An attorney for a gay father from Fayette County asked the Georgia Supreme Court on Monday to lift a custody stipulation that prevents the father from bringing his four children around his “homosexual partners and friends.”

“There is no evidence that he and his friends had any inappropriate behavior in front of the children,” Eric Mongerson’s attorney, Hannibal Heredia, said to the Supreme Court justices. “There just isn’t any evidence in this record to justify this.”See Gay father seeks more lenient visitation with children
Southern Voice, GA

From the pulpit of Tabernacle Baptist Church on Sunday, Rev. Al Sharpton called out the Mormon Church and other conservative faiths for mobilizing to support Proposition 8 to ban gay marriage in California while refusing to be as involved in any other social concerns.

“It amazes me when I looked at California and saw churches that had nothing to say about police brutality, nothing to say when a young black boy was shot while he was wearing police handcuffs, nothing to say when they overturned affirmative action, nothing to say when people were being delegated into poverty, yet they were organizing and mobilizing to stop consenting adults from choosing their life partners,” Sharpton told a packed audience on Jan. 11. See Sharpton decries churches pushing Prop. 8 Southern Voice

Once thought nearly vanquished in the Untied States, syphilis is on the rise, particularly in populations of gay men, who may be wary of the prevention message. See Gay men make up 65 percent of syphilis cases
Southern Voice, GA 

About two dozen demonstrators gathered at one of Atlanta’s busiest shopping corridors Saturday to continue protesting California’s Proposition 8 and similar measures that prevent same-sex couples from marrying.

The afternoon protest at the intersection of Peachtree and Lenox roads — which separates Lenox Mall and Phipps Plaza — generated a steady stream of honking horns from drivers responding to signs like, “All I want for Christmas is equal rights” and “When can we vote on your marriage?”

 See Gay rights protestors take their message to holiday shoppers
Southern Voice, GA

In “Couture,” rapper Tori Fixx shows how ironic it is that a musical genre that requires a strong backbone idolizes tepid artists who aren’t bold enough to rap about anything but their car rims and white T-shirts, while marginalizing gay rappers like Fixx who show real bravery by not letting their commercial aspirations prevent them from living authentically. See Godfather of gay rap
Southern Voice, GA

While there is no law in Georgia limiting adoptions by lesbians and gays, prospective parents still face legal and financial challenges that require significant advance planning, according to speakers at a recent panel sponsored by Southern Voice and One Georgia Bank.

Jeffrey Cleghorn, a partner in the Atlanta law firm of Kitchens New, described adoptions options for gays and lesbians. The Georgia standard for legal adoption requires any adult to be at least 25 years old, a state resident for at least six months and financially, physically and mentally able to have custody, although married adults under 25 can adopt if living with their spouse.See Experts recommend advance planning for gay parents
Sovo.com, GA