LaFontaine loses race to become Florida's first openly gay state legislator

From Miami Herald election coverage:

Despite raising significantly less than her two opponents, former Deerfield Beach Commissioner Gwyn Clarke-Reed won a seat in the state House of Representatives.

The men who were also vying for House District 92, Wilton Manors Mayor Scott Newton and Oakland Park accountant and activist Mark LaFontaine (pictured), traded jabs as the campaign wrapped up.

LaFontaine had hoped to become the state's first openly gay legislator.

A Deerfield Beach commissioner for 12 years, Clarke-Reed will fill the seat held by Jack Seiler, who has to leave because of term limits. It covers several Northeast Broward cities.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE

• DISTRICT 92

63 OF 68 PRECINCTS: 93 %

Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed
3,248
41.1%
Mark LaFontaine
2,161
27.3%
Scott Newton
2,501
31.6%

Gay Labor Day Weekend tea cruise in Fort Lauderdale

News release (click to enlarge):

AfterElton.com | NBC on Mitcham’s stunning Olympic upset: We can’t cover everything

by Michael Jensen, AfterElton.com editor

All photos courtesy of Getty Images

Burnt out and struggling with depression and anxiety, an up-and-coming Olympic hopeful drops out of his sport two years before the Beijing Games. His coach talks him into resuming training the year before the Olympics and he makes his country’s team which isn’t expected to fare terribly well against China’s powerhouse squad.

Indeed, the athlete performs poorly in his first event, failing to even make the semifinals. In his final event, however, and on his final attempt, he wins in an upset that not only denies China the gold medal, but by winning prevents a gold medal sweep by China in all eight of that sports events.

Now add to that the fact that the athlete also happens to have come out as gay less than six months earlier and is the only out gay male athlete at the games. As If that isn’t significant enough, his victory is easily the highest profile win ever by a gay man in an Olympic event. Both his mother and partner are in the stands to witness his triumph, something they almost didn’t get to do until a grant from Johnson & Johnson financed their trip to Beijing.

Finally, after receiving his gold medal, he climbs into the stands ala tennis’ Patrick Rafter to kiss and hug his partner.

One couldn't write a better script. Surely, that is an Olympic story that must be told, right? Not according to NBC.

The athlete in question is, of course, Australia’s Matthew Mitcham who snagged the gold medal in the Men’s 10 Platform Diving and did so on his final dive by posting the highest score ever given to a single dive during Olympic competition.

Curious why Matthew’s award ceremony and story weren’t gripping enough to make the NBC telecast (the medal ceremony was shown on their website) AfterElton.com spoke with Greg Hughes a spokesman for NBC Sports.

While the issue has been addressed and debated by various blogs and writers, until we contacted NBC they were unaware of the controversy. “I’m not aware of any controversy,” said Hughes. “Yours is the first call.”

When asked why at no point during the coverage did NBC mention Mitcham was gay or that his partner was in the stands, Hughes said, “In virtually every case, we don’t discuss an athlete’s sexual orientation.”

When it was pointed out that in fact the network does exactly that by telling viewers about Olympic athletes’ various spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, and even in one case a heterosexual “love triangle” Hughes responded, “Not in every case. Not every athlete has a personal discussion. I could show you 500 athletes we didn't show. We don't show everyone. We don’t show every ceremony.”

But surely, taking into account Mticham’s stunning come-from-behind victory, the historical significance of his achievement as a gay man, and his own personal history, it seems unlikely the vast majority of those other athletes truly have as compelling a story as Mitcham. Said Hughes, “How do you know that? How do you know that someone on the rowing team doesn’t have as compelling a story?”

To read more, click here.

Pandora Events to present Labor Day Weekend bash at Bongos

Pandora Events news release:

PANDORA at Bongos
Sunday, August 31st

LABOR DAY WEEKEND MEGA BASH

Please join us for the sexiest party of the summer!

DJ Alex H spinning hot house, dance, hip hop and salsa pumping all night long!

