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Gay Men Attracted to Masculine Features

Gay men have the strongest sexual attraction to the most masculinized male faces, according to a study recently published online in the journal “Archives of Sexual Behavior.”

Edna's Song: A Tribute to My Mother and Mothers Everywhere

By Sr. Correspondent, D. Kevin McNeir

It has been a tradition since the time of pagan pageantry and early Christianity to honor our mothers. At the start of the 20th century here in the United States, Anna Jarvis created Mother's Day as a day for each family to honor its mother - now as we know, it is celebrated on various days in many places around the world. And while the day may change, and the method of celebrating may vary, from Indiana to Indonesia, on one particular day of the year, we honor the mothers of our lives - biological and adopted.



 

But for me, Mother's Day happens 365 days of the year because of the special woman that the Creator chose to be my mother - Edna Lorraine Adkins McNeir Baker.
When our publisher asked me about writing a tribute to mothers I wondered how I could speak adequately about this fiery, feisty phenomenal woman that loves and encourages me more than any other being on the planet. But ... here goes!

Sure we are in a celebratory mode right now because of the special bond between First Lady Michelle Obama and her mother, Marian Robinson, as the recent issue of Essence illustrates for the world to see.

But guess what? I have my own First Mother and while the sacrifices, contributions and achievements of her life may never grace the pages of a publication like Essence, at least now, as an editor and senior correspondent for this website that continues to grow in popularity and readers, I can take a moment to honor her and all of the mothers of our staff and readers whose stars shine just as brightly.

So, what makes my mother, a normal sister from Baltimore, so special?

 
First, she is my muse - my inspiration for writing. She was the one who set me on the lap of the celebrated poet, Gwendolyn Brooks, during a reading at the Detroit Public Library in the late 1960s and started me on my way.

We were one of only four Blacks in the audience - the other two being my cousin, Michael, and my Aunt Evelyn - but Miss Edna was not to be deterred. She walked proudly like the African queen that my father saw when he first laid eyes on her and she told me and Michael that we could be whatever we wanted to be and do whatever we wanted to do - as long as we kept God first in our lives. And Brooks told me the same thing - two sistah girls encouraging a little Black boy who dreamed of being a writer with a message that mattered one day.
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Michael Vick Reality Show?

By Entertainment Correspondent, John Frazier

Michael Vick is scouting for his own reality show, according to this month's Vibe Magazine.

 

 

He's done his time but why would I want to see what his day is like. And the poor dogs that were under his care, what about them? So I ask again, why?

You read it here at GBMNews.com

 
 
 

Microsoft and Helem, a Lebanese LGBT organization, receive IGLHRC 2009 awards

By Sr. Correspondent, Antoine Craigwell

(New York, NY) - Muted, low-key and elegant were the words that best described the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) annual "Celebration of Courage" awards, held for close to 200 invited guests on Monday, Mar 30 at NYU's Kimmel Center. The awards honored a Lebanese gay and lesbian organization, a technology corporation and presented to one of the organization's own, an appreciation for work done.


 

 
Prior to the start of the evening's program, during the cocktail reception, an assortment of Lebanese hors d'oeures were served. Members of the Lavender Light Gospel Choir, dressed in black with Kente cloth sashes over their shoulders, as they heralded the beginning of the program, performed one of their signature songs. Following the choir, Carson Kressley, the television fashion savant who appeared on Queer Eye, and who was master of ceremonies for the evening said in his introduction that he values the work that IGLHRC is doing. "It allows people all over the world to be themselves. We here in the United States do not always realize that people around the world do not have the same rights as we do," he said.

A special recognition award was presented to Debbie Stevens, Group Manager, Microsoft by Patrick McMahon, representing IBM. Accepting the award on behalf of Microsoft, Stevens said her company is proud to receive the recognition and that the company has been promoting LGBT issues since 1989. With gay and lesbians at Microsoft, the company has included gender identity, domestic partner benefits, anti-discrimination policies, and advances in transgender benefits. LGBT groups at Microsoft, Stevens added, have developed contact with other groups and countries globally.

