The Necessary Roughness two-episode storyline about a top NFL quarterback coming out concludes tonight in the season finale, airing at 10:00 p.m. on the USA Network. The episodes are airing as part of USA's "Character Unite Month" which is dedicated to promoting messages of understanding and acceptance. Watch a sneak peek from tonight's episode, "There's The Door," below.

Minnesota Vikings punter and LGBT equality advocate Chris Kluwe praised the storyline and Necessary Roughness' treatment of the issue in a piece he wrote for Salon.com.

"After watching the two episodes of Necessary Roughness dealing with a gay football player coming out, I was struck by how accurately the writers and producers of the show portrayed what the locker room would be like," he wrote. "Above all, the locker room is about being a team. Gay, straight, black, white, brown, red, tall or short — the essence of every good locker room is sticking by each other no matter what. […] Will a gay player face people who don’t understand, people who throw insults and jeers? Absolutely. But if that player is in a locker room full of men, true men, men who understand the underlying bedrock of football, then that player won’t care because he’ll be part of a team — and that’s exactly what Necessary Roughness nailed in these two episodes. The cohesiveness of team."

You can learn more about USA's Characters Unite campaign on their website here.  Catch the season finale of Necessary Roughness tonight at 10:00 p.m. on the USA Network.

As the Supreme Court prepares to weigh in on the so-called "Defense of Marriage" Act (DOMA) and the anti-gay Proposition 8, polls continue to show the widespread support for marriage equality in the United States. Most recently, a poll conducted by Goodwin Simon Strategic Research and Voter Consumer Research, and commissioned by the Center for American Progress and Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), found that 59 percent of registered voters are against Section 3 of DOMA, which denies equal protections to married same-sex couples. In addition, 52 percent of voters said they support marriage equality, and 62 percent said they believe withholding federal benefits from married same-sex couples is discrimination. The polling data is further broken down by voter ethnicity and by opinions on individual protections being denied to married same-sex couples.

Another poll conducted by the Respect for Marriage Coalition, which recently launched a $1 million ad campaign in support of marriage for same-sex couples, found that 75 percent of respondents believe marriage equality is a Constitutional right, an increase from 71 percent in 2011. 77 percent of respondents also said they believed marriage equality will be legal nationwide within the next couple of years.

It is important that journalists and others in the media remember these numbers when reporting on nationwide views toward marriage equality. Too often, anti-gay activists use out-dated or biased findings claiming that most Americans do not support marriage for same-sex couples, but this is clearly not true. Many polls have now reflected the growing support for marriage equality throughout the country, and this is especially significant given the impending Supreme Court hearing on a laws that ignore this steadfast opinion.

Latino support for LGBT people and issues is strong and ever growing. But, as with all communities, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to educate the public about the importance of family acceptance and the harm that rejection of LGBT family members causes to entire families.

In an effort to address this gap, Southern-California based Latino health and social services organization BIENESTAR has launched its latest public education campaign to promote acceptance and support and eradicate homophobia.

 "We believe as a society we should be celebrating love, diversity and the true meaning of self—love and friendship—which increases the self-esteem and over all well-being of any individual regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity," the agency,  which operates 9 centers across the region to serve the LGBT Latino community and people living with HIV/AIDS, stated in a press release.

Joining forces with Bienestar is television journalist Daniela Ganoza, Hollywood correspondent for Univision's highly rated daily newsmagazine Primer Impacto. Daniela's concern for the health and well-being of LGBT youth compelled her to become the spokesperson for BIENESTAR's anti-homophobia campaign series. Past spokespeople include Mexican singer and actress Angélica Vale, international actress Kate Del Castillo, renowned Mexican regional singer Graciela Beltrán, and Dra. Isabel Gómez-Bassols, a nationally renowned radio psychologist known as "El Angel de la Radio" ("The Angel of the Airwaves").

The campaign is also highlighting the importance of allies, calling attention to the fact that "stigma and discrimination of LGBT individuals is not just an LGBT community issue, but a social issue that impacts all families regardless of race, social class and/or religious beliefs and values."

Oscar De La O, President of BIENESTAR added that, "in the Latino community unconditional love and family are important values, but when the children are rejected for being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, it is a breakdown of our beliefs.   We hope everyone will join Daniela and BIENESTAR in our efforts to stop homophobia."

For more information about this campaign please visit BIENESTAR's website www.bienestar.org or contact Victor Martinez, Director of Public Affairs, at vmartinez@bienestar.org or 323-727-7896 ext. 114.

Many Arab-Americans from conservative backgrounds struggle with coming out or supporting LGBT equality. In Dearborn, Michigan the population is 40% Arab and includes many first generation Americans. The Arab American News recently highlighted Chris Ramazzotti, one of very few gay Arab men who is willing to speak openly about his sexual orientation. Ramazzotti is the executive director of Al-Gamea, a group formed in 2006 to help young LGBT men and women in Dearborn's Arab community.

