WINNER: Lion King Keeps Crown, Beats Moneyball!

Moneyball may have scored a homerun with critics, but at the end of the weekend the only number that mattered was 3D, as Disney's souped-up re-release of its 17-year-old The Lion King topped the box office for the second weekend in a row. The Lion King earned another $22.1 million over the weekend, thanks to strong matinees and a rainy Friday, bringing its release revenues to $61.6 million. 

Neck-and-neck for Nos. 2 and 3 were Moneyball with $20.6 million and Morgan Freeman's Dolphin Tale with $20.3 million. Moneyball may not have landed in the top spot, but it is the biggest opening ever for a baseball movie, according to Deadline. Taylor Lautner's new film Abduction opened in fourth place with $11.2 million, but Deadline said a bad marketing campaign was as much to blame as the film's poor reviews.

CRUEL: Hide Your Dogs!

Brace yourself, dog lover: The world is full of cruel people, as evidenced by two odd animal crimes that happened in the last week. My Fox Dallas reports on a domestic incident that turned deadly for a Maltese named Diego on Saturday night. A couple reportedly got in a fight in an elevator, with a man allegedly punching a woman. Police say she then entered their shared apartment, poured bleach on his clothes, and left. When her boyfriend saw the clothes, he allegedly threw Diego out of the 19th-floor apartment's window. Though no one saw him fling the dog, his body was found the next day on the 8th-floor pool deck. Police are looking for the man, whose name has not been released. 

SPECIAL REPORT: Kermit the Frog investigates, Are Bert and Ernie Straight?

GAY GRACE: New Immigration Rules Could Help Same-Sex Couples!

The Obama administration announced yesterday that immigration officials, guided by the Department of Homeland Security, can now use "prosecutorial discretion" to stop deportation for illegal immigrants who pose no threat to the nation.

While the move will largely benefit people who illegally entered the United States as children, Metro Weekly reports that the new policy will also help same-sex binational couples: In response to a question from Metro Weekly about the impact of today's decision on same-sex couples, a second senior administration official said, "The prosecutorial discretion memo provides for the use of discretion for people with strong community ties, with community contributions and with family relationships. We consider LGBT families to be families in this context."

(Marriage News Watch): Congress Lashes out at Gay Families!

by Matt Baume

Marriage News Watch

It's been a busy week, with an incredibly offensive anti-gay brief coming out of Congress. But a surprise announcement from the American Psychological Association could put a stop to such briefs in the future. Time's running out before North Carolina votes on banning civil unions, a tribe in Washington state votes unanimously to recognize LGBT marriage, and a survey in New Jersey proves that we're winning. And also, that we're losing.

TO LOVE: Jamaica Launches Anti-Homophobia Campaign with 'Unconditional Love' PSA

Jamaican LGBT rights group  J-FLAG has launched a PSA campaign to be broadcast on Jamaican TV this month intended to combat homophobia by encouraging Jamaicans to love and support their LGBT family members.

The PSA features former Miss Jamaica World and Miss Jamaica Universe Christine Straw, and her brother Matthew.

LEGAL: Gay Marriage Now Legal in Washington State—Sort Of!

Gay marriage is now legal in Washington state—as long as the wedding takes place on the Suquamish Tribe's reservation and at least one of the parties is a member of the tribe. The tribal council has voted unanimously to recognize same-sex marriages, making it only the second tribe in the country known to do so. The tribe's attorney says it will be up to other courts to decide whether unions granted under its laws are recognized elsewhere in Washington, where gay marriage remains illegal. 

But the AP notes that the state legislature this year OKed a measure that recognizes same-sex unions from other jurisdictions, including other nations. "We are open and tolerant, and we want to make sure our members are offered the opportunity to be happy and free in their lives," the tribe's chairman tells the Seattle Times. "This lined up with our values as a tribe. We don't discriminate." (Interesting side note: Seattle is named after the most famous member of the Suquamish Tribe, Chief Seattle, who led a tribal confederation in the first half of the 19th century.)

HOW TO: SLDN Releases Guide for LGBT Service Members!

The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network has released a comprehensive legal guide designed to help service members, veterans, recruits, and their families navigate the post-DADT environment.

It is available as a downloadable PDF HERE.

Writes SLDN: “The information contained in this legal guide will help service members, prospective service members, their families, and friends make informed decisions about how to serve successfully as we move beyond ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ It will also assist them in understanding how to protect themselves when necessary and how to respond if they are targeted in any way for their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity,” said SLDN Legal Director David McKean.

“As has been our core mission since the founding of SLDN, we stand ready to represent and defend LGBT service members whenever the need arises, and our new online site reflects that ongoing commitment, while providing the most up-to-date and relevant information possible for those serving our country and those who support them,” said Army Veteran and SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis.

