Tag Archives: lesbian

Open house today at lesbian-run rescue with Denton mayor declaring it TX Siamese Rescue day

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The Texas Siamese Rescue will celebrate the story of one of its rescues that is now a book at an open house today in Corinth after the mayor of Denton declares it Texas Siamese Rescue day.

“Little Orphan Oakley” was written by Linda McMurry Rollins about her journey to finding precious Oakley at the rescue after he was brought to the ranch from a kill-shelter in 2000.

After the rescue’s founder died last year and left the rescue with a debt of more than $200,000 to pay for the home that houses the cats and the lesbian couple that took over the rescue, McMurry thought Oakley’s adoption story could help benefit the rescue, director Alisa Lee said. All proceeds will go toward the debt, of which all except $40,000 has been forgiven by the lender.

“Our prayer is that after all those years ago when we saved Oakley, his story will now help save the rescue,” Lee said. “It explains what we do here better than any other medium. We have high hopes and dreams in true Texas style, and we know that animal lovers in the Metroplex have the kindness and potential to help save this amazing place.”

The open house is from 2-3 p.m. and will feature a proclamation order from Denton Mayor Mark Burroughs about the rescue’s involvement in the community, Lee said. He will declare today Texas Siamese Rescue day for the city of Denton.

The public is invited for light refreshments and the opportunity meet the roughly 70 cats and purchase the book, which is also available on Amazon for $10. Adoption applications will be received for the wide selection of available pets.

The rescue is located at 1123 N. Corinth St., Corinth, TX 76208. For more information, call 940-367-7367 or click here.

A video with art from the book is below.

—  Anna Waugh

The gay interview: Brandi Carlile

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Here’s what we know about Brandi Carlile: Her lung power is a bigger threat to humanity than any nuclear war; she’s cool enough to sing with Elton John (who recorded a track with the singer for her last studio album, 2009’s (Give Up the Ghost); and she’s a totally girl-crazy out singer-songwriter. Carlile’s fourth LP, Bear Creek — named after the secluded studio outside of Seattle she and her twin collaborators recorded in — takes her further into the Americana genre she’s gradually pursued since dropping her debut seven years ago.

We have a review of Carlile’s new CD coming up in this week’s print edition, but before you read the review, check out this interview with Chris Azzopardi about why she only writes about ex-girlfriends, who (or what) “Josephine” is and the twins she’s seen naked. A lot.

Continue reading “The gay interview: Brandi Carlile” »

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

Victory Fund endorses out lesbian Ann Johnson in Texas House race in Houston

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The Washington D.C.-based Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund announced 17 endorsements Tuesday including Houston’s Ann Johnson.

Johnson, who is the daughter of former state Rep. Jake Johnson, ran unopposed in the Democratic Primary in House District 134. She will face against one-term Republican incumbent Sarah Davis in November.

Johnson is a former prosecutor who handles child advocacy cases in a private practice, representing victims of bullying and harassment in public schools.

If Johnson wins in November, she will be the second lesbian voters send to the state House after Mary Gonzalez’s election in the Democratic Primary in May. Gonzalez doesn’t have Republican opponent in the general election.

Victory Fund spokesman Denis Dison said having two openly LGBT legislators join the Texas House would intensify the impact and change in dialogue among the conservative-controlled House.

“Ann’s deep experience as an assistant district attorney and legal advocate for kids makes her well-suited to serve in the Texas House,” he told Instant Tea. “She is carrying on her family’s impressive legacy of public service, and we are proud to support her campaign.”

Look for more about Gonzalez and Johnson in Friday’s Dallas Voice.

—  Anna Waugh

Methodist convention votes down equality

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Eric Folkerth

The General Convention of the United Methodist Church voted down any new acceptance or equality of its gay and lesbian members.

While still the largest mainline Christian denomination in the United States, the number of Methodists is shrinking in this country and growing overseas. About 40 percent of the delegates to the convention taking place in Tampa were conservatives from Asia and Africa.