Doors open at 10pm
Reduced admission before 11pm

Drink specials
DJ Alex H

Sexy Go-Go Girls Galore
VIP Tables available

Bongos American Airlines Arena
610 Biscayne Blvd., downtown Miami for more information call 305 4956969

Task Force: Pro-gay Christians to tackle racism and gender identity issues at faith conference

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force news release:

Many Stories, One Voice conference in New Orleans, Sept. 4–7,
will address these important issues

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 — Hundreds of pro-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Christians will tackle issues of race, class, ability, age, gender identity and sexual orientation at the Many Stories, One Voice conference to take place in New Orleans, La., Sept. 4–7. Two pre-conference institutes will discuss, analyze and strategize on how to organize around these issues.

On Wednesday, Sept. 3, participants will converge at For Such a Time as This, a gathering of transgender people and allies to discuss the dynamics of ministry with the transgender community, the challenges and advantages of becoming more visible in their faith communities and how to build relationships of support and accountability between transgender people and their allies. This pre-conference institute is convened by TransFaith Online in an effort to highlight transgender people and their concerns, as they become more visible in both secular and religious communities.

“Too often, as Christians and as Americans, we have viewed differences in identity as deficits, as problems, as things to be overcome,” says the Rev. Rebecca Voelkel, Institute for Welcoming Resources and faith work director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. “This conference celebrates the ways in which difference tells us something about the richness and the vast creativity of God. If I do not pause and listen to what God is telling me through my transgender kin, I am the poorer for it. If I do not pause and listen to what God is telling me through my brothers and sisters of color, I am the weaker for it. These pre-conference institutes are critical both for transforming the systems of oppression and for celebrating the gifts that come when we do the transformational work.”

On Thursday, Sept. 4, conference attendees will converge for An Un-Holy Alliance: Racism, Classism, Homophobia, Bi-phobia, Transphobia and How We Can Be Prophets of Liberation. The sad truth is that Christian tradition has been a primary player in both the creation of and the perpetuation of oppression. Utilizing a focus on racism, this day will help participants move beyond the symptoms of racism to an understanding of what racism is, where it comes from, how it functions, why racism persists and how it can be undone. Participants will leave this workshop with a common language and process to use in their work as pro-LGBT Christians.

Many Stories, One Voice: The North American Convocation of Pro-LGBT Christians, convened by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, will offer new tools and training in the areas of faith-based community organizing, media training, board development, fund-raising, research, biblical studies, theology, capacity-building and other concrete skills. Participants will also engage in discussions about issues of race, class, ability, age, embodiment, gender identity and sexual orientation. And in the end, each participant will emerge with individual and shared action plans for how to move the pro-LGBT Christian movement forward.

For more information or to register, please visit www.manystoriesonevoice.org.

Miami-Dade gay chamber August/September events calendar

From the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce:

Mark your calendar and block the following days/times for these important Chamber Events:

August 28 - Thursday - Business Builders Luncheon @ Perricone's Marketplace & Cafe, 15 SE 10th Street, Miami @ 11:30 A.M. (Validated Valet Parking; $4)

September 2nd - Community Bowling League commences @ Lucky Strike Lanes (7 to 11 PM - 2 different 2 hour sessions)

September 4 - Thursday - Monthly Women's Business Networker @ Uhma Spa, Miami Beach, 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.

September 10 - Wednesday - Sandpipers Breakfast - Oriente @ the Cardozo Hotel , 1300 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach @ 7:30 A.M.

September 18 - Thursday - Business Builders Upper East Side Luncheon @ Soyka's Restaurant, 55th Street & NE 4th Court, Miami @ 11:30 A.M.

September 10 & 24 - "Meet the candidates" mixer's at Halo Lounge in South Beach

October 4 - MDGLCC Business & Community Expo

PageOneQ | Video: Gay DNC treasurer -- Andrew Tobias of Miami -- addresses convention

From Michael Rogers:

By PageOneQ

Andy Tobias, the openly gay treasurer of the Democratic National Committee spoke to thousands assembled in Denver's Pepsi Center at the Democratic National Convention. Focusing his speech on the economy, Tobias explained how historically Democrats have brought a better economy than Republicans.