 

 
Debbie Stevens, Group Manager, Microsoft
Hossein Alizadeh, communications director, IGLHRC, then presented the Felipa De Souza Award to the Lebanese LGBT organization, Helem, which was received by the organization's national coordinator Georges Azzi.

Accepting the award, Azzi said that in Sept 2004, about 10 people gathered and started Helem, which in Arabic means "dream," as an underground movement to provide defenses against legal, social and cultural discrimination, and a safe space for LGBT people in Lebanon. When the organization started, at a time when being gay was illegal, alliances were also made with straight groups. But, after receiving support from many politicians, Helem was able to organize its first LGBT public protest in downtown Beruit and as an organization, has partnered with the government in the fight against HIV/AIDS. "For Helem, this award is extremely symbolic - it is a recognition, acceptance and support from the international LGBT community. It is through the relationships with the international community that we receive the strength to carry on. Five years ago there were no LGBT organizations in the Islamic world and now we are reaching a tipping point in the battle against discrimination in that world," he said.

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NBJC Hosts Town Hall Meeting on LGBT Civil Rights

National Dialogue and Black Church Summit Provide Provocative Conversation

By Sr. Correspondent,  D. Kevin McNeir

The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) recently hosted a groundbreaking discussion at Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco, CA which focused on the intersection of race and sexual orientation. Moving Beyond History: LGBT Civil Rights in a Post-Racial America was the subject on the table and it brought hundreds of interested African Americans from a wide range of perspectives and lifestyles including: lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender people, mainstream LGBT organizations, clergy and straight allies.


 

 
Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco, CA
According to NBJC Executive Director/CEO H. Alexander Robinson, while the election of our first African-American President Barack Obama has both made history and changed this country's conversations on race, race remains a key factor in American life and in the efforts to achieve equality for Black LGBT people.

"We are looking at the LGBT movement and asking ourselves what's next? Robinson said. "In the aftermath of significant loses in several states on ballot initiatives, particularly in California, we discovered that there were racial differences and varying opinions on LGBT equality. And we see that there are divisions and racism within the LGBT movement. So we want to talk about that reality and get to the business of building relationships and alliances with those working for racial justice. In addition, we are looking to recruit and enroll people in our educational campaigns and advocacy efforts so we can get laws passed that fully protect LGBT people and our relationships.

 
Rev. Byron Williams H. Alexander Robinson     Rev. Amos Brown
This writer asked Robinson if the issue of relationships, or more candidly, marriage, was more of an issue for white members of the LGBT community than black. Robinson was eager to respond.

"Clearly the financial resources that have been invested in the gay movement have focused on marriage," he said. "And the individuals funding that have been primarily white gays and lesbians, many of whom have the means to do so. But in other segments of the overall LGBT movement and in certain parts of the country, there are many equality issues that are either equal to or take priority over gay marriage. For example, in North Carolina there is no protection based on sexual orientation, so clearly that is the issue that is of the greatest importance.

Robinson adds that with the theme of the town hall meeting, Moving Beyond History, one of the goals of the planners was to begin to talk about what race means in 2009 and the issues that must be brought to the table as it relates to the lives and well-being of African-American LGBT people.


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Lola's NYC Soul Food Resturant Closes

By Entertainment Correspondent, John Frazier






"Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstances."
-Bruce Barton

Many of you may recall that  in June 2008, I interviewed Ms. Lola , owner of NYC's famous Soul Food Restaurant. At that time, a SoHo neighborhood action team was fighting tooth and nail, in hope to kick "Lola's" out of its mostly "Lilly" white community.

Unfortunately due to this team's actions  and the economy, the fight to keep Lola's open has been lost.

 

Below is a note that I received from Lola and Tom, regarding this eatery.

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Openly gay Fred Davie will serve on the Policy Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

By Victor Kerney

Folks were concern about Obama extending the Faith based initiatives Bush started years ago. However, there could be a new twist to that. The President just named Fred Davie to serve on the Policy Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

But what's so special about this? Well, Fred is openly gay and the president of Public/Private Ventures, an organization that creates and strengthens programs to improve the lives of residents in low-income communities.

In this role, Davie will provide objective, nonpartisan advice to the President on public policy matters, including strategies to strengthen the social services and community- and faith-based organizations, and their potential as part of long-term economic recovery efforts.