Gay and lesbian Methodists as well as allies would like to remove a line from the Book of Discipline that says, “The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”

At their quadrennial conference, two agree-to-disagree proposals were voted down.

One would have changed the Book of Discipline to say gays and lesbians are “people of sacred worth” and that church members differ about whether homosexual practice is contrary to God’s will.

That was voted down 54–46 percent.

Another proposal was voted down 61–39 percent. That one would have acknowledged limited understanding of human sexuality and refrained from judgement of gays and lesbians.

Eric Folkerth at Northaven UMC, the Methodist church with the longest history of welcoming the LGBT community in Dallas, was unavailable for comment today, but previously told Dallas Voice, “After the last conference, we lost members,” and he’s bracing for that again.

—  David Taffet

Lesbian couple featured in J.C. Penney catalog, reigniting hate group’s boycott of company

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An ad in J.C. Penney's May 2012 catalog featuring Wendi with her mom, partner and daughters. The ad says Wendi's mom is an artist with a gallery in Granbury, south of Fort Worth.

The boycott of Plano-based J.C. Penney is back on by hate group One Million Moms after a lesbian couple was featured in the store’s May catalog. The ad features Wendi with her mom, partner and daughters with the words “freedom of expression” over the picture.

“You’ll often find Wendi, her partner, Maggie, and daughters elbow-deep in paint, clay or mosaics,” the ad reads. Further on it explains that Wendi’s mother is an artist with a gallery in Granbury, Texas, and reiterates that the picture is of “Wendi with her mom Carolyn, daughters Raven and Clover, and partner Maggie.”

OMM ended the J.C. Penney boycott in March after the company came out in defense of selecting lesbian comedian Ellen DeGeneres as its spokeswoman. While “so many issues” OMM is working on took precedence before, the group states on its website that it has “no choice but to move on earlier in the year but have decided to revisit this issue and speak out again.”

Apparently store managers who received complaints from OMM supporters or those who disagreed with DeGeneres representing the company were “brushed off,” according to OMM.

“Last time OMM contacted JC Penney store managers, we were brushed off,” OMM states on its website. “Some even experienced in person the store manager saying ‘Thank you’ and walking off while their customer and our concerned members were in mid-sentence. OMM has been told that JCP corporate office told store managers to say ‘Thank you’ and then walk away. If they want our business, then we will not be ignored!”

OMM is again asking store managers be approached so they will take the complaints to corporate. The group also wants emails sent to jcpcorpcomm@jcpenney.com, stating that J.C. Penney blocks OMM’s prewritten letters from its server.

Maybe because the company has addressed concerns and no longer wants its employees bothered. Just a thought.

After the jump, read the full concerns of OMM regarding the ad.

Continue reading “Lesbian couple featured in J.C. Penney catalog, reigniting hate group’s boycott of company” »

—  Anna Waugh

Lesbian saves Orthodox Jewish athletes

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Beren Academy

Mayor Annise Parker has prevailed. She intervened in the case of an Orthodox Jewish high school in Houston and according to the Houston Chronicle, they will be allowed to compete.

For the first time in its history, the Beren Academy’s basketball team is competing in Class 2A in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) state basketball championships. But the Beren School is an Orthodox Jewish school and the state championships are played on Friday night — Shabbat.

Parker noted in her complaint to state officials that Texas already makes a religious exemption — games are not played on the Christian sabbath, Sunday.

The school would have had to forfeit.

With the change in time to Friday afternoon, the school will be able to compete and the Texas basketball champs (Class 2A) may just be — the Orthodox Jewish kids from Houston. Even Reform synagogues in Dallas are cheering for them.

Which reminds us of the great line from the movie Airport.

“Oh stewardess. Do you have something light to read?”

“Yes, I have this pamphlet, Great Jewish Sports Heroes.”

—  David Taffet

NBC’s “Awake” pits gay actors against each other

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One of the gay people pictured isn’t real.

Yeah, we’ve heard that before.

Not the actors of course — Tony and Emmy Award winner Cherry Jones and Tony winner B.D. Wong — but the characters they play on Awake. Both play psychiatrists; both treat the same patient. Only one of them doesn’t exist.

