by Peter DelVecchio

WeHo shines with Marriage Equality

June 17, 2008—another historic day in the city of West Hollywood. And like its birthday 24 years ago, the day was bursting with joy. Indeed, it was as if the city itself was a proud parent giving away its beloved children on the first full day of marriage equality for lesbian and gay couples in California.

A large banner draped across the front of the West Hollywood Park Auditorium read, “Happy Nuptials! It’s a Celebration!” Blue and white balloons bobbed in the breeze around the site, which the Los Angeles County Registrar designated as an official satellite office to give out marriage licenses, thanks to L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky.

Inside, West Hollywood Clerk Tom West presided over the official process while Director of Public Information Helen Goss and PIO Officer Tamara White handled the massive outpouring of media. City staff also served as PIOs and some were deputized to perform marriage ceremonies.

“Isn't this a glorious California morning to make history?” George Takei, Mr. Sulu on Star Trek, asked a phalanx of photographers and reporters at a news conference with Brad Altman, his partner of 21 years, by his side.

Standing on a blue carpet, Mayor Jeff Prang and the other four city councilmembers commented on the historic day, with Yaroslavsky also saying that the anti-gay marriage amendment on the November ballot should be defeated. (See Special Report for more.)

“Welcome to wedding day in West Hollywood,” said Prang, calling the city a “beacon for the [LGBT] community throughout the world.” Abbe Land called WeHo “ground zero for this activism.” Sal Guarriello was concise: “The [California] Supreme Court finally came to their senses.”

John Duran provided historical context, recalling the tortured decades of AIDS and lesbian moms losing their children, and called marriage “a pretty basic American value … the right to marry the person I love.”

John Heilman, one of the city’s co-founders and the longest serving councilmember, recalled how 24 years ago WeHo created the state’s first legal Domestic Partnership registry. “We never thought we would get to this point,” Heilman said. “This is really a glorious and magnificent day.”

They then cut a ceremonial ribbon to mark the official start of wedding day in WeHo. —Karen Ocamb

Arraignment of teen’s accused killer postponed

For the second time in just over a month, Ventura County Superior Court Judge Kevin McGee June 12 postponed the arraignment of Brandon McInerney, 14, charged with murder with a hate crime enhancement in the slaying of gay classmate Lawrence King, 15, the Advocate reports.

McInerney allegedly shot King in the head in an Oxnard classroom on Feb. 12. The arraignment was postponed to allow McInerney’s attorney, Senior Deputy Public Defender William Quest, to move to transfer the case to juvenile court. McInerney has been charged as an adult under Proposition 21, a 2000 law giving prosecutors discretion to try minors as young as 14 as adults for certain felonies.

Quest told the Advocate he intends to argue that trying McInerney as an adult would constitute cruel and unusual punishment under the U.S. Constitution. Quest declined to detail the legal defenses he intends to raise at trial, but said school authorities were partly to blame for the tragedy in a previous interview with the Los Angeles Times. Quest told the Advocate he has a gay brother, and that he hopes his defense of McInerney is “not perceived as gay bashing because it’s not.”

Man collapses at S.F. weddings, protester taunts him

A leather-clad supporter of same-sex marriage playing a guitar outside of San Francisco City Hall June 17, the first full day of legal gay marriage in California, collapsed and was then taunted by a Christian protester as paramedics worked to revive him, according to bilerico.com blogger Storm Bear.

There were “maybe a tad under a thousand people outside City Hall and maybe a dozen who were anti-gay protesters,” Bear reported. “The guitar player was so happy and joyful and he just dropped—reminded me of Tim Russert ... One of the Christian protesters ... was chanting at his body, ‘Satan got you! What is the devil whispering in your ear now?’”

When Bear asked the protester why, if he was “such a Christian,” he wasn’t “praying for the guy dying on the concrete,” the man responded, “God killed him for loving fags!”

Paramedics worked on the guitar player for 20 minutes, according to Bear, but he did not respond. It was later reported, however, that the man was breathing when he was put into the ambulance. To read the full post, visit tinyurl.com/4ssuqo.

L.A. City Council to honor LGBT leaders

The public is invited to Los Angeles City Council’s Second Annual LGBT Pride Celebration on Friday, June 27, at City Hall.

Openly gay L.A. City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl will lead the event, which will honor state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, recently married activists Robin Tyler and Diane Olson, actor Wilson Cruz, Black AIDS Institute founder Phill Wilson, LAPD Captain Tina Nieto, Suzanne Naputi of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, Rodney Scott, president of Christopher Street West, and journalists Greg Hernandez of the Los Angeles Daily News and Karen Ocamb of IN Los Angeles magazine and Frontiers.

Joining Rosendahl will be Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Police Chief William Bratton, Redondo Beach Mayor Mike Gin and other dignitaries.

The event starts at 9 a.m. with a breakfast reception in the third floor City Hall Rotunda, where USC GLBTA students will be honored, followed by the official ceremony at 10 a.m. in Council Chambers.

The City Council will also vote on a Rosendahl-sponsored resolution to oppose the anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment on the November ballot.

City Hall is located downtown at 200 N. Spring St. For more information and to RSVP, contact Guyon McCormack at (310) 575-8461 or guyon.mccormack@lacity.org.

When Queens Collide revue to benefit GLASS

When Queens Collide, a performance to benefit Gay & Lesbian Adolescent Social Services, will take place Friday, June 27, and Saturday, June 28, at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Los Angeles. GLASS describes itself on its website (glassla.org) as “the nation’s oldest and leading agency delivering social and health care services to self-identified gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans-gender, questioning and HIV/AIDS impacted youth.” When Queens Collide will be “a music and comedy extravaganza starring Hollywood’s queens of drag—Momma, Kay Sedia and Andy Warhol Superstar Holly Woodlawn, along with 24 of their glorious sisters, in an outrageous revue of music and mayhem,” according to a press release. The show’s director and choreographer is Doug Johnson (Sweet Home Alabama, That 70’s Show); it is written and produced by Jay Keiser and Mark Korba. For tickets and more information, go to bgttix.com.

Stockton police shoot transgender woman

Police shot and injured a transgender woman inside a Stockton, Calif., apartment building June 15, KCRA reports.

Gregory Grooms, 38, allegedly charged officers swinging a sword after allegedly speaking irrationally, threatening to set the building on fire and refusing to come outside. Officer Jerry Stubbfield allegedly shot Grooms after a taser failed to stop her. Grooms is in critical condition at St. Joseph’s Medical Center. Grooms allegedly has a history of mental illness. County mental health officials refused officers’ request for help at the scene because of staffing constraints, Officer Pete Smith said in a release.

Dogs, too, need protection from summer heat

Dogs, like people, suffer when the mercury soars, so we need to protect them. Here are some tips from Guide Dogs of the Desert: Beware of hot pavement, tar or cement. If you cannot hold your hand against it for more than five seconds, it can blister your dog’s paws. If you stop to talk, move into the shade. Dogs can only cool themselves by panting; they cannot sweat. So it’s best to walk them in the cool of the morning or evening. Dogs quickly overheat when left in parked vehicles. Pools are a great way for a dog to cool off, but your pet can drown if unattended. On hikes, stick to the paths—rattlesnakes lurk in the underbrush and in holes. If you encounter one, back away slowly. Finally, protect your dog against fleas and ticks—they are worst in summer.