South Florida Gay News editors elected president, VP of Society of Professional Journalists chapter

Jason Parsley and Gideon Grudo, both top editors at South Florida Gay News, have been elected president and executive vice president of the Society of Professional Journalists South Florida Pro chapter.

Parsley is South Florida Gay News' editor-in-chief; Grudo is the LGBT newspaper's managing editor.

Also elected Thursday night without opposition:

• Vice President of Membership: Dori Zinn
• Vice President of Programs: Lynn Walsh
• Treasurer: Brandon Ballenger
• Secretary: Cassie Morien

Board of Directors:

• Mariam Aldhahi
• Caity Kauffman
• Sergy Odiduro
• Christopher Persaud
• Jen Stone
• Gabriel Tyner

Student board member (nonvoting): Ryan Cortes, Florida Atlantic University.

The South Florida SPJ Pro chapter held its annual election meeting and holiday party at Southport Raw Bar in Fort Lauderdale.

Discount offered for Dec. 28 performance of 'Orchid,' including meet & greet with cast

From George Coronado:

George Coronado Presents:

SPECIAL EVENT - FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28th - ORCHID: an invitation to a unique theatrical installation. ORCHID is a dream world of song, dance, glamour, burlesque, aerial acrobatics and variety arts set inside a seductively surreal Pleasure Garden in the design district. Use George Coronado's  promo code BEAT for discounted ticket prices. It will be an amazing night of cocktails, over the top production and entertainment!

Normal Price: $79

With the code BEAT:  $49 dollars.  Includes ORCHID show plus a complimentary cocktail

6pm to 7:30 pm - Cocktails and dinner available

7:30 pm - ORCHID show

Address:  THE PLEASURE GARDEN  -  299 NE  38th street Miami, FL 33137  (38th Street and Biscayne Boulevard)

To buy tickets, click on http://www.orchidtheshow.com/

Newt Gingrich to GOP: 'Deal with reality' that the public now supports legalized gay marriage

Newt Gingrich on Thursday told The Huffington Post that the Republican Party should accept that the public opinion has shifted to acceptance of gay marriage.

Said the former House speaker:

"It is in every family. It is in every community. The momentum is clearly now in the direction in finding some way to ... accommodate and deal with reality. And the reality is going to be that in a number of American states -- and it will be more after 2014 -- gay relationships will be legal, period."

Click here to read more.

Gallery | Pridelines LGBT youth group hosts 'Faces of Pride' exhibit featuring art of Dale Stine

Pridelines Youth Services of Miami-Dade County hosted a "Faces of Pride" exhibit featuring the art of Dale Stine (center, with Bob Gramatges and a portrait of Jamesly Louis.)

The exhibit, including a reading about Matthew Shepard by Manny Santelices and music by DJ Jessica Lam, took place at O Cinema in Wynwood.

Click here for more pictures. Photos by STEVE ROTHAUS / Miami Herald Staff.

Poll: Florida voters split on gay marriage, oppose legalizing pot

ASSOCIATED PRESS

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A new poll says Florida voters are split on gay marriage, but they oppose legalizing marijuana.

A survey done by Quinnipiac University found that 45 percent oppose gay marriage, while 43 percent support it. That's a change from last May when 50 percent opposed same-sex marriage.

Fifty-two percent are opposed to making marijuana legal while 42 percent say the drug should be made legal. The states of Washington and Colorado recently legalized small amounts.

On other issues: 73 percent of voters said they oppose an effort to let colleges like the University of Florida charge higher tuition rates. Sixty-six percent also said they opposed charging more tuition for certain majors.

Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,261 registered voters. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percent.

Gallery | Creative Male annual holiday party

Creative Male at 222 NE Second Ave. in Miami held its annual December holiday party on Wednesday night. A portion of the clothing-sale proceeds went to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Click here to view more pictures. Photos by STEVE ROTHAUS / Miami Herald Staff.

