Clay Aiken Takes Stage for Gay Rights?
February 24, 2010 by James Hipps · Leave a Comment
More than a year after disclosing he is gay, Clay Aiken is speaking before a gay-rights event in his North Carolina hometown.
The News & Observer of Raleigh reported Wednesday that Aiken will deliver a speech about gay rights this weekend at the Human Rights Campaign Carolinas gala in Raleigh.
The 31-year-old Raleigh native, pop singer and 2003 “American Idol” runner-up says he wrote his own speech after remarks provided for him proved too political, including a slam aimed at former President George W. Bush.
OK, Can’t resist a little commentary on this one. Who is Clay Aiken? Where was he on gay rights before he secured his riches from this Claymates or whatever they call themselves? Can’t slam George W? What a putz! Stay home Clay…we didn’t need your help before you so boldly (cough, cough, gag, gag) came out, and we really don’t need your help now…PUTZ!
Visitors Bureau Woos Gay Travel Dollars
September 29, 2009 by Gay Agenda News Team · Leave a Comment
Lee Stanford has booked people’s vacations for 30 years.
But the Silicon Valley travel agent had never been to Chapel Hill until this weekend, when the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau held a symposium for the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association. The forum, held to coincide with Saturday’s N.C. Pride festival in Durham, introduced agents to the area and its attractions.
“The more I know, the more I sell,” Stanford said.
He’s sent people to Savannah and Charleston when booking tours in the South. After getting the visitors’ bureau invitation and seeing Franklin Street — “delightful,” he said — he may add Chapel Hill and Orange County to the list. “If I can support an organization that supports gay people I’m going to do it,” he said.
Read more at: Chapel Hill News!
Durham Passes Pro-Gay Resolution by Unanimous Vote
August 19, 2009 by Gay Agenda News Team · 1 Comment
In the works since March, the Durham City Council finally took up the matter of a pro-gay marriage resolution at its meeting on Monday, Aug. 17. After no debate and little public comment, the council passed the resolution unanimously.
Presented by Durham resident Joshua Lee Weaver, the resolution calls upon the State of North Carolina to extend marriage rights and benefits to same-sex couples. Weaver presented a similar resolution to the Charlotte City Council on June 1 — officials there have yet to take any action on the matter.
“I want the American dream. I want to be able to get married and have that big house with a couple of kids playing in the yard, and that is why it is so important to me. For someone to tell me that I can’t do that (because I’m gay), I just don’t think that’s right,” Weaver told Raleigh news station WRAL.
Read more of this post by Matt Comer at: Q Notes!
N.C. House Passes Anti-Bullying Law
June 23, 2009 by James Hipps · Leave a Comment
According to a post on the News & Observer, the North Carolina House passed legislation earlier today that would add the state to the small list of those that have anti-bullying laws, which include specific protections for students harassed about their “real or perceived sexual orientation.”
North Carolina lawmakers voted 59 to 57 to preliminarily approved the measure, but it wasn’t approved before some intense debate. It is expected the House a final vote will be held today then it will be passed on to Beverly Perdue, the state’s Governor for approval or veto.
One of the Republicans that voted against the measure, Rep. Dale Fowell (Winston Salem) stated:
“The people of North Carolina are being bullied on this floor tonight.”
Fowell accused Democrats of forcing through a bill that holds consideration only for specific categories of students rather than one that would provide equal protection for all students. I personally would like to ask Rep. Fowell when the last time he heard about a youth being bullied, physically abused or committing suicide for claiming to or being percieved as straight was.
One Democrat, Rep. Grier Martin of Raleigh contributed the Republican charges to anxiety about LGBT citizends saying:
“To oppose this bill because you object to one of those categories is to fight the culture wars on the back of a child.”
NC Recognizes Homophobic, Racist Bigot Jesse Helms
June 14, 2009 by Gay Agenda News Team · Leave a Comment
My state is getting over its fringe-conservative hangover, having turned Blue in the last election, but we’ve still got a General Assembly full of lawmakers willing to honor a bigot and homophobe like the late Jesse Helms. But not all of them.
Sen. Julia Boseman (D-New Hanover), North Carolina’s only openly gay or lesbian state legislator, voted against a resolution honoring the life of the late Jesse Helms on Wednesday, June 10. She was the only legislator to register a vote against the honorary resolution. Twenty-six other legislators, meanwhile, sat out of the vote.
The resolution, which passed the Senate 41-1 and the House 98-0, states, “The General Assembly of North Carolina expresses its appreciation for the life and public service of Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., and honors his memory.”
…”I could have never voted in favor of a resolution honoring Sen. Helms because of his divisive history and his anti-civil-rights principles,” said Sen. Floyd McKissick (D-Durham), according to an Associated Press report.