A large number of the people associated with Al-Gamea are Muslim, though the group has also reached out to LGBT Chaldeans, a group of Iraqi Catholics who do not identify as Arab. Both Arab Muslims and Chaldeans have found refuge in Al-Gamea, which, in addition to providing community and events, has raised money to help those who have been disowned after coming out to their families.

Like Ramazzotti, Faisal Alam feels the need to reach out to other gay Muslims. When he came out to his mother in high school, she initially stopped speaking to him, but Alam pressed on. In college, he started an email list to connect with other gay Muslims. He says that the Muslim community in the United States is slow to make progress but opinions are starting to change. Several mosques in the United States and Canada openly welcome LGBT Muslims and Imam Daayiee Abdullah has made a name for himself as the only openly gay Imam in the United States. Groups like Muslims for Progressive Values have helped create a voice for Muslims who support equal inclusion for both women and LGBT Muslims.

Several Muslim MPs in the United Kingdom have also made waves by voting in favor of marriage equality in the House of Commons. Four MPs, three members of the Labour Party and one member of the Conservative party, voted to legalize marriage equality in England and Wales in a vote earlier this month. Two other Muslim MPs abstained, while just one voted against the bill. At least three Pakistani Clerics have called on the MPs who voted in support of the bill to "repent and renew their faith." Sadiq Khan, a member of the Labour Party who has served as Shadow Secretary of State for Justice since 2010, stated on his website:

I firmly believe in marriage. Marriage is an important statement of love and long-term commitment, and has long been the main way that the state recognises and shows support for loving relationships. I believe that couples who love each other and want to make that long-term commitment to each other should be able to have a civil marriage regardless of their gender or their sexuality.

UK human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell notes that "in Britain, there is a huge gay Muslim population and openly gay Muslim organisations. They believe it is possible to be both Muslim and gay. More and more, gay Muslims are accepted by the wider Muslim community.”

Media interest around Muslims will continue to grow. GLAAD calls on the media to further highlight LGBT-inclusive Muslim organizations and leaders around the globe.

Award-winning journalist, author, and talk show host Anderson Cooper will be honored with the Vito Russo Award at the 24^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York, New York Daily News first reported this morning. Cooper will be presented with the award on March 16, 2013 at the New York Marriott Marquis.

Take a look at this year's nominees and get your tickets here.

For over 20 years Anderson Cooper has been an instrumental figure in American journalism. He is the host of the immensely popular CNN show Anderson Cooper 360°, and is a contributor to CBS' 60 Minutes. Cooper has captivated audiences with his coverage of important historical events, including Hurricane Katrina and the devastating earthquake in Haiti, for which he was awarded the National Order of Honour and Merit, Haiti's most prestigious honor.

Anderson Cooper has long been an advocate for the LGBT community. His wide range of subjects includes the bullying of LGBT youth, families supporting their transgender children, and the dangers of the so-called "ex-gay conversion therapy." For his coverage of issues relevant to the LGBT community, Anderson Cooper has received seven GLAAD Media Award nominations, and has been awarded the trophy three times.

"By sharing his own experiences as a gay man, Anderson has reminded millions of Americans that LGBT people are part of their everyday lives and an integral part of our cultural fabric," said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. "He continues to raise the bar and set a new standard for journalists everywhere, and I'm proud to call him a friend."

The Vito Russo Award is presented to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality. Previous honorees include Ricky Martin, Rosie O'Donnell, and Elton John. The Award takes its name from legendary HIV/AIDS activist Vito Russo, who was also one of GLAAD's founders.

Good Morning America anchors Lara Spencer, Josh Elliott, and Sam Champion will host the GLAAD Media Awards in New York, presented locally by Delta Air Lines. The GLAAD Media Awards are presented nationally by Ketel One and Wells Fargo.  

The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held in New York on March 16, 2013 at the New York Marriott Marquis; in Los Angeles on April 20 at the JW Marriott; and in San Francisco on May 11 at the Hilton San Francisco - Union Square. Additional Special Honorees for each city will be announced in coming weeks.

The 24^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are executive produced by Marc Honaker, Director of Creative Development at GLAAD, and by Josh Wood, founder and president of Josh Wood Productions.  "I am very proud that my company is producing the GLAAD Media Awards this year alongside such great collaborators.  I have always been a fan of the organization and the important work GLAAD is doing to make the world a better place for the LGBT community.  The fight is not over in the United States, or globally, and I admire GLAAD for inspiring and changing opinions through media," said Wood.

Emmy Award winning production designer James Connelly will design this year's set across the three cities. Acclaimed producer and editor Brett Henrichsen will also contribute to this year's GLAAD Media Awards.

