Gay USA

Gay USA with Ann Northrop and Andy Humm

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 10:35:41 -0500

IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK:

Voters in Maine repeal law opening marriage to same-sex couples.

Voters in Washington State seem to be narrowly upholding a comprehensive domestic partners law.

Voters in Kalamazoo, MI uphold an LGBT rights law by a wide margin.

LGBT candidates fare well across the country.

New Jersey's pro-gay governor loses, but activists there will try to enact marriage equality before he leaves office in January.

President Obama signs the federal hate crimes act named for Matthew Shepard and James Byrd as well as the Ryan White AIDS bill as the HIV immigration ban finally gets an expiration date.

Obama is faulted for not helping us in Maine or in New York City where anti-gay Mayor Bloomberg ekes out a narrow win over Democratic challenger and LGBT advocate Bill Thompson who was outspent 13-1

OUR GUEST THIS WEEK IS AUTHOR SARAH SCHULMAN who will talk with us for our last twenty minutes about her two provocative new books, "Ties that Bind" about familial homophobia and her ninth novel, "The Mere Future."

LINKS IN THE NEWS:

To track the final returns in Washington State: www.approve71.org

To help the cause of marriage equality in NJ: www.gardenstateequality.org

For support around AIDS and aging, go to Facebook's HAG: HIV Aging Group

Gay USA with Ann Northrop and Andy Humm

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:14:10 -0400

IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK:

Today, President Obama signs the hate crimes bill named for Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, the first major piece of federal legislation covering sexual orientation and gender identity and expression in history. We will talk about that and these stories:

HUD and HHS announce LGBT-friendly programs

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3rd and it is the home stretch for the fights against anti-gay referenda in Maine, Washington State and Kalamazoo. Check the links below to find out how you can help in those efforts with your contributions or by phoning from home.

The District of Columbia is working on a bill to open marriage to same-sex couples but would eliminate domestic partnerships for gay and non-gay couples

In New York City, the out Speaker of the City Council Christine Quinn endorses Bill Thompson for Mayor in Tuesday's election versus Mike Bloomberg

Russian lesbians marry in Toronto

Congress passes a four-year extension of the Ryan White Care Act

A director of an Oscar-winning film quits Scientology after 35 years over its "gay-bashing"

LINKS IN THE NEWS:

Maine Marriage Vote: ProtectMaineEquality.org

How to "Call for Equality" from your home to Maine voters: http://wocknerwire.com/2009/10/maine-gay-marriage-battle-update-1.html

Washington State Vote: Approve71.org

Kalamazoo Vote: www.oneKalamazoo.com

Lobbying Congress Info: ActOnPrinciples.org

Census Info: www.OurFamiliesCount.org

"One Closed Door After Another" video on need for domestic partner benefits at University of Alabama at Birmingham which were just approved: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=annV2cWOwJs

"Maryland Voices of Equality" from the Maryland Black Family Alliance supporting LGBT children: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6Bl3_u3iRc

Health Care Demonstration: www.mobilizeforhealthcare.org

Gay USA 10.20.09

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:01:12 -0400

OUR GUEST ON NEW YOUR SHOW AND PODCAST THIS WEEK IS DANIEL DROMM, a longtime gay activist who was one of the key leaders who built the LGBT movement in Queens, NY and just won the Democratic nomination for City Council from Jackson Heights. Dromm will talk about his work as an out gay teacher, activist and politician for the last fifteen minutes of the show. You can learn more about Danny and how to support him at www.DanielDromm.com

Daniel Dromm, gay activist and New York City Council candidate
photo by Bill Bahlman

IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK:

THE ANTI-GAY REFERENDA IN MAINE, WASHINGTON STATE AND KALAMAZOO continue to heat up as the White House grudgingly admits it is on our side in these fights. The latest poll in Maine shows voters evenly split 48-48 with 4 percent undecided. Check the links below to all of these campaigns to see how you can help.

A GAY-BASHING IN QUEENS, NY is captured on video tape and hundreds march in College Point to show solidarity with the victim, Jack Price, who has come out of his coma. Two young men have been charged with assault as a hate crime and you won't believe what one of their friends has tattooed on his arm.

