Earlier this month, Terrance “Jawan” Wight was shot at gunpoint when assailants tried to rob him in mid-afternoon near his high school, Banner Academy, witnesses who were in the area at the time reported that five individuals took place in the attack. The altercation resulted in Terrance’s death and the Chicago police are currently ruling Terrance’s death as a “robbery-turned-fatal-shooting.” However, the family does not accept that notion and has spoken out to highlight the bullying Terrance was subjected to.

On Monday, October 30, a 14-year-old was taken in by authorities and was charged with murder as a juvenile. A court date is scheduled for November 14.

However, in several media reports, the family states that Terrance was murdered due to his sexual orientation. The family has urged reporters to investigate this as a hate crime. Terrance’s aunt, Kathy Jackson, spoke with The Chicago Tribune, stating:

“Wright had been picked on at his previous high school because he was gay, which led him to transfer to Banner last year. He quickly made new friends, she said. "He had made a big turnaround from the old school to this one," Jackson said. "And now this happened."

After the assault, it was reported that nothing of value was found on the teen, which has outraged the family even further. His uncle, Tywan Bouldin, also spoke with media such as WGN-TV, stating that his nephew was “bullied inside and outside school.”

This case is truly disheartening. Furthermore, the recent arrest of a youth assailant is particularly alarming, which heightens the awareness that must continue in and out of our schools for LGBT youth. Terrance’s death occurred simultaneously on Spirit Day as LGBT youth and their supporters donned purple and spread global awareness about the significance and detriment that LGBT youth face in our nation.

GLAAD will continue to reach out the family in the wake of their devastation and monitor this story along with National Youth Pride Services. The Windy City Times posted that if anyone would like to remember Terrance Wright they may send their notes to editor@windycitymediagroup.com

Please keep Terrance Wright and his family in your thoughts.

The East Aurora School District that, under pressure from the Illinois Family Institute (IFI), both granted then rescinded protections for transgender students within the span of five days, today, announced that it will form a new committee to implement new anti-bullying and discrimination policies, citing a victory for LGBT and safe school advocates.

This morning,  WBEZ91.5 reported that the new committee will have its first meeting on November 8, saying:

The formation of the committee comes in the wake of a controversy in which the school board passed and then rescinded a policy on transgender students in just five days’ time, and one key administrator was placed on leave for her part in developing the initial policy.

District spokesman Clayton Muhammad said Monday that the committee will be selected by board members and administrators, but meetings will be open to the public. He said the new committee will develop an “all-inclusive” anti-discrimination policy for students, but will not necessarily address issues specific to transgender students.

Ever since news regarding the school board’s decision broke two weeks ago, LGBT advocates have been vocal in criticizing the board for caving to pressure from the IFI, which is associated with the AFA and has been designated a hate group by the SPLC.

(East Aurora School Board, image via ThinkProgress)

Equality Illinois, the statewide LGBT advocacy group, issued a strong statement condemning the move by the school board saying:

“Equality Illinois believes the need to expose the Illinois Family Institute and its national affiliate the American Family Association is gravely important,” said Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, the statewide LGBT advocacy group. “The American Family Association’s and the Illinois Family Institute’s comparison of LGBT people to Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan is a desperate attempt to make their point and further demean and marginalize our children” Cherkasov said.

Abbe Land, Executive Director and CEO of The Trevor Project also said in a statement that rescinding the protections "would send a hurtful, stigmatizing message to all students, inflicting humiliation and empowering bullying. This is not the message we should be sending to our young people.

And when the local media failed to properly identify the IFI’s influence on the school board’s decision, GLAAD amplified the voices of local LGBT groups and stepped in to make the local media to aware of the harmful and derogatory things leaders of the IFI and the AFA have said about the our families and children.

IFI spokesperson Laurie Higgins has called being gay “evil,” has compared it to incest, and has said that supporting LGBT Pride is “implicitly … embrac[ing] heresy.”

AFA spokesman Bryan Fischer is even more extreme, having claimed: "Homosexuality gave us Adolf Hitler, and homosexuals in the military gave us the Brown Shirts, the Nazi war machine and six million dead Jews." Fischer also says that gay people are the single greatest modern threat to freedom of religion and conscience.”

This context is crucial to this discussion, and Chicago’s media completely failed to deliver it to its audience. Anyone who had not come into contact with the IFI before this story would have no idea that they were an extreme anti-LGBT organization that has been labeled a hate group, believes being gay is the same as incest, and is affiliated with an organization that believes the Nazis were gay.

While there was some confusion on including the fact that “the transgender policy” mostly focused on the responsibilities of teachers and administrators to accommodate and protect students who are out as transgender at school by allowing them to participate in school activities under their preferred name and gender, “ according to WBEZ, safe school advocates and parents agree that safety is the number one concern. 

GLAAD commends all the safe school advocates who worked to ensure that all students have the opportunity to go to school and learn in an environment free from bullying and harassment.

Ellen as Sofia Vergara Gets ‘Maximum Exposure’

We love Ellen DeGeneres. And we love Sofia Vergara. When the two get together, it can be a lot of fun to watch. Today, DeGeneres dressed up as Vergara having a wardrobe malfunction, and the Colombian actress came on the show to give Ellen a piece of her mind, in English and Spanish.