Video | Violence erupts amid 'Kisses Against Homophobia' demonstration in Russia

Posted Wednesday to Russian LGBT Network on Facebook:

Today, 19 December 2012, Russian LGBT activists in different cities took to the streets protesting against a new amendment (article 6.13.1) to the Administrative Offences Code of the Russian Federation which creates administrative responsibility for so called “propaganda of homosexualism”. The protests were took place despite the fact that the State Duma moved the first reading of draft law at the very last moment to 22 January 2013.

In Moscow 20 activists from Russian LGBT network and Equality March gathered for a series of one-man pickets with banners “We are against article 6.13.1”, “For freedom of views and believes, against totalitarian laws” and other. The pickets took place from 9:00 till 11:00 near the Russian State Duma building. And although at the same time the pickets of so called Orthodox activists took place nearby, there were no one arrested.

At 12:00 LGBT activists approached the Duma to hold a “Propaganda of love” protest act involving couples kissing in front of the Duma building (homosexual as well as heterosexual ones). In several minutes the Orthodox activists started to throw eggs at the LGBT activists, some of aggressive men attacked the couples. The police arrested 18 people around 12:30 p.m. Among them were 11 participants, 5 Orthodox activists and 2 journalists. All arrested were handed into a prison truck, where they were kept for more than two hours without being informed about the reason of their arrest. Now they are still in the police station.

In Saint Petersburg there were also one man pickets. 5 LGBT activists from "St.Petersburg LGBT-organization Coming Out” and from the “Straits for the equality Alliance” protested in Malaya Sadovaya Street. The police watched the pickets but arrested no one.

In -35C frozen Tomsk Russian LGBT network activist Natalia Mizina protested in front of the regional Administration building for 30 minutes. She wasn’t arrested as well.
There was an approved protest rally in Samara. It’s interesting that the city government rejected the rally in the proposed place but approved it in the Safonov’s boulevard near a school. Six people took place in a rally, there were about the same number of policemen and journalists. Some of people passing by took side of the activists. No one was arrested in Samara despite the fact that there is a law prohibiting so called “propaganda of homosexuality”
In Arkhangelsk there were 3 pickets near the Regional Deputy Assembly for the Russian LGBT network campaign “Against article 6.13.1”.

Stephen Chalbaud: 1963-2012 | Model and 'star volunteer' for gay Task Force, other organizations

Sad news from Pietro Bonacossa: "My special friend ... Stephen became a real angel last week, leaving a deep sense of loss for many of us."

Here is the obituary for Stephen Chalbaud, which is scheduled to run Thursday in The Miami Herald:

Julio "Stephen" Chalbaud, resident of Miami Beach, left this worldly life for eternal peace on December 12, 2012 at the young age of 49. He is now our guardian angel and will be deeply missed by family, friends, colleagues and loved ones.

Stephen was born on September 18, 1963 in San Francisco. He moved to Venezuela as a young child and then to Dallas where he spent his formative years. His real home and heart, however, was in Miami Beach. A beautiful man inside and out, Stephen left a successful career in the modeling world to dedicate his life towards helping those less fortunate.

He spent many years working at Best Buddies and recently did volunteer work for Miami Children's Hospital, Safe Schools South Florida and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, just to name a few.

He had a heart of gold and showered everyone around him with love, kindness, affection, encouragement, understanding, compassion and support.

Stephen is survived by his parents Julio and Gay, his sisters Angela and Debra, his nieces Hayley and Ginger, his nephews Matthew and Joseph, his brothers-in-law Jeff and Thomas, his best friends Dan, Scott, Francisco & Brett, Craig & Rafi, Hector & Ricardo, Brian, Jim & Joseph, Joe & Kevin, Wayne, David, his friends Vince & Ross, Martin, Brandon, John, Carlos, Dave, Liebe, Laura, Tracy, his special friend Pietro and many other dear friends and relatives.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that you consider making a donation in Stephen's memory to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (http://www.thetaskforce.org/donate/honor), an organization where he was regarded as a star volunteer.

