Durbin Admits To Beating Gay Man
WHEELING — James Durbin 38, told Judge Arthur Recht that he beat a 40-year old gay man in the streets of Wheeling. The victim tells 7 News that he called him a faggot just before the brutal beating that left the victim hospitalized with more than 20 stitches, a broken nose and swollen, blood filled eyes.
Police officers who responded to the beating were prepared to testify that they saw Durbin beating the man. However, Durbin’s attorney said there would be no need for the testimony because his client admits to beating the victim while he was out on bond for domestic violence charges.
Durbin allegedly bit his father’s shoulder and allegedly punched his stepmother earlier this year. Judge Recht says the beating violated his terms of bond and he ordered Durbin held in the Northern Regional Jail without bond on all of the charges against him.
Ohio County Prosecutor Shawn Turak says that if Durbin is found guilty on all of the charges he could face life in prison. Prosecutors can not charge him with a hate crime under West Virginia law.
See Durbin Admits To Beating Gay Man State Journal * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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McDonald’s Agrees To Training and Settlement After Staff Called Gay Customers “Faggots,” Super-Size Training For Management Offered After Kentucky Incident
LOUISVILLE, KY – Nine months after an employee at a McDonald’s restaurant in downtown Louisville called a group of gay customers a series of anti-gay slurs, the American Civil Liberties Union announced today that McDonald’s has agreed to a cash settlement and diversity training for management at 30 of its Louisville-area restaurants.
Ryan Marlatt, Teddy Eggers, and three other friends had stopped for lunch at a McDonald’s restaurant on East Market Street on July 26, 2008 while visiting Louisville for the weekend. While they waited for their food to be prepared, an employee behind the counter referred to them as “faggots” to another employee. When Marlatt and Eggers objected to the slur and asked to speak with a manager, the employee who had called them “faggots” started arguing with them, repeatedly calling them “faggots” in front of other customers and calling one of them a “cocksucker” and “bitch.”
“The reason we made such a big deal out of this to begin with was because we didn’t want it happening to anyone else, so I’m very glad McDonald’s management is going to be having these trainings,” said Eggers of Indianapolis, Indiana. “We were hurt and upset, but at least we’re adults and can handle being called names. We hated thinking that this kind of harassment might also happen to someone young and vulnerable who would really take it to heart.”
The supervisor on duty refused to refund the group’s purchase, so Marlatt attempted several times in the following weeks to contact both the general manager of the McDonald’s and the corporate offices, with no results. Louisville law prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, so the ACLU filed a complaint in September on behalf of Marlatt and Eggers with the Louisville Human Relations Commission. In October, representatives of a variety of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender groups as well as other civil rights organizations protested at the downtown Louisville McDonald’s where the incident took place.
Although Marlatt and Eggers only asked for $28, McDonald’s offered them $2000 each on its own, which they accepted, Sun said. The Louisville Human Relations Commission has been thoroughly investigating Eggers and Marlatt’s complaint since it was filed last September and helped negotiate the settlement between the parties.
“We’re really grateful to the Louisville Metro Human Relations Commission for its investigation, as well as to our friends at the Fairness Campaign, and commonGround at the University of Louisville, for keeping the pressure on McDonald’s to do the right thing,” said Michael Aldridge, Executive Director of the ACLU of Kentucky. “While we’re fortunate to have a law banning sexual orientation discrimination in Louisville, this goes to show that it’s still important to speak out and do something about it when your rights are violated.”
“McDonald’s could have saved itself a lot of embarrassment if they’d just done the right thing from the start and done something about this, but it’s great that so many people stood up for us and came forward to say treating people the way we were treated is wrong,” said Marlatt. “We just hope the trainings keep McDonald’s from letting this happen to any of their customers from now on.”
When their Louisville Human Relations Commission complaint was filed, Marlatt and Eggers asked for a refund of the money they spent on the McDonald’s meal, and asked that one employee – the cashier who objected to the other employee’s name-calling – be commended. “She was the only employee in the whole place who tried to help us,” said Eggers. “I hope she hears about this and knows how much we appreciated her sticking up for us.”
