nL recap
Vendor fair sets record
page 36
Interview
Halloween
John Waters coming to Charlotte
page 29
\ Noted. Notable . Noteworthy. LGBT News & Views
Trick-or-treat safety tips
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u
Volume 22 . Number 12 www.q-notes.com October 20.2007
Trans protections ripped from ENDA
National organizations, trans
activists respond; rift in HRC forms
by Matt Comer . Q-Notes staff
WASHINGTON, D.C. — At the end
of September, U.S. House leaders
including openly gay U.S. Rep. Barney
Frank (D-MA) and Speaker Nancy
Pelosi announced the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)
would no longer contain protections
for transgender Americans.
Their announcement provoked a
firestorm of controversy, in-fighting
and division among the LGBT com
munity. At the same time, however, the
response to the announcement provid
ed a chance for hundreds of national
and state LGBT organizations to unite
for a transgender-inclusive ENDA.
Citing an unrecorded “Whip
count,” or poll, of House members,
Frank stated, “it became very clear that while
we would retain a significant majority of
Democrats, we would lose enough so that a
bill that included transgender protection
would lose if not amended.”
Frank has proposed a new strategy splitting
protections into two different bills — ENDA
will proceed with protections for sexual orien
tation with protections against anti-transgen-
der discrimination placed in a second bill.
“One will be ENDA as it has historically
existed, banning discrimination on sexual ori
entation. A second will add transgender pro
tections to that basic scheme. We will move
forward with the ban on sexual orientation for
Members and allies of the National Transgender Advocacy Coalition
protest outside the National HRC Dinner in Washington, D.C.
Photo Credit: Isis, isisinriagery.com
which we finally — after 30-pIus years —
have the votes,” Frank said.
Leaders and members of national organi
zations have called for protections for all or
protections for none.
In an Oct. 1 press conference, leaders from
five advocacy organizations, representing hun
dreds of other national and state organiza
tions, urged the House to keep the transgen
der protections.
“It is not a strategy to leave out some of our
loved ones,” said Jody Huckaby, executive direc
tor of Parents, Families and Friends of
Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG),“This is an unac-
cepatable tactic. PFLAG is strongly opposed to
any legislation that leaves out
any part of our family and
divides our community^’
“We are acutely aware of the
compromises and steps that
were necessary for ci^ rights
for Afncan-Americans,” said H.
Alexander Robinson of the
National Black Justice Coalition
(NBJC),“Advocates for the rights
of women and people of color
have had to accept incremental
steps for equality. It is uncon
scionable for us to think that we
could support cutting transgen
der protections from this bifi.
Now is not the time to retreat,
compromise or capitulate.”
During the press conference. Matt
Foreman of the National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force (NGLTF) was quick to defend
Frank, Pelosi and other leaders in response to
questions from the media insinuating that
Frank and Pelosi no longer supported the
entire LGBT community.
“Speaker Pelosi and Barney Frank have
see ENDA on 26
N.C. man kills himself after sex sting arrest publicized
Community members cite media,
police handling as cause
' by Matt Comer . Q*Notes Staff
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Over a
two-week period in late September, 40
men — including one preacher and
employees of school systems — were
arrested in undercover sex stings in
Johnson City, Tenn. public parks, possi
bly leading to the suicide of one man less
than 24 hours after charges against him
were announced.
According to The Johnson City Press,
the police targeted two parks they felt
had become known for sexual activity.
The report of the sting was featured promi-
One of the area’s television news stations,
WJHL Channel 11, also carried news of the
undercover operation and posted on its web
site the Johnson City
Police Department
press release, which
also included names,
addresses and pho
tographs.
The men arrested
ranged in age from
26 to 85 and lived in
areas scattered
aCTOSS Teimessee,
North Carolina and
Virginia.
Arrestee Jerry
Jerry McCloud committed
suicide after the sex sting,
McCloud, 55, of Newland, N.C., was found
nently as the lead headline on the paper’s front dead in his home around 10 a.m. on Oct. 2. No
page and included names, addresses and pho- details on funeral arrangements were pub-
tographs of each man arrested. lished by The Johnson City Press and could not
be ascertained by Q-Notes.
Like most of the other men, McCloud was
charged with indecent exposure. Some were
also charged with sexual battery after they
groped undercover police officers.
LGBT organizations in Tennessee and
nationally monitored the situation. Many took
issue with its handling.
“Without condoning public sex, I think it
is clear that this newspaper is perpetrating a
punitive culture around issues of sexuahty
and now we are seeing the tragic results,” said
Chris Sanders, president of the Tennessee
Equality Project. “There is no lobby for public
sex and no one is advocating for it, but at the
same time we know that this is really not
where media coverage needs to be.”
Attempts to reach John Molley, managing
editor of The Johnson City Press, were unsuc-
see newland on 23
t allies come out for equality
pa^ 15
Q-Notes welcomes
new editor
Matt Comer brings fresh
perspective to coverage
by David Stout. Q-Notes staff
CHARLOTTE — Q-Notes publisher Jim
Yarbrough has hired Matt Comer as the new
editor of the biweekly LGBT newspaper of
the Carolinas. His time at the helm of the 21-
year-old publication begins with the
current issue.
“We are excited to have Matt on our
team and look forward to the energy and
fresh outlook he brings,”Yarbrough said.
“His activism and journalism, particularly
in new media, will benefit our current
readers as well as the new readers he will
attract.”
Comer replaces David Moore, who
stepped down at the end of September to
pursue other opportunities. As he
revealed in his final Editor’s Note, Moore
is also caring for
his mother who
was diagnosed
with pancreatic
cancer shortly
before his
departure.
“I am grateful
to Mr. Yarbrough,
his staff and all
those who have
given me this
wonderful oppor
tunity to work
daily for the com-
Matt Comer has
been active in the
LGBT community
since high school.
munity I hold near and dear to my heart,”
said Comer, a native of Winston-Salem.
He began his activism there as a fresh
man at R.J. Reynolds High School, founding a
gay-strai^t alliance. He also worked with ffie
Wmston-Salem chapter of the Gay, Lesbian
and Straight Education Network (GLSEN).
At the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro, where he matriculated. Comer
continued his work for LGBT equality both
on campus and off The groups he was
involved with include UNCG PRIDE!,
Alternative Resources of the Triad, Guilford
Green Foundation, N.C. Human Rights
Campaign Steering Committee, Triad
Business 8c Professional Guild, Equality NC
and PFLAG Winston-Salem.
He also entered the blogosphere during
see comer on 4