News and Notables

Male Student Crowned Prom Queen

"I felt invincible." That's how 18-year old Sergio Garcia described being crowned prom queen at his Fairfax, LA high school. Garcia, who is openly gay, beat out several female candidates to claim the crown.

"Garcia, 18, spent most of his years at Fairfax openly gay and wanted to be part of the Los Angeles school's prom court -- but not as prom king. He felt that vying for prom queen would better suit his personality, so he decided to seek that crown, running against a handful of female classmates.He said it started out as a bit of a stunt and challenge -- he wasn't sure the school would allow it. But his campaign for queen ended up being serious and sparking dialogue about gender roles on campus. "

"He's among the first male students in Southern California to take the title usually owned by female high school beauties."It just shows how open-minded our class is," said Vanessa Lo, 18, the school's senior class president."

Shiite Cleric Says 'Being Gay Is Bad, But Don't Kill Them!

Well I suppose this shows some progress. Moqtada Sadr, a radical Iraqi Shiite cleric, has declared the "depravity" of homosexuality must be destroyed, but violence against gays must end.

"The purpose of the meetings is to fight the depravity and to urge the community to reject this phenomenon. The only remedy to stop it is through preaching and guidance. There is no other way to put an end to it."

Regarding the recent killings of six gay men in Sadr city, on the outskirts of Baghdad, Atabi said: "Al-Sadr rejects this type of violence … and anyone who commits violence [against gays] will not be considered as being one of us."

Homosexuality isn't illegal in the region, but religious leaders strongly oppose it. In the wake of the recent killings Amnesty International urged Iraq's president and other leaders to condemn the attacks on the gay community, which have even extended to children suspected of being gay.

Exxon to LGBT Employees: "No Equal Opportunity For You"

Exxon's shareholders rejected a proposal to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the company's equal employment opportunity policy. The latest attempt was made by the HRC, as well as the New York City Comptroller and New York City Pension Fund, two large shareholders in the company.

“ExxonMobil continues to have the dubious distinction of being the only Fortune 50 company that refuses to add sexual orientation and gender identity to their non-discrimination policy, and is stuck in the ever-shrinking minority of businesses that don’t offer domestic partner benefits,” said Human Rights Campaign Foundation President Joe Solmonese.

“It is irresponsible for ExxonMobil to ignore overwhelming shareholder support and not to join the majority of companies that provide equal protections and benefits to all families.”

The oil giant is the only American company to have a LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination policy and reverse it.

*Unrelated side note: Am I only who thought 106 and Park's Terrence J was so homophobic and immature when, during a episode last week, demanded that a guy who caught his jacket in the audience give it a girl because, in his all-knowing wisdom, guys shouldn't catch and wear jackets thrown by other guys. Then just today when reading a question from a fan named Cutie, he said "I really hope this from a girl, cause I'mma feel weird is this is from a guy and I'm reading your name," or something like that.

Wow Terrence, I hate to see what would happend if Keith Boykin, Rupaul, E. Lynn Harris or John Amachei ever popped up on your couch. You'd probably run to other side, ball up into a fetal position and splash them with holy water for fear that your precious heterosexuality would be drained from your body with a single touch from a gay man. So sad.