The line that garnered the most cheers, however, had nothing to do with budgets and deficits, but with Tobias's call for civil rights and equal treatment for all. "As a gay man, I yearn for a president who believes in equal rights for all Americans," he said.

Video of Tobias's speech and full text of the speech as released by the DNC follow...

My fellow Democrats, this is the third time I've had the privilege of addressing you: first in 2000, when things were great, with surpluses as far as the eye could see; then in 2004, when we'd already veered sharply off course; and now, in 2008, when Republican mismanagement has really hit home around the kitchen table, where the bills are paid. But we can begin to change that. Because we sure can't afford four more years of this.

The fact is that the economy and the stock market do better under Democratic administrations. And one of the reasons is surely whom Democrats turn to for advice. Senator Obama turns to people like Warren Buffet, the best-respected businessman in the world, and to former Treasury secretaries Rubin and Summers, who helped Bill Clinton shake off the economic malaise of the first George Bush.

Senator McCain turns to lobbyists like Phil Gramm. You know the guy who said, "We're just a nation of whiners." Are we really? Eight years ago, virtually everyone in America was doing better, from richest to poorest. Now look. Inflation is up. Foreclosures are up. Gas is up. Job losses are up. And our national debt -- just 30 percent of GDP when the Reagan-Bush voodoo economics began, will be up to 70 percent -- $10 trillion -- by the time George W. Bush finally leaves office.

Meanwhile Phil Gramm spends his time accusing us of being down. About the only guy who seems to have done really well these last eight years is a guy with a private jet and so many homes that he loses count. In just the last eight years, the Republicans have cut the value of the U.S. dollar almost in half and added $4 trillion to our children's debt. They've done this in just eight years. And now they want four more?

As an investor, I yearn for a president who looks to financial heroes, not corporate lobbyists, for economic advice. As a gay man, I yearn for a president who believes in equal rights for all Americans. But most of all, as an American, I yearn for a president that the world can root for and be inspired by. Because having much of the world on our side again would not only be good for our national security, it would be good for business. Vote Obama, my fellow Democrats. Because, boy, do we ever need a change.

Equality Florida: 'Vote tomorrow - Tuesday, Aug. 26th - Here are our endorsements'

Equality Florida news release:

Supporting Trailblazers and Champions

Equality Florida Action PAC only endorses candidates that meet a combination of our strategic criteria.

1. They must be Champions of LGBT equality
2. They must be running strong in competitive races.
3. In particular, we support qualified, openly LGBT candidates who can bring a vital perspective and much-needed voice to the political debates that impact our lives.

For Additional Endorsement Information, Visit our Local Partners:

Palm Beach County Human Rights Council

Save Dade

Equality Florida Action PAC August 26th Primary Endorsements

Reminder:
Tomorrow is Primary Election Day. Cast your vote for those who support Equality and Fairness in Florida.

Our Top 5 Targeted Races:

• Are strategically vital
• Will be VERY close

Top Targeted Races:

Name:
Running For:
District:
Website:

Mark LaFontaine

State House
District 92
www.marklafontaine.com

If elected, Mark LaFontaine will become Florida's first openly LGBT state legislator - a huge milestone for our entire state. Because there is no Republican opponent, Mark’s race will be decided in the August 26th primary. Mark has a slim fundraising lead and needs our immediate financial support.

Ken Gottlieb

State Senate
District 31
www.kengottlieb2008.com

As a state Representative, Ken Gottlieb championed our safe schools bill from the beginning. At a time when few people in Tallahassee would speak honestly about LGBT issues, Ken was an fearless leader for our community. Both of the other candidates in this race, Eleanor Sobel and Tim Ryan, have strong records of support for LGBT issues, but Ken's outstanding leadership makes him our choice in this tight winner-take-all Democratic primary.

Charles McKenzie

State House
District 55
www.mckenzie2008.com

Charles McKenzie, a minister, has been a visible and longstanding supporter of equality for the LGBT community helping to pass local protections in central Florida. His opponent in this winner-take-all Democratic Primary, Darryl Rouson has been criticized for virulently anti-gay remarks he made during a TV show in 2006. Visit www.eqflblogspot.com for more information.