Lots of people are watching the video on Huffington Post's Latino Voices: 

Vergara, who co-stars on “Modern Family” supports marriage equality. She also shot a GLAAD PSA several years ago, for our “Be a Friend & Ally” campaign or “Hazte Amigo y Aliado.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpNPJAa2LII

Ellen Disfrazada de Sofía Vergara Da Mucho Que Ver

Siempre nos ha encantado Ellen DeGeneres. Igual Sofia Vergara. Y cuando las dos se juntan, resulta muy divertido verlas interactuar. Hoy mismo DeGeneres se vistió como Vergara en el momento cuando se le rajó el vestido durante un programa de premios. Y la actriz Colombiana, sin pelos en la lengua, le ofrece su opinión a Ellen sobre tal. Vea aquí el video:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/31/ellen-degeneres-sofia-vergara-wardrobel-malfunction-halloween_n_2049081.html?utm_hp_ref=latino-voices&ir=Latino%20Voices

Vergara, co-protagonista en la serie “Modern Family,” apoya el matrimonio igualitario y, hace unos años, participó en un anuncio de servicio público para GLAAD. Véalo aquí:

Vealo aqui: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpNPJAa2LII

Getting accurate identification has been an old challenge for transgender people. Many states have overcome this problem by modernizing their laws on updating birth certificates and drivers licenses, making voting more accessible to transgender people. However, the passage of dozens of new voter ID laws and strict photo ID requirements will now make it much harder for transgender people to vote.

This year, as many as 25,000 transgender Americans face having their right to vote challenged or taken away as a result of new strict photo ID laws. And while trans American face challenges every day trying to secure ID’s that accurately reflect who they are, we’ve been working with NCTE to elevate stories around the potential impact this will have on voters next week.

Before heading to the polls, be sure to check your voter ID status as well as these helpful tips to make sure you are prepared on and after Election Day.  

In addition, if you are talking with friends and family about the efforts to suppress various communities from voting, the Brennan Center for Justice and Advancement Project have teamed up to provide some shortcuts to help guide you as you continue the conversation about voting. 

From the Center:

One key: don't be overly negative. While discussing new restrictions is important so voters understand the changed landscape in their state, it's more crucial than ever to keep voters enthusiastic and encourage voter participation

1. Don't say voter suppression. Use simple, clear language to explain why new restrictive voting laws are harmful, by explaining that restrictive laws make it harder for millions of eligible Americans to have their say on Election Day.
2. Call out politicians. There are plenty of examples of politicians targeting specific blocs of voters - for example, by creating purge lists, or admitting that photo ID laws will help a particular candidate win. Explaining that politicians are gaming our system convinces voters that these new laws are illegitimate.
3. Use values-based language. Engage voters on their core values-like responsibility, fairness, equality, and freedom.
4. Tell a story to evoke those values. No matter what party voters are from, or where they say they are on photo ID, humanizing the impacts of unfair voting restrictions resonates.
5. Repeat it - again and again! It takes repetition, repetition, repetition to really change the public conversation. Find ways to incorporate the tips above into your messaging, pick the strongest message you can, rinse, and repeat!

 (This information is also available in Spanish here)

If you experience discrimination at the polls be sure to call the Election Protection Hotline:

Election Protection Coalition

1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683)
1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (1-888-839-8682
email@866ourvote.org
www.866ourvote.org

Visit www.votingwhiletrans.org to learn more and watch the PSAs, and visit glaad.org/vote to find out how you can register to vote.

As LGBT History Month comes to a close, The Huffington Post named trans advocate Isis King as their icon of the day.  King first appeared as a background model for a photo shoot on America’s Next Top Model.  Tyra Banks noticed her and asked her to audition for the 11th cycle of The CW program.  She was cast and has since been an outspoken advocate for the transgender community.

Through her television appearances on America’s Next Top Model and in subsequent interviews, Isis always took the opportunity to tell her story, informing the public about her life as a transgender woman, notably speaking about being homeless and living at the Ali Forney Center for LGBT youth.  Through her perseverance, she has become one of the most visible trans models and recently became the first transgender model for the clothing giant American Apparel.

Isis, through her work and television appearances, has given the public a better understanding of transgender people and has allowed for greater visibility of the community.  GLAAD congratulates her on being named The Huffington Post’s LGBT History Month icon of the day and looks forward to the many contributions she will make in the future towards trans visibility and equality.

Tonight check out an all new episode of The Office on NBC.

What to Watch: Thursday, November 1

9:00pm: The Office, NBC (30 mins) NEW

Kevin learns a secret about Oscar and scrambles to keep it while Oscar's future hangs in the balance. Meanwhile, Dwight's radio interview is ruined by call-ins from his office colleagues and Andy's father loses the family's savings.

This morning and afternoon, check your local listings for information about Ellen, The Talk (CBS) and The Chew (ABC). Days of Our Lives on NBC (check local listings for time) features gay character Will as a series regular; keep an eye out for developments between Will and recurring gay characters Sonny and Neil.

_____________________________

About TV Gayed
Grab the remote or set your DVR! GLAAD brings you the most up-to-date listing of LGBT content on television every weekday. Check GLAAD Blog for daily TV Gayed posts!

