of America’s anti-gay policy.

• Despite national anti-gay policy, Boy Scout council in California approves gay Scout’s Eagle application after more than 460,000 people join a mother’s campaign on Change.org;
• Karen Andresen launched petition in support of her son Ryan after his Scoutmaster refused to sign off on Ryan’s Eagle application because he’s gay;
• Ryan Andresen, an 18-year-old Boy Scout from the San Francisco area, was granted an Eagle Board of Review after his campaign was featured by Ellen DeGeneres and Anderson Cooper, and supported by U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, and 32 California state legislators;
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Karen Andresen launched her campaign on Change.org urging the Boy Scouts to award her son, 18-year-old Ryan Andresen, the rank of Eagle Scout after Ryan’s Scoutmaster refused to sign the Eagle application because of Ryan’s sexual orientation. On December 19, local Boy Scout leaders granted Ryan an official Eagle Board of Review, and submitted their recommendation of approval to the Mt. Diablo-Silverado Council on Dec. 31. Ryan’s application for Eagle Scout, the Boy Scouts of America’s highest rank, will now be forwarded to the national organization for final approval.

“I’m just so incredibly happy for Ryan. He’s worked so hard for this honor, and as a mother, it means the world to me to know that our local Scouting community believes in him, too,” said Karen Andresen, who launched the petition on Change.org. “Regardless of what the BSA’s National Advancement Team decides to do with his application, this victory makes it all worth it, and gives me so much hope for the future of the organization.”

Bonnie Hazarabedian, the volunteer District Advancement Chair who headed Ryan Andresen’s Eagle Board of Review, verified that Ryan’s application had been approved at the local district and council levels, and issued the following statement:

“Ryan did everything right in this process, with respect and honesty, requesting an Eagle Board of Review under disputed circumstances when his Scoutmaster refused to sign the application. Following BSA advancement policies in such situations, we felt an Eagle Board of Review was justified. As we do with all Eagle candidates, volunteer Scout leaders --- parents ourselves of current or former Scouts --- met with Ryan to review and discuss his scouting history and advancement records, his Eagle Leadership Project, and his spiritual beliefs and life goals. We are convinced that Ryan has demonstrated he deserves the rank of Eagle Scout.”

Approval from the Eagle Board of Review overrides Ryan’s Scoutmaster at Troop 212, Rainer Del Valle, who still hasn’t contacted the Andresen family or issued a statement about his refusal to sign Ryan’s Eagle application. Ryan had completed all of the requirements for his Eagle Scout Award while still a member of BSA and before his 18th birthday, including a capstone project where he worked with a local middle school to build a permanent “Tolerance Wall” to raise awareness about bullying.

“I want other gay Scouts to know, especially those who are hiding who they really are, that this win is for you. Thank you to everyone who joined my mom’s campaign. Your signatures made this possible,” said Ryan Andresen. “It’s been a wild and exhausting ride. I’m really looking forward to life getting back to normal, and to being able to focus on my final year of high school and completing my college applications.”

GLAAD -- which broke Tyrrell’s story in April, sparking a national dialogue about discrimination in the Boy Scouts -- joined Wahls and Scouts for Equality in celebrating news of Ryan Andresen’s Eagle application approval.

"Councils across the nation are rejecting the Boy Scouts' grossly discriminatory ban on gay scouts, echoing the support of fellow scouts, business leaders, and the American public,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. “How long can the BSA go on ignoring its own members and its core values of fairness, leadership and integrity? The growing number of councils welcoming gay scouts and leaders reminds BSA autocrats: change will come with you, or without you."

For more information visit petition on Change.org, 

by Stagg

Gay Men Still Face Barriers to Meet Potential Mates

Stagg, a next-generation, mobile dating app for gay men released the results from a nationwide survey of 537 gay men showing that even though the country moves closer toward legal recognition of same-sex relationships, gay men still face significant barriers to meeting potential partners and future husbands. However, the same national survey conducted by the new mobile dating app for gay men, also shows that apps are becoming increasingly important in the ability of gay men to connect to other single gay men for long-term romantic relationships. 

