Queerly Speaking - 3rd Week of August 2009
The following is a transcript of HRC's weekly news webcast for queer young people called "Queerly Speaking." To watch the current webisodes visit the main Queerly Speaking page.
Third Week of August 2009
Good morning and thanks for tuning in to Queerly Speaking, your weekly shot of news for you, Generation Equality. It's the third week of August and I'm Khari Edwards, Media Center Intern from Temple University.
And I'm Sammi Citron, Communications Department Intern from the University of Missouri. First up, Daniel Radcliffe made a major donation last week to The Trevor Project.
Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe's generous donation to The Trevor Project is the latest example of his support for LGBT causes. The actor noted that LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. The Trevor Project operates the only nationwide suicide-prevention helpline for LGBTQ youth. Radcliff said, "It's vitally important that young people understand they are not alone and, perhaps even more important, that their young lives have real value."
Steven Harmon, a gay Michigan teen was attacked last week by two 17-year-olds while out with a friend. Reports say that although his friend helped him fend off the attackers, he still suffered bruising and fractures, including a fractured skull. Despite the severity of his injuries, Harmon, who just recently came out to his family and friends, said in a report that his spirit is not broken.
Continuing the topic of issues facing queer young people, a high school student from Minnesota was awarded $25,000 after being verbally harassed with homophobic taunts by two of his teachers. One teacher reportedly suggested the student had a thing for older men and joked about bathroom sex. The other implied that the student enjoyed wearing women's clothing. Both teachers are still employed by the school district. While one received a two-day unpaid suspension, the other teacher's punishment, if any, is unclear. In May, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty vetoed the Safe Schools for All Act, aimed at addressing bullying in schools.
In other legal news, a judge dismissed a federal lawsuit brought by the ACLU against Tennessee school districts that had blocked access to LGBT educational sites, including HRC's resources. Knox County School District said the filtering software was not in accordance with the system's policy, and adjustments were made immediately to unblock the sites. The suit was dismissed after all the schools named agreed to remove the filters and allow the students access to the sites.
In college news, a recent ESPN survey of 85 college football players revealed that half of them know at least one openly gay athlete currently playing on their team. The survey also revealed that 70 percent of surveyed players at Pacific-10 Conference schools had an openly gay teammate. The same cannot be said, however, for the National Football League where there are currently no out gay teammates. Player Esera Tuaolo is one notable NFL star who came out after his retirement from the game.
On the entertainment front, CBS News on LOGO, the nation's premier LGBT news program, aired its final broadcast late last week. Sources from the show denied that ratings or dissatisfaction with the program were to blame for the show going off the air, and instead cited the current economic climate as a primary factor in the show's end.
Last weekend, couples around the country celebrated the nationwide Kiss-In -– a protest put together by bloggers David Badash and David Mailloux. The kiss-in came after separate incidents in San Antonio, El Paso and Salt Lake City, where queer couples were harassed or detained by law enforcement officials for publicly displaying affection. More than twenty cities across the U.S. held kiss-ins. To read more about the efforts, you can visit: www.GreatNationwideKissIn.com.
That's your queer news for this week – thanks for tuning in!
We end the show with a regular feature, "Better Know Gen EQ" where we'll hear from LGBT and allied young people with their thoughts on queer topics. Enjoy the clip and join us next week on Queerly Speaking!
If I were President, the first thing I would do would be to overturn DOMA [Defense of Marriage Act] and to aggressively pursue equal rights for all. I would also engage in a dialog with the LGBT community about issues that are affecting our youth. Especially in high school, I would be a lot more active in the education area, supporting LGBT students. In colleges, I would start a program to have college students mentor high school students because that's very important. That's what I would do as President.