About GLAAD
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, see www.glaad.org, www.facebook.com/glaad and www.twitter.com/glaad.

On November 6, voters in Minnesota will vote on the following question, “Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as marriage in Minnesota?”

GLAAD is urging Minnesota residents to vote NO to this harmful and divisive amendment. The amendment would put a permanent ban on recognition of gay and lesbian couples. It goes against the religious conscious of multiple religious groups and denominations that recognize and bless gay and lesbian couples.

Minnesotans Untied for All Families is leading a coalition of over 500 businesses, organizations, faith groups, and civic organizations to defeat the amendment.

To date, over 30 Minnesota-based papers have endorsed voting NO, including the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Winona Daily News, Duluth News Tribune, and the Red Wing Republican Eagle. Even the popular advice web site About.com has endorsed a NO vote. 

Prominent advocates of a NO vote include Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, who gained national attention with his witty and outspoken support for marriage equality and opposition to the amendment. Others have included both Minnesota senators, Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar, Governor Mark Dayton, former Governor Jesse Ventura, Ben Jealous, the President of the NAACP, and advocate Zach Wahls. Even one of the chief strategists behind the amendment, Michael Brodkorb, has recently announced that he will be voting NO on November 6.

In addition to a harmful anti-marriage equality amendment, MN is also voting on a repressive voter ID law. As we noted previously, voter ID laws often make it more difficult for transgender people, low income people, the elderly, and students to vote. LGBT advocates are also urging a NO vote on the voter ID law.

As the phrase goes in the state: “Minnesota Nice, Vote NO Twice!”

How can you help Minnesota?

• Visit GLAAD’s Minnesota Vote Page for up to date information
• Visit and give a last-minute contribution to Minnesotans Untied for All Families
• Visit the Friends and Family Plan to have a conversation with loved ones about voting no. It’s not too late to change someone’s mind
• Encourage others to vote no on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and other social networking sites. Use the hashtags #VoteNO and #MNUnited
• Add a “VOTE NO” Twibbon to your Facebook and Twitter profile picture

With your help, we can help make Minnesota a more welcoming state for LGBT people. We need every #LGBT and ally voter in Minnesota to exercise their right to vote. Please vote NO and encourage others to vote for equality as well. Polls are incredibly close, and it will come down to whoever shows up at the polls.

We look forward to celebrating a time when LGBT lives are not subject to public referendum. Until that time, we will work for equality.

This week, The New York Times ran an article on so-called “ex-gay” programs entitled “‘Ex-Gay’ Men Fight Back Against View That Homosexuality Can’t Be Changed.” The article profiles several men going through programs to attempt to change their sexual orientation, without mentioning the specific harms that come from such programs, or the fact that it was just a few short months ago when the New York Times called “ex-gay” programs “absurd” in an editorial.

Last summer, during a spike of media attention on so-called “ex-gay” programs, GLAAD released a fact sheet for reporters covering so-called “ex-gay” programs. These facts are still relevant to this story, and any reporters that wish to cover such programs need to keep these facts in mind.

Notably absent from the article is an explanation of why that the nation’s most knowledgeable medical and mental health authorities have uniformly dismissed the idea that being gay is something that needs to be “treated,” and recognize that trying to do so can cause serious harm. These include the American Psychiatric Association; The American Psychological Association; The American Medical Association; The American Counseling Association; The American Academy of Pediatrics; and The National Association of Social Workers. While the online version of the article links to these resources, they are not spelled out for readers of the print version or for readers who don’t open the hyperlinks to outside pages.

The message of this article goes much farther than just the readership of the New York Times. Any parent uncomfortable with their child’s sexual orientation can now Google “ex-gay therapy,” land on this story, and be presented with alleged "evidence" of what would happen if they force their child to go through a similar program. A reader has to be vigilant and click through the story to find factual information of the serious harm that comes from such programs.

The other voice missing from the story was that of “ex-gay survivors;” people who have gone through such programs and come out with deep emotional and psychological scars. Their traumatic experience is not represented anywhere in the New York Times article.

Profiling people who want their lives to be “proof” that such programs “work,” comes with the responsibility of profiling people who are still working through the harm that has been caused through such programs.

“I spent seventeen years and over $30,000 on three continents trying to change, or at least suppress, my orientation and gender differences, resulting in significant psychological damage that has taken me years to overcome,” stated Peterson Toscano, who was a part of two different “ex-gay” programs. “After working for years to be able to speak out about the harm I experienced in an ‘ex-gay’ program, I find that I’m silenced once again through stories like what I see in the New York Times.” 

Stories of so-called “ex-gay” programs need to have full context as to what such programs promise, what they really can deliver, the reason for the condemnation of the medical profession, and the stories of those who are recovering from such programs. Highlighting a few people who are going through ‘ex-gay’ programs without explaining the universal condemnation of professional medical organizations or including the stories of those who have been traumatized by their experiences in such programs paints a misleading picture for people who are learning to accept themselves or their children’s sexual orientation. With so many parents and children being impacted by these programs, media should present fully inclusive reports on so-called “ex-gay” stories.