In addition to outlining SLDN’s legal services, the new guide and web site cover a myriad of issues including standards of conduct, benefits for spouses and families of service members, discharge upgrades, and veterans benefits. The new guidance becomes effective upon repeal of DADT on Tuesday, September 20, 2011. Until then, those seeking information or assistance should consult the SLDN Survival Guide, outlining issues related to serving under DADT.

GROSS: Controversial Breastfeeding Doll Hitting US Toy Stores!

A new baby doll that little girls "breast feed" is giving parents heart palpitations. The doll, created in Spain, is now heading to US toy stores. Creators of the "Breast Milk Baby" insist the $90 toy triggers a perfectly natural pretend-play process that teaches girls the very valuable lesson that they should nurse their babies when they become moms. Some outraged parents say it's creepy and obscene watching little girls clutching the babies to their chests for a noisy suck session. The doll set comes with small vest girls wear with two breast-positioned "flowers" where the doll's lips move to "suck." 

The dolls also suck pacifiers, cry, and burp. Children "have played 'parent' with dolls for centuries," one child psychologist tells ABC News. "But I'm always a little disturbed by products that have the impact of accelerating childhood identification with being a full-blown adult." The medical director of a California mothers milk bank hailed "anything that reminds young girls that their bodies are something more than sex objects. On the other hand, encouraging young girls to want to have babies at a very young age may not be so great," he adds. A representative of toy maker Berjuan calls breast-feeding "completely natural," and says the toy allows girls to imitate their moms, which is "part of growing up.

PAY OUT: Mass. City to Pay Stipend to Married Gay Workers!

Some public employees with a same-sex spouse in Massachusetts face a federal income tax their heterosexual counterparts don’t have to pay—so the city of Cambridge is making up the difference. In the city, 22 public workers have put their spouses on their employer-provided health plan. But since the US doesn’t recognize gay marriage, it sees the value of that coverage as taxable income, the AP reports. 

That costs those workers some $1,500 to $3,000 yearly. “Two people who do the exact same job should be paid exactly the same for what they are doing at work,” says a city councilor. Adds another: “This is a city that models what equality really means.” The new stipend plan is expected to cost the city about an extra $33,000 a year—and some aren’t happy about it. “It's a travesty of using taxpayer monies to circumvent a national policy,” says a Massachusetts advocate against gay marriage.

Calif. Gay History Bill Heads to Governor

A bill requiring California schools to teach gay history is headed for Gov. Jerry Brown's desk after passing the state Assembly. The bill, SB48, would make California the first state in the union to require history classes and textbooks to include the contributions of gay and lesbian Americans, reports the Los Angeles Times. 

The governor, who hasn't taken a public position on the bill, has 12 days to sign or veto it; Arnold Schwarzenegger rejected a similar bill in 2006. The bill would require schools to "present a more accurate and nuanced view of American history in our social science curriculum by recognizing the accomplishments of groups that are not often recognized," said Joan Perez, the first openly gay speaker of the California Assembly. The bill's Republican opponents accuse its authors of trying to promote a "homosexual agenda" in California schools. "Our founding fathers are turning over in their graves," said Assemblyman Tim Donnelly.

Are Weho Billboards Too Risqué for Children?

The path to West Hollywood Elementary is not an easy one, say the school's parents. Enormous visual distractions line the Sunset Strip—including ads for a bloody Dexter and a nude Absolute Hunk, reports WeHo Patch.


"I remember being most disturbed by the Dexter billboard earlier this year, featuring Michael Hall holding a knife and a baby covered in blood," said one parent. "My son and his friend, both first-graders, were intrigued to know why the baby was covered in ketchup."

Other billboards are quite graphic in their own way, selling attractive young flesh and alcohol, adds another mother. She lists a few: "Catch VD" for the TV show Vampire Diaries, a Calvin Klein ad with multiple people in bed together and numerous horror film endorsements "that even give me the creeps."

Given that West Hollywood's demographic has changed dramatically in recent years and now includes increasing numbers of families with young children, perhaps it is time to open up a debate on whether these images should be so readily visible to all.

Certainly Not for Boystown, Keep it Gay and Adult!

Bracing for possible Hill attack on D.C. marriage!

An agreement by President Obama and Senate Democratic leaders to Republican demands for imposing two D.C.-related riders on a federal budget bill has renewed fears among LGBT activists that the city’s same-sex marriage law could be the next target of Republicans in Congress.


The president and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said they reluctantly agreed to demands from conservative members of the House to budget amendments barring the city from funding abortions for low-income women and imposing a school voucher program that city officials oppose as a condition for averting a federal government shutdown.

“The president continues to oppose riders in this bill that undermine the District’s ability for home rule,” said White House spokesperson Shin Inouye in a statement released last week. “However, as he has said repeatedly, the ability to reach an agreement to keep the government open meant that all parties had to make some compromises,” Inouye said.

Shanghai Disney Under Way!