For ticket information visit: www.glaad.org/mediaawards

To receive the latest updates on the GLAAD Media Awards, follow @glaad on Twitter and use the hashtag #glaadawards.

Tonight catch all new episodes of Grey's Anatomy, Scandal and Chef Wanted with Anne Burrell.

What to Watch: Thursday, February 21

9:00pm: Grey's Anatomy, ABC (1 hr) NEW

As the situation at Seattle Grace grows even more serious, Catherine encourages Jackson to move to a hospital in Boston, the interns fear their positions will be cut and the doctors meet with a potential investor in hopes of saving the hospital. Check out a sneak peek below.

10:00pm: Scandal, ABC (1 hr) NEW

Pope & Associates are hired by a powerful politician who wants the team to set up a romantic meeting. Meanwhile, David worries that he is being followed and Fitz struggles with figuring out who he can trust in the White House.

10:00pm: Chef Wanted with Anne Burrell, Food Network (1 hr) NEW

Anne searches for the perfect Executive Chef for a 10,000 square foot restaurant in Austin, Texas.

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 Sonny.

____________________________________________________

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
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, www.twitter.com/glaad and www.glaad.tumblr.com.

The Laurel Leader-Call, a newspaper in Jones County, Mississippi, is defending its decision to publish a story on the wedding of Jessica Powell and Crystal Craven, a lesbian couple married earlier this month, despite a rash of vicious Facebook posts, emails, calls and cancellations. 

In an op-ed to readers, titled "Doing our job",  Leader-Call owner Jim Cegielski wrote:

We were well aware that the majority of people in Jones County are not in favor of gay marriage. However, any decent newspaper with a backbone can not base decisions on whether to cover a story based on whether the story will make people angry.

The job of a community newspaper is not pretending something didn’t take place or ignoring it because it will upset people. No, our job is to inform reads what is going on in our own and let them make their own judgments. That is exactly what we did with the wedding story. Our reporter heard about the wedding, attended it, interviewed some of the participants and wrote a news story. If there had been protestors at the wedding, we would have covered that the exact same way… but there weren’t any. We never said it was a good thing or a bad thing, we simply did our job by telling people what took place.

Cegielski also addressed those who resented the word “historic” being used in the headline and condemned the epithets heralded at the paper's staff:

You don’t have to like something for it to be historic. The Holocaust, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the Black Sox scandal are all historic. I’m in no way comparing the downtown wedding of two females to any of those events—even though some of you made it quite clear that you think gay marriage is much worse—I’m just saying that whether you liked the story or not, the first known gay wedding to take place in Jones County is still historic.

I can’t help but be saddened by the hate-filled viciousness of many of the comments directed toward our staff… No one here deserves to be berated or yelled at simply because we were doing our job. 

GLAAD applauds the Laurel Leader-Call staff and its owner Jim Cegielski for dutifully reporting the news of Jessica and Crystal's wedding.

Show your support for The Laurel Leader-Call's decision by leaving positive messages on their Facebook page.

(h/t: Queerty.com )

New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow has decided not to speak on April 28th trip at First Baptist Church of Dallas, a mega-church headed by a notoriously anti-gay pastor, which claims over 11,000 members and is funding the construction of a $130 million dollar complex in downtown Dallas. In response to the heavy media attention surrounding the proposed visit to First Baptist Church of Dallas, Tebow released a series of tweets rescinding his decision to visit the church. Tebow stated that:

"While I was looking forward to sharing a message of hope and Christ's unconditional love with the faithful members of the historic First Baptist Church of Dallas in April, due to new information that has been brought to my attention, I have decided to cancel my upcoming appearance. I will continue to use the platform God has blessed me with to bring Faith, Hope and Love to all those needing a brighter day. Thank you for all of your love and support. God Bless!"

The church has come into national attention after the hiring of Pastor Robert Jeffress who has sparked controversy since coming to First Baptist Church of Dallas back in 2007. Among his comments about the unethical nature of Islam and Judaism, Jeffress has also garnered attention for his offensive anti-LGBT rhetoric. In 2009 Jeffress conducted a sermon entitled "Why Gay is Not OK", in which the pastor claimed that Jesus condemned homosexualityn. Nevertheless, the sermon drew many protestors who claimed that not all Christians were willing to support Jeffress's agenda. However, Robert Jeffress has gone even further in his claims that LGBT people are unnatural or immoral by fallaciously stating that 70% of gay people have AIDS. Additionally, the controversial pastor has said that being LGBT leads to pedophilia and to a "miserable lifestyle" of depression, alcoholism, and suicide.

