Video | Clay Aiken speaks against amendment to ban same-sex couples from marrying in North Carolina

Clay Aiken appears on YouTube speaking against North Carolina's Amendment 1, which one update the state's constitution to ban same-sex couples from marrying:

Clay Aiken is a concerned North Carolinian donating his time and money to defeat Amendment One, which will harm ALL NC families. Will you join us by giving $25, 50, 100, or whatever amount you feel good about today? Your donation will help ensure no North Carolina child ever receives less protections under the law.

The vote will be May 8, 2012.

Tony-winning Donna McKechnie in Florida to star in one-woman show, also 'Little Women'

BY STEVE ROTHAUS, srothaus@MiamiHerald.com

Theater legend Donna McKechnie is in South Florida for several upcoming performances.

The Tony-winning original star of Broadway's A Chorus Line opens the new Plaza Theatre in Manalapan with her one-woman show, My Musical Comedy Life, which she performed a year ago at the Playground Theatre in Miami Shores.

"It's essentially a show about a girl who runs away from home to become a dancer in New York," McKechnie says. "It's a personal story, but it gives me a platform to re-create Broadway numbers from shows I've been in."

Among McKechnie's hit shows: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Promises, Promises, Sweet Charity, Follies, and State Fair.

"It's wonderful fun for me to re-create the numbers for the audience while I’m infusing my personal point of view," she says. "And telling stories about incredible people I’ve been able to work with: Michael Bennett, Bob Fosse, Gwen Verdon, Harold Prince. Stephen Sondheim, Cy Coleman, Ann Miller, Frank Loesser. And Richard Jay-Alexander!"

Jay-Alexander, who lives in Miami Beach and directed My Musical Comedy Life, has also directed hugely successful concerts for Barbra Streisand, Bernadette Peters, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Bette Midler.

"I follow him everywhere and anywhere," McKechnie says. "My champion."

Click here to buy tickets to My Musical Comedy Life.

McKechnie also will co-star in a musical production of Little Women to be staged March 8-18 at The Theatre Zone in Naples.

Click here to buy tickets for LIttle Women.

Photos by STEVE ROTHAUS / Miami Herald Staff.

Official video | Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire signs law making state 7th to allow gay marriage

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire on Monday signed legislation making the state the seventh in the United States to permit same-sex couples to marry.

Here is the official transcript of Gregoire's speech:

Good morning. Welcome! Thank you, Ed and Jamie.
We are here to make history in Washington State!
I’m about to sign into law a bill making us the seventh state in the nation to give our gay and lesbian citizens marriage equality.
I’ll explain and sign the bill in a few minutes, but first let me say that as governor for more than seven years, this is a very proud moment...
...Most surely it is a proud day in the history of the Legislature and the state of Washington.
It is a day historians will mark as a milestone for equal rights...
A day when we did what was right, we did what was just, and we did what was fair.
We stood up for equality and we did it together – Republicans and Democrats, gay and straight, young and old, and a number of religious faiths.
I’m proud of who and what we are in this state.
...I’m proud that our same-sex couples will no longer be treated as separate but equal. They will be equal.
I’m proud that children in our schools and neighborhoods will not have to wonder why their loving parents are considered different than other loving parents.
I’m proud of parents who have fought so fiercely for the rights of their much-loved gay and lesbian children...
I’m proud that children who discover they are gay and lesbian can feel good about themselves...
...Like the 16 year old girl who wrote to tell me her sexual orientation made her life hard, and that she had considered suicide...
...But marriage equality would make her stronger and allow her to live and to dream of the day she would not have to get on bended knee and say: “Will you civil union me” but instead could say: “Will you marry me?”
I’m proud we live in a state where a six-year-old boy came to my office one day with his two Moms to deliver me a note written in neat little block letters that said:
“Please change the law so we can marry anyone we love.”
I’m proud to live in a state where two women e-mailed me to say they have been together for 20 years this month, and can now look forward to the day they can vow their commitment and love in front of family and friends right here in their beloved Washington.
I’m proud to live in a state where, just last Thursday, a gay high-school senior wrote me to say he already has an associate’s degree in computer science, and his future is so bright......Except for one thing!
In his e-mail, he wrote:
“My biggest obstacle in life is clearly not my passion or intellect. It is my sexuality. I have grown up in a world where people are not accepted for who they are...
“So I want you to know that I salute you and your government, because one day, as this nation continues to change, people like me will not have to be extraordinary to appear ordinary.”
I am so very proud of our young people – including my two daughters – who tell us marriage equality is the civil-rights issue of their time, and who – pollsters say – are helping my generation to catch up.
I’m proud of so many who led the way – not just this year, but every hard step that came before.
And I’m proud of our legislators of both parties who stood up for what’s right. Who fought against discrimination. Who took a personal journey – as I did – and voted their conscience.
I thank the Legislature not only for making history, but in the way they did it. Proponents and opponents were thoughtful and respectful! Marriage equality is a difficult issue, and feelings run high on both sides.
Yet, our Legislature conducted itself professionally and respectfully. Thank you, Speaker Chopp and Representative DeBolt in the House. Thank you, Majority Leader Brown and Senator Hewitt in the Senate. On this issue, you and your members showed the world the best of Washington State democracy.
And thank you to Reps. Jinkins, Moeller, Liias, and Upthegrove for your hard work.
And finally to Sen. Murray and Rep. Pedersen, thank you for your skilled leadership as prime sponsors of this marriage equality legislation.
We have been on a long journey together.
And the intelligence, care and patience you brought to this struggle over so many years defines what it means to be a great legislator.
We began in 2006 when we passed a law – too long in the making – to ban discrimination against members of our L-G-B-T community.
We said yes in 2007 and again in 2008 when we created and expanded domestic partnership rights.
Our voters said yes in 2009 to R-71 granting full domestic partner rights – and did so by a vote of 53 percent to 47 percent, the first time voters in any state upheld a domestic partnership law.
And now in 2012 our Senate said yes to this marriage equality bill by 28-21, and the House by 55-43.
The bill I’m signing today is simple and clear:
First, it gives same-sex couples the same right to a marriage license as heterosexual couples.
Second, churches or their affiliates do not have to perform same-sex marriages. The law provides an exemption and immunity for religious organizations, religiously affiliated educational institutions, ministers, priests, imams (ee-MOMS), rabbis and similar officials of religious organizations.
Third, no religious organization is required to provide accommodations, facilities, advantages, privileges, services, or goods related to the solemnization or celebration of a marriage.
In short, this bill preserves freedom of religion! For our churches – absolutely nothing changes!
Here in Washington, we’ve taken a long, difficult journey, and now the final step – the right step. We’ve finally said yes to marriage equality!
We join six other states and the District of Columbia in allowing same-sex marriage, and their experience proves that “the sky will fall” rhetoric is simply not true.
A recent University of New Hampshire poll found that a majority of New Hampshire citizens want to keep their marriage equality law partly because they realized it makes no difference in their own lives.
In Massachusetts, an economic study found that same-sex marriage improved the economy, and so did a similar study about same-sex marriage in Iowa.
The truth is, respectful, welcoming societies make a stronger economy. Thank you to companies like Microsoft and Starbucks, Google and Nike, Vulcan, Real Networks, Group Health, and Concur – who have already said yes to marriage equality in Washington.
And if asked, I believe the voters of Washington will say yes to marriage equality.
I believe Washingtonians will say yes because a family is a family – all facing the same challenges: Can we keep a roof over our heads, keep our jobs, and provide for our children’s health, safety, education and happiness?
I believe Washingtonians will say yes because it is time to stand up for our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, moms and dads, friends, and that couple just down the street.
I believe Washingtonians know it is time…It is time to give loving gay and lesbian couples the right to a marriage license.
It is time to allow them to invite family and friends to witness their marriage.
I ask all Washingtonians to look into your hearts and ask yourselves:
Isn’t it time?
Isn’t it time to tell the children of same sex couples that their parents are as loving and important as any others?
Isn’t it time to support strong families, and make Washington stronger too?
And isn’t it time to send a message to the world that Washington believes in equality for all –
I believe if we ask ourselves those questions – our answers will be yes – marriage equality is right for Washington State. And the time is now.
Over the last month thousands of people have called and written from around our state, our nation and the world to say thank you to me. But I have to say that as I look out over this room, you are the ones to thank.
...You who have been fighting for this day for years...
...You took time to attend and testify at legislative hearings...
...You who fought for your gay and lesbian children...and other family members…
...You with your own loved ones are giving back to your communities and making our state stronger.
This is your time. I’m just proud to stand with you at this great moment in our history. I’m proud to sign this bill bringing marriage equality to the great State of Washington.
And now I’ll sign the bill.