Washington United for Marriage (WUM), the broad coalition working to defend the state's marriage law passed in April and to approve Referendum 74, has launched two get-out-the-vote tools to ensure that marriage equality is upheld in Washington state. Marriage equality was passed and signed into law by Governor Chris Gregoire in February 2012.

The GOTV tools include:

1. "Get Out Your Friends" connection tool that can tell you how many of your friends in Washington state may have not yet voted. This tool also allows supporters to then send a message to their friends expressing their approval of the freedom to marry and activate their network to vote. 
2. I'm voting APPROVE R74" picture generator to share on social networking sites and applications like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google+

To check out the tools visit http://hero74.org. For more information about the tools, click here.

Visit GLAAD’s Washington Vote Page for up to date information, and GLAAD’s voting page to familiarize yourself with the issues.

LGBT Latinos and in many cases, their friends and families, are doing lots of great media work in states where the population will be asked to vote on marriage equality Nov. 6.

Community leader Martha Zuniga in Washington recently participated in a televised debate on marriage equality on Seattle’s local Univision news. She was terrific.  Click here to see the debate

Zuniga and her partner Laura Pedroza met in their native Mexico over 22 years ago. Together they emigrated to the United States in search of a safer environment in which to live and grow together as a couple—without the discrimination and harassment they suffered in Mexico.

In Minnesota, one of the key leaders has been Juventino “Juve” Meza, who leads Latino outreach for Minnesotans United for all Families, a coalition working to ensure the state’s voters reject an amendment banning marriage equality. Juve was born in Mexico and came to the U.S. at the age of 15. He has a very traditional, Catholic, Mexican family and was afraid to tell them, but especially his dad, that he’s gay. But when Meza finally did, his father surprised him by saying that he hoped Juve would always remember that his family would never turn its back on him. His father has even been a supporter of the marriage campaign.

Juve and other marriage equality leaders including Javier Morillo, have been telling their stories in Spanish-language media, including on “A Rienda Suelta” hosted by Estela Lerma on La Mera Buena 107.5 FM. They also worked to ensure the cover of a local Spanish-language magazine, Vida Y Sabor, featured a young lesbian DREAMer and her supportive mom.

Lots of folks are working hard in Maryland, from David Perez of The Latino GLBT History Project, Ruben Gonzales, of National Council of La Raza and local couples like Boe Ramírez and Germán Roa of Rockville, MD, who have been partners for over 17 years. You can see ads they recently made at: http://www.casademaryland.org/familia-es-familia

Maryland’s leading Latino and immigrant advocacy organization, CASA de Maryland, has been instrumental in the campaign to approve Question 6 and have been featured widely, including in a story that ran in the Washington Post.

Visit GLAAD’s Washington, Minnesota and Maryland vote pages for up to date information, and GLAAD’s voting page to familiarize yourself with the issues.

This weekend catch the series premiere of Malibu Country; plus all new episodes of Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaids, The Amazing Race, Revenge, The Good Wife and Upstairs Downstairs.

What to Watch: Friday, November 2

8:30pm: Malibu Country, ABC (30 mins) SERIES PREMIERE

Reba learns her country music legend husband has been cheating on her and decides to pack up her mother and two children and move to Malibu in hopes of a new start in her personal life and rebooting her career. In the process she befriends Geoffrey (Jai Rodriguez), the assistant to a record label president. Check out the series trailer below.

9:00pm: Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaids, TLC (30 mins) NEW

Monte takes over the bridesmaid department and watches as one woman argues with her mother over the idea of pink ballerina dresses and another bride-to-be lets her bridesmaids choose their own dresses.

9:30pm: Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaids, TLC (30 mins) NEW

Miss America 2010 is searching for the perfect bridesmaid dresses for her wedding and the pressure is all too much for one woman to handle.

This morning and afternoon, check your local listings for information about Ellen,The Talk (CBS) & The Chew (ABC). Days of Our Lives on NBC (check local listings for time) features gay character Will as a series regular; keep an eye out for developments between Will and recurring gay characters Sonny and Neil.

What to Watch: Sunday, November 4

8:00pm: The Amazing Race, CBS (1 hr) NEW

The teams continue the race in Istanbul, Turkey. This season's cast includes gay couple Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge (better known as The Fabulous Beekman Boys) and gay Chippendales dancer Jaymes Vaughan.

9:00pm: Revenge, ABC (1 hr) NEW

Victoria and Conrad's bond is tested as they reaffirm their commitment to each other. Meanwhile, Mason Treadwell digs into Emily and Amanda's past as they scramble to protect their secrets. Watch a sneak peek below.

9:00pm: The Good Wife, CBS (1 hr) NEW

Alicia represents a military officer who accuses a civilan contractor of attempted rape while they were in Afghanistan and has to prove the contractor is not protected by a law prohibiting servicemen from suing the military.

9:00pm: Upstairs Downstairs, PBS (1 hr) NEW

The second season of this British period drama introduces Alex Kingston as Blanche Mottershead, a doctor who was in a relationship with Lady Portia Alresford and suffers the consequences when Portia releases a thinly veiled memoir about their relationship.

_____________________________

About TV Gayed
Grab the remote or set your DVR! GLAAD brings you the most up-to-date listing of LGBT content on television every weekday. Check GLAAD Blog for daily TV Gayed posts!

