AGLBICAL
REPORTS
GLBT
NEWS LINKS
Equally Speaking:
HRC Daily
News Report
All Things Queer:
All News
365 Gay
National Daily
Gay Newspaper
On-Line
Gay.Com
Global GLBT Portal
Gay & Lesbian
International
News Network
MORE
ARTICLES
Read Articles
On GLBT Topics
From The
ALCA Journal
Read About
Brokeback Mountain
Read About
Anti-Gay
Hate Crimes
Read
More About
Hate Crimes
Learn About
Homophobia &
Heterosexism
Learn
About
GLBT History
Learn About
Famous GLBT People
Learn About
GLBT Myths &
Misconceptions
Learn About
GLBT Pride Symbols
HELPFUL LINKS
Campus Climate
Reports
Amnesty International:
Out Front Reports
Civil Rights
Reports
Southern Poverty
Law Center:
Intelligence Report
MORE TOPICS
Frequently
Asked
Questions
The
Coming Out
Process
GLBT Quotes
GLBT Statistics
& Facts
Being An Ally
Or Advocate
GLBT
Activism
Origins of
Homosexuality
Gay Marriage
GLBT
Ethnic Concerns
GLBT
Religious Concerns
GLBT People
in the Workplace
Political
Notes
Glossary of
GLBT Terminology
Transgender
Information
Bisexual
Information
Respectful
Behavior
Self
Reflection
Activities
GLBT Books
GLBT Mags
GLBT Media
GLBT Humor
GLBT Vacations
STUDENT KICKED OUT
Gay Student Expelled from
Kentucky College
After writing about
his boyfriend on his MySpace.com profile, a gay student at a small
Baptist college in Kentucky was expelled last week. Sophomore Jason
Johnson, who would have been stage-managing a production of As You Like
It, instead was dismissed from the University of the Cumberlands because
the school prohibits homosexuality and any sex outside of marriage,
reports The Lexington Herald-Leader.
Administrators at the school, located in Williamsburg, confronted
Johnson last Thursday about his MySpace page, asserting that it was
evidence he was in violation of school policy forbidding homosexual
conduct. He was required to leave the university that night and moved
out of his dorm within hours.
"I was upset to the point that I couldn't speak," Johnson told the
Herald-Leader. "I didn't even want to ask about it. I wanted to be out
of there."
Since Johnson's expulsion, his boyfriend, Zac Dreyer, has been
publicizing what happened on his own MySpace profile, writing, "He is
being asked to leave the university because he is gay. Help get the
story out there so that all the gays and lesbians at the university will
no longer have to live in secrecy, in fear of having their dreams
crushed in front of them."
In a statement released last week, University of the Cumberlands
president Jim Taylor said that "students know the rules before they come
to this institution," although officials admitted that when Johnson
enrolled in 2003, school policy did not specifically refer to being gay.
It has since been amended.
Johnson is now considering legal action.
-The Advocate /
April 12, 2006
GAY COUPLES IN THE U.S.
From
Ramon Johnson
Where Do Gay Couples Live?
Did you know that according to a
study by the Center for Policy Research at Syracuse University, 60% of
gay couples in the U.S. live in only 20 cities?
Do you live in one of the
top gay cities?
According to
a Syracuse University, OpusComm
Group, GSociety Study,
these are the top ten gay cities in America for travel or relocation.
Los Angeles...
New York...
San Francisco...
Washington DC...
Miami...
Dallas...
Boston...
Phoenix...
Chicago...
Seattle.
GLBT DEMOGRAPHICS
Profile of Gay & Lesbian Population
A Profile on the GLBT Community... Below are statistics that are reported from nearly 7,500 respondents who participated in our most recent annual Gay/Lesbian Consumer Online Census.
What do you identify yourself as?
“Gay” 93% of Males self identify as “Gay”
“Lesbian” 78% of Females self identify as “Lesbian”
“Queer” 2% of Males self identify as “Queer”
3% of Females self identify as “Queer”
“Bisexual” 2.4% of Males self identify as “Bisexual”
8.6% of Females self identify as “Bisexual”
Are you ‘out”?
“Out” 96% of Males self identify of being “Out”
98% of Females self identify of being “Out”
“Out” to Family 84% of Males self identify of being “Out” to their immediate family
89% of Females self identify of being “Out” to their immediate family
“Out” to Friends 94% of Males self identify of being “Out” to their friends
96% of Females self identify of being “Out” to their friends
“Out” at Work 73% of Males self identify of being “Out” at work
73% of Females self identify of being “Out” at work
At what age did you first come out?
The largest age bracket that Males (43%) and Females (41%) reported that they first came “out” was between the ages of 25 -29 years of age.
What
is your current same-sex relationship status?