This wouldn't have been the first time that Tim Tebow's athletic prowess has been used as a way to bring attention to potentially controversial movements or organizations. During the 2010 Super Bowl, Tebow appeared alongside his mother in a commercial (not about LGBT issues) paid for by the anti-gay conservative organization Focus on the Family. Yet, Tim Tebow has never publicly endorsed an explicitly anti-gay position. His appearance at First Baptist Church of Dallas, although not an official endorsement of Robert Jeffress's agenda, would have called into question Tim Tebow's choice to spend his offseason associating with such an extremely anti-gay figure.

Although he has never been vocally supportive of LGBT people, Tebow's decision to pull out of his appearance at First Baptist Dallas was a step in the right direction. If Tebow is going to be in Dallas with some free time on his hands, we invite him to visit one of the many LGBT-welcoming congregations in the Dallas area. Jeffress, for what it's worth, says Tebow didn't cancel, he merely postponed his appearance. According to Right Wing Watch:

In an interview today with fellow anti-gay activist Tim Wildmon, the president of the American Family Association, Jeffress said that Tebow told him “he would like to come back to our church at a later date” once the current controversy blows over.

That doesn't sound like what Tebow said, but only time will tell. In the meantime, GLAAD supports Tim Tebow's decision not to use the platform granted to him as a high-profile professional athlete to endorse the anti-gay (and anti-lots of other things) positions of Robert Jeffress. And if Jeffress's anti-LGBT statements played a role in Tebow's decision, it would be an even greater use of his platform if he were to say so.

Following widespread confusion and outcry, the Associated Press (AP) has updated its style guidelines to include "husband" and "wife" as acceptable terminology for people in a legal marriage. The following entry appeared in the AP Stylebook Online, and is scheduled to appear in the 2013 print and mobile additions:

husband, wife Regardless of sexual orientation, husband or wife is acceptable in all references to individuals in any legally recognized marriage. Spouse or partner may be used if requested.

This change in the style guide follows more than a week of widespread criticism about an internal memo that appeared to state the terminology AP generally uses to refer to a married same-sex couple:

SAME-SEX COUPLES: We were asked how to report about same-sex couples who call themselves "husband" and "wife." Our view is that such terms may be used in AP content if those involved have regularly used those terms ("Smith is survived by his husband, John Jones") or in quotes attributed to them. Generally AP uses couples or partners to describe people in civil unions or same-sex marriages.

This memo sparked reactions from GLAAD, as well as advocates like John Aravosis of AMERICAblog, The National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, Michelangelo Signorile of HuffPost Gay Voices, and several others. Individual Associated Press reporters shared that their practice was to refer to married people as "husband" and "wife" regardless of sexual orientation, and a quick glance through the news provided several recent examples of AP reporters getting it right in practice, and not actually following the sentiment put forth by that memo.

Just yesterday, GLAAD called on the Associated Press to add an entry to the AP Stylebook stating that men who are legally married should be referred to as "husband" and women who are legally married should be referred to as "wife", regardless of the gender of the spouse. 

"The new official entry in the AP Stylebook is a welcomed change," said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. "Why it took a breaking-news wire service 10 days to fix the problem remains a mystery, but what's clear is that words matter -- especially at the largest news operation in the world." 

"The AP has never had a Stylebook entry on the question of the usage of husband and wife," said AP Senior Managing Editor for U.S. News Mike Oreskes. "All the previous conversation was in the absence of such a formal entry. This lays down clear and simple usage. After reviewing existing practice, we are formalizing 'husband, wife' as an entry."

Kudos to the the Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette for accurately representing the anti-scientific "ex-gay" advocacy that has come to define the coalition opposing marriage equality in the state of Illinois.  Kudos, because reports like this really help to give insight into what is challenging civil rights in the state.  Hint: It goes way beyond the issue of marriage.

Here's a snip from that paper's report on Wednesday's anti-marriage equality lobby day, with comments from some of the more incendiary speakers:

Pastor Richard Giovannetti of the Standing in the Word Ministries of Morris, told the crowd that "when we have gay marriage we are going to enslave millions of people back into a lifestyle that we know that God can set them free from."

Pastor Linda Jernigan, who said she was "a former lesbian" who now operates a ministry in the Chicago area, asked repeatedly, "Did you know that God can deliver homosexuals?" 

She said it was "a chosen behavior" and that "if you allow God, He can change your behavior."

"Don't believe the lie," she said, "that homosexuality is a civil right. It is not a civil right. Homosexuality is a choice."

FULL REPORT: Foes lobby against same-sex marriage law [News Gazette]

More Illinois reporters should follow suit.  This "ex-gay" component is not just part of the story—this is the story!  If you have one side telling voters, lawmakers, and whoever else will listen that LGBT people can and should be changed, how can you even begin to have a debate on the constituional merits of civil marriage?

**SEE ALSO: Linda Jernigan's GLAAD CAP profile

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano is set to issue a series of directives that will take some steps to help ensure the safety and treatment of LGBT detainees in the immigration system, but the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) is calling on her to ensure those directives are enforced, and to add certain protections.

