Winter Party volunteer Tim Ribar found dead

Photographer Tim Ribar, a longtime volunteer for both Winter Party and the Miami Recognition Dinner, was found dead last weekend inside his Fort Lauderdale apartment.

Little is known of the circumstances, according to publicist Richard Murry.

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has released this statement.

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is saddened to learn of the unexpected passing of Tim Ribar over the weekend. Tim was a long-time volunteer for both Winter Party Festival and the Miami Recognition Dinner and his generous contributions to those events will be deeply missed.

Few details are known about Tim’s passing at this time, or about service arrangements, but we will share this information once it becomes available.

We will all miss Tim as a Task Force colleague and friend after his many years of passionate service to the organization. A tribute to Tim’s memory will be planned during Winter Party Festival.

Hurricane Sandy destroyed drop-in center at New York's Ali Forney Center for homeless LGBT youth

Following Hurricane Sandy last week, New York's Ali Forney Center for homeless LGBT youth says its drop-in center in Chelsea has been completely destroyed.

From Carl Siciliano, the center's executive director:

"I am saddened to report that this past weekend we were finally able to inspect our Drop-In Center on West 22nd Street - which serves as the entry point to many of our programs for LGBTQ youth, including medical care, HIV testing, mental health services, housing referrals, an employment assistance program, and more - and our worst fears were realized: it is destroyed. Water went at least four feet up the walls, and everything in there, including phones, computers, refrigerators, supplies, and the building floors has been irreparably damaged. I do not see us being able to return there, especially since our lease is finished at the end of January.

"This facility provided care to the most vulnerable youth served by AFC, those stranded out on the streets awaiting shelter  While our new 24-hour drop-in center will open as planned in a different location, it will not be ready for full service for several months.

"We are thankful that all of the young people who find shelter and housing with us were kept safe through the storm, and that none of our eight housing sites were damaged.

"We are pursuing every means possible to take care of our youth in the interim.  The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center has graciously offered us the use of its space, and we are currently evaluating this option.

“As we take on this challenge, we are enormously grateful for the immense outpouring of support we have seen, and we hope our city and the LGBTQ community will continue to rally behind us.”

Donations to the AFC can be made at: http://www.aliforneycenter.org/hurricanesandy

About the Ali Forney Center

The Ali Forney Center (AFC) was started in June of 2002 in response to the lack of safe shelter for LGBT youth in New York City. The Center is committed to providing these young people with safe, dignified, nurturing environments where their needs can be met, and where they can begin to put their lives back together. AFC is dedicated to promoting awareness of the plight of homeless LGBT youth in the United States with the goal of generating responses on local and national levels from government funders, foundations, and the LGBT community.

'I do?' Opposition dogs French gay marriage plans (with Q&A about marriage and adoption)

BY THOMAS ADAMSON, ASSOCIATED PRESS

PARIS -- A plan to legalize same-sex marriage and allow gay couples to adopt was a liberal cornerstone of Francois Hollande's election manifesto earlier this year. It looked like a shoo-in for the French President, supported by a majority of the country, and an easy way to break with his conservative predecessor. But that was then.

Now, as the Socialist government prepares to unveil its draft "marriage for everyone" law Wednesday, polls show wavering support for the idea and for the president himself amid increasingly vocal opposition in this majority Catholic country.

And it's not just religious and rural leaders speaking out; top figures within Hollande's own party also are at loggerheads over the plan. The Socialists are now dragging their feet, releasing the bill later than planned and delaying parliamentary debate on it until January.

The political hot potato has exposed divisions between urban France, where homosexuality is widely accepted, and the rural heartland, where conservative attitudes hold sway.

Click here to read more.

Questions and answers about gay marriage, adoption

Q: WHAT COUNTRIES HAVE LEGALIZED GAY MARRIAGE?

A: The Netherlands (2001); Belgium (2003); Spain and Canada (2005); South Africa (2006); Norway (2008); Sweden (2009); Argentina, Iceland, Portugal (2010); Denmark (2012).

Q: HAVE OTHER PLACES LEGALIZED GAY MARRIAGE?

A: In the United States, a law prevents the federal government from recognizing gay marriage, but six states have legalized it - Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont - as have the District of Columbia and two Native American tribal jurisdictions. Mexico City also recognizes gay marriage, although Mexico as a whole doesn't.

Q: WHAT ABOUT ADOPTION FOR GAY COUPLES?

A: Gay couples can legally adopt in all of the countries that have legalized gay marriage, plus Brazil and the United Kingdom.

Video | Cher and Kathy Griffin: 'Don't let Mitt turn back time on women'

On YouTube:

Cher and Kathy Griffin on Mitt's efforts to turn back time on women in the latest video from the Actually... series. When lies go unchecked, we all lose. Actually.org spreads the truth, because the truth matters—even in politics. Our team calls 'em like they see 'em, and we hope you'll support the truth by sharing Actually.org videos before Election Day.

Actually... is a partnership between American Bridge and JCER. Schlep Labs is a project of JCER. Actually... was produced by Amy Rubin at Barnacle Studios

http://blog.barnacle.is

Republican Party of Florida charters LGBT Log Cabin Republicans of Miami club

The Republican Party of Florida has chartered the LGBT Log Cabin Republicans of Miami club.

"Way to GO Log Cabin Republicans of Miami!!!" Miami co-chair Miriam "Mimi" Planas posted Friday on Facebook.