By Ramy Eletreby

Judge Hears Oral Arguments on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Lawsuit

On June 18, Judge George P. Schiavelli heard oral arguments in a federal district court in Los Angeles on Log Cabin Republican's lawsuit challenging “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” according to an LCR press release.

“The hearing was substantive and meaningful as both sides engaged in a spirited discussion about the core constitutional issues in this case,” said LCR attorney Patrick Hunnius. “Much of the hearing focused on whether the 2003 Lawrence v. Texas U.S. Supreme Court decision renders the ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell’ law unconstitutional.”

“Log Cabin is committed to pursuing this case on behalf of the courageous gay and lesbian Americans who risk their lives everyday to protect our freedom. We owe it to them to do all that we can to overturn ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell,’” said Log Cabin President Patrick Sammon.

According to LCR, there is no indication when and how the judge might rule.

Michael Moore Testifies About Health Care

Academy Award-winning documentary film director Michael Moore testified before state Sen. Sheila James Kuehl (D-Santa Monica) and other state lawmakers on June 12 in an informational briefing to discuss the health-care system as depicted in his latest film, Sicko, which will hit movie theaters June 29.

Moore spoke in response to the passing of Kuehl’s bill, the California Universal Healthcare Act (SB 840), which would establish a single-payer universal health-care system.

“In recognizing that for-profit insurance is incompatible with a caring, a moral and a high quality health-care system that provides coverage for all, Senator Kuehl is leading the fight to break the industry’s death grip on our health-care system,” Moore said.

“This film will hopefully serve as a wake-up call about the way that insurance companies are mismanaging our health-care system,” Kuehl said. “The main obstacle to universal health care is finding the political will to overcome insurance companies, and this film is going to lead people to want to get involved.”

On June 21, Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata and Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez agreed to combine their separate health-care proposals to counter a proposal advanced by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Hepatitis A and B Vaccination Program Underway in L.A. County

This summer, the L.A. County Summer Vaccination Program against Hepatitis A and B is underway, with over 700 vaccinations performed during CSW Pride weekend alone. Hepatitis A and B vaccinations will be performed at every major event in L.A. this summer targeting the MSM community, including L.A. Black Pride and Sunset Junction. Minority groups such as Latinos, African Americans and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders are especially being targeted as they are reportedly at greater risk for such infections.

This new vaccination program was responsible for more than 2,000 doses given out last year, marking the greatest outreach against hepatitis in L.A. County.

Record Number of EQCA-Sponsored Bills Advance in California Legislature

All nine of the measures sponsored by Equality California have passed one of the houses in the California Legislature, signifying a record number of LGBT rights bills to pass the Assembly or Senate in a single calendar year.

This year, EQCA’s measures sought to protect youth in public schools and juvenile justice facilities, provide same-sex couples and domestic partners with the same rights as straight couples and empower communities by fighting discrimination and bias.

Among the measures advanced are the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act (AB 43) authored by Assemblymember Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), the Juvenile Justice Safety and Protection Act (SB 518) authored by Sen. Carole Migden (D-San Francisco) and the Name Equality Act (AB 102) authored by Assemblymember Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco), which simplifies name changes after the registration of a domestic partnership.

Dueling Conferences on “Ex-Gays” in Irvine

Alan Chambers, head of Exodus International, a so-called “ex-gay” ministry that believes homosexuality is a “curable” disease, startled followers by telling the Los Angeles Times he no longer supports the term “ex-gay” because he still struggles with attractions to men. “By no means would we ever say change can be sudden or complete,” Chambers told the Times.

The June 18 story, which advanced the group’s “Freedom Conference” at Concordia University in Irvine, was also startling because in it Chambers suggested that homosexuality may in fact be based in biology, which is why it is so hard to “change” from gay to straight. Recently, the Rev. R. Albert Mohler Jr., the outspoken head of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a favorite of TV talk shows, also suggested that “we should not be surprised” to find a genetic basis for sexual orientation, according to the Times. A Gallup poll taken in May indicated that today 42 percent of the public believes sexual orientation is present at birth, compared to 13 percent three decades ago.