Hillsborough County

Kevin Beckner

Hillsborough County Commission
District 6
www.KevinBeckner.com

Kevin Beckner has a strong chance of becoming the first openly gay Hillsborough County Commissioner (includes Tampa). His presence on the commission could reverse the anti-gay trend the commission has taken in recent years, which included the banning of any recognition of gay pride events by the county. Kevin has a broad and diverse base of support and is leading his primary opponents in fundraising.

Pinellas County

Darden Rice

Pinellas County Commission At-Large
District 3
www.DardenRice.com

If elected, Darden Rice will be the first openly-lesbian member of the Pinellas County Commission (includes St. Pete / Clearwater). Darden has been a supporter of Equality Florida and the progressive community . She has built a strong coalition of environment, civil rights and community activists. She is leading her primary opponents in fundraising and has an excellent chance to win.

Name:
Running For:
District:
Website

Chris Smith

Senate
District 29
www.chrissmithforsenate.com

As the Democratic Leader in the House of Representative, Chris Smith co-sponsored both Equality Florida's safe schools and adoption bills. A victory would put a well-respected champion for equality in the Senate.

Betty Reed

State House
District 59
www.votebettyreed.com

Representative Betty Reed voted for an amendment to add categories to the anti-bully bill last legislative session including specific protections for LGBT students.

Kevin Rader

State House
District 78
www.kevinrader.com

Candidate Rader received a 100% on our candidate questionnaire and is committed to equality for LGBT Floridians.

Bryan Miller

State House
District 83
www.votebryanmiller.com/

Bryan has been a vocal supporter of the LGBT community and has integrated LGBT issues into his campaign platform. If elected, Bryan will be a true champion in Tallahassee.

Kenneth Thurston

State House
District 94
Kenthurston94@aol.com

Candidate Thurston received a 100% on our candidate questionnaire and is committed to equality for LGBT Floridians.

Evan Jenne

State House
District 100
www.EvanJenne.com

Rep. Jenne has been a strong ally to the LGBT community in Tallahassee. He has co-sponsored several bills, debated on the House floor for an amendment to include LGBT students in the safe schools bill and has spoken out against hate violence.

Richard Steinberg

State House
District 106
www.RichardSteinberg.com

As Commissioner to Miami Beach Richard Steinberg played a key role in passing Florida's strongest Domestic Partnership policy and in adding Gender Identity to the Human Rights Ordinance. Richard’s opponent in the race, Joe Geller, also has a strong record of support for LGBT issues and as mayor of North Bay Village led the passage of a Domestic Partnership policy. However, Richard’s leadership on two key local policy initiatives that have become models for the state makes him our choice in this winner-take-all primary.

Broward County

Robin Bartleman

Broward School Board
District 9
www.Bartleman.com

School Board member Robin Bartleman has been an absolute champion pushing hard at the local and state level for anti-bully policies that include protections for LGBT students. She has stood with our community every time we’ve needed her.

Bryan Caletka

Broward County Commission
District 7
www.electbryancaletka.com

The former Vice-Mayor of Davie, Florida, Bryan is running a strong campaign to become Broward County’s second openly gay Commissioner. Bryan has a 100% rating on Equality Florida’s candidate questionnaire and would be a champion for LGBT issues.

Beverly Gallagher

Broward School Board
District 2
www.BeverlyGallagher.com

Beverly Gallagher has been a strong supporter of protecting LGBT students from harassment and bullying and of including LGBT families in school diversity training programs.

Adriane Reesey

Broward Supervisor of Elections

www.VoteReesey2008.com

Adriane Reesey is running as an out lesbian for the Broward Supervisor of Elections. As chair of the Broward Human Rights Board, Adriane has been an outspoken proponent of adding gender identity protections to the County Human Rights ordinance and has a powerful record of standing for full equality.

Richard Saltrick

Broward School Board
District 1
www.RickSaltrick.com

Candidate Rick Saltrick received a 100% on our candidate questionnaire and is committed to protecting and supporting LGBT students.