New Jersey Senate OKs gay marriage bill in milestone vote, despite Gov. Christie vow to veto

BY GEOFF MULVIHILL, ASSOCIATED PRESS

TRENTON, N.J. -- New Jersey lawmakers gave their blessing to legalizing gay marriage for the first time Monday as the state Senate passed a bill that would allow nuptials for same-sex couples, despite Gov. Chris Christie's insistence that he will veto such legislation.

The Senate's 24-16 vote sends the bill to the Assembly, which is expected to pass it on Thursday.

Monday's vote contrasts with the only other gay-marriage vote taken in the Legislature. In January 2010, gay marriage supporters thought they had built a narrow majority in the Senate, but senators began to defect, and the measure was defeated 20-14. Since then, Senate President Stephen Sweeney, a Democrat from West Deptford, has changed his position. He says he regrets abstaining two years ago and has made gay marriage recognition a top priority.

Click here to read the complete article, with updates.

Marriage Equality USA: Over 42 percent of Americans live in states that recognize same-sex relationships

Over 42 percent of Americans now live in states that legally recognize same-sex relationships, according to the group Marriage Equality USA.

With the enactment of full marriage equality in Washington state today, over 42% of Americans now live in the 21 states that offer some form of  legal recognition at the state level for same-sex relationships:  marriage equality (CT, DC, IA, MA, NH, NY, VT, WA); civil union (DE, HI, IL, NJ, RI); or domestic partnership (CA, CO, MD, ME, NV, NM, OR, WI).

Florida does not recognize same-sex marriage or domestic partnerships.

Click here to view the group's updated national marriage equality map.

Whitney Houston death revives old gay rumors

Whitney Houston's death on Saturday has revived the old rumors about whether she was a lesbian or bisexual.

From The Daily Beast:

Long before she married Bobby Brown and became a crack addict, long before “doodie bubbles” on Being Bobby Brown, long before her supposedly clean comeback, Whitney Houston was rumored to be a lesbian. Like Gayle and Oprah, Whitney had an ultra-close best friend, Robyn Crawford, who was also her personal assistant.

Queerty has posted an old video interview with Houston in which she discussed performing at New York Gay Pride in 1999. “It’s their pride they’re celebrating…I’m just there to entertain,” Houston said in the interview.

And British gay activist Peter Tatchell posted on his Facebook page:

Whitney Houston RIP. She was happiest & at her peak with her female partner in the 1980s. They were so joyful together. I met them at the Reach Out & Touch HIV rally in London in 1991, organised by Vernal Scott. Whitney spoke very movingly; supporting people with HIV, when many other stars kept their distance. She was pressured into the Bobby Brown marriage. Disaster. Her life started going downhill soon afterwards. Whitney’s death is a tragic loss.

Miami Beach writer/producer promotes film about gay high school student, 'Just a Small Town Boy'

From writer/producer Dave Mills of Miami Beach:

OUR STORY

Travis, a popular high school athlete in a small rural town is shunned by his friends, abused by his team mates, and ostracized by his community when it is learned he is gay. Through it all, he never loses sight of his dream to gain a scholarship to a major university.