“While we wish Ryan, Teddy, and their friends hadn’t had to go through this whole experience to begin with, we’re glad that at least McDonald’s is taking steps to prevent anything like this from happening again in the future,” said Christine Sun, a senior staff attorney with the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Project who is representing Marlatt and Eggers. “Businesses should treat all of their customers with respect regardless of their sexual orientation.”
A video of Marlatt and Eggers telling the story of what happened to them as well as their complaint to the Human Relations Commission can be found at http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/discrim/36781res20080916.html.
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New Report Reveals that Bullying of Gay Students in Oregon in a Problem
The groups are joining with lawmakers to strengthen Oregon’s anti-bullying law and create safeguards for youth in Oregon schools.
A new report, Too Afraid to Learn: Barriers to Post-Secondary Education for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students, analyses a survey of 3,500 Oregon college students about the climate for gay and transgender students at high schools and universities.
“One in three gay and transgender students in Oregon indicate that the hostile climate in their high school created a significant barrier to graduation,” said Tash Shatz, of the Oregon Students Equal Rights Alliance.
“And more than half of gay and transgender college students concealed their sexual orientation or gender identity for fear of personal safety, discrimination, or rejection.”
Scott Schmitz, a junior at Oregon State University told the report’s authors: “One of the reasons I decided to come out as gay to my family, when I was nineteen rather than thirteen, was because I was afraid of becoming homeless.
“When I did come out my family pushed me away and made it explicit that if I didn’t change they wouldn’t talk to me again.
“After telling them that my sexuality was not a phase, I was cut off from them. I did not expect that they were going to stop supporting my education.
“I was not allowed home for Christmas or Thanksgiving and the communication we had was limited.”
And his problems did not end there. When he tried to apply for financial aid for his university education he came up against bureaucracy as his parents refused to supply him with their tax information which had to accompany the financial aid application.
The report makes seven key recommendations:
■ Provide inclusive and informed services for LGBT students.
■ Provide safe and inclusive housing for LGBT students.
■ Create policies and legislation that protect LGBT persons from discrimination and harassment on campus.
■ Institutionalize data collection on LGBT students.
■ Actively work to recruit and retain LGBT staff and faculty.
■ Establish gender neutral facilities such as bathrooms and locker rooms.
■ Ensure that all service providers on campus receive education on LGBT issues.
A second report demonstrates that minority youth are far more likely to be the targets of bullies than white youth.
“African American, Latino and Native American youth report up to 23% higher levels of harassment in our schools than white students,” said Ebony Smith, of the Oregon Students of Color Coalition.
“We have a responsibility to take action now, to ensure that our schools are safe for all youth.”
Advocates released these reports as the Legislature begins deliberations on House Bill 2599, legislation designed to strengthen and enhance Oregon’s existing anti-bullying statute.
HB2599 would ensure state-wide adoption of anti-bullying and anti-harassment policies, create clear notice and complaint procedures and establish a comprehensive approach to address bullying.
The proposal strengthens existing statute by clarifying the definition of bullying, adding specific guidelines for making the policy available to the school community, and encouraging training programs. The legislation is expected to have its first hearing in the House Education Committee in early March.
“House Bill 2599 will strengthen Oregon’s anti-bullying law, ensure state-wide implementation, and help keep all children safe,” said Sonya Fischer, a disability advocate and Board Member with Family and Community Together.
She added, “This will make a difference for youth with disabilities who are too often the targets of bullying.”
Matthew Rose, a University of Oregon senior said: “Four and a half years ago, when I first attended the University of Oregon, I was a closeted person of colour. Going to college was going to be an opportunity to explore my identity in a place that I thought would embrace my development and growth.
“Despite the relatively liberal nature of my surroundings, words and phrases such as “faggot” and “that’s so gay” were commonplace, and even when said in front of authority figures, there were little to no responses.
“The homophobic environment made me think twice about coming out. I fight the daily battle to challenge racism and negative stereotypes of Black Americans.