According to NCTE, under Napolitano's current plans, the facilities where immigration detainees are held would not be pressured to implement these protections immediately or even at all. The problem is worse for those who are intersex or transgender, who face higher rates of rape, sexual assault and violence. There is currently a petition being circulated which is aimed at putting more pressure on Napolitano to strengthen the provisions that protect trans and intersex people, and make facilities comply. NCTE is calling on Secretary Napolitano to add provisions to protect detainees from retaliatory deportation, to increase access to existing types of legal status for survivors of abuse, and to prevent sexual abuse during detainee transportation. The group also wants facility staff to receive training on working with LGBTI people, and assurances that transgender and intersex detainees will be housed and searched based on their gender identity.

Members of the LGBT community, specifically trans and gender non-conforming persons when incarcerated often face mistreatment by fellow inmates and prison staff. A study of California prisons found that transgender women in men's prisons were 13 times as likely to be sexually abused as other inmates (Center for evidence-Based Corrections, 2009).

In May of 2012, the U.S. department of Justiceimplemented the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) to provide protections to LGBTI people in prisons and jails, short-term police lock-ups, juvenile detention centers and community confinement facilities. 

Each year the Berlin International Film Festival honors LGBT cinema with the Teddy Award.  The award recognizes films and people who bring forward political and socially engaging themes that contribute to LGBT acceptance, social change and brings society closer to equality.

This year the Best Feature Film Award went to W imię... (In the Name of) by Małgośka Szumowska.  The film also received the Siegessäule Readers' Jury Award which is given by the Berlin gay and lesbian magazine Siegessäule. W imię... (In the Name of) tells the story of Adam, a gay Catholic priest who finds himself torn between his position in the priesthood and his heart when he meets Łukasz, the son of a rural family.

The 2013 Teddy Jury Award was presented to Concussion by Stacie Passon. The film, which made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January, centers on Abby, a 42-year-old lesbian who starts to reevaluate her life after suffering a head injury, and eventually turns to prostitution to reignite her passion for life.  Following its Sundance premiere, the film was acquired for distribution by The Weinstein Company.

Sébastien Lifshitz’s Bambi, won the award for Best Documentary/Essay Film. Described as "a story of deep-seated confusion, painful rejection and impassioned courage," the documentary chronicles the life of Bambi, a 77-year-old trans woman who overcame the expectations of family and society in order to become the woman she is today.

Taking the award for Best Short Film was another trans-inclusive film, Ta av mig (Undress Me) by Victor Lindgren. Running 15 minutes in length, the Swedish film tells the story of a post-bar hook-up between a young man and a woman who recently transitioned. 

In addition, German film director, author, painter, and LGBT advocate, Rosa von Praunheim, was honored with the Berlinale Camera. The award honors personalities and institutions for their contributions to film and the festival. Von Prainheim was given the award for his outstanding contributions to gay media, including several LGBT-themed films and books.  His latest documentary, Rosakinder, was screened at the film festival after he accepted the award.

This weekend catch all new episodes of Malibu Country, Say Yes to the Dress and Shameless.

What to Watch: Friday, February 22

8:30pm: Malibu Country, ABC (30 mins) NEW

Reba, June and Cash compete to find out who can come up with the best birthday gift for Lillie Mae, but the competition takes a turn for the worst when Lillie reveals her true birthday wish.

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

One bride searches for a gown that is on the more revealing side and another woman hopes to find her perfect dress after having visited over five bridal salons.

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 Sonny.

What to Watch: Sunday, February 24

9:00pm: Shameless, Showtime (1 hr) NEW

Terry catches Ian and Mickey together. Meanwhile, the Department of Family Services takes the Gallagher kids away and Fiona tries to get them back with Frank's help and Kev and Veronica choose their surrogate.

____________________________________________________

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
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, www.twitter.com/glaad and www.glaad.tumblr.com.

When Pope Benedict XVI announced his impending resignation earlier this month, the Roman Catholic Church was on the front page of every major news publication. The move is atypical—not having happened for nearly 600 years—and people began speculating almost immediately about who the successor would be. Since the news broke, some American Catholics have voiced their concern for the future of their Church, and have urged the coming conclave to elect a pro-LGBT Pope. "We call on our Church not only to embrace but to champion the dignity and equality of all humans," said Dignity USA, a pro-LGBT Catholic organization, "regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity." Equally Blessed, a Catholic coalition that created LGBT-positive images this Valentine's Day, released a similar statement:

Pro-LGBT people of faith pray for a pope who is willing to listen to and learn from all of God's people, and for a pope who will realize that in promoting discrimination against LGBT people, the church inflicts pain on marginalized people, alienated the faithful and lends moral credibility to reactionary political movements across the globe.