About GLAAD
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, see www.glaad.org, www.facebook.com/glaad and www.twitter.com/glaad.

On November 6, Washingtonians will vote approve or reject the February 2012 bill that would legalize marriage equality in the state, known as Referendum 74.

GLAAD is working with Washington United for Marriage to urge voters to APPROVE the referendum. If passed, it would make Washington one of the first states to approve marriage equality by a public referendum (along with Maryland and Maine).

Washington already had an “everything but marriage” law on the books. In February, the legislature passed a marriage equality bill, which was signed by Governor Christine Gregoire on February 13. Legislative support for the bill came from all corners of the state, from openly gay state senator, Ed Murray, to Maureen Walsh, a republican senator whose impassioned floor speech went viral on YouTube.

The bill was scheduled to take effect June 7 but opponents submitted the necessary signatures on June 6 to suspend the bill and require a statewide voter referendum.

Referendum 74 has been endorsed and supported by over 500 major corporations and businesses in the state, including Nordstrom, Google, Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon, REI, T Mobile, Expedia, and Nike.

Several newspapers in Washington State have supported the bill, including the Seattle Times, Tacoma News-Tribune, Spokane's The Spokesman-Review, Vancouver's The Columbian, Yakima Herald-Republic, Tri-City Herald, Everett's The Herald, The Olympian, The Wenatchee World, and the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin.

How can you help approve marriage equality in Washington?

• Visit GLAAD’s Washington Vote Page for up to date information
• Visit and give a last-minute contribution to Washington United for Marriage
• Visit the Friends and Family Plan to have a conversation with loved ones about voting no. It’s not too late to change someone’s mind
• Use Washington United for Marriage’s new social media and smartphone tools to help get out the vote on November 6.
  • The "Get Out Your Friends" connection tool tells how many friends in Washington state may have not yet voted and sends an encouraging message to vote.
  • The “I'm Voting APPROVE R74" picture generator to share on social networking sites and applications like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google+.

Help us win marriage equality at the ballot box in Washington. It will take every LGBT and allied vote to make it happen. Visit GLAAD’s Voting Page for information on Washington, and other states that are facing marriage at the ballot box.

Every week, The GLAAD Wrap brings you LGBT-related entertainment news highlights, fresh stuff to watch out for, and fun diversions to help you kick off the weekend.

1) Director Bradley Rust Gray’s horror/drama Jack and Diane from Magnolia Pictures is out now in theaters and available on demand. The film follows two teenage girls who meet in New York City and strike up a romantic relationship. Things hit a roadblock when the tough-skinned Jack discovers that Diane will soon be moving, and begins to push her away. Meanwhile, Diane’s struggles with her newfound feelings begin to manifest with werewolf-like effects. Check out showtimes for Jack and Diane here and watch the trailer below.

2) The Halloween episode of NBC’s breakout hit The New Normal from creator Ryan Murphy was preempted by hurricane coverage this week, but it’s currently available for download on iTunes. Murphy reached out to his Twitter followers with the link to the episode, which you can find here. 

3) Currently in production, the upcoming film Such Good People follows a young gay couple that discovers millions in cash while housesitting, and an unexpected tragedy leads them to consider stealing it. Directed by Stewart Wade and written by David Michael Barrett, Such Good People features performances by Michael Urie (Partners), Randy Harrison (Queer as Folk), Sandra Bernhard, Lance Bass, Bree Turner (Grimm), and Alex Mapa.  Having reached their initial goal, the filmmakers are looking to make production upgrades through their Kickstarter campaign here.

4) Following Matthew Vaughn’s exit, the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past has found a new director. Out director Bryan Singer will helm the project, which serves as the sequel to X-Men: First Class. Singer directed the first two films in the franchise, X-Men and X2, and co-wrote and produced First Class, and is credited with bringing the LGBT-metaphors found in the X-Men comics very clearly to the screen.  Look for Days of Future Past to reach theaters on July 18, 2014.

5) British television network ITV ordered a new sitcom starring out actors Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Derek Jacobi as an elderly gay couple living in Covent Garden, London. Vicious Old Queens was originally intended as a one-off for Sky Arts’ Playhouse, but UK viewers can expect to see six episodes of the half-hour comedy starting in April 2013.  Hopefully US viewers will get the chance as well.

6) Independent distribution company Milestone is working with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences’ Academy Film Archive in Los Angeles to restore the groundbreaking 1967 film, Portrait of Jason. From celebrated director Shirley Clarke, Jason is an uncompromising interview with a black, gay cabaret performer and hustler, and one of the first to address the subject of gay men of color. Due to its content, the film was mishandled and misplaced, and original film elements were lost for over 45 years. Now that original master has been discovered, Milestone is searching for help to restore the film back to its original theatrical vision. Check out the Kickstarter page here.

Many Latino allies are speaking out in support of their LGBT family and friends in states where the population will be asked to vote on marriage equality Nov. 6. In three of the four states voting on marriage for same-sex couples (Maryland, Minnesota, Washington, and Maine) there has been significant outreach to the Latino community.

That's certainly no surprise given the increasingly strong support for LGBT issues among Latinos. In fact, according to an October 2012 study by the Pew Research Center, 52% of Latinos support marriage for same-sex couples—and among Latino Catholics support is slightly higher at 54%.