Stagg’s national survey shows that two-thirds of gay guys who use mobile dating apps said they use them in the hopes of finding long-term potential. Stagg was designed partly in response to this survey, which underscores a pressing need in the mobile dating app market for users to be able to learn more than just the location of a potential match.

“The Supreme Court of the United States has announced they’d hear arguments in late March on two historic cases that could dramatically advance legal recognition of same-sex relationships,” said Brad Brenner, Ph.D., co-founder of Stagg and a licensed psychologist with a private practice in Washington, DC.  “However, partly due to decades of stigmatization and discrimination faced by the LGBT community and, in particular, our romantic lives, gay men continue to find themselves too often wandering in bars, places of work, or online – our version of wandering in the wilderness – in search of potential long-term partners.”

Here are the highlights from Stagg’s nationwide survey.
App users search for a deeper connection.

• 66% of the respondents said they use apps in the hopes of finding long-term potential, despite the almost universal perception that other guys on dating apps are looking for a hookup.
• 64% said that they use dating apps to find new friends.
• 16% of respondents – 1 in 6 men -- choose dating apps as the most promising place to meet someone for long-term potential, a surprisingly substantial result given the reputation of first-generation dating apps for hookups.

Apps move dating away from computer screens and into public and social settings.

• 56% of the respondents said that they use dating apps in public.
• More than one-third of all respondents, 37%, use the apps while with their friends. 

Apps bridge communication and build connections.

• 78% said that apps help them to start a conversation that they wouldn’t have otherwise initiated.
• More than one-third of respondents, 35%, said that apps are a way to have fun with their friends.

Stagg satisfies the urgent dating needs of gay men.

• 77% of the men said that when it comes to dating they don’t know where or how to find guys who are like themselves.
• 65% stated that breaking the ice and starting a conversation is a serious impediment to meeting guys.
• 56% said that dating apps are not friendly, when compared to dating websites.

An open-ended question put to these 537 men about what is most needed in apps revealed that they are seeking more substance in the type of information and potential connection than first-generation apps can deliver.

For more information on Stagg or to download the app, visit www.staggapp.com,

by Cathy Renna for Faith in America

Faith In America is seeking an explanation as to why YouTube would remove a video that the organization posted as part of its ongoing report about an anti-gay church that allegedly abused a young man because of his sexual orientation.

The video was produced by Faith In America and contained the personal story of Jerry Cooper, who was once a member of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) in Spindale, N.C. In the video, Cooper corroborates allegations of abuse by the church that have been lodged by 22-year-old Michael Lowry, a gay man who says he was confined for four months against his will.

"It is really dumbfounding," said Brent Childers, executive director of the gay advocacy group. "YouTube allows a controversial video that pokes fun at Islam. But here we have a video in which a person is telling his own personal knowledge of how this bizarre Christian church treats gay youth or those suspected of being gay, and they remove the video."

"What YouTube is doing, perhaps inadvertently, in this particular case is giving cover to a church that believes it is OK to harm gay youth and families in the name of religious teaching," Childers said. "In doing so, it is giving cover to a vast number of churches who do the same, whether a small charismatic church in rural North Carolina or a large Methodist church in some American suburb."

Childers said that Google, which owns YouTube, is considered to be a very LGBT-friendly company. In addition, one of Faith In America's own media strategies in 2007 involved the first CNN/YouTube Democratic presidential primary debate. YouTube selected a question from a Faith In America supporter and pastor who asked why is it still OK to use religion to discriminate against gay Americans. It was rated the best question of the debate by a group of youth who had been assembled around the globe by YouTube to rate the questions.

"We have been told that YouTube apparently considers any allegations against a church as somehow stepping on their religious liberty. Considering the wealth of YouTube videos that address controversial religious issues, we find that hard to believe. Unfortunately, YouTube doesn't offer a process to question the removal of a video that has been deemed inappropriate. And they do not give a reason why."