It’s not just that they are two very talented gay actors that I have cleaved to this relatively minor point (that is part of a much bigger concept). It’s because one of them doesn’t — and never did — exist. And they are the only ones.

It’s confusing, as the series, which debuts tonight on NBC, can be. The series would probably fare better on cable, where its quirkiness would play better. The idea is that a cop (Jason Isaacs, hunky as ever) was in a car accident with his wife and son; he survived; so did one of them. But in one reality, it’s his wife who lived; in the other, his son. He’s not sure which.

And that’s where the gay therapists come in.

In his sessions with them — one in each reality — he can admit that he alternates between waking universes, not sure which one is the true on. Both Jones and Wong assure him that their reality is the actual one. Which means one of them is wrong.

There are many other changes in Isaacs’ worlds: Different cop partners, different cases to solve, but all intertwined. It’s only on the psychiatric couch that everything is separate. They are the only characters aware of the competing realities. So I found myself rooting, not for his wife or son, but for which gay actor I wanted to return for season 2.

That’s probably not a problem. As soon as they answer the question, the series is over.  I saw a screener of Awake two months ago before the network even knew when it would debut on the schedule. They dropped it pretty quick — right after February sweeps ended and before May’s begin. Doesn’t show much confidence in it.

Lesbian or the gay man… How to choose? It’s likely to keep me awake.

Watch the trailer after the jump.

Continue reading “NBC’s “Awake” pits gay actors against each other” »

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

Business Briefs: AssociaTitle names Mark Sadlek director of business development

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AssociaTitle names Mark Sadlek director of business development

Mark Sadlek

AssociaTitle announced it appointed Mark J. Sadlek director of business development at its corporate headquarters in the heart of Uptown Dallas at Crescent Court.

“We are thrilled to be adding Mark Sadlek to the AssociaTitle team,” said AssociaTitle President Paul Reyes. “He is a seasoned real estate professional in the Dallas area with a track record of proven success and will serve both our clients and our company well.”

Sadlek joins AssociaTitle from Republic Title of Texas, where he served as vice president of business development and director of coaching services. He worked to build and promote the company externally with Realtors, developers and lenders. His focus also included business coaching and training.

He has also served as vice president of business development for American Title and as home mortgage consultant for Shelter Mortgage & Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. Previous to his work in the North Dallas real estate industry, Sadlek worked in marketing and sales for almost 20 years and was intimately involved in the start-up of two companies, VerCeram and Velux-America.

For the past nine years, Sadlek has worked in the North Dallas real estate industry, building positive relationships with local Realtors and lenders. He was awarded the 2010 Affiliate of the Year Award from MetroTex Association of Realtors, served on the MetroTex Board as an affiliate appointee board member, and chaired the Affiliate Forum Committee of MetroTex.

He was a co-founder and co-chair of Leadership Lambda Inc., an LGBT leadership development organization. He was also a board member of Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA) and has chaired the Heart Strings Fundraiser at the Majestic Theatre. Additionally, Sadlek served on the Board of Governors for the Human Rights Campaign, as well as a co-chair of the Dallas-Fort Worth Federal Club.

Ernst & Young Announces Gross Up for Jan. 1

On Jan. 1, Ernst & Young joined more than 30 major U.S. employers that are equalizing the pay for gay and lesbian employees by covering the cost of state and federal taxes for domestic partners.

Employees enrolled in domestic partner benefits incur additional taxes as the value of those benefits is treated as taxable income under federal law, while the value of opposite-sex spousal benefits is not.

Federal law treats domestic partner benefits differently from federally-recognized spousal benefits.

—  David Taffet

Measure would ban anti-LGBT discrimination in Houston

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Charter amendment could also allow DP benefits for city workers

DANIEL WILLIAMS  |  Contributing Writer

HOUSTON — Long-brewing plans to place a city-wide non-discrimination policy before Houston voters became public this week.

Since December a coalition of organizations and leaders have been working to draft a city charter amendment that would make it illegal to discriminate in housing, employment or public accommodations on the basis of  “age, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or physical characteristic.”