Hillsborough County

Caroline Tesche

Circuit Court Judge, Hillsborough County
Group One
www.ElectTesche.com

Caroline is running as an out lesbian for Circuit Judge in Hillsborough County. She is a highly qualified candidate with an extensive legal background and as a community volunteer.

Miami Dade County

Audrey Edmonson

Miami Dade County Commission
District 3
audreyedmonson@aol.com

As County Commissioner Audrey voted in favor of Miami Dade County's domestic partnership registry. She is a champion for our issues and received a 100% on our candidate questionnaire.

Evelyn Langlieb Greer

Miami Dade School Board
District 9
evelyngreer@greerco.com

Evelyn Greer has been a key ally on the Miami-Dade School Board and Miami-Dade County and has stood with the LGBT community many times.

Dr. Martin Karp

Miami Dade School Board
District 3
www.martinkarp.com

Dr. Karp has been a champion on the Miami Dade school board and introduced the districts comprehensive anti-bullying policy.

Palm Beach County

Susan Bucher
Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections

As a State Representative, Susan Bucher was a vocal supporter of LGBT issues and perennial co-sponsor of Equality Florida-backed legislation.

Shelley Vana
Palm Beach County Commissioner
District 3

As a State Representative, Shelley Vana was a key ally in ensuring the safe schools bill addressed anti-lgbt bullying. Shelley has been a longtime supporter and has co-sponsored many of Equality Florida's legislative priorities.

Pinellas County

Janet Clark
Pinellas County School Board at Large 1

Janet Clark received a 100% on our candidate questionnaire and is committed to equality for LGBT Floridians.

Paid Political Advertisement sponsored and paid for in-kind by Equality Florida Action PAC. Approved by Mark LaFontaine, Ken Gottlieb, Charles McKenzie, Kevin Beckner, Darden Rice, Chris Smith, Betty Reed, Kevin Radar, Bryan Miller, Kenneth Thurston, Evan Jenne, Richard Steinberg, Robin Bartleman, Bryan Caletka, Beverly Gallagher, Adriane Reesey, Richard Saltrick, Caroline Tesche, Audrey Edmonson, Evelyn Langlieb Greer, Dr. Martin Karp, Susan Bucher, Shelley Vana, Janet Clark.

Video | Florida Red & Blue launches TV ad to right Amendment 2

Florida Red & Blue news release:

Florida Red & Blue, the bi-partisan, statewide organization running the SayNo2 campaign, takes to the airwaves with its first commercial, which highlights Democratic opposition to Amendment 2, the so-called “Florida Marriage Protection Amendment.” 

The 30 second ad will air on cable systems throughout Florida during televised coverage of the Democratic National Convention.

“Wanting to protect the rights and benefits of Floridians or keep government out of our lives isn’t partisan.” said Derek Newton, Florida Red & Blue campaign manager.  “With this ad we want to make sure Florida Democrats know leaders in the Democratic Party are united in opposition to Amendment 2.”

For more information on Florida Red & Blue's SayNo2 campaign, visit www.SayNo2.com.

Gay reader 'shocked and disappointed' singer Daddy Yankee endorsed McCain

Here's an e-mail I got today from David L. Wylie, senior editor of www.gaysofla.com:

Steve,

I was shocked and disappointed to read that Reggaeton artist Daddy Yankee is endorsing [John McCain].  I hope you'll consider reprinted an article we posted about a group of young influential Latinos who have written an open letter of support for Obama, primarily because of the Democratic Nominee's stance on immigration and his support for LGBT equality.

The following is the link:

http://www.gaysofla.com/content/view/248/51/

We hope that this open letter will help young gay Latinos look past shallow'superstar' endorsements and seriously consider the real issues that could adversely affect them.

Regards,
David L. Wylie
Senior Editor
www.gaysofla.com

Latino LGBT Leaders Throw Support to Obama

Written by David L. Wylie

Actor Wilson Cruz and GaySoFla.com Associate Editor Geo Bustamante have joined dozens of prominent Latinos in endorsing Senator Obama for President of the United States. In an open letter to members of the LGBT Latino community, the group cites Obama’s consistent overtures of support to both the immigrant and gay communities. The following is the letter in its entirety.