After a long wait, Mickey’s new home in China is officially under construction. The iconic mouse joined Disney CEO Robert Iger and top Shanghai officials—as well as Goofy, Princess Jasmine, and other friends—for a groundbreaking ceremony today at the future site of Shanghai Disneyland, the Los Angeles Times reports. The $3.7 billion undertaking marks “a defining moment in our company's history,” Iger told crowds. It will be “both authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese.”

It’s a joint project with state-owned Chinese firms known collectively as the Shanghai Shendi Group. Little has been revealed about its layout, but it won’t have the usual Main Street entrance; instead, there will be 11 acres of green space and the biggest Storybook Castle yet. The “role model” park, scheduled to open in 2014, “will improve Shanghai's international profile as a world famous tourist destination,” said Shanghai’s mayor. For Disney, meanwhile, it means access to a burgeoning consumer market: Some 330 million people live within three hours of the future park.

Arkansas Court Clears Way for Gay Adoptions

(AP) – The Arkansas Supreme Court Thursday rejected a voter-approved initiative that barred gay couples and other unmarried people living together from serving as adoptive or foster parents. Associate Justice Robert L. Brown wrote for the court that the law would encroach on adults' right to privacy in the bedroom. "Act 1 directly and substantially burdens the privacy rights of `opposite-sex and same-sex individuals' who engage in private, consensual sexual conduct in the bedroom by foreclosing their eligibility to foster or adopt children," Brown wrote.

The law effectively banned gay and lesbian couples from adopting or fostering children because they can't legally marry in Arkansas. It would have been extended to unmarried heterosexual couples who live together. Voters approved the measure in 2008 after the state Supreme Court overturned a Human Services Department policy preventing gay men and lesbians from serving as foster parents in 2006. The ACLU sued on behalf of a group of families.

Is San Francisco's Castro neighborhood appropriate for young kids?

Last week, second-graders from San Francisco's private all-boys Town School strolled through the Castro, the city's world-renowned gay district where a huge rainbow flag flies gloriously above Harvey Milk Plaza, according SF Chronicle.

The group of about four dozen boys, ages 7 and 8, was led by a reputable local historian who regularly leads walking tours of the Castro (and who asked to remain anonymous in this story).

The guide walked the boys by Pink Triangle Memorial Park, where 15 granite pylons rise above the ground in remembrance of the estimated 15,000 gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders who were persecuted, imprisoned and killed during and after the Nazi regime. A few other stops on the tour included the wildly colored Hope for the World Cure Mural, a pictorial depiction of the AIDS epidemic; the Human Rights Campaign Action Center, local headquarters for a civil rights organization promoting fairness for LGBT Americans; and Harvey Milk's camera shop, which the former gay activist and pioneering politician once lived above.

Jorge Salinas, Luis Roberto Guzman Play Gay In 'La Otra Familia'!

Director Gustavo Loza's gay parenting flick La Otra Familia (The Other Family) opened Friday in Mexico, El Universal reported.

The movie stars two leading men of Latin American soap operas – Jorge Salinas and Luis Roberto Guzman – as a gay couple living in Mexico.

Jean Paul (played by Salinas) and Chema (Guzman) have been together ten years. They have successful careers, a comfortable home and many friends. But that's all turned turned upside down when close friend Ivana (Ana Serradilla) rescues Hendrix (Bruno Loza) from his broken home and asks them to care for the boy.

Marriage and civil partnership ‘not equal’, LGBT survey finds!

EIGHT OUT OF nine people in same-sex relationships believe that civil partnerships confer lesser rights and benefits as a traditional marriage, according to a new survey of the LGBT community, Reports The Dublin Journal.


The survey, conducted by Irish wedding website Mrs2be.ie, found that just 7 per cent of people in same-sex relationships believed the civil partnership avenue opened to them by the Civil Partnership Act last year – under which couples will be allowed to be civilly registered come April – were equal to those enjoyed by married couples.

Click Here for the FULL Results.

French gay couples condemn discriminatory laws!

Gay couples in France are resorting to drastic measures to have children, according to campaigners.

Couples were resorting to costly and legally precarious methods, said Philippe Rollandin, spokesman for APGL, the largest association representing homosexual parents in France, reports The Guardian.

Campaigners are also unhappy that the children of homosexual couples have less protection than the offspring of heterosexual pairs if one parent dies or the couple separates.

OUTscene: What's Brewing at Seattle Children's Theater?

From the recent SCT producion of Go, Dog, Go!

By Miryam Gordon
OUTscene Special

Seattle Children’s Theatre has sent its dogs to their crates to rest, again, as their best-selling adaptation of  by Steven Dietz and Allison Gregory danced and sang itself into an extended run through popular demand.

Adapting the easy-reader into a song-and-dance extravaganza with primary colors and few words, just like the book, Go, Dog, Go!, the production appealed to the exact age of child that demands that a parent read the book over and over and over and over and over. These four to six year olds found the staging to be exactly what they expected, which is a great plus for picky children. If a play gets it wrong, the makers will hear from the families!