Cooper is scheduled to appear on Friday in a Rutherford County courtroom to face off against four WOFF members who were arrested and charged with stalking and harassing him during an incident in October. Cooper and Lowry in October had returned to Spindale to follow-up on Lowry's original police report when Cooper was surrounded at a public mall by church members reportedly acting as church security personnel. Forest City Police officers were called and arrived to reportedly observe the alleged harassment.

Word of Faith Fellowship has been accused of being a cult because of the way it controls its members. Despite numerous investigations into reports of abuse, the church manages to portray itself as a mainstream church. Its web site has the pastor pictured with several high-ranking government officials, including the Israeli Ambassador to the United States, U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan and former N.C. Lt. Gov. Walton Dalton.

Faith In America in October requested the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate Lowry's case as a possible hate crime. Lowry alleges he was locked away for four months in a church building and suffered other abuse there because of his sexual orientation. The church's web site states that homosexuality is a form of demonic possession.

At least four former church members have stepped forward to say that they either observed or were victims of similar abuse that Michael Lowry alleges occurred. One of those individuals, Ben Carmona, says he experienced similar abuse. He says he was once accused of having "unclean homosexual spirits" because of his friendship with another boy. Carmona, who says he also was confined as Lowry alleges, also fled the church. He is now studying architectural design at a Chicago university.

Lowry was scheduled to appear before a grand jury in December, but the hearing was postponed when Lowry spotted a WOFF member on the grand jury. Lowry does not believe he will get a fair hearing because of the church's influence in Rutherford County.

Cooper agrees. He was told a special prosecutor and special judge had been brought in from neighboring McDowell County to hear his case Friday. He informed the district attorney that a Word of Faith Fellowship a leader in the church serves as a court reporter in McDowell County.

They are asking that the case be heard in another area of the state, beyond the immediate influence of the church. So far, their request has been rebuffed by local court officials.

Faith In America has not been able to determine the status of its request for a hate crimes investigation. After filing the request, Childers received a telephone call from a U.S. Department of Justice official who asked him if he had attempted to dialogue with the church as a means of conflict resolution. 


For more information, or to view the video in question visit FaithandEquality.org .

ACLU Filed Supporting Brief on Behalf of Five Couples

The Wisconsin Court of Appeals today upheld the state’s law granting domestic partnership protections to same-sex couples.

The American Civil Liberties Union had filed an amicus brief on behalf of five couples who stood to lose crucial protections such as hospital visitation, the ability to make certain decisions about medical care and to access family medical leave if the law is overturned.

“Committed same-sex couples in Wisconsin only want the peace of mind of being able to protect and provide for each other like any other married couple,” said John Knight, staff attorney with the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Project. “Because they are denied the freedom to marry, these couples just wanted to hold on to the limited protections afforded to them by the domestic partnership law. To strip them of these would have been cruel and unjust.”

The law was challenged by members of Wisconsin Family Action, Inc., an anti-LGBT organization that contends that the law granted same-sex couples a substantially similar status to marriage, which is barred by the Wisconsin Constitution. The same organization originally campaigned to secure the marriage amendment’s passage, claiming at the time that domestic partnerships would not be affected.

“While domestic partnership protections don’t provide quite the same security as marriage, they are crucial for same-sex couples in times of crisis,” said Larry Dupuis, legal director of the ACLU of Wisconsin. “We’re grateful that the court will allow these families to continue to benefit from these limited protections for their families.”

One of the couples represented by the ACLU is Katy Heyning and Judi Trampf.

“We are thrilled that the court has upheld the constitutionality of the domestic partnership law,” said Heyning. “We know the people of Wisconsin did not wish to exclude domestic partnerships when the marriage amendment was passed. We are pleased that our rights will not be taken away, and that we will still be able to make medical and legal decisions for each other. After being together for 23 years, it seems fair that we should. However, we look forward to the day when we will be able to have all of the same rights married couples now enjoy.”

