(GAY USA) Progressing 'KINDA'!

• The White House backs bans on anti-gay “conversion therapy.”
• The US military has its first open transgender service member but is not treating him as a man.
• Hillary Clinton’s video announcing her candidacy features a gay couple and a lesbian couple, but what exactly is her stand on same-sex marriage? (Since taping: “Hillary Clinton supports marriage equality and hopes the Supreme Court will come down on the side of same-sex couples being guaranteed that constitutional right," her spokesperson said.)
• Republican candidates for president twist themselves into knots justifying their opposition to same-sex marriage.
• Rallies are planned nationwide on April 27 and on April 28 when the Supreme Court will hear arguments on same-sex marriage. For where and when, go to: www.unitedformarriage.org
• Guam looks as if it will be the first US territory to allow same-sex marriage.
• Activists in Springfield, MO rally to protest the repeal of LGBT rights by a narrow popular vote.
• Indiana pays $2 million to a PR firm to improve its image in wake of being labeled a hate state, but then rejects LGBT rights legislation.
• Controversy over Michigan Womyn’s Festival exclusion of trans women heats up.
• Martin Sheen gets ready to play gay again on TV.
• Andy reviews London theatre, including shows you can see in US cinemas via National Theatre Live such as Ralph Fiennes in “Man and Superman.” Go to www.NTLive.com for information. Andy’s full reviews are online at www.gaycitynews.com

(Gay USA) You take the Good and Take the Bad!

• The federal contractors' non-discrimination law took effect this week. It is no longer legal for companies receiving federal contracts to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.
• After last week's euphoria over the national condemnation of an anti-gay law in Indiana, we come back to earth with a reality check of continuing attacks on LGBT civil rights.
• Springfield, Missouri voters repeal an LGBT antidiscrimination law.
• The "fixes" to the bad laws in Indiana and Arkansas are not so great.
• The Mormon Church is still railing against same-sex marriage and our "counterfeit lifestyles."
• ore bad bills advancing in Louisiana, Florida and Texas.
• The good news is that bad bills have died (for the moment) in Georgia and Nevada.
• A lesbian couple in Guam is the first to apply for a marriage license there.
• Ireland approves adoption by same-sex couples, before the referendum on same-sex marriage on May 22nd.
• The AIDS Healthcare Foundation is accused by three ex-employees of defrauding the government of $20 million.
• And on April 24th, ABC will devote two hours to Diane Sawyer's interview with Bruce Jenner.

(GAY USA) the Indiana Chronicles!

IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK WITH ANN AND ANDY (taped 4/1/15):The battle over the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in Indiana and other states has become a pivotal moment in the history of the LGBT movement. We have a multitude of developments to report.

• We will tell you which two attorneys will argue our side in the same-sex marriage cases at the Supreme Court on April 28.
• A pro-same sex marriage vote in the US Senate attracts all Democrats and 11 Republicans.
• Out Houston Mayor Annise Parker talks about her marriage and adopted children. A must see!
• The US Department of Justice is suing an Oklahoma college for transgender discrimination.
• Fortune magazine rates an out gay man as “the world’s greatest leader.” The Pope came in fourth.
• Andy reviews a Broadway revival of “The Heidi Chronicles” starring Elizabeth Moss of “Mad Men.”

Our guest host next week will be Chris Cooper while Andy is off reviewing London theatre.

(Gay USA) Going to Hell?

• Indiana passes the worst “license to discriminate” bill in the country and some businesses are threatening to leave the state or pull their events from there. BREAKING (after we taped):  Call Gov. Pence and let him have it at 317-232-4567
• ALSO BREAKING (after we taped): California Attorney General Kamala Harris seeks relief from having to certify the shoot-the-gays "Sodomite Suppression Act" referendum for signature gathering.
• We are tracking 80 anti-LGBT bills in 28 states and will give you a progress report.
• In Boise, Idaho, a 13-year old transgender girl stands up for her right to use the girl’s restroom.
• Oklahoma stops an LGBT ally from putting that on his license plate.
• A breakthrough in federal court for transgender people under the Affordable Care Act.
• Russia is thwarted at U.N. in attempt to stop benefits for gay spouses of U.N. staff.

(Gay USA) Progress and Regress!

IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK WITH ANN AND ANDY (taped 3/18/15):

• Progress to report in Iowa, Alabama, Arizona, Puerto Rico, Michigan, Washington, DC, and East Grand Rapids, MI.
• Regress to report in Alabama, Florida, and Indiana.
• Reform Jews elect their first out gay or lesbian leader.
• The Presbyterian Church opens marriage to same-sex couples as rightwing fundamentalist Christians mobilize to take over the country.
• Former gay couple Dolce and Gabbana inspire calls for a boycott of their products over their condemnation of gay families and children born through IVF.
• LGBT groups march in St. Patrick’s Day parades in Boston, Washington, DC, and New York for the first time, but New York still bans Irish gay groups from an Irish parade.
• Andy reviews Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II in THE AUDIENCE and Kristen Chenoweth in the revival of ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.

(Gay USA) Forwards and Backwards!

IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK WITH ANN AND ANDY (taped 3/11/15):

• There are now more than 60 anti-LGBT bills pending in 25 states as the backlash continues.
• The US Supreme Court sets April 28 for oral arguments on the big same-sex marriage cases.
• On the 50th anniversary of the Selma march, President Obama integrates the fight for LGBT rights into the Civil Rights struggle as we remember some of the gay veterans of that march.
• Oklahoma is in process of maybe ending state marriage licenses.
• Colorado moves to ban so-called “conversion therapy” for minors.
• Wellesley College, a historically women’s college, announces it will accept transgender women as students.
• We mourn the loss of New York gay and AIDS activist Vinny Allegrini.
• Transgender activists in Canada have a unique way of fighting back against anti-transgender bathroom bills.
• Peru rejects civil unions for gay couples.
• Florence Henderson sings a saucy rendition of “There is Nothing Like a Dame” at the Broadway Backwards benefit

(Gay USA) Resistance is Futile!

• The Alabama Supreme Court engages in massive resistance, ordering county probate judges to cease licensing same-sex marriages.
• In Nebraska, a federal judge rules the ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional.
• Texas will try to ban local LGBT rights laws, undoing protections for more than seven million people compliments of a Republican bigot with a gay activist son.
• Anti-gay legislation advanced in North Carolina, West Virginia and Oklahoma. There are more than 30 such bills in 12 states.
• Charlotte, NC narrowly defeated its LGBT rights ordinance. And Springfield, Missouri will vote on whether to repeal theirs on April 7.
• A suspect is finally indicted in the 2013 killing of transwoman Islan Nettles in Harlem.
• Gay pioneer Rev. Malcolm Boyd has died at 91.
• Slovenia opens marriage and adoption to same-sex couples, while Russia tries to stop the UN from providing spousal benefits for gay employees.
• James Lecesne who wrote the Academy Award-winning film “Trevor” has an exciting new solo show about a gay youth in a small town. James and director Tony Speciale will be our guests on GAY USA next week. The show is at Dixon Place to March 27, but we expect it to have a life after that. For info on the Dixon Place production, go here.

(Gay USA) First the BAD News.....!

• In Arkansas, a bill is allowed to become law that stops localities from enacting civil rights protections beyond what the state does, effectively banning local LGBT rights ordinances.
• Criticism grows that national LGBT groups, Arkansas-based corporations and prominent Arkansans such as the Clintons did little or nothing to stop this hateful law.
• Wyoming defeats an LGBT rights bill, but by the time it was voted on it was not worth having.
• One same-sex marriage was conducted legally in Texas, but state officials want it voided.
• The Pope compared transitioning as transgender to nuclear war.
• Researchers have found a way for a same-sex couple to have a biological child without sperm or egg donation.
• Two big wins in the fight against HIV criminalization.
• Andy reviews an evening of new one-act plays by David Ives.
• We’ll give you the gay angle on the Oscars.

(Gay USA) Moves and Losses!

• The backlash against advances in LGBT rights is in full swing in some states.
• Arkansas is enacting a law to preclude localities from protecting LGBT rights.
• Activists fight back in Arkansas and Kansas, but where are the big LGBT groups?
• Murderous violence against LGBT people continues.
• Kate Brown is sworn in as Governor of Oregon and much note is made that she is the first open bisexual U.S. governor.
• Lesley Gore, pop singer, feminist and lesbian has died at 68.
• Jerry Hoose, Stonewall veteran and activist to the end, has died at 69.
• Big marriage moves in Mexico and Chile, but mixed result in Italy.
• Andy reviews Eugene O’Neill’s “The Iceman Cometh” starring Nathan Lane.

(GAY USA) Tense Relations!