Trouble For LGBT Teens of Color

By Victor Kerney

The news is not good for LGBT teens. A study: Shared Differences: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students of Color in Our Nation’s Schools found that LGBT kids of color are experiencing overt prejudice and considerable negative peer pressure.



 
More than four out of five students within each racial/ethnic group, reported verbal harassment in school because of sexual orientation; about two-thirds reported harassment because of gender expression.
 
At least a third of each group reported physical violence in school because of sexual orientation.

 

More than half of African American, Latino, Asian and multiracial students  reported verbal harassment in school based on their race or ethnicity.  Native American students were less likely than other students to report experiencing racially motivated verbal harassment.
The study found that about a quarter of African American/Black and Asian/Pacific Islander students have missed class or days of school in the prior month because they felt unsafe. Latino, Native American, and multiracial students were even more likely to be absent for safety reasons – about a third or more skipped class at least once or missed at least one day of school in the prior month for safety reasons.
Native American students experienced particularly high levels of victimization because of their religion, with more than half reporting the highest levels of verbal harassment, and a quarter experienced physical violence.
It's scary to see our youth going through the same mess we went through . The harrasment, violence and abuse needs to stop. Change must come for next generation's sake.
 

Guess who's a terrorists?

By Viktor Kerney

Terrorists and those insidious underground cells are a considerable national concern. Worry not America because the Maryland State Police Department is on the job! Recently, Maryland's finest made sure that a particularly devious terrorist group stayed under heavy surveillance.

And which group was that?

Equality Maryland, naturally!

The Washington Post reported that the group was classified as a terrorists organization in a Maryland State Police database. Also Equality Maryland was considered a "security threat" by the Homeland Security's Intelligence Division.

I'm a bit lost on this one. Maybe if you feared being turned into flag carrying queer by such group would you consider Equality Maryland a threat.

Let's face it, only in some warped world would Equality Maryland be considered a threat to national security. I wonder who else is on this list. The Masons? Fraternities? Book Club members?

Who knows, but please check out the Equality Maryland's site. Maybe you can help The Maryland State Police Department uncover all the dangerous activity going on there?

 

South Africa: Joburg Carnival to Welcome the New Year

By Rudo Mungoshi
BuaNews

Johannesburg — It's almost that time of year again, when brightly dressed performers take to Joburg streets to celebrate the New Year with a bang.

Hosted by the City of Joburg and the South African Police Service, the Joburg Carnival will again give Joburgers the opportunity to bid a colourful farewell to 2008, reports Joburg.org.

 

 

Performers from several African countries, such as Nigeria, Burundi, Senegal and Tanzania, will participate in this year's festivities, adding extra spice and excitement.

This vibrant annual event will start at 2pm on Wednesday, 31 December at Berea Park, in Berea, and at Pieter Roos Park, in Parktown. The two groups will meet on Kotze Street, in Hillbrow, and proceed in a single procession to Newtown.

The carnival, which is themed Nyakaza-Joburg unplugged, will travel along Empire Road, Claim Street, Catherine Avenue, O'Reilly Road Joubert Street, De Korte Street, Bertha Street, Nelson Mandela Bridge, Jeppe Street and Miriam Makeba Street.

 

About 20 000 participants, including various carnival troupes, choirs, bands, clowns, stilt walkers and drummers, are expected to take part.

Communities from all over the city have taken part in carnival camps in the run-up to the main event, during which budding artists were trained in various carnival-related arts, equipping them with skills that could eventually earn them a living.

According to Steven Sack, the city's director of arts, culture and heritage services, the carnival will give people in the inner city an opportunity to engage in a free, safe and constructive activity on New Year's Eve.

"The carnival atmosphere captures Joburg's unique urban flavour. It is always a joyous and uplifting experience that symbolises the melting pot of cultures making this edgy, world-class African city," Mr Sack said.

Once at Mary Fitzgerald Square, in Newtown, there will be a concert from 6pm to 2am, featuring acts such Freshlyground, KB, Wonderboom and MXO.

"No alcohol, weapons or fireworks will be allowed, and the police and emergency services will be on hand to ensure that the evening's festivities run smoothly," he said.

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