In addition to Dupuis and Knight, the legal team representing the couples includes Linda Hansen, Daniel Manna and David Goroff of Foley & Lardner, LLP.

Additional information about the case, including bios of the couples and legal documents, is available at: www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights/appling-v-doyle-case-profile

Let's promise to learn more about AIDS and let's keep our promises.

GRACE POORE, Program Coordinator for Asia and Pacific Islands The 2012 World AIDS Day theme of zero discrimination cannot be achieved when the first-ever declaration of human rights in Asia consciously and deliberately denies human rights protections for LGBT people, when political leaders publicly vilify and spread prejudice against gay people, when LGBT people are accused of spreading AIDS, when murders of lesbians are ignored, when laws are used to target LGBT people. There is no such thing as one kind of discrimination. Zero discrimination has to mean ending multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, and embracing human rights protections for ALL marginalized and vulnerable people.

DAMIAN UGWU, Program Coordinator for AfricaCriminalization of same-sex relationships in Africa as well as widespread discrimination and stigmatization of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people often fuels HIV infections among our communities. African governments must come to terms with the fact that no meaningful progress can be made in the fight against the HIV and AIDS pandemic in Africa without the decriminalization of homosexuality and protection of LGBT human rights.

HOSSEIN ALIZADEH, Program Coordinator for Middle East and North AfricaOver three decades after the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic, in many countries in the Middle East and North Africa "morality" and religious dogmas continue to blur public understanding of this disease. HIV/AIDS is often viewed as a divine punishment for sexually promiscuous individuals. This stereotyping forces members of at-risk communities to avoid discussion of the issue, which in turn keeps members of society in the dark and increases the danger for individuals to unknowingly be exposed to the virus. In some cases authorities manipulate the data and suggest that there is no HIV in their society. It is time for all societies to put aside prejudice and denial, and start an open and free discussion around prevention and treatment strategies.

Poster produced by UNAIDS and UNICEF, in Persian.
Source: IGLHRC: International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission

A draconian bill was introduced in Nigeria’s Assembly that would ultimately jail Nigeria’s gay citizens and anyone whosupported them if it becomes law. More than 30,000 All Out members joined Nigeria’s lesbians, gays, and allies by calling upon Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan to veto the bill should it pass its final reading in the Assembly this month. 

Any public displays of affection, such as holding hands, or even looking at each other affectionately could result in a 10 year jail sentence. 

The bill would make it a crime for gays and lesbians to get married, to witness a gay marriage, or for an affirming churches to perform a gay wedding. Gays and lesbians who marry will face 14 years in prison. 

Whether the participant is gay or straight, anyone who organizes or becomes a member of a “gay club” or supports a gay organization, including those providing critical HIV/AIDS services targeting LGBT Nigerians, could also face jail time.

"The spread of HIV in the country is fueled by the growing stigma and discrimination of people, and a legislation as this will only make it more difficult to provide services to our highly productive youth burdened by the epidemic, irrespective of sexual orientation or gender identity.” said Oliver Anene, Coordinator of the Initiative for Improved Male Health. “We humbly implore our lawmakers to really consider the long term consequences of this bill on the social security of our youth."

The Executive Director of International Center for Advocacy on Right to Health (ICARH) Mr. Ifeanyi Orazulike says that “The Bill will further drive the populations of sexual minority targeted by civil society organizations with HIV/AIDS prevention and intervention programs underground, with grave consequences on public health”. He added that “HIV/AIDS does not respect any culture, religion, race or political opinion”.

"If two people of the same sex want to make their relationship more stable and commit themselves more deeply to each other, this can only be good for Nigeria. It makes no difference whether the couple is gay or straight. Homosexual Nigerians have not been campaigning to change the definition of marriage. They have not even asked for marriage rights in Nigeria. All they ask is the right to live freely, speak freely and love freely. We ask that the lawmakers reconsider their decision to pass this bill as it infringes on the Human Rights of Nigerian LGBT people" says Davis Mac-Iyalla, Nigerian Human Rights Defender.

