not participated previously are encouraged to
attend. Sign up atmeetup.com/http-vwvw-lg-
btcenterofraleigh-com-site-programs-seniors/
events/102506262/.
Other events slated for February at the
center are:
• Fern, Butch or Blend...Express Yourself!,
Fuilstream Brewery, 726 Rigsbee Ave.,
Durham, 7 p.m.
An official OutIRaleigh event benefiting
the Human Rights Campaign and the center
features spoken word and performance art
Contributions appreciated at the door.
• LGBT Generations, at the center, 2 p.m.
The first meeting for LGBT parents and
children. Will meet monthly on every fourth
Sunday.
info; Les Geller, vice chairman, Igeller®
lgbtcenterofraleigh.com
— L.M.
Church starts youth ministry
RALEIGH —St John's MCC, 805
Glenwood Ave., has announced that it will
begin a children's ministry on Feb. 17.
Church services will be held on the first
and third Sundays of the month at 11 a.m.
Rick Grissom will co-lead the ministry.
They are currently looking for a variety of
items to make the ministry more successful.
They include: manila envelopes (unfolded let
ter size or slightly larger), eight-pack boxes of
crayons, snacks and sandwich baggies, white
paper in reams, construction paper, #2 pen
cils, small erasers, glue sticks, oak tag paper,
religious-themed stickers and one electric
pencil sharpener. Items should be taken to the
church office.
To learn more about this new youth pro
gram, email rigrisso@yahoo.com.
info: stjohnsmcc.org
— LM.
National/Global
No breakfast of champions
WASHINGTON, D.C.—To the dismay of
many within the LGBT community. President
Barack Obama joined numerous House and
Senate members at the annual National Prayer
Breakfast As always, the Feb. 7 event was
hosted by The Fellowship Foundation — a con
servative Christian organization that is known to
support barbaric anti-gay legislation around the
world, including Uganda's "Kill the Gays" bill.
"For another year. President Obama has
chosen to set aside his stated values of inclu
sion in order to attend the National Prayer
Breakfast—an event rooted in hatred of
LGBT people and covered up by pastries and
coffee," said Heather Cronk, managing direc
tor of GetEQUAL. "There are so many commu
nities of faith that fully embrace LGBT people
and that are rooted in social justice — we
really don't understand why President Obama
continues to give his permission for The
Family'to support killing LGBT folks abroad."
— D.S.
Report examines marriage wins
SOMERVILLE, Mass. — For over a decade
and a half, same-sex marriage advocates
experienced a long and almost unbroken
series of defeats at the ballot box, but in fall
2012, things changed. Not only did Minnesota
voters defeat a constitutional ban on same-sex
marriage, but majorities in Maine, Maryland,
and Washington voted /iormarriage equality.
So, what changed? A new report from Political
Research Associates, "The Right's Marriage
Message: Talking Tolerance, Marketing
Inequality," says the Right's messaging shifted
away from what had proven successful in pre
vious campaigns, even as marriage advocates
learned from previous failures.
Report author David Dodge, equality activist
and researcher, obsen/ed: "While this election
will likely be looked back upon as a turning point
for the marriage equality movement it is impor
tant to remember that none of these victories
were won in a landslide. [National Organization
for Marriage] and its right-wing affiliates will not
concede future battles simply because they are
unaccustomed to electoral defeat Rathet these
groups will learn from their mistakes in order to
prepare for future campaigns, several of which
are just around the corner in states including
Indiana and Oregon."
— D.S.
Boy Scout leaders punt on equality .
NEW YORK, N.Y. — After more than
a week of reports that the Boy Scouts of
America (BSA) would consider lifting its na
tional ban on gay Scouts and leaders, on Feb.
6 the organization's Board of Directors decided
in a closed door meeting to stall. Instead of
taking action, they voted to form a task force to
study the issue. According to a later state
ment, the move will delay a vote on the ban
until the group's national meeting in May.
Poll results released the same day by
Quinnipiac University revealed a strong
majority of U.S. voters believe it is time for the
BSA to end its anti-gay policy. Just 33 percent
of voters said the ban should remain in place.
A coalition of gay and straight Scouts and
Scout leaders along with scores of equal
rights groups have been working for more
than nine months to convince BSA leaders to
repeal the policy. Over 1.4 million people have
signed petitions on Change.org calling for the
news
goq notes. com/to/news
BSA to reverse its position.
—D.S.
Anti-gay law moving forward
MOSCOW, Russia — Representatives of
LGBT rights group ILGA-Europe are con
cerned with what looks to be the impending
approval by the Russian federal parliament
of a bill aimed at banning "propaganda of
homosexuality" in Russia.
If passed, the law will make it illegal
nationwide for any organization or individual
to publish an article, hold an event or in
any way publicly discuss LGBT issues. An
overwhelming majority of the members of
Parliament (388 out of 390 present for the
vote) supported the draft legislation, with
one voting against and one abstention.
ILGA-Europe leaders also denounced re
cent acts of violence in Russia against LGBTI
rights advocates and their supporters.
—D.S.
Feb. 15-28.2013 qnotes 7