Nonetheless, “ex-gay” expert Wayne Besen reported on his blog that the Southern Baptist Convention is “working to expand its ex-gay ministry program. The once slavery-loving church, hired Texas pastor Bob Stith as its National Strategist for Gender Issues, with the goal of promoting ex-gay programs within the denomination.”

Exodus founder and ex-ex-gay Michael Bussee is slated to speak at the Ex-Gay Survivor's Conference forum June 29-July 1 at UC Irvine. That conference will also feature Soulforce founder Rev. Dr. Mel White, Metropolitan Community Church’s Rev. Nancy Wilson, beyondexgay.com co-founder Darlene Bogle, and Christine Bakke, featured in Glamour magazine, among others.

For more information, visit www.soulforce.org. —K.O.

Congressmember Hilda Solis Demands Investigation of AIDS Funds in Puerto Rico

In a June 8 letter to U.S. Comptroller General David Walker, Reps. Hilda Solis (D-Calif.) and Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) called on the Government Accountability Office to thoroughly investigate federal oversight of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS funds allocated for Puerto Rico. The letter follows an in-depth report by the New York Times on June 5 that there is an HIV/AIDS crisis in the U.S. territory.

The letter notes that the women’s congressional offices have learned “that there is a lack of services available to [HIV/AIDS] patients due to the mismanagement of vital funds.” Puerto Rico receives $58 million annually in Ryan White funding. In March, several clinics in San Juan stopped receiving reimbursements from federal funding and started rationing drugs for hundreds of HIV/AIDS patients.

“This reported lack of care seems to be the result of, among other things, the inability of CBOs [community-based organizations] to acquire equipment, prescription drugs, etc., from suppliers due to the inefficiency in the reimbursement processes of federal funds of the Ryan White Act in Puerto Rico,” the congressmembers wrote. “[We] want to know what corrective or oversight actions the agency took in the past to address misuse or inefficient administration of federal funds ... [and] how the situation deteriorated to the present crisis.”

Fabian Núñez Featured at ANGLE Reception

The California Democratic Party and Access Now for Gay and Lesbian Equality are hosting California Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez at a reception on June 29 at here lounge in West Hollywood. Núñez, who was sworn in as speaker in 2004, not only supports marriage equality but co-authored AB 849, the 2005 Marriage Equality Act, with San Francisco Assemblymember Mark Leno. His leadership was instrumental in securing passage of that important civil rights legislation in the Assembly. Tickets are $100 for the general reception at 7 p.m. and $250 for the VIP reception at 6 p.m. The admission fee is considered a non-tax-deductible contribution to the California Democratic Party. For ticket information, visit tinyurl.com/25r6x2.

Pride Groups Honored by L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky

At the June 19 L.A. County Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky proclaimed June 2007 “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month” and presented scrolls to organizers and representatives of several Pride celebrations, including Christopher Street West, At The Beach, Long Beach Pride, L.A. Valley Pride, Latin Pride, San Gabriel Pride and Trans-Unity Pride. —K.O.

GLASS Needs Foster Parents

Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services, the largest agency dedicated to LGBTQ youth living in foster care, needs foster parents.

“Being a foster parent is one of the best ways to give back to youth who are in need of love and support, especially those youth who have been forced from their homes because of their gender identity or sexual orientation,” says GLASS’ Foster Family Agency Director Mary Allen.

On June 24 at the agency’s annual Casino Night/Cards for Kids fundraiser at the Raleigh Studios, GLASS honored openly gay L.A. City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl with its first GLASS Warrior for Children Award for his leadership on LGBT youth and family issues.

An orientation for prospective foster parents will be held at GLASS’ West Hollywood offices on Saturday, July 28, from 10-11:30 a.m. For information, call (310) 944-5748.