LGBT LATINOS FOR OBAMA
CONTACTS:
Gloria Nieto & Andres Duque
lgbt.latinos4obama@gmail.com

An Open Letter to the Latino LGBT community:

Like many of you out there, we are thrilled at the opportunity to bring meaningful and lasting change to the White House by exercising our right to vote during this historic presidential election.
As LGBT Latinos and Latinas who happen to be immigrants or descendants from immigrant families we are sick and tired of seeing our lives and values be misrepresented by those who seek to drive wedges in our communities as a means to split our vote and gain power through division.
We saw it when the right wing used same-sex marriage to rile up the conservative vote for President George W. Bush and we are seeing it again with immigration being blamed as the source for all the nation’s ills.
We know that these are the politics of fear and that those same politics only served to elect one of the worst presidents in US history.
This is why we believe that, in this presidential election, there is one clear choice.
BARACK OBAMA
On the LGBT community: Senator Obama continues to include us in his speeches without prompting or regardless of his audience. He has spoken of his desire to lead all Americans - and has specifically mentioned the LGBT community as being part of his vision of America - during the televised primary debates as well as during presentations in African-American churches as well as Latino gatherings in California.
Senator Obama has said that he supports gender inclusion in a federal bill that would ban discrimination against our communities (as has Senator Hillary Clinton), but, unlike Clinton, he has also said he would repeal ALL of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), signed into law by President Bill Clinton, which allows states to discriminate against same-sex couples by only recognizing partnerships between a man and a woman (Clinton has said that she would only repeal part of the bill).
On immigration: At a time when even “respected” news media such as CNN use immigration bashing in order to drive up ratings and the Republican presidential candidates try to outdo each other in anti-immigrant fervor, we have been moved by Senator Obama’s consistent overtures to immigrant communities, his rejection of using immigrants as a scapegoat and his efforts to shatter stereotypes that African-American communities won’t stand up for immigrants or that Latinos will not vote for a black presidential candidate.
Unfortunately we have been dismayed by the efforts of some Clinton campaign associates to play down the importance of the African-American vote for Obama in South Carolina and other states in which the Illinois Senator has carried the African-American vote by wide margins – and won the states; and by comments from Latino pollster Sergio Bendixen implying that Latinos will not vote for Obama because of his skin color.
Economic tensions do exist between different communities of color, particularly at a time when the economy seems to be heading into a recession which might disproportionally affect our communities. But we need a president that will do his or her best to address the issues that are driving down this economy and not a president that will take advantage of those tensions for political gain.
We believe that the right person for the job is Senator Obama.
He offers a true vision of hope, a vision that values every single person who lives in the United States and not just an elite few.
A vote for Senator Obama provides an opportunity to change our country’s values and embrace our strengths and diversity - and to turn back the onslaught of hate and discrimination we have seen over the last eight years.
For that reason, we would like to ask you to ad your signature to this letter and to simply say:
“We step forward to claim our voice as LGBT Latinos in support of Barack Obama for United States President.”

• Wilson Cruz, Los Angeles, CA
• Chris Aguilar Garcia, Los Angeles, CA
• Noel Alicea, New York, NY
• Miguel Ayala, Washington, DC
• Tita Berger, Albuquerque, NM
• Geo Bustamante, Associate Editor, Gaysofla.com, Miami, FL
• W. Brandon Lacy Campos, Minneapolis, MN
• Pedro Chavez, Los Angeles, CA
• Andres Duque, Queens, NY
• Gael Guevara, New York, NY
• Lorenzo Herrera y Lozano, Austin, TX
• Jorge Irizarry, J.D., Bronx, NY
• Wilfred Labiosa, Boston, MA
• Roberto Martinez,Brooklyn, NY
• Gloria Nieto, San Jose, CA
• Juan Ortíz, Raleigh, NC
• Patricia Marie Perea, Albuquerque, NM
• Felicia A. Ramos, Chicago, IL
• Martha Ramos Duffer, Psy.D., Austin, TX
• Omar Robinson-Rodriquez, Atlanta, GA
• Annette Marie Rodriguez, Albuquerque, NM