The story offers a unique perspective as it documents how attitudes change from hero to pariah overnight simply because they learn Travis is gay.

THE IMPACT

As Travis faces the intolerance of a closed minded community, and abuse from people who were once his friends, he remains determined to persue his ambition of gaining a scholarship at a major university. Once there, he finds a whole new world of acceptance.

We hope to provide a positive role model for gay youth, especially those who live in small town America, where intolerance is the norm. To give these young people hope that "IT DOES GET BETTER", and that there are places where acceptance is possible. If this film helps one young person cope better with his or her situation, it will all be worth it.

OUR PRODUCTION

"Just A Small Town Boy" is a labor of love for our Writer/Producer Dave Mills. Written over the last nine years, many of the situations seen in the film are based on events that he either witnessed first hand, or were related to him during his time living in rural Kentucky.

Our crew will consist of dedicated student film makers from South Florida colleges and universities, while our cast is comprised of actors with a wide range of experiences. What each member of our team brings to the table is an understanding of the importance of the message this project wants to send.

While our demo reel was made using only a consumer grade camera with no additional sound or lighting equipment, the feature film will be made with commercial quality cameras, sound and lighting.

"Just A Small Town Boy" is truly told from the heart. With a passionate team of individuals dedicated to bringing a high quality production to life.

Upon completion, we intend to offer our film for screenings at Gay and Lesbian Film Festivals throughout the United States, as well as to offer it to Gay Youth Organizations for screenings.

WHAT WE NEED AND WHAT YOU GET

In order to produce "Just A Small Town Boy" we require financing for the following

Location Rentals, primarily a high school gym, locker room and classroom, among others

Insurance and Permits, in order to obtain filming permits, we are required to obtain liability insurance for the length of the production

Costuming, custom made uniforms for the basketball teams, and cheerleaders, as well as varsity lettermans jackets, which are a staple of small town high school athletes

Salaries for Cast and Crew, with sanctioning as an "Ultra Low Budget SAG Indy Feature" we are able to pay our key actors a lower scale rate, which will save budget, but our cast and crew still must be paid.

Equipment, cameras, sound and lighting equipment rentals and purchases

In return for your generosity and support, we are offering a variety of incentives that are able to fit any level of funding. From the Glee Club to Executive Producer, we appreciate any and all contributions.

We also appreciate you sharing our links with anyone you feel might be interested in our project.

Gallery | 'The Power of LGBT Employees and Guests' held at Johnson & Wales in North Miami

I spoke Friday at The Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA), held at Johnson & Wales University in North Miami to "increase people’s cultural intelligence across major ethnic, racial and cultural groups," according to the group.

The topic: "The Power of LGBT Employees and Guests" to "highlight best practices in addressing the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees and guests."

Other speakers included Fred Sainz, vice president of communications at Human Rights Campaign (HRC); representatives of Kimpton Hotels, Coca-Cola, Burger King, McDonald's, Cracker Barrel and Steven Haas, owner of City Hall - The Restaurant on Biscayne Boulevard in Miami.

Click the photos to view a gallery from the event. Photos by STEVE ROTHAUS / Miami Herald Staff.

Suspect charged in gay Georgia man's videotaped beating

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ATLANTA -- Atlanta police have arrested a suspect in the beating of a 20-year-old gay man that was captured on a widely viewed video.

Police spokesman Carlos Campos said Saturday that officers have charged 18-year-old Christopher Cain with aggravated assault and robbery in the Feb. 4 attack outside a southwest Atlanta store.

Police are still seeking two other suspects in the beating of Brandon White. Their names haven't been released.

Federal authorities are investigating the attack as a possible hate crime. Gay slurs are heard in the video as White is beaten. White told reporters that he shouldn't have to fear for his life because he is gay.

At a rally Saturday, community residents turned out in cold weather to support White. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that U.S. Rep. John Lewis urged the crowd to continue speaking out "when you see something going wrong."