So many men and woman in each state have amazing stories to tell, including couples, parents of gay children, and advocates. Here are just a few.

For Alma Garza, an otherwise a shy and quiet figure, her son Pablo’s happiness means the world to her. That includes approving Washington state’s Referendum 74 (which would uphold its marriage equality law passed and signed into law in February 2012) so her son can get married. Pablo, a Navy veteran who is currently serving in the Army National Guard, is in a domestic partnership with his partner of 3 years, Derrick Peacock. While Alma is actively speaking and engaging with community members and has even spoken in the media about her support for marriage equality, Pablo’s stepfather Elido Garza has registered to vote for the first time ever just to mark his ballot to approve Referendum 74 for marriage equality. “There’s not anything I wouldn’t do for my kids,” Elido Garza said in an interview with The News Tribune of Tacoma, Wash. “I would jump over mountains." Check out Pablo's "Why Marriage Matters" video. 

Washington State Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez-Kinney, a grandmother and mother of two gay sons, recently co-authored an op-ed with Martha Choe, a leader in Seattle's Asian-American community,  calling for Washington to again lead the country on marriage equality with Referendum 74.

Maryland's Question 6 (which would uphold the state's marriage equality law passed last year) is personal for Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Navarro: she has a younger gay brother Pedro, who came out to her and her sister 17 years ago. At a press conference announcing the launch of Familia es Familia Maryland, Navarro stated her support is not only for her brother Pedro, but also “for all the brothers and sisters, the daughters, the sons, the cousins, the uncles, the aunts, everybody who we call family.  I am here to urge our Latino community to never forget that,” she said. 

Visit GLAAD’s Washington, Minnesota and Maryland vote pages for up to date information, and GLAAD’s voting page to familiarize yourself with the issues.

The New York Times profiled a straight Chicago couple whose support for marriage equality was strongly on display during their own wedding. The couple, Adrienne and Austin Vitt, wore white wristbands, as did many of their guests. The wedding included a reading from Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, the ruling that made marriage equality legal in the state of Massachusetts. The article, entitled, “Standing Up for Gay Marriage at a Straight Wedding” demonstrated the support that LGBT people have among straight family and friends.

At a time when marriage equality is on the ballot in Minnesota, Maine, Maryland, and Washington, support from straight family and friends is absolutely necessary. If it were just left to LGBT people to fend for themselves, we would never have the protections that keep us and our families safe. Fortunately, support for LGBT equality is growing among people of all creeds, political affiliations, religions, races, and yes - sexual orientations.

GLAAD appreciates the New York Times lifting up straight support for LGBT people, especially around the timely and important issue of marriage equality. We hope that the story of the Vitts inspires others to take a similar stand.

Do your part to help ensure marriage equality by visiting GLAAD.ORG/VOTE and learning how you can help voters in Minnesota, Maryland, Maine, and Washington ensure marriage equality, as well as how to ensure that thousands of transgender Americans can protect their vote. 

In late October of 2009, polls indicated that Maine had a good chance to become the first state in the nation to uphold marriage equality at the ballot box. Earlier in the year, elected officials in Maine had joined their New England neighbors in Vermont and New Hampshire in passing a marriage equality law. Unlike Vermont and New Hampshire however, Maine has a citizens' veto process, so the question was put before voters.

An October 20th poll showed that Maine voters were split evenly, with 48% against marriage equality, 48% in support of keeping the marriage protections granted by elected officials, and 4% undecided. An earlier poll had indicated that 51% of likely voters would decide to keep marriage equality in place. The editorial boards of virtually every major newspaper in the state had advised their readers to vote no on Question One. Pollsters were saying "the numbers look good for gay-rights supporters."

Given that Mainers are once again going to be voting on marriage equality at the ballot box, it bears looking at what happened the first time around.. Many of those "likely voters" who would have supported marriage equality just didn't show up. And many more who ordinarily might not have been "likely voters" in an off-year election did go to the polls in order to oppose marriage equality. As a result, turnout was much higher than expected. And marriage lost. 

We saw what happened in Maine. We saw how voters turned out in unprecedented numbers in an off-year election to vote against marriage equality. We know what the polls say - and we also know how wrong polls can be, especially when determining how likely it is that someone will vote. We also know what turnout can look like in so-called "safe" states for candidates. There's a lot less pressure to vote if you believe the candidates you support will win even without your help. But the issues still need you. 

If you are registered to vote in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota or Washington, make sure your voice is heard on Tuesday. Make sure your vote counts.  Even if you aren't registered to vote in one of the four states with marriage on the ballot, if you know someone who is, talk to them about how important their vote is.

Together, we have four chances to make history next week. Make sure you're a part of it. 

On Tuesday, November 6, Marylanders will vote on Question 6. A vote FOR Question 6 will keep the marriage equality law passed by state lawmakers, and allow LGBT couples to marry in the state of Maryland, while protecting religious freedoms.

GLAAD has worked with Marylanders for Marriage Equality, LGBT Faith Leaders of African Descent, as well as NoWedge 2012 who have all worked on the ground in their communities to educate voters about the fairness of Question 6 and what this would ultimately mean for LGBT couples living in Maryland--equality. 