A MISSISSIPPI HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT and her Mom are standing up to school authorities who don't want this out lesbian to appear in her yearbook in a tuxedo. We will show you a local news report on this brave young woman.

BARNEY FRANK clarifies his criticism of the National Equality March as march participants get activated in their districts around the country.

THE ATTACK ON KEVIN JENNINGS FROM THE RIGHTWING has become incredibly intense, with 53 House Republicans signing a letter to President Obama demanding this founder of GLSEN's removal from the Department of Education's Safe Schools program. Obama seems to be standing firm, but he needs to know we have Kevin's back.

UGANDA PROPOSES A NEW DEATH PENALTY FOR "AGGRESSIVE HOMOSEXUALITY" and human rights groups are trying to stop its passage

AIDS SERVICES IN WASHINGTON, DC are investigated by the Washington Post and found to be wasting a lot of money

REVIEWS THIS WEEK of "Bye, Bye Birdie" and "Oleanna" on Broadway and a new play about Ann Landers at the Cherry Lane starring Judith Ivey.

LINKS IN THE NEWS:

Maine Marriage Vote: ProtectMaineEquality.org

Washington State Vote: Approve71.org

Kalamazoo Vote: www.oneKalamazoo.com

Lobbying Congress Info: ActOnPrinciples.org

Lobbying Congress Info: EqualityAcrossAmerica.org

Iran Execution: IRQR.net

Health Care Demos: MobilizeForHealthCare.org

Best,

Andy and Ann
Co-Hosts

Gay USA with Ann Northrop and Andy Humm

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:36:49 -0400

Midway through this week's show, we will run in its entirety a powerful, eloquent and angry 22-minute speech in the New York State Senate by Sen. Tom Duane (D-West Side), himself HIV positive, that turned the Senate around on his bill to require that as with many poor people on assistance, people with AIDS are not charged more than 30 percent of their limited incomes on rent. You can see the speech on YouTube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyP9eLrvcAA&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Etowleroad%2Ecom%2F2009%2F07%2Fsenator%2Dtom%2Dduane%2Dgives%2Dangry%2Dgri%2Ehtml&feature=player_embedded

ALSO IN THE NEWS

Congress passes the Matthew Shepard federal hate crimes bill, but House and Senate versions have to be reconciled

President Obama speaks out against anti-gay discrimination in his address to the 100th convention of the NAACP. We will have film.

Sonia Sotomayor is queried on her views on same-sex marriage

Bishop Gene Robinson speaks out on the Episcopal Church's lifting of a moratorium on out gay bishops and the blessing of same-sex marriages

The killer of transgendered Lateisha Green in Syracuse is convicted of first degree manslaughter

Gay USA with Ann Northrop and Andy Humm

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:13:12 -0400

Greetings on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion

Our guest this week for our first 20 minutes is Cleve Jones, one of the lead organizers of the National Equality March set for October 11. Cleve was the founder of the Names Project, which produced the national AIDS quilt in the late 1980s and has been an activist since his association with Harvey Milk in San Francisco in the late 1970s.

Cleve will explain how he came to support another LGBT march on Washington and what he hopes to accomplish. He'll also tell us what it was like to be portrayed by Emile Hirsch in the movie "Milk." For more information, go to:

www.nationalequalitymarch.org

IN THE NEWS

President Obama signs a memorandum on rights for federal employees with gay domestic partners and hands the pen to Frank Kameny, a gay activist since the 1950s. We'll show you the signing ceremony and discuss its significance.

The US Census is now working on counting same-sex married couples in 2010.

The State Department drops its demand for a fee when a same-sex married person applies for a name change on his or her passport.

The Department of Justice is meeting with the leaders of LGBT legal groups to hear their concerns about Justice's defense of DOMA and DADT.

The White House is hosting a Stonewall reception on Monday.

Some gay leaders are boycotting a big fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee over the slowness of the president and Congress to act on LGBT rights and their opposition to the anti-gay language in administration legal briefs.

The Gay USA website and podcast are available at GayUSATV