Last year Nigeria’s senate passed an earlier version of the same bill, but after 65,000 All Out members joined Nigeria’s fair minded citizens by calling for an end of the bill, it did not move forward.  

All Out has launched a new online campaign in coordination with Nigerian citizens who are fighting to stop the “Jail the Gays” bill once again. All Out members from around the world are supporting Nigerian citizens in calling upon Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan to veto the bill.

“The ‘Jail the Gays’ bill is an attack on not only gays and lesbians, but on straight Nigerians,” said Andre Banks, the Executive Director and co-founder of All Out, the world’s largest global LGBT organization. “Basic freedoms like the freedom to assemble, the freedom to worship as one chooses, and the freedom to love are under attack by the Nigerian government. No one is safe from this dangerous bill - it is a distraction from real problems and must be stopped.”

To see the live signature totals from All Out’s petition visit: www.allout.org/nigeria-veto.

by Dan Rafter 

Wachowksi delivered a moving speech while accepting the Human Rights Campaign’s Visibility Award

Lana Wachowski, the critically acclaimed director of the Matrix trilogy and the new movie Cloud Atlas, opened up about her journey as a transgender woman while receiving the Human Rights Campaign’s Visibility Award in San Francisco this past weekend. Wachowski’s emotional speech included heart-wrenching stories about her inability to fit in as a child and her suicide attempt during high school. Wachowski shared her highly personal story with the goal of making conditions easier for other transgender youth to feel confident about their futures.

“It took great courage for Lana to share her personal story,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “The impact of people like Lana and other high-profile figures who talk openly about their journeys sends an incredibly powerful message to youth who, on a daily basis, feel like they are broken simply because of their gender identity or sexual orientation. No one should ever feel like their dreams cannot be achieved because of whom they are, and Lana is a shining example of how we are at our best when we are true to ourselves.”

In her remarks, Wachowski touched on the painful isolation that is all too familiar to many LGBT youth: “…without examples, without models, I began to believe voices in my head -- that I was a freak, that I am broken, that there is something wrong with me, that I will never be lovable.” Those feelings led her to consider suicide while in high school.

Wachowski closed her remarks by stressing that she wants to a beacon of hope for youth struggling with those same feelings of isolation: “I am here because when I was young, I wanted very badly to be a writer, I wanted to be a filmmaker, but I couldn’t find anyone like me in the world and it felt like my dreams were foreclosed simply because my gender was less typical than others.”

Wachowski’s new film, Cloud Atlas, opens in theaters tomorrow. The film, already garnering high praise, stars Tom Hanks and Halle Berry, and received a 10-minute standing ovation following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

by Cathy Rena

“EQUALIZE YOUTH” TO LAUNCH “OUT YOUR STORY”: AN ONLINE SUPPORT NETWORK THAT SAFELY CONNECTS LGBT YOUTH, FAMILIES AND LGBT ADULTS.

On October 11, 2012, National Coming Out Day, Equalize Youth, an emerging web-based non-profit with the mission of empowering lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth and their families, is set to launch its global support network, Out Your Story.

Out Your Story combines key components from sites such as Google Maps, Reddit, and craigslist, and is the first program to be launched by Equalize Youth. This one-of-a-kind platform uses a map interface to organize user-submitted content, including relevant, real-life accounts and resources. Out Your Story empowers youth with a knowledge-base formed by adults, and enables them to connect with relatable content -- the stories, reflections, and coping mechanisms submitted by those that have lived in similar backgrounds and communities, queer folks of their same gender and orientation.

Starting October 11th, the adults that care for the health, happiness, and safety of LGBTQ youth will have the unprecedented opportunity to out their story, and make a meaningful impact for these youth. Additional to sharing basic identity-related criteria like sexual orientation and gender identity, by using Google Maps, contributors will tie their entries to actual places: towns, states, high schools, summer camps. This enables visitors to search by typing a zip code to find a map filled with love and support from people that have been in their shoes. While storytelling initiatives such as It Gets Better have already proven successful, Out Your Story will distinguish itself from these projects through its anonymity, its multimedia versatility, and its unique knowledge base that delivers to visitors content that they personally relate to.