Earlier this year, Governor Martin O’Malley signed the marriage equality bill into law, which made many hopeful, but opponents of the law were able to get the law up for referendum in our upcoming election. Ultimately the decision will come down to voters on Tuesday, November 6. O’Malley has continued to make his rounds in support of the marriage equality law and has mentioned that he thinks it has a “real shot,” which would make Maryland, along with Washington, Maine and Minnesota contenders for marriage equality being affirmed at the ballot box.

Soon after O’Malley signed the law earlier this year, faith leaders such as Rev. Candy Holmes, Bishop Yvette Flunder, Dr. Wilhelmina Perry and Pastor Joseph Tolton came together to work within black communities to change the narratives that black pastors were against marriage equality.

 
Since, groups such as Equality Maryland, Marylanders for Marriage Equality and National Black Justice Coalition have worked tirelessly to get the correct information out to citizens and push forward the notion that a vote FOR Question 6 is about fairness and equality to all citizens residing in the state of Maryland.

In this blog post, “Baltimore Moms” a mother writes,

"As an African-American, and as a mom, I feel that I have succeeded in instilling these values in my children, and on Election Day, I am counting on all Maryland voters to stand together to make sure that our state upholds fairness and equality for everyone.”

Support has grown tremendously from activist groups, celebrities and elected officials. President Obama, Academy Award-winner Mo’Nique, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Brad Pitt, Delman Coates, the NAACP and the ACLU have all lent their names to affirming same-sex marriage in the state of Maryland.

This week, Marylanders for Marriage Equality released a simple ad explaining the value and significance behind Question 6. We encourage you to share among your social networks:

How you can help to approve marriage equality in Maryland?

• Visit GLAAD’s Maryland Vote Page for up-to-date information
• Make a monetary contribution to the campaign
• Participate in Marylanders for Marriage Equality’s ‘One Million Conversations’
• Share Campaign Videos with your social media contacts
• Follow Marylanders for Marriage Equality and Equality Maryland on Facebook and Twitter

This year, four states will have their fairness and equality voted on and we need everyone to show up at the polls and protect the civil rights of all families. Go Vote!

GLAAD and Equality Matters call on the media in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Washington and around the country to bring attention to the falsehoods present in anti-LGBT "scare" ads running in the four states with marriage on the ballot on Tuesday

Several journalists have already done this, like Bill Nemitz of the Kennebeck Journal in Maine, who wrote that the anti-LGBT ads airing in his state are "so short on facts it's scary." And the Seattle Times' "Truth Needle" column found similar ads running in Washington State to be "half true."

But many in the media have been content to leave the fact-checking to LGBT advocates, merely reporting what both sides of the debate are saying, as though both are equally rooted in the truth. The fact of the matter is that these anti-equality ads are misleading voters and spreading misinformation.

Here are the facts: Marriage equality won't affect school curricula, despite what the ads repeatedly claim. The Catholic adoption agencies named in the ads voluntarily ended their services, they were "not forced" to shut down. The lawsuits the ads talk about were filed over violations of non-discrimination laws and had nothing to do with marriage equality. The New Jersey church cited in those ads was able to keep its tax exemption, even though it denied services to same-sex couples.

Details for all of these facts are available on Equality Matters' website at www.equalitymatters.org/factcheck/201210100001

Letting one side of a debate get away with misleading voters is irresponsible journalism. We call on media around the country to take the next few days and inform voters about the truth behind these misleading anti-equality ads.

Do your part to help ensure marriage equality by visiting www.glaad.org/vote and learning how you can help voters in Minnesota, Maryland, Maine, and Washington ensure marriage equality, as well as how to ensure that thousands of transgender Americans can protect their vote. 

As we get closer to Election Day, and as marriage equality hangs in the balance in Minnesota, Maryland, Maine, and Washington, we turn to voices we trust.

It’s well known that there is religious opposition to marriage equality. The Roman Catholic hierarchy has been leading the charge in all four states to promote inequality. Several evangelical leaders have also been activists against marriage equality. However, more and more pro-LGBT voices of faith are leading the charge to pass marriage referenda, or at least stop the march of discrimination.

It has been well documented that despite the activism of the Roman Catholic hierarchy, actual Catholics are the most pro-LGBT people of any Christian denomination. And nowhere has that distinction been starker than during this campaign. Much (electronic and real) ink has been spilled trying to describe the Catholic voting bloc. In Maryland, one strong voice has been the leadership of New Ways Ministry. We have previously highlighted Sister Jeannine Gramick’s strong words while the Maryland legislature was passing the marriage equality. In the time since the issue was put on the ballot the whole organization has been writing, promoting, speaking, and leading Maryland Catholics to vote FOR Question 6. The other powerful faith voice for marriage equality comes from African-American faith leaders. NoWedge2012 is a campaign to reach out to African-American faith leaders who are supportive of marriage equality, or on the fence. The campaign has lifted up Black faith leaders like the Revs. Candy Holmes and Darlene Garner.

