BANNED: Connecticut Christian School Forces Lesbian Student Out!

The Master's School, a K-12 Christian school in West Simsbury, Connecticut, issued " a not thinly veiled threat" to soon-to-be senior Rachel Aviles to withdraw rather than be expelled after learning she was a lesbian, FOX CT reports: This was to be her senior year and a former coach says she would have been up for all kinds of awards. But last spring she went on a class trip where several students, Aviles among them, pretended to be married. They made "wifey" phone calls to one another. They held hands — not unusual among same-sex friends at Master's, Aviles said.

"Looking back, it was kind of stupid," said Aviles, of Hartford. "But it was harmless."

Word got back to the administration, and the students were called in and questioned about their sexual orientation. When it was her turn, Aviles told administrators that she is a lesbian. Her friends knew. Teachers didn't.

Aviles said the school then urged her to withdraw rather than be expelled.

F-LIST: Florida Teacher Suspended For Anti-Gay Facebook messages!

A Florida-based teacher named Jerry Buell has been suspended from the classroom and reassigned while the Lake County School Board investigates Facebook messages in which he said he "almost threw up" when he heard about New York's marriage equality, which he also said was part of a "cesspool."

Via the Orlando Sentinel: Jerry Buell, a long-time Lake County social studies teacher, said during a recent Facebook exchange that he "almost threw up" in response to a news story about legalized same-sex marriage in New York.

TOO LATE: Tyler Clementi's Roommate Tried to Apologize, but was too late!

New texts involving the suicide of Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi have been made public, including this one from roommate Dhuran Ravi: "I’ve known you were gay and I have no problem with it," he wrote. "I don’t want your freshman year to be ruined because of a petty misunderstanding, it’s adding to my guilt." The wrenching part is that Clementi probably never saw it, notes the New Jersey Star-Ledger. Minutes earlier, he had posted a note on Facebook saying he was leaving to jump off the George Washington Bridge. 

Ravi is accused of using a webcam to spy on Clementi's encounter with another man, and the texts show he and Clementi didn't much like each other from the start.

• From Clementi: "His (family) is sooo indian/ first gen americanish . . . just like . . . first son off to college . . . his rents defs owna dunkin (donuts)," he wrote to a friend.
• From Ravi: "Most gay person I’ve ever seen."
• Another of note, from Clementi, who had told his family he was gay before leaving for college: "It’s a good thing dad is ok w/it or I would be in serious trouble/ mom has basically completely rejected me."

SAFE: Ben Cohen Prepares for the Arrival of His Anti-Bullying Website!

Ben Cohen's getting ready to launch his anti-bullying StandUp Foundation website on August 3.

He's going to be doing some fundraising for the site and today released a video about it. The first 500 T-shirt orders will get a  StandUp wristband and the first 100 orders will receive a photo of him.

ROADBLOCK: Roommate in Tyler Clementi webcam case says evidence withheld!

(AP) A former Rutgers University student accused of using a webcam to spy on his roommate’s sexual encounter with another man wants his case dismissed because evidence of the teenager’s state of mind before he committed suicide wasn’t presented to the grand jury that indicted him.

Lawyers for former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi argued Monday that prosecutors withheld evidence showing Ravi never bullied roommate Tyler Clementi, who jumped to his death from the George Washington Bridge days after his same-sex encounter was furtively captured on a webcam and transmitted through the Web.

Defense attorney Steven Altman asked prosecutors to turn over evidence that they said could clear Ravi, 19, of the hate crime accusations, and will ask a New Jersey court to dismiss the charges, according to the Star-Ledger. The newspaper reported that Altman is asking the prosecution for documents from Clementi’s computer and dorm room that could shed light on his state of mind around the time of his suicide.

CRISIS: LGBT Hate Crimes Rise 13%!

Despite recent breakthroughs in the fight for gay rights, violent hate crimes against the LGBT community are on the rise. Such crimes (committed against people because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV positive status) were up 13% last year over 2009, according to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs. Of those crimes, 27 were homicides—an increase from 2009's count of 22, and the second-highest total since tracking began in 1996. The crimes include a 24-year-old woman allegedly killed by the disapproving father of her girlfriend, and a transgender student who had "It," an anti-transgender slur, carved into his chest. Of those murdered, 44% were transgender women and 70% were minorities, the Los Angeles Times reports. 

Coalition members say hate crimes tend to increase when LGBT civil rights issues are debated publicly. Says a spokesperson, "As we move forward toward full equality, we also have to be responsive and concerned with violence that may run alongside of it."

JUSTICE: CNN's Don Lemon Covers Brandon McInerney's Trial for the Killing of Gay Classmate Lawrence King!

PROUD MEMBER: Gaga: I Am Part of LGBT Community

Lady Gaga hit back at claims that her love for the LGBT community is superficial—and then went even further, affirming that she considers herself a member of that community, in a new Advocate cover story. 