Vatican officials spoke about the some of the top candidates, none of whom are LGBT advocates: Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, Archbishop of Genoa; Cardinal Marc Oulette, former Archbishop of Quebec; Cardinal Angelo Scola, Archbishop of Milan; Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, head of the Pontifical Council for Culture; and Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, head of the Vatican's office for Eastern Churches. As the candidates are becoming clearer, a pro-LGBT option is looking less and less likely.

A 65-year old English woman seems to have captured much of the spiritual angst of the Roman Catholic community in a letter she wrote to her own Archbishop. "To me," she said, "you (particularly but not exclusively the hierarchy) appear to be a frightened group of men preoccupied with titles, clothing and other religious externals."

I would love to see the so-called ‘Princes of the Church’…get rid of the silk, the gold, the Gucci shoes, the ridiculous tall hats, croziers, fancy soutanes…and substitute bare heads and a simple pilgrim’s staff on all liturgical occasions and that might be taken as a small outward sign of your inner acceptance of fundamental Gospel values.

The frustration is hardly unique to older Catholics, either. In fact, it's far more common among the future of the church. A study by the Barna Group was released this week with new information about Catholics between the ages of 18 and 29. 60% believe that the Roman Catholic hierarchy's position on sexuality and contraception is outdated. A similar study by the Public Religion Research Institute reports 54% of white Catholics and 57% of Hispanic Catholics supporting the marriage of gay and lesbian couples. There is an undeniable groundswell within the Roman Catholic Church, and it will continue to grow whether or not the Vatican is listening. The question practically begs itself: what will the new papal election mean for the majority of American Catholics who are demanding a different ecclesial direction?

The answer is that the new pope's views on LGBT equality will likely have little sway on everyday American Catholics. While the election of a pro-LGBT pope would be symbolic of the Church's recognition of the theological convictions of its people, the election of an anti-LGBT pope will not dissuade the already organized and mobile bodies of Catholic persons who recognize the inherent dignity and worth of LGBT people. These Catholics have been compelled by their faith to promote equality and care for all people.

The Ohio State University has become arguably the most visible and most successful collegiate athletic program to participate in the You Can Play Project for LGBT inclusion in sports.

Recently, Outsports' founder Cyd Zeigler Jr., discussed the issues involving LGBT acceptance in athletics and the importance of participating in the You Can Play project in an interview with Gene Smith, the Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics at The Ohio State University. In the interview, Smith stresses the importance he places on promoting diversity and inclusion in his athletic program. His attempt to foster an environment of inclusion is grounded in the fundamental idea that, "regardless of your background and interests, if you can play you can play." Meaning that sexual orientation does not affect a person's athletic ability.

In line with this, Smith has a desire to rid the locker room of homophobia. Smith also addresses the potential issue of anti-gay religious influence that a coach might wish to incorporate in their playing environment. Smith says he stresses for the coaches at OSU that, "It’s unacceptable to not have an environment of intolerance", which includes having coaches be mindful of running their team with an agenda that might hurt athletes of another religion or of a specific sexual identification. However, the most important concept that Smith is trying to convey to current and potential athletes is that "people’s sexual (orientation) has nothing to do with their ability to play on the field and represent our athletic department." These statements add Smith to the longlist of leaders in athletics who would support anyone identifying as LGBT and feel it would and should not be an issue in sports.

Gene Smith continued with his promise to create an LGBT inclusive environment at The Ohio State University by having the Buckeyes be the first NCAA Division I school to host a "Pride Night" in support of Ohio's LGBT community. The "Pride Night" was held during an OSU men's hockey game against Notre Dame. Smith and OSU's men's hockey team also produced a You Can Play video emphasizing the support an LGBT athlete would have in the school's athletic department.  The fact that a state school from Ohio is the first Division I school to participate in this project may seem surprising. Yet, Mr. Smith gives thanks to the city of Columbus, where the university is located, for housing what many say has become one of the most LGBT inclusive environments in the nation.

Regardless, what may be most important is the fact that OSU's hockey program has over a dozen former players currently in the NHL or affiliated leagues, more than 40 former OSU football players in the NFL, as well as a handful of pro baseball and basketball players and many athletes from other sports that went from OSU to become professionals at their sports. The desire of Gene Smith to create an LGBT inclusive environment will hopefully mean that future pro-LGBT athletes from OSU will enter professional sports prepared to carry this same spirit inclusivity with them at every level.

This is our second guest blog from mixed martial artist Liz Carmouche, who on Saturday will become the first openly gay fighter and one of the first two female fighters in the history of UFC. You can read the first one here, and our interview with Liz here.

By Liz Carmouche:

Tomorrow, Saturday night, at around 7pm Pacific time I will be in the Honda Center, Anaheim, warming up to challenge Ronda Rousey for the Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight title. People in over 150 countries will be tuning in to see me and Ronda – and the other fighters in the UFC 157 card – compete on Pay-Per-View.