“I was not ready to be in another fight, especially, when no one else was leading the charge. Finding the support to deal with my identity in a healthy manner was difficult.
“The University of Oregon does have resources for the LGBT community; however as a person of colour these spaces do not really resonate with me. I strongly identified with my racial identity and had only newly come into my sexual identity; I felt there wasn’t a space where I could be fine with both.”
House Education Committee Chair, Rep. Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis), joined advocates today at the launch of the two reports.
“All kids should grow up free from fear of intimidation and harassment at school,” she said.
“By strengthening school anti-bullying policies, we can make Oregon schools safer, stronger and more secure.”
Rep. Gelser, a mother of four, chairs the House committee that is considering legislation to update and strengthen the bullying statute.
■ Click HERE for Too Afraid to Learn: Barriers to Post-Secondary Education for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students.
■ Click HERE for No End In Sight: An Examination of Oregon Healthy Teens Survey reports of harassment of youth of color in Oregon Schools.
* Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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John Rocker calls radio host “Jew faggot” three times
Former Atlanta Brave John Rocker used anti-gay slurs and anti-Semitic statements against local radio host Steak Shapiro during an altercation at the W Buckhead hotel’s grand opening last week.
News of Rocker being tossed from the glitzy Jan. 22 party was reported in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The newspaper stated Rocker used ethnic slurs against Shapiro, who hosts a sports talk show on AM station 790 The Zone, and in later stories reported that Rocker kept calling Shapiro a “Jew.”
The AJC did not report that Rocker used the word “faggot.” However, Shapiro, who is not gay, confirmed to Southern Voice on Jan. 27 that Rocker used the slur against him.
“It [faggot] is one of his favorite terms and he used it multiple times,” Shapiro said. “His exact words at least three times [were], ‘You Jew faggot.’ He is a pathetic guy.” See John Rocker uses anti-gay slurs again
Southern Voice, GA
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Landmark rulings strengthen gay rights in UK workplace
Discrimination against gay people in the workplace will be treated more harshly by the courts after two landmark judgments yesterday.
Lillian Ladele, the registrar who refused to conduct same-sex civil partnership ceremonies “as a matter of religious conscience”, lost her case against Islington council in north London. And Stephen English, a married man who was driven out of his job after being repeatedly called a “faggot” by colleagues had an employment tribunal ruling that he had not been the victim of sexual harassment overturned by the court of appeal.
The employment appeal tribunal ruled that Islington council had been entitled to discipline Ladele and threaten her with dismissal, even though her conduct was the result of “her strong and genuinely held Christian beliefs”.
The council had been entitled to the view that “it was unacceptable discrimination for the claimant to refuse to participate in civil partnership ceremonies. It offended some gay employees and involved discriminating against third parties making use of the services of the council.” Although the tribunal acknowledged that changes in social attitudes towards gay people could be “genuinely perplexing” for some religious groups, it ruled that it was proportionate for the council to require its registrars to conduct civil partnerships. Ladele, whose case was financed by the Christian Institute’s Legal Defence Fund, said she would appeal.
See Landmark rulings strengthen gay rights in workplace
guardian.co.uk, UK
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Straight man wins claim over gay taunts
Stephen English, 56, who is heterosexual, was repeatedly called a “faggot” by workmates purely because they found out he had been educated at boarding school and lived in Brighton, the Court of Appeal heard.
The colleagues knew he was not gay but still suggested, in an in-house company magazine, that he had worn “skin-tight Lycra cycling shorts” to Brighton’s Gay Pride parade.
Mr English, 56, who worked as a sales representative for blind and awning maker Thomas Sanderson of Portsmouth, claims he had to leave his position because of the campaign of abuse.
He made a compensation claim for sexual harassment but it was initially rejected by an employment tribunal, and then by the Employment Appeal Tribunal.
However, the Court of Appeal reversed those decisions saying Mr English had been sexually harassed by the homophobic comments and it was irrelevant whether he was in fact gay or not.
See Straight man wins claim over gay taunts
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom
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