• Same-sex marriages did get underway in parts of Alabama amid chaos and massive resistance in most parts of the state.
• In New Jersey, a judge rules that so-called “gay conversion therapy” is consumer fraud.
• The wicked governor of Kansas finds another way to show his contempt for gay people.
• Murders of LGBT people to report on from New Orleans to Massachusetts.
• In Slovakia, 90% of those who showed up to vote approved anti-gay referenda, but the measures lost despite a push by the Pope. We will explain how.
• The rightwing government in Malaysia uses an anti-gay law to imprison the opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim.
• The big winner at the Grammys is an out gay man.
• We will review Cynthia Nixon’s directorial debut—“Rasheeda Speaking,” a play about race relations—and “The Events” about coping with mass murder.

(Gay USA) Total Denial!

• A federal appeals court won’t stop same-sex marriages from going forward in Alabama on February 9th.
• President Obama proposes Social Security justice for gay married couples who live in states that don’t recognize their marriages.
• The Republican chair of the US House’s subcommittee on human rights says that LGBT rights are not human rights.
• Some progress on the legislative front in Virginia……and regress in Indiana.
• A couple of stories on how it is never too late to come out.
• Sao Paulo launches a new way to help transgender kids.
• The Massachusetts Department of Health says why HIV rates are lower in the Commonwealth.

(Gay USA) Opening Up, but Not Backing Down!

-Turn out the lights. A federal judge ordered Alabama to open marriage to gay couples. And then she did it again.


-An out Alabama legislator is threatening retaliation against so-called “family values” colleagues who themselves are threatening massive resistance to marriage equality.

-The Mormons act as if they are for LGBT rights, but propose a dangerous catch.

-An Arizona woman wins a landmark decision dismissing her arrest for walking while transgender.

-Saks department stores back down in their challenge to the right of transgender people to sue for discrimination.

-The fire chief of Atlanta, fired for pushing an anti-gay, anti-woman gospel, files a suit saying he was discriminated against based on his religion.

-President Obama went to visit anti-gay foreign leaders and all we got was this stupid t-shirt.

-We’ll talk about a new gay way to fight off Alzheimer’s.
-Andy reviews Turgenev’s A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY starring Peter Dinklage and Taylor Schilling.

(GAY USA) Winners and Losers!

• We are going to the Supreme Court again with a national right to marriage on the line.
• President Obama breaks new ground in his State of the Union speech.
• The Pope calls gay marriage a threat.
• A new controversy over cake in Colorado.
• Thailand looks to protect a third gender in its constitution.
• Chile close to legalizing civil unions for gay and non-gay couples.
• Billy Crystal says gay themes are going too far.
• Coach Beiste comes out on Glee.
• Andy reviews “Constellations” with Jake Gyllenhall and Ruth Wilson.

(Gay USA) Victories in Marriage and Themes!

• Another state heard from: Judge strikes down ban on same-sex marriage in South Dakota

• The Fifth Circuit seems poised to overturn gay marriage bans in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi
• As the Mayor of Atlanta stands up to religious anti-gay bigotry, more and more states are scrambling to pass “religious freedom” laws that would bless anti-gay discrimination.

• Illinois’ new Republican governor appoints an anti-gay bigot to head state board of education.
• A Catholic priest in Dublin comes out and gets a surprising reaction from his congregation.
• Russia has found a new way to be cruel to people of transgender experience.
• A breakthrough in the persecution of 26 men arrested in a bathhouse in Cairo.
• Big wins for transgender and gay and AIDS themes at the Golden Globes.

DEBUT! (Gay USA) Guest: Michael Musto!

OUR GUEST THIS WEEK IS MICHAEL MUSTO, the great columnist and commentator, joining us at the top of the show on the eve of the Golden Globe Awards to dish the many gay-themed films this year and the controversies around them—including PRIDE and THE IMITATION GAME and FOXCATCHER—as well as his take on the TV movie about Whitney Houston (airing January 17 on Lifetime) and her relationship with Robyn Crawford.

Same-sex marriages get underway in Florida……though a few counties have found a new way to show how much they hate us.

Former Florida Governor Jed Bush’s comments on the developments in Florida are greeted with contempt.

This is a big week in the courts for the right to marriage equality.

The suicide of a transgender girl sparks a nationwide debate about what should be done to prevent these tragedies.

A gay couple in Denver finds a unique way to respond to homophobia.

We’ll remember former New York Governor Mario Cuomo’s legacy on gay and AIDS issues.

In a first, a transgender woman is elected a mayor of a town in India.

The movie PRIDE is marketed in the US with a closeted campaign.