“Out Your Story is an easy, personal, and uncompromising way for everyone to help LGBT youth. I believe that everyone wishes there were something easy they could do, and together, we’re making it happen. Our team is creating an accessible, empowering, and engaging outlet for everyone that wants to positively impact LGBTQ youth. We are committed to maximizing the impact of everyone’s efforts through our platform, and our goal is give these individuals an irrefutable low barrier and high impact opportunity to make a difference in the lives of LGBT youth.” said Derek Gerson, Founder and Executive Director.

Across the globe, individuals are backing the development of Out Your Story. With the active participation of authors, celebrities, artists, and LGBT military personnel, Equalize Youth has ongoing efforts in the crowd-funding portal Indiegogo. The youth-led team behind this 21st century platform will employ the funds to further the Out Your Story platform, and introduce features such as identity-related tags for ethnic backgrounds, religious upbringings, ability/disability, and more. An ask.com-style framework that enables youth to safely submit questions to contributors is also in the works, together with a feature that enables youth to suggest petitions for changes in their school policy.

For more information visit www.equalizeyouth.org  or www.indiegogo.com/equalizeyouth.

California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law SB 1172, a bill that will put an end to dangerous and disproved efforts designed to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender expression that have proven to inflict great emotional harm, that can lead to depression, substance abuse and suicide.  This makes California the first state to ban 'gay cure' therapy on minors with this new law.
 
Efforts to change sexual orientation or gender expression have been debunked as junk science, and have also been proven harmful to children and adults.  All major medical and mental health organizations have denounced the practice including: the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American School Counselor Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the American Psychoanalytic Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Pan American Health Organization. 

Kate Kendell President of The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) issued the following statement:
"This legislation is one of the most important bills NCLR has ever sponsored. Since 1993, NCLR’s Youth Project has provided legal support to LGBT youth who have been damaged by psychological abuse and mistreatment at the hands of abusive mental health practitioners who tell these youth that who they are is bad, sick, and wrong. We have seen firsthand the terrible, lasting damage caused by these deadly practices. This law provides a powerful tool to make sure that therapists who abuse LGBT youth can be held legally accountable. And just as important, it sends a powerful message of affirmation and support to LGBT youth and their families—telling them loud and clear that the state of California will not stand by while state-licensed therapists abuse their power to harm LGBT youth and propagate the deadly lie that sexual orientation is an illness or disorder that can be “cured.”

Special thanks also go to the many organizations who sent action alerts to their members and urged the Governor to support the bill. And a very special thanks to you, the people who—through your calls, your emails, and your tweets—took the time to ask Governor Brown to put a stop to these practices.

We are also grateful to celebrities such as Jane Lynch, Chely Wright, and Wilson Cruz who worked alongside us, tweeting their followers to encourage them to ask the Governor to sign this bill.

Chad Griffin President od Human Rights Campaign issued the following statement:
"We're grateful to Governor Brown for standing with California's children. LGBT youth will now be protected from a practice that has not only been debunked as junk science, but has been proven to have drastically negative effects on their well-being. We commend Governor Brown for putting children first, and call on all states to take California’s lead on this issue.  We will continue our fight against this kind of child abuse, which has been deemed harmful to children by all major mental health, medical, and child welfare organizations."

Authored by California Senator Ted Lieu, SB 1172 was sponsored by Equality California, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Gaylesta, Lambda Legal, Mental Health of North America, and the Courage Campaign.  This week nearly 50,000 concerned citizens signed a Human Rights Campaign petition urging the Governor to sign the bill.

Please send aheartfelt thank you to Governor Brown for his leadership on this issue. You can thank him directly by tweeting him @JerryBrownGov or by using TinyURL.Com/ThankCAGov.

Source Press releases from HRC and NCLR