Which letter in the acronym does she associate with? "The b letter," she says with a giggle. But the giggling stops and she sounds frustrated when she continues, “To say that I would use the gay community to sell records is probably one of the most ridiculous statements anyone can make about me as a person." “My love for my gay fans is just pure, authentic love for them as supporters of me from the beginning, and me feeling connected to their struggles as someone who is a part of their fight,” Gaga says, adding that she knows what it's like to be bullied—and was once even thrown into a trash can as a child. Discussing a recent encounter with a gay serviceman who was afraid he would be discharged under DADT, she insists, "Anyone who says that I’m not genuine is not interested in overcoming this fight. That was such a pure and wonderful moment that we shared, and I remember thinking, There’s no album sale, no number 1, that could compete with this moment." Click for more from the interview.

A BIG 'F': CA school district failed to help gay teen!

(AP) A Central California school district did not adequately investigate or respond to complaints of bullying endured by a 13-year-old boy who later committed suicide after being harassed by classmates because he was gay, federal officials said in a letter to administrators released Friday.

Federal education and justice department officials told the Tehachapi Unified School District that school officials failed in their legal duty to protect Seth Walsh from “persistent, pervasive and often severe sex-based harassment” at Jacobson Middle School.

Seth  hung himself from a tree in his backyard two weeks after starting eighth-grade year last September and died eight days later.

HONORED: Dan Savage Accepts Special Webby Award in New York!

This American Life's Ira Glass presents Dan Savage with a Special Achievement Award at the Webby Awards last night for his work on the "It Gets Better" project.

Glass talks about Savage's hand in Rick Santorum's Google problem.

Says Glass: "In recognition of the use of the internet to unite thousands of voices in one message of hope, in recognition of his ability to remake what it means to be a journalist, we are proud to present the 2011 Special Achievement Award to Mr. Dan Savage."

CHANGE: Tyler Clementi suicide continues to fuel discussion over LGBT rights in New Jersey!

The suicide of Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi last September has led to a new push for anti-bullying programs and staff vigilance at schools in Mercer County, NJ and around the state, according to NJ.com.

Prosecutors have charged that Clementi ended his life after his roommate, Dharun Ravi, 19, of Plainsboro used a webcam to spy on Clementi’s intimate encounter with another man and then attempted to broadcast it for others to see.

Ravi and Molly Wei, who also attended Rutgers, allegedly watched the encounter on her laptop. Both Ravi and Wei are graduates of West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North.

“It’s a situation that makes us look at everything we do around relationships and bullying in school and causes us to re-examine it,” said WW-P North principal Michael Zappichi. Presentations on diversity and bullying have been given to students and faculty in the past few months, he said.

Shayla Reed, a student at WW-P North who is president of the school’s Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), said the group has hosted a series of voluntary discussions on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues in the past few weeks for students and staff. 

She also hopes to have staff from HiTOPS, the Health-Interested Teens’ Own Program on Sexuality, present a homophobia-reduction workshop called Bridges to Respect to students at the high school in the fall.

OUTscene America: (INTER-view) Adrian Ryan 's Exclusive with "It Gets Better" Co-Creator, Terry Miller!

Photo/Kevin Kauer

by Adrian Ryan

OUTscene Special

Terry Miller is one of the most influential gay men in America—whether you recognize his name or not.

If you do, you probably know Terry as the long-silent, long-term HICBIA (Husband in Canada, Boyfriend in America) of Dan Savage, the famous Sex Advice columnist/cum powerhouse politico who has been recently described, quite aptly, as “Captain Gay.”

But the astonishing success of the It Get’s Better Project—which basically began with a video of Terry recounting his own High School horrors— has thrust Terry firmly into the spotlight…and the pages of gay history. Terry and Dan have not only set new standards of tolerance for gay and lesbian youth with the It Gets Better Project, they have incited a gay-rights revolution to perhaps rival the social effects of Stonewall –the full force of which will not be felt for years. Below, Terry and I discuss the genesis of It Gets Better Project, returning to his High School for the first time, and life on the road with Dan.

HEATED: Tracy Morgan Blasted for Anti-Gay Rant!

Tracy Morgan is facing serious heat for a violently homophobic diatribe he allegedly made at a stand-up show last Friday. According to an audience member’s account of the rant, the comedian said that if his son was gay, he’d stab him to death. For years, Morgan has said sexuality is a choice; at the show, he said that was true because “God don’t make no mistakes.” He's apparently also no fan of Lady Gaga's "Born this Way" either, and allegedly said gay teens need to stop whining about bullying. Gay rights groups including Truth Wins Out are demanding an apology, Jezebel reports.

Not guilty plea entered for teen in NJ gay webcam case

A former Rutgers student accused of using a webcam to spy on his roommate’s same-sex encounter pleaded not guilty Monday to 15 charges including bias intimidation, invasion of privacy and evidence tampering, reports 365gay.com.