The amendment would also remove anti-LGBT language added to the Houston city charter in 1985 and 2001 — which could allow the City Council to vote to offer health benefits to the domestic partners of municipal employees.

Houston Mayor Annise Parker, who famously became the only out LGBT person elected mayor of a major American city in 2009, has declined to comment on the proposed charter amendment until the language is finalized. She told the Houston Chronicle: “I believe it’s important for the city of Houston to send a signal to the world that we welcome everybody and that we treat everybody equally, and depending on the elements of what was actually in it, I might or might not support it,”

According to Equality Texas Executive Director Dennis Coleman, the prospect of Houston voters approving the non-discrimination amendment has ramifications for efforts to pass similar measures in the state Legislature.

“Nondiscrimination in Houston builds a better case for us when we go for nondiscrimination in Austin,” said Coleman. “To be able to tell representatives that they represent areas that already support these efforts is very helpful.”

The cities of Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth all already have similar nondiscrimination ordinances and offer DP benefits to employees.

But Houston’s form of governance makes this effort unique. While the City Council is empowered to pass city ordinances covering issues of discrimination, they can be overturned by popular vote if those opposing the ordinance collect 20,000 signatures to place the issue on the ballot.

That was the case in 1985 after Houston Mayor Kathy Whitmire pushed through the council the city’s first protections for gay and lesbian Houstonians (no protections were provided for the bisexual or transgender communities).

A coalition of right-wing voters led by Louie Welch, then president of the Houston Chamber of Commerce, was able to place the issue on a city-wide ballot, claiming the policy “promoted the homosexual lifestyle.” The group also recruited a “straight slate” of candidates to run against City Council members who had favored the protections, with Welch running against Whitmire.

The public vote on nondiscrimination was held in June 1985 and Welch’s forces prevailed, but the city’s temperament had changed by the time of the City Council and mayoral races in November. A comment of Welch’s that the solution to the AIDS crisis was to “shoot the queers” was aired on local TV and few in Houston wished to be associated with him after that. The “straight slate” failed to capture a single City Council seat and Whitmire remained mayor, but the defeat of the city’s nondiscrimination policy remained.

By 1998 Houston had changed: Annise Parker was serving as the city’s first out lesbian city council member and Houston boasted the state’s first out gay judge, John Paul Barnich. Mayor Lee Brown, sensing the change, issued an executive order protecting LGBT city employees from employment discrimination. But the city had not changed that much. Councilman Rob Todd led efforts to fight the order in court, arguing that since voters rejected city-wide protections from discrimination in 1985, it was inappropriate for the mayor to institute them without voter approval. The city spent the next three years defending the policy in court, finally emerging victorious.

The joy of that 2001 victory would be shortlived, however. That year Houston’s voters approved another amendment to the city charter, this time prohibiting the city from providing domestic partner benefits for city employees. In a narrow defeat, just over 51 percent of voters decided that the city should not offer competitive benefits.

The current proposed non-discrimination amendment would remove the language added in 1985 and 2001. While it would provide non-discrimination protections it would not require the city to offer benefits of any kind to the spouses of LGBT city employees, leaving that question back in the hands of the City Council.

The organizers of the current effort are confident that this year is the year for victory.

Noel Freeman, the president of the Houston GLBT Political Caucus, which is spearheading the effort, explains that the previous votes occurred in “non-presidential years,”when voter turnout in general is low, and conservative voters make up a larger percentage of the electorate.

Additionally, polling by Equality Texas in 2010 showed that 80 percent of Houstonians support employment protections for gay and lesbian people.

In order to place the non-discrimination amendment on the November ballot the coalition supporting it will need to collect 20,000 signatures of registered Houston voters and submit them to the city clerk. Freeman says that the final charter amendment language is still under consideration and that once it is finalized the group will begin collecting signatures.

Even former Councilman Todd, who once fought the city’s policy of non-discrimination for LGBT employees, supports the current effort.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition February 17, 2012.

—  Michael Stephens