46% of Males
and 58% Females self identify being “Partnered”
6% of Males and 9% Females self identify that they are “Civil
Union/Civil registration/Married
11% of the Males and 21% of Females report that their current same-sex
relationship is between 4 -7 years
Have
you and your partner ever had a commitment ceremony/civil union/same-sex
wedding?
8% of Males and 19% of Females have had a commitment/civil union/same
sex wedding
Does
your company or your partner’s company offer domestic partner health
benefits?
36% of both
Males and Females report that their company offers domestic partners
health benefits
What
is your combined household income?
The median household income for both genders is $60,000 - $ 79,999
29% of Males report house incomes of $100,000 or more compared to 21% of
Females.
Which best describes the area
in which you live?
59% of Males and 46% of Females in the “City”
40% of Males and 53% of Females in live in a “Suburb”, “Small
Town/Village or Rural area
AM I GAY? AM I NORMAL?
How Do I Know?
From
Ramon Johnson,
Your Guide to
Gay Life
Unfortunately, there is no easy way to determine if you are gay. There
are no scientific tests or sterotypes that determine your sexuality. You
will find out through experience and feelings.
Most define being gay as having a strong bond or sexual attraction to
another man. Others define it as a lifestyle which includes behaviors
and social interactions.
You should ask yourself several questions about your sexuality and
sexual preferences. Do you prefer sex with a man? Are you physically
attracted to men? Do you feel an emotional bond with a man? Would you
consider an intimate relationship with a man?
Try not to fall into the trap of stereotypes. Gay men are just as
diverse as straight men. There are no mannerisms, music or clothing
preferences that can define a person as gay.
Am I Normal?
Of course you are! Being gay does not define who you are or make you any less of a person. At times it is not easy being gay, especially around those that are not supportive. Nonetheless, try to surround yourself by people who do support you and your lifestyle. You will soon see that gay and bisexual men interact with each other and the world as any other person would.
If I Have Gay Fantasies, Am I Gay?
Some
men experience homosexual encounters throughout their lives, but
maintain their heterosexuality. There are many men who have had a sexual
encounter with another man or are simply "curious." This does not
necessarily mean they are gay. They are simply getting in touch with
their sexuality. Many others experiment with both men and women to help
them determine if they are gay, bisexual or straight (heterosexual).
NATIONAL GLBT STATISTICS
2003 National School Climate Survey
From Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network
84% of GLBT students reported being verbally harassed (name calling, threats, etc.) because of their sexual orientation.
82.9% reported that faculty or staff never intervened or intervened only some of the time when present when homophobic remarks were made.
39.1% of GLBT students reported being physically harassed (being shoved, pushed, etc.) because of their sexual orientation.
44.7% of GLBT youth of color report being verbally harassed because of both their sexual orientation and race/ethnicity.
GLBT students unable to identify supportive teachers or staff were more than twice as likely not to plan to continue their education after secondary school.
GPA
for students who cannot identify any supportive faculty or staff was
lower than GLBT students who could identify one or more supportive
school personnel (2.8 versus 3.1).
ALABAMA
BILL TARGETS GAY AUTHORS
CBS News,
Montgomery, Alabama, April 27, 2005
A college production
tells the story of Matthew Sheppard, a student beaten to death because
he was gay.
And soon, it could be banned in Alabama.
Republican Alabama lawmaker Gerald Allen says homosexuality is an
unacceptable lifestyle. As CBS News Correspondent Mark Strassmann
reports, under his bill, public school libraries could no longer buy new
copies of plays or books by gay authors, or about gay characters.
"I don't look at it as censorship," says State Representative Gerald
Allen. "I look at it as protecting the hearts and souls and minds of our
children."
Books by any gay author would have to go: Tennessee Williams, Truman
Capote and Gore Vidal. Alice Walker's novel "The Color Purple" has
lesbian characters.
Allen originally wanted to ban even some Shakespeare. After criticism,
he narrowed his bill to exempt the classics, although he still can't
define what a classic is. Also exempted now Alabama's public and college
libraries.
Librarian Donna Schremser fears the "thought police," would be
patrolling her shelves.
"And so the idea that we would have a pristine collection that
represents one political view, one religious view, that's not a
library,'' says Schremser.
"I think it's an absolutely absurd bill," says Mark Potok of the
Southern Poverty Law Center.
First Amendment advocates say the ban clearly does amount to censorship.
"It's a Nazi book burning," says Potok. "You know, it's a remarkable
piece of work."
But in book after book, Allen reads what he calls the "homosexual
agenda,"
and he's alarmed.
"It's not healthy for America, it doesn't fit what we stand for," says
Allen. "And they will do whatever it takes to reach their goal."
He says he sees this as a line in the sand.
In Alabama's legislature, the reviews of Allen's bill are still out on
whether to lower this curtain for good.
Editor's Note: When the time for the vote in the legislature came there
were not enough state legislators present for the vote, so the measure
died
automatically.