It was the first court appearance for 19-year-old Dharun Ravi, the main suspect in the crimes allegedly committed against Tyler Clementi, a fellow Rutgers freshman who killed himself days after the alleged spying. His death sparked a nationwide conversation about bullying against young gays.

Ravi, of Plainsboro, was silent throughout the court appearance, which lasted less than 10 minutes. Clementi’s parents and brother sat in the back of the courtroom for the brief hearing.

Ravi wore a dark suit and appeared to bite his lower lip as a chorus of cameras clicked his photo.

Lawyer Steven Altman entered a not guilty plea for Ravi and waived having the indictment against him read in court.

HEALTH: LGBT Bullying in School Linked to Long-Term Health Effects in New Report!

A new report by the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University traced the effects of LGBT-victimizing bullying in school -- including unintentional epithets like “that’s so gay,” more direct verbal harassment, and physical violence -- beyond their initial sting in school hallways. Using data from the project's survey of 245 LGBT young adults, the paper links such bullying to long-term health and developmental problems, according to Huffington Post.

LAW: Ex-Rutgers Student Accepts Deal in Suicide Case!

Molly Wei admitted her role in the cyberbullying case that led fellow Rutgers student Tyler Clementi to kill himself and agreed to cooperate with authorities. She will likely avoid jail as a result, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer. Wei must complete 300 hours of community service, attend counseling on cyberbullying, and testify against the student accused of setting up the hidden camera that snooped on Clementi and another man, reports CNN. After that, the invasion-of-privacy charges lodged against her for watching the video with Dharun Ravi will be dropped.

Wei's attorneys have argued that she played only a minor role in the case and that Ravi is the real culprit. He faces 15 charges on everything from invasion of privacy to tampering with evidence. Clementi's parents seem satisfied with Wei's penalty. "Based on the information supplied to us, we understand that Ms. Wei's actions, although unlawful, were substantially different in their nature and their extent than the actions of Tyler's former roommate," they said in a statement.

LAW: Woman in Rutgers gay suicide case seeks pretrial intervention!

A former Rutgers University student accused of watching a surreptitious webcast of a classmate’s same-sex liaison is seeking to enter an intervention program that could result in the dismissal of invasion of privacy charges. The classmate later committed suicide, according to AP.


Molly Wei, a 19-year-old from West Windsor, applied to enter the pretrial program last month. If she’s accepted, a judge could set conditions, such as staying out of legal trouble, doing community service and maintaining a job or attending school.

GULP: FOX News Anchor and Hate Group Leader Trash Glee!

Forget that this weeks Glee episode focused on bullying and acceptance. FOX wants to sell the portrayal of gay teens as 'indoctrination' and danger. FOX Anchorwoman Denali Keith and hate group leader Bryan Fischer discuss:

Keith: Bryan, what do you think of the homosexuality storylines that we’re having in more shows now?

Fischer: Well I’m deeply concerned bout this because what these television programs are doing is glamorizing homosexual behavior, glamorizing homosexual conduct. This is conduct that carries enormous psychological and physical risks to those who engage in it. It’s just not a lifestyle, it’s not behavior that ought to be glamorized or presented in a way that makes it idealistic.

Keith: And we all know about product placement. You throw a soda in a movie and within a few seconds later everyone in the theater is thirsty for that particular brand. Ray, what do you have to say to the people who say that this is propaganda, that this isn’t just storylines but the people have an agenda?

VICTORY: McDonald's Beating Video Attacker Denied Bail!

An attacker in the McDonald's beating video that went viral has been denied bail by a Baltimore County judge. The pressure by LGBT advocacy groups to prosecute the matter as a hate crime may have had an impact; the victim is a transgendered woman, writes Gather.

Teonna Brown, 18, is being held without bail in the violent beating of Chrissy Polis, 22, a transgendered woman who lives in Baltimore.

Prosecutors are still mulling over the possibility of charging Brown and her 14-year-old accomplice with a hate crime.

The violent McDonald's beating video went viral after an employee captured the grisly attack on a cell phone while he was on duty.

The owner of the franchise said that employee has been terminated for his role in the incident.

Questions for Isaac, Who Happens to Be Trans!

Google "transgender teenager" and you'll come up with dire statistics and horror stories of teens being harassed, homeless, even killed. Kids who are transgender, who live and identify as a different gender than their birth sex, can face extraordinary problems on top of ordinary teen drama writes Emily Alpert on Voice of San Diego.

So Isaac Gomez comes as a surprise. Gomez, a junior at High Tech High International who first came out as trans in middle school, may be the most happy, well-adjusted teenager I've ever met.

School is a welcoming place where nobody blinks about him using the boys' bathroom. His family is firmly behind him. And he is confident enough to stand up in front of hundreds of people and talk about being transgender, as he did earlier this month at a school board meeting to back new San Diego Unified rules against bullying. The policy bars harassment of students and school employees and pledges to create a training program for employees that includes sexual orientation, gender identity and how to intervene in bullying.

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