Another national figure, whose influence is felt most strongly in the debate over the Minnesota anti-marriage equality amendment, is Bishop Herbert Chilstrom, who is a retired bishop of Minnesota and the first Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Last month, Bishop Chilstrom wrote an open letter in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, calling out the anti-LGBT activism of his Roman Catholic colleague, Archbishop John Nienstedt. Bishop Chilstrom has the ability to speak to Archbishop Nienstedt in a way that many of us cannot. They are contemporaries, or as Bishop Chilstrom put it, they “(stand) on level ground.” Bishop Chilstrom, and his wife Rev. Corrine, have also been featured in a last-minute push video for Minnesotans United for All Families, urging people to vote NO.

A broad coalition of faith leaders in Washington State has been vocal in promoting marriage equality. Revs. Darrell and Marshan Goodwin-Moultry, a gay clergy couple, have become the face of LGBT African-American Christians. Rev. J. Manny Santiago linked the unconstitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act to his state's own struggle to recognize committed, loving couples. All of these faith leaders are asking Washingtonians to vote to APPROVE Referendum 74. Meanwhile, Rev. Monica Cosaro was featured on CBS Sunday Morning in August for her support for marriage equality.

The campaign in Maine has been guided by the work of the Religious Coalition Against Discrimination (RCAD), an interfaith of faith leaders who has been speaking out strongly in support of Question One. Marvin Ellison is a Christian ethics teacher and member of RCAD, who has spoken and written publically about his support for marriage equality. Additionally, Gene Robinson, the Episcopal Bishop of neighboring New Hampshire, has made appearances in Maine, along with his film, Love Free or Die. The entire coalition is asking people to vote YES on Question 1.

This year’s election cycle has certainly not been one in which religion is only on the anti-equality side. More and more, campaigns and advocates are listening to and promoting pro-LGBT religious voices. It is possible that this year, we may finally win marriage equality at the ballot box, in no small part to the voices of faith that call for fairness and equality under the law.

Do your part to help ensure marriage equality by visiting www.glaad.org/vote and learning how you can help voters in Minnesota, Maryland, Maine, and Washington ensure marriage equality, as well as how to ensure that thousands of transgender Americans can protect their vote. 

I'm a New Englander. I was born in Rhode Island. I've lived in Connecticut, New Hampshire and Massachusetts throughout my adult life. My current home in northern New Jersey, just outside NYC, is both the farthest south and the farthest west I've ever lived. (It also happens to be one of the thousands of NJ homes still without heat and power in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which is why right now, I am writing this from back in New England.) 

I know New England values. And not just the part where we replace the letter "R" with the letters "AH" for comical effect.

Yes, there's a lot of tradition involved. But that tradition comes from deeper values. Family. Community. Respect. Dignity. Freedom. Faith. Which is why I have not been surprised throughout my life to see New England leading the nation when it comes to LGBT equality.

Vermont was the first state in the country to legally recognize loving and committed same-sex couples with the creation of Civil Unions back in 2000.

Massachusetts made history when its highest court legalized marriage equality in 2004.

In 2005, Connecticut became the first state in America to do either of these without the intervention of the courts, when it created its own Civil Unions - which were then changed to full marriages in 2008,

In 2009, New Hampshire and Vermont became two of the first three states in our nation's history to pass full marriage equality through the leguslature - with Vermont even overcoming the Governor's veto to do so. 

The third? It was Maine. Except it didn't stick.

Put to a "citizens' veto" vote in November of 2009, Mainers rejected the marriage equality law that their elected officials had passed earlier that year. And honestly, speaking as a New Englander, I was shocked. This wasn't the New England I knew. When I heard the language being used by anti-LGBT activists in Maine - people like Mike Heath, who still say things like "The so-called 'gay' movement is rooted in sorcery and it is a child of the devil, and an enemy of everything that is right" - it just doesn't fit in New England. (Unless you're thinking Salem, Massachusetts ... say 1692-ish?)

But the Frank Schubert-led rhetoric coming from the anti-LGBT side sounded even less like the New England I grew up in. It didn't sound like the Maine where my friends came from, or where my parents took me shopping for back-to-school clothes at the LL Bean.  It didn't make sense that this rhetoric would resonate in the fishing towns we'd drive through for hours on the way up to Bar Harbor, or with the artists we knew from Portland, or the lifelong die-hard Sox fans we knew from Bangor. It was cynical, misleading, scare-tactic politics. Unfortunately, a lot of the time, cynical, misleading, scare-tactic politics work. They did in 2009. I hope they won't in 2012. 

This is why I'm so proud to see Mainers trying again. Those New England values will prevail. They have for centuries, they will for centuries more. Family. Community. Respect. Dignity. Freedom. Faith. None of those values would lead a person to reject another family for being different, or turn their nose at a neighbor. Marriage strengthens families. Strong families strengthen communities. Strong communities endure. And nobody knows that better than we do.  

Maine has a chance to be the latest New England state to make history on Tuesday, when (along with Maryland, Washington and Minnesota) voters have the chance to reject those cynical scare-tactics, and truly embrace these values.  Voters in three of these four states have the chance to be the first in the nation to ever affirm marriage equality at the ballot box. That's the Maine I know. 

Do your part to help ensure marriage equality by visiting www.glaad.org/vote and learning how you can help voters in Minnesota, Maryland, Maine, and Washington ensure marriage equality, as well as how to ensure that thousands of transgender Americans can protect their vote.