The fight is my reward for years of struggling, training and working hard. This is the biggest opportunity of my life. The media attention on this fight, being the first women’s fight in the UFC, has been huge and I am determined to pull off the upset tomorrow.

Four years ago I was in Iraq, serving as a helicopter electrician for the US Marines.  It has been very strange, going from serving as a Marine under “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” and living as closeted a life as possible and living in constant fear of being “outed” by homophobic colleagues – to being interviewed as an openly gay athlete by reporters from the New York Times, LA Times, ESPN and – on Wednesday – even Larry King. 

Somehow, since I signed for this fight, I’ve become a spokesperson for the gay community. It has happened almost overnight. I’ve been telling my own story of how I came out once I left the Marines with the encouragement of the three most important people in my life, my mum, my sister and my partner.  I’ve gone on TV and radio to tell the story how my best friend in the Marines – who I will called identify as “Kim” because we are still friends – was a total homophobe until I came out to her and confronted her with her words and prejudices. I’ve told that story of how she broke down and admitted she didn’t know why she was so homophobic maybe 50 times in the last month to different journalists.

It is hard to see myself as a “spokesperson” for any group or community but it has been an honor to show a wide audience that there’s nothing wrong with being gay. The UFC fans have been awesome, they call themselves “the Lizbos” and this has been a great experience so far. First and foremost the UFC promote me as an athlete and world title challenger and, because challengers are introduced before champions, the first woman to ever step inside the UFC Octagon (the ‘cage’ where the fight will take place).

But the UFC has encouraged gay media to tell my story, and I’ve spoken to dozens of LGBT media and journalists, telling my story.

My girlfriend, Eliza, has been with me here in the official fight hotel all week. She’s come with me to every interview, radio station, TV studio and photo session all week and it has been amazing to have the girl I love with me to share this experience with. My mum and sister are here too, and I feel hugely supported going into this challenge against the best female fighter in the world.

Now, though, the media and interviews stops and it is time to fight. I want to thank everyone from the LGBT community for their support. I will do my best to win that belt as the first openly gay fighter in the UFC.

UFC 157: Rousey vs Carmouche will be live on Pay-Per-View Saturday night 7pm/10pm PT/ET.

Each 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) Jane Lynch will make her Broadway debut this summer as Miss Hannigan, the scheming head of the orphanage in the revival of hit musical Annie. Lynch, whose career started on stage at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Second City, will appear on Broadway for eight weeks only, May 16 through July 14. "Some may say I know a thing or two about playing intimidating authority figures, so I am excited and honored to be making my Broadway debut […] and joining the pantheon of women who have taken on the great and irresistible role of wicked Miss Hannigan," Lynch said of the role.

2) The schedule for SXSW has been released and includes screenings and premieres of several LGBT-inclusive films and documentaries. The Other Shoreprofiles legendary out swimmer Diana Nyad, Pit Stop follows the parallel stories of two gay men living in a small town in Texas, Before You Know It is a new documentary about the lives of LGBT senior citizens, and other LGBT-inclusive screenings include I Am Divine, GBFF, Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton, Natives, Mr. Angel, Continental and Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker.

3) A new full-length documentary about South Africa's first drag king troupe, Bros b4 Ho's, is now available for viewing on YouTube. Watch the full video below.

4) MTV's Teen Wolf this week announced the premiere date for the show's extended third season: June 3, 2013. Show runner Jeff Davis took to the show's social media accounts this week and teased fans with news of filming a romantic scene for out character Danny, which dovetails with earlier confirmation that the upcoming season will include at least one onscreen gay love scene. In other TV premiere news, the UK series Bomb Girls' second season will premiere in the US on Reelz Channel on Wednesday, March 27 at 8:00 p.m. with the second episode airing immediately after.

5) New deleted scenes from the LGBT-inclusive series Game of Throneshave surfaced and one cut scene includes tourney knight Loras Tyrell mourning the death of his lover, King Renly Baratheon. Game of Thronesreturns March 31 on HBO; watch the deleted scene featuring Loras below.

6) Ovation is premiering an ongoing behind-the-scenes music series following some of the biggest names in music as they take viewers through their hits. The series will kick off with Song By Song: Dolly Parton who will share her recollections on six of her most loved tracks over six dedicated episodes featuring insight from those who know Parton best, including out performers Lily Tomlin, Janis Ian, and Brandi Carlile, and allies such as Kristin Chenoweth, Carrie Underwood and Miley Cyrus. "Travellin' Thru," written and performed by Parton specifically for the movie Transamerica, will be featured in the Sunday, March 24 episode of Song By Song. Watch Parton perform the song at the 78th Annual Academy Awards below.

7) GLAAD Media Award nominee Gossip released the video for new single "Get a Job" from their latest album A Joyful Noise. Check out the video below.