Log Cabin Republicans: No ill will toward gay politician Scott Herman for becoming a Democrat

A statement sent Wednesday by A. Jay (Andy) Eddy of the Broward County Log Cabin Republicans club:

Broward LCR Florida Learns of Scott Herman's Switching Political Hats
 
The Board of Directors of the Broward Log Cabin Club of Florida officially learned on Tuesday afternoon that on Monday, December 17th, Scott Herman, who became a club member last year, had switched his political affiliation.
 
Steve Rothaus of the Miami Herald contacted Andy of LCR Broward on Tuesday asking him of his opinion since he was Herman’s volunteer campaign Treasurer. He responded that “Scott, after his political setback, said he and others are thinking of a party change, but, I was never officially informed that he already had, on Monday, formally moved to do so.”
 
According to Sandy Steen, the club’s V.P., “ Regarding his being distraught over the alleged lack of physical and financial support offered by Florida's GOP leaders, Scott and his campaign manager, Nick Stone, also had difficulty receiving any backing whatsoever from the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund who apparently kept losing documentation.”
 
Jack Majeske, LCR Broward’s club President noted, “I didn’t know Herman all that well but since he was relatively new to the community many believed that he should have run for a Wilton Manor’s Commission seat initially before tackling a State House Seat held by a well know minority Candidate.”
 
While the LCR Broward Board of Directors expressed its disappointment over Herman's philosophical metamorphosis they wished him no ill will but understand that club members will face doctrine challenges in any future campaigns Scott and the DEC deem appropriate for the candidate to tackle.

Florida Family Association: 'Opposing homosexual agenda’s targeting of children will be top priority in 2013'

Email Wednesday from the Florida Family Association:

Florida Family Association supporters sent more than 9 million emails through our email action center.  The majority of these emails dealt with Islamist activities in America and the gay agenda targeting children.

With the start of a busy Christmas and New Year’s break next week we wanted to let you know now that we are ready for 2013.

Florida Family Association will continue to vigorously oppose the homosexual agenda’s targeting of our children by:

• Starting a new campaign to encourage UPS to reconsider their withdrawal of funds from the Boy Scouts of America because they do not accept homosexual scoutmasters.  UPS also gives $45 million per year to homosexual extremist groups.
• Flying two banners the day before and the day of Gay Day at Disney to warn families about the offensive event.  This year we plan to have a Spanish banner to warn the thousands of South American tourists that we attended at the Magic Kingdom during Gay Day at Disney 2012.
• Continuing the campaign to oppose “Office Depot Partners with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation to Create a Braver, Kinder School Year - Office Depot to Donate At Least $1 Million to Support Born This Way Foundation.”
• Continuing the campaign that urges Ernst & Young CEO James Turley to retreat from his public statement that supports homosexual scoutmasters in the Boy Scouts of America.  Turley is a BSA executive board member.
• Continuing the campaign that counters LGBT activists’ drive calling on Electronic Arts, Inc. to add homosexual game players to Star Wars video games.
• Opposing legislation which advocates legal status for same-sex relationships or special status for transgenders and homosexuals.
• Continuing the campaign that calls on advertisers to stop supporting the Teen Nick show Degrassi which targets children with positive transgender roll models.

There will most likely be numerous situations that arise in 2013 which do not fall within one of the above categories.  Florida Family Association will carefully review and respond to those situations if appropriate.  Your eyes and ears can help us to be informed and respond accordingly.  Please forward news items regarding companies that pressure the Boy Scouts of America to accept homosexual scoutmasters and television shows that target children with homosexual and transgender content to davidcaton@floridafamily.org or submit through the contact button at Floridafamily.org.

Opposing the homosexual agenda’s targeting of children will be a top priority for Florida Family Association.

Your continued support of Florida Family Association’s email alerts is important to the success of future campaigns.  Thank you.