8) Bisexual folk singer Amanda Palmer (formerly of The Dresden Dolls) has released a new video with her Grand Theft Orchestra for the single "The Bed Song" from her 2012 album Theatre is Evil. The seven-minute drama follows a couple's life and afterlife and was shot on location at Bard College. Watch "The Bed Song" below.

9) Out & Around is a new documentary that follows couple Jenni and Lisa as they travel the globe in search of international leaders of the LGBT movement. The film needs funding help for editing, scoring and festival submission fees. Learn more about Out & Around at the film's Kickstarter page and watch the trailer below.

Today, CNNMoney.com is featuring the voices of transgender people facing inordinate financial burdens due to unemployment, healthcare costs and homelessness, just because of who they are. In a video, CNN reporter Blake Ellis speaks to Rebecca Juro, a transgender woman who was dismissed from her job after beginning her transition. Rebecca has been unemployed for the last four years, despite applying for almost 100 jobs and having nearly 20 interviews. As the comprehensive report, "Injustice At Every Turn," released by the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force has shown, transgender people grapple with an unemployment rate of 14 percent - double that of the national rate - and also experience high levels of employment discrimination and harassment.

In addition to the video and an accompanying article, CNNMoney.com also included a series of stories in which six transgender people from around the country discuss the obstacles they continue to confront while trying to support themselves. For Keisha Allen, a 45-year-old transgender woman of color in Chicago, the struggle to support herself began early in life at age 16, when she was kicked out of her home. Keisha has been homeless since, and has been rejected by countless employers in interviews for entry-level jobs when they realize her name does not match her ID. "And I believe it's because I'm a woman of color and a transgender woman of color," Keisha says.

Watch the the full video below and read more stories from transgender people confronted by financial hardships at CNNMoney.com.

For more than a year, Florida 8th-grade student Bayli Silberstein, and other students who have endured anti-gay bullying and harassment, have been trying to establish a gay-straight alliance (GSA) at Carver Middle School, only to be met with opposition from school officials. Now, because the federal Equal Access Act prevents schools from discriminating among clubs based on what they think students should or should not discuss, the school board is considering getting rid of all student clubs in elementary and middle schools.

"A lot of kids are already mad at me, thinking I'm the reason their clubs are getting canceled. But I waited to stand up for what I believe, and I wasn't going to take no for an answer," Bayli told WFTV.com after the school board's public hearing on the issue, last week. 

Local and national organizations including Equality Florida, ACLU of Florida, GLSEN and GLAAD have stepped in to help to educate the public and school board about the need for student groups and to help Bayli share her story with the media. 

“The Lake County School Board continues to enable bullies over the safety of their students,” Equality Florida’s Michael Farmer said in a statement. “This is just the latest example of the need for the Lake County School Board to adopt an anti-bullying policy and a nondiscrimination policy that includes LGBT students and staff.”

“People are upset and want the school board to know that sacrificing the needs of all students isn’t fair," wrote Joyce Hamilton Henry, Mid-Florida Regional Director for the ACLU, "and that Bayli and her friends should be allowed to form their club to make Carver a safer school.”

The earliest the Lake County school district can vote to decide whether to get rid of all clubs in middle and elementary schools is March 11.

GLAAD will continue to monitor this story.

On Thursday, Jon Huntsman, a former 2012 Republican presidential nominee and former governor of Utah, wrote an op-ed for The American Conservative in which he voiced his own support for marriage equality and urged other conservatives to do the same.

"I’ve been married for 29 years. My marriage has been the greatest joy of my life. There is nothing conservative about denying other Americans the ability to forge that same relationship with the person they love," Huntsman wrote in the op-ed. While Huntsman has been criticized in the past for his lack of action on LGBT issues, it was a huge step for him to publicly support civil unions for same-sex couples during his time as governor in one of the most conservative states in the nation. At the time, 70% of voters in Utah opposed civil unions. In 2008, he signed into law the "domestic-partnership registry," which allowed counties and municipalities to extend employee benefits to "dependent or interdependent adult designees" (i.e., same-sex unmarried partners). 

Jon Huntsman is one among an ever-growing number of conservatives who have come out for marriage equality. In 2010, former-Republican National Committee head Ken Mehlman came out as gay, a particularly surprising revelation considering he had been the head of George W. Bush's 2004 presidential campaign. Before him, former vice president Dick Cheney and former first lady Laura Bush had both voiced their support for marriage equality. More recently, former Secretary of State Colin Powell expressed his support for marriage equality. There are even more conservatives on the state level who have voted to pass marriage equality in their state.  Every time a conservative political leader comes out for marriage equality, the media reacts as if it is the first time such a thing has happened. However each time, it becomes less and less of an isolated incident. It is important that the media not sensationalize each conservative but rather present them as an ever-growing group.